Once upon a time, the Yankees sent this guy named Brian, who liked to start fights with closers on the Mets, to the nation’s capital in exchange for the first pick of the Rule V draft. Everybody speculated on who the Yanks would get in return for their once-reliable setup man, and everybody (aside from Brian Cashman and his scouts) was surprised when the Yankees picked a speed former hockey player named Jamie.

Jamie hit .284/.360/.455 in 68 triple-A games this past year. He was ranked the Yankees best defensive outfield prospect upon his entry to the organization, and had been called a huskier, slightly less swift version of Brett Gardner.

The Yanks though, they seemed to have forgotten about the 25 year old. They added a fella named Curtis, an old guy named Randy, and now a former farmhand who goes by Marcus. That trio to go with this guy who was just on How I Met Your Mother and a really speedy, gritty, gutty homegrown defensive whiz. The six outfielders will have to battle for four/five roster spots; the chance of all six making the 25-man is very slim. Here’s the thing: Nick Swisher is Mr. Clubhouse, and makes a decent amount of cash, he’s on the squad. Curtis Granderson was the return for a package that included the Yanks’ then-top prospect. So that leaves 4 guys for 2/3 spots. In case you’ve forgotten: Jamie Hoffman was a Rule V pick, so he has to stay on the 25-man or be returned to Los Angeles. So if he loses out to Randy Winn, Brett Gardner, and Marcus Thames, well he won’t get a chance to win the American League pennant. Randy Winn will make $1.1mm next year, plus he can get up to $900k in incentives, so you have to think he’d make the squad. Brett Gardner has the glove/speed thing down, supposedly better than Jamie does, so he’d likely earn the spot in a one-on-man battle. So Jamie, Thames, and oh, even Greg Golson will be battling it out to make the squad. I’m all for depth, but the thing is, Hoffman’s gone if he doesn’t make the team. Winn isn’t going to be content moving to triple-A, and the Yanks don’t want to pay over a million dollars to a guy in Scranton (they’re already paying more than enough for triple-A all star Kei Igawa). Thames and Golson can play in the minors, but there certainly will be a heated fight for the last 25-man roster spot between those two and Jamie.

The Yanks have depth, but that depth could spell the end of Hoffman’s brief tenure in pinstripes.

Via MLBTR, the Yankees signed ex-Yankee-farm-guy Marcus Thames to a minor league deal today. The deal will be worth 900k for 1 year. Thames is 32 years old, and is known primarily as a power guy. He has a solid .491 career SLG, despite a very poor .306 OPB, and .243 AVG. He has experience playing LF and 1B, but it is pretty clear that he will be more of a pinch hitter. Against LHP, his career SLG is .516. Off RHP, it is .474. Thames will add some depth to the OF and could be a very useful bat off the bench. All in all, I like the signing. It is very low risk, but could reap a pretty high reward if somebody goes down…

For your reading pleasure, I’ve posted our LoHud guest post right below! Enjoy!

Right around July 24th, every blogger, journalist, crazed fan, and third-string catcher pulls for an addition to their team. Sometimes it works out (2008, CC Sabathia, Milwaukee). Other times, not so much (2009, Freddy Sanchez, San Francisco). Regardless, baseball lovers won’t shut up about anything transaction-related during the last two weeks of July.

Mid-season holes are unpredictable. Couldn’t Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez or Robinson Cano get injured in a June freak accident? (Dear Lord Baby Joba, I hope not). A big injury to a positional staple would spark a hunt for a player in his contract year who could take over (like Felipe Lopez in Milwaulkee when Ricky Weeks moved to the DL).

Midseason moves cause a sudden impact, so triggers are often pulled prematurely. Brian Cashman isn’t known for July blockbusters; Shawn Chacon, Wilson Betemit, and Xavier Nady highlight an unimpressive “acquired by the Yanks midseason from 2001-2009” list. Still, he did bring in David Justice to help the Yanks win ring 26. Nick Johnson, Curtis Granderson, and Javy Vazquez are already in tow, but in the words of Kenny Williams, “There’s always another move to be made.”

The level of unpredictability in the Yankees rotation is pretty high (think Everest). CC Sabathia’s the only stable rock; A.J. Burnett has a jones for getting injured and has less consistency than Chuck Knoblauch’s arm; Andy Pettitte’s old (baseball years); Javy Vazquez is dealing with variables: new stadium, league switch, NY return; then there’s a half dozen arms duking it out for slot number 5. It wouldn’t be surprising to see a midseason deal for a co-ace to complement CC as the Yanks run for a repeat. Co-aces possibly entering their contract years include Brandon Webb, Josh Beckett and Cliff Lee. Of that trio, Webb is the likeliest to be available, as his squad may very well be out of contention by July.

Webb’s career to date is enviable by most every pitcher (non-King Felix division): 3.27 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a Cy Young (plus, twice runner-up). His devastating sinker would induce grounders at a Bronx stadium where fly balls seem to party beyond the right field fence. Shoulder injuries kept him out from Opening Day onward in ’09, but if he’s back to his usual self, Arizona may look for a better return than two first round picks.

After dealing away Austin Jackson, Arodys Vizcaino, and Mike Dunn, though, Cashman may be reluctant to deal more top prospects. It comes down to A.J. and Javy, if they pitch to their potential, Webb will stay in the desert or find a non-Steinbrenner-owned home; if they struggle, Webb will feel how the pinstripes pop.

Barring an injury as catastrophic as the plague, the infield will go unchanged; the outfield, however, could see changes if Nick Swisher reverts to his Chicago form, Curtis Granderson’s sinistrophobia worsens, or Brett Gardner hits like Brett Gardner.

Josh Willingham, Rajai Davis, Hunter Pence, and Luke Scott may be made available when their teams fall out of contention; all earn more than the league minimum and their GMs wouldn’t mind shedding some salary and collecting young talent. The big fish, of course, is a Ray; Carl Crawford’s contract runs out at year’s end, but Tampa is likely to hold onto Carl. Even if the Rays fell out of the race, the Yanks won’t sell the farm for two months of Crawford; rather, they’d wait until winter and buy him.

Aside from Carl, the only promising outfielder with an expiring contract is Jayson Werth, who the Phillies don’t figure to have any interest in losing as they defend their NL Crown. The Yanks will sign either Werth or Crawford next winter (86.678% certain), which makes acquisitions of the signed-past-2010 quartet I mentioned earlier doubtful.

That said, I don’t see an impact outfielder arriving in New York any time after February 20th. The Yanks will either acquire someone before the season, or after it, the midseason options just don’t line up with their long-term plans.

As for the bullpen, don’t look for any swaps midseason. The Yanks have more depth than the Mariana’s Trench, and can demote/call-up as necessary until the ‘pen is tolerable. Cashman is the poster-boy of the “I don’t overpay for relief” philosophy, so the biggest bullpen addition will likely be Mark Melancon or Ivan Nova.

Deadline deals are meant to fill holes; which the Yanks don’t have any of the glaring genre… yet. Cashman won’t give up much for marginal upgrades (ie Rajai Davis over Brett Gardner), but if a move increases the probability of ring twenty-eight, he’ll look into it. Thus, a Brandon Webb acquisition is realistic, while there’s an ant-sized chance that Bronson Arroyo sports the pinstripes in 2010; Arroyo’s barely an upgrade over Sergio Mitre or any in-house starter; Webb, though, would give the Yanks a 1-2 punch for mowing through the playoffs. The deadline isn’t for six months, but already we can see July headlines shaping.

Hey All,

Make sure you check out our guest post over at the LoHud Yankee’s Blog. We wrote about possible mid-season acquisitions and hope you enjoy it!

That question, as you could probably imagine, is in regard to the Yankees’ 5th starter slot. We all know it will likely come down to Phil “Phranchise” Hughes or Joba Chamberlain, with Sergio Mitre, Alfredo Aceves, and Chad Gaudin hanging in the wings, mainly pitching for the long relief role. I would think Sergio, Ace, or Gaudin would have to have a pretty amazing showing in Spring Training to take the 5th spot away from Hughes or Joba. That being said, the Phranch and the Lord Baby will need to have very solid springs themselves if they want to start the year in the rotation. Who will win the epic winner-take-rotation-loser-take-setup-role spring battle? Let’s check out some stats…

It is common knowledge that both youngsters have shined in the set-up role and have had flashes of brilliance as starters, but haven’t shown any consistency. Hughes had a sick 1.41 ERA in 51.1 innings of relief last season. And we all know the story of Joba’s 2007. It was magical. He gave up 1 earned run (stupid Mike Lowell) in 24 innings, which averages out to a .38 ERA. His WHIP was .75. He averaged 12.8 K/9. He threw 100 miles an hour. He only walked 6 batters! No big deal or anything… Unfortunately for both of them, their amazing bullpen success hasn’t completely translated to the rotation. DISCLAIMER: For all of you “they should be in the bullpen people”, please remember that Joba and Hughes are a mere 23 years old. For the record, when Roy Halladay (best pitcher in the game Roy Halladay) was 23, he started 13 games and had an ERA of 10.64. So can we all please settle down and give the two kids a chance to do what the were drafted to do? Start? Ok now that I’m done with that little rant, here are their stats as starters. Joba started 12 games in 2008 and had a 2.72 ERA. His 2009 was kind of rough. His 4.75 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 76 BB, and 4.3 BB/9 didn’t impress anybody. Again though, he showed flashes of brilliance. Remember that stretch after the all-star break, when he gave up 2 ER in 23.2 innings? The kid can certainly pitch, he just needs a little more breaking in. It was only his first full year as a starter. As for Hughsie, he has had less success in the starter role. In 2007, he had a 4.46 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 13 starts. He started the season in style, carrying a no-hitter into the 6th against Texas before injuring his hamstring. He didn’t pitch very well after the injury. Then again, he did have some quality starts in the September of that year. His next season was pretty awful. He started 8 games before getting demoted to the minors. His 6.62 ERA and 1.71 WHIP gave the Yanks good reason to send him right down.

Clearly, the Phranch and the Lord Baby have not yet matured in their roles as starters. That is not to say that they won’t. They are both very promising young pitchers who need a chance to fully develop as pitchers. They have been able to have such great success in the ‘pen because their flaws aren’t revealed. Major League hitters are going to be able to hone in on a pitchers flaws when they  face them multiple times in a game and they have the chance to see all of their pitches. It becomes much easier to mask flaws in the bullpen, where a pitcher can just hurl his best stuff without holding back.

I’ve kind of wandered away from my main question. To answer that, I think Joba will be the 5th starter to open the year. He was already stretched out last season, and I don’t think the Yankees would be able to stretch out Hughes enough in ST to prepare him to be a starter. I really think Joba just needs some time to figure it out and pitch without “Joba Rules” and innings limits, and I think the Yankees saw enough good things to give him the opportunity to do that. If Joba has a rough go in the opening months though, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Phil jump right into the rotation. Again, it all comes down to Spring Training, and we are mere weeks away from it! Get pumped!

Randy Winn, Nick Swisher, Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner, Jamie Hoffman, and Greg Golson will be fighting throughout the spring as Joe Girardi decides who makes the roster, who starts against lefties, and who stands where.

Brian Cashman left us all scratching our heads when he signed Randy Winn. Nobody (at least nobody worth listening to) thought that Matt Holliday or Jason Bay would be trying on the pinstripes in 2010, but the vast majority of the baseball-educated populace thought that Reed Johnson (now a Dodger), Xavier Nady (now a Cub), or someone else who didn’t hit .158 against lefties in ‘09 would be signed. Randy Winn has been an above-average player throughout his career, but a .158/.184/.200 split against lefties in ‘09 isn’t what fans were expecting from the new Yankees signee. Granderson is easily fooled by southpaws, and Winn isn’t the platoon player we all hoped for. I’m not going to pull-up Randy’s careernumbers, because what he did in1999 won’t tell us anything about the kind of hitter he is today. Going back a couple years though, Randy hit .289/.343/.470 against lefties in ‘08 (182 PAs), and .351/.399/.535 against ‘em in ‘07 (204 PA), so he’s not exactly sinistrophobic. If Randy hits like he did in those two years, he’s a fine platoon partner for Curtis, but if he has an ‘09 repeat…well that’s two million dollars down the drain.

I looked at Fangraphs to see if there was a statistical explanation for Randy’s weak ‘09 campaign. I found a few things:

1. Winn’s batting average on balls in play was down to .314. He’d hit .346 on one’s he smacked in play in ‘08, and .332 in ‘07. Unfortunately, that alone doesn’t tell us if he was just hitting balls weaker, or if he was unlucky, or what. Expect his BABIP to bounce back to somewhere between his ‘09 and ‘08 rates.

2. Winn’s ground ball to fly ball ratio was down to 1.42 after a 1.71 in ‘08 and 1.65 in ‘07. That indicates that he was hitting under the ball more, rather than making solid contact and sending balls whizzing by the infielders. Kevin Long should be able to fix that problem pretty easily. Winn needs to get that ratio back to 1.50 or 1.55 if he wants to avoid the Mendoza line.

3. Randy’s HR/FB % was 1.4. In ‘08 it was 6.5% and in ‘07 it was 9%. That’s further evidence that Randy was hitting under balls, with little force or power. Likely, his swing became more of an uppercut than a level or downward swing. Easily fixable. Randy has always been a singles/doubles hitter who’s gotten away with line drive homers, and it seems like he was trying to please crowds with the long ball more so in ‘09 than concentrating on solid contact.

4. I think Randy needs a new eyeglass prescription. He swung at 26.8% of pitches outside the strike zone this past year, after only chasing 22.3% in ‘08 and 20.6% in ‘07. His 64.7% contact rate was his lowest since he arrived in San Fran (he’s been a Giant since ‘06). Add those numbers to what we established in points 2 and 3 about Randy hitting under the ball, and the problem might just be that he’s misreading pitches. Sure, my earlier theory about an upward hack as opposed to a level one could be right, but its more likely that Winn is just not picking up on pitches like he used to. It could honestly be as simple as that, a new contact prescription and Winn might be right back to being a strong player to have on your team.

Even if Winn is having trouble seeing the ball at the plate, it hasn’t affected his play in the outfield. In 104 games in right field, Winn had a UZR/150 of 17.4. In left he appeared in 54 games and has a UZR/150 of 40.6. Remember that UZR/150 is averaging out a fielder’s play over 150 games, so that second number might be slightly misleading. Regardless, Winn plays strong defense, which is a plus. He’s been primarily a rightfielder over the past three seasons, so naturally I’m curious as to whether he and Curtis Granderson should play there, and Nick Swisher should man left. I made it clear that I think Brett Gardner should be in center a few weeks ago. I ‘m not a big enough statistical expert to analyze position choice perfectly, but I know this: the right field walls are closer to home plate than the left field walls, so there’s more area to cover in left. Winn’s speed is much better than Swisher’s, as is Granderson’s, so it seems like Nick should stick to fielding position number 9.

The Yanks, it seems, will carry 5 outfielders on the roster, since Jamie Hoffman was a Rule V pick who must be returned to Los Angeles if he is taken off the 25-man for any non-injury reason. Baseball America’s John Manuel ranked Hoffman the best defensive outfielder in the system so he’ll be a possible late-inning defensive replacement for Swisher. Hoffman is speedy too, and could be used in a Fredi Gonzalez pinch-runner type roll at points too. Personally, I think he can do something with the bat too. He hit .284/.360/.455 in 68 triple-A games in ‘09 (not to mention .307/.457/.495 in 29 games at double-a). He hit ten homers across the two leagues. No, he’s not Jesus Montero or anything, but there’s a good chance that Hoffman is one of the better surprises of 2010. He’s a right-handed hitter, which, though I can’t find his splits, might mean he can fill-in for Curtis against lefties (that is, if the 2009 Randy Winn shows up to camp instead of the Winn of old).

Brett Gardner might be the biggest wildcard of the entire outfield crop. People love to hate on the gritty outfielder, but .270/.345/.379 with plus-plus defense and 26 steals in 31 attempts are pretty good numbers for a guy who people seem to think won’t ever be a solid big leaguer. Sure, pitchers might know how to approach Brett better in ‘10, but he’ll know how to hit them better too, and with his plate discipline he’ll be a valuable part of the club. When he gets on base he either moves to second, or distracts the pitcher like a laser pointer at the movies. If he can get on at a .340 clip or better, Brett will be a really valuable part of the club. If the haters are right, and he hits like .230/.300/.320, well then he’d probably have some fun back in Scranton.

The recently acquired Greg Golson is going to start the year at triple-A, but an injury, a Hoffman disappointment and subsequent return to LA, or an offensively clueless Brett Gardner could lead to his promotion. He’s a toolsy type, like Gardy and Hoffman: known for his speed and defense, while his bat is a wildcard. The 24 year old was rated the “Best Athlete,” “Fastest Baserunner,” and “Best Outfield Arm,” in a strong Texas organization before the ‘09 season. Seeing as Elvis Andrus was a part of that system, fastest baserunner and best athlete are pretty strong statements.

The Yanks know that Nick Swisher is going to be starting practically every game. Curtis Granderson will start every game against righties, and if he figures out the whole lefty-on-lefty thing, then he’ll play everyday. Brett Gardner needs to prove he deserves a spot in the lineup, and Randy Winn needs to prove that he’s not washed up. Jamie Hoffman holds his own destiny in his hands, as anything less than a 25-man roster worthy performance in the spring will send him back to being the apprentice of Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Manny “Steroids” Ramirez. Greg Golson wants people to think he understands the whole “hitting” thing and justify being the first “in-case of emergency” player to take the bus trip north. We know the names that will make the roster, barring any extreme surprises, but the spring will be about finding out where those names play (the Granderson/Gardner centerfield debate just won’t end), which will start (Winn and Gardner will jockey for playing time), and who is called in when (does Hoffman pinch run, or does he go home so that Golson can rack up the steals?).

With the Yankee’s signing of Randy Winn, it seems that the door has officially closed on a Johnny Damon return to pinstripes. I’m sure I’m not the only one who is kind of bummed that  Damon won’t be back in LF next season. I mean, I know why he won’t be back. For one thing, he can’t really play defense. His -12.1 UZR/150 last season was pretty atrocious, and that number certainly won’t get closer to zero as he progresses into his late 30s. His price tag was also way too high. Yes, he did have a very solid offensive year last season (and in each of his 4 seasons in NY), but the Yankees don’t really need that bat, especially with the additions of Nick Johnson and Curtis Granderson. Their offense is potent enough. It was OF defense that needed help, and the Yankees didn’t need/want to spend 10-14 million dollars on a guy that wouldn’t help that cause. But even knowing the reasons why he won’t be back, I’m definitely still a bit sad.

Despite his defensive struggles, Damon really added a lot to the Yankees in his 4 year tenure. On one hand, Damon added an element of speed that the Yankees  lacked in the 2000s. Damon had over 25 SB in 3 of his 4 seasons, and averaged 23 SB per season. People like Jeter, Abreu, and Rodriguez all contributed in the SB category, but Damon consistently made up about 19% of the teams stolen bases, which is a pretty good amount. He was also a very solid offensive player. He averaged out to a .285 BA, .363 OPB, .457 SLG, and 19 HR per season. These aren’t all-star numbers, but he was a stable and productive hitter coming out of the leadoff or second slot in the lineup. In addition, Johnny hit very well in the playoffs, especially this past postseason. In the ALCS, Johnny hit .300/.323/.553. More importantly, in the World Series Damon hit .364/.440/.455 and had that amazing/bizarre double steal that helped the Yankees win game 4. My personal favorite Damon playoff-moment game in the 2007 ALDS. I was at game 2 of that series, the one where Roger Clemens was absolutely horrible and Phil Hughes had to clean up his mess (He was amazing by the way. He pitched 3.2 innings of no-run, 2 hit ball. What a game by the franchise). Anyway, the Yankees fell behind early, and in the 5th, Damon hit a Johnny-Rocket that just cleared the RF wall. The HR gave the Yankees the lead, and the place was absolutely rocking. I was jumping around and practically crying from excitement, so that moment will definitely stick with me.

Damon was supposedly a great influence in the clubhouse. We have heard so much about the Yankees having a very stiff, professional clubhouse until very recently (like last season). Johnny Damon was one of the individuals that  helped to loosen the Yankees up and give them some life. He was a total goof-ball, but players and fans alike really loved his attitude. I spent a lot of my time in Yankee stadium in the LF stands, so I had a great view of Johnny’s little jump-and-point move during role call. The fans absolutely loved it. He was certainly a great personality to have on the team.

Well, the moral of this story is that Johnny Damon will be missed. He was a very solid player, and truly a fan-favorite. It’s always tough to see a fan-favorite go, but you have to trust Brian Cashman’s decision making. Clearly, Damon doesn’t fit into the Yankees plans for this season or the future. Regardless, we at 6P8OBJ wish him the best of luck and say “adios” to the Damonic left-fielder.

Yesterday, the Yanks sent infielder Mitch Hilligross to Texas for Greg Golson. Golson is speedy, and a defensive whiz (a la Brett Gardner), but has struggled at the plate. He’ll add depth to the roster, likely playing at triple-A, and could end up in the Bronx late in the year, as Freddy Guzman did last fall.

Today, the big left field news hit: Randy Winn has signed with the Yanks for $2mm-ish. The 35 year old switch hitter hit .262/.318/.353 in ‘09, which makes it seem like Brett Gardner will still be the everyday leftfielder (or, if the Yanks care about defense, the everyday centerfielder). Here’s what I don’t like:

Winn as a right-handed hitter v. left handed pitching in ‘09: .158/.184/.200 in 125 plate appearances.

Winn as a left-handed hitter v. right handed pitching in ‘09: .292/.354/.397 in 472 plate appearances.

Is it just me, or weren’t we supposed to get someone who hits well against lefties? .200 slugging isn’t impressive. Gardner can hit just as well (if not better) and doesn’t cost that additional $2mm. The Yanks are going to have trouble against lefties if both Winn and Curtis Granderson are in the lineup. This just doesn’t seem like a smart move at the moment, but we’ll see I suppose.

As you may have heard, Xavier Nady signed with the Cubs ($3.3mm plus up to $2mm in incentives for playing time). So count him out as a left field or bench option for the Yanks. The Athletics signed Ben Sheets ($10mm plus incentives) which actually has a Yankee impact. Here it is: A’s set money aside for Aroldis Chapman, who went to Cincy. Then they planned to use that money on Sheets or Johnny Damon. With Sheets signed, Oakland is likely out of the Damon sweepstakes, and Johnny just doesn’t seem to have anywhere to go. I’d say the Braves and Yanks are now the most likely to end up with Damon. I wanted the Yanks to sign Ben Sheets before the Vazquez trade, but they saw his injury history as too big of a risk for an 8-digit investment. If Sheets stays healthy, he’ll be one of the star pitchers of the 2010 free agent class alongside Brandon Webb, Cliff Lee, and Josh Beckett.

UPDATE: According to Buster Olney, the Sheets signing hasn’t ended Damon-Oakland conversations.

UPDATE: Conor here. Hey. Anyway, (via MLBTR), Jeff Fletcher is now saying that “Johnny Damon is not looking likely for the Athletics” and that the A’s will now focus on getting a utility infielder. By this point, you have to think that Damon will be a Yankee in 2010. There is no market for him whatsoever, and I just have a feeling that Damon will go to the Yankees with a discount in mind. Granted, he won’t sign for 2 mil, but 6-8 doesn’t seem to be out of the question. Yet again, Brian Cashman has judged the outfield market perfectly.

Sergio Mitre will make $850k in 2010; Chad Gaudin will make $2.95mm. The duo currently lines up as the number 7 and 8 starters on the Yankee depth chart, following our Lord Baby Joba and Phil Phranchise Hughes. Mitre is a year removed from Tommy John surgery, so his arm strength should be at a much higher level than it was in ‘09. Gaudin came to New York in August and pitched to a 3.43 ERA in 42 innings. His peripherals, however, indicate that he could be in for a drop back to his career norms (4.50 ERA). A 1.45 WHIP (in NY) is ugly, and with some time, now, in the AL, hitters will know how to approach him when they meet next season.

I’ve heard just as much about the Yanks’ $200mm payroll limit as I have about Haiti in the past week. The only difference is that people are doing something for Haiti (Donate if you can. Both MLB and the Yanks have pitched in, so follow their footsteps) whereas nothing is being done to free up money for a possible left  field acquisition. The Yanks would do well to free themselves of an overpriced mop-up man, aka Gaudin/Mitre. Mitre’s making south of $1mm, so he isn’t exactly hogging payroll space, but Gaudin isn’t worth $3mm for the Yanks. When I say he isn’t worth $3mm, I’m talking about the marginal benefit he adds over other options for the 7th starter/mop-up role (Mitre, George Kontos, Alf Aceves, Jason Hirsh, Kei Igawa). There’s no reason to pay him $3mm when any of those guys can do the same thing at a similar level for a lesser price (Igawa’s salary is a sunk cost…no chance of shedding it). Other teams could use Gaudin though, and his $3mm price tag is stomach-able for most teams in search of a number 4/5 starter. The Cardinals, Mets, Mariners, Dodgers, and Cardinals could all come calling for Gaudin to add depth and insurance to the back-end of their rotations. The Yanks might even get a B/C level prospect or a low-cost 2nd-string type in return for Chad in addition to the salary relief. an extra $3mm sould, apparently, give them $5mm to spend on left field or to leave room for possible midseason acquisitions.

In baseball, money’s obviously a big part of the game. Some players deserve their salaries because they are that much more valuable than the next best option, but Gaudin isn’t that much better than the next best option; hell, he might not even be better than the guys who could take his spot. So send him on his way. He played as well as the Yanks could’ve hoped once he donned the pinstripes, but his Yankee tenure should be over before Spring Training. Right now, he’s just a bad investment; a small scale Carlos Silva.