Early morning reports, the big one coming from the NY Post, are that the Yankees were very close to trading for Seattle’s Cliff Lee last night. The centerpiece of the deal from New Yorks’ end is the much raved about catching prospect Jesus Montero.

Joel Sherman of the Post writes:

The Knicks didn’t get LeBron James, but the Yankees were on the brink of obtaining Cliff Lee late last night for a package that would include top prospect Jesus Montero, the Post has learned.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman and Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik have been in constant contact over the last week, but it was only last night that the Seattle GM told Yankee officials he wanted to move quickly, possibly before the All-Star break.

The Yanks were not assured of obtaining Lee since other clubs such as the Mets, Twins and Rangers were in talks.

The Seattle Mariners are pushing hard to complete a Cliff Lee trade, and the Yankees are closing in on a deal for the left-hander — but as of Friday morning, there was no agreement in place, sources say, and it’s possible another team could step in and make a more aggressive bid.

This seems like one of those moves the Yankees make partially because it would improve the team and give them better chance of winning the World Series, but also to keep a good player from going to another team in the American League, like Tampa Bay, Boston, Texas or Minnesota. I know I just figured Lee would get traded, leave as a free agent and the Yankees would out-bid everyone for him in December, bringing him in next season. That’s just how they operate.

But bringing in Lee now certainly couldn’t hurt. Of course, the starting rotation hasn’t been a weak spot for the Yankees this year either, and bringing in Lee would give them six starters. You’re not taking CC Sabathia, Andy Pettite or A.J. Burnett out of the rotation. The reports also say that the Yankees could look into dealing Javier Vazquez in the coming days for prospects should they get Lee. Then there’s also those who think the Yankees could move Phil Hughes back to the bullpen, as the relief pitching could certainly use some help.

To me, that’s a horrible idea. They can’t keep jerking him around like that. He’s got 10 wins before the All-Star break, and that’s even with him slowing down a bit after a hot start. If anything, maybe they move Vazquez to the bullpen as a long reliever, and down the stretch, when Hughes’ innings are getting up there, let Vazquez start in his place every now and then. But I’m really married to that idea, either. The best option seems to be getting rid of Vazquez if the Yankees land Lee. That’s a ridiculous rotation.

Of course, it will hurt a bit to give up Montero, who Yankees fans have been reading out for a couple of years now as an upcoming sure-thing offensive explosion. But there have always been questions about whether he can catch in the Majors. You can’t move him to first in the foreseeable future because of Mark Teixeira. And with guys like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada getting older, you have to figure the Yankees will want them to DH more frequently, so you can’t really plug Montero into a periment DH spot. So really, if Montero can’t catch that well, there wasn’t a spot for him. Now, if he’s as good as his hype, you make room.

Catcher is supposedly one of the Yankees deeper positions in the minors though. Now up in the majors, Francisco Cervelli has shown he can be an effective catcher and pesky hitter with a penchant for driving in runs from the No. 8 or 9 hole. Then there’s Austin Romine, 21, who is supposed to be a better catcher, and is batting .281 in 71 games this year in AA with six homers and 44 RBIs. He’s got a .361 on-base percentage, .423 slugging percentage and .785 OPS. So perhaps the Yankees like Romine better as a catching prospect and figure he’s maybe two years away, which could set up a nice transition from the Posada era to the Romine.

One coincidental note: Lee is scheduled to pitch against the Yankees tonight in the opener a three-game set that will close out the first half. The Post wrote that if the deal goes down today, the Yankees could keep him out of the weekend series.

There’s no shortage of catching in the Yankees organization. From Single-A to the Majors, the Yankees are stocked with catchers. The two catchers on the Yankees’ major league roster (minus Chad Moeller), Jorge Posada and Francisco Cervelli, are already household names, while Triple-A catcher Jesus Montero is growing a reputation amongst Yankee fans for his slugging. The “next” catcher in the Yankees system, Austin Romine of Double-A Trenton, is riding way under the radar, but fans should start paying more attention to this kid.

Top Prospect Alert, a Minor League Baseball blog, gives an in-depth look at Romine:

“While Jesus Montero and J.R. Murphy are getting most of the press at the catcher position, Austin Romine continues to fly under the radar for the New York Yankees despite being a Top 5 Prospect in the organization. After a breakout 2009 and a solid start to 2010, the 21-year-old is establishing himself as the catching prospect to watch in the Yankees organization. Always heralded as a solid defensive catcher, Romine has begun to display a stick. Through 44 games for Double-A Trenton, the Lake Forest, California product is hitting .313, with 17 Doubles and 3 Home Runs. This builds on a Florida State League MVP season in 2009 in which Romine hit .276 with 28 Doubles, 3 Triples and 13 Home Runs.”

Like I said before, the Yankees have a plethora of catching in the organization. Montero is the slugger and Romine is the human backstop, but the two get bunched together in most conversations because they both are top prospects and project to be big leaguers within a few years.

Jessica Quiroli, a freelance MLB and MiLB writer, says:

“The most striking thing about Austin is his ability to handle the attention he’s receiving. He doesn’t view the “competition” between him and Jesus Montero as a competition at all. He is incredibly focused and humble. But he’s also extremely confident in his defensive ability. He can do so many things as a hitter. He’s more of a free swinger, but he’s quickly gaining more plate discipline, and drawing more walks.”

As for Romine being the Yankees catcher of the future, it’s uncertain right now which direction the team will go in. Posada won’t be catching too much longer and Cervelli has done an excellent job behind the plate. It’s also uncertain if the Yankees have plans to eventually put Jesus Montero at a different position. The corner infield positions are taken on the big league level, which basically leaves only the corner outfield spots as possibilities for Montero.

Top Prospect Alert goes on to say,

“With Montero ahead of him on the depth chart, the future remains uncertain for Romine. However, if he continues to hit, there are two likely scenarios. The first would be the Yankees moving Montero out from behind the plate to clear the way for Romine to catch at the big league level. The second would see Romine as the key part to any high profile trade the Yankees may be a part of later this season. Either way Romine projects to be in a major league ballpark at some point during the 2011 season.”

We can look two or three years down the road and make projections all we want, but Romine is working on his tools and honing is skills in Double-A Trenton right now to make himself better and get prepared, hoping that he’ll get his turn to showcase his skills on the big league level whether that be in the Bronx or not.

Yankee fans and writers were getting so anxious about Joe Mauer not having a contract extension in place with the Twins that they started fantasizing about Mauer being traded to New York and were contriving possible trade ideas. The talk of Mauer to the Yankees can be put to rest now that Mauer and the Twins have agreed to an 8-year, $184 million extension. 

I’m happy for the city of Minnesota for tying up a hometown guy that will be the face of the franchise as it moves into a new ballpark. I’m also happy that the next Yankees catcher may already be in the organization, but it’s too far away to say that with any conviction. 

Catchers Austin Romine and Jesus Montero are two of the Yankees’ top prospects. Romine is known more for his overall skills and will start the season at Double-A. Montero is known more for his bat and will start the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. 

Jorge Posada’s contract ends after the 2011 season. If we could fast-forward to 2012, my hope is that we would see Romine being the team’s everyday catcher while Montero is the designated hitter or a corner outfielder. Montero is said to be too big and not athletic enough to be a full-time catcher on the major league level.

Having these two prospects in the organization in 2012, let alone on the team, may be wishful thinking on my part.

ESPN is reporting the Angels are in deep discussions with Hideki Matsui and are close to a one-year deal for $6.5 million. This is a deal the Yankees should have made. One more year is all they needed out of Matsui. Their are better hitters to choose from out of next year’s free agency compared to this year’s to replace Matsui at DH. The Yankees know what they have in Matsui. They don’t know how a player from outside the organization will hit as the Yankees DH in this lineup. He can’t play the field and can’t run, but he can hit and that’s all the Yankees needed out of their DH for one more year. One more year and Jesus Montero may be ready for the big leagues. 

I’ve been in favor of the Yankees bringing back Matsui all along. The guy can flat out hit. He’s a perfect DH for the them. I thought the Yankees didn’t want to bring him back because he was looking for a three year deal. Now he signs with the Angels on a one year deal. The Yankees left Matsui on the back burner this offseason and he goes to a playoff team and makes them better. 

A lot of people disagree with me about Matsui. He hit 28 home runs and had 90 RBIs in 2009, not to mention a .509 slugging percentage. His .274 wasn’t bad either. He’s good support behind A-Rod. Expect the same production in 2010 with the Angels.  

The Yankees know Matsui better than the public does. Maybe they had questions about his knees. When the guy is healthy and plays a full season he’ll hit over 20 home runs and drive in around 100 runs. The Yankees are going to miss their World Series MVP. 

Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted, “Heard Yankees were told by Matsui’s people that Angels would give chance to play some LF.” He added, Heard Yankees told Matsui couldn’t do anything til exhausted SP/Damon issues, but Matsui wanted quicker resolution.”

The aging Yankees want to get younger and Girardi likes multi-talented players. Matsui doesn’t fit that bill. I still think one more year would have been fine. Without Matsui, expect position (especially Posada) players to DH more often.

Reports coming out of the New York Daily News today suggest the Red Sox are getting ready to throw the house at the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay. An unidentified source told the Daily News the Red Sox are “putting on a full-court press” to acquire Halladay.

Where the Red Sox sniff the Yankees follow. Brian Cashman, Yankees’ GM, will do his due diligence on Halladay if nothing more than to drive up the price for the Red Sox. The price for Halladay will be steep, but as of right now it looks like the Red Sox are willing to go there.

Driving up the price for the Red Sox should be the only reason the Yankees get involved in talks with the Blue Jays. They should not pull the trigger on a trade for Halladay just because the Red Sox want him. Let him go to the Red Sox. The Yankees have been discussing their payroll and adding Halladay would end the discussion of cutting it. Acquiring Halladay would also cost a package of top prospects including at least Austin Jackson, Jesus Montero and either Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain.

Halladay doesn’t fit into the plans the Yankees “say” they want to follow, but what the Yankees say and do don’t always agree. If the Yankees hadn’t won in 2009, it would be very likely they’d complete a deal for Halladay this winter. I’ve said it before; the team won in ’09 without Halladay. What makes people think the Yankees need him to do it again?

Instead of trading for Halladay, the Yankees should sign free agent pitcher John Lackey. The Yankees rotation would be CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, John Lackey, Andy Pettitte and Joba Chamberlain/Phil Hughes. That is some rotation. They are going to have to pay Halladay after this season anyway so why not just pay Lackey now and not lose the prospects.

The argument for acquire Halladay is that prospects don’t always pan out and Halladay is a proven big league pitcher and former Cy Young Award winner. Jackson and Montero haven’t seen time in the bigs and Joba and Hughes’ roles are uncertain. While this is completely understood, there is an upside to these players that will pose the question, “What if?” These prospects can have great careers in other cities (the Yankees could always buy them back in the future).

If John Lackey was not available in free agency then the Yankees would be more apt to acquiring Halladay. Since Lackey is available, there’s a better chance the Yanks throw money at him to bring him to the Bronx.

Halladay may go to Boston and so be it. Yes, he’s a Yankee killer and he’ll shine in Boston, but the Yankees will do fine without him. I know I’m in the minority on this one.