Kevin

My biggest concern with no Manny is as constructed Nady is our starting right fielder. It didn’t seem to me, based on the 70 or so games he played for the Yankees last year, that he can hack it. He seems very “average.”

Has he ever had a clear (i.e. not platoon) starting role on a contending team? He did ok with the Mets, but what was his role?

Similiar, or maybe greater concerns about Swisher at 1b. Honestly, I might feel more comfortable with the Big G for another year or 2. At least he has power and needs to be pitched to carefully. Not sure you can really say that about Nady or Swisher.

Out of curiosity, which player do you think would net the Yankees the most wins based on warp? Vernon Wells replacing Melky (Swisher stays at 1B) or Tex replacing Swisher (Nady is traded or Damon shifts to CF)?

My thinking with Teix is that he lengthens the lineup against good starters. If you are facing a tough lefty like Santana you can stack two righties in A-Rod and Teix and not worry about match-ups. You can likewise break up lefties in a line-up that way. My belief is that good switch hitters are vastly under-rated.

Yes, Manny is fine as a righty vs either lefties or righties but does the rest of the line-up suffer as a result of Manny not being a switch hitter? If the line-up is Jeter, Manny, A-Rod, an opposing manager can stick with his best righty set up guy, even with Manny being a risk to him. If the line up is Jeter, Teix, A-Rod, then the manager needs to at least think about Teix hitting as a lefty and maybe he makes some pitching moves that benefit the other hitters in the line-up. And that’s the thing I’m trying to figure how to quantify.

I think that’s a reasonable assessment. I’m sure the whole organization (outside of hank and randy levine perhaps) would prefer Tex.

So now they may be interested in finding out what it would really take to sign him and to gauge his true level of interest.

No idea right now. That report would be a good way of trying to up their involvement to goad the sox/angels into upping their bid.

But if its not that – then it’s a signal. We are willing to offer you a lot of money but within reason – it’s not going to be $195M but it will be in the ball park of what the sox and angels are offering.

Now it’s your choice.

I have no idea what Tex’s preferences are or if it really is the last dollar that matters but…

Hitting in front of Alex and behind Jeter would have to be very compelling to Tex.

Hitting in front of Alex will significantly improve his chances to make the hall of fame. He’ll get better pitches to hit and will score a ton of runs.

The additions to the pitching staff make it a team that is going to be favored to win should they add his bat.

He’ll make a lot of money in endorsements – much more than he could make in boston or even anaheim.

New York is closer to his family in Maryland. It’s only a two hour train ride.

We’ll see. This could be a ruse or it could get very interesting.