(I know, terrible headline. The NY Post would be proud).
As I am sure most of you know by now, Elijah Dukes was released by the Nationals yesterday. The Nats stated clearly that Elijah had not done anything wrong in terms of behavior, and that this was purely a baseball decision. The first question on the mind of many Yankee fans was, should the Yankees pursue Dukes?

Last offseason, I felt fairly strongly that the Yankees should try and trade for Elijah:

If I were Brian Cashman, I would strongly consider swinging a deal for Dukes. The Nats have a very weak farm system, so that the Yankees may be able to put together a package of pitchers enticing enough to aquire the mercurial outfielder. He would fill the Melky Cabrera role in 2009, as he is a much better bat than Melky, is not appreciably worse in the field, and runs as well as, if not better than, Cabrera. He would allow the Yankees to field offers on Xavier Nady at the deadline, and could slot into left field in 2010 when Damon and Nady leave. At worst, he would give the Yankees the ability to walk away from Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, and Manny Ramirez if the cost got too high.

I turned out to be wrong about Melky, and he put up a strong year while Dukes regressed mightily. The regression was such that if Dukes would cost prospects now I would definitely stay away from him. However, being that he is now a free agent likely to command a minor league deal or something close to the minimum, he becomes a more interesting option. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons:

Pros
1) He has plenty of talent: He had a poor 2009 that was marred by injury and a strange loss of power, but his 2008 was fantastic. I’ll let JMK at Mystique and Aura explain:

Dukes mostly destroyed the minors in the Tampa Bay system, then struggled mightily in his 2007 callup, and was shuttled off to Washington, where he rebounded to hit a line of .264/.386/.478/.864, an OPS+ of 127 in 81 games. His power numbers were excellent with .214 ISO, and he posted a strong UZR in RF (11.2), albeit in a very small sample. He snagged a few bags, too. All in all, Dukes was one of the few bright spots in Washington that year with his 2.8 WAR.

Those numbers from 2008 represent those of a star in the making. I am not really sure why he fell of a cliff in 2009, but it is clear that he has the skills and athleticism to be an above average player with the bat and adequate with the glove.

2) He projects to be better than the Yankees current options at 4th and 5th outfielder, and may be better than Brett Gardner: His projected wOBA based on an average of four projection systems is .346, significantly better than that of Jaime Hoffmann, Marcus Thames, and Randy Winn. Brett Gardner would likely remain the starter as he is a bit closer with the bat than the others and is much stronger with the glove than Dukes, but it is not hard to envision Dukes wresting the job from Brett at some point. Dukes is also a right-handed bat, so he provides the same advantages that a guy like Thames or Hoffmann does. From a purely baseball standpoint, this is a logical move that would improve the ballclub.

3) This is a good fit for Dukes: While he may not start right away, New York is likely his best shot to play in a winning environment for the first time while also affording him a reasonable chance of grabbing a starting spot. Being that Dukes has played for two awful franchises thus far, it might be a strong motivator for him to play with regularity for a winner.

4) He’s cheap, you can cut ties immediately if there is a problem, and he gives them options next offseason: Dukes will likely require less than a million dollars to sign, and can be stashed in the minors if he does not make the team immediately. Furthermore, there is no real downside here. If he acts up or plays poorly, he can simply be cut or traded without any repercussions. On the flip side, if he plays well and behaves, he can allow the Yankees to pass on an expensive left fielder such as Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford this offseason. It is the very definition of low risk, high reward.

Cons

1) His performance dropped in 2009, and he cannot stay healthy: His performance in 2009 was fairly shoddy, and he gained a reputation amongst National fans for having poor baseball instincts in the field and on the basepaths. The article quoted above from M & A suggests that pitchers were picking on him by throwing significantly more breaking pitches, and the Fangraphs data does support the idea that pitchers were cutting down on fastballs to Dukes. Furthermore, Dukes has had trouble staying on the field, with 4 stints on the DL over the last 2 seasons. Then again, if he gets hurt, the Yankees would simply be right back where they are right now.

2) There are some very serious behavioral issues. I do not want to sweep these under the rug, because Elijah has had some serious issues that include multiple arrests and prompted the Nationals to hire someone to follow him around and keep him out of trouble. Furthermore, dropping that a player with that sort of history into the shark tank that is the NY media frenzy may not be the brightest of ideas.

That said, I think that the Yankee clubhouse might be the best place for Dukes, as it is a tight-knit group filled with professionals who can set a positive example. Dukes is unlikely to disrupt such a veteran clubhouse, and as Mike Axisa explains, it might be the right place for Dukes to learn how to be a positive asset to a baseball team:

I think this is exactly the kind of support system that could help him thrive. Joe Girardi and Jorge Posada provide the tough love, A.J. Burnett and Nick Swisher would allow him to loosen up and be himself, and even guys like Alex Rodriguez and Joba Chamberlain, who’ve had their fair share of off-the-field troubles, can help him relate. I hate to bring race into it, but CC Sabathia and Curtis Granderson are two African American guys widely considered to be class acts and great people, and I can’t help but think they would be a positive influence on Dukes.

Might that be wishful thinking? Certainly. But once again, if he does something stupid and becomes a distraction, the Yankees can simply cut him. While it may add to the media circus around the Yankees, that should be irrelevant to the club, as they are certainly used to that sort of thing. I think that this is a risk worth taking.

Do you agree?

Though the Yankees were never really in on Matt Holliday, their financial edge might have helped to scare the Cardinals into providing him with a seven-year deal worth $120 million, which they’ll be paying for through 2029.

According to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, Scott Boras, in the Holliday negotiations with St. Louis, put forth the idea that his client could accept “a one-year deal in search of a better free-agent market” next winter. Rosenthal then adds that if this did occur, if the Oklahoma native was open to a one-year deal, “[s]ome team — most likely the Yankees or Red Sox — might have signed Holliday for say, one year and $20 million” (KR’s salary figure is obviously an estimate).

While this seems like an altogether unlikely idea as Holliday, in the past, has stated how much he values organizational security and, in addition to that, such a one-year contract could put the outfielder’s financial future at great risk if he were to injure himself, according to Rosenthal, the Cardinals actually believed Boras and “their fear of losing Holliday prompted them to award him a seven-year contract.” This occurred even though the Yankees have outwardly stated that they are looking to lower payroll in 2010 and have acted accordingly with regards to that statement. Even if the Cardinals feared losing Holliday to Boston more than New York, the one-year idea still appears to be extremely far fetched as the Red Sox aren’t likely to extend their payroll by $20 million or so.

But, this is why Boras is a great agent to his faithful clientele. Often, he seems to be the one holding all of the cards and, in general, he usually holds the best hand. As I noted yesterday, perhaps this is why the Yankees — if they are still interested in bringing Johnny Damon back — opted to handle the Damon situation with a firm, hardline approach. Maybe Brian Cashman knows that with Boras, it’s best to wait for the player to come crawling back to you.

Photo by Getty Images

From Chad Jennings:

“I am definitely not in a position right now where I feel like I’m ready to do anything,” he said. “The next step isn’t ready to happen now, based on my conversations. There shouldn’t be another shoe to drop immediately.”
Cashman has options, and he has little need for urgency. He has to act, obviously, but the past four days have surely eased any need for desperation. Yesterday, Cashman acknowledged having talked to John Lackey’s agent. Today, he acknowledged talking about Ben Sheets. He’s met with the agents for Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. He’s been engaged with multiple trade talks. As soon as something makes sense, he’ll be ready to move.
“Patience can benefit you, (or) it might not,” Cashman said. “You can wait something out and see if it falls in your lap, but by doing that you risk losing something that you want. It’s a little riskier for us to play that game. If we really want something and it fits in our criteria at some point, waiting it out to see if it gets cheaper, I’m not sure that’s the way we go about it.”

As Jennings notes, the number of options still available to fill the Yankees’ remaining holes allow Cashman to be patient and allow the market to develop a bit. Regarding LF/DH, there are options such as Damon, Matsui, Holliday, Johnson, Delgado, Dye, Thome, and Cust, and I am sure that I am missing a number of names. As Cashman stated earlier this week, (from Davidoff):

“You can turn left, you can turn right, you can look up and down, and you’ve got a DH sitting right there begging for a job.”

In terms of pitching, Sheets, Lackey, Escobar, Duchsherer, Bedard, Garland, and Marquis are available. The Yankees can now afford to wait it out and dictate terms to some of these free agents. So buckle in, because the offseason is just beginning.

On the face of it, the Yankees options for this offseason seem obvious. They have 3 of their own free agents that they may want to bring back. On the starting pitching front, John Lackey is the big fish while a handful of injury prone arms litter the remainder of the market. There are a handful of reliable relievers available, while Holliday, Bay, and Cameron represent the market on outfielders. On the trade front, Halladay is the big name while Felix Hernandez seems like a bit of a pipe dream.

However, nobody would have expected Nick Swisher to become a Yankee last offseason, as Brian Cashman stunned us all with that move. The question I pose today is: Do you have any outside the box ideas for the Yankees offseason? Any free agents that are not getting any buzz that you would like them to sign, or trades that you would target that others have not mentioned? The writers of The Yankee Universe will be chipping in at the start of next week with their own “outside the box” offseason ideas, but would love to hear yours today. Chime in, and do not be shy, nothing is too wacky for this post.

Despite Brian Cashman’s recent admission, that the bullpen is not an “area of obvious need,” today Buster Olney (ESPN) writes that the Yankees “No. 1 area of focus, beyond the Damon/Matsui realm: their bullpen. They will look for two relievers, in all likelihood.” This is a strange comment, as the team’s second real need “beyond the Damon/Matsui realm” seems to be fleshing out their rotation (Cashman said as much yesterday), but Olney’s assertion certainly make sense when you consider the relief realities that the Yankees will ultimately have to account for next season.

First, if we are to believe that the Yankees will use him as a starter in 2010, then the team will feature a bullpen absent an effective Phil Hughes (he was worth 2.2 WAR as a reliever). Plus, outside of Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, and a healthy Damaso Marte, you’re not really sure what to expect of Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves and, dare I say, Brian Bruney next season. Furthermore, having some effective depth, and specifically effective veteran depth (which was sorely missed in the postseason), in the bullpen will allow the Yankees to employ Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes as starters, rather than relievers (for the entire season). For these reasons, I do think that the Yankees will and should look to bolster their bullpen, however, adding two relievers, as Olney suggests, probably won’t occur as even one deal can be a risky proposition (e.g., Farnsworth, Hawkins, etc.). Still, adding just one reliever can work if it’s the right guy.

This winter, I believe Rafael Soriano is the right guy.

After having two surgical procedures conducted on his right elbow last summer—ulnar ligament transposition and bone spur removal—the hard-throwing righty missed most of the 2008 season and failed to build on a strong ‘07 campaign. However, in 2009, Soriano returned with a vengeance, as he split time closing games for Atlanta with Mike Gonzalez earlier in the year, and then ran away with the closer role later in the season. Thanks to a ferocious mid-90’s fastball and a sharp slider, he posted a 2.97 ERA (2.54 FIP) over 75 2/3 innings pitched, saving 27 games while striking out 102 hitters (that’s a K/9 of 12.13). Basically, when he’s healthy, Soriano is one of the best relievers in baseball and, as Keith Law (ESPN) noted, he is currently “the best reliever on the market, and better than any of the closers available on last winter’s market, including the vaunted K-Rod.” The only real knocks on Soriano are his health history—not only did he have elbow surgery last year, he also had Tommy John surgery in 2004, causing him to miss ‘04-05—and his price tag, after establishing himself as a closer with the Braves. It is important to note, though, that the 29-year old has been healthy for 3 of the last 4 years, and he has not explicitly stated that he hopes to continue closing in 2010.

If the Yankees were to sign anyone to help the team’s relief corps, it seems as though Soriano would be an extremely good fit given his dominant skill set. He’s a young, powerful arm, capable of pitching in high leverage situations, and could serve as the bridge to Mariano Rivera. By adding an effective reliever of Soriano’s ilk, the New York bullpen would be deepened to the point where utilizing Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes for relief outs would become a thing of the past. If Buster Olney is correct and the Yankees intend on looking for “two relievers” this winter, they might as well put all of their multimillion dollar eggs into one particularly talented basket and sign the best reliever available.

Photo by Kevin Cox/Getty Images

Go check out Pete Abe’s new blog, where he is running a fun contest. The objective is to create a 25 man AL roster, with 12 pitchers, 13 position players, and an available manager from this season’s free agent class. I thought it would be fun to do one here, and hopefully you guys will put together your own clubs in the comments. The free agents pitchers and position players can be accessed by clicking the links.

1B: Adam Laroche
2B: Felipe Lopez
3B: Adrian Beltre
SS: Marco Scutaro
C: Bengie Molina
DH: Johnny Damon
CF: Mike Cameron
LF: Matt Holliday
RF: Jason Bay
SP: John Lackey
SP: Ben Sheets
SP: Andy Pettitte
SP: Jarrod Washburn
SP: Randy Wolf
Closer: Jose Valverde
RP: Brandon Lyon
RP: Mike Gonzalez
RP: Rafael Soriano
RP: Joe Beimel
RP: Justin Duchsherer
RP: Darren Oliver
Backup catcher: Greg Zaun
Backup infielder: Nick Johnson
Backup outfielder: Coco Crisp
Utility: Mark DeRosa

Manager: Bobby Valentine

From Pete Caldera (NJ.com):

“My work’s going to start again tomorrow,” general manager Brian Cashman said outside the home clubhouse early Thursday morning, while players and staff were still celebrating their World Series-clinching victory over Philadelphia in Game 6. “That’s the way it is in the front office.”

Caldera goes on to outline the specific areas that the Yankees will have to address over the winter, such as starting pitching, the Matsui versus Damon issue (essentially, the left field and DH issue), and the bullpen. Sorting out their bench, which was surprisingly strong this season after a series of smart decisions, is also a priority.

Picking up where Caldera left off, Joel Sherman (NY Post) writes that most team officials he has spoken to indicate that the Yankees will likely have a low-key winter, one in which they’ll exercise financial restraint after picking up most of their expensive toys (CC, Teixeira, Burnett) a year ago. Guys like Jason Bay, John Lackey, and Matt Holliday—Sherman says the Yankees like Holliday, but could afford to pass on him (even if Boston is interested)—appear to be out of the Yankees’ price range. The last-minute Teixeira deal might have been a bank buster for Hal Steinbrenner.

To shore up their lineup, Sherman speculates that the team will push to resign Damon to a one-year deal, then possibly pursue Carl Crawford as Damon’s successor once Crawford becomes a free agent after 2010 (unless the Rays sign him to an extension). He also notes that the Yankees could dangle Robinson Cano as trade bait for another pitcher—Felix Hernandez, perhaps—although such a blockbuster seems unlikely (if Matsui signs with another team the Yankees will need to retain their offense).

Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images

From Ken Davidoff (Newsday):

A quick recap: According to a person in the loop, Matt Holliday’s top choices in free agency are: 1) Yankees; and 2) Mets. The Oklahoma native is apparently not intimidated by New York.As of now, I’d say the Yankees don’t want to make another large purchase like that, in the wake of last winter’s shopping spree – and if they win it all, then the pressure from the yakosphere (trademark Neil Best) to get Holliday should alleviate.

Matt Holliday, like Mark Teixeira, really is a good fit for the Yankees. Whereas the Jason Bay’s offense has likely peaked this season (he’ll be 32 next season), Matt Holliday, at 29, has yet to reach that mark.

This year, his numbers in Oakland were very good (.286/.378/.454) despite a miserable April (.240/.288/.360)—he was probably getting used to AL baseball and his new team—and once he returned to the NL, where the pitching was once again familiar, his stats were off the charts. He hit .353/.419/.604 in 63 games with St. Louis. That doesn’t mean he’s just an NL player, rather, it proves what “knowing pitchers” can do for your overall numbers.

Add Holliday’s exceptional defense—he’s 7.4 runs above average, range-wise—to his offensive talent and, on the season, you have a complete player, one that’s worth 5.6 WAR. If he were on the Yankees this year, he would be the 3rd best player on the team, behind only Derek Jeter and CC Sabathia (according to WAR). Furthermore, given his mixture of speed (14 SB), power and patience, he would be an excellent number 2 hitter for the Yankees (sorry, Johnny).

If Cashman and co. intend on adding another player to man left field for them, Matt Holliday is certainly the best choice. Whether he’s the most viable option, financially, though, has yet to be seen. Scott Boras is Holliday’s agent and is always looking for a massive payday. But, the Holliday family really seems to like the idea of their son in pinstripes, so perhaps that will factor into the negotiations and allow the Yankees to reel in another prized free agent this winter.

Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

From Charley Walters (TwinCities):

Joe Mauer, despite catching regularly for the Minnesota Twins and missing the first 22 games with a sore back, still has 179 hits this season — without steroids. That’s just two fewer hits than Barry Bonds had in one season during his 22-year major league career. The most hits Bonds had in one season was 181 in 1993 for the San Francisco Giants.

Mauer is not only leading the American League in batting average (.371), but in on-base percentage (.442) and slugging percentage (.606).

Mauer, 26, can become a free agent after the 2010 season. When contract talks get serious after this season, the Twins are expected to try to sign Mauer for about $120 million over seven years.

The New York Yankees, however, with catcher Jorge Posada at 38 years old, are expected to offer more money and possibly more years.

If the Twins offer Mauer 7 years at $120 million, they’ll be undervaluing him. According to FanGraphs, Mauer has been worth an eye-popping $35.6 million this year (7.9 WAR). While he won’t get that annually, he could very well earn over $20 million per year. However, being a catcher both hurts and helps Mauer’s cause in that his offense is above and beyond the production of the average catcher, yet catcher’s are injury risks in their own right (and Mauer has somewhat of a checkered injury history). Any team willing to commit that much money to the catcher’s position, along with 7 or more years, are taking on a significant investment and one with great risk. This might help to keep Mauer’s payday lower than what it should be (it’ll still be a lot, of course).

If Mauer doesn’t provide Minnesota with a discount, rejects their offer, and hits free agency, will the Yankees be willing to offer him a 7-8 year deal worth $160-170 million (we’re talking Teixeira money)? Mauer will only be 28 at the start of the 2011 season, therefore, you’d be getting him for at least 3 of his best years (assuming he stays healthy). There are some factors that complicate matters, though, if the Yankees do intend on adding Mauer to their lineup.

First, the team is in need of a left fielder for next season. If they were to sign Matt Holliday or Jason Bay (Holliday is the best option), then they would likely bow out of the Mauer sweepstakes in 2010 for financial reasons, as either player would require a fairly lucrative long-term deal (that’s on top of the contracts that they’re already paying for). If they don’t sign either player and try Johnny Damon on a one-year deal, then I would expect them to be serious suitors for Mauer once he hits free agency. What the Yankees do this offseason, spending-wise, could shed light on whether or not they’ll pursue Mauer. However, in terms of a Mauer signing, left field is not the only issue at play.

The second element is super prospect Jesus Montero. If the Yankees believe Montero can remain a catcher—it’s very unlikely, but they’ll give him every chance to succeed there—then they could stay out of the Mauer market. It is up to Montero though, to improve at his position, defensively. If they decide that he does not have a real future there, then the Yankees could move him to another position. However, given his physical limitations, primarily his lack of foot speed, the only other options for Montero are DH and first base. While first base isn’t a possibility (Teixeira), the Yankees could try Montero as their regular DH in 2011. That would then open up the door for Mauer to become the team’s catcher.

Of course, we must not forget about Jorge Posada. Posada is signed through 2011, though I doubt that would stop the Yankee from acquiring Mauer. Posada could be shifted to the DH role for the final year of his contract. Yet, as I stated a moment ago, Jesus Montero’s role with the club could effect things. Montero may be ready for 2011, therefore, having Jorge as your DH would hinder a possible promotion for the top prospect. Still, Montero will only be 21 through the ‘11 season, meaning that the Yankees could simply keep him in Triple-A for more experience (it would also help them in that it will prevent Montero’s free agency clock from being started). That would allow them to bring in Mauer and keep what is hopefully a productive Jorge Posada in their lineup, as well. If Posada wants to keep playing after his contract has expired, perhaps he could return as the DH (this will hinge on his ability to play, price, overall effectiveness, Montero’s readiness, etc.).

In sum, the Yankees could very well pursue Mauer for 2011, as Posada’s career will be ending at that point in time. With Jesus Montero in the catcher pipeline, the Yankees could also choose not to bring Mauer in, in the hopes that Montero will become Manny Ramirez behind the plate. However, Montero—with his size and lack of defensive tools—could ultimately outgrow the position, which would then create an external need for a successor to Jorge Posada. The Yankees could then opt for Mauer, assuming that they have the necessary funds. But, if the team signs one of Jason Bay or Matt Holliday, then their pursuit could be very limited. Regardless of whether or not the Yankees intend on actually signing Mauer, you can be assured that they’ll try to remain active in his market in order to drive the price up. The Red Sox will also be in search of a new catcher and Mauer will be the first, and possibly the only, name on their shopping list.

In the previous installment of this mini-series, I took a look at Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, and John Lackey. In this installment—with two more on the horizon—I now analyze the predictions offered by Jon Heyman, an unnamed GM and an anonymous scout, in relation to the following free agents: 1) Chone Figgins, 2) Bobby Abreu, and 3) Jarrod Washburn. While some are more interesting than others, all three are truly noteworthy names that may generate interest in the Yankees’ front office. First, we begin with Figgins.

4. Chone Figgins, Angels infielder. Versatile player is expected to draw interest from many teams. The White Sox and Yankees might top the list.
Agent: $40 million, 4 years (or $30 million, 3 years).
GM: $35-40 million, 4 years.
Me: $50 million, 4 years.

Chone Figgins is a solid offensive player. He’s a speedster that hits for a high average and, although he took a step back in ‘08, he has generally improved upon his on-base abilities since 2006. This season he is hitting .301/.395/.390 with a .356 wOBA, while stealing 42 bases and accounting for 108 of LA’s runs. What he lacks in power—only 4 HR this year—he makes up for in fielding versatility, as he can play practically any position outside of catcher. The Angels have let him man third for most of the year, though, and he has more than settled in there, defensively (15.8 UZR). Taking his defensive diversity and offensive tools into account, I think he’ll ultimately receive a 3-4 year deal worth $10 million per (Fangraphs has him valued at $25.6 million this year).

Buster Olney recently speculated that the Yankees would sign Figgins to play left field. He makes sense in that he’s a versatile guy, something the Yankees seem to want, especially if they keep their DH slot open as a resting chair for their other players. However, while Figgins can play left field, in limited playing time, he has never posted great defensive numbers there. Frankly, he has always been a better infielder than an outfielder. In fact, when compared to other third basemen in the AL, much of Figgins’ value this season is tied up in his defense (second best defensive 3B in the AL, middle of the pack offensive 3B).

Therefore, I don’t think that the Yankees will want Figgins for left field. Sure, he can play the position when needed, but he has never really played there full-time and has never shown that he can be an above average outfielder. If he’s a mediocre outfielder and his bat isn’t particularly good, then he what’s the point of signing him? For that reason, I think the Yankees will either pursue another player, or they’ll resign Damon for left (Damon’s not a good defender anymore, but his offense is still valuable). In addition, I doubt the Angels will let Figgins go since he has been central to their team’s success and their overall style of play.

In the end, Figgins makes a lot of sense for a number of teams, however, the Yankees could certainly do better in their search for a left fielder.

6. Bobby Abreu, Angels outfielder. One of baseball’s most consistent players made $16 million in 2008 before inexplicably having to take a pay cut of nearly 70 percent. The GM sees Abreu as comparable to Raul Ibanez, who received $31.5 million for three years last winter.
Agent: $6 million, 1 year.
GM: $30 million, 3 years.
Me: $30 million, 3 years.

There’s not much to say about Bobby Abreu, another Angel and a player that Yankee fans know very well. He has performed above his $5 million contract in 2009, hitting .295/.393/.428 with a wOBA of .365. His power has faded considerably, however, his eye is still strong and his wheels are still working (29 stolen bases on the year). He has proven to be one of the better free agent pickups of the winter and $30 million over 3 years seems fairly reasonable.

When the Yankees let him walk in 2008, it was primarily because of his age and defense (both of which are still concerns). However, since the Yankees will likely need a regular DH with the ability to play the field every once in a while, they could do worse than Bobby Abreu. Will he end up with the Yankees? Probably not. I truly doubt that they would be willing to pay him $30 million over 3 years, although he’ll most likely get that from someone (i.e., Mets). Abreu also didn’t like the way the Yankees handled his exit, so he may not entertain their offers even if they do show an interest in him.

7. Jarrod Washburn, Tigers pitcher. Huge performance in Seattle, not so much in Detroit. Could go back and rejoin the Mariners.
Agent: $18 million, 2 years.
GM: $18 million, 2 years.
Me: $36 million, 3 years.

This season, Washburn pitched well in Seattle, thanks, in part, to an improved two-seam fastball and the Mariners’ excellent defense. Before being traded to the Tigers, Washburn’s ERA was 2.64. However, ever since he arrived in Detroit, he has struggled, posting a 7.33 ERA over 8 games. In his defense, Washburn’s Motown blues appear to be brought on by a significant knee injury. Given his age—he’s 35—the injury, and the way he is performing down the stretch, I believe he’ll receive a contract similar to what the GM and the agent have proposed at $18 million over 2 years.

The Yankees have been interested in Washburn for a few years now and they could look to him as an option if Andy Pettitte doesn’t return. And, even if Andy does return, Brian Cashman could choose to pursue Washburn for the back-end of the rotation. A Washburn signing would ultimately depend on what the Yankees want to do with Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Given that Hughes could certainly start the season in Scranton in order to build up his innings, having Washburn as your number 5 starter to begin the season could be an effective plan.

Of these three players—Figgins, Abreu, Washburn—all of them make some degree of sense, yet, each one appears to be a secondary option. Before signing Figgins, I’d like to see the Yankees pursue Matt Holliday and bring Johnny Damon back as the DH on a short-term deal, whereas Abreu will seek a multiyear contract. Also, a Washburn signing would be dependent upon a number of in-house moves regarding Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Again, all three players would be useful to the Yankees, however, none of them seem like the best fit.