The New York Yankees declined to offer arbitration to any of the teams free agents in fear that they would accept and then the team would be forced to pay them a higher amount then what the would have wanted to. Bobby Abru and Andy Pettitte are the two big names that were not offered.

Even though the Yankees did not offer arbitration to both players, they can still talk about a new contract and negotiate with them.

Also not receiving arbitration offers were pitchers Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano and Sidney Ponson, plus catchers Ivan Rodriguez and Chad Moeller, and first basemen Jason Giambi.

With the Winter meetings coming up in the next week, it will be interesting to see what management decides to do about the starting pitching rotation as they would really like to get a couple of new pitchers that they could plug into the rotation.

New York Yankees

Well I am now back and ready to get blogging again. I was gone for a over a week in the city of Chicago on business. Just as I get back, the Yankees go on to lose to the Twins by the score of 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon. The Yankees gave up three runs in the fourth inning when the Twins grabbed the lead and never looked back.

Darrell Rasner got the start on the mound for the Yankees and only lasted five innings as he gave up four hits and three runs. Two of those three runs were earned.  Rasner struckout four batters and walked one while giving up on home run. That one home run however scored three runs and Delmon Young took Rasner deep. The Yankees bullpen did a pretty good job as they limited the Twins scoreless the three innings of the game.

The offense just didn’t have much production to pick up Rasner in the game. Jason Giambi had the lone rbi for the Yankees when he had a rbi single that went to deep right field in the first inning to score Alex Rodriquez. The other Yankees run came in the eighth inning when Bobby Abreu struckout swinging on a wild pitch but make it safely to first base as Ivan Rodriguez scored from third.

The Yankees will now be off on Thursday and and then will start a short three game homestand against the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees need to sweep the Royals if they want to stay in the playoff race. How do you think they will do? Leave us ac omment and let us know!