The Yankees are likely to sign free agent second baseman Brian Roberts, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Per [twitter]Ken_Rosenthal[/twitter]
Yankees likely to sign Brian Roberts
- Thread starter AMS25
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He did play in 77 games in 2013. Which was his most since the 2009 season.
From 2010-2013 (four seasons) he's averaged 48 games played. Injuries where he lost time over those four years include a strained ab muscle, sore back, concussion, torn right hip labrum, another concussion, and ruptured tendon in his right knee.
From 2010-2013 (four seasons) he's averaged 48 games played. Injuries where he lost time over those four years include a strained ab muscle, sore back, concussion, torn right hip labrum, another concussion, and ruptured tendon in his right knee.
From 2011-2013 he played in a total of 133 games and has a 71 OPS+.To the handful of "woe is me" types that will inevitably post their "he'll probably hit .400 and ruin my summah!" thoughts, like they do whenever they've signed any past-his-prime schlub, you have permission to seek out other activities today to take your mind off the Yankees signing your new Red Sox killer.
The guy just doesn't do anything well anymore, and is a pretty spectacular drop-off from Cano if that's who he's helping replace. Hopefully they'll trade their best corner OF (and Ellsbury insurance) in Gardner to completely finish off a WTF offseason where they merely went sideways.
Cashman has done a few good things in his career, but I wonder what his legacy would look like if he had not inherited Posada (26), Jeter (24), Pettitte (26), and Rivera (28), and not had the ability to spend himself out of a hole (offseason after 2008).
The guy just doesn't do anything well anymore, and is a pretty spectacular drop-off from Cano if that's who he's helping replace. Hopefully they'll trade their best corner OF (and Ellsbury insurance) in Gardner to completely finish off a WTF offseason where they merely went sideways.
Cashman has done a few good things in his career, but I wonder what his legacy would look like if he had not inherited Posada (26), Jeter (24), Pettitte (26), and Rivera (28), and not had the ability to spend himself out of a hole (offseason after 2008).
Mark Ellis signed with St. Louis to be a backup for $5.25mm a few days ago. One would assume that he would have signed with the MFY to be a starter if they'd made him an offer. But instead of signing the very competent Ellis to play 2b, the MFY are saving a few million and signing a "name" player. There's no on-field justification for that decision.
Well, at least he is going to a place where the team trainers have experience in geriatric medicine / management of chronic injuries.....
The O's really needed to "move on" - they kept living in the past with Roberts, penciling him in at 2nd base hoping and praying he could have a healthy season and return to form, and the last 5 years have not produced that, and all the stop gap fill ins mostly disappointed also - no one good was going to sign to play 2nd for the O's b/c Roberts was always out there as a possibility to get healthy and "steal the job back". Let's see if he can make it through spring training in one piece (not kidding).
The O's really needed to "move on" - they kept living in the past with Roberts, penciling him in at 2nd base hoping and praying he could have a healthy season and return to form, and the last 5 years have not produced that, and all the stop gap fill ins mostly disappointed also - no one good was going to sign to play 2nd for the O's b/c Roberts was always out there as a possibility to get healthy and "steal the job back". Let's see if he can make it through spring training in one piece (not kidding).
nattysez said:
As much as I want to bust on the Yankees you have no idea if they even offered Mark Ellis a deal. And, hypothetically, why would Mark Ellis want to start for that god awful Yankee team over the Cardinals who are poised to make another run at October? The only dudes going to the Yankees are (Ells, McCann, Beltran) guys getting top dollar and guys on their last legs like Roberts who are just trying to catch on anywhere. What I'm saying is that starting for the Yankees right now isn't en vogue.
2005 AL All Star Infield:
1B Mark Teixeira Rangers
2B Brian Roberts Orioles
3B Alex Rodriguez Yankees
SS Miguel Tejada Orioles
Jeter didn't make the team, but that's 3 of the 4 starters
Others on that team who became Yankees?
Damon
Bartolo
Alfonso Soriano
Ichiro
1B Mark Teixeira Rangers
2B Brian Roberts Orioles
3B Alex Rodriguez Yankees
SS Miguel Tejada Orioles
Jeter didn't make the team, but that's 3 of the 4 starters
Others on that team who became Yankees?
Damon
Bartolo
Alfonso Soriano
Ichiro
rembrat said:
To play devil's advocate, wouldn't Ellis rather start than be a UI? This might be his last shot at a full-time job.
Sure. I wonder if Boston considered him. Although he hasn't played much on the left side but I'm assuming that St. Louis didn't sign him just to back up one position.
Clemente38 said:
Ah, the vaunted "pillow" contract. There should be a custom-made Yankees Hot Stove Bingo card this off-season!
Another reason this move is confusing is that they now have 5 guys to cover 3 spots- Jeter, Ryan, Nunez, Johnson and Roberts- and that's assuming ARod doesn't play an inning.
In other news, the same Yankee fan who is trying to convince me that Beltran was an amazing signing just emailed me to brag about the Roberts and Thornton signings. At first I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. Levine must be releasing some seriously strong shit into the NY water supply.
In other news, the same Yankee fan who is trying to convince me that Beltran was an amazing signing just emailed me to brag about the Roberts and Thornton signings. At first I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. Levine must be releasing some seriously strong shit into the NY water supply.
Damon too. And his last year of >1.0 WAR is more recent than Roberts'. Probably a better bet to stay on the field too.DanoooME said:
Can never have too many outfielders right?
That's a little harsh. He was able to play almost everyday in August and September with a .330 / 400 line. His walk rate was still excellent. That's not terrible for a middle infielder these days.
Plympton91 said:
My friends who are hardcore Orioles fans say he is a terrible defender now and are happy to see him go. I'd rather just play Brendan Ryan there and save any remaining money for someone with actual upside and/or a future.
Interesting, looking at game logs, it looks like he saved his career with 3 HRs in the final week. Before that his OPS was .664, that raised it to .704. Two of those were off Chris Archer and Jon Lester, so maybe he's not completely cooked and I'm wrong.
What's the problem? Roberts costs less than 1/5th of what they paid for the injury-plagued Youkilis, who gave the Yankees absolutely nothing. $2M is pin money in this year's FA market.
glennhoffmania said:
I think you've figured out the Yanks offseason strategy. Since their pitching is so weak they're going to carry 6 infielders, 6 outfielders, 2 catchers and 11 pitchers.
Probably not a bad plan. Fatigue is bound to be an issue with all the fielding those old position players are going to have to do given the state of the pitching.Montana Fan said:
The MFY did pretty good with corpses this past year so why wouldn't they think twice about Roberts? I'm still looking for them to get pitching. I think they need slightly more than Matt Thornton.opes said:
strek1 said:
I would kind of like the Yankees to take a flier on Andrew Bailey. Any of you guys think he will be able to bounce back?
I think the problem with Bailey is that he's going to miss the first half of the season. At least.
I've always been a bit of a Bailey fanboy in that I love his stuff. The dude really just can't stay healthy.
I've always been a bit of a Bailey fanboy in that I love his stuff. The dude really just can't stay healthy.
strek1 said:
Did they? Wells and Hafner were worthless after a month or so, who else? I guess Overbay had an OK year.
Fake edit: This pained me to look up, but Wells had a .551 OPS after April 30. But wait, Hafner beat that with a .532 OPS from May 1 on.
Bob Montgomery's Helmet Hat said:
Yeah, I have always liked him too. And when he has pitched he has been good. I wonder if he would love for the Yankees to sign him to a low cost two year deal.
Also, since you made me think of Hafner again (and thanks for that), I have mentioned it before but that was another place NY killed themselves by not just standing pat, letting Ibanez go in favor of Hafner, especially after Ibanez had been so great down the stretch and in the postseason. They didn't even save much money (1/2.75 for Ibanez, 1/2 for Hafner).
It's like NY has gone out of their way to dismantle the 2012 team ever since, all they did was win 95 games and make it to the ALCS (where they got embarrassed, but still). Some of the specific moves can probably be defended, others can't, and as a macro 'strategy', it just seems remarkably dumb. People make such a big deal about how playing in NY is unlike playing anywhere else (IMO true to an extent), then NY dumps player after player who has at least somewhat thrived in that spotlight. Good plan. No, really.
New thesis: the Steinbrenners and James Dolan have a Mortimer/Randolph Duke type bet, who can ruin their franchise more. Both teams desperately need new ownership and to rebuild things from square one (starting with the asinine facial hair rule for the Yankees, as I wrote here last spring).
It's like NY has gone out of their way to dismantle the 2012 team ever since, all they did was win 95 games and make it to the ALCS (where they got embarrassed, but still). Some of the specific moves can probably be defended, others can't, and as a macro 'strategy', it just seems remarkably dumb. People make such a big deal about how playing in NY is unlike playing anywhere else (IMO true to an extent), then NY dumps player after player who has at least somewhat thrived in that spotlight. Good plan. No, really.
New thesis: the Steinbrenners and James Dolan have a Mortimer/Randolph Duke type bet, who can ruin their franchise more. Both teams desperately need new ownership and to rebuild things from square one (starting with the asinine facial hair rule for the Yankees, as I wrote here last spring).
I was just reading an article in the Baltimore Sun about this transaction, and it noted that Roberts had admitted to using steroids after appearing in the Mitchell Report. I had totally forgotten that! Maybe he can share tips with A-Rod...
I was just reading an article in the Baltimore Sun about this transaction, and it noted that Roberts had admitted to using steroids after appearing in the Mitchell Report. I had totally forgotten that! Maybe he can share tips with A-Rod...
Yeah. " You gotta 'fess up, say you're sorry and STOP DOING IT..."
Yeah. " You gotta 'fess up, say you're sorry and STOP DOING IT..."
The problem with signings like Youkilis last year and Roberts this year is that you can't pick which 120 games these guys are going to miss and on a team like the Yankees that will probably have some injury woes, why would you waste a roster spot on a guy that probably won't be available when you need him?Brickowski said:
I did not know that.AMS25 said:
Have people stopped claiming that steroids don't make you better, yet?
I read some of your posts, in my mind, in the voice of a furious John Cleese like in Fawlty Towers and they're even better. But they're pretty good to start with. Kudos to you.jon abbey said:
Rough Carrigan said:
Hehe, thanks. It's a good thing my actual life is going pretty well, because if I had to rely on my sports teams for my happiness, I'd have probably gone on a killing spree already.
But seriously, where is the beat writer to call NY out on this disastrous series of moves over the past 14 months?