"We Need Offense"

I keep seeing this. On message boards. In the "Comments" section after an online article or blog. In my dreams.

Seriously, these words haunt me. They're scary. Especially if Cashman hears them and it leads to 8 years of Teixeira and/or any years with Manny. That's just frightening.

I am steadfast in my belief that Brian Cashman will remain deaf to these pleas from the ignorant, uninformed, and downright idiotic members (a.k.a. "the majority") of our glorious fan base. Something tells me he pays a little bit more attention than these dunderheads.

For example, I am pretty sure Cashman is taking a lot more into account than "who's gunna protect A-rod?". I hate that question. I don't even understand the concept of protection in the lineup. It's probably one of the dumber things I hear people say when they're analyzing a lineup. There's 3 outs per inning, the batting order doesn't matter much when you're facing elite pitching.

Most fans don't realize the bats that we've already acquired this off season. Allow me to re-introduce most in the fanbase to Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada.

Hideki Matsui has been battling injury fairly consistently for the past 3 seasons. In 2006 he played in only 51 games, he missed 20 games in 2007, and missed 69 games this season. Over that 3 year period he's missed more than a full season plus the playoffs.

The good news is he's our DH. The bum knee and freak wrist injuries are less apt to happen when you watch the other team hit from the bench. For his career, Matsui has DH'd in 134 games -- almost a full season. And over that almost-season as a DH, Matsui hit .296 with .369 OBP and .489 SLG. -- with 22 HRs and 90 RBI. Not bad at all.

It isn't too much of a stretch to expect this type of production next year. And it's a pretty good bargain at $13 mill if we could just get Manny off the brain. If Matsui can do that, who needs Manny anyway? Hell, David Ortiz, widely considered the best DH in the league, posted a .264/.369/.507 line last year with 23 HRs and 89 RBI. Granted he was battling a wrist injury of his own, but I'm fine with cherry-picking stats that prove my point.

Jorge Posada is our catcher. In 2008 he experienced his first injury-shortened season and only played in just 51 games. Unfortunately, his shoulder gave out on him and needed extensive surgery. He's still rehabbing the shoulder and has recently made as many as 75 throws from 60 feet. The hope everyone holds is that he can regain his shoulder strength and have enough to play 120 or more behind the dish.

Jorge's strength has always been his impressive switch hitting ability as opposed to his average to above-average catching ability. In 2007 he set career highs in offensive categories by posting a sick, sick line of .338/.426/.543. His career numbers are still impressive for catchers in the league with a line of .277/.380/.477. Something between/near those 2 lines is probable for 2009. And when you take into account the production we got from the catching position in 2007:

Jose Molina: .216/.263/.313
Chad Moeller: .231/.311/.330
Ivan Rodriguez: .219/.257/.323
Francisco Cervelli: .000/.000/.000

You'd understand first why scoring was so far down and second that giving up on Chad Moeller and expecting Pudge to do something was a really fucking stupid idea. Posada's numbers as a catcher are light years beyond this pile of shit we were forced to eat last year. Sorry for the profanity, but those numbers make me really mad!

The problem with Posada is that shoulder. It forces us to be extra-cautious in regards to a guy like Mark Teixeira. You can't go long term with Teixeira when 3 years reamian of Posada's deal. And those who point to Posada's progression in going 75 throws at 60 feet, he's still 6 inches away from getting it back to a pitcher with a 75 pitch limit.

Manny and Teixeira are not realistic or even smart options at this point. We don't need offense. So shut up.