Have New York Yankees Hit Home Run with Acquisition of Ichiro?
July 23, 2012 · Peter Alfano · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
So much for a youth movement.
Ichiro Suzuki is 38 years old but will probably find new life in his bat and legs with the New York Yankees.
Ichiro is a great acquisition because he did not cost the Yankees a high-level prospect and because it is an admission of sorts—home runs are not going to take the Yankees to the World series.
It’s not a coincidence that this trade was made after the Yankees were swept in four games by the Oakland A’s this weekend. The A’s are one of the weakest hitting teams in the majors, but they have good pitching. Their young starters were not intimidated by the power bats that the Yankees brought to the plate.
Let’s face it Yankee fans: Pitching is what matters most in the postseason. And while Oakland plays in one of the most pitcher-friendly stadiums in either league, it still is an ominous sign if the Yankees can’t manufacture runs when they are not hitting the ball over the fence.
Ichiro will turn back the clock in New York and look more like the hitter he was in his first seven or eight years in Seattle. From the beginning of spring training I advocated that Brett Gardner would bat lead-off with Derek Jeter in the second hole, where the hit-and-run and Gardner’s stolen base ability could help the Yankees manufacture runs.
Ichiro will fill that role and then some if he bats lead-off for the Yankees. He is 38 but also in the final year of his contract so the Yankees can cut bait after this season. He will steal bases and also occasionally turn on a pitch and hit it into the right-field seats at the homer-friendly Yankee Stadium.
With a chance to win his first World Series ring, Ichiro will be reborn and have an excellent final two months of the season. Even at his age, I would take Ichiro over Gardner. And for the Yankees, the price was minimal.
This was a trade the Yankees won’t regret.
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