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I'm glad they picked up Abreu's option. For starters, the team will have to solve the third base question and, possibly, the catching question, without also having to worry about adding a RF from a rather weak free agent crop this year. Abreu's not an All-Star but he was productive from June-September. Right now, that counts for something.

As for Austin Jackson, isn't it kind of wishful thinking to see him making the leap from High-A to the majors in under two seasons? Let's see how he does in AAA this year. The Yanks really do need to focus on adding smoe more talent to the positional prospects list.

Good move to pick up the option. I think he's a bit overpaid here at $16 mil, but then again, it is a contract year so maybe he'll have a little more motivation. It is one less question mark to have to answer.

I hope he comes to ST in shape this yr so we don't have to wait 3 months for him to hit the ball.

~~~As for Austin Jackson, isn't it kind of wishful thinking to see him making the leap from High-A to the majors in under two seasons?~~~

Yes - but, there's no one else close in the OF.

Yes - but, there's no one else close in the OF.
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You're probably right. That only underscores how badly this team needs to bolster its positional prospects the way they have with pitching prospects.

Abreu is a soft player, IMO. Too bad, I really didn't want him back.

Abreu is a soft player, IMO.
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What does that even mean?

As for Austin Jackson, isn't it kind of wishful thinking to see him making the leap from High-A to the majors in under two seasons? Let's see how he does in AAA this year.

Yes - but, there's no one else close in the OF.
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Jackson ended the year in AA and will play there in '08. He is an excellent athlete and a very exciting prospect.

Despite his recent wrist injury, Jose Tabata is ranked higher than Jackson, and is one of the top prospects in baseball. He's an extremely advanced hitter for his age.

The Yankees are short of position-player prospects, but Jackson and Tabata are not of the Navarro/S. Duncan/Phillips mold. They are the best position-player prospects the Yanks have had -- with the legit potential to come up and help the team on an everyday basis -- since the early '90s.

Jackson ended the year in AA and will play there in '08. He is an excellent athlete and a very exciting prospect.
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That notwithstanding, it's kind of hard to imagine him being ML-ready for Opening Day 2009. Cameron Maybin was hitting AA pitching this year and didn't look too ready for his ML audition when he came up in August. And I'd venture to say that Maybin's a better prospect than Jackson.

I'm not saying it's impossible. But it's not something I'd predict, either.

I'm not saying it's impossible. But it's not something I'd predict, either.
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We definitely shouldn't expect it, because that's way too much pressure on both Jackson and Tabata. Though, we do have to consider our own centerfielder right now: he only has about 200 AAA at-bats to his credit, and he didn't exactly light it up at Trenton. Melky's upside as a hitter -- or in any aspect of the game -- isn't anywhere near Tabata and Jackson. So, again, totally unlikely, but if Melky can be the everyday centerfielder for the Yanks with his skill, I guess it's not totally far-fetched that someone with the skill set of Tabata or Jackson could be here pretty soon.

Took a quick look at Maybin's numbers. He wasn't in AA for long; he only had 20 at-bats.

He went .304/.393/.486 in high-A.
Jackson went .345/.398/.566 in high-A.

They are the same age.

That's pretty impressive by Jackson -- outperforming one of the best prospects in baseball after a ho-hum start to the season.

Tabata gets all the press, but Jackson is the one who I think will make an impact with the team fairly soon. Outside of the pitchers already up, and maybe Betances, Jackson is the prospect who excites me the most.

still though, Jackson's top comp at this stage is probably Vernon Wells or Curtis Granderson, both of whom took a few more years before establishing themself .

there's no true good prospects but Brett Gardner might be a ok Scott Posedniek type, not the best but when he's right it still provides value.