The Yankee Hot Stove (to date)

Well the offseason has been underway for several weeks now and I for one am more than impressed with the Yankees. Last year they were in the Johan Santana biddings but did not take it to the next level. Johan ended up in Flushing with the Mets and the Yankees did not have another ace. Also last year, their biggest acquisition was probably LaTroy Hawkins, who was traded to Houston in the summer. Morgan Ensberg was their biggest offensive signing and he amounted to nothing as well. Oh what a difference a year makes.

Yankees sign P Sergio Mitre to one-year deal with club option for 2010
This was a low-risk, high-reward (potentially) deal for New York. Mitre missed the ’08 season due to injury. This was a good signing for New York. The 27-year old pitcher can be a nice addition to the Yankees. He won’t find much room in the rotation but could make an impact in the bullpen alongside the likes of Brian Bruney, Edwar Ramirez, and Jose Veras.

Yankees resign RP Damaso Marte to three-year deal with club option for 2012
The Yankees originally declined Marte’s $6 million option but decided to sign him to a longer deal. This was a great deal by New York as they kept the left-handed reliever. Marte could be the set-up man or lefty specialist for the Yankees in 2009. Plus Marte’s K/9 ratio is strong to make the Yankee bullpen even stronger.

Yankees trade P Jeff Marquez, P Johnny Nunez, and INF Wilson Betemit to the Whitesox for 1B/OF Nick Swisher and P Kanekoa Texeira
This was somewhat a surprise deal pulled off by Brian Cashman, but it was a nice one. The Yankees got rid of Betemit and his massive amount of strikeouts. Betemit was probably the key bench player in 2009 for the Yankees. Jeff Marquez was once considered to make an impact toward the Yankees’ pitching staff in the future, but with the emergence of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Alfredo Aceves, Marquez was not in the plans.

Mike Mussina retires
This may not have been a surprise to many, I included, but this was not in the Yankees’ hands. Mike Mussina retired on his own terms and leave baseball on a 20-win season. I just want to take the time to say congratulations to Mussina for an astounding career and hopefully a trip to Cooperstown in five years.

Yankees sign SP CC Sabathia to 7 year, $161 million deal (opt-out clause after 3rd year)
The Yankees needed to make a big splash and did so by signing CC Sabathia. They stayed put by not going after another left-handed ace last year, Johan Santana, but decided to pay the big man his money. Though he was considering signing a deal on the west coast, closer to his home, he took more money to play in the Big Apple. CC is the ace the Yankees need and he can be known as one of the premier pitchers in baseball more now than ever. The opt-out clause after his 3rd season in New York can be good for both sides. For the Yankees, if he opts out they will have gotten three excellent years in his prime. For Sabathia, after three years he can opt-out and sign with a team in the west coast closer to his home for the later years of his career.

Yankees sign SP A.J. Burnett to 5 year, $82.5 million deal
This is another great move by New York to bolster their rotation. Burnett will likely be the #3 pitcher for the Yankees behind Sabathia and Chien-Ming Wang. Though Burnett could have been an ace on the Braves, he chose to be a #3 pitcher for the Yankees. The announcement of the signing of Burnett was released just days after the signing of Sabathia was announced.

The Yankees planned to lay low for the 2007 off season and go away from their known philosophy of signing players to big contracts and trading away prospects for proven veterans and saw what their results were: missing the playoffs. Though their record was very good, 89-73, but just not good enough to make the playoffs.

The 2008 offseason is much different as they went out to trade for Nick Swisher and sign pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. The Yankees still may not be done but no one knows for sure. One thing is certain: over the course of one year, the Yankee mentality changed drastically.