If there was a sure move to be made in the next couple of days that Yankee GM Brian Cashman would acquire, is a first baseman. And Morneau has got to be the first name to jump up in discussions.
We all know what Morneau can do if he were traded to the Yankees; and what he can potentially do in Yankee Stadium. All it matters is what Morneau is going to cost. How much are the Minnesota Twins asking for, for their former MVP first baseman.
Is he worth it in the eyes of Cashman? Or, in the eyes of Hal Steinbrenner? There's no question that he makes sense. Morneau is going to be free agent after this season, and he's the perfect power bat for Yankee Stadium -- and a gold glover at first.
When the Yankees were at home for their three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays, I notice that they have no left-handed power bat, besides Robinson Cano, who can easily flip the wrist and get one over the short porch in right. Like Raul Ibanez was for us, last year. Yankees don't have that.
Now, Morneau only has eight homers this season. But I guarantee, you put him in a Yankee uniform at Yankee Stadium, in a contending team, with all these stars around him, he will feed off that and hit begin to homeruns in bunches. You gotta think Morneau has a hot, power streak in him.
There's not much of a market for Morneau. Reason for that is some teams may feel Morneau is not the same player he once was. But if you're the Yankees, you have to look at Morneau differently since you have that short porch in right field. If he's a Yankee, those 8 homeruns can easily shoot up to 15. Look at Curtis Granderson -- I don't think Granderson has 40-homers in another ballpark.
I know they'd prefer a right-handed bat, but I feel they more left-handed power for Yankee Stadium. Someone who can drop the bat on a pitch down the middle and effortlessly put over the right field wall.
The Yankees have won and made the playoffs in the past couple years because they had that lefty to hit clutch homeruns at Yankee Stadium. That's how they won in 2009 from names like Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, and that's how their season stood alive with players like Ibanez.
