Yankees Reportedly Sign Second Baseman Brian Roberts

LongIsland.com

The two-time All Star stands to replace Robinson Cano, who recently signed a 10-year agreement with the Seattle Mariners.

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It might be the off season, but the Yankees certainly have not been keeping quiet. A source familiar with the situation has reported that career-long Orioles’ second baseman Brian Roberts has agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with New York. The news comes shortly after the team let their former second baseman, Robinson Cano, sign a ten-year, $240 million contract with the Seattle Mariners—three years and $70 million more than the Yanks were willing to offer the 31-year-old veteran.

A two-time All Star, Roberts has a career .278 batting average with 521 RBI’s; he certainly isn’t a power-hitter with just 92 homeruns, but does have 278 stolen bases and 351 doubles to his name. Over the last few years, however, the infielder has been kept out of the game by a rash of injuries.  Strained abdominal muscles, a herniated disc, two concussions, surgery for a sports hernia, and even a case of pneumonia limited him to just 192 games played since 2010.

The Yankees also resigned Kelly Johnson to a one-year deal, but Roberts stands to be their primary second baseman if he can stay healthy.

In addition to Cano, the Bronx Bombers have also let star-outfielder Curtis Granderson sign to the cross-town rival Mets for four years and $60 million, and have seen inconsistent pitchers Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes go to the Tigers and Twins respectively. Two of the team’s most iconic pitchers, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, also retired at the end of last season.

Despite the shake-ups, the traditionally high-spending Yankees have not allowed their entire roster drift away. Perhaps one of their most important off-season moves has been convincing Hiroki Kuroda, arguably their best starting pitcher this past year, to keep playing for one more season (and $16 million).  They also signed the Red Sox’ speedy outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a seven-year, $153 million contract, and Braves’ catcher Brian McCann to a five-year, $85 million deal.

The Yankees failed to make the playoffs this year—a rarity for them in recent decades—but hope to get back on the right track with their newest acquisitions.

[Source: Yankees]