YANKEE RUMORS: BIG TARGETS REVEALED

We all know that Yankee brass was humiliated by their own picks this off-season.  Couple that with many injuries and it's just a bad combo.  The Yankees finished in fourth place, technically 3rd because they were tied with the Baltimore Orioles, but trust me, the O's played better than the Yanks this season.  The last time this happened to the Yankees was in 2008 when they didn't make the playoffs. It's just embarrassing.

There are a ton of names that are bubbling to the surface right now.  Names that almost seem out of reach but some that are very obivous. If we can get certain guys, it's makes sense that we get them. This is a pretty detailed list below with more to follow in future off-season rumors pieces.  Check it out, take it in.  Do we agree with all of them?  Not necessarily, but it's good to know that the Yanks are now willing to improve this club after we were sold a bill of goods in 2013.

Robinson Cano: The Yankees need to re-sign him.  That's a priority.  With it, the Yankees need to make it clear to this guy that if he's going to be the future, he needs to be mature and look like a leader.  Andy Martino of the New York Daily News says "Cano will actually meet with other teams, see how he is valued, and begin to decide if he actually wants to leave the Yankees for the team willing to spend most on him... If the Yanks re-sign Cano, they will use much of their budget for next year on second base; if Cano goes elsewhere, they can apply the money reserved for him to many different places.  The Yanks have already been negotiating with Cano -- no one from either camp has denied that Cano at one point asked for about $300 million -- but now they can accelerate that process, with no season to distract them."

If Cano decides he wants to go for the money rather than stay with the team and history of the New York Yankees... we'll know what this is really about.  Stay tuned for this one.  My gut says he'll stay in New York. His father will push him back to the Bronx... that's my opinion of course.

Masahiro Tanaka: Top priority for the Yankees, no doubt. This Japanese pitcher is the real thing and we need to get him to add to CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova. We all know Phil Hughes is not coming back and to be honest with you, I disagree with Suzie Pinstripe on David Phelps (Read VOTE DAVID PHELPS FOR STARTING PITCHER)... he isn't a starter in my opinion, he's a middle reliever and to be honest, he could be a great one at that.  The Yankees have to go out and get starters, not try and mold Phelps into 1.

Jacoby Ellsbury: Before you get all crazy about trying to sign Ellsbury, let me express my concern.  I really don't think the Yankees would sign this guy.  Sure, he's a great ballplayer, WHEN HE'S HEALTHY. He's injury prone and I am just not sure we have the room in the outfield.  The only nugget I was able to find is from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com and to be honest, it looks like he's just throwing his name out there to see if he can get a solid readership.  I honestly don't know if this is, A. a smart move, or B. a real story.  Truth be told, we wrote about Ellsbury here at Bleeding Yankee Blue a few years ago.  Read WHY JACOBY ELLSBURY COULD BECOME A YANKEE for context on that. That was in December of 2011.

Brian McCann: Howard Unger of Yahoo Sports mentions that the Yankees will go after McCann, but we need to see what happens with Cano and ARod first. Oddly, he doesn't go further with that.  I mean, I know it's a matter of money, but if the Yankees want to win, they need seasoned players. McCann is seasoned.  I would even go out on a limb and suggest running an experiment. Maybe push JR Murphy hard, let him shine in the starting role and screw McCann.  You could have another Buster Posey on your hands and not realize it.  You know what I mean...

Matt Garza: The Yankees are connected to Matt Garza, but let's be honest, the Yankees are always connected to Matt Garza.  Hey look, if the Yankees can get Tanaka, I  throw Garza in the mix as the number 4 starter.  I do.  Mark Simon, our bud, broke it down for us at ESPN writing, "Signing Garza would be a bit of a risk, one the Yankees might not be looking to take given their desire to stay under a payroll of $189 million. Our verdict would be to pass on Garza if he's looking for Sanchez-type money, but to put him on their short list if he can be garnered for something closer to Jackson dollars." I'm with you Mark.

Shin-Soo Choo: The Yankees like Shin-Soo Choo.  That's according to everyone, including us.  I guess if people say it enough, it's true.  According to Jon Heyman though, it's NOT their top priority.   I like Choo, but I also like Alfonso Soriano and Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki  as well.  Not sure it adds much more to the mix, except for a crowded outifeld, but what the hell do I know?

If there are more interesting names, we'll bring them to you here at BYB. Stay tuned.

Also, again, thanks for reading Bleeding Yankee Blue ladies and gentlemen. We appreciate the readers and we appreciate this endorsement  from Laura Posada this morning:

@BleednYankeeBlu @pada5something @suzieprof @ThomasABrophy @NYY5Life congrats, proof of hard work and determination!
— Laura Posada (@Dlauraposada) November 3, 2013

Thank you Laura... we're trying.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone... and wish Suzie Pinstipe good luck. She's running the New York Marathon today! Here's her Twitter handle: @suzieprof.

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