What the Yankees should do next

By Eddie Sapienza
Yesterday the Yankees made two trades. They now have some open spots to fill on their team. Let's get started with a good hitting infielder. The Yankees traded Martin Prado yesterday and he was a big piece to the Yankees lineup and he played solid defense.

The offseason is not over yet and their is still moves to be made. What some people have been saying is that the Yankees should sign Asdrubal Cabrera for second base as a possibility. I agree with the people who have been saying that but their is one problem.

In the system two infielders known as Jose Pirela and Rob Refsnyder are waiting for a call up. They both played superb in the 2015 season. Still Pirela has the edge over Refsnyder because he is a more finished product than Refsnyder.

In my opinion we should go with the home grown talent. Asdrubal Cabrera isn't considered old but us fans want this team as young as can be so Pirela/Refsnyder would be best for the job. Although that decision is up to Yankees GM Brian Cashman and he'll do what he thinks is best for the team.

Another problem that needs to be fixed is the rotation. We traded Prado and Phelps for Marlins pitcher Nate Eovaldi. From the season Eovaldi had in 2014 I'm concerned about him and the Yankees rotation.

Health isn't a concern for Eovaldi but the way he pitches is. In 2014 he went 6-14 with a 4.37 era. That is very concerning to Yankees fans. So what we did in that trade was give up one of our best hitters for a pitcher who can't even pitch. Cashman dealt wrong AGAIN but to our suffering he'll be with us for the next 3 years.


Cashman says he can transform Eovaldi into an ace. Let's hope that's true otherwise their will be rotation problems. Even though the Yankees rotation is full I still want them to go after a big pitcher such as Max Scherzer or James Shields. Scherzer's agent Scott Boras wanted 8 years 216 million dollars for Scherzer. That is a boatload of many and the Yankees will most likely not sign him.

Scherzer is a fantastic pitcher but for that money let somebody else overpay him. As for Shields I haven't heard any recent updates on him going to the Yankees or to any other team as of now. A lot of fans want the Yankees to rebuild. The Yankees are too impatient to wait 5 to 10 years for a rebuild. So that can't be a solution. If the Yankees want to make the playoffs in 2015 these moves need to be made and very soon.

Rumor: Yankees "Intrigued" By Rangers SS Andrus

The Yankees are "at least intrigued" by Rangers SS Elvis Andrus, The New York Post's Joel Sherman reports. 

Andrus, who has played for Texas since his rookie year of 2009, is a .272 career hitter. He was an integral part of the the teams who took home AL pennants in 2010 and 2011, and has appeared in two All-Star games. 

However, he does have some negatives.

From Sherman's article:

"Andrus’ eight-year, $120 million extension does not even begin until next season and runs through at least 2022. Texas would love to unload that deal as it searches this market for starting pitching. The Rangers can go inexpensive in the middle infield with some combination of Rougned Odor, Jurickson Profar and Luis Sardinas. However, they would be more comfortable doing that if they knew for sure Profar was going to be healthy moving forward after missing all of 2014 after tearing (then re-tearing) a muscle in his shoulder."

Indeed, Andrus will cost the Yankees a good amount of money. According to Sherman, he also showed up to spring training overweight this year, something that may have factored into his being caught steeling 15 times (most in the league) over the course of the schedule.

So yes, in some ways, it certainly seems that Andrus isn't someone worth acquring. Nonetheless, since he's still a relatively young 27 and probably a better offensive contributor than Stephen Drew, it's still a possibility that the Yankees' will make a run at him this winter, as expensive as he is.

What do you guys think?

Report: Yankees, Red Sox Interested in Headley

The Yankees and Red Sox could end up in a race to sign free agent Third Baseman Chase Headley this offseason, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports.

Headley will hit the market this winter after a solid 58-game stint with the Yankees in 2014. During that time, the career .265 hitter somewhat-disappointingly batted just .216, but still managed to collect a respectable six home runs and 17 RBI. 

From Heyman's article:  

"Boston has been long rumored to have its eye on [Pablo] Sandoval, but Headley makes sense, as well. The Red Sox seek production after their awful offensive season.

Sandoval and Headley are both free agents, with the incumbent teams both interested in re-signing them. The Giants have made no secret about wanting to keep Sandoval, and they have a terrific track record of keeping their starters, especially through their recent mini dynasty -- though they seemed to prefer a three-year deal in spring training, with Sandoval said to be seeking a $100-million-plus contract at the time.

The Yankees are said to want to re-sign Headley in what is an indication they have doubts whether Alex Rodriguez can return as a starting third baseman."

Headley said earlier this offseason that he has interest in staying with the Yankees, but doesn't mean the Red Sox are off the table. Coming off a dismal 71-win campaign during which they traded away Jon Lester, John Lackey, Andrew Miller, and Stephen Drew, it's clear that they're looking to build a contender for next year, with Headley possibly being a piece to that puzzle.

He'd certainly be cheaper than Sandoval, whom the Yankees may also take a look at. Nonetheless, since the Giants probably won't just let Sandoval walk after winning the World Series, it's definitely possible that Headley will eventually have to choose which side of baseball's biggest rivalry he wants to be on for 2015, although a bidding war between the two at this point still doesn't appear likely considering the infielder's decling stats.

Either way, this could get interesting.

ESPN New York Points Out Pros and Cons of Yankees Signing Jon Lester

ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand has pointed out the pros and cons of the Yankees possibly signing Jon Lester this offseason.

First the pros, which include Lester's reputation as a dominant postseason starter and the fact that he'd likely fit in well next to Masahiro Tanaka.

"Lester is coming off arguably his best season in the majors, which has included many good ones," Marchand wrote. "He basically throws 200 innings every season. All in all, he is an experienced top-of-the-rotation starter. There is a lot to like. "

Not many people disagree with that. Nonetheless, since a long-term deal would lock in Lester into his mid-30s Marchand warns that getting him might not be worth it, citing the other aging stars the Yankees currently have as reasons for his caution.

"The Yankees have been down this path before," he said. "These large contracts that extend into a player's mid-30s are often bad toward the middle and end. Between Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, expectations will likely be dulled for the aging Yankees going into 2015. To continue this cycle has a definite downside because Lester may not age well in pinstripes."

Despite making that argument, in the end, Marchand concluded that the Yankees should make a run at the lefty, but opined that they should do so with a length limit. Lester, 30, has gone 116-67 with a 3.58 ERA since 2006, numbers that seemingly represent a good amount of talent.

Red Sox Hire Chili Davis to Open Hitting Coach Position

The Red Sox have hired A's Hitting Coach Chili Davis to the same position, WEEI's Rob Bradford reports.

Davis, 54, has been with Oakland for the last three seasons. During that time, interestingly, the A's have done nothing but win, impressively taking home two division titles and a wild card berth.

From Bradford's post:

According to a major league source, the Red Sox have agreed to terms with Chili Davis to become their next hitting coach. 

Davis, who worked as the hitting coach for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox in 2011, has been the Oakland A’s hitting coach for the past three seasons. Though the A’s finished third in the AL in runs per game (4.5) under Davis this year, the team’s offense went into a tailspin in the final two months of the season, likely contributing to the A’s willingness to let the Sox talk to Davis, at a time when he remained under contract with Oakland. 

Davis was also interviewed by the Yankees, whom he played for from 1998-1999, this weekend. In each of those two seasons, as you probably already know, the Yanks captured championships, their twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth ones in franchise history.

As for his overall career, Davis solidly collected 350 home runs and 1,372 RBI, stats that definitely contributed to his making of three All-Star teams. Besides those numbers, though, he somewhat struggled at the plate, only batting .274 throughout 19 years.

The details of his new deal with Boston have not yet been revealed, but are expected to be soon.

YES Network Writer Makes Case For Why Yankees Should Sign Cabrera

A YES Network article has made the case for why the Yankees should sign former Indians Infielder Asdrubel Cabrera.

Doug Williams, a writer for the channel's website, laid out the opinion in a post published Thursday. Cabrera, who spent the last few months of this season with the Nationals, will be a free agent this winter, and is expected to garner at least some interest from New York's AL representative.

"The best word to use when describing Asdrubal Cabrera would be solid," Williams argued. "You can expect 15-20 home runs and 60-70 RBI from him on a yearly basis."

Williams used Cabrera's age and price as further reasons for his viewpoint. 

"He's only 28 years old and is a two-time All-Star," Williams said. "The combination of being young, experienced, and not wildly expensive is what makes Cabrera the best option out there. And if the Yankees sign him to a two or three-year contract and decide to upgrade at any point, he's a valuable piece on the bench with the flexibility to play multiple positions and hit from both sides of the plate."

Cabrera, an eight-year veteran, is a .268 career hitter. Of his 87 total home runs, interestingly, 69 have come since 2011, easily making him a desirable power option.

Headley Admittedly Not Sure if Yankees Will Re-Sign Him

Free Agent Third Baseman Chase Headley admitted that he isn't sure if the Yankees will re-sign him this offseason.

Headley, 30, hit .262 with 6 home runs and 17 RBIs in 58 games for New York this year. Going into this winter, Headley is expected to get a good amount of interest from around the league, but up until now no team has specifically stated their intentions to pursue him.

"I don’t know if (the Yankees) are going to be interested," Headley recently told The Journal News. "They do have a player under contract. We’ll kinda see how that shakes out."

Headley said that he wouldn't mind signing with the Yanks if they approached him, but would want to know about what their plans to use him for the future are.

"If they do show interest, then there would be mutual interest," he said. "But that would be something we’d want to talk about, and see what the role would look like, coming into (next season). Not something that I’d be scared of, but something I’d like to have clarity on, and I’m sure the organization would as well."

Headley, if he does stay with the Yankees, wouldn't be their only infield option by any means. As he mentioned earlier, they already have the returning Alex Rodriguez under contract, with utility man Martin Prado also being available to play the hot corner if needed.

MLB's Official Offseason Schedule

10/21 — World Series begins with home field advantage going to the American League champion.

November— Deadline to offer qualifying offers to free agents 5 days after World Series.

November — Deadline to accept qualifying offers 12 days after World Series.

11/10 - 11/12 — GM Meetings

Nov. 19-20 — Owners’ meetings, Kansas City, Missouri.

12/8 - 12/11 — Winter meetings

1/13 — Salary arbitration filing.

1/16 — Salary arbitration figures exchanged.

2/1 -- Prospects Month Starts on TGP

2/19 — Reporting date for pitchers, catchers and injured players.

2/1 - 2/21 — Salary arbitration hearings

2/24 — Reporting date for other players.

3/3 — Mandatory reporting date.

4/6 -- Yankees Opening Day

Cashman Admits That It's Not Safe to Assume A-Rod Can Play Third

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman admitted in his press conference today that it's not safe to assume Alex Rodriguez can play third base in 2015. 

Cashman, fresh off a three-year contract extension he reached with the team this afternoon, and the rest of the Yanks have often stated this season that they believe in the veteran's abilities. Rodriguez, 39, was suspended all of last year for allegedly using steroids, the second time he had been accused of doing so in his career.

“I don’t think it’s safe to assume that (Rodriguez) can play third base,” Cashman told The LoHud Yankees Blog. “Obviously Alex has been a third baseman in years gone by. He missed obviously a full year. With his age and missing a full year, (the Yankees saw) how it affected Derek (Jeter), how it affected Mark Teixeira, for instance. You have some perspective. This is a very difficult game."

Cashman said that he still has confidence in the troubled infielder, but added that he doesn't think it's likely that he'll be able to get through the entire schedule. 

"Alex is up for that challenge," Cashman said, "there’s no doubt about it, but I think that with Martin Prado here to provide flexibility, as well as potential acquisitions whether it’s free agents or maybe trades that present themselves over time, I think from the chair that I sit in, I think it’s safer to assume that might not be something that he can handle the whole year.”

Currently, the Yankees seem to want A-Rod to start, but also appear to be weighing their options. At this point, obviously, nothing is certain with Rodriguez, a fact that could lure the club into aquiring another guy this offseason. Again, could. 

Yankees Could Pursue Giants 3B Sandoval This Offseason

The Yankees could consider pursuing Giants Third Baseman Pablo Sandoval this offseason, The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo reports.

Sandoval, 28, will be a free agent this winter after spending the first seven years of his career in San Francisco. During that time, in which he made it to two All-Star Games, the Giants won a pair of World Series, beating the Rangers in 2010 and the Tigers in 2012.

"The Giants would be surprised if Sandoval was their starting third baseman next season with the team’s management not likely to offer more than a three-year deal for the heavy-set switch-hitter, who is likely to receive better offers," the aforementioned Cafardo wrote.

Cafardo opined that only the three richest clubs, the Dodgers, Yankees, and Red Sox, will be able to afford the veteran. Sandoval, in 588 at-bats since 2008, has hit .294 with 106 home runs and 462 RBIs, numbers that seem worthy of a sizable contract.

"Most major league executives we’ve talked to believe Sandoval will wind up with a five-year deal worth about $100 million," Cafardo stated. "That could be with the Red Sox, Yankees, or Dodgers."

Yes it could, but considering that the deals they made last offseason haven't worked out yet it'd be strange for the Yankees to make another right now. Not impossible by any means, but still, definitely not likely.

Girardi "Sure" Yankees Will Make Some Moves This Offseason

Yankees' Manager Joe Girardi is confident the team will makes some moves this offseason.

Girardi, whose Yanks went just 84-78 this year despite spending $503 million the subsequent winter, said so during his final 2014 press conference yesterday. Girardi said he is "sure" the Yankees will do something prior to Spring Training, but didn't clarify exactly what.

"I'm sure there will be some pieces added," Girardi told The Wall Street Journal. "I can't tell you exactly what, but I don't remember the last time the Yankees haven't added a piece during the offseason."

For New York fans, the hope is that a notable upcoming free agent, such as Jon Lester, Victor Martinez, or Nelson Cruz, will be one of those pieces. Nonetheless, Girardi still expressed belief in his current players during the discussion, claiming that a healthier club next season will limit the direness of its current situation. 

"I look around and say we have a lot of good pieces. We do," he said. "We expect to be a healthier club next year with people being a year removed from surgery. And we saw some people have some pretty good years, so I'm not sure the task is maybe as big as a lot of people think."

If guys like Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran produce in 2015, then yes, that speculation would be true. Still, since success at this point simply can't be guaranteed acquisitions probably do need to be brought in this December, as having another ace-like hurler right now would only necessitate a good offense less.