SB Nation - Johnny Damon

Why I Love the Vazquez Deal

Brandon C. — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2009, file photo, ~~New York Yankees'~~ Atlanta Braves' Melky Cabrera follows through on a RBI-single during the third inning of the second baseball game of a double-header against the Tampa Bay RaysMonday, Sept. 7, 2009 at Yankee Stadium in New York. Pitcher Javy Vazquez was traded back to the Yankees by the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009, for Cabrera, a move that pushed New York's payroll for next season over $200 million.

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Many Yankees fans seem to be up in arms over this five-player deal. The Yankees got Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan, while the Braves got Melky Cabrera, Mike Dunn, and Arodys Vizcaino in the deal, which was announced last night.

Basically, the Yankees received a quality 3rd-4th starter for a 2nd Outfielder at best (probably 3rd), a lefty-reliever that throws hard but has little control, and a prospect that was last seen in Staten Island.

So, I ask, why the scrutiny?

The Yankees got the 3rd starter that they were looking for this entire offseason, while giving away replaceable parts. How exactly do you replace these players? Here is how:

Melky Cabrera: Currently, the man replacing Cabrera is Brett Gardner. In the future we may see the Yankees sign either Mark DeRosa or Johnny Damon. If the Yankees stick with Gardner it is a slight deduction in overall play. Melky has a better arm, while Gardner is faster. Melky has an OK amount of power, while Gardner can get the little hits that help win games. If the Yankees sign DeRosa or Damon, it is an immediate improvement in left.

Mike Dunn: Currently the man replacing Dunn is Logan. Logan was the other pitcher acquired in the deal with the Braves. Dunn looks like he will have a bright career as a lefty-reliever, while the Yankees are left with only two real lefty relievers of their own. Damaso Marte is a lock, while Logan looks like an up in the air candidate to make the team. Do the Yankees go into the season with one lefty? Is Zach Kroenke returned by the Diamondbacks? We will see. Overall, Dunn might be the worst piece lost in the trade.

Arodys Vizcaino: Since he pitched last year in Staten Island, the Yankees really do not lose anything from their current team. He might have a great career, but it will certainly not start in 2010.

One More Note: Seems like many fans are only upset because, well, he is Melky!

Look at it this way:

If the Yankees acquired Melky Vazquez and Boone Logan for Javier Cabrera, Mike Dunn, and Arodys Vizcaino wouldn't that be amazing news? Just saying.

TRADE GRADE: I give it a B+ because the Yankees can replace the players traded and the Yankees get a top-notch starter in Vazquez. The only way this can go wrong is if the Yankees cannot replace Dunn, OR Vazquez struggles in the Bronx. Now, if the Yankees traded Cervelli....it is obviously an F. Francisco Cervelli can not and will not be traded! (Shoutout to the Cervelli Fan Club!)

Quick Update: ESPNEWS' bottom line says "Yankees swap Melky Cabrera for Braves' Javier Vazquez" So...Mike Dunn and the #2 prospect in the Yankees farm systemaccording to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus, Arodys Vizcaino don't matter? Just pointing that out....

New York Yankees notes: Who's No. 5?

Ed Valentine — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:52:10 -0000

The biggest ripple effect of the New York Yankees trade for Javier Vazquez is, of course, that if everyone is healthy there is only room for one more starting pitcher in the team's rotation.

So, who do you want it to be -- Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes? Seems like whether Joba, and now Hughes, should start or relieve is the Yankee topic that will never go away. Vote in the poll below to give us your opinion. And go to the jump to see how I try to frame arguments for each.

Joba Chamberlain should ...

BE A STARTER: He was inconsistent as a starter in 2009, but he showed flashes he could be the top-flight starter the Yankees envisioned. He has all the pitches to do it. Plus, no more Joba Rules. He is at the point in his career where he is ready to be a full-fledged starter, no being pulled after three innings so he doesn't pitch too much. Not having to deal with would make manager Joe Girardi's life easier. And it would be nice to find out what kind of starter Joba could be without the restrictions.

BE A RELIEVER: I have been loathe to admit it, but it was pretty obvious in post-season that Chamberlain's personality fits the bullpen. He feeds on emotion and adrenaline, and coming out of the bullpen for an inning or so he doesn't have to reign in his feelings. He doesn't have to pace himself, and he not only throws harder he seems to be more aggressive.

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Joba Chamberlain	9-6	32	31	0	0	0	0	157.1	167	94	83	21	76	133	4.75	1.54

Phil Hughes should ...

BE A STARTER: Hughes has always been looked at as a guy who would someday be at the top of their rotation. How will the Yankees ever know if they don't give him the chance? He certainly has all the pitches, and after 2009's success in the bullpen he would seem poised to carry that into the rotation.

BE A RELIEVER: It seems like we have waited forever for Hughes to be a top-flight starter, even though he is still just 23. He is just 8-9 with a 5.40 ERA as a starter, though, so he has never shown he can do it. Much like Chamberlain, though, Hughes has shown better stuff and a more aggressive attitude out of the bullpen. All of the numbers scream that he is more effective out of the bullpen. His emergence as the eighth-inning guy in 2009 was a key to the Yankees' regular-season success. Why mess with that? Plus, having only pitched 86 innings in 2009 he would be subjected to the innings limitations Chamberlain has outgrown -- the 'Hughes Rules,' if you will.

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Phil Hughes	8-3	51	7	0	0	3	3	86.0	68	31	29	8	28	96	3.03	1.12

Other Notes

Mostly, more reaction and fallout from the Vasquez acquisition.

Vasquez's first tour with the Yankees in 2004 did not end the way he wanted it to. He is thrilled to be back.

"Everybody that knows me knows I didn’t want to leave the first time," Vazquez said, adding later, "I’ve got to say, it’s a great opportunity to be back, and hopefully I can erase those memories."

Since leaving the Yankees, Vazquez is one of only two pitchers with at least 1,000 innings and 1,000 strikeouts; Santana is the other. The Yankees’ scouts consider him one of the 15 best starters in the majors, and when the Yankees analyzed their options for improving the rotation, Vazquez’s name was one of three that stood out.

The others were Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.

Joel Sherman offers 10 thoughts on the deal.
Thinking about Johnny Damon with Melky Cabrera gone? Brian Cashman is saying that is not going to happen. With the Yankees, though, you know they never completely close the door on anything.

Poll

Who should be the New York Yankees fifth starter?

Braves Re-Acquire Jeff Francoeur... in the form of Melky Cabrera

gondeee — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:32:36 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

For better or worse, Melky Cabrera is now a member of the Atlanta Braves.

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This is going to be a trade that's talked about for some time, along with the moves the Braves have made over the past year. If there is one constant in the moves the Braves have made in the past year, it is all about trimming money from the payroll.

In today's deal the Braves sent Javier Vazquez and his one-year $11.5 million salary to the Yankees along with Boone Logan and his $1.5 million likely arbitration figure. In return they get a rookie left-handed pitcher in Mike Dunn, an A-ball prospect in Arodys Vizcaino (two no-cost players), and outfielder Melky Cabrera, who will likely make around $3 million in arbitration. Ryan Church was scheduled to make around $4 million in arbitration, but by most accounts he's a better player than Cabrera. He's certainly not as highly thought of, but when healthy he hits for much more power than Cabrera likely ever will.

This begs the question, "did we trade away Jeff Francoeur (.743 career OPS) last year to acquire the better Ryan Church (.787 career OPS), only to release Church, and trade for Melky Cabrera (.716 career OPS), who is likely not as good as Francoeur?" Seems to me that the Braves end up on the short end of that outcome. Of course Cabrera is probably still "projectable" as a major leaguer, but how long did we say that about Francoeur?

There are two ways in which this trade will look good. First is in the money we will save and have available to potentially get a free agent bat that we've been needing. A rough total of the Braves salaries for next season currently comes to around $80 million (we only have one arbitration eligible player left, that's Peter Moylan). That would leave us with around $15 million to spend on a big bat... a nice sum, which should get us a good bat. The second way this trade will look good is if Arodys Vizcaino pulls his own version of Neftali Feliz in two or three years. We could also use him to acquire that big bat via trade, that would be an alternate way in which the trade would look good.

As it stands now, the Braves pattern the past year has been to strip salary. Kelly Johnson and Ryan Church were non-tendered, instead of being paid around $4 million a piece. Boone Logan was swapped for the cheaper Mike Dunn. Tim Hudson was re-signed at a more affordable salary than the now-traded Javier Vazquez. Billy Wagner and Takashi Saito will make less than Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez.

All of this salary conservation has led up to this final purge from the books, and now the team must make a move that brings a big bat here, and they should have the salary room to do so. Perhaps with $15 million to spend, they can aim higher than Johnny Damon or Xavier Nady, and zero in on Jason Bay or Matt Holliday. For some fans, that's the only way the team will win them back after another tumultuous off-season of questionable moves.

Rich Gettin' Richer: Yankees Trade for Javier Vazquez

doron — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:39:44 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

Brian Cashman strikes again, adding Javier Vasquez to his loaded pitching rotation.

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Reports this morning indicate that the Yankees and Braves are nearing completion of a trade that would send SP Javier Vazquez to the Yankees, along with Boone Logan, for Mike Dunn, Melky Cabrera and a prospect.

The Yankees add Vazquez, coming off a great 2009 that saw him the subject of minor controversy when ESPN's Keith Law had the audacity to vote him second on his Cy Young ballot, joins the Yankees already ridiculous starting rotation. It probably means that one of Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes will remain in the bullpen, too. The main loss is Melky Cabrera, who previously fit into their opening day lineup, but he shouldn't be too tough to replace for a team with the Yankees resources.

The Braves get Cabrera to slot in their outfield, though my immediate reaction is that Vazquez probably could have netted them a little bit more coming off of such a good year. They will save over $10M in salary, however, which does allow them to go fill some other holes.

The real impact of this trade - asides from further cementing the Yankees great off-season - is that it does quite a bit to change the outfield free agent market. The Braves have extra cash to spend, and the Yankees now have a spot to fill. The Yankees could conceivably jump right in and swoop up Jason Bay or Matt Holliday, or they could wait out the seemingly tiny Johnny Damon market and re-sign him at a more reasonable price later in the off-season.

When I ranked the top-five teams thus far in the off-season over the weekend, I did actually debate slotting the Red Sox ahead of the Yankees, feeling that while their moves had been less publicized, they were still great moves. Adding Vazquez to the Yankees easily changes that, and throws the Yankees back ahead.

Theo Epstein, it's your move now.

Poll

Who wins the trade?

Javy el Jankee (so long, Melky)

jscape2000 — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:08:39 -0000

Interwebs are full of rumors of a Yankee reunion with Javier Vazquez.

Word is Vazquez and (lousy) reliever Boone Logan for Melky, minor league lefty Mike Dunn, and maybe A-baller Arodys Vizcaino. Vizcaino and Melky would hurt, but I always like Javy. He got run out of town for having a lousy second half and being part of the Kevin Brown-Johnny Damon Game 7 in the Year We Shall Not Name.

He's had a WHIP of 1.20 over the last 5 seasons and averaged 213 IP. You wanted an ace, Brian Cashman delivered an ace for spare parts and projections.

I don't know the budget situation, but this could reopen the door for Johnny Damon.

Update (10:15):

Says Sam Borden:

For the bargain price of Melky, Mike Dunn and (apparently) the other A-Rod, Arodys Vizcaino, Cashman has:

1. Given the Yankees rotation incredible depth.
2. Likely pushed the Yankees toward a resolution on the Joba to the pen question.
3. Retained financial flexibility for next offseason and beyond (Vazquez’s contract is up after 2010).
4. Relieved a glut of extra outfielders.

Strengthening the bullpen by adding to the rotation is an important part of this move. The more I think about it, the more I like it.

Goodbye, Melky. League average is so often under-appreciated.

Update (11:16):

Says Joel Sherman:

The Yankees project Vazquez as a Type-A free agent next winter, so they can offer arbitration and - if it's rejected - get 2 high picks to begin replenishing the system.

Latest Braves Rumor: Uggla; Swisher; Damon

gondeee — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:33:53 -0000

K-Ros from the newly redisigned Fox Sports Buzz Blog gives us this rundown of some options the Atlanta Braves may be exploring:

The Braves have talked to the Marlins about Uggla, but one source describes Atlanta’s interest as only "mild." A trade for the Yankees’ Nick Swisher or the signing of free-agent left fielder Johnny Damon might be preferable to the Braves.

I'm not a huge fan of Dan Uggla, of course he's probably a tick above Nick Swisher or Johnny Damon. I would not, however, want the drama of "who's going to play second," all spring.

The main point of Rosenthal's article is that the Braves may have to get "creative" at finding players to plug the holes they need to plug, and that could include playing some folks out of position, like Uggla in left. It's a good thought, but there are still plenty of options out there right now, so I don't think desperate creativity is called for just yet.

Report: Rays Among Johnny Damon's Top Choices

Tommy Rancel — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:00:24 -0000

Now that Milton Bradley is a Seattle Mariner, we need a new rumor to keep our hot stove burning. Ken Davidoff was nice enough give us a little branch to throw on the fire. In his baseball insider column, he mentions that Johnny Damon has turned his attention from re-signing with the New York Yankees to signing elsewhere. Where does Damon prefer to go? Davidoff lists the following teams as Damon's "top three choices": Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and...the Tampa Bay Rays. Say what?

While Damon may prefer the Rays, the pairing doesn't seem likely; in his column, Davidoff admits as much. I'm not the Rays would even discuss the possibility until Pat Burrell was moved first.. Nonetheless, it's the hot stove. It's Andrew Friedman. And as Kevin Garnett pointed out a few years ago, anything is possible.

Talent-wise, Damon would be a nice addition to the Rays. He is perennial 2.5-3 WAR player and his average wOBA over the last four years is a stellar .362. He is also American League East proven having spent the last eight seasons in baseball's best division. He takes his walks. He doesn't strikeout much, and he has some decent pop. I do believe his 2009 career high .207 ISO is largely due to his home ballpark, but his career .150 ISO shows there has always been some power. In the previous three years Damon hit .286/.362/.448 where as last year he hit .282/.365/.489.

While his stolen bases dipped down to 12 (his lowest since his rookie season of 1995 in which he only played 45 games), Damon remains an above average base runner. Thanks to my free copy of the 2010 Bill James Handbook supplied by Acta Sports, I found that the league average for moving from first base to third on a single was 26.8%. Damon's rate was nearly 41% (13/32). He also scored on a single from second base around 66% of the time. For comparison, arguably our smartest/best base runner, Jason Bartlett, scored 43% of the time. Note: small sample size.

The talent is not an issue. Where Damon would play and how much he would command are both issues. For these reasons, a deal is not likely to happen. Once upon a time, Damon was a pretty decent center field; however, those days are long gone. In his current form, Damon has been sneaking by as a left fielder. Obviously, left and center field are not options here, and his noodle arm would not fit in right field. DH is the only option and currently the Rays have one of those.

Damon has reportedly moved on from the Yankees because the two sides couldn't agree on terms. Most reports say a two-year time frame was acceptable for both. The Yankees offer was reportedly tw-years/$14 million, but Damon's agent, Scott Boras, is set to be asking for over $10 million annually. I don't even have to explain why that wouldn't work here*.

Much like other veterans nearing the end of their road, who have offered their services to the Rays (Ken Griffey, Gary Sheffield, etc.), I think the Rays will dash Damon's hopes and take a pass. Of course, if Damon is still sitting on the market in mid-January, lowers his demands a la Bobby Abreu in 2009, and the Rays find a taker for Burrell, then maybe we could re-visit the idea.

*Before it comes up...trading Carl Crawford for prospects, and turning around and signing Damon would cost the team roughly one, maybe two wins in 2010 while providing no salary relief. So, no.

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.)

DiamondView: 2009 New York Yankees

Tommy Bennett — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 21:00:27 -0000

I am very pleased to announce our newest series, in which we will give you a peek at the hitting performances from 2009, team-by-team, division-by-division, using Justin Bopp's excellent DiamondView. The honor of going first falls to the World Champion New York Yankees. But first, let me explain what our data expert (Jeff Zimmerman) and our graphics expert (Justin Bopp) have cooked up for you all.

There are four categories per player: defense (UZR/150), speed (EqBRR), power (ISO), and on-base (OBP). Each category is scaled as a percentile of the major league totals (for more details, see the original article linked above). Also included on each chart (in dark tones behind the image for the player) is the positional average at the player's dominant position. Justin then sprinkles his magic graphics dust (I really have no idea how he does it), and the results are like you see here.

Three caveats before we begin. First, we have excluded the DH because it's abhorrent to the spirit of baseball since there is no meaningful way to rate their defense. Second, the data used include only last year's performance. Finally, catcher defense remains problematic, so each catcher is given the same defensive mark. This is certainly not optimal, and we'll see if we can't come up with a better way to do things going forward. If you have a suggestion, please leave it in the comments.

Without further ado, here are the 2009 New York Yankees.

1B Mark Teixeira

UZR didn't like Teixeira's 2009 season one bit, but Yankee fans tell a different tune. In all likelihood he'll bounce back with the glove next year. That'll make him a nearly all-around player, as you can see his hitting is phenomenal. I think he likes his new home park.

2B Robinson Cano

Cano put together a nice season with the bat for just about any position, but especially for the keystone. He's not a great baserunner and his fielding is below league average, but so long as the bat plays, Cano plays.

3B Alex Rodriguez

The fielding is the only thing that keeps ARod from retaining "complete player" on his list of titles (which now, thankfully, includes "The Man Who Destroyed the Myth of Clutch"). It makes me wonder about the accuracy on an individual basis of the fielding spectrum, at least insofar as players can move fluidly across it. Imagine a world where ARod stuck at short.

C Jorge Posada

Posada versus the aging curve! Sometimes, the best way to win a race against time is to start late. Since Posada didn't become a regular until age 26 in 1998, he is able to put up an ISO that is in the 90th percentile of all players at age 37. He's death on the base-paths and may see considerable time at DH over the coming seasons, but there's still a lot of color on that chart.

CF Melky Cabrera

The number one way to get a rise out of a Yankee fan is either to praise or disparage Melky Cabrera. I'm not sure why a player who is so close to league average causes so much disagreement, but it may be because it is sometimes hard to look at league average and appreciate it. He might have been over his head in '09, but he's earned an every day job.

LF Johnny Damon

He's flying that kite-shaped set of tools to free agency, and likely won't be Bomber in '10. His fielding, never world-beating, is approaching liability status. His bat has turned out to be quite the asset, and he still turns it up on the bases. He'll fall back on offense and bounce back on defense and will provide moderate value somewhere.

RF Nick Swisher

Not to be confused with the rap collective that frequently finds itself posted up in a parking lot, Swisher's house is built on a foundation of plate discipline and prodigious power. Tough to believe that he was traded for peanuts a year ago. Anyone heard from Jeff Marquez or Wilson Betemit lately?

SS Derek Jeter

Praising Jeter's tangible skills is the new hating on Jeter's intangibles and defense.

There are two camps in the sabermetric world: those who believe leadoff skills are unique and those who believe batting order is a Triassic relic. I happen to fall into the former group, and Patriot has demonstrated Jeter's excellence at the essential leadoff skills. His 96th percentile on-base skills are the best thing you could have getting five plate appearances a game, and his base running acts like a force multiplier.

Next up: Boston Red Sox

editor: Updated all images to include transparent position averages. - jbopp

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

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

More photos » by Bill Boyce - AP

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.