Let Me Think About It

The Yankees have reportedly made an offer in the area of 6 years and $more than you can count to CC Sabbathia. He's currently mulling it over, trying to balance his desire to live on the west coast and hit with his desire to purchase an island in the Mediterranean. If he accepts the Yankees offer, he will lose the chance to hit every fifth day. On the other hand he will be much richer than anyone reading this blog, except for you Alex, you're still the richest. The weather in New York ranges from good to bad over the course of a baseball season. On the other hand, accepting the offer will make Johan Santana cry. I understand CC's agent, Mr. Oh $#!% I'm about to get paid, has to shop the offer around, but I'd be surprised if there is a serious counter. Even if there is, the Yankees will top it, they got it like that. CC has already agreed to sign with the Yankees during a telephone exchange with none other than Mr. Gangster himself, Derek Jeter (this was reported first at RJG, transcript of conversation below), so it's just a matter of time. Further, his boy, White Betemit, is now on the team, which sweetens the pot. Even further, his arch rival, Dominican Swisher, is now on the White Sox, whose southside dreams he will get to crush by pitching in the American League. Further, TribeGirl would love to see him pitching for her second favorite team, since her first favorite team traded him away for a sack of potatoes or something. I give it until Monday, Tuesday at the latest, the same day the Yankees will also be announcing the signing of Derek Lowe and calling Burnett's agent to say "psyche." It's going to be a good Tuesday.

The Fundamentals of our Economy are Sound....for CC Sabathia

The Yankees have made their move on one Charles Constantine Sabathia* as they have offered a contract of 6 years and $140 million. This is slightly larger than the contract the Mets offered Santana last year. First offers tend to not get accepted, so I would expect those 140 millions to be met with a few more millions to make it a lot more millions than I'll ever see. I don't see another team ponying up the money, because not too many other teams with money are that desperate. The Cubs, Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers don't need pitching that badly, and the Angels and Dodgers are already working on big money contracts for free agents of their own while the Cubs are working on possibly signing the Big Unit and are still in the Peavy sweepstakes. However, the Dodgers have reportedly withdrawn their offer to Manny though they are still negotiating with him. The deal was for 2 years at $45 million with an option year for $15 million. The Red Sox are oddly quiet though they tend to be that way when plotting their communist agenda. Theo Epstein has reportedly been in meetings with mother Russia, which has been taking away from his trying to sign Varitek to a deal. In other news, Pettitte is still a free agent.

*May not be real name.

Time for Another Phone Call

Seeing as there has been a lot of discussion about the merits of the Swisher deal. I knew it was time for us to have another satellite video phone conversation with good friend of the blog, Brian Cashman. Here is the transcript:

BC: Hello?

RJG: Bronny Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash! How's it hanging brudda?

BC: $#!%@&%#

RJG: Mos def, mos def. So what's the deal with this Swisher trade? On the one hand Freddy Trig really likes it, but Robbie Fingers isn't so sure.

BC: Whose Robbie Fingers?

RJG: Oh Bronny. I've taken to referring to myself in the third person, I think it gives me that certain edge over other bloggers. And it makes the ladies go crazy.

BC: That actually helps you pick up chicks?

RJG: No, it just pisses them off. But let's get back to the real issues. It seems like you traded Dominican Swisher for White Betemit. Neither of them can really hit and presumably they're just there for defense. So clearly, you must still be thinking about signing Texeira to play first, right?

BC: All options are on the table but going forward Swisher will be our first baseman. We believe he is more than last year's stats, can get on base, and is a defensive upgrade over Betemit. Right now our focus is pitching, I'd prefer to fill position spots through trades.

RJG: Fred?

BC: What?

RJG: Never mind. So Bronny, seeing as me and you are good friends, long time friends, even best friends, why don't you hook me up with a job in the Yanks' front office?

BC: What are you possibly qualified to do in the Yankees' front office?

RJG: It's not all about you Bronny.

[Eerie satellite video phone silence]

There you have it folks. It seems Fred was right in his analysis of the Swisher trade. Everyone who disagreed with him hates puppies. Simple as that.

The Nick Swisher Deal: Brilliant or Bust?

Yesterday it was announced that the Yankees completed a trade with the White Sox that sent Wilson Betemit, Jeff Marquez and Jhonny Nunez to Chicago in return for Nick Swisher and Kanekoa Texeira. To analyze this deal we need to look at both value and impact of the deal.

The trade easily favors the Yankees in that Betemit was a one dimensional player whose one dimension he wasn't really that good at. Marquez and Nunez were both prospects with promise, but they were never considered blue chips and we all know that prospects typically don't pan out. Texeira finished this last season in double A as a closer posting a 1.33 ERA and recording 21 saves. According to the press release Texeira had the organizations best slider. But alas, the same prospect rule applies to Texeira that applies to Marquez and Nunez, most prospects don't pan out. Not saying that none of them will, just stating that its difficult to gauge their value.

I don't think any Yankee fan would disagree that moving Betemit for Swisher was a great deal, but what do we have in Swisher? Many will look to Swisher's year with Chicago and write him off, especially if it means we don't go for Mark Teixeira (more on that later). But to value Swisher based on his worse season would be the same as writing off Cano because he had a faulty 2008 season. Swisher finished this season with a .219 average, 24 homeruns, 69 RBI's, and an OBP of .332. If you were to average his previous two seasons you would get a .260 batting average, 29 homeruns, 87 RBI's and a .377 OBP. Those are not bad numbers for a first baseman. Further more, last season was Swisher's 4th full big league season, the same as Cano. He is still young and I would be surprised if he's reached the height of his talent.

Now the question arises of whether getting Swisher takes us out of the Teixeira run. Unless the Yankees are planning on trading someone it would appear that the Yankees have filled their first base need and would not have to go after Teixeira. Teixeira is obviously the superior choice. He has a career average of .290 with a career OBP of .378. He hits 30+ homeruns a season and regularly drives in 100+ runs. But that kind of talent comes with a price tag, and when you're a Boras client, that price tag tends to be exagerated. Would Teixeira for 8 years and $140-$160 million and a no-trade clause be out of the question? Further more, tieing up Teixeira for 8 years also ties up first base for 8 years, which is the natural relocation destination of slow moving catchers with shoulder problems. Teixeira won't want to share time there, and at $17-$20 million a season, the Yankees won't want him to share time there. Swisher on the other hand is signed through 2011 with a 2012 club option. His salaries over that time are as follows: 2009 - $5.3 million, 2010 - $6.75 million, 2011 - $9 million and a $10.25 million club option for 2012. That is extremely reasonable, and very easy to move if a trade presents itself. If we sign Teixeira, we would not be able to trade him not just because of the no-trade clause that is likely to be written into the contract, but also because we would have to eat a large portion of his contract if we did move him. Right now we have too many players we cannot move. By and large, they're players we wouldn't want to move, but if it ever came to that point, their contracts, their no-trade clauses, and their ages will probably disallow any moves to happen that will bring back anything of comparable value.

My conclusion? Teixeira is a superior first baseman and hitter, but as Fred Trigger put it in the comments section, Nick Swisher is the poor man's Teixeira. So why are the Yankees going this route? Because Swisher is a much better value than Teixeira. You get less production from Swisher, but for $10 million less, when can go for a few less jacks. It allows the Yankees to be more flexible and at a much lower cost. Plus, by all counts, Swisher seems to be a good teammate that would mesh well in the Yankee clubhouse. Need some convincing? Check out this video on the Coast-to-Coast Baseball blog. That alone sells Swisher to me.

Lastly, this does bring more prominence to one option the Yankees could use to fulfill the big bat deficit. By passing on Teixeira the Yankees could afford to bring Manny Ramirez in for 2 years. The Yankees could match and go beyond the Dodger's reported offer, and include a club option with a decent opt out. Yes, that kind of money gives the Yankees an immovable player, but for 2 years, who cares? I know Manny is controversial, but a bigger bat you can't find, and he has it out for the Red Sox, which is a good thing for us. I know the Yankees want two pitchers, but loosing Abreu and Giambi necessitates another bat in the lineup, and quite frankly, Manny's is the best on the market.

Yankees Acquire First Baseman

The Yankees completed a trade with the White Sox today, receiving Nick Swisher and Texeira (not that one, some pitcher), while the Sox received Betemit and a couple prospects I've never heard of, but whose mom's think they are really cool. Swisher can't hit but he can play first, and this may mean that the Yanks are out of the Texeira market. If that is the case Texeira is an Angel by tomorrow morning. If not, then he's a Yankee by tomorrow afternoon.

Sabbathia is probably trying to figure out how he's going to fit his new contract with the Yankees into his bank account. Tomorrow the bidding begins. Tomorrow night the Yanks will announce the signing of Sabbathia. That's just how it works people.

So who likes the Swisher trade?

Yankees Sign Marte, Other Lefty Still Waiting

The Yankees signed lefty reliever Damaso Marte to a 3 year $12 million deal yesterday. Although Marte struggled for the most part with the Yankees, he showed moments where he was absolutely brilliant, and a lot of his struggles can be traced back to a multi-inning pitching performance where he got his pitch count pretty high. What the Yankees have failed to do however is resign another lefty pitcher named Andy Pettitte. The exclusive negotiation window ends Friday, and if Pettitte isn't signed by then he can then start taking offers from other teams. Although he wants to play for the Yankees, accepting offers from other teams just allows for more leverage on his part. The Yankees would be smart to sign him to a one year $10-$11 million deal before we end up having to dish out $16 million again. I'm wondering if the Yankees are making the same mistake of 2003 when they dragged their feet to do something with Pettitte and then acted all shocked when he signed with the Astro's. Will history repeat itself? Probably not, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did.

There's also the matter of that other lefty. I think the Yankees just plan on flying Sabathia down to the Amazon, walking him into a gold mine, and telling him to start filling wheelbarrows while a mining manager takes notes. Once Sabathia has enough to build his own Fort Knox, he'll sign with the Yankees.

This Just In: Pete Abe Easily Impressed

Now let me begin by saying that I love Pete Abe. He's one of my best friends. Actually, I don't know him but his is the first place I check for Baseball news when Bronny Cash refuses to answer my video satellite phone calls.

But Pete Abe linked to this article over on Yahoo, describing it as a "funny take."

Here's the thing, this article isn't even remotely funny. Not at all. My brother's transcript, which I might add we had to fight four ninja's to get, was way funnier. We got no mention. But this piece of crap (from a comedic standpoint) gets a link in what is probably the most read Yankee blog linked on other Yankee blogs. WTF? If you describe something as funny, it should actually be funny. This article was not funny, not even moderately funny. I didn't even chuckle lightly. In conclusion, this article was not funny.

I just heard on the FAN that the Yanks haven't even contacted Pettitte yet. Is it just a matter of time before Houston scoops him up? I suspect yes. Why, you ask? Because I do, I don't need evidence, and that's how I roll.

Breaking News: Hal Expects Yankees to Sign Free Agents

Hal Steinbrenner spoke with the media recently about the Yankees plans for this winter revealing that they planned to sign free agents. This adds to the growing speculation that the Yankees will in fact be looking to sign free agents. Hal's statements put him in sharp agreement with Brian Cashman who revealed a couple weeks back that the Yankees were looking to sign free agents. It also puts him in agreement with Hank Steinbrenner who also stated that the Yankees would look at free agents. We are still waiting to hear from principal owner George Steinbrenner on the matter, but insiders suspect that he agrees that the Yankees will look at free agents. Although the Yankees cannot yet look at free agents, the growing impression is that the Yankees are likely to look at free agents. Breaking news indeed.

A Winter Move That Makes Sense

The only way to build a roster that is both competitive and cost effective is to look at alternative ways to acquiring talent. Free agents can be costly, trades can gain you just as much as they take away, and developing prospects can be as unpredictable as dog racing, so where there is no sure shot way of getting what you want why not take a new route? The only move that makes sense for the Yankees at this point is to clone former players. Yes, I know cloning is illegal, but no one needs to know. The way it works is we get the DNA of past Yankee greats, and we clone them. We then put a fake mustache on them so no one can tell the difference. Just imagine how potent our lineup would be if we had the young iron man, Lou Gehrig playing first, and the switch hitting Mickey Mantle in centerfield. Step aside Xavier Nady, you're platooning with Babe Ruth. Rotation problems? Not with Whitey Ford, the chairman of the board on the mound. I know, it sounds crazy, but how unrealistic is it?

Okay its pretty unrealistic, but I didn't want to go a whole day without posting anything and that was the first thing that came to mind. I hope everyone had a great Veteran's Day. The off season sucks, but hopefully there will be news tomorrow. Cheers!

Assorted Yankee Items

When you go to Yankees.com and the leading story is titled "Yankees Likely to be Players in Free Agent Market", you know that there is not much news to report. It is then upon the bloggers and journalists of the world to dig deep to find their stories. Here are a few news items that may have slipped under the radar.

Many newspapers have reported that Derek Jeter called CC Sabathia. What these newspapers failed to do is get a transcript of that conversation:

CC: Hello.

DJ: Hi CC?

CC: Speaking.

DJ: Its Derek Jeter.

CC: Oh, Jeter! What's going on man?

DJ: Not much man, just living the dream. So, sign with the Yankees.

CC: Okay.

DJ: I'll talk to you later.

CC: See you later, teammate.

End Phone Call

Other prominent news items is that next season we will have the second ever World Baseball Classic. If the last baseball classic taught us anything its that one, Baseball is an international sport*, anyone can win in a short series, and that the United States sucks. How did the United States not make it to the final round of the classic? Or for that matter, the Dominican team? My home team of Puerto Rico didn't go too far, but they lacked pitching, and they did give Cuba a severe beating the first time out. Alas, the baseball classic was concluded with Japan beating Cuba in the final round, propelling such starts as Daisuke Matsuzaka and Kosuke Fukudome into the limelight. The Koreans also did pretty well.

*International defined loosely.

In other WBC news, apparently the Venezuelen team members have been silently planning a boycott of the classic, because of lack of player input allowed and problems that arose in the last classic. Those upset by these issues include such Venezuelan talents as Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano, Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen, and Magglio Ordonez. Among the problems were not being able to get enough tickets for all the family members that came to watch the games, and getting stiffed on per diem, which resulted in them having dinner one night at a fast food burger joint. This group of players, which made a paltry $36 million in 2006, could not have been reasonably expected to pay $20.00 a ticket for their own family members to watch the games, and sadly could not afford anything more than $6.00 for a burger and fries, with a soda on the side at the conclusion of the game. The WBC should be ashamed of themselves for treating these players as animals. They may be millionaires, but they're people too. I for one am disgusted. Making them pay for their own family members tickets, millionaires eating fastfood like you and me, how dare you WBC!

Lastly, if you didn't see it over at the Pete Abe blog, there is an online auction going on to raise money for the Domestic Violence Project, run by Trenton Thunder clubhouse manager Tom Kackley. The Domestic Violence Project provides services for victims of domestic violence. Kackley started the Domestic Violence Project after his wife's sister was murdered by her husband in an act of domestic violence. Peter Abraham speaks highly of Tom Kackley, and I personally participated in last years auction that raised $5000. Its a great cause, and the auction has some cool things including autographed items by A-Jax (Get them now before he becomes a star!), Brett Gardner, JB Cox, Tino Martinez, Shelley Duncan, Jeff Karstens, Joba Chamberlain, and Reggie Jackson. For any Red Sox fans out there, there's also a Jim Rice autographed picture in the auction. If I remember correctly, more items were added as the auction went on last year, and although I don't know if that will be the case this year it may be worth checking back every so often. Last year he auctioned off some authentic Yankee clothing, and I managed to get some Yankees Adidas shorts and a Yankees warm up track suit. It cost me a fortune, but for charity its worth it. At least that's how I justified it.