according to Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com, the Yankees are looking at adding Mike Cameron. If true, what would you think of this addition? Cameron, 36, is a three-time Gold Glove winner in centerfield. He played for the Padre this year, batting .242 with 21 homers, 78 RBI and 88 runs scored. He walked 67 times and struck out 160 times. His average was below his career average of .251, but productive numbers (RBI, homers, runs scored) were similar.
Do you think he would be a good pick-up? Would getting Cameron be a sign that the Yankees are about to trade Melky Cabrera?
Cameron's certainly been a good player at times (A-Rod's a fan from their Mariners days). I think he'd be a good stopgap if Melky goes. Otherwise, barring a trade of another outfielder, not sure where he fits.
Comments (18)
BAD IDEA, HORRIBLE. MISERABLE....did I mention this would be a bad idea?
Unless we are sealing a deal for Johan, why on earth would we trade Melky? How does that make our team better? Say we do trade Melk and pick up Mike ( 160 K ) Cameron, thats all fine and dandy for this season but lets look to the future.
In two years ( lets assume Mike signs a two year or less contract ), we will have 0 OF's! Next year Abreu is gone, and the following year Matsui, Damon and Mike would be gone. Then what? Are we really expecting three players who have vet to take a single cut at the MLB level to all be ready at the same time???
Tabata
Jackson
Gardner
Jackson had two good months at A+, before that he did nothing. Tabata is just as raw and will be at least two years away from starting in the Majors. Gardner is the closest one to the MLB, but if you look at his minor league pattern, he seems to struggle upon a promotion. Is this really what we want to hang our hats on in the near future? Oh so maybe we go out and spend 15-20M per on a FA like Andrew Jones in two years? Or some other scrub, overpriced OF?
This all make no sense to me. I just hope this is more NY Media BS.
Mike Cameron is part of the youth movement
I guess Lou Brock wasn't available
The only way they are signing Cameron is if a deal is in place for for either Cabrera, Matsui or Damon. We still need to upgrade the rotation and the bullpen. I've heard rumors that the Pirates like Cabrera-perhaps for Marte?
This makes perfect sense. Even at 35, Cameron is better than a 270 singles hitter. ARod strongly wants him! You sign him for an incentive laden 1 yr deal with a CLUB option for '09. Damon plays CF for the 1st 25 games, actually making sure Cameron is fresh for the rest of the yr. Youngsters take over by '10 at the latest. Hope this Cameron talk signals a Johan deal. NO JOHAN, NO ACE, NO POSTEASON!
IF the Yankees are planning to trade Melky then this is a good idea. I would rather have Damon in CF for 25 games (the length of Cameron's suspension) than all season. Gardner is, offensively, probably at best a fourth outfielder. Cameron is still a very good CF and I like him in CF with Damon in LF a ton better in a big spot than Damon in CF and Matsui in LF.
Now, if the man is looking for a 3 year deal this all changes, but if he wants 1 year - and the Yankees are pulling the trigger on a deal that would move Melky, I think it's a good plan.
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The Melky for Marte proposal is very interesting, but I still wouldnt do it. I know he had a great year in 07, but that was with the f'in Pirates. Marte is going to be 33 this season, the NL Central is one of the weakest in all of baseball, there is 0 pressure pitching for Pitt, he walks too many guys ( 4 per 9 over the past 4 seasons ) and had average stats the last two years he was in the AL ( 3.42 + 3.77 ). I know we are desperate for a LH specialist in the bullpen, but not enough to give up our best defensive OF who will turn 23 this season. If we want Marte, offer some of our minor league SP's like Marquez or McCuthen for him.
As far as a CF, why not go after Corey Patterson? He's cheaper, faster, strikes out less, is younger and has already played in the AL East for two seasons. That makes a ton more sense than Cameron, who wont be available until May. Uless Melk is in a package for Santana, there is no reason to trade him.
OK folks, have a good weekend.
hERE WE GO AGAIN, CAMERON IS A BETTER OF THAN MELKY AND HIS OFFENSIVE NUMBERS ARE BETTER THAN MELKY THE ONLY ISSUE IS LEADOFF MEANING JOHNNY DAMON BETTER STAY HEALTHY
Well, it's good to have DRU strutting his stuff here, because what he's just pointed out in his posts on the possible Cameron signing / Melky trade proposals sure as heck make a lot of sense. DRU, I only hope that the FO is reading this blog (though they will no doubt never try to post anything - even as an 'anon' - I couldn't remember how to spell it!)
By the way, the LOHUD blog is having an interesting discussion at the moment on Wang.
Chip - why is it that so many people, including yourself, feel that Gardner will never be more than a fourth OF? I've never seen the guy play, admittedly, but from what I read he sounds like a Mickey Rivers type with a far better arm. Wouldn't it be great to eventually have that kind of lightening leading off in front of a lot of very good to great hitters, shaking up pitchers with his threat to steal, etc. Or do the scouts really have no faith he'd be anything more than a .250 hitter?
Terrible move....
All Cameron does is give you more home runs. Average, RBI's and Hits can all be canceled out between Melky and him. And that is if Melky does not get any better.....which you have to think he will.
It does give us more time to develop some of our young outfielders but we have to give up one in order to do it.
Melky will make a perfect right fielder next year when Bobby's time is up. We will have a much better idea of what Jackson, Tabata, and Gardner can give us after this year and hopefully at least one will develop into a above average outfielder to replace our holes.
Stick with what we got and lets move forward.
No more worries about Cameron, he signed w/ the Brewers according to ESPN.com
The Yankees better leave Cameron alone and let him go to the Brewers. We don't need to be pi$$ing off Selig for messing with his team.
Have to agree with DRU & McCarthy on this one. Cameron isn't bad and would add some righty power but he K's way too much and he's getting old. Melky has potential upside, Cameron has none. Trading Melky doesn't make sense unless it's for Santana. Marte would be a nice addition but Melky is too much to give. Melky will win just as many games with his arm as Marte would. I'm with McCarthy on Melky as the RF of the future. If Melky were traded why not stick with what we have in Gardner? He may not hit much but we don't need him to hit as long as the D is there. Agree with Chip that most likely Gardner is a 4th OF unless the team is OK with no power from CF. It might be OK sometimes, but not all the time.
Jim A., well that ends this discussion. Thanks.
Cameron to the Brew Crew...disaster avoided.
Back to Yankee Land.......
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Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes keeps hearing trade rumours
TAMPA, Fla. - Phil Hughes keeps hearing the trade rumours. If the Yankees acquire Johan Santana from Minnesota, Hughes wound wind up with the Twins.
"I try to avoid the rumours best I can, but you eventually here it from friends, family and the whole deal," Hughes said after working out Friday at the Yankees' minor league complex. "You never want to hear your name out there, but on the other side, at least it's good to know that other teams think highly of you. I wouldn't say tough winter, but definitely an interesting one."
Hughes, a 21-year-old right-hander, hasn't talked with team officials in Tampa about the trade possibility since his named surfaced in talks in November.
"I actually heard my name out there for the first time from my dad," Hughes said. "Then I just called my agent to see if there's anything to it, and found there was. That's the exact of the contact I've had."
Hughes is focused on the one thing he can control, preparing for the 2008 season. He started a throwing program four weeks ago.
"I want to get on a mound before spring training starts, and maybe get four or five bullpens in," Hughes said. "Physically, everything is good."
Hughes made his major league debut on April 26 last year and threw 6 1-3 no-hit innings at Texas five days later before hurting his hamstring. After losing additional time to an ankle injury, Hughes finished with a 5-3 record and a 4.46 ERA. He was 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA in his final four starts and also threw 3 2-3 scoreless innings for a playoff win over Cleveland out of the bullpen.
Two other pitching prospects, Humberto Sanchez and Andrew Brackman, are taking part in throwing programs after elbow ligament replacement surgery last year.
Sanchez, one of three pitchers obtained from Detroit for outfielder Gary Sheffield, expects to throw off a mound by late next month.
"It's going well," Sanchez said. "So far, so good. We're on the right track. Hopefully there are no setbacks."
Sanchez, who had surgery April 18, could be ready for minor league games in May.
Brackman, the Yankees' first round pick in the 2007 amateur draft, is scheduled to start throwing from 90 feet next week. The six-foot-10, 240-pound right-hander from North Carolina State had surgery on Aug. 24 and was expected to be sidelined 12-to-18 months.
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I love Mr Phil Hughes!! I havent been this excited about a pitching prospect since Roy Hobbs struck out the Wammer on three pitches! Phil "The Natural" Hobbs..has a ring to it.
cant believe the bias towad melky... he is not a good player - he is aveage and is not the RF of the future - he is a 4th oufileder and a very good role player.
cameron is gone so forget that debate; although i still think patterson would be an updrade.
daily news is reporting that the johan deal is off the table AGAIN because they couldnt agree on a 4th player - i dont get that - i am sure the twins arnt asking for IPK, Tabata, Jackson or even horne as the fourth guy. we have 25 god pitchers in the minors and quite a few in A and AA - all these guys cant pith for us so how could the yankees hold a deal based on that?
yankees part. they do not want to give up I would think that this is a bluff on the Hughes and even more impotantly (and this is what piisses me off), they dont want to spend the money
i hate the muts, but i'd would muh prefer him going there than to the redsox even though next season all we will hear s how the mets are New Yorks Team
Hanks continual comments remind me of his fathers early in his tenue as the owner when he craved the back page. biggest difference is that george would make that deal as he never seemed to care how much profit the team made - unfotunatly Hank and Hal give me the impression that they want to cut payroll and run the team like a semi-business