Yankees Rumors: New York Hoping to Improve Rotation, Bench
By Editorial Staff
The New York Yankees have continued their inactive offseason through the first week of the new year, and it doesn’t appear that anything will drastically change as they get set for the 2012 season. Up to this point, the Yankees have been content to sit tight and enter next season with much of the same roster that won the 2011 American League East title. Still, general manager Brian Cashman told reporters yesterday that he will remain on the hunt for rotation upgrades as well as improvements to New York’s bench.
What remains to be seen is how much money the Yankees are willing to put into these areas.
New York’s bench shouldn’t require much of a commitment. Now that the Yankees have failed to reach an agreement with Japanese infielder Hiroyuki Nakajima, New York has reportedly turned its attention to former reserve player Eric Chavez.
Chavez spent last season with the Yankees as a bench player, hitting at a clip of .263/.320/.356 over his 58 games and 175 plate appearances. Chavez sports a career .817 OPS and has the ability to play both corner infield positions, but the 34-year-old has struggled with injuries throughout recent years.
Whether it’s Chaves or someone else, the Yankees should be able to fill out their bench with a capable player. However, the rotation could be another story.
Entering the offseason, Cashman noted that he wanted to avoid the tight-rope walk that was last season’s starting rotation. Still, beyond C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees have only re-signed veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia.
At this point, the Yankees are not willing to pay the money required to add a durable, veteran arm from the free agent market or the prospects it would take to acquire an elite pitcher through trade. The team has been tied to free agents Edwin Jackson, Hiroki Kuroda and Roy Oswalt as well as pitchers such as Matt Garza and Gio Gonzalez.
As the winter continues, it will be interesting to see if either the asking prices drop enough for the Yankees to become involved, or if New York reverts to its recent history, throwing money and prospects at players and teams to fill their holes.
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You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.