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Nolasco, Greinke limit options for Yankees, Rangers
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By Paul White
December 21, 2010
Zack Greinke's trade Sunday to the Milwaukee Brewers provided another resounding jolt to those teams still looking for starting pitching, a market that's becoming so thin that a new contract for Ricky Nolasco is another big disappointment.
Nolasco's three-year contract extension -- for a reported $27 million -- with the Florida Marlins means there's one fewer name among the rapidly diminishing targets for the jilted-again Yankees and Rangers -- and anyone else on the annual "you-never-have-enough-pitching" search.
The Brewers' trading with Kansas City for Greinke ranks right behind Cliff Lee signing with the Phillies on the surprise scale, leaving plenty of questions behind the rather calm expressions of disappointment coming from the Yankees and Rangers camps. After all, Greinke was a pretty nice Plan B -- at least for Texas -- after the Lee stunner five days earlier.
Take that, Christmas shoppers.
What's left on the shelves isn't quite down to lump-of-coal status, but the fact that Freddy Garcia's name is popping up in reports out of New York is a pretty good indication of what's left.
Suddenly, money may not talk for the Yankees -- beyond Lee's rejection of their more lucrative offer. The best free agent left on the market is Carl Pavano, whose previous, injury-plagued experience in pinstripes got him the "American Idle" nickname. Odds are pretty slim he'll be reprising his Bronx gig.
Besides, Minnesota wants to keep Pavano and he could be a prime candidate for one more winter surprise -- Nationals? Blue Jays?
With no Greinke and no Nolasco on the trade front, just where can Yankees GM Brian Cashman turn?
Sure, he'll do his level best to entice Andy Pettitte into one more year. Pettitte may indeed have interaction with his kids at the heart of his retire-or-not decision, but the indecision certainly could be adding to his price tag.
Best starting pitching potentially available in a trade resides at Tampa Bay, whether it be James Shields or Matt Garza. But would the Rays even consider dealing with one of the 800-pound gorillas in their AL East room? Or, at least, at what inflated price in prospects?
Prospects probably are the ticket for the Yankees, if they're to go beyond the free-agent market. Cashman has ardently held onto a player-development mother lode, especially deep in pitching and catching. If he indeed believes his rotation needs an upgrade, this will be a test of his resolve.
Next-best target could be Joe Blanton. He's due $17 million over the next two seasons and the Phillies can move him now that Lee is under contract.
As for Texas, Pavano certainly is an option. But the Rangers have to consider the internal shuffling if they continue to strike out. Closer Neftali Feliz to the rotation would be the big move and, to a lesser extent Derek Holland, who found a lefty-specialist home in the bullpen last season after struggling in previous cameos as a starter.
But, what of the ninth inning if Feliz returns to the starting role that originally earned him top-prospect status? Frank Francisco should be back from injury, though he's managed to lose the closing job before. The relief market still has several of those types, most notably Brian Fuentes. But he wants to be considered a closer in terms of money and a three-year deal. That's a steep price for insurance.
And the Rangers, unlike the Yankees, can look around their division and privately wonder where the competition will come from. They won comfortably with 90 wins last year and the Angels are among the major non-movers so far this offseason, leaving a fairly active Oakland team as the one real threat. Texas could consider taking what it has into a new season or continue to shop Michael Young, though eating a significant portion of his annual $16 million through 2013 probably will be necessary.
Stay tuned. The surprises probably aren't finished.
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2010, 2009
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