Joel Sherman of The New York Post offered news and notes on several current New York Yankees players, including Nick Swisher, potential targets, such as San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera and Los Angeles Angels veteran Torii Hunter, and the club’s interest in newly-signed Atlanta Braves right-hander Ben Sheets.
Sherman says that there’s "pretty much zero possibility" the Yankees retain Swisher, who is a free agent following the season, if they hope to stick to their vow of remaining under the $189 million luxury tax threshold.
To revisit some math: It will cost approximately $85 million toward the 2014 luxury tax payroll for just Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira plus the roughly $10 million every team is charged for items such as insurance. The Yankees almost certainly would prioritize re-signing Robinson Cano (also a free agent after ’13) over Granderson and, with Scott Boras as his agent, Cano will end up no less than $20 million toward the cap — probably more. And Granderson is a major player with the union, so I do not see him taking a big discount to stay.
Thus, shoehorning even $40 million annually for Cano and Granderson would mean the Yanks have five players signed in 2014 for $125 million and have to put together the rest of a roster on about $60 million. Not impossible. But not likely.
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Do you think the Yankees will retain Nick Swisher?
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Yankees general manager Brian Cashman also told Sherman that an immediate answer to their outfield situation is not coming from within.
For this reason, Sherman believes New York could look to sign a veteran outfielder over the winter. While he believes free agent-to-be Torii Hunter is a possibility, Sherman doesn’t view former Yankee Melky Cabrera as a fit.
Sherman adds that the Yankees extended a minor league contract to veteran right-hander Ben Sheets after watching him throw. As we know, Sheets ultimately decided to sign with the Braves, who offered the 33-year-old the opportunity to pitch for a National League team in a pitcher’s park located close to his Louisiana home.