Yankees Seal up Rotation with Vazquez

Brian Cashman had spent the current off-season on the lookout for another starting pitcher. Today he landed one. The Yankees GM reacquired right-handed starter Javier Vazquez from the Atlanta Braves for popular outfielder Melky Cabrera. In addition, the Yankees received left-handed pitcher Boone Logan and sent pitchers Mike Dunn and Arodys Vizcaino to the Braves.

Vazquez was originally acquired by the Yankees prior to the 2004 season. Ironically, recent free agent signee Nick Johnson was part of a package (along with Juan Rivera and Randy Choate) that landed Vazquez from the Montreal Expos.

Vazquez started out like a house afire in the Bronx, winning 10 games and was selected to the 2004 AL All-Star team. But a sore shoulder, which he kept hidden from the team, contributed to a miserable second half (6.92 ERA in 14 starts). He sealed his fate in pinstripes when he gave up a pair of home runs to Johnny Damon (more irony), including a grand slam, in Game 7 of the '04 ALCS. Vazquez was sent to the Arizona Diamondbacks in January, 2005 as part of a deal for Randy Johnson.

The right-hander is a work-horse, having averaged 216.1 innings over the last decade. He's in the final year of a free agent deal he signed with the Chicago White Sox prior to the 2006 season (he was dealt to Atlanta - even more irony - with Logan during the last off-season.). Since he'll be a back end of the rotation guy, this was a good move by Cashman.

Cabrera had his ups and downs in the Bronx. He bounced back from a rough 2008, which included a minor league demotion, and losing his starting job, to posting career bests in home runs (13) and OPS (.752) in 2009.

He helped the Yankees to several walk off wins in 2009, hit for the cycle against the White Sox, and was a solid contributor to the Yankees 27th world championship. He became expendable with the recent acquisition of center fielder Curtis Granderson from Detroit. A solid defender with a strong accurate arm, Melky's value was never going to be higher and Cashman was smart to move him before his offense had a chance to take a dip next season.

Happy Anniversary to My Pinstripes

I was a little busy the past week so I didn't get a chance to mention last Saturday was the 4th anniversary of "My Pinstripes". What started out as a semi-lark has been a lot of fun. With the blog, facebook, and twitter (as well as Baseball Digest Online), I've gotten the chance to interact with a lot of great Yankees fans as well as proponents of opponents.

I hope to have more interviews with players and people associated with the game next year, and continue to vary things up. And, of course, I hope you will continue to read and enjoy the blog.

Thanks!

Snowy Sunday Hot Stove

Northern New Jersey didn't get as much snow as southern NJ or areas that normally get less snow. But it's a good day to get ready for football by talking some baseball hot stove.

Boston and Texas have been talking a Mike Lowell deal for weeks, but now things are off. A physical revealed torn ligaments in Lowell's thumb. The tear will require surgery and a 6-8 week recovery period. The deal could be revisited once Lowell recovers, but it's dead for now.

The Oakland A's and Coco Crisp are close to a one year deal per ESPN's Buster Olney. Crisp's career has gone downhill since his back to back star years (2004-2005) in Cleveland when he averaged 15 home runs and 70 RBI. He's still a threat to steal, but the power has diminished as has his OPS.

In case you missed it on Friday, the Cubs sent "Mr. Personality", Milton Bradley to the Mariners for overpaid/underachieving starting pitcher Carlos Silva. Bradley brings his ton of baggage to Seattle at $10 million per season for the next two years. He's a bargain, but do the M's really want to put up with Bradley's antics? He'll primarily split DH with Ken Griffey Jr. and see some time in the outfield as well. As for Silva, what were the Mariners thinking when they gave him a four year deal for $11-$12 million per year.

Jolly St. Nick

I don't know if he's a saint, but it appears Nick Johnson will be back in a Yankees uniform in 2010. That according to reports earlier today that Johnson and the Yankees are completing a 1-yr deal worth $5.5 million. Since Johnson will be the primary DH that also means that Johnny Damon is likely done wearing the pinstripes.

Johnson played for the Yankees from 2001-2003 before being shipped to the Montreal Expos as part of a package for right-handed starter Javier Vazquez. He averaged 14 home runs and 52 RBI in the latter two years. He spent last season with the Nationals before being dealt to the Florida Marlins at the trade deadline.

Johnson has been on the disabled list a number of times and that marked a good portion of his time in New York as well as while he was an up and coming prospect. His best year was in 2006 while a member of the Washington Nationals. He had career highs in average (.290), OPS (.948), home runs (23), and RBI (77). His high on-base percentage and ability to produce runs fits right into the Yankees' game plan.

Johnson not only replaces Hideki Matsui, who signed with the LA Angels, in the lineup, but also as a left-handed bat that can hit-left-handed pitching. He's a career .292 hitter against southpaws, including .316 last season.

Home for the Halladay

The Phillies, Blue Jays, and Mariners have finalized their deal to swap top starters Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, and assorted players. Upon joining the Phillies, Halladay agreed to a three year, $60 million extension, good through 2013. He also goes from a team constantly chasing the Yankees and Red Sox in the AL East to one that has represented the National League in the last two World Series.

Lee is due to become a free agent after the 2010 season and wants a CC Sabathia-like deal. That's seven years, $161 million. Had the Phillies not wanted to deal Lee they certainly would have to have parted with more ready for prime time players in order to land Halladay.

Heading north of the border are Phillies prospects Kyle Drabek and catcher Tyler d’Arnaud. Outfield prospect Michael Taylor was also included, but the Blue Jays immediately sent him to the A's for third base prospect Brett Wallace.

The Mariners meanwhile shipped three prospects to the Phillies in return for Lee. They are pitching prosects Phillippe Aumont and Juan Ramirez, and minor league outfielder Tyson Gillies.

No one knows what the future holds with prospects, but right now the Blue Jays come out last in this deal.

Red Sox Sign Lackey, Cameron

The Red Sox took a big step towards competing with the Yankees in the AL East this evening by signing free agent pitcher John Lackey. The Sox also inked center fielder Mike Cameron to a deal.

Lackey has been a stud for the LA Angels and leaves a huge void in Mike Scoscia's rotation. He joins a Red Sox rotation of Josh Beckett, John Lester, Dice-K, Clay Buchholz, and Tim Wakefield. The deal is reportedly for 5 years and in the range of $80-$85 million.

Cameron could replace Jason Bay in left field or free up the Sox to possibly include Jacoby Ellsbury in a deal for Adrian Gonzalez or another bat.

Doc Just What the Phillies Ordered

UPDATE 11 PM
Okay, I was really out of it when I got home tonight..this is actually a three team deal involving the Mariners in addition to the Blue Jays and Phillies. The latest would send Halladay to the Phillies, Cliff Lee to the Mariners, and J.A. Happ or Kyle Drabek, outfielder Michael Taylor and catching prospect Travis d'Arnaud to the Blue Jays.

While this is still a good deal for the Phillies, I'm not loving it for the Jays so much any more now that there aren't two automatics for their rotation.

A lot happens when you have no access to any media for most of the day. Imagine my surprise when I just heard that Roy Halladay was in Philadelphia today for a physical. Halladay has reportedly been dealt from the Blue Jays for pitchers Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ, and outfielder Dominic Brown.

Reportedly Halladay's agent Greg Landry was working with the Phils on a new contract. The deal would most likely fall through if no deal were reached. The commissioner's office has given the teams a 72 hour window to get the trade completed.

The Phillies have decisions to make going forward. In addition to doling out big bucks to Halladay, current Phillie Cliff Lee is looking for a deal with CC Sabathia type money ($23 mill per year). Lee won't be a free agent until after the 2010 season.

The Phillies were already the front-runner to repeat as NL East division winners next season, but the deal would give them an even bigger advantage. Especially if Cole Hamels can recapture his 2008 form.

This is a good deal for the Blue Jays as well, getting two major league starters. Blanton has a tendency to fight his weight as well as the strike zone, but is a consistent pitcher. Happ, a rookie in '09, has a tremendous up side. The 22-yr old Brown put together a .299-14-64 season playing at three different levels this past season. He also stole 23 bases. Baseball America ranked Brown as the Phillies top prospect prior to the '09 season.

Godzilla Switches Coasts

Hideki Matsui was a true professional in his seven years in Pinstripes. Now, he'll be bringing that professionalism to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Godzilla has reportedly signed a one year, $6.5 million deal to play for Mike Scioscia on the left coast.

Matsui reached the pinnacle of his Yankees career in his final season in the Bronx, winning the World Series MVP Award as the Bombers captured their 27th world championship.

Matsui had many big hits during his time in the Bronx and will be missed.

Slam Duncan

It's over. The great ball man experiment. Not the Seinfeld episode. I'm talking about the hope that the Duncan boys, Shelley and Eric (no relation) could become regular contributors to the Yankees lineup.

Shelley had some moments in the sun during the the 2007 season, hitting seven home runs, but Eric has never had a major league bat and had the bigger upside.

I watched Eric's development at Seton Hall Prep. Local boy makes good. The Florham Park native was the NJ high school player of the year in 2003 and was selected in the 1st round, 27th overall, by the Yankees. Local area baseball fans were excited and full of anticipation as we just knew he would be hitting 30 home runs a year with the friendly right field porch in the old(er) Yankee Stadium.

Things started out well enough. Duncan graduated high school, then spent his summer playing for the GCL and Staten Island Yankees. 6 home runs and 69 RBI in 107 games, plus a good OPS had to be a portend of things to come.

But while Eric hit 35 home runs over the next two seasons, more often than not he wasn't making contact. 267 strikeouts over those same two seasons as the holes in Duncan's game were exposed. He would never hit higher than .260 again and his power diminished. Injuries limited his playing time and led to his departure from the Yankees organization, still just 25 years old.

That announcement came today from LoHud's Chad Jennings (by the way if I haven't said it already, a great replacement for Pete Abe. Chad's work covering the Scranton Yankees was outstanding) that Duncan has signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. Perhaps a chance of scenery will help turn things around for Duncan. We can only hope so!

The Wanger is Non-Tendered

Sunkia, Wanger

Written for Baseball Digest Online

The Chien-Ming Wang era has come to a close in the Bronx. The two time 19-game winner, injured for much of the past two seasons, was non-tendered by the Yankees today. Wang was arbitration eligible and stood to make decent coin despite the fact he was 1-6, 9.64 in 2009 before having season ending shoulder surgery.

Wang’s agent Alan Nero expects The Wanger to be ready by opening day, but a more realistic return would be between May and June. The Yankees could still bring Wang back with a minor league contract, but Nero will definitely explore other options (by the way, Sunkia is goodbye in Taiwanese).

Newsday’s Ken Davidoff feels that Joe Torre’s LA Dodgers may be a natural fit. The drawback there, of course, would be that Wang would have to bat. He started just 15 games in 2008 due a season ending Lisfranc injury he suffered during interleague play.

Wang helped turn the Yankees season around in 2005, when he went 8-5 in 18 games after being recalled from Triple-A Columbus. He was then an integral part of pennant contending teams the following two seasons when he went a combined 38-12 and average 208 innings pitched.

12 Shopping Days 'til Xmas Hot Stove

Happy Hanukkah, no matter your spelling. When exactly is Festivus this year? I can just see Hal and Hank Steinbrenner competing in the feats of strength. Hank would probably start off well, but Hal would then use Hank's heft against him.

So what has happened since we checked in last. Winter meetings are obviously done. There have been signings, some rumors, some trades, and some near trades.

The Mets four year offer to free agent outfielder, and one time Mets minor leaguer, Jason Bay created quite the buzz on New York sports talk radio yesterday. Debates centered on whether or not the Mets offer was a legit one.

The offer of $65 million was just $5 million over an offer proposed by the Red Sox. Many fans and members of the media feel the Mets could have made a much bigger impact on the bidding with a bigger boost than 5 mill. Perhaps even throwing a 5th year into the deal may have made a lot more noise.

The Mets also made an offer to one of their top priorities, free agent catcher Bengie Molina.


The Rangers-Red Sox deal is still in the works and is still expected to happen. That's the one where Mike Lowell goes to Texas to take over first base, while catching prospect Max Ramirez heads to Beantown. Money is still being worked out and it's possible the Rangers still have concerns about Lowell's hip. It'll probably get done though.

Today is the deadline for non-tendering players. Chief among them will be the Yankees own, and one of my personal favorites, Chien-Ming Wang. I'll have more on this later.

Cards GM John Mozeliak confirmed that the team has made a formal offer in an attempt to retain the services of free agent Matt Holliday. Mozeliak told St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist/radio host Bernie Miklaz Friday that he expects to hear back from Holliday's agent, Scott Boras, in 48 hours.

The Royals have signed veteran catcher Jason Kendall to a 2-yr, $6 million deal.

The White Sox have signed right-handed reliever J.J. Putz to a 1-yr, $3 million deal to set up closer Bobby Jenks. Putz was expected to be a large part of the Mets bullpen last season after his acquisition from Seattle, but injuries shortened his season.

Tony Pena Jr., son of the Yankees bench coach, and one time infielder has signed a minor league contract with the Giants as he continues his attempt to become a reliever.

FoxSports stated Thursday the Phillies are the front-runners to land Roy Halladay. Not so fast, said Phils' GM Reuben Amaro in response. Amaro may be playing his cards close to his vest, but he does not expect to land the Blue Jays ace.

The Giants and Marlins have had in-depth discussions about a deal that would bring second baseman Dan Uggla to the Bay area.

The Red Sox picked up pitcher Boof Bonser from the Twins for a PTBNL.

Rumor: Harden Signs with Rangers

NBC Sports is reporting tonight that free agent starter Rich Harden has agreed to a 1-yr free agent deal with the Texas Rangers. The deal is said to be worth $7.5 million with an $11.5 million option for 2011.

Harden returns to the American League where he first found success as a member of the Oakland Athletics. He was dealt to the Chicago Cubs as part of a six player deal in July, 2008.

Millwood Moved as Meetings Continue

The third day of the winter meetings saw veteran pitcher Kevin Millwood traded from the Texas Rangers to the Baltimore Orioles for reliever Chris Ray and a player to be named later. In obtaining Millwood and cash, the O's add a workhorse starter to a rotation that is filled with youngsters (Jeremy Guthrie being the exception.).

Ray missed most of the 2008 season after under going Tommy John surgery and struggled in his return this past season. He gives the Rangers a veteran set up man with closing experience.

In other moves and rumors:

The Pirates are close to agreeing to terms with much injured infielder Bobby Crosby, who has spent his entire career with the A's. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Crosby would receive a 1-yr, $1 million deal that will include incentives in addition to the base salary.
The Florida Marlins have dealt one time closer Matt Lindstrom to the Houston Astros for pitcher Robert Bono, shortstop Luis Bryan and a player to be named later. Lindstrom will have the chance to take over the closing role from departing free agent Jose Valverde.

The Brewers have signed pitchers Randy Wolf (3 years, $27 million) and LaTroy Hawkins (2 years, $7.5 million). I can't say that's the wisest way to use their money.

The Red Sox and Rangers are reportedly discussing a deal for Mike Lowell. The Sox are reportedly interested in Adrian Beltre as a replacement.

Angels Make Play for Halladay

According to the Toronto Sun, the LA Angels have made a considerable offer for Toronto Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. The Angels have reportedly offered starter Joe Saunders, shortstop Erick Aybar, and minor league outfielder Peter Bourjos.

The deal would give the Blue Jays the a second starting shortstop they lost when Marco Scutaro signed with the Red Sox. Toronto had previously inked Alex Gonzalez to a 1-yr deal with an option for a second year. Saunders would give the Jays an experienced major league starting pitcher to replace Halladay.

Both Aybar and Saunders are locked up for the next three seasons.