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Yankees Release David Adams

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The Yankees have released infielder David Adams to make space on the team's 40-man roster for Vernon Wells, tweets Sweeny Murti of WFAN. Adams, 25, spent last season in Double-A, where he hit .306/.385/.450 over 383 plate appearances.

As Larry Stone wrote in the Seattle Times a few years back, a failed medical exam of Adams held up the Yankees' attempt to acquire Cliff Lee in 2010. "I had him," Cashman said of Lee, until the Mariners found that Adams had what turned out to be a fractured ankle. When Cashman refused to replace Adams with Eduardo Nunez or Ivan Nova, Texas jumped in with a deal centered around Justin Smoak. The change of events not only kept Lee from going to the Yanks, but also prevented catcher Jesus Montero from going to Seattle (for the time being).

Yankees Sign Lyle Overbay

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The Yankees signed first baseman Lyle Overbay to a minor league deal, tweets Erik Boland of Newsday.  Overbay was released this morning by the rival Red Sox, who avoided a $100K retention bonus in the process.

Overbay, 36, hit .259/.331/.397 in 131 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks and Braves last year.  He was squeezed out in Boston due to their Mike Carp acquisition, but has found a potential opportunity with the Yankees due to a wrist injury that will sideline first baseman Mark Teixeira into May in the best case.

The Yankees have also added Vernon Wells, Ben Francisco, and Brennan Boesch since Teixeira and Curtis Granderson were injured.

Yankees Acquire Vernon Wells

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A player with a supposedly untradeable contract has been dealt for a second time, as the Yankees acquired outfielder Vernon Wells from the Angels on a salary dump deal.  The trade was announced officially today, and the Halos received a couple of token minor leaguers in outfielder Exicardo Cayones and lefty reliever Kramer Sneed.  The big benefit for the Angels was salary relief, as the Yankees will reportedly assume a surprising $13.9MM of the $42MM owed to Wells for 2013-14, of which they'll pay $11.5MM this year to avoid a luxury tax hit in 2014.  Wells was happy to waive his no-trade clause and escape a likely fate of being buried on the Angels' bench.

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Wells, 34, was acquired to serve as the Yankees' everyday left fielder until Curtis Granderson returns to the lineup in May from a broken wrist.  Signed to a seven-year, $126MM extension by the Blue Jays in 2006, Wells posted a solid year in 2010 that allowed Toronto to unload most of his remaining $86MM on the Angels, which also cost the Halos Mike Napoli and cost GM Tony Reagins his job.  Wells performed terribly after the trade, hitting .222/.258/.409 in 791 plate appearances.  It was surprising to see the Yankees essentially give a two-year, $13.9MM contract to a player most teams would consider a fourth outfielder at best.  By comparison, the Cubs signed Scott Hairston this offseason for two years and $5MM.  The trade is a big win for Angels GM Jerry Dipoto, who unloads a player he didn't need and avoids the Competitive Balance Tax.

Cayones, 21, was acquired by the Yankees from the Pirates in the A.J. Burnett trade in February of last year, so he's again attached to a salary dump.  He hit .228/.374/.291 in 200 Low-A plate appearances last year, playing mostly right field.  Sneed, 24, posted a 5.37 ERA, 6.9 K/9, 5.7 BB/9, and 0.71 HR/9 in 63 2/3 High-A innings last year.  Neither is considered much of a prospect, which makes sense with the Yankees assuming so much of Wells' contract.

Yahoo's Jeff Passan first broke the story on Sunday, with Jim Bowden, Mike DiGiovanna, Alden Gonzalez, Jon Heyman, Buster Olney, Joel Sherman, and Mark Feinsand also contributing along the way.  Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Yankees Claim Dan Otero

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The Yankees claimed righty reliever Dan Otero off waivers from the Giants, tweets Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com.  

The move opens a 40-man roster spot for the Giants, but only complicates the situation for the Yankees, as detailed prior to the pickup by Chad Jennings of The Journal News.  The Yankees announced the move, noting that Cesar Cabral was placed on the 60-day DL to make room.  The team's 40-man roster is full, but they've got many players they'd like to add, including the newly-acquired Vernon Wells.

Otero, 28, made his Major League debut with the Giants in 2012.  He spent most of the year at Triple-A, where he posted a 2.90 ERA, 6.5 K/9, 1.2 BB/9, and 0.58 HR/9 in 62 innings.

Quick Hits: Expos, Vlad, Indians, Betancourt, Ankiel

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Former Expos outfielder Warren Cromartie is convinced that the city of Montreal would welcome baseball back with open arms, writes Bill Beacon of the Canadian Press. Cromartie is heading up the Montreal Baseball Project — an organization that has been formed with the goal of bringing baseball back to Montreal. The $400K project will be completed by year's end and feature financial analysis, legal consultation and extensive market research among the city's population. Here's more from around the league for those of you in the mood for some late-night reading…

  • Former Expo (and Angel, Ranger and Oriole) Vladimir Guerrero has an offer from the independent league Quebec Capitales, and he's been in contact with the Long Island Ducks as well, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (confirming an earlier tweet from Chris Cotillo).
  • The Indians are hopeful of working out a trade with the Rangers to keep Rule 5 Draft pick Chris McGuiness, tweets MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.
  • The Yankees had preliminary discussions with Yuniesky Betancourt on Sunday but don't see a fit, Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger reports (via Twitter).
  • MLB.com's Brian McTaggart breaks down Rick Ankiel's incentive structure with the Astros (on Twitter). Ankiel, who has a $750K base salary, will receive $75K for 200, 250 and 300 plate appearances. He'll then receive $100K for 350, 400 and 450 plate appearances. All told, he could earn $1.275MM. Ankiel, an Article XX(B) free agent, was named the team's everyday right fielder earlier today.
  • Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times expects the Angels to receive a low- to mid-level prospect from the Yankees when the reported Vernon Wells trade is finalized (Twitter link).
  • Joey Nowak of MLB.com lists 12 notable out of options players who could be traded before the end of Spring Training.

Olney On Puig, Wells, Martin, Teixeira, Hanley

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The latest from ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider subscription required)…

  • Cuban slugger Yasiel Puig is forcing the Dodgers' hand with his monster performance in Spring Training, Olney writes. While the team clearly has no place for him to play given the presence of Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, the buzz he's generating and intrigue from scouts could force the team to consider him for a quick promotion to complement Ethier and/or Crawford against left-handed pitching.
  • Olney wonders why the Yankees appear willing to take on $13MM of Vernon Wells' salary in the trade that has reportedly been agreed to, but wouldn't spend that money on Russell Martin earlier in the offseason: "Instead of having a good defender at a premium defensive position, they have now invested that money in a corner outfielder who has been in decline the last couple of seasons and wasn't even used as a regular player for much of 2012."
  • One possible explanation, as Olney notes, is the salary relief the Yankees will get from Mark Teixeira's injury. The World Baseball Classic is paying the team $7-8MM to cover the injury sustained by Teixeira as he prepared for the event.
  • Similarly, the WBC is picking up the tab for the Dodgers on the injury sustained by Hanley Ramirez in the Championship game.

Angels, Yankees In Agreement On Vernon Wells Trade

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11:42pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post says "most of the dollars will be applied to 2013" for the Yankees.  Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News has further details, explaining how "fancy accounting" could actually lead to a luxury tax credit for 2014.  Jon Heyman of CBS Sports pegs the Yankees' tab closer to $14MM.

5:44pm: Out of the $42MM owed to Vernon Wells for 2013-14, the Yankees will pay in the range of $12-14MM, tweets Heyman.  Earlier this afternoon, Heyman reported that the Yankees and Angels are in agreement on the deal, and "only seemingly small hurdles like commissioner approval remain."  Since Wells has been a complete non-factor over the last two seasons, unloading $12MM+ of his contract seems like a big win for the Halos.  – Tim Dierkes

3:28pm: Wells has let the Angels know he will accept the trade, tweets Heyman.  "Always tough to say goodbye, but I'm excited," Wells told reporters, including MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez, as he was pulling out of the Angels' parking lot.

2:45pm: The Angels and Yankees are discussing a trade involving Vernon Wells and a deal could be done today, sources tell Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com categorized the talks as serious (on Twitter). Passan however tweeted one important caveat: Wells has a no-trade clause and it is uncertain whether he would waive it for the Yankees. A source tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney there is a "strong chance" the deal happens as Wells is said by a teammate to be excited about the possibility of joining the Yankees (via Twitter). 

Wells is owed $42MM over the next two years and Passan tweeted the Yankees will receive some money in the deal, but the amount is not nearly as significant as one might think. The New York Post's Joel Sherman suspects the Angels will need to eat $34MM and that, along with the no-trade clause, will require more time before a trade can be finalized (Twitter links).

Last month, it was reported the Yankees were not expected to deal for Wells. But with Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter expected to start the season on the disabled list, their need for Wells' bat has increased with the 34-year-old likely becoming the everyday left fielder.

Charlie Wilmoth and Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.

Yankees And Angels Notes: Wells Trade, Bourjos

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The trade of the Angels' Vernon Wells to the Yankees appears to be on a path toward becoming official. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports has tweeted that the two teams are in agreement. Wells himself has acknowledged the trade, and has cleaned out his locker. Here are some notes on the deal.

  • For the Yankees, the trade is a sign of desperation, Yahoo! Sports' Jeff Passan writes. "The reaction to the deal across baseball was a mix of wonderment and criticism," Passan reports, taking note of Wells' declining batting average and on-base percentage. Passan also writes that the Yankees' dependence on aging players such as Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson led to the rash of injuries that motivated their interest in Wells. The Yankees have alternatives in their own system who are better than Wells, Passan argues, including Melky Mesa and Zoilo Almonte.
  • Richard Justice of MLB.com calls the Wells deal "a puzzling move," noting that the price the Yankees will pay — likely somewhere around $13MM for two seasons — is "no bargain." Wells "might not even be an upgrade over Brennan Boesch," Justice says. Ultimately, however, Justice describes Wells as "a gamble worth taking," thanks in part to his ability to play all three outfield positions.
  • The trade would give the Angels' Peter Bourjos more breathing room, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com writes. Bourjos was already the Angels' starter in center field, but with Wells gone, there will be less of a threat Bourjos will be replaced if he doesn't have a good start to the season.

Phillies Release Yuniesky Betancourt

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The Phillies have released Yuniesky Betancourt, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The Phillies signed Betancourt to a minor league contract in January.

"It was a very difficult decision," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told reporters including Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He played great for us. We had some other guys feel great, and we’re comfortable with where we are as far as those players are concerned."

Those players would be Freddy Galvis and Kevin Frandsen. Agent Alex Esteban told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that Betancourt requested his release by exercising his out clause and there are three teams who are interested in his client (Twitter link). Gelb tweeted the Phillies tried to trade Betancourt, but other teams walked away.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com tweets both the Yankees and Cardinals are "poking around" Betancourt. The mention of the Yankees is interesting, as GM Brian Cashman told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News earlier today that he won't be looking outside the organization for a shortstop despite Derek Jeter's ailing ankle (Twitter link). The Giants and Brewers are in the market for an utility infielder and could be interested in Betancourt, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle and Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Twitter.

Betancourt hit just .228/.256/.400 with seven home runs in 228 plate appearances for the Royals last season. The 31-year-old is in the midst of an incredibly strong Spring Training collecting 21 hits in 47 at-bats en route to a .447/.451/.574 batting line with a 1.025 OPS in 51 plate appearances.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

East Notes: Blue Jays, Mets, Santana, Phillies, Wang

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Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos sat down for an interview with Sportsnet.ca (video link), discussing (among other things) the club's rotation battle between Ricky Romero and J.A. Happ. The GM said that while Happ will "factor into this club, and it doesn't mean that he can't factor into this club on opening day in some role, some capacity," the team will "do everything we can with Romero" in the spring before taking him out of a starting role. 

  • Further addressing the issue of rotational depth, Anthopoulos acknowledged that the club lacks "household names" in that area. While the Jays "have 4-A guys," the GM says he wants to add "someone who is a little bit better than that, … a Happ type of guy." The team is "active … trying to do some things, trying to make some trades" for a starting-caliber arm that can be used in the bullpen or stashed in the minors, although some player on the current roster "wouldn't be happy, because somebody would be out of a job."
  • The Mets appear prepared to enter the season without adding to their mix of outfielders, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com. “I think we’ve got a sense of who the five or six are who might be on the team," said GM Sandy Alderson. "What we have is what we’re going to have, and we’re not entirely displeased with that.”
  • Rubin also notes that the Mets could be dealing with a long absence from starter Johan Santana, who is still a ways away from returning to the mound, let alone doing so in a big league game. Santana acknowledged that his absence is indefinite: “I’m making progress. It’s just I don’t know when I’m going to be pitching again.” According to Rubin, “there is now an open question about whether Santana’s shoulder and his career will ever be the same.” 
  • After sending Darin Ruf down to work on his defense, Phillies’ GM Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledged that there is a chance the Phillies may look to acquire another outfielder via trade, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. “There’s a lot of time left.  If we can improve the team we’ll do it.”
  • The Yankees have made their signing of Chien-Ming Wang to a minor-league deal official, according to a team press release.  Wang will enter his age-33 season looking for another chance to pitch in pinstripes, and to regain the success he had during his first stint with the club.
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