Yankees dipping into the Rule V draft?

[tigers527]

Hello Yankee Fans, long time no talk.

I ran across this little tidbit the other day. It seems that the Yankees have ventured into the waters of the Rule V Draft, selecting 1B/DH Josh Phelps from Baltimore. A place the Yankees have not been in a dozen years. Is the luxury tax actually starting to weigh on the Yanks shoulders as it seems that they are going to end up with a 1B by commitee? Instead of just throwing money say at Nomar? Or is this just getting about 4-6 1B into spring camp throwing them all on the wall to see if any of them stick? If none do....trading for whomever is on the market, that costs the most, at the deadline?

Just wondering what you guys think of the Yankees "slumming" as it were?

[Mattingly]

With Boss George supposedly ailing (though you'll never hear anyone upstairs in the Yanks' Tampa Bay office admit this), I seriously doubt you'll get another $10m man at 1B again. In fact, I think a few of them are smarting over the Giambi deal.

A-Rod, Jeter, Giambi, Unit, Moose, Posada, Mo, Pettitte, Matsui, Damon, Abreu will all be making over $10m. The Yanks have heard the metalware clink to the bottom of the supposedly bottomless well of Yankee spending. The fat lady has sung on this one! :p

Anyway, I think you'll likely find no market for Nomah, Sexson, etc. More like the newly-signed Cuban player Juan Miranda, or Andy Phillips, Aaron Guiel, etc.

If not for the Sheffield trade, we'd have had another $10m man. From hear onward, look towards lower-priced players, with a few desperately-needed exceptions, such as Abreu or Pettitte.

[DoubleX]

I'm all for the "slumming" and have been urging for it as long as I've been on these boards. Cashman seems to be managing with more sensibility, instead of just signing whatever big name is out there. It's refreshing.

I also think the luxury tax is something of a factor, given that the Yankees have to pay 40% on everything - that's pretty steep.

[Mattingly]

I'm all for the "slumming" and have been urging for it as long as I've been on these boards. Cashman seems to be managing with more sensibility, instead of just signing whatever big name is out there. It's refreshing.

I also think the luxury tax is something of a factor, given that the Yankees have to pay 40% on everything - that's pretty steep.
Yeah, slumming is right. It's like going to a fancy hotel for a guaranteed meal vs making it at home. You can't have the same thing, but you need creativity and willingness to experiment.

I'd heard complaints from other fans (mostly Mets, as I live in the NYC area) that the Yanks just went out to the baseball player superstore. Here, lemme get one of these, one of those, up ther in aisle 5, I'll take another superstar, even though we merely need a guy who bats .275 or so, can get 15 or 20 jacks.

It's like we've overkilled at many spotss, so at times where we could've used a $5-8m player to play very well (I really liked John Olerud when he was here), we just went crazy with the money.

If Mark Teixeira were available, I'd snatch him up in a heartbeat. Heck, the Jays are even considering trading their top player in Vernon Wells. Goodbye, Melky, move Damon to LF, DH Matsui. That's one of the few exceptions I'd make.

Right now, I just want the payroll lowered, guys like Wang and Cabrera getting lots of playing time, having a good combination of youth and vets. I also wouldn't mind the #5 pitcher every other year coming from the Yankee AAA team.

As to position players, no more long-term deals. We could have the finest SS in all of the minor leagues, but he'd never see SS in Yankee Stadium for awhlie. Still, at least one of our own guys is in there. I'd appreciate it if we could have more young guys being called up, rather than being traded away.

[tigers527]

And unlike most of the Yankees recent deals and signings, Josh Phelps has won a championship. Ok so, it is an International League championship, but still?

[TonyStarks]

Hear' ye Hear ye Matty....

I'll drink to that!

[Mattingly]

Hear' ye Hear ye Matty....

I'll drink to that!
Have one on me. :D



Let's see if the Yanks can be very creative in their moves, rather than making splashy moves in getting the priciest players for long-term deals, further stifling further deals for all but the least expensive players.

[tigers527]

Have one on me. :D



Let's see if the Yanks can be very creative in their moves, rather than making splashy moves in getting the priciest players for long-term deals, further stifling further deals for all but the least expensive players.

I would actually drink to that one too....While I don't root for the Yankees as it were. I am a little more fond of the fellows that actually came through the organization, then of the hired guns that often make their way through the Yankee system. Even though Josh Phelps has some major league expierence. If he were to make it with the Yankees, he would seem more a Yankee to me then most of the "overpriced" talent the Yanks have snachted up of late.

[DoubleX]

My question about Phelps is what can he do? I know his bat has some good power potential, but he's a DH. He strikes me as a much lesser version of Giambi, and I don't see a place for that on the roster. He probably has a better bat than Phillips, but I like the defensive versatility that Phillips offers in that he plays a good 1B and can play 2B, 3B, and probably even the OF.

[tigers527]

My question about Phelps is what can he do? I know his bat has some good power potential, but he's a DH. He strikes me as a much lesser version of Giambi, and I don't see a place for that on the roster. He probably has a better bat than Phillips, but I like the defensive versatility that Phillips offers in that he plays a good 1B and can play 2B, 3B, and probably even the OF.

Well, here is his minor league numbers from last year.
Player POS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG OPS E
Josh Phelps 1B 126 464 60 143 26 3 24 90 247 38 124 6 1 .370 .532 .308 .903
7

7 errors in 126 games, although I do not know if all of them were at 1B? The one big difference between him and Giambi is Phelps K'ed 124 times. I guess that's why we never saw him in the olde english d. After all the Tigers already have enough fellows that can k 100 times plus in a season. The Yankees on the otherhand could absorb at least 2 such fellows if they had some pop?

[clipper]

Well, here is his minor league numbers from last year.
Player POS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG OPS E
Josh Phelps 1B 126 464 60 143 26 3 24 90 247 38 124 6 1 .370 .532 .308 .903
7

7 errors in 126 games, although I do not know if all of them were at 1B? The one big difference between him and Giambi is Phelps K'ed 124 times. I guess that's why we never saw him in the olde english d. After all the Tigers already have enough fellows that can k 100 times plus in a season. The Yankees on the otherhand could absorb at least 2 such fellows if they had some pop?

Your right. This is a change for us but I really like it. I am tired of picking up over priced players past their prime. I am glad Brian didn't go after Hilly or another 1B (not a Hilly fan). Nick would have been nice but we would have to give up pitching prospects (probably Sanchez which I was against). This guy (Phelps) is a nice pick up (numbers are nice) and insurance because Brian was concern at 1B. Mirandi is another example of this change. I am not going to say Nick and Hilly are not better than Phelps and Mirandi (they are) but I like this slumming. My only question is that Brian put Mirandi on the 40 roster and I don't know why without the background. I like the competition between Mirandi, Andy Philips, Phelps at 1B. I like these moves and we will see how it works out this Spring.

Clipper