Jorge Posada Rumors

Jayson Stark of espn.com has put together a comprehensive article evaluating the off season needs and plans of attack for ALL 30 major league teams. Here are some of the highlights:

• The Braves may go after AJ Burnett whether they trade for Jake Peavy or not. Either way, they're not likely to do anything about Burnett until the Peavy situation is resolved. If the Braves trade Yunel Escobar for Peavy, that'll open up another hole they may try to fill via free agency.
• If the Brewers are unable to sign CC Sabathia, and that seems to be the likely scenario, the team will likely go the opposite direction in terms of free agency and look to unload an infielder (JJ Hardy, Rickie Weeks or Prince Fielder) and/or Mike Cameron to fill their own holes.
• The Diamondbacks are not expected to be involved in the free agent market much at all. The Dbacks didn't sign a free agent at all last off season.
• On the Padres: "the Padres will be mostly chasing pitchers who have always wanted to pitch in the most pitcher-friendly ballpark on earth, live in Del Mar and not care how many digits are on their paycheck. There must be a few people left like that, right?"
• Trying to figure out what the Red Sox will do is a challenge. After they either sign Jason Varitek or acquire another catcher (perhaps a trade with Texas?), anything from standing pat to signing Mark Teixeira or Burnett and everything in between is possible.
• On the Yankees needs: "Three starting pitchers, a run-producing bat and possibly a catcher if Jorge Posada has any setbacks.
• The Orioles are expected to make runs at Burnett and Teixeira. Major runs.
• On the Indians: General manager Mark Shapiro once said the best approach to the free-agent market is "to avoid it."
• On the Tigers: "They're not in the mood to bump the payroll north of where it was last year ($138 million)." Translation: little action in the free agency market.
• The Angels have plenty of decisions to make regarding free agents, but it all starts withe Teixeira. If he stays, that's likely their winter. If he goes, they'll move on to Sabathia and/or Francisco Rodriguez. "If the Angels were at the craps table in Vegas," says one scout, "they'd be the high rollers."
• On the Rangers needs: "Starting pitching. And also starting pitching. In addition to starting pitching." The Rangers have plenty of talented catchers to trade and will likely try to trade them to bolster their pitching.

Scott Boras is now on record as saying that he feels Jason Varitek deserves a similar contract to what Jorge Posada signed last year.  While that seems out of reach and Varitek, Sean McAdam reports that Theo Epstein will sit down with Boras this week to discuss Varitek's future with the team. 

Tim Brown from Yahoo! Sports suggests that the Tigers and Dodgers are possible destinations for Varitek if something can not be resolved in Boston.

Let's take a look through some rumors about the 2009 Yankees in George King's latest article:

• Arn Tellem, Mike Mussina's agent, is expected to talk with Mussina at his home in Pennsylvania this week about Mussian's future. He is largely expected to retire.
• Jason Giambi would like to remain in New York if the team will have him. The Yankees have a $22M option on Giambi for 2009 which they are expected to buy out for $5M.
• There hasn't been much excitement from the Yankees yet regarding signing Mark Teixeira.
• The Yankees expect Jorge Posada to be ready for the start of the 2009 season.

Apparently not being in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years does not mean the New York writers are taking a vacation. As we just did with the Mets, let's take a look at the different scenarios that are options for the 2009 Yankees.

Ken Davidoff, Newsday

• Promote Single-A manager Luis Sojo to the major league coaching staff to try and connect with the struggling Robinson Cano.
• Sign Derek Lowe.
• Lowball Andy Pettitte and assume he'll come back.
• Offer arbitration to Bobby Abreu and Damaso Marte unconcerned if either accepts or rejects.
• Avoid CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett.
• Go after Casey Blake, but not Mark Teixeira.

Peter Abraham, LoHud.com

• CC Sabathia, after 511 IP in 08-09, is still worth the risk.
• Be cautious of AJ Burnett
• Signing Mark Teixeira could cause problems with where to put Jorge Posada.
• Derek Lowe would be a good fit
• Avoid Manny Ramirez.
• Avoid Ben Sheets like the plague.
• Oliver Perez could be valuable in Yankee stadium.
• Trade Robinson Cano, sign Orlando Hudson.
• Dump Wilson Betemit, sign Casey Blake.

Tyler Kepner, New York Times

• Get Brian Cashman back. Cashman has allegedly already indicated he wants to come back.
• Try to move Robinson Cano so you can sign Teixeira and Hudson.

With their win last night, the Red Sox eliminated the New York Yankees from the playoffs for the first time since 1994.  Buster Olney of espn.com wrote a piece this morning discussing how the Yankees fell from a World Series team in 2001 and 2003 to an also-ran in the 2008 season.  Here are some highlights:

• It's no secret that the Yankees succuess from 1996-2000 was built on drafted stars like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Ande Pettitte and Jorge Posada.  However, with the success of those teams came a demand for more success and a subsequent neglect of the draft. 
• The free agent signings the Yankees made from 1997-2005 resulted in the loss of 12 first or second round draft picks and the addition of 12 supplemental picks to the teams who lost the free agent player. 
• The Yankees have produced 10 position players who have appeared in a major league game from the 97-05 drafts, the fewest of any team in baseball over that time.  Those 10 players have only had 888 at-bats in the major leagues, also the fewest in baseball.  The Blue Jays have produced 27,427 major league at-bats during that team to lead baseball.
• 20 pitchers from the Yankees 97-05 drafts have made it to the big leagues, 12th in baseball.  However, those pitchers have only thrown 1,852 innings, worst in baseball.
• General manager Brian Cashman changed the Yankees approach to the draft after the 2005 season, but with the Yankees expected to go after CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Mark Teixeira this offseason, will much have changed?