The Season of Change is Upon Us...

 

Jasson Dominguez (Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post)

Out with the old, in with the young…

Writing about the Yankees is no longer fun.

This has been such a disappointment of a season. Aaron Judge’s toe. I think the injury at Dodger Stadium was when the air started to deflate my enthusiasm.  While the play saved the game for the Yankees, many of the subsequent losses were the result of Judge’s absence. In retrospect, I would have rather lost the Dodgers game and kept a healthy Judge on the field. Nevertheless, I never expected the Yankees to go in such a tailspin, and I legitimately had hoped the Yankees would try to improve at the trade deadline.  When it did not happen, I lost hope for this season even if the Yankees have not been mathematically eliminated.

Even if the Yankees could make the playoffs, what would they do? They do not have the team built for October success. Any playoff series would be a one-and-done situation. 

The blame for the Yankees’ 2023 failure resides with General Manager Brian Cashman. I think the team’s Analytics Department is largely responsible for many of the misfires, but they report to Cashman. The failures occurred on his watch, and he should be held accountable. I will maintain my position that promoting Cashman to President of Baseball Operations is an acceptable alternative to his firing. Either way, the Yankees need a new general manager. The search should be external only. Tim Naehring may be a talented executive, but the Yankees need new ideas. There are many bright minds in baseball, and the Yankees should tap into other teams’ strengths. 

You always hear that Cashman would find another job in Major League Baseball immediately if the Yankees let him go. Fine, let him get started on his new job as soon as possible.  I could not care less about Cashman’s post-Yankees career. 

The first off-season firing by the Yankees should be Assistant GM Michael Fishman, the head of the Analytics Department. I know he is another long-tenured employee, but it is time for a new approach. We need new Nerds. I equally understand the need to bring a balance of analytics with old-school baseball.  The Yankees have the financial resources to find the right guys who can make a difference. 

If the Yankees fire (rather than promote) Cashman, they should also place Manager Aaron Boone on the chopping block. I reluctantly place blame on Boone for this dreadful season even if he shoulders some blame with his decisions.  2023 will always be about the horrific roster construction and the bad personnel decisions that were made in the years leading up to it. If Cashman is gone from the organization, the new GM should have the right to choose his own man for the team’s manager. My personal favorite is Willie Randolph. I think he would be a strong choice. I have always been supportive of Don Mattingly, but I have mixed emotions about him suiting up as the Yankees manager. Many fans are put off by his managerial records for the Dodgers and Marlins. There is also the aspect that I would hate to see my favorite Yankee player (when he played) fail for the organization.

Maybe Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner is finally listening to the fans. He told the Associated Press today that this year was obviously unacceptable. He promised there would be a deep dive into the organization and everything they are doing, and mentioned they may bring in an outside company to look at baseball operations and especially a closer evaluation of the team’s analytics. Hal needs to be the driver for frank and honest discussions and be prepared to make hard choices if the Yankees intend to recapture their winning ways in the immediate future.  The season may be unacceptable to Hal, but the front office is unacceptable to us, the fans. We demand change. We demand actions that will drive better performance in the seasons to come.   

It was frustrating to see the Yankees take no action at the trade deadline. I was on board with buying if the team believed the Wild Card was within reach or selling if the team felt they did not have the horses to succeed in October. But to do nothing was the worst possible outcome.  Subsequently, the Yankees have shown they should have been sellers. The recent nine-game losing streak effectively ended any aspirations of catching the teams ahead of them. There was value in several players without ripping the necessary core for 2024.  This week’s placement of Harrison Bader on irrevocable waivers was an example of getting nothing when they probably could have gotten a mid-range prospect. The Cincinnati Reds claimed Bader today which ended his Yankees career. Bader is sad and so are we. I do not blame the Yankees for parting with the free agent-to-be, only frustrated they let him go for nothing because of the trade deadline inaction. Maybe Bader will come back to the Yankees next year. Stranger things have happened, and I think there is mutual respect between the player and the team.  Maybe we have seen the last of him in Pinstripes. Either way, I wish him the best for the remainder of his professional baseball career. Baseball needs more players like Harrison Bader. 

Harrison Bader (Photo Credit: YES Network via X, fka Twitter)

The Yankees finally closed the book on one of the most highly controversial acquisitions in recent memory when they released third baseman Josh Donaldson. Donaldson is an excellent defender, but I am glad his Yankees career is over. For him, I do not blame the Yankees for letting him go for nothing. They are on the hook for the remainder of his contract, but I do not think I could have accepted seeing him on the field in Pinstripes again. I closed the book on him when he was placed on the Injured List and had no interest in his reactivation to the active roster. He was once a great player, a Most Valuable Player, but those days passed long before he pulled on the Pinstripes. Donaldson signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers today, so he will get a chance to prove he is worthy of a spot in Milwaukee’s active roster and is eligible to play in the postseason since he signed before September 1. Good for him. This is probably the last thought I will give Donaldson. I could never embrace him as a Yankee and would just as soon erase any memories of him. 

The Yankees also released the minor league trade deadline acquisition (Spencer Howard) after less than one month in the organization.

With much resistance, the Yankees finally gave way to the needed youth infusion. Although the statistics have not been great, outfielder Everson Pereira and infielder Oswald Peraza have been playing nearly every day. Although they have yet to hit like they did in Triple-A, Peraza has made highlight plays with his glove at third base. I am okay with their struggles. It is part of their maturation and growth as Major League Baseball players. At this point, wins and losses are irrelevant. The Yankees are building for 2024, and Pereira and Peraza can be part of future success. 

With new room on the 40-man roster, the Yankees are expected to promote outfielder Jasson Dominguez and catcher Austin Wells on Friday. I suspect we may see a pitcher as well. It seems that Clayton Beeter is the most likely candidate.  With many projecting Beeter to be a future reliever, I want to see if he can help fill the void in the bullpen with the move of Michael King to the starting rotation. I have mixed feelings about losing King from the bullpen, but he has the arsenal to start and if starting pitching is his passion, he should go for it. 

It would be tremendous if the youth infusion helps the Yankees catch the Boston Red Sox to saddle them with last place in the AL East. 

I do not know what the future holds. I am not optimistic about 2024. It seems like championship contention will not happen until 2025 at the earliest. The Yankees could surprise us. We have the right to be skeptical after years of underwhelming decisions. I want to write about the Yankees to be enjoyable again. I love the New York Yankees, and there is nothing better than a season that ends with the Yankees celebrating a World Series championship.  In 2017, the Yankees fell short, but the team was universally loved. I hope we can have that type of team again.  Well, one that does not have to face a cheating organization with the odds stacked against them, but regardless of why the Yankees did not win in 2017, I want a team with heart, passion, and determination like the Baby Bombers. Give us a reason to believe. The young players are our hope for the future. I am glad they are here.

Volpe has 20/20 vision…

Congratulations to shortstop Anthony Volpe for his twentieth home run today, a three-run shot in the ninth inning that tied the game with the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees went on to lose in extra innings due to a throwing error by Gleyber Torres, but it does not take away the historic achievement by Volpe to become the first Yankees rookie with twenty stolen bases and twenty home runs.

Anthony Volpe (Photo Credit: Carlos Osorio/AP)

I have been a little frustrated by fans who have complained about Volpe. He is a rookie. He is not going to be brilliant on the field every day. He is still growing as a Major League player and needs time to become the player he will be.  I am not fine with the Yankees losing season, but Volpe’s struggles are an acceptable cost of doing business. He WILL be better.

Although I once wanted Volpe as the starting second baseman and Oswald Peraza as the starting shortstop, times have changed. The commitment was made to give shortstop to Volpe, and he is gradually showing us the reason why. I have no intention of looking back. Volpe is the shortstop of the future.  Period…end of story.

Chad Green’s return…

I am saddened to see the news that the Toronto Blue Jays will be activating Chad Green tomorrow. Sad only because he is a Blue Jay, but I am happy that Chad will soon be on a Major League mound again. It will be Green’s first MLB appearance since May 2022 when he underwent Tommy John surgery.  I am glad his rehabilitation since surgery has led him back to the game even if he is wearing the wrong uniform.

Chad Green (Credit: sportskeeda)

All things considered, I wish Green was still a Yankee, but the combination of free agency and the surgery last year led to the parting of ways.  It happened to Nathan Eovaldi, and he has gone on to have a nice career. Hopefully, the same works out for Chad.  Well, with the usual caveat that it does not happen against the Yankees.  Chad is a good guy, and I wish him the best north of the border.

Final note…

I hope Bryan Van Dusen (@Bryan_TGP on X, formerly Twitter) writes his annual Game Plan for The Greedy Pinstripes blog. It is a piece that I look forward to every year, and I think the upcoming offseason is the biggest challenge the Yankees have faced in many years. Bryan puts so much thought into his plans, and I would like to see how he feels the Yankees can return to their winning ways sooner than later.

Bryan, this is your call out. 

As always, Go Yankees!

The Not Ready for Offseason Players...

Anthony Rizzo, Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks (Photo Credit: John Minchillo/AP)

Season ends too quickly for the New York Yankees…

“As far as Boone’s concerned, we just signed him and for all the same reasons I listed a year ago,

I believe he is a very good manager. I don’t see a change there.”

 –Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner.

Well, so much for everyone’s offseason plan starting with the firing of Manager Aaron Boone. While I can so easily talk myself into all the right reasons Joe Maddon or Don Mattingly should be the next manager of the New York Yankees, the truth is we are married to Aaron Boone…for better or for worse.

Aaron Boone (Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

I personally like Boone. He seems like a fun, lighthearted guy that would be great to have a beer with and talk about the finer details of Major League Baseball. I only question his ability to manage a championship baseball team. He is an intelligent guy who has proven he can win from April to September, but then October happens. Or, in Boone’s case...does not happen. The inconsistency of lineups and the bullpen mismanagement, just to name a few faults…are the things that drive me nuts. I heard “punt lineup” more frequently this season than I ever have before.

Understanding that Boone is the manager of the Yankees for at least the next two years, there must be other changes to improve the team, to make it better when October arrives. Fire or move Bench Coach Carlos Mendoza. By all accounts, Mendy is a nice guy, and he is a knowledgeable coach, but my problem is that he is too much like Boone. Boone needs to be challenged. He does not need a guy sitting next to him always in agreement. Decisions must be challenged. I have been screaming for an experienced bench coach since Boone arrived. First it was a buddy, and now it is a good friend on the coaching staff. I want someone who can make Boone feel uncomfortable. Someone who is not afraid to speak his mind. Last year, before he was hired by the Mets, I thought Buck Showalter would be an ideal bench coach. Granted, he probably would have never taken the position, but someone along those lines. Old school, hard-nosed, opinionated, willing to consider analytics but ultimately making decisions on the strength of knowledge and experience intertwined with the information provided by the nerds.

I feel strongly that a Don Zimmer-like bench coach would make Boone a better manager, just as Zimmer helped usher Joe Torre into the Hall of Fame. Even a guy like Hensley Meulens, already on Boone’s staff as an assistant hitting coach, would be superior to Mendoza. I always thought Ron Washington (currently third base coach for the Atlanta Braves) was a good coach and would certainly fit. Regardless, Boone needs a different and more experienced voice in his ear to help make better decisions.

The Aaron Judge rumors are getting old, and the off-season has not officially started. The Yankees could have avoided this mess by signing Judge to an extension prior to the season. We have heard the San Francisco Giants will not underbid in their attempt to bring the slugger home to California, a story subsequently refuted by the Giants. The talk in Los Angeles about moving Mookie Betts to second base to open right field for Judge in Dodger Stadium. Steve Cohen using his financial might to bring Judge to Queens. There will be many more rumors before Judge signs. Yesterday’s misinformation was a Bleacher Report that Judge had removed the Yankees as a connection on Instagram and Twitter, only later to learn Judge has never had the Yankees as a connection.

I want Aaron Judge to return to the Yankees. I want him to be the next Captain of the team. Like Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera before him, he should only wear one uniform in his playing career…the famed Pinstripes. But…what if Judge does not want to stay in New York? We must be open for the possibility that other factors may draw him elsewhere. I will continue to hope for the best, and not try to read too much into the rumors. Hal Steinbrenner understands what Aaron Judge means to the Yankees, the City of New York, and baseball in general. If the Yankees do not use their vast resources to retain one of baseball’s best players, it will be a disappointment for sure. Yet, if he leaves, the sun will still rise the next day and the team will move forward. We will still be Yankee fans, and there will be other players we cheer for. No one player is greater the game.

Aaron, please know we want you back. Always and forever, our friend.

Aaron Judge & Current (and, hopefully, Future) Teammates (Photo Credit: MLB.com)

The Anthony Rizzo opt-out. Rizzo, who has up to five days after the World Series to exercise the opt-out of the second year of his two-year, $32 million contract, is expected to do it. I want him to stay in New York, but only if it makes financial sense. I have seen fans suggesting a four-year, $100 million deal for Rizzo which does not make sense (at least not to me). Rizzo will turn 34 next August. A two- or three-year deal, maybe. I value strong defense at first base, and Rizzo’s leadership in the clubhouse has been vital. The Yankees are better with, than without, him. Hopefully the two sides can reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial for both sides.

Anthony Rizzo (Photo Credit: @Yankees via MLB.com)

The other free agents. The Yankees would be foolish not to exercise the club option on Luis Severino so to see his name on free agent lists seems premature. We can easily say that Luis Severino will be a Yankee in 2023. His 2023 contract calls for $15 million and carries a $2.75 million buyout if the Yankees do not pick up the club option. There is no chance they will not.

I would like to see Andrew Benintendi return to play left field. With his ability to get on-base (a sorely needed ingredient a couple of weeks ago), he fits the roster and makes the team better. I get the fans’ love of impending free agent Brandon Nimmo, and he would be a great add but I can easily “settle” for Benny’s return. Speaking of Mets/ex-Mets, Michael Conforto has been cited as a possible replacement for Aaron Judge. If Nimmo and Conforto are Yankees next year, something went horribly wrong. Not trying to disrespect Conforto, whom I think is a good ball player, but rather the circumstances that could potentially place both Nimmo and Conforto on the Yankees.

While I would love to see the Yankees and Zack Britton come together for a short-term deal, it seems more probable his Yankee playing days are over. I appreciate his attempt to comeback late in the season after his recovery from Tommy John surgery even if it proved unsuccessful. I have enjoyed Britton on the roster, and he is a great spokesperson for the team. It seems more probable he will pitching elsewhere next season. I appreciate his time with the Yankees and wish the ending could have been better for all concerned.

I never liked Chad Green, the starter, but Chad Green, the reliever, was a force in the Yankees bullpen. Unfortunately, he had been trending downward in recent seasons, and now he is lost for the majority of the 2023 season after Tommy John surgery earlier this year. It seems unlikely to me that the Yankees will re-sign him. He will depart the same way Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda, and Tommy Kahnle did before him. Another team, like the Dodgers or Rays, will sign him to a two-year deal, hoping for the best in the second season.

Jameson Taillon seems like a goner. There were times I loved Jamo and times I could not stand him. I think if I had my choice, I would keep him on the roster, but it seems the Yankees will go in other directions. For the regular season, he was 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA. He started 32 games and had 151 strikeouts. If you believe Clarke Schmidt is ready to be part of the rotation, Taillon’s spot seems to the one. With Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes Jr, Luis Severino (club option will be picked up), and Frankie Montas locked in for next year, Schmidt will battle Domingo German for the vacancy unless the Yankees pursue another starter for the rotation. It seems unlikely Taillon will be the choice.

I enjoyed Matt Carpenter’s time with the Yankees, and it is unfortunate the broken foot ended his magical run with the team. I would not bring him back in 2023. There are younger, better options. The Yankees caught lightening in a bottle with Carpenter and I am not sure he can replicate that success next season. His final years in St Louis ended on a down note (in terms of production). The odds are he plays closer to the 2020/2021 version of himself than the magical 2022 run. The Yankees need to get younger, and Carpenter’s spot is one that can be “youth-anized” (I know, that is not a word). So, thanks for the memories, Matty Moustache. Next.

The Yankees will not re-sign Miguel Castro, Marwin Gonzalez, or Aroldis Chapman. Castro is replaceable. If the Yankees re-sign him, meh, if he leaves, meh. Marwin is a versatile player, but Oswaldo Cabrera proved he is the most valuable super utility in both the infield and outfield positions despite his relative inexperience with the latter. I think he will continue to work this off-season and next Spring to become even better. So, Oswaldo makes Marwin irrelevant. Aroldis Chapman. What a disgraceful end for the former elite closer. There was absolutely no way the Yankees were going to re-sign him BEFORE he went AWOL on the team prior to the playoffs. Goodbye, good riddance.

The players who must go. Who goes first? I do not necessarily think the Yankees should trade him, but it is time for the Isiah Kiner-Falefa experiment at shortstop to end. Whether the Yankees give the job to Oswald Peraza (or Anthony Volpe sometime later next season), or in a move that would shock all of us…sign one from the latest group of elite free agent shortstops, IKF cannot be the Yankees’ starting shortstop in 2023. IKF should join Cabrera as the strength of the bench. I would love to see the Yankees sign Trea Turner, who apparently has expressed a desire to return to the East Coast. It would really suck to see the Baltimore Orioles, and not the Yankees, pony up for the extremely talented shortstop. It just does not seem probable that Hal Steinbrenner would open his wallet for what it will take to sign Turner if he is aggressively trying to bring back Aaron Judge. Or even if he was not. Would Michael Conforto in right field and Trea Turner at shortstop make the Yankees a better team than Aaron Judge in right field and a continued stopgap at short? It is a fair question, but I do not think the Yankees will go in that direction. Regardless, a new shortstop for 2023 is a must.

Trade Aaron Hicks. I am so over having Hicks on the team, and I am ready for his time to end. With Harrison Bader clearly locked in as the team’s center fielder, there is no need for Hicks and his unreliability. Not interested in moving him to left field or allowing him to remain as the fourth (or fifth) outfielder.

If the Yankees’ Front Office can find a way to unload Josh Donaldson’s contract, it will utterly amaze me. It seems more probable JD will open the 2023 as the team’s starting third baseman. The best-case scenario is finding a trade partner without having to give up a top prospect and make DJ LeMahieu the starter. Of course, if the Yankees trade Gleyber Torres as some speculate, LeMahieu would be needed at second base, at least until Anthony Volpe is ready to ascend to the throne (if he moves from short to second as many expect). Regardless, as with Hicks, I am so over Donaldson. I did not like the guy before he was a Yankee, and his time as a Yankee has not changed the perception. A great defender, the decline of his offensive production is too much of a burden for a team that struggled to hit a few weeks ago. I am not expecting a resurgence in 2023. Unfortunately, this may be an albatross until the Yankees decide it is time to cut him. If Anthony Volpe proves he is ready for the Major Leagues sometime next season, it would certainly increase the potential for the Yankees to cut bait with Donaldson. I am hoping for an earlier departure. We will see.

Jose Trevino should be a Yankee in 2023 but the same cannot be said for his catching partner, Kyle Higashioka. Does Ben Rortvedt step up? It is possible. Do the Yankees make a trade for a strong catcher like Sean Murphy? Less likely, but possible. The Willson Contreras rumors have been around forever and a day. Hey, Gary Sanchez is a free agent. Okay, I will pass on that one. Regardless, I think the Yankees will find a better partner than Higgy for Trevi.

I think most fans want the Yankees to trade Gleyber Torres. I guess I am indifferent. I continue to hope he works harder to become a better player, to find the consistency, to play harder and smarter, and avoid the mental lapses. Maybe I am too optimistic. Volpe’s development, of course, is the momentum for possible change. I would embrace Gleyber’s return in 2023, but I am not going to lose any sleep if he is traded away. If he could help, as part of a larger package, to bring in talented pitching, I am all for it. Getting rid of Hicks and Donaldson are greater priorities than eliminating Gleyber.

Final notes…

I expect the Yankees to announce the signing of General Manager Brian Cashman to a new deal, perhaps as soon as next week during an off day for the World Series. I totally understand those who believe that Cashman’s time must end. @realBoShek wrote a very compelling argument for why Cashman’s time must end on the Old SchoolYanks blog site. Beautifully written and a great perspective for why change makes sense. Joel Sherman wrote a strong piece, behind the pay wall at The New York Post, for why keeping Cashman makes the most sense. I find myself agreeing, in parts, with both points of view.

I guess my hill to die on is the Yankees should promote Cashman to President of Baseball Operations, shifting President Randy Levine to the business side of the house (or put him out for the River Ave trash pickup), and hire a new general manager to bring a new, fresh voice and decision-maker into the organization. I am not in favor of promoting one of the current assistant GMs to the role. My understanding is Jean Afterman is comfortable in her present role and enjoys works remotely from the wine region of Sonoma/Napa Valley, California. Michael Fishman is not the right choice, and a convincing argument can be made that the Yankees need a new nerd to head the Analytics Department. Bring in a younger, analytics-driven executive who equally understands the game of baseball. Easier said than done, but the Yankees have the resources to find the right talent to bring into the room.

I have never been one for offseason plans, so I will refer you to two great presentations I read this week. One of The Greedy Pinstripes’ founders, Bryan Van Dusen (@Bryan_TGP on Twitter) wrote his annual, and very enthusiastic, Offseason Plan and he presents an extraordinarily persuasive case for how to improve the 2023 Yankees. Kudos to Bryan for his excellent work. I always envision him locked away in some room with no windows with all these ideas furiously bouncing off the walls while he aggressively and passionately pens his well-informed thoughts and ideas about how the team can be better. The other terrific piece is written by someone I am not familiar with…at least not until now, Seth Warner (@Seth_W19 on Twitter). His 2023 New York Yankees Mock Offseason is tremendous and a must-read for any Yankees fan. Nice work, guys!

I wish the 2022 Yankees, in the ALCS, would have shown the heart of the Philadelphia Phillies who last night overcame a 5-0 deficit against the Houston Astros to take Game 1 of the World Series, 6-5 in 10 innings. The Phillies proved the Astros are not invincible…contrary to how the Yankees treated them. Nice to see David Robertson close out the win. Revenge for the 2017 Yankees against the cheaters.

As always, Go Yankees! 

Closing the Book on the 2021 Season...

  

Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg, NY Post

Turning off the Yankee Stadium lights…

The 2021 season was a disappointment. With the severe highs and lows, it never felt like that was a championship-quality year to me, and the uninspired play in the Wild Card game was hardly a surprise. I guess all things considered, it is better to exit the playoffs by getting trounced by your bitter division rival than it is to win 106 games and the division, only to lose to your hatred enemy on a called third strike that was clearly a proper checked swing.

Excellent job by Bryan Van Dusen (as usual) with his 2021-2022 Offseason Plan! His trade proposals and acquisitions always show great thought and consideration. You may not agree with his choices, but his logic is always sound, and he has a strong understanding of what will make the Yankees a team to watch in 2022.

It goes without question, there are necessary changes in the Bronx. The week’s announcement that three coaches (Marcus Thames, P.J. Piliterre, and Phil Nevin) would not be returning was expected and needed. The body of Thames’ work has been strong, but the hitters’ struggles in 2021, unless your name is Stanton or Judge, sealed his fate as a scapegoat. I would not be surprised to see minor league hitting coordinator Dillon Lawson promoted to the Major League team as Thames’ replacement. If Lawson gets the job, there is a chance he could make Rachel Balkovec his assistant hitting coach. I think both would be excellent choices. They know and understand how the organization works, and they have familiarity with the younger hitters in the farm system. If the Yankees decide to bring in coaches from outside the organization, there is no doubt they will have similar technology savvy backgrounds for today’s analytics-driven team philosophies.

I like bench coach Carlos Mendoza, just not as bench coach. Maybe he moves to third base with Nevin’s removal. I have never understood why the Yankees have not gotten a strong bench coach with managerial experience during the Aaron Boone regime. His buddy, Josh Bard, did not work out for whatever reason, although he does find himself in the National League Championship Series as bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. I saw one post this week that said the Yankees need a ying to Boone’s yang. I agree. There needs to be a strong voice that can provide Boone, if he returns, with solid options. He would never take the job and is a strong managerial candidate this off-season, but a Buck Showalter-type is what comes to mind. I have heard names like Eric Wedge and Fredi Gonzalez. Those are not names that excite me as a manager, but I think either could be a sound choice as a bench coach. They both have managerial experience, and they have past relationships with Boone. Neither man would be afraid to speak their minds to Boone and challenge him on his decisions.

I have gotten over my anger with Aaron Boone. There were a few days that I wanted his head on a platter, but I have gotten over it. I feel that he can get better by improving those around him. Coaches and players. By all accounts, he is a good guy, and the players like him. A manager needs to be more than a friend, and Boone does not strike me as a strategist like other managers in the game. Even Binder Joe seemed more prepared for games. I am not saying that I wish Joe Girardi were still manager. I keep seeing those comments, but that ship sailed. We can only look forward. If Boone had a strong right-hand man that was a strategist and visionary with experience, he would be better because he would have stronger and more informed choices. I expect an announcement that Boone will be returning on a two or three-year deal within the next couple of weeks.

Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin, NY Post

I love the speculation by Yankee fans for potential shortstop and first base options. I enjoyed having Anthony Rizzo on the team. I would not mind seeing the Yankees re-sign him, although if they have an opportunity for either Matt Olson or Freddie Freeman, those guys would be preferred. The Yankees need to move on from Luke Voit. I am not enamored with the talk of moving D.J. LeMahieu to first base. He is such a brilliant defender at second base. I would rather trade Gleyber Torres and keep LeMachine at second base. I am expecting a better 2022 season for D.J. Worst-case, move LeMahieu to third, not first. Keep him within his highest and best use. If Rizzo, Olson, or Freeman is the team’s first baseman next season, I will be happy.

Like many, I would love to have one of the elite shortstops that will soon be available for money. I have long admired Trevor Story, and I appreciate the left-handed bat of Corey Seager. The best choice is a very hated Astro, Carlos Correa. Many talk about the young guys, Oswald Peraza, and Anthony Volpe, however, they are at least a year away from the Major Leagues and a few years from being potential frontline performers. The time is now. Let us not waste the prime of Gerrit Cole’s career. I would not let Peraza or Volpe keep me from pursuing an elite shortstop. If Torres is traded, Volpe could be D.J’s eventual replacement at second. Worry about where to play them when they are ready. For now, let us build a team that can challenge the Rays, Red Sox, and Blue Jays for AL East superiority.

I know Gio Urshela has expressed interest in staying at short, but that does not excite me. Either keep him at third or trade him if LeMahieu becomes the team’s third baseman.

Every off-season I say the same thing, but he keeps coming back. It is time for Brett Gardner to hang up his cleats. He has been a great Yankee and he will not be forgotten, but it is time for younger guys. Estevan Florial is ready, and I would prefer to move forward with him over Gardy. I do not trust Aaron Hicks from a health perspective, so the Yankees do need to address centerfield. I am expecting a better 2022 season for Joey Gallo. I know how awful his time in pinstripes has been, but I am truly hopeful the Yankees can collaborate with him to improve his hitting skills. He will never hit for average but if he could reduce the strikeouts, I think he can play a bigger role in the team’s success. His defense and ability to get on base did not desert him. If not, the name mentioned by many (Starling Marte) seems like such a great fit.

Photo Credit: Frank Jansky, Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Of course, the Yankees are not going to balloon payroll to $300 million so we can only dream. At the end of the day, the Yankees will be economical with their choices. They will spend but they will be financially prudent with their choices. This could prevent the possibility for a guy like Correa.

Catcher is another position that needs to be reconsidered. I have reached the conclusion that Gary Sanchez needs a change of scenery. The problem is that Kyle Higashioka is a backup at best. If the Yankees do move on from Sanchez, they need a good replacement. It is not like J.T. Realmuto is available. I keep hearing Tucker Barnhart’s name. I would not be opposed to the catcher, who will be 31 in January. Austin Wells, like Peraza and Volpe, is expected to make his MLB debut in 2023. Barnhart could keep the seat warm until he is ready and provide the Yankees with a solid bridge if Sanchez leaves. I am disappointed that Anthony Seigler, a former first round pick (2018), has not progressed as expected.

I am anxious to get the World Series over so that preparation for the 2022 season can begin. I never thought I would find myself rooting for the Houston Astros but here we are. That seems so wrong on so many levels, but there is simply no way I could ever bring myself pulling for the Red Sox. Congrats Astros for the Game 1 win, despite the heroics of former Dodger Kiké Hernández. My support for the Astros will end with the ALCS. Regardless of whether the Los Angeles Dodgers or Atlanta Braves win the NLCS (Go Dodgers!), the NL will have my full support in this year’s World Series. I hope it is the Dodgers but will stand behind the Braves if necessary.

As always, Go Yankees!

And We Have Yankees Baseball...

  

Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II, AP

Spring Training Games set to begin tomorrow…

The long wait for baseball ends tomorrow with the first televised Yankees game since last October. Granted, it is just a seven-inning game but for spring games, most of the players who will see the Opening Day roster would have already hit the showers by the 7^th inning anyway. The latter innings belong to guys like Trey Amburgey and Asher Wojciechowski so I think we can survive the deprivation of two innings. Nothing against Trey or Asher but it is not like you’ll see Aaron Judge making a diving catch in the bottom of the seventh to secure a win.  

I am glad that we will hear the familiar sound of the YES Network for the Yankees spring opener against the Toronto Blue Jays, the team likely to be their biggest challenger in the AL East this year. I know the Tampa Bay Rays made it to the World Series last year, but Blake Snell now resides in San Diego and Charlie Morton moved up the Eastern Seaboard to Atlanta. The up-and-coming Blue Jays, an overly aggressive player in the free agent market to mix with their plethora of young talent, figure to start making some noise even if this is not quite their year yet.  

The Greedy Pinstripes’ Bryan Van Dusen made a good observation on Twitter yesterday (@Bryan_TGP). Bryan’s words: “Cashman turned Ottavino into Gardner, O’Day, Wilson, and still has $1.425 million left over. Yeah, that’s pretty damn good work. But go ahead and bash the guy.” I know the point was directed to those bashing GM Brian Cashman on Twitter, but seriously, Cashman did convert Ottavino, an at-times frustrating pitcher to watch, into a clubhouse leader/outfield insurance and two good relievers with money to spare. The Yankees did pay the Red Sox $850,000 in addition to the prospect given up (RHP Frank German) to get Boston to take Ottavino, a free agent after the 2021 season. But, in retrospect, if someone asked me if I would trade Adam Ottavino and Frank German for Brett Gardner, Darren O’Day, and Justin Wilson, my answer is easy. All day, every day. The ability to shed payroll while getting better is clearly underrated…at least among Yankee fans.  

I liked Ottavino. I am not trying to bash him. When he was right, he was unhittable, but the games when he lacked control were very painful to watch. I think we will get better consistency with O’Day and Wilson.  I went through the winter saying the Yankees should move on from Brett Gardner but here we are. I am certainly not mad he is back. I just hope the Yankees stand behind their words left field belongs to Clint Frazier. It is his time. It does not mean Gardy will not get an opportunity to play. Hopefully, everyone can stay healthy this year so that Gardy can be used in short stints to keep him fresh. I really hope Frazier takes the ball and runs with it. He needs to make the case the Yankees were right in saying he is the starting left fielder.  After the season, I will resume my “it’s time for Gardy to go” campaign.  Let him have his final season in Pinstripes with hopefully packed Yankee Stadium crowds by the end of the season (vaccine distribution permitting). He has certainly earned the right to say goodbye on his terms and in front of the greatest fans in the World.  

It was not great news to hear pitching prospect Clarke Schmidt was shut down due to a common extensor strain in his right elbow.  Upon hearing the news, many started to wonder if it was the start of an inevitable delayed path which leads to Tommy John surgery anyway. Subsequent reports do seem to indicate this is just a muscle injury that simply needs rest (three to four weeks) and not something more serious that will require more drastic measures (i.e., surgery). It is a great opportunity for Deivi Garcia to grab the fifth starter’s spot considering Schmidt was his top competitor for the job. Hopefully, the rest does Schmidt good and we see him later this season. No doubt the Yankees will need both Garcia and Schmidt this year to be successful.  

I am getting tired of hearing the years of Mike Tauchman’s control as a reason to keep him. If you can do better, you do. Tauchman was originally one of my reasons for why the Yankees should have moved on from Gardy but now that Gardy’s back, Tauchman is not necessary despite his ability to play all three outfield spots.  I would like to see Derek Dietrich make the team over Tauchman.  I know he has not been the player he once was in Miami, but he is young enough (32 in July) to rebound. I like his versatility to play both infield and outfield positions. I would love to watch Jay Bruce hit bombs in Yankee Stadium but sadly I just do not see how he fits this roster. He is too one-dimensional in my opinion. Today’s game requires versatility, even with a 26-man roster. There is no room for multiple DH-types. 

I am quietly hoping for a strong year by Jordan Montgomery now that he has put some distance from his Tommy John surgery. He should have a good time this year following Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon. If Gumby and Garcia can be consistent, you really must like the Yankees’ chances with this starting rotation. Barring injuries, it will be fun to watch every starter take his turn. If they can find their groove, extended losing streaks should be rare. The Yankees may not win 100 games this year, but it is fun to know they have the talent to do it.

This year will put pressure on both Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman to produce. Not that I expect either man to get fired if the Yankees depart October early, but there will eventually be a time when Hal Steinbrenner must make the difficult choices if the team is unable to deliver. It is tough. Winning in October is more often about who is hot at the moment than being the best team on the field. Cashman’s roster-tweaking must find the right blend of talent, chemistry, and timing. 

I am not always Cashman’s biggest fan, but I have to give him an A for his off-season. He was able to reduce payroll while improving the roster. Poor guy must please Steinbrenner and Yankee fans. Now that’s a master juggling act. No Cash bashing from me this year…not yet anyway. Let us see how the season plays out. This could be a championship year. Or not. 

As always, Go Yankees!

Preparing the White Towel...

 

Photo Credit: AP

Yankees continue to sputter…

I wish I felt good about the 2020 New York Yankees, but unfortunately, I am not feeling it right now. I know every season has its bumps in the road, yet this is the one season, with only a 60-game schedule, a team could ill afford an extended slump.

With just 20 regular season games, the Yankees find themselves in third place in the AL East, a game behind the Toronto Blue Jays and 6 ½ games behind the division leading Tampa Bay Rays. Forget about an AL East championship this year, the Yankees will not catch the Rays. The Blue Jays, a young talented team, were aggressive at the trading deadline, unlike the Yankees. The final week of August saw the Jays bolster their pitching staff with long-rumored Yankee targets Taijuan Walker (Mariners) and Robbie Ray (Diamondbacks), plus Ross Stripling (Dodgers). They also acquired infielder Jonathan Villar from the Marlins, a player the Yankees could have certainly used about now. 

The Yankees and Blue Jays play a total of 10 games this month which represents half of the remaining schedule. These games, with 7 to be played in Buffalo, NY, will determine the fate of the Yankees. So far, unless you are the Boston Red Sox, AL East teams have fared very well against the Yankees this year. If the Blue Jays hold the same type of mastery the Rays…and surprisingly the Orioles…have over all things Pinstriped, it does not bode well for our favorite team.  Historically, the Yankees have not matched up well against the Jays, a team that has only gotten better. 

The Yankees should still make the playoffs, barring a total collapse, but at this point, they’ll be limping in and it feels like it will be an early exit. Perhaps the team can get hot in the next couple of weeks. The playoffs are generally about who is playing the best baseball at season’s end and not who is going through an early September slump. Unfortunately for the Yankees, it’s the combination of a slump and key injuries (Injured List includes Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gio Urshela, James Paxton and Jonathan Loaisiga). The bullpen has not been able to replace Tommy Kahnle, who was lost for the season with Tommy John surgery. I thought it was a good time for others to step up, but aside from a few isolated strong performances, the bullpen has not been the same without Kahnle. I thought the trading deadline would bring in much needed reinforcements but after determining the prices to be too high, the Yankees passed.

Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg, The New York Post

We could debate all day long whether GM Brian Cashman was right or wrong. Personally, for as much as I wanted some strong reinforcements to infuse the pennant chase and bring more energy into the clubhouse, I don’t blame Cashman for saying no when it comes to the team’s very best prospects. If I felt a trade would have been the difference maker in winning the World Series, then the Yankees failed to make the right moves. Unfortunately, as it looks right now, I am not sure what potential trade could have been the difference maker for the Yankees. It’s not like the Mets were going to trade Jacob deGrom, particularly not to the Yankees even if they were. 

TGP’s Bryan Van Dusen (@Bryan_TGP) had a good tweet yesterday: “Last year was fun (except for the end, of course), but if anyone really thought the #Yankees could survive another #NextManUp season they’re delusional.” I agree with Bryan’s assessment.

Fans on social media (not Bryan) are calling for the heads of GM Brian Cashman and Manager Aaron Boone. I seriously doubt either man loses his job this year. This has been a very odd year with the pandemic…nothing has been normal. I fully expect Cashman and Boone to get the chance to make a run at another 162-game season before we encounter any potential changes. Honestly, I feel Cashman has a job with owner Hal Steinbrenner for as long as he wants it. For as much as George Steinbrenner embraced change, Hal seems reluctant.  Is he wrong? I don’t know. It’s his money. If he is getting the return he seeks (monetary; not championships), perhaps he is happy.  His team. His right. I know that’s tough to hear for fans who want desperately to win. As each year passes, Cashman becomes one of the fewer links to the George Steinbrenner era.  Meanwhile, Hal’s bank account continues to grow. Why tip the apple cart?...

I wish I knew the answers for how the Yankees can change their present course. There are just some seasons you just scratch your head and move on. I am not going to get worked up about a lack of October success this year. A strange season and one I hope we never encounter again in our lifetimes. I look forward to baseball played in front of hungry, excited fans…not a bunch of empty seats and cardboard cut-outs.  

I’ll throw in my usual caveat: I hope…very strongly…the Yankees prove me wrong.

There was a time I would have really been excited about the Major League debut of Yankees outfield prospect Estevan Florial. But after a few underwhelming minor league seasons that dropped his standing among Yankee prospects, his promotion to the active roster seems like an afterthought. The Yankees called him up from the alternate training site yesterday (sending down RHP Miguel Yajure in the corresponding move). The promotion was hardly met with great applause. Maybe he can help. I’d like to see him finally achieve the success he once seemed so destined for, but to expect him to solve his deficiencies at this level seems to be a stretch.

The start of the NFL season could not come at a better time. I think I am ready for the distraction of football over baseball (it pains me to write that as a die-hard baseball fan). Not sure how I feel about my favorite team, the Minnesota Vikings, this year. They took some heavy losses in free agency last off-season, and despite better play last year, I retain some doubt Kirk Cousins is the guy who can lead the team to the promised land. I was a little surprised when the Vikings only kept one quarterback (Sean Mannion) behind Cousins, cutting young QB’s Jake Browning and Nate Stanley. Both of those players landed on the team’s practice squad after the cuts. As a lifelong fan of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, Stanley, a former Hawkeye QB, remains a personal favorite. He may not have elite potential but I hope he carves out a nice career.

I did not expect the Washington Redskins, excuse me, the Washington Football Team to release former Vikings RB Adrian Peterson, given what seems to be a dearth of quality (or maybe just healthy) running backs in the Nation’s Capital. I was probably more disappointed when I saw Peterson sign with the NFC North rival Detroit Lions. I suppose it could have been worse. He could have signed with the Packers or Bears, but just like in baseball where I hate to see former Yankees go to Boston, I didn’t really want to see Peterson with a division rival.  I am not sure how much he has left, but he certainly has become a journeyman in recent years as he moves from team to team. I used to equate it to Emmitt Smith, the Dallas Cowboys legend, playing for the Arizona Cardinals late in his career, but Peterson has become much more of a gypsy than Smith ever was. 

A final note to bid farewell to Hall of Famer Lou Brock. Growing up in the Midwest, Brock’s role as an all-time great with the St Louis Cardinals was common knowledge. I was probably aware of Brock before almost any other player. During his 19-year career, Brock amassed 938 stolen bases, the most in National League history and topped only by former A’s/Yankees great Rickey Henderson for the Major League record. The first Major League baseball game I attended as a kid featured Brock in the lineup, a season (1974) in which he stole 118 bases. Brock, 81, passed on Sunday afternoon after poor health in recent years. The best quote about Brock might have been from his former manager, the late Red Schoendienst, who said, “Toughest SOB I’ve ever seen”. Like Gleyber Torres, Brock was a young Chicago Cubs prospect plucked away from the Cubbies by trade. Thanks for the memories, Lou! We appreciated you then and we honor you now. Forever in our hearts. Rest in Peace.

Photo Credit: Bill Greenblatt, UPI

As always, Go Yankees!

The Cuban Missile Fails to Launch…

Photo Credit: Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Chapman Agrees to Extension w/Yanks…

Aroldis Chapman had the right to opt out of his contract on Saturday night but in the end, he agreed to a one-year extension worth $18 million (in addition to the remaining 2 years/$30 million left on his current contract). So, the opt out did not happen and the Cuban Missile, thankfully, did not launch into Free Agency.

As I wrote yesterday, I was prepared for Chapman to leave. I felt the Yankees would be fine with or without him but you can argue the Yankees would be better served by using Chapman’s money toward a frontline starter. Prior to the news of Chapman’s extension, word spread that Washington Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg had opted out of his contract. Strasburg gives the Free Agency Market two top starters and frankly, I’ll be disappointed if the Yankees do not try to sign either Strasburg or Gerrit Cole.

Honestly, the realist in me knows that the Yankees will not sign either Strasburg or Cole, and the Chapman extension has nothing to do with it. But until they sign, I’ll carry hope that one of them is a Yankee before the next season starts. Supposedly, agent Scott Boras and the Nationals are set to begin negotiations today but we’ll see. The Lerner family is capable of making Strasburg a very rich man but the question is will they? I thought they’d do what it takes to keep Bryce Harper last year rather than let him walk away to a division rival but I was wrong. Granted, they didn’t need Harper to win the World Series, but in Strasburg’s case, he is one of the game’s best and as we know too well, pitchers do not grow on trees.  

Photo Credit: Thomas B Shea, USA TODAY Sports

Last year, the Yankees lost out on Patrick Corbin because their offer was blown out of the water by the Nats. It would be very ironic (and poetic) if the Yankees snatched Strasburg away from Washington. Pitcher to pitcher, I’d much rather have Strasburg over Corbin. So it is possible that this could work out to the best possible case scenario for everyone who wanted the Yankees to sign Corbin last year.  

Anyway, sorry for the digression, let’s get back to Aroldis Chapman. I am glad he’s a Yankee today. I don’t blame him for the ALCS exit on the walk-off homer by Jose Altuve. Losses never come down to a single play. There are plenty of other things the Yankees could have done differently to change the outcome. You can’t pin the blame on one guy. Even the great Mariano Rivera was human at times. Chapman turns 32 in February so he’ll be a free agent again at age 35. I suspect that’s when the Yankees and Chapman part ways but for now, he’s the team’s closer and I am happy about the outcome. In a way, I do feel bad for Zack Britton who deserves the opportunity to close but he represents great insurance for the health of Chapman. Chapman, to go with Britton, Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle, and Chad Green, ensures the Yankees will have a top bullpen in 2020.  

Welcome back, Chappy! We’re glad you decided to stay with us for another run or two or three at October. 

Stephen James Strasburg turns 32 in July. In 2019, he was 18-6 for the Nationals with 3.32 ERA. His K/9 was 10.81, HR/9 1.03, and WAR 5.7. He made 33 starts, good for 209 innings of work. It’s easy to salivate about a potential starting rotation of Strasburg, Luis Severino, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka, and Jordan Montgomery (sorry J.A. Happ, don’t let the door hit you on the way out).  

I probably still want Gerrit Cole over Strasburg. He’s a little younger (won’t turn 30 until September). He had a brilliant 2019, going 20-5 with 2.50 ERA which should pay off with the AL Cy Young Award. His K/9 was a career best 13.82, HR/9 1.23 and he had the higher WAR at 7.4. The number of starts and innings were similar to Strasburg’s totals…same number of starts with 3 1/3 more innings. But regardless of whether it is Cole or Strasburg, either would look fantastic in Pinstripes.  

All of this just means that I should probably begin looking for my Zack Wheeler Yankees jersey.

Photo Credit: Twitter via @Wheelerpro45

There’s a name that Bryan Van Dusen of The Greedy Pinstripes has been pushing for months. German Marquez. He’ll only be 25 heading into next season and he has a wealth of talent and potential. He regressed in 2019 (like the entire Rockies team) but remains arguably the best pitcher on Colorado’s starting staff. I’ve long admired Jon Gray but at this point, there’s no question Marquez is the better pitcher.  He was 12-5 last season with 4.06 ERA (give the guy a break, he pitches at Coors Field). His K/9 was 9.05, HR/9 1.50 (again, Coors Field), and WAR 3.4. This guy is on clear path to replicating the numbers produced by Cole and Strasburg, and he’s five years younger than Cole. I didn’t think the Rockies would be willing to part with their young ace, but after a very disappointing season in the Mile High City, they need more than just help in the rotation.  The Yankees have the pieces that could help a Rockies rebuild and Marquez would fit nicely in the Bronx. Rumor has it that former Rockies do very well in the Bronx. If the Yankees do acquire Marquez, Van Dusen deserves much credit for continuing to shout his name. Marquez is one of a select very few number of pitchers that I’d consider giving up Deivi Garcia for. Luis Castillo of the Cincinnati Reds is another.

If the Yankees are looking to add to the bullpen, particularly if Dellin Betances leaves (I hope not), it won’t include Tony Watson, who has long been a Cashman target. Watson exercised his player option with the San Francisco Giants yesterday which will most likely keep him in the City by the Bay for another year.  Granted, he had a disappointing 2019 season but he remains one of the better lefty relievers around. I know, he’s 34 and he’s recovering from a broken wrist suffered in September but he’s a good guy to have in the pen.  

On the same day that Strasburg opted out of his contract, the Nationals dropped the hammer on two guys that helped bring the first World Series championship to Washington since 1924 yesterday (the same day as their victory parade). The team declined the options for first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Yan Gomes. While Zimmerman was expected (he’s simply not a $20 million/year player anymore), I was a little surprised about Gomes even if he didn’t have a great season statistically-speaking.  I’ve seen more than a few people suggest the Yankees should go after him to back up Gary Sanchez. While I am comfortable going into 2020 with Kyle Higashioka as the backup, I’ll admit that it would be intriguing to have Gomes. He did very well with the great pitching staffs in Cleveland. As much as I want Gary Sanchez to have a healthy, monster season next year, the hard truth is that whomever backs him up will see plenty of playing time. Gomes should be given consideration, in my opinion, if the price is right.

Are the Mets really considering their former manager, Terry Collins, as Carlos Beltran’s bench coach? That’s funny. No disrespect to Collins, who I think is an excellent baseball guy, but it just seems odd that he’d take a coaching position with the Mets after being fired as their manager a couple of years ago. Carlos Beltran recently said that Collins was the best manager he had played for, a group that includes Joe Girardi, Bruce Bochy, and A.J. Hinch.  

The five-day exclusive negotiating period for teams and their own free agents will officially end tomorrow so let the Hot Stove League begin! For Yankee fans, we’ll see the names of Cole and Strasburg ad nauseam until we don’t (meaning they sign somewhere).  

Buckle up, this should be fun.

As always, Go Yankees!

Baseball is Over...Now What?...

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports

The Hot Stove League is open for business…

The 2019-20 Baseball Off-Season or rather the Hot Stove League has officially begun. While the Washington Nationals and their fans celebrate the World Series championship, the rest of us are left to wonder what could have been. For years, we pointed to 2019 as our championship year.  It’s disappointing it did not happen but on the bright side, the window has not closed and the Yankees will be back in 2020 to make noise in October.  

I don’t have an off-season plan. I’ve already read plenty of great ones so no need for me to develop a fictional wish list that has no bearing on what Brian Cashman will actually do. My views are more what I’d like to see in the coming months.   

But first, I’d like to extend a birthday wish to Daniel Burch, the Co-Founder and Head Writer of The Greedy Pinstripes blog. Happy Birthday, Daniel! I hope it’s a tremendous day for you, KariAnn, and your family. Enjoy, my friend! Speaking of Daniel, if you haven’t already, you should read his response to Hal Steinbrenner’s recent remarks and his off-season plan that was posted yesterday. It’s an excellent read and right on point. It followed a great off-season plan presented by the other Co-Founder of The Greedy Pinstripes, Bryan Van Dusen.   

Now back to baseball. I always head into the off-season with great anticipation and optimism. It’s the chance to add enhancements to the team for its run next year. I do not believe in complacency and feel that you should constantly be looking for ways to improve the roster. We saw what complacency delivered for the Boston Red Sox last year. Granted, a number of their guys had career years the year before so a fall was inevitable but it certainly didn’t help that they made no effort to better their defense of their championship. It resulted in a disappointing, lost year for Boston. Not that I didn’t enjoy seeing Boston down and their fans quiet, but my point is simply that complacency never wins.  

I know that going into 2020, I do not want a staff of starters capable of only going five or six innings, with a few bullpen games mixed in. We saw the results of a tired pen in October, even with the rest they were given in the regular season’s final month. Like many fans, I want the Yankees to sign Gerrit Cole (or Stephen Strasburg if he opts out). But realistically, I doubt the Yankees sign either. Unlike last year, when I was very hopeful the Yankees would sign either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper, I do not hold the same belief about this year’s premier free agents.  Not that I don’t want them, just rather I think the Yankees stick to their current business model and show financial constraint. As a Plan B, I’ve certainly warmed to the idea of someone like Zack Wheeler. I’ve long admired Madison Bumgarner but I share the belief that he’ll probably end up with the Atlanta Braves. I think someone like Hyun-Jin Ryu would be a tremendous addition but I can’t believe the Los Angeles Dodgers will let him get away. But then again, I never thought former Dodger Hiroki Kuroda would finish his MLB career as a Yankee.  

Regardless of who the Yankees add to the starting rotation (correction, IF they add), there’s no room for J.A. Happ in my opinion. If there’s a move I am very hopeful for, it’s the ability to trade Happ and his contract, even if the team has to cover part of the salary and attach a prospect or two, to another team before the season starts. Last year was a very disappointing one for Happ and at 37 years old, he’s not going to get any better. The Yankees also cannot rely upon Domingo German, who remains on administrative leave for domestic violence. It’s likely he’ll serve a significant suspension next season and even then, I am not so sure I want the man, if the domestic violence accusations are true, on the roster regardless of his 18 wins. I reserve judgment until we know more about his case but at this point, German does not have my support. I know, I was able to forgive Aroldis Chapman and maybe that turns out to be the case with German once we know more. We’ll see but he’s not someone we can count on as we know it today.  

I think it is more probable the Yankees will acquire another starter in trade rather than through free agency. I don’t know who they should target. I’ve certainly seen the name of Lucas Giolito come up plenty and I’d be glad to have him, but we’ll have to see how this plays out over the course of the off-season. Personally, I think the Chicago White Sox would be foolish to part with their young ace given the burgeoning young talent in their system. No doubt Brian Cashman and his analytics team have uncovered multiple names they’d love to target.  

Photo Credit: Charles Rex Arbogast, AP

As of this writing, the following Yankees are free agents: Edwin Encarnacion, Austin Romine, Didi Gregorius, Cory Gearrin, Dellin Betances, CC Sabathia (retired), Brett Gardner and Cameron Maybin.  

I’ve seen many people say that Dellin will be back. While I don’t think he’ll let the ridiculous words of Yankees President Randy Levine from a few years ago influence his decision, the fact remains as long as he is free to choose, it’s very possible that he goes elsewhere. I’d hate to see the Bronx native leave and he’s been such a huge part of the bullpen in recent years despite the lost 2019 season. I had assumed he’d sign a one- or two-year deal with the Yankees to rebuild value, but that may not be the case if another team offers him the right amount of money. This morning, Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com made his predictions for likely landing spots and he has Betances signing with the Houston Astros. Honestly, that makes me sick to the stomach. I really do not want to see Dellin in Houston or Boston. I suppose if he must leave, I’d prefer he goes to Philly to join up with Joe Girardi. But of the above-listed free agents, the one I want back the most is Dellin. I hope he and the Yankees are able to come together on a deal to keep him at home in the Bronx.  

Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

I think Brett Gardner will be back on another one-year deal. At this point in his career, he’s not getting anything more than one-year deals from the Yankees. If another team were to offer him a multi-year contract, I’d support the Yankees’ decision to let him walk away. I don’t want to de-value what Gardy meant to the Yankees in 2019, but my stance on all players is that I’d rather cut bait a year early than a year too late. But none of it really matters as I expect Gardy to be back in 2020.

Didi Gregorius is a tough one. I love the guy. His personality matches his strong defensive ability and I think, a year removed from Tommy John surgery, his bat will rebound next season to its previous form. It’s hard to envision Didi not with the Yankees. He has meant so much to them since Derek Jeter retired. However, I can easily see the Yankees making Gleyber Torres the everyday shortstop and giving D.J. LeMahieu a permanent spot at second base, his strongest position.  It would allow the Yankees to reallocate the money it would take to re-sign Didi to other needs. If the money is re-directed to sign a guy like Gerrit Cole, it would be hard to argue keeping Gregorius in Pinstripes. If he leaves to sign with the rumored favorites, the Milwaukee Brewers or Cincinnati Reds, I’ll be sad but life goes on. Didi has been a great Yankee and as they say, change is inevitable and nothing lasts forever.  

Randy Miller has Austin Romine going to the Los Angeles Angels. I can easily see that one coming true. It makes sense for the Southern CA native to go home, and there’s some excitement building in Orange County with Joe Maddon’s appointment as the team’s manager. If the Angels can sign Gerrit Cole and GM Billy Eppler is able to make a few other moves to bring in more talent to support Mike Trout, there’s some reason for optimism for the Angels. I don’t expect the Angels to be competing for the World Series next year, but they’ll be a fun team. I’ll hate to lose Romine but his loss is inevitable, especially if he is given the opportunity to start elsewhere. I’ve enjoyed Romine as the backup catcher but I don’t see him coming back under any circumstances. It’s a great opportunity for Kyle Higashioka and hopefully he’s doing everything possible this winter to prepare himself for the backup role behind Gary Sanchez. Eventually Anthony Siegler and Josh Breaux will be making noise, but for now, Higgy is the best option.  

I can see Cameron Maybin coming back on a reasonable, cost-effective deal. I doubt the Yankees try to bring back Cody Gearrin or Edwin Encarnacion (after paying the $5 million buyout rather than $20 million salary for next season). CC, as we all know, is now content to wait for the call to the Hall of Fame.  

I had assumed the Yankees would try to sign D.J. LeMahieu to an extension this off-season but upon further thought, I agree with the assessment that LeMahieu holds the overwhelming advantage in negotiations after his brilliant 2019 debut in Pinstripes. The Yankees are better off waiting to see how he performs in 2020. The risk is that he’ll be a free agent after the season but the current Yankees business model looks at the long-term view and will not overpay players like they once did with Jacoby Ellsbury. I know I’d like to see LeMahieu stay in Pinstripes beyond next season but for now, we’ll have to wait.  

I don’t think the Yankees need to lock up Gleyber Torres on an extension this off-season but it should be a priority in the next couple of off-seasons. The prime extension target this off-season should be Aaron Judge. Do what it takes. Keep this man in Pinstripes for the duration of his career. Say what you will about the injuries but when healthy, the guy is one of the best in the game.  

Today is the day we find out whether or not Aroldis Chapman opts out of his contract. It is assumed that he’ll opt out if he and the Yankees are unable to agree upon an extension. I’ve said all along that I am prepared for Chapman to leave. I’d love to have him back as the team’s closer next year but the Yankees are paying him top dollar. If it is not good enough and they are unable to agree on the dollars for additional year(s), then let him go. Zack Britton is certainly a capable closer who has proven to be the best in the game when fully healthy. I’d have no reservations about him being the Yankees’ closer.  The Yankees would need to add other parts to the bullpen, like signing free agent reliever Will Smith, but I am confident the Yankees will be fine with or without Chappy.  

Congratulations to Carlos Beltran. For as much as I hated to see him leave his job as a special advisor for the Yankees, I am happy he’ll get his first managerial gig with the New York Mets. Granted, not crazy it’s the Mets, but there are only so many managerial jobs and you have to start somewhere. I had hoped the San Francisco Giants, one of his former teams, would show interest, but it’s clear Beltran has an East Coast preference for family reasons. It’s kind of funny that Beltran will be butting heads with Don Mattingly and Joe Girardi in the NL East. When Beltran didn’t get the manager job with the Yankees, I had hoped he would be a part of the coaching staff. It obviously didn’t happen but Beltran was still able to bring his influence to the team. I wish him the best of luck in Queens and I hope everything works out for him despite the Wilpon family.  

I miss Yankees baseball. Is it February yet?…

As always, Go Yankees!