I DON'T GET IT. WE'RE RANKING "TANAKA INTEREST" NOW?

I love reading Ben Badler of Baseball America. There has never been a thing I didn't like about his work, until today, when I read a piece discussing team interest and the "lurkers" and "sleepers" and sure things in pursuit of Masahiro Tanaka.  Now, truth be told, there is never a crystal ball when it comes to signing big names to big contracts. You're all smart, you know this.  I mean, if there was, we would have know that the Yankees were going to swoop in and sign Mark Teixeira even though the Red Sox were the "favorites" a while back. And who would have guessed Detroit was going to sign Prince Fielder just in time for the 2012 season?  Not me. I didn't see it coming.

In Badler's piece, there were 10 teams ranked as who are the closest to get Tanaka 10 is furthest away and 1 is the best chance. 10 through 3 are the Los Angeles Angels (10), the Boston Red Sox (9), the Arizona Diamondbacks (8), the Toronto Blue Jays (7), the Texas Rangers (6), the Detroit Tigers (5), the Chicago Cubs (4), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (3).

Then came number 2 and 1.  2 is the Yankees and number 1 is the Seattle Mariners.

Here's what Badler says of the Yankees:

"The Yankees desperately need pitching. Even as he enters his age-39 season, Hiroki Kuroda is still a frontline starter, but beyond him the red flags are whipping across the rest of the rotation.

CC Sabathia has lost nearly 3 mph off his fastball over the last two years and is coming off a year with a 4.78 ERA, the worst of his 13-year career. There’s Ivan Nova behind him, and perhaps Michael Pineda can return and be a mid-rotation starter, but he’s extremely risky. Maybe Manny Banuelos can help at some point, but the Yankees can’t count on much from him or anyone else in a farm system that’s thin on starting pitching.

The Yankees are reportedly trying to stay under the $189 million luxury tax, which they’re already pushing up against. Having Alex Rodriguez’s $25 million wiped away would give them more flexibility, which is why Tanaka probably won’t sign until after a decision on Rodriguez’s suspension is announced...

The only penalty for going over the luxury tax is money. The Yankees have plenty of that. What they don’t have is pitching, either in the majors or the minors. The Yankees have sent several of their top personnel to Japan to scout Tanaka, and if they think he’s a frontline starter, that could be an upgrade of four or five wins in a competitive American League East.

If that helps get them to the playoffs, it will be worth the tax money."

Then Balder gives his number 1 pick, the Mariners. Check this out:

"...the Mariners are the favorites to land him. That doesn’t mean they will sign him, but based on conversations with industry officials, Seattle’s resources and the makeup of the team, they are a strong fit.

The Mariners have money to spend. They have a new regional television contract that will pay them $2 billion over 17 years. The Mariners showed off their deep pockets earlier this offseason by signing Robinson Cano to a 10-year, $240 million contract, outbidding everyone by a wide margin... The money is there and so is the need. Seattle’s desire to trade for David Price is no secret. They need to upgrade the team to contend in 2014 and take advantage of Hernandez and Cano while they’re still stars. And the current makeup of the team isn’t enough for them to be strong contenders in the AL West.

(In Photo: Hisashi Iwakuma)

Tanaka would help change that. A starting rotation with Hernandez, Tanaka and Iwakuma (Tanaka’s former Rakuten teammate) would give them three frontline starters, with another potential premium starter in 21-year-old Taijuan Walker, though it may be too soon to count on him performing at that level next season. It would be one of baseball’s scariest rotations, with James Paxton and Erasmo Ramirez candidates to round out the final spot."

But what does it all mean? Sure, I guess anyone can choose the Mariners as the top team to land Tanaka, but aren't they the same team that just came out to claim they were broke?  And what about GM Jack Zduriencik claiming they "aren't going to be making a huge splash" since Robinson Cano and Corey Hart:



So what do you make from that? Are they bluffing? Plus, what's to say the Yankees don't throw everything at Tanaka, especially if Alex Rodriguez gets suspended. I'd say the chances are very, very good for the Yankees over the Mariners here, but of course, I'm biased.

Look, the New York Yankees have made it clear they need to do something to bolster their rotation.  There has been talk from Badler that a Tanaka / Iwakuma rotation in Seattle would be great.  I'll up you one; How about Tanaka / Kuroda?  Even Vernon Wells believes that saying "He's a great person to be a mentor to him." You know what? Wells might feel like the guy with one foot out the door, but he sure knows how to schmooze Yankeeland.  Wells makes sense, and I hope the Yankees take that into account.

Look, I'm not really giving Badler a hard time here. I am confused about ranking "interest".  I really don't think it makes much sense.  What's to say the Red Sox don't have a secret stash somewhere to sign Tanaka at the 11th hour?  How about the Dodgers? You know what I mean?

In the end, something will happen and here at Bleeding Yankee Blue, we "rank" the Yankees first to land Masahiro Tanaka... not that it really means anything... we'll just have to let it play out. But I will tell you this... the Yankees have lost out on big time pitchers before and looking at their rotation right this second, even Yankee brass knows there are too many question marks. What I'm trying to say is, there's going to pull the trigger to get Tanaka "big time"... because they don't want to be stuck in the middle of an empty parking lot with their dick in their hand without him...

To be honest, I don't even know what that means... but you get my point. 

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

RUMORS IN YANKEELAND: PART 2

Who likes rumors? We do. We like finding them and writing about them. If any of them turn out to be true that makes it even better. The Yankees have made a lot of moves this season. Some of them turned out to be pleasant surprises who have been an anchor to the team. Some have had a relatively short stay. So anything can happen. Who else is out there that could be Bronx bound?

There are some interesting name out there, and one that you may not have heard of. Thanks to some recent success from signings on the international scene I think this draft will have more attention. I guess we have Yu Darvish and Yoenis Cespedes to thank for that. It does make baseball exciting though, and that is even more true when you look at how many fans were following the World Baseball Classic this year.

This year, the Yankees were rumored to have some interest in a top ten international prospect named Leonardo Molina, read that HERE. Supposedly, the Yankees were rumored to be the favorite. We have heard that before though so who knows if it was actually true. I say WAS only because Major League baseball changed their mind yesterday and have decided to cancel the draft until after the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2016, read more on all of this HERE. So who knows what will come of Molina, but if he somehow manages to find his way to New York someday, you heard the speculation here from us!

But back to familiar territory now, If I were a betting woman I would take my money to the nearest casino and bet that the Yankees were going to shop for a right handed bat. You could tell during Wednesday night's game against the New York Mets that the Yankees need more right handed bats because right now lefties are just stacked against them in a never ending line. Once Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis come back that will help, but it may not be enough. So who is available?

Mike Morse: He started off the season swinging a hot bat. Since then he has cooled down a little, and some think that unless the Mariners can turn their season around he may be on the chopping block regardless of him signing with the Mariners in the off season, read more HERE. The Yankees were interested during the off season, but when he wasn't interested in a one year deal, like many other free agents, it never amounted to anything. If the Mariners do fall out he would make a nice addition to the roster. His bat may not be as hot right now but don't let the .254BA fool you. He does have 11HR, 21RBI and he knows how to get on base. Plus add his bat in the lineup and I am sure those home runs will go up. He is also very versatile. He could fill in at first, shortstop and the outfield so it will help give some guys some much needed rest right now. I like the possibility.

Josh Willingham: He is one possibility on a very suspect Minnesota Twins team. The Twins looked like they were keeping pace pretty well in their division for awhile, but have really slipped lately. If they continue to underachieve they could be sellers by the trade deadline, read that HERE. There are a few possibilities on this team including Corey Hart but he has not played yet this year and is still rehabbing from an injury so I feel more confident in Willingham. His .212BA isn't pretty but he does have 9HR and 24RBI on the season. More importantly, if the recovery doesn't go as expected for Curtis Granderson then we have someone else who can play left field.

I do believe that the Yankees are going to focus on a right handed bat, and if one of these guys becomes available then hopefully the Yankees will make the move. As good as we have been, we could be even better with another right handed bat. Stay tuned, and if anything happens you know we will fill you in here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ



Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY I HOPE RYAN BRAUN IS NOT A FOOL

There is a story coming out of Milwaukee that could severely cripple a bright spot in baseball, if it turns out to be true. These days though, anything's possible, but we will hold judgement until the official word comes out. It involves Ryan Braun, the current National League MVP and PEDs. I know, I know, you're as shocked as me. I read it late last night and felt sick and I immediately said to myself, "What has happened to my sport?" Read the full story HERE.

Michael Hunt of the Boston Herald has a great piece, witty actually and he still hits home the major point of this whole mess. He asks "If Braun knowingly cheated, a 2012 season, which had much promise with essentially everyone back from a NLCS team except for Prince Fielder, could be devastated with a 50-game suspension for the Brewers’ marquee player.

How good or smart would that make anyone look now if Braun cannot prove he did nothing wrong?" Read his full piece HERE.

You also have to start to think, if in fact this is true, who else was doing it on the Brewers? Is this a shocking, isolated incident, or did they do it as a team? People will start to point fingers at Prince Fielder and Corey Hart and that's terrible to think this way. All of this "guilt by association" started because of Jose Canseco's accusations, some true, some not, about what he allegedly did in the Rangers clubhouse years ago with Juan Gonzalez and Rafael Palmiero and before that, with Mark McGwire.

I guess Yankees fans could almost be happy that Alex Rodriguez was only thinking about himself when he dabbled, because that would be devastating to a Yankee clubhouse if many players were involved. Luckily for Alex, it was just him, he "didn't know" what he was taking, and he turned his life around.

Ryan Braun is a role model. I know my oldest son and his friends impersonate him on the wiffle ball field. I will be sure to shield this story from them and hope to God it's not true. Braun is talented, many of these players are and I just don't understand what their thinking is when they "allegedly" get involved with these performance enhancing drugs. It may give you strength, but it won't make you hit the ball, you still need the talent to do that.

It's funny, I'm reading dozens of reports this morning about this incident, all the reports are being very careful:

Los Angeles Times: BBWAA won't strip Ryan Braun of MVP

USA Today: Ryan Braun tests positive for PED, says 'It's BS'

CNN What we know and what we don't know about Braun's positive test

The one that really caught my eye was the LA Times headline. The BBWAA won't strip Braun of the MVP, and yes, if this is appealed by Braun and it turns out to be false, he shouldn't be stripped. But if it's true, Matt Kemp of course needs to be breathing down their neck saying "Yoo Hoo, over here, look at me! I did it clean!"

Look, it's too early to get freaked out about this, we need to wait and see what happens with Ryan Braun. I hope to God that it's not true. No question though, this shocking report is a black eye on baseball... again... and it's getting pretty hard to defend these guys year after year to my 9 year old son who looks up to these guys like they're Gods. Fix it boys, or some of the old school jersey's of true baseball greats will replace the new guys... Don Mattingly, Robin Yount and Ron Guidry. Those guys did it with what they had, talent and pure guts. Hopefully Braun does too and this is all a misunderstanding. I hope so.

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

WHY SCRUFF’S IN TOWN

The Brewers are in town and to me, I automatically think about Robin Yount, Paul Moliter and the days when the Brewers were in the American League. I swear, they were. Robin Yount was such a terrific ballplayer, and had this thick mustache of blonde and wavy hair sticking out of his cap and he just looked like a Brewer, much like Corey Hart does these days with the beard. We’re talking Brewer by day, Lumberjack by night.

(In Photo: Robin Yount)

The Yankees on the other hand are the clean cut group of guys that have the tradition and pride for the pinstripes. We don’t have long hair. Players that come to New York have trimmed mustaches, shaved beards and an image that represents class. Now, I am in no way slamming the Brewers who are coming into the Bronx tonight as being shaggy and unkempt. I’m merely stating the fact that I equate the Yankees to military type thinking; you keep your locker clean, you tuck in your uniform and you groom yourself before you get out on the battlefield and try and kick the crap out of the enemy. I like it.

The Red Sox are a perfect example of players letting themselves go. Beards, long hair, scruff… to me, that’s not bad ass, that's bad hygiene. All I’m saying is the New York Yankees have pride in the pinstripes and when they lineup with their clean cut image, crisp, tucked in spotless uniforms, they are representing a universe of fans that have long cheered for their warriors all the way back to the days of Babe Ruth.

The Brewers have incredible talent and image has nothing to do with it. Rickie Weeks, Zack Grienke (see I told you he wouldn’t be a Yankee, read WHY GRIENKE WONT BE A YANKEE), Prince Fielder, son of Cecil and Corey Hart are no slouches. They can be dominant and the Yankees need both good pitching from AJ tonight as well as hotness to continue for Poe Poe and Swish. If that happens, there is no doubt the Yankees will win the series against these guys. Grienke can be beat and we have the team to do it. So let's go boys...clean shaven and all.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.