Choo Gets the Latest Bad Contract

No matter how much baseball owners moan and groan, their brethren continue to give out bad contracts. Robinson Cano's 10-year, $240MM deal, Jacoby Ellsbury's seven-year, $153MM contract and reportedly Shin-Soo Choo's seven-year, $130MM agreement with the Texas Rangers.  The native of South Korea will join his fourth organization after stints in Seattle, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.

Choo reportedly turned down a seven-year, $140MM offer from the Yankees, but still cashed in for plenty of greenbacks Saturday according to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. Agent Scott Boras had characterized Choo as an "On-base machine" as he pushed for his client to get a big money deal.

The contract would pay Choo an annual average salary in excess of $18MM and therein lies the problem. Choo is a very good player, but he's not an upper echelon player, just as Ellsbury (on a consistent basis) is not. Playing his home games in 2013 at Cincy's hitter friendly Great American Ballpark, Choo had an .885 OPS with 21 home runs, 34 doubles,  20 stolen bases, 112 walks and 107 runs scored as the primary lead off hitter in the Reds lineup.

The base on balls were a career high and the first time he surpassed the century mark in a single season. He also led the National League with 26 hit by pitches. Choo was a regular center fielder for the time in his career last season, but he'll likely man a corner spot in 2014 with Texas.

Beltran Gets His Stripes

Carlos Beltran was re-introduced to the New York media Friday morning, wearing the 36 he wore his first two years in baseball with Kansas City. It was the final pre-season task as part of the three-year, $45MM contract the Yankees and the veteran outfielder agreed to.

The questions and answers were, for the most part, run of the mill, but there were some exceptions. Beltran chuckled when asked how he thought his reception would be wearing the Yankees unifrom in Queens, where he played for six-plus sesasons with the Mets. Beltran hoped the fans remembered how hard he played for them, but he figures there will be a mix of cheers and boos.

He was also asked how he felt life might have been different had the Yankees signed him to a free agent deal before he decided on becoming a Met. His answer made me chuckle - "They (the Yankees) were having some issues with the salary cap and I needed to do what was best for my family/" - Yeah, it was that last part that got me. Because as you know seven years and $119MM is barely enough money to take care of your family.

Back to being genuine - Beltran when queried about age, talked about how hard he works, how much he cares about the game, and the results he's produced the last two seasons. It's good to hear, because the Yankees are really going to need him to be the best Carlos Beltran he can be.

YES' Michael Kay and Bob Lorenz talk to Carlos Beltran after the press conference. When Beltran was in Kansas City he mentioned that Bernie Williams was his favorite player growing up. He reiterated those feelings on Friday.
    

Omar the Prince Signs With Royals

Infante translates from Spanish to English as the title and rank for the son of the Kings of the Iberian Kingdom. So it was no surprise that Omar Infante agreed to terms Friday with the Kansas City Royals.

What is surprising is that KC was willing to give Infante a four-year deal, something the Yankees (reportedly offered 3-years, $24MM) and other teams refused to do. The cash is expected to be in the neighborhood of $30MM, though the exact amount is not yet known.

Infante won't give you a lot of offense - he has a .721 lifetime OPS - but he gives you the versatility of playing his primary position of second base and can fill in at shortstop and third base. He's also played in more than 100 games in the outfield. The Yankees were intrigued by that versatility, but smartly did not go beyond three years in their offer to the soon-to-be 32-year old.

The Royals will be Infante's fourth organization after he started and ended his pre-KC career in Detroit, with stops in Atlanta and Miami in between. He made his lone (controversial) All-Star appearance in 2010, a year in which he finished with a .321 batting average and a .775 OPS.

Kansas City hopes that Infante's signing can end the merry-go-round of second baseman the Royals have used over the last decade. Oddly, the front office seems to prefer second baseman whose names begin with the letter 'G'.

2013 - Chris Getz, Emilio Bonifacio, Elliot Johnson
2012 - Getz, Johnny Giavotella, Yuniesky Betancourt
2011 - Getz, Giavotella, Mike Aviles
2010 - Getz, Aviles, Alberto Callaspo
2009 - Callaspo
2008 - Callaspo, Mark Grudzielanek, Esteban German
2007 - Grudzielanek, German
2006 - Grudzielanek, German, Graffanino
2005-  Graffanino, Ruben Gotay, Joe McEwing, Denny Hocking
2004 - Graffanino, Gotay, Desi Relaford

Logan Heads West

Boone Logan, who spent the last four seasons coming out of the Yankees bullpen, is headed to the Colorado Rockies via free agency. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported that Logan agreed to a three-year, $16.5MM deal.

The Yankees had negotiated with Logan's representatives, but it's not known if an actual offer was made. What is not said, but certainly known, is there is no way the Yankees would make a three year offer.

Despite a plus fastball and 202 strikeouts in 176 innings pitched as a Yankee, his inconsistency could drive you insane. This past season he also had difficulty with his left elbow during spring training and the problem persisted throughout the season. He had bone spur removed from the elbow in October.

I personally believe that too many appearances contributed to Logan's issues with consistency and his balky elbow. Under Joe Girardi, Logan's games pitched increased from 51 to 64 to 80 in his first three seasons in New York. That doesn't included the number of times he warmed up and didn't enter a game.

He entered just 61 games in 2013 and had a four year low of 39 innings pitched. Logan could come up in with the bases loaded, no one out, and strike out the side, but there were too many times he was called on to face a lefty and walked the most important batter of the apperance. (In 2010 and 2012 he averaged at least 4.5 walks per 9 innings pitched.)

Solid lefty specialists are hard to come by,  but the Yankees made the right move in not meeting Logan's contract demands.

Yankees Grab Their Johnson

In a Plan 'B' move the Yankees have come to terms with infielder/left-handed hitter Kelly Johnson on a one-year deal said to be worth between $3MM and $4MM.

In all likelihood, this ends the Yankees pursuit of free agent Omar Infante, though after the contract the Yankees gave Jacoby Ellsbury, who can really tell what the Steinbrenner clan has in mind these days.

Johnson is primarily a second baseman, though he has played over 100 games in the outfield and has minimal third base (16 games) experience. He'll be joining his fourth team in the last four years.

The former 1st round pick (38th overall) of the 2000 MLB Amateur draft, Johnson spent his first four Major League seasons with the team that drafted him, the Atlanta Braves. After back to back solid season in 2007 and 2008, Johnson's OPS plummeted below .700 in 2009 and Atlanta not-tendered him.

He signed a free agent deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and bounced back in 2010 with 26 home runs and an .865 OPS. Johnson continued to hit home runs a year later, but otherwise struggled at the plate and was dealt to Toronto in August for fellow second baseman Aaron Hill and infielder John McDonald.

Johnson was free to walk after a poor 2012 season and signed a one year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, with whom he played third base for the first time in the Major Leagues. He continued to hit for power for the Rays, but was average or below average in other categories. Offensively, he is a step up from Jayson Nix, who the Yankees non-tendered on Monday.

Hughes Headed To The Twin Cities

For a fly ball pitcher, Phil Hughes picked a new team that plays its home games in a place where home runs don't leave the park so easily. According to the Star Tribune's La velle E. Neill, the former 1st round pick (23rd overall in the 2004 amateur draft) of the New York Yankees has agreed to a three-year, $24MM deal with the Minnesota Twins.

Hughes had been a disappointment with the Yankees; he was never able to live up the hype or potential that was expected of him. The product of Foothill High School in California, Hughes made his Yankees debut at age 20 in April, 2007. His second big league start saw him throw 6.1 no-hit innings against the Texas Rangers at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.  But with then Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira at the plate, Hughes pulled a hamstring when he tried to get extra torque on his curveball and had to leave the game.

It was his first Major League win, but he wouldn't get a second until August due an injured ankle that occurred while he treated his hamstring. Various injuries (rib cage) and "situations" (dead arm) followed him for the rest of his Yankees career, but that potential was still there. He was a big reason the Yankees won the World Series in 2009 after he moved to the bullpen in the second of the season and was outstanding.

It seemed to carry over a year later when he was back in the rotation and made the All-Star team. Though he finished with 18 wins, he struggled in the second half and was routed by the Rangers in a pair of post-season starts. The Yankees still had high hopes for Hughes after a strong finish in the 2012 season. But this past season was more of the same - too many home runs allowed (59 over the last 2 years), too much inconsistency, and too many losses. His days in the Bronx officially came to a close when the team didn't make him a qualifying offer in early November.

His final numbers for the team in the Bronx read 56-50, 4.54 ERA in 132 starts and 50 relief appearances.
Still just 27-years old, Hughes will get a fresh start at Target Field, which yielded an AL low 1.75 home runs per game in 2013.

Yankees Re-sign Defender of the Infield

It's minor news in the world of the Yankees, but it's good news nonetheless. The Yankees have re-signed Brendan Ryan as Derek Jeter's back up at shortstop as well as to fill a utility role.

I've discussed it before, Ryan cannot hit. It's not that he refuses to, but it's close. But there are few in the game that display his glovework at shortstop. He's got great footwork and a cannon for an arm.

The Yankees are going to be negotiating with free agents like mad men in the next month, so it's nice that a small, but vital move got taken care of early.

Yankees Extend Qualifing Offers to Trio

Curtis Granderson has some thinking to do.

Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, and Hiroki Kuroda have big decisions to make this off-season. The three are free agents, but each is looking for something very different than the other two. With that in mind, the Yankees extended a $14.1MM one-year qualifying offer to each player.

By extending the offer, the Yankees would receive draft pick(s) if any of the players signed with another Major League team.

There's absolutely no chance that Cano accepts the offer, but Granderson and Kuroda will probably at least consider it. Granderson played in just 61 games in 2013 due to a broken forearm and broken finger that occurred when bone met baseball.  His production- a career worst .723 OPS and .407 slugging pct. - was not conducive to landing a big money, long term free agent deal this off-season.

It's possible that Granderson could accept the qualifying offer in the hopes that he has a very productive season as he did in 2011 (.916 OPS, 41 HR, 119 RBI, 136 runs scored) and then could land a big money deal next off-season. The Yankees would certainly welcome him back on a one year, $14.1MM contract, which would be a slight pay cut for Granderson from last year's $15MM salary.

Rumors say that the White Sox and/or Cubs are preparing big offers for the Chicago native, but until that actually happens, they will remain just rumors.

Kuroda was the Yankees ace in 2013 until the 38-year old wore down during the last month of the season. He turned down the $13.1MM qualifying offer the Yankees tendered in 2013 and signed a one-year deal for $15MM. Should Kuroda decide not to retire and not return to Japan, he's likely to turn down the qualifying offer again.

Should that be the case, the Yankees have to decide whether Kuroda is worth pursuing on another one year deal that would likely cost them a minimum of $15 - 16MM. As good as Kuroda was for the majority of the season, the Yankees front office should be thinking "take it or leave it" this time around.

The Yankees did not extend offers to pitchers Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Boone Logan, infielder Brendan Ryan, corner infielders Kevin Youkilis and Mark Reynolds, DH Travis Hafner, and first baseman Lyle Overbay. Reynolds and Ryan are likely the only two of the group that the Yankees have any interest in bringing back.

In the meantime, Cano is probably out shopping for a very large vault.

Come Hell or High Contract, Yankees Need to Sign Cano

He's Robbie Cano, don'tcha know...and he wants some big cash this coming off-season. And while he says he wants to stay a Yankee, will the Yankees give him what he wants in the $ and years departments?

The Yankees gave it to Alex Rodriguez...bad example. They came through for CC Sabathia...somewhat bad example. When A-Rod opted out of his contract during the 2007 post-season (he really does need to think things through more and so do his "people"), the Yankees had no competition to give him a new long term deal. Of course, they bid against themselves and doled out even more money than originally intended.

There was no way they were going to let CC get away and he didn't want to go anywhere. If he had, he would have found suitors ready to pony up big money.

The Yankees need to act fast with Cano, because there's a bitter old rival on the west coast that will gladly throw all kinds of big money at him. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been spending money like it's going out of style and they will attempt to again this off-season when Cano becomes a free agent.

As much as I hate long term contracts - in my opinion every day players should get seven years tops and pitchers should get five - the Yankees may just need to give their prized second baseman what he wants. The best, most reliable, youngest good bat in the lineup belongs to Cano. He is the guy the Yankees count on most and will again next year if they re-sign him. You can look at Tuesday afternoon's opener of a day-night double dip for the reason why.

With some bad pitches, some bad luck, and some sloppy play, the Yankees fell behind the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 in the 2nd inning. One frame later though, Cano strode to the plate with two aboard and got the Yankees right back in the game with his 23rd home run of the season and the 200th of his career.

Chris Stewart shocked the world when he hit a 3-run blast of his own in the 6th to put the Yankees up 6-4 and then there was Cano again in the 7th with an RBI for some insurance.  Starter Ivan Nova settled down, the pen was effective and efficient and the Yankees had themselves an 8-4 win.

Cano was 4-4 with 4 RBI in the crucial #3 spot in the batting order. He deservedly gets knocked for not always running hard out of the batter's box, but he's smooth as glass defensively and turns a double play quickly and with remarkable grace. He's hitting over .300 this year with 23 HR and 81 RBI (He added an RBI in the nightcap) with virtually no protection in the lineup. Cano entered Tuesday's play with an .882 OPS and has also stolen seven bases (one shy of his career high) in eight attempts. 

No one else on the team can do all the things Cano can do. With a mediocre free agent market and the minor league system not expected to send help until the latter half of 2014, the Yankees will need to sign on the dotted line of a big contract for Robinson Cano.

2 Million Guaranteed Reasons to DH

"Ow, my shoulder"

The Yankees wouldn't listen to me. I explained yesterday why they shouldn't sign Travis Hafner   but they're going to anyway. The Steinbrenner boys are shelling out $2MM guaranteed  for Hafner to be their DH against right-handed pitchers in 2013.

On the plus side, Hafner is popular with his teammates and a good clubhouse guy. For the team's sake and the fan's sake I hope it all works out. But I'm not counting on it.

Plus with Kevin Youkilis on the team the Yankees are starting to look too much like Vin Diesel.

Yankees Go to the Matt with Diaz

Matt Diaz maybe the New York Yankees starting right fielder next season...if there's a left-hander on the mound. The NY Daily News' Mark Feinsand reported the Yankees agreed to a minor league deal and an invation to spring training with the former Atlanta Brave.

With Ichiro Suzuki signed, the Yankees had been in search for someone to face left-handed pitchers. Diaz can make $1.2MM if he goes north with the team out of spring training, and has incentives for another $800K. Diaz could also see at-bats for Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson against some left-handers.

After playing for Tampa Bay and Kansas City, Diaz, except for a brief period of 2011, was a member of the Braves organization since 2006. Diaz, who will turn 35 in March had his best season in 2009 when he received semi-regular at-bats. He hit .313 with 13 HR and 58 RBI, and had an .878 OPS in 125 games.

Diaz signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates a free agent prior to the 2011 season, but was dealt back to Atlanta on the final day of August for a minor leaguer.

Edwin Jackson, Illusionist

I won't say something as dramatic as "I nearly drove off the road..." but I was stunned when I heard on ESPN radio or WFAN that Edwin Jackson was close to an agreement with the Chicago Cubs on a four year contract that would pay him $52MM. Even now I feel like shouting "WHAT?"

Jackson is the epitome of mediocrity; a guy who every now and then catches lightning in a bottle, but for the most part produces a middling performance. Despite that he has seen his yearly salary go from $2.2MM in 2009 to $4.6 a year later to $8.75 in 2011 to $11MM last season.

The $11MM was a one year deal he signed with the Washington Nationals based on his 2011 season that was slightly better than average. Jackson started the 2011 season with the Chicago White Sox, the fifth of seven teams he has played for in his 10 years in the Major Leagues. He had a 2.2 WAR with Chicago, but a WHIP over 1.4 an ERA of nearly 4, which would have been good in years past, but not in the "The Year of the Pitcher" season.

He was dealt to the Cardinals at the '11 trade deadline and finished with a 3.58 ERA in 12 starts and a relief appearance. His WAR was only 0.6 and has been the case throughout his career, Jackson struggled with his control. The right-hander's career strike out to walk ratio is just 1.95. (He's surpassed 3.0 just once in his career.)

Jackson has gotten better with age - he's still just 29 - but his past performance is not worth a four year deal or worth $13MM per season.

Yankees, Kuroda Moving Closer

Hiroki Kuroda turned down the Yankees $13.3MM qualifying offer earlier this month, but it appears a return to the Bronx could be imminent. ESPN's Jayson Stark used Twitter to tell the masses that the Yankees are "very confident" they will be able to re-sign the 37-yr old right-hander.

The rumor mill had Kuroda wanting to return to southern California, where he pitched as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2008-2011. The Angels were also said to be in the mix for Kuroda's services, should he decide he does not want to return to his native Japan.

Kuroda was the Yankees' best pitcher in the second half of 2012 and finished with 16 wins and 3.32 ERA.

UPDATE 9 pm ET - It's official, Hiroki Kuroda returns to the Bronx for one more year with a raise to $15MM.

Ibanez Makes It Official

According to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch, the Yankees and Raul Ibanez have reached terms on a free agent contract. It would appear the two sides were set to agree to a pact long before A.J. Burnett was dealt, but nothing could be made official until the pie thrower was tossed out of town.

Ibanez, who will turn 40 in June, hit .245 last season with 20 HR, 84 RBI, and a career low .707 OPS (for seasons with at least 100 games played). He will be the primary DH against right-handed pitching and will occasionally give Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson a rest by playing left field, something he's not very good at. (A combined 11 errors for Seattle in 2007-8).

The majority of Ibanez's offensive numbers came against right-handed pitching (.747 OPS vs .585 against lefties) last season and that trend should continue this year with Andruw Jones seeing time at DH against southpaws. Of course plenty of DH at-bats will go to Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and the other older veterans on the team.

The deal is believed to be worth $1.1MM and is contingent on a physical. According to Ken Rosenthal, with incentives Ibanez can earn $4MM.

Garcia Goes To The Cashman

With still no word from Andy Pettitte, the Yankees signed Bartolo Colon to a minor league deal last week. ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports this evening that Freddy Garcia has been brought into the Yankees fold as well.

Garcia will make $1.5M if he makes the big club and can earn $3.6M in incentives. The 35-yr old was 12-6, 4.64 last year with the White Sox after throwing just 23 major league games the previous three seasons combined.

Yankees Bring Andruw Jones Into The Mix

The first impression I had of Andruw Jones was not a happy one. He had just crushed an Andy Pettitte pitch deep into the night in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series. To make matters worse he had this hideous little smirk like he was so proud of himself. His first impression was a good one, but not a good one to me.

Things didn't get better later in the game when he hit a second bomb. This pimply faced (I don't know if he really had pimples) kid, who hadn't come on to the scene until August, had just hit two home runs en route to a Braves 12-2 route of the Yankees.

I had waited 18 years for the Yankees to return to the World Series and a blow out was not what I had in mind. To make matters worse the 19-yr old Jones had become the youngest player to hit a home run in a World Series game...breaking Mickey Mantle's record...Mickey Mantle!

Flash forward to January 20, 2011. Andruw Jones is now a Yankee. He signed a one year, $2 million deal that includes $1.2 million in incentives. Jones will back up all three outfield positions, pinch-hit, and see some occasional time at DH.

Jones won't hit for average, but still has some power, can drive in some runs, and draws walks. He's not the Gold Glove outfielder he once, but his creeky body can still play some outfield. Hopefully he's playing in the World Series in Yankee Stadium again this year, but wearing the home pinstripes this time around.

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