Friday, December 11, 2009
NorthJersey.com: Yanks get Jamie Hoffmann
INDIANAPOLIS -- In need of a right-handed hitting outfielder, the Yankees obtained Jamie Hoffmann through the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday. "We project him in the future as an everyday-type player," general manager Brian Cashman said of the 25-year-old's ability to hit for power and play all three outfield spots well.
Combined at Class AA and AAA this past season, Hoffmann batted .291, with 10 homers and 64 RBI in 358 at-bats. He went 4-for-22 (.182) with a homer and seven RBI in 14 games with the Dodgers, from whom he was selected. The Yankees controlled Washington's first overall selection, after trading reliever Brian Bruney to the Nationals.
Here's Hoffman's CAIRO projection for 2010.
| % | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | HBP | SB | CS | DP | AVG | OBP | SLG | BR | BRAR | wOBA |
| 80% | 150 | 604 | 548 | 74 | 144 | 28 | 6 | 15 | 77 | 62 | 86 | 2 | 24 | 8 | 11 | .264 | .346 | .418 | 78 | 20 | .340 |
| 65% | 146 | 587 | 532 | 68 | 135 | 25 | 5 | 13 | 71 | 57 | 88 | 3 | 21 | 9 | 13 | .253 | .331 | .390 | 68 | 11 | .322 |
| Baseline | 143 | 575 | 522 | 63 | 126 | 22 | 4 | 11 | 66 | 52 | 91 | 4 | 19 | 11 | 15 | .242 | .317 | .361 | 58 | 2 | .305 |
| 35% | 136 | 546 | 495 | 56 | 115 | 19 | 4 | 9 | 58 | 46 | 91 | 3 | 16 | 9 | 12 | .231 | .299 | .337 | 49 | -4 | .286 |
| 20% | 129 | 518 | 469 | 49 | 104 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 52 | 40 | 90 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 10 | .221 | .281 | .313 | 40 | -10 | .267 |
| 2009 | 110 | 442 | 390 | 53 | 95 | 20 | 5 | 7 | 55 | 45 | 74 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 12 | .244 | .328 | .375 | 47 | 4 | .314 |
BR: Linear weights batting runs
BRAR: Park and position-adjusted batting runs above replacement level
wOBA: Weighted on-base average
That's not a very impressive set of projections, although the 80% projection would be pretty nice.
One of the points that has been made in a few places is that Hoffmann mashes lefties. In 2009, he hit .308/.432/.542 in 146 PAs vs. LHP compared to .281/.359/.401 in 273 PAs vs. RHP. That may seem to confirm him as a righty masher, but there are severe sample size issues there. Also worth noting, in his career he's hit .287/.362/.390 vs. LHP compared to .284/.353/.407 vs. RHP. So anyone that says he's a lefty masher is essentially basing it on 146 PAs.
If we apply the standard platoon split to Hoffmann's baseline projection, he'd project to hit .234/.306/.349 vs. RHP and .262/.343/.391 vs. LHP. If we apply it to his 80% projection he'd project to hit .254/.333/.404 vs. RHP and .285/.374/.452 vs. LHP.
Since I was asked, I ran his 2009 platoon splits through CAIRO,. I don't think it tells us anything useful, but if we do that he'd project to hit .219/.287/.327 vs. RHP and .296/.387/.441 vs. LHP in his baseline projection. And if we run it with his 80% projection he'd project to hit .239/.313/.379 vs. RHP and .322/.422/.510 vs. LHP.
Hoffmann's also supposedly got a good glove and can play all three OF positions.
He seems like a decent enough bench player, but given his age there isn't a whole lot of time for him to improve enough to be an "everyday-type player". That doesn't mean he can't become one, it just means it's unlikely.
If the Yankees are intent on keeping Hoffmann all year, they're going to have a glut of outfielders. Could this pave the way for a trade of Melky Cabrera or TSBG? Maybe.
Apparently, the White Sox and Royals have expressed an interest in Gardner. Gardner for Farnsworth?
Page 1 of 1 pages: