Let the Bidding Begin: Yanks Make Early Splash in Offseason

In my last post, I wrote that Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter all made their voices heard this offseason in their feelings for acquiring free agent pitcher CC Sabathia. This week, I decided to explore the blogosphere once again to find comments and analysis on two recent moves the Yankees have made. On Friday - the first day teams could officially speak to free agents outside of their organization - the New York Yankees offered Sabathia a 6-year, $140 million contract that would make him the highest paid pitcher in Major League Baseball. While the Sabathia situation remains in limbo, the Yankees wasted no time in filling their vacancy at first base. The team officially said goodbye to 7-year first baseman Jason Giambi (currently a free agent) when it traded backup Wilsom Betemit and two minor leaguers to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman / outfielder Nick Swisher. Although many believed the Yankees would go after free agent Mark Teixeira this offseason to play first base, it seems as though the team is content with Swisher playing the position, as long as he puts up strong power numbers. Also, the move allows the Yankees to focus solely on their starting rotation and go after other star pitchers not named Sabathia. While the Yankees' offseason is far from over - actually it is just beginning - this week I explored the blogosphere to find two posts that covered the Swisher trade and the Sabathia offer. The first post I read was entitled "Making Sense of the Swisher Trade," written by baseball expert Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. This post in the blog entitled Bats deals with the positives and negatives Swisher, shown in the photo on the left, brings to the Yankees. While Kepner stresses Swisher is no Teixeria, he also says Swisher can provide a solid replacement for Giambi at first base. The second post I read was entitled "CC the perfect fit for the Bombers," written by Mark Feinsand, a baseball expert who has covered the Yankees for the past 8 years. On his blog titled Blogging the Bombers, Feinsand writes the Yankees' offer for Sabathia was a good one despite negative reactions from some fans and general managers around the league. He explains the Yankees needed to set the tone for negotiations right out of the gate, and that is exactly what the team did. I found both of these posts on their respective blogs to be very insightful, and I commented on both of them. My comments can be read below.

"Making Sense of the Swisher Trade"
My Response:

First of all, I would like to thank you Tyler for writing such an informative post on the Yankees' new acquisition of Nick Swisher for the 2009 season. Based on what I have read outside of your blog, it seems as though management has him pegged as next year's first baseman, although Swisher can play all three outfield positions as well. Over the last few months, I have read a lot of you and your colleagues' posts in Bats, which has allowed me to see that your crew provides some of the best in-depth blogging for New York baseball. You brought up a great point in your second paragraph: "The Yankees showed here Teixeira is a player they don't absolutely have to have." Heading into the offseason, many people around baseball assumed the Yankees would be big players in the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes. While acquiring Swisher does not completely rule the Yankees out of the Teixeira bidding, it does put the first baseman on the back burner. By trading for Swisher, the Yankees not only saved money - and possibly a long negotiation period with Teixeira and infamous agent Scott Boras - on their first baseman but the team also portrayed that its prime goal this offseason is to focus on pitching, pitching and more pitching. While replacing the 30 homeruns and 100 RBIs Jason Giambi provided the Yankees throughout much of the past 7 seasons may not fit Swisher's role in the Bronx, the new acquisition does have some power (he has hit at least 21 homeruns in his four full major league seasons), and at only 28 years old, Swisher provides some youth to a team that is getting old fast. You wrote, "Swisher is popular throughout the game and does have some attributes the Yankees like: he draws a ton of walks, he's got a good glove at first base, and he's a switch-hitter with power who can fill in at all three outfield spots." He sounds like a player who, in my opinion, can be a key kog in the Yankees success in 2009. My question for you is do you think the Yankees should have made this deal or should they have dived into the Teixeira / Boras sweepstakes?

"CC the perfect fit for the Bombers"
My Response:

Mark, I would like to thank you for writing such an insightful post on your feelings about the Yankees 6-year, $140 million offer to CC Sabathia. Reading your post as a die-hard Yankees' fan, I found myself agreeing with you on most of the subjects you wrote about. You are correct, Sabathia is the "perfect fit" for the top of the Yankees' rotation. You put him at the top of a rotation followed by Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Derek Lowe / A.J. Burnett, and Andy Pettitte, and I think the Yankees find themselves with one of the best rotations in baseball. All of a sudden, the team would go from one of the worst rotations in 2008 to one of the best in 2009. Additionally, you wrote "All it will take to get (Sabathia) is money. Not Phil Hughes, not Austin Jackson, not any other prospect. Just money." The main reason the Yankees pulled out of the Johan Santana talks last offseason was because of the prospects. In the Sabathia case, the Yankees would get to retain all of their top prospects, and all they would be losing is money, but as you point out, money is something they have. And, even if Sabathia, depicted on the right, does get injured, the Yankees have the luxury of more money to spend on other players to help them win. While some fans might find the $140 offer distasteful and some other general managers might call it overbidding, the truth is the Yankees did what they felt was necessary to help their team win next season. You also touched on a great point toward the end of your post. Yes, Sabathia does favor the west coast and the National League, and if the Yankees only offered him a $110 million deal, then the L.A. Angels or L.A. Dodgers could have offered him a $120 million deal and plant the seed in his head to pitch out west. By blowing away everyone else's offer off the bat, the Yankees made a statement to Sabathia and the rest of the league: this guy is ours to lose. I do have one question for you, however. I think Sabathia is a given to sign with the Yankees at this point. Now, do you think the Yankees are better of signing Lowe or Burnett to round out their rotation?

Bronx Report: Yanks Talk CC

It is no secret that New York Yankees fans endured a frustrating season last year in which their team failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1993. The biggest problem, without a doubt, was the squad's lack of starting pitching depth. However, aside from the demands and questions from fans as winter approaches, management is hearing some comments from its most tenured players. According to the New York Daily News, Yankees all-star catcher Jorge Posada commented on the situation Friday night at fund-raising dinner: "We need more than one [starting pitcher]. We'll start with one. Obviously, we'll see who wants to come here and hopefully we can land two big pitchers." It was not as if Posada was making angry demands. They were just hopeful suggestions, but the fact that he spoke out to the media should send a message to general manager Brian Cashman that the players want -and need- more to work with in 2009. Now, it is also no secret that one of the best starting pitchers from last season will officially become a free agent November 14. Former Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers' pitcher CC Sabathia, depicted above, is the type of ace Posada was talking about that could lead his team deep into October. Sabathia, the 2007 A.L. Cy Young Award winner, compiled a collective 2.70 ERA, 251 strike outs and 17-10 record in 2008 while almost single handedly carrying the Brewers into the playoffs by pitching three times in final nine days of the season-almost unheard of in the modern era. But it is not just the Yankees' catcher who wants to see the 28-year-old ace in pinstripes next season.

The Yankees two other longest tenured players have made their feelings perfectly clear as well. Mariano Rivera, regarded by many as one of the best closers of all time and the greatest postseason closer in history, has been with the club since 1995. "Definitely. If you ask me, personally, I would definitely like to have (Sabathia)," Rivera said according to the New York Post. But I'm no one to say what the Yankees should do or not." Again, while Rivera did not demand that the Yankees acquirethe young star, he did say his personal choice would be in favor of signing the Bay Area native. Like Rivera, Yankees captain Derek Jeter has been with the Yankees since 1995, and maybe more important than speaking through the media to management, Jeter told reporters Friday he talked on the phone to Sabathia about New York. "(Sabathia's) asked questions about us. But I'll leave it at that," Jeter said according to Yahoo! Sports. "A private conversation that you have with some one is private. If he wants to talk about it, I'll give him the opportunity to do it first." However, the star shortstop later added, "I don't ever try to sell New York. I'm there if some one wants to ask me questions about different things. But I don't think you really have to sell the organization . . . I leave that up to them if they need convincing." Of the three players who have mentioned Sabathia in the media, Jeter probably holds the most influence in the organization. After all, he is the captain of the team and the player that teammates and fans always expect to come through in the clutch. Fans love him; players love him; management loves him. If any player had any say in what transactions Yankees' executives were mulling over, it is Derek Jeter.

What is interesting about these three players speaking out this offseason and endorsing the signing of the ace lefty is that they are currently the only members on the team who played for the Yankees dynasty from 1996-2000. These players have been in New York since their early 20s, and they were big assets to four World Series championship teams in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and key factors on Yankee teams that reached the Fall Classic in 2001 and 2003. So, if any three players know what the Yankees need to reach the top, it is Posada, Rivera and Jeter, shown below. Management should know by now that if these three players have spoken about signing Sabathia, there is no reason the team should not offer him a contract that would be impossible for him to refuse. In my mind, if the Yankees do not sign Sabathia in the upcoming months-no matter what else they do-this offseason will be considered a failure. The organization will not only let down the fans, but it would also let down their three most honored and loved players. Last season, Posada also made remarks that the Yankees should go after a left-handed ace who was on the trade market: Johan Santana. While the team was in a bidding war for the Minnesota Twins star, the Yankees eventually dropped out of the race because they felt management felt trading away prospects and giving Santana a record-breaking deal would be too much. Not listening to Posada hurt the team in the long run and left a glaring hole in the rotation the Yankees could never fill in 2008, which is why the team is in this position now. The New York Mets ended up trading for Santana and signed him to a 7 year, $150 million contract. In terms of Sabathia, the Yankees have no excuses not to offer him a contract even larger than Santana's. They will not be losing any prospects and the team, which held the highest payroll in Major League Baseball in 2008, has roughly $80 million in salaries coming off the books this offseason. The only way Sabathia is not wearing a Yankee uniform in the Bronx next season is if he truly does not want to pitch in New York. It should not be anything the Yankees failed to do. If it is, the team will have made a horrible decision that could affect the club's stars the team's loyal fan base. Fans and players cannot wait for the hunt for CC, opening nationwide Friday, November 14.

Dempster Joins List of Free Agent Starters

In a move many did not see coming, Chicago Cubs' SP Ryan Dempster filed for free agency Friday and said he will test the free agent market this winter. Dempster will join a list of the best free agent pitching crop in recent memory, including the likes of other top-notch starting pitchers CC Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez and more than likely A.J. Burnett assuming he opts out of his contract. Following his 2008 campaign, many assumed Dempster, who reportedly loves Chicago, would re-sign with the Cubs before Nov. 14 - the date all free agents are allowed to negotiate with other teams outside of their most recent organization. However, Dempster said he will test the waters this winter, which may result in a major loss for the Cubs starting rotation. After winning 17 games and piecing together the best year of his career in 2008, Dempster picked the perfect time to post incredible numbers as he was in the final year of a 3-year, $15.5 million contract. He will surely draw interest from all teams looking for starting pitching and may get a contract up to five years in excess of $60 million. This week, I searched the blogosphere to find any in-depth analysis on what kind of contract Dempster will receive and where he might play in 2009 and beyond, and I came across to unique posts on which I commented. The first one was entitled "I called it" written by avid Cubs' fan Kurt Evans. His post in the blog Goat Riders of the Apocalypse presented an argument that while the Cubs would greatly benefit in re-signing Dempster in the off season, the team should not offer him more than a three-year contract. Instead, they should trade for SP Jake Peavy. The second post was entitled "Free Agent at the End of the Season: Ryan Dempster," published American University student Josh Levitt in his blog Jorge Says No! This post highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of Dempster and provided a personal opinion on what type of contract the free agent pitcher should be expecting. In addition to posting my comments directly on each blog respectively, I have posted my comments below.

"I called it"
My Response:

Kurt, I would first like to thank you for writing an interesting post from a Cubs' regarding Dempster decision to test the free agent market this winter. Your knowledge as a fan exceeds most fan blogs I have read, and your insight provided me with more information than some professional blogs at ESPN or online newspapers. Many analysts and reporters believed Dempster would not consider testing the market following his impressive 2008 season when the starting pitcher went 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA while tallying 187 strike outs in 206.2 innings pitched. You, however, linked to a previous post of yours written nearly one month ago that explained Dempster may not be with the Cubs next season. In Dempster's case, he's 31 years old, and this may be his last opportunity to get that lucrative five year contract. In terms of your post, I like how you strongly stand by your belief that, "if Demspter can get 4 of 5 years elsewhere, then I believe the Cubs should wish him the best and send him on his way." While I don't agree with that feeling, I do recognize the benefits it provides for the Cubs, including the possible addition of Peavy and the free salary cap flexibility. My thoughts, however, feel that great starting pitching is very hard to come by in the Majors, and I personally do not think the Cubs have enough to offer in their minor league system to the San Diego Padres for Peavy. I also really enjoyed the list of pitchers you wrote that may be able to help the Cubs next season. After reading your post, I do have a few questions. If Dempster doesn't return to the Cubs, where do you think he will end up and for how much money? And, who would the Cubs go after? Also, if he does return, do you still see the Cubs going after any of the pitchers on the list you mentioned?

"Free Agent at the End of the Season: Ryan Dempster"
My Response:

First off, I would like to thank you Josh for writing such an interesting post pointing out the strengths and weaknesses to signing Ryan Dempster. Although I have read many blogs about the possibility of Dempster signing outside of Chicago as a free agent, not one post has outline the positives and negatives to signing the pitcher as you have. First and foremost, the structure of your work was incredible and very easy to follow. By writing Dempster's 2008 accomplishments to start your post, I knew exactly how great of a year Dempster had and what kind of demand he would have on the free agent market. While your arguments for signing Dempster - his age, relatively healthy arm, nasty pitcheing repertoire on the mound and mentality - were strong, I felt your position against Dempster was even stronger. Your wrote, "Sure Dempster had a great season this year, but he has only had one season in his 10 year career that even comes close to matching the kind of success he had this year (2000)." That's a big point a lot of teams are going to fail to look at when offering Dempster a big contract. Outside of his inexperience as a starter and lack on consistency on the mound, you pointed out the pitcher's high walk total and competition he will face among other top-flight free agents that may affect his value on the market. Additionally, I liked how you gave your own prediction on the type of contract Dempster will get based on your analysis of his skill and the market. I do agree that your four year, $48 million offer is quite conservative because I know a desperate team will start throwing out the money once other the free agent pitching crop begins to shrink. While your post covered a lot, however, you failed to mention where you think Dempster will end up. Do you think he'll stay in Chicago or will he chase the big bucks and sign elsewhere? Do you think Chicago will offer him more than a three year deal? Also, if Dempster signs in the AL, do you think he will be as effective?