Thursday, December 10, 2015

How Long Does “Percolating” Take?


The New York Yankees are not going to spend money this winter, everyone needs to realize this and accept this before it’s too late. Hal Steinbrenner is not going to open up the wallet strings and Brian Cashman is not going to be allowed to take on salary in any sort of move or trade. Bottom line. This is the reasoning behind Cashman’s statements detailing how the New York Yankees would be willing to deal anyone and everyone on the team, especially Andrew Miller, Brett Gardner and Ivan Nova. Cashman was interviewed at the Winter Meetings and said that deals for these players were “percolating.” How long does “percolating” really take?

Nova is a free agent at the end of the season and is set to cost them at least $4.5 million in salary this season through the arbitration process. New York is looking to send Nova elsewhere and add another pitcher with just one-to-three years of service time. Apparently teams are not lining up and down the block to buy low on Ivan Nova or buy high on Andrew Miller.

Cashman is waiting for these contracts to come off the books. CC Sabathia’s $25 million AAV, Mark Teixeira’s $22.5 million AAV, Masahiro Tanaka’s $22 million AAV, Jacoby Ellsbury’s $21.1 million AAV, Alex Rodriguez’s $20 million for 2016 and 2017, Brian McCann’s $17 million AAV and Carlos Beltran’s $15 million AAV.


Ladies and gents, the Yankees are not bluffing. They weren’t bluffing last season and they weren’t bluffing before the 2013 season either. 2016 has all the makings of being a long, long season. Starlin Castro may be the only true addition to the team this winter, and that's okay.

3 comments:

  1. Yep. The part I don't understand is why bother pretending to contend.

    Current status:
    a significantly weaker bullpen with very little major league experience. 
    a younger but offensive drop for 4th outfielder
    improved offense, defensive decline at 2nd base. 
    an unproven backup catcher- large upside, but only 1/2 a season at AAA, and 2 major league at bats. 
    -added AA starting pitcher depth with the Trenton Thunder.

    Trade away and eat portions of the contracts.

    *aiming* and landing a second wildcard spot is worthless.

    ...
    I just stopped myself mid sentence because I've said this a thousand times in the past two 20 months with different names.

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    Replies
    1. The drop from Young to Hicks isn't significant. Both hit lefties well and that's generally what both would have done in 2016 as well. Gardner and Ellsbury are going to get the bulk of the at bats this season and they should in my opinion.

      Experience is overrated in the bullpen in my opinion. One inning at a time, when that inning isn't the 8th or 9th, isn't that big of a deal.

      Not a defensive decline at second base. Castro isn't going to win a Gold Glove but neither was Refsnyder or Ackley.

      Sanchez only had 35 games at AAA but Bird only had 34 and a trip to the AFL, like Sanchez, and he handled the majors fine. If you have it, you have it. Have to be given a shot to see if you have it though.

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  2. Mr. Spade, you are right! They have got to put out the "We will fight for the playoffs then anything can happen" bit just for the fans.
    I think we all know what is going on here, and in a way, I like it, well, in a small way. They are doing what has worked before, bringing up the young guys and see if they can fulfill their Hype! IF they do, we have a very good player and (cheap) for four years(?), then fill in the holes with vets. Vets with reasonable contracts. Make the team strong up the middle and add a bit of power and you have a team that can win a lot of games. That means we need some good pitching as starters and in the BP. But not much can really be done until those contracts are done and over with can we. I mean we are dealing with a different "King Stin" now. Even if we did bring in a few big stars we would have a log jam wouldn't we, you can only have so many players on the active list!
    Just one of my stupid thoughts!

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)