The Yankees Miss Their Target...

 

Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Yamamoto decides to join Shohei in LaLa Land…

When it was announced that Shohei Ohtani had deferred all but $2 million annually of his record $700 million contract for the next ten years, it seemed inevitable the Los Angeles Dodgers would do what it takes to sign Shohei’s fellow countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto despite speculation the Yankees were the frontrunners to sign the talented free agent Japanese pitcher.

I never bought into the belief the Yankees would get their man. I wanted it to be true, and I would have loved to have seen Yamamoto wearing number 18 in Pinstripes, but sadly, the Dodgers had the advantage, and they knew it. My only hope was that Yamamoto would want to be “the” Japanese star on his new team despite knowing there is comfort in playing with a teammate without the need for an interpreter. Shohei Ohtani will be THE STAR in Los Angeles. Whatever Yamamoto can do, Ohtani’s star will shine brighter. But Yamamoto has a chance to celebrate championships with one of the greatest players to ever play the game. I do not blame him for his choice. I wish the outcome would have been different, but I wish no ill will to the pitcher, and I hope he has a spectacular Major League career.

The Yankees made a fair offer to Yamamoto. According to multiple sources, the Yankees offered a 9-year contract worth $300 million. The Dodgers offered 12-years at $325 million which is the same figure presented by the New York Mets. The Yankees’ deal offered a greater average annual value, but it was clear that Yamamoto wanted to play in Los Angeles.

There is no doubt it would have been a spectacular offseason if the Yankees had been able to acquire both Juan Soto and Yamamoto. It certainly would have heightened the optimism for the 2024 season. As it stands, the Yankees will need to pivot to find another starting pitcher. It will be hard to replicate the potential Yamamoto would have provided, but a front two of Gerrit Cole and say Corbin Burnes (currently with the Milwaukee Brewers) would be exciting. The downside is the talented prospects it will take to acquire another frontline player. The Yankees could sign Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell for only money, but neither of those pitchers will significantly upgrade the starting rotation. Burnes or Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox seem to be the best options to slide behind Cole in the starting rotation. It is a hard pass on Cleveland’s Shane Bieber for me given his injury history in recent years. Miami’s Jesus Luzardo is also an option.

The Yankees do need help for the starting rotation. If 2024 success is dependent upon good health for Carlos Rodón and Nestor Cortes, Jr., the Yankees are doomed. They need a dependable top starter that they can pair with Cole. I wanted the Yankees to sign Rodón last year, and I still hope that he can be the pitcher he was in San Francisco, but it is not a bet I would want to make. The Yankees must lessen the “need” for Rodón so that anything we get can just be icing on the cake.

I am hopeful that someone emerges from the Yankees’ top pitching prospects to claim a spot in the rotation. An earned claim, not just giving a spot to a pitcher to see what he can do. Chase Hampton, Will Warren, and Clayton Beeter come to mind, along with a healthy Luis Gil. Most might be destined for the bullpen, but it would be nice if one emerged as a solid middle-of-the-rotation starter or even as a strong fifth starter.

Pitching aside, the next order of business should be signing Juan Soto to a long-term extension. I know that his agent, Scott Boras, is not known for extensions but under the right circumstances, he has done it. The Yankees need to put their best foot forward to secure Soto so that he is not a one-and-done rental player for the Yankees. The announcement of a huge contract extension during Spring Training would be incredible. It would set the tone for the season and would bring the certainty Soto will remain an integral part of the lineup moving forward. It would be great to see Soto on the grounds of Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, surrounded by teammates, friends, and family, celebrating a long-term deal to keep him in the famed Pinstripes for the next decade. The Yankees were willing to give Yamamoto $300 million, knowing they would have to pay Soto. There is no reason the organization cannot pony up the money it will take to keep Soto and entice him to forego the free agent market. It will be a $500 million plus contract, for sure, and without the “Dodger” deferrals. The Yankees can afford to keep one of baseball’s greatest players in New York, and more specifically, in the Bronx.

Juan Soto

As much as Soto may enjoy New York during the upcoming season, I think it would be a mistake to let him hit the open market next offseason. He does not have long-time ties with the organization like Aaron Judge did. Being a Yankee is special, but money is better. If Soto is a free agent, it is a certainty Steve Cohen and the New York Mets will go hard after him. Every winter, there seems to be at least one Major League owner with stupid money. The potential to lose Soto in free agency is far greater than it was with Judge. Even if the Yankees must pay more, the talent of the player has proven his worth. With escalating salaries, the Cole and Judge contracts are beginning to look like bargains. If the Los Angeles Dodgers can afford to pay over a billion dollars for two Japanese players, including one who has never thrown a pitch for a Major League baseball team, the Yankees can afford to pay Juan Soto.

As awful as it felt to lose out on Yamamoto to the Dodgers, the pain of losing Juan Soto to free agency next Winter would be far worse, particularly if Soto has the type of season that we expect him to have in 2024. His style of play, and the results, are certain to endear him to the Yankees fan base. He will become a fan favorite in one of the safest 2024 season predictions you can make. It will rip our hearts out if he leaves.

Good thing Spring Training is still two months away. The Yankees have a lot of work to do.

Alex Verdugo, the Yankee…

I had wondered when the Yankees would hold a press conference for Alex Verdugo. I guess the days of the big press conferences at Yankee Stadium are over, but the Zoom calls with the press are nice. It helps to get insight into the players and to get their thoughts about joining the organization.

When Verdugo held his press conference this week, his comment about being mad when he heard that he had been traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees is the type of intensity I wanted to see from him. We always want the players to despise the enemy as much as we do, but honestly, they do not. They will go to whichever team is willing to show them the money. We saw David Wells and David Cone join the Red Sox. It happens. I would rather see a player dislike the Red Sox like we do. Granted, Verdugo had no love for the Yankees, but it is the passion, the intensity I respect, and I know that when he does pull on the Pinstripes, he will be ready for war. Maybe he will bring the energy the Yankees lineup has been missing. I wanted Cody Bellinger because of Bellinger’s ability to play centerfield while Jasson Dominguez recovers from offseason surgery, and first base as a hedge for Anthony Rizzo’s health. Nevertheless, if Verdugo is a Yankee when the team heads north next March, I will support him. I was not excited about his acquisition when it was first announced, but given time, I can see his value in getting on base for Judge and Soto. Whether he is in left field or center, I would have preferred elite defense, but Trent Grisham will get plenty of opportunities and will provide an excellent glove late in games.

Verdugo has chosen a Yankees number, but he did not reveal it during the press conference. He wore 27 with the Dodgers, and 99 with the Red Sox so neither of those numbers are options. Weirdly, the Yankees website continues to show Verdugo with 99 on the 40-man roster. I think that number is already taken. For that matter, they show outfielder Trent Grisham with number 2. We know that number will never be handed out again. Regardless of the number Verdugo wears, I look forward to the passion and energy he will bring to the Yankees next season. I know he has learned from his past mistakes, and he will continue to get better as a Major League player. So, I do not care what happened between him and Red Sox manager Alex Cora so long as the past mistakes are not repeated.

Alex Verdugo

Several Minor League signings…

The Yankees signed a couple of players to minor league deals this week with invitations to Spring Training. One is a former Pirates pitcher who spent 2023 in the Chicago Cubs organization, 30-year-old right-hander Nick Burdi. The Yankees enjoy reclamation projects from the Pirates, having found success with Clay Holmes, and their signing earlier this offseason of Yerry De Los Santos. Burdi has not found Major League success and has had trouble staying healthy, but he gets a clean slate with the Yankees and hopefully he can be the pitcher he has always wanted to be with his new team.

The Yankees also signed former Chicago White Sox and San Francisco Giants outfielder Luis González, 28. It is hard not to think of a painful bloop hit by Arizona’s Luis Gonzalez off Mariano Rivera to give the Arizona Diamondbacks the 2001 World Series Championship. “That” Gonzalez is unrelated to the player the Yankees signed, but the name (with or without the accent) will always be a painful reminder of 2001. I was in a bar outside of Arizona’s ballpark (now known as Chase Field) when the older Gonzalez forever placed his name among historical World Series achievements.

González was limited to only thirty-one minor league games last year after back surgery so he will be looking to rebound in 2024. If not with the Yankees, he can hopefully open eyes for some team to capture the continuation of his MLB dream.

Luis González

It was not a signing, but the Yankees claimed infielder Jeter Downs on waivers from the Washington Nationals. Downs was once a top prospect for the Cincinnati Reds. The right-handed shortstop, second baseman, and third baseman was traded, with pitcher Josiah Gray, in December 2018 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deal that sent Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Kyle Farmer and Alex Wood to the Reds. The Dodgers sent Downs, Alex Verdugo, and Connor Wong to the Boston Red Sox in a February 2020 trade that brought Mookie Betts (and David Price) to LA. The Washington Nationals had claimed Downs on waivers in December 2022 from the Red Sox, and a year later, Downs became a Yankee after his placement on waivers again. I'm not expecting much for the player with the impressive first name after he failed in Boston and Washington, but he is a former top prospect, so he has the pedigree. Maybe Jeter and the Yankees were always meant to be together. I wish him luck with his continued journey, and I do hope he finds success. It is kind of funny the Yankees have two of the three players the Red Sox acquired for Betts.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

As always, Go Yankees!

The March to the End...

 

Oswald Peraza (Photo Credit: NY Daily News)

 The Yankees making Games fun again…

For as dismal as this season has been, the Yankees have been fun to watch again for the first time in a long time. ‘Let the kids play’ was a common rally cry by the fanbase earlier in the season, and now that it has happened, the team is surprisingly making winning look easy. 

I know, winning is never easy, but from perception, the team is far more competitive with the youthful core driving the team’s lackluster veterans (at least those healthy enough to play).

The youth movement suffered a blow when Jasson Dominguez was lost due to injury, but the energy the other prospects have helped to bring to the team has not slowed it down. The injury to Dominguez, a torn ulnar collateral ligament that will require surgery, alters the team’s plans for 2024 as it will keep him off the field for the next 9-10 months. Jasson is set to have the surgery on Wednesday, and the Yankees should have a better idea of the expected recovery period after the surgery, but it seems improbable that he will be back until late next season.

Jasson Dominguez (Photo Credit: Adam Hunger/AP)

From a planning strategy viewpoint, Dominguez should not factor into the decisions for next season. If anything, I hope the injury helps to make the Yankees more aggressive this offseason to ensure the team can carry its late-season success into next year. The Yankees (75-73) currently lead the Boston Red Sox by two games in the all-important race to see which team avoids the AL East cellar. With the Yankees only six games out of the Wild Card chase, some fans are hanging on to the belief that there is a chance for October play. On September 17, with just a handful of games left, the Yankees are not going to make up the ground on the two teams they need to pass, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners. Since ending the nine-game losing streak on August 23, the Yankees are 16-8. I know the Yankees have six games remaining against the Blue Jays, but the odds of sweeping the Blue Jays both at home and in Toronto are low and there are simply not enough games left to make up the necessary ground. I get that as a fan we must believe until the end but as a realist, the towel has been thrown. Even if Yogi Berra once said, “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over”, this season is over. 

My goals are modest. Stay out of the AL East cellar and keep the consecutive winning season streak intact. I certainly would not complain if the Blue Jays and Mariners stopped winning games, and the Yankees leaped them to grab the last Wild Card slot, but realistically, the deck is stacked against the Yankees. With fourteen games left in the season, there is simply not enough time. The Yankees would need to be unbeatable with the Jays and Mariners unable to muster any wins.

Dominguez was the most impressive of the prospects when the Yankees decided to go young, but since he has been out, Oswald Peraza is the one showing he should have a place on next year’s team. His bat is finally starting to come around, and no one is missing Josh Donaldson’s elite glove at third base. Peraza has quietly held his own and is doing the things to help the team win. I am not saying he should be handed the third base job next season. Those are decisions the Yankees must make this offseason, but Peraza has put himself in the conversation. 

Catcher Austin Wells may not be hitting (he is currently batting .118/.162/.176 with .339 OPS and, -7 OPS+…oof!), but he has played much better behind the plate than most people expected. I am not worried about the bat. It may not be this year, but Wells WILL hit Major League pitching. It is only a matter of time until he figures it out, and then he will be an offensive force. The state of catching is in good hands. The Yankees will have a tough decision to make with Kyle Higashioka, a well-liked player, who is strong defensively and shows occasional pop. Higgy is surprisingly 33 years old already, and he enters his final year of arbitration this Fall. He seems a likely non-tender candidate if the Yankees decide to go with Wells to pair with Jose Trevino, who is expected to be ready by Spring Training. With Ben Rortvedt in ready reserve, it seems Higgy is the most probable to go. Wells can help solidify the decision if his bat starts to show some life in the next couple of weeks. 

Austin Wells (Photo Credit: AP)

I think my excitement for Everson Pereira has cooled. He has stuck out 31 times in 70 at-bats, pouring cold water on the belief that he had been making progress in reducing his strikeout rate in the minors. Unlike Wells, I am not sure if Pereira’s bat can improve to become a Major League force. He seems like the prospect most likely to receive the Estevan Florial treatment next season (banishment to Triple-A until there are no other options for the team). Even though Florial is currently the starting centerfielder for the Yankees by default, I do not expect his return next season. I think the Yankees will be moving on from him. There are other prospects that need to be protected from Rule 5 Draft eligibility, and the Yankees have shown they do not have long-term confidence in Florial. I would be surprised if Pereira and/or Florial broke camp with the Yankees next Spring.

Like the seasons before it, the Yankees will enter the offseason in need of a legitimate answer for left field, in addition to other needs. 

Not really trying to dive into plans for next year’s rebuild, but the Yankees should not let the overall positive play of the younger players deter them from making hard decisions this offseason. The one note I will make for next season is the hope the Yankees can find a way to offload Giancarlo Stanton even if they must eat part of his contract. “If” is foolish to say, it is a certainty they will have to pay part of the contract to move him. The cost of doing business. The question is whether the Yankees can find a taker.  Stanton also has a say in whether he goes, so it becomes a matter of finding a willing trade partner that is also appealing to Stanton. Southern CA probably holds the most attraction for him. Yet, the Padres seem like an unlikely option with the hefty contracts on their books, and the Angels are a mess. Do the Dodgers need Stanton? They just won the NL West for the tenth time in the last eleven years and are probably not motivated to take a chance on an aging slugger, especially with their sights on Shohei Ohtani. San Francisco was once interested in Stanton, but he was a much younger player then. It seems like the Yankees are stuck with Stanton for the long haul, but I will hold out some sense of optimism that the Yankees can find a way to move on. I like Stanton and have long admired his ability to murder baseballs. However, at this stage of his career, he seems like a detriment to a rebuilding team. A team that needs a “quick” rebuild like the Yankees. Stanton could probably find better success on a smaller stage. Not to say he cannot handle the big stage. He has always been a stand-up guy and I do not feel New York has intimidated him. Yet, playing for a team with lesser expectations could help Stanton in the long run. 

I am not trying to pour cold water on the Yankees better play in recent weeks. My outlook or perception has improved considerably from where it stood in August. Next season was looking rather gloomy, but rays of sunlight are starting to appear thanks to the energy and excitement of the younger players. The big challenge will be the offseason. Whether Brian Cashman is the general manager or not, the Yankees face their biggest offseason challenge in years. Whatever they do, the Yankees need to trust their farm system which seems to be getting stronger by the day. The days of acquiring aging third basemen with behemoth contracts should be in the rear-view mirror. Building for today with an eye for tomorrow has served the Dodgers well.  The Yankees should take note. 

Misiewicz Injury

It was horrifying to see Yankees reliever Anthony Misiewicz take a line drive off his head during Friday night’s game against the Pirates. The ball, hit by Pittsburgh’s Ju Hwan Bae, was traveling at 100.6 mph. Thankfully, Misiewicz was able to get up on his own feet before being carted off the field. He has been released from the hospital after being treated for a concussion. Head injuries can never be taken lightly, but I am hopeful his positive attitude and determined drive help will lead him to a full recovery.

Anthony Misiewicz carted off the field (Photo Credit: Gene J Puskar/AP)

The Yankees placed Misiewicz on the 7-day concussion injured list. I am hopeful he can return to the field this season; however, his health is the paramount concern so I hope to see him again when he is ready regardless of when that may be. 

Shohei Ohtani Out

Earlier this season, it looked like Shohei Ohtani might make a run at Aaron Judge’s AL Home Run Record of 62 home runs. Now, it becomes a question of whether he has played his last game as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. A UCL tear in August had shut down Ohtani, the pitcher. However, he remained on the team as a batter. Unfortunately, less than two weeks later, Ohtani had injured his oblique during batting practice. Continued oblique irritation finally led to the decision for Ohtani to halt his 2023 campaign and begin the necessary work for 2024 which will start with the elbow procedure. He cleared out his locker on Friday which gave the first signal that his season was done. 

Ohtani finishes the year with 44 home runs and 95 RBIs. He hit .304/.412/.654 with 1.066 OPS. Despite the injuries, the free-agent-to-be figures to capture a near-record contract in the upcoming offseason. I would have said ‘record contract’ but the injuries lessened the expectation if only slightly. 

Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani (Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

I do not harbor any belief the Yankees will sign him. I have mixed feelings about it, and the latest injuries certainly give pause to the belief he can continue his path as an elite two-way player. The day will come when he needs to focus on one or the other. That day may have already passed. I like Ohtani and I think he is fantastic for baseball. I hope he finds the right team next season. Well, anywhere outside of Boston.  I would be excited to see him in Pinstripes, I just do not think the Yankees will spend the dollars and, with so many other needs, they probably should not.  Personally, I would like to see him stay in the greater Los Angeles area to play for the Dodgers. 

As always, Go Yankees!

The Yankees in the Land of Mediocrity...

 

Aaron Boone, Anthony Rizzo, and Domingo German (Photo Credit: Winslow Townson/AP)

The team continues to look for a spark…

In a perfect world, the Yankees would be the AL’s elite team, running away from the competition, in preparation for a deep charge into October. All the team’s players would be happy, healthy, and productive. And the Boston Red Sox would be winless. Sadly, we do not live in a perfect world. 

Losing is never fun but losing to the Boston Red Sox hits harder.  The Red Sox may be the AL East’s resident cellar dweller, however, they showed they were nobody’s fool with Friday night’s 15-5 thrashing of our beloved Yankees.  It was one of those games where I felt like joining with the Red Sox fans as they chanted ‘Yankees Suck!’. The sting of the loss lingered more than it should have with the weather-related postponement of Saturday’s game. If there is any consolation, the Los Angeles Dodgers lost last night, 15-to-zero, to their hated rival, the San Francisco Giants. At least the Yankees managed to score a few runs. Hey, misery loves company!

July is less than two weeks away and the Yankees find themselves ten full games behind the Tampa Bay Rays. The Baltimore Orioles are four games up on the Yankees, and the Red Sox only trail the Yankees by four games. The Yankees (39-31) are as close to the division floor as they are to second place. I know the 1978 Yankees overcame a mid-July fourteen-game deficit to force a one-game playoff for the division championship en route to the World Series crown, yet this team does not feel like it has that magic. 

The Los Angeles Angels have beaten the Yankees to forty wins. Granted, they have played three more games than the Yankees and have two more losses, but they are only a half-game behind the Yankees in the Wild Card chase. I guess it is Shohei Ohtani’s revenge.

Aaron Judge’s absence has proven how much the team has depended upon him. The other big bats in the lineup have been largely silent, putting added pressure on the pitching staff.  It is tough going into games thinking that the pitchers need to hold the opponents to no more than three or four runs to give the offense a chance. How did we get here? I thought the Yankees were smarter than this. When I say Yankees in this case, I am referring to Brian Cashman, his high-paid consultants, the team of nerds, and the others responsible for the players on the field or rather, should I say, not on the field. 

Brian Cashman (Photo Credit: Dustin Satloss/Getty Images)

Aaron Judge has gone from just needing a few days to rest to possibly returning before the All-Star Break as the best-case scenario. It was reported this week that he received a second platelet-rich plasma injection in his right big toe. The injection was targeted at a different ligament than the first one he received. Fans love to say the Yankees will be a different (better) team when Judge is back, along with Carlos Rodón and Harrison Bader. I am not so sure. It seems like the 2023 Yankees are snake-bit.  Something new continually comes up to derail team momentum.  The Yankees are playing like the average team they are. 

I wish I could look at the Trade Deadline with optimism. I am doubtful the Yankees can add impactful players. They cannot trade the elite prospects without sacrificing the future. It is not prospect-hugging, it is fact.  The Yankees are getting older, and keeping healthy players on the field is continually a problem.

Estevan Florial is tearing up Triple-A with homers seemingly every day without promotion to The Show. He is hitting .311/.403/.646 (1.049 OPS) with 18 home runs, 44 runs batted in, and 13 stolen bases. It seems obvious the Yankees do not believe his Triple-A numbers would translate to Major League success. Maybe the Yankees hope to get some value for him in a July trade, but realistically, it was not that long ago when every team in the Major Leagues had a chance to claim Florial on waivers and passed. Last year’s trade deadline acquisitions (or rather misfires) leave me a little doubtful to believe the Yankees can find gems who push them into second-half success.

St Louis Cardinals outfielder Tyler O'Neill is the most recent rumored trade candidate I have seen. I know there is some comfort in having a player named O’Neill in the Yankee outfield (even if he is not related to The Warrior), but he is another outfielder with durability problems. O’Neill is on the 60-day Injured List (back) and is not expected to return until next month. Even if his back is pain-free, the Yankees do not need another player who loves riding the Injured List. The O’Neill rumors are most likely ones created by Cardinals fans, yet I would not put anything ‘senseless’ past Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman. The Cardinals generally fare well in their trades with the Yankees.

I am hoping for the best but braced for the worst. It is the current state of the New York Yankees.

Harrison Bader’s Return

There was some disappointment among the Yankees fan base when outfielder Harrison Bader was not activated off the Injured List before Friday night’s game against the Red Sox. I get his desire to be 100% before he resumes his role as the team’s starting centerfielder, however, it is frustrating that it is so difficult to keep him on the field. It reinforces the belief the Yankees should find a new centerfielder in the offseason. I like Bader, and when he is healthy, he is a fun player to have on the team.  Unfortunately, those times are too infrequent. He is not worth the money it would take to sign him to a new contract if he cannot stay on the field. 

Bader was one-for-four for the Somerset Patriots on Saturday, with two strikeouts. Well, at least his bat is in line with a few of the hitters on the current active Major League roster.

Harrison Bader

Bader is expected to be at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday when the Yankees open a three-game set with the Seattle Mariners. Hopefully, he stays healthy and can help the Yankees find wins. 

Well Wishes to Tanner Houck

We wish an expedient and full recovery for Boston Red Sox starter Tanner Houck who suffered a facial fracture when he was hit with a line drive off Kyle Higashioka’s bat in Friday night’s game. He was able to walk off the field, and he never lost consciousness. He is resting at home and will have follow-up evaluations this week to determine the next steps.

Tanner Houck (Photo Credit: Winslow Townson/AP)

You never want to see anyone get hurt. A hard-hit ball to the face is one of the worst things imaginable on the playing field, and it certainly could have been far more devastating than it was.

I am glad Tanner is doing better, and I hope he is back soon. 

And Finally

The Yankees and Red Sox play a doubleheader today at Fenway Park in Boston. Clarke Schmidt and Luis Severino are the scheduled starters for the Yankees. A sweep would go a long way toward erasing the memory of the Friday night disaster.  Josh Donaldson, please feel free to hit a meaningful home run for a change.

As always, Go Yankees! 

Aaron Judge, MVP...

 

Aaron Judge / Photo Credit: LM Otero, AP

Judge homers his way to the record books…

It has been a few days, but I would like to express my gratitude that Aaron Judge was able to hit his 62^nd home run in the regular season’s final series in Texas. Admittedly, I had begun to have thoughts Judge would conclude the 2022 season in a tie with Roger Maris for the American League and Yankees franchise home run record. It has been an incredible season for Judge, and the ultimate ‘betting on yourself’ event we have witnessed in Sports in recent memory.

There is sadness Judge will be free to sign with any team in a few weeks. Like Derek Jeter, Judge’s best legacy is to remain in Pinstripes as the team’s next Captain. The thought of him in Boston, Queens or San Francisco is horrific. Hopefully, the Yankees can reach an agreement on a contract with Judge shortly after the season and bring back the team’s best player for the 2023 season and beyond.

I do not understand those who bash Judge and try to belittle his accomplishments by trying to empathize that his home run total fell short of the MLB mark by eleven home runs. I personally never took the approach that Judge’s total represented MLB’s best. I recognize Barry Bonds as the MLB single season record holder with 73 home runs. Or that Mark McGwire held the mark before him, and Sammy Sosa had a few dinger seasons in the sixties. The difference and great distinction about Judge’s accomplishments is that he did it cleanly, without the assistance of performance-enhancing drugs. The home runs by Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa will always be tainted by their involvement with steroids. I would have liked to have seen what Bonds could have accomplished without the drug-induced assistance. In his younger days, I always marveled at his tremendous hand/eye coordination, and I believe he would have/could have been great without the PEDs. Sadly, we will never know. Nevertheless, Bonds holds the MLB record so we can only look suspiciously at his numbers.

Setting everything aside, celebrate Aaron Judge for having one of the most historic seasons in Yankees history. To walk among Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Roger Maris, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and others is truly special and assures Judge will always be remembered for his Pinstriped accomplishments regardless of what the future may hold.

For everyone who believes that Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels should be the AL MVP, there is no denying he is a special talent. His elite performance as both a pitcher and hitter is unlike anything we have ever seen. But despite his greatness, the Angels finished third place in the AL West, thirty-three games behind the division champion Houston Astros. They were thirteen games behind the last Wild Card team, the Tampa Bay Rays. Judge’s performance lifted his team to the AL East championship, and a bye for the first round of the playoffs. It was an incredible year for Judge who was the most valuable in leading his team. Maybe they should create a new award for two-way guys like Ohtani to recognize his greatness, but this season belongs to Aaron Judge.

Cheers to the apparent 2022 AL Most Valuable Player!

Aaron Judge and wife, Samantha Bracksieck / Photo Credit: Getty/Gotham

The Yankees will soon announce (or set) the 2022 ALDS roster. I have never really found the need to predict a roster. Those decisions will be made by Yankees leadership, and they have far greater insight than any of us. Therefore, I will roll out the projected roster presented by Yankees beat writer Kristie Ackert in this morning’s New York Daily News (for no other reason than it is a reasonable representation of what to expect).

CATCHERS

Jose Trevino, Kyle Higashioka

No surprises here.

INFIELDERS

Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Josh Donaldson, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza

LeMahieu scares me. If his toe is still bothering him, he is a liability on the roster. Hopefully, he is better even if he was uninspiring during his late season return. I would be happy to see the young Peraza make the roster. We know IKF’s yips can be damaging at times, and there are situations I would feel much better with the steady glove of Peraza at short. Assuming he is not traded in the offseason, Peraza will fill a much larger role for the Yankees next season, and the experience he is gaining this October is invaluable.

OUTFIELDERS

Aaron Judge, Harrison Bader, Oswaldo Cabrera, Tim Locastro

It is funny how a player who was in the minor leagues (and more notably “not” an outfielder) when the season began is now a huge part of the outfield crew. Testament to the athleticism, energy, and commitment to excellence demonstrated by Cabrera who has made himself indispensable to this team. He has been a revelation and has forced the Yankees to make room for him on the big-league roster for the years to come. The surprise here is clearly the omission of the much-maligned Aaron Hicks. The Yankees need speed which makes Locastro the better option, and of course with Bader and Cabrera, there is no longer a starting role for Hicks. I hope the Yankees have the same vision as Kristie with the outfield.

DESIGNATED HITTER

Giancarlo Stanton, Matt Carpenter

I am happy to see the return of Matty Mustache, but the challenge will be to find playing time for both him and Stanton in the same lineup. Stanton was starting to heat up as the regular season winded down, and he is capable to carrying the team to greater heights so he must play. Carpenter’s continued recovery from the fractured foot makes him an unlikely prospect for the outfield. So, it seems he will be the pinch hitter extraordinaire. Maybe he can have one (or more) of those Kirk Gibson-like moments.

STARTERS

Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino, James Taillon

Although Cole goes into the ALDS as the likely Game 1 starter, there is no question (in my mind) that Nestor Cortes, Jr is the best starter on the staff. Those are words I never thought I would type. Yet here we are. On the bright side, if Cole falters in Game 1 like Max Scherzer of the Mets did last night, Cortes is ready to pick him up in Game 2. Funny that I have greater trust and confidence in the Game 2 and 3 starters (Cortes and Luis Severino). Maybe Cole can finally have his Yankees signature moment to propel himself to October success. I hope so. Masahiro Tanaka always seemed to elevate his play when the stakes were higher. For the record, I wanted the Yankees to trade for Frankie Montas at the trading deadline after they lost out on Luis Castillo over someone like Jose Quintana, however, watching Quintana shove yesterday showed that, at least for this season, Quintana would have been the better (and cheaper) option. As the saying goes, Hindsight is 20/20.

BULLPEN

Domingo German, Clarke Schmidt, Lou Trivino, Scott Effross, Jonathan Loaisiga, Clay Holmes, Wandy Peralta, Lucas Luetge

I support a decision to exclude Aroldis Chapman. He was my favorite DFA candidate toward the end of the regular season. He has served his time in Pinstripes and the end is near. There is no way the Yankees re-sign him when he hits free agency in a few weeks. It was a rapid fall from one of the best closers in the game to an in-game liability. There is no trust with Chapman, and his presence on the roster would only reinforce the possibility of a meltdown like one experienced by Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley in yesterday’s loss to the Phillies when he gave up four runs to blow a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning. I wish I had greater confidence in Holmes, but I do not. I miss first-half Holmes. The Guardians showed the value of a lockdown closer yesterday with Emmanuel Clase saving the impressive performance by Shane Bieber to beat the Rays by one run. There is not one pitcher in the Yankees bullpen that one can say is “lockdown.” There is potential with a couple of them, but there is also the potential for disaster. I hope the pen does not become the team’s Achilles Heel in the days ahead.

MANAGER

Aaron Boone

Dammit! Okay, I am just kidding on this last one. Boonie has a chance to change perceptions in the coming days…or not. His moves will be openly criticized by the fan base. If he is right, he will be legend. If he is wrong, he will hear boos that have not been heard since Joey Gallo. With the Yankees fan base, there is nothing in between. Total success or into the depths of hell with defeat. No pressure, Boonie. There may be days I have felt the Yankees would be better under the leadership of a different manager, but not right here, right now. Boone has the respect of his clubhouse, and he has a chance to lead his team beyond the ALDS. He needs our support. We can reevaluate after the season.

Aarons Boone and Judge / Photo Credit: Jason Getz, USA TODAY Sports

I am hopeful that Andrew Benintendi will be ready for the ALCS if the Yankees make it, but first things first. The Guardians can book their travel for New York if they beat the Rays today. Triston McKenzie gets the call for the Guardians and will be opposed by Tyler Glasnow. It should be another great pitching performance by both sides like yesterday’s 2-1 game. Whether it is the Guardians or Rays, the Yankees will have a challenge in the ALDS. Can they succeed? They have the talent, and I am certainly hopeful, but the games must be played on the field so time will tell. For now, we wait.

Tired of Wading. Tyler Wade left the Yankees organization again but this time without a whimper. He did not make any appearances on the active big-league roster for his second go-around in the organization. I believe he may have traveled with the team once as an emergency player but was never activated. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders announced Thursday that Wade elected free agency.

I bet he watched Oswaldo Cabrera thrive in the Bronx and wondered what could have been for him if he had been able to succeed with his limited opportunities. Oh well, I wish him the best for his next destination and hope it proves more fruitful for him than his time this season with his hometown Angels and the reunion with the Yankees’ farm system.

Tyler Wade / Photo Credit: Christopher Dolan, The Citizen's Voice

As always, Go Yankees! 

The King of the Spring...

Photo Credit: MiLB.com and Scranton/WB RailRiders

Young Righty Gets First Taste of Major League Camp…

It seemed like such an innocuous and under-the-radar trade in November 2017 when the Yankees traded marginal prospects LHP Caleb Smith and 1B/OF Garrett Cooper to the Miami Marlins for $250,000 in international bonus pool money and young Single A RHP Michael King. Moving Smith and Cooper were clearly designed to clear space on the 40-man roster in advance of that year’s Rule 5 Draft. At the time of the trade, the international bonus pool money appeared to be the objective as the Yankees were making preparations for what would prove to be the failed run at international superstar Shohei Ohtani. King just came along for the ride…or did he?

In 2017, Caleb Smith was dominant for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, riding an unbeaten streak for most of the year. He finished 9-1, with a 2.39 ERA, starting 17 of 18 games played for the RailRiders. He made his Major League debut for the Yankees on July 17, 2017 but the Yankees and Smith lost to the Minnesota Twins, 4-2. He shuttled back and forth between Scranton, PA and the Bronx, finishing 0-1, with 7.71 ERA, in 18 2/3 innings. Despite his Triple A success, Smith, then 26, did not appear to be a top prospect. To his credit, Smith did pitch better for the Marlins last year.  He went 5-6 with 4.19 ERA over 16 starts covering 77 1/3 innings before shoulder tightness ended his season. He is expected to be part of the Marlins’ rotation this year.

Garrett Cooper had been acquired by the Yankees in July 2017 in a trade that sent LHP Tyler Webb to the Milwaukee Brewers. Cooper had some nice moments in the Bronx, playing 13 games. He was 14-for-43 (six extra-base hits) with no homers and 6 RBI’s.  2018, in a Marlins uniform, was largely a lost season for Cooper. He injured his wrist early in the season and later re-injured it during a rehab assignment, undergoing surgery in August. He appeared in just 14 games for the Marlins. He’s now healthy and expected to compete for a job with the Marlins this season, likely as a reserve first baseman/outfielder.

After the Yankees lost out on Ohtani, the international bonus pool money was put to good use as the Yankees had a number of highly rated signings including OF Kevin Alcantara, OF Mauro Bonifacio, C Antonio Gomez, C Agustin Ramirez, RHP Denny Larrondo, and RHP Osiel Rodriguez, plus Luis Severino’s little brother, RHP Rafael Severino.

But setting everything aside, the crown jewel of the Yankees-Marlins trade has turned out to be Michael King. King, born in Rochester, New York and a graduate of Bishop Hendricksen High School in Warwick, Rhode Island, was drafted in the 12th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Marlins. At the time, King was the staff ace for Boston College. He signed with the Marlins, foregoing his final year of college eligibility, and was a combined 3-3 with 4.11 ERA over 30 2/3 innings at the lowest three levels of the Marlins’ farm system. He returned to Class A Greensboro in 2017 with much better results, 11-9 with 3.14 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 106 strikeouts, over 149 innings. Still, at the time of the trade to the Yankees, he was largely unheralded and unranked as a prospect.  

Last year, he opened eyes in the Yankees farm system. He started the year with High A Tampa, spent time with Double A Trenton, and finished the year with Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In 24 starts and a relief appearance, King was 11-5 with 1.79 ERA. He struck out 152 batters in 161 1/3 innings with 0.91 WHIP.  

Yankees minor league pitching coordinator Danny Borrell, via The New York Post, recently said, “Every time he moved up, he seemed to get better. He wasn’t fazed by the better competition and he knows how to pitch.” Borrell went on to say that he could see King pitching in New York this year if he pitches like last season and does not see the young right-hander regressing.  

King, 6’3” and 210 lbs, turns 24 on May 25th. He is currently rated as the Yankees’ fifth-best prospect by Baseball America, behind OF Estevan Florial, RHP Jonathan Loaisiga, OF Everson Pereira, and C Anthony Seigler. His primary pitch is a two-seam fastball that sits in the mid-90’s. The key to his success in the Major Leagues is dependent upon his continued development of secondary pitches.  

King will get his first taste of Big League Camp this year when he reports to Tampa as a non-roster invitee for the Yankees. While he is not expected to make the Opening Day Roster (he only made six Triple A starts last year), his goal is simple. Catch the attention of Manager Aaron Boone, Pitching Coach Larry Rothschild and the Yankees’ army of analytics. Even though he is not yet on the 40-man roster, there’s no doubt he will be among the first to be considered if/when the Yankees have needs for help in the starting rotation this year. I’ve heard the claims that he’ll never be anything more than a middle-of-the-rotation starter, but if memory serves correctly, that’s what they said about Andy Pettitte when he was first called up. Let Luis Severino and James Paxton be the aces, the strength of the middle to back end of the rotation is what championships are made of. I am thrilled about King and what he potentially means for the Yankees. This could very well be the year of his Major League debut. I have greater belief in King as a starter than a guy like Chance Adams who I feel is better suited for the pen. Mike King is a winner, and carrying that intangible with his tremendous talent, should make Yankee fans very excited. The King of the Hill is going to create great memories in the Bronx in the not-so-distant future.  

This was a brilliant trade by GM Brian Cashman. King has proven better than we expected and he’ll continue to open eyes in Tampa in a few weeks. When the Spring games start, be sure to look out for #93.  

As always, Go Yankees!

Tanaka Time: Home Sweet Home...

Photo Credit: Instagram (masahiro_tanaka.official)

Strong pitching carries Yanks past Angels…

The Yankees needed a strong effort by Masahiro Tanaka on Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and they got it. He gave up his obligatory home run but it didn’t matter as the Yankees used a three-run third inning to cruise past the Halos, 3-1. 

The highlight of the game, not for its meaning to the final outcome but rather the drama of the moment, was Tanaka’s strikeout of fellow Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani to end the first inning. Tanaka fell behind Ohtani on a 3-1 count but two swinging strikes sent Ohtani to the bench, much to the delight of the Yankee Stadium crowd. For the game, Ohtani was 0-for-2 against Tanaka, with a walk and two strikeouts. Mike Trout, who had a career day on Saturday, was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Tanaka. Simple formula: Hold Ohtani and Trout in check and good things happen.

Tanaka’s terrific day was done after the sixth inning and 104 pitches. He held the Angels to only three hits and the isolated run on Andrelton Simmons’ solo homer in the sixth. Tanaka (6-2) walked three and struck out eight. THIS is the Masa we need for the summer’s pennant chase.  

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Bill Kostroun)

With six strong from Tanaka, Manager Aaron Boone was able to effectively lay out David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman for three innings of scoreless relief. Very nice play by Didi Gregorius to stop a hard hit grounder by Martin Maldonado, throwing the Angels catcher out at first to end the game and hand Chapman his eleventh save.

The Yankees (33-16) ended up taking two of three from the Angels after Saturday night’s debacle when Sonny Gray (Sucks!) and the Yankees bullpen were hammered by Mike Trout and the Angels in an 11-4 loss. Fortunately, the Boston Red Sox finally lost yesterday against the NL East leading Atlanta Braves, 7-1. The Braves victory was especially sweet as they gave Chris Sale an early exit (4 1/3 innings) by scoring six runs off Boston’s prized left-hander. The Red Sox lead over the Yankees in the AL East is back to one game.

The schedule, which has been Boston’s friend so far this season, continues to benefit the Red Sox. The Atlanta Braves were one of the rare winning teams the Red Sox has faced so far this year. They return to playing sub .500 teams today with the arrival of the Toronto Blue Jays (25-28) at Fenway Park. Meanwhile, the Yankees draw the defending World Champions, the Houston Astros, for a three-game set at Yankee Stadium. Yes, the Yankees did sweep the Astros in Houston at the beginning of the month, but the team was on a roll at the time. I can’t say I am too confident with today’s matchup (Domingo German, 0-2, 5.59 ERA vs Justin Verlander, 6-2, 1.08 ERA). But if the Yankees can keep it close, I like the Yankees’ chances against the Houston bullpen. Yesterday, with closer Ken Giles on the mound, the Astros blew an 8-3 ninth inning lead in their fourteen-inning loss to the Cleveland Indians.  

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Jason Miller)

The Yankees need pitching help but it doesn’t look like Chance Adams wants to play. The RailRiders game had barely started yesterday when Adams was pulled. With an inability to find the strike zone, Adams departed in the first inning after recording only two outs. He had given up only one hit, but three walks and a hit batter gave the Syracuse Chiefs an early 3-0 lead. The RailRiders came back to win the game, 7-4, so Adams wasn’t saddled with the loss but it was a pathetic performance. His season ERA is an unsightly 5.93 and he leads the team with 22 walks. It doesn’t sound like Adams wants to join his former RailRiders teammates in the Bronx, at least if he continues to pitch like the second coming of Sonny Gray. Hopefully he figures this thing out and restores the bloom of his potential. I still think his future lies in the bullpen but regardless, he is a guy I hope reaches Pinstriped glory.  

I was surprised as anyone when the Yankees optioned popular utility man Ronald Torreyes to Triple A to make room for the activation of first baseman Greg Bird. I had fully expected either Tyler Austin or a pitcher to go down. Neil Walker has proven his worth to the organization so the team wasn’t go to eliminate his roster spot. I also think the Yankees are intrigued with A.J. Cole and haven’t seen enough to make a decision about him yet. The YES Network’s Michael Kay noted yesterday that Toe’s locker has not been cleaned out. It is expected he’ll be back when his ten days are up or shortly thereafter. An injury to someone (I hope not) will accelerate the timetable. In the grand scheme of things, I fully expect Torreyes to have a longer Yankees career than Tyler Austin. I could see Austin as part of a trade in the days leading up to this year’s trading deadline when the Yankees attempt to seek upgrades for their pitching staff.  

He was only a Yankee for 33 games in 2008 but it is enough to qualify Hall of Famer Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez as a member of the Yankees family. I am sure that Pudge is very excited today as the San Francisco Giants have selected the contract of his son, Dereck, from their Triple A affiliate. Dereck started his professional career in 2011 as an outfielder in the Minnesota Twins farm system but was converted to pitching in 2013. He signed with the Giants organization as a minor league free agent during the off-season. A starter in the minor leagues, Rodriguez is expected to provide long relief for the Giants. I hope Rodriguez pitches so well the Giants decide to trade Madison Bumgarner to the Yankees. C’mon, a guy can dream, can’t he?  Seriously, congratulations to Dereck for the realization of his own dream.

Photo Credit: Instagram (drod_31)

Speaking of former Yankees, Phil Hughes has found a new home. The Minnesota Twins had designated the pitcher for assignment earlier in the week. On Sunday, the Twins sent Hughes and a compensatory draft pick (74th overall) to the San Diego Padres for a minor league catcher. The incentive for the Padres is the competitive balance draft pick. The Twins will send money to pay down the contract owed to Hughes to lessen the financial commitment for the Padres. For now, Hughes will be inserted into the Padres bullpen, joining former Yankees Bryan Mitchell and Tyler Webb. I am not sure if this is the eventual end of the line for Hughes, who has undergone multiple surgeries for thoracic outlet syndrome, or if he will be able to resurrect his career in sunny Southern CA, but I wish the veteran 31-year-old righty the very best in his latest comeback attempt.  

It’s Memorial Day so we pay tribute to those who have fallen in defense of our Country. Of course, we think about those individuals every day of the year, not just this day, and are grateful for their service and sacrifice to defend our liberty and freedom. We can never repay them or their families. We carry the memory of the slain men and women who have served this great Nation today and always.  

Go Yankees!