December 01, 2005

Moving Jeter or A-Rod to center: The Yankees are so desperately seeking a Center Fielder, now that they don't have Bernie Williams nor Bobby Crosby, that they are even considering moving either Jeter or Rodriguez out there. Joe Torre said that the solution to this problem may be within the own team (refering to moving Alex or Derek).

Brian Giles is in conversations with the Yankees, but he has interest in staying in the West Coast, where he resides, and he would rather sign with the Dodgers. The Yanks have also touched on Johnny Damon, from the Red Sox, but his agent Scott Boras, as always, is interested in a super contract of at least 7 years; something that NY is not willing to do, since they are offering 3 to 4 years at the most.



posted by zippinglou to baseball at 10:06 AM - 45 comments

Personally, I would go after Juan Pierre, giving the Yanks a speedy outfielder along with a great lead hitter. The other option I would consider, would be to move Cano to the outfield, and hire someone like Garciapara to play second base.... This last option would be cool. (Hear me Cashman?)

posted by zippinglou at 10:12 AM on December 01, 2005

The Yankees so far have not tipped their hand on whether they'll get in on Damon, but their need for a center fielder is obvious, to the point that manager Joe Torre went on the ''Tony Danza Show" to dismiss a report that he was contemplating using Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter in center, which he was quoted as saying in a Reuters dispatch. He also told the Reuters reporter that closer Mariano Rivera could play center, too, Torre said, making light of the report, but that did not appear in print. Link

posted by justgary at 10:15 AM on December 01, 2005

Hey Cubs, Send them Corey Patterson. I would take ARod for him. (Even if the Yankees lost their collective minds and did that, the Trib Co. wouldn't do it. "We have Wrigley sold out everyday anyway. Why invest all that money in ARod?")

posted by Wrigley South at 10:16 AM on December 01, 2005

Old news in a slow news time that's all this ends up being. Once again the media is making the news I mean why even write an article after the facts to discredited it have already come out. I mean the quotes from Cashman and Torre are in this article. The only thing he's right about is they should have planned better. But there was never a chance they were going to move Jeter, Arod or Rivera. It doesn't matter though if they would trade Cano or Wang (Which I think would be stupid.) People would say they keep trading away their young players or something else. Come on with the lineup they have do you think Crosby has to hit. The guy is young and he has speed. Not to mention he hit .333 in the final three weeks of the season when he actually started 11 of 16 games. How can people talk about poor hitting from a young kid who is only called off the bench. No he's not my first choice but the media is turning it into a crisis situation when it's really not the big a deal.

posted by jtrluva at 10:42 AM on December 01, 2005

Dude, this article is soooooo out-of-date. Giles has re-signed with the Padres.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 10:42 AM on December 01, 2005

Bubba Crosby--I think Bobby plays for the A's.

posted by jenny at 10:47 AM on December 01, 2005

What is this, Page Six? I can pick out names without the bold.

posted by yerfatma at 10:58 AM on December 01, 2005

Saw that too, huh DrJohn? I was really hoping he'd be a Jay - now we have to look forward to Lyle Overbay in a deal and the spectre of another Clement/Park/Dreifort signing like Burnett. Damn. This centre field nonsense with the Yanks is bullshit. Matsui will play there if they can't make a deal. Damon for seven years isn't a smart move that anyone is going to make. He'll get five I bet. Five at $55-70 million, I imagine - depending on the teams involved. I see Damon as a Dodger.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:00 AM on December 01, 2005

Bubba will play center field and bat 9th. Damon wants too long of a deal (no one can over infalte the price of a ball player better than Scott Boras) There will be no need to move Jeter or A-Rod out of the infield.

posted by HATER 187 at 11:13 AM on December 01, 2005

I agree that Bubba will bat 9th. Why would any team give Damon a contract like that. His arm is as poor as Bernie Williams. Scott Boras tried this same crap with Varitek last year didn't he?

posted by jtrluva at 11:19 AM on December 01, 2005

Wrigley, I see you're a huge fan of the Trib. Co. too. Won't spend the money for a series, because they make enough to line their pockets. Who cares about the fans, huh?

posted by jusafan at 11:21 AM on December 01, 2005

Two days ago On the DP show on ESPN Kieth O blew the whole story out of the water. He said that he had spoken with Torre about the quote. The whole thing was generated by the reporter-asking Torre about historical scenerios where infielders moved to the outfield. The Yankees are not in trouble--they could do much worse than Crosby playing CF....

posted by daddisamm at 11:23 AM on December 01, 2005

I can pick out names without the bold. But can you do it with pictures? The Yankees are so desperately seeking a Center Fielder, now that they don't have nor , that they are even considering moving either or out there. said that the solution to this problem may be within the own team (refering to moving or ). is in conversations with the Yankees, but he has interest in staying in the West Coast, where he resides, and he would rather sign with the Dodgers. The Yanks have also touched on , from the Red Sox, but his agent , as always, is interested in a super contract of at least 7 years; something that NY is not willing to do, since they are offering 3 to 4 years at the most.

posted by YukonGold at 11:25 AM on December 01, 2005

Someone told me of a Manny/Foulke for Kent/Gagne rumor that is starting to spread. Doubt that will ever happen. I do not see the McCheaps going for Damon.

posted by jasonspaceman at 11:25 AM on December 01, 2005

Not the mention the Dodgers seem to be having trouble picking from a underwhelming list of candidates for manager.

posted by jasonspaceman at 11:32 AM on December 01, 2005

Joe Torre went on the ''Tony Danza Show" to dismiss a report that he was contemplating using Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter in center
Who chooses the Tony Danza Show to shoot down inaccurate information? You probably have a better chance of reaching an audience by sending an email to Adult Swim and hoping they use it in a bumper.

posted by YukonGold at 11:33 AM on December 01, 2005

I don't know how things up in the Yukon Territory work but here in New York the Tony Danza Show is highly respected source of news.

posted by HATER 187 at 11:39 AM on December 01, 2005

Jeez, the Yanks DON'T sign free agents and make moves and they still make news. Like Torre said, Mariano Rivera might play center, too.

posted by dyams at 11:46 AM on December 01, 2005

Tony "Fuckin" Danza. You all better recognize. AayOh.

posted by Desert Dog at 11:49 AM on December 01, 2005

Yukon, you're my hero. Have you considered writing children's literature? I'm picturing those "sight 'n' sound" books with the buttons down one side which make the noises. When you came to Alex Rodriguez's picture in the text, you'd hit the corresponding button on the side, and the book would say something like "I would certainly trade his World Series championship for this MVP trophy".

posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:54 AM on December 01, 2005

The yankee's can go out and get all the high price overrated players they want and still will fail to get the job done next year, It is not the A-rods and big unit's that get it done it is the guys that quietly do thier job day in and day out without patting themselves on the back every two seconds and demanding huge salaries. A-Rod is good, but no player in the history of professional sports is worthy of the dough he makes every year. the Yankee's can go out and find whoever they want but they will never get close to finding someone who holds as much value to his team and works with the class of Bernie Williams.

posted by Coach_B at 11:59 AM on December 01, 2005

Bold tags!

posted by jerseygirl at 12:02 PM on December 01, 2005

Like the pics Yukon....very impressive you managed to get Boras in there too! The Tony Danza Show thing threw me for a loop too- we only see him Who's the Boss reruns here in the midwest.

posted by Bury Bonds at 12:03 PM on December 01, 2005

Speaking of class, How about the Bruins O'connell. He actually called his franchise player and told him he was traded. He was in Boston at the time, get in your little fucking car and drive over to your team Captains house and tell him to his face. Pretty pathetic.

posted by Coach_B at 12:05 PM on December 01, 2005

What current Yankee player was recently seen canoodling in Center Field? We'll give you three guesses, Bubba, and the first two don't count!

posted by yerfatma at 12:36 PM on December 01, 2005

"I can pick out names without the bold."
Fartman

posted by zippinglou at 12:37 PM on December 01, 2005

Coach: I realize these threads go all over the place, but you went clean off the map. There is a Joe Thornton thread down below on the main page, though. The Yanks are apparently close to signing Kyle Farnsworth. Maybe he'll play center.

posted by dyams at 12:39 PM on December 01, 2005

That is wonderful news dyams his fastball hits 100 and he's still young.

posted by jtrluva at 12:42 PM on December 01, 2005

Looks like Tom Gordon's definitely gone (off to be a closer somewhere). Too bad, he was one of their most valuable players the past few years. Farnsworth will fill in well in his spot, though.

posted by dyams at 01:27 PM on December 01, 2005

was that a family tree?

posted by steelcityguy at 01:33 PM on December 01, 2005

I will be sad to see Gordon go as well however if Farnsworth works out he's young enough to take over for Mariano when he retires. (shudder) I hope that day never comes but all good things must come to an end sooner or later. Hopefully it's much later but in the mean time Mo can start grooming him.

posted by jtrluva at 01:35 PM on December 01, 2005

But the biggest question of the day is not what the Yankee's are going to do, but what over priced has been will the Red Sox pick up for loosing Damon?

posted by grabofsky74 at 01:36 PM on December 01, 2005

Gordon has said Boston is the one place he'd be willing to be a setup man and backup Foulke as closer.

posted by yerfatma at 02:18 PM on December 01, 2005

Thanks for the Back Up Jusa, I believe (Blasphemy of Blasphemies) that Wrigley Field is part of the Cubs problem. How can you build a team that plays in a BandBox one day and a Cavern the next depending on the wind? It also has 500 seats (give or take 29,500) and sells out daily. No need for the Trib Co. to invest $. Their big IMPROVEMENT was to add seats in the Bleachers? Whom does that help? Oh yeah, The Trib.

posted by Wrigley South at 02:43 PM on December 01, 2005

Gordon really wants to close. He also wants a 3 year contract and at his age that could be risky. The yanks have said they aren't willing to give him 3 years so who knows. My guess is all things considered even (contract years and money) he will go to the team that gives him the option to close.

posted by jtrluva at 02:58 PM on December 01, 2005

Gordon has said Boston is the one place he'd be willing to be a setup man and backup Foulke as closer. Foulke's a closer? Oh yeah, I forot. Gordon probably figures he'll go there under the assumption he'll set-up for Foulke, but will soon be in as THE Sox closer. He'll thus move from being the set-up man for the best team in the AL East to the closer for the second-best team in the AL East.

posted by dyams at 05:20 PM on December 01, 2005

Year 2000.

posted by yerfatma at 05:34 PM on December 01, 2005

They wrote of Soriano in center - I've heard rumors of Nomar in center - ARod & Jeter aren't any more far fetched. Actually - isn't ARod still the best SS in the game? When we run out of avilable Centerfielders we look for athleticism. Mantle, Aaron, Murcer, although not quite MLB infielders - they played there until that level due to their pure athleticism. I think most MLB players were SS or CF in Little League for this reason. Fun stuff to write about but Matsui will do fine once the season starts.

posted by knuckleballer at 05:42 PM on December 01, 2005

taking over the hallowed ground once patrolled by Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Murcer, Mickey Rivers and Bernie Williams Do you children (and I say children because you are obviously too young to have a grasp on Yankee history) understand the following comment. The captioned mentions a few of the Yankee greats. Just so you know, Mickey Mantle and Bobby Murcer were Yankee shortstops who were converted to centerfield. In addition, Tom Tresch was a shortstop who later became a left fielder for the Yanks. Not a bad history of shortstops going to the outfield. So what's the big deal if ARod or Jeter goes to the outfield. Would it break your balls, or something? Big freaking deal. Personally, I'd like to see Damon in center. But if that don't happen, I could certainly live with Jeter or ARod in center. It would just be a matter of carrying on a Yankee tradition that has existed since 1950.

posted by drevl at 06:16 PM on December 01, 2005

When we run out of avilable Centerfielders we look for athleticism. Mantle, Aaron, I don't mean to be picky, knucklehead, but when did Aaron become a centerfielder. For much of his career Jim Busby played center and Hamerin Hank played rightfield. Maybe he switched to center late in his career, but I don't remember that happening.

posted by drevl at 06:30 PM on December 01, 2005

Sorry knuck, I was thinking Busby when I ment Bruton. Otherwise, your original point was well taken. I better quit being picky.

posted by drevl at 06:37 PM on December 01, 2005

If Damon gets 7 years with the Yankees , maybe I can get three years out of them. My throwing arm is shot too!

posted by INOALOSER at 09:44 PM on December 01, 2005

If Damon gets 7 years from the yanks I'm gonna start rooting for the hoboken zephyrs.

posted by HATER 187 at 10:26 AM on December 02, 2005

the Yankee's can go out and find whoever they want but they will never get close to finding someone who holds as much value to his team and works with the class of Bernie Williams. Who the hell do you think found Bernie Williams, the tooth fairy?

posted by drevl at 12:50 PM on December 03, 2005

dont move either one pull someone up from a smaller league the yanks will make a wrong move if they move jeter or a-rod to center

posted by Dav at 07:48 AM on December 04, 2005

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