George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past Part II

Those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. That is a quote probably made famous by someone else but one that I use quite often in my day-to-day life. My name is Daniel Burch and if you remember from last Christmas Eve you will remember that I was visited by George Steinbrenner and the ghost of Yankees past. The Boss visited many people that night and many of those people learned the lesson that was brought to them that cold winter night, but some did not. This is the story of those who did not and George’s last ditch effort to save them… before it’s too late.


Once again we set the scene. Same office building, same fire roaring and same rich man bearing the Steinbrenner name that just doesn’t get it. Hal Steinbrenner, sipping on his wine, looks up from his Excel spreadsheet to see the ghost of his father standing in his room. Hal, with that same obnoxious smile and coy look about him, sighs and says to his father “what now?” George is not amused by his son’s tone nor his attitude and responds with an extremely tongue in cheek “Merry Christmas to you too son.” Hal is not amused, he almost seems aggravated at the sight of his father, and looks away to continue working. That’s when he feels his feet leave the ground and before he knows it he is flying out the window, his father by his side, and they are once again traveling to check on those affected by Hal’s poor decisions since taking over the team.

“Hal,” George says to his son while flying to their first destination, “it doesn’t matter what your payroll is you’re still cheap. Stop telling the fans that you aren’t because they know. They are the smartest fan base in the entire world. They know that the Mark Teixeira contract and the CC Sabathia contract and the Alex Rodriguez contract and many of the contracts still hampering the team were given out while I was still in charge, not you. You preached frugality for two seasons in a row only to take a shot at trying to be me. You failed. Three years for a 37-year old Carlos Beltran? Seven years for Jacoby Ellsbury? Do you know what you’re doing to MY team?” The good news for Hal is he didn’t have to wait long as they arrived at their first stop, Mr. Ken Hans’s house.


Ken Hans lives in New Jersey, something that apparently rubs a few people the wrong way, and the Steinbrenner’s are coming at a bad time for Hans. He is in the middle of a fierce online debate which can be heard for miles. Hans is not only typing like a mad man but he is quoting himself out loud as he posts. “The water pistol” this and the “water pistol” that and something about Creedmoor Psychiatric Center, its full blown hysteria at the Hans household. The subject, the New York Yankees and the lack of ability to do much by Brian Cashman. Hans is not a fan of Cashman, he refers to him as the elf, and wants to see the team return back to its glory days. The days when a Steinbrenner got what a Steinbrenner wanted and when the team was expected to win the World Series, not content with a Wild Card berth and a huge blown lead in the division after July 31st. Hans wants the days of simply waiting out a contract to be gone and the days of eating and/or trading a contract to come back to the Bronx. So does George. “See what you’ve caused here, and this is just one of many frustrated households of frustrated Yankees fans” says George. “This is a season ticket holder, well now probably a former season ticket holder, and one of the many that made you who you are today. Without the fans, and without those fans being happy and excited, we are nothing Hal. Especially in New York. Last year we visited disappointed fans, discouraged fans. This year we’re fearing angry fans. Next Christmas Eve do you want to have fans to visit at all?” Hal looks down with shame as the Steinbrenner’s fly off to the next household and to visit the next Yankees fan.

The next stop on this adventure takes the Steinbrenner’s young and old to the house of their GM Brian Cashman. Hal Steinbrenner looked confused and knew where the conversation was going. Hal had just talked to Cashman a few hours ago and Cashman was obviously ruffled when he got off the phone with the new Yankees owner. Cashman had asked for the money for David Price and was laughed at, but not as hard as he was laughed at when he asked to sign Zack Greinke. Cashman was hung up on when he asked to move Brett Gardner in order to sign Jason Heyward and he was simply waved away when he pointed out the fact that Justin Upton was a Top 5 left fielder in the game while Gardner was lucky to be a Top 10 LF in the league. Cashman was given full power by George Steinbrenner before he passed and has only seen that power be taken away once again by Steinbrenner Jr. George and Hal did not talk, they merely listened and let is all sink in. Cashman was on the phone with someone and he was visibly upset. "My hands are tied though. I ask to trade (Andrew) Miller and Gardner to make some room financially and I get shot down. I ask to sign a starting pitcher or piece that we need and I got laughed at. Literally laughed at. I love this team and I would never quit on this team, I am a New Yorker through and through, but my passion is gone." George simply looks over at Hal with disappointment in his eyes as Cashman continues. "I even had to trade Justin Wilson just to make room for Starlin Castro on the roster fiscally. This is a $3.5 billion operation making nearly $600 million in revenue in a year where attendance and YES Network ratings are down across the board. I wish we would start acting like it again." George doesn't have to say a word and Hal is not having fun anymore. As they leave Cashman's study they hear him turn down an offer to go to a rival team for more money because he believes in this team and believes in loyalty. Hal Steinbrenner begins to cry as they head to yet another stop on their tour.


The final stop on the tour takes the Steinbrenner’s to Hell’s Kitchen to visit a man simply known as Mr. Reed. Mr. Reed is a lifelong veteran and fan of the New York Yankees who, despite his ferocity and angry typing at a whopping five words per minute, knows he’s not as young as he used to be. Reed is a knowledgeable man, although he does struggle with names from time to time, and a good man that just wants to see one more Yankees World Series before he goes on to meet his lord and maker. Mr. Reed, above all, is a patient man. Remember Mr. Reed lived through the later 70’s and 1980’s editions of the New York Yankees and almost snickers when fans complain about going two straight postseasons without a berth or six straight seasons without a World Series. Mr. Reed knows the struggle and the wait in between World Series victories and has learned to cherish them like they all should be cherished. Mr. Reed, much like George, knows that it was the meddling and the controversy that drove much of the mediocrity that followed the post-Bronx is Burning Yankees and The Boss see’s many of those same trends showing their ugly face again. “Hal, I’ve said it many times. Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Take it from me, I ran this team into the ground once and it was only my ban from the game that allowed the team to turn the farm system around which turned the team, the organization and the city of the Bronx around. It was only then that the dynasty years came to fruition.” George then quickly points out that the ownership driven deals of Rafael Soriano, Ichiro Suzuki, Carlos Beltran and others have not worked out for the team, the organization or the fans. Another common theme among the Steinbrenner family and another common theme for Hal specifically, he lowers his head and shame as his father takes him home for yet another Christmas morning.

The Steinbrenner’s barely beat the sun rise home on Christmas Day and Hal is wearing the shame on his face from the previous night. Hal never thought he was meddling and he never truly thought he was being cheap. As far as Hal was concerned the signings of Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran had worked out for the team and the team was World Series caliber. As far as Hal was concerned there was no problem with a $3.5 billion franchise wanting to lower payroll and not sign free agents because of a 50% tax levied on each dollar of the contract over the luxury tax threshold. As far as Hal is concerned this team is set to compete for a World Series Championship in 2016. Has Hal learned his lesson and will the Yankees defy the odds in 2016? I guess you’ll have to wait until next Christmas Eve to find out.





Merry Christmas Yankees family. I hope Santa brings you everything you need and most of what you want tonight. I appreciate each and every one of you reading this and I hope you enjoyed the second edition of my novel “George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past.”

George Steinbrenner and the Ghost of Yankees Past

This article was written on December 24th, 2014 and to this day is still one of my favorite and one of the most read articles on the site. I love it and I am extremely proud of it, so much so that I wrote a part two for it and I may or may not be already working on a part four for Christmas 2017, and for that reason I wanted to share it with you again this year. Without further ado here is the post I have been gabbing out for a few lines now, enjoy.

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Set the scene, picture Hal Steinbrenner sitting at his desk in his multi-billion dollar home with any bill less than a $50 burning in the fireplace for no apparent reason. It’s Christmas Eve and he’s making his list and he’s checking it twice to make sure he didn’t miss anybody. Chris Young, check. Andrew Miller, check. Didi Gregorius, check. Nathan Eovaldi, check. Chris Capuano, check. Chase Headley, check. Garrett Jones, check. Beside that list was another list, a more general and generic list, which Mr. Steinbrenner moved to satisfied with his findings on the first list. Find a shortstop to replace the great Derek Jeter, check. Find a closer to replace David Robertson, check. Improve the pitching, check. Emulate the Kansas City Royals bullpen from 2014 with a three headed monster, check. Keep Alex Rodriguez off the field at all costs, check. Bring back Brian Cashman, check. Fire Kevin Long, check. Fire Mick Kelleher, check. Replace both Long and Kelleher, he’ll have to get back to that. Steinbrenner, satisfied with his offseason even though it’s Christmas Eve and two of the top 10 free agents are still on the board, Hal decides to go to bed in his 8,000,000,000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets when he hears something knocking at the door, a ghost.


“Son, it’s me. What in the world are you doing?” says the ghost of George Steinbrenner. Hal, shocked, replies that he was going to bed for tomorrow was Christmas Day and he had hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of presents to open in the morning and wanted to get an early start. This angered the ghost of Yankees past and he snatched Hal out of the bed and ushered him into the kitchen where he poured him a very ironically and strategically placed glass of Kool-Aide. Hal, thinking it was some of his 1996 wine he had ordered from Italy just three days prior, took a big swallow only to realize his mistake, spit out the wine and ask his father “What in the world are you feeding me?” The ghost of Yankees past, which that grin that he was so known for especially around the months of July and November – January, replied “I am simply giving you what you are feeding the greatest fans in the world, the Yankees fans. Now come with me while I show you the error of your ways.”


In a flash George and Hal Steinbrenner sat in the living room of a die hard Yankees fan who owned a blog called The Greedy Pinstripes. Daniel Burch could not see or hear the Steinbrenner’s but they could hear him and watched as he ferociously typed away on a piece about how the Yankees should “get greedy” and “sign Scherzer” and “trade for Tulo” and something along the lines of “World Series caliber team.” That’s when Hal began to shudder as he knew where this conversation was going. He looked up at his father and caught a glimpse of a father looking down at his son in a way that showed not anger, but disappointment. The same disappointment that Daniel had on his face when he waved his hands in a dismissive fashion, closed his Google Chrome and did not click save changes on his post.


Without saying a word, because the ghost of Yankees past knew a word did not need to be muttered, he flashed in an instant to another Yankees fans house, that of Mr. Michael Brogna. Michael was frantically checking Twitter every so often wondering who and what would happen next like he had been for the last number of weeks with little results. Again the look of disappointment on a true fan sporting the interlocking N and Y and once again the utter look of disappointment on the ghost of Yankees past’s face. Hal could hardly look his father in the eyes now and simply replied with a “We spent over $500 million last season and it got us 85 wins.” This angered the ghost of Yankees past and for the first time since they left the Steinbrenner Mansion the eldest Steinbrenner broke his silence and spoke. “We can’t live in the past, we’re always looking towards the future. Nobody cares what you did last season unless it brought us all the ultimate goal of a World Series championship. Can’t you see what you’re doing and how it is affecting the bottom line you care about so much? Look at the attendance the last two seasons as well as the ratings on the YES Network, you know that network I broke my back to build for you to sell less than five years after my death, after putting out such a mediocre team on the field. They sucked and you should be fired. In this market you have to spend money to make money. How much money is this team going to make with declining attendance and no 3,000 hit chase, no farewell tour of a member of the Core Four and no player’s jersey that we can’t keep on the shelves before Spring Training? Don’t answer that as I have one more stop to make tonight if we’re quick enough, so let’s move.”


The third and final stop on the journey went to the home of a Mr. Alex Emmanuel Rodriguez. Rodriguez was on the phone and the Steinbrenner’s only caught the tail end of the conversation. Rodriguez, speaking to an undisclosed person on the other end, was overheard saying “and the best part is I am still going to get $61 million over the next three years and everything they have done pretty much assures me that I don’t have to do anything for it. It’s free money. All I have to do is play once a week, hit my six home runs to tie Willie Mays, collect my extra $6 million bonus and go home to Miami for the winter. They think they are hurting my feelings not guaranteeing me a contract and not giving me any playing time like it’s going to hurt my ego but I’m over it. Two steroid allegations, a steroid suspension and millions of dollars in lost wages will really mature a guy and make him see the bigger picture. I’m not going to simply retire and declare myself physically unable to play I am going to sit on the bench and collect my money like any other person would. Call me Albert Belle, call me Bobby Bonilla, call me Centaur, call me whatever you like as long as the check doesn’t bounce.” And with that the look of disappointment from the ghost of Yankees past went from disappointment to anger. With a flash the two were back in the Steinbrenner kitchen with that same glass of orange Kool-Aide sitting on the counter.


This time the ghost of Yankees past did not have to say anything, it was Hal that did all the talking. “I understand what you’re trying to show me sir and I get it. You gave complete control to Brian Cashman and I, my brother and Randy Levine took that from him. We signed Alex to that monster deal and big against ourselves much like we did with Rafael Soriano. I refused to write checks to Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and another notable international free agents because of the fear that a Jose Contreras contract put in my heart some 15-20 years ago. I’m the one essentially letting Robinson Cano walk and I’m the one trading the Shane Greene’s of the world while I give Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts one year “reclamation” deals. It’s on me sir and I intend to fix it. I no longer will live in your shadow and I will no longer live in the rearview mirror of the Los Angeles Dodger’s accountants. Dad, get me the phone!”


The ghost of Yankees past handed his son the iPhone 6 Plus and he proceeded to call agent Scott Boras. Within minutes a blank contract and check were faxed to Max Scherzer while a list of available players and prospects were being drawn up and prepared to send to the Colorado Rockies. With his final action the younger Steinbrenner called Mr. Brogna, Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Burch and each phone call had an entirely different tone to it. An apology to Mr. Brogna came after an olive branch containing season tickets for life in A Rod’s luxury suite. That suite was easily handed to Michael because the next call was to Rodriguez and he was told to take his $61 million dollars and go, anywhere but here, and don’t come back. The final call to Mr. Burch was a more somber call and conversation which ended in Hal asking Mr. Burch to be his Peter Brand. Mr. Burch, embarrassed, asked Hal “who is Peter Brand?” with a laugh Hal simply responded “you know, Jonah Hill from Moneyball.” Burch, with a sheepish laugh and with an intended fist pump” screamed “YES!!!” into the phone.


The deals were done, the Yankees were better, the fans were happy, Hal’s conscience was clear and his understand hit a new level while the ghost of Yankees past simply disappeared into the infinite abyss. Hal never knew what happened to the ghost of Yankees past, whether he had been real or an eerily vivid dream, but Hal understood what needed to be done and he did it. Hal did not sell the team and the screams for him to sell the team almost immediately stopped. The Yankees went on to win their 28th, 29th and 30th World Series championships before the turn of the century and once again a dynasty was in place just like the way it should be. All thanks to an old rich guy with bad hair and a huge checkbook, a pissed off ghost and one Yankees fans undying love for the team. The faith and love for the team returned and the fans returned to the Bronx in flocks all to live happily ever after.


Well except for the ghost of Yankees past, he was still dead. The End. Merry Christmas everyone.

'Twas the Day Before Christmas...

Coming Soon:  Salinas & Cabello, playing at a stadium near you… 

The more I read about the two international prospects signed by the Yankees, OF Raimfer Salinas and C Antonio Cabello, the more excited I get. These are the guys that will be viewed as the new Baby Bombers when Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez and others will be the “thirty-something” players on the roster.

Antonio Cabello (l) and Raimfer Salinas (r)

Per MLB.com:

RAIMFER SALINAS

Salinas will turn 17 next week. He’s 6’0” and 175 lbs, and was born in San Felix, Bolivar, Venuzuela. Salinas bats and throws right-handed.  

Scouting Report: “For now, Salinas might be best known for his bat, but the rest of his tools are not far behind. In fact, there’s a belief the young outfielder has the potential to be a legitimate five-tool player and an impact player in the near future. For starters, scouts like Salinas’ body frame and its potential. He’s also a sound defender and his plus arm is already an asset. Salinas is already a decent runner, whether it’s on the basepaths or roaming the outfield, and there’s a belief he will get faster. At the plate, Salinas has shown an advanced approach and good bat speed. He’s been able to hit to all fields while also showing some home run power. Salinas’ overall tools package could land him in the middle of the lineup one day as a possible run producer. Scouts like his makeup and his overall confidence in his abilities.”

Salinas is ranked sixth on MLB.com’s list of Top International Prospects.

ANTONIO CABELLO

Cabello turned 17 last month. He’s 5’10” and 160 lbs, and was born in Puerto Ordaz, Bolivar, Venezuela. Cabello bats and throws right-handed like Salinas.

Scouting Report: “Cabello could be the most athletic prospect on the international market this year. The teenager is known primarily as a catcher, but Cabello could also play second base and center field. He has a strong body and has been clocked at 6.45 seconds in the 60-yard dash. Cabello also hits in games and his makeup is considered off the charts. He has built a reputation as a tough and hard-nosed competitor who hates to lose. Fellow Venezuelan catcher prospect Daniel Flores* might be a better defender, but Cabello has also earned praise as a good receiver with solid catching and throwing abilities. Cabello has been praised for his ability to block balls and a quick release that gives him a chance to throw out even the best of potential basestealers. Cabello is still working on fine-tuning his overall offensive game, and like most prospects his age, he is working on his approach against secondary and offspeed pitches.”

*Sadly, Daniel Flores, signed by the Boston Red Sox, died in November due to complications from treatment for cancer. Flores was the highest rated 2017 international catching prospect.

Cabello is ranked eighth on MLB.com’s list of Top International Prospects.

These were great signings by the Yankees. It will be a few years before they potentially start making noise for advancement to the Bronx but as the saying goes, ‘the future is so bright, I’ve got to wear shades’…

Moose Call…

Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com posted a good story this morning reporting the early results of 2018 Hall of Fame Voting. Presently, 101 votes out of an estimated 416 votes have been made (24.3%). The results show that it is very likely that Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, and Vlad the Great, Vladimir Guerrero, are blazing their path to Cooperstown. These three have 95% or better of the votes cast so far. 

I do not dispute any of the above three. They are all Hall-worthy and I am glad to see the odds are on their side for next year. The votes that really bother me come down to former Yankees pitchers Roger Clemens and Mike Mussina.  

Mike Mussina, who strongly deserves a place in the Hall of Fame in my opinion, has received 72 of 101 votes (71.3%). This is Mussina’s fifth time on the ballot. 75% is needed for induction. Roger Clemens, suspected of PED use, has the same number of votes as Mussina. That’s so wrong. I don’t care what numbers Clemens put up, he cheated.  Mussina played the game right and was good from beginning to end of his career. Moose was 270-153 in 537 games played, with 3.68 ERA. He struck out 2,813 batters in 3,562 2/3 innings pitched with 1.192 WHIP. Unlike Clemens, Moose does not need to make any apologies for his career. I am hopeful that the remaining voters provide Moose with the necessary 75%.  

Credit:  Joy R Absalon, US Presswire

Clemens can rot in Texas.

That right hand is going to get sore…

Phil Nevin appeared on the MLB Network on Friday. The new Yankees third base coach is looking forward to training camp. “We’ve got a good group of guys. We’re energetic, really excited about getting going. The conversations we’ve all had as a group, we’re all excited about it. We’re all going to work well together. I think that’ll feed down into the players and create excitement amongst them as well.”  

For Yankees fans, Nevin is best remembered as the first pick of the 1992 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros. The year the Astros bypassed a young shortstop out of Kalamazoo, Michigan by the name of Derek Jeter. He had an unremarkable overall career, with a few very good seasons with the San Diego Padres. Nevin accumulated 208 home runs. In the 2018 season as the third base coach, he’ll slap the hands of Yankee players on home run trots more than 208 times.  

Credit:  Zimbio

I was kind of surprised that Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn’t name someone like Nevin as his bench coach, opting for the inexperienced Josh Bard. The San Francisco Giants apparently were ready to name Nevin as their bench coach had current bench coach Hensley Meulens gotten the Yankees managerial job. Nevin served as a Triple A manager from 2014 to 2016. During the MLB Network interview, he talked about how much he likes working third base and his perception that it is the closest thing to being on the field as a player.  

Welcome to Pinstripes, Phil!

Now batting, Number 27…

Looking ahead to the 2018 schedule, there are a few dates that stand out. The Miami Marlins come to Yankee Stadium for two games in April (Monday, April 16th and Tuesday, April 17th). The Yankees will also visit Marlins Park on Tuesday, August 21st and Wednesday, August 22nd. It will be interesting to see how the Marlins fans react to the introduction of Giancarlo Stanton. Given the current adverse feelings toward Marlins ownership, I suspect that Stanton will get a rousing ovation.  

Credit:  SunSentinel

The Yankees also visit Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA for three games with the Phillies beginning Monday, June 25th. The game will feature a reunion with former Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson, now the bench coach for new Phillies manager Gabe Kapler. It will be odd to see Thomson wearing Philly red.  

The toughest stretch of the schedule appears to be very early. From Monday, April 23rd through Thursday, May 10th, the Yankees play 17 games against the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, and Boston Red Sox. None of those games will be easy. The Yankees also have series against the Washington Nationals, Texas Rangers, Angels and Astros later in May. We will find out very quickly how strong the 2018 Yankees will be.  

A Heller of a Good Time…

Here’s a shout out to Yankees reliever Ben Heller for his recent humanitarian trip to Guatemala with Forever Changed International. It was exciting to watch Heller’s daily tweets  (@BenHeller21) about helping the poverty-stricken youth of Guatemala. His last tweet from the trip read: “Thanks for following our trip and for all the support! I never expected to fall in love with these kids as much as I did - it was definitely a life changing experience. If you are interested in supporting them more, or going on a trip yourself - foreverchangedinternational.org”

Thanks for making a difference in the lives of so many, Ben!  

To all of the Yankees family, here is our wish for a very Merry Christmas and a most joyous Holiday Season! 

Go Yankees!

Can’t Even Get a Lump of Cole for Christmas…

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…

Most families are preparing for Christmas and the Holiday Season, and I am sure that the Yankees family is no different. The likelihood of any major Yankees news over the next few days is about as realistic as Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos graciously handing Manny Machado over to the Yankees. In other words, it is going to be very quiet as we try on our new Giancarlo Stanton jerseys.

I admit it. I reacted like a lemming to all of the rumors that percolated on Thursday night about renewed talks between the Yankees and the Pittsburgh Pirates about starting pitcher Gerrit Cole. It turned out to be nothing, and it would appear the Pirates are still trying to aim high (too high) with their asking price. I’ve seen suggestions of OF Clint Frazier, 2B/SS Tyler Wade, 3B Miguel Andujar, and LHP Jordan Montgomery for Cole. That’s ridiculous and not something that should be considered. To me, that’s akin to asking for Yankees soon-to-be starting second baseman Gleyber Torres. I strongly  believe the latest Cole rumors had their origin in the Pirates camp as the Pirates attempt to gain some leverage in talks. It’s not like GM Brian Cashman or his team to leak proposed trade details. Of course, it could also just be the Red Sox Nation trolling Yankees fans. 

At this point, I am so tired of the Cole rumors that I wish the Yankees would either pull the trigger (but not to the point they overpay) or walk away. There are things that I like about Cole but conversely I recognize the faults of a pitcher that has never lived up to his potential.  We did not like it during the stretch last year when Masahiro Tanaka was serving up batting practice during games and it wouldn’t be well received to watch Cole as a gopher ball pitcher in Yankee Stadium. Cashman should give Pirates GM Neal Huntington a ‘take it or leave it’ offer (perhaps throwing in Austin Romine for no other reason than the Pirates seem to like our catchers, ala Francisco Cervelli and previously Russell Martin and Chris Stewart) and be prepared to move on if Huntington responds negatively. I’ve felt all along that a package of Clint Frazier and Chance Adams is very, very fair, but many argue that’s too much. Anything more, for Cole alone, is too much.

I’ve wondered what the Yankees will do with their international bonus money that was accumulated for a failed run at Japanese superstar Shohei Otani. The Yankees didn’t sign any of the top international prospects that were recently released by the Atlanta Braves as part of their punishment by MLB so the obvious choices were the remaining unsigned players on Baseball America’s ranking of top international prospects, most notably tenth-ranked outfielder Raimfer Salinas, 16, and fifteenth-ranked catcher Antonio Cabello, 17. Sure enough, the two Venezuelan players have been signed by the Yankees according to Baseball America. The signings give the Yankees a total of five of the top 20 international players as ranked in the 2017 signing period. The Yankees had previously signed fifth-ranked OF Everson Pereira, eleventh-ranked SS Ronny Rojas and twentieth-ranked SS Robinson Chirinos. We’ll soon learn more about Salinas and Cabello in  future editions of Meet a Prospect by TGP’s own Daniel Burch I am sure, but for now, welcome to the Yankees family, Raimfer and Antonio!

Speaking of prospects, I was saddened to see the departure of Dante Bichette, Jr. He had six years to progress through the Yankees farm system, but the third baseman, 25, was unable to advance past Double A. If he had been able to develop into a Major League player, his timing would have been perfect to take over third base for the Yankees next season. But alas, it was not to be. Young Dante became a minor league free agent in November and has signed with the Colorado Rockies, the team his father once starred for. The Bichette family is very close to former Yankees manager Joe Girardi and young Dante grew up calling him “Uncle Joe”.  Girardi named his own son Dante after the elder Bichette. I wish Dante Jr the best as he tries to achieve his elusive MLB dream in the Mile High City.

Credit:  Martin Griff

For every Yankees blogger (myself included) that suggests the Yankees should find a way to unload Jacoby on the San Francisco Giants, there’s a Giants blogger writing why Ellsbury would be a very bad fit for the Giants. Bottom line, the Giants want no part of Ells. I hate it, but I think we’re stuck with #22 for the long haul. The biggest waste of a roster spot in my opinion. At some point, the Yankees will choose to cut bait but that’s probably not this off-season. I keeping hoping for a Christmas Miracle that takes Ellsbury away but I think I’ll be disappointed with that one.  

I was listening to MLB Network’s interview yesterday with former Miami Marlins second baseman and now Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon. He was asked if he had spoken with the other recently traded Marlins (Giancarlo Stanton and Marcell Ozuna). We know that Stanton is now the big slugger in the lineup of big sluggers, while Ozuna went to the organization that holds the most World Series titles not named the Yankees, the St Louis Cardinals. The reactions conveyed by Gordon were very different. While Ozuna was saddened by the trade (despite the fact that he is going to a storied franchise with a long-standing history of baseball tradition and success), “G” is excited and ready to get after it. I love it. I can’t wait to watch Stanton in spring training wearing the perfect shade of blue.  

Go Yankees! 

Yankees Lose Dante Bichette Jr.

Just a quick hit this morning and a little bit of a personal post. The New York Yankees drafted Dante Bichette Jr. in the supplemental round after the first round in the 2011 MLB First Year Players Draft, six years later Bichette Jr. is gone. This is personal to me because I did an interview with Bichette Jr. and I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with him throughout the years on Twitter. I wish him well and I totally understand the business side of the game but sometimes the fan side of me just gets me down, and one of those instances is today.

Bichette Jr. has signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies and will look to continue his ultimate goal of reaching the Major League level like his father before him, Dante Bichette Sr.

I wish you well Dante, and I wish your brother Bo well also. I love you guys and your family, you have always been gracious and extremely approachable with us and generally just good people. Stay well and good luck going forward!

Yankees Sign Two International Free Agents

The New York Yankees stacked $3.5 million in international free agent money in hopes of signing Japanese-born Shohei Otani this winter and while that did not come to fruition it does not mean that the Yankees haven't used that money to add some great, young talent to the organization. This week the team announced that they have signed two international free agents with that money and their names are Raimfer Salinas, an outfielder from Venezuela, and Antonio Cabello, a catcher also from Venezuela. Per Baseball America these were the 11th best and 15th best prospects available in this year's international pool.

With these two signing the Yankees have signed five of the top 20 best prospects in this year's international signing period. No word on how much they signed for yet, we will update you when that information becomes available.

Is Gerrit Cole the Pinstriped Answer?...

Jim Leyritz is reporting it so it must be true…

The cold Gerrit Cole rumors began reheating last night. According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, “Yankees, Pirates renewing Gerrit Cole discussions according to source”.  I am not sure how or why Jim Leyritz is always ‘in the know’ (he was among the first to report the Yankees had consummated the trade for Giancarlo Stanton), but he posted the following tweet earlier this morning:  “Feinsand is right on. Cole deal had been agreed on in principle at winter meetings. Just a matter of pieces. Cole side wants to get this done before New Year.  Happy New Year Yankees Fans.”

Credit:  Julie Jacobson, AP

So, regardless of whether you like this deal or not, it sounds like Gerrit Cole will soon be joining the New York Yankees.  In other words, Chasen Shreve, it’s time to think about a new number.

The Cole rumors are the polar opposite of the fan reaction leading up to last summer’s acquisition of Sonny Gray.  I had injury concerns about Gray but most fans, including myself, were in support of the trade for Gray despite the high cost. I personally like the idea of adding Cole, who may arguably be only the fourth best starter in the Yankees rotation. I think he would be energized by playing in front of New York fans at Yankee Stadium and the rock star status the Yankees hold with road games. I know that Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage is known as the Pitching Whisperer, but I’d really like to see what Larry Rothschild could do with Cole. The dude has premium stuff so Larry has much to work with. It’s not like we’d be bringing Jaime Garcia back to the Bronx. But many Yankees fans I know hate the idea of bringing Cole into the highly competitive AL East, particularly given his propensity to give up homers last season.  Maybe it’s a big “if”, but if the Yankees could get Cole pitching closer to his ace potential, the Yankees starting pitching rotation would be one of the AL’s best.  

Many fans are upset that we’ll potentially lose outfielder Clint Frazier and a top pitching prospect like Chance Adams.  All things considered, I’d probably prefer to give up Adams over Justus Sheffield or Albert Abreu. But at the end of the day, I trust GM Brian Cashman and his team to make the right decisions.  Cashman is rarely fleeced in a deal and I don’t think he’ll overpay in this situation. You keep hearing that the Pirates want Gleyber Torres but that’s not happening.  

I don’t like Frazier-Adams for Cole alone. I think the Pirates would also need to include 2B/3B Josh Harrison for that high of a cost. Frazier-Adams for Cole-Harrison is a potential win/win for both sides in my opinion.  

Credit:  Rob Carr, Getty Images

If anything, I am a little sick that Clint Frazier has been made a redundant player because of the presence of Jacoby Ellsbury on the Yankees roster. In an ideal world, the Yankees would clear out Ellsbury and Brett Gardner to open room for the younger guys. The Yankees apparently tried to engage the San Francisco Giants in trade talks for Ellsbury but the Giants prefer other outfield options. Given the spacious outfield at AT&T Park, I think either Ellsbury or Gardner would be a good fit for the Giants. Plus, the Giants train in Scottsdale, Arizona which is close to Ellsbury’s home (an enticement to get him to waive his no-trade clause). I remain hopeful the Yankees can find a way to ship out Ellsbury despite the cash and prospects that will need to be included.  Ellsbury and his contract hurt the Yankees in so many ways.  

The Cole Rumors continue to be the one that will not die.  Last night’s flurry of reports after days of nothing seem to indicate something could happen soon.  Either way, I’d like to see the Yankees pull the trigger or move on.  And under no circumstances should they be forced to overpay.  There are other strong options without having to hand our list of top ten prospects to another team.  

If New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon is irate about the Yankees’ acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton, I wonder how he’ll feel if the Yankees upgrade their starting rotation too?  Fred, it sucks to be you.

Go Yankees! 

I’ll Take An Elite Pitcher To Go, Please…

Credit:  Jim McIsaac, Getty Images and Sportsnet.ca

Is No News Good News?…

It’s been very quiet in the Yankees Universe this week. By all accounts, the Yankees’ talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates for starter Gerrit Cole have cooled. Rightfully so if the Pirates are continuing to ask for top prospects in return. The Cole rumors have been like the Yankees long-standing desire for Oakland’s Sonny Gray that was finally consummated last summer. Rumors that stick around for years until they may or may not happen. At this point, I don’t see a trade for Cole but of course things could change if the Pirates lower their demands.

How does the saying go? Sometimes the best trade is the trade never made.

This week, a few sources were indicating the Yankees have interest in free agent Yu Darvish.  I’ve liked Darvish for a long time but of course he bombed in the World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he was tipping his pitches. There’s also no way the Yankees can fit him into the budget unless they move other salary (i.e., Jacoby Ellsbury). I don’t see Darvish coming to the Bronx. I thought it was interesting that the Houston Astros talked to Darvish since they used him as a punching bag on their way to a World Series championship.  But trying to fit a Darvish contract into Team Hal’s budget would sacrifice greater areas of need on the team and would potentially limit what the Yankees could do next July at the tradling deadline.

There doesn’t seem to be any movement with talks about Arizona’s Patrick Corbin or Detroit’s Michael Fulmer. Fulmer would be the ideal candidate but he’s cost-prohibitive if the Tigers continue to ask for a ‘Chris Sale’ type of return.  

Credit:  Mark Cunningham, MLB Photos via Getty Images

Chris Archer continues to show up on lists as a possible target for the Yankees. I’d certainly be happy with Archer but getting the Rays to trade within the division is probably comparable to trying to get the Orioles to trade Manny Machado to the Yankees. Okay, that might not be the right comparison because I think the hatred of O’s owner Peter Angelos toward the Yankees probably runs a little deeper than other clubs. If we bring up names within the division, it should include Toronto’s Marcus Stroman. I love Stroman and I think the native New Yorker would be an ideal fit in the Bronx. Stroman, 26, is in his second year of arbitration and is projected to make $7.2 million this year (he made $3.4 million in 2017). He won’t be a free agent until the 2021 season. As he gets more expensive, the Blue Jays will probably be more motivated to move the player, especially since they are entering a rebuild phase and need more young talent. Stroman would fit into the chemistry of the Yankees and showed good rapport with Aaron Judge through tweets last fall. But as long as the Blue Jays think they have a shot for a Wild Card, they won’t trade Stroman. I watch Josh Donaldson as the barometer. As long as the Blue Jays keep the 2018 free agent-to-be on the roster, they refuse to admit rebuild. But once he goes, the environment might be right to grab Stroman who would be worth the high cost.

Credit:  Frank Gunn

I was glad to see the Tampa Bay Rays trade third baseman Evan Longoria to the San Francisco Giants yesterday. Longoria has long been a Yankees killer (seemingly coming up with key hits at the worst moments for the Pinstripers), but Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues was quick to point out that Longoria batted .231/.290/.375 against the Yankees over the past three seasons. As Axisa noted, Longoria is a declining player signed for big money so his departure probably hurts rather than helps the Yankees in the AL East. I think Longoria will be rejuvenated in San Francisco (playing in a packed AT&T Park is substantially different than playing in the sparse Tropicana Field). The Longoria trade removes another third base suitor which indirectly helps the Yankees as it removes options for free agents Mike Moustakas and Todd Frazier (hopefully driving down their asking prices to the point that the Yankees are able to sign one of the players). Sentimentally, I’d prefer Frazier but the Moose Tacos bat is better.

Credit:  Nick Wosika, Icon Sportswire

The AL East took a different look yesterday with the Longoria trade and the announcement that Orioles closer Zach Britton had torn his achilles tendon in an off-season workout (he will most likely miss the first 4-6 weeks of the season). If the O’s are successful in trading Machado out of the division, it will be an indication that they are ready to move into rebuild phase. The latest AL East moves continue to show further separation between the Yankees and Red Sox and the rest of the division.  

Back to Ellsbury, I would love to see the Yankees trade the aging, overpaid, under-performing outfielder. His presence prevents the Yankees from aggressively improving other areas of the team. I laugh when I see some of the “Ellsbury for (Player X)” suggestions, which are at times ridiculous. Ellsbury for Madison Bumgarner...yeah, right. Personally, I’d be happy with Ellsbury’s departure for no return. It is just a matter of how much money (and potentially prospects) the Yankees have package with him to get another team to bite. The Yankees either need to make room for Clint Frazier or trade him. He has nothing left to prove in the Minor Leagues.  

Credit:  SI.com

The free agent market has been slow to develop this year, but things seem to be breaking. Cleveland’s Carlos Santana signed with the Phillies earlier in the week, and Cleveland countered by signing the Mariners’ Yonder Alonso to be their new first baseman. Up to this point, the free agent signings have primarily been directed at bullpen relief.  

The Yankees are running out of time to make some noise before Christmas. I expect next week to be very quiet so if the Yankees do nothing this week, there probably won’t be any activity until January. On the bright side, we are moving closer to Spring Training. I have already bought my Giancarlo Stanton jersey so I am ready.

Go Yankees!