Yankees Rumors

Jake Peavy Rumors: Monday

By Tim Dierkes | November 17, 2008 at 8:27pm CDT

MLB.com’s Corey Brock has the latest on Jake Peavy, after speaking to Padres GM Kevin Towers.

It doesn’t sound like much is going on with the Yankees, despite Ken Rosenthal’s report of numerous discussions. Towers says he’s had "no direct conversations with Cashman about Peavy over a period of time." Towers is currently focused on the Cubs, but admits that a third or even fourth team would need to be involved. He hasn’t talked to the Angels about Peavy.

Odds and Ends: Mussina, Proefrock, Cuban

By Tim Dierkes | November 17, 2008 at 11:21am CDT

Links for Monday…

Pitcher Kelvin Jimenez was claimed off waivers by the White Sox. The Blue Jays had claimed him from the Cardinals previously.
The Yankees hope Mike Mussina decides whether he’s retiring soon. He says it might be this week.
Aaron Gleeman runs through the more affordable middle relief options.
Roch Kubatko had the scoop yesterday – Scott Proefrock, formerly of the Orioles, is the new assistant GM for the Phillies.
Trey Hillman is familiar with Kenshin Kawakami, but it’s not known whether the Royals are interested.
Peter Abraham is wary of five free agents the Yankees might consider.
Mark Cuban is in hot water for alleged insider trading.
Ben Davis is apparently pitching these days, and he’ll try to crack the Reds’ Double A rotation.

Union Pressuring Sabathia?

By Nat Boyle | November 16, 2008 at 11:28am CDT

Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News reports that CC Sabathia may be getting pressured by the Players Association to accept the Yankees 6 year, $140MM offer. Sabathia inking this dea would result in lucrative contracts for other free agent starting pitchers. However, McCarron adds,

"One source familiar with the union’s thinking disagreed, insisting that "players are the ones who make the final decisions where they want to play, for how long and for how much. Free agents have played long enough to earn the right to make the ultimate decision.’ Two player agents contacted Saturday agreed that players have earned the right to have choices once they are free agents. Pressure from the union, they say, usually comes when a young, arbitration-eligible star signs a contract that trades years of free agency for a measure of security."

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ask The Tough Questions

By Coley Ward 2 | November 16, 2008 at 11:21am CDT

Nobody knows for sure where this year’s crop of free agents will end up. But several blogs are asking all the right questions.

Athletics Nation asks fans "what’s the worst thing Billy could do?"
The Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan asks, "Should the Cubs sign the Big Unit?"
The Big Lead looks at the Yankees pursuit of just about every free agent on the market and asks, "How can it not work?"

Coley Ward writes for Umpbump.com. You can reach him here.

Yankees Pursuing Peavy

By Nat Boyle | November 16, 2008 at 10:23am CDT

A quick update on Jake Peavy. On Thursday, Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune said it was clear that neither the Braves nor Cubs would be acquiring Peavy. The Braves are moving on, looking at A.J. Burnett, despite Buster Olney’s suggestion that both sides need this deal. Krasovic wondered if Kevin Towers might approach the Yankees and Angels.

Yesterday, Ken Rosenthal reports Brian Cashman and Towers have been discussing a Peavy deal since the GM meetings earlier this month. Towers apparently wanted to engage NL clubs – a "strong preference" for Peavy – before touching base again with the Yankees again but talks have now officially recommenced.

This continues to be mentioned as it makes good news, and who knows, but it remains a longshot. Peavy would need to be given financial reason to waive his no-trade clause to play for a high-profile AL club on the east coast, and the Yankees would need to trade more prospects (despite already dealing five young pitchers away for Nick Swisher, Damaso Marte, and Xavier Nady) rather than solve their rotation needs through free agent signings.

Steinbrenner Ready To Offer Burnett, Lowe Contracts

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 15, 2008 at 11:49am CDT

Hank Steinbrenner made a bold statement about the Yankees’ free agent targets, A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe.

“We’re prepared to make offers to Burnett and Lowe,” Steinbrenner said. “I’m starting to become very optimistic. I think it’s going to be mutually beneficial to us and for these particular players that we’re after for them to join the Yankees.”

Steinbrenner also confirmed that the Yankees offered C.C. Sabathia a contract.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Peavy, Teixeira, Burnett

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | November 15, 2008 at 9:54am CDT

Ken Rosenthal’s got an interesting new column up.

Now that talks with the Braves have ended for the time being, Padres GM Kevin Towers is talking with the Yankees about Jake Peavy. The Yankees have had “numerous discussions” with the Padres, even though they just offered C.C. Sabathia a contract and are still considering A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe.
Peavy’s agent Barry Axelrod said that “the Angels probably would be more appealing” geographically, but “from other perspectives, they might be less appealing” than other teams
Rosenthal talked with an agent who said that the Angels could wait a week or 10 days before making Mark Teixeira a “knockout offer” with a deadline.
Even though the Yankees traded for Nick Swisher, they could still have interest in Teixeira if he’s willing to consider a shorter contract of four or five years for top dollar.
Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi knows that Toronto “won’t be the highest bidder” for A.J. Burnett. Ricciardi hopes that Burnett likes Toronto enough to re-sign.
The Indians are considering going after both Juan Cruz and Jeremy Affeldt instead of an experienced closer.
The Phillies and Giants could also bid on Cruz.
The Cardinals will have interest in Affeldt and Joe Beimel as they try to strengthen their bullpen.

Yanks Make Offer To Sabathia

By Tim Dierkes | November 14, 2008 at 5:13pm CDT

5:13pm: Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News says the offer is for six years and $140MM.

4:37pm: Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger says the Yankees made their initial offer to Sabathia, but they expect his agents to look around a bit.

1:14pm: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says the Yankees will also make offers to A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe within the next day or two.

FRIDAY, 10:27am: ESPN’s Buster Olney says this initial Yankees offer will be in the $140-142MM range. By the way, the Giants have already touched base with Sabathia’s agents.

THURSDAY: According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees will "aggressively extend a proposal" to C.C. Sabathia tomorrow. He believes the Yankees will go to "a financial region that no other franchise would even consider" to lure the ace. Sherman’s guess is an initial bid in the six-year, $150MM range (and that may not be the final offer).

If the Yankees are successful in signing Sabathia, they hope to add A.J. Burnett or Derek Lowe next.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Sabathia, Yankees, Pirates, Rays

By Cork Gaines | November 14, 2008 at 1:00pm CDT

Let’s take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere…

MetsBlog feels the reported interest in C.C. Sabathia is overblown. Rather, they see the Mets waiting for Sabathia to sign before making a move of their own for starting pitching.
River Ave. Blues still sees the Yankees pursuing Mark Teixeira or Adam Dunn, even with the acquisition of Nick Swisher.
Where have you gone, Andy Van Slyke speculates on what the Pirates will do this winter while finding humor in this recent quote from the Buccos’ GM: "we’d love to upgrade the offense, upgrade our pitching, and rebuild the bench."
MVN Outsider takes the role of Andrew Friedman in their "Being the GM" series and proposes three moves for the Rays including trading Andy Sonnanstine and Chad Bradford for Andre Ethier.
With the Rays likely to trade pitching this winter, Rays Prospects takes a closer look at how the starting pitchers throughout the organization performed in 2008. Sonnanstine was clearly a better pitcher than Edwin Jackson.
Pinstripes Published has started a series looking at some of the cheaper alternatives that can be found in the free agent market. First up, starting pitchers.
Ump Bump is taking a look at what each team needs this offseason. They have already gone through eight teams including the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and Phillies.

Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Swisher, Wood, Hermida

By Tim Dierkes | November 14, 2008 at 9:28am CDT

A look at the newest column from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Rosenthal believes the Nick Swisher trade is a prelude to other moves for the White Sox, and shouldn’t be judged in isolation.
Darren Oliver could follow Damaso Marte and re-sign quickly, as his market value is also diminished by his Type A status.
Texas native Kerry Wood is a good match for the Rangers, though they’re not going to want to do three years at $10MM per (I think). Jim Hendry says Wood will always be welcome to come back to Chicago. Rosenthal says the Rangers also have interest in Colorado’s Huston Street.
The Cubs and the Rays are two suitors for Florida’s Jeremy Hermida, though they’ve cleared enough payroll already to be deliberate with this one.

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