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Yankees Have Yet To Offer Cliff Lee A Contract

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6:01pm: The Yankees have not made Lee an offer and the Yahoo report below is inaccurate, according to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).

12:29pm: An industry source told Yahoo's Tim Brown yesterday that the Yankees offered Cliff Lee "nearly $140MM over six years, but Lee continues to hold out for a seventh year."  Brown does not appear to have full confidence in the source, as the item was placed low in the column and he notes that he was unable to confirm the offer with the Yankees or Lee's agent.  We found the link via Joe Pawlikowski of River Ave. Blues, who has a good take on the rumor.

On Sunday, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote, "Word is the Yankees are in the $115 million-$120 million range for five years."

It seems likely that the Yankees are willing to give Lee a $23-24MM salary, allowing him to top C.C. Sabathia and own that record for a while, not counting Roger Clemens' pro-rated $28MM in 2007.  But if Lee wants to beat or match Sabathia's $161MM for the highest total contract ever given to a pitcher, he needs that seventh year despite being four years older than Sabathia was when he signed.  Lee's agent Darek Braunecker could also attempt to duplicate Sabathia's opt-out clause.  Braunecker famously negotiated such a clause into A.J. Burnett's five-year, $55MM deal with the Blue Jays.

Mets Notes: Collins, Wright, Davis, Bay, K-Rod

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The Mets formally introduced Terry Collins as their new manager today. Here's the latest on Collins and the team he'll take over (all links go to Twitter):

Red Sox Rumors: V-Mart, Varitek, Crawford

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The latest on the Red Sox, including details on the team's final offers to the Tigers' newest free agent signing:

  • The Red Sox offered Victor Martinez a three-year, $36MM deal and a four-year $42MM deal before he signed in Detroit, according to MLB.com's Ian Browne.
  • As Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald points out, the Red Sox could bring Jason Varitek back in 2011, even though they declined to offer him arbitration. Click here for all the updates on which ranked free agents were offered arbitration.
  • Wondering how the Red Sox have handled ranked free agents under Theo Epstein? Alex Speier of WEEI.com has all the details.
  • Red Sox manager Terry Francona told the Dale & Holley Show on WEEI that he's confident the team will be strong by Spring Training, even though Epstein and the rest of the front office have some needs to address now.
  • Francona called Carl Crawford a "game changer," not unlike Johnny Damon.
  • The skipper also suggested that reports about Marco Scutaro's availability don't mean "anything."
  • Francona was careful not to say much about Justin Upton, but he did repeat that the Red Sox value their own young players highly.

Mariners Not On Justin Upton’s No-Trade List

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4:08pm: The A's, Indians, Tigers and Royals are the teams on Upton's no-trade list, according to Rosenthal (on Twitter).

TUESDAY, 3:40pm: The Mariners are not on Upton's no-trade list, according to his representatives at Reynolds Sports (on Twitter).

MONDAY: Justin Upton has four teams on his no-trade list, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports: the Athletics, Mariners, Tigers, and Royals.  A previous Rosenthal report had included the Indians instead of the Mariners.  Rosenthal tweets that the Mariners indeed have interest, but they'd be very reluctant to meet Arizona's starting point of Dustin Ackley.

The Royals, Blue Jays, Marlins, Orioles, Red Sox, and Yankees are reportedly among the other interested teams.  On Friday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the D'Backs were approached by 15-16 teams about Upton at the GM Meetings, five of which "showed a strong inclination to push talks further along."  The Yankees are not among the five.

Pettitte Leaning Toward Returning To Yankees

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Free agent lefty Andy Pettitte is leaning toward a 2011 return to the Yankees, tweets Ken Davidoff of Newsday.  Back on November 11th, Pettitte told Matt Musil of KHOU.com, "Right now, I can tell you my heart's right here in Deer Park, [Texas]."

In the more immediate future we'll learn if the Yankees will offer arbitration to Pettitte, a Type A free agent.  Today GM Brian Cashman told ESPN's Wallace Matthews only one of Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Austin Kearns, and Mariano Rivera is likely to get an offer, and that's Wood.  Pettitte was a Type B free agent a year ago and was not offered arbitration by the Yankees.

Pettitte would add stability to the Yankees' rotation.  The 38-year-old lefty posted a 3.28 ERA, 7.0 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9, and 43.9% groundball rate in 129 regular season innings this year, missing time with a groin injury.

Cashman Encourages Jeter To Test The Market

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The game of chicken between the Yankees and Derek Jeter continued today, with GM Brian Cashman making the latest move.  Cashman told ESPN's Wallace Matthews:

"We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account.  We've encouraged him to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That's the way it works."

On Sunday, Jeter's agent Casey Close told Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News, "The Yankees' negotiating strategy remains baffling.  They continue to argue their points in the press and refuse to acknowledge Derek's total contribution to their franchise."  To that, Cashman responded:

"I certainly was surprised.  There's nothing baffling about our position. We have actually gone directly face to face with Casey and Derek and been very honest and direct. They know exactly where we sit."

Matthews reports the Yankees' offer to be three years and $45MM.  Cashman wouldn't confirm that, but did say, "You can write that they have asked for more. More years and more money."  Matthews says the Yankees informed Close Monday that they will not be offering arbitration to Jeter.  If Jeter does somehow land with another club, he will not come with a draft pick cost.

Sabean On Huff, Burrell, Uribe

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Giants GM Brian Sabean spoke to reporters today on the Aubrey Huff conference call, and Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News has all the details.

Brewers, Braves Pushing For Eric Hinske

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TUESDAY, 11:46am: The Brewers made an offer to Hinske, GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.  Melvin said he also has offers out to Craig Counsell and Chris Capuano.

MONDAY, 11:26am: The Brewers and Braves are making early pushes for outfielder/first baseman Eric Hinske, tweets Tim Brown of Yahoo.  On Friday, MLB.com's Mark Bowman reported that the Braves made a one-year offer in the $1.5MM range in hopes of retaining Hinske.  Interest is mutual, but Hinske wants a two-year deal.

Hinske, 33, hit .256/.338/.456 with 11 home runs in 320 plate appearances this year.  He logged innings at left field and first base, and has also played right field and third base in his career.  He's a left-handed hitter who has been shielded from southpaws by his managers in recent years.  Given recent contracts given to Geoff Blum and Ross Gload, Hinske has a case for two years.

Rosenthal On Greinke, Reynolds, Rhodes

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The latest from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…

  • Rosenthal wonders if Zack Greinke will change his opinion of the Royals in Spring Training when he sees how close many of their prospects are.  Rosenthal says the Royals have no urgency to deal Greinke, though ESPN's Buster Olney writes that "some rival general managers are convinced the Royals are intent on moving Greinke this winter."
  • Mark Reynolds is a "trade possibility under discussion" for the Orioles, depending on how their offseason unfolds.  We heard from Yahoo's Tim Brown on November 10th that the Diamondbacks are shopping Reynolds and "looking for contact hitters and bullpen help."  You'd have to think the D'Backs would want David Hernandez from the Orioles.
  • Rosenthal feels that a Heath Bell trade would not happen until after free agents like Rafael Soriano and J.J. Putz sign, if at all.
  • The Reds do not want to offer arbitration to Type A free agent Arthur Rhodes, but they could re-sign him this week.  Check out Rhodes' free agent stock watch piece here.     
  • One GM Rosenthal spoke to thought Joaquin Benoit's lucrative contract could discourage teams from offering arbitration to relievers such as Jason Frasor and Grant Balfour, because if they accept they could use Benoit as a comparable for their 2011 salaries.  On the other hand, I think teams could be more inclined to offer arbitration knowing relievers might turn it down in hopes of finding a multiyear deal on the open market.
  • The Rays' payroll is very limited, so they won't be spending much on a free agent closer type.
  • Rosenthal writes, "Suggestions that the Pirates are pursuing major free agents such as outfielder Jayson Werth appear greatly off-base."  I've yet to see any writer make a Pirates-Werth connection, but SI's Jon Heyman has said they've been aggressive in making free agent calls so far.

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