Very nice pick-up, and I’m glad that Cashman got yet another one of “his” guys.

Let’s see what Cashman can do now that he apparently is totally in charge.

How many 1B will we have the end of the year?

great pickup. it’s a minor league deal, so why not?

SG, what do those numbers look like if used strictly against LHP?  he crushes lefties, which is exactly what this team needs on the bench.

Something like this -
80%: .304/.435/.574
65%: .285/.405/.521
Baseline: .267/.374/.468
35%: .249/.344/.415
20%: .231/.314/.362

My platoon split projections are based on the typical average, so Ensberg’s baseline probably skews towards the 65% projection.

I love this move.  Small move, but one I’ve wanted to happen for a while. 

He might be all done, it’s true.  But there is real upside here.  Nice move, Cash.

So, anyone want to take a stab at the 2008 opening day 25-man roster?

Wasn’t there a rumor last year about how Cashman wanted Ensberg when he was DFA’d and Torre didn’t want him? Someone said something about how it seems like the organizations frustrations with Torre went beyond 1st round playoff exits, and it seems like this might be evidence of it.

Weird that it comes right after Santana gets moved - maybe they were really ready to pinch pennies to get him on the team.

Either way, good move. Between the bullpen and the 1B options, we’ve got a lot of names to sift through: Giambi, Duncan, Betemit, Ensberg, Miranda, and Lane.. hopefully the combination of 7 of them can equal 1 legitimate all round first baseman.

SP Wang
SP Pettitte
SP Hughes
SP Mussina
SP Kennedy

Swingman Chamberlain

RP Rivera
RP Hawkins
RP Farnsworth
RP Igawa
RP Ohlendorf
RP Bruney

OF Cabrera
OF Damon
OF Abreu
3B Rodriguez
SS Jeter
2B Cano
1B Betemit
C Posada
DH Giambi

Note: Betemit backs up all INF; Rodriguez backs up SS; Matsui plays in rotation in LF/CF/DH; Giambi plays occasional 1B.

Bench:

OF/1B Matsui
1B/3B Ensberg
C Molina
OF/PR Brett Gardner

Yeah, that’s right, BRETT MOTHERFUCKIN’ GARDNER.  Why not?

I think that lineup is pretty decent…however, I think it is more likely that Duncan starts the season as the 5th OF/DH.  I think it is also smart to let Gardner start the season at AAA, and get as many AB’s as he can (I’ll admit I’m greedy; I bought a 7-ticket plan for my family, and there are two games in April and I want to see Gardner).

I imagine Gardner will get his chance this year however…though it would be nice, I’m sure at least ONE of Giambi/Damon/Matsui will miss a good chunk of time this year.

Two of Enberg’s “similar through age 31s” are Scott Brosius and Glenallen Hill.  Weird.

Plus, his #9 overall comp is John Wockenfuss!  Don’t know a thing about him, but he and Hill are candidates for Bill James’ “Mr. Dickens, I’d Like You To Meet…”

Fgas: I’m very comfortable with that as a viable roster. Except…........
Do any of us lads really believe Special Kei belongs on a major league roster?
This poor wee overwhelmed bastard brought sucking to levels of Weaverville,Wrightsburgh, and worst of all was living life inna KevinBrownstone.  I saw the two good games but this fella made Jamie Moyer look like Lefty Gomez.

I really don’t think we’ll see Kennedy as our fifth starter or Igawa in the ‘pen, although we do need a lefty.

Old Thurm, I won’t defend Igawa to the death or anything.  Just my hunch that maybe a new pitching coach will get something more out of him, so he can be a decent lefty/mop-up man.

butch, my assumption on Kennedy is that he’s the only one of the “young three” who can actually pitch a full season, based on previous innings, and that we’ll see some injury time from some of the other starters.  On the small injuries (15 day DL) I expect we’ll see Joba step in for a few starts; he may also take a turn or two from Phil, to keep his innings down.  Later in the season, I would think Joba becomes a full-time starter, replacing whoever’s worst of Moose, Kennedy, Hughes.

Obviously I’m not a Yankees exec, so who knows, I just got excited by Pags13’s comment.

So I’m wondering: is there room on the 25-man for both Shelley and Ensberg?  I say why not..even though it ?  If one of them doesn’t make it, we’re looking at Chris Woodward or Nick Green or some other Cairo-esque player taking a locker unnecessarily.

If the outfield is Damon, Cabrera, Abreu, then there is no need for a bench defensive outfielder (like Gardner), so the Yanks can afford to keep Duncan on the bench (as he can play the outfield not embarrassingly).

Gut feeling.

Catcher 2
Jorge , Molina

Infielder 7
Jeter , Cano , A-rod , Giambi, Betemit, Ensberg , Duncan

Outfielder 4
Abreu, Cabrera , Damon, Matsui

SP 5
Wang, Pettitte, Moose , IPK , Hughes (probably in that order , Hughes as the 5th mostly because of inning problems )

RP 7

Mo, Joba , Farns, Hawkins, Igawa , Britton, Edwar. (the last 3 spot is a mega crap shoot though, could really see just any of a dozen guys making it )