Have Rings, Will Travel...

  

Brian Sabean (Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports)

Yankees hire former Giants GM Brian Sabean as executive advisor…

With the big front office additions of Brian Sabean and Omar Minaya, my first thought was ‘where is the senior advisor for Manager Aaron Boone?’ Oh well, I guess we cannot have everything in life.

When the news broke the Yankees had hired former San Francisco Giants executive Brian Sabean, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. I remember when he worked for the Yankees and was disappointed when he left the team in 1993 to join the San Francisco Giants. The feeling was not much unlike how I felt when former Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin left my favorite NFL team to join the Pittsburgh Steelers as their head coach. It was clear when these guys were leaving, an excessive abundance of talent was walking out of the door.  It shows we can become attached to front office executives and coaches the same way as we do our teams’ players. Especially when they are good, extremely good, at their jobs.

Sabean, 66, becomes executive advisor to GM Brian Cashman. Sabean originally joined the Yankees in 1985, working in pro scouting. His rise to director of scouting and later vice president of player development was successful in helping to build the groundwork for the late 1990s Yankees dynasty through the drafting of Bernie Williams and the Core Four (Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte).

Sabean left the Yankees in 1993 to join the Giants as assistant to the GM and vice president of scouting/player personnel. He became senior vice president of player personnel in 1995. In 1996, Sabean was promoted to general manager, a position he held for nineteen years. Under his watch, the Giants won World Series championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014. After 2015, Sabean moved up to executive vice president of baseball operations. The Giants hired former Athletics/Dodgers executive Farhan Zaidi in 2018 as president of baseball operations and Sabean was moved an executive vice president position, focusing on strategic initiatives and evaluation. 

Sabean’s role became less significant as the years went by, and seeking a job with greater importance, he let his contract with the Giants expire on October 31^st. I was pleased that Sabean reached out to the Yankees, even if the East Coast was as much of an influence as the Yankees, to motivate the call. For personal reasons, Sabean wanted to be closer to family and will work from the Yankees’ facilities in Tampa, Florida. Regardless of the reasons, I am glad he is back in the organization. It will be fun to watch how his role evolves as he gains greater influence in the front office. For the naysayers of Brian Cashman, Brian Sabean is a brilliant hire, which, in my opinion, helps Cashman immensely. 

Gene Michael may be deceased, but his influence over Sabean lives on. Stick was a good, sorry, great teacher, and as they say, the apple does not fall far from the tree. 

In October, if you had told me that Aaron Judge would be playing for a team in 2023 that employs Brian Sabean, I would have been quite disappointed. Three months later, it is a beautiful thing. 

Yanks Add Omar Minaya

My excitement about Omar Minaya may not be on the same level as it is for Brian Sabean, but I think the addition is just as significant. Minaya was not successful as general manager for the New York Mets (at least in my opinion), but let’s get real, his bosses were the Wilpons. I am not going to crucify Minaya, who grew up in Queens, for working with one of the worst ownership groups in recent memory. 

The Yankees hired Minaya, 64, as senior advisor to baseball operations. Like Sabean, Minaya will report directly to Brian Cashman. The former Montreal Expos and New York Mets general manager most recently served Major League Baseball as a consultant for amateur scouting initiatives, a position he had held since last February. When he was named Montreal’s GM in 2002, he became the first Hispanic to hold the general manager position in Major League Baseball.

It was interesting that Minaya mentioned a failed trade in 2018 that would have sent then Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler to the Bronx and his role in nixing the trade. Too bad they were not able to work that one out. I have always liked Wheeler and he has only gotten better with the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Minaya has over thirty years’ experience in scouting and baseball operations. In addition to his time with the Expos and Mets, he has worked for the Texas Rangers and the San Diego Padres plus several stints with MLB.

Willie Randolph has been around the Yankees more frequently the last couple of years, including an appearance at Aaron Judge’s recent press conference. Minaya was the Mets GM who fired Randolph as the team’s manager in 2008, a move that has been heavily criticized for how it was handled. Hopefully the years have mended any potential rifts between the two men. I am hopeful Minaya’s presence does not keep Willie away. 

Omar Minaya & Willie Randolph (Photo Credit: Sarasota Herald-Tribune)

Presumably, Minaya will be New York-based. He worked remotely from his home in New Jersey for the Mets. Hopefully there will be no Jason Bay-like acquisitions in our future.

I like the blend of old school baseball knowledge with modern analytics. The Yankees continue to improve in every area of the organization, and it can only help to enhance the product on the field. Now, if we could only find a quality left fielder.

All Quiet on the Eastern Front

No player news for the Yankees this week despite the endless search for a new left fielder by the Yankees’ fanbase.

Multiple teams have expressed interest in coveted outfielder Brian Reynolds. The Pirates continue to ask for a King’s Ransom for Reynolds. Although Reynolds has demanded a trade, baseball experts continue to speculate that the Pirates will not trade him before the season starts. Their lowball contract extension offers to Reynolds do not inspire confidence they will be able to retain him, so it seems like the best course of action for the Pirates is to trade him if they truly want to improve their club for the long-term. 

I have given up hope the Yankees will acquire him. I am tired of seeing the endless tweets about him. If it happens, it happens. If not, c’est la vie. 

My fear is the Yankees open the season with Aaron Hicks slotted for left field. Yet, I hold out hope something will change between now and Spring Training. The Yankees paid heavily for both Harrison Bader and Andrew Benintendi last year because of the lack of confidence in Hicks. Nothing has changed in my mind. Hicks does not inspire confidence anymore, and he continues a downward trend without hope for improvement. The certainties of life…death, taxes, and Aaron Hicks to the Injured List. Best case scenario is his removal from the roster, one way or another.  I am not going to crucify the front office…yet. They know the team’s weaknesses better than any of us, and they just hired two high-powered executives who can get the job done. I will reserve judgment for the Yankees’ offseason success until the team prepares to depart Tampa for Yankee Stadium in late March.  Bottom line, there is still time to improve.

The Yankees did lose one player this week. Reliever Junior Fernández, who had been designated for assignment in December, was claimed by the division rival Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees had claimed Fernández in November from the Pirates, and he had appeared to be a potential reclamation project. Unfortunately, the Yankees needed roster space for Aaron Judge, Carlos Rodón, and Tommy Kahnle. Hopefully Fernández does not find success in Toronto, assuming he stays on their 40-man roster this offseason, at least not against the Yankees. 

When the Arizona Diamondbacks designated pitcher Taylor Widener, a former Yankees prospect, for assignment recently, I thought the Yankees might take a flyer to see if they can fix the once promising player. Widener cleared waivers and was sent outright to Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate in Reno, Nevada.

The Yankees did add a few outfielders on minor league deals last month. Former Dodgers/Rangers prospect Willie Calhoun gets an invitation to Spring Training. He spent last season in the Giants organization. No doubt Brian Sabean has an opinion about him. Former Yankees prospect Billy McKinney also returns to the organization although he seems more like Triple A depth. Former Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega also gets the spring invitation. Calhoun might be the biggest name; Ortega appears to be the most promising…at least as a fourth outfielder type. 

Rafael Ortega (Photo Credit: USA TODAY)

Trevor Bauer is free

The Los Angeles Dodgers released a statement yesterday that Bauer will no longer be part of their organization. The Bauer camp issued a conflicting statement that he had been told he was in the team’s plans which the club has refuted.

Any team can now sign Bauer for the Major League minimum of $720,000 and the Dodgers are on the hook for the balance of his 2023 contract. He is due approximately $22.5 million in the final year of his deal with the Dodgers.

My position is unchanged. I do not want Trevor Bauer on the New York Yankees. I do not care that you can get the pitcher for pennies on the dollar. He is not a good clubhouse fit, and I firmly believe in team chemistry. I am sure the Dodgers did not make their decision lightly. By cutting Bauer, they run the risk he takes his arm to San Diego to battle against them.

There are rumors he could end up with the Tampa Bay Rays. His price (minimum wage) is certainly within their budget.  So be it. Let him be their problem, not ours. 

I get that he was never convicted, but he did receive baseball’s longest suspension. Character matters, and Bauer is the wrong kind of character. 

Carlos Correa, anyone?

As negotiations continue between the Mets and Carlos Correa, his old team, the Minnesota Twins, have entered the fray, perhaps with the thought they can secure the return of their starting shortstop for another short term, high annual value contract. With two teams taking exception to giving Correa an extended contract after reviewing the medicals, I certainly would not want to see the Yankees throw a seven- or eight-year contract at him. 

Carlos Correa (Photo Credit: Raj Mehta/USA TODAY Sports)

Yet, if you can get him for one or two years, why not? It is only money. I doubt the Yankees do it since it would inflate their already high payroll. It is frustrating that so much salary is dedicated to underperformers like Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks. Six million dollars for Isiah Kiner-Falefa also seems unreasonable for a guy who should not be starting on our favorite team. I would love for the Yankees to clear salary space to bring in Correa on a short-term deal. If the Twins can do it, so can the Yankees. Last year, the Twins were able to add Correa because they were able to move Donaldson. Maybe Brian Cashman can find sucker for Donaldson like the Twins did last year. 

Damar Hamlin

Continued thoughts and prayers to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin for a full recovery. The World is a better place with you in it.

Damar Hamlin (Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel/USA TODAY Sports)

As always, Go Yankees!

Undies' 2022/2023 Offseason Plan

It's time for my annual "What I want to happen but won't and probably shouldn't" offseason plan. While the chances of these things happening may be slim to none, or otherwise obvious, it still helps me know where the team is at and where they need to improve.

To get this thing started I thought I’d address a few free agents, whose names have been mentioned as good fits for the New York Yankees…

I thought about Nolan Arenado for next year's squad, but I see no way the Cardinals let him get away (assuming he opts out, of course). St. Louis has about $30 million coming off the books next season and actually had a Luxury Tax payroll in 2022 about $25 million lower than in 2021. Furthermore, from what I've read, Arenado and the Cardinals like one another. So while I could look at ways to fit what could be a $30 million salary into things for next season, I really don't see the point of it.

I also took a look at Trea Turner, but I just didn't like the idea of handing a soon-to-be 30-year-old a ten-year contract. I wouldn't really be that upset if the Yankees signed him, as he'd be a pleasure to watch in pinstripes for most of that contract, but the length and AAV (I've read as high as $34 million) have me thinking twice.

And then there's Carlos Correa. I've been reading that he could be looking at an 8-year deal, which would mean he's on the team through his age-35 season, and that's more palatable than Turner. Yet, the Yankees could've signed a shortstop to a big contract last year and didn't, and they still have Peraza and Volpe around and looking good, which seemed to be the reason they passed on all those shortstops in the first place. It was hard enough writing this paragraph knowing I'd likely be disappointed, so to try and maintain some sanity I can't put Correa in my active roster for 2023 even though I'd like to. 

Now, without any adieu whatsoever, here we go (and I refuse to use the overused Joker gif)... 

The Yankees have a handful of guys that are now free agents, so I'm going to go over the ones I don't want returning...

Aroldis Chapman

Do I really need to explain this one? The only possible reason I could see the Yankees wanting to bring him back would be if they were desperate in the bullpen, but especially with Mike King returning they're not. 

Zack Britton

If he'd returned hot, which wasn't really expected, things would be different. But with the bullpen already shaping up I see no reason to bring Zack back. 

Jameson Taillon

When I started thinking about the offseason the idea of bringing back Taillon came to mind. However, with Cole, Cortes, Montas, and Severino (more on him later), along with other starting possibilities, I'm saying "bye".

Chad Green

I like the guy, and I would have thought hard about bringing him back but there's that whole Tommy John Surgery thing. 

Miguel Castro

I wouldn't be distraught if he were brought back, but I don't see a spot for him. Besides, he walks too many batters for my taste. I hate it when relievers walk batters.

Marwin Gonzalez

Nope. Years ago I wanted the Yankees to sign Marwin, but that feeling is long gone. His best trait is his defensive versatility, but that's not enough for me to want to see him back in pinstripes. 

So let's see where the Yankees should start spending some money...

Aaron Judge - 8 years $304 million

First of all, Aaron was bad this postseason. I don't need to post the stats, as seeing the Yankees eliminated by the Astros again hurt enough. But I just can't imagine not re-signing this guy. Yes, the end of that contract is going to hurt. Yes, Judge hasn't done well in the postseason in the last three years. But, to be honest, I don't see anyone that's a free agent or would be available in a trade, that I think makes a good replacement (and I mean in the lineup, not necessarily in right field). 

I'm a bit concerned about signing anybody for that much money into their late 30s, but Aaron is an entirely different monster. He's probably not going to bat above .300 every season, but based on the last couple of years I think it's safe to say his batting average is going to land between .285 and .300 regularly. And it's not like this is the first season he's led the league in walks, which will also help him maintain an OBP that pushes .400 year in and year out. Now, I don't expect Judge to hit 62 home runs a year, helping lead to a slugging percentage around .686 each year, but 50+ bombs a year is hardly a pipe dream. Put that all together and you have a guy that could at least get some MVP votes every season.

Then you have his defense, which is not only pretty darn good in right field, but good enough to take over centerfield for a big chunk of the season.

Oh, and have I mentioned how loved he is in New York?

I don't see how you can let Aaron Judge ever wear anything but a Yankees uniform.

Anthony Rizzo - 2 years $34 million

Chances are he opts out, but I think the Yankees need to get this guy back in pinstripes.

I can't count how many times Anthony has bailed out his infielders thanks to errant throws, not to mention how many base hits he took away on balls hit in his direction. Can you imagine if we still had Luke Voit or another average-to-poor defender at first base? I shudder at the thought, and that alone makes me want him back.

What makes him more attractive are those 32 home runs he hit from the left side. The Yankees have done a good job at taking advantage of the 81 games they play at Yankee Stadium, and a guy like Rizzo is a very good way to keep that up.

Finally, the guy's been a Yankee for a year and a half, yet teammates look up to and can learn from him. Outside of Aaron Judge, he may be the leader of that clubhouse.

Andrew Benintendi - 3 years $54 million (possible option for a 4th year)

The one part of the Yankees lineup that's bothered me is the fact they don't have a good option to bat lead-off. While I understood batting Judge at the #1 spot in order to guarantee that their best hitter got the most at-bats every game, we missed out on a lot of runs as 41 of Aaron's home runs and 15 of his doubles came with the bases empty. So it's imperative that we try to make sure someone is on base when Judge comes to bat, and that's where Benintendi comes in.

Last season in Kansas City Andrew was hitting .304 with an on-base percentage of .373. Mind you, both of those numbers were well above his norms (.279 and .351), but I believe Benny should be our lead-off hitter on Opening Day 2023. 

Other than being a good contact hitter (81.5% contact percentage last season, 33rd in MLB out of 130 batters), which is something the Yankees could really use (they were 21st in MLB in Contact %), Benintendi provides good left field defense that would play next to Bader's elite glove in center.

Exercise club option on Luis Severino for $15 million

In terms of ERA+ Luis was the second-best starter on the team last year (Cortes was #1), and the only thing that kept his Fangraphs Dollar Value from being well above that $15 million number was being limited to only 102 innings in 19 starts. If Sevy is let loose next season or gets close to the 190+ innings he threw in both 2017 and 2018 (before the injury bug bit him really hard), he'll be worth a heck of a lot more than $15 million, making his option a no-brainer to pick up.

We all know the Yankees need to make some big changes, and so far I haven't shown you guys anything. I've actually advocated for bringing back three guys that were on last year's team. So let's do some house cleaning...

1. Gleyber Torres, Josh Donaldson, Trystan Vrieling, & $12.5 million to Washington for Hunter Harvey & Zach Brzykcy

The Nationals got the least production from their second and third basemen in the entire National League last season. The man that played the most at third base (Maikel Franco), as well as the man with the next most time there (Ehire Adrianza), are free agents. Their starting second baseman, Cesar Hernandez, is also a free agent. 

Washington's farm system is middle of the road which tells me it may be hard for them to pull off a trade to acquire a good third baseman, let alone two decent infielders. Their payroll is middle of the road as well, so they're unlikely to spend to fill both spots. So getting an elite defensive third baseman that has some upside in his bat, with only one year remaining on his contract, along with an arbitration-eligible second baseman that can hit 20+ home runs is likely quite an attractive package to GM Mike Rizzo.

Throw in some money to help pay Donaldson, as well as a solid prospect, and the Nationals should be happy with their return in a trade. 

Let me say that I don't hate Torres, nor do I necessarily want him gone, but he is another guy that offers little with the bat outside of the occasional homer. His whiff, strikeout, and walk rates are sub-par to bad. And with Cabrera, Peraza, and soon Volpe to go along with a returning (in my plan) Rizzo and LeMahieu, room has to be made in the infield. 

Hunter Harvey has a good fastball (97th percentile per Baseball Savant), and started throwing a splitter in 2021 that got better this past season, which hopefully is the reason his home run rate dropped so low (0.6 HR/9) so it wasn't just an anomaly. If he can continue making that splitter more effective then I can see him being a strong reliever, which could be big for helping keep our pitchers fresh for later in the season. The other pitcher the Yankees would get here, Zach Brzykcy, is a 23-year-old that made his AAA debut this past season. I think that was a bit of an aggressive move as Zach started the year throwing 21.2 innings in high-A ball, then 38 innings in AA, before tossing his last 1.2 innings of 2022 in AAA. He's a high strikeout pitcher (13.9 K/9 between all the levels), and if he can lower his walks a bit (4.3 BB/9) he could see MLB action as early as the upcoming season. 

I believe only having to pay Josh Donaldson $12.5 million makes him worth something, even if it's mainly for his defense (Fangraphs Dollar Value was $12.9 million). 

2. Kyle Higashioka to Arizona for Yu Min-Lin and Andy Yerzy

Boy, did Higgy fool us in Spring Training or what? With a good glove and what looked to be some power from his bat we possibly had a sure-fire starting catcher on our hands, but it didn't take long for that idea to fizzle away. With regular playing time, I could see his bat being okay, or at least not a total dead spot in the lineup, and his glove is still pretty nice and should garner some interest.

One of the teams interested should be the Diamondbacks, who were 11th in the National League and 25th overall in productivity from behind the plate. What makes them an ideal trade partner is that they have a very good farm system that's ranked in the top 5 of most lists. Of course, the Yankees can't expect anything eye-popping in return, but someone stuck out to me...

Yu-Min Lin, who was signed to a minor-league deal as a free agent last year, is only 19 years old and posted some impressive strikeout numbers in rookie and A-ball. Of course, yes... it was a ways away from Major League Baseball, but at his age, it's pretty cool that he can throw in the lower 90s while also having a slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. 

There isn't anything impressive about Andy Yerzy, as he's a catcher/first baseman that was drafted in the second round of the 2016 draft. At one point he looked like a nice catching prospect for the D-Backs, but he struggled in 2019, skipped 2020, had an okay season in 2021, and wasn't anything special in AA this past season. His future may very well be at first base, as that's where he spent most of his time in 2022, so I don't expect Andy to be anything more than minor league filler.

3. Aaron Hicks, Lou Trivino, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, & $10 million ($3.33 million for each season left on Hicks' contract) to Los Angeles (AL) for Aaron Loup & David Fletcher

According to Fangraphs Hicks was worth $11.6m and IKF $10.7m, so there's value to a team beyond the salaries of those two. The downside is the two extra seasons Hicks is under contract after 2023, which is why I'm taking back one of their contracts with the same number of years remaining. 

Trivino did a great job for us, and I wouldn't be sad one bit if he returned to the Yankees next season, but outside of a good fastball that leads to a solid strikeout rate and whiff percentage he gets hit fairly hard. So I like the idea of using him to help unload Hicks and IKF. 

Aaron Hicks can help by doing more than playing LF regularly (Brandon Marsh is no longer in LA and Jo Adell is not good), if the Angels do trade Ohtani he could allow Mike Trout to rest his legs more often as the DH (Even if they don't trade Shohei soon, Trout could DH more after 2023). 

Kiner-Falefa could give LAA a utility infielder that isn't under contract beyond next season, or play him regularly at 2B over Luis Rengifo. 

Aaron Loup's strikeout rate went down while his walk rate went up a bit in 2022, possibly due to using his changeup more and his slider less (he has a better slider than changeup). I actually had Aaron on my radar last offseason, as he crushed it with the Mets in 2021. He will become the highest paid reliever for the Yankees next season, but about $8 million less than Chapman was in 2022. Plus, he gives our manager another left-handed option in the bullpen. 

Remember that contract with three years remaining that I'm taking back? That's David Fletcher. Fletcher has not done much since signing that deal with the Angels after his nice season in 2020. His glove isn't great, but good enough if he's needed at short or second. If he's ever needed for an extended period of time I fully expect the Yankees to look at other options, though. But at less than $6 million a year, it's cool. 

So there you go, my offseason plans. Will they all happen? No way. Will some happen? I'm sure of it. But I had a lot of fun putting this together, and I hope you had fun reading it. I want to note that the lineup I put together has only two guys that are expected to have a strikeout rate above 20% (Stanton and Judge). Meanwhile, the Opening Day lineup for 2022 had five guys in it with that high of a strikeout percentage (Stanton, Judge, Gallo, Hicks, and Donaldson) while another one didn't start on Opening Day but was a regular (Torres). 

I'm sure many of you are wondering what's up with Anthony Volpe. Well, Volpe only played 22 games for AAA Scranton and wasn't that impressive. Actually, he wasn't that great in AA, either. I'd like to see him get more development time in the minors, and I certainly don't want him spending time on the bench. So leave him in Scranton to start the 2023 season, and we can reevaluate things in June.

Basically, the roster I've come up with has a lot of addition by subtraction built into it. The fact of the matter is last year's team was really good at run prevention, and they could score as well, but the problem was inconsistency. I can't say for sure this team will be more consistent, so it was important to leave enough money for significant mid-season upgrades should they be necessary, and I've certainly done that. 

I also like this plan because the Yankees hold onto their top prospects. In fact, the only prospect I'm trading is #15 Trystan Vrieling, and in the Higashioka trade, we're getting back Arizona's #15 prospect (Yu-Min Lin) who has a higher ceiling. So I've probably IMPROVED the farm system. 

One final thing before showing my active roster... arbitration estimates are provided by MLB Trade Rumors. Miscellaneous salary information, except for Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks, is provided by Cot's Baseball Contracts.

LF Andrew Benintendi* ($18m)

RF Aaron Judge ($38m)

1B Anthony Rizzo* ($17)

DH Giancarlo Stanton ($25m)

3B DJ LeMahieu ($15m)

CF Harrison Bader ($5.2m)

2B Oswaldo Cabrera# ($.75m)

SS Oswald Peraza ($.75m)

C Jose Trevino ($2m-A1)

BE Ben Rortvedt* - C ($.75m)

BE David Fletcher - MI ($5.833m)

BE Estevan Florial* - OF ($.75m)

BE Ryan LaMarre - OF ($.75m)

SP1 Gerrit Cole ($36m)

SP2 Nestor Cortes* ($3.5m-A1)

SP3 Luis Severino ($15m)

SP4 Frankie Montas ($7.7m-A3)

SP5 Domingo German ($2.6-A2)

RP Jonathan Loaisiga ($2.1m-A2)

RP Clay Holmes ($2.9m-A2)

RP Wandy Peralta* ($3.1m-A4)

RP Ron Marinaccio ($.75m)

RP Mike King ($1.2m-A1)

RP Lucas Luetge* ($1.7m-A2)

RP Hunter Harvey ($1m-A1)

RP Aaron Loup* ($8.5m)

MISCELLANEOUS SALARY INFORMATION

Money from Miami for Giancarlo Stanton: -$3 million

Paid to Washington for Josh Donaldson: $12.5 million

Paid to Los Angeles (AL) for Aaron Hicks: $3.33 million

Player Benefits: $16.5 million

40-Man Players in Minors: $2.25 million

0-3 yr bonus pool: $1.667 million

TEAM PAYROLL

$248.83 million ($259.31 million in 2021)

Nope, I'm not going to go along with cheap-ass Hal. Sure, I'm not going to go nuts and put a plan out there that's totally outside of reality, but I'm not going to put my name on something that is half-assed, either. 

I'm not going to sign Andrew Benintendi. I like the guy for all the reasons I mentioned earlier in this article, but I'd much rather have Carlos Correa on this team. Carlos brings a very good batting average, good on-base percentage, and plenty of postseason experience... including 20 games played in the World Series. So I'm giving Correa an 8-year contract worth $240 million. Now that would bring the total years and money below what Seager got last offseason from Texas, so a 9th year may be necessary, and since that takes him only through his age 36 season I'm not against going there. 

I discussed Trea Turner and Nolan Arenado earlier, but there's one more big bat I should touch on here... Brandon Nimmo. 

Nimmo's batting line the last couple of years, very good defense, and ability to run well, make him very attractive. Not to mention his left-handed bat. But I just can't ignore that he will turn 30 in late March next year, missed quite a bit of time in 2019 with a bulging disc in his neck, and missed a total of about two months in 2021 with hand and hamstring issues. While his next contract may only take him as far as his age 35 season, I'll take Correa through his age 35 or 36 season instead. 

The real decision was deciding between Benintendi or Rizzo, as I don't see both of them fitting into the team payroll. I'm kidding, it wasn't a hard decision, as I'm not only a big fan of Rizzo but the guy has become so beloved in New York (by both fans and teammates) in such a short amount of time. The left-handed power and great defense, along with a shorter contract, also help. 

This also puts the Yankees in a tough, but very nice, position as they'll have three good to great middle infield youngsters in Cabrera (who can actually play anywhere, hence his position in the below lineup), Peraza, and Volpe. So they could turn one of them into that starter of the future.

3B DJ LeMahieu ($15m)

RF Aaron Judge ($38m)

SS Carlos Correa ($30m)

DH Giancarlo Stanton ($25m)

1B Anthony Rizzo* ($17m)

CF Harrison Bader ($5.2m)

LF Oswaldo Cabrera# ($.75m)

2B Oswald Peraza ($.75m)

C Jose Trevino ($2m-A1)

BE Ben Rortvedt* - C ($.75m)

BE David Fletcher - MI ($5.833m)

BE Estevan Florial* - OF ($.75m)

BE Ryan LaMarre - OF ($.75m)

SP1 Gerrit Cole ($36m)

SP2 Nestor Cortes* ($3.5m-A1)

SP3 Luis Severino ($15m)

SP4 Frankie Montas ($7.7m-A3)

SP5 Domingo German ($2.6-A2)

RP Jonathan Loaisiga ($2.1m-A2)

RP Clay Holmes ($2.9m-A2)

RP Wandy Peralta* ($3.1m-A4)

RP Ron Marinaccio ($.75m)

RP Mike King ($1.2m-A1)

RP Lucas Luetge* ($1.7m-A2)

RP Hunter Harvey ($1m-A1)

RP Aaron Loup* ($8.5m)

MISCELLANEOUS SALARY INFORMATION

Money from Miami for Giancarlo Stanton: -$3 million

Paid to Washington for Josh Donaldson: $12.5 million

Paid to Los Angeles (AL) for Aaron Hicks: $3.33 million

Player Benefits: $16.5 million

40-Man Players in Minors: $2.25 million

0-3 yr bonus pool: $1.667 million

TEAM PAYROLL

$261.08 million ($259.31 million in 2021)

Shut up, Hal, and just write the damn checks!

If Hal or anyone else has something to say about this then comment or hit me up on Twitter (@Bryan_TGP). Thanks for reading, and regardless of Hal, Cashman, or Boone's incompetence... GO YANKEES!

Coming Soon: Your New York Yankees...

Photo Credit: Getty Images

MLB Baseball is back, baby! …

Finally, the MLB Lockout has ended, and Spring Training is here.

99 days of drudgery and apathy, brought to you by Major League Baseball. It was a frustrating time for all of us. If the MLB Owners and MLB Players Association had started negotiations when the lockout began in December, we might have been able to enjoy a routine off-season. Yet, egos were at play and there is little question the MLB Owners wanted to crush the union.  At the end of the day, the collective bargaining agreement is simply a mechanism for the owners to protect themselves from themselves. Regardless of how we got here, I am glad the lockout is over, and the players are enroute to Steinbrenner Field in advance of Sunday’s reporting date.   

The longer the labor dispute dragged on, the greater potential to drive fans away. I think Major League Baseball hurt itself in more ways than they can imagine, and they will probably feel the repercussions for years to come. I am ready to jump back in to follow the Pinstripes, but the pain of the past three months will not be easily wiped away. Maybe time will help. Five years can pass like a snap of the finger so we could be headed down this path again in 2026.

Not trying to single out Daniel Burch, co-founder (along with Bryan Van Dusen) of The Greedy Pinstripes, but his tweet yesterday summed up the feeling of many fans across the nation:

 

I would be lying if I said that I did not harbor these same feelings. The fans were the least considered party in the labor dispute in the battle for our money.  I am hopeful once the games begin, the fans who left will come back. It would help if the MLB Owners showed some empathy for us, but at least some of the players care.

Luke Voit, who could soon be ex-Yankees first baseman, summed it up best when he said, “They locked us out and took a while for us to get discussions going, which I think was frustrating on our end, but we were ready to go at any point”. Voit went on to say, “The fans are everything in the game and we represent what they want. We put the priority or the product on the field, so we just want to be there for them and I just didn’t want to lose fans”. Luke understands, and players with his mindset will help bring back the forgotten fans. 

Luke Voit / Photo Credit: Cary Edmondson, USA TODAY Sports

The roller coaster of the week was a challenge. Wednesday started with optimism but it was full-scale pessimism by the end of the day which ended with more cancellation of games by the MLB Commissioner. As an outside observer, it appeared the two parties could easily drift apart, which would have brought the tremendously contentious topic of backpay for lost games into the equation. I truly felt if the negotiations had derailed Wednesday night, the labor dispute had the potential to extend into the summer. Fortunately, the two sides kept trying and were finally able to come to an agreement on Thursday. I was concerned when it was reported the eight-member MLBPA executive committee, which includes Yankees Zack Britton and Gerrit Cole and former Yank Andrew Miller, had unanimously voted no against the agreement. Fortunately, it was presented to the team player representatives and passed by majority vote. Including the unanimous player executive subcommittee dissent on the agreement, only four team player representatives voted no as the final vote was 26-12.

The clear winner is Jackie Robinson. April 15^th is Jackie Robinson Day, and his widow, Rachel, is 99 years old. Wiping out the celebratory day would have been such an injustice that could have never been repaired. Honestly, my first thought when it was announced the new CBA had been agreed to, was the protection of Jackie Robinson Day.   

Photo Credit: Harry Harris, AP

While I am glad they will play a full 162-game schedule, I seriously would have preferred the old standard of 154 games for this season rather than try to make up for the lost games with the revocation of days off and addition of double-headers. The shortened Spring Training heightens the risk for injury, and there is little doubt the Yankees will be leaning hard on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for reinforcements this year. Adding a three-game series at the end of the season (moving Season’s end from Sunday to mid-week), while maintaining the dates for the World Series, will squeeze the expanded 12-team playoffs into a tighter window. Buckle in, players…no rest for the wicked.

The owners rightfully agreed to increase the luxury tax threshold which elevates from $210 million to $230 million for the 2022 season. It will escalate to $244 million by 2026, the final year of the new CBA. Although there was a fourth tier added for the most extreme penalties ($60 million above the initial threshold, or $290 million for 2022), there is no chance Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner will exceed the threshold by that much. It was clearly a shot fired across town at billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen.  I have mixed feelings. I do not want a hard salary cap like other sports (the creative contracts in the NFL to get under the cap is insane). But I understand the need for competitive balance, which is why the changes to help discourage tanking are important. There is still a chance to reset penalties every few years, so you know that is Hal’s game plan and he is not going to play near the highest tier.  As for Cohen, how can you fault a billionaire who wants to spend to help his team? I wish we had one of those type owners. I jest of course because Hal does spend…just not with the same passion his father did.

The expansion of the playoffs to twelve teams would have allowed the dangerous Toronto Blue Jays to make the playoffs last season. The Yankees failed in a one-game matchup against the dreaded Boston Red Sox, but I think the outcome would have been the same against the Blue Jays. This screams to why GM Brian Cashman needs to build the right lineup before Opening Day.  It takes talent to beat talent.  It is more than that obviously, but the right pieces must be placed in the jigsaw puzzle to maximize the talent of the roster. I am sure some owners will take the stance of why build for a division championship when you can do less and still make the playoffs. I hope that mindset never enters Yankees ownership.

The draft lottery for the first six picks will help, but MLB needs to do more to prevent teams from tanking.

It did seem odd that the topic of an international draft became such a sticking point at the end, but I am glad they were able to kick the can down the road by a few months. The two sides will continue to talk about the international amateur system and direct draft-pick compensation (referred to as the qualifying offer). If the players want the elimination of the qualifying offer which can discourage teams from paying certain high-ranked free agents due to the draft-pick compensation, they will need to agree to an international draft by July 25^th. If not, the qualifying offer remains in place. The Yankees have benefited from no international draft the last couple of years when they spent most of their international pool allotments to sign the highest rated international prospects (Jasson Dominguez and Roderick Arias).  Yet, the international system is fraught with corruption and abuse, and an international draft would help level the playing field. I know the Yankees have benefited in the international market, but I think their ever evolving and improving scouting system will help uncover the gems despite the implementation of a draft.

I expected more of a free agent frenzy on Friday, so it was a bit underwhelming when the first Major League free agent signing was former Tigers reliever Drew VerHagen by the St Louis Cardinals. It was a bit of a gut punch when I saw the San Francisco Giants had signed LHP Carlos Rodon. I had thought he would have been a sneaky good pickup by the Yankees, but I cannot fault the Yankees for not making the two-year, $44 million investment in Rodon.  I suspect Cashman is closely monitoring the pitching market and will swing a trade to bring at least one additional starter into camp. The happiest free agent signing yesterday was when I saw that the Chicago Cubs had signed the most frequently mentioned Yankees “stopgap” shortstop target Andrelton Simmons. Off the market! Nice. I did not want any part of Simmons and would gladly accept a young Oswald Peraza over him. I do not think the Yankees will go into the season with Peraza or Anthony Volpe as the starting shortstop, so it remains to be seen what the Yankees do. 

I try not to think about the potential of adding free agent shortstop Carlos Correa, but the stars do seem aligned for him to sign with the Yankees. The Cubs were the only other team frequently mentioned with Correa and their addition of Simmons seemingly removes them from the equation. New YES Network analyst and former Yankee Cameron Maybin recently said, “If anyone could handle the extra weight the pinstripes carry its @TeamCJCorrea”. Maybin added, “He is really built for the biggest stage and what bigger stage than the boogie down baby!” There is much to be said about the ability to play in New York. It is not for everybody, and New York loves its stars. I know the baggage that comes with Correa (his association with the Astros cheating scandal and his disparaging remarks about Derek Jeter’s defense), but if the Yankees choose to sign Correa, I would be down with it. He is a great player and I feel if he is on your team helping you win, his past indiscretions can be forgiven if he shows remorse. 

Carlos Correa / Photo Credit: Chris Unger, Zuffa LLC

As much as I would love to see Freddie Freeman as a Yankee, it seems like the Los Angeles Dodgers are winning the race to sign the star first baseman. There really has not been any chatter that I have seen to connect the Yankees to Freeman. I probably still prefer Oakland A’s first baseman Matt Olson even if the cost is much greater than simply money. Olson is younger, and he fits the Yankees lineup as well as Freeman would.  But if the Yankees were to make an investment in either Correa or Trevor Story at shortstop, I would be totally down with resigning Anthony Rizzo for first base. Everybody keeps wanting to pencil in DJ LeMahieu at first base and that is such a waste of his talent.  He is a better play at second or third.  If Gleyber Torres struggles again this year, make LeMahieu the starting second baseman until Anthony Volpe is ready. I would play LeMahieu at third base for now and include Gio Urshela in a trade to help improve other areas of the team.

Lastly, I am grateful to hear Miguel Andujar was not seriously injured when he was beaten and robbed of a $7,000 gold chain at his home in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday. There were apparently three shots fired but Andujar was not hit.  He is scheduled to arrive in Tampa this weekend, so I hope he is 100% despite the ordeal. Very scaring news and it certainly could have been much worse. We look forward to your safe arrival in Tampa, Miggy!

Miguel Andujar / Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin, The New York Post

As always, Go Yankees!