Monday, January 13, 2014

Yankees Have Asked Padres About Infielders

The San Diego Padres have some depth in the infield and the New York Yankees have recently asked them about their availability. While it is probably unlikely that the Yankees have the pieces to acquire a Chase Headley, although I can dream, Jon Paul Morosi tweeted that the Yankees may be interested in utility man Logan Forsythe. I kind of want to believe that the Yankees have enough utility type infielders at this point, especially light hitting ones like Forsythe but what do I know.

Forsythe has a triple slash of .241/.310/.349 over the last three seasons and has 57 stolen bases to go with it. Most recently though Forsythe posted a .214/.281/.332 in 2013 after a strong 2012. The idea of making this trade does not excite me...

A Bomb: The Countdown

I used to love spring training. Seeing the players getting back together and running around like last seasons injuries never happened. Jeters wheels, Teixeras wrist and look over there...it's ARod!?!?

Is this really happening? Who knows, after today's A bomb by A Rod and the fact that he's trying to sue the MLPPA, nothing surprises me anymore. For all we know, he will not only show up, but he'll play and play well! Imagine him finagling his way into some spring games and hitting .543 with 8 hrs and 20 RBIs. Would you be that surprised? This guy is the ultimate enigma.

I just can't wait for the day that we go into Spring Training without anything worthy of Page 6 in the Post. An ARod free bottom line on SportsCenter? A season that has nothing to do with suspension reviews or court appearances?  I mean, can you imagine how this court hearings going to go?!

Judge: Mr. Rodriguez, what do you have to say about these charges against you?
ARod: Bud Selig is out to get me!
Judge: What? No I mean the...
ARod: it WAS THE PLAYERS UNION!!
Judge: Mr. Rodriguez! Please just answer the questi...
ARod: OMAHA, OMAHA...BLUE 42

Well, that might be a bit of a stretch, but I have to ask you....is it?

The sad part is, and I'm sure some of you fans can attest, I'm becoming immune. This guy could show up to court or spring training in a dress, dancing the Macarena and holding a puppy at gunpoint and I would just roll my eyes and grab another cup of joe. Nothing surprises me anymore.

Although, that doesn't mean I can't wait for the day...61 million dollars in the future...that I can love spring training again.



Tanaka's Wife Prefers The West Coast

According to David Waldstein on Twitter the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes is basically right where we always thought it would be, it's down to the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. There are obviously some secret dark horse teams that could get involved, see the Seattle Mariners and the Los Angeles Angels, but Tanaka's wife may have something to say about that. Tanaka's wife is said to be pushing her husband toward her preference of playing on the West Coast, presumably to be closer to home and family in Japan. When did the Japanese start listening to their wives?

Yankees Asked For Medicals On Ervin Santana

Let the hot stove heat back up as the New York Yankees, as well as the Baltimore Orioles and the Minnesota Twins, have asked for the medicals on free agent starting pitcher Ervin Santana. Ken Rosenthal on Twitter was the first to bring us the information, seen above. However Rosenthal does go on to say that teams like the Yankees are only doing their due diligence and do not have genuine interest in the fly ball pitcher. The Twins are also unlikely to add another starter after already adding three this offseason. The Orioles are pretty strapped for cash so they may be unlikely to sign him as well. See below:

A Rod's Latest Lawsuit In It's Entirety Right Here


Read the entire case that Alex Rodriguez is bringing against Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association by clicking THIS LINK. If you dare anyway because it is a 77 page PDF file that I have zero intent on reading all the way through. If I did though I am sure it would include all the normal predictable stuff. The MLBPA didn't go to bat for me, Bud Selig is out to get me, I never did steroids, blah blah blah. Check it out if you dare.

Brian Roberts Signing Made Official, Takes A Rod's Spot


The Yankees signed Brian Roberts over three weeks ago and the deal has finally been made official today. Roberts will take the 40 man roster spot of the recently suspended Alex Rodriguez to make the deal official. Roberts signed a one year deal with New York worth $2 million plus another $2.3 million in incentives. See below for the full breakdown of the incentives from Joel Sherman on Twitter:


A Rod To Sue MLB And MLBPA Next


Alex Rodriguez has been sue happy all offseason long and is far from done as it was announced that he would be taking Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association to court to try and get his suspension overturned. Alex disagrees with the fact that he used banned substances at least three times and tried to impede the investigation twice.

Luis Sojo: The Little Guy that came up Big

I just received an update that Luis Sojo was added to the AAA coaching staff. It is well deserved by a man that became one of my favorite Yankee's on a random October night in 2000.


I remember it like it was yesterday. My father, my brother and I, we were standing in line, surrounding our television in disbelief of what was happening. Two on and two out with Al Leiter on the mound and clearly on the ropes! This is one of those great October moments that we will cherish for year's...who's up next?

..and up comes Luis Sojo!?

Wait, what?? Of all the great Yankees on that 2000 World Series team, all our hopes were on a 5' 11" utility infielder named Luis Sojo?

Then my Dad spoke (which never happened during a Yankee game unless it was something vile against ARod or Michael Kay) He said, "Why not Luis?"

This was my father in a nutshell, always rooting for the underdog. He was the biggest fan of guys that are long forgotten. Alvaro Espinoza, Andy Stankiewicz, Ricky Ledee, Charlie Hayes...and his all time favorite Chili "Dog" Davis. He just loved rooting for the little guys.

Well, Luis was a little guy and as we started to turn our favor towards Luis, he proceeds to get a huge 2 out 2 RBI knock up the middle and the Yankees go on to win game. The rest, of course is history as the Subway Series is wrapped up and another title is on the Boss's shelf.

This was one of those defining moments that taught my brother and I so much about being a fan. It is so easy to root for the guy that sells the most jerseys, but to root for the little guy and have him come through...well, that's priceless.

Anyway, congratulations Luis, you will always hold a place in this Yankee families heart. Because of guys like you, I will always root for the whole team, not just the players that sell the overpriced jerseys.

"When we saw him in spring training in a Pirates uniform, you knew he wanted to be with us," said a champagne-soaked manager Joe Torre.

Yankee Stadium Legacy: #78 Joe Torre


After managing the Mets, Braves, and Cardinals earlier in his career Joe Torre gained his greatest achievements with the New York Yankees. Torre managed the Yankees from 1996-2007 after starting his tenure by being a last choice by George Steinbrenner, his greatest "mistake" he ever made. Torre won 1,173 games in New York good for a .605 winning percentage and reached the playoffs in each of his twelve seasons with the Yankees. Torre also won six American League pennants and four World Series title sitting on the bench for the Yankees.

78 days until Yankees Opening Day

Gummie-gate?

Just when you didn't think things with A-Rod could become any more ludicrous...bring on the Gummie-roids? After last nights grand performance on 60 minutes by Tony Bosch, we all learned a little more about how someone whom fears needles takes steroids. Although, in ARods defense, this guy looks about as trustworthy as the cook on "Two Broke Girls".

However, one thing was made crystal clear this weekend, it's time to move on at third base.

With the current in house options being a bit underwhelming (Nunez, Johnson, Sizemore..etc.) I find it hard to accept that a deal or signing isn't imminent before pitchers and catchers report. I read this morning that the Yankees have stopped talking to San Diego about Chase Headley, but he makes a ton of sense. Also, now that the suspension is official, Tweets have been popping up of the possibility  of Michael Young coming to the Bronx. Compile that with Jeters return to short and Brian Roberts maning 2nd, our infield has an average age of 89!? (Alright, maybe I forgot to carry the 2, but you get the jist)

Well, no matter how you look at it, with the ARod saga all but over, you have to wonder who will be manning the hot corner. Lets just hope a deal gets done and we aren't hearing references of "The Golden Girls" and "Depends" all season long.

Yankees Sign Yangervis Solarte To Minor League Deal

Boy the minor league depth just keeps on coming as the Yankees have agreed to a minor league deal with Yangervis Solarte. I am sure there will be an invitation to Spring Training lumped in with the deal for the utility infielder. Solarte is 26 years old and coming off a .282/.323/.404 with 23 home runs in the Texas Rangers AAA affiliate the last two seasons. He has played extensively at second base, third base, short stop, and left field making him very valuable for the Yankees going forward, although he has never played at the Major League level. Should be an intense spring training camp this year with all the competitions.

This Day In New York Yankees History 1/13


On this day in 1978 Joe McCarthy, Hall of Fame manager, dies at age 90. The former Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox manager compiled a 1460-867 record in his career which included nine pennants and seven World Series rings in his 24 years as a skipper. RIP.