Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Yankees Rumors

Cafardo On Gonzalez, Nady, Mulder

By | at

Nick Cafardo's latest column for the Boston Globe is a lengthy one, and is full of hot stove discussion and speculation. Let's take a look….

  • After Ken Rosenthal expressed skepticism about Boston's ability to acquire Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres, Cafardo declares that it's the one move the Red Sox have to make to keep up with the Yankees. Although he presents a lengthy argument for why it could work, he never specifically addresses what players the Sox could send to San Diego, which was the sticking point for Rosenthal.
  • Xavier Nady would like to return to the Yankees, but doesn't know if they'll want him back. "I know I can go out there and be a productive starting player for someone," Nady says. As Cafardo points out though, after Nady's injury-plagued 2009, many teams would probably prefer to sign him as a fourth outfielder.
  • Cafardo thinks the Los Angeles Dodgers should consider signing Pedro Martinez to a half-year deal in 2010, and that Philadelphia could be a good fit for Billy Wagner.
  • The Jeremy Hermida acquisition raises questions about Rocco Baldelli's future as a Red Sox. Baldelli says he enjoyed Boston and would love to return, but that the team hasn't informed him of their plans yet.
  • "It would be an upset" if Mark Mulder signed anywhere but Milwaukee.
  • One baseball official tells Cafardo that the New York Yankees might be a bit reluctant to re-sign Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui because "they’re afraid of sticking with a guy too long. They’d rather get rid of a guy a year sooner, ahead of his decline, than a year later."

Odds & Ends: Cubs, Cuddyer, Eyre, Marlins

By | at

Let's check out a few Saturday evening links….

Yankees Notes: Matsui, Damon, Cano

By | at

As if dominating the playoffs wasn't enough, the New York Yankees are now dominating much of the hot stove discussion as well. We took a look at some rumors from the Bronx earlier today. Now John Harper of the New York Daily News offers ten suggestions for building the 2010 Yankees. A few of his ideas….

  • Harper suggests offering Hideki Matsui a one-year deal, rather than just letting him walk. He thinks that, after a relatively healthy 2009, the Yankees could use the offensive depth, in case they aren't so lucky in 2010.
  • He also would like the team to sign Johnny Damon to a one- or two-year deal, if they can.
  • Harper wants to see Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes (or both) in the bullpen, with the team pursuing a free agent starter to fill out the back end of the rotation.
  • He believes that the Yankees "shouldn't rule out" dealing Robinson Cano, if the right offer arises.
  • Harper doesn't expect the team to pursue a starting pitcher as expensive as John Lackey this winter, naming Randy Wolf as a potential target instead. In a separate piece, the NY Daily News's Bill Madden agrees that Lackey is unlikely to become a Yankee. Madden thinks the team could look to the trade market for a starter instead, perhaps making catching prospect Jesus Montero available.

Kurkjian’s Latest: Yankees, Dodgers, Chapman

By | at

Tim Kurkjian runs through some of the top storylines to watch this offseason for his latest article on ESPN.com.  Here's a breakdown of some of the topics discussed…

  • Kurkjian believes the Yankees will let Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui walk this winter and will "consider" free agents Jason Bay and Matt Holliday.
  • Kurkjian also thinks Holliday is "perfect for Fenway Park," and someone who will be pursued if the Red Sox aren't able to reach an agreement with Bay.
  • The McCourts' divorce could have a serious impact on the way Los Angeles does business this offseason.  As Kurkjian writes, "The Dodgers need to acquire at least one topflight starting pitcher, but there is already speculation that they will not have enough money to re-sign left-hander Randy Wolf."
  • The Cubs won't be able to trade Milton Bradley without picking up most of the two years, $20MM left on his contact.
  • The Yanks are likely to re-sign Andy Pettitte for at least one year.
  • Kurkjian spoke to one MLB general manager who thinks Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman has "a ways to go before he's ready to pitch in the major leagues, phyiscally and emotionally."
  • The Angels are expected to be aggressive in trying to re-sign Chone Figgins, but he'll have plenty of other suitors.  Kurkjian lists the White Sox and Orioles as possibilities.  We've heard the Cubs might also have interest.

Yankee Rumors: Matsui, Damon, Jeter

By | at

The parade and celebration is over, so now it's time for GM Brian Cashman and the rest of the Yankees' front office to get down to business and work on improving the team for 2010. Here's a roundup of some Yankee rumors…

  • After winning World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui now faces an uncertain future writes Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Godzilla said he hopes to keep playing in New York, but he plans on spending the offseason working his knees back into game shape so he can market himself as an outfielder. Yesterday we learned that Matsui ruled out a return to Japan.
  • Johnny Damon, another player with an expiring contract, also indicated that he wants to stay in New York, according to Mark Feinsand with the NY Daily News. Said Damon, "Why wouldn't I want to come back? We have the best owners in baseball, we have the best team and we have the most revenue and the biggest payroll. Who wouldn't want to be a part of the Yankee tradition? I would like to continue mine. I feel like I can come back and do a great job again."
  • Cashman indicated that the team has not had any discussions about a contract extension with Derek Jeter, says George A. King III of The NY Post. The team has a policy that they let all contracts expire before discussing new ones, which they stuck to with Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and even Cashman in the last few years.

Five More Years For Mariano Rivera?

By | at

Mariano Rivera told today's crowd he wants to play for five more years, according to the New York Times' Jack Curry.  Rivera explained:

"I'm serious.  I hope the organization does whatever it takes to bring me back. I know I have another year under my contract, and then whatever happens happens."

Of course, as Curry notes, "A few months before the 2000 season, Rivera shocked the Yankees by saying he wanted to pitch four more years, then retire to become an evangelical minister."

Rivera, 40 later this month, added to his legend in 2009 with 44 regular season and five postseason saves.  It's difficult to justify $15MM a year for a reliever, but if anyone's worth it, it's Rivera.

Odds & Ends: Matsui, Belcher, Cuddyer, Griffey

By | at

Links for Friday…

Odds & Ends: Crosby, Gonzalez, Mariners

By | at

More items from a busy opening day of baseball's hot stove season…

  • Consider it a formality, but John Lackey, Matt Holliday, and Jason Bay were among the 79 players filing for free agency today according to MLB.com's Tom Singer.
  • Free agent Bobby Crosby told MLB.com's Mychael Urban that he doesn't expect to be back in Oakland next season.
  • Alex Gonzalez has yet to hear from the Red Sox in regards to whether or not they will exercise his $6MM option for next season, says The Boston Herald's Michael Silverman.
  • Jim Street of MLB.com breaks down Seattle's free agents, noting that Russell Branyan and Ken Griffey Jr. "are the most likely to return," and that if Griffey comes back, it would likely mean that the Mariners wouldn't re-sign veteran Mike Sweeney.  Street also reported that right-hander Miguel Batista feels he won't be back in Seattle next season, with Batista going so far as to say there is a "99.9 percent chance" he will be in another team's uniform in 2010.
  • Texas introduced former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle as their new hitting coach on Thursday.
  • John Harper of the New York Daily News feels that Hideki Matsui's World Series MVP award made the Yankees' decision whether or not to re-sign the free agent slugger much more difficult.  Even before Matsui's huge Game Six performance, MLBTR's Luke Adams outlined the factors behind any decision to put Matsui back in pinstripes in 2010.
  • Randy St. Claire has been hired as the Marlins' new pitching coach, reports Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.

Odds & Ends: Holliday, Putz, Lopez, Teahen, Reds

By | at

It's been a busy first day on the hot stove, so here's another batch of links…

  • Derrick Goold of The St. Lous Post Dispatch says there are eight teams "that have the need and the financial wherewithal" to sign Matt Holliday. It's the usual suspects (i.e. big market clubs), and Goold explains why each may be interested in Holliday.
  • Craig Landis, agent for J.J. Putz, said that his client "hasn't ruled out returning to the Mets with a cheaper, incentive-laden deal," according to Bart Hubbuch of The NY Post. Earlier today we learned that the Mets informed Putz that they wouldn't be picking up his 2010 option.
  • MLB.com's Adam McCalvy says the Brewers are waiting to see whether Felipe Lopez qualifies as a Type-A or B free agent, and that will likely play a role in their decision whether or not to offer him arbitration. Eddie Bajek's work projects Lopez to be a Type-B, but he's right on the cutoff.
  • ESPN's Keith Law loves the Mark Teahen trade for the Royals, noting that they traded one average player close to free agency for two average players with several years of team control left.
  • John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Reds' relievers Nick Masset and Jared Burton are arbitration eligible as Super Two's, but Micah Owings is not.
  • Meanwhile, the Reds are expected to decline Ramon Hernandez's $8.5MM option for 2010, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. 
  • David O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution has some quotes from Tim Hudson about his contract extension.
  • Did you catch Mariano Rivera saying that he wants to play another five years during the Yankees' World Series celebration last night? It turns out he wasn't kidding. Chad Jennings of The Journal News quotes the Yanks' closer as saying “I’m serious. I hope the organization does whatever it takes to bring me back.”

Olney On What’s Facing The Yankees And Phillies

By | at

We haven't had a World Series rematch since the Yankees and Dodgers squared off in 1977 and then again in 1978, but that doesn't stop ESPN's Buster Olney from looking at what stands in the way of another Yanks-Phils Fall Classic in 2010.

Let's round up some hot stove talk…

  • Olney guesses that the Yankees won't tender Chien-Ming Wang a contract, but they may decide to pursue another starter through trade or free agency.
  • Given Brad Lidge's awful year, Olney thinks the Phillies "will be diligent in internally identifying a solid Plan B." He notes that there are plenty of pitchers available this offseason with experience closing games.
  • The Phillies hold a $5MM option for third baseman Pedro Feliz ($500K buyout), so the team must decide what to do there. He mentions that free agent Adrian Beltre "would be a spectacular fit" for Philadelphia.
  • Olney believes it's a lock that the Yankees will offer Andy Pettitte arbitration. Pettitte had just a $5.5MM base salary in 2009, but he brought home over $10MM thanks to incentives. An arbitration case would be based on the actual money earned, so Pettitte could be in line for $12-14MM if he accepts.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top