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Yankees Hot Stove: Pettitte waiting to see what Yankees do

Posted by on 24 November 2012, 6:17 pm

The New York Yankees are all too familiar with this scenario that reportedly be decided by sometime next week according to the New York Daily News and also verified via a CBS Jon Heyman tweet.

And it is waiting for southpaw Andy Pettitte to decide whether he is coming back for another season in pinstripes? Or not?

Personally, as a Yankee fan (not a happy one this off-season) now more than ever I would love to have Pettitte back in 2013 for two reasons.

1) Every year Pettitte pulls a ‘Brett Favre’ I have wanted him to come back for the simple reason that the guy can still pitch. Even at 40-years old he can help win the Yankees games, and according to Hal Steinbrenner that is still the Yankees goal every season. So logically offering Pettitte $10 million, plus incentives for 2013 sounds fair to me. In 2012 Pettitte went 11-3 with an ERA of 3.28 and 101 strikeouts over 21-starts. Pettitte missed almost two-months when a ball ricocheted off leg and broke it but otherwise he was in perfect health. Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: Pettitte waiting to see what Yankees do’ »

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Yankees Hot Stove: Kudos on Kuroda signing

Posted by on 21 November 2012, 3:41 am
Hiroki Kuroda

Hiroki Kuroda (Photo credit: shinya)

Phew…was my reaction when I read the news via ESPN’s Buster Olney that the New York Yankees had re-signed starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda to a one-year, $15 million deal for 2013.

Kuroda was the Yankees best pitcher in 2012, posting a 16-11 record, with a 3.32 ERA over a career high of 219.2 innings pitched. In 33 starts, Kuroda pitched three complete games, two shutouts and held opposing bats to a .249 batting average.

My only concern is the 25-homers and 51 walks he allowed but Yankee Stadium is a hitters heaven so that does factor in but overall he exceeded all expectations.

Also, Kuroda was great when it mattered, in October. Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: Kudos on Kuroda signing’ »

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Yankees Hot Stove: Scott Hairston rumor

Posted by on 19 November 2012, 9:59 pm

If someone told me that the New York Yankees first move of this off-season would be the signing of OF journeyman Scott Hairston, I would laugh. 

Scott Hairston

Scott Hairston (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well, according to multiple sources (NY POST; SB NATION; BRONX BASEBALL DAILY) on the World Wide Web that might just be the case.

And not because inking Hairston is a joke but you grab him as bench after you deal with the legitimate vacancies that need to be filled first.

With Nick Swisher gone, the Yankees have an available starting job in right-field so what fans have grown to expect is that GM Brian Cashman will be inking a player who is expected to make-up the 24 homers, 93 RBIs and 77 walks that were lost.

Once this “new star” deal is done that is when Cashman adds a player like Hairston. He would also be a legit back up for when an everyday guy needs a day-off, and would be a valid filler if any of the starters got hurt, God forbid.

Hairston would be a legitimate cushion for the Yankees or any team to have off the bench, as he proved last season with the Mets. In 398 at-bats, Hairston hit 20-homers, 57 RBIs, while posting a .263 batting average.

Hairston’s 83 strikeouts and 19-walks obviously shows that he is not a patient hitter, which gives reason to his awful .299 OBP and the 10 double plays he grounded into.

No doubt Hairston is an ideal platoon/pinch-hitter for the Yankees but my inkling is that they are looking at him as more of an everyday outfielder that will share time with Raul Ibanez, which is scary to even imagine. Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: Scott Hairston rumor’ »

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Yankees Hot Stove: My Hal Steinbrenner conspiracy theory

Posted by on 17 November 2012, 4:11 am
September 20, 2010

September 20, 2010 (Photo credit: ladylovespins)

The latest rumor swirling around Yankee Universe is not a potential signing of a big name free agent to fill one of the team’s numerous holes.

It has been reported by the New York Times that media giant News Corp is close to a deal to own a minority share of the YES Network. The price is TBD but the YES Network is valued somewhere in the $4 billion range, of which the Yankees own 34%.

This means more money in the Yankees pockets as even though Goldman Sachs now owns the shares in question, the YES network will profit handsomely from the deal as it will certainly result in cost hikes for the cable companies and viewers.

And if the deal transpires it means more money in the Yankees pockets for years to come.

Just to give you an idea, in 2011 YES made an astonishing $224 million in operating income with $90 million going to the Yankees. So you can only image how much more money the Yankees will earn with News Corp at the helm.

This will make the Steinbrenner family’s global and expanding brand called Yankee Global Enterprises even more valuable. YGE includes the Yankees team, the YES Network, and other conglomerates owned by the Steinbrenner clan.

Essentially this also affords the Yankees the ability to spend money on big name players to improve the team. And technically even if the ball club took a loss the income coming in from YGE is so abundant it wouldn’t even matter; and since YGE is a private entity the profits do not have to be disclosed.

So my question is why is Hal Steinbrenner hell-bent on slashing the Yankees payroll to $189 million by 2014 if it hurts the Yankees winning now? As he is not planning on selling the team, right? Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: My Hal Steinbrenner conspiracy theory’ »

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Yankees Hot Stove: Hunter was not too expensive for Tigers

Posted by on 15 November 2012, 3:43 am

The New York Yankeeshot stove is about as ice-cold as it has been in years.

Angels Torii Hunter – 08-09-2011 – Yankee Stadium

But please don’t hang your hat on the theory that no news is good news here as there have been plenty of headlines about players hitting the free agent market and rejecting qualifying offers.

All fans can do is hope that something good is announced soon from GM Brian Cashman’s office, like the re-signing of catcher Russell Martin, along with southpaw Andy Pettitte and the team’s best starter in 2012, Hiroki Kuroda.

Now with Yankee Universe in disarray, other teams in the AL have taken notice, which makes this the worst time for the Yankees to become spend thrifty. This team has to retool, as you cannot rebuild with a depleted farm system.

TIGERS GET A HUNTER:

The latest news is that Detroit Tigers, who have eliminated the Yankees #28 hopes for the last two seasons inked outfielder Torii Hunter to a 2-year, $26 million deal.

Rumors immediately swirled that the Yankees were very interested in attaining the 37-year old Hunter, who hit .313 with 16 home runs and 92 RBI last season with the Angels. And this all made sense with the loss of Nick Swisher’s 24 homers and 93 RBIs.

But the Tigers moved faster and got the deal done. And the Yankees just sat and watched their biggest menace get that much better. Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: Hunter was not too expensive for Tigers’ »

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Yankees Hot Stove: Championships are not cheap

Posted by on 13 November 2012, 1:48 am

The New York Yankees enter this off-season with so many questions that when I started mulling over the issues as a whole it actually is pretty discouraging.

(Old) Yankee Stadium

(Old) Yankee Stadium (Photo credit: Joe Shlabotnik)

So to say that GM Brian Cashman has his work cut out for him might be the understatement of the century.

Cashman has been the Yankees GM for 15-seasons, making the postseason 14 times but this off-season is the one that will stamp his genuine merit because for the first time he is working under a budget. And the timing could not be worse.

This new frugal mentality has been well vocalized by Hal Steinbrenner with the end resulting in the team’s payroll standing at $189 million by 2014.

A while Cashman’s job description remains the same; to put together a postseason contending team but without your biggest resource, money.

Looking at the bigger picture there are so many holes to fill before the 2013 season this could not come at a worse time for the Yankees.

To give a quick summary the Yankees still have to pay for – 2 starting pitchers; 1 starting catcher; outfielder who rakes; closer; primer back-up closer; a legit SS and 3B backup; getting younger with a now depleted farm system…and that is just off the top of my head.

Now whether Hal, who does have the Boss’ blood in his veins, sticks with this plan is something only time will tell but so far he seems pretty hell-bent on making sure this happens.

One would guess that Hal, a numbers guy, realizes that by not investing the money needed to field a World Series caliber team could actually hurt the Yankees income more in the long run.

And here my five reasons why:

1) As I can guarantee that game attendance will drop significantly unless ticket prices drop drastically. Just like my dad always says, “Who wants to spend that kind of money to go watch a so-so team play?” Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: Championships are not cheap’ »

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Yankees Hot Stove: Martin vs Pierzynski

Posted by on 12 November 2012, 12:52 pm

Since the New York Yankees did not make a qualifying offer worth $13.3 million to catcher Russell Martin makes him a free agent, and gives GM Brian Cashman another vacancy to fill.

Russell Martin

Russell Martin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One would believe that Martin is the Yankees first-choice to bring back, as he is familiar with the pitching staff and got two big endorsements from ace CC Sabathia and Derek Lowe at the end of the 2012 season.

Sabathia had this to say about Martin via the New York Post, “I think it’s important. He’s been a great addition to our team, on and off the field. That’s not in my department, though. But we’ll have to just wait and see what happens. But he’s been great for us.”

And Lowe, who probably won’t be back next season in the Bronx but has plenty of street cred made a great point about Martin’s value, “There’s not many catchers that are going to hit you 20 home runs and drive in I don’t know how many he had, call a great game, throw guys out. From that standpoint, he’s a guy that’s only getting better.” Continue reading ‘Yankees Hot Stove: Martin vs Pierzynski’ »

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