George King is reporting that the Yankees and Nick Johnson are closing in on a deal and it could even be announced tomorrow morning. I am very excited at the prospect of this. While Nick Johnson would be limited to DH on this Yankees team, I see that as a good thing. There is no doubt that would increase his odds of staying healthy for the entire season. I mean, look at Hideki Matsui. His knees are an absolute trainwreck, and being a full-time DH allowed him to stay healthy for most of 2009. There is really no doubt about that.

Plus, while Nick Johnson would be the Yanks' de facto designated hitter, that is not an everyday job on this team. It is expected that the Yankees will give A-Rod, Jeter, and Posada "rests" at DH over the course of the season. That, in effect, will also give the injury-prone Nick Johnson a rest.

This just seems like a perfect fit for both parties. Johnson would put himself in a situation to be in a powerful lineup where he'll have his best chance to stay healthy. It seems like he's a no-brainer for him if the Yankees are offering an adequate salary. For the Yankees, Johnson is probably the third-best hitter on the market after Jason Bay and Matt Holliday(both who would require monstrous contracts), so he is the perfect option for them at DH.

If you want to say that the Yankees should have just brought Matsui back if they were going to go with a full-time DH, that's a fair opinion. However, I find Matsui's health much more troubling than Johnson's. Also, I would say that Nick Johnson is the better hitter of the two. The guy is an on-base machine. His career mark is over .400 and he would fit in perfectly in the number 2 hole in the Yankees' lineup. In fact, he'd be a much better hitter there than even Johnny Damon.

I hope that King's report proves accurate, because I would love to see Nick Johnson back in pinstripes. The guy is the best DH option available on the market, and Cashman would be well served to sign him.

Edit (8:10 PM): According to Ken Davidoff, the Yankees will sign Nick Johnson to a 1 year deal around $5.5 Million if he passes his physical. Every projection system has Johnson as a better hitter in 2010 than Hideki Matsui, and the Yankees will be paying him less. Great move by Cashman.

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