Destination: 2019 World Series Championship...

Yankees are one or two moves away from “full throttle”…

Another day, another 24 hours gone by with no news on the Yankees front. Waiting for Manny Machado’s decision feels like an eternity. While many of you may be hopeful the Yankees pass on the…don’t say it, don’t say it…”generational” talent, I think it will be a huge disappointment for those of us who wish to see the Yankees sign the young superstar shortstop/third baseman. 

Probably the worst thing about waiting for Manny is how it has placed other moves on hold. Or at least that’s the way it seems from an outsider’s perspective. Not knowing how many dollars it might take to reel in Machado, the Yankees don’t know how much they will have to spend on the bullpen. It also prevents the Yankees from pursuing Plans B or C for the temporary replacement of Didi Gregorius. I know I’ve mentioned D.J. LeMahieu in the past and Daniel Burch wrote a piece about the player yesterday, but I don’t really want to see the Yankees sign a multi-year deal with a free agent second baseman that could potentially spell the end of the illustrious Yankee career of Didi Gregorius. If you make a huge multi- year deal for an above-average second baseman, it increases the likelihood the Yankees permanently move Gleyber Torres to his natural shortstop position and pass on offering Didi an extension. So, I think all things considered, I’d prefer to see a temporary glove-first shortstop like Adeiny Hechavarria or Jose Iglesias over someone like LeMahieu even if the latter’s bat could help. I want Didi Gregorius as the Yankees’ shortstop for the long-term and I am certainly not prepared to see him leave next off-season. I think in my mind, I envision Didi’s return somewhere around the trading deadline in July but some reports have him back sooner. I know that’s also an argument for why the team shouldn’t sign Machado but this is still a good Yankees team that can withstand a few months without Didi in the lineup. 

If it’s my money, I pay the most dollars to bring in bullpen help to restore its status as a super bullpen and find a reasonably cheap deal for an interim shortstop to keep Gleyber Torres firmly planted at second base. 

Photo Credit: AP (Julie Jacobson)

I know I’ve said that I want one of David Robertson, Adam Ottavino or Zach Britton, but the truth is I want Britton. I think this becomes more apparent to me with each passing day that Britton remains a free agent. I am ready to see D-Rob go, even if that means he calls Fenway Park home, if it means the return of #53 to the Yankees bullpen. Obviously, if Britton decides he wants to be a closer again and takes more money elsewhere, I’d want the Yankees to go hard after D-Rob or Ottavino. I think for the second open bullpen slot, the Yankees will attempt to fill it from within with the likes of Stephen Tarpley, Joe Harvey and Chance Adams. Surely, Tommy Kahnle has to be better this year. He can’t possibly be any worse than he was last season. 

The San Diego Padres keep popping up in trade rumors involving top starting pitchers like Corey Kluber and Marcus Stroman. I don’t really get why a young San Diego team with a very strong farm system that could potentially set up the team as a contender in two or three years would trade prospects for a thirty-something starter. Kluber is one of the game’s best right now but by the time the Padres are ready to contend, he’ll be on the inevitable downward slide. Kevin Acee, the Padres beat writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune tweeted yesterday that the Padres won’t be adding Kluber or Stroman and mentioned the team’s priority is a third baseman.  We know the Padres like Miguel Andujar, which does make you wonder if the Yankees and Padres could team up to make a three-way deal with the Indians to bring Kluber to New York. The Padres could potentially get their hands on Sonny Gray in addition to Andujar in a deal that might make sense for all three teams. I keep reading the Indians won’t trade their ace to an American League team but if the Padres and Yankees work collectively, they can make the Indians an offer they can’t refuse. I think Sonny Gray would thrive in Petco Park and would give the Padres the starter they’ve been seeking. I know that we keep hearing the Dodgers associated with Kluber, but I think they’d be stronger pursuing a trade with the Miami Marlins for catcher J.T. Realmuto, a huge need for the Dodgers, and signing a free agent starter like Dallas Keuchel than using prospects to bring Kluber to Chavez Ravine. If the Yankees can somehow acquire Kluber, I don’t really care what they do the rest of the offseason. They’ll have a team ready to dethrone the defending World Series champions.

Circling back to the wonderful world of Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, the buzz yesterday was neither player really likes Philadelphia. I don’t really care for the Philly bashing as I like the city, but there’s no doubt, to me, Philly does not hold the same glamour, glitz, and prestige that New York City has. If your primary concern is your legacy in Major League Baseball, there’s no better place to play than New York. Of course, it takes two to tango. I know the Yankees are waiting for prices to drop and maybe that’s the smart play. But the team has the financial strength to bring one of the two best free agent superstars to hit the open market in years to the Bronx in a way that requires virtually no thought from the player or his agent. Well, let’s be honest, the Yankees have the money for both players, but realistically, that’s never going to happen in the bean-counting world of Hal Steinbrenner. I remember how jazzed the fan base was last year when the Yankees acquired Giancarlo Stanton. I know Stanton has taken his not-so-fair share of heat, but he’s a great slugger capable of so much more. Imagine bringing a guy like Machado or Harper to the team with Stanton, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Gleyer Torres and others. This would excite the fan base beyond heights we’ve seen in years. 

We’re probably facing another quiet day in the Hot Stove League. I doubt anything heats up until we get to late next week. I’d love a surprise Yankees addition before then, but for now the wait must go on. We will persevere and hopefully by the time pitchers and catchers head for Tampa in February, the Yankees will be a much stronger team than they are today. The Yankees Universe has one primary New Year’s resolution…take the World Series championship away from the Boston Red Sox! Hal, say goodbye to your money, and let’s do this!

 As always, Go Yankees!

Replacing Didi Gregorius: Part One

The New York Yankees will be without their starting shortstop for at least the first month of the 2017 campaign after losing him to a sore shoulder while with Team Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic. Now before you think this is about to turn into another “The WBC is played too damn early in the season” rant, and trust me I feel another one of those coming but I’ll refrain for now, I’d rather spend my time and energy into discussing and plotting on how to replace Didi Gregorius. We will break this down into a two-part sessions and focus on potential trades in one post, this post, and later on we will discuss internal options. Enjoy them both.

The Cincinnati Reds have made basically anyone and everyone that isn’t tied down available and reportedly the New York Yankees have already shown preliminary interest in Zack Cozart. The Detroit Tigers are also in the midst of a rebuild and have at least began discussing deals for Jose Iglesias although the New York Yankees have not publicly shown any interest in pursuing a deal with the Tigers for their shortstop.

Both players make more money than the Yankees are presumably willing to take on for a month of the season. Cozart is a free agent following the 2017 season and is set to make $5.325 million this season which should be more money than any team is comfortable paying for essentially a bench player. Now the financial hit is a little less significant in the case of Iglesias, the Tigers shortstop is set to make $4.1 million in 2017, but is still in the area of discomfort when it comes to paying a glorified bench player.

Looking around the league the possible shortstops that could be acquired for a decent price include the Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Freddie Galvis and Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed with the usual dark horse thrown in there, as always. The bottom line is though that it’s just for a month and as I explain later on today the Yankees have plenty already on the roster to fill in for a month. There’s no need to make a panic move here ladies and gentleman. Period.

Get well soon Didi.

Recap: Yankees 5, Tigers 2

Nathan Eovaldi threw an unexpected jem, yielding just one earned run over a nice seven innings as the Yankees beat the Tigers, 5-2, on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.

Eovaldi's First Yankees Win: Eovaldi surrendered eight hits in his seven frames, but thanks to four double plays and strikeouts on the evening, retained a 1-0 lead from the first to the seventh. He escaped a men-on-the-croners, one-out jam in the third with a rundown and a lineout -- a pretty impressive feat considering Anthony Gose and Ian Kinsler were the hitters he retired.

Lobstein Counters: Tigers starter Kyle Lobstein didn't go quietly against Eovaldi, however, holding the Yankees' offense to one run and three hits in the contest's first six innings. Mark Teixeira drove in that lone run with a double in the first, giving the Yanks the slim advantage they would cling to for awhile.

Insurance: It wasn't until the top of the seventh that the Yankees would put up a three spot off the Tigers' relief core, getting a pair of solo homers from Chris Young and Stephen Drew to finally find some breating room. Detroit lefty Ian Krol served up the long balls early in the at-bat, with an Al Albuquerque wild pitch also plating a Yankees run later on.

Betances Shines: The Tigers still weren't done fighting, though, and in the eighth the Yankees needed a great outing from Dellin Betances to keep them from chipping away. Eovaldi had allowed a double to kickoff the inning, but Betances ensured that runner would never advance with two strikeouts and a popout. 

Miller Closes it Out: Andrew Miiller then struck out Jose Iglesias to finish the game in the ninth -- the Tigers having scored a run and loaded the bases on two hits and two walks. Miller entered the inning with two on and two out, strangely walking back-to-back before ending the rally with a foul tip.

Next Up: Adam Warren will look to build on the Yankees' momentum Wednesday when he takes on David Price in the third volume of this series -- beginning at 7:08 p.m. ET and airing live on the YES Network. Warren will be attempting to rebound from a rough start in St. Petersburg on Friday when he and Price face off for the first time ever in The Motor City -- Price hoping to further prove the legitamacy of his 0.40 April ERA.