Thursday, January 25, 2018

Ok, Guys. New Plan. Don’t Get Greedy JUST YET! Part 2


Earlier we went over some of the potential trade targets for the New York Yankees at the July 31st trading deadline when I realized that this post was going to be really, REALLY long. In hopes of avoiding some of those “too long, didn’t read” comments that just make a writer and content creator cringe I decided to split this up into two posts, this one covering the National League teams and potential targets. One post, two posts or ten the plan hasn’t changed. Be complacent for now, get greedy later.


National League:



Atlanta Braves:

The Braves have a young and developing core of positional players that they are unlikely to trade if the team once again finds itself at the bottom of the National League East but one thing the team does have is young pitching. The headliner of this young Braves staff is Julio Teheran, and he could be a target for the Yankees in July if the team needs starting pitching help. Teheran does walk a few more batters than you would like, and he has been prone to the home run more than you may be comfortable with as he would be heading into Yankee Stadium, but the right-hander is just 27-years old and would come equipped with all the talent and all the raw essentials a starting pitcher needs that cannot be taught. It is worth mentioning that Teheran did pitch to a 4.49 ERA in what is considered to be a hitter-friendly park down in Atlanta, and that may scare a few away, but there is still enough to like about Teheran to peak the Yankees interest if he were to become available. Teheran is signed for two more seasons and $19 million total with an option for a third season at $12 million so it would take a ton to acquire him, but he might just be worth the cost for the Yankees.

Brandon McCarthy may be another arm that could be on the move, and would be a more realistic and conceivable acquisition for New York due to the fact that McCarthy is a veteran on a young, rebuilding team. McCarthy will make just $11.5 million in 2018 with the Los Angeles Dodgers being on the hook for $4.5 million of that. McCarthy has pitched in the Bronx before and did well, but that was quite a few years ago now. If McCarthy could fill the role of a CC Sabathia though, an innings eater that can keep his team into games and give them a chance to win, he could be a huge pickup for a team sprinting towards the playoffs down the stretch.



New York Mets:

It is very unlikely that those spiteful executives with the New York Mets would ever help the New York Yankees in any way, they basically said as much and proved that last season with the Jay Bruce debacle, but let’s pretend that the two rival New York executives kiss and make up. Would the Mets have anything the Yankees would find useful? Nope. (Well yes, but two can play the whole spiteful game, now can’t we?) Why? Because the Mets suck! I’d take Dominic Smith or some of that pitching though, just saying.



Miami Marlins:

Do the Miami Marlins have anything left that might strike the Yankees fancy? I mean, maybe. The team still has Starlin Castro, although I find it likely that he and his hefty salary is traded before the start of the season along with Christian Yelich, but if Castro is still a Marlin by July I would have zero issue with a reunion. I would even bet that you might be able to get Mr. December Derek Jeter to pay down some of his salary to facilitate a trade. It is just what Jeter does for his former club, allegedly.



Philadelphia Phillies:

The Phillies are an interesting team because they have been rebuilding for what feels like forever. I truly believe that the team is on the cusp of competing again either this season or next, but with the Washington Nationals presumed stranglehold on the division and the impending free agency of Bryce Harper and others the Phillies may decide that 2019 is the season they “go for it.” If that is their line of thinking, then the Yankees could potentially take a waiver on some of their bullpen arms including a veteran like Luis Garcia. Garcia is 30-years old and on a team friendly contract, but Philadelphia likely doesn’t know if the 2017 version of Garcia (2.65 ERA and 1.22 WHIP) is what the team has to look forward to in 2018 or if the four years prior (ERA around 5.00 with a WHIP pushing 2.00) are more of an indicator of the future. With a strong first half on a team that is struggling the Phillies may roll the dice and trade him in hopes of getting something good before a hypothetical fall off. If Garcia was pitching in July like he had last season with the Phillies that is a roll of the dice I would be willing to take if I were the Yankees, sometimes pitchers just figure it out later on in their careers than others. You never know.



Milwaukee Brewers:

I have given up on the notion that the Milwaukee Brewers will trade Travis Shaw or sign Mike Moustakas to a one-year deal unfortunately, but honestly, he is probably the only piece that the Brew Crew have that could likely interest New York. The Brewers have a ton of outfielders and the team presumably needs to trade at least one or two of them, but the Yankees have an outfield logjam of their own to deal with. If it isn’t Travis Shaw I don’t see the Yankees and Brewers matching up very well in a trade this July.  




Pittsburgh Pirates:

The Pittsburgh Pirates are reloading and re-tooling for the 2018 season the only way that this organization knows how, by rebuilding. Excuse the little tongue-in-cheek moment for me there but I have to admit that I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the Pittsburgh Pirates become relevant again and I absolute hate the fact that the team is likely going to fall back into mediocrity again starting in 2018.  The Pirates loss, well if we are being honest the Pirates fan base’s loss, can very well be the Yankees gain before the July 31st trading deadline. As of right now, but honestly not for long, Josh Harrison is in a Pittsburgh uniform and he is not happy about it after the trades that sent centerpieces Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen to the Houston Astros and San Francisco Giants respectively. Everything that can be said about Harrison and how he can match up with the Yankees needs either at second base or third base have already been well-documented all over the Yankees blogosphere so I won’t reiterate all that here. He is a fit and it is probably the money that is keeping him from wearing pinstripes and shaving as we speak, but the money won’t be an obstacle in July when almost half his contract has already been paid by Pittsburgh. Harrison hits free agency after the season which could give the Yankees a huge boost for the 2018 season while also giving Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar a year to learn and breathe easy before both take over full-time responsibilities in 2019.

Half the Pirates 40-man roster is compiled up of former Yankees anyway, what’s a few more. By half I mean Francisco Cervelli, Ivan Nova, Nik Turley, and George Kontos. If I had written this a little earlier we could have added Johnny Barbato to that list as well, plus countless in their minor league system that are not on their 40-man roster.



St. Louis Cardinals:

The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to compete in 2018 so why are they on the list? Because when you’re a small market team you have to trade from your strengths to fill in the gaps with your weaknesses since you are not afforded the same luxuries as other GREEDY teams I know and love. The Cardinals have a strong farm system that is loaded down with starting pitchers which means that the likes of Michael Wacha could be moved at the deadline for a bat. Wacha comes with two seasons of team control, his final two seasons of arbitration, and could be an impact arm for any team down the stretch if traded. Is it unlikely that the Cardinals move Wacha? Yeah, probably, but it isn’t completely out of the realm of possibilities either in my opinion. The team actively tried to move Lance Lynn last trade deadline for the same reasons, although I will admit that Lynn was one-year away from free agency where Wacha is two which is a huge difference in the thought process, and I wouldn’t put it past them to have to try it again here in 2018 if they are close enough to competing.



Cincinnati Reds:

Rebuild time in Cincinnati! What does a team trade when they rebuild, you ask? Veterans. What veterans do the Reds have that could interest the Yankees you ask? Joey Votto is about the only one left. I guess if the Yankees needed another option at first base in the wake of a Greg Bird injury they could be interested in Votto, and don’t get me wrong I would love to have that monster, yet patient, bat in the Yankees lineup, but I doubt that the Reds first baseman would want to waive his no-trade clause to come to the Bronx. Maybe he is a ring chaser, I don’t know for sure, but I just don’t get that vibe from him whatsoever. Votto has six-years left on his deal though at $25 million a season plus a $20 million team option in 2024 making any deal with the Yankees, at least this season, unlikely.



San Diego Padres:

The Padres have a pair of former Yankees on their team that could be moved at the July 31st trade deadline, reunion time? I can’t see Chase Headley staying on the Padres roster all season long due to his contract and could be moved in July along with ultra-versatile Jose Pirela. Pirela is more likely to stay than Headley because of his age and contract but I have seen GM AJ Preller do some weird things in recent seasons out in San Diego, so you never know.

Clayton Richard does not have impressive stats for what San Diego considers to be their ace, but he has been durable and effective at times nonetheless. With two years remaining on his deal worth just $3 million annually the left-hander may just pique the interest of the Yankees if they are looking for a solid 4th or 5th starter, nothing more. For that price the Yankees could easily put him in their bullpen at some point down the stretch as well and get true value out of him, assuming San Diego makes him available.

San Diego also has Carter Capps and his weird, and borderline illegal, pitching motion but the right-hander underwent thoracic outlet surgery in October and has yet to live up to the hype that followed him in 2016 with the Miami Marlins. He would be an interesting one to keep an eye on though if New York were to need a bullpen arm down the stretch this season.



San Francisco Giants:

The San Francisco Giants don’t want, nor do they need, Jacoby Ellsbury but does the team have anything that the Yankees need? I mentioned earlier this offseason trying to pry Joe Panik away from San Francisco, but that was with a shiny new toy like Clint Frazier dangled in their face. Now that the Giants don’t need an outfielder after acquiring Andrew McCutchen from the Pittsburgh Pirates and after signing Austin Jackson to a free-agent contract that possibility may have passed. New York could dangle someone like Jordan Montgomery in their face, assuming that one of Justus Sheffield or Chance Adams are ready by July, but I find it unlikely now that the Giants will move Panik in any move here in 2018.

Mark Melancon reunion? Maybe. Melancon does come with a hefty price tag of $15 million in 2018 and $19 million in each of the 2019 and 2020 seasons but the interesting aspect of his contract is the opt-out clause written into it that the right-hander can exercise after the 2018 season. Do the Yankees roll the dice if Melancon were to say that he intends to opt-out after the season publicly? Maybe, because an arm like Melancon’s for a prorated $15 million would be an awesome, yet very greedy, addition to a team marching towards the postseason.

Colorado Rockies:

The Rockies, under no circumstances, are trading Nolan Arenado this season. Next season, before he hits free agency in 2020, is a possibility but right now it just isn’t. Get that thought out of your head. What could happen though is that the Rockies could start moving some of their “super bullpen” the organization has amassed this offseason if the team begins the season struggling out of the gate. Wade Davis, Mike Dunn, Bryan Shaw, Adam Ottavino, and Jake McGee look great on paper, but it will, and always has, come down to the starters in Colorado. If the starters struggle, the team struggles. Period. If the team struggles expect to see a move or two made to bring in some youth.

Also, I saw the idea of the Yankees acquiring Ian Desmond floated around earlier this offseason as a third base option. I, personally, am not a fan of this deal but the Yankees may be. Who knows? Stay tuned for that one.



Arizona Diamondbacks:

Just say no to Zack Grienke. Paul Goldschmidt would be nice, but this isn’t MLB The Show. Brandon Drury and Patrick Corbin were linked to the Yankees earlier this offseason in a potential trade and could be again in July if second base and starting pitching were still needs for New York, although Corbin would be a true rental as he prepares for free agency in 2019.

All of these players could be available depending on whether their teams are deemed contenders or sellers at the July 31st trade deadline. It is entirely possible that some of these teams will be in contention and trying to add pieces with the addition of the second Wild Card spot in each league. This is all based on how these teams project to be and stack up on paper. The game isn’t played on paper and you can’t predict baseball, no one knows that more than me, so keep that in mind before filling my inbox and Twitter with hate mail. I know my “trade proposal sucks” so I intentionally left my trade proposals out of this, but you would have to think one of Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams and Albert Abreu would be available in July as all three names have at least been discussed or asked for this winter as well as Clint Frazier, Mr. Red Thunder.

Not trading for Gerrit Cole and putting all their prospect eggs in one basket may have been the best thing the Yankees could have done this offseason. Sure, the Astros look better with Cole and look like a strong foe this season, but the games aren’t won and lost in December and January. They aren’t won and lost in July either but what happens in July usually has a big bearing on what happens in October. It isn’t always the best team that wins the World Series, sometimes it is the deepest and the hottest. With my plan the Yankees can be all three, and that is when you truly GET GREEDY.


Leave comments below in the comments section and @GreedyStripes on Twitter with your thoughts. Thank you in advance.

Daniel Burch

Owner of the Complacent Pinstripes

IBWAA SELECTS BARRY BONDS, ROGER CLEMENS, FOUR OTHERS IN 2018 HALL OF FAME VOTE

Los Angeles – In its ninth annual Hall of Fame election announced Wednesday, the IBWAA added six players to its digital Hall of Fame.
 
Chipper Jones was the top vote-getter, with 168 out of 170 ballots cast (98.82%). Jim Thome was the runner-up, with 154 votes (90.59%), followed by Mike Mussina (146 votes, 85.88%), Roger Clemens (133, 78.24%), Barry Bonds (130, 76.47%) and Trevor Hoffman (128, 75.29%). A 75% threshold is required for election.
 
Edgar Martinez (2016) and Vladimir Guerrero (2017) did not appear on the 2018 IBWAA Hall of Fame ballot because they have already been elected in previous years.
 
With those exceptions, the IBWAA ballot was identical to the one used by the BBWAA. All voting is done electronically.
 
Per a group decision in January, 2014, the IBWAA allows members to vote for up to 15 players, instead of the previous 10, beginning with the 2015 election. In the 2018 election, 95 members voted for 10 or more candidates. Twenty-seven members voted for 15 candidates. The average vote per member was 10.10.
 
Complete voting results are as follows:
 
Player Name
Votes
Percentage
Chipper Jones
168
98.82%
Jim Thome
154
90.59%
Mike Mussina
146
85.88%
Roger Clemens
133
78.24%
Barry Bonds
130
76.47%
Trevor Hoffman
128
75.29%
Curt Schilling
116
68.24%
Larry Walker
111
65.29%
Fred McGriff
81
47.65%
Manny Ramirez
76
44.71%
Scott Rolen
76
44.71%
Gary Sheffield
67
39.41%
Jeff Kent
61
35.88%
Andruw Jones
57
33.53%
Billy Wagner
55
32.35%
Omar Vizquel
48
28.24%
Sammy Sosa
47
27.65%
Johan Santana
36
21.18%
Hideki Matsui
8
4.71%
Jamie Moyer
6
3.53%
Chris Carpenter
4
2.35%
Carlos Lee
2
1.18%
Johnny Damon
2
1.18%
Kerry Wood
2
1.18%
Aubrey Huff
1
0.59%
Brad Lidge
1
0.59%
Jason Isringhausen
1
0.59%
Carlos Zambrano
0
0.00%
Kevin Millwood
0
0.00%
Livan Hernandez
0
0.00%
Orlando Hudson
0
0.00%
 
Ballot tabulations by Brian Wittig & Associates.
 
The IBWAA was established July 4, 2009 to organize and promote the growing online baseball media, and to serve as a digital alternative to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Voting for full season awards takes place in September of each year, with selections being announced in November. The IBWAA also holds a Hall of Fame election in December of each year, with results being announced the following January.
 
In 2010, the IBWAA began voting in its own relief pitcher category, establishing the Rollie Fingers American League Relief Pitcher of the Year and the Hoyt Wilhelm National League Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards.
 
Among others, IBWAA members include Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports; Craig Calcaterra, NBC Sports Hardball Talk; Bill Chuck, Billy-Ball.com; Chris De Luca, Chicago Sun-Times; Jon Heyman and Jesse Spector, Today’s Knuckleball; Danny Knobler, Bleacher Report; Kevin Kennedy; Kostya Kennedy, Sports Illustrated; Brian Kenny, MLBN; Will Leitch, Sports on Earth; Bruce Markusen, Hardball Times; Ross Newhan; Dayn Perry and Matt Snyder, CBSSports.com; Tom Hoffarth and J.P. Hoornstra Los Angeles Daily News; Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times; Tracy Ringolsby, MLB.com; Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic; Eno Sarris, FanGraphs; David Schoenfield, ESPN.com; Jim Bowden and Bill Arnold.
 
Association membership is open to any and all Internet baseball writers, with a $75 lifetime fee. Discounts for groups and scholarships are available. Members must be 18 years of age to apply.

For more information please visit 
www.ibwaa.com.

Contact:
 
Howard Cole
Founding Director, IBWAA
baseballsavvy@aol.com

Ok, Guys. New Plan. Don’t Get Greedy JUST YET! Part 1


I kind of chuckled about a week back when I was reading the comments section on the blog and I saw a comment by a fellow writer here on the blog, Scott Fiedler, who said “Daniel is going to yield to pressure and re-name the blog The Complacent Pinstripes.” Obviously, his comment was very tongue-in-cheek, and I literally laughed out loud when I read it but the more this slow and weird offseason goes on the more I think that may actually be the best plan, at least for now. The Yankees made the big splash this offseason already acquiring Giancarlo Stanton and the team doesn’t NEED to make another. Sure, another would be great. I’d take Yu Darvish at or around five-years and $86 million, whether that’s a reality or not I am not sure, but it is a number I saw on Twitter a few times over the weekend, and I’d take a Mike Moustakas on a one-year “pillow” contract, but at the same time I’d be just as happy and comfortable heading into the season “as-is.” I expect Yankees GM Brian Cashman to add at least a veteran infielder option on a minor league deal that could compete for a job in spring alongside Gleyber Torres, Ronald Torreyes, Miguel Andujar and Tyler Wade to name a few but other than that I think the heavy lifting for the Yankees is over. Honestly, that’s okay because I have a new plan and it goes along with becoming the Complacent Pinstripes. At least for now.

The Yankees ultimate plan this offseason is not only to compete with their young and hungry core of players but to also get under the $197 million luxury tax threshold in order to reset their tax penalties on their payroll. The way you do that is you bring in young and cost-effective players like New York has at key positions while filling in the cracks with veterans. What many do not understand, or may not want to anyway, is that the team needs money and wiggle room throughout the season as well and not just here in January. The team needs money to add pieces potentially at the July 31st trading deadline and they can’t, and shouldn’t frankly, rely on moving dead contracts like Jacoby Ellsbury to help accommodate. They can’t, it is potentially disastrous and not entirely feasible in my opinion because a lot can happen between now and July 31st, 2018. Instead of expending all their ammunition now in terms of dollars and prospects I think New York should simply head into camp with what they have and play to be a second-half team. That isn’t to say the team cannot be great in the first half, I truly think they will be as they stand today, but I am saying that the team should be playing for that second half run that propels so many teams into the postseason and the World Series.

While the free agent market is stagnant, and the trade market is almost non-existent until some of these big names come off the board I find it imperative that the Yankees simply head into camp and wait until June or July before they do more heavy lifting. Obviously, Brian Cashman should be doing his due diligence and if the right deal for New York comes along, you make it. If the deal isn’t on the Yankees terms though I think the team should stand pat and wait for the trade deadline. Looking across the league at potential “bad” teams who don’t look like they will compete in 2018 and their depth charts there should be plenty of options for New York before the deadline if they so choose to make a big splash.

I am going to purposely ignore the American League East because I don’t believe any of the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles or the Tampa Bay Rays will deal within the division, especially to the Yankees, regardless of their win/loss record and regardless of whether the best deal would come from New York. Sorry Yankees fans, no Chris Archer in July. No Manny Machado either. No Marcus Stroman and no Andrew Benintendi (Get Greedy!!) either. In their places though I could see the following players potentially being available at the deadline. Keep in mind that I tried to include areas of need for the Yankees only leaving this as a Yankees-specific shopping list and not a complete list for the entire league.

American League:



Detroit Tigers:

Every conversation for the foreseeable future between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers will begin and end with right-handed starter Michael Fulmer. Fulmer is an amazing talent that is pre-arbitration eligible, also known as expensive when it comes to the trade market. The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in Fulmer and you have to think Cashman did his due diligence and at least checked in with their GM to gauge a cost and their interest in moving the RHP. If the Tigers are as bad as many people expect this season Cashman may be able to rehash those conversations come this July.



Kansas City Royals:

Every team wants or needs more starting pitching at the deadline and if the Royals are out of it then they have a nice piece they could move in Danny Duffy. Duffy, a left-handed starter, has three years of team control beyond the 2018 season worth a shade over $15 million annually so it may be unlikely that he is moved, but you never know. The window to win in Kansas City is either closed or really close to it so the Royals may want to use Duffy to jumpstart the rebuild.

I can’t see much else being moved that the Yankees would be interested in unfortunately, so it may be Duffy or bust for the Bombers.


"I'll finally be able to win a playoff series!"

Minnesota Twins:

Brian Dozier could be moved if Minnesota falls out of contention with just one year and $9 million remaining on his contract with roughly half of that being pro-rated and paid by the Minnesota Twins at the time of the deadline. Dozier plays a solid second base and would be a great veteran addition for the Yankees if Gleyber Torres is deemed not ready at second or if Torres has to shift over to third base for a struggling Miguel Andujar.

Miguel Sano may be a bit of a stretch to be moved but after the sexual harassment allegations this offseason and the plethora of injuries during the 2017 season with Minnesota, you never know. The Twins may just want out from under this headache and try to use him to kickstart a rebuild. Sano is not arbitration eligible until next offseason, so it is unlikely that the Twins would deal a cost-effective star before his arbitration begins, but again… it’s Minnesota. Look at what they did last July 31st trading deadline when the team was still in contention.

You never know what next season will bring with Greg Bird in New York, so it may be wise to have a backup plan in your pocket for the first base position if you’re the Yankees. Enter Joe Mauer, the face of the Minnesota Twins. Mauer, like Dozier, has just one-year left on his deal that will pay him $23 million so you would think if the Twins were not competing that they would at least be willing to listen to offers for Mauer and his roughly $12 million remaining on his contract. But this is a moot point because Greg Bird is going to play 150+ games and hit 37 home runs, right?

Sorry, Yankees fans. No Ervin Santana and no Jose Berrios. Minnesota will build around these guys.



Chicago White Sox:

No, Yankees fans. We aren’t going to get Yoan Moncada. That ship has sailed unfortunately but I am not entirely sold on the fact that Chicago won’t once again be moving some pieces at this season’s July 31st trading deadline. Matt Davidson would be nice, although he was the whole reason why the Yankees acquired Todd Frazier in the deal that also brought David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle to the Bronx, and Jose Abreu would be better if something were to happen to Greg Bird but honestly, I don’t see these two teams matching up very well. If I were to take a wild guess and a stab at one potential target for New York, because you can never have enough pitching, I go to the current White Sox closer Joakim Soria. Soria is on a one-year deal worth $9 million in 2018 with a team option for $10 million in 2019 that may or may not be attractive to the Yankees with the potential losses of David Robertson, Dellin Betances and others after this season.





Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

The Angels added a lot this offseason including Shohei Otani, but what if it is all for nothing? What if the team once again cannot keep up with the Houston Astros and the rest of the pack in the American League Wild Card chase? You have to think they would start selling pieces and possibly the biggest piece they have to sell is RHP Garrett Richards. Richards is one of the most dominant pitchers you will find around the league, which is a great reason for Los Angeles to hang on to him, but the problem the Angels likely face is whether they trust the fact that he is healthy. Richards has spent a ton of time in his short MLB career on the disabled list with various elbow, knee and arm injuries and is in the final year of his deal with the Angels making just $7.3 million. If Richards were to be healthy and the Angels were to be out of it the Los Angeles RHP could be a huge rental addition for a team marching towards the World Series.

Even if the team struggles you have to think players like Justin Upton, Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler are there for the long haul after signing deals just this winter. Shohei Otani obviously isn’t going anywhere and neither is Mike Trout leaving the Yankees just one more target to possibly acquire if things were to go back out on the left coast, Matt Shoemaker. Shoemaker will not make or break a pennant chase, but he could add some solid innings to a starting staff that is loaded down with question marks. The Angels may be willing to unload him for cheap, especially if the team is struggling, because of the young and emerging pitching currently on their staff like Parker Bridwell, Andrew Heaney, and Tyler Skaggs. Shoemaker definitely wouldn’t be a Plan A for the Yankees if the team needed starting pitching help at the deadline, but he wouldn’t be a Plan Z for me either.



Seattle Mariners:

Before we even get into this I don’t care how much the Yankees need a second baseman, no Robinson Cano. No. Bridge burnt, that’s why his beard looks like that. Now that I got that out of my system we can move on. Thanks for understanding.

If the Mariners were to struggle I cannot see them parting with many of their positional players, especially Kyle Seager, but they may want to unload a starter or two including James Paxton and Felix Hernandez. How long have Yankees fans yearned to see King Felix in the Bronx? Even as he has seemingly taken a step back in recent years due to injury I have to admit if the price were right I would still welcome Felix Hernandez to the Bronx with open arms.

The real prize would be Paxton though, a left-handed pitcher that the Yankees have coveted for some time according to trade rumors in recent seasons. Paxton is 29-years old and would come with a year-and-a-half of team control by the time the July 31st trade deadline comes about this season. Paxton posted an impressive 12-5 record with a 2.98 ERA last season and would fit well in with the Yankees starters if acquired. The Mariners are unlikely to go full rebuild with all the veterans on the team, Cano and Nelson Cruz the most notable, but the team may need to trade from a position of strength to fill in the gaps if the team was either struggling or looking to get over the hump. Obviously if the team is close then Paxton isn’t going anywhere but with the Mariners GM you truly never know. I mean, look at the deal he gave Robinson Cano for crying out loud.





Texas Rangers:

Would Cole Hamels finally bite the bullet and come to New York if his Texas Rangers were unable to keep up in the American League West Division? You would have to think that yes, maybe he would at this point in his career at age-34. Hamels is set to hit free agency after the season if the Rangers do not pick up a hefty $20 million option for the 2019 season after putting $23.5 million in the bank for the 2018 season. Texas would presumably have to eat some of that in order to facilitate a trade if the Yankees are still serious about getting under the luxury tax threshold, and they will be, but if Texas wants to move him and Hamels wants a shot at a ring a wrong could finally be righted bringing the lefty to the Bronx.

It may be out of the realm of possibilities but if the Rangers decide to go full-sell mode the team could also dangle third base veteran Adrian Beltre out there as well. Beltre has just one more year left on his deal worth $18 million before testing free agency at age 39 or retirement. You have to think Beltre would want a chance at a World Series championship if the opportunity presented itself and you would have to think that the Yankees would want a veteran presence and bat with them as well, unless of course Miguel Andujar is just producing well above what is expected.



Oakland Athletics:


Do the Oakland A’s have another Sonny Gray to send the Yankees before the trading deadline in 2018? The depth chart suggests not as the young Oakland Athletics continue their rebuild out by the Bay. The Yankees and Athletics don’t appear to be a good matchup for a trade on paper with maybe Jed Lowrie being the only possibility for these two clubs to make a deal. Lowrie is a veteran second baseman who can also play third base and shortstop if needed, hello versatility. Lowrie is a switch hitter with pop, which is evident by his 12 home runs last season while playing his home games inside the spacious Oakland Coliseum, that could provide a boost for the Yankees if either Miguel Andujar or Gleyber Torres are not living up to expectations right away in a pennant race.