Contact us on Twitter by tweeting @greedystripes or shoot us an email at the greedy pinstripes at gmail to apply. Please include any samples or links to samples of your work with your submission to speed up the process for us all. Thank you all!
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Help Wanted: Writers Needed
Contact us on Twitter by tweeting @greedystripes or shoot us an email at the greedy pinstripes at gmail to apply. Please include any samples or links to samples of your work with your submission to speed up the process for us all. Thank you all!
The Best of What’s Left via Free Agency
As we inch closer to the Christmas and winter holidays now
is a great time to look at what is left on the free agency market and determine
the “best of what’s left.” This post will be more of a general MLB-related post
and less of a Yankees-related post I warn you, although I will always put that
Yankees-related spin in when I can or when it’s relevant, so without further
ado…. Let’s get to it.
Edwin Encarnacion is probably the best hitter still on the
available market at first base and DH. Formerly of the Toronto Blue Jays the
right-hander, who will be 34 when the season begins, is better suited as a DH
at this part of his career. Encarnacion did play 74 games at first base in 2016
but you have to think that was out of necessity more so than because of his
defensive prowess.
Encarnacion’ s former teammate Jose Bautista is also still
on the free agent market despite eye-popping home run numbers over the past
five years or so. Bautista is 36-years old though and coming off a down-year
offensively that saw him hit just 22 home runs and take 87 walks for Toronto.
Bautista can still play the field adequately enough that he shouldn’t be held
to the “DH only” type thought process that is or isn’t keeping Encarnacion from
finding a new home currently.
Mark Trumbo led the world in home runs in 2016 yet still
finds himself without a job as we inch towards Christmas. Trumbo is tied to draft
pick compensation after the Baltimore Orioles handed him a qualifying offer
sheet which may be slowing down his progress towards finding a home for the
2017 as well. Trumbo can play first base, the outfield and play some DH so he’s
attractive in a lot of ways but the fact that he wants at least a four-year
deal may be scaring some teams away.
Ivan Nova, the former Yankee, may somehow be one of the best
pitchers available via free agency at this point and time. Nova turns 30-years
old later next month and hits the free agent market for the first time in his
career after posting a 3.06 ERA in 11 starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates last
season. The Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros may be interested and
Pittsburgh may be as well depending on the price tag.
Labels:
Baltimore Orioles,
Edwin Encarnacion,
Free Agency,
Free Agents,
Hot Stove,
Ivan Nova,
Jose Bautista,
Mark Trumbo,
MLB,
New York Yankees,
News,
Pittsburgh Pirates,
Rumors,
Toronto Blue Jays
Yankees Should Still Get Greg Holland
Okay, so the apologies are done. The luxury tax threshold
and penalties are paid and Brian Cashman is (should be) frantically working the
phones to fix the starting rotation after reading my article earlier in the
day. Now it’s time to finish off the bullpen. Enter Greg Holland. Yes, the
Yankees should still get Greg Holland. Even after acquiring Aroldis Chapman and
even after having Dellin Betances, Adam Warren and Tyler Clippard in the fold.
It’s time to go old school, get greedy and get Holland. Now.
The New York Yankees were one of 18 teams that sent
representatives and scouts to watch Greg Holland throw in early November at the
winter meetings and the former Kansas City closer was thought to be New York’s
back up plan if they didn’t sign Chapman to a new deal. But why not get Plan A
and Plan B? It’s not like Holland would cost anything but money and it’s not
like, as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, teams are going to be bidding
against themselves to give him any sort of financial package like the Yankees
just did to Chapman. Holland would likely come on a one-or-two year deal with a
lower base salary and a load of incentives attached to his contract. Something
very manageable and doable for the Yankees in my opinion.
Holland is still building arm strength, at last check in the
righty was still just throwing around 90 MPH with his fastball, but he looked
healthy from all accounts that I’ve read online from people who saw his
showcase. Holland should be much stronger and much more ready once spring training
comes along and should be as close to 100% as he is going to get when the 2017
season starts later on next season. Holland is willing to pitch in a non-closer
role according to his agent Scott Boras, which is great news to hear since the
Yankees have Chapman, and if healthy could be the best 8th inning
man in baseball once again.
The Yankees had a great bullpen in 2016 with “No Runs DMC”
but somehow as a whole the bullpen could be even better this year with Chapman,
Betances, Holland, Clippard, Warren and the rest of the crew down in manager
Joe Girardi’s Circle of Trust. All Cashman has to do is get it done. It’s a
one-year deal, what’s the harm?
Labels:
Adam Warren,
Aroldis Chapman,
Brian Cashman,
Dellin Betances,
Free Agency,
Greg Holland,
Hot Stove,
Injuries,
MLB,
New York Yankees,
Rumors,
Tommy John Surgery,
Tyler Clippard,
Yankees Bullpen
For My Next Trick, Upgrading the Yankees Rotation
The New York Yankees starting rotation is in trouble if the
team decides they want to compete in 2017. This is obviously my opinion but I
think I’m not alone in that way of thinking heading into the season, especially
on paper. A rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Chad Green, CC
Sabathia and Luis Cessa (speculation of course) doesn’t really scare many teams
in a series anymore so for my next trick I want to try and address the Yankees
starting rotation and see what I can do to fix it both fiscally and
realistically. We all know someone in the Yankees organization reads my
material, or I’m a Messiah and I’m far too humble to say that without my tongue
placed far inside my cheek, so let’s give them some reading material for this
afternoon. Shall we?
The Yankees are already said to be interested in acquiring a
former farm hand that they allowed to hit free agency in Jose Quintana.
Quintana looks great but I don’t think he is a realistic option for the
Yankees. Why? Well Quintana comes with four years of team control and the
Chicago White Sox are not in the business, especially lately, of “losing”
trades. For that reason you can kiss probably two or three of the Yankees top
10 prospects goodbye plus more. Does Brian Cashman have the gonads to pull off
a trade like that? Is the past is any indicator of the future I’d say probably
not. Don’t get me wrong, give up Jorge Mateo and Miguel Andujar in a package
and get the deal done. That’s what I would do if I were the GM but I just can’t
see Cashman pulling the trigger, sorry but I can’t.
The Kansas City Royals are in a tough spot. They have
basically a one-year window before some of their young studs begin hitting free
agency but at the same time the team also needs to cut payroll to improve the
team in order to compete. It’s a Catch 22. The Royals do have a couple of
pitchers that might make sense for the Yankees and none more so, and more
realistic, then Danny Duffy. Duffy is in the final year of his arbitration and
will hit free agency next season at 28-years old. Duffy pitched to a 12-3
record with a 3.51 ERA in 2016 and while he only managed 179.2 innings he did
strike out 188 batters next to just 42 walks all season long. He doesn’t fit
into the long term goals of the Yankees but he would come at a reasonable price
in terms of both prospects and salary while giving the team the option to
compete in 2017. My only concern is Duffy’s ability to keep the ball down and
out of the right field bleachers inside of Yankee Stadium. That could get ugly,
and fast.
The Yankees could also look a short-term reunion with a
familiar face who was traded to a different place this past season in Ivan
Nova. Nova is not ideal in any sense of the word but he has shown flashes of
brilliance and would cost the Yankees nothing but money in terms of acquiring
him. Nova pitched much better for the Pirates than he did for the Yankees after
being traded before the deadline last season and has seemingly bounced back
from adversity to pitch well before which may suggest a trend. Remember when
Nova was demoted to the bullpen only to come back to the rotation and put up a
16-win season for the Bombers? Maybe he’s bored? I don’t know but if someone
else finds out and keeps him occupied he could be a legitimate buy-low
candidate, if there is such a thing in this market.
The final suggestion for the Yankees starting rotation is a
suggestion that I made right around this time last year, Doug Fister. Now
Fister would have made me look like a fool after posting a career worst 4.64
ERA in 2016 at age 32 but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to give up on the now
33-year old. Fister is a ground ball pitcher and him coming to New York would
remind me a lot of Brandon McCarthy and others who came to the Bronx as ground
ball pitchers and seemingly figured it all out or put it all together under
pitching coach Larry Rothschild. While Fister will not win the Yankees a World
Series in 2017 he allows the Yankees to continue to straddle the line between
competing and rebuilding as he likely comes on a one-year deal and he also
keeps innings off the arms of the Yankees bullpen.
The Yankees, unless they go big for a Quintana or an
equivalent, will not substantially upgrade their starting rotation this winter.
I believe they need to just hold on and stay afloat until James Kaprielian and
others are ready to contribute and Fister, Nova and/or Duffy can do that.
Again, these arms will not bring the Yankees a division title by themselves let
alone a World Series championship but I believe them to be the best and most
realistic options for the New York Yankees as we stand today. Tomorrow, that
may change. I guess you’ll just have to stay tuned to that to find out.
Labels:
Brian Cashman,
Chicago White Sox,
Danny Duffy,
Doug Fister,
Free Agency,
Hot Stove,
Ivan Nova,
Jose Quintana,
Masahiro Tanaka,
Michael Pineda,
New York Yankees,
Rumors,
Trade Rumors
Yankees One of Six Teams to Pay Luxury Tax in 2016
The New York Yankees have been hit with the luxury tax
threshold for the 14th straight season, and as an FYI the luxury tax
penalties have been in existence for 14 straight years now, in 2016 along with
five other teams. That’s a record for Major League Baseball.
The Los Angeles Dodgers paid $31. 8 million in luxury tax
penalties while the New York Yankees paid the second highest at $27.4 million.
The Boston Red Sox paid $4.5 million, the Detroit Tigers paid $4 million, the
San Francisco Giants paid $3.4 million and the Chicago Cubs earned their first
World Series since 1908 at the expense of $2.96 million.
The Yankees have paid a total of $325 million since the
luxury tax began.
The Greedy Pinstripes… My Apology
Good morning Greedy Pinstripes family. I want to, no I need
to, start this morning off with an apology. I haven’t been around. I haven’t
wanted to be around. I didn’t even say why, so here is my explanation and my
apology.
When we started this blog however many years ago it’s been
now I had these vast dreams and hopes of toppling the big boys in the blog
world. I wanted to be linked as a source on MLB Trade Rumors. I wanted Joel
Sherman and Sweeny Murti and the likes to know me by name. For that reason I went
hard, every single day I went hard, and while I never forced content I was a
content machine for a long, long time.
That grind began to get to me this season. When the playoffs
and offseason hit… I hit a wall. I’ve tried to work around that wall and it’s
been a constant struggle. Until recently I tried to fight it but over the last
week or so I’ve completely thrown my hands up. This time off has been good
though, I feel the batteries recharging but I still feel bad leaving you guys
and girls hanging. For that I apologize.
I can’t promise I’m back but I feel better today as I write
this than I have in about six months as far as my writing is concerned. I may
not be known, I may not be the next Chris Cotillo and although David Cone,
Michael Kay and others follow me on Twitter I may not be well known in the
blogging world but finally I know… that’s okay.
Burned out. Discouraged. Whatever adjective you want to use,
I prefer to just be over it. Finally. Thank you for your patience and your
continued support of me, the writers here, the community that has turned into a
family (as dysfunctional as we are) and the blog as a whole.
Back to work.
Labels:
@GreedyStripes,
Blogger,
Chris Cotillo,
David Cone,
Joel Sherman,
Michael Kay,
MLB Trade Rumors,
My Apology,
New York Yankees,
Off Topic,
Sweeny Murti,
The Greedy Pinstripes,
Twitter
This Day In New York Yankees History 12/21: Yankees Pay Their Taxes
Also on this day in 1995 the Yankees resigned David Cone to a three year deal worth $18 million. Cone and the Toronto Blue Jays flirted around before George Steinbrenner got his man back in pinstripes.
Finally on this day in 1927 the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox made a trade that saw pitchers Ernie Shore and Dutch Leonard with outfielder Duffy Lewis go to the Yankees for "relatively unknown players" and $15,000 cash. The group of players included Frank Gilhooley, Slim Love, Ray Caldwell, and Roxy Walters.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)