‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in the Yankees Universe…

Continuing to hear (frozen) crickets at Yankee Stadium…

We’ve made it into the New Year, but it’s still as quiet as a mouse in the Yankees Universe.

I cannot say that I have any bold predictions for the coming year. While I firmly agree that Michael Fulmer would be a substantial upgrade in the starting rotation, I feel that he is cost-prohibitive. Allegedly, the Yankees made an offer in December that included Clint Frazier, Tyler Wade, Thairo Estrada and a couple of minor league pitchers. One of the pitchers was assumed to be Chance Adams. The Tigers did not feel that package was sufficient for Fulmer. Many speculate that it would take the inclusion of Gleyber Torres to motivate the Tigers to make a deal. Sorry, that’s not happening. With no offense to Fulmer, the Yankees should not hand over the farm system to the Tigers to bring the young ace to the Bronx.  

During the Winter Meetings, Tigers GM Al Avila made the following analogy: “Let’s say you have an asset. Your house. And somebody likes it. You don’t have it for sale. But if somebody says, ‘Man, I really like your house’ and they keep pursuing you about your house, at some point, you might end up selling it.” With no motivation to sell, the Tigers can afford to demand overpayment for their “house”. They would expect a return that gives them significant pieces that would make them “a much better organization going forward”. In my opinion, the cost is too great and until the Tigers are motivated to make a deal, it is in the best interests of the Yankees to pass.

Like many, I feel that the infield represents a greater need than starting pitching. I like the suggestion of Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs. But to make a move, the Cubs would want help for their starting rotation which means that any deal would start with Jordan Montgomery and other top pitching prospects in the Yankees organization. Happ can play multiple positions and has power, but he’s exactly the versatile kind of guy that Cubs manager Joe Maddon loves. Like the Tigers, the Cubs would have to be blown away to make a deal. If the Yankees could find a reasonable package that makes sense for both teams, I’d be in favor of a deal. However, I suspect the Cubs want more, much more.  

My not-so-bold prediction is that we will not see either Fulmer nor Happ in pinstripes anytime soon.

Giancarlo Stanton is going to find out that playing for the New York Yankees will bring media scrutiny like he’s never seen before. Yesterday’s headlines were blazing that Stanton spent New Year’s Eve surrounded by 30 women at famed Miami nightclub, LIV at Fontainebleau. The media immediately singled out Brazilian model Mariana Santana as an object of Stanton’s attention although a Stanton rep quickly dismissed it, saying “The story isn’t accurate. He said he’s not dating her and they were not at LIV together.” The days of living under the radar as a Miami Marlin are over.  

Credit:  Seth Browarnik, startraksphoto.com

ESPN is apparently targeting Alex Rodriguez to replace Aaron Boone as a member of its Sunday Night Baseball team. It would be a great move by ESPN if they can pull it off, but Fox Sports would be foolish to let A-Rod get away. If A-Rod keeps this up, he’ll soon be the highest paid guy in his second career, just like he was during his first career.  

When Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre manager Al Pedrique left to join the coaching staff for the Oakland A’s, I wondered who would take over as the leader for the young Baby Bombers. The question has been answered as Double A Trenton Thunder manager Bobby Mitchell, the 2017 Eastern League Manager of the Year, has been elevated to the top minor league managerial position for the Yankees. High A Tampa Yankees (now the Tarpons) manager Jay Bell will take over for Mitchell with the Thunder. We wish both men the very best in their  new roles as they help usher the next generation of Baby Bombers into the Bronx.  

Did David Cone really turn 55 this week? How did that happen?…

Mike Mussina seems to be moving up slightly in the Hall of Fame voting. The latest results, with 37.5% of known ballots (according to Hall of Fame tracker Ryan Thibodaux), show that Moose has crept up to 73.0% (leaving him two percentage points shy of the minimum required for induction. I really hope the momentum continues to push Mussina upward to carry him past the minimum threshold. Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, and Vlad Guerrero appear to be locks with greater than 90% of the known votes. Edgar Martinez and Trevor Hoffman are also in good position. As it stands, this should be a record-breaking number of inductees. With no disrespect to the others, Moose is the only one that matters to me. The others certainly deserve their place in Cooperstown but the 2018 Class will not feel complete, to me, unless it features the guy from Montoursville, PA.  

Credit:  Sabo, NY Daily News

Maybe we’ll actually hear some Yankees news today. Maybe not. We’ll see what the day brings. Go Yankees!

Daniel Burch’s Bold Predictions for the 2018 Season

I have to admit, and a bit of an ICYMI here, when I read Bryan Van Dusen’s bold predictions for the 2018 season here on the blog I immediately thought about potentially doing a similar post of my own. When I read the article and then the subsequent comments about how Bryan was “high on shoe polish” or whatever the exact terminology was I, for one, laughed because who says that? And two, I then decided I wanted to do one of my own, so I could see what kind of “your trade proposal sucks” comments I could get myself. So here we go, my bold predictions for the 2018 season.

As it has been stated basically everywhere on the Yankees blogosphere and on Twitter, the New York Yankees need either a second baseman or a third baseman. The free agent market is dry and/or too expensive for the Yankees blood as they try to remain under the $197 million luxury tax threshold (according to reports the team is sitting at $178 million after the CC Sabathia signing that could pay him an additional $2 million leaving the total payroll for the Yankees at $180 million) so it looks like the only realistic option for the Yankees going forward is the trade market. Enter Ninja Cashman, as Bryan Van Dusen and many others call him.

While I like a deal that could potentially add Michael Fulmer to the stable of young Yankees pitchers I feel like the Tigers don’t have a reason to HAVE to trade him, thus making him really expensive. Fulmer could easily bridge the gap during the Tigers rebuild and would have immense value for the team going forward, plus I would rather get this whole infield situation rectified first before I add a sixth starting pitcher anyway. With that said I can see Brian Cashman calling up his old buddy Theo Epstein in Chicago and swinging a deal with him. Who would the Yankees be acquiring? Both Javier Baez and Ian Happ are young, cheap, controllable, versatile and could conceivably be grabbed if the Yankees sweeten the pot enough. The Cubs need bullpen help, especially in the closing department, and the Yankees have a few options including Dellin Betances and David Robertson. Giving up one of these two pitchers, preferably Robertson because of salary, and a prospect that is MLB ready or close or two like Billy McKinney or Jake Cave and a Domingo Acevedo (basically anyone but Clint Frazier or Estevan Florial at this point) could likely get one of these two infielders in the fold for New York.

Yes, I am well aware that the Cubs are high on Happ and I am also aware that the team plans on having Happ play center field as soon as next season, but one must also consider the fact that the Cubs still have Albert Amora Jr. waiting in the wings, Jason Heyward on the books and Bryce Harper in their line of site for the 2019 season. Happ played five different positions in 2017 while hitting 24 home runs at just age 23. Yes, Happ strikes out a lot. Aaron Judge does too and so does Giancarlo Stanton. In the era of sabermetrics and advanced metrics though a strikeout counts almost the same as a 400 foot fly out to center field inside Yankee Stadium, you can deal with those. Plus, Happ is left-handed which would be a great compliment to the aforementioned Stanton and Judge who are both right-handed along with fellow slugger Gary Sanchez.

Happ plays second and the Yankees stopgap at third base until Gleyber Torres is ready and his service calendar is delayed a season, the infield is set. The bench is set with Tyler Wade, Austin Romine or Alex Avila (remember we saved money by trading away David Robertson), Clint Frazier and Tyler Austin. I know what you’re asking, where is Jacoby Ellsbury? I am also eating his salary, up to about two-thirds of his salary, and I am also sending him to the San Francisco Giants but not along with Jordan Montgomery. That, I have to agree with “little p” patrick, is crazy talk. We are eating the salary, or we are sending a good prospect or MLB-proven player, not both. Bryan, himself, showed us that Ellsbury can still be useful and valuable so I don’t see a need in sending a proven player along with him. If the Giants want another player or two that most of us probably have never heard of, fine. Sweeten the pot and take the chance, but you don’t give them Montgomery and you don’t give them anyone who has a chance of making the team during the 2018 season in my opinion. Maybe send a couple of those fringe players that the team was unsure of adding to the 40-man roster for Rule 5 Draft protection, the who is not as important as the fact that Ellsbury and at least all but $7-10 million of his salary annually is gone while Frazier is still on the team.

The Yankees have plenty of arms to survive the loss of Robertson and to survive the season until either Chance Adams or Justus Sheffield or ready, or until the July 31^st trading deadline arrives. Whichever comes first. If a need arises before-hand then you adjust just like any other team filling the slot with Chad Green or Adam Warren who are both coming to camp as starting pitchers, although likely to end up in the bullpen when all is said and done, and Opening Day is upon us. With the luxury tax threshold a real thing and the plan to get under it finally coming to fruition for the Yankees the time to “get greedy” has come and passed. The team has to be smart and they need to assess what is a want, like a sixth starting pitcher, and what is a need, an infielder and maybe a bullpen arm if my trade happens.

So what exactly is my boldest prediction of all? In a world where every wants the Yankees to go crazy, get greedy and acquire someone like a Michael Fulmer, Gerrit Cole or Patrick Corbin I am just sitting here expecting the five pitchers currently on the roster to be the starting five on Opening Day. Save some money and some ammo, i.e. prospects, for the trade deadline and get more for your buck. I expect, and boldly predict, the Yankees heavy lifting to be done aside from an infielder. Here’s to hoping Ian Happ or bust in the Bronx.

What are your bold predictions for the 2018 season?

Bold Predictions Leading To Opening Day

If you'd told me a year ago that the Yankees would go all the way to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series I would have said something like "aw, that's cute" followed by a giggle and sarcastic smile. But not only did that happen, here we are looking at a team that may be the odd's on favorite to win the 2018 World Series.

Even after trading for Giancarlo Stanton (just in case you don't remember, or because I want to write it out again, Stanton's the reigning National League Most Valuable Player, who also led Major League Baseball in Home Runs and Runs Batted In) the Yankees clearly plan on making a few more moves to improve the team.

So what might those plans be? I don't know, but that's not going to stop me from making a few predictions...

For starters, Gerrit Cole will not be a Yankee.

We've seen it time and time again... there is nothing happening involving any sort of move by the Yankees then, all of a sudden, Twitter lights up with stuff about an impending trade, and a couple of hours later it's all but official. Brian Cashman didn't get the nickname "ninja" for nothing.

The Cole thing has been talked about for months. I suppose it could still be worked out, especially when Jake Arrieta and Yu Darvish are signed, but if anything happens for a starter it will likely come out of left field. Cashman will deal for somebody that we didn't even know was available. And then some Yankees fans will be upset and call the deal "garbage". Why? Because there are always a few Yankees fans that like to crap on everything.

That's not to say the Yankees rotation is set. Sure, they could go with what they have and be just fine. But nobody in Yankees Universe, whether they work for the organization or cheer for it, is going to settle. But this prediction is going to be very difficult, because like I said earlier... "Ninja" Cashman.

I'm going to predict that the Yankees trade for Michael Fulmer.

On August 31st the Tigers traded Justin Upton, their regular left fielder, to the Angels. And I'm about 99.99% sure their regular right fielder last season, JD Martinez, is not going to re-sign with Detroit. That means the Tigers have lost both of their corner outfielders and their only clear starting outfielder for 2018 is "meh" (Mikie Mahtook). I took a peak at their prospect list on MLB.com, and they don't have a single outfield prospect that's played above AA in their top 30.

So I think Clint Frazier would be a very nice fit for Detroit. Add Chance Adams, and another solid prospect or two, and I think a deal will get made.

With that said here are a few more predictions...

1. Jacoby Ellsbury will not be a Yankee on Opening Day. There may not be anything in the works right now, but once a few free agent center fielders start getting signed, some team will step up and be willing to pay Ellsbury between $8 and $10 million a season. Yankees people tend to overvalue their players, but in this case I think Jacoby is undervalued. Just look at Ellsbury's Fangraphs page, where he was worth $12.6 million last year and $16 million the year before. Some team will be happy to pay him upwards of $30 million for the next three years. And I predict that team will be the San Francisco Giants.

Jacoby to the Giants is not exactly a bold prediction, as it's been said there is interest from both San Francisco and Ellsbury, but the fact that Jordan Montgomery (the odd man out of the rotation after the Yanks trade for Fulmer) will be involved is something.

The Giants need pitching, particularly young pitching, so including Montgomery in the deal with Ellsbury is what makes it happen.

I know that trading for Fulmer while trading away Montgomery is kind of strange. I mean, Michael and Jordan are very close in age. However with one more year in MLB, including a better rookie season (Fulmer had an ERA+ of 139 his rookie year, while Jordan's was 116), I think Michael is the better bet. Also, the Giants would be better swayed to deal for Ellsbury if a pitcher with MLB experience like Jordan was involved... rather than somebody like Domingo Acevedo who has yet to make his MLB debut.

2. I've been thinking that the Yankees would forego bringing in somebody to play second or third base, as their internal candidates would be better than any free agent that would take a one year contract for like $10 million, but once I saw Ellsbury getting moved I think there will be money to use at one of the two spots.

I think the Yankees are willing to start Ronald Torreyes at second base until Gleyber Torres is ready (I say by June). However, while Miguel Andujar is a really good prospect, I don't think the Yankees are willing to go into 2018 leaning on Miguel at third. Therefore, using the money saved trading Jacoby Ellsbury (3 years and about $30 million), the Yankees will bring in Todd Frazier to start at third base on Opening Day.

3. New manager Aaron Boone will decide that it's best to swap Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in right field and at designated hitter. Brett Gardner's defense, and solid hitting, means Boone will want to start Gardner in left field regularly. Which means we see one of two lineups regularly... Gardner-Hicks-Judge with Stanton at DH, or Gardner-Hicks-Stanton with Judge at DH.

4. The Yankees, along with most teams, will go with a regular bench of three players. Two of those spots will be filled by guys named Tyler. Tyler Austin will be there to backup first base, third base, and either corner outfield position. And Tyler Wade will be there to backup second base, shortstop, and the entire outfield. Which gives Boone a very versatile bench.

5. That leaves the bench needing a backup catcher. Austin Romine is projected to get a little over a million dollars in arbitration (thanks MLB Trade Rumors!), which may save his job. If he were to make any more money then I could see the Yankees releasing him and giving the backup job to Kyle Higashioka... who is already on the 40-man roster, and would make well under a million dollars as a pre-arbitration player.

I can see the team deciding to save about half a million dollars by going with Higashioka instead or Romine, but something tells me they'll just go with Austin instead.

With that all said, here's my projected Opening Day Active Roster...

Starting Rotation:
1. Luis Severino
2. Masahiro Tanaka
3. Sonny Gray
4. Michael Fulmer
5. CC Sabathia*

Position Starters:
C - Gary Sanchez
1B - Greg Bird
2B - Ronald Torreyes
3B - Todd Frazier
SS - Didi Gregorius
LF - Brett Gardner
CF - Aaron Hicks
RF - Aaron Judge
DH - Giancarlo Stanton

Position Bench:
1B/3B/RF/LF - Tyler Austin
2B/SS/RF/LF/CF - Tyler Wade
C - Austin Romine

Bullpen:
Aroldis Chapman*
David Robertson
Chad Green
Tommy Kahnle
Dellin Betances
Adam Warren
Chasen Shreve*
Jonathan Holder
* - denotes left-handed pitcher

The Year of Pinstripes & Champagne...

Welcome to the New Year, Yankees Family!

2017 and falling one game short of the World Series is a distant memory. We’ve turned the page, and it is time to look onward and upward. To each of you, I wish a most joyous and highly successful New Year, both personally and professionally, and it’s one, for all os us, that I hope consummates in the 28th World Championship for the New York Yankees.

Credit:  Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images

As we head into the New Year, I am not quite sure why the Yu Darvish rumors persist. I don’t have anything against Darvish. I’ve long liked the pitcher, but I don’t see how he fits. The Yankees may like Darvish but it doesn’t mean that they should sign him. Earlier in the off-season, MLB Trade Rumors projected the next Darvish contract at 6 years and $160 million. While prices will begin to drop for the stagnant free agent market, I’d be surprised if Darvish gets anything less than $20 million per year. That figure alone would take the Yankees past the $197 million luxury tax threshold.  

There’s speculation that the Yankees could move Jacoby Ellsbury to make some room, but you and I both know that the Yankees have to pay a huge chunk of that onerous contract to get any team to bite. And, oh yeah, there’s the little issue that you need Ellsbury’s consent too. Even if the Yankees could move Ellsbury and pick up, say, $10 million in annual salary relief, it wouldn’t make sense to sign Darvish as it would leave very little room for experienced quality infield help and potential trading deadline moves.  

So, let’s kill any talk of Yu Darvish. There’s no chance he’ll show up in Pinstripes.

Same for the Gerrit Cole rumors. The Pittsburgh Pirates know what the Yankees are willing to offer and there has been no deal. The Yankees are not going to sweeten the pot beyond the rumored names. Those talks appear to be dead and I do not see any chance of resuscitation.  

At this point, starting pitching is not really a need. Sure, there are questions about the rotation but name a team that doesn’t have questions with at least one starter. The odd man out if the Yankees were to acquire another starting pitcher would be Jordan Montgomery. To me, the only real reason that you’d make a trade is if you have the belief that this is the year the UCL tear in Masahiro Tanaka’s elbow will finally require Tommy John surgery. CC Sabathia surely won’t make all of his 2018 starts but with guys like Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield and Albert Abreu waiting in the wings, there is hope and promise on the horizon. While I’d hate to lose Chad Green out of the bullpen, the Yankees have told him to come to Spring Training as a starter. So, when in need of spot starts, Green and Adam Warren are more than capable of the challenge.  

The Yankees can reassess their starting pitching needs in July and make decisions accordingly.  No Cole. No Darvish. Let’s move on.

I remain very hopeful the Yankees can move Jacoby Ellsbury (please!). The real question is how much of the contract the Yankees have to absorb to make it happen and how much prospect talent they need to include. In reality, no team will make a trade for Ellsbury as long as the free agent market continues to offer guys like Lorenzo Cain, Carlos Gomez, and Austin Jackson. Ellsbury may be better than all except for Cain, but it will take an environment of desperation for teams in need of a quality centerfielder to act on a possible Ellsbury trade. 

If the Yankees believe strongly that Miguel Andujar can be the answer at third base, they should make a lower level free agent signing for someone like Eduardo Nunez to ease the transition. I’ve said that I wouldn’t want rookies on both sides of Didi Gregorius but the  Yankees have Tyler Wade and Ronald Torreyes to hold down second until Gleyber Torres is ready. Realistically, the Yankees will start Torres at Triple A for at least 20 service days to push his free agency back a year. That’s a move that they have to make for the long-term best interests of the organization. While Wade/Torreyes man second base, it would be helpful to have a veteran covering third or at least provide support for Andujar.

With pitchers and catchers scheduled to report to Tampa by February 13th, there’s not really much left to be done for GM Brian Cashman. With the holiday season behind us, the coming weeks will be about finding value and bargains. I still expect the addition of a veteran third baseman but nothing major. I am resigned to the fact that we won’t see the return of the Toddfather nor will we be celebrating Moose Tacos in the Bronx. Nevertheless, I am confident that whomever runs out to third base at the start of the game at 3:37 pm EDT on Thursday, March 29th at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada will be the right decision.

Here is the MLB Network’s projected Yankees lineup:

Brett Gardner, LF

Aaron Judge, RF

Giancarlo Stanton, DH

Greg Bird, 1B

Gary Sanchez, C

Didi Gregorius, SS

Aaron Hicks, CF

Miguel Andujar, 3B

Ronald Torreyes, 2B

Personally, I kind of like putting Bird between Judge and Stanton to break up the righties, but that’s for Aaron Boone to decide, not me. The above lineup, with or without experienced help at third, is very solid…particularly once the Gleyber Show arrives.  

Credit:  Andrew Savulich, New York Daily News

It’s going to be a great New Year in the Bronx! I am excited and look forward to the upcoming season, and hold strong dreams of a victorious October.  Let’s stain those Pinstripes with the Bubbly!

Before I end this post, I’d like to say thank you to Daniel Burch and Bryan Van Dusen for their leadership and vision with The Greedy Pinstripes. Following the blog, you know 2017 was a tough year for Daniel yet he delivered from beginning to end. The man needs to make no apologies and he has shown that 2018 will be his best year yet.  

Go Yankees!

My 2018 IBWAA Hall of Fame Vote

As We Say Goodbye to 2017 I Do So w/ a Bittersweet Temperament

Good afternoon, good morning or good evening depending on where you are reading this, and when. Either you're reading this in 2017 or you are one of the first to be reading it in 2018, either way I thank you for your continued support of not only myself personally but the blog as well. I am not going to lie, and I am not going to turn this into one of those cliche "eff 2017" posts either so don't worry, 2017 was a tough year. It had its ups, and when I say ups I mean the most awesome of ups, but it also had its downs just like any year.

2017 was a hard year for me but I don't want that to be mistaken as me looking for a pity party or as me complaining. To be 100% honest I would not change a thing in 2017 because I fear the butterfly effect and changing one thing could potentially take me away from the healthy and fulfilling life that I will be sharing with you all and have shared with you here in 2017.

As you may or may not have seen in my George Steinbrenner and the Ghosts of Yankees Past Part IV post I shared that last year I went through a separation. While many tell me I'm sorry I can only say that I am not. Sometimes two people are good people but just bad for each other and that was just definitely the case. I am much more secure in myself now and I am much more happier now that I have met, fallen in love with and moved in with my sweet, sweet and absolutely beautiful Kari. She was the first person I spoke to when 2017 struck at midnight, albeit on the phone only in a message as she FELL ASLEEP ON ME AND SLEPT RIGHT THROUGH IT. I'm not bitter, do I sound bitter? LOL, I'm really not but I felt like some comedic relief was needed here. I digress.

Throughout the year I had "life" thrown at me at every turn. I went through like four or five cars this year which was a constant struggle and a constant stress on me but that has finally calmed down and settled down, hopefully. Work sucks, work has gotten worse than it has ever been and work seemingly cares less and less as the work just piles on. "Do it or you know where the door is" kind of mentality, but you know what? I'm thankful I have a job, I am thankful my bills are paid and I am thankful that I have the means and ability to continue to speak to you all on a daily, or as often as possible kind of basis.

So yeah, in my personal life 2017 some would say "sucked." I am not one of those people though. Life happens. It was hard but Kari was there by my side, my kids are healthy and we have grown closer than we ever did, which is weird considering that I went from seeing them 365 days a year and 24 hours a day to just two weeks out of the month. I don't take the things for granted that I used to and I am so very appreciative and grateful for the things I have, and the things that Kari and I continue to build together. She saved me ladies and gentleman, she is my genuine hero.

The Yankees did well in 2017 as well which only helped getting just one win away from the World Series. While that was disappointing to some I just saw it as a learning experience and an experience that left room to grow. I loved it and I look forward to the 2018 calendar year and season.

I love you all and I thank you for your continued support, fandom, viewership, friendship and love. I appreciate each and every one of you individually and as a whole. Remember, if you think your 2017 sucked... you may be surprised if you sit down and think of all the blessings you had this year and add them up in one column while you put the "shit" in the other column. I know I was and that is why I have this newfound optimistic look out for 2018. Close the door on 2017, but make sure you at least learned something from it.

And I want to give a very special shout out to everyone on this blog, the writers and the readers. I can't do it alone. Without you this blog is just me whining and crying and suggesting crap all day long and that would get old reading just one man's opinion.

And of course a very special shout out to anyone I have given my heart to along the way. Kari Ann Burch (soon enough), Evan Burch, Hayden Burch, Jacob Taunton and Brianna Taunton. I love you all with all my heart and soul and you are the reason for me being the man that I am today. Stay well, stay safe and we will talk again in 2018 because rest assured, I still have a lot of fight left in me and I still have a whole lot more to say. Stay tuned and be well.

Daniel Burch

And Now We Wait...

Credit:  Kevin Hagen, for The Wall Street Journal

The Dawn of a New Year…

The expiration date for 2017 is rapidly approaching. Soon, we’ll flip the calendar to 2018 and await the arrival of the latest Bronx Bombers in Yankee Stadium.  

As expected, the end of the year has been very quiet for the Yankees after their acquisition of slugger Giancarlo Stanton earlier this month. Gerrit Cole is still in Pittsburgh and Yu Darvish remains on his free agent tour.

In the words of both Yankees GM Brian Cashman and President Randy Levine, there is still work to be done. At this point, we’ll see what January brings. Honestly, I am tired of the Gerrit Cole rumors and wish the Yankees would end the speculation by saying there will be no deal. Same for the Darvish rumors. The Yankees are not going to sign him. I feel badly for guys like Clint Frazier who continue to twist in the wind wondering what the new year will bring for them and where they should report for Spring Training…Tampa, Florida or about 45 miles south via I-275 to Bradenton or some unknown destination.

With no deal in place for free agent slugger J.D. Martinez, the Boston Red Sox are starting to show up in rumors for a possible trade with the Baltimore Orioles to acquire Manny Machado. While you’d think the same intra-division challenge would face the Red Sox as it does the Yankees, Orioles GM Dan Duquette is a former Red Sox general manager and he used to work with current Red Sox President Dave Dombrowski years ago in the Montreal Expos organization. I’d really hate to see Machado go to Boston. Of course, the rumors could be Red Sox-originated to apply pressure on Martinez who appears to have limited options in the stagnant free agent market.  

One year after signing the most lucrative contract in history for a MLB reliever, Aroldis Chapman’s annual salary has been eclipsed by former Chicago Cubs closer Wade Davis. While the contract signed by Davis with the Colorado Rockies is only for three years, the average annual salary is $17.33 million whereas Chapman only makes a paltry $17.2 million. Chapman still holds the mark for most total contract compensation but it’s crazy how much relievers have been getting this off-season. The Rockies are using the Yankees formula of building a super bullpen (they previously signed Cleveland Indians reliever Bryan Shaw and re-signed their own Jake McGee to join holdovers Adam Ottovino, Chris Rusin and Mike Dunn). If unsuccessful, they should be able to trade relievers for a stable of quality prospects. 

For the San Diego Padres, what’s old is new again. After re-acquiring their former third baseman, Chase Headley, they’ve re-signed two former starting pitchers, Tyson Ross and Chris Young. Maybe free agents Andrew Cashner, Alexi Amarista, and Cameron Maybin should check in with Padres GM A.J. Preller.

Congratulations to Yankees GM Brian Cashman for being named as Baseball America’s 2017 MLB Executive of the Year!

Credit:  Reinhold Matay, NY Post

I felt bad for Yankees manager Aaron Boone yesterday. His beloved USC Trojans lost the Cotton Bowl to the Ohio State Buckeyes, 24-7, in Dallas, Texas. As an Iowa Hawkeyes fan, I have no love for the Buckeyes so I was disappointed to see Boonie’s team lose.  Hopefully, 2018 will be much more victorious for Boone’s “favorite” teams.

Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports Network reported yesterday that Giancarlo Stanton’s decision to join the Yankees will cost him an additional $29 million in taxes on the balance due for his contract if he decides to live in one of the five boroughs of New York. That’s a huge financial commitment on Stanton’s part to join the young and hungry Yankees. He can lessen his tax burden by living in New Jersey, but c’mon, if you are 28 and single, you gotta live in the City!

I am not a New Year’s Resolution kind of guy so I’ll leave it to others. Pete Caldera, staff writer for NorthJersey.com, has offered his 2018 New Year’s resolutions for the Yankees. It is worth checking out.  I think he nailed it.  

Not that I want to promote other sites, but Bronx Pinstripes ran a great story on Justus Sheffield and his path to Pinstripes yesterday that’s worth the time to read. I was already excited about Sheffield’s potential and this only fires me up more. I love Cody Carroll’s quote that Sheffield is “like a closer that starts”. Some guys have great stuff and some guys are just winners. Sheffield is a combination of both.  Excellent work by BP's Dom Muccilo.

I don’t know about you, but I am very anxious to see Tampa's Steinbrenner Field humming. Baseball can’t get back soon enough. Happy New Year to Everyone! It’s going to be a fantastic year for the Yankees and their fans…

Go Yankees! 

Is Total Domination by the Yankees Asking Too Much?...

The Yankees, most likely, have made their final moves for 2017… 

Granted, we only have a couple of days left but it’s been all quiet in the Yankees Universe.  Rumors continue to swirl and the Yankees are always linked to, seemingly, everybody.  

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported today that the Yankees continue to eye free agent pitcher Yu Darvish. Regardless of the cost, that one makes no sense to me. The money it would take to sign Darvish would erode the remaining dollars under the luxury tax threshold of $197 million. There’s no way that Darvish will settle for $5-$10 million in annual compensation at this point in his career when he should command more. The pitcher needs to rebuild value after his disastrous World Series performances for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but at the end of the day, teams look at his body of work and not a couple of ill-fated starts with accusations that he was tipping his pitches.  

Credit:  Associated Press

Yesterday, TGP’s Bryan Van Dusen made the argument that the Yankees should stand pat with their starting pitching staff. To a degree, I concur but ultimately GM Brian Cashman is on record saying the Yankees want to acquire another starting pitcher. There are questions about every starter in the Yankees rotation and Cash obviously has more information and insight into each pitcher that we are not privy to. So, from my perspective, while I may believe another starter is not necessary, the powers-that-be feel otherwise so our opinion is irrelevant.  

I don’t really want to give up Clint Frazier, Chance Adams, and/or Miguel Andujar in a trade for Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole. I am a little frustrated that Frazier’s current predicament is a direct result of an outfield glut hurt by the presence of Jacoby Ellsbury and his massive contract. In a perfect world, I’d trade away both Ellsbury and Brett Gardner to make way for the younger guys. I want to see room made for Frazier but equally I’d like to see Billy McKinney and Jake Cave get opportunities. McKinney can hit and he showed last year why he was once a top draft pick.  

I am a fan of Chance Adams but the presence of Justus Sheffield and Albert Abreu give me comfort the Yankees have other young viable starters on the immediate horizon.  

I recognize that not every Yankees prospect has a future in Pinstripes. There is great value in prospects as trading chips for contending teams. I am prepared for a trade for a proven Major League starting pitcher. I may not like it, but it is the cost of doing business for a team that is prepared to win NOW. I am not sure who will be the fifth starter for the Boston Red Sox at the start of the upcoming season since Edwin Rodriguez is recovering from knee surgery (Steven Wright perhaps?) but the Red Sox still have arguably the best staff in the division with a front four featuring Chris Sale, David Price, Drew Pomeranz, and Rick Porcello. The Toronto Blue Jays are probably not too far behind with Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ, Marco Estrada and Joe Biagini. Admittedly, both of those teams have injury concerns. With the Red Sox, it is David Price who has struggled both mentally and physically in Boston. For Toronto, it is Aaron Sanchez who missed most of last year with right middle finger issues. Sanchez is the latest example of a young starter who threw a career high in innings pitched the preceding year, only to follow up with an injury plagued season. I am not saying that Luis Severino is going to get hurt but he did pitch a career high with innings pitched last year including the play-offs. Many experts have forecasted some regression in his 2018 performance. If either Boston or Toronto are able to overcome their injury concerns, they will be very formidable. If the Red Sox add a power bat like J.D. Martinez, they’ll be tough to beat. So, if Brian Cashman feels that we need to add starting pitching, I am not going to argue with him.

For what it is worth, Bob Klapisch is currently reporting that the Yankees are “nowhere” on a possible deal for Gerrit Cole and have never been close in talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates. As Klapisch tweeted today: “NYY rotation is set for now”.

My biggest concern heading into 2018 is second and third base. I am 'all in' for making Gleyber Torres the starting second baseman or going with Tyler Wade/Ronald Torreyes to start until Torres is ready. Third base troubles me the most. I am not convinced that Miguel Andujar is ready (offensively, yes, but I feel that his defensive skills are lacking). I prefer Torreyes as the utility player and not in a dedicated starting position so he is not really who I want at third base day in and day out.  

I’d love to see the return of Todd Frazier but I am not optimistic at all. Everyone talks about the Yankees signing Manny Machado after the 2018 season as a free agent, but I really feel that if the Chicago Cubs or St Louis Cardinals make the investment to acquire Machado this off-season (which could very well happen), they’ll make very strong efforts to sign Machado to a new deal. It is easy to say the Yankees should just sign Frazier or Mike Moustakas to a one-year deal, but in reality, the market will dictate otherwise. The Yankees need a hedge for 2019 if Machado (or someone like Josh Donaldson) is not an option. I’d be a proponent for a two-year deal for Frazier. I really like what he brings to the team with his play and attitude. It is infectious. He may not hit for average, but he’ll give you some bombs and will play a great third base. Plus, he’ll keep the clubhouse loose in the pressurized New York environment.  Trade him next year if the team is successful in signing Machado. But regardless of my preferences, I’d like to see the Yankees get experienced help at third base to ease the transition we’ll face at second. Poor Didi Gregorius if he has to play with rookies on both sides.  

Credit:  Seth Wenig, AP

All indications are that 2017 will end quietly for the New York Yankees. We’ll soon see what 2018 has in store for everybody’s favorite team.  Exciting times in the Bronx.

Go Yankees!

Some Quick Thoughts...

As the Yankees are currently constructed I don't think they need to do anything else in order to enter the 2018 season as World Series championship contenders.

The starting rotation consists of five good pitchers...

1. Luis Severino finished third in the American League Cy Young voting last year, showing that he's at worst a good starter, and at best he's one of the top hurlers in the league.
2. Masahiro Tanaka is coming off his worst season, however he still won 13 games and actually had a sub-4.00 ERA since the beginning of August.
3. Sonny Gray bounced back from an injury-riddled 2016 to have a very good 2017 season (now if only we can give him some run support...geesh!).
4. Jordan Montgomery finished 6th in AL Rookie of the Year voting, and despite only winning nine games I only see two or three in which the Yankees didn't have a chance to win the game when he was removed.
5. CC Sabathia's career has been rejuvenated since the middle of the 2015 season, when he finally learned that he's no longer a power pitcher and transitioned into a smarter pitcher.

And the starting position players look great as well...

Catcher - Gary Sanchez
First Base - Greg Bird
Second Base - ???
Shortstop - Didi Gregorius
Third Base - ???
Left Field - Aaron Judge*
Center Field - Aaron Hicks
Right Field - Brett Gardner
Designated Hitter - Giancarlo Stanton*
* - I believe Judge and Stanton will share regular DH duties, and every once in a while start at the same time in the corner OF positions.

Now, yes, the Yankees need to figure out what to do at second and third base. However, they don't have to go outside the organization in order to fill those spots.

Second base can be handled by Ronald Torreyes until Gleyber Torres, inevitably, takes over there (my guess is Gleyber is called up by June).

And after debuting in the Majors last season, albeit briefly, Miguel Andujar could very well be the team's starting third baseman on Opening Day.

So for those of you out there that are the least bit upset that Brian Cashman hasn't pulled off a trade for somebody like Gerrit Cole or Michael Fulmer, you can relax. Nothing needs to be done, so making a move that isn't an obvious win for the Yankees here is unnecessary. And face it... it's still early in the offseason, and there are a ton of free agent options available.

I don't mean to ignore what I've said about trading Clint Frazier, because I still believe Frazier is expendable to New York. But I don't want Cashman to make a deal involving Clint unless it's a clear win for the Yankees.

For a while I've felt that the Yankees should bring in somebody like Todd Frazier to start at third base, as well as backup first base. However, Tyler Austin can help should Greg Bird get hurt or simply need a day off here and there.

The big issue I see in signing somebody like Todd Frazier is the length of the deal. The Yankees would be better off only signing a guy for one year, but it'll be hard to get somebody good on just a one year deal. But keep in mind that if they got a "so-so" third baseman, and he didn't work out, the Yankees could just start Andujar there instead.

At that point Miguel would get more MLB experience, thus making him a hotter commodity as trade bait in the offseason, because at that point I see the Yankees going hard after Manny Machado.

By the way... pass on Bryce Harper. As great as he is, I see no point in having another huge contract on the books. Giancarlo may not opt-out, and Machado would be better suited for the Yankees due to what they need.

Besides, if the Yankees are going to add another big contract to the books next offseason, I'd like it to be for a starter such as Clayton Kershaw (should he actually leave the Dodgers), Dallas Keuchel, or Patrick Corbin.

*takes a deep breath*

I'm not used to just throwing a bunch of quick thoughts out there. However, I'm sure it's a nice break for you readers who are used to me being a bit long-winded.

Let's Get Back to Baseball at Yankee Stadium...

The Holiday Season Slowdown…

As the final days of 2017 burn away, there’s not much happening in the Yankees Universe…at the moment. Granted, this has been one of the quieter off-seasons for all MLB teams with so many unsigned free agents. I know, we already got our shiny new toy (Giancarlo Stanton) but there is still work to be done.

Credit:  Stan Grossfield, Boston Globe

The Yankees finally announced the one-year, $10 million deal for CC Sabathia this week. Realistically, I am expecting some regression from Sabathia at this point (it would be hard to replicate last year’s statistics considering he turns 38 in late July), but he means so much to the clubhouse. I always thought Mike Mussina finishing his career with a 20-win season was the best way to go (short of winning a World Series championship). I doubt Sabathia’s knee will allow him the former but he certainly has a shot at the latter. The value of veteran leadership is understated. I don’t think Matt Holliday gets enough credit for his “behind-the-scenes” work with Aaron Judge last season. With new coaches on board, Sabathia brings a wealth of consistency and mentorship that would otherwise be missing. I am not trying to sell the other team veterans short, but Sabathia has been such a leader in the clubhouse and a guy that the team loves. I am glad to see him back in Pinstripes.

Speaking of Mussina, I think it is a travesty that he currently trails Roger Clemens in the Hall of Fame voting. According to MLB Network, with 27.9% of the votes completed, Clemens currently has 71.6% (75% is needed for induction into the Hall of Fame). Mussina trails Clemens by nearly a percentage point (70.7%).  Granted, Clemens has the better stats but he also cheated. Moose played the game cleanly and spent his entire career in the highly charged AL East. I feel that Moose deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame ahead of Clemens. It’s inevitable that Clemens and other Steroid-users like Barry Bonds will eventually make the Hall but I’d prefer that it takes a few more years.

Brendan Kuty of NJ.com is reporting that a reunion between the Yankees and third baseman Todd Frazier is unlikely. With the Sabathia signing, the projected Yankees payroll currently stands at $178 million. Frazier made $12 million in 2017. The Yankees still desire to add a cost-controlled pitcher and need room for trading deadline additions and roster call-ups.  This is where the pain of Jacoby Ellsbury’s contract really hurts. I remain hopeful that the Yankees can move Ellsbury. One writer recently suggested that the Yankees pay all but $15 million still owed to Ellsbury (which equates to nearly $53.5 million including $5 million buyout in 2022). The writer (I do not recall who) correctly stated that Ellsbury, still a good player, should be worth at least $5 million per year for another team. He doesn’t steal as many bases as he used to and he’s always an injury risk whenever he takes the field, but if healthy, he can help a team. Of course it has to be a team that he’d waive his no-trade clause for. I keep watching the San Francisco Giants and hoping their efforts to acquire Cincinnati’s Billy Hamilton fail. An additional $5 million for payroll would certainly help the Yankees achieve their objective of adding another pitcher while bringing in quality veteran talent at third. I remain hopeful the Yankees can find a way to bring Frazier back but the optimism has faded.

While the Yankees are the early favorites to sign 2018 free agent-to-be Manny Machado, there is no certainty that he will sign with the team. As such, I think a two-year offer for Frazier makes sense if the Yankees can find the payroll room to stay under the luxury tax threshold of $197 million. If the Yankees do sign Machado next year, Frazier is still a valuable roster component, especially if he can play more first base during the upcoming season. If the Chicago Cubs or St Louis Cardinals make a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for Machado, there’s a good chance one of those teams could entice Machado to sign a long-term deal. The cost to acquire Machado, even with just one year left on his contract, will be high so any team parting with the level of talent necessary to acquire the premium player will make every attempt to lock up Machado. Pulling the trigger on such a deal would indicate some willingness or optimism on the receiving team’s part that they could sign Machado. There is no guarantee that Miguel Andujar will be successful at the Major League level or defensively-speaking, that he is even ready. With youth at second base (should Gleyber Torres win the job as expected), I feel that it is too risky to have MLB inexperience at third base too for a team with heightened expectations.

More Cash for Cash…

By now, we all know that GM Brian Cashman has received a 5-year extension worth approximately $25 million. Even the most fervent Cashman critics have acknowledged the good job that Cash has done to rebuild the Yankees farm system. If I owned the team, I would re-structure the front office to model the Chicago Cubs arrangement with Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. Under that structure, Cashman would become President, Baseball Operations.  Randy Levine’s title (President) would be realigned to show his status on the business side of Operations. Actually, he wouldn’t have a job if I owned the team, but I guess that’s another matter. With Cashman’s promotion, I would appoint Tim Naehring as Executive Vice President, General Manager. Naehring would get the job since he is currently viewed as Cashman’s right-hand man although an argument could certainly be made for either Jean Afterman or Damon Oppenheimer.  

I hate seeing good people like Billy Eppler and Gary Denbo leave the organization for “better” opportunities and feel that there are ways to reward current Cashman underlings.  

2017 Pinstripe Bowl Champions…

Congratulations to the Iowa Hawkeyes for their 27-20 victory over Boston College in the 2017 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium yesterday. I have been a lifelong fan of the University of Iowa (perhaps even longer than I’ve been a Yankees fan which dates back to my childhood). It was weird seeing a football field placed in the middle of Yankee Stadium, but for my Hawkeyes, it was their first bowl win since 2010. The Hawkeyes finished 8-5 this year, however, it did include a victory over Ohio State which was the highlight of the season for me.  

I can’t really think of a better way to end the year than for one of my favorite teams to win within the confines of the home of my favorite MLB team. Beating Boston was a bonus. Nice job, Hawkeyes!

Credit:  Bryon Houlgrave, The Register

Now that the Hawkeyes have won their bowl game on hallowed grounds, it is time to bring back the baseball diamond to Yankee Stadium. 

I can’t believe the calendar page is getting ready to turn to 2018 but the new year brings great hope and optimism for Yankees fans.  I am ready for training camp. We’re only about a month and a half away before pitchers and catchers report. Tampa will soon be rocking with excitement! Now  batting, Number 27 (sorry, this never gets old)...

Credit:  CBS2

Go Yankees!