Here's the latest from the AL East, starting with an update on two pending moves involving the Yankees…
- Jesus Montero is dealing with a passport or visa issue at the moment and is unable to travel to Seattle for his physical, reports Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Once that is resolved, the trade sending him and Hector Noesi from the Yankees to the Mariners for Michael Pineda and Jose Campos will be made official.
- Bob Klapisch of The Bergen Record says (on Twitter) that Hiroki Kuroda is still in Japan, so he has yet to take his physical and finalize his one-year contract with the Yankees. Klapisch adds that like Montero, Campos is stuck in Venezuela at the moment.
- Red Sox GM Ben Cherington indicated to MLB.com's Ian Browne that the team is unlikely to make any big changes to the roster before Spring Training. "If Spring Training were to start tomorrow, we'd feel good about where we are and [we'd be] ready to put the team together," said the GM.
- Though the Yankees currently have $1-2MM to spend on a designated hitter, they could free up cash by dealing A.J. Burnett, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets. Burnett has $33MM remaining on his contract, and it would be a surprise if the Yankees free up more than $10MM via trade.
- Newsday's Ken Davidoff suggests Raul Ibanez might be the best DH option for the Yankees, assuming Johnny Damon signs with a team that can offer more plate appearances.
- Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports that former Oriole Brady Anderson was named special assistant to Orioles GM Dan Duquette today. Melewski also lists some changes in the responsibilities handled by other front office employees.
Ben Nicholson-Smith contributed to this post.
burrnet-soriano straight up
Nope, I prefer Burnett over Soriano. If the Yankees want a hitter like Soriano, they might as well sign Guerrero.
no thanks
Can anyone say Jesus Montero is really Raul Rodriguez, Age 27?
In Venezuela is far more difficult to construct a false identity because citizens have ID cards from around when they are 10 years old until they die. This cards are obligatory and necessary for almost any paperwork, from card payments to visa requests, and voting. This cards also have a photo of the person carrying them, and you have to register with them in order to vote, so any identity fraud is easy to pick up.
Update: In any case, the problems with the Visa must be due to the situation with Venezuela’s consul on Miami and the way he was deported.
Thinking the same thing. I want him to come to the Mariners but would laugh my butt off if the trade fell through again. Worst case we get Pinada back. Not going to happen with player having issues all the time getting here for start of spring training.
The Yankees are trying to free money by trading Burnett. That was the best joke of the day. They couldn’t pay another team enough to take him, without eating 30 of the remaining 33 million. They were the idiots that signed him and it is only fair that they are the idiots that get to keep him until the contract expires.
That’s not how trades work.
I’m sure a GM would throw a bottom feeder prospect at the Yankees for Burnett, but if they want anything more, they eat 30M of his salary. That is how trades work. Why would any team in baseball want to help New York, since it is the Yankees that have shafted most teams and stole their best players. Now the shoe is on the other foot and it is a perfect opportunity for payback.
Sorry I was actually replying to the part where you believe the Yankees are actually trying to trade burnett when it was just a suggestion from somebody else. If they were to find a team that would eat more than 10m of his salary, then they would no longer be the bigger idiots. and there’s always a bigger idiot.
I guess mark teix and cc are most teams bets players.
That still frees up $1.5MM this year to allow them to sign a DH while getting rid of a guy that they won’t even use.
Sorry I was initially responding to where you thought the Yankees were actually trying to unload Burnett when it was merely a suggestion, but I changed my direction. They know the position they’re in. And there will always be that less than intelligent team who will eat up most or all of a contract no matter what it is. (Angels and Vernon Wells.)
I just spent a whole 15 minutes writing a post that, for some reason, needs to be approved. Anyway, the deal hasn’t worked out but it wasn’t a bad signing. The only issue with AJ wasn’t his ability to pitch but his ability to stay healthy. 90% of would’ve thought that if the deal went bad it would be because of his arm/shoulder vs his inability to pitch at a FIP around or under 4.00. look at his 3 years in the AL East w/ the Jays and the issue was performance but it WAS healthy, something that hasn’t been an issue thus far.
I just spent a whole 15 minutes writing a post that, for some reason, needs to be approved. Anyway, the deal hasn’t worked out but it wasn’t a bad signing. The only issue with AJ wasn’t his ability to pitch but his ability to stay healthy. 90% of would’ve thought that if the deal went bad it would be because of his arm/shoulder vs his inability to pitch at a FIP around or under 4.00. look at his 3 years in the AL East w/ the Jays and the issue was performance but it WAS healthy, something that hasn’t been an issue thus far.
talking like a typical anti Yankee person. And you are so wrong about the Yanks stealing other teams players . You are so clueless
yea and burrnet would put up MUCH BETTER numbers in the nl or al central
Or even the AL East. He just needs to get out of NY.
How in the world does that make any sense..
He can’t handle the pressure in New York. It’s a mental thing with Burnett.
Yankee stadium is a bang box
If the Blue Jays got rid of Wells anythings possible.
Tony Reagins is no longer GM…so good luck!
Jack Z is still a GM though lol (Yes I know he isn’t going there, just saying it for fun)
Jack Z has made consistently high-quality trades. Needs to improve his FA signings though.
JZ has consistently pulled off great trades for the M’s (most notably; Gillies, Aumont, and Ramirez for Cliff Lee). Milton Bradley was a wash because Seattle needed Carlos Silva to leave.
His FA signings need to improve, however.
I do think he could be a decent #3-4 in the NL, at least as good as a Wandy Rodriquez, but they would have to find a bad salary to take in exchange, or eat all but 1-2m a season upfront in order to move him IMO.
soriano is well beyond a salary dump as well and got a feeling Cashman sees that. Even Burnett, inserted as a #5 has more value than someone who cannot field, does not know how to take a walk and swings at any pitch within his area code.
Cash is probably going to just let things ride with him, unless someone comes along and is willing to pay at least 8-10m of the remaining portion.
you are so wrong. Burnett is owed 33 million . That is 16.5 for this year and next. If the Yanks are willing to eat 17 million of the remaining 33, that leaves 16 or 8 million for this year and next. That would be cheap for any team to get a starter for 8 million a year for this year and next.
If they were willing to do that , more teams would come calling , especially NL teams.
If the Cubs could move Zambrano and his awful contract , the Yanks can move Burnett’s as long as they are willing to eat 17 of 33 million.
I think Burnett would be a steal for any team who could get the Yankees to pay half his salary. Some players arent meant for NY, he is one of them. I would think he would be begging to get out, and show he can still pitch and get another payday.
What about Aubrey Huff as a DH option for the Yankees? Maybe DJ Mitchell or Corban Joseph in return?
He costs more than 2 mil, i think
Around 8
He costs more than 2 mil, i think
How about Yankees signing Carlos Pena as a DH? His swing would be perfect for Yankee stadium.
v/s LHP – Andruw Jones
v/s RHP – Carlos Pena
He is also a good infielder which means he Tex could DH once in a while. Perfect.
Because Pena wants $5-$10 mil and if I”m not mistaken, I heard he also wants to field.
1- He won’t be the Yankees 1B
2- He won’t be their everyday DH
I’d like the Yankees to get him, but I expect him to go elsewhere.
Good point. Carlos Pena would be an ideal candidate for the Yankees DH spot though. Not a perfect world.
They should just dh jones all the time.
Id be ok with that or maybe even pair him with russel branyan hoping for a comeback
They probably are going to use Jones as the DH against LHP. That’s why they are looking for a LH DH.
Pena is an above average fielder, sitting him on the bench is wasting part of his talents. Texiera is a better fielder so it counter-productive to DH him.
As much as I can’t stand AJ, Sending Zito to NYY for AJ Burnett would be an upgrade.
If only Barry Zito didn’t have a no trade clause…. LOL
How exactly would Zito be an upgrade, he is puts up below average numbers pitching home games in a pitchers park and in the NL. I wouldn’t want Zito even for free.
Well he would be an upgrade for AL East hitters. Lefty flyball pitcher in Yankee Stadium, gotta think that will raise a few slugging percentages.
He’s a Giants fan I think? I believe he’s saying AJ would be > than Zito.
Love him or hate him, for the numbers Vladimir Guerrero puts up, I can’t see a more complete option at the DH spot for the Yankees. He’ll likely command a 5-7 million dollar contract considering he signed an 8 million dollar contract with the O’s after an “MVP” season. You know he’s gonna hit, and by hitting sixth he gives protection to Teixeira. Although he swings at a lot of pitches, Vlad struck out only 56 times as opposed to Ibanez’s 106. If the Yankees really want to be cheap by spending only 1-2 million on a DH (which I don’t believe for a second), the best option would probably be Matsui. You know what you’re getting with Matsui, and his swing is perfect in Yankee Stadium. But Vlad is still the best available option in my opinion.
I agree Vlad’s a got some lighting in the bottle left. Hes got the upside, Plus Not only that he can get the rally monkey to team up with the Yankees.
did you watch him play one time last year? that is a rhetorical question. the answer is obviously no.
could have been the fact that he was on a bad team, its not very exciting to lose 90 games
we didnt start playing poorly until the middle of june. up to that point we were a .500 team. he wasnt hitting then either. what a dumb argument anyway. plenty of guys hit well on bad teams.
could have been the fact that he was on a bad team, its not very exciting to lose 90 games
vlad has nothing left. he is a horrible option for anyone at any price. that said i would LOVE it if the yankees signed him.
sincerely,
every orioles fan who watched him ground out weakly to short on pitches 5 ft out of the strike zone rather than accept that he has zero bat speed left and take a freaking walk once in a while…
I strongly agree that Vlad really needs to take walks more often. However, I think he does have some gas left in the tank. He still managed to get 163 hits, and he has done incredibly well vs. the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. I’d take him at the right price.
Burnett to the Brewers for Nyjer Morgan
Heeeeeeeell nooooooo!!!
Burnett to the Brewers for Nyjer Morgan
Burnett for Helton makes some sense
rockies need pitching and would probably not demand cash back from the yanks for taking helto, who can be used as dh
Rockies fans would absolutely revolt at that move. Todd Helton, even though he has slowed with age, is still one of the more popular players on the team.
Besides, who would the Rockies use as their everyday 1B. Certainly not Giambi.
Burnett for Giambi then lol
What makes Brady Anderson qualified for that job exactly?
He found a way to magically hit 50+ HR one year?
So what you’re saying is that his only station is to administer PEDs to players?
I always figured it was mysterious wizarding powers unresearched because Baltimore didn’t have a trainer in a half-baked report exposing other players with mysterious wizarding powers.
So yes.
I thought it was a deal made with Satan, but everybody is entitled to their opinion, I suppose.
I actually found an article on the O’s site that said he was focusing on conditioning and fitness. This makes more sense.
Imagine if the Montero-Pineda trade fell through for some reason. All of the wasted hours blogging by so many…
On mlb2k11 the CPU accepts a straight up trade A-Rod for Felix Hernandez.
That’s why that game is trash. The Show > 2K