The New York Yankees are pursuing right-handed bats before they pursue anymore lefties. They allowed Raul Ibanez and Nick Swisher to walk via free agency, but they will still need to replace their production. One player that may fit the bill is Matt Diaz.
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says Diaz could be a fit based on his numbers against left-handed pitching in his career.
A RH OF free-agent that may make sense for the Yankees: Matt Diaz. Career .324/.364/.498 vs LHP. He's healthy again and won't be expensive.
— Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) December 23, 2012
Diaz played just 51 games for the Atlanta Braves in 2012, but he could be an effective platoon player for the Yankees. He did suffer a thumb injury that required season-ending surgery, so that could be a concern for New York. However, if he is healthy, Diaz would certainly help replace some of the offense New York has lost this offseason.
Diaz has played 10 seasons in the Majors. He is a career .291/.339/.431 hitter. He would not be an everyday player for the Yankees as he has never played more than 135 games in a season, but he could come off the bench, platoon, and fill in whenever necessary. And he should come cheap. Diaz made just $2 million last season, and coming off a surgically-repaired thumb will probably mean the Yankees can get him at a discounted rate.
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Crazy; this guy is washed up; he has had no production since 2009. 35 in March. 2 HRs in 610 ABs the last two years. Makes Andruw Jones look like Babe Ruth. Fabulous.
ReplyDeleteFair point. I think he would be used very sparingly if they went after him. However, that will not solve the Yankees' problems
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