Do Yankees Have a Bench Problem?

By adding a trio of big name free agents the Yankees have been very effective in addressing their most pressing needs, but are they neglecting other needs at the same time?

Many around the Yankees blogosphere think the Yankees are facing a serious issue here. Perhaps the most vocal argument is coming from noMaas.org who called the Bomber bench a disaster.

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“Yes, we have a long way to go before the season begins, but all of this trade talk involving Nady & Swisher got us thinking.  If one of these guys is traded, how bad is the Yankees’ bench going to be?  You’re looking at a variation of Melky/Gardner, Jose Molina, and maybe Angel Berroa or Cody Ransom.  Wow, that is horrid.  With aging position players in Damon, Matsui, Damon, Jeter, Posada, and Arod, this team needs a player or two who can do an above-scrub level job in the event of a lengthy injury.  Right now, the lineup has no depth.  So, we took a look at some available free agents who are likely desperate for a contract in this economic climate, and might be willing to accept a part-time role.”

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They are assuming the Yankees trade one or both Xavier Nady or Nick Swisher, but that is an assumption that is a little early in the game. First of all, they don’t have to trade either. So far there have only been rumors surfacing and nothing sounds serious or likely.

Also, if they do trade one of them it is possible that they fill a pair of needs. Say they trade Nady and a lower level prospect they could add a young outfielder and an infielder which would bolster the bench in a big way.

Tyler Kepner of the NY Times thinks the Yankees would be better off keeping both Nady and Swisher and he thinks that would be pretty good depth off bench.

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“The Red Sox now have a spare outfielder who’s a very good player—Rocco Baldelli—so the Yankees might want to keep theirs, too. They will probably need the injury protection at some point, and the depth would allow Manager Joe Girardi to rest Damon regularly to keep his legs fresh. The Yankees also could keep their depth in case someone gets hurt in spring training and presents them with a hole they don’t have now. The rotation and the bullpen look good enough. There’s no need to rush into anything in January — if at all.”

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Chad Jennings of the Scranton Times-Tribune also makes a pretty solid argument for keeping both Nady and Swisher. He argues that keeping both would allow the Yankees to:

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1. Keep Matsui out of left field.
2. Use Nady as a platoon starter and pinch hitter vs. lefties.
3. Give Matsui and Damon a better shot of staying healthy.
4. Have options in right field.

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So obviously the Yankees have some options here whether they hang onto Swisher and Nady or not. So it’s a little early to call their bench a disaster.