Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Bring Me Gerrit Cole!


There will be no indecisiveness here. I will not spend the next 2000 words telling you why the Yankees need a certain player only to tell you how it’s not going to happen at the end. This needs to happen and frankly I think it’s going to happen. The Pittsburgh Pirates are not going to extend ace starting pitcher Gerrit Cole and you know what that means generally with a small market team, it’s time to trade him now for something rather than getting nothing for him later. That’s where the Yankees and their new-found farm system come in. Bring me Gerrit Cole and bring me Gerrit Cole now.

The Yankees actually drafted Cole back in 2008 if you can remember and the right-hander refused to sign and instead went to UCLA for his college career. Three years later Cole fell into the Pirates lap and hasn’t looked back since as he has been a dominant force for the team since his call up in 2013. In 94 starts in the Major Leagues Cole already has 47 victories and a 3.23 ERA while placing fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting in 2015. Cole won 19 games and struck out 202 batters in 2015 although 2016, like 2014, was limited by injury. Cole dealt with elbow inflammation in 2016 while also struggling with right shoulder fatigue and lat tightness in 2014 but nothing too serious like an elbow ligament tear or anything like that. Cole is a question mark with health but he’s young and sometimes it takes guys longer to put it all together and stay healthy, remember AJ Burnett?

For this reason, and I’m speculating here, along with the financial implications Pittsburgh has shown little interest in extending the UCLA product and the team may look to move him as he hits arbitration for the first time this winter. Cole is under team control through the arbitration process through the 2019 season so he would not come cheap but with the injuries, the fall out between the club and Cole over salary after that stellar 2015 season, and the Yankees new farm system I think a deal can be struck. And will be struck I may add.

Cole would give the Yankees arguably the best starting rotation in the American League and would make the team immediate favorites in the AL East race in 2017. Cole would add stability, youth and another arm capable of being an ace on any single night to a rotation that desperately needs a reliable arm. Cash just has to make the call and pull the trigger. Cole would come at a “discount” when you think of what it would take to acquire a Chris Sale or equivalent and this is one of those deals the Yankees almost HAVE to make if they are serious about contending in 2017. If not, let Cole go elsewhere and kick yourself for missing out on such an immense talent not once, but twice now. Your choice.


16 comments:

  1. I'm going to get crucified for saying this, but everyone is entitled to their opinions. I don't want the Yankees to do anything but stand pat this offseason, for a few reasons. First, this "rebuild" is still incomplete. Judge will adjust to MLB pitching. Just like he did with AA, and again with AAA. We will get more offensive production from catcher, firstbase, and DH next year. Second, there's a fine line between a "prospect", and a player given an opportunity. Robinson Cano was never a top prospect. Please remember that he was offered to the Rangers in the Arod deal. The Rangers preferred Jauquin Arias instead. Nobody can say that Arias has been more successful than Cano. We have Dietrich Enns, Jordan Montgomery, and Chance Adams that might just need the opportunity that Cole has gotten. Third, we finally have a farm system that rivals anybody else's. Do we really want to gut that system for a pitcher that has gone 200 innings once in his career? I don't. I want to see Cashman grow a set of stones and give our own guys a chance next year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think you should be crucified for saying that.

      While "rebuilding on the fly" is nice in theory, I'm not sold on the idea that it can be done.

      Delete
    2. Nice to see you can think for yourself, Jeff.
      Very nice job of putting your thoughts out there, for us to jump all over...just joking!
      Bryan agrees with you to some extent, and I agree with you wholeheartedly! Good job!

      Delete
    3. All in favor of booting Levin off the site, say I.

      Obviously kidding. And I agree with a lot of what you said. Letting Judge get a real shot along with other prospects. Cole is still young though and fits the mold of the rebuild. Also the Chicago Cubs went ape shit on their positional prospects and filled in the pitching via trade and free agency and it's working for them thus far. Not to say we should or shouldn't emulate them, just using them as an example that all 25 of your players on the roster don't have to be homegrown.

      Delete
  2. First off the Yanks are not getting Cole. Im telling you with certainty. Second. every player picked up in the waiver wire trades are all suspects and not prospects. That being said the elf could screwup a wet dream. Again I will point to the trading for Eovaldi and how that trade set in motion more mistakes. First Prado can hit and is a good fielder. Can play 3rd and 2B and OF. Lets just say 3rd base for argument sake. That allows us not to trade for Headley and to make matters worse then give him $52 million or 56 million, whatever the amount is, in fact its $40 million too much.

    Then we lose Phelps who surely in my opinion was more valuable than Eovaldi as he can start and relieve and just look at his stats this past year. We also get a throw in player that was gone pretty quickly. So we give up two valuable pieces and get a pitcher who usually goes about 5 1/3 and throws hard and straight and is probably better suited for the bullpen where he excelled this year when replaced in the rotation.

    This now leads us to the second forced trade of getting Castro by trading Warren. Yes Castro offensively did decent, however as numerous people pointed out on this site he is three sliders in the dirt from walking back to the dugout. Refsynder gives you the same D or close to it and he gives you a more disciplined hitter who given a chance could put up basically the same numbers as Castro. Maybe not as many HR's but better at bats.

    Warren last year was our most consistent pitcher and he gives leverage in his ability to start or relieve. I personally think he is a better pitcher than Eovaldi as he is more consistent. He obviously had issues with he Cubs and I think he bounced back some what coming back over to the Yanks in the Chapman deal.

    I would rather have had Phelps and Prado than Eovaldi and Warren instead of Castro and Refsyner at 2B. We have NO top flight pitchers on the staff. Tanaka is a 2 that borders on being a 1A. After that you have nada. CC, Cessa, Mitchell and Pineda strike no fear in any teams offensive mindset.
    Eovaldi has probably thrown his last pitch for the Yanks as I would be surprised if they tender him. I wouldn't be totally shocked as the elf has done stupid things like that in the past. Best one is drafting Andrew Brackman who he knew needed TJ surgery and still took him in the first rd. Great pick elf.

    Since we aren't going to spend money I want Frazier up here form day one. Let him learn baptisim by fire. Judge I'm not sold on at all. Package him or send him somewhere along with Gardner and McCann. If Austin can't beat Bird out send him to the OF. Or have Mason Williams stick with the club and play LF. Either way its going to be a long season next year, yet the Elf and the Binder get to stick around.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the Cashman hate goes a little too far, but I agree with many of your points. Especially the trade of Eovaldi affecting many other questionable moves.

      I wouldn't say Judge is finished by any means, but there's no doubt that his height leads to a big hole. And I believe Frazier could use at least a little more time in AAA, although many have jumped from AA to the Majors.

      Delete
    2. I think Cashman is a 2nd rate GM at best. He lived of Michael and Watson's ability to build the dynasty. Cashman has been a terrible evaluator of talent as well as the people that draft for him, even though he knows who is being picked and has the last say. He is in charge of all baseball operations so the buck stops with him. He is a dumpster diver and he doesn't posses the ability to pull off a big trade and only trades with the usual suspects. In his reign as gm he has never drafted a 20 game winner. I think its pretty obvious that better gm's have done more with less finances.

      I pointed out numerous times that Andrew Freidman was able to draft excellent pitching when he was GM and President of the Rays. His only first rd pick was Price. Look at all the other pitchers he drafted in later rounds which gave the Yanks the same opportunity to draft them as well, except for Price. I think you and Reed are the only guys on here that think Cashman is a good gm.This guy and the binder should be sent packing after this teams failure in 2017. I believe that will be missing the playoffs 5 out of the last 6 if they don't make the playoffs. Better GM's have been fired for less failures.

      Delete
    3. If the Yankees miss the postseason again in 2017 I have to think, especially since his contract runs out, that he won't be the GM again in 2018.

      Delete
    4. Daniel/Ken H.,
      Any ideas on who could be hired to take Cashmans place as GM?
      One much better and would take the job?

      Delete
  3. I would really have to think about that but I think the genius Yanks would hire Denbo. I would raid the Cards or Giants front office for the next GM.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. IF they are under contract the team will not let them go...even IF Hal would pay them enough to come to the Yankees. That is the problem we have with getting good people, First, it was, George, no one wanted to work for him! Now it is working for an owner that will not give you the chance to get the good players etc., cheap Hal!
      A big cluster f-ck!

      Delete
    2. Thats not necessarily true. There are clauses in contracts that allow people to move to another organization if it is for a higher position then the one they are currently occupied. It depends on the contract the employee signed.

      Delete
    3. Ken H.....read these lines from above!

      "Now it is working for an owner that will not give you the chance to get the good players etc., cheap Hal"!

      I think that is one of many reasons!

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    5. Reed sit down as I agree with you own Hal. This team will never advance forward as long as Hal owns the team. I think one of two things will happen in the next five years. They will continue to lose and the revenue will continue to drop and Hal will decide to spend again or sell the team. Viewership on tv is down, attendance is down which equates into lost revenue on concessions at the stadium. Cashman is not the right guy to rebuild and to lead this team along with the clowned prince of binders in Girardi.

      I am sick and tired of watching this inept pitching staff and no power outfield continue to be a part of the 25 man roster. If I'm going to watch that shit show on the field I would rather see all the kids up. Give mason William and Frazier a chance. The dumpster dive moves don't work. No playoffs in 2017 the elf and Girardi should be canned, however I think most of us know Hal will give them both 3 year contract extensions and we will live through the same repetitive BS

      Delete
    6. I agree with much of what you have posted, I must add a caveat;

      IF Cashman comes back with a new contract he will not stand in the way of A NEW Manager to replace Joe G. On the other hand IF Hal keeps both of them, look for Joe to play the kids unless they can't cut it...which, I don't see them tanking at all. Cashman called on Joe T. a few times and ordered him to give rest to BP pitcher Proctor, he ignored it and was let go.

      Delete

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