Friday, February 1, 2013

Yankees Make It Official With DH Travis Hafner


The New York Yankees have officially signed Travis Hafner to be their designated hitter this season just 11 days shy of the opening of Spring Training camp. Travis passed a physical so the health, for now anyway, seems to be there after right knee meniscus surgery shortened his 2012 campaign. Hafner signed a one year contract worth up to $4 million after what the Yankees call $2 million in "reachable incentives" thrown in there. Hafner will be entering his age 35 season and will be our primary DH for 2013, especially against right handed pitching.

Travis Hafner has a left handed power swing that was made for the new Yankees Stadium and takes his walks, 12.7% BB ratio in the last three seasons, so he seems like a perfect fit when healthy. Hafner has hit .278/.385/.470 over the last three seasons against right handed pitching and has put up a triple slash of .267/.363/.447 overall over those same three seasons. The only thing that will keep Travis Hafner from being the next Raul Ibanez in the Bronx will be his health as he has only played more then 95 games once in the last five seasons, that one season being in 2010.  He will not steal bases and he will not play the field but "Pronk" will crush the ball and that is something we desperately need right now.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)