So, it wasn't just a 90-minute, "slam-bam, thank you, Manny," after all...
Apparently, last night, the Yankee brain trust wined and dined "Manny Claus" - as the Post calls him - perhaps with CC Sabathia and/or another player. (CC was rumored to be at the first meeting, but the Yankees denied it. That wouldn't necessarily mean he turned up later.) Could A-Rod have been involved? (In Baltimore, Manny wore #13 to honor Alex.)
If Heyman is right, it's a bidding war between the Yanks, White Sox and Phillies. The "losers" will presumably grapple over Bryce Harper (who might be a better fit anyway.) If Food Stamps Hal Steinbrenner is all-in on Manny - that is, this "no hustle" business is over - the last intangible would be an overwhelming bid by one of the other teams. It could happen. (See Patrick Corbin.)
Today, Manny does Phily cheese steaks, and unless he is carted through the streets by Mummers, it could be over. (The Phillies might prefer Harper, anyway.) This should be settled by Christmas.
For now, we're just speculating upon speculations. Radio silence will break soon. Cashman will bestow upon one lucky Gammonite the type of exclusive that creates or wipes clean a huge I-O-U. Then hell will break loose.
Again, I cannot decide if Machado is right for the Yankees. Everything hinges on the fate of Miguel Andujar, whom I believe will be a great Yankee, if he is not traded. When I look at Andujar, I see a young Adrian Beltre, a kid whose body has not begun to fill out. In two years, those doubles will turn into home runs. If we trade him, especially for a pitcher who has already thrown 1,000 innings, I believe we'll regret it for the rest of our lives.
If signing Manny does not force the trade of Andujar, Miguel gets half the season to either learn 3B or play a new position.
If signing Manny unleashes Cooperstown Cashman to remake the roster, god help us.
They took him out last night. Should we hope they had a wonderful time?
Even though I've been a proponent of signing everyone in sight, I'd rather have Harper than Machado. We need the lefty hitter badly, and Harper has more flexibility in the field--say, first base, which Manny would never ever do.
ReplyDeleteBut it doesn't matter. Cashman and Hal will do something stupid and then Boone and Rothschild will find a way to make it worse on the field.
That's what we can look forward to. Merry Christmas.
John M , I love your optimism .
ReplyDeletePersonally, I will take Andujar and his upside VS Machado and his down side and save the $300 million. The difference in production between the two will not be that great.
We are already saddled with Stanton’s contract. Another one like that will tie us up for years and reduce flexibility.
ReplyDeleteTwo comments above say it all. Yes to a LH problem superstar, no to a RH problem superstar. Keep Miggy (forever).
I know that ALL of us who visit this blog have the sickening feeling it's gonna go precisely the other way. No Harper, and Manny for $350million, plus shedding Miggy.
Yuck!
We could be wrong. Let's hope so!
when in Philly skip over the cheesesteaks and grab yourself an Italian Roast Pork with aged provolone and broccoli rabe. you'll thank me.
ReplyDelete1) Manny Machado
ReplyDeleteThis Machado thing reminds me of an old joke from the Catskills...
Two men are having a dispute so they decide to take it to the rabbi.
The first man states his case and the rabbi says, "You're right."
Then the second guy states his case and the rabbi says, "You're right."
One of the congregants, who was listening nearby said, "But Rabbi, how can they both be right?"
And the rabbi answers, "You're right too."
2) Stanton
Am I the only one one here who thinks that Stanton is going to have a better year next year? The guy is notoriously highly routinized. Last year was anything but for him. He will adjust and get better.
He's 29 not 39.
I know he can look REALLY REALLY bad at the plate sometimes. Hell, I wrote a Christmas Carol about it, but the guy hit 38 HRS, batted his usual.260, and drove in 100 RBI's in an adjustment year. He also carried us for over a month when Judge went down.
He's not Jessie Barfield!
3 and last) The Zappa quote on the banner.
If I was stuck on a desert island and could only take one person's musical catalogue with me it would be Zappa. Who else can go from classical, to rock, to 50's rock and roll, to blues, to R&B, and just compose and play the crap out of them while being funny at the same time.
I've seen him a bunch of times. Sitting cross legged on his stool, a cigarette stuck to a spike on his guitar, just shredding it all while keeping a calm look on his face like it was no big deal.
He died just before the OJ Trial and I realized what a loss that was.
If the glove don't fit you must acquit.
If the glove don't fit you must acquit.
If the glove don't fit you must acquit.
If the glove don't fit you must acquit.
Was there ever a more ready made Zappa lyric?
One can only imagine what he'd do with the current guy.
Doug K.
MR. DUQUE, JOHN M, GHOST, AND JFOB....
ReplyDeleteEVERY ONE OF YOUR TAKES, ARE 100% SPOT ON, IMO....
..... THE GHOST'S, "THE DIFFERENCE IN PRODUCTION BETWEEN THE TWO WILL NOT BE THAT GREAT."....."SAVE THE $300 MILLION." ...AND, "TIE US UP FOR YEARS AND REDUCE FLEXIBILITY." IS FLAWLESS.
..... JOHN M'S, "WE NEED THE LEFTY BATTER..."....."HARPER HAS MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE FIELD,- SOMETHING MANNY WOULD NEVER DO." IS RIGHT ON POINT.
..... AND JFOB'S, "YES TO A LH PROBLEM SUPERSTAR, NO TO A RH SUPERSTAR. KEEP MIGGY.-
.....SICKENING FEELING IT'S GONNA GO PRECISELY THE OTHER WAY. NO HARPER, AND MANNY FOR $350 MILLION, PLUS SHEDDING MIGGY." IS PAINFULLY ACCURATE.
..... AND MR. DUQUE'S, "ANDUJAR REMINDS ME OF A YOUNG ADRIAN BELTRE.." IS AN EXCELLENT COMPARISON WHICH I AGREE WITH..... HIS DEFENSE WORSENED WHEN HE FELT THE PRESSURE HIS OWN ORGANIZATION PUT ON HIM, WITH THE WHISPERS, THE STUPID SABER STATS, AND THE LATE INNING DEFENSIVE REPLACEMENTS THAT BECAME MORE FREQUENT.
MY YANKEE SENSE TELLS ME WE ARE GOING TO GET MACHADO.
BOTTOM LINE IS IF WE GET MACHADO, AND LOSE ANDJUAR, WE REALLY AREN'T GAINING THAT MUCH.
IF WE FLIP ANDUJAR FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN A TOP-LINE PITCHER, OF WHICH NONE ARE REALLY AVAILABLE, WE WILL HAVE BASICALLY JUST "THROWN AWAY" A ONCE IN 25 YEAR TALENT. (HOME GROWN NO LESS).
COOP IS SO SCARY THIS TIME OF YEAR.
Only the Scrotum knows for sure.
ReplyDeleteI ABSOLUTELY AGREE with all of the above ^^^^^^.
ReplyDeleteIf we gain Machado and lose Andujuar, I'll be really uninterested in this team, Miggy just has a certain quality that I feel we've been missing for sometime, love that kid!
Crossing fingers and all other appendages and hoping against hope Coop doesn't do the worst of all moves possible,,,,
Yes. Trading AnDUjar would be the worst possible outcome.
ReplyDeleteJust read this on RAB about the HOF:
"Rivera and Martinez going in the same year is kinda funny seeing how Edgar is pretty much the only hitter who solved Rivera (.579/.652/1.053 in 23 plate appearances!)"
I knew there was a reason I always feared that guy. If I had a HOF vote he would get it.
Doug K.
Scrotum!
ReplyDeleteFuckers!
If Andujar goes, I will write a letter - on real paper - and send it to them. I know it will go straight to the trash, but I will do it, nonetheless. And, if my own scrotum should accidentally flop on top of the letter before it goes into the envelope, well, I am not responsible for my state of undress. Of course, I will try to prevent that from happening.
ReplyDeleteYou just KNOW that something bad is cooking, right? You just KNOW it.
Manny's people right now are probably sending fake messages via the blogosphere to drive up his price. Cashman has already said we're out of the Harper game, right? Andujar is probably being examined by the team doctor for the Phillies at this moment.
And Hal is having sex with a cantaloupe somewhere in sunny Florida, thinking "what else must I do to make those fans happy?" I wonder if he gives the melons a name before he fornicates with them?
I'm clearly angry.
Back to the salt pits.
LETS KEEP IN MIND, A LOT OF THIS ANGST AND BULLSHIT WAS CAUSED BY NONE OTHER THAN COOP CASHMAN.....
ReplyDeleteWHY?
BECAUSE HIS "GENIUS" DECIDED HE HAD TO HAVE GIANCARLO BULLSHIT LAST SEASON.
DUMB MOVE. (OBVIOUSLY HE DIDN'T DO HIS "DUE DILIGENCE" - HE LOVES THAT PHRASE- BECAUSE IF HE DID, HE WOULD KNOW HE CAN'T HIT A SLIDER, CAN'T HIT IN THE CLUTCH, AND ISN'T A GOOD FIELDER).
HE JUST SAW THE "MVP" NEXT TO HIS NAME, (IN AN INFERIOR LEAGUE), AND REACTED.
GETTING MADDER BY THE DAY.
YELLING AT WIFE.
JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS.
Why does it?
ReplyDeleteWhy does it?
Why does it?
Huuurrrt
When... I...
Peeeeeeee!!!!!
I still say we should sign both. But above and beyond that, no matter what we do:
ReplyDeleteEL MATADOR MUST STAY!!!
As someone pointed out, there isn't even really a pitcher around to GET for Miggy. The Mets are not going to hand over de Grom...and even if they did, who is to say he would ever be anything like what he was this year?
"CARTHAGO DELENDA EST—AND ANDUJAR MUST STAY!!"
The stats freaks have so screwed us on this one. You would think by now that Miggy is the reincarnation of Dick Stuart down at third. He is not. And you know what? Even "Dr. Strangeglove" more than compensated for his fielding with his hitting.
And, if we HAVE to choose between Manny and Harper, I say take Harper, definitely!
So, let's hope those Phils or ChiSox come through and make Manny an offer he can't refuse. Then we'll have to keep Miggy.
My name will never be Mentioned in the same breath as DiMaggio’s. Nor will the name of most other major league players. Andujar, of course, IS conjoined with him, statistically speaking. He is one of our gems and if Cashman trades him, woe unto him.
ReplyDeleteBut how do we feel about Eli as the starting QB next year? I kid. I kid.
ReplyDeleteDoug K.
I guess everybody is still sitting on the toilet? No news from the Bronx?
ReplyDeleteIt can't happen here...
ReplyDeleteNo, it CAN'T happen here...
Because I been checkin' it out,
Checked it out a coupla' times...
and it can't happen heeeere.
Whooooo would imagine
that they could Freeeek out
In NY??
Incidentally, I agree with the solid consensus, above: bravo, duque, bravo, John M, bravo, all-caps, and 13bit, et al. If Cash-Puss dares to trade AnDUjar for any damned hurler - - or, worse yet, any other player - - Cash-Puss might just suddenly start to feel weird, evil brain-waves coming toward him - from MANY directions at once. Fuck Brian, fuck Boone, fuck Halligator-Arms, fuck Randy, fuck Rothschild, hell with 'em all, if they can't do better than what we all fear. LB (No J)
The world did not end today. But that does not mean that it will not end tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWhen they sign Manny, we can all shrug and say “now, they cannot hurt us anymore.“
ReplyDeleteAs for it not being able to happen here, my friends, I suggest that you read some Sinclair Lewis.
It not only CAN happen here, it already has, it will again, and we have to bend over and take it like men.
One day, we will look back on these dark days for Yankee fans and we will have gratitude that they are gone. For now, we can only endure.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDoug.....I liked Zappa. He was a musical genius. But I preferred Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg/ The Fugs. May I suggest " Johnny Pissoff/Illiad", "River of Shit" or " It Crawled into My Hand, Honest".
ReplyDelete13 Bit....You want to talk about dark days? How about 1968-1975 or 1982-1993. If IIHIIC was around in those days there would be mass suicide.....people jumping out of 50-story windows like in 1929!
ReplyDeleteCarl, I was around then and I shared the despair. I hear you, but the bar was raised - we were shown real hope by the House of Stein Von Brenner - and that family is failing us now. I don't want CBS back, nor do I want those teams from 82-93. I just want Cashman replaced by a baseball guy and I want Hal to give a shit.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to defend stupidity, which is where I think the organization is coming from these days.
Yes, I was there as well. Michael Burke was an absentee President. He showed slightly less interest than Hal. Very sad indeed!
ReplyDeleteIf you read the stuff Michael Burke used to regularly spout to the press, he sounded like a rather dim "Peterman" from Seinfeld. Hilarious.
ReplyDeleteHe did hire on Lee MacPhail, son of Larry, who had been named Executive of the Year for his role in putting together the champion Orioles team of 1966.
The result was...well, the Yankees got back to being a perfectly okay team. From 1968-1972—before Steinbrenner bought them—the Yanks had 4 winning seasons out of 5, and missed out on a 5th one by one game. They won as many as 93 games, and finished as high as second.
Trouble was, in those pre-free agent days, it was very hard to make any faster progress. You have to spend. Sadly, we don't seem to want to anymore.
Carl,
ReplyDeleteThanks. I will check those out.
Doug K.
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