Morning Marquee: New York Yankees awaken from winter slumber

After standing pat for the early part of the off-season, the New York Yankees made some noise to close out the week before the Winter Meetings begin. The Yankees completed a three-team trade with the Arizona Diamondback and Detroit Tigers, and in the process acquired the man that will replace Derek Jeter.

SS Didi Gregorius comes from Arizona to the Yankees, while the Tigers get RHP Shane Green from Detroit. The Diamondbacks received LHP Robbie Ray as well as minor league infielder Domingo Leyba from Detroit.

The Yankees also inked one of the best relievers in this season’s free agent market in LHP Andrew Miller. Miller signed a four-year, $36 million deal to stay in the AL East and play for New York. The Yankees original offer was four-years for $32 million, but the deal was upped when the learned he had an offer for $40 million. Miller left $4 million on the table to play for the Yankees.

Ryan Dempster officially ended his 16-year career, retiring as a member of the Chicago Cubs. Dempster joins the front office for the Cubs as a special assistant to team president Theo Epstein. He has already gone to work on free agent Jon Lester, selling him on how much he enjoyed his time in the city. The two played together in Boston and won a World Series.

The Rays named Kevin Cash their fifth manager in franchise history on Friday. Cash, a Tampa Bay product and former Devil Ray. He attended Florida State after high school in Tampa, and spent eight seasons in the Major leagues, mostly as a catcher. He becomes the youngest manager at 36 since A.J. Hinch was hired by the Diamondbacks at age 35.

Here are some of the other headlines from yesterday:

‘Didi Gregorious headed to Yankees in 3-team deal’ – Call to the Pen

‘Andrew Miller agrees to four-year deal with Yankees’ – Call to the Pen

‘Ryan Dempster retires a Cubs, joins front office’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Kevin Cash’s second meteoric rise takes him to Rays manager’ – Rays Colored Glasses

‘Daisuke Matsuzaka signs with Japan team’ – ESPN.com