Aaron Boone

So....how 'bout them Yankees.

Aaron Boone - 1 year 5.75 mil. What does everyone think - is he the Great American Shortstop? Or the guy he has been for most of his career. Do you pay $5.75 for Aaron Boone - post season HR considered?

.302 OBP in NY .254 - .274/.332 (pretty average elsewhere) - that's pretty much he was in the ML's. Not much power, efficient base stealer. reputation as a good 3B that I can't even fathom.

What do people think?

[JamesI]

I am surprised he got so much money.

I am also surprised the Yanks signed him. I really exected him to be cut loose.

[Wolf Hopper]

Five mill, for his length of service, doesn't seem like a ton.

If he bats 9th, and the Yanks have a good LH or SH on the bench for late inning pressure spots, he can't hurt NY.

Someone has to play 3B.

If he bats higher than 8th in the regular line-up on a daily basis, he won't last the year in NY.

Originally Posted by Wolf Hopper

Five mill, for his length of service, doesn't seem like a ton.

If he bats 9th, and the Yanks have a good LH or SH on the bench for late inning pressure spots, he can't hurt NY.

Someone has to play 3B.

If he bats higher than 8th in the regular line-up on a daily basis, he won't last the year in NY.

5.75 - that means if the Yanks FILL their 9 hitting slots with #9 hitters they have a salary for 9 of their 25 of....51.75. That seems bad to me.

And if 'someone' to play third, then why not pay them $750.000 and get a .320 OBP and .270 BA. That's probably possible. And then re-sign Pettitte or Wells...just to throw some people out.

[Wolf Hopper]

Elmo - Torre likes the guy. He knows better than me - and probably you. I kicked and screamed when they let Mike Stanley go and picked up Joe Girardi (who made a lot and could not hit water if he fell out of a boat).

Last time I checked, the Girardi deal paid off for NY.

Maybe they like the way he conducts himself - - the Yankees are short on "pro" players lately. Maybe they hope Soriano and others see how a pro goes about his business and it rubs off? I dunno.

Just guesses - and wild ones at that.

Things could be a lot worse - - they COULD sign a $750,000 place holder and Stein could stick the $5 mill in his pocket - like most other owners.

If he wants to spend his profits on players, more power to him. Many probably wish their owners did it more often.

Originally Posted by Wolf Hopper

Elmo - Torre likes the guy. .

True - the Torre likes the guy factor. Still seems a bit jarring after the Schilling trade. I guess it's the usual deal - the 'value' whatever that is, of the player is rather secondary to the market. I mean, without looking I guess they could get Ventura back (not that they would) and come out about the same.

[Jim Rice]

Wow, $5.75 million. Didn't the Royals just pay Joe Randa about $2 million less than that to post pretty much the same career OPS and defensive stats?

[Wolf Hopper]

IIRC, the 3B FA group of 2004-05 has some nice names on it. Most likely, NY is thinking of one and out for Boone.

Originally Posted by Jim Rice

Wow, $5.75 million. Didn't the Royals just pay Joe Randa about $2 million less than that to post pretty much the same career OPS and defensive stats?

In a much, much worse hitters park.....

Yeah, pretty much and I think they over paid for him by quite a bit.

[Wolf Hopper]

Originally Posted by Jim Rice

Wow, $5.75 million. Didn't the Royals just pay Joe Randa about $2 million less than that to post pretty much the same career OPS and defensive stats?

Boone is 3 years younger, runs much, much better than Randa (and you want a 9th hitter than can run - not to clog up the bases for the 1st and 2nd hitter), and can back-up at SS and 2B in a pinch (and hold his own with the glove). Randa is only a 3B at this point (has never played SS and last played 2B more than once in 1998).

That will be the $2 mill diff - plus the cost of living in NY v. KC.

Originally Posted by Wolf Hopper

IIRC, the 3B FA group of 2004-05 has some nice names on it. Most likely, NY is thinking of one and out for Boone.

Yeah - I guess with the Sheffield signing and probably some pitcher signing and such, we are almost back to Ken Phelps and Pat Tabler....if not Doyle Alexander....

(OK that's a bit harsh given the Yankee's bankbook)....but they've been playing one year fixes since about 2 years after Showalter and it seems to be taking it's toll..

Originally Posted by Wolf Hopper

Boone is 3 years younger, runs much, much better than Randa (and you want a 9th hitter than can run - not to clog up the bases for the 1st and 2nd hitter), and can back-up at SS and 2B in a pinch (and hold his own with the glove). Randa is only a 3B at this point (has never played SS and last played 2B more than once in 1998).

That will be the $2 mill diff - plus the cost of living in NY v. KC.

Wait, Boone is younger, but he doesn't get on base - he doesn't hit outside of cincy.

2003 .288/.360 home .246/.294 away
2002 .244/.310 .236/.317
.2001 .332/.910 .255/.311

This is BAD. He's three years younger, sure - but he's gonna be 31 - he's not getting any better. He can play ss and 2b - but he can't play them well. He only has one thing that separates him and that is that he is an efficient base stealer.

[nyy26wc]

Originally Posted by Wolf Hopper

Elmo - Torre likes the guy. He knows better than me - and probably you. I kicked and screamed when they let Mike Stanley go and picked up Joe Girardi (who made a lot and could not hit water if he fell out of a boat).

Last time I checked, the Girardi deal paid off for NY.

The last time I checked, other players on the team overcame the liability that was Girardi.

Just like this time around, other players on the team will have to overcome the liability that is Boone.

Originally Posted by nyy26wc

The last time I checked, other players on the team overcame the liability that was Girardi.

Just like this time around, other players on the team will have to overcome the liability that is Boone.

I agree - my point is not that the Yankee's can't overcome that though - but rather they shouldn't pay him like a one year rental of Girardi -PLUS a one year rental of Wells.....which is what they are doing. IMO.

in 2003 A. Boone was 9th amongst 3B with more than 150Ab's in RCAA with a BA over 260 and an OBP of over 300.......with 4.

That ranked him tied for 139 - behind

T131 Hideki Matsui 5 5
T131 Joe Vitiello 5 5
T131 Sean Burroughs 5 5
T131 Ricky Ledee 5 5
T131 Phil Nevin 5 5
T131 Dave McCarty 5 5
T131 David Ross 5 5
T131 Billy McMillon 5 5

Fine company. Only10 people who played 3B in MLB had BA and OBP less or equal to Boone and had more than 131 Abs

1 Tony Batista 631 .235 .270
2 Adrian Beltre 559 .240 .290
3 Shane Halter 360 .217 .269
4 David Bell 297 .195 .296
5 Jose Hernandez 262 .214 .267
6 Jeff Cirillo 258 .205 .284
7 Pedro Feliz 235 .247 .278
8 Fernando Tatis 175 .194 .281
9 Edwards Guzman 146 .240 .263
10 Donnie Sadler 131 .198 .277

How many 6 million players in here - as a free agent this year......

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Wolf Hopper

IIRC, the 3B FA group of 2004-05 has some nice names on it. Most likely, NY is thinking of one and out for Boone.

This was my first thought upon seeing him signed. However, I agree with others that I didn't expect him to be back next year at all.