The Yankees didn’t make any splashy trade deadline deals, but they did add Addison Russ last week (who despite the unfortunate name, I’m optimistic about) and they added catcher Rob Brantly prior to the deadline weekend in exchange for “cash considerations”.
Regarding Brantly, I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it:
If you’re good enough to make it to the major leagues, you play at an elite level that 99.99999% (add a few more nines) of people who’ve played will never reach. That said, if the Yankees are ever forced to put Rob Brantly on the field, that’s very bad news for everyone involved with the Yankees besides Brantly.
Brantly played very well in 2012 as a 22-year-old rookie with Miami in limited time, posting a 123 OPS+ in 113 PA. His 0.5 WAR in 31 games would project to about 2.5 over a full season, which would make him a good everyday player.
It’s been all downhill since then.
Since then, he’s played in 96 games with 319 PA and has posted a 52 OPS+ and – 1.8 WAR.
Remember Erik Kratz’s great line about how “being the ‘R’ in ‘WAR’ is okay”?
Well, a 52 OPS+ and -1.8 WAR isn’t OK.
Again, I wish him well, but if he’s ever in the Yankee lineup consider it a Bronx white flag.
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