Cashman talks about the Swisher deal
-
- November
- 13
Here’s Brian Cashman commenting on the trade:
Swisher is not here to play CF. Cashman made that clear. He’s here to play 1B. Cashman did not close the door to anything else happening (he never does), but it’s pretty evident that they see Swisher playing 1B and having the ability to play LF or RF on occasion. That would enable them to keep Jorge Posada in the lineup once in a while as the 1B.
Jeff Marquez was on the 40-man roster while Jhonny Nunez would have required Rule 5 protection. Kanekoa Texeira does not require such protection. The side benefit to this move is roster flexibility.
There is no “losing” Wilson Betemit. There is dumping Wilson Betemit.
The White Sox save money on this deal, that’s their upside. Swisher never quite fit there for assorted reasons, mainly Ozzie Guillen using him at the top of the order. Marquez could turn into something. Nunez was a guy they got for Alberto Gonzalez in July. No big loss.
This move allows the Yankees to focus their attention (and money) on starting pitching. Mark Teixeira just lost a lot of leverage.
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The funniest part is that there are actually people who thought Cashman was going to spend $180-$200 million for a 1st baseman.
C’mon, not even the Yankees can afford CC, AJ/Lowe, Pettitte, AND Teixeria. If we did, that is about $75 million right there and all the flexibility that we’ve been trying to get is now gone.
This move allows the Yankees to focus their attention (and money) on starting pitching. Mark Teixeira just lost a lot of leverage.
That is kind of awesome.
Also, what happened to being able to use html coding in posts?
for what it’s worth, here are observations from a colleague who’s a knowledgeable ChiSox fan:
“Swisher is good. He took alot of walks – which the White Sox don’t like, because they prefer aggressive hitters (read: hitters who strike out alot). He’s a slightly below-average CF, but great at 1st.”
Cashman your next step should deal Nady while you can.
Not gonna lie. I still want the real Teixeira.
Not gonna lie I don’t a give a damn about Teixeira
Brandon,
Agree 100%. Nady is kind of redundant. .280 hitter, strikes out a lot, low OBP, no speed etc.
Sell high on him.
The Angels will be in need of a 1baseman in about 30 days…..Swisher is a very good pickup…...
Typical Cashman. As stealth as it gets. At the start of the day, nobody could have projected this deal.
As Peter says, it’s the flexability that’s what to like.
Here’s a pitcher and article about this Texeria kid
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Mar/14/sp/hawaii803140361.html
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Not one NY beat writer got the inside on Swisher, another example of how little they all know.
Heyman however seems to be more accurate then the rest (on Yankee moves), but only announcing them just before they go down.
Maybe Heyman knows Bobcat.
Great trade. This is a good start.
As many have said, no need for the boatload of cash for Tex. So the Yanks got Tex-lite…now the can get CC-heavy.
i sure hope cashman is bluffing by saying swish is at 1b.. he needs to be at CF or this move does not improve us
This’s ****ing stupid. So much for getting a glove at 1b. So now we still have no CF and a poor option at 1b. This is a horrible move.
Teix and C.C. are the type of young players in their prime that you open up the purse strings for. There is no point in having a financial advantage if you aren’t going to use it on players like them. The fact that they happen to hit the free agent market at the same time doesn’t change that.
They are repeating the Beltran mistake all over again.
Didn’t think they would sell so low on Swisher.
Kind of like we did with Tabata
Heyman by far is the best at breaking stories.
He isin’t very good at analyzing the game (like Francessa asks him to do), but as far as retrieving info and breaking stories… doesn’t get much more accurate than him.
“Heyman however seems to be more accurate then the rest (on Yankee moves), but only announcing them just before they go down.”
Baseball prospectus had it first.
Bubby Crosby is our starting centerfielder.
—Not gonna lie I don’t a give a damn about Teixeira
You will when Swisher is hitting in the low 200s and not driving anybody in.
You will when we play LAA and Tex puts a major hurting on us.
Be happy with the trade now because you probably won’t be come June.
The acquisition of the switch-hitting Swisher creates two interesting scenarios – he could play either first base or center field. The Yankees have been looking for a center fielder who can provide more offense than Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner, but it also gives them an option at first base if they decide not to pursue slugger Mark Teixeira.
The Yankees believe Swisher’s poor average was a function of a strained relationship with Chisox manager Ozzie Guillen, major-league sources said.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/11/13/2008-11-13_yankees_acquire_nick_swisher_from_white_.html
“Bubby Crosby is our starting centerfielder.”
I hope to God you are right.
“Baseball prospectus had it first.”
This particular move maybe, but Heyman definitely has a good source.
i love the betemit comment
The only downside and problem I see here is Swisher’s hefty contract. He’s got 3 years remaining and will make $9 million in that final year, I don’t think a .245 hitter who is a role player is worth anything near that.
You know the big G just shed a tear when he heard this news. Any chance of that door being slightly cracked open for him is now sealed shut.
Thank God this board wasn’t around in the offseason of ‘92 They would have been lambasting the Front office dealing Kelly to the Reds for some 29 year old OF who hit .246….
Laura,
Forget the Angels, I’m more worried about the Red Sox signing him. They like him so much they are willing to trade their WS MVP Lowell and move Youkallis to a different position just to get him.
Right now, the Angels would be the best case scenario for us.
Ellsbury-Pedroia-Youkallis-Ortiz-Teixeria-Bay-Drew-Lowrie-Salty/Max Ramirez
is FAR better than
Damon, Jeter, Matsui, A-Rod, Posada, Swisher, Cano, Nady, Gardner.
Doesn’t matter if you get CC and clone him 4 times, we scored 200 less runs than last year.
The fact that BOTH Boston and the Angels have Tex at the top of their shopping list tells you alot. If we pass on him that would be extremely disappointing. Cashman has a great poker face and I don’t believe we’ll stop pursuing Tex until he signs somewhere else.
Also, the “give CC whatever he wants” crowd needs to calm down. If he gets 6+ years, he’ll probably be mediocre for at least half of them. I know we’re desperate for pitching but this is embarrassing. I’m not saying not to pursue CC, but I would rather give Tex 7 years than give CC 6 years.
Swisher-Nady-Gardner at the bottom of the lineup?
AL East pitchers are popping champagne in their winter homes as we speak. Will our lineup be better than Baltimore’s?
He does more of this
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200809063429865
alot of NYers will change thier tune.
Why do people keep saying Swisher can play CF for the Yanks? Cashman just said he would only be in CF for emergencies. Swisher is the starting 1B unless Teixeira is open to signing a reasonable deal (I doubt it). Pete made a good point that Posada can take 1B occasionally which puts Swisher on the bench or in one of the corners.
This is a great move simply because Cashman traded away 3 pieces with little value and got back a legitimate starting 1B.
Don’t look at this move alone, the offseason isn’t over.. its just beginning. The offense looks weak now but I can see multiple areas of possible improvement. RF and CF look like prime spots for upgrades. I’d be happy with Nady starting in RF next year but who knows maybe Cashman will look at a guy like Brian Giles. Maybe he will resign Abreu.
When did the Sox get Salty or Max Ramerez?
—Not gonna lie I don’t a give a damn about Teixeira
You will when Swisher is hitting in the low 200s and not driving anybody in.
You will when we play LAA and Tex puts a major hurting on us.
Be happy with the trade now because you probably won’t be come June.
I pray you are kidding about Swisher. For the sake of humanity.
I didn’t realize that Cashman was visting the space station.
Our greatest post season competition are the Angels, Sox, Rays next year. Do you really thing we are going to just let them have Tex so we can cut our salary this year?
The Red Sox want Tex for a reason, because he is a franchise player at a premium position. A switch hitter, gold glover, and power hitter at age 28.
Just another case of Theo outsmarting Cashman… he will trade for a young Texas Catcher, sign Tex and a cheap innings eater like Lowe while we get Swisher who hit .219 and has no position and beg CC, who doesn’t even want to come here, to join our staff by wooing him with 40% higher offers.
The only way this makes sense if this is apart of a larger deal and he doesn’t end up playing 1st.
I like the Swisher deal – it’s the kind of deal the Yanks rarely make and should do more often. Buy low.
That said, Swisher’s still a gamble. His 08 season was not that good, and if he doesn’t bounce back to his 2006 and 2007 numbers then he won’t help that much.
I don’t see this as shutting out Texeira at all. I see this as a defensive move in case we can’t sign Texera. If we do sign Texeira, there’s plenty of ABs for Swisher in the OF, as Nady and Swisher are complementary players (Nady hits lefties better, Swisher righties), and the CF position is far from settled.
I still think they’ll try to land Texeira. Without a bat like that our offense just isn’t going to get it done.
Excellent illustration Tom…..
thank you to all, for the input on Swisher (intangibles)
trading two players on the 40-man and another that had to be protected this offseason, make this a positive trade.
yes. Would like to see Nady shopped. From my view, he is a bench player
harwood,
It appears so. Why else did we acquire Swisher? Not to play CF.
Cashman is allergic to getting a real 1st baseman.
SF radio station just reported RUMOUR that the Angels might play ball in the Manny sweepstakes. Or at least Boras would like the Dodgers et al to think so.
Okay, let’s get something straight.
No one in baseball is going to trade for Mike Lowell. He has no trade protection (and took less money years to stay in Boston) and just had hip surgery.
Unless the Red Sox take back Barry Zito for him straight up and take all of Zito’s money (not happening) that’s about all you can trade a rehabbing hip injured Lowell for right now.
Lowell makes a lot of money and took the NTC to stay in Boston. Why would he waive it?
So for Boston to sign Tex, they will have a logjam at the corners with big money committed to all the players…I don’t think they are going to do that.
I think the same reasons the Yankees might not want to get Tex for 8-10 years will be the same reasons Boston won’t want him.
If the Yankees want Texeira at 1b, they know they are going to have to top 160 million since Tex already passed up over 150 million from Texas last season before the trade deadline.
Getting Swisher gives the team options and gives us the type of player who may change the culture in the clubhouse a bit.
These are good things.
The best part about this deal is Cashman has the option to still sign Tex and trade Nady or Damon for something else we need and we can move Swisher to the OF.
The off season is just starting. This was a good warning shot.
This is idiotic. Re: CC and a 7 year deal “He’ll probably be mediocre for half of them”, how the heck do you know that? He’s had a track record that suggests he’ll be better than mediocre, dimwit. Swisher-Nady-Gardner is a pretty respectable 7-8-9, in fact it’s better than what a lot of teams run out there. Last thread we had Laura playing the PED card as to why Swisher won’t be any good anymore because apparently we’re still playing the McCarthyist witch-hunt game for players who have a down year. I guess that means Cano is a PED user. What a joke. It’s a good trade, one good trade on the day before free agency starts, and people have already made up their minds about exactly how the team will look come April 2009. Puh-lease.
I don’t know what conference call Peter was listening to but I heard nothing to make me think they aren’t going to be in on the Teix market.
Why are we complaining about Swisher?
It’s Nady who is the weak link now. Atleast Swish has his high OBP to hang his hat on. What does Nady do well?
Trade Nady, put Swisher in RF, and then go out and get a real 1B.
I think this is a good trade, but only if Swisher ends up in an OF spot. Without Tex our offense just isn’t improved enough from last year and I still can’t see us making the playoffs even if we add CC.
Passing on Tex feels an awful lot like passing on Beltran. There is a reason guys get big contracts.
Do you people really believe this franchise would gamble on a position player after the year we had when there is a big money low risk all star waiting for a contract?
vinny-b,
Still holding out hope for Blalock?
WRITE THIS DOWN: at the end of CC’s & Tex’s next contract, Tex will be viewed as BY FAR the better deal.
Say it out loud, “I’m going to give an over-worked, 300+ pound guy, who would rather play in his home state, a 6 year deal (in spite of history telling us it’s a bad trend)”——doesn’t sound good, does it?
LOVE THIS TRADE
“Swisher homers in the NICK if timeâ€
“SWISH…St. Nick delivers again!†It’s Christmas in June!!!
â€...It is high… it is far it’s gone… a SWISHER SWEET for Nick†give that man a cigar!
†a Nick nack paddywack gives the Yanks the lead!!!!!!!â€
Thank god they shed Betemit. He was taking up space and playing awful defense in the course of it.
I want to know more about this Kanekoa Texeira guy. His numbers sound pretty good. Only 22. Sounds like he has a higher ceiling than the two pitchers the Yanks traded away.
“Trade Nady, put Swisher in RF, and then go out and get a real 1B.”
I’d love for this to happen.
I’m okay with Swisher at 1B if they can figure out some way to persuade Bobby Abreu to return for a year or two. As SJ44 intimated in the last thread, evidently, this prospect has now become a possibility.
I imagine that would mean sending Nady on his way. Good riddance. He doesn’t walk enough, His career .OBP is too low, he doesn’t take enough pitches, and he’s not that great a defender.
So if the majority of Yankee fans like the trade, what are the White Sox fans thinking?
Who plays 1B there? Betemit? Teixeira?
If the Red Sox get Teixeria, we are royally screwed.
I could totally see that though.
We get RJ, they get Schilling.
We get Pavano, they get Beckett.
We get Igawa, they get Dice-K
We get Nady, they get Bay
We get Swisher, they get Teix
No matter what, Cashman always seems to come up short vs. Theo. It’s like Theo is the Patriots and Cashman is the Jets lol
They’ve still got Konerko under contract. I think it’s scary that Betemit could play 3B for them.
If Cash lets Tex get away to one of our chief rivals, people will be complaining about that the same way they complained about Santana.
†a Nick nack paddywack gives the Yanks the lead!!!!!!!â€
Wow… please stop.
I don’t want Abreu back. His defense is just too bad. We desperately need some improved defense.
We need to sign Texeira. If we do, then don’t trade Nady. With Nady and Swisher both we actually have some outfield depth which we need and almost never have.
Without Texeira, I just can’t see the offense producing enough runs next year.
I could see Nady being traded and the Yankees picking up a guy like Brian Giles (please no Abreu). I could also see Swisher and Nady sharing time in RF if the Yanks decide to get Tex. I think the most likely scenario is Swisher enters the year as the starting 1B.
Brandon, algunas veces pienso que tu es el solo persona que no es loco aqui.
Nady was such a meaningless acquisition, its crazy. I liked Marte though, he will be a useful piece for us.
We could have used Tabata for something far better than a .280ish hitter with a .320 OBP who strikes out 120 times and I didn’t even like Tabata.
Cut your losses, get rid of Nady. He is just taking up space now.
Why would the Red Sox go after Tex? That’s the least of my concerns right now. Priority number 1 should be understanding that our offense was just as much of a problem last season as our pitching was.
—So if the majority of Yankee fans like the trade, what are the White Sox fans thinking?
Spoke to one of my WS buds and he wasn’t too impressed with the pitcher’s stats. I told him that I thought that Nunez was probably the better guy of the two.
He was also disappointed that the WS didn’t move Konerko instead of Swisher. In the end, he said that the Yankees got the better end of the deal.
Oh, yeah. He said that Ozzie and Swisher didn’t get along because Ozzie likes to be the only one talking and Swisher is a more vocal guy than the rest of the team.
One thing people aren’t considering is that even if we wanted Teixeira we might not have gotten him. Besides the Angels and Red Sox, the Orioles are going after him hard and they have hometown appeal. A nice part of this deal is that it guarantees a legitimate 1B at a decent contract, instead of having a chance at better 1B for what likely would have been a bad contract. Furthermore, the difference between Teixeira and Swisher isn’t as vast as some of you think it is. Consider:
Nick Swisher Avg Career OPS+ = 112
Mark Teixeira Avg Career OPS+ = 134
And of the two, I think it is more likely Swisher has upside above his career average because he seems to have been misused and unlucky last year.
Still think Yanks go for Tex – Swisher in CF – like the reference to O’Neill being traded for R. Kelly. Swisher OBP is @.360 – good move. He’ll do well in NY.
(Rebecca: lollipop issues addessed in previous thread)
John Sterling November 13th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
LOVE THIS TRADE
“Swisher homers in the NICK if timeâ€
“SWISH…St. Nick delivers again!†It’s Christmas in June!!!
â€...It is high… it is far it’s gone… a SWISHER SWEET for Nick†give that man a cigar!
†a Nick nack paddywack gives the Yanks the lead!!!!!!!â€
————————————————————————————-
Um…
Maybe they decided to pass on Tex and then go after Holliday next year especially after reading his dad’s comments?
No way they could afford Tex AND Holliday in consecutive years.
And if you asked me, I’d much prefer Holliday.
Shocking how fast people soured on Nady. He isn’t going to put up a .870 OPS like he did last year but I could see him settling in as a consistent .280/.340/.475 guy. With average defense, that’s really not bad. He’s a solid starting outfielder on any major league team.
I could definitely see Nady being traded this offseason but you guys are really underrating him.
Swisher is a leader, he will command this clubhouse.
Girardi will love him, so will the teammates.
“Maybe they decided to pass on Tex and then go after Holliday next year especially after reading his dad’s comments?”
I really hope this was a joke post.
ok ok thats all i got – but you know sterling is thinkin them up as we comment
I am still pro-Nady.
It’s always good to have Cal guys on the team.
Attention newcomers and/or idiots:
You cannot use obscene words or partially spelled obscene words or the like when posting. Just because the Yankees made a trade does not waive these standards. This blog is part of a newspaper.
If you are too stupid to comment without cursing, feel free not to comment.
As long as Tiexiera doesn’t go to Boston to play 1B I suppose I could see the upside to Swisher. Boston still could move their twinkie the Youkibater back to 3B and it’d be an overall uprgade for them.
I also need to see him get those batting/OBP averages up. They seem to be his only real weakness.
Maybe Ozzie Guiellen could’ve had something to do with it, but I still worry about that.
Battign him anywhere between 6th & 9th might be fine. I hope he doesn’t bat immediately behind Cano. I think Cano could benefit from having a more serious hitter waiting in the on deck circle behind him.
last Yankees 1B to do this was
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200805312808492
did the rays ever extend carl crawford or is he a FA after next season?
I haven’t soured on Nady. That face! That butt! We love ya X!
or this
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200809153478800
“Still holding out hope for Blalock?”
Mel: CashMoney wouldn’t listen to me. Thank you for reminding me, on the signature tho.
vtred,
lol I don’t think Hollidays dad’s comments had any barring on this trade.
However, you do bring up a good point. Maybe they felt he is a smarter long term investment than Teixeria and didn’t want to tie themselves up in a long term contract with Tex when Holliday is available next offseason.
Cashman also realized $180 million for a 1st baseman is not the smartest idea.
If Holliday puts up numbers anywhere close to his career numbers in Mcafee, he is going to get PAID and he will be worth it.
said this many times here,Yanks need a 1st baseman,centerfielder & 2SP’s…this is a start
BTW..the lefthanded RP was a good move, now use him the right way
J E T S
Ok laters.
if tiexiera signs long term, where will jeter play after he signs his contract extension?
When is his press conference?
Is he going to even have a press conference?
This deal makes no sense. If you want a medicore first baseman with decent power and no speed, give Giambi one more year.
“Maybe they felt he is a smarter long term investment than Teixeria and didn’t want to tie themselves up in a long term contract with Tex when Holliday is available next offseason.
Cashman also realized $180 million for a 1st baseman is not the smartest idea”
imagine that
kd,
Jeter will move to CF. Francessa suggested that as well a few days ago.
My initial predictions:
Manny stays with Dodgers, second option Phillies
Teixeira stays with Angels, second option Orioles, third option Nationals
Sabathia comes to Yankees, second option Dodgers if Manny not signed there.
Burnett comes to Yankees, second option Braves
Sheets stays with Brewers, second option to Yankees if Burnett not signed.
Dempster stays with Cubs, second option Braves.
Mets sign Fuentes or Kerry Wood.
K-Rod signs with Rangers.
Abreu signs with Cubs, second option Mets.
Giambi signs with A’s, second option Angels, if Teixeira not signed.
That’s a start, welcoming comments!
I thought Cashman kept saying he wanted a real first baseman. Swisher is OK, but not great. He doesn’t replace Giambi or Abreu in terms of his bat.
The only up side I see is Betty is gone, but the offense took a big hit. I don’t like this trade.
Congrats to Alex and Derek on winning Sliver Slugger awards
and by Sliver..I mean Silver.
I suggested that Jeter move to CF the day the Yankees got Arod….you know he could have play that position back then
my predictions: – Swisher is primary 1b – CC is signed – Pettitte and Mussina both return (the longer Moose takes making the decision the more likely he is to return IMO) – Abreu returns on a 2 year deal – Cash acquires a real, ML-caliber CF (sells high on Nady)
Mike Wilbon believes CC will go to California
I actually like Jeter in CF then we can sign Frucal.
Yankee Trader, looks like you covered it all…..As long as Sabathia doesn’t sign with Boston and or the Angels….I worry about Anaheim signing him more than I do Texeria re-signing
“However, you do bring up a good point. Maybe they felt he is a smarter long term investment than Teixeria and didn’t want to tie themselves up in a long term contract with Tex when Holliday is available next offseason.”
Not to mention Carl Crawford, Jason Bay and Rick Ankiel could also be available in 2010!
vin,
he probably will. thats why we need to have backup plans in place.
“Mark Teixeira just lost a lot of leverage.”
Wow.
The Yankees just saved the Red Sox A LOT of money on Teixeira.
The 2010 class has a ton of nice OF’ers in it.
Just in time considering Damon, Matsui, and Nady are all off the books.
If nothing else this deal removes the last problem position for the Yanks (assuming Posada and Matsui are healthy) and allows Cash to spend all of his time wooing CC and dreaming up trades for starting pitching.
I have a few thoughts on potential upgrades for position players though:
Assuming Posada and Matsui are healthy, and that Swisher plays 1st base, the only starting spots up for debate are center field and right field.
In centre, Gardner opened some eyes. He draws walks, gets on base and shakes things up. Girardi is clearly a fan and Cashman wants to build a more athletic and dynamic team, so I think they’ll give him a shot. Melky has no value right now so they’ll want to give him a shot to redeem himself. If nothing else he is a young guy with a cannon for an arm and can fill-in in any outfiled spot, sounds like the 4th outfileder to me. If Gardner crashes and burns Melky has the experience to step in while they consider making changes during the season.
I can’t see Cash paying Abreu for multiple yrs. And I think he’ll get an offer from somewhere, maybe the Mets, San Fran or Seattle, maybe even Oakland as a dark horse team?
Nady is clearly pencilled in for RF. So Nady or Damon would have to get traded to open up a spot for more offense. Damon put up solid numbers and is in a contract yr. If Gardner struggles they’d need him to be the leadoff hitter. I can’t see him getting moved. He is a vet as well and by all accounts great in the clubhouse.
Nady is cheap enough and has some potential, and should be solid but not remarkable. To me if the Yanks want to upgrade the offense they could package Nady with others, probably including Kennedy, and try to upgrade in RF.
As things stand though, barring injury, we don’t have a problem position. The cover at catcher and SS is thin. So maybe an upgrade at utility infielder now that Betemit is gone will help, especially since the Yankees are pretty weak at SS in the upper levels of the minor leagues.
Bobby Crosby is an excellent defender and Oakland want him off the books so they can go after Furcal. He’d be an expensive back-up (though it is only a 1 yr commitment), but if he can play 3rd as well he’d be an amazing defensive option (and a nice complement to Miranda’s power) off the bench. He is a decent baserunner and a more rounded player than Betemit. With the money we have saved at 1st base, and Mussina not shutting the door to a comeback, there could be money in the pot to spend a little extra there. Constantly playing Jeter while he’s hurt isn’t helping anyone.
NICK SWISHER !!!
3rd place, here we come!!!
I posted this on here a week or two ago, but…
There’s no way the Angels don’t re-sign Teix. They decided to go the big-name route by dealing a young, cheap, quality 1st baseman for one with more name recognition and not much more value to the ballclub. If he’s not re-signed, then that trade will have been awful. Besides, for those who actually the games, how much more does Teix bring to the field than Kotchman? He’s slightly better in all categories, but not by enough to make a huge difference. Tony Reagins HAS to re-sign him.
“As long as Sabathia doesn’t sign with Boston and or the Angels….I worry about Anaheim signing him more than I do Texeria re-signing”
Angels pretty well set with starting pitching, and need to spend their money on bats.
Only a select few teams this year will have the money to be players for the elite free agents, and it’s unlikely that any team, other than the Yankees signs more than one elite player.
There will be a lot of free agents this year looking for jobs, in this economical environment-many with minor league or spring training offers.
Chopper, The happiest person on the planet right now is Epstein. Teixeria just fell into his lap without us bidding for him.
Yankee Trader,
I agree with most of your predictions. Krod to Mets. Burnett possibly to the Sox.
Which one of these position players will get traded before the start of the season?
a.Matsui
b.Nady
c.Damon
d.Cano
edit: actually watch the games
I don’t think we saved the Sox much money on Tex. Honestly I can’t understand why they’d sign him anyway. They have solid guys on the corners now, and Lars Anderson killing in the minors. They have bigger worries than their offense.
Seems more likely they go after Lowe, trade for a catcher with Texas, and sign some bullpen arms. I think Tex stays in Anaheim.
“The happiest person on the planet right now is Epstein.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
S.A., I think Edwar will win the Sliver Pitcher award!
Yanks 1996
November 13th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Chopper, The happiest person on the planet right now is Epstein. Teixeria just fell into his lap without us bidding for him.
Name one team that’s going to trade for a third baseman with a bad hip and is owed nearly 25 million dollars and a NTC over the next two years?
vin,
I agree. The Angels gave too much to see Tex slip away. But if he does. I can see them going hard after C.C.(do you put a period after an initial to end a sentence?)
I’m interested to see our strategy with CC tonight.
Do we lay in the weeds and wait for offers to float before we get involved?
Do we go 6/$120 or some modest offer like that just to get the ball rolling?
Do we throw our hat in the ring with Santana money right off the bat to scare away teams and send a message?
Do we just throw out a blank check right off the bat and force CC’s hand to get it done quickly?
Brian M-
Good points in your 5:59 post.
Would trading Nady and Kennedy for one year[ team option for 2010 year] of Magglio Ordonez do it for you? Detroit considering trading him.
The team is down graded offensively from last season as it stands.nady is no regular RF and his numbers are not good enough to have him there full time. I hope that along with pitching the yanks upgrade their outfield because an outfield of an old damon, gardner/melky, and nady is flat out BRUTAL!
Also, there’s no way Theo goes for Teix… if injured, Lowell’s contract is an albatross, if healthy then its bearable considering the ballpark he plays in and his defense. And I’m not sure when, but eventually he’s going to have to pay BIG for Youkilis. As much as I hate the axe murderer-lookin guy he’s very close to being a top tier ballplayer. Excellent glove, hits for average, power, gets on base, and drives Yankee fans crazy.
Lowell will have plenty of takers if he passes his physical. Remember, he took less money to go to Boston. Plenty of teams need a 3rd baseman and he is one of the best out there. He is a winner, a leader, and a grinder—every team could use him.
Moving Lowell is pretty easy if they want to do it. They need to eat some of the contract, but its not impossible to do if they want Teixeria that badly.
Teixeira is not going to be a Red Sox. Theo has enough problems dealing with Boras to sign an extension for Bay before he becomes a free agent. Sox need a catcher and bullpen help, plus possibly a shortstop.
My guess is that Theo lays in the weeds and snatches up Ben Sheets out of nowhere. He traded for an injury-plagued Beckett and that’s worked out pretty well so far.
Nice point just made on SF radio: if you really want to see if Torii Hunter is a gold glove center fielder, give him Vlad in right and Manny in left.
I really hope we get Sheets ourselves.
I also cannot see the Sawx as players for Tex. Lowell is untradeable with two years @ $ 12 M still to go and coming off hip surgery. Youkilis is too valuable to jerk around… Tex doesn’t fit unless he’s going to play CF or SS.
“I’m interested to see our strategy with CC tonight.”
“Do we throw our hat in the ring with Santana money right off the bat to scare away teams and send a message?”———-YES!!
6 years and 138 million to start!!
“I didn’t realize that Cashman was visting the space station.”
The funniest post of the day!
S.A., I think Edwar will win the Sliver Pitcher award!————
Hahaha
That is a really good point, Nick. It may ultimately be in Manny’s best interest to re-up with LAD for a couple years then sign a 2 or 3 year deal in the AL at that point when the economy has improved (hopefully). I’m pretty sure Manny could be a great hitter into his late 40s – and that’s what he’d be paid to do.
Good point GB7,
No one is going to want to spend 25 mil on a grey haired third baseman with a bad hip. Theo and the Sox are stuck with him. This is the Santana deal all over again. They jumpped into the picture just to jack up the price. They will do the same with the free agent pitchers.
do you guys watch baseball… I forgot that signing big time bats have helped so much in the past. I guy like Swisher could be VERY useful. Signing everyone is never the answer.
I think Tex ends up in Anaheim now, or somewhere we haven’t heard of yet, but not Boston. Good move by Cashman with Swisher.
I think Boston would have worked to keep Tex away from New York or would have tried to make his contract a bigger albatross then it was going to be. I don’t think Tex scares anyone in Anaheim. He could have been scary in Boston or New York…but Anaheim not so much. They’re already a 90 win team and he couldn’t push them to the series.
Anaheim needs him, as people have said, they gave up too much to get him. Look for Boras to inject another team in the mix now.
Cashman is getting smarter.
Just FYI:
Swisher is NOT playing CF. Cashman said it.
Jeter is not changing positions. Neither is Cano or Posada.
This does not mean Teixeira is going to Boston. They can’t trade Lowell or afford to eat the $24 million he is owed. Beyond that, Teixeira is said to have a lot of animosity for Boston based on how he was treated he they drafted him originally out of h.s. Boston also does not have the payroll available, they are not raising ticket prices and their best prospect is a 1B. You have to think before you just react and post “OMG, Boston is getting Tex.”
There is no chance – none – the Yankees were going to go dollar for dollar in terms of replacing the payroll coming off the books. They are not adding $85 million in salary to the 2009 payroll. It is a total fantasy to think they were getting two pitchers and Teixeira. And forget Manny.
The Angels have made it pretty clear they’re done with K-Rod. Guess who they were going to spend their money on? Teixeira. When Tony Reagins said last week they were going to “aggressively pursue” him, he wasn’t joking.
It’s pitching, pitching, pitching. They very well may consider the lineup complete outside of a tweak or two. They believe that a healthy Posada, a healthy Matsui, A-Rod not missing three weeks and an improved Cano will make up a lot of the offense they’ll miss from Abreu and Giambi. Beyond that, the game is changing. This is as much a run prevention sport in the post steroids era as it is a run scoring sport.
I love my readers. But some of y’all have lost your minds here.
I also can’t see Derek Lowe leaving the Dodgers. He’s pitched like an ace over there… why would he give that up to pitch to a 4.75+ ERA in the AL East. Hopefully CC feels differently.
“I really hope we get Sheets ourselves.”
If we could land him for 2 or 3 years. I would prefer him over Burnett. Not sure who would hit the dl quicker. Maybe we can sign him soon and sell C.C.on following his teammate here. 2 for 1 package deal.
Clint,
Sherman suggested that we are going to blow away the field tomorrow and start off with Santana money.
I think thats a good strategy. Set the bar high and make other teams realize what they are getting themselves into. Don’t waste time tip-toeing to the finish line, sprint there.
Thanks Yankee Trader,
to be honest though I’d leave Ordonez alone. I think Cashman wants a younger more athletic team. The thing is, if Nady is pretty solid, so there aren’t too many big upgrades who might be available.
If we add Cano to the mix (with Nady and Kennedy) we could go after Markakis, although Baltimore have to be the worst team in the league to deal with. It would allow them to trade Roberts, while we could go after Hudson. I can’t see Baltimore making another meaningful trade in the next 10 yrs though.
I haven’t seen much of Ludwick to know if he can keep putting up big numbers, but it might be worth kicking the tyres on a deal. He is certainly available, although I think St Louis are looking for big bats in return.
Bye Bye Teixeria
“This is as much a run prevention sport in the post steroids era as it is a run scoring sport”
music to my ears.
bring back the run-scoring double. Chicks dig the long-ball. But i’m not a chick.
I like the trade for Swisher. Especially if it came down to Betemit at 1st vs. Swisher.
If anyone is interested, Yankees Hot Stove is on YES at 6:30.
If Moose comes back I think Cashman should take the risk on Sheets. I like Sheets a lot. Sabathia and Sheets would be great additions.
Sheets is much better than Pavano ever was and seems to be more of a gamer. So I don’t agree with those comparisons.
I have no problem overpaying CC by $30-$40 million
As long as he comes here, thats all that matters.
“Tie ‘em up at put ‘em in my car”
-Giradi on recruiting CC
The Red Sox 3, 5 and 6 hitters (Ortiz, Lowell and Drew) are aging, and spent copious amounts of time on the DL last year. That very fact means that the Sox will be players in the Texeira bidding, and the trade for Swisher just lightened the financial outlay.
I fully realize that signing Texeira gives them a glut of corner infielders, but Theo came perilously close to going to the playoffs with NONE of the middle of the order (excepting Youkilis).
I don’t think he’ll risk that again. They will make Tex a handsome offer
Sheets would be a good signing if its a short term deal.
I would rather have Giambi at First than Swishy. The guy just isn’t all that great.
Offense was down as it was, now no Abreu and Giambi, and they get the mighty Swisher? Really? He’s not fast. He is OK but not great at first. His bat needs fixing. He had speculation and rumors about PED use. Where exactly is the upside in this?
And what happens if the Yankees don’t land up grades in pitching? With this offense the pitching has to be quite a lot better to make up for the lowered offense.
i love Joe Girardi
2010
CC
Wang
Joba
Sheets (healthy?)
Hughes (good?)
5 Aces
Peter-
Thank you for trying to get people here to come to their senses. There are 6 skyboxes unsold, and mention of a 185 million payroll was reported before the markets got worse.
Manny is a star in LA, like Kobe, and would be a FOOL to leave the Dodgers. Angels don’t need a DH-have Vlad.
Still say Manny’s a Dodger and Teixeira goes back to the Angels unless outbid by Orioles or Nationals, because he’s just like Boras, and wants the most money!!
Which Red Sox hitters aren’t aging?
I think 4 years for Sheets would be good. You’ve got Hughes, Joba and others coming. Roll the dice on Sheets.
Juan Miranda, has he ever played the OF in the Minors?
“Which Red Sox hitters aren’t aging?”
Actually they have the Highlander on the bench for an occasional PH. He’s got some decent power.
Now that I’ve had a while to think about it, while I do really like the trade, 1st base is still the position where we could make the biggest improvement offensively. Swisher will work the count and hit 25 homeruns but he will also do well to hit .250. The trade gives us a solid guy to put out there, and I am sure Cash didn’t get him just to flip him, but maybe trading him with Kennedy, and a few others for a top 1B lets us at a big bat without taking on the dollars needed for Texiera.
Apparently Cashman has already been knocked back in an approach for Berkman. Maybe someone like that could be available for a deal including Swisher as a ready made replacement, with Cano and Kennedy, a bullpen arm, and some decent minor league guys.
Arizona have a lot of holes to fill in their pitching staff, and with the Big Unit filing today they might consider a deal of Swisher and Kennedy for Conor Jackson. Jackson doesn’t have the power of Swisher but he could hit .300 and get on base a lot. He is only 26 as well, cheap, and is another guy who can play in the outfield.
The cost of retaining their pitching is also going to hurt the Cubs. If they want to add a bat, they might be willing to give up Lee for a cheap price. He is probably a riskier bet health wise though.
Maybe we could send Cincinnati Hank Steinbrenner for Joey Votto?
Nick, Ted Williams.
(To Soon?)
Damon, Jeter, Matsui, A-Rod, Posada, Swisher, Cano, Nady, Gardner.
WHERES THE BEEF?
Miranda is an average 1B defensively and I doubt he could play any other position. He can’t be a regular either though cos LHP just kills him. He could be an interesting guy in a platoon though cos of his power vs RHP.
As far as recruiting Sabathia- he wants people to come to him. Therefore the key recruiters should be Hal, Brian, and Joe, as well as the Captain-Jeter, the catcher-Posada, and his closer-Rivera. Should be like fraternity/sorority rush week-SHOW HIM THE LOVE+VIDEO OF HIS NEW DIGS!
Swisher = Betemit with power and a high OBP
Harwood, my fav comment ever!
‘“Which Red Sox hitters aren’t aging?â€
Actually they have the Highlander on the bench for an occasional PH. He’s got some decent power.’
Thanks man.
“Boston also does not have the payroll available,”
Pete… do a little homework first.
Schill off the books.
Manny, off the books.
Timlin, off the books.
Varitek, off the books.
The Red Sox had lowered payroll going into the 2008 season, and they have made it EVEN lower… in the $100M-$105M dollar range.
Mike Lowell is movable. The 3rd basemen market is weak this offseason. Philly would take him… they wanted to sign him last season.
In the end… Money talks. Or is CC really not going to sign with the Yankees? Talk was he wants to stay on the West Coast and in the NL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgZi-zaOshQ
Conor Jackson is a butcher at first base.
Swisher is the first baseman get used to it. It’ll be a good trade.
Cashman can now focus entirely on pitching and any trades he might like to make.
Brian M. I know Miranda’s M.O. as a hitter. I was just wondering if he could be a bench player next season. He kills RHP-.970 OPS.
http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?pl=506673
OY!
SIMILAR BATTERS THRU AGE 27:
Greg Vaughn (976)
Bob Allison (954)
Jose Cruz (943)
Cory Snyder (943)
Carmelo Martinez (941)
Phil Plantier (939)
John Milner (938)
Bob Robertson (937)
Preston Wilson (937)
Austin Kearns (936)
Swisher will be this year’s Scott Brosius…I hope. The guy is only 27.
“2010
CC
Wang
Joba
Sheets (healthy?)
Hughes (good?)
5 Aces”
Uhh Harwood. You must not have gotten the memo. We decided to tone down the Franchise expectations from now on. So can you re work you numbers and put in there 4 aces and a #3. Dont want Phil to get killed for not being lights out.
Lets say the Sox sign Tex Brian. So does Lowell go behind the plate in that case or do they have him be the third base coach?
Chopper…how exactly is Lowell moveable? With a bum hip and being as old as he…AND with that contract…hardly.
“Damon, Jeter, Matsui, A-Rod, Posada, Swisher, Cano, Nady, Gardner.
WHERES THE BEEF?”
Pena, Longoria,Iwamura,Upton,Bartlett,Crawford, Gross, Zobrist, Navarro,
WHERE’S THE BEEF?
Kazmir, Shields, Garza, Jackson, Sonnanstine- THERE’S THE BEEF!!
jj, it isn’t a bad line-up is it?
I think we have gotten a bit spoiled lately. No team in the league expects to put out superstars at every position except us. Sometimes guys like Nady, Gardner and Swisher can be great guys in big spots when the pressure is all on Jeter and ARod to deliver. Just ask Scott Brosius.
If Posada is healthy and Cano rebounds then our main worry will be starting pitching. Hopefully Muss will come back though and Sabathia will go with the highest bidder, which I assume would be us.
I like this trade for Swisher. Those that talk about “getting a real first baseman” are comparing Swisher to Teixiera. Swisher is a damn good fielding first basemen and has long ball potential, has the right attitude which will be a plus to team chemistry and (barring lasty season) has a decent OBP. At 27 years old (and being a former 1st round pick)) he still has loads of potential. Of course he’s not Mark Teixiera – he’s not gonna cost $275 Mil for the next 10 years either!
This deal further illustrates the Yankees plan to throw the kitchen sink at Sabathia and one other front line pitcher.
BTW, Juan Miranda is putting up terrific numbers in the Arizona Fall League and may be one-two years away from a MLB roster spot.
The Sox are never going to be able to replace Manny.
They need their young stars to continue to overperform because much like the older Yankees the other guys are on the decline. Ortiz, Lowell, Varitek (if they sign him), Wakefield, etc…
I’m loving the way baseball is headed in the post-steriod era. Reminds me of the 70’s early 80’s.
People need to look back on that era and see that not everyone was a big bopper.
Fair enough Tom. So to answer your question, aside from 1B the only position Miranda could handle is DH.
bad move if it means no Teixeira at !B
Who bats 3rd? Matsui?
Let the Sox get Teixeria this year
We will get Holliday AND Crawford in 09. All of our OF’ers are off the books, so we can afford it.
This winter should be focused on pitching.
Tyler Kepner = the boy in the movie “The Boys From Brazil”
Players like Markakis from the O’s are the future. I’d love for that guy to be on the Yanks.
This move only makes sense if we sigh Teixeria
Nady-Swisher-Gardner is an awful bottom of the order.
“BTW, Juan Miranda is putting up terrific numbers in the Arizona Fall League and may be one-two years away from a MLB roster spot.”
Isnt the AFL where the Eric Duncan won the MVP? Miranda from what i hear cant field. Im o.k. with him on the bench. But i dont need to re live Giambi trying to throw someone out at second. A couple years from now we might be talking about Montero playing first.
All of you that say Swishers production just isnt good enough. Are forgetting what year we’re going into. Yes 09=ODD. Which of coarse means Arod will produce as much as two all stars. So its all good!!
OLine, I really want to see if Gardner can handle centre though. I like him a lot, and can see him being like a young Juan Pierre but also able to draw a walk. I actually have more faith in him than Austin Jackson, who has great tools but seems like the streakiest hitter on the planet. I want Cashman to build the system and bring young guys through, but if he moves Jackson this winter while his value is high, I’ll not be complaining.
As for Holliday, we don’t need a guy with Boras as an agent looking for a $20M per contract that will take him well past his most productive years.
Crawford, maybe.
I have a feeling they did this because they are prepared to blow the doors away for CC and they won’t have enough money left over for Teix. They also want to get another starter which will probably be $16-18 million
So those 30-40% higher than the field numbers that are floating around for CC look like they are accurate.
The thing nobody is taking into account with Swisher though, is that although he spent last year in the outfiled, aside from Doug Mientkiewicz, he’d be the best defensive 1B we’ve had in 10 yrs.
Gardner = Bubba Crosby will be our centerfielder. I expect them to upgrade that spot after we sign 2 aces.
Ahhh I missed Yankee Hot Stove.
The Girardi segment at the beginning was good.
12345
good post – it seems he hates Beckett – Thats a good start.
Does anyone think Girardi asked Cash to get him?
“This move allows the Yankees to focus their attention (and money) on starting pitching. Mark Teixeira just lost a lot of leverage.”
Pete-
Mark Teixeira didn’t just lose a lot of leverage. The Red Sux just gained a lot of leverage, in getting Tex.
“Nady-Swisher-Gardner is an awful bottom of the order.”
No its not. Two guys with .800 OPS or better in the bottom third? That’s really freaking good. Also, I doubt Gardner will be the starting CF to begin the year.
Great move cashman…
More younger, flexible, hungrier, and cheaper players please
Ozzie ruined Swisher… made him play CF and bad leadoff and didn’t let him be himself.
He is the type of player that Girardi will love if he lets him be himself.
The notion that the Phillies want Lowell is ridiculous. They just won the World Series with a Gold Glove caliber 3B who got some very big hits for them. The Sox may find a new home for Lowell, if they even want to deal him, but Philly will not be it. Tony Masseratti started this foolish idea in the Boston Herald and now is it gaining traction with the mindless idiots who believe what they read.
Pete—I’m with you here. And let’s not forget that this is the FIRST move, not the LAST. Cashman plays a patient game and we should not get ahead of ourselves.
As things stand right now, they don’t look bad going into next year. The Yanks have an option for first or corner outfield in Swisher, so we can say good bye to Giambi and Abreu (unless they are planning on trading Damon or Matsui). Tex no longer has them over a barrel but they could sign him if he isn’t asking for insane money and they can move Damon, Matsui, or even Swisher.
The key for what we know is on the table is that now they can focus on Sabathia, who is the man who can truly turn their team around. A rotation led by CC, a healthy Wang, and a healthy Joba can stand up against anyone, and let’s not give up on Phil Hughes. The pen is stronger and deeper than it’s been since 2000 and Girardi seems to be able to use it well. The big question marks are whether and to what extent Posada, Cano, Jeter, and ARod come back to the levels we’re used to seeing them at.
Let’s all look forward to an entertaining hot stove legue, and thanks again Pete for keeping it going.
Okay, wow, I love the fact that everyone thinks the Red Sox would have been in the mix for Tex even if we didn’t get Swisher.
Who said the Yanks arn’t going to try and get him? And why the heck would Cashman sit around and LET Theo take Tex? The Yankees have not closed the door on him and I bet they will still bid on him just to drive the price up so Boston won’t get it.
My guess, he stays with the Angels. If not there, look for Baltimore to get him. As for the Nationals, they have said they will be serious players but I doubt they have the money to land him and he will not solve all of their problems.
Brian M,
I havnt really paid attention to Swishers fielding. But is he better than Oelrud and Clark? If so, then thats going to be refreshing to see. Especially if he can field bunts and turn 2.
“Mark Teixeira didn’t just lose a lot of leverage. The Red Sux just gained a lot of leverage, in getting Texeria”
no they didn’t. Texeria is not a homeless person on side of the interstate, holding up a sign ‘will work for food’
S.o.S.- Swisher is an above average fielder. He can make great plays and has his faults.
Nobody expects much of him, so look for him to do well. He will thrive in New York with his never give up and play hard attitude and he can help the team.
35 dingers from Nick …..
You really think we arent going to bid on Tex ? Nady, Matsui, and Damon are all as good as gone after next year.. Why would we get this guy just to play 1st base ? I dont think so my Yankee friends… What are we going to bank on Ajax and Gardner then sign one of Crawford, Holliday or another FA.. Doubt it.. This guy is going to be an outfielder, Im telling you.. It just makes more sense for the future.. A lineup with Swish + Tex is better than Swish + Gardner/Melky.. Tex is the safest bet why not give him the money and turn our team into the best lineup in the league… Adding Tex and Swish is awesome.. We could still sign CC and Burnett/Sheets/Lowe and still have a payroll around 200 or less..
Pat M, I’ll take 35 from Nick any day.
Let’s hope those are with a couple men on base too…
The argument that this trade is bad because it prevents us from getting Teixeira is nonsense.
We have no guarantee of getting Teixeira no matter what. The “just outbid everyone else” mentality is stupid; at a certain point, no player is worth the money and years.
Plus, we’re not somehow banned from bidding for Teixeira now. Pete’s point, which I agree with, is that the Yankees GAINED LEVERAGE in negotiating for Teixeira now because Boras can no longer use the Yankees’ lack of an adequate 1B against them. In other words, the Yankees no longer MUST HAVE Teixeira. They still could get him.
One of two things is probably going to happen. Either the Angels or some other rich team will offer Teixeira an insane contract and the Yankees will decline to top it, because he just isn’t worth the money and years. The Yankees will spend their Teixeira money on Sabathia and other pitchers instead.
Or, no one makes a crazy offer for Teixeira, the Yankees enter the bidding in earnest, and there’s a reasonable chance they end up with him. Then no one will care that Cashman said Swisher will be the 1B. They will put him in CF/RF and no one will complain.
Agreed Jeremy… 100% agreed
lol.vinny. You mean he isnt going to have the same problem Spreewell had in feeding his family?
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Swisher 1B
Cano 2B
Nady RF
Gardner CF
I see potential upgrades in RF and CF. I’d like to keep Nady but I doubt he reproduces the year he had in 2008. I still think Nady will be good enough in RF just not as good as 08. If Brian Giles is available, pull the trigger! Upgrades offense and defense. The only problem is, we’ve had no confirmation that the Padres are going to have a firesale and Giles is under contract for very little money this year.
Imagine if the Yankees sign Lowe before they do CC…(It’t probably won’t happen, but what if?)
How many people on here would go crazy and claim the Yankees have no chance?
For all that has been since the trade, Jeremy may have just layed on the most accurate scenero…...I still want Texeria, however 1b just doesn’t look as bleak as it did about two hours ago….
For me, there is only one question to determine if Swisher is an upgrade over Giambi-
as a hitter, does he use all fields, or will we have to watch a replay of the Gambino’s futile efforts to drive outside pitches deep into the stands-only to end in slow dribblers in the dirt at second base? Any of you player personnel guys have an answer for this?What a terrible move.
swisher looks good coming off the bench….
get Tex….our bats are getting older and less productive…
forget CC…to fat + too many innings = injury prone
Jeremy,
Excellent point. Dont forget not long ago we swooped in and signed Damon. Who would have thought we would have done that after Johnny had said he would never play for us?
Katie,
Thanks. Anyone is an upgrade over what we had and im all for grinders.
I agree Pat, I’d rather have Swisher than Miranda/ Posada/ Betemit platoon at 1B
“You mean he isnt going to have the same problem Spreewell had in feeding his family”
SoS: lol. Funny you mention Spreewell. PJ Carlesimo was on tv today, and still had the imprints on his throat.
And I agree with Pete, Katie, and anyone else who thinks the Angels will end up with Teixeira. Once a team with money decides it MUST have a player, it gets that player. The Yankees have been that team plenty of times – it gave ARod a $275-300 million contract after all.
If the Angels really want to go down that route, the best thing for the Yankees to do is get out of the way. I am a big Teixeira fan and I’ve written in support of signing him, but I am a bigger fan of the Yankees winning a championship. This team needs flexibility more than anything else, and they can only getting it by signing and trading for a number of effective players. If they start losing payroll flexibility because they spend more than they should have on Teixeira, they will suffer in the short and long term.
harwood,
you are KILLING me!!
Hughes as our 5th starter? that makes zero sense…I ranted about this for 2 or 3 hours yesterday and while I got my point across, I think I should reiterate:
VOTE NO ON HUGHES IN THE ROTATION (until he proves himself, which he definitely HAS NOT)
If having Swisher means Miranda gets a shot vs. righties, I am all for this. Miranda is a sleeping giant lefty slugger, and can hit to all fields, and having now seen him as opposed to merely hearing about him, I believe he will be able to eventually hit lefties because he appears to be a gifted hitter. He’s a lot more athletic than I was led to believe. Goes to show , you have to see these guys for yourself.
“How many people on here would go crazy and claim the Yankees have no chance?”
It would be like this times one million:
“What a terrible move.”
“forget CC…to fat + too many innings = injury prone”
hahahahah
History has proven you don’t have to have the best players to win a championship.
Look at the Rays, look at the Phillies, seriously look how far Boston got this year without their “top” guys producing or being injured.
We should see Swish before we start jumping on him. Who’s to say Tex would come here and thrive? Honestly, I see the Yankee fans jumping on him just like Alex and I doubt he will be able to handle that.
Brian Giles wouldn’t play for a New York team, if it meant saving himself from the electric-chair.
please. No Brian Giles talk
All great points by Peter regarding Tex going to Boston. Not happening unless they get rid of Lowell which ain’t happenin unless they EAT a large chunk of his contract which AIN’T happenin.
He’ll get his payday in Anaheim.
Swisher is a solid pickup, cheap enough, and able to fill 1B or a corner OF spot. Switch Hitter with power. Just needs a change of scenery. I watched him drop many a bomb in Oakland a couple years back so hopefully Kevin Long can get him on track unlike Ozzie “I’m Insane” Guillen.
Now the Yankees only need to focus on starting pitching. Love it. Cross your fingers for the big lefty.
Oh, and on a side note, sign Pettitte asap.
Oh, and on another side note, VOTE NO ON BEN SHEETS!!!
I’m glad Cashman followed our advice and acquired Texeira. The downside, though, is