Cameron Would Be a Fit for Yanks
By Mike Silva ~ November 12th, 2009. Filed under: Offseason Speculation.
Those coming to the site have heard me gripe about Mike Cameron being an unacceptable option for left field for the Mets. This doesn’t mean I feel the same way about Cameron and the Yankees.
If Johnny Damon prices himself out of pinstripes then Ken Rosenthal reports that baseball people believe Brian Cashman should look to upgrade centerfield until Austin Jackson is ready to take the reins. This is where Mike Cameron comes into play.
The Yankees have been interested in Cameron before. Last winter there were rumors the Yankees were close to exchanging Kei Igawa and Melky Cabrera for Cameron. It turned out that Igawa’s salary become a huge sticking point in the negotiations and talks broke down. Cabrera is coming off a great season, but he still was a below league average player even after his 13 homer, 65 RBI, .752 OPS season. Brett Gardner is a scrappy player, but appears to be more of a fourth outfielder/defensive substitute than everyday player. In the Yankees lineup Cameron could hit seventh and provide pop at the bottom of the order. Since he won’t be any more than a complementary offensive player you can live with his strikeouts and low batting average. His defense will certainly be welcome in an outfield that saw Johnny Damon and Nick Swisher roam the corners this year.
The Mets need an impact offensive player that is why Cameron is unacceptable in Queens, but he would fit in nicely in the Bronx.
November 12th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Um, I don’t think so.
Never understood the fascination with Cameron or Figgins.
Neither are acceptable replacements if Damon signs elsewhere.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Viper,
I’m not much of a Cameron fan either. I like the Melky/Gardner platoon currently now. Any suggestions on a better fit for Yanks ?
November 12th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Granderson would be a better fit but I don’t think Cashman would be willing to give up the prospects to get him.
I’d prefer they resign Damon but nothing crazy like a 4-year deal. I wouldn’t sign him for more than 2 years.
However, I’m sure there are names out there who are going to be available that we are unaware of at this point.
Case in point, few people knew Swisher was available this time last season and Cashman made the deal for him after the Sox decided to dump his salary.
In a perfect world, Carl Crawford becomes a FA after the 2010 season and the Yanks pounce on him.
I’d love to see a Rays like athletic outfield in 2011 consisting of Crawford in LF and Austin Jackson in CF. Lots of speed this team hasn’t had in years.
November 12th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Cameron’s defense would def make up for Damons offensive loss
November 13th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Not exactly. We’re not talking about the Mike Cameron of 2001. We’re talking about the Cameron of 2009.
He’s not the same player defensively that he once was and you’re foretting just how much Damon’s swing is tailor made for the Stadium.
Not an acceptable replacement at all.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Cameron would be a great option for a year or two if Damon leaves, and with Boras around it’s likely. Melky and Gardner are just plain terrible and are better served as 4th OF’s. Be careful with Jackson too. He’s very overrated as a prospect and still has a lot of work to do before he’s in the big leagues.