Yardbarker: Richie Sexson

Congratulations! You survived the worst midweek of the sports calendar!

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:45:48 -0500

"I'm so cold. I think I see Blue. He looks glorious!"- Will Ferrell, Old School Sports fans were seeing blue to this week as they actually had to leave their houses to find something to do outside. But worry no longer, the miserable half week that is the Midsummer Classic is over. Everything's behind us. We survived it. Now let's move forward amicably, removing ourselves from simulated conversations like these: READ THE REST HERE

Yankees Shouldn't Stop At Sexson

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:49:53 -0500

Maybe Brian Cashman reads Hot Stove, but probably not. Either way he must have figured my idea that the Yankees go out and sign Richie Sexson was a good low risk, high reward situation. Sexson does add a decent bat against left handed pitching, which the Yankees sorely needed, but don't get over excited. Sexson is not the answer to the Yankees offensive problems. Sure he'll help in certain situations, but he is certainly no difference maker. Yes, Sexson hits lefties and maybe a change of scenery will do him some good - he had a .523 OPS in Seattle and a .875 OPS on the road - but he's still the same player who hit .205 a year ago. So expecting him to do much better than being part of a strong platoon is a little foolish. Hideki Matsui is still sidelined and depending on how his visit to the doctor goes today he will be out a long time or a very long time. So the team still needs a DH. Sexson is a strong defender so there will be temptation for manager Joe Girardi to use him at first and shift Giambi to DH, but that would be a mistake. Another option is using Johnny Damon as the DH while his shoulder returns to 100 percent, but then you would have to have two weaker bats in the lineup every day in Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera. The answer is another bat. Everyday that passes the idea of bringing in Barry Bonds becomes more attractive. Initially I was completely against this move. Winning is the bottom line, but how could I bring myself to root for somebody who I've loved rooting against all these years? As each day passes I can't help but think that this lineup is one more bat away from busting loose. They had a tough first half, but I suspect they are primed for a strong second half. Derek Jeter who was nursing a few injuries early will likely rebound. Robinson Cano is another player who throughout his career has hit everything he can reach after the all-star break. Chien-Ming Wang will return eventually and they will also be getting Brian Bruney back soon. Guys like Ian Kennedy and Phil Hughes may even help this team. Once Jorge Posada begins playing behind the plate everyday that will get Jose Molina's bat out of the lineup, thus strengthening it. With it looking likely the Bombers will be stronger in the second half the idea of adding an impact bat that could make a big difference in catching the Rays for the wild card is tempting. It doesn't have to be Bonds, but he certainly would be the cheapest. If they fail to trade for a player like Raul Ibanez, who other teams are going to be interested in as well, then Bonds might be their only choice. A bat like his put them over the top in 1996 when they went out and got Cecil Fielder and again when they went out and got David Justice. A big bat doesn't guarantee success however as the Yankees saw when they went out and got Bobby Abreu two years ago, so why risk trading prospects if you don't have to? Speaking of Big Cecil, the Brewers might be interested in dealing his son Prince Fielder. At 24-years-old he might be one of the few types of bats available that might be worth the prospects. So he's worth keeping an eye on, but don't hold your breath.

Trade for Ichiro? No thanks

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 05:51:29 -0500

The Yankees need offense and the Barry Bonds rumors are swirling, though they are likely base-less. New York did make one move Thursday, signing right-handed hitting first baseman Richie Sexson in hopes he can help them against left-handed pitching. That's a no-lose move for the Yankees, even though Sexson hit just .218 with the Seattle Mariners this [...]

Yanks Bringing Sexy Back

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:51:21 -0500

If you were waiting for the first shot to be fired in the annual mid-season race to load up on other team's talent, the Yankees have your answer. Seattle cast-off Richie Sexson has agreed to sign with the Yankees for the base minimum of $390,000. Once a terror at the plate, Sexson had [...]

Yanks Bringing Sexy Back

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:51:21 -0500

Jason Giambi Drinks off Richie Sexson Pick-Up

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:51:20 -0500

For whatever reason, I've always been a big fan of Jason Giambi. Maybe it's his honesty in dealing with steroids, maybe it's his mustache, or maybe it's his tendency to take pulls from bottles of Jack Daniels. We caught this picture of the Giambino living it up during the All Star Break. Giambi's Final Vote campaign [...]

Sexson to Yankees

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:23:10 -0500

Richie Sexson is going to the New York Yankees, but why? Check it out!

CALLED IT!

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:47:17 -0500

As I said in an earlier post it would make some sense for the Yankees sign Richie Sexson. Since our blog has such a high importance in the Yankees decision making, the organization has come to a tentative agreement with Big Sexy. As I said before this will improve the bombers hitting against left handed pitching. The better move would be to sign the Big headed Bonds but the Yankees stupidly stated that they are not interested in Barry Bonds.

Yanks Reach Agreement with Richie Sexon

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:41:56 -0500

This is a no brainer for the Yankees. They get a right handed threat on the cheap. If he doesn't work out, they will throw him back on the scrap heap and move on. His stats this year against left handed pitchers are impressive with a .344 batting average.

Should Yankees Go After Bonds?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:10:12 -0500

The Yankees will be holding their collective breaths tomorrow when Hideki Matsui has his knee further examined to determine if he will need season ending surgery. If he does, then the search will begin on finding a replacement bat for his spot in the lineup. General manager Brian Cashman said that it is his preference to begin the search from within the Yankees' own organization, but let's face it, Brett Gardner is not going to cut it. He may be better than Melky Cabrera, but he certainly won't make up for the .323 batting average and seven home runs Matsui provided. There is one other possible replacement from within: Juan Miranda. Through 57 games at Scranton this season, Miranda is hitting .301 with five home runs and a .835 OPS. The problem with Miranda is that he doesn't compliment the Yankee lineup well because he, like everyone else, struggles against lefties. In 57 at-bats against them this year he's only managed a .175 batting average. So they will eventually turn the search outward. Readily available is Richie Sexson, but even though I made the case last week that the Yankees could desperately use him, I meant as a part time player to be used strictly against lefties. The Yankees would be better off with Miranda playing everyday than signing Sexson for the intent on using him regularly. It could work out that the Yankees use both of them as a platoon, but another possible option which could be better is Barry Bonds. Now 44-years-old, Bonds was great in limited play last year. In 340 at-bats he had 28 home runs, a .480 OBP, and a 1.045 OPS. With the short porch in right field, Bonds could do even more damage as a Yankee. Also Bonds will come cheap, his agent has said that he is willing to play for the league minimum. So by adding Bonds you could add a legitimate threat in the lineup which will cost next to nothing on top of the fact that they won't have to give up any prospects to make the deal. With him in the lineup Alex Rodriguez couldn't ask for better protection. However he certainly comes with some red flags. His age is a major concern as over the past few years Bonds has had limited playing time due to various back and knee ailments. At 44-years how much does he actually have left in the tank? Last season we saw how little Roger Clemens had left in his weak attempt at a comeback that ended in a disappointing playoff performance. Do we as Yankee fans want to risk watching that again? Another big issue against him is his surly attitude and the steroid cloud that follows him around. Even though the Yankees already have steroid cheats Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte on the team, both of them have apologized and handled it in a much better way than Bonds has. Neither the fans nor the media will treat him well so it's likely he will be unhappy during his entire tenure as a Bomber. Despite the possible controversy Brian Cashman has left the door open for the possibility of Bonds' arrival this week when he said, "I would caution everybody to not misunderstand, that because I'm not saying no to it means that it might be happening down the line. It's not something we're focused on at this point." If they choose not to go with either of those routes, another less likely option is Raúl Ibañez of the Seattle Mariners who will likely be traded as the team slips further into irrelevance. The Yankees might match up well with Seattle, a team who might be willing to take a shot on Cabrera. If you could package him together with a mid-level prospect that Mariners may be interested. There are other options out there and be sure the Yankees will look into all of them. From a strictly baseball standpoint Bonds is the best and cheapest option, but he's certainly not the most likely. Since the biggest reason the Yankees wouldn't go after Bonds is because of a probable negative reaction by fans we at Hot Stove want you to vote on who you would like to be the Yankees second half DH.

ESPN's Jayson Stark Hands Out 1/2 Season Honors

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:43:18 -0500

Check out ESPN contributor Jayson Stark's picks for the best and worst performances of the first half of the season. Look it over and weigh in on your thoughts:
NL MVP- Cards Albert Pujols
Honorable Mention-Uttley, Ramirez, Jones, Berkman, Uggla, Holliday
AL MVP- Rangers Ian Kinsler
Honorable Mention-Hamilton, Bradley, ARod, Quentin, Youkilis, Mauer, Drew
Least Valuable NL Player-Dodgers Andruw Jones
Runners-Up-Tulowitzki, F. Sanchez, Francoeur, K. Greene
Least Valuable AL Player- No Longer Mariner Richie Sexson
Runners-Up-E. Renteria, J. Vidro, K. Johijima, R. Cano
NL Cy Young-Giants Tim Lincecum
Runners Up-Volquez, Webb, Sheets, Zambrano, Haren, Lidge
Al Cy Young-Yankees Mariano Rivera
Runners Up-Duchscherer, Lee, R. Halladay, J. Saunders, KRod, J. Danks
NL Rookie-Cubs Geovany Soto
Honorable Mention-Votto, DeWitt, Jurrijens, Parra, Fukodome
AL Rookie-Rays evan Longoria
Honorable Mention-Ellsbury, D. Murphy, G. Smith, J. Chamberlain, N. Blackburn, J. Johnson, A. Aramirez

Yankees Desperate For Sexson

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:22:48 -0500

When the Mariners signed Richie Sexson before the 2005 season they thought they were getting a top of the line first baseman they could have in the middle of their lineup for years. Instead they got an overpaid, under performing, strike out king. After putting up three consecutive seasons with a OPS of over .900 Sexson had begun to slip in 2006 and in 2007 bottomed out to a career low OPS of .694 and he has duplicated that this year at .696. The target of constant criticism the Mariners finally cut ties with him and released the tall 33-year-old. They had every right to, he was costing them a lot and doing the equivalent of trying to stay dry in a pool at the plate. With his future in jeopardy most teams will probably won't even be willing to talk to him, but the Yankees should. The Yankees might be one of the few teams that could be in desperate need of him. Why would the Yankees need such a terrible hitter who hit a unsightly .205 last season? Because he kills lefties. In 61 at bats this season against left handed pitching Sexson hit .344 with a 1.045 OPS. He also cuts down on strike outs against southpaws. Against right handed pitching he strikes out ever 3.03 at bats, but against lefties he only strikes out every 4.69 at bats. Those numbers would be big for the Yankees because most of the lineup comes up short against lefties. Up and down the lineup they have many who come up short in those situations. Take a look at how they perform against the southpaws. Johnny Damon's OPS drops .124 points, Jorge Posada's .086 points, Hideki Matsui's drops .080 points, Melky Cabrera's .117 points. Even their bench struggles against them as Wilson Betemit's OPS dips .056 points. Right handed batter Alex Rodriguez even struggles against them. His OPS plummets .130 points. Things are so bad that when the Yankees last played the Mets they were forced to put out a pathetic lineup against Oliver Perez. That day they sat Jason Giambi, Bobby Abreu, and Robinson Cano (Even though that may have been Joe Girardi's biggest bone head move as they are the only Yankees who actually hit lefties) and instead decided to start Justin Christian, Betemit, and Jose Molina. Big difference there. Obviously Sexson could not platoon with all of the hitters, but consider it a bucket to save a sinking ship. Something at least to give them a chance. With Sexson on the team he would become the regular DH against left handed pitching. He would also shore up their pathetic bench as someone who could come in late in games and keep the team from being shut down against a strong left handed specialist. He would also serve as a strong late inning defensive replacement for Giambi. To put it simply, as terrible as Sexson is, he would fill a lot of holes on this team's offense. Not to mention that he would cost the Yankees nothing in prospects and would work at the pro-rated league minimum. It was a good idea when I suggested it in the middle of May and it's a good idea today. Go get it done Cashman.

MLB Midseason Hardware

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:39:25 -0500

With today being the last day before the All-Star break, DraftNation's BJ Pickard outlines his awards for the first half of the year. AL MVP – Ian Kinsler, 2B, Texas Rangers Runner-up – Carlos Quentin, OF, Chicago White Sox AL LVP – Richie Sexson, 1B, Seattle Mariners Runner-up – Edgar Rentaria, SS, Detroit Tigers NL MVP – Albert Pujols, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals Runner-up – Lance Berkman, 1B, Houston Astros NL LVP – Andruw Jones, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers Runner-up – Freddy Sanchez, 2B, Pittsburgh Pirates AL Cy Young – Cliff Lee, P, Cleveland Indians Runner-up – Justin Duchscherer, P, Oakland Athletics NL Cy Young – Ben Sheets, P, Milwaukee Brewers Runner-up – Tim Lincecum, P, San Francisco Giants AL Rookie of the Year – Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays Runner-up – Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red Sox NL Rookie of the Year – Geovany Soto, C, Chicago Cubs Runner-up – Manny Parra, P, Milwaukee Brewers AL Manager of the Year – Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays Runner-up – Rod Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins NL Manager of the Year – Fredi Gonzalez, Florida Marlins Runner-up – Tony La Russa, St. Louis Cardinals AL Biggest Surprise – Josh Hamilton, OF, Texas Rangers AL Biggest Disappointment – Carlos Silva, P, Seattle Mariners NL Biggest Surprise – Edinson Volquez, P, Cincinnati Reds NL Biggest Disappointment – Barry Zito, P, San Francisco Giants AL Playoff Teams – Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins NL Playoff Teams – Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers

Sexson To Yankees?

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:52:59 -0500

According to the New York Post, GM Brian Cashman is interested in signing 1B Richie Sexson when he clears waivers next week. Sexson has really struggled over the past couple of years but a change of scenery, especially to a contender, could do him well. Giambi is hitting for power at first, but Betemit is not hitting for the power the Yankees had hoped for. Adding Sexson would give them a right hander hitter to balance out their lineup. If they can sign him for the minimum, it could turn out to be a great deal for the Yankees.

Hank strikes again, and other notes

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:49:56 -0500

Hank Steinbrenner just can't help himself. He couldn't get through an entire interview — this one with USA Today — without taking a shot at somebody. His primary target this time turned out to be fans of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. "There's a lot of excitement around here from the Rays fans, but almost to [...]