Yankees eyeing free-agent options

10/01/08 3:00 PM ET
Yankees eyeing free-agent options
Questions surround return of Posada, Pettitte, Mussina, others

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Because the Yankees could not proceed with their offseason planning until it was decided who would sit in the general manager's chair, Brian Cashman assured that he would not let his contract situation drag into an extended process.

He followed through on that promise, as Cashman agreed to a three-year contract that runs through 2011 on Tuesday. As he discussed his continuation on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, Cashman acknowledged that the heavy lifting is about to begin with his Loge-level office at the old building.

The third-place Yankees finished 89-73, missing the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons. Even before the regular season completed, Cashman took catcher Jorge Posada aside before the year's final road trip and asked how realistic his stated goal of catching 120 games in 2009 can really be.

"He looked me in the eye and he swears that he's going to be back, as good as ever," Cashman said. "It's up to us to buy into that or not."

Posada's season ended in late July with arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder, which curtailed his ability to gun down runners and relegated him to duty as a first baseman and designated hitter at times.

Cashman said that he does not plan to pursue a free-agent catcher as of now -- Ivan Rodriguez, who was acquired in July from Detroit, is one -- but that could change depending on how Posada gets through his rehab. Posada is set to begin a throwing program on Dec. 1.

"The preference for me would be if Jorge Posada can catch and return to norm," Cashman said. "That's where we're strongest. He was a huge loss for us. He was a catcher that obviously provided defense.

"But his offense was so significant and was such a difference maker for this franchise for so long that when we rolled the balls out there every day, we had a distinct advantage."

The Yankees have a pair of veteran starting pitchers set for free agency in Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina, both of whom are mulling retirement on some level. Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu and Carl Pavano are also among the team's notable free agents, and the Yankees will not bring all -- or even necessarily any -- of them back.
"In some of these cases, some of these guys are going to go without having the chance to win a world championship," Cashman said.

Manager Joe Girardi said that his gut instinct is that Pettitte will continue to pitch, and he only wishes to pitch for the Yankees. But Girardi is not so sure about Mussina, who could walk away after recording the first 20-win season of his career.

Cashman said that retirement is "something that's weighing on [Mussina's] mind," but it is "certainly possible." The Yankees could reach out to him if their plans to address the starting rotation via free agency or trades do not pan out.

Hank Steinbrenner has already targeted CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett as potential options, and one offseason after the Yankees turned down a chance to trade for Johan Santana, Cashman hinted the process of developing talent may be more ripe.

"I'm not afraid to pursue big players, I'm not," Cashman said. "It's not something I'm against. I'm not trying to change that side of it. There's a time and place when you push that button.

"This past winter, I didn't feel the building process was enough completed to start jettisoning off. When you make a big play like that, you've got to get where you need to be. That's like the finishing piece."

With Giambi up for free agency, several players have lobbied to play first base for at least a portion of the season, including Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui.

Cashman said that playing either out of position is not something he gravitates toward -- Cashman prefers the idea of Matsui as a DH and likes the range Damon offers in the outfield.

"I'd like to put a first baseman at first, rather than have somebody who's trying to step up on behalf of the team," Cashman said.

Of Giambi and Abreu, Cashman said, "They happen to be the most selective hitters that we've got. This year's team, overall ... we were more of a free-swinging unit than we had been in the past. Obviously, the free agency of Giambi and Abreu is a concern to that area of weakness."

Cashman said that closer Mariano Rivera is scheduled to have surgery on his right shoulder on Monday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Dr. David Altchek will perform the procedure. He also said that the Yankees will also discuss coaching staff decisions shortly, but no concrete plans had yet been made.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Yankees will be making the moves

No Doubt about it

11/01/08 2:17 PM ET
Yanks examine free-agent options
Manny, Sabathia among big-ticket players on the market

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- With his ever-present dreadlocks and carefree attitude, Manny Ramirez was the perfect anti-Yankee, especially when the Washington Heights product tortured the club with his big bat during numerous encounters.

But with the slugging outfielder primed to offer his services to the highest bidder as a free agent, Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner said that he could envision the idea of Ramirez being fitted for pinstripes.

"There's nothing we are not looking at," Steinbrenner told The Associated Press on Friday at the Yankees' Spring Training complex. "And personally, I like Manny. He's one of the greatest hitters in the history of the game. He's a free spirit for sure, but he knows how to win. We like some of the other guys, too. We just don't know yet."

The Yankees have targeted starting pitching as their No. 1 objective, and are expected to make a strong push for the Milwaukee Brewers' CC Sabathia, as well as considering other free-agent candidates like A.J. Burnett, Derek Lowe and Ben Sheets.

"Every team in baseball wants Sabathia," Steinbrenner said. "That's the bottom line. It's not a real secret. Pitching is in the forefront for everybody, not just us. That's why starting pitching is at a premium."

But New York would not be averse to adding a bat after injuries and inconsistency led to it producing only 789 runs in 2008, well down from projections and the Major League-leading 968 runs the Yankees scored in 2007. The Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

Ramirez, 36, would certainly help provide offense and protection for Alex Rodriguez in the lineup, though it is not clear where he would play.

Even with the free agency of Bobby Abreu, the Yankees still have a depth chart that includes Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, Xavier Nady and Melky Cabrera as potential corner outfielders. The Yankees need a first baseman with Jason Giambi not expected to return -- switch-hitting Mark Teixiera is a big-ticket free agent who could draw interest.

But Ramirez could be an intriguing addition. In one of the best midseason pickups in recent memory, Ramirez was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Boston Red Sox on July 31 and batted .396 (74-for-187) with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs in 53 games down the stretch.

After helping Joe Torre's club wrap up the National League West, Ramirez was also productive as the Dodgers moved on to the NL Championship Series, batting .520 with four homers and 10 RBIs in eight postseason games.

Instantly popular in Los Angeles, the Dodgers are expected to make an effort to re-sign Ramirez, though he will not come cheaply. Ramirez has hinted at a term of five or six years and said he'll likely sign with the team that produces the largest dollar amount.

"I want to see who is the highest bidder," Ramirez said after the Dodgers' NLCS loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. "Gas is up and so am I."

Dodgers GM Ned Colletti has not discussed what his club plans to offer, but an offer is likely to be made at next week's General Managers Meetings in Dana Beach, Calif.

The Yankees could potentially clear more than $80 million in payroll following this season. That would permit them to be major players on the free-agent market, with a large offer expected to be planned in the case of Sabathia.

The left-hander went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA in 17 starts for the Brewers after a July trade from the Cleveland Indians, including seven complete games, and could score a contract surpassing Johan Santana's six-year, $137.5 million deal with the Mets.

Sabathia has been said to prefer both the West Coast and the NL, two facts that would not work in the Yankees' favor. But the opening of the Yankees' new $1.3 billion stadium, and all of its player comforts, could be a draw for free agents.

Sabathia has not yet filed for free agency, but that is considered a formality. The Brewers have an exclusive negotiating window with Sabathia until Nov. 14.

In other moves, the Yankees added left-hander Wilkins De La Rosa and right-hander Eric Hacker to the 40-man roster on Friday. The 23-year-old De La Rosa was 9-4 with a 2.11 ERA in 32 games (11 starts) between Class A Charleston and Class A Tampa. Hacker, 25, a 23rd-round pick in the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, was 9-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 26 starts with Tampa and Double-A Trenton.

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

11/11/08 2:19 PM EST
Steinbrenner: Yanks ready to spend
Expensive options won't preclude Bombers from upgrading club

By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Don't discard those preconceived notions of what the Yankees are capable of doing come winter. There may be a renewed emphasis on youth and building from within in the Bronx, but the Yankees are still prepared to spend.

"We're going to do what we do every year, and that's try to field a championship team," co-chairman Hal Steinbrenner said on Tuesday. "That's not going to change. We know that we've got some weaknesses, and we're going to fix the problems as best we can. If that means spending money, obviously that means spending money. The philosophy has not changed."

That means that when teams are officially allowed to begin swapping contract offers with free agents this Friday, the Yankees will be as aggressive as ever.

"Everything has a price," Steinbrenner said. "We understand free agency. We're going to go after what we need, and if what we can do and what we're willing to do is not enough, then it won't be enough. But we're going to pursue the market aggressively."

Speaking at a news conference announcing the Yankees' partnership with technology provider Cisco Systems, Steinbrenner reiterated the stance that his team, more than anything, will focus on pitching. Without naming names -- CC Sabathia remains the most popular and expensive option -- Steinbrenner indicated that the Yankees likely will be among the highest bidders for many of the game's top free-agent pitchers.

The team's payroll, the highest in baseball at $207 million last season, has shed significant weight since Jason Giambi ($23.4 million in 2008), Andy Pettitte ($16 million), Bobby Abreu ($16 million), Ivan Rodriguez ($12.4 million), Mike Mussina ($11 million) and Carl Pavano ($11 million) all filed for free agency. Despite the fact that the Yankees still might re-sign some of those players, they should have a bit more wiggle room in their negotiations with other free agents.

And the new Yankee Stadium, set to open in April 2009, should provide the team with an increased revenue stream.

Though he typically defers to his brother, Hank Steinbrenner, on baseball decisions, Hal Steinbrenner has already met with general manager Brian Cashman, and he plans to have a meeting later this week with top team executives, including his brother and his father, principal owner George Steinbrenner.

"We're going to be ready for Friday," he said. "Decisions haven't completely been made yet, but we've got three days."

Steinbrenner also noted that both he and his brother are planning on rekindling their father's approach of personally reaching out to agents and players. And they won't be shy about opening their wallets, either.

"We know about where we need to be to field the kind of team that our city and our fans expect," Steinbrenner said. "And a team that can win."

Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

What a surprise

Big pockets Steinbrenner still trying to buy another WS! Hope they fail again. Hurray for teams like Tampa Bay.