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Thursday, October 15, 2015

YES Network: Yankees smart to not sign Moncada, because of his low "ROI"

Well, now I've seen everything. Yesterday, a YES Network-affiliated site called Pinstriped Prospects troweled out a fresh steaming scoop of whatever, arguing that - I'm not making this up - Yankee fans should be delighted that our management did not spend big on Cuban prospect (now of the Redsocks) Yoan Moncada... because of the "ROI:" that's Return On Investment. It argues this while acknowledging that Moncada looks like a future star. It's basically repeating the company line: We as Yankee fans should appreciate Hal "I'm Not Cheap" Steinbrenner's personal love of the gold coin. It's another big Yankee victory, not having Moncada! Dear God...

Look: I don't want to spend the winter hissy-fitting about Yoan Moncada. Nor do I like picking fights with Yankee websites, (who always seem to be murkily affiliated with YES.) These disagreements mirror the current political climate in America: The right and the left see things entirely differently - as we often do about trades - but at the heart, we're only passionate because we all love this country, or team. (Even though the other side are idiot bastards.) I hate to fire on our own troops - especially on a day when Boston announces Hanley Ramirez will play 1B! (Yes, we won!)

But it's galling when somebody argues that Yankee fans should be happy with finishing second or letting a future star get away - but the ownership saved money! From where I sit, the Steinbrenners will never, not once in their lives, face the pinch of a paycheck. They will never understand what it's like to work a job. They will never know a boss, a layoff, a rent due - nothing. It's not their fault. They don't need to join a barefoot commune. I harbor no ill will toward them on the personal level. I just want them to run the Yankees the way their dad wanted - and the franchise is meant to be run - and that means all-out, overspending, never going chinzy, and caring about only one bottom line: Winning the World Series. If they can't do that, if they don't want to do that, then cash-out - sell the team to somebody who will. That's all. And when some YES-affiliated site cheers the fact that we didn't spend money on Yoan Moncada - or, for that matter, virtually all the Cuban stars whose teams are still playing this week - I can't take it. Something snaps.

Here's the gist of the Pinstriped Prospect story: The Yankees have Jorge Mateo, a fine young shortstop, whom we signed for only $250,000. The Redsocks outbid us for Moncada, paying $63 million, because the luxury tax doubled his cost. So, haha! The Yankees have a much better ROI: Return On Investment.

The investment on both is likely to pay off big-time in a few years. We don't know which of the two will be the RBI leader of the pair, but Mateo is certainly the ROI winner.

(By the way, they do NOT look equal: Moncada looks like Mateo with power.) In the future, whenever Moncada hits a home run against us, we'll say, "Hah! He cost them $63 million! Not worth it! We win again!"

Return On Investment? Seriously, is that the new metric? Should we start calculating the Return On Investment for - say - Jacoby Ellsbury? Chris Capuano? Stephen Drew? If ROI is the new stat, we're in trouble, folks. Yet we're supposed to cheer the team for letting Moncada go, because of the low ROI?

Moncada looks like a future star. Maybe Mateo will be one too. I'm sure glad we didn't trade him to San Diego at the deadline. But Mateo surfaced out of nowhere. He's a great surprise. Moncada hit the market as a blue-chipper. Everybody knew exactly what he is. With a little more desire to win at the owner's level, the Yankees could have them both. Imagine the year 2020: Mateo at SS, Moncada at 2B.

Return On Investment? Now I've heard everything.

11 comments:

ceeja said...

There doesn't appear to be a plan for 2016. What'll happen is they will either do nothing or panic and do some stupid signings. If they actually want to win in the postseason they need: (1) 2 lights-out starters; (2) a batting order not necessarily of star mashers but of competent hitters with no big dead spot; and (3) a deep bullpen.

Doubt that Severino/Tanaka can be the one-two punch but it's possible. Their batting order has more dead spots than good hitters. They need more bullpen depth.

So there is a lot to do with this team. Probably will take competent management and a 5 year plan to deliver a really good team.

KD said...

It's almost like these bloggers are in on a Yankees Profit Sharing Plan, they put that much stock in ROI.

where do I go to get my check?

Anonymous said...

IT KILLS ME.....I HAVE BEEN BASHING AND BASHING MY MET FAN FRIENDS FOR SO MANY YEARS HOW THEY CAN'T WIN BECAUSE THEIR OWNERSHIP IS SO CHEAP, AND IT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ITS FANS BECAUSE OF THAT REASON. NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, MY YANKEES ARE ACTING LIKE THE METS, AND IT'S KILLING ME!!! OK, ALL THE TOP DRAFT PICKS THE METS GOT FOR SUCKING FOR LONG, FINALLY CAME TO FRUITION...BUT HAL ,CASH, AND THE GANG HAVE TO REALIZE, WE DON'T GET THOSE KIND OF PICKS!. WE MUST STOP PROCRASTINATING IN CALLING UP OUR PROSPECTS, AND, WE MUST, MUST, MUST, BE ACTIVE IN THE FREE AGENT MARKET ALL THE TIME! (ESPECIALLY WITH CASHMAN'S INABILITY TO EVER MAKE A MEANINGFUL TRADE-HE JUST CAN'T DO IT).....ROI?...THAT IS RIDICULOUS! EVERY SINGLE PROSPECT, ON EVERY SINGLE TEAM THAT DIDN'T PAY $63 MILLION FOR THE PROSPECT, HAS A BETTER "POTENTIAL" ROI THAN YOAN MONCADA! USELESS, ASSHOLE-ISH, INFORMATION.

Local Bargain Jerk said...

The new survey plays right into this discussion:

Let's say we can sign one big ticket free agent this winter. What's our biggest need?

Screw "one".

Start by going out and getting Johnny Cueto and David Price. Both contracts should be less than or equal to 4 years.

Then: Let Refsnyder play 2nd base. Let Bird platoon with Beltran to start the season and then take over for Teixeira when Tex (inevitably) gets hurt.

Fire the hitting coach for what happened to the team subsequent to the All Star Break.

The only other thing to do this winter is trade Headley, eating much of his contract, if needed. Sign Chris Davis as our third big free agent signing.

If all of the above is done, we are division contenders, if not runaway winners.

I'm Bill White said...

Cashman has already said that there's a chance Bird will be at Scranton to ensure regular at bats next year. The YES firewall does not permit clear thinking such as your post to access the Yankee bubble.

Anonymous said...

BIRD BEING SENT DOWN IS INSANE!!! HE LITERALLY WAS OUR BEST AND MOST DANGEROUS HITTER FOR THE LAST MONTH OF THE SEASON...WHY DO WE HANDLE OUR PROSPECTS LIKE A BUNCH OF ASSHOLES?...FROM JOBA, TO REFSNYDER, TO BIRD....

jdrny said...

I like LBJ plan playing Ref. & Bird. A must.
Getting two starting pitchers is a stretch.
We need bullpen depth.
Fire hitting & pitching coach is my vote.

Anonymous said...

IF WE ARE BRINGING BACK THE SAME STARTING PITCHERS, THEN WE DO NEED BULLPEN DEPTH..THE STARTERS ONLY GO 5, 6 INNINGS TOPS! I WAS EXCITED ABOUT CASHMAN TALKING ABOUT KIMBREL OR CHAPMAN AT THE LAST TRADE DEADLINE, BUT OF COURSE, NOTHING HAPPENED. KIMBREL IS A FORCE WITH HIS STUFF...TRY THIS ON...6TH INNING BEGINS...JUSTIN...7TH DELLIN...8TH ANDREW...9TH KIMBREL...WHOA..THAT'S SOME SERIOUS SHIT. LBJ IS RIGHT ON WANTING TO PLAY REF AND BIRD. 1 STARTING PITCHER WILL PROBABLY BE ALL WE GO AFTER (I HOPE)!...WE NEED A SOLID RIGHTY BAT (WHOEVER THAT MAY BE)...GET TO WORK CASH!...I JUST WATCHED THE METS WIN THE NLDS, AND I AM FUCKING SICK.

BernBabyBern said...

The ROI thing perfectly alight with Hal's business perspective on the team ... better to win 85 games and make a $20 million profit than it is to win the World Series and break even. When Hal evaluates his team, he's looking at completely different columns of numbers than we are.

BernBabyBern said...

The ROI thing perfectly alight with Hal's business perspective on the team ... better to win 85 games and make a $20 million profit than it is to win the World Series and break even. When Hal evaluates his team, he's looking at completely different columns of numbers than we are.

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