Friday, July 11, 2008

Yanks Looking for a Right-Handed Bat

From George A. King III:

The Yankees are keeping tabs on Pirates outfielders Xavier Nady and Jason Bay and new A's Matt Murton because they believe their biggest need is a right-handed bat.

And they haven't dismissed signing Richie Sexson who was released by the Mariners yesterday.

Let's look at each of these players' numbers:

Xavier Nady: .320/.378/.533, 19 HR, 55 RBI - vs. lefties .318/.432/.530, 4 HR, 13 RBI

Jason Bay: .291/.393/.526, 17 HR, 46 RBI - vs. lefties .222/.367/.403, 2 HR, 7 RBI

Matt Murton: .250/.286/.300, 0 HR, 6 RBI - vs. lefties .167/.211/.222, 0 HR, 5 RBI

Richie Sexson: .218/.315/.381, 11 HR, 30 RBI - vs. lefties .344/.423/.623, 5 HR, 12 RBI

My top choice would be Nady, but he will probably be too costly. Bay is a nice player too, but like Nady the Yanks would probably have to give up a lot to get him, probably even more than Nady. Murton is the youngest in the group, and has had some nice seasons in the past, and put up nice numbers against lefties .326/.399/.510, but the A's just traded for him so I can't see them unloading him this quickly, and if they would, what will Billy Beane want in return?

And that leaves us with the most interesting name on the list, Richie Sexson. He's been awful against righties, but his numbers against lefties are sick. He also would cost the Yankees nothing. I'm not sure if they should sign him, but really, what do they have to lose? Just don't use him against right-handed pitchers.

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