July 31st Trade Deadline Countdown: Third Base

Chase Headley sucks, Gleyber Torres is injured for the remainder of the 2017 season and the New York Yankees may or may not need a third baseman going forward. The good news for the Bronx Bombers is that the July 31^st trade deadline is looming and the countdown, at least here on the blog, has begun. The bad news is that the market for the position looks to be a bit top heavy (aka expensive) and underwhelming (low risk, high reward). Let’s explore what the Yankees could possibly do now that Torres will miss the remainder of the season with Tommy John surgery assuming that Headley continues to struggle at the hot corner.

The names that immediately come to mind in no particular order when thinking about potential trade targets for the Yankees are the Angels’ Yunel Escobar, the White Sox’s Todd Frazier, the Royals’ Mike Moustakas, the Giants’ Eduardo Nunez, the Pirates’ David Freese, the Marlins’ Martin Prado, the Reds’ Eugenio Suarez and the Padres’ Yangervis Solarte. A lot of these guys, coincidentally, are former Yankees.

The main thing to keep in mind is that the team does not want to block Torres in or beyond the 2018 season, yes I realize that Headley is under contract for next season but could be moved to the bench, moved to first base, traded or designated for assignment, so with that in mind the Yankees would likely not be as interested in Freese, Solarte, Suarez or Prado as much as the rest of the bunch since they are not free agents at the end of the 2017 season.

If the Yankees decide to look internally for a replacement the team could always call up Tyler Wade as well who has played in 11 minor-league games at the position. It isn’t ideal by any means but Wade would be the third baseman in theory, the team could always have Ronald Torreyes play there with Wade on the bench or have Starlin Castro play there with either Torreyes or Wade, who is a natural shortstop, man the second base position. Wade would at least give the Yankees options in the field, although he may struggle with the bat a bit.

There’s plenty of options out there both internally and via the trade market. Some options will likely cost the Yankees a lot in terms of prospects (Moustakas for example) while some could be had for minimal expenditures (Prado would be the ultimate salary dump for a struggling Marlins squad). What the Yankees will do when the dust settles remains to be seen though so I guess you’re all going to have to stay tuned. 

Chase Headley Sucks But These Guys Do Not

The New York Yankees have a huge problem on their hands when it comes to the current situation over at third base and the team, in my opinion of course, needs to fix it sooner rather than later. Chase Headley, in a word, sucks but these potential trade targets for the team at the July 31^st trading deadline definitely do not. Not at all actually so if the team is serious about competing not only in 2018 but in 2017 as well it is time to start getting to know these potentially available third baseman from across the league before the deadline. 

Would the Toronto Blue Jays trade Josh Donaldson within the division and to one of their biggest rivals in the New York Yankees? Not likely, unfortunately, but how much of an impact would Donaldson be in the Yankees lineup? He’s great and I’d take him in a heartbeat but Donaldson has been injured this season and would be yet another right-handed power bat. The Yankees may need a lefty, although that could be difficult to come by at third base. 

Todd Frazier is another name that could be traded this summer. Frazier is a free agent at the end of the season so the price in terms of prospects could stay low, or lower than Donaldson anyway, while also fitting into the Yankees long-term plans. Frazier is struggling hitting below the Mendoza line but Frazier, like Headley when he was traded from San Diego to the Bronx, could benefit from a change of scenery at least in the short-term. You never know. 

If the Yankees want a stop gap for a year or two beyond the 2017 season while they wait on Miguel Andujar then David Freese may be an option. Freese is having a solid season and has found this uncanny knack for hitting in the big spots in the postseason, something the Yankees will need along with some veteran leadership with such a young squad. 

The final option as it stands today would be the Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas. Moustakas is represented by Scott Boras so it seems unlikely that the man they call Moose in Kansas City would negotiate a contract extension so it may be best for a team like the Royals to get something for sure out of him now rather than potentially nothing for the 28-year old later. Moustakas will be a free agent at the end of the season and is in the midst of a strong season that could see the right-handed surpass 30 home runs on a struggling Royals squad. 

I mean, or the team could just call up Gleyber Torres. I’m just saying. That’s my choice, what’s yours?

Anyone Worth a Gamble Left on the Free Agent Market?

Pitchers and catchers are in full swing and full team workouts are happening all around the league as we inch closer and closer to Grapefruit League games and MLB games that actually count in the win/loss column. All winter long teams have made a plan and seemingly stuck to it whether it be acquiring the top free agent talent available like the Red Sox did with David Price and Craig Kimbrel, selling off all their talent to jump start a rebuild like the Atlanta Braves did or sign nobody at all, literally, like the New York Yankees did. The Yankees did not sign a single major league free agent this winter but they have not shied away from handing out the minor league deals for depth down on the farm, is there anyone left on the free agent market worth that gamble?

Well yeah, Dexter Fowler is still out there on the free agent market but I strongly believe he isn’t going to settle for a minor league deal. There’s almost 0% chance of it. He may sign a one-year pillow contract with a team and test a no-so-stacked free agent market again in 2017 but there’s absolutely no chance he signs a minor league deal. The same can likely be said for starters Tim Lincecum, Cliff Lee and Alfredo Simon. Also Ian Desmond is another one of those names to add to the “no way, no how” list when it comes to signing a minor league free agent deal this winter. We know the names of who won’t sign a minor league deal but who conceivably could or would?

David Freese is a solid third baseman with a track record of hitting in the postseason but for whatever reason not many are knocking down his door to sign him this winter. New York needs a capable third baseman and a true third baseman, apologies to Starlin Castro, and if Freese is willing to sign a MiLB deal, however unlikely, I think the Yankees should pounce. The longer the winter drags on and the closer the spring comes closer the more likely other players like Juan Uribe, Justin Morneau and Pedro Alvarez may be willing to defy the odds and the doubters and sign a minor league deal as well with an opt-out clause simply to get into a spring camp and show teams they are still capable of playing at the Major League level. If the Yankees want to take advantage of any of those three I would also be willing to sign off on those deals.

Finally you have a laundry list of players including Rickie Weeks, Jimmy Rollins, Tommy Hunter, Matt Thornton, and others who would likely jump at the opportunity to sign a minor league deal in New York but I just can’t see any of them being true fits for the Yankees. I have always said there is no such thing as a bad minor league deal and I will stand behind that today as well but there are some I’d be willing to write a “Meet a Prospect” for and there are some I may just let slide and move on with, you know what I’m saying? 

This Day in New York Yankees History 1/28: Nothing but a Bold Prediction

There was absolutely no history or news to report on this day in New York Yankees history so I will instead start the day off with a bold prediction, the fact that the New York Yankees will sign someone today. It might be a minor league deal for Mat Latos or it might be a relatively minor signing for the bench like David Freese but I just woke up with a gut feeling this morning that it is going to happen. Write it down and tell me I'm wrong tomorrow. 

Song: Wake Up by Coheed and Cambria

Chase Headley for James Shields?

How did we ever make it back even in the 1990’s without cell phones, the internet at the touch of our fingers and social media? Honestly I’ll never know but I know one thing for sure, I don’t want to go back. Facebook is nice, Google+ was okay for a minute but I truly cannot get enough of twitter. The absolute interaction and user interface just gets me and I love it. I love interacting with everyone who reads the blog. You float me your thoughts on my articles and you, either directly or indirectly, float ideas for articles there as well. Much like this article I am about to tackle as one of my good friends, Michael Brogna, suggested trading third baseman Chase Headley back to the San Diego Padres for right-handed starting pitcher James Shields. Would it work?

My immediate question to Mike was who would play third base and replace Headley? Currently the only Yankees player I would “trust” at the position defensively is Brendan Ryan, yuck. Sure it’s easy to just say “add Yangervis Solarte” in the deal or “take on Jedd Gyorko’s salary (who has since been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals) and play him there” or even “just trade for Trevor Plouffe” but the league doesn’t work like that. Solarte was one of San Diego’s better hitters in 2015 and it’s going to take a lot more than just Chase Headley to pry him away, again. Jedd Gyorko is not a third baseman, never has been and likely never will be. He held his own at shortstop last season but he’s not going to get better the more he ages, he’s going to get worse. He was used as a shortstop out of necessity and out of desperation, not because his bat dictated him being there. Finally, simply trading for a young and controllable guy isn’t that easy. Especially for a young team that plans on contending as soon as the 2016 season. It’s just not that easy.

Looking at the third base market I don’t see much available right now for the Yankees to acquire. The most attractive pieces are Juan Uribe, Will Middlebrooks, David Freese and Mark Reynolds. No, on a minor league deal then maybe, interesting but still probably a no and who wants 15 home runs and 200 strikeouts this season with defense that will make Headley’s look Gold Glove caliber? And while we’re on the subject who wants James Shields and that incredibly back loaded and overpaid contract? Isn’t this team trying to get away from deals like these?

Mike, I love you bro and I appreciate and respect your input and opinion on this but I just can’t back you on it. Only way I’m taking Shields is on a salary dump where the team loses nothing. This plugs a hole that wasn’t really a problem to begin with and makes a huge hole at third base and in the lineup. As it stands today I have to say no thank you. 

Angels Likely To Trade Kendrick or Freese

MLB Trade Rumors wrote this week about the fact that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim may have to trade wither second baseman Howie Kendrick or third baseman David Freese this winter. Should the Yankees be interested in either of them? Both of them? In a word, yes.

Neither will come cheap in terms of prospects or in salary but both are obtainable without giving up Top 10 talent. Kendrick is slated to make $9.5 million next season after posting a 2014 slash of .293/.347/.397 while Freese is scheduled to earn more than his $5.05 million he did in 2014 in his final season of arbitration after hitting .261/.321/.383 last season.

The Angels need a starting pitcher and/or a left handed relief pitcher for next season while also trying to get their spending under control. A trade for either Kendrick or Freese and only giving up a Bryan Mitchell, James Pazos, Tyler Webb, or someone not named Manny Banuelos, Shane Greene, or Jacob Lindgren makes sense for both clubs.

This may be what the Yankees need to pull off to help ease the 40 man roster crunch and Rule 5 Draft problems the team is likely to face this winter. Get it done Cash.

David Freese Comes Off The Yankees Board

David Freese is not going to be hitting big time World Series in 2014 for the New York Yankees as he was traded to another American League team in need of a third basemen, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Freese was traded along with relief pitcher Fernando Salas for defensive outfielder Peter Bourjous and outfield prospect Randal Grichuk.

It makes me wonder what the Cardinals would have wanted from us for Freese and the first mind that comes to mind was Brett Gardner. I am not sure, well no I am sure actually, that Freese would not be worth the loss of Gardner and would only create more holes then would be fixed.