A few notes from the Bronx…
- With crucial bullpen pieces David Robertson and Zach Britton among their free agents, the Yankees are planning to add two relievers this offseason, according to general manager Brian Cashman (via Joel Sherman of the New York Post). One of those pickups may be free-agent right-hander Adam Ottavino, whom the Yankees are interested in, Sherman reports. The 33-year-old Ottavino – a New York City native – just put up a career season in Colorado, where he logged a 2.43 ERA/2.74 FIP with 12.98 K/9 and 4.17 BB/9 across 77 2/3 innings. On the heels of his marvelous 2018 campaign, MLBTR predicts Ottavino will join the Yankees on a three-year, $30MM contract this offseason.
- The Yankees have discussed signing Japanese left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, team owner Hal Steinbrenner revealed earlier this month (per David Lennon of Newsday). “I saw film on him during the pro scouting meetings,” Steinbrenner said. “We talked about that individual. We’ve always been paying attention to that area of the world — some unbelievably great players came out of there. So it won’t be any different this year.” Steinbrenner’s comments came before the Yankees acquired fellow lefty James Paxton from the Mariners this past Monday, which in theory could lessen the need for Kikuchi. However, the Yankees still seem destined to get at least one more high-end starter this offseason, and they’ve never been shy about pursuing hyped Japanese talent, evidenced by past signings such as Hideki Irabu, Hideki Matsui, Kei Igawa and Masahiro Tanaka. While the 27-year-old Kikuchi’s not yet available to major league clubs, that will change when the Seibu Lions – his team in Nippon Professional Baseball – post him in early December.
- New York is loaded in the outfield, where it boasts Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, Brett Gardner, Clint Frazier and Jacoby Ellsbury. Free-agent outfielder Bryce Harper seems like more of a luxury than a need, then, though there has been speculation about the Yankees signing the superstar to play first base, where their top holdover, Luke Voit, dominated late in 2018 but doesn’t carry an extensive major league track record. Earlier this week, Cashman discussed the possibility of signing Harper to line up at first, telling the YES Network (via Mike Rosenstein of NJ.com): “People have talked about Bryce Harper being able to play first base, I don’t know if he can or can’t. I know he’s very athletic, but that’s not necessarily a bet I would recommend placing with the amount of money he’s expected to get.” Although Cashman doesn’t seem enthusiastic about Harper as a first base option, the executive added that he’s “not ruling anything out.”
Now you report on Harper to first? Lol 😛
RH Adam Ottavino. Cmon Yanks! You can do better. Re-sign DRob at the min. Dude is acting as own agent and loves NYY
Ottavino is probably the best reliever on the market outside of Kimbrel. I don’t know if they can “do better”.
Kimbrel? The Red Sox won despite him.
Even if that’s true, he’s still obviously the best reliever on the market.
So 8 seasons, 7 of which he was an all star, he’s dominated as one of the best closers in the game and his career numbers back that up with over 300 saves and career ERA below 2, is not the best reliever on the market?
And your basing this off 2 playoff series in which he was tipping his pitches and didn’t actually blow a save. He dominated the World Series so we are talking about a few outings against Yankees and Astros…. 5-6 outings do NOT outweigh what has been a spectacular career this far.
Red Sox did not win despite him, they were #1 seed in large part because of him as a majority of the year the Sox bullpen was terrible and unreliable except for him. Kimbrel is the best reliever on the market right now talent wise. If you want to go into value/production there may be an argument for Ottavino depending on what he ultimately commands. Your statement is utterly ridiculous though
In his 7th year as a reliever, at age 32, Ottavino suddenly has a great year. Now he’s worth $10 mm a yr for 3 yrs? OK, maybe something changed and the man is good for 3 years.
This is where small and mid-market teams lose out. If the guy reverts back to what he was, the money is a speed bump to the Yankees, so they take on a salary of a hot relief pitcher at the trading deadline to replace him. No sweat. Over 2/3’rds of MLB teams cannot afford to take that chance at those prices.
Check out the articles on Ottavino and pitch design, he reinvented himself last offseason. If he was the same guy throwing the exact same pitches, folks would be more skeptical.
And this is exactly why i’m skeptical. He reinvented himself and had a great year. I’m not sure i’d value him too highly until he does it again. The fact that his ERA ballooned in the second half is also worrying.
That said, 3yr/30M is not a bad deal in this era, and he could be worth the risk for a team with money to spend like the Yankees.
1 season says he is
The season before last wasn’t nearly as good
Robertson has consistently been a better pitcher for his career.
I still don’t get why They want to pay him 30 mill to play 1st. I get moving Stanton or judge to 1st and rotate them through and putting Harper in the OF wity whoever isnt at 1st.
Position versatility. Teams love this nowadays. I envision him playing the Bellinger role for the Yankees if he were to sign here. Play all three outfield spots and first base.
Cashman doesn’t think like that. He said it in an interview that he couldn’t see paying $300 mil to Harper to play a position he’s never played. A bit different from moving him from RF to LF. He mentioned he only sees him being something other than a 1B if the Yanks were inclined to sign him.
Also, barring something crazy to happen where a 1B sort of falls in their lap, that 1B was Voits to lose and Bird’s to win. He also indicated that while they weren’t expecting Voit to hit 15 hrs in 50ish games that he wasn’t suprised that Voit found success against mlb pitching, He stated that his team pushed for a Voit acquisition based off of scouting reports and analytics.
However, a couple of things seem evident,
a) The Yanks no longer see Gardner as an everyday player. Why? Because he struggled this year and rather than simply picking up his option, the Yanks signed him to a 1 year deal for about $3,5 mil less. I can’t see them expecting him to rebound as a starter for less money,
b) Cashman isn’t assuming that Ellsbury, and to a lesser extent, Frazier, will be available for the start of 2019. Reason? Why would he bring Gardner back at all to be the 4th OF if he’s paying Ells $20 mil+ in 2019 and could just pencil him in as the 4th OF guy and let Gardner walk. He has no expectations from Ellsbury in 2019.
c) So if A or B are logical, then why wouldn’t the Yanks pursue Harper, Markakis, Brantley or some player via trade to play LF in 2019?
Given the history of Ells and Frazier, Gardner was a phenomenal insurance policy in that you know what your likely getting. Even as he gets older, he’s still a solid outfielder. Let Voit and Bird fight for playing time at first. Put that money into pitching. Better option in my view is to spend but don’t overspend because the money is there if you believe next year will bring better options. While trying to win now, payroll flexibility is also crucial. Yes in two years, Ells, Tanaka, Gardner, etc. will be off the books but the team hopes it will have to shell out huge bucks for Judge, Sanchez and others. All depends on the years for Machado and Harper. Only every day players worth more than seven years in my view are Betts and Judge given their ages. Even Trout I have concerns at the back end.
Before anyone chimes in, I realize Machado and Harper’s ages. Machado to me has issues outside of his obvious talent while Harper is inconsistent to make a long term, huge average salary commitment.
Hi Dewey;
I saw a picture of Machado’s face today. He’s not “filling out” – he’s getting fat. On his way to being another Pablo Sandoval. As for Harper, he is who he is. Been through numerous managers, coaches, and veteran teammates, and he’s still a me-first player. Saw some defensive stats the other day that ranked him the 4th worst NL OF of those with xxx games played in 2018.
The only two position players I give a 5-plus year contract to are Nolan Arenado and Mookie Betts. They’re not show-off’s or big hits on social media. But they’ve been consistently excellent for years, Betts is the same age as Harper-Machado, and Arenado a year older. Great 2-way players. Never a hint of a problem.
If Jacob deGrom comes anywhere near his 2018 season, I give him a 5 year (or more) contract. His mechanics are clean so his chance of injury is low. While a different type of pitcher then Max Scherzer, he is just as intensely competitive and dominant.
Harper and Machado are nowhere near the level of Scherzer, deGrom, Arenado, Betts, or Trout and Judge…..among others. I’m telling you within 5 years – and more likely 3-4 – the teams that give out long-term contacts to Harper and Machado will happily pay tens of millions to get out of them. Might not be as bad as Chris Davis….then again…….
Which is why Machado is going to Philadelphia and Harper is going to Sanfrancisco. Don’t waste your energy talking about all these “hypotheticals” on how you’d make room for them on the diamond, they aren’t touching New York.
“Don’t waste your energy talking about all these “hypotheticals” on how you’d make room for them on the diamond, they aren’t touching New York.“
Wishful thinking on your part, Giants’ fan.^^^
Giants are trading for Trout, signing harper, will sign Acuna after he gets released by the Braves, are signing Corbin, and former outfield slugger Vernon Wells is coming out of retirement to occupy a spot in the rotation. Prove me wrong.
1600,
Mr. Dewey made an excellent post as usual, makes so much
sense. I totally agree with Mr. X also, so try your big mouth some place else Bud!!
And theyll lose more games than Baltimore. Also set. Record for 37 straight loses to start a season.
There’s a massless, invisible lepricon standing right next to you. Prove me wrong.
Thanks gotothevideotape (a Warner Wolf fan?). As a Sox fan, I hate commenting favorably on the Yankees but while I’m wrong as often as most others, I try to remain objective as it’s what in my view makes this site fun.
1600. Tell me what package of players and prospects the Giants can put together that would tempt LA to trade Trout?
Dewey, You’re Welcome
Right again, Warner
Wolf fan, ahhhhhh
the good old days.
This site is fun, it’s my comedy channel for roasting, lol
Get off your holy soap box. Please. Now.
It would be a luxury, but if they can, the Yankees would be wise to trade high on Voit and sign a real first baseman. Neither Voit or Bird are the answer.
As for Cashman, let’s all remember his comments on Bubba Crosby. He often makes concrete statements like that for leverage.
Frankly, Cashman has earned my trust as a fan. He’s made very few bad deals when compared with other GM’s, and I can count on one hand the number of prospects he dealt away that became anything worthwhile over the span of 20 years.
Used to switch to Channel 7 (before he went to 2) and am picturing how he would have addressed the Sox-Yankee game 3: “If you had the Yankees and 14 runs, you Lost! Let’s go to the videotape”…
Trade high? Given his short productive history, Voit is worth more to NY in that he won’t return much yet and is cheap cost allows the team to spend elsewhere. You don’t need all stars at every position.
But he’s also made more buy low deals (Hicks, Didi) than he has misses of late. I don’t count Drury because you can’t anticipate a player lying or not coming forth about chronic migraines. That deal might end badly with Solak and Widener looking like good prospects.
It’s odd that baseball is the only sport that will disregard the authenticity of players performance (minor and major league) based off of who it’s coming from. Had Voit been drafted in the 1st round and 2 years younger he would probably been considered a top 100 guy in recent lists.. Yet there are tons of stars that never were on a top list, in some cases, not even on their own teams organizational list.
Samuel, I fully agree on Arenado who I sometimes forget (others would say east coast bias – it’s not that but a combination of being an AL team fan, the mountain zone starting time and my choice of having no interest in fantasy leagues).
Consider the source, but Nick Cafardo says teams are kicking the tires on Stanton and the Yanks aren’t discouraging it. He’s *relatively* affordable now, considering the price of Harper or Machado (“only” $260 million for the rest of his contract).
Dodgers, Braves(!), Phils could all get in on that since they have tradeable assets.
What makes you think Stanton is going to accept a trade anywhere but to the Dodgers? What has changed?
Harper has negative WAR in the OF. Could do well put him at 1B instead.
Two days ago, moving Harper to 1st was an idea in the Projecting Payroll: New York Series.
0% chance Harper signs with NY. He’s going to San Francisco batting third playing right field. He’s going to be the next Barry Bonds.
You’re either smoking too much or not enough.
Lolol
Xab, spend more time on your studies. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and unless the price drops significantly (which would help not only the Yankees but every large market team -now and in the future), I also see Harper dunking sour dough bread into chowder and Machado chewing on a steak sandwich.
He’s smoking what we use to call “headache weed”
ey has another new handle. Is she on the run from something?
Her other names are toast & she’s looking for some preserves.
er=PG now, and she’s more annoying than ever.
She’s right below me.
Eat your heart out Jam man!
He can’t be another Bonds.
He has Fake Credentials!
The new news doesn’t make you sound smarter…just more annoying
I know you ny fans don’t watch any other team but Ottavino is nasty and deserves (if such a thing) good money for being tops in the Market even playing in Colorado!
Yup Img, he is practically a shoe in already.
He had great good half season. Calm yourself.
Why can’t we have both?
Just my opinion but I think the Yankees still sign these 3 FA’s: Machado for SS while Didi’s out then moves over to 3B, Corbin for the front of the Yankees rotation and then 1 of: Robertson, Britton, Miller or Ottavino. For the record when Machado moves over to 3B Andujar becomes their primary DH and back up 3B. We’ll see.
homer confirmed
Amazing the amount of clueless people down voting you for no reason. When your statement is pretty clear what the Yankees will probably end up doing this offseason.
Robertson and Ottavino are likely but they scare me at the same time. Robertson’s best years are probably behind him and who knows if ottavino is a one year wonder
Move Stanton out to LA, bye to Jacoby E,
get a #2 pitcher, sign Harper & Robertson.
Next ….
Why do so many Yankees fans hate Stanton so bad?
No Yankees fan here but he’s an over priced Ryan Howard.
Howard was a below average first baseman. Stanton is an above average outfielder. Not sure what part you don’t understand.
He just needed something haterish to post.
Production wise.
Stanton has played 9 seasons. Thru Howards first 9 seasons he amassed 21 WAR which ranked him 67th overall and 4th in homers with 309. That 9th season he was 33 yo,. Stanton in his 9 year career has 39 WAR which ranks him 9th overall. He has almost as many hrs as Howard with 305. However, while Howard was 33 in his 9th year Stanton is only 29 and still capable of playing the OF at minimum with a league average glove where Howard was a poor glove at 1B. There really isn’t ANY comparison beyond the fact they both strike out a lot. Stanton should still have 4 or 5 years of above average play before he begins a Howardish slide. Stanton also is a much better athlete and stays in much better shape than Howard ever was so there a chance his slide won’t be as quick nor as drastic.
I still wouldnt want his contract along with his league leading strikeouts and low batting average. Overpriced Howard my opinion
Stanton didn’t lead the league in strikeouts. And the league average for all of MLB is .248. So Stanton average was above that. So what other fake facts and fake statements would you like to make NOTAGM. Because you’re clearly clueless when it comes to anything about baseball.
yes league average .248 and he was among the leaders in SO. Judge is in the same category…point taken…the Yanks are stock piled with these guys and contracts hence why Boston blew them away.
Those are facts and why I would not want his over priced contract and Howard like stats.
you have your point and this is mine…Astros and Boston has it figured out. Yankees seemed to head that direction but now they back to Jiambi years…All they do is hit the ball out…How that work for Baltimore.
the point of putting a good team on the field is respectable stats not just names….Yankees have a history of getting just names. Here we go again…that’s facts
please provide more facts….lol
Look, he didn’t hit 59HR, and he’s streaky, but he did have 102R, 38HR, and 100RBI when everyone else around him slumped, was injured, or both. If Harper and Machado get sick money, Stanton could go berserk the next 2 years and then opt out to get a 5-6 year deal at their levels, we’ll see. People don’t like Stanton because of the contract, but the production is there…
There ya go, NotaGM. Don’t let things like facts get in the way of your uninformed opinions.
Not a Yankee fan either but I believe it has to do with him hitting 2 or 3 run HR when the team is already up by 6 or 7 runs but when the Yankees are down 2-1 and a runner on 3rd with 1 out and he will strike out.
Harper only signs with the Yankees if the Yankees trade Stanton. I believe the Dodgers would be interested if the Yankees ate a little bit of the contract and threw in a prospect. Between that money, the money Miami is paying and whatever salaries the Yankees would have to take back the Dodgers would be getting a deal for a superstar player.
Stanton, Whitlock & $15-20 million for Kemp & Muncy
Miami only pays if Stanton opts out after the 2020 season. “Miami to pay $5M cash each 7/1 and 10/1 in 2026, 2027 & 2028” but the “full $30M amount pro-rated over final 10 years of the contract ($3M/year) for purposes of calculating Competitive Balance Tax.
thanks for your nonfactual contributions. you may take a seat now kiddo.
I forget who I was listening to, it may have been one of the MLBTR live chats and Jeff Todd, but it was really interesting. We hear $30 million a season and we think, “This guy needs crazy production to justify that cost.” That’s just really not true these days. What they did was break down the cost per WAR for what determines value. I believe they found that the cost per WAR was about $6 mil for 1 WAR in average salary calculations. So to justify a $30 million contract season, a player must be worth 5 WAR. People take Trout as the standard, but Trout is worth 7-11 WAR or $42-66 million per season.
According to Baseball Reference, Stanton was worth 4.0 WAR last year or $24 million. He did underproduce his contract, but not by the margin that some Yankees fans seem to think he did.
I wish I could find the link for you guys! Just spent 30 minutes trying to find it.
That is definitely not why the Red Sox beat the Yankees in the division. Let’s not take anything away from the ’18 Sox. They had one of the greatest seasons of all time. Only 10 teams have ever won 108+ games, and they were only the third to do so in the past 30 years.
NotaGM – Howard was literal trash outside of 4 single seasons in his entire career. Stanton is one of the best players in baseball. Yes, he is overpaid. But he’s still one of the best. Everyone knew the Howard contract was bad the second it was announced. He wasn’t merely overpaid, he was actually bad.
I also read that somewhere, but I have also heard on MLB Now that it’s 6-8 million per 1 WAR depending on who you listen to. He underperformed, but like you said, not by the standard that most fans think. His production is there and might be fans seeing him strike out with men in scoring position. Plus the playoffs are more fresh in their minds, especially with them facing the Red Sox and losing.
Also awesome job trying for 30 minutes to look up an article.
Howard was effective in his prime. just not the contract in the end. Stanton is effective too…I’m not taking that away from him however I still wouldn’t want his contract on my books at his current rate. I would not build a team around him because he’s just an add-on piece for production when he actually hits the ball.
WAR is a statistical abstraction
$30,000,000 is real money
These are all the reasons that as a Braves fan, I’d like to explore a trade with the Yankees for Stanton
Fenwayfaithful. No team is paying $66m a year and like the union always argues, players are worth what they can get. Only in fantasy leagues where there are pre stated individusl player costs and team budgets does it matter as you’ve stated. Moreover such things as attattendance and merchandise sales are considered when salaries are negotiated but not included in saberstats.
Oh of course. This is just a very easy way of looking at it strictly from a production standpoint. But if Trout was a free agent today and Harper gets $400 million, he would easily be able to command 500 even if he didn’t close in on the billion mark as the model suggests. Trout is worth more in NY Boston or LA then anywhere else. This was the argument Boras used for ARod. The merch sales, tv deals and ticket sales pay for the overpay.
Yankees win 100 games and lost to the red sox.
But the Yankees are doing things wrong, hmm.
So according to that logic isn’t every team in baseball doing things as wrong or worse except boston?
No, just the team you hate, lol.
Don’t sign or trade for really good players yankees, it will make you a bad team according to the “objective” posters here.
Because he didn’t hit 80 hr and drive in 200 runs like they thought he would. The big 3 (Stanton, judge and sanchez) did not even hit 100 hr combined!
That won’t happen again, and the team set the record for homers by the way.
That’s what’s hilarious to me and no one seems to see. They set a HR record without their 2 best sluggers hitting their marks.
Yankees “fans” that hate him are not Yankee fans. Jeez people forget that he carried the team for most of the second half
38 HR, 4 WAR on a down year. I’d take that production andy year. He arguably had the same if not better year than Harper, yet so many of you want the Yanks to trade Stanton and sign Harper for way more Money against the tax. Makes no sense.
The reason many are not happy with Stanton is that time after time he failed in the clutch despite having good overall stat totals. His WRC+ was 95 with men on base and 85 with RISP. In both Game 1 and Game 4 versus the Red Sox he K’d in late inning situations with men on base and the opportunity to win the game. Two lousy base hits by Stanton in those situations and Boston may not have advanced.
But I do agree with your point on Staton being the less expensive option.
koz, thank you, i just posted what you said!
It’s not that fans “hate” him, it’s that his salary allocated to say a “Bryce Harper” appears to be a better use of money/team fit (LH bat etc).
In 2018 at least, Stanton was the better player. Same thing in 2017. Its been 2 years since Harper has outperformed Stanton.
I think sometimes our eyes see what they want to see, but they can be deceiving.
So over rated, my God.
Swings at every bad pitch, he rarely hits in the clutch.
and to me, the best outfielders going back back back are Gardy and Hicks.
No one throws them out like Judge, but he had his share of mis judging balls he could of gotten to.
When Stanton comes to the plate in a crucial situation and men. on, we all know he will strike out!! Way out!
I think many dislike him because of his slump at the end of the year and he looked lost in the alds against the Sox.
He played everday with a bad hammy most of the second half, he had to, because the Yanks were missing Judge.
First year in a new league and in NY. He’s a fine player. When you see him next to Judge everyday though, Judge does everything he can do a bit better.
I think you’re onto something here. Couple good points, but with Judge standing there next to him making nothing, he probably did feel like he had to hit 70 homers to stand out and the Yanks don’t need him to do that. He’s a piece of the puzzle, not the piece.
A little less pressure next year may send him into a surge.
Why would the Yanks trade Staton, who only counts for $22 mil against the tax, and then turn around and sign Harper for $35 mil against the tax so that he can most likely put up the exact same numbers?
I think this whole “trade Stanton to accommodate Harper” think is ridiculous. I am in the camp that thinks Harper will find his way to the Yankees, but the purpose of the Yankees signing him is to have Stanton Harper and Judge back to back. If you trade Stanton and sign Harper, you just have a L/R version of the R/R you had last year that wasn’t good enough. The point of adding Harper is adding him, not subtracting Stanton!
Why do you prefer to pay Harper 40m per year over 25m for Stanton?
Nobody’s getting 40 million a year.
Unfortunately, this is unprecedented territory with these guys’ age, much like A-Rod before them. No one thought he was going to get $200 mil, and he did. Boras was the one to get it for him too.
Stanton signed his deal as an extension, not in free agency. He took a “hometown discount” to an extent, even if it doesn’t look that way. Stanton got what, $325? In free agency with multiple teams bidding and Harper already rejecting 10/300 from the Nats and Boras saying that Stanton’s deal doesn’t even work as a foundation because it wasn’t signed in free agency?
They are starting the bidding at 12/$360 if I had to guess. It may well get up higher then 14/$400. Someone might give that 15th year and really blow us away.
That was also a different era in MLB.
Mike moustakas would of gotten 75 mil 5 years ago, he got a 1 year deal last year.
Unless your trying to build a ballpark, or land a huge tv deal it’s not making sense to give any of these guys those outrageous deals, history has shiwed they rarely work out for the team.
I’m very curious to see what Harper and Machado will get but I’d be shocked to see anything close to 400 mil.
I’ll say Machado to the yankees for 10/240, Harper to phillies 10/275
Would the Yankees be better off just cutting Jacoby? I know in the NFL, players get cut all the time so the team doesnt have to pay, but wouldnt the Yankees have to pay anyway, especially if no one picks him up for his current price tag?
If so, the benefit here i guess would be that they wouldnt have to give him a roster spot. Would it be worth it though?
Depends what they do with Frazier in my opinion. Excluding Locastro, what other MLB ready proven OF depth do they have except Ellsbury and Frazier? If they trade Frazier then an injury or two in the OF puts them in a bad situation with no Frazier or Ellsbury. They wouldn’t want to be in a situation where they have to rely on a Shane Robinson caliber player again. Ellsbury isn’t a bad player anyway, he’s a fine backup. He’s overpaid but he would find a place elsewhere in the league without his contract attached. Yankees would be paying for him to be a 4th OF for another team.
Yeah, i agree. Kind of a weird spot theyre put in. I dont think he’ll ever get traded, not because they cant strike a deal with him involved, but because of his no trade clause. I dont think he really has a spot on the roster unless 2-3 OF in front of him on the depth chart get hurt (like Frazier, Hicks, Judge last year did). If Frazier is good to go i think it would be better to cut Ellsbury so you dont have 6 spots on the 25 man dedicated to pure OF (Hicks, Judge, Stanton, Gardner, Frazier, and then Ellsbury).
The NFL has a terrible union and players can get released without pay for getting hurt; but, yes, MLB contracts are guaranteed so Ellsbury gets paid, as he should.
I’ve seen you post this stuff about the NFL before, and it’s not true.
Well, technically it is true; NFL contracts aren’t guaranteed; when a player gets hurt and is released he doesn’t receive his entire salary, which is absolutely absurd. Maybe they use a nice term for it like “injury settlement” but it’s basically losing your job without full pay because you got hurt doing your job, which is pretty lame.
Yeah no. The injured player typically, 99% of the time, receives an injury settlement which is anywhere between 50% to 80% of their salary.
The only time an injured player doesnt receive a settlement is if say they’re in trouble with the law or get arrested then teams can cut them no financial obligation. Which at that point its really the players fault for being stupid.
Also the union could negotiate fully guaranteed contracts but then theyd have to settle for substantially less money in doing so. Sure make them fully guaranteed. Von Miller’s contract goes for 6 years 115 mill to 6 years 70 mill. Hed lose.out on 45 mill.
Yeah, I can understand how the NFL might want to limit guaranteed contract, considering how poorly they are doing. financially.
“considering how poorly they are doing. financially.” You’re effin hilarious. I’m not gonna even go into the money the NFL makes that dwarfs the rest of the major sports, because Google answers everything. I just want you to explain your point.
“Yeah, I can understand how the NFL might want to limit guaranteed contract, considering how poorly they are doing. financially.”
Hey…….
Look who’s bringing up another sports league, 2 days after chiding a poster for doing the same.
lol
This happens a lot on blogs. But it’s still funny.
Thought I’d take this on to see if you’re indeed right. The NFL raked in a record 14.1 Billion total revenue in 2017, up 5% from 2016. Money the NFL distributed to teams was 8.1 billion in 2017, up from 7.8 billion in 2016. So how is the NFL doing poorly financially?
Who cares
That was sarcasm, my friend.
They probably won’t do anything until and unless he’s healthy enough to take a roster spot. In the meantime, at least part of his salary is covered by insurance. If they cut him, they have to pay him everything – no insurance.
I completely understand the sour feelings on Jacoby and I was really sad the Sox let him go, especially to the Yankees. But wow, did that not work out and I’m glad it was you and not me!
Yes, if they cut him they are still responsible for his contract. If they sign Harper, they may need Jacoby to try to share some time in CF, as Hicks would be the more “tradeable” piece (he has a ton more value).
Sometimes, like the Sox did with Hanley and Pablo, you cut a guy because even a cheap guy from the farm could fill in at a replacement level and maybe open up some versatility (keeping Holt on the roster, for example in Boston).
I don’t see a scenario where the Yanks best idea is to cut Jacoby. If he can settle in to a bench role, he can fill in all 3 outfield positions and would be an ok 4th outfield option. However, I also don’t see a situation where the Yanks sign Harper and keep both Jacoby and Aaron. And I know Yanks fans have exploded when I even suggest trading Hicks (with good reason, heck of a ballplayer). I just don’t think Hicks’ value will ever be higher then it is right now and why not maximize your return on him and stick Harper in his spot. Defensive downgrade sure, but the offense should more than make up for it.
It simply why cut him? They have to pay him either way.
If you get some injuries maybe he can help a little.
Or maybe you are desperate for pitching at some point and a pitcher with a similarly awful contract can help you.
Hes basically kept for those reasons.
Poor, poor kei igawa
If the Yanks go for Harper, he can play LF and rotate with Stanton for DH. Gardy becomes the 4th outfielder. Frazier can start down in SWB since he missed a big junk of the season last year due to concussion
Are the Yankees really going to carry 6 outfielders though? And block Frazier?
Someone has to go. Stanton, Harper, Judge, Gardy, Ellsbury, Hicks would be carrying 6 outfielders, none of which can play any infield positions. They would have to go light on relievers or sacrifice a utility guy to do that. I don’t see either of those being preferable to Boone.
Will be interesting to see if they’d rather eat the money on Jacoby, or trade Hicks if they go the Harper angle.
Are the Yankees interested in Joe Panik for 2b and/or Brandon Belt 1b ?
Central Valley, that ballpark Belt would be a better hitter in. I don’t think the Yanks want to swap for him though. Panik is from that area and is a hell of a defender. Bad luck the last couple years. So probably not
Yankee haters are out in force tonight in this thread down voting everything possible.
It will be interesting to see if Cashman is tied to the Luxury Tax Threshold or not this offseason. And if so, how tightly.
Great post. Hope it was all for leading up to this.
Hahahahahhahahahahahaahahahahhaaaa, pay 400 mill for Harper to play first(not that he can’t) but damn this rumor is getting crazy!! If there was a place to gamble on that prediction please let me know where! If the Yanks sign Harper it won’t be for 1st base.
I suggest that whoever wins the MLBTR contest should be immune from down votes forever. You know, kinda like a downvote blocker. I mean, the $500 is nice and all. But what better way to prove you’re the ‘smartest baseball fan alive’ by never receiving down votes?
I do not understand the Harper to NYY ideas. The Yankees are stacked in the outfield.
Machado makes sense. Corbin or Keuchel, sure. Harper, no.
If the Yankees sign Harper, it’s a win for the rest of the AL.
Machado makes sense only if the Yankees have an Andujar trade in place for a front line starter because Machado is below average at SS and Machado and Andujar on the left side is awful. Andujar will not be moved off of third. He will he given a shot to fail because his value is at third.
Remember Didi is a free agent after next year.
If Machado really wants to play there would you want him or Didi?
Andujar isn’t going anywhere, he makes no money.
You can never have too many talented bats. Harper, Hicks, Judge and Stanton. You rotate Stanton, Harper and Sanchez through the DH. The days you want to DH Sanchez you can spell Hicks with a day off. Aiming to lower some of Hicks’ lead wouldn’t be a terrible idea, he’s always banged up.
No way the Yanks view Gardner as much more than a “3-games a week, step in the lineup occasionally” type of player. Harper isn’t a “perfect” fit, but he certainly can fit, and he can do so without playing 1st.
The Yankees don’t have an obvious fit for either. Don’t let the injury fool you. Cashman loves Gregorious. He’s been hyping him since the day he traded for him and we all thought he was nuts. Yet here we are and Didi is among the elite both offensively and defensively. The Yanks also have a great 3B prospect in Andjular who had a great rookie season and Machado would have to be willing to go back to 3B (he has said, “I am a shortstop” a few times) to even make that possible.
Same thing in the outfield with Stanton/Judge/Hicks/Gardy/Ellsbury.
There’s no easy fit for either of these guys with the Yankees without a subsequent deal lined up. I think the most tradeable asset they have is Hicks without hurting their 2019 team, which makes Harper the better target in my eyes. Those who don’t believe in Andjular and Didi say there’s a fit there.
But remember this is a 10+ year deal. There’s a good chance Didi is back by the All-Star Break. There are other options at SS for a fill in for a few months. Don’t base a 10+ year deal on a 3-4 month DL stint.
I just don’t see it X. Why try and get under to reset only to blow past it this year on a Harper signing, a move that will keep them over for 10+ years? They’d only be saving a bit for the first 2 or 3 seasons then it’s right back to a 50% tax for 7 plus years with no chance at a reset.
I really think the Yanks are done supporting other teams on an annual basis.
The first 13 million in LT goes towards player benefits.
Then the remaining balance gets split 50/50 between funding player retirement accounts and payments to the teams that didn’t exceed the LT.
Bottom line, very little of the LT usually gets split among the 26+ teams that didn’t exceed the LT.
Hal just wants to make as much as he can. The party line of not lining the other teams pockets is more palatable to fans who don’t understand how the LT works. But it is basically a lie. The money they get is insignificant.
Revenue sharing is a different story, but Hal can’t do anything about that.
You mean 95%
Only the Yankees can do something so stupid regarding Harper. All they need is pitching, but they want every viable FA available. I honestly hope they do it; will make kicking their butts even sweeter.
I don’t know about that. It wouldn’t surprise me if the passed on both Machado and Harper.
If they were smart they would pass on both of them. They’re stacked with hitters. Need some pitching and it’s a near lock for the division
Anyone who closely watched the last couple of postseasons knows they could’ve had better, higher contact bats during the last two postseasons. Yes, on paper this Yanks lineup is stacked, but they are certainly somewhat lopsided. Too many right-handed low average bats.
Adding a left-handed bat of Harper’s quality, especially with Gregorius being out would help that lineup a ton. Too many streaky bats in that lineup, even if it’s nitpicking.
Uh-huh.
Yup high contact but also being able do something besides hit homers ie:Bunt,hit behind runners,steal a Base etc.This is not new a least this Decade
A near lock against a team that won 108 games last season? I don’t think any pitcher on the market adds 8 wins.
The Yankees scored runs but in bunches. They relied too much on the long ball. Now that’s how their lineup is built, much like in the early 2000s only they had better OBP guys back then. They do need to go all in on another bat to sure up the division as well as an arm. I tend to think it will be a sign then swap type of move. They saw what their lineup was like when Judge and Stanton struggled with some injuries and they are going to be down Did to start the season which is far from a hole in the lineup.
I think it’s just about which one makes more sense and which one they are willing to outbid other teams on.
You honestly hope they dont do it, which is why you are so triggered at the idea.
And worry about winning 70 games before you focus on kicking the yankees butts.
I’d rather have Robertson and Miller over Ottavino. I feel like he’ll get eaten up in the AL
Ottavino would be a great pick up – great stats and he pitched in Coors Field….Cashman should sign him, as Drob may not sign
Julio Teheran has avg over 30 starts and 180 innings the last 6 years. A two time NL Allstar is still only 27 y/o and under contract next year for 11M and a team option of 12M for 2020. He has always avg less than a hit per inning and most starts have always come against other teams # 1. He could easily be a reliable #3 for most teams.
I would propose a Teheran for Stanton trade with the Braves taking on the full amount of Stanton’s contract.
This would give the Yankees a reliable, inexpensive, innings eating #3 -#4 starter
And the financial flexibility to sign at least two of Corbin, Machado, Harper
Stanton fits what the Braves are looking for. That said, NYY could offer him for free and Atlanta would not take the back end of that contract on. There would need to be dollars moving with him. At $30M per year he would eat into about 25% of Atlanta’s annual budget through 2027. Send dollars – ask for more prospects.
Stanton would not be that expensive moving forward for any team, but he has a no trade clause. I think the Yanks keep him, and if they do trade him it will be the Dodgers.
Don’t need a reliable 3 or 4. They need the best available pitcher. Corbin is as close to a given as you can get. There are too many outfielders as it is so no on Harper. I would say no on Machado but it looks like that could possibly happen. Stanton has a no trade and only wants to play for the Yankees or Dodgers.
Stanton is a DH, Ellsbury is injured, Frazier is coming off injury, Gardy only signed for on year. Players like Harper aren’t available every year. Harper and Corbin can be signed. The Yanks are buying back the YES network, and have the Ellsbury injury money to spend, add to that they are under the cap, i think they might sign Corbin, Harper, Robby and Ottavino.
Fangraphs has the Yankee offense at 6th and their pitching at second right now. I think Cashman knows they need Harper and he will get another starter and one or two relief pitchers. Yanks are buying back the YES network and are under the cap, they will be spending money to put them over the top.
SO many down votes lol