Opening Day Lineups

If Matt Stairs can't play [hip], Shannon Stewart is expected to play leftfield. Hat tip to Ed Price:

TORONTO David Eckstein SS	NEW YORK Johnny Damon LF
Matt Stairs OR	Derek Jeter SS
Alex Rios RF	Bobby Abreu RF
Vernon Wells CF	Alex Rodriguez 3B
Frank Thomas DH	Jason Giambi 1B
Lyle Overbay 1B	Robinson Cano 2B
Aaron Hill 2B	Jorge Posada C
Marco Scutaro 3B	Hideki Matsui DH
Gregg Zaun C	Melky Cabrera CF
Roy Halladay P	Chien-Ming Wang P

Good to see Cano traveling north in the lineup. I still suspect the young lefty bat will ultimately find a home in the five-spot this season.

Wang loses arbitration hearing, and $600 K. The hearing between the Yankees and starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang was resolved today, with the Bombers winning the case. The Yankees offered $4 million and Wang requested $4.6 million. Either way, this is not a very big deal - particularly because of Wang's nonchalant persona.

From the Wanger's perspective, the past fews weeks had the frontline starter witness fellow youngster Robinson Cano ink a deal potentially worth nearly $60 million and lose an extra $600,000 via an insulting arbitration hearing.

Wang: Yankees Say 'Not Now'

Newsday cites Chien-Ming Wang who said the Yankees told him now is "not the time" for a longterm contract for the sinkerball specialist. Although Wang said "I want to" complete a multiyear deal, the Yankees are showing a clear reluctance to lock up young pitchers for an extended period of time.

This approach makes sense because the Yankees can control Wang's cost. However, it's also tough love as the Taiwan product probably deserves similar compensation that Robinson Cano recently received. From Newsday:

Newsday first reported in December that Wang's camp was interested in a long-term contract, but yesterday marked Wang's first words on the matter. The Yankees didn't share the desire to sign Wang long-term, even though the righthander has won 38 games in the past two seasons. General manager Brian Cashman did not return a phone call, but told Newsday recently, "Not at this time," when asked about possibly signing Wang long-term.

Wang echoed Cashman's words, saying the Yankees told him it was "not the time."

This is the first time Wang is arbitration-eligible, and his agent, Alan Nero, said he expects to go to an arbitration hearing tomorrow.

Wang said he is OK with going to arbitration and OK with not. Someone close to Wang said the pitcher is disappointed that the Yankees would not entertain the idea of a long-term contract. The source said that the fact that the Yankees signed second baseman Cano to a contract worth at least $30 million and up to $57 million adds to Wang's disappointment at not receiving the same type offer.

One reason the Yankees told Wang they did not want to do a long-term deal now, he said, is: "Because pitchers [can find it] hard to stay healthy."

I'd say Wang has reason to be disappointed, though it speaks of his character that he has yet to complain about his situation and only offered his desire to secure his future with New York.

Click A Link

· Bryan Hoch, excellent source of info at Yankees.com, has a little piece on Phil Hughes and his new weblog. All joking aside, the blog is a pretty unique connection between a rising professional athlete and his growing posse of adoring fans.

· Bartolo Colon, who is attempting to raise his free agent dollars by pitching in the Dominican, is not looking good, according to The Rocky Mountain News.

· The Rocky Mountain News also reports that Livian Hernandez is close to a deal with the Mets, securing a family reunion with brother, Orlando. One's fat, the other is skinny. One's a workhorse, the other prone to injury.

· Here are three links to rumors from Seattle newspapers reporting the Mariners are making a final push for Erik Bedard.

· Some old news written today, as the Post writes "Cano Cashing In," while the Times has Robinson "Near A 4-Year Deal."

· A list of links would not be complete without at least one reference to Johan Santana. FakeTeams writes the Twins want to move Santana within the next 21 days. So Minnesota wants to solve the situation before P&C report? Shocking.

Cano Close To $30M Contract

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Yankees are close to locking up Robinson Cano to a four year contract worth $30 million.

The Yankees, locking up one of their young stars, are on the verge of signing second baseman Robinson Cano to a four-year, $30 million contract, according to major-league sources.

The deal, which would take Cano through his arbitration years, also is expected to include club options that would enable the Yankees to buy out one or two years of free agency.

The contract would be contingent upon Cano passing a physical.

Cano, 25, was eligible for arbitration for the first time this off-season. He asked for $4.55 million and the Yankees offered $3.2 million.

A "super-two" player due to his service time, Cano was eligible for four years of arbitration rather than the customary three.

Cano appeared in 160 games for the Yankees last season, batting .306 and setting career-highs with 19 homers and 97 RBIs.

His career batting average in three major-league seasons is .314.

This is a change in thinking from the Yankees usual stance on young cost-controlled players. From Rotoworld:

Either Cano's agent was lying Tuesday when he said no discussions had taken place or this has come together as quickly as any deal in history. A four-year contract would take Cano right to free agency. He was a super-two player this year, so he was going to have four years of arbitration.

Cano Wants Long Term Deal

The Yankees are not known for extending their young cost controlled players to multi year contracts until they hit free agency. Chien-Ming Wang and Robinson Cano are no exceptions to this strategy.

However, as Kat O'Brien of Newsday reports Cano and his agent have made it known they would like to lock up a deal similar to what the Mets offered David Wright or Jose Reyes before they hit free agency:

Robinson Cano would be open to the idea of signing a long-term contract with the Yankees, his agent, Bobby Barad, said yesterday.

Barad made clear that the Yankees have not broached that topic with him and Cano, and that he has not brought up the possibility. However, should the Yankees seek to lock up their All-Star second baseman well before free agency - as the Mets did with third baseman David Wright and shortstop Jose Reyes - Cano could have interest.

"He wouldn't be adverse to that in theory," Barad said.

Cano, 25, batted .306 with 19 homers and 97 RBIs this season. He has a career .314 average in three seasons. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2010 season.

Due to their financial might, the Yankees never lose their budding stars once they hit free agency. Cano and Wang will likely sign long term extensions once they are FA eligible, however, eliminating the risk and signing them sooner may not be a bad idea. This is especially true when considering the ramifications of a potentially messy arbitration battle with the rising second baseman.


Popper: Mets Should Give Up The Farm

Mets columnist Steve Popper offers his insights regarding the neverending trade saga revolving around Johan Santana this offseason. Popper believes the Mets should give up whatever package of prospects it takes in order to acquire the lefthanded pitcher. From the Bergen Record column:

Finally, Johan Santana is off the airwaves, out of the collective minds of at least fans from New Jersey to Boston, replaced by Eli Manning, Tom Brady and their quests for history.

Which makes me wonder: Will today be the day that Santana finally is traded?

I know what I'm hoping. I hope that we never hear another rumor, never read another story – after this one – about Santana coming to (fill in the blank). And the only way that will happen is if Santana goes somewhere, anywhere.

So Mets, get it done. Give up four prospects. Give up five. Give up Fernando Martinez. Get it done.

Martinez may turn out to be a star. Deolis Guerra could turn out to be an ace. Or maybe they won't. But in Santana, arm health permitting, the Mets would ensure the future of their pitching rotation, something that they are desperately in need of beyond this season.

This is the old school, inkblotch take on baseball prospects. By marginalizing young minor league stars into players who may become this or may become that, Popper is able to overlook the importance of a strong farm system. And in the case of the New York Mets, a deal that would send all five of their prospects would leave the organization with no farm system to speak of.

That said, the Mets should make the deal with or without Fernando Martinez. The Mets "top" prospects are not as terrible as many news outlets would have you think, but they are also not in the same stratosphere as the top five prospects of teams like the Devil Rays and Dodgers.

Humber, Pelfrey have lost a great deal of their prospect status and Gomez is a plus to plus-plus defender with no bat to speak of. F-Mart and to a lesser extent Guerra, are the only true high ceiling prospects of the lot.

If the Mets are able to establish a deal including only one of Martinez and Guerra, they swindled the Twins. If they must include both, I would still pull the trigger. But, they will have to spend equal time attempting to replenish their minor league corps as they pour into signing Santana.

Arbitration: Wang, Cano, Bruney

Yesteday afternoon, Chien-Ming Wang, Robinson Cano and Brian Bruney all exchanged contract figures with the New York Yankees.

The requests filed by representatives for Cano and Wang, two of the Yankees' prized younger components, were separated by $50,000. Cano filed for $4.55 million and was offered $3.2 million by the club, while Wang requested $4.6 million and was offered $4 million.

Bruney, who will be 26 in February, was 3-2 with a 4.68 ERA in 58 appearances across two stints with the Yankees in 2007. He requested $845,000 and was offered $640,000.

Wang will receive close if not exactly what he requested while Cano and the Yankees appear to be much further apart. Considering Cano's past two seasons have seen him knock in 97 runs and hit .342, the second baseman has a gripe. There is certainly the possibility that a neutral arbiter awards Robinson with the $4.55 mill he asked for.

Meanwhile, Bruney will make well over half a million bucks. Spend some of that money wisely and file a restraining order against Kyle Farnsworth and his worthless disregard approach for pitching.

Salary Arbitration List

Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang may receive large arbitration rewardings, unless of course, they are able to reach contract extensions to avoid these hearings. As Pete Abe suggests, Nate Roberton's three year deal worth $21 million may well be a harbinger of what's to come for Wang.

We'll find out tomorrow what happens with the Yankees youngsters, but Wanger and Cano aren't the only ones looking to up the ante. From ESPN.com:

NEW YORK -- The 110 players who filed for salary arbitration Tuesday (x-free agent who accepted arbitration; y-agreed to terms after filing). Players and teams will exchange proposed salaries Friday.

The bigger names around the league include Erik Bedard, K-Rod, Justin Morneau, Scott Kazmir, Matt Holiday, Ryan Howard, Miguel Cabrera, and last but certainly not least, Scott Proctor.

Mark Teixeira, Huston Street and Brad Lidge were among 22 players who avoided salary arbitration by reaching new deals. Teixeira agreed to a $12.5 million contract, and Street a $3.3 million deal.

Blue Jays lefthanded reliever, Scott Downs cashed in on his best season and was awarded a three year $10 million deal. By the way, he pitched a whopping 58 innings to earn that money. "Ten million" and "Scott Downs" do not belong in the same sentence. Ever.

In related news, Kyle Farnsworthless and New York City have a similar level of chemistry together.

Trading Cano? I Don't Think So

The excellent Ken Davidoff of Newsday believes a Johan Santana deal could require star second baseman Robinson Cano.

The gap between an available Santana and a traded Santana figures to be steep, and that means high asking prices for all suitors - including the Yankees, who have targeted the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

In return for Santana, the Twins likely will ask for a package centered on second baseman Robinson Cano, a person familiar with Minnesota's operations said yesterday.

"The Twins aren't stupid," the person said. "They're going to try to make this like another Chuck Knoblauch trade."

A Yankees package of Melky Cabrera, Phil Hughes and a prospect might not get it done for Santana, agreed a second major-league official. The Twins already have a plethora of young pitching, so their focus is on offense.

If the Twinkies want offense and not pitching, how about a deal including Austin Jackson, Melky Cabrera and Ian Kennedy to start? Throw in an MLB offensive player or second tier pitching prospect and see what distance lies between the two teams.

Then, like it or not, the Yankees would probably have to pursue Torii Hunter to replace Melky in center. If Santana could be had in a similar deal not involving Hughes or Chamberlain, you gotta do it.

That said, the Yankees are about as high on Cano as they are on anyone. He is the offensive version of Joba. Young, confident and full of promise.

A future #3 hitter in any lineup, Cano has already hit .340, challenged for a batting title, knocked in 97 runs and hit nearly 20 homers in a season. He has a little Bernie in him, making an inexplicable mental mistake five times a year, but he will soon hit 30 homers and knock in 100+ runs annually.

All this from a blossoming second baseman with a gun for an arm, a knack for turning the double play and a glove capable of picking anything out of the infield dirt.

Yankees Playoff Bound

Overcoming an unbelievable barrage of injuries to the pitching staff and outfield, the Bombers played out the second half of the season 24 games over the .500 mark, ensuring they'll spend their thirteenth straight October playing postseason baseball.

Chien-Ming Wang collected his 19th win of the year by throwing six solid innings of two-run ball and striking out an un-Wang-like six batters. The Yankees offense handed Wang back the lead by scoring two runs in the fourth inning. They then handed Wang a certain victory by scoring seven more in the fifth.

CMW now has a 38-13 record over his two full seasons in the major leagues. Remember that Wang made his first start of the year on April 24th, essentially missing the entire first month of the season. It would be hard to believe that a 20th victory would have eluded Wang if he had made those four more starts.

• Robinson Cano hit a three-run homer and picked up 5 more RBI, raising his season total to 95. Having your second baseman and 7/8 hitter knock in 95 runs borders on comical.

• Derek Jeter continues to rake the ball, going 3-for-5, including a game-tying homer.

• The Yankees plated 12 runs, laced 18 hits, were handed a fielding error and still left 11 men on base.

• Assuming Bobby Abreu can tally one more RBI before the regular season concludes, the Yankees lineup will boast a hitter who either holds a .300 batting average or has 100 RBI for six of nine lineup spots.

Looks like C.C. and Fausto are next on the menu. We'll see if New York's offense is hungry.

Yankees Magic Number is "10"

Nope, not that magic number. Think of how many relievers New York needed. Or what inning Melky Cabrera decided to end it.

In what was one of the ugliest pitched games in franchise history, here's a quick recap:

• Another extra inning affair involving the Blue Jays.

• A walk-off single for Leche.

• Phil Hughes might've gone six strong had it not been for 20 bloop singles falling in.
  

• Franchise-record 10 Yankees relievers needed to "secure" a 12-11 circus of a ballgame.

• Farnsworthless still stinks just as much as he did after surrendering that grand salami to Houston.

• Edwar Ramirez either strikes out the side or cries in a corner.

• Alex Rodriguez owns the 9th inning... or any other inning where a crucial RBI is to be had.

• Michael Kay likes to talk about Michael Kay... a lot. Especially if Michael Kay has an upcoming theatrical appearance at an unknown middle school gymnasium.

• Robinson Cano does not like Doug Mienkiewicz hogging all the infield pop-ups.

• Ross Ohlendorf has nasty stuff.
  
  - Magic number is now just 3