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Yankees Negotiating With Ibanez, Chavez

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SUNDAY,8:40pm: Eric Chavez confirmed to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (via Twitter) that he was waiting on the A.J. Burnett deal to come back to the Yanks, but the veteran says that his return is still 50-50.

6:06pm: The Yankees have a framework in place for a deal worth about $1MM plus incentives with Raul Ibanez, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  The deal has been on hold, however, because the club first had to be sure that they didn't have to take on a DH type such as Garrett Jones, Travis Hafner, or Bobby Abreu in an A.J. Burnett trade, Sherman tweets.

There's also mutual interest between Eric Chavez and the club in a return and that deal would also work out to $1MM plus incentives, but not before Ibanez's deal is finalized (Twitter links).

SATURDAY, 2:46pm: The Yankees have been negotiating extensively with representatives for Raul Ibanez, tweets Ken Davidoff of Newsday.  An agreement seems very likely once the A.J. Burnett trade is finalized.

This morning, we learned that the Yankees still prefer Ibanez to Johnny Damon because he's better against right-handers and in the field.  The club is reportedly intent on adding two bats to the fold.

 

Pirates Acquire Burnett From Yankees

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After more than a week of back-and-forth discussion, the Yankees and Pirates formally announced the deal that will send A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh.  The trade allows the Bombers to unload $13MM of the $33MM still owed to the veteran pitcher over the next two years.  Aside from shedding payroll, the Yanks also receive outfielder Exicardo Cayones and right-hander Diego Moreno in the trade.

With the Burnett deal finalized, the Yankees will now have the flexibility to add a bat or two.  The club is reportedly eyeing Raul Ibanez and would like to bring back Eric Chavez as well.

As Tim Dierkes noted last week, the Pirates were a solid fit for the 35-year-old as the club has struggled to find a frontline starter on the open market.  Burnett held a limited no-trade clause which allowed him to block trades to ten clubs, but it appears that the Bucs were not on that list.

Burnett will take a physical on Sunday and, due to the amount of money changing hands, the trade will be subject to league approval.  The Bucs will pay the right-hander $5MM in 2012 and $8MM in '13 as they look to help him return to his pre-2010 form.

The much-maligned Burnett posted a 4.79 ERA, a 1.99 K/BB ratio and a 1.45 WHIP in three seasons with New York after signing a five-year, $82.5MM contract in the 2008-09 offseason.  He did, however, play a key role in the Yankees' 2009 World Series title and averaged 195 innings per year during his time in the Bronx.  This durability makes the 35-year-old Burnett an attractive quantity to the Pirates, who haven't had a pitcher reach 195 innings since 2009. 

The Pirates have been looking for veteran starting pitching this winter but, after signing Erik Bedard, were turned down by free agents Edwin Jackson and Roy Oswalt.  Burnett will have a guaranteed spot in a Pittsburgh rotation that will also feature Bedard and James McDonald, with Jeff Karstens, Charlie Morton and Kevin Correia all likely battling for the final two spots.

For the Yankees, getting $13MM of Burnett's salary off the books frees up enough payroll space for the team to pursue some depth needs.  We've heard the Yankees are looking at Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez as left-handed bats to fill the part-time DH and backup infield roles, respectively.

The finalization of the deal was first reported by Ken Rosnethal of FOX Sports (Twitter links).  Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com (via Twitter) reported Cayones' inclusion in the deal while Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted the news of Moreno heading to New York.  Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter) had the breakdown of how the Bucs will pay Burnett. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter) first reported that Burnett passed his physical and the trade was approved by MLB.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AL East Notes: Rays, Chavez, Varitek, Red Sox, Burnett

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A look at some news out of the American League East..

  • It would make sense for the Rays to hold on to their surplus of starting pitching as they've needed at least seven starting pitchers in each of the past four seasons, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman told reporters that Eric Chavez's return isn't a sure thing, tweets Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
  • Red Sox skipper Bobby Valentine isn't expecting Jason Varitek in camp today, tweets Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.  The manager added that the front office hasn't asked them to get the catcher's uniform ready, tweets Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com.  On Friday, we learned that Varitek is leaning towards retirement.
  • There is some concern over the Red Sox's shortstop position in 2012 but Valentine told reporters that he was on board with the trade that shipped Marco Scutaro to Colorado, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
  • Unloading A.J. Burnett's contract was a move that the Yankees had to make, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
  • The Burnett deal will likely be officially announced tomorrow, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  Once the deal is official, the Yankees will have the money neccessary to sign another bat such as Raul Ibanez.
  • With an annual average of $2MM in his new three-year deal, Rays skipper Joe Maddon would rank in the middle third based on current contracts, writes Topkin.

Cafardo On Soler, Gonzalez, Ibanez, Abreu, Kazmir

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In today's column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe looks at the Red Sox's shortstop position after the trade of Marco Scutaro.  Major league evaluators are skeptical that Mike Aviles and Nick Punto can get the job done, which could leave the door open to prospect Jose Iglesias getting the nod.  All eyes will be on manager Bobby Valentine to see how he handles the club's shortstop situation this spring.  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • Two GMs told Cafardo that Jorge Soler will go for more than the five years and $15MM-$20MM most thought he would settle for.  Some of the clubs who elected to stay away on Yoenis Cespedes because of the hefty price and question marks about his game have decided that Soler is a better value.  The Red Sox are one of about eight teams in on Soler.
  • Mike Gonzalez is likely headed to the Rangers if they can trade Koji Uehara.  The A's have also been connected to the free agent reliever recently.
  • The Yankees prefer Raul Ibanez to Johnny Damon because of cost.  Damon is seeking about $5MM while Ibanez will likely be in the $1.5MM-$2MM range.
  • Angels veteran Bobby Abreu would have gone back to the Yankees in an A.J. Burnett deal.  The Halos have a logjam with Kendry Morales returning and Albert Pujols at first base and Abreu has been offered around.
  • The Red Sox didn’t attend Scott Kazmir’s workout on Friday and have no plans to watch Brandon Webb throw when he is on display.  That's because Boston decided not to delve into the rehab market for pitchers.  The club has tried a number of pitchers coming back from serious injury and in most cases, it hasn't worked out.
  • Cafardo wonders if Cardinals backup Tyler Greene is worth a look for the Red Sox shortstop mix.  The 27-year-old was once a promising prospect and is out of options this year.

Johnny Damon No Longer Considering Yankees

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The Yankees are reportedly in "extensive" talks with Raul Ibanez about their DH job, but another option is no longer on the table. Johnny Damon told George A. King III and Joel Sherman of The New York Post that both he and the team are no longer considering a second tour of duty in New York.

"We both are looking at other options now,'' said Damon, adding that it's "unfortunate."

GM Brian Cashman acknowledged that the two sides spoke about a possible reunion, saying: "He called and I told him the truth. He is not the No. 1 option if and when I turn to DH options."

Earlier today we heard that even after the A.J. Burnett trade, the Yankees only have enough money to sign Eric Chavez or a left-handed DH, not both. Team executives will meet next week to reconsider the budget once the trade is made official, however. More than 58% of nearly 12,000 MLBTR readers prefer either Ibanez or Vladimir Guerrero to Damon according to the results of this morning's poll.

Yankees Sign Clay Rapada

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The Yankees have signed lefty reliever Clay Rapada to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training, reports David Waldstein of The New York Times (Twitter links). MLB.com's Zack Meisel first reported that the two sides were nearing a deal. The Meister Sports Management client was released by the Orioles a few days ago.

Rapada, 30, posted a 6.06 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 16 1/3 innings for the Orioles last year. He had pitched 52 2/3 MLB innings over the course of five seasons for the Tigers, Rangers, Cubs and Orioles and is not yet arbitration eligible. The Yankees are likely trying to replenish some left-handed relief depth after Hideki Okajima failed his physical.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, Edell

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News out of the American League East..

  • The Red Sox know that they won't be getting Brett Jackson or Josh Vitters from the Cubs in the compensation agreement but still hope to come away with a quality prospect, writes Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com.
  • The Yankees considered considered taking Diego Moreno in the Rule 5 draft but already made two selections and didn't want to use another 40-man spot, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.  The Bombers viewed Moreno as one of the ten best prospects in the Bucs' system but knew that Pittsburgh didn't, Sherman tweets.
  • More from Sherman (via Twitter), who writes that the Yankees don't think that Exicardo Cayones can make it in the majors if he doesn't add more power.
  • Orioles left-hander Ryan Edell, who signed a minor league deal with the club, isn't expected in camp and it appears that he's going to retire, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.  Edell, 28, has pitched in the minors since 2005 for the Indians, Athletics, and Phillies.

Yankees Notes: Burnett, Chavez, DH, Kuroda

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The Yankees agreed to trade A.J. Burnett to the Pirates yesterday, two days before their pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training. With less than 24 hours officially remaining in their offseason, let's round up the latest news surrounding the team…

  • Burnett will take his physical tomorrow and final approval of the trade from the commissioner's office is likely to come Monday afternoon, reports Erik Boland of Newsday (on Twitter).
  • Even after the Burnett trade, the Yankees have room in the budget for Eric Chavez or a left-handed DH but not both, according to Joel Sherman of The New York Post (Twitter links). Team executives plan to meet after the trade becomes official to discuss whether room can be made for both.
  • The Yankees still prefer Raul Ibanez to Johnny Damon because he's better against right-handed pitchers and on defense, but Damon is not entirely off the board according to Sherman (on Twitter). MLBTR readers were split pretty evenly between those two (and Vladimir Guerrero) in this morning's poll about the club's DH spot.
  • Hiroki Kuroda reported to camp today and spoke to reporters (including Chad Jennings of The Journal News) about his decision to stay with the Dodgers at the trade deadline last year. The 37-year-old right-hander also wouldn't commit to any plans beyond this season.
  • Joe Brescia of The New York Times chatted briefly with Gene Michael, the team's former GM and current advisor to Brian Cashman. He talked about the Jesus Montero–Michael Pineda trade, the difference between how the Yankees are run now compared to George Steinbrenner's heyday, and more.

Poll: The Yankees’ Next DH

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The Yankees freed up some money yesterday by agreeing to trade A.J. Burnett to the Pirates for two minor leaguers and a total of $13MM in salary relief. They’ll save $5MM in 2012 and $8MM in 2013. Reports indicate that they’re expected to sign both Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez once the trade becomes official.

Chavez will fill out the bench like last year, but Ibanez would step in as the left-handed half of a DH platoon with Andruw Jones. Even though Spring Training is right around the corner, there is no shortage of DH-type bats on the open market as our Free Agent Tracker shows. If the Yankees were to decide to pass on Ibanez, they could always turn to Vladimir Guerrero or former Yankees Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui. Guerrero is a right-handed hitter, however. They also signed Russell Branyan to a minor league contract recently.

Given Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch and the presence of Jones, it makes sense for the Yankees to pursue a left-handed bat. Ibanez hit .245/.289/.419 overall last year but .256/.307/.440 against righties, which is good but not great. Damon (.255/.314/.401) and Matsui (.242/.318/.336) weren’t any better against righties, and in fact Guerrero outperformed all three of those guys against northpaws (.291/.315/.428). The Yankees have no shortage of DH options, but which one is the best?

Who is the best DH option for the Yankees?
Raul Ibanez 31.17% (5,561 votes)
Vladimir Guerrero 29.73% (5,304 votes)
Johnny Damon 19.75% (3,524 votes)
Hideki Matsui 7.43% (1,326 votes)
Someone not listed 6.22% (1,110 votes)
Russell Branyan 5.70% (1,017 votes)
Total Votes: 17,842

Okajima Fails Physical, Will Not Join Yankees

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10:22pm: It was Okajima's left shoulder that raised a red flag for Yankees doctors, tweets David Waldstein of the New York Times.

10:38am: Left-hander Hideki Okajima has failed his physical with the Yankees, reports Waldstein (Twitter link).  This means the minor league contract Okajima and the Yankees agreed upon last December is now voided.

Okajima, 36, spent most of last season in the minors after the Red Sox designated him for assignment in May.  Okajima struggled the last two years after posting a sterling 2.72 ERA, an 8.3 K/9 rate and a 2.89 K/BB ratio in 198 games for Boston between 2007-09.

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