2018 Free Agency: CC Sabathia – Yay or Nay

Earlier today we discussed the impending opt-out clause written into the contract of Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka and in that article, seen here on The Greedy Pinstripes, we compared the situation that Tanaka and the Yankees are currently facing with the situation that the team and left-handed starter CC Sabathia faced back in 2011. The Yankees had an opt-out clause written into CC’s contract and rather than CC opting out the two sides came to a new five-year deal that would run through the 2017 season due to a vesting option. That season is over and so is the contract for the Yankees veteran southpaw and now the team and CC are once again facing the possibility of free agency and a separation. What will CC do, what will Brian Cashman do, and will I be wrong once again this offseason? Stay tuned…. And may I say, damn it is awfully early in the offseason for me to already be getting things wrong.

This one is pretty easy for me, bring back Sabathia. Period. I think the Yankees should bring back one of their team leaders and a veteran in the pitching staff and I think that they will. The team has not been shy about giving big base salaries on one-year deals to veteran pitchers at the end of their careers, see Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda as recent examples of this, and the team will likely do the same this offseason with Sabathia. Giving Sabathia a one-year deal worth $15 million or so is a great insurance policy for the team and is likely enough to keep Sabathia happy and with the team as they continue to grow their young talent in the minors.

Yes, I have heard the arguments that the five best pitchers on the team should break camp with the team before Opening Day 2018 and in most cases I agree with that, but I don’t think I can do that here. Obviously, a lot of this hinges on the Tanaka decision but having a leader and a teacher like Sabathia on the team with players like Luis Severino, Jordan Montgomery, Sonny Gray and eventually pitchers like Justus Sheffield and Chance Adams is invaluable. Shout out to Scott Fielder for the word invaluable, as he stated that that veteran leadership was invaluable on the team in the comments section earlier in the week. I couldn’t agree more, and I think that truly fits this Sabathia situation here this offseason.



Sabathia will be back in 2018 with the Yankees if he chooses to keep pitching and wants to stay in New York. Obviously, the lure of going back to the West Coast will always be in the back of Sabathia’s mind as that is where he is from but ultimately, I feel like Sabathia has set down roots in the New York area and will be back at least through the 2018 season. If Sabathia pitches well in 2018 and can teach the young guns in the Yankees staff how to grow he will make the Yankees back that $15 million ten-fold. If Sabathia doesn’t pitch well in 2018 then the team could always try and trade him or eat the money left on his contract since it is just for one season, it’s a win-win for the Yanks.

2018 Free Agency: Masahiro Tanaka – Yay or Nay

The World Series is officially over and so is the 2017 MLB season which means one big thing for Yankees fans, it means that Masahiro Tanaka is officially on the clock. Tanaka has an opt-out clause written into his contract that he has to exercise or let pass by no later than this weekend and his decision is likely going to shape the Yankees offseason in a big way, either way. What do I think Tanaka will do and how do I think the Yankees should respond to it? Keep reading.

Ultimately I think that Tanaka will exercise his opt-out clause in his contract and will hit free agency for the first time since coming over to the United States from Japan. This would be nothing new for the Yankees but the team absolutely has to learn from their past and not make the same mistake twice. Enter Alex Rodriguez who used the World Series as a stage to announce the fact that he was opting out of his 10-year deal worth in excess of $250 million only for the Yankees to give the then 32-year old an even bigger contract at 10-years and up to $320 million with incentives, milestone home runs hit, etc. The Yankees cannot and should not big against themselves if and when Tanaka opts out, it just shouldn’t be an option.

Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t think the Yankees shouldn’t discuss bringing Tanaka back or ultimately bring him back at all. If the raise that Tanaka is looking for, presumably, is minimal or considered “fair” and the years on the contract aren’t extended an asinine amount, yes I believe 10-year contracts are asinine, then I believe it is at least worth some discussion between Tanaka and the Yankees. Remember, the Yankees are trying to get under the luxury tax threshold to reset their spending penalties and Tanaka is already one of the highest paid players on the team as it stands today. Giving Tanaka more money just doesn’t make fiscal sense for the team right now, period.

One also remember the ticking time bomb that could be Tanaka’s right elbow. Now I know I have been one of the few bloggers and writers that have supported the Yankees and a team of doctor’s decision to forego Tanaka’s Tommy John surgery and all I can say for now is, so far so good, but the Yankees would be foolish to not use that in their negotiation tactics here today and throughout the next three days. That’s business, that’s baseball and everything is fair game. If the Yankees have a legitimate concern about his elbow or a “legitimate” concern about his elbow, it will be brought up and it will be brought up with the thought process of trying to keep the bottom line down for the team. Every team does it and every team should do it, again it’s business.

At the end of the day I can totally see Tanaka opting out of his contract and trying to work out something new with the Yankees. Whether the Yankees budge or not is something I am teetering back and forth with but at the end of the day I like to think that Tanaka likes it here with the Yankees and likes it here in the Bronx. I cannot see Tanaka asking for an astronomical amount of money or years and at the end of the day I can see these two sides adding a couple extra years and a few extra (million) dollars to the contract like the Yankees did back when CC Sabathia faced a similar opt-out in his contract. Or I could just be completely wrong like I was on Joe Girardi, so stay tuned. 

Could it be a Good Thing That Tanaka is Struggling in 2017?

The New York Yankees have a few major decisions coming their way after this season but no decision could be bigger than the decision that they don’t really have a say in. Masahiro Tanaka has an opt-out clause written into his contract that could allow the right-hander to walk away from his current Yankees contract and would allow him to test true free agency for the first time in his MLB career. The Yankees also have Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia reaching free agency after the season meaning that Tanaka’s decision could be huge for the Yankees next season, either way. With that in mind could it be a good thing that Tanaka is coming out of the gates and struggling so bad in 2017?

Think of it this way… the opt out clause is only there to help the player, not the team. It is the player that benefits from opting out and potentially getting more money for longer years if he is performing well at the time of the opt-out, not the team. If the player is underperforming then the team is basically stuck with the player because no player is going to opt out of a deal after a down season, it doesn’t make dollars and it doesn’t make sense. This is usually a no-win situation for the team but I truly think this could be a winning situation for the Yankees.

Tanaka was absolutely lights out this spring training and was dominating the world but once the games starting meaning something he has seemingly struggled throughout. Why is that? Most have discussed his increase in velocity and arm strength that has messed with his mechanics and honestly that argument holds water. Tanaka has been overthrowing and leaving pitches up and in the zone so it is only a matter of time before he and pitching coach Larry Rothschild figures it out. Tanaka is young, seemingly healthy by all accounts and has a track record that shows he will put it all together eventually. This could be great for the Yankees if Tanaka stays beyond the 2017 season because an uptick in velocity and arm strength, both signs that he is healthy and not necessarily signs of his elbow about to blow out like some have said, keep him back a bit.

I am thinking long term here. If Tanaka can struggle a bit for the first place Yankees in 2017 and stay beyond 2017 I have to call that a win-win situation for New York so by all means Mr. Tanaka, continue to struggle. See you in 2018.

Yankees Likely To Lose Bullpen Option

The Yankees could soon lose one of their options for the bullpen, as Ernesto Frieri can opt-out of his contract tomorrow. I'm assuming that the 31 year old isn't interested in remaining in the minor leagues and will opt out. But who knows? Dwight and the rest of the crew at Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch seemed to like the place, so maybe it's grown on Ernesto too.

Some of you may remember Frieri as one of the better relievers in the game. At the same time you'll remember that that was back in 2012. Sure, Ernesto saved 37 games for the Angels in 2013, but he relied on the strikeout while giving up his fair share of home runs leading to a not-so-good closer ERA of 3.80.

The last time we saw Frieri in the Majors was in 2015 with the Rays, and he was far from his 2012 self. His strikeout rate dropped from a career-high 13.4 to 7.3, he was walking more batters, and giving up more home runs. At an age when a lot of players are really hitting their stride, Frieri's career certainly was not looking up.

After Ernesto took 2016 off the Yankees made a "what the hell" decision and signed him to a minor league deal, with an opt-out for June 1st. On the surface Frieri looks pretty good in AAA... 2.25 ERA, 0.950 WHIP, 10.4 K/9. But is it enough that I think the Yankees should demote somebody from the current Active Roster to make room for the guy? I don't think so.

That's not to say Tommy Layne hasn't been bad, however Layne is a lefty unlike Frieri. Bryan Mitchell hasn't done much with his 12.1 innings this season, but he's extremely versatile as he can do everything from pitching to one batter to starting a game. I wouldn't call Jonathan Holder "dominant", but I like what I've seen for the most part from the 24 year old.

With how Ernesto has thrown in AAA I'm sure there's some team in MLB that will give the guy a shot in the big leagues again.

My Thoughts on Masahiro Tanaka, Opt-Out Clauses and Conflicting Reports

Holy conflicting reports Batman. At the beginning of the day yesterday I read that if Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka opted out of his contract after the 2017 season that the New York Yankees would not pursue him only to read a complete 180 by the time I went to bed. One news publication has it that the Yankees won’t pursue and another, albeit by citing Randy Levine of all people as their source, says the Yankees haven’t made that decision and never said they wouldn’t pursue the Japanese-born right-hander. So which is it? Here are my thoughts on the matter.

Tanaka signed a huge deal worth $155 million when he came to the United States from Japan that included the opt-out clause after the 2017 season as a safety net for Tanaka. No one knew if Tanaka would like playing in New York or if he would rather play on the West Coast like many Japanese-born players do since it is closer to their homes in Japan so the Yankees gave him the opt-out clause that likely sealed the deal for his decision to come here. In Tanaka’s first season after signing the monster deal the righty suffered a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow that would normally require a season-ending and potentially career threatening Tommy John surgery. The Yankees, under the advice of many doctors and specialists including Dr. James Andrews, decided a rest and rehab program would be the best route to handle it and the team and Tanaka did just that despite varying degrees of criticism.

To date, and I am knocking on wood as I type this, Tanaka’s elbow has been fine and the diagnosis from the doctors looks to be a good one but as we all know pitchers are fragile in nature. Any pitcher at any time could suffer a torn UCL and require Tommy John surgery without any signs or warnings, see the very durable Bronson Arroyo as a prime example of this, so it makes sense that the Yankees may be weary and decide to let his “ticking time bomb” of an elbow be someone else’s problem if he opts out but I still don’t buy it.

After the season Michael Pineda is already coming off the books and so is CC Sabathia so losing Tanaka as well would leave the Yankees with exactly zero reliable starting pitchers for the 2018 season. Zero. James Kaprielian cannot be relied upon as he is already battling a second round of elbow concerns this season after missing most of last season with the same injury, Luis Severino has been inconsistent as a starter at best as has Chad Green and Luis Cessa, and as much as I love them as a fan Jordan Montgomery, Bryan Mitchell and Chance Adams have yet to prove themselves at the Major League level just yet. Granted they haven’t been given a huge shot, or no shot at all in the cases of Montgomery and Adams, but they wouldn’t give even me the warm and fuzzy feeling if all three of them started out next season in the Yankees starting rotation. I’m sorry but it’s the truth.

The free agent market looks barren at best for starting pitchers next season, especially considering that the Yankees plan on getting under the luxury tax threshold after this season, and the trade market requires prospects that the Yankees and Brian Cashman just don’t seem willing to part with at this time. It’s a bit of a Catch 22. Do you save money by using your farm system at the Major League level only to get under the cap and blow everyone out of the water for the likes of Bryce Harper and Manny Machado or do you trade those prospects for proven, and more expensive, pieces like Jose Quintana and continue to rebuild while also trying to win? Honestly I’m glad I’m not the one making those decisions because I don’t truly know what I would do.

I have been on board with trading for Quintana all winter long and I won’t back away from that for obvious reasons. He’s been great, he is still young and his contract is extremely cheap for what you would get back from the lefty. The Yankees need to do it now though because he will only get more expensive, prospects wise, as the year goes on. If they are truly worried about Tanaka opting out then they need to pounce on Plan B now, to improve the team and to show Tanaka that they are serious about moving on if he decides to opt-out and hold the opt-out over the teams head for more money.

Ultimately I think I would bring Tanaka back because not every pitcher and player is made for New York but Tanaka has shown that he is. You can’t really put a number on that in my opinion. Sure there are concerns with his elbow but using history as an indicator of the future you could conceivably say that about any and all pitchers that the Yankees throw out there on a day-to-day basis. Some pitchers have never required Tommy John surgery after partial tears of their UCL like Tanaka (Felix Hernandez and Ervin Santana) while some pitched for what seems like forever (Adam Wainwright) before the problem popped up again so who really knows? The human body is an amazing, and yet very unpredictable, thing. It truly is.

Masahiro Tanaka and Shohei Otani Working Out Together Can’t Be a Bad Thing

The New York Yankees dipped their toes back into Japanese waters a few offseasons back when the team signed Masahiro Tanaka to a monster free agent contract and the team will look to do so again if and whenever Shohei Otani is posted and/or hits free agency. So I guess you could say that the fact that Tanaka and Otani were seen working out together recently can’t really be a bad thing, can it?

Otani is just 22-years old and is currently playing both sides of the ball while in Japan with the Nippon Ham Fighters. Otani finished the 2016 season batting .322/.416/.588 with 22 home runs and 67 RBI in just 323 at-bats while also pitching to a 10-4 record with a 1.86 ERA and 0.957 WHIP with 174 strikeouts in 140 innings pitched. Otani won the Pacific League MVP Award while leading his Ham Fighters to the Japan Series championship while also reaching his third consecutive All-Star Game leaving many to wonder if he would cash in on his successes with a trip to Major League Baseball but Otani will remain in Japan at least through the 2017 season. That doesn’t mean Otani can’t hang out with and work out with some MLB caliber pitching though.

Under the current agreement between MLB and Japan a player under the age of 25 cannot receive anything over $6 million in the form of a signing bonus from a MLB club meaning it may be three years before we see the 22-year old posted. Otani is expected to receive at least $200 million when he hits the open market as either a pitcher with a pinch-hitting ability or as an outfielder who can pitch in a pinch.

Either way having Tanaka on the team, and this remains to be seen as Tanaka has an opt-out clause looming after the 2017 season, can’t hurt the Yankees chances in signing Otani. It’s going to be expensive either way but having a teammate like Tanaka may be what keeps Otani from going to a National League team where he can hit once every five days. It can’t hurt anyway. 

Masahiro Tanaka & Pulling an “Aroldis Chapman”

The New York Yankees are in a transition phase as we inch closer towards the 2017 regular season and the next few months will forever shape the franchise as we know it. Brian Cashman, the team’s General Manager, can do one of two things as we enter the next calendar year. He can stick to the plan, continue pushing forward with the youth movement and build towards the 2018 season and beyond or he can trade away some of his newly found prospects and make a run at things in 2017. There can be no in between with this team with just one exception, Masahiro Tanaka. 

Before I delve too deep into this I want to coin the phrase “pulling an Aroldis Chapman” and explain that it means to trade a player the summer before he hits free agency only to sign him back immediately that winter essentially getting the player and the prospects for nothing but a little cash that you were presumably okay with giving to the player anyway. The Yankees did this with Aroldis Chapman this past trading deadline and winter and were at least having discussions with Carlos Beltran about doing something similar so why couldn’t the Yankees do it again this summer with Masahiro Tanaka? 

As we all know Tanaka has a big opt-out clause written into his contract and the deadline to opt-out or not has to be made after the 2017 World Series concludes later on this year. IF, and I preface this with an IF and will likely include a lot of IF’s in this post, the Yankees are out of contention once again in July I truly believe the Yankees should trade Tanaka with the hope (or backstage secret handshake that they can either confirm or deny publicly) that the Japanese-born right-hander opts out of the contract and returns to the Bronx on a new deal before the 2018 season.  

Now obviously this all hinges on the health of Tanaka. While I do not personally worry about his elbow or the strains, bumps and bruises along the way that seem to hamper his season each and every year there are many circles that are worried about his health and who am I to tell them not to be. If he can stay healthy once again in 2017 and prove all the doubters, who by the way are doubters and not doctors, wrong once again about the Yankees and an army of doctors decision to forego Tommy John surgery he may be in line for another huge payout if he were to opt out of the contract. He would also fetch a huge haul in terms of prospects as well before the July 31^st trading deadline in 2017. 

If the Yankees are out of contention then it’s time to continue the youth movement by pillaging a farm system and trading away Masahiro Tanaka. I know the Japanese people are stereotypically and generally big on honor but they also know, and can be made to understand, that this is a business and this is for the best not only for the team but for himself as well. The Yankees should then take all the newly found Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia money they have coming off the books and throw it at Tanaka next winter, assuming he opts out. Call it pulling an Aroldis Chapman now but next year we may be calling it pulling a Masahiro Tanaka. 

Either way, stay tuned. 

If Tanaka Wants to Pitch in WBC for Japan, Yankees Should Say ….

The World Baseball Classic returns in 2017 disrupting spring training camps across the league while playing for bragging rights for your country and nothing more. Don’t get me wrong, I like the World Baseball Classic but the United States didn’t do themselves any favors when they decided to set it up. Most of the world plays baseball year round yet by the time the WBC comes around most of the players from the United States are just now getting loose, getting their work in and getting their timing down. Until and unless that changes the US will never win a WBC, period, but that’s not what this post is about. This is about the Japanese team in the upcoming WBC and one certain Yankees pitcher who may or may not want to represent his homeland in the competition. Masahiro Tanaka, should the Yankees let him pitch in what essentially is an exhibition set of games?

In a word, no. Want two words? Hell no. The New York Yankees do not need a Mark Teixeira type incident again, remember Teixeira hurt his wrist and basically missed the entire season in 2013 while prepping for the WBC, and the Yankees cannot afford a loss of a pitcher. Especially Tanaka. Now if Tanaka hadn’t suffered from a partially torn ligament in his throwing elbow, which granted has not given him any trouble since, and hadn’t been on the disabled list every year since for some arm-related injury including his forearm strain that ended his season prematurely in 2016 then I would be willing to give him a shot but I just can’t. I can’t bring myself to see him go down in the WBC pitching for a team that isn’t the Yankees. I can’t.

Tanaka heads into the 2017 season with a huge decision regarding his future. Tanaka has an opt-out clause in his contract for after the 2017 season and if he is going to accept the opt-out or decline to use it I’d rather that decision made from his work on a Major League pitching mound, not because he let it go or went too far too early for Team Japan. Call me selfish if you want but the Yankees are paying him $22 million to pitch in the Bronx, not sit at home in Japan injured.

I’m not sure if the Yankees truly even have a say in the matter, especially for a big-named pitcher like Tanaka, but if they do they have to say no in my opinion. If they don’t they need to at least make it seem like skipping the WBC is Tanaka’s idea and keep him out of the game by any means necessary. It’s just not worth the risk if you ask me. Just say no, Tanaka.

Nick Swisher Opts Out of Yankees Deal

Nick Swisher has announced that his comeback bid with the Yankees is over. Swisher has opted out of his minor league deal with the team and will spend the remainder of the 2016 season with his family and his daughter who was just born. And good for Nick.

Here is the exact quote from Swisher's Facebook page:



“After the birth of my second child, I’ve decided to take a step back and spend the rest of this season full time with my wife and two daughters,” Swisher wrote. “Make no mistake, I am not hanging it up. I love this game with the same amount of passion that I had as a rookie 12 years ago.


“I want to thank the Yankees for giving me the opportunity to return to the organization that I love so much and wish them nothing but success for the rest of 2016. Despite not being at the ballpark every day, I will continue to train on a daily basis and evaluate my options for next season at the appropriate time.”

Weekly Check In: Nick Swisher

I know, I know. I said I was going to get away from Nick Swisher but I feel like we should go back to him now that Chris Parmelee has been placed on the 15 day DL. Also this may be the final time we get a chance to check in with Swisher as his minor league opt-out date comes on Wednesday. The Yankees haven't seemingly wanted to call up Swisher for reasons we can all speculate at which could potentially leave the Yankees even more short-handed at the position.

Will Swisher opt out or will he ever get the call back to the Bronx? Stay tuned.

Year	Age	Lg	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2016	35	AAA	43	182	13	43	5	5	20	0	8	44	.250	.280	.366	.646

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

What Scenarios Allow Us to See Nick Swisher in the Bronx this Season?

A lot has to go wrong for us to see Nick Swisher back in Yankees pinstripes and back in front of a Yankee Stadium crowd, right? Well if you think about it, and mix in a little speculation with a sample size of history and decisions made by this front office and organization, there probably doesn’t need to be much go wrong to see Swisher in 2016. Not much at all actually.

First and foremost Brian Cashman stated before the season that the last bench spot would be used primarily as a revolving door all season long much like the bullpen was used in 2015. That means the spot that Ronald Torreyes currently occupies could go to another outfielder when necessary, Slade Heathcott and Ben Gamel come to mind immediately, or another infielder like Robert Refsnyder in a pinch. Why not Swisher? And I’m not saying I want Swisher to occupy the spot and I’m not saying I think it’s a good idea or a bad idea for Swisher to occupy the spot but I do think the Yankees could allow him to occupy the spot and that’s the point of this post.

Swisher has a June opt-out date written into his minor league deal so he can leave on his own sometime in June anyway, I can’t see the Yankees letting a veteran like Swisher walk away for nothing, not without giving him a shot on a trial basis similar to the one they gave Refsnyder before the All-Star break in 2015, with or without an injury.

If there is any injury to Mark Teixeira then Swisher is the first one on the shuttle from Scranton to the Bronx but what if an outfielder goes down? Would the team rely on Ben Gamel or Slade Heathcott or would they call on the veteran Swisher to ride the bench while Hicks gets the majority of the playing time for New York? History would tell you it would be Swisher and his switch hitting bat and goofy personality taking the bench slot while Heathcott, who they couldn’t rely on to make the Scranton Shuttle on time, and Gamel, an unproven rookie, stay down in Triple-A for the time being.

Not a lot has to happen for Swisher to join the Yankees and I think he ultimately will before the end of the season. I’m reserving judgement on whether it would be a good idea and situation or a bad idea and a bad situation for now but it’s coming, so brace yourselves.

New York Yankees Spring Training Open Thread 3/29

So what happened down at Yankees spring training camp today? Let's get caught back up!

The New York Yankees and their roster decisions are all but made at this point after a split squad pair of games this afternoon. Masahiro Tanaka pitched as well as CC Sabathia as Tanaka looks for an Opening Day start and CC looks for the 5th spot in the rotation.

Sabathia toyed with a cutter this afternoon and manager Joe Girardi raved about it. Girardi thinks this was Sabathia's best start of the spring and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Bryan Mitchell has won a spot in the Yankees bullpen, not the rotation.

Carlos Corporan can opt out of his contract today but at the time of this writing he hasn't yet.

Justin Morneau Makes Sense for the Yankees

EDIT: Justin Morneau informed us that he had a setback after an offseason elbow surgery and will not be able to pick up a bat until June. So much for that.

The New York Yankees have a situation down on the farm that could turn into a situation in the Bronx if it is left unattended. The situation is at the first base position. The Yankees have a healthy Mark Teixeira, although he’s one step away from stepping on a crack and breaking his own back (I joke), but the backup situation looks dire. The Yankees signed Chris Denorfia to a minor league deal but he has a March opt-out date so if he walks New York has no true first baseman backup in case Teixeira gets injured, could Justin Morneau be that man?

This late into spring, assuming that Morneau has intentions of playing in 2016, you would have to come to the common sense conclusion that Morneau would sign almost any deal at this point, minor league or not. If the Yankees can sign Morneau to a minor league deal with a June or July opt-out the former Minnesota Twins product could at least be down on the farm and in spring camp showcasing his talents for his next potential gig.

Morneau would make a lot of sense for the Yankees. Almost any and all left-handed power swings are made for Yankee Stadium but Morneau can hit for average too. Morneau won a batting title as recently as the 2014 season and while Yankee Stadium is far from Coors Field in Colorado the ballpark in the Bronx can be good to hitters at times, especially the left-handed variety. Even last year Morneau hit, albeit in very limited playing time, .310 giving the Yankees a legitimate average hitter to throw in the lower half of the lineup just in case Teixeira were to get injured.

Morneau is likely going to sign a minor league deal at this point if he plans on playing in 2016 so why cant that minor league deal come from the New York Yankees? 

It May Time to Step Up or Ship Out in Yankees Rotation

The heading and title of the article may sound harsher than I wanted it to be but the fact remains the same, judgement day is coming soon for the New York Yankees and specifically in their starting rotation. The team is in the middle of a transitional phase where the aging and expensive veterans see their contracts run out while the budding and thriving prospects of the system salivate and wait impatiently at their chance to make the big leagues. While there is going to be a ton of turnover you would think in the lineup, most notably with Carlos Beltran, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez all with two-or-less years left on their contracts, free agency may hit the Yankees the hardest in the coming years in the starting pitching department.

Looking at the Yankees rotation as it stands today the team is built for the long haul with a lot of youth and upside but things may not be as good as they seem on paper. Masahiro Tanaka is the ace of the staff at just 27 years but he faces a potential opt-out decision after the 2017 season that could leave him a free agency and leave a huge gaping hole at the top of the Yankees rotation. Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda anchor the middle of the Yankees staff at 26-years old and 27-years old respectively but both pitchers have just two years left of team control also potentially putting them on the free agent market after the 2017 season. Ivan Nova has one year remaining on his contract, the 2016 season, as the 29-year old looks to come all the way back from Tommy John surgery while health and CC Sabathia’s willpower will decide if 2016, 2017 or beyond are his final years in pinstripes.

CC has a clause in his contract that triggers if he does not land on the DL with left shoulder issues this season. Theoretically Sabathia’s knee could fall off tomorrow and his contract for the 2017 season, a hefty one at that just as an FYI, would automatically trigger. Sabathia will likely be a Yankee through the 2017 season as well leaving four potential Yankees starters out there on the free agent market all in the winter before 2018. Thank goodness for Luis Severino and James Kaprielian, no?

So it may be put up or shut up time for the Yankees and these pitchers. You always hear about a “window” to win with the current team, well that window may close in two more seasons. If these pitchers pitch well then you would think the Yankees would re-sign them and keep their core together for a long time but if not…. It may be judgement day in the Bronx and the Bronx may be burning once again. Just my speculation though as a lot can happen between then and now. 

Zack Greinke to the Yankees? No way... Right?

The New York Yankees, if you're using the World Series or bust mindset that many of the fans use every single season, failed in 2015 and enter the offseason with just as many question marks as they had when they went into the American League Wild Card Game against the Houston Astros. Does the team have enough confidence in their young guys to build another dynasty that all the fans want so bad? Does the team have one more run in them, especially offensively, before all these major contracts start coming off the books? Does the team have a true ace and who is it? The team could answer at least one of those questions on the free agent market, especially if Zack Greinke opts out of his current deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers after a first round exit in the postseason, but the Yankees couldn't make a run at Greinke... could they?

Let's quickly put to bed the ideas of him not being mentally tough enough to handle New York, that's ridiculous. First and foremost Greinke has been in the Los Angeles market and the postseason in recent seasons and has been seemingly unfazed. In fact Greinke hasn't had any sort of set backs from his social anxiety disorder or his depression since his early days with the Kansas City Royals, something that was treated according to his wikipedia page. Greinke's medical problems are now diagnosed, where before they weren't, medicated and treated. He'll be fine. Here's the wiki page:

Greinke was quiet and sometimes awkward in the clubhouse. To alleviate some of his anxiety and solitude, the Royals arranged for him to live with Royals Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett.[23] Still, Greinke's uneasiness grew. By the 2005–2006 offseason, he almost quit baseball. Greinke later remarked that, at the time, he did not expect to return to baseball.[24] He left spring training for personal reasons in late February 2006.[25] It was later revealed that he was suffering from social anxiety disorder and depression.[26] He reported back to the Royals' spring training facility in Surprise, Arizona, on April 17, where he underwent ongoing pitching sessions. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list due to psychological issues and took time away from baseball entirely.[27] He began seeing a sports psychologist and taking anti-depressant medication.

What you have to worry about when it comes to the Yankees is if New York is willing to open their purse strings to acquire Greinke. Greinke walked away from three years and $71 million, reportedly as it has not been officially announced, in search of at least a five-year deal worth $150 million. I honestly cannot fathom any team giving a 32-year old starting pitcher $30 million a year, he's not as young or as good as Clayton Kershaw was when he got an AAV of $30 million, but in a market flooded with pitching talent he just might if he's patient enough. Teams get desperate in December and January, and teams will especially get antsy when Jordan Zimmerman and David Price come off the board, so while I personally don't feel like it will happen I could totally see it happening, just not from the Yankees.

If New York is going to give another $20-$20 million AAV to a starting pitcher it has to be for David Price, no? Postseason struggles and all. I can't see New York giving that kind of money to any starting pitcher for quite a long time. What Alex Rodriguez did to 10-year deals for New York CC Sabathia has done to huge money contracts for pitchers in the Yankees eyes. I can see the Yankees waiting on James Kaprielian and building for the 2017 and 2018 season while still competing before I can see them going all in for any starting pitcher this winter. Hal Steinbrenner has done weirder things so stay tuned...

Looking on the Bright Side For Masahiro Tanaka

Masahiro Tanaka has, at least temporarily, avoided Tommy John surgery after four doctors including Dr. James Andrews cleared him to rest and rehab his partially torn ulnar collateral ligament. This week we learned that Tanaka went into the Yankees complaining of a wrist injury that ended up being a “small” forearm strain that landed him on the 15 day DL and will keep him out of the Yankees rotation for at least a month. This much we do know and unlike the many on Twitter who went absolutely ape crap crazy on Tuesday night calling for the head of Brian Cashman because Tanaka did not get Tommy John surgery I am going to try, now that I am calm and had a night or two to sleep on it, to remain optimistic about the whole ordeal because there is plenty to be optimistic about. Keep reading and I’ll try to get there as quickly as I can. 

The Yankees are either going to survive this rest and rehab thing on his elbow or they aren’t and it’s looking more and more likely that it’s going to come to a head sometime during the 2015 season. This can be a good thing or a bad thing for New York when you consider his opt out clause that Tanaka has written into his contract that will allow him to opt out after the 2017 season. If Tanaka ends up going down with Tommy John surgery in 2015 he will miss likely the entire 2016 season due to rehab and will not be the same in 2017. Usually pitchers take a year off to rest and rehab and a year of getting back into the grind that is the Major League season before you see the true finished product two years removed from the surgery. Tanaka may be the exception to the rule, in either direction, but he would be unlikely to put up numbers similar to his first 18 starts in 2014 meaning the likelihood of him exercising the opt out clause has to be low.

If Tanaka can make it through the season without any further problems with the elbow and can make it through the 2017 season without a Tommy John surgery then he may opt out of his contract, and honestly that may be the best thing for the Yankees. Tanaka is signed through the 2020 season and all signs point to this rest and rehab just being a band-aid to his problem meaning that the Yankees simply delayed the inevitable with Tanaka’s elbow. If Tanaka opts out and walks away from the final three years of his contract it may be a blessing in disguise for New York, especially if he succumbs to the surgery in the final three years or beyond like Adam Wainwright eventually did in a similar situation.

There is a lot of “what-if’s” and moving parts in this theory, I know, but it has to be, or should be at least, in the back of the minds of the Yankees brass. It’s either going to work out or it’s not and in a pair of scenarios it could work out for the Yankees so don’t panic and let’s look on the bright side. Either the Yankees will have to pay Tanaka big money to rehab his elbow with a gaping hole in their rotation or it will be someone else’s problem but we cannot predict or prevent either outcome so let’s all take a step back and enjoy him while we have him, shall we?

Jared Burton Diagnosed w/ Strained Lat

Jared Burton had hopes of breaking camp with the New York Yankees and traveling north in the bullpen for the Yankees on Opening Day… and then a strained lat muscle happened. Burton was diagnoses with a strained lat muscle during the latest Yankees spring training game on Thursday with the Philadelphia Phillies and may be headed towards the disabled list.

Burton has multiple opt out dates written into his contract so just because he likely won’t make the Opening Day roster doesn’t mean he couldn’t make an impact later down the road. Burton has pitched in four games this spring and only allowed two hits against the 15 batters he faced. It may just be spring but the guy has proven that he can get MLB hitters out before while with the Minnesota Twins so I’m not ready to count this guy out just yet.

I also apologize for this being so late but I was away from a computer for most of last night and today and straight talk wireless has this little joke they like to play on people where they turn your auto refill off so when you wake up in the morning you have “service” because you have Wi-Fi but as soon as you leave the house and try to use your phone you have nothing. It’s a brutal joke and this is the fourth time in recent memory it has happened to me so I don’t recommend them. Anyway, go Yankees? 

MLBTR: Jared Burton/Scott Baker Article XX(B) Free Agents

According to MLB Trade Rumors the New York Yankees have a pair of Article XX(B) free agents this spring training in Jared Burton and Scott Baker. What makes a Article XX(B) free agent is a player that has signed a minor league deal despite having at least six seasons of major league service time. If neither of these players make the 25 man opening day roster the Yankees owe each oft hem $100,000 bonus. Each player also automatically receives June 1st opt-out date on top of any other opt-out dates that are already written into their contract.

Burton already has four opt-out dates written into his contract so he looks to be destined for the pay day and the transfer to the minor leagues while Baker is attempting to fill in for the injured Chris Capuano.

Yankees Announce Tanaka Signing, DFA David Huff

Well that didn't take long, the New York Yankees have announced the signing of Masahiro Tanaka and have added him to the 40 man roster. David Huff has been designated for assignment to make room for Tanaka on the roster. Tanaka is signed with the Yankees through the 2020 season for $155 million, an AAV of 22.15 million, and has an opt out clause after the 2017 season. The only question left to answer is what number will Tanaka wear in 2014?

Get Greedy... Get Manny? No Thanks

As many of you probably do not know the name of this blog was essentially hatched way back in 2009 when the Yankees wen't on a spending spree signing CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Mark Teixeira, and acquiring Nick Swisher from the Chicago White Sox. I, myself, and dm23HOF were all members of a forum that will remain nameless where I started the, albeit sarcastically, "Get Greedy...Get Manny" campaign. I campaigned for the Yankees to get greedy, blow the payroll up, and sign Manny Ramirez. I pointed out that he was right handed power bat that we could use, would easily solve our clutch hitting problem, would bring in millions in merchandise sales and all that jazz, and could easily be hid in left field. Thankfully, hindsight being 20/20, the Yankees did not sign him and the "Get Greedy" campaign ended. When we decided to leave the forum world for the blog world we decided we had to include the "Get Greedy" campaign somehow in the blog and it's title and thus the Greedy Pinstripes was born.

Now I said all that to say this, Manny Ramirez has signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. After opting out of his contract while playing professionally in Taiwan there was some speculation that the Yankees might look at Manny but they never seemed to show any interest. We're not getting greedy and we're definitely not getting Manny, oh well. Yankees tickets will be sold nonetheless.