Yes, Is Brian Cashman Available?...

Mr Cashman, Dan Lozano is on Line 1…

And now we wait.

The Manny Caravan completed its tour yesterday with dinner last night in downtown Philadelphia at Royal Boucherie in Old City with Phillies executives.   

Rumors continue to swirl that Manny prefers the Yankees, but we all know at the end of the day, the team pulling up to Manny’s doorstep with the most Benjamins will be the winner. I have no clue how this is going to turn out. Many Yankee fans are confident he’ll be wearing Pinstripes while others feel it is a foregone conclusion that he’ll be calling the City of Brotherly Love home. The Chicago White Sox remain a strong possibility although I’d have to question why.  I know they have a strong farm system but a great network of prospects does not automatically equate to a World Series contender. Former top prospects Lucas Giolito and Yoan Moncada have not exactly set the World on fire. I know I’ll offend White Sox fans with this comment but I’ve always looked at the White Sox as a second class citizen compared to the Cubs when it comes to Chicago. Well, kind of the way I view the Mets.  

I think as a baseball player, there is always sentimental attachments for your original team. Maybe that’s not true since I never played professional baseball but it seems to me that you’d be fond of the team you grew up with regardless where the Major League road may take you. With the Yankees, Manny would have multiple opportunities every year to play at Camden Yards.  Sure, the White Sox visit once a year and the Phillies might show up every three years in interleague play, but the Yankees and O’s have annual multiple home and away series as divisional foes. Opening Day at Yankee Stadium next season will bring the Manny-less Orioles to the Bronx.  Plus, there is the added incentive of staying in Baseball’s best division after a brief hiatus and World Series visit in the NL West. If you want to know how great the AL East is, just follow Marcus Stroman on Twitter. I hear he’s been tweeting up a storm about it.

The Phillies are a fine organization and I personally enjoy the City of Philadelphia. When I was younger, I worked across from Independence Hall and used to love the history within the city during my walks through the streets of downtown Philly. But c’mon, nothing compares to the bright lights, big city of New York. Putting the money aside, I feel the attraction of New York City and the history and tradition of the Yankees places them head and shoulders above the White Sox and Phillies. Regardless of Manny’s ultimate decision, he’s going to make more money than he’ll ever need. Imagine having so much money you could live anywhere you want.  In the United States, it would have to be NYC for me.  I love Los Angeles and San Francisco but nothing compares to the Big Apple. 

We know the Yankees have the money to make an offer to Manny that he cannot refuse. But times have changed under Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. A bean counter by education, he’s so much more conservative than his father. I’ve often wondered how much influence Hank Steinbrenner has on his brother since they are Co-Chairpersons of the Yankees. Somehow, I get an image of Hank sitting in the board room saying, “F’ it!  Let’s sign both Harper and Machado!”. Or at least I hope that’s what he is saying even if the Steinbrenner Family would never allow it. I guess we should say the Steinbrenner Siblings now with a hat tip to the departed Joan Steinbrenner. 

I don’t blame the Yankees for not making an offer to Patrick Corbin after the Washington Nationals blew away the field with their six-year, $140 million contract to snag the left-hander. But there’s a big difference between Corbin and Manny Machado. Corbin may have been the best free agent pitcher, but he’s certainly not elite and he is far from a sure thing. Manny is one of the best players in MLB, as is Bryce Harper. No, they’re not Mike Trout but then again who is?  Well, I guess that would be Mike Trout. But aside from baseball’s best player, Machado and Harper reign supreme. Regardless of whether you give them 8 or 10 years, these are guys who will still be performing at the back end of their contracts. Like I heard someone say, this is not like getting a 36-year old Robinson Cano with five years left on his massive contract. Rare is the opportunity to grab a potential future Hall of Famer for only money. This is not about paying huge dollars for past performance, this is compensation for the best yet to come. Sign Machado.  Sign Harper. I really don’t care which one. Just do it, Hal. 

Manny enjoys the role of the villain. Actually, thinking about it, I feel it would help deflect some of the heat off Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton crushed the baseball last year in Pinstripes and was still booed unmercifully at times.  Shift the focus to Manny.  I think the guy would eat it up. Manny, despite his Miami roots, was made for the Main Stage in New York.

Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Bill Streicher)

 I know the Yankees have been working hard behind the scenes, but we can’t really see the efforts from the outside looking in. I really wish the Yankees would make the moves to shore up the bullpen before all the best options are gone. It was tough to see Andrew Miller sign earlier today to play with Chasen Shreve in St. Louis. I get the injury and age concerns with Miller but he remains one of my favorite Yankees in recent memory and I would have loved a reunion in Pinstripes. I didn’t really want Joakim Soria but the Yankees were slightly connected to him earlier in the off-season. He represented one of the cheaper options on the market with the potential to help, but he’s now gone as the Oakland A’s scooped him up last night. I really want one of David Robertson, Adam Ottavino or Zach Britton. I am losing confidence the Yankees will re-sign D-Rob and fear that we’ll see him in a Red Sox uniform in the not-so-distant future. I had a dream last night which featured D-Rob wearing that ugly “B” cap on the mound at Fenway Park. I guess you could call the dream a “nightmare”.  Ottavino, a New Yorker, would easily assimilate onto MLB’s biggest stage, and I think Britton will be much closer to his dominant 2016 self as he distances himself from the recent series of injuries. Give me one and get him now! I’d love two of them but I recognize that the second may need to be an under-the-radar type with potential (i.e., “cheap”). 

I’d love to see the Yankees do something before we hit the lull between Christmas and New Year’s. I know, they’re working hard and there is so much we can’t see.  After all this watering, I’d love to see a little fruit. Hey Hal, throw us bone! We want to dethrone the Boston Red Sox but we need your help. It’s only money. Come on, brother, it’s Christmas. Please give to those of us less fortunate. 

 As always, Go Yankees!

I Was A Yankee For A Day...

12/19/2018, A Day in Pinstripes for Manny Machado...

Yesterday was Manny Day and I have to admit, after weeks of angry and very bitter comments on Social Media, I am still surprised how divided the Yankees fan base is over the potential signing of shortstop/third baseman Manny Machado to a lengthy and very lucrative contract to wear the famed Pinstripes. I personally have supported Manny from the start. When he was first traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers last summer, I bought a Dodgers cap with Manny’s signature etched into the side while walking The Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. It remains a staple in my hat collection.  

Blogger's Note: Not my hat.

Manny spent 90 minutes at Yankee Stadium early Wednesday afternoon which Yankee fans, of course, immediately dissected as both good and bad. I didn’t really read much into it. Of the three teams chasing Machado, Manny is most familiar with Yankee Stadium and the team is very familiar with him.  One doesn’t really need to sell the other. They just have to address the concerns raised during the past post-season about Machado’s “Johnny Hustle” comments. I am sure Manny got a tour of Yankee Stadium from an insider’s perspective, but really, I don’t see why the meetings should have taken all day. I doubt contract negotiations took place which would have been the most time-consuming element.  

Jon Heyman later reported that Manny and his wife, Yainee, and his agent, Dan Lozano, had dinner in a Manhattan restaurant with the Yankees last night. I guess the Taco Bell near Yankee Stadium was out of the question. No names about who attended the dinner were mentioned but you’d assume that both Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone (and his lovely Playmate wife) were there.  I didn’t see any reports of Hal Steinbrenner’s presence but it would be understandable for him to miss the meetings since his family is preparing for his mother’s funeral on Friday in Tampa.   

The Manny Caravan moves to Philadelphia today to talk with the Phillies. It’s being reported that Manny’s consideration lies solely with the White Sox, Yankees, and Phillies, and no potential mystery teams as previously reported. In the end, it’s going to come down to money. It doesn’t matter that Manny’s brother-in-law is a first baseman for the White Sox, Carlos Beltran is a special adviser to Brian Cashman, or that the Phillies front office includes a few ex-Orioles employees. The team that is willing to pay Manny the most money will be the winner. Perhaps if all offers are equal, the tie goes to the Yankees, but I am prepared for this to go either way. I would love for Manny to pull on the Pinstripes and I’d love to see Alex Rodriguez give his blessing for Manny to wear Number 13.  

Bryan Van Dusen wrote a great piece yesterday on The Greedy Pinstripes blog about why the Yankees should sign Bryce Harper instead of Machado. I do not disagree with Bryan. There are many reasons why Harper would be a great fit for the Yankees, most notably his left-handed bat in a predominantly right-handed lineup. What’s exciting about Harper and Machado is the upside of both young superstars. The best is yet to come. If the Yankees sign Harper instead of Machado, rest assured I’ll be very excited. My support of Machado in no way means that I would not gladly accept Bryce’s presence on the Yankees roster. The Yankees can easily find an interim second baseman/shortstop type to help cover Didi’s absence as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and I have no problem with Miguel Andujar continuing to work on his defensive skills at third base. While many fans do not want the Yankees to sign Machado for his potential adverse impact on Andujar, my main overriding factor is I want Didi Gregorius on this team beyond 2019. If signing Manny means the Yankees do not pursue an extension with Didi, I think my desire to sign Manny lessens considerably. Didi is my shortstop and that’s not going to change regardless of who is standing at short on Opening Day. If Manny told the Yankees yesterday that he is only going to play shortstop, it’s a hard pass for me. I am not interested. Manny would have to be willing to move to third base. I don’t care what it means for Andujar. Manny is the better player. Either Andujar learns another position like first base or left field or moves to DH or is traded in a package for an elite starter. I like Andujar but when you have an opportunity to get better, you do it. We have a World Series window in front of us right now. Do what it takes to get better. I am so ready to end Boston's reign in the AL East.

I am anxious for Machado and Harper to sign so that we can end the excessive speculation and over-analysis about the young superstars. Frankly, I am getting a little tired of their names. I’d also like to see the Yankees move onto other pressing matters, like filling the voids in the bullpen. It was reported the Cleveland Indians are still talking Corey Kluber in potential trades, but the Yankees have not been connected with the latest rumors. I’d still love to see the Yankee re-engage the Indians to see if there is a fit, although Cleveland’s ability to shed payroll in recent trades has lessened the need for them to part with a member of their starting rotation. At this point, it’s looking like any potential upgrade for the current starting rotation will be a trading deadline decision next July. 

On one more Harper-Machado note, it's too bad that Bryce's wife Kayla is not named Laurel. I would have really loved to have seen the Yainee versus Laurel debates. 

Yesterday morning, TGP’s Daniel Burch was tweeting his interest in Troy Tulowitzki as a potential infield solution, given the Blue Jays are paying the freight on the $38 million owed to Tulo and he can picked up for minimum wage. While I may or may not agree with his opinion, it was funny to see many beat writers picking up Daniel’s mantra throughout the day. I know it was spurred by Tulo’s showcase this week in front of multiple teams, but credit to Daniel for being a step ahead of a few others who, unlike Daniel, are paid to do this for a living. 

By now, we all know the Yankees designated pitcher Parker Bridwell for assignment when they re-signed LHP J.A. Happ and added him to the 40-man roster. No disposition has yet been given for Bridwell, but it's a little bit sad that his recent waiver claim by the Yankees cost Ronald Torreyes his job. In retrospect, it wasn't really worth it to claim Bridwell, particularly given there is nothing in his numbers that suggests anything special. Perhaps the plan, all along, was to try to sneak Bridwell through waivers since he is out of options to send him to Triple A for depth, but still, it seems like there were other and better sacrificial lambs on the roster, like Luis Cessa and A.J. Cole. At this point, I don't really see a trade of Sonny Gray until closer to or during Spring Training. Despite some who have started to write that they'd like to see the Yankees retain Gray, I think he'll be gone by Opening Day. I've certainly seen enough of him to last a lifetime.

I was a little underwhelmed by the Yankees' decision to sign lefty Rex Flowers on a minors deal. I know it was just a depth move but I don't see him adding any value at the Major League level. I probably liked Boston's addition of righty Zach Putnam on a minor league deal better.  Putnam hasn't pitching any significant innings since 2016 due to Tommy John surgery early in the 2017 season, but he was once an effective reliever for the Chicago White Sox. I think he has more upside for the Sox than Flowers has with the Yankees. While Boston is still without a closer, they've quietly been collecting minor bullpen pieces with Putnam and others like Colten Brewer, who previously spent a season in the Yankees' farm system, and former Seattle pitcher Erasmo Ramirez. The Sox also grabbed former Yankees prospect RHP Anyelo Gomez in the Triple A Rule 5 Draft which means that Gomez is theirs for good. Gomez still has the potential to be a breakout for the bullpen. Hopefully, GM Brian Cashman begins looking at the Yankees bullpen soon. I remain fearful that we'll lose David Robertson to the Red Sox and would really like to see him return to the Bronx.  

Well, today's a new day. Let's see what it has in store for us.  

As always, Go Yankees!

The Yankees Should Not Sign Manny Machado

I said it in my offseason plan, which you can read here, but I feel like I need to reiterate one of the points...

The Yankees should sign Bryce Harper instead of Manny Machado.

Let's face it, the Yankees are not going to sign both men. It isn't so much my belief that they don't want to spend that much money, it's that they don't need to. The Yankees scored more runs than all but one team in Major League Baseball, set a record for most team home runs in the history of the game, had the second highest OPS in the league, and were second in wRC+. And they accomplished all of that while Gary Sanchez played just 89 games (and not to the level we know he can), Aaron Judge missed 45 games, and Didi Gregorius missed 16 games.

But when a team has the chance to sign a player as good as Harper or Machado, and before those players may have even hit their primes, then you can't pass it up.

It's been said that when it comes to acquiring such a player you find room for the guy. Which makes total sense. I mean, the Yankees didn't need an outfielder last offseason, but when they had the chance to trade for the reigning National League Most Valuable Player they took it. But you have to face facts, and those facts are Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Miguel Andujar, and Didi Gregorius.

Those four players I just mentioned are not guys you just push around. We're not talking about replacing a "nice" player such as Brett Gardner. Stanton and Judge are already among the league's elite, Andujar had a rookie season that makes many think he could be on that level soon, and Gregorius is a very good player that's loved by the Yankees fanbase.

The issue now is that Didi is hurt, and will miss about half of this coming season. And once he returns Aaron Boone is going to want him back in the lineup. So let's say the Yankees sign Manny Machado, and Manny is the regular shortstop for the first half of the season. What happens when Didi returns?

Some say just move Andujar to first base. First of all, and I can't say this enough, changing positions is not easy. There are so many things that go into being a good first baseman, and they go well beyond just being able to field ground balls... which is the only thing we know Andujar can do well.

Take a look at this highlight video of Mark Teixeira from 2015...

credit: Dapose Sports

While we know Miguel could do all the offensive things you saw Teixeira do in that video, I don't think he pulls off a single one of those defensive plays without a whole lotta luck. And before you think of saying the infield was different then, you may want to take a closer look at the shortstop in that video. Not to mention that Chase Headley was supposedly a good to very good defender before coming to New York, as well.

And all of that doesn't take into account all the work we've seen Miguel put into his defense this offseason. A while ago Daniel pointed out how Adrian Beltre went from being a poor defender at third to being a very good one, and lo and behold who is helping Andujar with his defense now?

Therefore, I don't want to see the Yankees sign Manny Machado. While it may cost them a bit more, particularly in the length of the contract, I believe Cashman and Company should take aim at Bryce Harper.

Recently Cashman said that the team already has six outfielders, but let's be real. Three of those outfielders sure as hell should not get in the way of bringing Harper aboard.

Remember what I said earlier about making room for elite players like Bryce? Unlike bringing in Machado, who would shake things up quite a bit, acquiring Harper simply means there's less playing time for Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier, and Jacoby Ellsbury. Hell, bringing in Harper likely means there's one less 40-man roster spot for one of those players (I think you know which one). And those are not bad things.

To be honest, part of me believes that Clint Frazier will go on to have a nice MLB career. I wouldn't be shocked if he was the starting left fielder for the Yanks on Opening Day. But that isn't going to stop me from signing Bryce freakin' Harper.

I like Brett Gardner, and appreciate everything he's done for the Yankees, but the fact is he's no better than an average player these days. Heck, just look at what happened last season, when the Yankees traded for Andrew McCutchen and he became the regular starter in left field instead of Gardy.

Oh, and why is Jacoby Ellsbury still on this team? Sorry to be mean, as Jacoby seems like a good guy and all, but there's no reason to keep him around.

Even without Bryce Harper, there's little to no room on the 2019 Yankees for Ellsbury.

Speaking of Ellsbury, not only do I believe the Yankees should sign Bryce Harper over Manny Machado for the reasons listed above, but in doing so Scott Boras may be willing to help convince Jacoby to waive his no-trade clause so the Yankees don't have to settle on a lesser deal for a particular team (see what happened to the Marlins when dealing Stanton last offseason). I've never been a sports agent, so maybe that idea is ridiculous for someone like Boras to read (he does read The Greedy Pinstripes, right?), but it's a logical thought.

I didn't even bring up the fact that Bryce is a left-handed hitter in a very right-hand heavy lineup. The guy may not fit perfectly on the team, but he fits a lot better than Machado does.

If Brian Cashman does sign Manny Machado over Bryce Harper I won't be mad. I will be disappointed, but not mad. Manny is an extremely talented player, and any team would be lucky to have him on their roster. I just don't like seeing Andujar work so hard, and with future Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre, just to be moved to first base later this season and possibly beyond. The offensive upgrade over there will be very welcome, but otherwise, it's not what I believe is best.

Ready, Set, Wait at the Winter Meetings...

Photo Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal (Chase Stevens)

Talk the Talk, but Not Walk the Walk…

All dressed up and nowhere to go. That’s kind of how the Baseball Winter Meetings felt this past week.  Lots of talk, not much action. I know, they say the groundwork laid this week will lead to fruit later. I guess we’ll see. There’s talk they should implement a trading deadline in December to spur action (some sort of moratorium against trades for a certain period of time before spring training). Not so sure I am in agreement, but I would have liked to have seen some high flying wheeling and dealing over the past few days rather than much talk about nothing.  

While I wanted a bigger piece for the starting rotation, I am happy the Yankees at least came away with J.A. Happ on a two-year contract despite the third year option. In the two year deal presumably worth an estimated $34 million, Happ can trigger the third year for $17 million by pitching at least 27 starts or 165 innings in the second year. At the beginning of the off-season, I preferred re-signing Happ over CC Sabathia and wanted an upgrade for the fourth spot in the rotation. Yes, the Yankees got better by adding LHP James Paxton but he brings additional questions to an already question-filled staff. I was looking for more certainty.  Maybe Happ can provide that certainty. He’s been consistent and is a much better pitcher today than he was years ago as a Philadelphia Phillie. We all know how well Happ pitched down the stretch for the Yankees (7-0 with 2.69 ERA in eleven starts). Overall for the season, he was 17-6, 3.65 ERA, 3.4 WAR in thirty-one starts). If the Yankees can get that type of production out of Happ in his age 36 year, I am sure all of us will be pleased. Realistically, I am expecting some regression.  

After missing out on Patrick Corbin and failing to land a top starter among the rumored trades swirling over the last couple of weeks, I was concerned when I saw that Happ was getting close to signing with the Phillies. I didn’t want to be stuck with a guy like Lance Lynn for the open rotation spot. So, when it came out Happ was going to re-sign with the Yankees, I felt a tremendous sense of relief.  

I am hopeful GM Brian Cashman continues to press for a top, front of the rotation  type of starter but at least he is no longer in a position of desperation to fill out the staff.  

I was excited when the rumors circulated about a possible three-way trade with the Mets and Marlins that would have brought Noah Syndergaard to the Yankees. But honestly, I don’t see the Mets trading any of their stars to their cross-town rivals regardless of the return. Maybe it’s a new world order with new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen but last time I checked the Wilpons still own the team. The latest rumors about that potential three-way trade involve the San Diego Padres as the third team instead of the Yankees. Maybe Cashman should cut a side deal with the Padres for Syndergaard if they pull off the trade that would send Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto to the Mets. That’s the only way I could see Thor pulling on the Pinstripes. They won’t get him directly from the Mets.

I really thought we’d see more free agent signing this past week. I guess Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are holding up the market. After the run on relief pitchers last year, the market for firemen has been lukewarm this year. My biggest fear is David Robertson signing with the Red Sox to pitch close to his Rhode Island home. The Sox have lost “Tyler Austin punching bag” Joe Kelly to the Los Angeles Dodgers and free agent closer Craig Kimbrel is not expected to return. Unfortunately, it increases the odds the Red Sox sign a former Yankee (Robertson, Zach Britton or Andrew Miller) for their pen. I hope not.

I think my favorites to sign are Robertson and Adam Ottavino although I would not be disappointed with D-Rob and Miller or Britton or some combination thereof.  

We could see movement with Manny Machado before Christmas. He apparently has visits with up to six teams next week, including the Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies.  The White Sox acquired Machado’s brother-in-law Yonder Alonso from the Cleveland Indians last night but I don’t think Manny would make a huge financial decision based on where his bro-in-law plays. I’ve been surprised about the number of Yankee fans who want no part of either Machado or Bryce Harper. It’s so rare to get young twenty-something superstars for only money. Yes, it’s a helluva lot of money, no doubt, but the best years are ahead for both players and they’ve already been great. Great but getting better is a combination I like. These are guys who will still be producing at the end of 8-10 year contracts. 

It feels so underwhelming when we hear names like Freddy Galvis as potential infield options to bridge the gap to the return of Didi Gregorius late next summer. I certainly want no part of the risk associated with free agent shortstop Troy Tulowitzki who was recently let go by the Toronto Blue Jays with $38 million left on his contract. I know Tulo would come cheap for the team that picks him up but the guy can’t stay healthy. That’s not a bet I would want to make for a team with World Series aspirations. I think the San Jose, CA area native should go back to the Bay Area in an attempt to rekindle his career with either the San Francisco Giants or Oakland A’s.  

The Yankees family has taken a hit over the last couple of days. Yesterday, we received word that George Steinbrenner’s widow, Joan, had passed away in her Tampa, FL home, surrounded by her family. Joan, 83, was Vice Chairperson of the Yankees, along with her two daughters. In a statement released by the Steinbrenner family, “Joan was a compassionate and caring matriarch who profound love for her family and those in the community always inspired us. Her elegance and grace touched everyone around her, and we know her spirit will live on through her legacy of good works. We are grateful to have had her in our lives, and she will be deeply missed.”  May Mrs Boss rest in peace…

Photo Credit: AP (Charlie Neibergall)

I was also surprised and saddened to hear that Catfish Hunter’s daughter, Kim Hunter Daugherty, only 45, had passed away on Thursday at Hertford Grammar School in North Carolina where she was a teacher. She died of complications related to a pulmonary embolism. Her father died in 1999 at the age of 53 of Lou Gehrig’s disease. Very sad to see their lives cut so short.  

I was hopeful the end of this week would have seen some resolution for the Yankees bullpen but it was not to be. Hopefully we’ll have some answers before Santa Claus invades our homes in ten days. I am still looking for that magical gift  or gifts to make the Yankees better. Yes, they’re good now, but there’s so much potential for this team if it can continue to make the right decisions for additional pieces to fill out the roster. I will be happy when I can look at the roster and find the names of Sonny Gray, Luis Cessa and A.J. Cole nowhere to be found.

As always, Go Yankees…

What About The Other Side Of The Infield?

This offseason has been all about free agents Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Patrick Corbin. And to a lesser extent free agents J.A. Happ, Marwin Gonzalez, Josh Harrison, Mike Moustakas, Lance Lynn, Adam Ottavino, David Robertson, and Zach Britton. And then there are trade targets Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer, Robbie Ray, and Noah Syndergaard.

And I get it.

The focus this offseason, from the mouth of Brian Cashman himself, is solidifying the starting rotation. And not just with anybody, but with top starters. And when it comes to offense, while the Yankees are not hurting in that department, you can't dismiss the young elite talent of Harper and Machado.

Then there's the hole left by Didi Gregorius getting Tommy John surgery, which has naturally led people to wonder how the Yankees could fill that hole.

But one position that has been almost entirely ignored is one that I think is a very big question mark... first base.

Greg Bird still hasn't had anything close to a full season in Major League Baseball so it may not be fair to say he's a bust. But at the same time how much longer can we sit back and wait for the guy to get healthy and possibly produce?

Luke Voit was huge for the Yankees last season and a big reason why they were even able to get to the American League Division Series, but how many Yankees fans can seriously say they are confident that he'd be anything better than average for an entire season?

Which is why I talked about acquiring Justin Bour to at least platoon with Luke Voit at first base. Since his first full season in MLB Bour has averaged 117 games a season, with an OPS+ of 124. And while Citizen's Bank Ballpark is not hard on power hitters, Yankee Stadium is better for left-handed power-hitters, meaning Bour could easily swat 25-30 home runs a season there. My only concern about Justin is that awful batting average he put up last season (.227). But seeing that he'd be a cheap option, then banking on him being able to get that batting average back up to the .260-.270 range would not be that hard to swallow.

You know what, though? I'm not married to the idea of Justin Bour. What about Marwin Gonzalez? Gonzalez has been talked about as a way to fill in on the left side of the infield, but we shouldn't forget that he can play first base as well. Or what about the trade route? For the record, I didn't want to pay the high price for Paul Goldschmidt, especially since he's set to be a free agent after next season. I haven't heard of any trade rumors for first baseman outside of Goldy and Jose Abreu (still too expensive, and also a free agent after next season), but I'm sure there is something out there.

The point is that we can't ignore the question marks at first base, and hopefully Brian Cashman already plans on addressing that position. If not, I firmly believe the Yankees are making a mistake leaning on Bird and/or Voit going into 2019.

Is Happ Back?

Alright so J.A. Happ is about to resign with the Yankees. Personally I do like this move. Happ was awesome for the Yankees down the stretch after they acquired him in a trade with the Blue Jays in late July. He went 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA in 11 regular-season starts, although he had a rocky postseason outing against the Red Sox, which happens to the best of them. Happ is a solid middle of the rotation stater, who could give you Ace like performances from time to time. Now I’m not saying this should be the last starter added as I don’t believe C.C. Should be counted on as anything more then a 6th starter. At the moment the Yanks will have a rotation of Sevi, Paxton, Tanaka, and the soon to be signed Happ.  

Leaving the staff short the Ace I believe me need. Whether it’s a trade for Kluber or maybe even Thor the Yankees need to add the Ace. However we can be very happy that Happ is back in the fold. Now Mr. Cashman go sign Manny , trade for the Ace we need, and sure up the Pen. 

I can be reached at JamesCPalma@Yahoo.Com Always look forward to hearing from you.    

Changing The Plan Surrounding Miguel Andujar

When writing my postseason plan I had originally written that the Yankees should trade Andujar for a pitcher and sign Manny Machado. But I changed my mind and decided that the lineup with Andujar in it, especially after I said I wanted the Yankees to sign Bryce Harper, was just too good to pass up.

Of course, at the time, I thought signing Patrick Corbin was a foregone conclusion. But now that Corbin will pitch for the Nationals, and other free agent pitchers are good but don't really do it for me, I believe the Yankees should go with my first plan.

As I've said, the Yankees would have to bring in Manny Machado if Andujar were traded. The offense is very good, but I do not want to see the offense hurt by replacing Andujar with anyone else. Sure, Mike Moustakas would be interesting as a power-hitting left-handed batter at Yankee Stadium, but the bottom line is the offense would get worse.

So what do you do? Sign Manny Machado before working out a trade involving Andujar, or trade away Andujar and then sign Manny Machado?

I think the answer is clear.

Sure, if the Yankees signed Machado first, I understand that other teams may demand more since Andujar is an obvious trade candidate. But not making sure you have Manny on the team first could create a much bigger, and a very real, problem.

There's no guarantee that Manny would sign with the Yankees after Miguel was dealt. Let's say the Yankees have a backroom deal in place with Machado before the trade for 9 years and $288 million (AAV of $32m). But after the trade, and before Manny officially signs, the Phillies call up Dan Lozano and offer 10 years and $350 million (AAV of $35m). I don't see Machado giving up that extra guaranteed year, as well as $62 million, to live up to a backroom deal. And I wouldn't blame him. Sure, it's kind of a shitty thing to do as you're going back on your word, but that's a huge chunk of change.

Furthermore, I don't buy the argument against signing Machado first, which is that another team would want more as they see Miguel Andujar as expendable. We see it all the time where it's clear a team is willing to trade a player, but the return for said player is still good. In 2016, with Aroldis Chapman set to become a free agent after the season, it was no surprise when the Yankees were willing to trade their closer. But did the fact the Yankees were willing to trade Chapman make them have to accept less? Seeing that Gleyber Torres has become a star, and Billy McKinney was key in trading for J.A. Happ last season, I'd say they still got a pretty good return.

So if this is Brian Cashman's plan then I firmly believe he has to have Manny Machado in the fold before trading Miguel Andujar. Otherwise, while the team's starting rotation would greatly improve, the hit they take on offense could make the overall team worse. Because while the offense will affect every game, a new starter would only directly affect 32 or 33 (his indirect effect on the rotation would certainly not change much about the other 129 or 130 games).

Yankees Re-Sign JA Happ for 3-Years

Walking this back. Indications are #Yankees are close on Happ, but no agreement in place. https://t.co/FvR5bwUVDw

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 12, 2018

The Yankees have struck a deal with LHP JA Happ on a three-year deal. Details coming.

The “There’s No Room For Bryce Harper” Rant

Good morning Yankees family, except for you Brian Cashman. Are you kidding me right now? Posturing is one thing, but to come out and say that the reason you aren’t going after Bryce Harper via free agency is because “there’s no room” is not only asinine, but it is also downright ridiculous. No cute introductions here, so let’s get right into this thing.

The Yankees allegedly have six outfielders and cannot make room for Harper on the team. Well, yes and no. The Yankees have Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Brett Gardner, and one of them are going to be playing the designated hitter more times than not this season. Jacoby Ellsbury is not an outfielder and should not be counted on as one. Clint Frazier, until he proves that he is healthy, is not an option and should not be counted on as one. Let’s just say both Ellsbury and Frazier are healthy, neither are better than Harper. Not by a long shot. Brett Gardner isn’t either and should be on the bench for Harper. The fact that he isn’t is insulting.

The Yankees are not a Bryce Harper away from a World Series, some may say, and the focus should be on pitching. A lot of people need to realize and remember that the team can get a Harper or Machado, and still acquire pitching. This is a once-in-a-generation type talent that is hitting free agency at 26-years old. He wants to play for the Yankees, he is a fit (left-handed, big-name star for Hal to pocket more money off of, can play left field, etc.) and he makes the team better no matter what anyone says.

We were sold the idea of getting under the luxury tax threshold last season to reset the penalties levied on the team for spending with the assumption (and maybe that’s on us) that the team would spend in this historic free agent class. Revenue is up, payroll is down. Spend the money or lower the ticket/food/concessions/merchandise/parking/etc. prices.

I’m sick of the frugal Yankees. I want the return of the Greedy Pinstripes. I have sat through lineups with Vernon Wells and Kevin Youkilis, Ichiro Suzuki well past his prime and Freddy Garcia, Bartolo Colon, and others anchoring the starting rotation. I paid my dues, we all did. We watched need after need and star after star getting passed over while we got under the luxury tax threshold and now it’s time for the Yankees organization to pay back the fans and give us what we want. Whether that be Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, or whomever becomes available (within reason of course) between then and now. We, the fans, did our part and now it’s time for Cashman, Hal, and company to do theirs.

No excuses, just checks being written.

Can it be TRUE?

Was crusing Facebook and came across a shared post from a friend of mine who is a very well respected fellow blogger.  Anyway the post he shared reads....... 

🚨 🚨🚨Sources confirmed there is a deal being discussed between Miami, the Mets and Yankees that sends Thor to the Yankees, Realmuto to the Mets and Miami gets major prospects. #27rings 🚨🚨🚨

Let’s G⚾️ Yankees!!!

James C Palma