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New York Yankees: Detroit Tiger-ees Want To Win Now Too

Posted by on 25 January 2012, 9:02 am
Prince Fielder This image was moved from File:...

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Guess another team, the Detroit Tigers, finally got the memo, since Prince Fielder will be waving goodbye to the Brew Crew as the slugger is heading to the Motor City.

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported agent Scott Boras got the Tigers to agree to a nine-year, $214 million contract for Prince’s talents.

Once the news broke that catcher/DH Victor Martinez would be out for all of 2012 after tearing his ACL in a pre-season workout, the Tigers had to go big to stay relevant in the AL.

And answering with Prince Fielder certainly does just that.

Actually, I was a tad stunned that Detroit made such a Yankee-esque move to fix things. The Tigers now join a handful of teams that have started recklessly spending money and handing out monster contracts, just like the Yankees have done for years.

YOU’RE WELCOME TIGERS:

In my opinion, it is about darn time that MLB owners started spending some dough because win or lose, it sends a clear message that they are invested in winning.

New York fans understand this concept because the Yankees wrote this memo and it went out a long time ago.

This remains very much today, as clear from Hal Steinbrenner’s press release after the Yankees early 2011 ALDS exit:

“I personally share in our fans’ disappointment that this season has ended without a championship. That is, and always will be, our singular goal every season. I assure you that this disappointment will strengthen our resolve to field a team in 2012 that can bring a 28th championship to the Bronx. That work starts now.”

This offseason, the Yankees were slow out of the gate but in the end the Boss’s son remained true to what his father always promised.

As what could comfort a fan-base more than to know the owners will go above and beyond to put the best possible team on the field everyday with only one goal, to win.

TIGERS IN 2012: Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Detroit Tiger-ees Want To Win Now Too’ »

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New York Yankees Hot Stove: Red Sox Been Caught Stealing

Posted by on 6 December 2011, 1:46 am

Wally the Green Monster getting a little loose.

The 2011 Winter Meetings are officially underway down in Dallas, Texas and New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman has yet to make any noise.

The Yankees have not been shy about being quiet, and look to stay that way because the team is already pretty good.

Not that the Yankees are devoid of need, but they are nowhere near desperate enough to pursue a starting pitcher that is not of Cliff Lee-type caliber.

The Yankees would be more serious about Texas Rangers pitcher CJ Wilson, if his demands were not outrageous. Wilson reportedly wants something around 6-years at $100-120+ million, which is mind-boggling.

Look the Yankees have no problem with excessive spending but to fork over ace-type money for a middle of the rotation arm would be stupid. Wilson is more likely to get that from the Marlins or Nationals, who both seem to have retained the Yankees off-season shopping habits.

One move that Cashman should make this week is to resign 10-time Gold Glover Andruw Jones. Jones was a perfect fit in 2011 as a sub for Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson, as well as filling in at DH.

Jones is a right-handed hitter who can rake against lefty pitching. As a Yankee, Jones had 152 at-bats vs. lefties; he hit eight doubles, 12 homers, 31 RBIs and drew 22 walks.

When Jones started games the Yankees, as a team went 39-19; and when Jones made a cameo the team finished 52-25.

Jones did play all season with fluid in his knee, but according to Marc Carig at the Star-Ledger it has been “cleaned-up” as Jones had it drained straightaway after the season.

Even though Cashman stated early today to ESPN New York that these meetings are really to discuss “higher end type” stuff, and he did state why:

“I can’t spend a lot on the smaller stuff right now, even though they are important players.” 

Well, the new rumors flying around is that the party boys in Boston are interested stealing Jones. Cashman might reconsider playing the waiting game for too long; or else the Red Sox’s might get their grimy beer paws all over him.

The Red Sox supposedly want to use Jones in a more everyday role in the outfield, which could be more appealing than coming off the bench in the Bronx. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: Red Sox Been Caught Stealing’ »

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New York Yankees Hot Stove: Why Not Ryan Madson

Posted by on 17 November 2011, 10:16 pm
Ryan Madson signing autographs before the Marc...

Ryan Madson got hung out to dry. Image via Wikipedia

In case you missed reading the NY Post earlier this week, ex-Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon inked a 4-year, $50 million dollar deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Papelbon didn’t waste any time getting the heck out of Beantown, but who can blame him?

A good bet would be the newly ex-Phillies free agent closer Ryan Madson, as it certainly sent his agent Scott Boras into a tailspin.

Boras had declared to be a day away from finalizing the 31-year old Madson, a four-year, $44 million dollar deal to stay in Philadelphia. The Phillies claim that Boras was told that the team’s president vetoed the deal due to length and money; but in typical Boras-form he went to far and got his client screwed in the process.

Madson has been a Philly for his entire 9-year career, and was arguably the team’s best set-up man before converting successfully to a closer last season. In his new role, Madson posted 32 saves in 34 attempts and pitched 60+ innings in total. He gave-up just 16 earned runs, two homers and struck out 62.

So where would Madson fit with the Yankees?

It is no secret that the Yankees are looking to add another starter this off-season, but the realities of a bleak market might not allow for that to happen. So, why not bolster up the bullpen.

I am well aware that Madson is a righty, but in 2011 lefties bats averaged .198 against him, and 28 of his 62 strikeouts came against them too. This makes Madson lethal no matter if a batter hits from between his legs.

Yes, the Yankees do have Robertson and Soriano to set-up for Mo. Then there is Joba, who at the earliest, will return in June; Soriano spent a third of last season on the DL; and Rivera will be 42-years old and morality could set-in at any moment and the possibility that he retires at the end of the season.

Look, if you learned one thing from this past postseason is the importance of a dominant bullpen. This is no new news but after starting pitching hogged the October spotlight for years, the 2011 postseason just reaffirmed that there are other ways to meet success.

As for Madson, too bad he is a Boras client because he put him in this place as he makes players believe they are worth more and in turn teams back out. ESPN New York‘s David Schoenfield said it best, that Madson a bad risk at $40-plus million. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Hot Stove: Why Not Ryan Madson’ »

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New York Yankees: One, Two Princes Stand Before You

Posted by on 12 October 2011, 3:19 am

Imagine this scenario…. it is mid-December 2011 and the New York Yankees just sent word to the media that they would be holding a press conference at 2pm at Yankee Stadium.

The news spreads fast, and at 1:55pm both fans and haters of the Yankees were already tuned in to hear what this was all about.

As skipper Joe Girardi came to the podium, the camera flashes to a row of seats behind him. You saw both baby Steins, Pres. Randy Levin, GM Brian Cashman, the Captain, a man who looked a lot like super agent Scott Boras and what looked like a midget, but it was just Lonn Trost.

Even with all the swirling uncertainty of this situation, Yankee fans couldn’t control the butterflies in their stomach; while the Yankee haters’ faces were turning an all-to-familiar red, as their body temps were raising fast.

So when Girardi started repeating the exact words from when the Yankees welcomed CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett before the 2009 season, it felt like déjà vu all over again:

“You realize how fortunate you are to be the Yankee manager when you get a chance to sit in that clubhouse, but you also realize how fortunate you are to work for people like the Steinbrenner’s’; who make that commitment every year to put the best team on the field they can. And I thank you very much.”  (Click HERE to watch  – 12-18-2008.)

Ok…. WTF is all that came to mind, and the Yankees skipper went on to say:

“Well, since we disappointed everyone by not reaching our annual goal in 2010; my bosses wanted to make sure that never happens again. Huh..Huh..Huh… so they went out and added not one Prince, but two Princes for the pinstripes.”  (Fictitious quote).

And out walks Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols (aka Prince Albert), already donning their new Yankee uniforms. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: One, Two Princes Stand Before You’ »

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MLB Trade Rumors: K-Rod Heading To Milwaukee Not The Bronx

Posted by on 13 July 2011, 12:34 am
A picture of Francisco Rodriguez I took Openin...

Image via Wikipedia

Sports Illustrated just confirmed via tweet from writer Jon Heyman, that New York Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, also known as K-Rod, is starting the second-half in Milwaukee, as a Brewer.

K-rod got traded to the Brewers about five minutes after Brewers Prince Fielder hoisted the All-Star Game’s MVP Award, as the NL beat the AL 5-1 and for the second year in a row.

So, what did the Mets get in return?

Two players to be named later, as they had to send cash to the Brewers to help eat some of K-rod’s remaining

The Mets did not want to be stuck with the $17.5 million option on K-rod’s contract for 2012 if he clocks 55 saves, a road that K-rod was heading down.

How the Mets players will feel about what message this sends with half the season left is how skipper Terry Collins and GM Sandy Alderson handle it in the next few days. What it tells me is that the Mets are vending but are not sellers, so don’t go thinking Jose Reyes or Carlos Beltron are next.

It gives the Mets needed financial flexibility, so cheers to GM Alderson for continuing his cleanup in Queens.

What are the Brewers getting?

A 29-year-old closer who is posting a 3.16 ERA with 23 saves, in just over 41 innings in total.

At one point K-rod had 19 saves in a row, but how the Brew-Crew will use K-rod remains a mystery as John Axford is already well cemented as Milwaukee’s fulltime closer.

Well, guess that means K-rod is not going to be a Yankee, even with his new agent being Scott Boras jamming him down their throats.

Let’s see how well K-rod can handle being a set-up man, as if he does the Brewers will be a tough team down the stretch.

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Breaking Bad News: New York Yankees Sign Kevin Millwood

Posted by on 25 March 2011, 12:12 am

What the heck is New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman thinking?

Signing Kevin Millwood to any contract is absurd, but according the Sports Illustrated Jon Heyman’s tweet this is happening:

#yankees are close to signing kevin millwood to an incentive-laden minor-league deal

Heyman followed with another tweet that confirms this even more:

millwood would need a few weeks to be ready, so #yankees will begin year with either garcia or colon as no. 5 starter

Does Cashman think that Millwood is going to be better option than Bartolo Colon or Freddie Garcia?

Scott Boras

Image via Wikipedia

I do not think Millwood is the way to go, as I previously wrote New York Yankees Rumor: Please Pass On Kevin Millwood with ample amount of reasons why this would be another pointless signing.

Cashman should be pleased with how things have gone this Spring Training because I certainly was not expecting Colon to pitch so well.

Of course, instead Cashman panics again and makes the Yankees a nursing home for about to be forced into retirement players.

Remember Millwood’s agent is Scott Boras who tends to jam the Yankees with his brainwashing crap or god knows what to get them to constantly pick up his scrappy clients.

Not happy about this one, and I hope to god this is not being done in case Nova struggles a little in April. I would expect Nova to struggle in his first season and learn from the tough situations. Remember, the Yankees need to let these youngsters form in the bigs not jump ship when things get tough.

I do not feel good about this considering the season starts in seven days.

 

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New York Yankees Rumor: Please Pass On Kevin Millwood

Posted by on 17 March 2011, 12:29 am

Free agent pitcher and ex-Baltimore Oriole Kevin Millwood is back or never left the New York Yankees radar.

According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post the Yankees attended a showcase for pitcher Kevin Millwood on Wednesday at UC-Irvine, according to a source.

Early in the winter, Millwood rejected a minor league offer from the Yankees that was rumored to be in the six figures. Millwood wants a major-league deal somewhere around $4 million bucks, which is way more than he is worth.

Millwood has been a durable pitcher throughout his 14-seasoned career, making an average of 34 starts a season. In 2010, as an Oriole, Millwood had a 5.10 ERA, over 190 innings but posted a record of 4-16. He also gave up 30 home-runs and 108 earned runs, not conducive numbers to bring to Yankee Stadium.

It comes as no surprise that Millwood would be asking for such a high salary since his agent is Scott Boras, who tends to inflate his clients true worth to a point where they believe it. Millwood is not getting any offers at the price he wants and that should speak loudly enough in itself about his unrealistic terms.

Supposedly, Cashman even gave in a little offering Millwood a salary in the low-seven figures but would not budge on signing him to a minor league contract.

All I can say is thank God because the Yankees have better options in Colon, Garcia and Nova. Boras is trying to sell Millwood as an innings eater, but when you lose games because a pitcher is allowing runs to score cancels out that possibility.

No Millwood in pinstripes….PLEASE

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