The Hot Stove Report
In today's news, the Yanks are expected to pick up Sheffield's option and are working on a two-year deal to bring back the Moose. Granted, the Sheff story is not breaking news, as it's been reported for a while, but there are six teams said to be interested in him. It doesn't look like the Yankees will be able to get A-list talent for him, but hopefully, they can get a solid chip or two in return to plug some minor gaps on the team. Moose is still a solid pitcher coming off a solid season and can still help the Yankees. Two years seems the right length, though the reported price of $12 million per year is a bit steep for a graying pitcher. Still, that's the going rate these days for someone of his caliber, and it should be a good investment. If Johnson is healthy, the signing would give the Yankees three strong pitchers. Hopefully, they can land a top young talent, such as Matsuzaka, to front the rotation and turn the fifth slot over to someone like Daryl Rasner or Jeff Karstens, both of whom impressed in brief stints this past season.