Good morning Yankees family. It has been a minute since I
have been on the blog, and when we last spoke I wasn’t in the best of moods. The
Yankees had just been eliminated from playoff contention by the Boston Red Sox
and Yankees fans were in full riot mode. I called out and put on blast every
single Yankees fan that took things too far and I don’t regret it, but at the
same time I don’t want to make that sort of negativity a “thing” here on the
blog. Moving on, just like the Yankees and Brian Cashman presumably already
have. The offseason will officially be here in less than a month and I have
begun looking at some of the winter options for the team. The first hot topic
button I would like to address is third baseman Miguel Andujar, the potential
acquisition of Manny Machado, and the Yankees current first base situation.
First and foremost, let me be frank. Luke Voit was a great
acquisition by Cashman and company. He brought and energy and a power bat to
the team that likely landed the Yankees their Wild Card Game in the Bronx this
season. Without him, this team is playing in Oakland on October 3rd
against the Athletics. Many stars shine bright only to fizzle out after their
initial orbit through the sky and I think the same will be said for Voit. Don’t
get me wrong, I love Voit, but there is something to be said about a 27-year
old player that didn’t make his MLB debut until the 2017 season. There is
something to be said about a player that was drafted in the 32nd
round of the 2009 MLB First Year Players Draft taking an addition eight-or-nine
years to make it to the big leagues. The Yankees rode the hot hand of Voit and
tried to hide his abysmal defense at first base, but I cannot with confidence
just hand him the first base job next season. I can’t, sorry. You know who I
would like at first base next season though? Miguel Andujar, which would open
up Voit and his stock (that will never be higher) to be traded.
Now, before everyone jumps down my throat about Andujar
moving to first base… I did my research, unlike many who just simply want to
move him to left field because of the impending free agency of Brett Gardner
(and for no other reason). Unlike left field, Andujar has worked out and has
attempted to learn the first base position. The position is not completely
foreign to him, we and others wrote about it multiple times this season
already.
June 28, 2017 – The Greedy
Pinstripes
“The New York Yankees have a good problem on their hands,
the team has too many good prospects and not enough positions to play them all
at. The Yankees have Gleyber Torres scratching at the door of the Major Leagues,
presumably at third base, leaving their next best third baseman to potentially
learn a new position. Miguel Andujar, once thought to be the future in the
Bronx at the hot corner, was seen last Friday taking reps at first base before
his game with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders.”
March 25, 2018 – CBS Sports
“Yankees general
manager Brian Cashman said earlier this spring that Andujar will
play about 20 percent of his games at first base this season, Bryan Hoch
of MLB.com reports.
The bulk of Andujar's starts with Triple-A
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the season will still come at third base, but
his ability to play both corner spots could accelerate his return to the big
leagues if Greg Bird's right foot inflammation proves to be a long-term issue.
Bird will be evaluated Monday in New York and could open the season on the
disabled list, but it doesn't appear Andujar would be called back up from the
minors to fill the void at first base immediately. Instead, Cashman suggested
that Neil Walker would be the most likely candidate to start at first base if
Bird is unavailable for Opening Day.”
March 26, 2018 – YES Network
“The Yankees also decided, even before Greg Bird's foot
because an issue once again, to start working Andujar at first base this year,
with Boone saying late last week that Andujar will be getting "about
80/20" work in Triple-A between his given position and the new one --
giving him versatility the manager desires, and versatility that can only help
his case for a roster spot.”
March 30, 2018 – Elite Sports NY
“Ken
Davidoff of the New York Post reported a couple weeks ago
that the Yankees gave Andújar a look at first base with their Double-A
affiliate, the Trenton Thunder, in an intrasquad against Triple-A
Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
This past weekend, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweeted
that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said
that Andújar will play “20 percent” of his games in the minors at first base.”
April 3, 2018 – NJ.com
“Still, Andujar should take quickly to first base,
said Luis
Sojo, the team's Dominican Republic/United States transition head and
minor-league infield coach.
Andujar worked out there last season and in spring training,
and Yankees manager Aaron Boone has said it's possible Andujar play first
base in the majors for however long he's up.
"When you play the middle infield or you play third
base," Sojo said last week at the team's minor-league development complex,
"(first base) can be real easy for you. He's got the ability to do
it."
https://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2018/04/why_yankees_fan_favorite_says_miguel_andujar_shoul.html
I could keep going, but I think you get the point. The
Yankees think that Andujar’s future is at first base, and they think he can
handle the position well. When you have the opportunity to sign a
once-in-a-lifetime talent like Machado without disrupting too much with the
team, you do it. Period. Signing Machado to play third base and moving Andujar
to first base gives the Yankees a healthy infield that would rival any infield
of all-time. Machado, Didi Gregorius (when healthy), Gleyber Torres and Andujar
from left-to-right not only gives the Yankees one of the best hitting infields
of all-time, but that’s pretty damn good defensively as well.
I haven’t said this since the offseason before the 2009
season, but I am going to say it again. This was the exact phrase that kicked
off The Greedy Pinstripes, and it will be the phrase that brings another title
to the Bronx in 2019.
Get Greedy… Get Manny.