New York Yankees Trade Rumors

Damon says he may not be done with Yankees
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January 30
New York Post
 
"Not so fast. Johnny Damon says he could be playing for the Yankees again, if not this season then maybe next year. "I'm not ruling out not being in New York, whether it's not this year, or whenever it is, whether I start the season with them, or whether they trade for me at the deadline, or if they sign me next year, or what not. I love New York," Damon said this afternoon on WFAN. It was thought the outfielder and the Yankees had parted for good when the team signed outfielder Randy Winn this week. After a he said-he said exchange between GM Brian Cashman and agent Scott Boras, Damon confirmed today that he turned down a two-year, $14 million offer from the team. Still without a team for ..."
Yankees GM Cashman conjures budget woes to demonize Johnny Damon
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January 29
New York Daily News
 
"The headline of the baseball offseason isn't that the Yankees have Curtis Granderson now, that they have Nick Johnson and Javy (Game 7) Vazquez back, that they now have Randy Winn, who hit a total of two home runs last season, to share time in the outfield with Brett Gardner, who hit three. The headline is that the Yankees have a budget. We are supposed to believe that this budget is the reason that Johnny Damon goes now. Sure it is. Now you can take the Yankees at their word, buy this notion that they can't spend $200 million on baseball players anymore. But if you do, you sort of have to wonder if the team really is rolling in dough, the way we're constantly told. Printing money like ..."
Sources: Yankees, Winn agree to deal
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January 27
ESPN.com
 
"The New York Yankees have agreed to terms with free agent outfielder Randy Winn on a one-year contract, pending a physical, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. The contract is worth in the neighborhood of $2 million. The deal, in all likelihood, ends any chance that Johnny Damon will return to the Yankees. The Yankees now seem set with their outfield for the 2010 season. The 36-year-old Winn hit .262 in 149 games last season for San Francisco. Damon and his agent Scott Boras are trying to engage the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds as possible alternatives, a baseball source told ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. Boras has been successful placing many of his clients in Detroit, and ..."
Girardi on Damon : Never say never
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January 27
Bergen Record
 
"Joe Girardi has kept open the personal lines of communication with Johnny Damon, though the Yankees' manager isn't optimistic about writing Damon's name into his lineup again. "I don't see it getting done," Girardi said Tuesday. "But you never say never." Girardi was representing the Yankees at the Baseball Assistance Team dinner in midtown, and accepted the award named for his friend Bobby Murcer. Since 1986, BAT has raised more than $19 million for needy members of the baseball community. The manager described Damon's spirits as "great" during a recent phone conversation. "If he's not going to be here, we're definitely going to miss him," Girardi said. "But I thought Johnny was in a good ..."
Damon still a possibility for Yankees
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January 27
The Journal News
 
"Johnny Damon is still looking for a team, the Yankees are still looking for an outfielder, and the free-agent market is finally developing less than a month before spring training. But a reunion might be in the works just yet. "I don't see it getting done," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said on Tuesday. "But you never say never." Beyond premier left fielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay, the market for free-agent outfielders has been at a near standstill this winter, but it has shown recent signs of moving. Center fielder Rick Ankiel signed with the Royals on Monday, and former Yankees right fielder Xavier Nady reportedly signed with the Cubs — pending a physical — on Tuesday. The Yankees, ..."
Damon's return to Yanks highly unlikely
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January 27
MLB.com
 
"Johnny Damon was hoping to find his team by the end of this week, and it appears that his employer will not be the Yankees. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman all but closed the door on Damon's four-year tenure in pinstripes on Tuesday, telling MLB.com that the free-agent outfielder remains out of the club's financial reach. "I'm not having any discussions on him," Cashman said in a telephone interview. "His abilities exceed the money that I have." Cashman said the Yankees' main priority for the remainder of the offseason is acquiring a right-handed bat to help their outfield mix, which will likely send Damon in search of a new home."
Source: Cubs reach agreement with OF Nady
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January 26
Foxsports.com
 
"The Cubs are close to a one-year deal with free-agent outfielder Xavier Nady, according to a major-league source. Nady, 31, would will play right field against left-handed pitching and also spell Alfonso Soriano in left. However, the deal is contingent on Nady passing a physical, which is "not a foregone conclusion," the source said. Nady is coming off his second Tommy John surgery. The Cubs want to be satisfied that he can throw adequately before agreeing to the deal."
Yankees' door all but closed on Johnny Damon
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January 26
Bergen Record
 
"Johnny Damon's potential pool of suitors might have dwindled to a precious few, but the Yankees can't be considered a player for his services. Well, at least, not at these prices. Unless he's willing to take a drastic pay cut from the $13 million he earned last season, it would seem that Damon has played his last game in pinstripes. For now, he's no match for the Yankees' limited budget, and club ownership hasn't given any indication it would extend its payroll parameters. Without revealing any figures, general manager Brian Cashman said Monday that he has "very little dollars I can spend with" at this point. The club has penciled in Brett Gardner as its starting left fielder, though other ..."
Damon-NY talks may be soon resolved
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January 24
MLB.com
 
"It turns out talks between the Yankees and Johnny Damon are not totally dead yet. But it seems the free-agent outfielder now has a weekend deadline. SI.com reported Saturday that the two sides spoke again "within the past few days," and Damon has now been given the weekend to decide whether he wants to return to the Bronx on what would be a bargain deal. The Web site said Damon would probably have to accept a contract of no more than $5 million guaranteed and said the chances of that happening "still appear slim," meaning this on-again, off-again drama could officially come to a close by early next week. When they traded Melky Cabrera to the Braves for Javier Vazquez in December, the ..."
No deadline, only $2M for Damon
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January 24
New York Post
 
"Johnny can come marching home again, but only on the cheap. The Yankees have spoken with Johnny Damon's agent, Scott Boras, in recent days about the possibility of a Bronx encore for the outfielder -- even though club officials aren't exactly holding their breath. With only $2 million or so remaining in the Yankees' budget (perhaps a few extra dollars would be available in incentives), Damon is expected to say "No" one final time and hope for a better offer elsewhere. An Internet report yesterday indicated Damon had been given the weekend to decide on returning. However, general manager Brian Cashman denied that was the case."
New York Mets might make pitch to ex-Yankee pitcher Chien-Ming Wang
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January 22
New York Daily News
 
"The Mets are scouring the pitching market and have been in touch with Ben Sheets since they watched him at his throwing session in Louisiana on Tuesday. Another possible starting option is Chien-Ming Wang, who has been throwing for nearly seven weeks and could be pitching in the majors by May 1. The Mets are among 15 teams with interest in Wang, according to Alan Nero, who along with Alan Chang represents the former Yankee. Wang, who won 19 games in 2006 and 2007, is coming back from shoulder surgery and was non-tendered by the Yankees. Nero says Wang "has worked very, very hard and is in the best shape of his life. "He's been under the very watchful eye of Dr. (James) Andrews," Nero ..."
Johnny Damon running out of options; weighing retirement possibility
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January 20
Bergen Record
 columnist Bob Klapisch
"Slowly but surely, one closed-out roster at a time, Johnny Damon's horizons keep shrinking. On Tuesday, he found himself squeezed out from the Giants, who signed Bengie Molina and have officially exhausted their off-season treasury. That's troubling news for Damon, who's been counting on either the Giants, Braves or Yankees to rescue him from a gross miscalculation of the free-agent market. Remember back in November, when Damon refused to give the Bombers a hometown discount? Remember when he said that unless Brian Cashman was ready to pay $13 million a year, don't bother making an offer? Damon should've been careful for what he wished. No one has called, no one has that kind of money ..."
Dye, Nady drawing interest from Cubs
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January 19
MLB.com
 
"The Cubs are looking at free agents Jermaine Dye and Xavier Nady as possible fourth outfielders. A high-placed team official confirmed that both Dye and Nady are on the team's radar. Dye, who turns 36 on Jan. 28, is coming off a season in which he belted 27 homers and 19 doubles for the Chicago White Sox while driving in 81. His average, however, dipped to .251. A career .274 hitter, Dye could play both corner-outfield spots as well as first base if needed. Nady, 31, missed most of last season after undergoing Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery in July. A career .280 hitter, he has played for San Diego, Pittsburgh and both New York teams, most recently with the Yankees. He was ..."
Tigers have not shown interest in Johnny Damon
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January 16
Detroit News
 
"This one lasted less than a day. Some rumors are legit -- such as the Tigers having interest in Jose Valverde. Some aren't. Less than 24 hours after it was first reported that the Tigers were talking to free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon, it turned out they weren't. According to a Tigers spokesman, Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said the team "has not expressed interest" in Damon, MLB.com reported. Where there was smoke, in other words, there wasn't any fire. And frankly, there wasn't all that much smoke. It was never confirmed that the two sides were seriously talking. In fact, at least one media outlet reported Thursday that it was unknown if the "talks were serious.""
Shopping list down to LF after Yanks get Javier Vazquez
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December 23
Bergen Record
 
"In this winter following their world championship, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman hasn't been afraid to import and export some significant pieces toward a title defense. It's about upgrading for 2010, with a keen eye on the big free agent class of 2011. "Essentially, we're a lot better equipped as we move forward," Cashman said after bolstering the starting rotation with Tuesday's trade for right-hander Javier Vazquez. Since the winter meetings, Cashman significantly has upgraded center field with Curtis Granderson and he's improved a World Series rotation with Vazquez — who slots in as the No. 3 starter, in front of the re-signed Andy Pettitte. That has opened up a competition for ..."
Yankees acquire pitcher Javier Vazquez from Atlanta Braves in five-player trade
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December 22
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Pitcher Javier Vazquez will return to the Bronx for his second stint as a member of the Yankees after the team acquired the right-handed starter in a deal that has outfielder Melky Cabrera headed to the Atlanta Braves. Vazquez went 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA for the Yankees in 2004, before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a deal to acquire pitcher Randy Johnson. Last season in Atlanta, Vazquez garnered Cy Young Award consideration in perhaps his best season in the big leagues. He went 15-10 with a 2.87 ERA, and his 238 strikeouts were the fourth-most in the majors. Vazquez will provide durability and consistency to the Yankees rotation. He has thrown at least 198 innings and won at ..."
Vazquez deal may open door for Damon
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December 22
MLB.com
 
"The news that Javier Vazquez has become a Yankee came with the realization that Johnny Damon's time in pinstripes may not be over after all. The Yankees, once with a surplus of experienced outfielders, now have just two. And Damon is still searching for a job. The Tuesday trade that sent Vazquez to the Yankees in exchange for Melky Cabrera and two Minor League pitchers may wind up having additional Hot Stove ramifications. Cabrera, after all, was to be the team's starting left fielder, moving there to accommodate newly acquired center fielder Curtis Granderson. But now he is a Brave, and unless the Yankees plan on having Brett Gardner start in left, they will have to reenter the free-agent ..."
Yanks have deal with catcher Rivera
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December 22
Foxsports.com
 
"The Yankees have agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Mike Rivera, according to one major league source. Rivera, 33, will be invited to the team's major league spring training. New York currently has two catchers on its 40-man roster, Jorge Posada and Francisco Cervelli. Rivera batted .228 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 41 games for the Brewers this year. He was non-tendered by Milwaukee earlier this month."
Yanks, Braves chasing same free agents
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December 22
Foxsports.com
 
"The Yankees and Braves, after completing the five-player Javier Vazquez trade, likely will compete for the same free agents as they try to fill their remaining holes. Both clubs are interested in Mark DeRosa, who plays infield and outfield. Marlon Byrd, who plays all three outfield positions, also makes sense for both teams. The Braves' preference is a right-handed hitter such as DeRosa or Byrd, and they still need to address first base as well as left field. Right fielder Jason Heyward, one of the top prospects in the majors, figures to be in the majors this season, perhaps as soon as Opening Day. The Braves could go with an outfield of Heyward, Nate McLouth and Melky Cabrera. DeRosa ..."
Nick Johnson could join Yanks today
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December 22
Bergen Record
 
"Lefty-swinging free agent Nick Johnson could formally be announced as the Yankees' newest designated hitter as early as today, pending the results of a physical. Once that is officially resolved, the Yanks will resume their priority for a starting pitcher, though the price remains high for one-year targets such as Ben Sheets."
Braves trade Vazquez to Yankees for Melky Cabrera
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December 22
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"The Braves traded a pitcher they would've preferred to keep, sending Javier Vazquez to the New York Yankees today in a deal for outfielder Melky Cabrera and two minor leaguers including a top pitching prospect. The Braves also traded left-handed reliever Boone Logan to the Yankees in the deal for Cabrera, rookie left-hander Mike Dunn, promising right-hander Arodys Vizcaino and $500,000 in cash. Cabrera, 25, hit .274 with 13 home runs and 68 RBIs in 154 games last season for the Yankees, including 103 games in center field. Vizcaino, 19, was recently rated the No. 3 prospect in the Yankees organization by Baseball America. Vazquez had a career-best season in his first – and it turns out, ..."
Yankees GM Brian Cashman closing in on trade for starter
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December 22
New York Daily News
 
"According to a source, the Yankees' general manager was getting close to a deal late Monday night, but Cashman's target was unclear. With an uninspiring free-agent market to choose from, Cashman has apparently decided to turn his attention to the trade market. Cashman continues to be mindful of the Yankees' payroll, the source said. That would seemingly eliminate several potential targets, most notably Derek Lowe. The Braves owe the 36-year-old righthander $45 million over the next three years. The same could be said for others including Kansas City's Gil Meche ($24 million over two years). The Yankees checked in with the Cubs recently about Carlos Zambrano, but Chicago GM Jim Hendry isn't ..."
Damon more expensive than originally thought
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December 21
Foxsports.com
 
"One thing to keep in mind when considering the Yankees' unwillingness to meet Johnny Damon's price – and one thing I failed to mention in my recent column about the free-agent outfielder: The luxury tax. The threshold next season will be $170 million. The Yankees will surpass that number and, as a repeat offender, pay a 40 percent penalty on every dollar they are over. Thus, the true cost of paying Damon $13 million would be $18.2 million; the true cost of paying him $10 million would be $14 million. Of course, this works both ways. The Yankees re-signed left-hander Andy Pettitte for $11.75 million and added first baseman/DH Nick Johnson for $5.5 million. Pettitte's true cost, including ..."
Yankees GM Brian Cashman eyes starter by new year
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December 21
New York Post
 
"Yankees GM Brian Cashman's list of naughty and nice still includes a few starting pitchers in the latter category. With his everyday lineup for 2010 set, Cashman has turned attention to the rotation, and will almost certainly add a starter by New Year's, according to a major league source. Cashman is believed to have inquired about Carlos Zambrano, but with the Cubs' asking price high for the 28-year-old right-hander -- who is coming off an injury-plagued 2009 -- it's more probable the Yankees will go the free-agent route. That means selecting from a pool that includes Jason Marquis, Joel Pineiro and Ben Sheets, any of whom would slot behind CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte in ..."
Door opens for Johnson, slams on Damon
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December 20
New York Post
 
"Nick Johnson is back and Johnny Damon said so long, explaining he and the Yankees couldn't get together on a two-year deal. The Yankees agreed with the 31-year-old Johnson on a one-year contract worth $5.5 million with another $1 million in incentives that will become official after he passes a physical Monday. As for Damon, The Bronx is in the past. "That's how it is," Damon told The Post yesterday. "It was a team I had an eye on returning to, but that's part of baseball. They had a certain budget and we came off our [requests] big time." According to a Yankees official, Damon reduced the length of his asking price from three-to-four years to two, but was still looking for $13 million per ..."
Johnson's one-year deal with Yankees likely spells end for Damon with Bombers
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December 18
New York Daily News
 
"Shortly after introducing Curtis Granderson as the newest Yankee, Hal Steinbrenner said his team wasn't finished with its offseason moves. Apparently, he wasn't kidding. The Yankees were on the verge of bringing Nick Johnson back to the Bronx Thursday night on a one-year contract worth about $5.5 million, a move that could mean the end of Johnny Damon's time in pinstripes. Two sources said the Yankees were "very close" to completing a deal, although the oft-injured Johnson would need to pass a physical before anything was made official. Johnson, a first baseman who came up through the Yankees' system before being traded to the Expos as part of a package for Javier Vazquez in December 2003, ..."
No Extension for Joe Girardi Heading Into Final Year of Contract
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December 17
AOL.com
 
"Joe Girardi managed the Yankees to 103 regular-season wins and a World Series title in 2009. His reward: lame-duck status. "I don't do extensions," Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner on Thursday told FanHouse. "It's a policy I have, one I've always had." Which means Girardi, 45, will stay on his original three-year deal that is up after the 2010 season. Which would seem to mean a hot seat, even with a shiny new World Series ring. "I don't worry about my contract," Girardi said. "I worry about this year. I wouldn't expect them to talk to me about it till it's over.""
Sources: Johnson on Yankees' radar
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December 17
ESPN.com
 
"With the New York Yankees' negotiations with Johnny Damon seemingly at a standstill as of Wednesday evening, the team is pursuing negotiations with free agent Nick Johnson, who was drafted and developed within the Yankees' organization years ago, sources say. There has been skepticism within the organization about whether a deal can be struck with Damon, although a single phone call from the outfielder could change everything. The Yankees had been told by a conduit of Damon that unless the team was willing to offer a multiyear deal worth at least $13 million a season -- the outfielder's salary in 2009 -- the Yankees shouldn't even bother making an offer. Another concern is that even if ..."
Nick could be Yanks' DH fix
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December 17
New York Post
 
"The Yankees and Nick Johnson are talking about the sweet-swinging lefty and on-base machine replacing Hideki Matsui as the world champions' designated hitter on a one-year deal. If an agreement is reached, it would be an indication the Yankees will part ways with Johnny Damon, who they view at least as a part-time DH and don't want him for more than two years and $20 million. The Post reported Tuesday that industry sources indicate Damon isn't looking to take a pay cut from the $13 million he made last year. Agent Scott Boras is hunting for a three- or four-year deal. "We have had dialogue, things are moving forward," agent Rex Gary said of talks between the Yankees and their former first ..."
Yankees looking for short-term pitching options
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December 16
Bergen Record
 
"If nothing else were to occur by spring training, the Yankees could say they have five talented starters locked into their rotation and two or three quality arms as depth. But that's not the ideal scenario for general manager Brian Cashman – whose stated winter priorities were "pitching, pitching, pitching." Clearly, the plan called for more than re-signing Andy Pettitte. "We have to try to get one more starter. I think Cashman knows it," said Jorge Posada, speaking Tuesday on WFAN-AM 660. "I think it's a priority for us, and hopefully we can get that." With the winter's Big Two of Roy Halladay and John Lackey all but off the board, the Yankees can better dedicate their attention and ..."
Yankees not jumping in Bay sweeps
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December 16
MLB.com
 
"Left field is one of the remaining areas the Yankees are checking into as they approach the winter finish line, but it does not appear that they consider Jason Bay to be an answer. The Yankees have no interest in signing Bay to a long-term contract, the New York Daily News reported on Tuesday, not wanting to commit more than $60 million to another outfielder. A report published on Tuesday in the Boston Herald noted that the Yankees made contact with Bay's representative, Joe Urbon, but that should not be considered surprising in itself. General manager Brian Cashman has stayed busy with numerous agents this winter. Bay, 31, hit .267 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs in 151 games for the Red ..."
Damon ready to explore other options
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December 16
New York Post
 
"Is Johnny Damon following Hideki Matsui out of The Bronx? With very little contact between the Yankees and the free-agent left fielder, Damon is ready to explore other options. "I am going to start looking around. Teams are getting better and there are teams interested," Damon told The Post yesterday. "I can't wait forever and I am sure [the Yankees] are trying to figure things out. I have to be ready." At the crux of the situation is that the Yankees aren't interested in giving the 36-year-old Damon more than two years for about $20 million. Agent Scott Boras says Damon deserves a three- to four-year pact and industry sources believe Damon doesn't want to take a cut from the $13 million ..."
Sources: Yanks interested in Sheets
Comment
December 15
Foxsports.com
 
"The Yankees are "very interested" in free-agent right-hander Ben Sheets, according to major-league sources. The question, as always, is price. Sheets, sources say, is asking for more than what the Rangers gave right-hander Rich Harden -- a $7.5 million base salary, plus $2.5 million in incentives. Harden, while frequently injured, made 26 starts for the Cubs last season. Sheets, recovering from elbow surgery, did not pitch. As one source puts it, "Harden will at least be ready for the start of spring training -- you're buying a toy you can play with, not one that is under the tree and you have to look at while your mother and father put it together." Some executives believe that Sheets ..."
Sources: Yanks have contacted Bay
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December 15
Foxsports.com
 
"The Boston Herald reported Tuesday that the Yankees have contacted the representatives for free-agent left fielder Jason Bay. Two sources confirmed to FOXSports.com that the Herald report was accurate. But a third source with knowledge of the Yankees' plans said the team is not seriously interested in Bay -- at least not at the moment. The Yankees often disguise their intentions -- they were not believed to be "in" on outfielder Johnny Damon when they signed him after the 2005 season, and insisted they were not "in" on first baseman Mark Teixeira a year ago until practically the moment they signed him. Could Bay be their next mystery guest? Depends, for starters, upon Damon. If the Yankees ..."
15 teams watch Chapman throw
Comment
December 15
ESPN.com
 
"Fomer Cuban national team starting pitcher Aroldis Chapman threw a bullpen session on Tuesday in Houston in front of representatives from 15 major league teams. On Tuesday morning at the Baseball USA complex, the left-hander tossed two separate five-minute side sessions, throwing mostly in the 92-93 mph range and topping out at 96 mph. Chapman, 21, also threw his slider and change-up. Team representatives who attended included Houston Astros general manager Ed Wade, Los Angeles Angels scouting director Eddie Bane, Florida Marlins vice president of player development Jim Fleming, Pittsburgh Pirates international scouting director Rene Gayo, and Baltimore Orioles international scouting ..."
Capps receives immediate interest in free agency
Comment
December 15
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 
"Pitcher Matt Capps on being a free agent, "Whatever happens, I'll keep the Pirates in my thoughts, and I'm not closing the door on them or anybody else."The Pirates evidently did not feel closer Matt Capps' asking price was fair market value, but the market itself -- as set by the entirety of Major League Baseball -- might disagree. Since Capps' surprising release Saturday that suddenly cast him into free agency, no fewer than a dozen suitors have made contact with his agent, Paul Kinzer, including the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks. Kinzer called the ..."
Source: Angels want Matsui to DH
Comment
December 14
ESPN.com
 columnist Jayson Stark
"The Los Angeles Angels are in serious discussions with Hideki Matsui about supplanting Vladimir Guerrero as their designated hitter, a source familiar with the team's thinking told ESPN.com. A league source told ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney that the Angels and Matsui were closing in on a one-year deal for about $6.5 million. The 35-year-old Matsui had hoped to return to the Yankees after a season in which he hit 28 home runs and eventually became the World Series MVP. However, the Yankees appear to be prioritizing left field and starting pitching, leaving Matsui as a Plan C option. So the talks with the Angels indicate he wasn't prepared to wait any longer for the Yankees to determine ..."
Wang not in hurry to sign amid rehab
Comment
December 14
ESPN.com
 
"While a number of teams have already reached out to pitcher Chien-Ming Wang to express interest in signing the former New York Yankee, it's possible that he won't sign for months, according to his agent, Alan Nero. Wang, who was not tendered a contract by the Yankees by Saturday's deadline, is going through injury rehabilitation and is expected to be ready to pitch early in the season. Wang will meet with Dr. James Andrews in early January, and after returning to his homeland of Taiwan for a two-week stay, Wang will return to work out in Arizona. Six teams -- three from the American League, and three from the NL -- made contact with Nero on Sunday through e-mail to express interest in the ..."
Wang would be an intriguing possibility
Comment
December 14
Boston Globe
 
"It's fun to look at the list of non-tenders and try and figure out who could help the Red Sox. It was this market, after all, that produced David Ortiz back in 2003. But Ortiz is the anomaly. While there are some good names on the list, you quickly figure out that Garrett Atkins is a product of Coors Field, Matt Capps gave up hits in bunches and Jack Cust is an all-or-nothing slugger."
New York Yankees eye Justin Duchscherer and Ben Sheets to potentially fill in rotation
Comment
December 14
New York Daily News
 
"Even after bringing back Andy Pettitte and tendering contracts to Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre, the Yankees are looking for more pitching. Brian Cashman is looking to add at least one more starter from outside the organization to a rotation that includes CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Such a move would allow him to move Hughes and/or Chamberlain to the bullpen. While Cashman continues to monitor the Roy Halladay situation in Toronto, the general manager is looking at a couple of pitchers coming back from arm surgery: Justin Duchscherer and Ben Sheets. Neither righthander pitched in 2009; Sheets has the longer track record. The Yankees have spoken ..."
Damon: Yanks haven't made offer
Comment
December 14
New York Post
 
"Johnny Damon wants everyone to know where negotiations between himself and the Yankees stand. They don't. "My friends and family are calling to tell me about this offer and what I want, and it's all wrong," Damon told The Post yesterday. "The Yankees haven't made an offer and I haven't told them what I want. Everything else is not true." Damon's agent Scott Boras is looking to land his client a three- or four-year deal. The Yankees don't want to beyond two years for the 36-year-old left fielder. So, is there a deal to be struck between the sides? "Two years, four years, all that happens when Scott talks to the Yankees," Damon said. "That comes later, but we haven't had any talks at ..."
Yanks not prepared to go beyond $8 million per year for 2 years for Damon
Comment
December 14
New York Daily News
 (scroll down)
"On the free-agent front, contrary to reports that the Yankees had made an offer to Johnny Damon, team sources said that was not the case because Damon's agent, Scott Boras, informed them not to bother unless it was for at least three years and no less than the $13 million salary the left fielder made last year."
Tuesday could be Judgment Day for Chapman
Comment
December 13
MLB.com
 
"It was thought that he was going to be one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason. Then the Winter Meetings went by without barely a peep about Aroldis Chapman. Now, mainly due to a lack of information, the value of the 21-year-old left-hander has reportedly dropped, from the $60 million over six years that had been floating around to something resembling the four-year, $15.1 million Stephen Strasburg signed for with the Nationals this summer. But whether Chapman gets $60 million or $15 million, his journey from the kid who has nothing to the one some may eventually say has too much should be completed at some point this offseason. And Tuesday could be Judgment Day. According ..."
Tuesday could be Judgment Day for Chapman
Comment
December 13
MLB.com
 
"It was thought that he was going to be one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason. Then the Winter Meetings went by without barely a peep about Aroldis Chapman. Now, mainly due to a lack of information, the value of the 21-year-old left-hander has reportedly dropped, from the $60 million over six years that had been floating around to something resembling the four-year, $15.1 million Stephen Strasburg signed for with the Nationals this summer. But whether Chapman gets $60 million or $15 million, his journey from the kid who has nothing to the one some may eventually say has too much should be completed at some point this offseason."
Yanks' expected not to offer Wang a contract
Comment
December 12
New York Post
 
"Johnny Damon remains a front-burner issue that is cooking slowly for the Yankees. "I haven't been [paying] attention to it, I have been busy with the kids," Damon said yesterday. Roy Halladay is on the radar screen, but if he is dealt it appears the best right-handed pitcher in baseball is going to the Angels or Phillies. The Phillies spent yesterday in meetings with ownership and the Blue Jays didn't think enough of the Angels' offer to contact Halladay, who has a full no-trade clause, to see if he would agree to a deal. That doesn't mean the Yankees' chores are on hold or that they are basking in the glow of acquiring Curtis Granderson. They aren't expected to offer Chien-Ming Wang, ..."
Successful Meetings give Bombers options
Comment
December 11
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Joel Sherman
"The Yankees won the Fall Classic in November and now the Winter Meetings in December. They extended their winning streak by avoiding the two pitfalls that dominated the now-concluded Meetings: 1. Such inertia on most fronts that an NL executive said he checked his cell phone Wednesday to make sure it still was working because it had been dormant for so long. 2. Higher-than-expected prices and longer terms for those free agents who did sign, mostly pitchers. Defying the industry trends, the Yankees completed a major trade in which they obtained Curtis Granderson for a package of good prospects who do not devastate their farm system. And while an inferior lefty, Randy Wolf, was signing ..."
Cashman says Miranda can fill DH role
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December 11
New York Post
 
"Brian Cashman sounds like a general manager who doesn't believe the Yankees' designated hitter hole needs to be filled by Hideki Matsui or anybody else outside the organization. "Juan Miranda can be a DH," said Cashman, who cut off a question about not having a DH. "We have Jorge Posada, we have Mark Teixeira and A-Rod and a number of guys who can swing over on their days of rest. We have people we can play in that position internally right now." And if Johnny Damon returns he will get at-bats as the DH. But Cashman is high on Miranda, a 26-year-old left-handed hitting first baseman from Cuba. He hit .290 with 19 homers and 92 RBIs for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (Triple-A). In eight big ..."