Via Bryan Hoch’s Twitter, (again H/T RAB, Nick Johnson has suffered a setback in his wrist surgery rehab. This likely shoots any hope that OBP Jesus will return this season and leaves the Yankees looking for a full time DH option. They could continue to use Jorge Posada as a DH with Francisco Cervelli catching, but I’m not a big fan of this (at least not until FC hits another hot streak).
There are some DH options out there, but frankly, none of them are too attractive.
The trade candidates:
–Lance Berkman: His raw numbers are down (.351 wOBA, .405 career, .386 in ’09), but his peripheral stats are still decent: 15.2% walk rate, .192 IsoP. I’m not a huge fan of this because of Berkman’s age but if he could replicate a 15.2% walk rate and a .192 IsoP, he’d be a valuable addition to the Yankees. The price, though, is likely to be high. We haven’t heard much on the Berkman Trade Front lately and he is the hitting face of the Houston franchise, so the rebuilding Astros would likely ask a hefty price for Fat Elvis. Pass.
–Adam Dunn: I’m a huge Adam Dunn fan. I think he’s still underrated and as a lefthanded DH-only in Yankee Stadium III, Dunn could do some serious damage. However, there have recently been reports that Dunn and the Washington Nationals have been talking a contract extension. Because of that, I see his cost as too high as well. As sad as it makes me, pass as well.
–Adam LaRoche: LaRoche is on the lowly Diamondbacks and is having a pretty good year. He’s got a .345 wOBA and a .209 IsoP. His OBP seems low at .331, but his walk rate is about ten percent. Arizona is going on where and LaRoche isn’t getting any younger. He’s not a missing piece, nor is he one the Diamondbacks should plan on building around. This means his cost will probably be the lowest of the trade options. The only roadblock I can see is a $9.5MM mutual option that kicks in if he’s traded (if not, it’s a $7.5MM mutual option). It’s more a pothole than a sinkhole, as the Yankees would likely decline their part of the option unless LaRoche were to absolutely rake in New York.
Free agent candidates:
–Carlos Delgado and Jermaine Dye are the only free agent options I see as viable (barring a Barry Bonds comeback) and they’re not too attractive. Delgado’s got obvious power, but he’s coming off of hip surgery. Dye is the better option of the two, mostly because he’s not coming off of an injury. My first post here, though, was about avoiding Dye and I think the Yankees should do the same here.
Internal options:
–Juan Miranda and Marcus Thames as a DH platoon. I like this option most for a few reasons:
Miranda hasn’t looked awful in his time in NY.
Miranda has been raking since coming off the DL.
Thames should only play against lefties.
It keeps Thames off the field.
It costs nothing. This is the most important part and makes it the most likely.
So, readers, what do you think is the best option?
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10 Responses to A DH! A DH! My Kingdom for a DH!
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TIQ IQ
Hi Matt..forget all those rethreads… Miranda, Thames.. we need tex and arod hit really pick it up..grandy is another piece that has to really get going..our pitching has us in first until now..cano cervelli, gardner swisher carried us the first half..now it is the big guys who must come through, cervelli was a hugh gift the first half..he is not burdened to do it all year. i knew NJ would not last ,i gave him 40 to 50 games before he goes down.. so long nick…
The rumors say that if Cliff Lee comes to the Yanks, Vasquez goes to Phillie in exchange for Jason Werth. sounds like a great DH possibility to me.
phillies would be nuts to make that trade…they would not deal with us in lee deal ..no way they deal with us now..
If the rumours don’t come to pass, I can live very nicely with more COLIN CURTIS in the OF and more Swish at DH.
I tihnk COlin Curtis has plenty of hititng and is an improving player.he was great last year late, better in WInter ball and showed lot’s of power in PSring Training.I think he’s a late develop who has finally gotten it.Only the ankle injury early on kept him from being brought up when Granderson went down and by now he’d be a fixture, poor timing.
i like curtis a lot also, he will be a very good player..his defense is great now..
Look at Curtis’ minor league numbers. If he’s a big league average bat, I’ll be surprised.
cervelli hit .190 in AAA.
If you’re gonna use an example of a guy with “meh” numbers in the minors who then turned into a good hitter in the Majors, Francisco Cervelli is probably not the guy you should cite. Robinson Cano is.
thats is true thanks…but are you saying cervelli has not been hugh for us this year? did you follow the yanks april and may..
I think we need to try Miranda and Thames. For some reason I like Miranda a lot so I want to give him a chance, like you said he hasn’t looked terrible in NY. But as for Thames, he is the Satan of god of defense.