GOLDKLANG GROUP REVEALS NEW CAMPAIGN ‘TAKE ME OUT WITH THE CROWD’

FANS AND SPONSORS WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY AWARD-WINNING UNIQUE EXPERIENCE AT THE BALLPARK

FLORHAM PARK, NJ (December 14, 2015) - It’s a singular and seemingly innocuous  line from the most recognized song in all of sports, yet it perfectly captures the ballpark experience. Whether spending time with family and friends, participating in the festivities, or simply buying some peanuts and cracker jacks, the phrase ‘Take Me Out With the Crowd’ resonates with every fan.  The Goldklang Group, a sports entertainment ownership and consulting firm, announced the rollout of the new campaign, effective immediately, to be utilized throughout its team advertising and marketing, engagement, communications and digital platforms.  

“Our teams will have a chance to customize their experiences, placing their own spin on this iconic phrase,” said Senior Vice President, The Goldklang Group, Tyler Tumminia.  “The integration of ‘Take Me Out With The Crowd,’ in the footsteps and spirit of ‘Fun Is Good’ and ‘Be Your Own Fan,’ will continue to allow our fans and sponsors the opportunity to create an a la carte experience at our ballparks.”  

The Goldklang Group, Ballpark Digest’s Organization of the Year in 2015, continues to excel at providing top notch, affordable first class entertainment.  Experiences may be specific to each fan and their family and friends, but the atmosphere at the ballparks remains special and unique due to the energy and engagement of the crowd as a whole.  

About the Goldklang Group: The Goldklang Group is a sports entertainment consulting and management firm. The Group provides operational consulting and management services in all areas relating to sports franchise and event acquisition, promotion and operation. The Goldklang Group owns and operates the following organizations: Charleston RiverDogs, Charleston, SC. Hudson Valley Renegades, Fishkill, NY, St. Paul Saints, St. Paul, MN, Pittsfield Suns, Pittsfield, MA. (www.goldklanggroup.com)

If the Cubs Start Selling...

We have done quite a few of these "if the (fill in the team name) start selling) posts here on the blog and today we throw you readers a little bit of a curveball. Instead of showcasing teams that are preparing for rebuilding processes and instead of showcasing teams that are selling off any and every arbitration eligible player or beyond player they have on the team I figured we could also look at a team that now has a bit of a surplus at one position. The Chicago Cubs grabbed the best free agent on the market in Jason Heyward and may not start selling off an outfielder or two, specifically Javier Baez or Jorge Soler. Should the Yankees be interested?

Of course they should. Once the outfield position and their best free agents start to fall the second tier guys will begin to come off the board. That's when you will get optimal value out of a 32-year old Brett Gardner in a trade. Essentially cornering the market and making a trade for either Baez or Soler only to trade Gardner for a substantial haul later makes sense on paper but do the Yankees have the pieces to get it done, and are they willing to give them up?

If you're looking at Baez I think the Yankees are a bit of a stretch in the running for him. The Tampa Bay Rays have been discussing a trade for either Matt Moore or Alex Cobb to get Baez back and unless the Yankees are willing to part with one of their better starting pitchers in an already weak and question mark ridden rotation they are not going to get Baez. What about Soler?

Jorge Soler is right-handed, something the Yankees are looking for, he's young, another check in the box for the Yankees, and he's cost-controlled for the next five seasons. Soler signed a nine year deal with the Cubs worth $30 million that will keep him under team control through the 2020 season. Soler is just 23-years old and projects to be a 15-20 home run guy, or more, at the peak of his MLB career. Truth be told he may not be a huge offensive or defensive upgrade over Gardner but he is nine years younger and much cheaper. Soler fits the mold of what the Yankees are trying to do, rebuild on the fly but still compete in 2016.

I don't pretend to be an expert on the Chicago Cubs needs or farm system but you would have to think they would want pitching back for Soler. Either in the starting rotation or in the bullpen. The Yankees match up decently here with one of Ivan Nova, Bryan Mitchell, Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda available with a plethora of bullpen arms that are MLB ready and that could be included. I'm not saying a deal will be made but this would be the perfect deal for the New York Yankees, Brian Cashman... are you listening?

Predictions for the Yankees 25 Man Roster: Offense

The offense got a little bit of a shakeup during this year's winter meetings as the New York Yankees acquired Starlin Castro to play second base. The Yankees, unofficially, sent their utility man Brendan Ryan to the Cubs along with relief pitcher Adam Warren in the deal. Also Dustin Ackley will likely be sent to the bench while Robert Refsnyder is probably destined for the minor leagues on Opening Day. What does that leave the Yankees, offensively speaking, on the active roster for Opening Day 2016?

C: Brian McCann

1B: Mark Teixeira

2B: Starlin Castro

SS: Didi Gregorius

3B: Chase Headley

LF: Brett Gardner

CF: Jacoby Ellsbury

RF: Carlos Beltran

DH: Alex Rodriguez

BN: Gary Sanchez

BN: Pete Kozma

BN: Dustin Ackley

BN: Aaron Hicks

Those are my predictions and there aren't likely many predictions that are going to make you turn your head. I don't see Brett Gardner being traded with all the talent available on the free agent market, specifically outfielders, and the bench will likely be made up of Hicks, Sanchez and Ackley. The only surprise I guess you could say is Pete Kozma making the roster but it shouldn't. Kozma can play shortstop and third base and was called a Brendan Ryan clone when acquired. Why wouldn't he take his roster spot now that he's traded? Especially since the Yankees have two open spots on the 40 man roster.

Those are mine, what are yours?

Congratulations to Robert Refsnyder!!

#monicagotrobbed pic.twitter.com/Gne9YbWrYW

— Aaron Judge (@TheJudge44) December 12, 2015

We want to start out this morning by wishing one of my very favorite players and one of the Yankees top prospects Robert Refsnyder a big congratulations. Refsnyder married his fiance this past weekend and while he stayed quite about it for the most part Aaron Judge was there to keep us fans in the loop. Judge, Mason Williams, Greg Bird and others were in attendance while Refsnyder married. Cool and congrats to Refsnyder!

#monicagotrobbed pic.twitter.com/79qN7yv2iv

— Aaron Judge (@TheJudge44) December 13, 2015

This Day in New York Yankees History 12/17: Hip Hip Jorge, Rivera, A Rod and Pettitte

On this day in 2007 the Yankees continued their offseason of resigning their own free agents as they signed 38 year old closer Mariano Rivera to a new three year deal. The deal was worth $45 million and came on the heels of the Yankees resigning Alex Rodriguez to a 10 year deal worth $275 million, Jorge Posada for four years and $52.4 million, and Andy Pettitte for one year and $16 million.


Also on this day in 2004 a three way deal involving the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Arizona Diamondbacks fell through when the Dodgers backed out at the last second. The deal would have brought Randy Johnson from Arizona and Kaz Ishii from the Dodgers to the Yankees, Shawn Green and Brad Penny being sent to the Diamondbacks from the Dodgers, and Javier Vazquez and prospects going to the Dodgers.


Also on this day in 2003 the Yankees finalized a three year deal with Gary Sheffield worth $39 million. Sheffield was coming off of season where he put up a .330 batting average with 39 home runs and 132 RBI's. There was also a team option for $13 million for the 2007 season that brought Sheffield to New York after he made his name with the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, and the San Diego Padres.


Finally on this day in 1924 the New York Yankees traded three pitchers to acquire Urban Shocker from the Browns. Shocker is coming off of four consecutive 20 win seasons after the Yankees traded him to St. Louis in 1918.

Johnny Cueto Wanted to go to the Boston Red Sox

According to Peter Gammons, the same man who said that David Price wanted to hit in the National League and didn't care about the money before signing a deal with the Boston Red Sox for $30-$40 million more than the St. Louis Cardinals offered him, Johnny Cueto really wanted to join the AL East this season before ultimately signing with the San Francisco Giants. Cueto, according to his agent, wanted to join the starting rotation with the Boston Red Sox before Price landed the largest deal ever for a starting pitcher. Would that have been a blessing in disguise for the New York Yankees?

*stats according to ESPN.com

The sample sizes are small, obviously, but it seems like much of the New York Yankees offense has seen the ball well out of Cueto's hand. Oh well, I guess we'll never know.

The 2016 Yankees Defense According to "FIELDING"

The New York Yankees have the potential to do something they haven't done since the 1998 season. Be a really great defensive team. No infield in Major League history may ever reach the 2009 Yankees level according to WAR the 2016 Yankees may match the 1998 Yankees infield defense according to Fangraph's fielding stat(formerly known as bWAR).


In 1998 the Yankees trotted out slick fielding Tino Martinez (4.0) at first base, Chuck Knoblauch (-4.0) at second base, Derek Jeter (2.0) at shortstop and Scott Brosius (12.0) at third base. Their defensive WAR’s combined for the 1998 season, considered to be arguably the greatest Yankees team and greatest baseball teams of all-time in case you forgot, was 14.0 dWAR. Let that sink in and think about that for a second. The team may not out-slug anyone but I don’t see many flares or ground balls getting through either which brings us to the 2016 Yankees infield.

In 2015 Mark Teixeira had another great season at first base was 0.4 but his career fielding is 61.5 showing you that Teixeira is due for a bigger defensive season in 2016. The metrics may not show it but Teixeira saved about 50 errors at first base this season. Starlin Castro's fielding stat was 0.2 but he was much better as a second baseman than a shortstop last season. Speaking of much improved defense Didi Gregorius probably should have won a Gold Glove at the shortstop position last year after posting a 7.4 fielding stat in 2015. Without a terrible month and a half to two months of the 2016 season like the 2015 season began and Gregorius could push an 8.0 fielding stat in 2016. Finally Chase Headley, the Headley that was horrible in 2015. Headley posted a -3.0 fielding stat in 2015 but had a 20.4 fielding stat just the previous year in 2014 meaning that the throwing errors that plagued Headley last season was likely a blip on the radar and not a trend. 

The potential to be an absolutely fantastic infield defense in there for the Yankees in 2016. If you throw in the throwing game and pitch framing of Brian McCann and you may have the best infield defense in the Yankees storied history. All they have to do is do it. 

The Yankees & the Cubs New Television Network

This isn't really New York Yankees news per se but this has all the makings of affecting the Yankees and their ability to acquire players down the line. The Chicago Cubs are looking to start their own television network by the 2020 season, if not sooner. Currently the Cubs are part of an agreement with Comcast and that deal expires after the 2019 season with an opt-out clause written into the contract. How does this affect the Yankees though? Remember what happened when the Yankees started the YES Network? They became the cash cow that they were during the mid-2000's and the network allowed George Steinbrenner to sign anyone and everyone he wanted. The Cubs network will begin right around the time the Yankees have all their money coming off the books and right around the time, if all things work out the way Chicago hopes, a certain someone named Bryce Harper becomes a free agent.

The Cubs Network is projected to be worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 billion. That likely makes the organization more valuable than most clubs in Major League Baseball, maybe even the New York Yankees. Chicago has also signed John Lackey and Jason Heyward this offseason after signing Jon Lester last offseason showing the fans that the team is not afraid to spend money. Add another $300 billion into the pockets of the Cubs organization and no free agent would be out of their grasps potentially. Even Bryce Harper who could receive the first ever $400 million salary  when he hits free agency after the 2018 season. Even if Chicago doesn't have their network up and running by then they will want a big name and face to sell that network and Harper is that guy which could be bad news for the New York Yankees.

The Yankees are no longer 100% reliant on the free agency market which is encouraging for the franchise. The team is finally producing prospects who can compete at the Major League level and their GM Brian Cashman remains heavily active in the trade market in his search for young, cheap and controllable players but when free agents like Harper come around, which is about once or twice in a lifetime, you bid and you bid heavy. Yankees fans are not used to being outbid by other teams when they want a guy but they may be outbid for Harper, and it may be all because of the Chicago Cubs television network.

The Bartolo Colon Reunion Tour

This offseason the Yankees have not entered the free agent market and as of the writing of this article have completed three trades. The have dealt from positions of strength in dealing J.R. Murphy, Justin Wilson, and Adam Warren. The Wilson and Warren trades have caused some fans to worry as they weakened arguably the Yankees greatest strength, their bullpen. While the backend of Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller is still intact, there are legitimate concerns about the bridge that will lead to them.

The Yankees minor league system has done a good job of churning out serviceable relievers in the past few years, and they will likely turn to the minors again to replace Wilson. Wilson was a hard throwing lefty and some combination of Tyler Webb, James Pazos, and Jacob Lindgren will probably replace him.

Warren, however, might not be so easy to replace. He served as the 5th starter at the beginning of the season then transitioned to a swingman role. Looking at the Yankees current roster, only Bryan Mitchell seems to fit the bill as a possible replacement. There are some players in the minors such as Brady Lail and the recently acquired Luis Cessa and Chad Green who could make the jump to the majors this year but by Warren's admission, it took him years to get the hang of going back and forth multiple times a year between starter and reliever.

If the Yankees are forced to go outside the organization to fill the swingman role there are intriguing options on the free-agent market like Doug Fister and Henderson Alvarez. While they have proven track records they come with injury concerns, performance concerns and will likely find starting opportunities elsewhere.

You knew this was coming

Another intriguing option is old friend Bartolo Colon. Colon demonstrated in the playoffs that he could go days without pitching and then pitch multiple innings effectively. While he'll be 43 during the season his statistics have not faltered. In 2014, he pitched 200+ innings for the first time since 2005 and in 2015 he was only short by 5.1 innings. His projections on rotochamp think he'll have a better season in 2016 though 3 of the 4 say with fewer innings. 

He has production, experience and anticipated contract demands going for him. It is unlikely he'll get guaranteed multiple years on his next contract. Take the $5 million that was spent on Chris Capuano last year and give it to Colon and everyone will be a lot happier.

I can think of only three downsides to going after Colon.

1. His age could lead to a swift drop in production.
2. Younger pitchers who could be with the team longer are blocked.
3. In the AL, he won't get to hit as often depriving us of amazing photos like the one below.

One of the few times you'll be okay with seeing a Mets photo on a Yankees blog

 What do you think of a reunion with Bartolo Colon?

Best of What's Left on the Free Agency Market

The big names and the huge checks are being written this winter and the run on the second tier players is probably going to begin soon. Who is the best of what's left on the free agency market at every position?

C: Hector Sanchez
1B: Chris Davis
2B: Howie Kendrick
SS: Ian Desmond
3B: Daniel Murphy
OF: Dexter Fowler
OF: Alex Gordon
OF: Yoenis Cespedes
DH: Justin Upton

SP: Kenta Maeda
SP: Mike Leake
SP: Wei-Yin Chen
SP: Scott Kazmir

CP: Tyler Clippard
RP: Antonio Bastardo
RP: Fernando Rodney
RP: Ryan Cook