yankees turn attention

[winninguglyin83]

according to the New York Times, the move we all expected is becoming a move the Yankees are talking about:

 

Bartolo in pinstripes

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/14/sports/b...all/14TRAD.html

 

surprise, surprise

[winninguglyin83]

here you go:

 

Yankees Shift Focus to Vazquez and Colón

By JACK CURRY

 

Published: November 14, 2003

 

 

HOENIX, Nov. 13 — The Yankees have switched their focus away from trying to acquire Curt Schilling from the Arizona Diamondbacks and are in discussions with the Montreal Expos about trying to obtain Javier Vazquez. They are also talking about pursuing the free agent Bartolo Colón.

 

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An executive from another team said that General Manager Brian Cashman told him the Yankees planned to forgo trying to execute a trade for Schilling because the Diamondbacks were asking for too much. Even though the Diamondbacks are seeking economic flexibility by ridding themselves of Schilling's $12 million salary for next year, they also want second baseman Alfonso Soriano and first baseman Nick Johnson in exchange for Schilling and second baseman Junior Spivey.

 

The Yankees told the Diamondbacks they would not trade their two best young players for Schilling because they feel the monetary relief they would be giving Arizona eliminates the need for them to trade equal talent. Schilling, who has a no-trade clause, has most likely helped the Yankees' negotiating strategy by telling The Philadelphia Inquirer that the only teams he would agree to go to are the Yankees and the Phillies, his former team.

 

But Schilling's wish to return to Philadelphia could be difficult because Arizona has asked the Phillies for three starting players. So the Yankees might be the only place where the Diamondbacks could move Schilling and his salary, which is seemingly why Cashman can play hardball and offer scant talent for a pitcher who has twice won 20 games in the last three seasons. Cashman declined to comment on his pursuit of Schilling.

 

Of course, Cashman could also be bluffing to try and get the Diamondbacks to acquiesce to his proposal since he knows the Diamondbacks want quick financial flexibility to try to make a deal for first baseman Richie Sexson of the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

George Steinbrenner, the Yankees' principal owner, is known to be enamored of Schilling because he views the powerful right-hander as a replacement for Roger Clemens, who has said he is retiring. Schilling even has a dog named Patton after George S. Patton, Steinbrenner's hero. Steinbrenner is not fond of Johnson, so he could always force a deal that includes Johnson.

 

Cashman spoke with Omar Minaya, the Expos' general manager, on Thursday after having dinner with him Wednesday night. The 27-year-old Vazquez is 10 years younger than Schilling. Minaya expects to have the same budget he had last season, so he would most likely be seeking young, inexpensive players for Vazquez. The Yankees could offer Montreal a package of Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera and the Class AAA pitcher Jorge De Paula, but that might not be attractive enough to Minaya.

 

Colón has already turned down a three-year, $36 million offer from the Chicago White Sox, so his agent, Mitch Frankel, is presumably looking for a richer contract. Frankel, who did not return a phone message, has had detailed discussions with the Yankees. While Colón is a talented pitcher, some team officials are concerned about his conditioning.

 

INSIDE PITCH

 

A day after saying there was no scenario in which he would end his retirement, ROGER CLEMENS left the door open just a crack. Signing a limited release of serigraphs at the artist LeROY NEIMAN's Upper West Side studio, Clemens said that he would at least be physical able if General Manager BRIAN CASHMAN called on him next summer. "Oh yeah, I'll throw enough to be in pitching shape," Clemens said. "I wouldn't expect them to call. It'd have to be — I wouldn't even want to speculate on that because it's just too far away. Like I said, that's why I gave it 99.9. That's what MICHAEL JORDAN did and he came back twice."

[DBAHO]

No real suprises there, I still think he'll be an Angel though, no matta how much money Steinbrenner throws at him.

[DBAHO]

The Yanks r gonna hav to pay da Luxury Tax though, just look at this article from Jayson Stark.

 

The good news for the Yankees is that the threshold for teams that have to pay the luxury tax will go up next season, from $117 million to $120.5. The bad news is, the Yankees have no shot at getting under that threshold -- and that means the tax rate they pay on every dollar over $120.5 million will nearly double, from 17.5 percent to 30 percent.

 

And if they're not below $128 million in 2005 or $136.5 million in 2006, their tax rate will hit 40 percent. So if George Steinbrenner enjoyed watching his luxury-tax dollars at work as the Marlins were upsetting the Yankees this October, he should really get a charge out of future Octobers, as even more of his dollars go to the teams he's trying to beat.

 

But if all the Steinbrenner fans in all those other owners boxes thought the tax would stop the Boss from spending to win, they need to consider Plan B. The tax has acted as a quasi-cap for most teams, but not the Yankees. They've chosen to pay it, which is the way this system works. And they're budgeting to pay it down the road.

 

Good thing, because there's just about no scenario in which they won't pay it.

 

They already are on the hook in the (gulp) 2006 season for $75 million to five players -- Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Mike Mussina. Assuming they re-sign Andy Pettitte, that should get them close to $90 million. And don't even think about how much money Alfonso Soriano will be looking for by then, assuming he isn't dealt.

 

Also I found this interesting,

And what are the odds of the Astros moving Hidalgo? Here's one rival GM's assessment of how much of Hidalgo's salary ($12 million, plus a $2-million buyout) the Astros would have to eat to trade him: "My guess is, maybe $8-9 million."

 

Any1 else think that if we ship Maggs and can't resign Carl although today I heard he'll be out of TB's Price Range, that we should take a chance on Hidalgo for $3 or $4 million?

[elrockinMT]

The inside stories seem to change from one writer to the next. Most of what I have seen is that the yankees are very much in the hunt for Schilling and in fact Schilling has agreed in principle to accept a trade to the Yankees if a deal can be worked out. The next thing you hear is the fact the Yankees are turning their attention to someone else. I don't know if any of these so called insider experts know anything for certain. Pettite may very well be the Yank focus now anyway.

[YASNY]

The inside stories seem to change from one writer to the next. Most of what I have seen is that the yankees are very much in the hunt for Schilling and in fact Schilling has agreed in principle to accept a trade to the Yankees if a deal can be worked out. The next thing you hear is the fact the Yankees are turning their attention to someone else. I don't know if any of these so called insider experts know anything for certain. Pettite may very well be the Yank focus now anyway.

There is so much posturing done by GM's in the press these days. Cashman says he's going another direction when the DBacks asked for Soriano and Johnson. That may just be an attempt to force 'Zona to reconsider an offer Cashman has made.

[Chisoxfn]

Schilling wanted a 3 yr deal if he were to accept the trade or thats what Gammons reported about two days ago...but he will accept a deal if thats the case.

[DBAHO]

Schilling wanted a 3 yr deal if he were to accept the trade or thats what Gammons reported about two days ago...but he will accept a deal if thats the case.

There's no way Schilling's goin to Philly when da D-Backs r asking for Jimmy Rollins and Brett Myers.