Kevin Long Compares Michael Cuddyer to Derek Jeter

The title is not a typo, the former hitting coach for the New York Yankees really did compare new Mets outfielder Michael Cuddyer to former Yankees captain Derek Jeter. When you read the quote you can see that ultimately Long may or may not be right but he of all people should have had a little better judgement. There are plenty of hardworking players out there that truly love the game and play the game the way it's supposed to be played. Why compare him to Jeter? Anyway, here is the direct quote from Long who just can't seem to stop talking:

"I didn't know Michael at all but he reminds me of Jeet in a lot of ways. His demeanor, his mentality; he's a gamer. He brings it every day. And he goes to the plate every time with a total belief in himself. It's a mentality that 'I'm better than the pitcher.' With Jeet I couldn't tell whether he was 20-for-20 or 0-for-20; his mind-set never changed. He went to the plate in his next at-bat convinced he was better than the guy on the mound. Michael's got that too."

2015 Free Agency Royal Rumble – Outfield

Ladies and gentleman welcome to the 2015 Major League Baseball free agency Royal Rumble brought to you by The Greedy Pinstripes. Tonight we have all the potential bench outfield options for the New York Yankees heading into this winter in one ring vying for the contract of a lifetime, let’s go down to the ring.

In the red corner stands Michael Cuddyer, in the blue corner stands Mike Morse, in the green corner stands Yasmany Tomas, and in the black corner stands Chris Young. Let’s get it on!

Chris Young takes his New York tested and American League East proven badge and hits the relative unknown Yasmany Tomas and knocks him out cold. While bragging Michael Cuddyer takes one big power stroke and knocks Young over the top rope and to the floor. Cuddyer hurt himself on the play and had to be removed leaving Morse and Young along in the ring. Morse the big lug he is had no defense at any position for Young as the center fielder make quick work of Morse to win the contract of a lifetime. 

Chris Young receives a one year deal worth $5 million for winning the match. 

2015 Yankees: The Case for Michael Morse

Yesterday on the blog we made the case for right handed power bat, outfielder, and first baseman Michael Cuddyer and today we will make that same case for San Francisco Giants slugger and free agent to be Michael Morse. Morse, like Cuddyer, is a right handed power bat that can play an adequate outfield while also being able to back up at first base. Morse is obviously more of a DH type then an every day positional player but we're talking about a bench role here.

Morse hit .279/.336/.475 this season in a huge ballpark in San Francisco while hitting 16 home runs. Morse, unlike Cuddyer, didn't have any issues staying on the field this season as he played in 131 games in 2014. If you put Morse on the 2014 Yankees he leads the team in batting average while placing fourth in home runs and RBI.

With Morse being a borderline defensive liability the Yankees would have to rotate him in and out of the lineup quite often. This sounds like it could be an inconvenience but with the DH spot conceivably clogged once again and with aging and brittle stars like Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira the extra rest could actually benefit the 2015 Yankees. Morse would not command a huge salary nor would he command a longer termed deal, two years max, making him the ideal right field and fourth outfielder spot this offseason for Brian Cashman and the Yankees.

The Case for Michael Cuddyer

As everyone not named the San Francisco Giants and the Kansas City Royals prepare for the offseason and free agency I was rummaging through the 2015 free agent list when a name caught my eye, Michael Cuddyer. Before we delve too deep into this I am not handing out a big contract in terms of money or anything more than a one year deal max for Cuddyer as he has been unable to stay on the field in recent seasons. This is definitely a high risk and high reward type signing and one that could really help the Yankees in 2015.

New York needs a 4th or 5th outfielder type next season that would be willing to come off the bench, especially one that can play right field that can also serve as insurance for Carlos Beltran, and Cuddyer definitely fits that description. The Yankees need that bench outfielder to be right handed and a power threat off the bench, check and check. The Bronx Bombers also need a legitimate backup for first baseman Mark Teixeira, and no Alex Rodriguez, Brian McCann, or Brendan Ryan are not legitimate backup contenders, and Cuddyer has played a more than adequate first base in his career.

New York also needs a player that will take a minor league deal or a one year incentive laden contract, check, while the team hopes the player that won the 2013 National League batting title comes back and not the oft-injured player the Colorado Rockies dealt with all of last season. The Yankees don't have many 40 man roster spots or positions open and will have to get the most bang, pun intended, for their buck and that player has all the makings of Michael Cuddyer. At least invite him to spring training, just get him in pinstripes.

Contract The Minnesota Twins... Meme

#ContractTheTwins

Imagining The Worst Case Scenario For 2014: Part 3

Let's face it every single team is not as good in July as they thought they would be in March or April which is what makes the trading deadline so much fun for the fans. There are always those teams that are contending, pretending, buying, and selling and the Yankees always seem to be doing the latter no matter what.This is just a starting point as there are always the guys traded with more than a year left on his contract a la Alfonso Soriano from 2013, salary dumps a la Vernon Wells in 2013, and the Miami Marlins may finally trade Giancarlo Stanton but I decided to look specifically at players entering free agency after the 2014 season.

The starting pitchers market could be barren with the best free agents in Max Scherzer, Jake Peavy, Justin Masterson, Clayton Kershaw, and Josh Beckett all pitching for teams that figure to contend in 2014. The best of the rest include a 29 year old Homer Bailey and a slew of middle of the rotation starters so the Yankees may once again have to rely on their farm system to restock and retool the big league club whether in a trade or with them stepping right in. Enter the Adam Warren's, David Phelp's, Vidal Nuno's, Brett Marshall's, etc of the world as they need to finally step up and take the next step in their development. Of course a lot could change from now until next July but right now I feel if the Yankees starters are struggling again, especially CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda (if my previous posts prediction comes true) we may have to just ride the wave and hope for the best.

If the Yankees bullpen struggles to transition post Mariano Rivera like many are expecting, especially outside the Yankees circle, we may be in the running for a trade or two to shore up the pen. Heath Bell has struggled outside of Yellowstone Petco Park in San Diego and as a closer since leaving the Padres but what about as a 7th inning type? Would the Yankees be willing to have a David Aardsma reunion? Honestly the Yankees one bright spot of their farm system since Joe Girardi has been at the helm has been building the bullpen from within and I see that being the case again next season if needed. Brett Marshall, Chase Whitley, Nik Turley, Tommy Kahnle, and Shane Greene could lead the charge of the latest Yankees farm system arms to come and tear up the major leagues and in Joe Girardi's build on the fly bullpen.

Surely between Francisco Cervelli, Austin Romine, JR Murphy, and Brian McCann the Yankees will be set, productive, and happy with their battery mates behind the dish so we will not look to upgrade in that position. Between Kelly Johnson, Michael Young, and the man formerly known as Eduardo Nunez the Yankees can piece together a second basemen worthy of being a major leaguer. The Yankees, as we remember, will be sacrificing offense for defense at short stop and unless Brendan Ryan is injured we will be fine at short stop with the best defending short stop in all of baseball. The outfield is pretty set with the likes of Brett Gardner, Alfonso Soriano, Curtis Granderson, Ichiro Suzuki, and Zoilo Almonte.  I fear that an aging and declining Michael Young may be something of a worry for Yankees fans even splitting some time with Mark Reynolds though so we may be looking for an upgrade there with a big free agency target presumably sitting out on the pond for us to make a run at.

If Michael Young and Mark Reynolds finally start to decline to the point where they stop being useful or go back to their old ways the Yankees may have to open the purse strings and farm system a little bit for a corner infielder. There is one player in San Diego that the Yankees have been looking at for a few years now named Chase Headley that is set to be a free agent after the 2014 season so could the Yankees FINALLY get their man? I think so as I cannot see the Padres signing Headley long term and I really cannot see why a power hitter would want to stay in San Diego let alone with a perennial losing team. Pencil in Headley as the Yankees third basemen from August 1st 2014 to the end of the season.

If Ichiro is struggling, much like he has this season, I could see the Yankees making a run at Colorado Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer. The Yankees would be lacking some right handed pop in that outfield outside of Alfonso Soriano so a Cuddyer acquisition would really balance both the lineup and the outfield. This is obviously depending on the Rockies being out of contention once again in July of 2014 but at this point I cannot see many signs of them making huge strides next season.

Throw in Chase Headley and Michael Cuddyer into the Yankees lineup next season and we have a lineup that looks a whole lot like this for the stretch run of 2014 and it looks like a damn winner to me if I do not say so myself.

1. Gardner

2. Headley

3. Granderson

4. Soriano

5. McCann

6. Teixeira

7. Cuddyer

8. Johnson

9. Ryan

BN: Cervelli/Romine

BN: Reynolds/Young

BN: Nunez

BN: Ichiro/Almonte

2013 Home Run Derby Participants Announced

The 2013 State Farm Home Run Derby participants for next Monday July 15th have been announced, well most of them anyway. Here is the list.

For the American League with captain Robinson Cano we have

Robinson Cano

Prince Fielder

Chris Davis

TBA

For the National League with captain David Wright we have

David Wright

Carlos Gonzalez

Michael Cuddyer

Bryce Harper

Should be fun to see Chris Davis and Bryce Harper take their turns at the plate. Michael Cuddyer is pretty underrated in my opinion but I cannot see him making a serious run for the victory in a bigger field like Citifield. I wonder who the TBA will be, which will be announced tomorrow, for Robbie Cano. Speculation and predictions from TGP thinks that it will either be Nelson Cruz or Miguel Cabrera so we will see when it is announced tomorrow. 

Another Trade Target

Yesterday I wrote an article that talked about what the Yankees might be looking for in a trade. I started that off by pointing out that while the team has been connected to pitchers like Ricky Nolasco, it's run scoring that the team should be looking out for. So I talked a bit about Michael Morse being a trade target. Well, today I'm going to take a look at somebody else that caught my attention.

Michael Cuddyer

The Rockies are certainly still in the race for the NL West, as they are currently 3 games in back of Arizona. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't be willing to move their third best hitter (Troy Tulowitski and Carlos Gonzalez are the only Rockies with a higher OPS+ this season). For two reasons...

1. By the time the trade deadline comes around, Cuddyer will be owed a little under $5 million, and another $10.5 million for next season. For a team with a payroll just under $74 million, that's no insignificant amount. Especially when you consider that they already have $39.629 million locked up in only four players next year (Tulowitski at $16 million, Gonzalez at $10.929 million, Fowler at $7.85 million, and Chacin at $4.85 million). So this is a team that would definitely be interested in freeing up some money.

2. The Rockies have already called up outfielder Corey Dickerson from AAA. Dickerson was hitting .386/.429/.646 with 9 home runs for Colorado Springs before getting called up last Friday. And he's already making quite the impression, as he's had 3 hits in his first 7 MLB at bats... all doubles. He's not Jose Molina on the base paths either, as he had 6 stolen bases in AAA this season, and stole 43 in 368 minor league games. Going back to the payroll thing, Colorado has to be keen on having a starter that makes the league minimum.

I don't expect Michael to continue hitting to a 151 wRC+, as he's been aided by a very high batting average on balls in play (BABIP) of .382 and career-high line drive percentage of 22%. That doesn't mean we should expect him to fall off the face of the Earth, a la Vernon Wells after April, either. Cuddyer has hit .274/.343/.460 in his career, while averaging about 17 home runs a season between 2010 and 2012.

And for those of you that may be thinking Mike's been padding his numbers thanks to hitting in Colorado, you'll be interested to know that he hit 66 home runs with Minnesota between 2009 and 2011. So "thin air" is not the only thing we can attribute to his power.

NO!

Cuddyer certainly fits in the team position-wise. He's spent the majority of the time in right field the past couple of years, while also having seen time at first base. And although it's been a couple of years since he's played over there, Michael does have over 1300 MLB innings at third base.

When it comes to trading for anybody, it all comes down to price. The salary relief will be nice for the Rockies, so I don't think the price would be a top 10 prospect like JR Murphy. Speaking of catchers, Colorado may be interested in acquiring one since they don't have any big catching prospects in the minors, and youngster Wilin Rosario hasn't exactly been a "beast" in MLB (97 wRC+ this season).

The Rockies would also likely be interested in acquiring a young/cost-controlled second baseman. Josh Rutledge had some hype surrounding him coming into the 2013 season, but he's only been able to manage a triple-slash of .228/.290/.344 this season. And after 500 plate appearances in MLB, Josh's OPS+ of 81 might give Colorado pause in handing him a starting spot next season. So what about David Adams? David's numbers aren't exactly "great", but the MLB experience he's had is a plus, and a batting line of .296/.380/.450 in the minors shows that he's better than what we've seen in the big leagues so far.

Just in case anybody doubts Cuddyer could play third base, which is something to think about since we're talking about trading away our current starter there, keep in mind that Jayson Nix has already played there for over 200 innings this season. And even though Nix is hardly a masher at the plate, he's done better than Adams this season.

So let's add Michael Cuddyer to the list of viable trade targets. Shall we?