All we need is a semi-productive Headley and the real Tanaka

Last night, as the flogging continued and David Price counted his welts, pondering what to tell Shaughney in the post-game gaggle, I wished we could just keep playing the Redsock '17 Hall of Fame Superteam of Destiny (TM) forever - you know, just barnstorm the South with them, like the Globetrotters and Washington Generals. I wanted to watch the game over and over. "Lordy," I told my TV, "I hope there are tapes!"

But it ended, and now comes the dirty bomb revelation that the All-Star break remains a month away, and only then does the race honestly begin. Last year at this time, Jackie Bradley Jr. was being called MVP, and Alphonso - "showboat" and "grandstander" that he is - was calling for the waterboarding of Aaron Hicks. The great philosopher, Tino Martinez, once said every week in New York is like a lifetime, and I believe he was short-selling it. We have many lifetimes to go. If this were Game of Thrones, the dragons would still be in their egg shells.

But let me return to an earlier theme from the week: Chase Jordan Headley, our worrisome 3B, who went 3-10 against Boston, prompting the YES men to suggest he's pulling out of his death spiral. Wishful thinking, maybe. But I'm here to argue that the best thing that can happen to the Yankees' long term future is for Headley to bat ninth and play just well enough to hold the job. 

For whatever the reasons - and let's say his recent success suggests our new reigning farm guru, Gary Denbo, knows what he'd doing - Glyber Torres has been playing SS at Scranton lately. Yeah, shortstop. Since rising to Triple A - triggering speculation that he would soon replace Headley - Glyber is 13 for 50 (.260.) Last night, the Railriders' 3B was the journeyman Donovan Solano. Our other potential Headley replacement, Tyler Wade, played 2B. In simple terms, the Yankees are doubling down on Headley - not rushing Glyber or moving him around the field. And that is surely a wise long term course. We don't need another Ed Kranepool, the patron saint of wine uncorked before its time. 

Moreover, down in Trenton, 3B Miguel Andujar has gone on a certifiable tear, lifting his once disastrous average all the way to .302. It's only a matter of time before Andujar gets called to Moosic. He already looks like our best pure 3B prospect since Mike Lowell. (Note: That doesn't mean he will BE Mike Lowell, but he has the highest upside.) No matter how you slice it, 3B help is on the way - next year. Hence, the best thing that can happen is for Headley to play well enough to hold his job. If somebody, anybody - (but preferably Greg Bird) - hits at first base, Headley can bat ninth, where .230 doesn't pinch so badly, and come next spring, our kids can compete for the job, fair and square.  

Same goes for Masahiro Tanaka, who seems to be approaching his sell-by date. Yeah, we all want Chance Adams to rise from the dirt leagues and pitch us to a pennant. But how many innings can we pour into a 22-year-old without sending him to Dr. Andrews? Our best long range hope is for Tanaka to regain his touch, a la C.C. His recent downward blip - (hoping it's a blip) - should be a bracer to not only Tanaka but every other MLB team, if he opts out of his contract next winter. Seriously, if you were a GM, would you want to invest $100 million in a pitcher who looks like the next David Price?

Across baseball, teams are assessing long and short term needs. Can you imagine discussions today in the Redsock '17 Hall of Fame Superteam of Destiny (TM) front office? But our problems can be solved from within. We don't need another big contract. We don't need aging vet. We just need to keep playing that team we saw last night. Hey, what's Red Klotz doing these days? Answer: Pitching for Boston. May he always throw against us!