Via MLBTR we stumble across this tweet by Marc Carig:
Boras says Andruw Jones, as expected, has undergone a knee procedure. Has spoken with the Yankees about a return. Was a good fit.
That about sums it up. An Andruw Jones/New York Yankees reunion would make all the sense in the world. The Yankees always need a lefty-mashing extra bat and Jones fits that to a t. He crushes southpaws and won’t embarrass himself in the field. Usually with deals like this, I’m tempted to say that it’s better to let the player go a year early than a year late, but Jones’s role was just limited enough that the risk isn’t huge.
There was another OF note coming from Jerry Crasnick of ESPN via MLBTR.The Yankees are, according to Crasnick, one of eight teams interested in Grady Sizemore. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, I don’t want that. At all. Despite all the talent, Sizemore just has no spot on the Yankees. If he hit right handed, maybe he could give Jones a run for his money, but the fact that he’s lefty and can’t seem to stay healthy tells me that he’s not a fit for the Yankees. The only way Sizemore makes sense for the Yankees is if they trade a corner outfielder and use Jones (or another lefty masher) and Sizemore as a platoon. There’s a non-zero chance for that, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on it.
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8 Responses to Outfield Notes: Jones and Sizemore
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TIQ IQ
Jones- Hell yes. Dude was perfect for the 4th OF/platoon bat role.
Sizemore- Not even if the Yankees could take him for free. Injuries have ravaged him and taken away the skills that made him a great player.
I like them both my thing is we Can get them both because if we trade swiss we have to good OF and plus this is the deal we can sign Sizemore on a minor deal and if if doesn’t work out we can cut our losses and let him go but remember that he was once a great player so u never know if we get him and he end up being on of the best players just like Bartolo Garcia last year u never know what he might bring to the table i am for the move
First of all you will not be able to sign Sizemore on a minor league deal. He has more than enough teams after him to guarantee he signs a major league deal, it will just be for less than the option Cleveland turned down and loaded with incentives.
Second why would you be willing to trade Swisher for someone you would only want on a minor league deal, and admit there could be a chance you have to cut him and move on from him? You’d be trading a complete known for the unknown. If Sizemore flops, or gets hurt, now you have no one but Jones to start in RF and your outfield is worse off for it.
I would love to bring Jones back. He did his job well for us, and unlike Thames he can play outfield so you aren’t wasting a spot for someone to sinply play outfield. The only way I wouldn’t want to bring Jones back is if they sign Cespedes, and they want him to be the right handed bat off the bench for a year before he takes over RF in 2013.
I don’t really see the purpose to Jones. When would the Yankees use him? Not to sit Granderson or Swisher. Not at DH where Montero is (hopefully) entrenched. I think platooning Gardner isnt the best idea. Its not like hes that much worse against lefties, and with his defensive ability and patience at the plate its a push at best. A move in the outfield I’d like to see is to sign that Cespedes kid.
The Yankees are going to sign a right handed power bat for the bench, likely one who plays outfield. They like having pop off the bench and having someone who can start in LF against the tougher lefties that Gardner struggles against. One way or another a right handed outfielder will be on the bench, Jones makes as much sense as anyone.
I do agree I would like them to sign Cespedes, but I don’t know if it would be better for Cespedes to play in AAA for a year or come off the bench. If he comes off the bench then there is no need for Jones, but if he goes to Scranton they still have the need for right handed pop off the bench.
I don’t like the idea of not giving young talented kids who have a future with your big league team on the bench. Inconsistant playing time doesn’t usually make a player better. If we sign Cespedes it will be for too much money to keep him in AAA or on the bench. He would make Swisher or Gardner very valuable trade commodities.
They aren’t going to sign Cespedes and then just turn around and dump Swisher or Gardner for whatever they can get. Neither one alone is enough to command anything more than a back of the rotation starter, and both are more valuable to the Yankees than there returns would be.
I suppose Aroldis Chapman was making too much money with the Reds to be sent to the minors when he signed with them? They started him in double A, eventually promoted him to triple A, and didn’t call him up the big leagues until the end of the year when they needed help in the pen. Cespedes will be making a very similar amount as Aroldis is. It makes no sense to assume he will come in and be a masher, he is going to need time to adjust.
In fact I don’t want the Yankees to sign Cespedes at all unless he starts out the year in Scranton. I would call him up in September and let him get his feet wet, and then next year you let him start in RF and take the draft pick you get as compensation for Swisher on the free agent market.
Both Swisher and Gardner will be more valuable this year than Cespedes will be, that point is almost unargueable.