Updates on Damon and Matsui

Scott Boras the agent of Johnny Damon is telling teams that he is seeking a 3 or 4 year contract. It also sounds like he doesn't want to accept anything less than what he was making under his most recent Yankee contract which is 13 Million per year over the last four prior seasons. How many teams will be willing to do that? I can't imagine too many and most certainly if those are his demands the Yankees will not meet them. The White Sox are said to have a lot of interest in Damon, but I can't see them paying out a 3 or 4 year deal at 13 million a year. As we know last year was a slow year for free agents and money wasn't there outside of the three big contracts the Yankees handed out. I expect a lot of the same, and you could see a lot of players holding out for a deal on into the winter and sign shortly just before Spring Training begins.



Word circulating from Hideki Matsui's agent is that he wants to play another three years. Are the Yankees going to give him a three year contract? No, as most teams probably won't, especially with the concerns about Matsui's knees. However, a series of one year deals could be more likely. It is sounding more and more likely that the Yankees are interested in retaining Matsui, but again; it appears they want to keep it on a one year basis.

By Vinnie Ferrarini

Quick Notes on the GM Meetings.

-The Yankees are without question planning on checking with the agents of Matt Holliday and Jason Bay, but their current attention will stay with their own free agents which most notably are Johnny Damon, World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and Veteran Left-hander Andy Pettitte.



-The Twins continue to have interest in bringing back Carl Pavano who helped them win the AL Central Division last year, but the Indians are also thought to have a lot of interest in bringing back Pavano who started last year for the Indians. Let's not forgot, Carl Pavano started more games last year for the Indians and Twins then he did in his entire 4 year Yankee career from '05-08.



-No surprise here, the Cubs would LOVE to unload their personal headache by the name of Milton Bradley. Bradley who has pretty much burned bridges everywhere he's been, except for one team; the Texas Rangers. They are said to have some interest in bringing back the troubled outfielder.



-John Smoltz does indeed want to pitch next year, the only question now seems to be where. All signs point to him wanting to stay in the pitcher friendly National League.



-The Red Sox picked up the option for Victor Martinez, so he will be back in Boston for the 2010 season. They also reached a deal with rubber armed veteran knuckle baller Tim Wakefield who will pitch in his 18th season next year; and 16th with Boston. In other Red Sox news the future of Jason Varitek appears to be up in the air. If Varitek does hit the open market as it appears he will there was though the New York Mets would be interested, but currently I'm hearing that is not the case and the Mets may turn their interest to Free Agent Catcher Bengie Molina.

By Vinnie Ferrarini

The 2009 Yankees Cool Cats

The season is over, and now if you want to talk yankees please visit us at the www.theyankeezone.com (no plug intended) I started a tradition over there of naming the years "Cool Cats". Just a group of players I grew fond of during the season. I've been doing it for 8 years but the last two years I actually made a little video with some background music to their pictures. I enjoyed doing this and figured I'd share this years club with you, check it out.



By Vinnie Ferrarini

A Pair of Gold Glovers

The American League is announcing the winners today for the 2009 Gold Glove winners. It appears two Yankees are going to be on that list. Derek Jeter who had one of his best defensive years this season. This would mark Jeter's 4th Gold Glove award. His prior gold glove awards came in 04, 05 and 06.

It also appears that Mark Teixeira won his 3rd Gold Glove overall his prior two came in 2005 and 2006 with the Texas Rangers.

Rounding out the rest of the AL Gold Gloves, in the outfield Torii Hunter, Ichiro Suzuki and Adam Jones are the recipients.

In the infield along with Jeter and Teixeira, Placido Polanco gets the nod at 2B and Evan Longoria gets the nod at 3B.

Now that Mike Mussina is retired a new pitcher has taken the crown in the AL and that man is Mark Buehrle. At catcher Joe Mauer took home the award.

Congratulations to both Jeter and Teixeira.

By Vinnie Ferrarini

Time for the Hot Stove to Heat Up

We've heard so much about the core four, but now we are down to the big three. World Series MVP Hideki Matsui shown above displaying a sketched photo of his wife whom he wants to keep out of the public eye and limelight. The MVP of the Fall Classic had one of the greatest games any hitter has ever had in a World Series game. Single, Double, Home Run and 6 RBIs in the Game 6 clincher. Andy Pettitte, whom many Yankee fan during last offseason was hoping would not return in favor of keeping Mike Mussina. All Yankee fans now are indeed pleased that Pettitte did return and not Mussina. Andy pitched in and won all three clinching games in the ALDS, ALCS and World Series, so it's safe to say Yankee fans are glad he stayed and Mussina was the one who went home to his family in Montoursville, PA. Then we have Johnny Damon, who had one of the most classic ABs in the World Series in Game 4 facing Brad Lidge with 2 outs and nobody on in the Top of the 9th. He fought off pitches worked the count back in his favor and reached base on an opposite field single starting the go ahead and winning rally in the 9th. Changed the whole series in that one at bat.



So who stays and who goes? Initially it was sounding as if the Yankees would only keep Matsui or Damon, not both. Now there is a rumor circulating that Cashman would like to keep both but on a one year deal for each. As far as Pettitte goes, I think that's up to him. He'll have to accept a 1 year deal in a likelihood, which I believe he would. I don't see Pettitte pitching for anyone else next year, not even either of the Texas teams which would allow him to pitch at home again as he did from 04-06. It appears for Pettitte it will be either another year in pinstripes or hanging them up for good and staying home with the family.

Other free agents on the Bombers include Jerry Hairston Jr, Eric Hinske, Xavier Nady and A.J. Burnett's caddy, Jose Molina. I feel Hairston and Hinske would be wise to bring back, having a strong bench is a must. The dynasty run from '96-00 always was equipped with a strong bench, I think the moves of bringing in Hairston and Hinske midseason really helped this team tremendously. Nady is more of a question mark coming off Tommy John surgery, but he has stated numerous times he'd love to be back and that he feels he will be ready to start the season. Molina may be somewhat more expendable. The Yankees love what they got out of rookie Francisco Cervelli. Shockingly he came up and hit to a .298 clip, much more than the Yankees could have hoped for. He threw out 43% of base runners trying to steal in his brief stint as Yankees catcher while Posada and Molina were nursing injuries.

It should be an interesting off season for the World Champion New York Yankees, god I love saying that! In the coming days we'll be discussing any rumors and talk about some targets the Yankees might look at from the outside to help re-tool for 2010.

Let the Hot Stove begin.

By Vinnie Ferrarini

Say it ain't Sosa.....

In the bizarre photo of the day, above you see former slugger and alleged steroid user Sammy Sosa. The photo on the left was taken in May 2009 and the photo on the right where he is much "lighter" was taken this weekend in Las Vegas. Now rumors have been circulating that he has vitiligo which is a skin condition that Michael Jackson claimed to have causing his skin to whiten. Other possibilities could be repercussions from steroid use or just bad makeup or maybe bad lighting when the photo was taken. However, spokes people of Sammy's say he's going through some sort of "skin rejuvenation" process and that could cause what you see in this photo.

Wow, first he forgot how to speak English in front of congress back in March 2005 during the steroid abuse hearings. Now this photo appears, strange indeed.

By Vinnie Ferrarini

An October into November to Remember

It took 15 games in 29 days, 11 wins and one dream reached for World Series Title number 27. Nine long years, I know fans of the Cubs, Indians, Pirates and Mets just to name a few, don't want to hear about nine long years. However, this is the Yankees, and by our standards it was a long time.

The heartbreak and heartache of 2001, 2003 and most notably 2004 can be eased quite a bit. The first round exits of 2005, 2006 and 2007 and the first postseason absence since 1993 in the year 2008 is now erased from our recent thoughts. Of course there was no postseason in 1994 but the Yankees team of that year was destined for a postseason birth and had the best record in baseball behind the Montreal Expos, yes the Montreal Expos!

So let the bashing begin. Let the haters break out of the wood work. The title was bought, purchased, whatever they want to say, let 'em say it. Bottom line is this, for the first time in a long time, the money was spent wisely. Every single person on this roster from Alex Rodriguez to CC Sabathia to AJ Burnett down to Jerry Hairston had their hand in this one. It was a total team effort and nobody can deny this team their destiny this year which was on Joe Girardi's back the whole time. Maybe next year they will honor the number 28 when it's on his back, we shall see.

Oh how sweet it is. The team that is loved to be hated so much. Your World Champion, New York Yankees for the 27th time.

By Vinnie Ferrarini