We know Damon and Matsui are cooked as far as playing a position goes.

The same is likely true of the others, based on age alone. Do we have any realistic idea of who could be a non-disaster if they had to play a few innings of defense here and there ?

I’m guessing Vlad. But thats….really scary. You know.

So Gardner filed for $3.2M in arb, the Yankees $2.4M.  Meanwhile he’s been worth $24M/y the last two years per fangraphs.

Jack Cust signs with Houston

I’d go with Vlad. Bat him eighth and let him swing away. I think his style adds a little variety to the lineup. Pena might be the right move in terms of projection, but I am really leery of having another high strikeout guy batting alongside Swisher and Granderson, et. al. I’m not a guy who is anti-strikeout by any stretch of the imagination. But sometimes against top shelf pitching it’s better to have a wild hitter like Vlad batting way down in the lineup, capable of gorking one off the end of his bat. It might sound a little crazy, but we are comparing complimentary players, not overall philosophies or approaches. For the lineup the Yankees have, I think Vlad could work. Then again a .733 OPS in 145 games does suggest toast. Maybe Pena used exclusively against right-handed pitching could be effective. I actually think this is a relatively tough decision for the Yankees. You don’t want to sign a sinkhole, though DH’s who are not hitting are pretty easily replaceable.

Jack Cust and Matt Wieters are poster children for BP overprojecting.

Of all those names, Damon and Matsui, with their demonstrated ability to flick home runs into the short porch in right, make plenty of sense, and would certainly please the fans and the clubhouse.  I suppose Damon’s ability to run the bases would make him the more multi-dimensional choice.

I think Vlad’s done.  CAIRO agrees.  .286/.333/.442 is his projection as a Yankee, which would be two runs worse than replacement level at DH over 500 PA.  I do think a Jones vs. LHP/Ibanez vs. RHP DH situation could work, but I’d rather see the Yankees add someone who can play somewhere on the field.

“They bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into.  I say, ‘let ‘em crash.’”

I don’t know.  I got nothing.

Who would have thought there would be such a dearth of decent DH candidates.  Where’s Chili Davis when you need him?

the Boston Red Sox announced that Chili was their new hitting coach for their AAA Pawtucket team. Chili replaces Gerald Perry, who was hired as the hitting coach with the Oakland A’s.

I think that’s pretty recent.

I have fond memories of Chili.  He really had a solid career.

He’s with TWN now?

I have had fond memories of Chili.  He’s really had a solid career dead to me.

fixed.

Not sure why the Yankees wouldn’t take a flyer on the greatest hitter of all time. Vlad put up a 111 OPS+ in the 2nd half. Give him something with incentives. After all, the greatest hitter of all time deserves another crack at the WS.

[11] Agreed.

Carlos Pena is my first choice but he’s least likely to be available.  After him I think I’d go with Betemit, though I’d like to see Ibanez’s projection as a DH from the left side.  You can still probably stick him in left field in an emergency.

They don’t have a real need a fielder for any other position than 3b.  If they don’t get someone that can also play 3b then I’d rather just get the best hitter.

[7] In limited action the past couple of years, looks like advanced metrics says Damon was non-horrible in LF.  Also it looks like his BB% and BABIP both sunk by rather extreme amounts last year.  Could be falling off a cliff, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he can recapture some of that, especially if used part time, primarily against RH pitchers.  Damon wouldn’t be a bad choice, if he’s willing to sign for 1yr/$2m.

What do we think of Dickerson in the role, at least to start the year?  Or more precisely, what do we think of DHing Swisher vs righties, and playing Dickerson in RF?  Dickerson is a decent defender (better than Swisher), has some speed, and for his career has a 104 wRC+.  They’ll also be losing him if he doesn’t have a spot on the 25 man come April.  I figure he may not *help*, but he shouldn’t *hurt*.  Gives them time to find a better option as the season progresses - potentially a long-term replacement for Swisher - and if they catch lightening in a bottle maybe get league-average production out of Dickerson.

[15] We’ve seen the merman perform before. I prefer him on offense only.

[13] Does Pena allow us to DFAJ Teix ?

[15] If the Yankees need to save money (I have no idea) I’d have no problem with them keeping the current roster, going with a rotating DH (always starting Jones vs. lefties), and giving some regular time to Nunez, Dickerson, and Laird as they rest starters, give the regulars starts at DH, etc.  If Nunez, Dickerson, and Laird play themselves off the roster by June so be it.  See what they have, then make deals at midseason, depending on need and who’s available.

[18]
Agreed, Frog. But doesn’t make for much of a conversation. More interesting to (as Cashman repeats says, taking over Sybil Fawlty’s special subject) always be looking for what might improve the team.

[EDIT] What I said.

The following from mlbtr sounds to me like the chance of Hole Camel’s reaching the market is more than just another snuggles wet dream:

The Phillies have first dibs.  According to Boggs, “When you’re this close [to free-agency] you have mixed emotions.  But Cole has come through the Phillies organization, and if you asked him his preference, more than likely he’d want to remain with the Phillies. That’s how it would be going into the negotiations, but every negotiation is different. Everything depends on our perceived value of what Cole is worth and what their perceived value of him is. That will dictate if a long-term deal gets done. We’ll always give the Phillies every opportunity to secure him.”

I came back from a vacation overseas to learn of the Jesus/Pineda swap.

I haz a sad.

“Hole Camels”
Uggh. I felt dirty just typing that.

Just read this report on Campos (bottom of article).  Charleston will be STACKED next year!  Depending on Heathcott’s healthy, Tampa will be strong as well.

[16] I prefer him offense only as well.  But he may be better in the OF (or 1B) than say Vlad or Matsui.  Not as good at 1st as Pena, but better in OF.  Or put another way, this is a tie-breaker.  If a breaking of ties is needed.

[18] Definitely.  It’s also not just saving money though, it’s partly finding out what the kids can do, and if they have any value for the future.  E.g. maybe a Dickerson/Laird platoon (with Laird also backing up corner IF) may not look horrible in 2013/2014 if Yankees are committed to getting under the 2014 tax, and would rather plow money into more pitching (Hamels) and let Swisher walk.  And/or just commit the $$‘s to Granderson, Cano, and even Gardner.

[15] - Dickerson doesn’t even project to be better the Jones against RHP.  I’m not really a big fan of punting positions in the off chance you catch lighting in a bottle.  There are cheap options to be had out there that make enough sense not to do that. 

I understand you are hoping his defense makes up for it but I don’t like making those gambles.  It’s already looking like we are going to have Gardner playing full time this year.  Having both Gardner and Dickerson in full time against LHP seems like too much punting in the hopes that defense makes up for it.

If anything, I’d be open to the idea of Betemit (or Pena) playing full time DH and Jones getting LF againt LHP.

[26] “I’d be open to the idea of Betemit (or Pena) playing full time DH and Jones getting LF againt LHP.”

I have been thinking that too.

COTF Gary Sanchez looks like a really solid fellow:

[13]  That’d have to be some emergency.  Like a cruise ship running aground emergency.

[26] Sure, but first you have to sign Pena, which is no sure thing.  You also have to sign Betemit.  It’s fine for you to just say the Yankees should do that - and *claim* that they really don’t have a budget to worry about - but they really may not be willing/able to afford those two.  So now after that you are talking about comparing Dickerson to the likes of Matsui, Damon, Vlad, etc.  Different comparison entirely.

If you’re still looking for a 3B to supplement ARod…well he’s none of the guys we’re talking about, besides Betemit.  Most of them are OF.  If you’re going to get a poor defensive OF, who is (well) over 30, and defensively challenged…why not just say what Dickerson can do?  You don’t like taking the gamble with him, but you’re okay taking the gamble with say Damon?

Having both Gardner and Dickerson in full time against LHP seems like too much punting in the hopes that defense makes up for it.

In what scenario does this occur, please?  If both Jones and Swisher go down?

[31] - Sorry, yeah I mixed up my LHP lineup and RHP lineups for a second.  Although it would happen if Jones OR Swisher go down.  Not both. 

But you don’t need to sign Pena and Betemit to sit Gardner against LHP.  Just have Betemit as a full time starter with he and A-Rod sharing the 3b and DH time.  Then Jones plays LF against LHP.

Although it would happen if Jones OR Swisher go down.  Not both.

It’s possible, but not necessarily likely.  If one went down, I think the other would start in RF vs. lefties.  They’d probably use Laird as the DH, or even Nunez (or possibly start Nunez at 3rd and ARod as DH).  Or even add a RH bat from the minors (Vazquez most likely, but not only possibility). 

Gardner is also not necessarily a liability against lefties.  If you throw out his haphazard rookie season, he’s had 2 years where he was above average (2009 and 2010) and one below.  I don’t recall, but I don’t think he displayed much of a split in the minors, either.  IMO, he’ll do just fine against lefties if given regular PT.

[34] - Throwing away nothing his career totals vs lefties aren’t great.  As for his MiLB splits, no, they aren’t drastic but they don’t match his MLB splits at all.  In MiLB he had drastically lower OBP but drastically higher SLG% and it pretty much evened out in OPS.  For MLB he has no power vs. LHP at all but his OBP is consistent with RHP.  Who knows?

The Shadow.