Former & Current Yankees Well Represented In WBC

The Yankees, both current and former, are going to be well represented in this years World Baseball Classic that will be played this March. We have already heard that Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira will play for Team USA and we have also heard reports that Andy Pettitte will pitch for Team USA although that is still unofficial. Yankees 2B Robinson Cano will play for team Dominican Republic and Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli will play for team Italy in this years classic. Former Yankees will also be in this years classic like Russel Martin for team Canada, Melky Cabrera on team Dominican Republic (please stay away from Cano.. please), Jose Molina will play for team Puerto Rico, Andruw Jones will play for team Wife Beaters Netherlands, and Luis Ayala, Alfredo Aceves, and Ramiro Pena will play for team Mexico.

Napoli Agrees To 1-Year Deal With Boston

According to Jon Heyman, Mike Napoli has agreed to a one year deal with the Red Sox, worth $5 million. This after having originally agreed to a 3 year deal worth $39 million. Talk about a big difference. It'll be interesting to hear what the medicals said to make the contract drop that much... assuming we ever hear that information.

My idea of going after Mike Napoli looks even worse that I thought.

Team USA Roster

The roster for Team USA, which will play in the World Baseball Classic, has been announced. There are only 27 players listed, as teams are allowed 28. Joe Torre has announced that the 28th player will be another starter.

C/1B - Joe Mauer
C - JP Arencibia
C - Jonathan Lucroy
1B - Mark Teixeira
2B - Brandon Phillips
3B - David Wright
SS - Jimmy Rollins
UT - Ben Zobrist
UT - Willie Bloomquist
OF - Ryan Braun
OF - Adam Jones
OF - Giancarlo Stanton
OF - Shane Victorino

P - Jeremy Affeldt
P - Tim Collins
P - Derek Holland
P - Glen Perkins
P - Heath Bell
P - Mitchell Boggs
P - Steve Cishek
P - RA Dickey
P - Luke Gregerson
P - Craig Kimbrel
P - Kris Medlen
P - Chris Perez
P - Vinnie Pestano
P - Ryan Vogelsong

Yankees Will Play Exhibition W/ West Point

The New York Yankees have announced that they will play an exhibition game with the West Point Academy on March 30th. That day is significant because it is the day after they play the Washington Nationals in an exhibition game and two days after Spring Training and the Grapefruit League schedule will end. Further details, including I am assuming how to purchase tickets, will be released by the Yankees organization at a later date.

Michael Morse Comes Off Board, Traded To Mariners

The Yankees were said to be extremely interested in and the most aggressive team in the Michael Morse sweepstakes but we once again missed out as the Seattle Mariners have swept in and traded for Morse. This three team trade including the Nationals, Mariners, and Athletics will send John Jaso to the A's, Michael Morse to the Mariners, and prospects to the Nationals. The A's have designated George Kottaras for assignment to make room for Jaso so I wonder if the Yankees will make a waiver claim if they get the opportunity. Either way we missed out on a right handed power hitter that was very versatile and would have been a perfect fit for the team in 2013. Very disappointing.

Alex Rodriguez Hip Surgery Complete & A Success

Alex Rodriguez has come through his second hip surgery in the last five seasons after he had the procedure done on his left hip this time. The procedure was considered to be successful and the healing process begins immediately. Dr. Kelly performed the procedure in the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and everything went as planned with zero complications.

It will take Rodriguez six weeks to heal where he can only do range of motion exercises followed by six more weeks of strengthening the tissue that was repaired. After that it is hard to put a time table on it but anywhere from a month to three months later Alex Rodriguez should be fully rehabilitated and healed and back on the field for the Yankees.

Yankees, Phil Hughes Avoid Arbitration With 1 Yr Dealarbitr

The Yankees and Phil Hughes have agreed upon a one year contract for the 2013 season avoiding arbitration. Hughes will sign a deal worth $7.15 million after MLB Trade Rumors predicted that he would only get $5.7 million. This was Hughes third and final season being arbitration eligible so he will be a free agent after the 2013 season.

Nationals Sign Soriano

The Washington Nationals have agreed to sign Rafael Soriano to a two year deal worth $28 million. Turns out that turning down the qualifying offer of $13.3 million from the Yankees didn't bite Soriano in the backside after all, as he's not only got a 2nd guaranteed year but a bit more money too.

Personally I'm happy that the Yankees didn't go back on what they've said regarding not bringing back Soriano, as I feel the bullpen looks pretty good without him. And spending that much more money didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, especially when they've had chances to sign other players to fill true holes, but have apparently balked at the asking price.

Since Rafael turned down the Yankees' qualifying offer, and has now signed with another team, the Yanks will receive another draft pick. While the Nationals have to give up the 29th pick in the draft due to this signing, the Yankees will possibly receive the 32nd overall pick.

A Not-So-Boring Offseason

The vast majority of my articles are responses to news, so finding things to talk about lately has been really rough. The latest bit of news regarding the Yankees at MLB Trade Rumors has to do with the Blue Jays signing of 18 year old right hander Denis Villatoro, as the Yankees had looked into Villatoro at one point. Heck, the second bit of news regarding the Yankees has to do with them being cost-conscious, and other teams in the AL East (particularly the Jays) possibly looking to take advantage of that. So it's easy to see why each year the LoHud Yankees Blog runs their Pinch Hitter series, where writers from outside their blog submit articles to be posted there (I wrote something for it last year, and this year Burch has a post that will runner there next month).

This lack of news has really tested my lack of patience. I keep hoping to wake up and see news of a big trade, or even rumors of a big trade possibly happening. Alas... nothing. So what do I do now? Do I rant about the fact Cashman and Co. haven't done anything in a while (again)? That's when it occurred to me that they aren't the problem... I'm the problem. My "what have you done for me lately" attitude, which is shared by many other Yankee fans, has blinded me to the fact that the Yankees have indeed done quite a bit this offseason. It just so happens that those things they did not only happened early in the offseason, but they didn't change the team much at all.

This offseason the Yankees have agreed to spend $92.5 million on eight players. David Aardsma's option was picked up for $500,000, as were Robinson Cano's ($15 million) and Curtis Granderson's ($15 million). The team brought back Hiroki Kuroda for another $15 million, Andy Pettitte for $12 million, Mariano Rivera for $10 million, and Ichiro Suzuki for $13 million (over 2 years). As for new blood there's only one guy... Kevin Youkilis for $12 million. Mind you, that doesn't include a minor league deals for Matt Diaz and Bobby Wilson. So it doesn't sound like a boring offseason at all.

"I'm still bored."

But what about other teams? How much have they spent, and on how many players? Let's take a look at them, starting with the other AL East teams...

Blue Jays - $29 million on 3 players
Orioles - $3 million on 2 players
Rays - $25.8 million on 6 players
Red Sox - $160.45 million on 8 players

Boston is the only team in the AL East that's spent more money than the Yankees, and that includes the $39 million deal for Mike Napoli that isn't even finalized yet. The only free agent signing they've had that's even a bit exciting is for Shane Victorino, which was for 3 years and $39 million. The other $83.45 million was spent on Ryan Dempster, Stephen Drew, Jonny Gomes, David Ortiz, David Ross, and Koji Uehara.

There are actually only four other teams that have spent more money this offseason than the Yankees...

• The Angels have spent $164.5 million for 5 players, one of them being Josh Hamilton who signed for $125 million. So without that big signing they've only spent $39.5 million for 4 players.
• The Tigers have spent $115.5 million, one of them being Anibal Sanchez for $80 million. So without Sanchez Detroit's only spent $35.5 million for 3 players.
• The Braves have spent $107.55 million, one of them being BJ Upton for $75 million. So without Upton Atlanta's only spent $32.55 million on 5 players.
• The Dodgers, who now have the largest payroll in Major League Baseball, have spent $172.35 million. That includes signing Zack Greinke for $147 million, leaving only $25.35 million for 2 players.

Finally, if you look at the number of players a team has signed to contracts that include MLB deals, the only team that has more than New York is the Chicago Cubs. The Cubbies have signed 9 players for a total of $91.05 million, and that includes the $52 million contract they gave to Edwin Jackson.

You see, there's really no reason for Yankee fans such as myself to be up in arms over their team's lack of offseason moves. Even if you're thinking "sure, but I want a big acquisition , you can't overlook the fact that the Yankees picked up options on the best second basemen in the game (Cano) and an outfielder that has hit 84 home runs the past two seasons (Granderson), while re-signing the greatest short-inning reliever of all time (Rivera). And that doesn't touch on Pettitte and Kuroda, who are pretty darn good starting pitchers.

So the next time you're upset that another day has passed without any significant news about the Yankees, remember that this offseason has hardly been "boring". Remember that there are few, if any, teams in the game that wouldn't have loved to have signed Cano, Granderson, Kuroda, and Rivera.

Teixeira & Pettitte Will Play For Team USA in WBC

New York Yankees first basemen Mark Teixeira and starting pitcher Andy Pettitte have committed to playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this March. This will be a nice reunion for Andy because former Yankees manager Joe Torre will be managing Team USA this year. The teams will officially be announced on Thursday 1/17 but these names have already leaked.