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!

Undies' EDITED Offseason Plans for 2023

I've looked at my original offseason plan a number of times and it just didn't sit right with me. I wasn't sure what it was for a while, but it turns out the problem was Carlos Correa. It's not that I don't like Correa, it's that I don't see it necessary to give someone that size of a contract. Of course, that goes back to Hal's freakin' budget, which my signing of Carlos was to say "screw Hal's budget". But I'm reminded of Sheldon telling Leonard that you don't screw the roommate agreement, the roommate agreement screws you. In that vein, you don't screw Hal's budget, Hal's budget screws you. 

Yes, what I propose the Yankees do instead actually leads to a higher team payroll, but the length of contracts and spreading out the money makes the spending make more sense.

I'm still letting the same guys go to free agency. I'm also still signing Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo. While this move already happened, I would have also still picked up Luis Severino's option. Finally, I'm also making the same three trades. But, besides not signing Carlos Correa, here are the differences...

1. I'm trading Domingo German. I decided not to look at a separate deal, as he could be added to the Donaldson or Hicks trade so the Yankees wouldn't have to kick in as much money. Heck, I have the Yankees taking back over $14 million for 2023 in the Hicks trade, so German going to LAA in that deal as well might be the way to go.

2. I actually am going to bring back Andrew Benintendi. But after reading around a bit more I think he can come a little cheaper, so instead of 3 years and $54 million, I'm bringing Andrew back on a 3-year/$48 million deal (I'm okay with a 4th-year option if necessary).

3. I completely understand a lot of Yankees fans wanting a new starter, but I didn't think that was necessary so I left the rotation as is for 2023. However, after reading about this guy I wanted him. Now, he's not someone that would go toward the top of the rotation like Carlos Rodon would, but I think he'd be a very welcome addition. 

I'm signing Chris Bassitt to a 3-year/$54 million deal (perhaps with a 4th-year option).

Here's what Keith Law has to say about Bassitt, "he doesn’t throw hard, but he limits hard contact, gets ground balls, and doesn’t walk too many guys. His sinker was one of the most valuable in baseball in the last two years, with 62 percent of balls in play off the pitch hit on the ground."

The stats back up Keith on this, too. Furthermore, Chris has been relatively healthy since 2019. I noticed that his slider wasn't very effective last year while his curveball was, so changing his repertoire up a bit might help make him even better. Plus, he knows what to expect in NY as he's said that he believes hearing the boos and such made him tougher. And we all know some guys do well and then fail in NYC, so I feel good about Chris.

This plan means Oswaldo Cabrera moves back into the infield, and actually moves to second base where he played the most in the minor leagues. Not that I didn't think Oswaldo could handle LF but seeing a middle infield of him and Peraza is pretty sweet.

So here is where I'm at as far as what I'd like to see the Yankees do now...

LF Andrew Benintendi* ($16m)
RF Aaron Judge ($38m)
1B Anthony Rizzo* ($17m)
DH Giancarlo Stanton ($25m)
3B DJ LeMahieu ($15m)
CF Harrison Bader ($5.2m)
2B Oswaldo Cabrera# ($.75m)
SS Oswald Peraza ($.75m)
C Jose Trevino ($2m-A1)

BE Ben Rortvedt* - C ($.75m)
BE David Fletcher - MI ($5.833m)
BE Estevan Florial* - OF ($.75m)
BE Ryan LaMarre - OF ($.75m)

SP1 Gerrit Cole ($36m)
SP2 Nestor Cortes* ($3.5m-A1)
SP3 Luis Severino ($15m)
SP4 Chris Bassitt ($18m)

SP5 Frankie Montas ($7.7m-A3)

RP Jonathan Loaisiga ($2.1m-A2)
RP Clay Holmes ($2.9m-A2)
RP Wandy Peralta* ($3.1m-A4)
RP Ron Marinaccio ($.75m)
RP Mike King ($1.2m-A1)
RP Lucas Luetge* ($1.7m-A2)
RP Hunter Harvey ($1m-A1)
RP Aaron Loup* ($8.5m)

MISCELLANEOUS SALARY INFORMATION
Money from Miami for Giancarlo Stanton: -$3 million
Paid to Washington for Josh Donaldson: $12.5 million
Paid to Los Angeles (AL) for Aaron Hicks: $3.33 million
Player Benefits: $16.5 million
40-Man Players in Minors: $2.25 million
0-3 yr bonus pool: $1.667 million

TEAM PAYROLL
$262.48 million ($259.31 million in 2021)

The Not Ready for Offseason Players...

Anthony Rizzo, Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks (Photo Credit: John Minchillo/AP)

Season ends too quickly for the New York Yankees…

“As far as Boone’s concerned, we just signed him and for all the same reasons I listed a year ago,

I believe he is a very good manager. I don’t see a change there.”

 –Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner.

Well, so much for everyone’s offseason plan starting with the firing of Manager Aaron Boone. While I can so easily talk myself into all the right reasons Joe Maddon or Don Mattingly should be the next manager of the New York Yankees, the truth is we are married to Aaron Boone…for better or for worse.

Aaron Boone (Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

I personally like Boone. He seems like a fun, lighthearted guy that would be great to have a beer with and talk about the finer details of Major League Baseball. I only question his ability to manage a championship baseball team. He is an intelligent guy who has proven he can win from April to September, but then October happens. Or, in Boone’s case...does not happen. The inconsistency of lineups and the bullpen mismanagement, just to name a few faults…are the things that drive me nuts. I heard “punt lineup” more frequently this season than I ever have before.

Understanding that Boone is the manager of the Yankees for at least the next two years, there must be other changes to improve the team, to make it better when October arrives. Fire or move Bench Coach Carlos Mendoza. By all accounts, Mendy is a nice guy, and he is a knowledgeable coach, but my problem is that he is too much like Boone. Boone needs to be challenged. He does not need a guy sitting next to him always in agreement. Decisions must be challenged. I have been screaming for an experienced bench coach since Boone arrived. First it was a buddy, and now it is a good friend on the coaching staff. I want someone who can make Boone feel uncomfortable. Someone who is not afraid to speak his mind. Last year, before he was hired by the Mets, I thought Buck Showalter would be an ideal bench coach. Granted, he probably would have never taken the position, but someone along those lines. Old school, hard-nosed, opinionated, willing to consider analytics but ultimately making decisions on the strength of knowledge and experience intertwined with the information provided by the nerds.

I feel strongly that a Don Zimmer-like bench coach would make Boone a better manager, just as Zimmer helped usher Joe Torre into the Hall of Fame. Even a guy like Hensley Meulens, already on Boone’s staff as an assistant hitting coach, would be superior to Mendoza. I always thought Ron Washington (currently third base coach for the Atlanta Braves) was a good coach and would certainly fit. Regardless, Boone needs a different and more experienced voice in his ear to help make better decisions.

The Aaron Judge rumors are getting old, and the off-season has not officially started. The Yankees could have avoided this mess by signing Judge to an extension prior to the season. We have heard the San Francisco Giants will not underbid in their attempt to bring the slugger home to California, a story subsequently refuted by the Giants. The talk in Los Angeles about moving Mookie Betts to second base to open right field for Judge in Dodger Stadium. Steve Cohen using his financial might to bring Judge to Queens. There will be many more rumors before Judge signs. Yesterday’s misinformation was a Bleacher Report that Judge had removed the Yankees as a connection on Instagram and Twitter, only later to learn Judge has never had the Yankees as a connection.

I want Aaron Judge to return to the Yankees. I want him to be the next Captain of the team. Like Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera before him, he should only wear one uniform in his playing career…the famed Pinstripes. But…what if Judge does not want to stay in New York? We must be open for the possibility that other factors may draw him elsewhere. I will continue to hope for the best, and not try to read too much into the rumors. Hal Steinbrenner understands what Aaron Judge means to the Yankees, the City of New York, and baseball in general. If the Yankees do not use their vast resources to retain one of baseball’s best players, it will be a disappointment for sure. Yet, if he leaves, the sun will still rise the next day and the team will move forward. We will still be Yankee fans, and there will be other players we cheer for. No one player is greater the game.

Aaron, please know we want you back. Always and forever, our friend.

Aaron Judge & Current (and, hopefully, Future) Teammates (Photo Credit: MLB.com)

The Anthony Rizzo opt-out. Rizzo, who has up to five days after the World Series to exercise the opt-out of the second year of his two-year, $32 million contract, is expected to do it. I want him to stay in New York, but only if it makes financial sense. I have seen fans suggesting a four-year, $100 million deal for Rizzo which does not make sense (at least not to me). Rizzo will turn 34 next August. A two- or three-year deal, maybe. I value strong defense at first base, and Rizzo’s leadership in the clubhouse has been vital. The Yankees are better with, than without, him. Hopefully the two sides can reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial for both sides.

Anthony Rizzo (Photo Credit: @Yankees via MLB.com)

The other free agents. The Yankees would be foolish not to exercise the club option on Luis Severino so to see his name on free agent lists seems premature. We can easily say that Luis Severino will be a Yankee in 2023. His 2023 contract calls for $15 million and carries a $2.75 million buyout if the Yankees do not pick up the club option. There is no chance they will not.

I would like to see Andrew Benintendi return to play left field. With his ability to get on-base (a sorely needed ingredient a couple of weeks ago), he fits the roster and makes the team better. I get the fans’ love of impending free agent Brandon Nimmo, and he would be a great add but I can easily “settle” for Benny’s return. Speaking of Mets/ex-Mets, Michael Conforto has been cited as a possible replacement for Aaron Judge. If Nimmo and Conforto are Yankees next year, something went horribly wrong. Not trying to disrespect Conforto, whom I think is a good ball player, but rather the circumstances that could potentially place both Nimmo and Conforto on the Yankees.

While I would love to see the Yankees and Zack Britton come together for a short-term deal, it seems more probable his Yankee playing days are over. I appreciate his attempt to comeback late in the season after his recovery from Tommy John surgery even if it proved unsuccessful. I have enjoyed Britton on the roster, and he is a great spokesperson for the team. It seems more probable he will pitching elsewhere next season. I appreciate his time with the Yankees and wish the ending could have been better for all concerned.

I never liked Chad Green, the starter, but Chad Green, the reliever, was a force in the Yankees bullpen. Unfortunately, he had been trending downward in recent seasons, and now he is lost for the majority of the 2023 season after Tommy John surgery earlier this year. It seems unlikely to me that the Yankees will re-sign him. He will depart the same way Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda, and Tommy Kahnle did before him. Another team, like the Dodgers or Rays, will sign him to a two-year deal, hoping for the best in the second season.

Jameson Taillon seems like a goner. There were times I loved Jamo and times I could not stand him. I think if I had my choice, I would keep him on the roster, but it seems the Yankees will go in other directions. For the regular season, he was 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA. He started 32 games and had 151 strikeouts. If you believe Clarke Schmidt is ready to be part of the rotation, Taillon’s spot seems to the one. With Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes Jr, Luis Severino (club option will be picked up), and Frankie Montas locked in for next year, Schmidt will battle Domingo German for the vacancy unless the Yankees pursue another starter for the rotation. It seems unlikely Taillon will be the choice.

I enjoyed Matt Carpenter’s time with the Yankees, and it is unfortunate the broken foot ended his magical run with the team. I would not bring him back in 2023. There are younger, better options. The Yankees caught lightening in a bottle with Carpenter and I am not sure he can replicate that success next season. His final years in St Louis ended on a down note (in terms of production). The odds are he plays closer to the 2020/2021 version of himself than the magical 2022 run. The Yankees need to get younger, and Carpenter’s spot is one that can be “youth-anized” (I know, that is not a word). So, thanks for the memories, Matty Moustache. Next.

The Yankees will not re-sign Miguel Castro, Marwin Gonzalez, or Aroldis Chapman. Castro is replaceable. If the Yankees re-sign him, meh, if he leaves, meh. Marwin is a versatile player, but Oswaldo Cabrera proved he is the most valuable super utility in both the infield and outfield positions despite his relative inexperience with the latter. I think he will continue to work this off-season and next Spring to become even better. So, Oswaldo makes Marwin irrelevant. Aroldis Chapman. What a disgraceful end for the former elite closer. There was absolutely no way the Yankees were going to re-sign him BEFORE he went AWOL on the team prior to the playoffs. Goodbye, good riddance.

The players who must go. Who goes first? I do not necessarily think the Yankees should trade him, but it is time for the Isiah Kiner-Falefa experiment at shortstop to end. Whether the Yankees give the job to Oswald Peraza (or Anthony Volpe sometime later next season), or in a move that would shock all of us…sign one from the latest group of elite free agent shortstops, IKF cannot be the Yankees’ starting shortstop in 2023. IKF should join Cabrera as the strength of the bench. I would love to see the Yankees sign Trea Turner, who apparently has expressed a desire to return to the East Coast. It would really suck to see the Baltimore Orioles, and not the Yankees, pony up for the extremely talented shortstop. It just does not seem probable that Hal Steinbrenner would open his wallet for what it will take to sign Turner if he is aggressively trying to bring back Aaron Judge. Or even if he was not. Would Michael Conforto in right field and Trea Turner at shortstop make the Yankees a better team than Aaron Judge in right field and a continued stopgap at short? It is a fair question, but I do not think the Yankees will go in that direction. Regardless, a new shortstop for 2023 is a must.

Trade Aaron Hicks. I am so over having Hicks on the team, and I am ready for his time to end. With Harrison Bader clearly locked in as the team’s center fielder, there is no need for Hicks and his unreliability. Not interested in moving him to left field or allowing him to remain as the fourth (or fifth) outfielder.

If the Yankees’ Front Office can find a way to unload Josh Donaldson’s contract, it will utterly amaze me. It seems more probable JD will open the 2023 as the team’s starting third baseman. The best-case scenario is finding a trade partner without having to give up a top prospect and make DJ LeMahieu the starter. Of course, if the Yankees trade Gleyber Torres as some speculate, LeMahieu would be needed at second base, at least until Anthony Volpe is ready to ascend to the throne (if he moves from short to second as many expect). Regardless, as with Hicks, I am so over Donaldson. I did not like the guy before he was a Yankee, and his time as a Yankee has not changed the perception. A great defender, the decline of his offensive production is too much of a burden for a team that struggled to hit a few weeks ago. I am not expecting a resurgence in 2023. Unfortunately, this may be an albatross until the Yankees decide it is time to cut him. If Anthony Volpe proves he is ready for the Major Leagues sometime next season, it would certainly increase the potential for the Yankees to cut bait with Donaldson. I am hoping for an earlier departure. We will see.

Jose Trevino should be a Yankee in 2023 but the same cannot be said for his catching partner, Kyle Higashioka. Does Ben Rortvedt step up? It is possible. Do the Yankees make a trade for a strong catcher like Sean Murphy? Less likely, but possible. The Willson Contreras rumors have been around forever and a day. Hey, Gary Sanchez is a free agent. Okay, I will pass on that one. Regardless, I think the Yankees will find a better partner than Higgy for Trevi.

I think most fans want the Yankees to trade Gleyber Torres. I guess I am indifferent. I continue to hope he works harder to become a better player, to find the consistency, to play harder and smarter, and avoid the mental lapses. Maybe I am too optimistic. Volpe’s development, of course, is the momentum for possible change. I would embrace Gleyber’s return in 2023, but I am not going to lose any sleep if he is traded away. If he could help, as part of a larger package, to bring in talented pitching, I am all for it. Getting rid of Hicks and Donaldson are greater priorities than eliminating Gleyber.

Final notes…

I expect the Yankees to announce the signing of General Manager Brian Cashman to a new deal, perhaps as soon as next week during an off day for the World Series. I totally understand those who believe that Cashman’s time must end. @realBoShek wrote a very compelling argument for why Cashman’s time must end on the Old SchoolYanks blog site. Beautifully written and a great perspective for why change makes sense. Joel Sherman wrote a strong piece, behind the pay wall at The New York Post, for why keeping Cashman makes the most sense. I find myself agreeing, in parts, with both points of view.

I guess my hill to die on is the Yankees should promote Cashman to President of Baseball Operations, shifting President Randy Levine to the business side of the house (or put him out for the River Ave trash pickup), and hire a new general manager to bring a new, fresh voice and decision-maker into the organization. I am not in favor of promoting one of the current assistant GMs to the role. My understanding is Jean Afterman is comfortable in her present role and enjoys works remotely from the wine region of Sonoma/Napa Valley, California. Michael Fishman is not the right choice, and a convincing argument can be made that the Yankees need a new nerd to head the Analytics Department. Bring in a younger, analytics-driven executive who equally understands the game of baseball. Easier said than done, but the Yankees have the resources to find the right talent to bring into the room.

I have never been one for offseason plans, so I will refer you to two great presentations I read this week. One of The Greedy Pinstripes’ founders, Bryan Van Dusen (@Bryan_TGP on Twitter) wrote his annual, and very enthusiastic, Offseason Plan and he presents an extraordinarily persuasive case for how to improve the 2023 Yankees. Kudos to Bryan for his excellent work. I always envision him locked away in some room with no windows with all these ideas furiously bouncing off the walls while he aggressively and passionately pens his well-informed thoughts and ideas about how the team can be better. The other terrific piece is written by someone I am not familiar with…at least not until now, Seth Warner (@Seth_W19 on Twitter). His 2023 New York Yankees Mock Offseason is tremendous and a must-read for any Yankees fan. Nice work, guys!

I wish the 2022 Yankees, in the ALCS, would have shown the heart of the Philadelphia Phillies who last night overcame a 5-0 deficit against the Houston Astros to take Game 1 of the World Series, 6-5 in 10 innings. The Phillies proved the Astros are not invincible…contrary to how the Yankees treated them. Nice to see David Robertson close out the win. Revenge for the 2017 Yankees against the cheaters.

As always, Go Yankees! 

Undies' 2022/2023 Offseason Plan

It's time for my annual "What I want to happen but won't and probably shouldn't" offseason plan. While the chances of these things happening may be slim to none, or otherwise obvious, it still helps me know where the team is at and where they need to improve.

To get this thing started I thought I’d address a few free agents, whose names have been mentioned as good fits for the New York Yankees…

I thought about Nolan Arenado for next year's squad, but I see no way the Cardinals let him get away (assuming he opts out, of course). St. Louis has about $30 million coming off the books next season and actually had a Luxury Tax payroll in 2022 about $25 million lower than in 2021. Furthermore, from what I've read, Arenado and the Cardinals like one another. So while I could look at ways to fit what could be a $30 million salary into things for next season, I really don't see the point of it.

I also took a look at Trea Turner, but I just didn't like the idea of handing a soon-to-be 30-year-old a ten-year contract. I wouldn't really be that upset if the Yankees signed him, as he'd be a pleasure to watch in pinstripes for most of that contract, but the length and AAV (I've read as high as $34 million) have me thinking twice.

And then there's Carlos Correa. I've been reading that he could be looking at an 8-year deal, which would mean he's on the team through his age-35 season, and that's more palatable than Turner. Yet, the Yankees could've signed a shortstop to a big contract last year and didn't, and they still have Peraza and Volpe around and looking good, which seemed to be the reason they passed on all those shortstops in the first place. It was hard enough writing this paragraph knowing I'd likely be disappointed, so to try and maintain some sanity I can't put Correa in my active roster for 2023 even though I'd like to. 

Now, without any adieu whatsoever, here we go (and I refuse to use the overused Joker gif)... 

The Yankees have a handful of guys that are now free agents, so I'm going to go over the ones I don't want returning...

Aroldis Chapman

Do I really need to explain this one? The only possible reason I could see the Yankees wanting to bring him back would be if they were desperate in the bullpen, but especially with Mike King returning they're not. 

Zack Britton

If he'd returned hot, which wasn't really expected, things would be different. But with the bullpen already shaping up I see no reason to bring Zack back. 

Jameson Taillon

When I started thinking about the offseason the idea of bringing back Taillon came to mind. However, with Cole, Cortes, Montas, and Severino (more on him later), along with other starting possibilities, I'm saying "bye".

Chad Green

I like the guy, and I would have thought hard about bringing him back but there's that whole Tommy John Surgery thing. 

Miguel Castro

I wouldn't be distraught if he were brought back, but I don't see a spot for him. Besides, he walks too many batters for my taste. I hate it when relievers walk batters.

Marwin Gonzalez

Nope. Years ago I wanted the Yankees to sign Marwin, but that feeling is long gone. His best trait is his defensive versatility, but that's not enough for me to want to see him back in pinstripes. 

So let's see where the Yankees should start spending some money...

Aaron Judge - 8 years $304 million

First of all, Aaron was bad this postseason. I don't need to post the stats, as seeing the Yankees eliminated by the Astros again hurt enough. But I just can't imagine not re-signing this guy. Yes, the end of that contract is going to hurt. Yes, Judge hasn't done well in the postseason in the last three years. But, to be honest, I don't see anyone that's a free agent or would be available in a trade, that I think makes a good replacement (and I mean in the lineup, not necessarily in right field). 

I'm a bit concerned about signing anybody for that much money into their late 30s, but Aaron is an entirely different monster. He's probably not going to bat above .300 every season, but based on the last couple of years I think it's safe to say his batting average is going to land between .285 and .300 regularly. And it's not like this is the first season he's led the league in walks, which will also help him maintain an OBP that pushes .400 year in and year out. Now, I don't expect Judge to hit 62 home runs a year, helping lead to a slugging percentage around .686 each year, but 50+ bombs a year is hardly a pipe dream. Put that all together and you have a guy that could at least get some MVP votes every season.

Then you have his defense, which is not only pretty darn good in right field, but good enough to take over centerfield for a big chunk of the season.

Oh, and have I mentioned how loved he is in New York?

I don't see how you can let Aaron Judge ever wear anything but a Yankees uniform.

Anthony Rizzo - 2 years $34 million

Chances are he opts out, but I think the Yankees need to get this guy back in pinstripes.

I can't count how many times Anthony has bailed out his infielders thanks to errant throws, not to mention how many base hits he took away on balls hit in his direction. Can you imagine if we still had Luke Voit or another average-to-poor defender at first base? I shudder at the thought, and that alone makes me want him back.

What makes him more attractive are those 32 home runs he hit from the left side. The Yankees have done a good job at taking advantage of the 81 games they play at Yankee Stadium, and a guy like Rizzo is a very good way to keep that up.

Finally, the guy's been a Yankee for a year and a half, yet teammates look up to and can learn from him. Outside of Aaron Judge, he may be the leader of that clubhouse.

Andrew Benintendi - 3 years $54 million (possible option for a 4th year)

The one part of the Yankees lineup that's bothered me is the fact they don't have a good option to bat lead-off. While I understood batting Judge at the #1 spot in order to guarantee that their best hitter got the most at-bats every game, we missed out on a lot of runs as 41 of Aaron's home runs and 15 of his doubles came with the bases empty. So it's imperative that we try to make sure someone is on base when Judge comes to bat, and that's where Benintendi comes in.

Last season in Kansas City Andrew was hitting .304 with an on-base percentage of .373. Mind you, both of those numbers were well above his norms (.279 and .351), but I believe Benny should be our lead-off hitter on Opening Day 2023. 

Other than being a good contact hitter (81.5% contact percentage last season, 33rd in MLB out of 130 batters), which is something the Yankees could really use (they were 21st in MLB in Contact %), Benintendi provides good left field defense that would play next to Bader's elite glove in center.

Exercise club option on Luis Severino for $15 million

In terms of ERA+ Luis was the second-best starter on the team last year (Cortes was #1), and the only thing that kept his Fangraphs Dollar Value from being well above that $15 million number was being limited to only 102 innings in 19 starts. If Sevy is let loose next season or gets close to the 190+ innings he threw in both 2017 and 2018 (before the injury bug bit him really hard), he'll be worth a heck of a lot more than $15 million, making his option a no-brainer to pick up.

We all know the Yankees need to make some big changes, and so far I haven't shown you guys anything. I've actually advocated for bringing back three guys that were on last year's team. So let's do some house cleaning...

1. Gleyber Torres, Josh Donaldson, Trystan Vrieling, & $12.5 million to Washington for Hunter Harvey & Zach Brzykcy

The Nationals got the least production from their second and third basemen in the entire National League last season. The man that played the most at third base (Maikel Franco), as well as the man with the next most time there (Ehire Adrianza), are free agents. Their starting second baseman, Cesar Hernandez, is also a free agent. 

Washington's farm system is middle of the road which tells me it may be hard for them to pull off a trade to acquire a good third baseman, let alone two decent infielders. Their payroll is middle of the road as well, so they're unlikely to spend to fill both spots. So getting an elite defensive third baseman that has some upside in his bat, with only one year remaining on his contract, along with an arbitration-eligible second baseman that can hit 20+ home runs is likely quite an attractive package to GM Mike Rizzo.

Throw in some money to help pay Donaldson, as well as a solid prospect, and the Nationals should be happy with their return in a trade. 

Let me say that I don't hate Torres, nor do I necessarily want him gone, but he is another guy that offers little with the bat outside of the occasional homer. His whiff, strikeout, and walk rates are sub-par to bad. And with Cabrera, Peraza, and soon Volpe to go along with a returning (in my plan) Rizzo and LeMahieu, room has to be made in the infield. 

Hunter Harvey has a good fastball (97th percentile per Baseball Savant), and started throwing a splitter in 2021 that got better this past season, which hopefully is the reason his home run rate dropped so low (0.6 HR/9) so it wasn't just an anomaly. If he can continue making that splitter more effective then I can see him being a strong reliever, which could be big for helping keep our pitchers fresh for later in the season. The other pitcher the Yankees would get here, Zach Brzykcy, is a 23-year-old that made his AAA debut this past season. I think that was a bit of an aggressive move as Zach started the year throwing 21.2 innings in high-A ball, then 38 innings in AA, before tossing his last 1.2 innings of 2022 in AAA. He's a high strikeout pitcher (13.9 K/9 between all the levels), and if he can lower his walks a bit (4.3 BB/9) he could see MLB action as early as the upcoming season. 

I believe only having to pay Josh Donaldson $12.5 million makes him worth something, even if it's mainly for his defense (Fangraphs Dollar Value was $12.9 million). 

2. Kyle Higashioka to Arizona for Yu Min-Lin and Andy Yerzy

Boy, did Higgy fool us in Spring Training or what? With a good glove and what looked to be some power from his bat we possibly had a sure-fire starting catcher on our hands, but it didn't take long for that idea to fizzle away. With regular playing time, I could see his bat being okay, or at least not a total dead spot in the lineup, and his glove is still pretty nice and should garner some interest.

One of the teams interested should be the Diamondbacks, who were 11th in the National League and 25th overall in productivity from behind the plate. What makes them an ideal trade partner is that they have a very good farm system that's ranked in the top 5 of most lists. Of course, the Yankees can't expect anything eye-popping in return, but someone stuck out to me...

Yu-Min Lin, who was signed to a minor-league deal as a free agent last year, is only 19 years old and posted some impressive strikeout numbers in rookie and A-ball. Of course, yes... it was a ways away from Major League Baseball, but at his age, it's pretty cool that he can throw in the lower 90s while also having a slider, curveball, changeup, and splitter. 

There isn't anything impressive about Andy Yerzy, as he's a catcher/first baseman that was drafted in the second round of the 2016 draft. At one point he looked like a nice catching prospect for the D-Backs, but he struggled in 2019, skipped 2020, had an okay season in 2021, and wasn't anything special in AA this past season. His future may very well be at first base, as that's where he spent most of his time in 2022, so I don't expect Andy to be anything more than minor league filler.

3. Aaron Hicks, Lou Trivino, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, & $10 million ($3.33 million for each season left on Hicks' contract) to Los Angeles (AL) for Aaron Loup & David Fletcher

According to Fangraphs Hicks was worth $11.6m and IKF $10.7m, so there's value to a team beyond the salaries of those two. The downside is the two extra seasons Hicks is under contract after 2023, which is why I'm taking back one of their contracts with the same number of years remaining. 

Trivino did a great job for us, and I wouldn't be sad one bit if he returned to the Yankees next season, but outside of a good fastball that leads to a solid strikeout rate and whiff percentage he gets hit fairly hard. So I like the idea of using him to help unload Hicks and IKF. 

Aaron Hicks can help by doing more than playing LF regularly (Brandon Marsh is no longer in LA and Jo Adell is not good), if the Angels do trade Ohtani he could allow Mike Trout to rest his legs more often as the DH (Even if they don't trade Shohei soon, Trout could DH more after 2023). 

Kiner-Falefa could give LAA a utility infielder that isn't under contract beyond next season, or play him regularly at 2B over Luis Rengifo. 

Aaron Loup's strikeout rate went down while his walk rate went up a bit in 2022, possibly due to using his changeup more and his slider less (he has a better slider than changeup). I actually had Aaron on my radar last offseason, as he crushed it with the Mets in 2021. He will become the highest paid reliever for the Yankees next season, but about $8 million less than Chapman was in 2022. Plus, he gives our manager another left-handed option in the bullpen. 

Remember that contract with three years remaining that I'm taking back? That's David Fletcher. Fletcher has not done much since signing that deal with the Angels after his nice season in 2020. His glove isn't great, but good enough if he's needed at short or second. If he's ever needed for an extended period of time I fully expect the Yankees to look at other options, though. But at less than $6 million a year, it's cool. 

So there you go, my offseason plans. Will they all happen? No way. Will some happen? I'm sure of it. But I had a lot of fun putting this together, and I hope you had fun reading it. I want to note that the lineup I put together has only two guys that are expected to have a strikeout rate above 20% (Stanton and Judge). Meanwhile, the Opening Day lineup for 2022 had five guys in it with that high of a strikeout percentage (Stanton, Judge, Gallo, Hicks, and Donaldson) while another one didn't start on Opening Day but was a regular (Torres). 

I'm sure many of you are wondering what's up with Anthony Volpe. Well, Volpe only played 22 games for AAA Scranton and wasn't that impressive. Actually, he wasn't that great in AA, either. I'd like to see him get more development time in the minors, and I certainly don't want him spending time on the bench. So leave him in Scranton to start the 2023 season, and we can reevaluate things in June.

Basically, the roster I've come up with has a lot of addition by subtraction built into it. The fact of the matter is last year's team was really good at run prevention, and they could score as well, but the problem was inconsistency. I can't say for sure this team will be more consistent, so it was important to leave enough money for significant mid-season upgrades should they be necessary, and I've certainly done that. 

I also like this plan because the Yankees hold onto their top prospects. In fact, the only prospect I'm trading is #15 Trystan Vrieling, and in the Higashioka trade, we're getting back Arizona's #15 prospect (Yu-Min Lin) who has a higher ceiling. So I've probably IMPROVED the farm system. 

One final thing before showing my active roster... arbitration estimates are provided by MLB Trade Rumors. Miscellaneous salary information, except for Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks, is provided by Cot's Baseball Contracts.

LF Andrew Benintendi* ($18m)

RF Aaron Judge ($38m)

1B Anthony Rizzo* ($17)

DH Giancarlo Stanton ($25m)

3B DJ LeMahieu ($15m)

CF Harrison Bader ($5.2m)

2B Oswaldo Cabrera# ($.75m)

SS Oswald Peraza ($.75m)

C Jose Trevino ($2m-A1)

BE Ben Rortvedt* - C ($.75m)

BE David Fletcher - MI ($5.833m)

BE Estevan Florial* - OF ($.75m)

BE Ryan LaMarre - OF ($.75m)

SP1 Gerrit Cole ($36m)

SP2 Nestor Cortes* ($3.5m-A1)

SP3 Luis Severino ($15m)

SP4 Frankie Montas ($7.7m-A3)

SP5 Domingo German ($2.6-A2)

RP Jonathan Loaisiga ($2.1m-A2)

RP Clay Holmes ($2.9m-A2)

RP Wandy Peralta* ($3.1m-A4)

RP Ron Marinaccio ($.75m)

RP Mike King ($1.2m-A1)

RP Lucas Luetge* ($1.7m-A2)

RP Hunter Harvey ($1m-A1)

RP Aaron Loup* ($8.5m)

MISCELLANEOUS SALARY INFORMATION

Money from Miami for Giancarlo Stanton: -$3 million

Paid to Washington for Josh Donaldson: $12.5 million

Paid to Los Angeles (AL) for Aaron Hicks: $3.33 million

Player Benefits: $16.5 million

40-Man Players in Minors: $2.25 million

0-3 yr bonus pool: $1.667 million

TEAM PAYROLL

$248.83 million ($259.31 million in 2021)

Nope, I'm not going to go along with cheap-ass Hal. Sure, I'm not going to go nuts and put a plan out there that's totally outside of reality, but I'm not going to put my name on something that is half-assed, either. 

I'm not going to sign Andrew Benintendi. I like the guy for all the reasons I mentioned earlier in this article, but I'd much rather have Carlos Correa on this team. Carlos brings a very good batting average, good on-base percentage, and plenty of postseason experience... including 20 games played in the World Series. So I'm giving Correa an 8-year contract worth $240 million. Now that would bring the total years and money below what Seager got last offseason from Texas, so a 9th year may be necessary, and since that takes him only through his age 36 season I'm not against going there. 

I discussed Trea Turner and Nolan Arenado earlier, but there's one more big bat I should touch on here... Brandon Nimmo. 

Nimmo's batting line the last couple of years, very good defense, and ability to run well, make him very attractive. Not to mention his left-handed bat. But I just can't ignore that he will turn 30 in late March next year, missed quite a bit of time in 2019 with a bulging disc in his neck, and missed a total of about two months in 2021 with hand and hamstring issues. While his next contract may only take him as far as his age 35 season, I'll take Correa through his age 35 or 36 season instead. 

The real decision was deciding between Benintendi or Rizzo, as I don't see both of them fitting into the team payroll. I'm kidding, it wasn't a hard decision, as I'm not only a big fan of Rizzo but the guy has become so beloved in New York (by both fans and teammates) in such a short amount of time. The left-handed power and great defense, along with a shorter contract, also help. 

This also puts the Yankees in a tough, but very nice, position as they'll have three good to great middle infield youngsters in Cabrera (who can actually play anywhere, hence his position in the below lineup), Peraza, and Volpe. So they could turn one of them into that starter of the future.

3B DJ LeMahieu ($15m)

RF Aaron Judge ($38m)

SS Carlos Correa ($30m)

DH Giancarlo Stanton ($25m)

1B Anthony Rizzo* ($17m)

CF Harrison Bader ($5.2m)

LF Oswaldo Cabrera# ($.75m)

2B Oswald Peraza ($.75m)

C Jose Trevino ($2m-A1)

BE Ben Rortvedt* - C ($.75m)

BE David Fletcher - MI ($5.833m)

BE Estevan Florial* - OF ($.75m)

BE Ryan LaMarre - OF ($.75m)

SP1 Gerrit Cole ($36m)

SP2 Nestor Cortes* ($3.5m-A1)

SP3 Luis Severino ($15m)

SP4 Frankie Montas ($7.7m-A3)

SP5 Domingo German ($2.6-A2)

RP Jonathan Loaisiga ($2.1m-A2)

RP Clay Holmes ($2.9m-A2)

RP Wandy Peralta* ($3.1m-A4)

RP Ron Marinaccio ($.75m)

RP Mike King ($1.2m-A1)

RP Lucas Luetge* ($1.7m-A2)

RP Hunter Harvey ($1m-A1)

RP Aaron Loup* ($8.5m)

MISCELLANEOUS SALARY INFORMATION

Money from Miami for Giancarlo Stanton: -$3 million

Paid to Washington for Josh Donaldson: $12.5 million

Paid to Los Angeles (AL) for Aaron Hicks: $3.33 million

Player Benefits: $16.5 million

40-Man Players in Minors: $2.25 million

0-3 yr bonus pool: $1.667 million

TEAM PAYROLL

$261.08 million ($259.31 million in 2021)

Shut up, Hal, and just write the damn checks!

If Hal or anyone else has something to say about this then comment or hit me up on Twitter (@Bryan_TGP). Thanks for reading, and regardless of Hal, Cashman, or Boone's incompetence... GO YANKEES!