Lots of Movement at the Winter Meetings

Latest from the Winter Meetings:

– The Rangers traded RHP Kevin Millwood to the Orioles for reliever Chris Ray
– LHP Randy Wolf and RHP Latroy Hawkins both signed with the Milwaukee Brewers
– The Atlanta Braves GM officially stated that Rafael Soriano will be traded
– The Cardinals officially signed RHP Brad Penny
– The Marlins sent RHP Matt Lindstrom to the Astros for 2 minor leaguers and a Rule 5 pick
– 2004 Rookie of the Year SS Bobby Crosby signed with the Pirates
– The Phillies signed PH/1B Ross Gload

Ross Ohlendorf: Yankee, Pirate, and…Government Intern?

Photo by AP/J. Scott Applewhite

Thats right Ross Ohlendorf is interning with the U.S. Government at the Agriculture Department. Some stories even if completely and utterly useless just have to be posted, and this is one of them.

2010 Roster Preview

Heres my updated 2010 Roster Preview: (/=more than one choice bold=my choice)

C- Jorge Posada, Francisco Cervelli/Jose Molina
1B- Mark Teixeira, Juan Miranda/Shelley Duncan
2B- Robinson Cano
3B- Alex Rodriguez,
SS- Derek Jeter, Ramiro Pena/Jerry Hairston Jr.
LF- Jason Bay
CF- Brett Gardner
RF- Nick Swisher
DH- Johnny Damon

SP- CC Sabathia
SP- A.J. Burnett
SP- Zach Duke
SP- Andy Pettite/Jarrod Washburn/Jason Marquis
SP- Phil Hughes

Long Relief- Alfredo Aceves, Chad Gaudin
Middle Relief- Dave Robertson, Mark Melancon
Lefty Relief- Phil Coke, Damaso Marte
Set-Up- Joba Chamberlain
Closer- Mariano Rivera

CHANGES:

–Jason Bay instead of Melky Cabrera in the Outfield. Bay would be taken away from the Redsox, who choose Matt Holliday over him, after Bay negotiates with the Yankees and other teams.

-Melky Cabrera and an additional prospect traded to the Pirates for Zach Duke. The Pirates can use a 3rd/4th OF and the Yankees can use pitching. It is well documented that the Pirates and Yankees are very amiable trading partners. The Pirates also have former Yankees prospect Daniel McCutchen waiting in the wing to take over a spot in the rotation.

-Johnny Damon over Hideki Matsui at DH. Damon can play the Outfield and has better speed and is less of an injury scare.

-Andy Pettite re-signed, OR Jarrod Washburn signed, OR Jason Marquis signed. If Pettite chooses not to retire it is a definite that it will be with the Yankees. If he doesn’t they will look to either an older player like Washburn or Randy Wolf. I think Wolf goes to the Astros though AND Washburn goes to the Brewers. That leaves me with Jason Marquis. Innings-eater that the Yankees can benefit from.

-Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain switch roles. Simple move to me. Bring any arguments over to the comments.

CONTRACTS:

Jason Bay- 5 Years, $75 Million

Andy Pettite/Jarrod Washburn- 1 Year, $8.5 Million OR Jason Marquis- 4 Years, $40 Million

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Bring em over to the comments!

*Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

UPDATE: 2:10 PM: Once again excuse me for my bad judgement of prospects. Apparently a Pirates fan feels that the Pirates have enough OF prospects to deal with the 3rd outfield situation. If so, maybe a Reegie Corona or Eduardo Nunez will do.

Yankees Failures

1. Joba Chamberlain did not become the starter the Yankees had hoped for.

2. Sergio Mitre was needed during the season.

3. Brian Bruney did not become the set up man the Yankees had hoped for.

4. Phil Hughes was not successful as a starter.

5. A.J. Burnett was inconsistent during the year.

6. Chien-Ming Wang.

7. Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez, and Anthony Claggett all struggled and only one is still with the team.

8. Xavier Nady.

9. The Yankees lost two out of three to the Nationals.

10. The Yankees now have six players on the Pirates 40-man roster.

Yankees Win a Big One

The Yankees may have won their most important game of the year yesterday, as they beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim IN Anaheim with a lineup that brought Shelley Duncan to the plate fifth. Ian Kennedy made his MLB season debut and pitched a scoreless shaky 8th. Freddy Guzman got his first stolen base as a Yankee.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed Anthony Claggett off waivers from the Yankees. That makes 6 former Yankees now on the Pirates 40-man roster. You heard that right-SIX.

Problem: Yankees Wasting Pitchers

The New York Yankees have a great farm system. They develop great players. One thing they cannot say, however is that they hold on to those great pitchers. Most of the AAA Yankees’ roster is now on the MLB Pirates (seriously.) Lets name a few:

RP Steven Jackson (MLB Pirates)
RP Eric Hacker (MLB Pirates)
RP Scott Patterson (MLB Padres at the time, now with the MLB A’s)

The Yankees also made the horrible trade of Jose Tabata, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Karstens, and Daniel McCutchen for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte.

At the time it looked great for both sides, maybe better for the Yankees.

Now Tabata is a top-prospect outfielder (which the Yankees can use besides Austin Jackson,) Ross Ohlendorf is an innings-eating starter in the MLB (Yankees can use that) Jeff Karstens is injured, but a solid 5th starter, and Daniel McCutchen is getting a trial in the MLB.

Meanwhile Nady is hurt and Marte has a horrible contract and a horrible ERA.

I would not be ranting if the Yankees had reasons for these moves. Do the Yankees REALLY need Freddy Guzman? They’re just going to DFA him in the offseason when Kevin Russo, Austin Jackson, Zach Kroenke, etc need 40-man spots. Why not DFA Juan Miranda? They should try to trade him in the offseason. They have first base locked up for the next 7+years.

For all we know Claggett can be a valuable MLB pitcher in the future. The Yankees did not give him, or Jackson, or Hacker, or Patterson a decent shot. That is my problem.

Redsox Make Another Move…..What About the Yankees?

The Redsox made another trade today, acquiring Brian Anderson of the Chicago Whitesox for Mark Kotsay.

While the Redsox are improving their depth the Yankees are sitting back and doing nothing. The Yankees NEED to make a trade for a backup OF now that Gardner is on the DL. The Yankees also need, in my opinion, two more capable MLB starters. I would like to see the Yankees trade for both Ian Snell and Jarrod Washburn. They definitely need at least one of the two.

Recent rumors saying Bronson Arroyo will soon be traded to the Yankees have been shot down by multiple people familiar with the dealings.