NYCurve Yankees Blog

Add Two More to the List

You can add two more to the list of possible pitchers coming to the Yankees. The Yanks have shown interest for Japanese reliever Kazuo Fukumori and Orioles starter Erik Bedard.

We’ll being with Fukumori who is a 33 year old free agent. He missed a lot of last season due to an injury, but examination by doctors has showed that he should be fine. He has also shown that he can easily throw 100 pitches. There are several teams interested in Fukumori and many consider the Yanks to be late, but everyone knows that you can never count us out. One thing that might eventually break a possible deal is the fact that the Fukumori wants a two year deal. The Yankees are reluctant to give any relievers which they pick up from free agency more than one year due to relief disappointments in recent history (Farnsworth, Quantrill, etc.)

Even with that possible deal breaker I think it is more likely that the Yanks get the Japanese reliever than Erik Bedard (although I would much rather prefer Bedard). Why? Because Orioles owner Peter Angelos has said that he will not trade 28 year old Bedard within their division, the AL East. The Yanks and Red Sox are still both interested and will probably try to pursue him (where have we seen that before?). Whether Angelos will change his mind, only time will tell.

Bedard would be a great addition to the Yanks, especially if he can put up numbers like he did last season. He was 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and 221 strikeouts in 182 innings pitched. I certainly hope we can snag him, but thinking realistically I don’t see him or Fukumori coming over.

Giants Interested in Matsui?

The Giants are interested in center fielder Hideki Matsui. They are certainly in the market for an outfielder as there has also been talk of interest in Alex Rios of the Blue Jays. In order to get Matsui, he would have to approve a deal because he currently has a no trade clause in his contract. In exchange the Yanks would probably try to snag some pitching, maybe someone like starting pitcher Tim Lincecum or some relievers. The Yankees have four outfielders, so a deal is possible and they would probably consider offers, but then again Matsui has played well so the Yankees might expect more than what the Giants are willing to offer. Also, if Matsui doesn’t want to leave New York, then there is no possibility of a trade.

Yanks Interested in LaTroy Hawkins?

The New York Daily News reports that the Yankees are interested in free agent relief pitcher LaTroy Hawkins. They have begun talks with the former Colorado reliever, who is one of the few good pitchers willing to accept a one year deal. This is really attractive for many teams because they don’t have to make a commitment.

Hawkins pitched 55.1 innings with the Rockies this past season with an ERA of 3.42 and 29 strikeouts. Hawkins makes sense for the Yanks, especially since Joba Chamberlain is expected to start this season. Other teams interested in Hawkins are the Tigers (seems like they are interested in everyone doesn’t it?), Orioles, and Rangers.

The AL Gets Better… Again

By now most of you have probably heard of the recent blockbuster deal between the Detroit Tigers and the Florida Marlins which has sent superstars Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera to Detroit. A few weeks after trading for Edgar Renteria from the Braves, the Tigers are looking like a killer team. These acquisitions should be more than enough to put them ahead of the Indians in the central, which puts the Indians competing for wildcard. As we saw this past the season, the Indians are definetely a good team and that just makes it harder for the other wildcard competitors, most probably either the Yanks or the Red Sox. The AL playoff battle was tough last year with the Tigers the ones who ended up fighting for the wild card, which they eventually lost to the Yanks. It is clear that the owners are serious about winning and they don’t want a repeat, which is why all this talent has been brought over. Now that leaves Cleveland and the second place team in the AL East to fight for wildcard (sorry to the AL West, but the wildcard isn’t coming out of there) and the other one who will no doubt still be a great team, goes home with nothing.

Now on the other side of the ball, is the NL, where there are only a couple of teams that even look like they have a chance to challenge one of the top 5 from the AL. The AL has been dominant for years and this off season has showed us that it isn’t the end. Look at last year: do you seriously think that any of the AL playoff teams would have lost in the World Series to any of the NL playoff teams? Exactly. And this year the AL is better, thats just scary.

Dan Haren and Joe Blanton Possibilities

If the Bronx Bombers don’t land Johan Santana from the Twins, Dan Haren or Joe Blanton from the A’s is another possibility. The A’s, who are currently waiting for bids from the Yanks or Red Sox, are looking to shop them or atleast hear some offers. Dan Haren is more likely who the Yanks and other teams will try to get first. It is speculated that a deal for Haren would probably cost the Yanks about the same as a deal for Santana (maybe minus the mid-level prospect). Haren or Blanton would certainly be a nice addition to the Yankee rotation as well, both of them having eras under 4 and winning 14 (Blanton) and 15 (Haren) games a piece.

Santana Deal Off?

Hank Steinbrenner had given the Twins a deadline of yesterday on whether or not to accept the deal which would send pitcher Johan Santana to the Yankees in return for Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera, and a mid-level prospect. Today, Steinbrenner stated that after no response from the Twins, the deal was “probably off”. It can certainly still happen though because general managers and owners often say such things in sports, just to later change their minds. If the Twins responded today accepting the deal I can almost guarantee you that the Yanks would accept. What won’t happen is the Yanks making another offer to the Twins. This time it would be the Twins coming to the Yankees.