YANKEE NOTES
While each side said a deal sending Sterling Hitchcock to the Cardinals for Steve Kline wasn’t close to being completed, the Redbirds had a talent evaluator on hand last night at Yankee Stadium for the second straight game.
The Yankees are looking to add the left-handed Kline to their pen and are willing to give St. Louis Hitchcock, who would be used as the Cardinals’ fifth starter. The Cardinals supposedly also are interested in Toronto righthanders Kelvim Escobar and Cory Lidle, neither of whom will pitch in the two-game series against the Yankees. A Toronto source admitted Escobar and Lidle are available but the Blue Jays’ phone hasn’t been ringing.
Bob Gebhard, a Cardinal VP and special assistant to GM Walt Jocketty was on hand last night, one day after Marteese Robinson, the Cardinals’ director of professional scouting, watched Hitchcock walk the only two batters he faced against the Indians.
The Yankees have told the Cardinals they will take Kline straight up for Hitchcock and make the contracts wash. Kline is making $1.8 million this year and Hitchcock is taking down $4.5 million this season with a $1 million buyout on a $7 million option for next.
“It’s out of my hands,” said Hitchcock, who was heavily shopped during spring training. “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. There are worse situations to be in.”
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Outside of a due diligence phone call a month ago to the Padres, the Yankees, rumors notwithstanding, don’t have an interest San Diego infielder Mark Loretta, who is being shopped and could land with the Cubs.
However, Padres scout Brad Sloan was at the Stadium last night. The Yankees have expressed interest in San Diego’s lefty reliever Jesse Orosco.
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There is a slight possibility that Nick Johnson could rejoin the Yankees in time for Friday night’s game in Boston.
“It’s a possibility, not a probability,” Joe Torre said of the 1B/DH who went 5-for-10 (.500) in a three-game rehab stint with Triple-A Columbus before moving to Double-A Trenton last night.
