The 28-year-old Rhode Island native was rumored to be a potential target of the Yankees, according to TampaBay.com. The Web site also says the Cubs are possibly in pursuit of the outfielder.
Bryan Hoch of MLB.com also said that Baldelli would be a good fit for the Yankees, even with his limitations that keep him out of the lineup on a daily basis.
"Baldelli would make a nice choice for a platoon situation and fits the bill as a right-handed bat that the Yankees could add without breaking the bank," Hoch wrote. "Baldelli can hit — especially against left-handers — and for what it's worth, he was also well-liked in the clubhouse with the Rays and Red Sox."
Last year, Baldelli appeared in 62 games in his only season with the Red Sox. He hit .253 overall but .290 against lefties. In his career, he is a .295 hitter against lefties.
The Yankees traded away Melky Cabrera in December, leaving them with an opening in the outfield. As the roster stands now, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner are the three options in the outfield, with the likelihood of re-signing Johnny Damon growing more and more unlikely every day.
In his six years in the majors, Baldelli has played in just 509 of a possible 972 games, and he missed the entire 2005 season with a torn ACL and an injured elbow. In 2008, he was diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder, which greatly limits his energy.
