Earlier this week, the Yankees made plans for life without Mel Stottlemyre and penciled in Neil Allen as the new pitching coach. Stottlemyre may change his mind and come back for a 10th season.
Now the Yankees are trying to talk Don Mattingly into returning for a second year as a hitting coach. Mattingly is concerned about money issues and the time he had to spend apart from his family this past summer when they only visited New York from their Indiana home.
Mattingly, whose 2004 salary of close to $500,000 made him the highest paid hitting coach in baseball, has been talking to the Yankees for two days and the money issues aren’t believed to be that serious. However, the family part of the job is more important to Mattingly and will likely be the deciding factor if he stays or leaves.
Stottlemyre, who returned to his Washington home yesterday following a five-day hunting trip in Idaho, is expected to inform GM Brian Cashman soon about his decision to return or retire. There is speculation if Stottlemyre can’t get a raise on his $450,000 salary, he won’t return despite George Steinbrenner, Joe Torre and Cashman wanting him back.
Should Mattingly leave, the Yankees would likely ask permission from the Rangers to talk to Rudy Jaramillo, who turned down a five-year deal for $2 million from Texas. The Mets are supposedly on the verge of asking the Rangers for permission to talk to Jaramillo about their hitting job after he lost out to Willie Randolph for the manager’s post. Chili Davis is also an option for the Yankees if Mattingly walks.
Joe Girardi is expected to be announced next week as Randolph’s replacement as Torre’s bench coach. However, third base coach Luis Sojo, first base coach Roy White and bullpen coach Rich Monteleone aren’t signed for next year.
*
Jon Lieber isn’t counting the Yankees out. However, the veteran right-hander and free agent is going to play the field.
“As a free agent, Jon is entitled to listen (to other teams),” agent Rex Gary said of Lieber, whom the Yankees declined to pick up an $8 million option on Friday. “That doesn’t mean he won’t talk with the Yankees.”
By not picking up the option on a pitcher who was their second best hurler in the second half of the season, the Yankees don’t believe the 34-year-old Lieber is worth $8 million in a depressed pitching market. However, they would be more than willing to sign him to a two-year contract worth $12 million.
Lieber was 14-8 with a 4.33 ERA in 27 starts and pitched well in the postseason when he beat the Red Sox, 3-1, in Game 2 of the ALCS.
“We will talk and there is a chance we can get something done,” Gary said. “Clearly we will talk, but it has changed.”
Texas is interested and Lieber would fit well with the Mets – or Red Sox if they lose Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe and don’t land Brad Radke.
*
According to industry sources, the Yankees have a formulated a backup plan in the event they don’t land switch-hitting free agent center fielder Carlos Beltran, and it involves Alfonso Soriano.
The Yankees have told the Rangers they would be willing to reacquire Soriano and play him in center field if Beltran goes elsewhere. And Scott Boras’ indication that Beltran is looking for a 10-year deal didn’t do much for the Yankees’ confidence that Beltran will be in pinstripes.
The Rangers are shopping Soriano because he made $5.7 million last year, is arbitration eligible (think $7 to $8 million) and will be a free agent following the 2005 season.
Soriano, who was dealt for Alex Rodriguez last February, has never been shy about his love for the Yankees and New York. However, unless the Yankees can offer the Rangers more than Robinson Cano, it will be hard to make a deal, because the Rangers are looking for pitching.
Coaching carousel
These are the contenders to fill out Joe Torre’s coaching staff on the 2005 Yankees:
Hitting Don Mattingly, Rudy Jaramillo, Chili Davis
Pitching Mel Stottlemyre, Neil Allen
First base Roy White
Third base Luis Sojo
Bullpen Rich Monteleone, Neil Allen
Bench Joe Girardi