Powered by Moe Green, here’s the news:

• Let’s start with a good trivia question, courtesy of Jayson Stark … now that the John Smoltz-Chipper Jones tag team has been busted up after 16 years together, which pair of active teammates has played together the longest? (Answer at the end of this post)
• Newsday’s Ken Davidoff gives the reasons the Yanks would prefer to keep Swisher over Nady:

1) Swisher’s versatility. He can play both corner outfield positions and first base as well as centerfield (his weakest position). Nady plays only the corner outfield positions.

2) As a switch hitter, Swisher gives Joe Girardi more flexibility.

3) Swisher is signed through 2011 for $21 million. Nady can become a free agent after this season, and with Scott Boras as his agent, he indeed will file for free agency.

4) Although the Yankees like Nady perfectly well, they think Swisher’s upbeat, fiery personality could be an added asset.

• Over at BP.com, Shawn Hoffman details why a salary cap might actually harm lower-revenue/lower-payroll teams:

Let’s say, in some far-off universe, MLB owners and players actually did agree on a salary cap. With it would come the normal provisions: a salary floor at around 75-85 percent of the cap, and a guaranteed percentage of total industry revenues for the players. Since the players have been taking in about 45 percent of revenues the past few years, we’ll keep it at that figure …

Using 2008 as an example, the thirty teams took in about $6 billion … for an average of $200 million per team. Forty-five percent of that (the players’ share) is $90 million, which we’ll use as the midpoint between our floor and cap. If we want to make the floor 75 percent of the cap …  we can use $77 million and $103 million, respectively.

With a $103 million cap, nine teams would have been affected last year, and a total of about $286 million would have had to be skimmed off the top. Since total salaries have to remain at existing levels, the bottom twenty-one teams would have had to take on this burden, which had previously been placed on the Yankees, Red Sox, et al. On the other end, fourteen teams would have been under the payroll floor, by a total of $251 million. Even discounting the Marlins‘ $22 million payroll, the other thirteen teams would have had to spend an average of $15 million more just to meet the minimum. Some of those teams might be able to afford it; most wouldn’t.

Imagine being Frank Coonelly in this situation. Coonelly, the Pirates‘ team president, has publicly supported a cap. Had our fictional cap/floor arrangement been instituted last year, the Pirates would have needed to increase their Opening Day payroll by $28 million. Not only would the team have taken a big loss, but Neal Huntington’s long-term strategy would have been sabotaged, since the team would have had to sign a number of veterans just to meet the minimum payroll.

Now fast forward to 2009. Let’s say the Pirates’ sales staff runs into major headwinds, with the team struggling and the economy sinking. The team’s top line takes a hit, falling $10 million from 2008. The Mets and Yankees, meanwhile, open their new ballparks, and each team increases its local revenue by $50 million. If the twenty-seven other teams are flat, total industry revenues rise by $90 million (not including any appreciation in national media revenue). Forty-five percent of that, of course, goes to the players. So even as the Pirates’ purchasing power decreases, the payroll floor actually rises.

In other words, without a more egalitarian distribution of income, the system crumbles.

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Finally Friday …. here’s the news:

• Ken Davidoff of Newsday writes that Andy Pettitte may be thinking of heading back to the Astros, given the lack of progress with the Yanks.  He lists three factors:

1. Pettitte believes that the Yankees should display more appreciation for all that he has done for them.

2. While the Yankees are asking that Pettitte take a pay cut, the team clearly is not hurting financially, given its large investments in Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

3. Pettitte thinks that his 2008 season wasn’t as bad as the Yankees are making it out to be.

• PeteAbe of LoHud has an opinion on the Yankees’ need for Pettitte, and also offers this late note on the Astros’ rumblings:

Via MLB Trade Rumors, here is what Houston GM Ed Wade said about Pettitte: “We haven’t had any discussion with Andy or his representatives and we don’t see a scenario where he would fit into our payroll scenario at this time.”

• MLB.com notes that Xavier Nady may be the odd man out in the outfield shuffle, while Nick Swisher should be safe.
• The Times’ Tyler Kepner examines the outfield depth, and thinks the Yankees shouldn’t trade any of them:

What about this? Keep them all. As Rob Neyer points out at ESPN.com, the Red Sox now have a spare outfielder who’s a very good player — Rocco Baldelli — so the Yankees might want to keep theirs, too. They will probably need the injury protection at some point, and the depth would allow Manager Joe Girardi to rest Damon regularly to keep his legs fresh.

The Yankees also could keep their depth in case someone gets hurt in spring training and presents them with a hole they don’t have now. The rotation and the bullpen look good enough. There’s no need to rush into anything in January — if at all.

• The News reports that more than 1/4 of the new tax-exempt funding requested by the Yanks is for things like giant video screens and upgraded luxury suites.

(more…)

99 days to go till Opening Day at the Stadium … here’s some news to tide you over:

• Mark Teixeira was introduced to the New York media at a press conference yesterday.  Here’s a couple of quotes from the newly-pinstriped slugger:

“The first time I went to Yankee Stadium, I was in awe,” Teixeira said. “The chance to play here my first six years in the big leagues, I always loved coming here. Seeing Mattingly when he was a coach here and going out to Monument Park was very special for me.

“I’m going to get a chance to be the first first baseman the Yankees have in the new stadium. That’s going to be pretty sweet. The fans here in New York will be pumped.”

Discussing the long free-agent process that ultimately landed him in New York, Teixeira gave much of the credit to his wife, Leigh, who helped seal the deal in a Dec. 12 conversation over dinner at a Texas country club.

“I said to Leigh, ‘Everything’s equal. Where would you want to play?'” Teixeira said. “Finally, she broke down and said, ‘I want you to be a Yankee.’ That’s what did it for me.”

• Jon Lane of the YES Network covered the press conference, and gives us a pleasing Tex quote:

Seconds into his formal introduction, Teixeira, looking completely relaxed and at ease, showed off perhaps his greatest attribute. He smiled and told the notoriously tough New York media to fire away, taking questions about accepting responsibility and playing up to expectations that will never be higher.

“I look at myself as a leader,” Teixeira said. “First and foremost, I try to do things the right way on the field and you can carry that over to the locker room and earn the respect of your teammates.”

He explained later to writers he was negotiating with five different teams, the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals, Angels and Orioles, and how the Yankees were atop the pecking order. At first, his wife Leigh told him she just wanted him to be happy. On December 12, during their weekly Friday night dinner at their country club in Texas, Teixeira asked his wife if all things were equal, where you want me to play. Her answer was New York, the Yankees and everything that comes with it.

“I might have been a little more hesitant if I hadn’t played in so many different cities the last three years,” Teixeira said. “I went to Atlanta, where Braves baseball is huge. That was some pressure. It was the first time in a long time I was nervous to play a baseball game. The same going to Anaheim. They were the kings of the AL West. The media is tougher there and the fans are into it, so I think I’ve gotten a taste of a little bit of everything and I enjoyed being a part of it.”

• The Post has more yummy quotes from Teixeira.
• Bryan Hoch at MLB.com runs down how the Yanks acquired Tex.
• More “much ado about nothing” regarding Andy Pettitte.  Here’s a couple of quotes from the Yankees:

“There’s still dialogue going on,” Yankees co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said. “They were not happy with our offer; we were not happy with what they wanted. There’s been no agreement.”

Cashman would not confirm a New York Times report that New York has pulled its offer to the 36-year-old Pettitte, but said in reference to his level of interest: “Things are more complicated now.”

• The Post reports that if the offer to Pettitte is still alive, it is most likely lower than the original $10 million figure.
• The City has bowed to public scrutiny and criticism, and is giving up the luxury box it negotiated for itself in dealing with the funding for the new stadium.

[My take: I’m sure members of the Bloomberg administration will have no problem scoring a couple of free passes or luxury box invites regardless of this turn of events.]

(more…)

I want Les Nessman to read this post aloud … but I’ll settle for you reading it to yourself:

• ESPN.com has its baseball writers making early predictions for 2009, and some Yankees figure prominently, like CC Sabathia:

As he neared signing with the Yankees, Sabathia got a message from Red Sox GM Theo Epstein telling him how much Epstein respected him for putting aside free agency to try to bring Milwaukee a championship. Some look at what Sabathia has done the past two seasons — from Opening Day to the playoffs: 36 wins, 513 innings pitched, 69 starts — and worry about what that means to his long-term career. The Yankees look at him and see what they most need: the model of reliability.

• Also as part of those predictions, Tim Kurkjian states that the Yanks will be “must-see TV”:

“It will be fun to watch,” one baseball executive said. “All the Yankee lovers will love them even more because they’re really good. The Yankee haters will hate them even more for just buying all the best players. I’d have done the same thing if I were them. We’ll see if it works.”

• In an MLB.com article, Brian Cashman lets us know what he thinks of the starting rotation right now:

“It’s a long season and we’re in the American League East, which is by far the toughest division in the game,” Cashman said. “I think if we can add one more piece to that rotation, it would be beneficial. But it doesn’t absolutely have to go that way.”

• Over at the Times, Tyler Kepner votes for Joba Chamberlain to be in the starting rotation:

… the Yankees already have a lights-out setup man: Brian Bruney. In 31 games from the bullpen last season, Bruney’s earned run average was 1.95, and opponents hit .153. In 30 games from the bullpen last season, Chamberlain’s E.R.A. was 2.31, and opponents hit .211. So, Bruney was actually better. Besides, if the Yankees make the playoffs, Chamberlain will probably have thrown so many innings as a starter that he’ll have to be a reliever in October, anyway. Chamberlain has the stuff to be an elite starter, and Bruney has the stuff to be an elite setup man …

• Kepner also details the on-going saga of Andy Pettitte and the $10 million offer for 2009, which Andy has supposedly rejected:

At 36 and a father of four, Pettitte has taken a year-to-year approach to his career. The Yankees let him take his time in deciding whether to exercise a one-year option after the 2007 season, and he waited until early December, just before the release of the Mitchell report.

Pettitte did not tell the Yankees that he might be included in the report, which said he had used human growth hormone. Pettitte admitted his use and the Yankees supported him publicly. But his performance suffered in the second half of the season, when he usually gets stronger, and he admitted his distracting off-season might have been a factor.

• Mark Teixeira will indeed be introduced to the New York media at a press conference Tuesday.  Newsday reports that Tex won’t be getting uni number 23.
• USA Today assembled an All-Star roster for 2009 with the proviso that the total salary couldn’t be higher than the median team salary in 2008.  There were enough “pre-arbitration” bargains on the roster to allow for the deserved choice of Mariano Rivera as cl0ser.
• Jason Giambi appears to be headed towards a return to the A’s, likely signing a one-year deal later this week.
• The Rays made their first significant free agent move in defending their A.L. crown, signing Pat Burrell to a two year, $16 million deal.

(more…)

And here … we … go!

• Kevin Kernan of the Post believes the Yanks should forgo re-signing Andy Pettitte and go after Oliver Perez:

The Yankees are waiting on Andy Pettitte Andy Pettitte , but there is another lefty available at basically Pettitte dollars and that’s Oliver Perez. Signing Perez would cement the Yankees’ rotation for years to come and would give them flexibility with Joba Chamberlain.

“Putting Perez on the Yankees would be a great move,” says one top pitching evaluator. “That would be the perfect environment for him. He would be more focused there. He needs strong leadership around him, and pitching in front of a packed house, he would not be complacent.”

Perez is 5-1 against the Yankees lifetime. He takes those games as a challenge and he attacks. Because he already has six full seasons under his belt and has had his share of ups and downs, people forget Perez is just 27. Opposing hitters batted only .234 last season against him. Walks, of course, have been his downfall. There is no excuse for his ridiculous 105 walks, the most in the majors. In eight of his 34 starts last season, Perez surrendered five or more walks.

That has to change. The previous season, he walked 79.

Perez is represented by Scott Boras, who also represents Mark Teixeira. Cashman has a good working relationship with Boras. The GM would have to take a leap of faith with Perez, but the upside could be tremendous. In Pettitte, the Yankees will get a pitcher they hope has one good season left in his cranky left shoulder.

Opponents batted .290 last season against Pettitte, 56 points higher than they did against Perez, who allowed 66 fewer hits. Perez also had a lower ERA (4.22 to 4.54) and more strikeouts (180 to 158). Perez is 10 years younger, too, which fits Cashman’s plan of making the Yankees younger.

[My take: Perez averaged less than six innings per start, and that 4.22 ERA was compiled in the easier NL (including a 4.50 ERA in pitcher-friendly Shea).  Even with his being a lefty, I fear those walks will turn into many stolen base opportunities if Posada’s wing isn’t 100%.  If the Yanks really want one more FA pitcher, why not offer an incentive-laden two-year deal to Ben Sheets?  Or is the health of his shoulder still too iffy?]

• Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports on the seven teams that improved the most so far this off-season, based on opinions from various GMs, scouts and other officials.  Here’s the Yanks write-up:

Money doesn’t buy them a championship, but it’s almost always bought them the postseason. They might have ensured that with the signings of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira, and I doubt they’re through.

There’s still room to do something about center field by dealing one of their outfielders, Xavier Nady, Johnny Damon, or Melky Cabrera. We doubt it will be Damon, who was instrumental in recruiting Burnett and Teixeira.

Their up-the-middle defense is suspect, so they certainly are not flawless.

• In an opinion column over at the Daily News, Paul Weinstein, a former policy adviser to Bill Clinton and Al Gore, isn’t sold on the Yank’s asking for additional tax-exempt bonds:

It’s not just the literal dollars being spent that hurts; it’s the opportunity cost. New York City will lose $259 million in tax-exempt debt that could be used to fund other important projects – such as building more affordable rental housing or a new Moynihan Station. In 2009, according to the IRS, New York State will receive roughly $1.7 billion in tax-exempt bond authority for joint public and private ventures. If the Yankees’ request is approved, it will use about 15% of that allotment.

Most economists will tell you public support for stadiums and arenas is not efficient. While that is true as a general rule, it is not always right. Public financing of sports arenas can make sense when the venues can be used for multiple purposes (concerts, conventions, as well as sports); a project is the foundation for the rebuilding of a distressed area (see the Verizon Center in Washington); fans from other states get drawn into the city; the team that uses the facility is an integral part of the community (e.g. the Green Bay Packers), and team owners are paying a fair share of the cost of the project.

Because the new Yankee Stadium project met several of the above criteria, city government was right to provide public funding for the initial project. By all measures, it’s going to be a beautiful and economically important addition to the Bronx.

But it is never a good idea to use public funds to cover costs not projected in the initial plan, as in December a number of media outlets reported the Yankees now intend to do. Doing so encourages government officials and sports franchises to hide the true cost of the projects and contractors to overcharge for their work.

Worst of all, that $259 million in extra bonds will not create a significant number of new jobs at a time when New York is facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

[My take: I have no problem with the Yankees offering top salaries to free agent talent.  I have some problem with the cost of seats at the stadium, but if someone is willing to pay that price … and the Yanks reinvest that revenue, that’s OK too.  I do have a problem with the fiscal shenanigans that appear to be going on with the valuation of the land for the new stadium, the City apparently looking the other way while ensuring they got their own suite at the new park, and the Yankees’ going back to the tax-exempt bond well now, especially given the current economic climate.]

• Also at the News, Anthony McCarron reports that Mark Teixeira may get his introductory press conference as early as this Tuesday.
• Andruw Jones is about to become available.  Should the Yankees make a play for him?  Pete Abe at LoHud.com wonders:

Look at this way, when Joe Torre decides an accomplished veteran player isn’t worth having around, that’s saying something.

But Jones turns 32 in April, young enough to think that he has a comeback in him. If he were amenable to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, what would the Yankees have to lose?

The question is whether Jones can do better. Perhaps there is a team out there that will trade something for him or give him a guaranteed deal. I suspect that at least one club (the Nationals, perhaps) will try and pick him up.

I’d want nothing to do with Jones. I’d rather see Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner compete for the position. The Yankees need to mix some young players into the lineup and they need a good glove in center to compensate for their defensive inadequacies elsewhere.

[My take: Given how far Jones has fallen since the start of 2007, I for one wonder if he’s not another one of those “false birth certificate” cases like Miguel Tejada, and Jones really is more like 34 going on 35.  Please Mr. Cashman, don’t go anywhere near Andruw.]

• Here’s a fun little factoid …. Bucky Dent played on the same high school baseball team as Mark Teixeira’s dad.
• Belated birthday wishes to Ted Lilly (33 yesterday) and Daryl Boston (46).
• Happy 48th birthday to native New Yorker Henry Cotto.  Happy 51st birthday to Ron Kittle (a team of Cotto on the ’86 and ’87 Yanks).
• On this date in 1984, the Yankees sign future Hall of Fame pitcher Phil Niekro to a two-year contract. Niekro, who went 11-10 with a 3.97 ERA for the Atlanta Braves in 1983, will fill a void in the rotation and allow the team to move Dave Righetti to the bullpen.
• On this date in 1993, Reggie Jackson is the lone player elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America to the Hall of Fame. Jackson, whose .262 lifetime batting average is the lowest of any outfielder in the Hall, receives 93.6 percent of the vote.
• On this date in 1999, Yogi Berra receives an apology from George Steinbrenner over Berra’s dismissal as Yankees manager in 1985 after only 16 games. Berra says he will end his self-exile from Yankee Stadium and the organization.

Powered by my hope that MLB Network will at some point show up on Time Warner’s “Digital Starter Pak” tier, here’s the news:

• Bryan Hoch of MLB.com summarizes the Yanks off-season progress to this point, and gives them a gold star:

On a scale of one to 10, the Yankees get an 10 for identifying their top winter priorities and taking care of all three. Sure, the Yankees spent in huge numbers, spreading a combined $423.5 million among three players. But they did so completely within the rules of the game and have found a way to operate the way few clubs can. The Yankees cannot be penalized for writing huge checks just because other teams aren’t willing to enter their arena.

• At the Times, Justin Sablich likes the thought of putting Joba Chamberlain back in the pen:

Chamberlain in the bullpen would most likely make each starting pitcher better by shortening his starts. Fans concerned about Sabathia burning out in September or Burnett breaking down over the long haul could rest a little easier. A Chamberlain bridge would also make life easier for Rivera, who turned 39 in November and may not be able to crank out a two-inning save with as much ease as in the past.

In addition to keeping others healthy, Chamberlain could be healthier by remaining a reliever. There’s no questioning his effectiveness as a starter. His numbers as a starter last season (2.75 ERA and 10.3 K/9) were almost identical to his stats as a reliever (2.31 ERA and 11.1 K/9). But his shoulder injury came about as a starter, and fewer innings could only help him keep his shoulder strong.

• Also at the Times, Jack Curry describes the horrendous trip Don Larsen had to endure to film an interview for the new MLB Network.
• The annual salary arbitration filing period begins Monday, and Barry Bloom of MLB.com gives us an overview of its history and process.
• State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky wants to delay the scheduled January 16 vote on additional bond funding for the Yanks and Mets new ballparks, citing insufficient documentation and public input.
• At SI.com, Jon Heyman includes Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte in his top 20 remaining free agents.

(more…)

All is quiet … on New Year’s Day (even the news):

• Are Mets Lowe-balling Derek?: Reports from the Times are that the Citi Fielders offered FA Derek Lowe a three-year, $36 million deal.
• Which non-Yankees team will blink first and sign the next free agent?: ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports that free agent spending by teams other than the Bombers has decreased by $244 million from this same point last year.
• Fun fact: CC Sabathia tied for the lead in shutouts in each league in 2008.  More fun facts included in Jayson Stark’s annual compilation of the wild and wacky.
• If you are interested in hearing Frank Deford talk about the same stuff he wrote about the Yankees yesterday (calling them the “Antoinettes”), go to NPR.com.
• Yankees Minor League Transactions during the past week (Baseball America)
• On this date in 2006, Paul Lindblad passed away at the age of 64.  Lindblad, noted for his solid years in the A’s bullpen during the 70s, finished his career as a late-season addition to the Yanks playoff run in 1978.

I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.  I’ll be back on Saturday.

Last post of 2008 …. let’s go out with a bang!

• Bob Klapisch wonders where the slowly declining Derek Jeter will end up once his current contract expires, especially now that Teixeira’s signing precludes the Captain’s shift to first:

Even while hitting an even .300 last year, Jeter’s power numbers plummeted toward career-lows. He bounced into 24 double plays last year, tops on the Yankees, and tied for fourth in the American League.

It’s possible he is about to enter his decline phase, which is the crux of the Yankees’ dilemma.

Until they signed Teixeira, it was a given that Jeter would get another deal in 2011 and that, as he pushed closer to 40, would shift to another position. First base would’ve been the most logical choice, given his sure hands.

But Teixeira now blocks Jeter’s transition, as does Jorge Posada’s inevitable conversion from catcher to DH. A-Rod has nine more years at third base. The Yankees seem committed to resurrecting Robinson Cano at second. If Jeter goes anywhere, it would have to be center field after Johnny Damon has moved on.

The easiest way out, of course, is if Jeter’s production stalls altogether; if he were to shrink to .265 or lower in his last two seasons, the Yankees could conceivably take the public relations hit and let the captain’s contract expire.

But Jeter isn’t likely to atrophy like that. Even without gap power, the captain will likely range between .275-.300, which will be enough for the Steinbrenner family to rationalize keeping him around.

Don’t forget, Jeter is 465 hits (approximately three seasons) shy of 3,000 for his career. It’s impossible to think the Yankees would let him achieve that historic goal anywhere else.

[My take: I believe I’ve asked this question around here before, but would Jeter volunteer to move to a different position, or would the Yanks have to pry shortstop from his cold, pastadiving hands?  I often wondered if, during the Tino Martinez (aka good-fielding 1B) years, if Jeter would be able to handle second base.  If the Yanks DO decide to deal Cano in the next year or so, would Jeter slide over?”]

• Over at LoHud, Pete Abe does some math, and thinks the Yanks are still short in terms of starting pitchers innings  (targeting a minimum of 950 IP):

Put down CC Sabathia for 225 innings. It’s unreasonable to expect more than that. Put down A.J. Burnett for 190. Given his history, it’s hard to expect more. Figure Wang for 200. Chamberlain will be limited to around 140 or so.

That’s 755. So where are those extra 200 innings coming from? Team officials have said they’re ready to draw the line on spending and that Andy Pettite missed his chance. But the rotation is no place to suddenly get a financial conscience.

In theory, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Alfredo Aceves could give you those 200 innings. But that assumes the other four starters stay healthy and do what is expected. That’s a big assumption.

The Yankees don’t just need a No. 5 starter. They need a No. 6 and No. 7 starter. Joba will need a break. You don’t want to abuse Sabathia. Burnett is Burnett. Wang is coming off a serious injury.

(more…)

Powered by Pandora Internet Radio, here’s the news:

• Add Astros’ owner Drayton McLane to those who see what the Yankees are doing, and then voices an interest in a salary cap:

“We would love to have a salary cap, but the (players’) union has been very resistant to that,” McLane said last week. …

“The Yankees are the Yankees and are always going to be in a
position that is unique to the game from the standpoint of the revenues and what they’re capable of doing,” Astros general manager Ed Wade said. …

“Our revenues jumped going into a new park (in 2000), but nowhere in the league of the Yankees,” McLane said. “They will certainly generate more revenue in their new stadium. We still have tough, tough economic times, and I hope they allot for that.” …

… the club is bracing to be hit hard as corporate sponsors rethink how to spend their advertising dollars in a troubled economy. The Astros lost one of their major sponsors earlier this year when Landmark Chevrolet went bankrupt.

“These are challenging times for banks and car dealerships,” McLane said. “None of us have knowledge of what the economy is going to do, and that’s a concern for everyone.”

• SI.com’s Frank Deford rails against the Yankees spending, and will henceforth refer to them as the “Antoinettes”:

Now, let us give the devil its due. The Bronx Bombers play by the rules. They pay their luxury tax on time, without whining. One of their executives even says that the team’s fans view the Antoinettes as a “sacred trust,” and that part of the attendant liturgy is that the club will pour profits back into inventory —- even if it means bidding against itself.

But still, there is a point, whether the economy is boom or bust, when one team’s extravagance is so gross that it tarnishes the sense of competition. New York’s dominance a half-century ago severely diminished the whole American League. It was the Yankees and the seven dwarfs. The financial spectacle that the Antoinettes have put on display this off-season really does come close to trampling on the spirit of the game. In sport, the prime idea should be to root for our team —- not against the other fellows. The Antoinettes, by their excess, imperil that emotional equation and risk doing damage to the very thing they seek to dominate.

• Also at SI.com, Ben Reiter has a brief analysis that seems to stress that even with the three major additions, the Yanks may not be as good as some people think.
• ReelSportsFan.com offers this video clip of an interview with Andy Pettitte, conducted prior to the signings.

(more…)

It was 65 degrees here in NYC yesterday … they should have been playing baseball!  Here’s the news:

• Newsday’s Kat O’Brien has an overview of the changes made by the Yankees to this point in the off-season.  Of some interest is the supposed offer the Yanks had on the table to Teixeira:

The Angels pulled their offer for Teixeira Dec. 21. That left the Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals and Orioles, though most reports had Teixeira choosing between the Red Sox and Nationals as late as Dec. 23, when he came to terms with the Yankees. The Yankees, at least publicly, were a dark horse.

Boras disputed that yesterday, as well as Newsday’s timeline of the negotiations. He said the Yankees had an offer on the table all along, though team sources say that was not the case.

• Anthony McCarron of the News takes a position-by-position look at the Yanks roster, last year versus the current one, and likes what he sees … a lot.
• John Sickels on MinorLeagueBall.com gives his Top 20 Yankee Prospects for 2009.  Here’s his top five:

1) Jesus Montero, C, Grade B+: I believe in the bat. Where he fits with the glove I don’t know.

2) Austin Jackson, OF, Grade B: Should be a solid player but not a star. Will that be enough in New York?
3) Dellin Betances, RHP, Grade B-: Very high ceiling, has flashed dominance, can he stay healthy?
4) Austin Romine, C, Grade B-: More likely to stick behind the plate than Montero, though not as good a hitter.
5) Zach McAllister, RHP, Grade B-: A favorite of mine heading into 2008, looks like a strong inning-eater type.

• Andy Martino of the News has a long article detailing concerns over the pressures on Joba Chamberlain:

The pitcher’s success at 23 has come despite a family background marred by addiction and separation, and in part because of a big heart and strong work ethic.

But now some of the people closest to Chamberlain are concerned that he is changing, that his troubles are catching up with him despite his success or emerging because of it. With a worrisome pitching shoulder and DUI suddenly on his resume, Chamberlain faces a personal and professional crossroads in 2009, a year that could determine whether his legacy will be more lightning in a bottle or sustained light.

“Joba is a great person and I love him, but now he’s ventured into something that’s not so good,” says Wally Gant, a family friend who spent long afternoons on his front porch engaged in heart-to-hearts with the teenage Joba. “I heard through the grapevine that he had been drinking more. (Success) has gotten to his head a little. If he does things like this, he won’t be able to stay in the major leagues.”

• Marty Noble of MLB.com recaps the stellar career of David Cone, but admits it most likely won’t be enough to gain him entrance into the Hall:

Not the most accomplished pitcher of his time, Cone nonetheless developed a reputation for Bob Gibson resolve and the stamina of a marathoner that set him apart from most of those with totals greater than his. How his achievements, image as a Hessian and five World Series rings will resonate with those casting Hall of Fame ballots is yet to be determined. Cone is among 10 players new to the ballot this year. But he appears to be a candidate who will elicit support out of respect and not only for his statistical achievement.

Gaining the minimum support for election — inclusion on 75 percent of the ballots distributed to more than 575 members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America — appears to be a long shot for Cone, particularly with a sure-fire candidate, Rickey Henderson, among the new 10 and three holdover candidates named on at least 60 percent of the ballots cast last year, Jim Rice (72.2 percent), Andre Dawson (65.9) and Bert Blyleven (61.0).

[My take: Here are his stats.  One can only wonder what kind of toll his arm took by having eight starts of 141 or more pitches during 1991 and 1992, including that famous 166-pitch outing in July 1992.  I think he’ll be named on 15% of ballots this year, creep up a bit over the next three or four years, then drift off the chart.]

• Jaret Wright turns 33 today.  Wright managed to go a combined 16-12 in two seasons with the Yanks despite allowing 238 hits and 89 walks in only 204 IP.  The Yanks were nonetheless able to peddle Wright to the Orioles for Chris Britton.
• Richie Sexson turns 34 today.  “Big Sexy” continued his impotent ways after the Yanks signed him in July of ’08.  K’ing 10 times in 28 ABs, he was released by late-August.
• Dennis Werth, who had cups of coffee with the Yanks in ’79, ’80 and ’81, turns 56.
• On this date in 1933, Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert refuses to release Babe Ruth from his contract, thus preventing him from becoming the manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Ruth will never receive a chance to manage a major league team.
• On this date in 1977, Melissa Ludtke, female Sports Illustrated sports writer, files suit against MLB, the Yankees and New York City officials for denying her access to the locker room to interview players during the 1977 World Series.

Here’s hoping your holidays were filled with joy and baseball … and now, on to the news:

• The Post’s Mike Puma gives us some more good reviews of Mark Teixeira:

“We all know with multiyear contracts the risk you take, but if you’re going to take one on a position player, he’s certainly one you strongly consider,” said former Yankees manager Buck Showalter, who managed Teixeira with Texas. “He’s going to stay healthy, he’s not going to embarrass you on or off the field. He’s a clean, solid citizen.” …

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say a bad word about him,” said Jason Basil, a former college teammate. “He came in to Georgia Tech highly touted, and when that happens you kind of expect the guy to have a little bit of an attitude, but it never happened. I think anybody who he ever played with considers him a friend to this day.”….

“His dad was a Navy pilot, and that kind of discipline rubs off on anybody,” said former Blue Jays manager Buck Martinez, who became friends with Teixeira two years ago during the World Baseball Classic. “Just look at Mark. He looks like he could have gone to the Naval Academy with the way he takes care of himself, the close-cropped hair.”…

“Mark can do so many things with the bat and he’s a Gold Glove first baseman, but his ability to fit in with any situation is really an asset for him,” Martinez said.

“He’s not going to let you in too deep,” Showalter said. “[Because of his time at] Georgia Tech [and] a military background with his dad, he understands the professional part and the business part of the game. He’s not led around on a nose ring by [Boras]. Mark knows there is a time for business and a time for baseball.”

• At NPR.com, Stefan Fatsis talks about the immense cash flow of the Bombers, and how it allows them to make these types of signings.
• Over at LoHud, Pete Abe discusses the seeming lack of love the Yanks have shown to their best pitcher of late, Chien-Ming Wang:

Dave Eiland referred to Chien-Ming Wang as the No. 3 starter in a story Pete Caldera did for The Record. Labeling starters is a fruitless exercise. But it’s further evidence of how little respect the Yankees give Wang.

The Yankees took Wang to arbitration last year to avoid paying him an extra $600,000. And now Eiland is dismissing him as a No. 3 starter. Memo to Eiland: Wang is 46-15 with a 3.74 ERA since the start of the 2006 season. Burnett is 38-26, 3.94. Wang’s career ERA+ is 117. Burnett is at 111. …

In time, people will figure out that Wang’s sinker makes him the exception to the idea that a great pitcher has to strike a bunch of guys out. If the Yankees don’t, another team will once he becomes a free agent.

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How on Earth did they fit CC, A.J. and Tex all under the same tree?  Anyhow … here’s the news:

• The Times‘ Ben Shpigel introduces us to Mark Teixeira, the man:

That is who the 28-year-old Teixeira is: polite, humble, private. It would be unlike him to open up and discuss influential moments in his life that have produced his strong work ethic, his quest for order and routine, and an ability to focus and compartmentalize that is admired by peers.

When he was 15, a freshman at Mount St. Joseph’s High School outside Baltimore, he learned that his mother, Margy, had breast cancer. Weak from chemotherapy, Margy, now cancer-free, still found a way to attend her son’s baseball games.

Before his senior year, he lost one of his closest friends, Nick Liberatore, when a truck driver fell asleep and slammed into a parked car that Liberatore was sitting in along a shoulder of Interstate 95. For the next year, every Wednesday night Teixeira and his friends would eat dinner with the Liberatore family, and he has since endowed a scholarship in his friend’s name. And in 2002, Teixeira’s father, a former Navy pilot, had a benign brain tumor that caused him to lose his hearing in his left ear.

“Whatever I’ve gone through, I think it’s all allowed me to enjoy the game, but to understand the role of the game in life, too,” Teixeira told The Dallas Morning News in 2005. “If you enjoy playing the game, it’s going to be easier to focus on the game and put things in their proper place. When you are between the lines, it is a game that should be enjoyed. When you are in the clubhouse or getting ready, it’s work. And when you go home, it should stay in the clubhouse.”

[My take: I think I’m gonna like this guy … even if I dislike his agent.]

• BP.com’s Will Carroll chimes in on the spending ways of the Yanks:

Yes, the Yankees spent a lot of money, but they didn’t suddenly spend money they didn’t have. They used money coming off the books and backloaded to work with money that’s coming off the books next year as well. I’m not defending them against charges that they’re “buying championships” but I would like to see some acknowledgement that the Yankees aren’t in some new era of spending. They’re just still spending, like they always have.

Add in some interesting ways of looking at the Marginal Revenue per Win calculations might make this make even more financial sense as the economy continues to turn down.

• Still at BP.com, Joe Sheehan echoes Will’s sentiment, and adds some more:

… They’re leveraging not only the greater marginal revenue that can be generated by each win in New York City, but also their massive cash flow in an industry in which many, even most, teams are hoarding cash in an unsure economy. Other fans and other owners may complain, but the money is coming in; it can go into the team’s pockets, or it can be used to improve the baseball team. If the scale doesn’t work, change the scale—fix the revenue-sharing formulas to factor in market size and potential revenues, as Keith Woolner suggested forever ago—but don’t blame a team for trying to win. Ever. For all of the focus on the $420-odd million the Yankees have committed to three players, their 2009 payroll won’t be much more than the 2008 one … .

• FOX Sports’ Dayn Perry takes a look at the new baseball landscape carved by the signings:

Sure, they’ve committed themselves to more than $400 million in guaranteed monies, but it’s been done in the service of winning the World Series. In strict on-the-field terms, the Teixeira signing was a necessary step. The consequences, though, will reach far beyond the diamond.  …

After the arbitration raises kick in and they make another addition or two (Pettitte? Mike Cameron?), their 2009 payroll still might not exceed their 2008 tab. That’s a point worth keeping in mind, even as righteous indignation is on the rise. Want something to be outraged about? There’s this: If the Yankees can fork over almost half-a-billion in player salaries in the span of a month, then it seems they should be able to pay for their own place of business without bilking taxpayers.

In other words, while the Yankees are benefitting from a system that badly needs additional revenue sharing, nothing much has changed from last off-season. If you’re among the legions of Yankee haters out there, you should draw hope from the fact that the Yankees are setting themselves up for a failure of unimaginable proportions. They’re probably going to return to the postseason in 2009. However, as recent history has taught us, that vaunted Yankee revenue stream can’t guarantee success in the postseason. It’s simply too random.

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Powered by “A Charlie Brown Ad Agency“, here’s the news:

• Unless you’ve been under a rock the past 24 hours, you already know this …. Mark Teixeira will be with the Yankees for the next eight years, at about $22.5M per year, with a full no-trade clause and no opt-out clause, as per ESPN.com, the Times, MLBTradeRumors, MLB.com, SI.com, YESNetwork (amongst many many many sites).
• Here is MLBTradeRumors‘ collection of reactions to the signings (some of which I show down below).
• Keith Law at ESPN.com applauds the deal from the Yanks’ perspective:

He’s probably the best defensive player relative to his position on the Yankees now, and could be one of only two or three who are above average depending on how the rest of the roster shakes out. He adds significant power to a lineup that had just two players slug over .500 this past year, and his .410 OBP in 2008 would have led the Yankees by 18 points.

Coupled with the loss of Jason Giambi, the signing of Teixeira means a net gain to the Yankees of four to five wins, considering both his bat and his defense. He also eliminates the need the Yankees had for a right-handed caddy for Giambi, since Teixeira is a true switch-hitter with power and patience from both sides of the plate. The Yanks still have to find a solution in center field, unless they decide to give Melky Cabrera the job again and live with the consequences if he continues to struggle. However, if they re-sign Andy Pettitte, they’re just about done.

• Stephen A. Smith likes the signing too, but still thinks they need Manny.

This is about winning, folks! And I’m not talking about the stretch of seasons from 2001 to 2007 when the Yankees won a minimum of 94 games, before settling for 89 wins this past fall. I’m talking about the world championships those Red Sox captured this decade. The titles they would not have captured were it not for a few of those 274 homers Ramirez hit for them over the course of his eight seasons in Boston.

If Ramirez’s production after being traded to the Dodgers on July 31 — .396 batting average, 17 homers, 53 RBIs and .743 slugging percentage in 53 games — wasn’t enough, perhaps it’s worth paying attention to what the Yankees’ offensive output was this past season. …

Now, imagine if Ramirez and his .314 lifetime batting average were lumped into that lineup. Backing up Alex Rodriguez. Acting as a catalyst for Robinson Cano. And Hideki Matsui, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. Imagine, for a moment, the run production. The fear it would instill.

[My take: He isn’t signing with the Sox, Angels or Rays … so that’s just as good, right?  Smith should stick to wondering if LeBron will be the next guy taking a New York team’s money.]

(more…)

Powered by a $275,000 to $400,000 watch, here’s the news:

• ESPN.com’s Buster Olney recaps the offers made to Mark Teixeira to this point, and foresees that Tex will wind up with the BoSox at the end of all the circus acts:

Mark Teixeira told Red Sox owner John Henry the other day that he has offers higher than what the Red Sox offered, but as Boston gauges the market, it’s clear that club executives now must have serious doubts about that.

Does Teixeira really have lots of offers for more than what the Red Sox are offering? Clearly, Boston doesn’t think so. Only Boras knows for sure.

It seems that the game has played itself out, the last cards have been dealt, and now Teixeira is in position to make his decision. The read on the table here, still, is that he will sign with the Red Sox.

• The Record’s Bob Klapisch thinks a Girardi/Manny combo won’t work:

Just how much of the Yankees’ ineptitude was the fault of the over-zealous manager, who transferred his anxiety onto his players? Girardi’s postgame death stare was legend in the clubhouse; at times he wouldn’t even speak to his players, much less look at them, as he marched back to his office after a loss.

So before they start negotiating in earnest with Scott Boras, Manny’s agent, the Yankees need to consider how Ramirez would respond to Girardi’s state trooper mentality. Here’s an early theory: He won’t.

Put it this way: How likely is it that Manny would shed his dreadlocks for Girardi, as per club policy? Ramirez did trim his hair for Torre, but only by an insignificant amount. Torre, knowing that he needed a happy and productive Manny during a three-month rental, chose not to push the issue.

• MLB.com reports that the Yanks avoided arbitration with Chien-Ming Wang by signing him to a one-year deal worth $5 million.

[My take: Do only position players get offered deals to buy out arbitration and/or free agency years?  Given Wang’s excellent track record, his youth, and the fact that none of his injuries have been arm-related, would there be any incentive for the Yanks to wrap him up for a few years, at least in terms of vesting options based on innings pitched?  The Tribe are well-known for buying out a year or two of free agency of young position players, saving a few bucks now and down the road.  But the Yanks have only done that sort of thing with one player of recent vintage (Cano), and so far, its not a bargain for the Bombers.  Nonetheless, if I’m Wang, I’m looking at A.J. Burnett’s track record and saying “we get outs in different ways, but I’m just as effective in terms of winning games.  How about a multi-year deal for me?”]

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Let’s get right to it:

• The Post’s George King details Jays’ GM J.P. Ricciardi concerns over the marriage of Burnett and the Yanks:

“The big question is how he handles New York,” the Blue Jays’ GM said of the Little Rock native. “No one knows for sure. That’s the big test; how he handles that.”

“The first two years here (2006-07), he was a little nicked up,” Ricciardi said. “I think he was more scared than hurt. When he was healthy and right he was fine.”

“I saw a big change this past season compared to the first year,” Ricciardi said. “The first year he was trying to justify the contract (five years for $55 million). Last year it was like, ‘I have nothing to lose; it was either (Toronto) or opt out.’ He let it go.”

• BP.com’s John Perrotto has some concerns for Sabathia in a Yankee uni:

While he is one of the best pitchers in the game, there certainly are reasons to think that he may not be cut out to pitch in New York. Sabathia has usually been awful during the postseason on baseball’s biggest stage, posting a 7.92 ERA in five starts and 25 innings. That’s not a significant sample size, but Sabathia has admitted to putting too much pressure on himself in October. His lone quality start came as a 21-year-old rookie with the Indians in the 2001 American League Division Series, when he allowed two runs in six innings to beat the 116-win Mariners. Sabathia had quality starts in 15 of his 17 outings for the Brewers last season after being acquired from the Indians in a July trade, but gave up five runs in 3 2/3 innings in losing to the Phillies in Game Two of the NLDS.

(Indians manager Eric) Wedge insists that Sabathia will be fine pitching in New York. “I think he’s going to be more than fine,” Wedge said. “Nobody puts more pressure on CC than CC. I know some people scoff at that because New York is different, but because of everything CC has been through, and because of the adjustments he’s made—mentally, physically, fundamentally, and just the leadership ability he has, the strength he has as a human being, just what he takes care of both on and off the field—he’s going to be fine. He has perspective. He has a tremendous belief system in himself and the process. …”

• Kevin Kernan of the Post insists that the Yanks must go after Teixeira:

The Yankees have their opening. Face it, they are not going to commit nearly a quarter of a billion dollars to two pitchers and not try to upgrade their offense. Remember, this is a team that had trouble scoring runs last year….

Adding Teixeira would help in so many ways. His on-base percentage was .410. Alex Rodriguez led the Yankees with a .392 mark. Teixeira hit 33 home runs. His presence in the lineup would make A-Rod that much more valuable. This is no different than having David Ortiz and Ramirez. Ortiz has not been the same without Manny.

[My take: While I agree that Tex would do wonders for the Yanks lineup, I wouldn’t say “Ortiz has not been the same without Manny”.  First of all, its a small sample size alert.  Youkilis and Pedroia replaced Manny in the clean-up spot, and they obviously didn’t stink up the joint.  Jason Bay hit .293/.370/.527 with 9 HR and 37 RBIs after coming over to Boston.  After Manny was traded, Ortiz hit .262/.381/.519 with 9 HRs and 42 RBIs in 49 games, despite a cranky wrist.]

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Powered by Time magazine’s Best Websites of 2008 (cause you know … we don’t spend enough time surfing the web …), here’s the news:

• MLB.com reports that A.J. Burnett credits Roy Halladay for helping him develop a more efficient training/throwing program:

… one that permits him to conserve energy over the long haul by cutting down on the amount of mandatory work between starts.

“Roy pounded it in my head that I don’t have to throw 98 [mph] every day, that I don’t have to go full tilt to win ballgames and be successful,” Burnett said.

“I always just showed off what I had when I felt good, and it got me in trouble. Now I know when to throw and not to throw. Some days I might not touch a ball; it doesn’t mean anything’s wrong. You just don’t need to do it all the time.”…

Burnett said that he has learned how to budget his body so it is ready to go at all times, instead of displaying the youthful exhibitionism of ripping off throws just because his arm felt good.

“We’re hopeful that that’s the guy who has emerged and grown, and learned to harness his ability,” Cashman said. “He’s a bona fide front-line starter when he’s healthy. I know there’s risk attached to it, based on the past history. We’re hopeful that luck will be on our side.”

(My take: $82.5 million of hope and luck.  Whatever happened to investing in “sure things”?  Then again … the “sure thing” aisle was pretty barren at the “Free Agent Supermarket” this year.  Derek Lowe? Steady … dependable … but he’s priced himself a bit too high perhaps (rumored to be asking $66M over four years) … and how many groundballs could we stand to see dribbling past Cano and Jeter.  Randy Wolf? Talk about barely above league average! A career WHIP of 1.347 and an ERA+ of 101.)

• Mark Teixeira may still yet be a Bostonian, write Peter Gammons and Buster Olney over at ESPN.com.

Red Sox executives flew to Texas on Thursday believing they were close enough in negotiations to complete a deal with Mark Teixeira. But after they arrived, they were informed that their offer to Teixeira — something in the range of $165 million to $170 million — was short by upwards of $20 million.

With that, the Red Sox stepped away from the negotiating table.

Executives involved in the Teixeira negotiations, however, noted that Red Sox owner John Henry, based on the statement he issued to The Associated Press late Thursday night, did not unequivocally end talks about the first baseman. And executives from other interested teams fully expect the Red Sox to re-engage Scott Boras, the agent for Teixeira.

“It’s a poker game,” said a high-ranking official for one of the teams involved in the talks. “Unless Teixeira is ready to make a deal now, he’ll be talking to Boston again.”

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Powered by the numerology of Sabathia getting uniform #52 (is he the “Ace” in the Yankees “deck”, or is it really just a “house of cards”?) and Burnett getting #34 (as in, “that’s how many starts you made last year A.J., and that’s how many we need from you for each of the next five seasons”), I bring you the news:

• ESPN.com‘s Buster Olney reports on the Sabathia portion of the news conference, and gives some background on the wooing of the pitcher over the past few weeks:

Sabathia was phoned twice during his negotiations by Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter — recruiting calls — and Jeter told him about how much fun it was playing in New York. The day after he reached his agreement with the Yankees, he called Jeter, and the friends talked again about what it would be like to play together.

Two days before Sabathia made his decision, Reggie Jackson had been in Las Vegas at the winter meetings as part of the Yankees delegation that met with the left-hander. Sabathia, who grew up in the Bay Area, found himself distracted by the presence of the Hall of Famer: “I was just thinking, ‘Would it be weird to ask [Jackson] for an autograph?'” It wasn’t until subsequent meetings that Sabathia got to dig in and, without Jackson around, ask questions about the Yankees and New York.

• The News has a basic rundown of the news conference.  The one interesting note in it deals not with the players, but with the new stadium:

The new ballpark may generate an extra $200 million in revenue annually, according to Vince Gennaro, author of the book, “Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseball.”

• Tyler Kepner of the Times reports on the press conference, with a quote from A.J. Burnett and a quite interesting name thrown into the discussion:

“I’m not going to say money wasn’t an issue,” Burnett said. “I’m not going to lie; of course money had something to do with it. But I have a chance to win five years in a row. Whether you admit you love them or hate them, everybody wants to be a Yankee.”

Burnett also got a positive report on New York from an unlikely source: Carl Pavano, his former teammate with the Florida Marlins. During a conversation in September on the field in the Bronx, Pavano raved about the Yankees.

“He recommended I come here,” Burnett said. “He believed that I had to come here to really blossom and really start something special, that I really would belong here.”

(more…)

Powered by the thought that in seven days, we won’t have to be subjected to any more “we know the economy sucks but you should still buy our products” Christmas commercials, here’s the news:

• Ding-dong the deal is dead:  MLB.com is reporting Doug Melvin as stating that the Cabrera/Cameron deal is “dead”:

What a change from a week ago at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, where Melvin and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman were close to swapping center fielders. The Yankees would have received Gold Glover and run-producer Mike Cameron, and the Brewers would have received a left-handed bat in Melky Cabrera, probably left-hander Kei Igawa and a bit of cost savings to pursue free agent pitching.

But Melvin and Cashman have not spoken since the morning of Dec. 11. That signaled a dead deal to Melvin.

(My take: If Cabrera can make any sort of progress–both emotionally and with the bat–in the Winter League, and he appears to be doing well down there … see link later on in this post, then perhaps the Yanks can afford to hold onto him till at least the middle of ’09, then deal him if need be.  Otherwise, what CF candidate is out there?  I’m a big Rocco Baldelli fan, and now that his “condition” has been discovered to be less serious, perhaps he’d be worth a flyer.  And no … I don’t want Jim Edmonds.)

• At the Times, William Rhoden waxes poetic over what Sabathia brings to the Yankees, beyond his athletic prowess:

Sabathia represents a potential breath of fresh air in a stale, cliché-ridden Yankees clubhouse, one with little personality and even less passion, and no recent championship runs to compensate for those deficiencies.

Sabathia is a good-natured star who has strong feelings about issues and isn’t afraid to share them. This is an anomaly in a clubhouse famous for antiseptic professionalism.

In 2007, for example, Sabathia complained about the lack of African-American players in the majors. He even pointed a finger at Major League Baseball for not doing all that it could to increase the numbers.

Sabathia, who was traded from Cleveland to Milwaukee last season, bemoaned the lack of black Americans in baseball. “There aren’t very many African-American players, and it’s not just in here, it’s everywhere,” he told The Associated Press. “It’s not just a problem — it’s a crisis.”

• The News‘ John Harper wants the Yanks to sign Manny, even with the warning signs:

I have to start by saying I thought Bud Selig should have suspended Manny Ramirez for the way he so blatantly quit on the Red Sox last summer to force his way out of Boston. Earning instant hero status in Los Angeles doesn’t wash away the stain of what amounted to the height of unprofessionalism.

Indeed, Ramirez has proven that he can never be fully trusted as a teammate because he might just lay down on the job again.

Yet I still think it makes sense for the Yankees to take a chance on Manny. If they’re not going to get the guy they really need, a young, team-first slugger such as Mark Teixeira, then they should sign the best clutch hitter in the game and hope for the best.

… in the pursuit of a championship and nothing less, Ramirez is a gamble the Yankees can afford to take. The money is practically irrelevant to them, but if they can get him for a three-year contract, you have to figure they will get a solid effort from the mercurial masher for at least a couple of years.

(My take: That tactic sounds even riskier than giving Burnett a five-year deal.  You’re gonna throw $50-$75 million at someone and  “hope for the best”?)

(more…)

Powered by the thought that American ingenuity is not dead (as “proven” by this ) …. here’s the news:

• MLB.com reports that the BoSox have made an official offer to Mark Teixeira, but points out that adding Tex to the lineup could cause a logjam:

The Red Sox have Kevin Youkilis at first base and Mike Lowell at third. To open a spot for Teixeira, the Red Sox might have to trade Lowell and move Youkilis across the diamond.

However, Lowell, coming off right hip surgery, is likely to have to prove his health in Spring Training if he is to be dealt. Last winter the Red Sox re-signed Lowell, the Most Valuable Player of the 2007 World Series, to a three-year, $37.5 million contract.

The Red Sox control Youkilis contractually for the next two years, so it’s highly doubtful he would be moved. …  David Ortiz … is a 10-5 man … meaning he could veto any trade.

(My take: From a public relations standpoint, it would be hard for the Sox to trade the beloved Big Papi.  Youkilis is too valuable to trade in that he plays both corners well, and is insurance for the “old skill set” Ortiz.  The “rational” Sox rooter would understand trading the older, recovering Lowell, although I would think the Sox would have to pay some of Lowell’s salary to move him.  The Twins have a void at third, but even if the Sox paid a good portion of Lowell’s salary, I couldn’t see Lowell’s back holding up on that unforgiving Metrodome turf this season.)

• Could Manny be Manny AND be an Angel?: MLB.com reports that should the Angels not be able to re-sign Teixeira, they may set their sights on Manny Ramirez.  Manager Mike Scioscia thinks Manny would be OK in Anaheim:

Asked if he’d be for it if things could be worked out with Ramirez, Scioscia said, “Absolutely. Talent like Manny’s is real. He’s a winner. Whether it happens or not remains to be seen. But we would not rule him out.

“We have discussions obviously on character and makeup. We would not rule Manny out. When he’s motivated — and he showed that in the last part of the season — this guy is one of the best talents in the game.”

(My take: Dear Mr. Scioscia … couldn’t it be that Manny was motivated during the last part of the season because he was playing for a new contract?  Isn’t it a prerequisite that players are self-motivated during most of the season anyway?  Aren’t you worried that Manny will coast if he ends up on your coast?  Wouldn’t an outfield with both Vlad and Manny make Torii Hunter’s head [and hamstrings] explode?)

• Over at SI.com, Jon Heyman notes that it appears the Yanks are falling behind in the race for Teixeira, and may therefore go for Manny:

There are those suggesting the Yankees are only in the running for Teixeira to either monitor the rival Red Sox or drive up the price for the switch-hitting slugger. But while it’s true the Yankees don’t appear as eager to sign Teixeira as the Angels and Red Sox, they do appear willing to sign him at the right price. After already signing CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett for $243.5 million combined, the Yankees appear disinclined to offer $200 million for Teixeira, which is what it may take to get him.

That’s where Manny may come in.

While the Yankees have a trio of accomplished corner outfielders — Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Xavier Nady — they appear to love the idea of Manny and could still utilize Damon in centerfield on occasion.

• Meanwhile, the News is reporting that there is a split in the Yankee front office over whether to pursue Ramirez:

One baseball official told the Daily News that the Yankees’ interest in Ramirez is more than cursory, that they see the slugger as the perfect complement in their lineup to Alex Rodriguez, forming a 1-2 punch like he did in Boston with David Ortiz.

The official believes that the Yankees are “going hard” after Ramirez, to the point where they are willing to give him a three-year deal worth from $22 million to $25 million per year.

Two other officials are skeptical that the Bombers would commit three years to the enigmatic Ramirez … (however) if the market is limited, the Yanks will try to jump in with a two-year, $50 million package.

According to a source familiar with the Yankees’ thinking, Brian Cashman has been lukewarm to the idea of signing Ramirez, but the rest of the front office – most notably Hal and Hank Steinbrenner – believes he is precisely what the Yankees need to bolster a lineup that underachieved in 2008.

(My take: The Yanks must choose.  Will they go for an eight-year, $200 commitment to a young elite first baseman, a position at which they are at a distinct competitive disadvantage currently, and who would make their fiercest division rival even more formidable if he signed with them instead.  Or, will they opt for a two to three-year, $50-75 million or so commitment to a 36-year-old, moody, below-averaqe outfielder with an occasionally cranky knee who would have to patrol a spacious left field, and seems to turn himself on and off as he sees fit.  As Alex, Cliff and Anthony McCarron discussed, the age of the Yanks roster and the length of some current contracts results in perhaps a three-year “window of opportunity”, which would seem to lean for signing Ramirez, but how do the Yanks pass up the chance to lock down first base well into the 2010s?)

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Inspired by Alex’s post on a great “last-minute shopping” baseball book, I’m listing a few others that look interesting (though I haven’t gotten to read these …yet):

• “When Baseball Went to War“: “Drawing on the resources of The National World War II Museum and richly illustrated with many never-before-published photographs, (this) is a fitting tribute to the players of the Greatest Generation–heroes who saved America’s Game thanks to their efforts on the battlefield and on the ballfield.”  Also includes an audio CD featuring interviews with the players of the era.
• “First Class Citizenship: The Civil Rights Letters of Jackie Robinson“: ” …presents a full picture of the man whose grace and confidence on the field were matched (if not surpassed) by a voice that spoke out, long and loud, for the equal opportunity, civil rights, and humanity of all Americans.  Jackie Robinson’s letters are a rich and invaluable contribution to his singular legacy and to the dynamic history of the civil rights movement.”
• “Baseball’s Greatest Quotations Rev. Ed.: An Illustrated Treasury of Baseball Quotations and Historical Lore“: The author of the “Dickson Baseball Dictionary” is back with a new edition of the best baseball quotes.  “One unique feature of this revised edition is the inclusion of pull-out sections featuring quotations by and about many of the game’s most quotable characters. Included are extended lessons in Stengelese, Reggiespeak, Earl Weaverisms, and famous announcers’ home-run calls …”
• “Wally Yonamine: The Man Who Changed Japanese Baseball“: “Wally Yonamine was both the first Japanese American to play for an NFL franchise and the first American to play professional baseball in Japan after World War II. This is the unlikely story of how a shy young man from the sugar plantations of Maui overcame prejudice to integrate two professional sports in two countries.”
• “Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back“: Josh Hamilton tells his story of immense talent derailed by drug addiction, and the subsequent spiritual journey which led to his getting a second chance.

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