Josh Hamilton?

Some rumors started to fly today that certain Yankee personnel, not Brian Cashman, were doing their due diligence on Free Agent Ranger Slugger Josh Hamilton.  This sounds at first like market driving crap designed to get some closure for Hamilton.   But maybe it's not.   The Yanks could really use a right fielder for next season, and they have a history of acquiring some big ones, like Ruth, Maris, Reggie, Winnie and O'Neill as well as a few less successful ones like Barfield, Tartabull and Mondesi.  So it is something the Yanks have done in the past.  

But could they possibly do it now?  Especially with their 189M target for 2014?  They probably could. If they can get a reasonable 4 year deal with Hamilton (that may be the trickiest part) they could try him out in 2013 and if he moves attendance, ratings and team fortunes enough, perhaps the Yanks could give up their 189M target for 14 and continue to thumb their noses at baseball in the grand tradition of George.  Or they could simply trade Hamilton or Cano (or not re-sign Cano) to stay within their 189 plan.  The truth is they probably have a couple of ways they could sign Hamilton and still make 189.

This would also allow them to turn around and trade Granderson to Texas for some of their plethora of prospects.   The Yanks would be wise to accept a package of low minor leaguers who they could slot into A or low A.   We'll see.  But if Hamilton is off the market the Rangers will be a good landing spot for Granderson.   Just some thoughts.

Patience, Yankee Fans

Sorry I've been away so much.

That said, we haven't missed much as far as the Yanks, Rangers and even Giants go.  The Knicks are another story and one I hope to get to in the next few days if I have time.

Anyway, beyond re-signing Mo, Andy and Kuroda, the Yanks haven't gotten much done this offseason. And frankly, that's fine with me.

For the past few years the Yanks have been rolling toward their own financial cliff.   By their understanding, if they don't get their taxable payroll down to 189 by 2014, they will stand to lose tens of millions through the rest of the CBA.    I'm not sure of what the exact math is, but the number that I've hear most often in 50 million.  Or less than they dropped on winning bid for Kei Igawa.    So either the 50M number is wrong and the real number is much higher, or they've lost their minds.

In either event, the best and most natural way to get the payroll down is to have a strong farm that produces cost controlled major leaguers.  Now, for years and years the Yanks must have known this but they didn't push their financial advantage in IFA or the Draft to stockpile as many prospects as they could.   They didn't do that.

Still they have spent money on putting together a state of the game scouting staff, and doing that has improved their farm, though it's not quite evident to most yet.  But it will be.

In fact, if the Yanks and we fans can just be patient a little longer, the solutions, at least some of them, will come from the farm.  

In Mason Williams, Tyler Austin and Slade Heathcott, the Yank have a complete outfield worth of plus prospects, and they will all start or finish the season at AA this year.    Slade and Austin will start there, Mason may get a little more work in High A Tampa since his season ended when he hurt his non-throwing shoulder.     Still, the Yanks not only have future starters, but they have near ready OF depth in Ramon Flores, Abe and Zolio Almonte.     So it can be a very self sustaining unit, perhaps by 2014.

They still have a hole at C, but they have a bunch on the way and a likely star receiver in Gary Sanchez who will probably split this season between High A and AA.   In fact he may get promoted to Trenton when Mason Williams does.   Already at AA the Yanks have JR Murphy.   He has hitting talent, though he had a bad year at the plate in 20012.   But his defense has come a long way, and he may get a little rushed this year ie.  start in AAA and come up in June or something.

The Yanks may even be able to patch third base for a few year with some combination of David Adams, Corban Joseph and Ronnie Mustellier,   Adams is 25 and has been slowed by injury, but he can hit and play D, though he's played mostly 2B in the minors and college.   Corban has also mostly played 2B, but he too can hit, and could blossom into more of a home run threat in the bigs.  Mustellier is in his late 20's but he can rake and do some things.   Not a great fielder, but he can really hit.

Aside from relief pitching, the rest of the help is in A or low A, but the Yanks should be able to restock the OF, C and bandage 3B by `14.    Thus, bandaids are required now, not multi-year deals with major league mediocrities.

As far as trades go, I'm against any that would involve the big three OF's or Sanchez.   And really, Justin Upton is the only big trade target out there that would make sense, but he'd still need two more OF mates.

So, have some patience.  Watching a new core develop will be fun for a few years.