Chris Young Back In the Bronx for 2015

We started the day off with the TGP Daily Poll asking fans if they thought the New York Yankees would bring back Chris Young for the 2015 season and I stated that I thought they would. I am not one to simply put my opinion out there and call it a day without explaining myself (thoroughly most of the time) so here goes nothing. Here is why I believe the Yankees will bring back Chris Young in 2015 in some way, shape, or form.

Young was designated for assignment by the New York Mets after a disappointing tenure with the club and quickly signed a minor league deal with the Yankees. Young played and bided his time in Triple-A until September call ups and finally got a shot to play in the Bronx with the Yankees. To say the least Young has made the most of the opportunity. Young has continued to come through hitting for power and extra base hits as well as clutch and timely hits. The New York stage doesn't seem to bother Young one bit, and that is something you cannot associate a stat to.

New York lacks any true right handed power in their outfield this season and isn't likely to have any next season either with Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Brett Gardner roaming around out there. The Yankees did start this season with Alfonso Soriano but he quickly crashed and burned and was designated for assignment himself so Young would essentially be the 2015 version of the 2014 Soriano if he were brought up. Beltran will have to rotate in and out of right field and the DH spot so there should be plenty of opportunities for Young to get at bats. Young is a former center fielder and could conceivably play all three outfield positions much like Ellsbury and Gardner giving him some versatility as well.

If the Yankees were to bring Young back for the 2015 season it would either have to be on a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training or a heavy incentive laden contract. Young signed for $7.25 million last offseason with the Mets and isn't likely to take a huge pay cut from that to play for the Yankees this winter. If the Yankees could guarantee him $4 million or less and let him earn the rest I could see the team going in that direction.

Is it something I personally would necessarily do? Probably not truth be told, but I think it makes a lot of sense to do it for the Yankees. 

Thinking About 2015: The Conclusion, I’m Greedy

For the past few days I have been thinking about the 2015 season and the team the New York Yankees will put out on the field and I have come to the conclusion that I am absolutely greedy. I haven’t lived up to the Greedy Pinstripes moniker as much in recent years as I did before the 2009 season when this blog was unofficially formed. This season I decided I have gone all out when I started constructing this All Star roster. If you remember correctly I added James Shields to the starting rotation, Nelson Cruz to a rotational DH spot, Asdrubal Cabrera to the shortstop position, and Grady Sizemore to the outfield rotation as well and I think I may have too many good players and not enough spots to give everyone playing time without gutting the roster.

Using the players added above the roster would look something like this:

SP1: CC Sabathia

SP2: Masahiro Tanaka

SP3: Michael Pineda

SP4: James Shields

SP5: Shane Greene

SP6: David Phelps

SP7: Ivan Nova

CL: David Robertson

SU: Dellin Betances

MR: Adam Warren

MR: Shawn Kelley

LR: Chase Whitley

LOOGY: Jacob Lindgren

LR: Manny Banuelos

C: Brian McCann

1B: Mark Teixiera

2B: Robert Refsnyder

SS: Asdrubal Cabrera

3B: Chase Headley

OF: Brett Gardner

OF: Jacoby Ellsbury

OF: Carlos Beltran

BN: Grady Sizemore

BN: Brendan Ryan

BN: Martin Prado

BN: Francisco Cervelli

BN/DH: Alex Rodriguez

BN/DH: Nelson Cruz

Obviously one or two of the pitchers would need to go, and that is before you consider Bryan Mitchell and others for a spot. We also have far too many options with the bats but hey, those problems are for the GM and the manager to figure out. Just bring me the best players to do the job and get me to the Promised Land. Get Greedy, get them all. 

Thinking About 2015: The Designated Hitter

I know this post will probably not go over too well for the sole reason of roster flexibility and the return of Alex Rodriguez but hear me out before closing out of the blog in disgust. If the Yankees could somehow sign a full time DH that could also play the outfield, allowing Carlos Beltran to DH whenever necessary, and keep A Rod off the team or on the bench then I think it should be done. The Yankees lack right handed power bats in the lineup and one man that fits the DH, outfield, and right handed power bat mold is Nelson Cruz. It also doesn’t hurt that we would be taking him away from a division rival in the Baltimore Orioles.

Cruz signed a very team friendly deal in 2014 after coming off a Biogenesis induced steroid suspension in 2013 and has done nothing but hit home runs ever since. Cruz has easily been the biggest bargain in all of baseball in 2014 and Baltimore has enjoyed the fruits of his labor. With Baltimore running away with the AL East division this season it’s more important than ever to punch them in the gut and take away one (or two if New York also gets JJ Hardy to replace Derek Jeter) of their better talents.

With Cruz and A Rod in the same lineup the Yankees would finally have true right handed power and balance in a lineup without having to stack switch hitter after switch hitter. With Cruz the Yankees could easily DH him most days, let him play in right field other days, and teach him first base for a backup option for Mark Teixeira. Also Cruz has postseason and World Series experience with the Texas Rangers and soon to be with the Orioles which only helps when coming to a huge market like New York.

Cruz will strike out too much, hit for a .265 average, and knock in 30 home runs and 100 RBI in a season, something that the Yankees completely lack in both departments in 2013. Get it done Cash, or whoever is running the show then. 

Thinking About 2015: The Fourth or Fifth Outfielder

Here I go again thinking about 2015 and looking past the 2014 season while it’s still going on but I can’t help it. The product on the field this season has not lived up to the fan’s and owner’s expectations and I want to ensure that the team does not miss the postseason for a third consecutive season. While I know, although I have no proof, that members of the New York Yankees front office read my stuff I will use that to my advantage and slip them a few ideas from time to time, like who the team should bring in to essentially replace Ichiro Suzuki on the team next year on the bench as either a fourth or fifth outfielder. The drum beating continues today and will all offseason for centerfielder and former All Star Grady Sizemore.

For the past couple of off seasons I have called the name Grady Sizemore like he was the second coming of Derek Jeter and while his time in Boston last year made me back off that stance a little it has not swayed me enough to turn the page. Sizemore was stellar for Boston during spring training and had a hot start to the season only to cool down, come back down to Earth, and ultimately get designated for assignment by the team. Sizemore quickly latched on with the Philadelphia Phillies on a minor league deal and continued his comeback season. In 2015 I want Sizemore winning the Comeback Player of the Year Award for the New York Yankees, not some other club.

Sizemore is capable of playing all three outfield positions and is still relatively young at age 32 making him an attractive piece for 2015. We all know Joe Girardi isn’t going to use Antoan Richardson, Ramon Flores, or Zoilo Almonte if he somehow makes it back onto the roster so why not at least bring in a guy that makes some sense in Sizemore. 

Thinking About 2015: The Starting Rotation

It is looking more and more likely that the New York Yankees will miss the postseason for the second consecutive season even after spending in excess of $500 million in free agent contracts in the offseason. When the Yankees fall out of contention I tend to start thinking about the next season just a little and try and plan out how the team can avoid this kind of disappointment in 2015. The Yankees starting rotation is going to be littered with question marks heading into the 2015 season with health questions for CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, and Masahiro Tanaka specifically.

Keeping the health questions in mind New York will need to have as much depth as they can stashed away in Triple-A and in the bullpen for next season. Taking into consideration all the options New York currently has at their disposal mixed in with the question marks the Yankees may be stacked at pitching next season.

The starting rotation looks to consist of CC Sabathia at the top followed by, in no particular order, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, and Shane Greene. It is extremely likely that New York brings back Brandon McCarthy to essentially replace the retiring and/or free agent Hiroki Kuroda in the rotation as well. New York also has Chase Whitley, Manny Banuelos, Bryan Mitchell, David Phelps and others already on the roster to potentially fight for a roster spot or work out of the bullpen.

As much as this is going to shock many I think New York should go with what they currently have in 2015 and avoid the free agency trap that is Jon Lester or Max Scherzer. If New York could get James Shields on a smaller termed deal, three years or less, than I would be more than willing to make room in the rotation for him by either trading a Shane Greene or not bringing back a Brandon McCarthy. Other than that I think the Yankees starting rotation is pretty much written in pen, hole punched, and placed in the 2015 version of Joe Girardi’s binder already. 

Quick Hit: Carlos Beltran Plans Offseason Elbow Surgery

This should come to the surprise of nobody but it was announced yesterday evening that Carlos Beltran expected to undergo offseason surgery to clean up the bone spurs in his throwing elbow. Beltran has battled the elbow injury all season long and even got three cortisone shots in the elbow to try and help alleviate the pain. Beltran’s production has obviously suffered due to the elbow so this could help Beltran next season.

Beltran, if all goes as planned, would be healthy and available for Spring Training 2015 and able to play right field next season without complications. It’s not surprising news but it is great news for the Yankees since they have two years and around $30 million left on the soon to be 38 year olds contract. 

Thinking About 2015: Derek Jeter's Replacement

The New York Yankees season is winding down and so is the career of the great Derek Jeter. Much like this season when New York had to replace closer Mariano Rivera and starting pitcher Andy Pettitte the Yankees will have a huge hole at the shortstop position to fill in 2015. Many analysts have speculated that the Yankees would hand the reigns to JJ Hardy of the Baltimore Orioles via free agency but I have to disagree. Hardy hits home runs but would command a contract that the Yankees are unlikely to consider, enter Asdrubal Cabrera in his place.

I personally called for an Asdrubal trade before the July 31st trading deadline so he could learn and play second base for the team. The Washington Nationals were reading my material that day and pounced on the shortstop and plugged him in at second base with great results. While Cabrera is nothing more than a stop gap and not the solution long term at short I would like to see him in the fold and in pinstripes when the 2015 season begins. 

Cabrera hit .246/.305/.386 with nine home runs and 40 RBI before the trade to Washington and has hit .235/.333/.429 with four home runs and 12 RBI. This production has come from a bottom the order type hitter and would instantly make him one of the best offensive producers if he were on the Yankees this season. Jeter has a -0.1 WAR this season and Cabrera has a 1.1 WAR, let that sink in for you. 

Cabrera is only 28 years old (will be 29 in November), a switch hitter, and adequate enough with both the glove and the bat to get the job done in New York in my opinion. This falls under that "makes too much sense to happen" category for the Yankees.