Lyle Overbay has come up with some big hits for the Yanks this spring. Shame to see him go but when Andy Pettitte is activated today something has to give and you’ve got to figure it’ll be Overbay. Sure to light up the phone lines on talk radio but there it is.
[0] Well, Overbay has been one of the more productive hitters on the roster, so it makes sense (according to the Yankees new, perverse logic) to let him go.
I'm glad Overbay was able to help out - and his contribution is probably more robust than could be gleaned from his .289 OBP, but he's surplus to requirements.
The Yankees have had the 1st or 2nd best OBP in the AL every year since 2002 except the one year they missed the playoffs, 2008, when they were 3rd. This year they the 12th best OBP in the AL. The last time they were 12th in the league was 1991.
[2] This has been another episode of, "This is why the Yankees' offense has sucked lately." Exactly right, Jon. Exactly right.
I feel bad for the guy, but even if the Yanks stuck with an 11-man pitching staff, I am not sure how much value Overbay provides as a pinch hitter. He's not an Andrew Jones or Marcus Thames huge-power masher, and like Jon said, his OBP is too low to otherwise cover things.
This is so Tex can spend the next two months striking out with RISP.
[3] As you know, I have been advocating for teams to go back to 11-man staffs for years. With an 11 man staff he might be worth stashing on the roster, given the high likelihood of subsequent injuries to Hafner and Youkillis, and the good chance that Teix does not round into form quickly.
Shit, I'd be willing to tie an outfielder's glove to his arm and stick him in LF, after DFAing Vernnn Wells (he of the .298 OBP, following .279 and .248 the last two seasons).
[5] Or, would the Lyle Overbay OF Experience™ be an improvement over Ichiro! (.260/.294/.345/.639)?
Wow: https://twitter.com/JackCurryYES/status/341623966009552896
[7] Not sure what you're referring to, since there is a problem with the link. But does it have something to with this lineup?
http://tinyurl.com/lfahrsa