Why can't this happen ? Why can't Josh Hamilton and Justin Upton wind up with the Yankees ?
People are forgetting something here -- next season, Yankees might not have anybody in the outfield. If they don't resign Curtis Granderson after next season, the only outfielder the Yanks will have is Brett Gardner. And Gardner is not a Yankee-type outfielder.
The Yankees and Brian Cashman don't want to get into a situation where they have to fill up two corner outfielders in one off-season. They have to at least get one of them, this off-season.
If it wasn't because of Hamilton's troubled past, Yankees would have already setup a locker for him in the clubhouse. That's the only thing that's separating 'Yankees' and 'Hamilton' from making a potential deal. Because we all know if Hamilton was drug-free, Yankees would have already signed him.
Believe or not, Yankees need a big bat -- they do. Robinson Cano, is right now, the Yanks best all around hitter. You can say the same about Mark Teixeira, but he's been a bit feast or famine. And Alex Rodriguez might not be the same anymore because he's getting older. All that -- points to signing Josh Hamilton and signing him sounds right. Especially with A-Rod declining.
I remember in the 2008 off-season when Mark Teixeira was still a free agent and everyone thought Yanks would sign Manny Ramirez. But when I kept seeing Teixeira on T.V, he just looked like a player that would make sense for the Yankees. Thats what I see when I look at Hamilton. It just makes too much sense.
Justin Upton: Why not ? Yankees could sign Hamilton as a 'now' player, and they can trade for Upton as a 'future' and 'now' player.
Two things why I see Yankees getting involved in Upton -- because he's in the Arizona Diamondbacks and Yanks have Eduardo Nunez.
It's a positive that Upton is a Diamondback, because the Yankees and Diamondbacks are good trading partners. Remember, they helped the Yankees land Curtis Granderson in that three-team trade with the Detroit Tigers. You can even go back to Randy Johnson when the Yankees traded for him and then traded him back to Arizona.
And why Eduardo Nunez ? Arizona is looking for a shortstop. Nunez hasn't shown to be Ozzie Smith defensively, but he's a damn good hitter; he can be a great hitter. I can see Nunez spraying balls all over Chase Field, for doubles and triples.
A package I would send to Arizona: Nunez, Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes or David Phelps.
Prediction: Yankees will land either Hamilton or Upton, or both. I'm starting to believe that.
Another thing to remember, Yankees are losing Nick Swisher, who produce over 20-25 homeruns and 90-100 rbi's for the last four years for the Yankees. That's a lot to lose.
