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Yankees Notes: Sabathia, Posada, Cashman

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The Yankees won 97 regular season games and two more in the playoffs, but their quest for a 28th World Championship fell short in the Bronx last night, as the Tigers beat them 3-2. Here are some links as the Yankees look ahead to another offseason…    

  • Tyler Kepner of the New York Times says retaining C.C. Sabathia is the most pressing task of the Yankees' offseason. If they let him slip away, the Red Sox could have interest, as Kepner points out.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com points out that the Yankees' biggest offseason need is once again starting pitching and runs through a number of other issues facing the Bronx Bombers this winter.
  • Sabathia can opt out of the four years remaining on his seven-year, $161MM contract after the season and the left-hander says he can't wrap his head around the decision yet, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. However, Sabathia repeated that he loves it in New York.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post suspects that the Yankees will wait, instead of extending Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson this offseason. Both players are eligible for free agency after 2013 (assuming New York exercises Cano's two options).
  • Alex Rodriguez told Sherman that the Yankees' season was a "major failure" though they finished with the best record in the American League. Rodriguez says he has a lot to prove and is looking forward to the challenge of "coming back with a vengeance."
  • As Mike Vorkunov of the Star-Ledger explains, Jorge Posada may have played his final game in Yankee pinstripes and the catcher turned DH is emotional about the possibility.
  • Brian Cashman reiterated that he wants to return to the Yankees, according to Marc Carig of the Star-Ledger. The GM's contract expires after the season, but the Yankees want him back, so a new deal appears likely.

Heyman On Cubs, Marlins, Cole, Posada

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Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano could use a change of scenery, as Jon Heyman explains at SI.com. One rival GM considers the right-hander a fourth starter, which matches Tim Dierkes’ assessment of Zambrano from yesterday. Here are the rest of Heyman’s rumors, starting with another note on the Cubs… 

  • Cubs owner Tom Ricketts has had good things to say about GM Jim Hendry, but Heyman hears that Hendry is still “at risk” of losing his job. Despite a weekend report to the contrary, Hendry doesn't have any guarantees. 
  • The Marlins demoted Logan Morrison to the minors because Marlins officials, including manager Jack McKeon, believe the outfielder needs to show more maturity and be less outspoken. It doesn't appear that Morrison will file a grievance.
  • One GM called first overall pick Gerrit Cole a “slam dunk” number one starter, Heyman reports. The Pirates signed the former UCLA right-hander to an $8MM deal on Monday.
  • The Yankees won’t release Jorge Posada, but it appears that he’ll have to earn a spot on their playoff roster.

Jorge Posada Talks Future With Yankees

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Jorge Posada isn’t sure about much when it comes to his future in the Major Leagues but he knows he wants to keep playing. The longtime Yankee, who turns 40 tomorrow, told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News that he’s leaning toward returning for an 18th MLB season after 2011, when his four-year, $52.4MM contract expires. 

"To tell you the truth, I really don't know until the season's over and I get home and see what happens during the offseason, all the workouts and stuff,” Posada said. “I haven't really thought about it, but I still think that I will right now." 

Though Posada hasn't caught this year, he believes he could return behind the plate as a backup “here and there.” The Yankees, who don’t view Posada as a catcher at this point, are the only team he has ever suited up for and the switch-hitter told Mark Hale of the New York Post that he “could” end up playing for another team in 2012. However, manager Joe Girardi called Posada a “beloved Yankee” and Posada himself admitted that it would be difficult to suit up for another team and for other fans.

It's a possibility that Posada will likely face in the relatively near future, since Russell Martin is under team control for another season and top prospect Jesus Montero is nearly Major League ready.

Rosenthal’s Full Count Video: Wandy, Reds, Rays

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Here's the latest Full Count video clip from Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com:

  • The Astros may place lefty Wandy Rodriguez on waivers next week, and it's possible but unlikely that Rodriguez will be claimed by another team. He stands to earn $36MM over the next three seasons, which could be a deterrent for teams considering a claim, but if he clears, the Diamondbacks and other teams may show interest in working out a trade.
  • The Reds have not seen a significant spike in attendance coming off last season's division title and will likely be relatively inactive this offseason.
  • The Rays considered trading center fielder B.J. Upton in July, but they may hold him this offseason and allow him to walk in free agency after 2012. The Rays value Upton highly and think they may not be able to spend his 2012 salary, which Rosenthal estimates will be roughly $7MM, any better on another player or players.
  • Tampa might be more willing to trade righty James Shields, who would probably yield a greater return than Upton.
  • The Yankees will not release catcher Jorge Posada, which is why they're having trouble squeezing prospect Jesus Montero to the big leagues. The Yanks do not want to go to an 11-man pitching staff, which they'd have to do if they called up Montero.

New York Notes: Reyes, Wade, Posada, Pelfrey

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The Mets have placed Jose Reyes on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain after examining the results of an MRI, the team announced.  This break in Reyes' season won't be filled by contract talks, however, as Newsday's David Lennon tweets that Reyes and his agents still plan to wait until after the season to begin negotiations.  Reyes' latest health issue isn't helping his reputation as an injury-prone player; as one unnamed Mets player tells Lennon (Twitter link), Reyes "is probably losing $100K a day on the DL," in regards to his next contract.

Here's the latest on the Mets and Yankees…

  • Right-hander Cory Wade has been the Yankees' "secret weapon" since joining the club on a minor league deal in June, writes Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog.
  • Another low-profile Yankee acquisition, Eric Chavez, has also paid off for the Bombers, writes MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
  • Rival executives say the Yankees lead the league in waiver claims, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
  • As ESPN.com’s Buster Olney points out (on Twitter), the Yankees could use a second left-hander out of the bullpen in October. It won’t be surprising if they consider Arthur Rhodes, who will officially hit free agency later this week.
  • Jorge Posada will have to choose between a bench role and asking for his release, according to Olney, who says the Yankees won’t cut him (Twitter link).
  • The Mets intend to tender Mike Pelfrey a contract this winter, according to Newsday’s David Lennon. The right-hander earns $3.925MM now and could earn over $6MM in 2012.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post

AL East Notes: Millwood, Posada, Lawrie

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The Red Sox walked off against the Yankees last night after a rare blown save from future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. Here's the latest on the first place Red Sox, the Yankees and the rest of their division…

  • Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun expects the Orioles' front office to at least internally discuss the possibility of adding Kevin Millwood, who was released yesterday. A reunion would surprise Zrebiec, however.
  • Jorge Posada is no longer the Yankees' regular DH and the final chapter of his career may be characterized by inactivity, writes Mike Bauman of MLB.com.
  • As Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes, manager Joe Girardi has delivered potentially embarrassing news to Posada before a nationally televised game twice this season. Girardi batted Posada ninth back in May and the switch-hitter pulled himself from the lineup. 
  • Brett Lawrie tells Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca that it's the same game at the Major League level, but with more breaking balls in the strike zone and bigger stadiums. The Blue Jays prospect is five for his first 11 with a homer as a big leaguer.

New York Notes: Posada, Reyes, Citi Field

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As Paul McCartney gets ready to make his debut at the new Yankee Stadium, here's the latest news from the Big Apple…

  • The Yankees "don't want to release [Jorge Posada] at all," but they may be forced into such a move if Posada's hitting doesn't pick up by the All-Star Break, writes ESPNNewYork.com's Ian O'Connor.  For now, there is no talk of a Posada release since the club wants to keep him on the roster until Derek Jeter reaches the 3000-hit plateau.  Of course, baseball is the last thing on Posada's mind today as his 11-year-old son underwent his latest surgery to attempt to correct a birth defect in his skull.  We at MLBTR send our best wishes to the entire Posada family.
  • Can the Mets afford the fan backlash that will come from trading Jose Reyes?  Brian Costa of the Wall Street Journal asks the question, and also gets this interesting quote from author Vince Gennaro: "The odds that this is the new [Reyes] and that he's going to have a five-year run that even remotely resembles this are miniscule….But that's not where the fan base is going to come from. They're going to look at this as one more sign, if he gets dealt, of a lack of commitment by ownership."
  • The Mets may explore moving in the fences at Citi Field this winter, reports Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.  “There’s always going to be a preferred class, whether it’s pitchers or hitters, in situations like this, but I want to make sure it’s a fair ballpark,” said GM Sandy Alderson.
  • Tyler Clippard and Mark Melancon are two of the ex-Yankee relievers who are having fine seasons in 2011, writes Mike Axisa of the River Ave Blues blog. 

Stark On Posada, Cubs, Madson

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The nuances of this year’s interleague schedule could impact the playoff picture, as ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark explains. In the AL West, for example, the Rangers play the Astros (owners of the worst record in baseball) six times, while the A’s play the first-place Giants six times. Stark also delivers a number of rumblings from around the league. Here they are:

  • There are no signs that the Yankees have really considered releasing Jorge Posada, but at least one scout thinks the switch-hitter could easily find another job if the Yankees cut him loose.
  • Cubs GM Jim Hendry says he hasn’t discussed next year’s spending plans with owner Tom Ricketts, since he’s focused on turning the 2011 team around.
  • Don’t count on seeing Aramis Ramirez’s name on MLBTR much this summer. Not only can the third baseman veto any trade, a deal would guarantee him $16MM in 2012 (though he could still opt out).
  • Ryan Madson seems ready to test the open market after the season. Since taking over for Jose Contreras and Brad Lidge, Madson seems like a possible long-term closer, but he figures to generate interest as a free agent after the season.

AL East Notes: Orioles, Martinez, Lowe, Posada

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Hector Noesi got his first MLB win in unconventional fashion yesterday, pitching in and out of trouble through four innings of scoreless relief against the Orioles. Here’s the latest on the Yankees, the O’s and their division rivals after a bizarre game in Baltimore…

Gammons On Millwood, Catchers, Posada

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MLB Network's Peter Gammons appeared on WEEI's Mut & Merloni show today, and Jerry Spar has the transcript.  A few highlights:

  • The Red Sox called on Kevin Millwood to see if he will go to Triple-A Pawtucket and pitch, according to Gammons (on Twitter). With John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka on the DL, the Red Sox are short on starting pitching.
  • Gammons does not consider Pedro Martinez a likely option.  In a May interview, Pedro seemed to be leaning toward retirement.  There's not much else on the free agent market – Jeremy Bonderman and Jarrod Washburn are unsigned, but it's not clear if they're looking to get back into the game or would consider the East Coast.
  • "Raise your son to be a catcher," advises Gammons, as many teams around baseball in addition to the Red Sox are getting no production at the position.  The average American League catcher is hitting .224/.294/.361 this year, a similar line to the one Ivan Rodriguez had in 2010.
  • If Jorge Posada doesn't start hitting, Gammons can see the Yankees releasing him and calling up Jesus Montero, who is hitting .331/.363/.433 at Triple-A.  In that case Gammons believes Posada would remain in the AL East, signing with the Orioles.  Buck Showalter's final season managing the Yankees coincided with Posada's rookie year. 
  • Speaking of the Orioles, Mark Teixeira spoke to the Baltimore Sun's Luke Broadwater about the team's interest back in '08: "Of the five offers I received, the Orioles were by far the lowest offer and I don't know if they were ever that serious about signing me. We had one meeting and that was it. I'm not sure if they were ever very interested."  Digging through the MLBTR archives, I think the Orioles topped out at seven years, $140MM.  Teixeira added that he expects to finish his career as a Yankee.
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