The Yankees freed up some money yesterday by agreeing to trade A.J. Burnett to the Pirates for two minor leaguers and a total of $13MM in salary relief. They’ll save $5MM in 2012 and $8MM in 2013. Reports indicate that they’re expected to sign both Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez once the trade becomes official.
Chavez will fill out the bench like last year, but Ibanez would step in as the left-handed half of a DH platoon with Andruw Jones. Even though Spring Training is right around the corner, there is no shortage of DH-type bats on the open market as our Free Agent Tracker shows. If the Yankees were to decide to pass on Ibanez, they could always turn to Vladimir Guerrero or former Yankees Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui. Guerrero is a right-handed hitter, however. They also signed Russell Branyan to a minor league contract recently.
Given Yankee Stadium’s short right field porch and the presence of Jones, it makes sense for the Yankees to pursue a left-handed bat. Ibanez hit .245/.289/.419 overall last year but .256/.307/.440 against righties, which is good but not great. Damon (.255/.314/.401) and Matsui (.242/.318/.336) weren’t any better against righties, and in fact Guerrero outperformed all three of those guys against northpaws (.291/.315/.428). The Yankees have no shortage of DH options, but which one is the best?
There are plenty that are not listed that would be better. But since the writing already seems to be on the wall Ibanez of that group would be my choice.
It’s kinda weird hearing about the Yankees needing to shed payroll in order to sign a hasbeen to DH.
there is no chance for Jose Canseco to come back to the Bronx… it would only be 12 years later for the guy.
Bring in Barry Bonds
As much as i’d hate to see another Yankee get a 3,000th hit, I think the Yankees may be one of his last serious suitors.
Is it because of all the media coverage? Assuming Damon got 3000 hits and assuming he got it on the Yankees, there is no way he would get as much media coverage.
I think there are plenty of other players out there that are better than the players listed. But Vladimir guerrero is to old he’s probly going to retire in the next couple years. But if I had to chose one of them it would have to be hideki mautsui
I would’ve liked to see the Yankees trading for someone young with upside. Like the Padres’ Kyle Blanks or Daniel Murphy from the Mets. Or both.
That’s what they’ll do at the deadline if Ibanez doesn’t stick.
I hope so… I wouldn’t mind to see Blanks as RF and Murphy at 3B starting 2014.
Not sure why the Padres would trade Blanks and Murphy isn’t that good…
Either way, we won’t know who will be available till June.
blanks in rf and murphy at 3B??? o i get it we hafta compete with the tigers for WORST DEFENSE EVER, in that case makes perfect sense
I think personally old friend Johnny Damon would be a good fit. Guerrero did have a higher batting average, but a lower WAR.
Such a player will only be on a 1-year deal.
Morse in a trade?
Every one keeps mentioning DH-types we could trade for and that we’re freeing up money for has-beens, but the point is that we don’t have room for a strictly DH-type, otherwise we never would’ve traded Montero. Our DH position will be a revolving door of our current aging veterans. It only makes sense to get a vet on the decline because their role will be very limited.
Sign Manny Ramirez. He’s the best hitter available.
Have Chavez to DH until ManRam returns from his suspension.
Isn’t he going to be suspended to open the season anyway?
Hence why you have Chavez and Andruw Jones splitting time at DH until Manny returns from the 50 game suspension.
Chavez’s going to get hurt (inevitably, these things just happen) after 50-ish games anyway, and Manny can step in and mash. Hes got far, far more upside than anybody else on the market right now.
I vote Vlad since they have so many lefties in the lineup already and he’s still productive.
I hope it is not Vlad because not sure I can wish him a good season in pinstripes.
Matsui, we need a guy who can hit with RISP, the Yankees have been lacking that since he left.
Have to factor in parks.
Damon 2011 OPS+ 110
Ibanez 2011 OPS+ 90
And Ibanez is worse in the field than Damon, and Damon runs better.
Damon is who should be the choice, but the Yankees want to pinch pennies.
No it’s Damon who needs to lower his asking price.
Even as a Red Sox fan, I think they should use the position to rotate players. Best best is for A Rod to only play 120 games or so in the field. Chavez can play 3rd when A Rod DH’s, Andruw can DH vs LHP, so on. I wouldn’t get 1 player to be ‘the everyday DH’.
the Jays have done this with EE for the past couple of seasons… it works.
They aren’t getting an everyday DH. They’re getting a platoon DH. And if you have a rotating DH it’s essentially giving a full seasons worth of ABs to backups. Against LHP Andruw will most likely play LF with Nunez at SS or 3B and ARod or Jeter DHing. Then with a RHP whoever they pick up will DH and I’m sure Chavez will play 3B with ARod at 3rd as well.
My choice is Jorge Posada. For all the crap he took from everyone he blows all of these guys out of the water against RHP last year. I guess that had run its course though.
All of them lets just buy the lot folks…
“.256/.307/.440 against righties, which is good but not great.” — that’s not good.
Chavez at 3B, A-Rod at SS, & Jeter DH, what’s the problem?
Abreu will be Yanks new DH
Why have the horse when you can have the stable? Just sign them all and make them compete in S.T.
Forget all these fossils. Call up Jorge Vazquez and give him some at-bats in between the regulars who need some rest.
Where’s the “who cares” option? 🙂
Gotta be Chavez, so that Arod can DH when he needs to.
Jason Giambi!
Yanks should sign either Vlad or Derek Lee. Both are better than Ibanez.
just posted on nypost. Yankees not bringing back damon
Branyan…. no more words need to be written
Manny Ramirez would make the lineup look way much better than anybody else
Money being equal, I really dont think that this is a competition. Damon is the better bet. Ibanez is a worse hitter AND fielder.
Vlad probably has bounce back potential and should be an option (again assuming price is low).
It wouldn’t shock me though if Branyan put up an .800 OPS over 300+ ABs. If anyone other than Damon is signed I think Branyan will at least get the chance to get the ABs.
Yankees best option is to sign Raul Ibanez and acquire Kyle Blanks from the San Diego Padres for couple prospects (one coming over from Pittsburgh in AJ Burnett’s trade). As for Vlad Guerrero, Johnny Damon, and Hideki Matsui, a team like Seattle Mariners can sign couple of those guys to help out a young team w/ few veterans on the ball club as they were lacking in hitting last year, esp. w/ Albert Pujos now in Los Angeles Angeles and the high powered Texas Rangers that went to World series. C’Mon GM Jack Z. as we need some octane power on offense as Montero, Ichiro, and company can’t do it themselves in order to surprise couple teams in the division for this year and beyond.