When is the NFL Draft? ...

 

MLB and the forgotten game…

Damn! I was hopeful last weekend that a Hail Mary pass would salvage negotiations between the MLB Owners and Players Association. I know, it was a case of overly and undue optimism. Players often talk about how Major League Baseball is a business, and sadly, that point has been driven home with us, the fans. The MLB Owners do not care about you, they do not care about me, and they certainly do not care about the players. Their singular goal is to break the union.

Clockwise from top left: Mark Walter, Dodgers; Arte Moreno, Angels; Hal Steinbrenner, Yankees; John Henry, Red Sox; Jerry Reinsdorf, White Sox; and Tom Ricketts, Cubs / Photo Credit: Getty Images

It is disappointing there are MLB Owners, small market owners, who prefer not to play in April when colder temperatures generally keep the larger crowds away and weather that forces postponement of games. The goal should be about bringing Major League Baseball to the fans. Where is the spirit of growing the game, and trying to build audiences (and future players) through younger generations? The MLB is doing a fantastic job of generating interest for the NFL, NBA, and NHL, among other professional sports.

The owners and players seem too far apart on the topic of competitive balance tax (also known as the luxury tax) for resolution anytime soon. Four owners reportedly objected to MLB’s latest proposal to raise the CBT. Bob Castellini (Cincinnati Reds); Chris Ilitch (Detroit Tigers); Ken Kendrick (Arizona Diamondbacks); and Arte Moreno (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). If owners cannot afford to play in the big leagues, they should sell. There are plenty of billionaires who like shiny new toys.

The owners proposed to raise the CBT from the current $210 million to $220 million for the next three seasons, $224 million for 2025, and $230 million for 2026. Meanwhile, for those of us living in reality, the cost of living is escalating by the day. The players propose higher but more reasonable escalated levels ($238 million for 2022; $244 million for 2023; $250 million for 2024; $256 million for 2025; and $263 million for 2026). The players are right to draw a correlation to the increasing revenue generated each year. I do not want the players to give in on this issue, even if it means a continued lockout. This is not because I am a fan of a big market team. It goes back to my belief that if teams cannot afford to play, they need to get out of the game.

I have no idea when pro baseball might return. It seems unfathomable that it would start later than May 1^st, but there was a time when I thought the owners would not be foolish enough to disrupt a 162-game schedule given the COVID challenges with the audience the last few years. Silly me. We will soon reach the point where the owners will be pressured by their business partners (TV and Cable networks, radio, advertisers, etc.). It seems it will take extreme external pressure to bring resolution as the two sides have not shown any willingness to compromise on the larger issues. I really do not want a 14-team playoff format. I thought the sides had settled on 12 teams, which I reluctantly accept as if my opinion matters, but the MLBPA is offering 14 teams, the owners’ desire, as a way of helping to restart negotiations. I guess whatever it takes. I want baseball back, but I am tired of begging for it.

MLBPA from left: Andrew Miller; Tony Clark, Executive Director; Bruce Meyer, Chief Union Negotiator; and Max Scherzer / Photo Credit: Wilfredo Lee, AP

At this point, the only sports attraction I look forward to is the NFL Draft, which, for the record, will be held on April 28-30, 2022, in Paradise, Nevada. I know, many will point to March Madness in college basketball or the NBA and NHL championship series, which are exciting times, but for me, football is the only sport that carries nearly as much weight as baseball does. If anything, my love for football has grown due to the MLB Owners rejection of us, the fans.

The MLB Commissioner, I think his name is Lord Voldemort, has cancelled spring training games through March 18^th which reinforces we may not see any April regular season games. With all due honesty, fuck Major League Baseball until the MLB Owners can get their acts together.

Derek Jeter’s surprise exit from the ownership ranks. I certainly did not expect to see the news this week that Miami Marlins CEO and minority owner Derek Jeter had stepped down and was liquidating his holdings in the team.

Derek Jeter / Photo Credit: AP

Social media immediately went to the ‘Yankees need a shortstop’ card which was funny, but there is a part of me that hopes he can publicly celebrate his Yankees career in future events. He belongs at Yankees alumni events and other team functions. I have no idea what his next steps will be. It will never happen, but I would love to see the Steinbrenner family allow Derek to buy a small piece of the Yankees with is his Marlins stock liquidation proceeds and Hal give him the keys to run the franchise as managing general partner. I remember when both Hal and his late brother Hank were young and neither wanted to be involved with their father’s team. Hal has always seemed like a reluctant owner. Give the game plan to Derek and let him run the show. Like I said, this will never happen, but it is nice to think about. Regardless of what he does, I hope Derek stays in Major League Baseball. Of course, I want him to be associated with the Yankees, but keeping him in MLB is more important (so long as it has nothing to do the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays or Houston Astros).

I feel bad for all those former Yankees employees that Jeter poached from his former team when he got to Miami. With Jeter’s departure, I wonder how many more seasons Donnie Baseball will have in South Florida? Fire Aaron Boone, replace him with Don Mattingly. Makes sense to me.

Don Mattingly

Paul O’Neill Day, hopefully. Assuming there is baseball on August 21^st, the Yankees will finally retire Paul O’Neill’s #21. While I understand and respect the decision as Paul certainly deserves the honor and recognition, too many numbers get retired. O’Neill’s number will be the 23^rd number retired in franchise history. That is nearly 25% of available numbers not exceeding double digits. I always felt that the MLB Hall of Fame should be a prerequisite, but it has not been the case for the Yankees. I hate saying that because Thurman Munson’s number is rightfully retired even though he is not in the Hall of Fame. I feel bad for future generations as it will get increasingly difficult to stay within double digits if 25% of available numbers get retired every 125 years. Not that we should care about the 2397 New York Yankees, but it seems as though they will need to go to an alpha-numeric numbering system at some point. ‘I’ll take A1, please’, says the future reincarnation of myself preparing to play in the late 24^th century.

Aside from that rant, congratulations to Paul. I look forward to The Warrior having his day on Yankee Stadium soil even if it is not the field that he spilled blood, sweat, tears, champagne, and a few water coolers. Hat tip to the old and departed Yankee Stadium.

Paul "The Warrior" O'Neill

My 2018 managerial choice is now a member of the New York Yankees. Back when the Yankees had decided to move on from former manager Joe Girardi, I had identified Hensley Meulens, then bench coach for the San Francisco Giants, as my choice for Joe’s replacement. He was a finalist for the job that ultimately went to Aaron Boone.

Fast-forward a few years, and Meulens is now a member of Boone’s staff as the new assistant hitting coach. It seems like Meulens is over-qualified, but I am glad to see him back in the organization. I can easily remember when “Bam-Bam” was a touted Yankees prospect, even if he never lived the dream of his potential. He has a championship pedigree, coaching for three World Series champions in San Francisco. He served as former Mets manager and current Yankees third base coach Luis Rojas’s bench coach for the Mets in 2020. I guess a job is a job, and even if assistant hitting coach is beneath Meulens, it gets him back in the game and helps position him for his next gig. Perhaps Boone has higher expectations for the role, like he had expressed with Eric Chavez, when he used the phrase ‘Swiss Army Knife.’ Meulens certainly can help in so many areas. Plus, with the ability to speak five languages (English, Spanish, Dutch, Papiamento and Japanese), he can relate to so many players. I respect Meulens and I am glad he is part of the Yankees again. I hope he becomes more than just assistant hitting coach.

Hensley Meulens and Luis Rojas / Photo Credit: Jim Rassol, USA TODAY Sports

This post is getting too lengthy so I will wrap up.

I am mad at the MLB Owners for the injustice and hardship they are imposing on young prospects protected by 40-man rosters. Guys like Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo Cabrera, Luis Gil, Deivi Garcia, and others are unable to participate in spring training with other minor leaguers such as Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez. The young 40-man prospects do not have million-dollar salaries and inflated bank accounts to help cushion the loss of income, and they are losing valuable training time to help with their continued developments because of the lockout.

The MLB Owners want to scrap this year’s Rule 5 Draft. Agreed. It is unfair, given an apparent shortened season and the free preview of eligible candidates in minor league training camps this spring. The Yankees always get hit hard in Rule 5 given the plethora of talent in the system. Losing Garrett Whitlock last year hurt, and the Yankees stand to get poached hard again this season. Catcher Josh Breaux and RHP Matt Sauer seem likely targets, among others, and I would prefer to keep them in the organization for another season. I am not in favor of other teams gaining the advantages of additional scouting on the players and shortened time frames to hold players on their rosters.

Thank you MLBPA for setting aside $1 million to help the supporters of MLB games (broadcast and concession crews, electricians, ushers, security, transportation, and janitors, among others). I would like to see the MLB Owners match or exceed the support. If Ashton Kutcher and his wife Mila Kunis can pledge $3 million to help Ukraine, I think a few billionaires could stand to be a little more generous with their money. I am not trying to compare the MLB Lockout to Ukraine, the latter is far worse and needs much greater help and support. I am just trying to look at the domestic concern where a hot dog vendor is trying to find money to make rent because a billionaire simply wants to make a point with the union.

As always, Go Yankees!

Coming Soon: Rizzo & Simmons...

 

Andrelton Simmons / Photo Credit: Gary A Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

Keep Your Expectations Low…

As the calendar prepares to turn to February, the MLB Lockout continues. While the two sides met on Monday and Tuesday, the momentum seems to be moving at a snail’s pace. The MLB Owners and MLBPA need to pick up urgency with their negotiations. Lock them in a room until they get this resolved. It is disappointing that Spring Training may be delayed. Not the end of the world considering Spring Training is a bit too long, but the longer it goes, the stronger the chance the regular season will be delayed which would be a travesty and a huge error in judgment by the wealthy MLB Owners.

Once the labor dispute has ended, there will be extremely limited time to prepare for the 2022 season so brace yourself for when the Yankees biggest off-season moves are to add a stopgap shortstop and re-sign Anthony Rizzo. I remain hopeful for at least the free agent signing of Trevor Story to give the Yankees a superior player at shortstop rather than a journeyman to fill the role. I want Matt Olson or Freddie Freeman as much as most Yankees fans, but it feels as though the Steinbrenner Administration will underwhelm us in a few areas under Hal’s economic belief, right or wrong, that it does not take $200 million to field a champion. If we do not get Olson or Freeman, I would not be disappointed if Rizzo returns. We need at least Rizzo as Luke Voit is not the answer. As for shortstop, sorry, I do not want Andrelton Simmons or some cheap fill-in option.

I hope I am wrong. It would be fantastic the Yankees come out the Lockout swinging for the fences. With so many elite players available, the Yankees would be foolish not to try and improve their 2022 chances. The AL East will be incredibly competitive this year (well at least every team that does not play its home games at Camden Yards). I like Anthony Volpe and I am glad he is a Yankees prospect, but we cannot and should not rely on his Major League success until he proves it. When he does, he will find his place on the roster. A short-term fix while we are waiting for Volpe’s 2023 or 2024 arrival does not make sense to me. When you can improve the roster, legitimately make your team better, you do it.

Matt Olson / Photo Credit: Justin Edmonds, Getty Images

In his New York Post column today, Joel Sherman believes there are three avenues for the Yankees. 1) sign Carlos Correa or Trevor Story, 2) Add free agent Freddie Freeman or acquire Matt Olson, and/or 3) Spread the money over multiple areas to improve the roster. He believes the Yankees will choose the third option. The shortstop options referenced are the usual suspects, Andrelton Simmons, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Elvis Andrus and Nick Ahmed. He sees Anthony Rizzo and Simmons as the “simplest solution” for the Yankees. Ugh, I hate to read this even if the realist in me knows that Sherman is most likely correct.

I am so ready for the Lockout to end…

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Carlos Beltran returns to the Yankees Universe. I thought Beltran would be an excellent choice for Aaron Boone’s coaching staff (potential manager-in-waiting…I mean, assistant hitting coach), but congratulations to him for joining the YES Network to help fill the void of David Cone’s reduced schedule and Ken Singleton’s retirement. According to Jack Curry, Beltran will work an estimated thirty-six games, with Cone covering 55-60 games. Good for Carlos. He gets his foot back in the door and should help him find his way back into a Major League dugout at some point if he so chooses.

The first few games with Beltran may be a bit awkward. He does owe the fanbase an apology for his role in the Houston Astros cheating scandal. I am willing to forgive but I am hopeful he is remorseful and apologetic. A.J. Hinch and Alex Cora received second chances and Beltran should too. He should not ignore the situation. Make a short apology and move on. Nothing more, nothing less.

It is kind of funny the Yankees now employ the last two managers of the New York Mets even if one never managed a Major League game.

Carlos Beltran / Photo Credit: Rich Schultz, Getty Images

Luis Rojas / Photo Credit: Rich Schultz, Getty Images

I think the first time I heard someone suggest Jonathan Loáisiga as the Yankees closer, I was against it out of concern about his injury history. But the more I think about it, the better I feel. He has the right mental makeup (and arm) to succeed as the successor to Aroldis Chapman. It seems a given that 2022 will be Chappy’s final year in Pinstripes so the transition should start this season (utilization of both men at the end of the games without one being the designated closer). If the situation calls for it, Chappy in the eighth and Loáisiga  to finish it. Aaron Boone gets the chance to be creative with the talent in the bullpen. The key is to keep both men fresh, and not overuse either one.

This is Robinson Cano’s 39^th year. He turns 40 in October. It seems like only yesterday he was a newcomer trying to break into a lineup that featured Derek Jeter. Two big IFs…if Cano had never left the Yankees and if he had not toyed with performance enhancing drugs, we would be talking about the potential retirement of #24 instead of wishing banishment to Siberia for the man who currently wears it. I do not wish Cano any ill will. I would not want him back on the Yankees. Not quite sure how the Mets will employ him, but that is their problem. Cano broke my heart when he left, and I will always wonder what could have been. I blame him for Jacoby Ellsbury although that was more about management’s response and less to do with Cano’s decision to stay or go. Yet, although I have no love for the Mets, it would be nice to see Cano write a good comeback story in Queens this season.

The New York Giants got their men with GM Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll. Not that I follow the Giants (I do not) but it seemed like those two were the favorites among Giants fans. I thought both choices were strong, and it provides reason for optimism among the Giants fanbase. 

As for my team, the Minnesota Vikings, they got it right with their GM selection, New Jersey-born Princeton graduate Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The last couple of days have been exciting for Vikings fans. Adofo-Mensah, with his heavy background in Analytics, is such a contrast to former GM Rick Spielman, a welcome change. My choice for head coach remains Raheem Morris, the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, although I would be just as excited to see DeMeco Ryans, the DC for the San Francisco 49ers, get the job. The two men will be on display in this Sunday’s NFC Championship. Giants DC Patrick Graham has been added to the interview list. I am confident Adofo-Mensah will make the right choice. I was ready for a change from the grouchy sixty-something Mike Zimmer. Zimmer, if he chooses to return to the game, is better suited to be a defensive coordinator than head coach.

I am so ready for baseball to become more relevant than football.

As always, Go Yankees!

The Sights and Sounds of Spring Training...

Nearing the End of the Off-Season…

Two months from tomorrow, Gerrit Cole will be taking the mound in Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, wearing the Yankee road grays and ready to throw his first official pitch as a member of Major League Baseball’s most storied franchise. Life is good.

I guess I should slow down and just be excited for the opening of Spring Training in less than three weeks. It will be fun to see activity at Steinbrenner Field again. I always love the first televised games of the Spring even if we don’t get to see very much of our favorite players. The interviews with players as they arrive at camp. The informal and subsequent formal workouts as the players get ready for the 2020 season. It’s just great to see those Spring pics of the Yankee rotation starters throwing bullpen sessions side-by-side. I look forward to the first pic featuring Gerrit Cole, Luis Severino, James Paxton and Masahiro Tanaka. Yankees baseball, I love it.

But first, congratulations to Derek Jeter for his election to MLB’s Hall of Fame. Although expected, the announcement of his election this week was very exciting and it was so great to hear Jeter talk as a former Yankee great rather than as the CEO of the Miami Marlins.  I was convinced prior to the announcement there would be voters who would choose not to vote for Jeter so I never held the expectation he should be a unanimous selection but I’ll admit it was a bit disappointing there was just a single dissenting vote. Honestly, I don’t really care to ever find out who the voter was. I hope he had legitimate reasons for his choices although I cannot imagine what they would possibly be. Jeter was clearly the best candidate on this year’s ballot. Regardless, Jeter goes in with the second highest percentage (99.7%) ever with 396 of 397 votes. Once you’re in, it doesn’t matter if you got in with 99.7% or if you barely did it with 76.6% like Larry Walker. Walker (I am very happy about his election) is no less a Hall of Famer than Jeter. For Jeter, it has been great to hear his stories and how he still feels today that Yankee fans are the best in the World. There’s a part of me that kind of wishes the Steinbrenner family could have found a place for Jeter in the Yankees organization for his post-playing career but I suppose they were never going to sell him a stake in the team like he has in Miami. Jeter has reminded us this week of why he was such a special player in New York. 

Credit: Mark Ulriksen, The New Yorker

It will be exciting this summer (July 26^th) when Jeter is officially inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. No doubt guys like Jorge Posada, Tino Martinez, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera will be there. An encore musical performance by Bernie Williams, who played last year, would be nice.

Photo Credit: Bebeto Matthews, AP

I am probably softening on my stance against Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. I am not condoning PED use, but they were two great players before the suspected PED involvement. There are worse guys in the Hall of Fame. Clemens and Bonds are running out of time and did not really make up much ground this year. With Clemens and Bonds receiving 61.0% and 60.7% of the votes this year, they would have needed 156 and 157 more votes, respectively, to have made it into the Hall of Fame. That seems like a tall order with just two years of eligibility left. But if these two can’t get in, there’s no way for Alex Rodriguez who becomes eligible in 2022. 

Nice recovery by the New York Mets who stayed in-house when they named Felipe Alou’s son Luis Rojas as their new manager replacing Carlos Beltran. Although Rojas is not the “name” Beltran was, I think he is better positioned to be a successful manager. As a long-time member of the Mets organization, he has extensive minor league managerial experience. Assuming Hensley Meulens does not get the Boston job, he’ll provide good experience for Rojas as the team’s bench coach. For as dysfunctional as the Mets can be, this was a good move, in my opinion. I am not really sure why Meulens keeps getting bypassed. I think he’d be a good manager but it would suck to see him go to the Boston Red Sox so I hope he gets bypassed one more time before getting his opportunity.

I have no clue what the Red Sox are going to do. On paper, they still have a very good team. Everybody seems quick to dismiss them but they have the players capable of making noise in the AL East. They’d be weakened if the rumored trade of Mookie Betts happens but if they hold onto him, the AL East will be no cakewalk for the Yankees. Boston’s famed Truck Day is February 3^rd so you’d think they would have a manager in place by then. I think Buck Showalter would be an outstanding choice for them but like Meulens, I’d hate to see Buck go there. Even though he’d be a good manager, I am hopeful the Sox elevate bench coach Ron Roenicke to the post. Jason Varitek seems like the eventual manager so it would be wise for them to open a spot on the coaching staff for Tek and let Roenicke groom him for the position. 

I thought it was funny this week to see the Houston Astros are going to interview Brad Ausmus. After stints in Detroit and Anaheim, he has proven he is not a very good manager. I know he was a long-time Astro but his selection as manager would probably be a great thing for Yankee fans. The Astros, if they are serious about putting the cheating scandal behind them and naming a guy who can rebuild their credibility, should go with either Showalter or Dusty Baker.  

Back to the Yankees, I think we’re ready to go. There will be no trades for Josh Hader, Francisco Lindor or Nolan Arenado. I’ve been hoping for some under-the-radar minor league signings of high upside players but even that is probably not going to happen. They signed a few catchers to minor league deals (Erik Kratz, Chris Iannetta, and John Mazza) to bring catching depth to camp. Former Mets reliever Luis Avilan, 30, was signed to a minor league contract and is presumably a potential replacement for the departed Stephen Tarpley although the significance of a lefty specialist was diminished with this year’s installation of the three batter minimum rule. 

The only change I see with the roster between now and Opening Day is the potential trade of J.A. Happ. I still think it happens.  I can’t see the Yankees taking Happ and his contract into the regular season with a chance to reach the innings threshold to activate his 2021 option. If they mess with his innings pitched by pulling him out of the rotation at times, that’s not really fair to Happ. I think best case scenario, which would help the team from a luxury tax standpoint, would be to move Happ now rather than wait. The deeper we go into the season with Happ, the greater percentage of his 2020 salary, $17 million, going against team payroll for luxury tax purposes. I suppose the Yankees want to see where Jordan Montgomery is at in Spring Training but I continue to believe Happ will be wearing another uniform by Opening Day.

The other guy who has to go is Clint Frazier. Now with the talk about Miguel Andujar being asked to learn first base and left field, it would further diminish opportunities for Frazier. There are things I don’t like about Clint but he remains a talented player and I think he would strongly benefit from a change of scenery. I get the argument you’d be selling low on the player but I do not see any positives for stashing Frazier in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for another year.  You want to see players in the best possible position to succeed and sadly I feel that time has passed for Frazier with the Yankees.

It’s funny but in interviews, I think I’ve heard Manager Aaron Boone talk more about “Mendy” (new bench coach Carlos Mendoza) than he ever talked about his friend and former bench coach Josh Bard (who returned to his role as bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers). I am excited about what Mendy brings to the bench in his new role. He also inherits the role as organizer of Spring Training activities (which always reminds me of former Yankees coach and now Phillies bench coach Rob Thomson who ran Yankees camp for years). A popular coach, I think this is an underrated and very positive move for the Yankees. 

Speaking of the Phillies, I have to say it sucked this week when I saw this image on Sir Didi’s Twitter account courtesy of MLB.com's Bryan Hoch:

Lastly, I want to say thanks to Mike Fiers. I know he is going to take much heat this year as the whistleblower of the Houston Astros cheating scandal but if he had not stepped forward, it’s not like the Astros were going to self-police and report themselves. Houston cost the Yankees potential opportunities to advance to the World Series through fraudulent measures. Fiers was the guy Yankee fans loved to hate. His infamy grew as the guy who threw the pitch in September 2014 that shattered Giancarlo Stanton’s face. But I honestly hope he gets cheers from the fans for his role in bringing light to the Houston cheaters. Also, congrats to Dallas Keuchel for taking accountability yesterday. I know his words were a little watered down but I appreciate his proactiveness and accountability, something that guys like Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve seemingly cannot comprehend. 

When Spring Training opens, I do feel that former Astro Gerrit Cole needs to address the media regarding any knowledge he may have had. While I do not feel the pitchers were directly involved (including the despised Justin Verlander), the topic is the elephant in the room and Cole needs to be open and honest about what he does or does not know. I remain very excited that Cole is a Yankee but he does not get a free pass simply because he is a Yankee. 

As always, Go Yankees!