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Since six-time Gold Glover Eric Chavez seems to be AWOL, at least on the New York Yankees radar, GM Brian Cashman is up to his old tricks and I don’t mean off the field.
Once again Cashman is handing out minor league deals and 2012 Spring Training invites, and the latest recipient, according to the New York Post, is 37-year old Russell Branyan.
The left-handed batting Branyan can play in the outfield, and at first and third base if he makes the team this spring. The latest team Branyan got released from was the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the rest of his 14 MLB seasons reads like a bad wrap sheet.
Branyan started his career as a Cleveland Indian and from there has played for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Let me just say that this signing makes me think that Cashman is really pushing his luck, or is not thinking clearly.
Last season, Branyan split time between playing first and third base for the D-backs and the Angles. Combined, Branyan had 127 at-bats and posted a .197 batting average, five home-runs, 14 RBIs, 18 walks and struck out 41 times. His OBP was a mere .295, while slugging .370 in the 68 games he played in.
In 2010, Branyan did hit 25 homers, with 57 RBIs and 46 walks over 109 at-bats but he also struck out 131 times. This was again while playing for two teams, as the Indians traded Branyan to the Mariners.
This is almost making me sick knowing Chavez is sitting somewhere as a free agent.
The Yankees should not even waste five cents on Branyan, and here are three reasons why:
1) Throughout his career, Branyan has been prone to injuries but not just on the baseball field. One example dating back to late September 2010, while playing for the Mariners, Branyan reportedly injured himself while out a pizza parlor according to NBC Hardball Talk’s Craig Calcaterra. Calcaterra also broke the news when Branyan had injured himself back in July, this time a hotel table hit his foot at 5am.(...)
Read the rest of New York Yankees hot stove: You want the down-low on Russell Branyan
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Post tags: Arizona Diamondbacks, Branyan, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, New York Post, New York Yankees, Run batted in, Russell Branyan, Yankees
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