On Second Thought Brandon Drury Should Start At 2B

Late in the evening yesterday the New York Yankees acquired infielder/outfielder Brandon Drury from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-team trade that included the Tampa Bay Rays. When the dust settled the Yankees acquired Drury while giving up prospects Nick Solak and Taylor Widener while the Diamondbacks got Steven Souza Jr. The Rays, as always, received prospects back in the deal. Last night I mentioned in my initials thoughts on the trade that Drury would be the Yankees starting third baseman on Opening Day, but now that I have had a night to sleep on it and really give it some thought and research I think I have changed my mind just a bit. I think Drury will be the Yankees starting second baseman on Opening Day 2018, and here’s why.

The New York Yankees have a tough pitching staff, but the pitchers can only do so much. The team needs defense behind their starters for any pitcher to be successful and looking at defensive metrics it just makes sense for Drury to start at second base. Drury has 1,067 innings at second base in his career with a .976 fielding percentage and above average stats in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), although Drury did spend just 620 innings at second base during his minor league career. Despite logging over 3,000 minor league innings at third base Drury has played just 311 Major League innings at the hot corner posting below average defensive metrics. With the need for defense behind their pitchers and defensive metrics on their side it only makes sense that New York would start Drury at second base where he excels, and not third base where he would presumably do no better defensively than Miguel Andujar.

Allowing Drury to man second base gives Miguel Andujar at least two-to-three weeks to prove to the Yankees that he belongs in the Major Leagues and has made strides defensively to stick at third base long term, maybe a bit longer. If Andujar shows the Yankees that he needs a little more time to work on his defense he can easily be sent back down to Triple-A Scranton when Gleyber Torres is deemed ready, especially since Gleyber can play either second base or third base for New York. If Andujar is excelling at the position then he could easily stay there while Torres takes over second base, essentially moving Drury to the bench as a super utility player and possibly forcing Ronald Torreyes off the team and/or the 40-man roster.

The Yankees have tons of versatility and quite a few options now that they have acquired Brandon Drury, a lot more realistic options than they had just a day ago at this time, so there is no rush to make a decision or make a decision based off the future. These decisions need to be made for the now, and in the now it only makes sense for Drury to be your starting second baseman on Opening Day and Miguel Andujar be your starting third baseman when the 2018 season starts.

Booking a Flight from Phoenix to Tampa...

Photo Credit: The Arizona Republic (Michael Chow)

Please, stop with the Judge & Drury jokes…

Yankees fans were waiting for some news but Tuesday’s announcement that the Yankees had acquired 2B/3B Brandon Drury from the Arizona Diamondbacks brought, surprisingly at least to me, mixed reactions.

The news first broke late afternoon that the Yankees had sent 2B prospect Nick Solak to the Tampa Bay Rays. There were a few minutes of no updates so I tried to speculate. I didn’t think Solak alone would be enough to entice the Rays to move starting pitcher Chris Archer so I figured it had to be a middle or corner infielder. The only players that came to mind were infielders Christian Arroyo, acquired in the trade that sent Evan Longoria to San Francisco, and Matt Duffy, also a former Giant. Arroyo would have been a decent option but I didn’t think the Rays would move him so soon since he is the favorite to replace Longoria at third. While starting to worry that a potential trade might involve Duffy, word came that the Yankees had acquired Drury from Arizona, with Solak going to the Rays and reliever Taylor Widener headed to the Desert. The D-Backs acquired Steven Souza Jr from the Rays, while Arizona sent pitcher Anthony Banda and two players to be named later back to the Rays. To make room for Drury, the Yankees designated outfielder Jabari Blash for assignment. Blash, acquired from the San Diego Padres in the salary-dumping deal that sent Chase Headley and Bryan Mitchell to Southern California, seemed like an odd fit from the start with a team full of talented outfielders. 

Personally, I like the move. Nothing against the rookies (Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar) but I’ve felt all along the Yankees would bring in a veteran to help ease the transition for them. Earlier in the off-season, I had hoped that guy would be Todd Frazier but it was not meant to be as the Toddfather ended up in Queens with the Mets as their new third baseman. Many, including this blog, were starting to talk about free agent 2B Neil Walker as a possibility.  

Although Drury played more second base last year (114 games versus only one at third), he is considered a natural third baseman who was blocked by D-Backs starting third baseman Jake Lamb. During his MLB career, the 25-year-old has played 41 games at third so he does have experience. 

Photo Credit: The Arizona Republic (Tom Tingle)

Drury is not arbitration-eligible until next year and under team control for four years. He’ll make no more than $700,000 for the 2018 season. He played 135 games in 2017, hitting 13 home runs and 63 RBI’s. His batting line was .267/.317/.447 with an OPS of .764. He hit 16 dingers in 2016 so he clearly has some pop in that bat.  

The nice thing about Drury is that he won’t block Andujar and/or Torres when they are ready. But he’ll help with the transition and will remove some of the pressure off the younger players. I can see the scenario where both Andujar and Torres start the year at Triple A, with Tyler Wade or Danny Espinosa heading north to the Bronx as the starting second baseman while Drury takes third. But regardless of what happens, we will see both Andujar and Torres in the Bronx this year and at least one (or both) of those guys will be the starter at some point in the not so distant future. I think Torres is closer to the bigs than Andujar but the gap is probably not that great. 

Photo Credit: NorthJersey.com (Chris Pedota)

Eventually, I think the odd man out could be Ronald Torreyes. Drury is incredibly versatile. During his short three season MLB career, he’s played every position except center field, catcher and pitcher. The Grants Pass, OR native is very excited about the opportunity that awaits him. Drury told the New York Post on Tuesday night, “Oh man, I am pumped and can’t wait to get there.  I am thinking about the opportunity I have.  Playing for the New York Yankees is a dream and I have to take advantage of it. I was a Yankee fan (as a kid).”  He is expected to arrive in Tampa today.

I saw free agent Neil Walker as the most obvious choice for veteran help after Frazier signed with the Mets. But Walker’s age (32), and limited experience at third, concerned me. The Yankees have multiple options at second behind Torres.  Tyler Wade, Ronald Torreyes, Danny Espinosa, and Jace Peterson are the most notable. At third, there really wasn’t much standing behind Andujar. Torreyes was probably the most experienced but he’s not an ideal starter. For me, I’d much rather have the youth and upside with Drury who knows how to play third versus an aging middle sacker. Alright, 32 is not old but Walker, at least to me, is starting to show signs of decline with his recurring back problems.  

I will admit that there was a part of me that wanted the Yankees to find a way to sign free agent third baseman Mike Moustakas. I really wanted to see one year of Moose Tacos taking his shots at the short right porch in Yankee Stadium. I loved the idea of mixing his lefty bat into the lineup with fellow lefties Didi Gregorius and Greg Bird to break up the right-handed hitters. But signing Moustakas would have required a trade (most likely either Brett Gardner or David Robertson) if the Yankees are committed to staying under the $197 million luxury tax threshold as we’ve been led to believe. It also would have eliminated the possibility of adding a quality starter to the rotation. There was one Kansas City Royals blog yesterday (before the Drury trade) that pitched a trade idea to acquire Jacoby Ellsbury (along with Miguel Andujar and $27 million in cash) for a Royals prospect as a way to open up salary space for the Yankees to add Moustakas.  No idea if Ellsbury would consider waiving his no-trade clause for that idea but the Royals do train in Arizona and he would have to clear path to the starting center field job since last year's starter, Lorenzo Cain, recently signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.

I know, every time the issue of trading for or signing a free agent starting pitcher is mentioned, many of you get defensive. Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Sonny Gray, CC Sabathia, and Jordan Montgomery represent a quality staff, I know. But, I am concerned about the depth. At this point, we simply do not know if Chance Adams is ready and capable for the Major Leagues. We think he is but we don’t really know for sure until he takes the mound at Yankee Stadium. Justus Sheffield is perhaps the best arm in the system but he’s never played above Double A. At the moment, neither Adams nor Sheffield are on the 40-man roster. I like Luis Cessa but he does not excite me as a starter. We’ve been down that road enough to tell me that I don’t want to pin replacement rotation hopes on Cessa. I certainly would not want to pull Chad Green from his valuable bullpen role to start. I’d prefer to add a quality starter and push Montgomery to Triple A for a few starts. Even adding a starter, Monty is almost certain to get more than 20 starts for the big league team this year. I like Monty as the insurance card so much better than Cessa. Later in the year, perhaps Adams or even Sheffield can become options. The likelihood that all of the starters remain healthy this year is slim. The Yankees are in position to add either Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn now if the price is right or wait until the trading deadline to add reinforcements. Options, I love options.  

Photo Credit: St Louis Post-Dispatch (Chris Lee) 

At the end of the day, the Drury trade simply shows us that GM Brian Cashman has a plan (as if we needed to be reminded). He is not going to overpay and is not afraid to walk away from “his” guy if necessary. But, he will be diligent to ensure that the moves he does make will improve the team. He understands that the stakes now are as high as they’ve been during his 20-year career as the team's GM. He has a very talented Major League team, backed by a tremendously strong farm system. Rare is the organization that has that deadly combination.

The Yankees chief rival significantly improved themselves over the weekend when the Boston Red Sox signed free agent slugger J.D. Martinez (Drury’s former teammate). The Red Sox Nation were back to puffing out their chests this week after a winter of feeling inferior. So, I really like the timing of the “we’re not done” message that Cashman sent out to American League competitors. Going back to TV/Radio personality Casey Stern’s words, “Prospects are cool, parades are cooler”. Brian Cashman is not done nor should we expect him to be. He has his sights set on the 28th World Championship in franchise history. Trust the Master.

Go Yankees!

BREAKING: Yankees Acquire Brandon Drury in Three-Team Trade

The New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks pulled off a three-team trade tonight that will send outfielder Steven Souza from the Rays to the Diamondbacks, infielder Brandon Drury to the Yankees from the Diamondbacks and prospects to the Rays from both Arizona and New York.

Yankees Receive: 

Brandon Drury


Yankees Trade: 

Nick Solak to the Rays
Taylor Widener to the Diamondbacks



Rays Receive: 

Nick Solak from Yankees
LHP Anthony Banda from Arizona
Two players to be named later from Arizona


Rays Trade:

Steven Souza to the Diamondbacks




Arizona Trades:

Brandon Drury to New York


Arizona Receives: 

Steven Souza from Tampa Bay
Taylor Widener from New York



Taylor Widener was last season in Class-A Advanced ball last season tossing 119.1 innings pitched over 27 starts with a 3.39 ERA. Widener was starting to open some eyes inside the Yankees system finally after succumbing to injuries in the past including a ulnar transposition surgery back in 2015 but the loss of an A-Ball pitcher for a versatile infielder/outfielder like Drury is a no-brainer in my opinion.  Widener could turn into a middle-of-the-rotation type starter, but he has yet to prove in his professional career that he can handle the workload of a starting pitcher.

Drury will likely be the team's starting second or third baseman on Opening Day, I am leaning towards the latter more than the former to be completely honest. If anything else, and possibly later on in the season, Drury could become a super utility player for Aaron Boone and company while keeping the likes of Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar fresh and ready to go day in and day out. Drury hit .267/.317/.447 with 13 home runs last season and heads to New York with four more years of team control and a pre-arbitration salary, both of which the Yankees coveted this offseason more than ever. Drury has over 1000 innings at second base at the Major League level as well as over 300 innings at third base, his likely starting point on Opening Day 2018.

Jacoby Ellsbury, His No-Trade Clause and Terrible Journalism

I feel a bit of rant coming on, you have been warned.

Remember back around Christmas when many writers and bloggers were reporting that Jacoby Ellsbury would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to a few teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Francisco Giants? I would link that original article written by Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports by conveniently and coincidentally that article is now nowhere to be found on the web. Interesting, huh? Not for me, but I don’t believe in coincidence and I definitely don’t think it was convenient that the post just disappeared, especially after Ellsbury himself said that he was never approached by the New York Yankees or asked about waiving his no trade clause.

Come on, Jon. I know the offseason was a slow one and you have to justify your position at Fan Rag Sports because that’s what you do to make a living, but you’re making all the writers and journalist out there look bad when you downright lie, and then downright cover up your lie by making the article simply disappear. Just because you used the word “might” and other vague terminologies doesn’t mean you’re reporting anything, it means you’re baiting for clicks and you’re lying. It is journalism like this that made me even want to get into writing. On the other side of the equation though it is journalism like this that makes me want to just throw my hands up and quit as well.

This is why I don’t care if I ever get big, famous, well known, or anything like that. I’d rather be the king of the trailer park then the servant in a mansion, and I like doing things my own way. I don’t want to have to force or create content, and I never have, and I never will. I want to do things the right way, and I want to do things my way. Period, end of discussion.

If there are any publications out there looking for a writer who tells it like it is, does things differently than everyone else, and wants to actually make a difference in journalism… let me know. Until then, please stop emailing me asking me to write for this site and that site. The day I leave or write for another website not named The Greedy Pinstripes is the day I feel like I can be the change I wish to see in the world. Gandhi. Thanks for listening.

Welcome to Spring Training 2018...

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Kim Klement)

Now arriving at Steinbrenner Field…everybody!  

Today is the full reporting date for the New York Yankees with the arrival of all remaining position players. It’s an exciting day for the Yankees Universe as the Pinstripers begin preparations for what hopefully will lead to the 28th World Championship for MLB’s most storied franchise and our favorite team.

Even though the Yankees were not in the news, it was a very active Saturday night around Major League Baseball last evening. 

The evening started with news that the Tampa Bay Rays had acquired first baseman/DH C.J. Cron from the Los Angeles Angels. The Cron move, from the Angels perspective, makes sense.  Shohei Otani is expected to take DH time away from Albert Pujols, which will force Pujols to play more first base than he did last year (143 games at DH, 6 games at first). Luis Valbuena has the ability to handle both infield corners, whereas Cron was strictly 1B/DH, making the latter the more expendable of the two. I honestly do not understand the move from the Rays perspective. They have a need at first base given that Lucas Duda and Logan Morrison, last year’s first basemen, are both currently free agents and not expected to re-sign with the Rays. But to make room for Cron, they designated outfielder Corey Dickerson, the Rays’ sole representative on last year’s AL All-Star team, for assignment.  Dickerson hit .282 last season with 27 home runs and 62 RBI’s (carrying a respectable .815 OPS). The Rays either have a specific trade in mind or they know they have good trade alternatives to consider for Dickerson who will never see the waiver wire.  

The Rays weren’t finished. They followed the Cron trade by sending starter Jake Odorizzi to the Minnesota Twins for shortstop Jermaine Palacios. While I did not want a fly ball pitcher like Odorizzi pitching for the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, I was surprised by the low cost for Minnesota to acquire the pitcher. Zack Littell, one of the prospects that the Yankees sent to the Twins in last year’s head-scratching trade for Jaime Garcia, is rated significantly higher among prospects in the Twins organization than Palacios. Good move by the Twins, but apparently, Tampa Bay Rays GM Erik Neander was drunk-dialing his friends last night. His first words this morning probably were, “OMG, I did what?”  Maybe Yankees GM Brian Cashman should have called Neander last night to ask about Chris Archer.

The evening was capped by the long-awaited and much-anticipated free agent signing of first baseman Eric Hosmer by the San Diego Padres. Hosmer joins the now bearded former Yankee Chase Headley in lovely San Diego.  Hosmer’s deal has two components. 5 years guaranteed for $105 million, with an opt-in for an additional 3 years and $39 million after 2022. Agent Scott Boras ensured that the contract was front-loaded for his client in what has been a very stagnant free agent market. The Hosmer signing has ramifications for several other players.  Hosmer was viewed as a potential fall-back for the Boston Red Sox if they are unsuccessful in their stare-down with free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez. The move also increases the likelihood Mike Moustakas re-signs with the Kansas City Royals. The Royals preferred Hosmer over Moustakas but now that Hosmer is off the table, the Royals will most likely attempt to bring back Moose Tacos, eliminating any thoughts that the third baseman might accept a one year pillow contract with the Yankees.  

It’s only been a few days but I am very impressed with how Gleyber Torres has handled himself this spring. He’s so young (21) but he shows maturity beyond his years. He has made a very strong effort to converse in English which is never an easy thing to do. Most of us raised with English as our primary language struggle with it. Torres wants to make the Opening Day roster but he has stated he would understand if he has to go to the minors to start the season.  His words, from what I’ve seen, are team-oriented and not selfish like some players. He is my favorite to be the Yankees starting second baseman, either on Opening Day or within a few weeks after the season has started. Even though the Yankees have publicly stated that service time will not be a consideration, I am convinced the Yankees, given a choice, would wait to start Gleyber’s service time clock to delay free agency by a year. He is an exciting player and once he grabs second base, he’ll be a long-term fixture in the Bronx.  

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

It may be inevitable that Manny Machado and the Yankees join forces after the season, but I have reservations. Manny will head into the season as Baltimore’s starting shortstop, his preferred position, and is making comments that he expects to player there for a very long time. According to Machado, “This is where my heart has always been, this is what I’ve wanted to do.  This is what I’ve always wanted to do. This what I came into this world to do — to play shortstop at the big league level. Finally, Buck and the Baltimore organization are giving me the opportunity to go out there and do what I can at that position and show myself. That’s been my dream all along. I’m really looking forward to it.” Machado added, “Once I do it this year, it’s not something that’s just switching off. I’m making the transition. Hopefully, I want to stay there and continue doing it. This is where my heart has always been. Finally getting an opportunity to do it for a full season. I’m looking forward to it, and hopefully I can continue playing [shortstop] for a long time.” I’ve seen comments say the Yankees would/should move Didi Gregorius to third base to accommodate Machado. I am sorry but that’s not a price I think the Yankees should pay. Didi has earned the right to be the team’s starting shortstop. He’s such a team guy that I am sure he’d make the move if asked, but why should he? I like Machado but there are other options. I really hope that Miguel Andujar grabs third base this year and runs with it, eliminating the need for Machado. The plan for next offseason should not be ‘Machado or Bust’ unless he recognizes that the only path to the Bronx is and should be third base. Andujar has the ability to make this entire issue moot.

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Jonathan Daniel)

Here are the number assignments for the Yankees coaching staff (thanks to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com):

17-Aaron Boone, Manager

59-Josh Bard, Bench Coach

60-Mike Harkey, Bullpen Coach

64-Carlos Mendoza, Infield Coordinator/Quality Control Coach

53-Phil Nevin, Third Base Coach

63-P.J. Pilittere, Assistant Hitting Coach

58-Larry Rothschild, Pitching Coach

62-Marcus Thames, Hitting Coach

50-Reggie Willits, First Base Coach/Outfield Instructor

It’s going to be fun to watch the coming days at Steinbrenner Field. Granted, it will be a disappointment if this year’s team falls short of its quest for a World Championship, but the ride is going to be magnificent. Welcome Yankees, one and all!  Let’s get to work.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Go Yankees!

Getting the Band Back Together Again...

Photo Credit: NJ Advance Media for NJ.com (John Munson)

The Dawn of the 2018 Yankees…

The nice, lovable Baby Bombers are gone. The famed rock star New York Yankees, the Evil Empire…the most hated team in MLB, are back and ready to dominate Baseball in 2018. Justin Verlander can talk all he wants about how the Houston Astros are the team to beat, but the Yankees are here to change the October outcome.  

I wrote about it yesterday but it’s worth more keystrokes on my computer. Giancarlo Stanton. I had not heard when Stanton would report to Tampa so it was a mild surprise when he showed up yesterday. Judging by the media reception, everyone was unanimously excited about appearance of the Yankees’ newest slugger at Steinbrenner Field.  

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

It would have been fun to watch as Stanton made his way into the clubhouse to meet his new teammates and coaches. He got a jumpstart over the Winter with his dinner in Los Angeles with Manager Aaron Boone and of course he was in New York during the Baseball Writers Association of America dinner recently when he sat next to Aaron Judge. Now, he gets the opportunity to meet everyone, including all those who support the Yankees behind-the-scenes. There’s no question it will be a media event when Stanton takes his first swings of the Spring at Steinbrenner Field.  

Reading the various comments in Tampa offer some insight into how Stanton will handle playing in baseball’s largest market. Aaron Boone said, “I think he’s welcoming the expectations and the largeness of what he is walking into. He understands that when he first takes the field in a couple of days, the attention is going to be huge, the scrutiny is going to be huge, and I think that’s something he’s prepared for the best he can.”

Lefty reliever Wade LeBlanc, in camp with the Yankees on a minor league contract, played with Stanton in Miami during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. LeBlanc remembers how level-headed Stanton was and offered, “I think that’s a quality you have to have in New York to handle the media and be okay with standing in front of them when you didn’t play well.”  LeBlanc did say, “He’s never seen a tenth of this media before.”

New York is not for everyone but Stanton seems well prepared for the journey ahead. His personality and superior playing ability will soon make him a fan favorite if he’s not already there.  Stanton talks about how this will be fun. Fun is infectious because it’s going to be fun for the fans too.  

The greedy side of me wishes that the Yankees had added a “Stanton” to the starting rotation, but there’s time. No pressure to make a trade today when the availability of sellers will be much stronger in July. There’s always a possibility of a free agent signing (Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn) as long as those guys are on the market but it’s unlikely they’ll play for the Yankees given the payroll constraints to stay under the luxury tax threshold. I am intrigued about Chance Adams and what he can do in the Major League Camp this year. Although many words have been written by others speculating that Adams will eventually head for the bullpen, the guy has surpassed expectations at every level of his baseball playing career. He deserves the opportunity to make his case for starting at the MLB level and I, for one, will not doubt his potential for success. My primary hope is that he does it in a Yankees uniform and not pitching for some other team as part of a package to bring a more established starter to New York. I remember being excited about the potential of a young Al Leiter, only to watch him achieve great success for the (then) Florida Marlins and the New York Mets. That wasn’t fun as a Yankees fan.  I hope the same fate does not await Adams. Granted, it might be good for him, but not so good for us.

There was another surprise in camp yesterday but not quite so pleasnt when it was announced that infield prospect Thairo Estrada had been shot in the hip at the end of January in Venezuela during a failed robbery attempt. The bullet remains in Estrada’s hip but it is not expected to impede his recovery and ability to play. He may be doing upper body workouts but you’d have to believe that this removes his name from consideration for the starting job at second base. He was a long shot anyway, having only played at the Double A level, but hopefully he continues to be one of the greatest prospects for an organization overflowing with great prospects. I am very glad that he is doing fine, considering how much worse this could have turned out.  

Yankees pitching prospect Albert Abreu is also in recovery following his emergency appendectomy on February 7th. It’s a setback but he should be back on the field soon and should not miss much of the season. He’ll be one of the most interesting Pinstriped arms to watch in the Minor Leagues this year.

Clint Frazier is in camp, sporting a shorter haircut and showing good maturity as he talks about the importance of being part of the team. He feels that he should be in the mix for center field with Aaron Hicks and Jacoby Ellsbury and intends to force his way onto the roster. Sadly, I think he’s destined for Triple A as long as Ellsbury is on the roster and will only make it to the Bronx in the event of an outfield injury. I keep hoping that the Yankees find a way to move Ellsbury to create the opportunity for Red Thunder but the realist in me know that we’re stuck with Ellsbury for the long haul.   

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

Not that I really want to talk about the Mets on this blog, but I thought was funny when new Mets third baseman Todd Frazier said that he was bad with names and would just call everyone “Big Dog”. It drew a response from Noah Syndergaard who said that he thought he was Frazier’s special Big Dog.  Frazier is already making a difference in the Mets clubhouse. I miss that guy.

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Kathy Willens)

Today is the last “free” day for position players. Tomorrow is reporting day and the entire contingent of Yankees pitchers and position players, including non-roster invitees, will be present and accounted for at Steinbrenner Field. Time to get to work. They’re ready and so am I.

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Reinhold Matay)

Go Yankees!

Wishing We Were at Steinbrenner Field...

Photo Credit: New York Post (Charles Wenzelberg)

It's Stanton Time...

It is hard to believe (still) but Giancarlo Stanton is close to taking the field as a member of the New York Yankees. I've enjoyed seeing the early camp photos of Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius, Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar, Greg Bird and other position players ahead of Sunday's reporting deadline, but clearly, the appearance I've been waiting for the most is the arrival of Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton.

Photo Credit: Patrick Hennessy, via Twitter @TrueHennessy

Stanton indicated that he arrived early to take everything in and adjust to the time zone since he's a "West Coast Guy". Regardless of his reasons, I am ready to see him on the field with his new teammates sooner rather than later.  

Based on his words, Stanton understands the goal in the Bronx. Per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com on the expectation of winning, Stanton said "It's huge. I've never been able to experience that at this level. This is a level I've worked toward my whole life and never been able to experience that, so I'm really excited for that aspect." Yes, we are too.  Hoch went on to say Stanton added there is curiosity about how many homers he and Judge can hit, but "We can't worry about expectations when the main goal is to win. If our expectations help us win, then it doesn't really matter what the numbers are." But c'mon, all of us want to see massive numbers between these two. Triple-digit homers traveling many, many miles will be just fine. 

Good times in the Yankees Universe!

Other Spring Notes...

Now that pitchers and catchers have reported to all camps, we're starting to see movement in the free agent market.  

In moves that indirectly impact the Yankees, the Boston Red Sox re-signed infielder Eduardo Nunez (pending a physical) and the Toronto Blue Jays signed lefty Jaime Garcia. Nunez might have been a nice cog to use for support in transitioning the rookies at second and third, but he's not a great defender and seems somewhat injury prone so it was no loss to the Yankees in my opinion. I never heard any interest with the Yankees bringing back Garcia but no doubt I would have preferred him in a spot start over Luis Cessa. While Garcia is an average starter at best, I'm sure he'll throw a no-hitter against the Yankees now. Seriously, I wish him well in Toronto but I am okay with the Yankees decision to let him go. The only negative is the loss of the pitching prospects that the Yankees sent to the Minnesota Twins (Zack Littell and Dietrich Enns) last year for Garcia. I liked the work Littell had done in the minor leagues last year prior to the trade.  

At this point, the only veteran free agent infielder that appeals to me is Neil Walker. I'd love for Mike Moustakas to sign a one-year "pillow" contract but realistically it is not going to happen. The Yankees are committed to keeping payroll under the $197 million threshold and I think the loss of $1 million in international bonus pool money represents a bigger detriment to the Yankees than the loss of the second and fifth round draft picks. Last month, Baseball America named the Yankees as one of three teams favored to sign  soon-to-be free agent outfielder Julio Pablo Martinez from Cuba. If the Yankees truly have interest in Martinez, they won't sacrifice international bonus pool money for a one year of Moustakas. The Yankees have limited space available for the current 2017-18 signing period so they'd be looking at July 2nd for the next signing period once Martinez is declared a free agent by MLB. The only way the Yankees could justify losing the draft picks and the international bonus pool money would be a long-term contract for Moose Tacos and that's simply not going to happen as we await the eventual expected landing of Manny Machado in the Bronx.

We are just one week away from the first Spring game. The Yankees open the Grapefruit League schedule with a 1:05 pm EST matchup at Steinbrenner Field next Friday against their "fight opponent" from last July, the Detroit Tigers. No doubt that the players will be much calmer than their last meeting and the managers involved are long gone. Boonie, please be sure to hand Giancarlo a bat next Friday. We need some action photos of the big guy going deep in Yankees gear.  I am tired of these Marlins pics...

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Drew Hallowell)

My thoughts for Opening Day Starting Pitcher

Last year, we knew almost immediately when training camp began who would get the Opening Day pitching assignment. New manager, new coaching staff, and a down year from the 2016 staff ace leave the decision a little more up in the air this year.  

Photo Credit: Getty Images (Tom Szczerbowski)

Let's break down the candidates:

Luis Severino

The unquestioned (and surprising) leader of the 2017 Yankees Rotation. Sevy shared the team lead of 14 wins with CC Sabathia (he had a 14-6 record with 2.98 ERA in 31 games started covering 193 1/3 innings pitched).  Severino also struck out 230 batters. He finished third in the AL Cy Young voting behind Corey Kluber and Chris Sale. If the decision is based solely on stats, Sevy is your man.

Masahiro Tanaka

The "recognized" staff ace had an uncharacteristic 2017 compared to prior seasons. His record was 13-12 with 4.74 ERA, however, he finished the year strong and was 2-1 with 0.90 ERA in the post-season against the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros. His body of work for his four-year Yankees career (52-28, 3.56 ERA, 668 1/3 innings pitched, 30 starts) attests to his stature and continued rank as a leader of the staff. Personally, I feel that we'll see a more normalized Tanaka in 2018, pitching closer to his pre-2017 numbers.  

CC Sabathia

Okay, if we go solely on the basis of the body of work, Sabathia is the clear and undisputed leader as the most tenured member of the pitching staff. 120-73 in nine years as a New York Yankee, with a 3.75 ERA in 1,657 2/3 innings pitched. In 2017, CC was 14-5 with 3.69 ERA in 27 games started (148 2/3 innings pitched). If the decision for Opening Day starter is Lifetime Achievement Award, Sabathia is the choice. This is probably a sentimental choice as it could be Sabathia's final year in Pinstripes depending upon how the season goes.  

Sonny Gray

While it is possible that Gray may someday be an Opening Day starter for the Yankees, this is not the year. Sonny appeared in only 11 games for the games following the trading deadline deal that brought him to New York last year. He was 4-7 with 3.72 ERA over 65 1/3 innings. Granted, he didn't get much run support but he also did not help his own cause as he pitched better in Oakland than he did in the Bronx. Gray's goal for this year will be to set himself up Opening Day in a future season.

Jordan Montgomery

He was just a rookie.  No offense to Monty but he is the fifth starter until proven otherwise. He finished 8-7 with 4.07 ERA in 29 games started over 155 1/3 innings pitched. He did an admirable job as the fifth starter; much better than Luis Severino did the year before.  

This is a tough decision. I think that any of the top three (Severino, Tanaka and Sabathia) would make an excellent choice for Opening Day starter. Severino is probably viewed the current staff ace by most, but Tanaka has put up good numbers collectively over the past four years. Sabathia would be a wonderful choice to recognize how much the man has meant to the Yankees. For me, I'd probably go with Severino as the future face (or ace, however you want to look at it) of the rotation but with all sincerity none of the three would be a bad choice in my humble opinion.

Go Yankees! 

New York Yankees 2018 Grapefruit League Schedule

Friday, 2/23 – 1:05 pm ET

Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees

Saturday, 2/24 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Pittsburgh Pirates

Sunday, 2/25 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies

Monday, 2/26 – 6:35 pm ET

Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees

Tuesday, 2/27 – 1:07 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Toronto Blue Jays

Wednesday, 2/28 – 1:05 pm ET

Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees

Thursday, 3/1 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Philadelphia Phillies

Friday, 3/2 – 1:05 pm ET

Atlanta Braves @ New York Yankees

Saturday, 3/3 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox

Sunday, 3/4 – 1:05 pm ET

Tampa Bay Rays @ New York Yankees

Tuesday, 3/6 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers

Wednesday, 3/7 – 1:10 pm ET

New York Yankees @ New York Mets

Thursday, 3/8 – 1:05 pm ET

Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Yankees

Friday, 3/9 – 6:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Atlanta Braves

Saturday, 3/10 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Mets @ New York Yankees

Sunday, 3/11 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Miami Marlins

Monday, 3/12 – 6:35 pm ET

Minnesota Twins @ New York Yankees

Tuesday, 3/13 – 1:05 pm ET

Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees

Wednesday, 3/14 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles

Thursday, 3/15 – 1:05 pm ET

Pittsburgh Pirates @ New York Yankees

Friday, 3/16 – 6:36 pm ET

Houston Astros @ New York Yankees

Saturday, 3/17 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers

Sunday, 3/18 – 1:05 pm ET

Miami Marlins @ New York Yankees

Monday, 3/19 – 6:35 pm ET

Tampa Bay Rays @ New York Yankees

Tuesday, 3/20 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers

Wednesday, 3/21 – 6:35 pm ET

Baltimore Orioles @ New York Yankees

Thursday, 3/22 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Minnesota Twins

Friday, 3/23 – 1:05 pm ET

Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees

Saturday, 3/24 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees (SS) @ Atlanta Braves

Toronto Blue Jays @ New York Yankees (SS)

Sunday, 3/25 – 1:05 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays

Monday, 3/26 – 7:35 pm ET

New York Yankees @ Atlanta Braves

My Thoughts on Pitchers & Catchers Day 2018

Good afternoon Yankees family, and a big welcome back to Major League Baseball. I missed you all. Today pitchers and catchers reported to George M. Steinbrenner Field and to spring training camps all across the south as baseball officially returned to us all today, and not a moment too soon. What a winter, huh? While the winter looked like it could be a fun one at first with the acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton the market has seemingly come to a screeching halt leaving many big-name free agents still without a job as spring camps open up today. Who would have thought on February 13^th that JD Martinez, Jake Arrieta and Eric Hosmer would still be looking for work? Who would have thought that Mike Moustakas would be without a hot corner to man at this point in the winter? If anyone raises their hand to either of these questions I would have zero issue with questioning your honesty and credibility as a person. It has been a weird offseason, and I hope it doesn’t lead to that “S” word that everyone has been throwing around lately.

While many Yankees fans clamored for the addition of a starting pitcher before the season I have to say that I am happy with the current state of the Yankees starting rotation. Last season the Yankees had a wonderful staff that not only kept the team in a lot of ball games but won a lot of ball games for them as well. This team was one win away from the 2017 World Series with a down season by Masahiro Tanaka, a rookie starter in Jordan Montgomery pitching for the entire season without his best pitch and with an ace from the Oakland Athletics for half a season that couldn’t buy run support if he had all the money in the world. All three of these scenarios should at the very minimum remain the same, if not improve here in 2018. Could Luis Severino take a step back? Sure. Could CC Sabathia finally let father time catch up to him? Also, sure. The thing about this team is that they have the replacements and the ammo to acquire the replacements they need to make a deep run into the 2018 postseason and beyond. The pitching is the least of my worries, especially considering the strength and depth of the Yankees bullpen.

The Yankees bullpen, at least on paper, is possibly the deepest and best bullpens in all of Major League Baseball history. Write that down, because I mean it. Relief pitching can be suspect from year-to-year with the exception of closers, who seemingly always remain consistent, which is why I feel confident that the Yankees bullpen can live up to the back of their baseball cards once again in 2018. Aroldis Chapman is the team’s closer and behind him is a slew of other former closers or pitchers with at least some closing experience including Adam Warren, David Robertson, Dellin Betances, Chad Green and Tommy Kahnle. The bullpen will be able to take four-to-five innings a night a few times a week and completely shut down games when the starters aren’t at their best, a luxury that a lot of other teams simply don’t have.

The offense will be stellar and powerful, especially with full and healthy seasons from Greg Bird and company. This is why I don’t worry about the lack of experience the team currently employs at second and third base. The team has the pieces in place both offensively and defensively to live with and be patient with the growing pains of having a rookie on your team. No pressure Gleyber (eventually) and no pressure Miguel Andujar, we got this.

I have high hopes for this team, I really do. I am generally always optimistic around this time of the year, even when projections and the articles of “experts” tell me I shouldn’t be. Remember, I had the Yankees making the postseason as a Wild Card team last year when many did not, so ride this wave with me and let’s take home this World Series Championship once and for all. Who is with me? Go Yankees!!!

Happy Whitey Ford-Yogi Berra Day...

Photo Credit: SI.com (Kristyn Ulanday)

Opening the Gates of Steinbrenner Field…

As the saying goes, today is the first day of the rest of your life. Or as I prefer to call it, the first day of the 2018 New York Yankees. Welcome, Pitchers and Catchers! Your host, Aaron Boone, and his staff are eager and ready to serve you. 

I am excited and anxious to hear Boone’s kickoff press conference today at 12:00 pm ET. We’ve heard Boonie talk over the winter but now he’s officially in uniform and ready to lead Baseball’s most storied franchise to the Promised Land. It’ll be cool to get a glimpse inside his mind as he begins his Pinstriped Journey in earnest. Sure, he’s had the conference calls with his coaches and shared text messages, a few rounds of golf or dinner with his players, but today it gets real. It’s a very exciting time in the Yankees Universe. After meeting with the press today, Boone will lead the first official workout tomorrow on Valentine’s Day. Very appropriate given how much we love these Yankees.

My most recent fear was averted yesterday when it was the Texas Rangers (and not that the Yankees) that gave a minor league contract with training camp invite to free agent third baseman Trevor Plouffe. I was starting to get worried that we’d see him in Tampa, but alas, the Rangers saved the day.

There’s still time for new faces to appear but at the moment, the starting rotation returns intact from top to bottom and the leading contenders for second and third bases are Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar, respectively. The next few days will feature many bullpen sessions and we’ll get our first images of the new season. 

I am ready for Yankees baseball.

The Freak is back…

Speaking of reclamation projects, the Yankees will send a scout to watch Tim Lincecum’s showcase in Seattle on Thursday according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Admittedly, when I first heard the 34-year-old was attempting another comeback, I scoffed. Two years ago, he signed a deal with the Los Angeles Angels after providing an open tryout in front of scouts. He failed miserably, going 2-6 with 9.16 ERA in nine games pitched.  His WHIP was an unsightly 2.374. Maybe there’s nothing left, but then again, maybe there is. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images, via Men's Fitness (Joe Robbins, Otto Greule, Jr)

People scoffed at Bartolo Colon when he made a comeback with the Yankees a few years ago, yet he continues to pitch and it is likely he’ll find another Major League contract somewhere this year. I am not saying that Lincecum is Colon, but at one time, Lincecum was a very good pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. I seriously doubt he’ll ever be anything close to that level again but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Why not take a shot? If he shows nothing, you help him pack his bags and send him on his way. He certainly won’t be cost prohibitive at this point in his career. I’d sign him if he shows anything on Thursday. He wouldn’t unseat any current starters in the rotation regardless of how well he throws but he could be a better option as a replacement starter than Luis Cessa if he has anything left. I am sure some team will take a chance on The Freak through a minor league deal to see if he can help.

Stick a fork in him, he’s done…

I am so very disappointed in Rich “Goose” Gossage. At one time, the guy was my favorite player. I loved to watch him come into games throwing heat and shutting down the opposition. It was tough to watch Goose leave the Yankees when he signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Padres in January 1984. Even tougher watching the Padres in the World Series that year, who also featured former Yankee Graig Nettles at third base, even if they lost to the Detroit Tigers. I was excited when he played for a couple of months with the Yankees at the end of the 1989 season despite being in the twilight of his career. I was proud when he was named to MLB’s Hall of Fame in 2008. Unfortunately, his behavior since that time has been anything but professional. 

Last year, he took shots at Hall of Famer-to-be Mariano Rivera, one of my all-time favorite Yankees over the course of my lifetime, which I did not appreciate nor respect. When I heard the Yankees had not extended an invitation to Spring Training for Goose this year, I felt it was the right thing. The Yankees did not need the unwanted attention and distraction for a new manager and coaching staff. Yet, the New York Daily News beat writers had to reach to Goose to get comment about the spurned invitation and he chose to use it as a forum to go off on GM Brian Cashman.  

Frankly, I don’t care if Gossage ever sets foot in Yankee Stadium again.  He comes across as an angry old man to me.  I am tired of his “back in my day” rants. He played in a different era but it doesn’t mean that it was better. The game has changed. Sadly, Gossage has not. There is no place for him with today’s game and no place for him in the Yankees Universe. Let him go play Old Timer’s games with the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s or Seattle Mariners. What? Those teams do not hold their former players in same high regard as the Yankees? Sucks for him. Good riddance…

Rest in peace, facial hair…

We also say goodbye to CC Sabathia’s beard. 

While I personally feel that the Yankees should change the long-standing team policy that prohibits facial hair outside of “porn star” mustaches, it’s too bad that they can’t at least open Spring Training to a relaxed hair policy before the team heads north to put on the famed pinstriped jerseys. Sabathia had a very cool beard this winter, as did a number of other players. It would be nice to see them with a tougher look, if only for the exhibition games at Steinbrenner Field. Some guys, like Jordan Montgomery, could seriously stand an edgier look instead of the choir boy approach.  I know, the hair policy will never change. The Steinbrenner Family will always preserve George’s wishes as long as they own the team. I get the professionalism aspect to the policy but I am also a believer in self-expression. I am not crazy about Justin Turner’s flowing red hair and beard with the Los Angeles Dodgers but it is who he is and I would not want to change him. If it works for the player, it works for me. 

The baseball offseason is over. It is time to get to work...

Photo Credit: Newsday (J Conrad Williams, Jr)

 Go Yankees!