Fifteen years ago this coming December, the Yankees fantasized about Kendrys Morales’ swing taking advantage of playing 81 home games at Yankee Stadium.
Morales was a switch-hitting free-agent first baseman from Cuba via the Dominican Republic and the Yankees were intrigued by his bat.
“We had interest. We thought he would hit home runs at Yankee Stadium,’’ said Mark Newman, the former head of the Yankees minor league system. “But we didn’t get too far down the road.’’
The reason was dollars. Not only did the Angels drop a $3 million signing bonus on Morales in addition to a six-year deal for $4.5 million, the Yankees had Jason Giambi, a productive first baseman/DH for four more years at a guaranteed $80.7 million.
“I don’t remember what it was, but it was big,’’ Newman said of the Angels’ offer that Morales accepted.
Tuesday the Yankees acquired Morales from the A’s for a player to be named or cash considerations. While he is no longer the hitter he used to be, the Yankees have at-bats for him with Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge on the injured list and no return dates in sight.
“We liked the player,’’ recalled Gordon Blakeley, then a Yankees scout with deep roots in Latin America. “To me he looked like a Chili Davis, a switch-hitting DH who could hit from both sides of the plate.
“I saw him hit at our [Tampa] complex and really liked him. I wasn’t convinced the power was there but he hit balls all over the yard. With the Cuban players it was always how much money?’’
Blakeley admitted he didn’t know if Morales would develop the power that has produced 212 career homers and averaged 25 homers from 2015 to 2018.
“I was surprised with the power [coming]. Before he got hurt he was an awfully good player. He used the whole field and didn’t become a [basepath] clogger until he got hurt,’’ Blakeley said. “We liked him, knew he was going to be a big-league player and capable of getting balls in the air in [Yankee Stadium], do some damage as well as drive balls to all fields.’’
Morales suffered a serious ankle injury on May 29, 2010, during a celebration of a game-winning grand slam for the Angels. The injury cost him the rest of the 2010 season and all of 2011.
The Yankees have had success with veterans in the twilight of solid careers like Morales who has played for seven teams, including twice with the Mariners.
This year they plucked outfielder Cameron Maybin, 32, from the Indians’ Triple-A team where he was hitting .216. In 15 big-league games with the Yankees, Maybin is hitting .300 with a .417 on-base percentage and contributing as a late-inning defensive replacement for Clint Frazier.
Seven years ago they signed 40-year-old Raul Ibanez to a one-year contract for $1.1 million and he is best remembered for hitting a game-winning home run in Game 3 of the 2012 ALDS against the Orioles as a pinch hitter for Alex Rodriguez. He also tied the game in the ninth with a homer.
Eric Hinske added pop to the 2009 World Series winners after coming from Pittsburgh during the season. In 39 games the 31-year-old Hinske hit seven homers, drove in 14 runs and posted a .828 OPS.
What Morales has left is questionable, but the Yankees are on the hook for only $411,774. In 34 games for the A’s the 34-year-old Morales hit .204 (22-for-108) with a homer, seven RBIs and a .569 OPS.
“We have a saying in Cuba, our dream is to play for the Yankees,’’ Morales said after his debut in the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader sweep of the Orioles at the Stadium. “And here I am [today].’’
Almost 15 years after the Yankees liked what they saw.