Yankees Rumors

Yankees Looking To Add Bench Help

By Mike Axisa | July 3, 2010 at 8:32am CDT

The Ty Wigginton rumor appears to be just the tip of the iceberg for the Yankees, who have prioritized improving the bench before the trade deadline according to Marc Carig of The Star-Ledger.

"The bench is the area of priority as of right now," said GM Brian Cashman. "That doesn't mean we're not open to anything else. But if you ask me what's the priority? What's the area of weakness? It's the bench."

Cashman didn't name any specific targets for obvious reasons, and he wouldn't say whether he preferred a left-handed or right-handed bat. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com recently named Willie Bloomquist and John McDonald as potential options for the Yankees, but Adam Kennedy and Craig Counsell could also become targets. Those last two are just me speculating, though.

At the moment, the team boasts a homegrown and inexperienced bench consisting of Ramiro Pena (17 OPS+), Kevin Russo (36 OPS+), Chad Huffman (39 OPS+), Colin Curtis (159 OPS+, just 10 PA), and Francisco Cervelli (92 OPS+), though Marcus Thames is currently on a rehab assignment working his way back from a hamstring issue. The Yanks recently added Eric Bruntlett on a minor league deal as well. Last year the Yanks acquired Jerry Hairston Jr. and Eric Hinske before the deadline, so rebuilding a bench on the fly is nothing new for Cashman.

Stark On Wigginton, Lopez, Atkins, Lee

By Luke Adams 2 | July 2, 2010 at 7:27pm CDT

Unlike the Red Sox and Rockies, who may try to avoid making a trade to replace their injured infielders, the Phillies are "trying like hell" to find an infield bat, writes ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. Stark breaks down the Phillies' options and shares some Cliff Lee rumors in a new blog entry:

Enough teams are interested in Ty Wigginton that the Orioles can be patient in their attempts to get maximum value for him. The Phillies, on the other hand, need an infielder now, so they'll either have to meet Baltimore's asking price or look elsewhere.
A scout tells Stark that some people in the Phils' organization like Jose Lopez "a lot."
The Phillies have never been overly interested in Garrett Atkins, and that hasn't changed now that he has become available.
Kelly Johnson, Jhonny Peralta, Jose Bautista, and Miguel Tejada are also possibilities to varying degrees for Philadelphia.
The Phils don't want to move Domonic Brown, Jarred Cosart, Anthony Gose, or Trevor May for an infielder, but would discuss anyone except Brown for a top starting pitcher.
The Reds "are more interested than they're letting on" in Lee, while the Yankees also continue to monitor the Mariners' left-hander.
The Rangers and Dodgers would love to acquire Lee, but would have to give up a slew of prospects to avoid taking on his salary.
According to Stark, there have even been rumblings that the Rays could be a match for the M's ace if they were willing to move B.J. Upton.

Yankees Interested In Ty Wigginton

By Luke Adams 2 | July 2, 2010 at 6:28pm CDT

The Yankees have some interest in Ty Wigginton, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse. Price suggests the Yankees would be interested in the 32-year-old as a part-time player, rather than as an everyday starter.

In 299 plate appearances for the Orioles this season, Wigginton has hit .258/.342/.465, and his versatility has provided the O's even more value. In addition to logging significant time at first and second base, he has started a handful of games at third base. Though Wigginton hasn't spent any time in the outfield this season, he has shown in the past that he can play there if needed, recording 30 games in left field for the Astros in 2008.

For their part, the Orioles are reportedly looking for a young shortstop in exchange for Wigginton. If they were to discuss a trade with the Yankees, the first name the O's would bring up might be Eduardo Nunez, who Baseball America ranked 14th among Yankees prospects heading into 2010. The 23-year-old shortstop is in the midst of a breakout year (.313/.358/.416) for the Yanks' Triple-A affiliate, making it somewhat unlikely that New York would move him to rent Wigginton. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports doesn't think any team will part with a promising young shortstop for Wigginton, calling Baltimore's demand a "self-defeating stance."

Wigginton is earning $3.5MM in 2010, the final season of a two-year pact with the O's. According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, Wigginton recently left agent Dan Lozano and hired the Levinson Brothers, presumably in anticipation of his upcoming free agency.

Odds & Ends: Tracy, Braves, Brewers, Phillies

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 2, 2010 at 4:03pm CDT

Links for Friday, as the international signing period begins…

Chad Tracy's agent told MLB.com's Bill Ladson that his client has interest in playing for Mike Rizzo's Nationals, since Rizzo, Arizona's former scouting director, drafted Tracy in 2001 (Twitter link).
You can listen to MLBTR's Tim Dierkes talking trades on the YES Network's Off the Wall podcast right here.
Earlier in the week we heard that the Braves weren't crazy about David DeJesus and that remains true, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link). Morosi says the Braves are not pursuing DeJesus or Jose Guillen.
The Brewers would listen to offers for Todd Coffey and Carlos Villanueva, according to Ed Price of AOL FanHouse (via Twitter).
Assistant GM Scott Proefrock told Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the current edition of the Phillies has to perform. Chase Utley will miss eight weeks or more and Placido Polanco will miss three to four weeks, so the Phillies’ depth will be tested if they don’t make a trade.
As expected, the Yankees promoted Dustin Moseley, according to Conor Orr of the Star Ledger. Some teams called the Yankees to inquire about the righty's availability as his opt-out date drew nearer.
One GM who just did an overview of the Royals' farm system told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that he's impressed by the team's prospects.
D'Backs president Derrick Hall says the team won't likely start searching for a permanent GM until the offseason, according to Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times (via Twitter).
Not surprisingly, the D'Backs have yet to ask the Dodgers for permission to interview assistant GM Logan White, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
Red Sox supplemental rounder Anthony Ranaudo is looking to be paid like a top-ten pick, according to Amanda Comak of the Cape Cod Times. Check out the complete list of first rounders to sign right here.
The Brewers released Triple A outfielder Trent Oeltjen, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Odds & Ends: Prior, Votto, Gaudin, Hendry, Rangers

By Mike Axisa | July 1, 2010 at 4:51pm CDT

Links for Thursday, as we wait to see how much more damage Vladimir Guerrero will inflict upon the Angels tonight…

Mark Prior's agent says that one club wants to sign the right-hander after his workout this week, tweets Tom Krasovic of AOL Fanhouse. Prior reportedly hit the magic number of 90 mph during his workout.
John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer indicates (via Twitter) that extension talks for Joey Votto will wait until after the season.
Joel Sherman of The New York Post tweets that the Yankees will not designate Chad Gaudin for assignment when they call up Dustin Moseley. The team has an empty spot on its 40-man roster, and is likely to place someone on the DL or option another reliever to Triple-A instead.
Jim Hendry of the Cubs is the easiest general manager to make a deal with, according to a poll of GMs from around the league conducted by ESPN's Buster Olney.
The sale of the Rangers is heading to a one-day auction that will be held on July 16th, reports Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.

Odds & Ends: Moseley, Reds, Prior, Nationals

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | June 30, 2010 at 10:09pm CDT

Links for Wednesday, as Dustin Pedroia gets an early start on his rehab assignment…

The Yankees will soon add Dustin Moseley to their roster, probably at the expense of Chan Ho Park or Chad Gaudin, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (via Twitter). Moseley's opt-out clause kicks in tomorrow.
Reds GM Walt Jocketty told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon that he's looking at pitching, though the team has a limited number of 'bullets' to fire this summer.
A veteran scout told Tom Krasovic of AOL FanHouse that Mark Prior was "just all right" in his workout today (Twitter link). Prior, who last pitched in the majors in 2006, is attempting a comeback.
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo told Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that he would like the Nats to become “younger, better [and] more athletic” if they make trades this summer.
Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times notes that the Phillies scouted last night's Yankees-Mariners game and wonders if the Phils are eyeing Jose Lopez, who could fill in for Chase Utley and Placido Polanco.
The Nationals appear satisfied with hot-hitting Roger Bernadina in right field, but they did have interest in David DeJesus at one point, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (via Twitter).
Two executives told MLB.com’s Peter Gammons that there's no way the Twins will give up pitcher Kyle Gibson this summer. Like Cardinals prospect Shelby Miller, Gibson is a 2009 draft pick who signed late, so he would have to be dealt as a ‘player to be named later’ in any July trade.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the Padres had interest in Eric Patterson before the Red Sox acquired him over the weekend (Twitter link).

Cliff Lee Rumors: Wednesday

By Tim Dierkes | June 30, 2010 at 9:25pm CDT

9:25pm: An AL GM told ESPN.com's Buster Olney that he believes the Twins could acquire Lee with a package built around prospect Wilson Ramos. Rival GMs believe the Rangers may be better off holding onto their prospects than acquiring Lee.

4:15pm: The Mariners have not started making counter offers for Lee, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Rival executives remind Olney that the Mariners may want to deal soon, since an injury would deflate Lee's trade value (all Twitter links)

3:37pm: The Mets, Yankees, Rangers and Phillies appeared to be the only teams scouting Lee last night, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Twins and Dodgers were among the interested teams that did not attend, but it is early and Lee is a known commodity, so the lack of scouts hardly means there's a lack of interest.

10:11am: The Mariners will require a blue-chip prospect in a Cliff Lee trade, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post, even though the last two Lee trades may not have included one. Sherman suggests the Mets want Lee badly, while the Yankees would just like the Ms to "keep them posted."

Sherman explains that the Mariners like, but don't love, Mets pitching prospect Jenrry Mejia. He feels that a Mets trade would have to be built around Mejia or Wilmer Flores. The Mets are willing to trade Flores in a Lee deal, reports Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog. They're reluctant to part with other top prospects. The Mets would like to trade for a starting pitcher as soon as possible, but Cerrone says the Mariners prefer to wait until after the All-Star break to trade Lee.

From the Yankees side, Sherman recommends they make Jesus Montero available. They've done so before when Lee and Roy Halladay were on the trade market. Sherman also notes that the Mariners like Yankees Double A second baseman David Adams. Baseball America ranked Adams 22nd among Yankees prospects heading into the season, and he sports a .309/.393/.507 line at Trenton. Should the Yanks prefer to pursue Lee as a free agent, Bill Madden of the New York Daily News learned that old friend C.C. Sabathia would be happy to help recruit.

In a longer blog post, Sherman elaborates on what Lee would mean for the Mets, what the Mariners will require, and how prospects are overvalued these days.

Yanks President Expects Jeter, Rivera Back

By Tim Dierkes | June 29, 2010 at 2:23pm CDT

Yankees president Randy Levine was quoted last night on impending free agents Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera:

"We don’t negotiate in public, but I would find it highly, highly unlikely if both of them were not back with the Yankees. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are the Yankees."

The comment came from a New York Times session, as reported by Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues. Kabak notes that despite the pledge to avoid public negotiation, the Yankees may have already reduced their leverage.

Levine and GM Brian Cashman also touched on their approach toward Japanese scouting, the draft, and other topics, so be sure to check out Kabak's summary.

Odds & Ends: A-Rod, Beltre, Athletics, Rockies

By Tim Dierkes | June 29, 2010 at 12:01pm CDT

Links for Tuesday, as Tigers reliever Casey Fien returns to the Majors after spending the offseason in waiver wire hell…

The home run milestone incentives in Alex Rodriguez's contract were the brainchild of Warren Buffett, writes Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. The milestones start with home run #660; A-Rod currently has 594.
WEEI's Alex Speier has the interesting story of the Dodgers signing Adrian Beltre in 1994 at age 15 by way of falsified documents, including the player's recollection of the situation. I swapped emails with Fred Claire, who was Dodgers GM at the time. Claire takes responsibility for the incident, but "had no awareness that Beltre's birth date had been altered in any way, shape or form" and "would never have approved such an act."
Joe Stiglich of the Contra Costa Times talked with scouts about the Athletics' trade chips. At least one scout prefers Ben Sheets to Kevin Millwood.
Dave Cameron's presciption for the Rockies in this FanGraphs article: move Brad Hawpe to first base and acquire Dan Uggla. Another good read from Cameron is his takedown of the theory that Russell Branyan will bring protection for other Mariners hitters. Speaking of Branyan, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says Seattle's acquisition "stunned" rival executives.
Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues looks at Octavio Dotel as a potential Yankees trade target, and prefers they do not pursue a reunion.
Howard Megdal of SNY is "reluctant to deal any significant part of the Mets' future for a rental of Cliff Lee." Megdal feels that the team's window to win extends beyond 2010.

Opt-Out Date Approaching For Yanks’ Moseley

By Tim Dierkes | June 28, 2010 at 8:42am CDT

The Yankees signed 28-year-old righty Dustin Moseley to a minor league deal in mid-February; he'd been non-tendered by the Angels earlier in the offseason after a lost '09 campaign. Moseley has made a dozen starts for the Yanks' Triple A club, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that his opt-out date comes up Thursday. If the Yankees don't promote Moseley, he can elect free agency.

Moseley sports a 4.21 ERA, 6.8 K/9, and 2.2 BB/9 in 72.6 Triple A innings, with only six home runs allowed. Tonight's start against Glen Perkins and the Rochester Red Wings is his last before the opt-out date. Rosenthal feels that Moseley would land toward the back end of the Yankees' bullpen, if he gets the call.

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