Quick Hit: Something to be Excited About Regarding Didi Gregorius

I think we all expected the player to replace Derek Jeter to catch a little flak, even if he was Troy Tulowitzki, but the amount of negativity towards Didi Gregorius is mind boggling. First and foremost we posted the BIP locations from Chase Field in Arizona and transferred them to Yankee Stadium and saw over the course of a season Didi could be (in a perfect world of course) a 10-20 home run guy in New York or more. Let's remember the guy is 24 years old, will be 25 in 2015, and has plenty of room to grow into himself. That didn't do any good for fans apparently so here we are defending the signing again.

Let's remember first and foremost that Gregorius was a part time player in Arizona with Chris Owings getting the bulk of the every day at bats. Some players aren't simply made for sitting on the bench five days a week and coming up and getting a hit. This was evident by Gregorius' .204 average coming into the final three plus weeks of the season. Didi started to get more opportunities at the plate and raised his average to the .226 we have all been jumping around about. In his last 10 games Didi hit .342 showing you just how valuable regular playing time can be for a young player.

The Yankees either need to add run prevention or run production to the team, I can't see the team adding both this winter, and Didi does both even marginally. His defense and range is much better than Jeter's while his bat, if managed right, could far exceed Jeter's as well. Blasphemy I know but Didi could be better than Jeter was in his last five to seven seasons besides that monster 2012 season from the Captain. So calm down, Didi will be fine as long as you stay off his back after his first 0-4.

Quick Hit: Jed Lowrie the Backup Plan for Chase Headley

The New York Yankees seem to be posturing and negotiating hard for Chase Headley because the team presumably feels like they need him for the 2015 season. While I would agree there because of his stellar defense, his switch hitting bat and his ability to play first base I don't think I would break the bank for Chase, pun intended. Not as long as Jed Lowrie, a viable third base, shortstop and second baseman, is available on the free agent market.

The team is already talking about platooning Brendan Ryan and Didi Gregorius and I ask, why? If you bring in Jed Lowrie he can play shortstop against left handed pitchers with Martin Prado playing third base while Didi sits on the bench. Against right handed pitching Lowrie would be back at third with Prado at second and Didi at shortstop. New York has also said they don't want to go above three years for Headley and that is conveniently the same number of years that Mr. Lowrie is said to be asking for in the market right now.

If you look at the stats Lowrie is comparable in about every offensive stat in his career with Headley except for in the home run department, although Lowrie has hit 52. If you take away that career year from Headley while still with the Padres and you have an exact match of players here only one is a lot more expensive than the other.

	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	HR
Lowrie	.265	.333	.418	.750	106	52
Headley	.266	.350	.412	.762	117	72

(statistics courtesy of Baseball Reference)

Lowrie wants a reported three year deal worth 3 years and $30 million while the asking price for Headley seems to sit at 4 years and anywhere from $48 - $65 million. For the same player. This doesn't even seem to be a question to me, fiscal responsibility or not, sign Lowrie. Sure Lowrie has a not so nice injury history, see Headley's back if that's your argument for the incumbent Yankees third baseman, but splitting time with the aforementioned players and Joe Girardi's uncanny insistence on giving "players a day" I think Lowrie would be just fine. They are both 30 years old and if human cloning were possible or legal I would think they were the same player. Save a year on the contract, around $20 million or more and bring the team even more flexibility and even more options for Girardi in the infield. Lowrie can learn first base, get it done.  

This Day In New York Yankees History 12/14: F Youk!

On this day in 2012 Kevin Youkilis became the latest member of Red Sox nation to come over to the Dark Side and sign with the New York Yankees. Youk signed a one year deal worth $12 million to be the third basemen in New York.

Also on this day in 2010 Cliff Lee spurned the Yankees offer of $150 million for a $120 dollar deal to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee joins Roy Halladay in probably what is the best rotation in all of baseball down in Philadelphia.

Also on this day in 1985 Yankees outfielder Roger Maris dies after a two year battle with lymphatic cancer at age 51. Former Yankees teammates Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, John Blanchard, and Bill Skowron served as pall bearers.

Also on this day in 1960 Major League Baseball expanded its team base two additional teams with the "new" Washington Senators and the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees southpaw Bobby Shantz was selected by Washington and Yankees righty Ed Grba was selected by the Angels in the expansion draft.

Finally on this day in 1950 four owners were selected to choose a new commissioner for baseball, as soon as possible. The Yankees owner Del Webb, Braves owner Lou Perini, Cubs owner Phil Wrigley, and Indians owner Ellis Ryan were the four men who chose the new commissioner.

Betances Prepared to be Yankees' Closer if Needed

Now that David Robertson's playing for the White Sox, the Yankees have a decision to make with their closing role.

Robertson was set to be the team's successor to Mariano Rivera at this point last year, but his sudden departure has seemingly exposed a hole in its bullpen. The Yankees signed Andrew Miller last Friday, but he's never been much more than a set-up man.

So who will pitch ninth innings for them next season? Dellin Betances is always an option, and he says he's up for it.

"For me, I think I would just try to treat everything the same, no matter what happens," Betances told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch Friday. "I know obviously it's a different role, but I'm just looking forward to helping the team win, no matter what situation they want me in."

Last year that situation largely consisted of throwing eighths, where Betances thrived. He struck out 135 hitters while maintaining a 1.40 ERA in 70 appearances, putting him in the running for AL Rookie of the Year.

Yet he's confident any of the guys in the current group could succeed if chosen to replace Robertson, referring to many by name. 

"I believe in the guys we have down there, especially getting [Andrew] Miller," Betances said. "He's a guy that is a high strikeout guy and can get both lefties and righties out. We still have [Adam] Warren, [Shawn] Kelley and a bunch of guys down there that can help us out as well."

Warren and Kelley were certainly solid in 2014, and when Kelley temporarily took over Robertson's duties in May, he recorded four saves. As for Warren, his sub-three ERA can't hurt his chances either, though he tended to struggle under pressure.

Nonetheless, it appears the two primary candidates for the job right now are Miller and Betances, both of whom had five wins last season.

Yankees 2015 Opening Day Countdown - 114 (Year 2)

It is officially 114 days until Opening Day so 114 years ago in New York Yankees history the team looked a little something like this:

In the Yankees second season their team name was the Baltimore Orioles and they played their first games during the 1902 season. Let’s take a quick snapshot of that historic team as we countdown to Opening Day.

Team overall record: 50-88

Place finished: 8th in American League

Wins leader:Joe McGinnity (13-10)

Home runs leader: Jimmy Williams (8)

Manager: John McGraw & Wilbert Robinson

Is There a Bigger Emphasis on Expiring Contracts in MLB?

In the NBA you always hear about a rebuilding team either dealing or dealing for expiring contracts and that never really registered why they were so important being a MLB fan. Why would a team want to acquire a player with just one year left, unless you’re mid-season and trying to make a playoff run, unless you have a window to negotiate? There is no salary cap in MLB so there isn’t as much of an emphasis on the salary relief, not until this offseason anyway.

The Red Sox and the Tigers swapped a pair of expiring contracts at the Winter Meetings when the teams basically traded Yoenis Cespedes for Rick Porcello but that’s not the only instance where one year of team control has come up in trades this week. Boston also added one year deals on the free agent market with Justin Masterson and on the trade market with Wade Miley. The Miami Marlins alone added two pitchers in Mat Latos and Dan Haren with one year left each on their contracts, although if Haren retires the Marlins get to keep his $10 million in salary for free. The Dodgers, Haren’s former team, added one year of Howie Kendrick for a top pitching prospect and one year of Jimmy Rollins during the meetings in San Diego as well.

For a long time the scale tipped in favor of the players who used the media and teams like the New York Yankees to get an extra few million bucks or an extra season on their contracts. Now we’re seeing these teams acquiring one season and expiring contracts to remain flexible in their spending and roster constructions. Teams don’t want to be hamstrung by the contracts of CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Carlos Beltran anymore and the game has finally caught up to the powerful union and the players.

Expiring contracts with roster and fiscal responsibility are in and trading veterans and rentals for top prospects seem to be out. The emphasis has moved on from high priced 30 something’s and is moving towards locking up kids early and building from within. It makes for a boring offseason sometimes but the times are a changing and the Yankees are way behind. 

Max Scherzer Won’t Save the Season

Max Scherzer was the best available free agent on this year’s market and being a Scott Boras client is still available on the market. Many around the Yankees team and their fan base think that signing Scherzer is the obvious, and only, option for New York this season. While having Mad Max in the rotation in 2015 and beyond would really help many believe, including myself, that it wouldn’t be enough to propel the team even into the playoffs, let alone the World Series.

Scherzer would top a rotation that includes CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, David Phelps, Michael Pineda and a mixture of David Phelps, Manny Banuelos and Bryan Mitchell. The problem with the team last season was not the pitching though it was the inability to score runs consistently. New York could have about five Scherzer’s in the rotation but the team, without big bounce back seasons and contributions from the likes of Carlos Beltran, Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann, would still lose far too many 1-0 and 2-1 games.

New York has done a bit in the run prevention game adding Didi Gregorius to take over for Derek Jeter and the possibility of having young and fresh legs at second base in either Jose Pirela or Robert Refsnyder can only help. Martin Prado is slated to be the team’s third baseman right now barring a Chase Headley signing and that being Prado’s best position also helps with the infield run prevention but I don’t think it would be enough. Adding Scherzer won’t be enough. This team still has a lot to do and they are running out of time to do it in. In closing I don’t think lighting candles and beating drums for Max Scherzer will do much good in the short term or in the long run without a whole lot of help. 

TGP Daily Poll: Yankees Will Take a Chance on Brett Anderson

The New York Yankees are getting desperate for starting pitching and without many viable, and affordable, options left on the board I see New York going after the Rockies Brett Anderson on a one year deal.

Vote in our poll!

Quick Hit: Yankees Sign Nick Noonan

The New York Yankees have announced that the team has signed Triple-A infielder Nick Noonan away from the San Francisco Giants. Noonan is listed as a second baseman but has spent time at shortstop in the past and that's where the Yankees see the most value. Noonan is 25 years old and is expected to get an extended look in Spring Training this season for New York. Welcome to the family, Nick!

This Day in New York Yankees History 12/13: A Rod and Giambi

On this day in 2007 the New York Yankees and recently opted out free agent Alex Rodriguez agreed on a 10 year deal worth $275 million with incentives that could bring the deal to $320 million. A Rod now owns the two richest deals in Major League history.

Also on this day in 2001 the New York Yankees signed free agent first basemen Jason Giambi to a seven year deal worth $120 million to steal him from the Oakland Athletics. Giambi was the 2000 American League MVP and the runner up in 2001 before coming to New York. Giambi led the A's to a Wild Card berth after driving in 120 runs, hitting 38 home runs, and batting .342.