Looking for Mr Cashman...

 

Photo Credit: Mike Stobe, Getty Images

Yankees remain silent this off-season…

 'Twas the night before Christmas…

That’s it, sorry.

There is your recap of the Yankees Universe since the team cleared out their lockers in October. Alright, there has been some activity but nothing of the variety that gives bloggers something to talk (write) about. I didn’t expect any activity in November but I was certain there would be some movement in December. Well, for other teams maybe but not the beloved Pinstripers.

The Yankees did bring back a couple of familiar names this month. Reliever Adam Warren, making his fourth return to the team, is back and ready to resume his career after a Tommy John sabbatical. He’s not glamorous but Warren has always been a trooper when called upon. Historically, he’s done better with the Yankees than some of his other teams, but whatever works. I like him and I’m glad he has an opportunity for another run with his original team. The other comebacker is Nestor Cortes Jr., who was sleepless in Seattle last season. Depending upon how things shake out, there’s potentially a role for either guy. Worst case, they represent depth although I doubt either wants to see the bright lights of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA. It will be fun to see and hear their thoughts on camera when the guys assemble in Tampa in a couple of months.

Photo Credit: Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports

I have to say I was disappointed to see Tommy Kahnle leave. It was inevitable when the Yankees attempted to send him outright to Scranton at the end of October and he elected free agency. He won’t pitch again until 2022, thanks to Tommy John surgery, but I still hated to see him leave. I liked him when he was a Yankees prospect, hated it when he got plucked away by the Colorado Rockies, was happy when he returned, and although I was disappointed with his 2018 season, I was still glad the huge Eagles fan was a Yankee. He’s always just been one of those players I like through thick and thin. I guess all things considered, I was happy to see him land with the Los Angeles Dodgers if he was going to leave the Yankees. The LA Angels would have been fine too as I can walk to Angels Stadium but Dodger Stadium is a quick ride up I-5 (I can lane split, legal in CA, with my motorcycle). I am on record as saying the Dodgers are my favorite NL team and they have been ever since Donnie Baseball was their manager (not sure why I didn’t fully embrace them when Joe Torre was their manager). Tough for a Yankees fan to say, but I probably own more Dodgers caps (to go with my Mookie Betts jersey and other Dodgers paraphernalia).  You have to understand that while I love the Yankees, I love Los Angeles. I don’t mean specifically the Dodgers…I just love the city. I was away for four years in Colorado but I’ve been back in the greater Los Angeles area since March and I am thankful for every day back home despite the pandemic. I kind of wish the cost of living were less and that not so many other people loved it here, but that’s okay, I find my happiness here. So, welcome to Los Angeles, Tommy! I know the Dodger fans will appreciate your enthusiasm for the game and the talent you possess in your arm. 

I know the Yankees inactivity is based largely on the ongoing negotiations with DJ LeMahieu. I get it, but it always strikes me as odd that a team which employs so many people in the front office, they simply cannot multi-task.  When GM Brian Cashman said that Gleyber Torres was a better second baseman than shortstop (not those exact words but the meaning was there), I did wonder if he was setting the stage for LeMahieu’s departure and to express his desire to bring in a shortstop over an encore performance by Le Machine. What shortstop? I don’t know. I don’t really expect a Francisco Lindor trade, and although I recognize Andrelton Simmons as a premier glove, he just doesn’t excite me.  I’d probably rather see the return of Didi Gregorius, even if he isn’t the defender Simmons is. Didi has the “it” quality. He brings so many intangibles to a team and he’s very cohesive in the clubhouse. Team chemistry is so important and Didi is certainly a glue.  He can also bring it with the bat when necessary. I know he’s getting older but he is also distancing himself from Tommy John surgery and I think he can be a solid contributor for a World Series champion…if LeMahieu leaves. The Yankees can’t let DJ leave for Toronto or the Mets, can they? That would be heartbreaking either way.

While I think Brian Cashman will bring a formidable starting rotation to camp, the present assignment of Gerrit Cole (great), Jordan Montgomery (good) and the bevy of Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt, Michael King, Jonathan Loaisiga and Domingo German (nice potential) just doesn’t strike me as a rotation that can compete with the best of the best. The Yankees clearly need a solid #2. Luis Severino can be THAT guy but he won’t be ready until mid-season at the earliest and you always have to recognize the early return after TJ surgery can be a bumpy road. In my mind, Sevy is not the Sevy of old until 2022 at the earliest. In other words, if I am trying to determine the guys I need to make a championship run in 2021, Sevy is just not one of the chess pieces I’d count on. Anything we get from Sevy should be considered gravy. Hopefully, he’ll be a beast in 2022 but that doesn’t help this season.

Now that the Pittsburgh Pirates have traded first baseman Josh Bell to the Washington Nationals, it will hopefully end some of the Luke Voit trade talk. I’ve already seen the ‘let’s trade Ford to Pittsburgh because they need a first baseman’ tweets. Not that I’d be opposed to trading Mike Ford or trying to acquire Pirates starter Joe Musgrove, but I recognize if we are thinking about it now, Brian Cashman has thought about it and has moved on to other ideas.  The one thing we’ll never see in our lifetimes is Brian Cashman looking at Twitter and saying, “Oh geesh, I should have thought about that!”. 

Put me in the category of those who say do whatever it takes to make Luis Castillo a Yankee. I don’t think it will happen but, man, a front two of Gerrit Cole and Luis Castillo would be sweet.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

I haven’t formed my thoughts on the 2021 season yet, but I don’t think, today, the Yankees have the roster to make 2021 the first championship year since 2009. I think they have the team, with pending enhancements and modifications, to be the last team standing. But it is a matter of when (if?) the Yankees make the necessary moves to bring the championship back to the Bronx.  I do expect some movement in January but ultimately who knows. This is a weird year, unlike any we’ve ever experienced. I look forward to a day when the COVID-19 vaccines are readily available for all of us and we can return to some sense of normalcy. Bumping elbows at a baseball game has been missed. Pour your beer on me when we return to stadiums…it’s all good. I’ll take the bad with the good because baseball, and baseball live and in person, is better. I look forward to it.

It is Christmas and I wish a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours. We’ve suffered a great deal this year. Many of us have lost friends and loved ones and we’ll certainly never forget them. I am glad you are here and I want you…and your family…to be happy and safe. Setting the Yankees aside, the most important aspect of this blog is you, your health and the health of those around you. There are challenging times ahead before it gets better but together we are strong and together we’ll get through this. Much love to all of you...

Merry Christmas, my friends.

As always, Go Yankees!

Who Wants to Join the Yankees?...

Trading Deadline May Bring More New Faces…

I am not sure which time is more important today…4 pm Eastern when the Non-Waiver Trading Deadline ends or 7:05 pm Eastern when the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles get after it on the Yankee Stadium turf. This is always one of my favorite days of the year and there is generally a flurry of activity. Whether or not our favorite team decides to play remains to be seen but I am sure it will be thrilling to the finish. Then, let’s go out and beat the Orioles. 

Friggin’ Boston won last night, unfortunately. The Philadelphia Phillies took the Red Sox into extra innings before Blake Swihart won it with a walk-off ground rule double in the bottom of the 13^th inning, scoring Eduardo Nunez with the winning run. So, the Yankees begin play tonight six games behind the Red Sox in the AL East. Boston also plugged a hole at second base last night when they acquired the hard-nosed Ian Kinsler from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to fill in for the injured Dustin Pedroia. Thanks for nothing, Billy Eppler. 

I was very surprised with yesterday’s moves by the Yankees. After the dust settled, the Yankees had replaced reliever Adam Warren with a better swingman pitcher, Lance Lynn, and they were able to do it without adding payroll. The news of Adam Warren’s trade to the Seattle Mariners struck first. Maybe I am not so surprised that Warren was traded (we eventually have to make room for Tommy Kahnle, and A.J.Cole, though seldom used, has proven valuable in long relief). However, I was surprised the Yankees traded him to the Seattle Mariners, a team the Yankees are likely to face in a Wild Card elimination game if they are unsuccessful in catching the Red Sox. The Yankees seem to be on a mission to rebuild the bullpens for both the Orioles and the Mariners. Warren, a free agent after the season, will join former Yankee James Pazos in the Mariners pen. David Phelps is also a Mariner but he’s on the disabled list after undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this year.To the Yankees’ credit, they didn’t trade Phelps to the Mariners but Pazos and outfielder Ben Gamel were ‘roster-crunch’ deliveries to the Great Northwest. Warren was not flashy but it always seemed like the guy did his job. I will miss his consistency in the pen. For Warren, the Yankees acquired more international bonus pool money. You can’t blame GM Brian Cashman for looking ahead to the future while making his ‘right now’ moves. 

Later, the Warren trade became clearer when the Yankees swung a deal with the Minnesota Twins for starter Lance Lynn. The cost was first baseman Tyler Austin (which explains why the Yankees acquired first baseman Luke Voit from the St Louis Cardinals) and minor league pitcher Luis Rijo.  Lynn (7-8, 5.10 ERA) does not excite me as a starter but I recognize he fills a void as the rotation’s sixth man.  Lynn has also started two games against the Boston Red Sox this year and fared well both times. In his most recent game last Friday, Lynn held Boston to two runs over six innings but did not factor into the decision (a game the Twins lost 4-3). On June 20^th, Lynn was the winner when he held the Sox to only one run (none earned) and three hits with five innings of work. Lynn walks too many guys (62 batters in 102 1/3 innings or 1.632 WHIP, Yikes!) but maybe Cashman is right that Lynn’s stuff plays up in the bullpen. We’ll see. I am a little sad to see Tyler Austin go.  The guy loved being a Yankee and I had felt he should have been the one to get the call when Aaron Judge was placed on the DL. I will miss his attitude on the team even if he never really delivered the results that warranted his place on the roster. Maybe he was never given enough of a chance. Regardless, I hope he prospers in Minneapolis when he gets his opportunities. A good guy that I am sorry to see leave.   

I am not sure what today will bring. With the Yankees so close to the luxury tax threshold, I honestly do not see any major moves of significance. If the Yankees do make a trade or two, they’ll most likely have to shed some payroll as the team needs money for September callups and any other necessary roster additions between now and the end of the season. So, as much as Yankees fans would love it, there’s no scenario where I see the Yankees making the bold decision to shed high level prospects for the great Bryce Harper. If there’s anything about this afternoon’s deadline that excites me, it is the end of the ‘Harper to the Yanks’ rumors. Team Hal is not going to pay (prospects or money) to bring Harper to New York regardless of how we may feel.   

I do think the Yankees will pick up a bat today. I was sorry to see the Cincinnati Reds trade outfielder Adam Duvall to the Atlanta Braves because I thought Duvall would have fit nicely in the Bronx. More than likely, we’ll see a reunion with someone like former Yankee Curtis Granderson, which clearly does not exactly excite me. He is a wonderful character guy, one of the best, great for the clubhouse. But the skills have faded with age. I’d prefer to see a player with a greater ceiling added. 

I am keeping my expectations low for today. I’d love for Brian Cashman to shock the World but I don’t think it is going to be that kind of day. I think 2 pm will come and go quietly for the Yankees.

The Yankees acquired RHP Sonny Gray a year ago today. It will be interesting to see if he is still a Yankee at the conclusion of the day. Happy Anniversary…don’t let the door hit you on the way out. If the Yankees do somehow pry Chris Archer from the Tampa Bay Rays (improbable if you ask me), I think it is a certainty Gray will be wearing a different uniform tomorrow.

As for other transactions, the acquisition of closer Roberto Osuna by the Houston Astros was shocking to say the least. Osuna has been a brilliant closer (the Yankees certainly have not been able to hit against him), but for a team that is so concerned about character, the addition of a player who has missed the majority of the season due to a 75-game suspension for violating MLB’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse policy, it is alarming. I was saddened to see Ken Giles leave Houston since the Yankees seem to do so well against him but I guess we’ll have better opportunities now with the Blue Jays pen. From a talent-standpoint, Osuna was probably a great addition for Houston but you wonder what it will do to clubhouse chemistry. Osuna is eligible to return next week.

Okay, I will go ahead and dream a little…

It’s not going to happen but like Manny Machado, it is certainly fun to think about.

If anything, the flurry of Yankees activity over the past week has freed up some good numbers. 26, 29, 43, 45. Lately it has seemed like the last guy on the roster always gets 38. If I was A.J. Cole, I’d trade in 67 quickly before a newcomer snags one of the lower numbers. Or I wouldn’t blame Miguel Andujar for cashing in his pitcher’s number 41 for a more appealing one like 26. Chasen Shreve was unable to keep his number 45 with the St Louis Cardinals, thanks to some guy named Bob Gibson. Shreve opted for Luis Severino’s number. I had to wonder if it was a nod to Sevy.   

To go off topic, I am very glad to see the Minnesota Vikings re-sign wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the recipient of the Minneapolis Miracle catch last fall in the play-off game against the New Orleans Saints. When the Vikings paid huge money in the off-season to free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins, I was fearful there would be severe ramifications on other spots on the roster. Since then, the Vikings have signed key players to extensions like LB Eric Kendricks and DE Danielle Hunter, among others. The Vikings still need to find a way to secure LB Anthony Barr, but the nucleus of the its core is in place. A few years ago, wide receiver was such a troublesome spot for the Vikings. They failed miserably a few with former first round pick Cordarrelle Patterson and there were no apparent bright spots on the horizon. Now, Diggs and Adam Thielen have developed to give the Vikings a great catching duo, one of the best in the NFL, for Cousins, and the three will be in place at least through the 2020 season. Vikings EVP-Football Operations Rob Brzezinski is a master with the salary cap. He doesn’t get enough credit and recognition for his value to the Vikings. Diggs’ five-year extension is expected to be worth around $14 million per year. I am very glad to see the Maryland product back in the fold. Like the Yankees, the Vikings are a good, young team with lots of promise. 

Let’s see what this day and Brian Cashman have in store for us. Wins both on and off the field would be nice. We don’t want much. Total domination and annihilation of the American League is fine.

Go Yankees!

Yankees Trade Adam Warren to Seattle for IFA $

The New York Yankees have agreed to send RHP Adam Warren to the Seattle Mariners for international free agent money. With the deal the Yankees have acquired $3.75 million in IFA spending money, which one would think has to be the max that the team can acquire in one signing period. Teams can acquire up to 75% of their international cap from other teams and the Yankees had a shade over $4 million to spend when the IFA market opened on July 2, 2018.

This has to be a precursor to a couple moves, one being the signing of Victor Victor Mesa off the international market, and a second move for one or more of an outfielder, reliever and a starting pitcher. Stay tuned...

Catching Up on Easter

A guy wants to take a few days off over the Easter holiday and all hell breaks loose on the Yankees transactions page. Figures, let's get caught back up.

Billy McKinney made his MLB debut on Saturday, and was promptly added to the 10-day disabled list after spraining his shoulder. McKinney ran into the wall in the first inning before exiting the game with the sprain. In a subsequent roster move Miguel Andujar was called up to replace him.

Adam Warren took a line drive off his ankle during the same game, but he was fortunate enough to avoid the disabled list after being diagnosed with a contusion (bone bruise).

Tyler Austin is good.

Dellin Betances is not (yet).

New York signed Oliver Perez to a minor league deal after learning that Giovanny Gallegos will start the Triple-A season on the disabled list with a groin injury. Perez had a non-roster invite to Cincinnati Reds camp this spring and did not impress allowing ten runs, eight hits and four walks for the Reds this spring in just 6.2 inning pitched.

A High View in Center...

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Fred Thornhill)

Continuing the long line of great Yankee Centerfielders…

Aaron Judge, Center Field.  

It was an odd sight on Saturday when Manager Aaron Boone inserted the 6’7” slugger into the lineup at center rather than his customary spot in right field. Injuries and the need to rest Brett Gardner force Boonie’s hand. While Judge played well, the move turned out to be for naught when Gardy had to enter the game anyway after Billy McKinney crashed into the left field wall and was removed from the game. Boone kept Judge in center and put Gardy in left for McKinney which was the right move. 

Given how uncomfortable Giancarlo Stanton looked in left field during Spring Training, Judge handled center field very smoothly. Unorthodox, sure, but Judge did play center in college so it’s not like he has never played the position before. I liked the move as position versatility is a big part of the 2018 Yankees. Stanton will be in left field for today’s game so that’s a riskier move than Judge in center, in my opinion.

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

After the game, McKinney was placed on the disabled list with a sprain of the acromioclavicular joint, or AC joint, in his left shoulder. He is expected to miss a few weeks. With neither Jacoby Ellsbury nor Clint Frazier ready to come off the DL, the Yankees are running short on outfielders. Of the outfielders on the 40-man roster, four are now on the DL and the remaining three are on the active roster. So, to add an outfielder would have necessitated the elimination of a spot on the 40-man roster to add someone. The next available outfielder in the organization is probably Shane Robinson. The Yankees opted to call up third baseman Miguel Andujar (already on the 40-man roster), and indicated Tyler Wade would be in the mix for outfield work. Brandon Drury also has played the outfield but the Yankees preference seems to be to keep him at third. Of course, Twitter was ablaze yesterday with The Curse of Jabari Blash tweets over the outfield calamities.  

Andujar will see time at first base, third base and DH, so it will be interesting to see how Boone mixes and matches the lineups in the coming days. He’s penciled in at DH for today’s game. Jacoby Ellsbury is eligible for activation on Thursday, assuming he is ready, so Andujar’s stay may be short. I never thought I’d look forward to Ellsbury’s return but here we are. For now, Andujar gets the chance to display some of the magic he wielded early in training camp. At decision time when Ellsbury returns, I’d probably keep Andujar and send Jonathan Holder down to Triple A, especially if he hits the way we know he can.   

Welcome back to the Show, Miguel! We hope the second appearance is as magical as the first.

Congratulations to Tyler Austin. His two home runs in yesterday’s 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays tied the game twice. That’s a great way to take advantage of an opportunity. Austin is tied for the team lead in home runs and is two homers ahead of Aaron Judge. I know, it’s early but good for Austin. Naturally, the day earned him a spot on the bench for today’s game. Still, Austin should be good for a pinch hit appearance.  

Photo Credit: New York Post (Corey Sipkin)

It wasn’t a great game for the big guys. Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez were combined 0-for-8 with a strikeout. Giancarlo Stanton with 1-for-3 with a walk, but no runs. The trio went 0-for-12 the day before so hopefully it’s time for some big hits today. It’s a rest day for El Gary so the power show will be up to Judge and Stanton.    

Aaron Boone is already taking heat for the bullpen. I was surprised to see Aroldis Chapman on Opening Day when the Yankees had a five-run lead. After pitching both Thursday and Friday, the Cuban Missile was not available on Saturday. The bullpen struggled yesterday and was responsible for the loss despite Tyler Austin’s heroics. Adam Warren got the first call in relief of starter CC Sabathia. He took over in the bottom of the sixth and recorded the first out on a grounder to third. But he walked the next batter, Kevin Pillar. Aledmys Diaz followed with a come-backer to the mound that struck Warren on the right ankle. Warren’s ankle diverted the path of the ball to first base so Tyler Austin was able to make the tag play on Diaz, but Pillar advanced to second. Warren was unable to continue and his replacement, Jonathan Holder, was greeted by Luke Maile’s run-scoring single.  

Austin tied the game with his second home run, a shot to left, so the score was tied when Dellin Betances entered in the bottom of the seventh inning. Betances allowed a single to the first batter he faced, Curtis Granderson, but a perfect strike from Gary Sanchez to Didi Gregorious on a steal attempt nailed the Grandy Man at second. The Blue Jays challenged the play but replay showed Didi got the glove down on Grandy’s sliding hand a split second before it reached the bag. It was a tremendous play that helped Betances get out of the seventh unscathed and should have been momentum for better things.  

But Boone overplayed his hand and brought Betances back for the bottom of the eighth.  Enter Betances; exit potential win. Former Yankee Yangervis Solarte, with a bat flip, blasted a leadoff homer to give the Blue Jays a one-run lead.  Betances struck out Randal Grichuk but then the comedy ensued. Kevin Pillar reached base on a single to right. After striking out Aledmys Diaz for the second out, Pillar stole second off Betances who then lost Luke Maile on a 3-2 count to put the runner at first.  Pillar and Maile advanced on a double-steal with no play by the Yankees. Pillar then made a break for home and Dellin’s erratic throw to Gary Sanchez allowed Pillar to cross the plate easily for the second run of the inning. Betances managed to strike out Gift Ngoepe to finally end the inning, but the Blue Jays were up, 5-3. From there, the Yankees went down quietly against Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna in the top of the 9th, and the Yankees had suffered their first loss of the season.

I am not ready to condemn Betances (well, maybe I am) but the Blue Jays clearly got into his head in the 8th inning. Runners on base are never a good thing when Betances is on the mound but the Blue Jays wrote a blueprint for the rest of the league. Four steals in one inning. This is something Betances needs to figure out in the games ahead or teams will routinely exploit this weakness.  I don’t trust Betances with the game on the line right now. I would have preferred David Robertson in that spot. Actually, I’d take D-Rob, Tommy Kahnle and Chad Green as my late inning, high-leverage guys over Betances. I really hope he is able to turn this around. Otherwise, I’d be in favor of dumping Betances in a trading deadline deal. When he is on, there are not many better than Betances, but when he’s off, he makes Tyler Clippard look very, very good. Love the arm but he’s too much of a head case for me.

Photo Credit: New York Post (Corey Sipkin)

The Yanks look to rebound today in the getaway game. Sonny Gray will take the mound to face Marcus Stroman. Many are predicting a great season from Gray and it starts here. Hopefully he carries the team to victory so that the flight back to New York is an enjoyable one. 

I have to admit that I felt very underwhelmed on Saturday morning when I saw that the Yankees had signed left-handed reliever Oliver Perez, 36. He’ll add depth at Triple A, which is a little short on lefties. Perez pitched for the Washington Nationals last year (appearing in 50 games with an 0-0 record and 4.64 ERA). The former Met failed to make the Cincinnati Reds in Spring Training and was released last weekend. Hopefully injuries do not force the Yankees to add Perez to the Major League roster (where he’d make $1 million). If that happens, it is not a very good sign for the state of the Bullpen. It would have made for a great April Fool’s Day joke except that’s today, not yesterday.  

Let’s get a win today and head back to New York with a 3-1 record. Go Yankees!

Examining the Yankees Payroll Situation After "Arbitration Friday"

Photo credit: Pinstripe Alley

The deadline for players and teams to swap numbers and potentially come to an agreement on a contract for the 2018 season has come and gone and the New York Yankees agreed to terms with each and every one of their arbitration eligible players. I may be only speaking for myself and Dellin Betances here but I will say this anyway, thank goodness. Earlier in the week I personally wrote an article laying out how the arbitration process could make or break the Yankees offseason and their search for austerity. Let's look at how those numbers panned out and how it will or won't affect not only the Yankees attempt to get under the $197 million luxury tax threshold but also how it could affect how the organization goes about their offseason both in the trade market and on the free agent market as well.

Here are the eight Yankees arbitration eligible players with their MLB Trade Rumors arbitration prediction numbers in parenthesis and the actual number they agreed to with the team beside it in red. Let's analyze.

Adam Warren ($3.1 million) 3.315 million - +$0.215 million 

Didi Gregorius ($9 million) $8.25 million - $0.75 million "saving"

Dellin Betances ($4.4 million) $5.1 million - +0.7 million

Sonny Gray ($6.6 million) $6.5 million - $100K "savings"

Austin Romine ($1.2 million) $1.1 million - $100K "savings"

Aaron Hicks ($2.9 million) $2.85 million - $500K "savings"

Tommy Kahnle ($1.3 million) $1.3125 million - +$0.125 million

Chasen Shreve ($900K) $0.825 million - $0.075 million "savings"

Alright, so the Yankees had five players who made less than what MLB Trade Rumors predicted and three that made more than what MLBTR predicted for a total of $29.2525 million. MLB Trade Rumors predicted the Yankees spending $29.4 million which means the Yankees beat that number by $0.1475 million, I would say that is "winning." 

The Yankees didn't go over the $30 million the team had allotted for arbitration this season and now have roughly $22 million to work with this season. Now keep in mind this includes any call ups throughout the season, any additions at the July 31st trade deadline, and potentially up to $2 million in incentives for left-hander CC Sabathia leaving the Yankees very little wiggle room in the grand scheme of things. Does this leave enough room for Yu Darvish? Probably not. Does it leave enough room for Mike Moustakas on a one-year pillow contract? I mean, maybe... but it isn't likely. Does this leave enough room to, barring a Jacoby Ellsbury or David Robertson type trade to clear space, add a veteran at third base like Eduardo Nunez and maybe another lesser starting pitcher or reliever to call it an offseason? Yes, that seems the most likely option right now. 

Damn you austerity, and damn you slow offseason. DO SOMETHING!

Arbitration Could Make or Break the Yankees Offseason

Photo Credit to New York Daily News

Good morning Yankees family and welcome to another slow offseason day here in the Bronx and around Major League Baseball. What do we know? We know the Yankees made the biggest splash this offseason, to date anyway, with the acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton. We know the Yankees unloaded salary with the Chase Headley and Starlin Castro trades, and continue to look to unload salary, with the hopes of getting under the luxury tax threshold of $197 million. We also know that the Yankees still need or want at least one of a second baseman, third baseman and a pitcher, either a reliever or starter. The Yankees look stacked right now, but it could all be for nothing if the team cannot get under the luxury tax threshold keeping them out of the Manny Machado, Bryce Harper and possibly the Clayton Kershaw sweepstakes among others before the 2019 season. While many see the Yankees payroll as it stands today and thinks the team has X amount of dollars available to spend one must remember a few things when calculating payroll including one such event that happens here in about a week, arbitration.

Arbitration could make or break the Yankees offseason and it could be a huge indicator of what is to come for the club as far as their offseason spending goes. If the Yankees can’t come to terms with their players and/or the team gets hit with a number bigger than expected through the arbitration process the team may begin scrambling trying to unload more salary, see David Robertson as possibly the first one to go. If the team comes out better than expected than you may see the team dip their toes into the free agent market while also trying to unload more salary, just maybe this time with a Jacoby Ellsbury while eating salary.

The Yankees have eight arbitration-eligible players this offseason, seen below with MLB Trade Rumors projected salaries in parenthesis, that the Yankees will either have to sign or will go through the arbitration process with on January 12.

Adam Warren ($3.1 million)

Didi Gregorius ($9 million)

Dellin Betances ($4.4 million)

Sonny Gray ($6.6 million)

Austin Romine ($1.2 million)

Aaron Hicks ($2.9 million)

Tommy Kahnle ($1.3 million)

Chasen Shreve ($900K)

Now the Yankees reportedly have $30 million set aside and budgeted for the arbitration process this offseason and a quick add up of those numbers from MLB Trade Rumors above comes up to just $29.4 million. That gives the Yankees about $600K to play with, a scary thought when you consider that MLBTR is generally close with their predictions, but not always 100% accurate. If just one player, Didi Gregorius or Dellin Betances for example, goes and gets more money than expected the Yankees offseason is thrown into a complete loop upside down.

So many Yankees fans are wondering why the team has been slow to acquire Gerrit Cole from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Yu Darvish off the free agent market or any infielder to speak of but you may just have your answer right there. The team is possibly waiting for these numbers to be exchanged before pulling the trigger on anything, and that’s smart if the team still wants to get under the $197 million luxury tax threshold. Patience and being patient sucks Yankees family, but remember that in Brian Cashman we trust. The “Ninja” always has a plan. 

All Rise for Home Sweet Home...

Credit:  Abbie Parr-Getty Images

American League Championship Series

Yankees 8, Astros 1

Astros lead Series, 2-1

CC Sabathia is proving, again and again, that he is the team's prime stopper in 2017. I almost feel bad since I was among those who left CC for dead. I started to buy into Sabathia early in the season, but when he ran into his bump in the road and time on the DL, I was burying the guy again. Yet, here he is on the main stage, being trusted with the ball in the most dire situations and he has not disappointed. Monday, backed by home runs from Todd Frazier and Aaron Judge, Sabathia reeled off his 10th win (against no losses) following a Yankees loss with an elite 1.69 ERA in those situations as the Yankees put the brakes on Houston's march to the World Series.  

Aaron Judge draws the most attention when going yard, but the biggest hit was provided courtesy of Todd Frazier. At the trading deadline when the Yankees acquired Frazier, it felt like he was going to be a two month rental before moving on. However, Frazier is showing how much he enjoys playing in the Bronx and seems to be tailor made for Yankee Stadium. I recognize that Miguel Andujar (or perhaps a free agent signing of Manny Machado after the 2018 season) represents the future at third, but Frazier deserves an encore performance in the Bronx next season.  

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

While the final line for Astros starter Charlie Morton was not pretty, he was pitching great early. After two strikeouts by Morton to start the game, Didi Gregorius got the first hit for the Yankees with an infield grounder to third, but he was quickly erased for the final out when Morton's pickoff throw to first was a little faster than Didi's sliding hand.  

It looked like Morton, who grew up as a Yankees fan in Connecticut, was going to have a very good game in this pitching-strong series. Like the first inning, Morton got two quick outs to start the second inning...a line out to center by Gary Sanchez, who jumped on the first pitch, and a strike out of Greg Bird. Then, Starlin Castro hit a weak squibbler toward third that third baseman Alex Bregman tried unsuccessfully to barehand. Carlos Correa retrieved the ball and threw to first, but Castro had already crossed the bag. Aaron Hicks followed with a high fly to left that dropped in for a single. The Yankees had runners at first and second, but those were two hard earned hits so you couldn't really fault Morton. On Morton's third pitch to Todd Frazier, he threw a good outside fastball but Frazier reached out and got enough of the bat on the ball with a one-handed swing to power it over the right field wall. The Yankees were up, 3-0.

Credit:  Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Staked to a three-run lead, CC Sabathia appeared to wobble in the top of the 3rd inning. After getting two outs, he walked George Springer. Alex Bregman singled to deep left, but a great throw by Brett Gardner to second base held the runners at the corners. The very dangerous Jose Altuve was up next and Sabathia pitched very cautiously to him before losing him on four balls. The bases were loaded for the Astros, the best hitting team in baseball with runners in scoring position. However, Sabathia got Carlos Correa to pop out to short for the final out. Weebles wobble but they don't fall down. Excellent job by Sabathia to get out of the inning unscathed.

Greg Bird led off the bottom of the 4th with a fly to left that bounced over the wall for a ground rule double. Left fielder Cameron Maybin came running up to catch the ball but then pulled up at the last moment before the ball hit the ground and became a souvenir in the seats. After Starlin Castro grounded out to third, Aaron Hicks hit a fly to right which Josh Reddick caught on the warning track but Bird was able to tag and move to third. Todd Frazier walked to bring up Chase Headley. Headley hit a grounder to second baseman Jose Altuve in shallow right and reached when Altuve bobbled the ball. Frazier was safe at second and Bird scored on the play. Brett Gardner was hit by a pitch on the left knee to load the bases, which brought Astros manager A.J. Hinch out of the dugout with a call to the bullpen. He brought in Will Harris to replace Morton. With Aaron Judge batting, Harris threw a wild pitch and the runners advanced, pushing Frazier across home plate to score the Yankees' fifth run. Judge finally broke out of his ALCS slump when he blasted a line drive into the left field seats for three more runs. The Yankees had increased their lead to 8-0.

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Astros threatened again in the top of the 6th inning. Carlos Correa started the inning with a hard grounder that deflected off the glove of Didi Gregorius to safely reach first base. After Sabathia recorded two outs, Marwin Gonzalez hit a grounder to Gregorius and reached base when Didi lost his footing and overthrew Greg Bird at first. Correa moved to third. After a visit to the mound by Larry Rothschild, Sabathia got Josh Reddick to hit a soft grounder back to the pitching mound that CC was able to field and throw to first for the final out. The shutout remained intact for the great 37-year-old Yankees lefty.

For Sabathia, his day was finished. Adam Warren took over in the top of the 7th. It didn't start well when he walked his first batter, but he settled in and retired the next three batters to push the game to the 8th inning. Warren was back out for the 8th and retired the Astros in order.

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

It was inevitable that we'd see Dellin Betances at some point and Joe Girardi decided his time was the top of the 9th inning to seal the deal for the Yankees. It was a great opportunity for Betances to earn redemption and show that he can be a trusted arm for the duration of the playoffs. Unfortunately, it was a missed opportunity for Betances who walked the first two batters he faced and was pulled.  

Credit:  Getty Images

Tommy Kahnle was brought in. Cameron Maybin greeted Kahnle with a single to left to load the bases. Kahnle struck out George Springer for the first out but then he walked Alex Bregman which pushed Marwin Gonzalez across the plate for the Astros' first run (a run charged to Betances). Bases still loaded for likely AL MVP Jose Altuve and only one out. Kahnle came up big when Altuve hit a grounder to second baseman Starlin Castro, who stepped on second and threw to Greg Bird at first to complete the double play. Game over. Yankees win!

Granted, Judge's home run was huge. While I still feel that Frazier's bomb was the difference-maker (offensively), the play of the game occurred in the top of the 4th inning when Marwin Gonzalez led off with a fly to right that took Aaron Judge to the wall. Judge reached up to catch the ball as he crashed into the wall and fall to the ground. It was an incredible catch to rob Gonzalez of a potential home run. Of course, it brought the obligatory questions of who was hurt the most...Judge or the wall...but it was the play of the game in my opinion. The Yankees were holding the three-run lead at that point courtesy of the Frazier home run, and a rally by the Astros in that spot would have made it a much different game.  

Credit:  Elsa-Getty Images

Judge, proving his glove is as powerful as his bat, also made a diving catch of a line drive hit by Cameron Maybin in the fifth inning.

Credit:  Robert Sabo

I can't say enough great things about CC Sabathia. Time and again, he has proven to be a crafty veteran who simply knows how to win. He's faced his share of adversity but continues to overcome. Like Frazier, I think that CC Sabathia was earned a spot on the 2018 Yankees.  

Credit:  John Munson-NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Yankees now turn Game 4 over to the forgotten Sonny Gray. Like Betances (who failed his ALCS audition), this is a chance for redemption for Gray. We know that he will be a huge part of future Yankee teams but this is his time to grab the moment and make his mark in New York. Gray (10-12, 3.55 ERA) will be opposed by Lance McCullers, Jr (7-4, 4.25 ERA). Don't let the ERA fool you, McCullers, the son of a former Yankee, has been very tough on the Pinstripers.  This game should be a classic. Hopefully, Sonny Gray rises to the challenge to craft an exciting first chapter of his Yankees post-season career.  

Odds & Ends...

I missed the weekend game (Game 2) due to a preplanned trip. The Yankees failed to tell me that they were going to make it to the American League Championship series earlier in the year when I made plans. A heartbreaking loss is not fun to write about, but I really appreciated the way that Astros catcher stood up for Gary Sanchez after the game. McCann could easily join the throngs who love to bash the Yankees but he's been nothing but the professional that we came to love during his days in the Bronx.  

I keep reading so many articles that speculate whether or not Manager Joe Girardi will return and how he seems to be edgier around friends and family. Personally, I think he'd be foolish to leave at the dawn of a new era in Yankees baseball.  I think he'll come to an agreement with the Yankees after the season is over to help the Baby Bombers strive for greater heights over the next few years. Honestly, I do not see any viable alternatives and nothing against Yankee coaches like Tony Pena or Rob Thomsen but I think, despite his faults, Joe Girardi is the best man for the job.

Have a great Tuesday! Like Joe Girardi and Joe Torre before him have said, let's just win one game today. We believe. Go Yankees!

Befuddled in Cleveland...

Credit:  Jason Miller-Getty Images

American League Division Series, Game 1

Indians 4, Yankees 0...

Aaron Judge, four strikeouts. That pretty much sums up how it went in Cleveland on Thursday night as the Yankees dropped the first game of the ALDS to the Indians. Their inability to figure out Trevor Bauer does not bode well for tonight when they face likely AL Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber.

While Bauer was making mincemeat out of the Yankee bats, the Indians got to Sonny Gray early. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Jay Bruce got the party started for the Indians with a double off the left field wall against Yankees starter Sonny Gray. Carlos Santana followed with a single to center to put runners at the corners. Lonnie Chisenhall was hit by a pitch on his upper arm to load the bases. Gray was able to limit the damage when Roberto Perez hit into a double play at short, but Bruce came home on the play for Cleveland's first run.  Giovanny Urshela flied out to right so Gray escaped a huge jam with minimal damage. Unfortunately, the way Bauer was pitching, the one run deficit felt like the Grand Canyon.

The Indians struck again in the bottom of the 4th. Edwin Encarnacion started the inning with a walk. Jay Bruce, a rumored trade target for the Yankees prior to the trading deadline, came back to haunt his near-employer when he blasted a shot into the right field stands. The Indians had increased their lead to 3-0.

Credit:  Phil Masturzo-Akron Beacon Journal/TNS

Gray walked two of the next three batters to end his night. Adam Warren entered the game and gave up a single to center to load the bases with only one out, but he then struck out the dangerous Francisco Lindor and got Jason Kipnis to fly out to center to escape without any further damage.

Credit:  Jason Miller-Getty Images

Meanwhile, with Trevor Bauer still pitching a no-hitter against the Yankees, the Indians got another run in the next inning. Jose Ramirez started it for the Tribe with a single up the middle on a ball that just got by a diving Didi Gregorius. While Edwin Encarnacion was at bat, a wild pitch, a ball in the dirt that Gary Sanchez dropped in front of him, advanced Ramirez to second. Encarnacion flied out to left in foul territory for the first out, and Manager Joe Girardi made the call to the bullpen, bringing in Jaime Garcia to replace Warren. With Jay Bruce batting, another wild pitch, another ball in the dirt that hit Sanchez in the chest and bounced away, allowed Ramirez to take third. Bruce took advantage of the wild pitches to loft a fly to center, scoring Ramirez on the sacrifice. 4-0, Indians.

In the top of the 6th inning, Chase Headley struck out and the Yankees were still searching for their first hit. Aaron Hicks ended the potential no-no when he doubled to left off the wall. Bauer received a very nice ovation from the crowd. The Yankees couldn't do anything with Hicks at second but at least they had finally gotten their first hit on the board.

The Yankees added another hit in the 7th. After Bauer had retired the first two batters, Starlin Castro singled on a grounder to right field. The Indians dipped into their bullpen, bringing former Yankees reliever Andrew Miller into the game to face Greg Bird. The fear when you trade great players is that they'll one day come back to bite you. Miller was no different with his strikeout of Bird to end the inning.

Despite two strikeouts by Miller in the top of the 8th, the Yankees had two baserunners, courtesy of walks. With Aaron Judge coming to the plate representing an ability to make it a one-run game, Cleveland called on its closer, Cody Allen. Allen proceeded to strike out Judge in the huge spot to end the inning.

In perhaps the lone bright spot for the Yankees, Dellin Betances pitched the bottom of the 8th inning and struck out the side on eleven pitches. It's a good sign to see Dellin pitching so well even if the odds are against the Yankees in this series.

Credit:  Charles Wenzelberg-NY Post

The Yankees had no answer for Allen in the top of the 9th despite Starlin Castro's second hit of the night (and only the third Yankee hit of the game), a single to right with two outs. Allen struck out Greg Bird on three pitches to end the game and hand the overwhelming advantage in the series to the Tribe.

Credit:  Getty Images

It's hard to find positives in a loss but this could have been a blow out and the Yankees kept the Tribe from any big innings. I've been down on Jaime Garcia but he did a nice job with 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. A few timely hits and the Yankees could have gotten back into this one. The team needs to regroup and hopefully find a way to get their hits tonight against Corey Kluber in Game 2. They have not fared well against Kluber but clearly the team has the potential to take advantage of mistakes. Everyone can have an off night (see Sonny Gray) and the Yankees need to exploit any opportunities they are given. I am sure that the Houston Astros didn't expect to get seven runs off Chris Sale yesterday, including two home runs (three overall) by Jose Altuve. CC Sabathia, pitching this evening in his original MLB city, has been the Yankees' stopper all season. He'll be asked to step into that role once again. It would be huge if the Yankees could earn a split at Progressive Field before heading back to the Bronx.

Odds & Ends...

The Houston Astros defeated the Boston Red Sox, 8-2, to take the first game of their series. As noted above, it was a night to forget for Chris Sale. When the Astros acquired Justin Verlander in August, it was clearly a move designed for October. He didn't disappoint, holding the Red Sox to two runs over six innings. No disrespect for Sonny Gray (or Yu Darvish of the Dodgers), but I thought Verlander was the most significant pitching acquisition of the summer.

Credit:  Karen Warren-Houston Chronicle

All of the playoff teams will be in action today with the first game (Red Sox-Astros) starting at 2:05 pm ET. I hate to go against the Yankees but I think today's winners will be the home teams (Indians, Astros, Dodgers and Nationals). I would love for the Yankees to prove me wrong.

Have a great Friday! Let's steal a win from Kluber. Go Yankees!

"B" Team Bats Go Down Quietly To End Regular Season...

Credit:  MLB.com

Blue Jays 2, Yankees 1...

I can't say that I went into this game feeling very strongly about a win or loss.  In the grand scheme of things, the playoff format has been decided so it didn't really matter if the Yankees went 92-70 or finished 91-71 (which they did).  They still finished second in the American League East and hold home field advantage in the AL Wild Card game on Tuesday. Despite holding the Blue Jays to two hits, the Yankees were unable to muster any significant offense and lost by a run.

The Yankees lineup featured many backup players as key starters got the day off in advance of the AL Wild Card game. The only notable starters were Todd Frazier and Starlin Castro. Chase Headley got the start at first base, but he's probably the team's DH heading into the post-season. Greg Bird got into the game later.  

Credit:  Kathy Willens-AP

It was nice outing for Jordan Montgomery. He held the Blue Jays scoreless until the top of the 4th inning. Richard Urena worked a one-out walk.  Justin Smoak singled to right on a grounder that went just past the glove of Tyler Wade, with Urena moving to third. Jose Bautista, making perhaps his final start as a Blue Jay, lofted a high fly to center. Urena scored on the sacrifice as the throw from Aaron Hicks was off line. 

Credit:  Associated Press

I thought the Yankees had a chance to potentially pick up a run in the bottom of the 4th. Tyler Wade singled to left barely over the stretched glove of shortstop Richard Urena with one down. While Matt Holliday was batting, Wade appeared to steal second to move into scoring position. However, replay showed that the tag was applied before Wade reached the base as Urena's foot blocked the base to prevent Wade from touching the bag. Matt Holliday flied out to end the inning so the Yankees were still down by a run.

Credit:  Getty Images

Montgomery made it into the 6th inning, striking out Ryan Goins. But that was all for Monty's successful rookie campaign as Manager Joe Girardi took the ball and turned it over to Adam Warren. 5 1/3 innings for Montgomery. Two hits, a walk and a run.  He struck out three batters for the eventual no-decision. 

Credit:  Kathy Willens-AP

Adam Warren, making his first appearance since being activated off the disabled list, retired the two batters he faced to end the inning and show that he's ready to be a potential weapon for Tuesday night.  

Warren retired the only batter he faced in the top of the 7th (pop out by Justin Smoak) and was replaced by Domingo German.

With Blue Jays reliever Danny Barnes on the mound in the bottom of the 7th, Matt Holliday homered into the left field seats with one out, a solo shot. The game was tied at 1.   It looked like the Yankees might get more when Greg Bird followed with a walk. Miguel Andujar doubled to left center (ball dropped in front of a sliding Teoscar Hernandez), with Bird moving to third and there was still only one out. But the Yankees couldn't get either runner home as both Austin Romine and Clint Frazier grounded out to leave the runners stranded.

The Blue Jays scored the eventual winning run in the top of the 8th despite no hits. With Domingo German still pitching, Rob Refsnyder reached first base after striking out when Austin Romine couldn't catch a wild pitch from German (a low pitch that hit the ground behind the plate and bounced away).  Ezequiel Carrera walked, with Refsnyder advancing to second. Darwin Barney laid down a good sacrifice bunt with two strikes to push the runners to second and third. Ryan Goins took advantage of the runner at third with perhaps the shortest RBI I've seen this year, a slow dribbler that went no more than 10 feet. Refsnyder came home to score as the only play was to get the runner at first. The Blue Jays had  recaptured the lead, 2-1. German struck out Teoscar Hernandez to get out of the inning but the Jays had the run they would need to win the game.

From there, the Yankees couldn't do anything against Toronto relievers Ryan Tepera and Roberto Osuna with Greg Bird popping out to the shortstop Richard Urena for the final out to end the game. It would have been nice to close out the season with a win but as I stated when I started this blog post, it didn't really matter one way or the other. It's hard to take momentum from a game when most of the starters are sitting on the bench.  

The second-place Yankees (91-71) finish the season two games behind the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox (93-69) fell to the Houston Astros, 4-3, as those two teams prepare to resume their battle in Houston, Texas with Game 1 of the ALDS on Thursday. The Minnesota Twins, the Yankees opponent on Tuesday, beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-1, to finish the season at 85-77.  

It's been a long, run season and I hope that it continues beyond Tuesday. If not, I feel that Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner has been given the message that this team is ready to compete now and that he needs to ensure the team is given the best possible chance for success in 2018. 

GM Brian Cashman and Amateur Scouting Director Damon Oppenheimer presented Aaron Judge with an inscribed Waterford Crystal Gavel for his rookie record of 52 home runs.

Next Up:  American League Wild Card Game, Minnesota Twins versus New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY...

Here it is...do or die. We've endured the rigor of 162 regular season games and the pay-off is a chance to advance to the American League Division Series. Win or lose, this has been a tremendous year for the Yankees. They've surprised the experts who didn't expect the Yankees to contend this quickly. The Minnesota Twins have had an excellent year as well, going from a team that lost 100 games in 2016 to a play-off contender.  

Here are the scheduled pitching match-ups. Suffice it to say that every pitcher on both teams will be ready for the call.  

Tuesday, October 3rd, 8:00 pm ET

Twins:  Ervin Santana (16-8, 3.28 ERA)

Yankees:  Luis Severino (14-6, 2.98 ERA)

This should be a great game! The winner advances to play the Indians for Game 1 of the ALDS in Cleveland on Thursday.  

Odds & Ends...

The Yankees announced on Sunday that "they will significantly expand the protective netting during the upcoming off-season at both Yankee Stadium and George M Steinbrenner Field". The action comes after the young girl was hit in the mouth on a foul ball by Todd Frazier on September 25th.  

The managerial firings should begin shortly. It's been announced after much speculation that Terry Collins will not be returning to the dugout for the New York Mets in 2018.  He'll move into a front office position. Ironically, neither of the AL Wild Card managers have a contract beyond this year. I guess Tuesday will have a say in their respective futures although you'd have to believe that both would be back after unexpectedly successful seasons.  

Have a great Monday! Enjoy the day off, and let's get ready to root, root for the home team on Tuesday night. Go Yankees!