NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When Yankees general manager Brian Cashman walks through the Opryland Hotel’s doors this morning for the start of the Winter Meetings, he will encounter a baseball fraternity that expects his team to make an eye-popping move.
“Come on, they are going to do something,’’ an NL talent evaluator said. “They don’t have a catcher or a right fielder. They might not be doing something here, but later they will do something. I think they are laying back, looking what shakes out.’’
Cashman pointed to his deal record in the first week of December.
“We’ve never been a big winter-meetings doer. We’re always trying to, but we’ve never really matched up too much in my history,’’ Cashman said last night after repelling down a building in Stamford, Conn., at a Heights and Lights event. “You don’t want to have the mentality that you have to do something. That’s how you make a mistake.’’
Last week, Cashman said: “We are still capable of a lot. People should be leery of us and afraid of us. If we can strike and pounce on something that makes a lot of sense for us … just stay tuned.’’
By now the Yankees’ mantra for getting the 2014 payroll to $189 million isn’t a smokescreen. Outside of giving CC Sabathia a five-year, $122 million contract after the 2011 season, the Yankees haven’t recently signed a free agent for more than one year.
So far this winter they have inked Hiroki Kuroda ($15 million), Andy Pettitte ($12 million) and Mariano Rivera ($10 million) to one-year gigs.
In the middle of last season, Cashman hinted the club might talk about signing Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson to extensions this winter in order to preempt them from becoming free agents following the 2013 season. Lately, you don’t hear a whisper on that topic.
Cashman’s statement last week runs against everything the Yankees have done this offseason.
Can the Yankees be expected to do something big after allowing Russell Martin, a player Cashman says he “loves,’’ to leave for Pittsburgh on a two-year deal worth $17million?
The Yankees’ immediate reaction to Martin leaving was taking a look at Francisco Cervelli and Austin Romine. However, scouts who watched Romine play in the Arizona Fall League were not impressed.
Of course, the Yankees may have to wage a spring training competition between Cervelli and Romine because the free-agent market is thin and the trade market without a pulse.
As for right field, one executive said the Yankees’ one-year philosophy might lead them to free agent Shane Victorino.
With Victorino running behind free agents Josh Hamilton, Michael Bourn and Angel Pagan, the executive said, “I wouldn’t be shocked if Victorino is still out there in January.’’
Victorino wouldn’t provide the power from right field the departed Nick Swisher did, but if the opening is there in January, the switch-hitting Victorino might be the Yankees’ best option.
Ichiro Suzuki wants to return and the Yankees have shown an interest in Scott Hairston. Free agent Cody Ross is a winning player, but likely to get more than a one-year deal. Nate Schierholtz, a left-handed hitter, was non-tendered by the Phillies and is a free agent.
“He is in the market place,’’ Cashman said of Ichiro. “There’s been some non-tenders I’ve reached out to. We lost our starting right fielder and starting catcher. Our offense has taken a hit.’’
* The Rangers’ contingent boarded a plane from Dallas yesterday and found Hamilton on the same flight and headed for the Winter Meetings.
The Rangers have told Hamilton, their marquee player, to shop for a deal and get back to them.
It’s not often a high-profile free agent attends the Winter Meetings.