The New York Yankees found enough cash last off-season to get Mark Teixeira(notes), CC Sabathia(notes), and A.J. Burnett(notes) off the free-agent marketplace, putting them in a pretty good position to be the powerhouse they were in 2009 on the way to a championship. But the team is supposedly not taking the same course this winter.

There are really only three highly valuable free agents this off-season -- Jason Bay(notes), Matt Holliday(notes), and John Lackey(notes) - and the Yankees aren't expected to go after any of them, according to the New York Post.

It looks like the Yankees are closing up the wallet a little and letting a whole lot of money flow in right now instead of out.

The team may be at the point of no return on expenditures, anyway. The Yanks will spend $100 million next season Alex Rodriguez(notes), Sabathia, Teixeira and Derek Jeter(notes) alone and have another $70 million already committed to 13 other players from Kei Igawa(notes) to Juan Miranda(notes).

Holliday's agent, Scott Boras, apparently wants him to be paid around the same as Teixeira (eight years, $181 million), Lackey is expected to get around $100 million for five years, and Bay could get around $90 million for five years.

Source: New York Post

Boston Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is apparently saying he "bought low on a player with considerable promise" when he snagged Jeremy Hermida(notes) from the Florida Marlins yesterday, according to MLB Trade Rumors. "He hasn't fulfilled his potential yet," Epstein said, according to MLB Trade Rumors. "We acquired him today to see if he can fulfill that potential." The Red Sox are apparently hoping the change in geography will help Hermida.

Red Sox fans have got to hope the 25-year-old outfielder can do better than hitting .259. He reportedly won't be expected to be an incredible defensive presence.

Contractually, Hermida has two years to show that Epstein's prediction was true.

Source: MLB Trade Rumors

Cincinnati Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez(notes) could get paid $8.5 million next season if the team would just pick up his option. But it's not looking likely that the Reds are going to do that, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.

It's looking like the team is going to buy him out for $1 million, which is still a nice payday for a guy who didn't play after mid-July due to knee surgery. The rumor is that the team will try to re-sign the 11-year vet after that.

Cincinnati GM Walt Jocketty has met with Hernandez's agent. "We've made some progress. I don't know if we're close. But we'll try to work something out," he said.

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

The rumor yesterday that Mark Teahan should might as well pack his bags and head to the airport because the Kansas City Royals had traded him to the Chicago White Sox for second baseman Chris Getz(notes) and third baseman/outfielder Josh Fields(notes).

But that deal isn't apparently finished just yet, according to the Kansas City Star. And it might never be. As of midnight last night, none of the players had supposedly been informed of the trade.

"We're in discussions with a lot of clubs about a lot of things," Royals general manager Dayton Moore told the Star. "There is nothing to announce yet, and we won't comment (about trade rumors) until there is something to announce." Drat!

Source: Kansas City Star

The New York Mets are apparently telling reliever J.J. Putz(notes) to take a hike this off-season.

The New York Post is reporting that the team won't be picking up his $9.1 million option for next season. Why should it after he pitched only 29 1/3 innings and gave up 18 runs in the process. Not exactly what you want from a reliever, particularly one who was the centerpiece to a three-team deal that involved the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians. We went through all that trouble for this?

Putz has a $1 million buyout clause. Mets GM Omar Minaya is sure to take it. And watch Putz take some kind of incentive-laden deal somewhere else.

Source: New York Post