ESPNNew York.com reports that despite the original $189 million plan, the New York Yankees are plotting to break bank this winter.
Yankees officials will meet on Monday to discuss a potential $300 million shopping spree, while STILL finding a way to stay under the luxury tax.
As of right now, the Yankees have over $87 million invested in 2014, thanks mostly to the retirements of Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte, as well as the potential departures to free agency for Phil Hughes and Hiroki Kuroda. If Alex Rodriguez's suspension is upheld, the Yankees could be off the hook for up to $31 million next year. Derek Jeter has a player option that could cut his pay from $17 million to $8 million.
According to ESPN NY's Andrew Marchand, the Yankees primary goal is to bolster the lineup by bringing back Robinson Cano and reeling in catcher Brian McCann and 37 year-old outfielder Carlos Beltran.Another big time free agent this winter is Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, and the to-be 25 year-old right-hander is very much coveted by the Yankees. The posting fee negotiations will not count towards team payroll and hinder their goal to avoid the luxury tax.
Of course, these players easily fill the Yankees' biggest needs for 2014. With Andy Pettitte and possibly Hiroki Kuroda gone, the only starters penciled in the rotation right now are CC Sabathia, who is looking to rebound next year after posting a career worst 4.78 ERA, and Ivan Nova. Tanaka is a good start, but they also need to look for other free agents on the market.
This year, the normally deadly Bronx Bombers offense struggled big time, and the biggest issues were at catcher and in the outfield. Yankees catchers put up a .587 OPS, 26th in baseball, so a healthy McCann makes a ton of sense, at the right price. Beltran also makes sense if Granderson leaves, as the Yankees can't afford to keep putting Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki in their every day lineup.The only question is what the Yankees do with third base if A-Rod is suspended. Before his August return this year, production at the hot corner for them was literally the worst in baseball. David Freese of the Cardinals could be a potential target, as he could be dealt with the arrival of top infield prospects in St. Louis.
If the Yankees' get their wish, they could look a lot better than they were for much of the 2013 season:
Lineup:
C- Brian McCann
1B- Mark Teixeira
2B- Robinson Cano
SS- Derek Jeter
3B- Alex Rodriguez or replacement
OF- Alfonso Soriano
OF- Brett Gardner
OF- Carlos Beltran
Rotation:
LHP CC Sabathia
RHP Ivan Nova
RHP Masahiro Tanaka
Possibly RHP Michael Pineda
Another possible free agent or RHP David Phelps
If healthy and if everything pays off, this could be a very deadly lineup. If Sabathia rebounds, Pineda is healthy, and Nova and Tanaka live up to their successes this year, this could be a solid rotation. For what it's worth, it's very encouraging for Yankees fans that ownership plans on spending again to put the best team on the field, as they claim to do every season.
I read that the Yankees also want Granderson to come back on a qualifying offer. Not sure if they'd be willing to do a multi-year deal for him. But in that case the outfield would be Granderson-Gardner-Beltran.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how they'd sign Cano, Beltran, McCann, Granderson, and Tanaka... while staying under threshold, but this could be very interesting.
I am being nit picky I know but Adam Warren is in the starting rotation way before David Phelps is. Also the Yankees have but Pineda's name in pen for the starting rotation, permanent marker ever. Assuming he comes through the spring healthy of course.
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