Thursday, April 17, 2014

Stephen Drew & Kendrys Morales Wouldn't Help Much


It is common knowledge that the Yankees infield was a major concern and question mark coming into the season due to not only production but age and health. Well two weeks in the Yankees infield has taken a big hit with the DL stint for Mark Teixeira and the missed games for Brian Roberts and Derek Jeter and the fans are screaming for the signings of Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales and I am over here wondering why. I am not overly confident that they will help much, if at all.

The first thing that needs to be said is neither of these guys have had a spring training or competed in any games this season. They are both working out at the Scott Boras complex but that can only get you so far and nothing can replace real games and live competition. Ervin Santana signed late in spring training and did not make his first start until April 9, going on almost two weeks into the season. You have to figure that Drew and Morales would need at least two weeks just to be ready to get into a game.

In two weeks time Mark Teixeira would be back so the need for Kendrys Morales would be little to none. He is a first basemen or a DH and we would have that on the team already. Now while I am not above getting greedy and having an All Star a every position, even the bench, I am against giving up a draft pick for a glorified bench player. Kelly Johnson has also filled in well enough to be considered a legit first basemen back up option.

Drew could play second base and could be our shortstop next season when Derek Jeter retires, sure, but I am not entirely sure how much better he would be. Brian Roberts is struggling but is a switch hitter and plays a good enough defense to make up for a slow start, a slow start I don't expect to last all season if healthy. Drew adds yet another left handed bat to the Yankee lineup and is only a career .264 hitter while Roberts is a career .278 hitter. Roberts is hurt a lot, I get that, but so is Drew. Drew has played in over 100 games once in the last three seasons, and that was last years 124 game campaign, so he is not the poster child for durability himself either.

The most important thing, in my opinion, to this whole situation is a Drew signing takes at bats away from Dean Anna and Yangervis Solarte. The Yankees don't need Drew, they have infield depth in the minor leagues and on the bench, and I am not sure he would even be nice to have. He's a name, he's not the type of player we need. Neither is Morales so I hope that New York passes on both.

1 comment:

  1. I concur with your synopsis Daniel.
    We haven't seen if Solarte is for real, yet! But he looks to be a keeper, if he can hit with high contact...they will fall in some times. It would be a real nice good feeling to have him show (as did Brett) the experts aren't always right. And as hungry as he is, it will not be for NOT trying hard. He only has one way to go and that is up and all out. Damn, I want him and Anna to come through and become good every day players.
    If that happens, we do have a couple (or more) young kids on the farm to replace them when they are on the down slide, as they are 26 and 27 now. That gives us time to have the younger guys hone their skills for a few years.

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