Embrace the Current Yankees Boss...

  

Hal Steinbrenner (Photo Credit: Jason Szenes/Getty Images)

Hal, not George, runs the New York Yankees…

George Steinbrenner died July 13, 2010...

As someone who lived during the George Steinbrenner era, you will never find me wishing the Boss was still alive. I miss his passion and love for the Yankees, sure, but I remember the faults. As a kid, it seemed like there was a new manager every year and of course there was the unhealthy love/hate relationship the Boss had with Billy Martin. I loved every hiring and was deeply saddened by every firing. It was impossible to keep up with the pitching coaches. Those guys churned more than the revolving managerial door. 

Gabe Paul, Billy Martin & George Steinbrenner (Photo Credit: Marty Lederhandler/AP)

I remember going to my first game at the old Yankee Stadium in 1987 and the anti-Boss yells were noticeable. There was no love for George Steinbrenner during those days. Many of us were frustrated last March when the Yankees acquired the aging Josh Donaldson and his fat contract. Those type of acquisitions were frequent under the Boss. Overpaying veterans who were “past their prime” was commonplace.

I truly believe the 1990s dynasty would not have happened if not for the Boss’s time away. Dave Winfield signed a 10-year contract with the Yankees after the 1980 season (for a now laughable $23 million given where salaries are for elite players today). Winfield never brought a championship to New York, and of course, he earned the nickname “Mr. May” from Steinbrenner for his poor October performances. The contract did not age well, for Steinbrenner, and he suspended annual payments to Winfield’s foundation in the latter years of the contract, payments required under the terms and conditions of Winfield’s agreement with the team, with the belief the funds were mismanaged. This led to lawsuits between Winfield and the Boss. Steinbrenner, to prove Winfield’s mismanagement of the foundation payments, paid a gambler named Howard Spira $40,000. Spira had been a foundation volunteer and was willing to confirm Steinbrenner’s suspicions…for a price.

When Steinbrenner’s actions came to light, it led then MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent to bar Steinbrenner for life. Although the Boss was not required to sell his interest in the Yankees, he was barred from day-to-day management of the team. Steinbrenner had requested the lifetime ban over a two-year suspension because he feared a suspension would jeopardize his place as Vice President of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Limited Partner Robert Nederlander took over as the Managing General Partner for two years, and subsequently replaced by Joe Molloy, Steinbrenner’s former son-in-law. Under Nederlander and Molloy, Yankees executive Gene Michael was able to build the framework for the late 1990s championship run. The trade which brought Paul O’Neill to New York happened while the Boss was “away” and of course the Core Four, plus Bernie Williams, rose to prominence because they were given the time to blossom. 

After requesting reinstatement, the lifetime ban was lifted, and the Boss returned to his role as the Managing General Partner in 1993. He largely allowed Michael to continue building the eventual championship teams. The notable exception was following the 1995 season, after the stunning playoff loss to the Seattle Mariners, when Buck Showalter turned down a two-year contract extension because it included a provision to fire then-hitting coach Rick Down. Steinbrenner took this as a “resignation” which created a managerial vacancy.

Although Michael lost a manager he would have retained, he rebounded by naming Joe Torre as Yankees manager and of course the rest is history. If pre-lifetime ban Steinbrenner had been present, the new Yankees manager most likely would have been Davey Johnson or Tony LaRussa. Fortunately, the post-lifetime ban Boss supported Michael’s decision, and the championships soon followed. 

The point is the championship run was probably only possible because of Steinbrenner’s time away. It allowed Gene Michael to make the right moves. Credit to both Nederlander and Molloy for their roles in providing the necessary support for Michael.

Gene "Stick" Michael (Photo Credit: AP)

I do not dislike current Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. I may harbor frustration that he does not outwardly show his passion and love for the Yankees like his father did. Hal is a businessman, a bean counter by education. For all intents and purposes, he is a good man. Hal took over the Yankees after the 2007 season following the decision not to bring back Joe Torre and the subsequent retirement of his father, who had suffered through strokes and dementia in his final years. The Yankees have never had a losing record under Hal’s watch. In fact, the Yankees have not had a losing season since 1992.  Granted, there were only 84 wins in the 2014 and 2016 seasons, but they were “winning” seasons. Amazing to think that any Yankee fan in their 20s have never experienced a losing season. 

We may be frustrated with the moves Hal Steinbrenner makes or does not make, but to say he has been bad for the Yankees is wrong.  I do not pine for George Steinbrenner; I want Hal Steinbrenner to step up in a way that would make his father proud. Hal is his own man, and I do respect the trust he places in Yankees Management. The stability and continuity have been invaluable in helping the Yankees to become one of the best run teams in Major League Baseball. I did not enjoy the Bronx Zoo days.  Loved some of the characters, of course, but not the entire chaotic mess.

The singular point is ‘do better’. No more stop gaps. No more bloated contracts that hold the team back (saying this while hopeful the Yankees re-sign Aaron Judge to an excessively fat contract, in a sense of hypocrisy). I am probably referring more to guys like Josh Donaldson who seemed like a mistake from the moment the Gary Sanchez trade was announced last Spring.  Or “knee jerk” signings like Jacoby Ellsbury. The Yankees have a winning team, but they have proven they are not a championship team. Running it back with the same guys, hoping for better results is a flawed strategy.

I am hopeful the Yankees recognize they were not as good as their first half run last season. Bringing back Aaron Judge is a must, but the off-season improvements cannot stop there. I keep seeing fans who want Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza, and Anthony Volpe in next season’s Opening Day lineup. Not me. I do not want to roll out three rookies in attempt to de-throne the Houston Astros. I believe Peraza should be the team’s starting shortstop (based on the current roster), but there is no question I would sign Trea Turner or Carlos Correa if I could. Oswaldo Cabrera is next season’s Marwin Gonzalez, only younger and better. Volpe will be great, but let him season a little more in Triple A. The end result will be worth it. 

Assuming Judge returns (I am a little more optimistic after hearing Jeff Passan on The Michael Kay Show last week, “All signs point to Aaron Judge remaining with the Yankees”), how the Yankees address the starting rotation (need better options than Clarke Schmidt or Domingo German to replace Jameson Taillon), the bullpen, and left field will go a long way toward building a team ready for the October hurdles.  Turner or Correa would be insurance it happens. 

Time for Hal Steinbrenner to win a World Series championship without his father’s watchful eye.

Thanksgiving Weekend…

I hope everyone had a joyous and memorable Thanksgiving Day yesterday. 

I know I was thankful to see my Minnesota Vikings finally defeat Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. The Vikings had not beaten the Pats since 2000. It is always beautiful anytime a Boston team loses. Sorry to my fellow Yankee fans who bleed Blue for the Dallas Cowboys’ victory over the New York Giants. Sadly, I think the Giants are like the Vikings…not as good as their respective records. But as the saying goes, “On any given Sunday…”.   

The Boston Red Sox have a Yankees fetish. With a few former Yankees on their roster (James Paxton, Garrett Whitlock, Kaleb Ort, and Rob Refsnyder) and one player named after a Yankees legend (Jeter Downs), the Red Sox added two more former Yankees last week. They acquired infielder Hoy Park, who had been designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Park went to Pittsburgh as part of the trade that brought Clay Holmes to New York. The Red Sox also signed free agent reliever Joely Rodriguez who spent last season as a Met after being traded for reliever Miguel Castro. 

As soon as I saw that the Pirates had DFA’d Park, my first thought was ‘future Red Sock’. Sure enough, it happened like clockwork.

Wondering when the Yankees will announce new contracts for general manager Brian Cashman and pitching coach Matt Blake. It seems odd while chasing free agent Aaron Judge and potential pitching options, the Yankees have not locked up two key members of the organization. I do not take this to mean they may not return, I think both will be back but the sooner their returns are announced, the better. 

Matt Blake (Photo Credit: Robert Sabo)

It will be interesting to see if the Yankees replace assistant hitting coach Hensley Meulens who left to become the hitting coach for the Colorado Rockies. The Yankees could just stand pat with only one assistant hitting coach (Desi Druschel) for hitting coach Dillon Lawson, but I feel there is value in an old school hitter to pair with analytics-driven coaches. I would love to see Brett Gardner rejoin the Yankees in this role.  As a former team leader, he has the command and respect of the clubhouse.

I thought it was funny the Los Angeles Angels acquired Mike Trout-lookalike Hunter Renfroe.

Hunter Renfroe

Mike Trout

Former Yankee prospect Janson Junk went to Milwaukee as part of the deal to bring Renfroe to Orange County, California. The Angels had previously acquired third baseman Gio Urshela from the Minnesota Twins, and signed former Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson, a free agent, so they are clearly trying to do something before Shohei Ohtani leaves. The Angels see Urshela as an option at third base and first base, and occasionally at short, second base or the outfield.  Anthony Rendon has struggled to stay healthy since he signed with the Angels so no doubt Gio will be manning third base more than the Angels currently expect. Good for him. 

I am always glad to get the Thanksgiving holiday behind us for no other reason than we are closer to the annual Baseball Winter Meetings. It is always my favorite week of the MLB offseason, and it was missed immensely last season after cancellation due to the lockout. The bittersweet part of the week is the Rule 5 Draft when multiple Yankee prospects are chosen annually. At least with the MLB portion of the draft, the Yankees can get the prospects back if they fail to stick on the Major League rosters for their new teams. The only time I am openly rooting for Yankee prospects to fail. 

As a baseball fan, I am sorry to hear that Bryce Harper needed Tommy John surgery. I wish him a speedy and full recovery and look forward to his return to MLB sometime next season for the Philadelphia Phillies. Baseball is better when Bryce is playing.

Happy Birthday to the YES Network’s Jack Curry (@JackCurryYES on Twitter)! Jack is 58 years old today. Looking forward to his breaking news that Aaron Judge has re-signed with the Yankees (I hope). I hope it is a wonderful birthday, Jack, and we look forward to your work in the coming year. 

As always, Go Yankees!

The German Indifference Factor...

Photo Credit: Frank Franklin II, Associated Press

Domingo German preparing for whatever comes his way…

I am not sure how I feel about Yankees pitcher Domingo German. Character is an important quality, nearly as important as talent and ability in my mind, and he lost my trust with the incident that led to his suspension. Granted, none of us know the exact details, but the severity was evident with the length of the suspension (one year). It is hard to simply embrace him because he has served his time. Aroldis Chapman served a 30-day suspension for his episode of domestic violence. I don’t want to underplay Chapman’s domestic violence, which was wrong…so very wrong, but a year-long suspension illustrates the greater severity of German’s actions. For his part, I do feel Chapman has earned his redemption. To the best of my knowledge, there have been no further reports of domestic violence for the Yankees closer. Redemption for losing last year’s final playoff game? I’ll have to get back to you on that one. For the record, I don’t blame him, but I want to see his return to late inning dominance.

The ultimate decision-maker on the topic (German), Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, is quoted as saying, “I have to absolutely feel comfortable that he deeply, deeply regrets and is sorry for what he did, and I absolutely have to be comfortable with the fact that he’s turned his life around. Those two things for sure.” I am sure German deeply regrets and is sorry for getting caught, but I am not so sure about his feelings for his actions. If someone is prone to domestic violence, it is not exactly like they roll out of bed one day and become Mr. Rogers. 

German can help the Yankees, sure, but is it worth it? That’s the question he’ll have to answer in the days and months leading up to next season. If the Yankees make the decision to trade German, I would not object. If he stays, I will try to support him. Either way, I trust Yankees management for having the full details and making the decision (does he stay, or does he go?) based on the facts as they know them.

The reports of German’s strong performances in the Dominican Winter League are inspiring but he’ll need to do more than just throw the ball well if he wants to be a Yankee again.

I’d rather see the Yankees give either Clarke Schmidt or Deivi Garcia a shot in the rotation and make a trade for a solid #2 starter to slot in behind Gerrit Cole.

George A. King III of The New York Post floated the idea this week the Yankees could bring Didi Gregorius back. Didi is unlikely to re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies, and the 31-year-old shortstop will be looking for a new home. I respect George and I always loved Didi’s time as a Yankee (I can never say enough about the great job he did taking over for Hall of Famer Derek Jeter), but I do not see the Yankees bringing him back. I say this regardless of what happens with DJ LeMahieu. Personally, I think there are better options. I know, my dream of Francisco Lindor is equally unlikely, but there are other roads the Yankees could take. I still believe Gleyber Torres can and will improve as the team’s starting shortstop, but I would not be opposed to his return to second base if DJ does leave. 

I am pleased to see MLB has re-scheduled the Field of Dreams game for August 2021. After last season’s cancellation of the game to be played in Dyersville, Iowa, near the site where the movie Field of Dreams was filmed, I thought the opportunity had passed. Born in Iowa, I was/am excited to see my favorite team set foot on my native soil. I was a little disappointed last year when MLB tried to replace the Yankees with the St Louis Cardinals in effort to play the game during the pandemic shortened 60-game season but plans for the game were eventually scuttled. MLB could have stayed with the Cardinals as the opponent for the Chicago White Sox next season, but I am glad they returned to the Yankees as the team of choice. Of course, we are not out of the pandemic and it’s not 100% certain the game will actually be played, but I am cautiously optimistic the tide will turn early next year when the coronavirus vaccines start to make their way into the general population.

The game is tentatively scheduled to be played on August 12, 2021. If the regular season is shortened from 162 to 120/130 games, it is unknown how it would impact a ‘nice to have’ game like the Field of Dreams game.

My reaction to reports the Boston Red Sox are interested in free agent J.A. Happ…go ahead, sign him. I am done with Happ, regardless of where he goes. I generally do not like Yankees signing to play for the Red Sox, but it is not like I ever really considered Happ a true Yankee despite spending several years in Pinstripes. It hurt much more to see guys like David Cone and David Wells sign to play in Beantown after their successful tenures in the Bronx.  Happ is not and will never be in their category as elite Yankees. He pitched well at times and I am thankful for his contributions, but I moved on months ago.  

I cannot say I am disappointed the Tampa Bay Rays are losing players. Speaking of the earlier topic (character), their post-season hero last year, outfielder Randy Arozarena, was recently detained in Mexico after allegations of domestic abuse were made by his ex-partner. Arozarena will most likely be back next year unless he is suspended, but his presence on the Rays roster stains the clean image the Rays try to project. Given how MLB reacts to domestic abuse allegations, it is probable Arozarena will miss at least part of the season.

The Rays recently cut outfielder Hunter Renfroe, the slugger they acquired from the San Diego Padres in the Tommy Pham trade last off-season. Renfroe underperformed in Tampa which led to his release, but he’ll get another chance elsewhere. I wouldn’t be opposed to the Yankees making a minor investment in him. We always need back up support for Aaron Judge and I am not sold on Mike Tauchman despite his versatility. Clint Frazier, yes, but I think he should be the team’s starting left fielder.

The biggest loss for the Rays so far is starter Charlie Morton who signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves. The Rays remain solid up front with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, but now there’s talk the Rays could trade Snell. It is inevitable they eventually will move Snell for monetary reasons, but I think we’re probably still a season or two away before it happens. Snell signed a 5-year, $50 million contract with the Rays in March 2019 so the issue will be how long can they continue to carry Snell’s contract. Success is a double-edged sword. It means the Rays will have to spend more money elsewhere to keep the team competitive. The Rays will be expecting a healthy return for Brent Honeywell to help fill Morton’s shoes. 

I always like to get on the other side of Thanksgiving. Not that I am purposely disregarding today’s holiday. I am grateful, but the arrival of December is generally the opening of the active news for the Hot Stove League. This year’s Winter Meetings in a few weeks will be different, certainly, as Zoom meetings won’t have quite the same impact as in-person meetings but there will still be a few free agent signings and trades. Will the Yankees play? I guess we’ll see on that one. I haven’t heard or seen anything that makes me hopeful the team will be able to retain any of its free agents, most notably DJ LeMahieu and Masahiro Tanaka. Then again, I haven’t seen anything that points to their respective exits. I guess we’ll know in the coming weeks.

I hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

Next week opens the door to potential news about our favorite team as they look to arm up for the 2021 run. I can’t wait to see breaking Yankees news again. It’s been too long, and I am ready to see how Brian Cashman intends to overcome last season’s October disappointment. I am ready to close the door on the 2009 World Series Championship and celebrate a new one just like the Dodgers erased 1988 last season.

As always, Go Yankees!

Football, Turkey, Family and the Yankees...

Much Love to the Yankees Universe…

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! 

We are thankful for the Yankees and a step further, we are thankful and grateful you are part of the Yankees Universe. These are exciting times for Baseball’s greatest franchise and we are hopeful next season will bring the 28th World Series Championship to the Bronx. To you and yours, enjoy the day and give your loved ones an extra hug from all of us.

Credit: @Yankees on Twitter

Unless you are a football fan, there’s probably not going to be much happening today sports-wise. I’ve seen the tweets on Twitter that it would be very much a Brian Cashman move of Brian Cashman to announce a major trade today. I doubt we’ll see any breaking news today but who knows. There’s nothing in the rule book saying trades and signings cannot happen today.  

With Wednesday’s acquisition of another utility-type (speedy infielder/outfielder Tim Locastro from the Los Angeles Dodgers), the 40-man roster is full. The Yankees are just getting started with the off-season enhancement of its championship-quality roster so we know there are a few tenuous spots on the roster. Given the Yankees’ need for another high-end starter, a couple of bullpen replacement pieces for free agents David Robertson and Zach Britton, and possibly a strong option for the infield to help with the temporary absence of Didi Gregorius, there appears to be at least five roster spots that will need to be vacated.

Reviewing the roster, I see the following players at risk.

Luis Cessa - I think most of us have seen enough of Cessa and are ready to move on. There are teams that value him as a reliever so I think he’ll be moved. I know I have no trust in Cessa after hitters have seen him once or twice in a game. I just don’t see a long-term future in pinstripes for Cessa. He is simply a pedestrian starter in my eyes, and there are better options for the bullpen.

A.J. Cole - Thank you, next.

Sonny Gray - We know this is one spot that will be vacated. It is only a matter of time until Gray joins the ranks of ex-Yankees. For most of us, the sooner, the better. I’ve seen a few people on Yankees Twitter predicting a rebound season for Gray in pinstripes next year. Please, been there, done that. Like Cessa, we’ve seen enough to know Gray is not going to magically become a frontline ace for the Yankees. It is time to move on.

Domingo German - German represents insurance for the rotation, but I think Jonathan Loaisiga is a better option and the Yankees have to give Chance Adams a “chance” (sorry, had to do it). I feel Adams is better served in the bullpen but for now, he remains a starter and should be given every opportunity to succeed. My favorite pitching prospect is Albert Abreu but I don’t think he’ll be Major League ready by next season. He is on the 40-man roster so there’s always the opportunity for a late season call-up. Domingo Acevedo is also on the 40-man so I see it as a numbers game for German, and place him at the greatest risk of losing his spot among these names.

Ronald Torreyes - I know everybody loves Toe, but the Yankees seem to be bringing in other utility types (Hanser Alberto and the aforementioned Locastro). I am sure Yankees VP, Assistant General Manager Michael Fishman and his analytics team have very strong opinions about the players that will best serve the Yankees in the utility role. Thairo Estrada will be healthy and the bullet in his hip has finally been removed. Estrada, Alberto and Locastro will battle Tyler Wade and Ronald Torreyes, and I simply see Torreyes as the loser, making him a strong candidate to be non-tendered.  

Jacoby Ellsbury - I place this name here only for my continued hope that Brian Cashman finally pulls a rabbit out of his hat to move Ellsbury. When healthy, I know, he’s a decent player. But I am done with DL’s-bury and ready to move on. If healthy, I think the Yankees should cut bait. There’s only two years left on his deal.  It’s an expensive decision to let go, but I see Ellsbury as addition by subtraction. If he is not ready to go by Spring Training, the best financial decision is to place him on the disabled list for continued insurance payments, but seriously, I just want to move on.  

There are other players on the roster that could be moved in trades, but the above players are the ones that I see most at risk.  

I was watching a replay yesterday of the Seattle Mariners game at Yankee Stadium on June 21, 2018 when James Paxton took the mound in his now “home” stadium against Luis Severino. The Yankees had two two-run homers in the first inning by Aaron Judge and Miguel Andujar, narrowly missing a third home run when Seattle’s Mitch Haniger  leaped to rob Giancarlo Stanton of a long fly ball to the center field fence. Paxton settled down and chalked up nine strikeouts before he departed in the Yankees’ 4-3 victory. Here’s hoping his next Yankee Stadium start gets off to a better start. It was thrilling to watch the Yankees’ best two starting pitchers going at each other. I never really noticed it before but Paxton has very intense eyes when he is pitching. I also didn’t realize that he was such an Andy Pettitte fan growing up. The guy is clearly a competitor with an intensity that kind of reminds me of the heart of Lance Lynn (except Paxton has the arm to match the intensity). I don’t think we’ll have to worry about any ‘Sonny Gray-like’ meltdowns from Paxton.  Sure, he’ll have his clunkers like any other pitcher, but he seems to be a warrior to me. Paul O’Neill will be proud.

The deeper we get into the off-season, the more I want to see David Robertson return. I am so hopeful the Yankees and D-Rob can come to an agreement to allow Houdini to continue his “path in Pinstripes”. I get fired up every time I see D-Rob run off the mound at the conclusion of an inning. For the other reliever spot, I really want to see the Yankees sign Adam Ottavino but I wouldn’t be disappointed with the return of either Zach Britton or Andrew Miller. I just think Ottavino represents the safest choice. Well, actually Britton would the safest, but I think his desire for closer’s money will price him out of the Yankees’ reach.   

I’ve seen some Yankee fans say the team should sign Boston’s Joe Kelly, currently a free agent. No, Hell NO! I don’t want to see that guy anywhere near Yankee Stadium in a home uniform. I prefer to see Yankees either teeing off on his pitches or slugging his face in with their fists. Sorry, I am not a proponent of violence but I do not want to see that guy on my team. He could be the greatest reliever in the history of baseball and I’d still want no part of him. I know, Mariano Rivera is the greatest reliever in history but my point is I don’t care what Kelly is capable of, I don’t like the guy.  

Lastly, I hope this is the year Mike Mussina gets into the Hall of Fame but I suspect he’ll fall short. He deserves his spot in Cooperstown so I hope he eventually gets there. As they say, time will tell. Meanwhile, Mariano Rivera should be a shoo-in.  There will be voters who leave Mo off their ballot for whatever reasons (which makes no sense to me), but I think he’ll come in with at least 95% of the vote. I can’t wait for the Hall of Fame inductions next year with a smiling Rivera present at the festivities. One of my all-time favorite Yankees.

Photo by Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

Thanks for your continued support of The Greedy Pinstripes. We’re nothing without you. Daniel Burch and Bryan Van Dusen created something special when they built this blog and we look forward to sharing our thoughts about America’s favorite baseball team in the years to come. Be safe, be happy, be well. We’re glad you are here.

As always, Go Yankees!

Sonny Gray is a Yankee...

Photo by Noah K Murray, USA TODAY Sports

Bummer, he’s still here…

Big Maple is a New York Yankee but sadly, at least as of right now, so is Sonny Gray. The deadline last night to finalize the 40-man rosters for next month’s Rule 5 Draft failed to provide any momentum for the inevitable relocation of Sonny “Not Made for NYC” Gray. So, we’ll have to wait a few more days or weeks until we can wish Sonny better luck in his new city.  

I was a little surprised the Yankees added reliever Joe Harvey to the 40-man roster on Tuesday. Despite his solid statistics in the Yankees farm system, he is admittedly not a prospect I know very well. In fact, I think the first word I said when I saw that he had been added was, “Who?”. 

I thought the Yankees would protect the defensively talented  shortstop Kyle Holder but ‘strong glove, no bat’ will only get you so far. The Yankees also made a minor trade involving minor leaguers when they sent RHP Jordan Foley, 24, to the Colorado Rockies for RHP Jefry Valdez. At first glance, Valdez appears underwhelming (he had a 5.82 ERA in 27 relief appearances in Class I last year), but a deeper look shows he is a strikeout machine. He had 45 strikeouts last season in 34 innings. However, as one Rockies blog put it, he has never been a top prospect in the Rockies organization for one reason: he hasn’t pitched very well. The Rockies feel they got the better end of the deal, but truthfully, who really knows. Maybe the change of scenery and new collection of coaches and instructors will help Valdez. As for Foley, he’ll get an opportunity to help fill the void when Rockies reliever Adam Ottovino signs with the Yankees (my wish, I know).  

With the addition of Harvey, the Yankees’ 40-man roster stands at 39. The open spot won’t sit vacant for long as the Yankees continue their roster enhancements in the coming weeks. Hey Bryce, Number 34 is available in case you were wondering…  

Credit to Manny Machado for his interview comments that appeared this morning on MLB.com. Manny has taken a beating since the World Series over his comments that “I am not going to be the type of player that’s going to be ‘Johnny Hustle’”. In the column posted by Mark Feinsand, Machado is quoted saying, “For me, I was trying to talk about how I’m not the guy who is eye watch. There’s a difference between fake hustle for show and being someone who tries hard to win. I’ve always been the guy who does whatever he can to win for his team”. I think Machado has done a very good job clarifying his earlier controversial remarks. I know many Yankee fans are against signing Machado, but I think any MLB team would be better with Manny on its roster. Feinsand’s column leads me to believe that Manny will say the right things when he gets an audience with GM Brian Cashman and Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. C’mon, Hal, open the checkbook!

Of the moves made yesterday, I think the decision by the Miami Marlins to designate the versatile Derek Dietrich for assignment opens an opportunity for the Yankees. Dietrich can play second, third, and corner outfield. He is not necessarily known for his glove, but he is someone to consider if the Yankees choose not to bring back Neil Walker.  

I was a little surprised by the Tampa Bay Rays decision to DFA slugging first baseman C.J. Cron, but I’d prefer to stick with the current first base duo of Luke Voit and Greg Bird even if Cron had 30 bombs last year. Now, if the Yankees want to acquire Joey Votto, as suggested by Daniel Burch yesterday, let’s go.  

The San Diego Padres sold third baseman Christian Villaneuva to Hideki Matsui’s old team, the Yomiuri Giants. The only reason the name stood out to me was his blazing start last April which led to San Diego’s release of former Yankee third baseman Chase Headley. Villaneuva came back to earth and played like a guy who doesn’t really have a long-term future in the Bigs, hence, the “deportation” to Japan. Still, it’s sad the guy who forced Headley’s exit simply turned out to be another Mr. April. I was hoping for better results with Chase’s reunion with his original team, but it was not meant to be.

I really despise when former Yankees and Yankees prospects end up in Boston. It happened again yesterday when the Boston Red Sox acquired minor league reliever Colten Brewer from the San Diego Padres. Brewer spent the 2017 season in the Yankees system before departing via free agency last November. It’s not like Brewer did anything for the Yankees, but it just bothers me when “our” guys go to the Red Sox. Yeah, Nasty Nate, I am talking to you even if it wasn’t your decision. 

Lastly, Tuesday also brought news of the retirement of great third baseman Adrian Beltre of the Texas Rangers. Man, I am glad his stay in Boston was so short. A Ranger for the last eight years, the guy is headed for the Hall of Fame one day. I couldn’t help but think it’s a shame he can’t leave his defensive skills behind for Miguel Andujar’s use. I wish Adrian the best as he moves into the next chapter of his life. If he is half as successful as he was on a baseball field, his future is incredibly bright. We’ll be seeing him in Cooperstown in, oh, about five years.

Have a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday, everyone! This is a beautiful time for love, family and friendship. May you be blessed with a memorable and pleasing abundance of all three.  

As always, Go Yankees!