Baseball Nation: All Posts by Steph Bee

Yankees begin search for Teixeira's replacement

2013-03-07T01:01:22Z

The rumble in the Bronx you might be hearing isn't coming from Jackie Chan's lethal martial arts moves; it's the sound of the Yankees scrambling to field a competitive roster with less than a month to go until Opening Day. New York lost Alex Rodriguez to hip surgery in January, Curtis Granderson to a broken forearm in February, and has now lost Mark Teixeira to a wrist strain.

This power outage will cost the Yankees three hitters who combined to bop 85 homers last year, not even including the losses of Nick Swisher and Russell Martin to free agency. As ESPN Stats & Info points out, eight of New York's top 10 home-run hitters in 2012 are either unavailable for Opening Day or are on another team. With no natural first baseman beyond Teixeira currently on the Yankees' 40-man roster, what are their options to fill the first-base void both internally and externally? Let's take a look.

40-Man Roster Options

Kevin Youkilis to First Base, Eduardo Nunez to Third

When the Yankees signed Youkilis to a one-year, $12 million deal in December, it was with the intention of him playing third base in place of Rodriguez, who will be out until at least the All-Star break. However, desperate times can call for desperate measures, and the Yankees are not in a position to be picky about who to place at the infield corners. Youkilis has the most experience playing first base, won a Gold Glove at the position in 2007, and has actually played 607 games at the cold corner versus 442 games at the hot corner in his nine-year major-league career.

Furthermore, Youkilis has coped with a laundry list of injuries for the last few seasons, including multiple lower back injuries and a sports hernia surgery. Playing first base is considerably less demanding than third base, and a couple months at each infield corner could help to preserve Youkilis' health during the regular season.

If the Yankees choose this route, Eduardo Nunez could step in to play third base—that is, assuming Derek Jeter is healthy by Opening Day. Nunez spent the majority of the 2012 season in Triple-A, after a thumb injury caused him to lose the utility infielder role to Jayson Nix, who is currently a non-roster invitee. In his brief major-league career, Nunez has hit .272/.318/.384 with a significant platoon split between righties (.254/.308/.346) and lefties (.298/.332/.436). The 25-year-old won't provide the power the Yankees' lineup desperately needs, but he does have speed and versatility to help plug the gaping holes in their roster.

Travis Hafner

Once upon a time, Travis Hafner played 72 games at first base. However, a bevvy of injuries derailed his career, and Hafner has not appeared at any defensive position since 2007. The Yankees need all the bats they can get; they won't risk sending Pronk anywhere that does not involve the use of batting gloves and a stick made of wood.

Non-Roster Invitees

Jayson Nix

Of the infielders on New York's non-roster invitees list, Nix stands the greatest chance of making the Opening Day roster. Though the Yankees designated him for assignment following the 2012 season, he cleared waivers and quickly accepted an assignment to Triple-A rather than pursue free agency. The 30-year-old filled the utility role well for the Bombers last year, playing up the middle and in the outfield while hitting .243/.306/.384 in 202 plate appearances.

Nix does not have any major-league experience at first base, but he has played 138 games at third base, so he could be a secondary option to Nunez should New York choose to shift Youkilis to first base. Like Nunez, Nix is a right-handed hitter who hits lefties significantly better than righties, so he would not be a platoon option.

Dan Johnson

The 33-year-old Johnson is primarily a first baseman, having played 328 career major-league appearances at the position. His Triple-A numbers have never translated to sustained major-league success; since his flukey rookie year with the Athletics in 2005, Johnson has hit a paltry .222/.331/.397 in 1,117 plate appearances. Johnson does have more power than Nix, but it does not seem likely the Yankees will open a roster spot for a Quad-A player, no matter how nice a career .294/.408/.533 line at Triple-A looks.

Juan Rivera

Rivera will never be remembered for his grace afield, and though he has retained some pop, his offense is almost non-existent now. The 35-year-old has bounced primarily between the outfield corners in his major-league career, though he has logged 106 games at first base. It does not seem likely that Rivera will be considered for the Opening Day roster, but the Yankees will probably give him some reps at first base to see if there's anything left.

Addison Maruszak, Luke Murton, Kyle Roller, or Rob Segedin

The very quick and overly simplified synopsis: Maruszak has played just three games above Double-A, Murton is ticketed for Triple-A, Segedin will likely repeat Double-A, and Roller hasn't played a game above High-A. The Yankees will look elsewhere.

Free Agents

Aubrey Huff

Only two first baseman remain on the free-agent market: Huff and Carlos Lee. The 36-year-old Huff last played decent ball with the 2010 world champion Giants. Since then, a series of knee injuries stemming from a sprained PCL sustained while celebrating Matt Cain's perfect game and an anxiety disorder have cut into Huff's effectiveness. He hit a combined .239/.309/.359 with 13 homers between 2011 and 2012, and given his advanced age, Huff is unlikely to regain the ability to hit and field well.

Carlos Lee

Once a major contract liability, Lee is now struggling to find a job making the major-league minimum. He absolutely will not provide value on defense, but it's possible Lee might have a smidge left in the bat. Playing with the Astros and Marlins last year, Lee batted a combined .264/.332/.365 with just nine home runs, but he's only a year removed from hitting .275/.342/.446 in Houston. Though Lee offered nothing against left-handed pitchers last year, he does not have a major platoon split in his career. If the Yankees don't mind seeing El Caballo gallumphing after bumbled balls in the infield, they could take a flier on his bat and hope for the best.

In short, the Yankees' options to replace Teixeira are few and far between. The Youkilis/Nunez swap seems the most likely, though the Bombers will doubtlessly be hounding the waiver wire while Cashman works the phones to provide depth for a team that can't stand to lose another starter.

Mark Teixeira injury: Yankees first baseman out 8-10 weeks

2013-03-06T21:57:01Z

The New York Yankees might soon be pressing the panic button. The team, already reeling from the loss of center fielder Curtis Granderson, was dealt another harsh blow on Wednesday, when manager Joe Girardi told the media, including the Star-Ledger's Andy McCullough, that first baseman Mark Teixeira will miss the first eight to 10 weeks of the season due to a strained right wrist.

Teixeira sustained the wrist injury while taking warmup swings in the batting cages on Tuesday while working out with Team USA prior to an exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman initially estimated that Teixeira would be sidelined for at least two weeks, but further testing by Dr. Melvin Rosenwasser and team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad pushed the timeline back. Teixeira will rest for four weeks before beginning baseball exercises.

Though the 32-year-old Teixeira's offense has slipped in recent years, he still provided significant thump in the Yankees' lineup, averaging .251/.332/.475 with 24 homers and 27 doubles last year while usually hitting third.

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• Complete coverage of the World Baseball Classic

Mark Lowe, Kip Wells, Ryan Rowland-Smith throw for teams

2013-01-31T16:00:06Z

Several former major-leaguers put their arms display in Peoria, Arizona, on Wednesday with multiple clubs in attendance. Mark Lowe, Kip Wells, and Ryan Rowland-Smith pitched before scouts for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, and Oakland Athletics, reports Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.

Lowe, a 29-year-old right-hander, pitched for the Texas Rangers in 2012, posting a 3.43 ERA (4.27 FIP) in 39⅓ innings. Though he lowered his hit and walk totals, Lowe also suffered a drop in strikeouts, perhaps due to the more than 2 mph decline in his fastball velocity.

We learned last night that Wells was drawing interest from the Mariners, and now we can add several more teams to that list. A nine-year major-league veteran, Wells returned to the bigs last year after two-year layoff.

The 35-year-old hooked on with the San Diego Padres and worked out of the starting rotation, working seven games and tossing 37⅓ innings. Though his ERA stood at 4.58, his FIP was an uglier 5.90. His velocity has decreased gradually, and his fastball and sinker now come in around 90 mph.

Rowland-Smith, who has not appeared in the majors since 2010 with the Mariners, spent the 2012 season for the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A affiliate. In 30 games for the Iowa Cubs, the Australia native showed diminished command but also a lower hit rate in 77⅔ innings. The left-hander also showed an improved homer rate.

Padres, Chase Headley avoid arbitration

2013-01-31T14:00:09Z

The San Diego Padres have reportedly settled the largest arbitration differential of the offseason. The Padres have agreed to a one-year, $8.575 million contract to avoid salary arbitration with third baseman Chase Headley, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

Headley, a Super Two who was eligible for arbitration for the third time, initially filed for $10.3 million, while San Diego countered with a $7.075 million contract.

The 28-year-old Headley had his best season in 2012, posting a .286/.376/.498 line in 699 plate appearances for the Padres. The most significant bump in Headley's game came in the power department; despite playing in the power-suppressing Petco Park, the switch-hitter slugged 31 homers, 19 more than his career-high of 12 in 2009. Headley also earned an All-Star bid, a Gold Glove, and a Silver Slugger while finishing fifth in MVP voting.

Headley's breakout season came under odd conditions; he saw a decrease in his BABIP, line-drive rate, and fly-ball rate while posting an increase in his ground-ball rate.

While he played better away from Petco Park, the difference in his offense was not a stark contrast. In 345 home plate appearances, Headley hit .272/.357/.455 with 13 homers, and in 354 away plate appearances, he hit .300/.395/.541 with 18 home runs.

Mariners, Shawn Kelley avoid arbitration

2013-01-31T13:00:06Z

While the Seattle Mariners are searching for upgrades to their rotation, they did settle one affair with their pitching staff. The team has avoided salary arbitration with right-handed reliever Shawn Kelley by agreeing to a one-year, $935,000 contract that could be worth up to $1.1 million with incentives, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.

Kelley had initially filed for a $1.2 million salary for 2013, while the Mariners countered with $750,000.

Kelley, a Super Two, was eligible for arbitration for the second time. The 28-year-old appeared in 47 games, finishing 10 contests for Seattle. In 44⅓ innings, the northpaw allowed 8.7 hits per nine innings and struck out 9.1 batters per nine innings. He did have an uptick in walks, issuing 3.0 BB/9, and posted a 3.50 FIP.

Kelley missed most of the 2010 season and almost the entire 2011 campaign while recovering from elbow surgery. The righty, a Tommy John surgery patient in 2003, had to have his Tommy John surgery graft resecured to the bone.

He has not yet completely recovered the 94 mph velocity that he showed prior to the procedure; in 2012, his average fastball velocity clocked in at 92.95 mph.

Scott Atchison expected to sign soon

2013-01-29T14:00:09Z

After a strong campaign with the Red Sox, Scott Atchison is close to selecting a new ballclub. The 36-year-old right-hander expect to put pen to paper on a minor-league contract for a club that is not the Boston Red Sox, according to MLB.com's Evan Drellich.

The Red Sox did not tender Atchison a contract this winter, likely due to the sprained UCL ligament he sustained during his 2012 campaign. The sprain cost Atchison 55 games and a stint on the 60-day disabled list, though he did return to Boston at the end of the year to finish the season strong.

The righty does have a history of right elbow sprains and strains, which will likely be a red flag for whichever team elects to sign him.

See everything Mets at our team site: Amazin' Avenue

Atchison pitched well when healthy in 2012, posting his best-ever campaign coming out of the bullpen for the Red Sox. In 51⅓ innings, the northpaw posted a 1.58 ERA and 2.68 FIP, cutting his walk totals from 1.8 batters per nine innings to 1.6 and upping his strikeout rate from 5.0 strikeouts per nine innings in 2011 to 6.3 whiffs in 2012. In addition, he cut his hit rates, allowing just 7.4 hits per nine innings compared to 9.2 H/9 in 2011.

Since Atchison only has three full years of service time, the club that signs him will have him under team control until 2016.

Yankees sign Juan Rivera to minor-league deal

2013-01-29T13:00:07Z

UPDATE 2/6 7:15 a.m. EDT: The Yankees will pay outfielder Juan Rivera a base salary of $1.2 million, per Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:

as with matt diaz, juan rivera minor-league deal is for $1.2M base. #yankees
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) February 5, 2013

Original: Though they were linked to Scott Hairston throughout the winter, the New York Yankees eventually lost the right-handed-hitting outfielder to the Chicago Cubs. Forced to return to the free-agent market in their quest for a righty bat with limited options, the Yankees appear to have settled upon a familiar face.

The Yankees have agreed to sign Juan Rivera to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training, according to ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.

Rivera joins Matt Diaz, Russ Canzler, and Thomas Neal in the hunt for the fourth-outfielder role for New York. The Yankees currently sport three left-handed hitters in its starting outfield, so Rivera could provide insurance against southpaw pitchers.

See everything Yankees at our team site: Pinstriped Bible

In his career, Rivera has hit .285/.332/.488 against left-handed pitchers, but last season, those rates were reduced to .260/.314/.433 in 138 plate appearances. Overall, Rivera hit a lowly .244/.286/.375 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 339 plate appearances, offering very little at the dish outside of occasional power.

The 34-year-old Rivera has been hampered by injuries throughout his career, and in 2013, he had to spend time on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain. The leg injuries have done no favours for Rivera's outfield defense, as he has posted a career -9.7 FRAA afield.

Brewers could consider Kyle Lohse

2013-01-28T13:00:10Z

The Milwaukee Brewers have been eerily quiet this winter, but that's not because team owner Mark Attanasio is opposed to spending money or giving up a selection in the 2013 draft.

In fact, Attanasio hinted that the Brewers could get in on the bidding for free-agent right-hander Kyle Lohse, as MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reports:

"There’s always a chance," Attanasio said. "Again, it’s a function of size of contract, length of contract. Kyle had a phenomenal two seasons the last two seasons. We just have to see if that fits in our overall scheme."

Lohse is coming off a career year for the St. Louis Cardinals, during which he pitched 211 innings, posting a 2.86 ERA and a 3.55 FIP. The 34-year-old allowed just 8.2 hits per nine innings pitched, a career best; cut his walk totals for the second consecutive year, moving from 2.0 BB/9 in 2011 to 1.6 BB/9 in 2012; and struck out 6.1 batters per nine innings, his best mark since his 2006 season with the Cincinnati Reds.

Teams are wary of giving up a first-round draft pick for Lohse, who turned down a qualifying offer from the Cardinals earlier this winter. The northpaw has a history of forearm injuries, though he last recorded a stint on the disabled list for a forearm-related injury in 2010.

Clubs might also shy away from Lohse's services due to his age; he is no longer in his prime, and he will lose velocity on his pitches, including his bread-and-butter sinkerball. However, Milwaukee could be looking for some rotation stability and a workhorse to slot in as their number-three starter.