***The OFFICAL Yankees Offseason Speculation Thread***

[pokerdirty]

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Dear Yankees,

Um, it's going into the second week of December now, and there have already been some pretty big blockbuster moves. I just had a question. Were you guys, uh, thinking about filling the hole in center, or maybe getting an extra starting pitcher? Oh yeah, the middle relief in the bullpen looks like swiss cheese, too. I mean, if you guys are sitting on your hands in the club house watching the 5th and 6th seasons of Seinfeld on DVD, I totally understand, I love that show! Just wondering if you guys were actually pulling the trigger on anything other than overpaying for Mr. Farnsworth.

[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img],

P. Dirty

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would you rather them have gone out and jumped the gun making a stupid mega deal with would have traded away tons of young players and $$? maybe the perfect deals you had in mind werent possible. youre too impatient and becoming one of those disgruntled yankee fans who is always pissed about them not winning every game and being an unrealistic pessimist.

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1. What young players.
2. I've had a few discussions with you about the Farnsworth signing, and how you seem to think money grows on trees in this organization. That theory got a kick in the nuts earlier in the week.
3. I'm only an unreal pessimist because this is my last year in NYC before I go back to watching the Clippers, and I want a championship damnit!

I feel like other teams (especially those in the east, i.e. BJs and Sux) are going out and getting the pieces they need to knock us off our perch at the top. The Yanks don't seem to be doing anything. I know this is not true, there is undoubtely some [censored] going on within the organization to do with FA signings, but that's news I don't have access too. I miss the days when it seemed like NYY was always on the bottom line, sticking their noses in places where it probably didn't belong.

[kenberman]

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going out and getting the pieces they need to knock us off our perch at the top.

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umm, tha Yankees haven't been on top in 5 years now [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[samjjones]

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btw, Yankees have signed Mike Myers who was declined arbitration by the red sox. looks like we got a lefty specialist finally.

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You do remember Alan Embree, right? He was a lefty specialist.

My memory may be fooling me, but I seem to remember the Yankees destroying this guy on a regular basis.

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Embree has actually been better vs. righties lately, due to the cut fastball. Nobody would classify him as a "lefty specialist".

[andyfox]

He clearly meant top of the AL East, since he talked about Toronto and Boston.

The Yankees seems to have decided they're going with what they have and not spending big bucks this year. The Blue Jays and Red Sox have improved their teams markedly in the off-season. Looks like the Yankees are counting on Wang being healthy and improved, Pavano coming back from his injury, Chacon pitching like he did, and Mussina and Johnson still being effective at their advanced ages.

[pokerdirty]

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He clearly meant top of the AL East, since he talked about Toronto and Boston.

The Yankees seems to have decided they're going with what they have and not spending big bucks this year. The Blue Jays and Red Sox have improved their teams markedly in the off-season. Looks like the Yankees are counting on Wang being healthy and improved, Pavano coming back from his injury, Chacon pitching like he did, and Mussina and Johnson still being effective at their advanced ages.

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Andy,

Starting pitching, whatever, it looks fine. I'm worried about the bullpen/CF. Signing the red sox left overs isn't going to do it (why haven't we figured this out by now?).

And on the center field issue, who is going to get the job? Crosby, meh. Resign Bernie? [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], but meh. Damon? $$$$$ meh.

[Rubeskies]

Available CF or OF (In the event that Matsui is moved to center).

CF: Johnny Damon, Kenny Loften, Bernie Williams, and Preston Wilson

OF: Jeromy Burnitz, Juan Encarnacion, Juan Gonzalez, Jeffrey Hammonds, Richard Hidalgo, Jacque Jones, Eli Marrero, Reggie Sanders, Sosa, Rondell White.

If the Yanks aren't willing to move Matsui to center, Damon seems like the only viable canidate. Preston Wilson has good power but strikes out way too much. Lofton hit .335 last year in 350+ ABs and stole 22 bases and he is a pretty decent defender because he still has speed but is he reliable? Could be the answer to our leadoff problems if Cashman wants to gamble on an aging vet. And of course Bernie is Bernie.

Most of those other corner outfielders can all fill the role but none of them are exactly inspiring choices and I don't know how much I like Matsui in Center.

Besides that a trade could be in order. Milton Bradley has a lot of talent but he is a head case and I don't think he'd survive in New York.

[Rubeskies]

The Yankees resigned Sturtze but other options out there are:


Octavio Dotel is pretty solid. I'm not sure he'd be willing to go back to a setup role but Dotel, Farnsworth, Rivera sounds like something I could put my trust in.

Joey Eischen has a breakout season with the Nats last year. Lefty that had a 3.22 ERA and a 7.4 K/9 ration. Not bad. Better than Mike Myers.

Cal Eldrid is an aging vet who had a sub 3 ERA last year in 40 innings for the Cards. Hard to trust his stuff though.

Hasegawa and Chris Hammond are uninspired options.

Roberto Hernandez had a pretty good year last year. ERA Under 3 but he is getting old as well.

Braden Looper is meh.

Jim Mecir is an interesting option. ERA right around 3 with a nasty Screwball. If anything he'll be fun to watch.

Jeff Nelson is still available I think.

Ricardo Rincon is steady if uninitmidating.

Al Reyes could be a good pickup. His ERA was 2.15 for the cards and oponents from both sides of the plate were hitting below .200 against him.

Julian Tavarez is decent but a headcase.

Urbina is decent but injury prone, might be unwilling to not close and might actually be MIA.

[TheRover]

Mecir and Eldred have retired. Dotel had TJ surgery and will miss about half the season.

[Rubeskies]

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Mecir and Eldred have retired. Dotel had TJ surgery and will miss about half the season.

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In that case Al Reyes and Joey Eischen would be at the top of my wish list.

Another player the Yankees should be considering (but don't seem to be) is Joey Gathright in center. Possibly one of the fastest men in baseball, he is young and he seems to have a big upside. They'd have to give up something to the DRays in prospects but thats nothing new.

[TheRover]

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Mecir and Eldred have retired. Dotel had TJ surgery and will miss about half the season.

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In that case Al Reyes and Joey Eischen would be at the top of my wish list.


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...except Reyes will miss the entire season with TJ surgery [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]