In his most recent piece, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune discusses Joe Mauer, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Adrian Gonzalez, dubbing them the Four Horsemen of baseball. While Rogers’ analogy is somewhat strange, he then goes on to turn a few more heads once he begins discussing the Yankees’ future in relation to the aforementioned quadruplet. According to Rogers, “[e]xecutives with other clubs” actually believe that the Yankees (the Red Sox are also named, as well) are reluctant to spend this winter “because they want as much flexibility as possible to land one of baseball’s four horsemen at some point in the next two years,” as all four will be free agents by then — Mauer after 2010, Pujols, Fielder, Gonzalez after 2011 — unless extension agreements are reached with their respective teams.
Wait… what? Though it is certainly feasible for the Yankees to tighten their purse strings this offseason in the hopes that Joe Mauer will be available on the open market after the upcoming season, how exactly do Pujols, Fielder, and Gonzalez — three first basemen — fit into the Yankees’ plans with some guy named Mark Teixeira inked through 2016? Well, Rogers adds that the Yankees “are keeping the DH spot clear, for the time being, as a potential way to accommodate Pujols, Fielder or even Gonzalez playing alongside Mark Teixeira.” Wait… what (again)? According to Rogers, this winter, the Yankees are “keeping the DH spot clear” — and by clear, I guess Rogers is referring to the team’s short-term deal with Nick Johnson — so as to sign either Pujols, Fielder, or Gonzalez sometime toward the end of 2011 (or in early 2012). Is that right? This is heavy stuff, however, plausibility is a key issue here. For instance, will the Yankees actually offer a $100 million contract to a designated hitter? Further, would Pujols, Fielder, or Gonzalez even want to be designated hitters for the Yankees? There are many important factors to consider, thus, thinking that the organization is “keeping the DH spot clear” for either of the three players, years in advance, seems far fetched.
In reality, it appears that the Yankees are limiting their spending this winter, not for another winter two years from now, but because, as Brian Cashman recently noted, they find next year’s free agent crop to be a more appealing sort (Joe Mauer — he’s the likeliest horseman to be pursued if available — plus Carl Crawford and Cliff Lee, for example). And, with regards to Rogers’ second claim about “keeping the DH spot clear,” perhaps the Yankees simply see the value of the roster flexibility provided by that role. Or, maybe they would rather funnel their rich resources into elite starting pitchers or multitalented position players that can offer both offensive and defensive contributions, instead of a DH who solely offers the former. The DH spot might also be kept clear with a short-term contract for Nick Johnson so as to prepare for the coming of Jesus Montero (assuming he outgrows catcher), the organization’s offensive wunderkind.
Basically, in sum, there are several reasonable reasons which explain why, exactly, the Yankees are currently curbing their spending and “keeping the DH spot clear.” However, awaiting the arrival of a pinstriped Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, or Adrian Gonzalez, years in advance, does not seem like one of those reasons (not at this point in time).
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10 Responses to Pujols, Fielder, Mauer, or Gonzalez…
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TIQ IQ
hold this quote, none of these guys will be yankees…mauer will stay with the twins, gonzales will get a ton from redsox, puljos goes to angles and fielder is a few hero’s from being on the biggest loser.. markmit down yanks sign lee next year.
Seems to me the Yanks are keeping DH open for Posada and flexibility.
I’m glaf you posted on this, because I was about to start a post on it. The idea that Brian Cashman will give somebody a mega deal to be a DH is so preposterous that I can’t imagine how Rogers came up with the idea. This is a GM who talked about DH’s being available all the time, and he’s going to pour a ton of money into one? Crazy.
Joe ,posada is done after next year. yes he will hit alot more this year and much more next as the DH, the yanks gave him a year too long ,should have been 3 years.. but big $s come of the next 2 years. and whom ever wrote cashman is looking into the future ,i agree with , he is playing chess.. those big 3 last year was his look of this year .. he knew this year would be spend $s his way or see ya take the highway, ex. damon, and if he could have swung lee this year pettitte would have not gotten all that money. andy and javy come off next year so does mo.. 38mil i think.. then i think posada and swisher another 24mil..
I think its universally expected among ML scouts that Jesus Montero will be ready to square off against big league pitching at some point next season. I doubt the Yankees keep Montero in AAA beyond 2010, at which point, he’s not going to be ready to catch full-time. So in order to keep Montero’s potent bat in the lineup & thus stave off the need to make a mistake signing of a power hitting corner OF, the DH slot must be available.
Barring another injury that can kill a 500 AB 2010 season, Montero’s headed for the big leagues full-time in 2011.
I think his 1st year up hr and Posada will platoon catching. Posada’s bat is roughly comparable to Matsui’s and will be kept aslong as financially practical. Posada will train him the same way Girardi helped Posada. Given a chance though, they’ll still try to get Mauer.
I agree with your “none of these guys will be yankees” statement. I dont think Gonzalez ends up with the RS. If anything, Prince Fielder is a likelier trade candidate that makes sense for the RS to target only because Fielder’s gonna make TWICE the money Gonzalez is contracted to make in 2010. Fielder is then arb eligible in 2011, so if Fielder repeats an ’09ish campaign, the kid could get TRIPLE that Gonzalez is slated to make in 2011.
Smart money is on Fielder to the RS after the 2010 season.
81 Games at first and DH for both Teix and Puljos. With a high chance of winning a title every year, they will take that. Everybody else can get a full day off instead of being the DH. With Jesus Montero as the Catcher. Big time power lineup. Jesus has gotten better at catching every year.
I thought Fielder signed a deal to buy up his arbitration years, ala Matt Holliday. Regardless, outside of the slim shot that Mauer may sign with the Yankees, neither of those other options will be a Yankee. It’s actually comical to read the people in different areas writing about the Yankees. They act like New York is some mythical place. There is a very good chance that one of the first baseman wind up in New York… just not with the Yankees. The Mets need a first baseman. Thinking the Yankees will invest 120 million or so in a DH is just asinine.
I don’t know about the other 2, but I think Pujols id a good enough hitter, to say nothing of his marketability, that the Yankees migh very well offer him a very large contract to DH for them.