With the winter meeting over, it looks as though the Chicago White Sox are interested in Brett Gardner.
If the Yankees re-sign Johnny Damon, Brett Gardner would be expendable because the Yankees would have Hoffman as their fourth outfielder.
To me, Gardner is the perfect fourth outfielder. He has speed and Hoffman has power. The Yankees have enough power. If you remember how Gardner used his speed in the playoffs to help the Yankees, it was an important asset.
Speed is always there for you. Power may not be.
The Yankees can still send Gardner to triple A but it depends on what the White Sox are willing to give up to get him.
The White Sox seem to love having speed at centerfield like a Podsednik type of player. I don’t see the Yankees trading Gardner until they have Damon re-signed first.
When it comes to John Lackey, I don’t believe the Yankees are “not” interested in Lackey. Remember last year when Cashman rode in and snuck Teixeira away from Boston? I see the same thing happening with Lackey. Cashman seems to never show his hand.
Cashman seems to be on the ball even during the World Series. He actually called the Tigers’ GM before game one of the World Series to obtain about Granderson. From Sports Illustrated…
How sharp are the Yankees operating these days? On the day he handed in his World Series roster before Game 1, New York GM Brian Cashman called Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski, who was so stunned by the timing he had to ask Cashman, on the eve of the World Series, “Why are you calling me?” Even with his team in the World Series, Cashman was beginning his offseason diligence in an attempt to make the Yankees’ outfield younger and more athletic. That conversation with Dombrowski was the start to Curtis Granderson becoming a Yankee. It’s reminiscent of how John Schuerholz ran the Braves in the 1990s, getting a jump on the market and refusing to play the stalking horse in postseason bidding.
I don’t believe that David Robertson will be a “throw” in for a trade for another player. He’s cheap, young and lead the league per k/9. I can see if the Blue Jays want him for a trade that involves Halladay.
If any pitcher is going to be the fifth starter it will be Joba Chamberlain. He already has his innings limits up and Hughes does not.
The Yankees need another starter and they can’t go into this season with what they had last year even though they won the World Series. You need talent to win the World Series but you also need luck and good timing which the Yankees had a lot of.
