Not that the Yankees were super sweet on Yu Darvish, but add him to C.J. Wilson and Mark Buerhle on the list of high-profile pitchers who won’t be wearing pinstripes in 2012.
The Rangers have 30 days to cut a deal with Darvish, the 25-year-old Japanese right-hander, after the two-time defending AL champions gained exclusive negotiating rights by submitting a reported $51.7 million posting bid that was accepted by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.
The Yankees put in a bid, but it was short of the Rangers’. Texas allowed Wilson to leave as a free agent for a five-year deal worth $77.5 million he received from the Angels.
Yankees scouts were high on Darvish, but believed it will take a five-year deal worth $75 million to sign him. With the posting bid included, it could cost Texas $126.7 million to ink Darvish. If the sides can’t agree, Darvish will return to Japan.
So, with January approaching, the Yankees haven’t been able to acquire help for a rotation that is suspect after ace CC Sabathia.
“I wouldn’t say it’s quiet but we are saying ‘No’ a lot and teams are saying ‘No’ to us,” general manager Brian Cashman said of trade talks.
With Wilson in Anaheim, Buerhle in Miami and Darvish not coming to The Bronx, Edwin Jackson is the best remaining free-agent hurler.
The White Sox are shopping John Danks and the Athletics will listen on Gio Gonzalez, but the asking price on the latter is steep.
Several teams are kicking the tires on acquiring A.J. Burnett, but it’s going to take the Yankees swallowing more than $8 million of the $33 million remaining on Burnett’s final two years. And Burnett can submit 10 teams every year to which he wouldn’t accept a trade.
So, it’s possible the Yankees will open the season with Sabathia, Burnett, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes in the rotation.
Hughes, after a nightmare 2011, is taking steps to correct his problems.
When Hughes’ agent Nez Balelo suggested sending the pitcher to Athletes’ Performance, a training center in Los Angeles, this offseason to work out, the Yankees endorsed the idea.
“I can’t say it was Phil’s idea or the agent’s idea, but he is there working out,” Cashman said. “Phil was there two years ago.”
The Yankees were disappointed Hughes arrived at spring training last year in less that optimum shape.
Joba Chamberlain reporting to camp with an extra 30 pounds or so gave Hughes cover, but as with Chamberlain, Hughes was put on a workout program.
And while it’s impossible to prove, some believe Hughes, who was listed at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, attempted to create velocity late in camp and that resulted in an inflamed right shoulder that put him on the disabled list from the middle of April until the first week of July.
With the Yankees unable to land a starting pitcher so far this offseason, they are counting on Hughes to bounce back from last year’s 5-5 disaster that included a 5.79 ERA in 17 games (14 starts).
They would certainly accept the 18-game winner of 2010 but even that All Star season included a second-half fade and two vicious beatings by the Rangers in the ALCS following a gem against the Twins in the ALDS.
“It’s too early. I know he is working hard but I can’t tell you right now,” Cashman said if he has been informed of early results.