2008-2009 Off-Season Thread

[love_that_reefer]

The Yankees need a 1B that can play in the field. Prince is not much with the leather. He would be a great DH for them, however. If the Yankees do not resign some of their other DH types -- Giambi, Damon -- they might have room for him.
Another area of need for the Yankees is catcher. Posada is not going to catch more than 3 games a week next season and the replacements have not been more than barely adequate. What catchers are available this year?

Sure they need someone to play the field but more importantly this Yankee team has got to get younger. Fielder at 24 is a lot better investment than any free agent first baseman out there. Fielder can handle the field and is only getting better in that department. Being lefthanded helps a lot too. If the Yankees could get Teixeira, great but I cannot see the Angels letting him go to the Yankees when they have so much money coming off the books to throw at Teixeira. Matsui will be DHing next year for the Yankees along with Posada.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

I agree with reefer. We need to get younger. I'd love prince fielder. But I'd love Tex even more. I do agree he's going to be very difficult to get though. I still think pitching should be this team's top priority however

[love_that_reefer]

Plus Fielder will come at a smaller price tag than Teixeira. Either player will be great for the Yankees don't get me wrong. I just think Fielder is the better long term investment. Plus his big Cecil played there

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Here's mlbtraderumors next season outlook for the Yanks:

Next up in our Offseason Outlook series, the Yankees. Their likely 2009 commitments:
C - Jorge Posada - $13.1MM
C - Jose Molina - $2MM
1B -
2B - Robinson Cano - $6MM
SS - Derek Jeter - $20MM
3B - Alex Rodriguez - $32MM
IF - Wilson Betemit - $1.165MM+
IF - Cody Ransom - $400K
LF - Johnny Damon - $13MM
CF - Brett Gardner - $400K
RF - Xavier Nady - $3.35MM+
OF - Melky Cabrera - $462K
DH - Hideki Matsui - $13MM
SP - Chien-Ming Wang - $4MM+
SP - Joba Chamberlain - $400K
SP - Phil Hughes - $407K
SP - Ian Kennedy - $400K
SP - Alfredo Aceves - $400K
RP - Mariano Rivera - $15MM
RP - Damaso Marte - $6MM club option ($250K buyout)
RP - Brian Bruney - $725K+
RP - Jose Veras - $400K
RP - Edwar Ramirez - $400K
RP - Phil Coke - $400K
RP - Mark Melancon - $400K
Buyouts: Jason Giambi - $5MM, Carl Pavano - $1.95MM
Other commitments: Andrew Brackman - $1.1375MM, Juan Miranda - $400K
The Yankees are a bit over $140MM before arbitration raises to Betemit, Nady, Wang, and Bruney. Maybe after those they're near $150MM for current players (if Marte's option is exercised). Will the Yankees really slash payroll all the way to the $180MM range? Brian Cashman would still be able to add $30MM in '09 salaries, but it wouldn't surprise anyone if he has more than that.
Jon Heyman says the Yankees want to sign two free agent starters out of C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Derek Lowe. If they land their top target, Sabathia, then Lowe seems more likely than Burnett. It'd be an '09 rotation with Hughes, Kennedy, and others battling for one spot. If Mike Mussina or Andy Pettitte can be re-signed, Joba can slot in fifth and get extra days off. Depth would be excellent, but signing three starters, each for $12MM or more, could eat up most of the spending money.
The two other much-discussed holes are first base and center field. Cashman has spoken about wanting a regular first baseman as opposed to shuttling in Posada, Damon, and Matsui. Possibly available regulars at first base: Mark Teixeira, Prince Fielder, Adam LaRoche, Mike Jacobs, and Hank Blalock. The list could expand in coming months. I do not see the Yanks trading Hughes for Fielder, if some permutation of that deal is available.
If the Yankees somehow sign Sabathia, Teixeira, and another starter, they'll be looking fantastic for 2009. It could be done if payroll is in the $200-210MM range again. Sure, Cano should be better, Matsui and Posada hopefully healthy. But Abreu could be replaced with Nady and Giambi seems gone. Tex would add stability, though he has to be seen as a luxury.
The market for center fielders, whether via free agency or trade, is poor. It makes sense to see if one of the internal options emerges as a tolerable regular (Gardner, Cabrera, Austin Jackson). As alluded to earlier, Abreu will probably be offered arbitration, decline, and sign elsewhere (leaving Nady as the right fielder).
The pen doesn't seem like a major need; Marte on the equivalent of a one-year, $5.75MM deal is reasonable. Joe at River Ave. Blues tells me Melancon is likely to snag a spot.
Bottom line: it looks like most of the money will be spent on starting pitching, but Teixeira would sure look nice in pinstripes.

There was also a snippet on how Peavy could be a major trade possibility for the Yanks. Best-case scenario (but obviously very, very unlikely) is they get Tex, Sabathia, and Peavy, let go Giambi and Abreu (who I'm still not so sure I want to leave. Why can't we keep both Nady and Abreu? I still like Bobby), and Melky takes his thumb out of his ass and picks it up at CF, with Brett Gardner coming off the bench. When your 2nd or 3rd free agent options are Prince Fielder, AJ Burnett, and Derek Lowe, things are on the upside. If even some of this pans out, the Yankees could be looking VERY good for next season.

[love_that_reefer]

It would take a miracle for the Yankees to get Peavy! I think they are all out of miracles.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

O I completely agree. I'm just stating the possiblities

[love_that_reefer]

According to the New York Post, "the Yankees are hearing whispers" that impending free agent Andy Pettitte may want a two-year contract.
The newspaper speculates that the Yankees "may balk" if that's indeed Pettitte's asking price. He went 14-14 with a 4.54 ERA this season on a one-year, $16 million deal.

No and no! I would give Andy a nice, generous one year $8 million base salary with incentives.

[BuckFoston]

Manny Ramirez doesn't fit the Yankees' desire to get younger and more athletic, but several industry sources believe the Yankees will make a serious push for the free agent to play right field next year. Though GM Brian Cashman says the top offseason priority is starting pitching, he did not rule out interest in the 36-year-old Ramirez.

-SI.com

Would you guys want to see Manny in pinstripes? That sure would make the rivalry even more interesting than it already it is.

[love_that_reefer]

Although he has offers from the White Sox and Yankees, free agent Odalis Perez still expects to stay with the Nationals.
Perez said he's working on a two- or three-year deal with the Nats. If there is an actual offer from the Yankees, it probably wouldn't guarantee him a rotation spot. In Washington, he knows that he'll start one of the first couple of games of the season.

This is their idea of replacing Mussina? The need to be sweet talking Sabathia or Burnett if they want to sign him.

[love_that_reefer]

The Yankees have declined to offer arbitration to Bobby Abreu, Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, Ivan Rodriguez, Sidney Ponson, Carl Pavano and Chad Moeller.
We imagine the Red Sox and Rays are plenty pleased to see that the Yankees won't be getting any extra draft picks next year. Having Abreu back for about $16 million wouldn't have been such a bad thing for the Yankees, and odds are that he would have left and brought back two picks. Now the Yankees are facing the possibility of not picking to the second or third round of the draft, depending on how many free agents they sign. CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe are among the pitchers that would cost them their first-round choice.

Ouch on the draft picks for the Yankees!! Some teams are going to be happy seeing Abreu arbitration-free so it won;t cost them the extra draft pick. The rest of the players were practically no brainers.

[Dry1313]

Ouch on the draft picks for the Yankees!! Some teams are going to be happy seeing Abreu arbitration-free so it won;t cost them the extra draft pick. The rest of the players were practically no brainers.

I agree, but I also understand Cashman's stand...

What if we don't really want Abreu (meaning he's a second or third option for a spot in the OF because of his mix of salary and production) and he accepts arbitration?

Same for Pettite.

I understand, but I'll be pissed if they walk also and we get squat.

[Foster]

Cashman most have had quite the list of players for the Arby Cuts thread.

And I agree, if you don't want the players than don't offer them something. It creates the idea that maybe you would like them back. And for a team like the Yankees, if you offer a contract, people will want to play for you.

[catman]

Some of the players had decent seasons for the Yankees, but would they be cornerstones for the Yankees to build around? Abreu might be the best of the bunch, but the team has decided his contract was a bit too much.

[love_that_reefer]

The Yankees have an overcrowded OF and with Abreu gone it makes it less crowded. Unless Abreu could have played CF, there was no reason to bring him back. Its just a tough hit to the farm system having hardly any draft picks this upcoming draft assuming they get Sabathia or some other Type A free agents.

[catman]

Big assumption. I don't see CC signing with any AL team, unless it's a California team. It appears he is leaning toward an NL team.