New York Yankees News Roundup: Qualifying Offers, Silver Sluggers, & More

Today is the deadline for accepting or declining qualifying offers. Rafael Soriano and Nick Swisher have declined their offers and Hiroki Kuroda is expected to do the same. The players must decide either way by 5 p.m.

The Mariners have expressed interest in Russell Martin, who the Yankees really need to find a way to keep. (Those words pained me to write.) Losing Martin would mean a significant downgrade behind the plate next season, and my faith in Chris Stewart, Austin Romine, Eli Whiteside, or Francisco Cervelli as an everyday catcher for 2013 is next to nothing.

In virtually meaningless award news, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano took home Silver Slugger awards this week. Congratulations to them on that.

The Yankees are expected to ask Mariano Rivera to take a pay cut when drawing up his contract for next season. It's difficult to blame them, as Mo is not a young man anymore and coming off knee surgery. Hopefully the negotiations go smoother than they did with Jeter, which seems like will be the case.

CC Sabathia isn't interested in having his innings cut, and he's lobbying hard for Andy Pettitte to return. Keep fighting the good fight, big man.

Sad news time: former Yankee GM and Hall of Famer Lee MacPhail passed away last night at the age of 95. He was the oldest living Hall of Fame member. MacPhail was responsible for restoring George Brett's infamous pine tar home run by overruling Tim McClelland in 1983.