Yankees 2012-2013 Offseason Thread

[jete02fan]

He's a pretty bad defender, according to fielding metrics, but he wouldn't be the worst option to man LF while Granderson is down.

could probably work, for as bad as Manny was he always seemed to do ok when the Sox played at the Stadium...despite a kick or two

[jete02fan]

good lord, the stench coming out of Dunedin...Yanks getting their asses handed to them...16-3 Jays

[jacksonianmarch]

I'd have Boesch in RF and move Ichiro to LF. A lefty with power in Yankee Stadium could play well, where have I heard that before?

 

That being said, I am genuinely concerned about the direction of this Yankee team. Here's why. The Yankees need a facelift. Mo is gone after the yr. Jeter is 38 and coming off a broken ankle. ARod is 37 and recovering from hip surgery. Youkilis is 33 but an old 33. Pettitte is 40. Kuroda is 38. Ichiro is 39. Hafner is 35. And then the other "young guys" are Tex at 33, CC at 32, Cano at 30, Granderson at 31. The only position playing starters under 30 are going to be Gardner at 29 and Cervelli at 27. What concerns me is the fact that the Yankees are really staring at a "final" year of the dynasty and what they might do to "hold on" to the glory. I have a feeling we start the yr off slow, as we almost always do, but confounded by the injury bug, it might be worse than I had thought. My guess is that come June 1, we'll be around .500. That gives us 2 months to get back into contention with the players we came into the yr with. If we cannot do that, then Big Stein faces a difficult decision. Allow the current team to figure it out in the final 2 months OR make a bold and daring now move with our farm system to bring in guys who could help for a 2 month stay. I sincerely hope it isnt the latter.

 

Come 2014, we will have 3 starters under contract in CC, Phelps, and Nova (Kuroda, Pettitte and Hughes will be FAs). We'll have a pen highlighted by Robertson and nobody else (Mo will retire, Joba and Logan will be FA's). We'll have a lineup that could be devoid of Jeter if he opts out, but that loses Granderson, Hafner and Youkilis at season's end. We need to get younger. We need to develop from within. Teams around the league are flush with money just as much as the Steinnys are, if not more and some are more than willing to surpass the Yankees in cash flow. It's time to change the game a little and restock the team. We have some guys who profile as cornerstone player in the bigs coming up and coming up quickly. We cannot afford to deal them off for quick fix deals especially since this team is aging very fast. I am concerned that come Aug 1, a guy like a Mark Buerhle will be pitching in the Bronx or a Torri Hunger type will be suiting up while guys like Austin, Ramirez, Sanchez and Williams will be starting for other clubs

[jacksonianmarch]

Looks like Matt Diaz wasn't the answer to the RH platoon OFer

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Mark Teixeira's injury more serious

Updated: March 17, 2013, 5:05 PM ET

By Wallace Matthews | ESPNNewYork.com

 

TAMPA, Fla. -- The injury that will keep New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira out of the lineup until May at the earliest is not a wrist strain, as originally reported, but a partially torn tendon sheath that could potentially require season-ending surgery.

 

As of now, the Yankees are still expecting Teixeira to heal without needing an operation and to rejoin the club after about 8-10 weeks of healing time.

 

But Teixeira, who arrived at spring camp Sunday morning with his right wrist in a cast-like splint and will rehab there for the rest of the spring, raised the possibility that his absence could be longer than that.

 

This is one of those things I can't come back too early,'' he said. "We saw last season when I tried to play too early [with a calf injury] what happened. If I try to play too early from this we could miss the whole season, and we don't want that. I don't know if it's the beginning of May, the end of May, the beginning of June, I don't know when it is but we got a whole bunch of season left and the time that really matters is the playoffs.''

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was surprised to hear Teixeira say the injury was to the tendon sheath, a covering that keeps the wrist tendon in place, rather than to the tendon itself. He called Yankees team doctor Chris Ahmad, who told him the injury was a partially torn tendon sheath but a stable tendon, an injury that generally heals without surgery.

 

"Ahmad told me if he had a fully torn sheath, it's automatic surgery, and if he had a partially torn sheath with an unstable tendon, it's automatic surgery,'' Cashman said. "This is a best-case scenario injury, the only one that can heal without surgery.''

 

Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays suffered a partially torn wrist tendon sheath tendon last July, and originally thought he could return after a 15-day stay on the disabled list. But he was discovered to have an unstable tendon as well and ultimately underwent season-ending surgery. Bautista attempted to play after coming off the DL, which resulted in his needing surgery.

 

"It's not fun,'' said Teixeira, who has been doing cardiovascular workouts and hopes to start one-handed baseball drills in a week or so. "I had a very similar wrist thing in 2009, and I missed three games. I had a cortisone shot and I wound up having a great 2009. If this is just a little bit worse than what I had, then I have full confidence that I'll be back 100 percent. It's just a matter of letting it heal.''

 

But Teixeira acknowledged he had no real idea of how long the healing process would be.

 

"Everyone's body heals differently,'' he said. "I'd love to be back before 8-10 weeks but we won't know until I start swinging. It's different from a broken bone, because you have a pretty good idea how long a bone takes to heal.''

 

"This is more like a pitcher with an elbow or a shoulder injury,'' he said. "If you come back early from Tommy John surgery or a labrum tear, you're going to hurt yourself. If I come back too early, I'm not going to be very good, and I could blow it out and risk surgery and then I'm out the whole year.''

 

Teixeira injured his right wrist hitting off a tee practicing with Team USA for the WBC, but insisted the injury had less to do with the tournament than with the earlier than usual spring training schedule this season, which had teams playing games in the final week of February.

 

"It has nothing to do with the WBC,'' he said. "We started playing games on the 23rd of February. That's insane. We're usually just reporting on Feb. 23. I've been hitting off a tee since December. This was a freak injury. The nature of baseball now is, you show up at spring training early and you start playing games. The WBC had nothing to do with it.''

 

Instead, Teixeira thought the injury might have come through overuse; he is known for taking a lot of swings in the offseason, and as a switch-hitter he takes a lot of swings from both sides of the plate. "I might have to take a step back from that,'' he said.

 

"We're not going to rush it," said manager Joe Girardi. "We're going to do everything that we're told to do in rehabbing him, and let's hope it works."

[BSN07]

In all honesty if this was a player on the Red Sox I would just assume he's out for the year and anything they get out of him if anything at all this season will be a bonus. A tear is a horse of a different color.

[jacksonianmarch]

This information isnt new. They reported it a week ago that there was a tear in his wrist. Now we know it's the tendon sheath. Cashman has to prepare as if he isnt coming back, although if they dont f*** up his rehab, he should come back by June 1. Chances are, they'll f*** up his rehab and he'll miss the season

[Palodios]

Jeter's ankle is looking to be a big issue coming into 2013. The Yankee lineup keeps getting worse and worse.

[jacksonianmarch]

How is it looking like a big issue? They say his ankle is sore and he received a pain killing injection for it. He might start the yr on the DL retroactive to now, meaning he might miss a few games. Tex wrist is a big issue. Jeter's ankle is more an issue they will monitor as the season progresses. Its not uncommon for the muscle and tendons to be a little tight coming off his injury

[BSN07]

How is it looking like a big issue? They say his ankle is sore and he received a pain killing injection for it. He might start the yr on the DL retroactive to now, meaning he might miss a few games. Tex wrist is a big issue. Jeter's ankle is more an issue they will monitor as the season progresses. Its not uncommon for the muscle and tendons to be a little tight coming off his injury

 

So after one retroactive DL stint all will be well? Like it or not this is something that's going to be with him all season. It's not going to get better the more he plays on it. Maybe if he was a DH it be different. But he's an everyday position player.

 

If Drew was out with a hurting ankle instead of a concussion you would be saying the same about him and he's 2 years removed from surgery, not 5 months.

[jacksonianmarch]

So after one retroactive DL stint all will be well? Like it or not this is something that's going to be with him all season. It's not going to get better the more he plays on it. Maybe if he was a DH it be different. But he's an everyday position player.

 

If Drew was out with a hurting ankle instead of a concussion you would be saying the same about him and he's 2 years removed from surgery, not 5 months.

 

Drew's injury was a little more serious. Jeter's issue will be chronic, but he is likely to spend a lot of time DHing, especially vs LHP's. I am not worried about whether he can play or not. He'll play. I'm more concerned with Tex

[BSN07]

Drew's injury was a little more serious. Jeter's issue will be chronic, but he is likely to spend a lot of time DHing, especially vs LHP's. I am not worried about whether he can play or not. He'll play. I'm more concerned with Tex

 

Ya but Jeter is what? 8 years older? And his injury was different. His ankle just became so brittle from wear and tear it just broke. I honestly can't recall how Drew broke his, for some reason I'm thinking it was a slide.

 

I agree Jeter is going to play, that's just who he is and one of the reasons I respect him so much. But if he's not capable of going back to back days without swelling he's going to be needing that DH spot and he doesn't put up typical DH numbers, thus effecting the overall lineup like it was mentioned earlier.

 

I agree with you about Tex, that's pretty big deal too.

 

3 or 4 years ago I probably would have been laughing at the Yankees situation, but being in a similar mash unit situation with the Sox over the past couple years I have a hard time busting you Yankees fans around here too much. It sucks, I know. By no means is the season over, but it's going from an uphill battle to a vertical climb quickly for the start of the season.

[jacksonianmarch]

Yankees sign Chien Ming Wang to a MiLB deal. I like it. No risk, and if he can get back to some semblance of form, he gives us some depth

[SoxFanForsyth]

Jon Heyman said the Yankees now can trade Nova or Hughes for another bat.

 

Um. Wut. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. If they're going to do anything this year, it's going to be on the back of their SP. They absolutely cannot afford to downgrade that. Not to mention that Nova is one of the few pitchers they have under contract after this year.

[NZSox]

@PeteAbe: As @JeffPassan reports, #Yankees in talks for Ghost of Vernon Wells. He is owed $42 million. .249/.298 /.438 last 4 years.

[Palodios]

Vernon Wells to the Yanks, who have to pay 2/8. Man, they must really regret passing on Hairston.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Vernon Wells to the Yanks, who have to pay 2/8. Man, they must really regret passing on Hairston.

 

I'm hearing $13mm, not 8mm.

 

Either way. Woof.

[Palodios]

I'm hearing $13mm, not 8mm.

 

Either way. Woof.

 

Well, at this point on, no one should be bitching about Gomes.

[Station 13]

$13MM LMAO

[a700hitter]

Thank goodness that went longer have Beckett. Wells used to beat the tar out of Beckett whether Wells was having a good or bad year.

[jacksonianmarch]

They're desperate that's for sure. They brought in Rivera and Diaz and both are flopping. They now have a need for a third outfielder and a fourth until Granderson is healthy. I don't get the price tag especially since they're trying to get under the cap for 2014. My guess is they think he's still young enough to recoup some value. I don't like this move at all.

[BSN07]

Uggg what a terrible move. Why trade for a guy that when you acquire him makes his former GM a genius for being able to move him? They didn't actually give up anything but money for him right?

[Divinity]

2 years and 13 million for a guy with a negative WAR and an OPS under.700 (the last two years) is a horrible deal. You could get that production from a league minimum player.

[BSN07]

2 years and 13 million for a guy with a negative WAR and an OPS under.700 (the last two years) is a horrible deal. You could get that production from a league minimum player.

 

Ya it just doesn't make a lot of sense. You would think they would have a guy in AAA that could do that. Also it's getting close to roster crunch across the league, you would have thought their be some players available that could give you that production at the fraction of a price.

[jacksonianmarch]

They must think a change of venue could help him. It's a gamble

[Palodios]

Can someone tell me what is with Vernon Wells that makes GMs lose their minds? First the Blue Jays with the awful contract, then the Angels actually took the contract, and now the Yankees. I can't remember the last time the Yankees made a move that looked awful before it even happened.

[jacksonianmarch]

Arod's deal?

[Palodios]

Arod's deal?

 

The Yankees have money to burn. When you look at Arod's deal, you see them overpaying for a guy who just earned the AL MVP, with a 1.067 OPS season and spitting in the face of the Red Sox at the same time.

 

Its one thing to overpay for an elite player, but to overpay for a guy like Vernon Wells? He just plain sucks.

[BSN07]

They must think a change of venue could help him. It's a gamble

 

I could get that if he was LHH. And where was this money earlier in the off season? They could have picked up a decent OF for 2/12-13M. They pinch their pennies and then splurge on Wells? It's just weird imo.

[Palodios]

The worst part is that the Yankees will have a 7 million dollar player on their roster, and they'll probably have to play him, even if his stats suffer.