Random Question About CF

In 2009, who would you like to see in CF?

If the Yankees plug in Brett Gardner, the OF would shape up to be Gardner in center, Damon in left and Nady in right. That’s a fairly solid defensive configuration. Of course, this arrangement is contingent upon the notion that Melky Cabrera will not be a starter next year and will likely make the team, but as a defensive replacement, off the bench (our 4th outfielder).

The second configuration could skimp on the defense, allowing for more offense. The Yankees could plug Damon into center and then figure things out from there. They could sign Manny Ramirez to a 3 or 4-year deal and let him roam RF (move Nady to LF), or they could try Matsui in the OF and hope that he doesn’t die. This would open up the DH hole, allowing them to add another bopper.

Why go the offensive route when the pitching is more important, you ask? Well, say the Yanks fail to lure CC Sabathia or sign AJ Burnett (Burnett is still a huge drop off from CC). They would have to “settle” for Derek Lowe and maybe Jon Garland (unless they try to trade). I figure they would probably add Joba into the rotation as well, since the 4 starters (Wang, Lowe, Pettitte, Garland) can be counted on to eat innings, however, the rotation itself isn’t as strong as it could’ve been with a Sabathia or a Burnett. You’re essentially adding offense to offset the output expected from your pitchers. It’s a strong rotation but it’s not lights out, therefore more hitting would make some sense and it would allow the Yankees to take Joba out of games earlier (with a lead) and limiting his workload (it’d help Jon Garland too).

What do you think? Is the first option best or is the second option best? Or, do we simply have to wait and see because the pitching will decide how the story is told?

Cashman Gets 3-Year Deal

Kat O’Brien has the scoop.

The Yankees made the announcement of Cashman’s return Tuesday afternoon, after it was first reported on Newsday.com. Cashman deliberated over the decision about whether it was time to move on after 11 seasons as GM, but gave the Yankees an affirmative answer Tuesday afternoon. In the end, a Yankees source said, it came down to what was best for his family. The new contract will be for slightly more than Cashman had been making, putting it in the ballpark of $2-million per year.

In a statement from the Yankees’ official release, Cashman said: “I know I’ve said it before, but it’s an incredible opportunity and honor to hold the title of general manager for the New York Yankees. With it comes a great responsibility to ownership, the people who wear the uniform and our fan base.”

A joint statement from Yankees co-chairpersons Hal and Hank Steinbrenner said: “Before we could move forward as an organization this off-season, we needed to come to a resolution on the person who would hold the important position of general manager and allow us to make another run at a 27th World Championship. We are thrilled that Brian has accepted to renew his commitment to this organization for at least three more years.”

Cashman will meet with the media at Yankee Stadium Wednesday morning. Neither Cashman nor Hal Steinbrenner, with whom Cashman negotiated the deal, could immediately be reached for comment. The two work closely together, and that relationship was a huge positive for Cashman in making up his mind.

No surprise here (if you are surprised, I’m surprised that you’re surprised). As I wrote earlier, Seattle which seemed like Brian’s other choice, isn’t a good fit for him. This works for him, in a number of ways (familiarity, family, money). Now that he’s locked up, it’s time to move on to the meat and potatoes of the offseason— free agent signings and trades.

Tex’s BoSox History

From the Boston Globe comes this piece on Mark Teixeira’s history with the Boston Red Sox, an organization he hasn’t had the “best” relationship with, in the past. The Sox have been after Teixeira for a while now, but I don’t see how he would fit into their plans.

Joba’s Shoulder Woes

I’m a little late on this one. My grad school program started last week, so please bare with me while my schedule starts to come together. I’ll still post regularly, of course, it just takes me a few days to figure out how I’m going to organize my time.

Anyway, Joba Chamberlain was experiencing some tightness in his shoulder during the first game of the doubleheader against the Sox, which explains why his velocity was down a bit (and why he couldn’t perform, forcing Girardi to go to Mariano Rivera to get the final outs of the game). Joba will have the entire offseason to rest his million dollar arm and will not participate in any fall leagues. He’s not concerned and I don’t think the Yankees are either.

The Infamous Closing Ceremony

I wrote about a rumored closing ceremony at Yankee Stadium a few months ago. Today, USA Today essentially confirmed it, although in a roundabout sort of way. In an article on Joe Torre, which was highly interesting, Joe was asked about returning to Yankee Stadium for the closing ceremony in November. Here’s what he had to say about a possible reunion:

Torre, who got a congratulatory call from Cashman the day the Dodgers clinched the NL West title, will be back in New York after the World Series. He and Ali are hosting a reunion of the 1998 World Series championship team at their Safe at Home Foundation dinner Nov. 7. The Yankees plan to have a final ceremony two days later at the Stadium.

“I would like to go,” says Torre, who plans to get a couple of seats from the stadium. “It would be nice to say good-bye.

It appears as though the ceremony is a go, despite the ending we saw a week ago. We also have a date now (November 9th). Hopefully, Torre will be there, along with Donnie and a few others. It’ll be fun to watch the Yankees in their handling of the event, as it must be different from the final game at Yankee Stadium (you can’t regurgitate the same old song and dance). I’m expecting musical performances and maybe a couple of star-studded speeches, equipped with video montages.

Headed To Seattle?

There are quite a few rumors circulating throughout the baseball community, rumors pertaining to Brian Cashman and his supposed “intrigue” with the Seattle Mariners and their GM position. Now, while I live in Seattle (temporarily) and think that Cashman would be able to help the club here (hell, it seems like anyone could do a better job right now), I just don’t see it as a viable destination for him. My reasoning for this thought is fairly simple as it deals with power and control.

As the GM for the Yankees, Cashman has always dealt with problems related to power and control. The Steinbrenner family has constantly took the reigns, pushing Cashman to the side, usurping his power and relegating him to the sidelines. George did it, his advisory board did it, Hank talks too much and has tried to do it (Johan Santana), and Hal is pretty much the only saving grace, although he too is jumping into the baseball decisions, headfirst. Cashman was only granted autonomy a few years ago, when Mr. Steinbrenner was losing his grip on the franchise and now, with Hank Steinbrenner’s recent comments about another advisory board, people think that Cashman will be stripped of his power, yet again. This would force him out of NY and into Seattle.

However, let’s not forget that Seattle is not some sort of magical franchise that provides unrestrained control to the GM. For example, Ichiro Suzuki, the biggest and brightest star in Seattle, would make sense as a trading chip when a team is as bad as the Mariners currently are. Although he’s a great player, he’s not getting any younger, and by the time the team is ready to contend, Ichiro will probably be 40. This is not my own opinion as it’s something many people in Seattle have discussed. But, alas, it will never happen, not because Ichiro is a huge draw at Safeco. That’s not the primary reason. The main reason is that the Japanese ownership that controls the team would NEVER allow it. They’re the same group that gave the 32-year old catcher, Kenji Johjima, a new 3-year deal (runs through 2011), this year, before letting him finish out the season (and he had a terrible year). The GM at the time, Bill Bavasi, was rumored to have nothing to do with the deal, as the Japanese ownership supposedly pushed it through. It made no sense, especially with top-tier prospect, Jeff Clement, waiting in the winds.

The point is that the ownership for Seattle has its own set of problems with power and control. The Johjima deal is one of those explicit “WTF” moments that truly tells the tale. They have not conceded power in the past, even when it was in the best interest of the team. Would Brian Cashman really want to deal with a franchise like that? You can argue that it’s very similar to the way the Yankees have operated and I agree, to a point, but that’s not entirely true. When compared to the Steinbrenners, their first priority has always been winning, not providing loyalty-driven contracts to players that weren’t that good to begin with (compare the contracts of Posada and Rivera to… Kenji Johjima). They’re not even “loyalty-driven”, essentially, and are based on Japanese history (Johjima played in Japan). If Pat Gillick, a longtime friend of Cashman’s, was headed to Seattle, then maybe that’d work, yet I haven’t heard that as being true.

With the Yankees, Cashman knows what he’s getting into. In Seattle, without a new CEO of operations or new ownership, who knows? If Cashman was going to leave, he’d venture to a place that would guarantee him complete control and that’s just not happening in Seattle. I mean, why go to Seattle and battle for power on the other side of the country when you can just do it here (note the sarcasm)?