Yankees Falling Apart

We have already hears that Colon is on the DL (shocking), and now we get word that Jeter and Russel Martin could be next. When you add that to Joba, Rafael Soriano, and Highes the Yankees could be in some trouble. I wrote awhile back how the downfall of the Yankees is coming. They might be good this year, but what about in 2-3, as Jeter and A-Rod get older and are unmovable because of their contracts?

Let's forget about the long term though and focus on this year. The Yankees are 1-8 against the Red Sox so far this year, most recently getting swept at Yankee Stadium in which only one game was decided by less then a 5 run margin. On top of that the Sox are riding a 9 game winning streak while averaging 9.2 runs per game.

With the Yankees injuries the Yankees have they are in serious trouble. Sure, they might go out and sign some pitchers and they always seem to have the money, but I don't see them getting anyone who is going to make them better then the Red Sox. On top of that I think there are a couple teams that could pass them in the Wild Card. The Rays have a lot of good young pitchers, and Longoria is finally healthy should start rolling soon. The White Sox are the sleeping giants in the AL, you would think with all their talent they are going to start rolling at some point (maybe they already are, 9-4 in their last 14 games). Then there are the Tigers, who look more dangerous by the day.

Maybe I am being to hard on them, but maybe I am not. There is not a lot that excites me about their team, and with each passing day they are a little bit older, a little bit slower, and a little more overpriced.

Yankees Sign Russell Martin

Well the Yankees finally beat the Red Sox to someone...

"The Yankees have reached an agreement with catcher Russell Martin, reports MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez. With Jorge Posada moving into a designated hitter role next year, Martin should be the Yankees' starting catcher. Since Martin has less than five years of service time, he's under team control for 2012 as an arbitration eligible player (MLBTradeRumors)."

Solid signing from the Yankees. Martin is coming off a fractured hip, but he has shown in the past that he has the talent to be a very good player (19 HRs, 87 RBIs, 21 SBs in 2007). Still, he is a big injury risk, and you have to worry about a guy that used to use his speed coming off of hip surgery. In New York we could see his power numbers go up, so maybe it will work out, but overall this isn't going to calm down angry Yankee fans.

Oh, side note the Cardinals reached an agreement with catcher Gerald Laird. Good defensive guy, but doesn't bring much to the plate.

Fallout From Crawford Signing

So Carl Crawford is a Red Sox, but there is going to be a lot of dominoes falling now that he is off the market.

- The Yankees have reported to up their offer to 7 years for Cliff Lee. They now know they can't get Crawford, and their fan base is not very happy right now. Also, the Sox made Lee a low ball 7 year offer, so the Yankees would have to add an extra year to his deal.

- The Angels have fallen on their face. Rumor is now they will go out and sign Adrian Beltre and Rafael Soriano. Have fun with that. Oh and I don't think Torii Hunter is very happy about all this...

"That hurts my heart, man," Hunter told Scott Miller of CBS Sports. "But hey, what can you do?" (all Twitter links). Speaking to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Hunter said, "I'm sitting here in a daze right now, like, what the heck just happened? (MLBTradeRumors)"

- With the Red Sox now out of the Magglio Ordonez race it is sounding more and more likely that he will resign with the Tigers.

- As for the Red Sox, rumor has it they are still going after catcher Russell Martin, and Scott Downs. Downs is now a much more attractive idea since the Sox won't have to give up their first round pick, since that is already going to Tampa Bay for Carl Crawford.

Sox Rumors

I've heard 3 peoples names this morning and none of them were named Carl Crawford.

Scott Downs, Brian Fuentes, and Russell Martin.

Scott Downs is the bullpen guy that I covet the most, and even though he's a type A free agent and the Sox would have to give up a 1st round draft pick, I'm for it. Last year our bullpen was poop, I mean so were our starters, but we are stuck with them so whatever. A Bullpen trio of Downs, Daniel Bard and Papelbon is a good start and a lot better sounding then with Hideki Okajima.

Brian Fuentes on the other hand is a reliever, but I believe he sucks. He has never really impressed me and other then 1 good year in Colorado has blown. I feel if the Sox sign him, it'll be another guy that they sign, just to sign.

Russell Martin had a hell of a rookie and sophomore campaign but has been extremely injury prone. If the price is right I would sign him, because this year we will most likely have a catcher by committee. But the Sox have taken the potential guys recently and haven't had much luck (Jeremy Hermedia, Brad Penny).