Yankees Minor League Note: Yankees DFA Brett Marshall

With the signing of Carlos Beltran being made official today, the Yankees cleared a spot on their 40-man roster by designating 23-year old right-handed pitcher Brett Marshall for assignment.

A once-promising prospect, Marshall struggled mightily in 2013, compiling a 5.13 ERA in 138.2 innings for Scranton with a 120/68 K/BB ratio.     He also made his big-league debut, giving up six runs in 12 innings with a 7/7 K/BB ratio.

I don't know what the odds are on Marshall getting claimed.  This is the time of year when teams are trying to find spots on their roster for their own free agent signings, which could prevent someone from claiming him.  By the same token, we have seen many players get treated like hot potatoes this time of year as well, getting claimed by organizations, only to be DFA'd when that organization needs to open up their own 40-man slot.

The Yankees lack some pitching depth at the moment, which could make this type of move a surprise.  But Marshall was still far down the list of pitchers competing for a spot on the 2014 Yankees.  His best bet would have been the Adam Warren role, but they can give that to whoever loses the competition for a starting slot out of spring training.

Yankees Sign Matt Thornton

After Boone Logan left to go to Colorado on a ridiculous 3-year deal, it left the Yankees with a void in the bullpen for a left-handed reliever.

Enter Matt Thornton, who signed a 2-year, $7M contract this afternoon.

We will get this out of the way first:  If you are expecting the Matt Thornton from years ago in Chicago, you are going to be greatly disappointed.     This should be obvious, as that version of Matt Thornton gets a contract that is much bigger than the one the Yankees gave out here.

Thornton doesn't throw as hard as he used to, but he still does throw hard.  In 2013, his average fastball was still averaging an impressive 94.3 MPH, down from his peak performance of 96.1 in 2010.  With the reduction in velocity has come a reduction in usage.  Thornton used his fastball 51.7% of the time in 2013.  As recently as 2011, he used it 85.1% of the time.

Thornton is more of a LOOGY nowadays than a shutdown reliever.  He is not competition for David Robertson.  He is not someone you are going to use as "the 8th inning guy".    Last year, he held left-handed batters to a .224/.267/.370 line with 20 K in 22.1 innings.   Right-handed hitters had much more success, hitting .329/.423/.405, walking 12 times while only striking out 10 times in 21 innings.  It is possible that some of those walks can be attributed to pitching around a right-handed batter to get to a left-handed one.  It is also possible that right-handed batters saw the ball so well that they weren't even thinking about swinging at anything that wasn't in the zone.

This is the type of contract you should hand out to a veteran LOOGY.  He is a piece to the bullpen, but should not be viewed as a significant part.  They simply filled a void and will now move on to more pressing needs.

Overall, I like the signing for what it is.  It doesn't really take pitchers like Cesar Cabral out of the competition for a 2014 slot, though it will obviously make his journey more difficult.      Other left-handers in the organization (Nik Turley, for example) likely aren't ready for big league action, and Turley should start in the minors right now, not be a reliever in the majors.   

Re: Yankees "Close" on Brian Roberts

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013 6:57:58 AM UTC-5, Vinnie S. wrote:

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013 12:39:12 AM UTC-5, Tom K wrote:

This comes from a report from Ken Rosenthal on Twitter.

We all should know the Brian Roberts story - a very good major league second baseman for many years before succumbing to a lot of injuries.    Roberts has played a total of 192 games in the last four years, 77 of which came in 2013, when he put up a .249/.312/.392 line.  

I will assume he is going to come cheaply. However, it is hard to fathom that he will last more than 75 or so games in 2014.  (If he did that, the Yankees may consider themselves fortunate).

I will assume the Yankees are not done shopping - this is a bit of blah signing.  I don't see much overall upside, even if he does miraculously stay healthy.

They may be just buying 2 years for Refsnyder.

https://twitter.com/erikjblair/status/412941291555946497

Erik Blair ‏@erikjblair

@nomaas Yankee management is like the guy who shows up late to your fantasy draft hammered and uses a five year old magazine.

Re: Yankees "Close" on Brian Roberts

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013 12:39:12 AM UTC-5, Tom K wrote:

This comes from a report from Ken Rosenthal on Twitter.

We all should know the Brian Roberts story - a very good major league second baseman for many years before succumbing to a lot of injuries.    Roberts has played a total of 192 games in the last four years, 77 of which came in 2013, when he put up a .249/.312/.392 line.  

I will assume he is going to come cheaply. However, it is hard to fathom that he will last more than 75 or so games in 2014.  (If he did that, the Yankees may consider themselves fortunate).

I will assume the Yankees are not done shopping - this is a bit of blah signing.  I don't see much overall upside, even if he does miraculously stay healthy.

They may be just buying 2 years for Refsnyder.

Yankees "Close" on Brian Roberts

This comes from a report from Ken Rosenthal on Twitter.

We all should know the Brian Roberts story - a very good major league second baseman for many years before succumbing to a lot of injuries.    Roberts has played a total of 192 games in the last four years, 77 of which came in 2013, when he put up a .249/.312/.392 line.  

I will assume he is going to come cheaply. However, it is hard to fathom that he will last more than 75 or so games in 2014.  (If he did that, the Yankees may consider themselves fortunate).

I will assume the Yankees are not done shopping - this is a bit of blah signing.  I don't see much overall upside, even if he does miraculously stay healthy.

Yankees Acquire Kyle Haynes to Complete Chris Stewart Trade

Haynes hasn't pitched above Low-A ball yet in his career.   The right-hander will be 23 at the start of the 2014 season.  He was a 20th round pick in the 2012 draft.

The Pirates converted him from a reliever to a starter late last season.  Compiled a 2.38 ERA in 83.1 innings with a 85/36 K/BB ratio overall.   He is not ranked in any of the Pirates' Top Prospects lists, nor should he be.  He is "just a guy" for now.

This is obviously not a major haul.   But for Chris Stewart, anything above a lawn mower would be considered a decent return.

Yankees Interested in Joaquin Benoit

Pros:   Over the past four seasons, you aren't going to find many relievers who have pitched better.   In 268 games over that span, he has posted a 2.53 ERA (164 ERA+), 0.983 WHIP, and a 4.1 K/BB ratio.    After tearing his rotator cuff (causing him to miss the entire 2009 season), Benoit has been surprisingly durable.

Cons:  Benoit will be 36 at the start of the 2014 season, so his expiration date is not far away.  The rotator cuff has held up, but you always will have his past shoulder injuries in the back of your mind.  Also, and this is always important for the Yankees:  He doesn't generate a lot of ground balls.  That is not typically a good thing for a right-handed pitcher in Yankee Stadium, especially one you are asking to protect leads late in games. 

Bottom Line:    I would have to pass here.   He is a bit of a ticking time bomb, and I don't like right-handed pitchers who put balls into the air in this ballpark.  His home run rate is above average as is.

Cross Brett Anderson Off the List

Anderson was traded to the Rockies for Drew Pomeranz and Chris Jensen.

Pomeranz is the better of the two, but he has yet to pan out in the big leagues.  Of course, a move from Colorado to Oakland can help that.

The Yankees probably couldn't quite match the offer - they can find a Jensen in their system - everyone has that - but even if they had a pitcher like Pomeranz (high upside, yet to succeed in the majors), it would be hard for them to trade him.

Anderson himself is a bit of a lottery ticket.  He is only 25 years old and has already pitched in parts of five big league seasons.  However, he has thrown only 163 total innings the last three seasons, compiling a 4.25 ERA (92 ERA +) 

Projected WAR: Where We Stand

The only systems I have in front of me at the moment are OLIVER and STEAMER.  I don't know if Zips projections have been finalized yet, as Fangraphs does not have them on their player cards (they typically do when the system is ready)

Below is the average WAR between OLIVER and STEAMER.

Players Acquired (Projected WAR)

Carlos Beltran - 2.0 

Brian McCann - 4.3

Jacoby Ellsbury - 3.6

Kelly Johnson - 1.2

Players Lost (Projected WAR)

Robinson Cano - 4.8

Curtis Granderson - 2.3

Phil Hughes - 1.3

So, they have gained a projected 11.1 WAR, while losing a projected 8.4 to date.  Of course, this can be met with a "Duhhhh!", given that we have acquired four and lost three.  Also, mixing a pitcher among the hitters is probably not an ideal way of looking at this.

And, there is the fact that the winter is not over and the Yankees are still looking to add more to their spending spree.  They still need a second baseman, a third baseman, and at least one more starter.  These positions are not likely to be filled from within.   As for players lost, there really isn't anyone else that they will be losing, except those who went into retirement (Pettitte/Rivera)

Of course, projection systems are not guarantees - OLIVER, for example, had McCann at the same projected WAR as Cano.  You have to remember that systems don't know names - they don't put Cano side-by-side with McCann, then decide "Oh, that's Robinson Freakin Cano - let's add an additional 2 WAR to his projection!"  

This is far from an exact science, and I don't want it to be interpreted that way.  It is just merely showing a snapshot of the players earned vs. the players lost.  Obviously, losing a premium second baseman (Cano) puts a lot more stress on the team than losing a player like Granderson - Granderson's production is nearly instantly replaced by Beltran (though they get there in different ways).   Cano's production at his position is not going to be instantly replaced by anybody. It needs to be spread around - the Yankees upgraded significantly a tough position to find offense (catcher), while downgrading significantly at a tough position to find offense (second base). 

In the end, thus far, this has been one of the most interesting offseasons in Yankees history.  And the winter meetings have yet to even start.   

My Take: Carlos Beltran Has His Flaws, But Should Help

The Yankees signed Carlos Beltran to a 3-year, $45M deal tonight, a deal that is probably one year too many.  But sometimes I wonder why we still criticize such a thing in today's baseball landscape.  It may not be the best way to do business, but free agents are always looking for extra years, and if you aren't willing to give them up, somebody else most likely will.

In the end, whether you sign Beltran for two years or three makes very little difference.  There isn't a magical age where he will decline to the point of no longer being productive.  It could be 2014, it could be 2016, it could be after that.  The odds aren't in his favor to be a great ballplayer for the duration of this deal, but the Yankees already know that.

Beltran is coming off yet another solid season.    He hit .296/.339/.491 (128 OPS+) in 600 plate appearances for St. Louis.  The 128 OPS+ matched his 2012 number, though it is fair to say he got there in different ways.  In 2012, he walked more - in 2013, he relied more on batting average.  Obviously, you would rather have the walks over the batting average, but the power was still quite evident and should continue to be a strength in his game.   Beltran was once a 30/30 threat every season, and did reach that goal once in his career.  He no longer steals bases (only stole 2 in 3 attempts in 2013), so that part of his game is essentially gone.

Defensively, Beltran has slowed through the years, but he has been able to remain durable in St. Louis, playing 296 games the last two seasons.   He has been plagued with knee injuries in the past, so the Yankees are probably best served keeping him off of the turf in Toronto and Tampa as much as possible through the duration of this deal.

A switch-hitter, Beltran hit right-handers much better than left-handers in 2013, posting a .871 OPS vs. RHP vs. a .729 number vs. LHP.   The number vs. left-handed pitchers isn't bad, and he should be able to help the Yankees lineup vs. southpaws.  This is an area of need right now, because the Yankees have been singling out left-handed bats this winter.

This is not to say this is a slam-dunk, no-brainer contract.  Even with his recent durability, Beltran is an injury risk.  And even though he has remained productive throughout his career, every player eventually declines until they are no longer useful.  Beltran is very close to that point.  The Yankees are just hoping it doesn't happen in the next few seasons.  

As for others on the roster, it depends on how the Yankees wish to play this out.   Since they do not have a primary designated hitter, they can rotate the outfielders - using Gardner in left, Ellsbury in right, and Soriano/Beltran in a RF/DH situation (where Derek Jeter will also factor in).   If no other moves are made in this area, it could be the end of Ichiro's career in pinstripes.  It should definitely put the last nail in the Vernon Wells coffin.

The other avenue the Yankees could explore is Gardner in a trade to help fill other needs on the roster.  I am still generally opposed to this idea, because I like the current four outfielder setup.  Yes, they can do this and allow Ichiro into the 4-man rotation, but that does weaken the team.

In the end, I doubt anyone would call Cano for McCann, Beltran, and Ellsbury the perfect solution - but the offesason is still not over.  Once they add a second baseman and a pitcher or two, things could start looking much better for them.    

The Yankees' offseason to date is worthy of its own post.  It may seem a bit reckless and random, but I also think there was a "Cano Plan" vs. a "Non-Cano Plan" drawn up - and now they are going with the non-Cano plan.  They need to find offense somewhere, and OF/DH offered the best offensive options remaining on the market. 

For now, this is a solid thumbs-in-the-middle for me.  I don't think signing Beltran was necessary, but I can't fault the move very much either.   Looking at the immediate horizon, he should help them get where they want to be in 2014.

Yankees' Second Base Options

With Robinson Cano surprisingly out of the picture, the Yankees now have one of the biggest holes in all of baseball to fill.  Not only do you have to replace a position where it is tough to find talent, you have to replace the best hitter in your lineup.  There isn't a way to sugarcoat the fact that the Yankees are in bad shape at second base, whether you think it would be a good idea to hand him ten years or not.  

So, where do the Yankees turn?  The options aren't unlimited, but they do exist:

Omar Infante (Free Agent)  - There is nothing easier for the Yankees to do at this point than to just give Infante the deal he wants and put him right at second base.    Infante hit .318/.345/.450 (113 OPS+) in 476 plate appearances for the Tigers in 2013, which represents the highest OPS+ of his career.   Of course, he has been around for a while and it is at least a little scary to go after a 31-year old coming off of his career year.    Infante never walks, never strikes out, and can pop a few home runs.   Defensively, he grades above average at second base.  

Nick Franklin (Seattle) - Naturally, the first instinct you may have when you lose a player is to see who the starter was on the team he is going to.  In this case, the starter is actually worth looking at.  Franklin will be 23 heading into 2014, and is coming off of a poor rookie campaign (.225/.303/.382).  That said, he came up through the Seattle organization as a top prospect, and may flourish a bit if out of Seattle.  However, Seattle will probably use him as a big trading chip to further improve their roster (as part of a package for David Price, perhaps?), so it would be hard for the Yankees to match up.

Brandon Phillips (Cincinnati) - Overpaid and a bit overrated.  Phillips is certainly not a poor offensive player for a second baseman, but he is due $50M over the next four seasons, and he will be 33 years old when 2014 begins.    He is primed for a steep decline, and has already been in a steady decline recently.   Major pass.

Stephen Drew (Free Agent) -  The Yankees could try to be a bit creative by bringing in Drew, who is coming off of a .253/.333/.443 (111 OPS+) season in Boston.  There would be a few obvious problems with this approach:  Like Kelly Johnson, Drew hits left-handed.    Oh, and there is that minor fact that Drew has never played anywhere other than shortstop in his career.

Howie Kendrick (Angels) -  Kendrick is a fine offensive player for a second baseman (career OPS+ of 107).  As is the case with Infante, he never walks - though he does strike out a lot.    He will be entering his Age-30 season with a reasonable contract ($18.85M owed to him over the next two seasons).    Like Infante, his defense has been solid.  The bottom line here is that Kendrick may be a bit better overall than Infante, but is it worth giving up prospects for him instead of just giving money to Infante? Probably not.

David Adams/Corban Joseph/Jose Pirela, etc.  - Adams is no longer with the franchise, but can still be resigned.  Joseph and Pirela are not exactly the types of players you want to see starting in 2014.  Pirela is stuck at Double-A, while Joseph was already removed from the 40-man roster.    There is a 0% chance that the 2014 second baseman comes from within.

Danny Espinosa (Washington) - In conversations with other Yankees fans on the internet, I have downplayed Espinosa tremendously.  However, when you are in a desperate situation, all options need to be considered.  Espinosa hit .158/.193/.272 in 167 PA for the Nationals last year, which is borderline criminal.  However, he did pop 17 home runs as recently as 2012 and is still only 26 years old.     The Yankees would probably also like the appeal of his switch-hitting ability (he is better historically from the right side of the plate) and his ability to steal bases (You already have Ellsbury and Gardner on the roster - why not another?)    Espinosa would probably come cheap in terms of prospects being involved, but I would assume he is not currently high on the Yankees list.  

How the Ellsbury Signing Affects the Yankees Minor League System

A list of the three top center field prospects in the organization currently, and how the Ellsbury signing potentially affects them:

Slade Heathcott (Double-A Trenton):  The Yankees had extremely high hopes for Heathcott entering the 2013 season, but he struggled a bit out of the gate.  He started the season 13-for-68 (.191) with four extra-base hits.   Eventually, however, Heathcott did turn it around and ended the season on a high note, with 42 hits in 137 at-bats in July and August before being shut down with an injury.  The injury bug has been a problem for Heathcott in the past, and perhaps he will need to be moved off of center field eventually because of it.    A big, healthy 2013 season out of Heathcott, however, probably keeps Jacoby Ellsbury off of the 2014 Yankees.  

Mason Williams (Tampa/Trenton):  Do a search online for "Top Yankees Prospects Entering 2013", and Mason Williams will come up first on many of those lists (not quite as many as Gary Sanchez, but the fact was that there was a legitimate debate)    Fast forward to now, and the debate no longer exists.    However, it is way too soon to discount Williams, who put up a .245/.304/.337 line in 117 games between Tampa and Trenton (mostly Tampa) last year.   Those numbers aren't particularly impressive, obviously - but at this point in time, the feeling is that he can stick in center, and that is where is going to have his most value as he is not likely to develop quite enough power to be your ideal corner.     In the end, Williams is the one most hurt by this signing - and the Yankees are probably very willing to offer him up in a package.  Coming off of his 2013, his value is too low in my opinion to even consider dealing him - but that's not the way the Yankees will likely work this.

Jake Cave (Charleston):    With all of the hype surrounding Greg Bird's astronomical season in Charleston, it is easy to overlook Cave a bit.   But you really shouldn't.  Cave, who had one professional at-bat to his credit (back in 2011) entering 2013, put up an impressive .282/.347/.401 line in Charleston while stealing 18 bases (in 27 tries, so not a great percentage).   Cave only hit two home runs, but also provided 37 doubles, which could be an indicator of future power.  If that power develops, he could conceivably move to a corner, where many pegged him to land in the first place (one of the reasons why you may draft center fielders is because they have the ability to move elsewhere if the need presents itself).    Cave was a 6th round pick out of high school in 2011, and was given a nice signing bonus ($800K).   Oh, and if all else fails, he was an elite high school pitcher. 

All of these players are legitimate major league prospects - but none of them have broken out to date.   From a pure perspective of "Should we sign a free agent, or do we have enough confidence in one of these kids?", I may personally lean towards the free agent - as Heathcott's immense potential is being slowed by nagging injuries.    That said, the Yankees are not completely barren in center field prospects, and a reasonable argument could have been made to keep Gardner in center for another year to see if any of these players blossoms.  If not, well - there are much worse things than giving Gardner a contract extension - one of which is signing Ellsbury in the first place.

Yankees Sign Kelly Johnson

Over the past several years, I (and others) have made the argument that it is very tough for the Yankees to find a capable bench bat because of the durability of their regulars.  Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter, and Alex Rodriguez hardly ever took days off, and when Mark Teixiera joined the fray, it added another durable player to the infield mix.   Why would any utility player with legitimate talent want to sign with a team that would offer them very little playing time?   In 2010, Ramiro Pena spent the entire season with the Yankees and ended up with only 167 plate appearances over 80 games. He was pretty much nothing more than a pinch-runner who would come in for late-game defense during blowouts.

Fast forward to 2014, and this is no longer an issue.  Teixiera and Jeter are bouncing back from injuries.  Nobody knows where Cano will be playing in 2014, and third base is a giant black hole looking for someone to fill it.   Suddenly, utility players probably look at the Yankees as an opportunity to get significant playing time, rather than a way to collect a paycheck.   

This is where Kelly Johnson comes into play.  Johnson is a perfect fit for the Yankees - a left-handed batter who can cover second, third, and left field while providing a little pop in the lineup whenever he does play.   As a replacement for Robinson Cano, he would not be ideal - as a player who can get 350 at-bats playing different positions, it could just work out fine.    

There are a few wrinkles to work out - ideally, you would see Johnson as someone who can spell Soriano vs. tough right-handed pitching.   However, like Soriano, Johnson has never played right field.  Both may be learning it on the fly in spring training.  On top of that, his career at third base spans 16 games - all of which occurred in 2013.

But the Yankees likely didn't make this signing looking for a defensive wizard at those positions..   They signed him because he doesn't kill the offense whenever he does play.     In eight seasons in the big leagues, he has hit double-digit home runs six times.    He also has shown the ability to steal a few bases here and there.

Johnson strikes out a ton, but also is good at drawing walks.  His career walk rate of 10.5% is higher than the MLB average during his time in the game (8.4%). He also hits a lot of fly balls, which is a nice thing when you play half of your games in a home run paradise for left-handed bats.

In the end, this is a very solid signing for the Yankees - the under-the-radar type of signing that we could look back on as a key to their 2014 success.   Of course, this all changes if he is forced to play second base in the absence of Cano.

My Take: Yankees Take Major Risk With Jacoby Ellsbury

In 2011, Jacoby Ellsbury had a season that was worthy of an MVP award, playing in 158 games while compiling a .321/.376/.552 (146 OPS+) season.  On top of that, he played stellar defense in center field.   The home run spike was the most eye-popping statistic of them all, as he hit 32 of them that season.  He hasn't reached double digits in any other season in his career.

Expect that to change - at least somewhat.   Ellsbury will definitely benefit from the dimensions in Yankee Stadium, and should be able to hit 12-15 home runs going forward, as long as he stays healthy.   However, Yankee Stadium also suppresses other extra base hits, meaning that Ellsbury's spike in home runs could correspond with a decline in doubles and triples.    In 2013, Yankee Stadium ranked 19th in baseball in doubles output, and 20th in triples, according to ESPN's Park Factors.  Fenway Park, in comparison, was second in doubles and 10th in triples.    It doesn't take a statistics genius to recognize that a spike in home runs has the potential to override any kind of decline in doubles and triples, but it comes down to just how much of a spike the Yankees will get.

There are a few major risks in signing a player like Ellsbury (30 years old) to a 7-year deal:  For one, he relies a lot on speed and defense for his value.   Ellsbury is an outstanding basestealer, as evidenced by his 52-for-56 line in 2013.   Defensively, he remains one of the best defensive center fielders in the game, tied for 5th in overall center field defense according to Fangraphs.    His strength is in his range and speed.  Arm wise, we will just say that it may be time to pull out the old Johnny Damon tapes to get ourselves ready for 2014.   However, players who rely on these two attributes for a large portion of their value tend to fade relatively quickly.  As soon as Ellsbury's legs start to go, he will lose a lot of what makes him a great baseball player at the moment, unless he permanently finds the power that has eluded him in every year except for one.  You are not going to find many center fielders historically who were still effective defensively at the position in their late-30s.  Even superstars like Andruw Jones lost it, and lost it relatively quickly.

Another risk is Ellsbury's injury history.  In 2010, he only played in 18 games due to a rib injury suffered after colliding with Adrian Beltre.  He attempted a few futile comebacks that year.  In 2012, he suffered an injured shoulder when Reid Brignac (You probably thought you would never see that name again) landed on him after Ellsbury broke up a double play.  Obviously, these injuries can be looked at as mere flukes more than a player who is simply prone to injury, but they need to be factored into his future as well.   Overall, I am not as concerned by his injuries as I am the type of player he is.

The Yankees of course had other options on the table, but apparently decided they weren't going to come to fruition.  Carlos Beltran, supposedly their top target, wanted one year too many.  Curtis Granderson, a player who obviously benefits from the ballpark, could be looking at a longer deal than many envisioned this winter.  

As for how this impacts the rest of the roster, there are a few players we will need to watch closely.  Brett Gardner has played left field in the past, and can easily shift back over there, with Alfonso Soriano taking over in right field.    Of course, that is easier said than done, as Soriano has never played a game in right field in his major league career.  This would have an impact on Ichiro, Vernon Wells, and young players like Zoilo Almonte.  It seems that the writing is on the wall for Wells, though the Yankees apparently love the luxury tax price ($0).   Ichiro could slide into a 4th OF role, with Almonte taking residence in Scranton as an insurance policy.   There could also be trades on the horizon that we just don't know about yet.  The Yankees won't be able to deal Wells, but Ichiro could bring back something.   Gardner would bring back an even bigger haul, but then you are again looking for another starting outfielder.

The other major impact of course is Robinson Cano.  The Yankees seemingly do not have unlimited funds this winter, so it seems very difficult to envision them giving a massive amount of money to Cano at this point.  That said, I doubt the Yankees would turn him away if he came knocking on the door.

In the end, Ellsbury is likely going to be a star-quality player for 2014 and 2015.  Beyond that, I can see major roadblocks.  He will not likely be able to handle center field for the duration of the deal, and unless he gets his power back, he will not be ideal at a corner.  (Of course, they are shifting Gardner to a corner if he isn't traded).   The Yankees may be a fun team to watch in the near-term with these two speedsters in the lineup, but the long-term implications can be much more dicey.