Yankees Rumors: Hal Steinbrenner, Scott Boras Talk Edwin Jackson
By Editorial Staff
Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com is reporting that New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner sat down with agent Scott Boras yesterday to discuss free agent starting pitcher Edwin Jackson. The Yankees have been seeking a dependable arm and even one that could be slotted in as their number two starter. Jackson could fill both of these desires, but it’s unclear how much the Yankees are willing to spend this winter.
Steinbrenner and Boras met yesterday in Phoenix, Arizona. There, the two men reportedly discussed a potential deal for Edwin Jackson.
New York has been linked to Jackson for most of the offseason, and Heyman reports the right-hander seems to “have a particular interest in playing for the Yankees”.
The only problem, at this point, surrounds the Yankees budget. Though New York wants to add pitching for the 2012 season, the Yankees do not want to do so at the expense of their future payroll. New York is hoping to get their 2014 payroll below the luxury tax threshold. If they are able to do this their percentage taxed will drop from 50% to 17%.
This makes New York hesitant to hand out another lucrative, multi-year deal.
There are other free agent pitchers available for one year, but the Yankees have their concerns. Hiroki Kuroda has been one of the more consistent pitchers in baseball while pitching for the Dodgers, but Heyman hears the Yankees are “concerned about Kuroda’s appetite to pitch in New York”. Roy Oswalt, another veteran that’s been reliable over the years, carries with him injury concerns that have the Yankees doubting his ability to make it through an entire season.
It was reported yesterday that the Yankees are expected to determine whether or not they’ll expand their budget for the 2012 season in the coming weeks. New York is likely to add an arm this winter, it just remains to be seen how much they are willing to spend.
For more on the Yankees, be sure to check out Yanks Go Yard.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.