We all know the Yanks haven't dug deep into their pockets so far this winter, but that doesn't mean the Yankees aren't having a good offseason. So, I'm gonna add in my two cents and look back on what (to me) has been a pretty successful winter so far for the World Champs.
Now I'm not going to say loosing Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui are smart moves, but acquiring Curtis Granderson and Nick Johnson aren't bad moves either. I love Godzilla and Damon, don't get me wrong, but Matsui is 35, and one little knee injury may spell the end for the Angels' new DH. Damon, on the other hand, is 36, and would probably get a scarce amount of starts in the outfield. And I know both players bring a lot of upside to the table as well, but I don't see them duplicating the success they had this past season in 2010.
So, let's get to the people the Yankees got to replace them - Curtis Granderson, and Nick Johnson. Granderson is a great player, as he hits for power, has great speed, drives in a lot of runs, and is really just a great guy. Still only 28, Granderson will be a solid player in the Yanks' lineup for many years to come, and to me, Granderson will do just as well, if not better, than Johnny Damon next season.
Johnson, who the Yanks signed today, also brings a lot of talent to the Bronx. He's been injury prone most of his career, but when healthy, he's a very good player. High on-base-percentage, a possible 20 home run hitter, and would probably get 400-450 ABs as the Yanks' new DH. He can also give Mark Teixeira a day off when he needs one, as Johnson also plays first base. I know it's a big "if", but if Johnson stays healthy he can be a solid replacment for Matsui this upcoming season.
All in all, I give the Yanks a solid B+. They got younger by letting Matsui and Damon, but managed to keep the talent with new players in Johnson and Granderson. It's still not over, and the Yanks still may sign a pitcher like Ben Sheets or maybe an infielder like Mark DeRosa. Not big superstar names like last season, but they're still making good moves. They'll get back to their spending ways next season with names like Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett, and possibly Joe Mauer on the market.
So, what do you think of the Yanks' offseason so far?
