Yankees: Incomplete Finish is the Product of an Incomplete Start...

  

Photo Credit: Ishika Samant/Getty Images

Not addressing the team’s needs last offseason led to disappointing results…

The New York Yankees ended their season nearly three weeks ago, and the time has not done much to heal the wounds of a disappointing season.

The early exit at the hands of the current World Series participant, the Toronto Blue Jays, stung because the Yankees seemingly had the better team on paper. Of course, the best team on paper plus a dime will only get you ten cents. This year’s disappointment began last offseason when the Yankees failed to address third base and went into the season as a flawed team. Just when it looked like the Yankees had learned how to build a dominant bullpen in recent years, 2025 was a mess. Devin Williams looked better late in the year, but he shares significant blame for why the Yankees failed to repeat as the AL East champions. Luke Weaver, who most likely departs the team this offseason as a free agent in search of a starting gig, regressed, going from a lockdown reliever to another replaceable arm. His personality will be missed. David Bednar was the most crucial deadline acquisition, but he could not do it alone.

Photo Credit: Tim Heitman/Imagn Images

The Yankees have a large offseason needs list. They will soon meet to identify their offseason priorities, yet I fear it will be another Winter of ‘stopping short.’ Or worse, they try to run it back with the current roster, albeit with some minor adjustments.

Ryan McMahon was a needed acquisition at the deadline, and his glove helped to bring stability to the position, but the bat, with only occasional pop, is underwhelming. The Yankees should have tried harder to get a stronger overall player for the position last Winter. McMahon will be the third baseman for the near future, which is okay only if the Yankees are fully engaged in the coming weeks to build the best possible roster. McMahon is not the reason the Yankees got bounced early, and he will be a Yankee until 2027 unless the team finds a better option between now and then. I like his glove at third base so long as we do not need to rely on his bat. The phrase ‘offensive production’ can be taken several ways with him, yet he is what he is, and he was an upgrade over the departed DJ LeMahieu or trying to play Jazz Chisholm, Jr. out of position.    

The Yankees need to address their starting rotation. Gerrit Cole’s recovery from Tommy John surgery puts him as a mid-season option. Yet, it takes time to regain full form after Tommy John surgery. Immediate success may not come. We may not see Cole at his best until 2027. Carlos Rodón will not be ready for Opening Day after his recent surgery to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur in his left elbow. Clarke Schmidt is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will not be an early 2026 option. There has been some speculation that he will be non-tendered. The decision reminds me of the Yankees’ decision to cut Nathan Eovaldi in a comparable situation and how Eovaldi has been a much better pitcher since. For Opening Day 2026, the Yankees have Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren. Luis Gil will also be available, but in the long term, he seems better suited for the bullpen despite his starting success in 2024. Warren is “just that dude” at the back end of the rotation. Not expecting much from him other than to keep the Yankees in games.

We can dream about Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, but the Dodgers or the Mets seem like a more probable destination if the Tigers decide to trade away their ace. The Yankees should focus on other starters while the Dodgers and Mets are focused on Skubal. Milwaukee’s Freddy Peralta seems like a good trade target if the rumors are true about Peralta’s availability. There will be competition for his services, but the Yankees can assemble an aggressive package to make it happen. Although the trades are unrelated, Milwaukee, by winning the Devin Williams trade, at least has some good feelings about trading with the Yankees. Former Yankee and current San Diego Padre Michael King is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent, and he looms as a possibility. I would enjoy a reunion with King. It was tough to give him up for what turned out to be only one year of Juan Soto. This year, he was powerful for the Padres, going 13-7 with fourteen quality starts, a 2.85 ERA, and 201 strikeouts.

Photo Credit: K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune

The bullpen needs offseason attention. David Bednar showed that he is the man for the ninth inning, but he needs a better supporting cast. Hopefully, last season was an aberration, and the Yankees can resume their prowess at picking relief arms. It would help to have a manager who does not routinely make bonehead decisions late in games, but it is what it is. Manager Aaron Boone is not going anywhere, whether you love or hate him. In Boone’s years as manager, I hoped for continued growth and evolution, but he is reaching the ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ stage.

Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner has the money to hire the best talent for the front office and the coaching staff. Yet, he is content with winning seasons that line his family’s pockets with wealth over his late father's ‘going for it’ style. General Manager Brian Cashman may be one of the better GMs in the game, but with no championships since 2009, it is time for new voices in the room. The game has evolved since Cashman became the team’s GM in 1998. I say it every year, and nothing happens. Still, the Yankees should move Randy Levine, the Team’s President, to the business side and appoint Cashman as the President of Baseball Operations, allowing the team to hire a new general manager. Granted, Cashman could overrule a new hire’s decisions, but bestowing power and authority in a younger, brighter mind would help.

Going down the ‘Fire Aaron Boone’ rabbit hole is senseless since Hal will not make a change.

First base is or is not a position of need. Granted, Paul Goldschmidt departs through free agency after one season. Yet, the Yankees need Ben Rice in the everyday lineup. If he is not catching, and Giancarlo Stanton continues to occupy the DH spot, first base is the best spot to plant Rice. I have seen some express interest in free agent first baseman Pete Alonso. I would rather focus on the outfield, pursuing free agent Kyle Tucker, despite his “Yankee-like” performance (i.e., unproductive October bat) in the Cubs’ losing playoff effort against the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this month. If the Yankees cannot sign Tucker (who seems like a future Dodger), they must re-sign Cody Bellinger, who will opt out of his contract next month after a productive first year in Pinstripes. I am not saying Bellinger is better than Tucker (he is not); nevertheless, I enjoy Belli’s versatility, and he provides an easy alternative to pair with Rice at first base when he is not playing in left field. If the Yankees cannot get at least one of Tucker or Bellinger, the offseason will be disappointing, regardless of how much you believe Spencer Jones can be the answer.

I am among many Yankee fans ready to move on from shortstop Anthony Volpe. Yet, he seems as entrenched at shortstop as Boone does as the Yankees manager. The projected ETA for top prospect George Lombard, Jr. is 2027, which means we must endure at least one more season of Volpe at short unless the Yankees make other moves at shortstop (unlikely). A full season of the speedy Jose Caballero provides backup support while we wait on young Lombard, Jr. That is better than Volpe and nothing that was featured before the trade deadline this year.

Trent Grisham will not return. He was the surprise of the season and earned the right to get paid. The Yankees have too many other needs to invest more bank in Grisham. They need to fully commit to Jasson Dominguez as the everyday centerfielder or make a trade for a younger (or, as Hal would say, cheaper) option to place between Aaron Judge and Tucker/Bellinger/Mystery Player in the outfield from right to left. There is a chance Grisham stays if the Yankees put a qualifying offer on him and he accepts it. I think he will be looking for a lucrative long-term deal to cash in on what might be his career year when it is all said and done and will reject the QO if given. Whether another team wants to give up a draft pick to sign him remains to be seen. Every offseason of free agency is different.

The coaching staff will feature new faces, while Aaron Boone continues to blow bubbles in the dugout. The Yankees have already parted ways with First Base/Infield Coach Travis Chapman and Bullpen Coach Mike Harkey. They also removed respected Assistant Hitting Coach Pat Roessler, with some speculation that he will be offered another role in the organization. Hitting Coach James Rowson remains a finalist in the Minnesota Twins’ search for a new manager to replace the fired Rocco Baldelli, so he may depart. There was early talk about Luis Rojas in managerial searches, but there is a better chance he returns as the Yankees’ Third Base Coach. To replace Roessler, the Yankees promoted minor league hitting coordinator Jake Hirst. If Hirst had not been promoted, he most likely would have left the organization for better opportunities, so Roessler appears to be the sacrificial lamb to retain the younger, talented Hirst. The poor bullpen performance is not Mike Harkey’s fault, but neither Michael Fishman nor Brian Cashman will fire themselves for assembling a leaky pen.

I look forward to the end of the World Series so the offseason rebuilding can begin. I know it will set us up for disappointment when Spring Training rolls around, but there is always HOPE the Yankees will make the right moves, even if history shows they never quite do enough to field the best possible team. Thinking about the possibilities (such as Tucker or Peralta) is exciting until they are off the board. Maybe Cashman pulls off another trade that shocks us all. The offseason is like Christmas…the anticipation of the gifts that await us.

I am glad to see Don Mattingly experience a World Series, yet I wish it had been with a team other than a hated division rival (or Houston). Dave Winfield, who battled Mattingly for the batting title in 1984, which Mattingly won on the season’s final day, won his only World Series with the 1992 Toronto Blue Jays. If the Blue Jays defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, he will be another former Yankee great who had to go north of the Border to find the game’s most fantastic prize. Although I have been a long-time Mattingly fan, I am pulling for the Dodgers to win the World Series. While I am not crazy about the Dodgers winning back-to-back titles, it is a better alternative than the Blue Jays as the World Series Champions. Ironically, Mattingly’s path to the World Series this year meant facing two of his former teams (he was the Dodgers manager before Dave Roberts).

Photo Credit: Hunter Martin/Getty Images

I was surprised when the Blue Jays crushed the Dodgers, 11-4, in the first game of the current World Series, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto's dominant complete-game pitching performance in Game Two last night, leading the Dodgers to a 5-1 win, sent the Series to Dodger Stadium with strong momentum for Game Three on Monday. The Dodgers’ starting pitchers will be the difference-maker in the Series despite Blake Snell’s clunker in the opener.

I cannot wait for the World Series to end and the Hot Stove League to open.

As always, Go Yankees!

Drafting Yankees and the Juan Soto Trade Tree

The New York Yankees acquired star left-handed hitting outfielder Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres in the offseason prior to the 2024 season in a seven-player deal. Coming to the Yankees alongside Soto was fellow outfielder Trent Grisham while the Yankees sent five prospects/players including RHP Michael King, catcher Kyle Higashioka, and arms Jhony Brito, Drew Thorpe and Randy Vasquez. Unlike the Aaron Judge trade tree that showed a flurry of under the rader type moves that led the Bronx Bombers to their current Captain, the New York Yankees can thank their drafting and development teams for the acquisition of #22. 

Looking at the trade package the Yankees gave up, every single player can be linked to the Yankees and their team in charge of the MLB First Year Players Draft. Higashioka was drafted by the Yankees in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB Draft while Thorpe was drafted by New York in the second round of the 2022 Draft. 

The Yankees can also thank their international scouting department for the acquisition of Soto. Brito was signed as an International Free Agent on November 9, 2015, while Vasquez was signed as an IFA three years later in 2018. 

For the Yankees to send King as the centerpiece of the deal, New York can look back at a "won" trade between them and the Miami Marlins on 11/20/17. In that deal, New York sent infielder Garrett Cooper and LHP Caleb Smith for King and $250K in international bonus pool money. 

New York acquired Garrett Cooper from the Milwaukee Brewers just four months prior, sending LHP Tyler Webb to the NL Central. Webb was another product of the Yankees draft and development team, adding the LHP in the tenth round of the 2013 round, four rounds before Smith was drafted in the same round. 

The road to Juan Soto in Pinstripes can be directly linked to the International and Domestic drafting, scouting and development teams employeed by the Yankees under Brian Cashman. There were a few key trades involved, highlighted below, but the pieces came from within. 

The Yankees have been known as the Evil Empire since the early 2000s, but imagine how "Evil" the team could be if they were more willing to dip into the treasure trove of young prospects that continually go through the Yankees system. Soto could stay with the Yankees for one season, or for the remainder of his career, that remains to be seen... but the Yankees farm system and development team will look at this as a victory regardless of the tenure. Juan Soto, for at least one season, wore the Yankees pinstripes and marched the team into the postseason. 

What more could you ask for?

Juan Soto: Dreams Come True...

 

Credit: @Yankees via X

Juan Soto is a Yankee.

The New York Yankees successfully acquired young superstar outfielder Juan Soto; a player coveted by the Yankees fan base for years. 

Despite the acquisition of one of baseball’s brightest young talents, the 2023 Baseball Winter Meetings were largely a bore. I am excited that the Yankees acquired Soto, but the process was tiring. I guess I would have liked it better if we had received a Jeff Passan tweet that simply said, “Yankees acquire Juan Soto”. All the tweets and reports from the various team beat writers saying a deal was close to the finish line was too long and drawn out. After hearing the Yankees and Padres were trying to complete the deal all day on Wednesday, the final day of the Winter Meetings, the official word was finally announced at nearly 11 p.m. Eastern time. 

Wednesday evening there were reports that medical records (review on the San Diego side) were holding up the deal. Then, there were reports the Padres executives were attending a social event. I was not sure what to think, but the reports from the trustworthy beat writers did not express any concern that the deal was falling apart. Finally, Joel Sherman broke the news that the deal was done. Whew! 

I thought the Yankees might give Jack Curry an exclusive to break the news. The Yankees Hot Stove show was scheduled to air at 10:30 p.m. Eastern (around the time the news started breaking about the finalization of the trade). Unfortunately, the Brooklyn Nets postgame show ran over so Yankee fans had to patiently (or rather impatiently) wait through the Nets postgame show to finally hear Jack Curry confirm the Soto trade.

It was a long, difficult road with so many rumors. Granted, much of it was trade posturing. In the days leading up to the trade, it felt like the Padres might wait to see the market develop after Shohei Ohtani signs, thinking the jilted suitors might flip their attention to Soto. Fortunately, it was all smoke. The Yankees had the best offer on the table, and it gave the Padres the pitching and financial relief they needed to make the deal. 

Losing Michael King hurts. I appreciated and valued Michael King, the reliever, and then I got even more excited when he excelled during his brief audition as a starter late last season. I was looking forward to King’s future in the starting rotation. I know he has dealt with his share of injuries in recent years, but I did not want to see him go. Obviously, losing him for Juan Soto is a deal you would make every day of the week, but it does not mean that there cannot be sadness to see King go. I truly wish him the best in San Diego. I was hopeful the Yankees would not lose both King and Drew Thorpe, yet they did. I would have preferred to see Clarke Schmidt accompany Thorpe to the West Coast over King, but it was not meant to be. The Yankees paid a healthy price for Soto and center fielder Trent Grisham…four pitchers…King, Thorpe, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez…along with catcher Kyle Higashioka. I refuse to call it an “overpay” even though the Yankees are guaranteed only one year with Soto. Soto is exactly what the Yankees need, and he is worth the cost regardless of how much it hurts. 

Credit: FriarWire, Official Blog of the San Diego Padres

Higgy leaves as the longest-tenured Yankee. I am proud of his time in the Yankees organization, and I am glad he has been part of the team. I recognized that his salary and age were working against him, and it made him the most likely departee among the multiple catchers on the 40-man roster.  Like Austin Romine before him, there comes a time when the Yankees and a player must part ways. Sadly, for Higgy, the day was December 6, 2023. 

Brito and Vasquez did a good job providing rotation depth last year, but I am hopeful the pitchers remaining in the organization will step up. Will Warren, Chase Hampton, and Clayton Beeter are the pitchers who immediately come to mind. Luis Gil will also be back after distancing himself from Tommy John surgery. Nevertheless, the pitching losses reinforce the need to bolster the pitching staff between now and Spring Training. 

Congratulations to General Manager Brian Cashman and his team for closing the deal to bring the 25-year-old superstar Juan Soto to New York. I was not sure they would do it. After ignoring most elite free agent talent in recent years, it seemed implausible the Yankees would pay for a potential future Hall of Famer with prospects and proven Major League talent when they could have had the best of the best for only cash and passed. I am glad they did.  Soto alone is not enough, but Cashman seems to understand there is more work to do…or at least I hope he does.

Although the Yankees acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo earlier in the week from the Boston Red Sox, I am not convinced the 2024 Opening Day outfield will feature Judge, Soto, and Verdugo. The early speculation has Verdugo in left and Soto in right, pushing Judge to center. Cashman made an interesting comment during today’s press conference he held with beat writers when he said that if the season opened today, Judge would be in center. It leaves open the possibility there may be changes. In other words, there is no guarantee Verdugo will be on the opening-day roster. He could be moved for pitching if the Yankees come up with a better outfield solution that would keep Judge in right. Of course, the question would then become where you put Soto who seems better suited to play right field over left field. 

I had been hopeful the Yankees would sign Cody Bellinger as the second move behind the Soto acquisition. Bellinger, if you believe he found himself last year in Chicago, offers both offense and defense and could cover center field until Jasson Dominguez is ready to return late next season and he could back up Anthony Rizzo at first base. Verdugo is simply a corner outfielder who has not played center field in a few years. He is not known for his defense and is obviously far less versatile than a player like Bellinger.  I think the Bellinger dream is gone, but I am hopeful the Yankees can find the best outfield mix. If it ends up with Soto, Judge, and Verdugo, so be it.  I am glad Trent Grisham is around as the fourth outfielder over the various options we had last year. It seems like Grisham will get plenty of playing time. I certainly like Grisham better than Verdugo even if Verdugo is the better everyday player. I do feel badly for Estevan Florial who will probably never get a genuine opportunity in Pinstripes. As much as I like Everson Pereira, I fully expect his name to be part of any trade acquisitions for pitching. 

Since Manager Aaron Boone stated this week that DJ LeMahieu will be the starting third baseman in 2024, the Yankees have much riding on the health of their older corner infielders.  There has been no speculation about Oswald Peraza, but I did find it odd that Peraza was not even given a chance to compete for the starting role in Spring Training.  Both Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera can still find their way on the 26-man roster as part of the bench strength, yet if Peraza is included in a trade for pitching, it would not surprise me. Peraza and the Miami Marlins make total sense to me.

The Yankees will now turn their attention to Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They plan to meet with the free-agent Japanese pitcher on Monday.  The competition for Yamamoto is steep. The Mets, backed by Steve Cohen’s huge wallet, are interested. If the Dodgers lose out on Shohei Ohtani, they may enter the bidding for Yamamoto if they are not there already. It seems like the Yankees are one of the favorites to sign Yamamoto, but it is far from a certainty, and if the bidding gets excessive (hearing reports of $300 million plus the $46 million posting fee), it does seem like Hal Steinbrenner may tap out.  If the Yankees find Yamamoto too expensive, they might look at a reunion with Jordan Montgomery. I would like to see Gumby return, but I wish it was not predicated on whether they get Yamamoto. I would prefer to see Montgomery return as a stand-alone move.  With the questions surrounding Carlos Rodón and Nestor Cortes, Jr, the rotation needs greater dependability in the other spots behind Gerrit Cole and for depth purposes. If the Yankees do not sign Montgomery, I hope he returns to the Texas Rangers. It would be tough to see him pitch for the Red Sox, Blue Jays, or Orioles.  There is room for Montgomery in the Yankees rotation regardless of whether they sign Yamamoto. 

Given the time the Yankees have spent following Yamamoto in Japan including Brian Cashman’s trip last summer when Yamamoto threw a no-hitter, the Yankees are clearly all-in on the talented righthander.  There is no doubt Yamamoto has felt the Yankees’ presence for a long time which helps. I am glad the team is pulling in Hideki Matsui as part of the recruitment team. Unfortunately, I am less optimistic about Yamamoto than I was with Soto.  I tried hard to temper my excitement for Soto under the belief the Yankees might (would) fall short. It worked out with Soto, however, there are no guarantees with Yamamoto and perhaps more adversity given the steeper competition in play for Yamamoto’s services. 

We keep saying the Yankees need to protect the best years of Gerrit Cole and Aaron Judge. If the Yankees sign Yamamoto and can re-sign Soto after next season, they could represent the core of the team in the years beyond 2024. We will be talking about protecting their best years. 

I have seen fans already grading the Yankees’ offseason. I prefer to wait for the finished product or at least until we see the guys who show up in Tampa for Spring Training in February. There is work to be done and it will determine how much better the Yankees can be in 2024.

Suffice it to say that I feel better about the Yankees with Juan Soto and Trent Grisham than without.  Nevertheless, other teams are not going to sleep on the Yankees. They are working to get better, and it is possible the best player in the game, Shohei Ohtani, may sign with Toronto, a key division rival. The Orioles have a wealth of young talent, and if they made a financial commitment to invest in starting pitching, they could be a dominant force for years to come. Never underestimate the Rays or the Red Sox.  If Brian Cashman wants to be up for the challenge in the American League to compete with the league’s best, there will be no rest between now and Spring Training.

Thanks for bringing Juan Soto to us, Brian Cashman, now get to work!

Loss of Pitching

The Yankees took a huge hit with their pitching depth this week because of the Verdugo and Soto trades, and the Rule 5 Draft. RHP Mitch Spence and RHP Matt Sauer were the first two Rule 5 Draft selections made. Ouch!

The list is long:

RHP Greg Weissert, RHP Richard Fitts, and RHP Nicholas Judice to Boston. 

RHP Michael King, RHP Randy Vasquez, RHP Jhony Brito, and RHP Drew Thorpe to San Diego.

RHP Mitch Spence, selected by Oakland in Rule 5 Draft.

RHP Matt Sauer, selected by Kansas City in Rule 5 Draft.

RHP Carson Coleman, selected by Texas in Rule 5 Draft.

Although most Rule 5 picks are generally returned, it seems like a certainty Spence will stick with the lowly A’s and there is a strong chance Sauer stays with the Royals all season long.  Carson Coleman had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last spring, but the Rangers feel he has upside for the bullpen after he completes his rehab. It is possible and maybe probable that all three of the Rule 5 losses stick with their new teams for the duration of the upcoming season. 

Credit to the Yankees for how they have drafted and developed pitching in recent years.  Hopefully, the trend continues as they will need to make up for the losses.  I was dreading the Rule 5 Draft as I do every year since the Yankees are always one of the most targeted teams. It was as painful as I expected.  Even when I see a former Yankees prospect lost in the Rule 5 Draft bounce from team to team like catcher Luis Torrens, I wonder what could have been if the player had been allowed to continue his development in the Yankees organization.  Spence, Sauer, and Coleman appear to be more Major League-ready than Torrens did, but new organizations represent change, for better or worse, and the players will need to adapt.  I wish them luck with the slight hope they are offered back to the Yankees.

As always, Go Yankees!

Looking for Mister Good Bat...

 

Juan Soto (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

The Juan Soto Rumors grip the Yankees Universe…

I get it. Juan Soto is a generational left-handed talent and any team that acquires him will be a better team (well, better in all aspects except liquid assets if they intend to sign Soto to a long-term contract after he hits free agency next offseason). For a team that failed miserably in 2023 despite higher expectations, the New York Yankees need a true superstar to pair with Aaron Judge, particularly given the downward trend of the team’s older veteran players. Giancarlo Stanton has the potential for a rebound, but he will never be 2016 NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton again. Soto would help protect Aaron Judge who is the team’s ‘ride or die’ player. To win a championship, the Yankees must put quality pieces around the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole and 2022 AL MVP Judge. Soto would give them a player who can turn the awesome duo into an outstanding trio to build around. 

I have never been one to propose potential trades because General Manager Brian Cashman and his team have a far better understanding of what it would take to acquire a player like Soto. Throwing names around serves no purpose, at least not to me, since we, as fans, are not experts or key decision-makers in MLB organizations. However, I can say I believe the Yankees should pay the cost for Soto if they feel they can sign him to an extension. The latter point may be an unknown until the 2024-25 offseason, but the Yankees should have an idea if they intend to be one of the last teams standing when Soto decides where to sign his next behemoth contract. 

Michael King and/or Drew Thorpe should not be dealbreakers. I like both of those pitchers. King’s audition as a starter was much stronger than I had anticipated even though I already knew he had the right mental approach as a starter. He left us wanting more, and I hope he stays with the Yankees. But if King is the cost to get Soto, so be it. San Diego is a lovely city for King to call home. I would wish him well before running out to buy my Juan Soto jersey. Thorpe might be as excited as I have been for a Yankees pitching prospect in a long time.  Yet, Thorpe should not be the reason to lose out on Soto. The Yankees have gotten so much better at developing strong pitching within the organization. 

I believe today’s events with reports stating the Yankees and San Diego Padres are far apart, and other teams like the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays have entered trade discussions, are all part of the larger Yankees-Padres negotiation. They are trying to see who will blink first. Maybe the Red Sox or Blue Jays put together a package that the Padres bite on. The Yankees must ensure they are competitive until the end, regardless of where Soto ultimately ends up. As much as I want Soto, the Yankees should not roll over and give the Padres whatever they want. Soto may be a young elite player, but he has only one year of control and that fact does need to factor into the equation. Yet, it is understood the Yankees will need to give up quality to get quality. This is clearly a double-edged sword. 

If the Yankees ultimately fail to land Soto, I will be disappointed like most of the Yankees Universe. If Brian Cashman and his team of nerds and lieutenants show us that they did everything possible, it will be hard to fault the Front Office despite our frustrations with them over the past few years. If they refuse to trade this player or that player without justification or give other lame excuses, then they will deserve the full wrath of the fans’ fury. In other words, there is a limit to how far the Yankees should go in terms of players and prospects, but they need to go as far as they can to acquire a game-changer. Only the Yankees truly know how far they can go without causing irreparable harm to other areas. 

It is amazing to think that when the Yankees defeated the San Diego Padres, 3-0, in Game 4 of the 1998 World Series behind the pitching of Andy Pettitte, Jeff Nelson, and Mariano Rivera, winning the World Series championship with 114 regular season wins and 125 wins overall on October 21, 1998, Juan Soto’s mother, Belkis, was four days away from giving birth to Juan José Soto Pacheco. Hard to believe it has been 25 years since the greatest Yankees championship in our lifetime. Seems appropriate that Soto should spend his twenty-fifth year in Pinstripes. 

1998 World Series Champions (Photo Credit: AP)

Juan Soto will get paid. There is no doubt. The Yankees can afford it, but the question is will they? In 2023, Soto played 162 games. He hit 35 home runs, 32 doubles, and had 109 RBIs.  His batting line was .275/.410/.519 (.930 OPS), which was better than any Yankee. He walked 132 times which led Major League Baseball. Soto, by himself, does not convert the Yankees to a legitimate World Series threat, however, he is clearly a cornerstone player who would help set the table.    

I hope this turns out in the Yankees’ favor. It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement of potentially adding such a truly great young player. It would be heartbreaking to see him go to a key rival. While I continue to temper my expectations because there is no certainty until a deal is done, there is some hope for a positive resolution.  Santa, all I want for Christmas is Juan Soto calling Yankee Stadium home. Please, make it happen. 

Perhaps good news awaits us next week. If not, life goes on. I will still be a Yankee fan regardless of where Juan Soto plays next season. I would just be a happier one if he was a Yankee.

Baseball Winter Meetings next week...I cannot wait. My favorite time of the off-season.  

Farewell Luis Severino

When the season ended, I think it was apparent to all fans that Luis Severino had pitched his last game in Pinstripes. This is not how we wanted it to end, but as hard as it was to see Sevy leave, it was really the only viable outcome. The Yankees were not going to bring him back after the lost years to injury and the horrific ineffectiveness of the 2023 season. Sevy has been one of my favorite Yankees and I want to see him succeed. I still do. I dislike that he went to the Mets, but I respect his decision to stay in New York City for his family. I am a little surprised the Mets gave him $13 million on a one-year deal although they need help in their starting rotation. It seems like they would have used the money for safer bets. Yet, I am not going to worry about Uncle Stevie’s money.  He can afford many mistakes. If Sevy delivers a healthy, productive 2024 season, it will be great for the Mets and tremendous for Sevy when he hits the open market again next Fall. I hope the best-case scenario works out for him. I will never cheer for the Mets, but I will cheer for Luis Severino when he is not pitching against the Yankees. 

Sevy posted a strong, heartfelt goodbye message for the Yankees Universe on Instagram today. It is hard not to read this without wishing things with the Yankees could have been different. Yet, I have no regrets. It is what it is. When healthy, Sevy was an excellent pitcher.  Even hoping he rebounds in 2024, the Yankees were correct in moving on. Sevy had so many chances but simply could not stay on the field. He was no longer a chance the Yankees could afford to take.  

Here is Sevy's message to the Yankees Universe (via @severino40 on Instagram):

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for your love and support over these last 12 unforgettable years. As a young boy growing up in the Dominican Republic as a Yankee fan, I could only dream of what it would be like to play the game that I love professionally at the MLB level and earn the opportunity to don the famous pinstripes In 2011, my dreams became a reality when the New York Yankees organization took a chance on me and gave me and my family the opportunity of a lifetime by signing me as an international free agent. From the time I put on that special uniform and completed the journey of making my MLB debut in 2015, the Yankees organization and the city of New York welcomed my family and me into their hearts, which we are forever grateful! Together, we have all shared amazing memories that I will always cherish and it has truly been an honor and a privilege to have played for one of the greatest organizations in the world.

To the Yankees organization, I want to take a moment to thank you all for giving my family and me the opportunity to become members of your family. A big thank you to the Steinbrenner family along with Brian Cashman for believing in me and affording me the opportunity to be a member of the Yankees organization for my entire career thus far. Also, thank you to every member of this first class organization whom will always hold a special place in my heart! And I want to personally thank the medical and training staff for always having my best interest at heart. Despite having to overcome unfortunate injuries, I always knew that I was in the best of hands due to their care.

To my teammates, you will always be family and there is no one else whom I would have rather competed with all these years. We will always have our memories and I will cherish the time we had together complete with the blood, sweat and tears we shared by working to make the city of New York proud of their Yankees. Despite not achieving our ultimate collective goal, I could not be more proud to have been your teammate and forever your brother! While there are no guarantees in the future, I will always be proud to compete with you 

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the greatest fans in the world. From the time I arrived in New York, my family and I felt as if this was our home and we are so proud to have spent so much time here. You all played a huge part in my career as well as my family’s and I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for making my experience unforgettable and for playing a huge role in having my dreams come true. It was truly an honor of a lifetime to compete every 5th day in front of a special fan base where I will forever be grateful to have been a proud member of your organization. This is not goodbye, it is simply I wish you all the best and hope to see you soon as I prepare for the next chapter of my career across town as a proud member of the New York Mets organization. I am thankful for this opportunity to remain a New Yorker and compete in the city I love!

Luis Severino (Photo Credit: @severino40 via Instagram)

Sevy, thanks for the memories. We wish you the best in Queens and hope you are among the Cy Young contenders in 2024. You wore the Pinstripes proudly and it will never be forgotten.

Oscar G. is a Yankee       

In a bit of a surprise, the Yankees announced today that they had claimed outfielder Oscar Gonzalez off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians today. Many were unaware that he had even been exposed to waivers. Perhaps the Guardians were trying to slip him through waivers to outright him to Triple-A if no one claimed him. Unfortunately for them and maybe fortunately for us, the Yankees made the claim.

The 25-year-old Gonzalez had a key hit for the Guardians in Game 3 of the 2022 American League Division Series against the Yankees when he hit a game-winning two-run single off at Progressive Field in Cleveland off Clarke Schmidt with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Yankees, 6-5.

Oscar Gonzalez (Photo Credit: Phil Long/AP)

Gonzalez only played in 54 games for the Guardians in 2023, batting .214/.239/.312 (.551 OPS). He had 2 homers and 12 RBIs. For Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate in Columbus, Gonzalez played 83 games, and hit .287/.323/.496 (.819 OPS), with 13 home runs and 64 RBIs. 

As a fourth/fifth outfielder, Gonzalez makes sense. Gonzalez is an improvement over the departed Franchy Cordero and Billy McKinney, and with Jake Bauers in Milwaukee, the Yankees need outfield help, especially if any outfield prospects like Everson Pereira are dealt this winter. At worst, Gonzalez is depth for Triple-A. According to Roster Resource, he has options remaining so, assuming he does not get cut this winter, he should have a chance to show the Yankees what he can do in Spring Training and will probably head for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre when camp breaks unless he has a Greg Bird-like Spring Training. 

Gonzalez was popular among Guardians fans, and he gained some notoriety for using the “SpongeBob SquarePants” theme song as his walk-up music.  He is best remembered for his success in the 2022 post-season. In addition to his walk-off against Clarke Schmidt, he bounced the Tampa Bay Rays from the playoffs a series earlier with a 15th-inning homer off former Yankee Corey Kluber, He also had a tiebreaking single in the 10th inning of Game 2 of the 2022 ALDS against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, with Clay Holmes on the mound. Gonzalez subsequently scored on a double by Josh Naylor in the 4-2 win over New York. I remember thinking, who is this Oscar Gonzalez dude?

I have no issue with Brian Cashman’s latest dumpster dive. Teams always need good supporting players, either at the back end of the roster or with the top farm club. We certainly know the Yankees generally have more than their fair share of injuries throughout a long season. 

Welcome to the Yankees family, Oscar Gonzalez!

On a side note, “Oscar G” reminds me of the great Oscar Gamble. Totally unrelated to Oscar Gonzalez, but it is always nice to remember the late former Yankees outfielder. I met Oscar Gamble one time in early 1981 (before the season), and it remains one of the best interactions I have ever had with a professional athlete in my lifetime. He was so kind and considerate. I remember telling him how excited I was about the Yankees signing free agent Dave Winfield earlier that winter and Oscar was equally excited about it. In retrospect, I wish I had talked more about Oscar Gamble and not Dave Winfield with him. Oscar Gamble will forever be one of my all-time favorite Yankees. He may not have been a legendary player, but he was a legendary man.

The late Oscar Gamble (Photo Credit: Martin/New York Daily News)

As always, Go Yankees! 

Impatiently Waiting for the Offseason Rebuild...

 

DJ LeMahieu & Aaron Judge (Photo Credit: Chris Young)

I miss the words, “The Yankees”…

The Major League Playoff Season is exciting for many fans, particularly those in Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Phoenix, and Philadelphia. The fans in Houston and Los Angeles are just waiting for the later rounds before they get excited since they do this every year. Meanwhile, the playoffs are a roadblock for the improvement of baseball’s greatest team, the New York Yankees. No step toward the betterment of the Pinstriped Product will happen until the Atlanta Braves walk off the field with the World Series Championship.

I am ready for changes.

Other teams have already jumpstarted their offseason game plans. The New York Mets, proving they might no longer be the New York Mess, quickly made the decision to jettison respected, experienced manager Buck Showalter after hiring David Stearns as the team’s new President of Baseball Operations.  I kept wondering when GM Billy Eppler would get his walking papers, so it was no surprise when he stepped down this week. Credit Eppler. He may not be a great general manager, but he does know how to read writing on the wall. There was a time I thought the Yankees should have promoted Eppler to GM when he was Brian Cashman’s assistant general manager, but Eppler proved me wrong.  Sometimes the best moves are the moves never made although I would never apply that to my desire to see Cashman replaced. 

I expect the Mets to be better in 2024 which of course places the pressure on the Yankees to improve, or at least it should.  I have no desire to see Buck Showalter as the Yankees manager. I saw many of those posts on social media after Showalter announced his departure from the Mets. Like Joe Girardi, we have been there, and done that, and I have no wish to travel down either of those roads again. I want to see Buck return to studio work for the YES Network. He offers great insight, and he is a valuable resource. The Yankees need a stronger bench coach, but I wonder if Buck would be interested in that type of role.

In the last couple of days, I have seen posts that say the Yankees expect Aaron Boone to be “tougher” in 2024. Boone is who he is. He is not going to change. If he starts acting like Mister Tough Guy in the clubhouse, players are just going to laugh at him. When I saw that the Cleveland Guardians were interested in talking with Bench Coach Carlos Mendoza about their vacant managerial seat (due to Terry Francona’s retirement), I was excited and hopeful that he would get the job. Mendy is a trusted coach who has the respect of the players, but the Yankees can do so much better for the vital bench coach role.  I keep saying it, but Boone needs someone who is not afraid to question him, to challenge him. Boone may be the decision-maker, but he needs to make better decisions. A strong bench coach can improve him if Boone fully commits to the chosen individual. Boone seems like a fair, open-minded guy. I am sure he wants to improve. All of us like to be surrounded by people who make us better. Boone is no different.    

Aaron Boone (Photo Credit: Gene J Puskar/AP)

I have accepted that Aaron Boone will be the Yankees manager in 2024. There are no indications that he will be fired. I blame most, if not all, of last season’s disaster (technically, it is still this season, but I have already moved on) on Brian Cashman and the Front Office. The roster construction was horrific, and they failed to adapt to the elimination of the shift.  Everything that went wrong, outside of the players injuring themselves, can be traced to the Front Office. If the Yankees roll out the same bodies in the same front-office positions in 2024, I fully expect more of the same disappointing results. If the Yankees cannot improve, they should expect to be a doormat for the Orioles for the next few years. 

Brian Cashman is not going to be fired either although I think it is a mistake. Inevitably, there is nothing we can do about it short of not buying tickets and merchandise. We may be frustrated but we are still Yankee fans, and we will support our team. Brian Cashman is the Yankees' General Manager until he is not.

So, for now, we will wait. We hope the disastrous results of the 2023 season are weighing heavily on Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner’s mind, and it will spur him to act. Hal will never have his father’s passion for the Yankees' success. Their definitions of success are vastly different. Yet, even Hal’s conservative, analytical mind can recognize success on the field drives the profits off it. Give the Braves their damn trophy so that we can get started on the offseason rebuild.

The Gang of 17

MLB Trade Rumors posted projected arbitration salaries for 2024 for all MLB teams today. The MLBTR projections were created by Matt Swartz.  The MLBTR post is titled Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2024.  

The Yankees have 17 arbitration-eligible players. Here are the projections with names and estimated salaries for 2024. Further information about service time and various implications can be found in the MLBTR post.

 Lou Trivino, $4.1 million

Gleyber Torres, $15.3 million

Clay Holmes, $6.0 million

Jonathan Loaisiga, $2.5 million

Kyle Higashioka, $2.3 million

Franchy Cordero, $1.6 million

Domingo German, $4.4 million

Nestor Cortes, Jr, $3.9 million

Jose Trevino, $2.7 million

Matt Bowman, $1.0 million

Michael King, $2.6 million

Ryan Weber, $990K

Billy McKinney, $1.2 million

Jake Bauers, $1.7 million

Jimmy Cordero, $900K

Clarke Schmidt, $2.6 million

Albert Abreu, $900K

I look at this list and see a whole lot of future ex-Yankees. Realistically, the only players who should return in 2024, barring any trades, are Gleyber Torres, Clay Holmes, Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes, Jose Trevino, Michael King, and Clarke Schmidt. You can make an argument against Loaisiga based on his injury history. Otherwise, I have no trouble moving on from the other players. Kyle Higashioka may be the longest-tenured Yankee, but it is a numbers game, and the future has arrived for Austin Wells. Brian Cashman will always be dumpster diving and I am sure he will have new fringe players in camp on non-roster invitations next Spring. Players equal to or better than the fringe players above can be found.

I have not been in favor of trading Gleyber Torres, however, an expected salary of $15.3 million does give one reason to ponder. It seems clear Torres is not in the Yankees’ long-term plans. They would be fine with Anthony Volpe at second base next year, with Oswald Peraza and his better arm taking shortstop. I expect the Yankees to make up for the offense in other areas. Or at least, I hope. If the Yankees can use Torres as a trade chip to help improve the roster, go for it. I was tired of how much Josh Donaldson’s season salary prevented the Yankees from making smart moves. Torres offers production, which Donaldson did not, but building a team is about putting your dollars in the right places. The Yankees are deep in middle infield talent in the minor league system, and the high dollars for Torres are better used in building a diverse, adaptable, resilient roster capable of sustained success.  We have seen what happens when holes in the roster are left unattended. 

Clarke Schmidt did exactly what I had hoped he would do this season. He learned, he adjusted, and he got better. Granted, he may have positioned himself as trade bait, especially with the terrific starting performances by Michael King late in the season, but he was a joy to watch after a frustrating start. I would like to see Schmidt’s return unless his departure means the arrival of a guy like Juan Soto.  Any deal involving Schmidt needs to be a significant acquisition, otherwise, I would rather see the Yankees hang onto him. There should be no Jordan Montgomery for Harrison Bader type of trades for Schmidt.

 

Clarke Schmidt (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

I included Holmes as a guy to keep although I would prefer to see him replaced as the team’s closer. He is a good reliever, just not the guy I want at the back end of games. Nestor Cortes has much to prove next year. He needs to show that 2022 was not an aberration and, just as importantly, he can stay healthy. 

I am anxious for the offseason to start. The next few weeks are going to be a sludge. When the final out of the World Series is recorded, we can turn the page on 2023 and go all-in for 2024. Braves, go ahead and run the table. Just get this thing over. The Yankees have work to do.

As always, Go Yankees!

The End of the Season is Near...

 

Oswaldo Cabrera, Greg Weissert, DJ LeMahieu & Austin Wells (Photo Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

The Yankees conclude the season in KC…

As I type this post, the Yankees have begun playing on Friday night against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Not much point in waiting until the end of the game to start writing this week’s entry. The Yankees, by taking two of three from the Toronto Blue Jays this week, assured themselves of not less than a .500 season. By winning at least one game in the next three from the 105-loss Royals, the Yankees will keep the winning season streak alive even if you cannot exactly call this a “winning” season. 

Boston’s tailspin this week (they have lost five consecutive games entering play this evening) clinched the AL East Cellar for the Red Sox. Not much to shoot for goals this season, but finishing ahead of Boston was one. Small wins. We need something to keep us warm over a long winter. Finishing with more wins than losses is another yet-to-be-achieved goal. The Yankees were 81-78 after concluding their trip to Toronto, Canada. They can finish anywhere from 81-81 to 84-78. If I can dissect a goal from the possibilities, it would be to avoid 80 losses. If the Yankees can take 2 of 3 from the Royals like they did the Blue Jays, they will finish 83-79. Sounds better than 82-80 or 81-81.   

I am ready for the season to end. The downside is that we must wait until the playoffs are over before there will be any meaningful activity for the Yankees in their efforts to bounce back next season. There are reports the outside company brought for an audit of team processes throughout the organization will start in October. Well, the halls of Yankee Stadium will be empty next week. No time to start like the present.

The managerial firings began today when the San Francisco Giants announced they had parted ways with Manager Gabe Kapler who won 107 games and the NL West Division crown in 2021. I have no interest in Kapler as Yankees manager although I have already seen numerous social media posts to that effect. I would rather have Joe Girardi as the manager than Kapler, and believe me, I have no desire to see Girardi return to Pinstripes. He had his time. I am sure it was a hard decision for Farhan Zaidi, the Giants’ President of Baseball Operations, but like the Yankees, I think the Giants front office holds more responsibility for 2023 on-the-field disappointment than the manager. Zaidi is probably seeing his own mortality as a team executive, and he was not going to fire himself. Does Yankees GM Brian Cashman serve up Aaron Boone as the sacrificial lamb?  At the end of the day, the buck stops with Zaidi and Cashman. They are responsible for the men in the clubhouse and the players on the field.   

My speculation is the Yankees retain both Cashman and Boone. Another GM was promoted to President of Baseball Operations today (Nick Krall of the Cincinnati Reds). With so many GMs making this transition, it seems inevitable the Yankees will do the same for Cashman one day or at least they should if they are not going to fire him. It is time for a new Yankees GM regardless of how Cashman is moved out of the position (firing or promotion). Promoting a failure seems counterproductive, but I will not believe that Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner has the stones to fire Cashman unless he ACTUALLY does it. 

Hal Steinbrenner (Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

The Yankees game went from 0-0 first pitch to 8-0 Royals in the bottom of the first inning with no outs and Carlos Rodón already out of the game. As David Cone just said, when it rains, it pours. You would think the Yankees would enter the season’s final series with some pride, and at least have some success against one of baseball’s worst teams. Yet, the Yankees are getting bludgeoned to death. It seems par for the course this season. The first inning ended 9-0 in favor of the Royals. One of the worst innings I have ever seen in my life. Well, my little league team, George’s Pizza, did have a few bad ones if memory serves correctly. But the Yankees made it professionally bad. 

Frankie Montas is expected to pitch a few innings this weekend. There seems to be some interest on both sides for a reunion next season. The Yankees should only do it on a short-term, “make-good” contract to see if they can discover the pitcher that they thought they were getting from the Oakland A’s.  If another team wants to offer Montas a three- or four-year deal, call it a sunk loss and move on. 

I doubt the Yankees can eliminate Giancarlo Stanton or DJ LeMahieu this offseason, but the team would be better in the long run if they could. Even if they must pay the bulk of the contract, the Yankees should try to find a way to move Stanton. Of course, any move would take Stanton’s blessing, but a change of scenery could be good for him, as he might find greater success elsewhere. The Giants or the Dodgers seem like the most logical landing spots if either team is interested in Stanton at a discounted price. I like LeMahieu, but his best days are behind him and, sadly, they are not coming back. 

I have already accepted that Kyle Higashioka will not be part of the 2024 Yankees. Austin Wells has proven he belongs, and he will be half of the catching tandem with Jose Trevino, if not more. Ben Rortvedt in reserve, with promising young catchers on the way. There is simply no room for Higgy. He is a good clubhouse guy aside from his defensive prowess and occasional pop, but it has become a numbers game for him and there is simply no room for moving forward.

I am hopeful and optimistic that first baseman Anthony Rizzo will have a bounce-back year next season, but the Yankees need to ensure that they have strong first base support. I know many people do not want the Cubs’ Cody Bellinger, but he makes too much sense to me. He would give us a strong outfielder who can play first base if needed (and play it well). He can play center for most of next season, and then possibly move to left, if/when Jasson Dominguez is ready to return. 

Cody Bellinger (Photo Credit: MLB Photos via Getty Images)

If not Bellinger, it needs to be someone capable of multiple positions in addition to first base. It would be nice if LeMahieu could be that guy, but I am fearful that Father Time is no longer his friend. We become more injury-prone as we get older, and LeMahieu is trending in the wrong direction.

I have no desire to trade Gleyber Torres, but I do believe the Yankees would be stronger with Anthony Volpe at second base and Oswald Peraza at shortstop. I felt that way before Volpe made the Major League club in Spring Training, and I continue to feel that way. Keeping Volpe at shortstop just because that is the position that he grabbed in Spring Training does not make sense if the team is better defensively with Volpe at second and Peraza at short. But of course, if Volpe is the second baseman, where does Gleyber Torres play? Under that scenario, it might be necessary to trade one of the team’s best hitters. Or trade Peraza if it helps to acquire a starting pitcher capable of performing well under pressure. So, I will say that I prefer to keep Torres, but I am not opposed to moving him if it helps make the team better. 

If Peraza is at short or is traded, the question then becomes who is the third baseman? I would have liked to have seen Andrés Chaparro in the Bronx in September but there was no room for him. He will have a chance to make his case for third base next season, along with prospect Tyler Hardman. It will be interesting to see if the Yankees address third base from within or if they go externally through free agency or trade. With so many other pressing needs, it kind of feels like third base will get lost in the shuffle.  Peraza is capable of being the third baseman which would allow the Yankees to keep Torres, but it seems like Peraza’s highest and best value is either shortstop or second base. The Yankees need to figure this out.

I have liked Everson Pereira, the prospect, but as a Major Leaguer, I am not sure he is the answer for left field. He will continue to grow; however, I am not sure if he can fix the ‘swing and miss’.  Unlike this season, the Yankees need to ensure they have a strong left-field solution entering Opening Day 2024. As much as I want to see Pereira succeed, I think they can do better.

As for center field, I am not sure what the Yankees will do if they are not successful in acquiring a guy like Cody Bellinger. Estevan Florial deserves more time, but honestly, the Yankees can ill afford both Florial and Pereira in the same lineup.  One or the other. If Pereira is included in a trade, then take the chance on Florial in center at least until Dominguez is ready. Doing this, the Yankees cannot take any chances in the other areas of need. They need certainty…they need consistency…they need players who can play to the back of their baseball cards. 

I have not dived into pitching. There is Gerrit Cole, the soon-to-be AL Cy Young Award Winner, and then there is everybody else. I did mention Montas earlier, but the one guy who must find it this offseason is Carlos Rodón. His final 2023 start, with an inability to record an out after 35 pitches, allowing six hits, eight earned runs, and two walks, will leave a bad taste in the fanbase. Well, it puts an exclamation point on his horrific season. Rodón enters 2024 as the player with the most to prove on a team with a bunch of guys needing to prove themselves again. After this season’s pathetic performance (aside from his extended time on the Injury List), I am not sure that you can automatically pencil in Rodón’s name for next year’s starting rotation. For the money and years that the Yankees owe him, it seems inevitable he will be, but with all honesty, he should not be given anything. He needs to earn it.  My guess is the Yankees will move on from Luis Severino given so much other uncertainty in the rotation. They cannot afford for Rodón to crap the bed again.

Michael King, as of this writing, is the Yankees’ second-best starter and he spent most of the season as a reliever, albeit a very good one. I am in favor of retaining King in the rotation. I would like to see the Yankees sign Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He seems like a special player, and if the Yankees are truly in the running for him, they need to pull out all the stops to get him. The Yankees have strong starting pitching coming up through the farm system. Drew Thorpe seems to be on the fast track, and he has already proven he is the best young arm in the organization. With Rodón’s uncertainty, the Yankees cannot take too many chances with the other starting spots. They need to be RIGHT about the pitchers they choose, not something that has been a good front-office attribute in recent years. 

There are plenty of strong arms for relief in the bullpen and in the farm system. I am not too worried about the Yankees’ ability to rebuild the pen. However, they do need a legitimate closer. Clay Holmes is not that guy.  Holmes is good for the pen, just not at the back end of meaningful games. I hope the Yankees can figure this one out over the coming months. I have no idea who the Yankees could or should get, but I trust they can find an elite arm. They have the resources. 

The Yankees desperately need to rebuild the Analytics division, starting with the ouster of Assistant GM Michael Fishman. I recognize that wanting Cashman and Boone fired does not mean they will be, but clearly, the Yankees must see the poor decisions that have been formed on information provided by the Analytics team, led by Fishman. If the Yankees do nothing else with the Front Office this offseason, getting newer, smarter nerds is an absolute must. 

I am hopeful this is finally the offseason of change with the infusion of hope. I have literally waited years for Hal Steinbrenner to excite the fan base. Is this finally the year he acts like a true Steinbrenner? If not now, he probably never will. This is his moment to put his stamp on the New York Yankees. Hal was in charge when the Yankees won in 2009, however, his father, in health decline, was still in the background. Will history remember Hal as an owner committed to winning like his father, or is he just another also-ran in it for the profit? He needs to make his mark as the stand-alone ownership leader of the Yankees, no longer in the shadows of his legendary larger-than-life father or opinionated late brother. The Yankees organization created the culture of winning in the 1920s. Hal has a chance to redefine success one hundred years later. Is he up for the challenge? We shall soon see.

As always, Go Yankees!