Yankees To Go Old School On Red Sox With Colon and Garcia

Everything is just like it was scripted.  The New York Yankees roll into Fenway Park to battle the Boston Red Sox for first place.  Sporting the same records (68-42), both teams are on sizzling hot streaks headed for a collision course to claim supremacy in the AL East.  In the Sox corner: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey.  For the Yankees:  CC Sabathia, Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon...huh?

Many people rolled their eyes when the two aging hurlers were picked up in the offseason for a song and slow dance and now, the two veterans figure mightily into the Yankees playoff hopes.

The 38 year-old Colon, who hadn't even pitched in the majors since 2009 while he was rehabbing his repaired his shoulder and elbow in the Dominican Republic, has been the Yankees real No. 2 starter this season after undergoing some kind of mysterious treatment for the injuries.

Garcia, 34, almost didn't make the team after spring training.

Now, the two elder statesmen are being called the adhesive which kept the shaky Yankees rotation from collapsing this season.  Funny, at the beginning of the season, skeptics talked like Colon and Garcia were ready for the glue factory. They were right.

Colon and Garcia wouldn't have been the first names mentioned, as the pitchers picking up the slack when Phil Hughes went down with dead arm for most of the season and the inconsistent A.J. Burnett went into his annual June/July funk-- but they were.



For a couple of guys picked up as consolation prizes after the Yankees inability to land Mr. America, Cliff Lee,  the old guys are the keys to the Yankees season.

Most experts wondered if the rotund Colon (8-6, 3.30 ERA) and the undervalued Garcia (10-7, 3.22) could make it through a whole season and-- two-thirds through-- they are actually getting better.

Colon opens the three-games series tonight against a 27 year-old toddler, Jon Lester (11-4, 3.17 ERA) and sandwiched around Sabathia is Garcia, who will square off against that "tweener," Josh Beckett.

Lester is a Yankee-killer.  He boasts a 8-1 lifetime record against his division rival but Colon comes into tonight's game with a 2-1 record with a 2.45 ERA over his last three starts.

Garcia has won three in a row but has two losses this season against the Sox.  He faces Beckett on Sunday night.  The last time the Yankees saw Beckett, he was spectacular.  He struck out 10 and allowed two runs in eight innings in an ESPN Sunday night game in April.

Both Yankees hurlers will have their hands full.

Don't let Boston's 8-1 series lead over New York this season fool you.   In 2009, the Sox won the first eight games between the two bitter rivals, then dropped eight of the final nine meetings. 

The Red Sox have their problems right now.  Lackey has been inconsistent.  He lost Monday after giving up five runs and eight hits against the Cleveland Indians.  Now, Boston's last minute trade-deadline deal to snag a reputable starter, Erik Bedard, doesn't look as good as advertised last week.

Last night, Bedard posted a no-decision after allowing three runs and seven hits in five innings during his Red Sox debut.  It threw cold water on a Boston eight-game win streak.

The Yankees come into Fenway sporting a seven game win streak themselves-- with lots of offense to boot.  The Bombers scored 63 runs during that run.

It looks like the Red Sox and Yankees will be seeing a lot more of each other this season.  They play three more series this year and it looks like both are headed to the playoffs.  So count this series as a preliminary round.

As for Colon and Garcia's success so far.  Yankees GM Brian Cashman deserves a lot of credit for taking chances on them.  He heard the snickers and AARP jokes, then watched as Boston loaded up their line-up with the acquisitions of young talent like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford.  Cashman stayed patient while fans screamed for the big names.

Cashman has been through this before.  He knows when it comes to the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry, it's pitching that matters most.

Maybe that's why the Yankees GM also stayed pat at the trade deadline.  He went against public opinion and refused to give up  prospects for the suspect Ubaldo Jimenez and stuck with Ivan Nova.  Looks like a brilliant move right now.

Cashman knows it's all about the arms-- sometimes they just happen to be a little older.

Yankees Fans: Where Have You Gone Russell Martin?

Russell Martin, in his first year as New York Yankees catcher, started the season at a blistering pace and made Yankee fans forget about not seeing Yankee stalwart Jorge Posada crouching behind the plate a lot easier to fathom.

The former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher had four home-runs and 13 RBI's by his thirteenth game in pinstripes and he became more than a just a transitional bridge between the Posada Era to the Yankees future catching star, Jesus Montero.

One problem, since May 24, Martin doesn't have an extra-base hit and is batting .136 (8-for-59) in his last 17 games?

What the hell happened?

Surprisingly,  Martin is still the leading vote-getter for the American League's starting catcher's spot--probably based on his early-season offensive explosion-- for this year's All-Star Game.  Martin currently has a 400,000 vote lead over the Texas Rangers Alex Avila who is slowly creeping up to the Yankee for the starting position.  Avila is batting .304 with 10 home-runs in his second season.

A two-time National league All-Star with the Dodgers, Martin was released by the team after slumping in 2009 and having a serious hip injury in 2010.

The 28 year-old backstop was signed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Yankees.  It immediately looked like the Yankees GM Brian Cashman salvaged an Antiques Roadshow-type find mixed in with his box of off-season garage-sale buys.  Martin looked like the early favorite for the comeback player of the year.

Along with Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, the deal made Cashman look brilliant by landing Martin and his potential at a risky, but relatively bargain basement price.  It also kept the catcher from going to the Boston Red Sox.

By the beginning of May,  Martin had pounded nine home-runs, had 26 RBI's, stole six bases and had a slugging percentage hovering around .600.  Martin's early success helped take the pain out of the Yankees Cliff Lee fiasco.

Only today, the native Canadian is still stuck with nine homers and knocked in only four runs since.  Martin's slugging percentage has dipped to a pedestrian .398.

Give credit where it is due.  Martin has been solid behind the plate and, with the Yankees M*A*S*H unit full of starters and relievers, Martin is more Hawkeye than Frank Burns.  Yankees players say Martin's sense of humor and team work make him a popular and welcome figure in the locker room as well.

Two weeks ago, a back problem took Martin out of the line-up for a couple of days, but he resisted going on the 15-day DL.  It is quite possible he is still feeling the ill-effects of that injury and came back too soon.   Martin said he "felt pain when swinging."

It makes you realize that extending Derek Jeter's stay on the 15-day DL might not be such a bad thing after all.

New York Yankees Off-Season Acquisitions Get Passing Grades...So Far

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman didn't land the the two big studs he had hoped for in the off-season and had to settle for a mish-mosh of cast-offs, over-priced players and more old guys.  One-third through the 2011 season and it's time to grade Cashman's big winter pick-ups.

The Yankees missed out on landing the class valedictorians Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford and ended up settling for the Sweathogs.  The Yankees still have a slim lead in the AL East and can attribute some of their success to a couple players in this unlikely group.

The Yankees lost Andy Pettitte and the starting rotation still got older.  Contributing to that math is the addition of 38 year-old Bartolo Colon and 35 year-old Freddy Garcia.

Both pitchers were picked up for bargain-basement minor-league contracts and looked like they were headed down to the farm until no young arms rose to the occasion in spring training and Phil Hughes later went down with "dead arm."



Colon, coming off a a season-and-a-half layoff has been sensational for the most part.  He is coming off a complete game shutout against the Oakland A's and has the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career.  The hefty rightie has a 3-3 record with a 3.26 ERA and 62 KO's against only 15 walks.  Colon's remarkable recovery from arm troubles is being scrutinized by MLB because of the controversial stem-cell procedure he underwent last year.  That's one demerit. He still hits 96 mph on the radar gun and has become the Yankees #2 starter.  Gets extra credit for comeback of the early season.

Bartolo Colon:  Grade B-plus.

Garcia won the fifth spot in the rotation, but hasn't been as over powering as Colon.  He came over from the Chicago White Sox where he was 12-6 last year.  Garcia threatened to dump his contract if he went to the minors but has been a capable #5.  He didn't get his first start until the third week of the season, but has gone 4-4 with a respectable 3.34 ERA and 41 strikeouts.

Freddy Garcia:  Grade B-minus.   

Catcher Russell Martin was coveted by the Red Sox but chose the Yankees because he said they seemed to want him more in the Bronx.  The Yankees are glad he is in pinstripes.  The 28 year-old Martin has been hot and cold but has made fans forgetting about Jorge Posada being behind the plate a little easier.  The former Los Angeles Dodger All-Star has showed no signs of last year's bum hip and performed capably behind the plate and beside it.  He is only batting .242 but has hit 9 home-runs and knocked in 26 RBI's--typical Posada numbers when he was in his prime.  Martin also has stolen 6 bases.  Martin is also a nice catching bridge until the team can bring up Jesus Montero--if he's not traded.

Russell Martin:  Grade B. 

Andruw Jones has seen limited time in the outfield and at DH, but has shown he still possesses the power he wielded at the plate.  The 34 year-old slugger has less than 60 at-bats, and with Nick Swisher finally starting to show some pop in his bat, it looks like Jones will only be replacing Posada against lefties most of the time.  Jones has gotten his few hits in critical situations and has 4 HR's and 10 RBI's which makes his .230 average a push.

Andruw Jones:  Grade C. 

Utility infielder, Eric Chavez, has seen limited time and is more valuable to the Yankees as Alex Rodriguez's replacement when he tweaks a hammy or hits in the DH spot.  The 34 year-old veteran is batting .303 and has knocked in 6 RBI's.  He gets extra credit for understanding his place on the team.

Eric Chavez:  Grade C. 

Last but not least is the class clown Rafael Soriano.  The $35 million set-up man has been nothing but trouble since Cashman reluctantly signed him to a three-year contract.  Soriano has been disrupting the classroom ever since.

The moody pitcher is currently on the DL for 6-8 weeks but not after blowing crucial saves, avoiding the press and, when he does utter something, says such bon-mots like "I don't think the bullpen is the problem right now.  I think it's the hitters," after he self-destructed on the mound.

Until Soriano gets over his elbow and mouth issues, he gets detention for joining a long list of Yankee newbies unable to handle the New York media.

Rafael Soriano:  Grade Incomplete.

All-in-all, Cashman did a respectable job filling in the pieces with questionable and recovering players.  It's a passable class with a lot of repeat seniors.  More like the scrappy vocational guys in auto shop than the academics concentrating on their SAT's.  It remains to be seen how long Colon and Garcia hold out.

For the record, so far this year, Carl Crawford is spotting a C and Cliff Lee is looking at a soft C-plus for being the teacher's pet.

Bartolo Colon Looking Like Yankees No. 5 Starter

Bartolo Colon has come a long way since the opening day of the Yankees' spring training camp.  The 37 year-old righthander was a bargain-basement gamble thrown into the four-way mix for the No. 4 and 5 spots in the starting rotation.  Another solid spring showing has almost guaranteed Colon a job in the starting rotation.

On Monday night, Colon allowed one run and two hits in six innings.  He threw 62 pitches, struck out five without a walk.  Colon has 17 strikeouts and one walk over 15 innings this spring.

Unofficially, the No. 4 spot has been locked up by Ivan Nova and you would be hard-pressed to think the Yankees would demote their 24 year-old projected star.  So it's really become a three way horse race.

Colon, who didn't play last season, was expected to battle it out with 34 year-old Freddy Garcia--who won 12 games last year--and the incumbent Sergio Mitre.  Mitre, who has bullpen experience, looks like he will be exiled back to long relief.  Garcia, who doesn't have the spring numbers to match Colon, was the early favorite, but  it looks like he could be the odd man out.  Garcia has until March 29 to ask for his release if he is not added to the roster.

The 267-pound Colon hasn't pitched in the majors since 2009 because of a myriad of physical troubles.  He had a remarkable run from 1998-2005, winning 135 games with the Indians, Expos, Angels and White Sox.  In 2005, he won 21 games and a Cy Young Award until a series of injuries to his shoulder, knee back and elbow cut off his productivity until 2009.

That was then, this is now believes Yankee manager Joe Girardi.  The hefty hurler's fastball was clocked at 90-92 mph and has been recorded as high as 95 so far this March.  Good news for the Yankees.

"That's the Bartolo that I remember," said Girardi.  "The guy had outstanding command of his fastball, didn't walk people and didn't beat himself.  His stuff has been outstanding."

In his four spring training games, Colon is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA.  Garcia lags behind at 1-1 with a 5.93 ERA in four games.  Garcia's pitches have recently wheezed home in the mid-80's.  He said he has nothing to prove by going to the minors.

Colon was a long-shot for the rotation, especially after he arrived in camp 25 pounds overweight.  Now he looks like the front-runner, even if the poundage hasn't disappeared.  If the veteran starter can toss a fraction of 222 innings he threw during his Cy Young season, the Yankees would feel a lot better about the rotation.

Girardi is hoping Colon can throw the ball every five days.  "You have to try to predict," said Girardi.  "You don't want to predict, 'I'm only going to get 50 innings out of this guy.'  We're predicting that whoever we take can start the whole year."

Looks like the Phillies Cliff Lee was right, the Yankees are getting older.

Cliff Lee Needs Schoolin' When It Comes to the Yankees

Last week Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee finally drawled something about his decision to sign with Philadelphia and his facts were askew ed.  The free-agent who turned down the Yankees remarked that wearing Pinstripes was his third choice, after the Phillies and his other former team the Texas Rangers, because he felt the Bronx Bombers were "getting old."  Well, who isn't?  And isn't that ageism?

The 32 year-old pitcher better bone up on his math before he speaks.  Alright, the only numbers he needs to know are what does 5 years and $120 million equal.  A nice life.  But calling the Yankees old?  Look in your own backyard Cliff.

Sure,  Derek Jeter doesn't draw the same gaggles of squealing 'tweens like a couple of World Series ago and had to endure the references to his down 2010 season during his contract talks.  Even Justin Bieber will one day start counting the hairs at the bottom of his shower---and those money-makers will drain away young man.  Jeter still has those giddy fans, but now they're filled less with delight than chardonnay.

When was the last time an "old" guy or a Phillie was in  GQ?  Probably the same time.  The Yankee captain shows he's still got the stuff in an upcoming issue.

And when was the last time a Philly was spotted sunning with a Minka Kelly or at a Super Bowl getting popcorn served kernel-by-kernel by Cameron Diaz?

Even the Yankees oldest player, 41 year-old Mariano Rivera, made the All-Star game last year.  The freakish Rivera still has the arm of a 35 year-old, the same age as that toddler Brad Lidge.

The Core Four has been whittled down to the Key Three.  Time and the Steinbrenners can do that. Jeter and Rivera, just signed new contracts and that other old geezer Jorge Posada has been dragged,  flailing the proverbial cane, off to DH duties.  Don't whip out the Depends or test run a Rascal for these Lions in Winter yet, they all still have plenty to contribute. 

Let's put to test Lee's assertion that the Yankees are "old" and look at the pitching staffs.  The oldest starter on the Yankees is 34 year-old A.J. Burnett.  The oldest on the Phillies is 33 year-old Roy Halliday.  A push, really-- if you discount Burnett's pie-throwing routine as just juvenile.  When you average out the age of the active rosters of both teams, starters and bullpen, the Phillies come in at a Grandpa Simpson-like 29.6 and the Yankees look like Dora the Explorer at 26.3 years of age. How about that?

Hey Lee, fading mathematical skills is one of the first signs of senility, isn't it?

Even after piling on oldsters like Mark Prior and Freddy Garcia, the average Yankee hurler would still probably be carded by a drunken bartender in a New Orleans dive bar.

Let's see how the rest of the young'uns on Philly stack up against the Ensure-swilling duffers on the Yanks.

The Yankees have a younger, more-rounded outfield than the Phillies.  The average age of active-roster Yankee outfielders is 29.0, while the Phillies wheeze in at 30.1.  You could almost call Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner supple as opposed to their Philadelphia counterparts.

Further mathematical evidence confirms that even with elder statesmen like Jeter, Posada and Alex Rodriguez lumped in with the infielders, the Yankees are still more youthful than the Phillies averaging an age of 29.0 compared to 30.3.

The Yankees two brightest players, Robinson Cano and Mark Tiexiera, are still both under 30, while Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins roll in at 33, 31 and 35, respectively.  Sounds like the AARP will be sending those cards to Citizens Bank Park sooner than later.

The Yankees haven't let Lee's dig at their age bother them. They don't claim to be last year's Tampa Bay Rays.

Even their newly-vibrant, building-rappelling, bar tending GM Brian Cashman discounted Lee, his no-show prom date, by saying," All we care about is being called champions.  You can call say anything else you want about us.  When you call us old, that's fine."

So while Cliff Lee tries to figure out his ERA, let the facts speak for themselves--the Phillies are older than the Yankees. 

Next time you're in Clearwater,  just ask a Phillie player for the best Early Bird Special in town.  I'm sure they'll know.

Pettitte Postpones NY Autograph Appearance. Could He Be Signing Contract?

The will he stay or will he go saga with New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte keeps getting more mysterious.  While the free-agent lefthander keeps Yankee management waiting in the wings, he has now left Yankee fans standing in the cold.

Pettitte postponed a private, New York area autograph signing tomorrow until February 15--one day after pitchers and catchers start reporting to spring training voluntarily.

According to the memorabilia dealer, Steiner Sports, Pettitte opted out of the appearance--leading to speculation on a number of fronts. 

"He's just not in town," Steiner Sports executive vice-president of purchasing and player relations Chris Amaroso said on Monday.  "I would assume he's not in town because right now he's thinking about what he's going to do."

The 38 year-old Pettitte has already told the Yankees he will not pitch in 2011, according to the Yankees GM Brian Cashman.  It has been reported that Pettitte is in his home state of Texas and has not worked out this off-season.

Cashman said he has been in contact with Pettitte and are hoping the veteran hurler will change his mind and play another season.

Could Pettitte be planning a New York to Tampa trip.  He isn't saying.

Meanwhile, Cashman continues to load up on aging, low-priced former All-Stars for the Yankees pitching rotation.

Yesterday, the team signed 35 year-old Freddy Garcia to a minor league contract.  Garcia pitched in 28 games for the Chicago White Sox last season.  He was 12-9 with an ERA of 4.64.

Garcia joins the other over-30 Club the Yankees have signed--including Bartolo Colon, 37 who hasn't pitched since 2009, and rehabbed thirty-something Mark Prior.  It looks like Cashman is loading up on a surplus of rusty arms to battle it out with youngsters Ivan Nova and Sergio Mitre for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the rotation.

Sadly, it's looking like "Sex and the City 2" for this year's Yankees signees.  A bunch of once sexy arms reduced to desperately finding a little love in a Big Apple rotation and only after the Yankees' own heart was broken by their Mr. Big--Cliff Lee. 

Cashman has been frantically trying to fix the Yankees sagging rotation after the Lee fiasco and now the Yankee rotation's Botox is beginning to show.

Pettitte could be the logical cure.  He now has the upper hand.  A couple of  months ago, when Cliff Lee and his $150 million contract with the Yankees was all but a slam dunk, Pettitte was the odd man out.  The team saw CC Sabathia and Lee as their lefthanded 1-2 punch and the reliable Pettitte was wanted, but not a priority.  Pettitte now looks like a prize bull at a slaughter house.

And the Yankees are looking at an old and wobbly starting rotation.  They can only hope one of their youngsters has a breakout year or one of the old timers just doesn't break down.  Pettitte could be the glue that holds the rotation together and the money ball is in his mitt. Not so long ago, Lee's $150 million was all over the headlines.  It must look pretty good to Pettitte's agent right now.

Even if the current crop of possible Yankee starters can muster enough six inning games,  hand the ball to the improved bullpen with newly-signed, and over-paid, set-up man Rafael Soriano and closer Mariano Rivera, Cashman would be still be in a  better off place with the crafty Pettitte.

Pettitte still hasn't said if he plans to return.  He really  hasn't made any kind of public statement about his plans for next year.  If Pettitte returns to pinstripes, he will get a lot of money and deservedly so.

Pettitte was 11-3 last year with an ERA of 3.28.  He was injured for a few weeks but he didn't break down.  When healthy, Pettitte is still one of the best.

If Pettitte doesn't come back, it will be fun to see who wins the battle for the No. 4 and 5 spots--one of the New Kids on the Block or Carrie or Samantha. 

In the meantime, Pettitte's price is going up.

Could Soriano Save Brian Cashman's Off Off-Season?

It hasn't been the best of times for New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman in recent months.  It started after the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs by the Texas Rangers. Since then,  Cashman has been rejected, accused, jerked around, questioned and now, overruled.

At Christmas, Cashman rappelled down the Landmark Building in Stamford, Connecticut.  He must have the same dangling feeling right now in the Yankees front office.

The signing of set-up man Rafael Soriano was the first significant addition to the team after a winter of rejections.  It may be the only saving grace for the Yankees dismal off-season acquisitions--but it did not come without controversy.

The battered GM admitted he recommended the Yankees pass on signing the 31 year-old Soriano, but said he was overruled by ownership.  Soriano has 88 career saves over eight seasons.  45 of them last year.

Cashman, who was given full control of baseball operations in 2005, said the signing will help the team but was against it because of the financial commitment and draft pick considerations.  Cashman insisted all winter that these factors would be deal breakers.  The Steinbrenners thought otherwise.

 "It's not my team.  I don't own it. They [Hal and Hank Steinbrenner] do," said the GM at Soriano's press conference.  "I'm a big boy.  In any job you better be prepared for every decision to not go your way."

Cashman continued by saying there were "internal debates and discussions" on how to proceed.  "Ultimately, Hal's in charge of making the final call in what he feels is the best direction at that time frame.  He made that call.  This is Hal Steinbrenner's and his family's franchise.  It's not mine and it's never been, obviously," he said.  "But this is not something that was done without me being aware of it.  I had my say," he made clear.

Being overruled by the boss (or Boss' sons) is not so bad as compared to the other career lows of Cashman's miserable recent winter.  It has been rough.

First, the whole Cliff Lee fiasco ended with the highly desired pitcher spurning Cashman's front-runner status and refusing the Yankees record-breaking contract to return to the Philadelphia Phillies.  For millions of dollars less!  It was a supernova implosion in the Yankee Universe.

Then, there was the drawn out he-said/they-said squabble over Derek Jeter's contract talks, culminating with the face of the Yankees calling out the team brass for leaking details of the negotiations to the press.  The future Hall of Famer was not so happy with Cashman and made it public.

Combine those ulcer-inducing episodes with the pressure to replace Lee with another top-notch starter and playing pattycake with 'will he or won't he return' Andy Pettitte.  Pettitte is still flapping in the wind.

The GM meekly admitted he even had discussions with Carl Pavano's agent about bringing back the loathed Yankee castaway and the PR nightmare it would cause.  Yankee fans could only hope the Steinbrenner boys would have overruled that move too.

Yesterday,  Cashman was thrust into the awkward position of introducing to the press a player he didn't even want.  If Soriano's press conference was any indication, Cashman probably told the party planner to use a Mets budget  The event was franks and beans compared to the festive soirees given to CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira or even Curtis Granderson at their intros.  You would think the Yankees would give the give their new 3-year, $35 million possible successor to Mariano Rivera a better coming out bash. 

The modest fete had none of the Steinbrenners or star players present and, instead of the Legends Room, it was held in the less opulent conference room.  Oh yeah, there was an interpreter and a table of coffee and donuts on the side.

Now, the only thing left for Cashman to do now is convincingly promote his new relief pitcher who makes "closer's money."

Cashman began by acknowledging that Soriano led the AL in saves last season for the Tampa Bay Rays and the righthander gives the Yankees a "dynamic punch" in the later innings.  Wow.

"Let me put it this way, I think 29 GMs would love their owner to force Rafael Soriano down their throat," said Cashman.  "It doesn't mean that I was right, or that it's the best approach, but it's who I am and still am.  But we are better in 2011 for this, there's no doubt about it."

Cashman, whose contract runs out this year,  made it clear he doesn't think the Steinbrenners have started a trend by overruling his input.  " If I have 10 recommendations, nine or ten get followed, but not every one of them," he reasoned.

Soriano, arguably,  does give the Yankees one of the best bullpens in the league.   Cashman can also take comfort in the fact that even though the team didn't get Lee or outfielder Carl Crawford, the Steinbrenners have a little George in them and will spend whatever it takes to help the team and save face.  Even overspend.

A Kardashian Could Do Brian Cashman's Job

The New York Yankees insist they are not in any sort of panic mode after finishing out of the money in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes.  After coming up with zilch at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, the Yankees GM, Brian Cashman, immediately went out and made a couple of moves;  signing two players with a history of injuries--catcher Russell Martin and pitcher Mark Prior.

While the Yankees claim they are looking past Lee's back-door move to the Philadelphia Phillies, they do seem to be a little desperate.  Cashman has gone from waving a blank check at Lee to Plan B.  "Plan B is patience," Cashman said yesterday.  Everyone assumed Plan B was acquiring outfielder Carl Crawford.  Didn't he end up in Boston?

Cashman spent a couple of weeks waving a wad of cash in the face of his desired off-season pick-up, Lee, who couldn't be bought.  One of the Kardashian brats could have done the same thing--only they usually get the bling they want.

The Yankees and Cashman have become so accustomed to whipping out the checkbook and getting who they want, wheeling-and-dealing are never an option.  Cashman just wrote a check and pulled A-Rod, Mark Teixeira and CC Sabathia off the rack.  Being spurned is never in the equation.  Just like the K girls.

Cashman, the Steve Carrel lookalike, sometimes looked like he was playing some sort of bumbling Michael Scott in the Yankees "Front Office" this off-season.  Cashman's sit-commish negotiations with Derek Jeter made it look the relationship between Michael and Dwight look healthy.  It caused the face of the Yankees to actually question the allegiance of his beloved Yankees.

Then in the next off-season episode, Cashman had a business dinner with Carl Crawford.  He must have had corn in his teeth because the outfielder signed with the Red Sox two days later.

The GM's last off-season storyline continued with Michael... I mean Cashman watching Lee flee back to the Phillies while all the baseball pundits all but had the lefthander posing for a Monument Park plaque.

Now Cashman has to get his hands dirty by making a big-time trade--something it seems like he's done once in the past decade--the Curtis Granderson swap last year--then go to Plan P.

Plan P is getting Andy Pettitte to stop pulling his annual Brett Favre imitation and come back for one more year.  Cashman keeps speaking of patience and it could end up being a profitable virtue for Pettitte.  If the Yankee free-agent had signed a couple of weeks ago, when Lee looked like a slam dunk for the Yankees, he would have had to fight for every penny in his contract.  Now he knows Cashman has Lee's offer of $148 million still in hand and an ineffective A.J. Burnett as the number 3 starter.  Can any one say leverage?

"The one thing the Boss taught me is you have to get in the arena and fight, " said the Yankee GM.  "We will engage the remaining free agents and trade market and pursue what interests us at the level that we feel  appropriate," he continued. 

What is appropriate is another reliable starter and the only way to get one now is by wheeling and dealing.  After Sabathia and Phil Hughes, his rotation is fragile--even if it is bolstered with the 39 year-old Pettitte. Rounding out the rotation with Sergio Mitre and Ivan Nova is risky at best.  Prior, who was signed to a minor league deal and hasn't pitched since 2006, will go straight to the bullpen.

After  wooing Pettitte, Cashman will realistically target former Cy Young winner, Zach Greinke.  The Kansas City Royal, who has admitted to past anxiety problems may come at a high cost and there is speculation he could be a bad fit in the Bronx.  Yankee fans have seen stronger players wilt under the New York media glare before.

There is talk about jumping in on the Tampa Bay fire sale and trading for Matt Garza as well as making an offer to the Florida Marlins for Josh Johnson and the possibility of a face-saving shot at Seattle Mariners Cy Young winner, Felix Hernandez.  Beyond that, the pickings are slim--an injured Brandon Webb and ex-Yankee flame-out, Carl Pavano. Webb hasn't thrown since 2008 and Pavano already knows what it's like to be run out of the city.

The final Yankees option is waiting for the July 31 trading deadline because most of the pitchers named are in the middle of their contracts and teams would be asking too much right now.  Their prices might come down in mid-season.

For now, if Cashman wants to prove he's more than a Chloe or Kim with a checkbook jiggling through an off-season designer sale, he would make a move for Hernandez--even if it means parting with his prize catching prospect Jesus Montero.  Yankee fans have been hearing about Montero for years and well...where is he?!  Reality check.  The Yankees have three regular starting players they have brought up since 2005--four if you count Joba.

Cashman keeps harping about his young pitchers, Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances, down in Single-A and how the Yankees must nurture them to be championship players.  Sounds like trade bait to me.  It's Cashman's version of the Joba Rules and looked what that pitcher has produced.

Seeing Hernandez in pinstripes would be a bigger deal than getting the 32 year-old Lee and make Cashman look like John Wayne and George Steinbrenner combined.  The only question remains is if the Mariners are willing to trade their current ace for future stars?

Cashman should make an offer to the Mariners.  He has trade bait and $148 million.  I wonder what the Kardashian girls could do with that kind of cash?

Red Sox Guarantee Cliff Lee Will Become A Yankee

If anything can light a fire under Brian Cashman, it's the Boston Red Sox.  The New York Yankee GM has upped the Cliff Lee ante in his game of Texas Hold 'em with his Texas Rangers opponent by offering the prized pitcher a seven-year deal worth $161 million.   Cashman's flop sweat is dripping onto the poker chips.

The Red Sox just snapped up outfielder Carl Crawford--the Yankees Plan B if they lost Lee--after signing first baseman Adrian Gonzalez last week.  Both players--in the prime of their careers--have each agreed to  seven-year deals worth nearly $300 million.  Everything looks good up in the land of white clam chowder.

While the Boston GM Theo Epstein awoke from his two-year off-season slumber with a roar, Cashman is now faced with one face-saving option for this off-season--signing Cliff Lee.

Cashman's two-year deal with Mariano Rivera and his four-year contract with Derek Jeter were almost no-brainers--if you discount Jeter's contentious negotiations--they weren't going anywhere else.  Both signings of past-their-prime players were important, but the deals haven't upgraded the team.  Now with veteran pitcher Andy Pettitte seriously talking retirement and the Core Four looking like it might be whittled down to the "Key Three," Cashman has to go all in for Lee.

The Texas Rangers won't go away quietly, but their bark is louder than their bank account.  The team filed for bankruptcy and the Lee numbers would take up between 25-30% of their entire payroll.  The ace up Cashman's sleeve is the seventh year.  The Rangers originally offered the lefthander a four or five deal and got real quiet after the Yankees threw a sixth year on the table.  Seven could be too rich for their blood.  Sure the new Texas regime has two major investors who are Texas oil barons and could pump out a few extra barrels to land Lee, but it seems unlikely they will go for the extra year. 

Cashman isn't bluffing, even if he knows the sixth and seventh years could be throw-ins for the 32 year-old Lee.  He recognizes the limitations of pitchers approaching the big Four-Oh.  The GM also knows getting the lefty is an immediate antidote to the plague of a predominately left-hitting Red Sox line-up.  The sight of Lee signing a Yankee contract could possibly entice Pettitte to give it another shot at a championship too.  A starting line-up of CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes makes the Yankee Universe salivate.  Sorry Kristen Lee, that's not fan's spit raining down from the mezzanine it is their drool.

As Cashman makes mild overtures at catcher Russell Martin, if only to keep him available and away from the Sox, and has Zach Greinke simmering on the stove--just in case Lee fails to sign--he realizes everything boils down to Lee.

The newly signed Gonzalez donned his new Red Sox jersey and proclaimed he was "ready to beat the Yanks," but it is Epstein who has made the loudest noise at the Winter Meetings.

The Red Sox/Yankees rivalry goes beyond the diamond and into the front office.  Cashman has made the biggest off-season strides between the teams for the past two years and now the Boston GM has turned the tables.

It has now become a matter of pride to Cashman and the Yankees.  If he can land Lee, and only Lee,  the Yankees have beaten the Red Sox once again. Nothing else will do.

If Yankees Don't Land Lee; What's Next?

While the New York Yankees' GM, Brian Cashman, was scaling down a 22-story building in Connecticut this weekend, the team finished signing up two free agents, closer Mariano Rivera and shortstop Derek Jeter.  It is only fitting that this year's Winter Meetings are in Orlando--the home of Disney World--especially the way the Yankees Mickey Moused with the team captain the past few weeks.

Things have been rather noisy around the Yankees off-season offices--not for all the right reasons--and now the Boston Red Sox have started making a racket.  The Sox finally showed some form of life and unapologetic gall this past weekend by announcing that they had offered Rivera, one of the Yank's signing  priorities, a three-year deal and then traded for first-baseman, Adrian Gonzalez.  It's good to see the Yankees/Red Sox rivals butting head once again especially since their wooing of Mo was a direct slap to the face of their own closer, Jonathan Papelbon.  The Sox finally landed a big-time hitter after losing both Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira to the Yankees in past off-seasons.

Things have been relatively quiet between the two AL East division teams after the Red Sox Nation basked  in the glow of the ALCS in 2004 and the days of "bloody" socks and Pedro Martinez roughing up Don Zimmer.  Regular season games against the Sox have become five hour tests of endurance  compared to the ones against the chippy Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays short-lived "dynasty" will soon go the way of their cowbells and mohawks as the team gets stripped by free-agency.  Rays fans may find solace in the knowledge that it is no secret that Jeter has expressed interest in becoming a major league team owner and has just completed a $36 million estate in Tampa.  Jeter's final playing days have just been signed and sealed and that $51 million should be enough for a down payment on the fan-starved franchise after his days in pinstripes are over.  

The Yankees deals with Rivera and Jeter do raise a few questions.  Rivera has mentioned that his two-year, $30 million contract might be his last.  He was offered three years by Boston and turned it down and there was never any reports of him fighting for more time.  2012 could be the year "Enter Sandman" blasts from the speakers in the house that Jeter built.

Jeter, on the other hand, haggled and got three years plus a fourth with incentives.  Now the only question is whether or not last season's slump was just a bump on the way to Coopperstown.  The 36 year-old  Jeter will be working hard to regain his reputation as a premier player.  The shortstop will turn 37 in June and wasn't too happy with the way he was described and flogged during the contentious contractual process.

Too many stories claimed only two shortstops--Honus Wagner and Luke Appling--were ever successful after the age of 37 and they played eons ago.  Since 1969, only 19 shortstops older than 37 played 100 games in a season and only one, Larry Bowa, made the playoffs.  So Jeter has a high wall to scale.  Maybe he should borrow some of Cashman's rappelling gear.

Now that Cashman has signed two pieces of his off-season trifecta, he can concentrate on getting every one's favorite Christmas present,  Cliff Lee.  Lee's name will be in the New York headlines a lot for the next few days with a few side bars about Andy Pettitte.  The left-handed starter Lee is Cashman's main concern.

"My priority is pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching," the GM said, "I've been focusing on the legacy guys, but I really need to take care of our pitching."  Lee is the class pitcher in a shallow group of free-agents.  The righthander and Pettitte would fill that void.

Lee is going to be looking for a deal of about $140 million for six or seven years.  The Texas Rangers, Lee's team last season, is hoping a longer contract will keep their ace in Arlington, but the Yankees believe their deeper pockets will prevail.

The Yankees and Rangers are the only serious bidders for Lee.   If the Yankees don't get Lee, they might have to fight for the services of Plan B; Carl Crawford.  The Rangers are also interested in the centerfielder and he could become a parting gift to the team that doesn't land Lee, but only if the Los Angeles don't grab him first.   Although the Yankees just lost DH Lance Berkman, it is unlikely that any team could afford both players--especially the recently bankrupt Rangers.

Crawford would be a replacement for one of three current Yankee outfielders--Curtis Granderson,  Brett Gardner or Nick Swisher.  Granderson came on strong at the end of last year and Swisher, a fan favorite, had a solid first half, then wilted after his All-Star appearance.  Gardner is the young stud and modelled similar  to Crawford, so any rumors of a trade means talks are on between the Yankees and Crawford.

One player the Yankees might want to test in the trade waters is reliever/starter Joba Chamberlain.  The yankees' front office has never expressed interest in trading the inconsistent and maligned Joba, but many think he could thrive on a different team. 

A.J. Burnett could find himself gone if the Yankees sign Lee and Pettitte.  Burnett throws more pies than strikes and the Yankees might be interested in unloading the tattooed pitcher by paying some of his money to a team that wants him.  A nice relief pitcher would be welcome in that trade.  Toronto reliever, Scott Downs could fit the bill.

The Yankees tried to acquire Downs from the Blue Jays last year and have something in common with the lefthander--his agent Casey Close is Jeter's front man.  Nothing breeds love like familiarity and Close has become a regular on Cashman's Skype.  Damasco Marte's shoulder injury leaves the lefty's future in jeopardy and the Yankees bullpen even thinner.

Cashman knows his off-season success hangs on signing Lee.  Jeter and Rivera were primarily slam-dunks and even Carl Crawford would be seen a booby prize.  Its Lee or nothing.

Red Sox Made Last Minute Pitch To Mariano Rivera

The Boston Red Sox made a last ditch effort to land New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera and were prepared to non-tender the contract of Jonathan Papelbon according to a source close to the negotiations.  The 2-year, $30 million offer was exactly the same deal Rivera is set to sign with the Yankees tonight, according to the New York Daily News.

The Yankees gave the green light to sign Mariano after it was reported that other teams were showing interest in the 41 year-old, future Hall-of-Famer.  Besides the Red Sox, it was believed another club was prepared to give the closer a 3-year package worth about $51 million.

Rivera has said he wanted to remain with the team and "Stay loyal to the Yankees," according to the source. The right-hander is a lifelong Yankee and as a tribute to that bond agreed to take less money and fewer years to stay in pinstripes.

Papelbon, who is coming off his worst season in Boston (3.90 ERA, 8 blown saves) and was the Red Sox closer for five years must be wondering where he fits in to the team's future plans.  He is eligible for free agency after next year.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have settled one third of their off-season Triple-Crown.  Getting Derek Jeter and Cliff Lee are the other two jewels in the trifecta.  Rivera's free agency was pretty quiet compared to those other negotiations. In fact, Rivera's contract talks were relatively mouse like.  Until yesterday, the only peep from Rivera's agent, Fernando Cuza, was when he remarked that the Yankees and Rivera were "a little far apart" on getting a deal together.   All that changed quickly after other teams started throwing offers on the table.  Cuza has verified receiving calls from other teams, but wouldn't elaborate.

The Yankees winter has been nothing short of dramatic.  While Rivera's contract talks were relatively civil,  New York's sports talk shows have been dominated by discussions about the Yankees love-him-or-leave-him treatment and re-signing of their poster-boy, Derek Jeter and the contractual numbers being thrown at this year's big arm, starting pitcher Cliff Lee.  Jeter's talks have dragged on for weeks and has fans taking sides about the shortstop's worth.

Not so with Rivera.  He has freakishly shown no signs of aging.  Mo posted a 1.80 ERA and 33 saves last season and only he knows how many more years he can pitch.  For now,  the Yankee Stadium sound man will keep "Enter Sandman" on it's play list for at least a couple of more years.