SB Nation - Curtis Granderson

Utility Options

Brandon C. — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:00:31 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

New York Yankees' Ramiro Pena smiles while heading to the dugout after hitting his first home run in the majors, in the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals in a baseball game at Yankee Stadium on Monday, Sept. 28, 2009, in New York.

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The Yankees have had a pretty eventful off-season so far and it looks like they are nearing the end of their moves. It is always possible that the Yankees will go after a Johnny Damon or a Mark DeRosa, but with the way Brian Cashman is talking it doesn't seem too likely. Let's say the Yankees do not make another move this offseason: What would the offensive roster look like?

DEFINITE PLAYERS ON THE ROSTER:

C- Jorge Posada

1B- Mark Teixeira

2B- Robinson Cano

3B- Alex Rodriguez

SS- Derek Jeter

LF- Brett Gardner

CF- Curtis Granderson

RF- Nick Swisher

DH- Nick Johnson

PROBABLES:

OF- Jamie Hoffmann

POSITION BATTLES:

Backup Catcher: Francisco Cervelli vs. Mike Rivera

Utility Infielder: Ramiro Pena vs. Reegie Corona vs. Kevin Russo vs. Eduardo Nunez

POSSIBLE:

1B- Juan Miranda

Overall, while the starters are all great, the utility players may be a problem. I predict that Cervelli, Pena, and Miranda do make the roster, but there still may be a problem. Last year the Yankees went into the year with Cody Ransom as their starting third baseman and Ramiro Pena as the backup. They have shown no reason to believe they wouldn't do that again. Do I think it is a problem? Not necessarily, but with all of these young backups there is certainly a risk that they will struggle in the bigs. Personally, I would sign someone like Miguel Cairo to compete for the utility job while mentoring the youngsters.

P.S. Sorry for not commenting back to any comments last night. I was at the New York Islanders vs. Toronto Maple Leafs game. I got to meet the team before the game and get autographs after!

Evening Prowl: Updated Prospects List, Your Next Tiger, Phil Nevin, and Detroit Bad Boys

Ian Casselberry — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:01:25 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Where does Daniel Schlereth fit on the Detroit Tigers' list of top 10 minor league prospects?

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Fangraphs has updated its list of the Tigers' top 10 prospects to include Austin Jackson and Daniel Schlereth, who came to Detroit in the Curtis Granderson-Edwin Jackson trade.

(via Motown Sports)

At Take 75 North, Matt Wallace talks about the player who could become your next Tiger. (Hint: He developed through Detroit's minor league system, and is virtually assured of a starting job next season.)

Buster Olney thinks the Mets should make a run at Fernando Rodney (since he wouldn't cost a first-round pick), giving him a two-year deal to pitch set-up for Francisco Rodriguez. [Insider]

Would the movie Avatar have been more fun if Samara Pearlstein illustrated the Na'vi, instead of the digital wizards of Weta? Perhaps not. But Brent Clevlen with Tiger paws and a tail wasn't seen on Pandora.

The Royals signed Brian Anderson to be their centerfielder next season. As our friend Sam Mellinger points out, that means Kansas City will feature Jason Kendall, Yuniesky Betancourt, and Anderson up the middle next season. (But hey, they will have those powder blue hats.)

Does this mean the Josh Anderson era in K.C. is over? Yes, he was non-tendered almost two weeks ago.

Anyone looking for a piece of Tiger Stadium can find one at Wayne State baseball games this spring. As the Detroit Athletic Co. tells us, the old auxiliary scoreboard from Tiger Stadium has been installed at WSU's ballpark. Go ~~Tartars~~ Warriors!

(via The Detroit Tigers Weblog)

If you're still scratching your head about Phil Nevin being named the manager at Double-A Erie, this Freep.com article won't help you with that. But it might be interesting to read that Nevin says he was inspired to manage after playing for Sparky Anderson.

Welcome Detroit Bad Boys to the SB Nation family! DBB has merged with Motown String Music, making for the killer Pistons blog that SBN should have. Best wishes to Matt Watson and Brian Packey in this new venture.

Was Curtis Granderson a Victim of Bad Coaching?

Ian Casselberry — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:06:52 -0000

More photos » by Seth Wenig - AP

Is Curtis Granderson smiling because he'll no longer have to work with Lloyd McClendon?

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Last week, we swapped posts with Pinstripe Alley, trying to get some local opinion on the players involved in the Curtis Granderson trade to the Yankees. (If you missed it, here's jscape2000's post about Austin Jackson and Phil Coke.)

In my post about Granderson, I mentioned my theory that Jim Leyland messed with Grandy's head early in the season by moving him down in the order to more of a run-producing spot. That seemed to get Granderson in a power-hitting mindset, and that stayed with him once he moved back to the leadoff spot.

That prompted Ed Valentine to share something he heard, that several inside the Tigers' organization think the problem wasn't Leyland, but rather with hitting coach Lloyd McClendon.

Valentine's source (we really have to get one of those here at BYB) added that Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez eventually refused to work with McClendon, following the lead of Placido Polanco. This lines up nicely with what Bill Ferris mentioned at The Detroit Tigers Weblog, about Granderson and several other Tigers hitters making the trek down to Toledo to work with Mud Hens' batting coach Leon Durham.

That prompts two obvious questions: 1) Why is McClendon still the hitting coach? And 2) Why isn't Durham in Detroit?

McClendon, according to Valentine's source, is Leyland's "buddy," which makes it sound as if he's in no danger of losing a spot on the coaching staff. And there have been rumblings that Durham's past keeps him from getting a position with a major league team. (Strange that Mark McGwire apparently doesn't encounter the same obstacles, though he's presumably innocent until proven guilty.)

But if one of the reasons Granderson was traded was because the Tigers didn't see him improving as a hitter (particularly against left-handed pitching), it's especially mind-blowing that they'd go for that option, rather than trying to "coach him up." (Granted, that may be oversimplifying the situation, as finances were another of the presumed reasons for making this deal.)

Perhaps that explains some of the spin ("Oh, Granderson was a flawed player!") that's been pushed out through the media in the past couple of weeks. IImplications of cronyism among Leyland's coaching staff are also quite troubling.

Of course, we'll know more if Granderson improves under Kevin Long's tutelage in New York. But ultimately, whether this is true or not, it makes a situation that's already been tough enough to digest among Tigers fans even more indigestible.

New York Yankees notes: Trade winds are a-blowin'

Ed Valentine — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:56:20 -0000

The Twitterverse, as those who love it affectionately call it, was on fire Monday night with reports that our New York Yankees were closing in on a deal for a starting pitcher.

Thing is, no one seemed to have any real idea who the target of the Yankees' affection is. Whoever it is, the Yankees and their potential trading partner seem to be playing this one awfully close to the vest.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News breaks down the possibilities -- the most intriguing being the Florida Marlins apparently disgruntled ace, Josh Johnson. Feinsand also mentions Carlos Zambrano (Cubs) and Aaron Harang (Reds), but those two have apparently already been ruled out, per the info Travis found for you last night.

Over at the LoHud Yankees Blog, Sam Borden also has some insights on which pitcher might be heading to the Bronx in time for Christmas.

Here are some other stories of interest regarding the Yankees this morning.

One pitcher we know won't be coming to the Bronx is Jason Marquis. The veteran right-hander is heading to the Washington Nationals.
FanGraphs has posted an excellent review of the Yankees' drafts since 2006. If you enjoy following the farm system, or even you don't pay much attention and just want to catch up a little, it's a good read.
The Yankees plan to have Jesus Montero, the prized possession of their farm system, start the upcoming season as the AAA catcher.
Rob Neyer of ESPN is out with a position-by-position look at the best -- and worst -- defensive players of the deade. And no, Derek Jeter is not on either list.
You might think it is a given right now that Ramiro Pena will be the utility infielder if the Yankees don't bring in a veteran like Jerry Hairston Jr. Well, Mark Newman, who oversees the farm system, says Pena will get plenty of competition from other young infielders.
The Yankees have signed veteran backup cather Mike Rivera.
Bless You Boys, SBN's Detroit Tigers blog, pens an overdue goodbye to Curtis Granderson.

An Overdue Goodbye to Granderson

Ian Casselberry — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:00:17 -0000

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It's been more than a week since Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson were traded, and probably too late to write about it now. But while scrolling through the Tigersosphere's varied thoughts and lamentations, I realized I hadn't really expressed my feelings about the whole situation. I mostly just passed along what had happened, and let you guys take it from there.

Considering, however, that I once wrote that Curtis Granderson was the face of the Detroit Tigers franchise (ESPN.com still has it online; just click on the Tigers logo), I thought I should probably respond to him being traded.

First, here's what I wrote, back in 2007:

For the face of their team, some Detroit Tigers fans might choose a player who persevered with the team during those really bad years, but can now revel in its success. Others might prefer one who joined the Tigers at their lowest point after having achieved success elsewhere.

But I like a guy who symbolizes the newfound prosperity of baseball in Detroit, whose performance has shown that the fans can actually believe the organization when it says this player is going to be good.

He might draw his loudest cheers when blazing around the bases for a triple or making a smooth, assured catch in the outfield. But Curtis Granderson also evokes love and respect from Detroit fans for striving to be something more than just a ballplayer. Because of that effort, and the promise of more to come, Granderson represents the Detroit Tigers like no other player.

If you'd told me on October 7, following the Tigers' loss to the Twins in the AL Central tiebreaker, that Granderson (and Jackson) wouldn't be a part of next year's team, I'd have made a face and told you to do something inappropriate (and possibly illegal) to yourself. No way. Especially Granderson.

When the trade happened, I was deep into the analytical mindset, and thought the Tigers made a pretty good deal (though I would've felt better if they got another starting pitcher from the Yankees). I told myself that the Tigers were smart for seeing what they could get for players such as Granderson, and if he was one of the few players that could be moved in an attempt to improve the team's fortunes, then that was the cost of doing business. (And in terms of handing out contracts recently, business has been bad in Tiger Town.)

But there's the rub, right? Did the Tigers make themselves better with this trade? We won't know for a few years, unfortunately. Which is one reason why this was so hard to digest. Granderson is what's happening now.

What was happening, however, may have been obscured by the general goodwill toward Granderson. His past performances, personality, and public service greatly enhanced his popularity. And maybe that caused us to overlook some growing flaws in his game. Lynn Henning seems more than happy to point those out, continuing to lob grenades of Granderson's failings in what almost appears to be a vendetta against him. But perhaps that speaks to why the Tigers became willing to trade the type of player whom every team would seem to want on their roster.

Granderson has literally been an ambassador of baseball, teaching the game overseas. He was also a presence in the local community, using his celebrity standing to raise money for schools throughout the state. Maybe other professional athletes do that sort of work too, and just don't publicize it as much. But Granderson seemed to enjoy being more than a baseball player. It's kind of a shame that he's now being criticized for having aspirations outside the game.

Of course, it's that game that allows him such opportunities in the first place, and as his employer, the Tigers are entitled to demand a full commitment. We'll see if this ever becomes an issue in New York.

I'll admit I'm a soft touch for Granderson. Being the rare non-pitching prospect that developed into an everyday player appealed to me as a fan. (Remember when it was between him and Nook Logan for the center field job?) As I've said on several occasions, I don't think it's a coincidence that Detroit's return to baseball relevance occurred at the same time the Tigers found a regular center fielder. As a fledgling sportswriter back in 2006, I certainly appreciated Granderson being one of the few players who stayed by his locker until every question was answered. Not to mention that he treated me the same as the (clearly) more established reporters.

(And when I had an assignment for a magazine that ended up never seeing publication, Granderson gave me an interview. It was on really short notice, too. But I thought it was worth a shot, and he helped me out. It's too bad that the thing never saw print. He and his publicist probably thought I made the whole thing up.)

Maybe this has clouded my perspective of Granderson. Perhaps he's a player that's already reached his peak, and the Tigers were smart to get what they could while his value was still relatively high. But I'll stick to my assertion that he's also the kind of player you want on your team, the kind of player that makes it easy (and fun) to be a baseball fan (casual or hardcore). I know I felt pride as a Tigers fan when he appeared as an analyst on TBS' postseason broadcasts, or blogged at ESPN.com and Big League Stew. That was our guy. Our Tiger.

Will Granderson become just another guy on the Yankees? You can't help but wonder that, as he joins the team of Jeter, A-Rod, Teixeira, Sabathia, and Rivera. But maybe it's also not giving him enough credit. Maybe he'll be their best center fielder since Bernie Williams. Even though Grandy's now playing for the team so many love to hate (and watching him in the pinstripes will feel vaguely like watching an ex-girlfriend with a better-looking guy who makes more money), I'll be rooting for him to achieve that status. I'm still a resident of Grandyland.

Battle Royale: Johnson & Granderson vs. Matsui & Damon

Travis G — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 16:00:18 -0000

More photos » by Seth Wenig - AP

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The Yankee offseason so far has begged one obvious question: which is the better duo - Matsui and Damon, or Johnson and Granderson?

To find that out, we need to divorce ourselves from emotional attachments to Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui (assuming Damon does not return). They were very good players while in the Bronx, and helped end a decade-long title drought, but to continue to be a perennial powerhouse, emotions can't get in the way of sound baseball and business decisions. It's the job of GMs to look to the future, not the past.

2009 saw Matsui and Damon post impressive numbers: .274/.367/.509 and .282/.365/.489 respectively.

Johnson and Granderson put up lines of .291/.426/.405 and .249/.327/.453 respectively.

At first glance, it looks like this will mean a drop in production. But let's dig a bit deeper.

M & D played in the new Yankee Stadium, also known as the most homer-friendly park in baseball (26% more longballs than the average park). The newcomers, J & G, played in gigantic parks: Comerica Park, Nationals Park and Dolphin Stadium, all of which are known as pitchers havens. We can reasonably assume M & D's power numbers will drop, only because they're moving to less 'left-friendly' ballparks. Conversely, J & G's power numbers should see an increase hitting toward the famous 'short porch.'

Johnny Damon is coming off one of his best offensive seasons, but the Yankees should be wary of players (1) in contract seasons having career years, and (2) having career years at 35. We can naturally expect Damon to regress. On the other side, Curtis Granderson will be 29, coming off an unusually down-year. 2007 was a career best, 2009 was (nearly) a career worst: we can naturally expect something in between (like 2008: .280/.365/.494, nearly identical to Damon's 2009, only Grandy did it in a pitcher's park).

Matsui is less unlikely to repeat his year, which was closer to his 'norm' than Damon's was. However, Nick Johnson's ridiculous .426 OBP is immensely valuable. I expect both Matsui's SLG and Johnson's OBP to decrease, only because they're rather out of line with their career averages. But I do expect Johnson's SLG to increase, what with the short porch in rightfield and the protection of Tex and A-Rod - he should see more hittable pitches and fewer walks.

Then there's defense, where J & D have, and should, easily surpass the aging duo of M & D. Matsui didn't play one inning in the field this year. It was the condition of his knees, not his salary, that gaves the Yankees pause. The Angels promised to give Matsui a chance to play the field at least once or twice a week. That's something the Yankees could not do. Damon played a passable leftfield, but every other outfielder on the team could play a better leftfield (yes, even Swisher), and are a minimum of seven years younger.

Granderson is a natural centerfielder, and wherever he plays he'll provide average to excellent defense. He'll also be playing in a significantly smaller centerfield than he's used to. Johnson is a solid first-baseman and will fill in admirably when Tex needs a day off. If Tex is going to last another seven years (while still bringing quality production), he'll need consistent rest.

Matsui was almost worthless on defense. Joe Girardi didn't even play him during the World Series - that's how little confidence he had in Matsui's ability to play the field. Damon is a mediocre leftfielder at best; a fulltime DH at worst.

Then there's health. Johnson has suffered from countless injuries in his career. He's played more than 130 games just three times in eight years. What will hopefully keep him healthy is a fulltime DH role. He's been in the NL the last five seasons, so perhaps not having to dive for grounders more than once a week will keep him healthy and productive all year. Conversely, can you really see Hideki Matsui playing the outfield several times a week? If he does, it'll only increase his chances of injury. Johnson and Matsui are pretty much even on the 'injury risk' scale: Johnson is incredibly susceptible to 'freak' injuries, and Matsui has chronically aching knees. Which is worse?

Damon and Granderson are also roughly equal in terms of health. There are no worries about Grandy, who's averaged 154 games over the last four seasons, or Damon, who's averaged 144 games over the same span. And do I need to mention that J & G are six years younger than their counterparts?

In terms of WAR, which takes into account all aspects of a player's game (offense, baserunning, defense, position, playing time), M & D were worth 4.8 WAR/season over the last three years. J & G were worth 5.9 WAR/season, and that's after giving Nick Johnson a zero for 2007 when he didn't play one game. So even if he stays just moderately healthy, it should be a net gain in wins.

Then there's cost. J & G will make $11 million combined next year (plus potential incentives for Johnson). M & D will probably make about $15 million ($6.5 million for Matsui, probably about $9 million for Damon). That saved money can be spent on another starter (Sheets, Duchscherer, Bedard), which is more important, at this point, than another hitter. Also, not having to commit several years to Damon allows that money to be spent on the amazing free agent class of 2011 (Mauer, Lee, Beckett, Webb, Crawford,) and bring back fan-favorites Jeter and Rivera.

For a cost conscious club, which the Yankees are looking more like everyday, the recent moves make for a more efficient team going forward. Younger, cheaper, and at least as productive.

(With all that said, I do believe, for the record, that Cashman was surprised at how fast Matsui got snatched up. He didn't see much of a market for 36-year-old fulltime DHs. When Matsui signed with Anaheim, Cash had to act quickly or all the good hitters would be gone. There weren't many other options, but Nick Johnson was the best fit for the Yankees. I'm very happy he's with us and not against us (as in, on the Red Sox).

Regarding Damon, I believe part of the reason Cash traded for Granderson was (1) to get a good, young centerfielder allowing for the departure of Damon, and (2) to put pressure on Damon/Boras to accept a short-term deal. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and it took negotiating with Nick Johnson to get them to cave, only by that time it was too late.)

The Top 5 Winners in the MLB Off-Season (so far)

doron — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:35:35 -0000

More photos » by Seth Wenig - AP

Which teams rank as the top 5 winners in the MLB off-season, so far?

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After this memorable Hot Stove week, I figured it would be a great time to take a look at the big winners thus far in the MLB off-season. Which teams have made big splashes already, and which teams should be focusing on those remaining free agents? With that in mind, here are my picks for the top five winners thus far in the off-season.

5. Minnesota Twins

While by comparison to the names ahead on this list, the Twins off-season might seem quiet thus far, they’ve been helped by circumstance as much as they’ve helped themselves. The Twins made the first big acquisition of the off-season trading for shortstop JJ Hardy, and relinquishing Carlos Gomez, a trade that most believe favors the Twins. So long as JJ Hardy can recover from a down year in 2009, the Twins will be adding a great bat, with average, power and defense, at a premium position. Add to this the rumors that a Joe Mauer extension is in the works, the loss of Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco by the Tigers, and the risky moves we’ve seen from the White Sox, and it seems that the Twins are a clear favorite to take the AL Central even with these small moves.

Next Steps: Extending Joe Mauer, and perhaps upgrades at third-base (Adrian Beltre?) or a mid-level starting pitcher.

4. Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have made some great baseball decisions this off-season. For starters, they declined their option on Pedro Feliz and replaced him with a better-defensive player who gets on-base at a better rate in Placido Polanco. Their other big move of course was upgrading staff aces by adding Roy Halladay, despite the loss of Cliff Lee. They gave up some great prospects in the deal, but were at least able to replace them with similar talents. Phillippe Aumont, in particular, may not be far away from being able to help the bullpen of the Phillies, if they decide to keep him in a relief role in the minors. With Doc under contract for the next four years, the Phillies are in a great position to start off the next decade with success.

Next Steps: Bullpen help for Brad Lidge

3. Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox off-season seems to have taken hints from the Seattle Mariners with their defense focus. They added Mike Cameron, who will be a gigantic defense upgrade over Jason Bay. They’ve also added solid shortstop Marco Scutaro, who is a versatile defender and, if he can replicate his 2009 season, will be a big offensive boost at the shortstop position that’s hurt them for years. They are also looking to move Mike Lowell to Texas, and rumors tell us that Adrian Beltre, one of the best defensive third-basemen in the game, would be their main target for third base in that case. On top of that, they added the markets best free agent pitcher in John Lackey, which gives them a very dominant looking rotation.

Next Steps: Perhaps signing Adrian Beltre if Lowell is traded, and those never-ending Adrian Gonzalez rumors.

2. New York Yankees

The Yankees have essentially made two substantial moves this off-season, and they’ve both been excellent. They made a massive splash by trading for Curtis Granderson, who will allow the outfield positions to shift and create a huge defensive upgrade over Johnny Damon. On top of that, his lefty-handed bat and power to right field will play perfect in Yankee Stadium, allowing most to think that he’ll have a terrific season in 2010. He’s also got the reputation of being a great guy, and that never hurts. This week, they also added Nick Johnson, who will likely replace DH Hideki Matsui. Johnson is what I like to refer to as an "OBP Monster", and while the 2-spot is unconventional for a DH, his propensity to take walks would look great in front of Mark Texeira and Alex Rodriguez.

Next Steps: It’s hard to imagine any, really. Unless they get crazy and try to add Jason Bay or Matt Holliday, their lineup of all-stars looks complete.

1. Seattle Mariners

At the beginning of the off-season, there were rumblings that the Mariners had a ton of cash to spend, but many dismissed that rumor. I don’t think anyone expected this type of off-season from Seattle. They picked up speedy Chone Figgins to provide great defense and get on-base with Ichiro at the top of the lineup, acquired Cliff Lee to give them baseball’s best one-two pitching punch, and now added Milton Bradley, who will give them a very good bat, so long as his attitude doesn’t get in the way. The man they call "Jack Z" is being essentially universally-praised these days, and with good reason. In less than two years, he’s taken the Mariners from a train-wreck to the clear-cut favorites to win the AL West. With the pitching they have, they may even be able to make a great run through the playoffs.

Next Steps: A power-bat in the middle of the lineup, though Jason Bay doesn’t fit their defense-minded approach. A slugging first-baseman should do the trick.

Poll

Who do you think has won the MLB Off-Season so far?

News Round-Up: The Tools of Ignorance

jscape2000 — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:00:41 -0000

Tyler Kepner has the shake down on the Johnson-Damon drama:

Johnson is not precisely taking over for Damon. In the big picture, the Yankees are swapping two older left-handed hitters who made $26 million in 2009 (Damon and Hideki Matsui) for two younger left-handed hitters whose contracts average about $14 million in 2010 (Curtis Granderson and Johnson). They are replacing a speed guy and a slow guy with another speed guy and another slow guy.

I know some folks wanted Damon back; some think Cash made a wrong choice, and the Yanks' will regret it when they have a sore Johnson in June.

These are negotiations. I pretend that I'm not budging, you pretend that your not budging. Sometimes, one of us thinks we're not serious when we really are. The difference in real value of Damon/Matsui vs Granderson/Johnson is marginal, and this gives Cashman a little more leverage in future negotiations with Scott Boras. Next time Boras makes an outrageous demand to Brian Cashman, and Cash replies "That's unreasonable, so I'll go to my other options," Boras will be quicker to buckle.

Greg Fertel of Pending Pinstripes thinks that Brett Gardner could be a better left fielder than Jason Bay next season when we weigh offense, defense and baserunning.

I call malarkey because Joe G. proved in September and the postseason that he doesn't think Gardner gives him the best chance to win. If Joe G. has someone else, anyone else to run out there, he will use the other guy. Whether it's an ice-cold Melky or Nick Swisher having a Soriano-esque bout of futility at the plate, Joe G. thinks that GGBG's speed can only be a weapon off the bench.

Gardner has the potential (assuming no regression in the notoriously fickle UZR), but I don't think he'd ever get the opportunity.

Who's the greatest Yankee to ever wear #14? YankeeNumbers gives you the full run-down. My short list is down to Lou Piniella, Bill Skowron and Miguel Cairo. Grand Central has some work to do to put himself in that company.

The most important baseball man to ever wear 14 as a Yankee is easy, though: Bobby Cox.

Donnie Collins replaced Chad Jennings at the SWB Blog, and he's doing a fine job. He notes that former Yankee farmhand Eric Hacker has signed a minor league deal with the Giants- Hacker was DFA'd and traded to the Pirates for Romulo Sanchez, who is currently on the Yankees' 40-man and has an outside shot at making the bullpen out of Spring Training.

This is something else that Cashman has done well lately: holding on to the right guys, and flipping the marginal guys for other marginal guys he can have an extra season or two to develop.

Pitchers and catchers report in the longest 8 weeks of the year.

I try to always cite my sources. I think I link to one of Cot's Baseball Contracts, Baseball-Reference, and Fangraphs every single day. And there's a reason: they're awesome. The work they do updating and sharing their respective information is as important as anything happening on the internet (from a baseball standpoint).

In the spirit of the season, I want to say a huge thank you to the folks who run each of those sites. What I do would be impossible without what they do.

Braves Sign Joe Thurston; Vazquez Won't Cross the Rocky Mountains

gondeee — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:18:30 -0000

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Utility man Joe Thurston, formerly of the Cardinals, has signed a minor league deal with the Braves.

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A few tidbits of information today. First off, from Mark Bowman we learn that the Braves have signed light-hitting utility man Joe Thurston, who last year was with the Cardinals, to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. Thurston is mainly a second baseman, but he's made himself more valuable in recent years be learning to play the outfield and most recently learning to play third base (though, not that well). He's played a tad bit of shortstop in the minor leagues, but mainly he'll be in camp competing for the second utility infield position.

In the same blog post, and later in a front page post, Bowman quotes a source who confirms that it is highly unlikely that Javier Vazquez would waive his no-trade clause to go to a West coast team. I tackled that rumor and debunked it last night, albeit with out a "source," I instead used logic. It's good to know that Javy is still interested in remaining in Atlanta beyond next season. I'd like to see that happen, but of course, all of this is predicated on the Braves moving Derek Lowe.

Speaking of Lowe, I expect that we'll begin to hear another team mentioned more frequently in trade rumors with Lowe -- the New York Yankees. They seem to be tackling one off-season priority at a time, and after acquiring Curtis Granderson and now signing Nick Johnson, many people expect them to focus on starting pitching. The Braves are rumored to have long been interested in Nick Swisher. If they can swing Lowe for Swisher, then that may free up the Yankees to go back and try to re-sign Johnny Damon, another move that is seemingly in the Yankees interest.

Another team that may be looking for more starting pitching is the Cubs, who just freed up a bunch of money by trading Milton Bradley. I'm not sure how they would match up in a trade with the Braves, though, as they don't seem to have any surplus at a position the Braves need to fill.

I also continue to hear that free agent Xavier Nady and the Braves are close to a deal, and that only lingering medical questions about Nady are holding up the deal. Getting Swisher and Nady would seem to wrap up the principal needs of the Braves off-season, and set us up with a good and deep team heading into spring training. One name that I haven't heard mentioned with the Braves, but one I'd like to hear mentioned is Troy Glaus. He's a year removed from a fantastic season, and while he would primarily play first base, he would be an excellent third base insurance policy against Chipper Jones getting injured.

The Braves front office also officially announced, via a press release, that the team has signed six minor league free agents this off-season. The list includes left-handed pitcher Mariano Gomez, catchers Orlando Mercado and J.C. Boscan, infielder Joe Thurston and outfielders Brent Clevlen and Mitch Jones. They join right-handed pitcher Scott Proctor, who signed in November.

New York Yankees notes: All things Johnson

Ed Valentine — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:44:53 -0000

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Nick Johnson

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What does the Nick Johnson signing mean for the New York Yankees? Perhaps the best assessment comes from Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.

Losing [Johnny] Damon will hurt. Even General Manager Brian Cashman acknowledged on Thursday that Damon is "the perfect two-hole hitter for this place." The Yankees will miss Damon’s speed, his quality at-bats and his ability to put the bat on the ball. And they will miss his personality, of course. But the Yankees priced Damon at about $9-10 million per year, for two years at the most, and they believe they can live with Johnson.

Johnson’s assets and drawbacks are obvious. The good: he’s a left-handed hitter, he knows the Yankees and he got on base at a better rate last year (.426) than everybody except Joe Mauer and Albert Pujols. The bad: he’s slow, he’s prone to injury, and he plays a position already occupied by Mark Teixeira.

Then again, by keeping Johnson off the field, the Yankees can limit his risk of injury, and there is no rule that says Johnson would have to be the starting D.H. every day. The Yankees could use Jorge Posada, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Teixeira there as often as they like. Johnson, a happy-go-lucky guy, has been itching to play for a winner since the Yankees traded him to the Montreal Expos (remember them?) after the 2003 World Series. Also, there is this: next year’s free-agent class could be the best ever, with Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee, Joe Mauer, Brandon Webb and Jayson Werth -– not to mention Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. The Yankees figure to spend an awful lot of money in that market, and they want to save payroll and keep commitments short wherever they can.

In the big picture, the Yankees are replacing Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui with Curtis Granderson and Johnson. So they swap two older left-handed hitters who made $26 million in 2009 for two younger left-handed hitters who will make about $14 million in 2010. They replace a speed guy and a slow guy with another speed guy and slow guy.

My take: I will miss Matsui and Damon, but I like the reasoning behind this. To me, that money is key. Both in terms of being able to bring in another starting pitcher this off-season and -- perhaps more importantly -- setting themselves up for a big splurge next winter.

About Damon

The apparently now former Yankee outfielder has no idea what will happen next for him. But, he is not bitter.

"I have nothing but great things to say about the Yankees. If the Nick Johnson thing works out, it will be good for them," Damon told the Daily News last night. "It's part of baseball.

"I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do. I know there are some teams interested, but the Yankees are the best organization I've been a part of so far in my career. I wish them all the best."

With the Yankees out of the picture, it will be interesting to see what kind of deal the 36-year-old Damon can get.

"I guess we'll have to see now if (agent Scott) Boras gets Damon a three-year contract," said a baseball official, who suggested the most likely landing spot for Damon will be San Francisco, although the Giants are unlikely to give him three years.

Granderson's day

The Yankees formally welcomed Granderson, in a news conference Thursday at Yankee Stadium. One of last season's big off-season prizes, CC Sabathia, was in attendance and his comments might have been the most intriguing of the day.

"I think earlier in his career, when he first came up, he was driving balls to left field, and I think he was tougher on lefties then," Sabathia said. "He was hitting the ball in the gap in left-center.

"Then he started hitting a few home runs and got a little pull-happy. I think that's why lefties were able to stay away from him and throw slower stuff and have success against him."

To help fix the situation, Granderson said that he'd like to talk to Sabathia about the way he was pitched -- two-seamers in and plenty of outs away, Sabathia said -- and also check with Robinson Cano, who has hit lefties well in his career.

But the most important advice will come from hitting coach Kevin Long, with whom Granderson spoke on Monday and is planning to see after he completes working out with outfielder Nick Swisher.