Last week Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com wrote that the Yankees "would love" to have Royals closer Joakim Soria. Well, that's no surprise. Who wouldn't love one of MLB's best, young closers?
According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Yankees wanted him so bad they made a "big proposal" to the Royals, which they apparently didn't go for.
Soria was reportedly not on the Royals "untouchables" list but Heyman reports the Royals have told some teams Soria isn't available.
Last week ESPN's Buster Olney suggested it would be "impossible" for the Royals to trade Soria because his contract is so team-friendly, which is very important for the budget-conscious Royals.
But executives with other teams say that the contractual options contained within his long-term deal with the Royals make it almost impossible for Kansas City to trade him, because it contains almost no risk for the club. Soria's deal contains options for 2011, at $4 million; for 2012, at $6 million; and for 2013 at $8 million; and for 2014 at $8.75 million. The team can buyout the options for just $750,000.
Teams like the Yankees can pay a lot of money for another closer. The Royals can't so they need to keep Soria