Poll: Will Andruw Jones Sign With The Yankees?
Yesterday we learned that the Yankees have strong interest in free agent outfielder Andruw Jones. GM Brian Cashman is in search of a backup outfielder who hits right-handed and Jones is one of the better options available at this point in the offseason.
Quick Hits: Pujols, Jones, Nationals, Ledezma
One year ago today, the Reds won the bidding for Aroldis Chapman. The Cuban left-hander made 15 relief appearances in the majors last year and figures to have an even bigger impact on the 2011 season. Here are today's links…
- The Cardinals' negotiations with Albert Pujols could resemble the Yankees' negotiations with Alex Rodriguez, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Cardinals executives have acknowledged that an extension with their first baseman would take the organization "places it hasn't gone" in terms of contract value and potential incentive clauses, Goold writes.
- Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues says he'd lean toward Andruw Jones over Marcus Thames for the Yankees in 2011.
- Meanwhile, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports that the Rockies still have some interest in Jones (Twitter link).
- The Rangers are concerned that Jim Thome would prefer to return to Minnesota, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports (on Twitter). The Rangers are interested in Thome, though he's not a perfect fit for their needs.
- The Nationals need a utility player who can back Danny Espinosa up at second base and potentially play in the outfield, according to Ben Goessling of MASNSports.com. He lists Willie Bloomquist, David Eckstein and Willie Harris as possible fits.
- Dan Szymborski explains the challenges the Giants face if they want to repeat as World Champions in a piece for ESPN.
- The Blue Jays announced that they outrighted Wil Ledezma to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Yankees Have Strong Interest In Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones appears to be the Yankees' top choice as they continue to search for a fourth outfielder, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The sides are still apart on money, Heyman writes. Agent Scott Boras, who represents Jones, also represents Johnny Damon, who is one of the Yankees' backup options. Former Yankee Marcus Thames is still a consideration for the Bronx Bombers.
The Yankees are looking for an outfielder who bats from the right side and can handle left and center field against tough lefties. The team wants a player that can give left-handed batters Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner some rest against select southpaws and provide the team with depth.
Jones, 33, hit 19 homers for the White Sox last year, playing all three outfield positions. He has an .863 OPS against lefties in his career, including a .931 mark in 2010.
New York Notes: Andruw Jones, Buchholz, Pettitte
The MLBTR team sends its condolences to the friends and family of Ryne Duren, the hard-throwing right-hander who passed away today at age 81. Duren pitched for seven teams over his 10 seasons in the majors, but is best remembered as a Yankee for his role in helping the Bronx Bombers win the 1958 World Series. Duren posted a 2.02 ERA and a 10.3 K/9 rate that season, also leading the league with 20 saves.
Some Yankee and Met-related items…
- The Yankees have "started talks" with Andruw Jones, tweets Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, though "nothing's close" between the two sides. Heyman mentioned the Bombers were "considering" Jones a few days ago.
- The newly-signed Taylor Buchholz can double his $600K base salary from the Mets if he makes the 25-man roster and reaches various games played incentives, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Also from Rubin (Twitter link), if the Mets do add another starting pitcher, they don't want to pay more than the $1.5MM (plus another $1.5MM in incentives) they paid to sign Chris Capuano.
- ESPNNewYork.com's Wallace Matthews speculates that Andy Pettitte may be holding off on a return to the Yankees due to his pending testimony this summer at Roger Clemens' federal perjury trial.
- The Yankees haven't begun negotiating with their three arbitration-eligible players (Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Boone Logan) yet, reports Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees blog.
- There is "no deal imminent" for Jeremy Bonderman, tweets FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi. The Yankees and Tigers were both connected to the right-hander earlier this week.
AL East Links: Orioles, Hayhurst, Andruw, Crawford
The Orioles agreed to sign Kevin Gregg today, but that's far from the only news to emerge from what's arguably baseball's toughest division. Here's the latest:
- Brian Cashman told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch that he's "monitoring what the necessary requests are, financially or player wise. If some drop, then maybe we'll get a little more serious [about making a move]." Earlier tonight we heard that the Yankees were interested in Jeremy Bonderman.
- The Orioles would still like to add a left-handed reliever, according to MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli (all Twitter links). Will Ohman is an option, but not the leading option or the only one, according to Ghiroli.
- The Orioles would like to add a veteran starter and the feeling in the front office is that a trade is more likely than a free agent signing. Kenshin Kawakami and Joe Blanton come to mind as possible trade targets, but that's just my speculation.
- Dirk Hayhurst will not be back in the Blue Jays organization next year, the pitcher (and best-selling author) announced on his blog.
- The Yankees will consider Andruw Jones, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (Twitter link). He bats right-handed and can play all three outfield positions, so he could provide the Yankees with some pop as a fourth outfielder and spell Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner.
- Heyman suggests the Yankees will go for a lockdown bullpen with Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera if Andy Pettitte retires (Twitter link). Click here for more Yankees rumors.
- Carl Crawford's trainer explained the left fielder's offseason workout program to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com.
Royals Seeking Right-Handed Hitting Outfielder
Like many clubs, the Royals are seeking a right-handed hitting outfielder. They're considering multiple ex-Braves, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Consitution: Jeff Francoeur, Matt Diaz, Melky Cabrera, and Andruw Jones. Diaz, of course, was with the Royals first.
Odds & Ends: Jones, Mets, Yankees, Guerrero, Greinke
A few more links for Wednesday night…
- In addition to all the other trade targets and free agents they've been eyeing lately, the Rockies have inquired on Andruw Jones, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman.
- The Mets completed two of their four second-round managerial interviews today. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork has extensive post-interview remarks from Bob Melvin and a briefer comment from Chip Hale, with Terry Collins and Wally Backman due up tomorrow. Rubin tweets that Sandy Alderson expects to announce the team's new skipper by next Tuesday.
- The Yankees hope to further their discussions with Derek Jeter and Cliff Lee this week, writes Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger. Lee is "about ready to entertain offers," Nolan Ryan tells Heyman (Twitter link).
- Some opinions from past and present Red Sox players: David Ortiz guarantees Vladimir Guerrero will return to the Rangers, while Lou Merloni argues that the Sox need to trade Jonathan Papelbon. The Dallas Morning News and WEEI.com have the details.
- A baseball official tells Danny Knobler of CBS Sports that he could see the Rangers, Brewers, and Blue Jays becoming involved in trade talks for Zack Greinke.
- They've made plenty of moves already this offseason, but the Marlins may not be done yet. Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post passes along a quote (via Twitter) from Larry Beinfest that suggests the team will pursue a starting pitcher.
- MLive's Steve Kornacki thinks Joaquin Benoit is "absolutely" worth the $16.5MM the Tigers spent on him.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports considers Ken Williams' offseason plans – A through E.
Possible Platoon Partners For Domonic Brown
Jayson Werth is days away from free agency, so if the Phillies intend to re-sign their right fielder, they'll have to bid directly against other interested teams. There's a real chance Werth signs elsewhere this winter, so the Phillies are thinking ahead. Manager Charlie Manuel has acknowledged that he may pair Domonic Brown up with a more experienced player who can handle southpaws and play right field.
Brown, just 23, had no trouble hitting minor league pitching this year (.327/.391/.589 line) but he bats from the left side and the Phillies could ease him into the big leagues by limiting his exposure to left-handed pitching. Here are eight outfielders the Phillies may consider as platoon partners for Brown:
- Jeff Francoeur, 26 years old, non-tender candidate – Frenchy has his faults, but the 26-year-old can handle lefties. He has a .299/.343/.481 line against them in his career.
- Matt Diaz, 32 years old, non-tender candidate – Diaz has a .335/.373/.533 line against lefties in his career.
- Juan Rivera, 32 years old, trade candidate – The Angels will have to part with an outfielder if they sign Werth or Carl Crawford. Rivera, who spent most of the 2010 season in left field, has a career .288/.333/.499 line against lefties.
- Jose Guillen, 34 years old, free agent – He struggled against lefties this year, but boasts a .270/.327/.460 line against them in his career.
- Xavier Nady, 31 years old, free agent – Nady, who struggled through the 2010 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, has a .297/.367/.451 line against lefties in his career.
- Andruw Jones, 33, free agent – Jones would likely be able to find more playing time elsewhere, so he's not a natural fit in Philly, but his career (.261/.361/.501) and 2010 (.256/.373/.558) numbers against left-handers must have the Phillies salivating.
- Milton Bradley, 32, trade candidate – Again, Bradley seems like an unlikely target for the Phillies, but he has a .300/.382/.488 line against left-handers in his career and could be available.
- Willie Bloomquist, 32, free agent – He has a .272/.334/.366 line against lefties in his career – not much pop, but he's far more versatile than the players above. Bloomquist played all three outfield positions and all four infield positions this year, so Manuel could use him elsewhere if Brown wins the job outright.
- Austin Kearns, 30, free agent – Kearns has a career .261/.383/.416 line against lefties and may have trouble finding an everyday job.
- Ben Francisco, 29, on the Phillies – Francisco has a .267/.347/.460 career line against left-handers.
Diaz and Francoeur handle lefties well and can play right field, so they would be good fits for the Phils if they are indeed non-tendered. Rivera, Nady, Bloomquist and Kearns would also be legitimate options and none of the players listed figure to cost more than a few million on a one-year deal, so the Phillies are well-positioned to recover if Werth leaves and they consider alternatives to Francisco. Their biggest challenge will be helping Brown improve upon the .210/.257/.355 line he posted in 70 plate appearances this summer.
Andruw Jones Wants To Play Five More Years
Andruw Jones told MLB.com's Scott Merkin that he hopes to play for five more years. The 33-year-old hits free agency after the season and says he would like to stay in the Windy City.
“I would like to be here again and be a part of the Chicago White Sox," Jones said. "Hopefully, we can finish strong and make the playoffs and get on a streak."
As Jones pointed out to Merkin, he is no longer a threat to hit 50 home runs, but he still has value. In 171 games since the beginning of the 2009 season, Jones has hit 35 home runs and posted a .214/.322/.466 line. The power is still there, and at $500K plus incentives this year, he has been a bargain.
Jones suggests that he'd like to see more playing time, but that seems unlikely with Manny Ramirez about to join the White Sox. Still, as long as Jones' contract demands remain reasonable, teams should have interest in him as a bench bat and part-time outfielder. Jones is not the defensive standout he was when he won ten consecutive Gold Gloves, but UZR suggests that he is still a capable outfielder.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ibanez, Andruw, Pena
On this date seven years ago, six Astros pitchers combined to no-hit the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. Roy Oswalt started the game but had to leave after just one inning of work because of a groin issue. He was relieved by Pete Munro and then Kirk Saarloos before the three headed bullpen monster of Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel, and Billy Wagner closed things out. It ended the Yankees' streak of 6,980 games with at least one hit.
Here are a few links to check out from our fellow baseball bloggers…
- Phillies Nation says it's time for the Phightin's to part ways with Raul Ibanez.
- Meanwhile, Crashburn Alley wants to see the Phillies shake up the bench.
- The Sacrifice Bunt thinks Andruw Jones could be a nice pick-up for the Padres.
- More Hardball looks at the peculiar season of free agent to be Carlos Pena.
- Disciples of Uecker reviews the Jeff Suppan era in Milwaukee.
- River Ave. Blues believes the Yankees will only add complementary pieces this summer.
- Capitol Avenue Club sums up the Braves' approach to this week's draft.
- 1 Blue Jays Way rounds up all the different kinds of draft picks we hear about this time of year.
- Baseball Opinion goes back to the review the AL East and the 2005 amateur draft.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.