Now What?

With Mark DeRosa signing with the Giants today and Jason Bay and Matt Holliday not likely to be in pinstripes, what will the Yanks be planning to do with left field?

Now don’t get me wrong, Brett Gardner is a good player and the Yanks don’t need a superstar at every position, but will the Yanks really go into the season with the 40 RBI man manning left? I personally don’t think so.

Their options are dwindling though, and right now Johnny Damon and Xavier Nady, both Yankees last year, seem as the only remaining free-agent choices for the Bombers, so they tell us. They’re not interested in Dye, not interested in guys like Bay or Holliday, and probably aren’t going after Reed Johnson as some reports have stated in the past couple days.

Yet, with Damon and Nady still on the market with relatively cheap contract requests, GM Brian Cashman has stated both of the players are too expensive for the Yankees to sign. Umm…what?

Nady isn’t going over $5 million after undergoing Tommy John surgery last season, and Damon probably would take a $16 or $18 million offer from the Yankees. So, why are the Yanks sounding like they went bankrupt and can’t afford these low-priced players? I tell ya why – strategy!

While typing this, an idea just popped into my mind. Cash is only saying this because he wants to see if the players will react to his statement and lower their asking price. So he’s wanting Damon to go down to around $14 million, and have Nady go down even lower. That’s when he’ll make his move.

If I could see the future, I’d say I would see Johnny Damon back with the Yankees. He’s just using Andy Pettitte’s old strategy of waiting it out as long as possible, until finally taking a deal with much less $ in it then he first asked for.

Javy's Back, Now What? UPDATED

Updates (5:45 PM): From the Ledger, via Twitter:

Cashman: "Left field is an evolving situation. Stay tuned." But he says it won't be a big piece.

Also, regarding the starting LF's spot as of now:

Cashman: "Brett Gardner is now in a position to be an every day player for us."

Is Johnny Damon considered a big piece? I know that Bay and Holliday are, and I am not set with Gardner starting everyday. How about you?
BTW, it's also said that Granderson is the CF as of now, but that could very well change at anytime.

Original post: This trade has split Yankee fans seemingly down the middle, on whether or not it's a good trade. I, personally, like the trade. Sure, I'll miss Melky, and Javy's a guy who everyone remembers for that one disastrous game, but I like it. Now, there's a hole in left field that I'd rather not be filled by Brett Gardner. I would LOVE it if the Yanks brought back Johnny Damon. One of my favorite Yankees, there's now an opening for him. There's also Mark DeRosa, and the usual names (the more expensive ones)- Jason Bay and Matt Holliday. I hope they just sign Damon, maybe add a bullpen arm or two, and call it a winter. What do you guys think?