Friday, December 16, 2005
Notes: Leiter, Mendoza get arbitration
12/08/2005
DALLAS -- The Yankees offered arbitration to left-hander Al Leiter and right-hander Ramiro Mendoza, extending the negotiating window with the two free agent pitchers.
The club, which also extended an arbitration offer to Bernie Williams, declined to offer arbitration to eight other free agents, effectively severing ties with Kevin Brown, Alan Embree, Matt Lawton, John Flaherty, Tino Martinez, Rey Sanchez, Felix Rodriguez and Ruben Sierra.
The Yankees are not permitted to negotiate with the free agents not offered arbitration until May 1.
Both Leiter and Mendoza agreed not to accept the arbitration offer, and will likely be offered Minor League contracts as non-roster invites to Spring Training.
Leiter was acquired by the Yankees shortly after the All-Star break last July, filling in as a starter before being moved to the bullpen. He served as a left-handed specialist toward the end of the season, proving himself effective in that role.
Mendoza was signed to a Minor League deal last spring while he recovered from shoulder surgery. He made 10 appearances in the Minors before joining the Yankees in September, when he pitched one game for New York.
Johnny on the spot: Brian Cashman spoke with Scott Boras, the agent for center fielder Johnny Damon, on Wednesday, though the general manager wouldn't characterize the discussions.
Boras, however, was more than happy to chat about his client and what he could do for the Yankees, saying that Damon was "open to the idea" of playing in the Bronx.
"The Yankees need a center fielder and Johnny Damon is the premier guy out there," Boras said. "I think that kind of says that they're obviously trying to make their team better every day, and Brian is working diligently to do that. I think you can take it from there."
Cashman said he felt no closer to acquiring a center fielder than he did before the Winter Meetings, with Bubba Crosby still penciled in as the team's starter entering Spring Training.
Juan Pierre, who was considered one of the options for the Yankees on the trade market, was dealt from the Marlins to the Cubs, but Cashman said that Pierre was never a serious candidate for the Yankees.
The Marlins spoke with the Yankees a few times about Pierre, but never came down off their demand for Robinson Cano.
Rocket return? Roger Clemens will not return to the Astros, at least for the start of the 2006 season, as Houston declined to offer him arbitration by Wednesday night.
With Clemens unable to return to Houston until May, does that open the window for an unlikely return to the Bronx for the seven-time Cy Young Award winner?
"We all know who Roger Clemens is and how special a player he is, but all of that is for another time," Cashman said. "They had a situation in Houston that they had to make decisions on, and Roger did, too. I will be engaging all players on the free agent market, as I've continued to say, so I'll continue to bang that same drum."
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
DALLAS -- The Yankees offered arbitration to left-hander Al Leiter and right-hander Ramiro Mendoza, extending the negotiating window with the two free agent pitchers.
The club, which also extended an arbitration offer to Bernie Williams, declined to offer arbitration to eight other free agents, effectively severing ties with Kevin Brown, Alan Embree, Matt Lawton, John Flaherty, Tino Martinez, Rey Sanchez, Felix Rodriguez and Ruben Sierra.
The Yankees are not permitted to negotiate with the free agents not offered arbitration until May 1.
Both Leiter and Mendoza agreed not to accept the arbitration offer, and will likely be offered Minor League contracts as non-roster invites to Spring Training.
Leiter was acquired by the Yankees shortly after the All-Star break last July, filling in as a starter before being moved to the bullpen. He served as a left-handed specialist toward the end of the season, proving himself effective in that role.
Mendoza was signed to a Minor League deal last spring while he recovered from shoulder surgery. He made 10 appearances in the Minors before joining the Yankees in September, when he pitched one game for New York.
Johnny on the spot: Brian Cashman spoke with Scott Boras, the agent for center fielder Johnny Damon, on Wednesday, though the general manager wouldn't characterize the discussions.
Boras, however, was more than happy to chat about his client and what he could do for the Yankees, saying that Damon was "open to the idea" of playing in the Bronx.
"The Yankees need a center fielder and Johnny Damon is the premier guy out there," Boras said. "I think that kind of says that they're obviously trying to make their team better every day, and Brian is working diligently to do that. I think you can take it from there."
Cashman said he felt no closer to acquiring a center fielder than he did before the Winter Meetings, with Bubba Crosby still penciled in as the team's starter entering Spring Training.
Juan Pierre, who was considered one of the options for the Yankees on the trade market, was dealt from the Marlins to the Cubs, but Cashman said that Pierre was never a serious candidate for the Yankees.
The Marlins spoke with the Yankees a few times about Pierre, but never came down off their demand for Robinson Cano.
Rocket return? Roger Clemens will not return to the Astros, at least for the start of the 2006 season, as Houston declined to offer him arbitration by Wednesday night.
With Clemens unable to return to Houston until May, does that open the window for an unlikely return to the Bronx for the seven-time Cy Young Award winner?
"We all know who Roger Clemens is and how special a player he is, but all of that is for another time," Cashman said. "They had a situation in Houston that they had to make decisions on, and Roger did, too. I will be engaging all players on the free agent market, as I've continued to say, so I'll continue to bang that same drum."
Source: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/
