Monday, October 13, 2014

Boston Globe: Yankees Will Make an Offer to Orioles' Cruz This Offseason

It seems the idea of Nelson Cruz joining the Yankees this offseason isn't that far-fetched. 

Or at least that's what the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo thinks. In a piece he composed recently, Cafardo basically stated that New York making Cruz an offer this winter is a guarantee, though he also cited other teams as possible landing spots for the veteran.

"Cruz is in good position to make some money on a three- or four-year deal," Cafardo wrote. "He enjoys Baltimore and hopes he can stay, but as we’ve written before, the Yankees and Rangers will make bids, as will the Mariners. Cruz, 34, looks like he’ll make a bundle somewhere."

Cruz, who made just $8 million this year, is coming off a regular season in which he hit a league-best 40 home runs. During the course of the schedule, Cruz additionally drove in 108 while solidly batting .271.

Cafardo, in his piece, also provided an update on now-unemployed Hitting Coach Kevin Long, who was fired by the Yankees Friday.

"Long buys into Boston’s grind-it-out system since that’s what he preached in New York," Cafardo pointed out. "He could join Chili DavisBill Mueller, and Dave Magadan as possible choices for the Red Sox, along with assistant hitting coach Victor Rodriguez, who is really liked by the players."

To put it simply, two new stories have just come up for Yankees fans to follow. 

Bleacher Report Writer Makes Case For Why Yankees Shouldn't Sign Sandoval

Bleacher Report apparently doesn't think the Yankees should sign Pablo Sandoval.

In a piece published yesterday by the site, Staff Writer Gary Phillips offered the new opinion. Sandoval, 28, will be a free agent this winter, a happening that will likely end his seven-year stint with the Giants.

"As talented as Sandoval is," Phillips wrote, "it just does not make sense for the Yankees to spend that money on him considering their investment in (Alex) Rodriguez and other players who can play the position that are already on the roster. "

Phillips argued that the versatility of Martin Prado should convince the team to stay away from the veteran, whose Giants have won two World Series titles since he joined them.

"Prado can play just about anywhere, having spent time at every position except center field, catcher and pitcher," he said. "He is most comfortable at third, left field and second base. With prospects Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela expected to compete for playing time at second in 2015, the Yankees will have a very crowded infield."

Phillips wrapped up his post with the idea that Chase Headley would sign for less. Headley, who hit .243 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs with the Padres and Yankees this season, started at third base for New York in the second half of 2014, often proving defensively talented when doing so.

Long, Kelleher Gone, Thomson Survives?


The New York Yankees fired hitting coach Kevin Long and first base coach and fielding instructor Mick Kelleher last week in a series of moves meant to shake things up inside the Yankees organization. Larry Rothschild did a great job with the pitching staff this season, Gary Tuck did a marvelous job out in the bullpen in 2014, and Tony Pena is one of the best bench coaches in the game in my very humble opinion. My question is this, how in the world did third base coach Rob Thomson survive the ax cutting ceremony?

The New York Yankees made 21 outs at home this season and made another five at third base this season which can all be somewhat associated to Thomson being the third base coach, by far the most in the league. It's not just that Thomson had a bad season in 2014 as 13 players were thrown out at home and 11 players made outs at third base last season. With an offense the past two seasons that have struggled to score and manufacture runs this kind of percentage is completely unacceptable.

If Mick Kelleher can be blamed for the Yankees defensive inefficiencies in the infield while the lack of player personnel gains Brian Cashman a new three year deal then Thomson should be held accountable for easily being the worst third base coach in all of Major League Baseball.

Article Revisit: Alex Rodriguez & First Base In 2015


With the talk of Alex Rodriguez playing first base for the Yankees in 2015 I wanted to take a look at a poll we ran on Twitter earlier in the season. Rodriguez has already talked to Joe Girardi about the possibility so it may be coming to the Bronx after all. Here is the original post.

Along with out TGP Daily Poll we also went to Twitter and asked if the New York Yankees should let Alex Rodriguez learn the first base position in 2015 and we got some interesting responses. Check out just a few of what the fellow Yankee fans think about the situation.


Gotta love conspiracy theories...


He does have a strong throwing arm... interesting.

The true motive for any potential move in my opinion.


I literally laughed, probably because he was serious.


I love optimism.


Speaking of optimism...

These are just a few of the answers we got. What do you think? Leave us a comment in the comments section of the site and let us know. Also be sure to follow us on Twitter by following @GreedyStripes and we may include your tweet next time!

Cashman Needs To Change His Name....


If the New York Yankees want to win anything during his new three year contract that he just signed to stay with the team Brian Cashman is going to have to change his name and change his ways. No longer can Cashman be the cash man and simply throw money at problems, Cashman is going to have to get younger to get better and save cash by building from within. Cashman's new name has to be Prospectman if the Yankees want any sort of success in the 2015-2017 seasons.

The Yankees find themselves in a situation this offseason that Cashman will no longer be able to simply throw money at problems to fix the Yankees. The only positions that look like they can be filled right now are the shortstop position, possibly a third baseman, and a bench spot or two. New York doesn't have any prospects close to taking over at either shortstop or third base, unless you buy into the Eric Jagielo hype but I don't, so Cashman will be forced to head back out into the market.

The problem with the third base market is that it is extremely top heavy with Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, and then everyone else. Either New York will have to overpay for one of those two players, bring back Chase Headley on a longer termed deal, rely on Alex Rodriguez, or bring in a lesser player like the team did with Brian Roberts to replace Robinson Cano.

With JJ Hardy signing an extension with the Baltimore Orioles the shortstop market looks bleak and may force the Yankees to bring in Asdrubal Cabrera or Stephen Drew on one year pillow contracts. Neither will instill fear in opposing pitchers, even if they go back to career averages and norms, and neither will improve the offense dramatically.

If New York wants to compete in the next three years of the Brian Cashman era it is going to have to be on the backs of the farm system and not the checkbook. The Yankees no longer have a core and that essential piece of team building has to come from the farm system, not from 30 year old + free agents loaded with question marks. Prospectman, not Cashman in 2015.

2015 Yankees If I Were GM: The Outfield


If I were the General Manager of the New York Yankees I think the team would have 30+ World Series championships by now but I digress. Here would be my plan if I were the GM of the Yankees.

The outfield is one of the easier positions to fill theoretically because we're just looking at bench and insurance options. Brett Gardner looks to be penciled in as the team's left fielder while Jacoby Ellsbury looks to be the every day center fielder. New York is hoping that Carlos Beltran can play right field every day and honestly after the elbow surgery I believe that he can as well. That doesn't mean I am not going to bring in some insurance and bench options just in case Beltran is not as ready as we all hope.

First and foremost in my look at the infield as the GM I brought Chase Headley back as the every day third baseman. Headley has played the outfield in a much more spacious outfield out in San Diego and could easily and conceivably handle the right field or left field in Yankee Stadium as an emergency option. Ichiro Suzuki is a free agent and will need to be replaced and replaced preferably with a right handed power bat. Enter Alex Rios, maybe. 

The Texas Rangers own a club option on the 34 year old that is very likely to be declined making him a free agent. While Rios does not help the team get any younger and has lost a step or three in the power department one must keep in mind that I am banking on him being a bench option, not an every day option. If Rios is not made available I don't feel comfortable bringing back Chris Young. I feel like the team got the best of what they are going to get from Mr. Young and I don't want to fall into the trap of giving him a contract for a walk off hit or two in September while ignoring the other five months of the season. 

The right handed options for the outfield, especially the ones that would likely accept a bench role, look limited so if Rios is not made available I would probably fill the position from within. I liked what I saw out of Eury Perez in September and while he does not help the power problem he can come off the bench, steal a base, and play all three outfield positions. Perez isn't necessarily Plan A but he isn't Plan Z either.

TGP Daily Poll: Baltimore Goes Down 3-0 in the ALCS


I am done betting against the Kansas City Royals this postseason and I predict that the Cinderella team continues their winning ways taking a commanding 3-0 series lead in the ALCS.

What say you? Vote in our poll.

ICYMI: The Greatest Home Run Ever


The greatest home run ever hit was hit on this day in 1960 and it was against the New York Yankees. In case you missed it here is Bill Mazeroski's World Series winning home run in the 1960 Fall Classic.

This Day in New York Yankees History 10/13: Zimmer Apologizes


Yesterday in this day in New York Yankees history the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox had their brawl in the ALCS that resulted in Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez throwing Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer to the ground. Zimmer apologized to the media and the fans on this day for his part in the incident.

Also on this day in 2001 the Yankees staved off elimination by beating the Oakland Athletics and Barry Zito 1-0 behind a beautiful pitching performance by Mike Mussina. The only run scored was a fifth inning home run off the bat of Jorge Posada and the game was saved by the now famous "flip" play by shortstop Derek Jeter.