Sign Patrick Corbin, sign JA Happ (or Dallas Keuchel), re-sign Zach Britton and David Robertson, and trade Sonny Gray for a slick-fielding shortstop. Leave the rest of the team in place. Fill with prospects from Scranton and the recycling bin. Imagine the pitching staff: Severino, Paxton, Corbin, Happ, Tanaka, Green, Holder, Britton, Betances, Robertson, Chapman.
Q: How do you restore the Yankees to their rightful status as the marquee franchise in American sports? It's actually quite simple. Ka-boom, ka-boom, ka-boom.
Sign Bryce Harper, sign Manny Machado, trade Sonny Gray for an equally suspect starter, promote young arms from Scranton, and bludgeon your way to the pennant through sheer power of the lineup. Imagine the batting order: Hicks, Judge, Harper, Machado, Stanton, Andujar, Sanchez, Torres, Gardner. (And if Gardy doesn't hit, we'll find somebody who can.)
Q: Can there be a compromise?
Sign Machado or Harper, sign Corbin or Keuchel, trade Sonny Gray for pitching. Fill with Scrantonians, minor trades and five-cent bottle deposits. Imagine... I dunno... happy dolphins in casinos.
Q: What do we know about these plans?
Not much. But by trading for James Paxton, the Yankees suggested they intend to go for broke in 2019. Though you hate to give up Justus Sheffield, we can understand this decision. The Redsocks are poised to win several straight championships, unless the Yankees stop them.
Q: What do we know about the Yankee budget?
Still nothing. Now come the hard decisions. Over the next two weeks, we should have a sense of whether Hal Steinbrenner is willing to spend his money.
Q: What if Hal Steinbrenner doesn't want to spend?
Well, maybe the New York Giants can win the next six and roll to the Super Bowl! Because that's NYC's best bet. If Hal is not all in - that is, if he's still clinging to the idea that the richest team in baseball should be outspent by its rival to the tune of $40 million - none of the above scenarios matter.
Off topic, but the Christmas season is here. That means my favorite bit you do, Christmas Carols with the Master, should be showing up any day now. If possible could you please do a Master and Bing Crosby "Happy Holiday" duet? I know this was rejected last year on the grounds that Happy Holiday is a part of the war on Christmas, but I'll keep asking until you give in or one of us croaks.
ReplyDeleteFirst: What if we have a "War On Cashman" instead of a war on Christmas. Instead of attacking the RedSock team bus, as Duque suggests in a future post - yes, I have a time machine for all of those who read this blog from bottom to top, what if we just toss Cashman under the bus - literally? I'm firing on all two cylinders today, I know.
ReplyDeleteSecond: Why can't we have the Master singing to us more often? Must we wait for the holidays? I know, we must, but I just imagined him teaming up with Billy Idol and singing "White Wedding" and I got excited.
Third: There is no third. Who's on Third?
For me, Christmas starts with the first Yankee free agent signing.
ReplyDeletePitching , pitching pitching , that is our need. Two more free agent starters, and keep the bullpen strong . Add a couple of contact hitters and then take our chances.
ReplyDeleteLong term big $ contracts on Manny and Bryce are not worth it. The fixation some have on being out spent by the Redsox is misguided, in my view. Most years the team that spends the most does not win it all. My prediction is that the Yankees payroll will be more than enought to win. Whether it is well spent or not only time will tell.
I've already posted my opinion: sign everybody you can, and keep doing it. Build a team of superstars, and then cut them mercilessly when they decline, eating whatever is left on their contracts. This dithering around the edges stuff, Cashman and Hal's favorite game, is bullshit. Let's do it or not do it. Stand pat and suffer or go for broke and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, throwing Cashman under the bus--any operated by the MTA would do--is an interesting notion, 13bit.
You're right, Ghost: the team that spends the most usually does not win it all.
ReplyDeleteBut then, the team that wins it all usually has the best system in place.
Since we don't have the second, we need to go with the first.
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ReplyDeleteJohn M, I like the way you think - spend ruthlessly and cut them when they can't get it up anymore, so to speak. We had an owner once who did that. He was erratic in other ways, but Mad King George is more loved now than ever, as he clearly did whatever it took to win.
ReplyDeleteHal will never act that way. Hal is a technocrat. Hal is not a fan. Hal is a greed head with daddy issues. Hal is not impulsive. Even his dumb moves had strong financial motives behind them. Hal doesn't see a shiny object and attempt to just grab it. Hal has his financial people analyze the object first.
Anyway, that's the deal. AND, if we do end Cashman's misery under the wheels of a city bus, let's make sure it has snow chains on at the time. Oh hell, this is all hot air. I don't want Ole Cash to suffer. I just want him to move to the Corn Belt and come out of the closet.
Coops Cashman would be better off under the tire-chained bus than coming out in the Corn Belt - - I promise you that, having grown up in said Belt...
ReplyDeleteWhite Wedding: YES!!
Spend, spend, spend, and then cut ruthlessly when results decline: YES!!! LB (No J)
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