DANA POINT, Calif. – The Yankees’ most intense focus is on free-agent pitching early in this offseason, and A.J. Burnett officially joined the ranks yesterday of those the Yanks will pursue.
However, they are aggressively looking into other avenues to upgrade the 2009 club, as well.
They are a back-burner team in the Jake Peavy trade sweepstakes. They are very involved on Mark Teixeira, and, to a much lesser degree, on Manny Ramirez.
They also are monitoring the catching market, just in case Jorge Posada does not respond well after shoulder surgery. And they will, at the least, listen when teams ask about Robinson Cano. Let’s take a closer look at each issue:
Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, continues to dispute Padre GM Kevin Towers’ assertion that the San Diego ace has said he will accept a trade to the Yankees or Angels. Towers did clarify yesterday by saying he still believes that, if Peavy is traded (a strong likelihood), he would go to an NL team.
The Braves are the front-runners, but the Cubs are definitely involved. Towers confirmed that two NL teams are much further along than anyone else in these discussions.
Axelrod acknowledged that, if the Padres reached a dead end in trying to do a deal to an NL team, the Angels (proximity to his home) and the Yanks would be the AL teams Peavy would favor.
Peavy has a friendship with former Padre teammate Xavier Nady and has been a text-message buddy with Derek Jeter since their time together as U.S. teammates in the WBC.
Still, the Yanks would prefer to add multiple pitchers through free agency. CC Sabathia remains their preference, and Cashman met with his representatives Monday to express the team’s interest. The Yanks recognize that they will have to make an offer better than the six years at $137.5 million that the Mets gave Johan Santana to land Sabathia.
However, many executives still think Sabathia will shun the Yanks to play in his California home (Dodgers or Angels).
One executive said, “I think the Yanks will get him because of the money, but he is still telling all of his friends that he isn’t playing in New York.”
Burnett, Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez become higher priorities if Sabathia goes elsewhere.
Burnett informed the Blue Jays yesterday he is forgoing his player option (two years at $22 million left) and will be a
free agent. His agents said Toronto remains in play, and Blue Jay officials said they believe Burnett wants to see his worth on the market. But they remained confident he would stay in his comfort zone in Toronto, probably for fouryears in the $56 million range.
The Angels clearly want to retain Teixeira. But if the Angels were unable to keep Teixeira, it is possible they could
turn their focus to a trade for Carlos Delgado to help provide some of the offensive punch lost with Teixeira. In that scenario, the Mets would consider pursuing Ramirez.
The Yanks probably would only consider Ramirez if they were unable to obtain Teixeira, and were able to trade Hideki Matsui (possibly to Seattle). That would free up the DH role for Ramirez.
Scott Boras, the agent for both Teixeira and Ramirez (and also Lowe and Perez), was scheduled to meet with the
Mets last night and Yankee officials today.
Posada is scheduled to throw during the first week of December in Tampa, for the first time since his surgery. So far, the organization is encouraged by his rehab. But – just in case – the Yanks have engaged the Rangers about their available catching (Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia) and will keep tabs on free agent Ivan Rodriguez.
The Red Sox, Reds, Tigers and Marlins have been more aggressive with Texas about its catching. The Rangers are looking to upgrade their rotation.
The Yanks also talked to Orlando Hudson’s agents (who also represent Sabathia). Executives from other teams believe the Yanks would move Cano for pitching (the Dodgers have interest). However, the Yankees are valuing Cano like the near batting champion of 2007, not the dud of 2008. So it might be more difficult to find a match.