Here's a novel idea

[yhova]

We have spent 5 years wasting "the game" as i like to call him, Derek Jeter at the leadoff spot. Lets take for instance Matsui's RBI's, HR's compared to Jeter's. Now, i know we need pitching, especially in the bullpen, but would it be too much to ask to get a pure leadoff hitter for once ? If you bat Jeter in Matsui's spot in the order he drops 130 RBI's easily and his HR's likely increase cause he'd be seeing better pitches.

Mark me down for Juan Pierre, CF - 2006

[Fishercat]

Or how about Johnny Damon? He's the best leadoff guy on the market, he'll likely do well in New York, and the Yankees can afford it.

[Saber]

I think of Jeter as a perfect 2 hitter. He hits for high average, gets on base, is a fine baserunner, and although he has very good power, the Yankees have enough lower in the order. As long as you don't ask him to do something stupid like bunt, he's ideal in the 2-spot.

[Hmark6]

I agree with Saber. I like him in the 2-hole, and to stop bunting so much for cryin out loud.

[nyjunc]

Or how about Johnny Damon? He's the best leadoff guy on the market, he'll likely do well in New York, and the Yankees can afford it.

NO! we cannot overspend on damon, sure he can hit but he's the same OF as Bernie. We need a great defensive CF more than an offensive CF.

[yhova]

NO! we cannot overspend on damon, sure he can hit but he's the same OF as Bernie. We need a great defensive CF more than an offensive CF.

Thats why i advocate a move for Juan Pierre. 60 stolen bases don't sound too bad either. He had a down year average wise, but is still a career .300 hitter

[nyjunc]

Thats why i advocate a move for Juan Pierre. 60 stolen bases don't sound too bad either. He had a down year average wise, but is still a career .300 hitter

I'd be fine w/ that move. I expect he'll have a big bounce back year next year.

[love_that_reefer]

I wouldn't risk a trade for Pierre after this past year and I sure as hell wouldn't want Damon patrolling that already slow outfield. You cannot over spend for Matsui and Damon. Trading for Hunter would be a cheaper move than getting Damon and Hunter is far superior with the defense. Hunter is not a leadoff man but at least your outfield won't be as slow. Or another idea is getting Brian Giles to come and play center. He is still better than Damon defensively and is great at getting on base. He could be a leadoff man for those Yanks but he would not be a long term situation.

[Saber]

Torii Hunter is also recovering from a fairly serious leg injury, which may leave his defensive range in doubt this upcoming season.

[love_that_reefer]

Hunter is only 30. I expect a full recovery. Pierre did play every game so he might be worth the risk.

[Fishercat]

I haven't seen enough of Hunter daily to judge well, but from what I've seen, Hunter's range is not a lot better (if at all better) than Damon. Of course, then Hunter actually has the arm of someone over 12 years old.

As for Pierre, really, does he have a good arm? Assists are a pretty crappy stats, but being unable to see him as an Red Sox fan, he does have a similar number of assists to Damon over the past three years. One also has to worry about his performance this year. Could certainly be an anomoly, but it's scary when a player who has his value in speed and getting on base only got on a little under a third of the time (although he did run quite a bit better than normal)

Still, Hunter and Pierre would be a fair chunk cheaper than Damon, and that's a consideration. If I were the GM, I'd be making a hard run at Damon, if only because signing Damon would only cost them a draft pick and getting Hunter/Pierre (especially Hunter) may cost them a big prospect.

[love_that_reefer]

I see Hunter having a lot more range than Damon. Hunter gets too good fo jumps unlike Damon who lets routine balls fall in front of him. Pierre's arm is not that much better than Damon's but he too gets better jumps. I think at this point, anyone's arm is better than Damon's and Bernie's.

[Fishercat]

Oh certainly, Damon throws horribly. Bernie's arm may be worse, but it would be hard.

I can't say for Hunter, Pierre, Damon who has more range, don't see them enough and the stats aren't good enough. I just figure it can't be THAT significant (certainly alters value though), simply because there are so many places that a ball can be hit where any MLB fielder would get it or any MLB fielder couldn't get it, that the grey area between even Bernie and Hunter will not be hit that often. Of course, it will be hit, and often that grey area happens to be the difference between a double and an out.

[Providence A's]

IIRC Pierre is in the same category as Damon and Bernie:

Pie Thrower

[love_that_reefer]

It's all about getting good jumps and Hunter, Edmonds and Jones are the best at it. They are moving before the ball is hit basically and that's why they are constantly getting the web gems because they get good jumps and get to balls that average OFers would let go in the gap or fall in front of them. Take last night's game for instance. The ball in the right field gap that Crosby and Sheffiled collided on would have been caught by Sheffield if Bernie was in cause Bernie is too slow and doesn't get good jumps.