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Writings on baseball by Matt Barnard and Dan Stein.
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1.26.2004
Boone injured
There are reports this evening from all over the place that Aaron Boone's been injured in a pickup basketball game (in violation of his contract), possibly tearing his ACL. While there's some talk that he might be able to return at some point late in the season, it sounds as if the Yankees have to move forward assuming that Boone won't be available. This obviously sucks from the Yankees' standpoint, but it's not quite as disastrous as some might have us believe. Boone was projected as probably the ninth place hitter in the Yankee lineup, and rightly so. While he's been a reasonably productive hitter and fine defensive player (his problems in his late season stint in New York notwithstanding) over the course of the last five seasons, his career line is an underwhelming .270/.332/.448. That's not to say that the Yankees won't miss him...but I can't see losing him being the factor that makes or breaks the season. The question now becomes how Boone will be replaced. I am assuming (and hoping) that the Yanks will not be content with forcing Enrique Wilson or Miguel Cairo into full-time duty, but I suppose it's a possibility. Obviously, either of those two would represent a substantial downgrade from Boone's production and would negatively impact the Yankee lineup, even being slotted in the nine hole. There's a distinct possibility that the team will trade for a third baseman before the season starts, not that there are that many available. Talking to Dan tonight about the injury and the void it leaves, he mentioned the possibility that the Yanks would go after either Edgardo Alfonzo or Corey Koskie, both of whom are intriguing options. I'm not sure why Minnesota (who should be very much in the mix for the AL Central crown again) would be interested in trading a third baseman who hit .292/.393/.452 last year and is due just $4.5 million in 2004, but if the Yanks can find a way to acquire him, that'd be great. Every article I'm reading about the Boone injury mentions that all the Yankees now have to play third base are Wilson, Cairo and failed prospect Drew Henson. While I'd like to see the team acquire a proven third baseman (if it can be done reasonably), I'd certainly prefer giving Henson an extended trial to either Wilson or Cairo being handed a job. If he sucks, so what? You know Wilson and Cairo would suck, at least Henson's not a known quantity at the major league level yet. - |