Yankees, Nick Johnson and Hideki Matsui

Nick Johnson may be returning to the Bronx. Johnson came up through the Yankees’ system and played for the team from 2001-2003 before being traded to the Expos in a package for pitcher Javier Vazquez in 2003. 

Johnson hit .291 in 2008 with the Nationals and Marlins combined with eight home runs and 62 RBIs in 133 games. He also walked 99 times and had an OBP of .426. 

Johnson would replace Hideki Matsui as the Yankees DH. Earlier this week Matsui signed a one-year deal with the Angels. Matsui hit .274 in 2009. He also hit 28 home runs and had 90 RBIs. Nick Johnson has never reached either of those marks in his career. Johnson’s best season was 2006 when he batted .290, hit 23 home runs and drove in 77 RBIs. He also scored 100 runs and walked 110 times that season. Matsui has hit 23 or more home runs four times since 2003 and had 90 or more RBIs five times since 2003.  

If you’ve been reading my articles, you’d know that I have been in favor of the Yankees re-signing Hideki Matsui since day one. I have said Matsui should have been the Yankees’ priority ahead of Damon. This made even more sense when the Yankees acquired Curtis Granderson because Granderson adds depth to the outfield and in turn makes Damon expendable, especially since the Yankees and Damon are way off in terms of salary and years. Not too many people agree with me about this. People said the Yankees didn’t want to bring back Matsui because he’s slow, has bad knees, can’t play the field, and the DH spot needs to be open for aging stars like Posada and Jeter. My answer to this was simple; Matsui can flat out hit. That’s all the Yankees need from their DH. Matsui can also sit out one or two games a week to let Posada DH. The Bombers don’t need a DH that can run, steal bases or play the field. They need a hitter to bat 5th of 6th in their lineup. Matsui also did a great job protecting A-Rod which he wasn’t given much credit for.

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Angels, Matsui Close to One-Year Deal

ESPN is reporting the Angels are in deep discussions with Hideki Matsui and are close to a one-year deal for $6.5 million. This is a deal the Yankees should have made. One more year is all they needed out of Matsui. Their are better hitters to choose from out of next year’s free agency compared to this year’s to replace Matsui at DH. The Yankees know what they have in Matsui. They don’t know how a player from outside the organization will hit as the Yankees DH in this lineup. He can’t play the field and can’t run, but he can hit and that’s all the Yankees needed out of their DH for one more year. One more year and Jesus Montero may be ready for the big leagues. 

I’ve been in favor of the Yankees bringing back Matsui all along. The guy can flat out hit. He’s a perfect DH for the them. I thought the Yankees didn’t want to bring him back because he was looking for a three year deal. Now he signs with the Angels on a one year deal. The Yankees left Matsui on the back burner this offseason and he goes to a playoff team and makes them better. 

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Yankees Free Agent Priority; Matsui then Damon

Johnny Damon still believes he fits on the Yankees even though they have acquired center fielder Curtis Granderson.

“I don’t think it affects what I can still do. Either they come out and pursue me or they don’t,” Damon told the New York Post. “I still know how to play baseball and will make any team better.”

The Yankees could figure out a way to make it work if they bring back Damon (although I don’t like the idea of having Damon and Granderson in the same lineup), but not on a four-year deal. Two years is the maximum I see the Yankees going. If Damon and the Yankees come to terms, either Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner become expendable. Finding potential trade suitors for Cabrera of Gardner shouldn’t be hard since some teams have already expressed interest in the young outfielders. 

Nothing but silence has come out of Matsui’s camp meaning they are weighing their options and realistically evaluating the market for slugger. Matsui has to be the Yankees priority over Damon for the mere fact that signing Damon gives the team excess outfielders and without Matsui, the Yankees don’t have a defined DH. The fact that Damon is a better option in left field than Cabrera and Gardner takes a back seat to the Yankees’ unwillingness to give Damon a four-year contract. If Damon’s asking price doesn’t come down to where the Yankees want it, they’ll be content with putting Cabrera in left field and having Gardner as their fourth outfielder.

If Damon lowers his contract standards to two years and Matsui accepts a one-year deal, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that both guys are back with the team next year. The Yankees should be more concerned with brining back the World Series MVP before Damon. 

Read more on the Yankees and Matsui
Also read about Matsui and Damon

Impact of Granderson Trade

The Yankees’ acquisition of center fielder Curtis Granderson has an impact on some other players in baseball.

Now that the Yankees have the center fielder they’ve longed for, where does Johnny Damon fit into the equation? Granderson slides into the number two spot in the lineup between Jeter and Teixeira where Damon used to bat. Granderson is also inserted onto a team that has several outfielders already on the roster not including Damon. Damon’s days in pinstripes are just about over.

The addition of Granderson makes it unlikely that the Yankees will acquire Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays. Austin Jackson was a player the Jays wanted in a deal, but he was shipped off to Detroit in the Granderson deal. That means to get Halladay the Yankees would have to give up two players out of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain and Jesus Montero. That isn’t going to happen. Of the four guys the Yankees didn’t want to part with, only one would remain with the team and there’s no way they package Hughes and Joba together in a deal. That means Montero would have to be in the trade with one of the two pitchers. You won’t be seeing Halladay in the Bronx.

Excludng pitching (which is a while different topic in itself), this is what I would do if I were Brian Cashman; Sign Matsui to DH, let Damon walk, move Melky to left field, use Brett Gardner as the fourth outfielder, and fill in the bench with young, inexpensive utility players.

This is how the Yankees lineup will look:
1. SS Derek Jeter
2. CF Curtis Granderson
3. 1B Mark Teixeira
4. 3B Alex Rodriquez
5. C Jorge Posada
6. DH Hideki Matsui
7. 2B Robinson Cano
8. RF Nick Swisher
9. LF Melky Cabrera

Not a bad lineup if you ask me. If the Yankees were to re-sign Damon, where would he bat in the lineup? Ninth? It’s hard to picture Granderson and Damon fitting in this lineup together.

The Granderson trade to the Yankees will shakeup some things around baseball. It also gives the Yankees leverage over Damon. If Damon wants to come back to the Bronx that bad then he’ll lower his asking price because the Yankees found his replacement in the lineup and don’t need his services anymore.

2010 Yankees DH

If not Hideki Matsui, who will be the Yankees designated hitter in 2010? The World Series MVP wants to come back to the Bronx and the two sides could meet in the middle and come to terms. Everybody is getting caught up in what the Yankees will do with Matsui and fellow free agent Johnny Damon, but they aren’t talking about the fact that the Yankees don’t have a primary DH on their roster without Matsui. Matsui is a better DH than almost anyone the Yankees would bring in to replace him. 

The Yankees know what they’ll get from Matsui when healthy. The key in that sentence is “when healthy”. Health may be the Yankees concern about Matsui, who has been hindered by knee injuries. If Matsui and his agent are willing to compromise on salary figures, it’ a no-brainer for both sides. Matsui is the best option for the Bombers at DH. It’s becoming more likely Damon won’t be returning since he covets a three or four year deal. This bodes well for Matsui.  

Matsui and the Yankees may not come to terms, however. Joe Girardi could go with a part-time DH and the rest of the time give an everyday player a half day off and have them DH. Three games a week Girardi can rotate Posada, Jeter, A-Rod or another position player at DH. The Yankees could also obtain a regular DH.

Matsui is the Yankees best option for DH. He played in 142 regular season games in 2009. He’s 35 years old, will turn 36 in June, and can give the Yankees between 120 and 140 games as DH in 2010. A reasonable offer will put Matsui in pinstripes for 2010.

2010 MLB Free Agent Predictions

Major League Baseball free agency kicks off when the clock hits midnight on November 20, 2009 and here are Empire Sports Now’s free agent predictions as it pertains to the Yankees and Mets and also the top free agents so it should make things very interesting for online betting.

Matt Holliday LF – Cardinals. Holliday will be the first left fielder to sign and will stay in St. Louis. Dark Horse – Mets

Jason Bay LF – Red Sox. Bay already rejected Boston’s four-year, $60 million deal but they’ll get something done, especially once Holliday signs. The Red Sox don’t want to be left without Holliday or Bay. Dark Horse – Yankees

Johnny Damon LF – Athletics. Former Athletic Jason Giambi signed with Oakland after the Yankees, Damon will do the same. If not Oakland, he’ll be back with the Yankees.

Hideki Matsui LF/DH – Yankees. The Yankees and Matsui will come to an agreement on a one-year deal.

Andy Pettitte SP – Yankees. It’s either retirement of the Bronx for Pettitte and it looks like he wants to pitch one more year.

John Lackey SP – Mets. The Mets won’t get Holliday, Bay or Figgins so they’ll spend on Lackey to pitch behind Santana. Dark Horse – Yankees

Marlon Byrd LF – Mets. He’s the next best option at left field for the Mets behind Holliday and Bay. He’ll also be a lot cheaper.

Other notable predictions:
Carlos Delgado – Marlins
Jason Marquis – Mets
Chone Figgins – Angels

Agree or disagree? Let us know.

Head Scratching Free Agent Prediction

I’ve been reading some free agent predictions and one of them that I’ve seen several times makes me scratch my head; Hideki Matsui to the Mariners. This makes absolutely no sense for the Mariners since they re-signed Ken Griffey. Matsui isn’t going to play the field unless a gutsy National League team signs him. An American League team isn’t going to put him in the outfield with those knees when they can DH him. Matsui and Griffey would give the Mariners two primary designated hitters. What a waste of a roster space.

There are conflicting reports about the relationship Matsui has with Mariners’ star and fellow Japanese player Ichiro Suzuki. Some reports say they are friends and other reports say they don’t get along. Until we know the truth about their relationship, saying that Matsui would like to play with Ichiro shouldn’t be a reason for the Matsui-to-Mariners prediction like several articles use.

Unless the Mariners are truly considering playing either Matsui or Griffey in the field on a normal basis, there is no way the Mariners sign Matsui.

Yankees, Damon and Matsui

Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui were pivotal players for the 2009 World Series Champion Yankees. They may not be back to help the Yankees defend their title in 2010. Both players have said they would like to return, but in recent years, the Yankees have been opposed to bringing back older, less athletic, one-dimensional players.   

A few years ago, the Yankees wouldn’t guarantee Bernie Williams a roster spot after his contract expired. The Yankees only offered him an invitation to Spring Training as a non-roster invitee. Bernie’s abilities were diminished at this point, unlike Damon and Matsui’s abilities which they showed in 2009 they still have something left. Last season, the Yankees didn’t work with Bobby Abreu or Jason Giambi after their contracts expired. Abreu had a good year too. He batted .296 with 20 home runs and 100 RBIs. This doesn’t bode well for Damon or Matsui.

If the price is right, it’s not out of the question for the Yankees to bring back one or even both of them. It’s not like they are the same player. While Matsui’s only use is as a DH and bats in the middle of the order, Damon still has some speed in his legs, is average in the outfield and is a top of the order type of guy. The question is whether the price will be right. Damon and his agent Scott Boras are allegedly looking for a four-year deal. The Yankees will let Damon walk if they don’t budge. The Yankees will not be bringing either guy back for more than two years and even that may be a stretch. Look for Damon and Matsui to come back on one-year deals, if at all.

Mets Left Field Options 2010

There’s no better words to the ears of Met fans than “it’s the offseason” after a horrific 2009 season that ended with a World Series matchup between the two teams they hate the most. The Mets figure to be in the market for a marquee left fielder and the free agent class has some good ones to offer starting at the top. Matt Holliday, who may be the biggest name on the market, leads the left field class along with Jason Bay.

Left fielders the Mets should concern themselves with:
Johnny Damon – Signing Damon would allow Reyes to bat third and gives the Mets a pesky leadoff hitter. It deepens the Mets lineup, allowing Wright to bat fourth and Beltran to bat fifth.
Marcus Thames – Thames has some pop in his bat and could provide power batting sixth in the Mets lineup.
Marlon Byrd – Byrd had his best year in 2009 hitting 20 home runs and driving in 89. He’s on the second tier and would be a cost effective option at left field.

Left fielders the Mets should make a run for:
Matt Holliday - Holliday is the the premiere name in the 2010 free agent class and is expecting Mark Teixeira-like figures. Pairing him with Wright would make a fearsome middle of the order. Holliday may be better suited in the National League but he’ll get offers from teams all around the league.
Jason Bay – Bay had a big year in Boston and would do wonders in the Mets lineup and locker room. He would be a terror in the middle of the Mets lineup. Bay is going to want a big contract after the season he had in 2009. He had 36 home runs and drove in 119. Boston will be players in the chase for Holliday and Bay and will most likely sign one of them.
Carl Crawford - The Rays have an option on Crawford in 2010 but if they don’t pick it up the Mets should make a play for him. He’ll get less attention than Holliday and Bay and would team with Reyes to make the Mets an all out basestealing team. Reyes and Crawford batting would make the Mets’ three, four and five hitters better.

Dark Horse candidates:
Rick Ankiel – Ankiel had a down year in 2009 compared to ‘08 but could make a resurgence with a new team. I won’t call him a center fielder by trade because he was once a pitcher. Defensively, the switch from center to left wouldn’t be an issue. 
Hideki Matsui – The World Series MVP may not be headed back to the Bronx although he would like to. The team in Queens will take a look to see if his knees can handle the everyday grind in the outfield.
Xavier Nady – Nady was with the Mets in 2006 but was playing right field. He’s a veteran and a career .280 hitter. He’d be a nice option behind the upper echelon of left fielders.

The Mets left fielder in 2010 will be:
Marlon Byrd – Holliday and Bay will sign for megabucks elsewhere and the Rays will pick up Crawford’s option. Byrd has put together decent numbers the last three seasons and could break out in 2010 with the Mets.

Yankees 2010 Offseason Plans

The Yankees are the World Series champions for the 27th time in their storied history and there’s no better time to take a look at the upcoming offseason than the day after the season ended. As the team vies for title number 28, all signs point toward Joe Girardi changing his uniform number from 27 to 28 (Yankees don’t want to stay at #27 for long) for 2010 as that’s the next goal of this franchise.

The last time the Yankees came off a World Series championship they made minor adjustments. The biggest move they made between 2000 and 2001 was the free agent signing of Mike Mussina. The Yankees won’t make a big splash in this year’s free agency because there are no major superstars in this year’s free agent class (led by Matt Holliday) and there’s not many placed the Yankees can upgrade (they are the champs for a reason).

The Yankees will start in-house with three guys that could hit the free agent market. They need to make a decision on what to do with 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui, catalyst Johnny Damon, and gritty veteran pitcher Andy Pettitte. It doesn’t seem likely the Yankees will bring back both Damon and Matsui. Damon can still run and play the field but Matsui is a pure hitter and will always hit no matter how bad his knees are. Both players have said they would like to return to the Yankees. If they aren’t retained, retirement is not on the minds of Damon or Matsui. The fact that the Yankees have some aging stars under contract would lead you to believe the Yankees are less inclined to retain Matsui as their DH. As for Pettitte, it would make sense for the Yankees to bring him back in 2010 after the season he had in 2009. The question is whether Pettitte wants to come back. He could ride off into retirement as a winner with five rings if he decides his career is over.

Th next order of business, which we may already know the answer to, is what to do with Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. It is almost certain they will both start the season as starters but if the Yankees land a veteran starting pitcher, one of them, more likely Hughes, could land back in the bullpen. This is an unlikely circumstance and expect to see both players preparing to be starters in 2010.

The Yankees went hard after free agents CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Mark Teixeira last offseason because they knew this year’s free agent class didn’t have many marquee, superstar names. The Bombers can never be counted out during free agency but they won’t be signing three top tier free agents like last year. A middle ground starting pitcher could be somewhere to look at, as well as a corner outfielder.

The 2010 Yankees team will look similar to the 2009 World Series champion team.