Aside from the bullpen, the most frequently maligned aspect of nearly every Yankee team of the aughts was the bench. The excuse was often that the Yankees couldn’t get quality bench players because said players might have a chance to be starters on other teams, but that’s pure folly — not that you should overpay for your bench, but it shouldn’t that difficult to staff a bench that won’t out-and-out kill you every time one of its members steps to the plate.
Brian Cashman finally seemed to get the bench right last year, and though the team’s substitutes didn’t see all that much playing time in the 2009 postseason, I’m not so sure it was mere coincidence that the Yankees were finally able to break their World Series drought with the deepest 1-25 they’d had in some time. The two primary components of that bench — Eric Hinske and Jerry Hairston — weren’t acquired until midseason, but both provided decent bats, as Hinske wOBAed .350 and Hairston .325 in limited duty.
The 2010 bench is, quite simply, not getting it done for the Yankees this season. Francisco Cervelli leads the subs with a .305 wOBA, which, were he actually only playing once a week, would be semi-acceptable for a back-up catcher, but is terrible in semi-regular duty. Randy Winn was at .277 when he got cut, Colin Curtis is at .259, Chad Huffman .230, Kevin Russo .229 and Ramiro Pena an abhorrent .216 wOBA.
Now obviously the Yankees aren’t relying on any of these players to make significant contributions, and some of them have fortunately come through with a timely hit here and there, but they are all clearly very limited and will only continue to be exposed with more playing time. While Cervelli clearly isn’t going anywhere, it’s shameful that the Yankees’ four primary reserves are averaging a .234 wOBA.
If we set our minimum threshold for reasonable performance out of a backup player at a .300 wOBA, a handful of potentially intriguing names on non-contending teams turn up, including Alberto Callaspo (.315) Jhonny Peralta (.311), Michael Bourn (.306), Miguel Tejada (.304), Kevin Kouzmanoff (.303) and Ian Desmond (.303). If we move the bar up to around a .330 wOBA, which is considered average, we see names like Ryan Doumit (.331), Cliff Pennington (.329), Adam Jones (.324) and Chris Coghlan (.323).
I have no idea if any of these players are even available, although you’d have to figure their GMs would at least be willing to talk. Given the Yankees’ propensity to do business with Pittsburgh perhaps a deal could be worked out for Doumit, who has some pop and can play the corners in the outfield. Not entirely sure how the Pirates would replace their starting catcher, but he’s not exactly setting the world on fire with his defense, so this would probably end up being a positive move for the Buccos, at least on the defensive end of the spectrum.
Unlike the bullpen, this is one area of the team the Yankees have been completely unable to address internally, and it’ll be interesting to see which pieces Cashman ultimately picks up before the trade deadline.
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4 Responses to Addressing the Yankees’ areas of weakness: The Bench
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TIQ IQ
I agree that the bench needs to be tweaked but simply using wOBA as the benchmark doesn't do it justice. You literally compared players who are on the Yankees bench w/starters from other teams…sample size much? Cervelli being the one outlier everyone else very much had a limited role filling in as a defensive replacement or injury for a week or two. To improve the bench the Yanks should look at other teams benches and see what they can grab for little to nothing say paying off the remaining contract or a player to be named later. The players you mentioned would all take an actual prospect or two to acquire and for the production they are providing as starters the price simply isn't worth it.
Certainly a fair point with regards to sample size issues — it's definitely a bit misleading to comp the Yankees' bench players with starters from other teams, and I admit I could've been a bit more careful in that respect.
That being said, and while I don't necessarily disagree with your approach, I do think that if the Yankees were to upgrade their bench they don't necessarily have to look at just other teams' benches — how many teams actually have quality pieces hanging around on the bench?
Guys with wOBAs in the low .300s — even if they are starters — can't realistically cost that much by way of prospects. Hinske was wOBAing .339 when he was dealt, while Hairston was at .308, and who even remembers who the Yankees dealt for those two?
I guess the primary problem is, are there any Hinske/Hairston types to be had this year?
That is a fair question and to expand the point I was making neither Hinske or Hairston had taken on starter roles for their teams last year. They both were utility guys who had their fair share of starts and the guys you mentioned are legitimate starters for their team.
Guys I would look for are the same type of players guys who might be starting for their team now but are utility guys and Ty Wigginton certainly fits that bill. Prime age would be guys who are in their 30's and guys who have become utility players for bad teams now. I will have scan some rosters but I am sure there are plenty of guys who fit the Ty Wigginton mold.
Here is a name that might work for their bench and it shouldn't cost too much…Willie Bloomquist. He has good speed a decent (Jerry Hairston) bat and he can play every position on the field. The Royals are terrible again and with them coming to town for 4 games it would provide a chance to see him come in for late inning situations which is how he would be used if he were on a winning roster.