BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME XV

We are in the final stretch of the spring training waiting period and I have cabin fever!  Saturday is the first official workout day for Yankees pitchers and catchers and I am hopeful that we see more than ARod drama when the rest of the team reports.

On to some Hot Stove news...The Los Angeles Dodgers could be a market for a steady, hard throwing relief pitcher.  According to the Los Angeles Dodger Public Relations Department, "This morning at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Dodger pitcher Kenley Jansen underwent surgery to remove a growth from a bone in his left foot." He is expected to be out 8-12 weeks and is certain to miss the first month of baseball.  "There are still a couple of relievers on the free agent market with ninth-inning experience — like Francisco Rodriguez and Rafael Soriano — so look for the Dodgers to seriously explore those options," states NBC Sports.  Jansen had 44 saves in 49 attempts last season with the Dodgers with a 2.76 ERA. This is a tough blow for Don Mattingly and his team.

WEEI's Rob Bradford reports that "According to one source, at no point during the offseason did Boras hint that he was concerned Scherzer wouldn’t get his money, potentially leading to a more palatable reduced rate. In the end, the former Tigers hurler inked a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Nationals."  Bradford goes on to say that "Cole Hamels rumors or not, this potentially ace-less collection has already dug in on believing they are all the Red Sox need."  The collection he is referring to is  Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Joe Kelly.

According to MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, after signing a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles yesterday, the team has invited 32-year-old utility infield Jayson Nix to spring training workouts.  Good for Jayson.  I always thought he added something to the injury-ridden Yankees.  I hope he does well but not against us.

Finally, a word of tribute to the late great player and mentor Tony Gwynn.  In an interview on the MLB Network with Ted Leitner, the voice of the San Diego Padres and the San Diego State Aztecs, Gwynn brought a sense of honor and presence to the young people of the sport of baseball.  Earlier this week, the Aztecs retired Gwynn's number in the opening game of the season.  "Leitner introduced the unveiling of a No. 19 out in right field to a standing ovation. There’s also a new mural above the right-field wall that depicts Gwynn alongside murals of Golden Spikes Award winners and former SDSU baseball players Stephen Strasburg and Travis Lee," reported a senior staff writer at The Daily Aztec.

Guys like Gwynn need to be remembered for what they brought to the game- hard work, determination and leadership.  These are three cornerstones to a successful team, both on and off the field.  So, let's remain hopeful for the Yankees this season as we enter in the final days before pitcher and catchers report.  That's Hot Stove...see you next week!

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



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YANKEE FANS TO COVER JANET JACKSON'S 80's SMASH HIT

Enough is enough. Yankee fans everywhere have had it.  We have done NOTHING as a club! And the question is... WHY NOT?

Andrew Miller was a great pickup. I loved that move. Could not be happier...

but meanwhile, David Robertson and Brandon McCarthy took a hike, we watched pitchers like Rick Porcello and Justin Matherson get snatched up by rival Boston, and we're standing around with our dick in our hand and no aggression or urgency at all? What gives?

Yesterday it was revealed that the Yankees liked Sergio Romo.  Yet, Brian Cashman couldn't confirm that that was happening. In fact, he skirted:

“If it’s the right guy, I have no problem signing a (reliever) to a major league deal... If it’s the right guy; if it fits with everything else we’re also trying to accomplish. We also have a lot of good young arms. It’s just, we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. We have trade opportunities, so it can come in a lot of different ways whether it’s from within, whether it’s non-roster invite, major league signing from the free agent market, or trade. It’s tough to say right now.”

That statement, while appears important, is not.  It's filler, and to be honest, I've been pretty supportive of the job Cashman has done, but now I'm pretty unhappy.  Moves are happening everywhere... but not in the Bronx.  The Winter Meetings is the time to make deals.  Trust me... I will not be happy if we end up signing a guy like Barry Zito (BARRY ZITO IS IN DEMAND APPARENTLY) because we missed out on everyone else... you know what I mean?

Here's what might happen.  Now that Rick Porcello is gone, most likely the Tigers need to sign Max Scherzer becomes bigger.  They will do whatever it takes to keep him.  The Yankees, no doubt in panic mode, will attempt to sign this big fish in a way to keep Yankeeland from exploding.  But over shooting and offering this guy 7 years and a whole lot of money will only make Yankeeland angrier! 

The problem is, the Tigers will go in full force for Scherzer... and the Yanks won't be able to offer just 4... it won't happen.  This uncertainty will surely blow up in Cashman's face and the Tigers will get their pitcher back.

Cashman has not signed a quality starter, starters that are available. This is the same Brian Cashman by the way, that has stated he's doing his best to give us a solid rotation for 2015.

Was not offering David Robertson a contract a good idea? That's debatable. Some like it, some don't, but here's the reality;  We could use an extra reliever now that he's gone, and if we just signed him, well, we'd be in Starting Rotation mode right about now. Instead, we're scrambling for replacement parts. Clearly Cash can't walk and chew gum at the same time.

Was letting McCarthy walk a good idea? Well, for 4 years and $48 million... yes it was.  I like McCarthy, but not at that tune. 

Was letting Shane Greene get traded away for Didi Gregorius a bad move? Well... before all hell broke loose at the Winter Meetings, I was OK with it.  Now... now that DRob's gone... now that Brandon McCarthy's gone... I'd say letting Greene get traded away truly sucks. 

Brian Cashman appears to be that cashier at Target that can't handle the long lines and discounted prices and chaos all around him during the Christmas crush. It's too much for him, but it's his job!  As the General Manager of the New York Yankees, we, the crowds surrounding him want to see action!  Yes, Yankee fans are selfish and greedy and there's a reason for that.  WE'RE THE NEW YORK YANKEES.

We have a tradition of winning and getting the best players.  We spend hundreds of dollars to go to a single game with our family and to be perfectly honest with you, I don't want to go to a Yankee game knowing that our franchise player we have is Brett Gardner.  No disrespect to Brett Gardner... BUT... BRETT GARDNER?????

So, to you Brian Cashman. To you Hal Steinbrenner, guys I've defended... but I'm losing my patience right now...

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?"  What have you done for us fans this week? WHAT?

Fix it, we're fed up.



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BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME V

Well, we have some movement folks!  No more Fall flat-lining from Yankeeland! There is life in Brian Cashman's purse and with the Winter Meetings in full swing, and, for a moment, there were some inklings that Cashman would make four year deals with Chase Headley and David Robertson.  Then word got out that DRob made a mad dash to the Chicago White Sox for 4 years, $46 million. I guess he got impatient!

The one thing the Yankees have and no one can ever take away is tradition.  There is something to be said about legacy and history and there is honor in wearing pinstripes.  Otherwise why would Andrew Miller leave four million dollars in Houston in exchange to play in the Bronx?  "The Yankees have a perennial expectation of capturing the World Series title. Miller said he got to watch as his 2013 Red Sox won a ring and finally participated in his first playoffs in 2014 with the Orioles. He said pitching in the postseason was “the most fun I’ve ever had” and that he believes the Yankees give him the best chance to return," reported NJ.com this week.

Perhaps we will see the same with Headley. He now has a taste of the New York state of mind.  According to the New York Post article entitled, The 10 people to keep an eye on at the Winter Meetings, "Cashman — armed with the Yankees’ budget and brand — will engage in discussions with his own free agents Chase Headley, Brandon McCarthy and David Robertson, while looking for other pitching and bench upgrades."  Love Headley. McCarthy, I could take or leave.  Robertson was one of us... but now he's gone. 

I am still swallowing the Nick Markakis trade to Atlanta last week.  My student worker @KennyMac1985 is still trying to coming to grips with the loss of his team's franchise player.  "Markakis, the Orioles’ first-round MLB draft pick in 2003, was a rare homegrown product, playing his entire nine-year major league career in Baltimore and quickly becoming a fan favorite after cracking the Opening Day starting lineup as a 22-year-old rookie in 2006," stated an article in the Baltimore Sun last week.  I bring this up because the Orioles have put themselves in an awkward position.  Dan Duquette, Orioles VP, is rumored to be up for the Toronto Blue Jays' President and CEO opening. The Orioles have a lot going on, and with the heat off the Yankees a bit, according to MLB.com questions looming the O's include, "Should Duquette add to the outfield through trades or free agency? Will parting with a starter be a necessary move to plugging other holes? And how will the O's invest the money they saved on not retaining Cruz and Markakis?"

According to CBS Sports.com, Justin Masterson talks are heating up with the Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins and Chicago's two teams in hot pursuit.  "Masterson broke into the big leagues with the Red Sox and he is very familiar with Cubs bosses Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer from their days in Boston. The Cubs just agreed to a deal with Jason Hammel for $20 million over two years and are pursuing Jon Lester."

Finally, there is some chatter that the Angels could be shopping CJ Wilson.  Angels beat report Alden Gonzalez says that with the starting pitcher market being so thick, the Angels would have to eat some of the 34-year-old pitcher's contract.  Other action on the West Coast include talks centering around sending Jeff Samardzija to the Chicago White Sox. It's a done deal. He packed up and is meeting DRob at a diner somewhere in Chi-town.  As the Chicago Tribune reported before the move: "Samardzija is expected to test the free agent waters after 2015, and with the price of starting pitching continuing to rise to astronomical levels, there’s little reason to believe he would change his mind and sign an extension now."

Well, Shark is also Chicago bound, according to several reports:

Reports: The @whitesox add pitching, trading for Jeff Samardzija and signing @DRob30. http://t.co/sNfdb3f5Xc pic.twitter.com/iPIKWRoMMC
— Baseball Tonight (@BBTN) December 9, 2014

That's it for BYB Hot Stove.  Winter Meetings will continue to heat up.  Stay tuned for updates right here at BleedingYankeeBlue.com.

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



 


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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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WHERE THE YANKEES NEED TO BE LOOKING...

As the Yankees approach the All-Star break, it is probably time to look at the team and take a healthy, objective view of the state of the team. Last week, Joe Girardi made a statement that the starting rotation is not going to change before the break. We know that CC Sabathia is at least a month away and that Michael Pineda is not coming back before August. With the team less than 5 games over .500, it is time to make a move.

Vidal Nuno and David Phelps have done their best, and maybe they might become premier starters someday. However, it is clear that they are not going to get it done for us this season. While I am not saying that we should give up on them, we need to look at more experienced people. We here at BYB have made recommendations, but maybe it is time for a fresh look.

We like Jason Hammel. As a successful starter in the Chicago Cubs organization, there are strong rumors that he is on the market. He is 31 years old, and he is having a great season with the Cubs. He has an ERA of 2.81 and a WHIP of 0.984, while getting six wins in 13 starts. With more support, his record would probably be much better. His HR/9 over the season so far is 0.6, which would make him a very appealing option for the Yankees.

The rumor mill has had Kyle Kendrick’s name in lights all season, and maybe with good reason. Despite having an ERA of 4.09, he is the owner of a 2-6 record. Still, he his two wins in his last three starts, so momentum is positive for him right now. His 8 years’ of successful experience in the majors may be exactly what the Yankees need right now. Nevertheless, the Yankees would have to pick up his big contract, which comes with its own risks. Maybe the motivation of playing for a winning team might turn him around and make him a successful pitcher again.

Justin Masterson is a guy that should be available for the right price. The Cleveland Indians know that this is his contract year, and they may be ready to make a move. While he has success in his career, he has hit a rough patch lately. He is averaging just under 6 innings per start, and his ERA just peaked over 5. His K/9 is 8.1, which is still very good for a major league starter and a clear sign that he is still a strikeout pitcher. His HR/9 of 0.5 is well below league average, which makes him an appealing trade target for someone who may be pitching in homer-friendly Yankee Stadium. There is more downside on him in that he still gives up lots of base runners (WHIP of 1.524 this season). He is still 29 years old, and perhaps a little motivation may get his productivity moving in the right direction.

Bronson Arroyo’s name has gotten attention as a possible addition to the rotation. Honestly, it did not look very promising after a dreadful April and now he's on the DL for the first time in his career, read HERE. Nevertheless, in his eight starts since then, he has a 5-2 record with one no-decision and a combined ERA of 2.70. Opponents’ batting average over that stretch is .246, and their OPS is a paltry .664. He also has some endurance, having failed to come out for the seventh inning only once during that stretch, which may provide some rest for the bullpen. The Diamondbacks are having a terrible season, currently fighting it out with the Padres for last place. Could they be convinced that they are better off trading their 37-year old, 2-year, $23.5M pitcher for some young, future talent? The Yankees certainly have some advantage here, and they should consider it.

Whatever the Yankees do, they need to do something. Phelps and Nuno are not going to make this team competitive, at least not in the near-term. While the farm may have some developing talent, they are exactly that – still developing. This is the 20th anniversary of the last time the Yankees failed to reach the playoffs in consecutive years. Something tells me that they are not going to be giving out commemorative cups for that milestone. Unless they want that streak to end this year, they need to realize that a course-correction is overdue.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

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HEY HAL, IT'S TIME TO GET ANOTHER STARTER

Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner made a splash this past week at the Baseball Owners meeting, indicating he is ready to make a move to get the Yankees back on track. "We're always willing to look at options come July, come the trade deadline, and I think we've shown that.” He went on to say, quite forcefully, “But we're not going to ever lay down and die. We're going to do what we need to do [to] stay in it."

This should make every Yankee fan stand up and cheer. The last thing we need is another season like last year, where we spent the summer resigned to our fate. At the same time, trades resulting from itchy trigger-finger moves can have disastrous effects. With Ivan Nova out for the season, CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda out indefinitely, and Hiroki Kuroda still trying to reset himself, it is going to be critical that the Yankees find some help for the starting rotation and fast.

Regardless of whether or they make a move in July or this week, here are some of the starters the Yankees need to be looking at right now:

Jason Hammel is one starter that should be at the top of the Yankees list. Jesse Rogers from ESPN talks about how the Chicago Cubs, who seem to have an annual rite of trading away talent for prospects, expect to be marketing him. At 31 years of age, he is having as great a season as you can have for a team like the Cubs. He has an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 0.906, while only getting wins (4) in half of his starts. He is a fly ball pitcher (his GB/FB is 0.76) which makes him a bit of a liability in Yankee Stadium, but his HR/9 over the season so far is 0.8, which is respectable.

Justin Masterson is in the last year of his contract, and the Cleveland Indians may be ready to make a move. He is averaging just over 6 innings per start, and he has a decent ERA of 4.31. His K/9 of 8.6 makes him a good strikeout pitcher, and his HR/9 of 0.7 is below league average, which will keep the ball in the ballpark. The downside on him is that he gives up many base runners (WHIP of 1.380 this season), and that can spell trouble. Still, he is playing for a last-place team in his contract year, and a little motivation may get his game up (think Ichiro Suzuki when the Yankees traded for him). The question will be how much of what’s left of his $9.76M contract will the Yankees be willing to take on.

Brandon McCarthy is a wild card that the Yankees may look at. With a 1-6 record and 5.01 ERA this season, you may be wondering if there is anything of value here. One can explain the 1-6 record by the fact that he is playing for the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks. His ERA is mostly attributed to home runs allowed, but he is pitching in homer happy Chase Field (5th highest HR/Games in the majors). In his 2 season prior to going to Arizona, when he was pitching in Oakland, his ERA’s were 3.32 and 3.24. That was against American League hitting. He also has some good history against high-octane offenses like Boston and Detroit. Boston has hit .252 against him and Detroit .259 over his career. With his current season record, the Yankees may be at a strong advantage in trade negotiations.

Finally, Kyle Kendrick is a name that has made its rounds on the trade rumor mill, and one that the Yankees probably have on the wall of their war room. Despite having an ERA of 3.96, he is still looking for his first win after eight starts. We are sure he is ready to punch his ticket to anywhere. His 7+ years’ experience in the majors makes him a good candidate to get us to the finish line. The biggest area of concern is his home runs allowed, which has spiked this year. To his credit, this is the first year in his career where that is a problem. Maybe a little motivation, like playing for a winning team, might make him the diamond in the rough. The Yankees would have to pick up the remainder of the $7.675M owed him.

The Yankees will look into many that come up over the upcoming weeks and months, but we all agree that they have to do something. We cannot count on Sabathia returning to form AND Kuroda returning to form AND Pineda returning to form. The Yankees cannot afford to bet the season on those odds. It is time to pull the trigger and make a move.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

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SPLITTING GOOSE EGGS

So the Yankees played the Indians in a "old school" double header today.  In the first game, there isn't much to tell other than the Yankees were shut out and lost 1-0 by a very good Justin Masterson. David Phelps pitched for the Yankees and gave up 1 home run in the first inning to Jason Kipnis.  He struggled in the 7th but not another run was given up that game by Yankee pitching.  In the end, the Yankees didn't hit Masterson who pitched the complete game shut out. 

The highlight for the Yankees had to be Corban Joseph who played a real good first base. I was impressed.

Final for Game 1: Indians 1 - Yankees 0.

The Yankees pounced in the second game today.

Vidal Nuno started and how sweet it was.  He went 5 innings and gave up only 3 hits, zero runs. Adam Warren pitched the next 4 innings and got the Save.

Austin Romine doubled in the 7th and Corban Joseph scored.  Alittle bit later Jayson Nix singled and Romine scored. Vernon Wells hit and Brett Gardner scored and then the mighty Lyle Overbay doubled and Wells scored. Oh yeah and Ben Francisco reached on an error and that's when Overbay scored. Again, this all happened in the 7th.

It was a good attack today by the Yanks and in the end, alot of the kids got a shot in Game 2. It was nice to see.  A shut out by the Yanks to match the Indians shut out earlier in the day.

Final for game 2: Yankees 7 - Indians 0.  

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