I might go out and buy a Reds baseball cap as a way of saying thanks to them. The 5.5-win improvement you mention, Cliff, might be enough on its own to overcome the slight, though inevitable, decline in some of the bats.

Now, there's one big question left - and its not "Who plays CF?" Rather, its "Why is Wayne #%(&#%(&##@! Franklin still on the 40-man roster?"

Ya know what Cliff, this is a great f'n post. It shows the Yankees have not been completely silent this offseason. They haven't made a huge splash like getting Josh Beckett but the team is better today than it was after the last out of the playoffs. Too bad the team is also a year older.

Thanks Cliff. We couldn't expect Cashman to trade Womack straight up for Adam Dunn so good job Mr. Cashman. The FSL has a rep for being a tough pitchers league. Himes may not be advanced for his age but he may be based on his experience. We have another guy in Tampa, Christian, who may also fit that description.
The Value Over analysis is great stuff. If we've topped out on high end talent we can do some nice building at the other end of the 25 man roster. I think we can learn something from the White Sox' model.

Let's not get too excited until we see how the bench fills out. If they are going to pursue Jose-Viz, for example, we'll know it's just business as usual.

looks like we signed Mike Myers to a 2 year contract. Saw it at Replacement Level...What do people think of the signing?

It's up on rotoworld too, apparently that's what Myers told MLB.com

It's not official yet, but a source tells me the Yanks will sign Mike Myers to a 2-year deal.

Bill, Vizcaino was at +0.5 VORP last year. He would do just fine.

Nick, Myers is one of those LOOGYs who should never be allowed to face righty hitters. That's a major problem. That said, he does do his job against lefties and was +10 VORP last year (vs. Embree's -4.8 above, that's another win-and-a-half gain).

Here's hoping he's just a placeholder for a younger home-grown arm and a reason to release Wayne Frankin. No word on the money involved in the two-year deal yet.

Well done, Cliff.

Now if only we could get a CF for one of our back of the rotation guys. Simple fact, we found 3 above-average SP's last year (Wang, Chacon, Small) with a little experimentation. Hopefully they continue to produce. We found NO CF's last year with a lot of experimentation. Get the CF CASH-man.

I was completely puzzled (and delighted!) that the Reds would give up two prospects, one who seems reasonably-highly regarded until I realized the implications of the Rule 5 draft. They knew they were going to lose Howard anyway, and decided that Womack was worth more to them than the $50,000 they would get by whoever drafted him. While we might think they would have been better off taking the money, at least it gives some explanation as to why we'd get a prospect out of it.

Also, anyone seen how much cash the Yanks sent their way? It wouldn't surprise me if they sent most of Womack's salary for '06, which would still save the Yanks in the luxury tax (right?). This all seems like a clever move by Cashman using the Rule 5 draft to his advantage (without needing to preserve a spot on the 25 man -- just the 40 man.)

Just saw that the Yanks paid $900,000 of Womack's salary for 2006. That's almost exactly what they'll save in Luxury tax from not having his $2M on the books. So, they get a prospect without having to keep him in the majors, they save Womack's roster spot and $2M, and they don't have to worry about Torre writing his name in the lineup. Not a bad day at the office for Mr. Cashman.

Anyone think Womack will rebound enough to be worth $1.1 M to the Reds? If he repeats his 2004 numbers, he wouldn't be too badly overpaid.

Rob Gee,
You summarized my views perfectly. Starting pitchers are such a gamble that the extra security provided by the back of the rotation guys is really not worth that much. The Yanks scrambled well last year. If need be, they can scramble next year. (Also, as a fan, I found seeing new pitchers being given tryouts to be an entertaining roller coaster ride last year). Henn will be a year older and perhaps he will be ready to contribute.

By the way, can the Yankees still sign Tim Redding to a minor league deal? I think that Kerrigan might be able to get something out of him.

My brother and I had this discussion last night. A LOOGY is a good thing for the Yanks to have, and Myers is a very good LOOGY . . . but that leaves only 1 open spot in the pen (assuming a 12-man pitching staff):

Starters:
Unit
Moose
Wang
Chacon
Pavano

Bullpen:
Mo
Farnsworth
Sturtze
Wright
Small
Myers
(open spot)

Jason Anderson is out of options, which makes him candidate #1 for the open spot, I guess. And given the pen's construction, if whoever fills the opening ever sees the light of day, it'll be a miracle. We've all seen this one before.

Unless one, if not two, of Wright, Small, and Sturtze suddenly pitch lights-out from the pen - let's be honest, not bloody likely - I see not much progress over last year's pen, addition by subtraction aside.

Sigh.

Thanks Shaun. I wanted to do that math. Fact is, the bullpen will go the same way this year. We'll experiment and the youngsters and non-roster invites (e.g., Leiter and Mendoza) seem a much better way to go than say, Todd Jones at 5.5mil/year (yes, the Tiger gave him that). Some will work, others won't - just seems to be the way with most bullpen guys. Depending on whatever Myers got, we're close to about 20 mil in the bullpen. Seems obscene to spend more with rapidly dimishing returns with each dollar.

But CF's get 500 AB's and play defense.(Am I mutilating the horse yet?)

Groan...

Shaun --

How many of those pitchers will stay healthy? Based on last year, I'd say around 2 of them will be on the DL at any given time.

I think either Cashman is working on a trade in regards to one of the pitchers (and will have to if Steinbrenner decides he wants to woo Clemens) or he is just going to wait for some team to have a major pitching injury and then pull off a trade. It's interesting to see the Yankees trying to reduce the awful-ness of the part time players instead of trying to get the best players available. It should at least improve the team in the short run. I still wonder what they're going to do about DH, though. Bernie needs to not be the plan.

Rob Neyer wrote an essay in the excellent new Hardball Times book (better than the Prospectus, in my opinion) that has a section on the mistake that was the Yankees bench. It's good to see that they Yankees are now aware of it at least.

I just hope Torre realizes that Myers is only effective against LH hitters:

v. Left: .158 .198 .211 .409

v. Right: .385 .510 .641 1.151

Given his historic tendencies, that's not a certainty.

Cliff, it is an indication of how low your expectations for Yankee roster management have fallen that you think a 38-year old infielder with a .5 VORP and dubious defensive skills (and a contract well over the minimum no doubt) would be "just fine."

I was looking at Soriano's numbers. Here are is numbers away from his hitter-friendly home park:
2004 - BA: .244 OBP: .291 SLG: .444 OPS: .735
2005 - BA: .224 OBP: .265 SLG: .374 OPS: .639

And he is moving to a pitcher's park! Now I don't think that he will do this badly. After all, he did quite well at Yankee Stadium which is not a hitter's park. But you have to wonder if the Nationals are overestimating his abilities.

wow. if you'd have told me two months ago that tom gordon would be more valuable than alfonso soriano on my fantasy team, i would have said you were on crack, but those splits are SCARY.

Miggy wants out of Baltimore, reports ESPN...

http://tinyurl.com/97pbp

Crazy thought (shades of A-Rod) — he'll accept a move to 2B to come to The Bronx, but we lose Cano, Duncan and probably one more top prospect. Maybe worse yet, Cano/Wang and a lower level prospect... Would you do a deal like that today?

how bout sheff and duncan for tejada and jay gibbons. play gibbons in right and tejada at DH.

Any team that plays Tejada as a DH instead of in the infield deserves to be contracted, disbanded, shredded, stomped on, and fed to New Jersey.

He's simply too much fun to have in the field. I think watching someone with that kind of joy for the game sitting on the bench would make me want to cry.

c'mon, ravenscar, tell us how you REALLY feel. ;)

Hey Murphy:

Talk about punishing a decomposing equine, how bout same trade but Jeter in CF and Tejada at short. I know I'm just pissing in the wind, but what the hell its late.

sporter,

that was my first thought, but then i realized, as much sense as we all know it would make, jeter will never even be asked to switch.

They're going to have to move him out of there someday. I watched the O's go through it with Ripken, it wasn't pretty watching Cal waive at all those ground balls. I don't want to see Jeter go through that. I'd bet if they asked him he'd do it. Hell, they could dress it up as Jeter riding in to the rescue and putting team first and all for one and one for .... I've loved the Yankees since I was a kid. Its odd to find that you have a favorite player that you identify well into your adulthood. Jeter's that player. Love the guy. Odds are he won't retire as the Yankees' shortstop. Why not ask him to try the move now. He could go out patrolling the same acreage once owned by Mantle, and DiMaggio and Bernie. Where's the shame in that?

Having said all that. Tejada is an emotional guy. He's just blowing off. I'd be shocked if he went anywhere

Hey sporter -

How about Milton Bradley instead?

Rob:

Haven't you and I been through enough?

sport -

I feel wanted when there's conflict - a very long and painful childhood...

You know, it's just all this nostalgia for drunks and manwhores has me a little emotional. I'm sorry - I'll pull myself together.

Rob:

I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure it's just an outsized need to belong. I often wander through a similar indigestible set of memories at this hour as well. Ah, good times, good times.

Hmm, Red Sox need a shortstop, Manny wants a trade, Manny is a stud and is owed a lot of money, all of which he's worth.

Tejada wants a trade. Tejada is a stud and is owed a lot of money, all of which he's worth. Tejada is a shortstop.

Tejada is probably the only guy in baseball for whom the Sox could trade Manny and make themselves a better team.

Hmm, trade a guy with a career 1.008 OPS for a guy with a career .815 OPS - who has never had an OPS over .900 at any point in his career.

This Manny for Tejada crap was all over the airwaves in Boston last night. What are these people smoking?

I know they are 4 years apart in age, but I'd rather have Manny at 37 when he's still OPSing over .900 than Tejada at any age.

Not that I know what this exactly means but Tejada's VORP was higher than Manny's last year. Although Manny had 6 more win shares. I think this would be a good trade for the Sox as it would occur in the context of a trade demand, and Tejada is the best SS in mlb right now.

Tejada career stats are brought down by the fact that he didn't develop into a stud player until 2002 when he was 26. He's been in the .850 range over the last four years. But when you consider the fact that he's a plus defensive shortstop, that he's $8 M cheaper than Manny, and that he's a team leader, the deal works for the Sox. But does it work for the Birds? That, I haven't examined.

Also consider the fact that they can find a better left fielder between now and April than they can a shortstop.

I don't mind if the Red Sox trade Manny for Tejada though ideally I want Manny out of the AL East. Regardless, this "Tejada is a better player than Manny" thing that is all over the Internet is Red Sox Nation delusion.

For what its worth, I like Debris's analysis on this one. From a talent POV I think the trade would make some sense for both teams. I think Tejada's offensive production is magnified given the position he plays yet, Many was a superior player last year (at least in terms of Win Shares). Tejada did have a down year for him. I'm not sure the O's would take on the money difference this and next year. Plus the O's seem to be a little gun shy of guys who bring Manny's shall we say special qualities. If the Sox pull this off I think they have a chance to make themselves even better. There are still some good free agent left field options out there. I thought I hated what they did yesterday, this would make me down right queasy. Boston had the guy on waivers not so long ago. They were willing to give him away for nothing. If they get Tejada for him I'll puke.

If the Sox pull this off, I could imagine a package of prospects to the Reds for Adam Dunn who would fill out both LF/1b positions nicely. Hate to say it, but at least in terms of hot stove talk, it's fun to be a sox fan right now. They have a lot of options. Us? Not so much.

I was with debris until he said "[Tejada's] a team leader". He may be a good cheer leader, but a good leader doesn't abandon his teammates like he's trying to do right now. I mean, didn't he skip the "criticize the front office in the media" part and went right to the "I want out"?

He says they aren't making the right moves. Well they signed a pretty decent, young catcher in Ramon Hernandez, so now Javy can get some rest at 1B/DH, and it's not their fault the Blue Jays overpaid for BJ Ryan and AJ Burnett. They've got Mazzone now so maybe they'll see an uptick in their pitching. They've got a pretty solid offense as well. But he's ready to jump ship when the offseason isn't even half over. I hate using this phrase, but that's "bush league".