The Rub
Posted on Apr 15, 2009 1:56 pm
By Alex Belth
Yanks and Rays play the rubber game of their three-game set this afternoon in Tampa. According to Pete Abe, Xavier Nady will need season-ending surgery. No official word yet and there probably won’t be for a minute…
So much for the outfield platoon. This is a tough break for the Yankees, no other way to look at it.
Dag.
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Bernie Williams is available, and wants to play …
(no, not in a million years, no)
Could Austin Jackson be on the horizon? For an immediate replacement, my best guess is the Yankees would go with Shelley Duncan. However, I think Ajax could wind up with the team sooner than later, especially if the Yankees were able to (and wanted to) deal Melky. There have been some Melky to the White Sox rumblings since Wise went down, so maybe that’s one domino.
Austin Jackson started today’s game in CF, but was pulled before his first AB. Perhaps the wheels are already in motion.
I’m going to miss his handsome mug.
[3] william, I actually hope not. Yes, Jackson hit the ball well in spring training, and has been off to a good start at Dunder Mifflin. But why rush him? And why drop him into a corner slot? He’s a CF, not a corner guy.
What the Yanks need is a real 4th OF – a guy who can play the corners and hit for power, maybe a bit of patience (in essence, Nady). Duncan could do maybe that, and John Rodriguez could probably do that. I see no reason to put Jackson into that role.
There goes draft picks…
Seriously, sorry about Nady.
The FA outfield choices look mighty slim …
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/2009-mlb-free-a.html
Left fielders
Moises Alou (42) – Type B, not offered arb
Frank Catalanotto (35)
Luis Gonzalez (41) – Type B, not offered arb
Jay Payton (36)
Wily Mo Pena (27)
Dave Roberts (37)
Shannon Stewart (35)
Center fielders
Jim Edmonds (39)
Right fielders
Geoff Jenkins (34)
[5] Maybe he is ready? He is 22 with 4 years of pro-ball, so it’s not like he is right out of High School or even college. There’s nothing wrong with having him intern in RF/LF and then move over to CF. In fact, it looks as if he has played 1 game in LF this year, so perhaps that has been the Yankee thinking even before Nady went down?
I am also not so sure Jackson wouldn’t play semi-regularly. I could a situation where he steals some ABs from Matsui and Gardner.
[7] No one meets the Yankees needs…maybe the Nats are ready to give up on Milledge though?
Do you think the Nats would deal Milledge while their stock on him is so low? That said, they do have a glut of right fielders.
I’m not sure Milledge is worth a lot more than Melky for the Yankees at this time (which couldn’t get it done)… he’s never produced at the ML level. I think a veteran stopgap is more appropriate – like Cattalenatto, or Cameron… The team needs someone who can step in and produce at an averagish level – we’re already carrying Gardner. Austin Kearns might be a fit (hefty salary and all), assuming last year was an aberration, he can field well and hit to something like an average OPS.
I really think the best solution is to plug the clear hole in center with Cameron. Anyone really disagree?
[7] i think i’d be giving Mr. Edmonds a call.
I remember Cliff being really bully on Edmonds this off season.
hey alex, could you have somebody fix the link to the SWB Yankees Blog?
it still goes to the old page.
thx
[3] update from Chad Jennings on A-Jax leaving the game
Just wanted to mention — and I should have mentioned it before — that Jackson was hit by a pitch an inning before he was taken out. He might simply be a little sore.
Kripes, Molina is catching again.
[6] my thoughts too rich.
this wouldn’t be a problem if we signed manny or dunn!!!
/second guessing off for now
[14] Thanks. Will do.
tardy game thread post up now