NY Yankees

Yankees could make surprise infield move with DJ LeMahieu

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yankees, dj lemahieu

The New York Yankees have been and will continue to be connected to some of the biggest free-agent players on the market, ranging from Carlos Correa to Trevor Story. However, general manager Brian Cashman is still looking for a solution at first base, and with Luke Voit suffering through injuries during the 2021 season, a new starter could be on the horizon.

It is entirely possible Cashman looks to bring back Anthony Rizzo on an extension. Rizzo was traded from the Chicago Cubs to New York at the deadline, featuring in 49 games with the Bombers. During that sample size, Rizzo hit .249 with eight homers and 21 RBIs.

The former Gold Glove winner would undoubtedly be a consistent option both offensively and defensively if offered a long-term contract, but the Yankees also have their eyes set on Freddie Freeman, who is looking for a deal upwards of five years. If Freeman, in fact, makes a move to an alternative club, the Yankees represent a solid landing spot.

This past year, he won a World Series with the Braves, hitting .300 with 31 homers and 83 RBIs. Freeman ranked 9th in MVP voting and would undoubtedly be an awesome power threat as a lefty in Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees could take a cheaper route to solve first base:

Nonetheless, based on Cashman’s quiet approach before the lockout, it is possible he looks to save a bit of cash and utilize talent already on the roster to solve first base. In that scenario, he may ask DJ LeMahieu to move there full-time, signing a shortstop and moving Gleyber Torres to second base permanently.

The team would hate to move on from Torres after a few down seasons at shortstop, so maintaining confidence in him may be viewed as ideal. Nonetheless, LeMahieu making the full-time move to first isn’t out of the picture but would surely be surprising. This past season, he experienced a bit of natural regression after an incredible 2020 season. He batted .268 with 10 homers and 57 RBIs, featuring in 150 games. At 1B, he logged a .997 fielding percentage with just one error.

At the end of the day, DJ is one of those players who can move around the infield seamlessly and see a minimal drop-off in quality. It ultimately comes down to whether Cashman still has faith in Torres and wants to make him a long-term solution at second base rather than spending big on a first base solution and trading away their homegrown talent in a prospective deal.

Yankees could execute interesting salary dump trade to solve shortstop and centerfield spots

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alvis andrus, yankees

It is entirely possible the New York Yankees take a more cost-efficient route after the lockout. After all, general manager Brian Cashman stayed quiet before the league shut down, and while he could target a big name like Carlos Correa, the expectation is management doesn’t want to spend the type of money Correa is looking for over a decade long period.

There are a variety of options that could serve as a stopgap at a much cheaper price point, including Andrelton Simmons or Trevor Story. However, Cashman could look at potential trade scenarios as a more appropriate strategy.

The New York Post’s Joel Sherman believes the Yankees could take more of a garbage disposal approach, accumulating big contracts and stop-gaps for the short term:

If the Yankees wanted to emphasize defense, it would probably not take a ton of prospect capital if they were willing to absorb most or all of the $6.25 million the Athletics owe shortstop Elvis Andrus in 2022 and the $18 million the Brewers owe Lorenzo Cain. … Cain would serve as a rotating part of the outfield, plus insurance for Hicks (Milwaukee has had interest in Voit previously).

Elvis Andrus is currently 33-years0old and headed into the final guaranteed year of the eight-year, $120 million contract he signed back in 2015. Andrus has a 2023 player option that would become guaranteed with 550 plate appearances in 2022 or 1,100 play appearances in 2021 and 2022 combined. He enjoyed 541 this past year with the Oakland Athletics, posting a .243 average and 15% strikeout rate.

Andrus is a decent player but isn’t known for his slugging abilities, which is usually the direction the Yankees take when acquiring players. He’s more of a contact specialist, recording 91 singles and 25 doubles this past season to go with 12 stolen bases. In the past, Andrus was known for his speed on the base paths, recording 31 stolen bases back in 2019 before experiencing a big drop-off with age.

Acquiring a player like Elvis would undoubtedly be a stopgap for the future, but taking his money off the books from Oakland would likely cost the Yankees little to nothing.

Another player Cashman could trade for is Lorenzo Cain of the Milwaukee Brewers. Cain is currently heading into the final year of a five-year, $80 million contract. He’s prepared to earn $18 million in base salary this upcoming season at 36-years-old, and serve as mostly a rotational player for the Bombers. This past season, he hosted a .257 average with eight homers and 36 RBIs in just 78 games.

Cain has undoubtedly experienced health complications in the past, but when he’s available, he’s a solid player capable of producing quality offense and good defense. Nonetheless, adding another injury-prone player to the outfield isn’t exactly an ideal situation, so this is a move the Yankees would likely pass on unless Milwaukee was looking for a salary dump and willing to give them assets in exchange.

New York Yankees: Aaron Judge and long-time girlfriend marry in Hawaii

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While there is not much going on with the New York Yankees, there is big news to report during the lockout. Yankee star outfielder Aaron Judge and his long-time girlfriend Samantha Bracksieck were married on Saturday in Maui, Hawaii in a private ceremony at a posh tropical resort.

Apparently, Aaron Judge is a one-and-done kind of guy, as he culminated a more than ten-year relationship with his high school sweetheart, and this weekend he sealed the deal with a passionate kiss after the pair made their vows. This is even more exciting because the pair managed to keep the impending nuptials mostly secret. Bracksieck was shown months ago with what appeared to be an engagement ring, indicating that an upcoming wedding might be in the books.

The Daily Mail first reported the wedding that was acknowledged by the venue. It was said to be an intimate wedding with only family and a few of the closest friends in attendance at the Montage Kapalua Bay resort in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. Recent photos showed Luis Cessa, Gary Sanchez, and Gleyber Torres, vacationing in Maui, it is assumed that they attended the wedding.

Judge and Bracksieck met in high school. At Linden High School, Judge was a three-sport all-star. The pair would go on to attend California State University in Fresno California, where Judge was named a Freshman All-American. The couple took a break in their relationship in 2016 but were spotted together in 2019 on a trip to London. Judge is 29, and Samantha is one year his junior.

Judge picked out the perfect place for the wedding, the Kapalua Bay resort. The resort sits right on the ocean with views of neighboring islands. As expected, the resort is quite exclusive, with suites starting at $3,400 a night. The wedding was held outdoors under a gazebo next to the ocean.

New York Yankees wrapped up the 2021 season when they lost to the Red Sox in the wild card game. Nevertheless, Judge had his best season since 2017 going on to be the Yankees’ most dependable player. Meanwhile, Judge has said that being a Yankee for life “would be a wish of mine.” Now he will do it with his lovely new wife. So soon, there may be mini-Judges running around the bases. If the Judge and the Yankees disagree on a contract extension, he could become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022 season.

Yankees News: AL East rival embarrassed Yankees pre-lockout, perfect fit at shortstop still available

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yankees, trevor story

The New York Yankees were eerily quiet before the MLB lockout, mainly as a result of strategy. Owner Hal Steinbrenner preferred to operate after the new luxury tax threshold is set, potentially earning him even more money, thanks to evermore greediness from the owners. General manager Brian Cashman inquired about a few names early in free agency, but those attempts were swept under the rug as more aggressive teams spent over $1 billion on new contracts before the lockout.

In fact, even the Toronto Blue Jays, not known for their spending, were in pursuit of star shortstop, Corey Seager, previously from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees were the favorites entering free agency for Seager’s signature, given his awesome lefty bat and solid defense. Now, the Yanks are in no-mans land, eyeing a monster name like Carlos Correa on a huge contract or a stop-gap for the interim. However, seeing Toronto as an aggressor while the Yankees sat quietly on the side was a sign of embarrassment for ownership.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan stated that the Toronto Blue Jays were even in on Corey Seager, as the Yankees sat on the sidelines with not a care in the world:

It was far from a sure bet — the Los Angeles Dodgers, with whom Seager had spent his entire career and won a World Series, weren’t going anywhere. And Toronto, which had also been in on Semien, was now primed to take a strong run at Seager. But first the Blue Jays had some other business to take care of. They were in a bidding war with the New York Mets.

The Yankees can still fill a big need with a good player:

In context, the Yankees don’t want a 10-year solution at shortstop, they want a quality stop-gap who can hold the line while they wait for Oswal Peraza and Anthony Volpe.

Trevor Story is exactly that player, slashing .251/.329/.471 with 24 homers and 75 RBIs during the 2020-21 season. Story is a good enough defender to make the transition of Gleyber Torres obsolete and has enough offensive production to provide some consistency. Story has hit double-digit homers in all of his six MLB seasons and is only two years removed from posting 35.

The Bombers have been heavily connected to the Colorado infielder in the past, so signing him would make logistical sense. Monetarily, Story would be far less costly than Correa and allow the Yankees a bit of flexibility to enable their youngsters to develop.

New York Yankees: Did Giancarlo Stanton hit the longest home run ever?

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New York Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton is unarguably the best power-hitting player in baseball. But, the simple answer to if he hit the longest home run, is no he didn’t. It’s tough to answer the question because many measurements took place before Statcast, making the determination quite accurate and easy. Many of the records discussed here are based on witnesses, rumors, and knowing the measurements of the park where the home runs were slammed.

It should be noted that homers hit at the Colorado Rockies home, Coor’s field, will go much further than in other parks that are closer to sea level. Coors Field is at a lofty 5,200 feet where the air is very thin. Not surprisingly, the longest home run ever hit was in 1987 at the then Mile High Stadium. Joey Meyer, in a game between the minor league Denver Zephyrs and the Buffalo Bisons, hit a towering blast that went 587′ and was recorded on video.

When mentioning home runs, one must discuss Mickey Mantle because many believe he hit the longest home run. Mantle is often credited with a 734′ homer during 1963 in the old Yankee Stadium. The long ball hit off the facade keeping it from going out of the park. It hit so hard that it bounced back onto the field. The only problem with the validity of that shot was that Yankee Stadium’s farthest reach was left-center at 408′. To believe the 734′ figure, you would have to agree that the stands are 326′ deep, which they are not.

All tolled Mantle is said to have had six long balls that were over 600′, but most of those were contested by fellow players and fans. His longest home run was probably the one against the Washington Senators at Griffith Field, it measured 565′. That home run was documented and coined the “tape measured home run.”

  • Here are some of the other home runs, some are disputed:
  • Josh Gibson, Homestead Grays catcher – 580 feet, Yankee Stadium
  • Babe Ruth, Boston Red Sox outfielder – 550-587 feet, Plant Field
  • Reggie Jackson, Oakland Athletics outfielder – 539 feet, Tiger Stadium
  • Willie Stargel, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder – 535 feet, Olympic Stadium
  • Adam Dunn, Cincinnati Reds first baseman – 535 feet, Great American Ballpark
  • Jim Thome, Cleveland Guardians first baseman – 511 feet, Jacobs Field
  • Glenallen Hill, Chicago Cubs outfielder – 500+ feet, Wrigley Field
  • Nomar Mazara, Texas Rangers outfielder – 505 feet, Globe Life Park
  • Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins outfielder – 504 feet, Coors Field, the former two were measured by Statcast.

Here are the longest home run blasts during the 2021 season: Click on the links to see the actual home run video.

Please note that five of the ten longest hit home runs in 2021 were at Coor’s Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. Baseball analysts generally agree that balls at Coor’s Field go 5-10% further than at other fields.

Interestingly the hardest-hit ball of the 2021 season was not hit out of the infield. Giancarlo Stanton lined a ball off the bat at 122.2 mph. That ball was lined into the second baseman’s glove resulting in a double play. Stanton has hit five of the year’s hardest-hit balls.

Player agent torches Yankees’ owner Hal Steinbrenner for treating team like ‘Broadway show’

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New York Yankees, Hal Steinbrenner

Some of the biggest teams in Major League Baseball sat quietly while fear of the lockout churned out massive contracts at the end of November. The New York Yankees were one of the few teams to sit still and wait until after lockout when a new luxury tax threshold would be set. With the monstrous amount of revenue the Yankees earn every year, they spend just a small portion of that on players, which may be to the surprise of some considering the big contracts they have on file.

However, the Yankees failed to spend before the locket, especially with several suitable options on the market. While talented free agents will be available in the spring, they will have to come out guns blazing once the lockout finishes.

Owner Hal Steinbrenner has been accused of failing to spend some of his big bucks, forcing general manager Brian Cashman to stay below the $210 million luxury tax threshold, despite a lack of starting pitching and failure to develop homegrown talent.

According to Lindsey Adler of The Athletic, one player agent compared Steinbrenner’s strategy to a broadway show:

“Hal operates the Yankees like a top Broadway show,” the agent said. “They charge top ticket prices and put the biggest and best stars on the stage. With that said, the show’s primary purpose is to turn a significant profit. If the Broadway show happens to win a Tony for Best Show, all the better.”

This is a perfect analogy to use when looking at Steinbrenner, who uses a small percentage of his money on players while pocketing the rest. He put some of the biggest stars on his stage to attract viewers and consumers, but it is more of a business model than a plan to win. The team always lacks significant talent at specific positions, and the team overspends on singular players instead of finding multiple guys who serve a designed purpose.

Just look at Giancarlo Stanton for example, the Yankees consumed his contract when they could’ve spread that money around to three different quality players. They took a massive risk, and while Stanton was solid during the 2020–21 campaign, he has struggled with injury issues the past few seasons.

The Yankees will likely spend coming out of the lockout. History tells us they will go after the biggest name to draw consumers back to the market. Fans are already angry at baseball and may find different outlets for their source of entertainment, so Steinbrenner will try to draw them back in with another big name, and it will work.

Yankees could take big risk in free agency to land high upside starting pitcher

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carlos rodon, yankees

The New York Yankees have a long way to go before they can compete for another championship, having missed an opportunity to contend for the final series of the year in each of their last 10 seasons. General manager Brian Cashman has been given an open checkbook on a number of occasions to acquire talented players capable of leading them to a World Series, but their unfortunate player development has hurt the team tremendously, with options like Gleyber Torres, Gary Sanchez, and even Clint Frazier failing to reach their potential.

The pitching department has also experienced a myriad of failures, with Domingo German stalling his progress after domestic violence case saw him banned for half a season and Luis Severino dealing with significant injuries, including two Tommy John surgeries.

Cashman has tried to supplement those weaknesses with oft-injured pitchers hitting free agency or trading for suspect arms. Acquiring Corey Kluber and Jameson Taillon last year to help lead the charge of the starting rotation was part of that strategy.

Unfortunately, neither were able to piece together successful campaigns, as Kluber spent the majority of his season on injured reserve, and Taillon struggled considerably with location issues and velocity.

Cashman will once again be scouring the free-agent market when the lockout eventually comes to an end in the next few months. One name he may target is former Chicago White Sox starter Carlos Rodon. Rodon, who has had his own injury issues in the past, posted a 2.37 ERA over 132.2 innings this past season.

Rodon collected 13 wins, a 12.55 strikeout per nine rate, and a career-high 82.2% left on-base percentage in 2021. His primary pitches are his fastball, slider, and change-up. He threw his fastball 58.6% of the time in 2021, hitting a career-high 95.4 mph on average. In fact, all three of his primary pitches increased exponentially in velocity, showcasing a change in fundamentals and throwing dynamic.

If Cashman could land Carlos on a one-year contract, the Yankees might be able to exercise his newfound success. Considering his inconsistencies in the past, a short-term deal would be ideal for the Bombers, but it would likely cost them a nice chunk of change. Somewhere in the $15-20 million per season range might get it done, but it is possible a needy team offers him a multi-year contract, which would be inadvisable.

Alternatively, the Yankees could turn their attention to Clayton Kershaw, who is also considered injury-prone. Nonetheless, he’s more of a proven commodity and will provide a bit more reliability in terms of quality. Rodon has really only experienced one year of dominant play, but his upside is fantastic and could give the Yankees a significant edge behind Gerrit Cole.

Yankees: Are players doing enough to state their case as lockout drags on?

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The New York Yankees and the other 29 MLB teams are in lockdown. The present CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) expired on December 1. Commissioner Rob Manfred wasted no time putting the clubs in lockdown. A lockdown forbids any transactions. Historically the owners have mostly had their way in CBA negotiations, except for getting their long-sought-after salary cap. The players association (MLBPA) knows that they are determined not to let it happen again.

With Manfred frequently speaking out, most fans know the owner’s complaints, but that is not true of the players. Few speak out on social media with their complaints; even the union head Tony Clark is seldom open about the negotiations. There are 30 owners and over 1,200 players, so the players should have the upper hand, but they don’t, they have little bargaining power. They can get more power if they state their case to fans that now see it as a fight between millionaires and billionaires. 

Having the most exposure, MLB can put pressure on the players, in many ways, including scrubbing articles and even their photos from the official MLB site. The players union has not placed a gag order on the players. The only way for the players to get the fans on their side is to talk, which almost all are not doing. If they can get the fans on their side, that is the best chance they have of putting pressure on the owners and possibly elevating their wants.

The union should schedule daily Zooms in which players explain to fans, through reporters, why they believe the game’s economy is broken. Get their case out there to the fans. Also, use your social media account. One of the significant issues they should explain is that over 90% of players earn the league minimum salary, very few players have mega-contracts, only the ones you see in the news. Players want more money sooner rather than later. The NFL, NBA, and NHL all have higher starting salaries than the MLB players. When you consider the average baseball life is only about four years, the minimum salary is significant.

Many minor league and even major-league players have second and third jobs in the off-season. They are laborers, janitors, or any position they can get to get by and feed and provide for their families. Again, I have to point out we’re are not talking about the Mike Trouts or Max Scherzer’s of the baseball world; they have plenty, and most have no worries for the rest of their lives. Most of those players are grossly overpaid.

In my opinion, compared to other sports, the players should have a higher starting salary. They should at the same time accept a reasonable salary cap, something they will never agree to. But for the time being, get out there and state your case. Get the fans on your side.

 

New York Yankees News: Everything you need to know in one place

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CC, Jeff Nelson suggests Frazier shut his trap

The New York Yankees designated their failed outfielder Clint Frazier for assignment on Nov. 19 and cut him days later; the move brought to an end his tremulous time with the Yankees. Frazier, now 27 years old, took a one-year $1.5 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. He is now taking shots at the Yankees in usual Clint Frazier form as his immaturity shines through yet again. Some ex-Yankees are not taking it lightly.

Pitcher Jeff Nelson has been one of the most outspoken:

“Here is something for you,” Nelson tweeted. “You can talk the talk but, you have not walked the walk. Love the confidence but, you have to do something on the field.” “Don’t talk s–t about the Yankees when they gave him a chance so, screw you,” Nelson tweeted.

Pitcher CC Sabathia chimed in: 

“If I see another Clint Frazier story, bro, I’m gonna punch somebody in the f–king face,” he said on the R2C2 Podcast, per Audacy’s John Healy. “S–t is ridiculous. That kid played 15 games in the f–king big leagues. Get the f–k out of here with all these stupid ass f–king stories.”

Seiyu Suzuki suggests no-no to the Red Sox via social media

The New York Yankees have been reportedly aggressive in their pursuit of Japanese stud outfielder Seiyu Suzuki. After the lockout is resolved, it is assumed that Brian Cashman will continue that pursuit. Last season the start outfielder had a Suzuki posted a .317 batting average with 38 homers and 88 RBIs, striking out 89 times over 439 at-bats. If the Yankees can land the right-fielder, it could solve two problems for the team. They could move star Aaron Judge to center where he played flawlessly last season, sometimes replacing the ill Aaron Hicks, and put Suzuki in right.

The Yankees were not the only team in hot pursuit of the star; the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays were also aggressive. But in a bit of good news for the Yankees is that Suzuki apparently has scrubbed the Red Sox off his list of teams he might be interested in playing for. He un-followed the Red Sox on social media.

Ex-Yankee Mike Tauchman Korea bound

Many New York Yankee fans were sorry to see lefty Mike Tauchman leave the Yankees. Last season he played only eleven games for the Yankees when they traded him to the San Francisco Giants. He played in only 64 games with the Giants with a .186 batting average. Now a free agent, he has signed with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization, receiving a $300K signing bonus and salary of $700K for a total of $1 million. Hopefully, the outfielder can savage his career overseas.

Aaron Hicks is healthy and reported ready for 2022

Reportedly center fielder Aaron Hicks is healthy and ready to take his place on the field. On the upside, he played winter ball in the Dominican, which is now over. He got off to a slow start but heated up near the end of the season. With the Leones del Escogido he played in twelve games, hitting 4 home runs and batting .265.

The big question with Hicks is if he can stay healthy. History has proven that when he can stay on the field for any time, his hitting improves. However, the Yankees are not counting on him staying healthy. After the lockout is resolved, the Yankees may look to replace him, making him a bench player.

Rob Brantly to be number 3 backstop

The Yankees have re-signed catcher Rob Brantly to a minor league contract. Brantly played six games for the Yankees during the 2021 season, collecting three hits in 21 at-bats. Most of Brantly’s playing time last season came with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he hit .289 in 68 games. By signing Brantly, the Yankees will gain depth in triple -A and a third option at the Stadium, after Gary Sanchez and Kyle Higashioka.

Yankees among the teams that re-invest small amounts back into the team

One big question for Yankee fans, is after the lockout is over, will the Yankees spend the necessary money to improve the team for 2022? The Yankees in the last few years have been among the teams that have spent the least of their revenues to re-invest in their team. In 2018 they spent just 29.5 and only 33% of revenues for payroll enhancement in the last reporting year, 2019. 

The Yankees have some pretty big holes to fill, notably getting a shortstop to play in place of Gleyber Torres that has been moved to second base. Many of the best options are already gone. They also need a valid number two starting pitcher to follow Gerrit Cole. Add to that they need help in center field and also have decisions to make at first base. Both owner Hal Steinbrenner and GM Brian Cashman have indicated that they are willing to spend, but as of this point have done nothing.

The Yankees have a huge liability in the outfield that must be solved

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New York Yankees, Aaron Hicks

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman indicated that he may target another outfielder this off-season in free agency. Allowing Clint Frazier to walk and rejecting the club option of Brett Gardner leaves a hole in the outfield, but it is not the reserve spot he needs to ponder, it is the starting center field spot housed by Aaron Hicks.

Hicks, who signed a seven-year, $70 million deal back in 2019, is going into the fourth season of his contract after being injured for two of the first three years. He’s set to earn a base salary of $10.5 million at 32-years-old, but since the deal only ends in 2025, the Yankees are on the hook for a significant amount of money moving forward.

The veteran outfielder played in just 32 games this past season after featuring in 59 back in 2019 when his contract started. Last year, he recorded a measly .194 average with four homers and 14 RBIs. His 23.8% strikeout rate was the highest since 2019 and 11.1% walk rate was the lowest since 2016.

The very moment he signed that long-term extension his play quality dipped significantly, leaving the Yankees with a major problem in center.

Attempting to work his way back from the issues, Hicks played in the Dominican Republic’s Winter League which ended this past Thursday. Over 12 games, Hicks recorded a .265 average with one homer, nine RBIs, 10 strikeouts, and a .729 OPS.

While his numbers during the Winter League are respectable, the Yankees ultimately need to consider potential replacements. One player they have been linked to is Japanese star Seiyu Suzuki, who could take over in right field, moving Aaron Judge to center. Hicks can be a glorified reserve and designated hitter in the lineup, given his switch-hitting abilities.

There are a few other options Yankees can consider in free agency, including Kevin Pillar or even Ketel Marte in a potential trade. One way or another, Cashman has to make a decision at a spot that is currently owned by a liability in Hicks, who left the Bombers gasping for air with Gardner at the end of his career and Frazier dealing with vertigo.