Could Alex Rodriguez Prevent The Yankees From Signing Rusney Castillo?

Remember Alex Rodriguez? The guy who did PEDs and lied about it? The guy who’s suspended for this season? He’s working out and coming back next year, because let’s face it, no one in their right mind is leaving $61 million on the table. The thing is, is that the Yanks are so far over the luxury tax line, in order to add talent to a club that’s going to need it, it may be an issue. Here’s Peter Gammons from Gammonsdaily.com:

"Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo, liked by one evaluator to a Ron Gant who can play center field, will soon sign, for somewhere from $40M to $70M. The Yankees are big players, although because they are on the books for Alex Rodriguez next year, they are so far over the luxury tax line that they will have to pay 40-50% in taxes; say they sign him for $50M, they would have to pay an additional $20M or $25M"

We’ve seen the Yankees spend past the tax line before, not only for major league players, but in the international free agent market too as they blew past their signing limit.

The question is how much do they value Castillo? Castillo, by all accounts may sign as early as this week. With bats being harder and harder to find now, you have to pay a premium for them. Castillo can play outfield, and with Carlos Beltran getting older, plus a DH, it’ll be easier to find Castillo playing time. He also worked out at second, something the Yankees don’t have at the major league level, though Rob Refsnyder can be that guy.

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Considering the success of other Cuban players, it may be hard not to conclude that Castillo won’t be good. However, I’ve never seen him play and if any of you have please leave a comment. However, to me, if I’m the Yankees, with the lack of quality prospects at higher levels of the minors, and with not the best crop of free agents in the market, you’ve got to do it, even if you have to ante up more to the table.

The question is, will they?