Results tagged ‘ Matt Holliday ’
Transaction Review of 12/28/09 to 1/ 5/10
The week hasn’t
been that booming with transactions but the transactions that have been made,
have been huge. Jason Bay, Matt Holliday, Marlon Byrd. God the Yanks are
running out of left field options.
JASON BAY SIGNS WITH THE METS
I am going to start out with saying
this. Great move for Mets. Jason Bay adds power to your lineup but who knows
what will happen in Citi Field. Plus these are the Mets we are talking about…
The Mets are slowing becoming one of the more elite teams in baseball in terms
of depth after the signing of relief pitcher/ starting pitcher Kelvim Escobar.
They now have a very good outfield along with Carlos Beltran and Jeff Franceour
as well. He will also join a lineup that includes David Wright and Jose Reyes,
along with Beltran. The Mets signed him for 4 years and 66 million dollars with
an option for the 5th year. This is a good amount of money and
probably what Jason Bay was worth in his contract year. It is the contract year
though. Lastly this deal makes up for what the Mets missed in not signing a
good outfielder last year, instead signing Gary Sheffield.
DANYS BAEZ SIGNS WITH THE PHILLIES
Danys Baez is an above average pitcher that will give the Phillies that relief
pitcher they need. His 2009 campaign wasn’t that successful proven by his 6.44
ERA in 59 appearances but that was in the AL East and he is moving to the NL.
He will make the stacked Phillies even more stacked and will provide setup for
closer, Brad Lidge. I will warn you: Don’t be surprised if he becomes closer if
Brad Lidge picks up the horrible year he had last year. Good move for the
Phils.
MARLON BYRD SIGNS WITH THE CUBS
This might be the best move we see all year if Byrd lives up to his 3 year 15
million dollar contract and it is made by the Chicago Cubs of all teams. They
get an outfielder with good power (20 homers in 09) and good defense. Marlon
Byrd is a much underrated player that is probably worth more than 5 million
dollars a year. Very good deal for the Cubbies.
KELLY JOHNSON SIGNS WITH THE
DIAMONDBACKS
Kelly
Johnson was non-tendered by the Braves after having an injury plagued 2009
after a strong 2008 season in which he hit .290 and had 70 RBI’s. He is not an
amazing fielder but has a very strong arm for a second baseman, a result of
moving from shortstop to second. Johnson has good speed but not a very good on
base percentage, especially for a leadoff hitter. I do not like this deal for
the Diamond-Backs unless he can rebound in a very big way.
ADRIAN BELTRE SIGNS WITH THE RED SOX
This is one of the worse moves the Red Sox can make though it has its good
sides. He is a very good defender and is capable of hitting 30 homers but is
usually hitting 15 to 20 homers. He will never get back to his 48 homer shape
that he did with the Dodgers and might not hit well with the Green Monster. The
Red Sox still have Mike Lowell as well. An overpaid bench player is the last
thing you need. The Red Sox won’t get Lowell of either because he is recovering
from surgery. This move would be so much better if the Sox had gotten rid of
Mike Lowell and this totally eliminates the possibilities of getting a slugger
like Adrian Gonzalez though the can wait for the ’11 offseason to sign Gonzo.
MATT HOLLIDAY SIGNS WITH THE CARDINALS
The Matt Holliday sweepstakes are finally over! I consider this move good
for the Cardinals because they are getting Matt Holliday for less then he wanted
with very little competition. Obviously he is a very good outfielder with good
power and hits for a very good average. He is a decent outfielder defensively
and has gotten worse (remember the error in the ninth inning of the 2009 NLCS?)
Holliday will be a Cardinal till 2016
and can be for 2017 (if the world still exists then) if he gets in the top ten
for NL MVP in 2016.
Thank you,
thank you. Any comments, questions, disagreements? Feel free to comment.
Looking Ahead to 2011
Yes you may ask ‘Why so early?’ Well you can all blame this
on Matt Holliday. I was just thinking why the Yankees didn’t want to offer him
a contract to be the Yankees left fielder next year and then a light bulb went
off in my head!
The Yankees don’t want to spend on Holliday because they
want to “unleash” next year. Well, why not! Holliday would be great this year
and I still want him but right now it doesn’t seem like a choice. Plus there
are plenty of great left fielders next year (Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth) and
the Yankees can fill their hole with one of them. Though if they do somehow
surprise everybody and sign Holliday, then they will risk getting perhaps Carl
Crawford/ Jayson Werth and Joe Mauer…
·
If we sign Matt Holliday then we won’t have the
need to sign Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth which is ok, but we also may not
have the chance of signing Joe Mauer, former AL MVP. If we sign Holliday then
we won’t have the money to sign Crawford and Mauer which we all know is better
than just Matt Holliday.
·
If we don’t sign Matt Holliday then we will have
the money to sign power hitting Jayson Werth or stolen base threat Carl
Crawford along with perhaps, Joe Mauer. Posada would move to full time DH and
Mauer would catch. Crawford/ Werth could play left field and your lineup would
be set.
·
So this year I would go with Brett Gardner. If
Gardner has a good year (.290 BA, 100 hits, 30-50 SB) then there is probably no
need for Crawford because Gardner can be just as fast and is cheaper, so why wouldn’t
we go with Gardy? Even if Gardner doesn’t have a good year, we can always go out and sign Magglio Ordonez, Jayson Werth, or of course Carl Crawford. I would take the chance with Gardner, and if he doesn’t work out in the middle of the season you could try Jamie Hoffman or trade for a 1 year left fielder .
So as you see there is no need for Matt Holliday. He is a
very good player but sometimes you have to think ahead. A Matt Holliday signing
would probably mean no attempt to
get Joe Mauer. So all I can hope is that we do not sign Matt Holliday and Gardner
has an above average year so we have the money to sign the expensive Joe Mauer.
If we can do this then our lineup would be amazing.
·
SS Derek Jeter (.330 BA)
·
C Joe Mauer (.350 BA)
·
1B Mark Teixeira (35-40 homers)
·
3B Alex Rodriguez (30-40 homers)
·
DH Jorge Posada (20-30 homers)
·
CF Curtis Granderson (20-30 homers)
·
2B Robinson Cano (.315 BA)
·
RF Nick Swisher (20-30 homers)
·
LF Brett Gardner (20+SB)
Granderson and Mauer can be switched as well. Granderson can
bat second and Mauer can bat 5th.
The Yankees also were trying hard to be the team to get Cliff Lee this year
instead of the Mariners, but they had to give up one of Joba Chamberlain and
Phil Hughes. But after the 2010 season Cliff Lee is a free agent, and with the
free agency of both Andy Pettitte and Javier Vazquez next year the Yankees
might be one of the top contenders to get Lee.
·
If Andy Pettitte retires and Javier Vazquez has
a good year, we resign Vazquez and Pettitte is gone. We also sign Lee and have
a very formidable rotation of CC, Cliff Lee, AJ Burnett, Vazquez, and Hughes/
Chamberlain.
·
If Pettitte does not retire and has a bad year
(in 2010) and Vazquez has a good year, we could go with either one along with
hopefully Lee.
·
If Pettitte does not retire and has a good year
this year and Vazquez has a good year, I see us going with Pettitte. Along with
Lee of course
·
If Pettitte does not retire and has a good year this
year and Vazquez has a bad year, then we obviously go with Andy.
The Yankees would have a very good rotation and a very scary
team to face in a four game series .
·
CC Sabathia
·
Cliff Lee
·
AJ Burnett
·
Javier Vazquez/Andy Pettitte
·
Joba Chamberlain/ Phil Hughes
I am not saying any of this will happen and probably will
not but nothing is impossible. One of the main reasons it will be hard to do
this is because we have to use money to resign Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
So the very expensive Joe Mauer and Cliff Lee along with resigning DJ and Mo
would be a lot of money.
WHO FILLS THE HOLE IN LEFT FIELD?
The Yankees have made of plenty of trades and signed plenty of players this off season, but they still face a problem: they have a gaping hole in left field. Now the Yankeeholics will give you all the info you never wanted to know about candidates for that outfield spot.
MARLON BYRD: This 32 year old outfielder seems a nice fit for the Yanks. He is a solid, dependable hitter (.283 average, 20 homers, 89 RBIs in 2009) with a decent amount of speed (41 career stolen bases). He can bat in the middle of the lineup and can give good support to the big sluggers (Tex and A-Rod). In addition to all this, he won’t be too expensive; the Yanks won’t have to shell out more than $6 million for him. He seems a good fit for New York; and is one of my favorite candidates to fill the left field hole.
JERMAINE DYE: Jermaine Dye seems the polar opposite of Marlon Byrd; he would be an awful match for the Yankees. He is not particularly good (a low .250 average and only 81 RBIs in 2009) and has almost no speed.To make matters worse, he is already 35, and he is likely to demand a large contract (above 12 million) which would be a complete waste of money. It would not be good if the Yanks picked up Jermaine Dye.
THIS JUST IN ON JERMAINE DYE: After talking to two Yankees officials, Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News confirms that the Yankees have NO interest in Jermaine Dye.
XAVIER NADY: Another fine candidate for the Yanks left field spot. True, he is coming off a major injury that limited him to 7 games in 2009, but he is a very good player; he enjoyed a career year in ’08 (with Pittsburgh and the Yanks) smoking .305 with 25 homers and 97 RBIs. Not too shabby; but there is a problem: he is a tad overpriced. Brian Cashman has explicitly stated that he wants to keep the payroll as low as possible, and this sudden budget consciousness might rule Nady out of the considerings.
MATT HOLLIDAY: This is our favorite player on the list, the player we want most to join the Bronx Bombers. You can’t blame us: in 2009, with the A’s and Cardinals, Holliday smoked .313, bombed 24 homers, and drove in 109 runs. He also nabbed 14 bases. Not too shabby. The man is only 29, and he is fantastic in the field. As well as all this, in April of this year he (and his father) explicitly stated that he wants to be a New York Yankee. The problem: he won’t fit Cashman’s strict budget regulations. He is likely to demand at least $14 million, and that will be a major turn off for the Yanks. So though I regret saying this, it is unlikely that the Yanks will sign Holliday.
THIS JUST IN ON MATT HOLLIDAY: The same Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily Post spoke to another Yankees official. He quoted the official as saying, “No chance on Matt Holliday…Zero. None. Underline it.”
JOHNNY DAMON: All the Yankee faithful want this man back, and they have good reason too. He was a strong presence at the top of the lineup in 2009, hitting .282 with 24 homers and 82 RBIs. He also stole 12 bases, but perhaps the most significant aspect of his repertoire is his good effect on the clubhouse. We all want him back for sure; but once again, the issue of price pops up. The Yankees already offered him a reasonable contract (2 years, about 17 million) but he turned it down, wanting 4 years, 52 million bucks. Even we have to admit that he is not worth that kind of money; he is no longer a serious threat on the bases, he has a popgun arm, and he is already 36. If he is sensible and reasonable, he might come back to the Yankees, but until he lowers his ridiculous asking price, Brian Cashman will steer clear of him.
JERRY HAIRSTON JR.: No one really wants Jerry Hairston Jr. to be the starting left fielder. Except his mom. And his dad. And his siblings. But anyways! And maybe his grandparents….Moving on! He could only eke out a .251 average with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 383 at bats in 2009. Not too impressive, and certainly not what the richest club in baseball should be using as a starter.
REED JOHNSON: We don’t want Reed Johnson either. Please. Brian Cashman. Have mercy. Do not sign this guy just cuz he’s cheap. .255, 4 homers, 22 RBIs in 165 at bats in ’09. NOT IMPRESSIVE. I would rather waltz with a dying platypus than have Reed Johnson as the Yankees left fielder. SERIOUSLY. The richest team in baseball should not have to resort to players like Hairston and Reed Johnson as starters. But hey, Cashman has done crazier things.
These are the various candidates for that spot in the Yankees outfield…only time will tell which player they opt for.
Happy New Year to all!
Questions? Comments? Disagreements? Leave us a comment!
December 14th 2009. The day the Yankees got screwed.
Well I figured out that this day had turned from bad to
worse when I got home. I found out that Halladay is pretty much a Phillie and
that Godzilla is almost red, unlike we all thought(see Godzilla ain’t red.)
Well a bit more happened and we will explain it why it was good or bad for the
Yankees.
John Lackey becomes a
Boston Red Sux. John Lackey signed to an 85 million, 5 year deal to play
with the rival Red Sox. The Red Sox have perhaps the best rotation in baseball
with Lackey joining Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Dice-K and one of Tim Wakefield
and Clay Bucholtz. This would be a very hard team to face in a 3 game series
with Lackey then Beckett then Lester. Torture for the Yankees and other
American League teams. Also the Yankees will have to look into oft-injured Ben
Sheets and Justin Duchscherer to get an ace type starter now that Lackey and
Halladay are gone.
Phillies get Halladay
before the holidays. Roy Halladay is very, very close to being a
Philadelphian Phillie. All that stands in his way from having an almost guaranteed
trip to the World Series is a full agreement on players in the deal and a
physical. Cliff Lee would go to the Mariners, Halladay to the Phillies, and prospects
to the Blue Jays. This messes up the Yankees because once again, we can only
turn to Ben Sheets or Justin Duchscherer. Though this is good for the Yankees
because Halladay is out of the AL! I mean Cliff Lee is back in the AL but he is
in the AL West and the Yankees will face him 1-3 times this whole year. Better
than facing Roy Halladay 5 or 6 times a year. Though now the Yankees are very
desperate for a starter which means (like I said before) Ben Sheets, Justin
Duchscherer and perhaps looking into the possibility of King Felix.
Godzilla is red. Just not the way we thought. The
Angels have signed Hideki Matsui to a 1 year, 6.5 million dollar deal. Matsui
is red, just not the way I thought he would. I can’t possibly imagine our World
Series MVP playing for the team we faced in the ALCS. Sad day in my world. This
means that the Yankees are surely going to sign Johnny Damon, and that process isn’t
going very good right now. If that doesn’t work out then the Yankees are left
with Jason Bay and Matt Holliday, and don’t worry the Red Sox aren’t going for
either of them. The Red Sox on the other hand are in serious discussion with
Mike Cameron which is good because that leaves fewer teams that want Matt
Holliday or Jason Bay, which is good in a way.
Pretty much the few good things that come out of this are…
Halladay out of the AL and we have less choices which means we would have a
better chance to sign someone. Everything else is bad. Comments, questions,
disagreements? Feel free to comment.
Update: The Roy Halladay deal turned into a 4 team deal. The A’s are that other team.
- The Phillies get Roy Halladay, Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, Juan Ramirez, and $6MM. The Phillies will give Halladay a three-year extension plus vesting options.
- The Mariners get Cliff Lee.
- The Blue Jays get Kyle Drabek, Brett Wallace, and Travis d’Arnaud.
- The A’s get Michael Taylor.
The Red Sox also signed Mike Cameron to a 2 year deal which means there is almost no chance that they will resign Jason Bay
Thanks to
David Rosvally for details of the John Lackey signing.
TOP 10 REGULAR SEASON TRADES OF 2009
Introducing a new addition to the Yankeeholics blog: a Top 10 section. Every single Saturday we will have a top 10 list. This week, we will be covering the TOP 10 TRADES OF THE 2009 REGULAR SEASON. Let’s get to it.
10.
|
RHP Rafael Betancourt to Rockies |
|
RHP Connor Graham to Indians |
Rafael Betancourt is one of the best middle relievers in baseball, and he played a significant role in helping the Rockies to an unlikely playoff berth. His 1.78 ERA in 25.1 innings with the Rockies was quite impressive, but the question begs to be asked: was having him for half a year worth giving away a talented prospect to the Indians? Cleveland too will be feeling pretty good about this trade. They had no shot at the playoffs, and Betancourt was probably not going to re-sign with them, so they managed to trade him away for a talented young pitcher in Connor Graham. This trade was a fair one, and it ended up panning out well for both teams, but you get the feeling that the Indians benefited more from this swap.
9.
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2B Freddy Sanchez to the Giants |
|
RHP Tim Alderson to the Pirates |
In an interesting move by the Pirates, they gave away the talented Freddy Sanchez for the pitching prospect Tim Alderson. This isn’t the last year of Sanchez’s contract; the Giants will benefit from a full season more of him. In the 25 games he played for San Francisco this season, he hit a respectable .284. But in return, the Pirates are picking up “the next big thing” in Tim Alderson. The Giants had no need for him, since they have Lincecum, Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Joe Martinez for the future, but the Pirates will greet him with open arms. This is another fair trade: both teams are getting a quality player.
8.
|
OF Nyjer Morgan, RHP Sean Burnett to Nationals |
|
OF Lastings Milledge, RHP Joel Hanrahan to Pirates |
An unbelievably stupid move by the Pirates. Though they received two
talented players in Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan, they gave up the 29-year old Nyjer Morgan, who has the potential to become one of the best in baseball. In 49 games with the Nats, he hammered .351 and stole 24 bases. As well as this, he is not at the end of his contract, so the Nats will enjoy his services for another season. Though Milledge (.291 in 58 games with the Bucs) and Hanrahan (1.72 ERA over 31.1 innings with Pittsburgh) did quite well, Nyjer Morgan is much more talented than both of them combined, and it is hard to fathom why the Pirates gave him away.
7.
|
IF-OF Mark DeRosa to Cardinals |
|
RHP Chris Perez, player to be named later to Indians |
This is a trade the did not work out for either team, but in the long run, is better for the Indians. It was unlikely the Derosa would re-sign with Cleveland at the end of 2009, so the Indians went ahead and traded him for young pitcher Chris Perez. Perez has a bright future, projected to be a future star closer, but this year he had a 4.32 ERA over 33.1 innings pitched. Not too impressive, but he is a prospect. The Indians will also be receiving a player to be named, who is likely to be a prospect. The Cards on the other hand got nothing out of this trade. They picked up a 34 year old third baseman (who can play many positions) and he struggled, hitting .228 over 68 games in St. Louis. And his contract is up: he is currently a free agent. The Cardinals got nothing out of this trade, and they lost a talented prospect to the Indians.
6.
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RHP Ian Snell, SS Jack Wilson to the Mariners |
|
C Jeff Clement, SS Ronny Cedeno, P Aaron Pribanic, P Brett Lorin, P Nathan Adcock to Pirates |
A very interesting trade, one in which it is difficult to determine a team that
benefited more. The Pirates gave up two of their stars, in Ian Snell and Jack Wilson, to the Mariners. Neither player is at the end of their contract, so the M’s will get one more year of service out of both of them. Wilson only managed .224 over 31 games with the Mariners, but he will likely do better next year. Snell struggled as well, with a 4.20 ERA over 64.1 innings with Seattle, but he also will probably improve in 2010. In return, the Pirates picked up a host of talents. Jeff Clement is considered one of the best young catchers in baseball, and is considered a HUGE prospect. Cedeno is one of the best defensive shortstops around, and he can hit as well: in 46 games with the Bucs, he hit a respectable .258. If his talent is honed, he could turn into a top class infielder. Nathan Adcock is also considered a pitching prospect. The other two are relatively unknown, and it will be interesting to see how they fare. This trade seems quite even, but we will have to wait and see how it pans out. This is a trade that could influence both ballclubs in a major way.
5.
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LHP Scott Kazmir to the Angels |
|
2B Sean Rodriguez, LHP Alex Torres, IF Matt Sweeney to the Rays |
Kazmir was struggling HUGE with the Rays (5.92 ERA over 111 innings), so they traded him away for 3 prospects. None of the players the Rays received are particularly talented; Alez Torres and Matt Sweeney are both minor propects, and not much is known about Sean Rodriguez. Scott Kazmir went to Anaheim and dominated: he recorded a 1.73 ERA over 36.1 innings. Kazmir isn’t at the end of his contract either; the Angels will have his services for another season. This trade clearly benefited Anaheim, but you can not blame the Rays for trading away Kazmir when he was struggling so much. Who could have guessed he would heat up so much?
4.
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RHP Jake Peavy to the White Sox |
|
P Clayton Richard, P Aaron Poreda, P Adam Russell, P Dexter Carter to the Padres |
At the beginning of the season, Jake Peavy said no to going to Chicago; but as the trade deadline grew closer, Peavy agreed to be shipped to the White Sox. He only played very little with them (because of an injury) but when he played, he starred with a 1.35 ERA over 20 innings. His contract has not expired yet either, so he will be pitching for Chicago next season as well. The Padres did not get much in return: Clayton Richards and Adam Poreda are both minor pitching prospects, and the other two are unheard of. This trade clearly favors the White Sox, and the Padres won’t be too pleased with the prospects they got for Jake Peavy.
3.
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OF Matt Holliday to Cardinals |
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3B Brett Wallace, P Clayton Mortenson, OF Shane Peterson to Athletics |
Oakland knew that there was no chance that Matt Holliday would re-sign with
them at the end of this season, so they gave him to the Cardinals. In exchange, they picked up a MASSIVE prospect in Brett Wallace, who is projected to be the next Evan Longoria. The acquiring of Brett Wallace makes this trade an excellent one for Oakland. This trade also worked quite well for St. Louis. Holliday gave Pujols some protection in the lineup, while slugging .353 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 63 games with the Cardinals. He helped the Cards get to the playoffs, but once there, he made a crucial error in Game 3 of the NLDS that lost the game for his team. He most probably will not re-sign with St. Louis, and though he excelled in the regular season with them, the Cardinals had to give up their biggest prospect just to get half a season from Holliday, who could not slug the Cardinals into the World Series. This trade favors the Athletics.
2.
|
1B/C Victor Martinez to the Red Sox |
|
RHP Justin Masterson, P Nick Hagadone, P Bryan Price to the Indians |
The Red Sox reaped huge rewards from this trade. They picked up the talented 31-year old Victor Martinez to takes over Jason Varitek’s spot in the lineup, and he worked wonders: V-Mart slugged .336 with 8 homers and 41 RBIs in 56 games for the Sox. Brilliant for any player, espacially a catcher. He also has a year left in his contract, so he will be catching for Boston in 2010. The trade doesn’t make much sense for Cleveland: they traded away a brilliant catcher with a year left in his contract, who probably would have re-signed with Cleveland after the 2010 season (since he publicly announced he was sad and disappointed to be leaving the Indians). They didn’t get much in return; Justin Masterson can be good if his talent is harnessed, but he struggled in 2009 with a 4.55 ERA over 57.1 innings pitched with Cleveland. The other two are unheard of, and this trade helps the Indians in now way at all. On the other hand, the Sox picked up a high quality player without giving anybody important away.
1.
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LHP Cliff Lee, OF Ben Francisco to the Phillies |
|
RHP Jason Knapp, RHP Carlos Carrasco, SS Jason Donald, C Lou Marson to the Indians |
According to us, the Cliff Lee trade was the biggest trade of the 2009 season.
Another debatable move from the Indians, since Cliff Lee has a year left in his contract; but all the better for Philadelphia, who will have Lee in their starting rotation in 2010. He was brilliant for the Phillies this year; he had a respectable 3.39 ERA over 79.2 innings with Philadelphia in the regular season, and in the playoffs, he was brilliant, sporting a 1.56 ERA over 40.1 innings. Without him, the Phillies might not have got to the World Series at all. Ben Francisco wasn’t too shabby either: in 37 games with the Phillies, he hit .278, and he has a year left in his contract as well. In return, the Indians got talented pitcher Carlos Carrasco, who is quite a prospect, but other than him, they acquired no one of note. So that is why, mainly because of playoff brilliance, the Cliff Lee trade was the most important one of the 2009 regular season.
There were a couple other major trades that could not make this list: Jeff Franceour went to the Mets, Yuniesky Betancourt went to the Royals, Felipe Lopez went to the Brewers, Tom Gorzenally went to the Cubs, Jarod Washburn went to the Tigers, Orlando Cabrera went to the Twins, Nate McClouth went to the Braves, and Scott Rolen went to the Reds. Though these were all significant trades, they were not important enough to make our list.
And that will wrap up our first ever Top 10 list! Tune in next Saturday for another another Top 10 article. Do you have questions, comments, or disagreements? Feel free to leave us a comment!
We Are Thankful for…
All the money the Yankees have! And with this money the
Yankees can get everything they want on their Halladay shopping list. Or their
Holliday shopping list. Doesn’t matter what you want to call it, both players
are on the list. Not only Matt Holliday and Roy Halladay are on their
offseason shopping list but and bunch of other players too. Now you guys know
what is coming, our analyzing.
Matt Holliday: Well
of course Matt Holliday is on their shopping list because well, he
is probably
the best position player out there. The Yankees will obviously be in the
running for the best player on the market. If they get him than their offense
will be even better than it was last year (yes even the best team can improve).
Roy Halladay: Well
Roy Halladay has really wanted to get to the postseason and win the World
Series. What other team to do that then the Yanks!? Recently the Yankees talked
to Blue Jay’s general manager Alex Anthopoulus about, whom else, Halladay. A
deal that would bring Halladay to NY would probably include Joba Chamberlain,
Phil Hughes, Austin Jackson, Austin Romine, Jesus Montero, and other prospects.
I am not sure I would trade these valuable pieces of future Yankees teams even
if it is for Halladay.
Jason Bay: If the
Yankees don’t manage to get Holliday then Bay is option B. Though Bay 
would be a good option, he was a Red Sox. And we all
know what that means. Bay would be an excellent addition to the team because of
the power he brings to the Yanks. So yes, the Yankees could get Jason Bay.
Curtis Granderson: The
Yankees were rumored to have strong interest in Granderson. I bet they still
do, but nobody is talking about it because of all the free agents and trades
and rumors and such. If the Yanks got Granderson then they would have to give
up Austin Jackson, one of Jesus Montero and Austin Romine, and perhaps Brandon
Laird. These guys have too good of a future to give them up. So I don’t think
that the Yankees should go for Curtis Granderson, but that is our opinion.
These are really the top 4 candidates for becoming a Yankee next year. Some of
you may argue that John Lackey should have made the cut, but I really don’t see
and don’t want him in a Yankee uniform next year.
Happy Hollidays!
WHO SHOULD THE YANKS SIGN?
The Hot Stove has begun and one question lingers in the
minds of every Yankee supporter…who should we sign? Maybe the dangerous Matt
Holliday? Or the clutch Jason Bay?
Or possibly a contract extension for Hideki Matsui? Well, Vignesh and Mrinal
are going to break it down for you and give you a complete analysis of who the
Yanks should and should not sign.
Rick Ankiel-Though it is unlikely the Yankees will
pick up Rick Ankiel, there is a slim chance they may. He is a brilliant
fielder, known for his breath taking dives and jumps, and he will add a spark
to the Yankee outfield. Other than that though…there really is no other
reason for him to come to New York,
other than the fact that he is a handy utility man. In 2009, he could only
scrap together a .231 average, with 11 homers and 38 RBIs in quite a
dissapointing season. With the money and resources the Yankees have, you would
expect they would go after someone a bit more high-profile than Rick Ankiel.
But hey, you never know.
Jason Bay-The Yankees are likely to go after a big
hitting outfielder. There are 5 candidates for this position: Jermaine Dye,
Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Matt Holliday, and, the ex Red Sock, Jason
Bay. Bay enjoyed a fine 2009,
posting a .267 average with 36 homers and 119 RBIs, enough to earn him his
third All Star Game appearance and his first Silver Slugger. He is the type of
player the Yankees would pursue eagerly in order to fill that gap in the
outfield…the problem is, he was a Red Sock. Would he perform as well while
playing for his arch rivals? Would there be no grudges or ill wishes? These are
questions the Yankees must consider before they sign Jason
Bay.
Erik Bedard- The Yankees could use some starting
pitching. Their rotation consists of CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett,and Andy
Pettite…and that’s really where the quality dries up. Joba Chamberlain does
not belong in the rotation, a fact that was proved by his inflated 4.75 ERA in
2009. Sergio Mitre and Chad Gaudin are options but the Yankees would prefer a
more reliable player, like Bedard. In an injury sticken 2009, Bedard went 5-3
with a 2.82 ERA. Certainly better than Mitre and Gaudin will ever do, but there
is a problem: Bedard is plagued by injury. Over the pasts 2 seasons, Bedard has
managed a miniscule 15 starts apiece, and has only made more than 30 starts
once in his seven year career, back in 2006 with the Orioles. Though he is a
quality pitcher, he is a risky person to sign, and the Yankees will have to
think about his injury issues before giving him a conract.
Adrian Beltre-There is close to zero chance the Yankees will sign
Beltre. They have one of the best third basemen in baseball in Alex Rodriguez,
and Beltre is not really a great player anymore, posting a .265 average with 8
home runs and 44 RBIs in an injury hit 2009. The only way Beltre would come to
the Yankees would be if A-Rod suffers a serious injury over the off
season…but otherwise, Beltre is not headed to New York.
Rafael Betancourt -For most of the year, the Yankees
had a good, solid, reliable bullpen, and Rafael Betancourt would be an unneeded
luxury. The Yankees have Hughes as a good eigth inning specialist, Rivera as
the best closer in baseball, and Bruney, Coke, Aceves, and Marte as solid
pitchers who can keep the game tight. Betancourt is not required and there is a
low chance he will come to New York…but
the Yankees have plenty of money to spare and if Brian Cashman feels like he
needs some experience in the bullpen, Betancourt might be in pinstripes in
2010.
Johnny Damon-Will Johnny Damon wear pinstripes ever again? He had a fine season with the Yankees in 2009, putting up a .282 average with 24 home runs and 82 RBIs from the top of the order. Though his speed is no longer a threat, he remains a highly effective player who provides power at the front end of the lineup. He is the guy who can spark a rally, who can liven up a clubhouse, who can come through in the clutch. But the fact remains that he is aging and with so many other elusive outfielders on the market, Brian Cashman might be tempted to go after a younger, fitter player. But none of the other potential outfield candidates can bat at the top of the order like Damon can…Bay, Holliday, Matsui, and Dye are all middle order hitters, who are not capable of dropping down the odd bunt or beating out an infield single. So though Damon is getting older, there is a good chance he will be a Yankee once again.
Jermaine Dye-Out of the five in the running for a Yankee outfield position, Jaermaine Dye is the least likely to get the job. He is 35, slow as molasses, and his abilities are diminishing every year. In 2009, he only hit .250, with 27 home runs and 81 RBIs, all quite poor numbers for a man in the heart of the lineup. He has a cannon for an arm, but other than that, there really is no reason the Yankees would pick him up. As well as this, he is likely to demand an expensive and long contract, and it is doubtful whether the Yanks will give into that request. Bottom line: chances are close to nil that Jermaine Dye will wear pinstripes.
Chone Figgins-There is no reason in the world why the Yankees would pick up Chone Figgins, unless Alex Rodriguez suffers a serious injury. Figgins had a decent season, hitting .298, but was low on both the home run and RBI counts, with 5 and 54 respectively. He stole an impressive 42 bases, but his speed alone is not going to displace A-Rod from third base. The Yankees infield is simply too full to accomodate Figgins, and it will take a miracle to make him a Bronx Bomber.
Rich Harden-It is difficult to predict whether or not Rich Harden will become a Yankee, but we are leaning towards him not wearing pinstripes in 2009. He is very prone to injury first of all…in only one of his seasons has he passed 30 starts, and that was back in 2004. He was absolutely brilliant in 2008, going 10-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 25 starts, but in 2009, he disappointed, going 9-9 with a 4.09 ERA in 26 starts. On the other hand though, he is a young pitcher (only 28) who clearly has talent has potential that needs to be harnessed. He could fill that empty spot in the rotation for the Yankees, and he could prove to be a worthy acquisition. In the end though, he is just to risky to sign. What if he suffers a major injury that puts his career on hold, like Carl Pavano did? Then the Yankees will be stuck paying his medical bill and his high salary without receiving anything. We doubt the Yankees will take that risk and sign Harden, but the possibility of Harden coming to New York can not be entirely ruled out.
Matt Holliday-Of all the free agents on this list, this is the man I think has the best chance of going to New York. He’s only 29 and he had a fantastic season, batting .313 with 24 home runs and 109 RBIs with the Athletics and the Cardinals. He is worth the high contract he is sure to demand, and throughout the season, he has spoken of his interest in going to the Yankees. He has the ability to handle the pressures of New York, and he is a fine outfielder, with a good arm and decent speed (14 stolen bases in 2009). Brian Cashman will do everything in his power to bring Holliday to the Yankees. There is a problem though: Holliday was brilliant in St. Lousi during his brief stint with the Cardinals, and he might want the chance to bat behind Albert Pujols a bit more. But if the Yanks can dissuade him from staying a Cardinal, he is perfect for the Bronx Bombers, as he fills the gaping hole in the outfield, and he does everything well. This guy has a great chance of wearing pinstripes in 2010.
Orlando Hudson-It is extremely unlikely that Hudson will come to New York. The Yankees have found a fine second baseman in Robinson Cano who had a higher batting average than Hudson (.320 to .283), more homeruns (25 to 9), more RBIs (85 to 62), and at age 27, is 5 years younger than Hudson. Though Hudson had a nice season, it was nowhere as good as Cano’s, and unless Cano suffers a serious injury, Hudson won’t be wearing pinstripes anytime soon.
John Lackey-There is a good chance that the Angel’s ace of 2009 might be with the Yankees in 2010. The Yanks are looking for someone to fill a spot in the rotation, and Lackey might just be that person. In 2009, he was sub-par, going 11-8 with a 3.83 ERA, but Brian Cashman might consider him perfect to be the number four starter in the Yankee rotation (after Sabathia, Burnett, and Pettite). Lackey is 31, and still has a few years left in him…and he could give the lower part of the Yankee rotation strength, stability, and experience. At this point, he seems a perfect fit for the Yankees.
Hideki Matsui-Matsui had a successful 2009 with the Yankees, posting a .274 average with 28 homers and 90 RBIs and winning the World Series MVP. But it is quite unlikely that he will return to New York. His poor knees confine him to the DH role, which takes away from the flexibilty of the lineup for New York. He will not be able to participate in any games in National League stadiums and he will often have to be pinch run for. Take into consideration the fact that there are so many other elusive outfielders on the market, and you come to the conclusion that the 35 year old Matsui just finished his last season in New York.
Bengie Molina-We highly doubt the Bengie will be coming to the Yankees. First off, the Yanks have Posada, and Bengie will be forced to be a backup catcher, a position he is too good for and will not be happy playing. Second, Bengie is 35…the Yankees will be on the lookout for a young, talented catcher in order to replace Posada when he retires, and Bengie does not fit that description. Third, Bengie is not an exemplary hitter…he could only manage a .265 average with 20 homers and 80 RBIs during 2009. That’s decent, but probably not enough to convince the Yankees to sign Bengie. The only thing Molina has working for him is that he has a fantastic arm…but that alone will not be good enough to earn him a spot on the Yankee roster.
Placido Polanco-Polanco had a fine 2009, picking up his second Gold Glove while posting a .285 average with 10 homers and 72 RBIs, but it was simply not enough to displace Cano as the Yankee second baseman. We showed you Cano’s numbers earlier, and as well as beating Polanco in every catergory, Cano is seven year
s younger than the Detroit second baseman. So unless Cano suffers a serious injury, Polanco will not be coming to New York in 2010.
And that will wrap up our predictions for who the Yankees will sign this off season! Don’t forget to post your opinions! It is sure to be an exciting off season, and Yankeeholics will provide you with comprehensive coverage of it all.
Curtis Granderson To the Yanks?
The Tiger’s all star centerfielder Curtis Granderson is on the trading block and the Yankees
are interested. You ask why? To get an upgrade from Melky Cabrera and Brett
Gardner. If the Yankees do pick up Curtis, Melky would move over to left and
the Yankees might not sign Damon or Matsui. If they don’t sign Damon or Matsui
then that means they might sign Jason Bay or Matt Holliday or vice versa.
Curtis Granderson would give the Yankees speed and good defense in centerfield.
Granderson would also give the Yankees the power that Matsui and Damon had. Granderson did hit .249 in 09 though it was 30 points lower than what he hit in 08, and 50 points lower than what he hit in 07. So will the Yankees make this trade? We
will find out.
The Hot Stove Begins!
The Hot Stove begins!
In MLB Hot stove
begins. Players will begin to switch uniforms and rake in cash. Teams will
slowly become different and we will have it all here. There are plenty of
questions this Hot Stove. Will the hated Red Sox chose Matt Holliday over Jason
Bay? Will our Yankees make a big free agent move this offseason and pick up
Holliday or Bay? Or will the Mets pick him up to fill the “slugger” Omar Minaya needs? We will have
every trade made this offseason analyzed. We will have all the big free agent signings discussed in detail (by us of course) and you the fans will agree and
disagree. Go Yankees!
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