Everybody Loves Curtis
By Frank Russo ~ November 16th, 2009. Filed under: Frank Russo Rants and Raves, Offseason Speculation.
With rumors flying in regards to the availability of Curtis Granderson, the usual suspects, including the Yankees, have been mentioned as possibly destinations. I understand the fascination with Granderson. He’s relatively young, talented, athletic, a great clubhouse presence, and has a hardnosed mentality. All of these attributes make him appear to be a perfect fit for the Yankees.
While Granderson might be a good fit in the eyes of many fans, in reality, the Yankees really don’t need him. Since the Yanks already have Austin Jackson waiting in the wings at the minor league level, and could easily fill any voids in the outfield via free agency, (can you say Mike Cameron), the Yanks really don’t need to make any trade moves.
Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski would surely demand, (and rightly so), top tier talent in exchange for his centerfielder. For Detroit, a better trade fit appears to be the Angels. There are many who believe that Anaheim is now the leading contender to acquire Granderson, who is good friends with Torii Hunter. The plan would be to play Granderson in left field and insert him in the lead-off spot. It all makes too much sense not to happen.
So what should the Yankees do about the outfield? Nothing at the moment. Brian Cashman will first wait and see what happens with the Johnny Damon situation. If Damon and his agent Scott Boras decide to play a game of chicken, “Cash” will have no problem going in another direction.
Along with high priced free agents like Jason Bay and Matt Holliday, there are also other lower cost options on the free agent market. Players like Rick Ankiel, Marlon Byrd, Scott Podsednik and the previously mentioned Mike Cameron could all easily fill Damon’s spot in left field, although there are some baseball people who believe that Ankiel became “damaged goods” after the May 4 injury that saw him carted off the field after a collision with an outfield wall.
That being said, it’s time now to take the pulse of the fans and have a little fun. Vote in our poll and tell us who you want to play left field for the Yankees in 2010. Do you want Johnny Damon back, as many fans seem to be leaning toward, or do you want someone new playing left field in the “New House” next season? As always, the results of the poll should be interesting.
WHO SHOULD PLAY LEFT FIELD FOR THE NEW YORK YANKEES?
