Beltran in the Bronx

[Grinch]

3yrs/$45M

[Hornsby]

Good, another old guy who's got at least a year too much on his contract...not to mention clogging up an already crowded outfield.

[Don Quixote]

Good, another old guy who's got at least a year too much on his contract...not to mention clogging up an already crowded outfield.

Ellsbury
Soriano
Beltran
Gardner
Suzuki (The Answer in 2012)
Wells (The Answer in 2013)

Six guys for four lineup spots if you include DH. Wells is certainly a goner, Ichiro may be (and his $6.5 million). I think the Yankees are filling a need that doesn't exist, and as collateral damage depriving themselves of somewhere to put Captain Intangibles and Teixeira when they have their ouchies and can't play the field.

[revo]

After a non-playoff year and losing Cano, it's like the Yanks are Bruce Banner morphing into the Hulk.....

[Hornsby]

I don't think it's a bad deal for Beltran at all. It does mean that the Yankees essentially paid another however many millions for Beltran, though, since they'll be dumping salary in order to accommodate him, I'd assume.

Ellsbury/Beltran/Gardner is a pretty nice outfield. Soriano at DH makes for a good quartet. DQ's note about the troubles on the infield are relevant, however.

An infield of A-Rod (maybe?), Jeter, K. Johnson, and Teix is pretty iffy and fragile.

Overall the Yanks offense looks pretty formidable again, I'd say, if a little old.

Lots and lots of "if's" in there...Ellsbury has played more than 150 games in a season exactly TWICE in his career. Jeter is going to be 40...how many 40 YO shortstops have there been, let alone good ones? Soriano is going to be 38, and is a horrible defensive outfielder, Tex is going to be 34, and has been on the decline since 2009, Kelly Johnson is at best a mediocrity, and at worst a liability, and finally, who's at 3rd? Everything will have to go right for the Yankees to be a force for the whole season...and let's not even start on the pitching...

[Don Quixote]

Lots and lots of "if's" in there...Ellsbury has played more than 150 games in a season exactly TWICE in his career. Jeter is going to be 40...how many 40 YO shortstops have there been, let alone good ones? Soriano is going to be 38, and is a horrible defensive outfielder, Tex is going to be 34, and has been on the decline since 2009, Kelly Johnson is at best a mediocrity, and at worst a liability, and finally, who's at 3rd? Everything will have to go right for the Yankees to be a force for the whole season...and let's not even start on the pitching...

Why do you insist on putting Who on third? Who's on first!

[chancellor]

IMO, good signing for the Yanks. They can rotate four guys through 3 OF slots and the DH role, and make Ichiro a 4th OF/defensive replacement. Soriano isn't the defensive liability he's made out to be, as he's been below average (less than 0 UZR) only twice since 2007, and led the league twice. His Total Zone Runs Above Replacement led the league as recently as 2012. I don't think he's that good, but it's clear he doesn't suck anymore as a LF, either.

Given the IF, I expect they're on the prowl for a super-utility guy, too.

[Stephen]

Any chance they consider moving Soriano back to 2nd base? This *IS* the Yankees.

[revo]

Given the IF, I expect they're on the prowl for a super-utility guy, too.

That's what they were hoping Kelly Johnson would be -- and he will be that, assuming they do sign another 2B.

Any chance they consider moving Soriano back to 2nd base? This *IS* the Yankees.

Maybe in a pinch, but no way as a starter.

[Don Quixote]

Why do people insist on using the term "super-utility" for guys who are clearly far from super?

A better term would be "multi-utility", "utility", or my preferred term, "futility". Most of these guys can kinda sorta play multiple positions, not necessarily well, and swing the bat sometimes decently, usually not well. There are usually good reasons why these guys don't play regularly.

Anyway, rumor has it that they're going to sign Omar Infante to be the regular 2B, with Johnson maybe playing third. Infante is hardly a replacement for Cano--no one can be--and may be adequate at second, but Johnson at 3B doesn't make it IMO.

Meanwhile, they still have too many OFs for the OF/DH roles. It makes me wonder which remaining free agent OF they'll sign next.

[chancellor]

That's what they were hoping Kelly Johnson would be -- and he will be that, assuming they do sign another 2B.

Good point. I assume that'll help push the market for Infante. I'm hopiing Omar signs elsewhere so the Yankees might get desperate enough and stupid enough to take Rickie Weeks off Milwaukee's hands.

[Don Quixote]

Good point. I assume that'll help push the market for Infante. I'm hopiing Omar signs elsewhere so the Yankees might get desperate enough and stupid enough to take Rickie Weeks off Milwaukee's hands.

That would be a fun game for all non-fans of the Yankees and the other big spenders (Red Sox, Dodgers, etc.) to play--"Players on my team I wish the big spenders would take".

[fuhrdog]

Imagine the Yanks next year in free agency. Wells at 21M will be gone...Soriano at 18M...gone...Kuroda at 16M...Suzuki at 6.5M and if Jeter retires 12M more off the books.

[Controller Jacobs]

Imagine the Yanks next year in free agency. Wells at 21M will be gone...Soriano at 18M...gone...Kuroda at 16M...Suzuki at 6.5M and if Jeter retires 12M more off the books.

In 2014, they're only spending $2.5M on Wells, $5M on Soriano.

[fuhrdog]

In 2014, they're only spending $2.5M on Wells, $5M on Soriano.

News travels so slowly to Iowa