What's new with the Yankees

The Yankees haven't been the most busy team in the league, but they sure got what they needed so far this off-season. So far, the Yankees signed Andy Pettitte (and yes, I am more than willing to eat my own words), signed Japanese LHP Kei Igawa to a 5 year deal, signed Raul Chavez to a minor league contract to compete for the back-up catcher roll with Wil Neives in spring training. The first base situation as been solved, as the Yankees signed Doug Mientkiewicz, and acquired Josh Phelps during the Rule 5 draft. Mientkiewicz will be the left handed batting first baseman, while Phelps and Andy Phillips are going to compete for the job of right handed first baseman in spring training. Mientkiewicz and either Phillips or Phelps will split time at first, batting in the lower third of the order, making Jason Giambi become a full time DH. The final concerns the Yankees need to address before spring training is signing a utility infielder, and deciding whether or not to sign Bernie Williams. The reason Williams has not been signed yet is because the way the roster is, there probably will not be any room for Williams. If the Yankees carry 12 pitchers (5 starters, 1 long man, 2 lefties, 2 rights, a set up man and a closer), the starting nine guys in the batting order, Melky as the 4th outfielder, the utility infielder (Who could be Miguel Cairo), a back up catcher, and the extra first baseman, either Phillips or Phelps, that leave no room for Williams. The only way Williams can fit on the team is if Melky is traded, which actually might not be such a bad thing. Now don't turn on me yet, I am one of the bigger Melky fans out there, I was appalled when the news came out that Melky was almost traded for a closer from the Pirates. If the Yankees set up a package that included Melky, and got a HUGE name, either bigger than Phillip Hughes in the minors, or someone pretty big in the majors, like Dontrell Willis. The reason it might be a better idea to trade away Melky is because if we look to after this season, Andreu Jones is going to become a free agent. After dumping a ton of payroll already, the Yankees could make a strong push for Jones to play center field. The reason center becomes an automatic is because when Johnny Damon was signed, he said he would play anywhere, as long as it helped the Yankees. I think Damon would move to right or left if the Yankees considered going after Jones. But of course, these are all huge "if's", and I don't think the Yankees should trade Melky unless they could 100% guarantee they could get Jones in 2008, but there are no guarantees.

Other big news in the Yankees organization, because of a huge increase of arms in the organization, the Yankees decided to trade Randy Johnson back to the Diamondbacks for a strong reliever, Luis Vizcaino, pitching prospects Ross Ohlendorf and Steven Jackson, and shortstop Alberto Gonzalez. Last season Vizcaino put up impressive numbers, going 4-6 with a 3.58 ERA, striking out 72 while walking only 29 in 65.1 innings. Ohlendorf was also a great pick up for the Yankees, he isn't a Hughes or Humberto Sanchez, but he is a right handed pitcher the Diamondbacks had put a lot of time and effort into, and he is suppose to be one of a great arms in the minors. The trade give the Yankees a ton of more options for pitching, as the Yankees only have three automatic starters in the rotation at this point, with Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, and Andy Pettitte. This leaves 1 spot open for Igawa and Carl Pavano to fight for, and another spot open for many prospects. The loser of the 4th spot, either Pavano or Igawa, will compete against Darrell Rasner, Jeff Karstens, Hughes, Sanchez, Ohlendorf, as well as Scott Proctor, who has been training for a starting pitchers roll since the end of the 2006 season. Also on the free agent market, Roger Clemens is still getting many looks by not only the Yankees, but the Red Sox too. Since the Yankees dropped Johnson, it could be a sign that they might make a very strong push for Clemens, maybe even before the season starts. Just imagine what it would be like to get Clemens playing on the same team as Hughes, the information Clemens could teach Hughes could make him even more powerful than he is already, which could be very scary for the American League.

The Yankees are almost complete for the 2007 season. All the spots on the roster may not be filled just yet, but not because the Yankees don't have the players, it is because the Yankees have so many players competing for the same job. Either right handed bat first baseman, back up catcher, 4th and 5th spot in the rotation, and even in the bullpen, the Yankees are busting at the seams with players, making this years spring training maybe the most competitive one in a while. Only one month and eight days until Pitchers and Catchers, and Spring Training starts March 1st against the Twins. Stay calm Yankee fans, spring will arrive soon enough, and another season of Yankees baseball will be off and running before you know it.