This Week on the Blog

This past week has seen the Yanks sign Dominguez and keep crushing, the Knicks deploy an intelligent Plan B, the Rangers reel in Panarin, and the Giants in repose.  Let’s take a look look at what’s coming up this week.

Yankees: The Yanks might be able to put Tampa to sleep before the All Star break. That would be ideal. And with German back and weaponized, the need to blow up the farm for some other team’s starter has lessened, though they’ll still most likely do something. And speaking of trades, they do need to make a few to add the international money needed to sign their IFA class. Between the last couple of drafts and the last few IFA classes, the Yanks have created more balance between hitters and pitchers in their prospect pool. It had gotten RHP heavy, but the hitters are popping up all over. Not the least of which is Volpe, who started his career with a 14 pitch walk, and has homered and tripled and stolen. Some of the big 1950’s style 1B’s are pounding to. So is Ryder Green. Good stuff.

Giants: The Giants are still off this week, but I do think the Supplemental Draft is coming up and there is a pretty good S in there, who, though undersized, might help

Rangers: The Rangers signed Panarin! And not only has that sped their clock, but it’s jammed up their cap to the point that they’ll have make a trade or two to so that they can sign their RFA’s.  Toward that end, Trouba and Buchnevich filed for arbitration yesterday. Because of that, another buyout window will open. Buyouts have consequences. And though the Rangers will have nice calm room at the end of the next two seasons, it would be better not to eat into it with buyouts. Instead, at some point this summer, there will be demand for Shattenkirk as an RHD who can run a power play.  They can also pull the trigger on a Kreider trade any time they want, though they are better with him next year and going forward. So it would be better to find takers for Namestikov and Strome. Only if they can’t should they consider buyouts.

Knicks: The KP trade came back to bite the Knicks last Sunday, when they were forced to realize that NBA Superstars don’t come alone. They no longer had KP, and that was the deal breaker.  All this said, things couldn’t have worked out any better. They still signed players, all but one of them has a team option every season - so they are constantly expiring or easily flipped back into cap space next summer. Well done, Knicks.

In other Knicks news, Summer League started last night and though the game was called with a few minutes left because of the earthquake, Mitchell Robinson, Kevin Knox and Alonzo Trier all seem to have improved. Iggy was fine in his minutes and got to the line. RJ was like Starks in Houston. He was ball hogging and way off with his shots. Let’s just call it an inauspicious start.  He can only get better.

So there it is. The Yanks and Rangers have to make trades. The Giants have to keep getting ready for camp, and the Knicks need to keep improving.  Have a great one.  My computer will be back today or  tomorrow, so the blog will be edited and rewritten starting then