As baseball takes a break until Tuesday night, we’ll touch on a few items pertaining to the upcoming offseason and looking back at how last offseason laid the foundation for where we stand.
- Aaron Hicks made a remarkable return to action in the ALCS after sitting out over two months with a flexor strain in his right elbow. We knew at the time that Tommy John Surgery was in consideration for the 30-year-old, and with the season now over, Hicks admits it was actually recommended by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (via Twitter). Hicks reiterated last night he believes he’ll avert the operation given the progress he’s made with less drastic rehabilitation methods. Hicks, who signed a seven-year extension entering the season, is surely an integral part of the Bombers’ plans moving forward.
- It’s less clear if Didi Gregorius is part of the team’s future, but the five-year Yankee tells reporters, including James Wagner of the New York Times (Twitter link), he’d like to return to the Bronx. The 29-year-old is ticketed for free agency, where he profiles as the top shortstop option on the market. Gregorius didn’t play in the majors this season until June 7 owing to a Tommy John of his own, and he never got on track offensively, slashing .238/.276/.441 (84 wRC+) in 344 plate appearances. Nevertheless, Gregorius’ pre-2019 track record, age, and the scarcity of shortstops available in free agency make him a reasonable qualifying offer candidate. With a glut of infielders on hand, among them former shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, Brian Cashman’s front office will have some tough decisions sorting out the infield mix this winter.
- The Reds discussed Jackie Bradley, Jr. with the Red Sox last offseason, relays the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bobby Nightengale. While there’s no indication talks progressed very far or have picked up since, it’s still noteworthy to hear Cincinnati’s front office liked the player not too long ago. Bradley’s one of the offseason’s most obvious trade candidates, as we’ve already heard rumblings Boston would shop him this winter to ameliorate payroll concerns. MLBTR’s Connor Byrne recently explored Bradley’s market in full and noted that the Reds have some uncertainty in center field if they believe Nick Senzel to be more valuable at second base. Bradley didn’t have a banner 2019 season and comes with a rather significant arbitration projection ($11MM), but the free agent market in center field isn’t particularly robust.
- The Nationals aren’t turning their attention to next spring just yet. As the team gears up for a World Series showdown with the Astros, the Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli looks back to the organization’s roster construction work last winter. General Manager Mike Rizzo was aggressive early in free agency, re-signing Kurt Suzuki and bringing aboard Patrick Corbin and Brian Dozier. A willingness to dangle a sixth year was perhaps the driving factor in getting Corbin (the Phillies and Yankees stopped at five), the prize of last offseason’s pitching market. That said, Rizzo’s forthrightness in negotiations certainly didn’t hurt, Corbin explains, and Dozier tells Ghiroli he declined more lucrative offers elsewhere out of a belief in what the Nats were building. It’s a worthwhile read for Nationals’ fans soaking up the enjoyment of the franchise’s first pennant.
Sorry Didi you’ve been pretty good, but got to say goodbye. Hicks is such a cautionary tale, and can’t be counted on to be an integral part of anything. Wouldn’t be sad at all to see Chapman opt out, and be gone. Will the Yankees again refuse to bid high enough for Gerrit Cole that stud ace they desperately need?
Didi did a good job stepping into the shoes of Jeter.
Your assuming 3B is covered by Urshela. Depends on the price. I’m guessing he returns to NY. Since trade value is minimal, I see Andujar as the DH heading into Spring Training with DJ at third, Dede at short and Gleybar at 2B.
Didi will be back…..very probably on a one-year contract for a lower salary then he got this year.
The Yankees don’t have a backup SS should Glayer get injured. No team is going to give Didi a multi-year contract for good money – the rebuilding teams don’t need a 29 year-old SS, and all contending teams have at least one quality SS.
If Didi doesn’t re-up with the Yankees then he waits till May or June till a contender has a SS with a major injury, and can’t trust the rest of the season to a young player or a guy like Hechavarria.
MLB is awash in quality SS’s. It’s all-around CF’s that it’s missing.
@deweybelongsinthehall
Urshela deserves to be the starting 3B. Playing DJ at only 1 position is not using his greatest strength which is defensive flexibility. If nothing, this past season should show us is that a team that felt it had depth quickly had to burn thru it with Andujar, Stanton, Bird, and Tulo quickly ending up out for the majority of the season. Also, making Andujar the full-time DH means making Stanton the full-time LF and I think no one should want that.
Thanks SouthBeach. Urshela deserves an opportunity but given his past never showed anything like 2019. I’m assuming the ball was the reason. That said, I should have mentioned him in my post. His story makes even Sox fans want to root for him.
Frangraphs has Judge, Stanton, Gardy, Hicks, Didi, Gio, and Gio rated as plus defensive players. Only Sanchez , Gleyber, and Voit are rated in the minus.
If someone else played third instead of GIo, game 5 and 6 wouldn’t be tight.
I do not see Didi taking a one year pay cut deal when he can go on the open market and have multiple suitors.
@deweybelongsinthehall
The ball didn’t turn punch-and-judy hitters into power hitters. Guys may have had an extra 5 or 6 homers that went over the fence instead of long outs but even a juiced ball doesn’t account for his batting average and OBP.
I think his glove, although metrics don’t reflect it, has earned him the right to be the starting 3B and that’s coming from a guy who loves Andujar, I say bring them both back and figure out how to make it work later.
wordonthestreet;
Tell me one team that will pay Didi more then $11.75M.
Again, all the contenders have SS’s. And the rebuilding teams aren’t giving that sort of money to a 29 year-old when they’re years away from contention.
SouthBeach, we agree to disagree. The ball turned many into dangerous hitters. Brett Gardner is a classic example. On the Sox, I even look at Devers with a questionable eye. Many contracts going forward could become expensive mistakes. While some certainly could have found themselves in 2019, baseball’s history has been peppered with one year wonders.
Before the injury, Didi and Bogaerts seemed to be on similar paths with Bogie’s age a personal plus for him and Didi’s glove a check mark for him. He may have to choose between a Hicks type deal for security or a one year deal if he wants to get on himself.
I think I’d prefer Urshela at 3B, Gleyber SS, DJ 2B, and then get a 1b who can play defense and put the ball in play hitting for average. Preferably a LH bat. They need to look at the lineup more to succeed in the postseason.
@Vandals, your comment makes no Sense. If Didi goes back to the Yankees it would be for the $17m QO. If he hits the open market there are a LOT of teams that would be interested in a 3/4 year deal at $14-15m per. I’m thinking Cubs, Brewers, Mets, Angels, Indians(if they move Lindor), SF and others.
Gerrit Cole is not playing anywhere except Southern California: Dodgers, Padres or Angels only for him – sorry Yanks stans, you lose again!!!
There was actually a post on twitter saying he really wanted to play for the A’s, as he’s good friends with Chapman and how well he pitches in Oakland, but they’d never afford him, so he’s going to stay in SoCal
Imagine how dirty that rotation would be though. Cole, Luzardo, Montas, Puk, Manaea and/or Fiers? Jesus.
Lol. The Dodgers aren’t spending money on an ace, the Padres can’t afford another big contract and the Angels are the Angels. The Yankees and Phillies are the favorites for Cole. It’s been proven time and time again that player’s homes are not a factor.
I remember when Sabathia claimed he’d only play on the west coast back when he was an ace, then signed with the Yankees. How about Harper rejecting the Dodgers for the Phillies? Or Trout staying with the Angels instead of waiting for free agency to play for the Phillies?
pads have room for one more big deal. has to be the right one though. I’m daydreaming of Strasburg opting out and coming home
They won’t give out another big contract.
Every player is different. Just because the majority of players make choices where home is not a factor does not mean home will never be a factor. Saying Cole, or any player, will not choose a team because where he’s from makes zero difference, is simply short-sighted.
This is true, @thetruth. It turns out the one team that players like even more than the team they “grew up rooting for” is the one that pays them the most.
A random post on twitter is your source?
Get out of here, strikefive. I’ve yet to see a single post where you were right about anything.
I heard Cole grew up a Yankee fan
I don’t think the Yanks will be out bid for Cole, where he goes nobody knows!
Gleyber at short is a disaster waiting to happen.
I love di di but multiple times during post seasons he has been too jumpy showing no discipline at the plate and trying too hard to be the big hero which is selfish. He was a huge reason the Yankees didn’t win the series. Just a freaking single or something in multiple situations during this series could have done a ton of damage but he kept on swinging at the first pitch again … again … and again 🙁
It wasn’t only Didi, calling him selfish is unfair
Correct. Gardner, EE and Gary did virtually nothing either. On the other side of the field, only Altuve and Brantley did anything consistently. Good pitching shuts down good hitting, and neither team saw good pitching consistently the whole season.
Its almost like the Yankees were fake good this year and only got that big win total by going 17-2 against the Orioles or something.
It’s almost like you don’t know what you’re talking about, actually scratch the almost.
@Strike Four
Astros were 18-1 vs the 69 win Mariners. Dodgers were 15-4 vs the 71 win Rockies. The Twins went 41-16 vs the 3 of the worst teams in basbeall.
Great teams feast on bad teams and hope to at least be .500 against the better teams. Each team deserved to be praised. Some teams are going to be better than others at some point but none are “fake”. Yanks were over .500 vs all the teams that made it to the post-season, not including Washington and Atlanta who they didn’t play this season.
Except yankees had the best record in baseball against teams over . 500 and went 5-4 in the playoffs so….. Yeah, you don’t have a point.
Frangraphs has Judge, Stanton, Gardy, Hicks, Didi, Gio, and Gio rated as plus defensive players. Only Sanchez , Gleyber, and Voit are rated in the minus.
Actually the Astros are not a great fielding team, only plus at C, CF, and RF. according to Fangraphs. Judge was the best defensive player, with the Yanks as plus at 1B, SS, 3rd, LF, CF, and RF. The starting pitching was the difference.
That s ridiculous statement. They got beat by the best team in the AL. Simple as that.
I’m not just talking this post season though. During the regular season he had tons of moments where he did the same thing instead of keeping it simple
After his horrendous postseason performance I hope that Didi has played his last game with the Yankees. Also I’d imagine that he would accept the QO if it was given to him because that would kill his market
@Ronk325
Even with having a below average 2019, Didi is still ranked as a top 10 SS in all of baseball in WAR. Didi *effectively tied” with Correa who had a 9.9 cumulative 3 year WAR compared to Didi’s 9.8. Even still, that’s better than most other options.
Didi also has proven he can handle playing in NY as Jeter’s replacement. Didi turns 30 in Feb and is coming off a down year. He wants to stay in NY and likely won’t have a huge market. I absolutely think that they will likely have mutual interest in working something out to the tune of a 2/$24 to 3/$40 with incentives based on GP and maybe a team option or two around $15 mil per IF Didi has proven himself in the year prior. Didi would make more money if he returns to a higher level and the Yanks have cost certainty if they want to retain him past the 2-3 years they have guaranteed.
Besides, I think Torres is better at 2B than SS and I really don’t want to see DJ relegated to 2B for a full-season. I like the way he can move around the infield.
Anything more than a 1 year $8 million deal for Didi is an overpay. He’s been nothing more than a league average hitter the last 2 years. Also Torres is better at SS than 2B and DJ should be playing 2B
@Ronk325
What are we missing here? I don’t think the fact he was recovering from TJ surgery and missed half the season have nothing to do with his performance. In 2017 and 2018 Didi was 3rd in WAR, 5th in homers, 7th in w/OBA, 5th in wRC+ and one of the better defensive SS.
Didi had two back-to-back 4 WAR seasons (17-18), To put that into perspective only 9 SS had a 4 WAR or better in 2019 and one of them, Bregman, spent more time at 3b than SS and will likely be a 3b going fwd (not that he can’t handle the SS position of course).
Why not bringing him back at least for 2020 and see if he can return to above average offense for a SS? We aren’t the Pirates. We can afford to bring him back and if we’ve learned nothing we should know that they need IF depth. The best set up is to have Didi, Torres and DJ in the line-up and figure out the rest,
And to be honest, I’m not 100% sure that Torres is a better SS than he is a 2B. I think having Didi at SS has helped Torres become a better defender at 2B too. I think Didi is the center of our IF defense.
I couldn’t possibly care less about WAR. Torres and DJ are better players than Didi and they should be the middle infield combo. The only thing Didi brings to the table is a left handed bat but he’s proven to be a mediocre hitter lately. It’s time for the Yankees to move on
He won’t get $8mil a year. Backup players get that. Didi gets $15-17 easy.
Are you stupid? Torres is listed as a better shortstop defensively than Gregorius. LeMahieu is only a gold glover at 2nd base and average at 3rd and below average at 1st.
Agreed. That’s what I’d like to see. Question is what can be done at 1B? I want a guy that pays defense and puts the ball in play hitting for average and contact. Maybe a trade for Hosmer? He has 6 years $100 m left. A little hefty, but the last 3 years he drops from $20m to 13m a year.
With Gardner, Didi, and Sabathia coming off the books the Yankees seemingly have no choice but to spend that money on Cole. It’s not a luxury it’s a necessity. Not to mention Ellsbury comes off the books after next year freeing up even more money. They may sign Didi to a one year deal but I just don’t see a way or reason for them to spend anything on the lineup.
They should probably resign Gardner as well, seeing as their 3 starting outfielders are all fairly injury prone.
Gardner must go. No place on the team for him for years. Time to cut bait
Calm down Geeson. Nice new identity.
@Woodlawn
It’s likely that most want him gone because of a poor post-season but I think that’s faulty thinking. Gardner had a 3.6 WAR in a year where I really think Cashman expected Frazier to take over LF duties. But I see no harm in the Yanks bringing him back in 2020 on a similar 1/$8 to 1/$10 mil deal? I’m not saying he should be the starting LF or not but NO ONE can argue that a 1 year deal on a guy with a 3.6 WAR in 2019 and a cumulative 10 WAR in the last 3 years as LF/CF doesn’t deserve a 1 year deal on a team than can easily absorb his 1 year salary.
Last winter I wanted them to go after Harper/Brantley/Markakis , in that order. They choose to go with Gardner and Frazier. But Gardner’s 3.6 is nothing to scoff at. Amond CF his WAR would’ve had him ranked as the 6th best CF in baseball.
People see my as some sort of fanboy of Gardner. I’m not. It just boggles my mind that we use WAR and other metrics to talk about how good some players are but then when I use facts like Gardner just had a a 3.6 WAR season where he played great defense at LF and SS and hit 26 homers with more than half being away from home to argue that he was well worth his money then people irrationally accuse me of some sort of fanboy perversion. Either the numbers matter or they don’t.
Here’s a fact I don’t think can be disputed. He, Maybin and Tauchman saved our season last year as they were able to hold down the OF with Judge, Stanton, Hicks and Frazier having their issues this year. Some might argue Tauchman is a cheaper option but Gardner hits RH better than Tauchman does and has done it over a longer sample size. He offers another bat vs RH pitching and maybe platoons with Frazier if he’s still in the plance for 2020. Plus I think he’s still good to have around as a vet presence with CC retiring.
Have tons of choices. Kubler in a trade with Indians. Don’t just think of free agents. Reds have a number one who is outstanding. Braves have pitching.
Make trades not 210m/7yr. for Cole. Huge mistake
Kluber is in decline and if last season is a trend I’d stay far away unless it’s mostly a salary dump for the Indians
Why would the reds, a team coming out of their rebuild stage, trade Luis Castillo
Yankee fans think they’re entitled to any player they want. Lol after the Chapman trade I don’t see the Reds FO doing any business with them any time soon
Jealous your team isn’t as successful?
Doc, I take it that history just ain’t your thing.
Re: Last year’s trade of Sonny Gray.
Yankees would have to load the bus up at the farm to get Castillo…ain’t happenin…
@joe.. you’re absolutely right my friend, I stand corrected!
@DockEllisDee
Funny thing to say since you’re responding to a post made by a guy named @keysox who I imagine isn’t a Yanks fan at all. Also, you ignored @kevnames42 who rightfully pointed out that the Reds would have zero interest in trading Luis Castillo with so many years of control left on his contract.
Stop with this idea that all Yanks fans feel “entitled”. However, considering the Yanks history of being big spenders they certainly should be considered in the running for a big FA that satisfies a need. Doesn’t mean they’ll get every FA they want but if the market shows the one that gets the FA is usually the one that offers the most money AND a chance to compete every years then I think the Yanks are still in the mix each winter. Let’s not act as if it was more than 2 years ago when they acquired Stanton and his $325 mil deal.
I am a Yankee fan so I can say, not every Yankee fan! Lol
@kevnames42
Hahaha. I know. It just irks me that there’s a narrative that Yankee fans can’t be objective when talking about their own team.
I wonder if Chapman opts out too. If he does will he come back ? If not that’s more money plus Betances I’m sure will return
My guess is he will opt out and get one or two years tacked on. If they do, maybe they can get his exta years at $10 million which will lower the AAV and help with the luxury tax.
They need to stop with this super bullpen crap, and get a #1 starter. Also they need to get more athletic, and quit trying to mash to the Series. They need 1-2 LH bats.
How about Hosmer for a LH bat? That can hit for contact and play defense. Maybe since he’s owed $100m it wouldn’t cost them as much in terms of prospects. Chapman opts out, Sabathia, Gardner off the books. Betances can resign an incentive type deal. Get a top flight starter.
There will be plenty of competition of Gerrit Cole and his services. The Yankees aren’t going to automatically get him. If they don’t Cashman should fire himself. He should already be fired with 10 years of the team not even making the World Series with one of the top payrolls.
@todd76
Seeing as how it’s not Cashman’s money I’m sure it probably won’t be up to him how much is offered. If he makes the best offer that he’s allowed to then why would management fire him if Cole walks because the Yanks offer wasn’t the most?
Plus let’s please not ignore the fact that he traded for Paxton, signed Happ and developed German. Not his fault Happ collapsed after being an above average starter in the AL East .
From 2016-2018 and going into 2019 the Yanks had 4 of the top 11 pitchers in the AL. Paxton, Severino, Tanaka and Happ.
I’m not defending Cash but I can’t blame him that an otherwise consistent Happ (3.44/3.91 the last 3 years and 7-0 with a 2.69 ERA after being traded to the Yanks) simply forgot how to pitch and Severino got hurt. It’s open season on Cash IF it’s true he could’ve had Cole in a package that didn’t include Torres and he didn’t pull the trigger. Although giving away Andujar would’ve been tough. I also wonder if Cole would’ve been as good as he has become if Verlander and the Astros pitching coach didn’t help.. That’s not saying they shouldn’t have made the trade but I would not have expected him to be as good as he became.
I think it also warrants taking a better look at the pitching coach and analytics team. We’ve seen a lot of guys come to the Yanks and do better once they’ve left. Gray and Lynn are two good example. I don’t know if it’s “just” the stadium or pressure. German pitched better at a Yankee stadium than on the road. They should really work on that aspect of talent evaluation and approach. They seem to have the hot hand when it comes to bringing the best out of the position players but not so much on the pitching side, as far as starters are concerned.
Cole does not want to play for the Yankees though, so, deal with that.
Source?
This clown is a salty Rays fan. There’s no point in even engaging him with his nonsense
Did Didi play himself out of a QO? That would certainly help his market.
Sorry guys – I don’t think you are getting Cole. He isn’t going East. I would guess Angels, but I am pretty confident he won’t be a Yankee.
While I agree he isn’t going to the Yanks there’s no way he’ll sign with the Angels, they’re a mess. Look for the Rangers to make a serious play for him.
Being from California, Trout, Maddon, and of course, if they pay him the most money, four pretty good reasons to sign with the Angels.
if they pay him the most it’s probably a sure bet. dont think it’s as obvious otherwise though, contrary to popular belief.
Three team horse race for Cole with the Angels leading (Maddon would never had signed without a commitment to get pitching). Other two teams in my viewv are Houston and the Dodgers.
Lol the Yankees and the Phillies are the favorites. The Angels are too cheap and unappealing. The Phillies can offer the most money and the Yankees are easily the most appealing due to being the best team. These geographic fantasies are silly.
If more money sways him? The Phillies are ahead followed by the Yankees. Winning? The Yankees are in the lead. I’m yet to see many players pick a team for geography instead of most money and better chance at winning. The Yankees and Phillies are the favorites.
@thetruth
It’s not just geographic fantasies. What blows my mind is people who think the Yankees are the end of the funnel for every player’s fantasies.
You seem to request sources for every single retort, so I’m doing the same. Please enlighten us dummies who obviously don’t know MLB like you do.
Yankees and Phillies are the favorites. Source?
Angels are cheap. Source?
Why can the Phillies offer the most money? Source?
Yankees are the best team. Source for that? In fact, even if you went straight by wins alone they are the third-best in baseball.
@jekporkins
Anyone saying they know where Cole is going is wasting their time. We all thought we knew where Harper, Manny and Corbin were going and they all ended up elsewhere with the Yanks barely showing any interest in the first two.
However, with these 3 factors alone I don’t see how the Yanks are not a legit contender for his services.
a) Yanks try to compete year end and year out. You can NOT say that about the Astros no matter how good they are. The Astros had 3 straign 100 loss seasons and several more below .500.Although winning a WS is what the Yanks will always be judged out there’s something to be said for winning at least 90 games 10 of the last 15 seasons and always playing above .500. Cole will know that the Yanks will always invest money on to the team. Yanks haven’t lost a FA they wanted to keep aside from Cano who they simply weren’t going to pay Cano the 10/$240 mil he received from Seattle.
Oops
b) Yanks only have 1 need and one thing they love to do is to sign FA that have beaten them in the post-season. Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens and they wanted Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay soooo badly. Yanks are pretty set position-wise and will be among the highest bidders.
c) I say this one last simply cause it’s not an automatic but I think he would like to wear the pinstripes. They showed pics of him attending the Yanks vs Dbacks world series wearing the pinstriped hold up pro-yankee signed. He like Corbin, were both Yankee fans. Doesn’t mean anything if the Yanks don’t make the best offer but I think the Yanks value Cole more so than they did Corbin.
The NYYs aren’t the best team . Perhaps you haven’t seen the TV recently.
The Rangers are more of a mess than the Angels. Both clubs have GMs that are clueless but California at least has Trout and the beaches.
there’s a 90% chance he goes where he’s offered the most money.
and the Dodgers, Angels and Padres can all offer that money.
Why would anyone go to NYY? Too much media crap and the worst, most fickle fans alive who boo you if you allow a hit. Gary Sanchez is terrible at catching too.
Hey squeaky, still got your hard on for the NYY? Too bad.
can, but will? Dodgers may not even be that interested, Padres have a lot of money in hitters and LAA has been hesitant to add big name SPs in recent years.
Sorry you’re so bitter. Must be your team was the one that finished 20 games back.
@Strike Four
Hasn’t stopped guys like CC, Stanton (who had to approve the trade) and Tex from taking the challenge. Yes, it’s hard city but I guarantee you that Jeter, Arod, Rivera, Posada and others have no regrets and will be revered in NY forever.
You know what the difference is between Reggie Jackson and Willy Stargel? Jackson did it in NY. Look how loved CC is and he hasn’t been an ace in years.
He almost certainly is going East, and you’d be insane not to think so. The Yankees and Phillies have the need and the money. If Strasburg opts out, the Nationals are in. The Angels are a distant fourth as all they can offer is a bad team in a hard division and Mike Trout. Does Cole want to pitch against Houston? Be in the same division as Houston and Oakland? Not if he wants to win.
Plus there’s that whole internal investigation happening. Lots of heads are gonna roll. Unless these guys heads are just buried in the sand. Oh by the way one of these guys was swearing SF was gonna get Harper…hahaha
Didi a luxury the Yanks really don’t need. 2020: C Sanchez, 1B Voit/Bird/Ford/FA, 2B LeMahieu, SS Torres, 3B Urshela, LF Stanton, CF Hicks, RF Judge, DH Andujar/Frazier, 4th OF Tauchman, IF Estrada/Wade. Dont have offensive needs other than determining whether to re-sign Romine as backup C or if they want to upgrade 1B. I think they will try and make a splash with Cole. (or Strasburg/Darvish if they opt out early)
Bird will not be a Yankee in 2020. Darvish come-on-man. Stanton is the DH period.
Thats if Stanton hasn’t turned into the reincarnation of Danny Tartabull and just gets paid to be hurt.
Tartabull. Now there is name from the past.
Last seen in a high speed with George Costanza.
Jose Tartabull and Ken Harrelson went a combined 3 for 26 in the 1967 World Series playing in the place of Tony Conigliaro.
I realize there’s no chance but Stanton and $15m for each year left on his deal to Boston for Mookie Betts. Such would allow my namesake to remain the greatest to ever patrol RF at Fenway since Mookie’s time in Boston would be too short to qualify under my requirements to be considered.
@Steven Chinwood
Yeah Bird will rightfully start off in AAA, maybe not even there with Ford likely being sent to AAA if not traded. I’m almost 100% that our 2020 1B will be either Voit (preferred) or DJ (would rather move him around the IF).
Darvish with almost 4/$80 left is not going anywhere. No way would he opt out and get more in FA or from the Yanks.s Besides, Yanks have six starters right now with Severino, Paxton (1 year), Tanaka (1 year), Happ ( 1 year), German and Montgomery. What they need is a true #1 or #2 and that’s a limited FA market with one of Cole, Strasburg and perhaps Bumgarner being the likely targets. Darvish is still at least a #2 or #3 if he can stay healthy but that’s big risk.
I would consider some deal that included Happ for Darvish tho if included the Yanks getting a good prospect in return. Cubs can save a ton of money. Darvish did have an incredible reversal in the 2nd half of the season.
5.01 ERA to a 2.76 ERA. A measly 2.2 K/BB ratio to an outstanding near 17 K/BB, He really limited his walks in the 2nd half. If I’m the Yanks I would consider it.
Darvish is not opting out, but he is a curious trade option.
Why does everyone just assume Cole is going to be a Yankee? He does have other options.
Everyone? Have you just met MLBTR? Every Angels fan with internet access has him going to the Angels.
“Every fan with internet access has him going to the Angels”
Fixed that for you…although the Dodgers have been chirping about him and the Padres have the money too…yeah, he’s like 95% going to the Angels right now.
That’s an idiotic statement. The Angels are nowhere close to being the favorites. They refuse to spend money and are cutting it close to the luxury tax, they’re the third best team in their division even with Cole. Geography doesn’t sway 99% of free agents.
The Phillies have “stupid money” and a need, the Yankees wanted him for years are the best of these three teams and have the money. He’s 99% going to the Yankees or Phillies.
The assumption that Cole is signing with the Angels is simply because he grew up and lives in SoCal. But like other posters have said above, geography doesn’t necessarily play in the final decision. Money talks and winning talks.
Yes, the Angels have a very serious shot and Arte Moreno has broken the bank more than once. But the Phillies are becoming heavy spenders again and want to win badly. Heck even the Padres might go on a second consecutive splash. The Yankees of course have to be considered and personally I feel we have the most need for him, after watching this ALCS and season.
Yankees, Angels, Phillies, Padres. Those four have to be considered the top tier, in my mind
im pretty sure most are saying LAA. its only the Yankees fans that are saying Yankees (not offense, i understand the desire)
It’s an exercise of futility to determine where Cole is going to go but this Yankee team has fewer holes in its lineup than last year. Cole will be their #1 target and if Cole didn’t end up in NY it won’t be because the Yanks didn’t step up with a high offer. I can see them offering 7/$245 mil. That’s $35 mil per.
I wonder what impact Germann would’ve had if he was avail?
Cole or Strasburg + Paxton, Severino, Tanaka, Happ, German and Montgomery make for a great mix of SP.
I love the Yankees but I don’t see them spending the money for Cole or even Strasburg in the event he opts out. The model they’ve been operating under seems to indicate that their done giving mega deals to players from other organizations
They didn’t just give the contract but threw in low level guys to take on Stanton just 2 years ago. I do think they have built tjis team differently than any team since the mid 90s but they arent averse to big contracts for guys from other organizations.
@Ronk325
Yanks didn’t shy way from acquiring Stanton and his $325 mil. Cashman has put himself into a situation where they really don’t have to do any major lifting this season. Decide on what to do about Bets, Didi, Romine and Chapman if he opts out and try and sign a true #1 like Cole or maybe Stras. Even though they didn’t sign Harper, Manny nor Corbin they did spread money around with Happ, Ottavinom Britton, DJ, etc.
Yanks have Tanaka, Happ and Ellsbury coming off the books after 2020 a FA who hasn’t had any major health issue, is still relatively young and a true rare ace. I think that as long as Cash gets the green light he’ll do all that they can to put the best offer on the table.
Seeing how the Stanton trade hasn’t really paid dividends these first 2 years I would think that makes Hal even less likely to open up the checkbook for another player from outside the organization
@Ronk325
This isn’t Hal’s first rodeo. He’s a business man who understands his market and that some deals you win and some you lose. He see;s what happened to Arod, Giambi, etc. And I think it’s too early to say Stanton can’t earn at least 5 of his remaining years left. He’s only 30 in October and if he can stay as a full-time DH then he should have a few 30 + hr seasons in him. It’s his propensity to strikeout that bugs me more than anything else. Trading for him wasn’t a need. But let’s hope for the best, He did play 158 and 159 games in 2017 and 2018 so he’s not exactly injury prone. In 2016 he missed 50 games because he got hit in the face. That’s not an injury derived from the body breaking down. So if not the HBP he would’ve likely had 3 seasons of 150+ games played. So let’s 2019 won’t be the norm going fwd. DH him to try and stave off long term injuries. And he should revise his off-season training approach too.
Look I’d love to see Cole in pinstripes but I’m not getting my hopes up. After seeing the Yankees go cheap on their pursuit of Corbin last year I can’t imagine they over anywhere near what Cole wants
This ALCS exit might give upper management the kick in the pants they so desperately need. Every time we’ve played the Astros in the playoffs we’ve lost, and we got sent home by Boston last year. Enough with the embarrassment, no half-measures
The Yankees fans got spoiled with George Steinbrenner. What they still don’t realize is all his son Hal cares about is taking their money not getting them every top player in free agency.
@todd76
Yanks don’t need ever top FA and they haven’t needed the top FA in a while. They did trade for Stanton which is just about the same as if they spent the money on Harper, Manny or Machado. What they need is 1 true ace and I think they’ll go after him.
nonsense- they have spent under Hal than any other team.
That cashman can’t win with a 230 mil payroll and the most expensive back office is his overrated fault. Not Hal. It doesn’t stop other GMs, does it?
@fitsiqis65
At what point do you blame the players for under-performing. With all the Yanks dealt with I can’t see how Cash has “under-Gm’d”.
Gary Sanchez is an awesome offensive force, but defensively looks like Lurch behind the plate.
Awesome offensive forces dont hit .230 with an OBP barely over .300. He is a boom or bust power hitter, not an offensive force.
Why do you disregard the fact that he many trips to and from the IL which effected his timing and by extension his numbers? He is much better than the .230 hitter his numbers indicate.
Whatever the excuse, injuries, mental issues from not being able to catch, whatever, he has declining production year over year since he burst on the scene is first short season. He batted 7th in the playoffs, and yes they are deep but awesome offensive forces don’t bat 7th.
@ffrhb14Sox
Yanks certainly have to consider whether his bat can compensate for his glove but he batted 7th because it’s a 7 game series and you make those decisions based on how they’re hitting at the moment. Clearly he wouldn’t have been batting 7 over a longer period.
I’ve heard out-of-town broadcasters comment how the Yanks employ a lot of starters that trow a lot of sliders and constantly bounce them in the dirt. They have to consider if they need to bring in a more defensive minded C in the near future if they have a tough staff to catch for. . I think 2020 will determine how they move foward with him. But he still ranks as a top 9 C in WAR. One of those things to look at.
The Yankees should not overreact and sign Cole. What they should do however is bid up his contract so the Astros would be forced to either let him leave or put themselves in the same situation as the Red Sox with no ability to keep their other core players. If the Astros have to let Springer and Correa go due to a lack of funds then they will not have the offense to compete with the better teams in the AL.
The Yankees currently have Severino, Tanaka, Paxton, German, Happ, Montgomery, Loisaga, and Cessa as starting candidates. Deivi Garcia is knocking on the door. Keep the financial flexibility and continue to look for bargains.
That staff you just mentioned isnt winning anything soon.
@rmullig2
I like our depth but we need a true #1. Considering how few make it to the market we need to go hard after Cole to win not just to bid up his price.
@crazylarry
I hate making excuses for not winning so I wont but we did take the Astros into the 9th inning tied twice and it wasn’t a pitcher in a starters role that served up the runs to lose the game. Also, and no one mentions this, we were without our #1 starter for most of the season and the guy who ended up being our #1 starter in German was suspended for non-baseball reasons. Had German been on the mound things could’ve been different. I don’t think they faced each other at all this year.
i wouldnt trust the durability of that staff or its productivity. Paxton and Tanaka are the only two that come remotely close to both, and the former even is shaky at best in that regard.
And both of those guys are FAs at the end of next year.
@rmullig2
I like our depth but we need a true #1. Considering how few make it to the market we need to go hard after Cole to win not just to bid up his price.
Cole is the type of FA that will drive the bidding into the regret zone. It might take 8/240 to get him. I don’t think the Yankees or the Angels will go that long.
Like Steven said..Rangers.
Philadelphia
Don’t they have Realmuto to worry about?
I still think they will be big players in the pitching market considering their problems in that department this year.
Let Didi walk. Torres moves to SS with Lemahieu at 2b.
yeah i cant imagine DJ doesnt start after the year he had. Didi is expendable with Andujar likely occupying the DH spot next year.
Urshela starts at 3b with Andujar at either 1b or DH. Gardner isn’t a starter anymore so at some point Stanton will have to suck it up and play LF. Unless the Yankees see Frazier as the everyday LF with Stanton DH and Andujar at 1b.
yeah Stanton is an evem bigger issue. he cant even be the DH and stay healthy it seems. i doubt LF is even an option anymore.
DJ at 2B, Torres at short, Urshella at third. Go after a left handed 1B (Smoak? Good defense, power and OBP).
Stanton DH, Judge RF, Hicks CF. Go after a left handed LF (Cole Calhoun? Power and defense).
Trade Andujar, Bird and Frazier for some prospects.
Sign Cole and Bumgarner.
Bruh nobody wants Bird. Frazier’s stock is as low as whale crap. Can Urshela really be depended on, or did the playoffs show his real self? That 3 player package ain’t bringing back much in prospects.
Voit is their 1B going forward.
For those of you who say that the Yankees will get Cole based on money, understand that there are a few other factors. Cole is from the West Coast and according his teammates, he wants to go back to the West Coast. Obviously there’s the money factor, as well as the competitive team factor. Lastly, there is the quality of catcher factor. He just spent two seasons throwing to Maldonado and Chirinos. Doubtful he wants to throw to Gary ‘Cement Hands’ Sanchez.
Roberto Duran resents your statement.
Did you actually just say “and according to his teammates, he wants to go back to the west coast”? Teammates don’t comment on players intentions first of all, and Cole has never said such a thing either. What a bunch of BS.
How about instead of crying about common knowledge, you accept it and dont get let down when he signs with a CA team like he’s stated all along he’s going to do.
@Strike Four
Because he’s never. ever said he wants to go to CA and it would absolutely make zero sense to do so since Boras knows he can use NY, Philly and others to try and create a competitive market for his client.
Dude, your’re entitled to an opinion but don’t say he made a statement he didn’t make, And why would his Houston teammates say Cole want to go to CA? That’s saying he doesn’t want to return to Houston which would be a stupid comment to make as he”s playing for a title.
Hahaha. The Astros players were interviewed about Cole a week or two ago and it was posted online. Reddick was one of the guys interviewed about Cole’s upcoming free agency and these were some of the comments from the players. Look it up.
That was completely tongue in cheek by Reddick. None of that was serious, and if you’re gonna take that as gospel then good luck. How’d all those rumors about Harper going to SF workout? Did Cole say it smart guys?, no because that would limit him financially. Scott wants a word with you clowns.
“Astros know Gerrit Cole wants to be ‘West Coast guy’ in MLB free agency.”
That’s the headline from the article with comments from his teammates. Again, look it up.
#Staywrong
we’ll see what actually happr s during free agency. if the Halos offer several millions less and he still signs, fair enough, but ill believe it when i see it.
That’s od.d I read an article in Bleacher Report last week that says just that. bleacherreport.com/articles/2858049-is-gerrit-cole…
Verlander was washed up before Houston acquired him and tweaked his mechanics. Cole was ok with the Pirates and became awesome after Houston tweaked him. Same for Charlie Morton. If you want to make a splash, sign the Houston scouts and pitching brains.
Lindor will be Yankees opening day shortstop
In that alternate reality Micke Mantle will be catching flies in CF.
What pieces do the Yankees have to get Lindor?
Frazier, Bird, and Voit won’t come close in case that’s where you were going.
I doubt they have the prospect depth to get him
Cleveland will not trade Lindor for just prospects. Also the Yankees do not have the desirable prospects to motivate the Indians. Keep dreaming Yankee fans.
@Woodlawn
Why would they do that when they can just move Torres to SS and keep DJ at 2nd assuming they wanted to move on from Didi.
I don’t see the Yanks pursuing Lindor at all. Not much of a need and the prospect cost will be harsh. They would likely need to give some combo or all of Garcia, Schmidt, Gil, Canaan Smith and maybe a Montgomery or Loisaiga if they view him as a SP. It really would be poor allocation of resources to go after a SS.
What about Jason Giambi ?
The Yankees have too many DH type players. Stanton, Andujar, Sanchez, one of the IBs. They need to trade some of that excess for a real catcher since Sanchez has problems catching the ball, blocking the ball and calling the game. He is most likely a career DH. Andujar needs to get a chance to play third. Hopefully, he improves his defense. If Severino is healthy he is a number one, but they need another quality starter. It is ridiculous to have to go with a bullpen game in an elimination game.
All said, the Yankees are in pretty good shape going forward. I am not a Yankees fan, just an outside observer.
Yankees need to restructure their team – Sanchez probably needs to learn 1B, and they need to cycle the DH spot between Sanchez, Judge and Stanton. Problem is, Judge’s body is not going to hold up long in the OF, he’s too big for his instincts and is going to get hurt. He’s an odd type of player in that he’s basically got the same skills and instincts in the OF as Mookie Betts, but he has to carry around all that mass, whereas Mookie’s body isn’t going to fall apart so easily. Types like Judge never work out unless 1B/DH. Sanchez is SO bad at C though, so they can’t make Judge move to 1B, because Sanchez needs it.
TBH Id trade Sanchez to a team that has DH open and just put Judge at 1B and Stanton at DH full time. They can then play Frazier everyday, along with Hicks and sign someone. Stanton and Sanchez are not really helping this team, despite who they are.
@Strike Four
People have to look beyond time spent on the IL and focus on the reason. Judge had his hand injured when he was HBP in 2018. This year he had an oblique injury. I don’t know if he injured it diving from the ball or perhaps he needs to train differently and not focus on weight training as much as exercises that strengthen the core but increases flexibility. Dave Winfield was a 6’6 great defender and he was extremely durable.
I think there is merit to telling Judge he doesn’t have to dive for every ball tho. It’s hard to turn it on and turn it back off but there’s something to be said for avoiding injuries on plays that aren’t game deciders or not in the post-season. He’s been great defensively in the playoff bur I cringe every time he makes a diving catch. He’s too important to lose. But he’s not a natural 1b and I don’t see any reason to move him from RF yet.
And I think it’s too soon to say Sanchez and Stanton can’t improve going fwd. No need to be drastic. Stanton is a concern but he had a good enough 2018 imo.
The Yankees will not sign Cole because of Hal. Cash is not the blame as he is only a yes man. Hal’s motto is go cheap but be competitive and who cares if the Yankees are not in the World Series.
Yankees just spent 2 billion dollars over the last decade to make zero world series. “Going cheap” is not in their vocabulary, delusional fans who think all players want to play in the nightmare that is NYC is the only problem here.
@jim-41
In your heart you REALLY think Hal doesn’t want to win a WS? Do you equate not signing EVERY big FA as “not caring”.? Do we totally forget they traded for the guy that had the highest contract at the time in Stanton?
Didi should sign with the Cardinals
I feel it’s unwise to issue a qualifying offer to Gregorius, as he will likely take it. Gardner’s off the books, as is Sabathia. Edwin should be bought out. Non-tender Kratz & Bird. Let Betances, Gearrin, and Maybin walk. Look to extend Torres and Judge before they get too expensive. Re-sign Romine and maybe Gardner cheap (Markakis in 2020 money), and decline the option on Rosenthal. Work on negotiating a buyout of the Ellsbury albatross, and trade Frazier. Hopefully the Yankees can get under the CBT for 2020 and get more relief when Tanaka, Paxton, Le Mahieu, & Ellsbury come off the books after 2020.
@scjohn92
I would think the Yankees would want Didi to accept a QO if extended. Cashman said he wanted to extend Didi after his TJ surgery. I hate how we are so short sighted. Didi was a top 5-7 SS in NYC playing in the shadows of Jeter. He showed he can play at a high level and in the heat of NYC. He has an injury SS season and all of sudden we want to bail on him as if they’re are tons of SS available and with our recent injury rash. Yanks can afford to pay Didi a 1 year QO. They’re not broke and can pay him and pay others too.
I think DiDi gets a 1 year deal, with incentives. Gardner, will be a tough decision. Can Tauchman provide enough offense as 4th out fielder? Frazier seems destined to be traded, Andujar , a DH or possibly 1stbase, though he never looked comfortable playing defense. Doubt Andujar gets traded before season, must play to increase what is now diminished trade value. Like to see Chapman opt out, but doubtful, love to see Stanton traded, even less doubtful. Bird gets released, Voit should rebound, he will certainly be motivated. My biggest problem is how much praise Sanchez gets as the yanks best hitter, what the hell am I missing.
Frazier has been “destined” to be traded for years now. I seriously doubt it actually happens though.
But when Sanchez is on, he’s on. Unfortunately he is one of those players that needs to see a good amount of ABs to really have his timing. His constant trips to and from the IL clearly indicate that. He was fresh off the IL right before the postseason and really only started putting together decent trips at the plate in the last couple games of the ALCS. I wouldnt call him their best hitter, IMO that goes to Judge or DJLM, but he can be easily identified as one of their better hitters. His style of hitting relies on perfect timing to drive the ball and because of that, it takes time to get in a groove. He isnt a plug ‘n’ play type of guy like a DJLM, IMO
@Begamin
I’ve often heard out-of-town announcers refer to Sanchez as the Yanks best hitter too. Certainly the power is legit but I don’t get it either. Even tho I don’t want to completely give up on him at C it would be interesting to see what he could do with 600 AB away from C duties.
If he could hit 34 in 106 games with the responsibilities of C would 45-50 homers out of the question? Would he be able to be a solid overall hitter? Yanks have some redundantcy but I don’t want them to thin the team out too much. It would be stupid to not expect injuries to key players in 2020. That redundancy saved us in 2019. Cashman acquired Gio, Tauchman and Maybin with expectations they could help but I doubt he expected any of them to be THAT good. And although I’m sure some might be the real thing he needs to protect against regression.
Unless one of Gio/Andujar. Voit or Tauchman can bring back something of significance then no need to move them just to move them. This season proved that roster gluts have a tendency to resolve themselves of that issue.
There are better trade options for the Reds than JBJ…
I still hope they make a bid for Eaton and move Aquino to CF, dude has already shown he has the range. Platoon Winker/Ervin in LF.. I’ve caught guff for suggesting this already, but he’s a Springfield/Miami U. guy, and he’s a better leadoff option than anyone they currently have. Maybe sign Didi as well.. idk a guy can dream lol
I for one want to see Didi back, simply because i think adding depth in the middle infield maximizes DJLM’s value to the team.
I also dont understand the idea behind everyone seemingly want to blow up the team by trading and releasing everyone that didnt hit well against Cole or Verlander in the postseason. Truly mindboggling. I dont think the Yankees should pick EE back up, and not for his postseason play (which wasnt good), but because they have a lot of options for 1B at the moment and thats excluding guys that could transition to 1B next year.
Starting pitching surprisingly did better than expected in this postseason run, though i thought Boone mismanaged the pen throughout the year and throughout the postseason. I’m not sure they be able to land Cole/get Cole for a price theyre comfortable with but I’d like to see them try to get a more consistent arm in the rotation. Severino might be their best pitcher and he isnt completely consistent either. He can implode in some big games. Paxton and Tanaka are talented and unhittable when at their best, but its almost a coin flip to what version of themselves we will see on the night.
I think the most interesting thing we will see in the offseason is the 3B situation. Do we trust Urshela’s coincidental spike in production with the juiced ball or should we believe Andujar missing an entire year to injury wont be detrimental to his performance? Should they trade Urshela while his value is high or should they try to make Andujar a 1B, even though there is a glutton of 1B-able players already present (Voit/Ford/Bird/DJLM)? As much as i am a big believer in Andujar, you have to be slightly wary about how a young player will return after missing a year. If Andujar played as well as he did in 2018, I’d surely take his production over the numbers Urshela put up with the juiced ball. I mean, imagine what Andujars 2018 wouldve looked like had the ball been juiced in that year too.
It will be an interesting offseason. Most likely they wont follow the wishes of the salty knee jerk reactions of most disappointed fans by blowing up the team and trading/releasing just about everyone but Judge/DJLM/Torres. They’ll probably try to retain most of the squad and try to simply build upon what they have, which is a solid ball club.
So here we are Yankees fan and I’m going to tell you once again that bringing back Brett Gardner will do more harm then good playoff time but what do they continue to do bring him back. Brett Gardner is a post season failure and every year you bring him back they will lose lose and continue to lose. I could careless what he does during the seson but the man is a post season dub I told you guys 1000 times over and over.
The Yankees will NOT win a world series w Brett Gardner on this team
I’m sorry, but JBJ has to be one of the most overrated players in MLB. Look, he’s a great defensive centerfielder (although some metrics didn’t like him quite as much last season), but he can’t hit. Low OBP every year. Simply a late inning defensive replacement that should be making $3M a year.
JBJ is a fine bottom of the order, gold glove CF. His only problem is the arbitration system which is overpaying plsyers now by increasing value year over year despite peeformance. Id be happy if Sox offered him 4-25M and he was smart enough to take it. His AAV would be more realistic and Sox would be fine with him at that price.
That’s the thing most of the posters don’t understand. It doesn’t have to be the $11M arbitration number. It can be $9M/1, or $21M/3.
Man is JBJ ever a divisive player. Always in trade rumors, some fans seem to love him, others insist that he’s trash. Personally, while he’s never going to be known for his bat, I say the hate for GG-caliber center fielder who’s sat around a 90 wRC+ the last three years is a bit excessive. At $11M, the Red Sox will have a hard time getting much back in any trade, though.
Spot on. A lot of RS fans are old (and loyal), and basically look at the stats on the back of a BB card. DRS & UZR/150 aren’t metrics they consider. And like you say, his 90 RC+ is not terrible. I’d have no problem wagering that JBJ will rank in the top-15 in CFs next year, with a decent shot at being top-12.
Aaron Judge is Not as good or clutch as he wants everyone to think. Where is the ring?
@bigwestbaseball
Great point!!!
-Mike Trout
He’s in his 3rd season and he’s not a SP, Yeezus ppl are stupid. Why so short cited?
FYI for his career he has a .901 OPS with 8 homers in 100 PA. He’s also made some great defensive plays to save runs in crucial moments too.
Where are the Cash lovers now? Where is that d bag Fits? Where are the all the guys who didn’t think we needed an ace? thought that we could bash our way through October as if it were the O’s and jays in the way?
Let’s be clear for next season. we need an ace (whether its cole or whoever), and we need to sign ryu. all these other great Yankees can start in SWB, like Happless (brilliant signing that was), king, adams, german, loasaiga, montgomery……..So yes again like every year for the last 15 we need 2 quality starters with one being a legit #1.
The DBS (dead bats society) has to stop. no to didi. bye bye encarncion. The infield should include a new first baseman who can play defense and make contact (not luke voit). DJ, at 2b, torres at ss and adujar at 3rd, with wade and urshela (assuming a low cost deal) as the backups.
The pen is fine, just stop treating it like your ace. Read what Britton said.
Find another bat or 2 who hits for contact and not just for power and strikeouts. we are locked into Stanton. Judge has become quite overrated with health issues every year. No to gardy.. Tauchman is fine, and as we have seen finding pot luck outfielders isn’t as difficult as pitchers.
Find a catcher who can defend and make contact.
Then sit back and throw a parade.
The odds on Cash the genius getting this right is slim.
@fitsiqis65
Please name me 1 Yankee fan who said the Yanks didn’t want/need a true ace????
Aside from passing on Cole and not offering the most for Corbin I wouldn’t exactly call Ray, Kluber, Carasco or Stroman the missing pieces to 2019 post-season.
I really hate that ppl don’t consider facts.
Cash did acquire Paxton. He had no idea that Severino would miss 90% of the season or that German would be suspended on domestic abuse allegations.
And it’s soooo easy to monday morning QB the Happ deal. Dude was a proven above average SP in the AL for the past 5 seasons and had a above average 2018, one in which in the 11 games he played for them last year he proved he could handle the AL East, NY and the stadium by going 7-0 with an under 3 ERA. Brining him back for a 2/$26 mil was the right thing to do. Look at the intent. It made sense. Had he brought Charlie Morton in instead of Happ but had the same results you would be saying the same thing about that being a mistake,
A GM has to look at past performance and the risk/reward going fwd. If Stanton continues to be an injured player and they DON’T get anywhere near his 2017 production then ppl would be right to blast Cashman for that because Stanton had the “tag” of being injury prone. Blaming him for Happ is stupid. I put that on the player.
If the Yanks signed Cole and he regressed or had significant time lost to injury the same people would be saying Cashman messed up their too. Happ was a good call with bad results thus far,
Oh you’re sooooooo good about having the right answer to questions after the fact, If you blast Cashman for Happ then applaud him for Paxton and German.
pax who would be the #4 SP on both WS teams? the guy who went into the 5th once this post season? I do like him but he is no ace and is a mid rotation guy with occasional potential to throw a gem or dud. That is a #3 guy on a championship team.
hated the Happ deal last year and the re-up from day one. Posted that here every chance i got. add in CC and Gardy and i bemoaned spending 36 million this year for nothing that mattered. Advocated for Corbin, Morton and Brantley instead- 2 of em would have cost the same.
As for Seve- im not a believer yet either that he’s more than a #3. look at his last 10-15 starts (or post all star break last year).
Re: the genius, Cash, I have said it over and over again. He is the most overrated GM out there given his resources. What you can’t handle is that I am right or actually that you are wrong. Accept it and stop.
German was a gem (ERA over 4 of course). Dj was a great signing, which i was not in favor of. The britton trade and resign is great. Plus some others. remember my point is not that he is awful, its that he builds teams to get to October not to win in October. Which for my 49 years has always been the actual goal.
However, the body of work is fact. For all his resources he has accomplished nothing in the last 10 years. That’s a long time and its time for him to prove his genius elsewhere.
If you and others want a parade as badly as i do, you should start by acknowledging who put this team together and how….
Good post and spot on….
Nobody could have foreseen Sevy going down for almost the entire year, and then German getting shelved right at seasons end…..Cole was a crapshoot at the time and the Pirates asking price was ridiculous….Corbin was only interested in the total and biggest dollars. Happ indeed was supposed to be a #4-5 starter and the Yankees got a pretty good return for their money if you look at him in that light.
Monday morning QB’ing is really great isn’t it!
no one could have foreseen sevy going down? his post all star era in 2018 was over 5. the sawx bombed him last October. but he’s our ace?
German? enough. he was great and won 18 games, but had an era over 4 and rising. Even in the yanks sub par rotation he would have been #4. Think the stros were nervous about him???
Happless was a total waste of coin. A bad reaction by cash to losing a near sure thing in corbin. if he’s a legit #4, why were they afraid to use him?
this isn’t MMQB. This is outright destroying the Strategy employed by the overrated genius GM that has now cost us 3 shots in a row at a WS and a decade of nothing.
It will be difficult to win a championship with that stiff Sanchez at catcher. Catcher is a key position. Sanchez is just a terrible catcher. He cannot catch the ball!
I’m an Astros fan, and I think Boone was out managed in this series. I think the Astros are the superior team, but they didn’t hit. Yordan and Yuli did very little, the 8/9 hitters were black holes and Altuve, Bregman and Brantley carried the offense.
How did the Yankees lose with the much better bullpen? Well the batting order (with Gardner and Hicks batting 3rd at times) and the choice to putting in Ottavino, the only RP the Astros could do anything against, in the game at key points during the series.
Yankees should have a great lineup, but Boone seemed to want to make it seem like he’s smart by doing something different. Gardner, Didi and Hicks should be all 7/8/9, don’t care that they are all lefties. Gardner should probably be 9th just bc he gets OB so often.
If a QO is offered to Didi, I would be shocked if he didn’t accept it. EE is probably bought out, let Gardner walk, Gio should be the everyday 3b, Torres to SS, DJLM to 2b and Voit+ platoon at 1b (Smoak?).. Yankees need an ace, in addition to Severino.
After game 1 in Houston, I was worried. After game 2, not so much. I think Boone’s decisions were to blame. Or primary source of blame… not whistling or sign stealing or injuries or whatever other bs that was brought up during the past week.
Main reason I never watched. When I saw Gardner in the lineup and when I saw him batting 3rd umm nope not a change i I’m watching them
Per Randy Miller nj.com/star ledger re:cash
His biggest error in judgement was not giving up Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier to acquire Gerrit Cole in January 2017. The Astros ended up getting him from the Pittsburgh Pirates for less, they paired him with Verlander, and look at him now. When Cole starts Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night, he’ll take the mound with a 19-0 record and 1.59 ERA over his last 25 starts counting the 2019 postseason with 258 strikeouts in 167 1/3 innings.
Another Cashman mistake was making the third-best offer last winter to free agent left-hander Patrick Corbin, who will start at least one World Series game for the Nationals after a 14-7, 3.25 ERA regular season.
Cashman will tell you the Yanks wouldn’t have had enough dough in their budget to fill other holes if they had signed Corbin for big bucks, but the lefty is making just $34 million in the first two seasons of his six-year, $140-million contract and Happ was guaranteed the same $34 million for two years plus a $17 million vesting option for a third.
Also, it was Cashman who talked Steinbrenner into taking on Giancarlo Stanton’s big-money contract two winters ago.
Another big mistake. Cashman should have put all that money towards starting pitching instead of a one-dimensional player who offers power and nothing else.
You’re preaching to the choir brother, because of his idiotic moves no Cole this winter except in our stockings. FIRE BRIAN CASHMAN, now more than ever!!
how many years do these folks want of this? its every year…… i went to 2 Post season games this year and bleed pinstripe blue. I can’t take being the old red sox.