Just One of Those Seasons...

 

Giancarlo Stanton (Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

The Yankees are not a good team…

Aside from a rare Friday night victory, Yankee fans were dealt a double whammy yesterday. The Yankees announced the placement of Nestor Cortes, Jr on the 15-Day Injured List with a rotator cuff strain in his left pitching arm (days after placing Carlos Rodón on the Injured List), and that Luis Severino (ugh!) will make his next start on Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves. Most fans felt the team needed to bring in a pitcher and a left fielder before the August 1 deadline, and in retrospect, that need has been heavily underscored in the days following the deadline. 

Losing Nestor hurts. The Yankees’ playoff chances were in doubt before his loss, so the reinjury of Nestor’s rotator cuff moved the Yankees further away from the ability to compete for October.  

Continuing to start Luis Severino every fifth day has become a joke. The games he starts feel like losses before the first pitch is thrown and they generally are. In his last seven games, Sevy is 1-5 with an 11.71 ERA and 2.39 WHIP. The use of an opener on Wednesday did not help as Sevy gave up four earned runs on five hits in two innings of work, taking the loss and helping the Yankees to drop the three-game series to the Chicago White Sox. Expecting better results against the Atlanta Braves is not a prudent bet. I think I can speak for most fans when I say we have seen enough of Luis Severino in 2023.

Luis Severino (Photo Credit: Robert Sabo/NY Post)

An impending free agent, his chances of resigning with the Yankees are about as good as Aroldis Chapman’s were last off-season. I guess you could say that Sevy did not give up on his team like Chapman did, but regardless of whether Sevy’s ailments are physical or mental, 2023 is a lost season for him and he is not going to make a miraculous comeback. It is time to move on from Sevy and given how much I have liked the pitcher over the years, that is a tough but true realization. With Nestor moving to the Injured List, both Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito are in the Major League clubhouse. Yet, the Yankees continue to roll out Sevy every week for more losses.  I had expected Will Warren to make an impact for the Major League team sometime this season, but he is only 7-4 with a 4.27 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in nineteen starts this season in Triple-A. Still, I would probably rather see Warren take his lumps for the big-league club than watch Severino pitch again. Clayton Beeter seems like the only other minor league option, but he has fared worse at the Triple-A level (1-3, 6.25 ERA, 1.52 WHIP in six games). The righthanded pitchers are both 24 years of age. The Yankees need to rebuild their starting rotation next season behind Gerrit Cole and a hopefully healthy Carlos Rodón and it is important for the Yankees to find out what they have with the young pitchers like Warren and Beeter. I would rather see them grow at the Major League level now than be subjected to another Severino start. 

As for Nestor, they are saying surgery is not on the table. I hope that is truly the case. It would be disappointing for weeks or months to pass, only to find out that Nestor needs Tommy John surgery. Until he is determined to be fully healthy, it is hard to factor him as a primary rotation cog for 2024.  I am hoping for the best but prepared for the worst. I would love for the fears to be unfounded. The Nestor news was further aggravated by the disclosure that Frankie Montas will not pitch this season. There had been some hope we would see him toward the end of the season. Montas will go down as one of Brian Cashman’s worst trades despite several other strong recent contenders for the abysmal title. 

The Yankees have not faced a losing season since Buck Showalter’s first season as Yankees manager in 1992. They finished 76-86, tied for fourth place in the AL East. Currently, the Yankees are 60-56, alone in the AL East Cellar by one game.  A losing season is a possibility. The Yankees are four games out of the Wild Card chase and the gap between them and the current third Wild Card team, the Toronto Blue Jays, seems much greater than it is. The two outside teams ahead of the Yankees in pursuit of the Blue Jays, the Seattle Mariners, and the Boston Red Sox, have current win streaks of eight and three games, respectively.  They are doing what the Yankees have been unable to do…win consistently. Face it, the Yankees are not making the playoffs. Even if they did somehow manage to leapfrog the Red Sox, Mariners, and Blue Jays in the next month and a half, they would not make it far in the playoff rounds. I do not buy ‘anything can happen if they make the playoffs’ with this Yankees team. There will be no World Series parades in New York this year. 

The Yankees should have sold at the deadline. Standing pat was the worst thing they could have done. Either go for it or reload for next season. The Yankees chose to do neither. Now, we are faced with possibly the worst Yankees team in thirty-one years and a grim outlook for next season. What will it take for Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner to take action to restore the team to World Series contending status? If it takes a losing season to make it happen, so be it. Hal needs to take the necessary action to ensure the Yankees can compete with the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox in the coming years. Baltimore looks to be a very dominant team with their pipeline of young, growing star players. Hal has apparently made the decision to retain Brian Cashman, which I think is a mistake. It is time for new blood in the front office. Assistant GM and analytics nerd Michael Fishman is done. The Yankees need a new head nerd and a new manager if Cashman is not going anywhere. Well, they would need those two positions replaced even if Cashman was exiting. The point is the Yankees need to stop doing what they have always done and try a new, fresh innovative approach to help lead the team to successful results. I would love to see what the brightest available minds in baseball could do with the Yankees’ vast resources. 

Hal, your move.

So long, Deivi

In a surprise move, the Yankees designated RHP Deivi Garcia for assignment on Monday to make room for Jonathan Loáisiga. Garcia was subsequently claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox and re-assigned to their Triple-A club. It is a sad Yankees ending for a pitcher that once held so much promise. Glad to see Loáisiga’s return but genuinely sorry it came at Deivi’s expense. Albert Abreu seemed like a better candidate for dismissal.  

 

Deivi Garcia (Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post)

With the number of talented minor league players that need to be placed on the 40-man roster this winter or be exposed to the Rule 5 draft, it was fairly obvious that Garcia would not survive his place on the roster come November. Yet, I did not expect the ending to happen so quickly.  The Yankees must have believed he offered no hope for this season since they were willing to let him go. At the very least, if the Yankees knew Garcia was not in their future plans, they should have dealt him at the deadline for a low-level minor leaguer. If Garcia finds success in Chicago, the Yankees’ mishandling of the pitcher will be forever magnified. It reminds me of New York Mets starter Jose Quintana who played out a minor league contract with the Yankees in 2011 and signed a free agent contract with the Chicago White Sox. Quintana proved the Yankees misjudged his talent. Hopefully, for Deivi’s sake, he can do the same. 

As always, Go Yankees!  

Deivi Pleads the Fifth...

  

Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg, NY Post

Garcia states his case today…

Today is a big day for Deivi Garcia (well, as big as Spring Training games can get). For him, it is a battle for the fifth spot in the starting rotation. Facing expected top AL East challenger, the Toronto Blue Jays (sorry Rays fans), Deivi can make a statement for Manager Aaron Boone and others with a strong performance.

Personally, and although I do not care for him personally, I think Domingo German has the leg up (arm up?) on Garcia. German has pitched very effectively this Spring and with a stronger MLB resume, I think German will receive first consideration. There will be opportunities for the young guys like Garcia, I just do not think he starts the year in the rotation (barring injuries, of course).  If I had my choice, I would love to see Garcia beat out German, but the realist in me says it will not happen. Yet, I think he will receive his opportunities over the course of the long season, and it will be fun to watch him get better and better with every pitch. Maybe this time next year, we are not asking if he will make the rotation, but which spot in the order of the starters.

I am starting to think Jay Bruce is going to make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster. When he was signed to a minor league deal, I did not really see how he fit the roster, but he continues to prove he can add value with his bat, plus playing some time at DH and first base. Not sure how much I would want to throw him in the outfield, but an occasional spot start is not the end of the world. I had wanted Derek Dietrich over Bruce but at this point, if one makes it, it is more probable it will be Bruce. I think the loser if Bruce makes the team is Mike Ford, not Mike Tauchman, but who knows. There are surprises every year.

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

I am not a big fan of Tyler Wade, but his ability to play shortstop provides him with some degree of roster protection. So, I cannot really see the versatile Dietrich taking Wade’s roster spot. Kyle Holder, currently in camp with the Cincinnati Reds through Rule 5, could be returned to the Yankees if he does not make the Reds (he is presently 1-for-11 this Spring). Not saying he would make the Yankees roster, but he will be a resource at the alternate training site if the Yankees need shortstop help in a pinch. The less the Yankees must rely upon Wade the better, in my opinion. I feel his position can be upgraded. Holder is probably not that guy, but he has excellent defensive skills which is a plus and if Gleyber Torres is down for any time, I would want a strong glove more than a bat at the position (considering the overall offensive strength of the team).

It is really run to watch Corey Kluber pitch. He has such a strong presence on the mound. I hated to see the Yankees face him during his dominant years with the Cleveland Indians and I am hopeful that he can create that same type of intimidation for non-Yankee fans this year. Not that Gerrit Cole needs any help to be one of the top pitchers in all of baseball, but there are things to be learned from a veteran ace like Kluber. He is just one of those guys with the ability to make everyone around him better. I like it. I look forward to the first Yankee Stadium start this year for the Klubot. Still trying to get used to number 28 on the mound (feels a little like Joe Girardi pitching) but no doubt that Kluber will soon make 28 his own. I am glad he is here (and healthy). It must be a little bittersweet for Texas Rangers fans, wondering what could have been.   

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

I am really excited about the Yankees’ starting rotation this year. The front four of Cole, Kluber, Jameson Taillon, and Jordan Montgomery is the best I have felt about the Yankees in years. Whether it is Domingo German, Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt (when he returns to good health), Michael King or someone else, the fifth starter will be no slouch. Then, on the summer horizon, looms the return of the great Luis Severino. Life is good.

I know there’s concern about the bullpen loss of Zack Britton for the next 3-4 months, but the Yankees seem to believe the arms they have will step up. They could be right. The Tampa Bay Rays are notorious for seemingly rebuilding their bullpen almost every year with unknown names, yet they find success.  So long as none of the relievers give me that “shell-shocked” feeling we experienced with Tyler Clippard, I am confident they can get the job done. Like everyone else, I am quietly pulling for 33-year-old Lucas Luetge. Ten strikeouts in 4 games are an achievement, even in meaningless Spring games. With improved spin rates and the assistance of the Yankees’ pitching and analytics teams, maybe Luetge is not just a flash in the pan.  If not Luetge, then I hope Tyler Lyons claims the lefty role. Not that the Yankees need a lefty to replace Britton, but it would be nice. I liked Darren O’Day’s comment after yesterday’s game that the Yankees bullpen, as presently constructed and even without Britton, brings a different look from every reliever. I am glad Aroldis Chapman has been working on adding a split-change to his arsenal. After the recent playoff failures, we need Chappy to be the last man standing in October and not because the opposing team just hit a game-winning, World Series-ending home run off him. I want the famed Chapman stare as the last batter of the 2021 season goes down swinging.

Photo Credit: USATSI

It was not great news to read the reports Miguel Andújar has soreness in right hand/wrist and will see a specialist on Monday. With Gio Urshela’s delayed start to the regular season, Miggy is being counted on to hold down third base until Gio’s return. The Yankees can move D.J. LeMahieu to third base in the interim if Miggy misses time. I suppose if that happens, Dietrich’s chances to make the roster improve since he can play second base. Hopefully, the news about Miggy will not be serious enough to deter his availability for Opening Day but it is certainly a concern until we know more. Hoping to hear good news about Miggy on Monday.

Robinson Chirinos, we hardly knew ye. Non-roster invitee Chirinos was a long shot before he fractured his right wrist, but now, it is probably the last we have seen of him in Pinstripes. Some Yankee fans were upset about his presence, but it did not bother me. If he has rapport with Gerrit Cole, why not roll the dice? Rob Brantly’s home run on Friday was his statement that he is more than happy to be the third catcher. I feel bad for Chirinos. At age 36, any injury can be a career-ender. The wrist is always so problematic, and it is not as easy as just letting the bone heal. Wrist injuries always remind me of the struggles Mark Teixeira experienced when he injured his wrist. Brantly will not make the Opening Day roster, but he will be a phone call away in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, most likely, if the Yankees need help. With no offense to Brantly, I hope he never receives the call but that is beside the point. Sadly, injuries happen, and the Yankees need to be prepared. Hopefully, this is the year we see less injuries than in recent seasons, but we are not off to a great start. 

We are starting to move into that part of Spring Training where the excitement about the return of baseball has moved to the ‘let’s just get this over so we can get to Opening Day’ stage. With the limited travel of this year’s Spring schedule, I am starting to get tired of seeing the Phillies, Pirates, Tigers and Blue Jays repeatedly.

As always, Go Yankees!

Dissecting Trevor Bauer’s Free Agency Wants & Needs

 

Trevor Bauer is the top available free agent starting pitcher on the market and has vowed to do things differently this offseason in his approach to his own free agency. Rather than doing things like most/every free agent available before him, Trevor and his agent Rachel Luba are trying to control more of the flow of information themselves rather than letting rumors and “fake news” dictate the narrative. Personally, I love this approach because through his social media platforms, Twitter and YouTube specifically, Trevor can engage the fans and keep them in the loop. It is also fun to watch him and Luba replying to Jon Heyman calling out his inaccuracies and falsehoods because who doesn’t like to see that? To take that one step further, who wouldn’t enjoy watching Heyman having to credit me with breaking the news on where Bauer signs, and for how much? You want to do things different, then be different. Chris Cotillo breaking the Doug Fister to the Washington Nationals was different, watching all the national Baseball writers having to credit a High School kid was different. Selling yourself on YouTube and creating your brand is also different, but which one is more different? I guess that’s Trevor’s decision, Day 14 of me asking him to allow me to break his news comes tomorrow on Twitter regardless though.

 

Day 13 of me asking @BauerOutage to leak me info on his free agency so Jon Heyman has to credit me when I break the news.

Please support so we can do this! pic.twitter.com/jsS6XWxQhw pic.twitter.com/qPzUdiDEFn

— Greedy Pinstripes (@GreedyStripes) January 11, 2021

Bauer released a video on his YouTube channel last night outlining what was important to him in his free agency search, as well as what may not be as important as much to him. I took notes and will cover as much as I can here in this article, but I encourage you to check out the video below and I encourage you to subscribe to his channel, even if he doesn’t end up signing with your favorite team. It’s a great follow and it’s the inside information and content that I think we, the MLB fans, have been clamoring for forever.

 

First of all, Trevor wearing a shirt that says “Spin Rate” with a spinning top in the middle was the perfect shirt for the video and the perfect way to get his brand out there a little more, in my opinion. I’m an analytical and advanced metrics guy, plus I make t-shirts on the side, so this one touched me personally as a fan. It made me want to buy one, whether he comes to the Bronx or not, and that, in a nutshell, is what Bauer wants to accomplish with his brand. Kudos to him, it’s working.

 

Trevor wants to build a partnership with his next team. Trevor wants a team that is willing to let Trevor be Trevor, but he also wants a team that is willing to listen to him to garner ideas, philosophies, etc. because he thinks he can bring a lot to any team that he signs with. How can you disagree with that given his history, which is something he also specifically touched on in his video. His performance, his durability, his increase in spin rate, etc. were all specifically touched on in the video, as well as his ability to grow his brand, to be able to vlog to his fans, to be able to help people through charities (HOPE WEEK for the win, am I right?), and to help his teammates get the recognition that they deserve. Trevor used being an inspiration for kids and getting his teammates to their favorite concerts as examples of this. Trevor wants to be a great teammate and grow with everyone, which spits in the face of the narrative that he and former teammate Gerrit Cole being on the same causing a ruckus in the Bronx. Trevor has stated multiple times that he has no issues with Cole and that playing on the same team as the Yankees workhorse would not be an issue for him, or for the rest of the team. Trevor is a genuine guy and I believe him. Could he just be saying that to keep the dream alive that the Yankees and their checkbook are still in the fold potentially? Sure, but again… Trevor seems like a genuine guy. If he had an issue with Cole I don’t think he would go out of the way to trash him, but at the same time I think his responses would have been much different when asked as well.

 

Trevor outlined what is important to him, and what isn’t so important to him, in the video, but stated that he didn’t want his “important” list to be construed as a demand list. Trevor mentioned multiple times that it was a preference of his but continued to stress that this would be a partnership between him and his new team. What isn’t so important to Trevor is geography and the size of the media market that he would be entering via free agency. Trevor knows he can build his brand on Twitter and YouTube whether he pitched in the Bronx or whether he pitched in Bismarck, North Dakota. Trevor has proven this, we are all sitting here talking about him this winter after being drafted by a small market team in the Arizona Diamondbacks before making a name for himself in equally smaller markets in Cleveland and Cincinnati.

 

What is important to Trevor is his happiness. Trevor stated that he has spent a lot of time, both his personal life and his baseball life, unhappy and that he doesn’t want to waste more of his time staying that way. Kudos to him. Life is short, way too short, and every second you spend unhappy is a second that you won’t get back. Trevor also wants a team that is willing to accept the way Trevor goes about himself and the way he goes about getting ready for the game. Trevor mentioned how he was told he shouldn’t throw weighted balls by the Diamondbacks because he would throw his arm out, and how that now most pitchers throw with weighted balls. Bauer wanted to emphasize that this didn’t mean that he was necessarily un-coachable, but instead emphasized the partnership with any potential team he signed with. Bauer is open to ideas from his next pitching coach and organization but wants it to be a two-way revolving door with the organization and pitching coach also willing to listen and potentially implement some of his ideas. I think this is where the Yankees may gain a slight advantage, given that former Indians pitching coach and current Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake know Bauer very well.

 

Trevor knows he has a finite number of years to play at the MLB level and he wants the opportunity to not only compete for a World Series every year, which he would get in the Bronx, but he also wants to win a World Series. In my opinion, the Yankees window to win the World Series is two years, subject to change. After two years the contracts of Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, etc. begin getting expensive through arbitration and that will dictate how long the window stays open. Adding Bauer, depending on the length of the contract of course, potentially extends that window accordingly.

 

Bauer also wants to at least have a discussion about pitching every fourth day, stating that he tracks everything about his body and his performance. Bauer thinks he can be even better pitching every fourth day, which in a lot of ways would work best for the New York Yankees. The Yankees need innings and Bauer pitching every fourth day instead of every fifth day could solve a lot of problems in the Bronx. Bauer specifically touched on how him pitching every fourth day could potentially allow a pitcher who pitches better on five- or six-days rest (check Masahiro Tanaka’s stats with the extra day of rest for an example. We all know he prefers to come back here and could presumably be had for “cheap”) or a pitcher on a team-imposed innings limit (Clarke Schmidt, Domingo German, Deivi Garcia, and eventually Luis Severino come to mind immediately) could benefit from having Bauer pitch more often.

 

What it will come down to is money. Bauer has a pretty good idea what he is worth, and he wants to be compensated fairly for it, not only for his projections into 2021 and beyond, but from his past as well. Bauer noted and recognized that he has had good seasons and down seasons, but his durability and uptick in spin rate, etc. This is where I believe it gets dicey for the Yankees, specifically. Is the mandate to get under the $210 million luxury tax threshold posturing, or is it a real mandate? I am leaning towards the former and not the latter, but unfortunately, I know just as much (or as little) as the rest of us. I do know one thing though, if the Yankees want him here and if Bauer wants to pitch for this club, they can get creative and work something out. Defer money, whatever needs to be done.

 

We learned a lot by listening to Bauer, more than we ever learned from Jon Heyman tweets this offseason, so I compiled them into a PROS and CONS list specifically linked to my favorite team, the New York Yankees.

 

PROS:

 

• Yankees HOPE WEEK
• A seemingly fun, young(er) clubhouse based on the love of the game and unity.
• A media market and fan base that would embrace Trevor’s ideologies on the game in terms of social media, analytics, and the desire to win a World Series every single year.
• Former Indians pitching coach Matt Blake is the pitching coach in the Bronx

 

CONS:

 

• I don’t think the Yankees will meet the fiscal needs of Trevor outlined in his video so that he can continue to grow his brand. The $210 million mandate is real, whether they say it out loud or not.

 

Will the Yankees sign Trevor Bauer this offseason? In my opinion, the only thing keeping them from signing him will be his fiscal demands. I think given a two-year championship window that the tax shouldn’t be a concern, especially with the new CBA presumably coming after this season (and all the fiscal unknowns that come with it), but I am not in those war room discussions. I personally would buy a Bauer shirt/jersey day one if he signed in the Bronx and I think a ton of others would, but none of us know what’s going on inside the mind of Hal Steinbrenner. One thing I think we all know for a fact, though, is that the Yankees need pitching and Bauer is the best pitcher available. Bauer would make every single player on that team better and he would make every decision that Matt Blake, manager Aaron Boone, and GM Brian Cashman makes that much easier. It is the perfect storm, and the storm is here, now it’s up to the Yankees to walk into the eye of that storm and grab the most coveted piece on the free agent market… you know, like George would have done.

 

Get Greedy, Get Bauer.

 

Eleven Years and Counting...

  

Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin, NY Post

Rays cast Yankees aside, ending Pinstriped aspirations…

Well, that sucked.

If the Yankees had gotten any help from good health this year, they would be in the AL Championship Series, preparing to host the Houston Astros tonight in San Diego. I think the biggest disappointment is to miss the ALCS by one bad pitch. The path to the World Series this year might be the easiest it ever would have been for the Yankees. I don’t say that because I think the window is closing but the promising younger teams will only get better, increasing the competition so that you don’t have a team with a losing record and a history of cheating playing, sitting in the ALCS right now, for the right to advance to the World Series. The Yankees had a golden opportunity to exact revenge on Astros for their unethical play but sadly we must put our trust and faith in the Rays to do it.

Clearly, the Yankees must do SOMETHING about starting pitching. It will be an on-going Achilles heel unless there can be stronger and more reliable arms behind Gerrit Cole. Starting Deivi Garcia in Game 2 was a clear sign the Yankees simply did not have better options. After the high of Gerrit Cole pitching Game 1, I was deflated when I heard Garcia would get the ball in Game 2. Garcia has been a bright spot this season but the moment was too big for even him. Still, falling behind 2-1 in the series but winning the crucial fourth game, you had to like the Yankees’ chances for the fifth and final game with Cole on the mound. Unfortunately, the bats could not deliver and Year 1 of the massive Cole contract is in the books.

Photo Credit: Corey Sipkin, NY Post

As much as I’ve wanted the Yankees to bring Masahiro Tanaka back, he didn’t have a good post-season. If he had performed like he has in past Octobers, it is very possible the Tampa Bay Rays would be the team sitting at home right now.  The disappointing playoff starts have reduced my optimism the Yankees will or should bring back Masa. With the talk the Yankees will reduce spending, like all teams, after the lost revenue of the 2020 season, it is a near certainty the Yankees won’t make a big splash to land a number two starter like Trevor Bauer. Instead, it will be an off-season of looking for hidden gems ready to blossom.  It is clear Gerrit Cole needs help. He cannot do it by himself.  Whether it is Deivi Garcia and/or Clarke Schmidt or other young Yankee prospects, they need to take it to the next level. But the entirety of improvement in the starting rotation should not fall solely on the young arms. It needs to be a combination of veteran influence and exciting youthful talent and enthusiasm…just not as veteran as someone like J.A. Happ. 

I don’t have a grand plan for the off-season. The Yankees pay Brian Cashman and his henchmen a lot of money to make those decisions. However, I do know the Yankees must re-sign DJ LeMahieu. As one of the team’s best players the last two years and the 2020 AL Batting Champion, the Yankees cannot afford to let the superior defender and consummate teammate depart.

Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

I’ve heard many fans call for the head of Aaron Boone. While I feel he regressed in 2020, the fact is there is not someone better out there. I respect Boone’s clubhouse skills and I think he will show the improvement evident in 2019 in future years. 2020 was just a weird, freaky, ridiculous and deadly year. Except for maybe the wave of the ten-game winning streak, there was never truly a time that I felt the 2020 Yankees had that “it” quality in terms of championship aspirations.  So, as disappointed as I was to see Mike Brosseau and the Rays beat the Yankees, I cannot say I was surprised. 

I don’t want to point fingers at the Yankees’ bench coach, Carlos Mendoza, who served as Boone’s right-hand man for the first time this season. Perhaps former bench coach Josh Bard was more valuable than what we could observe from the outside looking in. Maybe Mendy is not the right guy to offer choices to Boone in the heat of battle. I like the coach and I am not asking for his firing but maybe a different role is in order. I’ve always felt Boone would be better served by having an experienced manager as his bench coach. Not that I think Buck Showalter would accept that type of position, but he’s the type of guy I have in mind. Okay, maybe I am pointing my finger at Mendoza but I do believe the Yankees need to make the tough decisions to put Aaron Boone in the best possible position to succeed. 

As for Brian Cashman, he is not going anywhere unless a team like the New York Mets throw an overabundance of cash to Cash. I kind of like the idea of maybe bringing back former assistant GM Billy Eppler who was fired after the season as GM of the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim) by owner Arte Moreno. I thought Eppler did a decent job despite the handcuffs placed on him by Moreno. He could never get the pitching to support Mike Trout but I put that more on Moreno than Eppler. The obstacle for Eppler coming back is the apparent stranglehold on Eppler’s old position by trusted Cashman lieutenant, Tim Naehring. Eppler would most likely have to take a lesser role so I think he’s probably bound for another organization, maybe somewhere closer to his Southern CA home.

There are lots of decisions to be made if the Yankees intend to rebound with a vengeance in 2021. It will be another interesting (and strange off-season) with the pandemic continuing to rage across the globe and an impending battle for the White House next month. Although unrelated to baseball, these are factors that can influence significant financial decisions and commitments by all MLB teams.

If there is one guy on the roster who must improve headed into next season, it is Gleyber Torres. I am not advocate for trading him or, at this point, moving him back to second base despite the availability of so many talented shortstops. I guess I’d change my opinion if the Yankees let LeMahieu get away, but until then, I like DJ at second and not the rover he played during his first season with the Yankees. Gio Urshela has proven his worth as the starting third baseman and same with Luke Voit at first. I will always be enamored with having a guy like Francisco Lindor at short, but realistically, it will never happen. I’d rate it more likely the Yankees would go after a guy like Andrelton Simmons.

Not sure what I think about Gary Sanchez. I’ve always given him my support but after this season, given how he was first cast aside by Gerrit Cole and then later in the post-season by Aaron Boone, I don’t think he has a future in Pinstripes anymore. I certainly do not want Kyle Higashioka as the starting catcher (sorry Higgy fans). Options do seem limited, however, especially if the Yankees are looking to cut payroll. A move away from El Gary may not bring in a J.T. Realmuto to serve as his replacement. Keep expectations low seems to be the theme this year with the monetary constraints expected as a result of the pandemic.

I’d buy out Brett Gardner. Sorry. I can’t say enough about how great of a Yankee he has been. In his final game against the Rays a few days ago, he made a magnificent catch in left. But it is time to pass the baton. Clint Frazier should be the undisputed left fielder next season, with support by Mike Tauchman (or someone else if the Yankee can find an upgrade). Time to give Gardy a gold watch, pat him on the back, give him his day at Yankee Stadium and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Photo Credit: NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

I am hopeful and optimistic for the 2021 despite my concerns noted above. I do think the Yankees will make the right decisions. I don’t see any team going hog wild in free agency this year and I trust the Yankees to find the undiscovered gems. The monster teams growing in San Diego, Chicago (White Sox), and Toronto concern me but the Yankees are a resilient organization with an eye for talent. There are more Gio Urshela’s to be found…the Yankees just need to move quicker before an intelligent team like the Rays can snatch them up.

As for the 2020 playoffs, it sickens me to think the Houston Astros are a series away from the World Series. I hate the Tampa Bay Rays so the ALCS is truly about the lesser of two evils. I’d rather see the Rays (ugh) advance than the pathetic Astros. The Los Angeles Dodgers are my favorite NL team so the decision of which team to support is easy. So, win or lose, this is the order of teams I’d support for winning this year’s World Series:

1.       Los Angeles Dodgers

2.       Atlanta Braves

3.       Tampa Bay Rays

4.       Houston Cheaters

The NLCS should be a classic. The Dodgers have a great team but so do the Braves. I think this is the National League’s year to win the World Series so in my opinion, the winner of the Dodgers/Braves series will be the World Series champion. As long as the season ends with no celebrations by the Rays or Astros, I will be happy.    

Before I go, I’d like to say a final farewell to the great Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford.  The Chairman of the Board, one of the all-time greatest Yankee Legends, passed away on October 8^th at age 91. He suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease in recent years. He was apparently at his Lake Success, NY home watching the Yankees play when he died. No jokes. This is a sad time for the Yankees. I recall my feelings of disappointment when the 2019 Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium did not include Ford. I had feared we were nearing the end of the road for the ten-time All-Star and six-time World Series champion. I never got to see Ford pitch but as a Yankees fan, his historic accomplishments are why the Yankees are such a wonderful collection of Legends who stand above all other teams. Rest in Peace, Whitey. We thank you and we will miss you…

Photo Credit: Ray Stubblebine, REUTERS

As always, Go Yankees! 

My 2020 IBWAA Awards Votes for AL and NL Rookies of the Year

The race for the American League Rookie of the Year Award may have been one of the most entertaining awards races to watch down the stretch with the Chicago White Sox Phenom Luis Robert contending with Kyle Lewis of the Seattle Mariners for much of the season. Unfortunately, the Yankees did not have anyone who really entered the discussion this year, although that doesn't take away from the amazing season that Deivi Garcia and other Yankees enjoyed. Robert and Lewis were just on another level. Meanwhile, in the National League, the pitching side of things showcases a bright future for teams like the Miami Marlins and the Los Angeles Dodgers, but there was a certain guy out in San Diego that has been watching Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis a little too much to lose here in 2020. 

AL Rookie of the Year: Luis Robert (CHW)

For much of the season Robert and Lewis went back-and-forth, but Robert pulled ahead in the final three weeks of the season to secure the award, in my opinion. Robert and Lewis were neck-and-neck for much of the season, but while Lewis came down to Earth just a little, Robert got even better. At one point Robert and his surprise (to some) Chicago White Sox had the top seed in the American League before faltering on the final weekend of the season and settling for a third seed. 

NL Rookie of the Year: Jake Cronenworth (SD)

Listen, I love Dustin May as much as the next guy, and I really enjoyed watching Sixto Sanchez pitch before many of you knew who he was (admittedly, before 2020 I didn't know who he was, but Derek Jeter owns the Miami Marlins so I pay attention to his farm system), but Jake Cronenworth ran away with the NL Rookie of the Year vote in my opinion. Every good young team builds up the middle and the Padres have done with that middle infielder (and relief pitcher, in a pickle) Cronenworth. Cronenworth did a little bit of everything here in 2020 and is probably the most complete package of the three listed. 

Winning is Better...

Photo Credit: Adam Hunger, Associated Press

Yankees halt losing skid…

As I sit down to write this post, the Yankees have won one game today, albeit a big comeback to do it, but a win is a win. The Yankees have won the last two games in walk-off fashion, after finally snapping the seven-game losing skid on Saturday. The Yankees are just getting underway with the second of today’s games. Young rookie Deivi Garcia makes his Major League debut.

Photo Credit: Yankees.com

I hate losses. Sorry, but I grew up in the George Steinbrenner era where anything less than an undefeated season was unacceptable. Okay, I might not be too serious about that part but I was really hoping to avoid a losing skid this year with the shortened number of games. Seven games basically represents 12% of the schedule. Ouch! With the Yankees trailing the Tampa Bay Rays by four games in the AL East, they really can’t afford to keep losing. The regular season’s final month begins on Tuesday. The Rays have played a few more games than the Yankees due to the recent stretch of no games due to the COVID-19 concerns at Citi Field last weekend. The Yankees can make up ground with the rescheduled games but they need to win them. A nice 10-game winning streak would feel good about now.

When I woke up this morning, I was a little surprised it was my favorite NFL team, not my MLB team, that had pulled off the day’s biggest trade with MLB’s looming trade deadline tomorrow.  For what it’s worth (I realize most of you are Giants or Jets fans), the Minnesota Vikings acquired disgruntled DE Yannick Ngakoue from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ngakoue gives the Vikings a pair of elite defensive ends (homegrown powerhouse Danielle Hunter is the other) which is great for a team that took some heavy free agent losses this past off-season. I kind of expected Yankees news before anything Vikings but so far the Yankees have been quiet. On one hand, I’d love to see them get reinforcements, but on the other, I don’t want to get rid of quality young talent for rentals. Not this year. 

I was kind of disappointed today when I saw the Baltimore Orioles had traded reliever Mychal Givens to the Colorado Rockies. I always thought Givens would be a good pickup for the Yankees. I realize he didn’t have a great 2019 season but he formed a good duo with Zack Britton not long ago and he’s been much better this year in a setup role. Phil Nevin’s son, Tyler, is now in the AL East with his dad as he was part of the package the O’s received for Givens. 

Photo Credit: Dom Amore, The Hartford Courant

I don’t want to see the Yankees part with prospects to get Lance Lynn. I realize that Lynn has been much better in Texas than he was with the Yankees, but he feels a little like ‘been there, done that’ to me and I just don’t trust him for the long term. Mike Clevinger would be nice if the Cleveland Indians are really serious about trading him, but he just seems like the latest Tribe trade bait that will be discussed for years before it happens and by the time it does, the receiving team will get damaged goods a la Corey Kluber.  

It seems like it is the potential end of the road for Erik Kratz’ latest tenure in Pinstripes. With Kyle Higashioka preparing to return within the next couple of days, it appears as though Kratz will lose his seat at the table. This might be why the Yankees made the minor acquisition for catcher Rob Brantly last week, whom they have stashed at the alternate training site. You kind of feel bad for the 40-year-old Kratz who has been around the game so long but Major League jobs have been fleeting for him despite some minor success a couple of years ago with the Milwaukee Brewers. Say what you will about Higgy but he’s not going to be the one to get the pink slip. I’m sure there are a few Yankee fans who would like to see the Yankees cut Gary Sanchez. Yeah, right. I look forward to Gary’s contributions to deliver the next World Series to New York City. If you don’t cheer for him now, don’t cheer for him when he helps us win.  

I’d love to be in Brian Cashman’s “War Room” right now. I have no doubt Cash and his team are working the phones and have a strong sense of who’s available and who can be had for the right price. That kind of goes without saying (yet I did anyway). I guess it’s possible the Yankees do nothing. As they say, sometimes the best trade is the trade never made. While the starting pitching has looked better lately, the bullpen has been a bit of a concern. The blown games by the pen during the losing streak are uncharacteristic but, with the injuries the unit has seen and the fact this is just a friggin’ strange year, reinforcing a strength is not a bad idea. Despite the good performance by J.A. Happ this weekend, I would still like to see other options. I want to win now and while I like Mike King and Happ’s still around, I want better now! This is not a time to be patient. I say that as someone who felt the pain for years after the Yankees unloaded the promising young Al Leiter years ago, much to my disappointment at the time. We all know Leiter went on to have a very good Major League career. The infamous Jesse Barfield trade. Nothing against Barfield, but I don’t want to make another one of those types of trades. I am not advocating the trade of King, I just want better starting options for 2020. Let him battle for 2021 and beyond. This is an all-hands on deck situation, and we need the best possible arms for any chance in October.

Yankees slugger (snicker, snicker) Tyler Wade has just given young Deivi a 1-0 lead over Seth Lugo and the New York Mets.  

Young Deivi seems to be making a statement today. Three innings of hitless ball so far with five strikeouts. Not sure what the final numbers will look like, but he’s certainly in a groove right now and getting better. No, I don’t want to see Deivi packaged in a deadline deal tomorrow. Not because of this performance but I am looking forward to a battle between Garcia and Clarke Schmidt next Spring as they attempt to take one of the vacated starting spots in the rotation, most likely the one currently occupied by James Paxton (well, when he is healthy). 

Ken Rosenthal is floating the availability of Starling Marte and Archie Bradley, currently with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both of those guys would look good in the Bronx. I’ve wanted Bradley for a few years now, and the Yankees could certainly use a quality outfielder with the health issues surrounding Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.  

Photo Credit: Mark J Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

I was surprised to see the Tampa Bay Rays move DH Jose Martinez to the Chicago Cubs this weekend. When the Rays picked up Martinez last off-season from the St Louis Cardinals, I thought it would work out to be another sneaky good move by the Rays. Martinez was a defensive liability in National League with the Cards but he has a powerful bat. He’ll settle into the DH role with the Cubs. You don’t expect a division leader to trade away veterans, even if they are underperforming, but then again, it’s the Rays and despite their success, they have to pay very close attention to the bottom line, especially in a year that sees no fans flock to Tropicana Field rather than the usual one or two dozen that show up during normal times.  

I know this is not baseball news but I was really saddened to hear about the death of actor Chadwick Boseman, 43, from colon cancer. Since he had not disclosed his illness, his passing was a shock. He was such a great thespian who had presence, incredible talent, charm and charisma. He made us believe he was Jackie Robinson in 42 and of course we all bowed to the great King of Wakanda in his epic role as Marvel’s Black Panther. I am even more impressed with Boseman’s public appearances over the last few years, in retrospect, when unknown to us at the time, he had already been diagnosed with cancer.  He continued to give until he could give no more. I always like to say everybody is replaceable but unfortunately, Chadwick is not. There will never be another like him, and it’s a huge loss for Hollywood…and for America and the entire World. It is ironic he passed on a weekend when Major League Baseball was celebrating the legendary Jackie Robinson but it’s the perfect tribute. Two very great men that we’ll never, ever forget. Wakanda Fovever!…Jackie Robinson Forever!…Chadwick Boseman Forever!…

It’s the fourth inning and Deivi Garcia just gave up his first hit. Trade the bum!  Seriously, he has done better than I thought but the real challenge will be the Mets getting their second and possibly third looks at him depending upon how deep he goes into this game. Regardless of how the game turns out, Deivi is making the case he wants to be at Yankee Stadium for the long haul. Great poise by the youngster who was deprived a vibrant Yankee Stadium crowd  for his, so far, highly successful adventure in the Bronx on a warm Sunny late August day.   

One day to the trading deadline. Will tomorrow bring us some new Yankees? We shall soon find out, boys and girls. Stay tuned…

As always, Go Yankees!

Waiting for Mr Baseball...

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Our favorite pastime is sorely missed…

We continue to sit and wait to see if the 2020 MLB baseball season will start or even happen. Unfortunately, the coronavirus continues to increase its grip on the country and many of us wait this out at our homes, with minimal external trips for necessities. We’ve seen the passing of many people who could not overcome the deadly effects of the virus and can only hope things begin to turn around soon.

It was good to see MLB and the Players Union come together for compromise regarding the shortened or possibly lost season. The players maintain service time but that’s certainly the least of the concerns from my perspective as a fan. At the present time, there is a possibility that Mookie Betts never plays a regular season game for the Los Angeles Dodgers. I continue to be cautiously optimistic for a shortened season and do want to see Mookie in Dodger Blue for meaningful games (although simply watching the Yankee pinstripes on a baseball field is more desirable).

Photo Credit: Ray Stubblebine, Reuters

At this point, I don’t think anyone really knows what the 2020 MLB season will look like. I’d like to see them play at least 120 games if possible. The idea of using many double-headers to get in as many games as they can seems to be an invitation to injury in my opinion. There’s talk the rosters will be expanded beyond 26 players, at least at the start of the season, as a hedge against injury but that’s not enough. If they expand to say 28 or 29 players, that’s not really going to help in the long run. I am hopeful for as many games as can be played but mostly within the confines of single games per day. 

I know Los Angeles was looking forward to hosting this year’s All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium but it does appear the All-Star Break will be one of the sacrifices in an altered, reduced schedule.

I’ve seen the talk about a two-week mini-Spring Training if/when baseball resumes, but I share Yankee manager Aaron Boone’s opinion teams need more time than that (3 to 4 weeks is more realistic). Where we sit today, it seems June would be the earliest we could potentially see regular season baseball again and that’s assuming things with COVID-19 start to improve soon. 

The Yankees were scheduled to play 60 total games from March 26^th through the end of May. To get in 120 games would require creative scheduling or an extension of the season deeper into October, possibly pushing the playoffs into November. The thought of Yankees baseball in the Bronx after Halloween is a scary thought if for no other reason than the colder temps. There’s talk of neutral sites. Does that mean we could see the Yankees play “home” games at the Tin Can they call Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, FL? It does make more sense for the Yankees to play alternate home games near their Spring Training home and minor league headquarters than other cities if they can’t play in New York City. 

Photo Credit: Reinhold Matay, AP 

At this point, anything is purely speculation so we continue to wait and hopefully all of us stay healthy in the meantime.

There was some transaction activity until MLB froze transactions temporarily with this week’s agreement. The Yankees optioned fifth starter candidate Michael King, along with reliever Ben Heller, starter Deivi Garcia and infielder Thairo Estrada to the minors. All, except Garcia who went to Double A Trenton, were assigned to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. 

Not surprised at any of the names, but Estrada’s demotion does point to the success of Tyler Wade making the club as its backup infielder (and on some occasions, outfielder) and maybe even non-roster invitee Rosell Herrera, who opened a few eyes before Spring Training was shut down. I have thought this could be a big breakout year for the speedy Wade so time will tell if he gets the chance. Garcia is clearly not ready yet although his arrival looms on the horizon. King and Heller are two guys that I thought had legitimate chances to make the Opening Day roster.  But the longer the delay goes on, the better the chance James Paxton is ready to join the starting rotation. Under that scenario, Jordan Montgomery moves from fourth to fifth starter which eliminates the immediate need for King. I’ve long admired Heller but I know, like Monty, he is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and it probably makes more sense to have him continue his work at Triple A until he proves he is ready to be an answer in the bullpen. Realistically, I think we’ll see all four of these players at the Major League level at some point during the season but that’s not exactly a bold prediction. 

With starting pitchers Chris Sale and Noah Syndergaard opting for Tommy John surgery, it makes you wonder who is next. Granted, I am not a fan of the Red Sox or the Mets, but I hope both guys have successful surgeries with full recovery to good health. I respect both pitchers and I look forward to their respective returns to top form.

Moving off-topic to football, it is going to be very weird to see Tom Brady performing as the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I don’t like the New England Patriots but the thought of Brady in anything other than a Patriots uniform seems wrong. As a Vikings fan, I got to see hated rival Brett Favre suit up in purple and gold but that’s not the same since Favre, a great quarterback, is not on the same level as Brady who will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the position, if not the greatest. I am not convinced Brady will see the same level of success with the Bucs and it’s kind of sad to see him go out as anything but the best. I had hoped he would come to Los Angeles to play for the Chargers, but the Californian opted for the “home” city of the Yankees, playing next to Steinbrenner Field.

NFL free agency has not been kind to my team, the Minnesota Vikings. The defensive backfield has been decimated by the departures of Xavier Rhodes (Colts), Trae Waynes (Bengals) and Mackenzie Alexander (Bengals). He is not the player he once was but the Cleveland Browns signed Andrew Sendejo. The Vikings placed the franchise tag on Anthony Harris, but his name continues to come up in potential trades. The defensive backfield is going to look substantially different this year, although I am glad All-Star safety Harrison Smith remains in place. He’ll need Holton Hill, Mike Hughes, and Kris Boyd to step up and whomever else the Vikings decide to bring in through free agency and the draft. 

The Vikings’ receiving corps will also look different with the trade of Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills. While I will miss the talent Diggs brought to the field, I won’t miss the drama that came with him. He’ll forever be immortalized in Minnesota for the famed Minneapolis Miracle catch a few seasons ago against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs, but life moves on.  Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Tajaé Sharpe joins the team in a bid to secure the second receiver role behind the team’s premier receiver, Adam Thielen. The 25-year-old New Jersey native had 25 catches last year for the Titans, accumulating 329 yards and scoring four touchdowns. I didn’t know much about him prior to this year, but I am excited for him to compete with the other young receivers on the Vikings roster.  Ironically, Sharpe made his NFL debut in 2016 against the Vikings, grabbing 7 passes for 76 yards. Fortunately, the Vikings won the game, but I’m fine if Sharpe wants to keep up that production when there are Vikings on the field. 

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Although the decision for the NFL Draft to proceed as scheduled next month is highly controversial, I am glad they’ll do it. We need the distraction and the return of Sports in any capacity is much appreciated. 

I thought I had seen my last snow in Colorado but it was not to be. The ground, as I type this post, is covered with the white stuff. This, I think, is the last.  I know Colorado weather is so fickle but it does appear temps will be slightly better for the coming days. Still not crazy about moving during this crazy (and unhealthy) time but I will do my best to stay safe.  I am looking forward to my new home and the end to Winter as I presently know it.  Kind of funny to think that today I need a heavy coat to go outside but will be wearing shorts in a couple of weeks. 

Stay safe and healthy.

As always, Go Yankees!