Sal's Take

A Political View

Valentine Slams Cherington?

Valentine said he’s more concerned with adding quality than quantity. With so many pitchers already vying for a job, he will be hard-pressed to find enough innings in spring training to give everyone a thorough look.

“I think we’ve got a lot of numbers right now,” Valentine said. “Another pitcher, I guess, would be OK. It’s not at the top of my wish list.”

Dancin Bobby is doing a good job deflecting the desperation Boston has for Quality depth in the GTE rotation, no doubt they’ve cornered the market on low risk high reward types. Let’s face it with all the money Cherington has spent on reclamation projects he could have handed Oswalt enough money to be a one year gunslinger.

On the other hand Roy doesn’t want to pitch in Boston, maybe not in the AL at all, turning down a rumored $7M to pitch alongside V’lander in Detroit in a weak Central Division is puzzling. I guess after you’ve made close to $100M in your career the fire doesn’t burn so hot anymore, better stay out of Boston then, he doesn’t need a “pillow contract” he needs a Murphy Bed..

The real buzz in this Boston link is Youkilis saying to the media the GTE collapse was a total team effort. They weren’t focused and bought the hype they were the GTE. I’m just wondering between 2-10 and 7-20 they were the best team in baseball so were they so good they won 90 games without focusing?

Bottom line Boston could never replace the Buchholz injury and the pitching wore out. They have really done nothing to insure that won’t happen again, one injury to their Big Three and they’re in the same boat as 2011, maybe worse now that Papelbon is gone. If they don’t make a trade, or bring in Jackson or Oswalt, Bard and his limited innings will be in the rotation further weakening the bull pen.

It’s sounding like Eddie Jackson might have teams that will give him  a mutiple year deal, and Roy is either trying to convince St Louis or Texas to sign him or he’s playing hard to get looking for a Kuroda deal. I’ll be shocked if Boston goes into the season as is pitching wise..

Yanks Take Care Of All Family Business

The last arbitration case Boone Logan was settled out of court yesterday, and Kuroda was officially signed. Still up for grabs is another bat and Chavez or his replacement. Per Cashman the Bombers need the remaining top free agent pitchers like Oswalt and Jackson to land so they can target the remaining desperate GM’s hoping to dump Burnett in their lap. He didn’t say Burnett but you don’t need to The Amazing Kreskin to know that $33M on the books is a nightmare

Trade Bait

I saw an article on potential trade partners for DH. The one name that popped out was David Dejesus who has a  2 year $10M deal with a $6.5M option (Cubs). Obviously that’s more money then Cashman wants to spend but if the Yanks ate half  or more the contract would Epstein trade Burnett for Dejesus?

The Cubs will be out of it anyway by July so maybe as the article suggests that might be the time Dejesus becomes available, but Epstein will want a haul for the out fielder, and even at $8M per season is AJ even mildly on Epstein’s radar, I doubt it. Hughes going in  a trade could be a possibility too, just wondering if the Yanks want to see what Hughes has in spring training. Hughes pitching to his potential would be a dream come true for prudent Cashman at this point, and AJ Burnett unless you eat most of it is a fixture in pinstripes

International Law

( new spending limits on international amateur talent will limit clubs in most foreign markets. Cuban defectors and Asian players who are older than 23 and have more than five years professional experience will not be subject to the restrictions.)

Are the Yanks secretly in on Cespedes?  Soler who is 19 might be more of a tangled web to negotiate, chances are neither guy will  wear the pinstripes because they’re too expensive, man George is turning in his grave.

Anyway Cespedes might have been rusty but he exposed himself recently in a small sample size showing in the Dominican winter league. That said it doesn’t take much in the what have you done for me lately world of sports and Yo-Ces came on in the final two games by getting three hits, including a home run, and the series-clinching double.

Sugar Coma

Mikey Ax at RAB is at it again, I’m thinking he cashed in a months worth of those buy one get one sundae’s at Friendly’s and went into sugar shock, either that or the bloom is off the Banuelos rose for the WPA maven. Mike’s idea to grab a young stud who recently has trended downward is a good idea and going after a Brown or Heyward sounds like something worth investigating but neither the Phils or the Braves are gonna just hand over one of their top prospects

Mike suggests  Hughes and Banuelos would get it done, he calls trading from a strength position  Sports GM 101, so Mikey is ready to float the Bombers top LHP prospect almost an untouchable in every trade but a King Felix deal for one of these guys who look like they belong in  a Hollywood baseball movie, but even with all the hoopla surrounding them haven’t been able to make a  huge impact at the big league level just yet.

Will they become stars, very possible, they look the part, but at this point with salary restrictions pending and pitching at a premium why in God’s name would you dangle Banuelos for a fathead poster boy?

If the Yankees want a young hitter just spend the money on Soler and tuck him away, teach him to hit the breaking pitch, they made Granderson a good hitter against LHP for Christ sake.  How about the hated Eddie Nunez who showed flashes of a quick bat that saw the ball just jump off the barrel at times? What happen to the bogus Baseball America prospect list  that RAB raves about, it shows three outfielders in the top ten?

Mikey the Bombers are gonna pick up  a bat for meal money here in the next few weeks or trade one of the excess baggage hurlers at the MLB level to fill that need. They already lost they’re top hitting prospect on a gamble move, now you want to dump their top LHP prospect for another gamble? Is this Yankee farm system all hype or is Cashman really developing legitimate MLB talent?

Hey it’s the hot stove season, no crazier then wanting to trade Burnett for Dejesus

Pitchers and Catchers report February 19th

Amos Jones deal Done