Soriano Not Closing

[rotoquest]

Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Yankees have agreed to terms with free agent reliever Rafael Soriano on a three-year, $35 million deal.
This one came out of nowhere and the contract seems overly reckless, but it's really hard to trash the move. The Yankees can get away with spending like crazy because their revenue streams are plentiful and they now have the best one-two bullpen punch in all of baseball. Soriano posted a fantastic 1.73 ERA and 0.80 WHIP last season for the Rays while saving 45 games in 48 chances. He can serve as a setup man behind Mariano Rivera for the next two seasons and then take over as the Yankees' closer if Mo decides to retire when his current two-year, $30 million contract runs out after 2012.
Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter

Took him in almost all my mock drafts, but not anymore.

[rib217]

Thats a nasty late-innings combo the Yanks just put together! Considering Mo would often pitch 1+ innings in his saves the Yankees could effectively use these two for the 7th, 8th, and 9th in many cases!

[raiders_umpire]

Dear Yankees


Thanks for the 2 picks.

[Pogotheostrich]

Even if you had the financial resources of the Yankees why would you ever pay a middle reliever $10+ million a year?

[ayebatter]

Even if you had the financial resources of the Yankees why would you ever pay a middle reliever $10+ million a year?

Because $10 million for the Yankees is like $2 million for most of the teams, and after CC/Hughes they can make the games only 5/6 innings long.

[rib217]

Yea, I would say this decision was made based on the fact that they know their rotation could be in trouble and with little options in the Open Market for SP their next best move could be try and shorten the games with elite RP

[thejusman1]

Not a surprise to me at all. After striking out on Cliff Lee, I knew it was just a matter of time before the Yankees signed Soriano to some ridiculous contract.

[Skin Blues]

I realize that the Yankees don't care all that much about money, but for the amount they wasted on Soriano they could have added both JJ Putz and Scott Downs with 35,000 Benjamins left over to wipe their asses with for the next 3 years. And honestly I'd rather have either Downs or Putz than Soriano.

[raiders_umpire]

Even if you had the financial resources of the Yankees why would you ever pay a middle reliever $10+ million a year?

Boras is the man. Who were the Yankees even bidding against?

[Curtis Pride]

Dear Yankees


Thanks for the 2 picks.

Dear Yankees.

Thanks for signing Soriano to ensure that the Red Sox get Texas's first round pick.