A number of major pieces from the New York Yankees' World Series championship team are gone to other franchises. I thought it would be interesting to see how they are doing with about 20 games gone in the new season.
Johnny Damon left as a free agent. He was offered a two-year deal with the Yanks at a reported $14 million and he turned it down thinking he could get a longer deal. He ended up signing with the Detroit Tigers for two years at a reported $12 million.
After 20 games and 69 at-bats, Johnny is hitting .319 with an on-base percentage of .440 and an OPS+ of 134. He has no home runs and eight RBI.
Also now with Detroit is former Yankee prospect Austin Jackson. AJax starts in center field for the Tigers and hits leadoff. He is hitting .325 but has struck out 32 times.
Phil Coke joins his former Yankee teammates in the Motor City and has been an important part of the Tiger bullpen.
Coke has appeared in 11 games for the Tigers. He has an ERA of 1.64 and has already earned three wins out of the bullpen.
Ian Kennedy was also dealt in the deal that sent Jackson and Coke to Detroit, but in the three team-deal, Kennedy went to Arizona.
With the Diamondbacks, Ian has started four games and has a record of 0-1 and an ERA of 4.43. In 22.1 innings he has given up six home runs but has struck out 21 batters.
Brian Bruney is another pitcher the Yankees gave up on. They let him go to Washington in a deal that brought Rule V draft pick Jamie Hoffman to Yankees' spring training. Hoffman could not make the team and was sent back to the Dodgers, where he originated, for sunflower-seed money of $25,000.
Bruney has appeared in 10 games out of the pen for the Nationals and has thrown 9.2 innings. He is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA. He has walked 12 and struck out eight. His WHIP is an astronomical 1.966.
Chien-Ming Wang was signed as a free agent for the Nationals but he is still on the 60-day disabled list after shoulder surgery for torn cartilage. The Nationals hope he may be back by early June.
Edwar Ramirez gave the Yankees some important innings from 2007-2009. He is now with the A's and has appeared in six games out of the pen and has a 4.50 ERA.
Chad Gaudin is also with the A's. In six appearances covering seven innings he has an elevated ERA of 7.71 and is 0-2.
Xavier Nady was injured after only seven games in pinstripes last season. He is now on the north side of Chicago with the Cubs and is struggling mightily. He has been in 15 games and his hitting just .207 with one home run and four RBI.
Melky Cabrera was traded to the Atlanta Braves in the questionable deal that brought Javier Vazquez back to the Bronx.
Melky was the primary Yankee center fielder over the past four seasons and was a popular player in New York.
Out of the gate he is struggling in Hotlanta. He has been in 18 games and has 63 at-bats but he is hitting only .175 with an OBP of .268, no home runs, and only two RBI.
Perhaps the most popular player who left the champs after '09 was World Series MVP Hideki Matsui.
Godzilla played seven years in New York and after surgery to both knees had been relegated to full-time DH in New York. He is now in Los Angeles playing for the Angels and he is doing very well.
Matsui has appeared in all 21 games for the Halos and is hitting .291 with four home runs and 12 RBI. His OPS+ is 133.
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