Cap'n Intangibles to the Outfield Eventually, Sez Cashman

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Andrew Marchand gets in Darryl's head:

When Darryl Strawberry was asked about Derek Jeter moving positions, he just snickered. Just from talking to players and people around the game, it seems as if they find it funny how the Yankees are treating Jeter. In the Strawberry story, Strawberry was joined by Davey Johnson and Howard Johnsonas being pretty incredulous that Jeter could make a move in his late-30s to the outfield. What is interesting to watch is the perception of the Yankees around baseball. Players may wonder: If the Yankees would treat Jeter the way they have this offseason, what would they do to me? Did this impact Cliff Lee? Who knows? Really, besides the rhetoric, the Yankees have not treated Jeter poorly. The contract he received is excellent for a soon-to-be 37-year-old, who hit .270 with limited power. He will get all the deference in the world when he becomes the first Yankee with hit No. 3,000 this season. But the questions about how Jeter is going to age are only being illuminated by the Yankees. Players feel that players should be treated differently. They are for most of their lives. Strawberry laughed at the suggestion that Jeter will ever move positions. He said it will never happen. In other words, he doesn't think it should ever happen.

Ah, Andrew, let's not put words in Darryl's mouth. Maybe Darryl, a former outfielder, thinks that the idea of putting a aging shortstop with no range into the outfield won't happen because he thinks A) Derek is a prima donna who won't move for the sake of the team, like he wouldn't move when ARod came, or he doesn't think Derek has the skills to pull it off.

[Ceetar]

I need to add "if" Jeter gets 3000 hits this season.

Injuries and suckitude aren't out of the question.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I think he'll get there if we all have to look the other way while fielders run halfheartedly after routine flares to make them look like hits.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: I think he'll get there if we all have to look the other way while fielders run halfheartedly after routine flares to make them look like hits.

Well sure, but he's not a spring chicken and it's not like he couldn't twist an ankle diving into stands after he catches a popup and be out 4 months.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Edgy DC wrote: I think he'll get there if we all have to look the other way while fielders run halfheartedly after routine flares to make them look like hits.

So, in tribute to him offensively AND defensively?

[Lefty Specialist]

Edgy DC wrote: I don't know. Outfielding isn't that nuanced. If you're a big league ballplayer and legs still work, you can do a passable job.

Daniel Murphy says hi.

[seawolf17]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Edgy DC wrote: I don't know. Outfielding isn't that nuanced. If you're a big league ballplayer and legs still work, you can do a passable job. Daniel Murphy says hi.

And Todd Hundley says "eff you."

[MFS62]

When Jeter is moved (to the outfield), there will be stories waxing poetic about how the Yankees have been successful with shortstops moving to center. They will mention past Mantle, Tresh, Murcer and Kubek.
Funny though. They will fail to mention that those players were in their 20s when they made the move. (Maybe not Kubek).

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Lefty Specialist wrote: Edgy DC wrote: I don't know. Outfielding isn't that nuanced. If you're a big league ballplayer and legs still work, you can do a passable job. Daniel Murphy says hi.

Murphy did a passable job in 2008. He failed in 2009 after working out as a secondbasebman in the offseason and then getting hurt.

[Valadius]

MFS62 wrote: When Jeter is moved (to the outfield), there will be stories waxing poetic about how the Yankees have been successful with shortstops moving to center. They will mention past Mantle, Tresh, Murcer and Kubek. Funny though. They will fail to mention that those players were in their 20s when they made the move. (Maybe not Kubek). Later

And they'll completely gloss over Chuck Knoblauch.

[Frayed Knot]

Murphy did a passable job in 2008.

Not in the outfield he didn't.
The general rule is that if someone can handle SS defensively they can handle anywhere else (except catcher).
Problem with Muffy was that he was never anything other than a mediocre at best 3B in college or in the minors.

When Jeter is moved (to the outfield), there will be stories waxing poetic about how the Yankees have been successful with shortstops moving to center. They will mention past Mantle, Tresh, Murcer and Kubek. Funny though. They will fail to mention that those players were in their 20s when they made the move. (Maybe not Kubek).

For the most part (except Kubek) they were moved before their careers ever got going. None of those guys were ever going to cut it as SS - but, hell, you could say the same thing about half the major leaguers, many of whom played SS either in the minors or as amateurs.
With Kubek: I hadn't realized he played as much OF as he did although (looking it up) it appears to be more a case of mixing it in here and there rather than an in-career position change ala Banks or Yount.

dgwphotography wrote: Nope - I fear they are eying someone else...

You wonder if Cashman's statement was a "slip" designed to let Reyes + agent know that they're willing to move Jeter if they can find the right candidate?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Frayed Knot wrote: EdgyDC wrote: Murphy did a passable job in 2008. Not in the outfield he didn't.

My eyes said he did.

[Frayed Knot]

Your eyes need a check-up.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I just checked 'em up at Baseball-Reference who said he was 0.2 defensive wins above replacement.

[Valadius]

Edgy DC wrote: I just checked 'em up at Baseball-Reference who said he was 0.2 defensive wins above replacement.

And that's statistically significant how?

[Guest Edgy DC]

My statement refers to 2008 and that's baseball-reference's representation of sum total of his performance in 2008.

[Lefty Specialist]

How'd they grade him in 2009? Or, put another way, how low does the scale go?

[Guest Edgy DC]

It's hard to say. He gets a -0.2 dWAR, but I don't know where left field ends and firstbase begins there.

Let's not hate. Maybe you can suss it out from the advanced data. I can't.

[metirish]

I think it was JCL who last week wondered if Cashman was trying to get fired......Lupica wonders the same this....and no I am not comparing JCL to Lupica......the video below the article has Cashman explaining his thought process on Jeter.....from Foley's pub where he was bartending.


http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2011/01/27/2011-01-27_with_brian_cashmans_headlinefilled_offseason_is_the_yankees_gm_trying_to_orchest.html