Yankees Will Pay $18 Million Luxury Tax

Via The Associated Press, the Bombers will have to pay a whopping $18 million in Major League baseball luxury taxes. Whopping yes, but the highest they've ever been hit with? No. Last year, the Yankees price tag was $25.7 million.

Thus far, the team has slashed $12 million from their "budget" by reducing spending on players. They've also cut $5 million from their payroll.

"Atta baby," Brian Cashman said. "And right now we're in the $170s." The last statement alludes to their outlook on payroll for 2011.

Since 2003 when the luxury tax began, the Yankees have paid $192.2 million. They must present a check to the Office of the Commissioner by January 31 as per the collective bargaining agreement. The Red Sox are the only other team who have to pay a luxury tax. There's is for $1.49 million.

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Yankees Interest In Crawford Just a Bluff

Looks like the "Evil Empire" strikes again.

Check out this tidbit from Jack Curry of the YES Network and pay close attention:

"[Brian] Cashman had dinner with [Carl] Crawford’s agents on Tuesday, which was a bluff and was probably designed to get the Red Sox to inflate their offer to the leftfielder. The Yankees never made an offer to Crawford, and Cashman conceded that the Yankees weren’t interested in signing him. The Red Sox made an offer to Mariano Rivera, who the Yankees then signed quickly, and they also made a seven-year offer to [Cliff] Lee. Cashman might have been returning the favor by feigning interest in Crawford."

So the Yankees were never interested in Crawford. I've been saying all along that they didn't need him as in my opinion, Brett Gardner is the second coming of Crawford; all he needs is another full season in the lineup to improve his swing and timing. Curtis Granderson has his "first year in NY jitters" behind him and Nick Swisher just came off one of the best seasons of his career, and breeds an air of enthusiasm and positive energy. It also makes sense now why Crawford jumped on this deal from Boston. It was believed that he would wait out a deal for Lee so that if the Yankees didn't sign "The Assassin", he'd benefit from a huge offer that they were sure to make to him. With the Yankees making no offers, he made his move to the only other AL East team that could pay him big money.

But the more surprising revelation is that it was Boston that made the 7-year offer to Cliff Lee. I kinda, sorta suspected as much, but couldn't be sure as none of the sportswriters at the meetings seemed to know that it was Boston and there was never any mention of them as a team who'd even make that offer. Seems like Boston has re-upped on the bravado that was snatched from them when the Yankees stole Mark Teixeira two free-agent seasons ago. They've been relatively quiet until now and are probably looking for some retribution against their old nemesis.

But Cashman always seems to be two steps and a drink ahead of his competition. As I posted here, I suspected that Cashman's pursuit of Crawford was somehow in retaliation for Boston offering a deal to Mariano Rivera. Having them also pursue Lee was I guess, the ultimate no-no for the Yanks. While it had been assumed that Crawford would get a huge deal all along, Boston may not have made it as lucrative as it was if the Yankees didn't fake getting in on the action. 

So kudos to you, Cashman. Not only did you expose the Red Sox fears, you also proved to the fans of Red Sox Nation that their team too, will spend big money to "buy" a championship.

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Yankees and Red Sox In Bid War for Russell Martin

According to this tweet by Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, the Yankees are apparently going head-to-head with Boston to acquire LA Dodgers catcher Russell Martin. The Yankees are probably looking to shore up a back up in case they fear Jesus Montero may turn out to be another Ian Kennedy.

Montero is an excellent hitter, but his defense has been described as questionable. Yankees might want him to tighten it up a bit. Getting Martin would give Montero more time and cool any reservations the Yankees may have.

Martin has been with the Dodgers since 2006. He is a 2-time All-Star (2007-08) and has both a Gold Glove (2007) and Silver Slugger Award (2007). He hit .248 with 5 homers and 26 RBIs in just 97 games in 2010. His season ended in August due to a torn labrum in his right hip. The Dodgers did not offer him arbitration for 2011 and so he became a free-agent.

This will go down to the wire. While the Yankees have a need for Martin, Boston's is even greater. They no longer have Victor Martinez to catch and although they exercised their option for Jason Varitek, his decline will limit his time behind the plate. They have Jarrod Saltalamacchia slated to start, but he saw very little action in 2010. Stands to reason that they'd prefer and need a more seasoned presence behind the plate to complement Varitek, and they'll have that in Martin. 

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Yanks Improve to 7-Year Offer for Lee

The Yankees are doing whatever they have to to get there man.

According to this tweet by Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, the Yankees have moved into the next stage of the Lee sweepstakes with a 7-year offer. It has been reported throughout the Winter Meetings that a team was willing to offer Lee a 7-year deal, but that team was not the Yankees. Seems now the Bombers know they would have to up the ante from their original offering of a 6-year deal for Lee, as Carl Crawford just agreed to a mega-deal with the Red Sox for 7 years, $142 million. Crawford was to be the Yankees plan B if a deal with Lee fell through.

This is definitely crunch time for the Yankees. With Crawford out of reach, the only signing left that would make any major impact on their reign in the AL East would be for "The Assassin". If they don't sign Lee, their offseason efforts would be considered a failure and the Red Sox would be the true winners of the free-agent market this year, considering the Crawford deal and the trade for Adrian Gonzalez from the Padres.

No way that the Yankees would ever just allow that to happen, so they're doing what they have to. If going a 7th year for Lee is what has to be done, the Yankees are certainly able to make it happen. The Rangers, who are the other favorite in the Lee sweepstakes, are said to be unwilling to go beyond six years for Lee. Expect to hear about several phone calls being made to Lee from the Texas front office over the next few days as they try even harder to pitch his familiarity with the club and the comforts of being closer to home.

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Yanks Make First Offer to Lee

This according to a tweet by Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, the Yankees have finally made an offer to Lee for 6 years in the range of $140-$150 million. this comes in the wake of rumors that there are now two teams that are willing to offer Lee a deal for 7 years.

The Bombers seem unwilling at this point to go to a 7th year for Lee and that's reasonable. A 6-year deal is more than admirable for a 32 year-old pitcher, and it matches what Lee has been asking for all along. We fanatics know that beside a 6-year offering, the Yankees have history as a back-up to lure Lee in if a 7th year begins to attract his attention. I also believe that if they absolutely have to, they may go to a 7th year. With the Red Sox signing a power-lefty to their lineup in Adrian Gonzalez, the Yankees will certainly do what they have to to sign the best lefty on the market to their rotation.

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Yankees Talk to Crawford

According to this report from ESPN Boston, the Yankees met extensively Carl Crawford's camp yesterday. Now that the Yankees have finalized contracts with Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, they can move forward with plans A and B being Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford, respectively.

Its been assumed by many reporters who are attending the Winter Meetings, that the favorite to possibly land Crawford is the LA Angels because they have the greatest need and would probably go all out to make him a lucrative offer. The Red Sox are also said to be in serious talks with Crawford.

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Yankees Likely To Offer Wood Arbitration

Wallace Mathews of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the Yankees are likely to offer arbitration to right-handed reliever Kerry Wood.

Offering Wood arbitration signals the Yankees' willingness for possible negotiations that would bring Wood back, most likely to be the 8th inning set-up man for Rivera. He pitched well while in New York in 2010 and is seen as a viable option for the set-up role other than Joba Chamberlain. As per GM Brian Cashman:

"I'm thinking yes on Wood. We'll do them a favor. If we put them into an arbitration setting, then we can take them out and make a fair market value offer to them."

The "them" Cashman refers to are Wood, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Austin Kearns. Of the five, Cashman says he's only looking to make an offer to Wood. The arbitration deadline is midnight tonight.

Sources also tell Jayson Stark of espn.com that the Yankees will offer arbitration to Javier Vasquez also, although he is expected to decline. If he does, the Yankees will receive draft picks as compenstion for him.

Yankees Will Not Offer Jeter Arbitration

As reported in today's New York Daily News, the Yankees will not offer Derek Jeter arbitration at today's deadline. The team believes that Jeter will be back in pinstripes next season, and are not willing to risk Jeter getting a salary upwards of $20 million, which he would certainly accept if negotiated by an arbitrator. With this decision, if Jeter leaves the team, the Yankees can't receive any draft picks as compensation. The Yankees are expected to offer arbitration to the other "Core Four" members in Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte.

More Player Moves

Yankees released pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo today. The righty is off to Japan where he'll pitch for the Yomiuri Giants according to Mark Feinsand of the Daily News.

Albaladejo finished his season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre posting a 4-2 record and a 1.42 ERA. He appeared in 10 games with the Yankees during the second half of the regular season and had a 3.97 ERA with no decisions. Albaladejo had little success during his major-league tenure with the Yankees and so the team decided to release him as they prepare to set their 40-man roster.


Yankees RHP prospects Dellin Betances, Ryan Pope and infield prospect Brandon Laird, were added to the 40-man roster in a move to protect them from being acquired in next month's Rule 5 draft. 

Betances, a Brooklyn native, was drafted in the 8th round pick of the 2006 draft with a $1 million signing bonus. He struggled early on in his minor-league career, being shutdown early in 2007 with the Staten Island Yankees due to forearm tightness. He bounced back in 2008 with Low-A Charleston going 9-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 22 starts, but faltered again in '09 with High-A Tampa; in only 11 starts, he went 2-5 with a 5.48 ERA. He was shutdown early again, this time to have surgery to reinforce a ligament in his elbow.

Pope was a 3rd round draft pick in 2007. He began his minor-league career that year with the Staten Island Yankees going 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 10 games. In AA Trenton this year he went 4-6 with a 4.20 ERA in 46 games. He appeared in 3 games with the Yankees during 2010 and went 0-0 allowing one hit and recording one save.

In stints with both AA Trenton and AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, Laird hit. 281 with 25 homers and 103 RBIs. He was acquired as a 27th round pick by the Yankees in 2007 and played in their Gulf Coast League that year.  

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Larry Rothschild Named New Pitch Coach

In an "off-the-radar" move today, the Yankees hired Larry Rothschild as their new pitch coach replacing Dave Eiland.

Before today, Rothschild was the pitch coach for the Chicago Cubs, a position he's held since 2002. His professional baseball career spans 36 years, and he's worked for notable managers including Lou Piniella and Jim Leyland. He was part of the coach staffs for both the 1990 Cincinnati Reds and the 1997 Florida Marlins championship teams, and was the first manager of the then Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1998 to 2001. Ironically, Dave Eiland pitched for him during that time. 

Apparently, one of the reasons Rothschild interviewed for the job--other than the opportunity to play for the greatest team in baseball--is that his home is in Tampa, FL and is just a few miles from Steinbrenner Field. Having more time to spend with his family was a huge factor in his decision to leave the Windy City.

“It’s got less to do with leaving the Cubs than it does more to do with the opportunity to be with the family and also with the Yankees,” Rothschild said, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post.

Joe Girardi, who caught for the Cubs on that 2002 team, said in a statement that Rothschild is “above all else an excellent teacher who brings a professional attitude and a keen sense of preparation to his craft.”  

The new pitch coach's first order of business will be to make introductory phone calls to his new pitchers. He's already been privy to the work of some of his starters as he watched hours of videotape of CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and AJ Burnett during his interview process.

This was a surprise move by the Yankees. In the past few weeks the notable list of interviewees for the position were bullpen coach Mike Harkey,Triple-A pitch coach Scott Aldred and Oakland A's minor-league pitch coordinator Gil Patterson. Rothschild had never even surfaced as a possible candidate.

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Congrats to the "King"

CC Sabathia was again eluded of his second AL Cy Young Award by a younger pitcher with fewer wins yesterday. However, this time around I'd argue that the voters of the Baseball Writers Association got it right in voting Seattle's "King" Felix Hernandez the winner. No need to go into a whole bunch of stats on either pitcher; Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports breaks it all down in plain terms in the video below.

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=70a8ffd7-41c3-4dd0-b6ea-f392e89323f1" target="_new" title="">Rosenthal: Cy Young for Felix</a>
So, congratulations Felix Hernandez. And, CC, you're always No. 1 on Bomber Boulevard.

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<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=70a8ffd7-41c3-4dd0-b6ea-f392e89323f1" target="_new" title="">Rosenthal: Cy Young for Felix</a>

Jeter Negotiations At An Impasse

According to a report by ESPN's Wallace Matthews this morning, the Jeter negotiations have come to a stalemate as the Yankees are looking to offer him a 3-year deal at $15 or perhaps $21 million, but the Captain wants anywhere from 4-6 years at the same rate. A source with inside knowledge told Wallace that someone in the "Yankee hierarchy" wants to play hardball:


"Tell him the deal is three years at $15 million a year, take it or leave it," the person taking the hard-line approach said. "Wait him out and he'll wind up taking it. Where's he gonna go, Cincinnati?"

Hmmm. That ending sounds similar to statements made by Hank Steinbrenner during the Alex Rodriguez free agency debacle, where he questioned if A-Rod wanted to go into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee or a Toledo Mud Hen. It also makes sense that the statement may have come from "Hammering" Hank as he has been relatively quiet on these negotiations; at some point he was sure to get in the mix.

Adding more fuel to the fire was team President Randy Levine who, according to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News, had this to say:

"All I can say is we think he's a great Yankee, we think he's been a great Yankee and we've been great for him and this is the best place for him. But he's a free agent and he's allowed to test the market and do whatever he wants."

"He's a baseball player. It's a player negotiation. Everything he is and who he is gets factored in. But this isn't a licensing deal or a commercial rights deal. He's a baseball player."

"But with that said, you can't take away from who he is. He brings a lot to the organization and we bring a lot to him.... Derek Jeter is a great Yankee, a great player. That said, now is a different negotiation than 10 years ago."

The ESPN report notes that the Yankees are fearful, however, of going too hard on the negotiations because of possible fan backlash. If this is the case, I, being one of the many fanatics that absolutely respects and admires everything about Derek Jeter, offer this:

Play hardball with Jeter. Now is the time for him to show the team, the organization and his fans that he truly is all about putting what's best for the team first. This wasteful stand-off is all due to him wanting the Yankees to prove that they value him as much as they value A-Rod. Remind Jeter that at the time of his contract signing, A-Rod was coming off of a year where he showed no signs of slowing down, and pretty much carried the team into the playoffs and won the MVP. Remind Derek that that MVP award was A-Rod's second in three years.

We fanatics know now that A-Rod's deal was erroneous, considering his injuries after-the-fact, but hindsight is 20/20; if the Yankees could go back and change A-Rod's deal knowing what they know now, they probably would. Make Jeter and his agent understand that.

Don't worry about us abandoning ship; we got over the "mishandling" of Bernie Williams, the end of the Joe Torre era and the free agency exits of Tino Martinez in 2001 and Hideki Matsui last year. In each case we were initially hurt, sad and disappointed, but we got over it as the team moved forward, and we remain as loyal as ever.

And give us a little more credit; we're not so petty that we would boycott our team over an extra 2-3 years. We know that Jeter is in decline; we know that his true value as a premier shortstop is no longer, and that $15 or even $21 million per is more than generous. We also know that if these negotiations fall through, the onus will be on Jeter as you in the front office offered him a fair deal that in no way minimizes his legacy and was in the best interest of the team.

Do the right thing, Jeter. Take the three year deal and maybe negotiate options for another year or two. Have a renaissance showing for the next three years, and you will surely be back in 2014.

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Gotta Go To Mo: Wood vs Chamberlain

As the hot stove begins to heat up, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at one of the storylines that is not getting much play thus far: the ever-essential bridge to Mariano Rivera.

To date, Mo still awaits his turn at the free-agent negotiating table as he and his agent have not yet notified the Yankees as to how many years he wants on his next contract. Most of what's been written in the blogosphere is that it will either be a one or two-year deal. Sounds about right considering Mo's age (he'll be 41 November 29), although, he hasn't shown much sign of slowing down. As I previously posted in What's Been Going On This Week, I don't think that Mo will make a big stink if the Yankees decide to give him a one-year deal; his "Yankee heart" may want more years, but his common sense will think better of it.

But Mo will surely be back, and so, what may probably be the more divisive backstory involving the closer is who'll pitch the 8th inning. The smart answer would be either Kerry Wood or Joba Chamberlain.

So who makes more sense? First of all, Kerry Wood is at present a free-agent also, so if the Yankees want to bring him back, they'll have to compete with all the other teams that are looking for a solid closer, which is what Wood is reportedly seeking to become. By compete, we know that means the Yankees will have to show Wood the money, and we know that the Yankees can do that better than any other team. At the right price, he may be willing to be the bridge to Mo.

Wood had a fantastic run with the Yankees in 2010 posting a 2-0 record in 24 game appearances, and a .069 ERA by allowing only two earned runs in 26 innings pitched. He had a great postseason as well, earning a .167 ERA with two holds for both games 1 and 2 of the ALDS. Wood is a seasoned vet, having been in the league since his rookie season in 1998 with the Chicago Cubs; he remained viable following Tommy John surgery in 1999. For his career, he has a 3.65 ERA with a WHIP of 1.26.

Then there's Joba, who some, but not many, believe the Yankees may want to use if they are not willing to pay Wood upwards of the $10 million he earned in 2010. In 73 games this year, Joba amassed a 4.40 ERA with a WHIP of 1.30. He had a better season statistically this year from last year by default, having only pitched as a reliever with fewer innings; his earned run totals dropped from 83 in '09 to 35 in '10, and he allowed 96 fewer hits this year. His career numbers post a 3.77 ERA with a WHIP of 1.36

Although Joba's numbers are far from terrible, what makes him a concern is the obvious drop in his velocity. According to fangraphs.com, the velocity on Joba's fastball--his best pitch--dropped from around 97 mph in 2007 to approx. 93 in 2010. So? Good hitters can nail almost anything over the plate at 95 or less. On YES Network's Hot Stove report yesterday, Fox sportswriter Bob Klapisch noted that Joba no longer possesses a "blow away" fastball and opposing players aren't "uncomfortable" anymore when he's on the mound. In essence, Joba  is not a sure bet to put hitters away.

All-in-all, the big guy is certainly no pitcher to cough at, and is as tough as they come when he's on his A-game, but the uncertainty of his prowess has caused many to grow impatient.

You gotta believe that the Yankees will do what they have to to try and secure Wood for 2011; his experience, maturity and proven mettle in the New York pressure cooker, make him the wiser option. I say try only because if Wood is adamant on closing, that might be the deal breaker. Klapisch mentions that in this scenario, the Yankees may have to promise Wood the closer role on Mo's exit, but there's no way of knowing when that will happen as Mo continues to defy the law of aging athletes.

Stay tuned...

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Yankees Ticket Information for 2011

The official announcement from yankees.com is below.

The Yankees announced ticket information for the 2011 regular season on Monday.

Specials for this season include: E-Saver Games, $5 Games, Tuesday Night Games Ticket Special, Family Games, Senior Citizen Games, Student Games, Youth Games and Military Personnel Ticket Special. Fans can also take advantage of the Mo-Saver ticket booth at the Modell's Sporting Goods store in Times Square to save up to 50 percent off face value.


Individual game tickets range from $5 (in the bleacher section) to $325 on game day (Field Level, Rows 12-30, Sections 116-124).


New York will play 13 of its first 16 games and 20 of its first 28 at home, including Opening Day on March 31 against the Tigers. Yankee Stadium will host Interleague games against the Mets (May 20-22), Rockies (June 24-26) and Brewers (June 28-30). The Yankees' final five home games of the season will come against the division-rival Rays (Sept. 20-21) and Red Sox (Sept. 23-25).


The Yankees have led the American League in home attendance for eight straight seasons and drew 3,765,807 last year (an average of 46,491 a game).


A complete list of ticket specials can be found at yankees.com/ticketspecials, or by calling 212-YANKEES (926-5337) or e-mailing tickets@yankees.com (or groups@yankees.com for groups of 20 or more). Specials are subject to availability, and all offers are subject to change.

Addendum
Some Yankees ticket prices for 2011 have gone up. The breakdown is as follows:

• Best field-level seats will rise from $250 to $260
• Outfield seats at $100 rise to $110; $75 seats rise to $80
• Bleacher seats that were $12 are now $15; $5 bleacher seats remain unchanged
• Main-level seating at $100 also rise to $110; all other main-level seats will go up $5

Here is a comprehensive look at prices and seating


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MLB GM Meetings Start Tomorrow

Time to warm up the hot stove.

The GM Meetings officially begin in the backdrop of Disney World tomorrow, and will last 'til Thursday. Tomorrow will be exclusive to the 30 GMs who will talk possible trades and free agent signings. Wednesday, they will meet with Commissioner Bud Selig, and then attend the joint Owners' Meetings on Thursday. All of this is an overture to the Winter Meetings which are scheduled for Dec. 6-9.

The set-up of this year's meetings are slightly different, as GMs normally meet the week after the World Series concludes, with assistants in tow. The change this year comes via Selig's request to have only the general managers involved in the Owners' Meetings to primarily discuss the Collective Bargaining Agreement which expires in 2011.

What does this mean for us Bomber fanatics who are itching for the slightest bit of exciting news on the acquisition front? It means we'll have to wait a bit longer, probably during the Winter Meetings, for any juicy deals or what not to go down. So, don't expect any major announcements from Cashman when he returns; there will be no deals or agreements made. The most we'll probably hear is a general statement of how the meetings were "good" and that there are a lot of players available that the Yankees may want to "look at", blah, blah, blah.

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It Is High, It Is Far, It Is...Almost Over?

The beauty of being a Yankees fan is that you get to enjoy watching the greatest team in the history of sports play. We fanatics are spoiled by great plays, big hits, comeback wins, and for us females, a roster of men that are very easy on the eye.

What many of us tend to take for granted are the voices that call the games; the broadcasters who we depend on for analysis, stats, interesting info, quips and rousing signature calls. They make the games worth watching or listening to. Don't believe it? Think of the odd feeling you may have while watching a Yankees playoff game. Even during a home game in the playoffs, the feel of it is not the same because the voices you're accustomed to listening to are different. You'd much rather hear Michael Kay and Ken Singleton call the game than Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, right?

The Yankees contract with WCBS radio expires after the 2011 season. It is possible that the Yankees may look to move their radio broadcast of games to another station, which could also mean losing their on-air talent, i.e. John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman.

There have been no discussions on this from either side of the issue, but it is something to think about. Baseball is a business, and if Yankees brass believes that a move will be in their best interest, it will happen.

Imagine if you are a listener of Sterling and Waldman, not hearing their voices on the radio anymore. No more of Sterling's, "The Yankees Win. Theeeee Yankees Winnnnn!!" No more of Waldman's, "Oh my Goodness Gracious!" moments. While some fanatics might consider these obnoxious at times and a bit overkill, they'd also probably admit that the broadcasts would lose their luster and the familiarity of those voices that listeners are used to.

Sterling and Waldman are part of the Yankee family. Hopefully, they won't be going anywhere, anytime soon.

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What Will Andy Pettitte Do?

Andy Pettitte is still uncertain as to whether or not he will retire before the start of the 2011 season. What he is certain of, however, is that he will only pitch for the Yankees.

"At this point in my career, it'll be New York or it will be nowhere, for sure," Andy said on Houston TV station KHOU. "[I] just feel like I've done too many...special things up there with that group of guys, not to finish it up there."

What continues to make the decision to come back a difficult one for Pettitte are his children. He has three sons and wants to be around more to raise them as they're getting older. Traveling from city-to-city for six months a year makes that difficult.

"I just feel like I have a big responsibility here. I have three boys. I feel like ...we're getting to that point where it's the crucial ages of their lives that I need to be around a little bit more."

If Pettitte does decide to come back for 2011, it will be his final season.

"If...I play one more year, that would be it," Pettitte said. "It would be one more year and that would be it." 

Assuming he returns and the Yankees win the Cliff Lee sweepstakes, the rotation would probably look like this:

CC Sabathia
Cliff Lee
Phil Hughes
Andy Pettitte
AJ Burnett

Pettitte's retirement in this instance would either force the Yankees to pursue another free agent pitcher or possibly slide Dustin Moseley or Ivan Nova into the 5th spot, moving Burnett up one to 4th.

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Cano Wins Second Silver Slugger Award

Robinson Cano was awarded his second Silver Slugger award yesterday, after a tremendous offensive season. He was by far the best offensive second baseman in the American League in 2010.

Cano is steadily establishing himself as one of the elite players in the major leagues. He won his first Gold Glove award this past Tuesday, and is still in the running to win his first AL MVP award in which the winner will be announced November 23rd. Cano's numbers for the year rank him as one of the top ten players in all the major categories. He batted .319 (5th) with 29 homers (t-9th) and 109 RBIs (7th). His slugging percentage was .534 (7th) and his OPS was .914 (6th).

Although the Yankees again dominated the AL standings for the majority of the regular season, many of the big names in their lineup (Jeter, Teixeira, Rodriguez) struggled offensively throughout, posting batting averages of .270 or lower. Cano remained consistent and carried the team on his shoulders. He fit perfectly in to the 5th slot of the lineup, proving that he could protect A-Rod in 4th.

"Everybody in the league would want to have a guy like that on their team," Curtis Granderson recently said of Cano. "He's got one of the most dangerous bats in the game."

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Cano Wins Gold Glove Award; Joins Teixeira and Jeter

Robinson Cano was honored today with his first American League Gold Glove Award. The award comes after a stellar season by Cano, who once again proved that he is arguably one of the best defensive second basemen to ever play the game.

"Winning the Gold Glove Award along with my teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter is an honor," Cano told the media. "This is an award I've worked for since becoming a Major Leaguer and will continue to do so each season."

How good was Cano's defense in 2010? He finished the season with a .996 fielding percentage, leading the AL, for committing only 3 errors in 776 chances, which were the most chances by any second baseman in the majors. He set a Yankees franchise record for the most consecutive error-less games with 81 from April 23 - July 26. But numbers aside, Cano shined again at second this season by showcasing an amazing arm and finesse with each play.

Teixeira was awarded yet another Gold Glove for his consistent, gritty defense at first base. Not surprising to anyone, as Teixeira continues to cement himself as an elite defensive player.

"As a player who works very hard on defense, it is an honor to win my fourth Gold Glove," Teixeira said.

The four-time Gold Glove recipient posted a .998 fielding percentage via 3 errors in 1,310 chances in 2010. Again, the numbers are nice to reference, but Teixeira's ability to get to balls that are coming lightning fast toward him and the hole between first and second, can not be overstated.

Jeter rounds out the trio winning his fifth Gold Glove for his defense at shortstop. You can bet that many eyebrows will be raised, as it was obvious this year that Jeter's range is very much in decline. But, Jeter managed a .989 fielding percentage--the best of his career--committing six errors in 553 chances. However, the six errors, although great in the big picture, could only be a product of Jeter's diminished range, as he reached fewer balls. Less balls you field, the less errors to be made.

As competitive and proud as Jeter has always been, I'm sure he hears the "whispers" and will work even harder this offseason to improve his defense and show his true mettle.

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And the Award Goes To...

The late, great George M. Steinbrenner III headlines notable Yankees who will be awarded by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). Mr. Steinbrenner will posthumously receive the Joan Payson Award in honor of his community service.

Robinson Cano will receive the Joe DiMaggio "Toast of the Town" Award for becoming one of New York's favorite players. Phil Hughes will be awarded the Ben Epstein-Dan Castellano Award for his candor and accessibility to the media.

The awards will be presented on January 22 at the annual BBWAA dinner in New York.

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