IBWAA SELECTS BARRY BONDS, ROGER CLEMENS, FOUR OTHERS IN 2018 HALL OF FAME VOTE

Los Angeles – In its ninth annual Hall of Fame election announced Wednesday, the IBWAA added six players to its digital Hall of Fame.

 

Chipper Jones was the top vote-getter, with 168 out of 170 ballots cast (98.82%). Jim Thome was the runner-up, with 154 votes (90.59%), followed by Mike Mussina (146 votes, 85.88%), Roger Clemens (133, 78.24%), Barry Bonds (130, 76.47%) and Trevor Hoffman (128, 75.29%). A 75% threshold is required for election.

 

Edgar Martinez (2016) and Vladimir Guerrero (2017) did not appear on the 2018 IBWAA Hall of Fame ballot because they have already been elected in previous years.

 

With those exceptions, the IBWAA ballot was identical to the one used by the BBWAA. All voting is done electronically.

 

Per a group decision in January, 2014, the IBWAA allows members to vote for up to 15 players, instead of the previous 10, beginning with the 2015 election. In the 2018 election, 95 members voted for 10 or more candidates. Twenty-seven members voted for 15 candidates. The average vote per member was 10.10.

 

Complete voting results are as follows:

 

Player Name	Votes	Percentage
Chipper Jones	168	98.82%
Jim Thome	154	90.59%
Mike Mussina	146	85.88%
Roger Clemens	133	78.24%
Barry Bonds	130	76.47%
Trevor Hoffman	128	75.29%
Curt Schilling	116	68.24%
Larry Walker	111	65.29%
Fred McGriff	81	47.65%
Manny Ramirez	76	44.71%
Scott Rolen	76	44.71%
Gary Sheffield	67	39.41%
Jeff Kent	61	35.88%
Andruw Jones	57	33.53%
Billy Wagner	55	32.35%
Omar Vizquel	48	28.24%
Sammy Sosa	47	27.65%
Johan Santana	36	21.18%
Hideki Matsui	8	4.71%
Jamie Moyer	6	3.53%
Chris Carpenter	4	2.35%
Carlos Lee	2	1.18%
Johnny Damon	2	1.18%
Kerry Wood	2	1.18%
Aubrey Huff	1	0.59%
Brad Lidge	1	0.59%
Jason Isringhausen	1	0.59%
Carlos Zambrano	0	0.00%
Kevin Millwood	0	0.00%
Livan Hernandez	0	0.00%
Orlando Hudson	0	0.00%

 

Ballot tabulations by Brian Wittig & Associates.

 

The IBWAA was established July 4, 2009 to organize and promote the growing online baseball media, and to serve as a digital alternative to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Voting for full season awards takes place in September of each year, with selections being announced in November. The IBWAA also holds a Hall of Fame election in December of each year, with results being announced the following January.

 

In 2010, the IBWAA began voting in its own relief pitcher category, establishing the Rollie Fingers American League Relief Pitcher of the Year and the Hoyt Wilhelm National League Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards.

 

Among others, IBWAA members include Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports; Craig Calcaterra, NBC Sports Hardball Talk; Bill Chuck, Billy-Ball.com; Chris De Luca, Chicago Sun-Times; Jon Heyman and Jesse Spector, Today’s Knuckleball; Danny Knobler, Bleacher Report; Kevin Kennedy; Kostya Kennedy, Sports Illustrated; Brian Kenny, MLBN; Will Leitch, Sports on Earth; Bruce Markusen, Hardball Times; Ross Newhan; Dayn Perry and Matt Snyder, CBSSports.com; Tom Hoffarth and J.P. Hoornstra Los Angeles Daily News; Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times; Tracy Ringolsby, MLB.com; Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic; Eno Sarris, FanGraphs; David Schoenfield, ESPN.com; Jim Bowden and Bill Arnold.

 

Association membership is open to any and all Internet baseball writers, with a $75 lifetime fee. Discounts for groups and scholarships are available. Members must be 18 years of age to apply.

For more information please visit www.ibwaa.com.

Contact:

 

Howard Cole
Founding Director, IBWAA
baseballsavvy@aol.com

Ok, Guys. New Plan. Don’t Get Greedy JUST YET! Part 1

I kind of chuckled about a week back when I was reading the comments section on the blog and I saw a comment by a fellow writer here on the blog, Scott Fiedler, who said “Daniel is going to yield to pressure and re-name the blog The Complacent Pinstripes.” Obviously, his comment was very tongue-in-cheek, and I literally laughed out loud when I read it but the more this slow and weird offseason goes on the more I think that may actually be the best plan, at least for now. The Yankees made the big splash this offseason already acquiring Giancarlo Stanton and the team doesn’t NEED to make another. Sure, another would be great. I’d take Yu Darvish at or around five-years and $86 million, whether that’s a reality or not I am not sure, but it is a number I saw on Twitter a few times over the weekend, and I’d take a Mike Moustakas on a one-year “pillow” contract, but at the same time I’d be just as happy and comfortable heading into the season “as-is.” I expect Yankees GM Brian Cashman to add at least a veteran infielder option on a minor league deal that could compete for a job in spring alongside Gleyber Torres, Ronald Torreyes, Miguel Andujar and Tyler Wade to name a few but other than that I think the heavy lifting for the Yankees is over. Honestly, that’s okay because I have a new plan and it goes along with becoming the Complacent Pinstripes. At least for now.

The Yankees ultimate plan this offseason is not only to compete with their young and hungry core of players but to also get under the $197 million luxury tax threshold in order to reset their tax penalties on their payroll. The way you do that is you bring in young and cost-effective players like New York has at key positions while filling in the cracks with veterans. What many do not understand, or may not want to anyway, is that the team needs money and wiggle room throughout the season as well and not just here in January. The team needs money to add pieces potentially at the July 31^st trading deadline and they can’t, and shouldn’t frankly, rely on moving dead contracts like Jacoby Ellsbury to help accommodate. They can’t, it is potentially disastrous and not entirely feasible in my opinion because a lot can happen between now and July 31^st, 2018. Instead of expending all their ammunition now in terms of dollars and prospects I think New York should simply head into camp with what they have and play to be a second-half team. That isn’t to say the team cannot be great in the first half, I truly think they will be as they stand today, but I am saying that the team should be playing for that second half run that propels so many teams into the postseason and the World Series.

While the free agent market is stagnant, and the trade market is almost non-existent until some of these big names come off the board I find it imperative that the Yankees simply head into camp and wait until June or July before they do more heavy lifting. Obviously, Brian Cashman should be doing his due diligence and if the right deal for New York comes along, you make it. If the deal isn’t on the Yankees terms though I think the team should stand pat and wait for the trade deadline. Looking across the league at potential “bad” teams who don’t look like they will compete in 2018 and their depth charts there should be plenty of options for New York before the deadline if they so choose to make a big splash.

I am going to purposely ignore the American League East because I don’t believe any of the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles or the Tampa Bay Rays will deal within the division, especially to the Yankees, regardless of their win/loss record and regardless of whether the best deal would come from New York. Sorry Yankees fans, no Chris Archer in July. No Manny Machado either. No Marcus Stroman and no Andrew Benintendi (Get Greedy!!) either. In their places though I could see the following players potentially being available at the deadline. Keep in mind that I tried to include areas of need for the Yankees only leaving this as a Yankees-specific shopping list and not a complete list for the entire league.

American League:

Detroit Tigers:

Every conversation for the foreseeable future between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers will begin and end with right-handed starter Michael Fulmer. Fulmer is an amazing talent that is pre-arbitration eligible, also known as expensive when it comes to the trade market. The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in Fulmer and you have to think Cashman did his due diligence and at least checked in with their GM to gauge a cost and their interest in moving the RHP. If the Tigers are as bad as many people expect this season Cashman may be able to rehash those conversations come this July.

Kansas City Royals:

Every team wants or needs more starting pitching at the deadline and if the Royals are out of it then they have a nice piece they could move in Danny Duffy. Duffy, a left-handed starter, has three years of team control beyond the 2018 season worth a shade over $15 million annually so it may be unlikely that he is moved, but you never know. The window to win in Kansas City is either closed or really close to it so the Royals may want to use Duffy to jumpstart the rebuild.

I can’t see much else being moved that the Yankees would be interested in unfortunately, so it may be Duffy or bust for the Bombers.

"I'll finally be able to win a playoff series!"

Minnesota Twins:

Brian Dozier could be moved if Minnesota falls out of contention with just one year and $9 million remaining on his contract with roughly half of that being pro-rated and paid by the Minnesota Twins at the time of the deadline. Dozier plays a solid second base and would be a great veteran addition for the Yankees if Gleyber Torres is deemed not ready at second or if Torres has to shift over to third base for a struggling Miguel Andujar.

Miguel Sano may be a bit of a stretch to be moved but after the sexual harassment allegations this offseason and the plethora of injuries during the 2017 season with Minnesota, you never know. The Twins may just want out from under this headache and try to use him to kickstart a rebuild. Sano is not arbitration eligible until next offseason, so it is unlikely that the Twins would deal a cost-effective star before his arbitration begins, but again… it’s Minnesota. Look at what they did last July 31^st trading deadline when the team was still in contention.

You never know what next season will bring with Greg Bird in New York, so it may be wise to have a backup plan in your pocket for the first base position if you’re the Yankees. Enter Joe Mauer, the face of the Minnesota Twins. Mauer, like Dozier, has just one-year left on his deal that will pay him $23 million so you would think if the Twins were not competing that they would at least be willing to listen to offers for Mauer and his roughly $12 million remaining on his contract. But this is a moot point because Greg Bird is going to play 150+ games and hit 37 home runs, right?

Sorry, Yankees fans. No Ervin Santana and no Jose Berrios. Minnesota will build around these guys.

Chicago White Sox:

No, Yankees fans. We aren’t going to get Yoan Moncada. That ship has sailed unfortunately but I am not entirely sold on the fact that Chicago won’t once again be moving some pieces at this season’s July 31^st trading deadline. Matt Davidson would be nice, although he was the whole reason why the Yankees acquired Todd Frazier in the deal that also brought David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle to the Bronx, and Jose Abreu would be better if something were to happen to Greg Bird but honestly, I don’t see these two teams matching up very well. If I were to take a wild guess and a stab at one potential target for New York, because you can never have enough pitching, I go to the current White Sox closer Joakim Soria. Soria is on a one-year deal worth $9 million in 2018 with a team option for $10 million in 2019 that may or may not be attractive to the Yankees with the potential losses of David Robertson, Dellin Betances and others after this season.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:

The Angels added a lot this offseason including Shohei Otani, but what if it is all for nothing? What if the team once again cannot keep up with the Houston Astros and the rest of the pack in the American League Wild Card chase? You have to think they would start selling pieces and possibly the biggest piece they have to sell is RHP Garrett Richards. Richards is one of the most dominant pitchers you will find around the league, which is a great reason for Los Angeles to hang on to him, but the problem the Angels likely face is whether they trust the fact that he is healthy. Richards has spent a ton of time in his short MLB career on the disabled list with various elbow, knee and arm injuries and is in the final year of his deal with the Angels making just $7.3 million. If Richards were to be healthy and the Angels were to be out of it the Los Angeles RHP could be a huge rental addition for a team marching towards the World Series.

Even if the team struggles you have to think players like Justin Upton, Zack Cozart and Ian Kinsler are there for the long haul after signing deals just this winter. Shohei Otani obviously isn’t going anywhere and neither is Mike Trout leaving the Yankees just one more target to possibly acquire if things were to go back out on the left coast, Matt Shoemaker. Shoemaker will not make or break a pennant chase, but he could add some solid innings to a starting staff that is loaded down with question marks. The Angels may be willing to unload him for cheap, especially if the team is struggling, because of the young and emerging pitching currently on their staff like Parker Bridwell, Andrew Heaney, and Tyler Skaggs. Shoemaker definitely wouldn’t be a Plan A for the Yankees if the team needed starting pitching help at the deadline, but he wouldn’t be a Plan Z for me either.

Seattle Mariners:

Before we even get into this I don’t care how much the Yankees need a second baseman, no Robinson Cano. No. Bridge burnt, that’s why his beard looks like that. Now that I got that out of my system we can move on. Thanks for understanding.

If the Mariners were to struggle I cannot see them parting with many of their positional players, especially Kyle Seager, but they may want to unload a starter or two including James Paxton and Felix Hernandez. How long have Yankees fans yearned to see King Felix in the Bronx? Even as he has seemingly taken a step back in recent years due to injury I have to admit if the price were right I would still welcome Felix Hernandez to the Bronx with open arms.

The real prize would be Paxton though, a left-handed pitcher that the Yankees have coveted for some time according to trade rumors in recent seasons. Paxton is 29-years old and would come with a year-and-a-half of team control by the time the July 31^st trade deadline comes about this season. Paxton posted an impressive 12-5 record with a 2.98 ERA last season and would fit well in with the Yankees starters if acquired. The Mariners are unlikely to go full rebuild with all the veterans on the team, Cano and Nelson Cruz the most notable, but the team may need to trade from a position of strength to fill in the gaps if the team was either struggling or looking to get over the hump. Obviously if the team is close then Paxton isn’t going anywhere but with the Mariners GM you truly never know. I mean, look at the deal he gave Robinson Cano for crying out loud.

Texas Rangers:

Would Cole Hamels finally bite the bullet and come to New York if his Texas Rangers were unable to keep up in the American League West Division? You would have to think that yes, maybe he would at this point in his career at age-34. Hamels is set to hit free agency after the season if the Rangers do not pick up a hefty $20 million option for the 2019 season after putting $23.5 million in the bank for the 2018 season. Texas would presumably have to eat some of that in order to facilitate a trade if the Yankees are still serious about getting under the luxury tax threshold, and they will be, but if Texas wants to move him and Hamels wants a shot at a ring a wrong could finally be righted bringing the lefty to the Bronx.

It may be out of the realm of possibilities but if the Rangers decide to go full-sell mode the team could also dangle third base veteran Adrian Beltre out there as well. Beltre has just one more year left on his deal worth $18 million before testing free agency at age 39 or retirement. You have to think Beltre would want a chance at a World Series championship if the opportunity presented itself and you would have to think that the Yankees would want a veteran presence and bat with them as well, unless of course Miguel Andujar is just producing well above what is expected.

Oakland Athletics:

Do the Oakland A’s have another Sonny Gray to send the Yankees before the trading deadline in 2018? The depth chart suggests not as the young Oakland Athletics continue their rebuild out by the Bay. The Yankees and Athletics don’t appear to be a good matchup for a trade on paper with maybe Jed Lowrie being the only possibility for these two clubs to make a deal. Lowrie is a veteran second baseman who can also play third base and shortstop if needed, hello versatility. Lowrie is a switch hitter with pop, which is evident by his 12 home runs last season while playing his home games inside the spacious Oakland Coliseum, that could provide a boost for the Yankees if either Miguel Andujar or Gleyber Torres are not living up to expectations right away in a pennant race. 

BBWAA Elects Four Into Hall of Fame

The Baseball Writers Association of America has elected four members to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Congratulations to Chipper Jones, Trevor Hoffman, Jim Thome and Vladimir Guerrero.

Jones had 97.2% of the vote needed while Guerrero (92.9%), Thome (89.8%) and Hoffman (79.9%) all eclipsed the 75% mark needed for Hall induction.

Mike Mussina missed the mark falling just 49 votes shy with 63.5% of the vote while Edgar Martinez fell just 20 votes shy with 70.4% of the vote.

The Inaugural Cold Stove League...

Just think, final month without Baseball…

Outside of the big December splash which brought the second iteration of "Mike" Stanton to Pinstripes and a plethora of reliever signings in MLB, it is has been an extremely quiet off-season. Sadly, it does not give us much to write about except for speculation and thoughts of wild-ass trade propositions.  

Soon, Baseball Training Camps will be buzzing with activity. In many cases, players are already on-site in Florida and Arizona, ready for the arrival of pitchers and catchers in a few weeks. Gone are the days when players ate pizza and drank beer all winter long (now reserved for us, the fans), arriving at training camp to get in shape. We’re ready (for baseball, in addition to beer and pizza) and I am sure the Yankees players are too (the baseball part). But is GM Brian Cashman ready? That’s the million dollar question.

Photo Credit: New York Daily News (Andrew Savulich)

I keep saying that I find it hard to believe the Yankees will go into camp with rookies at both second and third bases. Then again, we rip another daily page off the calendar and there have been no changes to the current 40-man roster. I want a solid Plan B in place for third base. I feel that we are covered at second. The odds-on favorite is obviously Gleyber Torres (GLAY-burr, for those of you scoring at home) even if he has to spend the first couple of weeks at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to delay MLB service time. Backup support is in the form of Tyler Wade and Ronald Torreyes, with improved play expected of the former. The wild card is non-roster invitee Jace Ryan Peterson.  Someone from that group, most likely Torres, is going to step up and provide a major contribution at second base. Third base is my concern. I like Miguel Andujar. His bat appears to be Major League ready even if his defensive skills haven’t quite caught up. I am not opposed to starting Andujar at third, but what’s Plan B? What if Andujar is not ready for the challenge? Trades are rarely made in April or May with limited seller motivation. I wouldn’t want to see Torreyes as the long-term alternative (he is better served in the utility role). Torres could probably be looked at as a fallback plan but I prefer the converted shortstop at second over third. The perfect scenario for me is the return of Todd Frazier. But short of that, I want a decent veteran for backup support or someone who could platoon with Andujar, assuming the Yankees do not bring back a starting option like Frazier.  

At this point, I’ve given up the idea of adding another top starter for the rotation. Yu Darvish would look outstanding in Pinstripes. But at $20 million plus per year, he’s simply not affordable in Hal Steinbrenner’s budget. Even if the Yankees made room, I am not sure that $20+ million annually is the route to go for a thirty-something pitcher on an extended multi-year contract. The Free Agent Class after the upcoming season is the most fruitful in years and the Yankees are expected to be players. But before jumping in the free agent pool in a big way, the Yankees need take care of their own. The one player that they should re-sign to a contract extension next off-season is Didi Gregorius. If he delivers a season comparable to last year, he’ll have the right to make very high demands during contract negotiations. Hopefully, the Yankees do not wait until Didi becomes a free agent after the 2019 season to try and lock him up.

It is a certainty that Hal Steinbrenner will not go hog wild with payroll next year even if he is successful in resetting the luxury tax penalties in 2018.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. I would trade Brett Gardner. Look, I love the player and what he has meant to the Pinstripes. Unless Brian Cashman proves that he is indeed the Miracle Worker (i.e., trade of Jacoby Ellsbury), the most marketable redundant player is Gardy. I get it, you can’t replace his intangibles in the clubhouse but others have to step up. Moving Gardy’s contract would give the Yankees budget room to bring back Todd Frazier and possibly a lesser starting pitcher to add to the training camp mix. They’d still have plenty of room for July acquisitions without fear of breaking the $197 million luxury tax threshold. You’d have Aaron Hicks and Jacoby Ellsbury to cover center, and Clint Frazier for left field on the days that either Aaron Judge or Giancarlo Stanton are at DH. I’d prefer Gardy over Ellsbury, but face it, Ellsbury is not going anywhere. That’s a very solid outfield without Gardner’s presence. The Yankees are not going to re-sign Gardner next off-season when he becomes a free agent. There is too much outfield depth and talent in the Yankees farm system to devote eight figures to a guy in his mid-thirties. So knowing that this is most likely his last year in the Bronx, I’d make a move now to free up some dollars to help the positions of need.

I’ll be preaching for the return of Todd Frazier until he signs somewhere. Pinstripes, Please!

‘Deja Vu, All Over Again’ as the great Yogi Berra would say…

The ‘Alex Rodriguez will replace Aaron Boone as Yankees manager’ jokes were running rampant yesterday when it was announced that A-Rod has signed on as part of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball team replacing Boone. A-Rod obviously has a history of replacing Boone considering that he took Boone’s place in 2004 when Boonie injured his knee during a pickup basketball game and was subsequently released. My thought was that Boone should never leave his Playmate wife. Otherwise, A-Rod, after he moves on from J-Lo (c’mon, you know it’s inevitable), might be there to replace Boone once again. Seriously, I think A-Rod is a good addition to the ESPN team. Matt Vasgersian will replace Dan Shulman as the play-by-play announcer, joining A-Rod, in for Boone, Buster Olney and holdover Jessica Mendoza. A-Rod will continue working for FOX Sports during the post-season and World Series as well under the unique talent-sharing arrangement. Give A-Rod credit for rebuilding his image. Time will tell if it helps his case for induction into the Hall of Fame, but all things considered, it can’t hurt.

Off-Season Winners…

With the majority of the top free agents still available as we bear down on the end of January, the biggest off-season winners for their decisions have to be Giancarlo Stanton, for using his no-trade clause to navigate a trade to the Bronx, and Masahiro Tanaka, for his decision not to opt-out.  I’d also have to say that the Justin Upton’s choice to sign a five-year deal for $106 million with the Los Angeles Angels (including a full no-trade clause) to waive his opt-out was not far behind. Otherwise, it’s hard to believe that the best free agent contract signed so far has been the three-year, $60 million deal that Carlos Santana took from the Philadelphia Phillies to be their new starting first baseman. When players like Yu Darvish and J.D. Martinez eventually sign, I am sure that they’ll break the $100 million barrier but I don’t recall a time when the majority of the top ten free agents were unsigned at this point in the off-season.  

With suppressed prices, I hope this does not lead to the Yankees signing third base types like Yunel Escobar, Cliff Pennington, or Darwin Barney. I may want veteran help at third but I guess my sights remain aimed a little higher.  Todd Frazier, come home.

Photo Credit: Associated Press (Seth Wenig)

Go Yankees!

Who Needs Hot Stove Talk When It's Officially Prospect Season?

Okay, so admittedly I am being extremely sarcastic here with the blog post title. Of course we all need and want that big hot stove story to break, even if it is JD Martinez heading to the Boston Red Sox for an exuberant amount of money for probably far too long, but there are still a lot of us that are more inclined to read about the prospects as the calendar inches closer to February. I know we used to run Prospects Month here on the blog during the month of February, something I worked on off-and-on for like two months prior to February and all month long during February, so you know I am excited about a couple key sources of prospects information releasing their respective Top Prospects lists for the 2018 season. Baseball America released all 100 of their top prospects today while Keith Law released half his list and we will take a look at both lists here in this blog post. For the complete lists head over to Baseball America and Keith Law respectively.

Let's start with Baseball America since they released all 100 of their prospects all at once this morning. The Yankees had a total of six prospects in the Top 100 this season including Gleyber Torres (6th overall), Estevan Florial (38th overall), Justus Sheffield (41st overall), Miguel Andujar (59th overall), Albert Abreu (77th overall) and Chance Adams (81st overall).

I hate that Shohei Otani is considered a rookie and a prospect on this list, and by the way he is ranked 2nd overall, but I get it I guess. Meanwhile the Atlanta Braves outfield prospect Ronald Acuna is the top prospect in all of baseball according to BA while there are a few familiar and notable names to mention on the list including Vlad Guerrero Jr. (3rd ranked overall with the Toronto Blue Jays), Bo Bichette (8th overall and son of former MLB star Dante Bichette with the Toronto Blue Jays), Fernando Tatis Jr. (9th overall with the San Diego Padres), Jorge Mateo (64th overall and former Yankees farm hand traded for Sonny Gray to the Oakland Athletics), Jorge Guzman (87th overall and former Yankees farm hand traded to the Miami Marlins for Giancarlo Stanton), and Dustin Fowler (88th overall and former Yankees farm hand traded to the Oakland Athletics for Sonny Gray).

Meanwhile Keith Law released his 51-100 top prospects for the 2018 season and the Yankees that made the list were Miguel Andujar (54th overall), Freicer Perez (73rd) and Albert Abreu (99th overall). Law expects to release the rest of his Top 100 list tomorrow so check back for that! Even after trading away all the prospects the Yankees did in the Giancarlo Stanton and Sonny Gray deals the team is still stacked, and that is scary for the rest of the league in my opinion.

Let's Get This Party Started...

Photo Credit:  Getty Images (Al Bello and Christian Petersen), via CBS New York

Trading January for February…

It was another quiet week in the Yankees Universe, but fortunately, it puts us one week closer to Spring Training.  

Many feel that the Yankees are good with the present makeup of the 40-man roster as the gates of Steinbrenner Field prepare to open but I remain convinced that the Yankees will add either a strong starting pitcher or a veteran to solidify third base. It would be great to add both but I don’t see how that’s economically feasible for a team trying so hard to stay under the $197 million luxury tax threshold.  

I thought the Washington Nationals have done a tremendous job with their infield bench.  First, they signed first baseman Matt Adams, the long-time Cardinal who spent most of last year in Atlanta, to back up first baseman Ryan Zimmerman. Then, they re-signed 2B/3B Howie Kendrick who can plug into a corner outfield position as well. Either one of these players would have been useful for the Yankees. I like the idea of pairing a veteran with the youthful Miguel Andujar at third. Granted, I would love to see the return of Todd Frazier or even the signing of Mike Moustakas, but the Yankees can afford to lower their sights for another guy that could help Andujar with his transition to the MLB level. Eduardo Nunez is probably not the answer, due to his questionable defense and injury history, but there are other guys that could fit the bill without blowing the budget. Josh Harrison, carrying a cap hit of $10.25 million, is probably the guy that comes to mind but his acquisition would probably prevent the addition of a starting pitcher who is better than any of the current starting five.  

Photo Credit:  Getty Images North America (Joe Sargent)

The Toronto Blue Jays have been fairly active in trying to rebuild their post-Jose Bautista outfield. Earlier this week, they signed former Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson to fill a platoon role. Then, yesterday, they traded for St Louis Cardinals outfielder Randall Grichuk who became expendable when the Cardinals acquired former Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna, particularly given the breakthrough of outfielder Tommy Pham for the Cards last year. Grichuk has some thump in his bat, even if he hasn’t been consistent. He is expected to be the starter in right field, replacing Bautista. I don’t know much about the younger pitching prospect that the Blue Jays sent to St Louis (Connor Greene), but I am glad to see reliever Dominic Leone depart the AL East. In a setup role for the Blue Jays last year, Leone stranded 42 of 54 base runners which ranked fourth among AL relievers. He held righties to .211 batting average and was even stingier with lefties at .183. The Grandy Man may not be the player he once was, but he is still one of the game’s best gentlemen. I’m sure that he’ll be a positive influence on the young Jays. He didn’t do much for the Los Angeles Dodgers last year after the late season acquisition (.161 batting average with 7 home runs in 112 at-bats), but he can still provide occasional pop. I can still remember his grand slam against the Yankees last August in what would prove to be his last at-bat for the New York Mets.

Photo Credit:  USA TODAY Sports (Brad Penner)

It’s inevitable that the Boston Red Sox and free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez come together at some point this off-season. I find it highly unlikely that the Arizona Diamondbacks bring back Martinez due to monetary constraints and there doesn’t seem to be much competition with Boston for the outfielder’s services. The latest reports indicate the Red Sox have offered 5 years at $125 million but agent Scott Boras is on record seeking a 6 or 7 year deal for his client. Teams have wised up and understand how detrimental the latter years can be for extended length contracts given to thirty-something players. If the Red Sox are truly offering $25 million per year, I think Martinez would be smart to consider it. At a winter function for the Red Sox yesterday, former Red Sox great Pedro Martinez explained, “The main reason why Mookie (Betts) and those guys miss (David Ortiz) more is because they were getting better pitches to hit on an earlier count because of his presence. Everybody knew they wanted to attack Mookie and those guys to get them out early before they get to David because David was one of those guys who was really special.” Martinez could be that guy for the Red Sox, which is why I feel that Boston will eventually get the deal done even if it gives them a $200+ million payroll.

Photo Credit:  Getty Images (Christian Petersen)

The most talked about situation for the Yankees is Jacoby Ellsbury and his contract. By all indications, Ellsbury has no desire to waive his no-trade clause and is focused on competing with Aaron Hicks for the starting center field role. Many Yankees fans, including myself, feel that it would be best for Ellsbury to drop the NTC and allow a trade. The pro-Ellsbury fans attack us, saying that Ellsbury is a better player than we are giving him credit for. I don’t think anyone disputes that Ellsbury is still a good player. He just doesn’t fit the 2018 Yankees. At this point, it is clear that Aaron Hicks has the upper hand and it would take an injury to Hicks (always a possibility) to clear a path to consistent playing time for Ellsbury. But even then, he’d have to fight Brett Gardner for time and Gardy probably has the edge. It does not make sense to pay a fourth or fifth outfielder $22 million per year. If the Yankees were successful in getting another team to take on half of what’s left of Ellsbury’s deal, that’s still significant money that could go toward a starting pitcher and/or veteran third baseman. That’s why I think it is best to move Ellsbury if you can. He can be a very useful player for another team. Seattle was mentioned as the primary trade target until they acquired second baseman Dee Gordon from the Miami Marlins with the intent to convert him to center field. Then, the San Francisco Giants were heavily mentioned by Yankees fans. But they acquired Andrew McCutchen from the Pittsburgh PIrates and are bumping up against the luxury tax threshold themselves. Some have mentioned the Colorado Rockies in a trade of bad contracts for IF/OF Ian Desmond, but I don’t think the Rockies are as down on Desmond as Yankees fans would like to think. A trade to a Cactus League team seems to make the most sense given that Ellsbury makes his home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Personally, I think the Yankees will be stuck with Ellsbury until the dollars left on his contract reach a point that Hal Steinbrenner is comfortable cutting bait. That means at least another season or two. It stinks because it will most likely keep Clint Frazier at Triple A if he is not traded for a starting pitcher. I am a fan of Red Thunder and I’d like to see him in the Bronx, not Moosic, PA. He’s ready, even if it means that team leader Brett Gardner is the odd man out.  

Photo Credit:  SI.com

Maybe next week is finally the week we get some actual news in the Yankees Universe. Yeah, right…probably not. Oh well, Spring Training will soon be here. I am ready and anxious to see 1 Steinbrenner Drive thriving with Yankees fans in the stands watching Yankees greats on the field.

Go Yankees!

Why Would Jacoby Ellsbury Want To Stay A Yankee?

On the surface it's a silly question...

Why would Jacoby Ellsbury want to stay a Yankee?

I'm sure there are plenty of players in the Majors that would never, and have never, wanted to be a Yankee. But I'd bet those players are few and far between. The Yankees are the most storied franchise in Major League Baseball, and quite possibly the most storied franchise in all of sports. From Babe Ruth to Derek Jeter, from Murderer's Row to The Core Five (yes "FIVE"), from the Bleacher Creatures to The Judge's Chambers, being able to say "I'm a New York Yankee" comes with immense pride.

But the question remains... Why would Jacoby Ellsbury want to stay a Yankee?

It's not greed, because no matter where he plays he's going to get all of the money owed him. Contracts in Major League Baseball are guaranteed. Ellsbury will receive every penny of the $153 million deal he signed back on December 13th of 2013.

So what's the deal?

Well, my guess is that he just really likes being a Yankee, and that's something that should be cheered... not booed. But that's exactly what I expect to happen this season, because not waiving his no-trade clause is likely going to keep the Yankees from adding Yu Darvish.

Yu Darvish would turn the Yankees from a good bet to contend for the World Series to arguably the favorite. Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Sonny Gray, Jordan Montgomery, and CC Sabathia make for a very good starting rotation. Place Darvish in there and "holy cow!" A great batting lineup, a great bullpen, and a great starting rotation. Even the biggest Yankee Hater would have to admit the Yankees would be nearly impossible to stop.

I suppose if Cashman and Company decide to stick with the kids at second and third base, and trade away a less expensive piece like Adam Warren, they could afford to sign Yu Darvish and still have around $5 million for mid-season trades and/or pick-ups. But I find that highly unlikely. It's just not enough of a cushion, because the team is clearly going for it all this season, and there's a good chance a mid-season pick-up will be needed, and the last thing management will want to worry about at that point is the cost.

Plus, past experience, and I understand that going by past experience is difficult because the Yankees of today are not at all like the Yankees of a few years ago, tells us that at least one of those infield spots will be filled by a veteran. I think it's very possible that Todd Frazier returns to the Yankees on a team-friendly deal. However, said deal won't be so "team-friendly" that Darvish could still be squeezed in.

To put things bluntly, Jacoby Ellsbury could keep the Yankees from being a better team in 2017 and beyond. And in doing so he's very likely tohear it from the boo-birds at Yankee Stadium.

Should he be booed? I don't think so, but the fact is he will be. And it kind of surprises me that he'd be willing to put up with that instead of going somewhere that he's actually wanted. Should such a place exist.

Why I Am Not Afraid of the Houston Astros in 2018

The Houston Astros are the defending World Series Champions from the 2017 season and the team has the reigning American League MVP on their roster heading into the 2018 season. The Astros have a full season of Justin Verlander heading into this next season, the team got younger and more versatile with the retirement of Carlos Beltran and the team also acquired Gerrit Cole from the Pittsburgh Pirates just a week or so back. Many Yankees fans are shaking in their boots right now and are actually scared of the defending World Series Champions, but me… I’m not… and here’s why.

Justin Verlander. I really cannot believe everyone suddenly fears Justin Verlander. First of all, let’s remember that before Verlander joined the Astros and went on that impressive 5-0 run with a 1.06 ERA, neither of which are sustainable even if he did magically figure something out or the change of scenery in Houston from Detroit mattered that much, Verlander was just 10-8 with a 3.82 ERA with Detroit. Now while those numbers, especially given the state of the Tigers offense at the time, are respectable they did not show the absolute dominant force that was Verlander in September and beyond in 2017. Verlander could be and likely will be good once again in 2018 with the Astros but there is no way he can replicate those numbers from the 2017 season like many are thinking or worried that he will. Science, history and not being able to predict baseball say that the soon-to-be 35-year old righty will regress, not get better.

Gerrit Cole. As much as I wouldn’t have minded Cole in Pinstripes I didn’t ever see Cole as a need for New York. A luxury, sure. Someone who made the team better, more than likely. The dominant force that many Astros fans are making him out to be? I’m not so sure about that actually. Cole’s numbers are trending in the wrong direction for a player that is leaving the spacious National League park in Pittsburgh to an American League Park in Houston. Cole has seen his numbers rise every year from his best season in 2015 and has struggled with nagging little injuries that as you age you find harder and harder to deal with and play through. Cole gave up 1.4 home runs per nine innings last season to go along with a 4.08 FIP, 31 home runs allowed, 1.251 WHIP and a career-high 55 walks allowed. The scariest part for Houston is this, these numbers are generally better, but not by much, than his worst season which occurred in an injury-riddles 2016 season. Maybe Cole is getting unlucky and will return to the dominant force that the righty once was in 2018? Sabermetrics courtesy of Fangraphs paint a different picture. Cole’s BABIP from 2017 (.298) was actually lower than his BABIP in 2016 and 2015, his career best season in the Major Leagues where Cole won 19 games, while every other stat (line drive percentage, contact % etc.) all relatively remained the same. Cole is throwing less fastballs and more changeup’s and curveball’s than ever according to Fangraphs which leaves you to wonder if his shoulder and/or arm are bothering him. It’s hard to say but the trends over the past three seasons wouldn’t give me the warm and fuzzy feeling if I were an Astros fan and gave me those similar feelings when I thought he was going to be a Yankee.

Jose Altuve is Jose Altuve, and the scariest part is that Altuve is just now entering his prime, not leaving it. The Yankees plan going forward? Limit the pitches that Altuve sees and take your chances with the rest of the lineup. It really is all you can do at this point and it is the ultimate respect. The same can be said for Dallas Keuchel. Keuchel is awesome and a Yankee-killer, everyone knows it. The Yankees just have to get what they can off of him and move on to a new day, a new game and a new series after they see him. Again, the ultimate respect. These two players are great ball players, gamers and they love to step up when the spot light is on. When are these two free agents again?

The Astros bullpen is good, but I wouldn’t call it dominant. I’d say the Yankees have a much better bullpen than the Astros with former closers everywhere. We all know how fragile relief pitching can be from year-to-year, with the obvious exception of closers, and I just don’t trust the Astros bullpen to be as good as they were in 2017 again here in 2018. It helps that the Astros play in a weak division where they get to beat up on other teams 20 times each a season, and don’t get me wrong I think the Astros are a hell of a team and can hold their own against the best teams in the Major Leagues again in 2018, but this team just doesn’t strike the fear in me that it does others. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t. Call it being a homer, call it being optimistic or call it just flat out being stupid but I am just not worried. I’m not.

This is all before I mention how Masahiro Tanaka had a down season in 2017, the Yankees have a full season of Sonny Gray in 2018, before Jordan Montgomery has a full season of experience and innings under his belt for the 2018 season and some dude named Giancarlo Stanton takes his turn at the plate four times a game against this Astros pitching staff. It isn’t going to be easy, it is going to be frustrating at times and the Yankees aren’t going to exactly run away with anything, but it doesn’t mean I am scared either. In fact, I look forward to it.

No Need To Worry About Second Or Third Base

"To infinity 2017 and beyond!"

If the Yankees were to trade for or acquire a second or third baseman, then that person has to be for 2017 and beyond. 

With the firepower the Yankees batting lineup possesses, there's absolutely no need for a move to be made. We could have 2015 Stephen Drew at second, and 2013 Jayson Nix at third, and the team would still average over five runs a game. 

I'm not saying that if we had players that contributed as little as Drew in 2015 or Nix in 2013 in the lineup regularly I'd be ok with that. However, I don't expect to have another All Star, let alone another MVP candidate, playing those positions this season. 

Therefore, unless the Yankees acquired somebody that's clearly above average, and under team control for at least a couple more years, then there's no point.

Here's a list of such players....

Second Base

Jose Ramirez

Jonathan Schoop

Robinson Cano

Third Base

Justin Turner

Jose Ramirez

Kris Bryant

Anthony Rendon

Nolan Arenado

Joey Gallo

Alex Bregman

Travis Shaw

Nicholas Castellanos

The Yankees are not trading for any of those three second basemen. Ramirez plays for the Indians, who would be looking to add to their team... not subtract. I suppose something might be able to get done to bring back Cano, but the $24 million AAV of his contract would be a huge obstacle. Jonathan Schoop is another outside possibility, but seeing that he's in Baltimore I doubt a deal would get done. 

Although Turner, Ramirez, Bryant, Rendon, Bregman, and Shaw look to be off-limits, third base does present some possibilities. 

Joey Gallo is a bit intriguing thanks to him coming off a 41 homer campaign last season, but his batting average is pretty bad (.209). So even though he's on that list, unless the Rangers asking price for him was pretty low, I'd pass.

One name that's quite intriguing is Nolan Arenado. Arenado is right there with Manny Machado in that they're both very good players, at the same position, but the one big difference is that Nolan is not eligible for free agency until after the 2019 season. But would Colorado want to move him? While the Dodgers seem to have a firm grip on the National League West division, the Rockies certainly have their eyes on one of the Wild Card spots. Taking things a step further, the Rox also have a nice crop of starters that the Yankees could go after. But I just don't see such a big trade happening with a team that has serious postseason hopes.

There's been plenty of talk about trading for Michael Fulmer of the Detroit Tigers, but third baseman Nicholas Castellanos (he can also play right field) would be a nice target. He brings a good batting average and can hit 20+ home runs. His defense leaves some to be desired, although it's not awful by any means. Miguel Andujar and a non-Adams/Sheffield pitching prospect could probably get a deal done. But what about a trade that would bring over Castellanos and Fulmer? While that would be perfect, I'm not sure about the cost. Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar, Chance Adams, and another lower-level pitcher? Is that too much? Probably, but I would think hard about this trade.

The way I see things when it comes to trading for a second or third baseman, it's Detroit or bust. I don't think any other player would be available without the Yankees having to blow a team away with an offer. And let's be honest, the Yankees absolutely do not need to offer a package that would blow anybody away. 

I'm going to definitely be thinking more about that Fulmer and Castellanos trade I mentioned above.

Does Anyone Know the Name Travis Shaw and Is He Available?

Photo Credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 

So, it seems, there I go again with that, the idea that the San Francisco Giants just give up their proven second baseman Joe Panik for the Yankees Jacoby Ellsbury and Clint Frazier wasn’t exactly the most popular of posts I’ve done here on the blog. Whoops. It was so unpopular in fact that the Giants went out and threw dirt on the grave of the post immediately by acquiring Andrew McCutchen of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Whoops again. I still stand behind the idea as I searched the Giants roster looking for scenarios that could send Ellsbury packing I have always been one to have a Plan B when it comes to getting greedy, even if it is less likely now that McCutchen is in San Francisco.  That quest has taken me to the National League Central Division and to a team that is on the cusp of competing, hello Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Brewers made things interesting for the Chicago Cubs all the way down to the final month of the 2017 regular season and while that made many fans and people within the organization happy most have to be ready to take the next step. While Milwaukee has been quiet on the free agent and trade market to date, and to be fair… who hasn’t been, that doesn’t mean that the team cannot swing a trade with a certain team from the Bronx to make both sides not only happy, but better as well.

As I stated in my Joe Panik article and as it has been stated all over Twitter and the Yankees blogosphere for a month now, the Yankees either need a second baseman or a third baseman according to many before the season starts. Personally, I would be okay with having Tyler Wade and Ronald Torreyes hold down second base for Gleyber Torres for 20 games while Miguel Andujar mans third base, but it seems like I am in the minority. With that in mind I have been scouring the potential trade market when I ran across a name that not a lot of people are talking about, Travis Shaw.

Travis Shaw is likely the least “greedy” move the Yankees can make as the Brewers third baseman is not a household name and doesn’t strike fear in every Boston Red Sox household (by the way, Shaw is a former Red Sox farmhand that was traded to Milwaukee in the Tyler Thornburg trade) across the land but that doesn’t mean Shaw wouldn’t be an incredible pickup for the Yankees on the cheap. In 2017 Shaw posted a 4.0 WAR while slashing .273/.349/.513/.862 with an OPS+ of 121. Shaw hit 31 home runs in 2017, the Bronx Bombers would officially be back adding that kind of pop to an already dangerous lineup, while also driving in 101 RBI with a much-needed for the Yankees left-handed swing.

Shaw would be under team control through the 2021 season with New York if acquired and just for the league minimum here in 2018 as Shaw is pre-arbitration eligible. So, what are the Brewers needs heading into the 2018 season? While I don’t pretend to be an expert on the Brewers it isn’t hard to tell that the team could use obviously a third base replacement (Miguel Andujar), second base (Tyler Wade) and starting pitching (not Jordan Montgomery, not Chance Adams and not Justus Sheffield).

The problem with this trade is that the Yankees would seemingly have to blow away the Brewers as Milwaukee has no reason to NEED to trade Shaw. The Brewers are ready to compete, and Shaw is a huge part of that meaning the Yankees may have to include Domingo Acevedo or even Chance Adams along with Andujar and Wade/comparable player in order to acquire Shaw. As much as I love Adams, that has been well-documented for years now here on the blog, I think I pull that trigger on that deal without hesitation. I know many are high on Andujar, and frankly I am too, but this isn’t trading away potential for a season or two of a player’s prime. This is youth for youth and the unknown for more of a “sure thing.” The problem for New York, in terms of prospects anyway, is that you have to pay for that. Paying for that makes the Yankees not only better in 2017, but it makes them better in the future as well with a long-term option at third base.

Convincing Milwaukee to make a move for Shaw is going to be a tough one but if the Yankees can fill two or three needs for the Brewers including their replacement for Shaw then Milwaukee may be interested. If not, it doesn’t hurt to do your due diligence anyway and ask. The worst that they can tell you is no, right?

Get greedy, get Shaw. That makes a monster lineup all the scarier for the foreseeable future.