• Rookie of the Year 2001
• 3 MVPs (2005, 2008, 2009)
• MVP runner up 3 times (2002, 2003, 2006)
• MVP top 5 8 time (out of 9 seasons)
• 1 Gold Glove
• Highest career Batting Average (.334) among active players
• Among active players (1st in BA, SLG, OPS, OPS+, 2nd in OPB)
• Career (already 4th in career SLG and OPS, 7th in career OPS+)
• Through age 29, most similar to Jimmie Foxx, Hank Aaron, Lou Gherig, Ken Griffey, Frank Robinson and Mickey Mantle in that order)
• For his first 6 years he was most similar to Joe Dimaggio

I know his resume is incomplete, but if he stays healthy, we are looking at one of the greatest hitters of all time.

1. Franklin Guitierrez – 27.1
2. Rajai Davis – 17.8
3. Brett Gardner – 15.4
4. Willy Taveras – 14.1

Numbers are numbers and Russ will say “I know what I saw” but I think Garnder covered more ground than Melky and is a solid defender.

2009 Season

 162 Game Averages 

Granderson and Gardner are superior defenders (Gardner by some metrics was the best centerfielder defensively last year) and all three project as better offensive threats than Jeff Francouer.   Most of Gardner’s offense comes from his legs.  Assuming he can get on base at the .345 clip he did last year, he will be a terror on the basepaths.  Maybe you and the Snowman should just chill, enjoy the championship offseason and put a little faith in Cashman.

I agree with Joe.  If you look at the moves made by Cashman, you can’t look at them by position.  You have to look at them as a whole and I agree that the comparisons are correct.

Since Granderson will be the LF compare him to Damon.  Offense is probably the same.  “Clutch” favors Damon.  Power favors Granderson.  Defense favors Granderson.  Injury risk favors Granderson.  Edge: Granderson.

Matsui/Johnson.  Joe is right. Matsui has more Mash/clutch.  Both are injury risks. Nick offers the ability to actually play the field occasionally. Edge: Matsui (by a couple of lengths based on “clutch” factor)  But I do like Nick Johnson.  

Gardner-Winn v. Melky – Defensively a huge upgrade.  Gardner will be a stolen base threat not seen since the days of Ricky.  Maybe less power, but Melky was fading.  Gardner has the potential to be a steal in terms of value.

No 4th Starter vs. Vazquez.  HUGE.  The importance of this cannot be measured. 

When you look at the above and realize that Cashman made all those things happen on the same salary he gave to Damon and Matsui combined, it is impressive.

As for Boras, as soon as the Yankees reportedly agreed to terms with Winn, Scott had the old spin machine at full speed. “The Yankees never even made an offer to me regarding Johnny Damon during the entire process,” Boras reportedly said. 

However, Cashman was out to quickly put that to bed and to further cement the Yankees position that, unless we really want you, we are not going to be held hostage by your dumb agent and pay more money than we want.

“On Dec 17, we were told not to make an offer for a penny less than $13 million a year for two years. We believed him. “

Source.  Cashman further said….

“Boras told me I wouldn’t find a No. 2 hitter for less than $13 million,” Cashman continued. “I found one for half that (Nick Johnson).”

Source.  It’s clear that Cashman has had enough of dealing with Boras and takes delight in getting the word out that Boras is full of crap.  I think the reasoning behind this is to move the Yankees towards the Red Sox negotiating style, namely don’t overpay, keep the contracts shorter, allow for flexibility.

Is Winn better than Damon? No.  But are Granderson ($5.5M), Johnson ($5.5M), Winn($2M), Gardner ($500K) and Vasquez ($11.5M) better in terms of wins than Damon ($13M) and Matsui ($13M)?  I’d say probably.

Sounds like the Newsday meeting went about as well as the Mets press conferences go:

That astoundingly low figure was revealed in a newsroom-wide meeting last week by publisher Terry Jimenez when a reporter asked how many people had signed up for the site. Mr. Jimenez didn’t know the number off the top of his head, so he asked a deputy sitting near him. He replied 35.

Michael Amon, a social services reporter, asked for clarification.

“I heard you say 35 people,” he said, from Newsday’s auditorium in Melville. “Is that number correct?”

Mr. Jimenez nodded.

I found this story so amusing that I had to include it in a post.  How long will it be before the Newsday on-line subscribers exceed the number of Mets season ticket holders.

The point is, this guy had a chance to come out in the NFL Draft and likely would have been a top pick with lots of guaranteed money, yet he decided to come back to Texas to compete for a national championship.  Now who knows how bad the injury is?  How much money did he just cost himself.

Michael Kay talks about this all the time.  When you have the chance to come out and make $$ in a professional sport, you take it.  Otherwise you risk EVERYTHING by returning to school for another year.  Your only benefit by staying is that you get another year of scholarship and if you don’t go to class, what did you really get.  

I hope McCoy is ok.  But if he isn’t boy that was a dumb decision.