Yankees not in on Bay
The Yankees have no interest in signing Jason Bay to a long-term
contract, the New York Daily News reported on Tuesday, not wanting to
commit more than $60 million to another outfielder.
A report
published on Tuesday in the Boston Herald noted that the Yankees made
contact with Bay’s representative, Joe Urbon, but that should not be
considered surprising in itself. General manager Brian Cashman has
stayed busy with numerous agents this winter.
The Mets, Mariners
and Angels are said to be the front-runners in the chase for Bay, with
the Mets reportedly offering Bay a deal in the range of four years and
$65 million. The Daily News reports that the Yankees suspect Bay will
become a designated hitter within that four-year period.
The
Yankees have been seeking an outfielder who is capable of spending some
of his time as a designated hitter, and their first choice remains
bringing back Johnny Damon – a strategy that cost them Hideki Matsui,
as the World Series MVP decided not to wait and is close to inking a
deal with the Angels.
New York has also shown some interest in
free agent Mark DeRosa, though he runs a distant second to Damon, whom
the Yankees would like back on a two-year contract worth approximately
$18 to $19 million.
Bryan Hoch
Offer Bay 2 yrs w/ an option for 3rd. Gee, would I rather play for the Yankees or the Mets. I’d play for the Yanks for the league minimum!
Let’s see: Halliday goes to Philly; Lackey goes to the Red Sucks; and Granderson goes to the Yanks in exchange for a top minor league prospect, a fairly successful MLB lefty relief specialist, and a minor league starter who seems to be on the rebound after surgery and an unsuccessful stint as a MLB starter.
Considering of all of the hot stove talk and the general agreement that the Yanks need to upgrade the starting pitching, or at least finalize the starting pitching staff, and considering that there was a log jam for outfield jobs, just how could “upgrading” an the overloaded outfield position be any kind of upgrade for the Yankee team?
Good pitching doesn’t necessarily stop good hitting, but great pitching always stops great hitting.
Yanks, get your head out of your a**es.
I think folks are not looking at this Granderson deal the right way. He had a down year in terms of average last year, but he hit 30 HR’s playing in a big field and he is only 28. In Yankee Stadium, he could hit 40 HR’s. I think he’ll bounce back and hit .280 plus or minus .010. Further, has no one ever watched this guy go for three bases. This kid turns doubles into triples all the time. The Yankees thus far have upgraded a 103 win, world championship team. Let the Damon market play out. Boras will ask for the world, but Damon won’t find any 3-4 year contracts out there. I am 90% sure this guy will end up back with the Yankees. Joba and Phil Hughes have on the job training and should be starters 4 and 5. I mean, it takes some time to develop a big league starter. You can’t throw away those investments and potential for guys whose best years are in the past. These kids are going to be great. Search the market—middle relief is where the Yankees must improve. Finally, don’t trade Melky or Gardner because there simply is too much value there.
I’m not sure how the Yankees upgraded here. Gone are Bruney, Coke, Godzilla, Hinske, Hairston Jr, Molina, & Damon not to mention A-Jax & IP Freely/Kennedy. Added is Granderson. I’ll give you that he makes the OF better but, he won’t hit 40 hrs. He’ll most likely lead this team in strike outs.
i like the Granderson trade…but if the yankees want to compete this year they have to make a deal for a Bat to DH…the Offense as is does not measure up to the 2009 line up…i know they want flexibility the a DH who can play the field…and they seem to be on a strict buget this year…and i know they want to sign a #4 starter and maybe a reliever…but they might want to strecth their budget a little to get Adam Laroche or Russell Branyan or Marland Byrd…paying whatever was necessary to get one of the three…but making sure which ever one was signed didn’t get a no trade clause…so that player could be traded in the following year…to open the DH spot for Jorge Posada if Joe Mauer becomes available…Marland Byrd could also play all three outfield positions…so he might be best…if the Yanks go for Jack Cust instead then it’ll be Granderson and Cust with 100 plus strikeouts….and the Yanks team leading OBP. will be down the tubes…and the only way to win then would be to pull off some Block Buster trade for an ace that no one expects…and it doesn’t seem like anyone wants to make a trade like that right now…maybe they are waiting for next year to get Cliff Lee and Joe Mauer…??????
Good to hear as I much rather have Holliday than Bay, who the Yankees don’t seem interested in either, and it would be nice to have money to spend on Cliff Lee and Joe Mauer next year.
http://denveryanksfan.mlblogs.com
Also added OF Jamie Hoffmann.
It’s crazy for the Yanks to target another slugger. Granderson upgraded their outfield defense, and partially offsets the power lost by either Matsui or Damon. What he doesn’t replace – and what the Yanks need most in terms of hitting – is a solid no. 2 in the lineup. Granderson doesn’t have the OBP/patience to bat second. Damon does that. But guys like Byrd and Bay and Branyan, or even Matt Holliday don’t fill that void. Frankly, Damon’s the best option out there – he fills the LF and #2 lineup need, and can handle DHing.
As for the relievers given up, they’re all essentially interchangeable. 2 years ago it was Veras and Edwar. This year it was Coke and Robertson. But Marte pitched well again, making Coke expendable. Plus, we have Mike Dunn in the minors, another lefty that can potentially relieve. Bruney was inconsistent AND injury prone. Sure, he had great upside, but he never seemed to harness it. Dave Robertson was significantly more reliable. And at some point, the Yanks need to see what they have in Melancon (who at one point, was projected to be Mo’s replacement).
Finally, the prospects – Ajax, and even Kennedy – were just that. Neither have proven themselves at the major league level, and in exchange for those unknowns (plus the knowns of Kennedy’s potential make-up problems, lack of stuff, and injury history), the Yanks get an all-star CF in his prime on a very affordable contract with a swing tailor made to Yankee stadium.
If I’m the Yanks, I sit tight this offseason and pick up complementary pieces. Maybe a reliever. Definitely a #4 or 5 starter for insurance – I’d go Sheets, with the highest upside – and DEFINITELY a limited term contract on a guy like Damon. Then, next year, during a free agent bonanza, I’d break the bank for Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford – plus Jetes, our resident hero and face of the franchise. Mauer, I would guess, will never see free agency (and I hope he doesn’t so we don’t have to spend big $ to lock up a catcher that may not be able to play catcher halfway through his contract).
First off, Granderson was an excellent acquisition. He is a great fielder and a proven 5 tool player who will be even better with the Yanks than he was with Detroit. What people must understand is that he is not in NY to replace Damon or Matsui, he is in NY to upgrade over Melky and bc AJax will never be as good as him nor is he projected to be. That said the Yankees currently have holes in the #2 and #5 slots. Granderson and Swisher do not belong in either slot. The Yanks need to resign Damon or trade for someone like Crawford, Upton, McClouth, McCuthceon. The Yanks might be biding time untiul Crawford is an FA next year but they still need a solution this year. Damon is not worth $13 m and he doesnt seem to realize why, his defense is worse than when the contract was signed and he is best as a dh. However, DeRosa is not a #2. The Yanks also need a real #5 bc ARod will ow be walked all the time. If no Bay or Holliday, invest in Vlad or Dye. Cheaper but dangerous. The Yankees also need to fortify the rotation. If the Yanks dont want to spend big or trade much, then go for a winner – Pedro. I don’t likehim muhc but he just proved he can still win big games and is a heck of a better solution than Sheets or Duscherer. Or, trade for Liriano who is likely to rebound.
I was really disappointed that the Yankees let Halliday go to Othe Phillies. Better the Phillies than the Red Sox I guess. But the Red Sox got Lackey, so the two top pitchers went to other teams that the Yankees might meet in the playoffs in 2010. Now we’re down to second line starting pitchers and there’s a mixed bag and they are not in the same class as Halladay and Lackey. it would have been great to have CC and AJ and Roy or Lackey as the starting 3 with Andy at 4 and then bring in a second liner to start in the #5 position. I think Joba is much better as a set up guy for Mariano and Phil is better in relief as well. With all the money the Yankees have they should have opened the bank for Halladay or Lackey. Unless they can fill that 4-5 spots in the rotation with good starters we’re going to be struggling again in 2010 as we did in 2009. It’s ok to try to go with three big starters in the playoffs on 3 or 4 days rest but that won’t work in a long season. Hopefully they’re not finished stocking the shelf yet or we might not have enough to repeat in 2010.
So the red Sox got Lackey and Cameron. That aneamic lineup isn’t scaring anyone right now, so unless they trade for A.Gonz they haven’t come close to shifting the balance of power to Fenway.
As for the Yanks not being in on Bay thing, well I remember how everyone was dead certain they weren’t getting Teix last year. Look how that turned out. Bay at about 4 yrs 18 mil beats Holliday for 8 and 18, so unless Holliday is willing to take 5 Bay is the better option. He could DH most days, and go to the field when A Rod/Posada/Jeter need a half day off. His defense is after all not as bad as Damon’s.
Bring back Wang on a heavy incentive deal. If Cashman can find the money get Sheets as well, and hope one of them stays healthy. Seems unlikely though, the combined guarenteed sum would be 12mil or so, and there is about 15 mil in raises coming up. Rather have Wang than Sheets.