12/29: Yanks, D-Backs Closer on Johnson
Posted by: James
From Bill McFadden and Anthony McCarron over at the Daily News, there are now reports that the Yankees and Arizona could complete a trade to send Johnson back to the desert before next week.
Update: From D.A. Humber's baseball Central, Nippert was on the Top 10 Over-Rated Prospects List, coming in at #8. Worth the read.
I'll believe it when I see it but with Zito signed and off the market, doesn't the landscape of available pitchers become even smaller? I mean, think about all the teams out there that could use a starter who would give you 200 pretty good innings. If you were to account for a positive impact for a power pitcher going back to the weaker NL...Randy does look tempting, especially for the D-Backs who would love to have the publicity of his 300th win to help bolster sales (though how much it would is debateable).
Also in the article are the following notes about the 1B situation.
To which I can only reply BOOOOOOOO! Give me Andy Phillips over these guys any day. A mediocre hitter whose rep with the glove exceeds his recent production and an aging and quickly turning mediocre hitter who hasn't played first in years (you can find a good discussion on Loretta at WasWatching). What a choice to make. If you're gonna spend a couple of million, take another shot with Craig Wilson - at least he's younger and has a history of hitting.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have their eyes on a package of Arizona pitching prospects. The Diamondbacks are loaded with young talent and if the Yankees send Johnson home to Arizona - Johnson's home is in the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley - they'd like to get at least two of the following three pitchers: Dustin Nippert, Micah Owings and Ross Ohlendorf.
Update: From D.A. Humber's baseball Central, Nippert was on the Top 10 Over-Rated Prospects List, coming in at #8. Worth the read.
I'll believe it when I see it but with Zito signed and off the market, doesn't the landscape of available pitchers become even smaller? I mean, think about all the teams out there that could use a starter who would give you 200 pretty good innings. If you were to account for a positive impact for a power pitcher going back to the weaker NL...Randy does look tempting, especially for the D-Backs who would love to have the publicity of his 300th win to help bolster sales (though how much it would is debateable).
Also in the article are the following notes about the 1B situation.
A source said the Yankees are zeroing in on Doug Mientkiewicz to play first...
Also, the source said, Mark Loretta may be the Yankees' first choice to be a utility infielder.
Also, the source said, Mark Loretta may be the Yankees' first choice to be a utility infielder.
To which I can only reply BOOOOOOOO! Give me Andy Phillips over these guys any day. A mediocre hitter whose rep with the glove exceeds his recent production and an aging and quickly turning mediocre hitter who hasn't played first in years (you can find a good discussion on Loretta at WasWatching). What a choice to make. If you're gonna spend a couple of million, take another shot with Craig Wilson - at least he's younger and has a history of hitting.
Vinny wrote:
Also we are the yankees... Since when do we need offense?? We do not need an offensive first basemen cause we have plenty of offense on the whole team.