ORLANDO, Fla. — The Yankees have now met with representatives for their main outside free-agent targets — notably Carlos Beltran, Shin-Soo Choo, Stephen Drew and Brian McCann — and people involved in these talks describe a much more active role by Hal Steinbrenner than in the past.
The Yankees owner was more inquisitive and involved in the give and take, and more assertive in explaining the team’s direction, according to the sources.
Steinbrenner indicated the Yankees intend to stay under the $189 million luxury-tax threshold, but there is money to spend now and the Yankees — as always — plan to be aggressive in pursuing the best
players.
Since taking over for his father, George, Hal has tended to stay in the background, letting general manager Brian Cashman and team president Randy Levine be the main faces and voices for the organization in personnel and business matters. When there was a discrepancy on how to move forward, Hal would step in to break ties.
But with the Yankees not making the playoffs this past season and questions abounding about the direction of the franchise, Hal apparently wants to be more present in showing leadership and re-confirming his family’s mantra of going for championships has not changed. He also has clearly become more comfortable in the role after several years in charge.
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There was a report that the Yankees were pursuing 2011 World Series hero David Freese of the Cardinals. But an involved person said that was not going to happen.
The Yankees still don’t know if Rodriguez will be part of the team next year and won’t for at least another month. Thus, if the Yanks address third base at all it will be with a lefty swinger, such as Eric Chavez, who can be a complement to Rodriguez if he does play. Or by signing a free agent such as Jhonny Peralta or Stephen Drew, who could play shortstop or third and provide insurance for Jeter and A-Rod. Freese only plays third.
In addition, Freese is due around $4.5 million through arbitration for 2014 and, thus, could be non-tendered by the Dec. 2 deadline because the Cardinals could decide to go inexpensive by moving Matt Carpenter from second to third and inserting rookie Kolten Wong at second. In that scenario, Freese would be a free agent and the Yankees or any team could pursue him, not give up anything in a trade and try to sign him for considerably less than $4.5 million.
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Cashman eliminated one potential player of interest — Brian Wilson, the reliever renown for having a thick, flowing beard. Cashman said Wilson’s representatives said Wilson would not adhere to Yankee policy to shave the beard, so Cashman cut Wilson from consideration.
Cashman said he expects the major free agents to take a while to sign, including Robinson Cano. And the Yankee GM said he also anticipates that while veteran agent Brodie Van Wagenen will be immersed in all negotiations that Cano’s most famous agent will be a factor, as well.
“I look forward to meeting [Jay Z],” Cashman said. “I’ve never met the man, really. But I fully expect him to be a part of this process in a significant way. I’ve had all my dialogue just with Brodie, but I do expect to be involved with Jay Z, as well.”
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How much were the Yankees not thinking about Marlon Byrd, who signed a two-year deal with the Pirates: “I didn’t even know who his agent was,” Cashman said. And his agent is Seth Levinson, who has a long, strong relationship with Cashman.