Girardi wants another bat

After the trade of Jesus Montero many baseball minds and finds have said the New York Yankees need to add a bat before the season begins. One baseball mind you can add to that list is none other then Yankees head coach Joe Girardi. While Joe is happy with the teams off season moves he’d be happier with one more bat at his disposal.

“I think it will be helpful; I do,” Girardi said at Modell’s Sporting Goods in Times Square. “I think we’ve had a good offseason; I think Brian has done a really good job this offseason in what he’s done. But I think it’s important to our club that you add that other bat. The American League is going to be tough.” (MLB.com)

The three main names that have been thrown out so far are Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Raul Ibanez. With the first two holding a place in many fans hearts you’d have to wonder how Ibanez has any chance. All along I’ve said the Yankees shouldn’t live in the past and if there’s a better option then they should exercise it. Thankfully it looks like that one of them won’t be handed a roster spot.

“When you think about Raul Ibanez, he has had success wherever he has [gone],” Girardi said. “There could be other things that could happen; I can’t tell you it is going to be one of those three guys, or anyone. But obviously, we know they know how to play here.”

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“Obviously, we know what Johnny and Matty have meant to this organization over the years, and how they’ve been successful in New York,” Girardi said. “I’m curious to see how it is all going to shake out.” (MLB.com)

In my opinion the best option would be Raul Ibanez. He struggled in 2011 but still hit 20 homers with the Philadelphia Phillies. I have no doubts in my mind that he can reach that number in Yankees Stadium, remember Citizens Bank Park is just as much a hitters park as the Stadium.

He’d also form a nice platoon at the DH position with Andruw Jones on days that Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixiera and Derek Jeter aren’t getting breathers. See Ibanez can’t hit lefties anymore while Jones still mashes them, sounds like a good match to me.

Like Joe said it will be interesting to see how this plays out. All three can provide a spark to the lineup but we know Cashman’s preference is to trade for a hitter not sign one.

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Tags: Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Raul Ibanez