Yankees to sign Mientkiewicz

NEW YORK -- The Yankees have reached terms on a tentative deal with first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, the New York Daily News and New York Post reported Thursday.
Mientkiewicz, 32, was reportedly on his way to New York for a physical examination as a precursor to finalizing a one-year contract with the Yankees.

A Yankees spokesman said Thursday that the team had nothing to announce, and a telephone call to Mientkiewicz's agent was not immediately returned.

A left-handed hitter, Mientkiewicz would fill the Yankees' desire for a reliable glove at first base, perhaps platooning with either Josh Phelps or Andy Phillips while hitting in the lower third of the lineup. Such an arrangement would permit Jason Giambi to focus on serving as the Yankees' full-time designated hitter.

Mientkiewicz batted .283 with four home runs and 43 RBIs in 314 at-bats for the Royals last season before undergoing season-ending back surgery on Aug. 29.

A career .270 hitter, Mientkiewicz has played in New York before, appearing in 87 games with the Mets in 2005. He is perhaps best known for his role in Boston's 2004 World Series victory, having caught the final out from closer Keith Foulke before becoming involved in a custodial battle over the baseball.

Source: Yankees

This is a good pick up for the Yanks as he will vastly improve the defense at that position. He can be a pretty darn good hitter too.

I'm not holding my breath for that. If he improves the defense, great. But I think he'll be the one easy out of the lineup.

Andy Phillips has been vastly underrated as a defensive first baseman, and I'd take him as an in-house option over Mientkiewicz as a defensive player. And frankly, I don't find a career .270 hitter who averages 11 HR's over 162 games to be a "pretty darn good hitter," especially since his durability is a question. But I'll take Mientkiewicz as a defensive option over Giambi...a Gold Glove winner? Gimme gimme gimme.

However, this is nothing more than a (bad) stop leak. Even though he has a decent walk to strikeout ratio, platooning Mientkiewicz with Phillips or Phelps...that has to be the worst offensive first-base lineup in baseball. Phelps is the only one with some pop, Mientkiewicz is an instant out, and Phillips goes hot and cold like a refrigerator during blackouts.

Getting ahold of Nick Johnson, who is reportedly available, or Sexon, or even snagging Mark Texiera from the Rangers, has to be the long term option at first base. But this has to be the most glaring hole in the lineup. Period.

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And I still say trading Randy Johnson for Vizcaino et al is a bad move. The only way this works is if they use these prospects to get someone like Texiera. Otherwise, we're going to be overloaded in AAA with young arms (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), and be missing a quality starter who has won us 17 games two years in a row.

I couldn't agree with you more than right here DJ! The ONLY way I'd part with Unit is if Clemens coming back would be a lock (which it ISN'T!). My friend keeps saying we've got Wang, Moose, Pettitte, Igawa and Pavano. Since Zito signed with San Fran and if the Yanks can't sign Clemens, they just left a BIG hole open in the rotation that Igawa and Pavano CAN'T feel. I'm worried about this and futhermore, I don't wanna see Unit go.

It didn't make a whole lot of sense to give Johnson away. Sure, they dumped payroll, but you can never have enough pitching, particularly left handers.

I'm guessing that Johnson expressed an interest in going back home to Arizona. He is a low key unassuming guy, who wouldn't air his demands publicly.

I agree but I do see some reasoning behind this madness. Johnson only had 1 year left on his contract and I'm sure the Yankees wouldn't have extended it another year. This way, they do dump payroll (I hear they only have to pay as much as $2 million on Unit's contract. Which means, that's an extra $14 million to invest in the Rocket), and they get young pitching prospects in return. However, the Yankees are sorely gonna miss Unit's 33 starts and 17 wins. Again, Igawa and Pavano will NOT be able to fill his shoes. Clemens sure, but that's still a long shot at this point (especially starting in Spring Training like they want him to).

Would Steinbrenner save Rocket for the playoffs like the Astros do?

Is that 'really' why he left NY in the first place?

The Yanks want him sooo bad. But they're not gonna get him are they Irishman?

edit-Johnson sucks now. He got shelled all yr and has never had 'GREAT' control. His fastball obviously is NOT the world beater it used to be.

As you know, I've been against bringing Clemens back ever since his screwjob of the Yankees in 2004. Even if Johnson has not been sparkling in the postseason for the Yankees, his 17-win and 33 GS average warrants me, if I were GM in NY right now, to keep him as at least my third or fourth starter. With Johnson gone, we've lost those 17-wins, and a large number of starts.

I'm not really worried about the Yankees front three (Wang, Mussina, and Pettitte). It's the backend that's the concern. I believe Igawa should do fine in New York, but it isn't a sure-fire thing (neither is Matsuzaka, for that matter). And Pavano? Unless he lights it up in spring training - and even if he does - I still think he'll be trade fodder, along with these other prospect we've been acquiring, in a deal for either an elite, power-hitting first baseman or a better-than-good starting pitcher.

That's essentially how I feel. From what I've heard, the sudden death of Johnson's brother elicited a comment to Brian Cashman that he wouldn't object to being traded back towards the west coast. I think Cashman had more of a team chemistry issue than anything else, coupled with what I12 has mentioned about the contract; Johnson already had a hard time in NY, and knowing he'd rather be someplace else is a prospect you'd like to take care of if possible.

We basically got back nothing for Johnson, unless Cashman has a master plan on the table to acquire a Mark Texiera or a Johan Santana by unloading cash and prospects on these teams.

If the Yankees rotation is good enough to get them through June or July, then sure, they'll wait for Clemens. After all, Johnson was projected to be out until possibly May or June anyways, so it's not like they are altering the equation much.

Furthermore, Johnson doesn't "suck." I wouldn't call a 17-game winner, who finished 8th in the AL in strikeouts, someone who is done. Johnson pitched most of the year in pain, forcing him to change his delivery angle. Nobody here is claiming that he is a world-beater at his age, but he's still better and more efficient than a large percentage of his younger counterparts, and he'll thrive in the NL again.

Then again, a logical argument from my end probably is unnecessary, as it will probably be ignored.

DJ, do you think the Yanks will use a lot of these prospects they've been collecting to go after someone like Dontrelle Willis. I'm sure Florida would ask for Melky and some prospects. Do you think they'd part with Melky and prospects to add Dontrelle in July?

Answer me this......

Out of his 17 wins last year.....How many were won with his pitching saving the day and how many were won by the Yankees hitters carrying the game?

So, even a half assed pitcher can win a bunch of games if the hitters are giving him a shit load of runs.

If the players they got from Arizona could be the cornerstone in a deal for Dontrelle Willis, why wouldn't the Diamondbacks have used them to make such a deal?

I'm not saying the Arizona prospects only. The Yankees did get players for trading Jaret Wright to Baltimore and Gary Sheffield to Detroit. They could use ANY number of all of these players. Plus Arizona doesn't have Melky Cabrera.

I don't think that's the Yankees plan, personally. It's clear now more than ever that they are interested in development from within, particularly after the success of the Robinson Cano, Chien-Ming Wang, and Melky Cabrera experiments (because that's what they were - stop leaks, experiments, when the Yankees needed reserves) going so well.

Philip Hughes, Humberto Sanchez, J. Brent Cox, Jose Veras, and Darrell Rasner are all top tier prospects for the Yankee pitching staff. Cox and Veras are expected to move into full-time reliever roles by 2008, with Cox expected to succeed Mariano Rivera. Hughes is projected to be the next Clemens. The Yankees, for the first time in a great while, have actually be stocking their farm club. This doesn't include others like Jose Tabata, who is going to be the Yankees long term option in the outfield, hopefully complementing Melky Cabrera. Couple this with already young starters in Chien-Ming Wang and, if he works out, Kei Igawa, and the Yankees have a nice platform for the next 5 years at the mound.

And I hope they don't go after Willis. I think he's the hot name to throw around, but I don't think he'd transition well to the AL. He finished 6th in the NL in walks, and you can add another 1-1.5 points to his ERA when he comes to the AL East. He's a good pitcher, no doubt. But if I had my pick of NL starters, give me a Oswalt or a (Carlos) Zambrano.

So the answer is no, I don't expect Cashman to go for Willis in July. Even though I disagree with it, I'm sure they'll try and sweet-talk Clemens into a last hurrah.

My friend...ever hear of Kevin Brown?

Johnson's pitching ability, while not dominating, is still good enough so that I bet he'd win 20 games next year for the Diamondbacks.

Does anyone know how many days it is until spring training?? By the way, I heard that the trade for the Royals first baseman has left no spot for Bernie!!

Tickets are available on the Yankees website and it looks like the first game is on March 1st again the Minnesota Twins.

DJ, I read today that the Yanks could use some of these young arms to perhaps sway Minnesota to trade Johan Santana (I believe he's going to be a free agent at the end of the 2008 season and will command a BIG contract that Minnesota won't be able to give him). At least this way they can get some young talent and the Yanks can get an AL Cy Young winner. Think that would be a smart move?

Finally, it really ticks me off. The Yankees hardly spend any money this offseason, but rather rebuild their farm system that so many (mostly boston fans on this board) have said was "depleted." Now the Yankees are going against the norm, throwing caution/money to the wind on players, and thinking ahead to the future by trading big name players with big contracts to get pitching prospects. Do the Yankees get a "pat on the back?" NO!. Are the Yankees still "hurting" baseball? NO! But were are the stories about this? Whereas boston grossly overpays for Matsuzaka and San Francisco does the same with Barry Zito, and they're "applauded" for their efforts to improve their teams. I just hate how hypocritical the media and baseball fans are!

Bah, what does it matter. As a Miami Hurricane fan, which the media detests and absolutley tears up for anything, I have learned to just move on and not give a shit what the media thinks.

I don't really care what the media or other non-Yankee fans think but it does piss me off when the Yanks do something and get lynched for it, yet do something COMPLETELY different and it's not even mentioned. Just a little credit. But does anyone b*tch about boston's payroll and spending spree this offseason? Of course not! They're "good for baseball." HORSESH*T!

I12, if you're a Yankee fan, you have to realize that it's almost a sport in itself for the press and non-Yankee fans to bad-mouth the Yankees. I say, watch them play, enjoy the season while it's hear, and turn a deaf ear to anything else.

I know this all too well. It just gets to me sometimes the double standard the Yankees are held to because I cherish them so much.

Anywho... we just signed 1B Mientkiewicz for a year to allow Giambi to DH fulltime.

He'll be an easy out in the lineup

I read this morning that this trade leaves no room for Bernie.

That's not totally true SB. They could still bring him back as a bench player if he wants to. I remember he said he played a lot more this year than he thought he would (or maybe wanted to for that matter) when Matsui and Sheffield went down. Maybe with a full roster, he'll want to come back as a pinch hitter.

I hope so. I can't imagine a Yankee game without Bernie, especially since he had a pretty decent season last year.

Me too and like I said, with the overflow of outfielders this year (Matsui, Damon, Abreu, Melky) I think it's safe to say if he comes back this year, he won't see a lot of playing time.

Just what we were talking about SB

Bernie's return questionable

NEW YORK -- Will the Yankees have room for one more year of Bernie Williams?
General manager Brian Cashman said Friday that he has had discussions with both the 38-year-old outfielder and his representative, Scott Boras, about the possibility of Williams returning for what would be his 17th season in New York.

"I've had conversations with Bernie directly, as well as with Scott Boras during the winter, about what opportunity may or may not be here in '07," Cashman said. "We've had a very open and honest dialogue with Bernie and Scott Boras throughout the process. That will continue."

The Yankees' numbers situation, as currently comprised, appears to limit Williams' chances. Cashman said that the signing of Doug Mientkiewicz assures the Yankees will carry both a left-handed-hitting and a right-handed-hitting first baseman as part of a platoon, with either Andy Phillips or Rule 5 selection Josh Phelps set to win the latter position.

With Jason Giambi now entrenched as the full-time designated hitter, and Melky Cabrera remaining as a fourth outfielder behind Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu, the Yankees' 25-man roster -- assuming a 12-man pitching staff -- is becoming more set.

The Yankees have room to add a utility infielder -- Cashman said that re-signing Miguel Cairo remains a possibility -- and can select a backup catcher, likely from the tandem of Raul Chavez and Wil Nieves.

But that may leave no room for Williams, a free agent who has not officially decided if he wishes to play in 2007. Williams played more than expected last season when both Gary Sheffield and Matsui went down to injury, responding with a .281 average, 12 home runs and 61 RBIs in 131 games.

Williams is relatively inexperienced as a pinch-hitter, with just seven hits in 33 at-bats over the last three seasons. Plus, after flirting with the idea of dealing Cabrera earlier this winter, the Yankees now appear primed to hold onto the 22-year-old.

Cashman declined to speculate if he would consider inviting Williams to camp as a non-roster invitee who could make the club in the event of injury.

"Obviously, he's meant a lot to this franchise," Cashman said. "He's been a big piece for quite some time. It's been a great marriage."

Source: Yankees