Kuzul

One of Brian Cashman’s top priorities this winter is bringing back Hiroki Kuroda for 2013.

However, according to Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles, Kuroda could be heading back to California next season.

Saxon reported that Kuroda has told friends his preference is to pitch near California because that’s where his two daughters are attending elementary school.

And if that’s the case, that means the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels would be the two front-runners for Kuroda’s services.

Kuroda was a member of the Dodgers for four seasons, but they decided not to bring him back for 2012, which could end up giving the Dodgers the potential edge in landing him.

The 37-year-old Japanese starter went 16-11 with a 3.32 in 33 starts for the Bombers last season and was arguably the Yankees most consistent and best pitcher during the year.

His great season in pinstripes is the reason why the Dodgers, Angels, Boston Red Sox, Yankees and Japan are all interested in Kuroda’s services.

The Yankees did offer Kuroda a one-year, $13.3 million qualifying offer, but Kuroda rejected it because he knew he could probably get more money on a one-year deal.

Losing Kuroda to free agency would be a major blow to a Yankee rotation that is in limbo for next year.

Andy Pettitte is still deciding on his 2013 future and Michael Pineda is still recovering from an injury and likely won’t be ready for next year.

Plus, Ivan Nova had a terrible second half to 2012 in which he was bounced from the rotation. Phil Hughes only has one year left on his deal, which leaves CC Sabathia as the only guarantee of the staff.

But if in fact Kuroda bolts from the Bronx, it makes things that much more complicated for Cashman and the Yankees regarding their plans for next year.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Before we begin this, in no way am I saying the Yankees are in-line to make a deal with anyone right now.

This was a topic that was brought up to me, and we are going to discuss it on here.

So with that out of the way, onto the story.

The New York Yankees have at least two holes in the field that they need to fill: catcher and right field.

Nick Swisher is not coming back in 2013, while Russell Martin has drawn the interest of several suitors, one of which is the Yankees themselves.

Now, if the Yankees wanted to make a big splash this winter, they could make a deal for one of those positions.

Of the trade scenarios that were brought up to me, two players were mentioned: Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins and Justin Upton of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Neither player is eligible to be a free agent for a while, so both would require the Yankees to make a major blockbuster to land each player.

Now, of Mauer and Upton, which player would be the better fit for the Yankees if they were ever to show interest in them?

Let’s examine the pros and cons and make a final judgment.

Begin Slideshow

The Yankees have a serious issue that they need to figure out relatively soon.

Hiroki Kuroda recently turned down a one-year, $13.3 million qualifying offer from the Yankees for 2013 and will test the free-agent waters this winter.

We all know the Yankees want Kuroda back for 2013, especially after how brilliant he was last season.

The problem is other teams are eying him up as well—like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, plus his native country in Japan.

With the chance of landing a multi-year deal, there’s a chance that the Yankees don’t bring Kuroda back for next season, which would really throw a wrench into their plans.

If Kuroda bolts from the Bronx, what does Yankees GM Brian Cashman do to replace his production?

Here are a few ideas in case that does happen.

Begin Slideshow

We all knew this news was eventually coming soon.

Now, it’ll be a reality within the next few days.

Rafael Soriano, who spent the 2012 season as the New York Yankees fill-in closer in place of Mariano Rivera, will likely opt out of the final year of his contract, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Soriano signed with the Yankees in the winter of 2010 for three years and $35 million and had it built into the contract that he could opt out after each of the first two seasons.

Soriano struggled in his first season with the Yankees in 2011, posting a 4.12 ERA in 42 appearances and lost his setup role to David Robertson.

However in 2012, Soriano reverted back to his All-Star form, filling in for Rivera after he tore his ACL back in May at Kansas City.

Soriano posted a 2.26 ERA in 54 games and saved 42 games for the Yankees in the regular season.

The 32-year-old has three days after the World Series ends to decide if he is opting out of his $14 million option for 2013 to test free agency and attempt to get a multi-year deal on the free-agent market.

With Rivera likely returning for 2013, plus the emergence of Robertson in the setup role, Sherman said it’s very unlikely that the Yankees will extend Soriano long-term.

It does, however, leave a big hole in the back of the bullpen because of how dominant Soriano was for the Yankees in 2012.

The Yankees will be hoping for a healthy David Aardsma to return to form and are still waiting to see if Joba Chamberlain reverts back to his 2007-08 reliever form, but those are two big what-ifs.

Plus, how will Rivera hold up after coming off ACL surgery as a 43-year-old?

That’s why Soriano opting out hurts the bullpen, but knowing Brian Cashman, he’ll find a way to piece it together with inexpensive options.

Before Saturday, Heath Bell’s name came up in a few rumors in a potential trade involving Alex Rodriguez and the Miami Marlins, but Bell was just traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, so that likely takes him out of any potential deals.

Soriano leaving, however, takes $14 million off the payroll for 2013, and while I liked Soriano in the bullpen, Cashman can use that money towards two or three relievers in 2013.

If Soriano ends up getting one last multi-year contract in 2013, then his situation worked out perfectly with the Yankees.

Either way, Cashman‘s job for 2013 just got more interesting.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

I’ve hit my boiling point with Alex Rodriguez.

For the longest time, I’ve tried to defend him and support him when everyone ragged on him, but I’m seriously done vouching for him.

It’s not the .143 he’s currently hitting in the postseason that did it; I’ve grown to accept that he’s a failure in the playoffs.

It’s not the five years and $150 million the Yankees still owe him until the end of the 2017 season, which is one of the worst contracts in team history and perhaps all of baseball.

It’s not even the fact that he’s three years removed from admitting he’s taken steroids and performance-enhancing drugs and as a 37-year-old, he’s starting to break down.

In a story reported on Tuesday by Emily Smith of the New York Post, A-Rod was reportedly caught flirting with two females in the stands shortly after he was pulled out of Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday night.

This, to me, shows that he doesn’t care anymore.

Fellow Bleacher Report writer Ian Casselberry also wrote about how he feels A-Rod has mentally checked out in the playoffs and the team.

Look at it; he’s got his guaranteed money, he got his World Series ring back in 2009, and he also has the single life too.

According to the story from the New York Post, he continued his flirtation with the females until Derek Jeter went down on the field with a fractured ankle in the 12th inning.

What A-Rod does in his personal time is none of my business, although we somehow find out about it one way or another.

But this is completely unprofessional. A-Rod is a professional baseball player who is basically acting like he’s still in high school flirting with females in the stands at Yankee Stadium.

They put up with him being found out that he took PED’s in his career after he lied about it to Katie Couric in a CBS interview back in 2007, they’ve put up with all of the publicity he’s brought with dating celebrities such as Madonna and Kate Hudson after he got divorced.

And let’s not forget the night of Game 4 of the 2007 World Series between the Rockies and Red Sox where the game became second fiddle to the news of him opting out of his contract with the Yankees to become a free agent, which angered everyone, including Major League Baseball themselves. A-Rod knew he screwed up then and because he personally went to the Yankees and fixed the mess he made, I forgave him.

But after the way this season has gone and now with this, I can’t anymore. Many fans like myself probably feel the same way.

After nine seasons, enough is enough with A-Rod, and it’s time for Brian Cashman to trade him once the season is over.

I know he has a lot of money left on his current deal, and the Yankees would have to eat an enormous chunk of it to trade him, but I think it can be done.

The Yankees found a way to deal A.J. Burnett and the two years left on his deal to the Pirates last year with the Yankees taking on most of the money. Many felt it would be hard for the Yankees to deal Burnett, yet they found a taker with Pittsburgh.

Honestly, I think they can find a taker for A-Rod too if the Yankees took on anywhere from half to most of the rest of his deal.

Whatever it takes to get him out of New York needs to happen, because his antics have gotten to the point of no return now.

And given the fact that the Yankees are looking to get under the $189 million mark for their payroll by 2014, getting rid of A-Rod’s contract will help them out in the future.

Either way, it’s time for A-Rod to go, and Cashman needs to find a way to trade him once the season is over.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

In a best-of-five series, I always tend to look at Game 3 as a really pivotal game. On Wednesday night, the ALDS will head to the Bronx at Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees and Orioles will continue their series.

Hiroki Kuroda will take the ball for the Yankees, while Miguel Gonzalez will be starting for Baltimore. After the Yankees took Game 1 on Sunday night, 7-2, the Orioles rebounded to take Game 2 Monday, 3-2, tying the series up at 1-1.

As the teams head north, a lot of people have wondered if the Yankees can hang on and survive in the series against the Orioles, or if they are going to be doomed for another first-round exit.

Some people, like myself, have wondered going into Game 3 if it is a must-win for the Yankees. Personally, I think it is, and here’s why.

Let’s say the Yankees lose Game 3 and fall behind, 2-1, to a Baltimore team that has shown a lot of heart and determination over the season. Even though they aren’t as talented as the Yankees, the O’s have shown the entire baseball world that they can compete and hang with any team.

If the Yankees head into Thursday night’s game down 2-1, facing elimination, do they want to give the ball to Phil Hughes and trust him to save their season?

Of course, Joe Girardi could go with CC Sabathia on short rest and put his ace back on the mound if he has to, but I honestly doubt he wants to do that; he would probably rather save him for a Game 5, if needed.

Last year in the 2011 ALDS against the Detroit Tigers, the Yankees dropped Game 3 and went into Game 4 looking for A.J. Burnett to save their season.

Before the game, I, like many others, thought the Yankees were doomed, as Burnett had been so inconsistent during the year. But Burnett actually surprised a lot of people by pitching well and winning Game 4 to get the series back to Yankee Stadium for Game 5.

Again, do the Yankees want to have Hughes—who is still scheduled to start Game 4—be the savior and put that kind of pressure on him?

This is why I am looking at Wednesday night’s Game 3 as a must-win for the Yankees, because it takes a lot of pressure off the team and Joe Girardi. If the Yankees are up 2-1, Girardi has a lot of flexibility to mix and match his lineup. He would likely still go with Hughes and keep Sabathia ready for a Game 5, just in case the series gets that far.

I hate to put pressure on Kuroda, but he is by far pitching in one of the most important games of his career on Wednesday.

Against the Orioles in 2012, Kuroda was 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in two starts. At home, Kuroda had much better numbers, posting an 11-6 record with a 2.72 ERA. Kuroda finished 2012 with a 16-11 record, which means he was 5-5 on the road.

I like the Yankees’ chances with Kuroda on the mound, but how will the offense do against Gonzalez? Against the Yankees, he’s 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA this season, which includes a win on Aug. 31 at Yankee Stadium when he pitched seven shutout innings in a 6-1 victory.

Gonzalez has pitched well against the Yankees, and Wednesday night could be another dose similar to what they saw against Wei-Yin Chen in Game 2.

If that is the case, Kuroda has to be on his A-game and can’t slip up for a rare bad night. Andy Pettitte didn’t have a bad Game 2, allowing three runs in seven innings, but his offense didn’t give him the run support needed to win the game.

Game 3 could either give the Yankees the momentum they need to take over the series, or it could put their backs against the wall, just like it did a year ago. Either way, Game 3 is a crucial one that the Yankees need to win.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

How fitting that the the battle between the two teams in the A.L. East would carry over into the postseason.

The Baltimore Orioles disposed of the Texas Rangers 5-1 in the one-game wild card Friday night, which will allow them to advance to the American League Division Series and take on the New York Yankees.

For most of 2012, the Yankees hung onto first place in the East and during one point in July, had a 10.5 game lead over Baltimore.

But as the Yankees faded, the Orioles kept playing well, and eventually cut into the lead and caught up to the Yankees and tied them in the division.

The Yankees were able to win the division on the very last game of the last regular season series, which pushed Baltimore into the Wild Card.

Now, for the first time since 1996, these two teams will square off in the ALDS of the 2012 playoffs.

What can you expect from both sides in this series?

Lets break down both teams’ rosters, how they did during the season and end it with a final series prediction.

Begin Slideshow

The Yankees were shooting themselves in the foot all night when they had opportunities with runners in scoring position.

And then Raul Ibanez came into the game and changed that with two at-bats.

The Yankees had an early opportunity to cut into Boston’s 2-0 lead, with runners on first and third and one out in the first inning.

Mark Teixeira weakly grounded into a double play to end the threat.

The Yankees were able to get on the board in the bottom of the second when Eduardo Nunez ripped the ball towards Jose Iglesias, who couldn’t field it cleanly, and Curtis Granderson scored to make it 2-1, Boston.

In the bottom of the third, with runners on first and third again, Teixeira again bounced into another double play to end another possible scoring inning.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, with runners on second and third and two out, Ichiro Suzuki hit a hard liner to center field to end the inning.

In the top of the ninth, Red Sox first baseman, James Loney, gave Boston an insurance run by hitting a solo home run off Yankees closer Rafael Soriano to make it 3-1.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees’ luck with runners on base changed.

Granderson started off the inning by singling off Boston closer Andrew Bailey, which lead to Ibanez coming up in a pinch-hit situation for Eduardo Nunez.

Ibanez cranks out a two-run, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth to make it 3-3.

Bailey loaded the bases with only one out, and Teixeira had a chance to redeem himself for the awful night at the plate.

Unfortunately, Teixeira’s poor performance at the plate continued as he hit a weak fly ball to Jacoby Ellsbury in center field and it wasn’t deep enough to score the winning run at third. Robinson Cano hit a grounder to second base to end the inning and the scoring threat.

The bullpens continued to battle as Mark Melancon and Vicente Padilla pitched well for Boston while Derek Lowe gave the Yankees two solid innings.

In the bottom of the twelve inning with two outs, Francisco Cervelli was able to draw a walk on lefty Andrew Miller.

Granderson also walked to set up first and second with two outs, which again lead to Ibanez coming up in a big spot.

Ibanez then got a base hit past the shortstop and third baseman, allowing Cervelli to come around to score and win the game for the Yankees 4-3.

Lowe got the win for the Yankees (9-11) while Miller took the loss for Boston.

Because the Orioles defeated the Rays 1-0 on Tuesday night, the Yankees didn’t clinch the A.L. East, but all they have to do is win on Wednesday night and they will lock up the division.

In the 2012 regular season finale, it will be the battle of Japanese pitchers as Hiroki Kuroda looks to lock up the division for the Yankees, while Boston will counter with Daisuke Matsuzaka.

All year long, we’ve talked about the Yankees’ inability to hit with runners in scoring position, and it’s a reason why the Yankees had to play Boston until the 12th inning.

But Ibanez was able to step in and give the Yankees clutch hits when they needed it most, and hopefully it’s a trend that he can continue in October.

Given how the final month of the season has played out, it’s only fitting that the Yankees have to attempt to win the division on the final day of the season.

Many Yankee fans will be looking for the Bombers to wrap up the division on Wednesday night. I think they will get it done because they don’t want to end up tied with Baltimore and have to go to Camden Yards for a one-game playoff.

Despite a rough night hitting in key situations, the Yankees can feel good knowing they control their own destiny for the postseason.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Friday night’s game did not go according to plan for the Yankees.

Coming off a series where they took two out of three against the Boston Red Sox, the Bombers had their ace on the mound in CC Sabathia pitching against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Yankees needed to get their homestand off on the right foot with the Baltimore Orioles, who they are tied with in the A.L. East for first place, off playing the Oakland A’s.

Luckily for the Yankees, the Orioles lost, because they were no better, losing 6-4 in the opener.

As for Sabathia, he lost his third decision in a row, dropping his 2012 season record to 13-6.

The Yankees’ ace has yet to get a win since the team beat the Cleveland Indians back on August 24. Since then, Sabathia is 0-3 and has hardly looked like his usual self.

Is it time to start worrying about the Yankees’ ace heading into the final three weeks?

He’s been on the disabled list twice this year, something very unusual for Sabathia during his career, considering he’s always been very durable—usually making 30-plus starts and pitching over 200 innings.

If you notice how the Yankees have performed during the last two postseasons, Sabathia has struggled for the Yankees, posting a 6.30 ERA against the Texas Rangers in the 2010 ALCS and a 6.23 ERA in the 2011 ALDS against the Detroit Tigers.

When the Yankees won the 2009 World Series, Sabathia was a dominant force on the mound, posting a 3-1 record and even winning the 2009 ALCS MVP Award in the series against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Yankees go as far as Sabathia goes. He sets the tone for the team by pitching like an ace on the mound. When he doesn’t, the team falters.

Just look at the team on Friday night against the Rays. In a battle of the aces between Sabathia and David Price, Tampa’s left-hander out-dueled the Yankees’ left-hander in a game where the Yankees could have ended up with sole possession of first place again.

Those kinds of games are the reason why the Yankees are paying Sabathia $23 million this season, but lately, he hasn’t been the ace that has carried the team into October baseball like he has in the past.

I think once Andy Pettitte returns from the DL on Tuesday, it’ll help take some of the pressure off of Sabathia in the rotation, and off Hiroki Kuroda as well, who, at times, has had to pitch like an ace in certain games.

If the Yankees want to get by the Orioles and make it to October, they need their 32-year old ace to step up and pitch better than he has in recent times.

Otherwise, it could be another early end for the Yankees in October.

Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The New York Yankees enter the month of September hitting a little bit of a rough patch.

They lost to the Baltimore Orioles 6-1 on Friday night, which trimmed their lead in the AL East to just two games.

However, the team got great news that afternoon regarding the status of Andy Pettitte, who continues to be on the comeback trail as he recovers from a fractured fibula.

Ian Begley from ESPN New York reported that the 40-year-old threw off a mound for the first time since June 27, with Pettitte saying he felt really good in the process.

Pettitte threw about 20 pitches off the mound at Yankee Stadium. He will then meet with doctors on Saturday to make sure everything checks out fine.

If everything is a go, the next step should be increasing the pitch total in a bullpen session to really see how his ankle is holding up.

Spencer Fordin of MLB.com talked to the pitcher on Friday, and while Pettitte didn’t give it his complete effort, he was getting back into the groove of being a pitcher.

“It was huge,” said Pettitte. “I’m sure that you guys talking to me could tell that I was getting a little paranoid about how this thing’s going to feel. Today was good. I didn’t get out there and push off as hard as I could and let it fly, but I was just introducing myself back to the mound. I felt really comfortable, so that was a good thing. And my arm felt just free and easy. That was another good thing.”

Pettitte was 3-3 with a 3.26 ERA in nine starts with 59 strikeouts in 58.2 innings for the Yankees before he took the line drive off his ankle against the Cleveland Indians back on June 27.

With the Yankees struggling heading into September, getting Pettitte back healthy would be a gigantic boost for this team, and the Yankees could really use a spark right about now.

Pettitte is still being cautious due to the setback in late July when the team was in Seattle and his ankle swelled, which caused him to be shut it down for about 7-10 days.

But Pettitte’s recent work from the mound is another encouraging step toward getting the all-time leader in playoff wins back on the mound in September. Pettitte is eyeing at least two starts in the regular season to get himself back into the swing of things before the playoffs.

Before talking postseason, however, the Yankees first need to get to October by holding their lead in the division.

However, Friday’s news on Pettitte is just what everyone with the Yankees needed to hear. Now the question becomes; how long until we see Pettitte back with the Yankees in 2012?

Stay tuned, Yankee Universe.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com