Comments on: Yankees invite 20 non-roster players

By: Yankz1

Yankz1 — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:21:06 +0000

What the heck!?!!? How could they not bring in Jorge Vazquez!!!!! When healthy last year he was the best hitter in the Yankees minor lg system, hitting for a high avg and major power plus his age(27). Why did they bring him to instructs and mini-camp and work on catching and OF if they arent even going to bring him in. He is a hitting machine. He out hit Montero in Trenton. I hope he will be added to the list soon!!!! Even just to show him for other teams for trade. With any other team he would be in camp fighting for a starting spot. Crazy!!

By: Ythan

Ythan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:31:48 +0000

No way the Yankees trade a 60 stolen base potential guy for a situational relief pitcher.

It will come down to Thames v Hoffman, assuming no injuries. Thames isn’t even on the 40-man so the Yanks can stash him in Scranton and wait for an injury or Hoffman failure.

By: DaSaint007

DaSaint007 — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:18:32 +0000

I didn’t either. But thx.

By: Rich in NJ

Rich in NJ — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:06:28 +0000

DaSaint007

I think TB would charge an intra-division premium, so no, I don’t think that will happen.

By: Pokey

Pokey — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:59:42 +0000

Unless Tampa falls way out of the race and contract talks take a drastic turn, no way they deal Crawford, especially considering Cash isn’t the type to sell the farm for a 2-3 month rental.

By: DaSaint007

DaSaint007 — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:55:45 +0000

Rich,

While I know it’s ‘against policy’ to trade for a player in their FA year, do you think it’s possible that Cashman tries to trade for Crawford before the end of the season?

By: Rich in NJ

Rich in NJ — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:54:31 +0000

“So I really don’t know if they’re married to Gardner especially with Crawford on the horizon. Ideally, they’d like to see him win the spot so they can sell higher on him next offseason.”

You could be right about the puffery, but I was confining my comments to what I believe their plans are for Gardner this season. Obviously, he could fall on his face at the plate and remove himself as an option.

By: DaSaint007

DaSaint007 — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:51:11 +0000

Gardner’s not going back to AAA.
Winn is the perfect safety net for all 3 positions.
Hoffmann is a test-case. No harm, no foul if he’s outperformed.

Yankees are stokpiling young trade pieces. Only areas of ‘need’ long-term are LF, RF, and bullpen IMO, and bullpen no longer gets long-term help. That’s year by year. So, while the common thought is that the Yankees will get a FA for either LF or RF or both, I’m not so sure they’ll wait for that should the need arise.

By: Bret the Hitman

Bret the Hitman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:48:39 +0000

I think Cash and Girardi have called Gardner potentially one of the best CF in MLB for a reason: they want him to start in CF.
—

That’s one possibility but they also might be hyping him and pulling the old pump and dump scam ala hedge funds and Goldman Sach’s.

I distinctly remember them raving about Ian Kennedy after Winter Ball this offseason right before the Curtis Granderson trade. Cashman also boasted of Dunn’s potential after removing him from the original Granderson proposal. He was dealt a couple weeks after that.

So I really don’t know if they’re married to Gardner especially with Crawford on the horizon. Ideally, they’d like to see him win the spot so they can sell higher on him next offseason. But if Winn nails down LF, Thames earns a PH role and Hoffman shocks them, Gardner is easier to part with if the right bullpen arm is offered.

But again, I see Hoffman failing and Gardner winning the 4th OF spot.

If he starts, that’s great because he’ll have even more trade value at the deadline or in the offseason before Crawford arrives.

By: Pokey

Pokey — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:46:31 +0000

I love how everyone thinks Hoffman is sure to fail. He’s got speed, decent pop, a good glove and a good arm. With those tools, I fail to see how he’s going to wash out of ST.