The free agent market on paper looks pretty thin this season
in Major League Baseball, especially when you consider last year’s class, but
recently a couple a veteran arms got added to the fold. The first was Derek
Holland who saw his option declined by the Texas Rangers and also saw his name
show up here on the blog yesterday and now we have former Chicago Cubs
right-hander Jason Hammel joining the fold. Should the Yankees be interested in
the man with the first World Series ring since the 1908 season on his finger in
the Bronx?
Hammel doesn’t exactly fit what the Yankees are trying to
achieve in the youth department but to think the Yankees will have an entire
team of 25-year olds is unrealistic. Especially in the Bronx. Hammel is
34-years old, which is still younger than CC Sabathia, and is coming off a
strong 15-10 season with a 3.83 ERA in 166.2 innings of work. Hammel isn’t
going to strike out a ton of guys but he generates enough fly balls to be
successful with the wind blowing out in Wrigley Field leaving me to believe
that Yankee Stadium may actually help those numbers improve, not worsen, for
once.
Hammel has turned his career around with the Cubs after
learning a sinker but you have to think Hammel dealing with elbow tightness
late in the season in 2016 may be the reason the Cubs decided to let him go.
Hammel missed the entire postseason with the elbow and if I’m being frank, the
last thing the Yankees need is another guy with elbow concerns every time he
throws a pitch.
So what about Jason Hammel? Obviously that’s nearly
impossible to say without knowing the status of his elbow but if you’re putting
me on the spot, right here and right now, I think the Yankees have to pass on
him. Sure he could be an improvement over what the Yankees currently have but
that and $15 bucks can buy you a beer at Yankee Stadium if he’s sitting on the
disabled list for a bulk of the season.
If the elbow is bad, or even questionable at this point, I
think you have to pass. If his medicals pass with flying colors, and I can’t
say that either way right now so I am remaining cautious, then we have another
discussion for another day. Stay tuned.
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)