SP and 1B are the obvious needs. Do they throw buckets of cash at Teixeria and CC? What do you guys think happens in the Bronx this offseason?

They'll go hard after another SP, be it CC, Burnett, Sheets, Dempster, Penny, Byrd, ect... but there's been rumbling about them going after the Dodgers catcher Russell Martin. That would allow them to move Posada to 1B. I don't think they'll go after both CC and Teix, thats just way too much money for 2 players.

They'll back the dump truck of cash up to CC and Teix, as well as others. They want a title to open their new stadium.

There's no way they can sign both CC and Teix. They're already going to ardy with Bobby Abreu who made $16 million last year and will likely get around $18 million. That alone would be nearly $70 million committed to just 3 players. Add in Arod, Jeter, Rivera, and Damon and that would be around $150-170 million on 7 players. Yes they're the Yankee's but they would blow away last years $207 million in payroll and pay out the ass in luxuary taxes.

They'll have to go hard after either CC or Teix, then load up on 2nd and 3rd tier players.

Here's a question for you guys. If the Yanks miss out on Teixeria, who do you see them getting to play 1b? I know Adam Dunn played a bit when he arrived in Arizona would he be a decent fallback?
I do see the Yanks making CC their top priority and making an insane offer to him.

I see either CC or Tex in pinstripes, depending on Stein's concerns mostly. It could go either way, but I highly doubt we'd get both. I wouldn't be so surprised to see a nice trade sneaking up on us fans, seeing how Cashman likes to work miraculous deals out of limited resources (see Abreu trade). This should be pretty interesting seeing what changes will occur following a relatively disappointing year.

CC and Teix wont land in NYC...

I just dont see it happening

Jorge Posado. Jose Molina showed some promise behind the plate but the Yanks will look to do better.

Maybe they don't get a high slg big time 1B (gasp)

Why can't they just rotate Nady, Posada, Betemit, and Damon?

The same thing they do every night Pinky... try to take over the world!.... but on a serious note, I see them going after Teixiera for sure, and be in the running for CC... possibly go after Dempster if he's still available.

Because none of them can actually play first well?

I agree. All 4 of those guys are below average options at 1B. Are they decent offensive players? Yes aside from Betemit but they are not natural 1B. Stein needs to throw the cash at Teix he's a top tier 1B both offensively and defensively. So yes I do feel that the Yanks need to get. Does that mean they will? Who knows but I like the possibility.

I agree the Yanks need pitching more than anything. Any chance they try to resign Giambi to a lesser contract? Or perhaps, they can trade for one. I do think Teix will stay with LAA.

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I don't see them bringing Abreu back...

where do you think Bob will go?

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Not real sure. He is a free agent with no club or player option right?
Who the heck really knows when it comes to the Yanks.
My guess is they work on their SP and 1B needs before they do anything involving Abreu.
This coming Friday (14th) is the day players can start signing.

The Yankees have $80 million coming off the books this year. They could give Sabathia and Teixeira each $25 million a year and still have $30 million to play with and not exceed last year's payroll. That being said, I'm not sure Sabathia wants to come to the Yankees. He's building a house in California and he seemed to really enjoy his time in Milwaukee dominating NL hitters. While the Yankees can throw buckets of cash at Sabathia, it's not like other teams are only offering him $6 million a year. If you really don't want to play for NY, wouldn't it be better to accept $21 million a year from one team as opposed to even $25 million per year from the Yankees?

Good points here. I agree that CC will at the very least stay in the NL.
How does Tex feel about where he plays? He's been passed around a bit lately.

I see the Yankees getting two of the lesser names in the pitching hunt. Well lesser than CC. It wouldn't surprise me if CC passes to stick with his preferences (Cali, NL), and they end up signing some combo of Burnett/Sheets/Dempster.

As far as the bats go, they'll make a run at Big Tex, but will ultimately lose him much in the same way they lose out on CC. Some players likely just don't mind to make a little less, playing in the West Coast sun, rather than the pressure cooker of the new Yankee Stadium. I think this will be the area they will be creative and make some trades.

Phil Hughes will be involved in one of these deals, although I am hardly coming up with an original theory here.

Ah, you think baseball players are going to leave 4 mil a year for 7 years out on the table? 28 Mil dollars? That still alot of money to leave out even for those making this much money.

Under normal circumstances, I say no they don't. We've seen proof of that over the years. However, in Sabathia's case, he's building a house in California. He's publicly stated how much he liked Milwaukee and pitching in the NL. So, I could easily see him taking 6 years $125 million over 6 years $150. We're still talking about $125 million. There have been cases where athletes took less for a lifestyle choice. I think the Yankees offer might have to be absurd for him to take it.

that a 20% pay cut. that is an absurd difference.

I see the Yankees Signing Sabathia and Burnett. Then trading for Nick Johnson to play first base.

Maybe, but reportedly they will offer him arbitration. He could be tied to wether the Yankee's sign CC or Teix.

While that may be true, the contracts of Arod, Jeter, Rivera, and Damon go higher. Add in the possibility of Abreu being back and you're looking at around half of the Yankee's $200 million pay role of last season.

..will they let him use crutches?

They will make a strong push for Sabathia....If he doesn't sign, they will probably sign Burnett and Sheets. I just hope they can stay healthy if the Yanks sign them.

If He can stay heatly for 100 games or so, I think its a no brainer. Sign someone with a good glove like Dougie Mientkiewicz to back him up.

That's actually false information. Arod's contract goes up $5 million but that's because this time, the Yankees were smart and front loaded the contract. Therefore, after a couple of seasons, it gets smaller. That enables them to sign someone else longer term and potentially back load it a bit. Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Damon and Matsui will all make exactly the same in '09 that they made in '08. Cano gets $3 million more. So, they take off $80 and add $8. They've got money to burn.

Even if that wasn't true, do you really think the Yankees are all that worried about payroll? 200Mil or 220Mil you thik they gonna stop after missing the playoffs and moving to a new stadium

Lets see how much money they lose from last year.

Subtractions:

Jason Giambi: 23 million (- a buyout of 5 mil) = 18 mil

Bobby Abreu: 15 million

Andy Pettite: 16 million (he most likely will come back, at around 12 mil)

Mike Mussina: 11 million

Carl Pavano: 13 million

Thats 73 million that is being subtracted.

Now, addittions

Alex Rodriguez: A spike of 5 million

Robinson Cano: A spike of 3 million

Thats a total of 8 million (if you couldn't guess, )

So overall the plus minus is 65 million.

Assuming CC gets about 20-22 mil per year, Pettite at about 12 million, and Tex at 25 mil means the total is 59, which is still 6 million less than what they are losing.

Then add in someone like Burnett or Lowe at 15 mil, and thats a hike of about 9 million to field a much better team.

A lineup of Damon, Jeter, Tex, A-Rod, Posada, Matsui, Nady, Cano, Gardner (I'm guessing the lineup, no rhyme or reason)

and a rotation of CC, Wang, Joba, Burnett/Lowe, Pettite

The bullpen is fine IMO.

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CC has stated that he does not want to play in NY.
No matter what they say, I bet Posada does not catch again.
They should just put Posada at 1B and sign Manny. What kind of numbers would ARod put up batting in front of Manny.

Yeah, Im sure arguably the best FA pitcher on the market this year has no interest in playing for the team that can pay him the most money.

Money makes a man do crazy things. I think CC likes hitting, but I'm sure he likes making 25M per year more.

It's funny how people seem to want to avoid being a Yankee these days. 10 years ago, everyone wanted to be there.
I think it would be great to be a Yankee, and I friggin hate the Yankees.

Those are wild dreams. Manny's odd reasons aside, he has no real business playing in New York (no real business, meaning that the only reason he would consider NY is purely for spite), and I doubt the Yankees will go through the massive media and financial hassle to even consider having a go at a player of his stature that doesn't even fill the teams needs. Posada is an inadequate first baseman defensively, and moving him will leave the catcher's spot dry.

really?? they are going after peavy and CC??? shocking!!!

When in doubt, make sure to be wealthier than everybody else. If you can't build a dominant franchise, at least you will be able to buy one.

Is it possible the Yankees can sign CC & Peavy? Or should I say afford?

Peavy is already under contract. In fact, he will have a cheaper contract then what Lowe, AJ, and Dempster will have after the are signed. In other words.... Yes, they can easily afford both of them. The question is, can they talk Peavy into wanting to go to NY. I know he said he would be willing to earlier. Just have to make sure he wasn't bluffing though since it seemed only NL teams were serious contenders for acquiring him.

The Yankees have roughly $80 million coming off their payroll when compared to who was signed for the 2008 season. Between Giambi, Abreu, Pettite, Mussina, the Yankees can conceivably spend $25m per year on CC, $13-16 m per year on a Peavy/Burnett, and another $10m per year on Pettite or Mussina and that would still leave their payroll approximately $30m lower than last year.

Remember, Pettite and Mussina alone were making a cominbed $30m last year, and neither are currently signed for 2009.

Hell, if the Yanks wanted to, they could also sign Texiera for $25m per year as well and still spend less than 2008. And the reality is, they'll be spending it more wisely than they did in the past.

I don't want CC and his dead arm and unwillingness to play in the BX...please sign Peavy at all costs. THANK YOU.

King, please see my post on the Peavy thread.

Plus, I think reports of CC "not wanting to play in the BX" are overblown. Even if it were true, that wouldn't make him a bad Yankee or a bad teammate. See Pettitte - in his first stint with the Yanks he said he traveled into Manhattan a total of three times the whole time he lived in upstate NY - just scared of them big ol' cities.

Here is the ideal scenario IMO:

1) They trade Cano, Melky, and someone else for Jake Peavy

2) Sign C.C. for $137.5 mil

3) Sign Burnett/Lowe

4) Sign Big Tex.

Then their SP and Batting is stacked, and they have the money to do it.

To be fair when George bought the Yankees they weren't the powerhouse they were. They Yankees are top now in money making, but there were plenty of times the Yankees weren't sellout out the stadium. There was no Yes network back then. George build alot of what the Yankees has become.

Also as a owner George is one of the less rich owners, but he is more willing to pour his own money into it then other owners are.

That shocks me to the point I'd want to see a source

I disagree:

1) Stay away from JP. Numbers can only get worse away from Petco (though, I admit, he'd still be a very good pitcher) and he is a career ending elbow injury waiting to happen. Plus, with all their money the Yanks should be getting expensive FA's and building up the farm - not making big trades.

2) Agree here. Give the Hefty Lefty all the cake he wants.

3) Burnett is worth a gamble - the Yanks can afford a $16 mm gamble. He will be either great or awful. Lowe is not worth it.

4) No need for Tex. Let Cashman keep up his sneaky moves from the past year (Abreu, X, and Swish) and get another underrated position player for cheap.

5) I think if any team will take Matsui, he will be gone this offseason. Maybe part of 4).

Well George is a piss-pour businessman - he did bankrupt his father's shipping company (where all the money came from). He's the Donald Trump of baseball. But yeah, owning the Yankees already makes him more wealthy than at least 20 of the other GMs.

I think the argument is his non-baseball holdings are worth less than what many other owners own. But I have no source for that right now.

cdg- well if they don't get Peavy and Tex and get rid of Matsui, Manny R. is clearly an option

Forbes 400 list for networth. Maybe saying one of the poorest owners is a stretch, but far from the richest.

George is 377 on the list at 1.3B

Twins owner is 102 on the list on 3.1B

Astros owner Mclane is 301 on the list at 1.6B

Tigers owner Ilitch is tied for 301 at 1.6B as well.

Then there are the teams owned by major corporation such as the Braves and time Warner. Blue Jays and Rogers Corp, M's are owned by Nintendo. There has to be a few others I can't think of right now as well.

Not saying the Yankees don't have some advantages other teams don't. it partly because many of these owners don't want to pay a tax or rather pocket some of the cash instead of reinvesting it into the team.

Sure, anything else?

Honestly though, why would San Diego want to take on Melky? He is not that good. Cano I can see as being a trading chip to get him, but the Yankees are going to need to offer up more than Cano, and Melky isn't the other piece.


I know everyone is excited about the Free Agents available this year, and I do expect the Yankees to sign at least one of them, but I highly doubt they sign all of them. Not to mention, there are question marks around each one of them, sans Tex. CC was abused this year, and has alot of innings logged on that young arm. Lowe is what he is, and Burnett can be good, but has to stay healthy, which he has rarely done over the past few years.