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Dodgers, Yanks Did Not Resume Cano Discussions

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7:35pm: Brian Cashman spoke about Cano, Ian Kennedy, and Phil Hughes.  He doesn’t seem likely to trade any of them.

3:05pm: Peter Abraham learned from Colletti that he hasn’t talked to the Yankees since July.

2:04pm: MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick talked to Ned Colletti, who said he hasn’t talked to the Yankees yet.

12:02pm: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Dodgers and Yankees have resumed their discussions about second baseman Robinson Cano at the Meetings.  The Dodgers also like Melky Cabrera, while the Yankees hope to get Matt Kemp and pitching from L.A.

Cameron Not Likely For Yankees

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Peter Abraham suggests that the Brewers may be willing to trade center fielder Mike Cameron if his friend C.C. Sabathia does not sign.  He says Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera are on Milwaukee’s radar.  Brewers GM Doug Melvin admitted to talking trade with the Yanks, but says nothing is imminent.

Ken Davidoff and Kat O’Brien of Newsday report that the Yanks are not optimistic about acquiring Cameron.  Center field is not a top priority for the Yanks, and they’re not inclined to include Kennedy.

Yankees Rumors: Cameron, Melky, Pettitte, Lowe

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5:06pm: More on the Cameron situation: Ken Davidoff says Cabrera and Ian Kennedy have been discussed.  However, the Brewers will probably wait to see if they can sign Sabathia, since he’s good friends with Cameron.

10:26am: The latest Yankees hot stove buzz…

Speculating On The Yankees: McLouth and Lowe

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The New York Post and Daily News are providing us with some ideas on what’s being considered by the front office in the Bronx this off-season.

George A. King III of the Post writes that the Yankees and Pirates have not yet discussed the possibility of Nate McLouth roaming center field when the new Stadium opens in 2009.

Pirates GM Neal Huntington has declared nobody is untouchable, and the Pirates are looking to upgrade a poor minor league system and major league talent base, so McLouth’s name has been tossed around. The Yankees are in the market for a center fielder.

Thanks to increased playing time, McLouth easily surpassed his previous career highs in HR, RBI, R, and doubles this year, but it also doesn’t appear to have been a fluke. He’s always been able to take a walk and his increased power (career high .497 SLG%) seems sustainable considering his age (will be 27 on Opening Day ’09). Although I don’t think that he’s as strong defensively as Melky Cabrera has been, he’s definitely an offensive upgrade.

Next, the Daily News’ Anthony McCarron wonders if Derek Lowe might be in pinstripes next year. Yankees manager Joe Girardi has stated that the team needs some pitchers capable of throwing 200-plus innings, and McCarron thinks that the 35-year old righty fits the bill.

Lowe is just the kind of pitcher the Yankees want to insert into their rotation – a durable winner with a playoff pedigree.

I suppose a lot of this will depend on what Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte decide to do. If those two retire or leave via free agency, the Yankees will have a very young rotation as of right now. Do the Yankees need a guy like Lowe, an aging Boras client coming off one of the best seasons of his twelve-year career?

Paul Moro writes for UmpBump.com and can be reached here: Paul {at} umpbump {dot} com.

Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Monday

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8:44pm: The Mariners aren’t amused with the Yankees, blaming them for the way negotiations have been portrayed publicly.

4:18pm: Media drama?  On the Seattle side, Larry LaRue says "arrogant New York writers" and the "near hysteria of the internet and blogs in late July" caused some to believe the Yankees were close to getting Washburn for nothing.  LaRue believes GM Lee Pelekoudas "has probably talked to 20 other teams, too."

On the New York side, Peter Abraham says the Yankees are the lone team interested in Washburn, and the idea of Seattle having leverage is "a bit comical."

12:05pm: Geoff Baker believes the Mariners have some leverage in this situation.  He believes that if the Yankees are only offering salary relief, the Ms can afford to wait until August or the offseason.

8:31am: Jarrod Washburn remains a Mariner, but Kat O’Brien of Newsday has the latest on trade talks with the Yankees.

The Yankees still don’t want to send more than a middling prospect for Washburn.  Meanwhile, the Ms hope Hank Steinbrenner will demand Brian Cashman acquire the pitcher, even if it means trading Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner.  Joel Sherman describes the situation as a game of chicken between the Yankees and Mariners.

On the catching front, the Yanks asked the Rangers about Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia but didn’t get anywhere.

Yankees Eyeing Bannister?

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Should the Jarrod Washburn deal fall apart, the Yankees are exploring an alternative in Brian Bannister for Melky Cabrera.  Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star writes,

"Nothing appears imminent, but the framework for a deal seems to exist because New York has already shown a willingness to part with [Melky] Cabrera. Add this: The Royals nearly obtained Cabrera in a trade-deadline swap two years ago for veteran outfielder Reggie Sanders before Sanders suffered an injury."

In this scenario, David Dejesus moves to left to make room for Cabrera in center.  And Mark Teahen would get back to his natural position at first base.  Cabrera is making $461,200, only $40,200 more than Bannister, and both are set to reach arbitration after this season.

The Yanks prefer Washburn but are in negotiations after the Mariners rejected an offer of Cabrera and Kei Igawa for the lefty veteran.  Seattle might want Brett Gardner as well as for the Yankees to take on all of Washburn’s $14MM contract through next year.

Yankees Still In Talks For Washburn

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Updating a rumor that seems to have died down in the last few days, the Yankees and Mariners are still having serious discussions about Jarrod Washburn, reports Dan Graziano.

Up until a few days ago, the Yankees wanted to include Kei Igawa and Melky Cabrera in the deal but the Mariner’s didn’t particularly appear interested in neither player.

The Mariners asked about Austin Jackson, but were turned down, and now two other prospects have been thrown into the hat: Brett Gardner and Justin Christian.

Washburn has a no-trade clause, but Graziano thinks he would waive it for a shot at a pennant race.

Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com. Comments? Rumors? alexo05 [at] umpbump [daught] com. 

Jarrod Washburn Rumors

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3:09pm: Jayson Stark says the Yankees view Washburn as a salary dump, and won’t include even low-level prospects unless the Mariners eat money or take Igawa.

1:27pm: Peter Abraham says the Yankees are trying a new way to get Washburn.  Neither Abraham nor Geoff Baker believes Washburn’s no-trade clause will be an issue or something the Yankees would compensate for.

9:59am: SI.com’s Jon Heyman says Seattle’s request of Cabrera and Gardner for Washburn is "a non-starter for the Yankees."

FRIDAY, 9:21am: Joel Sherman says Igawa is not part of the Washburn discussions.

THURSDAY, 5:36pm: According to Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger, talks have progressed on a possible Washburn-Yankees trade.  Price says the Ms aren’t sold on Kei Igawa, but the Yankees are willing to discuss Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner.

4:56pm: This is a bit out of order, since Abraham’s info below actually came out after this Seattle PI column from John Hickey.

Hickey says the Yankees, Cardinals, White Sox, and possibly Brewers have talked to the Mariners about Washburn.  The pitcher’s no-trade clause allows him to block a deal to the Yankees but not the Cards or Sox.  He seems willing to waive the clause, anyway.

11:12am: According to Peter Abraham:

One trade the Yankees could make now if they wanted would be Kei Igawa and a B-level prospect to Seattle for LHP Jarrod Washburn and DH/1B Jose Vidro. The Yankees would take on $16 million (plus a $500,000 buyout for Vidro) while shedding the $9.4 million owed to Igawa. 

So for roughly $7.1 million, you get Washburn for this year and next and Vidro for this season. Washburn would likely want something to waive his no-trade clause, which includes the Yankees.

I agree with Abraham – that seems pretty reasonable.  As he says, you can just DFA Vidro.  Washburn alone is worth it, as long as the prospect isn’t anyone special and he doesn’t demand a ton for the no-trade compensation.

Pirates Rumors: Wilson, Bay, Nady, Marte, Grabow

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Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the latest Pirates hot stove chatter.

  • The Pirates are not opposed to creating a hole at shortstop for the rest of the year by trading Jack Wilson.  They would just need the right return.  Teams are still calling on Wilson, with the Dodgers confirmed and the Tigers possible.
  • A Jason Bay deal seems less likely – the Pirates’ price is high for their star.
  • Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte continue to draw interest, with John Grabow in the mix as well.  Nady or Marte would require two prospects each.  Nady’s suitors are the Rays, Mets, Yankees, and Braves.  Marte has roughly a dozen suitors.
  • Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger says the injury to Hideki Matsui led to heightened interest from the Yankees in Nady and Bay.  They’re also in on Marte and Grabow.  The Bucs aren’t interested in Melky Cabrera.
  • Interesting stuff in this John Perrotto article found via DRays Bay.  He names the Red Sox, Tigers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, and Rays as teams interested in Marte.  The Tigers, Phillies, and Cardinals also have an eye on Grabow.
  • Perrotto runs through all kinds of names of interest to the Pirates: Anthony Reyes, Chris Duncan, Jeff Larish, Matt Joyce, Ross Ohlendorf, Brent Lillibridge, Brandon Jones, Jeff Niemann, Jon Niese, Eddie Kunz, and Bobby Parnell. 
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