With the Yankees apparently closing in on a deal to acquire All-Star center fielder Curtis Granderson from the Tigers, the question becomes: What will the Yankees do next to complete their outfield. As I see it, they have 4 realistic options.
1) Sign Mike Cameron to play LF, have Melky move to right, and have Swisher DH. When the DH is needed for Posada or one of the infielders, move Swisher to right and put Melky on the bench. This would be a much better defensive team than last year and would have a lot more roster flexibility, but would lose some offense going from Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui to Granderson and Cameron. They would also get a ton of strikeouts from that outfield. In this scenario, it might make sense to bring in Xavier Nady or Reed Johnson to rotate with Melky and spell Granderson against the very toughest lefties.
2) Sign Damon to DH and have Melky in LF. When the DH is needed, Damon plays left and Melky sits. This option might provide the best mix of offense and defense for the Yanks, as they will have improved defensively from 2009 without losing a ton at the plate.
3) Sign Matsui to DH, with Melky being the everyday left fielder. This is probably their worst option, being that when the DH is needed, Matsui will sit and another sub will join Melky at the bottom of the order.
4) Sign Matsui to DH, and sign one of the cheaper outfielders to split LF with Melky (Nady, R. Johnson, Thames). Basically, this allows you to replace Melky in LF with a better bat on days that Matsui is on the bench.
Personally, I like the first two options, but I could understand a preference for Matsui over Damon. Thoughts?
Related posts:
I like a combination of idea 1 and 4…
Sign Mike Cameron to play LF, sign Matsui to DH and trade Melky for a reliever or in a deal for a starter.
Matsui had better power numbers across the board in every category that matters to a DH and if you add that into the fact that Damon hit a career high in HRs and isn’t likely to do that again not to mention the contract difference and Matsui should be the clear favorite to DH. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I just dont see them bringing in 2 high priced free agents any more, even on one year deals, which is why I didnt include ideas like that one. They said they want to cut payroll, but there is no way they can bring in 2 guys and address pitching in any reasonable fashion. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Well what do you expect each to make? Cameron probably gets I would 7-9 million and Matsui should receive somewhere in the same range, true it’s probably more money than they would like to spend but if you can upgrade on a 1 year deal you almost have to. Especially if you can trade Melky in a deal for a starter or get Sheets on a 1 year deal for 5-10 million depending on incentives and what not. The other Chris H(Quote)
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brad rabern Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
I hope Moshe isn’t serious. Does he want our entire OF to be made of people hitting in the .240’s? No to Cameron! Horrible idea. brad rabern(Quote)
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I believe with Granderson, Damon becomes moot.We have a #1 and #2 hitter in Jete & Granderson and Melky plays RF probably.
MAtsui will be much cheaper than Damon as he’ll have less teams to play for and i believe YAnkees & Yes have financial reasons with Japan to continue playing Matsui.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Matsui got 6-7-8 million TOPS for 1 year.
Matsui portects AROD, I don’t see Granderson or Damon really doing that as well.
Of course I wish we went after Adam Dunn who would have hit 50 dingers in Yankee Stadium and given Gardner a shot in CF, instead but oh well. LeftyLarry(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Dunn is a free agent next year, the Yankees don’t like trading for guys with 1 year left, it’s one of the hnag ups in the Halladay deal which I hope the Granderson trade puts to bed.
I am all for bringing in Dunn but not on a trade! The Nats want to much and he can be had next year for a 3 or 4 year deal most likely. The other Chris H(Quote)
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jeremy Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
i think he’d easily hit 50 homers in the new stadium but as we all know, he strikes out way too much! look at this past years team. nobody other than maybe swisher strikes out a LOT, but if they were to put grandeson, dunn, cameron and swish in the same lineup (give or take a player here or there) thats way to many strikeouts! but i still think it’d be fun to see dunn mashing homer after homer in the bronx! jeremy(Quote)
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OldFan Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
It would be fun to see Dunn and Arod in a race with both hitting over 50, with Tex joining in with 40, granderson and swisher trying for 30+ each. It would be a fun season.
It would be 1961 all over again!! OldFan(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
I could see it next year…
Jeter, SS
Granderson, CF
Tex, 1B
Arod, 3B
Dunn, DH
Posada/Montero, C
Cano, 2B
Swisher, RF The other Chris H(Quote)
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OldFan Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Yeah man!!
It’s going to be a great off season—-then the 2010 season starts! OldFan(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Actually that would be for next year when Dunn is a free agent so then the 2011 season would start, there really is no way to get Dunn from the Nationals without trading at least one of the big 3 (Joba, Hughes and Montero) because Dunn is the only name on the Nationals other than Zimmerman and I heard they want the moon in a trade. Best plan is to wait for next year and sign him then to be the DH, Jayson Werth is also available next year as well as Crawford could be as well. The other Chris H(Quote)
OldFan Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
I can see the headlines now, “Slugging Yanks on pace to break 300 HR!”
seriously, though, the team that trys to muscle the ball over the fence every AB, loses the ability to be able to manufacture runs, and we’ve seen this with some of the later Torre teams. Such teams are vulnerable in the post season to power pitching.
It still would be fun though, to see a Yankee team blast the HR’s for a new mark, while still winning the Series. OldFan(Quote)
brad rabern Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I agree with this scenario, but it doesn’t sound like the Yankees are leaning that way. ESPN is saying today that the Yankees have begun negotiations with Damon. I love Johnny, but think Matsui will be cheaper and better for the team. He is so clutch and hits lefties as well or better than righties. On a team with Granderson, that is important. brad rabern(Quote)
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I like bringing damon back and DHing him while providing roster flexibility then resign pettite, and one of the injury prone pitchers, preferably harden, to an incentive laden deal i feel pretty good about our roster heading into the season. Jay(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Who hits 5th? Damon or Granderson? Neither one can scare anyone enough to not walk Arod to get to and I don’t want either up with the game on the line over Alex. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Posada hits 5th, Damon or Granderson 6th. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
How about this…
Jeter, SS
Damon, DH
Granderson, CF
Tex, 1B
Arod, 3B
Posada, C
Cano, 2B
Swisher, RF
Melky, LF
Damon 2nd with his decline in power expected and Granderson 3rd while sliding Tex and Alex down 1. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Jay Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
that lineup looks pretty good to me, especially hitting in Yankee stadium, grandersons numbers will improve from last years, that puts speed on in front of tex and arod, defense increases. I like it. Jay(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
The only real problem is two lefty prone guys back to back 2 and 3. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Jay Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
very true but yankee stadium helps to SOMEWHAT, quell that problem. I do think that granderson will improve on his numbers. I think in the yankees lineup he will not be as homer happy, in yankee stadium he will not be as pull conscious, he will not hit near is .303 of three years ago, but i think .280 is a very reasonable expectation. If he stops trying to pull everythign out of the park like it seemed he was doing all year in comerica, then his ground balls which will lead to a higher average, particularly with a player with his speed. Jay(Quote)
Owen Armstrong Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 2:38 am
Why would you take plate appearances away from Tex and Arod by moving them down. No offense but we don’t pay arod and tex that kind of money to bat 4 and 5 they will always bat 3 and 4. Owen Armstrong(Quote)
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i think getting mark derosa would be a great fit for the yanks! 2 years at 10-15 million maybe a 3rd year, damon’s spot in the lineup would confuse me a little bit though if he resigned. where would he and even granderson be expected to hit? 1st, 2nd or lower? i like this move but i’m not sure what they’ll do from here. jeremy(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
DeRosa wants 3 years from what I heard and I think that is a little to long for him, he is a good guy and has talent but if you are signing someone like that for LF you might as well sign Matsui and let Melky man LF… Melky has a better arm and can hit 13-18 HRs next year.
In the end I think they should do that… You have athletic younger guys in CF and LF (and Melky is much better in LF) and when you add in Melky’s arm in LF it makes the most sense out of all the options financially and defensively speaking. He doesn’t hit as many HRs as most in LF but Granderson hits more HRs than most in CF so that makes up for it. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Owen Armstrong Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 2:43 am
Thank you someone who undertstands..Derosa is garbage….Melky is the option and the only one we should be looking into. He can handle New York, he has a strong arm, he can play all three outfield positions, and he has hit 10 plus homers, and drives in 50 plus, steals 10 bags, and makes few mistakes on defense…plus he is cheap and a great clubhouse guy. In Melky we Trust! Owen Armstrong(Quote)
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Damon has a difficult agent who is asking for 4 years at a high price.
MAtsui probably takes a 1 year deal.No brainer for a team looking to cut salary.
Damon is gone, Granderson took his money.
P.S. Why is everyone so 100% sure that iwth another year off, Matsui won’t play some OF next season as badly as Damon does.I think he may. LeftyLarry(Quote)
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Jay Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
I agree but i think getting granderson puts the yankees in a position where they can give a take it or leave it deal to damon and i think he really wants to stay in NY and during the season was quoted as saying as much. Hopefully this would be enough to soften up Boras. And with the knees matsui has even with getting them drained, watching him run the bases last year was painful enough but if you ask him to play the field for even 50 games, you are going to see a decrease in offensive production if not a stint on the DL. Too much to risk. I like keeping the option open, but its not one of the first roads i would take even after acquiring granderson. Jay(Quote)
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OldFan Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Boras and Damon better get a knock on the head to see reality.
Damon is going to screw up his chance to play in 1 or 2 more series, and maybe even damage his chance for the Hall.
Take 2 years at $9M or $10M per yr, Johnny!
Almost everyone will be happy. OldFan(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
I wouldn’t! Where does Damon hit? the best he could do is hit 2nd and Granderson 3rd but no one is able to protect Arod at that point and you end up with Posada hitting 6th behind Alex.
Matsui is the better DH and will take 1 year and 6-10 million much better option than Johnny for 2 years and 20 million. The other Chris H(Quote)
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OldFan Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Numerous papers are carrying the storyline that Cashman wants Damon at that (previously stated)salary level. The holdup is Damon’s acceptance. It appears that Cashman would sign him today, if Johnny agrees to it.
I know that you are opposed to signing Damon, but we’ll see how it works out.
I know that I don’t have any influence with Cashman, and I’m guessing that you don’t either, so we’ll see how it works out.
It’s a fun time to be a Yankee fan right now.
I think that Cashman has been lying low, and there’s a lot more to come. OldFan(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Damon won’t take a 1 year deal and with Granderson on board I don’t think any other contract will work for the Yankees, Granderson makes Damon not needed (even though he already wasn’t needed) and there is no reason to give him anymore than a 1 year deal.
I would much rather cut Damon lose a year early than sign him to a 2 year deal and end up keeping him a year to late!
Matsui will be cheaper on a 1 year contract if Damon doesn’t come down to 1 year (and why would he) I doubt they get a deal done! For Damon it doesn’t make sense to take a 1 year deal, he already has 2 world series rings so that isn’t a motivation and he will only have a lower monetary value next year so why not try and get the 3 or 4 year deal for 9-12 million if you can rather than the 1 year deal and having to find a new deal next offseason when your numbers decrease.
There is almost 0% chance that Damon hits 24 HRs again and without those HRs he useless to this team as a DH when Matsui is available. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Maybe it’s just me but I wouldn’t mind running Melky out to left field everyday. I mean is it crazy to think he could put up a .280/.345/.430 line? Chip(Quote)
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Matt O Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
I don’t mind Melky out there. Can Robbie hit in the 2 spot?
Jeter
Cano
Tex
A-rod
Matsui
Posada
Granderson
Swisher
Melky Matt O(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Why would you trade for a guy to have him hit 7th? Cano can hit 2nd and was going to be my choice to do so but with Granderson it’s a no brianer to put him 2nd, for the money he is making he needs to be apart of the heart of the lineup. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Matt O Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
I thought they were trading for a center fielder, not a 2 hitter. Isn’t the 2-hitter normally your contact guy? The combination of a lead of hitter who isn’t a great base stealer and a 2 hitter who fails to even put the ball in play 25% of the time doesn’t seem like a recipe for success. That’s all. Matt O(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Jeter stole 30 of 35 bases attempted this year I would say that is pretty good for a leadoff hitter for the Yankees when it comes to stealing bases so I wouldn’t put Jeter down in that category just yet.
In 2008 Granderson had an OBP of .365 which is exactly what the OBP for Damon was this year so yeah I think we can more than win with Granderson hitting 2nd.
Granderson in 2008- 553 ABs, 155 H, 26 2B, 13 3B, 22 HRs, 71 BB, 111 Ks, 12 SB, 4 CS, .259 AVG Vs LHP
Damon in 2009- 550 ABs, 155 H, 36 2B, 3 3B, 24 HRs, 71 BB, 98 Ks, 12 SB, 0 CS, .269 AVG Vs LHP
Buster Olney has already reported that Granderson has been penciled into Damon’s spot in the lineup in the 2 hole, the reason this was a good trade is because you replace Damon’s bat in CF instead of in LF so you can upgrade D in LF without thinking about offense as much so a guy like Melky can start every day in LF now. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Matt O Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
You’re right, his 2008 #s where great. In 2009 he hit 2/3rds of his HR on the road so he could easily hit .250, 40 HR, w/ 150ks. He doesn’t seem like your prototypical 2 hitter.
Also, I’m curious how many times Jeter ran w/ 2 strikes on Damon. Does anyone know? Damon hit 326 w/ a full count vs. 179 for Granderson. I just think Damon helped make Jeter a better base stealer w/ his approach at the plate.
But I love the move. Younger, faster and more power but don’t see the need to pencil him into the 2 spot. Seems to me he’d do better as protection for A-rod in the 5 hole Matt O(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I think he would struggle in the 5 hole because you would have guys walking Arod just to get to Granderson so he could strikeout, it would be much better having Matsui behind Alex and Granderson 2nd or 3rd in the order because of his power.
Jeter has always been a good base stealer I don’t think Damon has to make him better at anything, Granderson isn’t necessarily the prototype number 2 hitter but he has been putting up his career numbers at leadoff in the 2nd hole his Ks should hurt less and his power should really be a plus… His numbers from 2008 are so comparable to Damon’s in 2009 even down to walk totals I think he can be better than Damon was in the 2 hole for us this year.
————
Granderson really needs to combine his skill sets from 2007 and 2008.
2007- .337 Vs RHP, .160 Vs LHP with a .303 overall average
2008- .288 Vs RHP, .259 Vs LHP with a .280 overall battin average
He he can hit lefties like he did in 2008 while hitting righties like he did in 2007 he would hit well over .300 every year! The other Chris H(Quote)
Peter Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
I agree I think Damon is toast now. Jeter/Granderson/Tex/Arod round off the top of the order, Damon’s offensive numbers peaked in’09.
I think most importantly next is putting protection behind Arod. Posada is not going to cut it as everyday protection for him.
I’d rather put Melky out in LF everyday instead of a 26 yo Cameron who will want 8/9mil per year. Melky has potential to put up same offensive numbers as him, has a great arm, and has the defensive capability to play it everyday. I think the Yanks work on Matsui next, hopefully hell commit to the 1 year deal sooner rather than later. Peter(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
No, but even putting up his numbers this year with his arm and improved D in left it’s an upgrade from last year with Granderson in CF. The other Chris H(Quote)
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The Cameron/Granderson combination is simply too many strike-outs to offset the better defense. Either Damon or Matsui represent better options. Of the choices in the original post, then, I like #2. On the other hand, the real killer outfield would feature Matt Holiday in left. Ah, to dream….
As to Damon: Boras likes to wait until a team gets desperate, then strike for a deal that is longer and for more money than a rational GM would offer. So expect Damon to bide his time. And, no, he doesn’t want to return badly enough to pay for a lot less than his agent believes he is worth.
There is no urgency about resolving the LF/DH issue. Cashman has said pitching is his priority, so I look for him to make his next move on that front. The Scout(Quote)
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I like option two the best, assuming Damon can be had for a reasonable number, with his swing he’s great at the stadium and being able to put melky in left instead of Damon takes his horrendous glove out of the lineup, love it. If he can’t be had for a reasonable price then I like Matsui back at DH but not as much. Adam(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Damon will not hit 24 HRs next year and all his power numbers are already worse than Matsui, as a DH Matsui is the only choice! Damon’s swing being “perfect for Yankee stadium” means it is useless on the road… 7 Hrs on the road and 17 at home all to RF, that is not a complete hitter. Matsui on the other hand handles lefties better and hits for power on the road and to more fields. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
But Damon can play the outfield. They provide similar production, but as you point out, Matsui is more versatile offensively. I think it is a very, very tough call. Moshe Mandel(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
I think Matsui can play a little outfield next year at least as well as Damon could but even if he can’t the money difference and relief of a 1 year contract tips the scale to me, I also don’t expect Damon to hit more than 22 HRs next year so I think their numbers will be quite different.
Matsui- .274/.367/.509/.876, 456 ABs, 125 H, 21 2B, 28 HRs, 64 BB, 75 Ks, .282 BA Vs LHP with 13 HRs
Damon- .282/.365/.489/.854, 550 ABs, 155 H, 36 2B, 24 HRs, 71 BB, 98 Ks, .269 BA Vs LHP with 7 HRs The other Chris H(Quote)
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The Scout Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Sad to say, there is no basis for assuming Matsui can play in the outfield again. The Yankees know his medicals better than any team and they see him strictly as a one-dimensional player — a pure DH. All the talk about him being ready to return to the outfield next season comes from his agent and is designed to boost interest in the client. The Scout(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
As I stated if he can’t play the outfield next and you are talking about a pure DH he is much better than Damon and you have Brett Gardner and Ramiro Pena as the 4th and 5th outfielders off the bench. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Owen Armstrong Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 2:50 am
What damon does defensively should not count as playing defense. If we take one or the other it should be matsui mainly because he still brings in so much from the Japan market he basically pays for himself. Melky is perfect in LF he is an above average upgrade over Damon defensively and Melky this year will continue to improve offensively and instead of risk bringing someone in for higher money is dangerous everyone cant handle the NY pressure Melky can! Owen Armstrong(Quote)
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Adam Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
fair enough, it’s true that as a 35 year old soon to be 36 it’s unlikely that he will be able to duplicate those numbers, but he’s more valuable because of his versatility and his durability. While like I said he’s not a good fielder anymore he can at least he still can field. Matsui was never a good fielder, but now that he basically has no knees its virtually impossible to suggest he’ll be able to do it. Additionally, while Matsui can still hit now the fact that his knees are so bad that he needs them drained all the time suggests that even his ability to hit with power like he has is no longer a thing of certainty. Combined with Damon’s superior baserunning ability and ability to provide some steals at the top of the lineup (those are two distinct skills), I think it’s hard to suggest that Matsui is the better player. Of course if Damon is asking for the moon this point becomes moot, but all things relative I think Damon is more worth the money. Adam(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Actually he had his knees drained significantly less times this year than in the past… He only had to have them drained 3 times this year which means he may not have to have them drained at all next year or maybe just once.
Johnny Damon and his amazing record breaking 12 steals this season!
Damon is not worth the money, he wants 2-4 years with an increase in pay or at least the same amount, he wants more than Abreu! He can’t play D at all because he is so awful so his “versatility” isn’t really that much of a plus and if he doesn’t hit 20 HRs next year he can’t even be a DH or make up for his bad in LF.
Matsui is clearly the better player for next year if you are talking about being a DH… He walks more and has more power numbers not to mention he can hit 5th and protect Arod and Damon can’t. The other Chris H(Quote)
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What do people think about the idea of signing Nick Johnson to DH, then Cameron to play center and slide Granderson over to left. This, I believe, would leave enough money to sign Sheets or the Duke. Some people are happy with Joba/Hughes in the 4/5 spots, but I would be more comfortable with another good arm, even if it is somebody who is an injury risk, because I will always take more arms. Dirt(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Granderson probably is going to be better in CF than Cameron next year when you consider he should be fully healthy and was putting up Cameron like numbers just a couple years ago.
Nick Johnson is a useless DH especially now! He was going to be a 2 hitter but now that is Granderson so where would a guy who can’t hit 20 Hrs and can’t hit .300 and strikesout a lot fit in the lineup?
Sheets I agree with but you probably can’t sign him if you are bringing in Cameron and a DH and you want to cut payroll, something has to give. The other Chris H(Quote)
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OldFan Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
I have been so over Nick Johnson years ago. I was glad to see him traded from the Yankees, and would not want him back.
He is slow, no power, declining skills, and he gets hurt all the time (in his hands, arms, legs, feet, etc.)
I would not want to watch this daily/monthly drama unfold again, even if he puts together good AB’s, and walks a lot.
Let the Giants sign him.I think the rest of his career is set as a backup 1B, for a team with (a)-a injured 1B-man, or (b)-a unproven rookie 1B-man.
Just as he would be getting hot, playing good, hitting .300+—he would get hurt again. It just wasn’t a dependable option to the team. OldFan(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Agreed and well put. The other Chris H(Quote)
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how about placing Granderson in left, keeping the centerfield platoon of Gardner + Melky. Sign Matsui, who is a professional clutch hitter .290BA 100RBI .370/OBA and would be ideal to protect A-rod. jai Nitai(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Granderson is better in CF than Melky and he loses his value when you move him to LF and keep someone worse defensively and with the bat in CF. The other Chris H(Quote)
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jai Nitai Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Granderson will be better in left than damon. I believe that brett Gardner will win the center field job , leaving the back-up for all 3 outfield spots to Melky. jai Nitai(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Yet Melky will be better in LF than Damon and Granderson will be better in the lineup than Gardner and Brett becomes the pinch runner off the bench and with his bat this is where he is best suited for now.
Melky – Granderson – Swisher with Matsui at DH The other Chris H(Quote)
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jai Nitai Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
And BG will be much better in center than all the candidates , he’ll also hit .290 with .370 OB%. of course his hitting can’t be predicted by stats. but before he was injured he was up to .295 with a ig decrease in strike outs. I guess the key is can Granderson recover some of his older hitting form and also learn to hit lefties. If not the deal will end up bad. but he improves to the form of 2007 his fielding will probably improve and return to his previous level 0f 2006-7. Maybe having less pressure to be the man will help Granderson more than anything. jai Nitai(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Granderson hit 30 HRs in a pitcher friendly park if he stops pulling everything he could really start hitting .280-300 again with 25-30 HRs every year but he needs to play in CF, Gardner with his speed is better off the bench for now stealing bases on Que.
When you combine bats and glove Melky in LF and Granderson in CF is better on both sides than Granderson and Gardner.
Besides Melky off the bench if ineffective but Gardner is a weapon off the bench! The other Chris H(Quote)
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Owen Armstrong Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 2:56 am
Gardner cant hit, is a much weaker defensive outfielder, he can only play CF Gardner should be traded to the Blue Jays in the Halladay deal. If we don’t then Chris H. is right his speed is Garnder’s only strength right now and can be a weapon but unlike this year when he pinch runs he can’t get put into centerfield bc that will be Granderson’s spot and we shouldn’t move Granderson around for him. I personally say trade him for someone else. Owen Armstrong(Quote)
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EJ Fagan Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
You’re Chris right that in overall value Melky loses by shifting to LF. However, you have to piece together a team from what you have and what you can get. The Yankees may not have the budget for a Cameron or a Damon, so Melky is the next logical choice to sit in that position.
I’ll be running the math in a post soon on what a Granderson/Melky combo looks like. EJ Fagan(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I didn’t say Melky loses that was jai Nitai…
I am all for Melky – Granderson – Swisher with Matsui to DH, read my other posts and you will see this… Melky’s value increases in LF because his D increases and even though he hits for less power than most LF do Granderson hits for more power than most in CF do so it equals out.
I’m off the Cameron bandwagon with the trade of Granderson and I think we should focus on re-signing Matsui and Pettitte and then signing Sheets a 1 year deal and calling it an offseason… Maybe a trade for a reliever but probably not. The other Chris H(Quote)
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I guess the next step is to sign Mike Cameron to play CF. I know the strikeouts will be high but the defense will be outstanding.
Grandy Lf, Cameron Cf and Melky Rf with Swisher to DH. AT(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Money wise, years wise and player wise I would much rather sign Matsui to DH rather than sign Cameron to play the outfield at this point! Have Melky in LF with Granderson taking over CF and allow Swisher stay in right and Matsui to stay at DH and that is the best lineup you can put out there everyday IMO. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Owen Armstrong Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 2:57 am
Is Mike Cameron like 100 years old we are trying to get younger and Yankee hitters are not about striking out 180 times! Owen Armstrong(Quote)
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Does anyone seriously think The Yankees traded Jackson, Kennedy and Coke for Granderson without being 100% sure that he is the CF of the foreseeable future? I don’t think there is anyone going to be even up for the CF job come spring training and day 1 of the season but Granderson, they traded for him and I would have to think they completely believe in his abiltity to play CF and hit in the lineup everyday if they were willing to unload Jackson. The other Chris H(Quote)
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He can hit .300 every year if he can go back to hitting lefties like he use to! The man hit .303 hitting .170 against lefties, if he can get back to the .230 he had the year before that against lefties he could hit .310 even. It’s a long shot to happen but he has the talent. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Jay Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
true and based on his bad babip increase should certainly happen im just trying not to be too optimistic Jay(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Even if he is no better than this year with the bat but his D increases from another year away from the injury then he is an above average CF with 30 HRs and that is pretty good… not great but good and he has a much higher ceiling than this year’s numbers. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Jay Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
I agree, last year is not what we should base predictions off. I’m happy with the trade even though i do wish I could have seen ajax in pinstripes. Jay(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I was a big fan of Jackson’s and that big HR during spring training last year didn’t hurt but when you weight the options Granderson is probably better than Jackson will ever be and it will take Jackson at least 3-4 years to start being an everyday CFer while we can win now with Granderson. The other Chris H(Quote)
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I’LL SAY IT AGAIN AND please PROVE ME WRONG.i DO not SEE DAMON BACK UNLESS HE TAKES A CHEAP 1 YEAR DEAL.
Granderson got Damon’s money and they might go for a 4th starter before Damon.
MAtsui will be cheaper and obviously MElky/Gardner are cheap also.
They need a #5 batter to protect AROD and mAtsui is the realistic guy.tHEY WILL PLAY GAMES WITH HIM AND dAMON AND I THINK SIGN MaTSUI IN THE END. leftylarry(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
It is clear Matsui is the much better DH option!! I would like to see Pettitte and Matsui brought back and Sheets brought in on a 1 year deal and then as far as I am concerned we could call it an offseason, I think our pen is going to struggle unless we get someone to take over the 8th but we can deal with that later. The other Chris H(Quote)
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If Granderson can get back to stealing 20 bases that is a big part of the trade I like! He has power but he allows us to have someone with some speed at the top of the lineup to be able to steal bases and go first to third. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Option #2: Sign Damon (he’s not going to get 13mill for 4 years, its boris he’ll come down eventually)… with the addition of signing Lackey Trev(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
We aren’t cutting payroll with that plan that’s for sure!
I really don’t like either of those moves! Damon isn’t necessary and Matsui would be a better DH, Lackey is a good pitcher but is way over hyped, wants to much money and The Yankees don’t need to add another 31+ year old pitcher to another 16+ million dollar deal. I would much rather have Matsui and Sheets over Damon and Lackey! You save money, don’t commit to long term deals and you can judge the talent you have year to year without sinking a contract on someone who will slip 2 or 3 years into the contract. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Apparently Ryan Church had been DFA’d by the Braves, now I have no interest in Church as a starting player but he could take over Hinske’s spot on the bench as a left handed power outfield bat who can get a few ABs Vs RHP every once and a while and get some PH appearances. Might be worth looking into because he comes with less injury concerns than a guy like Nady and he has played in NY before so he would at least know what to expect.
for the record this year Church did bat .290 against RHP with 3 HRs and 31 RBI so his struggles do come from left handed pitching. The other Chris H(Quote)
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They are going to work with him I’m sure to take more pitches and hang in better against lefties, especially with 2 strikes.He’ll see he can hit plenty of HR’s in YAnkee Stadium without swinging so hard and will get on base more often , just watching Jeter,Swish , Tex and the others, work the count. leftylarry(Quote)
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Montero should split the DH with Posada in 2011, so you really want a 1 year solution, which means Matsui. Matcohen(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
I would want Montero splitting time at catcher in 2011 so we can actually gauge if he is a catcher or not, sticking him at DH right away takes away the judging process to see what he can do behind the plate.
I would like to see Dunn signed to DH for 2011 and see Posada, Cervelli and Montero all play C throughout the year with some time for Posada and Arod and whoever to DH every once and a while with the option to run Dunn out the LF once in a great while to get him and Posada and Montero all in the game at once. The other Chris H(Quote)
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leftylarry Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Posada will catch less and less.Health will be an issue, age and poor receiving skills.Girardi got pushed back by Jorge when he was older.Girardi isn’t going to cut him any slack.He’ll want to win and keep his job.
I see Cervelli catching Burnett and Joba next season if he hits just a little.
Montero will be up sooner than later and Romine might win the job anyway unless Montero is a true .300 hitter with 30 HR’s.pitchers won’t want to throw to Montero when they see ROmine.
Hope Montero can play RF. leftylarry(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
As I said though I don’t want Montero splitting time at DH… Posada will start catching less and DH’ing more but Montero should be catching not DH’ing because we haven’t decided if he is a catcher for the future yet and he needs to play the position at the big league level.
I also don’t think Posada will ever be the full time DH, his bat value lies with him playing catcher once he needs to stop playing that position fully then he will have to retire.
You can sign Dunn and have Dunn and Posada split DH time and have Posada and Cervelli and Montero all split catching duties…. Posada will have to sacrifice some ABs but it will keep him healthy and swinging well. The other Chris H(Quote)
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leftylarry Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Posada played part time behind Girardi and it didn’t hurt him.You can learn more watching and talking to a Girardi or a Tony Pena then you can beating up on triple A pitchers playing with players intimidated by you.He’ll learn plenty playing part time with the Yankees.Playing a young guy 162 games is very over rated. leftylarry(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
You are missing the point Larry!!
I don’t mind them splitting time! The problem I have is with him saying he wanted Montero to play DH when he is called up and split time with Posada at DH… That is dumb to me because you want Montero to split time with Posada at catcher… Get it now?
When Posada has a DH day then on some of those days Montero needs to start rather than having Montero DH when Posada is catching… We are trying to turn Montero into a catcher here not a DH, that is the plan C idea.
What I am talking about has jack to do with Girardi and Posada splitting time so drop that stuff because doesn’t have anything to do with this. I was talking about having Montero starting at catcher what I was talking about was having Montero split time with Posada at catcher not DH. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Matcohen Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
My bad. I meant catcher and DH. Matcohen(Quote)
Matcohen Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
I think that each catching and DHing 81 games would be fine. Montero can learn the nuances of the ML game from Girardi (note I didn’t say Posada). Matcohen(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
I don’t think I would want it split like that because both are awful at defense and at least in the beginning Montero will be even worse than Posada and because of this you need Cervelli to be catching at least 25 or so games in that mix.
Burnett didn’t trust Posada no way he is comfortable with Montero behind the dish, at least for the next 2-3 years Cervelli needs to be in on the catching plans because of his defense. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Matcohen Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Sorry – I meant split DH and catcher. Matcohen(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 8th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
I would rather see him get only catching games and none at DH, on the days that Posada is catching we will need to use those games to DH Arod, Jeter, Swisher and Tex so Montero will have to sit instead of being the everyday DH when he isn’t catching. It would be better to treat Jesus as a backup at first more than a great bat. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Peter Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 12:08 am
How quickly does Cervelli stick around with Romine and Montero hot on his trail? Is he a viable option to split the entire season with Posada?
What veteran RHP are the Yanks willing to add to the bullpen, is it worth giving up a draft pick for guys like Betancourt, Gonzalez, or Dushcerer? Peter(Quote)
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The other Chris H Reply:
December 9th, 2009 at 12:36 am
I think you will see Cervelli and Posada go through this season with Posada catching and Cervelli as the primary backup, you may see Montero make a Sept. call up or come up a little before that but he won’t bump Cervelli from the backup job just because of Cervelli’s defense!
Gonzalez is a LHP and is the best option on the open market right now, Betancourt, Lyon and Rodney all have huge problems and I don’t trust any of them as setup men. They should either trade a nobody for Soriano or sign Gonzalez. They may do none of these and wait to trade for a setup man in the season when they know exactly what they have in the pen. The other Chris H(Quote)
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Please STOP with the Mike Cameron stuff!!!!!
Geez, that dude is old & he K’s too much (especially w/ Grandy’s otherwise good-game).
Sign Damon, if not, look into Holliday, but yo, pitching, starting pitching is what’s needed (Lackey, Sheets, Harden, plus Pettitte). wiljaq1(Quote)
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Why does everyone hate on Melky Cabrera and why does everyone always want to bring in these high priced over rated free agents. I wouldn’t want Mike Cameron even 5 years ago so I wouldn’t want him now. We need Melky’s presence in the dugout and locker room he helps to keep everyone smiling and having fun. This is a clubhouse guy who is versatile in the outfield playing all three positions. So please people stop hating on Melky Cabrera he should be a starting left fielder he is a clutch hitter by getting those timely hits, can steal a few bags, runs bases well, and for a nine hole hitter he produces quite nicely. If you guys remember our outfield in the 90’s didn’t include the biggest of names but they were great clubhouse guys who produced in the postseason…plus we need to save some money for the free agent crop next year. Owen Armstrong(Quote)
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My last point anyone who wants Mike Cameron in pinstripes is a moron! He sucks and has been one of the most overrated players in all of baseball. He is garbage just because you see 30 home runs doesn’t make someone good Adam Dunn hits 50 and he sucks too. We don’t need people to hit 30 plus home runs we have to manufacture runs did anyone watch this post season or remember past titles. The long ball is nice but when we have a lineup of 1 through 9 of 20 home run guys plus we all try to hit the ball out of the park and when the playoffs come great starting pitching neutralizes our lineup unlike last year when we had so much versatility through the lineup with the switch hitters, ability to move outfielders around, and people need to realize all long ball and no small ball means no championships! Owen Armstrong(Quote)
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