Hot Stove: Yankees hire Marcus Thames as assistant hitting coach

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The Yankees haven’t hired their new hitting coach yet, but they did hire the assistant.

According to Matt Kardos, a beat writer for the Trenton Thunder, the Yankees have hired former Thunder hitting coach and ex-Yankee Marcus Thames to be the assistant hitting coach to the big league ball club. The minor league players praised Thames’s skills all season and Rob Refsnyder said Thames was the main reason he broke out of his hitting struggles.

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Cashman on Gregorius, Robertson, three-team trade and Yankees offense

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Yesterday was a very busy day for the New York Yankees: they signed Andrew Miller to a four-year, $36 Million deal and traded away Shane Greene to the Detroit Tigers in a three-team trade that brought back shortstop Didi Gregorius. After Brian Cashman rappelled down a building during the Gregorius trade, he went on “The Michael Kay Show” and spoke to Mike Francesa about the Gregorius acquisition, the Yankees offense and what the Miller signing could mean for David Robertson.

Cashman on Didi Gregorius: “He’s a hitter who struggles against left-handed pitching, but we believe that he hits right-handed pitching and so, at the very least, we expect him to be utilized in probably a split platoon with Brendan Ryan until he separates himself. His clear strength is defense, first and foremost, but we believe that there is more gas in that tank in terms of development on the offensive side.”

Cashman on David Robertson: “David Robertson has been a tremendous Yankee — a World Champion Yankee — and he nailed that closer job. I can’t predict as his free agency continues where he lands. … We’ve been in touch with his agency, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Cashman on three-team trade: “He’s [Gregorius] someone that we’ve gone after for awhile without much luck in terms of acquisition from the previous regime [former GM Kevin Towers]. And then I couldn’t even get it done direct. I had to go to Detroit, so I called Dave Dombroski up recently and said, ‘You know, I’m still struggling here.’ He’d asked me on several occasions about Greene, and we didn’t have any real interest in moving Greene, so there wasn’t ..read more

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Hot Stove: Yankees sign Andrew Miller to four-year deal

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And the winner of the Andrew Miller sweepstakes is…the New York Yankees.

According Jack Curry of the YES Network, Andrew Miller and the Yankees agreed to a four-year, $36 Million contract. The deal doesn’t mean David Robertson won’t definitely return, but Robertson would have to lower his asking price if he wants to return to the Yankees bullpen.

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Hot Stove: Rays hire ex-Yankee Kevin Cash to manage team

The Tampa Bay Rays have officially exited the Joe Maddon era and have officially begun the Kevin Cash era.

The Rays officially announced today they hired ex-Yankee Kevin Cash to be the next manager of the organization. You don’t remember Cash as a Yankee? Well, he might not either. He caught 10 games with the Yankees in 2009 but he didn’t make the postseason roster.

The Rays filled one of the glaring holes in the coaching staff before the Winter Meetings. Now if only the Yankees would do the same thing (hint, hint: a hitting and first base coach).

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Hot Stove Rumor: Yankees, Diamondbacks, Tigers working on three-team trade

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Just a few days before the Winter Meetings are expected to begin, the Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers are working together to fill some holes on each of their respective rosters.

According to Sweeny Murti of WFAN, the Yankees, Diamondbacks and Tigers are working on a three-team trade where the Yankees would acquire an infielder and the Tigers and D-Backs acquire starting pitching. Here’s how the trade would work out:

Yankees: Yankees would trade SP Shane Greene to the Detroit Tigers.

Tigers: The Tigers would send two starting pitchers (to be named later) to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Diamondbacks:  The Diamondbacks would trade SS Didi Gregorius to the New York Yankees.

Murti also added the Yankees tried to do a three-way trade last offseason to acquire Gregorius  to be the second basemen but they were unsuccessful. Gregorius is considered a high character guy, which would be a good trait in New York.

UPDATE: Ken Rosenthal tweeted out the deal is official.

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Hot Stove Rumor: Yankees willing to go four-years on Miller as teams expect decision today

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The teams involved in the Andrew Miller sweepstakes are expecting Miller’s decision today, and the Yankees aim to put themselves ahead of the pack as they decide to change their tune and offer Miller a four-year contract.

According Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Yankees are willing to go four-years as long as the average annual value in Miller’s contract is limited. This comes a few days after the Yankees vowed they wouldn’t spend four years on either Miller and David Robertson.

Last night, the Red Sox and Astros were reportedly out on Miller and while the Los Angeles Dodgers are unlikely to sign him, there’s still a chance for them to change their tune and fight the Yankees for Miller’s services.

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If Chase Headley goes, what are the Yankees options at third base?

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Ideally, the New York Yankees would like Chase Headley to be their every day third basemen for the 2015 season but if the Yankees want Headley, there’s a price they’re going to have to pay. As reported yesterday by Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, a mystery team offered Headley a four-year, $65 Million deal. That deal would probably deter the Yankees from Headley considering the asking price is too high for a player with a history of back issues.

So if the Yankees are unable to retain Headley, who could be an option at third base?

If the Yankees are looking internally, there’s only one true option: Martin Prado. Sure, the Yankees have Alex Rodriguez, but the Yankees aren’t considering him for the every day third base position due to his age and his history of hip surgeries. Prado is a versatile infielder who can play second, third, left and right field, but an AL evaluator told the New York Post that Prado could be the perfect fit to be the Yankees new third basemen.

“His range is better suited for third,’’ The AL evaluator said of Prado. “His hands are good and he can play both, but third base is his best position.’’

If Prado moves to third, the Yankees could use the farm system and fill the holes at second base: Jose Pirela and Rob Refnsyder are both candidates for the position. An infield of Headley, Prado and Mark Teixeira sounds better than Prado, Pirela/Refsnyder and Teixeira and it’s not the most idealistic infield, but the Yankees were put in this hole before where they signed Brian ..read more

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Hot Stove Rumor: Red Sox, Astros out, Dodgers unlikely on Andrew Miller

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The Yankees might have less competition as the Andrew Miller sweepstakes go down to the wire.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Boston Red Sox are out of the Andrew Miller sweepstakes and it seems highly unlikely the Los Angeles Dodgers would sign him despite their bullpen troubles. The Houston Astros were also in on the Miller sweepstakes until Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reported it was highly unlikely they would sign Miller as well.

It appears the Yankees are the favorites to land Miller, but just because it’s unlikely, it doesn’t mean the Dodgers are completely out of it. During Hot Stove season, anything could happen.

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