Signing Travis Hafner to a $2 million contract is one of Yankee GM Brian Cashman's sillier moves. Cashman, baseball's most over-rated general manager, is trying to make up for some of the team's lost home run production due to the departure of Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez, and Russell Martin, as well as the absence of Alex Rodriguez.
However, Hafner has played in less than 100 games the past two seasons due to injuries, and at age 36 can hardly be expected to play 140 games a year, even if it's only as a DH.
Hafner hasn't played in the field since 2007, and hasn't even bothered to take ground balls at first base during spring training. He's unable to throw due to a past shoulder injury.
So Cashman has saddled Joe Girardi with what will basically be a 24 man roster - assuming Hafner doesn't land on the disabled list first. Hopefully the Yankee manager won't have to deal with any major injuries during games, or be involved in many extra inning games. If that happens Girardi may end up using one of his pitchers in the field.
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