Friday, August 31, 2018

2019 Idea Contest...How To Make The Yankees Into a Contender

One of my favorite songs (as a country boy) is, " I'm just an old lump of coal.  But I'm going to be a diamond someday..."

Forthwith is my 2019 idea of the century:

Convert Andujar from third base ( lump of coal ) to left field ( diamond ).



Miguel does not have the assets needed for third base defense ( burst, reflexes, ball control, and confidence).  If I could do a study ( too lazy ), I could prove that the great third baseman not only make fewer errors per chance than Andujar, but also cut off...and turn into outs...those shots between him and the bag which go for doubles against this Yankee line-up.

Anyone remember Craig Nettles single-handedly defeating the Dodgers, and breaking their spirit, in the World Series of ( fill in the year, please)?  Andujar does not have those abilities.

He does however, have the following assets which are perfect for left field:

1.  He can hit a ton.
2.  He has good speed.
3.  He has a good arm.
4.  He is athletic.
5.  His missing assets( to play third base at an all star level) are not relevant in left field.

As we all know, Gardy is always burned out by the end of August due to overplay, hustle, and age.  He would be a great bench player next season, however, and mentor for Andujar.

We would have an amazing outfield next season with Andujar in left, Hicks in center and Judge in right.  Gardy can be back-up in left and center.  Stanton is a DH and part-time outfielder.  And, pray to the Ju-Ju gods, Frazier could  be the wild card outfielder.

Doesn't leave much room for McCutchen, but he'll be another year older.  And a free agent at that.  Jacoby will remain injured and cannot be figured into this picture.

So let's hear it for brilliant idea #1 for the 2019 team.

Let's convert the lump of coal ( defensively ) into a 4 carat diamond.

Move Andujar to left field.

Comments?  Praise?  Toasts?  Spanish Ladies?  More ideas?  Spanish Ladies?

18 comments:

HoraceClarke66 said...

Hear, hear! Alphonso, I've been saying El Matador to the outfield for weeks.

But...I would like to cut ties with Gardy even as a back-up—I think he's finished—and I don't think we can count on Red Thunder recovering. And now that Florial seems to have flamed out, the farm system is bare of outfield prospects. For that matter, we may need to put Stanton on first.

Thus, I think we still have to take the big risk, and sign Bryce Harper. That will enable us to use Hicks as a constant defensive replacement, and to spell everybody out there.

I'm sorry, I'm just too traumatized still by the Shane Robinson-Neil Walker outfield days to advocate anything else! I know, I know: Cashman got to me, he did, just like the guys from the Egg Council got to Lenny on The Simpsons. But I can't help it!!

TheWinWarblist said...

Left field or first base or DH. Sad face, face palm, aaaaaaaaaahh penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis penis !!!!

TheWinWarblist said...

Fuck the Egg Council, Hoss. Fuck them to hell.

Anonymous said...

I love a contest. What do we win?


1) Yes AnDUjar to play left and occasional DH. But:
a) Sign Machado to play 3rd. As opposed to FA signing of Harper. Machado is a
better ball player and can
hit for avg. as well. We don't need any more "true outcome guys".
b) Do NOT sign Gardner. He is done.
c) Frazier is the 4th outfielder. (with Stanton as 5th OF)
d) Understand that Left is a tough field in YS. So expect issues.

So LF and 3B fixed.

2) We need starting pitching most of all.
a) Overpay for Corbin
b) CC on a one year (assuming his leg doesn't fall off. Or...
c) Happ for 2 years. (I know he sucked yesterday.)
d) Sheffield comes up
e) Montgomery comes back. (in July)

So:
Sevi
Corbin
Tanaka
CC/Happ
Sheffield

That rotation gives us a reasonable chance of winning any given game (at least
at first.)

3) Can Stanton play 1B? I know Hoss mentioned it above. It would help.

4) Teach EVERYONE to bunt against the shift. I mean EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then:

Sign: Britton
Trade Bird, Gray, Cole, (addition by subtraction - return not as important but Gray might have some worth as a change of scenery guy.)
Do not re-sign: Walker, McCutchen, Lynn (except as bull pen guy and at bullpen money. He can be the new Adam Warren.
Release: Robinson.

Doug K.

13bit said...

Sanchez could fill a big void if he were to become the guy who holds the Crisco bucket for the clubhouse masseuse.

Sonny could become a minister and lead the team in prayers, just like the Dallas Cowboys.

CC could man the grill.

Walker could clean the grill.

Cashman and Ma Boone get dropped off at the state line with some money and a glimpse of the pee tapes that will definitely be released if they ever return to New York State.

The head binder guy in the basement gets strung up from the foul pole.

Okay, I'm getting away from my original purpose here, which was not to punish, but to come up with suggestions for improvement.

Back to the old chalkboard.

TheWinWarblist said...

Let us not forget Loaisiga and Germán. Unless they've both been traded for 14 pounds of ground chuck and a tub of Dubble Bubble while I was on call.

13bit said...

Johnny Lasagna and Rockin' German MAY be part of the next "Core Four©" if we give them a chance. Of course, they might also be bargaining chips for some last-gasper come next August. Only the Magic CashBall knows.

thecontrarian said...

Doug K. for GM if he will also fire Boone and get better coaches in there.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8TUQsDPm_g

More Spanish ladies please.

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


You invited comments.

Comment: Moving Miggy is a fine idea, and could work.

Firing Cashmoney is a great idea. Won't happen.

Punting on Boone sooner (rather than later) is another wonderful idea. Won't happen.

Moving Stanton to first base sounds great. Might work. Will they try it?

Spending huge money to get 10 years of Manny Machado (at 3B or SS) sounds good for years 1-2-3-4-(5), AWFUL LIKE ELLSBURY (or A-Roid) for the other half of the contract.
Note that with Ohtani and now Machado, the Dodgers still look like puke. Other commenters advocated one or the other. I noted that Ohtani was injured a lot in Japan -- and that Manny looked like a head case in Bawlmore.

Spending huge money on Bryce Harper sounds really good, as he's only 25. But can you get him with a brain transplant? Please don't advocate getting him with his current above-the-neck equipment. I'm a Nationals fan. I cheer for Bryce, but I'm not sure I understand how you can be as unhappy as he appears to be at times when your career is playing a game.

How about less ambition: Hire a hitting coach who can help struggling guys. Hire a coach who can teach baserunning to Glyber. Bring 25 pitchers to spring training to fill 11 major league spots and 5 shuttle-from-Scranton needs.

And: Hedge bets on Judge coming back strong (I don't think McCutcheon is the 2019 hedge). Send Red Thunder somewhere where he can play in the off-season (he can't be tired) and have a hard assessment done b4 February.

Look into Montgomery -- will he even throw from a major-league mound in '19? If Lynn, Happ, and Sabathia are gonna walk....maybe a good thing, but ....who's gonna throw 800-odd innings next year?

Is the rotation Monty, Tanaka, Lasagna, German, and .....? Gonna need a few more arms, esp. if Tanaka breaks down.

I know there's a lot of baseball to play, and I look forward to sacrificing a goat into a volcano to enhance the NYYs chances in the one-gamer.

But I'm more focused on the future. WHY? Well -- are we going to revisit the current lamentations and gnashing of teeth -- same time next year?

Anonymous said...

apoorplayer:

"Doug K. for GM if he will also fire Boone and get better coaches in there"

Joe FOB:

"How about less ambition: Hire a hitting coach who can help struggling guys. Hire a coach who can teach baserunning to Glyber"

Done and Done!!

Doug K.

sKIP said...

Just read this from bleacher report.
JUDGE, HICKS, AND STANTON ALL MAKE "THE LEAST CLUTCH MLB SUPERSTARS OF 2018

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2792929-exposing-the-least-clutch-mlb-superstars-of-2018?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=mlb


TheWinWarblist said...

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaassasaaaaaaa!!!!
The DU!! Can DU!!

TheWinWarblist said...

Back to back and creepily "belly to belly!"

TheWinWarblist said...

We must keep Gleyber and Miguel. They are young and can hit in MLB. You can teach them to improvee their fielding. You cannot teach Zolio Almonte to hit.

TheWinWarblist said...

Is Zach Britton still working for Buck??

TheWinWarblist said...

AHH! AHHH!!! Aha-ah-haaaaa!!
AAaAhhaaaa-haha-haaa-hhhhhHHHHHHHHaaaaAAHHHHHHHHHHHaaaa-ah-ah-ah-aaaaaaaaAaAaHaHaHaaaAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!

Anonymous said...

MIGGY LOVE IS STILL ONLY 23.

HE IS NOT NEARLY PERFECT AT 3RD, BUT WE NEED TO GIVE HIM SOME TIME.

REMEMBER, WE DON'T EVER HAVE TO WORRY THAT HE WILL "AIR-MAIL" A THROW INTO THE STANDS LIKE GOOD OL' CHASE DID NOT LONG AGO.

HIS HANDS ARE ARE PRETTY GOOD.

HIS MAIN PROBLEM IS HIS TIMING WHICH AROD WAS ANNOYINGLY ALLUDING TO RECENTLY ON THE SUNDAY NIGHT BROADCAST.

ANDUJAR'S FIELDING WEAKNESSES CAN BE STRENGTHENED WITH WORK.

I BELIEVE HE HAS THE WORK ETHIC TO CORRECT IT.

KEEP MIGGY LOVE AT 3RD. (HE IS NO WHERE NEAR THE TRAIN WRECK THAT EDUARDO NUNEZ WAS).

HE HAS ROUGH EDGES, BUT DO NOT OVER REACT WITH HIM.

FIRST BASE IS ANOTHER STORY.