Heyman: Robertson Has Received Three-Year, $39-Million Offer

It's been known for some time that Free Agent Reliever David Robertson has a high asking price, and now it appears a team has finally reached it. 

According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, Robertson has received an offer worth close to what he wants, but not exactly. The Yankees don't seem to want to give Robertson the four-year deal he's coveting this offseason, but nonetheless, would certainly like to keep him. 

From Heyman's report: 

"Some around the game questioned whether Robertson was taking an unnecessary risk when he turned down the Yankees' $15.3 million offer, which would have given the highest salary ever for a relief pitcher without ever even testing the market. But one rival executive said he's heard Robertson already has an offer of about $39 million for three years in hand, and that it seems likely with all the outside interest that Robertson will get a four-year offer."

It's definitely possible that the unknown club here is the Astros, who have been said to be interested in Robertson for weeks.

However, they are not the only ones to have maybe broken the bank for him, as the Rockies, Rangers and White Sox also seem to be looking to better their bullpens. That trio could very well be accompanied by the Cubs and Tigers, too, The New York Daily News' Mark Feinsand writes.

Robertson, 29, has played for the Yankees since he was a rookie in 2008, and is coming off a solid first season in their closing role.

The Best of What's Left

Let's take a quick look in between our NFL television watching to see the best of what's left on the free agent market and see who the Yankees could potentially target. The bolded players are players that I could personally see the Yankees pursuing and/or signing. Disagree? Tell me in the comments. 

RHP Max Scherzer
LHP Jon Lester
RHP James Shields
RHP Brandon McCarthy
RHP Ervin Santana
RHP David Robertson
LHP Andrew Miller
RHP Luke Gregerson
RHP Sergio Romo
RHP Rafael Soriano
RHP Pat Neshek
RHP Jason Grilli

SS Stephen Drew
OF Torii Hunter
RF Nick Markakis
LF Melky Cabrera
DH Nelson Cruz
1B Mike Morse
3B Chase Headley
CF Colby Rasmus
SS Jed Lowrie
2B Asdrubal Cabrera
C Geovany Soto
UT Emilio Bonifacio
C A.J. Pierzynski

Comparing the Yankees and Blue Jays Lineups

Earlier in the week we compared the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox lineups to see who had the advantage at each position. Spoiler alert, Boston has a much better lineup then the Yankees right now. Can the same be said for the Toronto Blue Jays? Let's take a look while keeping in mind that the BOLDED player gets the advantage in my opinion.

		NYY Offense			TOR Offense
C		Brian McCann			Russell Martin
1B		Mark Teixeira			Edwin Encarnacion
2B		Refsnyder/Pirela			Ryan Goins
SS		Brendan Ryan			Jose Reyes
3B		Martin Prado			Josh Donaldson
LF		Brett Gardner			Kevin Pillar
CF		Jacoby Ellsbury			Dalton Pompey
RF		Carlos Beltran			Jose Bautista
DH		Alex Rodriguez			Dioner Navarro

New York a Fourth Place Team?

With all the free agent and trade acquisitions happening right now in the American League East does that leave the Yankees as a fourth place team in 2015? Is it worse and can the Rays survive all their trades with their stellar pitching and possibly make the Yankees a fifth place team? If you ask a Yankees fan right now it's entirely possible that these are the end times for the club.

Late Friday night the Toronto Blue Jays added the best third baseman in the game in Josh Donaldson for three prospects and Brett Lawrie. Adding Donaldson and Russell Martin to a potent lineup consisting of Jose Reyes, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion the Blue Jays are going to score a ton of runs this season. The Boston acquisitions this season and the signs that more is to come are well documented so there is no need to go over those again. Baltimore won the AL East last season handily and while losing Nick Markakis, Nelson Cruz and Andrew Miller are still far and away a better team than the Yankees at this point.

Do the Yankees fans have to prepare for a fourth place season? Maybe a fifth place finish? If you ask me right now, before the Yankees make a move, before the Winter Meetings, etc., then maybe.

TGP Daily Poll: Yankees Sign Yoan Lopez Too

In yesterday's TGP Daily Poll we predicted that the New York Yankees would sign Yoan Moncada fresh out of Cuba. Today we predict that the New York Yankees will sign Yoan Lopez out of Cuba as well.

Vote in our poll!!

This Day In New York Yankees History 11/30: Jeter Wins Another Award

On this day in 2009 the Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. The Yankees captain would be the first Yankee to ever be named the winner of the award since SI started giving out the award in 1954.

Also on this day in 2000 the New York Yankees signed Mike Mussina to a six year deal worth $88.5 million stealing him from the rival Baltimore Orioles. Mussina would stay with the Yankees through the 2008 season and finally get his 20 win season in pinstripes before riding off into the sunset.

Finally on this day in 1952 Jackie Robinson went on a  New York television show accusing the Yankees of being racist for not having a black player on their team. The Yankees would not sign a black baseball player until three years later when they signed Elston Howard, nine years after Jackie broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball.

Sheffield Unsure of His HOF Chances

He batted .292 with 509 home runs and 1,676 RBIs with eight teams over 22 years, but will ex-Yankees OF Gary Sheffield get into the Hall of Fame?

He apparently doesn't know, admitting Wednesday that he has "no idea" if he'll be selected. Sheffield was solid when he played for the Yankees from 2004-2006, appearing in two All-Star games as the club won three straight division titles.

Nonetheless, he isn't sure if his career numbers will be good enough for the honor, as impressive as they seem to be.

"The bottom line is that there is no question about my numbers and what I have done and how long I have done it,’’ Sheffield told The New York Post. “I was never voted the MVP, so I don’t speculate on anything.’’

He was, however, the NL Batting Champion in 1992, one of two seasons he spent with the Padres. 

Sheffield also collected a Silver Slugger Award that year, but that wasn't too unusual for him. He had nine of those in total, two of which came with the Yankees. 

“When I look back at it, for what I did and the injuries I had, I am proud of my accomplishments,’’ he said.

This is Sheffield's first time up for the accolade. He will have fifteen chances to get inducted as long as he's on at least five percent of the Baseball Writers Association of America's (BBWAA) ballots each year, and will become a permanent member of Cooperstown if he's ever on 75 percent.

Sheffield is one of ten former Yankees vying for the coveted accomplishment this winter, with Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina and Roger Clemens being a few of the notable others. 

Buy Alex Rodriguez's Used Mercedes Benz

This is not a joke, Alex Rodriguez must be seriously hurting for some cash right about now. Up until recently the man with the largest contract in Major League Baseball is selling his used Mercedes Benz CLK Class two door Cabriole convertible.... on Ebay. Just a day left so be sure to get your bids in now. CLICK HERE.

The thing retailed at just a shade over $95,000 and you may find a hypodermic needle or something stashed in the seats for an added value. Makes you wonder how bad Alex is off financially right now and it really confirms the fact that he will be in uniform in 2015, 2016, and 2017 so he can make that $61 million.

BREAKING: Yankees Up Offer to Max Scherzer

UPDATE: Fantasy Alarm is saying the deal is close although no credible sources have confirmed. CLICK HERE. 

Source tells me #Yankees made long-term offer in neighborhood of 6 yrs to Max Scherzer this morning. Still working to confirm w/2nd source.
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer74) November 29, 2014

According to multiple sources on Twitter, one that I especially trust in Dan Pfieffer from the Trenton Thunder, have reported big offers to Max Scherzer from the New York Yankees. One "baseball insider" claims New York has offered while Pfeiffer is hearing more of a six year offer for the former Tigers right hander. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: it's a 7 year offer including at least 160 million dollars on the table for Max Scherzer by the New York Yankees.
— Jake Wesley MLB (@mlb_nl_al) November 29, 2014

Signing Jung-Ho Kang is a Necessity for New York

With the shortstop market drying up quicker then the rolls at your Thanksgiving party on Thursday the New York Yankees may be on the outside looking in this hot stove season. That is unless the team heeds my warnings and my suggestions and signs Jung-Ho Kang at all costs.

Let's face it the shortstop free agent market sucks this season with the best option being a guy that hit under .200 last season in Stephen Drew. Looking ahead, and granted a lot can change between now and then, the free agent market sucks next season for shortstops as well making a pillow contract or one year deal a band-aid rather than a solution to New York's problems. To compound the problem the Yankees best shortstop prospects are all in the lower levels of the farm system and, at best, two years away if not more. Signing a youthful 27 year old like Kang to a three or four year deal may be in the Yankees best interests now and for the future.

Kang is not going to bring New York a Canyon of Heroes parade, I get that, but he will play more than adequate defense and give the team a boost offensively over Drew and incumbent Brendan Ryan. The KBO, or Korean Baseball Organization, is more of a AAAA system them a major league system but the Yankees don't necessarily need Kang to slash the career .298/.382/.503 he did in Korea and the team doesn't need him to hit the 137 home runs in seven full seasons he did with the Nexen and the Woori the Yankees just need him to be a slick defender and a solid #7, #8 or #9 hitter in the lineup. Check and check.

Kang will not bring the team a World Series alone and will not solve all the Yankees problem but he will not cost as much as Hanley Ramirez did and he will not gut the farm system like Troy Tulowitzki would. Where do I sign?