Could Lamb be an option at third?

Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel is reporting that the Brewers have opted to keep Casey McGehee over Mike Lamb, and the infielder will be placed on waivers. He'll have the option of becoming a free agent or accepting a minor league assignment:

Macha said there was an 11 a.m. waiver deadline of some sort tomorrow involving Lamb. I'm guessing he'll have the option of taking free agency or reporting to the minors after clearing waivers. The Brewers are paying Lamb only $400,000 this season, with Minnesota picking up the remainder of his $3 million salary.

"There are two avenues he can go," said Macha. "He'll let the club know." (source)

The Yankees traded for Lamb before acquiring Alex Rodriguez, but traded him to the Astros a month later. Lamb went on to hit .280 with 49 homers in four seasons with Houston, usually playing the infield corners. He struggled with the Twins and Brewers, but did manage to post a .250 AVG and two homers in 52 at-bats this spring.

He's not the best defensive player and had a horrible 2008 season, but Cashman would definitely be able to get Lamb on the cheap. I don't think he'll hit the way he did for the Astros, but he could end up being a better option than Cody Ransom, should Alex Rodriguez suffer any setbacks while rehabbing.

Albaladejo gets final bullpen spot

It looks like Phil Coke will be the longest reliever on the Yankees come opening day. Bryan Hoch is reporting that Jonathan Albaladejo has made the Yankees, so Dan Giese, Alfredo Aceves, Brett Tomko and Kevin Cash have been demoted to Triple-A. Albaladejo missed most of the 2008 season with a stress fracture in his pitching elbow, but he appears to be healthy now. The right-hander had a solid spring, tossing 9 2/3 innings, striking out eight and walking one. The Yankees have a tough decision to make now, and Dan Giese might be DFA'd by the end of the day to make room on the 40-man roster.

Hoch also noted that no decision has been made on the Pena vs. Berroa battle.

Cashman announces Scranton rotation

via Peter Abraham:

The rotation at Scranton, Cashman said, would be Hughes, Kennedy, Igawa, Aceves and Jason Johnson. They plan to use Brett Tomko out of the bullpen.

Tomko was crushed, saying the news came as a shock. But he doesn’t have an out in his deal until June. “I don’t have any options,” he said. “I’m trying to be rational about it and look at the big picture. But it’s tough because I had a great spring.”

Scranton will certainly have a very strong pitching staff this year. Kei Igawa was arguably one of the best starters in the International League last season, going 14-6 with a 3.45 ERA and 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings. The fact that Igawa is the third starter, and Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy make up the top of the rotation suggests that the S/WB squad could be looking at another solid season - unless someone in New York gets injured.

I'm really hoping Kevin Russo and Ramiro Pena get the nod at second base and shortstop. The defense and pitching on this team could help lead them to another IL title.

The mandatory 2009 MLB prediction post

Last year, I made the "Annual Preseason Prediction" post, and could not have been more wrong about the AL West, Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees. I did manage to predict that the Tampa Bay Rays would be the "surprisingly good" AL team and that Evan Longoria would nab the Rookie of the Year Award. Let's see what I can luckily get right this season:

American League:

AL East:
1. New York Yankees
2. Boston Red Sox*
3. Tampa Bay Rays
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Toronto Blue Jays

AL Central:
1. Chicago White Sox
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals

AL West:
1. Los Angeles Angels
2. Seattle Mariners
3. Texas Rangers
4. Oakland Athletics

National League

NL East:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Florida Marlins
3. New York Mets
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Washington Nationals

NL Central:
1.Chicago Cubs
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Cincinnati Reds
4. Houston Astros
5. Milwaukee Brewers
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

NL West:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. Arizona Diamondbacks*
3. Colorado Rockies
4. San Fransisco Giants
5. San Diego Padres

Post Season:
ALDS: Yankees over White Sox; Angels over Red Sox
ALCS: Angels over Yankees

NLDS:
Cubs over Diamondbacks; Phillies over Dodgers
NLCS: Cubs over Phillies

World Series:
Cubs over Angels

Awards:
American League
MVP: Grady Sizemore, Indians
Cy Young: CC Sabathia, Yankees
RoY: Matt Wieters, Orioles

National League
MVP: David Wright, Mets
Cy Young: Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
RoY: Colby Rasmus, Cardinals

Surprise AL Team: Seattle Mariners
Surprise NL Team: Florida Marlins

Angel Berroa vs. Ramiro Pena

Now that Xavier Nady and Brett Gardner have won their respective battles, the final bench spot is up for grabs and the Yankees need an additional middle infielder. With Cody Ransom likely the opening day third baseman, Angel Berroa and Ramiro Pena will compete for the aforementioned bench spot. Let's take a look at what both players bring to the table:

Angel Berroa: .365/.377/.596 in 53 AB's this spring.
The 2003 Rookie of the Year has seemingly been on the decline since his breakthrough season, but Berroa adds experience and a solid bat to the bench. Berroa has only played shortstop and is not the greatest fielder, but he can definitely handle second and third base. He's good enough on the base paths to be used as a pinch runner, but Berroa's veteran presence and possible offensive upside make him the better choice.

Pros: Experience, Better offensive player
Cons: Weaker defender, strikes out too much

Ramiro Pena: .320/.370/.400 in 50 AB's this spring.
Pena was signed by the Yankees because of his glove, and he truly is one of the best middle infielders in the organization. The 22 year-old has excellent range, footwork and reflexes, not to mention an arm strong enough to play third base. He's always been an offensively weak player, but Pena ha great patience at the plate and plenty of room for growth. I love players in this mold, but the Yankees need to let Pena develop more in the minors. He could end up being a very good player. Think Cesar Izturis at worst, Omar Vizquel at best.

Pros: Extremely proficient defensive player, solid base runner
Cons: Little to no power, needs more time to develop

Verdict: Angel Berroa.
The Yankees need to let Pena develop, and Berroa's veteran presence, strong spring performance and average defensive and base running ability makes him a solid option for the time being. Pena clearly has more upside, but the Yankees would be making a mistake by letting him rot on the bench.

Gardner named center fielder

Great news out of Yankee camp; speedy Brett Gardner was given the starting center field job by manager Joe Girardi, according to Peter Abraham. Girardi also said that the current plan is to keep Melky on the team, but I would not rule out a trade sometime this season if Gardner ends up playing very well. Girardi has this to say of the decision:

“Both of them played great. Melky had a tough year last year but he came into camp, was ready to go and played very well. Gardy finished up strong (last season) and had a great camp and we’re just going to go with Gardy.” (source)

Girardi made the right choice here. While Cabrera did end up playing pretty well toward the end of spring training, but Gardner is the better choice because of his strong play and superior tools. I don't see him as a long-term option, but he's more than capable of doing a solid job this season.

Scout: Yankees might need better stopgap at third

Ed Price recently spoke with a scout who has followed the Yankees this spring and kept a close eye on infielder Cody Ransom. According to the scout, the Yankees may need to deal for a better stopgap:

"If (Ransom) plays on an everyday basis, he's going to get exposed," the scout said. "I see him struggling with sliders and off-speed stuff." (source)

Ransom hit .255/.338/.482 with 25 homers in 116 games for Triple-A Scranton, so he can handle regular playing time without getting embarrassed, but that was in the minors. He had a hot September with the Yankees where he hit .302 with four homers in 33 game but that seemed liked a fluke.

If the Yankees wanted to acquire a better player, they should look into someone like Mark Teahen from the Royals or Brandon Inge from the Tigers. Both of those players can play third, first and the outfield. Inge can also catch, which is something the Yankees may need should Posada hit a snag with his shoulder. The Royals are crowded on the corners anyway, and the Tigers could move Carlos Guillen back to third if they choose to move Inge.

Pitching mathups for series vs. Cubs

Here's how the pitching matchups will shake out for the exhibition series against the Cubs next week. I might be going to Saturday's game. I have not been to a professional ballpark since the 2008 Futures Game last season - and that did not even feature major leaguers. Anyway, here's the breakdown:

Game 1
Friday, April 3 at 7:05 p.m.
Ted Lilly vs. Chien-Ming Wang

Game 2
Saturday, April 4 at 1:05 p.m.
Rich Harden vs. A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte.

Both games will be televised on YES and broadcasted on WCBS.

Yankees reassign eight

According to Peter Abraham, the Yankees optioned eight players to minor-league camp: Todd Linden, Shelley Duncan, John Rodriguez, Doug Bernier, Justin Leone, P.J. Pilittere, Chris Stewart and David Robertson. Most of those players will make up the Triple-A Scranton roster, but the key move here is the demotion of Robertson, which suggests that Edwar Ramirez will make the club.

Joe Giardi told reporters that the team may not break camp with a long releiver, but after today's strong performance from Brett Tomko (three scoreless innings against the Braves), I'm inclined to think that he could get the nod as the long man/spot-starter.

Yanks acquire Notle from Twins

The Twins picked up right-handed pitcher Jason Jones from the Yankees in the 2008 Rule V draft, but Minnesota recently offered the pitcher back to the Yankees, but they did not seem to want him back. Perhaps his public criticism of the organization had something to do with it. Either way, the Yankees agreed to acquire pitcher Charles Nolte in exchange for the rights to Jones:

The Twins acquired the right-hander in a trade with the New York Yankees on Saturday, dealing Charles Nolte, a right-handed reliever at Class A Beloit, for the right to keep Jones.

The right-hander was the Twins' lone selection in last winter's Rule 5 draft, but the Yankees were allowed to reclaim the pitcher if he didn't remain on the Twins' 25-man roster all season. Rather than exercise that right, since Jones is not expected to break camp with Minnesota, the Yankees agreed to take Nolte instead. (source)

Notle, a 24th-round pick of the 2007 draft, went 4-3 with a 2.05 ERA and 2.14 K/BB ratio for Single-A Beloit last season. Aaron Gleeman had this to say of the reliever:

Nolte has served up a grand total of one homer while facing 417 batters, which is what happens when 71.3 percent of your balls in play are on the ground. To put that stat into some context, consider that no MLB pitcher had a ground-ball rate of even 70 percent last season and no Twins pitcher was above 60 percent. Nolte has induced over five ground balls for every fly ball as a pro and that alone would make him someone to watch even without the low-90s fastball and strong strikeout rate.

Most relievers who dominate in the low minors eventually fail to pan out and Nolte is a long way from Minnesota, but his combination of velocity, missed bats, and ground balls is much tougher to find than just another sparkling ERA at low Single-A. His lack of college experience suggests that Nolte could be a late bloomer and also means that his arm hasn't accumulated much mileage since the surgery four years ago, so if healthy he has a chance to move pretty quickly through the Twins' system. (source)

Seems like a pretty good find. He needs time to develop, but with his ability to induce ground balls, he could make it as a solid reliever one day.

Jeter to bat leadoff

The top of the Yankee batting order is going to look a bit different going forward. According to Kat O'Brien, Derek Jeter is set to replace Johnny Damon as the leadoff hitter. Damon will now bat second:

Manager Joe Girardi said the reason for the switch is because the team likes how Damon has looked batting second in spring training games. As long as the Yankees like what they see over the final week of spring training games, the team will bring this lineup into the regular season.

The new look at the top of the batting order also is an indication that the Yankees will use Brett Gardner as their everyday centerfielder. Gardner figures to be the ninth hitter, and if Damon was batting leadoff opponents would likely bring a lefthanded specialist to face both hitters. Putting Jeter first splits the two lefthanded hitters. (source)

Despite his fast decline, Jeter still got on base at a .363 clip in 2008 and will be fine at the top of the order. I have a feeling (as does O'Brien) that this move is an indication that Brett Gardner will make the team, and will be the starting center fielder come opening day.

A-Rod's rehab going well

via the New York Post:

Hitting coach Kevin Long talked to Alex Rodriguez yesterday and reported the rehabbing third baseman has added weight lifting to his program.

"He said he was doing good, (with) exercise bike, pool and lifting," Long said.

Joe Girardi doesn't believe he will see Rodriguez, who is rehabbing in Vail, Colo., before the Yankees head home April 1.

Brian Cashman mentioned that there could be a slight possibility that A-Rod could finish his rehab in Colorado before April, and some think he could return earlier than expected. It'd be great if A-Rod could come back early, the offense would surely benefit.

Projecting the Opening Day Roster

Now that Xavier Nady has been named as the right fielder, it could be a good time to take another crack at projecting the opening day roster. Let's take a look:

Lineup:
LF - Damon
SS - Jeter
DH - Matsui
1B - Teixeira
2B - Cano
C - Posada
RF - Nady
3B - Ransom
CF - Gardner

Bench:
C - Molina
2B/SS/3B - Berroa
LF/CF/RF - Cabrera
LF/RF/1B - Swisher

Comments: Ransom is probably the best internal option for third base, and it appears that A-Rod could be back earlier than expected. Even though Joe Girardi has yet to confirm it, Brett Gardner has won the center field job, and he'll serve as a serious spark for the bottom of the order while playing solid defense. I think we can expect big things from Cano this season too. Berroa will probably be the first to go once A-Rod comes back, unless Ransom does a terrible job.

Rotation:
Sabathia
Burnett
Wang
Pettitte
Chamberlain

Bullpen:
Rivera
Marte
Bruney
Veras
Coke
Ramirez*
Tomko

Comments: The order of the starting pitchers does not really matter, but it seems like Burnett or Pettitte could make the first start at the new stadium. Thanks to a strong spring, Brett Tomko will likely win the long relief job. Edwar Ramirez could push David Robertson back to Scranton, but the later is the better option.
Edit: After seeing Edwar dice up the Bosox lineup, I'd have to say that he'll get the nod now. His stuff looked real good.

2009 Yankee Mug Shots

The Yankees recently updated their player profile pages, and that means the new photos are up. Check out the smiles on the newest Yankees:




I'd have to say that Mark Teixeira looks the most natural in pinstripes. Swisher's smile suggest that the photo was taken before Xavier Nady was given the right field job. Also, Kanekoa Texeira really needs to learn how to break in a hat.

Yankee New and Notes: 3-23-2009

Plenty of news today in Yankee-land:

Xaiver Nady is the favorite to win the right field job, according to Bryan Hoch. While Nady's play has been somewhat underwhelming, Girardi apparently feels that he "has more in the bank because of his play last year." Swisher seemed disappointed with the news, but I think he'll eventually end up as the starter sometime this season. Despite Nady's better 2008 numbers, Swisher is the better overall hitter, fielder and runner. It'll only be a matter of time before Girardi sees that.

ESPN's Rob Neyer also feels that Swisher should patrol right field for the Yanks, mainly because of his superior defense, plate discipline and base running ability. I'm inclined to agree that he is likely the better candidate and should at least start the first game of the season - Swisher has a .444 career average against the likely Baltimore starting pitcher, Jeremy Guthrie.

According to Peter Gammons, the Yankees have shown interest in Mark Teahen of the Royals and Gary Matthews Jr. of the Angels. Teahen makes a load of sense for the Yankees, who need a third baseman, and could always use an extra corner outfielder. The team would be smart to avoid taking on Mathew's ridiculous contract, especially when they already have a logjam in center field. The Yanks could probably get Teahen for Ian Kennedy.

The Yankees reaquired catcher Chris Stewart from the White Sox for a PTBNL. Stewart spent the majority of the 2008 season behind the plate for Triple-A Scranton, but got a cup of coffee with the club. Stewart hit .279 with two homers for the Scranton Yankees last year, and will likely split time with Kevin Cash this season.

The Yankees released their concessions lineup for the new stadium today, and many new delicacies adorn the list of old favorites. I don't know how anyone can eat soup at a ball game, but there appears to be many tasty treats on the menu that will destroy your wallet come April.

Jorge Posada reportedly feels "100 percent" and appears to be ready for the start of the season. That's great news; the Yankees need production from their catcher this season to make up for the early loss of A-Rod. Plus, I really don't want Jose Molina to hit the first home run in new Yankee Stadium history.

Chien Ming-Wang is slated to start the first exhibition game against the Cubs at the new Yankee Stadium. A.J. Burnett will star the second game. I'm actually pretty excited for this, mainly because I root for a Yanks/Cubs World Series every year. Maybe this will be a preview of October?

Phil Hughes, Kei Igawa, Steven Jackson and Anthony Claggett, were optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while Humberto Sanchez was optioned to Double-A Trenton. Sergio Mitre and Jason Johnson were also reassigned to minor league camp. Hughes and Igawa will likely make up the Triple-A rotation, and Jackson could be a candidate to work as the setup man thanks to his strong 2008 season.

Now that Hughes and Igawa have been sent to Triple-A Scranton, Dan Giese, Alfredo Aceves and Brett Tomko will compete for the long releif role. According to Peter Abraham, Tomko is leading the race. As of now, I'd have to say the pen could look like this: Rivera, Bruney, Marte, Veras, Robertson, Coke and Tomko. Personally, I think Giese can do a better job, but Tomko has certainly excelled this spring.

Gardner/Cabrera battle still close

Despite Brett Gardner's superior play, Joe Girardi still feels that the battle for center field is just too close to call:

Manager Joe Girardi said he's pleased with the play of candidates Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera and expects the evaluating process to continue right up to the end of the Florida portion of spring training - if not beyond.

"They've both played at a very high level," Girardi said last night before the Yankees beat Toronto, 7-4. "I'm of the belief that we can carry both and get production out of both." (source)

Based on what I've seen - Gardner is the clear winner here. He brings tools to the table that other players don't have, and has done a much better job than Cabrera this spring. The only real advantage Melky has is his arm - and Gardner makes up for his own weak arm by taking better routes and using his speed. By the time the season starts, we'll be wondering what the Yankees should do with Cabrera.

Aaron Boone to have heart surgery

Aaron Boone, the man responsible for my greatest Yankee-related memory (and bringing A-Rod to the club) will miss the 2009 season due to open-heart surgery:

Boone made the announcement Wednesday, saying he has known about his heart condition since college but tests done after his routine physical determined he needed surgery. It is not an emergency, but doctors indicated the procedure was needed.

He said doctors told him he could play baseball when he recovers, but he's not sure if he will.

An emotional Boone delivered the news flanked by general manager Ed Wade and manager Cecil Cooper and in front of a somber room filled with teammates and Astros officials.

"It definitely hits home, but I'm doing well with it," Boone said. "I feel like I'm fairly educated on it now. I have a strong faith and a great family and friends and teammates. I really am doing well and I'm ready to tackle this thing and get it behind me and get on with life." (source)

Boone currently has a heart condition that now requires immediate surgery. I hope he's able to eventualy return to the game. He's been a solid bench player for a few years now, and will go down in Yankee infamy because of this. Best of luck on the recovery.

Aren't you glad the Yankees didn't sign him?

Before the Yankees signed Andy Pettitte to a one-year deal, they briefly courted right-hander Freddy Garcia, who ended up with the Mets. Garcia was set to compete with Tim Redding and Livan Hernandez for the final spot in the rotation, and has had an utterly terrible spring training. He's been so bad, the Mets may just release him:

We haven't spoken to Jerry Manuel yet, but it's probably safe to say Freddy Garcia won't be long for the Mets' camp. The veteran right-hander's already slim odds of winning the No. 5 starter job appeared to fly out the window here today with his disaster of a four-run, four-hit first inning of work against the Braves. (source)

Yes, its only speculation, but because of his incentive-based salary, the Mets will likely cut ties with the pitcher. I'm sure if the Yankees had signed Garcia, Pettitte would have ended up somewhere else and the team would be looking at Phil Hughes or Brett Tomko to pick up the pieces. Thanks again, Andy.

Matsui won't play the field till June

We really haven't heard much about Hideki Matsui lately, and it appears as though he'll be limited to designated and pinch hitting duties until June:

"The earliest we would need him in the outfield would be interleague, and that's a ways off," Girardi said Wednesday. "That's why we envision him as our everyday DH. We need him. He's a great RBI guy. He's very important to our lineup."

"I think the fact my body, knee are getting used to it is a good sign," Matsui said through a translator. (source)

I don't think he'll see much glove-time this year anyway, but the Yankees need to make sure Matsui can stay healthy. He's actually an extremely important part of the offense this year. This could eventually make Girardi's job a bit more difficult by limiting his DH options, but I don't see it as a huge problem.

Cano and Marte not seriously injured

Good news from Marc Craig of the Star-Ledger: Robinson Cano and Damaso Marte's results are in, and they have no serious issues:

Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and reliever Damaso Marte underwent magnetic resonance imaging exams on their injured throwing shoulders on Monday. The exam showed Cano has bursitis in his right shoulder while it confirmed the original diagnosis of left shoulder inflammation for Marte. (source)

Both players will likely be listed as day-to-day, and Cano could return to the field by Friday. He'll take anti-inflammatory medication and begin a weight-lifting program to strengthen his shoulder. It appears as though Marte may need a bit more time to recuperate, but both players should be fine. In any event, the Yankees have Phil Coke to fall back on if they need a lefty. I'm sure we'll hear an announcement on Damaso within the next day or two. Let's hope Jeter does not return from Team USA with any sort of injury, otherwise we'll have a rough time watching Jesus Montero lead Venezuela to a WBC win in 2013.

Marlins return Kroenke

According to Juan Rodriguez of the Florida Sun-Sentinel, the Marlins returned left-handed pitcher Zach Kroenke to the Yankees earlier today. Kroenke failed to impress the Marlins after an outing where he failed to retire any of the seven batters he faced.

The Yankees will now have to give the Marlins half of the $50,000 draft fee back. In 10 innings for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees last season, the lefty posted a 1.80 ERA while striking out 10 and walking two. He'll likely split time between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton this year.

Yankee News and Notes: 3-16-2009

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. The annual "Scranton Parade Day" was quite the blast. With spring training winding down, players are getting reassigned and we're able to get a better idea of who will make the big league club and who will open up the season in The Electric City.

The Yankees may be interested in Oakland infielder Bobby Crosby, according to the Boston Globe. The 200X Rookie of the Year recipient has struggled to stay healthy since his breakout season, but the A's have played him on the corners to boost his marketability. He'd make sense for the Yankees, but only if the price was right. Crosby hit .261 with seven homers and 61 RBI last season. (Thanks, Yanksblog).

Jorge Posada caught four innings in a spring training game today, and told Newsday's Kat O'Brien that he felt "surprisingly good." Apparently Jorge was only scheduled to spend three innings behind the plate, but wanted to stick around to catch Phil Coke for an inning. That's encouraging on two fronts. Firstly, it appears that Posada will be fine going forward. Secondly, Phil Coke must really be impressing the team. In five innings, Coke has a 1.80 ERA and four strikeouts this spring. With Damaso Marte hurt, Coke is a lock to make the team, but he probably was regardless.

According to Bryan Hoch, the Yankees assigned pitcher Ian Kennedy to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The organization also reassigned Jesus Montero, Kyle Anson, Kevin Russo, Mark Melancon and Christian Garcia to Minor League camp. Brian Cashman still seems to be high on Kennedy, but he could be attempting to boost the right-hander's image.

Releiver Mark Melancon was optioned to Triple-A earlier this week, but that does not really come at a surprise. Word around the Scranton clubhouse last season was Melancon still needed a bit more time to mature (in terms of pitching - not makeup).

Brett Tomko has been lights out this spring. In 10.1 IP, the former Giant has posted a 1.74 ERA while striking out 10 and walking one. A.J. Burnett has also been terrific this spring, not allowing a run in six innings.

Marte, Cano hurting

Now that the Dominican Republic has been eliminated from the WBC, Robinson Cano and Damaso Marte have returned home - but they are a bit scratched up. According to Peter Abraham, Cano was suffering from a tight shoulder before he left for the tournament, and Marte injured himself lifting weights before TEAM DR's final game. Both should be cleared to play in a few days, this does not sound like anything serious. They'll pay a visit to Dr. Chris Ahmad tomorrow to get checked out. This is the risk players run for playing in the World Baseball Classic.

Spring Training Quick Cuts: Brett Gardner

Check out this video from the YES Network. Gardner actually looks a lot more "beefy" than he did in Scranton last season. Perhaps his three spring training homers are a further indication of some muscle he added over the winter. (Hat Tip to Sliding into Home)

Yanks eying Loretta?

Despite Brian Cashman's assurance that the Yankees would not trade for a replacement for Alex Rodriguez, Jon Heyman is hearing that the team could soon show interest in a certain infielder:

There was talk at Dodgers camp that the Yankees might have interest in excellent contact hitter Mark Loretta, who could upgrade their third base situation. For now the Yankees aren't talking publicly about how they may improve their early season prospects at third base and are only saying that they've yet to speak to any teams about a third baseman. (source)

Heyman lists Blake DeWitt and Chone Figgins as other possible trade candidates, but as of now I think the Yankees will stay with Ransom. There are plenty of decent options that can be acquired via trade, but the Yankees will likely wait a bit longer before deciding that picking up another player is the right choice.

Yankees sign remaining non-arbitration players

According to Bryan Hoch and Peter Abraham, the Yankees agreed to terms with the 20 remaining players with under three years playing experience earlier today. The 2009 league minimum salary is currently $400,000, but the Yankees have a way of calculating the salary of these particular players:

The Yankees, like most teams, have a salary scale for 0-3 players based on service time rather than performance. In most cases, the players just accept the offer and sign. In some cases, a player will refuse and the team renews his deal at a figure they set. That’s what happened with Joba Chamberlain last season. (source)

Abraham also reports that these players have two salaries, one if they are playing in the majors, and a different one if they spend the season in the minor leagues. Here's the list of player salaries for the 2009 season:

Cody Ransom: $455,100
Joba Chamberlain: $433,000
Jose Veras: $432,975
Edwar Ramirez: $422,450
Brett Gardner: $414,000
Ian Kennedy: $408,925
Phil Hughes: $407,650
David Robertson: $406,825
Alfredo Aceves: $406,750
Jonathan Albaladejo: $403,075
Phil Coke: $403,300
Francisco Cervelli: $400,700
Wilkin De La Rosa: $400,000
Anthony Claggett: $400,000
Michael Dunn: $400,000
Christian Garcia: $400,000
Eric Hacker: $400,000
Steven Jackson: $400,000

Out of that list, Joba Chamberlain, Brett Gardner, Jose Veras, Cody Ransom and David Robertson have the best chance of spending the full season with the big league club.