WFAN’s Mike Francesa: Yankees Should Not Resign Hideki Matsui

November 11, 2009

By DailySkew

WFAN’s Mike Francesa pitched his idea that the 2010 Yankees should have a rotating DH spot and not have a full-time DH. In other words, Jorge Posada would be DH for 40 games, Johnny Damon would be DH, A-Rod would DH once a week, and Derek Jeter would DH. He said even if Hideki Matsui comes back to the Yankees in 2010, he would be a part-time player anyway.

The problem with this scenario is that none of the players he listed want to DH . A “rotating DH” sounds like a 1970’s experiment or like a baseball computer simulation: it would work in theory but not in practice.

The major plot hole in a 2010 Yankees rotating DH scenario is that if A-Rod DH’s, you need a capable 3B backup. If Jeter DHs, you need someone that can hit at SS. If Jorge DH’s, we have an automatic out at catcher. If Johnny Damon DH’s, you have an outfield that looks like Swisher, Melky, Gardner (combined 35 HR?).

If the Yanks don’t have Matsui as a regular DH, the 2010 Yankees bench and the rotating DH spot must produce 28HR and 95+ RBIs to replace Godzilla’s 2009 production. Somehow I doubt they can.