THE BEST OUTFIELD IN THE MAJORS

A big day for the Yankees yesterday. They lost a big one - Robinson Cano - and gained smaller one - Carlos Beltran. This gives the Yanks an excellent outfield defense with Beltran, Ellsbury, Gardner, Soriano, Suzuki, and Wells.  That's six outfielders. Try and get one by them. Unfortunately, that leaves only Mark Teixeira and the pitcher in the infield, so we may see a lot of bunt base hits. This will make it easier on Derek Jeter's suspect ankles, though.

Actually, with the winter meetings starting tomorrow, they will probably try to trade at least one of them. Gardner is the only one that would bring anything of value back, but the Yanks don't seem inclined to move him. Soriano is also a keeper, a right-handed power hitter is a big need for them, especially if A-Rod is gone. Ichiro is untradeable because of his age and salary and no one will trade for Wells. (Interestingly, my auto-correct changed 'untradeable' to 'untraceable'. It may be right.) If they can't get anything decent for any of their excess outfielders, I would guess they will just release Wells, probably during spring training.

Meantime, the search goes on for a 2nd baseman. You don't really think Kelly Johnson is the answer, do you? Even if the question is, "Who's that guy standing next to Teixeira?"
They need a third-baseman, preferably one a little more reliable than Nunez.
Another starting pitcher wouldn't hurt, either. The word is that Kuroda is coming back for one more year.
Fortunately, the money is there. Saving $25 M on a possible Cano contract and an additional $27 M on A-Rod's suspension, puts a whopping $52 + M on the table.

Now if they can all stay healthy. If not, there may be a lot of Medicare checks being delivered to the Bronx.

TWO DEALS THAT MAKE NO SENSE TO ME:
Curtis Granderson is going to the Mets. Four years for $60 M to play in a park not suited to his talents. He won't have that short right field fence to shoot for anymore, so Grandy will have to change his style of hitting, not an east thing at this stage of his career.
Phil Hughes has signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Twins. Pitching in a larger park will help him keep his home run total down, but three year is a big gamble if that doesn't happen. Of course, the spacious outfield isn't going to help him eliminate all those singles and doubles. He gave up a lot of those, too. Maybe the Twins will move him to the bullpen, where he's been very successful in the past.

***THEY SAID IT***

"Robinson Cano is now a Mariner; he will be stranded on base so much, he will feel more like Robinson Crusoe."  -- Marty Burtwell

"Unless the Mariners make a few more moves, they’re just putting a Rolls-Royce hood ornament on a rusted-out Corvair."  -- Dwight Perry

"The governor of Ohio wants to ban the letter “M.” I find myself hoping a Buckeye gets arrested for possession of _arijuana."  -- RJ Currie

" Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield star in a new Foot Locker commercial where Tyson returns Holyfield's ear. Let's hope this isn't the precursor to a John and Lorena Bobbit ad."  -- Brad Dickson

"In the game against the Rams, Vernon Davis of the Niners was pulled down by his manhood. Even worse, he came up short."  -- RJ Currie

 "A recent postgame women's college hockey brawl after Bemidji State upset Ohio State resulted in 303 penalty minutes and 19 game disqualifications. I've seen wars that were less ugly."  -- Brad Dickson

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