The Yankees are in serious talks with free agent utility man Jerry Hairston Jr., according to a tweet by ESPN's Chris Singleton. New York has "serious interest" in Hairston, and would use him to spell Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, as well as possibility platoon in left.
Last night we heard that there were five teams interested in Hairston, who's hit .281/.343/.432 in 730 plate appearances over the last two seasons while playing six positions. He finished the year as a World Champion with the Yanks.
Hairston is a helluva utility man, and I never realized it.
That’s not a half-bad slash line.
he only hit .250 last year
Even if he doesn’t hit, he’s still a good utility man.
I’m just sayin’, if he can keep a line like that, he could easily fit into LF and bat ninth, and no one would notice.
i hope this doesnt mean bye bye damon
they said goodbye months ago
but his asking price may get lower
they didnt say bye they said were not payin that much…
YES!!! Love Hairston, very good signing.
You won’t win championships because of Hairston, but you can sure lose without a guy like him. Sign him, Ca$h.
This is the most logical choice. Platoon Hairston and Gardner in left until Gardner fully develops.
YES!!!! Love Hairston, very good signing.
damon goodbye
see ya jonny
it was nice…
Im fine with jerry…
Kind of hate to see them get Hairston as a b/u guy when Damon/Nady/Ankiel/Winn types are still out there, then Boston went and got a far worse such player in Billy Hall, only because somebody else was going to pay for him and cut the CBT. Still wouldn’t rule out getting another better 4th OF and would further cut down on demands of Damon/Nady/Ankiel yet again perhaps.. Might actually be a way to further lower salary demands and get a super utility Amezega, Bloomquist, or Hall type that can actually hit some?
Pretty smart move by Cashman if he can get him for 1-2M, then follow up with one of the Boras clients for less than 5M.
This signing, if it were to happen, does not mean the end of Damon exactly. Hairston is a versatile bench player that can play almost every postion except pitcher. I say Damon may yet be had for a 1/7 deal if he really wants to remain with the Yanks.
damon must feel like a jack_ _ _ for not taking that 2 year 14 million offer he had earlier this winter.
No, Damon is gone for good. Signing Hairston means that they could possibly place Ramiro Pena in AAA to start the year, which I believe would be a good thing for him. If the Yankees see Hairston as their utility man off the bench, that just might mean that they are still looking for an OF bench bat.
Take some pine and collect rings, not a bad gig, unless you would prefer to actually play.
He plays all around the diamond. He’s GONNA play.
I am well aware of his versatility! Other teams that were interested like the A’s or Padres to only name a couple, he would have came close to a full year with other teams in Ab’s and games.
This isn’t ganna end Damon. There getting hairston for the bench. Not to platoon with Gardner.
Reed Johnson will platoon with gardner when they sign him
I love this signing. Great utility guy. He isn’t great but he’s good. The Yanks had a disparity for many years in the early 2000’s between having great Cooperstown-bound players, over-the-arch former all stars and really bad utility guys filling the void. They’ve finally put together a team of very good players not just dominated by all-stars and fillers. Hairston, Jr. is perfect for this kind of a dynamic. I’d like to see a 1 year/$1.5MM deal with a club option for a 2nd year at $1.5MM.
I agree with others. This doesn’t block Damon from returning at all. It simply solidifies our bench and gives us an option to platoon in LF if Damon doesn’t return. Nice solid bench with Cervelli, Hairston, and Pena. If Damon doesn’t return I would like them to add Randy Winn since he’s a switch hitter who plays good/decent defense in LF/CF/RF. Between Hairston and Winn that could be a ton of versatility.
Hairston would certainly fill the utility role well, he’d just be one of the more costly ones in the league, and it’s not like that is any obstacle for the Yankees.
I wonder if the Yankees are ganna sign some big power bench guy since Hinske isn’t out there anymore? Any of you guys have any suggestions who would they get to be the Bench Power Hitter.
I think (and hope) Juan Miranda makes the team. He’ll provide some pop.
I think their going to go with Juan Miranda. Cause of the fact that the organization says that he has power and can be a good DH in the future
He had one good year (2008) as a hitter, a complete fluke. Career 85 OPS+. He’s a good utility man, nothing more.
That is an incredible line for a utility man, did anyone else know he had such a great line? But obviously this doesn’t mean the end of Damon. The yankees didn’t sign him to play leftfield.
Damon has to suck it up and realize he isn’t that good. 17 home runs at YANKEE STADIUM and 7 on the Road obviously means something. He’ll only be a good player if he’s on the Yankees.
Look….Damon obviously benefited from the short porch in RF but let’s not act as if this guy is a bad player away from the NYS. Even if he matched his home hr totals with his road, 36 dbls, 14 hrs and a .282/.365 line from your #2 is pretty good. He was still a decent hitter on the road @ .284/.349. 2009 wasn’t the 1st year he hit 20+ hrs as he did it with the Sox in 2004 and with the Yanks in OYS in 2006.
If they could bring back Damon then I think that easily gives them the best and deepest lineup in baseball.
Jeter
Damon
Tex
Arod
Posada
Granderson
Cano
Swisher
Johnson
Can you imagine book ending the line up with 4 great OBP guys like Jeter, Damon, Swisher and Johnson? Talk about frustrating the opposing pitchers.
That might be one of the reasons Epstein went with pitching instead of overpaying for Bay. Why try and match up with the NYY lineup? He couldn’t.. Try to matchup rotation wise and have somebody that can get them out instead, then have guys on short term contracts that will end next year (Lowell, Ortiz, Beltre etc..) and retool afterward.
Nobody in their right mind is going to deny the NYY lineup is not the best, maybe some delusional Phillie fans, but they are incorrect to say the least YFS78. The only way Boston can try (in2010) to beat them head on is to try and out pitch them as I see it.
I think Rick Ankiel is a better idea. He’s a better hitter than Hairston and I think he could be very productive in our hitters delight stadium.
“Serious Talks” for a 4th outfielder. Lol
Well, he strengthens the bench a boatload and also can give guys like Cano, Jeter, A-Rod, or Swisher while still having a somewhat decent bat with some pop in the lineup.
Yeah, i’m checking out Jamie Hoffman’s numbers in the dominican league. They aren’t so great. .235/.316/.309 with 0 HR’s and 5 RBI’s in 21 games. Nothing special with this kid so far.
I’d love to see him back.
I’d play him over Gardner. But thats just me. Especially if he plays like he did in 08′, before he got hurt.
I remember the guy botched a grounder during Pettitte’s no hitter. (Or was it a perfect game? Doesn’t really matter either way)
Then again, he can play all the positions… (even catcher)
As long as he isn’t starting, I’m up for his return.
Yeah he botched a ground ball during Pettitte’s perfect game. But he made a good play on a tough ground ball 1 play earlier. So he got the hard one but missed the easy one.
he is still just the guy that ruined andy pettitte’s perfect game to me.. 7th inning error.. ugh.. andy was rollin’
This would be a very bad move.
I am really hoping they bring back Damon. Otherwise, everyone can kiss Carl Crawford goodbye next off season. By signing damon two years, theyd probably miss out on him.
Picking up hairston and Reed Johnston would give you more options for the same value as Johnny Damon. Hairston and Johnston combined made less than the available “cap” space left in the Yanks’ budget, while Damon is still asking for a couple mil more than the Yanks are willing to pay.
I say get Hairston locked up NOW! He provides tremendous versatility which will allow us to rest key veterans all season long so they’re fresh (& not hurt) for the playoffs. Also, if/when there is an injury, Hairston fills in with Pena as the utility guy. Finally, it gives Cashman more leverage with Damon. This is a no lose move IMO.
I say sign Hairston and wait till next year for a free agent left fielder.