Andy Pettitte Return: Yankees Legend Signs Minor League Deal

A New York Yankees legend is taking steps toward a return.

The YES Network's Jack Curry reports that Andy Pettitte has signed a $2.5 million minor league deal in an attempt to return to the Yankees.

Pettitte initially retired after the 2010 season, when he was 11-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 21 starts. The 39-year old southpaw is 240-138 in his 16-year career with a 3.88 ERA and 2,251 strikeouts over 3,055.1 innings pitched.

The Yankees reloaded their rotation, so it's unclear what chance Pettite has at returning to the Major League roster. But in his final season with the Yankees, that left arm of his still had plenty of life: Pettitte made the All-Star team in 2010 for the third time in his career despite suffering a groin injury that hindered him for two months later in the season.

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Yankees' Jorge Posada To Announce Retirement Soon, According To Report

Longtime Yankees catcher Jorge Posada will announce his retirement within the next two weeks, according to a report.

Andruw Jones' Signing: Yankees Bring OF/DH Back To Bronx

Andruw Jones Re-Signs With New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have come to terms to re-sign Andruw Jones, reports CBS' Jon Heyman. The two sides agreed to a one-year deal that will pay Jones $2 million in base salary with the opportunity to make $1.4 million more by reaching incentives.

The 34-year old Jones delivered reasonably well in a part-time role with the Yankees last season, batting .247 with 13 home runs and 33 RBI in 190 at-bats. The five-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner was used as a utility outfielder and also spent some time as a designated hitter.

Jones played primarily against left-handed pitching, a role he was particularly effective filling. He batted .286 with a .384 on-base percentage and .540 slugging percentage against southpaws last season. In 126 at-bats against lefties, Jones smacked eight home runs and knocked in 25 runs. Jones hit just .172 against right-handers.

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Hideki Okajima, New York Yankees Agree To Minor League Contract

The New York Yankees have signed free agent pitcher Hideki Okajima to a minor league contract, the team announced on Wednesday. The deal includes an invite to Yankees spring training, where Okajima will have the chance to compete for a roster spot with the big league club.

Once one of the MLB's better set-up men, Okajima struggled through a 2011 season during which he was taken off the Red Sox's 40-man roster. The 36 year-old left-hander pitched just 8.1 innings with the Red Sox while spending most of the season in Triple-A Pawtucket. With Boston, he was 1-0 with a 4.32 ERA. He was 8-1 with a 2.29 ERA in Pawtucket.

Okajima was named an All-Star during his debut 2007 season, when he was 3-2 with a 2.22 ERA, but his production has declined in subsequent years.

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Yankees Free Agency Rumors 2011: Yankees Just Driving Up Hiroki Kuroda's Price?

The Yankees-Red Sox rivalry normally reveals itself on the field, with thousands of fans chanting in the stands and millions more watching on television. But sometimes the rivalry extends beyond the playing field and into offseason negotiations.

Despite reports that the Yankees are pursing 37-year old free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, ESPN New York cites a source saying the Yankees do not have the required resources to chase the former Los Angeles Dodger. Rather, the Yankees could be engaged in bidding with the Boston Red Sox designed solely to drive up Kuroda's price.

The Yankees tried to trade for Kuroda last season, which shows that they are indeed interested in the right-hander's talents. But the money might not add up. Kuroda is expected to command a $12-13 million contract per year for one or two seasons and the Yankees would have to pay a 40 percent luxury tax on top of that. Despite Kuroda's strengths, the team is unlikely to pay $17 million per season for his services.

It's always a possibility that the Yankees decide to acquire Kuroda despite the deep pile of cash that would require. But last week, the source told ESPN New York that the Yankees "don't have the money to pay him."

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Yankees Free Agency Rumors: New York Now Reportedly Interested In Hiroki Kuroda

The New York Yankees denied interest in Los Angeles Dodgers free agent starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda back on Dec. 10. Specifically, New York denied a rumor that the club had offered Kuroda a one-year deal worth $12 million (Kuroda made $12 million in 2011 for the Dodgers). The Yankees are reportedly interested in Kuroda now.

Hiroki Kuroda is indeed willing to leave California (and the NL). #RedSox and #Yankees among clubs pursuing him, sources say. (via Jon Morosi's Twitter)

After playing in Japan for a decade, Kuroda pitched for the Dodgers for four seasons and went 41-46 with a 3.45 ERA and 523 strikeouts. In 2011, Kuroda was 13-16 and posted a 3.07 ERA and 161 strikeouts. The ERA was the lowest of Kuroda's MLB career. The 13 wins, 16 losses and 161 strikeouts were also career highs.

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Top Five Remaining Free-Agent Pitching Targets for the New York Yankees

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Yankees Not Interested in Hiroki Kuroda?

According to the Daily News the Yankees denied reports that they made a contract offer to Hiroki Kuroda. Kuroda, the 36 year-old veteran, has pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers the last four seasons.

It has been reported that the Yankees offered Kuroda a one year deal worth 12 million dollars. A club official, however, responded with "there has been no offer". 

The Yankees inquired about Kuroda at last year's trade deadline, but Kuroda was unwilling to waive his no-trade clause.

Last year he had a career low 3.07 ERA, but his career-high 3.78 FIP suggests that Kuroda may have been more fortunate last season than in previous seasons. He did still manage to strike out 7.17 batters per game – the second highest of his career – and his fastball still sits at a respectable 92 miles per hour, on average. Batters swing and miss at Kuroda's offerings 10.3 percent of the time.

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Yankees Free Agency Rumors: Freddy Garcia Signs; No Offer To Kuroda?

The New York Yankees did reach a deal with a free-agent pitcher on Friday, just not the one they had reportedly made on offer to earlier.

The Yankees officially announced their one-year deal with Freddy Garcia today. Garcia went went 12-8 with a 3.62 ERA in 25 starts with the Yankees last season.

Contrary to an earlier report, the Yankees are now said not to have made an offer to Kuroda.

With Garcia, the Yankees have CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes and Garcia in their starting rotation. If a signing of Kuroda were to happen, or if the Yankees win the bidding for Japanese star Yu Darvish and eventually sign him you wonder which pitcher would be moved to break the logjam of starting pitchers.

The Yankees have reportedly tried to trade Burnett, but are not finding a market for the enigmatic right-hander. Hughes has pitched out of the bullpen, but the Yankees have given no indication they see Hughes as a relief pitcher long term.

Hiroki Kuroda Free Agency Rumors: Yankees Reportedly Make $12 Million Offer

The New York Yankees have reportedly made free-agent right-hander Hiroki Kuroda a one-year contract offer worth $12 million. General manager Brian Cashman and the Yankees apparently were not reading when I wrote recently that Kuroda did not appear to be a fit for the Yankees rotation.

Kuroda is a 36-year-old who compiled a 41-46 record in four seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers after coming over from Japan. He was 13-16 with a 3.07 ERA in 202 innings pitched last season.

Kuroda had previously expressed a desire to stay in Los Angeles, or at least on the West Coast. The Dodgers, though, do not want Kuroda back and he has expressed willingness to pitch on the East Coast.

Kuroda would join a rotation of CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes and Freddy Garcia if he signs with the Yankees. There is also still speculation that the Yankees will be among the bidders for Japanese right-hander Yu Darvish, who announced Thursday that he will be posted to the big leagues.

Yu Darvish Rumors: Japanese Right-hander Coming To America

Hiroki Kuroda Free Agency Rumors: Yankees-Red Sox Bidding War? Don't Count On It

Breathlessly aiming to fan the flames of the off-season Major League Baseball Hot Stove, and stoke the passions of the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry, our friends at SB Nation’s Baseball Nation proclaimed ‘Red Sox, Yankees In On Hiroki Kuroda’ in a headline earlier today.

That based on a tweet from baseball writer Jerry Crasnick.

To which I say, big deal. And why is that newsworthy? The Red Sox and Yankees have been ‘expressing interest’ in the right-hander, who will turn 37 in February, since before the 2011 MLB Trade Deadline.

The Yankees, for their part, have scoured the market and expressed some form of interest in just about every quality veteran pitcher available either via free agency or trade.

Does Kuroda to the Yankees really make sense. He has an ERA of 3.45 in five big-league seasons. Pitching in the NL West, though, is not pitching in the AL East. Is he really any better than Freddy Garcia? Or even A.J. Burnett?

As they are currently constructed, Kuroda doesn’t really seem like an upgrade. Had they not signed Garcia, or if they are somehow able to dump Burnett on someone, then possibly Kuroda could fill a spot at the back end of the rotation. Otherwise, there simply isn’t a spot.

There seem to be any number of potential landing spots for Kuroda. I can’t see the Yankees making a huge bid here.

Hiroki Kuroda Free Agency Rumors: Yankees-Red Sox Bidding War? Don't Count On It

Breathlessly aiming to fan the flames of the off-season Major League Baseball Hot Stove, and stoke the passions of the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry, our friends at SB Nation’s Baseball Nation proclaimed ‘Red Sox, Yankees In On Hiroki Kuroda’ in a headline earlier today.

That based on a tweet from baseball writer Jerry Crasnick.

To which I say, big deal. And why is that newsworthy? The Red Sox and Yankees have been ‘expressing interest’ in the right-hander, who will turn 37 in February, since before the 2011 MLB Trade Deadline.

The Yankees, for their part, have scoured the market and expressed some form of interest in just about every quality veteran pitcher available either via free agency or trade.

Does Kuroda to the Yankees really make sense. He has an ERA of 3.45 in five big-league seasons. Pitching in the NL West, though, is not pitching in the AL East. Is he really any better than Freddy Garcia? Or even A.J. Burnett?

As they are currently constructed, Kuroda doesn’t really seem like an upgrade. Had they not signed Garcia, or if they are somehow able to dump Burnett on someone, then possibly Kuroda could fill a spot at the back end of the rotation. Otherwise, there simply isn’t a spot.

There seem to be any number of potential landing spots for Kuroda. I can’t see the Yankees making a huge bid here.

Hiroyuki Nakajima: Yankees Win Bidding Rights To Japanese Shorstop

The New York Yankees have won the negotiating rights to Japanese shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima, and now have 30 days to sign the four-time Japanese all-star to a contract.

Reports indicate that the Yankees won the negotiating rights with a bid of about $2 million, and that they could use Nakajima as a utility infielder.

Predicting how Japanese players will translate to Major League Baseball is always risky.

MLB.com shows that Nakajima batted .314 (158-for-503) last season with 20 home runs and 93 RBIs, with 15 stolen bases in 130 games.

Young Eduardo Nunez filled the utility infielder role for the Yankees in 2011. He hit well, batting a respectable .265, but his fielding was questionable as he committed 14 errors and had a fielding percentage of just .924 in part-time duty.

Nunez, though, is often asked about when teams talk to the Yankees about trade possibilities. Acquiring Nakajima could put the Yankees in a position to include Nunez in a deal for a starting pitcher.

Luis Ayala Free Agency Rumors: A Bidding War? Really?

David Ortiz Free Agency Rumors: Yankees A Good Fit For Slugger?

The New York Yankees have given no indication that they might interested in pursuing free-agent slugger David Ortiz, a long-time nemesis with the rival Boston Red Sox. There appear, however, to bevoices telling Ortiz he should go the Bronx.

Former Yankee Johnny Damon is apparently one of them:

Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano is also on the Ortiz to the Yankees bandwagon:

Would Ortiz actually fit with the Yankees? He is 36 and can really only be a DH. The Yankees have older players like Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, who are helped by occasional days at designated hitter. They also have young phenom Jesus Montero, who as of now figures to be the team’s primary DH in 2012.

Ortiz, obviously, can still hit. He batted .309 in 2011 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI. Is there any real chance he will be doing his hitting for the Yankees in 2012? It seems unlikely, but stay tuned.

C.J. Wilson Free Agency Rumors: Yankees Turn Down Meeting

The New York Yankees have been down-playing any real interest in free-agent starting pitcher CJ. Wilson for a while, and have now reportedly turned down a proposed visit by the guy considered the top starting pitcher available in free agency.

It’s About The Money wonders if the Yankees are feigning disinterest simply to drive Wilson’s price down. That, of course, would fit general manager Brian Cashman’s style of swooping in later rather than trying to set the market.

CBS Sports reported that the Anaheim Angels and Miami Marlins have expressed interest in Wilson, but that Wilson’s asking price is currently $100 million. The Washington Nationals are also reportedly in the Wilson sweepstakes.

Perhaps the Yankees really don’t want Wilson. They have hinted that they are done free-agent shopping, not that anyone believed that.

Whether they eventually get in on the Wilson bidding or not it is hard to believe the Yankees would enter next season with virtually the same unsatisfying starting rotation they had in 2011.

Yankees Free Agency Rumors 2011: New York Done Shopping Already?

I am having a hard time believing Andrew Marchand's report today that "the Yankees might just sign Freddy Garcia and not do much else this offseason." I might agree with, and approve of, Marchand's assertion that there is "almost no way" the Yankees sign C.J. Wilson to a lucrative contract. I can't believe, though, that they would do nothing.

What fun would that be? The Winter Meetings aren't even here yet, and we are getting reports that the Yankees are done shopping? Can't be. That's too un-Yankee-like, plus it would pretty much doom them to another season of being good enough to get to the playoffs, but having no shot at getting through them and having a shot at another Series title.

Here is what Marchand wrote:

Unless the Yankees trade Nick Swisher, it is hard to see where they add to the offense. Maybe Yoenis Cespedes could be signed as the Yankees look toward Swisher's free agency after this year.

On the pitching side, the Yankees don't really like the prices vs. talent of any of the starters. Could they make a huge splash with Yu Darvish? That seems possible, even with their Kei Igawa experience. There is almost no way they are signing C.J. Wilson. Mark Buehrle may be better suited for the National League, in their opinion. Edwin Jackson is no better than what they have. Roy Oswalt has a back issue that concerns them. Hiroki Kuroda likes life in Los Angeles or Japan.

Marchand goes on to ask if his readers believe the Yankees will make a major move this offseason. 

I don't know if it will be major or not, but I just find it hard to believe that general manager Brian Cashman could look at this pitching staff, throw his cards on the table and take the rest of the winter off. 

Freddy Garcia Re-Signs With New York Yankees

According to the New York Post, the Yankees have re-signed veteran right-hander, Freddy Garcia, to a one-year deal worth $4 million.

The 35 year-old Garcia went 12-8 for the Yankees last season with a solid 3.62 ERA. However; according to FanGraphs, Garcia recorded a FIP of 4.12 and an xFIP of 4.36 last year, foreshadowing a potential drop-off in the veteran's production going forward.

Garcia's average fastball was 87.2 miles per hour last season, the lowest of his career. Fortunately he was able to get ahead of hitters all season, throwing a first-pitch strike 62 percent of the time, and had batters swinging and missing on 8.7 percent of his pitches – up from 7.2 percent in 2009.

Based on the advanced metrics, a slight regression is be expected from Garcia, but he should be solid enough to justify the one-year, $4-million dollar deal the Yankees just inked him to.

-- See Pinstripe Alley for more about the Yankees.

New York Yankees Rumors: Albert Pujols Agent Meets With Brian Cashman

Yankees Free Agent Rumors: C.J. Wilson, Roy Oswalt, Yu Darvish

The New York Yankees appear to be focused on bolstering their starting pitching for the 2012 season