Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The day after the Yankees lost to the Angels in the ALDS, my friend Rich Lederer suggested that Brian Giles would look good in a Yankee uniform. I agreed (as do the fellas over at No Maas). According to Anthony McCarron in today's Daily News:
Hideki Matsui remains the Yankees' outfield priority, but GM Brian Cashman also has started looking into other outfield possibilities and recently called the representative for Brian Giles to express interest in the free agent."I've had a conversation with Brian (Cashman)," said Joe Bick, Giles' agent. "He said they are assessing what they are going to do and, obviously, Brian is an attractive guy to them and they are interested in talking about him. We have nothing specifically set up, but I'm sure we'll have another conversation."
Giles in not young and wouldn't figure to help improve the Yankees outfield defense significantly, but he's a terrific hitter, and is the kind of all-out hustle player who would be embraced in New York, don't you think?
If we get Giles, I would guess Matsui moves to CF. I think we can shop CF OR Corner OF, depending on the situation. As we don't have a DH now, it also allows Shef to DH more (depneding on what OTHER O'fer we get... or use Bubba)
I can't imagine we would want to move Sheff. He's been great for us, and is not that moveable. I'm not that sure he wan't to play after '06. Would love to hear other opinions on this one.
I still think Piazza, if reasonably priced, makes a great DH/3rd catcher. Common... hit me!
Regardless of whether we can move Sheff or not, I still like signing Giles, rather than targeting the center fielders that are available on the market right now. Sheff should start seeing more time at DH. Giambi should play most games at 1b, given his career numbers hitting when fielding as opposed to DHing. Giles should go to right. Hideki should stay in left, and cf should be filled cheaply, either by Bubba or Milton Bradley (who I'm guessing can be poached from the Dodgers at little cost).
The worrisome thing to me about the article is that cash might be viewing Giles as an alternative to signing Hideki. There's a chance that early talks don't look promising to Cashman,and he's viewing Giles as a contingency plan for Matsui's departure. Of course,he could also be using Giles as a chip to lower Hideki's asking price. In any case, I'm not confident that Cashman is considering the possibility of having both Matsui and Giles on the team.
No way can Hideki play CF. I can't see moving him, unless it's to another team.
also... has anyone considered that giles (who is getting on in years and losing a step in the OF - though don't get me wrong i would love to see him in pinstripes) may only be entertaining cash's phone calls to drive up his own price with other clubs?
Getting Giles and a good defensive CF would be great. WE can use Posada, Sheff, Matsui, Giles and Giambi as rotating DH's and keep them fresher for the end of the season and (hopefully) the playoffs.
A big step up form having Bernie or Tino DH
Giles power numbers will improve in Yankee Stadium because he's a lefty? That's what they said about Giambi. But Giambi and Giles are both gap hitters so I'm not sure you could expect a meaningful power spike from Giles.
Any scenario that makes Hideki Matsui the Yankees starting CF next year is a bad one.
Getting rid of Sheff seems to be a silly idea that keeps coming up over and over. I can't understand the motivation for moving the guy, unless you could trade him for a decent OF and a top drawer starting pitcher. And that's not gonna happen. If you get rid of Sheff, how are you going to replace his RC? Because unless the Yankees do something profound about their pitching this offseason, they are still going to need to score 5 runs a game on average to win.
Then you sign Giles to replace Sheffield.
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