Yankees Notes: Hoffman, Gardner Sheets, Damon

The Yankees took Dodgers outfielder Jamie Hoffman with the first round pick in the Rule V Draft. The 25 year-old Hoffman will likely compete for a bench role in spring training, but the Yankees can now trade Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner, should the opportunity arise. Hoffman posted a .291/.390/.466 line in 97 games split between Double and Triple-A last season, and hit .182 with a home run in 14 major league games with the Dodgers. Hoffman is a strong defender with the ability to play all three outfield positions. The former NHL-draftee has some power, a decent eye and solid baserunning skills.Both the Royals and White Sox have asked the Yankees about outfielder Brett Gardner. I'm not sure what the team could get in return for the speedy center fielder, but with the addition of Hoffman, I'd prefer to trade Melky Cabrera. That way the Yankees will have a versatile player in Hoffman and terrific pinch-runner in Gardner.According to Marc Craig of the Newark Star-Ledger, the Y...