Yankees Sign Marcus Thames to Minor League Deal

Last night the Yankees came to an agreement with an old friend, outfielder Marcus Thames. Thames agreed to a minor league deal with the team and will get the chance to be the fifth outfielder.

Thames, who appeared in seven games for the 2002 Yankees (they drafted him in the 30th round in 1996) and homered off Randy Johnson in his first big-league at-bat, hits lefties well and if he makes the team, he will become the predominant right handed bat off the bench to spell any of the outfielders throughout the season.

Also, Thames gives the Yankees three options with which to replace Johnny Damon, who is unemployed. Thames spent the last six season with Detroit and hit .252 with 13 homers and 36 RBI last year, down from 25 homers and 56 RBI the previous season. He would get a $900,000, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster and have the chance to earn an additional $900,000 in performance bonuses.

The right-handed hitting Thames could find himself alongside center fielder Curtis Granderson, his former Tigers teammate, and complement the switch-hitting Winn, who hit .292 from the left side last year and .158 from the right. Thames batted .257 against lefties and .248 against righties. The speedy Brett Gardner also will be in the mix for playing time alongside Granderson.

"He has a great bat against left-handers," manager Joe Girardi said of Thames, who was dealt from the Yankees to Rangers for Ruben Sierra in 2003.

Said GM Brian Cashman: "He hits left-handed pitching well, and we know him as a person, so we will see where it takes us."

I don't get this. Thames is not that strong of a hitter and does not get on base a lot, he has a career .306 OBP. I get the signing from the standpoint that he can play both corner outfield spots, first base, and DH, but the Yankees could have gone out and gotten someone else that does the same thing.

Nick Swisher can do the same thing and I have already made the argument that I don't believe he belongs in the starting spot in right field. The Yanks could have resigned Xavier Nady to play right field for a low amount of money and had Swisher play the role that Thames is playing, but would do so more effectively. 

I would have to say that I do not agree with the last two signings in the outfield for the Yankees. I am still set on my opinion that they should have signed Reed Johnson to platoon with Gardner. I guess the good news in all of this is that if neither Winn nor Thames work out in Spring Training, Johnny Damon is still unemployed and wants to come back to the Yankees.

So given what I've told you, and given that Thames's career OBP is .306 and Winn hit .158 against lefties last season, what would you think about all of this? I've already told you what I think.