Jay-Z was Cano's agent? I knew he opened an agency but i didn't know he was actually doing the deals himself. Huh...that guy has his hand in alot of things these days.


My favorite Super Sports Agent of all time... Arli$$ Michaels!

Yes I agree. But Beltran can also DH. He has to stay healthy which has always been a big "If" for him.

The lack of respect was Jay Z demanding a 10 year/$305 million contract. Even desperate Seattle didn't go near that. Cano wanted to be the highest paid player in the game and he nearly got it

As far as respect, there was also no home town discount. Right before Jay Z/Cano were flying out to Seattle to sign a $225 million deal (which they reneged on)....they called the Yankees FO and offered to sign with them for $235 million.

Yankee fans are spoiled.

While they were mourning over the loss of Cano, the front office immediately announced deals with both Carlos Beltran and Hiroki Kuroda. Fans didn't even have to wait 24 hours! The Yanks were serious about moving ahead with or without Cano, and the winter meetings haven't even started.

McCann, Ellsbury, Kuroda, Beltran....and they're not done yet. I'm going to miss Gardner, though, he's good as gone.

Yeah I think Gardner's gone although there's talk about the Yankees trying to move Ichiro. They won't get much for him in return but he could be worth the risk (final year of his contract and his salary is $6 million).

Personally, I'd like to see Gardner and Ellsbury on the same team together, even if it's just for the year since more than likely I think Gardner's gone as a free agent. But from a business stand point, I do understand it makes sense to move him now to get some value for him.

Ichiro is on the trading block, but he has little value anymore and will likely go somewhere mostly to fill seats. This might be his last season. Wells will be released, and his salary doesn't count against the luxury cap.

However, there's still Gardner, Soriano, Beltran, and Ellsbury for 3 spots. It's tough to hand a DH spot to Soriano because Jeter, ARod and McCann will need to DH, also.

Wow, I'm kinda surprised by this. Such a good pitcher. It's a shame he never won a ring. I wonder how long Cliff Lee's gonna stick around now?

Roy Halladay To Retire

This was inevitable. His injuries over the past two years were too much to overcome. He was one of the truly great pitchers of his era. One of his crowning glories was pitching a postseason no-hitter in 2010. I got to see one of his last starts this past September when he came off the disabled list on a warm Sunday afternoon to pick up his last win.

His retirement won't affect Cliff Lee's career plans. Halladay's departure was assumed. He was a free agent and there was no interest in him. Lee has some good seasons remaining in that left arm of his.

Too bad they never won a ring together. They had a good team and Halladay and Lee were probably the best one-two punch in a rotation IMO. As you said, a great pitcher.

Damned Cardinals!

The Expansion Era Committee elected Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox and Joe Torre to the Baseball Hall of Fame. They are third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in managerial wins.

The Writers Assn. will vote to determine what players, if any, will be inducted with them in July.

There will be players this year. Greg Maddox and Tom Glavine are on the ballet for the first time this year. Maddox is at least a lock IMO.

It will be criminal if they don't go in together. But then again, I'm just a sentimental old fool .

Very happy for Joe Torre. As for Halladay, I read that he signed a one day contract with Toronto so that he could retire as a Blue Jay.

So sorry about Cano. He was a great 2nd baseman for the Yankees, but then so was Soriano. I wish we had kept Soriano all those years instead of making that trade for ARod back in the day.

You think Jeter will be DH? I still have doubts about his return. I hope he gets to play one more season, but I'm not so sure.

Besides the stupid A Rod trade....how about Chuck I-can't-reach-first-base Knoblach? Didn't Steve Sax have the same problem. Willie Randolph was the best (2nd Base).

If there was ever one knock on Maddox it's that he was bad in the postseason. But he's still one of the 5 best pitchers to ever play.

I'm not crazy about this trade but they could do worse:

Yankees Targeting Justin Masterson

There are reports that the Phillies are shopping Cliff Lee and Cole Mamels, who is signed through 2018, but I have doubts about it as they signed carlos Ruiz and Chase Utley and acquired ex-Phil Marlon Byrd.

They're doing it to try and dump payroll but they want top players back in return. I don't think they're gonna get both. I think teams will take on the contracts but not give up top players or give up top players with the Phillies eating more of the contracts than they want.

This is supported mostly from Yankee fans and their blogging, since they're both walking at the end of the '14 season. Yankees need pitching and Masterson fits the bill.

Question: How much do you think Gardner will command on the open market? I think the Yankees FO is expecting to be priced out of the market, which explains their actions this offseason. It's strange to see the Yanks get priced out of keeping their good home grown players.

I don't see Gardner getting the kind of contract Ellsbury got. I'd see him getting something similar to what Granderson received from the Mets. Gardner is a great defender, has a good arm, is dangerous when on base but he's a career .268 hitter. Personally, I'd like to see his average higher if he was going to bat lead off (which he probably would do on most other teams). But he's not as aggressive on the bases as Ellsbury is either. Again, I'd expect Granderson type money.

At Granderson money, wouldn't you expect the front office to keep Gardner? That's basically Beltran money, with one extra year, for a younger, faster guy.

I think it'll depend on if they fall under $189 million or not. Even if the Yankees don't fall under that this year, perhaps they will next year. I could see them doing it very soon. They may have spent a lot this offseason since their ratings and attendance figures were down so low this year compared to recent years. They needed to do something to get the fans back. So maybe if for 2015 they're trying to get under the new salary cap, I could see them passing on him.

Plus, do you feel (or rather do the Yankees feel) that he's worth $15 million a year? Personally, I don't think he is - but that's just my opinion.

Now the rumor is the Indians aren't going to trade Masterson this offseason and have even informed him so. But now there's chatter the Yankees might go after Johan Santana (which I think is a mistake given his injury history since leaving Minnesota). I'm only onboard if the contract is incentive based on number of starts, innings pitched, etc.

Sources: Yanks have interest in Santana

I think this is a good signing by the Mets. I was hoping the Yankees would go after him but I wouldn't have gone 2 years on him:

Mets To Sign Bartolo Colon

Yanks turned down a Brett Gardner for Brandon Phillips (2b) trade. Reds are trying to unload Phillips' contract to free up some money for Choo.

Yanks offered 3 years to Omar Infante to play 2b. He has a 4 year deal from the Royals, supposedly, and turned down the Yanks.

Royals have outbid the Yanks on both Infante and Beltran. Seattle outbid the Yanks on Cano. What the heck is going on?!

Seattle has put the disappointing Jesus Montero on the trading block.

I'm glad the Yankees didn't trade Gardner for Phillips. I'd rather have Gardner on the team next year than Phillips.

As for Infante, I wouldn't give him 4 years either. It's not that teams are outbidding New York (such as Kansas City and Seattle) it's that they're giving them more years which I REALLY applaud the Yankees for not doing. They're showing some restraint and using their money more wisely I believe. They caved in for Beltran since they only wanted to give him 2 years but I think 4 years for Infante is a bit much personally. Sure the deals look good now but what about towards the end of them. Remember last winter the Yankees signed Ichiro to a 2-year contract and now they can't get rid of him with only a year left on it!

Really surprised by Montero. There was SO much hype surrounding him. I'm not surprised about his defense because that was always called into question. And his offensive numbers I could see them being down in a ballpark like Safe Co Field. I wonder how they'd play in a more hitter friendly park? I'm sure someone will pick him up cheap (I would).

In 29 games last year, Montero's OPS+ (adjusted for ballparks) was only 69. His OPS was .570 and batted .208. Plus, he was taking PED's from Biogenesis and was suspended 50 games....his numbers will not likely increase without the 'roids. Besides the suspension, he only played 29 games because the M's optioned him to the minor leagues. Add in that he doesn't really have a position and the Yanks really don't even want him on the cheap, since the DH will be crowded.

Jesus Montero, Killer B's, multiple catching prospects......none of them have panned out. Great scouting, guys.

Exactly. THAT'S what the Yankees need to be investing their money in. Their farm system for the most part has always sucked. Guys are just overhyped and never pan out. There are some exceptions like the Core Four, Robinson Cano, David Robertson, etc.

But look at who hasn't in addition to your list: Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy, etc.

The guy I was excited for was Austin Jackson, the heir apparent to Bernie. There was no need to trade him, because combined with Gardner, would have been 2/3rds of an inexpensive, but speedy OF- and a much cheaper option than Ellsbury. But alas, Cashman is in love with HR's and wanted the 4 years of 8 figure salaries for Granderson, at the expense of 7 cost controlled years of Jackson.

Holding out hope for Banuelos, but that's about it.