Yankees Designate Russ Canzler For Assignment
The Yankees designated first baseman/outfielder Russ Canzler for assignment, the team announced. The move creates roster space for Travis Hafner, whose deal with the Yankees is now official.
Canzler has been claimed off of waivers three times this winter, and it won't be surprising if a team picks him up again before he clears waivers. The Yankees claimed Canzler on January 4th, the Indians claimed him on January 2nd and the Blue Jays claimed him on December 21st.
Canzler appeared in 26 games for the Indians this past season. The 26-year-old posted a .269/.299/.398 batting line in 97 MLB plate appearances while playing first base and left field. He spent most of the season at Triple-A, where he posted a .265/.328/.487 batting line with 22 home runs and 36 doubles in 539 plate appearances.
AL East Notes: Overbay, Hafner, Yankees
The Yankees and Red Sox have had decidedly different offseasons, but their winter plans converged yesterday when both teams added left-handed bats on relatively low-risk deals. The Yankees agreed to sign Travis Hafner and the Red Sox reached a deal with Lyle Overbay. Here’s the latest from the AL East…
- Hafner chose the Yankees over the Rays, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes (Twitter link). The Rays already have a left-handed hitting designated hitter of their own in Luke Scott.
- Before the Overbay deal was completed, the Red Sox had a National League team offer to get them Chris Coghlan from the Marlins in a three-way trade, Peter Gammons of MLB Network reports (on Twitter). As Gammons notes, the 27-year-old Coghlan has seen his production diminish annually since winning the 2009 Rookie of the Year award.
- The Yankees appear to be the third best team in the AL East at this point, Richard Justice of MLB.com writes. However, the division seems so tight that almost any outcome is imaginable, so Justice explains how the Yankees can win again in 2013.
AL East Notes: Rodney, Orioles, Lohse, Yankees
The Red Sox and Yankees each added a veteran bat today, as Lyle Overbay agreed to a deal with Boston and Travis Hafner came to terms with the Bronx Bombers. Here are some more items from around the AL East…
- Dan Lozano, Fernando Rodney's agent, said his client was misquoted in a recent interview with Dominican newspaper El Dia, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. El Dia reported on Wednesday that Rodney was close to signing a two-year extension with the Rays but Lozano said that no talks have taken place between the two sides. Rodney is set to make $2.5MM in 2013, his last year under contract with Tampa Bay.
- The Orioles are looking to add relief pitching and "are keeping tabs on some relievers that have yet to sign," The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly reports.
- Also from Connolly, he hears the Orioles would be interested in Kyle Lohse if the veteran's price significantly dropped. It may be a longshot, as Connolly says the O's don't want to lose the first-round draft pick it would take to sign Lohse and even if Lohse was open to a one-year contract, he likely wouldn't sign such a deal in the AL East.
- ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand fields several Alex Rodriguez questions in an online fan chat, as well as other Yankees topics like Curtis Granderson trade talk and Robinson Cano's future in the Bronx.
- The Blue Jays aren't likely to make any more additions this offseason aside from minor league depth signings, writes MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm as part of a reader mailbag.
- An AL East talent evaluator breaks down the division's teams with ESPN Boston's Gordon Edes.
Rodriguez Intends To Continue Playing
3:18pm: Rodriguez intends to recover from his hip operation and play out the remaining five years on his contract, Yahoo's Tim Brown reports. "Alex is working diligently on his rehabilitation and looks forward to getting back on the field as soon as possible," one source close to Rodriguez told Brown. The third baseman has not heard from MLB or from the Yankees since this week's news broke. Rodriguez doesn't have interest in a discounted buyout and probably wouldn't approve a trade away from the Yankees.
8:14am: Alex Rodriguez’s Yankees career could be over. The third baseman is unlikely to play for the Yankees again, no matter what happens with allegations linking him to a supplier of performance enhancing drugs, Bill Madden, Christian Red and Teri Thompson of the New York Daily News report.
The hip surgery that Rodriguez is recovering from “will likely derail his playing career,” according to the Daily News reporters. This would force the 37-year-old into a diminished role and could lead him to consider retirement or a settlement. Even before this week’s news, Yankees officials had already begun preparing for the probability that Rodriguez would not finish the five years remaining on his contract.
Rodriguez could retire as a result of the injury if it's as serious as expected. This could allow the Yankees to be reimbursed for up to 85% of the $114MM remaining on his contract with insurance companies covering the bulk of the commitment. It’s also possible Rodriguez could return in a diminished role and decide to retire. Under this scenario the Yankees would discuss settlement options with him, the Daily News reports.
Quick Hits: Headley, Wells, Lowe, A-Rod, Mariners
Earlier tonight, the Padres avoided arbitration with Chase Headley by agreeing to a one-year, $8.575MM deal. The third baseman is under team control through 2015 and General Manager Josh Byrnes started dialogue with Headley's representatives about a contract extension earlier this winter, writes MLB.com's Corey Brock. However, those talks have been tabled for now. "We couldn't frame it up where it made sense for both sides," Byrnes said. In today's poll, nearly 70% of MLBTR readers said that it would make sense to lock Headley up long-term. Here's more from around baseball..
- The Dodgers, Blue Jays, Angels, Tigers, Orioles, Brewers, and Athletics were in Peoria, Arizona today to watch Kip Wells, Mark Lowe, and Ryan Rowland-Smith throw, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Wells, 35, made seven starts for the Padres last season and posted a 4.58 ERA with 20 walks and 19 strikeouts.
- The Yankees can dream about getting out from under Alex Rodriguez's contract, but there is very little chance of it happening, writes David Waldstein of the New York Times. Earlier today, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports noted that the Yankees could pay just 15% of the $114MM owed to A-Rod if his hip injury is diagnosed as career-ending and he misses the entire season.
- Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (video link) has a gut feeling that aces Clayton Kershaw, Felix Hernandez, and Justin Verlander will work out new contracts with their respective clubs before they get the chance to hit the open market.
- The Mariners need to add a dependable starting pitcher, opines Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times. Baker suggests that the M's should try and swing a trade for the Dodgers' Chris Capuano by sending Franklin Gutierrez back to the club where he started his pro baseball career.
Yankees Talking To Travis Hafner
9:21pm: The Yankees are considering Hafner as a left-handed designated hitter but no deal is imminent, a source tells David Waldstein of the New York Times.
11:00am: The Yankees are talking to Hafner and others, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com notes (on Twitter).
10:47am: The Yankees might be close to a deal with free agent designated hitter Travis Hafner, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports (on Twitter). The Legacy Agency represents Hafner.
Hafner hit free agency after the Indians chose a $2.75MM buyout over a $13MM option earlier in the offseason. The 35-year-old hit .228/.346/.438 with 12 home runs in 263 plate appearances for Cleveland last year. Hafner, a left-handed hitter, has a career batting line of .287/.391/.534 against right-handed pitching. He also drew interest from the Indians this winter.
Hafner has averaged only 85 games a season over the past five years due of injuries.
Quick Hits: Yankees, Cruz, Wells
We shouldn't be surprised if the Yankees spend aggressively on free agent starting pitching in the years ahead, Jim Bowden writes at ESPN.com. Check out MLBTR’s 2014 free agent list to see which players will join Matt Garza, Josh Johnson and Adam Wainwright on the free agent market a year from now. Here are today’s links…
- In a piece at ESPN Insider, Zachary Levine of Baseball Prospectus searches MLB rosters for some players who could be traded now that their salaries are essentially sunk costs. Luke Hochevar and Ted Lilly are among the players who make Levine's list.
- Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal looks ahead at some of the starting pitchers who could be available in trades, suggesting that Yovani Gallardo, Jarrod Parker and Ian Kennedy could be dealt in future years.
- ESPN.com’s Buster Olney wonders if Nelson Cruz’s alleged connection to performance enhancing drugs suppliers could lead to renewed interest in Michael Bourn from the Rangers (Twitter link).
- Free agent right-hander Kip Wells threw a bullpen for the Mariners today, Evan Drellich of MLB.com reports (on Twitter). Wells, 35, posted a 4.58 ERA with more walks (20) than strikeouts (19) in 37 1/3 innings with the Padres in 2012.
Latest On Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
9:43am: Privately the Yankees are thrilled with the current situation, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. If Rodriguez does have connections to the PED provider, the Yankees’ chances of severing ties with Rodriguez and saving much of the $114MM remaining on his contract increase. That said, the club would need a 'Hail Mary' to succeed, Sherman writes.
7:54am: Though the Yankees probably can’t void Alex Rodriguez’s contract following the third baseman’s connections to a Miami performance enhancing drugs clinic, they might not need to do so. As Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports, there’s a scenario that would allow Rodriguez to collect the $114MM remaining on his deal without relying on the Yankees to pay most of that sum.
If Rodriguez finds a doctor who says he’s suffering from a career-ending hip injury it’d be possible to continue collecting his salary without playing again. In this scenario the Yankees would collect up to 85% of Rodriguez’s salary from insurance, Rosenthal reports. For the Yankees to collect at that level, Rodriguez would have to miss a full season — a possibility recently acknowledged by general manager Brian Cashman.
Conversely, if Rodriguez were to retire he would forfeit his remaining salary. The 37-year-old underwent a hip operation this offseason and isn’t expected to return before July. If Rodriguez continues rehabbing without improvement, it’s possible a doctor could determine that he’s physically unable to perform. As Rosenthal notes, such a contention would prompt insurance companies to argue that Rodriguez could still play, or that PEDs led to his inability to play.
The Yankees are exploring ways of voiding Rodriguez’s contract, ESPNNewYork reported yesterday. Rodriguez has denied connections to the clinic.
Quick Hits: Rodriguez, Red Sox, Mets
Links from around MLB on a day that a number of prominent players were linked to a supplier of performance enhancing drugs…
- Earlier today ESPN.com's Buster Olney suggested the Yankees will deal with Alex Rodriguez in a calculated manner following the news that the third baseman has been linked to the Biogenesis clinic in Miami. Olney's colleagues Wallace Matthews and Andrew Marchand have since reported that the Yankees are trying to void Rodriguez's contract, which is valued at $114MM over the course of the next five seasons.
- Boston manager John Farrell suggested the Red Sox could add depth at first base in the near future, Alex Speier of WEEI.com reports. "I think we'll probably have some additions before camp opens up in that area," Farrell said. Check out Speier's piece for a position-by-position breakdown of the Red Sox.
- The Mets are still in the market for relief help and could even pursue a closer, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Mets signed right-hander Scott Atchison to a minor league deal today. For the latest on closers around the league follow @closernews throughout the fantasy baseball season.
- Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said he hasn't ruled out making another modest signing or two, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports.
Yankees Working To Void Alex Rodriguez’s Contract
The Yankees are exploring multiple avenues to void their contract with Alex Rodriguez, several baseball sources told ESPNNewYork.com's Wallace Matthews and Andrew Marchand. Rodriguez was among several MLB stars who were linked to a PED clinic in Miami, Florida. Even if the charges turn out to be true, however, the Bombers may have little chance of getting out from under his contract.
The three-time American League MVP is owed $114MM over the next five seasons. An industry source says the Yankees "are looking at about 20 different things," including whether A-Rod breached the contract by taking medical treatment from an outside doctor without the team's authorization, and the possibility that he may have broken the law by purchasing controlled substances from the clinic.
If the Yankees do take action to 86 the remainder of the third baseman's deal, they can't do anything until the MLB investigation is concluded, according to a source. For his part, Rodriguez has issued a statement denying the allegations.