DALLAS — You couldn’t walk a dozen feet in the massive lobby of the Hilton Anatole Hotel last night without somebody in baseball asking the following question:
“What are the Yankees doing?’’
When GM Brian Cashman checks into the Winter Meetings today, he can better answer his baseball brethren as to what — if anything — the defending AL East champs will do across four days in Texas.
It’s likely to be the same message Cashman has been delivering since the start of free agency in early October and identical to the one he offered yesterday in Stamford after rapelling down a 22-story building to help promote “Heights and Lights’’ holiday celebration.
“We’ll try to concentrate on pitching,” Cashman said. “We’ll see. I was on the phone all weekend, just like you are all the time.
“I’ve made some offers and received some ideas. Nothing that’s gotten any traction, unfortunately.
“I’ve tried to make some things happen and obviously haven’t found any common ground. (Red Sox) have a great team, we have a great team. Tampa has a great team. At the end of the day, we’re all chasing (AL champion) Texas.’’
What are the chances of signing a free agent hurler or acquiring an arm in a deal?
“I’m a pessimistic person by nature so I’m not optimistic. That doesn’t mean nothing will happen. I’ll get on a flight and our staff will work at it,’’ Cashman said.
“We’ve got a good team. It’s hard to make it better. I don’t know if we will or not.’’
While the price on free agents C.J. Wilson, Mark Buehrle and Edwin Jackson is too rich for the Yankees, so, too, is the asking price for teams looking to deal pitching.
The White Sox are listening on lefty John Danks and are interested in Yankees pitching prospect Dellin Betances.
“There’s a lot of guys people want,’’ said Cashman, who is reluctant to trade his young pitchers. “I think they’re over-reaching.’’
A move Cashman won’t make is signing free agent Manny Ramirez, who is looking at a 50-game suspension for a failed drug test last year while with the Rays if he returns.
“I don’t think so,’’ Cashman said when asked if he was interested in adding Ramirez as a DH.
As for Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, Cashman is waiting to hear from Bud Selig’s office that Darvish has been posted. Until, then Cashman isn’t talking.
Bench depth is a lot easier to find than starting pitching and Cashman would like to address that issue, but …
“Right now I don’t feel close to anything. But I’ve had enough conversations where that could change with one conversation,’’ Cashman said.