Kevin Long has a new project

by YanksVikes on Dec 8, 2009 8:00 PM EST

and this is a VERY IMPORTANT ONE

teaching granderson how to hit lefties (somewhat decently)

when i play baseball you are taught to let the ball travel and hit the ball to the opposite field, that is what long has to preach to grandy. Curtis may seem that short porch and try to power everything that way, but in order for him to hit effectively (.280-.290) he has to utilize the whole field. Derek Jeter does this very well, as pitchers who try to throw him away he just hits it to right field

i believe the yankees made this deal because they felt a)they saw something in grandy's swing that they felt the tiger's didnt analyze and that the yankees will or b) they felt grandy at his low point (.250 BA, 15 sb's, 150 k's) will still be better than AJAX.

Overall, i think this deal with pan out nicely for the yanks. Im a little worried about 2012 when grandy is due for a lot of $$$ but i believe he will earn that money in NY

Early prediction says .280 BA, 28 HR, 80 RBI, 20 SB

Also where do you think he bats?

Im saying without damon, he will get a chance to bat second with cano

Otherwise with damon or cano batting second he may have to hit 6 or 7 behind posada and possibly cano

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My idea...

they should have him take batting practice against CC. If he can learn to hit CC, he can hit almost any lefty in the league.

by Wraithpk on Dec 8, 2009 8:45 PM EST reply actions

That

is actually not a bad idea. CC is the best lefty in baseball. If he can hit him, he can hit anyone.

This is gonna be a tough job for Long, but he’s gotta do it. We don’t want to see a .180 average from our new center fielder against lefties next year, do we? He doesn’t have to own them. A .240 average would be ok. Then at least he isn’t an automatic out against lefties.

by nyyrocks29 on Dec 8, 2009 8:56 PM EST up reply actions

http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/grandersons-just-fine

by Scooby Snacks on Dec 8, 2009 9:39 PM EST reply actions

good read

by Wraithpk on Dec 8, 2009 9:49 PM EST up reply actions

29.5 GB% this year

The short RF YS porch will be tempting but he needs to hit the ball on the ground more and leg out some hits. The 25+ homeruns will be there.

by Scooby Snacks on Dec 8, 2009 10:05 PM EST up reply actions

I missed that one.
I’ve got a post scheduled for 11 Wednesday morning. Once I started to root around in the numbers, there are still some concerns, but I feel much better about the deal.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Dec 9, 2009 8:55 AM EST up reply actions

where granderson will bat in the lineup

i say he bats second against right handers and ninth against left handers. i wonder if there is a downside to constantly moving a guy back and forth between two spots in a lineup. any thoughts?

by Balistes on Dec 8, 2009 11:11 PM EST reply actions

7th

If we re-sign Damon and not Matsui, my guess is the lineup would be Jeter-Damon-Tex-Arod-Cano-Posada-Granderson-Swisher-Melky. Granderson’s a better fit for the 5, 6, or 7 spot than for the top of the order. This is one area where the Tigers went wrong with him. He doesn’t make enough contact to hit 2nd, and batting farther back in the order will allow him to make better use of his power.

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Dec 9, 2009 1:42 AM EST up reply actions

Only Problem with that

Is between Grandy and Swish, that’s a lot of K’s at the bottom of the order, might kill a lot of rallys.

by DarthRichter on Dec 9, 2009 8:07 AM EST up reply actions

It’s a lot of Ks, but it’s a lot of homers and OBP too. An out is an out (unless it’s a double play); so long as the guy’s on base percentage is high, meaning he makes fewer outs, I worry less about how he makes those outs.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Dec 9, 2009 9:01 AM EST up reply actions

I don’t think Cano will bat 5th, that’s Jorge’s spot. And Grand Central between Posada and Swisher wedges his speed between 2 high OBP, slow footed guys.

Jeter-Damon-Tex-Arod-Posada-Cano-Swisher-Grand Central-Melky

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Dec 9, 2009 8:59 AM EST up reply actions

Personally, I like Granderson batting 5th to give A-Rod protection against righties. Against lefties, probably 7th or 8th.

by Wraithpk on Dec 9, 2009 9:55 AM EST up reply actions

With people talking about trading Swish to make room in the OF,

You got to remember, he wasn’t a starter this year until Nady went down. I don’t think he has to play 6 days a week.

VA Yankee since 93'

by jramey on Dec 9, 2009 10:28 AM EST reply actions

trading Swisher

I heard Olney talking about that possibility on ESPN this morning, which I really don’t get. I mean everyone’s available for the right deal but who are the Yankees replacing Swisher with who’ll put up better than an .869 OPS?

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Dec 9, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions

Swisher really is better than Nady. The only reason Nady was going to start in 2009 is because Swisher had such a bad 2008. His performance this year is pretty much what he’s done in his career, though, which is better than Nady has done in his career.

by Wraithpk on Dec 9, 2009 9:02 PM EST up reply actions