The Buhner.com Blog

Just a few hits here and there re: free agency and the Yanks.

• Checking out an Ask BA article and saw that Tony Graffanino, he of the .734 career OPS, is a Type A free agent. Since the Brewers offered him arbitration, Milwaukee could potentially receive a team’s first round pick in addition to a bonus pick between the first and second round. While the Yanks have the last pick of the first round, it’s still not really worth it at this point.

• The Nationals watched in horror as Alfonso Soriano signed with the Cubs. As a result of the Cubs poor record, the Nats won’t even get a first round pick for him; they’ll get a sandwich pick between the first and the second, and the Cubs second round pick (which sits at #55 right now, being the 3rd pick of the second round but taking into effect 22 sandwich picks between the first and second so far). The best possible pick that could have been picked up (#16 overall, belonging to Texas) went to Toronto - for Frank Catalanotto.

• The Cubs are playing the role that the Yankees supposedly play, having already re-signed Aramis Ramirez to start everything off. Their bill stands at $232.5 million for six players, two of whom (Soriano and Ramirez) were full time players last year. That number could go up even more, as the team is supposedly looking at Ted Lilly, who is asking for four years at around $10 million per.

• The Yankees have technically signed one player, although it’s Mike Mussina, whom was never really a free agent to begin with. The team worked out an extension with him so that he was signed through this season and next. In doing so, the team exercised its option for this year then quickly re-signed him to a two year deal, technically making him a free agent in the loosest sense of the word.

• On the other side, as of 3:51PM yesterday the Yanks have only lost one player - Tanyon Sturtze, whom the Braves have thrown $750k at for next season in the hopes that he can be the pitcher that Joe Torre and no one else saw. Octavio Dotel is drawing a lot of interest (and is supposedly healthy) but won’t be back, since Dotel is looking to close and that’s not going to happen in New York. Craig Wilson hasn’t been mentioned but is on the Yankee radar, and Miguel Cairo is anyone’s guess. Ron Villone might see some interest (as would any lefthanded pitching warm body) but nothing’s been said publicly from the Yankee prospective whether they want him back. They offered him arbitration, so if he doesn’t get any takers he might end up accepting. If not, he’s only a Type B which makes him a win-win from the Yankees standpoint and whomever signs him; the Yanks get a pick between the first and second round as compensation, and the signing team doesn’t give up a pick to get him.

• Gil Meche is supposedly asking for four years at $10 million per. While Lilly I could understand (Lilly’s been strong at times and would probably be a decent regular starter with a good pitching coach who can keep him on track), Meche hasn’t had an ERA+ in triple digits since he was a 21 on his way to two surgical procedures that would keep him out of baseball for two years. He’s got a career WHIP of 1.439 (1.430 last season) and his 4.48 ERA last season was the best of his career. Eric Milton has to be wondering if he could take the J.D. Drew route and opt out of his contract and get a raise.

• One thing I didn’t address in my Yankee articles was Bernie Williams, mainly because I assumed that Bernie was done and that the Yankees, sadly enough, didn’t really have a spot for him with four starting outfielders on the roster and a desperate desire to keep Jason Giambi at DH. Brian Cashman has done his best to try to be diplomatic with Bernie (both on a direct basis and in the media) by admitting that there might not be a spot for Bernie on the 2007 roster. Last season, Bernie didn’t embarrass himself with the bat, actually improving on his 2005 stats and playing all three outfield positions when necessary, while agreeing to a discounted $1.5 million salary to play for one more year. I’m torn - as a Yankee loyalist, I saw the not-so-subtle way that the team nudged Don Mattingly off the roster, and I think Bernie deserves to make his own decision on whether he wants to play next year or not, especially if he’s going to take a low salary like last year. I also see value with having him on the roster - Bernie’s a switch hitter but stronger against lefthanded pitching. With all the mention of a righthanded hitter off the bench, Bernie is one of the better options at this point, and would settle in nicely in a 5th outfielder role. That being said, we are dealing with Joe Torre who at times needs to be beaten over the head to remind him that a player isn’t necessarily as good as he used to be. Bernie’s arm strength is minimal, so while he doesn’t play a bad outfield at this point, he’s not going to add anything and brings down the defense a bit due to his arm strength. Bernie’s value at this point is as a pinch hitter and occasional starter at DH, with the emergency start in the outfield. If there was a better option in AAA right now or if keeping Bernie around would handcuff the signing of someone who would better help the team in that roster space, then I’d say no and hope that Bernie understands - and I think he does. But if you’re going to sacrifice Bernie for Terrence Long or some other veteran mediocrity that would serve essentially the same role as him, there’s nothing wrong with having him on the roster - as long as he’s used in moderation. Cashman seems to be thinking along those same lines, basically implying that if it comes down to that, he’ll ask him to come back, but he doesn’t want to hurt the roster and the current process by committing to Bernie and then either pushing out someone he needs because there’s no room, or being put in the uncomfortable position of cutting Bernie from the 25 man roster - something no one in the Yankee organization wants to do.