Daily Archives: February 23, 2012

Yankees Discuss Extension with Russell Martin

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Andrew Marchand from ESPN New York reports that the New York Yankees have discussed restructuring the contract of catcher Russell Martin . Martin is currently on a one year deal, but they want to discuss a potential three year agreement. YES Network later reported that GM Brian Cashman said that Martin and his agent, Matt Colleran, were not interested in what the Yankees had offered. Martin is willing to be flexible to the Yankees payroll, as they are trying to avoid the luxury tax. Cashman and Colleran will be meeting again later this week, and they have already met to discuss this recently. Martin is schedule to be a free agent after this season and currently has a salary of $7.5 million. It is not clear if he is looking for a raise, or just a longer deal. However, he was not interested in their first deal, and the Yankees will keep trying. Continue reading →

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Yankees/MLB Hot Stove Update – February 23, 2012

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Let’s start with some news that broke around 5:15 p.m… (Thanks to Andrew GM for the initial comment) Milwaukee Brewers reigning MVP Ryan Braun has won his appeal of positive drug test and will not serve a 50-game suspension to start the 2012 campaign. Braun becomes the first player in the history of major league baseball to have a positive drug test overturned. Great news for not only Braun, but for the city of Milwaukee and major league baseball as well. Roy Oswalt announced today that he will continue to evaluate his options and may sign midseason rather than with a major league team before the season begins. Problems with lower back injuries sidelined Oswalt for portions of last season and reportedly were career-threatening. Those issues may have even scared off a few teams from seriously pursuing him this offseason. If you dare to take a trip down memory lane , you’ll recall that Roger Clemens held out until midway through 2007 before signing an incredulous contract with the New York Yankees . There’s belief that Oswalt very well may wait for contending teams to become thirsty for pitching depth and come knocking on his door. As written about earlier, the Yankees and their starting catcher Russell Martin are reportedly in preliminary talks of a contract extension that would keep Martin in pinstripes through the end of the 2014 season. For more on this, check out the brief story we posted around 3:15 p.m. MLBTR examines the youngest free agents left on the market. Yes, one of them is Xavier Nady . Remember him? MLB players make the new HGH testing sound completely awful. Continue reading →

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Yankees And Russell Martin Talking Extension

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

The New York Yankees have proposed ripping up Russell Martin‘s current one-year contract and giving him a three-year deal, reports Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com. If the Yankees and Martin were to come to an agreement, it would make Martin a Yankee through 2014. Negotiations are in the early stages, however. The Yankees and Martin avoided Continue reading →

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Prince Hal: No need to talk to King Mo

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Maybe he just doesn’t want to hear any possible bad news, but Hal Steinbrenner does not plan to ask Mariano Rivera what he intends to do after this season, nor does the New Boss plan to try to talk him out of anything. “I have no plans to sit down with Mariano,” Steinbrenner told MLB.com. “I want him focused on this year. I’m focused on this year. I have no plans to have a conversation with him. We have enough things to worry about right now. Continue reading →

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Yankees sign—you heard it right— Burt Reynolds

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

The New York Yankees signed a player named— get this— Burt Reynolds. No, not the mustachioed actor from such films as Deliverance, The Longest Yard and the Smokey and the Bandit series. According to the YES Network, this Burt Reynolds might not have any relation to the movie star, but has a strong bloodline— he is reportedly the cousin of Yankees star second baseman Robinson Cano. Last season, the 23-year-old Reynolds batted .232 with 13 homeruns, 36 RBI’s and 11 stolen bases for the Newark Bears of the Can-Am Baseball Association. The third baseman/outfielder was originally a 30th round pick of the Washington Nationals in 2006 and is a native of San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic. He spent three years in the Tampa Bay minor-league system before going to the independent Can-Am. The 2011 Bears were managed by former-Yankee outfielder Tim Raines and had a couple of familiar names from the Yankees past in the lineup including Tim Raines Jr. and Todd Gossage, the youngest son of Hall of Fame closer Rich “Goose” Gossage. It might have been nice to have the actor Reynolds— the world’s biggest box office draw for most of the ’70′s— hanging around Yankees spring training. The Yankees haven’t had a good mustache on the team since the days of Don Mattingly. Continue reading →

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Would you sign Russell Martin?

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Francisco Cervelli isn’t really viewed as an every day guy. Austin Romine is not ready yet to play regular yet. Gary Sanchez is just 19. J.R. Murphy is only 20. So the Yankees have catching depth, but they don’t know if they have someone who can handle a staff and the spotlight of catching in New York. That is why talks have started with Russell Martin on what is essentially a two-year extension. Part of the reason, the Yankees wanted Jesus Montero to win the backup job last spring was so he could get used to being the catcher, learning the pitchers and being accountable after games. Continue reading →

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Hughes to Minors? Not impossible

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Let’s start with how Phil Hughes looks. He appears to be in great shape with a chance to recapture his 2010 form. It is very possible he will throw great in the spring and win the No. 5 job outright. However, the Yankees think of Hughes as a starter. So if Freddy Garcia takes the fifth spots, then Hughes won’t necessarily go to the bullpen. In the pen, Hughes would likely be role-less as the seventh, eighth and ninth are already accounted for. As a long man, Hughes’ development would be slowed. Continue reading →

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Chavez happy to be back with Yankees

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

After an offseason of wondering where – and if – he might play again, Eric Chavez is pleased to be back with the New York Yankees. Chavez agreed to a $900,000, one-year deal to return to the team. The deal was subject to a physical, which Chavez indicated he hadn’t taken yet, but he was in the clubhouse at New York’s spring training facility Thursday and already had his own locker. Chavez, who turned 34 in December, said retirement was a possibility, but the backup infielder was happy to join the Yankees again for another chance to play in the postseason. Last year, Chavez hit .263 with two homers and 26 RBIs in 58 games. Continue reading →

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Missing Links: Martin deal, Jones in Hall

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

Let’s deliver some Thursday Missing Links. * With the Yankees maintaining pre- and post-trade that Jesus Montero could be an every day catcher, Russell Martin’s negotiating position was a bit tenuous. If Montero could have really caught, then it is hard to imagine the Yankees breaking out the big cash for Martin. But now with Montero gone and Austin Romine probably not even going to be the team’s backup, it seems like a better possibility. Martin went into that with Harper from the News. Continue reading →

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Mussina says retirement decision will help Yankees’ Rivera

Posted on February 23, 2012 by admin

TAMPA — If Mariano Rivera has decided this is it, Mike Mussina says that could help his former teammate, even though the all-time saves leader hardly needs another advantage. Prior to the 2008 season Mussina decided he would retire at the end of the year. He told a few teammates, but… Continue reading →

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