The Yankees are pessimistic about signing free agent Scott Hairston, a source with knowledge of the club's thinking said. Despite Hairston's agent, Casey Close, saying that the Mets and Yankees are two of the finalists for Hairston, the Yankees don't expect he will end up in the Bronx.
The source said Hairston will be able to get more at-bats elsewhere so it is unlikely he will sign with the Yankees. In the Bronx, Hairston would be the fourth outfielder, playing behind lefties Curtis Granderson, Ichiro Suzuki and Brett Gardner. If Hairston were to sign with a team like the Mets, he likely could play every day.
If Hairston doesn't sign with the Yankees, then the fourth outfielder spot will come out of a spring-training fight between Matt Diaz and Russ Canzler.
