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Figured with the international signing limits under the new CBA starting July 1, might as well get a thread going of the "stretch run" for no limit signings before another strong avenue of talent acquisition is taken from big budget teams like the Yankees.

Jorge Soler is obviously the biggest name right now and the Yankees reportedly made one final big push for the 6'5" 20 year old CF. More and more it looks like Soler could turn out to be the real deal. A huge power, huge arm, fast outfielder that some believe would easily be a top 10 pick had he been in this past draft. Will find out maybe as soon as sometime today whether he'll be donning pinstripes. Have heard ceilings of a Torii Hunter or Vlad Guererro (which I'd imagine would be the max limit). Big risk, big reward type.

Another guy that the Yankees did sign (kinda) is Manolo Reyes a Dominican fireballer who throws in the mid to upper 90's (99 mph is something he supposedly can regularly hit). A bit erratic and some questions about his birth may end up nullifying his contract but if all turns out well then the Yanks will have added another young power arm to their farm system. Reyes is 22 (or supposedly) and the contract is for (just) $600k.

Yankees also signed another Cuban OF by the name of Adonis Garcia about a month and a half back. Only 5'8" and 170lbs, so not sure how he'll measure out (pardon the pun) in the long run.

A decent young OF who is baseball ready in a season or less isn't that bad.


Swingandmisser is gone after this year, Ibanez is as old as a dinosaur and Gardner might have serious elbow issues. Then you look at Curtis Granderson who has a club option for 2013 and is a free agent there after. Granderson will be 33 in 2014 due the Yankees really give big money to him? Steinbrenners want the payroll to be 189 million and below. Not when Arod, Tex, Jeter and CC are scheduled to make almost 100 million by themselves.

Coupled with the fact that Mason Williams and Austin haven't even hit triple a yet and are still babies.

yanks lost out on soler

they have really missed the talent lately...didnt get darvish, didnt get chapman

and now the rules of the game are changing....the one advantage NY had and they didnt maximize it

Really not sure what they are doing (or not as the case maybe) tbh. So now 9 years and $30 million (what the cubs reportedly gave Soler) is too much? 9 years, $30 million. Thats $3.33 million a year.

moocow007 wrote:Really not sure what they are doing (or not as the case maybe) tbh. So now 9 years and $30 million (what the cubs reportedly gave Soler) is too much? 9 years, $30 million. Thats $3.33 million a year.

yet they throw away 30+ on soriano

Pharmcat wrote:

moocow007 wrote:Really not sure what they are doing (or not as the case maybe) tbh. So now 9 years and $30 million (what the cubs reportedly gave Soler) is too much? 9 years, $30 million. Thats $3.33 million a year.

yet they throw away 30+ on soriano

And Soriano is an all star level closer and the Yankees signed him to be the set up man. Not like you and I are paying him. Who did signing Soriano stop the Yankees from getting? If you want to complain about contracts, complain about Arods because the Yankees bid against themselves on that one.

Guys, there is NO WAY Hal "bean counter" Steinbrenner is going to shell out ANY money until Tex and A-Rod's contracts are up. He is very much about profit margins. Yanks actually lose money every year (I know that's hard to believe) but in 2009, Yanks profited for the first time in 7 seasons.

Hal is adamant about not going over the lux tax limit.

Cash is convinced he can win without the check book. We'll see. You can't fault him on Raul Ibanez. Nova gets the wins, Hughes over .500, and Kuroda is finally looking like that pitcher we all hoped but can't get the run support.

But I agree, hey what happens when Pettitte, Mo, and Jeter are gone? Who are the leaders in the club house? It ain't Cano, Alex...

Christophersp10 wrote:

Pharmcat wrote:

moocow007 wrote:Really not sure what they are doing (or not as the case maybe) tbh. So now 9 years and $30 million (what the cubs reportedly gave Soler) is too much? 9 years, $30 million. Thats $3.33 million a year.

yet they throw away 30+ on soriano

And Soriano is an all star level closer and the Yankees signed him to be the set up man. Not like you and I are paying him. Who did signing Soriano stop the Yankees from getting? If you want to complain about contracts, complain about Arods because the Yankees bid against themselves on that one.

how bout beltran...beltran offered the yanks to match that deal the Cards gave him....take that 10M off the salary and maybe you have a chance to get him

thats 10M more per year they couldve offered for Yu also

and soriano is a overrated closer, he throws a 93 fastball and pouts off when he doesnt get the strike call....hes gonna blow some saves in the POs with that stuff

Normally I'd be behind this until Robertson went down...but Soriano is not a back to back closer.

If that contract really was just $30 million for 9 years...wow...just wow. We can forget about any other real FA any time soon.

moocow007 wrote:If that contract really was just $30 million for 9 years...wow...just wow. We can forget about any other real FA any time soon.

i think it has opt outs but yea it doesnt seem to lavish

Left-handed pitcher Omar Luis Rodriguez, 19, and the Yankees have agreed on a Minor League deal worth an estimated $4-5 million, according to an industry source.

Rodriguez, who projects to be a starter, burst onto the international scene during the 2010 World Junior Baseball Championship when he struck out eight batters during a complete-game, 144-pitch outing to eliminate Team USA in the semifinals. He led Cuba to a bronze medal and was named to the competition's all-tournament team.

Maybe this will cheer some up...