BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME IV

Can the Yankees flip from worst to first and contend for a championship in just a few short months? That's the question facing the legendary club and the chatter around the free agency free for all among today's sports media.  With the Winter Meetings scheduled to begin on Sunday, December 7th,  teams are poised to go face to face with each other and player agents. The result?  Well, it's anyones story to write.  I, for one, hope the Yankees have a few ideas up their sleeve for an award winning novel in 2015.

Things are heating up in Yankeeland as the front office looks to acquire left hand reliever, Andrew Miller from the Baltimore Orioles.  According to Mark Rodgers, Miller's agent, as reported by ESPN "I think Andrew's evolution in the bullpen and his numbers this year fortify the belief in baseball that he's a closer-in-waiting -- and maybe the time for waiting is over." And with David Robertson holding out for what is being reported as "Papelbon money" or a 4 year $50 million deal, Miller could make his way up 95 North to the Bronx.  Since coming to the Orioles from the Red Sox at the end of the trade deadline, Miller was 2-0 with 1.35 ERA and one save last season.  Sounds like a deal to me!

Jon Harper of the New York Daily News still thinks the Yankees will make a run at Max Scherzer even if they pick up Miller or keep Robertson.  Actually, an interesting twist of events is that Harper thinks the hype around Miller is deliberate in order to get DRob to sign with the Yankees.  Could be, could be.

According David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Atlanta Braves have not made top free agent pitcher Jon Lester an offer.  And they don't plan on it either.  The team didn't feel that their offer would be competitive enough for Lester and have decided to bow out.  The top teams in pursuit of Lester are the Cubs and Red Sox.  But don't count the San Francisco Giants out yet.  They met with Lester on Monday and with some room in their pockets with Pablo Sandoval on his way to the East Coast, they are in the hunt.  We will know within the next few days.  The Yankees will most likely sit this one out.

Lastly, despite signing Nelson Cruz to a big four year deal, the Seattle Mariners are still in need of a right fielder and there are two possibilities staring them right in the face.  According to Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune, the two likely candidates are Torii Hunter and Alex Rios.  With Torii Hunter signing with the Twins late last night, Rios could be a contender but also on the radar for the Mariners and actually the Orioles is Matt Kemp.

That's all for us on Hot Stove for this week.  Keep up to date with trades, rumors and chatter right here on BYB.

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








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WILLINGHAM'S NOT MOVING RIGHT NOW

There was chatter about Josh Willingham weeks ago starting with Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record who floated the idea.  He's a name with a bat that could help the Yankees, although Yankee fans are not too jazzed about Willingham right now because he's batting .222 for the Twins.

The rumor of Willingham has continued and the Yankee run scoring woes only provide more interest in the bat of Josh.  But now, there is talk that the Twins aren't interested in move Willingham... not right now at least.

According to Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

Person with direct knowledge: Appears Josh Willingham is staying put (for now) with #mntwins. August waiver deal always possible.
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) July 31, 2014

So, with the deadline being today, could the Yankees just try and fill the void with a bat, be it Alex Rios or other, or do they wait for the waiver wire and pick up a big bat like Willingham then?  Maybe even someone else, right? Hey, when it comes to the waiver wire, usually there can be some fascinating names out there.  We'll have to wait and see.

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THAT ALEX RIOS RUMOR KEEPS POPPING UP

The latest out of Texas is that the Rangers would like to trade Alex Rios.  The Yankees have been linked to this guy for a few days now.  I need to tell you though, While Rios and his numbers are good in Texas, I almost feel like it's gonna be Vernon Wells "lite". Then again, we need a bat... and maybe Rios is the guy, especially if we don't give up a lot. 

Now, just to be clear, I liked Wells, I really did. I just don't know why he didn't catch fire in New York last season. Now there is an opportunity to get a bat in Alex Rios. But the question is, do we need this guy?

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.com:

Among teams that have checked in on #Rangers’ Rios, from my sources and @jonmorosi’s: #Mariners, #SFGiants, #Yankees, #Reds.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2014

Now the bigger question is... what do Yankee fans want?

Can he help us?

What do you think? Comment.

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YANKEES ARE WORKING ON A DEAL FOR ALEX RIOS

It's being reported that the Yankees have new interest in Alex Rios and are "feverishly" trying to acquire him.  I'm not sure I'd go as far as "feverish", but I DO know they want offense and a righty bat with pop.  That being said, Rios hasn't exactly lit it up the past few years. He reminds me of Vernon Wells...we don't need another one of them.

Scott Merkin of MLB.com has it more realistically saying that even if the Yankees want him, Rios still needs to waive his no-trade clause.  His tweet is here:

Yankees have renewed interest in Rios. But a move to Yankees would need Rios to waive no trade
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) July 30, 2013

I would love to see if there is a way to unload Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes for Rios, although my ultimate pickup would be Michael Young from the Phillies for one or both of those guys.  The latest on Young is he would consider a trade to the Red Sox.

That's if you read Jayson Stark:

If Phillies can't trade Young to Texas or Boston, trade to Yankees is still a last-minute possibility. Stay tuned
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 30, 2013

The Yankees are still a possibility and I like that.

It's trade deadline time... and we need the help. Who will it be?

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RUMORS IN YANKEELAND: PART 3

The end of July will be here before we know it! That means teams are trying to make deals before the trade deadlines comes. Some teams are looking to buy, like the Yankees. Others are looking to sell their players. We like to be buyers because we love to talk about the names we hear in the rumormill. Let's face it, this year we need to be buyers more than ever. So let's get to it!

Raul Ibanez: Seattle Mariners
Who wouldn't want him back? We were devastated that the Yankees didn't resign him during the offseason. He could be available again....maybe. The Mariners are still trying to decide if they want to be buyers or sellers by the time the trade deadline rolls around but realistically....they are sellers. They are 14 games out in their division and it is going to be very hard to catch Oakland or Texas. Larry Stone of the Seattle Times wrote HERE that the team is going to have to decide if his great presence in the clubhouse and fan appeal is worth the money he is being paid. If they were going to trade him they may take into consideration where he would like to go considering his tenure and reputation with the organization. If it came down to it....I really hope that he would choose to come back to us. It is possible. The Mariners are rumored to be looking for pitching. The Yankees are rumored to be shopping both Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain read that HERE. Both of them could perform better in pitcher friendly Safeco field. It may sound like a stretch, but you can't blame me for daydreaming right? If it does happen just remember you heard it here first!

Michael Young: Philadelphia Phillies: He makes sense for the Yankees. He can play both first and third base and would give Lyle Overbay some much needed breathing room. The last thing the Yankees need is for Overbay to go down, because there is no clear fill in and I would probably crawl into the fetal position at this point and start crying. But enough about that. I could see Young taking turns at both first and third on a regular basis. He hits for average with a .289BA, 26RBI and 6HR. His power numbers may not be the most impressive stat but he will put the ball in play, which is something we always need. Also worth noting, it has been rumored that the Phillies are interested in possibly trading Young because they need bullpen help. They were rumored to be interested in Joba Chamberlain, read that HERE. Sounds like a match to me!

Alex Rios: Chicago White Sox
The White Sox are going to be sellers. They are 14 games out in their division and are looking to shed some payroll. I like Rios because he has a good combination of speed and hitting. So far this season he has stolen 19 bases. He also has a .282BA with 11 homeruns and 40 RBIs. He could really help this team out. He can also hit both lefties and righties, so he wont be neutralized easily. Adding him to the outfield is an upgrade right now, as he has a better batting line then all of the Yankee outfielders as a whole. If we get him, he could be a long term investment for us. He is signed through 2015, and the Yankees could buy him out the last year of his contract. The White Sox would throw in some money also so that means he isn't very expensive. With Curtis Granderson's contract up at the end of the year there is some room there if the Yankees are interested in adding him. It's an interesting idea.

Russ Canzler: Looking for a new home!
Remember him? We had him before we signed Travis Hafner, but once we signed him the Yankees designated Canzler for assignment. The Orioles then picked him up and have also let him go. He may not have impressed during his short time with us....but he makes sense now. The Yankees struggle with hitting lefties. It's a constant struggle. This year in 82 plate appearances down in Triple A he has crushed lefty pitching and his line of .415/.531/.815 looks pretty impressive right about now. If the Yankees can pick him up off of waivers again, or sign him if he elects free agency he could be a key bench player for us. He would be a platoon player at first base with Overbay. The Yankees can also put him in left field on nights that they choose to DH Vernon Wells. And if an emergency situation pops up then he could also play third in a pinch. He is versatile and can hit lefties. I think he is worth a shot.

So that is it for rumor patrol....for now. We will definitely be listening for more names and writing about them as the trade deadline gets closer. Do any of these names interest you? Tell us!

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

 
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BIG TRADE RUMORS IN YANKEELAND

Michael Young: George King III of the New York Post (HERE) has the best nugget so far this year.  With Kevin Youkilis out, and Alex Rodriguez still out, he's suggesting maybe the Yankees would be interested in Young.  King says: "One feature that makes him a good fit in The Bronx is that he isn’t signed beyond this season, when he earns $16 million. The Rangers are paying $10 million of that. Essentially, the Phillies owe Young $3 million for the rest of the season.

Another is that Young wouldn’t get in the way of players such as Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson coming back from the disabled list. That would be the case with White Sox outfielder Alex Rios, who is a turnoff because, though he hits right-handed, he is owed $12.5 million next year and a $1 million buyout on a $13.5 million club option for 2015."

Jesse Crain:  Crain is a White Sox reliever.  According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (HERE): "Don’t rule out the Red Sox on this one.... But there will be others vying for Crain, including the Orioles and Yankees."  I would prefer to go after hitting and starting pitching, but you never know what is on the Yankees' minds.

Ricky Nolasco:  According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com (HERE) Nolasco may be an interesting fit for the Yankees, although the Orioles are also looking at him.  Frisaro says: "In the AL East, the Orioles have been keeping tabs and filling out scouting reports on Nolasco. The Yankees are managed by Joe Girardi, who managed Nolasco during his 2006 rookie season." Not sure what Joe managing Nolasco in 2006 has to do with anything, I mean Girardi has managed Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia too and they aren't exactly lighting it up lately.  Anyway, we'll keep an eye on the Nolasco rumors.

Chris Carter: According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, the Yankees may be interested in the first baseman. "Carter is an interesting righthanded bat the Astros would move for the right package of young players. The Yankees are a possibility since they need a righthanded hitter who can play first base and the outfield." Cafardo also says Carter strikes out alot, and he does.  109 times so far in 2013.

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IT'S ALL WHITE SOX IS CHI-TOWN. YANKEES LOOK FLAT

The New York Yankees entered the Tuesday night match-up against the Chicago White Sox with a multitude of concerns.  The Yankees' division lead, that was once 10 games, had shrunk to 4 games as the Tampa Bay Rays surged into contention.  Furthermore the Yankee bullpen entered Tuesday's game with an 0-2 record and an 8.03 ERA over the last five games.  If that was not enough, Yankee starter Ivan Nova had pitched poorly of late, and he entered the game leading the league in extra-base hits allowed.

Yankee fans were momentarily comforted by a Derek Jeter HR to lead off the game.  Nick Swisher followed with a single to center and later scored courtesy of a Curtis Granderson RBI fielder's choice.  The Yankees led 2-0 after a half inning.  Nova yielded a hit and a walk in the bottom of the first, but escaped otherwise unscathed to preserve the 2-0 lead.

 

After the first two Yankee batters scored, the New York offense disappeared.  Over the next five innings, the Yankees managed four singles, a walk, and zero runs.  Meanwhile, one of the Yankees' worst fears materialized.  Starting pitcher Ivan Nova was putrid.  The first four White Sox hits that he allowed completed the cycle.  Dewayne Wise singled in the first, Alex Rios tripled in the second, Paul Konerko hit a HR in the fourth, and Alexi Ramirez doubled in the fifth.  In that fifth inning Nova got even worse.  He allowed four runs on the Ramirez double, a walk, another Wise single, and a Kevin Youkilis grand slam HR!  The White Sox led 6-2.

The game was effectively over at that point.  Russell Martin did manage to hit his 14th HR in the seventh to cut the Chicago lead to 6-3.  Derek Lowe relieved Nova in the bottom of the seventh inning, but he immediately allowed two hits, including the third DeWayne Wise hit of the game.  Following a walk to Adam Dunn, the bases were full of Sox.  Lowe managed to retire Konerko via strike-out and Alex Rios via ground ball to Cano, and the Yankees "escaped" with the Chicago lead holding at 6-3 through seven.

 

The Yankees did nothing in the eighth inning.  Chicago managed to score a run in their half of the eighth on an AJ Pierzynski triple and a Gordon Beckham RBI single to right that gave the Sox a 7-3 lead.  Facing a four run deficit in the ninth, Yankee prospects were bleak at best.  New York had not won a game all year when trailing after eight innings.  The Yanks were true to form.  The game that Jeter began with a bang, ended on a whimper, a weak fly out by Jeter to right field.   

 

In 1921, a former major league player characterized the New York Yankees of that season as the "best worst team in either league."  With a minor modification and a literary license, that phrase could be adjusted slightly to describe the 2012 Yankees.  I would say the current squad is the "worst of the best teams in either league."  The 1921 Yankees did not win the World Championship.

The 2012 verdict remains in doubt, but the unhappy final tonight was Chicago 7 - New York 3, as the Yankees continued in the wrong direction.

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

Twitter: @yankeefrank23



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