Yankees Rumors

Latest On Padres, Chase Headley

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 11, 2013 at 10:22am CDT

The Padres haven’t settled on a long-term strategy for handling Chase Headley, but they aren’t going to trade him any time soon. Andy Martino of the New York Daily News hears from a high-ranking NL West executive that the Padres front office will see how the team plays before determining whether to trade Headley or pursue an extension with him.

Padres general manager Josh Byrnes recently told Peter Gammons of MLB Network that he doesn't intend to trade impact offensive players such as Headley. However, some evaluators aren’t convinced that the third baseman will replicate his breakout 2012 season, Martino reports.

The Yankees are considering corner infielders and, on paper, seem like a possible suitor for Headley. As they wait for the Padres to determine a course of action with Headley, the Yankees will look to the Astros for potential trade targets, Martino reports. The Astros have depth at first base and could move a player such as Carlos Pena.

Headley, 28, posted a .286/.376/.498 batting line with 31 home runs in 2012. He'll earn $8.575MM in 2013 and will remain under team control through 2014.

AL Notes: Lee, Porcello, Red Sox

By charliewilmoth | March 10, 2013 at 10:45pm CDT

The Yankees, who are hunting for a corner infielder to replace the injured Mark Teixeira, have asked Derrek Lee if he would be interested in returning to baseball, David Waldstein of the New York Times reports. Waldstein reports that Lee did show interest, although no deal is in place. Lee last played in 2011 for the Orioles and Pirates, hitting .267/.325/.446. Here are more notes from the American League:

Fewer scouts watched Rick Porcello's start on Sunday with the Tigers than the dozen or so who watched his last one, MLB.com's Jason Beck reports. Beck notes, however, that scouts generally don't watch the same players over and over in the spring. Porcello has been the subject of trade rumors for the past several weeks, and the Rangers have reportedly shown interest.
Signing Jim Thome or Bobby Abreu might be options for the Red Sox as they attempt to replace the injured David Ortiz, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe writes. Abraham suggests, however, that the Sox's in-house options, which include using Mauro Gomez, Ryan Lavarnway or J.C. Linares at DH or moving Mike Napoli or Jonny Gomes to DH in order to create a lineup spot for Lyle Overbay or Jackie Bradley Jr., might be more appealing. That makes sense, since it isn't yet certain that Ortiz's injured heels will cause him to miss more than a few weeks of the regular season.

New York Notes: Rivera, Wheeler, Alderson

By Zachary Links | March 10, 2013 at 11:41am CDT

Yesterday, Yankees closer Mariano Rivera officially announced that he will retire after the 2013 season. Rivera told reporters, including Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger, that he is looking forward to moving on from the constant grind of baseball. "Well, I’m telling you the tank is empty. I think that’s enough. It’s been a journey. One thing I will say that I will never stop missing the game or the action on the field. And my teammates. But after that, there’s nothing else. It’s just traveling and hotels and all that. There’s no more in me. I’ll do what I have to do next," said Rivera. Here's more on the Yankees and Mets..

One major league executive estimated that the Super Two cutoff date may be around June 15th this year, meaning that the Mets may not promote Zack Wheeler until after that date, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
The clock is ticking on Sandy Alderson's honeymoon grace period with the Mets, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. It's possible that club ownership blocked Alderson from making bold moves along the way such as trading Jose Reyes and David Wright, but Sherman argues that Alderson was viewed as having the tools necessary to navigate his way around the top of the power structure.
In speaking with Marc Carig of Newsday (on Twitter) and other reporters, Alderson addressed his record in New York. "It's a body of work that has to be judged, and not on a day to day basis. You have to step back periodically and say 'Where are we?'," said the GM.
Rivera was what set the Yankees apart from everyone else, writes Sherman. Now, the question is whether the 43-year-old can be the difference maker for the Bombers in his farewell season.

Cafardo On Yankees, Headley, Red Sox, Lohse

By Zachary Links | March 10, 2013 at 8:47am CDT

In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that some league executives feel that the new-and-improved PED testing will have a drastic effect on the power numbers of players. That feeling has given some owners pause about committing long-term deals until they know how it will all play out. “We’re all anxious to see what the result of the testing will be, but we’re anticipating that it will have a significant effect on the numbers, which will impact the game in general,” said an American League owner. “I think a few owners feel the way we do, that we’re going to see noticeable physical changes in players and their stamina in getting through a 162-game schedule.” Here's more from Cafardo..

The Yankees have explored temporary options to fill-in for the injured Mark Teixeira but they have also looked into more significant moves. The Bombers have inquired on the Padres' Chase Headley, though we learned recently that he's not available at this time. However, Headley could be on the market this summer.
If shortstop Jose Iglesias continues to hit in spring training, Cafardo wonders if the Red Sox might be open to dealing Stephen Drew down the line. The Cardinals pursued Drew this offseason and they are looking for help with Rafael Furcal sidelined. Drew cannot be traded until June 15 without his approval.
Teams have a number of reasons why they say they are not interested in Kyle Lohse, but Cafardo isn't buying any of them. He feels that some team will happily give him a one-year, $10MM contract. He would be a great fit in tfhe National League and Cafardo suggests the Brewers as a good fit.
There is more interest in Dodgers lefty Ted Lilly than fellow surplus starters Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano. The Dodgers are holding on to all of them until they know that Chad Billingsley is fully recovered after undergoing treatments to his elbow this offseason.
A National League scout suggested that Phillies outfielder John Mayberry might be a good fit for the Yankees at first base, with a switch back to the outfield after Teixeira returns. Mayberry is a former first baseman and was used there last season when Ryan Howard was out of action.

Quick Hits: Rivera, Jeter, Orioles, Harang

By charliewilmoth | March 9, 2013 at 6:57pm CDT

GM Brian Cashman explains how the Yankees nearly traded Mariano Rivera for shortstop Felix Fermin in spring of 1996, as noted by Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. To describe the deal as "franchise-altering" would be an enormous understatement, since it would have affected not only Rivera but also then-rookie Derek Jeter.

Cashman, then an assistant GM, says that then-owner George Steinbrenner was concerned about entrusting Jeter with the starting shortstop job, and "it was a fight to convince The Boss to stand down" and avoid trading Rivera or Bob Wickman to the Mariners for Fermin. "And it wasn't because we knew what we had in Mo or Wickman," Cashman says. "It was, we had committed to go with young Jeter, and thankfully we didn't do that deal." As it turned out, Jeter won the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year award, Rivera finished third in Cy Young balloting, and the Yankees won their first World Series title since 1978. The Mariners, meanwhile, released Fermin in April, and he only ended up posting 19 more plate appearances in the majors. Here are more notes from throughout baseball.

David Robertson tops the list of potential Yankees closer candidates once Rivera retires at the end of the season, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. Joba Chamberlain and David Aardsma are also possibilities, Berry says. The Yankees have an entire year to choose a successor, however.
The Orioles are on the lookout for catching depth, report Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com and Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Matt Wieters is, clearly, entrenched as Baltimore's starter, and Taylor Teagarden will likely serve as his backup, but the Orioles are concerned about their depth beyond those two. The only other catcher on their 40-man roster is Luis Exposito, although manager Buck Showalter is also curious about new addition Luis Martinez, who spent much of 2012 with the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock. With Wieters and several other options in the fold, it seems unlikely the O's will make a major move for a catcher, despite what Kubatko calls their "sloppy" play behind the dish this spring. Dubroff suggests that Eli Whiteside of the Rangers, Miguel Olivo of the Reds and Chris Snyder of the Nationals might be possibilities.
The Dodgers' Aaron Harang says he isn't worried about rumors that he'll be traded, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com writes. "I don't even think about that," says Harang. "We know [scouts are] in the stands. I look at them as fans as well. I'm not worried about that." The Dodgers have a surplus of starting pitching, and Harang currently doesn't have a clear shot at a rotation job. The Brewers and Orioles could be potential suitors for Harang.

Yankees Notes: Rivera, Teixeira, A-Rod, Jeter

By Zachary Links | March 9, 2013 at 3:48pm CDT

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera officially announced today that 2013 will be his final season in the majors. Right-hander Ivan Nova says that he will miss Rivera not just as a teammate, but as a fan as well. “The first time I saw him, when he said, ‘Hola’ to me, I was nervous,” he said, according to Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger. “This was Mariano Rivera. I remember when I got called up in Detroit, the way he treated me there, it was like I was a veteran guy, too. That makes you feel really good.” Here's more on the Bombers..

Even if Mark Teixeira’s condition proves worse than the Yankees initially believed, the team may refrain from disclosing that information to maintain their leverage in trade talks, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Yanks, according to major league sources, acted similarly regarding Alex Rodriguez’s condition while exploring trades and free agent signings at the GM meetings this winter.
The clock is ticking louder on the Yanks' partnership between Rivera, Derek Jeter, and Andy Pettitte, writes Scott Miller of CBSSports.com. The news just became official today, but Jeter acknowledged that Rivera let him in on his plans to retire following the 2012 season.

Rivera To Retire After 2013 Season

By Zachary Links | March 9, 2013 at 9:57am CDT

SATURDAY, 9:57am: Rivera made the news official with a press conference this morning. The 43-year-old told reporters that he has enough left in the tank for this upcoming season but after that he'll have "nothing left", tweets Jack Curry of the YES Network.

THURSDAY, 12:03pm: The Yankees have a 10am EDT press conference scheduled Saturday at which Rivera is set to announce that he'll retire following the 2013 season, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (Twitter links).

11:03am: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is looking to come back strong in 2013 after missing the bulk of last season. This upcoming season could very well be the 43-year-old's final campaign and it's an open secret that if he intends to retire, an announcement figures to be around the corner and could be as soon as Saturday, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Olney asked Rivera this spring if he would have retired at the end of 2012 if he was able to return last fall, and he indicated that it would have been likely (Twitter link). Because of that, it would appear that the legendary closer is looking to go out on a high note.

In February it was said that Rivera had his mind made up on his future and would disclose it to the public prior to Opening Day. The right-hander has been remarkably sharp in his 40s, owning a 1.87 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 in his age 40, 41 and 42 seasons.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Yankees, Cuddyer, Johnson

By Zachary Links | March 8, 2013 at 9:29pm CDT

There has been a great deal of talk about what the Yankees might do in the wake of Mark Teixeira's injury, but the Red Sox have some questions of their own to address as Opening Day approaches. As David Ortiz struggles with an injured left Achilles, could Boston explore a move for a slugger? Here's more on that and other notes out of the AL East..

Red Sox manager John Farrell acknowledged that the club could explore a Plan B for Ortiz, but nothing is in the works on that front just yet, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. For now, the BoSox skipper says that the club is only evaluating its in-house options.
Buster Olney of ESPN.com (on Twitter) wonders if there is a deal to made between the Yankees and Rockies for Michael Cuddyer in which Colorado eats a large portion of his deal. Cuddyer is a right-handed hitter who has the versatility to fill in at first base, in the outfield, and at DH. The 33-year-old is owed $21MM over the next two seasons.
Josh Johnson's contract status and potentially impending free agency isn't stressing him out, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. Johnson says that his next deal is the furthest thing from his mind and manager John Gibbons isn't concerned about it becoming a distraction. The right-hander will earn $13.75MM in his walk year.

New York Notes: Yankees, Mets, Wells, Rivera

By Zachary Links | March 8, 2013 at 6:09pm CDT

Earlier today, MLBTR readers were fairly split on what the Yankees should look to do next. About 32% of you said that the Bombers should just work with what they have, nearly 28% want to see the Yanks to land an infielder and an outfielder, and 26% say that GM Brian Cashman should pursue either a first or third baseman. Here's more on what the Yankees may (or may not) do before Opening Day and some items on the Mets..

The Mariners probably won't make someone truly intriguing such as Kyle Seager or Michael Saunders available for the Yankees, but Casper Wells could be in play, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The 28-year-old is out of options, might not have a roster spot and showed that he can hit well against lefties last season.
Over the past several months, the Mets have quietly made a series of promotions in the front office, writes Andy Martino of the New York Daily News. Dick Scott, who worked with J.P. Ricciardi in Toronto, is now director of player development. Adam Fisher, who is a holdover from the Omar Minaya era was promoted from manager of baseball operations to director of baseball operations. Former assistant director of minor league operations Jon Miller also earned a promotion, moving up to director of minor league operations.
Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) reflected on the career of Mariano Rivera and his importance to the Yankees franchise over the years. The legendary closer has decided that he will call it a career after the 2013 season.

Poll: The Yankees’ Next Move

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 8, 2013 at 9:00am CDT

The Yankees have finished first or second in the American League in runs scored in each of the last four seasons. Joe Girardi has managed some potent offenses, but the club's current lineup looks ordinary rather than exceptional following the news that Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira will miss the first month-plus of the regular season with injuries.

The Yankees’ projected lineup now includes Juan Rivera and Dan Johnson in place of Granderson and Teixeira. Not surprisingly, GM Brian Cashman is considering possible upgrades. Significant trades aren't generally completed in March, so Cashman's options are limited. Plus, if the Yankees make a major move they could face tough roster decisions in a matter of weeks. But the team can't afford to field a weakened lineup for one sixth of the season, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post pointed out today. How should Cashman navigate this early season dilemma?

What should the Yankees do next?

Rely on internal options 32.03% (3,394 votes)

Acquire an infielder and an outfielder 29.00% (3,073 votes)

Acquire a corner infielder 24.94% (2,643 votes)

Acquire an outfielder 14.02% (1,486 votes)

Total Votes: 10,596

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