This Week on the Blog
Yanks: Yesterday they bandaged short for the near and mid term, which will allow them to plug in Jorge Mateo or Avelino or anyone else who explodes at short in the next few years. It was tough losing Greene, but having the freedom to grow the kids was probably worth it. They also added another impact reliever. I'm against paying FA relievers, but they got themselves another stud.
This coming week, they go to the Winter Meetings needing rotation help, and possibly help at third or second. They could also use a hitting coach and more help for their system.
Rangers: The Rangers have to cut out the Jekyll and Hyde nonsense. In order to do that, they got to get better contributions from Hank, McD, Kreider and several others. And they have to stop scratching Duclair. He's scratched again tonight and Talbot is in the net against Detroit.
Giants: The Giants will continue their long limp to the finish line. They really should consider playing Nassib, just to see what they have, and to prevent Eli from single handedly messing up their draft position by pulling out a win.
Knicks: They are even worse than I thought they'd be at this point. Could they be tanking? And where are the December changes?
So, should be fun, but I suspect the Winter Meetings stuff will dominate.
posted by Kalel9 @ 8:49 AM
36 Comments:
I so agree with your Giants take but you and I both know its not the Giants way..
I have rethought this Didi thing. If they're willing to give him a shot even though he is not a finished product, has a number of questions, including maybe needing to platoon, then Refs needs to get a ML shot now. So that's gonna be the test for me. I don't want to hear that we cannot play two guys at once.
Refsnyder needs to play a serviceable 2B.
Offense is more important on this team
I think Refs will get a shot. In fact, I think we're starting to see a better vision for the team.
According to Sherman that vision does not include Lester
That is why one of the most commonly asked questions I am receiving from agents and team executives is: What’s going on with Lester? Sorting fact and fiction on the subject is quite the game. For example, there are those who continue to say the Yankees are lurking to make a late strike on Lester. But multiple Yankees executives just say that is not the plan. One said, “His name never even comes up in discussions.” Translation: Hal Steinbrenner is forbidding this kind of spending this offseason, so why waste time talking about Lester?
If the plan is to keep the pick, even without adding Lester, I'm with it.
I don't see a coherent strategy only tactics.
They traded for a place holder instead of signing or trading for an immovable block like Andrus.
I think that's progress. Also, in this calendar year they have spent more money on international talent than domestic, and that's factoring Miller and the draft against Tanaka and the monster IFA class.
I think this really might be the sub rosa rebuild I wrote of awhile ago.
This sort of thing was also said about Teixeira back in the 2008-09 offseason, and we saw how that turned out...
If we don't sign Lester I fear our Top Pick is a gonner...
Could be. Or they could just re-sign McCarthy and another non-comp starter and end up with 2 firsts.
I fear they are going after Max.I hope your right.Also im sad to see Turley sign with SF.
It's closer to home for him, and it is the Yankee family extended out there with Tidrow as pitching czar and Righetti as pitching coach.
Looks like Headley might be going to SF. That would probably mean Prado at 3rd and Refs or Pirela at 2nd.
that Joel Sherman article would lend me to think, right or wrong, that if they aren't even discussing Lester that they likely aren't entertaining Max either. The only reason why Lester wouldn't be even a discussion is the dollars to sign him are not there. If they are not there for Lester, Scherzer wont be any cheaper.
I hope your right but history says different.
Pitching and defense wins championships
Rangers disgraceful tonight
Rangers gave yet another one away tonight. They don't even get their own post when they are so careless with the puck.
Also pitching and defense rarely wins championships. That's why the Braves only won one when they had historically great pitching for so long.
Offense sets the tone for everything. Sure, if you had four Kershaws (or even one), then pitching may win, but that's not realistic and acquiring one with his ability and durability is often pure luck.
So the lack of even one impact offensive player on the roster is my primary critique of the GM, and the reason I think he has failed.
"They traded for a place holder instead of signing or trading for an immovable block like Andrus."
But they traded what could potentially be their first #3 starter for a SS who seems to have a ton of questions, and as I said, I trust Dombrowski far more than you know who.
Greene, unlike any starter who is likely to pitch for the Yankees at the start of the season has no injury issues.
That's a big deal, imo.
An everyday SS, which he will be for a few years is probably more valuable than a #3 or #4 starter, I would have prefered to keep Greene, but what we got back is valuable and does prevent us from taking on another bad contract at short.
Also. pitching is more plentiful than shortstops are now.
An everyday SS defintiely would be, from what I have read, I don't think that's is more than a 50/50 proposition with him, if that.
I think Refs is much more likely to be an everyday player and that's why I said I would be more receptive to this move if he gets a similar extended shot starting in April, and not be blocked by Prado.
http://www.northjersey.com/sports/baseball/bombers-seeking-out-smart-investments-1.1147913
Given the points put forth in this article, the title is ridiculously oxymoronic.
I'm not saying this is what the Yankees would do, but if they did (e.g., trade for a 2B, trade for Kendricks, trade for Cole Hammel given the cost and that even Scherzer is cheaper net net, and so on), they are mentally challenged.
If these are Caldera's ideas, fuck him.
Lawyer,
He will be the SS till someone better is ready.
I think if they waited them out they could have gotten Didi for less.I have read 3 articles now about how he was going to be nothing more then a UTL.I hate giving up young controllable pitching for a platooning SS.I also dis like the Giants winning today.
I think by waiting the price goes up as the pool of SS to pick from dwindles.
I'm a fan of Greene but I think it's a fair trade. While he hasn't been injured, he also has never thrown more than 120innings in a season and is a converted RP. I think we sold high.
"He will be the SS till someone better is ready."
Yes, at least v. RHP, but I view this as a pretty big risk.
Now, if Buck was the manager and liked this move, I would trust their judgment.
I don't trust the manager here either.
I agree with yf. The NYG win is a negative.
The Giants win today meant nothing... still hope Mara is not as dumb as some fans and best writers...
Beat writers
new post.
Sherman things the Yankees would go for for 52 for Headley. That would be bat shit fucking crazy
From the WSJ:
A Splash: They can’t get away with selling tickets for yet another farewell tour this year, and the Alex Rodriguez circus will get tired fast. Bringing back the same underwhelming team as last year won’t cut it, and Miller, while a nice player, isn’t luring anyone to the ballpark.
But who is left? Most of the marquee names in free agency are gone, save two: Scherzer and Lester, and sources have confirmed that the Yankees have had discussions about both players, and there is interest. Either would represent a major acquisition and a “name” signing that the team could hang its off-season on.
A Real Third Baseman: Clearly, Alex Rodriguez cannot be counted on. Martin Prado could be, but he’s better suited for second. So the Yankees remain interested in bringing back Chase Headley, hoping to land him on a three-year deal, though sources have noted that he has a four-year offer worth $65 from an unnamed team—something the Yankees have so far proven unwilling to match.
Headley, 30, loved his time with the Yankees, and is in the enviable position of being the best—nearly the only—true third baseman still on the market.
__
This actually makes sense to me from their pov. It's not about fielding the best team (the perfect beast), it's about fielding one that can give the appearance of contending every year. The year after be damned.
So if Refs was a SS, he would get a shot because there's an opening.
But 2B is taken because Prado filled the need of trying to give the appearance of contending last year. That trade wasn't part of a longer range, well thought out plan, because there is none.
It appears that they would rather not play him at 3B probably because he lacks power.
So they are in on Headley unless he gets overwhelmed. $65m would be an example of that, but if he actually got that, it's reasonable to think he would have already signed the contract.
So he is still very much in their plans because they think they need a 3B to give the appearance of contending. If he agrees, they will worry about his back and declining offensive skills some other time.
And if they can convince Hal to spend on a big starter because it's the best chance they have to give the appearance of contending, then they probably don't care if its Lester or Scherzer.
Lester may sign before Hal is ready to spend, so it could be Scherzer by default.
Anyway, I know it's cynical but I think this team jumped the shark after the 2009 season.
Meanwhile, more bad contracts will be on their books, and their two most ML ready prospects. Refs and Greene are only a means to an end for them.
The only way a prospect will get a shot if if they have no choice and that prospect overcomes his learning curve at the speed of light.
They are trying to sell a product, they aren't trying to sell the best product.
Cashman told us that.
Maybe if you gave Cashman sodium pentathal he would say that he hates this shit and Levine and Hal are preventing from doing this the right way.
That could be true, but it's irrelevant because he has taken their money for so long that all of this is on him just as much as them.
Maybe, just maybe, one year the shit against the wall approach will actually hit the lottery.
Anything is possible, They are just making winning big much less likely.
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