Yankees Sign Travis Lee

[ironman]

One year, $2.0M, with team option for 2005 ($3.0M vs. $250K buyout) for 1B Travis Lee. What are the Yankees going to do with both Tony Clark and Travis Lee on their bench? This 1B/CF/DH combo is puzzling to me. I assume the normal configuration will be Jason Giambi at first, Kenny Lofton in center, and Bernie Williams at DH. The mitigating factor seems to be Giambi's health -- if he can't play the field, he shifts to DH, and I imagine Williams goes back to center, leaving Lofton on the bench, and either Lee or Clark plays first. Defensively, Lee is superior to Clark, though Tony is no slouch with the mitt. Offensively, they complement each other: Lee bats lefty, and Clark is a switch-hitter who is better from the right side. But still, I can't see both of these guys making an impact on the team this year, which means one of them is just going to sit on the bench, or get released. Either way, it's a waste of money, something that anyone in baseball who isn't named George Steinbrenner would be worried about. If only one of them could play second base.

[Damtoft]

Giambi is hurting more than they're letting on.