UPDATE: 3:56 pm ETNationals have agreed to terms on a deal with Patrick Corbin, according to a person familiar. Pending physical.— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) December 4, 2018
Six-years and
More to come as the news is released...
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
BREAKING NEWS: Patrick Corbin Signs w/ Washington Nationals
Six-years and
More to come as the news is released...
2019 HALL OF FAME BALLOT
2019 HALL OF FAME BALLOT
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INSTRUCTIONS:
Please make your selections either by
highlighting the names of your choice in yellow, or with a big X, whichever you prefer. A simple list in the body of an email is
fine too. Send to Howard Cole, at baseballsavvy@aol.com
no later than Monday, December 31, 2018, 9:00 p.m. PST.
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Notes:
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Saturday, December 1, 2018
Eight Days to Las Vegas...
Around the corner, the Winter Meetings...
Happy December!
Soon, the insanity and rush to acquire and trade players will be upon us. The MLB Baseball Winter Meetings begin next Sunday, December 9th, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada (which of course happens to be Bryce Harper’s hometown). No doubt Vegas will be rocking when the hometown kid hoists a new uniform for the media. The meetings conclude on the morning of Thursday, December 13th, with the Rule 5 Draft.
Patrick Corbin is expected to make a decision before the Winter Meetings so hopefully something breaks in the next few days. He remains my top target. Until the Cleveland Indians actually trade one of their starters, I will be skeptical. I’d gladly take Corey Kluber or Carlos Carrasco and call the rotation complete. Same with San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner. But I really like Corbin and at 30, he is one of baseball’s better pitchers and he has upside. J.A. Happ did a fine job for the Yankees last year but he’s been the best he is ever going to be. At 36, it’s only downhill from here. Realistically, I was never fearful of Happ on the mound when he was wearing a Blue Jays uniform. I am sure AL East opponents feel the same way. Despite winning 20 games a couple of seasons ago, Happ has never been considered an elite pitcher and certainly never will be at this stage of his career. Corbin, on the other hand, can be (in my opinion).
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| Photo Credit: Getty Images (Christian Petersen) |
More free agents became available yesterday with the non-tender deadline. Yankee fans seemed surprised to see the Chicago Cubs non-tender Ronald Torreyes. When I saw the Cubs decision to tender a contract to beleaguered shortstop Addison Russell, I figured the odds were against Toe. It was clear the Cubs had picked him up as infield insurance. There’s no reason to believe the Cubs won’t try to re-sign Toe for less money which is what I expect them to do. For the reasons the Yankees traded Toe (younger, cheaper options with better tools available), I don’t think they should make a play to bring Toe back regardless of his clubhouse popularity.
Jonathan Schoop is an interesting option. He was (expectedly) non-tendered by the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday with GM David Stearns acknowledging it had been a “bad deal” to acquire Schoop. Schoop’s 2018 season, which started with the Baltimore Orioles and ended with the playoff-contending Brewers after a deadline trade, was soundly a disappointment and he couldn’t find regular playing time by the time October rolled around. Yet, he is only a season removed from his breakout year in 2017 when he hit 32 homers and drove in 105 runs for the O’s with a batting line of .293/.338/.503 and .841 OPS. Maybe 2017 was a fluke, but the Curacao-native (like Didi Gregorius) is only 27. I’d take a chance on him.
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| Photo Credit: Associated Press |
Another interesting name is Wilmer Flores, non-tendered by the New York Mets. He may not have Schoop’s offensive potential but he can move around the infield, playing both corner positions and shortstop. I saw someone post yesterday that it would be funny if the Yankees signed Flores and he outperformed the Mets’ soon-to-be starting second baseman Robinson Cano. I would have no objection to Bill Flowers joining the Yankees. The role of infield help is only an interim plan until the Yankees can get Didi Gregorius back on the ground in late summer so it’s not like we are trying to find a shortstop or second baseman that will be cemented to the spot for the foreseeable future. The Yankees have plenty of offense so I am sure they’ll be fine whatever they decide to do. Ideally, I’d like to keep Gleyber Torres at second base to continue his growth and development at the position, rather than temporarily shift him back to short. I’d be happy re-signing Adeiny Hechavarria to play short until Didi’s return so long as the Yankees fill out the bench with the right players. The elephant in the room is, of course, Manny Machado, but until he signs, the Yankees need to keep all options open. There is still a very good chance Manny goes to Philadelphia since they have an abundance of “stupid money” available.
Another name that jumped out at me for utility-type, infield diversity is Arizona’s decision to non-tender infielder Chris Owings. Oakland non-tendered Giancarlo Stanton antagonist Mike Fiers which I thought was funny. I sure don’t want the Yankees to sign Fiers but I don’t mind seeing him join the ranks of the unemployed.
George A King III had a column in The New York Post this morning saying the Yankees could see David Robertson and Zach Britton go to the Boston Red Sox. I really hope it does not happen. Of the two, it would probably be hardest to see D-Rob put on that ugly “B” cap but it wouldn’t be fun to see Britton in the uniform either. I wish the Yankees would hurry up and re-sign D-Rob to remove one of the current holes in the bullpen. As for Britton, I expect him to get closer’s money so my preference would be for him to end up with a non-AL East team. The St Louis Cardinals sound like a great destination to me.
As much as my head keeps telling me Manny Machado is the best fit for the Yankees, my heart keeps telling me that Bryce Harper would be a great, great Yankee. Giancarlo Stanton was not exactly a need for the Yankees when they acquired him last year, yet he fit seamlessly into the team lineup as the primary DH and occasional left-fielder. With more experience in left, I think Stanton will field the position better in 2019. Still, I’d have no problem keeping Stanton as the full-time DH and putting Harper in left along with the occasional experiment at first base. I know the Yankees have Brett Gardner but if we’re expecting him to be part of the starting outfield next year, we’re not as smart as we should be. Drop Harper into the lineup with his left-handed bat and I couldn’t really care less about the interim offensive solution at shortstop/second baseman, so long as the player brings solid defense, until Didi returns. Bryce was made for Pinstripes and it would be a shame for the Yankees to miss this tremendous opportunity to acquire a superstar just entering his prime.
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| Photo Credit: Getty Images (Rob Tringali) |
I was glad to see the Yankees tender contracts to all of their arbitration and pre-arbitration eligible players. There had been some speculation the Yankees would non-tender Gregorius since 2019 is primarily a lost year and he’ll be a free agent after the season, but I am glad they did not. I remain hopeful they’ll come to an agreement to cover the next couple of seasons to place Didi in position for a more lucrative contract after he has proven his successful return from Tommy John surgery. I am not ready to see Didi leave today or a year from today.
I like Nathan Eovaldi but let the Red Sox or Houston Astros sign him. I am not interested in a return to the Bronx. As a two-time Tommy John recipient who throws extremely hard, I think the risk is too great. Great guy and I wish him the best.
Listening to CC Sabathia’s podcast this week, I was a little surprised that he views Jonathan Loaisiga as a potential top of the rotation talent. I know the young smallish right-hander is rated as the Yankees’ highest pitching prospect by MLB.com and second overall prospect behind Estevan Florial but I guess I hadn’t thought of him that highly. Maybe I should rethink my position. I know I am more intrigued with Loaisiga than Domingo German and there’s no doubt he’ll be called upon to help the Yankees rotation at some point next season. There’s no way the Yankees’ top five stays healthy to make every start. Loaisiga also represents an option if the Yankees occasionally decide to go with a six-man rotation. I kind of like the idea of signing both Patrick Corbin and J.A. Happ with provide starting depth, but Loaisiga represents good insurance if the Yankees are successful in adding only one more starter.
The next couple of weeks should be very eventful. This is the pinnacle of the Hot Stove League. Once we get through the next fourteen days, it should be fairly quiet until pitchers and catchers report in mid-February or one would think so anyway. Brace yourself. It should a helluva ride for the next two weeks.
As always, Go Yankees!
Friday, November 30, 2018
Corby, The Day After...
Waiting for Mister Corbin…
Now we wait. Patrick Corbin concluded his visit with the Yankees last night over dinner with team executives. CC Sabathia was apparently on hand at Yankee Stadium yesterday to help lead a tour for Corbin and his wife, Jen. Aaron Boone was also seen on the premises with pitching coach Larry Rothschild, bullpen coach Mike Harkey and postseason share non-recipient and analyst Zac Fieroh.
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| Photo Credit: Richard Harbus |
Multiple reports indicated there was no formal offer made by the Yankees (yet), but hopefully we’ll see movement in the coming days with the completion of Corbin’s visits to Philadelphia, Washington DC, and New York. I am sure he wants to settle the biggest financial decision of his life and move on to enjoying his off-season with his new bride.
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| Photo Credit: Richard Harbus |
One factor that hasn’t really been discussed much is the impact of Mike Harkey in the Corbin negotiations. Harkey was the pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014 and 2015 which means he was part of the team that directly oversaw Corbin’s Tommy John surgery, rehab and subsequent return. I am sure Harkey learned a great deal about Corbin’s heart and determination during this process. I haven’t really seen anything written to describe their relationship but familiarity is a plus.
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| Photo Credit: Getty Images (Norm Hall) |
I fully expect Corbin to become a Yankee. Admittedly, there was a time when I thought Greg Maddux and Cliff Lee were going to be Yankees and we see how that turned out. I remember the heartbreak both times when we lost Maddux and Lee, but like the scales tilted slightly in favor of the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies, respectively, in those cases, I hope it is advantage Yankees with Corbin. All signs seem to indicate they are. Ken Rosenthal reported last night that Corbin’s younger brother gave a best-man speech at Patrick and Jen’s recent wedding and concluded the speech by saying they all hoped the couple would be moving closer to home. The brother donned a Yankees cap as he made the statement.
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| Via Twitter |
As the Yankees attempt to reel in Corbin, one potential target could be slipping away. There is increasing noise over the last couple of days involving the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cleveland Indians regarding one of the trio of Tribe pitchers, Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer. It is speculated a potential deal could involve sending Yasiel Puig to Cleveland. The deal could be expanded to include Indians catcher Yan Gomes since the Dodgers’ primary catcher, Yasmani Grandal, is currently a free agent and not expected back. The Indians most likely would want some of the best Dodger prospects, like outfielder Alex Verdugo and/or catcher Keibert Ruiz (especially if Gomes is moved). 21-year-old righthander Dustin May is the Dodgers top pitching prospect. If the Dodgers and Indians consummate a deal, it presumably would remove the two remaining Indians pitchers from potential trade talks as the Indians remain a playoff contender.
J.A. Happ remains under consideration for the Yankees. While I would not be opposed to Corbin AND Happ, I would be disappointed if the Yankees only get the latter. As they say, you can never have too much starting pitching and we see every year the five starters you open the season with are never the five men left standing by the end of September. I am excited about a rotation that features Corbin-Severino-Paxton-Tanaka-Sabathia. Severino-Paxton-Tanaka-Happ-Sabathia, not so much. Sorry, J.A., I know you wore the Pinstripes well but I’d prefer to keep the age-challenged member of the staff isolated to CC Sabathia.
Please end any Hot Stove chatter about a potential deal sending Gary Sanchez to Miami for J.T. Realmuto. Sanchez is not going anywhere, nor should he. I remain in Camp El Gary and I fully expect a rebound season in 2019. He is a guy I want in the lineup. My confidence in his bat has not wavered and I do believe he’ll improve behind the plate. When he’s right, he is the guy you want in a clutch situation. I think Realmuto is a great catcher but we already have one.
I thought the San Diego Padres made an excellent investment to sign free agent pitcher Garrett Richards. Richards will miss next season due to Tommy John surgery but he’s a top of the rotation starter when healthy. I liked him as a good buy low candidate for the Yankees but a two-year deal for $18 million is not exactly buying low. The Dodgers were in on Richards too but ultimately he chose the Padres and yesterday extended his heartfelt thanks to the Los Angeles Angels organization, calling out GM Billy Eppler by name among others.
In a bit of irony, the Ronald Torreyes trade eliminated a job for another former Yankee. After the Chicago Cubs acquired Torreyes earlier this week, they traded infielder Tommy La Stella to the Angels. To make room for La Stella, the Angels designated former Yank Jabari Blash for assignment. The Yankees had acquired Blash last off-season in the deal that sent Chase Headley and Bryan Mitchell to San Diego, but they subsequently lost Blash on waivers. It’s funny, I saw one ridiculous (aren’t they all?) Twitter tweet saying Torreyes would become the next Jose Altuve with the Cubs. Under that logic, wouldn’t Blash be the next Giancarlo Stanton since he’s 6’6”? Um, didn’t think so.
If the Mariners-Mets trade is concluded today as expected, I can’t say that I’ll be excited to see Robinson Cano in a Mets uniform. It will be a little bittersweet seeing Cano at second and Todd Frazier at third for New York’s second-best team. But despite the possibility of Cano calling Citi Field home, I would not want that contract even if the Mariners pay down the $120 million left on Cano’s contract by $30 to $40 million. Sure, I think a 36-year-old Cano can help any team, but what will it look like when he is 38 or 39? In the National League, they won’t be able to hide him at DH so any defensive shortcomings caused by age will be magnified. I will be glad to see Cano back in New York City but I am happier he is not a Yankee.
Did soon-to-be Hall of Fame inductee Mariano Rivera really turn 49 yesterday? How did that happen?! Happy Belated Birthday to Mo! One of the greatest ever to wear Pinstripes.
It’s a new day which means a new opportunity this could be the day Sonny Gray leaves Pinstripes. One can only hope. Waiting for Corbin to sign…waiting for Gray to leave. I know, patience.
As always, Go Yankees!
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Patrick Corbin Day at Yankee Stadium...
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| Photo Credit: ESPN |
Corbin’s Free Agent Tour continues with a stop in NYC…
Today’s the day. Patrick Corbin makes his much-anticipated visit in the Bronx to talk with the Yankees after tours through Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. While it is possible the Yankees extend an offer to Corbin, it’s more probable that he leaves Yankee Stadium with no decisions made.
This is where I love the mindset and structure of NFL free agency. When a top free agent you desire visits your city, you don’t let him leave without his signature on the dotted line. As a Minnesota Vikings fan, I couldn’t help but think back to when the Vikings signed free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins last off-season. It was a big deal when it was announced Cousins was in Minneapolis and he was spotted at a steakhouse that night with GM Rick Spielman, Head Coach Mike Zimmer and I believe star wide receiver Adam Thielen among others. By the next morning, it was reported that Cousins had agreed to a 3-year, $84 million deal. I loved the rapid-fire sequence of events to land a much needed player. I recognize that you, as a Giants or Jets fan, may not think it was a wise decision by the Vikings but personally I loved it. Later, it was reported that during the Super Bowl last January in Minneapolis, Cousins had been in town and he spent a considerable amount of time checking out the city. It is possible the player picked the city before the team picked him.
Which leads me back to Patrick Corbin. We’ve all heard how Corbin grew up near Syracuse, New York with a family dominated by Yankee fans. I didn’t grow up in New York, yet I’ve been a lifelong die-hard Yankee fan. I think much of my early admiration of the team was developed through a love of the history and tradition of the Yankees. As a kid, I loved reading books about Yankee greats like Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle. Corbin has been exposed to these names and no doubt has a similar admiration for the team’s history. With no offense to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia or Nationals Park in D.C., there is nothing quite walking into the hallowed grounds of Yankee Stadium. Even though the majority of the Yankee legends played across the street where the old Yankee Stadium once stood, the omnipresent mystique and aura echoes through the halls of the new Yankee Stadium. The legends are alive in the new ballpark and you still feel it today. I can’t help but think Corbin is going to be seduced by the lure of pinstripes. It’s been mentioned Corbin’s camp wants to make a fairly quick decision so hopefully it means he’ll decide by the end of the week. My feeling is the Yankees should strike quickly since they hold the upper hand with other teams based on the player’s sentiments. Make a fair offer that is competitive with the Phillies and Nationals, and all things considered, the scale is tipped to the Yankees’ advantage.
Actor Michael J Fox told a story years ago in an interview. He had wanted to buy a new house in Los Angeles but wanted to play coy to ensure that he find a home at his price. When he walked into the home he liked, he threw down his keys and said something like, “I want this house!”. That’s how I am hoping Corbin plays it with the Yankees. He has a chance to join Baseball's most storied franchise that possesses a team ready to contend for the World Series right now.
I’d give Corbin six years if that’s what it takes. It’s not my money. The fans who scream about the money and years kill me. It’s not their money either. I am sure the Yankees will make a good offer that they are comfortable with and one that fits what they are trying to accomplish this off-season. Face it, it is not really a question of whether they can afford it. We all know they can. Will it be good enough? Time will tell as it often does.
Ronald Torreyes was a fun guy to have around the Yankees dugout and clubhouse but the anger over his trade to the Chicago Cubs yesterday was a little ridiculous. Suzie Pinstripe, Managing Editor for Bleeding Yankee Blue, wrote a very nice piece about “Our Kind of Guys” or OKG’s. While I do not dismiss the value of Torreyes as ‘our kind of guy’ and the importance to team chemistry, I do not fault the Yankees for their decision. Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues is probably one of my favorites because he simply tells it like it is. This paragraph from a post Axisa did yesterday sums up exactly how I feel about the decision to move Torreyes: “The 26-year-old Torreyes is projected to make $900,000 through arbitration next season and the Yankees are loaded with utility infielder types (Hanser Alberto, Thairo Estrada, Tim Locastro, Tyler Wade), so the most expensive (and least tooled up) of the bunch got the heave-ho when a 40-man roster spot was needed. Sucks, but that’s the business.” Well said, Mike.
I wish Toe the very best in Chicago. Given the uncertainty with their starting shortstop, Addison Russell, his prospects for playing time at Wrigley Field are much greater than they would have been with the Yankees. Team chemistry is different every year. Familiar faces leave, new ones arrive. The synergy of new personalities meshing with the current players. After a couple of weeks next season, Torreyes will be nothing but a past memory and we’ll be relishing the interaction and play of the current roster.
I am a little tired of David Robertson taking so much heat for the team decision to exclude Assistant Hitting Coach P.J. Pilittere and a traveling member of the analytics team, Zac Fieroh, from postseason shares of playoff ticket sales. The player pool for the Yankees turned out to be $2.866 million. The value of one share was slightly more than $43,000. The team issued 45 full shares, plus 21.47 partial shares and a couple of cash awards, but both Pilittere and Fieroh were excluded. Bill Madden of the New York Daily News also reported the team did not award any shares to the entire support staff, trainers, clubhouse attendants and batting practice pitchers. Blame has single-handedly been placed on D-Rob as the leader who organized the vote. Regardless of whether he led the vote, Robertson had one vote. While it seems unfair that deserving guys were unfairly omitted, it was a team decision. Other players didn’t cast their votes based on what Robertson told them to do. They made their own decisions. So, if you’re going to blame Robertson, blame beloved Yankees like Aaron Judge, Gleyber Torres, and Luis Severino too. They were part of the vote. I am probably more pissed that Jacoby Ellsbury got a full share. I’ve seen so many Yankee fans say the team should not re-sign D-Rob because of the postseason shares which makes absolutely no sense to me. The Yankee should re-sign D-Rob, and I wish they’d hurry up and get it over with so that we can focus on the big ticket items.
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| Photo Credit: Getty Images (Jim McIsaac) |
I said it before the latest hullabaloo about Robinson Cano but I’ll say it again: I want no part of his contract. Love the player but 5 years and $120 million for a 36-year-old does not look good today, let alone what it would look like in 2-3 years. Even if it was a way to unload Jacoby Ellsbury (someone I’ve wanted gone from this team for a long time), I wouldn’t do it. If the Mets want to take on Cano’s contract, even if Seattle is willing to send suitcases full of cash with him as well as their closer, Edwin Diaz, that’s fine. Let the Mets have him. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have Edwin Diaz on my team but not at that cost. Cano is on the fast track to becoming a full-time DH. Last time I checked, the Yankees had one of those and I’ve heard he does a fairly good job (well, outside of Yankee Twitter of course).
By the way, I haven’t had a chance to welcome Parker Bridwell to the Yankees yet. His stats do not amaze me despite a solid 2017 season but he has a great attitude and is excited about being a Yankee. I can’t find fault with those points. There’s always a chance the Yankees see something they can correct to make Bridwell a quality Major League pitcher, whether it is spot starting or long relief. At this point, I’d gladly prefer to give him a shot over guys like Luis Cessa and A.J. Cole. So, welcome to the Yankees family, Parker!
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| Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Winslow Townson) |
It’s Corbin Day. Very exciting for Yankee fans. Let’s see what this day has in store for us.
The 2019 Offseason and What it Means for the 2020 Offseason
The New York Yankees may not want to spend heavily during
the offseason before the 2019 season, but they just might have to. You may be
asking yourself why, and the answer is simple. The offseason before the 2020
season, and the subsequent players that free agency after the 2019 season, is
looking to be bleak, old, and not so promising.
Let’s take a quick look at the potential list of Yankees
free agents after the 2019 season, barring any trades, extensions, etc.
CC Sabathia – LHP
Brett Gardner – LF
Austin Romine – C
Dellin Betances – RP
Sonny Gray – RHP
Didi Gregorius – SS
Aaron Hicks – CF
Cody Asche – LF
Now, the Yankees may potentially have to replace their starting
shortstop, their starting center fielder, their starting left fielder (or a
huge bench piece), an even huger part of their bullpen, and at least one or two
of their starting pitchers. What do the free agency lists look like for those
particular positions you may be asking?
Xander Bogaerts would be an interesting pull for the
shortstop position, both in terms of hurting the Boston Red Sox and in the
likelihood that he could adequately replace Gregorius. The problem is that Bogaerts
is likely going to be one of the best free agents out there before 2020,
assuming he isn’t extended, meaning he will be extremely expensive. The Yankees
could always extend Gregorius, which seemed likely before his Tommy John
surgery, or they could opt for a lesser hit to their rivals by signing Brock
Holt, but right now the options just aren’t there. New York could always slide
Gleyber Torres back to shortstop and sign a second baseman also, but a 39-year
old Ben Zobrist, 36-year old Howie Kendrick, Eduardo Nunez, etc. just don’t
intrigue me much. Scooter Gennett will also be a free agent, as will Jonathan
Schoop, but in a weak market I would think that New York would have to overpay
for a “solid” player and pay them like they are “great” players, and I’m just
not comfortable doing that. It could be argued that Bogaerts may be on the same
level as say a Manny Machado, but then again some could say that Bogaerts may
command a comparable, or higher, contract next season. These free agent prices
aren’t going to come down, it is only up from here.
The Yankees don’t “need” an outfielder to replace Brett Gardner,
but it seems likely that they would to potentially replace Aaron Hicks. With names
like Matt Kemp (35-years old) and Alex Gordon (36), along with younger options
like Marcell Ozuna, Billy Hamilton, Yasiel Puig, Nick Castellanos, and Avisail
Garcia at least somewhat tempting, the Yankees could conceivably replace both
via free agency, but again I believe the prices for these players could get
expensive. Billy Hamilton, the only name listed capable of playing center field
at the Major League level, will only be 29-years old at the time of his free
agency and will likely be on the same level as a Xander Bogaerts in terms of
years and dollars commanded in what is widely considered to be a weak free
agent class. I’ll say this though, no one here mentioned is even on the same
stratosphere as Bryce Harper.
The Yankees don’t necessarily need to replace Austin Romine,
many would argue that backup catchers are a dime a dozen, but let’s just have
fun and look at the class of catchers anyway. Russell Martin is a free agent
and so is Francisco Cervelli, but both would likely want a full-time starting
job (and pay). You can also add Jason Castro to that list, but a couple of
intriguing names are listed as potential backups for the Yankees if they decide
to move away from Romine. Alex Avila was suggested as a potential landing spot
for the Yankees last offseason while Brian McCann only signed a one-year deal
with Atlanta for $2 million and will hit the market once again before the 2020
season (although I predict that he retires after the year). In all honesty the
Yankees will likely re-sign (or possibly extend this offseason) Romine before
this decision needs to be made, but there are at least a few suitable
replacements for him if it came down to that. Let me say this, let me say it
again, and let me say it forever. Gary Sanchez is, and will be, the Yankees
starting catcher for a long, long time. Deal with it.
I know a first baseman is not listed in the grouping above,
but I would be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the first base class for
next offseason, just in case Luke Voit turns out to be Shane Spencer or Kevin
Maas as I have predicted. Mitch Moreland is set to be a free agent, as is
Justin Smoak, Jose Abreu and Paul Goldschmidt. This is a strong class for first
baseman, which makes it less likely that the Yankees give up a top prospect
like Estevan Florial for Goldschmidt now this season. Just my two cents.
The final aspect to look at for the future is pitching, both
in terms of starters and relief pitchers. It is all but a foregone conclusion
that CC Sabathia will retire after the season (he said he would, but he liable
to change his mind). It is also a foregone conclusion that Sonny Gray will be
traded this offseason (Brian Cashman has all but said it) so, theoretically,
both will have to be replaced along with Dellin Betances. What does the
pitching market look like for the 2020 offseason? Justin Verlander hits the
free agent market, but he is 37, while Felix Hernandez (34-years old, but
injury prone and not effective lately), Cole Hamels (36), Hyun-Jin Ryu (33),
Rich Hill (40), Brian Duensing (37), Adam Wainwright (38) join Rick Porcello
(31), Madison Bumgarner (30), Michael Pineda (31, still recovering from Tommy
John surgery), Chris Sale (31), Shelby Miller (29), Gerrit Cole (29), Zack
Wheeler (30), Alex Wood (29), Tanner Roark (33), Jake Odorizzi (30), and Kyle
Gibson (32) to name a few starters in what looks to be a strong pitching field
to choose from. On the relief side of things, the Yankees could potentially choose
one or more from Arodys Vizcaino (29), Liam Hendriks (31), Fernando Rodney
(43), Brandon Kintzler (35), and Anthony Swarzak (34) to name a few in what
looks to be a weak market for relievers. It may be worth the Yankees making a
splash or two now by signing Adam Ottavino, David Robertson, Zach Britton, etc.
to not only solidify the pen for the 2019 season, but for the 2020 season as
well. Also, as crazy as this sounds, it may make it sting a little less for New
York if they are to lose out on Patrick Corbin this offseason as they could
potentially replace him with a cheaper, shorter-term option like JA Happ for
now before dipping their toes back into the free agent starters pool in 2020.
Corbin should be the priority, but I am merely speaking of a Plan B scenario if
the Phillies were to offer him a dumb amount of money and years this offseason.
In closing, just because it may not make sense to some to
spend on some of these players listed here in 2019, it doesn’t mean it won’t
make sense for the 2020 season. Think ahead, plan long term, and sign some of
these once-in-a-generation type talents now, before you wish you did one-year
from today.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Comparing Patrick Corbin to Cliff Lee
When it was reported yesterday that top free agent starter
Patrick Corbin was meeting with the Philadelphia Phillies, I admittedly didn’t
think much of it at first. The Phillies are expected to spend a ton of money,
even if it means spending it foolishly, this winter and it just makes sense to
potentially spend some of that money on pitching. Corbin is the top pitcher
available, so the match is there. When I saw that the Phillies had a
photoshopped picture of Corbin on their big screen inside Citizens Bank Park
with the lefty wearing a Phillies hat and uniform, I admittedly panicked. Had
the Phillies signed Corbin right under the Yankees noses? Were the Yankees
about to get spurned by the Phillies for yet another left-handed starting
pitcher? I went to bed last night hoping to not wake up this morning to the
news of Corbin signing with Philadelphia.
Luckily for me, Corbin is still a free agent and the New
York Yankees still have a shot at his services, but I just cannot shake the
feeling that the Phillies are either going to make this really expensive for
Brian Cashman and company, or they are going to make Corbin an offer he simply
cannot refuse. I began my morning routing this morning checking Twitter when I
saw a tweet that sent that feeling deep down in the pit of my stomach again. It
was a tweet that was comparing the stats of Patrick Corbin to the last
left-handed pitcher that chose the Philadelphia Phillies over the New York
Yankees, even though everyone and their mother thought that he was coming to
the Bronx. Cliff Lee. Is this de ja vu all over again?
Her tweet got cut off, but Cliff Lee's ERA+ is 105.Shout out to @LttleGel on Twitter. She is a great follow on Twitter and a huge Yankees fan, so go give her a follow. You won’t regret it.Patrick Corbin [2012-2018]. 109 ERA+, 945.2 IP, 8.5 SO/9, 2.6 BB/9, 3.65 FIP, 11.4 WAR.— ღ 𝒢𝑒𝓁 (@LttleGel) November 28, 2018
Cliff Lee [2002-2008]. ERA+, 965.2 IP, 6.7 SO/9, 2.7 BB/9, 4.19 FIP, 11.9 WAR.
I love this tweet because I have seen many Yankees fans
wondering how Corbin would translate from the NL West to the AL East Division. I
have also seen many others question why the Yankees would want him after just “one
good year.” The stats don’t lie, Corbin has been underrated over the last
six-to-seven years.
Corbin broke into the league in 2012 with the Arizona
Diamondbacks and pitched in 22 games, 17 of them starts, posting 107 innings
pitched and a 0.5 WAR. Corbin has been durable aside from his Tommy John
surgery that stopped his 2014 season and shortened his 2015 campaign, but he
pitched 36 games in 2016 (24 starts), 33 games in 2017 (32 starts) and 33
starts in 2018. From 2002 – 2008 Cliff Lee was one of the best pitchers in the
American League with the Cleveland Indians. Lee won the 2008 American League Cy
Young Award with a 22-3 season while he also finished 4th in the AL
Cy Young vote in 2005 with an 18-5 record. Lee was well on his way to another
great individual season in 2009 before the Indians ultimately traded him (along
with outfielder Ben Francisco) to the Cleveland Indians for Carlos Carrasco,
Jason Donald, Lou Marson and Jason Knapp.
Lee, like Corbin, was just entering his prime and beginning
to find himself at the time of the trade. Lee pitched the Phillies to the World
Series in 2009, a loss to the New York Yankees, before returning to the
American League for the 2010 season. This is a great comparison of two similar
players in two similar scenarios, and I believe this may give us a general idea
of what we can truly expect from Corbin going forward if he were to sign with
New York.
Six more years of Cliff Lee and the opportunity to right a wrong
by signing Corbin for just money? Yes, please. Every day of the damn week.
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