Managing the Yankees

After completing their needs this off-season the Yankees now are taking their time.....

At the start of the off-season the Yankees put their attention on re-signing their reliable starting pitcher Andy Pettitte. With 3 pitchers already on board, the Yankees filled their weakness in the outfield by trading their prize prospects including Austin Jackson for Detroit's star center fielder Curtis Granderson.
With two objectives being achieved, the Bombers made their club more formidable by getting another star pitcher from a trade. The Yankees traded Melky Cabrera along with 2 minor league pitchers for Atlanta's Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan.

With Hideki Masui, the Yankees DH being out if the picture, Brian Cashman and company signed free agent and OBP slugger Nick Johnson to be their next designated hitter.
All of this transaction was done just in the month of December 2009. The Yankees fulfilled their area of concern from starting pitching to center field to their DH.
The Yankees have now a roster that can take any team in the coming 2010 season.

But one thing remains to filled.... their hole in left field. With Melky being traded there is a spot that is vacated. Brett Gardner can fill the hole in left but the Yankees said they want to get somebody (probably a right handed hitter) who can platoon for an outfield position.

The Yankees have a firm resolution that they have only $ 2 million to work with. As the day moves by another free agent outfielder gets away from the grasp of the Yankees. Guys like Marlon Bryd, Mike Cameron, Eric Hinske, and Jerry Hairston Jr was signed by other teams.
There are still a lot of good free agent outfielders out in the market. Johnny Damon is the most hottest topic and valuable free agent out there.

But there are a lot of free agents to choose from. Aside from Damon there is Rick Ankiel, Garrett Anderson, Rocco Baldelli, Jermaine Dye, Jonny Gomes, Reed Johnson, Xavier Nady, Gary Sheffield, Marcus Thames and Randy Winn.
Add more guys like Fernando Tatis, Endy Chavez, Chris Duncan and Robb Quinlan. So are a few infielders, like Felipe Lopez, who can play the outfield.

There seems to be no rush for any team — the Yankees or anyone else — to sign any of these guys. After all the Yankees are prepared for battle with their existing roster, and they are very talented even if they didn't get anybody else from the free agent pool. Like what they said they are ready to pencil in Gardner in left field. Question is are the Yankees content with this outfield line-up with no back-up or insurance when an injury might possibly occur somewhere in the season..... probably not.

That is why the Yankees needs to get somebody else to protect any possible setbacks in their outfield line-up. If I were the Yankees, I would increase my $ 2 million budget a little bit more.
This is just in case if there is a free agent who wants to be a part of the Yankees but wants a little more than $ 2 million. Damon is one guy that will be asking for more and to tell you honestly Johnny is far more better than the rest of the guys in the free agency pool.

I understand the Yankees goal to limit their budget and I support their mission to go young and athletic. But come on, $ 2 million? We all know the Yankees can do better than that.

Right now the Yankees are taking their time and not rushing things which I think is a great strategy. Who knows, Damon might eat his pride and come back to Yankees for a salary of just $ 3-4 million.
Good things comes to those who waits.... will that happen to the Yankees? We just have to wait and see.

There are rumors although not serious that the Yankees should trade for Tampa Bay Ray's left fielder Carl Crawford. Crawford is going to be a free agent at the end of the 2010 season but some experts suggest that the Yankees should gun for him and not wait the free agency.

I don't think the trade rumor is real. First of all why would the Rays trade their star to a team that is within their division? That will be total catastrophe. It is like handing a pennant to the Yankees. If the Rays going to trade Crawford, they are going to do it when they are out of contention. And most likely they are going to trade Crawford out of their division (the National league perhaps).

One thing for sure, the Rays are not going to let him walk and get nothing. The Rays future plans is to build a team around Longoria and prospects, competitive yet cheap, just like Minnesota.
So if Crawford ask for more money, the Rays will be force to let him go (or better trade him before the season ends). Crawford will be looking for a 5 year $ 75 million dollar deal and that means that only a couple of teams will be in on him anyway. The Yankees and Red Sox will surely be active if Crawford is available.
The Rays are looking for a catcher prospect and a 1st base in case they lose Carlos Pena (who will be a free agent also). If the Yankees are interested they can offer catching prospect Austin Romine (not Montero please), 1st baseman Juan Miranda and some pitching prospect.

If amazingly the Yankees able to trade for Crawford, the Bombers can have a speedy and reliable defensive outfielders. Crawford will be position in left while Brett Gardner will be patrolling center. Curtis Granderson can slide down to right field.
This means the Yankees can trade Nick Swisher (who will be earning $ 9 million in 2011) and use the money for pitching.
The Yankees will not be a one dimensional team if that happens. They got power and speed in their line-up.

In order to improve the Yankees line-up (speed-wise) the Yanks should trade their prospects now and get Crawford for the 2010 season at a bargain rate. Crawford will earn $ 10 million this year and the Bombers must then trade Swisher before his limited no-trade clause becomes active in 2011 (may block deals to 6 clubs).
Crawford is much better than Swisher. Crawford 50+ base stealing skills is something the Yankees should not take for granted. Crawford is still young (28) and his speed and skills will be consistent for another 4-6 years.

If the Yankees get Crawford, they will be a run and gun team but also with home run power. Aside from Crawford, the Yanks have Jeter, A-Rod, Granderson and Gardner that can run and steal bases. That's more than one half of the Yankees line-up that can kill opponents with their quickness.

For this year the Yankees intention is to rent Crawford for the 2010 season. See how will things fare. By the end of the season and Crawford doesn't want to come back on Yankees' terms ( meaning a lot less than $ 15 million plus) they can let him walk.... and get somebody else like Jason Werth.
If Crawford demands a contract for more than 5 years, the Yankees should say no. Because that would take him well into those years past his prime where he won't even be able to steal bags anymore. But that's all in the future.

As for now, just be contented with our current line-up and don't expect to much on Carl Crawford playing with the Yankees. The probability is way way far from reality.

This image came from The Yankee Universe.

Okay the question is do the Yankee administration trust GM Brian Cashman? The answer is an astounding "Yes".
Why? Well since Cashman was promoted as the Yankees General manager the Yankees have won 6 American League pennants and 4 World Series championships. An incredible feat coming from an organization and city that expects nothing less than success and greatness. The pressure of managing a team like the Yankees is tremendous, knowing for a fact that your team has the biggest payroll and you have to prove to the fans and to the world that the high payroll is worth it.

Cashman started as an intern with the Yankees in 1986. In 1994, he was named as an assistant general manager. In 1998, Cashman replaced Bob Watson and was named Senior Vice-President and General Manager. Through the years he worked his way up and prove to the Yankees organization that he belongs.

Brian Cashman has made tough decisions in making the Yankees a championship caliber team. He traded promising Alfonso Soriano to the Rangers for Alex Rodriguez. Many critics did not agree with the transaction and Cashman should have stick with Soriano and said Rodriguez is just purely hype and cannot withstand the pressures of playing in New York. That seems to be case as A-Rod performance dissolves in the post-season every year. But Cashman stick with A-Rod knowing that he will deliver someday. That day happened in 2009 as A-Rod was one of the main clogs for giving the Yankees their 27th World Series title.

But it is not a smooth sailing career for Brian Cashman. There was also up and downs. There was once an instance where owner George Steinbrenner and Cashman had conflicts regarding the teams plans and directions. Some people wonder why did the Yankees signed Gary Sheffield over Vladimir Guerrero. And why did they signed Jason Giambi to a long and huge contract. We don't know who makes the call but I have the feeling that George Steinbrenner was making the shots at that time.
Because of the disputes, Cashman almost went overboard by talking to the Washington Nationals (a city where he attended high school). But instead, Cashman agreed to a new contract with the Yankees following the conclusion of the 2005 season which gave him more "authority" in personnel decisions and paid him an average of $1.3 million more over the following three years.

^{Today Cashman is receiving $ 6 million annually and is not yet due until the end of 2011.} Cashman was also named to Crain's New York Business 40 under 40 list for 1999.

One of the biggest achievement of Cashman was the immense signing of free agents in 2009 where he signed big names like CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett. He even took Mark Teixeira away from rival the Boston Red Sox. This big signings have indicated that the Yankees are going to make another mistake by spending an enormous amount of money.
Cashman and the Yankees proved to the critics and throughout the rest of the league that they made the right choice of "investing" and not "spending" on those Type-A players. The 3 new Yankee acquisitions (Sabathia, Burnett, Teixeira) contributed extremely and help the team in winning the World Series championship. Cashman used the Yankees available funds in investing the right players.

This off-season, the Yankees want a cut back and wants to lower their payroll below $ 200 million. Cashman made a great choice by trading for Curtis Granderson and bringing back Andy Pettitte. He then signed former Yankee Nick Johnson for $ 5.5 million. Cashman is still not done and said they are still in the hunt for a starting pitcher and a utility player.
Indeed in Cash we trust! The Yankees made the right decision in having Cashman as their GM. Each transaction made by Cashman brings them closer in winning the World Series championship.

The New York Yankees now have a premium center fielder in Curtis Granderson. Defensively the Yankees' outfield is above average with the strong arms of Melky Cabrera and Nick Swisher and the speed and versatility of Granderson and bench player Brett Gardner.
Offensively the Yankees envisioned Granderson on the 2 hole against righties or will slide to the 5th, 6th, 7th hole against lefties. Granderson has home run power and speed. He once lead the majors in triples (23) in 2007. Granderson will spice things up in the coming 2010 season. But still the Yankees GM Brian Cashman is still not contented. Something is still missing. The Yankees need more power in their line-up.

Is Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui is the answer to that? Well if your looking for a power bat, this two sluggers are capable of doing so. In 2009 Damon hit 24 homers while World Series MVP Matsui had 28 home runs. They are premium type of players and are known to deliver in clutch situations which includes the post-season. They know their role in the Yankees organization. Damon fits perfectly in the 2 hole giving the Yankees a formidable 1-2 punch at the top of the line-up with Jeter playing lead-off.
Matsui played DH all season long and is normally placed in the 5 hole to give protection to A-Rod who bats clean-up. The Yankees made no secret that they still want this two amazing players however will it be practical to sign both of them.

The Yankees, even with the biggest payroll, is cost-cutting. Their budget says they can afford only one player. Will it be Damon or Matsui? Let's analyze.

JOHNNY DAMON:

According to the Yankees, Damon is their 1st choice because of his ability to still play the outfield (particularly in left). Damon still have some thread left in his old tires of his. He still runs well along the base paths and is still capable of stealing bases (Remember his amazing play in the World Series where he stole two bases in just one play).
Even with Curtis Granderson on board the Yankees still externalize Damon batting 2nd behind Derek Jeter. Their 1-2 punch is still considered one of the best in baseball plus Granderson's home run power and weakness against lefties is much suited on 5th, 6th and 7th hole. Damon will play DH most of the time next season but his versatility to play the outfield can give other positonal players like Posada, Jeter, Tex and A-Rod a half a day off.
Damon really loved the short right field porch at the Yankee Stadium. Damon homered a career high of 24 in 2006 and 2009 (both of them was done with the Yankees).
It seems like the Yankee Stadium was designed to Damon's desires and skills. Damon perfectly fits well in the Yankee Stadium. Both Damon and Yankees have express their desires to stay together.

However Scott Boras (Damon's agent) think otherwise. Boras is demanding an absurd $13 M, 4 year contract from the Yankees. Everybody knows that is exaggerated. No team will give Damon that kind of contract even with his great talent. Damon is 36 years old and is showing signs of diminishing speed and defensive skills. Damon's ridiculous demand on his contract will be a stumbling block for the Yankees to sign him.

HIDEKI MATSUI:

The World Series MVP has everything going right for him. Winning his first World Series title outside of Japan and was rewarded the World Series MVP for his incredible performance. Matsui's face is almost everywhere. From TV guesting, newspaper and magazine, internet and radio interviews. Godzilla became an icon in New York.
The future however doesn't look good for Matsui. He is a free agent and might be gone if Damon signs with the Yankees. Matsui's shaky and unpredictable knees is the major factor why the Yankees choose Damon over him. Matsui can't play the outfield anymore and is more of a DH type of guy.

Matsui is still a force to reckon with offensive wise. When he is healthy, Matsui is capable of hitting .292, 25 homers, and 100+ RBI. Matsui is an RBI machine which could help the Yankees to be competitive all season long. He bats pretty well against right handed pitchers and has also showed some good signs against opposing left handed pitchers. Matsui is a patient hitter and use the field well. He is definitely a tough out.

The good thing about Matsui is he is willing to take a pay cut and take a 1 year deal with the Yankees. This is one factor the Yankees is strongly considering. The Yankees outfield is complete with the arrival of Granderson and Matsui fits well in their DH spot.


So who do you think the Yankees will pick? Will they go with the outfielder Johnny Damon or will they stick with their DH Hideki Matsui. If you're Brain Cashman who will you sign?

Let's end this unfinished Joba debate. Where does Joba really belong?
Some say he is still considered as a starting pitcher, given time Joba will rise to the occasion and will be a Yankee starter for a long time. Others say he belongs to the bullpen and should be groomed as the next closer when the great Mariano Rivera retires. Critics assert their point that the Yankees have already maximized Joba's talent and skill and it is wise to include Joba in a trade package for a starting pitcher like Roy Halladay.

But before we go into a conclusion regarding Joba's status let's look at his strength and weaknesses and the pros and cons.

Joba's advantages:

1. He is still young (age 24) and is still considered raw despite having major league experience for almost 3 years. Joba has a lot of room and time to be an excellent pitcher in the future no matter if he is penciled as a starter or a reliever.
2. When he is on, Joba has one of the best heat in baseball which clocked at 99 mph. He also has a nasty slider which is consistently registering at 87 mph. And to confuse the opposing batters Joba mixes his pitches with occasional change-ups and curve balls.
3. He is still cheap at less than half a million annually in 2009. The Yankees can raise his salary slowly like what they did to Robinson Cano.
   

Joba's disadvantages:

1. Diminished velocity. The Yankees were concerned about Joba's performance in 2009 particularly in the second half of the season where he can't find his pitches and his once and powerful fastball have slowed down to 90 mph (which is hittable). His increased number of innings played as a starter might have something to do with that.
2. To much hype. It's been 3 years already and the Yankee fans are tired of waiting for Joba to show his "good stuff". There is no level of consistency not unlike Boston's Jon Lester who in 3 years was able to bring the Red Sox to a World Series Title, considered to be an ace with Josh Beckett behind, and once threw a no-hitter against the Royals in 2008.
3. Treated as a baby. The "Joba Rules" which should have helped Joba have hindered his immediate success. Joba was confused throughout his major league career as to what position he will play. The "starter or reliever" issue also bothered Joba which is also a factor for his mediocre performance.

So we weighed in the pros and cons and have looked on every angles about Joba Chamberlain. But the question still remains.... Where does Joba really belong?

Based from our analysis and observation, the Yankees should still keep Joba. He has a lot to prove and he has showed some signs of greatness which could be a sign of more great things to come if we only be patient with him.
In regards to his status, once and for all the Yankees "must" keep Joba in the pen. His poor performance in 2009 just told us that he is not cut to be a starting pitcher. Joba showed some flashes of brilliance in the first half of the season but faltered in the end as his innings grew larger.

If you look at Joba's past record, he is much better coming out in the pen where his precious arm is used on 1-2 innings only. With that he will be able to throw his 97-99 mph fastball and his late and sharp breaking slider. And besides Mariano Rivera won't be playing for 8 years. The Yankees need to groom somebody who will replace Rivera someday. Joba is one possible candidate.

The Yankees must look elsewhere for a starter for their 3rd, 4th and 5th spot. Andy Pettitte should be their No. 3 guy and guys like Gaudin, Aceves and maybe Hughes can fill the back-end of the rotation. Let Joba roam in the bullpen and build a strong bridge to Rivera.

The Yankees bullpen was excellent in 2009. It will be a dominating bullpen next season if they have Joba around.

What is a Designated Hitter or DH? A Designated Hitter is a baseball player that is assign to bat in place of the pitcher. This allows the pitcher to concentrate on pitching and by this it speeds up the game (less bunting). This was adopted in MLB by the American League in 1973 and the game has never been the same ever since.

Although there are a lot of criticism especially from the National League where there should be no specialization in baseball, no division of labor and everyone should play the "whole game".
I would still be in favor of the DH rule. Why? For so many reasons. For one it reduces the injury of your pitchers. Imagine them running along the bases. Look what happened to Yankees former Ace Chien-Ming Wang who suffered a foot injury while running the bases against the Houston Astros. Since that injury, Wang has never been the same "double play" pitcher.

Another reason is who would want to see your pitcher strike out a lot or worse commit to a double play which would end the inning. It destroys the beauty of baseball. There would be less home runs, decreased hitting and more bunting. No wonder the American League always take the World Series home-court advantage because of their DH advantage.

The DH offers American League managers several options in setting their team's line-ups:

• They can employ a full time Designated Hitter like World Series MVP Hideki Matsui
• They can use left-handed hitting DH against a right-handed pitcher and vice versa
• It allows them to give a positional player a partial day-off

The beauty of the DH is it creates long, productive careers for players who are getting up in age, who have history of injuries and who are weak fielders. One good example is the case of Hideki Matsui. His shaky legs showed he can't play the outfield anymore but his batting prowess is still marvelous (20+ HR and 90+ RBI). The Yankees can't ignore the fact that Matsui is still valuable to the team employing him as their full time DH in 2009. It work wonders for them.

This coming season the Yankees are thinking what to do with their DH spot. Matsui is a free agent and the Yankees still wants him. However there are other Yankee positional players who needs to treated carefully (health wise) to prolong their career. Guys like Posada, Jeter, Damon (if signed), and A-Rod. The inability of Matsui to play the outfield gives the Yankees no choice but to go to another route.

I strongly suggest to bring up guys form the Farm system. Young stallions like Austin Jackson, Juan Miranda, Ramiro Pena, and Jesus Montero. They are still raw and a lot to prove. But this is the perfect time for them to see some action in the majors. It will be a good training ground for them while relieving old guys like Posada from time to time, giving them a partial day-off (DH spot).

For the Yankees who have several positional players creeping up on age "must" keep their DH spot open next season. And it is essential for them to bring up good sluggers from their Farm in order to maintain their offense intact. We will be seeing a new DH for next season.

So who would you want to be the Yankees' DH for the next season?

Chien-Ming Wang was the New York Yankees Ace in 2006 and 2007. In both of those years he compiled 19 wins in a season. Wang even came close to winning the Cy Young award finished second to Johan Santana in 2006. He has several good pitches in his arsenal but is known for his sinker. Wang's sinker enables him to create ground balls resulting to double plays. Thus therefore lowering his pitch counts to go deep into games. He was destined to be a star pitcher in New York.

Then injuries came. In 2008, he suffered a right foot injury while running the bases during an inter-league game against the Houston Astros. Wang was diagnosed with a torn Linsfranc ligament of the right foot which caused him to end the remainder of the season.
In 2009, Wang's ERA ballooned to 9.64 and there was speculations that his previous foot injury caused him to compensate with the rest of his pitching motion. Wang was diagnosed with weakness in the muscles with both hips and was placed on the disabled list.

All of a sudden Wang turn from Hero to Zero. Now the Yankees are thinking if they want to bring their former 19 win Ace Pitcher. According to Dr. Andrews (Wang's doctor), Wang's shoulder was doing remarkably well and is looking forward for rehab.
Wang's agent Alan Nero says Dr. Andrews cleared Wang to begin throwing on Dec. 1. The quicker he can get himself on a mound the more likely the Yankees are to keep him around. Personally I think it is wise for the Yanks to keep him. He will probably be back in action by the end of April or May, 2010.

The Yankees almost certainly will not tender Wang a contract, which would cost $5 million at the least. But Wang still prefers to play with the Yankees if they still want him.

Most of the critics says that he is done. Wang should pack up his bag and look for a new home. But if the Yankees get him cheap, it is worth considering signing him. Who knows Wang might be back to his old self. It's worth the risk for keeping the sinker ball specialist. Give Wang a shot for one more year. If Wand did not produce and suffered another injury (Probably neck this time), the Yanks will just have to count their losses and move on. But what if Wang stayed healthy and performs well. The Yankees starting rotation will be deep especially of Pettitte comes back.

I think it's worth a shot to give Wang another run to redeemed himself. I'm starting to miss Wang's double plays where we used to see him pitch till the 8th inning and got an outstanding 18 ground ball outs.

There are rumors that Yankees are considering trading JOBA CHAMBERLAIN, BRETT GARDNER, and IAN KENNEDY. According to Toronto Blue Jays organization they are looking for arms and power for their prized pitcher Roy Halladay. The Blue Jays will be receiving 2 promising young pitchers who are believed to be a star someday.
Joba Chamberlain is touted as one of the best prospect in the Yankees Farm system. He has a pretty good fastball and slider and has demonstrated good command on his pitches. The Yankees have envisioned him to be their starter but someway Joba always goes to back to the Yankees bullpen where he first started his career in pinstripes.

I think Joba will fit perfectly with the Blue Jays either if he is a starter, a middle relief pitcher, or a closer. There is no big pressure in Toronto unlike in New York. And Toronto will give Joba time to blossomed. Same thing goes with Ian Kennedy, who can't seem to find his niche with the Yankees. He too will fit perfectly in Toronto.
The Blue Jays might not be getting power in Brett Gardner but they will be getting speed (a lot of it). Gardner' speed will give Toronto a new dimension with his base stealing and aggressiveness. If he only improved his batting average he could be Toronto's lead-off hitter.

Bottom line Toronto will be getting 3 young and promising athletes that are cheap. This will benefit the Blue Jays payroll and they will have mobility to add players that they need from the Free Agency pool.

For the Yankees, they will be getting another ace in their rotation. Roy Halladay will definitely give the Yankees another shot at the World Series title. He is not as young as the 3 Yankees but he is not that old. Halladay can still perform at his level for another 5-8 years. Just think of it this way, with Halladay coming in, opponents will be threaten to face the Yankees because of their monstrous rotation. You got CC Sabathia as your No. 1 pitcher, followed by Halladay in No. 2 (No. 1 in other teams). Then you have AJ Burnett in No. 3, plus the coming of Andy Pettitte at No. 4. Add or mix players from the bullpen of the farm system to complete the rotation. Chad Gaudin, Ace Aceves, Phil Hughes are those who are considered to participate in the starting rotation.
That's pretty deep. If you got that kind of a rotation there's a small chance for the opposing team to get a win against the Yanks. I'm sure the Yankees won't mind spending money on Halladay. Halladay is like a carbon copy of CC Sabathia. So you got 2 former Cy Young award winners in your starting rotation.

Personally I would prefer to trade away Phil Hughes than Joba. I think Joba would be the next Yankee closer when Mariano Rivera retires.

So let's keep our ears on the ground for what will happen with the Yankees transaction. A player like Roy Halladay won't be easy to find and even if the Yankees want to stick to their budget they will be force to open their wallet just to keep Halladay away from the Boston Red Sox.

The New York Yankees are blessed. They have the best closer of all time in Mariano Rivera. How many times did we see him close games in clutch situations. How many times did we hear Mariano's entrance song "Enter Sandman" which means exit time to the opponents. How many times did we see him use his famous "cutter" that until now the league hasn't found a way to solve it.

The Yankees won't be the 2009 World Series Champs without Rivera as their closer. Rivera is such an important and integral part of the team that he even played more than one inning just to make sure to clinch a win. In fact it became a trend in the Championship series and the World Series where starting pitchers like CC Sabathia would pitch 7-8 good innings (eliminating the set-up guy) then passing the ball the the Yankees great closer. It worked effectively as the opponents can't rally back and has simply no answer to the great pitching arsenal of Mariano Rivera.

And to add insurance to the Yankees winning ways, Rivera said that he is planning to play 5 more years. Yankee fans are hoping that Rivera is not kidding. At the age of 39, Rivera showed no signs of slowing down. And barring injuries, 5 years is a realistic plan for Rivera.

Problem is the remaining staff in the Yankees bullpen. During the 2009 season, the Yankees pen are probably the best in the league with Phil Hughes as Rivera's set-up man and newcomers like David Robertson, Ace Aceves, and Phil Coke providing stability and consistency. But in the post-season, the Yanks bullpen was evaporated forcing Mariano Rivera to play extra innings to ensure a win.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said that Yankees bullpen is still strong (even if they faded in the post-season). That holds true, but there is uncertainty in pitching. A pitcher can be a MVP caliber this year and drop out of the rotation next year. Just look at Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels. Last year he was MVP of the world series with 1.80 ERA. This year Hamels played poorly allowing 5 earned runs in Game 3 of the World Series and was credited with a loss. Looking for consistency in pitching is very hard to find nowadays.

That is why the Yankees must think to bolster their bullpen even if that is not their biggest need this off-season. Rumors is that the Yankees are considering signing Free Agents like Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano (both Type A Free Agents). Or the Yankees might consider placing young pitchers like Joba and Phil Hughes in the pen if they were able to bring back Andy Pettitte and/or sign a Free Agent pitcher like John Lackey.

Either way, Mariano Rivera needs help. He can't do it all alone. He can't carry the bullpen on his own even if he has Superman type of skills. Getting help from their farm system or through free agency will help the Yankees closer and if that is done 5 years for Mariano Rivera is not an impossible feat.

Good news! Andy Pettitte might come back to the Yankees next season. Pettitte was among the last two of the 171 eligible players to declare for free agency. This move made a strong indication that the 37 year old lefty isn't ready to retire.

The Yankees wants him back to keep their starting rotation intact. After CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett, the Yankees' rotation is a question mark. The Yankees is still not sure where to place Joba and Hughes seemed to be comfortable in the bullpen. Andy Pettitte can fill that hole nicely. Pettitte still has a lot of thread in him and can still pitch for 1-2 years. Pettitte would definitely provide stability in their rotation.

Andy Pettitte has the most post-season career wins (18) and is still considered a 6 inning guy. He went 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA in 32 starts and was brilliant in the postseason when he was 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA in five games. He was the winning pitcher in the clinchers against the Twins (ALDS), Angels (ALCS) and Phillies (World Series).

The question is how much is his worth?

Last season, Pettitte took a pay cut from his previous $ 16 million a year down to $ 5.5 million. Randy Hendricks (Pettitte agent), thought the amount was too steep a decline. So the Yankees buttered it up with incentive laden contract that was based on innings pitched and days on the active roster. Pettitte can get $ 11-12 million in 2009 if he stays healthy and remains consistent. Pettitte did exactly just that by playing 32 games and had 194.2 innings pitched. And on top of that Pettitte grab his 5th World Series title, defeating the Philliies in Game 6.

If you will ask me Pettitte is worth $ 11-12 million and the Yankees should or must consider signing the veteran pitcher with that kind of amount. Remember Closer Mariano Rivera begged owner Steinbrenner to bring Pettitte back last year to provide guidance and wisdom to newcomers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett about pitching in The Bronx.

Andy Pettitte is also instrumental in teaching young studs like Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Pettitte is still considered a staple player in the Yankees roster and he is one of the Yankees original "Core Four" where they won World Series championships in the late 90's and the year of 2000.

I have a strong feeling that the Yankees will get the services of Andy Pettitte next season. The Yankees don't have any excuse not to sign him. Pettitte is a big time pitcher and strives to play in pressure games.

So Brain Cashman, what are you waiting for. Get the offer sheet ready and hand it out to Handy Andy.

In terms of baseball, pitching is never enough. While the Yankees said to go easy this off-season compared to previous off-season, it is still a necessity to add a few more arms to help their rotation or their bullpen. As of today, the Yankees only have CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett as their starters. Andy Pettitte is still unsure of coming back (the Yankees better hope that he comes back) and the coaching staff his still studying the status of their young pitchers like Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes if they are capable to start next season.

What the Yankees need is a another starting pitcher to man the position in their 4th or 5th slot. One guy they should consider is Free Agent and 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn. Even with the age of 35 and his recent knee injury, Washburn can still be effective and provide stability in the Yankees back-end rotation. In his 12 year career, Washburn had only one serious injury and that happened in his stint with the Tigers where he blew off his knee and was required to have a surgery. But the doctors have cleared Washburn and he's ready to play this coming season.

Although Washburn is not as great as Roy Halladay and John Lackey, he will give something to the Yankees that the other 2 pitchers can't give --- A cheap contract. Washburn made $ 9.375 million last year and he is still looking for a new team. If no one in the league gives him an offer, the Yankees can give Washburn an offer sheet ranging from $ 5-7 million and 1-2 years contract.

Washburn specialty is his change-up and slider. He has established a diverse arsenal of fastballs (ranging from 84-94 mph). He is a lefty which gives the Yankees depth in their rotation with Sabathia and Pettitte (if he comes back) in their roster.

If the Yankees decide to place Joba and/or Hughes back in the bullpen next season, adding Washburn will help their cause.
The Yankees should consider adding Jarrod Washburn to their roster. He comes in cheap and can provide stability and experience to their ball club.

Scott Boras, the blood sucking sports agent, who almost convinced Alex Rodriguez not to deal with the Yankees when his contract was opted out, is at it again.

Today Boras is telling Johnny Damon not to sign with the Yankees-- not until it reach Boras contract demands. Boras is demanding 3-4 years contract for his client Damon. That is something the Yankees can't afford even if they have the highest payroll in MLB.

We all love Johnny Damon. Since his arrival in 2006, the Yankees had a legitimate lead-off hitter and another offensive weapon to their line-up. Damon's got power and is suited nicely for the Yankees since he takes advantage of the Yankees Stadium short porch in right field. And even with his age, Damon can still steal bases and runs well in the base paths.
In the post-season, the Yankees relies on Damon's experience (winning 1 World Series with the Red Sox) and he brings maturity and tenacity on the ball club.

However, Damon is getting old (36 this year) and has recent injuries from his legs and hamstrings. Playing on the average of 142 games every year on his 15 year career brought some wear and tear to his once speedy and agile body. Plus he is a defensive liability in the outfield with a weak throwing arm.

And now Boras is dreaming and wants a contract for Damon similar to the Yankees captain Derek Jeter (for the record, Jeter will earn $21 million in 2010). And Boras even brag about his client that Damon has a body of a 30 year old. This guy must be nuts.

The Yankees wants to bring Damon back but on a 1-2 year contract and on the range of $ 6-8 million. That seems to be a "win-win situation" for both the Yankees and Johnny Damon. The Yankees will still be competitive and might repeat as champs in 2010 with Damon batting on the 2 hole and Damon will not only be getting his market value but he will have a chance to add another World Series ring to his collections.

But Scott Boras stands in their way. Boras wants a share of a pie. If only Damon would bypass his agent and talk directly to the Yankees (like what A-Rod did in 2007) then everything will be all right.

Yes! The Yankees is in the World Series once again. Wow! Up until now I am still struck and amazed on the Yankees recent accomplishment.
The Yankees all season long have provided a powerful pitching rotation leaded by the recent 2009 ALCS MVP CC Sabathia.
A reliable bullpen with the future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera leading the crew.
A feared line-up with the resurgence of Alex Rodriguez, an excellent hitter and considered as the most valuable baseball player in the league today.
This is a also a tribute to all Yankee fans out there who waited for so many years to experience another World Series.

And since this is an awards night, let me give a couple of awards and distinction to our beloved Yankees. Here it is:

D-E-F-E-N-S-E!:

The Yankees defense has been tremendous through out the ALCS.
Our Ace CC Sabathia dominated in both Games 1 and 4. CC completely shut down the Angels offense. This gave enough breathing room for the Yankee sluggers to score just a few runs. Sabathia automatically gave the Yankees 2 convincing wins.
Although their bullpen has been a little bit of shaky as of late, the Yankees relied on the great Mariano Rivera to come out safely on those freaky innings. Rivera played extra innings just to make sure that the Angels will stay at bay.
Infield defense superb. Especially to the stretchable arm of former Gold glover Mark Teixeira. How many times have we seen Teixeira saving an error by catching the baseball almost everywhere.

Comeback wins and Pies:

This season the Yankees have been popular for comeback wins. And they are credited with a smash of Pie in the face.
In the ALCS, We've seen that in Game 2. Jerry Hairston Jr. made the winning run to place the Yankees up 2-0. In Game 5, they almost came close of making another come from behind win. The Yankees have so much fire and tenacity that they didn't even notice that Comeback wins is like just ordinary feat to them.
With the way that they are going, there's no team in baseball that can defeat them.

The New Yankee Stadium:

The Angels committed countless errors in the ALCS. Majority of which are encountered in the New Yankee Stadium.
I really don't know what made the Angels suddenly being afraid and tense to face the Yankees. Was it the Ghost that came from the old Yankee Stadium? Or the Antartic cold weather that freezes their Run and Gun style of play? Or the Yankees hostile crowd? (New Yorkers are pretty good at intimidating visiting teams). Or combination of the three? Either way, the New Yankee Stadium might bring back the glory days of the Yankees.

A-Rod:

Alex Rodriguez is simply amazing!
In the ALCS alone, A-Rod produce .429 batting average, 6 RBI's, and 6 nerve breaking Home runs.
His presence alone intimidates the Angels pitchers. They simply don't know how to pitch to A-Rod. With feared sluggers Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada batting 3rd and 5th respectively, it gave A-Rod some protection. The Angels are clueless if A-Rod is at the plate.
Somehow, A-Rod's performance ignited his slugging team mates. Now the slugging batters from the ALDS like Damon, Tex, Cano, and Melky suddenly became alive in the ALCS and gave a spark to the Yankees offense.

Post-season experience:

Give credit to the Yankees who have won several World Series titles.
The Yankees' veterans Team Captain Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada gave some advice to their team mates on how to handle the pressure in playing in the play-offs. This gave them confidence and found a way not to be rattled in close games. They were able to produce in the clutch.

Indeed the New York Yankees are having a special year. Are they building another dynasty? It's to early to say.
For now let's us enjoy this fruitful moment. And let me be the first one to say congratulations on winning the ALCS. My hats off to you Yankees!

See this picture? What is the first thing that comes into your mind? Yes, you're right. World Series Champions! 3 of them has won four World Series rings in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000 (Only Posada has won 3 in 1998-2000). This 4 Yankee greats are at best in their positions and played consistently throughout their careers. They are pressure players and are known to excel in the post-season. They are tremendous leaders and great role models. Certainly the Yankees has truly find a worthy investment in these 4 Yankee gems. Here is a list on their contributions to the New York Yankees dynasty:

Jorge Posada (Catcher):

Yankees prized catcher. The switch hitting Posada is the only Major League catcher to ever have hit .330 or better with 40 doubles, 20 home runs, and 90 RBIs in a single season.
Since 2000, Posada had more RBI's, Home runs, and hits than any other catcher in baseball. Although Posada's catching skills is diminishing because of age, He is still dependable especially in the clutch. He is one of the most durable catcher in Major League Baseball.

Andy Pettitte (Starting Pitcher)

Through 2008, Pettitte is 10th among active major league players in win-loss percentage (.629); 8th in wins (215); and 10th in strikeouts (2,002).
He is also one of only three players that have pitched so far in the 2009 season with at least 200 wins, 2,000 strikeouts, and a winning percentage at or above .600.
Pettitte was the 2001 ALCS MVP and he has never had a losing season in Major League Baseball.
Pettitte has one of the best pick-off moves in the history of the game and owns tremendous movement on all his pitches, especially his cutter that moves in on righties.

Mariano Rivera (Closer)

Enter Sandman, Exit Opponents!
Known as the best closer in baseball history. Rivera has been effective by primarily throwing just one pitch, a sharp-breaking, mid-90s cut fastball that has been called an all-time great pitch. Rivera is a ten-time All Star, a five-time American League Rolaids Relief Man Award winner, and a three-time saves leader. He has recorded the second-most saves in Major League history. This year, he surpassed 500 career saves.
Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera is recognized as an exceptional post-season performer and holds Major League post-season records for saves and earned run average (ERA).
Rivera has 1999 World Series MVP Award, 2003 ALCS MVP Award, and 3 times DHL Deliver Man of the Year Award.

Derek Jeter (Shortstop)

The Yankees Team Captain. Captain Clutch is phenomenal in pressured games and has delivered when needed. Jeter's superb performance got a lot of awards:

• 3× Gold Glove Award winner (2004, 2005, 2006)
• 3× Silver Slugger Award winner (2006, 2007, 2008)
• 1996 AL Rookie of the Year Award
  
• 2000 World Series MVP Award
  
• 2000 Babe Ruth Award
  
• 2000 All-Star Game MVP
  
• 2006 AL Hank Aaron Award

This awards speak for itself that Derek Jeter is a tremendous athlete!


Why have they been successful? Well they know what it takes to win. They know what it takes when it comes to taking care of their health and being on the field every day, being physically healthy year after year after year, taking care of their selves. These four players have had their fingerprints on every Yankees season for close to a decade and a half. (Pettitte did leave for three years, pitching for the Astros from 2004-06). These guys define the Yankees.

This year, A-Rod and CC Sabathia gave a big boost to the Yankees post-season games. But if the Yankees wants to grab their 27th World Series ring, they should rely on the Yankees 4 horsemen and let them bring the team to glory.

Let's look at what the Yankees has accomplished in the 2009 season:

Record: 101-56, American League East champions

Accomplishments: 26-time world champion; 39-time American League champion; 16-time AL East champion including 11 times in the past 14 years; considered by many to be the greatest organization in professional sports history.

Special skills: Good offensive team (lead the majors in HRs with 233, walks with 642 free passes and runs scored at 879). An above satisfactory starting rotation and a extremely dangerous bullpen (lead the AL in strikeouts with 1,207, saves with 50, and their .253 batting average allowed is second in the league).

Payroll: $208,097,414, down $1 million from 2008. Hope the Yankees will keep this up every season. Get good young players, not overpaid free-agents.

Home-grown Talent: Seasoned veterans like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte. And new breeds like Robinson Cano, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and Brett Gardner.

Excellent Free Agent pick-ups: CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, AJ Burnett, Nick Swisher. The Yankees made a good run from their money. They won't be in the post-season without these players.

What to watch out for: Over-confidence! Don't take things for granted. Remember what the Red Sox did to the Yanks during the 2004 ALCS.

Bench improvement: The Yankees have improved their bench this year. A surprising pitcher like Francisco Cervelli. Super sub and Mr. can play all field positions Jerry Hairston Jr. Slugger and Home run threat Eric Hinske. And the most underrated trade was fifth starter Chad Gaudin, who has proved to be perfectly mediocre, but the Yankees have won his last five starts.

Goal for this year: Win the World Series championship! Failure is not an option!

"I was waiting for it", Miranda said through an interpreter. Juan Miranda, a late September call-up from the Minor league, delivered and giving a 15th walk-off victory for the Yankees. The Cuban left hander scorched a ground ball up the middle, where it glanced off the leg of the Royals relief pitcher Farnsworth and bounded toward the home dugout.
This gave Eric Hinske, who singled and stole 2nd base earlier in the bottom of the 9th inning, raced home with the winning run. Final score: Yankees 4 Royals 3.

Walk-off wins has become a norm for the Yankees this season. Lets track back on the walk-off wins this season:

1. April 22
Yankees 9, A’s 7
Melky Cabrera hits a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourteenth.

2. May 1
Yankees 10, Angels 9
Jorge Posada knocks in the winning runs with a single off closer Brian Fuentes.

3. May 15
Yankees 5, Twins 4
The Yanks rally against All-Star Joe Nathan; Melky Cabrera’s two-out bloop single wins it.

4. May 16
Yankees 6, Twins 4
A-Rod blasts a two-run shot for the win, his first hit at the new stadium.

5. May 17
Yankees 3, Twins 2
Johnny Damon homers in the tenth to sweep the Twins. He tosses his helmet in the air; A-Rod and Melky Cabrera leap for it like fans chasing a foul ball.

6. May 23
Yankees 5, Phillies 4
A Melky Cabrera single off Brad Lidge beats the defending champs.

7. June 12
Yankees 9, Mets 8
A-Rod pops up to Mets second-baseman Luis Castillo … who drops the ball, allowing the two winning runs to score. It’s instantly the signature moment of the season—the Mets’ season.

8. July 4
Yankees 6, Blue Jays 5
On the anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man” speech and Dave Righetti’s no-hitter, Jorge Posada singles off Shawn Camp in the twelfth to win.

9. July 20
Yankees 2, Orioles 1
Hideki Matsui homers in the ninth.

10. August 7
Yankees 2, Red Sox 0
A-Rod breaks a scoreless tie with a homer in the fifteenth inning of a five-hour, 33-minute game.

11. August 12
Yankees 4, Blue Jays 3
Shawn Camp plays the goat once again, allowing a Robinson Cano RBI single in the eleventh.

12. August 28
Yankees 5, White Sox 2
Cano lines a homer into the Yankees’ bullpen to win.

13. September 8
Yankees 3, Rays 2
Nick Swisher hits his second home run of the game in the bottom of the ninth to break a tie.

14. September 16
Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4
The Yanks walk off on the Jays yet again on catcher Francisco Cervelli’s single. It’s their 34th comeback win at home, tying a team record.

15. September 29
Yankees 4, Royals 3
Juan Miranda scorched a ground ball up the middle, this gave Eric Hinske, who singled and stole 2nd base earlier in the bottom of the 9th inning, raced home with the winning run.

The Yankees added another dimension to their arsenal this season, Stealing bases. This isn't their regular approach, and for good reason, with the bats they have especially in the middle of the order, it could be very costly to run out of a big inning. But it wouldn't hurt if we steal a base or two. Stealing bases place runners into scoring position. And with the offense that we have, this will add more runs to our team.
We don't have superb base stealers like Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford, or Chone Figgins. Neither are the Yanks a running team compared to the Angels. But they steal bases when it matters the most. Do you know that the top 4 Yankee basestealers have an 86% success rate whereas a team like the Angels has only a 73% success rate from their top basestealers. This is proof that the Yankees steal bases when it makes sense. The Yankees can run when the opportunity presents itself, and our guys are smart enough to go only in situations where they can be highly successful.

This is also a shout-out to the Boston Red Sox, whom the Yankees might face in the ALCS. Boston's biggest weakness is their catchers (Varitek & Martinez are terrible at throwing out runners). The Yankees will steal a base every chance that they get. They are like Great White Sharks. If they smell blood, they will attack and go for the kill.

After clinching the American League East, it's now time to rest our players. Let the bench start and play the remaining 6 games (3 with the Royals, 3 with the Rays). The main goal here is to stay sharp, stay relaxed and STAY HEALTHY!

The Yanks should all be fresh and healthy come play-off time. With a lot of veterans in the roster, it is a necessity to give some time off to avoid any injuries. Hideki Matsui has wobbly knees. In able to keep Matsui for the rest of the season, Joe Girardi gave Matsui a week off in Interleague games (since there is no DH). The same also applies to other Yankees veteran like A-Rod (surgical repaired hip), Posada (shoulder), and Damon (leg). The Yankees manager Girardi, will start Melky Cabrera in left and batted Brett Gardner in Damon's No. 2 spot. This is to avoid any leg injury to Johnny Damon who might be playing on the wet grass.

This is the perfect time to test other players and see what can they offer. By keeping Brett Gardner in the mix, it will give the speedster some momentum and confidence in the post-season. This is also an opportunity for Girardi to test David Robertson's condition and if the pitcher is capable of playing in the postseason. If Robertson doesn't have a setback in his right shoulder, Girardi is looking at getting him in the game against the Royals. The reliever has been inactive since feeling stiffness after a Sept. 5 outing against the Blue Jays.

Even with 6 no bearing games, the Yankees certainly must strike a balance between resting players and keeping them sharp for October.