Archive for the Yankees Category
GM meetings
6. November 2008 by gchacko.
- A potential three-way deal being discussed, that would send outfielder Hideki Matsui from the New York Yankees to the Seattle Mariners for a pitching prospect, perhaps Ryan Rowland-Smith. The Yankees would package the prospect with second baseman Robinson Cano and another young player to the Rockies for Matt Holliday. On the pitching front the Yankees will make their record-breaking pitch to C.C. Sabathia. If it fails, they’ll move on to A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe, and Oliver Perez. Joel Sherman of the post says the Yankees could get involved on Manny Ramirez, but only if they fail to sign Mark Teixeira and manage to trade Hideki Matsui.
- Ken Rosenthal says the Cubs are the frontrunner for Peavy, “perhaps even ahead of the Braves.” He says the Cubs also want to re-sign Ryan Dempster. The Cubs’ dream rotation would be Peavy, Carlos Zambrano, Dempster, Ted Lilly, and Rich Harden.
- ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote in his blog this morning that the Mets are probably not willing to go past three years for Francisco Rodriguez or any reliever. Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the Mets and Rays have had preliminary discussions about Edwin Jackson and Andy Sonnanstine. The Rays have some interest in Aaron Heilman, though the Mets would need to give more According to Peter Gammons, on ESPN.com. There as also a rumor that if the angles loose Texiera to the Yanks, they would turn their attention to the Mets 1b Carlos Delgado.
- Some Dodger officials have spread the word that Russell Martin will either be traded or moved to third base. However, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti recently told the Los Angeles Times that reports of him looking to trade Martin are ‘untrue.’
Around the majors… (NY)
5. November 2008 by gchacko.
Mets
According to a recent report in the Chicago Sun-Times, the White Sox intend to trade RHP Javier Vazquez this off-season in exchange for a second or third baseman. Chicago Tribune’s Dave van Dyck writes, ‘The Mets have interest in Javier Vazquez,’ according to a well-placed source at the GM meetings.
Last weekend, in the Boston Globe, Nick Cafardo wrote, “The Mets are still eyeing Mariners free agent Raul Ibanez. In a report for FoxSports.com, Ken Rosenthal writes the same, saying, “The Mets maintain interest in Ibanez, whom they tried to acquire last July.” He has hit at least .280 with 20 HR and a .350 OBP during each of the last four seasons with the Mariners.
The agent for free-agent Brian Fuentes told reporters that he will meet with Mets GM Omar Minaya during this week’s GM Meetings in California.The agent told reporters, regarding Fuentes, ‘New York is on our radar…I think he would be great there, he really thrives under pressure.” The early buzz surrounding Francisco Rodriguez suggests he is capable of landing a five-year, $70 million contract…
In a recent article, Marty Noble of MLB.com writes the following about free-agent 2B Orlando Hudson:
“From what I’m told, Hudson, a free agent, yearns to play for the Mets. I can’t be sure of that. I don’t know him. But what I know of him would suit the Mets’ purposes quite well. Whether or not Hudson wants to play at Citi Field, money will be a factor, and the $18 million owed Castillo can make it an issue.”
Yankees
Yesterday, the Yankees announced two transactions. They declined the 2009 team options for Jason Giambi ($22 million) and Carl Pavano ($13 million). However, Cashman did meet with Pavano’s agent, and has not ruled out the possibility of signing either player.
While the Yankees’ primary objective is to discuss Sabathia, there is also a possibility that the Yankees could go after Orlando Hudson, in the unlikely event that they trade Robinson Cano. Cashman has said that he intends to bring aboard “multiple” starting pitchers, with Sabathia and A.J. Burnett the top two available on the market. Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, announced yesterday that Burnett would opt out of the two years and $24 million remaining on his contract with Toronto.
Bobby Abreu wants to stay in the Bronx, but the Yankees are overloaded with outfielders {Melky, Damon, Gardner, Matsui and Nady}. It seems that Abreu, who hit .296 with 20 homers and 100 RBI, will be looking for a new home this winter. Chicago or either
Florida team would be a god fit for him.
Quiet October for the Yankees
27. August 2008 by JJK.
October 7, 2007.
It is seventy-nine degrees and partly cloudy.
Yankee Stadium -161st Street and River Avenue Bronx, NY
The Marines, The Navy and The Army are here.
Star Spangled Banner/F-18 Fly over!
56,358 fans!
Cleveland Indians vs New York Yankees - Roger Clemens started and he lasted only 3 innings and gave up three runs. He pulled his hamstring and was replaced by Phil Hughes. (I thought then that I was seeing the changing of the guards) I booed Clemens as he walked off the mound, but most people cheered.The bottom of 5th, Yankees are down 3-1 in the 5th. The Stadium is on the verge of either booing or cheering. It is deathly quiet. The Crowd is dying for the Yankees to give them a reason to cheer. Giambi struck out swinging (I’m thinking thank God one more year of this fat mess). Matsui singled to left(he’s a playoff stud, but how the hell did he age so fast?) Robby Cano doubled to deep left and Matsui went to third. The Melkman delivered a RBI single to left and Matsui scored and Cano went to third. Cleveland’s lead is now cut to 3-2. Johnny Damon steps up to the plate. (He had the Yankees first RBI in the 3rd when he singled in Matsui. I don’t care how bad Johnny is in the outfield, he’s a great player in October) Ball one! Ball two! Yeah take those pitches Johnny, two more and bases are loaded! The funny thing about potential hits are that half the stadium is always negative and they only cheer when they know for a fact that a hit is a hit. (That’s me) The other half will cheer pop ups to shallow center. Well, the third pitch to Johnny from Westbrook was hit hard and it sailed to right field and over the fences. 5-3 YANKEES! Everyone stood up and screamed at the top of their lungs and the Stadium literally shook. Some people threw their beers up in the air from the upper deck. The beer shined and glistened in the Yankee Stadium lights and it looked like shining confetti falling down to the main level. Nobody cared! The roar of the crowd echoed through my body and I screamed until I couldn’t scream anymore. HE crosses the plate and he proceeded to the dugout. The crowd is still buzzing. “Johnnnny DAMON!! CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP! JOhnny DAMON! He steps out and accepts his curtain call! This was the loudest I have ever heard the stadium. The Stadium was waiting for someone to give us a reason to cheer, and Johnny let us release all this stress and all this pressure that has been building up since we went down 2-0 to Cleveland. After the 5 inning ended, Johnny came out to take the field in left and the crowd cheered his name until he tipped his hat to acknowledge us. The Yankees went on to win 8-4. There was so much history involved in this. I was happy to have experienced this amazing Yankees’ Victory. It was Roger Clemens’ final game! Joe Torre’s last win as a Yankee Manager! There could have been more stats but I don’t recall any other.I might be a negative Yankee fan in saying this now, but I can say I went to the final Yankees Playoff win @ Yankee Stadium. There are still those positive Yankee fans that will cheer them on. They are probably those fans that cheer a potential hit even before it’s a hit, but I am the guy who waits until a hit is a hit to cheer. I am pretty sure that in October, Yankee Stadium wont even get to experience “Bronx Cheers”
Huge Series For Yankees
26. August 2008 by rich.
The Yankees begin a huge 3 game series tonight against the Boston Red Sox. They are 5 GB the Sox for the wild card and 3.5 GB the Twins who are battling with the ChiSox which is a whole other hurdle for the Yanks being that the loser of that division is right in the thick of the wild card race as well. This could be do-or-die for the Yankees. Win 2/3 or sweep, and they are still in the thick of things. Get swept or lose the series, things are looking down. This is the most important 3 games of the year thus far. Anytime you can beat the team that’s ahead of you in the standings and get that full game, it is money.
Here are the pitching probables for the series starting tonight in the Bronx:
Notes: There are 32 games left in the Yankees regular season.
Mets, Yanks opening dates set
15. August 2008 by Glendo.
according to the Daily News
The Mets will play their first game at Citi Field on Tuesday, April 14, against the San Diego Padres, according to Major League Baseball’s draft preliminary schedule for 2009. The new Yankee Stadium will open on April 16 with a game against the Cleveland Indians.
The current Yankee Stadium opened on April18, 1923, with Babe Ruth homering in a 4-1 win over Boston in the first game. The Yankees open next season at Baltimore, then go to Kansas City and Tampa Bay before the home opener.
The Mets start next season at Cincinnati on April 6, then travel to Florida before coming home for a three-game series against the Padres. On the day the new Yankee Stadium opens, the Mets also will be home, playing San Diego at night.
Back on April 17, 1964, the Mets opened Shea Stadium with a 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh, which got a home run and four hits from Willie Stargell.
Next season’s MLB schedule opens on April 5 with an ESPN Sunday night broadcast to be determined. The regular season is scheduled to end on Oct. 4. That means if the current postseason format remains intact, Game 7 of the World Series would be on Nov. 5 - the latest ending ever.
The Yankees may have one or two exhibition games at their new ballpark before the official opener. The Mets also may schedule exhibition games at Citi Field but have not made any decisions yet.
Season on the Brink
6. August 2008 by JJK.
The news on Joba doesn’t look good. Anytime a player is sent down to see orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews it’s not a good thing. (Jorge Posada) The Yankees don’t look like they have any fight left in them. There are too many teammates that are being taken away from this them. They lost their best pitcher in Chien-Ming Wang in June. They lost Hughes and Kennedy. They lost Jorge Posada for the season, and God knows when Matsui will return. The possibility of losing Joba looks like it may be the last straw that will break the Yankees back. It’s like soldiers on a battlefield. They will always have the drive to go out and fight, but when they see their comrades fall off there is nothing you can do to raise their spirits. And the Yankees spirits seem to be down. They are 7 games out in the loss column against the Rays, and they are 3.5 games back of the Wild Card. They have lost 7 of their last 10. The Texas Rangers were supposed to be the easy part of their road trip. The Yankees have started their road trip 0-2. They will face Texas’ Tommy Hunter. Hunter went 5 innings and gave up 6 runs against Toronto during his first career start. Sidney Ponson will try to right the ship for the Yankees tonight. He pitched brilliantly for the Yankees last week by going 7 innings and only surrendering 2 hits against the Angels.
Joba to Visit Dr. Andrews
6. August 2008 by rich.
The Yankees young right hander had an MRI on his shoulder this afternoon. Results were not immediately made available to the media or public. The Yankees will not release the results until Joba visits the infamous Dr. Andrews. This does not sound good.
Joba hurt…
5. August 2008 by gchacko.
The Yankees’ brightest budding star, Joba Chamberlain, left last night’s game in the fifth inning with a stiff right shoulder. Chamberlain might have hurt the shoulder when he lunged backward and did a near backward somersault while trying to get out of the way of Ivan Rodriguez’s throw to second base in the fifth inning. That play came with Ramon Vazquez on first base and Ian Kinsler at the plate. Kinsler hit a dribbler that eventually was ruled a foul ball but first appeared to be a double play - catcher to second base to first base. Chamberlain faced several more batters after that, walking Kinsler and giving up a three-run homer to Michael Young, but left with two outs in the fifth after calling for medical attention.
Yankees Ulitmate Road Trip.
4. August 2008 by JJK.
The Yankees(61-50) will face a tough road ahead of them in the next 10 days. They will be playing four games in Texas (58-54), then three in Anaheim(69-42), and then the last three against Minnisota(62-49).
The Yankees need to start winning series. This is the only way they can catch The Rays and the Red Sox. The Yankees are currently 6 games back in the loss column against the Rays, and 2 games back in the loss column against Boston. Last year this time the Yankees were 60-50, and they went on to win 94 games. That means the Yankees went on a 34-18 tear! It seems highly unlikely that they can go on that type of run this season unless they start to win series.
The Manny Watch Continued…
31. July 2008 by gchacko.
So far, the Dodgers, D-backs, Phillies and Mets are all reportedly interested in acquiring Ramirez. Now we can throw the Marlins into the mix,
which means just about every NL team with a legitimate shot at the playoffs that hasn’t already made a big trade is in the hunt.
The latest rumor drawing a lot of attention is:
Marlins get: Manny Ramirez, cash, prospect from Red Sox
Red Sox get: Jason Bay, John Grabow
Pirates get: Ryan Tucker, Jeremy Hermida, one prospect from Red Sox, perhaps another prospect from Marlins.
There is no tentative agreement between the Red Sox, Pirates, and Marlins.
- Boston Herald this morning wrote that the idea of the Red Sox trading Ramirez “continues to be more fantasy than fact.” It’s fun to play GM, though, and imagine where big-name players might end up. I think that’s what we’re dealing with in all these reported trade talks — possible scenarios, rather than likely destinations.
- Peter Gammons does not think Manny will be traded.
- Red Sox players took a wait-and-see approach Wednesday night to reports that Manny Ramirez could get traded before Thursday’s deadline.
“Every year this is like this,” catcher Jason Varitek said after Boston’s 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. “It’s totally out of our hands. I just think this team needs to take a step past this and start playing good baseball.”
