Hal Steinbrenner

New York Yankees: Gerrit Cole is still a possibility

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New York Yankees, Gerrit Cole

The New York Yankees are still in the run for top free agent Gerrit Cole this offseason. General manager Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner have already said that they are carefully and seriously checking out all options, especially the big names.

“I think Cole will probably end up on one of the coasts,” MLB Network insider Jon Heyman said. Besides the New York Yankees, the Anaheim Angels are also a possibility to land Cole.

Cole finished his career-high year with a 20-5 record and held the lowest ERA in the American League at 2.50. He also held the most strikeouts in all of Major League Baseball at an astounding 326 over 212.1 innings pitched.

Cole is from Newport Beach, California, and it’s possible that he could want to pitch near home. In my opinion, it’s most likely going to be decided on who’s willing to pay the most. He’s coming off one of the best pitching years in MLB history and is looking for a contract around $280 million all the way up to possibly $300 million.

“The Yankees believe that he’s probably going to go to the Angels, but either of them would not shock me,” said Heyman.

One thing that I could see the Yankees hesitate with on Cole is the fact that they are depending on Deivi Garcia to be a star in the next few years. They could believe that he’s going to turn into a premier pitcher and to go over Cole isn’t a priority. However, it’s a win-now mentality with the Yankees and they still need to go after one of the big pitching free agents.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner changes mind on free agent approach

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Could the Yankees pursue Gerrit Cole this offseason?

When the Yankees began their free agency approach this offseason, owner Hal Steinbrenner was quick to mention the lack of scoring production during the postseason, and that the starting pitching rotation was a problem.

Gaining back Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino in a full capacity should bolster the unit, but adding reinforcements would give the Yankees a higher probability of winning the World Series in 2020. Ultimately, it comes down to Brian Cashman and Steinbrenner pushing beyond the luxury tax.

“If the 2020 season was to start tomorrow, I would feel considerably more confident than I did a year ago at this time,’’ Steinbrenner said. “We will have both Severino and Montgomery back. We now know that [Domingo] German can pitch effectively at this level. And we know [James] Paxton can be the guy that we were hoping for when we made that trade. We have [Masahiro] Tanaka, [J.A.] Happ, [Jonathan] Loaisiga, and perhaps [Deivi] Garcia at some point. A very good rotation.’’

While Steinbrenner was reluctant to admit the starting pitching could use a big-name free agent, he followed up his advocation for the current grouping with, “all options are open,” in an interview.

Last season, the Yankees passed on numerous big names, including Patrick Corbin, Manny Machado, and Bryce Harper. Two of the three would have been significant additions to the team, but luckily players like Gio Urshela and James Paxton rose to the occasion.

The Yankees will keep their eyes open in free agency:

Moving forward, however, the Bombers need to be more aggressive with adding world-class talent, as the organization has officially gone a decade without a World Series. Next season could be their best chance at winning it all, considering the Astros and Nationals will be losing their top pitchers.

We will have to wait and see if the Steinbrenner’s are willing to splash the cash, but the investment seems to be justified.

New York Yankees: Latest Gerrit Cole rumors – west coast teams in the mix

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Will the New York Yankees pursue Gerrit Cole this offseason?

It was no surprise that star free agent pitcher Gerrit Cole would end up on one of the coasts, considering he grew up in California but was a massive New York Yankees fan. A team on the coast would give him everything he needs — access to the best of everything, but more importantly, the feeling of home.

Cole was quick to leave the Houston Astros after dominating for years at the top level, and he will now take his talents elsewhere in an aggressive market. The Yankees are in the race, said MLB Insider Jon Heyman, who also noted the Los Angeles Angels’ interest.

“I think Cole will probably end up on one of the coasts,” Heyman said on MLB Tonight.

“The Yankees believe that he’s probably going to go to the Angels, but either of them would not shock me.”

The Yankees are seeking asylum employing a cost-efficient route, and owner Hal Steinbrenner’s comments were clear that he believes the starting pitching rotation is pieced together.

With Luis Severino healthy and Jordan Montgomery, who has pitched two seasons of sub 4.00 ERA baseball over three campaigns, will also return in a full-capacity role. Realistically, Steinbrenner has a point. Domingo German won’t miss a majority of the 2020 season, giving the Yankees plenty of fire-power in the rotation.

The New York Yankees could enter the campaign with a staring rotation looking like this:

  1. Luis Severino
  2. James Paxton
  3. Masahiro Tanaka
  4. Jordan Montgomery
  5. Domingo German
  6. J.A. Happ
  7. Michael King/Deivi Garcia

Upgrading the bullpen might be more of a pressing goal for Brian Cashman, who saw Dellin Betances work his way back from numerous injuries just to tear his Achilles Tendon in his September 15 debut. If the Bombers don’t re-sign Betances on a one-year deal, they could allocate more funds towards the bullpen, which wouldn’t be a bad idea.

However, signing a player like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg would immediately give the Yankees one of the best starting rotations in baseball. While Cole did state he didn’t favor any team going into free agency, rumors have bubbled to the surface that the Angels or Dodgers could be in the lead for his services.

The Yankees need to be worried about Hal Steinbrenner holding them back

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

General manager Brian Cashman may hold the reigns to the sled that’s the New York Yankees, but owner Hal Steinbrenner is back at headquarters relaying approval for every maneuver Cashman looks to make.

Whether it be letting Didi Gregorius walk in free agency or the signing of a big-name starting pitcher, both are heavily involved in the process, which should scare fans.

Steinbrenner stated earlier in the offseason:

“For the most part, I think our starting pitching was good this year,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Even missing [Luis] Severino and [Jordan] Montgomery [for most or all of the season due to injuries].”

“If the 2020 season was to start tomorrow, I would feel considerably more confident than I did a year ago at this time,’’ Steinbrenner said. “We will have both Severino and Montgomery back. We now know that [Domingo] German can pitch effectively at this level. And we know [James] Paxton can be the guy that we were hoping for when we made that trade. We have [Masahiro] Tanaka, [J.A.] Happ, [Jonathan] Loaisiga, and perhaps [Deivi] Garcia at some point. A very good rotation.’’

This screams, “road-work ahead!” If you’ve ever been driving on the highway and been forced to slow down because Hal Steinbrenner is laying down new concrete and not signing starting pitchers to bolster the rotation, raise your hand. However, it’s fair to consider his previous signings of Masahiro Tanaka and trading for James Paxton, who emerged as an ace during the latter portion of the 2019 season.

Hal isn’t wrong. The team will gain back several strong arms in Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery, two pitchers who, at the top of their game, can be extremely effective. Severino is capable of being a No. 1 option, and Paxton has established himself as a No. 2. Monty has two sub-4.00 ERAs under his belt in three years, and they have youngsters like Deivi Garcia/Michael King preparing to make the jump.

The Yankees need to do what’s best for the team:

Despite the re-tooling of the starting rotation with current Yankees players, adding a dominant arm like Gerrit Cole would immediately make the unit one of the best in the league. It would also give manager Aaron Boone the ability to develop his youngsters in a bullpen role, allowing them to refine their skills and work inning-by-inning slowly.

The price-tag for Cole would be the intimidating factor, as he’s set to earn over $200 million in a multi-year deal that stretches $30+ million per season. That’s a staggering price, and the Bombers have had lousy luck with big-contracts the past few seasons. Jacoby Ellsbury’s $26 million in remaining salary attests to that statement, in addition to the two years he missed (2018-19). Factor in Giancarlo Stanton as well, who missed all of 2019 with multiple injuries.

Cole, however, has had a clean bill of health for the majority of his career, so the Yankees can be confident he won’t miss extended time. Strasburg, on the other hand, cannot be trusted to finish a full season without picking up minor ailments. If health is a concern for Steinbrenner, he will have to spend a bit more for Cole, but his team would benefit exponentially from his services. Realistically, the Yankees would be in great shape to compete for a World Series title in 2020.

Could Yankees skip right over Gerrit Cole, Strasburg to settle on second tier starter?

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Should the New York Yankees pursue Madison Bumgarner this offseason?

With Scott Boras circling overhead as the Yankees consider the reality of signing star pitcher Gerrit Cole this offseason, they could be getting cold feet. General manager Brian Cashman didn’t hesitate to express his interest in big-name free agents. Still, owner Hal Steinbrenner was reluctant to admit his starting pitching rotation needs any help at all. Steinbrenner blamed the lack of run production for his team’s failed attempt at the postseason.

“Of course, we’re going to talk to Strasburg. We’ll talk to Cole. We’ll talk to the higher-end guys, clearly, and have conversations, and we’ll also talk about some surprise guys, I’m sure,” Cashman told reporters at the annual GM meetings.

“Obviously, [both are] great, talented players that have earned so many accolades along the way — and for good reason. They are some of the premier pitchers the game has seen at this time, so it’s a good time to be them.”

Cole would be the best option for the Bombers, considering his excellent health and absolute dominance across the board last season. His 20-5 record and 2.50 ERA proves his worth, and the value he holds will be above $200 million, likely breaking the record for starting pitcher money.

The Yankees pursuing Cole isn’t a matter of why, but when. The problem is, Cashman is stingy with his money when it comes to pitching, which is why he could settle on tier-2 options that would save him a bit of money in free agency. Despite his stringiness, Cashman seems committed to solving his rotational issue in regards to the starters.

My primary concern is that talent they are already retaining, and what they will do to even out the rotation given they sign a big name.

The current Yankees rotation:

  1. Luis Severino
  2. James Paxton
  3. Masahiro Tanaka
  4. Domingo German
  5. J.A. Happ
  6. Jordan Montgomery
  7. Michael King/Deivi Garcia

With eight capable arms, adding a high-priced pitcher would force them one of two ways. Either they retain all of their pitchers, or they could look to trade a young arm and gain essential value at a different position (first base, outfield).

While I’m skeptical Cashman will drop the bomb on a Cole type of pitcher, he could look to pursue Madison Bumgarner.

“I will definitely talk to Bumgarner’s agency,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I haven’t. But I will.”

The reason Madison is so attractive is that he offers consistency at half the price Cole will undoubtedly sign for. He finished 2019 with a 9-9 record, 3.90 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 203 strikeouts over 207.2 innings. Another factor to consider is his dominance during playoff baseball. He boasts an 8-3 record, 2.11 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, three shutouts, three completed games, three World Series titles, and 87 strikeouts in 102.1 innings.

In other words, I imagine that Cashman will be looking into Bumgarner heavily this offseason.

Why the Yankees should prioritize Gerrit Cole over Stephen Strasburg

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New York Yankees, Gerrit Cole

Health, consistency, preference, you name it, and former Houston Astros ace Gerrit Cole probably has it. The New York Yankees have to make the conscious decision to pursue a premium arm this offseason, and general manager Brian Cashman ignited the fire beneath the free-agent market on Monday.

“We’re certainly going to be talking to all players,” the Yankees’ GM said at the first day of Major League Baseball’s general managers’ meetings. “Of course, we’re going to have to talk to [Stephen] Strasburg. We’ll talk to [Gerrit] Cole. We’ll talk to the higher-end guys, clearly, and have conversations there, and we’ll also talk about some surprise guys, I’m sure.

“Our staff will get together, whether it’s dealing with agents, dealing with clubs. It takes two to tango, so it’s hard to predict. Of course anyone would have an interest in players like that.”

The Yankees have a solid starting rotation even without adding a top arm. Still, the reinforcement of Cole or Strasburg would undoubtedly give the Bombers an advantage over just about any other team.

Imagine this starting rotation:

  1. Gerrit Cole/Stephen Strasburg
  2. Luis Severino
  3. James Paxton
  4. Masahiro Tanaka
  5. J.A. Happ
  6. Jordan Montgomery
  7. Domingo German
  8. Michael King/Deivi Garcia

Having so many quality options would improve the Yankees’ chances of reaching the World Series for the first time in over a decade. Owner Hal Steinbrenner mentioned a lack of run support as the primary reason the team faltered in the ALCS, but starting pitching always factors into the conversation.

Why Gerrit Cole is the better option for the New York Yankees:

If Cashman is willing to splash the cash on a big-name free agent pitcher, they might as well go after the best on the market. Earning a 2.50 ERA and 326 strikeouts in 2019, both career-highs, Cole is undoubtedly the best on the market, and if the monetary differential is only a few million, grabbing the better of the top two should be an easy decision to make.

It also seems as if Cashman is willing to surpass the $208 million luxury-tax threshold. Cashman refused to dive into the team’s payroll, but the expectation is that upper management will give him the go-ahead to exceed the luxury tax if it means building a World Series quality team.

Yankees: What’s More Important, Championships or the Luxury Tax?

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New York Yankees, Brian Cashman

If you’re a member of the New York Yankees millennial fanbase, you have seen a level of success unparalleled since 1936-1962. In those 26 years, the Yankees won 16 championships. Now, we’ve won considerably fewer championships, but you can’t deny 21 postseasons in 24 years, 7 wild cards, 14 American League East titles, 7 pennants, and 5 championships is an impressive feat.

But the Yankees have had difficulty finding long-lasting success in October since the last championship run of 2009. 2010 through 2012 saw them getting bounced from October by the Detroit Tigers, resulting in Derek Jeter’s ankle-breaking in the 2012 sweep by the Tigers. The Yankees then missed the playoffs in 2013 and 2014, to come back and lose the Wild Card game to the Astros. 2016 resulted in another missed October. Then we saw what happened these last 3 seasons.

During this stretch of the 2010s, we kept getting one set of lip service from the Yankees front office, specifically Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman. “We’re aiming to win championships, but want to stay below the luxury tax.”

We’re the New York Yankees. We’re the reason the luxury tax came into play!

Yes – Spending Money Improves Your Championship Chances

There were two teams to beat the last decade in October. The San Fransisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox. The Giants won 3 titles in 5 years, and the Red Sox won 2. In 2010, the Giants salary payroll was $97 million. By 2015, after they won their 3rd title, it had jumped up to $172 million. Why was this? Well, it can largely be attributed to the Giants trying to keep their core together since that 2010 run. Conversely, the Sox were the team with the 4th highest payroll in baseball in 2013, when they won and had the highest salary in baseball when they won in 2018. Even the Astros and Nationals were in the top 10 in terms of salary payrolls for 2019 (stevetheump.com).

This has more to do with the fact that these two teams knew they had to spend money to give them the best chance at winning. And they spent money on the players that they knew they needed moving forward. Considering how spectacular Madison Bumgarner was in 2014, if you’re the Giants, you pay him what he wants, so he stays. For the Red Sox, you want to beat the Yankees? You go out and sign pitchers who have the best stuff against the Yankees. And that includes David Price AND Chris Sale.

But Is It A Viable Model?

There are obvious drawbacks to this school of thought. Age and injury play a big part in these contracts that determine whether or not the deals are viable. And the Yankees in the last decade have had the opportunity to make the prudent call in signing some of the contracts they signed, but they didn’t. And they ended up looking foolish.

Case one against the Yankees “quest to stay below the luxury tax but put a championship-caliber team on the field,” Jacoby Ellsbury. 

Ellsbury had a noted history of injury before signing with the Yankees. In 2010, he played 18 games due to injury. In 2012, he played in 74 due to injury, and in his final season in Boston, their 2013 championship run, he played in less than 140 games. Which means he missed a good chunk there due to injury. In his time since coming to the Yankees, which was 6 years ago, he’s played in approximately 57% of all possible games. This includes the fact that he’s missed the last 2 seasons, and was benched by Girardi during one of his previous playoff appearances.

Case two against the New York Yankees, signing Carlos Beltran.

Beltran was the most absurd signing the Yankees could have made. Giving a 37-year-old, with horrible knees that reduced his mobility, a 3-year contract to go out there and play right field?! I remember watching in disgust as Beltran just stood there, listlessly, in right field as he watched Ellsbury crash into the wall trying to chase down a fly ball. And it wasn’t until after the ball was bouncing away, that Beltran made his break for the ball. That resulted in an inside the park home run. And, yes, the Yankees signed Beltran to play right field. Of his 334 games he played as a Yankee, Beltran spent 143 of those games in right field. You don’t sign a DH and have him play 43% of his games in a position that weakens the clubs chance to win. And this was a $45 million contract the Yankees signed him to!

There were more egregious cases than just these two. And while they were signed before 2010, it did complicate the Yankees in the 2010s. I loved Mark Texiera as a Yankee, but good lord. That contract ended up being a massive albatross as he got older and couldn’t stay on the field anymore. CC Sabathia’s contract was a similar money pit, even though I wouldn’t trade what he accomplished as a Yankee for the world. And then there was A-Rod’s contract.

Why would you give a 31-year-old a 10-year contract worth $275 million? Even Masahiro Tanaka’s contract is starting to look suspect. He’s yet to crack the top 5 in Cy Young voting. His pitching elbow can go at any minute, he’s been in the top 20 for the American League in home runs allowed the last three seasons, and has an ERA dancing around 4.00 during the previous three seasons. And he’s been getting $20+ million per season!

At 31 years old, I think Tanaka has to think about moving to the bullpen if he wants to stay an effective pitcher for the Yankees moving forward. And now the Yankees gave a guy who averaged playing 95 games per season, his whole career, a 7-year contract (Aaron Hicks). And really? You HAD to trade for Giancarlo Stanton and his behemoth contract?

What’s this about staying under the luxury tax?

Why The Luxury Tax Quest Will Hurt Us in 2020

Now it’s highly suspect we’ll let Didi sign elsewhere, to slide Gleyber over to shortstop. This is a mistake.

Gleyber’s sample size defensively in the majors is small, but it’s pronounced. Gleyber Torres is a MUCH better defensive second baseman than he is at shortstop.

In his career, Torres has a major league fielding percentage of .969 at second, and a career .954 fielding percentage at shortstop. His career range factor at second is 3.75 compared to 3.42 at short, meaning YES! He covers more ground at a new position rather than his “natural” position. And this includes the fact that Gleyber spent MORE time playing shortstop last season than he did second base (77 appearances at short compared to just 65 at second). And part of the reason why Didi will be passed over is that the qualifying offer would work too much against the Yankees luxury tax.

What’s going to happen when Gary Sanchez AND Aaron Judge both need new contracts by 2023? Are we going to let one of them walk? I already made the case that Sanchez is on pace to have a Hall of Fame career. Judge is just too good to let walk! Gio Urshella will be owed money by then, also, as will Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres. 

What made the dynasty of the 90’s so consistent was the fact you had the SAME core of players on all those teams. O’Neil, Martinez, Jeter, Brosius, Williams, Posada, Pettite, Rivera, and Knoblauch. The core of Gregorius, Judge, Torres, Voit, Andujar, Sanchez, Severino, and Betances (another 2020 free agent) is a team that wins. We saw what this group is capable of over the last two seasons, and they’re just hitting their stride as a cohesive unit. Do you think the Giants would have been as successful as they were without Bumgarner, Posey, Sandoval, and Pagan at a bare minimum? Of course, they wouldn’t have been!

This is a team that needs to be reinforced with better starting pitching and a reevaluation of the bullpen. That means that Hal and Brian need to open the checkbook and go over that luxury tax. Moving Gleyber to short would be detrimental to his development as a player. Gardner will be willing to take a team-friendly discount for a one year deal in 2020 because he wants to stay a Yankee (and they need him in center). Didi has shown he’s worthy of a deal comparable to other elite shortstops in baseball with his regular-season and postseason performances (even Derek Jeter struggled in a few postseasons). A tag team of Urshella and Andujar, with one of them getting a chance at first to help rest Voit and DJ is more security at the corners than the Yankees have had in a long time. 

Besides, the Yankees made $668 million in revenue last year as a 100 win wild card team that got eliminated in the ALDS. They were a 100+ game-winning division champion who got to game 6 of the ALCS while blowing past the record they set for most home runs as a team in 2018. They will have made closer to $1 billion this 2019, mark my words. They can afford to pay the luxury tax. And they should.

It’s a championship or bust, remember? Clearly what Hal and Brian have been doing hasn’t been working. It would be insanity if they stuck with that plan moving forward into the 2020s. Because by the standard of the Yankees organization, it was an abject failure trying to field a championships caliber team while staying under the luxury tax in the 2010s.

Yankees could make the same mistake in free agency this offseason

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New York Yankees to pursue Gerrit Cole this upcoming offseason?

The New York Yankees will have several important decisions to make this offseason. Whether or not they should bolster the starting pitching rotation will undoubtedly be discussed, and with the best starter in baseball sitting on the free-agent market, they might not have a choice but to pursue him.

The Yankees passed on Patrick Corbin last offseason, and they watched him win a World Series with the Washington Nationals. He finished the year with a 3.25 ERA, which would have led the Yankees. A colossal mistake from general manager Brian Cashman that ultimately hurt their chances at reaching the big series.

However, Cashman couldn’t know that Luis Severino would miss nearly the entire season, and Domingo German’s domestic violence case would push him out of postseason play. Playing it safe and signing a bonafide starter is always a good move, though, considering how much available cap the Bombers have to work with.

The New York Yankees and Cashman would have to splash the cash:

If they do elect to pursue a player like Gerrit Cole in free agency this winter, they will be looking at a steep price-tag. Somewhere in the $30+ million range per season is where Cole will land, far more than any pitcher currently on the Yankees, but he’s well worth the cost.

Cole is the league’s best pitcher at just 29 years old. He finished 2019 with a 2.50 ERA, striking out 326 batters over 33 starts. In a contract year, he put up his best numbers in nearly every category, and it will pay off with a massive deal.

Owner of the Yankees, Hal Steinbrenner, isn’t keen on signing a premium starter to help his rotation, as he’s confident with the group coming back in 2020, notably Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery.

“For the most part, I think our starting pitching was good this year,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Even missing [Luis] Severino and [Jordan] Montgomery [for most or all of the season due to injuries].”

Steinbrenner and Cashman agreed that the starters played well into the postseason. Still, they were inconsistent during the regular season, forcing manager Aaron Boone to dip into his bullpen too frequently. Reinforcing the starting rotation can alleviate that concern, and they do need to find a replacement for CC Sabathia. The consensus is that Montgomery will gill his slot in the rotation, but injecting Cole into the team would undoubtedly make them one of the most feared in baseball.

 

Hal Steinbrenner will hold the Yankees back this offseason

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New York Yankees, Masahiro Tanaka

General manager Brian Cashman might be making decisions for the New York Yankees at the executive level, but the influence of Hal Steinbrenner cannot be overlooked. The owner of the Bronx Bombers stated that the team doesn’t need to add to their starting pitching rotation with Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery returning in featured roles next season.

“For the most part, I think our starting pitching was good this year,’’ Steinbrenner said. “Even missing [Luis] Severino and [Jordan] Montgomery [for most or all of the season due to injuries].”

However, the reality is that the Yankees need a bonafide starter that can dominate when the postseason rolls around. A player like Gerrit Cole would undoubtedly give them a significant edge, but at a severe cost — upwards of $30 million per season.

Steinbrenner might not be keen on spending that type of money on a premium talent, but he must then ask himself why his team hasn’t won a World Series in a decade yet consistently makes the playoffs without avail. Then again, he allowed Cashman to splash the cash on Giancarlo Stanton, who barely played a lick in 2019. The Yankees need to add players with healthy track records, and Cole is one of those proven commodities.

The New York Yankees brass thinks their pitching is in a good place:

Both Cashman and Steinbrenner agreed that the pitching was stable during the postseason, and they are right for the most part. Spending $17 million on J.A. Happ to feature as a relief option, though, is ludicrous, and the Yankees need to do a better job evaluating their pitching talent, especially in free agency.

Alternatively, they can save themselves the hassle of guessing on pitchers and paying top dollar for premium arms that rarely falter. It’s easier said than done.

Steinbrenner also stated that any deals Cashman brings to his attention he will always consider, which is the right thing to do. However, giving his general manager the autonomy to make his own decisions seems like the right thing to do.

EXTRA:

“If the 2020 season was to start tomorrow, I would feel considerably more confident than I did a year ago at this time,’’ Steinbrenner said. “We will have both Severino and Montgomery back. We now know that [Domingo] German can pitch effectively at this level. And we know [James] Paxton can be the guy that we were hoping for when we made that trade. We have [Masahiro] Tanaka, [J.A.] Happ, [Jonathan] Loaisiga, and perhaps [Deivi] Garcia at some point. A very good rotation.’’

 

New York Yankees Have Improved – More Moves Could Be On The Way

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New York Yankees, Aaron Boone

Two things happened in New York Yankees news this past week, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said “Fans should keep an open mind that I’m never done until I’m done, and that’s usually not until opening day,” and PECOTA released its 2019 projections for players and teams ranking the Yankees at the top of the American League East.

I’m not claiming there’s any connection between the two events, just noting that the Yankees are already slated to be very good and Steinbrenner suggests they may not be done.

Baseball Prospectus‘ PECOTA (Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm) projections rank the AL East this way:

  • Yankees – 96-66
  • Red Sox 90-72
  • Rays 86-76
  • Blue Jays 76-86
  • Orioles 57-105

Projections are not predictions, but it’s fair to say based on these numbers that the Yankees and the Red Sox will be battling it out at the top of the division without much interference from the other three teams in the AL East, with the exception of the Rays, who may surprise again with a strong record.

Free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado remain unsigned with 5 days to go until pitchers and catchers report for spring training.  While the Yankees have had talks with both camps this offseason, as fans know, nothing but rumors have been the result.

On Monday at the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, in fact, stated that the Yankees were a “complete team” now and ready to compete for a championship, thus appearing to put to rest any lingering hopes from fans that the Yankees were not finished building this offseason and might sign one of these two extraordinary talents.

Thus, the excitement when I read that PECOTA projects the Yankees to be tied for second (Dodgers 96-66 also) with the best record in baseball behind the Astros, projected to have a 99-63 record – and they are potentially still interested in adding pieces.

Scott Chiusano of the NY Daily News wrote:

Steinbrenner said that nothing should be ruled out when it comes to this free agent class, which still has two unsigned behemoths. That’s the company line that both GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone have been repeating, even though the Yankees have not shown any real signs of being players for either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper.

The Yankees are very good on paper going into the season, but the arguments have definitely been made that the addition of Machado or Harper would significantly increase their chances of a championship in ’19.

We’re fast approaching spring training and fans are eager to see the team make a spectacular move which will propel them beyond the projections and into the record books.