The Yankees picked up old friend and one time Rookie of the Year Eric Hinske from the Pirates today. Hinske was a left handed bat off of the bench for the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox.
He also homered in the World Series last year for Tampa and made the last out (and was criticized by my wife for his lack of desire.)
Now Hinske is a nice complimentary player and certainly helps the Yankees bench... so I can't really slam Cashman for this deal.
But I can't say I 100% get this deal.
Or 50% get this deal.
The Yankees are a good solid team but they could use a few parts for the second half.
However I never thought they had a LACK of left handed DH/outfielder types.
Johnny Damon is left handed, can no longer play centerfield and needs to DH from time to time.
Hideki Matsui shouldn't even own a glove anymore and these days is a mediocre left handed DH.
Nick Swisher is a switch hitting outfielder who can't play centerfield.
And Jorge Posada at this point should be a switch hitting DH and put young Francisco Cervelli under his wing as he seems to be playing well (and bringing some youth to the Yankee line up.)
Better get ANOTHER one!
And his place on the roster, plus the inevitable recovery of Jose Molina might mean that Cervelli will be sent down... because you wouldn't want young hungry players who are doing a good job on the 25 man roster!
Now I've heard the logic being that Hinske would give some of the players a rest and play third base for A-Rod once a week.
Um, really? Hinske came up as a third baseman and was shifted to first base and the outfield. Don't teams usually do that because the player can't handle third base?
He's played third base 21 times in the last 5 seasons. Am I still the only one stunned that the Yankees still don't have a jack of all trades infielder?
Hey, who am I to criticize Brian Cashman? OK, so I've done it before... but I just don't get this deal.
Watch him go on a tear and win the AL MVP
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