Heyman: Yankees are “weighing a run” at Kendrys Morales

November 14, 2013 by Mike Axisa 51 Comments

Via Jon Heyman: The Yankees are “weighing a run” a free agent first baseman/DH Kendrys Morales. Their scouting reports grade him out as a solid defender and a positive in the clubhouse. The Mariners did make him a qualifying offer, so the Bombers would have to forfeit a high draft pick (18th overall) to sign him.

Morales, 30, hit .277/.336/.449 (116 wRC+) with 23 homers in 657 plate appearances. He’s a true switch-hitter who produced against both lefties (118 wRC+) and righties (115 wRC+). Obviously his bat would help New York’s lineup, but … I don’t get it. The Yankees don’t need another first baseman/DH, especially not one that will require a sizable contract (Morales is a Scott Boras client) and forfeiting a draft pick. They might have inquired but Morales really doesn’t make sense for the current roster. Due diligence, I assume.

jjyank

Nooooooope. Loved the idea of trading for him last year, but I’m not giving up a first round pick for a DH. Maybe the calculus changes if the first rounder goes because of a better player, but as of right now, Morales gets a pass from me.
- I’m One
  
  +1 to all of this.
- HateMclouth (formerly I’mVernon)
  
  Same.
Nick

Don’t see how this would work, especially with the noises seeming to suggest that Jeter will see a lot of time at DH. Could conceivably be trying to move Tex and his big contract but talk about selling low!
MannyGeee

This has bad idea written ALL over it.
Robinson Tilapia

I get it. They’re weighing a run at everyone. Let me know when they’re at the finish line on someone.
- Adam
  
  For once we agree.
- http://twitter.com/#!/Clay_Bellinger Clay Bellinger
  
  You seem a bit moody today Robby.
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    I am, actually, but it’s not related to here. Didn’t think it was showing.
    - Havok9120
      
      Grumpapotamus.
      - Robinson Tilapia
        
        RT the Funky Grumpapotamus.
- Neil
  
  Or even a couple of furlongs into the race. That one at a time contract thing last off season cost them Ibanez and Chavez.
Adam

Baseball writers are SO lazy in this day and age. They basically say that every team is interested in every player.

That being said, sure why not add a 1B/DH type that’s 30 years old plus when we all know we will need the DH spot for Jeter, A Rod, Tex on occasion.

What a joke this team is. I have been a fan for 35 years but something about this team and how its been operated the past year kills me. Cant draft or develop a young player, and no one is held accountable.

I will not spend a dime to see the Yanks play this season. While I love baseball and bleed blue, I would rather go to a Met game where its cheaper, better atmosphere/food and at least they have a young player or two to watch (not root for).
- jjyank
  
  You know what I’m tired of? People ranting in every freaking thread about the same thing, even when it has practically nothing to do with the subject matter of the thread.
  
  And don’t tell me that interest in Morales is what sparked your little rant, considering you preceded it with a knock on writers for connected every player to ever team, implying that the Yankees probably don’t even have real interest.
  
  Go ahead, don’t spend any money on the Yankees. I’m sure that’ll show ’em.
  - Paul
    
    cut the guy some slack. not every person on this board thinks the Yanks do everything right. Prick!
    - Jim Is A (Bored) Peckerhead
      
      No, but people with brains can tell that you should stay on topic in various threads, or there’s no reason to have different threads.
      
      Prick!
    - Robinson Tilapia
      
      Listen Adam/Paul/Steve/John/Hosea/Garrison/Flapjack,
      
      Not everyone thinks the Yanks do everything right, but every fourteenth guy says the same exact thing the guy above said like it’s some original thought.
      
      You’re unhappy, and I’m just going to go ahead and assume you’re the same guy since Adam/Paul/George/Federico/Vicente. I understand why fans are unhappy. Some, honestly, want to have a neutral conversation that equally assumes the possibility of success and doom. Can WE be allowed to have that?
- Yankee68
  
  Amen brother!
- Havok9120
  
  So first you imply that they probably don’t have any real interest and that it is just being reported because the writers connect every player to every team.
  
  Then you proceed to get riled about the team having interest.
  
  Then you go on an almost totally subjective, unrelated rant and demand someone be fired (because what other kind of accountability would be public and acceptable to you?) over the development issues to appease your fandom, leaving virtually no room for any kind of nuance or the fact that we have absolutely no idea what changes were made or what effect they will have.
  
  Then you continue your rant and swear off the Yanks for a season because you don’t like the way things went last offseason and this season, completely ignoring any possibility that this offseason might improve things.
  
  I’ll see you in the next thread.
  - Ricardo
    
    Get a life ya tool
    - Jim Is A (Bored) Peckerhead
      
      LOLWTFBBQMAOZORZ
    - Havok9120
      
      Eh, wot?
dg

Maybe this “interest” is to increase his asking price if the Red Sox (who need a first baseman) go after him?
Adam

Oh and Jon Heyman is a bleeping hack.
HectorLopez

This is Heyman making up nonsense. He needs something to write about so he came up with this. Probably better than coming up with a Ivan Nova and Slade Heathcott to the Dodgers for Clayton Kershaw and Andre Either. He will save that one till next week!!!
Gonzo

I was wondering why the M’s didn’t trade him at the deadline. I didn’t think of him as a QO candidate at the time, but I guess I was wrong.

I don’t get it for the Yanks either.
- Gonzo
  
  Unless they are trying to drive up the price for other teams. In that case, I totally get it.
  - Robinson Tilapia
    
    Possibly. He’d definitely be Napoli insurance for the mountain men of Boston.
    
    I like Kendry(s). I also don’t think this is where I blow my pick-loss wad.
    - Gonzo
      
      “So what’s your beard game like?”
      
      “What’s your stance on lice?”
      
      #StandardRedSoxInterviewQuestions
      - Robinson Tilapia
        
        “Do you do animals……no, I mean, like DO animals….”
        
        Havok9120
        
        “…can they fit in your beard?”
        
        Robinson Tilapia
        
        “You find a drunken, passed-out hot 22 year-old on the street. She’s wearing YOUR uniform number. What do you do?”
        
        “OK….she’s wearing Papi’s uniform #…”
        
        “OK….she’s wearing Jeter’s uniform #….”
Mr. Roth

I’m not a fan of having to give up a first round pick, but we really could use a DH not named Vernon or Ichiro. I understand we need to be able to give our old guys a day off from the field, but at this point in their careers a full day off may serve them better.

I wouldn’t love it if we signed him, but I wouldn’t hate it either.
- vin
  
  “but we really could use a DH not named Vernon or Ichiro”
  
  The DH’s name will be Derek.
  - Mr. Roth
    
    I’m operating on the assumption that they’ll still be marching Jeter out to SS 5-6 days a week.
TWTR

It’s just Heyman being Heyman.
zs190

Always remember that it’s Heyman reporting interest on a Boras client, logic is not required.
Blake

Everybody is intersted in everybody….now Heybrain can take the rest of the day off.

I wouldn’t give the pick to sign Morales but if they have already lost it to sign somebody else then Id consider it for the right price. It all depends on what they are doing overall…..

To me the Yanks either need to blow up the budget all together and really be aggressive and sign enough players to put a title contender on the field…..or they need to take a step back….keep the pick and get under the cap and look towards 2015.

Hal is gonna get under that cap at some point….whether it be now or later and if fielding a true contender is going to be difficult (it is) then it may be best to go ahead and do it and get it over with……at least them all the positioning they have done over the last 2 years wouldn’t be for nothing.

Go all in and sign everybody and forget the budget or stay all out…..halfway is no good
- TWTR
  
  Well said.
Blake

By “all out” I mean basically not signing anybody that would require the draft pick and the up long term money…..is still consider Cano and Tanaka while staying under 189
TWTR

Any offer they make to McCann (as well as the timing) will reveal a lot about their true offseason approach.
- Havok9120
  
  Unfortunately, that’ll probably be too late to be useful to us since most offers to players don’t get discovered/reported until waayyyy later unless that player signs with the team making the offer.
  - TWTR
    
    That’s possible, but alternatively, leaks are not that infrequent because of the leverage they sometimes confer to a party in negotiations.
Randy A.

Kendrys Morales = #hugetits
- Gonzo
  
  Thank you for reminding me of this.
OldYanksFan

Yankees making a ‘full-court press’ to sign Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran. The Bombers want to secure both players before the market gets too pricey, but they may be too late for Beltran. The free-agent outfielder has at least six teams expressing serious interest in him.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankees-making-major-push-beltran-mccann-article-1.1515899

Maybe this is in anticipation of losing Cano?
- TWTR
  
  ESPN NY is reporting a slower approach:
  
  http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/yankees/post/_/id/66864/source-yankees-not-expecting-quick-strike
  
  Hot Stove!
Dr. Grenaldine

This is not what the Doctor ordered. And I am looking through my medical journals and can’t find “weighing a run” in it anywhere!
Batsman

Axisa, doesn’t get it? Why am i not surprised. Morales is NOT a first baseman/DH….it’s the other way around. He’s a DH/Firstbaseman.

Check your SPLITS Axisa!
qwerty

the DH spot is reserverd for Jeter and Arod. What is the point of even “looking” at Kendrys Morales?
Tom

Crazy outlandish scenario where this could make sense?

The Yankees plan to sign at least 2 other QO guys (from Beltran, McCann, Drew, etc), so Morales ‘only’ costs them a 3rd rd pick but get him on a cheap deal. And then plan to flip him at some point during the season, which probably would bring more value back then a 3rd pick and limit the luxury tax impact? He can DH when Jeter is in the field/backup 1st while ARod is suspended.

(Yeah – this is way too many moving parts and the Yankees never really sign guys with the idea of trading them… so it makes no sense, but neither does the report)