31 Years Later, Brad Ausmus Comes Home...

 

Brad Ausmus (Photo Credit: Paul Sancya/AP)

Ausmus joins Yanks as new Bench Coach…

I hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! As much as I love Thanksgiving, it is always exciting to get past the Turkey Day Weekend so that the MLB Hot Stove League can start boiling over.  Soon, the Baseball Winter Meetings will be upon us, and…perhaps…Juan Soto will be a Yankee. 

With no major player acquisitions so far into November, the Yankees did hire a new bench coach this month when they announced veteran manager (and former Yankees prospect) Brad Ausmus had accepted the position.

Be careful what you ask for without being more specific. I have wanted, literally for years, a veteran manager to sit next to Yankees manager Aaron Boone as his bench coach. I always envisioned a guy like Buck Showalter or Willie Randolph, but the Yankees had other plans. They finally avoided hiring one of Boone’s buddies to sit next to him on the bench (Yay!) and went the route of an ex-manager. They just happened to choose a two-time loser. I know Showalter has been fired multiple times and Willie has received the managerial pink slip, but I cannot say that Brad Ausmus ever crossed my mind as a good, viable candidate. Yet, I am willing to give him a chance. 

I have been as frustrated with Aaron Boone as any Yankees fan, but conversely, I feel there is potential for improvement. I do not place the failure of the 2023 season on Boone. He played the hand he was dealt by General Manager Brian Cashman. The blame for the ‘almost a losing season’ sits squarely at the feet of Cashman and his Front Office staff. Even if I had wanted the Yankees to fire Boone after the season, there are not too many great options available. The Texas Rangers struck gold by hiring acclaimed championship manager Bruce Bochy, but sadly, there are not too many Bochy’s idly sitting by waiting for the phone to ring. I did think the San Francisco Giants snagging Bob Melvin from the San Diego Padres was a solid move, but it is hard to get enthused about any of this off-season’s new managers, such as Carlos Mendoza, Pat Murphy, Stephen Vogt, or Mike Shildt.  Houston’s Joe Espada is probably the most deserving of the new managers, but even with Espada’s history with the Yankees, I would not want an Astro as the Yankees manager. Obviously, Aaron Boone is not going anywhere, so complaining about it serves no useful purpose. 

I do think Brad Ausmus, with his experience, can help Boone make better decisions. No doubt Boone is the final decision maker, but better information leads to better choices which leads to better decisions.  Ausmus has sat in Boone’s seat, and he can offer insight that the prior bench coaches before him (Mendoza and Josh Bard) could not. 

Ausmus managed the Detroit Tigers from 2014 through 2017 and was 314-332 (.486 winning percentage) during his time in Motown. He managed the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2019, leading the Halos to a 72-90 record and a fourth-place finish in the AL West. His overall managerial record is 386-422 (.478 winning percentage). He had replaced a popular Angels manager, Mike Scioscia, and upon Brad’s firing following the 2019 season, the Angels hired Joe Maddon. History showed that Maddon fared no better than Ausmus before his departure from the Angels. The Chicago Cubs’ World Series-winning manager was only 130-148 for the Angels from 2020 until he was fired in 2022.    

Ausmus served as bench coach for the Oakland (soon-to-be Las Vegas) A’s in 2022. He only spent one season in the role before he decided to pursue a front-office position. A year later, with no front office position in hand, Ausmus must have rethought his career strategy when Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman came calling. 

The New York Mets hired former Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons as bench coach for their new manager, Carlos Mendoza, and I saw people posting on social media that the Mets were just copying the Yankees. The Mets are just doing what the Yankees should have done when they first hired Boone.  They recognized that a first-time manager would benefit from a voice of experience on the bench. 

Ausmus is an intelligent guy, and I think he will help Boone. I do not believe he will be a ‘yes’ person for the Front Office or Boone.  No doubt I would have preferred Willie Randolph, but it is what it is. I will never choose negativity over positive outcomes, so I want Ausmus to succeed, and I hope he has the support of the Yankees Universe to help him thrive in the Bronx. Years ago, he was a young prospect in the Yankees organization seeking the path to Yankee Stadium. The Colorado Rockies nixed those dreams when they chose him in the November 1992 MLB Expansion Draft, but life is about second chances. Ausmus gets a second chance to realize his dreams in Pinstripes. 

I am excited to see what Brad and new hitting coach James Rowson can bring to the team next Spring.  They are here to make Aaron Boone and the Yankees better. They are here to help rebuild our faith and trust in the organization. I have nothing against Carlos Mendoza, who is highly respected in the Yankees organization, but I feel the Yankees are better with Ausmus as the bench coach. 

Yankees interested in Jordan Montgomery

Recent reports show the Yankees, among other teams, are interested in free-agent left-hander Jordan Montgomery. While I believe the team that offers the most money will be the victor in signing Gumby, I wonder if he has any hurt feelings over his trade to the St Louis Cardinals at the deadline a couple of years ago. He has always taken the high road, and even if he has hurt feelings, it is nothing that money cannot cure. 

I would love to see the Yankees re-sign Montgomery, but I am not optimistic. I think the Texas Rangers, where Monty just won a World Series ring, hold the inside track. The Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex offers great advantages for housing and quality of life, and those factors will certainly come into play. If the Yankees do not re-sign Montgomery, my preference would be for him to stay in Texas or go to a National League club. I do not want to see him sign with the Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, or Toronto Blue Jays (or the Baltimore Orioles, for that matter). 

Jordan Montgomery (Photo Credit: Julio Cortez/AP)

Monty has grown as a pitcher since his departure, and I think he can help the starting rotation. Barring any major moves this offseason, Carlos Rodón will once again attempt to become the rotation’s second-best starter after a failed try during his first season. I am unsure what the Yankees will get with Nestor Cortes, Jr. Clarke Schmidt showed improvement, but he seems to be on everybody’s mock trade list for Juan Soto. Michael King will be looking to build upon his early success as a starter.  The only sure thing in the Yankees’ rotation is Gerrit Cole. Jordan Montgomery would be the starting rotation’s great stabilizer.  The Yankees have good, young pitching coming up, and the talent is beginning to surface at Triple-A, which is a short phone call away from New York. I am excited about Drew Thorpe, Chase Hampton, Clayton Better, a healthy Luis Gil, and others, but I love the certainty that a good veteran like Montgomery would bring to the rotation. 

I hope the Yankees can entice Monty to return. I am not optimistic, but I am in favor of his return.  As they say, you can never have too much pitching. If the Yankees are successful in trading for San Diego’s Juan Soto, they WILL lose pitching. It is a foregone conclusion. I want Yoshinobu Yamamoto as well, but my confidence about the Yankees signing him has weakened considerably in the past few weeks. Too much competition, and there is always at least one random MLB owner each offseason who foolishly throws excessive cash at superstar players and potential stars. Hal Steinbrenner will never be anybody’s fool, and he will keep his pennies neatly accounted for. So, if I had my choice, I would take Yamamoto over Montgomery, but realistically, I think Montgomery over Yamamoto is the more likely successful outcome.  To walk away with neither would be a loss. I am not interested in Blake Snell, despite his NL Cy Young Award, and I want no part of Marcus Stroman. Maybe Brian Cashman surprises us, or maybe he does not. I recognize the Yankees are in severe need of roster reconstruction on the playing field, but good pitching is always needed. It cannot be Gerrit Cole and a bunch of question marks if the Yankees expect to contend in 2024. 

Yankees sign Yerry De Los Santos

Even if it is a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training, I thought the signing of former Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Yerry De Los Santos was a move worth making. De Los Santos turns 26 next month. The 6’2” righty pitched in 22 games for the Pirates in 2023. He totaled 24 1/3 innings, with 18 strikeouts. He gave up 9 earned runs while facing 104 batters. He allowed only 1 home run but surrendered 17 total hits and 13 walks. 

Yerry De Los Santos (Photo Credit: Pirates Prospects)

If the Yankees see something they can fix, I trust them. Granted, it is hard to have any trust in the Yankees Front Office, but to their credit, they have shown proficiency for uncovering talented pitchers. If De Los Santos is part of the 2024 Yankees Bullpen, this signing will be viewed as a sneaky good move. If he falters, oh well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.   

De Los Santos does not solve the problem of needing more left-handed relief pitching. There will be more moves, and hopefully, the next great lefty reliever will be a Yankee soon (whoever that may be). So many needs, so little time. De Los Santos is a start. 

Welcome to the Yankees Family, Yerry!

As always, Go Yankees!

Yankees: Hiding in Plain Sight...

 

Brian Cashman (Photo Credit: Matt York/AP)

Steinbrenner and Cashman hold forgettable pressers…

My expectations for the year-ending press conference by Yankees ownership and leadership representatives were apparently too lofty. I thought the Yankees would open the doors of Yankee Stadium for a formal, professional post-season press conference under the scrutiny of New York and national baseball media. Standing on the front lines in the Bronx and answering the hard-hitting questions about what went wrong in 2023. Leadership taking accountability for the vast mistakes that were made in constructing the 2023 Major League Roster. Instead, Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner tucked behind his Zoom camera and General Manager Brian Cashman gave a profanity-laced huddle with a few media representatives in faraway Arizona while attending this week’s annual GM Meetings.

Hal Steinbrenner (Photo Credit: SNY)

Neither man was willing to stand in the fire to answer the questions that needed to be addressed. Neither man gave a clear vision of what the organization can do to get better. As usual, the organization’s disregard for its fan base was evident. I should correct that, the organization loves the fans’ money, they just do not really care about the individuals holding the wallets or bank accounts that formerly housed said currency so long as the money stream is alive. I am certain the corporate sponsors get far more love from the organization than any of its individual fans. 

I am disappointed. I am sure I am not alone. 

To fail so miserably while holding baseball’s best pitcher, soon to be AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole, and 2022 AL Most Valuable Player, Aaron Judge, is so pathetic.

This did not need to be a losing season and I do not buy that it was just one of those years. Cashman’s bad decisions (I will lump all the organization’s decisions on Cashman because he is the team’s lead representative) turned what could have been a promising year into a Red Sox-like disaster. The team’s play in September, after the team finally gave up on Josh Donaldson and other scrap-heap players to bring up the kids, brought winning back for the team. A day late and a dollar short, but it was a step in the right direction. We may never know what motivated Cashman to stand with his flawed cards, waiting until it was too late to make the necessary changes. I guess when he writes his memoir after his Yankees career is over, maybe we will get a peak into the inner-workings of the organization over the last quarter-century and Cashman’s thought process throughout his tenure. 

One of Hal’s best attributes is that unlike his father, he is loyal and supportive of his employees. Hal’s worst attribute is that he is loyal and supportive of his employees when he should not be. These can be mutually exclusive because not all employees are worthy of the support. Sports is results-oriented, and when the results fall below expectations, there are times when new voices, new visions are needed. Watching the Yankees in recent years shows that something needs to change. When most of the decisions are poor, it is time to relook at the decision-making process and the people making the decisions.  There is no room for ifs and buts. I feel bad that Aaron Judge suffered a toe injury that derailed what could have been an exceptionally strong follow-up year to his MVP campaign, but the deficient fence at Dodger Stadium is not the reason the Yankees failed in 2023. 

The Yankees have much work to do if they plan to restore the faith and confidence of the fan base. Sure, we are spoiled. The Yankees have a long history of tradition and success, and they have revenues that dwarf most franchises.  The team can be limited by payroll when trying to avoid luxury tax thresholds and penalties, but resources can be redirected to other areas to help the team. There is no reason the Yankees cannot have the best analytic group in baseball, yet they have been lapped by a few organizations. It is mind-blowing to think how successful the Tampa Bay Rays and their analytic group could be if they had the Yankees’ vast resources. No question that their group of nerds is “smarter” than Michael Fishman and his cast of cohorts. 

Over the last few years, I have wanted Hal Steinbrenner to “excite the fan base”. He can do it in so many ways. It is not just a huge superstar free agent signing or a trade for a generational talent. He can do the things that show he is as passionate about winning as his father was. He will never be as demonstrative or as quick-tempered as the Boss, but in his own way, he can deliver a message that is equally effective. I want Hal to take full accountability for the team’s failures and do the things necessary to ensure the Yankees can successfully compete while their window is open. Put the team in the best possible position to win.  Give the fan base a product that they can rally around. I will never go down the ‘I wish Joe Girardi was manager’ road but 2017 was the last time I can think of when we loved the players on the team individually and together as an entire group. The Yankees can have fun winning again if they make the right moves, the right decisions, and commit to settling for nothing less than the best they can possibly do.  These are easy words to say, but not so easy to put into practice. 

I want to feel good about the Yankees again. I miss that feeling. I am happy that Cole and Judge are Yankees, but it is tough to go much deeper than that. This is not a diss on Anthony Volpe. I think he did a fine job as a rookie shortstop, and I expect him to continue his growth and improvement. The main point is recapturing the confidence in the team collectively, and knowing that if one man goes down, a capable replacement is waiting. The Yankees may not have won it all in 2017 but we loved the team to the end. It can happen again (except maybe win the last game of the post-season next time). It is cliché, but the team cannot continue to do what they have always done, expecting different results. 

Can Hal and Brian change? They must if the Yankees want to succeed. Other organizations are getting better, smarter, and more adaptive to our changing times. It is weird that the Yankees need to play catch-up but that is where we are at.  How Hal Steinbrenner navigates the waters in the coming seasons will define his legacy as Yankees owner. Hal does not strike me as an owner who will hold team control until he expires. In my uninformed opinion, it seems like he has another good ten years before he decides to cede control to younger Steinbrenner blood.  I could be wrong, but I have always questioned Hal’s passion for the Yankees since he did not display it when he was younger. He always seemed like he would rather be doing something else. I am sure his legacy is important to him and hopefully he makes the hard decisions…the right decisions…that need to be made in the coming days, weeks, and months.

The Yankees Universe is waiting.

Gleyber Torres is a Yankee

Until he is not. I am not a proponent of trading Gleyber but it does seem to be the flavor of the month. I get that he is entering his final year of control and will be a free agent after the 2024 season. The Yankees have a glut of infield talent in the organization, and they can trade Gleyber to help fill other areas of need. With that said, why trade the team’s second-best hitter? Gleyber has his faults, but he is a good player. There is no such thing as a perfect player although some are more perfect than others. I would prefer to keep Gleyber, and potentially trade Oswald Peraza. Peraza is talented and perhaps he will be a great shortstop or second baseman one day. But we know that Gleyber is a good Major League second baseman now. Why rock the boat? I would stay with the proven commodity. There is the argument that Peraza is cheaper and under more years of control, allowing the Yankees to spend higher elsewhere on the roster. I get the financial aspect, but if all decisions are made in a vacuum for the cheapest options, the product will suffer. 

Trading Gleyber would put pressure on the Yankees to make a trade to bring elite talent to other spots on the roster to compensate for the loss of Gleyber’s production.  If you told me that we can get Juan Soto, but we must move Gleyber first, I would totally get it.  But as a move by itself, trading Gleyber does not seem to be the best solution.  Other moves will change the light but as it stands today, yet, right now, I want to see Gleyber remain in Pinstripes.

The latest Gleyber trade rumors involve the Boston Red Sox and outfielder Alex Verdugo. I want no part of Verdugo. I do not care that he fits the Yankees roster. I am not a fan of the player, and helping the Red Sox improve to fill a need is counter-productive in my opinion. I did not like Josh Donaldson when he was a Yankee, and I would feel the same way about Verdugo. Maybe Verdugo is one of those guys you love when he is on your team, but all things considered, I would rather not find out. The Yankees can find other guys who can fit the Yankees roster equally or better than Verdugo. 

Carlos Mendoza to the Mets

With no disrespect to former Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, I was surprised when the New York Mets announced him as their new manager. Like many people, I had expected new Mets President of Baseball Operations to sign his former Brewers manager Craig Counsell as Buck Showalter’s replacement. Even with the surprise announcement that Counsell had decided to join the Chicago Cubs, I thought the Mets would go bigger than a coach off Aaron Boone’s staff. 

Nevertheless, I am happy for Mendoza, and I am glad he was able to secure one of the few available MLB managerial gigs after interviewing with multiple teams. I thought the San Diego Padres would have been a better fit for him, but now he gets the backing of the wealthiest MLB owner for his first stop as a Major League skipper. I wish him well, but never when the Mets play the Yankees.

For the Cubs to hire Counsell while still employing David Ross as manager was an awful way to treat Ross after he had done a respectable job for the Cubbies. Then again, the Cubs have a history of hiring new managers before ousting the current ones. Former Cubs manager Rick Renteria was actively holding the job when the Cubs hired Joe Maddon a few years ago.

If Ross does not get another managerial job, I would like to see him as Mendy’s replacement on the Yankees bench next to Boone. The Yankees have a chance to hire someone who can help make Aaron Boone better. I am tired of Boone hiring his buddies. He needs someone who will push him to be better, to make stronger choices, and to get better consistency with lineups. I want a bench coach who is not afraid of second-guessing Boone’s choices and offering potentially more successful options even if Boone is the final decision maker. I am not Ross or bust, but someone like him would be invaluable. The Yankees are not going to fire Boone so the next best option is to get a bench coach like Ross or Willie Randolph who can help Boone become a better manager.

New Hitting Coach?

No word on a new hitting coach yet, but there were rumors that the Yankees had offered the job to James Rowson, currently an assistant hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers. Rowson has history with the Yankees, serving six years as the minor league hitting coordinator. He served as MLB hitting coach for the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins following his departure from the Yankees organization. 

Nothing against Rowson, but it seems like an uninspired choice if true. I guess I was (am) expecting more as the replacement for interim hitting coach Sean Casey who elected not to return for family reasons. If Rowson is hired, I will support him. Maybe he can do the job that former hitting coach Dillon Lawson could not. It just seems like the Yankees can get a better option. 

Like bench coach, the Yankees need to make a strong choice for their new hitting coach. These are critical coaching positions that need much improvement over recent seasons.  Coaches who can place the players in the best possible position to win. 

Hiring Rowson because Aaron Judge likes him is not a reason for his hire. Hiring him because he is the best hitting instructor available is. If that is the Yankees’ determination, so be it. The Yankees cannot go into 2024 hitting like the Oakland A’s again. Improvement is expected, improvement is demanded. Yankees, please do not blow this opportunity to get a GREAT hitting coach, whomever that may be.

As always, Go Yankees!

Have Rings, Will Travel...

  

Brian Sabean (Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports)

Yankees hire former Giants GM Brian Sabean as executive advisor…

With the big front office additions of Brian Sabean and Omar Minaya, my first thought was ‘where is the senior advisor for Manager Aaron Boone?’ Oh well, I guess we cannot have everything in life.

When the news broke the Yankees had hired former San Francisco Giants executive Brian Sabean, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. I remember when he worked for the Yankees and was disappointed when he left the team in 1993 to join the San Francisco Giants. The feeling was not much unlike how I felt when former Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin left my favorite NFL team to join the Pittsburgh Steelers as their head coach. It was clear when these guys were leaving, an excessive abundance of talent was walking out of the door.  It shows we can become attached to front office executives and coaches the same way as we do our teams’ players. Especially when they are good, extremely good, at their jobs.

Sabean, 66, becomes executive advisor to GM Brian Cashman. Sabean originally joined the Yankees in 1985, working in pro scouting. His rise to director of scouting and later vice president of player development was successful in helping to build the groundwork for the late 1990s Yankees dynasty through the drafting of Bernie Williams and the Core Four (Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte).

Sabean left the Yankees in 1993 to join the Giants as assistant to the GM and vice president of scouting/player personnel. He became senior vice president of player personnel in 1995. In 1996, Sabean was promoted to general manager, a position he held for nineteen years. Under his watch, the Giants won World Series championships in 2010, 2012 and 2014. After 2015, Sabean moved up to executive vice president of baseball operations. The Giants hired former Athletics/Dodgers executive Farhan Zaidi in 2018 as president of baseball operations and Sabean was moved an executive vice president position, focusing on strategic initiatives and evaluation. 

Sabean’s role became less significant as the years went by, and seeking a job with greater importance, he let his contract with the Giants expire on October 31^st. I was pleased that Sabean reached out to the Yankees, even if the East Coast was as much of an influence as the Yankees, to motivate the call. For personal reasons, Sabean wanted to be closer to family and will work from the Yankees’ facilities in Tampa, Florida. Regardless of the reasons, I am glad he is back in the organization. It will be fun to watch how his role evolves as he gains greater influence in the front office. For the naysayers of Brian Cashman, Brian Sabean is a brilliant hire, which, in my opinion, helps Cashman immensely. 

Gene Michael may be deceased, but his influence over Sabean lives on. Stick was a good, sorry, great teacher, and as they say, the apple does not fall far from the tree. 

In October, if you had told me that Aaron Judge would be playing for a team in 2023 that employs Brian Sabean, I would have been quite disappointed. Three months later, it is a beautiful thing. 

Yanks Add Omar Minaya

My excitement about Omar Minaya may not be on the same level as it is for Brian Sabean, but I think the addition is just as significant. Minaya was not successful as general manager for the New York Mets (at least in my opinion), but let’s get real, his bosses were the Wilpons. I am not going to crucify Minaya, who grew up in Queens, for working with one of the worst ownership groups in recent memory. 

The Yankees hired Minaya, 64, as senior advisor to baseball operations. Like Sabean, Minaya will report directly to Brian Cashman. The former Montreal Expos and New York Mets general manager most recently served Major League Baseball as a consultant for amateur scouting initiatives, a position he had held since last February. When he was named Montreal’s GM in 2002, he became the first Hispanic to hold the general manager position in Major League Baseball.

It was interesting that Minaya mentioned a failed trade in 2018 that would have sent then Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler to the Bronx and his role in nixing the trade. Too bad they were not able to work that one out. I have always liked Wheeler and he has only gotten better with the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Minaya has over thirty years’ experience in scouting and baseball operations. In addition to his time with the Expos and Mets, he has worked for the Texas Rangers and the San Diego Padres plus several stints with MLB.

Willie Randolph has been around the Yankees more frequently the last couple of years, including an appearance at Aaron Judge’s recent press conference. Minaya was the Mets GM who fired Randolph as the team’s manager in 2008, a move that has been heavily criticized for how it was handled. Hopefully the years have mended any potential rifts between the two men. I am hopeful Minaya’s presence does not keep Willie away. 

Omar Minaya & Willie Randolph (Photo Credit: Sarasota Herald-Tribune)

Presumably, Minaya will be New York-based. He worked remotely from his home in New Jersey for the Mets. Hopefully there will be no Jason Bay-like acquisitions in our future.

I like the blend of old school baseball knowledge with modern analytics. The Yankees continue to improve in every area of the organization, and it can only help to enhance the product on the field. Now, if we could only find a quality left fielder.

All Quiet on the Eastern Front

No player news for the Yankees this week despite the endless search for a new left fielder by the Yankees’ fanbase.

Multiple teams have expressed interest in coveted outfielder Brian Reynolds. The Pirates continue to ask for a King’s Ransom for Reynolds. Although Reynolds has demanded a trade, baseball experts continue to speculate that the Pirates will not trade him before the season starts. Their lowball contract extension offers to Reynolds do not inspire confidence they will be able to retain him, so it seems like the best course of action for the Pirates is to trade him if they truly want to improve their club for the long-term. 

I have given up hope the Yankees will acquire him. I am tired of seeing the endless tweets about him. If it happens, it happens. If not, c’est la vie. 

My fear is the Yankees open the season with Aaron Hicks slotted for left field. Yet, I hold out hope something will change between now and Spring Training. The Yankees paid heavily for both Harrison Bader and Andrew Benintendi last year because of the lack of confidence in Hicks. Nothing has changed in my mind. Hicks does not inspire confidence anymore, and he continues a downward trend without hope for improvement. The certainties of life…death, taxes, and Aaron Hicks to the Injured List. Best case scenario is his removal from the roster, one way or another.  I am not going to crucify the front office…yet. They know the team’s weaknesses better than any of us, and they just hired two high-powered executives who can get the job done. I will reserve judgment for the Yankees’ offseason success until the team prepares to depart Tampa for Yankee Stadium in late March.  Bottom line, there is still time to improve.

The Yankees did lose one player this week. Reliever Junior Fernández, who had been designated for assignment in December, was claimed by the division rival Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees had claimed Fernández in November from the Pirates, and he had appeared to be a potential reclamation project. Unfortunately, the Yankees needed roster space for Aaron Judge, Carlos Rodón, and Tommy Kahnle. Hopefully Fernández does not find success in Toronto, assuming he stays on their 40-man roster this offseason, at least not against the Yankees. 

When the Arizona Diamondbacks designated pitcher Taylor Widener, a former Yankees prospect, for assignment recently, I thought the Yankees might take a flyer to see if they can fix the once promising player. Widener cleared waivers and was sent outright to Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate in Reno, Nevada.

The Yankees did add a few outfielders on minor league deals last month. Former Dodgers/Rangers prospect Willie Calhoun gets an invitation to Spring Training. He spent last season in the Giants organization. No doubt Brian Sabean has an opinion about him. Former Yankees prospect Billy McKinney also returns to the organization although he seems more like Triple A depth. Former Cubs outfielder Rafael Ortega also gets the spring invitation. Calhoun might be the biggest name; Ortega appears to be the most promising…at least as a fourth outfielder type. 

Rafael Ortega (Photo Credit: USA TODAY)

Trevor Bauer is free

The Los Angeles Dodgers released a statement yesterday that Bauer will no longer be part of their organization. The Bauer camp issued a conflicting statement that he had been told he was in the team’s plans which the club has refuted.

Any team can now sign Bauer for the Major League minimum of $720,000 and the Dodgers are on the hook for the balance of his 2023 contract. He is due approximately $22.5 million in the final year of his deal with the Dodgers.

My position is unchanged. I do not want Trevor Bauer on the New York Yankees. I do not care that you can get the pitcher for pennies on the dollar. He is not a good clubhouse fit, and I firmly believe in team chemistry. I am sure the Dodgers did not make their decision lightly. By cutting Bauer, they run the risk he takes his arm to San Diego to battle against them.

There are rumors he could end up with the Tampa Bay Rays. His price (minimum wage) is certainly within their budget.  So be it. Let him be their problem, not ours. 

I get that he was never convicted, but he did receive baseball’s longest suspension. Character matters, and Bauer is the wrong kind of character. 

Carlos Correa, anyone?

As negotiations continue between the Mets and Carlos Correa, his old team, the Minnesota Twins, have entered the fray, perhaps with the thought they can secure the return of their starting shortstop for another short term, high annual value contract. With two teams taking exception to giving Correa an extended contract after reviewing the medicals, I certainly would not want to see the Yankees throw a seven- or eight-year contract at him. 

Carlos Correa (Photo Credit: Raj Mehta/USA TODAY Sports)

Yet, if you can get him for one or two years, why not? It is only money. I doubt the Yankees do it since it would inflate their already high payroll. It is frustrating that so much salary is dedicated to underperformers like Josh Donaldson and Aaron Hicks. Six million dollars for Isiah Kiner-Falefa also seems unreasonable for a guy who should not be starting on our favorite team. I would love for the Yankees to clear salary space to bring in Correa on a short-term deal. If the Twins can do it, so can the Yankees. Last year, the Twins were able to add Correa because they were able to move Donaldson. Maybe Brian Cashman can find sucker for Donaldson like the Twins did last year. 

Damar Hamlin

Continued thoughts and prayers to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin for a full recovery. The World is a better place with you in it.

Damar Hamlin (Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel/USA TODAY Sports)

As always, Go Yankees!

The History Of The Yankees Captains

There have been 14 players named the team captain in the Highlanders/Yankees history. Some Yankees/Highlanders players are listed as captains but the first to be officially recognized as the Yankees captain was Hal Chase in 1910. Three of the first four Yankees "captains" were not officially recognized as Yankees captains but I have included them as well with the 11 official captains in our history.

Let's take a look at the complete list now.

(P) Clark Griffith 

Spent 1891-1914 as a Yankees player

Spent 1903-1905 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Kid Elberfeld 

Spent 1898-1914 as a Yankees player

Spent 1906-1909 as a Yankees captain

(1B) Hal Chase #1

Spent 1905-1919 as a Yankees player

Spent 1910-1912 as a Yankees captain

(1B) Frank Chance 

Spent 1898-1914 as a Yankees player

Spent 1913 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Roger Peckinpaugh #2 

Spent 1910-1927 as a Yankees player

Spent 1914-1921 as a Yankees captain

(OF) Babe Ruth #3

Spent 1914-1935 as a Yankees player

Spent 1922 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Everett Scott #4

Spent 1914-1926 as a Yankees player

Spent 1922-1925 as a Yankees captain

(1B) Lou Gehrig #5

Spent 1923-1939 as a Yankees player

Spent 1935-1939 as a Yankees captain

(C) Thurman Munson #6

Spent 1969-1979 as a Yankees player

Spent 1976-1979 as a Yankees captain

(3B) Graig Nettles #7

Spent 1967-1988 as a Yankees player

Spent 1982-1984 as a Yankees captain

(2B) Willie Randolph #8

Spent 1975-1992 as a Yankees player

Spent 1986-1988 as a Yankees co-captain

(P) Ron Guidry #9

Spent 1975-1988 as a Yankees player

Spent 1986-1988 as a Yankees co-captain

(1B) Don Mattingly #10

Spent 1982-1995 as a Yankees player

Spent 1991-1995 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Derek Jeter #11

Spent 1995-2014 as a Yankees player

Spent 2003- 2014 as a Yankees captain

Four Yankees captains have been elected into the Hall of Fame, and obviously it will be five when Derek Jeter is eligible, including Clark Griffith, Frank Chance, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig. It is really amazing to think that players like Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto, or Catfsh Hunter to name a few have never been named a Yankees captain. It is also interesting to point out that Babe Ruth has only been a captain for a single season in 1922. George Steinbrenner kind of watered down the whole prestige behind being the Yankees captain, in my opinion, when he handed the honor out six times in his tenure as Yankees owner but Derek Jeter did his best to make the best of the situation and bring the prestige back to the most honored spot in all of baseball, the captain of the New York Yankees.

The History Of The Yankees Captains

There have been 14 players named the team captain in the Highlanders/Yankees history. Some Yankees/Highlanders players are listed as captains but the first to be officially recognized as the Yankees captain was Hal Chase in 1910. Three of the first four Yankees "captains" were not officially recognized as Yankees captains but I have included them as well with the 11 official captains in our history.

Let's take a look at the complete list now.

(P) Clark Griffith 

Spent 1891-1914 as a Yankees player

Spent 1903-1905 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Kid Elberfeld 

Spent 1898-1914 as a Yankees player

Spent 1906-1909 as a Yankees captain

(1B) Hal Chase #1

Spent 1905-1919 as a Yankees player

Spent 1910-1912 as a Yankees captain

(1B) Frank Chance 

Spent 1898-1914 as a Yankees player

Spent 1913 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Roger Peckinpaugh #2 

Spent 1910-1927 as a Yankees player

Spent 1914-1921 as a Yankees captain

(OF) Babe Ruth #3

Spent 1914-1935 as a Yankees player

Spent 1922 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Everett Scott #4

Spent 1914-1926 as a Yankees player

Spent 1922-1925 as a Yankees captain

(1B) Lou Gehrig #5

Spent 1923-1939 as a Yankees player

Spent 1935-1939 as a Yankees captain

(C) Thurman Munson #6

Spent 1969-1979 as a Yankees player

Spent 1976-1979 as a Yankees captain

(3B) Graig Nettles #7

Spent 1967-1988 as a Yankees player

Spent 1982-1984 as a Yankees captain

(2B) Willie Randolph #8

Spent 1975-1992 as a Yankees player

Spent 1986-1988 as a Yankees co-captain

(P) Ron Guidry #9

Spent 1975-1988 as a Yankees player

Spent 1986-1988 as a Yankees co-captain

(1B) Don Mattingly #10

Spent 1982-1995 as a Yankees player

Spent 1991-1995 as a Yankees captain

(SS) Derek Jeter #11

Spent 1995-2014 as a Yankees player

Spent 2003- 2014 as a Yankees captain

Four Yankees captains have been elected into the Hall of Fame, and obviously it will be five when Derek Jeter is eligible, including Clark Griffith, Frank Chance, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig. It is really amazing to think that players like Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto, or Catfsh Hunter to name a few have never been named a Yankees captain. It is also interesting to point out that Babe Ruth has only been a captain for a single season in 1922. George Steinbrenner kind of watered down the whole prestige behind being the Yankees captain, in my opinion, when he handed the honor out six times in his tenure as Yankees owner but Derek Jeter did his best to make the best of the situation and bring the prestige back to the most honored spot in all of baseball, the captain of the New York Yankees.