The Yankees used a colossal number of players in 2013. Most of them were short term attempts to cover for injuries and didn’t work out too well. Over our next few articles we’ll be surveying those who went, those who stayed and how things look for next year. Let’s start with those who spent time at the plate:
David Adams 43 Games .193 BA / .286 SLG / .252 OBP
Adams made his debut with the Yankees in 2013 in a season that started well but rather lost its impetus. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a major league deal with the Cleveland Indians for 2014. He has a 1 year deal with Cleveland.
Zoilo Almonte 34 Games .236 BA / .302 SLG / .274 OBP
At the current time, Almonte remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Brennan Boesch 23 Games .275 BA / .529 SLG / .302 OBP
Boesch, who was released by the Yankees after an early season plagued with injuries, has been playing in Dominican Republic winter ball in the hoping of gaining a deal in 2014.
Reid Brignac 17 Games .114 BA / .136 SLG / .133 OBP
After a disappointing stint with the Yankees, Brignac joined Colorado where he was assigned to Triple-A. He has signed a minor league deal for 2014 with the Philadelphia Phillies which includes an invite to Spring Training.
Robinson Cano 160 Games .314 BA / .516 SLG / .383 OBP
The Yankees top offensive player in 2013 is also their major departure. He has signed a 10-year deal with the Seattle Mariners which is worth a reputed $240 million. The Yankees can’t hope to find a like-for-like replacement for him at second base.
Francisco Cervelli 17 Games .269 BA / .500 SLG / .377 OBP
At the current time, Cervelli remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Luis Cruz 16 Games .182 BA / .200 SLG / .224 OBP
Another infielder who failed in the task of filling in for the stellar Yankees players who were injured, Cruz was released in August. After a few months out of baseball, he has signed for the Chiba Lotte Marines to play in Japan in 2014.
Ben Francisco 21 Games .114 BA / .182 SLG / .220 OBP
Francisco, who struggled horribly for the Yankees in 2013, currently has no deal for 2014.
Brett Gardner 145 Games .273 BA / .416 SLG / .344 OBP
At the current time, Gardner remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Alberto Gonzalez 13 Games .176 BA / .206 SLG / .176 OBP
Gonzalez had two stints on the Yankees senior roster in 2013, briefly battling for a spot with Reid Brignac – a battle he won, only later to be demoted again to Triple-A. For 2014, he has a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres.
Curtis Granderson 61 Games .229 BA / .407 SLG / .317 OBP
Another significant outward move for the Yankees is Granderson who spent much of last season on the disabled list. He chose to sign for the New York Mets for $60 million over 4 seasons (2014:$13m, 2015:$16m, 2016:$16m, 2017: $15m)
Travis Hafner 82 Games .202 BA / .378 SLG / .299 OBP
Hafner played his last game for New York in July in a season shortened by injury. He currently has no contract to play major league baseball in 2014.
Travis Ishikawa 1 Game .000 BA / .000 SLG / .000 OBP
Ishikawa followed his very brief stint with the Yankees with a much more successful period in the minors with the Chicago White Sox organisation. For 2014, he has signed another minor league deal – this time with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Derek Jeter 17 Games .190 BA / .254 SLG / .288 OBP
Jeter will be on the Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Corban Joseph 2 Games . 167 BA/ .333 SLG / .286 OBP
Joseph, who saw very limited service at the major league level in 2013, has been outrighted to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders where he looks likely to begin the 2014 season.
Brent Lillibridge 11 Games .171 BA / .200 SLG / .194 OBP
After being designated for assignment to make room for Alex Rodriguez in mid-season, Lillibridge declared for free agency in October. He has signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers organisation for 2014.
Melky Mesa 5 Games .385 BA / .538 SLG / .429 OBP
Despite doing well in the 5 games he played for the Yankees last season, Mesa was released in September. He currently has no contract to play professional baseball next season.
J.R. Murphy 15 Games .154 BA / .192 SLG / .185 OBP
At the current time, Murphy remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Thomas Neal 4 Games .182 BA / .182 SLG / .308 OBP
After a less-than-sparkling handful of games for the Bronx Bombers, Neal was claimed off waivers by the Chicago Cubs. Less than two months later, he was outrighted from their roster and is currently without a contract.
Chris Nelson 10 Games .222 BA / .278 SLG / .243 OBP
After 14 days with the New York Yankees, he was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and designated to Triple-A. At the end of the season, he was non-tendered by the Los Angeles club and is now a free agent.
Jayson Nix 87 Games .236 BA / .311 SLG / .308 OBP
After a disappointing season with the Yankees, which ended in injury, Nix was not offered a contract in October and currently remains a free agent.
Eduardo Nunez 90 Games .260 BA / .372 SLG / .307 OBP
At the current time, Nunez remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Lyle Overbay 142 Games .240 BA / .393 SLG / .296 OBP
Overbay, who was the everyday first baseman during Mark Teixeira’s extended absence, is currently a free agent and has no contract for 2014.
Mark Reynolds 36 Games .236 BA / .455 SLG / .300 OBP
Reynolds did well as a power-hitting infielder and versatile defensive utility man in 2013 but currently finds himself as a free agent. It is not beyond possibility that he might be given another opportunity to make the Yankees roster next season.
Alex Rodriguez 44 Games .244 BA / .423 SLG / .348 OBP
If you don’t know what is happening with A-Rod then you really haven’t been paying attention in class. We should know the outcome of all that early in January. At the current time, he remains a part of the 40-man roster and we will look at him in the 3rd instalment of this series of articles.
Austin Romine 60 Games .207 BA / .296 SLG / .255 OBP
At the current time, Romine remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Brendan Ryan 17 Games .220 BA / .305 SLG / .258 OBP
Ryan is the one offensive free agent who has returned to the Yankees fold thus far in the off-season. Consequently, he is on the 40-man roster and we will consider him in that already mentioned 3rd piece in this series.
Alfonso Soriano 58 Games .256 BA / .525 SLG / .325 OBP
At the current time, Soriano remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Chris Stewart 109 Games .211 BA / .272 SLG / .293 OBP
After 2012, Russell Martin was allowed to leave and the much weaker offensive option, Stewart, was tabbed to be the senior catcher. Defensively, he has done well in that role but offensively as you can see he has not been able to step up to the mark. Just before the end of his 2013 1-year contract, Stewart was traded to Pittsburgh, where ironically he looks likely to be Russell Martin’s backup once again. In 2013, he earned just over $0.5m for the Yankees
Ichiro Suzuki 150 Games .262 BA / .342 SLG / .297 OBP
At the current time, Ichiro remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Mark Teixeira 15 Games .151 BA / .340 SLG / .270 OBP
Teixeira is on the 40-man roster and, if injury-free, will contribute much more to the Yankees in 2014. We will look at him in the 3rd part of this series of articles.
Vernon Wells 130 Games .233 BA / .349 SLG / .282 OBP
At the current time, Wells remains on the 40 man Yankees roster for 2014 and will feature in the 3rd instalment in this series of articles.
Kevin Youkilis 28 Games .219 BA / .343 SLG / .305 OBP
It is never easy joining the Yankees from the Boston Red Sox and with such an awful 1-season stint now behind him, Youkilis will never be remembered as fondly by the Bleacher Creatures as he was at Fenway. Released at season’s end, Youkilis has signed a further one-year deal for 2014, this time with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan.
