Mets veto move of Yanks' farm team

Brian Cashman confirmed he spoke to the Mets about putting the Yankees' Triple-A team in Newark for a year and that they said no.

And that was all the general manager would say on the matter.

"It's their right," said Cashman, in town Tuesday for ALDS roster discussions with Joe Girardi and his staff. "That's where it begins and ends on that one."

The Yankees are looking for a city to host their Triple-A team in 2012. The affiliate currently plays in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where the stadium is to undergo renovations that will take about a year to complete.

The Yankees approached Newark, N.J., where long ago they had minor-league teams.

One result of MLB's antitrust exemption is the exclusivity of Yankees and Mets territory being shared. According to the rules of baseball, one team needs to give permission to the other for that kind of move.

The Mets said no.

The story first appeared on the Star-Ledger's website Monday night.

"I went there, I reviewed the place, a request was made," Cashman said. "They have territorial rights that they have a right to invoke. There's really nothing more to it than that."

A Mets representative confirmed to the Star-Ledger Monday that the move was blocked and that the team was within its rights.

If the situation was reversed, would the Yankees have granted permission?

"I have no further comment," Cashman smiled. "We'll find somewhere for us rather soon to play for Triple-A."

As for what brought him to Tampa -- configuring the 25-man ALDS roster -- Cashman wasn't much more forthcoming. He said a decision hasn't been made on a Game 3 starter -- CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova will start the first two games -- but that topic didn't dominate the meeting, which took place at Tropicana Field yesterday afternoon.

"I think our pitching's a lot better than we're getting credit for," Cashman said. "I don't feel like we're trying to come up with a third starter. I don't feel that way at all. I think it's more the bench that's the big focus and how the [bullpen] is going to round out is going to be the big debate. Not the rotation."

Cashman said much of the debate is whether to take 10 pitchers or 11 and whether to take Austin Romine along with fellow catcher Jesus Montero, whom Girardi already said will be on the roster.

Taking Raul Valdes, a second lefthanded reliever to go with Boone Logan, will depend on whom the Yankees play. Girardi said probably 22 of the 25 spots have been decided on, and while the manager indicated last week there was a good possibility Jorge Posada would be on the postseason roster, Cashman wouldn't say so concretely.

"Can't say yet," he said.

Cashman said he flew into town yesterday morning, thinking some things would be resolved in "our first go-round."

"But that didn't happen," he said. "Instead everybody raised a lot of good discussion topics. I tabled the meeting and said, let's just digest everything we've talked about because they're all valid, important points. We don't have to make a decision so let's think about what everyone said and revisit it again tomorrow."