I have some thoughts about Teixiera.  Pete A doesn't think the Yanks are really going to go after him.  I agree with his analysis on the economics. 

But:

1. What if Boston makes a real play for Teixiera?
2. Even if we sign CC and another FA pitcher, how do we make the playoffs when we have lost the production of Abreu and Giambi?  (nearly 200 runs created between them)

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Yesterday, Michael Kay of ESPN radio cited a Buster Olney report that Kei Igawa is drawing interest around the league (about halfway through the podcast).

And just this morning MLB Trade Rumors speculated about the M's interest in the recently demoted Yankee pitcher, linking to a Seattle Times post which referenced an uncredited TV report.

Apparently the Mariners have some interest in twice-demoted Yankees starter Kei Igawa, according to an uncited TV report.  The report pleased Ichiro Suzuki and Kenji Johjima.

Igawa is locked up through 2011, which may or may not be a positive.  He earns another $1.5MM this year plus $4MM annually through the end of the contract.  The posting fee situation ensures that Igawa's salary is  really cheap, the price a team might pay for a semi-utility guy like Mark DeRosa.  If Igawa can be league average in the comfy confines of Safeco, he's a bargain.  More likely he'd have value to an NL team.  

I don't know about anyone else, but I've given up on Igawa.  Almost anything we can get back for him is worth it in my eyes.  Maybe we can get a couple of mid-level position player prospects from Seattle, assuming they have some.  

I tend to agree with the folks at MTR, though, that he would seem to have more value to an NL team.  I don't think Igawa has the stuff to make it in the AL right now.

We have had some discussion about Giambi getting close to coming back and whether that's a good thing or not.

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if he is actually as close to returning as he thinks he is.

July 26, 2007 - Associated Press

Manager Joe Torre said both he and GM Brian Cashman thought DH Jason Giambi's prediction that he would be ready to rejoin the team next week might be overly optimistic. Giambi has been out since May 30 with torn tissue in his left foot and is set to start a minor league rehab assignment on Friday with Class-A Tampa. ``I just talked to Cash about that, and he, like I, thought that was a little quick,'' Torre said. ``I don't know who communicated that to Jason. I haven't.''

But I'm curious to see what we think we could actually do with him when he does return to the team.

Poll

Which Giambi will we see when he returns?

20%

Giambi from April: .322 BA .404 OBP .517 SLG .921 OPS

5 votes

8%

Giambi from May: .177 BA .350 OBP .323 SLG .673 OPS

2 votes

72%

Somewhere in between

18 votes

25 votes | Poll has closed

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