Tuesday, December 29, 2009

I'm Back! It's sure been an exciting off-season

Brief recap of the 2009 off season acquisitions

Yankees Acquired:
  • Javier Vazquez
  • Boone Logan
  • Nick Johnson
  • Curtis Granderson
  • Jamie Hoffmann
  • Matt Holliday... ok, just kidding, though I did have a dream that he was acquired.
Yankees Resigned
  • Andy Pettitte
Payroll: Is (currently) slightly lower than the previous year, though the team still needs to sign a left fielder.

Positive: Solid 1-4 starters. Vazquez will give the Yankees that strong #4 starter that they did not have last year. Though I believe injuries could play a part in the 2010 season. Pettitte has an iffy elbow and I wonder about Burnett at times. Curtis Granderson should be an excellent addition to the team; with his contribution on the field and also off the field with his charitable work. Only think I wonder is how good of a #2 hitter he will be. That's the plan right? Unless Damon somehow signs back with the team.

Negative: Replacing Nick Johnson with Matsui? I think it's a decent move if Johnson stays healthy. Then again, Matsui also wasn't the healthiest individual either. At least Johnson provides you with the flexibility of playing first base when the Yankees want to give Teixiera a day off.

The Yankees appear to be in good shape. Especially when you compare them to the other team that plays in New York.

Also, I finished the Marty Appell book on Thurman Munson, and it was amazing.. I am going to write a review up on it and post it hopefully later tonight or tomorrow.

3 comments:

Kyle said...

Welcome back!

It's been an interesting off season. I'm not sure so they are finished. I think they'll do something with LF.

My guess is Damon is only back if he'll take a 1 year deal for like 7 or 8 million.

I will miss Matsui. I guess the logic is that Nick Johnson though injury prone is younger. Hope it works out. At least it's only a 1 year deal.

I'm glad that Coke and Bruney are gone. I think that Marte and Roberston can do a better job. It's pretty funny that Bruney wants to be the Nats closer. He was a real nice guy when I met him in Baltimore last April, but as a pitcher he's just too inconsistent.

I am not a huge fan of Vazquez, but as a #4 starter he gives us depth and is an innings eater. We will be really lucky if our starters are as healthy as in 2009. So it was wise to add another starter.

I liked the Granderson move. A young CFer with speed, power, and good character. His Achilles heal is that he doesn't hit lefties well. I hope Long can improve that. If not he might just be moved down in the order on days that lefties pitch.

One other thing I think they are making a mistake if their plan is to get Crawford for the LFer next offseason. I'd rather just get Holliday now. Crawford would have been a great fit on the Mets in that big park with his speed. Yankees could use a power hitter in their park.

The Commish! said...

Great post Christina. Hope you post again regularly now that you are done with school.

Can't wait to read your review of the Thurman Munson book. It's on my list of books to read.

As for the Mutts...errr...Mess...errr...Mets, I don't know what they are doing. Watch as Jason Bay fails his physical, LOL.

Onto the best team in baseball, the Yankees.

I think injuries can effect any team but it's always nice when you have depth in starting pitching so if someone gets injured, someone else can plug in the hole.

I am surprised you are so high on Vazquez. I'm not a fan of him at all and hated to see the Melk-Man go. All Yankees fans memories of Vazquez is 2004 ALCS Game 7 2nd inning coming in for relief of Kevin Brown and serving up the grand salami to Johnny Damon. Hopefully he can be a serviceable #4 starter though. I think Cashman has really made some good moves since he was truly given control as the GM so I hope it works out.

I thought C-Grand is going to be the #9 hitter. I think he'll really benefit from working with Kevin Long. And I love the fact C-Grand does all the charity work too.

I'm sure the Yanks will find a left fielder soon.

Bruno V HAS Returned said...

The Yanks are much worse off than they were when they won the WS. Vazquez the headcase is back??!!! Does anyone remember Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS, part of the biggest collapse in baseball history? MR Junior Varsity was a key cog in that flop! Cashman is utterly insane. I don't buy the fact that JV was injured in the second half of 2004. I believe he wilted under the pressure. and Cashman gave up Melky who had how many walkoff hits this season...and clutch ones? Mr I like the womens was not the greatest Yank BUT he had his fans BUT JV, the guy is a goat.

Nick Johnson? a joke pure and simple...why? He's never healthy! Matsui had power and clutchness in spades which NJ doesn't. He has a high OBP BUT he has no speed which is a relative waste at that point.


Granderson? He was terrible in the field in Sept of this past season. His OBP is mediocre,and he is a strikeout waiting to happen. Say what you what about Damon BUT he is still clutch ,has speed and was great in the clubhouse. CG is a great guy BUT doesn't have the intangibles that Damon does, remember that steal from 1st to 3rd in the 2009 by Damon? Anyway, it's a so-so move.

Cash Man has actually made this team worse by subtracting Godzilla and Damon from the lineup and adding Johnson the Slow , JV the Headcase AND last but not least GRanderson who will bee called the Strikeout King Without OBP! All in all , a deceptively blah off season from the Yanks. On paper, the signing/trades look good BUT by replacing two stellar commodities with so-so ones and a pitcher that failed here before, it's a recipe for 2nd place , a wild card berth or layoffs instead of playoffs!