Three 1B's = good times for the mad lineup scrambler known as Mr. Tea. This move reeks of over-thinking.

I'm going to go throw up now.

Even if the cries of the statheads went unheard in the Yankees front office, the guy had serious back surgery in August, and this concerns no one?

Maybe the Yankees just figured that, with the trade of RJ, they needed to fill their "creaky back" quota.

It will be nice to have Tony Womack's bat back in the lineup. Along with Danny Tartabul's speed. And he'll get more playing time as the lefty-hitter in a platoon. Ugh.

Not enthused...
Drives me nuts when a player continues to trade on a reputation that's no longer valid (Minky= good defense).
I'd also hoped for the RJ deal to return 2 young starters- can this Vizcaino guy really push someone out of the pen? Seems awfully crowded back there, and if Cash is stockpiling in order to deal from strength, he'd get a better return on young SP, even if it means coughing up more of the Unit's salary.

When the Yanks win the World Serious this year, who ever fields the final out better not toss it to Minky -- just run it to first your damn self!

Minky Dinky Dog is right, Alex.

Why would Cashman waste Bob Sheppard's breath on Mientkiewicz?

No kidding at all, I'd rather see Giambi or Mattingly or Bernie playing 1B for the Yanks in '07.

Doug Needs-a-breath-mintkayvitch? Woof.

Let's see what happens out of spring training people - after all, Tony Fernandez was our projected Opening Day SS in 1996... ;-)

It's not much money relatively so I guess we can cut him loose if it doesn't work out but it takes up limited roster space. I was hoping for other things.

I think SG over at RLYW said it best "If Doug Mientkiewicz is the answer, then you're asking the wrong question."

here's something to consider regarding mientkiewicz:

the filled roster spot might just push bernie into the retirement home.

thanks for the memories, bern. can't wait to see your plaque in the new stadium.

7 Exactly, wsporter. The nausea that comes with the possibility of Mientkiewicz in pinstripes isn't about the money, it's about the potential wasted roster space, and an unwelcomed reversal in the recent Yankees trend to jettison creaky, past-prime players.

Oh well. If the Yankees physical requires Dougie Not-So-Fresh to bend at the waist and touch his knees, perhaps he will fail, and return to Mt. Mediocrity.

8 Seriously, Bernie might be a better (and cheaper!) option than Stinkayvitch.

I'd rather have Bernie in the lineup than Mxyzptlk.

10 11 i'm not saying that it is a better option, just that it could result in an increase in guitar time for the guy.

time will tell how this works out.

Meh. There isn't a cheaper AAAA player than Minky? Maybe someone with a bit more of a glove who could be flipped midseason for another reliever?

I think Mink's glove is overrated, too. This blows.

Anything over minimum MLB salary is highway robbery and a waste of a roster spot. Please pass Ca$h. KC doesn't even think he's worth holding on to...

If Doug Minky is our regular 1B next year, RJ gets flipped for just one B-grade prospect and a run-of-the-mill reliever, and Nieves is our back up catcher, my estimation of Cashman's offseason drops precipitously (I'm already giving him a pass on getting outbid by the Sox for Dice-K then over-bidding on Igawa). I think Cashman has mostly done a good job, but these things give me pause.

The Stadium food vendor is cutting out trans fats in 2007. Fans can now safely double up the order of chicken fingers and fries.

http://tinyurl.com/w2ppw

Centerplate Plans to Eliminate Trans Fats in 2007

I can't wait to hear the spin on this signing. Most people won't even know that his defense is at best league average because the major media outlets always stick to 5 year old stereotypes of guys. Torii Hunter is a gold glove outfielder, Doug Mientkiewicz flashes leather, David Eckstein is a 4 foot pile of grit and fancypants.

Vomit.

loretta will sign with houston.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2719795

okay. now i am beginning to question ca$hman. if he could have signed loretta instead of doogie, i hope he would have spent there instead.

however, i will wait this out before i form an opinion... he IS ca$hman, and i will try to trust him...

I really am at a loss to explain this one. I know the defensive metrics guys can twist some of the descriptive stats into showing he's a combination of Donny B, Hernandez and Eddie Kranepool but.... ehh.

I really had hoped Ca$hman had something in mind with Texas and this mounting supply of young arms. There is a guy down there whose name rhymes with Texeria that would look good over there. Oh well. Any chance we signed Alphabets as a backup?

Maybe Minky is worth more as emotional support for ARod than as a 1st basement. We've done fine with poor to middling 1st basemen so far. If this guy helps ARod's psyche then he's worth every penny in my book.

Couple what Andre says in 21 with the chance that Minky is used primarily as a LIDR/LH pinch hitter off the bench instead of the primary 1B starter vs RHP, and maybe its not so bad.

Why would Minky not be the primary 1B starter vs RHP? I looked up Minky's stats, and he's shown a slight reverse platoon split in his career. That is, he hits lefties (.269/.360/.420) a little better than he does righties (.271/.359/.400).

This may all be moot if Phillips (who's shown reverse platoon splits himself in his limited MLB at-bats) or Phelps, or both, crush the ball in Spring Training, and Minky doesn't.

I'm not a huge fan of signing Minky, but I'm still hopeful.

I'm sure hsi physical will reveal a belly full of, you know it, guts.

Why havent they traded Phillip Hughes for a 1b yet????

I think the Yanks will survive with a platoon at 1b.

18

Didnt Eckstein just win the World Series MVP???

But I guess hes still not loved by the stat geeks.

disclaimer: i post this in defense of mr. ca$hman, not doogie.

according to http://tinyurl.com/y8elpf , doog's range was two thousandths of a point better than league average last year. so he's average. that is better than giambi. who is far less than average.

he isn't the defensive wizard that he once was, but hopefully he can relax, knowing that all that will be expected of him is to field.

also, perhaps hitting in the yankee lineup will benefit his numbers more than the mighty KC juggernaut?

(these are glass-half-full suggestions, i know, but i have to think that ca$hman knows what he is doing. if not, the very foundation of my understanding of the universe shall crumble.)

18 Mike, how tall is David Epstein, and how much does he weigh?

25 Eckstein will never be loved by stat geeks. A CF falling down was his major contribution (other than the grittiness).

Lest we forget:

Giambi (AB AVG OBP SLG OPS)

Career:
1B: 4448 .311 .434 .577 1.011
DH: 1349 .246 .388 .483 .871

2006:
1B: 268 .289 .459 .592 1.051
DH: 306 .224 .373 .531 .904

What do they need Mhfc9udsvh for? The ten close and late games they'll play all year? Giambi should be playing 1B half-time, at least - he makes up for his defense with his bat. And I don't buy the - he gets hurt more argument. The guy ravages his body - of course he'll get hurt.

I'm going to throw up again.

28 he showed a lot of chutzpah in the on deck circle.
you need to mention that, too. seriously. you need to mention it and show footage of him pacing and whirling his bat around in the circle as often as possible.
not just if you are broadcasting a game, but in your own life in as many situations as possible as well.

Here's an interesting take on the Zito signing, while we're waiting to see what actually happens with Doug and Randy.
http://tinyurl.com/y8h3l2
Here's the gist. Going by MORP projections, Zito's next seven years are worth an expected $100 million in present dollars, which is almost exactly what he got. But going by PECOTA projections, those years are worth $43 million in present value. The discrepency is mainly explained by the difference between ERA (which MORP uses) and peripheral statistics (which PECOTA uses, largely ignoring ERA). So if you think ERA is not very robust (even after it's adjusted for parks and stuff like that), you should expect PECOTA to be more accurate, in which case the Giants overpaid for Zito grotesquely.

29 There is the (IMHO large) possibility that Giambi plays half his games in the field, so that some combination of Matsui/Damon/Abreu can DH. Which, of course, gets Melky some ABs too.

31 Unless the NL West continues to suck. Then it might not be so bad. I wouldn't be surprised if Zito won 18+ this season. Plus, the Giants needed a Red Herring after the PR backlash of the Bonds signing. I'm not saying it's a good deal, but in the grand scheme of things it might have been their best remaining (albeit limited) option.

32 That's what damn well should happen - exactly why there's no reason to sign Mhgjrsjfvhui. Let Phelps and Andy battle it out for RH 1B and das it. To waste a roster spot on a LIDR is just disgusting.

What's next - Cairo?

34 Well, Minky has played a little 2B before, and Andy can play 3B (with A-Rod sliding over to SS), so maybe Cairo is not needed. ;)

Why is everyone up in arms over Doug Mientkiewicz? Right now, the Yankees do not have a 1B. Phelps and Phillips are, at best, platoon options, and there is no way Giambi should ever be counted on for more than spot duty at first (not only because he is ridiculously bad, but because doing so also leaves him more vulnerable to injury).

While Mientkiewicz is not an ideal option, there isn't much else available. What's more, by signing him to a one-year deal, the Yankees can pretty much dispose of him if he flops. In the meantime, they are getting a slightly below league average bat with a slightly above average glove. Signing Mientkiewicz is simply a stop-gap move and does not preclude more creative measures should they present themselves.

19 Finally, as for Loretta, both he and Mientkiewicz are pretty much the same exact offensive player. The difference between the two is Mientkiewicz is a lefty (and can platoon with Phelps/Phillips) and a much more experienced first baseman. As much as Mientkiewicz leaves something to be desired, Loretta would have been more of an ill fit as a first baseman.

35 You know, for all this talk of Cashman being a genius, I'd say he's a pretty remedial learner. It took how many years to figure out that young pitching is important? Even then, Wang was a fluke - he wasn't in the plans.

Now, Cash is on a coke-fiendish "Get More pitching" kick, scratching his nose and offering overpriced 6'10" blowjobs to get more of his fix. Why?

Congrats Cash! You've learned something in ten years. How about a fucking bench worth having? How many years before you learn that's important?

Looking forward to the Spring controversy - who wins the 1B fucktard contest? Why, so Joe can play Cairo there?

36 You gotta read the above posts.

1) Mfweuidvhhjk is average, at best, and coming off of back surgery. His best days are far behind him.

2) Giambi hits significantly better when he plays the field, and he's going to get hurt regardless of where he plays. The man has abused his body for years - there's no preventing injuries with him.

3) A platoon at 1B means a few things:

a) Three 1B's on your roster (wretch..)
b) Little playing time for Melky, their best defensive OF and a better bat than any of the platoon 1B's IMHO (hurl...)
c) What, you sit Giambi in interleague games and the Serious? (there's my lunch!)

37 Relax, dude. You might want to try some Jim Beam, Jim Dean. ;) Two things to keep in mind.

First, Ca$hmoney has only had total and complete control for 14+ months (since November '05). It is very hard to evaluate what happened from Feb. '98 'til Nov. '05 given that none of us knows who was responsible for what moves.

Second, the season hasn't started yet. Come opening day, the Yanks bench may include a decent backup catcher (not Nieves), a decent backup MI (not Cairo), Melky, and Phelps/Phillips. That is, all things considered, the Yanks' best bench in years.

38

1) If you read my post, you'd see that I described Mientkiewicz as a slightly below league average bat with a slightly above average glove.

2) Giambi may hit better when he plays the field (although comparing his career stats is misleading because Giambi played mostly 1B in his best seasons), but he is brutal in the field. What's more, his 2006 splits have narrowed to the point that the Yankees would be better with Giambi as a full-time DH.

3) I don't think the Yankees need to worry about carrying three 1B. It's not like they have stronger bench players being edged out. While it would great if the Yankees could play Melky more (if he is even on the team), the current alignment just doesn't allow for it. Still, I'm sure he will get his fair share of ABs as the Yankees aging team could benefit from a few extra days offs. The W.S. and interleague also shouldn't be a factor as the Yankees can adjust their strategy for these short-term events.

Regarding the bench, I also agree that it is the best bench they have had in years.

Obviously this is mostly because Melky is on it, but he is a good player on our bench, there is credit for that somewhere.

Also, I'm assuming Kevin Thompson will be the 5th outfielder. Mostly, his job will be to pinch run for Giambi and Posada late in close games. Awesome.

The other bench spots go to a back up catcher and a middle infielder.

The season didn't start yet.

Cashman has had a very good offseason so far, it seems pointless to complain about the bench when it has improved between last year and the season didn't start yet.

Phillips and Phelps are still in the mix.

I wouldn't get too up in arms about it. Cash and Torre load up on grizzled old veterans every winter - remember that last year's opening day roster included 3 catchers since Nieves made the team, plus Phillips, Williams, Cairo, and Crosby. Of that bunch, only Phillips could be considered a youngish player. And those guys beat out guys like Mitch Jones, Feliz Escalona, Russ Johnson, Damian Rolls, Chris Prieto, Keith McDonald, and Andy Cannizaro.

Abreu, Damon, and Matsui play every game no matter what, so only one backup OF is needed and Melky fits the bill. That leaves 4 bench spots to fill - surely no third catcher is needed and I would guess they don't fill up with all three of Manichevitz, Phillips, and Phelps as 1B/DH/PH.

All three will be in a Spring competition for 1 (or possibly 2) spots, as Cairo will be with someone for the reserve INF spot. That leaves 1-2 spots for either a young player like one of the Kevins (Reese or Thompson) or a washed up old guy like Dougy Fresh.

Remember that we had signed a bunch of washed up 1B/Dh types last year too (Carlos Pena, Durazo). If Manichevitz can't play during the Spring, he'll be cut loose.

What I'd like to see is Melky in LF fulltime and Matsui or Abreu playing 1B. Neither are good outfielders any longer but both are good enough ballplayers to convert to 1B (at least as well as Sheff did for the playoffs).

MinkqTHX1138 is slightly below average hitter for a 1st baseman?

Maybe if the league is AA, I guess.

39 It doesn't help - just delays the pain.

Cash "control" = Stinnett, Cairo, Long, Erickson, Ponson, Fasano = far from one of the best GM's.

40 I did.

1) Mofhvjxfhg is an average glove and a far, very far, below average bat for 1B's. And he just had back surgery.

2) Narrowed? That's normal variance - he hit better overall last year. The difference between 1B and DH was still .150 OPS - that makes up for his defense,and if anything the difference actually increased, see 29. What's more - his 2006 splits show the exact same pattern, see again 29.

3) Melky is the stronger bench player being edged out. He's the only saving grace on the bench right now. He'll hit better than the 1B platoon and field better than any of the OF's. And if they trade him they re-sign Bernie for another year, who's a platoon DH at this point.

As for the interleague and Serious, I'd rather not having Giambi relearning 1B for those 15 games a year - esp. not the last three or four - and esp. not for Mfhgghfk.

But hey, that's just me!

41 Sorry, the current bench means:

1) A platoon 1B = No 5th OF.

2) Nieves or Chavez - who amazingly are a step down from John Kelly Fasano.

3) Cairo? - who's still Cairo

4) Melky = thank god. IMHO he should be playing everyday until he proves he shouldn't be.

SG at RLYW says:

"... With the caveat that ZR doesn't measure all aspects of a first baseman's job, the glove still appears to be sound.

Mientkiewicz's not good, but he's not awful. He'll probably be about average or slightly below."

http://yankeefan.blogspot.com/2007/01/ny-post-yanks-doug-reach-tentative-deal.html

Giambi is not an option at 1B, the Yankees have said he is now a full-time DH. He is terrible there and it increases his risk of getting hurt. We all know he hits better there, but it isn't going to happen on any consistent basis so he better get used to DHing.

Yeah, Doug isn't that good, but I don't see the problem with a one-year signing here. Who is he blocking? Andy and Phelps (one of which he will most likely platoon with)? People are concerned about that? We are going to still score a ton of runs, and his defense is MUCH better than Giambi's. Who would we sign that was better (I would have prefered Wilson, but the Yanks apparently didn't). We have no minor leaguers ready to step in and play 1B.

People are also laughing about him being friends with Arod. That is no reason to sign him, but ARod could use some friends in that clubhouse with Shef gone, so it COULD have some unmeasurable value.

Also, the one-year deal means if he stinks or his back doesn't hold up, I don't think they will have a problem eating his salary and getting rid of him.

45 Who would you have Cashman go after for the 1B job then? The only option that might be available is Sexson, and we'd have to give up someone for him most likely.

I agree with others on here. Minky might not even make the team out of spring training, its a cheap 1-year deal and he can be easily discarded. So long as this doesn't prevent more creative moves down the road I'm fine with it.

I'm much more concerned with the backup catcher situation. There's a huge dropoff if Jorge has to miss any significant time.

I just like to think the offseason isn't over yet.

AAA is brimming with talent that we don't have space for.

Wouldn't it be shocking to anyone if a lesser starter (Karstens/White) was traded for a guy capable of being a bench player or a back up catcher.

I'm not sure we can judge the roster until it is complete. Right now, it is clearly not complete.

44

1) Considering that current metrics place him just above average, and he has generally been an above average first baseman for most of his career, I think it is fair to label Mientkiewicz as a slightly above average glove.

As for his bat, I said he was a slightly below average hitter and made no qualification for his position.

2) Considering that it is probably likely that Giambi has played nearly every game when he was less than 100% as a DH, I think that element would necessarily deflate his numbers. Without seeing a more in depth analysis, I am not ready to accept as truth that being DH has a direct impact on Giambi's offense. Having said that, I think the following from Goldman's Blog says it best on Giambi's defense:

http://www.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061219&content_id=1416183&oid=36019&vkey=5

3) As mentioned, Melky should get his fair share of ABs. Of course, that isn't necessarily a good thing. After all, Melky's 2006 OPS+ of 100 is just a tad above Mientkiewicz' career total of 99 (which itself is miles ahead of Phillips 77 from last season).

The fact that Cashman has not overreacted and made a stupid trade for a Richie Sexson type is a good thing. I'd much rather live with Mientkiewicz than trade good prospects for a 1B at this point. Who knows, if 1B continues to be a black hole, Cashman can always pick up Adam Dunn on the cheap, just like he did with Abreu.

48 Me, I'm happy with Phillips and Phelps fighting it out, Giambi playing 1b half-time like last year, and Melky playing half time. If that fails b/c o