Yankees focusing on bullpen while they wait for Manny Machado

While most of the focus surrounding the Yankees in this offseason is whether they'll pursue Bryce Harper or land Manny Machado's signature, the team still does have other things they're working on. According to Fancred's Jon Heyman, the club is currently circling the bullpen market, staying in contact with relievers Zach Britton, Adam Ottavino and David Robertson.

Yankees are focusing on pen while they wait on Machado market to play out. Ottavino, Britton and Robertson all in play. Still possible they could sign more than 1, depending on price. Remember, like Red Sox they are currently down two, as both Britton and Robertson were theirs.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 28, 2018

Robertson, who is representing himself this winter, is drawing plenty of interest on the open market, including from the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels, which are headed by former Yankees assistant general manager Billy Eppler, who obviously knows Robertson well from his time in New York.

The Yankees surely won't let themselves walk into a hefty bidding war for Robertson, who has been one of the most reliable relievers in the league throughout his career and is more than capable of performing in the 9th inning, should anything happen to Aroldis Chapman, but they'll also be reluctant to let him walk after a season in which he struck out 91 batters in 69.2 innings.

On the flip side, there's still Britton and Ottavino. Britton had a good second half for the Yankees after being acquired from Baltimore, and provides the team with a good left handed option out of the pen.

While also in on Ottavino, the Yankees are just one of many teams, making it less likely we'll see them pull through as the clear favorite, especially since they can't offer him the closer role.

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Zelous Wheeler called up, Yangervis Solarte optioned; Dean Anna designated for assignment

Confirming reports from Wednesday night, the Yankees announced on Thursday that infielder Zelous Wheeler has been called up for Triple-A Scranton, earning the first promotion of his professional career. On the short end of things, the struggling Yangervis Solarte was optioned to Triple-A, and Dean Anna was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
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If there was anybody that I did not see as a call-up option this season, it would have been Wheeler, who really worked hard this season to get into this position.

Wheeler is batting .300/.368/.469 with seven homeruns and 31 RBIs in 65 games with the Triple-A team this season, spending most of his time at third base, with shortstop and right field mixed in. So he's a versatile option for Joe Girardi's bench.

Solarte is in a is in a 3-for-41 (.073) slide after going 0-for-4 on Wednesday. On a larger scale, he's been batting .187/.270/.268 since mid-May. As much as you wanted to believe otherwise, Solarte was a career minor leaguer that didn't last very long. Not only his bat, but his defense at third base has taken a hit, too.

Anna, meanwhile, was traded to the Yankees during the winter, and played well enough in the spring to earn a spot on the Yankees' Opening Day roster. He was optioned down to Triple-A near the end of April after batting .162 in 12 games for the Yankees. Things weren't much better in Scranton -- he spent some time on the DL, hitting .196 down there. He was a nice guy, a good fielder, but couldn't live up the batting potential with the Yankees.

The Bombers are in Minnesota today to open up a four-game series with the Twins.

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Yankees sign reliever Heath Bell to minor league deal

No official announcement has been made, but the Yankees have apparently signed former All-Star closer Heath Bell, and as Mark Feinsand points out, assigned him to the Triple-A squad in Scranton. John Harvey was the first to report the news, and he said that RHP Mark Montgomery was sent down to Double-A Trenton to make room for Bell in Scranton.

Bell, once one of the best closers in baseball while with the San Diego Padres, has been awful the past couple of seasons since he was traded to the Miami Marlins in 2012. He started this season with the Tampa Bay Rays, and was far beyond terrible, giving up 14 runs in 17.1 innings.

He was let go by the Rays back in May, then found his way to the Baltimore Orioles' minor league system, but opted out of his contract last recently.

So this is the third AL East team that Heath has joined this season. The first two didn't work out, but who's to say that he can't turn things around and eventually work his way up to the big league bullpen in the Bronx?

I'll have some more on this shortly.

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Kendrys Morales not waiting for the Yankees, signs with Minnesota

With his draft pick compensation finally gone thanks to the passing of the start of the MLB Draft, Kendrys Morales has signed with the Minnesota Twins, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The Yankees had been interested in Morales, according to Heyman in the past, but will hate to find lineup help elsewhere.

The Yankees, like I just said, were interested in him with injury concerns surrounding Mark Teixeira's wrist and Carlos Beltran's elbow.

Heyman said a couple days ago that the Yankees asked Morales and his agent, Scott Boras, to hold off on signing with a team while they evaluate the health of both Teixeira and Beltran, but obvisouly that wasn't happening after Morales had already waited through the first two months of the season to sign.

I thought that Morales would have been a decent signing for the Yankees, but only in the case that Beltran needed surgery and couldn't play. He's not an option anymore, though, so now it's time to start looking at the trade market, I guess.

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Nick Cafardo on Yankees talks Stephen Drew and Francisco Cervelli

By: Gavin Ewbank | Lead Writer

In Boston Globe columnist Nick Cafardo's latest Sunday column, the baseball insider discussed a few topics surrounding the Yankees, including the trade rumors involving catcher Francisco Cervelli.

Starting with Cervelli, Cafardo says that the Yankees are a little cautious about dealing him because they feel that if something should happen to Brian McCann, then Cervelli would be the best option the start in his place.

As Cafardo writes, "There appears to be a market for Cervelli on the trade front as the Yankees try to whittle their catching options and add a reliever. Austin Romine could serve as Brian McCann’s backup."

Cervelli has been having a great spring both in the field and at the plate for the Yankees. He continued his hot-hitting in Panama on Sunday with a 3-for-3 game, raising his spring average to .480 (12-for-22).

Chad Jennings of Lohud first reported last week that several teams had been watching Cervelli.

Here's what Jennings had to say:

"Cervelli’s trade value is seen as fairly limited. A non-Yankees source suggested a team might be willing to trade one of its own out-of-options player for him; basically an excess-for-excess swap. It seems that teams realize Cervelli could be expendable, so they're checking on him."

My thoughts: Keeping Cervelli would be best for the team to start the season, at least. Every team has depth somewhere on the diamond, and the Yankees just happen to have that at the catcher position, and it's often best to hold onto that depth.

Remember when the Los Angeles Dodgers had more starting pitchers than they could handle last spring before getting rid of a couple of them? Well, a couple injuries later and they found themselves with a huge hole in their rotation.

On Stephen Drew: Even though the Yankees don't have any interest -- at least not publicly -- in signing the free-agent shortstop, others around the league see it as a good fit, as Cafardo writes:

"There are scouts and front office people who feel the best fit for Stephen Drew is the Yankees. With the short porch for a left handed pull hitter “he could hit 20 home runs there,” said one American League East adviser. With Derek Jeter retiring after this season and the injury-plagued Brian Roberts at second base, the feeling is they could get Drew at-bats at shortstop, DH, and second base, and then have him take over shortstop next season. One major concern for the Yankees has to be the range of their infield, which Drew could improve."

Although they might not be too fond of their current infield situation, the Yankees look ready to head into the season with an infield core of Mark Teixeira, Brian Roberts, Derek Jeter and Kelly Johnson start at the four positions, with Brendan Ryan and maybe Eduardo Nunez and Scott Sizemore are potential backups.

Lastly, on Michael Pineda: Cafardo also took a little bit of a look at the Yankees' fifth starter competition, including Pineda, who ash been looking pretty impressive in his first couple of spring outings.

"If spring training ended today, he would likely win the No. 5 starter job, which has been up for grabs among Pineda, Adam Warren, David Phelps, and Vidal Nuno." Cafardo wrote. "One or two of the losers will likely find spots in the bullpen. They still have a need for a lefty reliever with Matt Thornton being their one and only for the moment.

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Tanaka could start fourth or fifth game of the season

By: Gavin Ewbank | Lead Writer

A lot of the talk surrounding Masahiro Tanaka this spring has been about what he'll game start for the Yankees to open the season. While many believe that it'll be the third game, in Houston, that might not be the case.

Though indirectly, Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild may have hinted that Tanaka is currently being set up to start the fourth or fifth game of the season.

If that were the case, Tanaka would make his first Major League start against AL East rivals the Toronto Blue Jays.

The reason being that if Tanaka were to start in the fourth or fifth game, it would allow him to get some extra rest early in the season because of how the Yankees' schedule is set up to begin the year.

“I think we weigh the schedule a little bit, where he can get extra rest in the season to try to keep him strong through the year,” Rothschild said. “We've got the 13 games in a row to start. That’s going to impact when we decide to pitch him.”

In Japan, Tanaka would only pitch once a week, compared to the every five days he'll pitch in America. Giving him some early rest would help in stretching him out so pitching every five days won't be a big issue as the season goes on.

So right now, it would be CC Sabathia as the Opening Day starter, with Hiroki Kuroda and Ivan Nova pitching the other two games in Houston. Tanaka starts in Toronto and pitches five days later in the Bronx. He'll then be able to make his third start of the season on an extra day worth of rest.

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Teams have been scouting Francisco Cervelli

Since the signing of Brian McCann, the Yankees have found themselves with a little bit of catching depth. With that depth, there are sure to be teams calling to inquire about it.

That's been the case with the Yankees this spring.

George King of the NY Post reported last week that the Seattle Mariners had scouts watching David Phelps during his start against the Baltimore Orioles, and now Chad Jennings of Lohud says that several team has been specifically watching Francisco Cervelli for a possible trade.

Here's what Jennings had to say:

"Cervelli’s trade value is seen as fairly limited. A non-Yankees source suggested a team might be willing to trade one of its own out-of-options player for him; basically an excess-for-excess swap. It seems that teams realize Cervelli could be expendable, so they're checking on him."

With two weeks worth of spring training games in the books, Cervelli is on pace to be the backup of McCann, while Austin Romine and John Ryan Murphy start their season in Triple-A.

Cervelli would most likely have been the start had McCann not been signed, but now that he's going to be playing the backup role, but skill set will be on display in a much better way. He's going to give you some pretty good defense, and he's a better hitter than Romine.

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Yankees made Jhonny Peralta a three-year offer to play third base

Jhonny Peralta, who signed a four-year, $52 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals this past offseason, told the NY Post on Sunday that he drew more than just a little bit of interest from the Yankees and New York Mets while on the market -- both teams made him an offer.

“The Mets talked to my agent, but the offer they made was not really good. But they were really serious,” Peralta told the Post on Sunday. “The Mets came in first and they offered only two years and the Yankees offered three, but I decided to come here to the Cardinals.

“The Mets said they had a little problem with [Ruben] Tejada and they were looking for a shortstop. The situation for the Yankees was a little bit different because they wanted me to play third base and shortstop. They were looking more for third base.

“I would have liked to play in New York, because I have a lot of family there. But I wanted to play for the Cardinals a long time ago, so it’s good that I decided to come here.”

It was reported by FOX Sports back in November that the Yankees were showing interest in Peralta, especially with the impending suspension of Alex Rodriguez, they wanted his mostly as a third baseman. The Yankees also made Stephen Drew an offer to play third base, but he, too, turned it down and is still a free-agent.

Before being suspended 50-games for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, Peralta earned the second All-Star selection of his career. He finished the season with an .815 OPS in 107 games with the Detroit Tigers.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog

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Yankees keeping an eye on Joel Hanrahan

The Yankees have been trying to make an effort lately -- not much, but still and effort -- to improve their bullpen with key relievers like Mariano Rivera and Boone Logan gone from last season.

On Saturday, they cam to terms on a minor league deal with Andrew Bailey, who won't even be able to pitch until late in the season, possibly August or September, according to GM Brian Cashman, and they could be setting their sites on another possible late-inning reliever.

Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports that the Yankees are keeping an eye on another former Red Sox reliever, Joel Hanrahan, who is also working his way back from surgery.

Martino writes:

The Yankees also continue to monitor another former All-Star, Joel Hanrahan, who underwent Tommy John last year (the Mets have also watched him throw a bullpen session). If Robertson is successful, a player like Hanrahan would probably serve as a setup man.
All of this might end up being due diligence, but it underscores that even internally, the Yankees understand their bullpen is thin, a potential weakness that could undermine some of their improvements in other areas, like the rotation and lineup.

Hanrahan underwent Tommy John on May 16th of last year, and it's very possible that he could be ready to pitch in the majors as some point in the first half of the season, and that could be a big deal.

David Robertson is the leading, and only, candidate to assume the closer role from the now retired Rivera, and Shawn Kelley appears the be the front-runner to replace Robertson as the setup man. Ideally, the Yankees would like Bailey to be healthy at the end of the season to help give a boost to the back-end of the bullpen, and Hanrahan can do the same thing, but much earlier in the season.

Hanrahan, 32, has a career 3.85 ERA, and can be very lethal on the mound when healthy. He only pitched 7 1/3 innings for Boston in 2013 before bring shutdown.

I'm not saying that they need to do everything they can to sign this guy, but bringing him in on a minor league deal can be another low-risk, high reward signing that the Yankees really like to bank on.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter @GavinEwbank.

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Yankees on the verge of extending Brett Gardner

Brett Gardner and the Yankees have agreed to terms on a four-year, $52 million extension with the Yankees, says YES Network's Jack Curry. The new deal includes a 5th year club option for $12.5 million or a $2 million buyout.

The extension won't start until 2015, meaning he will still be paid his 2014 salary of $5.6 million.

"I don't want to be anywhere else," Gardner said. "There's no better place to play baseball than in New York. I've never been anywhere else. I got drafted here almost nine years ago, and I love it here. I love everybody in the organization, the coaching staff and all my teammates, and this is where I want to be."

Gardner's extension does not include a no-trade clause, but we will get a $1 million bonus if traded at any point.

The Yankees don't typically give out contract extensions to players, but did try to negotiate with Russell Martin before the 2012 season, and also tried talking with Robinson Cano during last season. Neither player came to an agreement with the Yankees on an extension, and left the Bronx via free-agency.

"It's a demonstration from our end," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. "We don't typically do this, but it shows the level of confidence, belief and trust in the type of person and player he is, and we're excited to know he's going to be part of this thing going forward."

This deal obviously eliminates any talks of the Yankees using Gardner as a trade chip to get a pitcher.

But even throughout the trade talks, Brian Cashman has been a big supporter of Gardner, and never really wanted to move him. Back in December, the Yankees reportedly shot down a trade proposal from the Cincinnati Reds that would have sent Gardner to the Reds for Brandon Phillips, straight up.

After locking up Jacoby Ellsbury on a seven-year, $152 million deal this winter, it seemed like the Yankees were ready to trade, or let Gardner walk after this season.

"Free agency is something that, it kind of intrigued me, and it also kind of scared me," Gardner said. "It's probably the biggest decision I ever had to make in my life. I put a lot of thought into it, but at the end of the day, it's a lot of money.


"Where I come from, that money or twice that much money, I'm not going to change the way I live my life."

Gardner said that his hope is to remain with the Yankees for the rest of his career, and retire as a one-team player, just like his former teammate Mariano Rivera, and soon-to-be former teammate Derek Jeter.

"It's meaningful being able to play for New York, and hopefully one day I can retire and say that I didn't play for another team," Gardner said. "I think that would be awesome. There's definitely a lot more media to deal with on a daily basis, and it seems like a lot more on the line day in and day out, but it's something that I enjoy and it's something that I take a lot of pride in. I love putting on these pinstripes every day."

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter @GavinEwbank.

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Yankees are the favorites to land Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz

The Yankees are considered the front-runners to land Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz after holding a private workout for the middle-infielder on Friday. 

A decision on where he'll sign could come Monday, with the Cardinals, Giants, Blue Jays, Braves, Phillies and Mariners. For the moment, the Cardinals appear to be the other top candidate in the running.


Derek Jeter is expected to be the everyday shortstop for the Yankees this season, with Brendan Ryan getting most of the reps as his back. But with Jeter's impending retirement coming after the season, adding a young middle-infielders for the future is something they must do.

Diaz has been compared to Jose Iglesias in the field, which is a good thing, but they say that his bat is not as good as his glove, which is where spending a lot of money on this kid could become a little risky.

The Yankees already have Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts signed under one-year deals to be the two main second baseman, but if Johnson is going to playing third base a lot this season, Diaz could possibly move over to second to platoon with Roberts, who has not played more than 77 games in the last four years.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter @GavinEwbank.

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International prospects that could be US-bound next season

Prior to the 2013 the Yankees decided to acquire a second GCL team. The move allowed the Yankees to bring over more new Latin American players than ever before. Because the Yankees had two rosters, players like Thairo Estrada, Alvaro Noriega, Luis Torrens, Abiatal Avelino and many others had the opportunity to come to the states and get consistent playing time. Estrada for example would of probably had to play in the DSL last year if the Yankees didn't add another GCL team.

Considering the Yankees are expected to make a huge splash in the international market in 2014-2015 they might push even more talent to the GCL this year. This would clear as much room as possible for the 2015 roster crunch. While we don't know exactly who the Yankees are going to send to the GCL next season, there are some obvious candidates.

Below is a list of prospects that may make their stateside debuts in 2014. The list includes any public information on these players. Lastly the list wasn't made in any particular order.

1. Manolo Reyes:

Reyes has had a tough journey so far. He originally signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2008, but was suspended and released due to questions about his paperwork. Because of paperwork issues, and his suspension, he had to wait until 2012 to sign with another team. Fortunately for him, he was able to sign with a team before MLB IFA restrictions were implemented.

The right-hander  signed for 600 thousand.Considering that he is now 24 years old he will have to make a Rafeal De Puala like splash in his debut to be taken seriously. Reyes is known primarily for throwing a very hard fastball that has reached 99 MPH in the past. In addition to his fastball he throws a hard curveball and a powerfull splitter. The stuff seems to be there for him to succeed, but he really lacks command and control.

2. Domingo Acevedo:

Like Reyes, Acevedo's fastball sits in upper 90's and has reached 99 MPH. That's pretty much the only similiarity between the two players. Acevedo has much better control than Reyes and only walked 11 batters in 41 innings. Acevedo's secondary pitches are a changeup and a breaking ball, that both need work. He's an unfinished product, but he's only 19 years old. Acevedo has a very high ceiling. Recently Ben Badler tweeted this about Acevedo  he has a "Mid-90s fastball, feel for a changeup" and is an "enormous human".

3. Simon De La Rosa:

De La Rosa was signed for 50,000 in 2012, a signing that is believed to be a great bargain. Like the previous two players on this list De La Rosa has a mid-90s fastball. But his command isn't perfect, and in general he struggles with command and control. He a BB/9 of 6.55 last season. In addition to his fastball he has a an above average curve. De La Rosa is still just 20, so he won't be that old if he enters the GCL now.

4. Jorge Mateo:

There are a lot of shortstops that appear ready to jump to the states next season, but Mateo has more potential than any of them. Mateo had a WOBA of .405, and a WRC+ of 145 last season, to go with 49 stolen bases, and 7 homeruns. Mateo's weighted stolen base total per a 100 at bats (wSB/100) implies that he is one of the best base-stealers in the minor leagues. Mateo's wSB/100 is 6.5. That is .1 point lower than Billy Hamilton's. Mateo is also thought to be a good defender, with excellent range. Mateo's overall package suggests he may be this years version of Abiatal Avelino.Mateo will be 19 next season and is ticketed to begin the season with one of the two GCL teams.

5. Yancarlos Baez:

Baez was one of the Yankees big international signings in 2012. Baez signed for $650,000, a figure some thought was too high. The Yankees picked him over Wendell Rijo, so they obviously believe in him. Baez is fast switch hitting shortstop, that may have above average offensive potential. Unfortunately Baez missed the entire 2013 season due to injuries and may not be ready to begin the 2014 season in the Gulf Coast League. The Yankees might have to push there anyway, considering they are rumored to have signed several shortstops.

6. Yonauris Rodriguez:

The Yankees signed Rodriguez this past season for $575k. Like Baez, Rodriguez is a shortstop that is known more for his glove than his bat. Rodriguez is a high-energy player who has quick hands, a strong arm and good range on defense. He was actually considered one of the best defensive players at the position in last years IFA pool. However he was not ranked as a top 30 player by Baseball America. Rodriguez is probably going to stick in the DSL this season, but the possibility exists that he impresses the Yankees enough to let him play in the GCL at some point.

7. Angel Aguilar:

Anguilar is the final shortstop on this list, and probably has a better shot to come stateside than the previous two players. That's because he already has a couple years of DSL action under his belt. He had a WOBA of .356 and a WRC+ of 116. Like Mateo, he will be 19 next season and should play on one of the two GCL teams.

8. Alexander Palma:

Palma was the second biggest signing of the Yankees 2012 class. He signed for $800k, and was kept in the DSL for the entire season. Palma is thought to have good bat speed and the ability to be a good hitter. Badler wrote that he was one of the better batters in his class, and while some question his power he should be an all around good offensive player. Defensively he looks like a right fielder who has average speed.

9. Wilmer Romero:

Romero, is a good example of just how far top international players can  fall. He was ranked as the 9th best international free agent, when the Yankees signed him in 2011 but has yet to make his U.S debut. When he first signed Kieth Law had this to say: he's “a potential five-tool center/right fielder.”
Badler also praised him, saying that he “has a projectable, athletic frame with plus speed, a plus arm and plus raw power.” Despite this high praise Romero has spent three seasons in the DSL. Romero will need to show his potential in the GCL next year, or he will be a forgotten prospect. He's still just 20 years old so he has some time on his side.

The previous nine prospects are/were highly thought of players. This is why there was as much public information about their skills or background. However the following group of players are known mainly for their stats, which is why they won't get a detailed writeup. These players are:

10. Christopher Cabrera:

Cabrera was a once highly touted righty starter, that needed Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and needed surgery. Since the surgery he hasn't really been himself, and may never reach his potential.

11. Frank Frias:

Frias put up monster numbers in the DSL last season. Frias posted a WRC+ of 161, and a .432 WOBA. Frias will be 20 years old when the GCL season begins, so it makes sense to start him there. The outfielders ceiling isn't really known, but hopefully those numbers aren't a fluke. It worth noting that DSL numbers carry very little weight.

12.  Allen Valerio:

Valerio just turned 21 years old a month ago, so he will probably be pushed to the GCL next season.  Considering that he plays first and third he'll probably have no trouble finding playing time.  Valerio really improved his 2012 stat line, and may be a later bloomer. Valerio WOBA was .423 and his WRC+ was 156. He also showed a great eye at the plate, by having a walk rate over 16%.

Other possible players are: catcher Brian Reyes, LHP Carlos Diaz, RHP Moises Cedeno, OF  Miguel Mojica, RHP Jordan Ovales, Luis Cedeno, Jhoan Morban, catcher Jesus Aparicio, OF Adam Silva and a few other players.

This may seem like a lot of names, but fans should remember two things: the Yankees brought over 25 international players last season, and not everyone on this list is a star. The first nine players in this article, have the highest profiles and include most of the higher ceiling players.With that said sometimes players can come out of nowhere, so it's a good thing the Yankees have so many low level teams for these guys to play on.

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Josh Sabo is  Minor League writer for Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter @JoshSabo1.

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Warming up: Yankees among seven teams talking to Aledmys Diaz

The Yankees are one of the seven teams currently engaged in talks with Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz, according to Post-Dispatch columnist Joe Strauss. The San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Seattle Mariners are also reportedly involved.

MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez tweeted yesterday that he was expected to workout privately for the Yankees.

Diaz, 23, is now eligible to sign with an MLB club after being suspended for one year for lying about his age and identity information.

“He is prepared to [sign] very quickly,” said agent Jaime Torres. “We know he’s going to be in the Major Leagues. It’s only a matter of time. His preference is shortstop, but he’s played second and third and I’m sure would be comfortable playing whatever position is necessary.”

His agent says that he could sign as soon as Friday or Saturday, and since he is now 23, he will not be subject to any of MLB's international signing rules, and can now sign with a club for any price.

The Yankees are expected to be pretty major players for this guy, considering that their farm system not only lacks talent, but once Derek Jeter retires after this season, there is no one below him in the minors that is worth using to replace him.

They have been scouting him pretty heavily over the past few months, yet are said to be done signing big free-agents. Unless they are counting him in their rumored international spending spree, it'll be interesting to see how far they go in talks with him.

We all know that they certainly need him, both short and long-term.

Yankees links worth sharing:

* There is no doubt that Brian Cashman will be around after this season to be the person that finds Jeter's replacement at shortstop.

* Alfonso Soriano might think about retiring after this upcoming season, if his body tells him to do so.

* Jeter came into weighing a few pounds lighter than usual; Michael Pineda threw another bullpen on Thursday, and people are still saying great things about him.

* Mark Teixeira is still a couple of weeks away from returning to the lineup, with exhibition games getting underway on Tuesday.

* Don Mattingly gave some advice to George Steinbrenner on Jeter in 1996, and it has since turned into five World Series championships, and a Hall of Fame career.

Warm-up song: "Gold on the ceiling" by The Black Keys. If you have never heard of this band, then you're missing out, because they are pretty talented.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter (below).

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Alfonso Soriano contemplating retirement after this season

Alfonso Soriano could become the second Yankee to ride off into the sunset, alongside Derek Jeter, and retire at the end of this season, according to George A. King III of the NY Post.

"It depends how I feel," Soriano told The Post Wednesday. "If I'am healthy I will play [in 2015]. If not, I will let it go. It depends how I fell."

Soriano is entering his 14th season in the league, and will be turing 39 in July.

He's coming off of a pretty good  2013 season, in which he hit 34 homeruns and drove in 101 runs, splitting time between the Yankees and Chicago Cubs. In 93 games with the Cubs, he batted .254 with 17 homeruns and 54 RBIs. 

He continued the same pace after being traded to the Yankees in July, hitting .256 with 17 homeruns and 50 RBIs.

Soriano is expected to be the fourth outfielder on the Yankees roster this season -- behind Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Brett Gardner on the depth chart -- while spending most of his time as the DH -- something that he has only done 35 times in his career, having spent most of his time in the National League with the Cubs and Washington Nationals.

"If I am the DH I will have to make adjustments." Soriano said. "When the team is playing defense, I will have to find a way to keep my body warm and ready."

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer for Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter (HERE).

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Yankees showing interest in Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz

The Yankees are entering the 2014 season with major question marks throughout their infield. Two of these question marks are Derek Jeter and Brian Roberts. If either of these players go down with an injury, the Yankees could be in serious trouble. Especially if Jeter is the one to get injured.

Because of the Yankees lack of major league ready depth, many have proposed the team go after Stephen Drew. While I have suggested they should sign Drew in the past, they do not seem interested in doing so.

Instead, they seem to be focusing on building depth by signing international free agent Aledmys Diaz.

Diaz is a 23-year-old Cuban export that has spent the past season suspended from baseball for lying about his age -- he lied and said he was 23 so he could sign without being restricted by the MLB's international spending limit. This suspension really helped the Yankees, as now they can sign him without penalty.

According to recent reports, the Yankees are among the many suitors of Diaz. Jon Morosi for Fox Sports recently stated that the Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants all sent scouts to Diaz's most recent showcase. Out of these teams ,I only really see the Yankees, Cardinals, Bluejays, and Giants as likely destinations based off of need.

After signing a couple of Cuban infielders, the Dodgers do not seem likely to target Diaz. This is good news because the Dodgers are one of the few teams that can outbid the Yankees. Even if they do not bid on Diaz, the Dodgers influence his price because they overpaid for Alex Guerrero. This might inflate Diaz's value, and reports from MLB.com Jesse Sanchez suggest that he can get $20-30 million.

Below is Ben Badler's scouting report for Diaz.

Age questions and unblocking issues aside, scouting reports on Diaz’s talent remain modest. Though Diaz has played shortstop in Cuba, scouts have said he doesn’t have the lateral range, quickness or footwork to stay at the position. Diaz has shown some ability with the bat, hitting .315/.404/.500 in 313 plate appearances for Villa Clara in his final season in Cuba, albeit in a high-offensive environment in which he ranked 30th in the league in OBP and tied for 20th in slugging.

Based off this year old report, it seems like the $20-30 million dollar figure makes some sense. If the Yankees do choose to sign him he they should follow the Dodger's lead, and give him most of the money as a bonus. This will eventually help with the luxary tax.

Money aside, this would be a huge signing for the Yankees. The teams youngest position player is close to 30 years old. Diaz, who would probably ready by the middle of the season is only 23. Even if he takes a full season to get ready he's the type of player that can help this team get younger, without having to rebuild. The Yankees need Diaz because their best shortstop prospect is in A-ball, and they don't know what kind of prospects they have at second.

While the team would still have room for Drew, if they could only get one it may make sense to get the younger player. The Yankees pitching staff is made up of a lot of young options, but right now Scott Sizemore might be their youngest starter. Sizemore is 29, which shows just how desperate the team is for young blood.

According to Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com the Cuban shortstop will begin listening to offers on February 18th, and hopes to sign on February 21-22. The Yankees have already committed big money to international free agents this season, and Diaz would be a great addition to that pool.

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Josh Sabo is a Minor League writer for Yanks Beat Blog.

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Report: Yankees have verbal agreements with mutiple international players

Because people were essentially stealing his information, Kile McDaniel has released key details about the 2014 international free agent class.

(A link to McDaniel's story can be found here: http://sbb.scout.com/2/1375072.html.)

The Yankees may spend up to $20 million on this year's international free-agent class. According to Kiley they are thought to have deals with: 3B Dermis Garcia, 3B Nelson Gomez, OF Juan De Leon, OF  Jonathan Amundaray, SS Chris Torres, and SS Diego Castillo. In total, the contracts to these players would add up to about $12 million. 

The position of this class is essentially four shortstops, but Kiley feels that Garcia and Gomez are more likely to play third base. This isn't a bad thing, as the Yankees have a need for both positions. The Yankees will have room for these players, as they have two DSL and two GCL teams. Hopefully all these players are talented enough to begin there careers in the GCL in 2015, but there's no way of knowing that right now.

The Yankees are expected to spend even more money in this years 2014 class. And according to @Yankeesource, an international scout's twitter account, the Yankees also have a verbal agreement with prospect Ricardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez is a catcher, and is thought to have good power. It's possible that Rodriguez is a part of the Yankees second wave, but it has not been confirmed by McDaniel. 

At the moment fans have to be happy with the way the Yankees have enacted their strategy, the whole second wave strategy allows them to sign late bloomers that weren't great prospects when the team signed their first six prospects. 

Hopefully the Yankees have made the right choices and find some cheap talent in their second wave. At this point the team has yet to sign any pitchers, and that should change before the year ends.

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 Josh Sabo is a Minor League writer for Yanks Beat Blog.

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Yankees recently inquired about Ervin Santana

The Yankees were one of several teams that recently inquired about free-agent starter Ervin Santana, says Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500. Ken Rosenthal also says that Santana is finally progressing towards a deal, but another report stated that talks still have a long way to go.

According to Wolfson, the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians are the other teams that have recently checked in with the right-hander.

However, the Dodgers might be out of the running for him after signing Paul Maholm this past weekend.

The Yankees had requested to see Santana's medical records last month, but that was as far as they have reportedly gone with in. Up to this point, Brian Cashman has said the Yankees are done making any more major moves, and seem ready to go into spring training with the current group of pitchers that have.

While Santana would be an upgrade over the current fifth starter candidates, I have not been one to push the Yankees to make this move. Yes he can be a good pitcher, but I think that you have to be cautious when looking at a pitcher that gives up as many homeruns as he does -- don't forget about Phil Hughes.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer for Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter (below).

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Stephen Drew wants multi-year deal with opt-out after first year

PALM COAST, Fla -- Free-agent shortstop Stephen Drew and his agent, Scott Boras, are looking for a multi-year deal with an opt-out clause after the first year of the contract, says Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com.

According to Rubin, the New York Mets are unwilling to do that kind of deal, and it's unknown if the Boston Red Sox feel the same. Up to this point, they have been the two teams most interested in signing Drew.

The Yankees have not been showing much interest in Drew this winter, and even though a couple of reports in recent weeks suggested they might go after him since signing Masahiro Tanaka put them over the $189 million luxury-tax mark, Brian Cashman has said he's not going after him.

But at the same time, Drew would be a good fit on the Yankees, and Boras has said that his client is willing to play positions other than shortstop. If the Yankees signed him, they would likely have him play third base.

In some way, the opt-out could potentially help the Yankees, too.

In signing him, they would be giving up a second round pick in this summers draft, so they're not taking much of a hit there. But they could gain from him next winter if he has a good season in 2014, opts-out, and signs elsewhere after rejecting a qualifying offer from the Bombers.

Getting him at the right price has been something that I've been cautioning the Yankees to do. They really need a third baseman, and Drew would be better than the current options there.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter (below.)

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Best free-agents still available: Relief Pitchers

PALM COAST, Fla. -- Bullpens win championships. It's as simple as that. We saw how far the Boston Red Sox's bullpen got them in the playoffs, becoming a big part of their World Series run, and we even saw how the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen helped them get to the Fall Classic.

And while the Yankees have done a lot to rebuild their roster, they seem to have left fixing the bullpen off the of list.

The great Mariano Rivera is gone, and there is no doubt that replacing him won't be easy, even if David Robertson is waiting in the wings to fill his shoes.

The Yankees will come into spring training next Friday with a slew of young pitchers that will battle it out for some of the wide-open bullpen jobs. At the moment, it looks like Robertson, Shawn Kelley and Matt Thornton are the only relievers with guaranteed spots.

Both Fernando Rodney, who reportedly signed with the Seattle Mariners on Thursday, and Grant Balfour, who agreed to a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, have come off of the market in the past couple of weeks, but there are still a handful of good relievers out there that the Yankees could consider looking at.

Francisco Rodriguez, RP: age 31, 46.2 IP, 3-2 W-L, 10 saves, 2.70 ERA, 54 K.

K-Rod use to be one of the game's top closers, but has fallen far from that since his record-setting season with the Los Angeles Angels awhile back. I think that Rodriguez can still be a good reliever in the league, but just not with the Yankees.

Not once this winter have I heard of any interest in Rodriguez on the Yankees' part. I'm sure they have sent a call or two to his agent, just to see what the asking price is, but probably nothing more.

Luis Ayala, RP: age 36, 33.0 IP, 2-1 W-L, 0 save, 3.27 ERA, 22 K.

Ayala could be an interesting signing for the Yankees. He is a ground-ball pitcher, and obviously that would fare well for him in Yankee Stadium, but at the same tie, there are a lot of concerns with the Yankees' infield, the quality of defense being the main factor.

I kind of like the idea of signing him. Could be a middle-innings reliever out of the bullpen, maybe a 7th inning pitcher, too, if things play out that way.

Andrew Bailey, RP: age 29, 28.2 IP, 3-1 W-L, 8 saves, 3.77 ERA, 39 K.

Yes, get this deal done, Cashman. I like Bailey, I think he is a good pitcher, and he can be a very good piece of the Yankees' bullpen.

He broke into the league with the Oakland Athletics, and was very good in his few years there before being traded to the Red Sox a couple years ago. 2013 wasn't his year, but in a new setting, he might be able to get back in track, and return as one of the top relievers in the game.

Bailey would be perfect late-inning reliever for the Yankees, especially right now when Shawn Kelley has the best chance, in my opinion, to be the setup man for Robertson as the closer. Bailey could come in, assert him self in the 8th inning, and give the Yankees a good one-two punch with Bailey and Robertson in the 8th and 9th.

Kevin Gregg, RP: age 36, 62.0 IP, 2-6 W-L, 33 saves, 3.48 ERA, 56 K.

I think this guy has gone under looked by many this offseason. His first half with the Chicago Cubs in 2013 was very good, but he slipped a little bit in the second half, probably dropping his value coming into the offseason.

This is the kind of guy that can get good is things go right for him, and he puts it all together. Again, he could be a good late-inning reliever, maybe someone that could pitch in the 7th or 8th inning. He spent most of his time with the Cubs last season as the closer, so that experience could help him as well.

Joel Hanrahan, RP: age 32, 7.1 IP, 0-1 W-L, 4 saves, 9.82 ERA, 5 K.

This guy can be a pretty good idea. We all remember how good Hanrahan was with the Pittsburgh Pirates before he was traded to the Red Sox last offseason. Tommy John Surgery definitely set him back, but these days it's just considered a bump in the road because of how often pitchers undergo the operation.

The Yankees could sign Hanrahan on a minor league deal, let him work his way back, and maybe he can come back some time mid-may, and really be an asset to the Yankees' bullpen.

If he ends up being one of the many pitchers that have Tommy John and come back to be just as successful, then the Yanks can really be adding a good piece with Hanrahan.

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There will be a lot of good pitchers to keep an eye on during spring training as the bullpen battle goes on through March. Dellin Betances can make a big difference this season is he's able to keep the walks down. Rumor has it that Manny Banuelos can make the major league club as a reliever out of spring training, but I think it would be better if they start him in Triple-A and work his way back as a starter down there.

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Gavin Ewbank is the Lead Writer of Yanks Beat Blog, and you can follow him on Twitter (below).

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