By Pete Caldera, The Record (Hackensack, N.J.) –
As the Tigers exchanged their jerseys for newly minted-AL Championship t-shirts in a giddy on-field celebration, Yankees players gathered their bats and gloves and trudged up the long staircase leading to the visiting clubhouse at Comerica
Some of those players knew they had worn a Yankee uniform for the last time. A few others will find out soon enough.
“We’ve got a lot of free agents. And every year the roster changes,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “We always have tough decisions every winter.”
Cashman is less inclined to make major splashes into free agency, preferring to extend his own valuable players while pursuing trades and signing proven, aging players to one-year deals.
The GM believes he has the core of a championship-caliber club in place, though there is much to do before pitchers and catchers report.
With Nick Swisher expected to depart via free agency, the Yankees will be looking outside the organization for outfield help. And despite Swisher’s dry Octobers, it won’t be easy to replace the 26 homers and 87 RBI he’s averaged since 2009.
Forget free-agent slugger Josh Hamilton, whose enormous price tag and off-field issues make him a non-fit in the Bronx.
Think more along the lines of a trade for someone like Cleveland’s Shin-Soo Choo, a lefty-hitting right fielder who can be a free agent after the 2013 season.
And remember the words of Cashman, who isn’t straying from the club’s philosophy despite a stone-cold offensive October.
“We are still executing the Gene Michael playbook, which is predominantly left-handed hitters that take walks,” Cashman said. “They are selective.
“They’re typically big, hairy monsters as I describe them. (They) hit doubles, singles, can hit home runs.”
Shoo, 30, had a .373 on-base percentage last year and a .815 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), batting .283 with 16 homers and 67 RBI.
But it was an injury-plagued and ineffective year for potential trade chips such as Ivan Nova, Joba Chamberlain, Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos. If it’s doubtful that the Yanks would move David Phelps, could a package including the likes of Adam Warren, Melky Mesa and one of their stellar young catching prospects net a significant return?
Switch-hitting Shane Victorino (.255, 11 HR, 55 RBI, 15 steals) would seem to be a better free agent value than lefty-hitting Michael Bourn (.274, 9 HR, 57 RBI, 42 steals), who would cost more in years and dollars and struck out 155 times last year.
Pitching won’t be a Yankee priority unless Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda aren’t re-signed to one-year deals. And the Yanks can say farewell to Rafael Soriano (expected to opt out of his contract) as long as Mariano Rivera returns following knee surgery.
Re-signing Russell Martin is a priority, given the sparse free agent catching choices and prospect Austin Romine’s back injury, which set him back a full season. Gary Sanchez is one of the game’s top prospects, but he just finished the year at Class A and turns 20 next month.
The Braves’ Brian McCann is one alternative, but only if Atlanta fails to exercise his option. But due to shoulder surgery, McCann isn’t expected to be ready to start the season on time.
There is value to bringing back veteran free agents Eric Chavez, Raul Ibanez and Ichiro Suzuki.
Despite Chavez’s lousy postseason (0-for-16, 8 Ks), he batted .281 with 16 homers in 278 at-bats and A-Rod needs an understudy – though Chavez comes with health risks, too.
Ibanez will be 41 next June, but he’s a good fit as an occasional outfielder, lefty-hitting DH and pinch-hitting presence.
Suzuki will draw interest after his rejuvenating second half with the Yanks (.322, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 14 steals). With Brett Gardner returning from injury, Suzuki might have to accept a diminished role as a Yankee, depending on how the outfield situation shakes out this winter.
