Against a Rotating DH
With Jesus Montero off to the Pacific Northwest, the Yankees have a hole at designated hitter. It’s been popular lately to say that the Yankees should go with a “rotating DH” – using the spot to frequently rest Yankee hitters, primarily Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. This is a very bad idea.
A DH rotation essentially means that the team would give 162 games worth of at-bats to a reserve player. If Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez are the primary targets of a rotating DH, that means that Eric Chavez and Eduardo Nunez will receive the majority of those at bats. The two of them combined for .264/.315/.375 in 513 plate appearances in 2011. The average AL DH hit .266/.341/.430 last season. By entering the season planning to give the majority of DH at-bats to those reserve players, you’re immediately surrendering a lot of that potential value.
Now, Andruw Jones complicates matters. Against left-handed batters, he is a legitimate force, hitting .286/.384/.540 against. He would likely get some at-bats in a rotating DH scheme, when no regulars are being rested. But Nunez and Chavez aren’t exactly high-end platoon partners to take the remaining at-bats. The Yankees should find someone to take those at bats who can actually hit.
Carlos Pena has been much-discussed as a potential solution in a DH platoon. If the Yankees can land him within their budget, I’m all for Pena. But let’s assume for a second that either the Yankees can’t afford him, or Pena would be unwilling to take a part-time role. A cheaper option would be bringing back Wilson Betemit. He has not received much attention this off season, and likely wouldn’t be too expensive. Betemit has always been better against right-handed pitchers, hitting .277/.348/.469 throughout his career and .303/.365/.500 in 2011. He would be Alex Rodriguez’s primary backup at third base – a big improvement over Eric Chavez – and an emergency fill-in at shortstop and 2nd base. In fact, Betemit could quite a few games at 3rd base for Alex Rodriguez, if not the majority of games against right-handed pitchers.
Wilson Betemit, or another player like him, will cost more than your average part-time platoon or bench player. For most teams, this would be a prohibitive problem that would force them into a Chavez-like option. But the strength of the Yankee financial resources means that this is exactly the type of asymmetric advantage they should pursue. Alex Rodriguez will likely spend some time on the disabled list in 2012. This means that Betemit wouldn’t just be a right-handed designated hitter platoon player, but rather a big fat insurance policy on Alex Rodriguez.
Betemit is just one example of a player. I’m sure others could think of examples of players who would fit the role. My point is that the Yankees should take advantage of the presence of Andruw Jones and try to get some real production out of the designated hitter’s at bats. Eduardo Nunez and Eric Chavez are not the solutions to that problem. They are decent enough bench players, but are big liabilities if simply handed 600 at-bats over the course of the season.
Tagged with: Wilson Betemit
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They don’t all fit the need of a DH who can play the field (preferably IF) as well but looking at the names left on the free agent market these are the guys who seem possible.
Derek Lee
Carlos Pena
Wilson Betemit
Eric Chavez
Johnny Damon
Jonny Gomes
Cody Ross
Of that group Pena and Betemit seem to be the most attractive, with Betemit being the most likely. Guys like Gomes and Ross fall into a category (RH power bat) already filled by Jones, and even Damon hit better against lefties last year than he did righties. Derek Lee is kind of interesting but the fact that he’s limited to DH and 1B and not near the masher Pena is makes him less attractive for our need. Pena is clearly the most suited for what we’re looking for in a DH but as stated he may not fit in with the budget or have the desire to work part time.
Oh no, Not Betemit, please.
The guy is a human windmill, striking out an absolutely alarming 105 times in 323 ABs. Jorge Vazquez could give you that.
Also, may be hard to find a worser mitt than Wilson Betemit. Lifetime fielding % of .940– all sorts of other negative fielding data.
This guy is a really bad ballplayer — as many teams (including the Yanks) already found when they shipped him out. Pass on that one, please.
People are WAY over estimating what Jorge Vazquez could give you.
Let’s take a look at Wilson’s last seasons shall we?
2010- .297/.378/.511, .385 wOBA, 13 HRs in 276 ABs
2011- .285/.343/.452, .340 wOBA, 8 HRs in 323 ABs
BB% and K% for Betemit
2010- 11.4 BB% 23.5 K%
2011- 8.6 BB% 29.2 K%
Now let’s look at Jorge Vazquez’s K% and BB% numbers in AAA the last 2 years.
2010- 5.4 BB% 30.1 K%
2011- 6.0 BB% 33.2 K%
If Betemit could provide something in between his 2010 and 2011 numbers he would be a fine fit for a part time DH/3B along with Jones and Alex. He also walks more and strikes out less at the major league level than Jorge does in AAA at 29.
Considering the reports are saying the Yankees have between 1-2 million to spend on DH who would be better than Wilson? Pena certainly isn’t taking that little and a 38 year old Damon who can’t play the field isn’t much better, if at all.
I don’t know where the support came from for Jorge Vazquez but he is a classic AAAA player, one who strikes out way to often and doesn’t walk near enough to ever be considered for any kind of extended amount of ABs at the major league level. I’d much rather have Betemit be the only starter at DH than Vazquez.
Irony, my friend.
Both Betemit and Vazquez would be horrible choices (though aesthetically, I guess, Vazquez is preferable since he’s never even had a chance. Might actually rake for a week or two til they find the holes in his swing). But I believe both are undesirable choices.
How is “Jorge could give you that” irony?
Betemit is better option than Vazquez by far and Betemit is a better choice than anything else available for the price tag. There is no one available on the free agent market 1-2 million who is going to be a world beater. Just various forms of bad and fallen off.
Yes, by all means let’s go get a guy who can’t make contact — either with a thrown or batted ball.
The guy has played for at least a half dozen teams– none of which has seen fit to stay with him for much more than a year. We dumped him once. But now should take him back?
From reading the comments on this excellent blog, I know, TOC, you always try to get the last word in but there’s really no reason to continue this dialog. You like Betmit. Fine. I think he’s an awful ballplayer, as evidenced by his pathetic strikeout rates, dismal fielding history and inability to stick with any of many teams.
I still have nightmares over the first time we tried the Wilson Betemit Experience (You know, when we found the next David Ortiz) and Girardi invented ways to get him into games, including as a defensive replacement and pinch runner.
The Carlos Pena rumors are going to quiet this week. His price tag just isn’t going to come down enough for Hal Steinbrenner to green light the signing. Kuroda’s signing required Steinbrenner’s approval. With the arb raises in store to come (even Hughes got a raise!), its just a fool’s hope to envision Pena hitting 30 bombs in pinstripes.
JD and Betemit are much more realistic options.
While Betemit isn’t the sexiest, or most popular choice he fits much better with the need than a guy like Damon or Matsui at this point. What does Damon or Matsui provide that Jones doesn’t do better? Both even though they are lefties hit lefties better than right handers, plus neither can field even a little bit at this point. We need someone to take some ABs at DH vs RHP and also spell Alex at 3rd so he can take DH and full rest days. Damon nor Matsui help with either of those things. Even Derek Lee doesn’t fit either of those molds. No one currently available via free agency does except Betemit. He’s no great player but his numbers the past 2 seasons haven’t been terrible, and if he can contribute somewhere in between his 2010 and 2011 numbers he’d work out fine at minimum until the All-Star break when someone lese can be acquired by trade.
Wilson Betemit can field?
I mean, I guess he can stand in the spots where the other fielders usually stand, but I mean, so can *I*
I think best case scenario is the Yankees eat a lot of Burnett’s contract for a real DH or a strong caddy for ARod. Use his now useless roster spot and try and fill another with it. A real DH would be nice to have in the playoffs because everyone will be playing their respective positions and you want the bench guys are depth in case of injury anyway. Or a nice backup 3rd baseman to help get ARod through the season if they have that little faith in him being able to give them games at DH. Either way that would be a terrific move as it could solve 2 problems with one shot.
Sure signing Betemit would solve the backup 3rd and DH platoon option, but it wouldn’t solve the AJ Burnett problem. In the playoffs against a tough lefty you would want Jones as you DH? No you want him as a backup in case of injury. Use Burnett while you can still say to people “hey at least he can throw 190 innings.”
I say go for Manny. He won’t help right away, no. Let the yanks “rotate” or go “in-house” for the first 50 games and see what happens. If they find something that works, great. If not, it can’t hurt to have one of the most feared hitters of all time sitting on your bench. especially if you got him for nothing.