The Yankees have agreed to terms with IF/OF Bill Hall on a Minor League contract and invited him to Spring Training. In a move that disgusts LeRoy, Hall announced the signing on his Twitter feed. Hall batted .211 with two homers and 14 runs batted in in 199 plate appearances in Houston and San Francisco last season, though he was last on a Major League roster on July 28.
The versatile Hall, who played mostly second base last year but can also play third, short, and all three outfield spots, will compete for a bench role with the Yankees. The former sixth-round draft pick batted .247 with 18 homers, 46 RBIs, and 44 runs scored with Boston in 2010. Hall will earn $600,000 if he plays in the Majors with the Yankees and has the opportunity to double that salary in incentives, though he has an opt-out clause in his contract which would allow him to become a free agent if he is not on the Yankees Major League roster by April 4.
The signing doesn't make a whole lot of sense for the Yankees this season, as they are looking for a left-handed bat to fill the role played by 3B/DH Eric Chavez last season to serve as a compliment to DH Andruw Jones. The Yankees have been discussing terms with DH/OF Johnny Damon, DH/OF Hideki Matsui, and OF Raul Ibanez on contracts, though they are hoping to spend no more than $2 million on the left-handed bat. Money is already a little too tight for co-owner Hal Steinbrenner's taste after RHP Hiroki Kuroda was signed to a one-year, $10 million contract.
In addition, the Yankees have not ruled out the possibility of re-signing Chavez to fill the same role next season.
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