Helton playing for the BoSox?

Just two seasons ago Todd Helton hit over 30 homers and drove in just under 100 RBI. And this season he could be playing for the Boston Red Sox. The guy is only thirty three years old, turning 34 this season. If this deal goes through we could be in some serious trouble.

"Goofy" Bernie Finally Comments

This is from a couple of days ago, but when I saw it today on Yankees.com I had to post it. I thought it was just classic Bernie. I love the line about being goofy. But ultimately it sounds like he is ready to accept that it is over for him.

Williams made his first public comments of the offseason to the Journal-News of Westchester (N.Y.) for Thursday's editions, taking a break as he pursued one of his other great passions -- jazz music -- as a special guest performer at a suburban New York club.

"I have come to a place in my career where there are other things in my life that have become just as important as baseball," Williams told the Journal-News. "If this is the end, there are no regrets. I gave it my best shot. One of the things I've always wanted was to gain the respect from my teammates, and I think I've done that.

"I may be a little goofy at times, but nobody can say I didn't play the game hard."

"Part of me says if they wanted me, they would have made an offer by now," Williams told the Journal-News. "When you play this game for a long time, you take things for granted and think it won't end. But the harsh reality of it is, it will."

ESPN: Yanks farm system "one of 10 best."

Espn's Keith Law breaks down the Yankee farm system, saying we have two of the top ten prospects in baseball in Phil Hughes and outfielder Jose Tabata. This is a direct result of Cashman wresting more authority from Steinbrenner, but did it come at a price? Will 2007 be a "rebuilding" year by Yankee standards? Stay tuned.

Yankees Set To Conquer China

Interesting article about the Yankees involvement in China. Also, it was great to hear good news about Bobby Murcer. If you read the article from Dan's post, he really comes across as a humble, honest and all-around great guy. I was always a fan of his folksiness and easy manner as a broadcaster even though he wasn't the best play-by-play type guy. I hope he will be back in the booth this year like he says.

Yankees News

It looks like it's over between Derek Jeter and Jessica Biel. Last weekend, Biel flirted with Justin Timberlake while Jeter was at Atlantis in the Bahamas for the Michael Jordan Golf Tournament, where Biel seemed to be the last thing on his mind. Saturday night, Jeter was "flirting madly" with Gabrielle Union , our source said. When DJ Cassidy played "Put It in Your Mouth" by Akinyle, Jeter and Union dirty-danced before leaving together. A rep for Union said, "They are friends, but they did not hook up."

An upbeat Bobby Murcer said yesterday his treatment for cancer is progressing well enough that he plans on broadcasting Yankees games this season. "I'm just doing absolutely fabulous," Murcer said yesterday afternoon during an interview with fellow Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay on 1050-ESPN Radio. During the interview, Murcer, 60, took calls from listeners and spoke thankfully about the outpouring of support he has received since a brain tumor was removed days after Christmas.

Jim Leyritz is considering a comeback this season. Leyritz, 43, hasn't played since 2000, when he appeared in 65 games for the Yankees and Dodgers. Leyritz recently signed a two-year deal with 1050 ESPN Radio to serve as a baseball correspondent. The Yankees have privately told Leyritz that they are not interested.

There is no spot on the Yankees’ roster for Bernie Williams, who is uncomfortable as a free agent after 16 seasons in New York. Williams does not want to retire, yet he does not want to leave the Yankees. Jorge Posada said Williams, 38, has told him that other teams have called. But with the start of spring training less than three weeks away, Williams has resisted. “He wants to be a Yankee forever,” Posada said. “Hopefully, he gets a chance to do that.”

If the Yanks don't offer Bernie Williams a contract for spring training, Jorge Posada said he is still hopeful to see the veteran switch-hitter later in the season. "If Bernie can stay in shape and if he doesn't come during spring training, I'm pretty sure during the season we can have him back," Posada noted. "You obviously need someone ready.

The Yankees would make room for another veteran free agent: Roger Clemens, who will be in town next Wednesday to speak at a banquet for the St. John’s baseball program. Brian Cashman, the Yankees’ general manager, said he was not aware of that visit, and Clemens has no plans to drop by Yankee Stadium. “He will not be meeting with the Yankees, because there is no reason to do so,” Randy Hendricks, Clemens’s agent, said in an e-mail message. Clemens’s personal trainer, Brian McNamee, is a former St. John’s catcher who is close with the St. John’s coach, Ed Blankmeyer. After his opening speech, Clemens will take questions from the audience. “He will only play for Houston, New York or Boston, if he plays,” Hendricks said. “He will not play a full season, if he plays. We are in no hurry to make a decision.”

Cano to give up number 22?

Apparently, Robinson Cano said he would give up the number 22 if Roger Clemens was to return. Hmmmm, interesting. Here's the link.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY WARRIORS

Today we celebrate our 1 year anniversary and look forward to eventually claiming our place as the most analytically taut, the funniest, and the best written Yankees blog on the planet. With your loyalty and increased participation in the coming year, I think we can made headway toward our goal.

In the past year, however, we've had ups and downs, but have made it through. We've seen friends come and go. Garbowski came and went, and Tattered Standard came and went and came and went. Adam Cohen and the Blog itself came and went and came. Phil Rizzuto came.

Our best discussions over the past year certainly centered on The Apostle Joe Torre (TAJT). Early last year we debated whether he was a great manager, and then again whether he should be fired this October. Our discussion about whether to sign Mike Piazza was also heated, as was our stuff on the fantasy league.

So I urge all of you to spend the day sharing memories and anecdotes about your favorite conversations and/or posts on Steiners Warriors!

My favorite post title: "Randy Johnson is growing breasts" on April 30.

Have at it!

-Steiner

Are We Ready?

As the off season enters it's final month, it's a good time to take stock of what we've done. We've certainly replenished the farm system with at least two, but probably up to five quality arms. We've dropped some dead weight in Jaret Wright. But are we ready for 2007?

In my opinion, the starting rotation is vulnerable. Mussina is aging and Pettitte and Wang have both had recent arm trouble. Igawa is a question mark, as is our fifth starter, Pitcher X. Boston enters the season with their biggest advantage in the arms race since our division run began in 1998.

So what do we do? Is Cashman building for 2009 or readying for 2007? As it now stands, I think something is going to happen. I still think you may see Melky and Proctor get traded for an arm, or even possibly A-Rod.

I don't think we're ready yet.

Our Coming Anniversary

Friends, this Friday, January 19, Mr. Steiner's Warriors will celebrate it's One Year Anniversary. I hope you will all join in on that day of celebrations, sharing anecdotes about our year of blogging. As silly as it all seems a lot of the time, I think it's really cool that we've embraced this new medium and have kept it up for an entire year.

Be sure to check back on Friday!

Yanks to host 2008 All Star Game

Read all about it here.

Yankees News

Yanks GM Brian Cashman promised a "full-court press'' to bring Roger Clemens to New York. In no uncertain terms, the Yankee GM indicated that his team badly covets Clemens if, as expected, the future Hall of Famer wants to keep pitching.

Yanks GM Brian Cashman repeated what he said last week about the possibility of Bernie Williams returning and the reiteration sounded just as ominous for Williams' chances to return as it did the first time. "I'll restate where I was a few days ago: I've had a very open dialogue with Bernie and Scott Boras all winter," Cashman said. "That's all I'll say."

Its looking like the Yankees won't re-sign lefty Ron Villone.

Nellie

Jeff Nelson agreed to a minor league contract with the Yankees this Friday, then promptly retired. He was always a tough competitor who will be remembered as "one of the guys who got us here" and helped the Yankees win four world championships from 1996-2000. It's nice to see him retire as a New York Yankee, one of the highest honors (in my mind) any ball player can achieve.

Joel Pineiro

I don't think we touched on this, but Joel Pineiro looks to be the new closer for the Boston Red Sox. So Papelbon will be starting? I think their rotation looks pretty good. Schilling, Becket, Matsuzaka, Papelbon, and .... I'm not sure of their fifth. Did this just creep up? I don't remember Boston even talking with him. How about you guys??

Next Year Goose

While he didn't get into the hall this year, he's getting very close. I'll be shocked if he's not in next year. Everyone seems to realize that he was better than Sutter.

Miggy, Bernie, and Randy

We've signed Cairo, whom I've always really liked, to a one year deal. This leaves two or three open roster spots for position players, added to the following:

1. Posada
2. Doug
3. Cano
4. Jeter
5. A-Rod
6. Abreu
7. Damon
8. Matsui
9. Giambi
10. Melky
11. Cairo

12. Backup catcher (Did we sign someone? I can't remember)
13. Right handed first baseman/DH platoon (Phillips, Miranda, Wilson or Phelps?)
14. 5th outfielder (will we even carry one?)

In other news, it looks like Bernie is gone and the D'backs gave Johnson a two year, $26 million extension. Wow. That's nuts.

Yankees News

The wife of Yankee center fielder Johnny Damon gave birth to the couple's first child yesterday, a seven-pound, eight-ounce daughter named Devon Rose Damon. Michelle Damon and her daughter were doing fine in Orlando, Damon's hometown and where the couple makes its winter home. "We are thrilled and have been truly blessed," Damon said through Steve Fortunato, a vice president of Boras Marketing, the marketing arm of Damon's agent, Scott Boras. Damon has 7-year-old twins, Madelyn and Jackson, from his first marriage.

Bernie Williams, 38, is probably on his way out. The Doug Mientkiewicz deal ensures that the Yankees will not have a roster spot for Williams. Manager Willie Randolph admires Williams, who could try to stay in New York by signing with the Mets as a bench player. But the Mets, who are close to signing the reserve David Newhan, seem to like their bench as it is.

Roger Clemens’ agent, Randy Hendricks, has advised him to wait until midseason to return, a strategy that worked well in Houston last summer. The Yankees will let Clemens make his own timetable, but they are determined not to be outbid for him. The Astros and the Red Sox also have interest in Clemens, but Clemens seems to have grown weary of the Astros’ lack of run support. It would be surprising if Clemens chose to sign with Boston for a lower salary instead of returning to the Yankees, where he could remain teammates with Pettitte, his close friend.

The Yankees hope they have something similar to Chien-Ming Wang in young Ross Ohlendorf, the pitcher they targeted in the Randy Johnson deal with the Diamondbacks. "This kid is special," explained a National League scout last night. The scout has closely watched the development of Ohlendorf, 24, a sinkerballer, like Wang. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander struck out 125 batters and walked only 29 last year in the minors as he posted a 10-8 record with a 3.29 ERA at Double-A Tennessee and a 0-0 mark with a 1.28 ERA at Triple-A Tucson. "He's a tough kid, a smart kid," the scout said of the former Princeton star. "He got over 1,500 on his SATs."

When you add it all up, it will have cost the Yankees $43 million to have Randy Johnson win them 34 games over the past two seasons, none in the postseason.

Silliness

"There's not too many first basemen who could save two, three runs a game," Yankees center fielder Johnny Damon, his former teammate in Boston, said last month. "Defensively, I haven't seen a better defensive player than Doug, so if we pick him up, it would be great."

They said the same thing about Rico Brogna.

Goodbye Randy

Well according to Newday, the Yanks and DBacks are far enough along in negotiations that Randy and the DBacks have actually reached agreement on a contract extension for 2008. I guess this was expected. What was a surprise is that the Yanks are now getting Luiz Vizcaino plus prospects in the deal. Vizcaino is a hard throwing reliever with some closer experience. I actually mentioned to Cohen yesterday that it would be nice to get him in return. He will be a nice addition to the bullpen. I like the deal a lot -- thoughts?

Here is the article