Yankees baseball blog

Joba Lecture

BASEBALL GREATS CHAMBERLAIN AND LESTER TO HEADLINE SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT LECTURE SERIES EVENT

Fairfield, Conn. –Joba Chamberlain, 23, of the New York Yankees and Jon Lester, 24, of the Boston Red Sox will share the spotlight at Sacred Heart University on Tuesday, January 27^th, 2009. The two pitchers will take part in a “Hot Stove Conversation” in the William H. Pitt Health and Recreation Center on campus at 8 P.M.

Tickets, which will be available after December 3^rd, will be $20, with children under 12 admitted for half-price. SHU students are $5 and staff members, $10. Those in attendance are invited to suit up for the occasion and support their favorite team. To purchase tickets, contact Pam Barnum at 203-371-7846 or barnump@sacredheart.edu.

The University has recently hosted such well known speakers as former New York City Mayor and presidential candidate, Rudy Giuliani, and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Yankees have cards in their favor for 2009 World Series run

The Yankees have made three mighty splashes in the free agent pool this winter that addressed their multiple mandates for the offseason. So how much better are they after spending $423.5 million (so far) on the best starting pitcher available, the best position player available and a second elite starter? Will their incumbent players be better or worse? How about the manager?

Here's a look at the status and the verdict of each.

Keep in mind, of course, that this analysis explores the team at this moment. Now that the Yankees have signed all these free agents, they may trade someone such as Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher. Plus, they might add a fifth starter - Andy Pettitte? - or insert one of the kids into the rotation instead. Continue

Yankees may go with Phil Hughes if Andy Pettitte balks

Before the Yankees signed Mark Teixeira, they told Andy Pettitte's camp that the pitcher's chances of rejoining the Bombers would be in jeopardy if they signed another big free agent. Now that the Yanks have landed their new first baseman, the odds of Pettitte being a Yankee next year are "55-45 against," according to a baseball official familiar with the Yanks' plans.

Instead, the official said, the Yankees may turn to Phil Hughes, who blew his chance in the rotation last year because of a combination of injuries and ineffectiveness, as a starter behind CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain. Hughes is still considered one of the Yankees' best young players, and many in the organization are eager for him to have another shot. Continue

High Marks for Yanks' new lineup and A-Rod/Teixeira combination

Managers throughout the American league got handed a puzzle for Christmas. They now have to figure out how to negotiate the heart of theYankees' lineup. The 1-2 punch of Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez is so potent, people are going to lose sleep over it.

"It's the latest embarrassment of riches," one baseball official said.

Scouts around baseball are actually wondering aloud about how Bombers manager Joe Girardi is going to line the duo up. Teixeira gets on base so often, he could put Rodriguez in position to drive in a ton of runs. But if Teixeira hits behind him, it's unlikely that a team would opt to pitch around A-Rod. Continue

Latest bombshell shows Yanks won't repeat old mistakes

The most obvious reason is money. That is why Mark Teixeira is a Yankee today.

We are talking about an organization that now has the four largest contracts currently in play in the majors with the outlays this offseason for Teixeira ($180 million) and CC Sabathia ($161 million) falling in behind the 10-year wallet-busters the Yanks already have bestowed Alex Rodriguez ($275 million) and Derek Jeter ($189 million).

If you are angry about this, especially considering our worldwide economic plight, then know you will be joined by 29 other teams and the commissioner's office. Continue

Yankees reach preliminary agreement on eight-year deal with Mark Teixeira

Out of nowhere, the Yankees have swooped in and have reached a preliminary deal to sign free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira to an eight-year contract, the Daily News has learned.

According to sources the deal is for $180 million, including a $5 million signing bonus and a full no-trade clause. In the past the Yankees have had a steadfast policy against giving no-trade clauses.

Until Tuesday, the Yankees were mostly interested observers of the high-end Teixeira sweepstakes with the Red Sox, Angels, and Nationals all doing the active bidding for the power-hitting first baseman. Continue

Yankees agree to one-year deal with Chien-Ming Wang; avoid arbitration

The Yankees agreed to a one-year, $5 million contract with Chein-Ming Wang Monnday, avoiding salary arbitration with the 28-year-old righthander.

Wang was 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 starts this year before injuring his foot while running the bases in Houston on June 15 and missing the rest of the season. Even having missed half of 2008, Wang's 46 wins over the last three seasons are the eighth-most in the majors over that span.

Wang made $4 million this year after losing in arbitration. Continue

Yankees on fringes of Teixeira talks

Despite agent Scott Boras' efforts to get the Yankees involved in the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes, the Yankees remain on the periphery of the bidding, sources said yesterday.

Early yesterday, SI.com's Jon Heyman reported that in the wake of the Red Sox's decision to step away from the negotiating table, the Yankees (and Angels) were back in dialogue with Boras about Teixeira. The article also said the Yankees had discussed parameters of a possible deal with Boras.

Two sources confirmed that Boras and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talked Friday, but they said it was Boras - not Cashman - who initiated contact. Continue

CC Sabathia's contract makes him a bonus Bomber

CC Sabathia receive $9.5 million from the Yankees before he throws his first official pitch in pinstripes.

His $161 million, seven-year contract includes a $9 million signing bonus, according to details obtained Friday by the Associated Press. By the time the Yankees open at Baltimore on April 6, he already will have received $6 million of that bonus plus $3.5 million of next year's salary. Continue

Yankees usher in new era with pair of aces, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett

CC Sabathia may be a California kid, but as of Thursday, he is officially a New Yorker.

The pitcher many believed would leave money on the table to pitch in his home state was formally introduced Thursday at a Yankee Stadium press conference, one that also marked the introduction of A.J. Burnett.

Not only did Sabathia get his introduction to the New York media, he also got a pep talk from the biggest Yankee fan there is - George Steinbrenner. Continue