Yankees Rumors

Odds & Ends: Gordon, Uribe, D’backs, Igawa

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 3:09pm CDT

Links for a busy Wednesday, as writers, agents, and GMs catch their flights out of O'Hare…

Welcome to Twitter: ESPN's Buster Olney.
ESPN's Keith Law assesses the Mark Teahen, J.J. Hardy, Jeremy Hermida, and Akinori Iwamura trades.
The Royals are committed to Alex Gordon as their third baseman despite acquiring Josh Fields, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Fields instead could play left field in the event David DeJesus is traded. DeJesus' name popped up in our left field trade market post.
Rosenthal and Morosi also note that the Giants are talking with Juan Uribe about a new contract. Uribe was one of the year's best minor league deals. He's represented by Barry Praver.
Rosenthal reported yesterday that the Nationals hired Bryan Minnitti from the Pirates to be their new assistant GM. Jake from New Bucs interviewed the young exec last year.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic names four relievers who might be of interest to the Diamondbacks: Rafael Betancourt, Mike Gonzalez, LaTroy Hawkins, and Bob Howry.
Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues has a reality check for fans as we head toward the offseason insanity.
Victor Martinez's agent Alan Nero told WEEI's Rob Bradford there's been "little or no dialogue" in terms of the Red Sox extending his client.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if the Yankees' championship might enable them to take things more slowly this winter.
Sherman tweets that there is interest in Japan from Kei Igawa, but he doesn't want to go. Igawa posted a 4.15 ERA in 145.3 Triple A innings this year, and still has $8MM remaining on his contract.
Baseball America's Matt Eddy has your minor league transactions. Wilson Valdez and Mike Gosling are among those joining the free agent ranks.
New Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos seems passionate, talking to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun. Anthopoulos even gives props to the fine Jays blogs out there.
Padres pitcher Chris Young told Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune that he understands the business aspect of baseball. With a healthy first half, Young could be a trade candidate.
Grant at McCovey Chronicles says AT&T Park isn't a pitcher's park anymore, and agents know that.

Boras Seeking Long-Term Deal For Damon?

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 3:00pm CDT

Joel Sherman of the New York Post says Scott Boras "sounded as if he wants a three- or four-year deal for Johnny Damon" in comments made yesterday. Sherman also questions Boras' willingness to take less than the $13MM salary Damon made the last four years. Such demands would take the Yanks out of the mix for Damon's services, no matter what Boras says about his client's gene pool.

Boras' Damon comments don't mean much, until one team actually emerges that is willing to guarantee three years. Last year Boras somehow got us talking about ten years for Mark Teixeira and five for Manny Ramirez, so it's customary to aim higher than reality. But, Sherman says the Yankees "might not want to offer Damon even a two-year deal," and that does seem possible on the open market. In a blog post, Sherman recommends a two-year, $26MM agreement between Damon and the Yankees. He adds that the Yankees do not want to offer arbitration to Damon.

Meanwhile, Sherman tweets a comment from Hideki Matsui's agent Arn Tellem that suggests Matsui wants to play for another three years. How many contracts that will take, we're not sure yet. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News surveyed more than six GMs about Matsui, and all agreed that he cannot play the outfield.

The Japanese media was all over the GM Meetings in Chicago, and Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker passes along their Matsui rumors. Specifically, there might be interest from the Red Sox and Angels as a Plan B. Also, this is weird…the Huffington Post commissioned Tellem to write a sales pitch for Matsui.

Yankees To Tender Contract To Brian Bruney?

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 2:46pm CDT

The Yankees plan to tender a contract to reliever Brian Bruney, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The estimated salary for the arbitration-eligible righty is around $1.5MM.

Bruney made our list of non-tender candidates in October, on account of his sore elbow and high walk rate. He made $1.25MM this year, so Sherman believes Bruney's 39-inning season will limit his raise to 20%.

Eight Teams Inquire On Mark DeRosa

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 2:42pm CDT

Jon Heyman must have bumped into Mark DeRosa's agent today, because the SI reporter lists eight clubs that have already called on the player. Heyman's tweet indicates the Yankees, Mariners, Nationals, Dodgers, Phillies, Rangers, Orioles, and Giants have inquired.

That seems to be an indication that DeRosa's November wrist surgery will not limit his market.

Curtis Granderson Becomes Available

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 1:47pm CDT

The Tigers are letting teams know center fielder Curtis Granderson is available, according to an NL executive who talked to the New York Post's Joel Sherman. Sherman believes the Yankees would have interest.

Sherman qualifies the rumor, saying Granderson nor Edwin Jackson are players the Tigers truly want to trade. Sherman notes that Jackson appeals to both New York teams.

While we named Granderson in our center fielder trade market post, we didn't think he was really available. One thing I learned writing that post is that Granderson's 2009 batting line was misleading, and he's well worth the $25.75MM owed to him over the next three seasons. The Tigers could restock the cupboards with a Granderson trade. Pure speculation, but might the Cubs be interested in the Illinois native? Way back in March of '07, Granderson talked to us about the possibility of playing in Chicago.

Freddy Guzman, Josh Towers Elect Free Agency

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 12:50pm CDT

Freddy Guzman and Josh Towers were outrighted by the Yankees and elected free agency, according to Chad Jennings of The Journal News. Towers would've been arbitration-eligible.

Guzman, 29 in January, hit .223/.272/.294 in 381 plate appearances for four Triple A teams this year. Towers, 33 in February, posted a 3.05 ERA in 103.3 Triple A innings for two clubs.

Anthopoulos Would Deal Within Division

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 12:45pm CDT

Same-division dealing won't be a big factor for new Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, according to Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Said Anthopoulos:

That will never be a stumbling block, if we get the return that we feel, no matter what player it is. We're trying to worry about the Toronto Blue Jays and what makes us a better team.

A comment like that tends to fuel the fire regarding rumors that the Red Sox or Yankees will have interest in Roy Halladay. Indeed, SI's Jon Heyman just tweeted that the Yanks plan to inquire.

Yankees May Let Chien-Ming Wang Leave

By Tim Dierkes | November 11, 2009 at 11:40am CDT

The Yankees "will be very cautious" with pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Yankees always preferred to go year-to-year with Wang, so this is nothing new. Wang is certain to be non-tendered, but the Yankees may be reluctant to do any kind of deal. From Sherman:

I am getting a strong vibe from Yankee officials that the intention is to non-tender Wang and, perhaps, not even offer him a small base with incentives to return.

Wang, 30 in March, had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his shoulder capsule back in July. He hopes to throw a rehab game by April or May.

Yankees Notes: Mitre, Gaudin, Wang

By Mark Polishuk | November 10, 2009 at 9:19pm CDT

While there is no shortage of talk about the Yankees re-signing their own free agents or making a splash for the likes of John Lackey, the World Series champions also have some decisions to make about the back-end of their rotation. Joel Sherman of the New York Post took a look at what the Yankees might do with some of the extra pitchers on the staff…

New York would like to bring back Sergio Mitre even if they don't pick up his $1.25MM option. Sherman reports that the team likes Mitre's versatility as either a starter or reliever, and the Yankees feel he will improve on his poor 2009 numbers when he is another season removed from Tommy John surgery.
The Yankees also "intend" to re-sign Chad Gaudin, who shared the fifth spot in the New York rotation with Mitre last season.
In addition to Mitre, Gaudin and a healthy Ian Kennedy, the Yankees haven't given up on any of the young starters they moved to the bullpen last year. Sherman says the Yankees will ask Alfredo Aceves, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes "to come to spring ready to be starters."
Sherman doesn't expect the Yankees to tender a contract to Chien-Ming Wang, but noted that New York might be able to re-sign him to a cheaper, incentive-laden contract since Wang's marketing deals in Taiwan may suffer if he pitches for anyone besides the high-profile Yankees.
Sherman (via Twitter) reported that Alan Nero, Wang's agent, said that Wang was given the green light by Dr. James Andrews to start throwing by December 15 and that Wang may be able to pitch again by as early as the middle of April. In a follow-up tweet, Sherman noted that Yankee doctors have yet to examine Wang themselves.

Odds & Ends: Smoltz, Holliday, Varitek, Tejada

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 10, 2009 at 3:12pm CDT

Let's round up a few more links in a busy day of rumors….

John Smoltz wants to pitch next year, according to this tweet from ESPN.com's Peter Gammons.
The Mets will ask the Blue Jays about the price for Roy Halladay, as they did this summer, according to Newsday's Ken Davidoff.
As Chad Jennings of the Journal News reports, Andy Pettitte isn't likely to return to the Astros.
We knew Matt Capps could be a trade chip for the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason. According to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates offered Capps to the Milwaukee Brewers for J.J. Hardy.
Many expect Matt Holliday to end up in New York in 2010, but both the Mets and Yankees are downplaying their interest in the outfielder, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Sherman also writes that if Jason Varitek doesn't exercise his player option, the Mets could be interested in the 37-year-old.
MLB.com's Mychael Urban agrees with Tim: Miguel Tejada fits in Oakland.
Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star notes (via Twitter) that the Royals' payroll reached $82MM this past season.

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