Nick Johnson back in Pinstripes

You can come home again, just ask Nick Johnson.  He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 3rd round of the 1996 amateur draft.  In 2002 and 2003 he shared 1B and DH duties with Jason Giambi.  He was dealt after the 2003 season to the Montreal Expos along with Juan Rivera and Randy Choate for Javier Vazquez. 

What Nick Johnson will bring to the table is a career OBP of .402.  If this does indeed spell the end of Johnny Damon in New York, he would be a good replacement in the two spot of the Yankee lineup.  He lacks the speed of Damon but he doesn't strike out a whole lot, he's going to put the ball in play and he has a great eye.  He'll definitely be a better fit in the two spot than Granderson would be. 

Your main concern for Nick Johnson will be injuries.  He broke his hand with the Yankees in 2003. He broke his cheek bone in 2004 when he got hit in the face with a baseball. In 2006 he had a collision that led to him breaking his femur.  If he can remain healthy the 1 year deal at 5.75 million dollars that the Yankees gave him would be a bargain.  Welcome home Nick Johnson, glad to see you back in the Bronx. 

Blockbuster Deal

Reports are swirling that Roy Halladay and his agent are held up in a Philadelphia Hotel and a deal to send him from the Blue Jays to the Phillies appears imminent.  A twist to this deal according to Jon Heyman of SI.com and MLB Network is that it is a three team deal involving the Mariners as well and that Cliff Lee will be heading from Philadelphia to Seattle. 

Roy Halladay is regarded as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball but Cliff Lee has been doing his best to at least try to join that discussion.  Lee was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in the postseason with the Phillies last season after coming over from a trade with the Cleveland Indians last July.  This potential deal may benefit the Mariners the most who can now boast a top of the rotation which will have AL Cy Young runner up Felix Hernandez and October Ace of the Phillies, Cliff Lee.  The Phillies did get one of baseballs best pitchers, but their rotation behind Halladay will be a huge question mark. 

In other baseball news, it appears the Red Sox are on the verge of locking up John Lackey to a 5 year 85 million dollar contract.  This deal will give the Red Sox a very formidable top of the rotation which will include Beckett, Lester and Lackey. 

Yanks begin talks with Damon

The Yankees have nailed down their Center Fielder in Curtis Granderson.  They have re-signed veteran lefty Andy Pettitte to a one year 11.75 million dollar contract.  Now they have begun negotiations with free agent Left Fielder Johnny Damon.  It is widely speculated they would like to bring Damon back for less than the 13 million dollars he made last year and they would also prefer it to be a 1 or 2 year deal at the most.  Bobby Abreu re-signed with the Angels for a two year deal worth 18 million dollars, a contract of that nature does seem more than fair for Damon.  The Yankees now have the luxury of controlling the negotiations since the trade for Granderson.

It is also widely speculated that if the Yankees can't come to terms with Damon, they will target free agents Mark DeRosa and Mike Cameron.  Johnny has stated how much he would like to remain a Yankee, if this is true he will have to be willing to give a discount to stay or at least take less years than he might get elsewhere. 

Deal close to bringing Curtis Granderson to Yankees

Ken Rosenthal is currently reporting the three way talks between the D-Backs, Tigers and Yankees are back on and word is that it is now being left up to the Yankees to sign off on the deal.  Earlier reports had Ian Kennedy and Edwin Jackson in Arizona.  Curtis Granderson was coming to the Yankees and Austin Jackson, Michael Dunn and Phil Coke were headed to Detroit. 

The Yankees did not want to give up that much in the deal.  Talk is now the revised deal will not include Phil Coke and Michael Dunn.  Still waiting to hear further detail on this.  An impending deal is 50/50 says Jon Heyman.

Joel Sherman is now saying the deal is close to the goal line.  Dunn being removed from the deal was key for the Yankees.  Currently it is being reported that medical records are being exchanged.

Update:  Per Jon Heyman this is a done deal; pending medicals work out.

Pending all the medical records check out, here is the deal.

Yankees Get:
Curtis Granderson

Tigers Get:
Austin Jackson
Phil Coke
Max Scherzer (from D-Backs)

D-Backs Get:
Edwin Jackson (from Tigers)
Ian Kennedy

BC-mesS

Okay, I'll be the first to say that I am totally opposed to the non-playoff system that we have in what was once known and still to me known as Division I-A College Football.  I've gotten into many debates about the current system with my good friend and fellow blogger, Charlie Ballard.  I was the biggest Nebraska Cornhusker fan outside of Lincoln, Nebraska this past Saturday night.  I wanted BCS Chaos, that was my goal.  If only that kick sailed a little more to the left.  If only the pass by Colt McCoy  hung up in the air a second longer.  Oh well, none of that happened and Texas pulled out the victory over Nebraska 13-12.  The offenses were anemic, but it was a fun game to watch in my eyes.  I was hanging on every play those last few minutes.  The BCS or as I liked to call it the BCMess, has a championship setup of Alabama and Texas, with the current rules I guess you can say they got that much right.  It would be great to see a team like TCU, Boise State and maybe even Cincinnati get a shot, but it is what it is. 

Today, the day after the announcement of the BCS Bowl games, my biggest problem is where Boise State and TCU find themselves, against each other.  A rematch of last years Poinsettia Bowl which saw TCU defeat Boise State 17-16.  To me you create much more interest pitting these Non-BCS Conference schools against BCS/Major Conference schools.  I think it's an absolute disgrace that they find themselves against each other and we've taken what could have been an exciting matchup like TCU against Florida and killed it.  The biggest intrigue of the smaller conference schools getting to these games is seeing them up against the big boys.  The BCS Busters are a lifetime 3-1 in BCS Bowl games.  Boise State and Utah twice have gone into these BCS Bowl games and beaten the big boys.  Now they simply get to beat on each other, and frankly it won't be as fun and intriguing to watch. 

One more gripe I have, looking at the final BCS Standings, Cincinnati actually leap frogged the Horned Frogs of TCU for the #3 spot in the BCS polls.  That is meaningless now but what if that pass by McCoy hung up there a second longer?  We would have had a Cincinnati/Alabama BCS Title game?  Wow, TCU would have been screaming bloody murder, and rightfully so, as they were 3 in both the Harris and Coaches' Poll one spot ahead of Cincinnati.  Oh how I just wish that pass by McCoy hung up a little longer and let the clock expire on Texas.  Then maybe we could have taken the first step to the clock expiring on the BC-mesS.

Stan Van is the Man.

Last year he guided an Orlando Magic team to the NBA Finals one year early, in the minds of many.  This year he has guided the Orlando Magic to a 14-4 start despite injuries and a suspension to one of his best players in Rashard Lewis. The Magic are first in the East and looking to repeat as Eastern Conference Champions.  Stan Van Gundy was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November.

It hasn't been easy for the coach so far this year.  The Magic missed Vince Carter for a handful of games with a sprained ankle.  Rashard Lewis was suspended for 10 games due to the fact that he tested positive for a banned substance last year during the playoffs.  Jameer Nelson has been out since November 16th with a knee injury and may not be back for 2-3 more weeks.   Ryan Anderson and Mickael Pietrus have both missed time as well.  Still, as inconsistent as the Magic's roster and play has been, they have the best record in the Eastern Conference at 14-4 and let's give credit to Van Gundy.  Earlier in the year he questioned Dwight Howard as to why the teams energy and body language was looking down.  Dwight gave an honest answer, he said the negative feedback they were constantly getting from him was a factor.  Stan promised to adjust some, but needless to say, he's done a great job through the first 18 games of the season.  Congrats to the Ron Jeremy look a like, and one of the most underrated and under appreciated coach's in the game.  Stan Van Gundy.

A.J. wants Halladay

A.J. Burnett thinks it's time for his friend and former mentor to get a fresh start, as reported by Mark Feinsand of the NY Daily News. "He's paid his dues there, been the face of the organization, done everything they've asked him to do and more. At this point in his career, I think he just wants to win.  I don't think he would let anything distract him. He's not really the type of person that gets intimidated easily. It doesn't matter where he pitches; he's going to be the same. None of the stuff that goes on here would faze him at all." Burnett said of Halladay. 

Halladay has told the Blue Jays that he is willing to waive his no trade clause in a deal to the Yankees.  It is also being reported that Burnett has given the Blue Jays a deadline to trade him by the start of Spring Training.  If he is not traded by that time, he would not approve a trade after that. 

After CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett the Yankees rotation is a question mark.  It's no given that Andy Pettitte will be back.  He could choose to retire or pitch closer to home again, though the latter doesn't seem very likely.  Chien Ming Wang will be coming back from shoulder surgery.  Joba and Hughes have experienced much success out of the pen, but not much in the rotation.  Other options would include Ian Kennedy and Alfredo Aceves.  Some might say it's over kill, but I think Halladay or another starter could be a necessity for this team if they look to repeat in 2010.