Winter Meetings Day 2: Slow as Molasses

We were warned going into the Winter Meetings that all might be quiet on the Yankees front, but it’s still a bit strange to watch the Marlins throw their hat in the ring for seemingly every free agent while not a peep comes out of Yankee Universe. Here’s what’s gone on so far:

• The field for Mark Buehrle has been narrowed to five teams, of which the Yankees are not one. This isn’t a huge surprise, as we noted way back when that it was looking less and less likely that Buehrle would land in the Bronx. But that didn’t stop me from holding out some hope. Now it’s looking like a done deal and soon we will be able to start scratching some of those free agent pitchers off the list of available talent.
• Speaking of White Sox pitchers, GM Kenny Williams is pretty proud of John Danks, as evidenced by the fact that he asked the Yankees for both Jesus Montero and Manny Banuelos in a trade. Obviously that didn’t happen, so the search for pitching continues.
• The Nationals would kind of like to acquire Brett Gardner, but anyone on the Nationals pitching staff that the Yankees would possibly want is untouchable, so this one never even got off the ground.

So there it is – the Yankees Winter Meetings action in all its early glory. Of course the White Sox could come down to earth on Danks and come back with an offer that the Yanks don’t find so outrageous. And of course there is the chatter surrounding a possible trade for Gio Gonzalez. But given the asking prices we have seen so far and Brian Cashman’s statements that the Yankees plan to be patient this winter, I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if the Yanks walk away from the Winter Meetings empty-handed. And given the alternative (overpaying because of a shallow free-agent market), I think I prefer it that way.