When the Yankees signed Johnny Damon away from the Boston Red Sox in 2006 - two years after he helped them beat the Yankees win the World Series - it was a coup. Damon did everything for the Yankees that he did in Boston, culminating in a championship in 2009.
Seven years later, the Yankees are hoping to follow the same script with another gifted Red Sox centerfielder. On Tuesday night they were near completion on a seven-year, $153 million deal for centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who helped Boston win its third World Series title in 10 years and second since he joined the team.
Ellsbury was flying from Phoenix to New York Tuesday night to take a physical, according to two people involved in the discussions who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter.
Ellsbury was only one component of a dizzying few days in baseball, where several trades, free agent deals and a general hot-stove buzz made it seem as if next week's winter meetings had already begun.
Ellsbury would play center field and Brett Gardner would either move to a corner spot or possibly be used in a trade get since his game is similar to Ellsbury's, though without as much talent or flair.
When the deal is completed the Yankees will have signed two of the most sought-after free agents. Catcher Brian McCann agreed to a five-year, $85 million deal on Nov. 23.
For now, even with the addition of Ellsbury, the Yankees would still have enough money to bring back Robinson Cano and still stay under their stated goal of $189 million for their payroll. But Cano would have to accept their current price of seven years and about $170 to $175 million, but no higher. The Yankees offered Cano seven years for about $160 million and seemed unfazed Tuesday at reports that Cano was talking to the Seattle Mariners, who have been trying in vain to add offense for years.
The Mariners are also interested in Carlos Beltran, according to a National League executive who has spoken to the Mariners about their plans, and may be willing to offer four years, but Beltran was in Kansas City Tuesday, visiting with the Royals, his first team, and could also end up in Boston or Texas on a three-year deal. The Yankees have interest in Beltran, too, but do not want to give him three years, and two years likely won't be enough to get him.
Limiting the number of years on free agent contracts has been a priority for the Yankees, and many other teams, too. The burden of Alex Rodriguez's 10-year contract, plus the evidence of long-term mistakes with Albert Pujols, Hamilton, Ryan Howard and even Prince Fielder, have made teams wary od making similar costly blunders.
If the Yankees re-sign Cano, it could mean they will not have enough money to add a free agent pitcher other than Hiroki Kuroda, who is deciding whether to come back to the Yankees in 2014. Kuroda was concerned last season, amid all the talk about the Yankees trying to keep their payroll under $189 million for luxury tax purposes, that the team might not be competing in 2014. But their aggressive pursuit of McCann and Ellsbury - before the winter meetings even begin - demonstrates their resolve.
In less than a week, baseball executives, agents, sponsors, trainers, equipment managers and a handful of players will gather in Orlando, Fla., for the sport's annual winter meetings. There teams traditionally sign free agents big and small, hash out trades and try to upgrade their teams any way they can before the new year.
But this year the general managers, agents and players are not waiting idly for the big industry convention in Florida. In the last few days, the off-season action heated up significantly, with teams making trades and offering contracts to free agents at a dizzying pace.
Word filtered out Monday that the Detroit Tigers had traded starting pitcher Doug Fister to the Washington Nationals for three players in a deal that had many general managers scratching their heads trying to figure out why the Tigers did it.
Then, on Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Rays added a relief pitcher and a catcher by acquiring closer Heath Bell from the Arizona Diamondbacks and catcher Ryan Hanigan from the Cincinnati Reds in a three-team deal. The Houston Astros picked up center fielder Dexter Fowler from the Colorado Rockies for the right-handed pitcher Jordan Lyles and outfielder Brandon Barnes.
The Oakland Athletics announced that they had traded outfielder Seth Smith to the San Diego Padres for the right-handed pitcher Luke Gregerson.
The free-agent market was percolating, too. Closer Joe Nathan was said to be nearing a deal with the Tigers, which may explain why they needed to trade Fister, to shed the money to sign Nathan. Detroit has been desperate to add a closer.
Catcher seems to be the most fluid position so far this off-season. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was closing in on a three-year deal with the Miami Marlins after his successful tenure with the Red Sox, because Boston had decided to fill their catching needs elsewhere. Multiple reports said Boston was closing in on a one-year deal with A. J. Pierzynski, who is just the type of antagonizing player to add fuel to the rivalry with the Yankees.
Posted by Unknown on Tuesday, December 3, 2013 - Rating: 4.5
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