New York Yankees News - 1/18/2012
by Chris McKeown on Jan 18, 2012 6:00 AM EST
in New York Yankees News
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PrintWith the Yankees having officially made their big, unexpected moves on Saturday, the dust has cleared and the news will hopefully begin picking up as we steamroll our way toward pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.
While I leave you all daydreaming about that, here are some morning links to help you procrastinate from work or quench your thirst for baseball knowledge.
New York Magazine continues to examine who is left as an option for the Yankees to use as a designated hitter in 2012. Here are the options as of right now:
1) Leave it open - Fill in various players on the roster on different days and use it as a revolving door type of position. Andruw Jones hit exceptionally well against lefties last year and some players (Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez) will be needing more half-days, if you will, to sneak in a bit of rest during the course of the season.
2) Sign one of the following players - Prince Fielder, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Carlos Pena, Vladimir Guerrero. The only two viable options in this category appear to be Damon and Matsui, but the Yankees reportedly won't spend much more money than they have this offseason between resigning CC Sabathia, signing free agents, and having to pay more to arbitration eligible players such as Phil Hughes, David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain (with Brett Gardner and Russell Martin headed to a hearing).
In the long run, the Yankees aren't looking for a player to fill the DH spot. Aging stars with unruly contracts that last well past their primes will, with near certainty, be clogging up the DH for a few years. Signing someone to a one-year, $5 million or less deal shouldn't "break the bank" and Hideki Matsui could potentially be a good fit for one last hurrah, especially against righties. Either way, we'll see how it plays out over the course of the next month or two. I wouldn't be shocked if they stick with what they've got as this team doesn't need an elite DH to become much better.
Other various links:
- SB Nation New York breaks down Brett Gardner's and Russell Martin's filed salary amounts for the 2012 campaign. Who do you think will win each arbitration hearing, the player or the Yankee organization (for both Gardner and Martin)?
- ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand has thoughts about Michael Pineda not being a finished product quite yet.
- Did the Yankees hint at Jesus Montero's departure last spring?
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I'd rather see Damon than Matsui...
Matsui is only useful as a DH since he has no knees. At least Damon still can play the outfield if someone gets injured. That said, Damon may be attempting to get 3,000 hits. He’s HOF in my eyes anyway though.
To me Damon isn't anywhere close to HOF worthy...
…and that’s whether he has 2,850 hits or 3,000 hits. If he gets to 3,000 he’ll make things interesting I guess since the only players with 3,000 that aren’t in are steroid guys.
Damon’s been a good player, and more importantly, an extremely durable player, but he’s only had a couple of seasons where he hugged the border of greatness. He never had a season with a 5.0 or better WAR – by contrast, Bernie Williams had 6 and he just got 8% of the vote.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jan 18, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions
Damon...
has had more clutch hits than anyone in the 2000s. He is a HOF just because of that.
I think Bernie is borderline though his number should be retired. Had there been more lefties in the league he’d be an absolute HOF. He was one of the best hitters of all time from the right side of the plate against lefties.
Do I need to?
You don’t remember the Damon’s HR against the Yanks and his havoc on the basepaths against the Phillies in the WS?
You asked the question...
you’re supposed to answer it, not me!
Well, if you find a stat to back this up, you'll answer your own question
It’s not his job to prove your assertion, even though you tried to make it his job by asking him to prove it about some other player.
I don't need stats..
I’ve watched those games and got sick when Damon hit that HR against the Yanks.
Are you seriously asking me to prove I’m wrong. Does this not go against all logic?
I thought I proved my point. Who else did more within that century?
He's asking you to prove your original point:
Damon…
has had more clutch hits than anyone in the 2000s. He is a HOF just because of that.
If you can provide statistical proof, it’ll go a long way in helping your argument.
That's the problem with many fans
You look at the stats but not the actual games. I remember those games because I’ve seen them and understood the significance. You look at baseball, through Bill James’ eyes, as statistics.
Not one of these comments can even provide an alternative with all their stats which is sad.
Oh yeah, dude. Stats of what actually happened in games are way less definitive and objective than narratives and conjecture!
Jesus Montero fangirl
by WhatwouldJeterdo on Jan 18, 2012 7:13 PM EST up reply actions
Most of the posters here watch every game, so your point is invalid
I trust the stats more than I trust some random guy who comes along and tells me “ignore the numbers, I alone speak the truth!”
Are you a televangelist in real life?
Quite the opposite actually
The problem with too many fans like you is that you don’t actually look at the fucking facts, whether you watch the game or not. You’ll believe the “clutch” narrative or the “pitching wins’ championship” narrative or all the other bullshit that the stupid, spoiled Yankees fanbase believe by listening to the Francessa’s of this world.
I don’t view the game via stats either, but I still take an un-biased and objective view towards my seeing eye analysis and the majority of the time the actual stats prove me right!
"WHO WOULD LEAD?! THE CLOWN?!"
by I'mGivingYouARaise on Jan 18, 2012 10:39 PM EST up reply actions
I don’t expect it to matter, but all of this conjecture can easily be researched. Here are some career splits in ‘clutch’ situations:
Late and Close
Rodriguez: .272/.371/.529, .900 OPS
Damon: .274/.357/.423, .780 OPS
Jeter: .292/.383/.413, .796 OPS
With Runners in Scoring Position
Rodriguez: .300/.401/.542, .943 OPS
Damon: .286/.367/.429, .796 OPS
Jeter: .302/.395/.425, .820 OPS
Two Outs, Runner in Scoring Position
Rodriguez: .271/.401/.470, .871 OPS
Damon: .238/.350/.363, .713 OPS
Jeter: .306/.405/.436, .841 OPS
Tie Game
Rodriguez: .296/.393/.566, .959 OPS
Damon: .276/.349/.417, .766 OPS
Jeter: .317/.380/.458, .838 OPS
Game Within One Run
Rodriguez: .300/.394/.571, .965 OPS
Damon: .286/.354/.433, .787 OPS
Jeter: .320/.386/.463, .849 OPS
Oops.
by Lord Duggan on Jan 18, 2012 2:06 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
And don’t forget the playoffs:
Rodriguez: .277/.386/.498, .884 OPS
Damon: .276/.323/.452, .775 OPS
Jeter: .307/.374/.465, .839 OPS
by Lord Duggan on Jan 18, 2012 2:08 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
A-ROD IS THE ANTI JETER!
I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.- Kobe Bryant
A.J. Burnett's only fan!
by nyyrocks29 on Jan 18, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
RAHGAHS!!
Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows
by Rorschach44 on Jan 19, 2012 10:05 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And this was predictably ignored.
Jesus Montero fangirl
by WhatwouldJeterdo on Jan 18, 2012 7:01 PM EST up reply actions
has had more clutch hits than anyone in the 2000s. He is a HOF just because of that.
Adding to the questioning!
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter
Boone had two clutch hits
The HR against the Sox, and the shot to his knee that paved the way for the Yankees to replace him with Alex.
Boom!
Sorry, I don’t root for player injuries during the game, but when they annoy me as much as he has with his talking head nonsense, I stop feeling bad for them…
I agree...
Damon adds more to the team as a whole, his legs are still decent (I think he had 19 steals last year), is an excellent bench guy, can play the field if he has to, and to me was always the better all around player than Matsui. He also is almost as clutch.
founding member of PACOS (People Against the Constant Overuse of Sarcastic font)
GGN-Moderator
by Judgegavel on Jan 18, 2012 9:45 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I hate this idea that the Yankees NEED a DH
They have enough old players who can hit but struggle to play the field and stay healthy. Matsui and Guerrero can’t play the field anymore, and Damon and Pena play positions they already have covered. Furthermore, none of these guys hit exceptionally better than Eduardo Nunez did last season. I wouldn’t give any of these guys a non-roster invitiation to spring training.
I have no problem with penciling in Andruw Jones as the DH against lefties, and then using it to give everyone a rest against righties.
Andrew Jones never lived up to his potential
He’s known as a guy who’s lazy in the outfield through his whole career – no matter how talented he was.
The Yanks need another DH. Andrew will be OK as a pinch-hitter or batting lefties.
Andrew Jones was known in the 90s for making great plays
but he was also known as being lazy. He’s like Barry Bonds with a far better arm.
does he carry a screwdriver or a wrench places?
Otherwise, I’m not really following your “tools” argument.
by long time listener on Jan 18, 2012 1:26 PM EST up reply actions
lol
Jones is one of the best defensive outfielders of all time and at one time was one of the best players in baseball. I’d say he lived up to his potential.
i always would argue with people
and not bc im a yankee fan, i preferred bernie williams as my CF over jones. jones was all flash, on sportscenter top 5 all the time. but the amount of routine plays he would mess up bc of his lack of concentration was so infuriating. i would say he would never make it to the HOF bc of his lazy attitude and lack of work ethic. people thought i was nuts and Jones was destined for baseball immortality. and look wha happened. as the years went on, not only did he get worse in the field but his bat started failing him too. he coulda been one of the greats. he just didnt want it
"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?"
-Abraham Lincoln
"Let me explain something to you. Um, I am not 'Mr. Lebowski'. You're Mr. Lebowski. I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing."
-Jeffery Lebowski, The Dude
It basically comes down to this: are you more comfortable with Eduardo Nunez getting the ABs, or a DH with no position in a platoon with Andruw Jones getting the ABs?
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter
I'd prefer option B...
but would not over pay for it.
founding member of PACOS (People Against the Constant Overuse of Sarcastic font)
GGN-Moderator
I'd have no problem giving Nunez some ABs along with Jones, and the aging infielders
Better that than to “lock up” the position with a questionable player that costs $10M…
When asked if Montero had allowed his hopes of making the Yankees roster out of spring training last year get too high, Newman nodded. "He thought he had a chance to make the team in spring training. He thought he was the best player here at Triple-A last year. Now, he sees (Eduardo) Nunez is up there doing well. He thinks, ‘I was better than him.’ He sees Hector Noesi, Ivan Nova, and he thinks, ‘I was better than all of them, and they’re up there and I’m down here.’ I had a zillion conversations with him about that.
Because he IS better than them… That isn’t attitude problem, that’s confusion and frustration. He was told if you play well, you will get your chance. He played well, but he still didn’t get his chance. I’d be pissed too.
by jetanumba2 on Jan 18, 2012 8:28 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
It doesn’t matter, they didn’t trade him because of an attitude problem. They traded him to get Pineda
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter
Can't see the Yanks signing anyone in the next few days.
Darvish deadline is today, after which Fielder will sign, and any team looking for a bat (nationals, brewers, tigers) will start bidding on earnest for the remaining bats.
Anyone left might well see their price drop and the Tanks can react to the market then. And if the Yankees don’t sign a full time DH they’ll probably be fine anyway.
by ArunK on Jan 18, 2012 9:44 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yanks, not Tanks BTW. Failure to recognise the autocorrect working there.
by ArunK on Jan 18, 2012 9:46 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Nunez
deserves 400+ AB’s. He should play 3B, SS, 2B, occasionally OF and DH. Obviously, the stud IF he gives a day off to will DH that day. Yeah, his D was scary bad last year, but he has the skills to be a very good defensive middle infielder. BTW, hitting a three run bomb when ahead 6-1 doesn’t help much at all (unless AJ is on the mound). I need more guys who get a key hit, move a runner, steal a bag… If anyone could have done that last October Yanks would have won WS. Say NOOOOOOO to old washed up DH who will take AB’s away from Nunez or whatever young outfield prospect the Yanks will likely trade a pitcher for.
by steelerwheeler on Jan 18, 2012 10:07 AM EST reply actions
I agree, but we still need one more guy on the roster
I think we’re better off either signing Chavez, trading for someone like Prado or letting either Laird or Vazquez have a chance. If we have someone to play the field, Jones/whoever gets a half day off is more than enough for the time being. A-Rod may still be a good defender, but he might no longer have the stamina to make it through the season. Give him more time at DH and hopefully he can stay healthy.
I think the target should be 40 games at DH for A-Rod
At around 4.5 plate appearances per game there should be 730 PA’s for the DH spot. If A-Rod DH’s 40 times, that’s 180 of them. If Jeter DH’s let’s say 15 times, that’s another 70. That leaves 480 plate appearances. If Andruw Jones DH’s vs. lefties, and we face lefties every three to four games, that’s another 230 PA’s or so. So for the mystery DH we’re really only talking about 250 times at the plate.
So the best option is probably just give a couple vets minor league invites and let them compete with the players we’ll already have in camp. If we’re hurting for offense in July, we can go out and get a full-time DH and A-Rod can play 3rd the rest of the year. It just doesn’t really need to be addressed now.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Jan 18, 2012 10:38 AM EST up reply actions
Good math
Plus there will be days when Swish or Tex took one off the knee and DHs a few games in a row.
by steelerwheeler on Jan 18, 2012 10:48 AM EST up reply actions
you're higher on Nunez than most people
I can’t see him as more than a decent bench option. He only had one good year at the plate in the minor leagues (OPS of .782 in 2009 at AA). I suppose he’ll probably play twice a week – once each for A-Rod and Jeter – unless the Yankees get another third base option, which might put him close to 400 PAs. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing.
by long time listener on Jan 18, 2012 10:49 AM EST up reply actions
Nunez may deserve 400 ABs
but he doesn’t deserve that defensively. He’s got to learn. Personally, I think he can eventually play third while A-Rod DHs and Jeter goes for Rose’s record.
Sure he does
Dude was definitely below average last year…but he was also 24 and was likely focused on his terrible play in the field. He’s a good looking hitter in the making, with speed and some pop. He’s already an average offensive SS, if he improves any more (very likely) he’ll start approaching All-Star offensive status at that position (not hard to do). He’s on a short list of possibles to replace Jeter and definitely deserves AB’s. From reading Yanks history, Mickey Mantle had a tough time following Joe D. Anyone short of Mantle talent would have failed…so no FA short of Reyes talent is gonna be able to be the Yanks next SS. Maybe someone like Nunez who will slowly start to outperform Jete by bext year stands a fighting chance.
by steelerwheeler on Jan 18, 2012 10:57 AM EST reply actions
Mantle had a tough time following Joe D how?
He was 20 in 1952, his first season in CF, and led the league in OPS.
Romine!
People who think the Yanks can stand pat must believe that ARod will be able to play 140 games in the field.
I wouldn’t be willing to make that assumption. It’s also not a terrible bet that Derek Jeter will miss at least a couple of weeks from some kind of injury, whether he’s hit on the hand by a pitch or some kind of leg injury. With those players out, the Yankees would have no bench whatsoever. My best guess would be a flyer on the out of warranty Damon, or a medium size trade.
Now that Victor Martinez is out for the season, look for the Tigers to inhabit the same hitter market as the Yankees.
by designatedquitter on Jan 18, 2012 11:17 AM EST reply actions
Need another DH
Everyone seems to think another DH will be useful for giving guys 1/2 days off. Last year Jeter and Arod were DL’d much more than they were rested. Even a short term DL puts a serious cramp in the “use a bench player” argument. $3 Mil. for Damon will be well-worth it and increased gate receipts will pay for it.
I may agree about Damon
but Jeter finished with 131 games played and 162 hits. Lumping him with A-Roid is not fair. I couldn’t care less about A-Roid and I’m sure every Yankee fan feels the same.
Please tell me why...
because I wouldn’t be on this site if I didn’t have one.
I suspect that a few on this forum don’t live in NY and they don’t know why most Yankees fans hate A-Roid. We always hate him. Ever watch ‘The Other Guys’? It’s just a reminder.
There is nothing worse than a player who doesn’t hit in the clutch. The only years A-Roid did this was during the Yanks WS and against the Red Sox for 3 games in that infamous series. Jeter is like DiMaggio
All you're saying is that
I wish I was him. I’m black/white (good looking btw) like him but I don’t play SS for the Yankees and I don’t make millions. I wish I had Minka Kelly coming back to me, lol.
Postseason WPA since 2004
Jeter: -1.132
A-Rod: +2.112
Oh.
by Briceratops on Jan 18, 2012 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
Dude shut up.
what is this? Jeter is the clutchest winner with the most rings in the whole world because I said so.
Don't presume to talk for all Yankees fans, please
You’re a fan, so you can have irrational hatred for players, that’s your right. But don’t sit there and tell us that most Yankees fans hate the guy just because you do.
by waw on Jan 18, 2012 12:24 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Do I have an irrational hatred?
I wanted Damon over Matsui. It’s in my first post. He may have caused damage to the Yanks but he also brought good will as well against the Phillies.
You lose all credibility by saying A Roid
by Yankees10 on Jan 18, 2012 11:53 AM EST up reply actions 5 recs
+1
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." --Rogers Hornsby
by Chris McKeown on Jan 18, 2012 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
Really?
Do you want to know why NY hates A-Roid?
A-Roid and Jeter used to be best friends for a long time. This was back in the days when the best shortstop prospects were A-Roid, Jeter and Alex Gonzalez (in Toronto).
While Jeter was getting clutch hits eternally through the Yankee dynasty, A-Roid publicly said he was better than Jeter. Many foolish sportswriters believed that crap. This ended the friendship and started the Yankees fan hatred of A-Roid.When he was traded to the Yanks he did nothing in the playoffs while Jeter triumphed.
Torre, who is an HOF and will have his number retired, later wrote a book about his career with the Yanks and mentioned A-Roid negatively. This was nothing new. Ever heard the stories about A-Roid and his self-portrait in scimitar form?
A-Roid even sought a psychiatrist to ask why fans loved Jeter more than him. The answer is obvious to anyone.
I’m a diehard Yankee fan as anyone. I sat in the upper deck, while waiting/sleeping overnight for tickets, when Jeffrey Maier caught that HR for Jeter against the Orioles.
Dude, enough already
At that time, Rodriguez was on his way to becoming the greatest all-around shortstop of all time. Period. Yes, Jeter was winning Championships and was also a great player, but A-Rod was better.
Romine!
by david d on Jan 18, 2012 12:37 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Wait a minute...
You’re saying that a guy who admitted to using steroids is better than possibly the greatest clutch postseason hitter in history. I still have the SI article when Jeter was throwing Ripken out from his knees.
No, I’m saying look at the numbers Rodriguez posted while playing shortstop. It was before the steroid news, put that aside for a minute.
Romine!
I don't care what you say...
A-Rod never used steroids before he was on the Rangers.
What?
Jeter’s my favorite player, but he is in no way the greatest clutch hitter in postseason history. He’s had his moments and certainly has good playoff numbers, but thats because he’s been a great player for a long time and is in the playoffs every year. You do know that A-Rod has BETTER career playoff numbers than Jeter right? And he also has better numbers since 2004 in the postseason (when he became a Yankee).
Jeter’s one of the best Yankees of all time, and certainly one of the most popular. As unpopular as Alex is, he’s one of the best and most consistent all around players to ever put on a uniform.
I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.- Kobe Bryant
A.J. Burnett's only fan!
Now you're acting silly
I don’t care what the numbers are, especially when it comes to Jeter. It’s about watching the games and seeing who gets clutch hits when it counts. A-Rod (who never used steroids) is known as a stat-padder until the year the Yanks won.
It’s like saying Dan Marino was a better QB than Joe Montana because he had better numbers. Anyone who saw them both play knows Montana was the better QB.
So I guess when Jeter struck out with the tying run on base during the playoffs this year it didn’t count, huh? Of course Jeter has come up with clutch hits. He’s been a great player who’s had a million playoff ABs.
But if you’re honestly arguing that Jeter is in ANY way a better player than A-Rod, then you have absolutely no case. A-Rod’s been on a different planet his whole career, and just because some fat morons with suits on ESPN say that Jeter’s clutch and A-Rod’s a stat padder doesn’t mean it’s true.
I'll do whatever it takes to win games, whether it's sitting on a bench waving a towel, handing a cup of water to a teammate, or hitting the game-winning shot.- Kobe Bryant
A.J. Burnett's only fan!
x
Ever heard the stories about A-Roid and his self-portrait in scimitar form?
I didn’t know A-Rod had a self-portrait as a sword. It probably is right next to his self-portrait as a centaur, which, let’s face it, is pretty awesome!
Hey man..
I’ll waste you in every topic but I let my Mac do the auto-correction. It still is my fault. That doesn’t make me any less wrong unless you have the story to auto-correct.
You're going to waste me?
Is that a threat? Hope not.
But seriously, I don’t hate A-Rod, or any baseball player for that matter. All narrative aside, A-Rod was the best SS in the American League until he went to the Yankees, where, HE switched positions with Jeter (who was actually less effective defensively than A-Rod, even in 2004) so he could play both with the Yankees and with his friend Derek Jeter.
Someone else already posted the comparative WPA stats for A-Rod and Jeter since 2004:
Postseason WPA since 2004
Jeter: -1.132
A-Rod: +2.112
In case you don’t know, WPA is (source: Fangraphs):
WPA (win probability added): WPA is the difference in win expectancy (WE) between the start of the play and the end of the play. That difference is then credited/debited to the batter and the pitcher. Over the course of the season, each players’ WPA for individual plays is added up to get his season total WPA.
by phonty on Jan 18, 2012 12:49 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't hate anyone,,.
I’ve been told by SB Nation that Alex Rodriguez didn’t use steroids so I’m truly sorry to A-Rod for this. I want you to forgive me. No one knows anything about any one player. Not even I.
He’s a good man and I want everyone to know that.
A-Rod is actually a good guy.I truly believe that he wants to do whats best for this city.
I’m sure Jeter wasn’t as good as Miguel Tejada. He was clutch as an A and was falsely accused of any wrongdoing.
I’m not sure about anyone else, but I couldn’t care less about anything about Rodriguez other than him being healthy and creating as many runs as possible for the Yankees each and every season, specifically 2012.
Nothing else matters.
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." --Rogers Hornsby
by Chris McKeown on Jan 18, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Alex Gonzalez? Nomar Garciapara, was the other top prospect coming up with them...
Gonzales was never that caliber of player and was not the first round draft pick the other three were (I think he was like a 13th rounder), he was never in the class of the other three.
founding member of PACOS (People Against the Constant Overuse of Sarcastic font)
GGN-Moderator
Gonzalez was considered that kind of player
when he was in the minor leagues. If you’re going to include Nomar why don’t you add Rey Ordonez as well?
I like what was said about Nunez
That young guy looks like he could be a pretty damn good hitter, so I’d make him DH. If they still want one more guy, I’d be pretty interested in what Vlad would want to get paid as I think he is a better hitter than Matsui or Damon at this point. That said, Damon adds outfield/baserunning value and I’d say he and Hideki have proved to be clutch in pinstripes.
I don’t want Nunez to get lost in the shuffle.
What’s this about the 30-year old AAA DH killa? What’s his name? What about him?
This guy is supposed to be a masher right?
Why not give him and Nunez a shot? Unless Vlad would come over on the cheap.
Love Matsui, but it hurts to watch him run…Damon is cool, but wonder what his interest level is with other teams. I guess we will find out.
To all the people that don't think we need another DH because the old guys will fill it up...
I’m not sure if you noticed but WHEN the Yankees make the playoffs or play in any important games the Yankees keep those guys at their positions, mainly because Nunez proved to be very inept defensively last season. So for all the important games we will not have as good a DH as we could??? No thanks. It’ll cost us under 5 mill to bring in someone who can be pretty productive. If you think Nunez’s bat is close enough to these options not to get one, that’s a legitimate argument. He gives us a great 1-2 SB tandem. The only reason I don’t like that is it wouldn’t shock me if A-Rod or Jete spent significant time on the DL. In that case Nunez will be in the field and we’ll still need a DH. Let’s just pick someone up to fill in the role Montero would’ve played. Matsui/Damon is fine with me.
Couple of other Possibilites...
If the yanks don’t just Platoon for their DH, I like Damon or Matsui more for sentimental than logical reasons.I do have 2 choices that I think make more sense than getting any of the over the hill ,ex slugger types…
1. Trade AJ BURNOUT to the Cubbies for Alphonso Soriano.Their contracts are very similar,both clubs want to move them and there are tons of reasons they’d both benifit from the change. Sorriano won’t have to field,and CAN still hit. AJ can get out of the NY pressure cooker and post a few more wins in the NL. Theo and Cashman can make it happen. Everybody wins! If it fails to pan out..nothing really lost.
2. Trade(with some hesitation)Phil Hughes for BillyButler. I like Hughes,but I think the Yankees have mishandled him for years and may now send him to the pen.I’m not sure Girardi likes him.He could flourish in KC! Butler is a work in progress ,with a high OBP and statistically great hitter potential.Young and lacking a big $ contract,he could be perfect for the Yanks.
Pinstripelifer
I’d love the Butler Hughes deal but I’d doubt KC would do it. Butler over the next 5 years could probably be close to what Monteros production would have been, unless Montero turns into a Miguel Cabrera type. I still think that’s unlikely, but obviously possible. To think Hughes could get close to bringing us back Montero type production makes me like the Montero/Pineda deal even more.
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- Keeping good company: Albert Pujols becomes fourth-youngest player to hit 450 home runs
