LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Yankees have invested $314 million in players since the 2013 season ended and one key decision-maker said “we are certainly done with the big free agents this offseason.”
That means the Yankees are most likely to go the trade route rather than spend on Omar Infante or Stephen Drew, and have become more dubious that they will pursue Masahiro Tanaka, even if a posting system is finalized and Tanaka actually gets posted. When it comes to a starter, the Yankees likely will follow the path from a few years back when they bottom-fed for success with Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia, and see if they can unearth a veteran with some fuel left.
This is because the Yankees are still keeping hope they can slip under the $189 million luxury-tax threshold if Alex Rodriguez’s contract goes away, but the Yankees executive admitted, “we are pushing $189 [million] right now even with a significant A-Rod suspension.” So the Yankees are now being pragmatic: Without A-Rod they either will get under the $189 million or have their lowest payroll in a long while. With A-Rod, they will potentially have another bat to add to a lineup that even without Robinson Cano should be deeper assuming health (a big if considering the pieces involved).
The Yankees begin the Winter Meetings needing a starter, late-inning support for David Robertson, a second baseman and more left side of the infield insurance. Yet, they already have — when you assume obligations coming up — blown past $189 million.
The Yankees have 12 players signed for about $157 million, and once Carlos Beltran’s deal is made official, that will go to $172 million. Their five arbitration players (David Robertson, Brett Gardner, Ivan Nova, Shawn Kelley and Francisco Cervelli) will cost roughly $15 million. That’s $187 million. Most teams budget about $5 million for during-the-season call-ups and all clubs are charged $11 million-ish for items such as pension and insurance. That’s $203 million.
Hal Steinbrenner has said for public consumption the $189 million is a goal, not a mandate. But, privately, Yankees officials have claimed it is much closer to a mandate. In the 24 months before this offseason, the Yankees avoided many moves that would have added money for 2014 because they were so determined to get under the threshold and gain what they believe would be about $100 million in a variety of benefits over the next few years for doing so.
The Yankees had initially planned not to spend the A-Rod money until there was a resolution. But they felt a need to act quickly a) to establish with their fans and the industry they remain robust and b) to proactively enlist key cogs in case Cano potentially left and the costs went up with agents sensing Yankees desperation.
So now the Yankees will try to trade — if it is possible — Ichiro Suzuki (who is owed $6.5 million) and/or Gardner (who will make about $4 million in arbitration). They might look to get rid of Vernon Wells, but because of how his trade from the Angels was structured, Wells actually costs zero toward the luxury tax in 2014, so there would be no financial benefits from doing so.
But the Yankees need a major slice now to get under $189 million, and that means Fredric Horowitz upholding at least all of next season in A-Rod’s 211-game suspension. That would subtract anywhere from $24.6 million to $27.5 million off the Yankees ledger depending on whether the arbitrator interprets the suspension as for 162 games or a whole season (183 days).
Horowitz is not expected to make his ruling until early January. In the meantime, the Yankees will do some small-level shopping and large-level praying.
Ibanez getting attention
THE Yankees have looked into a reunion with Raul Ibanez just in case they clear out excess outfielders. However, indications are Ibanez will sign at the Winter Meetings.
His reputation as a good guy as well as having a strong lefty power bat seems to matter, since NL teams such as the Braves and Rockies are interested, though — at 41 — Ibanez is probably best served as mainly a designated hitter. Texas, Baltimore and Seattle also are interested.
Teams in on Shin-Soo Choo report he is using the seven-year, $153 million deal Jacoby Ellsbury made with the Yankees as a guidepost. Both players are repped by Scott Boras.
Those spoken to predict the final price for Choo will fall between what another Boras client, Jayson Werth, received from the Nationals (seven years at $126 million) and the Ellsbury pact. The Rangers, Mariners and Tigers are viewed as significant pursuers.
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) has agreed to the main provisions of a new posting system, namely that no blind bid can exceed $20 million and as many teams that are tied for the high bid can negotiate with a posted player. However, small hurdles remain. Still, expectations were a new pact between NPB and MLB could be forged in the next few days and the MLB Executive Council could then vote on the agreement.
In speaking with Japanese reporters, the president of the Rakuten Golden Eagles hinted the team very well might post Masahiro Tanaka if the righty so desired, although the club is furious the posting fee dropped from no limit to $20 million.
Teams that were interested in the righty power bat of Mike Napoli (signed by Boston) are now considering Mike Morse. Those include Texas, Colorado, San Francisco and Miami.
Morse struggled badly in the second half of last season (.143, two homers). But he had an MRI exam in the offseason that revealed a bone outgrowth in his wrist that came from an in-game slide and went undiagnosed during the season. Morse had surgery in October, is said to be 100 percent and has batted for teams. From 2010-12, Morse averaged 21 homers and an .861 OPS.