Kevin Baker's book is here!

Kevin Baker's book is here!
"... an exemplary sports book..." Kirkus Reviews

Thursday, October 6, 2016

The Edwin Encarnacion existential paradox

This we know: Boston has its beady, bloodshot, hideous eyes trained on Mr. Toronto, Edwin Encarnacion. They have watched him for months, cropping stool samples, viewing him as the next Big Papi. Why not? They have $25 million coming off the books, a powerhouse lineup in its prime and an owner who will shell out to win. Encarnacion, at 1B, could complete an All Star infield (at third, Yooooooooooooooan Moncada.) If you're a Yankee fan, be afraid. Be very fucking afraid.

And yet... our biggest fear might be that Hal Steinbrenner decides to stage another intervention: That is, he three big names to a set of straightjacket contracts, which will choke the youth movement in its infancy and destroy whatever long-term hopes were starting to graze in our heads. The Yankees could sign Encarnacion to a seven-year deal, keeping him from Boston (who might simply sign Bautista.)

Where will we be?

Well, the Yankees have two young 1B - Greg Bird and Tyler Austin. If Encarnacion comes aboard - so long, youth movement. If he doesn't, we could be ceding the AL East to Boston for three to five years.

The Yankees' crossroads didn't end with the August 1 housecleaning. They remain stuck at the intersection. Frankly, I dunno which way to turn. But Encarnacion looks like the biggest impact free agent on the market, and he might be the death of us.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

ONE THING I KNOW FOR SURE THAT IS TRUE IF WE WANT TO ACTUALLY WIN THE DIVISION IN 2017......AND THAT IS WE DESPERATELY NEED A LEGIT SLUGGER IN THE CLEANUP SPOT....WE NEED A ENCARNACION, OR A CESPEDES OR A NELSON CRUZ TYPE HITTER RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR ORDER TO STRENGTHEN AND LENGTHEN OUR LINEUP....WE NEED TO EXPECT A LOT FROM OUR KIDS, BUT NOT EVERYTHING...... ALSO, CHAPMAN HAS BECOME A MUST FOR US NOW WITH DELLIN'S SITUATION, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST......... WE NEED CHRIS SALE AT THE TOP OF OUR ROTATION....... THOSE 3 MOVES, I BELIEVE, WILL MAKE US DIVISION WINNERS IN 2017....... BUT I WON'T HOLD MY BREATH.... THOSE MOVES COST MONEY AND PROSPECTS.....HAL IS BROKE, AND CASHMAN WON'T KNOW HOW NOT TO GET RAPED IN A PROSPECT DEAL FOR SALE.

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