With the Yankees’ offseason now underway, Joel Sherman of the New York Post breaks down the team’s needs, specifically mentioning rotation stability and versatility. While he notes that in the George Steinbrenner days, lavish spending to bring in names such as David Price, Ben Zobrist and Yoenis Cespedes might’ve been the expectation, but Hal Steinbrenner has no interest in pushing an already-high payroll toward the $300MM mark. The younger Steinbrenner also doesn’t wish to dole out any further mega-contracts until some of the large, existing contracts come off the books. As such, Sherman writes that we can likely rule out an earnest pursuit of David Price. Signing Price for $30MM annually — and Price may command even more than that — would cost the Yankees $45MM annually in the deal’s early stages due to luxury tax purposes. Sherman suggests that instead, making a strong push to acquire Sonny Gray (listing Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo and Gary Sanchez as possible trade chips) is a better fit for the Yankees. Sherman also feels that trades for Martin Prado and/or Enrique Hernandez as well as a signing of Zobrist would give the Yanks a deep, versatile crop of players to keep aging veterans fresh and match up well against pitchers regardless of handedness.
Some more Yankees items…
- Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News takes his own shot at getting the Yankees to the next step this offseason. Feinsand lists five things decisions that the Yankees should make, opining that Justin Upton is a fit that should be signed but that the Yankees should steer clear of a substantial commitment to Price.
- Sherman also reports that the Yankees are planning to tender right-hander Ivan Nova a contract for the 2016 season. Nova, projected by MLBTR to earn $4.4MM in arbitration, struggled to a 5.07 ERA in 94 innings in 2015 — his first season back from Tommy John surgery. Despite the fact that he didn’t look like his 2013 self (3.10 ERA, 7.5 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 in 139 innings), Nova’s 93 mph fastball velocity was right in line with his career mark. The team views him as a back-of-the-rotation option, and a $4.4MM price tag on such a commodity would hardly be exorbitant. Nova is a free agent after the 2016 season.
- General manager Brian Cashman told reporters last night that he passed on the opportunity to acquire Zobrist from the Athletics in exchange for second baseman Rob Refsnyder and right-hander Adam Warren, tweets Chad Jennings of the Journal News. Zobrist would eventually be traded to the Royals in exchange for right-hander Aaron Brooks and highly touted pitching prospect Sean Manaea. He went on to hit .284/.364/.453 with seven homers in 264 plate appearances for Kansas City. As the New York Daily News’ Anthony McCarron adds, Cashman said he has no regrets about not making a deal in July. “I’d be piling guys on top of guys that didn’t have a place to play, other than second base,” said Cashman, stating that Zobrist was the only available second base option that interested him.
You would have to be crazy to think a package like that gets anywhere close to Sunny Gray. Also are Martin Prado and Zobriest really safe bets to sure up the older guys? They are getting older themselves .
100% agree about your point regarding gray, but prado or zobrist would be a solid addition to any team looking for untility help, albeit they’re both not getting any younger but then again neither are Arod, Tex, headley, or Beltran. Cashman would definitely have some interest in either player because he won’t have to dish out major star money for them.
I agree pretty much. Zobrist would probably cost decent money though. Also he gets most of his value from being able to play everywhere, on the NYY he will probably be the starting second baseman and play little elsewhere.
Mateo’s stock has risen a lot. Having said that, I do think the Red Sox could counter any Yankees offer if they wanted to, so long as Beane doesn’t sell Gray off in a similar fashion to Donaldson.
I’d go there and not to mention? IF Beane was to move Gray, or any team goes out and moves a front line ace type pitcher and isn’t blessed with a wealth of other starting pitching? They are going to want some kind of top pitching prospect included in the deal also. does NY have anyone that fits that bill?
With Boston, am afraid that would be deemed to be an Anderson Espinoza, or worse.. Eduardo Rodriquez and then pile on the kids you don’t want to move as well… Devers, Margot..
It’s an expensive proposition to acquire an ace via trade, even with the #1 ranked system in the game
It’s Joel Sherman. He gets good inside information and scoops, but his suggested player moves are always absolutely absurd. He always wants the Mets and Yankees to make insane and huge moves regardless of whether they’re practical or make sense.
That would be a terrible move for the Yankees to do anyway. Not that it’s an unfair trade, but they had the oldest position player staff in baseball. Trading your 3 top Position Prospects, even for a pitcher as good as Gray, does WAY more harm than good for them.
While I agree that they are not in a good position going forward without young players that trade would probably be too good to turn down.
I don’t think the intent is those three alone for Gray, but rather to say that those three prospects are potentially expendable chips that could be used in a package for Gray.
Most of the time I would agree but really unless the Yankees are willing to offer Severino and Judge plus others does that even get Beane to the table.
Most likely though not necessarily. Jays got Donaldson without giving up Stroman or Sanchez. Sanchez’s highest rank was #25. Stroman’s was 18th. Severino before he was called up was ranked 19th and currently Judge is Top 20.
Yea but that was such a strange trade. I truly do not understand Billy Beane.
Agree. Also don’t understand the Atlanta Braves.
They’re gunna have to throw in a piece like Refsnyder to bring that back, and who knows if that happens.
In no world is Rob Refsnyder the difference between getting Sunny Gray and not getting Sunny Gray.
The Yankees have enough money and enough talent right now to duplicate what they did this year–be competitive for a wild card spot. The have won 84, 85 and 87 games in the last three years. That’s it. The roster has to roll over to a younger cadre, supplemented with some spending from the Yankees large bankroll, before they have any legitimate chance to be a top tier team. Senior citizen Mark Teixiera had the most WAR (3.8), on a team that had nine men earning $15M plus. The Yankees can’t act like Houston did–strip down to nothing and collect draft picks and subsidies. They have to try to be competitive. But bringing back a Martin Prado, for younger talent, and picking up his $11M (meaning, $16.5M) salary?
Same old sign big money free agents and sell the farm . Sherman with his usual worthless insight.
If Sonny Gray hits the open market then there are a couple of teams with the resources and will to outbid the yanks. And that’s not even including the Dodgers. If Cashman shores up the rotation expect it to be more on the par of the Eovaldi trade, low key with potential high reward.
I’m in agreement. But after Not trading their Top prospects at the deadline, I don’t see why they should in the Offseason with the amount of talent on the FA market
They should start by trading Gardner. Been saying this for awhile. Love Brett, but they need youth, and of their vets, he’s definitely the most tradable asset.
The Giants will gladly take Brett Gardner lol
I’ve always had dreams of the Yankees acquiring Sonny Gray, but that’s all they’ve ever been…dreams. There is no package strong enough the Yankees could put together that would entice the A’s to move Gray. I do think they would move Gray though to a team like the Red Sox possibly.
Personally I like Feinsand’s idea of signing Justin Upton and potentially someone like Samardzija. The Yankees need innings, badly. When CC is leading the team in innings pitched you have some serious problems. No on Price, but I’m interested to see if Cash is active in the trade market.
Agree with that. Maybe get a mid rotation pitcher for Gardner too.
Judge, Sanchez , Mateo For Grey , Do it Yankees : signed Boston Red Sox
Really? Thats one very good prospect, a decent prospect and a lesser prospect for several years of an ace.
I think the Red Sox would be very furious about that trade.
I could see the Red Sox trading to Oakland for Sonny Gray:
One of: Owens / Buch /Miley
Centerpiece: Swihart
One of: JBJ/Castillo or Margot,
One of: Marrero or Guerra
Craig as a toss in for Coco Crisp.
So while Gray is definitely “aiming high”, I think that something more middling would be a better option. With the way that Judge ‘adapted’ to AAA, now might be a great time to see high. Who knows what his actual long-term performance might be, but his low OPS and BA after his move-up, he might turn into a AAAA player, tops. With Sanchez’ well-documented attitude and hustle problems, I’d suggest packaging the two of them together and sending them to the Braves (in rebuild mode, so willing to take back ZERO major-leaguers) for their enigmatic catcher (Betancourt) and either Teheran or Miller. See if they bite.
This is way off base. Sanchez had those attitude problems as a teenager. The kid has been in the system since he was 16. This past year everyone has raved about his hard work to improve defensively behind the plate and he adjusted to AAA nicely.
Judge had a terrible second half but started out red hot in AAA. He’s also still young. To sell low on one and to sell on the other before he’s reached his ceiling is silly, especially for a starter who has pitched at Turner Field his entire career and struggled last season and a catcher who was awful and lost his job to AJ Pierzinski for a team who wasn’t even competitive.
The worst part about trading Gardner is that teams will look at how much he breaks down in the second half of the season. He’s been that way almost every year of his career. Teams looking for a push likely wouldn’t have much interest in him at the deadline next year if the Yankees don’t do something with him this off season. And the fact that he’s notoriously bad in the second half probably won’t yield all that much of a return for him. You could see maybe a #4 starter or someone like an eovoldi where there is low risk high reward. It’s a shame really because Gardner has been solid for a while, but there’s just too much scouting on him for teams to give a lot up for him.