Yankee's Offseason Thread

[BuckFoston]

Everyone has a price...

[Veovis]

Clearly his price is over an obscene 16 million then.

[love_that_reefer]

ESPN 2 is reporting Pettitte will return for another season. They are using the Houston Chronicle as a source.

[browntown653]

Ken Rosenthal -

Both the Mets and Yankees are showing interest in free-agent reliever Octavio Dotel, who appeared in only 33 games with the Royals and Braves last season due to a strained left oblique and right shoulder strain.

If he's healthy I'd take him, but not if we're relying on him to be anything other than the 4th/5th arm out of the bullpen. Vizcaino should be brought back, and I'd like Ron Mahay too.

[love_that_reefer]

Yankees sent first baseman Andy Phillips outright to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Phillips rejected the assignment and is now a free agent

Do the Yankees still have Durazo in the minors?

[BuckFoston]

Yanks and Giants discussing Matsui.

The Journal News confirms that the Yankees and Giants have had discussions involving Hideki Matsui.
If the Giants trade for Matsui, it'd be because they care more about getting a few additional fannies into seats in 2008 than putting together a contender. Matsui remains a fine player, but he's had just one great season in five years in the majors, he's below average defensively and he's entering his age-34 season. He's exactly the player the Giants should be avoiding. Instead of giving up talent and then paying Matsui $13 million per season for the next two years, it'd make far more sense to make a big run at Kosuke Fukudome. They also could have beaten the Dodgers' bid for Andruw Jones.

[bwitty24]

The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Major League Baseball News

The Official Site of New York Yankees: News: New York Yankees News

So it looks like the Yanks won't be getting Vizcaino.

[catman]

Here is a move that might make some sense: FOX Sports on MSN - MLB - Yankees close to signing reliever Hawkins

[DirtyKash]

LOL! Hawkins is going to get torched by the NY media. He's already bad at handling pressure situations; in NY, I don't see how he just doesn't fail miserably.

[love_that_reefer]

If they get Hawkins, this will be another horrible deal for the Yankees. Hawkins in the AL is just a joke!

[BuckFoston]

****ing Pavano.

"American Idle" Carl Pavano spoke to Brian Cashman on Friday at the Stadium and said he is going to accept a minor-league assignment after the Yankees release him from the final year of a disastrous four-year, $39.95 million contract.

Needing room on the 40-man roster so they can add Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, the Yankees hatched the idea of cutting Pavano. The right-hander had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in early June and isn't expected to be ready to pitch until July at the earliest.

Under the release plan, Pavano would get the $11 million he is owed for the 2008 season and the $1.95 million buyout he would have coming to him, because the Yankees aren't going to pick up a $15 million option for 2009.

Pavano, 31, can't return to Arizona because his questionable work ethic ticked off fitness guru Brett Fischer last winter. Pavano is leaning toward accepting the Yankees' minor-league offer so he can have a place to rehab his elbow. By keeping him in the system, the Yankees protect themselves from Pavano healing ahead of schedule (pigs have a better chance of flying) and pitching effectively for another team.

Pavano represents the biggest Yankees blooper in years. Signed as a free agent after the 2004 season, he was viewed as a top-of-the-rotation hurler. Instead, Pavano appeared in 17 games in 2005, none in 2006 and two this past season.

For close to $40 million, the Yankees got a pitcher who worked 19 games, went 5-6 and underwent so many MRI exams the machines in New York and Tampa have a No. 45 pinstriped decal on them. While on a minor league rehab assignment in 2006, Pavano was involved in a car accident, suffered broken ribs and attempted to hide the injury from the club.

By default, he was the Opening Day starter this past season, but 13 days later he was on the 15-day disabled list (called the "15-day Pavano" in the Yankees' clubhouse) and never surfaced again.

PAVANO WILL ACCEPT ASSIGNMENTTO MINORS

[BuckFoston]

More news...

The Yankees designated outfielder Bronson Sardinha for assignment Saturday, clearing room on the 40-man roster for left-hander Andy Pettitte.

According to a team in discussions with the A's about Dan Haren, the Yankees are interested in the stud right-hander if Oakland is serious about moving him. Nevertheless, if the A's must have Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, Haren won't land in The Bronx.

"I always believed if the Yankees didn't get [Johan] Santana, they would make a pitch for Haren," a source close to the situation said yesterday.

Despite repeated denials, the Yankees will be in the Santana sweepstakes as long as he is on the trading block. Nevertheless, the Yankees are reluctant to pay $20 million plus a year for seven years, which is what Santana will want to waive a blanket no-trade clause and accept the deal.

Though Santana, who will be 29 in March, is considered the premier pitcher in baseball, many feel the 27-year-old Haren represents better value because he will make $16.25 million across the next three seasons. Haren was 15-9 with a 3.07 ERA in 34 starts this past season.

Hank Steinbrenner said he believes A's GM Billy Beane's asking price for Haren could top what the Yankees offered (Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and a mid-level prospect) for Santana.

"It's no secret that Billy Beane will be asking a lot for Haren," Steinbrenner said. "He could want more than Minnesota wanted, and that's unacceptable."

[catman]

If they get Hawkins, this will be another horrible deal for the Yankees. Hawkins in the AL is just a joke!

He can't be any worse than some of the guys the Yankees ran out there last season. He could help, although I wouldn't count on him to pitch more than 50 innings next season.

[love_that_reefer]

He can't be any worse? That's not a good thing. That was the Yankees problem and they aren't solving it.

[BuckFoston]

The front office doesn't address the needs that need to be addressed. They think that if you can get more power hitting that you'll win. They have yet to realize that pitching is the problem and untill they do the Yankees won't win a WS.