By Royal Decree, the Yankees are Awesome!...

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Yanks Take Two from the KC Royals…

The Yankees made Saturday quite the enjoyable day with two wins in the day/night doubleheader although they had to hold on for dear life in the second game after building an early five-run lead. No matter, a 6-5 win counts the same as 6-1. The Yankees won the first game, 7-3, which had represented a comeback after the Royals had tied the game at 3 in the sixth inning with, surprise, a three-run homer off J.A. Happ. Actually, to Happ’s defense, he pitched better than that and was able to walk away from the game with a win thanks to the power of Luke Voit and good ‘penmanship’ by Adam Ottavino and Luis Cessa.

At 34-17, the Yankees are one game better than they were last year after 51 games. A year ago, at 33-18, they trailed the Boston Red Sox by 2 1/2 games after dropping a 5-1 game to Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros. Their lone run was a homer off the bat of the legendary Greg Bird. The loser that day was Domingo German. He was still in search of his first win as his record fell to 0-3 to go with his 5.45 ERA. What a difference a year makes. This year, the Yankees lead the AL East by 3 games over the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays won yesterday but the Yankees were able to gain ground, thanks to the doubleheader sweep. Meanwhile, it was the Boston Red Sox losing to the Astros this year. After a two-run single by Christian Vasquez to tie the game for Boston in the top of the ninth inning, the Astros walked it off in the bottom of the ninth, courtesy of a bases-loaded single by Carlos Correa. The Red Sox are 27-25, and 7 1/2 games behind the Yankees. 

Nice two-run bomb by Luke Voit in the seventh inning of the first game to break the tie. After the ball had landed beyond left field fence, YES Network announcer David Cone called the distance, 470 feet, after commenting that former Royals outfielder Bo Jackson had once hit one into the same area. For the Yankees, it was the longest team home run since Aaron Judge (remember him?) hit one 471 feet in Texas against the Rangers on May 23, 2018. Well, Louis Linwood Voit III is a Missouri native and the state’s motto is “Show-Me”. There’s no question he showed us.

Photo Credit: Charlie Riedel, AP

I was impressed with the job done by Chance Adams in the second game in relief of “opener” Chad Green. While the final line for Adams was not impressive due to defensive miscues in the outfield that were surprisingly not called errors, he held his own and did not buckle under pressure. He gave the Yankees four solid innings despite the three ‘earned’ (yeah, right) runs. Often criticized during his minor league career for a lack of control, he walked only one batter, throwing 45 strikes in 66 pitches. He was attacking the strike zone. It was enough to give Adams his first Major League win. I should add a much deserved win. Up only as the 26-man for the doubleheader, Adams has to return to Triple A. He was previously optioned to Triple A on May 19th so he has a few more days until he is eligible for recall to the big league roster. In my opinion, he should be recalled as soon as he is eligible. He’s earned the right to be on the Major League roster.

Photo Credit: Anthony J Causi, The New York Post

Listening to the Royals announcers talk, I think the one thing that bothered me was their comments the Yankees “paid” for their depth. That makes it sound like they went out and paid millions for replacement players, grabbing an All-Star at every turn. It could not be further from the truth.

Based on the active 25-man roster as it stands right now, these are the currently active so-called “replacement” players. The adjusted salaries are provided by spotrac.com. 

PITCHERS

Jake Barrett

Barrett signed a one-year deal for $555,000 guaranteed (MLB’s minimum salary for 2019) with the Pittsburgh Pirates in March 2019 after he had been claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. The Yankees claimed him on waivers from the Pirates on April 4, 2019. His adjusted salary for the Yankees is $411,792. 

Nestor Cortes Jr

Cortes Jr was originally drafted by the Yankees in the 36th round of the 2013 amateur draft. He is also signed for a one-year, minimum salary deal. His adjusted salary with the big league club is $420,744.

David Hale

Hale re-signed with the Yankees in January 2019 for the minimum one-year, $555,000 in guaranteed money. He had played in South Korea following his release by the Yankees in May 2018. His adjusted salary with the big league club is $393,888.

INFIELD

Thairo Estrada

Estrada was signed as an international amateur free agent on August 2, 2012. Signed to a one-year minimum salary contract, his adjusted salary with the big league club is $489,376.

Gio Urshela

Urshela was originally acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on August 4, 2018 for cash and spent the duration of the 2018 season in Triple A. He was re-signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent in the off-season and is currently working under the one-year minimum salary contract. His adjusted salary for the Yankees is $528,168.  

OUTFIELD

Clint Frazier

I am only calling Frazier a replacement player because he wasn’t on the Opening Day roster, but he’s obviously more than just a replacement. Frazier was acquired, along with J.P. Feyereisen, Ben Heller, and Justus Sheffield, on July 31, 2016 in the deadline deal that sent Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians. Frazier had been picked in the first round, fifth choice overall, of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Indians. For this season, he signed a one-year, $563,300 deal with the Yankees. His adjusted salary for the big league club is $551,096.

Cameron Maybin

Maybin is playing with his third team this year alone. He was signed for the MLB minimum salary by the San Francisco Giants in March 2019. He was released by the Giants about a week before the end of Spring Training, and subsequently signed with the Cleveland Indians where he was toiling in the minor leagues when the Yankees acquired him for cash on April 25, 2019. His adjusted salary with the Yankees is $471,472.

DH

Kendrys Morales

Morales is in the last year of a three-year deal originally signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. When he was acquired by the Oakland A’s on March 27, 2019, the Blue Jays agreed to pay all but $2 million of the $12 million he was owed for the final year of the contract. When the A’s dealt Morales, after designating him for assignment, to the Yankees on May 13th, they included an undisclosed amount of cash which covers the majority of the $9 million is owed for the remainder of the year. According to Spotrac, Morales’s adjusted salary with the Yankees is $1,494,624.

According to my math, that’s a total of $4,761,160. If the Royals announcers want to say the Yankees paid for their depth, I guess you could say the Yankees made a helluva investment for barely more than the Royals are paying Reds castoff Billy Hamilton ($4.25 million). Even with the money being paid to Kendrys Morales, the average adjusted salary for the above listed replacements is $595,145.  What were the Yankees supposed to do when the truckload of Yankee stars were sent to the Injured List? Call up a bunch of Single A players to cover? I take exception to the comments that the Yankees paid their way to this success. They are winning despite NOT foolishly throwing money away. With no offense to this blog’s name, there’s nothing greedy about the Yankees’ approach to treading water until the big boys return. They are doing more than just treading water, they are lapping the pool with smart, economical decisions. 

After I finished writing the above section, it was announced that Jake Barrett had been optioned to Triple A and placed on the Injured List with right elbow inflammation. His spot on the active roster was taken by reliever Joe Harvey who carries an adjusted salary of $477,440 which doesn't really change the scope of my analysis, except the total payout increases to $4,826,808 when you drop Barrett and add Harvey, or an average of $603,351. Regardless of how you look at it, the Yankees are not spending an overabundance of cash to find fill-in players.

It was great to see the clips of Didi Gregorius playing for the Single-A Tampa Tarpons last night. He may have been 0-for-3, but he made a few sparkling defensive plays. At the plate, he had a couple of groundouts and a fly out but it was so great to see a bat in his hands again. I can’t wait for him to get his timing down.  All hail Sir Didi! Soon, very soon, we’ll see #18 in Pinstripes again. I can’t wait.

Photo Credit: Chris O'Meara, AP

Hopefully the Yankees can sweep the KC series today with a win as Domingo German goes for his tenth win (it’s still May, by the way). Some great KC barbecue and a trio of wins would make for a fantastic weekend in the Greater Kansas City Area for the Bronx Bombers. Get a win and head for Yankee Stadium. Sounds like a wonderful plan to me.

As always, Go Yankees!

The Resilient Yankees Capture 1st Place...

Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II/AP

Comeback Win Vaults Yankees Past Rays in AL East…

Okay, it’s just mid-May and like Aaron Boone alluded to last night after the game, it’s a long season ahead. Yet, it is satisfying to sit atop the AL East even if it is only temporary depending upon the outcome of today’s game. Standings will become more important in the months ahead but I continue to be amazed at the resiliency of this team.  

Gio Urshela’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning to win it last night may have been his game-winning hit, but it’s a microcosm of this season and how well the replacement Yankees have stepped up to support the team in the wake of injuries to multiple major team stars. I was kind of hoping Kendrys Morales would have his signature Yankee moment in his second game with a home run in the bottom of the ninth, which would have been his second of the game, to win it but it was not meant to be. Kendrys was probably wishing too hard for a homer too and that’s why he struck out. Oh well, Gio was there to pick him up.  

To answer your question, yes Michael Kay, the Yankees had a rally in their bones.  

Credit Luke Voit for the home run to open the bottom of the ninth to cut it to a one-run deficit. Perhaps the Yankees were destined to win it anyway but the homer changed the mood in the air. As a TV viewer, I know I was feeling a lift even if the Yankees were still trailing at that point after only putting up one run (the Morales homer in the bottom of the second) the prior eight innings.   

Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post

I’ve seen many jump on Aaron Boone for pitching Chad Green in the eighth inning when the Rays put two runs on the board to break the 1-1 tie. I had no problem with the move. After the game, Boone indicated that the decision was to avoid Zack Britton this game since he had thrown 31 pitches in Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles. Aroldis Chapman would have only entered in a save situation. But even without his explanation for not using Britton (or Chapman), I had no problem with Boone’s decision to bring Green into the high leverage situation. I’m sure Green would have liked a mulligan on the sixth pitch to Brandon Lowe, which Lowe ripped to deep center for a run-scoring double, but otherwise, I thought he pitched very effectively. The unearned run on the errant throw to first base by Gleyber Torres which allowed another run to score was not Green’s fault. The bullpen has been pitching so well lately, I guess the fans have come to expect zeros every time a Yankee reliever takes the mound but guess what, shit happens. I want Chad Green to be a big part of this bullpen and I hope Boone keeps rolling him out in high leverage spots. I am convinced he rediscovered himself with his brief stay in Scranton a couple of weeks ago and the results, over a broader span, will prove it. Say what you will, but I think Aaron Boone has improved as a manager over the course of two seasons.

Great job by CC Sabathia. Outside of the fourth inning solo dinger by Willy Adames which tied the game, Sabathia was excellent. It was his longest start of the season at six innings, with an economical 84 pitches. He only walked two batters, while striking out four, and lowered his season ERA to 2.97 with the single earned run on the Adames homer. The four K’s pushed the future Hall of Famer’s career strikeout total to 3,013.  

Photo Credit: Mike Stobe/Getty Images

This is a strange season. I am excited about how well the Yankees have done despite missing so many huge parts of the team. On the other hand, I keep wondering when the shoe is going to drop. I really hope the replacements can keep this up until we start to get the big guns back.  

Before the Yankees completed their comeback win, the Houston Astros exerted their position as the best team in the American League, right now, with their 3-1 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Despite their sluggish start, the Red Sox have been very strong lately as they have charged back into AL East relevance (which I had fully expected, hence, the reason I never talked smack when the Red Sox were down). The Red Sox loss and the Yankee win leaves the Sox 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees…not that it matters at this point. I didn’t watch the Astros-Red Sox game but I did see enough to shake my head and say that Alex Bregman is incredible. He didn’t do anything with his bat (1-for-4, a meaningless first inning single) but his defense play was, as usual, outstanding. Such a great all-around player. It really makes me appreciate Gio Urshela as the Yankees’ third baseman in Miguel Andujar’s absence.  A great glove at third cannot be underestimated. After the Rays game, CC Sabathia was asked if he had ever played with anyone as good defensively as Urshela, and CC couldn’t come up with a name. 

Last winter, I had wanted the Yankees to sign Manny Machado for his all-around play. Who knows if he can keep it up, but at this point, Urshela has provided everything I wanted from Machado at a fraction of the cost. Manny is batting .268/.346/.470 with .347 wOBA and 120 wRC+ (1.4 WAR) in 44 games. He has 9 homers and 23 RBIs. In 10 fewer games, Urshela is batting .347/.398/.500 with .384 wOBA and 142 wRC+ (1.0 WAR).  He has 2 home runs and 16 RBIs. Granted, Machado has more power but Urshela has more than fulfilled expectations. I am not saying that Urshela will ever be the player Machado is, but I really hope that he is able to keep this up to prevent GM Brian Cashman from going outside to get further help at third base. It would be awesome if this is truly Urshela’s breakout year. Not sure how this plays out when Didi Gregorius returns to take shortstop, creating an infield crowd. But that’s a problem for another day. Today, I’ll gladly watch Urshela with amazement, play after play, day after day.  

I guess it was in the back of all of our minds but it was rough hearing Carlos Beltran say that Aaron Judge will not fully recover from the oblique injury this season. I know, it’s a core muscle and anyone who has had a similar injury knows how difficult it is to let the muscle rest. In other words, you can’t. Hopefully Judge is able to get healthy enough to help the team at some point in the not-so-distant future although he hasn’t resumed baseball activities yet. I’d rather he waits until he is truly ready, even though he won’t be 100%, and not try to come back too soon. We need Judge when the summer months get here. 

Photo Credit: Paul J Bereswill/NY Post 

It’s a new day. Let’s hope the Yankees magic continues today (and tomorrow and the next day…). As with The Three Musketeers, same with The Twenty-Five New York Yankees, “all for one and one for all”.  

As always, Go Yankees!

Doubleheader with Sweeping Success...

Photo Credit: Al Bello, Getty Images

Yankees take 2 from the lowly O’s…

After a couple of rainy days and no Yankees baseball, everybody’s favorite team returned yesterday with a sweep of the doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles to salvage two of the three scheduled games of the series. The third game, Tuesday’s rainout, will be played as part of another doubleheader on August 12th.  

The two wins, by scores of 5-3 and 3-1, put the Yankees a half-game behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays, who won a 1-0 pitching duel with the Miami Marlins, entering this weekend’s AL East Showdown between the Yankees and Rays. I really wish that Donnie Baseball’s team could have put up a couple of runs against Tampa. A Rays blowout would have been easier to take than a one-run victory.  

A common phrase during this injury-challenged year is ‘where would we be without (insert player name)?’  Yesterday, the man was Gleyber Torres. His three home runs (two in the first game and one in the second) represented the first time a Yankee at age 22 or younger, had homered three times in one day since Joe DiMaggio homered three times during a game in 1937. Joltin’ Joe actually did it twice with three homers during a 1936 doubleheader, but still, anytime you can put your name with DiMaggio, you’re doing something right.  

Domingo German (8-1, 2.41 ERA) continues to amaze. Entering the season, it was a question if he’d even make the MLB roster and if so, a swing role probably represented his best opportunity. Asked to step in for the injured Luis Severino, German has never looked back. His eight wins, one more than Houston’s Justin Verlander, lead Major League Baseball. If he continues to pitch like this, there’s no doubt he’ll be at Progressive Field in Cleveland on July 9th for the All-Star Game. Yesterday, he pitched seven innings in the second game, yielding only a single run although he did have to escape a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning. He struck out eight. His emotion in getting the final out on a groundout to third by Joey Rickard told the story. He was great this game. Despite the struggles in his final inning, he pitched very efficiently with only 85 pitches, walking just one (the next to last batter he faced).  

When James Paxton and Luis Severino return, the Yankees will have an interesting decision to make. Of course, this is one of those situations where you worry about it when it happens, but there’s no way the Yankees can pull German from the starting rotation if he continues to pitch like this. I can easily see J.A. Happ as the odd man out, but then the question is what do you do with Happ. Signed to a two year deal, with vesting option for a third year, in the off-season, Happ seems to be coming around despite the two homers he allowed yesterday.  His vesting option is not impacted by innings or starts in 2019 so he seemingly is a candidate to move into the bullpen as the long man if necessary. 

Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg, NY Post

Seems a bit of a waste of a proven Major League starter but honestly who else are you going to pull from the starting rotation? Tanaka is not going anywhere and CC Sabathia, in his final season, has earned the right to start to season’s end. These things usually work themselves out and while I don’t want to see any more injuries, it is inevitable somebody will go down beyond the present list of injured players. If Happ gets on a summer-time roll or pitches like he did down the stretch last year for the Yankees, it will be hard to remove him from the rotation but I honestly see no other alternatives and do not feel the Yankees would move to a six-man rotation. Oh well, that’s a problem to think about if/when it happens. I’d much prefer having guys Domingo German and Gio Urshela take strangleholds on their positions and forcing the hard decisions by Brian Cashman and his team.

Speaking of Urshela, his long-term future with the Yankees for the season was solidified with the somber news that Miguel Andujar has opted for season-ending surgery to repair the torn labrum in his right shoulder. While Miggy was contemplating whether or not to have the surgery, I felt it was the right move from the start. He tried rest and rehab and it didn’t work. Rather than gamble with continued rest and potential setbacks, get the problem fixed and come back healthy and strong. It may mean 9-12 months lost, but that’s better than trying to play deeper into the 2019 season  with unsuccessful results and potentially losing all of next year. Hopefully Andujar comes back as good as new and enjoys a Didi Gregorius-like road to recovery.  

Someone mentioned the Yankees should make a trade for Toronto’s Brandon Drury for third base. No question he is a good player, the Yankees liked him and he only lost out with the team because of Andujar’s stellar play. However, I think the Yankees are in good hands with Urshela and DJ LeMahieu. I really liked Drury during his brief Yankees career but once Didi comes back, Torres will take back second base. You have to keep LeMahieu in the lineup so I think you’ll see him spend the majority of his time at third when Didi and Gleyber are on the field. Regardless of whether it is Gio or DJ at third, you know great glove work will be in play. No offense to Andujar but I love above-average defense at third base.  

I am not sure what I think about the Yankees’ acquisition of Kendrys Morales. I don’t necessarily look at him as a feared hitter but he always seemed to have the annoying knack of clobbering home runs at the worst times against the Yankees. At least he can’t do that anymore since his dingers will only help the team. I guess i’s a good, cheap move. The Yankees have no long-term commitments to Morales and he can help now. I think his body of work in 2019 with the Oakland A’s was too limited to draw any conclusions, and feel he’ll be closer to the guy he was last year in Toronto. He is what he is. He’s a .250 hitter that will potentially give you 20 bombs.  Nothing special but he can help until the Yankees get the big bats back in the lineup. When Morales was at first base three times during yesterday’s second game (two walks and a single), I couldn’t help but think it was a reunion of sorts for Morales and first base coach Reggie Willits. Willits is only two years older than Morales and they were teammates on the Los Angeles Angels for a few years, as recently as 2011 (Willits’ final year as an active player). If Morales helps, great. If not, GM Brian Cashman will be on to his next “discovery”. I have confidence this will work out. But no doubt I’ll sleep better once Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are back in the everyday lineup. I doubt Morales is on the team by season’s end but if he is, it means his bat made the difference.

Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II, AP

I am proud of the 2019 New York Yankees. They’ve faced more adversity than most teams, yet they are 26-16. If you had told me during Spring Training the Yankees would be ten games above .500 by mid-May without Severino, Betances, Judge, Stanton, Gregorius and others, I would have laughed at you. I would have been thinking about division battles for positioning with the Baltimore Orioles, not the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox. I am not sure how this season will play out if we don’t start getting some of the big guns back but I am sure the ‘never quit’ mentality will persevere. It’s a little early to say the team has the “it” quality to it this year, but they are on their way of proving the point. 

After no Yankees baseball in two of the last three days, it’s another off-day today. At least we have yesterday’s wins to carry us into the AL East Showdown that starts tomorrow night in the Bronx. Thank God we don’t have to play at the horrific Tropicana Field this series. Not that I mind road games, but man, I hate that empty warehouse posing as a Major League park.

As always, Go Yankees!  

My Thoughts on the Possibility of Kendrys Morales in the Bronx

Boy my Twitter has not blown up like it did this week in quite some time. That’s why I enjoy the hot stove season and offseason so much I guess. One little rumor and people start losing their minds. This little rumor was the rumor that the New York Yankees had inquired about the former Kansas City Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales. Of course thoughts immediately went from Morales to the possibility of having a deal in place for Yankees catcher Brian McCann causing many Yankees fans to speculate and lose their minds. Well I was at work when all this was going down and I want to lose my mind too with speculation… so here goes.

Morales would add another switch hitter into the fold and a power hitter into the fold much like the Yankees are losing this winter in Mark Teixeira. Morales hit 30 home runs during the 2016 season and does not come linked to any sort of draft pick compensation so he would make sense for any team, including the Yankees. The Yankees won’t be without their competition though as the Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox among others would also be interested presumably just looking at the current state of their rosters. This all hinges on being able to move Brian McCann though for the Yankees.

I also like the fact that Morales could add some depth and insurance at first base for Greg Bird and Tyler Austin, assuming both make the roster out of spring training, which is never a bad thing to have. Morales would definitely be a Plan C or Plan D at the position, he has only played there 15 times in the last two seasons, but having someone at least familiar with the position would be a great addition to the ball club in my opinion.

The power is nice, the positional depth is also nice and the fact that he is a switch hitter almost always fits in with the Yankees way of doing things. It all comes down to the contract though. At 33-years old handing out a deal any longer than two seasons just seems foolish to me. One year at most is what I would personally want to go but I can see a team like Boston giving him two or three making that a moot point. Do I want Morales? Sure, I think he would fit the squad well. Do I think the Yankees will ultimately sign him? Honestly, I don’t know. Again, this all hinges on a move for Brian McCann.

I love the offseason. Stay tuned. 

Could the Yankees Land Kendrys Morales?

The New York Yankees have a big day ahead of them and a bittersweet day at that this Friday, August 12^th as Alex Rodriguez says goodbye to the game as a player and joins the Yankees front office. While many of us, myself included, clamored for which prospect we thought would come up to replace Alex when his 25 and 40 man roster spots are cleared I got thinking outside the box a little bit today and could have possibly come up with a Plan B. According to the Yankees the team is not waving the white flag for the 2016 season and according to reports before the August 1^st trading deadline the Kansas City Royals were in fact ready to wave the white flag and sell which got me thinking, could the Yankees land Kendrys Morales for their soon-to-be vacant DH spot?

The Yankees have no reason not to believe that they are at least in the discussion for the American League’s second Wild Card while KC’s GM Dayton Moore has said on more than one occasion that he would prefer to move both Morales and RHP Edinson Volquez before the August 31^st waiver trade deadline, could the Yankees be a match? If they are truly, yet reluctantly if at all possible, all in on the idea of playing for a play-in game then Morales makes a lot of sense without sacrificing too much of the future. Morales is a switch-hitting DH that can play some first base, although you probably don’t want him to at this point, and he also is set to hit free agency after the 2016 season.

New York could presumably take on all of the salary still owed to Morales while giving up a lesser prospect in the deal. I take the Tyler Clippard for Vicente Campos as a prime example of the type of deal we’re looking at here. I for one would rather see Tyler Austin or Aaron Judge come up and get their feet wet but if the Yankees are serious about making a run at this in 2016 and they want a veteran and proven bat they may have a “buy-low’ candidate in Morales right before their eyes. All Morales has to do now is clear waivers and that sometimes is easier said than done. 

Yankees Trade Partners: Kansas City Royals

The New York Yankees are going to be sellers before this season’s August 1^st trading deadline. They may not know it yet or not, or maybe they just aren’t saying it out loud yet to milk every last ticket sale they can before a fire sale, but it’s going to happen. We all know it’s going to happen, better yet we all know that it should happen anyway, and one name is being thrown out there more so than others. This name represented the New York Yankees at the 2016 All Star Game as the only positional player to don the Yankees pinstripes in the game. His name is Carlos Beltran and he is drawing a whole lot of interest from a whole lot of teams including one of his former teams, the Kansas City Royals.

Many teams have scouted Beltran and even more teams could use the veteran right fielder’s services but possibly no team needs or wants Carlos more than the Kansas City Royals. It was the Royals who offered Beltran a free agent contract after his last contract ended pushing the Yankees to guarantee Carlos a third year to get him to sign and Carlos, especially this season, has done nothing to make the Yankees look foolish for that decision.

At some point this season the Royals and Yankees talked about a trade involving Beltran, we learned this just this week, and right-hander Luke Hochevar came up in the discussion as a possible center piece for Kansas City in the deal. Where would Kansas City play Beltran? Would he be an outfielder for them? A defensive replacement? A platoon bat at DH with the revitalized Kendrys Morales? That I do not know unfortunately. 

Hochevar is a former number one pick who “failed” as a starter and was converted into a reliever. Hochevar is 33-years old and comes with a $7 million mutual option for the 2017 season. He doesn’t exactly fit into the future plans and he doesn’t fit into the whole getting younger and more flexible mode either so I’m a bit perplexed to hear this rumor if it’s true.

Kansas City needs to bring me more if I was the GM in New York but as you all know and rage about quite often that is not the case. Stay tuned, we may have a developing story here Yankees fans. 

USA Today: The Best Team Realistic Money Can Buy

I love reading the USA Today, they always have great content put up on their site that you don't see at every other site. For instance the crew over there put together the bets team they felt that they could with a realistic payroll. One member of the New York Yankees made the cut. CLICK HERE for the entire post with the write ups and such and see below as I sample the team as an excerpt here on the blog.

C- Buster Posey
1B - Paul Goldschmidt
2B - Logan Forsythe
SS- Brandon Crawford
3B - Josh Donaldson
LF- Starlin Marte
CF- Mike Trout
RF- Bryce Harper
DH - Kendrys Morales

BN - AJ Ellis (catcher)
BN - Brock Holt (utility infielder)
BN - Brandon Guyer (utility outfielder)
BN - Ben Zobrist (absolutely freaking everywhere)
BN - Brett Wallace (first base and third base as well as pinch hitter for power)

SP - Dallas Keuchel
SP - Zack Greinke
SP - Carlos Martinez
SP - Marco Estrada
SP - Hector Santiago (no Luis Severino?)

SP - Jeurys Familia
SU - Dellin Betances
RHP - Darren O'Day
LHP - Tony Watson
LOOGY - Tommy Layne
LRP - Chris Young

Alex Rodriguez Deserved Better Than That

While all of this is subject to change both the American League and National League starters, reserves and pitchers have been announced and Alex Rodriguez is not an All-Star this season. Rodriguez, despite his 2014 suspension for his role in the Biogenesis Clinic and despite his use of steroids should have been an All-Star based on his numbers, not his morals, and frankly I believe Alex deserved better than that.

I’m not really all that upset about it only because I didn’t expect many people outside of New York to vote for him, I didn’t expect Ned Yost to choose him and after all the bridges he’s burnt I didn’t expect his peers to choose him, but he still deserved better than this. Rodriguez finished fifth in voting at the designated hitter position despite better numbers than the likes of David Ortiz and others on the list, although I do admit that Nelson Cruz absolutely should have won the starting nod there.

At the time of this writing Rodriguez was currently batting .284 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI just a few weeks short of his 40^th birthday. That’s before mentioning that Alex missed most of the 2013 season with a second hip surgery and various lower leg injuries and the entire 2014 season due to suspension, this is the epitome of a “comeback” player of the year. Alex is halfway to his first full season since the 2007 season and is a 14 time All-Star but has not been named to the team since 2011, but he should have made it this season.

In my opinion I believe Alex is better than and more deserving than Kendrys Morales, Victor Martinez and Edwin Encarnacion, although a debate could be made with Encarnacion due to his power and RBI totals. Cruz had a .304 average with 21 home runs and 50 RBI at the time the voting ended and won the vote despite missing the final 50 games of 2013 due to the same Biogenesis fallout as Alex while the National League’s starting shortstop, Jhonny Peralta, was also suspended the final 50 games and was also named a starter in the game. If it’s good for one it’s good for all, no? Alex deserved better than that and he deserves better than this, although you won’t hear him say a word about it. 

Recap: Yankees 14, Royals 1

The Yankees' offense scored 11 times in the first two innings, forcing an early removal for Jeremy Guthrie and helping the the club easily beat the Royals, 14-1, on Monday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

A Good Start: The Yankees broke out for eight runs in the bottom of the first alone, essentially deciding the game before their third out was even recorded. Chase Headley kicked off the onslaught with a two-run blast to right-center, followed later by momentum-grabbing three-run shots from Brian McCann and Brett Gardner.

Just How They Drew it Up: Stephen Drew's season has certainly taken a dark turn during the last few weeks -- his batting average has dropped to just .176 due to numerous slumps -- but at least in this one, the infielder showed some promise. He crushed an 0-2 fastball high into the right-field upper deck in the third, another three-run bomb to put the Yankees up 11-0.

Evo-lution: Nathan Eovaldi logged his first win since May 7, surrendering just eight hits over seven one-run innings while walking one and striking out four. Eovaldi looked to be in for a mediocre outing when two Royals reached base in the first, but was able to escape trouble after a Kendrys Morales flyout.

Hopefully the First of Many: Slade Heathcott continued his impressive week with a man on in the seventh, drilling a Greg Holland offering well past the right-field wall for his first career home run. It was a no-doubter off the bat, a moment the youngster will always remember. 

The Strikeout Factory Debuts: Prized Yankees reliever Jacob Lindgren made his much-anticipated debut in the eighth, quickly inducing an Eric Hosmer double play to erase an inherited runner. Lindgren then went on to strikeout two in the ninth, officially sealing the victory.

Next Up: The Yankees will try to keep this momentum going on Tuesday when they host the Royals again in the Bronx, beginning at 7:05 p.m. ET and airing live on PIX 11. Adam Warren (2-3, 4.26 ERA) will get the nod for the Yanks aiming for a third straight quality start, facing recently-activated Royals lefty Jason Vargas (3-1, 5.26 ERA).

As Long As Scherzer Is Available There's a Chance

I plan on fully taking advantage of this perfect opportunity to use a Dumb and Dumber reference and picture on the blog in case you are scratching your head right now. As long as Max Scherzer is available on the free agent market there's still a chance that the New York Yankees get involved. Honestly, the longer this draws out, the Yankees chances may increase with every passing day that Scott Boras uses the “no news is good news” excuse with his client.

There are no obvious suitors for Scherzer or James Shields for that matter which may force the hand of Boras and his clients to lower their demands. At the same time this may backfire and a team like the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim or the Arizona Diamondbacks to name a few may pounce and get their man for a little more than they wanted to spend just because. We’ve seen it happen both ways in recent memory and neither would surprise me. One thing we will not be seeing with either of these men is another Kendrys Morales and Stephen Drew incident, they will get signed. Will it be with the Yankees?

Yes, I’m saying that there is a chance. This part of the offseason is where Brian Cashman does his most damage. The money has been shelled out and many teams are content and set with their rosters, now it’s time for Cashman to snatch up the best of the rest. This time though, unlike other times, the best of the rest includes the best on the free agent market in Scherzer. Stay hopeful Yankees family. 

Kendrys Morales Comes Off The Yankees Board

Kendrys Morales has come off the board for the New York Yankees and has signed a major league deal with the Minnesota Twins. The deal is for one season and a prorated $12 million, which equates to roughly $7.5 million if I did the math correctly. While the Yankees would have been better, albeit less versatile, this was more of a want than a need.

The Twins got a huge upgrade at designated hitter but unless they plan on trading him in July I do not understand the signing much. Are they going for it this season? Stay tuned...

The Shakeup That Needs To Starts From Within

The Yankees have been terrible the last couple of weeks and a shakeup is needed. I'm not saying completely blow up the team, that's not necessary, and I am not generally a very patient person both in life and in baseball fandom but something needs to be done and done now. The Yankees should rid themselves of Alfonso Soriano, although they wont, but when Ramon Flores got hurt the chances of that diminished but there are two minor leaguers currently in the Yankees system tearing things up that deserve a shot.

We don't need Kendrys Morales when we have Kyle Roller rotting away in Triple-A. We don't need Brian Roberts when we have Jose Pirela tearing the cover off the ball, albeit for limited power, in the minors as well. Have we learned nothing from the youthful fire that Yangervis Solarte has brought to the team? Are we not tired of veterans that feel like they deserve to be here no matter what?

Look at the stats below and tell me that Pirela at second base and Roller on the bench would not be better for the Yankees than what they currently have. I'll wait.

Yankees Ask Morales To Hold Off Signing

The New York Yankees had the audacity to ask free agent Kendrys Morales to hold off signing so they would have more time to evaluate the injuries to Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira. Morales has not played at all this seasons after not being tendered a contract after declining a qualifying offer and the Yankees want him to wait longer? Wow.

Obviously Morales and his agent Scott Boras said no and said that he would sign within a day or two of the first day of the draft being over, so tomorrow or Saturday. The Yankees need help and they need depth and while Morales may not be the most ideal person to fill those holes he would be invaluable if either Beltran or Teixeira goes down and we're going to miss out on him because we're being hesitant.

Kyle Roller... Come On Down?

Just about two hours ago I put up a post asking for Kendrys Morales to be signed and added to the club as insurance for both Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran but if anybody knows me I always have a Plan B. That Plan B is currently playing first base in Scranton with the RailRiders and his name is Kyle Roller.

Roller is old for a prospects at age 26, although its not like the Yankees exactly rush their prospects, but has consistently put up big numbers in the minor leagues. Roller has crushed both Double-A and Triple-A pitching in recent seasons and is the only true first basemen we have anywhere close to being able to help us. Roller's chance may be now.

Just a quick look at what Roller has done in Trenton and Scranton:

Trenton: 90 PA, .385/.456/.808, 239 wRC+
Scranton: 80 PA, .286/.386/.514, 152 wRC+

I've Asked For Kendrys Morales Since January 2012

I posted THIS article in January of 2012 asking for the Yankees to go ahead and get Kendrys Morales.

Then I posted THIS article in July of 2013 asking once again for Morales.

Finally I posted THIS article in January of 2014 once again asking for Morales.

Mark Teixeira is missing time for the second time this week and third or fourth time this season due to soreness and pain in his surgically repaired wrist. Carlos Beltran is ailing, although attempting a comeback, with a bone spur in his elbow.

The Yankees backup option for Teixeira has been everyone from Beltran, Brendan Ryan, Brian McCann, and Kelly Johnson to name a few(yes I realize none of them are traditional first basemen).  The Yankees have plugged in Alfonso Soriano into right field and have left a hole in the DH spot, which is important with the team scuffling offensively and struggling to score runs.

Want to kill two birds with one check? Sign Morales, for real this time.

Rumor: Yankees Will Pursue FA Kendrys Morales

The Yankees could pursue Free Agent First Basemen Kendrys Morales in the coming weeks, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports.

Apparently, some in the team's front office are getting nervous that the injured Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira, who suffered a set back in yesterday's win over the Twins, won't fully heal anytime soon, leaving them a bat short heading into summer. 

Morales, who hit .277 with 23 Home Runs and 80 RBI for the Mariners in 2013, has already received interest from multiple teams this season, most notably the Rangers, Brewers, and Orioles.

For his career, which consists of that year in Seattle and six more with another AL West club in the Los Angeles Angels, the 30-year-old has hit a solid .280, but does have a history of injuries, breaking his leg on that infamous walk off grand slam back in May 2010 that caused him to miss not only the rest of that season but all of 2011 as well.

Still, the man seems like an overall solid Plan B for the Pinstripes, even though it seems unlikely they'll actually have to acquire him, as Beltran has progressed nicely in his rehab over the last couple of days. 

Stephen Drew & Kendrys Morales Wouldn't Help Much

It is common knowledge that the Yankees infield was a major concern and question mark coming into the season due to not only production but age and health. Well two weeks in the Yankees infield has taken a big hit with the DL stint for Mark Teixeira and the missed games for Brian Roberts and Derek Jeter and the fans are screaming for the signings of Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales and I am over here wondering why. I am not overly confident that they will help much, if at all.

The first thing that needs to be said is neither of these guys have had a spring training or competed in any games this season. They are both working out at the Scott Boras complex but that can only get you so far and nothing can replace real games and live competition. Ervin Santana signed late in spring training and did not make his first start until April 9, going on almost two weeks into the season. You have to figure that Drew and Morales would need at least two weeks just to be ready to get into a game.

In two weeks time Mark Teixeira would be back so the need for Kendrys Morales would be little to none. He is a first basemen or a DH and we would have that on the team already. Now while I am not above getting greedy and having an All Star a every position, even the bench, I am against giving up a draft pick for a glorified bench player. Kelly Johnson has also filled in well enough to be considered a legit first basemen back up option.

Drew could play second base and could be our shortstop next season when Derek Jeter retires, sure, but I am not entirely sure how much better he would be. Brian Roberts is struggling but is a switch hitter and plays a good enough defense to make up for a slow start, a slow start I don't expect to last all season if healthy. Drew adds yet another left handed bat to the Yankee lineup and is only a career .264 hitter while Roberts is a career .278 hitter. Roberts is hurt a lot, I get that, but so is Drew. Drew has played in over 100 games once in the last three seasons, and that was last years 124 game campaign, so he is not the poster child for durability himself either.

The most important thing, in my opinion, to this whole situation is a Drew signing takes at bats away from Dean Anna and Yangervis Solarte. The Yankees don't need Drew, they have infield depth in the minor leagues and on the bench, and I am not sure he would even be nice to have. He's a name, he's not the type of player we need. Neither is Morales so I hope that New York passes on both.

Drew/Morales Willing To Wait Until June To Sign

In a report from super agent Scott Boras that could really help the New York Yankees news broke today that free agents Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales could wait until June to sign free agent deals to play in 2014. The reason for this being is both players were offered qualifying offers and are linked to draft pick compensation, meaning the team that signs them have to give up their first non-protected draft pick in the MLB First Year Player's Draft to acquire their services. If Drew and Morales were to wait until June to sign they would no longer be linked to the draft pick and would essentially become true free agents.

If the Yankees were struggling come June of this season or the infield does not hold up the way many expect it not to the Yankees could go hot and heavy after Drew. Also if Mark Teixeira's surgically repaired wrist does not hold up the way some people worry than Morales could be a viable option for the Yankees. This is great news for the Yankees as this talent is usually never available in June or July without a top prospect or two attached and going back to the other team in return.

Ervin Santana had trouble finding a new deal after being linked to a qualifying offer as did Nelson Cruz and both caved into one year deals at or below the $14.1 million qualifying offer but Drew and Morales do not seem willing or likely to do that. A lot can change between June and now but this just goes to show you that the qualifying offer system is broken and it needs fixed sooner rather than later.

Hey Guys, Kendrys Morales Is Still Available

This is a total stretch but you do not get the name "Greedy Pinstripes" by being fiscally responsible or reasonable in most cases. Kendrys Morales is still out there, the Yankees have a ton of question marks with Mark Teixeira and his wrist, so this is a match made in heaven. Morales can play first base and can DH getting plenty of at bats with a rotation of players.

It's March 7th, teams have been playing for over a week now, and Morales is still not signed , that alone should be enough to land him on the cheap. Factor in that the Yankees would have to give up a draft pick for his services and his price and years should be minimal. I am thinking a one or two year deal would probably get it done.

The Yankees don't need Morales, and probably don't want Morales, but for $5 million or so for a one year deal why the heck not, right? Brian Cashman reads my stuff, this I am convinced of, and has my permission to bring in Morales Ninja Cashman style.

Are Qualifying Offers Ruining Baseball's Free Agency?

The question is simple, are qualifying offers ruining baseball's free agency season? The answer may not be so simple but it is hard to ignore the fact that it is early March and very capable players like Stephen Drew, Ervin Santana, and Kendrys Morales are still available, likely due to teams reluctance to give up draft picks.

While players like Ubaldo Jimenez have gotten nice sized deals they had to wait for them far longer than he probably would have or should have under the old system. Nelson Cruz rejected a $14.1 million qualifying offer and settled on a one year deal worth $8 million with the Baltimore Orioles. It was definitely not his ties to Biogenesis that caused that because look at the deal that Jhonny Peralta got with his ties from the Cardinals, four years and $52 million.

Look at last years qualifying offers, Michael Bourn did not sign until mid February due to his draft pick attachment. Nick Swisher was one of the better outfield players available and did not sign until nearly January. Adam LaRoche did not sign until the second week of January and simply re-upped with the Nationals rather than going elsewhere, David Ortiz also went back to the Red Sox rather than testing the market. Rafael Soriano was the best closer on the market and did not sign until the middle of January. Go figure though, BJ Upton signed in the middle of November. Kyle Lohse signed on March 25th, that's not a typo! This is broken!

The only way the qualifying offer system works is if the teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, etc. are buying these players. When they are not this will severely hurt the players and in my opinion the game. It's no coincidence in my opinion that all 13 players this season rejected their qualifying offers and they all rejected them last season as well. We have this system through the 2016 season when the new collective bargaining agreement is up and I think when it comes up again this will be rejected again. Until then this is a big problem and it is ruining baseball's free agency and hot stove season.