With the free-agent market very thin after Aaron Rowand and Andruw Jones, the Winter Meetings in Nashville, which officially start tomorrow, could have an old-fashioned feel to them since trades will trump free-agent signings.
Because Johan Santana is on the block, the Yankees are involved. So, too, are the Red Sox, which isn’t a surprise even if the world champions’ interest is simply to drive up the price the Yankees have to give the Twins for the stud lefty. The Yankees need a No. 1 starter and Santana is the best. However, there are other areas the Yankees will attempt to fortify this week.
Here are five things to expect from the Yankees.
Chase Santana
Some people believe the Twins will listen all week then decide if they are going to deal Santana or keep him. Though the Yankees or Red Sox don’t have the third baseman the Twins covet, they do have pieces that intrigue the Twins, who may not want to start spring training with the Santana situation (he can be a free agent after the 2008 season) hanging on their heads.
On Friday, the Yankees agreed to include Phil Hughes in their offer. The Twins need a center fielder to replace Torii Hunter, and though Melky Cabrera is a better left fielder than in the middle of the outfield, he fits the bill. The question for the Yankees is how much deeper they would be willing to go beyond Hughes and Cabrera? The Yankees made it clear yesterday their package will include nothing more than a an additional mid-level prospect.
If the Twins deal Santana someplace else or not at all, expect the Yankees to try and pry Dan Haren or Joe Blanton away from Oakland. Haren is a No. 1-type pitcher and Blanton is an innings-eater.
BOLSTER BULLPEN
Getting a No. 1 starter has been a priority since Wang crumbled in two ALDS starts. Rebuilding the bullpen is a necessity. Joba Chamberlain is going from the ‘pen to the rotation, and that leaves a crater in front of Mariano Rivera. Yankees say they want Luis Vizcaino back but he remains a free agent. Kyle “The Mop” Farnsworth is the only reliever in place with experience, and the Yankees will gladly listen to trade offers for him and the $5.75 million he is owed.
If the Twins deal Santana, they are expected to move closer Joe Nathan, and he would look very good in front of Rivera.
There is a feeling in the organization that youngsters Ross Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, Mark Melancon, J.B. Cox and Humberto Sanchez will eventually be able to help in the bullpen, but only Ohlendorf (six games) has big-league experience. Melancon, Cox and Sanchez are coming off arm problems.
The Yankees have shown interest in free agents La Troy Hawkins, David Riske, Trever Miller and Jeremy Affeldt.
SHOP Johnny Damon
Despite a solid six-week finish to the season, the Yankees have a willingness to listen to offers for a player who lost his center-field job to Cabrera and is owed $26 million across the next two years. Damon has 12 teams to which he can veto a trade, but for regular work, something he may not get as a Yankee since Hideki Matsui is back to play left and Jason Giambi is entrenched as the DH, Damon could agree to a deal to one of those teams on the list.
The Braves, who aren’t bringing Jones back, might be a taker, but they would want the Yankees to absorb a lot of the money. A long shot is Damon returning to play center field if Cabrera is moved.
FILL CENTER STAGE
If Cabrera is traded and the Yankees don’t feel comfortable returning Damon to center, they could go after Rowand, Jones or Mike Cameron, or trade for Jim Edmonds.
SHOW THEIR FACE
This past week, Hank Steinbrenner said he was “thinking about” attending the Winter Meetings. Usually, the Yankees’ profile at the meetings has been very low. There were years in the not-so-distant past when George Steinbrenner didn’t want GM Brian Cashman attending, and if Cashman did, it was for a day or so. Lately, that has changed and Cashman stays for the entire process. If Hank Steinbrenner is on board and in front of a national audience, things will be interesting because he never shies away from a question. He could also make a personal pitch to Randy Hendricks, Andy Pettitte’s agent, for the lefty to return.