Sports

Yankees Sign Sexson, Get Older, Not Better

by drgraffnburg | July 17, 2008 at 06:29 pm

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NEW YORK — First baseman Richie Sexson and the New York Yankees reached a deal Thursday, a week after the Seattle Mariners cut the slumping slugger. A person familiar with the contract said Sexson would be paid a prorated share of the $390,000 minimum salary. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because an official announcement had not been made.
ESPN.com first reported a tentative agreement between Sexson and the Yankees.

The Yankees were eager to add a powerful right-handed bat as they start the second half of the season. They went into the All-Star break third in the AL East, six games behind Boston.

Sexson hit .344 with five home runs in 71 at-bats against lefties this year. That was his bright spot during a season in which the 33-year-old Sexson hit .218 overall with 11 homers and 30 RBIs.

Please, Mr. Steinbrenner, stop the madness and do not follow in the footsteps of your father. Develop talent from within the organization and stay away from signing big name, washed up sluggers who will only eventually serve as a target of Yankee Stadium boo-birds. Sexson hasn't sniffed a .250 batting average but a handful of times in 2 full seasons. He hasn't even finished a season with an average over .275 since 2002 (.279 - Source: MLB.com). He hasn't managed a slugging percentage over .400 in his past two seasons. He is far past his useful playing days and instead of being put out pasture, where the Mariners placed him last week after releasing the slumping first baseman, he is now a Yankee. Hank Steinbrenner has not made the Yankees better by making this move. He has only made them older and secured their plans for October, at home watching the World Series.

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Amy Judd

at 18:35 on July 17th, 2008

It seems like they haven't made the right decision at all there!

drgraffnburg

at 18:41 on July 17th, 2008

Agreed, amyjudd. Granted, they aren't taking on all of his guaranteed $14 million salary this season, but for the amount they end up spending, I just think it's ridiculous. Thanks for the video addition. Very nice.