Report: Teams Interested In Stewart (No, For Real)

Source: #Yankees Chris Stewart is drawing trade interest. They are also discussing a deal to avoid arbitration with him. Fluid talks.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) November 29, 2013

First reaction- No effing way teams are actually willing to trade for a guy who's probably going to be non-tendered in a few days.

Second reaction- No effing way the Yankees would actually entertain the idea of offering a new contract to a catcher they no longer need.

Third reaction- Love when talks are fluid.

Friday Afternoon Linkapalooza: 11/29/13

Food coma.  I don't know about y'all but I'm still very much in one today.  I stuffed myself full of as much food and beer as I could fit for about 10 hours yesterday and it all finally came crashing down on me around 8:30 when I passed out on the couch and missed the first 3 quarters of the Steelers-Ravens game.  I woke up to see the last quarter and I was still so full at that point that I couldn't really get back into a good sleep pattern.  I can still feel how heavy and bloated my body is today, but that's what Thanksgiving is all about, right?  Justifiable and enjoyable gluttony.  Now onto the links!

- On Monday, Chad Jennings of LoHud compared new leading OF target Carlos Beltran to the other top players available at the position.

- El duque of It Is High... lamented the added confusion that the Brian McCann signing brings to the Yankees' future plans.  I think he's being a little too negative in his assessment, but there are some valid points there.

- Derek Albin of Pinstripe Pundits broke down just how big an upgrade Brian McCann will be both offensively and defensively.

- Jason Evans of Yanks Go Yard questioned how real the "limited time offer" to Cano is.  Fair question based on how the Yankees have handled some of their other big re-signings in the past.

- Greg Corcoran of Bronx Baseball Daily listed his top 5 first base prospects in the Yankee system.  Yeesh, that's a pathetically short list after Bird.

- On Tuesday, Mike Axisa of RAB wrapped up his 2013 season review by looking at the good and the bad of all the spare parts used by the Yankees this year.

- On Wednesday, Matthew Provenzano of Pinstripe Alley profiled Matt Kemp as a potential trade target.

- SJK of NoMaas showed how much the Yankees and Cano need each other and why it's in both sides best interests to speed up talks and get a deal done.

- Domenic Lanza of IIATMS/TYA put together some free agent pairing options the Yankees could pursue with the money they'd otherwise give to Cano.

This Friday's jam is "Come A Little Closer", the new song from Cage The Elephant.  I heard it once or twice on the radio in the last week and now I can't get the hook out of my head.



Enjoy your weekends, everybody.

Yanks Lose Mike Harkey To The D-backs

It was rumored to be a possibility weeks ago and now it's close to becoming reality.  Via Jack Magruder, the Arizona Diamondbacks have tapped Mike Harkey to become their new pitching coach.  They're expected to formally announce the signing on Monday.

Harkey had been the Yankee bullpen coach since 2008 and he was one of the few coaches who had served on Joe Girardi's staff since Joe took the manager job.  He was well respected in the clubhouse and in the bullpen and he's actually a pretty cool dude, evidenced by him tossing my friends and I a ball from the bullpen before the Saturday Yanks-Sawx day game in September and then laughing off our drunken razzing when he dropped another ball somebody had thrown him to sign.  With Harkey leaving, the Yankees will need to find a new bullpen coach for 2014.  Expect Triple-A pitching coach Scott Aldred to be the leading candidate.

Brendan Ryan Signing Official, And For More Years

("Don't worry, Robbie.  I got this.")

The one bit of news that snuck through yesterday and bears posting today is the official announcement of the Brendan Ryan signing.  While it's basically been a done deal for a few weeks now, Ken Rosenthal reported that the deal was made official yesterday.  Somewhat surprisingly, there were additional years and dollars added to the contract than what was initially reported.

According to Rosenthal, the contract is for 2 years and $5 million, which raises the AAV a tick from $2 mil per year to 2.5.  There is also a mutual option for 2016 and an incentive package that could make the total value of the deal $10 million when all is said and done.  That might seem like a lot for a player with a bat as weak as Ryan's, but the Yankees badly need a defensive upgrade at the position and they don't have anything closely resembling a full-time replacement for The Captain in their farm system.  If Ryan hits slightly better than his career average and plays his typical stellar defense, this should be a winning deal for the Yanks.

Happy Thanksgiving From AB4AR

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, as I'm sure it is for many more of you out there, so expect today to be slow around the blog.  Unless something incredibly unexpected and newsworthy happens I'll be spending my day eating myself sick, drinking a shit ton of great beer, and watching football, and I sincerely hope everyone else out there does the same.  Wherever you are, hopefully you're surrounded by family and friends and have as great a Thanksgiving today as I intend to.  And if you're one of the chosen people, have yourself a happy Hanukkah today.  It's a celebration for everybody.

See Ya Monday...

According to source, the $310M demand from Cano's side remained until Tuesday, though it was lowered "very slightly." Sides still far apart.
— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) November 27, 2013

 That tweet came on the heels of Feinsand reporting that the 2 sides spoke today but did not meet.  Doesn't sound like this week's discussions led to much progress, but that really doesn't come as much of a surprise.  There's no reason for Cano's side to lower their asking price significantly this early in the game and there's no reason for the Yankees to raise their offer at all knowing they're still the only team who's made one.

Sooner or later, somebody will have to blink and right now the Yankees are still in the more favorable position.  Let's see where the talks go next week.

What About Third Base?

Regardless of you how you feel about how they're prioritizing this offseason and who they're going after, the Yankees have to be commended for the proactive approach they've taken.  Recognizing that this past season's penny pinching/washed up veteran reclamation project approach was not the right way to contend on a budget, they've wasted no time in identifying their primary and secondary free agent targets and appear to be making a strong effort to upgrade every major area of need on their roster.

Every area, that is, except for third base.  The Yankees used 9 different players at the hot corner in 2013, best among them Alex Rodriguez.  While they've stated that they are planning on having him around and at third next season, there's a very, very good chance that he ends up suspended for at least 50-100 games.  Even if he beats the odds and is free to play for the whole season, A-Rod no longer has the ability to be an everyday third baseman after years of injury problems and surgeries to both his hips.  Yet third base remains the one position the Yankees don't have a clear plan to address, at least not when compared to catcher, right field, and the starting rotation.

So what's the deal?  What do Cash and the rest of the front office have in mind to address this seemingly under-considered roster hole?

Moose On The HOF Ballot

(Courtesy of Getty Images)

The jam-packed 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot was released yesterday, and in the middle of the surefire yeses (Maddux, Glavine), litany of holdover maybes (Biggio, Piazza) and almost definite nos (Bonds, Clemens) there is Mike Mussina.  Mussina's HOF case has been a topic of conversation going back to the days when he was still active, and now that he's eligible and on the ballot we'll get our first chance to see how the voters really feel about his qualifications.

"But Brad, what about you?  What's your hot take on Moose's HOF worthiness?"  Glad you asked, nobody.  Glad you asked.

A-Rod Keeps Beating Up On Bud

He didn't get the chance to hear the explanation for why he was suspended for 211 games last week, but that hasn't stopped Alex Rodriguez from throwing body blows at Bud Selig.  Now that his suspension appeal hearing is over, A-Rod is using his lawsuit against MLB to air his grievances with the MLB commissioner.  His lawyers amended the lawsuit yesterday to include complaints about Bud no-showing at the hearings.  Here's the best part:

“Mr. Selig chose to hide in his office in Milwaukee rather than come testify at the grievance hearing in New York. In Mr. Selig’s world, apparently the ‘buck’ does not stop with Bud.  Mr. Selig lacked the courage of his convictions to explain under oath the reasons for the suspension and the conduct of his investigators. His silence on these issues speaks volumes and leads to only one logical conclusion — his actions, and those of the MLB personnel he controls, were aimed at destroying the reputation, career and business prospects of Alex Rodriguez.”

The amended lawsuit also included pictures designed to show evidence of Bud's alleged hatred for A-Rod, like the one above.  I've said it before and I'll continue to say it until every man, woman, and child on this planet acknowledges it.  No matter how you feel about A-Rod as a player or person, the comedic value of this whole situation cannot be understated.

Yanks Put Cano On The Clock

(Tick-tock, fellas.  Courtesy of Getty Images)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

It's not quite Brian Cashman telling Derek Jeter to go out and find a better offer like he did in 2010, but the Yankees' approach with Robinson Cano this offseason continues to be one of tough love and smart business. They've said all along that they want him back, they've made what they consider a fair offer, they've clearly stated what amount of time and money they aren't willing to go to, and they've spent time engaging backup plans should Cano and his team decide they aren't willing to work with the Yankees' numbers.

It certainly appears as if the Yankees are determined not to repeat their past mistakes of bidding against themselves and overpaying for their own free agents, and if that's the case then it's a lesson I think we're all glad they've finally learned.  The latest chapter in the story, courtesy of Andrew Marchand, had the Yankee brass meeting with Cano's agents yesterday to essentially put a time limit on the offer they've already extended.  According to Marchand's source, "the Yankees feel they only have so much wiggle room" above their initial contract offer and they are willing to pull it off the table to prevent the stalled talks with Cano from delaying the rest of their offseason plans.

Teix Talks About His Rehab Schedule

If you missed it, Mark Teixeira was a guest on YES' "Yankees Hot Stove" show last night and during his appearance he gave us our first real update on the rehab work he's been doing since having wrist surgery in July.  For those who don't have time to check out the whole video, here are the highlights:

- Currently, Teix is doing mostly slow swings and range of motion exercises to improve the strength and flexibility in the surgically-repaired wrist.  The plan is to continue these exercises through the end of the year.

- Starting in January, Teix will hit off a tee and take batting practice against a pitching machine.  He wants to ramp up to a 90 MPH pitching machine by early February.

- When spring camp starts, he'll participate in full team workouts and drills, including live batting practice, but he doesn't plan to play in any ST games until early March.

Teix also said he'll ditch the weighted bat and cut his game day swings down from an estimated 100 per day to around 70-80 once the regular season starts.  It sounds like he wants to take things slow and make sure the wrist doesn't have any pain or tightness at each level of activity before moving on.  Given how long the wrist problems lingered from 2012 into this season, I think that's the smart play.  Teix can be a big part of a rebuilt lineup this season so the most important thing is making sure he's 100% healthy and able to play and contribute every day.

Yankees Continue To Stockpile Middle Infield Depth

I highly doubt he's a serious candidate to replace Robbie Cano or Jeter up the middle, but the Yankees added another warm body to their growing collection of middle infielders yesterday with a MiL signing.

Via Joel Sherman, the Yanks signed 26-year-old utility guy Yamaico Navarro to a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training.  Navarro is a righty bat with experience at second, short, and third base.  He's another all-field/no-hit kind of player, with a .206/.258/.267 career tripleslash and a 26.1% K rate in 199 Major League plate appearances.  It's worth noting that he did hit .267/.354/.418 for the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate this past season.

I'll say this.  If the Yankees aren't planning on cutting Nix and/or Nunez soon, they should at least look into the possibility of setting up some kind of reality show to follow all these middle infielders around during ST.  Call it "Up The Middle: The Battle for the 4th Spot on the Infield Depth Chart" and put it on YES after Francesa during February and March.  I'd definitely watch that.

What Not To Like About The McCann Signing

(Courtesy of the AP)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

If you were away from all forms of media or under the proverbial rock this past weekend, the Yankees and Brian McCann agreed to a 5-year/$85 million deal.  The deal comes with a vesting option that can make it 6 years/$100 million and it's contingent on McCann passing a physical, but there's little reason to think that won't happen.  For all intents and purposes, McCann can be considered the Yankees' new starting catcher.

The reaction to the signing has been most positive thus far.  I know I was a big fan of it.  In McCann, the Yankees got the best player available at their position of greatest weakness in his prime, and they got him for basically market value.  That's not to say the deal is a 100%, no-doubt win for the Yankees.  There are a few things that could turn the signing against the Yanks, things that surely influenced William's decision to steer clear of McCann in his Project 189 team construction before starting to come around to the idea of McCann at catcher yesterday.  In the interest of looking at this deal from all angles, here are the things that could potentially turn it into a loser for the Yankees down the road.

Cue Beltran Watch 2013

Via Mark Feinsand:

"According to sources, the Yankees have set Beltran as their No. 1 target while they wait to reignite talks with Robinson Cano, for Hiroki Kuroda to decide whether he wants to return next season and for the Japanese posting system to be hammered out so righthander Masahiro Tanaka can be made available... 

Likewise, Beltran has let it be known to those around him that the Yankees are his top choice, hoping to finally land himself in pinstripes after previous free-agent flirtations during the past decade did not work out."

Sorry, Tanaka Watch.  You just got dropkicked to the back burner (probably a safety hazard BTW) by Beltran Watch.  With McCann all but locked up, the Yankees are moving onto the next name on their list and this report makes it sound like that name is Beltran's, written in all caps with one of those really thick Sharpies.

Do I prefer him to Choo?  No I do not.  Do I think he'd be a great signing on a 2-year deal to bump Ichiro to the bench where he belongs?  I absolutely do.  Sounds like the number of years is the hold up right now, but if the Yanks don't cave to a 3rd and get Beltran for 2/$30 mil, that's another win for them.

Don't Be Fooled Into Thinking C-Grand Really Is A "Serious Part" Of The Yankees' Plans

(Say goodbye to the Grandyman, kids.  He ain't coming back)

With the focus now shifting from behind the plate to the void at second base and need to upgrade the outfield, Cash attempted to keep all options open when he commented on the team's interest in Curtis Granderson last week.  Speaking to George King of The Post, Cash said C-Grand is a "serious part" of the Yankees' plans to address the outfield and is "not a fall-back option."

While that all sounds good at face value, the club's actions don't match up to the words.  If Granderson is such a serious part of what the Yankees want to do to upgrade their outfield, why was it such a hard decision to make him a qualifying offer earlier this month?  Why was the front office still debating whether to make the offer or not in the final hours leading up to the deadline?  It's not like the level of production that Granderson had in his last 2 non-injury years weren't worthy of the offer.  It's not like he's not on almost equal ground with the Beltrans and Choos of the world when it comes to new contract value.  If he's such a big part, why didn't the team extend the qualifying offer and immediate engage him in talks of a new multi-year deal like they did with Cano?

Anybody Want This Beat Up Matt Kemp?

The Yankees might.  They've been connected to virtually every other big name available on the free agent market or potentially available via trade this offseason, so it comes as no surprise that they were among the list of teams to reach out to the Dodgers to ask about Matt Kemp's availability, this according to Nick Cafardo.

Kemp, 29, is only 2 seasons removed from being one of, if not the best all-around player in baseball.  He's spent the better part of the last 2 years under the knife and on the disabled list thanks to injuries to his hamstring, ankle, and shoulder.  When healthy, he's a legit 5-tool guy, evidenced by his 8.4 fWAR season in 2011.  The problem is that he hasn't been able to stay healthy and the racking up of injuries and surgeries while he's in what is supposed to be his physical prime doesn't spell good things for the future.

There's also the matter of his contract.  Kemp is owed $128 million over the next 6 seasons, which is a lot of money to take on for a guy who's missed 145 games over the last 2 years, luxury tax avoidance goals or no luxury tax avoidance goals.  He'd be an easy on-field upgrade over Ichiro if he can stay healthy, but that unsteady ship, the dollars, and the Yankees' lack of Major League-ready trade chips makes it a very steep uphill battle.  I'd really only be interested if the Dodgers were willing to eat a lot of the money and I have to imagine that's a thought that Cash and the rest of the front office share.

Report: Yanks Not Waiting Around For Cano

The Yankees have offers out on other free agents. This offseason is way too important for them to sit and wait. No traction w/ Cano.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 24, 2013

We've heard once or twice already this week that the Yankees weren't letting the lack of activity on the Robinson Cano contract front slow them up on the rest of their offseason plans.  We saw that play out in textbook form yesterday with the signing of Brian McCann and now with this latest report from Buster Olney we're seeing that they're sticking to their guns.  While the Cano talks continue to go nowhere, the Yanks are staying active on other fronts and that's exactly what they should be doing.

No word on what other players have received offers from the Yankees.  Jhonny Peralta signed with the St. Louis Cardinals earlier today so I assume he wasn't a part of that group, but I'd bet Carlos Beltran, Shin-Soo Choo, and maybe Stephen Drew all got offers.  The message seems to be pretty clear to Cano and his team; "we're moving forward with or without you."  Let's see how all this other activity and next week's reported sitdown between Cano and the Yankees serves to speed things up.

Brian McCann Signing Thoughts & Afterthoughts

(Courtesy of Jason Getz/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

I was about to sit down to dinner with my family last night when I went to the computer for one last news refresh.  Needless to say, I wasn't expecting to see a barrage of updates on negotiations with Brian McCann, those negotiations being "close", and then the first few tweets reporting that he and the Yankees had agreed to a 5-year deal.  There had been no indication that anything was imminent earlier in the week.  McCann's meeting with the team hardly made the news, as it was among the first team meetings he had and most expectations were that he'd have more visits and work towards building his contract value up leading into the Winter Meetings.

Yet there it was, confirmed by one of the most reliable sources in baseball.  McCann is going to be a Yankee, the first big move of the offseason has been made, and the stage could be set for a big offseason in New York.  A lot more thoughts on the signing and what it means after the jump.

BREAKING: Yankees Sign Brian McCann (UPDATED)

Well I can't say I this coming so early.  Via Ken Rosenthal, the Yankees and free agent catcher Brian McCann have agreed to a 5-year/$85 million deal.  The deal also has a vesting option that could bring the total to 6 years and $100 million.

The report has been confirmed by Mark Feinsand, so it sounds like this is a done deal pending a physical.  McCann was one of the Yankees' major offseason targets from the beginning and he's an obvious great fit for the stadium, the team, and the pitching staff.  My FA profile on him can be found here.  Cash recently said the team was "absolutely" going to tender a contract offer to Cervelli this year, so now there's an overabundance of catching depth.  Expect Stewart to be non-tendered and maybe one of the Romine/Murphy tandem to be traded.

More details to come on this as they become available.  The first big offseason stone has been cast.  Let's see what chips fall as a result.

** UPDATE 6:34 PM- David Waldstein reporting that the deal is actually worth $82.5 million and still has not been finalized.  Stay tuned... **

** UPDATE 7:28 PM- Via Joel Sherman, the Yankees offered the $82.5 mil figure and McCann's side countered with 85 to make it a deal. **

** UPDATE 9:34 PM- Missed this earlier but via Jon Heyman, the contract comes with a full no-trade clause.  That and the vesting option make the deal a little more of a risk for the Yankees, but it's still a very good one for the best player available at the position. **

Here's An Idea, Trade Corban Joseph

Since the acquisition of Dean Anna a few days ago, there's been a lot of talk about what other roster moves might be coming.  I've seen more than a few people suggest trading Eduardo Nunez, but let's be realistic here.  Teams aren't lining up to trade for a utility infielder who can't field or hit, no matter what his age and upside may be.  Nunez's trade value has all but expired and if they aren't going to DFA him, the best thing the Yankees can do is hold onto him and hope he can provide some value in limited work.

A better idea if they're looking to move an infielder for something might be to trade Corban Joseph.  He was excommunicated from the 40-man roster to open up a spot for Anna, a pretty damning statement about where he stands in the organizational pecking order these days, but in terms of trade value he still has to have more than Nunez.

Saturday Morning Food For Thought

(Courtesy of the AP)

Alfonso Soriano Career BB Rate: 6.0%

Alfonso Soriano 2013 NYY BB Rate: 8.6%

Soriano Career K Rate: 21.2%

Soriano 2013 NYY K Rate: 27.6%

Soriano Career HR/FB Rate: 15.4%

Soriano 2013 NYY HR/FB Rate: 27.6%

The focus this offseason has been addressing the offensive weaknesses at catcher and in right field, and justifiably so.  There hasn't been a lot of talk about Alfonso Soriano and what he'll do as an encore to his dynamite 58 games in 2013.  While it's safe to assume he'll be an upgrade over Vernon Wells, let this serve as a reminder to not go overboard with expectations.  Soriano's BB rate in pinstripes last year was abnormally high, he struck out more often than he did when he was with the Cubs, and his frequency of home runs to fly balls hit was almost double his career average and unsustainably high.

Don't lose sight of the fact that Soriano is 36, turning 37 before the start of the 2014 season, and has numbers indicative of a player who outperformed his true skill level in his 58-game Yankee sample size and could be losing bat speed.  He'll contribute next year, but that contribution won't be close to the near 50-HR pace he was on after the trade.

Friday Afternoon Linkapalooza: 11/22/13

It's my birthday on Monday.  For the first time in my life I don't really give a shit about it.  There's nothing fun, exciting, or special about turning 28.  It's just clicking another year off.  But I am flying back to CT to spend the Thanksgiving week at home and that's always a good time.  I get all the east coast beer that I can't get out in Wisconsin back, I get Francesa on the YES Network back, I'm going to the Rangers-Canucks game next Saturday, and I get the luxury of having the entire week off from work to sit around and do nothing.  Hopefully a noteworthy thing or 2 happens while I'm home so I have something good to blog about.  Now onto the links!

-  On Monday, Michael Eder of IIATMS/TYA profiled free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.  He hasn't been talked about a lot, but he could be a better fit for the Yankees than people realize.

- On Tuesday, Brandon Mauk of The Greedy Pinstripes identified the cheaper free agent options that would make a lot of sense for the Yankees this offseason if they can't afford to shop hard for all their top targets.

- Craig Edwards of Pinstripe Alley discussed the idea of Brendan Ryan getting the bulk of the shortstop playing time over Jeter next year.

- On Wednesday, Vizzini of NoMaas went way off the free agent radar to find some starting pitching options that could work for the Yankees.

- El duque of It Is High... lamented the Randy Levine-heavy week we had to endure this week.  I hear that, Duke.  I hear that.

- SG of RLYW released the first round of MLB standing CAIRO projections for 2014.  Not a lot to be taken from it this early in the offseason, but another way to show how much work the Yankees have to do.

- On Thursday, Jonathan Aron of Yanks Go Yard kicked the tires on Scott Kazmir, one of the top low risk/high reward starters on the market.

- Mike Axisa of RAB looked back at the 2013 draft and declared it one of the strong points of the 2013 Yankee season.  That should spell good things for the farm system next year, right?

- Greg Corcoran of Bronx Baseball Daily ranked his top 5 Yankee catching prospects now that Austin Romine is no longer considered one.

- Chris Mitchell of Pinstripe Pundits examined the possibility of David Phelps becoming a reliable part of the rotation next season.

- On Friday, William Juliano of The Captain's Blog broke down the arguments against re-signing Robinson Cano to point out how flawed they are and make the point that the Yankees can and should re-sign him.

This week's jam is "Do I Wanna Know?" by Arctic Monkeys.  Was going to go see them next month in Milwaukee but found out the show is already sold out.  Balls.



Enjoy your weekends, everybody.

40-Man Moves Could Signal The End Of Nix, And Maybe Nunez

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

If you didn't get all jazzed up at the announcement of the 40-man roster moves on Wednesday, don't worry.  I didn't either.  It went almost exactly as expected, with the Yankees protecting Gary Sanchez, Slade Heathcott, Shane Greene, Bryan Mitchell, and Jose Campos from next month's Rule 5 Draft by adding them to the roster and leaving their Rule 5 eligible relievers unprotected.

The one unforeseen move was made via trade, a small trade between the Yankees and the Padres for MiL utility infielder Dean Anna.  Anna is a 26-year-old lefty hitter who can play all over the infield and some of the outfield, with his primary positions being second base and shortstop.  He was hardly a prospect in the San Diego system, but the guy does appear to have some tools.  He hit .331/.410/.482 (.400 wOBA) in 582 Triple-A plate appearances last year, he's always had strong K and BB rates, and he's got enough gap power in his bat to conceivably be a useful bench player.  He came at the expense of High-A pitcher Ben Paullus, which is to say the Yanks basically got him for free, and his immediate addition to the 40-man is another harrowing sign for some of the Yankees' incumbent infielders.

Yanks Interested In Joe Nathan

(Courtesy of the AP)

We knew the Yankees were going to be in the market for bullpen help this offseason, and according to multiple reports they're starting their search at the top with Joe Nathan.  It was reported last Sunday that the team had been in contact with Nathan about replacing Mariano Rivera, and Mark Feinsand confirmed that yesterday with a report of his own.

Nathan, who I talked about earlier in the week, is the premiere free agent closer on the market this offseason.  He turns 39 today and is coming off an excellent season closing in Texas (2.26 FIP, 43-46 saves in 64.2 IP), so he should be looking for a multi-year, big money deal and he'll probably get it.  Feinsand's report mentioned that the Yankees were going to focus on other areas of need before looking for bullpen help and that's the right strategy to take, particularly with Nathan.  The money he's going to command could be the difference between signing someone like Brian McCann and not, and bullpen help can be found for much cheaper.

He's an ideal late-game arm to add to next year's 'pen, but I wouldn't expect Nathan to end up in pinstripes when all is said and done.

A-Rod Appeal Hearing Ends Quietly

While it looked like the stage was set for more shenanigans after Wednesday, Alex Rodriguez stayed true to his word and did not appear at yesterday's hearing session for his suspension appeal.  With him no longer participating and Bud Selig staying away, the hearing concluded yesterday and now everything is in Fredric Horowitz's hands to make his ruling.

Initially it was reported that Horowitz would have 25 days to render his decision, putting him on a December 16th deadline.  T.J. Quinn of ESPN had differing information yesterday, however, reporting that both sides have to put together summary briefs and submit them to Horowitz before his 25-day countdown can begin.  The deadlines for the brief submittals and responses are December 11th and 21st, and only when those requirement have been met will Horowitz start working on his decision.

This pushes the schedule way past the Winter Meetings and possibly out into January, which is not good news for the Yankees.  Given how aggressive they've been on the free agent front since start of the offseason, I have to think they're anticipating the suspension being upheld, or at least reduced to a number that still keeps A-Rod's money off the books next year.  Guess we'll just have to wait and see.