Turn the Page to December, Please...

Credit:  David Dermer, AP

The Yankees continue to search for their new manager and Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead...

I think my stance against Carlos Beltran and his lack of coaching experience is weakening. After his post-interview comments, I felt that he provided the best responses of the candidates interviewed to date. You can find his words on other sites but in my opinion, he gave very knowledgeable and insightful answers for a guy who has never managed or coached in the Major Leagues. I am still not crazy about handing the keys to the kingdom to a "green" manager but if he proves to be the one, I'll get behind the choice.  Beltran clearly has much to offer any MLB team and I feel that he'd be a wonderful addition to the coaching staff. As manager, there's no doubt he'd need a very strong and seasoned former manager to assist as his bench coach. Beltran has the support of his former teammates and the local media plus it's apparent he has a good working relationship with GM Brian Cashman. There really isn't any candidate that stands head and shoulders above him.

Jennifer Lopez apparently feels strongly that Alex Rodriguez should be the next Yankees manager. She tweeted today:  "It couldn't be clearer...#arodforyankees manager" while forwarding an article written by Merritt Rohlfing for BTBS entitled "The best and only choice for Yankees manager is obvious".  While I personally would not want to see the circus that would ensue if A-Rod was named as the new manager, good for him that he got his girlfriend's endorsement. Maybe she just wants to get him out of the house more often.

I felt bad for managerial candidate Aaron Boone when his brother Bret came out with the jokes about sexual misconduct after NBC's dismissal of TODAY host Matt Lauer. Aaron quickly distanced himself from his brother but unfortunately the unwanted attention is hard to ignore. Bret's timing could not have been any worse. Still, I think Aaron and Carlos Beltran will make the cut to the next round for a visit to Tampa, Florida to meet with the Steinbrenner family. I don't always share my brothers' opinions and I am sure that holds true for Aaron and his brother.

I keep seeing the name of David Ross thrown around as someone the Yankees should talk to. Nothing against Ross (I personally think that he is a very knowledgeable and professional guy) but I don't really want to see a former Red Sock as Yankees manager.

Speaking of Red Socks...

Former Yankees Kevin Youkilis, Derek Lowe and Mike Lowell have been elected to the 2018 Red Sox Hall of Fame, along with John Frank "Buck" Freeman. Congrats to all of them. Lowell is the Yankee who should have never gotten away.  The 1999 trade that sent him to the then Florida Marlins for the forgettable trio of Todd Noel, Mark Johnson and Ed Yarnall felt like a huge mistake at the time of the trade.  

Youkilis and Lowe obviously came to the Yankees after they had finished their successful runs in Boston. Buck Freeman played for the Red Sox when they were known as the Boston Americans from 1901 to 1907.

The Van Dusen Bandwagon...

I keep trying to dismiss Bryan Van Dusen's continued pitch for Giancarlo Stanton under the primary assumption that there's no room for him in Hal Steinbrenner's 2018 Yankees Team Budget. But then I see reports like today (unsubstantiated or not) that state the Miami Marlins would accept second baseman Joe Panik and two prospects for Stanton if the San Francisco Giants are willing to pay $250 million (of $295 million) left on his contract.  That's a trade the Yankees could easily beat.  

I agree with Van Dusen that I'd hate to see Stanton go to the Red Sox but I am resigned to the fact the Red Sox will acquire another slugger this winter. It may not be Stanton but it will be someone like Jose Abreu or Eric Hosmer. Plus, it wouldn't surprise me if Dave Dombrowski swings a deal that is completely out of the blue as Boston tries to hold off the hard-charging Yankees. On the bright side, Dombrowski is ravaging Boston's farm system.

For as fearful as we are to see Stanton playing home games at Fenway Park, I'd love to see the Red Sox Nation watch Stanton join the Baby Bombers on the verge of a dynasty run...

Go Yankees!

This Day In New York Yankees History 12/14: F Youk!

On this day in 2012 Kevin Youkilis became the latest member of Red Sox nation to come over to the Dark Side and sign with the New York Yankees. Youk signed a one year deal worth $12 million to be the third basemen in New York.

Also on this day in 2010 Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees offer of $150 million for a $120 dollar deal to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee joins Roy Halladay in probably what is the best rotation in all of baseball down in Philadelphia.

Also on this day in 1985 Yankees outfielder Roger Maris dies after a two year battle with lymphatic cancer at age 51. Former Yankees teammates Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, John Blanchard, and Bill Skowron served as pall bearers.

Also on this day in 1960 Major League Baseball expanded its team base two additional teams with the "new" Washington Senators and the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees southpaw Bobby Shantz was selected by Washington and Yankees righty Ed Grba was selected by the Angels in the expansion draft.

Finally on this day in 1950 four owners were selected to choose a new commissioner for baseball, as soon as possible. The Yankees owner Del Webb, Braves owner Lou Perini, Cubs owner Phil Wrigley, and Indians owner Ellis Ryan were the four men who chose the new commissioner.

Expect Another Quiet Offseason for New York

Last offseason the New York Yankees did the least New York Yankees thing they could have done, they signed the same amount of Major League free agents as I’ve gotten hits in Major League Baseball. Zero. The Yankees were quiet although they did make trades for Aroldis Chapman and Starlin Castro and you know what? We, as fans, could be in for an equally as long and quiet offseason this winter as well.

The New York Yankees have plans of getting under the luxury tax threshold, and FYI it is expected to go up around or above $200 million when the new collective bargaining agreement is all said and done this winter, either this season or next leaving the possibility of signing many free agents unlikely. This is especially true when you consider that Ivan Nova, yes that Ivan Nova, may be the best starting pitcher available and is already asking for $70 million across a five-year deal.

Remember the 2013 Yankees that let like 672 home runs, exaggeration but only a slight one, go in the offseason only to replace them with Chris Stewart and Kevin Youkilis? Well we may be heading towards that route again except this time the Yankees youth will take center stage. With Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez finally coming off the books this may be the Yankees final chance to strike and get under the cap before super free agents like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper hit the open market, presumably.

As it stands right now the Yankees only have $95 million committed to players for the 2018 season and $57 million for the 2019 season not counting arbitration eligible players so this time around the possibility of getting under the cap is a real one. It’s only a real one though if the team stays off the free agent board, and I think that they will. Unfortunately. 

Remembering Yankees of the Past: Scott Proctor

I was going through some emails that we receive from our awesome readers, hat tip to Betty for the idea for this article, and I opened an article about Scott Proctor. Proctor was one of the many arms that then Yankees manager Joe Torre “ruined” out of his bullpen. Remember, towards the latter part of his tenure with the club the Yankees were not winning World Series Championships annually like they did in the latter part of the 90’s and into the 2000’s and George Steinbrenner was livid. Steinbrenner was writing the biggest checks at the time and demanded greatness and in his mind that greatness started with the manager. Torre was managing every game for his job and stuck to using the relievers and players he trusted, one of those arms was Proctor. With that said we remember the Yankees reliever who threw in 80+ games multiple times in his career, the reliever that loved to hit Kevin Youkilis in a Red Sox uniform and the reliever that battled alcoholism for much of his ride along the way. Remembering Yankees of the Past, this is Scott Proctor.

Scott Christopher Proctor was traded to the New York Yankees along with Bubba Crosby for Robin Ventura on July 31, 2003 and New York immediately stashed their new weapon in Triple-A. Proctor was a closer for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers and was seen throwing 100 MPH or higher there which caught the eyes of the Yankees brass and manager Joe Torre. Proctor ended up making his MLB debut on April 20, 2004 against the Chicago White Sox as a mop up man. Proctor pitches 2.1 innings of relief and allowed two earned runs. Proctor’s results that season were not ideal but he quickly became a trusted weapon for the Yankees and even more quickly became a mainstay inside the Yankees bullpen.

Proctor pitched in just 26 games in 2005 before becoming the everyday guy we all remember in 2006 under Torre. Proctor led the league in 2006 with 83 appearances and often pitched for more than one inning or on consecutive days. Proctor joined Brian Bruney and Kyle Farnsworth as the Yankees bridge to Mariano Rivera. Proctor crossed the 80 appearance threshold again in 2007 leading GM Brian Cashman to confront Torre and Proctor about his overuse. To make a long story short Torre would ask Proctor if he was okay to pitch and Proctor would always say yes. Cashman wanted Proctor to be more open and honest with Torre before it was too late for his right arm, but it already was.

Proctor’s career took a turn for the worse after 2007 and it landed him off the Yankees and with the Atlanta Braves before the 2009 season. Proctor stayed with Atlanta through most of the 2011 season before the Yankees brought Proctor back on a new minor league deal. On August 13, 2011 the Yankees re-signed him and sent him back to Triple-A with the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders before calling him up on September 1^st. Proctor pitched sparingly for the Yankees in 2011 before electing free agency and before he ended his tenure with the Yankees.

Proctor’s tenure with the Yankees was a roller coaster ride of sorts to say the least. Proctor caught some heat specifically with the Yankees after being accused of intentionally throwing at batters with the intention for retaliation, ask Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox. On June 1, 2007 Proctor plunked Youkilis in the shoulder after two Yankees batters had been hit. Youkilis was the fifth batter to be hit in the game and Proctor was ejected after both benches cleared and Youkilis had to be held back by then Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. Proctor protested that he did not intentionally hit Youkilis but was still suspended by the league after the incident for one-game. In other instance Proctor threw behind Seattle Mariners infielder Yuniesky Betancourt after his teammate Josh Phelps was hit by a pitch. Phelps was only hit after the Mariners catcher Kenji Johima was hit so Proctor incited another rally that had seemingly already been handled by the unwritten rules of the game. Another retaliation pitch and another suspension for Proctor.

When the Yankees and Scott Proctor knew he had a problem was on June 30, 2007 when he was seen lighting fire to his equipment on the field. Proctor has taken the loss in each of the last two Yankees games and was visibly upset after pitching poorly against the Oakland Athletics. It was then that Yankees closer Mariano Rivera too him under his wing and Proctor realized he had an alcohol problem. Proctor revealed in 2009 that he was a recovering alcoholic and credited Mariano with urging him to straighten his life out. Proctor began attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and seemingly turned his life around, although it was too late to save his career.

When all was said and done Proctor pitched for the Yankees, Dodgers, Braves and the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization but he definitely made his name for himself and his mark with New York. Today we remember you Scott, hope you’re well. 

This Day In New York Yankees History 12/14: F Youk!

On this day in 2012 Kevin Youkilis became the latest member of Red Sox nation to come over to the Dark Side and sign with the New York Yankees. Youk signed a one year deal worth $12 million to be the third basemen in New York.

Also on this day in 2010 Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees offer of $150 million for a $120 dollar deal to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee joins Roy Halladay in probably what is the best rotation in all of baseball down in Philadelphia.

Also on this day in 1985 Yankees outfielder Roger Maris dies after a two year battle with lymphatic cancer at age 51. Former Yankees teammates Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, John Blanchard, and Bill Skowron served as pall bearers.

Also on this day in 1960 Major League Baseball expanded its team base two additional teams with the "new" Washington Senators and the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees southpaw Bobby Shantz was selected by Washington and Yankees righty Ed Grba was selected by the Angels in the expansion draft.

Finally on this day in 1950 four owners were selected to choose a new commissioner for baseball, as soon as possible. The Yankees owner Del Webb, Braves owner Lou Perini, Cubs owner Phil Wrigley, and Indians owner Ellis Ryan were the four men who chose the new commissioner.

This Day In New York Yankees History 12/14: F Youk!

On this day in 2012 Kevin Youkilis became the latest member of Red Sox nation to come over to the Dark Side and sign with the New York Yankees. Youk signed a one year deal worth $12 million to be the third basemen in New York.

Also on this day in 2010 Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees offer of $150 million for a $120 dollar deal to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee joins Roy Halladay in probably what is the best rotation in all of baseball down in Philadelphia.

Also on this day in 1985 Yankees outfielder Roger Maris dies after a two year battle with lymphatic cancer at age 51. Former Yankees teammates Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, John Blanchard, and Bill Skowron served as pall bearers.

Also on this day in 1960 Major League Baseball expanded its team base two additional teams with the "new" Washington Senators and the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees southpaw Bobby Shantz was selected by Washington and Yankees righty Ed Grba was selected by the Angels in the expansion draft.

Finally on this day in 1950 four owners were selected to choose a new commissioner for baseball, as soon as possible. The Yankees owner Del Webb, Braves owner Lou Perini, Cubs owner Phil Wrigley, and Indians owner Ellis Ryan were the four men who chose the new commissioner.

Still Rick Porcello's Finest Moment

The tackling of then Red Sox and former New York Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis. 

News & Notes From This Past Week

Like most people, I've been pretty busy recently (I think there's some holiday coming up), so my weekly recap was pushed back a couple of days. I'm actually driving 450 miles later today to be with my family, and then I have to drive 450 miles back to central Ohio since I work on Thursday. By this time next week I'm going to be so happy.

So let's see what's happened lately...

• The Yankees signed two players without spending $100+ million! First, the team acquired Brian Roberts on a one-year deal worth $2 million plus incentives. Roberts has missed a ton of time over the past four years due to a really bad concussion suffered in May of 2011, along with having surgeries on his right hip labrum and right hamstring in 2012 and 2013. I think he'd make a fine player when healthy, but the last time that happened was the same year the Yankees last won the World Series, which for us Bombers fans seems like decades ago. While Roberts is unlikely to be the everyday second baseman, his experience along with switch-hitting ability will be nice.
• Matt Thornton will also be joining the Yankees for 2014 and 2015, after signing a two-year contract worth $7 million. I thought the Yankees would be okay when it came to lefty relievers, thanks to having a choice between David Huff, Cesar Cabral, and Vidal Nuno, but Cashman and company thought otherwise (again.... UGH!). From 2008 to 2010, Matt was an awesome reliever, striking out 11 batters per nine innings. Unfortunately that strikeout rate has fallen each season since 2010, all the way to 6.2 batters per nine innings last year. But Thornton is still very effective against left-handed batters, as they could only muster a batting line of .235/.267/.370 against him in 2013. I think the team could still use somebody like Grant Balfour to pair with David Robertson in the last couple of innings, but bringing Thornton on board definitely makes up for the loss of Boone Logan.
• The new posting system between Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball, which we've known about for a while now, was made official last week. The posting team can request any amount up to $20 million, and any team that agrees to that price can negotiate with the player. Soon after that various reports saying Tanaka would be posted, Tanaka would not be posted, and Tanaka might be posted popped up. That means somebody will be right, somebody will be wrong, and many others wasted our time.
• The Yankees offered Shin-Soo Choo $140 million for seven years, only $13 million less than they gave Jacoby Ellsbury, but Choo and his agent Scott Boras turned it down. I'm a fan of Choo, as I love the fact that he gets on base around 40% of the time, but I think that's a bit much for a guy that can't hit left-handers. Sure, you're going to face a righty more often, but if you're making $20 million a year you should be able to hit anybody. This non-signing led to the Yankees signing Carlos "The Mets Can Suck It" Beltran.
• Speaking of Carlos Beltran, his signing was finally made official on Friday. At the press conference on Friday, Carlos had plenty of negative things to say about the Mets, who clearly soured on Beltran towards the end of his time playing for New York's red-headed stepchild of a baseball team. The Mets openly criticized Carlos for missing a visit to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (Beltran was busy building a high school in Puerto Rico), and for the knee surgery he had in 2011. But when Carlos said "when they say all of that, of course I was hurt because you can’t believe the organization that signed you for seven years is trying to put you down" I had to laugh. I mean, the Yankees signed Alex Rodriguez for ten years and they seem to be doing all they can to get out of that deal.
• Kevin Youkilis, who just missed out on winning the American League MVP award in 2013, signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan. The Yankees and every other MLB team didn't want Youk, so he figured this was the only way he could possibly play on the same team as Masahiro Tanaka.
• The Yankees were hit with a $28.1 million Luxury Tax bill for last season. They weren't alone, unlike just about every other year, as the Dodgers had to cough up $11.4 million themselves. After a quick search through their couch cushions at home, Hal and Hank Steinbrenner gave Bud Selig a bunch of bags with the money symbol on them, while apparently smirking and saying "whatever" under their breath.

I'm not expecting the Yankees to pull a "Teixeira" and sign somebody right before Christmas, so we can all relax for the next couple of days. But before I head out for my 900 mile round trip I want to thank each and every one of you for sharing our passion for the Yankees, and wish you a safe and happy holiday.

Kevin Youkilis Signs With The Rakuten Golden Eagles

Isn't it ironic that the Yankees have made the Rakuten Golden Eagles star pitcher Masahiro Tanaka their number one priority this season and we lost one of our own free agents, Kevin Youkilis, to that same team? Where is our $20 million for Youkilis signing with Rakuten? We should get Tanaka as compensation, it's only fair right? On a serious note though when Youkilis turned down any offer the Yankees may have even thought about offering by saying he wanted to play closer to his family on the West Coast I thought that meant the United States, not Japan.

This Day In New York Yankees History 12/14

On this day in 1950 four owners were selected to choose a new commissioner for baseball, as soon as possible. The Yankees owner Del Webb, Braves owner Lou Perini, Cubs owner Phil Wrigley, and Indians owner Ellis Ryan were the four men who chose the new commissioner.

On this day in 1960 Major League Baseball expanded its team base two additional teams with the "new" Washington Senators and the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees southpaw Bobby Shantz was selected by Washington and Yankees righty Ed Grba was selected by the Angels in the expansion draft.

On this day in 1985 Yankees outfielder Roger Maris dies after a two year battle with lymphatic cancer at age 51. Former Yankees teammates Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, John Blanchard, and Bill Skowron served as pall bearers.

On this day in 2010 Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees offer of $150 million for a $120 dollar deal to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee joins Roy Halladay in probably what is the best rotation in all of baseball down in Philadelphia.

On this day in 2012 Kevin Youkilis became the latest member of Red Sox nation to come over to the Dark Side and sign with the New York Yankees. Youk signed a one year deal worth $12 million to be the third basemen in New York.

Yankees Contact Kevin Youkilis About Returning

The New York Yankees desperate search for a guy that can play first base and third base and supply some right handed power briefly extended to Kevin Youkilis. The Yankees reached out to Youkilis' agent to gauge his interest in a return and his agent replied that Youk would like to play closer to his home in California. If you didn't believe in a God before maybe you should at least reconsider.

Tigers Open To Trading Scherzer Or Porcello

The Detroit Tigers came out yesterday and announced that they would be willing to trade one of their starting pitchers this offseason, namely probably 2013 Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer or Rick Porcello. Should the Yankees be interested in either of these guys? In a word, hell to the yes!

First off Scherzer is going to be way too expensive so do not get your hopes up. He also makes little sense to us for the same reason that the Tigers would be willing to trade him, he is a free agent after the 2014 season and seems unlikely to get a deal hammered out before then. Scherzer pitched a career high  214.1 IP in his age 29 season while compiling a 21-3 record with a 2.90 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 6.7 WAR, and a league leading 0.970 WHIP in 2013. Scherzer came relatively cheap in 2013 with a $6,725,000 but MLBTR expects his salary to double to $13,600,000 in 2014 in his final season of arbitration. I said all that to say this the Detroit Tigers are going to want the absolute world and then some for Scherzer and we just do not have the pieces to fit unfortunately, or maybe it's fortunately with his impending free agency.

Porcello is best known for tackling Kevin Youkilis to the ground like a rag doll little... well you get the picture. Porcello is definitely worth looking at depending on the price because he turns only 25 years old in December and is coming off of a 13-8 record with a 4.32 ERA in 177 innings of work. Porcello is also only in his 3rd year of arbitration so he will be under team control for this season and next with the team that potentially acquires him. Porcello misses enough bats, 7.2 batters per nine in 2013, and is still on the high side of acceptable when it comes to walk, 2.1 batters per nine, to survive in New York at the back end of the rotation. 2013 was probably Porcello's best statistical season and I think it is only up from here for the right handed pitcher. Porcello made $5,100,000 in 2013 and is expected to receive at least a couple million dollar raise in 2014 which makes him still affordable for the Yankees as well as makes us younger, better, and more flexible for not only this season but next as well. The asking price for Porcello may be higher then we are expecting or wanting to pay but if it's close I think we need to go ahead and pull the trigger on this. His stats may not be sexy now but they will in a season or two and I would rather them be with us and not against us.

Take notice Brian Cashman.

Poll: Yankees Starting Third Basemen In 2014

Yankees Starting Third Basemen In 2014?
	Michael Young
	Mark Reynolds
	Kevin Youkilis
	Alex Rodriguez
	Eduardo Nunez
	Stephen Drew
	David Adams
	Derek Jeter
	Other -- Please Specify
pollcode.com free polls

Who should be the starting third basemen for the New York Yankees when Opening Day comes around in 2014? Will Alex Rodriguez beat his suspension handed down from Bud Selig? Will Eduardo Nunez finally step up and get to showcase his skills at one position for a full season? Will the Yankees bring in a free agent like Michael Young or will they bring back one of their own in Mark Reynolds or Kevin Youkilis? Please vote here and the results are to follow. Thank you for your continued support and participation on the blog. 

Yankees Do Not Seem Interested In Kevin Youkilis Return

The New York Yankees do not seem willing or interested in bringing back Kevin Youkilis for the 2014 season and Youk's agent Joe Bick confirmed as much. Bick claims that Youk is healthy and ready to go and would have been if the Yankees had made the post season. Still Youk is 24 years old and has multiple seasons with back injuries, he is a huge question mark.

Youk only saw 118 plate appearances in 2013 and put up a weak .219/.305/.343 triple slash with only two home runs. Youk only saw 28 games after the back kept him out and missed a ton of Spring Training as well with another injury. Mark Reynolds gave us everything that Kevin Youkilis was supposed to last season so if anyone comes back it will be Reynolds and not Youkilis.

Do I Stay Or Do I Go Now? - Yankees Edition

Joe Girardi is back in the fold and while the Yankees try and finalize some deals with the rest of the coaching staff I thought it would be a good opportunity to look ahead to free agency. The Yankees have a number of free agents leaving this season, some will stay and some will go, so let's see who will be donning pinstripes in 2014 and who will not.

Phil Hughes - Goes

I hope he goes and goes to a land far, far away and never comes back, not even as a visitor. Well scratch that he loves to give up home runs in Yankees Stadium so as a visitor would be okay.

Hiroki Kuroda - Stays

Yes he has fizzled out the last two seasons now in late August and through September but that is something the Yankees can monitor and control by limiting him a tad during the season. All told he has still been our best and most underrated pitcher on the team in the last two seasons and we are in trouble without him in 2014.

Robinson Cano - Stays

Robinson kind of priced himself out of everyone's budget besides the Yankees when he asked for 10 years and $310,000,000. Also I think he loves being a Yankee and the Yankees love him so I think this deal gets done eventually and I think this is all posturing to make a name for Jay Z as a sports agent.

Curtis Granderson - Stays

I think ultimately Granderson does not want to leave the Yankees after missing 101 games due to injury. He is a proud man and a loyal man and I think he takes the one year qualifying offer that the Yankees are rumored to be entertaining and builds free agent status for the 2015 offseason.

Kevin Youkilis - Goes

Buh.Bye

Travis Hafner - Goes

See Kevin Youkilis

Brendan Ryan - Stays

Defensive wizard at short stop, gives us a more than capable backup for Derek Jeter entering his age 40 season, and allows us to move Eduardo Nunez over to third base if and when Alex Rodriguez is suspended.

Derek Jeter - Stays

I think in the end Jeter exercises his players option for the 2014 season and makes his $9,500,000 before riding off into the sunset after the year. At the very least I see Jeter going year to year after a season that saw him placed on the disabled list four times.

Boone Logan - Goes

I think with Cesar Cabral finally healed and healthy along with the Yankees attempt at getting under the $189,000,000 luxury tax threshold we will see the end of Boone's time in pinstripes. While Boone pitches his butt off for us we just do not have the room on the roster for another $4,000,000 reliever, especially one coming off of elbow surgery.

Joba Chamberlain - Goes

Goodbye. Adios. Say it in as many languages as you want, just go.

Andy Pettitte - Goes

This is it, there is no Brian Cashman talking him out of it. End of an era and it ends in 2014.

Mariano Rivera - Goes

Same as Andy, I cannot see Mo coming back for one more year, even if God tells him to.

Alex Rodriguez - Meh

I can see Alex getting suspended but I see no way that the arbitrator keeps a 211 game suspension with no failed test, no previous suspension, and proof coming from a guy who just got $5,000,000 given to him in a restaurant by major league baseball. At this point Alex would be lucky to get 50 games, although I find that to be the likeliest of options.

Mark Reynolds Wants To Stay A New York Yankee

Mark Reynolds was picked up mid season by the New York Yankees after being designated for assignment and released by the Cleveland Indians and expressed a wish to stay in New York for 2014. Reynolds told both GM Brian Cashman and his agent after hitting .236/.300/.455 with six home runs in 26 games for the Yanks. The market on third basemen is pretty thin this off season with Reynolds, Michael Young, and Eric Chavez headlining so the Yankees may be interested in bringing back Reynolds as an insurance plan. The Yankees first need to find out what is going to happen with Alex Rodriguez and his potential 211 game suspension before making any rash decisions, see Kevin Youkilis in 2013. There is always the option, my option if I am the GM, to let Eduardo Nunez be the third basemen and let Brendan Ryan be the back up short stop but that is another post for another day.

Looking Ahead To 2014: The Hot Corner

The Yankees 2014 Free Agents At Third Base

Kevin Youkilis

*Alex Rodriguez suspended for entire 2014 season.

The Yankees got the worst production at third base last season in the entire major leagues so we need a definite upgrade at the hot corner if we plan to compete in 2014. The good news it we can only go up from here, the bad news is there is not much available in the free agency. Here is the complete list of 2014 free agents but I will hit the high spots and realistic options for the Yankees in this years free agency period.

Michael Young (37 years old)

Kevin Youkilis (35 years old)

Mark Reynolds (30 years old)

Eric Chavez (36 years old)

Corey Hart (32 years old)

Michael Young would add a potent right handed bat to the Yankees lineup and some versatility with his ability to play all over the infield and even in the outfield in a pinch. The Yankees tried to acquire Michael Young at the trading deadline in 2013 but honestly I cannot see them going after a year older version of Michael Young in 2014. Kevin Youkilis and his bad back kept him out of basically all of Spring Training and the 2013 season for the Yankees and I cannot see them making that mistake again. Eric Chavez would be a pretty decent addition if he were willing to come back as a bench player like he was for us in 2011 and 2012 but I cannot see that happening again after tasting the sweet life of a starting gig in Arizona with the Diamondbacks in 2013. That leaves Mark Reynolds and Corey Hart fighting for the Yankees free agency dollars. Mark Reynolds may not be an ideal addition with his high strike out rates, terrible defense at both first base and third base, and his low batting average but the guy can absolutely hit home runs from the right side of the plate and after the part of the 2013 season spent with the Yankees that may be enough for Hank and Hal Steinbrenner. Corey Hart on the other hand is coming off of a knee injury that kept him from playing at all in the 2012 season and that is enough for me to stay away from the guy. As much as I was a fan of Corey's before the 2013 season we had enough problems with injuries and injury prone players in 2013 and Mark Reynolds home runs and durability gives him the starting nod on any team that I am the general manager of.

Mark Reynolds would sign a one year deal if I were the GM for exactly as many strike outs as he will get as dollars, somewhere around $8,000,000. Yes that was an extreme exaggeration.. or was it? Kevin Long did a lot with Reynolds in a month's time so imagine what he could do with an entire off season. 

Shawn Kelley & Kevin Youkilis Injury Updates

Shawn Kelley has been battling triceps inflammation for almost a week now but seems to be on the way back after throwing a bullpen session today. Kelley felt no pain and said everything felt real good so maybe he can get back to striking people out and stranding runners and less of that three run home run in decisive games we have to win stuff. Kelley has an outside shot at being available tomorrow against the Red Sox in the finale of their four game set and that is not a game too soon.

Kevin Youkilis is still a Yankees player, remember him? Well he is now trying to get back on the field this season even if it is just for the final week of the regular season. Youk has started hitting off of a tee and doing some soft tee and toss in his rehab for his back after surgery. Youk is heading to Tampa to play in a simulated game on Monday with hopes of making it back sometime this season.

Minor League Deal Options For 2014: Corey Hart

Corey Hart started off the 2013 year with a left knee surgery that would have originally kept him out of the Milwaukee Brewers lineup until around the All Star Game. On June 28th of the same year the Brewers learned that they would be without their third basemen for the rest of the 2013 season with a surgery to his right knee. What major league team is going to want to shell out a guaranteed major league contract to a guy coming off of a missed season and two knee surgeries? I am hoping nobody and that Corey Hart decided to sign a minor league deal with us to rebuild some value. I'm dreaming and I know it because some team will give Corey the low value one year deal with performance bonuses but call me optimistic anyway. 

The third base market this off season is especially thin with guys like Mark Reynolds, a 37 year old Michael Young, and Kevin Youkilis coming off of another back injury and subsequent surgery on the back leading the pack. With the Yankees being without Alex Rodriguez for the entire 2014 season the Yankees are really going to need a man at the hot corner so could Corey Hart be that man?

Corey Hart has a 162 game average in his career with the Brewers of .276/.334/.491 with 26 home runs and 87 RBI's from the right side of the plate. Hart can also play first base and has dabbled in right field as well adding some much needed versatility to an aging Yankees squad. Hart is a first basemen by trade but I think the transition to third base would come easily to Hart as he has shown good feet and mechanics at first base and an athleticism that cannot be taught. He would obviously not be the ideal third basemen but him learning a new position may be better than all the options on the market and David Adams at this point.

Do I think Corey Hart will agree to be a third basemen? Probably not. Will he then decide to sign a minor league deal with a legit shot at the majors and a World Series? Maybe. Do I care? Absolutely not! That's what makes the off season and free agency the best part of the baseball season for some people. It's fun, hopes are never higher, and sometimes your dreams fly off the paper or your computer screen and they sometimes come true. 

New York Yankees Daily Injury Update For 8/12

Derek Jeter finds himself trying to work himself back off the disabled list again this season and has started doing so with some soft tee and toss, hitting off a tee, and playing catch today and over the weekend. The Yankees travel to play the Boston Red Sox this weekend and Jeter is expected to spend the weekend at the minor league complex in Tampa working out. Jeter is still a few days from running and is eligible to come off the DL on August 18th by my unofficial count.

Vidal Nuno, surely you remember him right, has started a throwing program FINALLY after a groin injury has kept him out of all of the second half of the season. Brian Cashman does not expect Nuno back this season at all but with a throwing program starting now he has an outside shot at being a September call up.

Kevin Youkilis is now officially eight weeks out from his back surgery that would originally keep him out eight to ten weeks. Youk has not begun any sort of baseball activities and does not have a simulated game or minor league rehab assignment anywhere in sight. Youk is not slated to be back this season at all and I believe it.

Ty Hensley, the Yankees first round draft pick from the 2012 MLB First Year Players Draft, has missed the 2012 season after a hip surgery but has started a throwing program recently in his rehab back to the mound. Hensley is not expected to see the mound this season at all and the Yankees will probably be extremely cautious with him but any progress and good news is just that, good news, for Ty and the Yankees.