Last year the Yankees had a battle between Andy Phillips and Josh Phelps for the the right-handed half of a plattoon with Doug Mientkiewicz. Phillips missed most of Spring Training and Phelps was incredible and won the job. Phillips passed through waivers and went down to AAA.
Mientkiewicz was terrible and Yankees fans everywhere wanted him gone and Josh Phelps to get playing time. When Phelps did get playing time he couldn't field for his life. Phillips raked in AAA and got another shot. Mientkiewicz also got injured in a game agaisnt Boston. This gave Andy Phillips a shot and he hit and fielded well. He wasn't great but he was okay.
At the trade deadline Wilson Betemit was traded for Scott Proctor to help out at first. Shelley Duncan also got called up. Before long Mientkiewicz came back to. Betemit wasn't very good and didn't get much playing time but Shelley showed a lot of power and Mientkiewicz returned well. By September they had a few hot hitters at first.
Next year Doug Mientkiewicz is probably gone and after his late season slump Andy Phillips might not get another shot. Shelley Duncan and Wilson Betemit could be an effective plattoon at first and Juan Miranda kills righties.
All in all it wasn't a very good first base situation but they were carried by the rest of the team. I don't really see it getting much better either.
However, moving Damon to first base is a possibility. He played a few games there lasy uear. What if they traded away Matsui, moved Damon to first, and then signed Kosuke Fukudome to play left?
2007 WARP3- 4.0
Projected 2008 WARP3- 7.0
Change in WARP3- 3.0
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment