Brian Cashman

Yankees News: Cashman has big plans for Joey Gallo, one underrated shortstop free agent

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joey gallo, yankees

If the New York Yankees didn’t make a single move this off-season, they still have enough talent on the roster to be a competitive team. Unfortunately, some of their critical role players this past year struggled offensively, putting too much weight on the shoulders of the bullpen and starting rotation.

One player who vastly underperformed was Joey Gallo, who spent 58 games with the Yankees after being traded at the deadline from the Texas Rangers. The two-time All-Star posted a putrid .160 batting average, recording 13 homers and 22 RBIs. Offensively, he was extremely inconsistent and didn’t offer much as a contact option.

General manager Brian Cashman indicated that Gallo was capable of playing at a much higher level, and they are expecting that version of him in 2022.

“He didn’t play as well as he’s capable of playing,’’ Cashman said. “It’s not easy transferring from one city to another. It’s a new experience for him. I believe he’s very talented. Hopefully the two- or three-month experience with us benefits him as he enters his free-agency walk year.”

Cashman was vague about any concern regarding Gallo, but he is convinced we will see an elevated version of the lefty slugger moving forward after he settles into New York.

“I don’t want to say there’s a concern. I think you’re gonna see a much better version of him, but that’s not saying much. He hit .190 with us,” Cashman said of Gallo, who actually hit just .160 in 58 games. “He struggled by his admission … and fact. But he’s a threat every time up at the plate and I would bet we’ll see a much improved version of him next year for us. I feel very confident in saying that because he’s that talented. I expect him to be there, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Gallo is a superb defensive player, but his offense has been streaky at times, despite earning an All-Star appearance and Gold Glove award this past season. He recorded a career-high 111 walks and 213 strikeouts, an inconceivable number that plagued the Yankees’ batting order after the acquisition.

One underrated shortstop option for the Yankees:

Names like Corey Seager and Carlos Correa are the talk of the town at the moment, but one underrated shortstop option could be available for the Yankees and at a much cheaper price point. Marcus Semien, who is capable of playing shortstop, second base, and third base, would fit the stopgap usage the Bombers are looking to inject as they wait for several young prospects to climb the farm system.

Semien is 31-years-old, coming off an elite season where he hit .265 with 45 homers and 102 RBIs. He ranked third in MVP voting, made the All-Star team, and won Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. One of the more exciting attributes that Semien acquires is his clean bill of health, playing 162 games apiece in two of the last three seasons, one of which was the abbreviated 2020 campaign due to Covid.

Semien would offer a monster bat in the middle of the lineup but also the versatility to move infield positions when Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza are ready to take the next step.

Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman finally executes a trade, but not the one we hoped for

by
nick nelson, yankees

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has been active at the GM meetings this week, but the only deal he was able to execute as of Friday night came in the form of two minor-league players from the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Yankees traded away right-handed pitcher Nick Nelson and catcher Donnie Sands in exchange for T.J. Rumfield and Joel Valdez, both of whom are 21 years old.

Rumfield made his professional debut with single-A Clearwater, batting .250 with 13 runs and seven RBIs in 27 games. Having been selected initially in the 12th round of the 2021 first-year player draft, Rumfield will join the Yankees’ farm system, where he will look to continue developing.

Valdez, who hosted a 1.63 ERA in 15 starts with the DSL Phillies Red this past season, will also join the Yankees’ minor-league system. The left-handed pitcher was 2–2 in two campaigns, recording one save in 26 appearances. He is primarily a starting pitcher, recording 19 starts over his past two seasons.

The Yankees parted way with Nick Nelson, who went 0–2 with an 8.79 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 11 appearances in 2021. Nelson has professional experience but struggled considerably when called upon, making him a liability at times. Philadelphia will look to develop him differently and hopefully extract some of the hype he garnered in the minors.

Sands, who featured with the double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre teams, hit .261 with 47 runs and 18 homers this past season over 94 games. Sands is a solid prospect, but at 25-years-old, he may serve a backup purpose down the line. He was initially picked in the eighth round of the 2015 first-year player draft.

Yankees’ Brian Cashman breaks down the team’s priority with free agency under way

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

The New York Yankees recently missed out on the Justin Verlander sweepstakes, as the Houston Astros swooped back in and secured his signature for one year, $25 million including incentives.

With Verlander taking his talents back to Houston, the Yankees have now wholly shifted their attention to the shortstop market, which is expected to be active in the coming days. Reports indicated that both Corey Seager and Marcus Semien could be picked up by December 1, when the lockout is expected to commence.

Cashman stated on Thursday night the team was focused on landing a big shortstop first and foremost, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com:

“We’ve played on pitching in the trade and free-agent market, but our focus is still trying to address the shortstop area more than anything else.”
The Yankees have a specific strategy in mind, signing a shortstop now who can eventually shift over to third base when Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza are able to take the leap forward. However, that plan may only work for a few free agents, notably Seager and Semien, who have experience moving around a bit and more flexibility with age.
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Carlos Correa, on the other hand, is a 10-year solution at SS, something the Yankees aren’t entirely in need of with their young prospects moving through the farm system at a brisk pace. However, if they have the opportunity to land Correa, management has already indicated they are more than happy to bring in a player of his caliber despite the cheating scandal.
With that being said, Seager makes the most sense for the team, given his lefty bat and the need for diversity in the hitting order. With Brett Gardner likely retiring, Seager can fill a massive vulnerability in the infield while adding a premium bat to the lineup that is reliable and has postseason experience.

New York Yankees 11/19 News Roundup and more

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Yankees don’t forget their neighbors during the holidays

Yesterda, the New York Yankees partnered with Krasdale Foods for their annual Thanksgiving Food Voucher Giveaway, where they distributed approximately 4,000 food vouchers to Bronx residents to assist local families in preparing their Thanksgiving meals. The food vouchers came to well over $100 thousand.

Krasdale is a premier grocery distributor in Metro New York, that specializes in providing quality products that cater to the unique needs of our independent retail partners and the diverse communities they serve. Strategically located in Bronx, NY, our state-of-the-art warehouse facility proudly services over 2,500 independent grocery locations, including CTown Markets and Bravo Markets.

The New York Yankees are known for their support of their neighbors that surround Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Yankee Hope Week is just one of them. The Yankees are presently running a food drive that will last until the end of November so that they can conduct their many Christmas charitable events.

New York Yankees news roundup

Happy Birthday this week to Yankee reliever Joely Rodriguez, and starting pitcher Jameson Taillon. Congratulations to Aaron Judge being named to his second Silver Slugger award. Congratulations to Yankee ace Gerrit Cole for coming in second in the Cy Young voting. Joey Gallo has another Gold Glove award for his mantle, it’s his second in his career. Ex New York Mets manager Luis Rojas’ option was not taken up by the Mets, but in a surprise move the Yankees have hired him to be the new third base coach, replacing Phil Nevin. The Yankees have learned that Justin Verlander will resign with the Houston Astros for one year at $26 million.

Hal and Cashman indicate all is in flex

Just days ago it looked as if Brian Cashman and the Yankees would be opening up the purse and spending some big money on a long term contract for a starting shortstop. But now it appears that has changed in favor of a short gap measure, while the Yankees wait for prospects Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza to become major league ready later this season or in 2023. So, it likely will not be costly Correa, the less expensive Marcus Semien now seems like the better option.

This does not mean the Yankees won’t be spending money, they will be, just not as much on shortstop. The Yankees still need back up at center and at least one new starting pitcher. Everything is in flex right now, but many moves, purchases and trades will be upcoming in an offseason that will see many changes for the New York Yankees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York Yankees interested in a big deal with the Oakland Athletics

by
yankees, matt olson

The GM meetings are going on currently and the New York Yankees are preparing to act quickly this offseason. While some teams are taking the slow approach with the potential lockout coming, other teams are looking to strike early and often.

I’ve talked with a couple of people that are at the meetings who say the Yankees are giving off the vibe as one of those early and often teams. There are several big needs for the Bronx Bombers this offseason. Brian Cashman told the media yesterday that he’s already engaged in conversations with two top shortstops.

This has been confirmed by Jim Bowden to be Carlos Correa and Corey Seager. Buster Onley of ESPN said this morning that the Yankees appear to be zeroing in on the very top of the shortstop market. This shouldn’t surprise anyone given the talent at the top of the market.

One other area the Yankees need to address is first base. While they still have Luke Voit, all indications are that they are moving on from Voit this offseason. At the trade deadline, they acquired Anthony Rizzo who provided much better defense and balance to the lineup from the left side of the plate.

Cashman has said that the Yankees have already discussed a reunion with Rizzo’s agent. However, there’s another big name the Yanks are interested in at first base. That name is Matt Olson and by all indications, New York is interested in doing big business with Oakland.

Will the Yankees and A’s make a big deal?

If you know Brian Cashman, you know that he likes to make deals with the same GMs. Cashman and Billy Beane have a great relationship. If there’s a deal to be made, Cashman would rather do it with a guy like Beane who he trusts.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network has already confirmed that the Yankees have had discussions to acquire Matt Olson. Of course, nothing is imminent or even remotely close. However, the Yanks are interested in acquiring the superstar first baseman and for good reason.

I absolutely love Anthony Rizzo, but Matt Olson is better all the way around. He’s younger, under team control, and he just happened to hit 39 bombs last year from the left side of the plate. He’s also a two-time gold glove winner.

If a deal make sense, the Yanks preference would likely be to acquire Olson. However, if the prospect ask is too high, they do appear to be very in on resigning Anthony Rizzo to play first. If the Yankees were to acquire Olson from Oakland, the deal might not stop there.

Olson Plus Pitching?

Jon Heyman reported that Oakland is ready to sell this offseason and that they will listen to offers on starters Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montas, and Sean Manaea. The Yankees are in the market for starting pitching right now and are already in on Justin Verlander.

There is the possibility that the Yankees and A’s could do a huge deal that would involve Olson and one of the starters above. Of course, the deal would have to hurt from a prospect standpoint for New York. I would imagine that Luke Voit would also go back to Oakland in this kind of a deal.

At this point there’s no momentum towards a deal happening, but this is definitely something to monitor. Again, Cashman and Beane have a great working relationship. If there’s a deal to be had there, the Yankees could make a big splash early like they did when they got James Paxton in 2018.

New York Yankees: An offseason of discontentent led by wild predictions

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yankees, corey seager

In the eyes of the “boss,” the deceased George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankee 2021 season was another failed season. He always felt a successful season was one that the Yankees went to the World Series and won the Fall Classic. During his ownership, the Yankees won the World Championship seven times. Unfortunately, under Hal Steinbrenner’s ten-year tutelage, the New York Yankees have not won any.

Hal Steinbrenner made it clear last season that he wanted to stay under the luxury tax threshold, and he did that. What fans should know is that although the Yankees spend a lot on player payroll, their payroll to revenues ratio is the lowest in baseball for the last several several years.

George Steinbrenner died on the same day as the 81st annual All-Star game; many fans think the storied Yankees franchise died on the same day. Of course, George didn’t win every season, but he made the changes necessary to make that again a possibility when he didn’t. The Yankees have made only two significant moves in the last ten years: getting Giancarlo Stanton in 2018 and starting pitcher Gerrit Cole in December of 2019.

While the Yankees and their fans are still licking their wounds, the wild predictions of who the Yankees will get to fill this spot and that spot are running amuck. Projections like the Yankees will target Robbie Ray, Max Scherzer, or even Justin Verlander. Last season the wild predictions led the Yankees to pick up two bruised starters in Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon, neither of whom had pitched in the previous two seasons. General Manager Brian Cashman has a history of doing what no one expects.

Another good example is before the 2019 season; the rumors were swirling around that the Yankees would go after Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. But in the end, the Yankees made a pedestrian move hiring DJ LeMahieu instead. That turned out rather well, but at the time, the Yankees fans were disappointed. Unfortunately, the Yankees often make very pedestrian moves when fans expect big things.

The hottest predictions or rumors are that the New York Yankees will pick up a star shortstop this offseason. Brian Cashman has already said it is his top priority. Big names include Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, and others. But, don’t be surprised if the Yankees pick up Javier Baez or some mostly unknown shortstop on the cheap. However, that being said, this offseason seems to carry more importance for the Yankees to get better so they can go deep into the postseason and hopefully win another World Championship after not being in one in eleven years.

The whole point of this article is to advise you to listen but take little stock in the named targets or predictions as they seldom turn out as expected. However, as we draw closer to the new baseball season, those predictions hold more validity. History has told us that you never know what to expect when it comes to the Yankees. We can hope they will make the necessary changes to make this team better, much better. Go Yankees!

New York Yankees: Yankees get thrown a “dog bone” and more news

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Carlos Correa, Houston Astros, yankees

With the ALCS and NLCS in full swing, there is not much in the way of shocking New York Yankees news this early in the offseason from the boys from the Bronx. But don’t let that fool you; the wheels are turning in the front off trying to find ways to return the Yankees into a championship team for the 2022 season. So here is some news that may tantalize.

Red Sox throw the Yankees a “dog bone”

Most analysts thought the Boston Red Sox would be back in the dumper again this year after a lousy season last year. But, to the surprise of all, newly rehired Alex Cora brought the team to new heights that culminated in beating the New York Yankees in the one-game winner-take-all wild-card game.

Now in a strange statement from a Boston Red Sox executive, the Red Sox are praising the Yankees for being so consistent from year to year. Sam Kennedy, the Red Sox’s CEO, and president said yesterday when talking to the New York Post:

“We do admire the Yankees in many ways. I started my career there [as an intern]. John Henry started as an investor. So I learned a lot from my time there. John learned a lot from his time. What Randy [Levine] and Hal [Steinbrenner] and Brian Cashman have done is nothing short of remarkable. They’re consistently competitive, and that’s incredibly impressive.

“It’s why we hate them so much in Boston.”

Cashman takes responsibility while rehiring Aaron Boone

By now, it’s relatively old news that manager Aaron Boone has been rehired as the New York Yankees skipper, at least for the next three years. In a somewhat confusing press conference, Cashman announced the return of Aaron Boone, but the news conference seemed to be more about him than Boone. Cashman’s contract is up at the end of the 2022 season.

In the conference, he didn’t do much to give Yankee fans a look at a better future for the team; instead, he created more questions than answers. He reverted to his season-long praise of Boone and reiterated that the players underperformed. He also said if there is anyone to blame, it is he. While both Boone and Cashman have praised the championship team the Yankees, are, the deny what Yankee fans are seeing right in front of their eyes.

Although Cashman seemed to take responsibility for what went wrong, he basically denied everything the Yankees did wrong and put the best face on it from the other side of his mouth. For example, at one point, he said about Boone:

“Aaron Boone was part of the solution and wasn’t the problem. If he was entering the free-agent market, I believe he’d be the #1 managerial candidate in baseball. He’s been a good hire.”

That statement, among others, left a whole lot of New York Yankee fans scratching their collective heads. He also said that Boone was easy to work with and had an open mind (willing to accept orders).

What will the Yankees do to solve the shortstop problem?

The New York Yankees don’t have a legitimate shortstop. Even the front office has now admitted that is a glaring problem that must be solved before the start of the 2022 season. The big question is, what will they do to solve that problem?

There are tons of shortstops going into free agency at the end of the World Series, but will the Yankees find the right fit or continue as they have will fill-ins, moving players around? Or will they wait for up-and-coming farm hands, like Anthony Volpe, and sign a rental for 2022?

Getting back to the shortstops available this offseason, Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Javier Baez represent a variety of costs for the Yankees. The writer believes the Yankees should bite the bullet, hire a sure thing, and stop betting on stopgap measures to solve the teams’ problems. One such acquisition would be Carlos Correa, a proven shortstop with pop. Correa is 27 years old, has a .279 batting average this year with 26 home runs, and is an excellent defender at short. He also has plenty of postseason experience. In the past five years, he has batted .280 with 18 home runs. Oh, and by the way, he has indicated that he would love to play in New York. What more could the Yankees want?

New York Yankees: 7 that should go and who should replace them

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

After an early exit from the postseason yet again, the New York Yankees face a multitude of questions and decisions to be made before the start of the 2022 season. The biggest one is if the Yankees have it in them to create a shakeup that can turn this team into a World Series contender for real. If they can do that, some faces of the Yankees will have to go. So here is my assessment of the situation facing the Yankee organization in no particular order.

Brian Cashman:

Unless Hal Steinbrenner wants to shake up the whole organization, it is doubtful that he will part with Brian Cashman, but in over twenty years of leadership, he has brought the Yankees to only one World Series. For his supporters who want to bring up the early Championships of Joe Torre, those teams were not built by Brian Cashman. Stick Michaels and Joe Torre built those teams.

During his tenure, the San Francisco Giants have won the World Series three times, the Red Sox twice, and even the lowly Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals have won.  If the Yankees part with Cashman, the name Theo Epstein comes to mind, but I think he wants to own a team, not be general manager of one. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess.

Aaron Boone:

Although the front office has shown support of Aaron Boone, I believe he has only a 50/50 chance of remaining the Yankee manager. After four seasons, he doesn’t seem to be the man that can bring this team to a World Series win. He doesn’t seem to be able to motivate players and has made many on-the-spot questionable moves. Should the Yankees decide not to renew his contract at the end of this season, there are a host of replacement possibilities.

With the Yankees’ failed experiment with a manager with no experience, they will not likely do that again in favor of a manager with experience. The first one that comes to mind is the consistently successful win-it-now manager Dusty Baker. It is not likely that Baker will be rehired by the Astros, even though he brought the team to 95 wins.

Others to consider are ex-Red Sox manager John Farrel and Mike Scioscia of the Angels. Many believe that Alex Rodriguez would make an excellent yet controversial manager of the Yankees. The only problem with that is he can make megabucks elsewhere rather than accept a low-paying manager job. Other possibilities are Bruce Bochy and Buck Showalter. The knock against them is that they are not the type of big analytics guys that Cashman will want.

My guess is that the Yankees will not do the right thing and replace this lack of a motivator manager who fails to reward players for excellent play nor hold them responsible for poor play.  He is just not the man for the job.

Gary Sanchez:

Just the fact that the Yankees’ most controversial player comes up at the end of every season as someone the Yankees should replace should be a signal that the guy has got to go. He hasn’t grown as a player or a catcher, and I don’t think you would want him teaching any upcoming Yankee catcher. His lack of defensive abilities and batting average says it’s time for him to go finally.

With the New York Yankees likely to have to put out money for a shortstop and center fielder, they likely will not spend big in favor of keeping Kyle Higashioka as a bridge to prospect, Austin Wells. Higashioka, although not the home runner Sanchez is, is a far superior catcher with better framing and a better contact hitter percentage.

Gleyber Torres:

Gleyber Torres is a failed experiment that has not grown as a Yankee; he has regressed as a failed shortstop and error-ridden second baseman. Probably the fault of the Yankee organization; I don’t see a long-term improvement in Torres, who is no longer the 22 year old with a bright future.

The New York Yankees have a bivy of possibilities to get themselves a new shortstop. Trevor Story has oft been mentioned, but I don’t see him as a good fit for the Yankees. Exciting possibilities for the Yankees that won’t break the bank include Javier Baez, Carlos Correa, and Jose Iglesias, a cheapy.

Aaron Hicks:

I said in an article yesterday I have no clue why the Yankees gave him a big-time contract extension. He is in the mold of Jacoby Ellsbury and Greg Bird. I think Yankee fans will agree that Jacoby Ellsbury was Brian Cashman’s worst acquisition, but my friends, here’s one for you, Ellsbury played in 27 more games with the Yankees in his four years than Hicks has in his six years. So for anyone that believes that Hicks will stay healthy and be dependable in the center, it’s a pipe dream; the Yankees should buy him out and rid themselves of him.

There are many options for the Yankees for the offseason, including players with options such as the more significant money Jackie Bradley Junior or Kevin Pillar. Both are excellent defenders and can offer more at the plate than Hicks.

Luke Voit:

If the New York Yankees choose to resign Anthony Rizzo as their first baseman, the sad fact is the Yankees have no use for Luke Voit. Voit like Hicks can’t stay healthy. He played in only 68 games this season, primarily due to a multitude of injuries. He has lost his power and runs the bases like the tractor pull at your local county fair. The Yankees have a glut as DH, so he has no use there either.

Likely, Voit will not be in pinstripes again next year, and there is no reason to replace him, assuming they re-sign Rizzo.

Brett Gardner:

I hate to even breach this subject because I love Brett Gardner and all he has done for the Yankees in his 14 years tenure with the Yankees, but he will turn 39 next year, and his time with the Yankees should be over. The fact is that he is no longer the player he once was. He is still an excellent defender, but his arm is not what it once was; he can’t steal bases and is a liability at the plate. This year he was supposed to be a bench player but ended up playing more than anyone expected. He did rise to the occasion during the last quarter of the season, but not well enough to warrant another year. Then, he can retire as a proud Yankee.

Not included in this article is hitting coach Marcus Thames who’s time with the Yankees should also be over. Please read my article on Thames here.

EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Columnist William Parlee is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. Follow me on Twitter @parleewilliam.

New York Yankees Analysis: Brian Cashman brilliant? Ah, not so much

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Now that the New York Yankees have left the postseason far too early, once again, Yankees fans are again looking for people to blame. There are so many places to look it would make a house mouse dizzy. But looking back to before the 2021 season started on April 1, there were some questionable decisions made; some of those now stink big time.

First of all, we have to look at how those decisions were made. Other than how much would be spent, which is Hal Steinbrenner’s sole judgment, make no mistake about it, general manager Brian Cashman makes them, then, during the season, and now. Anyone that thinks differently doesn’t know how the Yankees operate. Sure there most likely are some discussions held, but Cashman holds the reins.

To further prove that almost all decisions are made by Cashman, you have to look at ownership. Nearly every Yankee fan has said at one point or the other, Hal Steinbrenner is not his father “The Boss,” George Steinbrenner. The father and son are nothing alike. George was every day in your face; you never wondered who ran the Yankees. He was up in his luxury box analyzing nearly every move the Yankees made, on and off the field. If a player made a bone head play on the field, he knew all too well that he might expect a visit from George in the clubhouse.

Hal, the son, is not that man no matter how much we want him to be. He controls the purse strings, and that’s about it. His style is totally different. He relies on Brian Cashman to handle almost everything. As a matter of fact, you will seldom see Hal at a game, never mind in the clubhouse. He isn’t the baseball man his father was. But, unfortunately, this is what Yankee fans have to live with. It also may be why the Yankees haven’t won a World Series since Mariano Rivera laid two single long stem red roses upon home plate in July of 2010.

Today let’s take a look at three decisions that Cashman made before the 2021 season that may have cost the Yankees another trip to the World Series. The Yankees not only haven’t won a World Series since 2009, but they also haven’t even played well enough to appear in one.

Jameson Taillon and Corey Kluber, really?

It’s effortless to play Monday morning quarterback, but I’ve selected three decisions that were even questioned at the time. First, before the start of the season, the Yankees traded with the Pittsburgh Pirates to get Jameson Taillon and went out and acquired 2 time Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber, once one of the best pitchers in baseball. On the surface, they seemed like great add ons, considering they let several 2019 pitchers walk, including Masahiro Tanaka.

The problem from the beginning was that these two pitchers combined for only a few starts in the past two years, one suffering from two Tommy John surgeries and the other from shoulder problems. At the time, the organization promoted these moves as “low risk, high reward” moves. The risk was not getting to a Championship. Did the Yankees (Cashman) believe that either of these two pitchers could get 30 or more starts after pitching so little in the previous two seasons? Although Taillon almost made it, Kluber only pitched in half that many games.

It was not surprising that both of these pitchers had very slow starts to the season, even though they got better as the season progressed; just think if they had won more than 13 starts combined. Could the Yankees have won the division if they did?

Let’s have everyone play positions unfamiliar to them?

It didn’t necessarily start this way, but as the season progressed, the Yankees, more than any other team in baseball, had players playing in positions that they were not familiar with. Examples are natural right fielder Aaron Judge playing in center field, left fielder Giancarlo Stanton playing right field. Second baseman Rougned Odor was playing at third, Gold Glove second baseman DJ LeMahieu at first. None of these moves turned disastrous, but one glowing decision that turned out bad was keeping Gleyber Torres at short.

In recent years, the New York Yankees have a history of making a mistake and then sticking with it no matter how glaringly wrong it was. Think Gary Sanchez. But today, we are zeroing in on Gleyber Torres. When the Yankees let Didi Gregorious walk to the Phillies, they made second baseman Torres a shortstop. It didn’t work out. Nevertheless, they (Cashman) stuck with the decision again this year. Finally, after miserable failure at defense and behind the plate, they permanently moved him back to second base.

Brian Cashman could have resolved the problem before the season but didn’t. He could have gotten any number of free agent shortstops to fill the position, including Marcus Seimen, who has been a Yankees killer all season long. Seimen instead was picked up by the Blue Jays. With them, he has a 7.1 WAR with 45 home runs for the fourth-most in all of baseball and a batting average of .265 and 102 RBIs. Compare that to Torres with .08 WAR, 9 home runs, and 51 RBI.

What makes this mistake all the more glaring is that Cashman could have passed on Corey Kluber, held onto Masahiro Tanaka, and acquired Semien for about the same cost to the franchise.  For more on the future of the Yankee shortstop read this ESM article from fellow writer Alex Wilson.

Bad boy, Frazier the Yankee’s red hope?

The decision to make Clint Frazier the starting left fielder is a little more difficult to dissect. Although some of this decision probably was due to Frazier being nominated for a Gold Glove award, which was a mistake that surprised most Yankees fans, making a few great diving catches does not deserve a Gold Glove nomination.

Frazier was an immediate fan favorite with his floppy red hair and slanted cute smile, but the fact of the matter is that he was never a fit for the Yankees. His attractive look never matched his cry-baby personality. Frazier had bad luck early in his career by crashing headfirst into an outfield wall and getting a concussion. But facts are facts, Frazier has never played in more than 69 games in his five years with the Yankees. Frazier should have been traded years ago. Instead, he got the left-field starting job. He played okay for a while but eventually was replaced by Brett Gardner and others.

Frazier, who was once heralded for his quick bat, that bat has never delivered results. This season he could only hit five home runs and a miserable .186 batting average. His WAR is -1.4, far worse than Torres. Then as July approached, mysterious dizziness and vision problems cropped up that had never been fully explained. Is it due to his earlier concussion or the start of the Ellsbury effect? Whatever the case, he never played another game in the 2021 season, and this writer believes you will never see him in Yankee pinstripes again.

One mistake finally corrected

For far too many years, the New York Yankee lineup has been either totally or heavily right-handed. This scenario makes it much easier for opposing managers to set up their rotation. This season at the trade deadline, Cashman finally fixed the problem by acquiring lefties Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo. Gallo, the home run hitter (39), will be with the Yankees in 2022. Rizzo will be a free agent, and only time will tell if Cashman offers him a contract.

In 2020 the Yankees traded away lefty Mike Tauchman. If Rizzo is not rehired, it will leave only Rougned Odor and Tyler Wade as lefties available to the lineup as many feel that veteran Brett Gardner may have seen his last season with the Yankees. The Yankees realizing their mistake must keep the righty/lefty lineup in place going forward.

 

 

New York Yankee Analysis: Big questions the Yankees must answer by March 31, 2022

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The New York Yankee season is over, falling short of another World Series win. The “Boss” George Steinbrenner, if alive, would say it’s another failed season. If you consider not winning the World Series failing, then he is correct. But there is a lot to be said about getting to a wild card berth, win or not. Many other AL teams can’t say that. But the one with the biggest payroll; more is expected of them. The Yankees have not had a losing season since 1992. But the last World Series they won was in 2009.

Manager Joe Girardi won the 2009 World Series. But after not repeating for the next eight years and amongst complaints about being too strict, the Yankees moved on from Girardi and hired Aaron Boone.  Boone has been mostly successful in bringing the team to 100 wins, 103 wins, 33 wins in a short season, and 92 wins this year. But, regardless of that success, he has never gotten the team beyond late-season failures.

With each passing year, New York Yankee fans, even the most ardent fans, have become less patient waiting for the Yankees to win. Some fans have given up and moved on to other teams and even other sports. This isn’t good for business and baseball, although a game is a business. Principle owner Hal Steinbrenner and company have to figure out how to turn this team around. Yankee stadium never had a sell-out crowd this season. That is lost dollars, lots of them.

After a very inconsistent season that certainly cost them a trip to the World Series, the New York Yankees have many questions that must be answered before they try this all over again. And this year, there are more questions to be addressed than usual. So let’s have at it.

Renew Aaron Boone’s contract?

In 2018 Aaron Boone was hired as the new Yankee manager on a four-year contract that was over last night. So the Yankee organization has to decide whether to renew his contract or move on from the one-time manager.

When Boone was hired, many Yankee fans said, “Aaron who?”. Boone was never a great baseball player and had never managed even a minor league team. Others have learned to dislike him; still, others think he has done a good job. Most managers in baseball were catchers who seemed to have a better understanding of all baseball operations—Boone, who spent most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds primarily as a third baseman.

Boone will receive most of the blame for this poor season, although much of that blame can be placed on the hitters themselves, as Boone can’t hit for the hitters or pitch for the pitchers. Many fans question his decisions and his lack of holding bad players responsible for their play. Boone, with his style, constantly praises the team when they lose. An excellent example of that is his praise of Gerrit Cole after last night’s wild-card loss saying he threw some good pitches.

However, one must be cautious in blaming Boone. Many believe that Boone was hired to be a mouthpiece for Brian Cashman, the Yankee front office, making the significant decisions and Boone following them, only to be allowed to make minor decisions on the field during games. However, even those skeptical of that theory admit that the Yankee office and analytics department have too much influence over how the games are played.

Examine the organizational philosophy?

With so many questions unanswered about why this team can’t win big year after year, is it time to examine how the whole organization is run? Under the present philosophy, whether Boone is brought back or not, they would only hire another yes man that would be subject to the highly analytics-based front office.

All baseball teams receive the same analytics; it differs in how they are communicated and how they are executed. A manager who uses those stats exclusively and ignores what he sees on the field or who is hot and who is not will lose a lot of games. Analytics are a guide, not a user manual.

Should the Yankees hire a Bruce Bochi, Buck Showalter, or the like, it would require an entire shakeup of how the organization runs. Neither of these guys are yes men and would be challenging to work with under the present makeup. But it’s fair to mention that Bochi’s management style has brought the San Francisco Giants to win 107 games this season for the most in baseball and with less talent than the Yankees.

Brian Cashman will have much to do with if the Yankees are willing to examine themselves. Cashman is the driving force for how the Yankees perform. But many times in the past, Cashman has been slow to act. Lingering questions with Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez are examples of that. Last season he failed to act to improve the team. This year got two lefties to balance the lineup that fans have been screaming about for years.

Exceed the luxury tax threshold?

Do the Yankees need to exceed the luxury tax threshold to win finally. No!. Spending a lot of money has not helped them much. Better run and better-managed teams have gone further season after season. The Oakland Athletics and the Tampa Bay Rays have done it on about 30% of the Yankees payroll.

Extend Aaron Judge’s contract?

This may be the most challenging question to address in this off-season. If the Yankees offer Judge a contract, it will be huge. The question is do the Yankees want to spend that much, and if they do, how badly will it tie their hands on solving the other team’s needs.

Judge turns 30 next year, and based on his injury record, signing a long-term contract with him is risky at best. This season is the first season he has been healthy since 2017. Between 2018 and 2020, he played in only 243 games.  So the question remains how much and for how long. It is doubtful that the Yankees will go more than six years, even though Judge has said he wants to retire a Yankee, according to Bryan Hock.

Aaron Judge’s value is at its highest and could draw the most if the Yankees were willing to trade him. The Yankees could get a quality pitcher, a shortstop, and a few choice prospects for him. However, whether an extension could be agreed upon would most likely be a Derek Jeter-like situation, taking less than he is worth.

How to fix the Yankee outfield?

During this season, the Yankees have had either a drought or glut in the outfield. Aaron Judge is a solid right fielder, and Joey Gallo will be with the team in left field through 2022. However, the Yankees don’t have a true centerfielder with any kind of future. Brett Gardner has been adequate in the position, but it becomes more doubtful that the 38-year-old will return each year. In addition, Aaron Hicks (yes, remember him?) has yet to prove he can stay healthy.

If they fix that, they still have Tyler Wade and Giancarlo Stanton options to add to the mix and give days off.

Obtain a real shortstop?

There is still the ongoing question about Gleybe Torre’s worth to the team. Late this season, the Yankees finally realized they made a mistake trying to make Gleyber Torres a shortstop. Torres is no longer a 22-year-old with a bright future; he has become tarnished goods. He will turn 25 in December and is coming off of two back-to-back poor seasons on defense and offense. The Yankees, to a degree, have overlooked his poor defense because he led the team in 2019 with 38 home runs, but since then, he has only 12 long balls.  What the Yankees should be most concerned about is his lack of growth.

The Yankees have moved Torres to second, where he has played better but not by much. That pushed a Gold Glove second baseman DJ LeMahieu, into being a utility player. Unfortunately, LeMahieu’s performance has not been as good since the move.  While the Yankees have one of baseball’s top prospects, Anthony Volpe, he probably won’t be big team ready for another year or two. With Torre’s continued poor play, the Yankees should at least inquire about options in free agency this offseason.

What to do with the catcher situation?

Oh boy, this question yet again. Gary Sanchez has been one of the most controversial Yankee players since he became the Yankees lead catcher in 2017. That was a year that was pretty good for the young man. But since then, he has not duplicated that performance and has often been criticized for his performance behind at backstop. He continues to be a less-than-average defender and has had a poor batting average.

Last year, he had a disastrous season, hitting only .147 and losing his starting status in favor of backup catcher Kyle Higashioka, a better defender. Sanchez is still around because when he is hot, he can hit the long ball and has a rocket of an arm preventing many stolen bases. He has hit more this year with an average of .204 but still strikes out too much. With the other questions facing the Yankees, it is doubtful they will move Sanchez.

What to do with the loose ends?

The Yankees have two obvious loose ends. One is whether to renew a contract with first baseman Anthony Rizzo and, if they do, what they will do with Luke Voit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Luke Voit is not with the Yankees next season. He could be used in a trade. With the glut at DH, his use to the club is limited. He also has not been able to stay healthy while with the Yankees.  If the Yankees choose to replace Gleyber Torres at short, he too will become a trading piece.

How to reinforce the pitching staff?

The New York Yankees certainly need to beef up the pitching staff. Jameson Taillon is under contract through 2022 and is arbitration-eligible as of today. Also, as of today, Corey Kluber is a free agent.  That leaves Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery as the Yankees starting rotation. The organization will have to examine what place Luis Severino and Domingo German have going forward and if they need to replace Kluber if he doesn’t sign with the Yankees.

At the beginning of the season, the Yankees had one of the strongest bullpens in baseball. Unfortunately, as the season progressed, they lost much of their strength. Set up man Zack Britton underwent Tommy John surgery to keep him out until at least the end of the 2022 season. Justin Wilson and the Yankee’s best long reliever Luis Cessa went to the Reds in a salary dump. Darren O’Day, the sidearmer, had a shoulder injury followed by a hamstring strain that kept him away from the team for the rest of the season.

In a major disappointment this season for the bullpen, on July 31st Tommy Kahnle revealed that had a partially torn UCL and required Tommy John surgery. The Yankees outrighted him and he choose free agency. Just days afterward he signed a new contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees picked up a few arms at the trade deadline, Andrew Heaney proved useless. These losses and moves left the bullpen short of components and overworked.

Not knowing if Deivi Garcia, Luis Gil, or Clarke Schmidt will be ready for the big time in 2022, the Yankees may have to go shopping to bolster the starting rotation and the bullpen. Unfortunately, any moves they make may have to wait until the end of spring training, when they can further evaluate their options.