YANKEES EYEING ANIBAL SANCHEZ, BUT WHAT ABOUT TY HENSLEY?

The Yankees rotation is struggling, and so when pitchers struggle, teams worry.  Not to get all nutty about this, but we do need guys that can get the job done at the top level, and there are plenty that will do it. If we know anything about the Yankees, they always try and do it on the cheap with spit and duct tape.  Right now they are looking at Anibal Sanchez.

WFAN writes:

"...the Yankees were one of several teams to watch Anibal Sanchez’s showcase workout in Florida on Friday. Sanchez held his workout at Florida International University in Miami, and according to Heyman, pitched at 90 MPH while hitting 92."

That's good. I mean look if someone like Sanchez can work for the Yankees and get them some wins, then dare I say why are the Yankees not eyeing a guy like Ty Hensley too?

If you saw his Pitch of Faith documentary, you know this kid has come all the way back from his obstacles and is literally the best he's ever been and you know what? 

He's still young.  Ty has been followed by BYB since 2012. We watched him all the way, and now with that DVS Baseball facility run by Justin Ordenduff, it's quite clear the Yankees should be taking a chance on him too. I've been reading plenty about DVS and it's really helping pitchers a lot. 

Hey, you want some stability? You want lightning in a bottle, Yanks? Sanchez looks good... but Ty Hensley will get you big time wins too. I have no doubt.

Happy Saturday everyone.

ANIBAL SANCHEZ SIGNS WITH THE TIGERS

That's right, this off season gets alittle nutty sometimes.  We originally told you that Anibal Sanchez was signing with the Cubs for 5 years, read CUBS TO SIGN ANIBAL SANCHEZ...MAYBE. Turns out, he may have been and the Tigers didn't want to let it happen.

Originally, it was reported that the Tigers didn't want to go 5 years on the guy.  I think once the Tigers realized they were about to have a hole in their rotation, they quickly jumped in, sweetened the deal and got him back.  Good for them.  The deal is for 5 years and $80 million... read Bob Nightengale HERE.

The original offer from the Cubs was 5 years and about $75 million.  When your dealing with that much money... what's $5 million, honestly.  I can't even wrap my head around that. 

Truth be told, I think Sanchez liked playing in Detroit, wanted that extra year and wanted to play for a contender... that's what it came down too... and money of course.

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THE CUBS TO SIGN ANIBAL SANCHEZ...MAYBE

12/14/2012 6:55AM: It turns out there was a ton of confusion last night on whether or not Sanchez was signed by the Cubs, and now, there hasn't been any decision.  According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (HERE), the Tigers are still very much involved and it all hinges on 5 years, something the Tigers weren't willing to do before.  Now that the Cubs have, the Tigers may, this could go down today.

Ken Rosenthal is all over the place. God bless him.  He reported that the Cubs and Anibal Sanchez were working toward a deal earlier in the day and now it can be revealed that Sanchez will in fact be signed by the Chicago Cubs. It will be a 5 year deal worth $75 million.  Read Rosenthal's tweet HERE.  Sanchez is yet another guy we here at Bleeding Yankee Blue thought perhaps could be a good fit in our own rotation. Read ANIBAL SANCHEZ: THE SHORT & LONG TERM FIX.

So yeah, more moves in Major League Baseball this offseason...

Hey, at least we got Youk...

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THE DODGERS COULD SNAG YOUKILIS FROM THE YANKEES

This story is coming from CBS Sports/ SI Fannation.com and I have no idea what to make of it, but it's interesting to say the least.  Yankee fans assumed the Kevin Youkilis to the Yankees deal would be done once the Cleveland Indians nailed down Mark Reynolds on Sunday night.  As far as we could tell, Youk was just thinking over the Yankees offer, and according to me, I'm sure he was trying to negotiate another year if he could... I mean, that's what Free Agents do. 

But then I read this piece HERE from CBS Sports/SI's Fannation.com and it got me thinking.  What if the Dodgers decide they want Kevin Youkilis and knowing what we know about the Yankees and our spending, how can we complete with the Dodgers? Well, we can't.  The Dodgers are out to prove they are the richest franchise ever and they don't look like they are done spending.  According to this smart piece, it says: "...the only question is who the next beneficiary will be. Two possibilities who have been discussed, according to sources: Kevin Youkilis and Anibal Sanchez. Youkilis seems to be a better fit than Sanchez, particularly since manager Don Mattingly told reporters last week that he plans to use Hanley Ramirez at shortstop rather than third base. That leaves Luis Cruz to play third, but also opens up the possibility that they could sign Youkilis to play there."

Look, the whole thing is interesting.  Yup... we're waiting on Youk, but let's hope we don't lose out to the Dodgers because let's face it Yankee fans, like Youk or don't, there aren't many options left for 3rd base... and we need someone fast.

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BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE PLAYER TRACKER #1

BYB will try and keep you up to date with a variety of these pieces over the winter, so make sure you continue to look at BYB for big names involved in the free agent process, as well as possible trades.

Kevin Youkilis: The Red Sox are looking at bringing back Youk, but now that Terry Francona is with the Cleveland Indians as their manager, there are reports that the Indians would like to possibly bring in Youk on board. Read HERE.  The Phillies have asked about Youkilis as well.

Anibal Sanchez:  Apparently Sanchez wants a 6 year, $90 million contract, you can read about that HERE.  Good luck with that.

Russell Martin: The Boston Red Sox have reportedly shown interest in Martin.  To be honest, this is nothing more than them seeing if he'd be interested but I believe there's some loyalty and a genuine love for playing for the Yankees and a deal will be made with he and the Yanks soon. You can read about the Boston story, HERE.

Billy Butler: The Baltimore Orioles have asked the Kansas City Royals about Butler, and the Royals are in need of pitching. That's the extent of this connection. I don't see this going anywhere though... Butler is Kansas City's Golden Boy and he'll stay. Read about it HERE.

Jeremy Bonderman: Bonderman is receiving a contract from the Detroit Tigers after expressing an interest to try and make a comeback.  Good for him. Read about it HERE.

 Josh Hamilton: The report is that the Phillies are "quietly" checking in on Hamilton.  But look, Hamilton wants a huge contract, and I wouldn't give the guy more than 4 years.  Anything more just doesn't make sense. Anyway, you can read about it HERE.

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REMEMBER WHEN THE YANKEES SPENT LIKE THE DODGERS?

You have to appreciate the Dodgers if you're a Yankee fan.  Jayson Stark of ESPN.com says that the Dodgers are gunning for guys like Anibal Sanchez, Zack Greinke and even Hiroki Kuroda...perhaps looking for alittle reunion after he had a successful season with the Yankees in 2012. Here is Stark's tweet:

Look, I get it, you need to snatch up guys you believe can help a club. I think back to the days when the Yankees went out every off season and signed the big name free agents and made trades when no one expected it.  Now we see Magic Johnson on the West Coast taking a page from the George Steinbrenner playbook, buying big talent to give his Dodgers a chance to win it all. It started last year with guys like Shane Victorino and Hanley Ramirez and so on... I like that.

Don't get me wrong, when young talent comes in and contribute to a club and they win, like for instance to 2003 Florida Marlins, that's impressive. But I was brought up in the Steinbrenner era.

I watched George sign guys like Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter, and later Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira and in the end, those names were part of championship Yankee teams.

Sure, we were accused of "buying" championships and to be honest, I never quite understood that logic.  Every team is given the same opportunity to pay for Free Agents.  It's not exclusive to teams like the Yankees or the Red Sox.  Look at the Miami Marlins last season. They ended up signing Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, Mark Beurhle and they were literally willing to pull the trigger to sign Yoenis Cespedes last winter until he decided to go to Oakland.  The point is Miami was trying to make a huge splash and there was plenty of expensive talent out there to help them win.  They went for it, they didn't win, but they tried.

Look at the Detroit Tigers trading for Miguel Cabrera a few years back and then last winter signing Prince Fielder,  to a huge contract! They made it all the way to the World Series this season, and if they were to win, do you think anyone would suggest they were "buying" a championship? Doubtful.

And remember when the Los Angeles Angels signed CJ Wilson and Albert Pujols? Big free agent names, yet, in the end, they didn't make it to the playoffs...but they sure did try signing those guys!

The point is, you sign guys you think can give your team a shot.  George Steinbrenner may have started it, but Magic Johnson is running with it now... and as a Yankee fan, I miss those days and I love to see what Magic is doing.  Hey, I may not be a Dodgers fan, but I love anything that's connected to Don Mattingly.  So hey, if Magic can make magic in LA for Donnie Baseball... let him, but at the end of the day, you know where my heart is... N Y C Baby... BX... the Yankees.

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ANIBAL SANCHEZ: THE SHORT & LONG TERM FIX

Everyone who follows the Yankees knows that in this past postseason starting pitching was a huge strength, and even during in the regular season it was pretty solid as well. However, going forward, it could very well turn into a weakness. There are many starters out on the free agent market that fix short-term problems, while there are few that also fix long-term problems. Anibal Sanchez is one of those guys who can fix both short and long-term problems, thus he should be a target of Brian Cashman.

I briefly talked about Sanchez in BYB’s first installment of free agent and trade rumors. In case you missed it, read BYB TRADE RUMORS & FREE AGENTS: PART 1. In it, I noted that Sanchez has been a rock for the last three seasons. Take a look at the table below to see how Sanchez has done the previous three seasons:

As you can see, Sanchez has been consistently dependable since 2010 (Postseason excluded). A large bulk of that (83 of 95 starts) came as a Florida/Miami Marlin, but when he came over to the American League this summer, he started off slow, but pitched relatively well the rest of the way. In his final 11 starts with Detroit, including postseason, Sanchez pitched to a sparkling 2.05 ERA while posting a very strong 4.8 K/BB ratio while allowing a miniscule 7.2 base hits per nine innings pitched. Is he going to pitch like that for the duration of a potential contract with the Yankees? Probably not, but either way, he has strong potential.

A big reason to sign Sanchez is not only for 2013, but for the years beyond that. Like it or not, the Yankees are on a somewhat tight budget based on how the roster is currently constructed. We need not only short-term fixes, but long-term fixes as well. Sanchez, who turns 29 in late February, is worth a four, or even five year, contract, as it covers the rest of his peak years. Also, if you look at the Yankees’ rotation, there are a number of question marks going forward. Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda could comeback in 2013, and that’s nice, but what about 2014 and beyond? Will Phil Hughes, who is a free agent after 2013, be in the team’s long-term plans? How about Ivan Nova and David Phelps? Will they step up and be reliable mid-rotation arms? Point is, if the Yankees sign Sanchez, he’ll relieve some stress.

Now, onto what kind of contract he’ll receive. There’s a chance that guys like Andy Pettitte, Kuroda, Mariano Rivera, Rafael Soriano, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, and Russell Martin could all be off the roster by 2014 when the payroll drops to $189M. With this in mind, signing Sanchez shouldn’t be a problem financially. I see Sanchez as a rock-solid number three, or even a number two, going forward. Signing him to a four year, $60 million deal would make sense. $15M per year could be a tad over what I’d preferably pay him per year, but it’s probably worth it. Like I said, Sanchez fixes not only short-term problems, but long-term problems as well. If the Yankees sign him, which I really, really hope they do, he would fit nicely right behind CC Sabathia in the rotation for 2013 and the years going forward.




--Jesse Schindler, BYB Lead Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @SchindlerJesse


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IS DAN HAREN A YANKEE TARGET?

After trading Ervin Santana to the Kansas City Royals, it is reported by Jim Bowden, HERE , that the Angels are still looking to trade Dan Haren, and the Yankees are most likely in the mix. Haren does have an option of $15.5M that I’m sure the Yankees would have to pick up most of, if not all of, if they acquire him.

Haren is coming off a season in which he posted a 12-13 record with a 4.33 ERA. He failed to make 33 starts while failing to reach the 200 inning plateau for the first time since 2004. He also posted strikeout, walk, and home run rates of 7.2 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, and 1.4 HR/9, respectively. The strikeout rate is OK, the walk rate is fantastic, while the home run rate is a bit frightening.

I might be in the minority, but call me a skeptic. Haren, who is now 32 years old, has most likely already seen his best days. He also has had back troubles as he was placed on the 15-day DL for such problems this past season while having the same problems the year prior. Of course New York would have to trade for him, and that costs prospects, though I’m not sure exactly who. Not to mention, they’re only getting one year of Haren, and they would have to sign him beyond 2013. It’s not that I think Haren’s a bad pitcher, it’s just I don’t think he should be Plan A, but that might be moot if he gets traded today. Instead, the Yankees should be looking into signing 28 year old Anibal Sanchez, who won’t cost prospects, draft picks, and could be cheaper financially, but hey, that's just me!

If you want to see another piece on Dan Haren, BYB put together this piece a while back titled WHY THE DAN HAREN CHATTER WON'T GO AWAY.  It's from November 2011...Casey would love to see Haren in pinstripes. Let's see who's right about this one.



--Jesse Schindler, BYB Lead Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @SchindlerJesse


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BYB TRADE RUMORS & FREE AGENTS: PART 1

It’s that time of year again ladies & gentlemen! As soon as Miguel Cabrera froze on an 89 mph fastball right down the middle from Giants’ closer Sergio Romo, the off-season had officially begun around Major League Baseball. Gotta love it!

With so many questions the Yankees have, you can argue that this is the biggest off-season since the off-season leading up to 2009. So, without wasting any more time, here’s BYB’s first installment of free agent and trade rumors leading up to the 2013 campaign. I'll have quite a few of these, so as you read them, share them, let's get the conversation going.

Shin Soo Choo: With Nick Swisher all but gone, one of the questions the Yankees have is who will play right field. In the free agent market, there are guys like Josh Hamilton, BJ Upton, Michael Bourn, Shane Victorino, Cody Ross, Torii Hunter, and many more. Those players are nice, but for my money Shin Soo Choo makes the most sense, though unlike the names mentioned, Choo would have to be traded for, but it’s worth it.

Choo currently has one year left before he hits free agency after next year, so theoretically it won’t take a king’s ransom to acquire him. He’s a Scott Boras client, so things could get tricky in trying to extend his contract if New York acquires him, but anything is possible. Either way, Choo would be a perfect Nick Swisher replacement. He’s a very underrated, five-tool type of player. The 30-year-old batted .283/.373/.441 with 16 homers and 21 stolen bases in 686 plate appearances. He also has a cannon arm and plays a solid right field. You may be wondering “What about Ichiro?” but don’t. I have a plan where the Yankees can have both Ichiro and Choo in their 2013 outfield. I’ll elaborate in another post for another day about Choo. Look for it.  Oh and by the way, read BYB's piece about Casey's thoughts on right field too in SWISHER VS. ICHRIO: THE RIGHT FIELD DEBATE.

Anibal Sanchez: I know starting pitching wasn’t a problem in the postseason, It was actually a huge strength, but you’d be foolish to not try to upgrade, and Anibal Sanchez would do just that. Sanchez is coming off a season in which he pitched to a 3.86 ERA in 31 starts for the Miami Marlins and the Detroit Tigers. He’s been a rock over the last three seasons, pitching to an even 3.70 ERA in that span while logging at least 195 innings each season. Like Choo, I’ll have a separate post just for Sanchez. Stay tuned.

Scott Hairston: Another hole the Yankees will need to fill is a power righty bat off the bench. After a strong 2011, Andruw Jones crapped out in 2012 and because of it he’s been shown the door (at least so we think). Scott Hairston would be a great addition to fill Jones’ void. Hairston mashed left-handed pitching last season batting .286/.317/.550 with 11 homers in 199 PA’s. However, after a strong 2012 with the Mets, batting .263/.299/.504 in 134 games, Hairston may be looking for a full-time role, but we’ll see about that. Hairston isn’t the only candidate to replace Andruw Jones as the power righty off the bench, so I’ll have a separate post highlighting some other candidates.



--Jesse Schindler, BYB Lead Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @SchindlerJesse


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IT WAS A YANKEE RUN PARADE IN MOTOWN

Game three in the series with the Detroit Tigers had more twists, turns, and subplots than space or time will allow us to discuss.  The Yankees entered the night having lost their last eight one-run decisions; that is the longest such streak that the Yankees have endured since 1944.  New York was also a miserable 6-12 in their last eighteen games played.  Conversely, Detroit came in riding a ten game win streak in games played at Comerica Park.  That total represented the longest home winning streak for the Tigers since 1949.

 

The Yankees also had lineup issues.  Curtis Granderson was 2 for 20 in his five game stint as lead-off hitter in the New York order.  Manager Girardi dropped Granderson to the six-hole and returned Derek Jeter to the lead-off spot.  Girardi's move paid immediate dividends as Jeter went 2 for 6 and sored two runs.  An added benefit was Granderson's night.  He went 3 for 5 with four RBI and two runs scored.  Granderson's immediate turn-around suggests that he was uncomfortable in the lineup's top spot.

The Yankees scored early pushing across two runs in the first inning on RBI singles from Eric Chavez and the aforementioned Granderson.  Staked to the 2-0 lead, Yankee starter CC Sabathia struck out four in the first three innings.  Meanwhile the Yankee offense flourished against Tiger starter Anibal Sanchez.  The Yanks added three runs in the third inning on a three-run HR by Curtis Granderson.  The Granderson blast was preceded by a hit batsman (Cano) and a walk to Chavez.  When Sanchez hit Cano, the home plate umpire issued warnings to both teams.  Cano was the third batter hit by pitch in only two and a half innings of play.

 

In the fourth inning New York gave the Tigers a dose of their own medicine by beginning the inning with three consecutive hits.  Casey McGehee doubled, Jeter singled, and Nick Swisher singled to right scoring McGehee.  Jeter later scored on a sacrifice fly by Teixeira.  The Yankees were up 7-0 in the middle of the fourth inning.  The Tigers pushed across a single run in their half of the fourth on a single from Brennan Boesch that scored Jeff Baker who had doubled to right with two out.  Yanks led 7-1 through four.

 

In the sixth and seventh innings, disaster befell the Yankees.  Sabathia yielded two runs on three consecutive Tiger hits as Jeff Baker hit CC again, this time for a two RBI single to left that scored Prince Fielder and Delmon Young.  That action cut the Yankee lead to 7-3 after six innings.  In the seventh, CC faltered again allowing two more runs on a hit by Austin Jackson and an error by third baseman McGehee.  CC was removed by Girardi having thrown only 94 pitches.  David Robertson relieved.

Robertson's performance nearly cost the Yankees a shot at a victory.  He faced eight batters, five men got hits; the last hit was a solo HR by Omar Infante.  In fairness. one Robertson hit was an infield single and another glanced off Teixeira's glove, as he made a questionable decision in attempting to field a ball that appeared playable by Cano.  Nevertheless, three runs scored, and the Yankee lead was 8-7.  New York held the lead after seven only because the Yanks had added a run in their half of the seventh on a Granderson double, a fielder's choice, and an infield RBI single by Ichiro Suzuki.

 

The Yankees needed some help, and it came from the beleaguered Tiger bullpen.  Even though Robertson allowed the Infante home run in the eighth, Detroit pitchers Phil Coke and Bryan Villarreal each yielded two runs in the eighth and ninth innings.  In the eighth, Coke allowed three Yankee hits, in succession, and Swisher and Cano scored.  In the ninth, pinch-hitter Jayson Nix and Jeter had back to back, two-out singles.  A balk by Villarreal and a single by Cano scored both runners in the ninth inning.

 

Boone Logan and Rafael Soriano retired the last four Detroit batters.  The torture was over and the Yanks had a much needed win on a night when Sabathia and Robertson both gave sub par performances.  Thankfully the offense carried the day against the Tiger starter and bullpen.  

 

The Wednesday night final was New York 12  Detroit 8.      

 

 

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

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CARLOS ZAMBRANO IS MIAMI BOUND

Just a quick post about Carlos Zambrano who, after 11 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, is leaving Chi-town for the Miami Marlins to be with his good buddy Ozzie Guillen. Read HERE. That pitching rotation now consists of Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Anibal Sanchez, Ricky Nolasco and Zambrano. That's a pitching staff I'd get behind.

In the past we've written about Zambrano when rumors were circulating last summer about Z and a possible connection to the Yankees. If you get a moment, read: THE CHI-TOWN CONNECTION.

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