THERE'S A SNAG IN THE SONNY GRAY TRADE

We are 21 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training and Sonny Gray is still a Yankee, surprisingly. The trade we've heard is going to happen hasn't yet. The Red's and Yankees have agreed on the package for the trade, but it sounds like the Red's are looking for a little more before the deal is final. So, what's the holdup?

Neither team has commented on the close to done deal that would send Gray to the Reds in exchange for second-base prospect Shed Long and a compensatory draft pick. The Reds and Yankees are in agreement with their negotiation....but now the Reds want to negotiate with Gray.

At the end of the season Gray is set to become a free agent. If the Reds are going to send a draft pick and their seventh best prospect who could be MLB ready as early as next season, they want a longer commitment from Gray, so they are trying to negotiate an extension. Jon Heyman tweeted the details over the weekend.

The Reds have been interested in Gray all off season, and maybe the connection with new pitching coach Derek Johnson will make this negotiation with Gray easier. Obviously delaying free agency isn't something players are interested in doing. If Gray went to the Reds with no extension and had an incredible bounce back season he might get a big payday from another team. In that case, the Reds lose a top prospect and a draft pick for a one-year rental if they can't sign Gray in the off season. They are already concerned about attracting pitching as it is.

But the Reds have been making upgrades with one-year rentals all winter. Other recent additions include Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Tanner Roark, and Alex Wood. If the Reds can add Gray to the rotation he would be the third notable pitching addition to the rotation since the Reds acquired Roark from the Nationals and Wood from the Dodgers in other deals last month.

I think negotiating an extension with a player is always hard, but maybe the Reds have reason to be confident here because of the connection with his old pitching coach. This could be a win-win scenario here for the Reds. If they can negotiate another year or two with Gray and he has a bounce back season with them it will be good trade for both sides.

Gray said he wants to "play somewhere you're wanted" and it's clear the Reds want Gray, and reconnecting with Johnson could be the best thing for him. Here's to hoping that we hear some good news at the end of this long holiday weekend.

It's time to move on and get this deal done, best of luck to you Sonny.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

SONNY GRAY'S FATE MAY DEPEND ON CC'S HEALTH

The Yankees are trading Sonny Gray....soon.....eventually.....when the time is right.

We've heard that for months now. That time might not be right until Spring Training or after the regular season starts once they are more confident in CC Sabathia's recovery. The good news is CC was cleared to resume baseball activities and is expected to be ready to report on time to spring training, read more HERE.

Rumor has it eleven teams called and inquired about Gray. Nothing enticed the Yankees enough to move him yet, and maybe that's not a bad thing. It sounds like CC is recovering well, thank goodness. But if this hadn't been the case and Cashman was quick to move him for just an "okay" trade package then it could've lead the Yankees to making additional moves that could've been avoided or worse unprepared for the season. I'm glad Brian Cashman waited to see how this was going to play out.

So now we sit and wait. CC does have a five game suspension he will have to serve once the regular season starts for throwing at Rays catcher Jesus Sucre, but it will only be a matter of time until we see how CC pitches. If he struggles, then at least Gray is there to fill in.

Or maybe we get the best case scenario here and CC has no issues and we take Gray into Spring Training and he pitches well. In a dark and twisted way CC's heart condition gives the Yankees more leverage because keeping Gray is now more valuable to them.

The Yankees built their rotation and traded for James Paxton without even considering Gray as a part of their future. He was expendable before, but now he is protection for CC. Why would teams come forward before with good trade offers? The Yankees didn't have a good reason to keep him, so there wasn't a reason for teams to part with better players. Now the Yankees can be even more selective.

But not too selective. The longer they wait, the harder it is to get the value they want out of this trade. The Yankees have already looked at offers for Gray including a three team trade with the Braves and the Rangers but that didn't get far. The Yankees targeted several of the Reds top prospects including Taylor Trammell but both sides have stopped their talks and the Reds acquired Tanner Roark and Alex Wood instead, so they are no longer a trade partner. Recently the Brewers and the Padres have shown a lot of interest but on paper the Padres and Yankees just don't match up well unless the Yankees want prospects. Their major league talent isn't enticing and it doesn't sound like the Padres will give up their better prospects for one year of Gray.

As much as I would like to see the Yankees end their experiment with Gray, I know Cashman is being smart with this. Baseball is so unpredictable. I never would've guessed that Sonny Gray's fate could be determined by CC....but it definitely looks like it could.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj