Anyone else watching the Yankees....
 

... a thread inspired by the long-lasting and useful "Anyone else watching the Knicks..." thread which, while nobody else really is watching the Knicks around here, is a useful sounding board for me.

Also, I am impressed by the staying power of the "Mets" thread which looks likely to continue uninterrupted for many a season to come. Why bother having a new thread every year for the same old team? (Good or bad as they may be.)

So this is the thread that I am going to dig up and post to from now on whenever I have something to say about the New York Yankees. Welcome.

Here we go: I hope Troy Tulowitzki is the starting shortstop until the return of Didi Gregorius. Let's face it, he's a cheap solution to the problem, a one-year rental at the league minimum salary (the Blue Jays are paying him the rest of his contract because they released him).

But why do I hope Tulowitzki is the shortstop? Because I do NOT want Manny Machado on the team. Nobody has asked my opinion, though. Maybe they will read it here. :p

EDIT: But Bru, Tulowitzki is 34 and hasn't played since 2017 (66 games). Can you count on him? Answer: Don't care. I'd rather have Tyler Wade (.167 in 2018) play SS for the Yankees than Machado. Think of it this way, too: When Gregorius does return, what happens to him if Machado is on the team? Is Didi out? Probably not. Then does he move to 2B or Machado move to 3B? Either way, that's the end of the Yankee potential for either Torres or Andujar. I would much rather have either of those guys around than Machado. Why? Because Machado is the type of man who disgusts me and will be bad for team chemistry.

I don't think you have much to worry about with Machado. It would appear that the Bronx Bombers have decided to buy every reliever in the game. Always loved this piece by The Onion. An oldy, but a goody/classic.

Take care of Tulo OK? Don't break him. Rockies fans loved him, and Blue Jays fans loved him, but I think Blue Jays fans came to love the idea of Tulo more than the actual guy because he was never around. He was good for the kids when he was around though, and he will be good for Gleyber and Andujar. As for me, I think I'll focus on New Hampshire and Buffalo this year, as it's going to be a long year north of the border. :(

Heh, that brought a chuckle to these parched, cracked lips. Particularly this image with the superimposed heads. :laugh:

Well, misery is funny (for outsiders), so the Mets thread will always be there in some way. Meanwhile…

This. Machado is the most evil, seething, smoldering cancer on any major league roster today. A royal **** and a crybaby on top of that. I'd rather have my team win 86 and go home than sign him and win 92 and play in October.

This means Westheim is now obligated to start a Brooklyn Nets thread.

On top of all that his current haircut makes him look distinctly like...uh...well...um...a meth-head. I mean seriously dude. The hell you doin'? :confused:

meth head? So he looks like Bobby Higginson?

Maybe not meth head. Maybe "skid" is more like it. Who knows...It looks dumb.

Yankees just signed LeMahieu:

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...ny-machado-mix

I like this deal, I don't think the Yankees need much more power just guys that can get on base and be disruptive to opposing pitchers, which makes those close games more winnable.

I wish the Yankees would acquire another starter but I don't know one that is out there. Would have to be a trade.

Also what is going on with Gray? Have we found someone to trade with?

...And don't forget about his tremendous defense at 2B. *Sigh* Just going to make it an even longer season in Toronto.

Newsday speculates that they will now turn around and trade Torres or Andujar for a starter. I guess it's inevitable that one or both of those guys is going to be leaving the team especially if Machado signs with them.

I can't say that I like the way things are going here . . .

As for Gray, they may be having trouble moving him.

Who do they have at 1B? Andujar looks like a guy that should move there because his defense at 3B is horrifying, and given that he should get better as he heads towards his peak, the bat is definitely going to play there.

At first they have a possible Voit/Bird platoon or just sticking with the hot hand. I don't like the idea of losing Andujar after the kind of offensive season he had. I don't know what the Yankees are planning on doing but we will see shortly I guess.

Why can't they put Andujar at the fake position? Is that still occupied by Stanton? Leave Giancarlo alone, he can play outfield well enough…

Why am I helping the Evil Empire?

Because spending all of your time in that dungeon of a "Mets" thread has affected your health and you need a breath of fresh air once in a while. Just stay away from the "Anyone else watching the Knicks" thread or you will take a sharp turn for the worse. :rolleyes:

(types "knicks" into the search bar at Wikipedia)

ESPN: "The New York Yankees' bullpen is positively terrifying. They added Adam Ottavino — on a three-year, $27 million deal — to a group that already includes Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Zach Britton, Chad Green and Jonathan Holder, among others. The best pen in the game, period."

Now, if we could only figure out what is going on in the infield? It's getting late to be still hot stove league time. This is the depth chart before they sign Machado:

"Mariano Rivera, the career saves leader whose elegant efficiency helped the Yankees win five World Series, became the first player ever elected unanimously to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday."

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/22/s...gtype=Homepage

I'm generally a pacifist, but if anybody could find a bad word to say about the man, I think I might have to punch them in the mouth...And then feel shame...Because Mo would not approve.

For one night in his life, Vernon Wells can say he got the better of the only unanimous HoFer in baseball history so far. That night was Thursday July 20, 2006 when he hit an 11th inning walkoff HR off Mo.

Interestingly enough, the starting pitchers that night?...Mike Mussina for the visitors and Roy Halladay for the home side. Ah, baseball...You are the most incredible game ever invented.

Picture below is of Vernon circling the bases in triumph. I'm quite sure Mo walked off the field with quiet grace and dignity holding his head high because...well...that was what he always did, even in defeat, and even in defeat in games with much more at stake. What an amazing human. :)

Kudos to Moose, for making the HoF of course, but also for this classy decision which is very respectful of Orioles and Yankees fans. Sure, some of those fans would prefer their own team's hat but this is best, when one's HoF career is rather evenly divided between a couple of teams of longstanding.

Attachment 599034

If he had to choose, however, I think it would go to the Birds on his hat:

Attachment 599035

I can't fault him for not choosing. He had his best years as an oriole anyways.

I thought he should've gone in as an Oriole, given that his best years and the majority of his career happened there. I'm sure he gave it the same amount of careful thought as he did in carving up the hitters he faced in his long, distinguished career though, and arrived at the right decision for him which is what it should be. He showed me a side of himself that I had never seen before at the HoF press conference. The dude is hilariously sneaky funny. I never would've guessed as he always seemed so serious. Learn something new every day I guess. :)

Also, the pressure is off now. I'm retiring soon and I'm surprising myself with how pleasant I am to everybody these days. ;)

I just realized that Andujar and Torres are both still on the team! So far . . .

Now Ellsbury has plantar fasciitis and will not begin spring training with the team. I don't want to be harsh - I'm not sure why I care other than a general loyalty to the team - and I do sympathize if all of these injuries have been actual and meaningful, but the time should come soon when the Yankees need to cut this fellow. It's their money and roster, of course, but this perpetually injured status, particularly injuries suffered while being injured, is an indication of at least a player being washed up physically, if not mentally.

Based on my observations of Cashman, they'll pay down 95% of the remaining contract, and pick up a couple of decent prospects from some sucker team that believes they are the ones that can fix everything that ails him...Because Cashman has compromising pictures of the other 29 GMs of course. :laugh:

Of course you don't want to be harsh. You're a nice guy. I'm not.

Ellsbury is utterly and completely useless. He's as soft and fragile as a milk-soaked Twinkie. At this juncture, he's little more than a complete waste of a valuable roster spot.

By hook or by crook, Cashman needs to expunge this balsa wood bozo from their roster. I'd rather see his roster spot filled by a perpetually light-hitting pipsqueak with grit and guts like Tyler Wade than by someone like Flopsbury, who can't even get it up to suit up. In fact, I'd rather have ANYONE fill that roster spot other than Flopsbury, including most convicted felons and/or war criminals.

He's a bum.

Heh, this may be like waving a red flag at a bull, but think of this: He earned over $21 million last year just for rehabbing all year (and still managing to re-injure himself). That was on top of the games that he missed in 2017 and those that he apparently will miss to begin 2019.

[ducks :)]

I forget about Ellsbury. I guess he is not going anywhere. I wish he would get healthy though so at least he can contribute to the team somewhat. Yankees are paying him might get something out of him.

It's easy to forget about Flopsbury. After all, out of sight, out of mind.

Meh, no need to duck. It's no secret that Flopsbury is essentially soaking the Yankees for Djibouti's GDP. No doubt, he's one of the primary reasons why Cashman has become extremely careful and selective when delving into the FA market.

I never thought anyone would surpass Carl Pavano in terms of lack of value per dollar. Boy, was I wrong.

Regarding the clock experiment, I'm with J.A. Happ. It's absolutely asinine. Direct quote from Happ:


“I don'’t think the numbers prove the game needs it and it doesn’t feel right.’


Manfred is starting to make Dud Selig look like David Stern and Lee Iaccoca rolled into one. He should put that twenty second clock on himself and see how many genuinely innovative ideas he can come up with in that time to help aggressively market and promote the sport he thinks is so hopelessly broken.

Whoa dude! Tell us how you really feel! ;) Don't worry, he'll be gone soon enough, and if they put him on the 60-day DL (where he'll give the Yankees the greatest value he possibly can...Ba-dum-tss!...I'll be here all week...Try the veal), that'll open up a spot on the 25-man roster. Win/win for you guys. ;)

Well, the good news is that Flopsbury still has (as far as I know) ten perfectly breakable finger nails. That's ten chances of him ending up on the 60-day IL (No more DL, BTW. The word "Disabled" has been officially adjudged an irredeemably offensive non-word by the Ministry of Truth) opening a jar of pickles, scratching himself behind the ear, or clicking the "Return" button on his bank's website while checking to see if those unearned salary checks he's getting are still being promptly deposited by his employer.

Three words: Hire. Tonya. Harding.

Blech! Have you seen Tonya Harding these days? Maybe I'd hire her to do an aftershave commercial, but for anything else, I'd rather spare the innocent retinas of everyone involved.


Besides, there's no need for actual physical contact to take place to knock Flopsbury out of action. I'd wager that the infinitesimal seismic ripple caused by a single coconut falling from a tree on some remote island in the Pacific 5,000 miles away would probably suffice in knocking hm off the active roster for the remainder of the season.

This sentiment is right out the window and down the street for me after today's game. As far as I'm concerned he spat on the entire fanbase after we gave him two shots at a ring in 2015 and 2016, and watched him take just 987 plate appearances in 3 seasons plus 61 games, or 292 plate appearances per 162 games. Thanks for the DL memories. Thanks for your sterling contribution to the team.


I loved having you on our team, but in the end I realized I loved the idea rather than the reality of having you on our team. Nice to see you contributing to another team (in a spring training game), and good to see you've re-discovered the competitive fire that you were seldom able to display here because you were broken all the time. I was going to wish you well, but you spat on my team today, and you spat on the fans of this team across Canada, so get stuffed...


https://giphy.com/gifs/1rLwYGtV2A6juuf7Bh

I feel your pain. If there's any justice here, the Yanks will release Flopsbury, the Jays will sign him, and he'll rediscover the fine art of playing baseball on something other than a PlayStation 4.


He'd actually be a great fit for the Jays, if he could stay healthy for more than twenty seconds, that is. Ellsbury's skill set is exactly what teams who played on turf used to look for back in the day: Speed & gap power.


Oh well. What can you do? As Captain Quint would say: "Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women." :friday:

Yanks giving Hicks a 7-year extension has got to be a sign of something. Boone called him "maybe the most underrated player in the game" but 7 years at age 29? It looks like Cashman is using the cash, man, that he saved on not splurging on Machado and Harper to shore up what he's got. I can't say that I disagree, even though the length of the contract has me a bit concerned. At least it's not 10 years.

They just signed Severino to a four-year deal at the same $10 million a year (I would have swapped the contract durations for these two players) and the article that I read speculated that the Yankees would look to be doing the same with Gregorius and maybe even Judge and Sanchez; i.e., signing them to good contracts before they even get out of arbitration, much less into free agency.

Looks like they think they have a good, young team on their hands and they want to lock it in rather than gamble on outsiders. If so, I like this idea.

I agree that seven years is a pinch too long for Hicks. I genuinely like Hicks and I agree wholeheartedly with Cashman about him being underrated. However, I would've thought that 5 years would have been the sweet spot with Hicks in terms of locking him up long term, especially considering his recent history of injuries.

That said, I have no problem with what Cashman is doing right now. The Yanks have traditionally avoided the tactic of locking up young (or in the case of Hicks, strictly), arbitration eligible players to long-term deals. I've always been baffled by this. Why pay more for a player down the road who factors prominently into your long-term plans?

At any rate, kudos to Cash for this & the Severino deal. I'd like to see them lock up The Judge as well for the next 6-7 years.

Dola,

I'm glad the Rox signed Arenado to that long-term deal. Not that I care about the Rockies, but between this and Machado going to the Padres, hopefully this will put to bed once and for all any talk of trading and/or moving Miguel Andjuar.


All this kid has done since being called up from the minors is produce, and produce BIG at that. Apart from him wrongfully not winning (IMO) the ROTY Award, it greatly offended my sense of justice that he was essentially talked about in the media and elsewhere this winter like he was an expendable commodity at best, and an overachieving, defensive liability at worst.


Andujar is a keeper, and I'm confident that he will only get better defensively at third.

Well, he's a late bloomer who's just coming into his own. Perhaps that will extend his peak window, so you won't have to worry about the back end of the deal too much. He can contribute to the team in so many ways. I think he's really found something at a later than normal stage of his career. He broke out at age 27, with great on base skills, tremendous power, above average baserunning, above average defense, and an absolute hose for an arm. If you were to ask me, I'd say a reasonable comp is Jose Bautista. Jose was a much, much better hitter, but Hicks has other attributes that bring him closeish to Jose. I would say at their best, in their primes, Jose's definitely the better player, but Hicks keeps himself in spitting distance with the more well rounded game.

Both were late bloomers. Jose's breakout started in the final month of his age 28 season, and lasted all the way through his age 34 season. That's sevenish seasons if you're counting, which is the same length as Hicks' contract. You can't beat the price for what Hicks brings to the table, so the team should be really happy, and Hicks must be over the moon to get such life changing money when it looked like he was destined to become a washout who had teased the Twins with what must've been massive potential.

Yep, he was highly thought of alright...Baseball America had him at #39 heading into 2009, #19 heading into 2010, #45 heading into 2011, and #72 heading into 2013. He was on those lists a long time, which speaks to how highly he was regarded, but also to how close he came to being a washout. You don't want to spend too much time on those lists because it means you're stalling out/not getting where you want to go. A guy who plays for his former team, Byron Buxton, is a much more extreme example of this as he was #10, #1, #2, and #2 heading into 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. Buxton has sooo much raw talent, and is only 25 this year, but you have to wonder if he's ever going to fulfill his potential, which is absolutely unlimited.

As for Boone's comment, I'm really leery of the whole such and such is the best/most whatever in the game. Hicks is definitely one of the most underrated position players in the game, but Anthony Rendon is far more underrated, and possibly the most underrated position player in all of baseball. You never hear word one about him and despite being quite the studly player, he's never been to an All-Star Game, which to me is ridiculous. He should've been to at least two and possibly three by now, but...nothing. Not a peep. He's been top 6 in MVP voting twice and was number 11 once, but no All-Star Game for him. It's a traveshamockery really. :rolleyes:

One of the guys at MLB Trade Rumors made a good point about the Hicks extension. He thought the $10 mil a year is very cheap for Hicks and all that really matters is they get $70 mil worth of value, whether it's over 4 years or 7 years. Basically, he thinks Hicks is worth the $70 mil even if he may not be productive over the full 7 years. If he ends up tanking and they have to release him, it's only a $10 mil against the luxury tax cap.

You guys make interesting points. Thanks.

EDIT: Capo, big thumbs up on your opinion of Andujar. I've been on pins and needles this winter, waiting for the boom to be lowered on him and he's still here with us! I have a feeling that in a few years, we are going to be looking back and shaking our heads that we ever, ever were talking about the possibility of him being traded.

Well, well, well. Guess who's looking all revitalized and ready to take on the world and six other galaxies to boot....Greg Bird.

He did this a couple of years ago, remember? He looked like Babe Ruth in ST only to hit like Ruth Buzzi when the season started. I'm tired of Bird giving us tantalizing glimpses of the monster slugger he could be if only his Jupiter would finally align with his Mars.


That said, the prospect of having him finally fulfill some of his vast potential and emerge as that big lefty bat the lineup needs is oh so tempting. And no, I'm not forgetting about Luke Voigt. So far this spring he appears to be gearing up to pick up right where he left off last year, which bodes well for both Voigt and the Yanks.

It's not as if Boone has any other viable options at first. A Bird/Voigt platoon at first has the potential to produce 30-40 hr & 100+ RBI. It also has the potential to be the lightest hitting Yankee 1B tag-team since a washed-up Bob Watson and a Never-Was Dave Revering combined to hit an anemic .206 w/ 10 hrs & a .294 OBP in the strike year of 1981.

I guess we'll see.

Tulowitzki is playing well but that was never an issue with him. Just his health.

EDIT: This duel between Bird and Voight is interesting, but again, health is the key particularly for Bird. If he so much as stubs his toe this spring training, he is done.

Just don't let him handle his own luggage...He could get a season ending bout of "Samsonitis". :) :D :laugh:

Yanks are shutting down Luis Severino for two weeks due to rotator cuff inflammation. He will likely miss Opening Day.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...ss-opening-day

The headline here should read: USS NY Yankees scrapes Iceberg. Slow sinking possible.

Heh, that reminded me of Michael Ray Richardson: "The ship be sinking." (Context: the collapse of the NY Knicks 1981-1982 season. News to Michael Ray: The ship still be sunk all these years later, but that's another thread. ;))

Well, let's hope that it's not serious because of this batch of possible replacements, I do not have high confidence: Luis Cessa, Jonathan Loaisiga and Domingo German. Every one of them had an ERA over 5.00 last season.

I was ready to take umbrage at Sonny Gray blaming his bad performance in pinstripes to the "the organization pushed him to throw a slider far more often than he wanted to" but then I rethought a bit.

I read this:
That's quite a shift and, assuming that his assertion is true that management was messing with his pitching repertoire, may indeed explain, somewhat, why he fell down in New York. But speaking of that, I also remember reading that he was much better away from New York than in Yankee Stadium, which may point to a more pressing reason for his futility.

EDIT: Uh, no. I misread that quote and I needed to lay out the numbers to keep them straight:

Attachment 608597

I'm a bit concerned that the percentages don't add up to 100%; what was the rest, knuckleball or eephus? :)

But assume that the numbers are correct for his slider, going across. That would indicate the guy is full of crap. The other reason comes to fore as a result: He couldn't take the pressure of playing in NYC.