Another Day of “Trading Manny” Speculation…

Machado prepares to say goodbye to his O’s uniform…

It’s the All-Star Break and Manny Machado is still a Baltimore Oriole. A few more days anyway. If you believe the reports, the Philadelphia Phillies would seem to be the frontrunner, closely followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. I’ve seen one (most likely fictitious) report that has the Phillies sending third baseman Maikel Franco, shortstop J.P. Crawford, and top pitching prospect Adonis Medina to Baltimore. If that’s the level of talent on the table for Manny, I don’t see why the Yankees can’t beat it. I don’t think they will, but any way you look at it, Manny would make any team’s offense and defense better. For the Yankees, it only works if he is willing to move back to third base, but I’d gladly take the legitimate superstar over the young rookie at third (with no offense to Miguel Andujar who has done a fine job).

It is exciting to think about Manny Machado as a Yankee. The images of him wearing Pinstripes have been tremendous and then there was yesterday’s Instagram pic posted by Aroldis Chapman showing Manny sitting among Chappy, Luis Severino and Gleyber Torres. 

I continue to believe that the Orioles will not trade with the Yankees (even though we routinely seem give them quality arms with guys like Richard Bleier and Yefry Ramirez). But for all the excitement about Machado, it will be a letdown if the July trading deadline passes and we end up with only a pedestrian rental like J.A. Happ or Cole Hamels. 

If he does not come to the Bronx, I’d like to see Machado end up with the Dodgers. Play him at short this year to free up Chris Taylor to roam positions again. The Dodgers would have a great chance to re-sign Manny if he likes LA. He can hang out with LeBron. Next year, if they are successful in signing him, the Dodgers could move him to third when Corey Seager returns, push Justin Turner to first base, play Max Muncy at second, and keep Cody Bellinger in the outfield.  I certainly feel the Dodgers would have a much better chance at signing Manny to a long-term deal than either the Phillies or the Brewers. I’d still rather see Manny with the Yankees, but having him on the Dodgers would be a nice consolation prize (for me anyway). Sorry, it’s not about you, it’s all about me. Kidding…

The Boston Red Sox may hold a 4 ½ game advantage on the Yankees, but the Yankees have the farm system to make significantly greater moves than the Red Sox can make. Boston has the much weaker farm system and as baseball’s top spender, they are maxed out on salary unless they want to encroach into the highest tax penalty category. If we do nothing, it will be a lost opportunity.  Same if we come away with an arm that has difficulty keeping runners off home plate. We already have one of those with Sonny Gray.  We don’t need to add to our collection. 

Probably the only moves that would be more meaningful to me than Manny Machado would be a frontline starter like Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Blake Snell, or Madison Bumgarner. Unfortunately, I think the chances of landing one of those guys is about as good as Peter Angelos warming up to the Yankees. 

So, this leaves me with the opinion that I am going be disappointed come July 31^st. Whether it will be a lot or just a little, I don’t know but I sense that disappointment is headed my way. If there was ever a time for GM Brian Cashman to deliver one of his golden stealth moves, now is the time. 

The Yankees have played 95 games so there are only 67 games left. I am excited about the impending returns of both Gary Sanchez and Gleyber Torres which provide immediate upgrades, especially if El Gary can start hitting like we know he can. He has homered the last couple of games for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders so hopefully his timing is coming around quickly. 

The next couple of weeks will be very crucial for the Yankees as they attempt to chase down the Red Sox. They don’t have to be in first place by August 1^st but they need to make the necessary moves now to ensure that they are properly positioned for the impending sprint to the finish line.  Don’t let us down, Cash. This is your time.

Congratulations to Bryce Harper for the hometown Home Run Derby championship over Kyle Schwarber at Nationals Park last evening, but I must admit that I didn’t watch. There was just no drama or intrigue for me with this year’s participants.  I admire Rhys Hoskins and I think Mad Max Muncy is a great story but something was missing without Pinstripes.  I don’t blame Aaron Judge for passing on it, but without any Yankees, there was simply no motivation for me to watch.  I don’t really expect Harper to sign with the Yankees in the off-season so I didn’t have the urge to watch him take swings. Maybe if Manny Machado had been a participant, it would have carried a little more significance. Or even the great Mike Trout. Oh well, next year. 

It’s been great to see the pics of Gleyber Torres at the All-Star Game festivities. I’ve missed that guy. I look forward to having his energy back in the Yankees lineup very soon. 

Don’t look now, but LHP Nestor Cortes, who spent spring training with the Orioles, is a man on fire. In yesterday’s 5-0 win by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders over the Toledo Mud Hens, Cortes (4-3, 3.11 ERA) threw a one-hitter over six innings while striking out ten. Over his last 38 1/3 innings, Cortes has only allowed three earned runs. This is how I wish Chance Adams was pitching but sadly it is not. 

Here’s another shameless plug for Kurt Sutter’s new TV show Mayans MC which makes its premiere on Tuesday, September 4^th. The first season (set in a post-Jax Teller/Sons of Anarchy world) will feature ten episodes and tells the story of young Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes, played by JD Pardo. Reyes is fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Santo Padre charter of the Mayans MC, located on the Cali/Mexi border. According to the storyline, EZ must carve out his new identity in a town where he was once the golden boy with the American Dream in his grasp. The show also stars Clayton Cardenas, Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger, Michael Irby, Carla Baratta, Antonio Jaramillo, Raoul Max Trujillo, Richard Cabral and Danny Pino. Sons of Anarchy star Emilio Rivera returns as Marcus Alvarez, El Padrino of the Mayans MC.  I am looking forward to the ride.

We are still a few days away from the next Yankees game (Friday night at Yankee Stadium against the cross-town Mets) but at least we’ll get to see Luis Severino and Aaron Judge in action tonight (and maybe some shots of Aroldis Chapman and Gleyber Torres as spectators). 

As always, Go Yankees!

Ellsbury should be in a Fowler mood…

Credit:  Getty Images

Dustin Fowler continues to open eyes in Yankees training camp.  As a center fielder, he looms as a potential successor for the King of the DL, Jacoby Ellsbury.

Fowler is currently ranked as the #9 prospect on MLB.com's list of Top 30 Yankees Prospects.

It's almost been a given that shortstop Jorge Mateo will eventually be moved to center field to make way for the superior play and leadership of top prospect Gleyber Torres.  Yet, here is Fowler saying "Whoa, wait a minute!".

We hear so much about the prospects acquired by the Yankees last summer which elevated the organization to the best or second best farm system depending upon whom you ask.  The homegrown Yankees seem to get lost in the shuffle. I've quietly heard Fowler's name for several years.  He was drafted in the 18th round of the 2013 Draft.  The Yankees paid him $278,000 to forego his letter of intent for Georgia Southern University.

Fowler opened eyes last year at AA Trenton with 12 HR, 88 RBI, and .281 BA.  He also stole 25 bags.  A lefty, the 22-year-old Georgia native is viewed as a potential 5-tool player if his power continues to develop.  It would make more sense to keep Fowler in center than to move Mateo there unless one of the two is moved in a potential trade.

Fowler is an interesting player.  He has improved each year and is pushing his potential much higher than an 18th round pick.  Kudos to the Yankees scouts who discovered him.  High school kids are incredibly hard to forecast.  But here's a kid that has already exceeded expectations.

It's very possible that Fowler could be the player the Yankees were seeking when they invested 7 years and $153 million in DL's-bury.  I don't think Ellsbury will make it to the end of his contract with the Yankees (I know, a statement of the obvious).  The question is when and how much will it cost the team to unload the disappointment.

Fowler leads me to envision this possible future lineup:

C-Gary Sanchez

1B-Greg Bird

2B-Jorge Mateo

SS-Gleyber Torres

3B-Miguel Andujar

RF-Aaron Judge

CF-Dustin Fowler

LF-Clint Frazier

DH-Tyler Austin

This lineup may never materialize but it looks good on paper, in my opinion.  Most likely, Didi Gregorius stays at short, Torres is moved to second, and Starlin Castro goes to third.  Another speculated path would put Bryce Harper in the outfield and/or Manny Machado at third.  Regardless of what happens, Fowler (at some point in the future) looks excellent in center regardless of who surrounds him.

So, here's hoping Fowler's journey leads him to the vast area in center at Yankee Stadium.  And Jacoby Ellsbury?  Don't let the door hit you on the way out…

Former Yankees pitcher Caleb Cotham has retired.  He was part of the package that went to the Cincinnati Reds in the trade for Aroldis Chapman.  He had been part of the Yankees bullpen in 2015 before the trade after a very productive year in the minors.  Only 29, he posted on Tweeter that he is “no longer willing to pay the emotional/physical price to rehab/play at the highest level”.  After being removed from the Reds’ 40-man roster last fall, he had recently signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners.  I wish him the very best with his post-playing career.

Naturally, on a day I chose to pick on Jacoby Ellsbury, he hits like he is supposed to.  In yesterday’s spring game against Atlanta, Ellsbury went 3-for-3 with 2 stolen bases.  It’s just a facade.  He’ll trip and land on the DL tomorrow.  Fowler  also made a difference.  He walked in the 6th, after replacing Brett Gardner, with the bases loaded to force in a run.  He scored later in the 6-run 6th inning on a Clint Frazier groundout.  He also tripled in the 9th.  After jumping ahead 7-2, the Yankees held on to beat the Braves, 8-7.  

They move to 11-3 for the Spring.  

I know this is a Yankees blog but I have to run a little off-topic.  Okay, a lot off topic.  So if you are interested in Yankees talk only, please quit reading.

I am very excited about the upcoming Sons of Anarchy spinoff pilot called Mayans MC.  Developed by Kurt Sutter and Elgin James, Mayans MC occurs in the same universe or mythology as Sons of Anarchy but after Jax Teller's death.

The Mayans were originally adversaries and eventually allies for the Sons of Anarchy MC, Redwood Originals charter.  The Mayans (Oakland/Northern CA charter) were led by Marcus Alvarez (played by Emilio Rivera).  In the new story, Alvarez is the Founder and National President of the Mayans Motorcycle Club.  But the focus will be on the Santo Padre charter on the Mexi-Cali border.  The charter President is Esai "Taino" Osorio (John Ortiz), a cousin to Alvarez.

The protagonist is a young prospect named Ezekiel "EZ" Reyes (played by JD Pardo).  According to the press release, EZ is the gifted son of a proud Latino family, whose American Dream is snuffed out by Cartel violence.  Now, his need for vengeance drives him toward a life he never intended and can never escape.

Edward James Olmos plays EZ's father, Felipe, and Clayton Cardenas plays his brother Angel, a full patch member of the MC. 

Other cast members include Antonio Jaramillo as Michael "Riz" Ariza, Vice President of the Santo Padre charter, and Richard Cabral as Johnny "El Coco" Cruz, a full patch member.  The release for the Cruz character tells of an Army sharpshooter who once shot a cigar out of his Sergeant's mouth from a half mile away...while stoned.  Irish actress Sarah Bolger has joined the cast as the first female regular.  She’ll play Emily, the beautiful “guera” next door and childhood sweetheart of EZ. Per the release:  But when Romeo departed, this Juliet didn’t unsheathe the dagger, she traded it in for diamond studs and a mansion on the hill.  

Filming of the Pilot takes place this month in Los Angeles.  There is no word yet if FX Network will pick up Mayans MC for its fall lineup.  This is an exceptional cast with an incredible story to tell.  I am excited about the potential of the show and want to do my part to promote it.

Kurt Sutter is a genius with this genre as evidenced by Sons of Anarchy.  Charlie Hunnam might not be in this potential new series but I am sure JD Pardo and his new castmates will rise to the challenge.  

Have a great Friday!