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Yankee Stadium (Photo Credit: Anthony DelMundo/New York Daily News)

Are the Yankees lurking, working, or jerking? …

This has been a strange offseason for the New York Yankees. The organization has been oddly quiet while other teams reload to end the current stranglehold on Major League Baseball by the gluttonous Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Yankees would have at least one big move out of the way by now, so the team could focus on the other areas of need. Yet here we are, less than a week before Christmas, and the most significant moves have been outfielder Trent Grisham’s acceptance of the qualifying offer and the re-signing of free agent LHP Ryan Yarbrough. Their returns occurred in November. The December transactions include Rule 5 activity and minor-league free-agent signings. No proven Major League commodity has been added this month. I hope the first Rule 5 pick since 2011 pans out to be a strong bullpen option (Cade Winquest), but we will table that for now. He has much to prove that he is worthy of a roster spot for 162 games. It would be a fantastic story if Winquest finds success in the Bronx. Otherwise, he will need to ensure that his ticket has a return to St Louis.

Cade Winquest (Photo Credit: Ashley Monjaras/Getty Images)

Ken Rosenthal reported on Saturday that the Yankees are lurking. I take his report with a grain of salt. I will believe it when I see it. Profitability is the foremost goal of Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. If given the choice of a championship or the almighty dollar, Hal will choose the latter. I know he is paying big money to the team’s best pitcher and its best player, but he is not doing enough to put those two superstars in the best position to win. Hal is a small market owner who happens to hold the most historic franchise in Major League history. I wish the Steinbrenner Family would decide to sell the team and walk away with literally billions of dollars.

The odds of Steinbrenner selling are about as good as the chances the Yankees will fire GM Brian Cashman and Manager Aaron Boone this offseason. Sadly, we are stuck with the Three Stooges for the near future.

Enough about my frustration with the team’s ownership and leadership.

The Cody Bellinger waiting game continues. There have been outrageous numbers and years thrown about through speculation (seven years, $200 million), but no team has signed off on that level of financial demand. If Bellinger ends up getting $200 million (I don't think he will, but saying if he did), I would want the Yankees to be the losers in the contract sweepstakes. This is despite my desire to see Bellinger return to the Yankees. This is a point where enough is enough. If it is not, turn the page and move on. I would love it if the Yankees turned to outfielder Kyle Tucker, either as Plan A or B. Sadly, I do not think the Yankees will sign Tucker even if Bellinger leaves. We will end up with a Michael Conforto-type to fill the left-field hole. I am sure the Chicago White Sox would gladly throw Andrew Benintendi the Yankees’ way. No thanks. I am prepared to be disappointed with left field. It is not an unfamiliar feeling, even if we had no worries in 2025.

I was sad to see Luke Weaver go. I know he was unplayable by the end of last season, but I was hopeful it was simply an off-year and that he would return to 2024 form in 2026. I got the Yankees’ decision to pass and let the crosstown Mets pay the big money on that bet. I will miss his personality and his best performances. If he succeeds in Queens, good for him. I do not feel the Yankees were wrong with this decision.

Devin Williams? Good riddance. I know that he eventually carved out a valuable role, but he was a huge reason (albeit not the only reason) the Yankees lost the AL East to the Toronto Blue Jays. His reaction to Yankees fans on social media after signing with the Mets only reinforced that the guy is mentally weak and unprepared for New York. I am sure the crowds at Citi Field will be far more forgiving. Yes, maybe not. With the departure of closer Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets will look to Williams to pick up the baton. For his sake, I hope Year 2 in New York is better than Year 1. Otherwise, it is not going to be pretty.

I will gladly take David Bednar as the Yankees' closer over Williams. I appreciate that they made the deadline deal to acquire Bednar from the Pirates. Bednar is the Yankees closer until he is not. I am sure the Yankees are working on Plan B, or I hope so. Relievers can be so volatile from year to year. I wish Williams had been a success in the Bronx, and the Yankees paid him handsomely to return. But it was not meant to be. C’est la vie. We move on.

I am not sure what I think about the Jazz Chisholm, Jr trade rumors. If he were to bring a strong starting pitcher to the Yankees, the team would make a free agent signing of Bo Bichette to replace him at second base. I could buy it. I would only be open to his trade if he brought strength to the team, and the team could backfill his position with a commensurate player. The last thing I want to see next year is a hole at second base if he is traded, with no capable replacements.

Although George Steinbrenner would have signed Pete Alonso for first base to keep him away from AL East competitors, I look forward to a defined role for Ben Rice. He has proven his worth, and he will continue to grow knowing where he will be positioned.

Ben Rice (Photo Credit: New York Yankees/Getty Images)

Although I was saddened to see RHP Michael King re-sign with the San Diego Padres, I did not think the Yankees would be aggressive in trying to sign him with draft-pick compensation attached because of the qualifying offer he received from the Padres. I am glad he did not go to an AL East competitor. The Boston Red Sox had been mentioned as a possible suitor.

I was pleased to see Don Mattingly’s resignation as Bench Coach of the Toronto Blue Jays. I love Donnie Baseball, but it was tough to watch him with a not-so-liked AL East competitor. I am not sure what his next move will be. Philadelphia is a likely landing spot for the bench coach position, with an old friend, Rob Thomson. The Phillies’ GM, Preston Mattingly, is also said to be familiar with the Yankees' great. While I do not have a great love for the Phillies, I would prefer to see Mattingly coach in Philly over in Toronto. I hope Mattingly gets another managerial opportunity, and selfishly, I would love to see him return to the Yankees. The only downside is that managers and coaches are inevitably fired. I would not want to see the Yankees fire Mattingly, so he should remain in the game, away from the AL East… and Houston. Sorry about the failed attempt at the Hall of Fame, Hit Man. I remain hopeful the Hall will open its doors for you one day. We, who saw you play, knew you were an elite player.

I continue to see fans speculate about who the Yankees should sign or trade for, but I feel apathetic this offseason. I blame Hal Steinbrenner. He has given us no reason to believe we are ready to cut the distance to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the game’s elite teams. Even the Pittsburgh Pirates have been more aggressive in improving their roster than the Yankees.

The New York Yankees have become the New York Run-it-backs. Minus a few players.

Hal, please give us a reason to believe in you and the team. Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge cannot do it alone.

As always, Go Yankees!