Yanks reach one-year deal with Randy Winn
By
Randy Winn doubles off Mike Pelfrey at Citi Field in August. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Proving once and far all that the team was serious about both having a budget and not overpaying for Johnny Damon, the Yankees today reached a one-year deal with Randy Winn, pending a physical. Joe Sherlman broke the news this afternoon via Twitter, and as Winn’s signing marks the definitive end of Damon’s tenure in the Bronx, Yankee fans were, unsurprisingly, up in the arms about the deal.
According to Sherman, Winn will probably get $2 million in 2010, and the Yanks opted for him over Reed Johnson both because of the price tag and because they view Winn as “a better overall player.” Even with this signing, it’s no sure thing that Winn will be the starting left fielder; I wouldn’t be surprised to see Brett Gardner remain a starting outfielder with Winn as the Yanks’ defensive-minded fourth outfielder or see a platoon situation develop in the outfield.
Winn, 35, is seven months younger than Damon but hasn’t been nearly as productive a hitter as Johnny over the last few years. In 2009, Winn suffered through a .262/.318/.353 with just two home runs in 597 plate appearances. Based on his four-year line, he’s no better than Melky Cabrera but will cost $1 million less in 2010.Against lefties, he hit .158/.184/.200 in 125 PAs and was, according to Baseball Prospectus, the worst showing by a right-hander against left-handed pitching since 1954. It’s worth noting that Winn hit lefties to the tune of .289/.343/.470 in 2008, but with the most recent data on hand, it’s hard to see how Winn fills an offensive need. Joel Sherman reports that the Yanks could still ink a right-hander to a minor league deal.
On the other side of the ball, though, Winn is still a plus defender. He put up a overall OF UZR of 16.9 last year with a 7.9 mark in 54 games in left. His arm too is above average, and as he struggled offensively last year, he put up a 1.7 WAR. If he can simply duplicate those results, he will outperform the $2 million the Yanks are paying him.
And so Johnny Damon’s reign in New York comes to an end at the expense of someone no better than a fourth outfielder. The Yankees were drawn to Winn because he comes cheap and — with Carl Crawford nearing free agency — he comes for just one year. It was clear, based on recently discussions and rumors, that Damon wouldn’t re-up for a single season or at a price that fits the Yanks’ budget. Considering that the Yanks will probably still sport the same starting outfield tomorrow as they did yesterday, the team could have found a better fourth outfielder. Whether or not that player would have signed for so little is an entirely different story.
I couldn’t fit this into the post, but a good old tip o’ the cap to Jay Jaffe for highlighting the BP article about Winn’s 2009 platoon splits.
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I wonder what happened with Reed Johnson…
via @nyp_joelsherman Yankees considered Winn a better overall player than Reed Johnson, though Winn is not a good hitter from RH side
He’s healthier and more durable. That probably was a factor as well.
more like he was cheaper, and that’s it. damon had a career year offensively, Winn regressed severely.
damon had a career year offensively, Winn regressed severely.
Meaning they’re both likely to regress to their means. That means a downward correction for Damon and an upward one for Winn.
2010 Johnny Damon may be better than 2010 Randy Winn, but he’s probably not gonna be 5M better.
Bring Back George
I’m gonna have to disagree and say JD is 5 mil better than WInn. Just sayin’.
nooooooooooo
whyyyyyy
I he can hit to his pre-2009 #’s, it will work out great.
Yup. I’m fine with the move as well. Decent vet, doesn’t do anything well but doesn’t do anything poorly either. Quality depth.
The Brett Gardner experiment begins.
Olney is on Kay’s show right now talking about it.
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
I have faith K-long will get him back to this
2007 line vs LHP: .351/.399/.525
via @nyp_joelsherman Haven’t confirmed it yet, but I believe Winn got just about the $2M #Yankees were allocating for 4th OF job
Oh No…what the hell is this???
You know what? I just looked at his stats, and realized that he’ll be platooning with Gardy. I think I’m just upset that this slams the door on Damon. I was convinced that he was coming back. Savvy veteran pickup. If the Sox signed him, Gammons would jizz in his pants.
Meh, I would’ve rather had Reed Johnson or Tatis. I too wonder what happened.
Yankees had 2 million.
reed johnson made 3 last year…probably wanted a raise. Yankees said no. Hello Randy winn.
Sounds right.
Also, we can still bring in someone on a minor league deal. There’s still more free agents than major league jobs it seems.
Gabe Gross, Marcus Thames, Wily Mo Peña, perhaps? The more, the merrier.
someone with some power off the benech would be nice to have.
Sure, it would be nice to have, but frankly, defense off the bench is probably still a bigger priority for this team. We don’t have many times where we’d use a big bat off the bench.
i would agree…and the yankees seem fairly set with that defense off the bench with Hoffmann and Gardner/Winn.
So there could be room for someone on a cheap minor league type deal that has the ability to knock the ball out of the park now.
Yes, but there isn’t a roster spot.
Two of Gardner/Hoffmann/Winn will be on the bench. The backup catcher is Cervelli, the UTI is Peña. That’s it, that’s the team.
Juan Miranda is on the 40 man isnt he? He could take up a bench spot
Yes. But there’s no room on the ACTIVE roster.
Miranda will see time in the bigs, I imagine, but not the opening day roster. Not unless we return Hoffman (or trade for his minor league rights).
Defense and/or speed makes more sense, yes. With this lineup, gone are the days of needing/having a Strawberry or Justice off the bench.
Not sure about RJ wanting a raise. Few in their right minds would give him more after last year’s performance. I think they simply liked Winn more because of his durability.
Really? Well, whatever.
Eh, though his career line is much better than last year, so if that was just a down year, could be a decent signing.
His stats suggest very wide swings, year-to-year. Here’s hoping the Yankees can figure out how to make this one of his up years.
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....ent-759767
You’re welcome.
I’m guessing that Brett Gardner is a happy man today.
Randy Winn will be DFA’d before July 1… Not understanding this one?
I’m a little wary of anyone who swung the bat for the SF Giants in 2008 or 2009 and is not named “Pablo Sandoval”.
Buster Posey?
Randy killed it in 08 4.6 WAR
Yup and that is a pretty decent pitcher’s park on the Bay.
Yuck.
I take it back! Yuck was too strong, more like “meh”
OK I take it all back, I’m sold.
/jumped the gun
//using the gun to kill self
you admit your irrational knee-jerk reaction wasnt justitifed
i greatly admire that, and now a fan of yours, DP
if only the others were more like u
Agreed.
DP wins the Axl Memorial Poster of the Day Award.
hey look, i’m a fair guy–i may ride tommie from time to time, but i’m a big fan of DP.
i was shocked when i saw there were nearly 500 posts already.
ok, thats it folks. Cashman gets 3 weeks off until P&C time!
oh, and FU scotty…would have loved to have seen JD back, but i think this signing is great…
ayo
Cue the people who think they’re smarter than Cashman.
I don’t think it’s a matter of believing they’re smarter than Cashman. The fans don’t work with a budget, Cashman does. I think the fans will look at it from a production standpoint, and many will say, “eh,” but I think most everyone respects that Cashman is playing with real money and making the decisions he feels he needs to make. For instance, Winn is not my ideal choice as a player but I completely understand why Cash has made this move.
People should also remember that one of the advantages of having a lot of money is not spending a lot of money now, but saving some of it for later (i.e. the trading deadline) when better options to buy come along.
This, I agree with
That. I’d rather take a lesser player and hold on to flexibility, than max out your budget now.
Are you ready to have your mind blown?
One of the players who may be available at the trade deadline as a salary dump for a fringy prospect could be… Johnny Damon.
Freaky.
hmmmm. so we weren’t willing to give Damon the extra 2 or 3 million in the offseason that he’ll end up getting, so we’ll just add that extra money midseason (money wise – winn + damon midseason = damon offseason) plus a prospect. good.
Ninjatastic.
The 202 million dollar one?
I mean, there’s not a lot of downside to this. He plays above-average defense at all three OF positions and a switch-hitter. They don’t need a ton of offense from him, just as they didn’t need a ton from Gardner.
I like it.
That.
what happened to the wpa article?
This is bigger news at the moment, I guess.
Ah shit, I hate this. I became acquainted with his suck when I was desperately seeking an OF for my fantasy team last year and picked him up off of waivers. I’d rather see Gardner start every game, I hope he’s just a bench guy.
I’d rather see Gardner start every game, I hope he’s just a bench guy.
I bet it’s a straight open competition in the Spring. Gardner v. Hoffmann v. Winn. All men come in equal, no incumbents.
I didn’t think of it like that. I guess that’s fine, if anyone starts slumping poorly just throw in the next guy.
err, slumping period…theres no such thing as a good slump lol
“Slump? I ain’t in no slump. I just ain’t hitting.”
/Yogi’d
BG likes competition.
I’m already rooting for Hoffmann
NOOOOOOOOOO, come on Cashmoney, I thought you were in secret ninja mode to get damon.
When Cashman said that people should “wake up and smell the coffee” what he was really saying was “Damon is toast”
the man hit 2 hrs in 2009
He also hit 33 doubles and 5 triples. Perspective FTW.
And is allegedly signed for 2 million and plays plus defense all over the outfield.
and is about to be 36 and has an obp of .318….he sucks
Randy Winn’s OBP, year by year:
.337
.307
.362
.339
.360
.346
.346
.360
.324
.353
.363
.318
Randy Winn is a good OBP guy. You’re overreacting to his down year.
.307?!?!?! He sucks!!
Yeah and considering how few homeruns everyone else on the team hits, we really need top-notch power from our $2mm 4th outfielder.
…. hmm.
I hope he’s in for the 4th OF job, or at least is not being handed LF.
On the bright side, no more Damon crap.
just why? this makes reed johnson look very nice
So is Gardner still the LFer or not?
He may have a slight leg up on Winn and Hoffmann, but I bet it’s small.
Best spring wins the job. All three make the roster.
Yeah figure if its a dead tie after the spring, Gardner gets the tie breaker.
Yeah, I bet.
Youth and speed and defense FTW.
Winn can also come in as a pinch runner in the late innings of games that Gardner starts.
i think its a good move. He’s a good fielder, he should hit better and get on base with the yankees. He had good years before 2009. Cheap option and can compete with gardner. He’s no Johnny Damon, but Damon was still asking for $7 mil according to Olney.
Winn at 2M (plus financial flexibility to add something midseason) >>> Damon at 7M
That.
Randy Winn is in no shape or form >>> then Damon.
Please take off the Yankee Goggles on this one.
Nobody said he was. We’re saying that Winn is cheaper and probably better for the Yankees cause in all reality, Damon wasn’t a necessity by any means.
Read what I said, please.
Winn PLUS THE SAVED 5M THAT CAN BE USED AS FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY DOWN THE ROAD >>>>> Damon
I like the move.
Damon was a no-go. It can’t be any clearer now. Johnson still had injury questions. Winn is a proven vet who can play defense and has a history of being able to hit LHPs.
Not a terrible move, assuming he’s cheap. Wow, Damon really screwed himself.
Also Winn is less injury prone then Johnson…which could have factored into the yankees thinking.
i love Cash..but this move stinks..they guy is on the decline..and has 0 power. for that just get a young player who can play D.
the guy is going to be 36..come on Cash..his defense is probably going to start sucking next year too…
It’s only 2 million. He’s really just the 4th or 5th outfielder. While I’m not huge on it, it’s not terrible.
i know that a dude w/a handle about AJ Burnett wouldn’t dare complain about handing out money to aging players, right?
I’m just interested to know where he found what I can only imagine is a delicious recipe—Burnett Scream Filling. I bet it’s spicy goodness.
(Should there be an apostrophe or something?)
(Should there be an apostrophe or something?)
Nah, fuck that noise.
Sincerely,
SBGL
Why would his defense, something he does well, all of a sudden start to suck?
‘Cause he’s old and stuff.
/devil’s advocate
ask Johnny..its called age
I don’t think “Johnny Damon” and “Superior Defense” have ever been mentioned in the same paragraph. Two completely different animals here.
Damon was considered to be a good left fielder two years ago
It’s one year. It’s not like the guy is going to be in a walker by the end of it. He’s not being signed as an “answer.” He’s being signed as a piece. Relax.
1. Winn’s a much better fielder than Damon.
2. “Just get a young player who can play D”: Greg Golson
Cashman: 2
Burnettscreamfilling: 0
2. “Just get a young player who can play D”: Greg Golson, Jamie Hoffmann and Brett Gardner
Cashman:
24Burnettscreamfilling: 0
Winn has a decent amt. of CF experience. If they decide to put Gardner in CF and Grandy in LF, I wonder if they would do the same w/ Winn.
I say no for either.
The Yankees CF in 2011 is going to be Granderson.
Just keep him there this year, and plug the LF hole next offseason..much easier to fill.
We’re going into 2010, FYI. And there’s considerable buzz today that Granderson goes to LF and Gardner to CF.
I know what year it is, I’m not sure if you were legitimately correcting me, or if you were being sarcastic.
If you were being serious, what I meant is that it doesn’t matter who players where in 2010, but Granderson is the long term solution in center field. There is no reason to move him to LF for 2010, then move him back to center in 2011.
OK. That’s one way to look at it. I’m just letting you know that it at least seems to be on the table that Grandy will play left in 2010.
Are you referring to anything other than Giradi’s comments recently, saying that anything is possible?
I am aware of those, but personally I think it would be a mistake.
duuude, im totally not looking through my twitter feed from the last 24 hours. that said, what don’t you like about it? lets assume, for the sake of our argument, that both gardner and granderson are getting regular ABs.
Huh?
I didn’t ask you to look up anything. I asked if you were talking about a recent statement by Giradi or something different. If it is, all Giradi said was that nothing was locked in and they would figure it out at spring training.
What I don’t like about it is that it isn’t ok to assume Gardner is getting all of the 3rd OF ABs. Even if you do, I don’t think the difference in formations (especially considering the size of LF in YS) is big enough to justify taking Granderson out of CF for one year. It doesn’t make sense for now, or in the future.
Especially since Gardner is not just handed the starting job to anything.
Say he struggles and you starting seeing Randy Winn more. Do you now put Winn in LF and Granderson in CF? Or Hoffman? I mean they can all play center, but can they all do it better than Grandy? Assuming there is going to be turnover during the season between those three players (and there will be) unless all three are clearly better in center than Granderson I don’t think it makes sense, not even thinking long term, to move Granderson to LF.
Makes 0 (Zero) Sense to grab this guy over Johnny Gomes… If the guy is only going to be a 4th/5th outfielder why go after an old guy who cant provide any pop or power of the bench???
Cause defense out there is more important, especially with this powerhouse of a lineup?
We’ve already got defense out there though… who’s our pinch hitter for Gardner? Winn? They are the same player.
This team doesn’t need pop. It’s needs defense and speed off the bench. What player in the starting lineup will need to be pinch-hit for? Gardner is it. One guy in the entire lineup lacking power. Now there are plenty of guys lacking speed, and Swisher’s defense is solid, but could be improved upon. Winn provides both of those things.
I’m not thrilled with Winn, but for $2M, if he sucks, you DFA him. There aren’t any options I liked any better, outside of a trade for a crazy guy (Dukes, D. Young, etc), which was admittedly a crazy idea.
tatis
::one lone tear::
Is there a difference between ‘pop’ and ‘power.’
Just asking, because I thought that they were the same thing. And, Winn’s 33 doubles and 5 triples last year say ‘hey there big sexy.’
hmm…cue the “Damon fires Boras” storylines. or “Damon calls Cashman after firing Boras and personally negotiates a 1 yr/1 million dollar contract to compete for LF job!”
I’m sure he’ll return the 80+ mill Boras has helped him make the past 10 yrs too.
Finally the Damon crap comes to an end!!!
This isn’t that bad of a move. Winn has actually had an OPS+ above 100 in 6 of his last 8 seasons. Maybe he just had an off year last season.
hes going to be 36!! that was no offyear that was i hit the age wall and i aint getting back up!
Well maybe…but Damon is 36 also…I’m just trying to be optimistic thats all.
He had two off years in the past 8 years. Both of them came with noticable dips from his normal BABIP talent level.
That’s an important counterargument.
Important counter-counterargument: But he only had 2 home runs last year!
But seriously, he’s much more likely to have an OPS+ of around 105 than he is 75. Maybe it’s somewhere in the middle in 2010, say 90. With plus defense and the versatility to play all three OF positions, you could do much, much worse as a platoon LF/extra OFer.
But seriously, he’s much more likely to have an OPS+ of around 105 than he is 75. Maybe it’s somewhere in the middle in 2010, say 90. With plus defense and the versatility to play all three OF positions, you could do much, much worse as a platoon LF/extra OFer.
Repeated for emphasis.
Melky Cabrera.
Sorry, too easy.
Winn is cheaper than Melky.
ahhh, well as long as you have nice, sound reasoning why it was the beginning of the end, then its all good.
This move = the terriosts win
Teh suckage!!!!
Winn, BABIP and wRC+:
2002 – .345, 124
2003 – .345, 114
2004 – .321, 110
2005 – .334, 129
2006 – .279, 86
2007 – .332, 112
2008 – .346, 115
2009 – .314, 82
Hmmm… two subpar BABIP seasons, two subpar wRC+ seasons. Pattern much?
Swisherian bounceback potential? I think so.
this i like.
Swisherian bounceback potential? I think so.
I think we’d also need to look into why his babip was so last season, which could be the difference between a bounceback candidate and a player in decline. I’m sure one of the RAB guys will take care of that legwork in the next few days.
I’m obviously expecting better than last season, especially against LHP, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t much better. Also, keep in mind Swisher was entering his prime, as Winn is leaving his.
Couldn’t agree more. It’s really not THAT important who the 4th OF is, but age has to be considered here. I don’t think he’ll be as bad as last year, but all the same he will be 36.
you know who else is leaving his prime?
Johnny Damon
Interesting.
Check this too.
2008: LD: 19.1%, GB: 55.1%, FB: 29.8%, HR/FB: 6.5%
2009: LD: 22.3%, GB: 44.5%, FB: 32.1%, HR/FB: 1.4%
LD percentage goes up, GB down, FB up, and the HR/FB plummets.
GB down, FB up, and the HR/FB plummets
Thats actually not a great sign, especially considering the LD percentage didn’t increase by much compared to the other two.
I didn’t say it was. I said it was interesting. i.e. noteworthy. i.e. worthy of discussing. Not a great sign.
I didn’t say you said it was.
Like you said, you added no interpretation good nor bad, I was adding one. Whats the problem?
CATFIGHT!!!
Very odd on the plummet & random falling off vs lefties… I wonder if Winn was nursing an injury of some sort, could explain plummet in power.
my only question though is he didnt hit lefties last yr…wasnt the point to get a 4th/5th of who could?
Last year was bad, but for his career he’s not basically no platoon split at all. He handles lefties and righties with equal aplomb.
vs RHP as LH – .289/.348/.417
vs LHP as RH – .280/.332/.426
Swisherian bounceback potential? I think so.
Easy now. His upside isn’t as big as Swisher’s.
And as Radnom pointed out, Swish was entering his prime while Winn has left his.
Also check his LD/FB/GB percentages.
Line drives stayed about the same with much high FB percentage and lower power? Eek.
Eh, it could just be weird. I wouldn’t read too much into it, though it is fishy smelling.
Well yes and no.
It easily explains why the BABIP is so low (groundballs become hits at a higher percentage than flyballs).
If the percentages were the same, or if GB percentage had gone down and he was hitting both more flyballs AND linedrives that would point to some bounceback potential.
All this seems to do is corroborate the fact that his swing got out of wack last season and he starting lifting everything. Hopefully he can ignore the short right field porch and go back to his old approach next season.
ohhh shyteee
wait i dont get it… whats everyone so upset about?
the thought the Yanks would re-sign Damon…and now they won’t
i guess i was under the impression that most had moved on from damon, seeing as how cashman did about 6 weeks ago
Considering this is straight up false (considering reports that Cashman approached Boras as recently as last week, only to be shot down) I can’t imagine why you would have that impression.
Although everyone should have more or less given up on a Damon reunion when in the last few days Cashman and Girardi both came out publicly saying the door was all but shut.
Considering this is straight up false (considering reports that Cashman approached Boras as recently as last week, only to be shot down) I can’t imagine why you would have that impression.
But again, radnom, it’s not that simple.
Yes, we spoke to Boras/Damon again recently. No, we still weren’t remotely ready to extend them any kind of offer that they’d accept.
For all intents and purposes, Slugger is right in saying that Cashman had moved on from Damon. We were technically “interested” but not interested enough to ever move off our hardline stance that he accept our drastic salary cut, a cut that he rebuffed at every single turn.
I’m not going to get into this with you again.
Making an request for a number to present to ownership is interest. Just because Cashman has certain perameters he was working under doesn’t mean he didn’t want Damon back. Just because he wasn’t willing to give him a deal above market value doesn’t mean he had cut off all ties and had no interest. That is false.
The simple fact was that one week ago, Cashman was actively trying to fit Damon into the Yankees system, and was even willing to stretch his parameters a bit to do so. Didn’t work out, but to say that he was “moved on” before last week is just misleading. But again, you can’t see this and I’m not getting into this again. Lets talk about 2010 Yankees.
Just because Cashman has certain perameters he was working under doesn’t mean he didn’t want Damon back. Just because he wasn’t willing to give him a deal above market value doesn’t mean he had cut off all ties and had no interest
true, but it does mean that damon coming back was never a realistic scenario
and was even willing to stretch his parameters a bit to do so
i dont believe thats fact at all
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....ent-760013
i love how “speaking to boras” equals “interested in signing damon”
boras has probably called them several times over the past 6 weeks, and im willing to bet every discussion has involved a disinterested cashman rolling his eyes
i felt it was obvious, apparently im the minority
boras has probably called them several times over the past 6 weeks, and im willing to bet every discussion has involved a disinterested cashman rolling his eyes
So you don’t believe this report then?
there was renewed dialogue between Damon, Boras and the Yankees in which the Yankees made one last attempt to have a good Yankee remain a Yankee.
“Tell us your bottom line for what you’re willing to play for,” they said, “and if it’s in the realm of where our budget needs to be we can go to ownership (Hal Steinbrenner) and see if something can be worked out.”
They got the number. It was the same high number from before. Hence, the conversation went nowhere, just as it’s been going nowhere all winter.
We were always interested in bringing back Johnny Damon. We were just never ever ever ever interested in bringing him in enough to get beyond initial conversations, because our price points were always oceans apart.
thank u tsjc, your wordsmithness allows u to state my stance better than i can
with that though, we can move on from the argument, it appears neither of the 3 of us is changing our mind
with that though, we can move on from the argument, it appears neither of the 3 of us is changing our mind
Agreed especially since TSJC insists on refuting points I’m making.
I insist on refuting the points you make because the points you make demand rebuttal, because they’re incomplete and flawed. They lack historical accuracy. They’re overly blunt and not properly nuanced.
Nah, if you read through the posts (at least on this blog) many were hoping he’d come crawling back.
I hope last year’s splits were an aberration or this move could be a disaster. He can field, but so can Gardner. Why is he a better choice then Reed Johnson who hits lefties?
I wouldn’t call this a potential disaster. Regardless of what he contributes offensively, at the very least, he provides some OF depth, speed and defense off the bench, and competition for Gardner to stay focused. Our lineup, unlike the 2009 SF Giants’ lineup can hide a .268 slap hitter.
No way it’s a disaster. He can play the field (as you say) and it’s not like they’re expecting big things offensively. If he stays healthy, they’ll get what they want from him.
Reed Johnson = walking DL trip
That. Reed Johnson makes Randy Winn look like Cal Ripken Jr.
Plus, I have watched Reed play many a single into a triple with ill-advised dive attempts in LF. While I could see this sort of hustle making him a fan favorite (just think if he also had a dirty hat) it also increases his chance of injury.
Personally, I am fine with Winn as a low-cost, low-risk signing that provides some OF depth.
Let’s not forget that he played a ton of games in pitcher’s parks over the last few years, and that may have depressed his raw numbers/rate stats a bit.
Not totally surprising…the Yankees had been considering him lately but for some reason it didn’t get much discussion around these parts.
I have to wonder though, if they really are looking for a RH bat why they would choose Winn. Either the Yankees scouts anticipate him bouncing back or they prefer the insurance of a guy like Winn over a Reed Johnson/Baldelli type. Still, he doesn’t work in a platoon situation with BG.
Alright, time for spring training.
Johnny Damon just got a call from the Newark Bears.
My plan to catch a Bears game this April keeps looking sweeter.
oh fuck no. I’m sorry for all the overoptimistic optimists, but this deal is shit. He’s 36, can’t hit, and there are much better options out there to be had. what the fuck was cashman thinking on this one?
He’s 36, can’t hit, and there are much better options out there to be had.
Randy Winn, 2007 and 2008 (before his bad season last year):
.303/.358/.436 105+
More perspective: Randy Winn (or Brett Gardner) is replacing Melky Cabrera. Think about that.
Melky 2009: 1.6 WAR
Winn 2009: 1.7 WAR
Winn’s 2009 was a low point for his career. Melky’s 2009 has been the high point. Melky is getting probably around a $1 million more than Winn. This deal seems pretty cost effective if you consider your perspective of Winn replacing Cabrera.
Winn is 36 and is going downhill..Cabrera is what 26? and should at the minimum maintain this production…
cabrera was very close to this level in ’06, then steadily declined through ’07 and ’08. There’s absolutely no guarantee whatsoever that he doesn’t do that again.
i loved this post… very well said
Also note that much of Melky’s WAR value comes from his large total of innings playing CF. There is much less value in the equation to get the WAR stat if you play a corner outfield position, 92% of the time in 2009.
(Winn played in the corner outfield 92% of the time)
I guess, but reed johnson and nady are both probably better players than he is. Plus, that was my initial reaction, and after a few minutes i’m usually more rational.
Reed Johnson and Xavier Nady are also medical maladies.
Reed Johnson is not a better player Winn.
Johnson 2009 WAR 0.4
And Nady had his 2nd TJ, 30% recovery rate or some shit. Not a good idea to be your 4th OF.
that’s very misleading…WAR is a counting stat… Winn played 155 games for a crappy team in a crappy division… Johnson played 65 games.
That’s kinda the point.
Winn generally outproduces Johnson, first and foremost, because he actually plays. By not being injured.
I don’t get the love affair with Reed Johnson. The dude gets hurt and couldn’t find regular playing time with the Cubs.
It must just be because he’s white, rocks a flat-brim hat, and dove into the Ivy face first that one time.
the truth is none of these guys are sexy pickups… that doesnt make them bad pickups
its hard to think of any platoon/bench guy in all of MLB that woudlve been a sexy pickup
some (most?) yankee fans are near impossible to please
So…we should cut our wrists?
/emo’d
Oh that deserves this too.
http://www.urbandictionary.com.....lification
Cashman >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You
Wow a comment I have to scroll through, impresssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssive
Charlie, for the love of Mo, it’s not a fantasy draft. He has to fill the position within a budget. This is his choice. Stop it.
alright buddy, well i don’t like his choice. maybe my comment was an overreaction, but i’m not going to “stop it”
Dude, all of your comments are overreactions. It gets old.
i’m sorry but that is not true at all.
You’re really going to argue with me on this? I can see all of your comments, at any time.
yes, i am. and really? i was unaware of that. why don’t you go look at them and then tell me that they are all irrational overreactions
I know we banned you at one point for that very offense.
youre my favorite poster just for using “overoptimistic optimists”
i was indeed banned a while ago, but that doesn’t mean that i am always overreacting.
and slugger, i mean cause its okay to be optimistic but sometimes you can be too optimistic to the point of naivety
Who’s being optimistic, “slugger”? I don’t think anyone has really expressed the view that this is a steal. But we’re not flipping out and cursing about the move, either.
What is this Pawlikowski, 1984?
Fuck this crap, I’m moving to Eastasia.
(golf clap)
“Buddy,” that was “Stop it,” as in “It’s ridiculous.” I wouldn’t literally tell you to stop it. You can keep overreacting if you want to.
I like this. Him home/road splits from last year show that AT&T/Pac Bell/whatever seriously depressed his value.
He OPS’ed .585 at home in 287 PA’s and .749 on the road in 310 PA’s. Obviously not great, but still, if he can play defense, he’ll definitely hit enough to prop up the #9 spot.
very interesting, at least he hit somewhere last year, leading one to think he just had an off fluke year vs any end in production.
Dude, with all due respect, could you tone down the language? This isn’t a cesspool like Deadspin. Kids come here. Also, it’s a lot easier to exchange ideas is we keep it civil.
I think you’re talking to Charlie, right?
huh?
What is this a response to? I don’t believe “OPS’d” is considered bad language (outside of BBWAA). Or did something get deleted by admin?
Upon first reaction, I’m none too happy with this. HOWEVER, I’m sure once I settle, I’ll be able to see the good in it. Someone talk me into believing this move.
Randy Winn is a gritty, gutty gamer.
You’re welcome.
ietc
He plays the game the right way and always hustles. He does the little things and is a great clubhouse presence.
Wait, he’s not “toolsy”?
/mixingupminoritymeme’s?
I’m crossing the uncrossable color line intentionally.
You know who Randy Winn reminds me of? Mark Kotsay and Darin Erstad.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM, THAT JUST HAPPENED. IS YOUR MIND BLOWN????
How did that comment get thru the cross-racial comparison filter?
niiiiiiiiiiice
My mind is now constipated. Thanks, I’m going to have abdominal pain for weeks now.
See above comments. I was in your shoes and I’m starting to turn.
Nice cheap scoop. Let Winn, Gardy, Hoffman, and Golson compete in camp….
4 below avg players competing for the starting job. makes sense.
or rather, 4 players of whom the total sum, if played properly (as in, to advantageous matchups and wherein playing time is generated by current performance and not based arbitrarily on a decision made after a month of ST) is well above average production, especially when defense is considered, seeing as all four are either reputed to be, or known to be tremendous defensive assets. I’m sick of the “let them compete in camp” idea. Why not let them compete all year? All are incomplete offensive players who are liable to become black holes from time to time. There’s absolutely no need to call one of them the “starter” at any point during the season, other than for that particular night’s game. And if that decision is always made after proper consideration, this tandem should produce at close to average levels at the plate, coupled with a potentially significant boost from basestealing and baserunning. As I said earlier, all of them should be excellent defenders, so a WAR over 3 is far from out of the question, and a WAR under 1 seems incredibly unlikely
The ironic thing here is that most Yankee fans are really upset about this because they wanted Damon back. But what they really want is another good player for LF.
What this move allows them to do is see what they have in Gardner/Winn/Hoffman and then have the flexibility to go out and get a solid LF via trade/ salary dump mid-season.
So in the end, not getting Damon will allow Cashman to get a new and exciting player for us to love for half a season if we’re getting AAA production out of LF in July.
Most of you are just mad bc we have NOTHING to look foreward to or wonder about until Posada pisses on his hands for the first time at the end of Feb.
wow you must be psycic i’m so glad your here to tell us whats going to happen in the future.
so whos going to win the world series?
Didn’t you just above tell us what’s going to happen in the future, when you said that Winn hit the age wall?
No need for that.
so whos going to win the world series?
The Yankees. Randy Winn will make a great catch at the wall as Swisher’s LIDR in the clinching Game 5. There will be much rejoicing, and plenty of Burnett’s cream filling to go around.
You’re welcome.
I’m pretty sure his clubhouse chemistry will win the World Series for us.
They aren’t going to sweep? 2010 Yankees fail.
I assume we’re going to forfeit one game as a protest against the BBWAA’s continual omissions of Tim Raines from the top of the HoF balloting.
Actually, I said it will allow Cashman to get someone mid-season. Not that he will. I also said they he will see what he has in Gardner & Co. for LF. It doesn’t take a PSYCHIC to forecast that.
And if you must know, the Yankees are going to beat the Cardinals in the WS.
people! Bret Gardner can play defense, its the one thing hes good at!! (aside from speed) we don’t need another defense player who can’t hit a lick!
The Yankees are hoping Winn can go back to his .900 OPS against lefties. That’s where his value lies. That and his defense.
It’s true! This team needs another hitter!
Oh, wait–that’s not right, either.
dammit mattG
Conversely, one could argue that we don’t need another offense player who can’t field a lick, considering we already have DJ, NJ, MT, AR, JP, RC, CG, and the man with the big stick. Throw in that if we really need offense (unlikely) mideason, we can either make a trade or call up the Son, and this was a pretty good move, all things considered.
“another defense player who can’t hit a lick”?
Care to name the other defense players on the team who cant hit a lick?
http://www.urbandictionary.com.....lification
This is clearly a preemptive attack on the May 16 lineup when Swish takes a day off and the yanks outfield has Gardner and Winn both in it. Burnettscreamfilling doesn’t like the idea of having another guy who doesn’t hit well in the lineup, since gardner is already going to be in the lineup that day.
I thought the yanks would be fine with Gardener, but I like this move
Cheap/Affordable
Veteran experience (not that we dont have enough)
Speed/defense
Maybe he can teach Gardy a few things (similar type of player)
Powerless, but its not like they lack in that department. Hes the #9 hitter, not 3-5
Cashmoney knows his shit
Looking quickly at Fangraphs:
He seemed to be swinging at more pitches, both inside and outside the zone last year. He also seemed to be lifting the ball more–LD% was up, FB % was up, GB% was way down–but given his low power numbers, those fly balls did not turn into XBHs, but outs.
However, given the decline in his BABIP, it is not out of the question that he could rebound next season. It could be a mechanical issue with his swing; the drop in ISO points to the fact that he was lifting and not driving the ball. Perhaps he’s developed an upper-cut in his swing or his timing is off.
Given that no one is asking him to be anything spectacular, it’s mostly a lateral move. In other words, if it works out, great. If it doesn’t, not a big loss.
Great post.
It could be a mechanical issue with his swing; the drop in ISO points to the fact that he was lifting and not driving the ball. Perhaps he’s developed an upper-cut in his swing or his timing is off.
Randy Winn, meet Kevin Long. Kevin Long, Randy Winn.
I wish you posted more often, ROBTEN.
+(ROB)TEN
Well having hit the age wall a while back, and had shoulder/wrist issues, I can tell you that something nagging can mess up your swing and take your power way. You can compensate — cheat on your swing, but end up as Robten notes from Fangraphs committing too early and flailing at pitches.
Winn didn’t hit a homer after April (both were batting LH btw). Most of his decline was from the left side, indicating some ailment — left shoulder? right wrist? — was plaguing him.
LD% FB% up GB% down with no power sounds to me like he was just slapping at the ball instead of driving through (and rolling the wrists).
He just was not whipping through the zone as in past years, especially from the left side and especially post all star break, not pulling the ball. Let’s hope he healed in the off season, and that the Yanks can help keep whatever is barking at bay (reaching for the advil myself…).
Getting out of AT+T park will be good for him.
As long as Garnder isn’t the only guy in left this year I’m fine.
I like the move. In fact, I’d say its a Win/Winn for the Yanks.
::throws rotten tomato::
slow motion: screams “NOOOOO!!!”, jumps in front of rotten tomato, deflects it with chest
gets up, dusts self off, turns to Frank
::golf clap::
ietc
thoroughly confused at this thread… hes a small upgrade to melky on both offense and defense
melky was our starting CF last year and there wasnt a lot of whining about it… now a guy who is better on both offense AND defense comes in to be a PLATOON/BENCH guy and its met with backlash
only yankee fans….
Melky Cabrera is an interesting fellow. I never got why the fans give him so much slack. Perhaps it is because he came up at 21 with zero name recognition and zero expectations. If Melky Cabrera was able to make contact once in a while and not knock routine fly balls into the stands as a CF, he was a plus. Meanwhile he was a below average player getting a huge number of ABs and consistently going into massive slumps.
Randy Winn/Melky Cabrera/Brett Gardner are roughly equal at this point when all is taken into account.
i couldnt agree more
Keep in mind that Melky was the 4th OF at the start of the yr.
Gardner the man people want in the OF was replaced after 2 weeks.
For the last time, SBGL, NO. This is simply NOT TRUE. There was never a “starter”, and nobody was “replaced”. Girardi went with Gardner more often out of the gate because he was coming off a hotter spring, and Girardi felt like he was going to get more production out of him. He slowed down quickly, and melky heated up quickly, to where it got to the point where, for a while, Melky was, for all intents and purposes, the “everyday” CFer. That is only if you’re thinking of it in terms of playing time from late April through early June, at which point Gardner was starting to heat up again, and he and Melky were pretty much getting even playing time. Then in early July gardner started to slow down a bit, and then he hurt his thumb. By the time he got back, he was brought pretty much straight back to the MLB club because he has a lot of value as a pinch runner and LIDR, and the need for his bat to be all there was minimal.
What I’m getting at here, is that the Melky/Gardner “debate” was never a matter of permanence last year, just as the Winn/Gardner/Hoffmann/Golson “debate” will not be a matter of permanence this year. Nobody is going to “win the job” outright. The playing time will be distributed based on context, not pretext. All year. Given this situation, it makes that much more sense to add more players to the group, because it increases your chance, if you’re playing them properly, of getting some decent production out of that spot most of the time.
And yes, I realize that Girardi did tell the media last year that Girardi was “the starter” in the beginning, and that Melky had taken over that role later on. He also told them that Brian Bruney was the “8th inning guy”. In other words, when reporters ask questions to which the correct answers are A) far more complex than either the reporters or their respective audiences have any interest in fully considering, and B) not at all what the reporters/audiences want to hear, Joe boversimplifies. In practice, he does not do this. His managerial style encompasses a great deal of complexity. He doesn’t set a lineup, rotation, and bullpen, say “go”, and then sit back and watch. But he has shown on multiple occasions that he has no problem feeding nagging reporters bullcrap answers that, while generally not categorically false, are often sweeping boversimplifications that fit the MSM meme better than his much more thoughtful practices do.
CHUUUUUUUCH!!!
Here’s to hoping 2009 was just an aberration. If this is the pre-2009 Winn I’m thrilled. If not, well, we can replace him by the deadline. With this signing, I still hope they bring in Baldelli on a ST invite.
I think being in between Jeter and whoever bats 8th will help him turn around. The Giants offense is full of a bunch of goons who have no power nor the ability to get on base, so that must have been a factor last year. If he can replicate 07/08 numbers in this lineup, it will be a successful signing.
The Giants offense is full of a bunch of goons who have no power nor the ability to get on base, so that must have been a factor last year.
(doorbell rings)
Homer: Who is it?
Voice on other side of door: Goons.
Homer: Who?
Voice on other side of door: Hired goons.
Homer: Huh?
(opens door, is immediately roughed up by two hired goons)
I wouldnt mind having Badeli. He’ll make a good platoon with Gardner.
Keep praying.
sigh. well, it is time to remove the fernando tatis moniker then. and methinks time for a new handle as well.
randy winn is msot certainly the last person i expected to ever wear pinstripes. but again, who the hell cares. its the 4th/5th of. whatever.
what gets me is that the yanks wanted someone who could hit lefties, which winn didnt do last yr. but again, i refuse to be upset/mostly care at all about a signing like this based on the rest of the team.
jsbrendog is no more.
Excellent handle.
Well that is gonna be confusing. Glad I was here today so I knew what was up.
sorry, maybe i should do this for a couple days
Wait, you’re eliminating not only your name suffix, but changing your whole name as well?
That seems drastic. You’re crazy, man, you’re crazy.
Yeah, you need to keep some essential elements.
ok, i have settled.
That works. I like it, JSBTP.
eh ive been wanting a change for awhile. i just did it now so its only one erase cause, you know, im lazy
nobodys gonna play taps ??
randy winn is msot certainly the last person i expected to ever wear pinstripes. but again, who the hell cares. its the 4th/5th of. whatever.
this is honestly what i thought most ppl’s reaction would be… again as i stated above, our 2010 PLATOON/BENCH player is both an offensive and defensive upgrade to our 2009 starting CFer
yet somehow, the majority seem disappointed/angry
I’m upset that our utility infielder is Ramiro Peña. We could have and should have signed Marco Scutaro. That would have made our ridiculous team that can win 104 games a riDONKulous team that can win 106 games.
Cashman is TEH SUX0R.
For all Winns faults hes still better than Tatis. By far
Meh..not great but certainly not awful.
Sounds good. Randy winn is a reasonable #9 hitter on a good offensive AL team in his own right. Throw in the fact that he won’t be playing if/when Gardner/Hoffmann/Golson/whoever is hot, and there’s a pretty decent chance that things conspire, and we manage to avoid being hurt by his slumps, while simultaneously taking advantage of his hotstreaks. I think it’s very similar to the gardbrera situation from last year. Girardi + Long should be able to milk some solid production out of these guys to complement what looks to be a superb defensive outfield for the yanks in 2010. I’m not like “WHOOPIEE”, but I certainly think it is a perfectly good move.
Sooooo basically we’re replacing Melky with Winn, who had a slightly worse year offensively than Melky last year, but is better defensively, and Melky wasn’t exactly Barry Bonds.
Vazquez + Winn > Melky
Bringing logic to the argument. Hmmm, interesting. I like.
Stopping hitting on her!
Get in line.
No cutting.
Mommy needs to approve first..at least you are all Yankee fans!
She’s logical and also hot.
Double whammy.
oh staten island, the fond memories.
Big Nick: Yo, no homo, but I like that shirt.
Lenny: Thanks, I like your scarf, what is it, Abercrombie?
Big Nick: NAH, IT’S JETS!!!!
Vazquez + Winn > Melky
honestly, winn by himself > melky
+1
Forgot to mention that.
Good point and not to mention that he has OPS’d 120+ TWICE. Much more upside than melky. Nice glove as well. Gotta love this move
In our lineup, he probably has a good chance at bouncing back. he’s going to see getter pitches to hit in all likelihood. If he relaxes and doesn’t try to do too much, he has a shot at bouncing back this season.
It’s not the end of the world. He’s cheap and only on a one year deal. We’re still able to go out and get a LF at the deadline or next season when the FA pool looks a little better.
I’m not upset about this at all. They had a plan and they stuck with it. I have no problem watching it play out.
Exactly. If he fails, he’s easily replaceable.
Fangraphs says he had a 40.6 UZR/150 in left field in 2009. Can this be?
In 204.1 innings. That is way too small of a sample.
Okay thanks I didn’t look into it, I just saw 40.6 and was flabbergasted.
Yup. In 4 innings of rec. baseball in 7th grade, I was alleged to have put up a UZR of 86 at 2B.
True story.
wow. if thats true then…wow…
I hate this move. Yuck
somebody call the whhaaaammbulance!
Heh. Want a whaaaammmmburger with those french cries?
Ha!
I nothing this move
on second thought, no. I actually mildly like this move.
Randy Winn grows on you. Like a rash.
/JonLovitz’d
+ whatever winn’s number is
Let’s give him #21.
/lovestostarttrouble’d
so randy winn, no stick, good defense, can’t hit lefties, comes in to platoon with gardner, who has no stick, good defense, can’t hit lefties.
Melky Cabrera v. LHP as RH – .255/.325/.355 (.680)
Jerry Hairston Jr. v. LHP as RH – .264/.323/.386 (.708)
Randy Winn v. LHP as RH – .280/.332/.426 (.758)
It’s not as bad as you think…
Is that last year or career?
Career. Which is somewhat unfair to Melky…but Hairston and Winn have had a similar tenure (in length)
It’s not as bad as you think…
its much better than most think… cervelli is our backup catcher and nobody is up in arms about that, but we pick up a league average hitter w/ good defense as our 4th OFer and cashman is a moron
::sigh::
I would have rather Cashman spent two million dollars to pay someone to kick me in the balls.
i cant decide if this comment is dumb, strange, annoying, or funny
in a way its all 4, im just not sure
hell, ill do it, ill even split the 2 mill with you.
I think I remember reading: “we could put a twig in LF and still win” …Winn? …I guess we are going to test that theory.
Kind of sucks as I was still holding hope for Damon… but if Boras won’t come to his senses then we have to move on I guess. It’s going to be a bitter moment when we see Johnny sign for the 4-5 mil he probably could have gotten from us had he made any effort to negotiate. If he gets 7,8,9 mil then I say good for he and Boras they were right – but I highly doubt that is going to happen.
Who’s more likely to dip lower then their own respective 09 numbers? Randy Winn or Johnny Damon?
Note: This isn’t a “who plays better in 2010″? question. It’s who drops more in production compared to their production in 2009?
if damon moves out of yankee stadium, then it’s him, hands down, 100%. JD probably won’t do much better than .275/.365/.435 with 14 HRs outside of yankee stadium.
I’m calling it right now. The 2010 yankee LF camp will out-WAR damon by 1.5 wins.
Randy Winn on the road last year, outside of his run supressing home park:
.295/.345/.404. Combine that with great OF defense, sounds like a fine #9 hitter to me.
I agree.
+28
but teh damon!!11!1!
//old meme’d
Winn is not taking Damon’s spot, C Grand did that already.
Winn is taking Melky’s spot on the roster and will be a 4th outfielder. I really do not see what not to like about that.
I will miss Damon but I won’t miss him, reminding me, how my sister throws everytime I see him out in left field.
I won’t miss that him at all! I couldn’t care less about him not being here!
i will miss 2009 damon. I will not miss 2010 damon. I guarantee it.
reason why i hate this move is because if we are going to spend money even if it is 2 mil then spend it on an upgrade of Brett not on somebody who is at the same level. he brings nothing to the table that Brett doesn’t. if you can’t find an upgrade then save the money for mid-season trades like everybody is talkin bout.
Who is available that is an upgrade over Gardner that will only cost 2 million dollars?
Pat, questions that get to the point are not welcome in these parts. Not welcome at all.
which is why i said..if you can’t get an upgrade then don’t do it..
He’s an upgrade on Colin Curtis. Just think of it that way and you’ll feel better.
::hangs head in shame, tried to commit frisbee seppuku::
Brett Gardner has never come close to playing a full season in the majors. Brett Gardner will never approach Randy Winn’s career as a baseball player. He may or may not be an upgrade, but you cannot say he brings nothing to the table that Brett doesn’t. He’s a career .286/.344/.418 hitter. Brett will not bring that to the table, especially if given 500+ AB’s.
His career matters not, the guy is about to be 36 and on the decline..i’m not asking Brett to play all season either he sucks too. but Winn is not the anwser at all.
if Career mattered we would just get Jermaine Dye..he had a good career….
or johnny damon…two way street brother
So you’re going with the small sample size? Winn hit 295/.345/.404 on the road last year. That is a guaranteed upgrade over Gardner.
or at the very least, there is considerably less risk when you’re asking some combination of Brett Gardner and Randy Winn, with a touch of Jamie Hoffmann and possibly Greg Golson, to be your #9 hitter, than there is in asking just Gardner, Hoffmann, and Golson, none of whom have any real MLB experience. This way, at the very least, you’re not depending on Gardner’s SSS from last year, in the field or at the plate. If he reproduces those numbers, then you’ve got winn as your 4th OF, because that would make Gardner worthy of a full time role. But until you know that he is, why not try to stabilize the position a little?
hang on hang on hang on…..
Ok, talked myself into it.
And if Girardi struggles we can trade him for Lou Pinella.
“The Yankees were drawn to Winn because he comes cheap and — with Carl Crawford nearing free agency — he comes for just one year.”
Is it too early to start the “Vote No on Crawford” campaign? This is a guy with a career OPS+ of 103, and despite that, someone will be paying him $15M when he’s 35 years old. Let that someone be the Angels.
all not in favor say “I”
I.
Totally agree on crawford. I’d love to have had him in his age 25-30 seasons. I have no interest whatsoever in his taking up a big chunk of the payroll after that.
I’m with you. I expect Crawford to be significantly overpaid relative to his actual production.
Do people completely miss the fact that Crawford stole SIXTY (60) bases last year? Between Crawford and Granderson in the OF, thats a hell of a defense, and a TON of speed on the basepaths. Potentially 80 stolen bases between the two of them.
15 homers >>>>>>> 60 stolen bases
I would give Crawford the Yankee special 4 years 52 mil… more then that is crazy talk though.
crawford defines overrated. Guys 30+ who rely on speed do not age well.
100% right. I feel dirty typing that.
You are dirty.
But it’s not right. Lanny/Bo says it constantly, but it’s just not true.
it’s a boversimplification for sure, but it’s not entirely untrue either. A proper way of saying it would be “players who rely on speed and defense are generally tremendous athletes who are able to accelerate to the big leagues quickly enough to hit free agency in their primes. Typically, although the market seems to be adjusting somewhat, tremendously athletic free agents with gaudy SB totals and good enough speed to amass a career’s worth of good AVGs, will earn very lucrative deals in free agency. Somebody like carl crawford, for example, who generally hits near or over .300, and usually hits over 10 HRs a year, and steals 50-60 bases a year, is a prime example of this type of player, whose tools exceed his production levels offensively, because he typically has a pretty low SLG and OBP for a corner outfielder. However, right now, in his prime, he is one of the very best defenders in the league, and his total offensive contribution is, while not quite on the level that it may appear to be, certainly well above average, even at the LF position. What’s liable to happen, however, is that his defense regresses from great to merely above average/good, and his offense regresses from above average/good to average/above average. This, considering the potential contract, is what most who do not advocate a crawford signing are worried about. If CC is making $18 million a year as a 35 year old 3 WAR player, I’d prefer it to be with somebody other than the yankees.
Cashman has faith in Gardner’s ability to improve with steady play as he has shown at all levels of professional ball. I believe the key is to move Gardner to CF and Granderson to left. The team has improved defensively and still warrants the top run producing team in the majors. If and I say this with fingers crossed, “we stay healthy.”
Does give the view that the Yankess are looking towards 2011 and the Off season signings of 2010 Free Agents.
Yankees have won a championship so they can coast in 2010.
Save the bankroll this year for the greatly better offerings in the future.
so don’t spend 2 mil on over the hill players
Do you have any evidence that last year was not an aberration?
then they shouldnt spend 5-8 mill on johnny damon who is OLDER than winn
yeah, so spending 2mil on a player who’s going to be worse than gardner makes perfect sense then
you know he si going to be worse than gardner? randy winn, who was like a 4+ war player in 08 and brett gardner who has never had even cloe to 500 abs in one season
?
whatre you smoking?
How do you know he’ll be worse than Gardner? There is almost no evidence to support that. None.
That as well.
Spending 2M on the 36 year old Winn gambling that he bounces back, or spending 7M on the 36 year old Damon gambling that he doesn’t decline (which, BTW, he looked like he was doing at the tail end of last year)… not that hard of a choice.
Especially for a position of want and not need.
“Yankee fans were, unsurprisingly, up in the arms about the deal.”
WHY ?????????
Good defense, speed, SWITCH HITTER, and plays all 3-outfield position.
And the Yankees stay within their silly ass budget.
Sounds like win win to me.
It’s not surprising because he’s not a ‘name’ player. It’s not justified, but it’s still not surprising.
Really though, I think most of the people are either on board, or can be swayed when presented with facts (see Matt above). There’s only a few people who are adamant that this is a terrible move.
ive been as baffled as you are throughout this thread… this backlash is a definite head-scratcher
it’s the influx of the lohud types
\stereotype’d
/truth’d
Lohuddites.
It’s spoiled Yankees fans. How the hell am I going to bitch when they resigned Andy, upgraded CF, and pick up Javier Vazquez (making their rotation and bullpen strong)?
I’m not sure, but I think the Yankees will be OK without Damon.
And these numbers .262/.318/.353 were in the Giants line-up lets just say the Yankees line-up is a little better.
If I’m Gardner I’m happy they didn’t sign Damon, but I’m not jumping for joy that they sign Winn who might give him a run for the money.
Either way I have no problems with this they can still pick up Rocco Baldelli on a minor league deal or if none of this works out trade for someone.
As always Johnny goes where the money goes can’t blame him best of luck.
This may surprise a few people:
Randy Winn, career: .344/.418/.762 99 OPS+ 3.0 UZR/150
Carl Crawford, career: .335/.437/.772 103 OPS+ 14.4 UZR/150
Blasphemy!!
Eh, it’s a fun comparison, but it undersells Crawford’s value. wRC+ would take into account his defense and speed, which are really where his true value lies.
OK, well that’s 111 vs 104, so, I don’t really know what that means. That looks close, but I expect its not.
Then again, 4% better than average, for a 3/4 outfielder and $2M? That’s good value, no?
Oh sure, no argument that Winn isn’t a good value—he is. It’s just that if I were to compare the players, I’d use a different set of metrics, since the ones used are missing a big component of Crawford’s game.
It would be like using BA, HR and RBI to evaluate Ricky Henderson. Sure, it tells you a bit about the player, but not enough.
That’s all.
i dont care about your stupid spreadsheets MattG. randy winn is not johnny damon, therefore, he sucks and is no way deserving of being a 4th OF on our beloved yankees team.
This just in: Randy Winn will wear #18.
I love it.
/heartlessbastard’d
id cry out of laughter
ok, because i reeeeeeeeeeally want to kno whis reaction:
mryankee
mryankee
mryankee
::waits::
IETC.
We can trade ManBan, Kevin Russo to The Free Agents for Damon and CMW. Look at their management, the Free Agents have way too many guys on their 40 man roster. They’ll have to get rid of some of them. Besides, only the Yankees could take the financial hit of adding $10 million.
The Free Agents might not be as good as the Mets next year. They’ll definitely make that trade. We could even make the throw in a player to be named later, like Matt Cain.
/hypotheticalmryankeetotheextreme’d
He’ll recognize that Winn is the final piece we needed to complete the Gardner/Winn for Pujols trade.
You know a guy is gritty and gutty when the first two videos on MLB.com for him are a sac fly and an RBI grounder.
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player....._id=133160
Apparently the Rays are now in on Damon. That would suck, although where Damon plays on that team I dont know, DH I guess.
Doesn’t seem to make sense, especially with Jennings on the way. Seeing as how they are likely to lose Crawford next year, you would think they would want him to get his feet wet.
Unless they think they can move Pat the Bat or are willing to bite the bullet on him.
I’m okay with this now. Why shouldn’t I be? Cheap, low-risk option who could be easily jettisoned if he fials.
GARBAGE! Cashman is terrible….
Are we really talking about salary and budget? Seriously? I’m not saying Yanks should’ve signed Matt Holliday but Randy Winn, seriously?
So in terms of salary and production:
Gaudin, Winn>>>>>>>>Damon??????? Seriously?
Cashman signs CC and Tex, obviously. That does not make him a good GM. Swisher and Granderson were the only trades he has ever made that I liked. He can’t negotiate his way out of a paper bag. He nearly screwed up ARod. There was the Pavano, Wright, Lofton, Womack, Farnsworth signings all brilliant! The Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Javy Vazquez I deal.
it’sbeen awhile but everythhing in this post just warrants a big fat
OAKTAG
See, now THAT should have been part of the new name.
“Templeton Brendog the Oaktagger” or something.
this
BROKETAG.
que?
/Boversimplified
/Moversimplified
WOAH. slow down there bud you’re about to say some things you might regret.
what the hell does gaudin have to do with anything?
He’s saying we should have traded Gaudin (and by extension, pitching depth) to free up some money we could have spent on Damon.
Here’s the funny thing: Overall net value of Winn, Gaudin>>>Damon
Here’s the funny thing: Overall net value of Winn, Gaudin>>>Damon
Repeated for emphasis.
I’d rather have a solid 6th starter/decent bullpen option AND Randy Winn’s league average bat in the 9 hole than Damon and one fewer 6th starter/decent bullpen option.
This is a Lohuddite meme: that the money spent on pitching depth (ie Gaudin and Mitre) could be combined with the 2 million or so spent on Winn to bring Damon back.
This post is garbage.
wow, im speechless.
I’m ashamed that you used Mo’s name to post this.
Good to see the team stick to that $200 million budget. It’s much better to spend $2 million on Melky Cabrera + 11 years than to go over budget by $4mil and get Damon back.
Look at the comparison:
- Without Damon: $200 million payroll
- With Damon: (approximately) $204 million payroll
$204 million?! That’s insane. That would have meant raising the team payroll almost 2%! In this economy?! Praise to Hal and Co. for being fiscally responsible.
Besides Winn appears to be a better defender using a small sample size of a questionable defensive metric. And I think we can all agree that when you think of great left fielders, you ALWAYS think of great defense over great offensive production. Offense is not that important in a critical defensive position, such as a corner outfield spot.
Do I detect sarcasm?
Scary, but I don’t think so.
My bad.
Of course, but I still don’t quite get the move. I can understand that Hal may be strict with the budget compared to his dad, but I don’t really get this signing otherwise. It seems like there will be guys like this around in ST. What’s he worth over a full season, assuming he platoons w/Gardner? 1/2 of a win? If that?
It’s also a tad absurd to listen to the constant budget nonsense when they lay out so much money already. It’s almost as bad as listening to John Henry whine about the Red Sox being the 16th largest market, and stating how hard it is for them to compete with the Yankees. He conveniently leaves out all the millions they’ve made since 2004 on pink hat sales.
Keep in mind that Winn is NOT the replacement for Damon. Winn replaces Melky as part of the Gardner platoon. He is a more than capable replacement for that situation, and might even be better. Granderson replaces Damon’s lefty bat in the line-up.
I agree. I think Winn is a fine bench player/platoon for them. I think he should be reasonably decent considering what he has been signed to do for them.
It’s the crowing over the budget that I find a tad grating/condescending. It’s like a guy driving a Lambo explaining to you (a guy driving a Sentra) why he felt he thought getting the $700 brushed titanium shift plate was going overboard so he told the dealer to shove it.
yay! i can’t wait to see winn hit 1 HR at YSIII this year. Damon’s deck is now officially “fiscal responsibility” deck
even tho this is complete hogwash i can’t help but say i chuckled
If we follow this line of thinking to its logical endpoint, they would never, ever have a budget. If you draw a line, you have to stick to it. Otherwise, it becomes meaningless.
I was about to write this. Why have a budget if you are going to except that budget for a 36 year old outfielder? Exceptions should be made for Mark Teixiera, not Johnny Damon.
This is true, but it’s not as if they’re going to sign or trade for a big name. The only player left you could even spend more than $5mil+ on would be Damon. And they would have no real need after that, unless there was an injury.
On top of that, they may be in the market for one of the huge names next year, so what happens to the budget at that point. There won’t be any real money coming off the books (assuming Jeter and Rivera re-sign). The only decent contract ending would be Pettitte, who will most likely come back as well if he decides to continue playing.
I guess my main point is that with all of the expensive long term deals in place, no real prospects close to the majors, and a prime crop of free agents coming next offseason; I don’t think that $200 million budget will hold.
Who said that it will hold? They haven’t made any statements to that effect. In fact, I remember a quote from Cashman drooling over next year’s FA. They set the budget based on a number they think gives them a chance to win and still be fiscally responsible. If next offseason, they feel that it would be smarter for the club to have a 230M payroll and add Cliff Lee, and that they could sustain that payroll due to added revenues, it doesnt represent inconsistency. It shows an understanding of the marketplace and their place within it.
Moshe, I have to say that you’re kicking ass today.
Thanks. It’s because I took my Flintstones ass-kicking vitamins this morning.
Fair enough, but what is the difference between $200 and ~$204 million? I would argue one is not really more fiscally responsible than the other if the extra $4mil brings a good amount of value to the team.
This is assuming they could get Damon for ~$6mil on a one year deal. If he signs for more $ or years with another team, then I understand the move.
The first projected standings that I saw released had the Yankees at 102 wins, and Boston at 94. I wanted them to bring Damon back, but that was as a fan. Rationally, the marginal value added by him was unlikely to be 4M. In fact, being that they likely will make the postseason without him, his marginal value is likely to be much closer to 0 than 4M.
The 102-win projection seems almost insane to me. I’ve never seen a reasonable projection for any team higher than 95+ wins. 100+ wins is incredibly difficult, no matter what the team looks like on paper.
I’m not sure what Damon’s value would be in wins if you project them as a 95+ win team, which I think would be reasonable. My guess is 1 win (2 if he can equal or exceed his production from last season). 1-2 wins on a team that strong is worth quite a bit, I would guess.
Please note that I have done no actual work to determine his value, so my numbers may be totally wrong.
Not to pick on you Chris, because most of the pro-Damon crowd makes the same assumption, but your argument assumes that Damon has a similar 2010 to his 2009, and obviously there is no guarantee of that.
IMO, FWIW, it is just as likely, and probably more so, that his 2010 more closely resembles his 2007 season than his 2009 season.
Smartest guy on RAB hands down.
I’d rather have Damon back, but have no idea why Reed Jounson would have been better. The Yankees have recreated the Melky/Gardner outfield posistion with Winn/Gardner. Winn also had a .292 BA and .345 OBP away from SF.
Winn/Gardner replaces Melky/Gardner.
Granderson replaces Damon.
Johnson replaces Matsui.
They’ll hit a few less HRs, but run scoring will not be impacted by much, if at all. Defense had improved. Pitching staff is better.
Let the games begin.
Oh, the Giambi fiasco.
You really do a disservice to your handle with your posts.
it’s short for Mo Vaughn, so he is actually just right on par
lmao… ietc
Hey Mo “The Hitdog” Vaughn is from the ‘great’ state of CT, so you better back off.
You don’t want to see the Nutmeg staters come after you.
Nutmegerzzzz…REPRESENT!!!(Nope…can’t make it sound tough,no matter how hard ya try…)
You sound like a gay.
/ChampKind’d
I’d rather see Damon return, but not at the expense of Cashman’s reputation vis a vis future contract negotiations. This was a good, low-cost move by Cash.
Well they found a guy who makes Melky look like an all star.
This just means they’ll be on the market looking for a bat come June.
They may regret not meeting Nady at 3.5 and they will regret not signing Damon.
http://tinyurl.com/meanmuggin
Where did you find that? It’s creepily perfect.
http://www.urbandictionary.com.....lification
You’re welcome.
How did I not know?
Come for the math, stay for the cruelty.
Right on time.
Actually Winn had a better WAR than Melky last year.
bo don’t know stats
Bo don’t know.
lmao
why did it take that long for this comment to come around or have I just missed it?
and they will regret not signing Damon.
Not if he has a year like he had in 2007.
Here’s the problem in a nutshell for me. The Yanks completely changed the offensive chemistry of their first WS winner in the last 10 years by getting rid of Matsui, Damon and Melky. One of the 3 ok but all 3 is a mistake. Jeter for years has been saying that the post-2000 Yanks did not understand how to get to the finish line. The Yanks finally assembled a WS winner and they are disassembled before the start of the next season. This is not about the stats of the replacements brought in for these guys; it is about the intangibles that come along with playing on a team that won in fantastic ways. Duplicating the excitement of 2009 would be hard to achieve under any circumstances but duplicating the results with players who haven’t demonstrated that they know how to get to the finish line will be harder.
If you just fall back on what won the year before, you often end up bringing back players who were lucky to perform the way they did and are unlikely to repeat it.
And bringing in worse guys like Winn helps how?
Lanny, you may be my favorite poster.
You’re a fan of ritualistic self-flagellation, aren’t you?
In one.
you’re a fan of sub-par forgettable baseball players, aren’t you?
No. I’m just a fan of perspective and critical thinking without emotional attachment.
This thread amuses me immensely.
I may have to visit lohud later. People will be killing themselves.
Just say no to LoHud right now. I scrolled through the first 60 or so comments and was appalled by all of the anti-Cash rhetoric over there.
You cant look at it as a one for one swap. Bringing in guys like Granderson and Vazquez helps sustain a winner. In that shuffle, they lost some likeable players and needed to bring in Randy Winn to fill a small hole. That’s really not a problem. Tinkering with a championship team is natural. Overall, they got younger and certainly didnt get worse, and probably got better.
/truthbomb’d
“Jeter for years has been saying that the post-2000 Yanks did not understand how to get to the finish line.”
So why doesn’t Jeter simply show them the way? Derek Jeter is no prophet. He’s a damn baseball player, and comments like this should be ridiculed, or at least ignored (Jeter’s comments–not the poster’s)
no, they should just be ignored
an all time great SS does not make you an all time great GM
For the most part the post 2000 Yanks had really shitty starting pitching.
Why tender a contract to Gaudin/Mitre for 4 million? Waste.
there’s this thing next to every comment. its called the reply button. use it please.
/moversimplified
Is Mo a new handle for Sal/Bo/Grant/Lanny?
Because his logic is certainly on par with him/them.
I don’t get this move.
Let it sink in… it’ll come to you.
i lol’ed
Here’s hoping Cashman’s waiting for the prospects cost on Josh Willingham to come down at the trading deadline.
Wordekemper and Fortenberry.
He’ll be targeting a LF very soon.
Good wait till July to shop see if the prices are better than they are now. Penny wise pound foolish has been Cashman’s way since choosing Sheffield over Vlad.
Except it is documented that Sheffield was George Steinbrenners decision not Cashmans. Same with Randy Johnson over Carlos Beltran.
Penny wise pound foolish has been Cashman’s way since choosing Sheffield over Vlad.
Never let the truth get in the way of your stupid-ass sayings.
What’s that? I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear the conversation you guys were having. I was busy polishing this 2009 World Series Championship trophy. Could you repeat that?
Sincerely,
Brian Cashman
Here’s hoping for Matt Kemp.
Not thrilled. I understand the arguments in favor. With all the changes, the club should still be championship caliber. Still, I’d prefer Damon on a one year, 5-7 million deal over Winn + Gaudin and Mitre. Not that SP depth isn’t valuable. It’s not as if we don’t have Hughes, Ace, Hirsh, Nova, etc.
What the hell, MLBTR says Damon would have played for 7M for one year. You telling me the YANKEES let 5M get in the way of a much more productive hitter who we just won the world series with last year? anyway, not a horrible deal for depth.
Tough to break up the best 1-2-3-4 in baseball and was a very big reason we won a title. Johnson has some big shoes to fill in the lineup.
nick johnson has a higher ops+ than johnny damon in 10. you heard it here first.
Seconded.
seeing as how nick johnsons career OPS+ is 20 points higher than damons, theres really nothing out on a limb about this prediction…. in fact, its an extremely vanilla prediction
i predict mark teixeira has more homers in 2010 than derek jeter
try telling thast to lanny/bo.
and the new Bo, Mo, down below.
seriously, is Mo another one of Bo’s alteregos?
I predict, wait for it, that Arod has more RBI’s than Gardner. You heard it here first.
I kinda thought that would be obvious. Oh right, Bo, err Lanny, doesn’t pick up on obvious things, or much at all.
try this one on for size (i said it earlier but it’s more appropriate here, sorry RAB. I’ll change the wording): The yankees LF will outproduce Johnny Damon in 2010, overall.
Is Granderson in your LF?
The 1, 3 and 4 of your vaunted 1-2-3-4 are still there, Lanny. I wouldn’t exactly call it “broken-up.”
You don’t catch ligthening in a bottle twice
lightening, maybe not, but lightning…
/Annoying spelling nazi’d
No more waiting around For Damon.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS free at last, free at last.
This might be the best part of the deal.
Damon will be on Tampa raking against the Yanks. Nice work.
Now the real question, where does Damon end up now? Looking around, I see the Giants, Reds, Mariners, Tigers as possibilities, but do to a myriad of reasons, he’s not a good for with any of them.
Darkhorse favorites: The Indians.
Johnny Damon would probably retire before joining the Indians and suffering through 90+ losses.
So you don’t buy into the “mercenary” motif?
I do. But even soldiers of fortune have limits. They don’t volunteer for suicide missions.
Soldiers of fortune mentioned in your comment, and one of the true soldiers of fortune, Templeton Peck posts right below. I like it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.....lution.png
Not exactly volunteer, but I felt like it.
isnt a mercenary someone who is bought to help you win? just cause you bring someone in and pay them lots doesnt mean youre a mercenary. dont you have to be good at what you do and therefore go somewhere where what you do contributes to something good/positive ie winning?
TAMPA
Yea, seems like Rays. But they’ll have to do something with Burrell first.
they’re going to trade him to the Royals for Greinke and Hosmer, like i’ve already said. you guys NEVER listen to me GOD
*due. Wow, long day for me.
I could see Randy Winn being the starting LFer come opening day.
Wouldn’t surprise me one little bit.
Younger and more athletic was the offseason mantra.
Granderson – yes
Nick Johnson – younger than Matsui,but fat, very slow destined to spend time on DL, oh his OBP
Javier Vazquez- good 4th starter, not a young arm
Melky is gone and hes younger and better than Winn or Gardner
Coke, Dunn gone because the older Marte was really lights out in ALCS & WS
Damon and Matsui had to go, too old. Andy Pettite stays for 11-12 million, that’s a contradiction.
Your posts amuse me.
Elaborate please. I don’t post to “amuse” you.
They “confuse” me. Do you post to “confuse” me?
/why are we using quotes?
What am I, a f$%&ing clown? I’m here to amuse you? I make you laugh, I f$#%&ing amuse you?
I don’t think I need to elaborate. You know exactly why your posts amuse me and if you don’t, you’re oblivious.
What part of “Melky is not better than Winn” do you not understand? Nick Johnson and Winn are only one year deals too.
Are you a robot?
just had this conco with someone at work:
him: winn sucks, there goes the getting offense from our of era
me: what? with grandy and swisher who cares?
him: granderson stinks, he has a low batting avg
me: batting avg really doesnt mean much
him: so you dont value getting hits?
: give the numbers and such on granderson and how he is a solid offensive player with plus defense and will more than likely improve on last yrme
me: are you one of those people that thinks swisher sucks too because of low avg?
him: no hes good but i guess i get to see him play all the time. if i saw granderson play more id prob have a different opinion
::facepalm::
NO!
dont facepalm!!!
this is a teaching moment!!! you are so close to getting him to the dark side!!!
The big question is what goes Winn do about the goatee? Does he go clean-shave, our ‘stache????
[...] Confidence Poll « Yanks reach one-year deal with Randy Winn Jan [...]
I thought ‘getting one pitcher and lowering payroll’ was the mantra?
Now to see how it all plays out for every MLB team in the next 162 games.
How many teams will field the players they have on their rosters today come August, September ?
Solid signing for all the reasons the smart commenters already stated. In Cash We Trust.
I don’t know which needlessly worried comment to reply to so:
There is no possible way the Randy Winn contract will be a ‘disaster’ or even bad. At worst it will end up a sunk cost of 1% of the yankees budget for this year and this year only.
Randy Winn could break both legs tomorrow and miss the season and the yankees will be fine.
Randy Winn could OPS .000 in 200 ABs and be released and the Yankees will be fine.
At worst he is a non-event.
8 good to great hitters + 1 weak hitting 9 hitter who can play defense + A Stud Starting staff that is coming off a championship and ADDED 2009 NL #2 Strikeout Pitcher as the 4th Starter + Strong bullpen with g-d at the back end = recipe for phenomenal success.
If the Yankees don’t repeat, it will be because of luck and injuries, not the downgrade from Johnny to Randy Winn.
Don’t get me wrong – I will miss JD’s bat and endearing lisp and awesome Elvis salute to the bleacher creatures. And now we won’t score 1000 runs, only 925-975.
BUT:
In 1996 the yankees won a world series with future HOFer Tim Raines in Left Field.
By 1998, they had downgraded to Chad Curtis. (1998 regular season OPS+ of 90).
In 1999, proven-winner Chad Curtis (OPS+ made it to par) split time with unproven rookie Ricky Ledee (1999 OPS+ of 110 thanks to BABIP anomally), jeopardizing the winning formula.
In 2000, after proven-winner Chad Curtis was shipped out of town for no reason at all other than criticizing Derek Jeter’s commitment to the team and the game,newly proven winner Ledee was traded after OPS+ing 90 for the team (ended year at 78) After that, they never really settled on a left fielder, David Justice mostly, but he spent significant time in RF and CF as well. using various players when Justice was not in left, including Glenallen Hill, Jose Canseco, Luis Polonia, and Clay Bellinger.
It’s going to be ok.
Perspective FTW.
Comment of the award. Right here.
*Comment of the night award.
Is Randy Winn >>>> Gary Matthews Jr?
I thinking so and that’s so sad for Mets fans.
Same $ both 2 million
Love it. I was thinking a similar thought: “What must Mets fans think of Yankees fans complaining about this?”
They are too busy crying in their drinks to bother about the Yankees.
They are too busy
crying in their drinksmixing their Kevorkian cocktails to bother about the Yankees.Fixed.
Mets fans are NEVER too busy to bother about the Yankees. It’s part of what makes them Mets fans.
heh. yeah, he is. that’s funny. and a little sad.
You know, I did notice one thing. The Yankees were looking to get a guy who was a borderline player who played good defense but could hit LH pitching well. Well Winn plays good defense, but against LH pithig he’s awful. Yanks could have a real weakness there.
Though some bright spark on the Pinstriped bible pointed out that Granderson hit lefties still bad, but much better on the road than at home. So that’s good. Still, I’m worried at our lack of OF lefty production.
Career, he’s okay against LH’ers.
The ’07 splits vs. LHP weren’t too bad at all, only I have no idea how many ABs made up the stats. Haven’t had a chance to look.
Peter posted this earlier: 2007 line vs LHP: .351/.399/.525
And, yes, I recognize that it was ’07.
Last year, he was horrifically bad.
Career, he’s eh. I’m worried, especially since he’s getting older.
Think of it this way:
We now have three options for LF. Gardner, Hoffmann, and now Winn. One’s a lefty, one’s a righty, and now one’s a switch hitter.
Win.
Well, that’s true.
Last year he was HISTORICALLY bad, so I’m assuming better things are ahead for him.
[...] the Yankees agreed to a deal with Randy Winn this afternoon, it effectively ended Johnny Damon’s tenure in pinstripes. [...]
He is just a Melky replacement. Looking at their stats, it seems like they will probably put up similar offense numbers this year, and by eye alone, they both seem to be solid OF’s. The hot hand between Gardner and Winn will get the most playing time.
Or the Yanks will pull a fast one on everybody and they still resign Damon when Damon crawls back after he realizes there is no way he can have the motivation to play for a shitty team all summer long.
Winn would be a nice fourth outfielder, but Gardner was supposed to be the fourth outfielder.
No, he wasn’t.
I don’t know why if money was an issue the Yanks didn’t just hang on to Damon and Melky and Matsui and forget about Granderson, Winn, Johnson and Vazquez.They probably would have broke even and they could use Hughes and Joba in the rotation. I think the team made a series of very bad moves and this is just another example. Why not continue to try to work on something with Damon, I don’t think many teams were banging on the door for this guy. Would it it really make much of a difference if they waited? If Winn signed with someone else, who cares. At what point in the season could they not get a player as good.
This wasn’t about money. This was about improving the pitching staff and defense of the outfield while maintaining the same offensive production and adhering to a very acceptable $200M budget.
Give Winn and Cash the benefit of seeing what he contributes to the team before prejudging the move
At the end of the day do you rather have Melky, Matsui, Damon or Vazquez, Granderson, NJ, Winn?
I’de rather the Yankees have Damon, Vazquez, Granderson and NJ than Melky, Matsui, Winn and 3-5 mil. Period, Underline it.
I LIKE DEFENSE AND WINN IS THE BEST FREE AGENT OPTION…NOW SIGN GABE GROSS
http://www.352media.com/rantin.....psLock.jpg
This is so damn ugly that I wish I could slap both Cashman & Boras.
Wake me up when Winn moves on!
Maybe we can get the McCourts to give us Matt Kemp for Kei Igawa. They don’t seem very preoccupied with baseball at the moment.
I was wishing for this signing after Mike Cameron signed with the Sux[sic]. He play amazing D and if he can improve his horrible numbers vs LHP, i would have no problem with him playing 130 games and batting 9th. That is, unless someone else has an amazing ST from the group of Gardner, Hoffman and any other LF options.
All the negativity about Winn proves that many Yankee fans are spoiled. I respect Cashman’s efforts to reign in the payroll. After all the spending the team did last year and considering next year’s attractive free agent class and the prospect of re-signing Jeter and Mo it makes sense. Damon is not a Yankee because of he and Boras’s delusions of grandure. Now he’ll be lucky to get a job much less his multi year 8 figure fantasy. I’m fine with Winn and Gardner platooning in left. Cash can always acquire another outfielder mid season if necessary. Just remember Winn is not there to replace Johnny Damon’s production rather he and Gardner are there to replace Melky Cabrera. Replacing Damon and Matsui is Granderson and Johnson’s responsibility. Meanwhile we will have good defense in left and center at all times and the Swisher show in right. I like Cash’s approach and this Yankee fan is on board.
Yankees fans are not spoiled, we just expect excellence, and we KNOW that with all the money that the Yankees rake in that they can afford it.
I don’t blame just Cashman for this, but the Boras/Damon-two-headed-monster too.
Yankee fans like yourself are spoiled gutless brats. Best team in baseball, world freaking champions, and you still whine like babies. Makes me sick. You are not a real Yankee fan! Go root for the Mets.
Totally unnecessary. Don’t do this again.
[...] Yanks reach one-year deal with Randy Winn | River Avenue Blues(AP Photo/Kathy Willens) Proving once and far all that the team was serious about both having a budget and not overpaying for Johnny Damon, the Yankees today reached a one-year deal with Randy Winn, pending a physical. Read more [...]
[...] word got out that the Yankees had agreed to a deal with Randy Winn yesterday, many fans were up in arms over letting a silly little thing like a [...]
[...] the Yankees signed Randy Winn yesterday, the move kicked off a firestorm of comments. Even though pitchers and catchers are still three [...]
[...] the Yankees first reached an agreement with Randy Winn a few weeks back, reports indicated that he would receive the last $2M left in the [...]