Sunday, October 14, 2018

You're Happy When I'm On My Knees. Episode IV

All right, let's get down to some of the harder choices in "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Starting with beloved veteran...

Gardy:  Has the time come to say good-bye?  The fact is, the Yankees have always regarded Gardner as a regular, starting outfielder...and almost every year, like clockwork, he would wind down and have a terrible second half.

Rather than take that as a hint that Gardner's real role was as an invaluable no. 4 outfielder, the Yanks just kept doing the same thing and expecting different results, as is their wont.

Then came 2017, when Gardner, for whatever mysterious reason, seemed to really revive in September and October and find a new power reserve, to boot.  That has proved to be a late-career penumbra this season.  Gardy was not only awful statistically, but looked absolutely absent at the plate, with his maitre'd swing.  He was also erratic in the outfield, and doesn't steal much anymore.

What should this tell us?  Back at a much-reduced price?  Or so long?

Me debro ir o quedarme...

CC:  Talk about being on your knees.  This is literally where CC seemed to be half the season, each time ploughing a six-mule trough into the Yankee Stadium turf and filling us all with dread.

Now comes the word that he's popping in for arthroscopic knee surgery.  We will need pitching bodies more than ever in 2019...but just how far can CC reasonably be expected to go for us?  He's already down to a 4-5-inning pitcher.

We will always love The Bear for the great season he gave us in 2009, and pretty damned good ones in 2010-2012, and 2017.

But  how far must our loyalty—expressed in huge contracts for several awful seasons—go?   Is it worthwhile for us to re-sign a guy, even for still less money, who is likely to wear out our bullpen (best-case scenario) or check out in May (worst-case scenario)?

Happ:  When it was hip to be hep, Happ was hep. Now he's hip, and it seems likely the Yanks will hit him with at least a competitive offer in the free-agent market?

To be sure, he really helped us get through that staggering second half.  But we certainly seemed to have pushed the idea of "Happ, the Red Sox Killer" to the breaking point.  Don't expect to see that again.  Is there enough remaining beyond his alleged dominance over Boston?  And what should that mean?  Anything beyond a two-year deal?

Tengo frio por los ojos...









14 comments:

thecontrarian said...

Gardy - Time to go. Weak arm, no more power, seems to be getting overmatched by high velo guys especially on the outside part of the plate. Since the Yankees don't run anymore, speed is not a factor. Honestly, I was never much of a Gardy fan, since I believe his attitude a lot of the times compensated for his mostly mediocre talent (career .261/.344/.735 slash). He bled pinstripes, and for that I thank him. He earned his contract, but it's over. Time to part ways.

CC - Time to go. Love his ethic, his discipline, and in particular loved how he made the transition from power pitcher to crafty lefty. But he needs to move on so we can open a spot to see how a younger pitcher will perform as a #5. Thanks, CC. All the love.

Happ - only one year. He'll be good early, and if he remains good he can be trade bait in July. Given other uncertainties he makes a good #4 at the moment.

TheWinWarblist said...

Gardy stays a Yankee forever. Period. Move him into the organisation as a coach and instructor.

CC deserves a retirement tour through the league. As a Yankee. Perhaps not as a starter ...

Happ? He pitched far above his ability down the stretch. Still, he's had three good major league seasons in a row. He's a better option number 4/5 stater, despite his age, at this point than Sunny Days. Meh.

thecontrarian said...

Winnie, that is a GREAT idea on Gardy. He would be invaluable as a roving minor league instructor in the Yankee farm system. In fact, he might be the antidote to the stupidity of everyone else. I would LOVE to see him take that job. My fear would be that he still wants to play. Now, if the deal is one more year and THEN a coaching job, I'm in.

CC indeed deserves a retirement tour, but it should have been this year. I can't see him as a bullpen guy.

Anonymous said...


OK I'm on very little sleep but I am compelled to answer...

Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner. -

What a story. A college walk on, a 17th round draft pick, a True Yankee, and now...

A left fielder with no power, who doesn't hit for average, who is a speed guy who has ageing legs, and drops of a cliff after the all star break every year... Dump him

Not only should they not sign him but if they do I will be pissed off.

But yes Warbler, absolutely this is a guy who should be in the org.

I wonder if he shouldn't be somewhere in the minors as a manager because his career is a shining example of how to get the most out of yourself. How to be Gritty and Gutty and become a beloved Yankee despite skills that were merely adequate.

I will miss him but miss him I must.

CC -

This is the first guy I am on the fence about. But before I get to it. NO FAREWELL TOUR. They are distracting and while CC was great Jeter and Rivera he ain't. He will just have to do without the leather sofa made from the baseballs of hits from his third time through the order.

He's a number 5. If he stays a number five than sure. Great guy. Great teammate and his knee aside he is a "pitcher". But if he ends up as the starter in a game of importance we are screwed. Crap, Keep Him. No. Dump him. Wait... Keep him. He'll get hurt anyway. So, keep him but don't count on him.

Happ -

Easiest one so far. Keep him. Perfect 3 or 4. Solid. Can pitch in the east. gives us a chance to win every time he starts. 12-15 for two years.

Finished my coffee. I'm awake now.

Manning - Dump Em
Odell - Dump em
Wow, I just realized that with Noah gone I have no Knicks to dump.

I also just realized that being overtired and hammering coffee is creating a brain...

Franz Beckenbaur - Dump him!
Tucker Fredrickson - Dump him!
Mike Riorden - Dump him!
Hawthorne Wingo. Keep him!
Jack Aker...

Must. Get. Help.

Doug K.


ranger_lp said...

What's with the Clash references lately?

Who should go? MARCUS THAMES should go, like now shit...

Vampifella said...

Happ played with R.A. Dickey and I'm pretty sure he'll be eyeballing a similar iffy (at the time) contract. Half of his career he couldn't pass 1 WAR which makes it a bit too chancy for a long contract but some team will obviously give a him comfy 3 year one. If we can get him yearly, then I say do it but I still don't trust him. I think he'll sour quickly to under 1 WAR if not negative WAR halfway though the first year. We'll be screaming Grey instead of Pettitte if we give him a 3 year contract.

CC will be back to get 3000 strike outs (14 away) and 250 wins (4 away). Count on it as they are both going to be cash makers for the Yanks. Of course it will take until the All-Star break to get 4 wins for CC but whatever. Also he's borderline HOF and the Yanks will want to cash in on yet another one going in as a Yank. Plus he beaned whoever it was and lost half a million or so. All that pretty much assures he'll be back.

Gardner is no Jeter (or even CC) and he'll go. We have just too many outfielders even without him. If we can somehow get rid of Ellsbury, then resign Gardner as a cheap 4th or 5th I wouldn't mind but I hear that Gardner really wants to play everyday and get one last large payday which just ain't gonna happen. I think Frazier and others are more than ready to take his place and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he retires (due to no team interest) or he'll go to Japan to finish his career.

Anyway, I'm reading that Manny jogged last night. We'll give him another 2 years and 5 million more per year just for that. But really I can understand. The players all know what will happen to Didi. He'll be designated in 2019 and he will have to sign a cheaper rehab contract with a crap team, much like Eovaldi. Basically he lost millions and Manny ain't about to do that even for a World Series playoff game.

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


Re-sign Tucker Fredrickson. He can handle first base.

TheWinWarblist said...

Joe FoB! You made me Google Tucker Frederickson!! Tehehee!!

TheWinWarblist said...

A complete non sequitur, but who the fuck names their child "Lance?"

HoraceClarke66 said...

Noooooooooo! Not Tucker Frederickson!! Next you'll want to get rid of Ernie Koy!!

HoraceClarke66 said...

ranger, this thread started as, "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" So...every subsequent headline and quote, English and Spanish, is from the song.

Clever, eh???

HoraceClarke66 said...

Vampifella, I'm for letting Gardner go. But I think we can pretty well conclude that, sadly, horribly, Clint Frazier is not going to play again.

He is also someone who deserves an organization spot.

ranger_lp said...

Eh...you hoser....lol

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