Yankees Designate Chris Dickerson For Assignment

You heard it here first on The Greedy Pinstripes and now it is official as the Yankees have designated Chris Dickerson for assignment to make room for newly acquired Russ Canzler. There is absolutely no way that he will clear waivers so this is the official goodbye to C Dick! I really wish you had those same pictures of Girardi's wife that Andruw Jones seemed to have had last season and got to see more playing time.

Yankees Claim Russ Canzler

The New York Yankees announced today that they have claimed first basemen and corner outfielder  Russ Canzler off waivers from the Cleveland Indians. Russ is a right handed bat that will compete with Matt Diaz to win the right field platoon job. Russ is only 27 years old and held his own in AAA and in a short stint with the Indians so I am excited for this signing. The Yankees will have to make a 40 man roster move to make room for Russ and unfortuntely I see that move being Chris Dickerson. Check back later for updates.

Are Slade Heathcott & Mark Montgomery Ready For MLB?

"Now what are you thinking?"

Over at the LoHud Yankees blog, Chad Jennings wrote about a meeting Jack Curry had with the Yankees amateur scouting director, Damon Oppenheimer. Curry was specifically asking about Slade Heathcott and Mark Montgomery, two guys that Damon drafted a few years ago. Surprisingly, Oppenheimer said that he could see both men playing for the Yankees by the end of the season.

Now, it isn't very surprising in terms of Montgomery, a 22 year old that was drafted out of college in 2011. Mark has been climbing the minor league ladder quickly, ending last season in AA Trenton, due to having a good fastball and... in the words of Oppenheimer... a "really slick" slider. He's been compared to David Robertson for having the ability to strike out quite a few hitters with that fastball and breaking ball combo.

When it comes to Slade Heathcott, though, that's when my eyebrow raised. Although, like Montgomery, Slade is 22 years old, Heathcott's rise through the system hasn't been quite as fast. He played 60 games in High A Tampa last season, and was great in the Arizona Fall League, but no matter how well he's recovering from shoulder surgery I don't see him making any sort of impact in MLB in 2013.

"This jerk doesn't think I can do it."

If Damon had spoken about each man separately then I wouldn't make a big deal about it. He'd be talking realistically about Montgomery at one point, then at some other time he'd simply be talking-up Heathcott like any team would with their prospects. But to act two different ways towards those players at the same time strikes me as odd.

I'm sure Brian Cashman consults Oppenheimer whenever a prospect is being discussed for a trade, so could there be one in the works that involves Heathcott and Montgomery? Was this little interview with Jack Curry a way for the Yankees to make their side of a proposed deal look better? You know, make the team that would receive Slade believe he was further along than he actually is. It's no secret that the Yankees are overly cautious, and players rise through the minors slower than they normally would on other teams. I mean, if Bryce Harper were in the Yankees organization, I wouldn't be surprised if he were still in AA after having been drafted out of high school in 2010. So even though Heathcott wasn't likely to jump into MLB anytime soon with the Yankees, perhaps he would be able to with another club. Like say... the Diamondbacks?

I think anybody would be interested in Mark Montgomery, as all teams seem to be on the lookout for bullpen help. Especially bullpen help that would come as cheaply, in terms of money, and be under team control for a while. Looking at Arizona's bullpen, it could get thinner after this season when JJ Putz's contract is up, leaving the closer spot open for the D-Backs. David Hernandez could be the new closer for them in 2014, while Brad Ziegler would be a fine candidate although he's a free agent in 2015. So it makes sense that the Diamondbacks would like Montgomery.

"Everybody wants some of Mr. Montgomery."

It's fairly well known that Arizona currently has an extra outfielder, as they have Justin Upton, Jason Kubel, Gerardo Parra, and the newly signed Cody Ross. Not to mention that Adam Eaton hit well after being called up in early September, putting up a batting line of .259/.382/.412. And don't forget somebody like AJ Pollock, who Mike Axisa touched on earlier in a post at River Avenue Blues. With Kubel possibly being a free agent after this season (there is a mutual option for 2014), there's a very good chance that they'd like to move him. A package that includes Mark Montgomery and Slade Heathcott should be enough to get a deal done. However... is that too much?

Jason Kubel had a good 2012, having put up 30 homers, but his batting average was a not-so-impressive .253, to go with an OBP of only .327. So while somebody with that kind of power would be nice to help make up for the loss of 45 home runs from last season (Swisher had 24 while Martin had 21), I don't like the idea of having another player with a low average and OBP. Heck, they'll likely have Cervelli or Stewart start at catcher. Not to mention that Kubel's strikeout rate spiked last season, going from a career high of 21.5% in 2011 to 26.4% in 2012.

You probably know where this is going... could Montgomery and Heathcott be part of a bigger package for Justin Upton?

There's a better chance of this movie winning an Academy Award for Best Picture, than me letting go of trading for Justin Upton.

With the loss of Joe Saunders, who started 21 games for the D-Backs last season, and Patrick Corbin having started 17 games and putting up a not-great 4.54 ERA, it would make sense that they would want to acquire another starter. Meanwhile, the Yankees have more than enough arms for their starting rotation in 2013, with Sabathia, Kuroda, Pettitte, Hughes, Nova, Pineda (for part of the season), and youngsters such as David Phelps ready to step in.

Perhaps I'm being more naive than usual, thinking Brian Cashman and Co. have a big trade up their sleeve. However, Ninja Cashman did mention that they're still working on making some bigger moves this offseason. So I wouldn't be surprised if we have a new outfielder in New York within the next couple of weeks.

Austin Romine Will Start 2013 In AAA

Brian Cashman has informed the media that he fully expects Yankees catching prospect Austin Romine to start the 2013 season down in AAA for Scranton. This makes sense after missing much of the 2012 season with a back injury and did not exactly knock the cover off the ball in the Arizona Fall League. He could always impress and win the job out of Spring Training but as it stands right now it looks like the Yankees will send out some combination of Francisco Cervelli and Christ Stewart next season behind the dish.

ESPN Will Broadcast Yankees Opening Day Baseball

ESPN has announced their early television schedule for the 2013 Major League Baseball season and the Yankees opener at home against the Boston Red Sox will be televised on ESPN. The game will be played on April 1st at 1:00 pm ET. The MLB season will officially kick off with the Astros and the Rangers playing a game on March 31st which will also be televised on ESPN at 8:00 pm ET as the Astros play their first game in the American League.

Former Yankees Update : Nick Swisher

Nick Swisher spent the last four seasons with the New York Yankees including a World Series championship run in 2009 but he was introduced as the latest Cleveland Indian today at a press conference. Swisher signed a four year deal with Cleveland with a vesting option for a 5th year for $56 million. Swisher signed the biggest deal in Cleveland Indians history and will wear his traditional #33 for the tribe. No matter what anybody says, especially in October, you will be missed Nick!

Yankees Said To Not Be Interested In Delmon Young

The Yankees still need a right handed batter, preferably someone who can hit in the middle of a lineup, and a designated hitter but for some reason have shown zero interest in free agent Delmon Young. Delmon Young is entering his age 27 season after the last season and a half with the Detroit Tigers. Delmon is listed as a left fielder by sites like baseball reference but let's face it Delmon is a DH only kind of guy, much like a Raul Ibanez last season. He has hit a combined 30 home runs in the last two seasons but most of that has been in Comerica Park which was never too friendly to batters anyway. His defense would be suspect and his off the field actions leave a lot to be desired, which I do not feel like really feel like getting into, but I think the Yankees should at least make the phone call. The problem will be the budget and his, assuming, unwillingness to accept a one year deal after his post season. I predicted that Delmon would be the Yankees DH in 2013 when I did my free agency predictions and it is not looking too good right now.

Former Yankees Update : Scott Proctor

Remember the guy that Joe Torre ran into the ground in his latter parts of his tenure as Yankees manager? No not Mariano Rivera, Tom Gordon, Paul Quantrill, Steve Karsay, Kyle Farnsworth, and a laundry list of other players, Scott Proctor! Scott Proctor celebrated his 37th birthday yesterday, so Happy Belated Birthday to him, by signing a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants. After spending his 2012 season in Korea he is ready to make the jump back to the minors with the defending World Series champions. Good luck to you Scott and let's hope Joe Torre doesn't change bullpen rules between now and the 2013 season that hurt you and jeopardize your career even more.

Giancarlo Stanton & The Yankees

I think this was inevitable wasn't it? The Marlins have said that they are willing to listen to offers on Giancarlo " Don't Call Me Mike" Stanton and I am sure that his phone has been blown up ever since. I hope that one of those calls came from Brian Cashman because Giancarlo is one of those once in a life time franchise type players that is cost effective, under team control for what seems like forever, plays a position that we actually need in Right Field, and well I could go on and on about him but anybody who has watched baseball over the past couple of years knows what Giancarlo would bring to the Yankees.

Entering his age 23 season, a season where he is not even arbitration eligible yet and after a season where he led the majors in slugging, he does not make much sense for the Marlins to trade. He mashes the ball, he brings in fans, and he is cheap. He sounds like the prototypical Marlins player and he would only hurt himself if he went out and let his unhappiness with the teams personnel decisions run over onto his on the field play. The real question will be do the Marlins really intend on trading Stanton? If the answer is yes then will the Yankees have enough in the farm to match or trump a team like, for examples sake, the Seattle Mariners?

Let us remember that the Yankees no longer have Jesus Montero sitting in AAA mashing the ball, Austin Romine is not arguably the Yankees second best prospect anymore, Manny Banuelos is not the guy that could not walk a guy and dominated major league hitting in Spring Training, Dellin Betances cannot find the catcher if his life depended on it, and the upper levels are basically barren or filled with veterans waiting for their shot. The Yankees lower levels are full of talent, namely Tyler Austin, Dante Bichette Jr, Mason Williams, Slade Heatcott, Mark Montgomery, etc etc etc. Would the Marlins take guys in the lower levels of A ball for Giancarlo? If they would do we have enough to trump a team with a great farm system? My gut tells me no so my gut tells me not to expect Giancarlo in pinstripes.

Then again this is just the kind of big, under the radar type signing/trade that Brian Cashman has been accustomed to pulling off. Here's to hoping that Giancarlo becomes a Yankee and we all forget about what has been a terribly disappointing off season.

Aledmys Diaz, Dariel Alvarez, and the Yankees

"Do something!"

The other day Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reported that the Miami Marlins are not interested in either Aledmys Diaz nor Dariel Alvarez. Both players defected from Cuba, and became free agents on December 13th (neither player is considered an international free agent, as they're either old enough or have served enough time in the Cuban/Mexican professional league). Diaz will turn 23 on January 8th, is a shortstop, and has garnered interest from a number of teams. Not a surprise at such a premium position.

I can see the Yankees having interest in Diaz, although they don't have a position ready for him in 2013, unless he were to move to 3B while Youkilis was the DH... and who knows what would happen when ARod returns. Derek Jeter will likely exercise his player option for 2014, and Rodriguez may start to be the team's full-time DH, which would leave a spot open on the right side of the infield. So it wouldn't surprise me to see the Yankees mentioned alongside the name "Aledmys Diaz".

But it's Alvarez that got me thinking.

And thinking gives me a headache.

A few people have compared Alvarez and Yoenis Cespedes. Not so much in terms of their abilities, but over the fact that Alvarez is an outfielder and is very close to MLB-ready. Notice I say "very close", as a year in AAA may be in Dariel's future. As for his bat, Alvarez put up a line of .354/.371/.521 in La Liga Invernal Veracruz of Mexico in 2012, after putting up a line of .363/.404/.613 line with 20 home runs in 344 at-bats in Serie Nacional de Béisbol of Cuba in 2011. On top of those hitting stats, Dariel is said to be able to play all three outfield positions, and has a plus arm. So the team that signs him would definitely view him as more than a middling prospect.

The Marlins are always interested in Cuban players, due to their large Hispanic fan base in southern Florida, so them being out of the running for Alvarez is big. Hearing about teams being more interested in Aledmys is also a pretty good sign that there would be little competition for Dariel. And finally, there's the fact that we haven't heard nearly as much hype for him as we did for Cespedes. However, Alvarez is a couple of years younger than Yoenis was last year when the A's signed him for 4 years and $46 million, so I'm not thinking the Yankees could get the Cuban outfielder on the cheap. 

With Curtis Granderson likely playing his last season with the Yankees in 2013, Gardner being in his last year of team control in 2014, and Ichiro already not being a great starting option, it's easy to see that the Yankees have a spot that Alvarez could fill. And there would probably still be an opportunity for Tyler Austin should he be ready for a promotion in 1-2 years. 

"You better not forget about me!"

I'm sure you're as sick of this subject as I am, but it likely comes down to money. Alvarez is not in the Yasiel Puig or Jorge Soler category, who got 7 years out of the Dodgers and 9 years out of the Cubs, respectively. And I already mentioned that he's not the prospect Cespedes was, who got a contract worth $11.5 million a season. So I really can't see Dariel being signed for more than 5 years and $45 million. 

I think you can tell that I'd like to look hard at Mr. Dariel Alvarez.