Waiting for breaking Yankees news...
We are moving into Day 3 of the GM Meetings but not much is happening in the Yankees Universe.
Managerial interviews were suspended while GM Brian Cashman participates in the Orlando, FL meetings. But we do know that Hensley Meulens, currently the bench coach for the San Francisco Giants (formerly their hitting coach in the most recent season), will be interviewed when Cashman gets back to New York. Meulens has managed Team Netherlands in the WBC Classic several times and the former Yankee has a good relationship with shortstop Didi Gregorius (both guys are from Curacao). Meulens, like Didi, speaks multiple languages. He is thought very highly of by the Giants organization and many believe that he is being groomed to eventually replace manager Bruce Bochy.
Aaron Boone is also thought to be on the candidate list but no word when he’ll interview. The latest name to be added to the list is Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward.
The interest expressed by YES broadcaster John Flaherty and the very recently retired Carlos Beltran do not appear to be gaining any traction. Among the potential candidates with no prior managerial experience, Beltran does seem to be a viable option. He wants to manage one day and his leadership was evident during his time with the Yankees. Perhaps he should take a coaching job first, but I’ve always believed that managerial experience is not necessarily a prerequisite for the right person. The Boston Red Sox took a chance on a first-time manager with Alex Cora, but they ensured that Cora had a wealth of experience when former Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was named as his bench coach. Beltran enjoys a good relationship with the New York media which is one of the requirements for the job. He wouldn’t be my first choice as manager, but I wouldn’t object if he is hired.
 |
| Credit: Noah K Murray, USA TODAY Sports |
The word is that Cashman has not yet reached out to everyone that he wants to talk to. I still find it hard believe Cashman didn’t already have a plan when he made the decision to part ways with Joe Girardi. Girardi, by the way, showed up at the GM Meetings yesterday as part of the MLB Competition Committee. That must have been very weird for him, especially if he encountered any of the representatives for the Yankees. I am sure that he and Cashman didn’t go grab a beer together after the day’s activities were over.
I thought it was interesting that the Yankees had asked for and were denied permission to speak with Oakland A’s manager Bob Melvin.
Even though a new manager has not been named, I was glad to see that the Yankees will be bringing back pitching coach Larry Rothschild for the 2018 season. I’d like to see RailRiders manager Al Pedrique on next year’s coaching staff given his strong relationships with the Baby Bombers.
 |
| Credit: Jackie Shear, The Trentonian |
Cashman did indicate this week that the future in the outfield is Aaron Hicks and not Jacoby Ellsbury. With no apparent trade talks in play, it looks like Ellsbury will once again be Baseball’s highest paid pinch-runner. Hopefully things change and Cashman is able to use to cash to entice another team to take Ellsbury. At this point, it would be addition by subtraction even if the Yankees have to pay the freight (a bulk of the remaining monies due on Ellsbury’s contract). Cashman also stated that Gleyber Torres could make a run at the third base job next Spring. That talk leads me to believe there will be absolutely no attempt to re-sign Todd Frazier. We didn’t really expect Frazier to return but until he actually signs with another team, there’s always hope. Unfortunately, those are odds that I’d never take despite how great the Toddfather fit with the Baby Bombers.
The Yankees did have one free agent signing this week. Well, it was a minor league free agent signing that may never have an effect on the Major League roster. They signed former Phillies prospect, catcher Chace Numata, 25. The organization has lost some catching depth through free agency this off-season and of course the Yankees parted ways with the great Erik Kratz. Numata has never advanced above Double-A for the Phillies. He was selected in the 14th round of the 2010 MLB Draft. For AA-Reading this year, Numata batted .249 with 4 HRs and 28 RBIs in 84 games. Even though Numata might not ever make it to the Bronx, the Hawaiian native will play a valuable role in the development of Yankees pitching prospects in the upper levels of the farm system.
The Cincinnati Reds have signed lefty Joe Mantiply to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Mantiply spent the 2017 season with the Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Entering the off-season, my favorite managerial candidate was Dave Martinez, formerly bench coach for Joe Maddon in Chicago and my favorite general manager choice was Alex Anthopoulos, formerly an executive for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Martinez was hired by the Washington Nationals as their new manager, replacing Dusty Baker, while the Atlanta Braves this week hired Anthopoulos as their new GM (with President John Hart rumored to have a lessened voice in the organization). I had thought Anthopoulos would have been a great choice for the Yankees if they had decided to make a change. I think both guys will do very well with their new jobs.
Earlier it had been reported that the Boston Red Sox had interest in trading for Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton but it sounds as though Stanton does not want to play in Boston. The Los Angeles Dodgers are now rumored as a possible destination. The Dodgers certainly have the financial strength to absorb Stanton’s contract but the human cost to acquire him will be huge. You can be assured that Marlins CEO Derek Jeter is not going to give Stanton away. Stanton, protected by Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner, would be very scary in the Dodgers lineup. But I wouldn’t rule out the Red Sox until if/when a trade for Stanton actually happens.
How many more days until Spring Training? I’m ready. Go Yankees!
