Yankees Seeing Red Flags In Ubaldo Jimenez Deal?

Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez has become a very hot commodity in the AL East these days.  The New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox have all considered a trade for the flame-throwing hurler, according to reports.  Only now, the Yankees are wondering why the young (27) and relatively inexpensive ($2.8 million contract this year, $4.2 million in 2012 with an option in 2013 for $5.75 million) ace of the Rockies is being unloaded.

Does the Rockies organization know something about Jimenez that others don't?

Jimenez is regarded as the best starter available before the July 31st deadline.  Other pitchers like Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers of the Houston Astros are out there but don't have the numbers or name recognition of Jimenez and the Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez is off-limits to anyone, according to the organization.

The red flags being thrown up by Jimenez begin with his second half slump last season after starting the season 15-1.  He finished the season by going 4-7 down the stretch.

At the 2010 All-Star break, Jimenez was considered one of the best starters in the game until it seemed his fastball seemed to fade quicker than his CY Young hopes.

This season, the rightie is 6-9 with a 4.20 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 122 innings.  After a slow start, Jimenez is 5-4 since June 18.

Sure the Rockies are asking a lot in return for their pitcher and that has already pretty much scared off the division-leading Red Sox.  The second-place Yankees may follow. Toronto is just hoping for a steal a deal for the future.

New York is balking at the Rockies asking price of three prized minor-leaguers-- Manuel Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Jesus Montero.  Even Ivan Nova's name has been thrown into the mix.  No way that's going to happen.

Why the Yankees are hesitant to give away some prospects for a stud like Jimenez--who could give them the 1-2 punch they desire-- isn't apparent as it looks.  His age and past history don't include any major breakdowns--physically or mentally.  Jimenez's only time on the DL was for a broken fingernail-- not exactly career-ending-- and has never had any shoulder or elbow injuries that the Yankees are aware of.

One of Jimenez's flaws is his wildness and a high-maintenance throwing delivery.  The fact that he is a product of the NL is a negative too.  The Yankees have had previous problems with pitchers who switched leagues. Randy Johnson and Carl Pavano come to mind.

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd has said his team is willing to trade Jimenez only because they underachieving and it's time shake some life into the roster.  The GM also cited the lack of other blue-chip starters on the market and trade-bait like Jimenez will bring the Rockies a high return.

He may be thinking a Bernie Madoff type exchange.

Some experts think Jimenez's problem is emotional, and he is bitter at the Rockies for not signing him to a long term deal like teammates Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez.

Another reason the deal should send flags up all over.  Why wouldn't a team sign their ace to a long-term contract in the first place?

"Even if this is his floor, then he is still good enough to pitch in a rotation in the AL East," said an executive that inquired about Jimenez.  "He has value at that level, especially with a good contract.  And if he pitches like he pitched the first half last year, then he's up there with CC [Sabathia, [Jon]Lester and [David] Price among the best pitchers in the division."

Whether or not Jimenez is good enough to be a No. 2 pitcher on the Yankees is debatable.  A.J. Burnett is such a significant drop-off from the No. 1 starter, CC Sabathia, there is definitely an opening for that role. One problem, Jimenez's wildness has a vaguely familiar A.J. ring to it.

The Yankees rotation could be firmed up this afternoon.  Phil Hughes gives it another shot to see if his dead arm issues are over.  Hopefully, the third time is a charm for the struggling righthander and a successful outing would give the Yankees a good inventory of arms while Ivan Nova goes on Saturday.

So far the Yankees haven't been pushing GM Brian Cashman to make a deal before the deadline.  After CC and A.J., the starting rotation is hanging on to the rejuvenated arms of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia-- who knows how long they can hold out--and rehabbing Hughes and Nova.

 If Cashman does push the button for Jimenez, it could come at too high a price. 

Today, the Yankees GM will just watch his real trade deadline Holy Grail, Seattle Mariners Felix Hernandez, face his team at Yankee Stadium.

Did Colon and Garcia's Last Outings Quell Yankees Trade Talks

Last week the New York Yankees seemed desperate to add another reliable starter to their rotation.  All eyes seemed to be focused on Colorado Rockies flame-thrower Ubaldo Jimenez.  Only problem was, the Rockies would literally be asking the Yankees for the farm to make any kind of trade for their 27 year-old righthander.

The Yankees remember all too well last year's lack of starting pitching in the playoffs and have to be wondering if they can pin four-fifth of their October hopes on Phil Hughes--a pitcher on the mend, A.J. Burnett--who has reverted back to his inconsistent self, Ivan Nova-- who just went on the Triple-A DL for a foot injury, and Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia--two aging veterans picked up during the off-season winter-sale.

Funny thing, outside of CC Sabathia, Colon and Garcia, have been the most impressive this season.  Now the question is can the 38 year-old Colon and 35 year-old Garcia hold up?

Both pitchers combined for a total of two earned runs in 13 innings in two games against the Tampa Bay Rays this week.

Garcia out dueled David Price and struck out seven Rays hitters over 6.2 innings last night.  Last week Garcia was battered in Toronto where he allowed five earned runs in five innings after a 12 day layoff.  Manager Joe Girardi said the layoff was responsible.

Colon's masterpiece the night before was spoiled after centerfielder Curtis Granderson lost a fly ball in the roof of Tropicana Field.  The hefty hurler went 6.1 innings and struck out nine batters.

Reports continue to swirl that the Yankees are still interested in Jimenez, but there hasn't been any official comment from management. Girardi seems content on keeping things as they are.

"This is what we have and we've gotten to this point because of them," he said.  "There's no reason that can't continue."

Well, many fans will dispute that sentiment and the Yankees reportedly have scouts buying more Rockies tickets than usual.

The reasons to add a player like Jimenez, who has 50 wins over his last three years and has over 33 starts in each of his three full seasons.  He had 214 strikeouts last season-- third in the NL-- and the durable pitcher who has thrown 845 innings without any real troubles.  Jimenez has only been on the DL once in his career for a broken fingernail.  The Yankees have to like the thought of getting a pitcher without shoulder, elbow or "dead arm" problems.

Jimenez could come cheap in contract but steep in trade.  He is making $2.8 million this year, $4.2 mil next season and an option of $5.75 in 2013.  Compare that to the $33 million the Yankees will be shelling out for A.J. Burnett over the next two years.

In exchange, the Rockies will probably want Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Jesus Montero--three of the Yankees top prospects.

Jimenez's bi-polar 2010 season has to be on the Yankees mind after he started 15-1, then sludged through the second half of the season.  He is 6-3 with a 2.61 ERA in his last 10 starts.

The Yankees could wait until the end of the season to get Jimenez and hang on to their prospects, much like they did with Sabathia in 2008, when they held on to Hughes and got the big pitcher they wanted anyway.

The questions now are if Hughes is back to form and  if Colon and Garcia can keep it up for another two-and-a-half months.

They will each get at least another start before the July 31 trade deadline--one more chance to show the Yankees the first half of their seasons weren't a fluke and the team can hang on to their prospects for the future.

A-Rod Helps CC Become Major's First 10-game Winner of Season

CC Sabathia, the New York Yankees big lefthander, pitched another stellar game and, in the process, became the major league's first 10-game winner this season.  Sabathia (10-4) pitched eight dazzling innings in the Yankees 8-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Alex Rodriguez chipped in with a couple of singles and 3 RBI's.  A-Rod also started a rally-killing double play in the 6th inning that was the only threat Colorado posed to CC all day.

Sabathia tortured the Colorado batters with a fastball consistently in the 96-97 mph range but it was his perfect slider which left the Rockies shaking their heads.  Five of Sabathia's nine strikeouts were of the little burger's namesake.



The big guy also came through in the clutch.  The befuddled Rockies hitters were 2-15 with runners on base.  Sabathia finished the game allowing only one run, one walk and seven hits to go with the nine K's.

Sabathia has been consistent all season.  After a couple of early-season no-decisions, the victory today gave the 2007 Cy Young winner his seventh win in his last eight starts.  He is a sure bet to make the All-Star game.

The win also gives Sabathia his 50th victory in pinstripes in 85 starts.  The leftie matches Chien-Ming Wang as the fastest Yankee pitcher to reach that total in thirty years.

Manager Joe Girardi couldn't stop singing the praise of his workhorse starter.

"CC has won 50 games in the 2 1/2 seasons he's been here," marveled the manager.  "That's just in the regular season."

 This year, Sabathia is continuing that trend.  He has a 3.25 ERA with 93 strikeouts and has allowed 119 hits in 122 innings.

"CC's a great guy to be around," said Girardi.  "He's the same guy every day.  He works quick and teammates like to play behind a pitcher who is quick."

It's also no coincidence that, as the Yankees beat up on the National League during their current intra-league jag, A-Rod has been lighting up every ballpark since Wrigley.  The aching third baseman is on a blazing hot streak and has 10 hits in his last five games while batting a sizzling .556 during that span.  Currently,  A-Rod is the only .300 hitter in the Yankees line-up.

A-Rod also reached base in the seventh on a missed communication between the Rockies' Chris Nelson and Eric Young in shallow right field. 

When asked why he pulled Rodriguez in the eighth, Girardi claimed it wasn't for anything more serious than sore legs.

"A-Rod's a little beat-up," answered Girardi.  "He's been sore since Chicago."

Sabathia also put an end to Troy Tulowitzki's New York City home-run streak.  The Rockies shortstop hit four dingers against the Mets in Flushing last week before jacking one last night against the Yankees in the Bronx.  He was the first visiting player to homer in five straight games since Ernie Banks.

Mark Teixeira chipped in with his 22nd home-run of the season in the eighth.

The Yankees are now 44-31 and could take over first place in the AL East if the Boston Red Sox lose tonight.

Jeter Put On 15-day DL: Poised To Get 3,000th Hit Against Mets In Citi Field

The New York Yankees placed Derek Jeter on the 15-day DL shortly before 6 p.m. today and, as fate would have it, the Yankees captain could possibly get his historic 3,000th hit against cross-town rivals, the New York Mets, in Citi Field.  Ticket prices just went through the roof for that series.

Jeter tried to convince Yankees GM Brian Cashman to give him a few days off, but Cashman wouldn't budge and announced that his star would be sitting for 15 days.

An MRI showed a Grade 1 Strain of Jeter's right calf after running out a fly-out in the fifth inning of last night's 1-0 loss to the Cleveland Indians.  Jeter got his 2994th hit in the first and went 1-for-3 on the night.

Cashman knew it wasn't going to be easy getting Jeter to be a spectator for 15 days but, with all the injuries and light hitting on the Yankees, he knew he couldn't take a chance on Jeter compounding the injury just for history's sake and he took the safe route.



A seven day rest period would have meant Jeter could have resumed playing on the June 24 home stand against the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers and possibly collecting # 3,000 in front of the home fans.

Jeter last sat out on May 5.

Cashman probably remembers how Alex Rodriguez had the same "low-grade" strain last year and sat out three games before aggravating the injury necessitating A-Rod going on the 15-day DL.

The 36 year-old Jeter will miss a six-game road trip to Wrigley Field and Cincinnati before returning during the last two games of a home-stand series against the Brewers and finally heading to Flushing and the Mets on July 1-3.

For now, the 3,000th hit will have to wait.

Jeter said being put on the DL was "a little bit frustrating."  It is the fifth time Jeter has been on the DL in 15 1/2 seasons and the first time since 2003.

The Mets organization must be thrilled with the Yankees misfortune.  It means they will possibly fill up CitiField for three games.  Sellouts in Flushing are pretty rare.

For the Yankees fans, at least Jeter still might get his monumental hit in New York.

Comparing Jeter to Tulowitzki; Like Apples to Rocks

Troy Tulowitzki just signed a seven-year contract extension which will take him through the year 2020 when he will be paid a base salary $14 million with escalations of $6 million in his final year---at the age of 35.  If the tight-fisted Colorado Rockies can expect to spend $20 million on a 35 year-old Tulowitzki who currently has zero World Series Championship rings on his fingers, why can't the New York Yankees fatten their offer for Derek Jeter?

Jeter's agent, Casey Close, met with Yankees brass yesterday and Hank Steinbrenner said he is "confident that Derek will remain with the Yankees."  In an unconfirmed meeting in Tampa, Close met with Hank and Hal Steinbrenner in which could be the start of positive negotiations.  Does the Tulowitzki contract have anything to do with the two sides finally playing nice?

The 26 year-old Tulowitzki's career is on the rise and the Rockies feel they are investing in their future.  He will get $20 million a season from 2015 through 2019. If Tulowitzki is earning $20 million at age 34, what is Jeter's value?

Jeter, understandably,  is coming off his worst season as a Yankee and the 36 year-old is asking to hang around for another four or five years at $23 million per.  Could Tulowitzki's contract set up the framework for a breakthrough in the Yankees/Jeter impasse?

The Yankees shouldn't gauge their offers on Tulowitzki's numbers and Close has to push his client's intangibles and the public relations disaster that would follow if Jeter is released.  Unceremoniously dumping the face of the Yankees would rock George Steinbrenner's over-sized face from his Monument Park plaque.

Let's look at the comparisons.  The Rockies shortstop plays in Coors Field--a hitter's paradise.  Tulowitzki's OPS of .949 dwarfed Jeter's .710 but Tulowitzki--considered the best overall shortstop in baseball--drops to .863 outside the confines of his friendly home field. Fair enough.

Jeter has bling on five fingers and you can't dismiss the fact, even in decline, no one brings as much of a winning pedigree and professionalism to the ballpark like the boy from Kalamazoo does.  His effect on teammates and even opponents is difficult to put into dollars.  It's hard to remember a time you saw Jeter just languishing in the dugout.  He's always at the top of the stairs watching the game--looking for an edge or pushing a slumping player.  Priceless.

Let's review the facts.  Derek Jeter has to face a few realities.  First--cue Bob Sheppard--Now, batting No. 2,  as the third most important piece of the New York Yankees championship puzzle, Derek Jee-tah.  That's right, the life-long Yankee shortstop is the third priority of the team's off-season's acquisitions behind  signing Cliff Lee and re-signing closer Mariano Rivera.

Rivera is still near the peak of his game and Lee is going to come as close to breaking the deep Yankee bank account as anyone can. Did somebody say $3500 seats premium seats?

Jeter was told by the Yankees to test the free-agent waters and he found the pickings were slim.  Even rivals like the Boston Red Sox expressed no interest--even if it was only to rock the Yankee boat.  A slumping 36 year-old shortstop is not desirable even one with Jeter's credentials. 

Second, in 2014,  a 40 year-old Jeter will not be playing shortstop.  He might not be at Robinson Cano's right side in three years.  Strategically, he could move over to third while Alex Rodriguez fills the DH spot.  Could Jeter ever fill the DH with 15-18 HRs a year--I doubt it. 

The Winter Meetings open next week in Orlando and the Yankees want to concentrate on Lee.  The Rangers hurler is the big present the Yankees want under their Christmas tree and Jeter has become a bothersome lump of coal.  Its a shame.

Look at the money the Yankees threw at Nick Johnson last year.  They paid a fortune for A.J. Burnett and have gotten piles of losses in return. Think of what that $16.5M could have done.  The Yankees only in-house shortstop is inexperienced Eduardo Nunez, so the Yanks are in a precarious position.

Compromise.  Hal and Hank, remember what Jeter has meant to the team and the backlash if he doesn't return.  Derek, think of finishing in pinstripes and what you can accomplish next year with Lee.

Simply. Jeter's 11 All-Star appearances, 5 rings (so far) and 5 Gold Gloves should mean something.  He  has a proven track record and should be worth at least 3 years at $18 million per season.  

Tell me what Tulowitzki has accomplished by 2020.