MLB - 2010 Spring Training!

[OzzyKP]

I meant in terms of loyalty and longevity with the franchise. Not in terms of stats or ability.

[Stuie]

Rubes checking out his new prize:



Personally, I don't look at any man like that.

[Arrian]

Yanks sign Nick Johnson to DH. 1yr/$5.5MM. I like it. I like it a lot.

There's risk, sure, because Nick is always getting hurt. He's 5 years younger than Matsui, though, and it's not like Matsui (or Thome, or Vlad, or...) isn't an injury risk.
The only DH candidate I can think of who isn't much of an injury risk is Jack Cust, and his trendline is discouraging. Everybody else is a banged-up old guy. Then there's NJ, who isn't really old (31), but has a freakish injury history. I think it's a good bet.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4764085

The Braves sent Javier Vazquez to the Yankees for Melky Cabrera. WTF are the Braves doing? What a horrible deal for them and a great deal for the Yanks.

[OzzyKP]

Is it unusual for a WS champion to make so many moves so soon?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes. But each of the moves have been brilliant. The Yankees added Granderson and Vazquez (stole Vazquez more like) to an already loaded team.

[OzzyKP]

Damn Yankees.

[Imran Siddiqui]

On the bright side, the Yanks lost Damon and Matsui, who had very good years last season.

[Arrian]

Imran, it's not "Javier Vazquez to the Yankees for Melky Cabrera."

It's one year of Javier Vasquez @ $11.5MM, plus Boone Logan (not sure of his contract status) in exchange for an arbitration-eligible Melky (likely ~$2.5MM for this year, unclear next year), Mike Dunn (lefty relief prospect w/no command) and A. Vizcaino, a 19-year old pitching prospect. Vizcaino, who I was only dimly aware of, is a pretty good prospect, though far away from the majors. Significant upside, but then he's in low-A ball.

So the Yankees gave up some talent, and the Braves saved ~$9MM.

I like the deal, because the 2010 rotation is now CC-AJ-JV-AP-JC/PH, which is pretty damn good. I am somewhat concerned with the Joba/Hughes situation, but I'll withhold judgment for now.

As for Vasquez, it's important to remember that he has a clear career-long split between his FIP and his ERA. He is a good pitcher (who the Yankees gave up after a friggin' half season's struggles), but in the New Yankee Stadium/AL East, I'd expect a significant bump in his ERA (I'd guesstimate a ~4.25 ERA). That's quite good when viewed in context, but I suspect many people will scream (or laugh) about it. This time around, he's been acquired to be a mid-rotation guy, instead of the #1 horse. He's set up to succeed this time.

-Arrian

p.s. Thanks to "each of the moves have been brilliant" I hope this off-season puts to bed the idea that Brian Cashman is an idiot who wins only because he has the biggest budget. He's not a genius, but he's a pretty solid.

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's basically Vazquez for Cabrera.

[Arrian]

[Imran Siddiqui]

TNSTAAPP

[Arrian]

Pending a physical, Bay to the Mets. Apparently 4/66 guaranteed, with a vesting option for a 5th year (easily vesting, allegedly). So like 5/80 at most.

He makes them better for 2010, but his glove isn't gonna improve. CitiField will ding him on both sides of the ball. I imagine Mets fans will come to hate that contract before it's over.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Oh please, did you see who the Mets had in LF this past season? And, of course, a full season of Beltran will help deflect that liability. Besides, maybe he can be moved to 1B at some point during the 5 years .

[Ming]

If he continues to hit HR's, nobody is really going to care if he drops a ball or two. We are talking Left Field... the home of many terrible fielders. As long as they continue to hit, who cares.