Yanks shouldn’t fall for the DeRosa trap
By
Earlier today, Marc Carig tweeted that the Yanks have had initial talks with Mark DeRosa’s agent, and plan to meet with him later this week. There’s certainly nothing wrong with kicking the tires on a player, however I hope the Yanks aren’t falling into the trap of thinking DeRosa is better than he actually is, something that’s plagued the MSM.
Don’t get me wrong, DeRosa is a fine player worthy of a roster spot on any team, however he’s not a three win super-sub capable of playing every position under the sun. He’s a soon-to-be 35-year-old that’s coming off wrist surgery with negative UZR/150 scores pretty much everywhere. Here’s what Keith Law had to say about DeRosa in his Top 50 Free Agents piece, in which DeRosa was ranked #44:
DeRosa is now recovering from surgery to repair a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, an injury that contributed to an incredibly disappointing season for him after a career year in 2008. When fully healthy, he’s a useful utility player who can play four or five positions, but none of them really well enough to handle every day. The average power he developed in Texas has stayed with him through three more teams, none in parks as hitter-friendly as the Rangers’ stadium, and prior to 2009 he’d shown increased patience. He has a strong reputation for intangibles, which should keep his market fairly strong even with the injury and down year and may even have him land a starter’s salary, but if a team can grab him at a reserve’s salary there’s value to be had here.
From what I’ve seen on the interwebs, the general thought is that DeRosa could either a) replace Johnny Damon in left, or b) fill-in at a different position every day while everyone else on the team rotates at DH to stay fresh. The former sounds fine, however for the life of me, I can’t figure out why any player would accept the latter role unless he had one foot in the big leagues and one foot in independent ball. Think about it: would you want to go into work every day not knowing what you’re going to be asked to do? I don’t see why an accomplished player like DeRosa would accept a handyman role with the Yanks when other clubs will be offering full-time gigs at a set position.
As for the leftfield thing, DeRosa and Damon have actually been very close in value over the last four years, dating back to DeRosa’s breakout with Texas. Since then, DeRosa’s been a .281-.356-.448 hitter worth a total of +11.0 WAR. In his four years with the Yanks, Damon has been a .286-.363-.441 hitter worth +11.7 WAR. The raw triple-slash stats don’t account for the AL-NL difference, but WAR does. Of course, you’re not getting the last four years of either player. You’re getting the next year or two of them.
DeRosa is coming off wrist surgery, which I already mentioned a few times, and that generally saps a player’s power for a year or so. He’s also swinging at more pitches out of the zone (19.5% in 2007, 20.9% in 2008, 23.5% in 2009), and (not coincidently) he’s also making contact on a fewer percentage of the swings he takes (82.5%, 79.3%, 77.9% in those three years, respectively). Moving to the AL East, where power pitchers are plentiful, could lead to further regressing from DeRosa.
Meanwhile, we basically know what Damon is. He probably won’t ever be as good as he was last year again, however it’s not unreasonable to think he could maintain the ~.360 OBP and ~.445 SLG he posted in his three other years as a Yankee. His defense in left if awful, but DeRosa’s is nothing special, checking in at -1.1 UZR/150 in barely 400 career innings played in left. Sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t, even if the devil you don’t know is a gritty gamer that plays the game the right way.
DeRosa is reportedly looking for three years at $9M each, which should be an absolute no-no. The Yankees have no need to lock themselves into a player’s decline years for that long at that price, especially when there are equally qualified candidates available. However, as Erik Manning noted this morning, the Chone Figgins and Placido Polanco deals set DeRosa’s price tag in that range. Like I said earlier, I have no problem with the Yanks kicking the tires on DeRosa. In fact, I love it. It’ll drive up the price for whoever does sign him. However, I don’t want to see the Yanks bring him in and expect him to produce at an above-average pace, regardless of where they stick him on the field.
Photo Credit: Danny Moloshok, Reuters
Tweet
I don’t buy any of this Mark DeRosa nonsense…it’s probably just a combination of their due diligence and making it look like there are other viable options…to the free agents they actually want to sign.
“Hemmerling for Mitchell??!! Go back to Cincinatti!!!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ-jHh6bfKc (SAFE)
DeRosa is a gritty gamer that plays the game the right way.
i like him.
“IT’S A TRAP!!!!!”
/Admiral Ackbar/d
“That’s great kid!…don’t get cocky…”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________
: ‘-, . . . . . . . . . .
| /,-‘-‘–‘’’__,’’’ \ ;; ;,-‘ . . . . . . . .
\ |\ : |/\ :: ::—-, :\/ 
/ :: :: ,-‘’ : :,-‘ : : : : : : ‘’-,,_ . . . .
: : : : : : : : :
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ./ It’s a trap! \
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _,,,–~~~~~~~~–,_ . . . .\ ._________/
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,-‘ : : : :::: :::: :: : : : : :º ‘-, . . \/. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .,-‘ :: : : :::: :::: :::: :::: : :
. . . . . . . . . . . ,-‘ :: ::: :: : : :: :::: :::: :: : : : : :O ‘-, . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .,-‘ : :: :: :: :: :: : : : : : , : : :º :::: :::: ::’; . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .,-‘ / / : :: :: :: :: : : :::: :::-, ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;\ . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . /,-‘,’ :: : : : : : : : : :: :: :: : ‘-, ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;;| . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . /,’,-‘ :: :: :: :: :: :: :: : ::_,-~~,_’-, ;; ;; ;; ;; | . . . . . . .
. . . . . _/ :,’ :/ :: :: :: : : :: :: _,-‘/ : ,-‘;’-‘’’’’~-, ;; ;; ;;,’ . . . . . . . .
. . . ,-‘ / : : : : : : ,-‘’’ : : :,–‘’
. . . \ :/,, : : : _,-‘ –,,_ : : \ :\ ||/ /,-‘-‘x### ::\ \ ;;/ . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . \/ /—‘’’’ : \ #\ : :\ : : \ :\ \| | : (O##º : :/ /-‘’ . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . /,’____ : :\ ‘-#\ : \, : :\ :\ \ \ : ‘-,___,-‘,-`-,, . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . ‘ ) : : : :’’’’–,,–,,,,,,¯ \ \ :: ::–,,_’’-,,’’’¯ :’- :’-, . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .) : : : : : : ,, : ‘’’’~~~~’ \ :: :: :: :’’’’’¯ :: ,-‘ :,/\ . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .\,/ /|\\| | :/ / : : : : : : : ,’-, :: :: :: :: ::,–‘’ :,-‘ \ \ . . . . . . . .
. . . . .\\’|\\ \|/ ‘/ / :: :_–,, : , | )’; :: :: :: :,-‘’ : ,-‘ : : :\ \, . . . . . . .
. . . ./¯
. . ..| : : :/ ‘’-(, :: :: :: ‘’’’’~,,,,,’’ :: ,-‘’ : :,-‘ : : : : : : : : :,-‘’’\\ . . . .
. ,-‘ : : : | : : ‘’) : : :¯’’’’~-,: : ,–‘’’ : :,-‘’ : : : : : : : : : ,-‘ :¯’’’’’-,_ .
./ : : : : :’-, :: | :: :: :: _,,-‘’’’¯ : ,–‘’ : : : : : : : : : : : / : : : : : : :’’-,
/ : : : : : -, :¯’’’’’’’’’’’¯ : : _,,-~’’ : : : : : : : : : : : : :
: : : : : : :¯’’~~~~~~’’’ : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | : : : : : : : : :
Yes please. Avoid.
Can’t possibly allow him to be the starting left fielder. But if the Yankees go with this plan to leave the DH a rotational thing then I love it if he is willing to be a super utility guy. Give A-rod and Jeter and Swisher and whoever else wants a day off. Hell, can we teach him how to catch to. But nah, I’ll pass.
I once was a proponent of bringing DeRosa, but that torn tendon sheath really scares me. Pass.
Tearing any kind of sheath scares me.
“I don’t see why an accomplished player like DeRosa would accept a handyman role with the Yanks when other clubs will be offering full-time gigs at a set position.”
A) He’s from New Jersey, could want to end career at home.
B) Playing for Yanks gives him a good shot at a ring.
Just sayin.
I doubt it happens anyway. Especially if they bring in a true DH. I guess that is what it is contingent on.
Mark DeRosa … meh. He’d be awesome to bring in as a glorified version of Jerry Hairston Jr., but that’s about all I can imagine he’s worthy of on this team, and he can get a better job at a better salary elsewhere.
All kinds of THIS.
If they are dead set on the flexibility at DH thing (I’m not so sure), they have three options as I see it:
1) Sign Matsui to DH, and sit Matsui every time you want someone else to DH. The LF could be any of the other options.
2) Sign Damon to DH and sign Derosa as the LF/ super sub. The real issue with this is that the primary guy they want the DH for is Posada, meaning Derosa cant sub there anyhow.
3) Sign Damon to DH and Cameron for LF. When you want the DH, slide Cameron over to CF and Damon to LF. That way, the sub who gets into the lineup will be playing for Melky rather than one of the better bats.
I like #1 and # 3 a lot more than # 2.
For #3…Melky is the CF instead of Cameron?
Tthat’s a decision they can make, maybe if they want to keep him healthy. if not, you just flip Cameron and Melky.
Of course, if it were up to me, I’d bring in Cameron, Matsui, and Damon along with Pettitte and call it an offseason, but the Yanks are looking to cut payroll and will probably only get 2 of the 3.
So you really think that Pettitte will be the last pitcher we sign this off season?
I would be fine if he were. It is time to let Joba and Hughes pitch. there is no reason to think they will be worse than Joba and Wang/Mitre/Gaudin were in those slots last year. That being said, I think the Yanks might take a chance on one of the injury guys (Bedard, Harden, Sheets).
I like #3. Even though Matsui would be the best DH, 3 gives the most flexibility.
The former sounds fine, however for the life of me, I can’t figure out why any player would accept the latter role unless he had one foot in the big leagues and one foot in independent ball. Think about it: would you want to go into work every day not knowing what you’re going to be asked to do?
Why a player would accept the role: It gets you on the reigning champions, who are probably going to be favorites to win again.
As to going to work not knowing what you’ll be asked to do: I take it you’ve never worked at a small company before. Roles usually just aren’t that specialized.
I would very much like DeRosa as a Yankee, but more importantly, I don’t want to commit any more salary for 2011. One year deals only, please.
The Rox released Matt Murton. He could be a plan “C” for left field, but the write up makes it seem like he’s headed to Japan.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/.....l#comments
Yeah, I’ve thought about him. His D is pretty solid (check out his UZR numbers), but he’s a platoon-type guy. Would be a good signing for depth, but unlikely a starter.
Matt Murton was just released…to play in Japan? Nobody else would want him?
After reading the Fox News posting, it looks like they released him to allow him to take advantage of a good salary over there. That and for their own salary relief.
Do not want.
http://blog.internetnews.com/a.....nt-dog.jpg (SAFE)
Not a huge proponent for signing DeRosa but if we could snag him for 2/4.5 or something like that it wouldn’t be terrible imo.
Will Kelly Johnson’s price tag be too high? He should rebound from a down year. He’s played the infield the past few years but his best defense, sss of 79 games, was turned in from left field at a uzr/150 of 17.9. Probably just a pipe dream.
I dunno, but she sounds hot. She can be a ballgirl or something.
*4.5 per I mean.
I don’t know that DeRosa will get 3/27. It is true that Polanco and Figgins are very comparable, so on the one hand you have to expect he would get 3/27.
But on the other hand, we can compare FA infielders/utility players this year to corner outfielders last year. Last year corner outfielders found themselves too plentiful, and several had to take lesser deals. With all the FT infielders still on the market, some of them are going to end up on 1 year deals.
Ok, a crazy thought just popped into my head. Say Bay and Holliday sign elsewhere, Mike Cameron goes to the Cubbies and Damon demands a 2-year+player option. Would the Yankees ever consider trading for Carlos Lee in a straight salary absorption (or give the Astros some mid-level prospects)? I know he’s wildly overpriced, but he could provide similar production to Bay and Holliday for a much shorter length of time, and potentially at a smaller salary.
I’m not saying it’s a good idea (it’s not), but it’s something that hasn’t really been tossed around and could be a slight possibility.
I brought that up a while back, I wouldn’t mind seeing him but as a DH only.
Yeah, you know what? I took a look at his UZR numbers. Dude, it’s like the opposite of pi. Anyway, that’s way too much to pay, especially for a DH.
So…nevermind on Carlos Lee (unless they eat salary and don’t take any decent prospects).
Committing over $25 million to an aging player recovering from a serious injury = not Cashman’s style
Making a display of inquiring on said player to gain leverage with Damon = Cashman’s style
There are two things to add here: DeRosa has similar stats to Damon, as noted, but at a much lower price tag. Damon is looking for 4 years is said he will not take a salary cut. So, are the Yankees “kicking the tires” to convince Damon to sign for 2 years? We know Damon an hit AL East pitching. DeRosa? The other point is that Damon can’t play the infield. If they do sign DeRosa it will be to play the outfield and be an IF insurance policy, something they did not have at the beginning of this past season.
Maybe it’s me, but I never thought Johnny’s defense was that horrendous. If it was, there’s no way he would have played as many playoff games as he did this past year. You don’t put a liability out there like that night after night. He made all the plays he was supposed to and luckily never had to make the outstanding catch or throw to save a game. We’ve gotten away with the likes of Ricky Ledee, Strawberry and Chad Curtis in LF while winning WS’s and none of them reminds you of a young Barry Bonds in his heyday.
I disagree, DeRosa would be a superb pick up for the Yanks and would be great filling in for a-rod or any other outfield that needs rest, plus he can play DH now that matsui and damon likely arent coming back so that leads him to play EVERYDAY. hes a gritty player and the rite mold for New York. if he wants 3 years, give him 2 with an option for 3.