Only one MLB team outscored the 2011 Yankees, but manager Joe Girardi wouldn’t object if GM Brian Cashman adds one more bat to the roster before Opening Day. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports that Girardi suggested he’d prefer a left-handed hitter and openly discussed free agents Johnny Damon, Raul Ibanez and Hideki Matsui.
"I think we've had a good offseason; I think Brian has done a really good job this offseason in what he's done,” he said. “But I think it's important to our club that you add that other bat. The American League is going to be tough."
Girardi said he’d prefer to add a left-handed hitter, though the club won't rule out right-handed bats. A lefty hitter would provide Girardi with a complement to Andruw Jones, who has power from the right side. The skipper acknowledged that Damon, Matsui and Ibanez have historically been strong offensive players, but cautioned that it’s too early to say which of those left-handed hitters, if any, are serious targets for the Yankees. Damon and Vladimir Guerrero appear to be seeking $5MM contracts for 2012.
it be interesting to have Guerrero on the team. The guy can still hit, and hell benefit with playing at Yankee stadium. Hell be a nice change of pace in the yankee lineup, that work counts, and take a bunch of pitches. If the Yankees are dead set on only playing 2 mill, i believe Matsui can be had at that price, i doubt Damon would settle for that little. I’m not sure about Ibanez
damon is at a point now where he will have to accept 1 million inorder to play. no one wants him, i mean its bad when teams are going after a guy who will have to serve a 50 game suspension over damon,vlad, and lbanez.
Maybe, but im sure he can get more. Thats b/c Manny has the chance of putting greater offensive numbers then all 3 of those, even without the 50 games.
Yankee Stadium would do nothing for Vlad. He’s not an opposite field HR hitter.
hes plays well in hitters parks, we all saw what he did in Arlington.
Baltimore is a hitter’s park and his power numbers still dropped.
In what world does Vlad take pitches?
i didnt say he did, i said hed be a nice change of pace from a Yankee lineup that works counts
Yeah, having four guys hit 20 plus homeruns in your lineup last season is not enough. Cano, Texeira, Swisher, Granderson and Alex Rodriguez (who should hit more than 20 if healthy all season) and they totally need another bat.
Sorry that our Front Office is not concerned with being good, but being the best. Jelly?
i can see them making a trade by the deadline for ethier.
I get that argument, I’m just saying it’s not like they “need” another bat. there are better ways for them to improve the team
It doesn’t make sense to try to make improvements?
no it does, I just think it’s odd that the Yanks think they “need” another bat when they are in really good offensive shape as is and could allocate that money in the draft or other needs. No hate here.
If it becomes evident that they need a bat midway through the season, they could always trade for one at the deadline.
C’Mon JeDi trade Abreu. Morales is finally looking healthy (knock on wood) not to mention Trumbo and Wells.
Do they really need a DH added to the mix? Am thinking that Cashman may be thinking a bit about the age of a few of the people already on the roster and they may need that DH spot sometimes.
Not that an Ibanez/Damon type could not happen, but not a FT DH
He’s looking for a part-time, preferably lefty DH to complement Jones. A 1 year deal isn’t going to mean anything. Who, other than Arod, needs to DH and has a bat that MUST be in the lineup? If Jeter needs rest he can just sit on the bench.
That was what thinking also.. Rotate Jones and Rodriquez back and forth vs lefties and then just a LH guy as a PT guy.. Not someone to get a ton of AB and can’t see someone like Damon agreeable to a situation like that, but perhaps Ibanez would?
Jeter was btw the other person thinking they may want to rest some and also rotate into the DH spot if he makes a comeback with his offense. It could get a little touchy there tho since they may try to DH Rodriquez at least once a week to keep him fresh?
Adam Done is available
two dozen baseballs (Don’t have to be new)???
PS – must pay shipping costs
“Adam Done”
I see what you did there….
Russell Branyan
he’ll put the Yanks over the top!
Wouldn’t it make sense to sign someone who can play more than OF or DH if needed when Arod or Jeter goes down? Nunez is pretty solid but can’t back up everyone can he?
Such as who?
Wasn’t there talk of Bill Hall to NY?
Yes there were rumors, but let’s face it, the guy sucks. He can’t hit.
haha safe to say bill hall is done, youd be better off bringing back ruths dead corpse.
Chavez can play the field for a little while, if needed. Assuming he’s healthy himself, which I know isn’t necessarily a safe assumption.
Nothing more funny than trading away a guy who will drive in 100 run’s and hit 30 hr’s and than say you need more hitting.
Why is that funny? It would make sense if anything. It would even make more sense if that guy has actually ever hit 30/100.
if anything..ur comment makes no sense.
Of course I make no sense, because it makes perfect sense that you would trade away offense and not want to get more. How ridiculous of them to want more offense when they traded away that much.
Simple math, if you trade away a DH, you need a DH.
Yes, exactly. It’s not funny, it makes perfect sense.
and they traded away a kid who no one knows for sure will ever hit 30 HR’s. he played what a total of 20 games? lets see how he does in seattle before saying it was a dumb move. for all we know the trade could be a win for the yankees and a loss for the mariners. just like when they traded lee to the rangers and got nothing in return. sorry but smoak has not showing much of anything.
i agree that it makes sense that it makes no sense
Oh no worries, your sound logic was clear the first time.
Yanks have plenty of young pitching. No young hitting. Let’s add another 38-40 year old player.
Even funnier when you use said hitter to acquire a possible stud pitcher. Look, I have a man-crush on Montero but the Yanks used a strength to acquire a need and they got a guy who is young and under team control for 5 years instead of a 30 + year old who might have seen their better days.
Yankees need Manny.
…Banuelos to convert to a 50hr Right Fielder? Surely it wasn’t Ramirez comma Manny. #MLBTradeRumorsHumor
Oh really? Who’s going to DH the first 50 games of the year?
Posada
Retired and not coming back. Thanks for playing.
One of my uncle’s friends knows Posada and he is thinking about changing his mind on the retirement and coming back. You’re Welcome.
One of my cousin’s friends cleans his house and he has said it’s not happening. See, I can do that too.
One of my uncle’s friends knows Posada and he is thinking about changing his mind on the retirement and coming back. You’re Welcome.
Richie sexson.
Ankiel…perfect fit for that team…
I lke Guerrero because he’s such a high energy player. His power numbers are much better than Damon’s. Matsui is the worst of those four. Too old and too banged up. I don’t want to see them bring back Damon or Matsui. Nobody is ever any good when a team brings them back for a second go around. I think Guerrero would be enough but a Guerrero/Ibanez DH duo could be awesome. Ibanez is in better shape than Damon and Matsui and he corrected a flaw in his swing over the winter. The DH shouldn’t be taken lightly and the Yanks shouldn’t fool around with rotating DHs or Jorge Vasquez with no experience.
Guerrero – .290/.317/.416 ISO – .126
Damon – .261/.326/.418 ISO – .156
Your comparison of Guerrero and Damon is incorrect. Damon put up better power numbers playing in a pitcher’s park, while Guerrero played in a hitter’s park.
I would would like to see ibanez of vlad they can still hid and with the short porch In right field
Vlad is a RH hitter.
Eh, I think you’d be better off with someone with a bit more power.
Like who?
Ibanez DH vs. Righties and Jones DH vs. Lefties would work well for them.
Damon’s power numbers have dropped off. So who is your left handed bat in the 81 games away from YS?
type, not speak…but okay, whatever floats on your boat.
Except Figgins isn’t a hitter anymore and his defense is at replacement level. Soriano is more valuable than Figgins.
done
except the Yankees have a glut of C prospects in their system, and Gary Sanchez in A ball that is seen to be better defensively than Montero (though that’s not hard to do) while having a good bat. the trade is a win for both sides because the M’s have to overpay for power nowadays, and so now have a prospect who’s known for it, and the Yankees get Pineda the FOR potential that we desperately need.
He was not slated to get any regular catching time in NY…he was behind both Martin and Cervelli….he is not a good defensive catcher…at best his career will be spent DH’ing
Damon and Matsui are 38. Vlad is 37. Ibanez is 40. In 2010 he had a slash line of .298/.409/.460 in only196 ABs. He can be more impactful then those 4 guys. I’m not promoting him to go to the Yankees, but he can end up having the best season out of all of them.
It would be wild to see Manny in a Yankee uniform at the plate in Fenway…but a lefty bat like Ibanez or Damon is probably a better idea since Andruw Jones will be the DH against lefties when one of the “old” guys like Jeter, A-Rod, etc are not in that role on a particular day.
YES! Thank you so much lol
You can’t have too much hitting. Guerrero, Ibanez, Damon and Matsui are no risk $5MM investments. They’re like municipal bonds, no risk. Nunez has shown that he’s no better than a backup. He’ll never hit over a full season, only in a fill in role for a few games. And his defense is awful.
No risk? A $5M contract and 10 games into the season one blows a knee…your budget for a DH is gone. Or they put up less than replacement level WAR. All signings are a risk.