Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog

Ibanez the top DH target?

2012-01-27T16:15:00.000-05:00

The Yankees have interest in lefty hitting Raul Ibanez, according to sources. Ibanez’s average dropped to .245 last season with the Phillies, but he hit 20 home runs and drove in 84 runs. Ibanez, who will turn 40 in June, has drawn interest from a number of clubs.

Ibanez recently had a productive workout with hitting guru Rudy Jaramillo and believes he has corrected flaws in his swing. Over the past six seasons, he averaged 24 home runs and 100 RBIs.

If he actually fixed his swing that certainly makes him a much more attractive candidate. Either way, he's a professional hitter and is probably better than anything the Yankees currently have sitting on the bench, so why not?

This Week in Yankees History (1/22-1/28)

2012-01-25T12:41:00.000-05:00

This Week in Yankees History

January 22nd - January 28th

January 22nd

1881 - Former Yankees C/1B Ira Thomas (1906-1907) was born (1881-1958).On August 20, 1905; Ira Thomas was purchased by the New York Highlanders from Providence (Eastern League). Thomas appeared in 124 games with Yankees, hitting just .195. On December 12,1907, he was purchased by the Detroit Tigers from the New York Highlanders. Later he would have with the Philadelphia A’s.

1913 - The New York Giants give the New York Yankees permission to use the Polo Grounds for the 1913 American League season only, as their lease on the Hilltop Park has expired. The Yankees will remain as tenants at the Polo Grounds through 1922 American League season, then moving to the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx in April of 1923.

1918 - The New York Yankees traded C Les Nunamaker, 3B Fritz Maisel, INF Joe Gedeon, Pitchers Nick Cullop and Urban Shocker to the St. Louis Browns in exchange for P Eddie Plank and 2B Del Pratt. Eddie Plank, a 300-game winner, retires from MLB, but Dell Pratt gives the Yankees three good years of services at second base. Urban Shocker is the gem, posting four straight seasons of 20 or more wins with the Browns. Fritz Maisel, who the Yankees refused to trade in early 1916 for either Red Sox OF Tris Speaker (and cash) or White Sox OF Shoeless Joe Jackson, will hit just .232 in 90 games and be released by the team.

1927 - The New York Yankees released veteran reserve C Hank Severeid. He had retired from MLB. Hank hit .268 in 41 games for the 1927 Yankees, after being obtained from the Washington Senators.

1929 - The New York Yankees announced that they would be putting numbers on the backs of their team uniforms, becoming the 1st baseball team to start continuous use of the numbers. The first numbers are based on positions in the batting order; thus, Babe Ruth will wear number 3 and Lou Gehrig number 4. In a few weeks, the Cleveland Indians announce that they, too, will put numbers on their player uniforms. By 1931, all American League teams will use them. It will be 1933 before all National League players are numbered.

1943 - The New York Yankees obtained 1B Nick Etten from the Philadelphia Phillies for C Tom Padden, P Al Gerhauser and cash. Nick Etten will be the Yankees regular first baseman for three American League seasons. Nick will lead the AL with 22 HRs in 1944. He will be an AL All Star 1B in 1945. As a Yankee player, Nick Etten will hit .272 with 63 HRs and 358 RBIs.

1957 - Former Yankees OF/INF Brian Dayett (1983-1984) was born. The New York Yankees in the 16th round of the 1978 MLB amateur player draft drafted Brian Dayett. Brian hit .276 in 75 games for the Yankees, before being traded on December 4,1984, along with P Ray Fontenot to the Chicago Cubs for P Porfi Altamirano, P Rich Bordi, OF Henry Cotto, and C Ron Hassey.

1976 - MLB Pitchers Robin Roberts and Bob Lemon are voted into the Hall of Fame by the BWAA. Roberts led the NL in starts and innings pitched for 5 straight seasons and was tops in victories for 4 consecutive years on his way to 286 MLB career wins. After the 1961 National League season, the New York Yankees purchased Robin Roberts from the Philadelphia Phillies for $100,000. Roberts was released by the Yankees at the end of their 1962 spring training camp. Robin would be picked-up by the Baltimore Orioles. Bob Lemon earned 20 victories in season- 6 times and won 207 MLB career games for the Cleveland Indians. Lemon had become a MLB manager, who would manage the Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees during the 1970’s. His 1978 Yankee team made a 14 ½ game comeback against the Boston Red Sox to win the AL flag and 1978 World Championship.

1982 - Free agent All Star OF/DH Reggie Jackson signs a four-year, nearly 4 million dollar contract with the California Angels, ending his 5-season roller coaster ride with the New York Yankees.

1997 -The New York Yankees All-Star 1B Don Mattingly, officially announces his MLB retirement at a media conference held at Yankee Stadium.

2002- The New York Yankees signed MLB free agent P Jay Tessmer. Jay Tessmer will appear in 2 games with no record for the New York Yankees during the 2002 American League season. The New York Yankees in the 19th round of the 1995 MLB amateur player draft drafted Jay. He went 1-0 in 20 games for the Yankees (1998-2000). On January 3, 2001, Jay was traded by the Yankees along with minor league player Seth Taylor to the Colorado Rockies for P David Lee. Jay was a successful bullpen closer at Columbus (AAA), but he could never repeat that success at the MLB level for the Yankees.

2009 - Former Yankees INF Billy Werber (1930,1933) passed away at the age of 100; he was the oldest living ex-MLB player (1908-2009). Known for his good defensive range, 3B Bill Werber had an eleven-year career in the majors, leading the American League in stolen bases three times. Werber attended Duke University, where he was an All-American basketball player. He was the second MLB ballplayer to come out of the school (the 1st was Wade Lefler). Among MLB players, who came out of Duke, he had the most at-bats until Richard Groat came along. After college, the New York Yankees signed Bill Werber. Billy spent spring training with the would-be Murderers' Row team in 1927, but did not make the MLB squad. He did play for the Yankees briefly in both 1930 and 1933 AL seasons and was the last living teammate of Babe Ruth. He appeared in only seven games for the Yankees, hitting .250. On May 12,1933, Billy was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Yankees. While with the Cincinnati Reds, Werber became the 1st player to bat in the 1st televised MLB game, a contest against the Brooklyn Dodgers on August 26,1939. The next year he batted leadoff for the Reds and hit .370 in the 1940 World Series. At the end of his career, he also played with the New York Giants in 1942. Bill Werber’s lifetime MLB batting average was .271. He is a member of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

January 23rd

1890 - Former Yankees reserve OF Ed Barney (1915) was born (1890-1967). On July 20, 1915, Ed Barney was purchased by the New York Yankees from Jersey City (International League). He appeared in 11 games, hitting .194 for the 1915 Yankees. On August 19,1915, Ed was selected off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the New York Yankees.

1903 - Former Yankees INF and Minor League Manager Jack Saltzgaver (1932-1937) was born (1903-1978). Otto Hamlin "Jack" Saltzgaver played 6 seasons in the MLB, mostly for the New York Yankees during one of their most dominant periods. He played minor league ball for many years before coming to the majors. Appearing 1st in the outfield and then as a 2nd baseman. He played for Ottumwa, Oklahoma City, St. Paul Saints and the Newark Bears during 1925-1934 seasons. On June 27,1931, Jack was traded by St. Paul Saints (American Association) along with hurler Johnny Murphy and cash and 2 players to be named to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later. The New York Yankees would send OF Jimmie Reese on November 12, 1931 to St Paul to complete the trade. Jack made his MLB debut with the 1932 Yankees, appearing in 20 games, playing 2nd base. He came back in 1934 to be the Yankees regular 3rd baseman, appearing in 94 games. He continued to play some 3rd base during the 1935-1936 AL seasons, but he was in his 30's, while Red Rolfe was much younger. Also Jack played some 2nd base and 1st base. In 1937, he appeared in 17 games, his only time in the field was in 4 games at 1st base. Then Jack spent 1938-1945 seasons in the minor leagues with the Kansas City Blues (AAA, American Association), hitting as high as .348 at age 41 in 1944. Also Jack managed the Blues as well that season, finishing in 8th place. Also he would manage several seasons in the minor leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies organization at Wilmington (1946-1947) and the Detroit Tigers organization at Little Rock (1948-1950). He came back to the majors for 52 games with the 1945 Pirates and hit quite well, batting .325. At age 42 he was the oldest player on the team, although the 1945 Pirates also had 39-year-old Lloyd Waner, 40-year-old Boom-Boom Beck, 40-year-old Spud Davis and 39-year-old Ray Starr. The team went 82-72.

1904 - The New York Highlanders send pitchers Long Tom Hughes and Bill Wolfe to the Washington Senators for veteran starter Al Orth. Hughes, who posted a 20-7 record with the Boston Pilgrims in 1903, came to New York in December swap with the Pilgrims, who had received P Jesse Tannehill.

1916 - Former Yankees 1B Johnny Sturm (1941) was born (1916-2004). In 1941, Johnny Sturm made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees, hitting .239 as the club's regular 1st baseman. In the 1941 World Series, he got a hit in each of the 5 games played. After that season, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in World War II. During his time in the military, he lost the tip of his right index finger in a tractor accident. Sturm tried to make a comeback with the Yankees in 1946, but a broken wrist ended the attempt, before he played in a game. After his playing days ended, he was a minor league manager who was largely responsible for discovering Mickey Mantle, when he gave the young player a tryout. Also he spent time as a MLB scout.

1918 - Former Yankees P and Minor League Manager, MLB Scout Randy Gumpert (1946-1948) was born (1918-2008). During July of 1939, Randy was sent from the Philadelphia A’s to the New York Yankees in an unknown transaction. Randy spent the 1943-1945 seasons serving in U.S. Coast Guard. Randy Gumpert went 16-4 in 72 games with 1 save with the New York Yankees. His best Yankees season was in 1946, when he posted an 11-3 record with a 2.32 ERA. On July 25,1948, Randy was purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the Yankees. In 1951 while pitching for the White Sox, he gave up Mickey Mantle's 1st MLB HR on May 1st at Comiskey Park in Chicago. It was a 450 FT shot into the visitor’s bullpen. Gumpert won a career high of 13 games for Jack Onslow's 6th place Chicago White Sox in 1949. He wound down his pitching days with the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Senators in 1952 for a MLB career record of 51-59 with a 4.17 ERA. In his post-playing career, Randy Gumpert managed in the New York Yankees minor league organization. He managed the Bradford Yankees (1956), Kearney Yankees (1957-1958) and the 1960 St. Petersburg Saints. Also he served as a Yankees MLB scout for 20 years. He was a scouting supervisor for the Major League Scouting Bureau for several years.

1923 - Former Yankees MLB Coach Cot Deal (1965) was born. Cot Deal was the MLB pitching coach for Yankees Manager Johnny Keane in 1965. Pitcher Cot Deal played 4 seasons in the MLB with the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, posting a 3-4 record in 33 games. Also he pitched for 8 seasons with the Rochester Red Wings (International League), winning 61 games during that time. He went on to manage the club for a time before becoming a MLB coach. Deal was a member of the Cincinnati Reds staff in 1959-1960 before spending 1961 as the skipper of the Indianapolis Indians (American Association). He was a coach with the expansion Houston Colt .45s from 1962-1964. After leaving the Yankees in 1965, he began a 2-season stint with the Kansas City A’s. In 1970 and 1971, Deal was a member of the Cleveland Indians staff. He spent the 1973 and 1974 AL seasons with the Detroit Tigers. His last MLB coaching position was with the Houston Astros from 1983 to 1985.

1936 - Former Yankees P Don Nottebart (1969) was born (1936-2007). On October 21, 1968, Don Nottebart was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Cincinnati Reds. He appeared in only 4 games for the 1969 Yankees with no record, before being returned to the Reds on April 26, 1969. Don had pitched against the New York Yankees, as a member of the Milwaukee Braves bullpen in the 1957-1958 World Series. In 1963, he won 11 games and pitched a no-hitter for the Houston Colt 45s.

1951 - Former Yankees OF Charley Spikes (1972) was born. Outfielder Charley Spikes was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1st round (11th pick) of the 1969 MLB amateur player draft. Charlie appeared in only 12 games with the Yankees, hitting just .147 before being sent to Cleveland Indians as part of the Yankees player package in the Graig Nettles trade.

1957 - Former Yankees P Alfonso Pulido (1986) was born. On December 20, 1984, Alfonso Pulido was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates along with INF Dale Berra and minor league OF Jay Buhner to the New York Yankees for INF Tim Foli, OF Steve Kemp and cash. Alfonso appeared in 10 games with a 1-1 record with 1 save for the 1986 Yankees.

1970 - Former Yankees P Alan Embree (2005) was born. Alan Embree went 1-1 in 24 games working out of the 2005 Yankees bullpen.

1970 - Former Yankees minor league OF Sherman Obando was born. The New York Yankees signed Sherman Obando as an MLB amateur free agent in 1987. He never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On December 7,1992, he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles from the New York Yankees organization in the 1992 MLB Rule 5 player draft. He hit 102 HRs while playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan from 1999-2005. In 2009, Sherman Obando began his 1st season with the Charleston River Dogs as the 1st base coach.

1970 – Former Yankees P Mark Wohlers (2001) was born. On July 1, 2001, Mark Wohlers was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the New York Yankees for minor league P Ricardo Aramboles. He went 1-0 in 31 games for the 2001 Yankees.

1976 - The New York Yankees traded minor league P Gerry Pirtle to the Chicago Cubs for C Rick Stelmaszek. Neither player appeared with the New York Yankees at the MLB level.

1982 - Former Yankees minor league OF Wily Mo Pena was born. On April 5, 1999, Wily Mo Pena was signed as a MLB free agent with the New York Yankees. Wily never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On March 21, 2001, he was traded by the New York Yankees to the Cincinnati Reds for INF Drew Henson and OF Michael Coleman.

1989 - Former MLB player and Yankees Minor League Manager George Case (1969-1972) passed away (1915-1989). Outfielder George Case spent most of his career with the Washington Senators, and led the league in stolen bases 6 times during his MLB career. George played for the Senators (1937-1945, 1947), Cleveland Indians (1946). He also had batting averages in the top ten during the wartime seasons. He finished his MLB career with a .288 BA. In 1946, his speed was matched up against that of Jesse Owens in a race. Both were perhaps a bit past their prime at the time. Owens beat Case by a small margin. After his MLB playing days ended, he coached at Rutgers University from 1950-1960. He was a Washington Senators MLB coach from 1961 to 1963. From 1965 to 1967, George managed in the Washington Senators organization. He was a member of the Minnesota Twins MLB coaching staff in 1968, as their 1st base coach. From 1969 to 1972, George Case managed in the New York Yankees minor league organization with the Oneonta Yankees (New York-Penn League). He finished 1st twice in 1969 and 1971 winning the League Championship. In 1970 and 1972 seasons, he finished in 2nd place.

2005 - The New York Yankees signed MLB free agent veteran INF Rey Sanchez. He will appear in only 23 games for the Yankees in 2005 due to injuries. He hit .279 for the Yankees.

January 24th

1885 - Former Yankees 2B Earl Gardner (1908-1912) was born (1885-1943). On September 1,1908, Earl Gardner was drafted by the New York Highlanders from Hartford (Connecticut State) in the 1908 MLB Rule 5 player draft. Earl played 5 seasons for Yankees, hitting .263 in 273 games.

1936 - The New York Yankees obtained P Bump Hadley and OF Roy Johnson from the Washington Senators for OF Jesse Hill and P Jimmy De Shong. Bump Hadley will go 49-31 in 5 seasons with the Yankees. Roy Johnson will hit .265 as reserve outfielder, before being sent to the Boston Braves.

1939 - Eddie Collins, Willie Keeler and George Sisler are elected to the Hall of Fame by the BWAA. George Sisler set a MLB season-record with 257 hits in 1920. He batted .420 in 1922 on his way to a .340 career average. Collins batted an even .333 for his career and stole 744 bases as a member of 4 World Series. The Yankees OF Willie Keeler, who "hit 'em where they ain't", batted .341 and 2,932 hits.

1953 - Former Yankees P Tim Stoddard (1986-1988) was born. Tim Stoddard came to the New York Yankees in the Ed Whitson trade with the San Diego Padres. He posted a 10-6 record with 11 saves working out of the Yankees bullpen in 109 games.

1958 - Former Yankees P and MLB Bullpen Coach Neil Allen (1985, 1987-1988) was born. Neil Allen went 7-4 in 56 games with 1 save in 2 tours with the New York Yankees. Later He would become the Yankees MLB bullpen coach.

1960 - Former Yankees P Russell Ford (1910-1913) passed away (1883-1960). In September of 1908, Russ Ford was drafted by the New York Highlanders from Atlanta (Southern Association) in the 1908 MLB Rule 5 player draft. Russ posted a 73-56 record in 143 games for the New York Yankees. Ford‘s best Yankee season was in 1910, when he went 26-6. In 1911, he posted a 22-11 record for the Yankees. On January 20,1914, Russ Ford jumped from the New York Yankees to the Buffalo Buffeds (Federal League). Russ Ford dominated the American League for a few seasons thanks to his devastating “emery ball”. The emery ball was a nominally illegal pitch that involved doctoring the baseball by scuffing it with emery paper. Ford disguised his illegal modification by claiming to throw a spitball, though he came clean about his technique after retiring as a active player in 1936. Other MLB pitchers apparently figured out that he was getting away with scuffing and copied both his approach and the dodge of claiming that their pitches were spitballs. He is the brother of former MLB P Gene Ford. Russ Ford is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

1969 - Former Yankees P Tom Zachary (1928-1930) passed away (1896-1969). On August 23, 1928, Tom Zachary was selected off waivers by the New York Yankees from the Washington Senators. While pitching for the 1927 Senators, Tom Zachary gave up 3 of Babe Ruth's 60 HRs during the 1927 AL season, including his 60th HR on September 30, 1927. With the Senators, he appeared in 2 World Series (1924-1925) posting a 2-0 mark. Zachary holds the MLB record for most wins in a MLB season without a loss. In 1929, Tom went 12-0 for the 1929 Yankees. He appeared in the 1928 World Series for the Yankees, posting a 1-0 mark. His overall Yankees pitching record was 16-4 in 36 games. On May 12,1930, Tom was selected off waivers by the Boston Braves from the Yankees. Tom pitched in majors for 19 seasons, before retiring at the age of 40 in 1936.

1980 - The New York Yankees signed INF/OF Jim Nettles as a MLB free agent. He is the brother of Yankees 3B Graig Nettles. He will play at Columbus (AAA).

1991 - The New York Yankees signed MLB free agent OF/DH Pat Sheridan. Pat will hit .204 in 62 games for the Yankees during the 1991 AL season.

2000 - New York Yankees minor league INF prospect D'Angelo Jimenez suffers a broken neck when a car he is driving in the Dominican Republic collides with a bus. Jimenez is not paralyzed, but will miss the 2000 AL season. He figured to be the Yankees reserve infielder, taking over the role that Luis Sojo, now with the Pittsburgh Pirates, filled during the 1999 American League season.

2006 - It is announced that more than 1,000 items of Joe DiMaggio memorabilia, including his 1947 American League Most Valuable Player Award plaque and a signed photo of Marilyn Monroe, will be auctioned in May.

2006 - Former Yankees minor league INF/OF Carlos Martinez passed away (1965-2006). On November 17, 1983, Carlos Martinez was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. He never played for the Yankees at the MLB level. On July 30, 1986, Carlos was traded by the Yankees along with a player to be named later and C/DH/1B Ron Hassey to the Chicago White Sox for OF/1B/DH Ron Kittle, C Joel Skinner and INF Wayne Tolleson. The Yankees would send minor league C Bill Lindsey on December 24,1986 to the White Sox to complete the trade. Carlos Martinez hit the famous HR off the head of Texas Rangers OF Jose Canseco on May 25, 1993. He died at the age of 41 of AIDS-related causes.

January 25th

1876 - Former Yankees P Fred Glade (1908) was born (1876-1934). Fred Glade went 0-4 in 5 games in 1908, after coming from the St. Louis Browns.

1889 - Former Yankees C Les Nunamaker (1914-1917) was born (1889-1938). On May 13,1914, Les Nunamaker was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Boston Red Sox. He appeared in 369 games for the Yankees hitting .262.On January 22,1918, Les was traded by the Yankees along with P Nick Cullop, INF Joe Gedeon, INF Fritz Maisel, P Urban Shocker and $15,000 to the St. Louis Browns for veteran starter Eddie Plank and 2B Del Pratt.

1908 - Former Yankees P Roy Sherid (1929-1931) was born (1908-1982). Roy Sherid went 23-24 in 87 games with 7 saves for the Yankees. His best Yankee season was 12-13 in 1930. Roy was a starter and reliever for the Yankees. Roy played for the Montreal Royals (International League) in 1928 and 1931. He was in 3 games for the 1932 Newark Bears (International League), who won 109 games.

1918 - Former Yankees P Steve Roser (1944-1946) was born (1918-2002). Steve Roser was signed as an MLB amateur free agent by the New York Yankees before the 1940 AL season. The New York state native spent through 1943 in the minors, plugging along with a good season coming in 1941 with the Binghamton Triplets (Eastern League), when the 2nd-year pitcher went 13-12 with a 2.51 ERA while pitching 197 innings. He also fared well in 1943 with the Newark Bears (International League), when he went 12-10 with a 3.61 ERA while pitching 162 innings. Steve's good work paid off, he made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees on May 5, 1944, pitched well, and stayed with the team for the entire 1944 AL season. He built a 4-3 record with a 3.86 ERA, while appearing in 16 games and pitching 84 innings. Roser was back with the Yankees in 1945, he appeared in 11 games, pitched 27 innings but he had no decisions. After a bad start with the 1946 Yankees (1-1 in 4 appearances with a 16.20 ERA), he was sold to the Boston Braves on May 3, 1941, Steve appeared in 14 games for the Braves with a 1-1 record and a 3.60 ERA. This effort finished off Steve Roser in the MLB with a 6-5 record with a 4.04 ERA in 45 appearances. His Yankees pitching career totals were a 5-4 record with 1 save.

1943 - The New York Yankees sell future Hall Of Fame P Lefty Gomez to the Boston Braves. Gomez will never pitch in a game for the Braves, who decided to release the veteran left-hander. Gomez will eventually sign with the Washington Senators in May, only appearing in one game before retiring from MLB.

1945 - Larry MacPhail, Dan Topping and Del Webb purchased the New York Yankees for $2.8 million from the heirs of previous owner Jacob Ruppert. The new owners announce that Ed Barrow will remain in place as General Manager, but a month later they will install Larry MacPhail as the Yankees new GM. Edward Barrow was the New York Yankees President and General Manager from 1939-1945, running the team for the Jacob Ruppert estate. He had joined the New York Yankees front office in 1920 after being with the Boston Red Sox. Ed Barrow was the manager of the Red Sox, when they won the 1918 World Championship. He was the Red Sox Manager, who had switched Babe Ruth from a pitcher to an outfielder.

1956 - Former Yankees P Dale Mohorcic (1988-1989) was born. On August 30, 1988, Dale Mohorcic was traded by the Texas Rangers to the New York Yankees for reliever Cecilio Guante. Working out of the Yankees bullpen, Dale went 4-3 in 45 games with 3 saves. On November 8,1989, Dale was released by the Yankees. He would finish out his MLB pitching career with the Montreal Expos.

1966 - New York Yankees veteran shortstop Tony Kubek announces his MLB retirement due to a serious back problem. During a nine-year MLB career, Tony Kubek was named to three American League All-Star teams. He played on 7 Yankee pennant winners and 3 World Championship clubs. He was the American League Rookie Of Year in 1957, hitting .297 in 127 games. Tony will become a successful MLB baseball announcer.

1999 - The New York Mets games for the coming 1999 National League season will broadcast by WPIX-TV, Channel 11, after being aired on WOR-TV, Channel 9, since the club’s inception in 1962. The New York Yankees games, which had been aired for nearly 50 years on WPIX-TV, will now be seen on Channel 5, a FOX-TV affiliate.

1999 - MLB free agent OF/DH Tim Raines is signed by the Oakland A’s to a $600,000 contract. Tim Raines had hit .290 for the 1998 World Champion New York Yankees. He has a .296 MLB career batting average.

January 26th

1927 - Former MLB player and Yankees MLB scout Bob Nieman (1977-1984). was born (1927-1985). Bob Nieman played 12 seasons in MLB. After retiring in 1962, he became a MLB scout with the Cleveland, Oakland A’s and finally with the New York Yankees from 1977-1984. Bob passed away in 1985.

1950 - Former Yankees minor league P Mike Pazik was born. Mike Pazik was a 1st-round pick in the 1971 MLB amateur player draft (secondary phase). He was in the New York Yankees organization from 1971 through part of 1974. He went 13-8 for Syracuse Chiefs in 1973 and in 1974, split the minor league season between Syracuse (Yankees) and Tacoma (Twins), again he went 13-8. Mike never appeared with the Yankees at the MLB level. On May 4,1974, Mike was traded by the New York Yankees along with cash to the Minnesota Twins for veteran P Dick Woodson.

1950 - Former Yankees reserve C (1924), Minor league manager and MLB player Chick Autry passed away (1903-1950). Chick Autry was reserve catcher in MLB. He appeared in 2 games for the 1924 New York Yankees with no hits. Also he played for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. After retiring from MLB as an active player, he managed in the minors for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Yankees. His last minor league manager job was with the New York Yankees organization. He was with the Beaumont Exporters in the Texas League for the 1948-1949 seasons.

1955 - Former Yankees reserve INF Brian Doyle (1978-1980) was born. On February 17, 1977, Brian Doyle was traded by the Texas Rangers along with INF Greg Pryor and cash to the New York Yankees for veteran INF Sandy Alomar Sr. Brian had a very busy 1978 season, being sent from the Yankees to Tacoma Yankees AAA (Pacific Coast League) 5 times. In 1978 MLB post season, Brian filled in at 2B for the injured Willie Randolph. In the 1978 ALCS, Brian hit .286 in 3 games. In the 1978 World Series against the Dodgers, Brian hit .438 drove in 4 runs in 6 games for the Yankees. With the return of a healthy Willie Randolph at 2B, Brian spent the next 2 seasons moving between the Yankees and the Columbus Clippers (AAA). On December 8,1980, Brian was drafted by the Oakland A’s from the Yankees in the 1980 MLB Rule 5 player draft. Brian had two brothers that played professional baseball, Denny with Boston Red Sox and his twin brother Blake, who played in the Baltimore Orioles organization. They operate a baseball school in Florida.

1958 - Former Yankees reserve OF Mike Patterson (1981-1982) was born. On May 20, 1981, Mike Patterson was traded by the Oakland A’s along with minor leaguer Chuck Dougherty and 1B Dave Revering to the New York Yankees for 1B/DH Jim Spencer and P Tom Underwood. Mike appeared in 15 games for the Yankees, hitting .200.

1962 - New York Yankees AL All Star outfielder’s Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle sign contracts with Columbia Pictures to appear in “Safe at Home!” a movie that is to be shot during the 1962 New York Yankees spring training camp at Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The movie will star Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle as themselves and feature cameos by Yankee players Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra and Yankees Manager Ralph Houk.

1962 - Former Yankees reserve C (1925) and MLB manager Steve O’Neill passed away (1881-1962). On December 15, 1924, Steve O’Neill was selected off waivers by the New York Yankees from the Boston Red Sox. Steve appeared in 35 games for the 1925 Yankees, hitting .286. Steve would manage the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. In addition he was a MLB coach and scout before retiring from the game.

1987 - Former Yankees P Hector Noesi (2011) was born. Hector Noesi signed with the New York Yankees a month before he turned 18. He made his professional debut with the DSL Yankees, going 5-3 with a 1.60 ERA. Hector fanned 11 batters in 7 innings for the 2006 GCL Yankees with one run allowed but missed much of the year with a right shoulder strain injury. The right-hander did not play much in 2007, either. He missed the first 50 days for violating the minor league steroid and drug program. He was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA for the Charleston RiverDogs then ended his season on June 23rd due to another shoulder strain. On a rehab assignment, he began 2008 with the GCL Yankees; he was 2-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 9 games before being promoted to the Staten Island Yankees, where he had a 1-1 record, 3.00 ERA and 31 K’s in 24 innings. The Dominican hurler kicked off 2009 baseball season on a spectacular note with Charleston, not allowing a run for 27 1/3 innings during which he whiffed 35 and walked just 3. Noesi was 3-4 with a 2.38 ERA for Charleston before being promoted to the Tampa Yankees, where he had a 3-0 record with a 3.92 ERA. Overall, he struck out 118 in 117 innings and allowed a .220 average with 15 walks. He tied Zach McAllister for the lowest average allowed by a Yankees minor league pitcher. In the postseason, he allowed 4 runs in 7 innings and picked up a win as Tampa Yankees won the Florida State League pennant. Hector missed time for a 4th straight season due to injury, sidelined for several weeks in late summer with tendonitis. Noesi opened 2010 season with Tampa, going 5-2 with a 2.72 ERA with 53 strikeouts to 6 walks in 43 innings. He was promoted to the Trenton Thunder (Eastern League); he began 4-1 with a 2.20 ERA and made the 2010 Futures Game team. In 2011, Hector appeared 5 games for the Yankees, posting a 2-2 record. On January 13, 2012, Hector was traded along with C/DH Jesus Montero to the Seattle Mariners for P Michael Pineda and minor league P Jose Campos.

1989 - The New York Yankees signed MLB free agent P Chuck Cary (1989-1991). Chuck Cary would go 11-22 in 60 games as a Yankees pitcher before being released by the team in October of 1993.

1995 - Former Yankees reserve OF Richard Tettelbach (1955) passed away (1929-1995). Richard Tettelbach, who played at Yale University with George H.W. Bush, was in the American League during 1955-1957. Also he had a 6-year minor league career, hitting .302. Tettelbach was at Yale from 1948-1950. Before 1951 AL Season, Richard Tettelbach was signed by the New York Yankees as an MLB amateur free agent. He was a star with Norfolk Tars in 1952, a team that went 96-36; Tettelbach led the Piedmont League with 30 stolen bases, while hitting .317, good for 3rd in the league. In 1955, he played for the Yankees top AAA team, the Denver Bears (American Association). In September of 1955, Richard made his MLB debut with the Yankees appearing in 2 games with no hits. On February 8,1956, Richard was traded by the New York Yankees along with a player to be named later, C Lou Berberet, INF Herb Plews and P Bob Wiesler to the Washington Senators for INF Bobby Kline and P Mickey McDermott. The Yankees would send minor league OF Whitey Herzog on April 2,1956 to the Senators to complete the trade. Most of his MLB at-bats came with the 1956 Senators. He played left field, a position where Roy Sievers was the Senators regular from 1954-1959.

1998 - The New York Yankees signed MLB free agent P Doug Linton. The Yankees would release Doug during their 1998 spring training camp.

1999 - The New York Yankees released reserve C Alberto Castillo. They signed MLB free agent hurler Jason Grimsley. For the Yankees, Jason Grimsley will post a 10-4 record with 2 saves in 118 games (1999-2000). In 1999, he will go 7-2 in 55 games with 1 save for the Yankees.

2000 - The New York Yankees signed free agent MLB veteran OF Roberto Kelly. Roberto will only appear in 10 games with the Yankees during the 2000 AL season, hitting only .120. He had originally started his MLB career with the New York Yankees, before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds for OF Paul O’Neill.

2007 - The New York Yankees signed free agent MLB veteran reserve INF Miguel Cairo. He will appear in 54 games, hitting .254 for the Yankees before being released by the team on August 15, 2007. He will be picked by the St. Louis Cardinals and finished the 2007 MLB season with them.

2011 - Desperate for pitching, the Yankees sign MLB veteran starter Bartolo Colon, who did not pitch in the majors last year, to a minor league contract. He will be given a chance to make the team out of spring training after playing well in the Dominican League this winter. Yankees Bench Coach Tony Pena recommended him to the team’s front office. Colon will post a 8-10 record in 29 games for the 2011 Yankees. Recently he signed a MLB contract with the Oakland A’s for the 2012 AL season.

January 27th

1888 - Former Yankees reserve OF Alan Wickland (1919) was born (1888-1980). Alan Wickland hit .152 in 26 games for the 1919 Yankees.

1896 - Former Yankees P Milton Gaston (1924) was born (1896-1996). Milt Gaston went 5-3 in 29 games for the New York Yankees, before being traded to the St. Louis Browns in Urban Shocker trade.

1901 - Former Yankees P Fred “Lefty” Heimach (1928-1929) was born (1901-1973). Fred Heimach went 13-9 in 48 games with the Yankees.

1921 - The New York Yankees obtained shortstop John Mitchel from the Vernon (Pacific Coast League) for P Ernie Shore, P Bob McGraw and C James “Tuck” Hannah. John hit .262 in 17 games for the Yankees before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in the Joe Dugan deal.

1929 - Former Yankees minor league INF Bobby Kline was born. On February 8, 1956, Bobby Kline was traded by the Washington Senators along with P Mickey McDermott to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later, C Lou Berberet, INF Herb Plews, OF Richard Tettelbach and P Bob Wiesler. The Yankees would send minor league OF Whitey Herzog on April 2,1956 to the Senators to complete the trade. Kline never appears with the Yankees at the MLB level.

1968 - The New York Yankees drafted John Andrews in the 5th round of the 1968 MLB amateur player draft, but did not sign the player.

1978 - Former Yankees All Star P Monte Pearson passed away (1908-1978). In 1935, Monte Pearson was acquired by the New York Yankees in trade that sent starter Johnny Allen to the Cleveland Indians. He pitched for the Yankees from 1936-1940. His best Yankees season was in 1936, when he went 19-7. He made the American League All Star team. Monte Pearson threw the 1st no-hitter at Yankee Stadium against the Cleveland Indians in 1938. He appeared in the 1936-1939 World Series with the Yankees going 4-4. His Yankees pitching career record was 63-27. He was sold to the Cincinnati Reds in 1940.

1978 - Former Yankees reserve INF Angel Berroa (2009) was born. On January 6, 2009, Angel Berroa was signed as a MLB free agent by the Yankees. Angel appeared in 21 games for the 2009 Yankees, hitting just .136. On July 7,2009, he was released by the Yankees. He would finish the 2009 MLB season with the New York Mets.

1991 - Former Yankees veteran reserve 1B Dale Long (1960, 1962-1963) passed away (1926-1991). On December 5, 1949, Dale Long was drafted by the New York Yankees from the Detroit Tigers organization in the 1949 MLB minor league player draft. Don will not appear with the Yankees at the MLB level. On November 16,1950, Dale was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Yankees in the 1950 MLB rule 5 player draft. In 1956, Don was a NL All Star 1B with the Chicago Cubs, during that season Don set a MLB record of hitting 7 HRs in 7 straight games. During the 1958 NL season with the Pirates, he caught 2 games as a left-handed catcher. In August of 1960, the New York Yankees obtained Don Long from the San Francisco Giants. He hit .366 in 26 games for the 1960 Yankees. He was lost in the 1960 AL Expansion Team Player Draft to the new Washington Senators. On July 11,1962, Dale was re-obtained from the Senators by the Yankees for minor league OF Don Lock (Richmond AAA). He hit .298 in 41 games for the 1962 Yankees. The Yankees released Dale Long during the 1963 AL season; he was only hitting .200, while appearing in only 14 games. He appeared in 2 World Series with the Yankees (1960 and 1962) hitting .250.

2003 - Former Yankees P Robert “Bob” Kammeyer (1978-1979) passed away (1950-2003). The New York Yankees in the 21st round of the 1972 MLB amateur player draft drafted Robert “Bob” Kammeyer. He was a graduate of Stanford University. Bob went 0-0 in 8 games for the Yankees during the 1978-1979 AL seasons. In 1978, he went 12-2 for the AAA Tacoma Yankees (Pacific Coast League). The following season at Columbus (AAA), Bob posted a 16-8 record. In 1980, Bob was named International League Pitcher of the Year, while pitching with the Columbus Clippers posting a 15-7 record with 2.91 ERA and 13 complete games. Despite posting a 63-35 mark at AAA level for the Yankees for three seasons, Bob didn’t get a real chance to break into the Yankees starting rotation.

2003 - The New York Yankees signed veteran MLB free agent reliever Juan Acevedo. Juan will go 0-3 in 25 games with 6 saves out of the Yankees bullpen, before the team released him in August of 2003. He will finish the 2003 American League season with the Toronto Blue Jays.

2010 - The New York Yankees signed MLB veteran free agent OF Randy Winn to a 1-year deal to be their left fielder this season. This moves comes, as the 2009 Yankees starter MLB free agent Johnny Damon is still unsigned. However, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman states that the team has now reached its payroll limit and that Damon is simply too expensive. He will sign with the Detroit Tigers for the 2010 AL season. Randy Winn will appear in 29 games, hitting just .213 for the Yankees, before being released by the team. He will finish the 2010 MLB season playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.

January 28th

1884 - Former Yankees P Tom “Salida Tom” Hughes (1906-1907, 1909-1910) was born (1894-1961). During the month of August of 1905, pitcher Tom Hughes was drafted by the New York Highlanders from Topeka (Western Association) in the 1905 MLB Rule 5 player draft. Tom posted a 17-17 record in 54 games with the Yankees.

1893 - Former Yankees P Guy “Rebel” Cooper (1913-1914)) was born (1893-1961). On August 11, 1913, Guy Cooper was purchased by the New York Yankees from Petersburg (Virginia League) for $1,500. He appeared in only 1 game for the Yankees with no record. On May 27,1914, Guy Cooper was purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the New York Yankees.

1906 - Former Yankees INF Lyn Larry (1929-1934) was born (1906-1973). Infielder Lyn Larry was purchased from Oakland Oaks (PCL) in 1928. He had 3 good seasons with the Yankees, before slipping in 1932. In 1934, he would be sent to the Boston Red Sox.

1916 - Former Yankees P Bob Muncrief (1951) was born (1916-1996). On November 16, 1950, Bob Muncrief was drafted by the New York Yankees from the Chicago Cubs organization in the 1950 Rule 5 MLB player draft. He went 0-0 in 2 games with the Yankees during the 1951 AL season.

1959 - Former Yankees P Walter Beall (1924-1927) passed away (1899-1959). On June 24, 1924, hurler Walter Beall was purchased by the New York Yankees from Rochester (International League) for $30,000. He posted a 4-5 record with 1 save in 33 games for the Yankees, before being sent to the Washington Senators.

1967 - The New York Yankees drafted P Terry Ley in the 3rd round of the 1967 MLB amateur player draft (Secondary Phase). Terry will appear in six games for the Yankees with no record in 1971. On December 2,1971, Terry was traded along with minor league P Gary Jones to the Texas Rangers for veteran INF Bernie Allen.

1976 - The New York Yankees released veteran OF Walt “No Neck” Williams. The New York Yankees Owner George Steinnbrenner would help Walt obtain a player contract with a team in Japan. After coming to the New York Yankees, Walt hit .113 and .281 in 125 games for the Yankees (1974-1975).

1987 - The New York Yankees signed MLB free agent P Bob Shirley (1983-1987). Bob posted a 14-20 record in 165 games with 5 saves before being released by the team in August of 1987.

1994 - The New York Yankees signed veteran MLB free agent P Bob Ojeda. Bob appeared in 2 games with no record before being released by the Yankees in May of 1994.

2001 - Former Yankees OF/DH/1B Curt Blefary (1970-1971) passed away (1943-2001). In 1962, the New York Yankees signed Curt Blefary was signed as a MLB amateur free agent. He was removed from the 40-man New York Yankees roster, when they acquired veteran INF Harry Bright from the Cincinnati Reds during the 1963 AL season. The Baltimore Orioles immediately claimed Curt Blefary. In 1965, he was the American League Rookie Of Year award winner with the Orioles, hitting .260, with 22 HRs and 70 RBI’s. On December 4,1969, Curt was traded by the Houston Astros to the New York Yankees for 1B Joe Pepitone. Curt only hit .212 as a Yankee. On May 26,1971, he was traded by the Yankees to the Oakland A’s for P Rob Gardner. He would play for the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Oakland A’s and New York Yankees during his 8-year MLB career.

2002 - The New York Yankees signed veteran MLB free agent INF Ron Coomer. He would appear in 55 games hitting .264 for the Yankees in 2002, before leaving the team for MLB free agency.

2004 - The New York Yankees signed MLB free agents OF/DH Darren Bragg and OF Tyler Houston. Darren Bragg and Tyler Houston will not play for the Yankees at the MLB level during the 2004 AL season, spending the season at Columbus (AAA).

(As always I'd like to thank Fw57Clipper51 for his great contribution.)

Martin Avoids Arbitration

2012-01-24T23:06:00.000-05:00

From David Waldstein:

Just hours after Jorge Posada, their catcher of the past, announced his retirement, the Yankees said Tuesday that they had agreed on a contract with Russell Martin, their catcher of the present.

The deal, worth $7.5 million deal for one year, lets the sides avoid an arbitration hearing. Martin can also earn another $100,000 in performance bonuses.

Prince Fielder Signs 9-Year Deal With Detroit

2012-01-24T15:23:00.000-05:00

There's no doubt that Fielder is going to be a huge addition to their lineup, but it'll be interesting to see what kind of shape Fielder is in towards the end of the contract. For now, however, with the combination of Miguel Cabrera and now Prince Fielder the Tigers are looking pretty damn dangerous.

Jorge Says Goodbye

2012-01-24T13:12:00.001-05:00

Here's some videos of today's tearful press conference:

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Jorge officially announces his retirement

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Jorge answers questions from the media

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The fans thank Jorge

More videos can be found here.

We have all been privileged to watch you play and fight for this team for the last 17 years. You did it the right way and most importantly, you were a winner. Thanks you, Jorge!

Posada to Officially Retire Tomorrow

2012-01-23T13:28:00.000-05:00

From Wallace Matthews:

The YES Network will televise Jorge Posada's retirement press conference live from Yankee Stadium beginning at 11 a.m.

Should be a pretty sad day in Yankeeland, though it would have been sadder to see him in a Rays uniform.

The New York Giants Are Headed to the Super Bowl!

2012-01-22T23:51:00.001-05:00

Pineda Talks About Joining Yanks

2012-01-22T13:16:00.001-05:00

From Christian Red:

For Pineda, who is an imposing 6-7 and who can fire mid-90s heat, the change of address came as a shock (the deal will be officially finalized when the players pass their physicals and when visa paperwork is completed). But once the news sank in, Pineda started to envision the galaxy of stars that will play behind him.

“It’s a tremendous team, with good pitching. It’s very exciting for me — for the first time in my life, I’ll have the pleasure of playing with Alex Rodriguez, a huge star, and Derek Jeter, one of the most well-known players ever. And Mariano Rivera, (Robinson) Cano, (Mark) Teixeira, Rafael Soriano,” Pineda says in Spanish, his voice trailing off as he sifts through the Yankees’ roster. “I never thought in my life that I would be in this situation.”

Pineda’s father, however, is keenly aware of the bigger draw for a player who slips on the pinstripes.

“The Yankees, they are known for making the playoffs almost every year,” the elder Pineda says. “I guess, maybe, they were looking for some more pitching. But hopefully (Michael) can help win some more rings.”

...“I’m not scared. I’m always focused, working very hard every day,” says Pineda, whose gold earring spelling his name sparkles in the late-evening sunlight. “I don’t think about anything else on game days. I’ve never pitched in New York or at Yankee Stadium, but I’m dying to. We’ll see what happens. I’m going to work very hard to do my job.”

...He’ll also be tested by the change in ballparks: He’s leaving spacious Safeco Field — a pitcher’s park — for the smaller Yankee Stadium dimensions, including the short right-field porch that lefty hitters such as Boston’s David Ortiz find so inviting.

“I’ll just keep it low,” says Pineda, switching to English briefly as he stands near the driveway of his home. “Keep it low and everything will be fine.”

Yea, let's hope so or else he'll quickly learn about the old Bronx Cheer.

Yanks Still Trying to Trade AJ

2012-01-22T12:43:00.000-05:00

From Jeff Bradley:

Because future moves Cashman may or may not make this off-season hinge on whether the GM can move Burnett. A source with knowledge of the Yankee organization’s plan for the rest of the off-season said, “It’s a waiting game now to see if A.J. can be dealt. If he is, the Yankees will hope to get a bat in return, or save enough money to get a bat.”

It is tricky, of course, because the whole baseball world knows after the Yankees acquired (pending a clean physical) Michael Pineda from the Seattle Mariners and signed free agent Hiroki Kuroda that the next move Cashman would hope to make is to offload Burnett and a sizeable portion of the $33 million he is owed over the next two seasons.

“I think Burnett has some bounce-back potential,” said one rival executive. “And I think teams would be interested in him at the right value per year. Of course, that would mean the Yankees would have to eat far more than half of his remaining contract — closer to two-thirds, I would think. In addition to that, there are still decent free-agent options out there — Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson in particular — and a few other trade alternatives, so it’s hard for me to think they’ll be able to move him.”

For now, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is telling Cashman he’s out of money, so while the agents for free agents such as Vladimir Guerrero, Raul Ibanez, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon have initiated contact with the Yankees, they have all been told not to wait around on an offer from Cashman. Of course, Steinbrenners have been known to change their minds in the past, and some money may magically appear before spring training, but for now, the Yankees mission is to see how much they can save on Burnett.

“Around the game, Burnett has become the symbol for wasted money,” said an AL East scout who also believes the Yankees will have to eat at least $20 million. “When you’ve got a guy who has managed to pitch below .500 (34-35) for a team with the Yankees offense, yeah, it’ll make you apprehensive. This is the question now being asked, even about guys like Oswalt and Jackson. How much do you pay for mediocrity?”

If the Yankees don’t want to eat a lot of Burnett’s salary, the other option is to take a chance on another team’s mistake.

Names that always seem to come to mind when you think of bad contracts include the former Yankee Alfonso Soriano, who is owed $54 million the next three years by the Chicago Cubs; Vernon Wells, due to make $63 million the next three years in Anaheim; and Jason Bay, whom the Mets owe $49 million over the next three years.

At this point I can't see how any other team would take a shot on Burnett, but stranger things have happened. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The DH....Why Not A-Rod?

2012-01-21T18:13:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it, but we are now just one month away from pitchers and catchers reporting, signaling the start of spring training. Here in New York it's still clearly winter, with snow expecting to hit sometime tonight. But for now, here's some food for thought on a possible candidate for the Yankees' DH spot - Alex Rodriguez.

You already know my feelings on A-Rod and his contract, and I feel now is the time to move him to DH. Before the trade last week that sent Jesus Montero to Seattle, it seemed pretty certain A-Rod would still play third base regularly, getting a start or two at DH per week. But now with a vacant DH slot and Eduardo Nunez ready to become an everyday player, it wouldn't be too crazy to think this could happen and greatly benefit the Bombers.

Don't get me wrong, A-Rod is still an above average fielder at third, and actually made some great plays in the postseason, but let's get real. He is 37, and hasn't played 140 games since 2007. Everyone says he's once again "100%" and is ready for a "huge comeback", but we heard the exact same talk before the Yankees opened camp last season. What happened? He played in 99 games and couldn't hit a home run to save his life in the second half.

Making A-Rod the DH would keep him fresh all year long, and wouldn't give him a real risk of getting hurt. A return to hitting 30 home runs would be likely, and that's up and above any production guys like Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, or Vladimir Gurrerro would provide.

Also something that would be hidden in this potential move is making Eduardo Nunez the starting third baseman. He's a terrific hitter and has been working hard to improve his defense. He would be a solid bat in the bottom third of the Yankees lineup, and would finally give the 25-year old the opportunity he definitely deserves. Also, the Yankees statistically were way better with Nunez in the lineup, whether playing for Jeter or A-Rod.

With A-Rod's ugly contract running through the 2017 season, it is inevitable he will soon become the regular DH for the foreseeable future. But for the benefit of the team and his personal production, Alex needs to make this move now. He's always been a self-centered, "I care about stats more than the team" guy anyway.