New York Yankees' Offense Could Use Mike Morse

The New York Yankees could have used a player like Mike Morse last year despite the fact that Morse was coming off of a terrible year. In 2013, Morse hit just .215/.270/.381 with 13 home runs with the Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles. Still, the track record on Morse was pretty good after he had a few good years with the Washington Nationals from 2010 to 2012.

Morse would go on to ink a deal with the San Francisco Giants prior to last season and got himself back on track offensively. He hit .279/.336/.475 with 16 home runs, 32 doubles and 61 RBI and helped lead the Giants to another World Series win.

The right-handed hitter will turn 33 in March and should be coveted in this free agent class which is thin on offense. However, he fits the Yankees like a glove. He is a right-handed power bat who can play first and both corner outfield spots. Okay, his defense is terrible but the Yankees need offense more than anything and even if they re-sign Chase Headley they are still hoping to get a lot of at-bats from a 40-year-old Alex Rodriguez with his two hip surgeries. Across the diamond they are counting on Mark Teixeira who has shown some power returning but looked cooked for most of last year. Injuries are also are a concern with Teixeira.

In the outfield the Yankees have Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury, two stellar talents. However, Ellsbury has a lengthy injury history and Carlos Beltran looked terrible fighting through injuries last year. Beltran has two bad knees and is coming off of an elbow injury. He could grab more at-bats at DH than in the outfield.

Adding Morse to the mix gives the Yankees power and a glove, albeit a poor one, to fill in across three positions as well as DH if needed. Flexibility and cost are two huge concerns for the Yankees right now and Morse should be somewhat affordable while giving Joe Girardi a lot of flexibility with the lineup.

Right now, a two-year, $22 million deal doesn’t seem bad for a player like Morse. A third option year might be necessary or a slight increase in pay but it isn’t something the Yankees can’t afford. The Yankees need offense right now and Morse certainly would give them a bat that they could move around the diamond while providing insurance for the likes of Beltran and Teixeira.

The Yankees offense has no choice but to hope Rodriguez comes back and is at least somewhat serviceable. It will count heavily on Beltran, Teixeira and Brian McCann to have bounce back years while hoping Ellsbury and Gardner can stay healthy. That is a lot of hoping. At least a player like Morse would hedge some of those bets.