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Yankees Rumors: Pettitte, Lefty Relievers, Lee, Martin

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The latest on the Yankees:

  • Andy Pettitte is likely to return because his family supports it, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman. The lefty will not take a "lowball" offer, however.
  • The Yankees "seem to be looking" at lefty relievers at the moment, says SI.com's Jon Heyman. He lists Arthur Rhodes, Brian Fuentes, and Pedro Feliciano in his tweet.
  • Darek Braunecker, agent for Cliff Lee, told reporters "The fact of the matter is, there's nothing the Yankees could have done differently" at today's introductory press conference according to Marc Carig of The Star Ledger. MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez adds this (via Twitter) from Lee himself: "There wasn't anything that scared me away from playing in New York."
  • Russell Martin's contract guarantees him $4MM and the catcher could earn another $1.4MM in incentives, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times. If Martin catches 120 games, he'll earn the full $1.4MM in incentives.
  • The Yankees expect Andy Pettitte to tell them whether he intends to retire within a few days, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link). They're cautiously optimistic that he'll return.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Yankees will be a deeper, less top-heavy team without Cliff Lee. Expect the Yankees to sign a couple relievers and an outfielder who bats from the right side as they continue to monitor the market for starting pitching.
  • So which starters might the Yankees pursue? In a separate piece, Sherman says the Yankees don't like Brandon Webb all that much. However, they will consider pursuing a veteran with "good stuff but questionable health." 
  • Bill Madden of the New York Daily News says Carlos Zambrano is a "likely target" for GM Brian Cashman. Like new addition Mark Prior, Zambrano knows Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild from their time in Chicago.
  • The Yankees are believed to be on Felix Hernandez's no-trade list, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link).

Minor Deals: Yankees, Chulk, Van Every, Coats

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Let's take a look at today's notable minor league deals, with the most recent updates at the top:

  • The Yankees signed Doug Bernier, Buddy Carlyle, Neal Cotts and Gustavo Molina to minor league deals, the team announced. The club officially announced its deals with Andy Sisco and outfielder-turned-pitcher Brian Anderson.
  • The Pirates have welcomed back Donald Veal just two weeks after non-tendering him, Eddy tweets.  Veal underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year. 
  • The Rays picked up right-handed reliever Jonah Bayliss, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (via Twitter).  Bayliss turned in a 3.58 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 for Houston's Triple-A club last season.
  • The Athletics signed right-handed reliever Vinnie Chulk, tweets Eddy.  Chulk appeared in 28 games for Pittsburgh's Triple-A affiliate in 2010 and spent the other half of the year with the Hiroshima Carp.  His numbers overseas left much to be desired but the righty carries more than 250 games of big league experience.
  • First baseman Andy Tracy has hooked on with the Diamondbacks, tweets Baseball America's Matt Eddy.  The left-handed hitter, who turned 37-years-old on Saturday, has spent the last three years with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate.  In 2010 he hit .275/.373/.492, numbers that are slightly better than his career averages.
  • The Nationals signed outfielder Jonathan Van Every, according to Eddy (via Twitter).  The 31-year-old boasts a career .471 slugging percentage in Triple-A and can play all three outfield positions.  Van Every played in 39 games for Boston's varsity squad across the last three years.
  • Washington picked up another versatile, left-handed hitting outfielder in Buck Coats, Eddy tweets.  Coats, who spent the first seven years of his career with the Cubs, has a lifetime slash line of .294/.352/.407 at the Triple-A level.
  • The Cubs invited first baseman Bryan LaHair and outfielder Brad Snyder to Spring Training, according to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (on Twitter).

Yankees Sign Mark Prior

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It's not Cliff Lee, but the Yankees have added a big-name pitcher. They signed Mark Prior to a minor league deal, the team announced today. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick first reported the deal (on Twitter). Prior will earn $750K in the major leagues and could earn $750K more in incentives, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).

The Rangers and Yankees were the finalists for Prior, who pitched in Texas' system last year, but has not appeared in a major league game since 2006. He'll be reunited with former Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild in New York.

The Yankees selected Prior 43rd overall in the 1998 draft, but were unable to sign him. The Cubs drafted him second overall in 2001 and he soon became one of the National League's best pitchers. He posted a 2.43 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 as a 22-year-old just a year and a half after being drafted. 

A series of shoulder problems derailed Prior's career, but he has tried to resurrect it with stints in the Padres' and Rangers' systems.

Phillies Sign Cliff Lee

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The wait is over. In a surprising development that leaves two top American League teams empty-handed, Cliff Lee has signed a five-year, $120MM deal with the Phillies, the team announced today. The contract includes a $27.5MM vesting option for 2016 with a $12.5MM buyout, plus partial no-trade clause. 

MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan first reported the deal, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reported on the terms and vesting option (on Twitter). Agent Darek Braunecker represents the left-hander.

After months of rumors that suggested he'd sign with the highest bidder, Lee turned down tens of millions in guaranteed money to sign in Philadelphia. Crasnick hears the Yankees offered a deal that guaranteed Lee $132MM over six years, plus a $16MM player option for a seventh year (Twitter link).  At $148MM guaranteed, that was the highest bid.  The Rangers offered $138MM over six years, and their proposal included a vesting option that could have brought the value of the deal to $161MM, according to Yahoo's Tim Brown (Twitter links).  That offer included huge deferrals, tweets SI's Jon Heyman.

Almost exactly a year after they traded Lee for Roy Halladay, the lefty is back in Philadelphia. Like Halladay, who signed an extension that delayed his free agency, Lee opted to play for the Phillies instead of looking for the biggest contract possible. The Phils could have a historically good rotation if Lee, Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels stay healthy.

Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. proves once again that he has a knack for acquiring ace pitchers. He has traded for Lee, Halladay and Oswalt and signed Lee since becoming the team's GM after its 2008 World Series title.

Another Philadelphia pitcher, Joe Blanton, is on the trading block, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick (on Twitter). Amaro could deal Blanton, who earns $17MM through 2012, and/or left fielder Raul Ibanez, who will earn $11.5MM in 2011 before his contract expires.

The Rangers get the Phillies' 33rd overall pick, plus a supplementary first round selection in next year's draft, but they lose out on their primary offseason target. Though the Rangers have been linked to Zack Greinke and other possible trade targets, this is undeniably a blow for the team, which is in the midst of its first offseason under new ownership.

But it's the Yankees who might be the biggest losers of all. They miss out on a pitcher they coveted just days after the division rival Red Sox acquired Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Now that Crawford and Jayson Werth have signed, the Yankees will try to convince Andy Pettitte to return and determine whether to make a run at Greinke.

Their projected rotation still includes Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre, so it's fair to expect GM Brian Cashman to acquire an arm. The next best free agent starter available is Carl Pavano, but it would be a shock to see the Yankees express interest in him.

It appeared for most of the offseason that the Yankees or Rangers would sign Lee, but rumblings of a mystery team persisted until it became apparent that the Phillies were also bidding on the left-hander. The Red Sox, Nationals and Angels were among the other teams to show some interest in Lee.

Phillies fans are surely thrilled to have Lee back in Philadelphia, but the MLB Players Association won't necessarily like his decision to leave so much money on the table instead of setting a precedent for other pitchers. However, this offseason has seen two free agents (Werth and Crawford) sign nine-figure contracts, so players are doing well in general.

Lee becomes the sixth pitcher in baseball history to sign for more than $100MM. He signed for more than Kevin Brown, the first pitcher to sign a $100MM deal, but less than C.C. Sabathia, Johan Santana, Barry Zito or Mike Hampton. Bargain or not, Lee's new contract is the 23rd most lucrative in baseball history.

Olney On Pettitte, Rendon, Blanton, Hoffman

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C.C. Sabathia can opt out of his contract with the Yankees after next season, but ESPN.com’s Buster Olney points out that the team could be proactive and ensure that the lefty stays in the Bronx. They could offer to add a couple years to his current deal in exchange for Sabathia’s right to opt out. Here’s the latest on another Yankee lefty and a few more rumblings from around the league:

  • For the first time this winter, a Yankees person spoke to Olney optimistically about the chances that Andy Pettitte returns in 2011.
  • One talent evaluator says he might take Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon ahead of Bryce Harper if both players were in the same draft. The Pirates select first overall next year and may be tempted by Rendon, the consensus top player available.
  • Multiple GMs confirmed to Olney that the Phillies will have to eat some of Joe Blanton’s salary if they decide to move him. The right-hander will earn $17MM over the course of the next two seasons.
  • Trevor Hoffman is still telling teams that he wants to be a closer. The all-time saves leader is coming off of a rough season, but he pitched better in the second half.

Yankees Sign Russell Martin

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The Yankees' $4MM deal with Russell Martin is official now that he has passed his physical, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (Twitter links).  With Jorge Posada moving into a designated hitter role next year, Martin should be the Yankees' starting catcher.  Since Martin has less than five years of service time, he's under team control for 2012 as an arbitration eligible player.

Martin, 28 in February, hit .248/.347/.332 in 387 plate appearances for the Dodgers before being non-tendered this month.  His season ended in August due to a hairline fracture in his right hip, so his Yankees physical is not a formality.  Martin was once a rising star for the Dodgers, but he turned down a $4.2MM offer (an $850K pay cut) to return in 2011, so he'll earn less guaranteed money in New York.  The Red Sox and Blue Jays also bid for his services, though Boston's interest was limited.  Martin is represented by Matt Colleran.

MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez first reported the agreement.

Yankees Re-Sign Mariano Rivera

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The Yankees re-signed Mariano Rivera to a two-year deal, the team announced today. The contract will pay Rivera $30MM, according to Christian Red of the New York Daily News. 

Now 41, Rivera is coming off yet another dominant season. He posted a 1.80 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 in 60 innings of work. It's logical to assume that Rivera will slow down at some point, but recent history suggests Rivera can still be an effective late-inning reliever. He has a 1.64 ERA with 8.9 K/9, 1.3 BB/9 and three All-Star selections since 2008.

Rivera received competitive offers from rival teams, including the Red Sox, but wanted to stay in pinstripes. Agent Fernando Cuza confirmed that interested teams other than the Yankees called about Rivera and Jon Heyman of SI.com reported that the Red Sox and Angels were two of three teams that offered the closer three-year deals (all Twitter links).

Cliff Lee Signing: The Fallout

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Cliff Lee's unexpected five-year, $120MM deal with the Phillies has repercussions for several teams. 

Rangers

Yankees

  •  From Joel Sherman of the New York Post: "One Yankees executive likened what they now face as losing out on Microsoft stock and instead having to diversify the portfolio to keep it strong."  The Yanks have added Russell Martin and will probably look into innings-eaters or reclamation project starters.  They're also expected to add two relievers and a righty-hitting fourth outfielder.  So, they'll spread the wealth.
  • GM Brian Cashman preached that "Plan B is patience."  He feels that prices will go up with teams, and I assume agents, sensing blood in the water.  He's also willing to wait until the season to make an acquisition.
  • Cashman says Lee's decision "doesn't affect" Andy Pettitte, who remains undecided but is feeling the pull of retirement a little stronger than normal.
  • Cashman talked about the failed Lee trade from July and said he's grateful it didn't happen.  At this point, he says "It would be a rare situation for me to include Montero in a deal."

Phillies

They'll look to move Joe Blanton before Opening Day; CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury tweets that there is no rush.  Nonetheless, we've already looked at potential trade partners.  Blanton's agent Casey Close expects a trade.

Other Teams

Cliff Lee Signing: What We Learned

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It's safe to say that prior to yesterday, not many people were predicting Cliff Lee would sign a five-year deal with the Phillies.  The Yankees essentially offered Lee $148MM over seven years, so he turned down two more years and an extra $28MM in guaranteed money.  Here's what we learned:

  • It's unfair to make assumptions about a player's priorities.  There was a lot of talk about how Lee's number one goal was the biggest possible contract.  We also heard about how the Rangers had the advantage of playing near Lee's Arkansas home.  Now it appears the player's comfort with a previous team trumped all else, but we'll wait until Lee explains his choice at the press conference.
  • Players can leave big money on the table.  Before Lee, the best recent example of a player signing a far below-market contract was Roy Halladay's three-year, $60MM extension with the Phillies.  It's rarer in free agency, but Mark Teixeira reportedly turned down the best offer two years ago.  This winter, Jorge de la Rosa, Jake Westbrook, Hiroki Kuroda, and Jon Garland are a few examples of players who probably could have gotten more money elsewhere.
  • Teams can change their minds.  The Phillies traded Lee to Seattle a year ago in part because they reportedly didn't think they could afford to extend him.  Something changed since then - perhaps Jayson Werth's agent?  We also should note that a player being unexpectedly traded doesn't mean he'll hold a grudge.
  • The Yankees can miss out on a targeted free agent.  If a free agent seeks top dollar and the Yankees want him, they'll probably win the bidding.  But a player can turn down the biggest offer and still be set for life, as Lee is. 
  • Every offseason has big surprises.  A couple of years ago I couldn't believe John Smoltz and Trevor Hoffman signed with new teams.  This year there were at least rumblings that the Red Sox could get Carl Crawford and the Nationals liked Jayson Werth.  But the Phillies were not seen as legitimate contenders for Lee, nor was their interest telegraphed prior to yesterday.  Mystery teams can be real and even succeed in signing a top free agent.  In reality, plenty of teams operate entirely under the radar without leaks to the media.
  • You can never have too much pitching.  Front-end starting pitching is exceedingly rare.  Unless C.C. Sabathia opts out, there will be no free agent aces available after the 2011 season.  The availability of an ace prompts teams to move parts around to make it work, and sometimes put more money toward the rotation even when the offense needs help.  The Royals should trade Zack Greinke for nothing less than a king's ransom.

Zack Greinke Rumors: Monday

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10:30pm: The Yankees are reluctant to pursue Greinke if Cliff Lee signs elsewhere, according to Heyman (on Twitter). Jack Curry of the YES Network reports that the Yankees won't make Greinke their Plan B, though they have discussed him (Twitter link). Heyman suggests the Yankees will spend aggressively on relievers if they don't sign Lee.

12:09pm: Royals GM Dayton Moore is "actively gauging" the trade market for Zack Greinke, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.  Moore "has focused on adding up-the-middle position players who are close to major league ready," and the Yankees, Rangers, and Brewers are not considered among the best matches.

The Blue Jays and Nationals have been actively pursuing Greinke, and the Jays theoretically do have the players to pull off a deal if the righty's no-trade clause can be addressed.  However, ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted on Saturday that the Blue Jays "have no intention of giving up Kyle Drabek and Travis Snider" for Greinke.

Brett Gardner's name has come up in talks between the Royals and Yankees, according to Crasnick. 

SI's Jon Heyman covers Greinke today as well, adding that the Dodgers have been linked to him and the Angels could make sense.  Heyman feels that the Yankees do have the players "to form a respectable deal."

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