Yankees baseball blog

Who's eating what in A.J. Burnett deal to Pirates

The Yankees continue to work on a trade that would shed A.J. Burnett. Talks haven't stalled, but a significant hurdle that remains is how much of the remaining $33 million on his contract they will have to pay.

The Pirates are the only team known to have engaged with the Yankees regarding Burnett.

The righthander has two years left on the five-year, $82.5- million deal he signed before the 2009 season, and for a trade to get done, the Yankees likely will have to eat a sizable portion of that. Just how sizable, and the quality of player -- or players -- the Yankees might get in return from the Pirates, are the primary elements holding up a deal.

"Ten million isn't going to get it done," an industry source familiar with the Yankees' thinking said Friday. In other words, with the players being discussed, the Pirates would have to pick up more than $10 million of the $33 million Burnett is owed. For the Yankees to eat close to $23 million, the source said, the Pirates would have to surrender much better players than the ones who have been discussed. The source said the Yankees have yet to receive a "legitimate" offer. (continue)

 

A.J. who?, Yanks boost pitching staff with trade for Pineda

The Yankees’ quiet offseason morphed into a blaze of activity Friday as the Bombers mortgaged perhaps their top young talent — slugger Jesus Montero — in a four-player trade to add a promising young starter and then agreed with veteran free-agent righthander Hiroki Kuroda on a one-year contract, too.

The Yankees are sending Montero, who thrived last year during a September call-up and would’ve been their primary designated hitter in 2012, and Hector Noesi to the Mariners for righty Michael Pineda, an All-Star last year, and Jose Campos, a right-handed pitching prospect, two baseball sources said. The trade won’t be finalized until all the players involved pass physicals, the sources said.

Kuroda, meanwhile, agreed to a one-year deal worth $10 million, which is also pending a physical, one of the sources said. The Yankees had long been interested in him, but shied away from his price tag, which was $13 million-$14 million for one year at the beginning of the offseason. Kuroda will be 37 next month, but he was 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA (ninth in the National League) in 32 starts for the Dodgers last season, striking out 161 in 202 innings. (continue)

Yanks sign Freddy Garcia to a one year deal

In reaching agreement with Freddy Garcia on a one-year contract for about $5 million, the Yankees retained a veteran pitcher they liked and alleviated their anxiety about engaging in a free-agent market that doesn't impress them and a trade market that doesn't encourage them.

Garcia, 35, will earn about $5 million to pitch for the Yankees next year, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed. The New York Times first reported that Garcia and the Yankees were closing in on a deal.

Garcia was 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) in 2011. He and Bartolo Colon stunned the Yankees with excellent results in 2011, helping the team record an AL-leading 97 victories. A Garcia return particularly interested the Yankees because he pitched fairly well for the White Sox in 2010, because of Garcia's leadership in the clubhouse and because of his youth relative to Colon, 38. (continue)

Yanks pick up Swisher's option

The Yankees' offseason plans are officially in motion.

The team announced last night that it had exercised the 2012 options for both Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher, locking up both players for next season.

“This is my favorite thing to do in the world and my favorite place to do it,” Swisher told the Daily News last night. “To have another year in pinstripes, I couldn’t be happier.”

Cano’s $14 million option was a mere formality, as the second baseman has blossomed into the best all-around hitter on the team, hitting .314 with an average of 27 home runs and 104 RBI over the past three seasons.

Swisher’s situation was a little less certain, as there had been whispers during the past week that the Bombers were considering a change in right field.

Swisher, who spends most of his offseason in Los Angeles, hadn’t spent much time worrying about the option or following the hot stove rumors.

“Being out here in L.A., you’re a long way away from all that,” Swisher said. “You just take it day by day. Regardless of what people say or write, until it’s official, you always think about what’s up next. Being back in New York, I couldn’t be happier." (continue)

C.J. Wilson on Yankees radar

With so much still in front of the Texas Rangers this October, it's tough for Nolan Ryan to predict whether his club can re-sign ace lefty C.J. Wilson, a pending free-agent starter who is a likely target for the Yankees.

But Ryan, the Rangers president and CEO, knows "there are going to be challenges there" in vying to retain Wilson's services. That's probably where the Yanks come in.

"You know that there are going to be some clubs out there that have a lot of resources that are always looking for pitching," Ryan said, responding to a question about recent speculation linking Wilson and the Yankees, who are desperate to improve a subpar starting rotation.

"Every ballclub in baseball is always looking for pitching, so when you have someone of C.J.'s caliber that's going on the market, you know there are going to be challenges," Ryan added. (continue)

Mitre out, Millwood in

The Yankees just added another "low-risk/reward" option to their stable of pitchers.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman used the phrase Thursday in describing Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, and it is just as apt a description for veteran righthander Kevin Millwood, whom the team signed to a minor-league deal on Friday morning.

The deal will be similar in structure to the one signed by Garcia, who will get $1.5 million in base pay if he makes the roster and could earn about $3.5 million in bonuses.

Millwood, likely to start in the minors, will provide insurance for the Yankees, who could announce the winner of the fifth starter derby as soon as today.

The Yankees jettisoned one of the contenders, albeit one who was a long shot, for that job Friday, announcing they had traded Sergio Mitre to the Brewers for 28-year-old outfielder Chris Dickerson, who has appeared in 173 career Major League games with the Reds and Brewers. (newsday)

Millwood makes sense for Yanks

The Yankees’ search for the fourth and fifth starters may be headed outside of George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Though the Yankees believe they can fill the gaping holes in the back of the rotation from within, they are contemplating signing free-agent right-hander Kevin Millwood.

A source yesterday described the Yankees’ interest in 36-year-old Millwood as “strong.”

What remains to be seen is what type of contract the Yankees and Millwood may agree on. Veteran right-handers Freddy Garcia (one year at $1.5 million, plus $3.6 million in performance bonuses) and Bartolo Colon(one year at $900,000) are in camp on minor-league deals. Millwood could be looking for a major-league contract. (Post)

Yanks sign Freddy Garcia Oh My

With the holding pattern continuing on Andy Pettitte, the Yankees added another hedge for their starting rotation by coming to terms Monday on a minor-league contract with veteran righty Freddy Garcia, according to a baseball official.

The Yanks also took a chance last week on 37-year-old Bartolo Colon, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2009, also on a minor-league deal.

Garcia, 35, was in spring training with the Mets in 2009 while recovering from a shoulder injury, but he was released in April after two ineffective appearances with Triple-A Buffalo. He posted a 4.34 ERA in nine starts later that season for the White Sox before reestablishing himself last year with a 12-6 record and a 4.64 ERA in 28 starts for the White Sox. He will earn $1.5 million if he makes the Yanks' roster, with more than $3.5 million available in incentives. (News)

Yes that Bartolo Colon signs a minor league deal with Yanks

How desperate are the Yankees for starting pitching? They signed Bartolo Colon Wednesday to a minor-league contract and will take a look at him in spring training to see if he has anything left.

Colon, 37, couldn't find a job in the majors last season. The righthander last pitched in the majors in 2009, when he went 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA for the White Sox.

Colon's contract is non-guaranteed. If he earns a spot on the major league roster he'll earn $900,000 plus incentives. (News)

Yanks sign Soriano to set up Mo

The Yankees made their biggest splash of the offseason Thursday night, signing relief pitcher Rafael Soriano to set up Mariano Rivera and give them the best bullpen in baseball.

According to a source close to the negotiations, the deal can be for as many as three years and $35 million, but Soriano can opt out after either the first or second year. The Yankees had to get creative with the contract in order to land Soriano, who would have been a closer almost anywhere else.

The agreement is pending a physical. 

Soriano had 45 saves for the Rays last year to lead the American League. The 31-year-old gives the Yankees an accomplished shutdown duo at the back end of their bullpen. Add in Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and Pedro Feliciano and their relief corps is the scariest in the sport. (Post)