BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME II

With all the big name free agent pitchers out there, the Yankees seemed to have taken a serious interest in Detroit Tigers' ace Max Scherzer.  According to Jon Heyman and the Yes Network, if there is one free agent pitcher the Yankees are seriously considering it is Scherzer.  For one he is the youngest of the trio of James Shields and Jon Lester at age 30 and he has an impeccable post season record.  Shields nor Lester have a Cy Young Award like Scherzer.  I for one have always liked Scherzer and I say if we are going to lay out some cash, let's go for him!

 Word on the street is that the Yankees will "test the waters" with Alex Rodriguez at first base. According to Buster Olney, Mark Teixeira did not make the list of best first basemen.  This is exciting news because perhaps now Chase Headley will be our starting third basemen, a place where he has excelled and showed a lot of talent and grit last season.  After the All Star Break, Headley raised his batting average more than 40 points.  Not only that, but he made the defensive plays of a Graig Nettles and Mike Schmidt.  We need him.  Sign, please!

Russell Martin is off to Toronto but guess who may be on the next plane?  The Blue Jays are on a spending spree again and this time they have their eye on Jon Lester.  "Toronto is one of the six teams in the market for southpaw Jon Lester,WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reports." The Jays are also interested in Red Sox Andrew Miller who wants a four-year deal.  He could be their next closer as their current closer, Casey Janssen is likely on his way out.

According to ESPN, multiple teams are interested in Cardinals' Justin Masterson.  Among these teams are the Chicago Cubs.  Joe Maddon, the Cubs new manager, will be a good match for Masterson, but he will have to get in line next to or behind other contenders like the Giants, Braves, Twins and Red Sox.  The Yankees seem to not be interested.

And according to SNY, the Cubs are contenders for James Shields and possibly Cole Hamels for guys like Tommy La Stella and Starlin Castro and possibly "top shortstop prospects Addison Russell and Javier Baez, leading to speculating that they will eventually make a trade to acquire a starting pitcher."  The Mets could get into the mix too.  Stay tuned on this one.

Got some rumors?  Do share! Do share!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @suzieprof




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