Cheap options...

Ok, i'll have to say 95% of Yankee fans which i've encountered are against the signings of Andruw Jones and Freddy Garcia. If you think the Yankees are going to give these two major league contracts, you are totally wrong...

The good thing about a minor league contract is they're always dispensable... if these two don't produce to what the Yankees are looking for, you can release them, or demote them.

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Andruw Jones...


I am not saying sign Andruw Jones to be our 2009 centerfielder, because at this point i would prefer Brett Gardner. I see Jones as washed up and overwheight as well, i'm not oblivious to this at all... but let's see what he can give us in spring training, he has tremendous upside if he can return to 05/06 form.

Again, Jones is a bum... he hit 158. last year... as far as i'm concerned, he's done. But we have to remember, he now has to prove himself as a quality major league ball player, determination can carry a player.

Sign him to a minor league deal, invite him to spring, if he tears it up... try him out, if not... dump him. It's really as simple as that, if he ends up sucking tremendously, you can make fun of him and call him a fat ass... but people will end up doing that whether he succeeds or fails.

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Onto Freddy Garcia...

It is looking more and more unlikely that Andy Pettite will pitch for the Yankees in 09, though i have not given up hope. But the fact remains, we need a number 5 starter, and when healthy... Freddy Garcia is a great option.

Don't get me wrong... i also wouldn't mind seeing Phil Hughes in the number 5 slot, but he could use another year in the minors to work on his cutter and getting back into near perfect game form...

It's not like we're bringing in Sidney Ponson or Darrel Rasner here, Garcia is a quality pitcher who could really help the Yankees and fit solidly into the number 5 role.

Garcia would have tremendous upside, if brought in on a minor league deal:

1. He could pitch a solid 150+ innings if he stays healthy with a decent ERA.
2. The Yankees need someone to eat up the innings that Phil Hughes and Joba can not, since they are on an innings limit.
3. The Yankee stadium scoreboard will say... "Freddy's Comin to get ya!" in every one of his starts... not quite as bad ass as having someone named Michael Myers in your bullpen... but still good.

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Both signings are risk free, there won't be another... 'you're fucked!' situation like what happened with Carl Pavano or Kei Igawa...

So Yankee fans, don't hate!

P.S- The fantasy baseball bloggers/readers league still has spots open, email us to join!

Some thoughts: Andruw Jones, Projections

Hey everyone, just got back from vacation... i hope everyone had a Happy Holliday. So i haven't been really keeping up with baseball news the last week.. and i came back today to see the suggestion of Andruw Jones for CF.



I can't say there wouldn't be posotives to the signing, Andruw is in his contract year and if he wants to make up for his extremely sluggish 08... he will deffinately want to pick his game back up to get a nice contract after 09 as well.

why i don't want Andruw Jones is obvious... the guy is obviously declining... fast... and he hit 158 last year... 158!!! the Yankees have much younger and better options in Melky Cabrera,Brett Gardner and even Nick Swisher. Not sure about you Yankee fans... but i know i'd surely feel more comfortable with some kind of combination of those guys over signing Andruw Jones.

Even though the deal may be cheap and possibly for a minor league contract, the Yankees already have options for CF... wether you'd like to believe it or not.

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Ok, if you're curious to see what some of your favorite players are projected to do in 09, check out this site (projections made by Bill James).

right away of course i was curious to see what starters AJ Burnett and CC Sabathia were projected to do...

AJ Burnett- 32 starts, 14 wins, 3.62 ERA, 224 IP, 199 hits, 218 Ks

CC Sabathia- 34 starts, 16 wins, 3.48, 240 IP, 226 hits, 205 Ks

Ok, i'll take both of those starters numbers any day... however... when was the last time a Yankee starter had an ERA sub 4... started 32-34 games and didn't win 17+ games. Even Randy Johnson won 17 games with his incredible ERA of 5 in 06.

There were some other cool projections if you're interested, Phil Hughes, Mark Teixeira, A-Rod... check them out if you get the chance.

I also looked up Kei Igawa... he was projected for 62 innings... i'm sorry i just don't see the Yankees or anyone giving him the chance to throw 62 innings.

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Check out this link... David Chase takes a look at all the players who lost wheight/added muscle in the 07-08 offseason and looks at whether they improved or declined.