The Yankees Are on The Clock...

 

Hal Steinbrenner (Photo Credit: New York Post)

Hal Steinbrenner’s Moment to Shine…

At least your team made the playoffs.

I have heard countless Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers fans complaining about the extended days off for MLB teams with the best records (from the end of the regular season to the start of the AL/NL Division Series), delays that the fans feel contributed to their teams’ lackluster play. Considering Major League Baseball, for the most part, has been over since the first of October for Yankees fans, there is no sympathy or pity for their ousters. The cries of the Braves and Dodgers fans are simply an attempt to find excuses. At least their teams made the playoffs. How they performed…poorly… is on the teams, but not by how much rest they were able to get between games. 

I legitimately thought the Braves, armed with this year’s NL MVP (to be), would steamroll the NL contenders and the AL champion en route to a well-earned and deserved World Series championship. It felt like 2023 was their year. Alas, the Philadelphia Phillies thought otherwise and brought their A-game to October. It helps to have one of the best players in the game, Bryce Harper, but the Phillies showed they wanted to win more than the Braves did. Not sure if the Braves fell into the trap of thinking they just had to show up to win, I know it is more complicated than that, however, they go down as just another great team with an early exit. A team that history will soon forget. 

Credit the Los Angeles Dodgers for contending every year, but their lack of October success (setting aside the COVID-shortened year of 2020) is startling. The Dodgers have a strong farm system, but letting quality players walk like Corey Seager, Trea Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Justin Turner was eventually going to catch up with them. I get the need to plug in younger, cheaper talent, but as Bryce Harper showed this week, some guys know how to win. Corey Seager has it and so does Trea Turner.  You need a strong mix of veterans and youth. The Dodgers' problem was pitching so maybe letting hitters leave in their primes (well, Justin Turner might be outside of that range) was not the cause for their demise. For all his flaws, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski showed he knows how to build a team for October. Meanwhile, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman showed that while he is better at analytics than the Yankees, his efforts prove futile when the calendar turns to October.  Old School Baseball 1, Analytics 0. I know that is not an accurate statement, but it is a general perception of Dombrowski versus Friedman. 

For all the changes fans want the Yankees to make, they will have hard competition from other teams trying to figure out how to do better. 

As for the Yankees making changes, I will have to see it to believe it. I am not convinced they will make a concerted effort to build a team capable of challenging the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. Everyone likes to say just make it in the playoffs, and worry about the rest later, but the Yankees, at least over the past decade have not shown an ability to create October excitement outside of Joe Girardi’s final ride in 2017 that shortened by banging trash cans. I always want to win the division first and foremost. A Wild Card spot is a nice consolation prize if Plan A does not work out, but I will never look at a Wild Card as a goal.

There has been much talk about firing General Manager Brian Cashman or canning Manager Aaron Boone, but the man on the spot is Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner.

Mike Axisa included this paragraph in his RAB Thoughts post today on Patreon:

“Hal’s priority is keeping his investors happy and his loyalty is to his 29 business partners. As long as the Yankees are making money and reasonably competitive, he’s happy. Winning a World Series would be icing on the cake, but clearly, it’s not the No. 1 priority. It hasn’t been in some time. I think Cashman has lost his fastball, but I also think he’s gone along with Hal because hey, if the boss wants to lower expectations and make my life easier, who am I to argue?”

Note: If you do not subscribe to RAB Thoughts (for only $3 per month), you are missing out. Mike Axisa is absolutely one of the best. His work is consistently elite. 

RAB Thoughts | IndependentYankees analysis (formerly: riveraveblues.com) | Patreon

Getting back to Hal Steinbrenner, I have always questioned Hal’s commitment to the Yankees. It was so obvious when he was younger, that he was not interested in the Yankees (at least from an outside observation from afar). Hearing people complain today about George Steinbrenner’s grandchildren getting into the family business, most notably, Steve Swindal, Jr., I am excited the younger Steinbrenner relatives have interests in the team. They are the organization's future assuming the Steinbrenner Family never sells the team. I do not see Hal Steinbrenner wanting to deal with the Yankees when he is in his 60s or 70s. He will be ready to turn the team over to more interested, younger hands at some point. I want the younger Steinbrenner’s to get as much experience as they can, and if they can bring along their grandfather’s competitive spirit, all the better. 

Axisa’s comment about Hal’s desire to keep his business partners happy rings so true. Profitability is the goal, not the World Series championships. Championships are a nice byproduct, and one would think championships would create greater profitability, but in Hal’s view, you start with the money first.  Controlled results. Hal has shown a willingness to spend (see Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge) but conversely, he has allowed poor contracts that prevent the team from making better moves. The most recent example was Brian Cashman’s acquisition of the downward-trending Josh Donaldson and his excessive contract under the belief there was something still in the tank.  I would be upset if I paid California gas prices only to find the tank empty. Hal’s strength is his loyalty to his workers. His weakness is his loyalty to his workers. Both can be true. He needs to find the right balance and make hard decisions when appropriate. The Yankees Front Office must be held accountable. Why is it that every Cashman move lately seems like they backfire? He has had his successes, but the failures clearly outweigh them. Something is broken in the Yankees organization, and Hal Steinbrenner needs to fix it. It goes back to General George S Patton's quote: “Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of my way.”

There have been calls for Manager Aaron Boone to get tougher. That’s wrong. Hal Steinbrenner needs to get tougher. It starts at the top, and the effective changes must originate from Hal’s office. Grabbing a free-agent Japanese pitcher or a free-agent outfielder who spent a year in Chicago is not the effective change the team needs. Those players can be part of the plan, but the Yankees need to change how they view players and how those players collectively fit into the larger puzzle. The 2023 Phillies, much like the 2017 Yankees, show a team camaraderie that was made possible by bringing in the right mix of personalities and talent. Donaldson evidenced the Yankees have not valued character as part of their decision-making process. 

So, this winter is about more than acquiring a few players that you think can push the Yankees to a few more wins. There needs to be a philosophical change in the organization and how they determine a player’s worth.  Fire Brian Cashman…do not fire Brian Cashman. That is not really the point. I am not happy with Cashman, but the Yankees’ problems go deeper than Cashman. Fix the root causes of what led to the downward spiral.

Realistically, the Yankees should be as successful in the regular season as the Dodgers. They have the resources. I get that you do not need a $300 million payroll to win a World Series, but why is it so wrong for fans to question the dollars spent? The Yankees have made bad financial decisions. They need to own those decisions and ensure they do not happen again. If Hal is unable to control his business partners, he will never win. So, his first step would be to unite the ownership group to move the franchise forward. Identify the flaws in the organization and create a master plan for success. Hal should evaluate everyone, including himself. Who is part of the future and who is holding it back?

I am not convinced the Yankees will contend in 2024 but I want Hal Steinbrenner to make me, to make us, believe in the Yankees again. On its current path, the team will be an AL East bottom feeder for the foreseeable future. Nothing like wasting the best years of Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge. I want to be excited about the Yankees again. Hal, your move.

As always, Go Yankees!

P.S. Please be sure to check out Bryan Van Dusen's 2024 Offseason Plan!

Late June, Last of the Teen Losses...

  

Giancarlo Stanton / Photo Credit: EPA

Next loss is almost Legal Drinking Age…

Sadly, there was no ‘rally in their bones’ last night as the Yankees fell to the Houston Astros, 3-1. The loss dropped the Yankees to 52-19, still the best record in Major League Baseball. Every other team in the AL East won yesterday but the Yankees lead over the second-place Toronto Blue Jays is eleven ½ games so there is room in the waistband. I certainly did not expect the Yankees to sweep the Astros this series, as much as I would have liked them to. The Astros are clearly the best team in the American League that the Yankees will face this year. Depending upon how the final standings align, Yankees-Astros could be a preview of the American League Championship Series in October. So, reaping the soul of the Astros in October is far more important than a four-game set in late June.

I am hoping for at least a split of the four-game series although three of four would be quite beautiful. Gerrit Cole and Nasty Nestor Cortes Jr provide reason for optimism. Well, that is true of any of the Yankee starters this year, but now, the ageless dick, Justin Verlander, is out of the series having pitched last night.

Gerrit Cole / Photo Credit: AP

Keeping Aaron Judge a happy man is a good thing. I was glad the Yankees and Judge were able to avert yesterday’s arbitration hearing. While it was thought the hearing was originally scheduled for Wednesday and subsequently pushed to Friday, Mike Axisa wrote in his blog yesterday that the hearing was always scheduled for Friday. Regardless, I was fearful of the negative feelings that can be generated from an arbitration hearing when the team’s primary goal is to prove why the player is not good enough for their salary demand. I think Judge is such a professional, he would not have let it alter his strong emotional attachment to the 2022 Yankees, but it is better that we never find out how the bond would have been tested.

Aaron Judge

The Judge camp had asked for $21 million, while the Yankees countered with $17 million. Initially, there were reports yesterday morning that Judge had rejected the Yankees’ meet-in-the-middle counteroffer of $19 million. The tragic part of this is Judge is worth every penny of the $21 million he is asking for, but that is not how this game is played. Fortunately, it was not long before word came that Judge had accepted the Yankees’ revised offer, $19 million plus $250,000 for AL MVP and $250,000 for World Series MVP (both incentives strongly possible if Judge keeps playing at his current level). The best $19.5 million the Yankees will spend this year.

It was not fun reading Buster Olney’s words yesterday predicting that Aaron Judge will not be a Yankee in 2023. Under the premise of ‘all it takes is one inspired owner,’ he thinks the Yankees will be outbid in their clinical approach when Judge reaches free agency after the season. No doubt, if the Yankees let Judge walk, it will be one of the greatest travesties of the organization in my life as a Yankee fan. It was difficult to see Robinson Cano leave, and while I am not trying to discredit Cano, his loss was not a blip on the radar compared to how wrong it would be for Judge to pull on another jersey. I am hopeful that resigning Judge is as important to Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner as it was to snag Gerrit Cole a couple of years ago.

Sign Judge to a huge deal that makes sense for both sides and make him the next Captain of the New York Yankees. I hope this is the prime objective once we reach the off-season.

The disappointment of Reggie Jackson. I do not know the circumstances that caused Reggie Jackson to leave his role as a consultant for the Yankees to join the Houston Astros organization a few years ago (not sure that I really care), but it sucked to see Jackson show up at Yankee Stadium wearing an Astros cap this week. Compare Jackson to Yankees Hall of Famer Derek Jeter. When Jeter was CEO of the Miami Marlins, you did not see him show up at Yankee Stadium wearing a Marlins cap when his Marlins visited the Bronx. Jeter is respectful of his Yankees legacy, whereas Jackson proves once again, it is all about him. It always was, why should he change who he is now. Good riddance.

Reginald Martinez Jackson / Photo Credit: Twitter via @mroctober

Welcome back, Albert Abreu. Abreu, along with minor league LHP Robby Ahlstrom, helped to bring popular Yankees catcher Jose Trevino from the Texas Rangers to New York this past Spring. Abreu’s time in Texas was short. He was designated for assignment at the end of May and traded to the Kansas City Royals on June 3^rd for a minor league prospect. Abreu’s control problems led to a very brief stay in the Royals organization. He was designated for assignment a few weeks later and claimed on waivers by the Yankees on June 21^st.

Albert Abreu

I always liked Abreu and there was a time he was one of my favorite prospects. The Yankees had originally acquired him in the November 2016 deal that sent catcher Brian McCann to the Houston Cheaters. Now 26 years old, Abreu is no longer a prospect. I think if the Yankees thought they could fix his control challenges, it would have happened already. I view Abreu as a placeholder. His time on the 40-man roster, unless he suddenly becomes a revered part of the bullpen (unlikely), will be almost as short as his Royals career. When it comes time to add Aroldis Chapman, Jonathan Loaisiga, Domingo German, and later, Zack Britton, there will be no room for Abreu.

Many fans were upset when Clarke Schmidt was demoted to Triple A to make room for Abreu on the active roster. I am not sure that I ever saw the two moves related to one another other than Schmidt’s temporary trip to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre is an opportunity to get him more work and more specifically, starting work. The pitching staff knows Abreu and he afforded the Yankees an opportunity to help strengthen Schmidt for the long haul of the season. The Yankees’ starting rotation has been wonderful this season, but injuries are part of the game. Schmidt and JP Sears represent the rotation depth. I like the job Sears did earlier this season, but between the two men, I would rather have Schmidt in the rotation if something were to happen to one of the fabulous five currently in the Yankees rotation.

Clarke Schmidt / Photo Credit: Bebeto Matthews, AP

So, fans should not fret about Schmidt. He will be back, and he will play a part in the road to the World Series. His trip to Eastern Pennsylvania will only make him stronger. I am all for it. When champagne is dripping on the clubhouse floor, Schmidt will be getting alcohol stains on his jersey while Abreu will be home watching the World Series on television. For the record, I would love to see Abreu succeed, suddenly overcoming his flaws, but I am not optimistic.

To make room for Abreu, the Yankees traded reliever David McKay back to the Tampa Bay Rays. Watch McKay go from nothing special to a trusted high leverage reliever. That is how it usually works for the Rays. Seriously, it was no loss. The same as it will be when Abreu’s jersey is taken from him by Yankees clubhouse personnel. Life in baseball. It is necessary to have some Gypsy blood, knowing that travel is not limited to games but to different teams when you are not quite as talented as a guy like Aaron Judge.

As always, Go Yankees!

 

Optimistic for a Spring Breeze...

 

MLB Owners & MLBPA dance together again today…

Will today’s planned MLB Owners’ core economics pitch to the MLBPA represent the first significant and fair proposal made or will it just be their latest attempt to cast shade on the players? I am choosing to be optimistic and hopeful today brings a sense of optimism that can yield momentum toward reaching an agreement for a new collective bargaining agreement. I am not expecting resolution today (any agreement must be ratified by the owners and players), but for once, I want to hear positive, proactive statements emanating from both sides.

Everyone had expected MLB Commissioner (fire) Rob Manfred to announce Spring Training would be delayed on Thursday, but he chose to kick the can down the road a couple of days. The announcement of the delay could come today. Realistically, I am not expecting Spring Training to start until the first of March, but every meeting that ends with contentious remarks has the potential to delay it even further.

Manfred’s words this week that MLB franchises were bad investments was humorous. Steven Cohen just paid $2.4 billion for the New York Mets. George Steinbrenner paid $10 million for the New York Yankees in 1973, and the Yankees are worth much more than the Mets. The Wilpon family, despite their mismanagement of the Mets, are undoubtedly extremely grateful for their “bad” investment. Forbes Magazine last year placed the value of the Yankees franchise at $5.25 billion. I doubt Harold Zieg Steinbrenner is walking around his Florida mansion saying, “Woe is me….”

I am not sure if it means anything but the rise in minor league free agent signings this week could be an indicator that teams are starting to feel forward movement. Or maybe it is nothing. It was interesting to see the Oakland A’s sign former Brewers first baseman Eric Thames to a minor league deal. I realize everyone expects the A’s to trade first baseman Matt Olson, but Thames is a slight acknowledgement of their plans. Or it is not. Time will tell.

I would love for the Yankees to acquire Olson, but there are other teams that would drool over the prospect of Olson in their lineups. A team like the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the strength of their farm system and their financial might, could easily overwhelm the A’s with an offer. There were reports of interest by the Texas Rangers this week, joining teams like the Atlanta Braves. Freddie Freeman remains available for only the cost of money. It seems almost a given if the Yankees trade for Olson, they will lose their most advanced shortstop prospect, Oswald Peraza. Sign Freeman and keep Peraza and other high-level prospects? Sign me up.

Freddie Freeman / Photo Credit: Carmen Mandato, Getty Images

Word of the universal DH in Major League Baseball surely enhanced the trade value of Luke Voit. I would say Miguel Andujar too, but his value is so low right now, I am not sure anything would help. If the Yankees are successful in getting Olson or Freeman, or even re-signing Anthony Rizzo, it seems a foregone conclusion that Voit will be playing elsewhere in 2022. To a degree, I am sad. I do not like his glove at first base, but he has been a good hitter and I love his football mentality on a baseball field. As they say, attitude is everything and Voit has that swagger. If he is, in fact, traded, I hope it is to a National League team so that we do not have to see him on a regular basis. The AL West (Oakland?) would be fine.

Speaking of Oakland, I would like to say I am deeply sorry to hear the news of Jeremy Giambi’s passing. I realize his death was his choice (suicide), but it shows the severity of depression. He is clearly a man who left us too soon. I always liked the younger Giambi. Sadly, most Yankee fans think of him for the famous Derek Jeter flip play, but he was more than that. I cannot imagine the pressure of playing in the shadow of a much better brother. I am not saying Jeremy was a bad player, he was a talented player in his own right. He persevered and produced a quality Major League career. I forgive him for his time wearing the dreaded Red Sox uniform. I am sorry his demons were too much for him to bear and I wish he had been able to find help before it was too late.

Jason Giambi and Jeremy Giambi (R)

There was also a death in the Yankees family with the passing of former Yankees outfielder Gerald “Ice” Williams. Any fan of the 1990’s Yankees is well familiar with Williams. He was part of the early 90’s rise of the Yankees, and when he was traded away in 1996, his return (reliever Graeme Lloyd) brought a crucial piece for the Yankees’ championship bullpen during dynasty years. Williams’ death was reported by his close friend, Yankees legend Derek Jeter.

Rest in peace, Jeremy and Ice. Thank you for the memories. `

Back to brighter topics, the experts are predicting a crazy 48-72 hours when the MLB Lockout is lifted. With so many free agents available and potential trades that have been simmering for months, we will see a wild game of musical chairs. The flurry leading up to the Lockout will probably pale in comparison to the post-Lockout activity. The postponed Rule 5 Draft has yet to take place and the Yankees routinely lose players due to the depth in their farm system. I am expecting to lose RHP Matt Sauer, 23, who was taken in the second round of the 2017 MLB Amateur Draft, among others. It seems like someone will take a chance on catcher Josh Breaux even if he does not stick. Losing Breaux is not a big deal. Mike Axisa, in his RAB Thoughts post this week, referred to Breaux as “upside is Kyle Higashioka with less defense.” The Yankees took six catchers in the 2018 draft, and the Yankees’ first two picks, Anthony Siegler and Breaux, have been disappointments. Kind of funny that the sixth catcher taken, in the 35^th round, who did not sign that year, is now a top Yankees prospect. Austin Wells may not stick at catcher, but his bat will be coming to Major League stadiums soon. Not sure if it will be New York or elsewhere through trade, but he seems to be a surefire Major Leaguer. The MLB Amateur Draft can be such a crap shoot.

The Yankees should sign Aaron Judge to an extension, but they should not go crazy with the number of years. I feel bad for Judge that he does not hit free agency until after the 2022 season, when he is 30 years old, but a ten-year contract for him would be out of the question. I love Judge as a player and clubhouse leader. I want him to stay in Pinstripes, but I have no desire to see if he can still be a quality Major Leaguer in his late 30’s…at least not yet. Those are decisions for later years. Four years, five years at the most. We have no idea how the big man will age in his later years. The decline could be more rapid than smaller, compact players like Brett Gardner.

I am glad to hear that Luis Severino is ready and can part of the Yankees starting rotation from the start of the season. We know he has the potential to be second to Gerrit Cole in the starting rotation. 

However, I hope it does not deter the Yankees from seeking another top starting option. I am glad Jordan Montgomery is in the rotation, but Jameson Taillon will be delayed. Corey Kluber now pitches for the rival Tampa Bay Rays. Nestor Cortes, Jr was a fun story last season and one of the Yankees’ most reliable starters, but I think he is better suited for long relief/spot starts. Domingo German, Luis Gil, Mike King, and Clarke Schmidt will be back, but this rotation screams for a strong #2 starter, even with Severino. They need a hedge for the health questions in the rotation. 

Ideally, the post-Lockout flurry will bring a quality starter to the Yankees in any trade packages. Luis Castillo is always every fan’s favorite target, but there are other starters that can help. No doubt Mike Fishman and his staff have done a deep dive into the analytics of all potentially available starters so I have confidence GM Brian Cashman will bring in the needed reinforcement. I would not be opposed to the return of Sonny Gray. I think he would fare better under Matt Blake than he did with Larry Rothschild. Heck, even Javier Vazquez got two chances with the Yankees even if the results were unspectacular.

Finally, it is Super Bowl weekend. Here is my shout-out for the Los Angeles Rams. I hope they are successful in their quest for a championship while playing on their home field. The Joe Burrow story has been fun to watch but the fairy tale ‘worst-to-first’ story ends on Sunday. Hopefully, the post-game celebration features Rams offensive coordinator (and Minnesota Vikings head coach-in-waiting) Kevin O’Connell swimming in champagne. Go Rams!

Kevin O'Connell (L) and Matthew Stafford / Credit: AP Photo-Ralph Freso

And as always, and more importantly, Go Yankees! 

Baseball's Back...or is it?

MLB Season slowly makes its return…

So, we will finally have some baseball soon. After the painful back and forth between the MLB Owners and the MLBPA which cast doubt on a potential season, I am glad they finally found a way to make it happen even if it wasn’t the product of an amiable agreement.  

Coronavirus continues to present itself as a factor which could create havoc for the restructured shortened season. Friday saw the largest single day increase of the virus (with over 45,000 new cases) as states continue reopening. The numbers since this pandemic started have been staggering. 2.4 million cases reported and over 125,000 deaths. Notable baseball players, such as Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies, have been diagnosed with the virus. I heard a news report that for every person diagnosed, there are ten undiagnosed people who have been infected which shows the reason for fear. 

SNY’s Andy Martino reported this week about the amended language added to the March agreement the MLB Owners executed and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred placed into force that gives the Commissioner the right to stop the season if necessary. Based on Manfred’s decisions in the Commissioner’s office up to this point, this type of power does not exactly inspire confidence. Per Martino, this paragraph was added:

"The Commissioner retains the right to suspend or cancel the 2020 championship season or postseason, or any games therein, in the event that (i) restrictions on travel throughout the United States are imposed; (ii) there is a material change in circumstances such that the Commissioner determines, after consultation with recognized medical experts and the Players Association, that it poses an unreasonable health and safety risk to players or staff to stage those games, even without fans in attendance; or (III) The number of players who are unavailable to perform services due to COVID-19 is so great that the competitive integrity of the season is undermined."

Martino referenced the first two covenants were agreed to by the two parties during their back and forth negotiations. The third covenant is the newly added wording that empowers Manfred to throw in the towel if the coronavirus threatens the integrity of the season. No doubt, while we hope for the best, we need to prepare for the worst.  

Setting the threat of doom and gloom aside, I am happy there soon will be baseball activity. Next  week we’ll see the players begin reporting to their home stadiums for the start of “summer” training. The images of players throwing, catching and hitting will be a very welcome sight. I still find it humorous Aaron Hicks will be ready for the rescheduled Opening Day after his off-season Tommy John surgery. While I do not know if that’s ever happened before (I don’t think it has), it’s certainly a first for the Yankees. Listening to the R2C2 podcast this week, I enjoyed CC Sabathia’s observation that if you beat Hicks in a game, he wants to keep playing until he figures out how to beat you. The perfect mindset for a Major League baseball player. 

I am not sure what to think about the 60-game schedule which will see the Yankees play 10 games against each of their division rivals, and unbalanced games against NL East teams for the remaining 20 games (making the Mets the most frequent opponent for those games). It will be a season of reunions with Dellin Betances (Mets), Didi Gregorius (Phillies), Starlin Castro (Nationals), and Joe Girardi (Phillies manager), among others. I get keeping the Yankees in the Eastern time zone to limit travel. It’s kind of nice there will be no West Coast games and their late starts but I am a little saddened it also means there will be no visit to the Bronx by the Houston Cheaters…at least not until October if the paths of the two teams cross. I am glad the Astros will have to play in Los Angeles against the Dodgers but a Bronx crowd would be harder on Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve and company than the laid-back, seventh-inning departing sunny Southern CA crowd…if fans are even allowed to come into the stadiums. For the Astros, the coronavirus is probably the best thing that could have happened for them to deflect the deserved Bronx cheer they undoubtedly would have experienced across the country from normal, fan-filled stadiums. At least the Red Sox have to come to New York, but it’s not quite the same since their level of cheating didn’t broach the heights of the Astros scandal.  

Although the MLB trading deadline will be pushed to August 31st, it is doubtful there will be much trading activity this year. There’s a part of me that kind of hopes the game stoppage has impacted the Cleveland Indians to the point that they need to unload shortstop Francisco Lindor. I know, that’s mean. Sorry Terry Francona. But Lindor would look awfully good in Pinstripes.  

Photo Credit: Al Bello, Getty Images

I like the new extra inning rule, even if it is temporary, that puts a runner on second (the last out of the ninth inning or a designated runner) to start the tenth inning of extra inning games. Hello Tyler Wade. I am not a fan of those long extended inning games and prefer conclusion sooner rather than later. The obvious downside is giving the visiting team the advantage as it forces the home team to play catch-up if the runner scores. Mike Axisa mentioned the likelihood teams would sacrifice the runner to third and the next batter would be potentially walked to create the double-play possibility. Axisa’s suggestion was to cut to the chase, eliminate the extra time, and simply put runners at the corners. Makes sense to me. Axisa also mentioned the home team should bat first to gain the advantage. Another strong point. I am kind of hoping there is some success with the interim rule so that we’ll see some permanent form in the future.  Baseball is not meant to be played at midnight or 1 am, in my opinion.

Congratulations to the newest Yank, catcher Austin Wells, the first round selection of the Yankees in the recent shortened MLB draft. I was getting a little concerned when so much time had passed without news of his signing while other teams were locking up multiple draft picks. Fortunately, the Yankees finally got the signature of the former Boston Red Sox fan on the dotted line by paying him slightly more than the $2,493,900 recommended slot value.  

I haven’t seen any news about the other two draftees, Trevor Hauver and Beck May, but hopefully they’ll sign soon. 

I’ve watched as people moan about the Yankees taking another catcher (they took two high level catchers in the 2018 draft, the year Wells was selected in the 35th round, in Anthony Seigler and Josh Breaux). According to MLB.com, Seigler is currently ranked as the 15th best prospect in the Yankees organization and Breaux comes in at 23. 2018 international free agent signee Antonio Gomez, only 18, sits a spot ahead of Breaux, which gives the Yankees three catchers in their top 25. Heck, I still miss Luis Torrens, the young catcher the Yankees lost to the San Diego Padres a few years ago in the Rule 5 draft.  

Primarily, I believe you can never have enough good catchers. Not every one will pan out and catching tends to be a high position of need for many teams, creating valuable trade chips.  There is no assurance Wells will even remain at the position. His bat will play regardless of position and there has been talk he is a future first baseman or left fielder. Regardless of what the future holds, I am glad the Bishop Gorman high school product (Las Vegas) and University of Arizona Wildcat is a Yankee. Homers are always welcome and Wells’ bat intends to be heard. Welcome to the Yankees family, Austin! 

Spring training participant Chad Bettis, the former Colorado Rockies hurler and cancer survivor, has retired. I was doubtful he would make the Yankees but it’s hard not to root for a guy like him. There was a time when he was among the best starting pitchers with the Rockies but it’s been a tough road for him the last several years. The Yankees released him from his minor league contract after the retirement announcement. I do wish Bettis the best for whatever the future holds for him and I hope it is a happy and healthy life moving forward.  

I am fearful Gerrit Cole will decide to opt out of the season as a high risk athlete with a pregnant wife at home. His recent workouts at Yankee Stadium seem to imply he is “all in” but until he’s officially wearing Pinstripes, staring down Major League hitting opponents, nothing’s for sure. If he opted out, I would be very disappointed, as I am sure you would be too, but conversely, it would be hard to find fault with his decision. He has to do what makes the most sense for him and his family. If that means no baseball in 2020, I’d respect his decision (while quietly crying inside).  

I’d love to see some positive news about the health of Aaron Judge. I guess we’ll soon see when training camp resumes but Judge has clearly been the off-season mystery at least from a health perspective. Nothing against Clint Frazier, Mike Tauchman, or even Giancarlo Stanton, but I want to see Judge in right field on Opening Day.  Hopefully I am not asking for too much.

I am glad we can start talking about baseball again. This has been a very trying and painful year for so many reasons. The Yankees give us an exciting distraction from the brutal realities of life.  Who knows how this year will conclude but early predictions have the Yankees emerging as the World Series champion. A weird year to win a championship, sure, but ultimately a championship is a championship and I’d gladly embrace it without a caveat.  

As always, Go Yankees!

KC Rain 1, Yankees 0...

Photo Credit: USA Today

Rainout forces Day/Night Doubleheader Today…

Although the rain clouds seem to have followed the team on their trip to the Midwest, not much else has dampened the excitement of the 2019 New York Yankees. The unprecedented rash of multiple injuries that has landed so many guys on the 10-day/60-day Injured Lists has not seemed to slow down this fun and exciting team. In the long run, the team will be better off when Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Luis Severino, and others return, but for now, I am certainly enjoying the ride.

We were given some great news yesterday when Manager Aaron Boone announced that shortstop Didi Gregorius will begin a rehab assignment in Tampa on Saturday.  With a maximum of 20 days allowed for rehab, we’re less than three weeks away from Sir Didi’s return. It could be sooner than later since Didi probably does not need the full 20 days to get Major League ready. This feels like a great, great mid-season pickup. I don’t want to take away from the tremendous job done by Gleyber Torres during Didi’s absence. Gleyber and DJ LeMahieu have been outstanding working together at shortstop and second. Once Didi reclaims short, Gleyber will slide back over to second and LeMahieu will most likely be redeployed at third base, moving Giovanny Urshela, who has also done a brilliant job, into the utility role. I love the job Gio has done and his glove is special but you can’t take LeMahieu out of the lineup. He’ll probably see time at first base too on the days Luke Voit handles DH. The potential losers, to me, appear to be Kendrys Morales and Troy Tulowitzki.  Tulo has expressed willingness to play other positions but seriously I’d rather have Gio and Thairo Estrada than Tulo on the Major League Roster. Estrada will probably lose out since he has options but it’s too bad because he has proven he belongs. There’s no scenario I see Tulo with the Yankees next year.

When Didi had his Tommy John surgery last year, I thought it was ridiculous of those who said he could be back by May or June. I honestly felt that has an overly aggressive timetable, yet here we are.  We’re very fortunate Didi has not dealt with the setbacks encountered by other injured team players like Luis Severino and Giancarlo Stanton. For Didi, everything has seemed to go according to plan from the first day following the surgery. It is a credit to the man Didi is, mixed with a little luck, I am sure. For as great a player Didi is, I’ve missed his infectious personality despite how fun the 2019 Yankees have been. While I feel bad for those who will lose playing time, I am excited about Didi’s return and the team is better with his presence. I know my Twitter account is looking forward to seeing Didi’s post-game Emoji tweets.

Credit: @sirdidig18 on Instagram

I thought Giancarlo Stanton would be back before Gregorius but it does not appear to be the case. Hopefully the current rest for Stanton puts him back on track when he returns to baseball activities within the next couple of weeks. I’m all for limiting Brett Gardner’s play in left field and putting Stanton in right until Aaron Judge returns would go a long way toward making Gardy the valuable bench player he should be at this stage of his career.  

I am not going to lie, I am worried about James Paxton. The reports of continued pain in his balky knee are troubling.  Everyone is holding their collective breath for how Paxton feels today. Pitching four innings in extended Spring Training yesterday, there is concern how the knee will react to the workload today. I know my knee would be saying “F**k this s**t!” Paxton has expressed the desire to pitch through the pain but that’s hardly comforting. As much as I like Paxton as a starter, there’s no denying that him and the Injured List are fond of each other. To be fair, I am sure Paxton doesn’t want to be on the Injured List. It is what it is. I am not going to overreact to say the Yankees need to sign Dallas Keuchel now or after the June draft to avoid draft pick compensation, but there’s no question the Yankees will need to do something to reinforce the starting rotation.  

I don’t really think Keuchel is the answer. If he was, other teams would be rushing to sign him yet there has been nothing but crickets surrounding the pitcher who was clearly on the downward slope of career regression last season. If Keuchel was all that and a bag of chips, the Houston Astros would have resigned him long ago. I probably feel the same way about Madison Bumgarner. The guy continues to live off a World Series reputation from five years ago but doesn’t have the current stats to justify ace status or his post-season aura. I think there are better options and trust that GM Brian Cashman and staff will uncover the right arm to add. There’s no reason to overpay for pitchers that have seen their better days. Yankees Twitter seems to be implying that a deal for Max Scherzer is imminent (I highly doubt it) but that’s the type of arm I’d like to see in July. Scherzer remains among the best in Baseball and his team, the Washington Nationals, are going nowhere. A couple of bad games have inflated his ERA and his win/loss total is more reflective of the team he plays for, but generally speaking Max will give you seven innings every outing, limiting the opponent to two or fewer runs. He’s a workhorse and would significantly improve the Yankees rotation and help keep the bullpen fresh. I am sure a pennant chase would energize him. I thought Scherzer would have been a perfect Yankee when he was a free agent a couple of years ago when the Yankees were mentioned as the favorite to sign him. It didn’t happen but Scherzer has done nothing to sway my high opinion of him. The cost to get him is another matter, but that’s a problem for Brian Cashman to figure out.  

Photo Credit: Hunter Martin, Getty Images

Manny Machado makes his first return to Yankee Stadium this week when the San Diego Padres arrive in the Bronx on Monday for a three-game series. It will be Manny’s first appearance there since he played for the Baltimore Orioles last season. No doubt, good or bad, he’ll receive a reaction from the Bronx crowd, more so than any other Padre who takes the field. Sorry, Adam Warren. Machado has already made the Los Angeles Dodgers pay for their decision not to resign him. In five games against his former team, he has hit 4 home runs and has driven in 7 RBIs. He is batting .368/.429/1.105, with 1.534 OPS in those games. I am sure he’ll be as motivated against the Yankees as he was with the Dodgers. While I wanted the Yankees to sign Machado last winter, that ship sailed and I am not going to cry over spilt milk. I just hope Yankee pitching is up for the task and is able to keep Machado’s bat relatively quiet for the three games. Let him take out his frustrations on the Orioles when they play next month.

Photo Credit: KC Alfred, The San Diego Union-Tribune

Don’t look now, but the Yankees’ home record of 267 team homers last year is in jeopardy. Before the season, we thought the 2019 Yankees might be the team to assault last year’s record but it is the Minnesota Twins who are currently leading the pack. Through 50 games, the Twins have slugged 101 homers and are on pace for 327 round-trippers. Although they have yet to be acknowledged as one of the AL’s best teams, they possess the best record in MLB at 34-16 (.680 winning percentage). Things seem to be going right for first-year Manager Rocco Baldelli in the Twin Cities. I kind of feel badly for Tyler Austin who was shipped from the Twins to the San Francisco Giants earlier this season. The Giants have settled in to the NL West Cellar and will undoubtedly camp out there for the duration of the year. At least Tyler is getting some great pics in San Francisco.

Photo Credit: @taustin2121 on Instagram

Speaking of San Francisco, the Giants are calling up outfielder Mike Yastrzemski according to Jon Heyman. I know, why talk about a young player with a direct bloodline to a former Red Sox great (grandson of Carl Yastrzemski), but I’ve been following young Yaz since he was a baby prospect in the Baltimore Orioles organization. I lived in Frederick, MD when he played for the Single A Frederick Keys. He didn’t succeed for the O’s but he is enjoying second life in the Giants organization (a team that, it seems, is annually in search of outfielders). At 28, he’s no longer a “prospect” but I wish him the very best as he finally arrives in The Show.  

If you haven’t signed up to subscribe to Mike Axisa’s twice-weekly newsletter (https://www.patreon.com/RABthoughts), you are missing out. For the low price of $3 per month, Axisa continues to deliver the outstanding commentary, backed by  his deep insight, thoughts, and statistics, we grew accustomed to with the late River Ave Blues blog. Axisa remains one of my favorites, if not the favorite, and he’s so much better than many of the professional (allegedly) Yankee beat writers. Trust me, you look forward to Tuesdays and Fridays when Axisa’s Patreon email lands in your inbox.

Credit to Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein on Twitter) for this one: “Domingo Germán is 9-1. Chris Sale is 1-6.” Baseball is funny or as John Sterling says, “Well, Suzyn, you know, you just can’t predict baseball”. But it reinforces why 2019 is so much more enjoyable than 2018.  

The Yanks play two today, thanks to yesterday’s rainout. I couldn’t ask for a better scenario than last night when both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox lost while the Yankees watched the rain fall in Kansas City. Today would be an awesome day for two NYY victories.

As always, Go Yankees!   

So Maybe I Was Wrong About Luke Voit

Insert foot in mouth, followed up by a healthy serving of crow. That’s what is on the agenda for me today as I make my not-so-triumphant return to the blog. I have to admit it, I was completely and utterly wrong, as of today anyway, about Luke Voit.

As we enter play on this last day of April, the Yankees first baseman is hitting .283/.397/.538/.935 with eight home runs, 25 RBI, 30 hits in 106 at-bats, and has a 0.8 WAR already. This came after I, Daniel Burch, was very much on-board with trading high on the current MLB Player of the Week. I made mention more than once this offseason that the Yankees should sell high on Voit and bring in another first baseman, and I was wrong.

Where would the Yankees be right now if it were not for Voit getting on base every day for nearly 40 straight games now? Where would the Yankees be if they relied heavily on Greg Bird once again and his ailing lower half in 2019? Where would the Yankees be if it were not for, another point of contention for me this winter, what seems to be Voit’s improved defense over at first base and knack for absolutely clobbering the crap out of the ball to the deepest part of almost every ballpark that he plays in?

Not where they are today.

Here is a better question for you. Where would the Yankees be, and I mean specifically this current crop of players, without Luke Voit’s leadership role that he has taken on and his warm embraces after a victory? You want to talk about leading a young group of guys and having fun while the team is winning? We haven’t seen that on this team, to this degree, since Nick Swisher was with the club back in 2009.

I’m not comparing the two teams, but you know what? Maybe I am comparing the two men. Clubhouse wise. Leadership wise. Personality wise. Yankee wise.

Luke, no one is happier than I am to gladly and fully admit that I was 100% wrong about you as a player. Keep proving me wrong, and I’ll keep appreciating it every step of the way.

photo credit: River Ave Blues

Also, a quick shout out to River Ave Blues on their final day. If it weren’t for publications and groups like you, I would likely not be here today, so I am forever grateful for Mike Axisa and his crew for all their hard work and generosity throughout the years. You will truly be missed.

The April Roller Coaster Ride...

Photo Credit: Anthony J Causi/NY Post

Up and Down Start Continues…

It was an uneven week to say the least. Sure, it was great to sweep the two-game series in the Bronx against the dreaded Boston Red Sox but to follow up with lackluster play in the first game of the Kansas City Royals series was disappointing. It’s easy to blame the high number of injuries for the slow start but there’s no excuse for not playing hard every game. Fortunately, the Yankees rebounded last night to beat the Royals, 6-2, behind CC Sabathia (1-0), the bullpen and a couple of dingers.

Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

I’ll admit it. I was one who didn’t feel the Yankees should have re-signed Sabathia this past off-season. For as much as Sabathia has meant to the Yankees over the years and his invaluable role as team leader/mentor, I thought his spot in the rotation could be improved upon. I was wrong and that’s perfectly okay. Sabathia has continued to surprise me with his late career renaissance. When he encountered the knee problems a few years ago, I didn’t think he would be able to reinvent himself as a pitcher, yet he did. I am enjoying Sabathia’s final ride and pleased he’ll do it in Pinstripes. I don’t know his post-career plans but I am hopeful the Yankees find a role for him. I am not sure he can continue to pitch like he has in his first couple of starts but there’s no doubt he’ll give his team a chance to win every time he takes the hill.  

We came into the season with such high hopes. For a few years now, we’ve looked at 2019 as the year the Yankees would arrive to capture their 28th World Series Championship. Then, player after player found his way to the now-massive Injured List and the team has struggled out of the gate. Someone asked Mike Axisa on his River Ave Blues chat yesterday how many wins this Yankees team (as currently constructed without the return of any of the men on the Injured List) could achieve and he responded with 84. He’s not wrong. You can’t lose so many superstars without an adverse impact. The big question is who would step up to take advantage of opportunity due to the missing stars.  

So far, the award for best replacement player has to be Clint Frazier. There are many who still feel that Frazier’s future lies outside of Pinstripes but I am glad to see him potentially have his breakout year. I’ve been a critic and not exactly an admirer of his social media skills. But we’re starting to see the player GM Brian Cashman saw a few years ago when he sent reliever Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians. In fifteen games covering 57 plate appearances, he has 4 homers, 12 RBIs, and is hitting .327/.351/.577 with a great 145 wRC+. His arm was on display last night in right field when he fired a 95 mph throw to catcher Kyle Higashioka on the third base line to nail Martin Maldonado who had tried to score after tagging up at third in the third inning. For as much as Brett Gardner has done to help the Yankees win this week, there’s no question the future of left field should reside with Frazier. When Giancarlo Stanton returns to take DH and Aaron Hicks is back in center field, it should be time for Gardy to move to the bench. Maybe Frazier is just rebuilding his stock for an inevitable trade for starting pitching but I honestly I hope not. I’d like to see him thrive in the Bronx. His time is now.  

Photo Credit: Kathy Willens/AP

While there won’t be room for him on the big league roster when Stanton and Hicks return, it’s nice to see left fielder Mike Tauchman hit a couple of home runs this week. It’s amazing that he was never able to launch one at Coors Field in his young career. I know, he was only given limited opportunities with the Rox but there’s no question his swing would have played well at 5,280 feet if he had been given more chances. With the Rockies running into their own string of injuries, I can’t help but wonder if they wished they had held onto Tauchman.  

I fully expect the Yankees to let pitcher Gio Gonzalez walk when he formally opts out of his minor league contract this weekend. While I’d prefer the experienced Gonzalez over Domingo German for the long haul, German has certainly pitched well enough to retain his spot in the rotation despite his rocky start last Thursday. I think my biggest concern in the rotation right now (aside of Luis Severino’s absence) is the performance of J.A. Happ. It’s unfortunate the Yankees do not have more time with Gonzalez to keep him available if Happ continues to struggle. I don’t see Gonzalez extending his minor league contract with the Yankees and I do not see the Yankees bringing him up only to serve as a long man out of the pen.  I think there are starting opportunities for him with other teams (like the New York Mets who just placed the great Jacob deGrom on the Injured List). He’ll get a starting gig somewhere.  So, Gio, thanks for the memories. Sorry you didn’t the chance to wear Pinstripes in Yankee Stadium but it’s probably best the Yankees didn’t need you during your short stay.

Speaking of minor league contracts, I am not sure what I think about the Yankees signing first baseman Logan Morrison to a minors deal yesterday. It’s hard to let go of his comments from the past. I know Gary Sanchez has moved on with his comments yesterday that the Home Run Derby (when LoMo questioned the choice of Sanchez over him) was two years ago. But LoMo attacked Yankee fans with his infamous “you can’t fix stupid” remark. I don’t think I am as forgiving as El Gary. I am not sure LoMo will ever get a chance to wear the Pinstripes (he has a July 1st opt-out) but if he does, he owes an apology to the Yankees fan base and to the team for his ill-advised prior comments. It’s hard to criticize LoMo for his poor 2018 with the Minnesota Twins which ended with hip surgery but he is only a season removed from 38 jacks. If he could be that guy, he would certainly be an improvement over Mike Ford as backup first baseman.  

With the impending return of Gary Sanchez in the next few days and hopefully Giancarlo Stanton by the end of the month, I am hopeful the Yankees can get on a roll. Today, the Yankees will send Masahiro Tanaka (1-1, 3.22 ERA) to the mound.  He’ll be opposed by RHP Heath Fillmyer (0-0, 9.00 ERA). Tanaka will look to erase memories of that grand slam that did him in last Sunday in the 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. We keep saying it but so far the Yankees have failed to capitalize, they need to beat teams like the Royals. Handed a soft schedule to start the year, I never dreamed that we’d still be chasing a .500 mark nearly a month into the season. But all things considered, it’s nothing that a nice 10-game winning streak can’t cure.

I just saw the news that the Miami Marlins fired their hitting coach, former Yankees third baseman Mike Pagliarulo, after their game last night. I hate to say it, but I think the days are numbered for Marlins manager Don Mattingly. Despite his Yankee connections, I think Marlins CEO Derek Jeter will move to get his own guy in the dugout at some point. In my humble opinion, odds are greater Jorge Posada will be Marlins manager next year over Mattingly. It’s unfortunate because Mattingly was my favorite Yankee during his playing career, and I’ve been a fan since those days ended. To replace Pags as hitting coach, the Marlins appointed Jeff Livesey as his replacement. Livesey is son of former Yankees executive Bill Livesey. Livesey will be assisted by one-time Yankees top prospect Eric Duncan.  

Okay Yankees, we need a win today. Please bring home the “W” to even your record at 10-10. We want this, you want this. Make it happen.

As always, Go Yankees!