All those big, immovable contracts, combined with a bit of an attitude of allowable waste bit the Yanks where they live twice in a row during the Rule 5 draft earlier today. With overall picks 2 and 3, the Yanks lost CF Jake Cave, and LHP Evan Rutckyj. Even if you consider all of the OF's currently ahead of Jake in the organizational depth chart, he had to be added to the 40 or traded. You cannot lose a guy who can play CF and usually hit and get on base for the 50K price of the rule 5. Likewise, Rutckyj is a lefty who throws 97 out of the pen. That's about what Wilson throws, and though they didn't seem to get much for Wilson, lefties who throw 97 are worth something. Thus Rutckyj had to added or traded, but not lost in the Rule 5. It was both mismanagement of the 40 and some carelessness in both cases that cost the Yanks two actual prospects today.
27 Comments:
This is not good for Cave's development and they could get him back. You never know with the relievers
Whether or not Castro turns out to be a good move for them, his contract only adds to the problem. Similarly, they should've traded McCann instead of Murphy. From the top down, they cry about not being able to rebuild, but it's their stupidity that even makes rebuilding an issue.
This points to my change of opinion with regard to Cashman. Some years ago used to talk transforming the roster so as to gain flexibility, but that guy jumped the shark along time ago.
These observations are apt and I generally agree with what Phil and LINJ say. What's hard to assess unless one has access to inside info is what the opportunities were to pare down the 40-man. Looking at the current list, outside of Cessa (who is a moot issue since we got him after the deadline for setting the 40) and Cotham, I don't see any obvious candidates to lop off, unless you want to non-tender Nova or something on that level. Of course we'd all be thrilled had the Yanks packaged Cave and Rutckyj plus whatever for Noah Syndergaard -- I'm making a ridiculous exaggeration for the purpose of clarity here -- but had they traded them for lower level prospects who didn't have to be protected (in which case they wouldn't be getting back equivalent talent) or backup level filler we'd all be disappointed.
No doubt other GMs were keenly aware that the Yanks had this crunch coming, so they weren't exactly making offers the Yanks couldn't refuse. Perhaps Cash could have gone to the GMs who had 40-man space and offered Cave for something more than the Rule 5 price, but how much more makes it worthwhile for Cash to forego the chance of getting the player back at half price if he doesn't stick on the 25? In the case of Cave, that likelihood is fairly low, but in the case of Rutckyj it's pretty high.
Three final observations. First, the Yanks are obviously doing a much better job at scouting, drafting, and development than in the past, otherwise they wouldn't have this problem. Second, I fear Refs is gone; it's a shame for me as the Dad of an Asian adoptee who is great at sports and a big Yankee fan, but that's the nature of the game. Finally, all the copy editors and proofreaders for the local papers are probably having a blow-out celebration over Rutckyj being gone.
I agree with Stot. Seems we're crying over spilled milk here -- Trading either of these guys for org depth is not worthwhile - we have a better chance of them not sticking on either roster and being returned.
As Stot mentioned, all of the players on the 40 are valued significantly higher than both of the players we lost. Cave doesn't hold much value, he's projected as a 4th maybe 5th outfielder. Rutckyj wasn't on any single list prior to the draft as a possible selection, that is a boom or bust pick by ATL and it was probably made due to their in depth knowledge of the Yanks system considering all the ex-yanks employees working there now.
The direction the Yanks are going is very clear in my opinion -- get younger while waiting out these bad contracts go away. These are already sunk costs and it would be great if they would realize that and spend accordingly but the problem is the luxury tax.
FA prices right now are staggeringly high and anything we pay has a 50% tax on it. I think we just need some patience.
Stot
My gf doesn't even want to watch the Yankees anymore, and we met on a Yankee site.
The point about trading Cave, Rutckyj, etc. isn't to do it last towards the deadline. It's about formulating a plan well in advance that accounts for these contingencies.
Patience? We didn't recommend burning $500m on bad value players like Ellsbury, McCann, Beltran, and Headley, they did.
We don't say they can't rebuild, they say it.
The only people who need patience is them.
They could have gotten younger by trading McCann. Their strategy is very inconsistent, if there is one at all.
Billy,
The issue isn't that Cave was the 8th or so OF on the organizational depth chart, it's that if your system is getting hit for the second and third overall pick in the entire rule 5 draft, there's go to be something else that could have been done with those players. And it's not about trading them for a big piece, it is about trading them fior interesting prospects who are further away from rule 5 eligibility.
Also, Cash should get in the habit of calling Atlanta. They currently have 20 ex Yankees in their system and another 8 or so running things. Why not give offer them to Atlanta, first? Create some two or three for ones..
Also, I'd really be interested to see what lt is about Cessa that made him the bigger piece in the WIlson trade. I think it's that he was a position switch whose stuff keeps improving.
Cessa reminds people of Degrom. Big arm, extremely athletic and already has above average command.
The Yankees can't rebuild like the Cubs or Astros -- especially when they are locked into these huge deals with older players. McCann has a NTC, just stop with the constant "we should have traded McCann" stuff already.
The strategy is pretty clear -- get younger and athletic and start incorporating the prospects while slowly moving away from the old vets and competing.
I hear what you're saying Phil but the market for players entering their protection years is minimal to none. What team is going to dish out an "interesting" prospect for a guy who has to be added to the 40man that is projected as a 4th maybe 5th outfielder, coming off a down season who's had major injury history?
Let's be realistic here.
We should have never signed McCann, which I made abundantly clear back in `13.
I stand by the idea that if you'r losing 2 players in the top 3 of the rule 5, there's something else you could have done with them.
Btw, this will be an even bigger problem next year at rule 5 time unless they start figuring things out sooner.
Why can't the Yankees rebuild? Attendance and viewership have been in decline for years with the present model.
To say that the reason is that they are locked into huge deals is to engage in circular reasoning. They didn't have those contracts on the books two years ago, but because they can't rebuild they spent big on bad values. Now, that those contracts are on the books, they can't rebuild because of those contracts. The Headley contract sums up what they do in a nutshell. There is an opening so they must fill it, no matter the cost.
People, the media and fans, look for every flaw, big or small, in a young player, but conveniently overlook huge flaws in veterans even though the veteran is only likely to get worse while the young player has a chance to get better.
Stop? Take your own advice and stop defending every stupid move they make.
Players with NTC have been traded for ever. Are you unaware of that manifest fact?
Their "strategy" is so inconsistent it's laughable, and again, why has OBP and grinding fallen off their skillset checklist?
Pretending, or as you euphemistically call it, competing, has the glaring weakness of delaying the time when a team might actually be able to compete at a high level, year in and year out, like they did because they...wait for it...actually rebuilt effectively under Stick.
In fact, but for the fruits of that plan they would be the Knicks pre-Jackson.
Some people (beyond anyone here) seem to be viewing the Castro trade in a vacuum. Yes, Warren hasn't been a stud, even though he was their best starter for most of last season, and Ryan sucks, so why not gamble on Castro's upside.
The issue they overlook is context. What if two of the last three years are what he is, and not the player that Hendry thinks. After all, the Cubs were willing to trade him not because they had a stud young 2B, but because they were willing to commit four years and big bucks to a player entering his age 35 season.
Then the Yankees have yet another player with a big contract on a roster filled with them.
That, as we can see, is a bit of a problem that can prevent getting younger, cheaper (Hal's goal), and better.
As much as I'd like to defend the McCann signing, in that it seemed to make sense at the time because the team wanted to (and thought it could) compete — and add to the fact that despite catcher depth in the system, the Yankees hadn't seen much fruit in that regard at the time — looking at the numbers of his final three years in Atlanta, it was obvious his walk totals were trending in the wrong direction. He went from 57 walks (and a .351 OBP) in 2011 to 44 walks in 2012 and 39 walks (and a .336 OBP) in 2013. His walk total did go up this past season (52), but his average has plummeted significantly from his Atlanta days: He's only hit .232 both seasons in New York, likely a result of increased amounts of shifting plus possibly trying too hard to take advantage of the short porch in right field. (Much like Teixeira when he bats lefty at home.)
I can't defend the Ellsbury, Beltran and Headley signings. Ellsbury is at least a useful piece when he's not hurt, but he's overpaid. Beltran can still hit, but he's a DH, and they already have A-Rod on the roster. Thankfully, he'll be gone after this season. Headley is likely what he was last year, and his defensive decline is alarming. None of them should have been signed to the contracts they received.
Rebuilding following Cano's departure was definitely the way to go. Reading Sherman's article I posted in the other thread, it seems the Yankees realize they should have traded Robertson and Cano at the deadline in 2013 instead of increasing their win totals in a lost year, but doing so would have admitted to "rebuilding," and they just can't make it look like that's what they're doing, because reasons.
Lawyer, this was a good paragraph that sums this team's management up nicely: "To say that the reason (they can't rebuild) is that they are locked into huge deals is to engage in circular reasoning. They didn't have those contracts on the books two years ago, but because they can't rebuild they spent big on bad values. Now, that those contracts are on the books, they can't rebuild because of those contracts. The Headley contract sums up what they do in a nutshell. There is an opening so they must fill it, no matter the cost."
Heyward has made a decision but for some reason he hasn't announced the team yet.
What moves am I defending? I'm just more inclined to not overreact and freak out over small things like the rule 5 draft. I analyze things differently having worked in MLB front offices and played professionally.
I personally have not been a big fan of any of their FA signings besides Tanaka. I also never understood why they never went all in for Moncada, Darvish or any of the other Cubans. But unlike some, I prefer not to complain and more so look for silver linings. I'm not delusional.
Ever since Levine joined, the Yanks slowly started operating more as a business as opposed to a sports franchise. All of these contracts that were handed out to Ellsbury, McCann, Beltran came at a time when the Yanks were in negotiations to sell the majority stake of YES. Do you think they would have received the price they got from FOX if the Yanks were in full rebuild mode? Hell no.
Heyward chose the Cubs.
Billy, I agree with you about Levine. His design is at cross-purposes of a Yankee Dynasty design. And he's the president and everyone else is a vice president and Hal isn't a baseball man.
Thanks, Mike.
And really, they don't have to do a complete rebuild. They have the ability to spend, and they have some talented kids who can probably be at least league average at their positions. They just have to spend smartly and show as much patience to kids as they do to declining veterans, even veterans who have never done anything for this franchise.
But they are now locked in everywhere, so whatever. Hope over experience.
Freak out? Heh. Good one.
As for Levine, Cashman keeps taking their money knowing the situation. This is as much on him as anyone.
Maybe he believes Levine will be gone at some point. Cashman has been with the organization long enough to realize he and Stick are the only ones who last.
All of these contracts that were handed out to Ellsbury, McCann, Beltran came at a time when the Yanks were in negotiations to sell the majority stake of YES. Do you think they would have received the price they got from FOX if the Yanks were in full rebuild mode? Hell no.
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Missed this part and it's a strawman because:
1) I have said a full rebuild isn't necessary;
2) If it was merely about demonstrating a roster for Faux, Cano was the biggest and baddest name out there and they demurred;
3) Whatever I think of Murdoch and his ilk, they aren't stupid when it comes to money. They know ratings are down even with a roster of names. As I mentioned on the other thread, because of market fragmentation and content differentiation, the Yankee brand has value to content providers even if they suck. And really, if the Faux peeps were inclined to get into the player personnel weeds, they would insist on better player personnel decisions, so it's not about that.
In a similar vein, I have said the Yankee games are so compelling to their audience, that if a 5 year old was doing the games, people would still listen or watch, and that's why Kay, Waldman etc.'s suckitude doesn't matter.
That has been like waiting for Godot, Phil.
Jennings wonders if the Cubs would look to trade a corner OF for a true CF. Would the Cubs trade Soler for Gardner plus stuff?
I don't know, but I thin this does activate the Gardner market.
Right on the head Buz. Two players who should not have been lost for nothing.
A lot of mistakes could be erases if our numerous declining veterans pulled a Cuddyer.
Refs at 4, like it matters
http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2015?list=nyy
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