Yankees' front office in full-out Panic Mode

AL BEast Notebook – March 27



The Yankees made two moves this week, trading for Vernon Wells and signing Lyle Overbay to a “minor league contract.” Wells is expected to start the season in left field and Overbay is likely to be the Opening Day first baseman.

These moves practically scream “My name is Brian Cashman, I screwed up and it’s time to panic.”

Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner had a plan to be more “financially responsible” and prudent and look for low-cost alternatives. They brought in Juan Rivera, Dan Johnson, Matt Diaz, Brennan Boesch and Ben Francisco to be backup and injury replacements and obviously none of them can be depended on for even one month!

Sure, no one can really predict injuries. Who knew that Mark Teixeira would tear his wrist tendon sheath hitting off a tee, and Curtis Granderson would break his arm getting hit by a J.A. Happ pitch? But that’s why you get backups, so you can plug the holes in the ship and stay the course for a few weeks. Eric Chavez and Raul Ibanez are primarily bench players but they were able to step up in a big way when called upon. And Swisher could play first, too. Despite significant injuries the Yankees still won the division last year.

Now the Yankees are up to their seventh options (plus a slew of minor league prospects) to fill two positions for as little as five weeks. And the only thing stopping that candidate pool from growing more is the start of the season.

Here is what you need to know about Lyle Overbay, your projected Yankees Opening Day first baseman:

- Overbay Fact #1: He is 36 years old.

- Overbay Fact #2: His best season was 2006. Yeah, that was a long time ago.

- Overbay Fact #3: Since 2010 = 252 hits, 253 strikeouts

- Overbay Fact #4: In the last two years he was released by the Pirates, Diamondbacks and Red Sox.

So the Yankees are likely counting on a player for their Opening Day first baseman who couldn’t even make the Red Sox as a backup. And he wasn’t good enough for the Pirates and D-Backs to keep him, either.

As for Vernon Wells, the Yankees passed on cheap but dependable outfield options like Nate Scheirholtz, Scott Hairston, Torii Hunter, or Justin Upton, and let Nick Swisher and Raul Ibanez walk. Now they pull the plug on other alternatives to acquire super-contract bust Vernon Wells, who in the five years since he signed a 7 year, $126M contract, has zero seasons of 90 RBI or runs scored and has hit above .273 just once. The last two seasons in Anaheim he hit .223 in 743 at bats. He’s been very bad in four of the last six seasons.

And should the injury-riddled Yankees turn to a player who in recent years has had shoulder surgery, a broken wrist, and two hamstring strains for relief?

As a Yankees’ fan, I’m really trying to stay optimistic. But these moves stink panic and desperation, and unless a miracle happens Brian Cashman should start tidying up his resume.