So it Seems… The Complete List of 161 MLB 2018 Free Agents

AMERICAN LEAGUE

BALTIMORE (9) — DH/1B Pedro Alvarez; 2B Ryan Flaherty; OF Craig Gentry; SS J.J. Hardy; RHP Jeremy Hellickson; RHP Ubaldo Jimenez; OF Seth Smith, LHP Wade Miley; RHP Chris Tillman.

BOSTON (8) — LHP Fernando Abad; RHP Blaine Boyer; OF Rajai Davis; RHP Doug Fister; 1B Mitch Moreland; INF Eduardo Nunez; RHP Addison Reed; OF Chris Young.

CHI. WHITE SOX (2) — RHP Mike Pelfrey; C Geovany Soto.

CLEVELAND (6) — LHP Craig Breslow; OF Jay Bruce; OF Austin Jackson; C Carlos Santana; RHP Bryan Shaw; RHP Joe Smith.

DETROIT (1) — RHP Anibal Sanchez.

HOUSTON (5) — DH Carlos Beltran; RHP Tyler Clippard; RHP Luke Gregerson; LHP Francisco Liriano; OF Cameron Maybin.

KANSAS CITY (8) — OF Melky Cabrera; RHP Trevor Cahill; OF Lorenzo Cain; SS Alcides Escobar; 1B Eric Hosmer; 3B Mike Moustakas; RHP Peter Moylan; LHP Jason Vargas.

L.A. ANGELS (11) — RHP Andrew Bailey; RHP Jesse Chavez; 3B Yunel Escobar; RHP Ricky Nolasco; RHP Bud Norris; INF Cliff Pennington; RHP Yusmeiro Petit; 2B Brandon Phillips; OF Ben Revere; RHP Fernando Salas; RHP Huston Street.

MINNESOTA (5) — RHP Matt Belisle; RHP Bartolo Colon; RHP Dillon Gee; LHP Glen Perkins; LHP Hector Santiago.

N.Y. YANKEES (5) — 3B Todd Frazier; LHP Jaime Garcia; DH Matt Holliday; RHP Michael Pineda; LHP CC Sabathia.

OAKLAND (0) — None.

SEATTLE (7) — 1B Yonder Alonso; INF Gordon Beckham; OF Jarrod Dyson; RHP Yovani Gallardo; RHP Hisashi Iwakuma; C Carlos Ruiz; 1B/3B Danny Valencia.

TAMPA BAY (9) — OF Peter Bourjos; RHP Steve Cishek; RHP Alex Cobb; 1B Lucas Duda; RHP Tommy Hunter; 1B Logan Morrison; 3B Trevor Plouffe; OF Colby Rasmus; RHP Sergio Romo.

TEXAS (4) — RHP Andrew Cashner; OF Carlos Gomez; RHP Miguel Gonzalez; RHP Jason Grilli.

TORONTO (5) — LHP Brett Anderson; 2B Darwin Barney, OF Jose Bautista; C Miguel Montero; OF Michael Saunders.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

ARIZONA (7) — Gregor Blanco, of; Jorge De La Rosa, lhp; David Hernandez, rhp; Chris Iannetta, c; J.D. Martinez of; Fernando Rodney, rhp; Adam Rosales, inf.

ATLANTA (2) — R.A. Dickey, rhp; Jason Motte, rhp.

CHICAGO (8) — Jake Arrieta, rhp; Alex Avila, c; Wade Davis, rhp; Brian Duensing, lhp; Jon Jay, of; John Lackey, rhp; Rene Rivera, c; Koji Uehara, rhp.

CINCINNATI (4) — Bronson Arroyo, rhp; Zack Cozart, ss; Scott Feldman, rhp; Drew Storen, rhp.

COLORADO (9) — OF Alexi Amarista; RHP Tyler Chatwood; OF Carlos Gonzalez; C Ryan Hanigan; RHP Greg Holland, C Jonathan Lucroy; LHP Jake McGee; RHP Pat Neshek; 1B Mark Reynolds.

L.A. DODGERS (7) — RHP Yu Darvish; OF Andre Ethier; OF Curtis Granderson; OF Franklin Gutierrez; RHP Brandon Morrow; 2B Chase Utley; LHP Tony Watson.

MIAMI (4) — Mike Aviles, inf; A.J. Ellis, c; Dustin McGowan, rhp; Ichiro Suzuki, of.

MILWAUKEE (3) — Matt Garza, rhp; Anthony Swarzak, rhp; Neil Walker, 2b.

N.Y. METS (1) — INF Jose Reyes.

PHILADELPHIA (4) — Andres Blanco, inf; Clay Buchholz, rhp; Hyun-Soo Kim, of; Daniel Nava, of.

PITTSBURGH (3) — Joaquin Benoit, rhp; John Jaso, 1b; Chris Stewart, c.

ST. LOUIS (4) — Zach Duke, lhp; Lance Lynn, rhp; Juan Nicasio, rhp; RHP Seung-Hwan Oh, rhp.

SAN DIEGO (4) — Erick Aybar, ss; Jhoulys Chacin, rhp; Jordan Lyles, rhp; Craig Stammen, rhp.

SAN FRANCISCO (4) — RHP Matt Cain (retired); C Nick Hundley; 1B/3B Jae-Gynn Hwang; OF Michael Morse.

WASHINGTON (12) — RHP Matt Albers; RHP Joe Blanton; OF Alejandro De Aza; 2B Stephen Drew; RHP Edwin Jackson,; OF/2B Howie Kendrick; RHP Brandon Kintzler; 1B Adam Lind; C Jose Lobaton; LHP Oliver Perez; OF Ryan Raburn; OF Jayson Werth.

List courtesy of the USA Today*

So it Seems… The Long Offseason Ahead

Good morning everyone. I know it’s been a minute since we last spoke but it’s the offseason, it’s a time to recharge the batteries. Life hasn’t slowed down a bit and work has gotten out of control with no end in sight and it may or may not affect the site going forward. I promise to do everything and all that I can to pop in whenever I can but you all must know that this will likely mean that daily posts, at least through the offseason, may not happen. I promise to do the best I can, and I am always looking for new writers to help carry the load and keep you guys with something to read. If you’re interested or know of anyone who is tell them to send me an email at Daniel Burch 1102 at Yahoo dot com.

Oh, and hey you. I love you. I’ve missed writing about you because you’re so damn special to me.

This Day In New York Yankees History 11/8: Yogi Berra the MVP

On this day in 1951 the Baseball Writers Association of America, BBWAA, named Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees the American League Most Valuable Player. Ned Garver of the Browns won 20 games this year on a last place team and finished second in the voting. Roy Campanella would win the award in the National League making this the first two that two catchers have both won the MVP award in the same season.

Breaking News: Roy Halladay Dead

More as the story develops but it looks like Roy Halladay has passed after his plane was found crashed this afternoon. Rest in peace to Roy and our prayers and condolences go out to his friends, family, loved ones and the baseball community. So sad to lose one of our own.

Update:

The plane registered to Halladay crashed in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Halladay was found dead at the scene. Halladay was 40-years old.

No details about how many others, if any, were injured or killed were released after the crashed happened shortly after noon today.

Shohei Otani Is The Greatest Luxury

Shohei Otani is a luxury. However, he's not like every other luxury I've talked about.

See, normally, when I talk about a "luxury" I'm referring to somebody that would be nice for the Yankees to have, but the cost of acquiring said "luxury" may very well be too much. Take for example Bryce Harper...

How great would it be for the Yankees' outfield in 2019 to consist of Aaron Judge, Clint Frazier, and Bryce Harper? Just imagine a lineup with those three players, along with Gleyber Torres, Didi Gregorius, Greg Bird, Gary Sanchez, and Miguel Andujar. Let's just see something....

1. Gleyber Torres
2. Aaron Judge
3. Bryce Harper
4. Gary Sanchez
5. Didi Gregorius
6. Greg Bird
7. Clint Frazier
8. Miguel Andujar
9. Aaron Hicks

When writing that lineup something popped out to me, but I'll talk about that later.

Like I was saying, as great as that lineup would be, adding Bryce Harper to it is not going to be cheap. We're talking about a guy who's next contract will be around $450 million. What makes him a "luxury" is the fact is he may not be necessary for the Yankees to win. Take Harper out of that lineup and you have this...

1. Gleyber Torres
2. Aaron Judge
3. Gary Sanchez
4. Didi Gregorius
5. Greg Bird
6. Clint Frazier
7. Miguel Andujar
8. Aaron Hicks
9. ???

That's still a very good lineup. Compared to this past season's lineup, which if you don't remember was pretty good, all I've done is replace Starlin Castro with Gleyber Torres, Brett Gardner with Clint Frazier, and Chase Headley/Todd Frazier with Miguel Andjuar. And that's without knowing who would DH, or rotate with others in that spot.

Getting back to Shohei Otani, though, let's see what a starting rotation would look like with him...

1. Luis Severino
2. Sonny Gray
3. Masahiro Tanaka
4. Shohei Otani
5. Jordan Montgomery

That's ridiculous. That rotation doesn't need a top ten offense to support it, let alone a top three offense. Even without Otani, and assuming the Yankees would simply bring back CC Sabathia, we'd have this...

1. Luis Severino
2. Sonny Gray
3. Masahiro Tanaka
4. CC Sabathia
5. Jordan Montgomery

Even without Otani, or heck... Sabathia, on board many people are saying the Yankees' rotation is championship caliber. That's why I say Shohei Otani is a "luxury", and not a "necessity". But here's what makes Shohei a totally different type of "luxury"... money.

This may be the only time in the history of baseball that a team can add such a great player, or at least a top prospect, without giving up much of anything. Even with the posting fee the Yankees will likely only have to pay in the neighborhood of $22.5 million to have Otani on their team in 2018. You're not going to get anyone like Otani in free agency for that little, nor are you going to be able to acquire a guy like Otani in a trade without giving up a nice package of players and/or prospects.

Oh... lol. While they would have to shell out about $22.5 million, since Otani's contract would be a minor-league deal that $2.5 million outside of the posting fee would simply be a bonus, like those given to players in the amateur draft. The Luxury Tax hit for the Yankees would be the league minimum.

The funny thing is that I haven't even talked about what he could do for the offense.

In short, Shohei Otani is going to be the cheapest luxury in the history of Major League Baseball. Maybe in all of sports.

Thankfully, I believe the Yankees will do everything they can to get Otani. And anyone that doesn't think they should is, without a doubt, out of their minds.

Disliking Off-Season Inactivity…

Baseball is such a rush. It starts in February when pitchers and catchers report, and then slowly builds over the course of the next eight months, reaching the adrenaline rush of the post-season, capped by the exhilarating World Series. Then, nothing. We can only wait and watch as the Yankees beat writers jump from one potential story to another without yielding much fruit. 

Things will pick up in a few weeks as we approach the Winter Meetings, but for now, we just have to sit around wondering when the Yankees will give us an indication who they might be considering for the job to lead the 2018 Yankees. 

Without much to really think about, here are some of my random thoughts...

Alex Rodriguez, Just Say No…

I can honestly say that I have no desire to see Alex Rodriguez named as Yankees manager. I do not dispute A-Rod’s baseball knowledge and I know that he’s been a positive influence on the younger players during Spring Training but neither of those attributes qualify him as a Major League manager. This is a man who was suspended an entire year for PED use after he had already been implicated with earlier use of performance-enhancing drugs. I was glad to see A-Rod’s time as an active member of the Yankees end and I have no interest in watching him don the pinstripes again (outside of brief Spring Training appearances).  As it is, I am tired of the daily “J-Rod” updates.  If Alex became the Yankees manager, those daily sightings of Jennifer Lopez and A-Rod would only worsen.  I lived through the Bronx Zoo of the 1970’s.  I am not willing to entertain the thought of The Bronx Zoo, Part II. So count me among those with no interest in seeing A-Rod become manager of the Yankees.

Jake Cave, Member of the 40-Man Roster…

It took awhile and included a detour through Cincinnati, but Jake Cave finally earned a spot on the Yankees 40-Man Roster when he was added on Monday. 

Cave was drafted by the Yankees in the 6^th Round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Kecoughtan High School in Hampton, VA.  He was left unprotected when he became Rule 5 eligible after the 2015 season and was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.  He started 2016 Spring Training very hot for the Reds but by the end of camp had cooled considerably.  In the end, the Reds opted to keep a 30-year old outfielder (Jordan Pacheco), who was released by the Reds in June 2016, over the then-23 year old Cave. At the time of his return to the Yankees, Reds manager Bryan Price offered the following comments:  “He was and is a terrific young player, and we all saw him as a big-leaguer. There was just some limitations on how much playing time I thought I could get him over the course of this year. My big concern was the history with Donald Lutz and Neftali Soto, guys that have come up and really not played much at a very young age and how they were able to deal with that and when they returned to the minor leagues how they performed afterwards, and I would hate to see that happen to Jake as a guy who really got limited playing time early in the season and how that would have affected his long-term development.”

Credit:  MLB.com

Cave returned to the Yankees but rather than sulk, he continued to work on his craft.  He was left unprotected again in 2016 but was not selected in that year’s Rule 5 Draft.  His performance in 2017 exceeded expectations as he finished with 20 home runs and 56 RBI’s at AA/AAA combined.  His batting line was .305/.351/.542 with .893 OPS in 103 total games.  His hard work has been acknowledged by the Yankees and he’ll get an opportunity to go to the Major League Camp with the Yankees in February for the first time. 

Cave profiles as a fourth outfielder but he is clearly a success story among Yankees prospects.  With guys like Cave and Billy McKinney chomping at the bit, the Yankees need to clear out Jacoby Ellsbury and/or Brett Gardner to make way for the younger guys. I’d hate to see Gardner go but it is Clint Frazier’s time for left field.  Aaron Hicks is a better center fielder than Ellsbury.  So, I’d prefer to see Hicks and Frazier in the starting outfield with Aaron Judge, and guys like Cave and/or McKinney backing them up. 

The Yankees also added reliever Nick Rumbelow to the 40-man roster. Rumbelow had Tommy John surgery in 2016 and missed part of the 2017 season with his recovery. After pitching briefly for the Double-A Trenton Thunder, he was lights out for the Triple A-Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In 17 games (covering 29 innings) for the RailRiders, Rumbelow was 5-1 and had a sterling 1.12 ERA with 5 saves. He struck out 30 batters, while walking only 8.  Rumbelow, like Cave, is a success story.  He was released by the Yankees in November 2016 (free to go anywhere like Nathan Eovaldi did when he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays).  Rumbelow opted to re-sign with the Yankees on December 15, 2016 and we’re glad he did.

Credit:  Thomas A Ferrara, Newsday

The Yankees still have a number of Rule 5 decisions to make but these were a couple of easy ones.  I have no doubt the Yankees will be forced to leave quality talent unprotected for this year’s Rule 5 Draft.  GM Brian Cashman, between his managerial interviews and negotiation of a new contract, has his work cut out for him. 

Free Agency is Upon Us…

Free Agents became available to talk to other teams on Monday afternoon. Most forecasts show the Yankees to be very limited players in the FA arena as they attempt to avoid MLB’s competitive balance tax and reset future penalties for going above the payroll threshold.  Sadly, the Boston Red Sox were able to do that this year, so they’ll be more aggressive this off-season. During the press conference yesterday to announce new Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Dave Dombrowski, President of Baseball Operations, was asked if the luxury tax would be limitation. He responded, “No, I do not”. The same question was posed to Red Sox owner John Henry and he replied with, “Well, (Dombrowski) answered the question. He said he could go over.”  I would not be surprised to see the Red Sox go hard and heavy after Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer. 

Most forecasts that I have seen only show the Yankees signing Japanese two-way star Shohei Otani and CC Sabathia. Without too many moves necessary, I’d be very happy to see the Yankees acquire Otani. There is uncertainty with the current dispute in negotiations between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball for a new posting agreement. However, Otani took a step in the positive direction by hiring Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to represent him if he is posted and made available to MLB teams this off-season. 

Credit:  Junko Ozaki, AP

I am not overly excited about the anticipated return of Chase Headley to third base for the 2018 season. The question will be whether Gleyber Torres or Miguel Andujar will be ready. I doubt either one breaks camp as the starter but it could happen sooner rather than later.  Headley runs too hot and cold for me. I’d prefer to see greater consistency out of the position to protect the big bats in the lineup. I’d love to see the return of Todd Frazier, but the timing is not right and the Yankees are not in a position to offer a free agent multiple years at third base. For the short-term, we’ll have to deal with Headley.

Dueling Airwaves… 

It was funny yesterday that both Yankees GM Brian Cashman and former Yankees manager Joe Girardi were giving interviews at the same time. It’s tough listening to Girardi as he really sounds like a guy who wanted to be a part of the next great Yankees dynasty. I am surprised that the Washington Nationals didn’t make a run at Girardi with their World Series-caliber roster. But then again, the Nats aren’t known for spending cash on the managerial position and perhaps they were too far down the road with new manager Dave Martinez. 

At this point, it appears that Girardi will sit out a year (perhaps taking a broadcasting position) and will emerge as a viable managerial candidate in the 2018 off-season. 

The more Cashman talks about communication as a primary reason that Girardi was not re-hired and in particular his relationship with the younger players, it leads me to believe that there are reasons at play that we will never know. Maybe one day when Cashman retires and writes his memoirs. 

I don’t know about you, but I am ready for some genuine Yankees news. These quiet days leading up to the Baseball Winter Meetings next month are tough. I am getting a little tired of watching Houston Astros show up on Saturday Night Live or Carlos Correa discussing how he decided to propose to his girlfriend immediately after the World Series had ended on the Jimmy Kimmel show. Justin Verlander’s wedding pics in Italy are nice, but I want to know about our guys.  It is time to get the Yankees back in the news. 

As always, Go Yankees!

Deeper Thoughts... New Yankees Surprise Manager.....

Hello, Greedy Pinstripe Fans

I am Jay(James) your new writer/blogger here.  I have been a Yankee fan since birth (1980) and look forward to my new found opportunity here.  Any questions and or comments can be sent to JamesCPalma @ Gmail dot com  I would love to hear from you all!


Okay with out further ado lets get to it..... Deeper Thoughts........

So as many of you know after a game 7 loss in the ALCS the Yanks and Mr. Cashman have let Joe Girardi go....no new contract for the man that has been at the helm for 10 years now. I myself could not be happier as it was time for a change. Which brings me to my choice and dark horse to be the new skipper....Drum roll please(beat..beat...beat........)   Alex (A-Rod) Rodriguez.  I know lol what am I crazy? But hear me out.  A-Rod brings a lot of what Cash wants and at the same time this job offers both the Yankees and A-Rod a chance to continue to FIX the damaged name of A-Rod. Thus repairing the brand which is Alex Rodriguez.

To touch on the first point i bring up Alex brings a lot of knowledge of the game to the table.
He is young, respected by the young guys in Yankee Land, has all the know how, and do's and do nots of being a Yankee. The Steinbrenner's still love him as even after all the A-Roid nonsense.
Alex loves being around the game, and will do the front offices biding. Now I can go on and on as to what A-Rod brings to the table as far as the up front things go but now on to the other matter I have brought up.


A-Rod is an all time great. However he has ruined his name with the steroid scandals!!
So how do the Yankees and A-Rod fix this...........name him the new Skipper!!
If A-Rod is able to handle the job(which I say he can) it will totally repair his image which in return benefits the Yankees GREATLY! 

1. A-Rod wins a few Rings as  manager he is almost guaranteed induction into the Hall of Fame.
2. With this comes tons of ways for the Yanks to market Mr. A-Rod once again.
3. The retiring of the number 13 = more jersey sales.....Alex Rodriguez DAY :)!!!

The list goes on and on with what this hiring can do for not only the Yankees but the repairing of the A-Rod brand.   On this level it makes perfect sense to pull the trigger and SHOCK the Baseball world. Now I am not saying the Yanks should not, and will not consider other options what I am saying is don't be surprised if Cash and the Steinbrenners have already thought what I have and Shock the Baseball world with a name not to many people if anyone at all has mentioned........
Alex A-Rod Rodriguez.

James C Palma
The Greedy Pinstripes
JamesCPalma@Gmail.com

Ready, Set, Go!...

The Hot Stove League Begins Play...

There is always a quietness about the days that follow the World Series unless of course you’re a fan of the World Series champion. Teams have five days following the conclusion of the World Series to exclusively negotiate with their own free agents. It’s rare to see much activity and unlike the NFL and other sports, there is not a flurry of immediate activity when the free agents become free to talk to other teams. So, I guess that puts us in the calm before the storm…the days and weeks leading up to the Baseball Winter Meetings next month in Orlando, Florida. The meetings will be held from Sunday, December 10th through Wednesday, December 13th. The annual Rule 5 Draft will be held on Thursday, December 14th.

The two biggest opt-out clauses this off-season belonged to Justin Upton of the Los Angeles Angels and Masahiro Tanaka of the New York Yankees. This week, the Angels announced they had signed Upton to a new 5-year deal, apparently worth $106 million. Then on Friday night, Masahiro Tanaka announced that he would not opt out of his contract and will remain with the Yankees. His current contract has three more years, through the 2020 season, at $67 million.

Credit:  Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

As a Yankees fan, the latter situation is more relevant to me. I am very glad that Tanaka decided to remain in New York. There had been strong speculation that if Tanaka opted out, the Yankees would not aggressively pursue him. Three more years at $22 million plus per year is not chump change and it would have been hard for Tanaka to capture more dollars. Maybe more years but the partial tear of his UCL and the associated risk of eventual Tommy John surgery would have most assuredly scared teams away. Regardless of the risks, the starting rotation for the Yankees is stronger with Tanaka in it than not. He did have an inconsistent 2017 regular season and there was a brief stretch that he looked absolutely awful but he rebounded with a strong finish. He was dominant in the post-season.

So, the front of the Yankees rotation in 2018 will feature Luis Severino, Tanaka, Sonny Gray and Jordan Montgomery. There’s a chance the Yankees bring back CC Sabathia on a one-year deal if the two sides can come together on a mutually beneficial contract. But regardless of what happens with Sabathia, the Yankees have Chance Adams and Justus Sheffield, among others, gnawing at the door for opportunities. There had been a fear at one time that the 2018 would be a total rotation rebuild situation but now it appears to be a strength before the off-season strategy even begins.  

With the Yankees trying to make a very strong effort to get under the salary cap this year and reset the luxury tax penalties, it is unlikely the Yankees will pursue any high-priced free agent talent. It’s unfortunate that third baseman Todd Frazier will most likely not return, but with another year remaining on Chase Headley’s contract and the near-readiness of prospects Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar, there simply is no room for the Toddfather. Bummer. He was a great fit for the Yankees.

Credit:  Adam Hunger, USA TODAY Sports

There seems to be stronger speculation this off-season that the Yankees could actually move Jacoby Ellsbury. They’ll have to eat a good portion of what’s left on his contract but regardless of the cost, this is a move that has to happen. I do not see the Yankees parting with Brett Gardner, and of course Aaron Judge owns right field after his spectacular season. So the Yankees have to make room in the outfield for Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier without even considering promising young talent like Billy McKinney or Jake Cave. The most likely team with interest (assuming the reports are true) are the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners would allow Ellsbury to return to his native Northwest (he’s from Oregon). The primary problem for the Mariners would be the heavy financial commitments they have invested in other players, most notably Robinson Cano. Therefore, the Yankees would probably have to pay a very significant portion of Ellsbury’s contract to move him to Safeco Field. Hopefully, GM Brian Cashman can figure this one out so that Ellsbury doesn’t become baseball’s highest paid pinch-runner again next year.

Other guys that are vulnerable to potential trades appear to be Chase Headley, Starlin Castro, Austin Romine, and Dellin Betances. With the disappointing end to his 2017 season, the value for Betances is down which probably enhances the potential for him to stay with the team (why try to sell the four-time All-Star while his value is low) but I don’t think the Yankees would hesitate to include him in a deal if it makes sense for the team. The Yankees also seem to be at the crossroads for making a decision about who backs up first baseman Greg Bird. With 40-man roster spots at a premium, it would seem that a choice needs to be made between Tyler Austin and Garrett Cooper. My preference probably leans toward Austin due to his versatility to play the outfield.  

The Yankees lost a valuable prospect last year in the Rule 5 Draft when the San Diego Padres kept catcher Luis Torrens on the MLB roster all season. I expect this year’s Rule 5 Draft to be equally painful if not more so.  It’s certainly a testament to the strength of the farm system but it is still difficult to see talented young prospects depart.  

Credit:  Alex Gallardo, AP

Now that Tanaka has made his decision to stay in the Bronx, the biggest immediate problem facing the Yankees is finding a new manager to replace the dismissed Joe Girardi. I am surprised the Yankees have not announced a new deal for GM Brian Cashman since his current deal expired at the end of October, but it doesn’t seem like Cash is going anywhere. Neither the team nor Cashman have tipped their hand to show potential managerial candidates but it does seem like the team is looking at outside alternatives. The question is how much they’ll prioritize actual managerial experience. If they want experience, then former Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus seems to be the best possible option. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 48th Round of the 1987 draft, although he never played for the Major League team. I can still remember the sense of loss when he was taken by the Colorado Rockies in the November 1992 Expansion Draft.  Nevertheless, he is a Connecticut guy who grew up in close proximity to New York (even if his childhood team was the Boston Red Sox). He was criticized for being out-managed in the 2014 ALDS when the Detroit Tigers lost to the Baltimore Orioles and like Girardi, has a tendency to lean heavily on his veterans. But by all accounts, he is a player-friendly manager (good communicator) and would interact well with the media. For guys who lack managerial (or coaching) experience, Jerry Hairston, Jr seems to stand out. I also like Mark DeRosa of the MLB Network. I have no idea who the Yankees will ultimately choose but you have to believe that Cashman had someone in mind when the decision was made to part ways with long-time manager Girardi.  

Credit:  Corey Sipkin, NY Daily News

I am ready for the craziness that will ensue over the next six weeks before we settle into the Winter hibernation that precedes the opening of Spring Training camps next February. The Yankees are a team on the rise and the moves made this off-season will contribute toward the team’s success (or lack thereof) as we move forward. No pressure, Brian Cashman. The goal is simple…bring the Yankees’ 28th World Series Championship to New York City now. Teams like the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim are not going to sit idly by. The job is to do it better so that we can celebrate on the streets of New York this time next year. 

Go Yankees!

Masa Returns!...

Credit:  Shanna Lockwood, USA TODAY Sports

Masahiro Tanaka declines Opt-Out...

Yankees fans across the country breathed a big sigh of relief at the news that Masahiro Tanaka has declined to opt out of his contract and will remain with the New York Yankees for the next three years at $67 million.

There were so many differing opinions but I tended to side with those that felt Masa would not have been able to find a substantially better deal on the free agent market. I know there's the continued risk of Tommy John surgery but all things considered, I am glad to see #19 back in the fold.  

Tanaka issued this statement on Friday night:

I remain in favor of the Yankees re-signing CC Sabathia...if the price is right.  But there's no doubt you have to love a starting rotation that features Luis Severino, Tanaka, Sonny Gray and Jordan Montgomery. With or without Sabathia, there's no doubt we'll see Chance Adams at some point in the season. Good times for Yankees fans!

Other Yankees News...

The Yankees made it official and announced that Kevin Reese has been promoted to Senior Director of Player Development, replacing the departed Gary Denbo who joined Derek Jeter in Miami. The Yankees will now need to find a new Director of Professional Scouting but there's no doubt they'll fill the post from within. Best of luck to Kevin in his new Tampa-based role!

The latest "frontrunner" for Yankees manager appears to be Brad Ausmus. At the end of the day, who really knows. I think some of the knocks against Ausmus are the same as those against Joe Girardi. He has  tendency to over rely upon his veterans and has a stoic personality. Ausmus has a stern but player-friendly reputation. While he never played in Pinstripes, he was the Yankees 48th round selection in the 1987 MLB Draft. He was lost in the Expansion Draft when the Colorado Rockies joined MLB and ultimately made his major league debut with the San Diego Padres although he is better remembered as a Houston Astro.  

I personally would not have an issue with Ausmus and probably would prefer to see someone with managerial experience get the vital role for the contending Yankees. He might not be my favorite but I'd support the choice if he is deemed to be the one. 

Have a great weekend!  Go Yankees!

This Day in New York Yankees History 11/3: Enter Paul O'Neill

It was on this day in 1992 that the New York Yankees finally acquired right fielder Paul O'Neill. The Cincinnati Reds traded O'Neill and minor league player Joe DeBerry to the Yankees for Roberto Kelly. This trade works out for the Yankees as O'Neill was an integral part of four World Series championships before retiring after the 2001 season.

Also in this day in New York Yankees history that we probably don't want to remember a pair of World Series milestones happened against the Yankees in the World Series. On this day in 2001 in Game 6 of the World Series the Arizona Diamondbacks collected 21 hits in the first six innings establishing a new record for most hits in a World Series game. Also on this day in 2009 Chase Utley tied Reggie Jackson's 1977 record with his 5th home run of the World Series.