Juan Soto: Dreams Come True...

 

Credit: @Yankees via X

Juan Soto is a Yankee.

The New York Yankees successfully acquired young superstar outfielder Juan Soto; a player coveted by the Yankees fan base for years. 

Despite the acquisition of one of baseball’s brightest young talents, the 2023 Baseball Winter Meetings were largely a bore. I am excited that the Yankees acquired Soto, but the process was tiring. I guess I would have liked it better if we had received a Jeff Passan tweet that simply said, “Yankees acquire Juan Soto”. All the tweets and reports from the various team beat writers saying a deal was close to the finish line was too long and drawn out. After hearing the Yankees and Padres were trying to complete the deal all day on Wednesday, the final day of the Winter Meetings, the official word was finally announced at nearly 11 p.m. Eastern time. 

Wednesday evening there were reports that medical records (review on the San Diego side) were holding up the deal. Then, there were reports the Padres executives were attending a social event. I was not sure what to think, but the reports from the trustworthy beat writers did not express any concern that the deal was falling apart. Finally, Joel Sherman broke the news that the deal was done. Whew! 

I thought the Yankees might give Jack Curry an exclusive to break the news. The Yankees Hot Stove show was scheduled to air at 10:30 p.m. Eastern (around the time the news started breaking about the finalization of the trade). Unfortunately, the Brooklyn Nets postgame show ran over so Yankee fans had to patiently (or rather impatiently) wait through the Nets postgame show to finally hear Jack Curry confirm the Soto trade.

It was a long, difficult road with so many rumors. Granted, much of it was trade posturing. In the days leading up to the trade, it felt like the Padres might wait to see the market develop after Shohei Ohtani signs, thinking the jilted suitors might flip their attention to Soto. Fortunately, it was all smoke. The Yankees had the best offer on the table, and it gave the Padres the pitching and financial relief they needed to make the deal. 

Losing Michael King hurts. I appreciated and valued Michael King, the reliever, and then I got even more excited when he excelled during his brief audition as a starter late last season. I was looking forward to King’s future in the starting rotation. I know he has dealt with his share of injuries in recent years, but I did not want to see him go. Obviously, losing him for Juan Soto is a deal you would make every day of the week, but it does not mean that there cannot be sadness to see King go. I truly wish him the best in San Diego. I was hopeful the Yankees would not lose both King and Drew Thorpe, yet they did. I would have preferred to see Clarke Schmidt accompany Thorpe to the West Coast over King, but it was not meant to be. The Yankees paid a healthy price for Soto and center fielder Trent Grisham…four pitchers…King, Thorpe, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez…along with catcher Kyle Higashioka. I refuse to call it an “overpay” even though the Yankees are guaranteed only one year with Soto. Soto is exactly what the Yankees need, and he is worth the cost regardless of how much it hurts. 

Credit: FriarWire, Official Blog of the San Diego Padres

Higgy leaves as the longest-tenured Yankee. I am proud of his time in the Yankees organization, and I am glad he has been part of the team. I recognized that his salary and age were working against him, and it made him the most likely departee among the multiple catchers on the 40-man roster.  Like Austin Romine before him, there comes a time when the Yankees and a player must part ways. Sadly, for Higgy, the day was December 6, 2023. 

Brito and Vasquez did a good job providing rotation depth last year, but I am hopeful the pitchers remaining in the organization will step up. Will Warren, Chase Hampton, and Clayton Beeter are the pitchers who immediately come to mind. Luis Gil will also be back after distancing himself from Tommy John surgery. Nevertheless, the pitching losses reinforce the need to bolster the pitching staff between now and Spring Training. 

Congratulations to General Manager Brian Cashman and his team for closing the deal to bring the 25-year-old superstar Juan Soto to New York. I was not sure they would do it. After ignoring most elite free agent talent in recent years, it seemed implausible the Yankees would pay for a potential future Hall of Famer with prospects and proven Major League talent when they could have had the best of the best for only cash and passed. I am glad they did.  Soto alone is not enough, but Cashman seems to understand there is more work to do…or at least I hope he does.

Although the Yankees acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo earlier in the week from the Boston Red Sox, I am not convinced the 2024 Opening Day outfield will feature Judge, Soto, and Verdugo. The early speculation has Verdugo in left and Soto in right, pushing Judge to center. Cashman made an interesting comment during today’s press conference he held with beat writers when he said that if the season opened today, Judge would be in center. It leaves open the possibility there may be changes. In other words, there is no guarantee Verdugo will be on the opening-day roster. He could be moved for pitching if the Yankees come up with a better outfield solution that would keep Judge in right. Of course, the question would then become where you put Soto who seems better suited to play right field over left field. 

I had been hopeful the Yankees would sign Cody Bellinger as the second move behind the Soto acquisition. Bellinger, if you believe he found himself last year in Chicago, offers both offense and defense and could cover center field until Jasson Dominguez is ready to return late next season and he could back up Anthony Rizzo at first base. Verdugo is simply a corner outfielder who has not played center field in a few years. He is not known for his defense and is obviously far less versatile than a player like Bellinger.  I think the Bellinger dream is gone, but I am hopeful the Yankees can find the best outfield mix. If it ends up with Soto, Judge, and Verdugo, so be it.  I am glad Trent Grisham is around as the fourth outfielder over the various options we had last year. It seems like Grisham will get plenty of playing time. I certainly like Grisham better than Verdugo even if Verdugo is the better everyday player. I do feel badly for Estevan Florial who will probably never get a genuine opportunity in Pinstripes. As much as I like Everson Pereira, I fully expect his name to be part of any trade acquisitions for pitching. 

Since Manager Aaron Boone stated this week that DJ LeMahieu will be the starting third baseman in 2024, the Yankees have much riding on the health of their older corner infielders.  There has been no speculation about Oswald Peraza, but I did find it odd that Peraza was not even given a chance to compete for the starting role in Spring Training.  Both Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera can still find their way on the 26-man roster as part of the bench strength, yet if Peraza is included in a trade for pitching, it would not surprise me. Peraza and the Miami Marlins make total sense to me.

The Yankees will now turn their attention to Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They plan to meet with the free-agent Japanese pitcher on Monday.  The competition for Yamamoto is steep. The Mets, backed by Steve Cohen’s huge wallet, are interested. If the Dodgers lose out on Shohei Ohtani, they may enter the bidding for Yamamoto if they are not there already. It seems like the Yankees are one of the favorites to sign Yamamoto, but it is far from a certainty, and if the bidding gets excessive (hearing reports of $300 million plus the $46 million posting fee), it does seem like Hal Steinbrenner may tap out.  If the Yankees find Yamamoto too expensive, they might look at a reunion with Jordan Montgomery. I would like to see Gumby return, but I wish it was not predicated on whether they get Yamamoto. I would prefer to see Montgomery return as a stand-alone move.  With the questions surrounding Carlos Rodón and Nestor Cortes, Jr, the rotation needs greater dependability in the other spots behind Gerrit Cole and for depth purposes. If the Yankees do not sign Montgomery, I hope he returns to the Texas Rangers. It would be tough to see him pitch for the Red Sox, Blue Jays, or Orioles.  There is room for Montgomery in the Yankees rotation regardless of whether they sign Yamamoto. 

Given the time the Yankees have spent following Yamamoto in Japan including Brian Cashman’s trip last summer when Yamamoto threw a no-hitter, the Yankees are clearly all-in on the talented righthander.  There is no doubt Yamamoto has felt the Yankees’ presence for a long time which helps. I am glad the team is pulling in Hideki Matsui as part of the recruitment team. Unfortunately, I am less optimistic about Yamamoto than I was with Soto.  I tried hard to temper my excitement for Soto under the belief the Yankees might (would) fall short. It worked out with Soto, however, there are no guarantees with Yamamoto and perhaps more adversity given the steeper competition in play for Yamamoto’s services. 

We keep saying the Yankees need to protect the best years of Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge. If the Yankees sign Yamamoto and can re-sign Soto after next season, they could represent the core of the team in the years beyond 2024. We will be talking about protecting their best years. 

I have seen fans already grading the Yankees’ offseason. I prefer to wait for the finished product or at least until we see the guys who show up in Tampa for Spring Training in February. There is work to be done and it will determine how much better the Yankees can be in 2024.

Suffice it to say that I feel better about the Yankees with Juan Soto and Trent Grisham than without.  Nevertheless, other teams are not going to sleep on the Yankees. They are working to get better, and it is possible the best player in the game, Shohei Ohtani, may sign with Toronto, a key division rival. The Orioles have a wealth of young talent, and if they made a financial commitment to invest in starting pitching, they could be a dominant force for years to come. Never underestimate the Rays or the Red Sox.  If Brian Cashman wants to be up for the challenge in the American League to compete with the league’s best, there will be no rest between now and Spring Training.

Thanks for bringing Juan Soto to us, Brian Cashman, now get to work!

Loss of Pitching

The Yankees took a huge hit with their pitching depth this week because of the Verdugo and Soto trades, and the Rule 5 Draft. RHP Mitch Spence and RHP Matt Sauer were the first two Rule 5 Draft selections made. Ouch!

The list is long:

RHP Greg Weissert, RHP Richard Fitts, and RHP Nicholas Judice to Boston. 

RHP Michael King, RHP Randy Vasquez, RHP Jhony Brito, and RHP Drew Thorpe to San Diego.

RHP Mitch Spence, selected by Oakland in Rule 5 Draft.

RHP Matt Sauer, selected by Kansas City in Rule 5 Draft.

RHP Carson Coleman, selected by Texas in Rule 5 Draft.

Although most Rule 5 picks are generally returned, it seems like a certainty Spence will stick with the lowly A’s and there is a strong chance Sauer stays with the Royals all season long.  Carson Coleman had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last spring, but the Rangers feel he has upside for the bullpen after he completes his rehab. It is possible and maybe probable that all three of the Rule 5 losses stick with their new teams for the duration of the upcoming season. 

Credit to the Yankees for how they have drafted and developed pitching in recent years.  Hopefully, the trend continues as they will need to make up for the losses.  I was dreading the Rule 5 Draft as I do every year since the Yankees are always one of the most targeted teams. It was as painful as I expected.  Even when I see a former Yankees prospect lost in the Rule 5 Draft bounce from team to team like catcher Luis Torrens, I wonder what could have been if the player had been allowed to continue his development in the Yankees organization.  Spence, Sauer, and Coleman appear to be more Major League-ready than Torrens did, but new organizations represent change, for better or worse, and the players will need to adapt.  I wish them luck with the slight hope they are offered back to the Yankees.

As always, Go Yankees!

When is the NFL Draft? ...

 

MLB and the forgotten game…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Derek Jeter / Photo Credit: AP

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

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

Don Mattingly

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

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

Paul "The Warrior" O'Neill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As always, Go Yankees!

Meet the 2019 Yankees: Joe Harvey

Man, it was not easy to find information on Yankees right-handed pitcher Joe Harvey, but we did the best we could. In all actuality, I am glad that this was a challenge and that there wasn’t the plethora of information on the web about him like there was with others, that means when others head out looking for information on him later in the spring and throughout the season that maybe they will stumble upon the site and stay awhile. Let’s meet the man, the myth, and hopefully soon-to-be the legend, Mr. Joe Harvey.

Joe Harvey, 27-years old, is a right-handed relief pitcher currently in the New York Yankees organization. Harvey is a large, intimidating presence on the mound standing 6’2” and weighing in at 235 lbs. Harvey throws a mid-90’s fastball with a high spin rate to go along with a curveball that he worked on for much of the winter trying to improve. Harvey also throws a changeup that he has also dabbled with a lot this winter in search of improvement.

Joseph Robert Harvey was born on January 9, 1992 in Audobon, Pennsylvania and attended high school at Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High School in Norristown, PA. After graduating High School, Harvey moved on to play baseball at the collegiate level for the University of Pittsburgh where he caught the eye as a pitcher of the New York Yankees. The New York Yankees drafted Harvey in the 19^th round of the 2014 MLB First Year Players Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh and immediately assigned him to the GCL Yankees. Harvey spent time there and with the Staten Island Yankees in 2014 before being promoted to the Charleston Riverdogs for the 2015 season.

Harvey took a step back in 2016, heading back to the GCL to play for both Yankees affiliates there as well as the Staten Island Yankees. Harvey was promoted to the Tampa Yankees in 2017 before finally reaching Double-A, and then Triple-A during the 2018 season. Harvey was added to the Yankees 40-man roster prior to the 2019 season and also participated in the Dominican Winter League as well as he prepared for the possible call to the Major Leagues this season.

Good luck to you, Joe. You already struck out Troy Tulowitzki in a simulated game this spring, and that’s not nothing if you ask me. Injuries slowed Harvey’s path towards the majors, the right-hander was limited to just 41 games as a reliever from 2014-2016 and just 18 games in 2017 but took off and showed glimpses of what he could become for the Yankees in 2018.

Now Available, Number 55...

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Patrick McDermott)

Yankee Fans await the departure of Sonny Gray…

If you listen to the so-called Yankee GM’s on Twitter, the end of the road could be near for Sonny Gray. We know he’ll be gone by the time the guys pick up their bags to head to Tampa, Florida for Spring Training in February, but the only question is when, where and for whom.  

When Sonny’s college pitching coach was on the Milwaukee Brewers coaching staff, there were lots of trade speculation with the Brewers. Now that the coach (Derek Johnson, formerly pitching coach of Vanderbilt) has moved on to the Cincinnati Reds in the same capacity, the Reds have become the “favored” trade target for the Twitter GM’s. I am sure Yankees GM Brian Cashman is talking to the Reds, as reported by the real insiders, but he’s talking with other teams too. I have no doubt Sonny Gray will perform better in a less-pressurized environment. We’ve seen it with the guys traded to Pittsburgh in recent years (most notably A.J. Burnett and Ivan Nova).  

When the Reds are mentioned as a Gray destination, the name of Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett repeatedly comes up. If the Yankees are successful in acquiring the left-handed bat of Gennett, it is going to take more than Sonny Gray to make it happen. Gennett is only 28 years old, and has had great numbers the last two years, but he is a free agent after the 2019 season. I’ve heard people nix the thought of trading for Arizona’s premier first baseman Paul Goldschmidt because of his impending free agency next off-season. Not sure why you’d trade a talented Gray for short-term assets. Gennett’s productive bat would slot nicely into the Yankees lineup, but I just don’t think he is part of a Gray trade unless the team is willing to let go of some top prospects too. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Jamie Sabau)

One writer mentioned 2B/SS Jeter Downs as an option but young Downs is only 20 years old and while drafted in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft (32nd pick), he has not played higher than Single A and is not ready to help in the immediate future. But, of course, you’ve got to like the name considering he was named for the Yankees future Hall of Fame shortstop. Still, I don’t see the Reds parting with one of their top prospects for Gray unless the Yankees sweeten the pot on their end.

The Oakland A’s and San Diego Padres are other teams mentioned, but there are others. While some have speculated Cashman’s return for Gray could be better than expected, I am anticipating it will be for minor league names that may or may not have heard of before. When you try to sell an asset, it’s generally not a good idea to tell the world how poorly it performs. I know that Cashman sells Gray’s upside in phone conversations with other GM’s, but he certainly has not avoided negative comments in his talks with the media. Nothing like giving a player a chip on his shoulder.

I am trying to keep expectations low for Gray’s return. I’d prefer not to see him go to a team the Yankees could potentially see in the playoffs, such as the A’s. I fully expect Gray to become the pitcher he once was when he exits the main stage in New York. He’ll also be a pitcher with an axe to grind given the disparaging words by our own general manager. While I don’t think Gray is a pitcher for the Big Apple, I won’t easily dismiss him when he is playing in another uniform. He will be a formidable foe in the future. There were some jokes that the Yankees should trade Gray to Oakland for Dustin Fowler, Jorge Mateo, and James Kaprielian. Regardless of where he goes, we have to be prepared that he’ll pitch more like the ace he once was in Oakland.  

The next milestone date for Major League Baseball is Tuesday when MLB 40-man rosters must be set in advance of December’s Rule 5 Draft. After November 20th, additions to the 40-man roster can only be made through trades and free agent acquisitions. With Tuesday’s roster deadline, there will be a flurry of activity as teams move to protect their best Rule 5-eligible prospects. The Rule 5 Draft is held on the Thursday (final day) of the Baseball Winter Meetings which will be December 13th in Las Vegas, NV this year.  

Most people are speculating the Yankees will trade Gray before they begin aggressive pursuit of other pitching options like Patrick Corbin, J.A. Happ, James Paxton or Nathan Eovaldi. With its potential impact on the 40-man roster, it’s possible we could see Gray moved within the next couple of days. Otherwise, I think we’re going to have to be a little more patient and may not see anything until after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  

On the bright side for whomever pulls on #55 next, the most recent guy to wear it is former Yankees great Hideki Matsui. Godzilla wore the number on the recently completed MLB All-Star Series in Japan as first base coach for MLB All-Star Team Manager Don Mattingly.  

Photo Credit: AP (Toru Takahashi)

Speaking of pitching, MLB.com posted a column this week about the potential 2019 rookies of the year for each team. For the Yankees, Justus Sheffield was the choice. Per the column written by Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Mike Rosenbaum for MLB.com, “The Yankees’ greatest need is starting pitching, and Sheffield should crack the Opening Day rotation.  His fastball, slider and changeup all can be three plus pitches, so it won’t be a shock if he’s New York’s second-best starter after Luis Severino”.  That’s probably a little more aggressive than my expectation heading into the new season. So long as he’s not included in a trade for a top starting pitcher, I don’t think Sheffield grabs a spot in the rotation out of Spring Training. I think CC Sabathia is holding the spot Sheffield will take when he’s ready. My expectation is the Yankees will acquire at least two starting pitchers this winter which will delay Top Sheff’s arrival. I hope Sheffield comes to Spring Training and absolutely dominates but I don not really think it will happen…yet. For the top four spots in the rotation, the Yankees need certainty and reliability. It’s great that CC Sabathia is back, but the team should not pin its 2019 hopes on his arm or his bum knee. He’ll be a year older and closer to the inevitable end of the line. I know it’s his last year, but there are no guarantees he’ll pitch like he did last season. He’ll be 39 next summer and he is not exactly in “Mariano Rivera-like” condition. Maybe he pitches solidly throughout the year, but then again, the end could come suddenly and without warning. The Yankees do not need more than one question mark in the rotation if they intend to de-throne the Champions.  

Former Yankees managerial candidate Chris Woodward, recently named as the new manager for the Texas Rangers, has appointed a new pitching coach for the Rangers who has Yankee roots. Julio Rangel, most recently a minor league pitching coordinator for the San Francisco Giants, spent six years in the Yankees farm system from 1994 through 2000 but only made it as high as Double A. Still, he’s a Yankee by birth and I wish him the best for his first job as a Major League pitching coach. 

I think November is probably my least favorite month as a blog writer. There really isn’t much happening and just lots of speculation, ranging reasonable to absolute ridiculousness. But it is the calm before the storm as we are only a few weeks away from all hell breaking loose with the Baseball Winter Meetings. January tends to be quiet but at least by that time, we’ll have shiny new toys on the roster we can talk about and get excited about the approaching call of Spring Training.  

There are two MAJOR free agents available right now…genuine superstars and potential future Hall of Famers…but frankly, I am tired of hearing their names and refuse to write them with this post. If the Yankees sign one of them, great. If not, life goes on. I know one thing for sure, the Yankees roster in January will be much stronger than it is today. Until then, let’s enjoy some turkey and gravy, and spend quality time with our families.

As always, Go Yankees!

The 2018 Trade Deadline & The 2019 Rule 5 Draft

A lot of people may think I am looking ahead just a bit when I begin discussing the Rule 5 Draft that will not occur until sometime in December, after the 2018 regular season, but that couldn’t be the furthest thing from the case. In fact, I bet you that Brian Cashman, the Yankees general manager, also has his eye on the Rule 5 Draft when discussing potential trades for prospects at the July 31^st trading deadline. The Yankees have a nice collection of prospects that will need to be protected this winter or that will be made available for anyone and their mother to select in the draft, so it might be imperative to look at trading a few of these guys now, if possible, to get something for them now rather than essentially and potentially nothing for them later.

Here is the list of players that will need to be protected after the season. Now while this is not a 100% complete list, I have hit the high notes and put down the most notable who need protection.

LHP Justus Sheffield

RHP Dillon Tate

RHP Chance Adams

RHP Cody Carroll

LHP Josh Rogers

LHP Stephen Tarpley

RHP Juan De Paula

3B/1B Dermis Garcia

C Donny Sands

INF Kyle Holder

The only person on this list who is untouchable in my eyes is Justus Sheffield. No, I would not trade him for Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard. No, I would not trade him for Madison Bumgarner. In fact, I am perfectly fine with adding him to the 40-man roster and calling him up on August 1^st much like the Yankees did with Luis Severino back in 2015, I feel that confident in his abilities. The rest of the list is expendable and trade bait in my opinion. I don’t believe that anyone would take Donny Sands or Dermis Garcia if the Rule 5 Draft were to go down today, but clearly a lot can change between now and December. I also have my doubts that anyone would take and be willing to give Dillon Tate a year on their MLB roster as well, but weirder things have happened in this game.

Adding Triple-A experienced and close to MLB ready caliber starting pitching like Josh Rogers and Chance Adams to a deal could make or break a blockbuster, while having a late inning reliever like Cody Carroll could also look useful to a team who is looking to rebuild, like the New York Mets or the San Diego Padres. Stephen Tarpley, originally acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Ivan Nova deal, and Juan De Paula, acquired in the Ben Gamel deal with the Seattle Mariners, could also be sold as potential options in the future for any team who has a couple years of rebuilding ahead of them.

Kyle Holder, while not a sexy name now, was considered Major League ready defensively when the Yankees drafted him, but he had some catching up to do offensively after fully committing himself to baseball. Holder could conceivably be a defensive replacement, pinch runner, and bench piece for a National League team today, and he could be especially attractive to a team that thinks they can wait out his development with the bat.

Now, keep in mind that none of these guys alone will net the Yankees that ace starting pitcher that everyone seems to want. Sheffield could, albeit not alone, but none of these other players could headline a blockbuster deal. If, and when, these players are traded they will be as a part of a package for a player in my opinion, so keep that in mind when tempering expectations this summer.

“Fixing” the Yankees in Three Easy Steps

I had this post written and scheduled for tomorrow but since the Yankees hacked my account and jumped the gun with the demotion of Tyler Austin... let's just read it now and pretend that it was a premonition.

As silly as it sounds to talk about fixing one of the teams with the best record in all of Major League Baseball it would be foolish to think that the New York Yankees could not be better here in 2018. Looking up and down not only the lineup, but the entire roster, there is obvious needs for improvement in certain areas, three of which we will cover this morning here on this lovely Friday.

Enter Clint Frazier, Exit AJ Cole

Yes, the Yankees would have five outfielders. Yes, the Yankees would be down a pitcher. What’s the difference in having five outfielders with a DH slot available when you have two left-handed first basemen also clogging up the roster? More on that later. Letting Clint Frazier rot in Triple-A while Aaron Hicks and others struggle just seems more counter-productive to me than anything. Don’t wait for an injury, send down the pitcher that never sees the mound anyway and bring up one of the best and hottest hitters the team has down in Scranton. Seems like a no-brainer to me. Designate AJ Cole for assignment, more on that later as well.

Enter Brandon Drury, Exit Tyler Austin

I alluded to this earlier, but why does the team have two first baseman only type players on the roster at once? I understand there was a point where Tyler Austin earned his spot and made it to where the team couldn’t send him down, but we live in the now and the now states that Austin should go down for another hot and ready hitter down in Scranton. Brandon Drury is learning and playing first base down in Triple-A and would bring a right-handed compliment platoon bat for Greg Bird while also being available to play multiple other positions including third base and the middle infield.

Enter Justus Sheffield

The Yankees will have to add Justus Sheffield to the 40-man roster after this season anyway to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, why not just give him the spot now when the team designates AJ Cole for assignment? That way you can have him starting if and when an injury occurs and not a Double-A pitcher who has never seen Triple-A, let alone the Major League level, before last night. Again, no-brainer here people.

Three simple tasks that make the Yankees better in the “now” and in the future. The Wild Card should not be an option for this team here in 2018, and it won’t be if these moves are made now. Get it done, Cashman.

Checking In with Anyelo Gomez, Mike Ford, Jose Mesa and Nestor Cortes

The New York Yankees have one of the best farm systems in all of Major League Baseball, which could be a blessing and a curse depending on how you look at it. Having a great farm system is ideal as the Major League team can have plenty of options and depth if an injury or need arises, whether it be on the field or as a part of a trade, but at the same point it can be a curse with the team constricted to just a 40-man roster. When a minor league player reaches a certain plateau with a team, usually six seasons, the player has to either be added to the 40-man roster or that player will be available for any and all teams to take them as a part of the Rule 5 Draft. The Yankees were pillaged this winter during the Rule 5 Draft losing many players in the Major League and Minor League parts of the draft, and we will check in with a few of them today, namely Anyelo Gomez, Mike Ford, Jose Mesa and Nestor Cortes.

Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors:

• Anyelo Gomez, RHP, Braves (from Yankees): Yet another interesting player in a Yankees system that is producing too much talent for the team’s 40-man roster, Gomez ran up the ladder in a strong 2017 season, briefly reaching Triple-A and ending with a cumulative output of 70 1/3 innings of 1.92 ERA pitching with 11.1 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9. He hasn’t dominated this spring, but the Braves obviously like his arm and have plenty of reason to try to hang onto him in a year in which they do not expect to compete for the postseason.

• Nestor Cortes, LHP, Orioles (from Yankees): What’s that we were saying about the Yankees? Ah yes, another such player. The 23-year-old just ran up over a hundred innings of 2.06 ERA ball in the upper minors, with 9.0 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9. He has held his own as a starter this spring, too. With the O’s in need of both lefty relievers and rotation depth, he seems to be on track for a job.

• Mike Ford, 1B, Mariners (from Yankees): An injury to Ryon Healy initially looked like it could help to open a door for Ford, but it’s a fairly short-term issue for Healy, and Ford is hitting just .150/.292/.325 through 48 PAs this spring. With Daniel Vogelbach on hand as another lefty swinging first base/designated hitter option, Ford could have a tough time sticking in Seattle.

• Jose Mesa, RHP, Orioles (from Yankees): Indications are that Mesa is not quite keeping pace with his two fellow Rule 5 hurlers. Indeed, he has surrendered five walks and five earned runs in his 5 2/3 innings of Grapefruit League action.

Mike Ford struggling with the Mariners, I have to say, is a tad bit disappointing given the Yankees lack of a true first base backup for Greg Bird this season. Sure, Austin Romine and Neil Walker can get the job done in a pinch but what if the Yankees run into a preidcament like they did in 2017 with Bird? Are they prepared to go with Walker at the position for the remainder of the season? Maybe. I just have to think the team would feel better if they had a hard hitting first baseman down in Triple-A that was knocking on the door is all. Disappointing. Gomez and Cortes seem like locks to stick with their new teams, while I'd take back Mesa just because. Mesa has struggled, and did so a lot with the Yankees in their Minor League system, but I love a good reclamation project, and Mesa with the right instructor could be just that.

Meet a Prospect: Juan Then

We have already met this young man’s former teammate with the Seattle Mariners in JP Sears so let’s meet the other arm that the New York Yankees acquired in a trade this week when they sent Nick Rumbelow and his 40-man roster spot west. His name is Juan Then, imagine the “Then and Now” jokes this guy is going to have to endure as he climbs the ranks within the Yankees system, and he is an arm that I am personally really excited to watch grow and progress. This is Meet a Prospect: The Juan Then and Now Edition.

Then is just 17-years old and was signed as an international free agent by the Seattle Mariners back on July 2, 2016. Now before writing this post I knew absolutely nothing about Then but I do know that the best of the best in terms of international free agents tend to get signed immediately as the international signing period opens up annually on July 2. Then signed as a 16-year old, usually another sign that the prospect has shown potential, in 2016 for just $77,000.

Then made his professional debut in 2017 in the Dominican Summer League posting a 20-2 record with a 2.64 ERA. Then made 13 starts for the DSL Mariners striking out 56 batters in 61.1 innings while holding opposing batters to just a .220 batting average against which was good for a 1.06 WHIP.

Then has a pitcher’s build standing at 6’1” and weighing in at 155 lbs. as a right-handed starter. Then has a lot of time and a lot of room to grow into his frame as he matures and gets older, which is scary when you consider that Then is already throwing in the low 90 MPH range with his fastball. Then also has a changeup and a second breaking ball that he will have to develop if he wants to be a starting pitcher long-term with the team.

Then has a lot of potential to be a great arm and addition for the Yankees and I personally look forward to watching him progress over the course of the next few seasons. Welcome to the organization, Juan, and also welcome to the Yankees family. 

Meet a Prospect: JP Sears

The New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners also pulled off a trade prior to the Rule 5 Draft deadline as New York sent RHP Nick Rumbelow to the Mariners for a pair of pitching prospects, JP Sears and Juan Then. Let’s meet them one at a time starting with Sears. This is Meet a Prospect: The JP Sears Edition.

JP Sears is a 21-year old left-handed pitcher that the Seattle Mariners drafted in the 11^th round in this year’s MLB First Year Players Draft out of The Citadel. While at The Citadel Sears pitched to a 17-15 record with a 2.98 ERA while compiling 317 strikeouts in just 253 innings. Sears played in 46 games while at The Citadel starting all but four of them. As a polished college arm you would think that Sears could potentially be a quick mover through the Yankees system while giving them some depth once the likes of Chance Adams and Justus Sheffield graduate to the Major League level.

Sears did appear in 17 games after being drafted this season as a relief pitcher striking out 51 batters in 28 innings pitched. Sears is not a big guy, he is just one inch taller than Sonny Gray at 5’11”, and his fastball barely touches 90 MPH meaning that Sears relies heavily on deception, command and control of his secondary pitches that include an average curveball and a changeup that sets up his fastball.

Sears is not going to appear on any Top 10 prospects list any time soon, although he was the Mariners 21^st best prospect in their farm system at the time of the trade, but I think that the lefty could still be useful. He reminds me a lot of a raw Luis Cessa or Chad Green in the way that many won’t be raving about his addition but in a couple years we may be all thankful that the trade happened. Brian Cashman has a sneaky way of making that happen a lot lately.

Win, lose or draw the Yankees cleared a 40-man roster spot and added two live arms to the organization so it’s hard to be upset about that. We’re rooting for you JP, welcome to the family. 

Meet a Prospect: Reiver Sanmartin

We all watched as the New York Yankees were extremely active before the deadline to protect prospects in the 2018 Rule 5 Draft. The Yankees made many moves over the course of a couple days clearing spots for the likes of Gleyber Torres, Thairo Estrada and others to be added to the 40-man roster at the expense of young players like Ronald Herrera who was sent to the Texas Rangers in exchange for A-Ball pitcher Reiver Sanmartin. Let’s meet the man that was brought over in the trade late in the evening on Monday. This is Meet a Prospect: The Reiver Sanmartin Edition.

Sanmartin is a left-handed starting pitcher that was signed as an international free agent out of Columbia by the Texas Rangers at just 19-years old. Sanmartin spent his first two professional seasons in the Dominican Summer League before making the big jump to the United States here in 2017 stopping at two affiliates for the Rangers.

In 32 minor league games, 23 of them as a starting pitcher, Sanmartin has compiled a 14-4 record with a 2.62 ERA along with 119 strikeouts in 137.2 innings pitched. Sanmartin sits at about 88-92 MPH on his fastball while complimenting that pitch with what is considered to be an average changeup and slider. All signs point to Sanmartin being a bullpen arm if and when he reaches the Major League level, and that’s okay if you’re the Yankees.

Most importantly for New York is that Sanmartin will not need protection from the Rule 5 Draft until this time next season. Worry about that when the time comes, until then welcome Sanmartin to the organization and to the Yankees family. Enjoy your stay and make us proud. 

All Aboard the Yankees Train...

Credit:  Charles Wenzelberg, New York Post

The 40-Man Chess Match…

Yesterday figured to be a very busy day for the Yankees as MLB teams had to set their 40-man Rosters of Record for Rule 5 eligibility (draft to be held at the conclusion of next month’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, FL) and it was.

Before the past weekend, the Yankees only had two open spots on the 40-man. Then, a few trades later, the Yankees were able to protect six young prospects from becoming potential ex-Yankees. Granted, any player chosen in the Rule 5 Draft has to stick on a MLB roster for the entire year but it happened as recent as last year when the San Diego Padres held on to Yankees catching prospect Luis Torrens (even though the very young Torrens was over-matched at the Major League level).  

DEPARTURES

RHP Nick Rumbelow

RHP Ronald Herrera

LHP Caleb Smith

1B Garrett Cooper

ADDITIONS

LHP Reiver Sanmartin

LHP J.P. Sears

RHP Juan Then

RHP Michael King

International Bonus Pool Money ($250,000)

ADDED TO THE 40-MAN ROSTER

RHP Domingo Acevedo

RHP Albert Abreu

RHP Jonathan Loaisiga

INF Gleyber Torres

INF Thairo Estrada

OF Billy McKinney

Trade: Nick Rumbelow to the Seattle Mariners for LHP J.P. Sears and RHP Juan Then. I thought this was the best trade. Sears, 21, fits the Yankees mold as a former collegiate player who could be useful in the bullpen. Even though his fastball tops out at 92 mph, he has been something of a strikeout machine. In his final year at The Citadel, he led NCAA Division I with 142 K’s in 95 1/3 innings. Then (not the pitcher), last year, in his first year in the Minors, he struck out 51 batters in 27 2/3 innings. Then (the pitcher), 17, a projected middle of the rotation starter, is the only new prospect to crack MLB’s Top 30 Prospects for the Yankees (his debut is at #28 in front of RHPs Giovanny Gallegos and Trevor Stephan).  

Credit:  MLB.com

Trade:  Ronald Herrera to the Texas Rangers for LHP Reiver Sanmartin.  Herrera provides the Rangers with an arm that is nearly ready while the Yankees buy some time with a lower level prospect. Sanmartin, 21, is a year younger than Herrera and has compiled a 14-4 record with 2.62 ERA over three minor league seasons.  

Credit:  MiLB.com

Trade: Caleb Smith and Garrett Cooper to the Miami Marlins for Michael King and Shohei Otani Money. The Yankees lose a valuable lefty with Smith’s departure but I figured that his roster spot was the least secure. Cooper did a decent job when called upon last year, but it was inevitable that the Yankees would have to make a decision between Tyler Austin and Cooper despite the latter owning a name that recalls the late great actor Gary Cooper and the movie classic The Pride of the Yankees. The writing was on the wall when Billy McKinney started working out at first base in The Arizona Fall League. This trade is being advertised as Derek Jeter’s first even if he probably didn’t handle any of the negotiations. Marlins VP of Player Development and Scouting Gary Denbo knows a thing or two about Yankees prospects. Many were calling this trade a huge win for the Marlins but I thought it served a very useful purpose for the Yankees. They cleared two spots on the roster which ensured that Thairo Estrada and Jonathan Loaisiga ("Johnny Lasagna") could be protected and added a lottery ticket with the 22-year-old King. Maybe King never realizes his dream, but the additional international bonus pool money gives the Yankees a total of $3.5 million to pursue Shohei Otani. If the Yankees are successful in signing Otani, it would be very hard to look at this trade as a failure for the Yankees regardless of how Smith or Cooper eventually perform for the Marlins.  

The Yankees should gain better clarity about the availability of Otani later today. The MLBPA extended the posting agreement deadline, which had been scheduled to expire yesterday, by 24 hours. The new deadline is tonight at 8 pm ET.  If the parties are able to agree on a new posting agreement, it ensures that Otani will be posted this off-season and will make his much anticipated trip to the United States to choose his next team (or as I prefer, sign with the Yankees).

Credit:  The Japan Times

The Yankees will need to make additional roster moves should they sign Otani and/or re-sign CC Sabathia but for now, the Yankees are prepared for next month’s Rule 5 Draft. I am fearful of losing LHP Nestor Cortes, RHP Cale Coshow, and/or RHP J.P. Feyereisen, among others, but it speaks to the strength of the Yankees farm system that the potential losses will hurt. 

I can’t end this post without mentioning another transaction that occurred yesterday even if it was non-Yankees news. The Toronto Blue Jays waived former Yankees fan favorite Rob Refsnyder and he was claimed by the Cleveland Indians. While I wish Refsnyder well in Cleveland, I kind of wish that he’d go somewhere like San Francisco where the Yankees wouldn’t have to routinely see him. I hold out hope that Refsnyder will achieve the promise he once held but admittedly his flame of potential is growing dimmer. 

Credit:  Mark Lomoglio, Icon Sportswire

Now that the 40-man roster maneuvering has been completed, I fully expect the next week to be very quiet. Perhaps there are more managerial interviews but most likely, we’ll be on the other side of the Thanksgiving Weekend before we see any notable Yankees news.  

While I would have loved being able to protect every valuable prospect, I thought the Yankees did a very good job covering the best of the best. Project Next Dynasty continues on its very very bright and positive path. We are now accepting applications for Bandwagon Fans. Go Yankees!