Monday, December 1, 2014

Andrew Miller's Agent: Yankees Just One of Many Teams Pursuing My Client

ESPN's Buster Olney reported Monday that the Yankees are "strongly pursuing" former Red Sox reliever Andrew Miller, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're the front runner for his services.

Milller's agent, Mark Rodgers, recently revealed so to The New York Post's Joel Sherman. Miller, 29, is coming off an impressive 2014 with the Red Sox and Orioles, in which he recorded a 2.02 ERA in 62 1/3 innings pitched.

Those numbers came with Miller primarily working as a set-up man, a position Dellin Betances held with the Yankees last season.

“I am talking to several teams about Andrew, and it has been fairly widely reported that the Yankees are one of the teams interested,” Rodgers said. 

There's definitely a chance the Yankees sudden interest in Miller has something to do with David Robertson's determination to get a four-year/$52 million deal this offseason, especially when you consider the team already has Betances ready to step into his role.

Nonetheless, it's also a possibility they just want to upgrade their bullpen in light of last month's trade for the Pirates' Justin Wilson, who joins many other notable names already in the group. That swap featured the Yankees cutting ties with longtime catcher Francisco Cervelli, proving that they meant business when they made it.

Either way, it's a for-certain fact the Yankees have spoken to Rodgers, regardless of their current place in the competition for his client.

“They are still interested," Rodgers said, "but I will not elaborate on the talks. There is a natural progression ongoing and we are sorting through the issues.”

It is unknown exactly which other clubs have talked to Miller, but it's a safe bet two of them were the Dodgers and Astros.

Monday was a busy day for the Yankees, with New York also reaching out to the Braves and Marlins during the 24-hour-period. It's likely the Yankees were contacting them about the availability of closers Craig Kimbrel and Steve Cishek, who successfully converted 47 and 39 save opportunites last year, respectively. 

Yankees in "Serious Pursuit" of Andrew Miller

Posturing for David Robertson? Truth? I hope so... on both. 

Most Popular Article of the Week: Max Scherzer Coming to New York?

http://www.thegreedypinstripes.com/2014/11/breaking-yankees-up-offer-to-max.html

UPDATE: Fantasy Alarm is saying the deal is close although no credible sources have confirmed. CLICK HERE. 

According to multiple sources on Twitter, one that I especially trust in Dan Pfieffer from the Trenton Thunder, have reported big offers to Max Scherzer from the New York Yankees. One "baseball insider" claims New York has offered while Pfeiffer is hearing more of a six year offer for the former Tigers right hander. Stay tuned.

Max Scherzer: BIP Locations from Detroit to New York


Let's have fun and let's say that the rumors over the weekend were true, Dan Pfeiffer says they are and Jack Curry says they aren't, and the Yankees have offered Max Scherzer a six or seven year deal. We all should be excited about a new big name, and a new big contract, but how will his fly ball tendencies work in the new Yankee Stadium? The easiest way to see is to look at the BIP locations, or balls in play, to see how his 2014 season would have gone in a perfect world had he been pitching in Yankee Stadium and not in Comerica Park. See below: As you can see it is what it is.

Home Runs
Fly Outs
Doubles



Again, in a perfect world, all of the home runs he allowed in Comerica are home runs in New York. The fly outs are still tracked down by the outfielders for outs and the doubles are still in the gap and not over the wall. People worry about how Scherzer would work out in Yankee Stadium but if this is any indication I wouldn't worry too awful much.

Three Potential Trades for the Yankees?


Lou DiPietro is one guy over at the YES Network that I fully respect and admire, Lou was even gracious enough to do an interview for us at the blog which I will be forever grateful for. This week Lou suggested three possible trades involving the New York Yankees this offseason to improve the team and I wanted to bring them here to you right now.

YANKEES receive: OF/1B Nick Swisher and IF Mike Aviles
INDIANS receive: OF Carlos Beltran and a pitching prospect

First question I ask is would Carlos Beltran be willing to waive his no trade clause. Second, how does this exactly help the team? Unless you believe in a second resurgence for Swisher in New York, I don't.

YANKEES receive: SS Starlin Castro, OF Chris Coghlan, 3B Luis Valbuena
CUBS receive: OF Brett Gardner, C John Ryan Murphy

I would pull this trade 10 times our of 10, where do I sign?

YANKEES get: SS Jimmy Rollins
PHILLIES get: SS Brendan Ryan, RHP Shawn Kelley, and a pitching prospect

No. Too much, even if it is Kelley and a prospect. Rollins is a salary dump and should be treated as so.

TGP Daily Poll: Yankees Sign Max Scherzer TODAY


Over the weekend we learned the Yankees offered Max Scherzer a contract and today we learn that Mad Max has accepted the deal and the deal is close.

Vote in our poll!!

This Day in New York Yankees History 12/1: Larsen and Turley Come to New York


It was this day in 1954 that we could thank the Baltimore Orioles for giving us two great starting pitchers in Don Larsen and Bob Turley. This was the largest trade in major league history where 17 players changed hands including Turley and Larsen coming to New York. This deal was so complex it was not completed until the day after the MLB Draft even though it began way back on November, 18.