The Yankees entered the 2019 season expecting Miguel Andujar to continue establishing himself as one of the best young third basemen in baseball. It wasn’t an unrealistic thought on the Yankees’ part, as Andujar was then just several months removed from a 2018 rookie campaign in which he posted outstanding offensive numbers and seemed capable of hitting a double at will. But this past season ended up serving as a massive disappointment for Andujar, who battled right shoulder problems from the outset and barely factored into the Yankees’ 103-win outburst.
Andujar, owner of a sparkling .297/.328/.527 line with 27 home runs during a 606-PA rookie showing, fell from grace this season over 49 injury-affected trips to the plate. The 24-year-old batted a horrid .128/.143/.128 without a homer, and now it’s fair to wonder if he has walked to the plate as a Yankee for the last time.
General manager Brian Cashman has always advocated for Andujar, and that remains the case, but the executive revealed last week that Andujar – even after a nightmarish season – continues to garner plenty of trade interest. Cashman could easily swat away Andujar suitors, as he has consistently done, but unlike last winter, it wouldn’t be out of bounds to wonder whether the Yankees still have a place for him.
When Andujar’s shoulder troubles put an end to his 2019 in mid-May, there was panic because it didn’t seem the club had an obvious replacement on hand. But it turned out the little-known Gio Urshela was more than up to the task, as the 28-year-old slashed a jaw-dropping .314/.355/.534 and swatted 21 HRs with 3.1 fWAR over 476 PA. Was it a fluke from someone who had never even hit much in the minors? Perhaps. However, when Cashman was discussing the Yankees’ third base plans last week, he suggested the position will remain in Urshela’s hands going into 2020. If Urshela continues clinging to the role, is there any other obvious place to put Andujar – whose defense at third has generated poor reviews thus far? It’s debatable.
Cashman has stated the Yankees are open to trying Andujar at first base or in the corner outfield, but the club also has plenty of talent in those areas. Luke Voit, Mike Ford and even the semi-forgotten, injury-riddled Greg Bird represent options there. Even if you’ve given up on Bird (and who could blame you?), Voit and Ford make for a pair of effective major league bats who are affordable. In the corner outfield, meanwhile, the Yankees have the superstar tandem of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton with some potential mix of Brett Gardner, Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier as fallback choices. Would there be space for Andujar there? Maybe, especially as the free agent Gardner (if he re-signs) will likely be the Yankees’ go-to guy in center field with Aaron Hicks recovering from Tommy John surgery. And the Yankees could certainly rotate Andujar in at designated hitter, where they figure to also rely on a capable-looking cast consisting of Voit, Ford, Judge, Stanton, Frazier and catcher Gary Sanchez.
It goes without saying that the Yankees do not have to trade Andujar. He’s a potential offensive star who’ll make a relative pittance for the next couple years and isn’t even on track to reach free agency until after the 2023 season. But for a club that’s targeting starting pitching this offseason, it wouldn’t be stunning to see New York deal from a surplus (offensive talent) to land an arm(s) prior to 2020. If Andujar does indeed end up on the block, teams like the Pirates, Tigers, Rangers, Royals, Brewers, Marlins, Indians, Angels, Braves and Nationals are among those who could end up in pursuit. Cashman’s in the catbird seat, though, as he could simply retain Andujar in hopes of a bounce-back season if nobody makes an offer to his liking.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I thought you aren’t suppose to lose your job to an injury.
Drew Bledsoe, is that you?
Ha ha now that is the perfect response! Numerous
Wally Pipp’ed him, so to speak.
no room in the Bronx for any injury ridden and/or flatlining players. Titles aren’t coming with Andujar, Hicks, and Betances on board.
@fair-critic
Perhaps the dumbest comment I’ve seen yet. Andujar and Betances don’t have a recent history of injuries. Betances had elbow problems back in the minors but that was like in 2009 or 2010. Andujar has never had an injury beyond the labrum this past year. Hicks of course is a valid concern but I doubt he prevents them from winning.
Would you say the Yanks can win with Torres? I mean he missed about as as much time with his TJ surgery than Andujar. What about Judge and Severino?
Seems odd you call out those two (Andujar and Betances).
Pwny
Pwnt even
I’m not a Yankees fan but south beach you’re comment was dead on except there’s no mention of Stanton—possibly the biggest no show of last season. As a Giants fan, I dream of an offense as good as the yanks’. We’ll take your “rejects”.
Btw, I’m pretty sure pitching, not hitting, was the downfall. From an outsiders viewpoint, Sanchez’ poor defense offsets his hitting. And Chapman is not as advertised. Just my 2 cents. Feel free to critique cuz I don’t follow everyday.
@claude raymond
You’re right. I wouldn’t say pitching was our downfall tho. Poor situational hitting, even including Torres and DJ who left quite a few guys on base in games where it counted. That and not having German were the main reason. But this offseason it should be all about retaining Didi, Bets and Gardner and bringing in a true ace. If we can add a contact hitting lefthanded LF too that would be great. I wanted the Yanks to bring in one of Harper/Brantley/Markakis last year but it didn’t happen obviously. Trading Sanchez and signing Grandal should at least be a thought but I don’t want to sell low on Sanchez and I’m not sure what his trade value is.
Brandon belt would thrive in that park. And he’s a good defender. I like him but he needs a change of scenery. Who could the yanks offer for him? Or nay on a trade in ur opinion?
@@fair-critic
Hey dude I hope you read this. I’m sure you don’t take this stuff serious. But my apologies for labeling your comment as “dumb”. That was rude. You’re entitled to your thoughts even if I disagree.
@claude raymond
I don’t think they’d even entertain the idea of accepting Belt’s $, let alone actually send something back to the Giants in a trade. Voit/Ford is a better and much cheaper option, and there are plenty of cheaper 1B bats on the FA market.
Corey Kluber for Miguel Andujar? Other pieces added but I think this makes sense for both teams. Could make it even a larger blockbuster by adding Carlos Santana going to NY if NY isn’t comfortable with Voit
Indians hang up in a heartbeat. Mediocre butcher at 3rd base who’s obp is league average at best. Indians would be better having kluber rebound and sell him off to a title contender.
Did you not see that I said, “other pieces added.” It’s not straight up.
People don’t read. They see the first 2 words and immediately react emotionally
WHAT!?!?!? PEOPLE DO SO!!!!
See what I did there?
I’ll show myself out.
He’s the perfect piece with others to take back for Kluber. Big upside bat who could DH for no money if he produces in spring training but one who has control and while the Yankees would get ripped if they put him in the minors, any receiving team would have no issues doing it if he didn’t show his 2018 bat.
He’s probably not even the main piece in a package for Kluber. Sorry but “other pieces” can’t include the primary return…
The Indians shouldn’t be trading Kluber for a DH. Full stop, at least not as a primary piece to Corey Kluber. Come on guys.
Is Kluber even an ace at this point in his career? Think Andujar would be an overpay for kluber straight up
Labeling “other pieces” makes it seem like andujar is main piece return which is pretty underwhelming.
Your overvaluing Kluber at this point.
what are the pieces? your comment doesn’t make a lot of sense unless you name the pieces? if it’s a prospect it has to be a good one or a major leagues contributing player.
@imindless
Andujar’s bat is well above average even with a .323 OBP. His bat reminds me a lot of Robinson Cano’s. Low walks but above average contact ability that will give you 25-30 homers, a .285-.315 batting average and about 40-50 doubles. If you have a guy that can hit around .300 and hit about 80 xbh that’s far from mediocre.
I also think there’s room for improvement and that with the right coaching he can be what Cano was where his OBP can climb to the .350-365 range.
I am so getting tired of this nonsense that great hitters with below average gloves aren’t valued in the bigs. Nick Castellanos is in a position to get seriously paid so and he was acquired by an NL team that was well aware of his poor defense. To get 1 with 5 years of control is absolutely valuable and to say it’s not is being honest. Look around the league,
No you can argue whether or not the Indians want him. Maybe they don’t. But let’s stop with this nonsense where you’re valuing Kluber as an ace. He’s going to be 34 in April, is recovering from a broken forearm, his rehab was shut down because of an oblique injury and reports are that his velocity has diminished. Why would it take more than an “Andujar” type bat to get him? Since when do the Yanks overpay for past performance? What reason would ANY team trade a young asset like Andujar and whatever you deem better than him as a centerpiece for Kluber not knowing if he can return to form?
Answer…no one would. Show me a comp.
I don’t get the hate towards Andujar yet people gush over Elroy JIminez and Yuri Guriel. They’re also in the same exact category as Andujar in terms of low walk % and poor defense. Would either of those teams trade one of them for Kluber? Especially when people are saying it would take more than Andujar to get him? Nonsense.
@southbeachbully Its also eloy not elroy. While you painted a nice picture to fit your mo to clearly win the trade in a landslide. Andujar was outright terrible last year aswell be it injury or not it remains to be seen if he can replicate his rookie of the year nominee form. Kluber is a cheap asset in terms of ace potential and usually starts slow and turns it on later in the year. To judge him a month or two seems unrealistic but that doesnt surprise me being a yankees fan. They always try to get something good for nothing.
I agree with the point you’re making, but saying the Astros would not trade Gurriel for Kluber is out there. However, I agree the WS likely wouldn’t trade Eloy for Kluber. I think Andujar is often overvalued by Yankees fans and simultaneously undervalued by all the other fans of this site. The range is “value of a young Cano” to “zero.” Even assuming this range is Andujars true value scale, the reality of his true actual value would then likely be somewhere in between
@imindless
The injury happened in ST he was trying to play through it. He obviously was still effected by it and only appeared in 12 games. Are you really trying to tell me you thought his .271 OPS in 49 at bats was indicative of his ability? I think you’re smarter than that.
“To judge him a month or two seems unrealistic but that doesnt surprise me being a yankees fan. They always try to get something good for nothing.”
I’m not judging him soley by the 10 starts he had. I’m judging him for the 20-25 he missed because he was injured????
It’s stupid to expect ANY team to value Kluber by his 2018 stats. He turns 34 in April and missed most of 2019 due to a broken forearm and oblique injury.
Ask yourself this question. Would ANY team sign him to a 1/$17 mil deal if he was a FA? I was shocked the Indians picked up his option. He showed NOTHING during his rehab. I’m not an Indians fan but I lived in Cleveland for a decade and I have friends there that I shoot the ish with about baseball. His velocity was down and he had to go back on the IL. So stop being silly. Andujar’s bat is above average. His defense might suck but look around baseball. Lots of bat first guys getting paid millions. You can’t tell me that even as a DH Andujar has little value. An .855 OPS for ,550k? A pitcher who only pitched 7 starts with a 5.80 ERA, soon to be 34 coming off of two injuries that kept him off the field for almost the entire year? Whatever.
@Just_a_thought
Why in the world would the Astros make that trade? Kluber hasn’t pitched since April, had to shut down his rehab because of a 2nd injury and turns 34? That would be pretty stupid of them to do that. And then pay Kluber’s $18 mil salary too? Nope.
That would easily be one of those dreadful trade of the 80s mess that old George would do. Looking at the name not the decline for a young productive player.
@southbeachbully Again your just coming across as a yankee homer and overvaluing andujar. What yo say kluber wasnt injured all year by your same logic with andujar. Again if kluber was really that terrible why would teams be willing to pony up to get him? He always starts slow then turn it on the latter 3/4ths of the year just looking at bref. 2 time cy young winner who has never relied on mph and up until last year was very durable. Many teams would take him on 1 year 17 million hell angels just gave harvey who has less to show 1/11 million.
It’s only one year and he’s coming off a serious injury. His value right now is not high.
@imindless
What are you missing? Andujar will be 25 in March. Kuber will be 34. Andujar’s injury isn’t as significant to effect his hitting than a broken forearm and oblique strain is to a pitcher who wins with control and a decent 93 mph FB.. If Andujar’s injury lingers, “oh well” he’s paid $600k. If Kluber’s injury lingers plus regression because he’ll be 34 and has logged 5 successive years of 200+ IP then the Yanks have $18 mil sunk into someone who might be no better than Happ.
Why is this so hard to understand??? Kluber can not be valued in 2020 like he was in 2018.
If Kluber were a FA would any team give him a 1/$18 mil deal? No. So why should ANY team trade a young hitter like Andujar with 4 years of control? And some of you have suggested that Andujar couldn’t even be the centerpiece of a deal. That implies it has to be a prospect who’s future value exceeds what Andujar actually did at the mlb level in 2018.
It’s absurd.
+South
Andujar is a legit hitter. Might take a few rough weeks for him to start playing well again (due to the long layoff from a major injury) but he has a great ability to keep his swing in the zone. If the balls stayed juice his rookie record setting amount of doubles turn into HRs and thats factoring out the correlation between minor league hitters developing more power after a year or two in the bigs, turning their gap doubles to HRs naturally.
Well, to start, the context of my point was to differentiate Guriel’s value from Jiminez. Next, I’m not sure what you’re really asking… I guess I’m asking what you’re issue with Kluber is? I agree that you’ve assessed his risk factors properly (age, injury, contract), I don’t think you’ve properly valued his upside to then establish his possible trade value. Outside of 2019, he is a legitimate ace and CY contender at only $18M, which is substantially under market value. Further, his injury risk is combatted by the fact that he lost the season from a broken bone, neither ligament nor muscular tears. Age? Anyone can gripe but in comparison to Gurriel (entering age 36), your point is moot. So, you’re truly arguing that a 3 WAR, 36 year old 1B under a $9M contract this year is worth more than kluber, who could pitch north of 7 WAR this year based on the assumption of similar health of 200 IP, and I’m the crazy one?
@Just_a_thought
This might be a bit long but hang with me.
The narratives I’m hearing is that because of his limited defensive value that Andujar is a DH. I’ll limit it to that “position” because if/how he’ll acclimate to 1B a mystery…
People dismiss a DH like a good one is easy to find and/or cheap. Now you CAN put any player at DH but you’re not going to put a good glove there. If you want/need a good one then what’s the market? Let’s take a look…
Last year Fangraph had 21 players designated as a “DH” that had at least 200 AB. From that group only 8 of them had as many HRS as Andujar had in his 1 full season (27). None of them had more than 33 doubles. Andujar had 47. None of them had a lower K rate than his (16%).. Only 7 of them had a OPS over Andujar’s .855. His knock as a hitter? He had the lowest walk rate (4%) and came in 14th out of 20. in OBP.
Who are these top tier DH’s? Yordan (pre-arb rookie). Nelson Cruz (has been a full-time DH for the last 3 seasons and signed by the Twins for 2/$26 mil. JD Martinez signed for 5/$110 mil. Soler plays 2/3 of his time as a DH the other 1/3 in the OF. I would say his defense in the OF is comparable to Andujar at 3rd. Soler is still in his 2 arb years so he’s affordable around $7 mil. Andujar is pre-arb w/ 4 years of control. left. Austin Meadows spent most of his time in the OF (88 games) and 44 as a DH. HIs defensive metrics says he should be more of a DH. Hunter Pence signed a ml deal coming off of a horrendous 2018 so his salary wasn’t much. Good bounce back year in 2019 but he’s turning 37 in 2020.
So a team will move older guys on long-term contracts to DH because they are too old to offer defensive value and some of those guys are aging stars like Pujols, Cabrera, etc. But if you NEED offense and not looking to acquire an expensive over paid vet it’s still going to cost you (EE, Cruz, JD, etc). Andujar would rank among the best hitters you can get if he were on the trade market and would earn nothing for 2020 and then less than market value in his 3 arb years. So to say a DH has no value then why did Cruz get 2/$26 or JD 5/$110 or EE get close to 3/$60 mil (incl buyout) to be full-time DHs?? Teams pay up for offense only players that are elite. While Andujar isn’t as good as JD his bat still would rank among the best even with his low walk rate. He still is a great contact hitter like DJ LeMahieu who walks slightly more (7%) than Andujar (4%) and in his full year he hit for 76 exttra base hit. In 2018 only Story, Betts, Baez, Bregman, Lindor, Martinez, Ramirez, Carpenter, Yelich, K. Davis and Arenando had more than Andujar and the leader, Story, “only” had 9+ at 85.
What is Kluber’s value if he were a free agent in 2020? He’s 34 and was both bad and injured all of 2019. He was an absolute ace before 2019.
Comps are…
-Erving Santana was 16-8 w/ 200 + IP and a 3.28 ERA in 2017. He cratered in 2018 (like Kluber bad and injured all year). Projected, on this site, to sign a 1/$6 mil deal. He ended up signing a minor league deal. Sucked and injured all of 2019.
-Drew Pomeranz was 17-6 w/ a 3.32 ERA in 170 + IP. in 2017. Had a horrible 2018 with poor production and was limited to 74 IP. He was projected to sign for 1/ $6 mil. Instead he settled for 1/$1.,500,00 mil.
-Dallas Keuchel had a good 2018 w/ a 3.74 ERA in 299 +IP. but misread his market and ended up signing a 1/$13 mil contract. He likely could have had much more than what he signed for but less than what they were holding out for. 3/$45 mil maybe” Keep in mind that while he’s not an ace like Kluber he’s 2 years younger and healthy had a 3.74/4.06 in over 1 1/2 seasons shortened because he signed late. He might be more desirable on a 1/$15 mil deal than Kluber on a 1/$18 mil. Keuchel has a better shot at repeating his mid rotation 4.06 FIP than Kluber is to repeat his 3.12 FIP.
Kluber was a true ace but if he were a FA he would be pressed to get 1/$18 guaranteed this year. Maybe 1/$10 w/ a bunch of incentives to get him up there. And while his injury may not have been as significant then some mentioned it was still an arm related injury couple with an oblique injury for a guy turning 34 who’s pitched over 1,000 innings in the previous 5 years. Why should a buyer feel great about the odds of him being an ace going forward.
So what are people here calling a “fair trade” + assuming the $18 mil he’s owed? Andujar straight up? Nope. They are saying that Andujar can’t even be the centerpiece of a deal and it would take a “better player” than him? What’s a better player than a 25 yo with a .855 OPS and 4 years of control? I guess they would say a top 10-20 prospect. But a prospect is a prospect and if a top 10 prospect had a 27 hr, 47 dbls and .855 OPS in his rookie they would be very happy even if the defense was a minus. The fact that he WAS injured in 2019 knocks a little bit of his luster but hitters are more likely to bounce back from a shoulder injury than a 34 yo former workhorse of a pitcher with any kind of arm related issue.
So all that I am saying is that an above average DH is harder to find than suggested, evident by the fact that half the AL teams are employing a DH whose bat wasn’t as good as Andujar’s in his full season and some that are better/comparable are earning major coin (EE, JD, Cruz,). And Andujar is young enough to still become a passable 3B and a position change to LF or 1B is an unknown possibility whereas guys like Cruz, EE and Cruz are less likely to play the field in any other time than a last resort. Also, several NL teams might be willing to add Andujar and his defensive warts and the fact that several teams employ players with double digit negative defensive value like Bell ( ), Hosmer (-12 ), Blackmon (-17) and Freedman (-19). Would Andujar be worse defensively than Hosmer or Bell at 1B? Cubs seemed pretty happy to trade for Castellanos in the thick of a playoff run. with his -13 defensive WAR.
So all these guys are saying he has little value and couldn’t be the main piece to acquire an expensive, older and rehabbing SP seems wrong and to say it would require Andujar and a piece or pieces better than him doesn’t sit well once you truly look at the value of Andujar and Kluber with the age and injury and contract being considered.
I can’t think of a single comparison where a recovering vet, who hasn’t pitched an inning since April and is owed $18 mil was traded for an Andujar comp w/ 4 years of control + prospects. I would rather keep Andujar or use him in a trade to get a young SP who has potential but is more of a #3 or #4 type with a higher ceiling or some non-elite prospects who the scouts or analytic team feels has the ability to become an impact mlb player. But for Kluber? Too risky., I’m not giving up ace trade value for a guy with that many red flags. Now if the Indians simply don’t need a 3b/DH hitter then let the deal fail for those reasons and not because you want me to pay pre 2019 price for his real market value now. For $18 mil, Andujar and “better” then I need more of a sure thing than what Kluber is right now. No way you can assume he’s an ace in 2020.
Sorry for the length.
Honestly your reasoning for this is good but I have a few things I disagree with. The pitchers you listed as comps to Kluber are only basing it off of a small sample. Pomeranz and Santana were never near as good for an extended period like Kluber was from 2014-2018. Keuchel is the closest of the comparisions but had shown a decline before hitting free agency and had a QO attatched to him which hurt his value as well.
The big thing I see a lot of people saying here is about Kluber being injured. He had made at least 29 starts in the 5 years before the injury so he doesn’t have an injury history and it was a non elbow or shoulder injury so it isn’t nearly as bad as someone that was out for a year for those. Nobody can know for sure but because of the way he is you can guess the lat strain that ended the season was most likely because he was trying too hard to get back to help down the stretch and over worked himself. Neither of those injuries should be too much of a worry for another team especially since Cleveland and picked him up with their tight payroll.
Another thing that I haven’t seen anyone mention when they talk about Andujar is how his injury could potentially impact him. Everyone questions if Kluber will be able to come back but there is no guarentee that Andujar will come back from the injury the same player he was before it either. It would not be the first time we saw a player have a major surgery and come back and not be able to hit the way he did before. Normally it is with older players but it makes him a major risk until he plays.
Yanks have enough dh’s
Only way Yanks get Kluber is if they give up Florial for him.
Two of the guys mentioned in the main body of the story (Andujar and Frazier) along with a lottery ticket not named Florial. The trade of Kluber also comes with what may be considered a poison pill.. The 2021 contract becomes vested if Kluber pitches 160 innings.. w/r to the lottery ticket, it comes down to one name: Jasson Dominguez… otherwise, Mr. Cashman may get his ultimate wish.. keeping his guys and the Indians will find another suitor.. if they actually choose to trade.. We’ll see..
Edit: Looking over the extensive comments.. There may be more to the deal from the Indians side as well as an added prospect from the Yankees.. perhaps something like Greg Allen or Bradley Zimmer added with the Yankees adding another “lottery ticket’ like Kevin Alcantara..
Kluber’s injury, a fractured forearm.. was the result of a batted ball.. It was a non-displaced fracture that saw him back on the hill throwing bee bee’z before straining a lat.. He’s a notorious slow starter.. but, once he grooves, he as good as anyone.. He does not rely on his FB to get outs making the age issue.. less important, but, important none the less..
lol Kluber value is not an Ace, it’s not a second starter, it’s an aging wild card third starter coming off injury. You think your getting anything of real substance is laughable. They would look to move him to live salary. Jasson Dominguez isn’t going anywhere so stop fantasizing. Andujar value is also down because of injury and defense liabilities. As a Yankee fan I rather go after a younger Ace on the market then Kluber! Lol
If Cleveland wanted to save money, they could have declined his option. They will not trade Kluber just to save money.
I love how yankees cashman and fans want top players from other organizations without giving up top players for theirs . Torres was a one in a million cubs needed Chapman to break 108 year curse . Now cashman thinks every deal lands him a Torres for a rental.
Kluber was a top player.The key is was a top player.Last year prior to his injury he had a 5.80 era.I’ve seen people say Kluber is a slow starter to explain his bad start last year.In 2018 he had a 2.18 era in April and a 1.83 era in May. So much for Kluber being a slow starter.Last year prior to the injury he was terrible yet everybody seems to think people should forget about this and act as if he’s the Cy Young candidate he used to be.Surprisingly enough they then want to forget that Andujar was a rookie of the year candidate before his injury and he’s just a bum.They also want to forgetthat Kluber is 33 and earning 17 mill while Andujar is 24 with years of team control for peanuts.Anybody trading for Kluber is taking a huge chance.If this was 2018 the comments would make sense .Afterlast yearnot so much
I would trade Jasson alone for Kluber and I’d be shocked if the Yankee traded him for anyone.
Floral in the other hand is available.
Whoops…I would NOT trade Jason alone.
@gson
“The 2019 season hasn’t been kind to Indians starter and two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber. Due to a broken forearm, Kluber has only managed seven starts and pitched to a 5.80 ERA in those outings. He was attempting to make a comeback via a minor-league rehab assignment but had to be removed from a game over the weekend after just one inning with diminished velocity”.
Highlight the “diminished velocity” part. I know he was never a flame thrower but the closer his velo gets to 90 mph the less effective his off-speed pitches become because they can afford to sit on them and catch up to the FB if needed.
@hockeyjohn
It made sense for the Indians to pick up his option in hopes he can return to form. It DOESN’T make sense for ANY team to give up a comparable bat to Andujar, even with his blemishes, and more and that more by the comments I’m reading, mean BETTER than Andujar. Insane.
If he were a FA, maybe the Yanks offer 1/$10 mil w/ incentives. But not when it’s costing Andujar and better.
South Beach,
Trading Kluber and Andujar would both likely be below their actual value due to last year’s injury. Yankee fans do, however, overvalue Andujar. His poor defense decreases his value. I am sure that many teams view him as a DH only which lessens his value.
@hockeyjohn
Encanarcion earned $20 mil last year. Nelson Cruz earned $14 mil. JD Marinez signed for $100 mil plus,. Nick Castellanos is set to sign a multi year deal for about $50 mil. Andujar may not be as good as all of them but his bat is still above average. He earns $600k and has 4 years of control. Miss me with that.
You guys are acting as if other than 1b and DH there aren’t hacks getting paid for their bats, I’m not expecting Andujar to net an ace and in fact, I think it would be ill-advised for the Yanks to trade him at all right now.
But you guys are NOT living in the real world. Plenty of examples of guys getting $10 mil + to be a full-time DH. Plenty of prospects like Jiminez with Chicago, Yurriel with Houston and Vlad Jr with the Jays that are in the bigs because of their bats not their gloves. And if the thought is that they can improve with time then why not Andujar? Would any of those teams trade that player for Kluber and his $18 mil salary in 2020 w/o seeing him even throw a pitch? Hell no. But someone you ppl think it would need to be Andujar PLUS more better players? Absurd.
@Mikel Grady
Can you stop acting as if it’s Cashman on this site saying anything? But give him credit for being a great DM when it comes to position players..Almost all his moves have turned out right with regard to position players.
If anything you need to speak on the overvaluing of Kluber by some of these ppl.
Florial’s prospect value has dropped. He struggled at high A. He is not an exciting piece.
They can have florial but i would like to keep MA.
Why would you want Florial? He is a vastly overrated prospect.
And don’t tell me Jo Adell for Andujar because it’s not even close.
The Angels are not relevant and the Yankees are not prospect shopping.
Your nuts if you don’t think the Yankees would make that trade in a heartbeat.
They would, but the Angels would not.
@halofan20
That trade wouldn’t happen because Adell has a higher ceiling. But keep in mind that’s not a Yankee fan suggesting it to lets save all the “Yankee fans are delusional”. Same can be said about the Yanks getting Lindor. That was a writer trying to get clocks.
Andujar’s value is going to be at a low point here. I believe the Yankees would be better served by selling high on Urshela who probably just had a career year. Andujar might not be capable of getting back to his rookie level again, but I think he deserves a chance to at the very least rebuild his value.
I don’t see them getting much back in return for him.
Great plan old sport! Andujar deserves a chance to rebuild his value whereas mr Urshela can be thrown back to the scrap heap where he came from! Forget that Urshela is the only one who can play defense!
Old sport? Did you just step out of a Sherlock Holmes novel?
Urshela’s glove deserves to open spring training as the team’s starting third baseman. Should he prove he’s a one year wonder, it’s too bad It doesn’t fit Andujar’s hand.
Funny!
Guess we’ve never read the great gatsby on this side of the pond!
Pip pip, cheerio, gov’na!
There is nothing that shows players with his injuries don’t come back, in fact mostly they regain or excel. Within two years. Miguel drives the ball. Anyone would and will want him.
Not if he hasn’t made significant improvements as a defender.
no one is giving up much for a 28 yr old 3rd baseman who had a career year, he’s worth more to the yanks
I agree with this point. Urshela will never repeat the output he produced this year. Good fielder but the bat will come back to earth. Trade him now to cash in on that value, get a much better pitcher and possibly a couple more pieces for him.
@Baseballfreak
A lot of ppl are question whether Gio can repeat his 2019 performance. No way is his trade value high enough to get the players your talking about. They might as well just hold on to him.
I’d consider trading both but Andujar plays 1st if he stays with the Yanks and plays the field.
@hiflew
The Yankees aren’t trading high on Gio. I doubt anyone is going to give them what they need in return and at the end of the day, he’s our best defensive 3b. I don’t think he’s a fluke but even if he regressed to a .260/.330 hitter with 10 homers he’s still our best defensive 3B.
It makes sense to hold on to both and see how it plays out.
Holding both makes no sense whatsoever. One will inevitably stagnate on the bench and you will end up trading fr far less or even outright releasing them. Trade from a strength to improve a weakness. Even if you don’t get top dollar, it’s better than you will get after one does a lot less in 2020 due to lack of playing time.
@hiflew
Andujar is more likely to hit like he did in 2018 and Gio is more likely to be the better glove. Yanks have no reason to trade either right now. No one is going to pay for 2019’s Gio and they seem to expect a regression. And you people see no value in a hitter like Andujar. I’m not saying one of them won’t be traded between now and end of 2020 but it certainly doesn’t have to be done now. If no one is going to pay up for either then there’s zero harm if one of them flops. According to some, Andujar wouldn’t net a top ace (I agree) or a top prospect (pitcher or otherwise) (I disagree).
Andujar is overrated as many yankees farm players are. Glorified for hitting in hitters park with mediocre obp and absolutely atrocious defender at 3rd which puts him as a first baseman or dh where his bat definitely doesn’t play up. Yankees would be better holding on incase gio cant have another career year. Also have to hope andujar rebounds to his former runner up to rookie of the year form and then flip him to a 1st base needy team.
Idk why but this post reminds me of the time the Dodgers got bounced by a wild card team after losing in the World Series twice in a row. Not sure why.
S-A-V-A-G-E
Overrated prospect sounds like most of dodgers prospects as of late. Urias the next Santana seager second coming of Jesus. Every team has overrated prospects but few have had the best pitcher in baseball and never won a world series choking year after year the way the dodgers have.
Urias is 22 and carving? Seager damn near won an MVP as a rookie. You can find better examples haha
Ya that’s a bad post. Ignoring the fact that the Dodgers still have one of the best farms in baseball, Urias has been great besides injuries, and seager is coming off a down season in which he put up 4 WAR. And that ignores the fact they recently brought up May, Smith, and Lux as well lol.
@WhereIs28
Was Andujar ever really a “highly rated” prospect? He flew under the radar until he started hitting at AAA.
But here’s the problem. Everyone wants to stick him at 1B or DH as if there aren’t other bad gloves manning other positions? Why is this not said about Jiminez,
Gurriel, etc? Seems like hypocrisy.
It is said about Jimenez; he just has a significantly higher ceiling with his bat. You can’t just look at their major league numbers and say they’re finished products. Go look at their minor league numbers too and you’ll see what Eloy’s capable of.
@Priggs89
I’m not doubting anything about Jiminez. But there’s no saying Andujar can’t excel too. My point is more about their defense. No one is trashing them like they are Andujar.
Yes, they are. You’re just not paying as much attention. Every article that mentions Eloy has many, many people trashing his defense and saying he needs to move to 1B or DH.
And I’m not saying Andujar can’t excel either; just pointing out the differences between their bats.
@Priggs89
But no one is suggesting Jiminez has no trade value.. Most teams would love to have Jiminez and I think the same can be said about Andujar. That was my point.
The only reason anyone is suggesting Andujar has “no trade value” is because they are responding to Yankees fans who probably value him too highly. They’re clearly overreacting in the other direction – he obviously has trade value. After his injury-riddled 2019 season though, it’s not particularly high. Personally, I’d happily stick him at DH for my Sox next year.
All that being said, I’m sure there are a couple idiots who legitimately believe he has no trade value.
@Whereis28 so um, seager, mvp bellinger, walker buehler, will smith, dustin may, tony gonsolin, julio urias. Just to name a few.
Yankees, Mets and Red Sox all tied for first in overrating their prospects. Put any of their guys on another farm and they’re nobodies, but on those 3 teams they make top 100 lists. They do this to increase trade value then laugh at teams when the guys they traded bust.
Tell us more conspiracy theories!
The sox dont have a farm atm…before then, is Mollie, fevers, bogarts, need to say more as overrated?
@Strike Four
Yanks don’t write up prospect lists and could probably careless about them. I hate how the narrative is that every Yankee prospect is hyped but none from other teams are. The Braves and Dodgers fanbase are just as bad. Ironically, some of the greatest Yanks weren’t top 100 guys. Pettite, Mo, Posada and Cano, But you can’t say the Yanks haven’t graduated a lot of their top 100 prospects and they haven’t panned out of late. Judge, Severino, Sanchez, Torres and Andujar lived up to their hype. And it’s fair to say Judge has far exceeded expectations in his brief 3 years.
Yup the Red Sox farm was so overrated that nearly all of the offense was home frown and farm the farm system. Cmon strike four think before you comment.
“Grown”
@strike four exactly just look at the sonny gray trade. How are thise highly touted yankees prospects doing?
@imindless
Highly touted by who? Obviously not Cashman.
Say whatever you want. Cashman has traded about 20-30 prospects in the last 3-4 years but he’s known which ones to keep and aside from Nick Solak none have given anyone reason to regret. But ask me this….isn’t it the OTHER teams job to scout out and agree to the players being traded to them?
Highly touted by Yankee fans that are delusional, unlike me, because I was never that high on them, just like I wasn’t as high on Jesus Montero as other Yankee fans were.
I’m sure teams don’t have their own prospect rankings! They must rely on MLB.com to value prospects for them! Damn Greedy owners can’t pay for scouts!!!!
@jbigz12
I know right? You really think scouts and GMs consult prospect lists before making a trade? Also, plenty of today’s stars never appeared on a top 100 list. Robinson Cano, David Ortiz, and Josh Donaldson say “hello”.
Just ridiculous stuff here. This guy says some of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. If you believe that an MLB.com top 100 list means anything to an organization you are a fool. That’d be like saying a stock rating from yahoo! means anything to a hedge fund.
The guys do their own work and have their own rankings. I just don’t understand how a human being can believe that garbage. It’s a reference list for non affiliated people who wouldn’t have a clue what a good prospect really is. It’s great for you and I who can’t possibly scout thousands of minor leaguers. Not so much for a major league scouting team.
“plenty of today’s stars never appeared on a top 100 list. Robinson Cano, David Ortiz, and Josh Donaldson say “hello”.”
What year are you living in?
@Priggs89
I referenced them because they are HOF caliber players. But since you want to be millennial-like..
Jose Ramirez, Ketel Marte, Paul Dejong, Eugenio Suárez, Max Muncy, Luke Voit and Shane Bieber are all successful players who were never listed on a single top 100 list. Better?
If what you say is true how come no one knew who Andujar was until he started crushing major league baseballs. If what you say is true how come nobody predicted Severino to be real good in the majors.If what you say is true how come everyone was astonished when Yankee minor leaguers like Tauchman Urshela and Ford helped the injury ridden Yankees win over 100 games this year.Please tell me about all the Yankee overrated players who have busted.All I see are underrated players who have excelled
@imindless
“which puts him as a first baseman or dh where his bat definitely doesn’t play up”.
His OPS was 36th overall in 2018 and his extra base hits (47 doubles, 2 trips and 27 homers) were more than every Dodger last year not named Bellinger. Bellinger had 84 which is only 8 more than Andujar had. Yes he has a low OBP because he doesn’t walk much. But you can’t harp on that and ignore his power (47 doubles and 27 homers) or his contact hitting ability (,297 BA and 16% k rate). He puts the bat on the ball like Cano and Vlad Sr, and hits for average and power without selling out and striking out. In 2018 only 6 players hit 27+ homeruns but struck out less than Andujar’s 16% (Jose Ramirez, Lindor, Manny Mookie, Bergman and Didi). Of that group, only Mookie (.346) hit for a higher average than Andujar’s .297 with Manny matching him.
I think Cano is a perfect comparison as a hitter. Cano as a career 6.6 walk rate. In his rookie season Cano walked 2.9% and his first 5 years he walked less than Andujar’s 4.9%. As Cano matured around better power hitters like Tex, Arod, Matsui, Giambi and Abreu he slowly made incremental improvements in his walk rate getting into the 7-9% and becoming a consistent .300/.350/.500 guy. I don’t think Andujar improving 3-5% as he gets more AB and allows the pitcher to walk him instead of putting pitches out of the strike zone in play then I think he can do the same. Power hitters who don’t sell out and put the ball in play are rare a rare breed in today’s game. He’s Markakis and Brantley with more power..
Say what you want of his glove but his bat is far better than what you suggest and it’s absurd to dismiss the idea that a rookie can’t improve his walk rate with time and experience.
Any team that trades for Andújar is thinking big because of his bat.. that team should also have openings at first and DH just in case his 3B defense doesn’t turn around.
Does anyone know if he could be hidden in left field for other teams. I know the shoulder surgery but can he snag balls out in left field for a team with a short porch? Wonder if Cincinnati is hunting out there.
Speculation-a-plenty for Andujar, apparently.
sny.tv/yankees/news/4-potential-trade-packages-for…
Three of those trade proposals are so bad. Andujar for Adell. I am still laughing at that one.
Andujar to the cubs for fat load Schwarber is about right value wise. The others look to have been written by someone who knows nothing about baseball.
Value’s are about right but does that even make sense for either team? Not saying this to you obviously. I can’t imagine a world where NYY would trade Andujar for anything but pitching.
And Jo Adell lol. Why not just ask Tampa if they want him for Wander? At least NY could use a SS.
Not likely. Schwarbs at least swings it from the Left side. When compared to the other deals he proposes it looks like gold though.
Just Andujar isn’t getting the Yankees Schwarber. Stop the madness.
Schwarber 38 bombs and 90 RBI’s third most out field assists in mlb.
Okay, I get it that Andujar, coming off an injury year probably isn’t going to net a proven major-league ballplayer like Schwarber but lets not forget he’s got 3 years of solid ML experience already so its an unfair comparison right from the start.
Expectations, given what was seen in Andujars 1 year starting is building on his power numbers which may be the equal of Schwarber, so if you get beyond that, you’re really comparing 2 somewhat defensively challenged ballplayers who are starting because of their offense more than their defense.
@Steven Chinwood
You say it as if Schwarber weren’t a very flawed player. Yes he hit 38 homers but he also struck out on average 150 x the last 3 years. Andujar will likely be a better all around hitter than him. Plus KS is a free agent in 2 years where as Andujar has 4 years of control
All but the Adell trade seemed plausible.
Did that John Harper moron hit his head? Or did he get really high before he wrote that? Now I see why Yankee fans can be so un-educated when it comes to trades. That Braves trade and Angels trade. OMG, this guy is dumb de dumb. I actually think if the Yankees offered this to either team, not only would they hang up, they’d block all further calls from the number it came from.
Eric Skoglund for Andujar ?
Aaron Brooks for Francisco Lindor?
your comparing Lindors value to Andujar ?
those trade proposals are about as lopsided.
You’re comparing Eric Skoglund’s value to Andujar’s?
Yes , Andujar is not a top prospect , and looks to be on pace to being very average
@1738hotlinebling
What are you going by? He had a .855 OPS in his one and only season. That ranked 36th among all hitters. Other than a low OBP how is that “very average”?
I remember people saying the same exact things about Cano and to an extent Melky.
@1738hotlinebling
Andujar isn’t a prospect because he debuted in 2018 and was runner up to ROY. He’s better than a top prospect because other than an injury he’s had huge success based off of hit bat already.
No, it’s just that it would be another ridiculous trade proposal on here lol
Alright alright Andujar, Frazier to Texas for Joey Gallo.
So everyone expects a 31 yo pitcher to be a bounce back candidate? If history has taught us anything it’s simply not on Kluber’s side. He’s on the wrong side of 30 and a serious injury liability at this point. He’s at best a #3-#4 pitcher on a team expected to contend. Since Andujar and Frazier keeps popping up in the news, I totally expect these two to have serious discussions about Kluber and Lindor for Andujar, Frazier and a couple of prospects thrown in. I think the Yankees see several of their pitching prospects as quality pieces in the right environment, just not Yankee Stadium. A lot of scouts think the exact same thing. Don’t dismiss this trade as undoable or out of the question. Cleveland knows they overshot their window with Kluber and Lindor doesn’t want to stick around for a rebuild. Get quality pieces while you can and move on. Lindor becomes a superstar in NY and gets a monsterous payday and Cleveland gets their payroll down to begin their rebuild. Total fits on paper and logic. We will see.
Kluber is at best a 3 or 4? Me thinks you did not watch much October baseball this season. Kluber would’ve been the #2 on the Twins, Braves, Cardinals, Brewers and some might argue the Yankees.
I apologize for my first comment being so sensible. I did not get down to the part where you implied that Frazier + Andujar+ some prospects would get you Lindor +Kluber.
Not happening. Unless Mr. Antonetti thinks Jasson Dominguez is the next big thing.
Two DH’s don’t equal a superstar SS and a good SP.
He is the next big thing , Harper Level.
Mr. Dominguez is still 16 years old and has not made his debut in the United States. The Indians would be sacrificing a superstar…….. The Indians would have to agree with you and then some. Frazier and Andujar aren’t a couple of prized ponies. They already secured a DH with Franmil Reyes.
Kevin Maitan was the next big thing.
What about adding Sanchez and replacing him with Grandal?
Why do you think that the Indians would trade Lindor for 2 DHs a utility player and a bullpen piece? You do not trade Lindor for questions marks and bench players. Cleveland’s front office is too smart to something stupid like that.
So was Leonardo Molina, who was supposed to be better than Eloy Jimenez. I’m not kidding about that, yet he’s been terrible every season in the Minors offensively, despite being touted as a very good hitter and still hasn’t been any higher than High A ball.
When he was healthy, yes. 31 and constantly injured, I don’t think he’s a #2! If he’s not on the mound he’s a no factor. Simple logic, he’s on the downside of thirty and won’t get better.
This is silliness.
Which one of those teams are the Yankees trying to copy?
@Birdsfordays
He turns 34 in April, and could not return to the field following his broken fore arm. In what world should anyone assume what he’ll be in 2020? The 7 games he pitched prior to the injury were also horrible. Fire your GM if he trades assets expecting him to be 2018 Kluber.
@south
That proposal was garbage for Lindor. Let alone with Kluber. He’s not wrong. Kluber isn’t a sure thing but to say he’s at best a 3 or 4 is dumb. He’s done enough In his career to not say stuff like that. It wouldn’t surprise me if he comes back and chucks 200 innings of typical Kluber baseball.
7 game sample sizes are completely irrelevant also. A 4.08 FIP isn’t “terrible” either. He had some control issues and didn’t look as good but I’m not determining Corey Kluber is at best a #3 or 4 from 7 not so hot starts.
And I’d imagine the Indians nor any other team in baseball is either. Considering they picked up a 17 million dollar option and have received inquiries about him.
@jbigz12
Not sure what exact comment you’re responding to. Lindor is not being traded to the Yanks. It’s not even a rumor. It’s something one reporter suggested.
Secondly, we have no idea what Kluber will be in 2020. He had a bad start in 2019 and then suffered the broken forearm and then during his rehab suffered an oblique strain. How can ANYONE say he is an ace or a #3 or #4. He turns 34 in April and can turn right into a pumpkin overnight. Look at Happ. Above average 1 year and dog poo the next. And I doubt teams would give him a guaranteed 1/$18 mil if he was a FA.
Happ didn’t exactly turn into a pumpkin overnight. He had a 4.21 FIP in NY last season. JA Happ isn’t Corey Kluber either.
To dismiss him as a 3 or 4 at best is ignorant. It would’ve been similarly ignorant for me to tell you JA Happ was a long man at best last offseason. To base that argument on 7 starts and a forearm injury is even more ignorant. We’ve already heard rumors about teams calling so I’d have to imagine you’re wrong there. Seems like teams would want to take a chance on the former AL Cy young. Who before getting injured last season had tossed 5 straight seasons of 200 inning sub 3 ERA in the aggregate baseball.
@jbigz12
You can tell me Kluber will be an ace until the cows come home but you’ve yet to tell me why it’s a given that a 34 yo pitcher who’s pitched 1,000 + innings the previous 5 years and is recovering from a broken forearm and oblique injury and had bad results in albeit a small sample size of 7 starts and missed almost all of 2019 will return to ace form. He’s neither cheap in salary and the trade demands being mentioned are trades including Andujar where he’s NOT considered the centerpiece of the deal Meaning a better mlb player attached or elite level prospects. And how many of those hitting prospects are a given to have a rookie year with a /297/.323/.527 with 47 dbls and 27 homers and less than 100 ks.
Do me a favor and go to fangraphs, filter out for DHs with 200 AB or more and tell me the 10 hitters whose 2019 was as good or better than Andujar then tell me how many are cheaper over the next 4 years..
Buddy if anyone is beating a dead horse it’s you. I never guaranteed Kluber would be an ace. I said it’s ignorant to assume there’s no chance he can’t return to that level.
I never said anything about Andujar but since you’re giving him the spit shine treatment I can rain on your parade a little bit.
Andujar’s WOBA on that 1 productive season he’s had was .361 his xWOBA was .326. Highly unlikely you continue to outpace your xWoba by that margin. He doesn’t walk at all and we all know he can’t field.
Never did I mention Andujar in anything though. I think he’s a fine player. DH’s aren’t worth a whole lot on a trade and they aren’t going to trade him because his value is at a low point. As is Kluber’s.
By that reasoning so would,ve Chris Sale. Lets just ignore the 5.80 era Kluber had before the injury in 2019 and pretend it’s still 2018. Right?.Funny thing.I didn’t see too many pitchers with 5.80 eras starting the second game of a post season series. You can correct me if I’m wrong
Give me an ERA after7 starts? Yeah buddy keep spinning that wheel…That’s about as good of an argument as saying how awful Andujar is after his 50 bad abs last season.
@Birdsfordays
“Me thinks you did not watch much October baseball this season. Kluber would’ve been the #2 on the Twins, Braves, Cardinals, Brewers and some might argue the Yankees”.
Yeah but we aren’t talking about the 2018 WS. Fast forward a year later and not only would he not be a #3-#5 he would be sitting at home watching the WS because he’s been hurt and horrible all year. That’s the point. Should we go trade for Votto for what he was in 2017 too?
Can we stop your slant? Just give it up. if you think people are bad about Andujar you are just as bad about this. Stop the tirade. You’ve given your feelings just wait til the season starts. We’ll see how Kluber and your buddy Andujar are doing then.
Cleveland, with their starting pitching strength, is not looking to rebuild. The Cleveland front office stated goal is to try to keep their competitive window open. Any Lindor trade will have to provide help in 2020 and beyond. The Cleveland front office is know to set a price and not vary from it. If they do not get the right deal that they want. Frankie will remain an Indian for 2020.
Andujar was the worst defensive 3B in MLB in 2018 according to Fangraphs. He is also coming off a serious arm injury. Frazier is also a hack defensively and has an attitude problem. Both are likely DHs. The Yankee farm system is in the bottom half of MLB. I don’t see the Yankees as having the pieces to get Francisco Lindor. The pieces that the Yankees will be willing to trade would not interest the Indians. The Indians will ask for Torres and the Yankees will say no. No Lindor trade will happen with the Yankees.
You can have all the pitching you want but if your outfield sucks, it’s all null and void. Cleveland’s outfield is terrible! They have no prospects even close to mlb ready to plug into their outfield! Frazier was their next in line when they traded him and now they regret it.
Wrong again. Daniel Johnson had a good year in AAA and should be in the mix in 2020. I doubt they regret trading Frazier as Andrew Miller help them get to the world series. Frazier couldn’t make the Yankee injury riddled outfield last year because of his lack of defense and his poor attitude. The Yankees can keep Frazier. Again Frazier and Andujar are both DHs. You do not trade Lindor for two DHs.
@hockeyjohn
Can we all stop with this Lindor trade? It was proposed by a writer named Sherman. I highly doubt the Yanks are going to trade their best prospects for a SS when they can either bring Didi back or move Torres to SS and DJ to 2b.
South Beach,
It is not Indian fans that continue to spew forth ridiculous trade proposals for Lindor. It is Yankee fans. I have said many times on many threads here that the Yankees are not a good match for Lindor and no trade will happen between the two teams. Don’t lecture me, lecture the many other Yankee fans that continue to keep Sherman’s poorly written and researched article alive.
Why would the Indians package Lindor with Kluber? They can get more for just him than what the package the Yankees can offer. There would be plenty of teams interested in Lindor & one’s with better trade pieces.
Many more pieces if Lindor is included. Some teams might look at Kluber’s inclusion as a reason to give less not more. He has value but given the money, age and health issue, certain teams would want to flip him instead of keeping him.
If Cleveland wanted to save money they would have declined Kluber’s option. Any trade of Kluber would not be a salary dump. He is a part of their plans.
Lol
@Baseballfreak
He turns 34 in April. Haha. Hammers your point home even better.
I don’t see Urshela being consistent year after year
@Stanley
Maybe not but the Yanks aren’t going to trade him because of the possibility. Let him play and prove what he is or isn’t.
Andujar will not be traded this offseason while his value is low. He will begin next season with the Yankees and if he regains his form and Urshela and Voit are playing well the Yankees could look to trade him at the deadline
Yankees should trade Voit and Bird and leave first base to Andujar has the most upside of the three and Ford as a backup. And he can’t be a fulltime DH because of Stanton. I don’t see him playing LF either
I like Voit’s hitting a lot better. Andujar should start season in AAA, where his defense won’t hurt the major league club, and work out the kinks. Ursula earned his spot on both sides of the ball last year.
*Urshela*. Apologies, my phone is possessed by a vile spellchecker..
Bird has Sweihart value at the moment…
@Stanley
Bird has no trade value. They are better off sticking him in AAA. And Andujar has to prove he can handle 1B. I don’t get the hate on Voit. It’s lime “OMG he didn’t appear on a top 100 list. He must not be good”.
Voit has opposite field power and near .400 OBA, not a butcher in the field, to me he is either the clear choice of the current 1B candidates (excluding DJ) or the most valuable trade chip of them. They pull for Bird because they would like another lefty bat or two, especially with Didi gone, but you have a solid player already at 1B in Voit. Yanks fans should appreciate stealing him in a trade instead of perpetually trying to repair and resurrect a prospect from yesteryear.
@Finlander
Voit has been nothing short of fantastic and it’s only because he wasn’t a vaulted top 100 prospect that ppl dump on him. He’s far from the journey man AAAA that they make him out to be. He signed after 4 years of college and was blocked. He hit at all levels. I’m good with him being our 1B until there’s reason to move him. Bird should be in AAA. He has no trade value now.
Release Bird then
@Stanley
Why release him? Stick in AAA and let him play everyday. He’s likely going to split time with Ford between 1B and DH. They might wish to bump Chris Gittens who is a bat first guy in AA with a .893 OPS last year. That and if his 40 man roster spot is needed. I could also see them releasing him and resigning him on a minor league deal if it wasn’t done last year. We went thru quite a few options because of inuries last year so as long as he;s not blocking a rule 5 or real 1b prospect he could be good depth if healthy. But he’s definitely behind Voit and Ford on the 1B depth chart and that would also put him behind DJ too depending if they bring Didi back which allows DJ to mover around the infield including 1B.
Release Bird then
Bird has no value.
Farhan are you there? Belt or Longoria…
I heard meth is a huge problem in the Bay area and this post confirms it
Meth. I’m on it.
– South Dakota meth prevention tag line
What’s wrong with keeping him around as a depth piece? With the unreal year the Yankees had with injuries, what’s the rush?
agreed. no reason to sell low. if other teams value him as little as some seem to here, then his value is clearly greater in NYY. why not start him as their own DH next year and plug him in somewhere else due to the inevitable injury.
Andujar for Starling Marte + Chris Archer.
Seems to fill needs for both sides. Chris Archer is a great reclamation project that at worst is decent reliever.
Lol why would Pittsburgh do that. They have Ke’Bryan Hayes and Colin Moran who can play 3rd. Makes zero sense.
@SuperSinker
You can argue either might have a better glove but neither comes close to matching Angujar’s bat and it’s not even close. Moran’s career high was 13 homers. Hayes had a .745 OPS with 10 homers in AAA. Andujar would easily be one of their best hitter (assuming he’s fully recovered).
i would do that if I was Pittsburgh. not sure Cherington would, but who knows.
Lol it’s robbery and makes zero sense for PIT.
I guess it kind of does if they do trade Bell, but only then does it really makes sense.
No, it still doesn’t
@SuperSinker
Robbery? Archer had a 5+ ERA and missed half the season because shoulder inflammation. Has Pittsburgh even picked up his 2020 option yet? Marte is the same kind of hitter as Andujar and regressed defensively, although not as bad as Andujar at 3B.
Absolutely destroys Pittsburgh. Yankee fans are utterly clueless when it comes to overvaluing their players and massively undervaluing every other teams guys. Get some perspective. Watch other teams players for once instead of being a homer.
@Strike Four
Dude…you just said them trading for Andujar and giving up Marte, and Archer who had a 5+ ERA in 115 IP coming off of a shoulder injury would destroy them? Really??
I wouldn’t trade Tyler Wade straight up for Archer, he’s terrible. Pirates got raped in that trade, don’t have fantasies of salvaging it by getting Andujar back for him. Smh.
“I wouldn’t trade Tyler Wade straight up for Archer, he’s terrible.” You’ve got to be joking.
I’m certainly not joking about trading anybody for Archer. I guess you’re one of the Archer fanboys who believes/believed he is/was a #1 starter. Lol
Far from it. No one on earth thinks Wade alone could get Archer, despite your ludicrous homer bias. No wonder these posters think Yankees fans are lacking.
^^ Clueless
^^Blind Homer^^ or maybe just a Mets fan.
What do you think Tyler Wade is worth then? What do you think a utility player with a career .556 OPS in the MLB is worth? Because I will tell you now that Chris Archer is about all you’re going to get out of Wade and Wade alone.
@thegreatcerealfamine
I’m 90% sure he knows Wade doesn’t get Archer but you’re also delusional to think Archer has value. He had a 5_ ERA and missed half the season because of a shoulder related injury. Door swings both ways dude..
Marte is almost the exact type of hitter Andujar is. High contact, low walks and low K rate. Marte has a better glove although it regressed last year.
Where in my post did I say what my value of Archer was other than more than Wade? “Door swings both ways dude” Again you’re going on about things I didn’t say in my posts. You’re bringing up Andujar here to me why exactly? Maybe instead of juggling so many replies you take 1 at a time, or don’t get involved in my posts.
@thegreatcerealfamine
My apologies. It was meant for another person.
No sweat southbeach. I don’t know what angle this guy @southpaw2153 was taking considering Wade’s value. Seems like he just wanted to see things from the Yankees side, and argue with people at any cost. Funny thing is anyone that’s been on this site knows I have defended Wade in the past.
Chris Archer at this point would be a salary dump.He’s a starting pitcher with a 5.19 era earning 9 mill this year and 11 mill next year. What makes you think Chris Archer is such a valuable asset.
Hicks is signed for the next 3 years and Gardy is more than adequate in center. Yanks will sign Gardy and that will be it.
@Matt Tobin
Yanks need an ace. Archer is not that. Yanks already have Severino, Paxton, German, Tanaka, Happ and Montgomery. They have enough 3-5 guys. They need a Cole, Stras or Wheeler type.
Trades need to address “mutual needs.” Yankees are without a CF to start the year (and possibly for a good part of the year.) They also are trying to pinch a few $$ so they can possibly sign an impact arm. They are overloaded with DH/1B types already and Andujar is a total butcher (-29 Rtot in 2018) with the glove. Even when Aaron Hicks comes back he has only a combined +2Rtot for 2018 and his 1/3 of 2019 combined in the OF. The Mariners can send the Yankees Mallex Smith (who had a 3.5 WAR year in 2018 for the Rays). He provides good defense in CF, he has hit against the AL East and certainly his bat will improve in Yankee Stadium relative to Tampa and Seattle. The Mariners tried Vogelbach at DH, but he can’t lift his batting average over his waist and so Andujar (who has almost no platoon split) can become the full-time DH. Smith is much cheaper than an outside alternative for CF. Andujar has one more year of control, but Smith would be there for modest $$ in 2020, 2021 and 2022. If his bat doesn’t play as well as they hope he is tactical speed and defense, which might help them a lot in the post-season.
Wow. Just…wow
@SeattleSlew
Yanks don’t need a CF for 2021. We have Hicks signed. Yanks can go with Gardner and Tacuhman for 2020 in CF and Frazier in LF>
“Kluber for andujar, frazier and ellsbery.” Yankee fans.
I think you’re joking, but the funny thing that was a real Yankees fan post.
Based on these comments, the Yankees should just release Andujar outright and he’d be better retiring because no team will have any interest in him whatsoever
It is crazy.
Well, he is a pretty bad player who had a career-ending injury, so…..youre the ones who are crazy???
Lol@ Strike Four. Wow.
@Strike Four
Career ending injury? Yeezus. I have more faith in Andujar returning to form with his bat than I do a 34 year old coming off of a broken forearm and oblique injury.
This is crazy.
Andujar was one of our top players in 2018.
He will hit.
He has more value than most of these comments would indicate. Really laughable.
Ive watch almost every yankees game for decades. You dont trade a guy like this. Forget the spin on his defense. That can only improve. Rarely do players improve their hitting to the level he is starting at.
Career .318 OBP yeah he’s an elite hitter lmao
btw you dont say “one of our top players” in a year you didnt win the WS, that just proves he’s not good enough.
Strike Four is another sabr muppet who worships at the altar of OBP.
So, by this logic, an Angel’s fan who calls Mike Trout their best player is wrong because they did not win the World Series? As in, Mike Trout is simply not good enough because his team wasn’t?
@Strike Four
In 2018 he had a .855 OPS that ranked him 36th among all hitters in baseball….as a rookie. So nice to focus on just the OBP and not factor in his contact ability and the 76 xbh.
Absolutely!! If Devers can turn himself into a serviceable third baseman, no reason to think Andujar can’t do the same thing.
Exceptions prove rules
Connor, you shouldnt have written this article. you’re encouraging the people who include Andujar in any trade known to man. The Yankees like Andujar too much and they’d be selling low. he’s going nowhere.
If the season opened today the Yankees would probably be forced to play Tauchman in CF and Stanton in LF, if healthy. That would potentially open DH for Andujar, assuming Frazier is still in the doghouse.
Andujar’s offensive potential is too good to pass up considering his worth is currently low. Putting up 2018 production out of the 7-hole, give or take, is tremendous.
Andujar? Is healthy? He played in 12 games in 2019. A shoulder injury is very serious
Vegas if you read it properly I was referring to Stanton’s injury, not Andujar. AND, you provided added proof as to why Andujar won’t be traded.
@VegasSDfan
Dude…like any other player that has been on the DL you have the surgery, rehab and then you play again. Gleyber Torres had TJ surgery and came back fine. Hundreds of pl;ayers have missed a year and came back strong. We’ll see how he bounces back. But if you have objections to Andujar’s health then you should also say that to all these knuckleheads that are assuming Kluber, a soon to be 34 year old SP who had a broken forearm and oblique strain that also had a 5+ ERA PRIOR to the injury is still valued as if he’s going to be an ace in 2020.
Why are you “if the season opened today”ing in November??!?!?! Lunacy. Literally one FA has signed.
Because I can, Strike Four. I have as much freedom to hypothetically put that out there as you do paying Marcus Semien a 10-year contract. Spare me the “lunacy”.
Andujar to the Blue Jays for Bichette jr.
I get how you would think it makes total sense from the Yankee’s point of view, but please explain how that makes sense from the Toronto perspective
It doesn’t. This is a dig at the troll @WAJGH
Funny, I didn’t look at it as a dig. People actually believe you are a dud and I did nothing to provoke you.
Will Myers for Andujar straight up!
Good luck with that.
Hey, Padres fans, you’re stuck with Wil Myers. Get over it.
If I had to guess I’d say Andujar is going to Seattle because Seattle cannot believe a terrible glove guy who hits just okay. Healy, Vogelbach, Santana, Smith etc etc
@Strike Four
I see your .323 OBP and raise you an .855 OPS in his rookie year with near 80 extra base hits and a very low K%.
Wait? Shouldn’t it be “rookie of the year runner up miguel andujar”?
Among his peers he was voted ROY.
“Among his peers he was voted ROY.”
I must have missed that award… it was probably a made up award like the “Team with the Most Players on the IL Award”.
So you missed it and that means it didn’t happen? Sorry Melch, it just doesn’t work that way.
webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:UxL9…
That award means nothing.
Yeah, what do MLB players know anyway. Writers are the ones that really know talent.
Or did you mean that it means nothing to you?
Sign a couple of SP and hold on to your players.
There’s no need to trade anyone. 2019 should reinforce that since plug & play was what saved the team against the revolving door of injuries.
Yeah I think the luxury tax and draft compensation are stupid since it rewards teams who won’t/don’t give big contracts… but teams like NYY generate more than enough revenue to cover their share of the MLB Welfare Fund
You can’t keep everyone.
The Yanks have to trade prospects pretty much every year if they’re doing it right.
Andujar, Bird, and Elsbury’s salary to the Tigers for Fulmer.
The Tigers already have a DH and a high priced bad contract both named Miquel Cabrera. Why spend more money for another DH? That does not make any sense for the Tigers.
Andujar for Fulmer straight up would make the most sense since it is trading players with injury+potential from each team’s strength to their need. Andujar would play 1st for the Tigers so Bird would be pointless. If Elsbury is included the Tigers would gladly send Jordan Zimmerman to the Yankees. Again, not horrible for either team since the Yankees could use a back end starter & the Tigers have OF openings.
Don’t think the Yankees need another mid-rotation arm, which is what Fulmer probably is considered right now, especially for Andujar who could be a centerpiece in a more complicated trade that nets a top of the rotation arm.
All the criticism of the Yankees and their moves to acquire pitching is their seeming reluctance to make the big move for a front line pitcher and at this point, while Fulmer may be more that for the Tigers, he wouldn’t be for the Yankees.
Why is everyone assuming that Andujar will never be a league-average defensive player? I’ve never seen anything about this kid that suggests he doesn’t work hard and is lazy. We just had an example of a player (Marcus Semien) who overcame a lot of defensive issues and figured it out later in his career. Andujar will be going into his age 25 season.
I don’t know if it’s just Yankee hate that fills the majority of the people here or if it’s fueled by Yankee fans seeking unrealistic returns for him. Unless some of you have been in scouting departments I wouldn’t try to project what he will be or how teams look at him. At the end of the day I don’t think the Yankees would sell low on him.
Andujar put up one of the worst defensive seasons in recent history lol like sure he could get better. You’re welcome to think he can. I don’t, at least not to the extent that he’s playable at 3rd.
@SuperSinker
Nick Castellanos was a butcher at 3b too for his career, was acquired by the Cubs, a NL team w/ no DH, for their playoff run and is about to sign a multi deal for 10’s of millions. So yeah, bat first players are in demand, have value and get paid.
He doesn’t have the range to be a defensive asset at 3rd base.
His skills profile as potentially above average at first base though.
Let’s not forget that Andujar was runner-up Rookie of the Year two years ago, and was one of the best hitters on the team. There are many examples of young players getting better defensively. From what I saw he wasn’t as bad as people are making him out to be on defense. I would think he is a 3 WAR player projected moving forward.
Eric Hinske won ROY. It doesn’t matter lol. Andujar will have to absolutely annihilate baseballs to get a ~3 WAR projection with how brutal he is on defence.
Yep, and he was on a lot of World Series teams.
@SuperSinker
Yeezus does anybody consult the numbers anymore? He had a 2.8 WAR his rookie season.
Kluber and lindor to NY for andujar, Frazier, D. Garcia, tyler wade and chance adams
Just to get started maybe through in another piece
Andujar, Wade and Frazier have zero value now. Let them play a productive injury free season in 2020 and they will have value. Right now it’s a gamble. It’s like someone trading for Fulmer. Teams want to see he can still play before they make a huge commitment.. They might trade a couple minor league unknowns for them, but right now, no one wants to pay a high price for damaged goods.
I’ve been following this site for years now, I’ve read enough of your comments to realize thyat I don’t always disagree with your points, I guess my gripe is you speak so often in absolutes. Stating that these players have “zero” value is just crazy. But, your general opinion that their value can only increase with a display of health (assuming comparable production) is spot on.
Andujar and Frazier have no value, I don’t thinks so. If so why are they in the news having teams asking about them? They both have played for the Yanks, we are not talking about playing for a lower division team.
NO !
The Indians will not trade Lindor for two DH’s, a 5 foot 9 inch pitcher that profiles as a potential future reliever, and two bottom of the roster players.
South Beach, this is another example of the many poor trades spewed forth by Yankee fans,
Can we please stop. There will be no trade between the Yankees and Indians involving Lindor. The Yankees need starting pitching more and there are likely better options available to the Indians if they decide to trade Lindor.
@hockeyjohn
Yanks aren’t the only fan base to offer stupid trade props. Look at just about any post you see about a player being traded and then compare it to what the team actually gets. We’re just louder than most.
While it’s true a lot of my fellow Yankee fans make ridiculous trade proposals on this site, it is also true that there are plenty of Yankee haters on here making asinine comments, as well. Andujar is not an overhyped Yankee prospect. The guy is a legit MLB hitter. He’s a guy that puts the bat on the ball with hard contact. Yes, his defense needs work, but from what I recall, his main problem was throwing the ball to 1st, something he worked on – footwork and arm angle – last offseason. I was looking forward to watching him defensively until he hurt his shoulder. He has decent hands.
He’s not Urshela defensively, but he’s definitely the superior hitter. Yankees would be foolish to expect Urshela to repeat, or come anywhere close, to his 2019 production, next season. I’ll believe it when I see it.
And limted range as well. There are too many areas to work on. Also considering his serious arm injury, he is too much of a risk. You don’t trade Lindor for that type of risk. Smart organizations won’t and Cleveland’s front office is very good.
Andujar has 1 year of performance also.
Urshela has 4 years of results. He ” broke out ” at 28 during a season where offense was up around the entire league. I’ll place my chips on Andujar.
At what position?
Cashman will spend most of his effort on signing Cole right now and Gardy. If they can get another top end pitcher they will be set to go. He is listening to offers for Andujar and the like to get a reading on their value, he’s not giving anyone away.
“Cashman will spend most of his effort on PRETENDING TO signing Cole right now”… there, fixed it.
Lemme know when the Yankees sign Cole
Love how people after only one year want to label a player a bust in the infield. He is a young kid still with much to learn even Adrian Beltre who was not as sure handed in the minors and the beginning of his career in the MLB was shaky and by the age of 24 had already committed 120 errors. and became a defensive stalwart.
Andujar is only 24 years on soon to be 25 on 03.02.2020 he has a rocket for an arm and it would be a huge mistake on the Yankees giving up on him so soon because with Gio you still don’t know what you may get next year same with Ford or Voit.
You are talking about a kid that in all reality should have been the ROY because once again Shohei Ohtani whom played 4 years professionally in the Japanese league was already a seasoned veteran. NO way Cashman will trade Andujar on the low and those that are saying he is a terrible fielder believe me there will be easily every team out there interested in a young Right Handed hitting 3rd Baseman that has room to groom and blossom. He has shown he can hit in the majors at a young age so why sell low?
Yankees best bet is to keep him fight it out with Gio in Spring training and utilize him ala DJ because if the Yankees don’t sign Didi that changes the whole landscape and Andujar because much more important to this team because unlike Greg Bird he at least has shown potential to hit and the jury is still out on Ford & Voit.
Remember how Gardner, Bernie Williams even Derek Jeter was a huge liability in the minors and how they blossomed you have to give the kids a chance to grow and not trade away young talent on the cheap when you need that blend of young talent that is cheap in order to maintain a manageable payroll.
Also, DJ is signed thru end of 2020 and if he posts another great season like this year he may price himself out of the Yankees plan.
It’s also funny how some people classify Andujar as a “professional hitter”, and say he’ll “definitely hit going forward” after 1 year. Urshela also had 1 good year of hitting as well, and is healthy.
I also think it’s funny you can play minor league baseball and still be considered a rookie but a Japanese player plays 4 years of pro ball over there and suddenly he was too well prepared for Major League Baseball lol
When you have kids at 18 all in rookie and low ball level and same age while you have Japanese ballplayers even if 19 years old they are already seasoned veterans when playing with guys that are in their 30’s is a big difference you are better prepared which is why Japanese ballplayers and Cuban ballplayers are more adapt to get into the big leagues and immediately pay dividends.
I guess you didn’t know the difference why announcers always state Japanese ballplayers are professional that is because they are already playing at a high level by the time they are posted and comes to the MLB.
So yes don’t compare the Japanese Leagues with minors it is a huge difference.
Here is a tidbit from then LOu Pinella:
When Matsui was up for the award in 2003, then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella told ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark:
It’s unfair to our kid—or any kid in any organization who’s coming out of our minor-league system in this country. When you talk about players like Ichiro and Matsui, you’re talking about guys who are much more farther along in their experience and development than our kids over here. It takes these kids three, four, five years to catch up with the guys from Japan, from a standpoint of experience and development.
He has hit in the minors and thus far in the Major leagues it would be different if he never hit at all in any level and then comes up and has that one good year. you will have doubts when scouts and teams state the player can hit and is advanced for his age I take the word of a scout or teams.
The best comparison I have heard to Andujar is Alfonso Soriano..
You wouldn’t have any objections using him with others to get pitching though.
Only for TOR pitchers and with him needing to reestablish his value, it’s not likely to happen. Besides, he’s still got options. No real need to move him yet.
@Joe Says…
Cano is a much better comp. Neither Cano or Andujar have as high of a K rate as Soriano. Cano and Andujar were around 16%. Soriano’s career K rate is around 21% with several years being in the mid 20s.
@SouthBeach.. I was referring more to his defense but I agree on the Cano batting comp.
no room for Miguel, Hicks, or sadly even Betances. can’t string ourselves along on long term injuries and/or flatlining stats.
They are stuck with Hicks. Andujar is worth holding onto. He can slowly ease back into either 3rd or 1st or DH. If he catches fire, give him more time.
Does Whit for Andujar and German make sense?
Hell no. Only KC seems to value Merrifield as a modern day Joe Morgan. I wouldn’t trade either of those players straight up for Merrifield, nevermind both of them. Smh.
The Yankees would love Merrifield’s team friendly contract and above league average bat plus versatility. Especially if all it takes to get him is a currently defensively challenged corner bat with questions about their pitch recognition and patience, and a player who served a suspension this year for domestic violence.
@khopper10
I like Whit but I like Andujar and German too. Since we need pitching trading German, domestic abuse or not, is and can be a good mid-rotation guy. Whit turns 31 in Jan and for whatever reason his SB ability seems to have diminished. 20 SB vs 10 CS?
A lot of stuff out there saying Atlanta should move for him. I’d rather see the Braves trade for Wilson Contreras to strengthen that catcher position. If you’re going to roll the dice on the 3B position, Andujar does not present any more certainty than internal options like Johan Camargo or Austin Riley at this point in his career.
You are right on point for Wilson Contreras a young catcher with a rocket for an arm and someone that can fortify the catching position for years to come in Atlanta but at what price do they pay though to get the Cubs to bite.
As for Miguel Andujar it is laugable at some suggesting Yankees should rid of him and sell low no team will sell their young ballplayer on a down year or lost year due to injury that is ridiculous especially if that young ballplayer had shown he has the bat skills to be kept in the major leagues that is why teams wait it out with these young kids like a Rafael Devers,you have to let them mature,
@Spare Tire Dixon
I could see Atlanta wanting to see Andujar play in 2020 to make sure he can return to 2018 form and the two you mentioned are better gloves but there’s no question that if Andujar recovers completely his bat is much better than either of the two you mentioned. Riley CAN improve like any other rookie but his rookie year of .226/.279/.471 with a similar walk rate (5.4 to 3.9) yet horrible k rate of 36% which is 20% higher than Andujar is far behind Andujar’s rookie year in 2018.
Camargo is 1 year older than Andular, had a lesser 2018 than him and seriously regressed last year and posted a 233/.279/.384 slash last year and was injured to.
I’m not expecting Andujar to be traded without seeing him on the field but I’m not to worried about his performance in 2020. It shouldn’t effect him since he’s had a ton of time to recuperate. Kemp and Upton Jr are the only two I can remember that struggled following a recovery from a torn labrum but they were already in their 30s and their hitting struggled in seasons prior to the surgery. .
Unless blown away- keep andujar. Neither Gio nor Andujar have a track record of more than one year of success and in Gio’s case his 3 prior years were pretty much useless.
There is plenty of room for both at the moment and healthy competition is good.
Miguel’s value is ridiculously overvalued by this site. Cashman saying teams have been calling on him was posturing. Defensively Limited coming off injury & low OBP? Not exactly the player teams covet. Maybe he can move to 1st Base, but teams have shown platooning that position over one designated guy is preferred. If you wanted to talk a fair trade?
How about to the Marlins for Trevor Rogers? Maybe Marlins throw in one of their MLB ready relievers for a prospect to make the deal palatable.
Or maybe a fit with the Rangers? Andujar for a pitching prospect.
@Socrates Curveball
Take the time to ho to fangraph and you will learn that 94 players had at least 300 AB with a defensive war of -5 or worse, many of them are guys that are playing because of their bats. The idea that Andujar wouldn’t have value with an .855 OPS and 80 extra base hits is insanely stupid. Nick Casttelanos is rated as the 8th best FA this winter predicted to sign for 4/$58 mil and you guys think Andujar has no market of teams that would want him and his 4 years of control? Just silly.
His low obp is 328 and with time that could easily rise as he learns the strike zone better. However there are very few players in the major leagues who could post a near 300 average with 74 extra base hits. Not only did Andujar do that he did that as a rookie.In comparison this year Bregman had 78 xbhs The teams you talked about would be coveting that and the obvious potential to be a big time power hitter.It’s easy to dwell on a low obp but that doesn’t begin to show Andujars value as a hitter.
No question he has talent and upside. But I wouldn’t count on OBA improvement. Could happen, but also possible that opposing coaches and pitchers find weaknesses to exploit. All the more reason for him to start 2020 in minors to work on pitch recognition and get his arm back.
Well while you might be right the fact that he hit so many extra base hits suggests he makes good contact often. In comparison while obviously Manny Machado is a far superior fielder and came up much earlier.I think there are similarities in the way they hit.In Machados first full year he hit 282 with a 314 obp 51 doubles and 14 hrs. InAndujars rookie year 297 ba 328 obp 47 doubles and 27 hrs. Both had a lot of extra base hits a very decent ba and a not so good obp. Since then Machados hr totals and obp have gone up. I have no reason to doubt the same for Andujar
The guy could end up an all star. No argument about the possibility. I grew up a Twins fan and Kirby Puckett was never known for his willingness to take a walk. But coming off an injury that jeopardizes his throwing ability leaves him with either working to prove his arm is ready to resume 3B play, or be trained at a new position. Neither of those options should be taking place at the major league level. And a year of rust will have to be worked out in the hitting mechanics and pitch recognition, as he sure didn’t do anything last year. Again, clean that up in the minors while evaluating future plans for Voit and Urshela. If Urshela continues his solid play, he creates a nice problem of who to trade once Andujar is ready, or he could become a super sub like Marwin Gonzalez.
@@Finlander
Andujar has been a high contact low strike out hitter his entire minor league career. It’s not that he doesn’t recognize pitches and strikes out. He puts them in play and hits the ball pretty hard. He has to learn to let the pitcher walk. He’s aggressive the same way Cano and Vlad Sr were. He could regress but i think he’s more likely to remain a above average contact hitter and if he can raise his 4.6% walk rate to 8 or 9% then you’re talking about a .290/.350 power hitter with a knack for 40-50 doubles and 25-30 homers. I don’t think those are far fetched numbers seeing as how he did it his 1st year. Being around professional hitters might help the process. Yanks seem to have a knack for fixing flaws in it’s hitters
Right now the Yanks have the third highest WAR as a team behind the Astros and Dodgers. They have won over 100 games the last 2 years. The only thing they need is a front line pitcher.
One ????
@crazylarry
ACE-Severino-Paxton-Tanaka-German with Happ and Montgomery on the outside looking in. Yeah…one. Severino is an ace who just needs to know it. His numbers have him as a top 5-10 pitcher in 2017-18
contact hitting bats too…..
That fried for andujar I liked, but I think it would be smart for the yankees to involve the cubs, they’ll be prospects but the main pieces are andujar to cubs, fried to ny, Bryant to atl
Brewers maybe? Young and controllable attracts the Brewers for sure.
Machado and Paddock for
Sanchez, Stanton, Garcia, German, Andujar, Frazier, Montgomery, Loaisiga, Happ and Ellsbury.
Yankees sign Grandal to replace Sanchez.
Preller hangs up the phone
One trade option to consider is trading Andujar to dump salary to make room for Cole.
@emac22
Andujar is pre-arb. He earns nothing in 2020.
Not really sure why people think Andujar is worth all that much. Dude without a position, a butcher when he plays, and his offense is of that hyper-aggressive, no-OBP type that no one wants anymore. He’s Kyle Schwarber without Schwarber’s patience at the plate. I don’t think he returns much more than a back end starter at best. Which, in the end, is probably why he hasn’t been traded (nothing to do with Cashman’s loyalty).
Same can be said for trade proposals here. Kluber cant stay healthy and when he is he’s more along a middle of the road pitcher now. Andujar can still be coached and has plenty of room to grow, Kluber has seen his best miles behind him! On paper Cleveland and NY are prime trade candidates if neither side over values their position. As far as Lindor is concerned, if the Indians want to hold him and get nothing in the end, that’s their prerogative. The smart move is move him while you already have another shortstop in the minors that you can bring up and let him learn. Fill out all the holes you have in your outfield and bullpen with the trade as well. Yankees have what the Indians covet and vice versa. Come together and kill all the nonsense with one move.
Baseballfreak, Who made you the expert on what the Indians should do?
The Indians have several shortstop prospects, but they are all very young and not ready for MLB. Their top middle infielder prospect played at high A. and is not ready. You have very little knowledge of the Indians and their organization.
As for the Indians and Yankees being prime trade candidates, I just do not see it.. What the Yankees will be willing to trade, Andujar, Frazier, and prospects, do not fit the needs of the Cleveland Indians. What the Indians will want, the Yankees will say no. You talk about each side not overvaluing their positions, I suggest that is what you are doing with the Yankees.
If the Cleveland Indians make Francisco Lindor available, the Indians will set their price and not vary from it. I don’t see two DHs being what that the Indians would want. There will be no deal between the Yankees and Indians regarding Francisco Lindor.
Better to deal with the team with the most immediate ready talent, and by far better overall talent…Dodgers
That I can agree with. It’s fairly obvious that Indians fans over value their few trade candidates. They have no leverage with Kluber as I’ve covered. They’re losing their leverage with Lindor because he’s sick of playing for Cleveland. They basically need to get whatever they can out of these two while they can. Their horrendous outfield could be the first place to start. Frazier and Andujar are both young and could easily be coached by Francona. Hell, he put Manny Ramirez in left field even when he couldn’t hardly move and got him to play. Dodgers would be an even better trade though. They both have players coveted by each other and they would neither overplay their hands. I like your way of thinking cereal.
They’re looking for salary relief to sum up you question and with Kluber eating up a lot of it, you can trade him and get a coach able 3b that you obviously don’t have a clue about. Manny Machado certainly didn’t begin his career as an elite fielder. He was coached and given room to grow into it. But since the Indians want an elite 3b, how about Urshela and Adams for Lindor and Kluber? That’s about what you’re going to get in that swap. Kluber is exactly what I said he is, wrong side of 30 and an injury risk. The only bonus the Yankees get is a perennial all star SS for an elite 3b. Maybe we throw in an outfield prospect to fill in your horrid holes out there. Done deal and both sides smile thinking they got what they want. Cleveland is in the same boat as Miami as far Lindor is concerned. Either get it while you can or lose that window of opportunity like you did with Kluber. It’s your decision. But regardless, we’ve seen how Cleveland can blow their many opportunities. Yankees don’t really have to trade unless they want to free up more room for free spending. They could just sign Cole and Wheeler which I don’t think they’ve totally ruled out, and let Cleveland settle their mess elsewhere. Trade Andujar, Frazier and whichever 1b you can get value out of and win the World Series and replenish your farm a little in these trades to hopefully make a run at a dynasty. That would be logical thinking on all fronts though.
Baseball Freak,
You are an absolute moron if you think Urshela and Adams get Lindor and Kluber. You are not worth discussing baseball with because you obviously know very little. Go do your homework. Your bedtime is coming soon.
@Baseballfreak
Dude….cmon bruh. Urshella and Adams wouldn’t get us anyone comparable to Lindor. Besides, Yanks aren’t going to trade top prospects (not saying Gio or Adams are prospects) for Lindor or any other SS. They are better off bringing back Didi or moving Torre to SS. Yanks have a few lower level prospects that will have some top 100 love in 2020 if they continue to progress. Sadly, if a prospect isn’t on a top 100 list then these ppl don’t see them as prospects. Pretty subjective bull imo.
Why would they trade him when his value is down?
Trade Urshela. He won’t repeat his career year. His trade value will never be higher. Torres should be moved to 3B. He’s not a good defensive SS. Bring back DiDi. He’s elite defensively, and this team needs better defense. LeMahieu back to his natural 2B. And Andujar should be training this offseason for 1B. His throws were the primary cause of his errors. That can be covered up at 1B.
What do you do with Voit? I say trade Urshela while his value is at its highest and keep the infield how it was last year: DJLM bouncing around and giving everyone rest but still providing high quality defense, Didi at SS, Gleyber at 2B, Voit at 1B, Andujar at 3B
Yankees fans: we need high contact hitters!!
Also Yankees fans: lets trade Andujar!!!
@Begamin
So on point. I don’t get the rationale of some Yankee fans. Never satisfied with what we have. At least keep what you have until something better comes along. Considering Stanton’s health we might have a need for a replacement and we might have AB for Gio at 3B and Andujar at DH. After all, we did acquire EE and Moralres to replace Stanton when he was injured. Yanks shouldn’t be in a rush to trade away their depth unless there’s a reason to. Right now Andujar and Urshela are both cheap with years of control left. .
gents- I’m not sure people are quite saying that these two things are mutually exclusive
I think there is a general statement which is true about the yanks needing more DJ types and less reliance on the strikeout of homer mentality.as defined by stanton, judge, sanchez, voigt, EE etc…
At the same time there are people questioning whether or not to trade miggy. This is based on several factors; need, injuries, value, confidence in Gio….
personally, i’d keep him unless offered something you can’t refuse.
You know it’s funny. Yankee fans and Red Sox fans hold a rivalry towards each other but have the same perspective of their team. Why would you trade a promising young talent and keep an older veteran that’s about to hit his fall. I’d keep Andujar and forget last season. He had 49 plate attempts. He costs a tenth of Stantons salary and played almost as much. If I were in the front office I’d dump Stanton and Gio while they hold value. Get some pitching prospects because you have hitters for decades. As Andujars defense goes, he’s still a kid. Work on him.
This is what the Yankees do I been tired of it for years. They keep old men into their late 30’s
Andujar needs to show his hitting skills remain intact post the surgery and Urshela needs to show 2019 wasn’t a fluke before a trade can be considered.
Andujar would be a great get for the Braves depending on the price
Big mistake if we traded him Gio had a great season but he has never hit like that and I don’t think he will keep it up. So we need to keep Miggy just for insurance send him to Triple A and see if Gio can do it and if he can’t call up Miggy and have Gio replace him for defense late in the games
Andujar is a high-caliber big league hitter and it would be foolish to send him to AAA, He could be one of the premier right-handed batters for the next decade, somebody like Vlad. I have little doubt that Urshela will continue to hit well, it is pretty obvious that the light went on last year, so the problem is where to play Andujar. As much as I like Voit I think Andujar’s hitting is going to be far superior so I see him as out first baseman if he can learn the position. The idea that he should be judged on his performance in 2019 when he played injured is silly, considering what we saw in 2018. He deserves a chance in the Yankee lineup before thinking trade.