Friday, November 15, 2013

Smash Or Pass: New York Yankees Edition


I know a lot of people are going to click this link, especially considering the fact that we have the very popular Wives & Girlfriends section of the site, to see half naked women with their bodies hanging out and I want to apologize in advance that this is not going to happen. When I say smash I believe that these players would smash it in New York and be a great pickup for us, pass is pretty self explanatory. Now would I smash or pass?

Brian McCann - Pass

While I like Brian, I like his switch hitting bat, his power numbers, his premium offense at a premium position, and I like how much he upgrades such a glaring hole. What I do not like is giving anywhere near $100,000,000 for four or five years with a guy that has multiple injury riddled seasons lately on the wrong side of 30. If we were playing MLB The Show '14 I sign McCann 10 times out of 10 but in real life with four catchers already on the 40 man roster and Gary Sanchez in AA needing to be added and protected I have to pass unfortunately.


Masahiro Tanaka - Smash

I really don't care if the posting fee was $100,000,000 sign this man at all costs and sign him now. I don't care if he is better then Yu Darvish, marginally worse then Darvish, or the same as Darvish make sure this man is in pinstripes for 2014. I don't want to say that anyone is a must have for 2014 but I do things I don't want to do all the time so Tanaka is a must have. If we pass we will get smashed in 2014 by opposing offenses.

Grant Balfour - Pass

I have the most confidence in David Robertson that you could possibly have and that's as a closer or as a set up man. I think Robertson can learn to nibble less and challenge hitters more and really fit into the role well. He may never be Mariano Rivera but that's what made Mo so special because nobody will be Mo ever again. Balfour is well on the wrong side of 30 years old and is very fly ball and home run ball prone, something that will not translate well in New York but he has benefited from in the spacious Oakland Coliseum. If we're going to get a closer I have no problem with one or two more seasons with D Rob as the set up man but not setting up Balfour.

Joe Nathan - Smash

The only thing keeping me from going all in on Nathan is going to be an assumed $15,000,000 AAV for two or three seasons for a pitcher closer to 40 then to 30. Nathan has done it in Texas, a hitters friendly park and environment, and pretty much everywhere he has ever been. He has been on the large stage and could easily transition to New York in my opinion. He also helps us ease into the post Mariano era of Yankees baseball a little easier.


Carlos Beltran - Pass

Ask me two weeks ago and I am saying smash at the top of my lungs but now not so much anymore. Beltran is 37 years old and is asking for a three or four year deal, umm no? Beltran is considered to be a poor fielding right fielder with serious knee concerns after knee surgery, which is the probably cause for the loss of range and speed. While he has posted at least a 5.0 WAR the last two seasons his price and his age are making me pass up the opportunity to sign the veteran.

Corey Hart - Smash

Ask me two weeks ago and I am saying pass at the top of my lungs but now not so much anymore. Hart is 31 years old and is coming off of a missed 2013 season due to two separate knee surgeries in each of his knees. Hart is considered to be a poor fielding right fielder but has posted at least a 5.0 WAR in his last two seasons minus the 2013 campaign. If it seems like I just copied and pasted Beltran's post for Hart it is because these two are almost identical with six years between them in Hart's favor, three less years on the deal for Hart, and probably $40-$50 million less on the contract. Hart can also backup Mark Teixeira at first base and kills lefties, something Beltran does not do.




2 comments:

  1. Good to see that I'm not the only one interested in Hart. Being that he may only take a one year contract to sign, I can't see why not.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wasn't until I looked at just how similar he was to Carlos Beltran in stats and how much more versatile and cheaper he would come if he was healthy and willing to leave Milwaukee.

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