Alex Rodriguez Is A Yankees Traitor!!

Great time at the Jay Z show last night with @YonderalonsoU and Manny Machado! pic.twitter.com/OvOaDYdBhj
— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) January 3, 2014

Alex Rodriguez is a traitor to himself, the New York Yankees, and to the game of baseball. A Rod was recently spotted at a concert with Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado and San Diego Padres standout Yonder Alonso while in Sunrise, Florida. Alex attended a Jay Z concert of all people begging the question, where was Robinson Cano?

Heyman: A Rod Decision Won't Come Before 1/10

logically, no a-rod decision likely before or during hall of fame days. so next friday probably is the earliest. #arod
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) January 3, 2014

The Alex Rodriguez saga just continues to be dragged out doesn't it? The A Rod decision on his 211 game steroid suspension appeal is not likely to be announced before the Hall of Fame days are over. The Cooperstown announcements are coming on Wednesday, January 8th so the Yankees may not know the fate of A Rod until next Friday, the 10th.

I get not wanting to put out distractions and take away from the whole hall ceremony but come on now. If that's the case announce the decision now, it's not like Frederic Horowitz doesn't know what he is going to do by now. This has gone on long enough... announce it already.

Check Out Henrick Lundqvist Stadium Series Mask

Henrick Lundqvist will be participating in the 2014 NHL Coors Light Stadium Series at the end of this month and will be representing the home state of New York sports.  The two games will be at Yankee Stadium as the House that the Boss built will hold outside hockey so it is only fitting that three Yankees legends will be on his mask. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio are on the right side of his mask for the New York Rangers goalie. Pretty cool. 

Lundqvist will also have on pinstriped pads and guards, see below:

Yankee Stadium Legacy: #88 Andy Pettitte

After spending his first nine Major League seasons with the Yankees Andy Pettitte returned to the Bronx in 2007 after spending three seasons with the Houston Astros. The Yankees were happy to have him back, as well as the fans, after he won 15 games the previous season with Houston. Pettitte responded by making 34 starts pitching 215.1 innings and striking out 141 batters that season. His win at Yankee Stadium on 9/19/07 was his 200th victory of his career.

88 days until Yankees Opening Day

Mariners Could Outspend Yankees For Tanaka?

Ben Badler broke down the Top 10 teams that would likely sign Masahiro Tanaka and the New York Yankees came in at the second position, the first spot went to the Seattle Mariners. Could the Mariners really outspend the Yankees again on the free agent market and steal Tanaka away from us?

The Yankees are desperate for starting pitching, let's be honest, but so are the Seattle Mariners. Yes they have Felix Hernandez and yes they have Taijuan Walker and yes they have been linked to a David Price trade but the Mariners are desperate to win now. After they handed out a 10 year contract to Robinson Cano and extended Felix Hernandez for big money they have to win and win now while these core players are still stars. Could the Mariners outbid the Yankees on the best free agent pitcher and free agent hitter in the same offseason? I think so.

That doesn't mean that they will, Tanaka may just want to play in New York and not under 14 inches of water every day, but they could and that scares me. The Mariners have a new regional television contract that will pay them $2 billion over the next 17 years and outside of Cano and Hernandez, who will make a combined $47 million in 2014, not much else is on the books. I am officially worried that the Seattle Mariners will blow everyone out of the water and get the man they want from the Yankees, again.

This Day In New York Yankees History 1/3

On this day in 1920 the secret deal made on December 26 to sell Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $125,000 is announced to the public. This amount was twice the amount every paid previously for a player when Harry Frazee made the sale. Frazee also put up Fenway Park as collateral on a $300,000 loan.

On this day in 1943 Yankees 37 year old pitcher Red Ruffing is drafted into the Army. As a 15 year old the future Hall of Famer lost four toes on his left foot in a mining accident in Illinois.

On this day in 1973 Lester Crown, John DeLorean, Nelson Bunker Hunt, and George Steinbrenner purchased the New York Yankees from CBS. The Boss will become a well known owner due to his pursuit of talent at any cost, feuds with players and managers that were well documented in the media, and his frequency of firing his employees. He is also the reason this blog was started so thanks are in order.

On this day in 1974 the Yankees sign Bill Virdon as the teams manager. The former Pittsburgh Pirates manager will manager for two years in New York but will finish his tenure never winning a game at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are playing their home games at Shea Stadium these days due to the renovations happening in the Bronx.

On this day in 2005 Bud Selig approves the trade of Randy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the New York Yankees for Javier Vazquez, Dioner Navarro, Brad Halsey, and $9 million in cash. This trade came about three or four years too late and would lead to Arizona then flipping Navarro and the cash to acquire Shawn Green from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

On this day in 2013 the Yankees lost a fan favorite in Nick Swisher to the Cleveland Indians via free agency. Swish was let walk and signed a four year deal worth $56 million that included a $14 million option for a fifth season with the tribe.

Gammons: Six Teams Tried To Trade For Gardner

According to Peter Gammons, someone I want to reiterate that I am not a fan of at all, at least six teams have contacted Brian Cashman about the availability of Brett Gardner. Gammons said of the half a dozen teams that everyone "from the Phillies to the Tigers" have attempted to land the free agent to be.

The Yankees theoretically have seven outfielders who have a legit shot at making the roster out of Spring Training in Jacoby Ellsbury, Brett Gardner, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Beltran, Ichiro Suzuki, Vernon Wells, and Zoilo Almonte. Gardner is our best shot at getting anything for in a trade although Cashman is said to only be interested in a trade if it would bring a starting pitcher back. Hopefully we hold on to Gardner and go for more "Billy (Martin) Ball" and show teams that speed really kills. If the deal is too good to pass up you make it but I cannot see one of those deals coming for the free agent to be, so keep him.

We'll finish this with a quote from Brian Cashman from Gammons site in regard to Gardner:

“Brett is one of the toughest players in the game, an incredible competitor,” says Cashman. “We feel very strongly about him and his role as a leader and catalyst.”

Vernon Wells Wants One More Year W/ The Yankees

Vernon Wells was interviewed and told reporters that he wanted one more year with the Yankees. That makes one of us. Here is the quote from NJ.com from Wells:

"I had so much fun," he said. "My family had fun. It's a truly unique experience."

But, he also said, he's not worrying about his future.

"There's possibly one spot" up for grabs in the outfield, Well said, "depending on if there are any moves made between here or there. But I've learned not to concern myself with things I have no control over. All I can control is getting ready for spring training and going in, and being ready to help the team in whatever what I can. Whatever role that I end up playing, whether it's there or somewhere else, I have to be ready and ready to produce."

MLB Eliminating $300K From International Spending Cap

Major League Baseball is expecting to eliminate $300K from the International Spending pools. This will begin this June for the 2014-2015 International Spending year, you know the one where the Yankees are planning on spending up to $15 million on. Each team has been given six exemptions of $50K each in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement for up to four international amateurs and those exemptions are now being eliminated.

Teams will not be given a number to work with until probably April anyway but the numbers are now expected to be lower than usual, which could really help the Yankees. If the Yankees stay true to their word and blow the cap out of the water there should be less teams involved you would think. $300K does not sound like a lot in the grand scheme of things but when you only get $1-$2 million anyway it could be a huge number and make or break you signing a player.

A Rod Ruling Not Expected This Week

When reports said "early January" in reference to the Alex Rodriguez decision they did not mean this week. The arbitrator that holds A Rod's career, season, and legacy in his hand Frederic Horowitz is unlikely to announce his decision today or tomorrow according to Mike Puma. A Rod has not been informed of anything on the matter either that we have been made aware of so the A Rod watch continues until at least next week.