Aaron Hicks

Are the Yankees officially done with Brett Gardner in the outfield?

by
New York Yankees, Brett Gardner

The New York Yankees have several tough decisions to make during the 2019-20 off-season. One of those decisions will be to either retain or cut outfielder, Brett Gardner. An argument can be made that Gardner should be the Yankees starting centerfielder in 2020, especially with Aaron Hicks recovering from Tommy John surgery and expected to be out until August. At 36 years old, Gardner had one of his best seasons at the plate, earning 28 home runs and a .829 OPS over 98 games.

The Yankees veteran serves more of a purpose than just his offensive and defensive capabilities. He’s one of the leaders on the team and is essential to the clubhouse morale and atmosphere. After smashing his bat against the roof of the dugout last season, it became a sign of success for the Yankees, who often mimicked his tendency after recording hits and home runs.

The Yankees shouldn’t think twice about re-signing Gardner, primarily because of Hicks’s absence. Gardner is already familiar with the team and their style of play, and his familiarity with the crowd only benefits the Yankees. Re-signing him on a one year deal could be precisely what the team needs to supplement the loss in the outfield.

Brett Gardner surprised everybody in 2019:

The veteran outfielder struggled immensely during 2018, hitting .236. As per FanGraphs, Gardner’s line drive rate dropped to 17.9% compared to 22.3% in 2017. He also hit only 12 home runs before recording 28 this past year. After an abysmal 2018 season, he came back to hit .251 in 2019 and contributed stellar defense, which helped the success of the team. His .996 fielding percentage or five defensive runs saved in the outfield makes him a prime candidate to return.

While Gardner probably won’t be the starting option the entire season, he is a stellar reserve player and knows the Yankees way. He is emotional and an absolute leader in all facets of the game. He also has tremendous experience in the postseason and can help younger players succeed down the stretch. However, the Yankees could stick with Mike Tauchman, who is stable on defense and hit .315 in the second half of the season before straining his calf in August.

Tauchman is also under team controlled salary for two more seasons and will be much cheaper than re-signing Gardner. Both are reliable options and should be considered by the Yankees moving forward.

Yankees’ Clint Frazier’s time in the Bronx could be coming to an end

by
New York Yankees, Clint Frazier

The New York Yankees came close to trading away outfielder Clint Frazier last offseason at the deadline, but he stayed put in their minor league system after creating a disturbance in the locker room due to defensive issues. The Yankees don’t tolerate negative emotions tarnishing their image or atmosphere, which is why Frazier was sent back down to AAA ball faster than he could swing his bat.

He commented back at his anger and frustration following an error-ridden night against the Boston Redsox in June:

“I don’t regret [not speaking to the media]. To be fair, I don’t think I owe anyone an explanation, because it’s not a rule that I have to speak.”

Frazier was having a nice season offensively, despite his defensive woes. His .267 batting average and 38 RBIs helped the Yankees survive a slew of injuries throughout the season, which ultimately helped them win their division and skip right to the ALDS with 103 total wins.

The New York Yankees need to find a use for Clint Frazier:

There’s no question Frazier holds value, but how much is the question. After grading above average in several categories offensively, his defensive skills saw his stock plummet. Multiple errors and dropped fly balls put him in the dog house rather quickly, and the Bombers could look to leverage him for pitching support this offseason.

After spending a few weeks in the minors, Frazier earned a second chance at life with the Yanks and manager, Aaron Boone. His return was abysmal, though, as he slashed .176/.243/.353 with just one homer and 11 strikeouts over 37 plate appearances. That spelled the end for Clint, and he was subsequently left off the postseason roster following his inconsistent season — defensively and emotionally.

However, with Cameron Maybin and Brett Gardner potentially moving, and Aaron Hicks recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Yankees could still use Frazier as a reserve option. If they elect not to trade him away, he has a serviceable bat and could provide value defensively if he works on his trade.

Having a 0.1 fWAR this past season, Frazier’s contribution towards the 2019 campaign wasn’t significant. The team didn’t rely on him for the most part, even during stretches of injury. That argument would indicate that Frazier could be on the trading block, but it all boils down to who the Yankees bring in as reserve options.

New York Yankees: Why we cannot trust GM Brian Cashman to sign Gerrit Cole

by
New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was right. It wasn’t pitching that lost the ALCS to the Houston Astros, who currently lead the World Series 3-2. Failing to drive runners in from scoring positions doomed the Bombers, and it was a reality that nobody imagined after such a dominate 2019 season on the bases.

As the Yankees featured top sluggers and contact hitters up and down their batting order, it didn’t seem to be enough to scrape out a win against an equally talented opponent. Their starting pitching was far more efficient than the Yankees’, though.

Trusting Cashman to upgrade a starting pitching rotation that suffered through constant injuries and inconsistencies throughout the season might be tough, and his reasoning for losing to Houston might attest to that.

 “Pitching is not what cost us that series with the Astros, at least in my opinion. I felt that our hitting with runners in scoring positions is what sent us home,” he said during his season-ending press conference this past Thursday.

Manager Aaron Boone went on to back up that statement. Still, there’s no question that adding an arm like Gerrit Cole would make the Yankees exponentially more dangerous, especially during the postseason. If you can’t beat them, join them…so they say.

Starter James Paxton, who was stellar during the playoffs with a 2.16 ERA (2 runs allowed in two games), reinforced the beliefs of Boone and Cashman, and I’m sure he’s confident he can earn the top spot after his showing this postseason. Cole would undoubtedly ruin those plans.

“I feel really good about the guys we have.”

“I’m sure they’re gonna go out and look to improve like they always do,’’ Paxton said of potential moves. “We have a great group here, and we can definitely get it done.”

It’s always good for current players to have confidence in their teammates, but the Yankees need to upgrade the top pitching spot, and if it means bringing in a player that barely ever misses time due to health issues, then so be it.

What would Gerrit Cole cost the New York Yankees?

Cole’s value is tremendous, but he will come at a cost. Somewhere in the $30+ million per-season range, to be exact. Cashman will have to take the “cash” out of his name to pay for a player like Cole, but it would be worth every penny considering the depth the Yanks currently have.

The New York Yankees outfield is all but secured with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks, Mike Tauchman, and more. The infield still has plenty of options, and third base it the only spot that could be a question mark unless Gio Urshela is the real deal. Miguel Andujar will also be making his expected return from injury.

If there’s any place Cashman can add a massive contract, signing the best pitcher in baseball isn’t an inadequate salary allocation.

New York Yankees will likely trade Clint Frazier during offseason

by
New York Yankees, Clint Frazier

The New York Yankees spared the life of outfielder Clint Frazier this past offseason, as they refused to include him in a potential deal for a top pitching option. Ultimately, Zack Greinke went to the Houston Astros, go figure, and Frazier was left in the minor league system with no hopes of playing in the majors again this past campaign.

After giving passive aggressive answers to media members, Frazier was sent back down to the minors in which he was thought to be trade bait for the deadline on July 31. Now that the Yankees have been eliminated from playoffs, the speculation begins on who could be on the block, and Clint is undoubtedly a valuable asset they could look to utilize.

Why would the New York Yankees trade him?

One reason the Bombers will likely look to move Frazier is that there isn’t a spot for him in the outfield next season. They currently have Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton, Mike Tauchman, and there’s always the possibility Brett Gardner and Cameron Maybin return.

Having four outfielders who will play over Frazier on the 40-man roster makes him expendable. Factor in Tyler Wade, who’s a better defender in every aspect, and we can already kiss “Red thunder” goodbye.

What kind of value does Frazier have?

The outfielder lost a ton of value last season after having issues with his glove. Defensive struggles played a part in his replacing, so we can’t assume he will be a massive bargaining chip in regards to a potential starting pitcher. In reality, the Yanks could look to add a reliable bullpen arm in exchange for Frazier. I don’t believe he can be a centerpiece in a deal at this point in his career, but he could offer great value for a team looking to retool their outfield and add a solid offensive contributor.

New York Yankees: Aaron Hicks doesn’t want Tommy John surgery

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

Aaron Hicks had a crazy season this year with the New York Yankees. After having a pretty good start to the season, he went down in August with an elbow injury and was expected to undergo Tommy John surgery. He was taken off the roster and it seemed like he was done for the season.

Hicks thought differently.

Watching his team demolish the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS, he began throwing and wanted to play again. He worked his way back onto the roster and was in the lineup for some of the games in the ALCS.

Manager Aaron Boone made it clear to Hicks following Game 6 that he noticed and appreciated Hicks’ brave return to the playoffs.

Now that the New York Yankees’ season is done, Hicks could now receive the surgery he needs. But he doesn’t think he needs it.

“Right now, it feels all right,” said Hicks following Game 6 of the ALCS. “For me right now, I don’t see myself having Tommy John. I was throwing the ball around pretty well. So I don’t think so.”

It’s possible that Hicks is one of those select few that could just heal with time and not with surgery. Masahiro Tanaka had a similar issue with his elbow in 2014 and healed with rehab rather than surgery.

If Hicks were to undergo Tommy John surgery, he would most likely miss the beginning of next season. Fans remember when shortstop Didi Gregorius got the surgery following the 2018 ALDS and missed the first two months of the 2019 season.

 

How the New York Yankees can steal game six of the ALCS against Houston

by
New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius, Aaron Judge

The New York Yankees grinded out a phenomenal victory against Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros in their final home game before heading down south. Staving off elimination was no easy feat for the Bombers, who rode a four-run first inning to victory, thanks to a DJ LeMahieu leadoff homer and a three-run blast by Aaron Hicks shortly after.

Verlander was immediately stunned and will undoubtedly be disappointed in his performance Friday night, but he did manage to work his way into the seventh inning without allowing a run after his porous first-inning.

The Yankees have a tall task ahead of them in Houston; however, they may hold the advantage due to their solid bullpen. Game six of the ALCS will be what some call a “bullpen game,” as both teams will tap into their reserve pitchers to help either tie the series or close it once and for all.

The Yankees have the advantage in this category, as their bullpen has been stellar throughout the season, but the ALCS has imposed its will at times. The Astros have quality hitters up and down their lineup, which has proven to be difficult, especially in game four, when Chad Green allowed a three-run blast to Carlos Correa to secure the win for Houston.

Green, who has an 11-4 record when opening games this season, will help give the Yanks a running start on Saturday night, a quick turnaround due to a lost game on Wednesday (bad weather).

It seems, though, that starter James Paxton has been the catalyst for the Bombers, as he’s been at the forefront of both their wins, in games one and five. His 112 pitches across six-innings were the headline of the game, as he mowed down nine batters, allowing just four hits and one run. Unfortunately, he cannot pitch every game.

To win game six, the Yankees have to utilize their bullpen strategically. Green needs to take them into the third inning without giving up any significant damage. It’s also possible they elect to star J.A. Happ, despite his struggles this season. If he can step up to the plate and offer three good innings before handing the ball over to Green, that would be more than acceptable.

Here’s the predicted pitching order for the New York Yankees on Saturday:

1.) J.A. Happ

2.) Chad Green

3.) Zack Britton

4.) Tommy Kahnle

5.) Adam Ottavino

6.) Aroldis Chapman

This order will give them an experienced starter to open the game, a trusted relief pitcher to carry them into the latter portion of the contest, and then their primary closers to finish off the Astros. Now, it all comes down to Gary Sanchez catching the ball and not letting pitches fly by him at an astronomical rate. Sooner rather than later, manager Aaron Boone will need to plug LeMahieu in at catcher.

New York Yankees: Aaron Boone makes another huge batting order mistake

by
New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The New York Yankees and manager Aaron Boone took a different approach to their hitting order on Thursday night, slotting second-baseman Gleyber Torres into the cleanup spot. That move resulted in Torres going 0-for-4 on the night, and striking out in a bases-loaded situation early on in the contest.

Boone has continuously fielded Edwin Encarnacion, who’s parrot has a better chance of making contact with the baseball than he does. The designated hitter finished the night with two strikeouts (0-for-3) and a groundout. Outfielder Cameron Maybin would have been a more suitable option for the DH spot in the scenario that he didn’t replace Brett Gardner.

The ultimate reality of the situation is that the Yankees are down 3-1 in the series against a better team with more proficient pitching. Their starters are too powerful and efficient to bat around, despite the Yankees leaving plenty of men on base and opportunities missed.

To make matters worse for the Yanks, their bullpen has been putrid as well. Adam Ottavino has been torched by Houston, and Chad Green, who has been fantastic, allowed a timely three-run blast to give the Astros a 6-1 lead in the 6th inning.

Going into game five, Boone not only needs to make numerous changes to the batting order, but he needs to lift the emotions of his team. If Houston can win three straight games, the Yankees can surely do it too.

For the Astros, starter Zach Greinke pitched 4.1 innings, allowing just one run and three hits before handing the ball to the bullpen. The Bombers had their chances to strikes, especially in the first inning where they recorded only one run on a bases-loaded scenario with one out.

Who should the New York Yankees switch out in the batting order?

First off, Encarnacion should be benched for eternity. His 1-for-14 cold streak is hurting the team significantly, not to mention fellow slugger, Gary Sanchez’s issues hitting as well. At least Sanchez smashed a two-run homer in the bottom of the 6th to give the Yankees a glimmer of home.

Here’s a look at what the lineup could theoretically look like in game five:

1.) DJ LeMahieu

2.) Aaron Judge

3.) Gleyber Torres

4.) Giancarlo Stanton (?) –> Gary Sanchez

5.) Aaron Hicks

6.) Brett Gardner

7.) Cameron Maybin

8.) Didi Gregorius

9.) Gio Urshela

The defense needs to step up:

Aside from the offensive woes, the New York Yankees struggled defensively on Thursday. They allowed four errors, two coming from LeMahieu at first base and two from Gleyber Torres at second, which allowed two runs on separate occasions. Two of the mistakes occurred in the seventh inning, where the Astros recorded a run and put the game out of reach.

They must elevate their defensive quality and prepare to play a clean game in Houston on Friday night.

New York Yankees: Aaron Boone made horrific mistakes in game three batting order

by
New York Yankees, Brett Gardner

So let’s get this straight, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone not only kept the previously 0-for-9 Edwin Encarnacion in the cleanup spot, but he also featured Brett Gardner right in front of him at No. 3. Gardner is 2-for-9 over the last two losses to the Houston Astros and hasn’t made an impact in any significant way.

The fact is, Gardner could barely even play the field as he crashed into the outfield wall trying to make a warning-track catch. His bat was off, his ability to track fly balls was off, and yet Boone elected to stick with the veteran through thick and thin. Was this a strange sentimental start on behalf of Boone?

Alternatively, Boone could have started speed-demon Cameron Maybin in right field and featured him in the batting order, likely moving him down the list and Gleyber Torres up to the three spot. Torres was the only real threat on Tuesday night against Gerrit Cole, who blanked the Yanks over seven innings despite several concerning innings that nearly resulted in run production.

The Bombers weren’t able to claw away at the Astros and their stellar starting pitchers, though, as Severino allowed two runs early on to dig the Yankees into a hole. The offensive power the New York Yankees featured during the Twins completely turned off due to opposing pitching, but there’s still hope on the horizon.

Based on the struggles of individual players, here’s a revised New York Yankees batting order for game four:

1.) DJ LeMahieu

2.) Aaron Judge

3.) Gleyber Torres

4.) Gary Sanchez

5.) Aaron Hicks

6.) Didi Gregorius

7.) Brett Gardner

8.) Cameron Maybin

9.) Gio Urshela

First off, Edwin Encarnacion has to go — 1-for-13 is despicable, and featuring him in the lineup any longer cannot be justified. Plugging Sanchez into the cleanup spot makes logical sense considering his power, despite his struggles. Since benching him is off the table due to his catching abilities, they can move him up just to take Edwin out.

The reality is, the Yankees need to maximize their effectiveness towards the top portion of the lineup, and stacking it through with high-contact hitters makes the most sense. Generally, the Yanks were in a scoring position more frequently when the top of the batting order was at-bat. Aaron Hicks, the outlier, earned two walks on the day and showed stellar patience against Cole.

Moving him up to the fifth spot in the order gives the Yanks a switch-hitting option that can contribute with discipline behind Sanchez. Also, Brett Gardner has got to GO. His lack of contact is continuous, and his frustration/emotion has taken its toll on his confidence. Unfortunately, the Yanks simply don’t have any other options with Giancarlo Stanton nursing an injured quad.

Putting Maybin in is a necessity for game three.

New York Yankees news, 10/15 – Aaron Boone to make some changes in hitting order

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

Good Morning, New York Yankees Fans!

After a severe loss to the Astros on Sunday, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone will need to find a way to inject more offensive power into the batting order. With Edwin Encarnacion and Brett Gardner accounting for five strikeouts on the night, switching out one of those two options might be beneficial for the team.

In all likelihood, moving Gary Sanchez up the order to the No. 4 spot and replacing him with either Cameron Maybin or Aaron Hicks makes the most sense. Encarnacion hasn’t recorded a hit in two games over nine at-bats. Maybin offers great base-running and a consistent bat (as of late), and Hicks is a switch hitter than can pose a problem towards the end of the lineup against opposing pitchers.

Boone has some tough decisions to make, especially in the first home game with Luis Severino starting. If the Yankees ace can go five innings, they will be in good shape handling the rest of the game, but the offense will have fits with Astros star pitcher, Gerrit Cole, who enters the game with a 0.57 ERA over two games this postseason.

Tackling Cole and putting a few runs on the board will be difficult, but there’s a reason they saved him for the first game of the away-stretch. The Yankees, however, could take advantage of Cole’s deficiency this past season. As one of the best pitchers in baseball, Cole struggled a bit in the long ball department, allowing 29 home runs and a career-high 16.9% home run fly ball rate. He allowed ten homers more this year than in 2018, which the Yanks will undoubtedly be looking at when they build their lineup on Tuesday.

That fact alone could be the deciding factor in keeping Encarnacion in the lineup or not — utilizing his power and launch angle against Cole. Beating the Astros pitcher will come down to specific pitches and who is fortunate enough to catch one of his mistakes.

Fangraphs gives a fantastic description of this topic, which I will post below!

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

Jake Mailhot – How Did Eric Sogard Hit a Home Run Off Gerrit Cole?

Mike Axisa – Yankees vs. Astros: Giancarlo Stanton questionable for ALCS Game 3 due to quad injury

George A. King III – Reggie Jackson’s profane rant accidentally reaches Giancarlo Stanton

Tom Verducci – Inside the Surprising Pitching Change That Cost Aaron Boone and the Yankees
Alexander Wilson – New York Yankees: Aaron Boone mistake costs Yankees game 2 of ALCS

New York Yankees: Aaron Hicks over Cameron Maybin?

by
New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

The official 2019 New York Yankees ALCS roster has been released. There is still a lingering question that remains in the minds of many: should Aaron Hicks start over Cameron Maybin?

Hicks or Maybin?

To begin, let’s talk about both players and career stats. In 2496 plate appearances, Hicks slashed .236/.328/.401/.729 with a .318 wOBA and a 99 wRC+. In 4117 plate appearances, Maybin slashed .256/.324/.376/.701 with a .309 wOBA and a 94 wRC+. There is a massive difference in plate appearances, but overall Hicks is a better hitter.

Now let’s talk about their 2019 regular season stats. In 255 plate appearances, Hicks slashed .235/.325/.443/.769 with a .325 wOBA and a 102 wRC+. In 269 plate appearances, Maybin slashed .285/.364/.494/.858 with a .362 wOBA and a 127 wRC+. This case is more accurate as Maybin only had 14 more plate appearances than Hicks. However, Maybin was a better hitter this season.

Defensive stats also deserve to be recognized. In 5251.1 innings, Hicks has a 15 DRS, .912 RZR, 19.6 UZR, and a 4.9 UZR/150. In 8552.1 innings, Maybin has a 1 DRS, .907 RZR, 6.2 UZR, and a 1.0 UZR/150. It’s blatantly obvious that Hicks has been the better defender, regardless of the massive difference in innings played.

Just as I did earlier, let’s dive into 2019 regular season numbers. In 499.1 innings, Hicks had a -1 DRS, .893 RZR, 0.6 UZR, and a 0.8 UZR/150. In 588.1 innings, Maybin had a 0 DRS, .879 RZR, -0.2 UZR and a -0.2 UZR/150. In this case, Hicks was still the better defender this season.

When comparing career numbers, Hicks is the better hitter and defender. When comparing numbers from the 2019 regular season, Maybin was the better hitter, but Hicks was the better defender.

Taking an analytical approach, this argument is clearly in Hicks’ favor, but does that mean he deserves to start over Maybin? Not necessarily.

Hicks has been recovering from an elbow injury and hasn’t played since Aug. 3. While Edwin Encarnacion was able to make an immediate impact in the postseason after coming off an oblique injury, to expect Hicks to do the same is pushing the boundaries. Then again, Didi Gregorius was able to snap out of his slump and is slashing .400/.500/.700/1.200 with a .494 wOBA and a 216 wRC+ in the postseason.

There is also the concern that Hicks will be thrust into the batter’s box, expected to figure out his timing immediately against elite pitching in the Houston Astros. Then again, Encarnacion made a significant impact on his first game back and Gregorius was a force to be reckoned with during games 2 and 3. It’s definitely a gamble that could go either way.

However, playing Maybin over Hicks might be the safest option. Maybin can still be used off the bench for speed, as he stole 9 bases, recorded a 0.7 BsR and was in the 87th percentile range for speed in the 2019 regular season. He also has stolen 2 bases this postseason and hasn’t been caught stealing. Maybin also proved to be an above-average hitter in the 2019 regular season.