Thursday, January 31, 2019

The abundantly reasonable case for swooping in and scooping up Manny

Nobody thinks this can happen, including me. But now and then, a warming glimmer of uncertainty pokes through the polar vortex of cold, dead rumors: 

What if Manny Machado simply decides 

a) he doesn't want to spend the rest of his career chasing wild cards in Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego or East Schunk

b) a one-year deal would let him prove his worth as a hustling teammate

c) he'd like to win a ring

d) life improves with a happy spouse.

If so, he says, "Alexa, call Brian Cashman and get me a one-year deal at 20something million, and we'll sort out the rest next winter, when the owners are being sued for collusion." 

Okay, what happens then? Here's a snapshot of the dominoes that would drop.

1. The Yankees release Troy Tulowitzki. We say, "Sorry, Tools, but that's China Town." We promised him a starting job at SS. We keep our promise. It's just not in NYC. He goes back to free agency and surely scores a better deal than the minimum, which we were going to pay - (everyone thinks, hey, the Yankees wanted him; he must be back) - no harm, no foul. 

2. Manny becomes opening day shortstop. He bats second, moving Judge to third and Giancarlo fourth. This gives Didi Gregorius ample time to recover, and he can even DH, too.

3. Gleyber Torres stays at 2B. No more jumping between positions. We tell him to learn the position, because it's his to lose.

4. Miguel Andujar gets four months to solve the vast mysteries of his footwork. They say he's a dedicated student. Here's a chance to nail down 3B for a generation. If he fields, he stays. If he doesn't, once Didi returns, Machado bumps him to the OF. 

5. DJ LeMahieu becomes our all-purpose utility infielder and defensive replacement.

6. Didi returns in August/September with his chance to win a long term job. (He'll be a free agent next winter.)

Instead of a 34-year-old, limited range SS who in a good season will bat .260, we add one who hits 30 HRs with 100 RBIs. Boston panics and re-signs Craig Kimbrel, who was falling apart last fall. We win the AL East. And next year, right around now, Manny is telling Alexa to call Hal and decide whether the marriage can go on. If a ring is involved, the bonds might be hard to break.

19 comments:

  1. I like it.

    Now, what about Harper?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm so sick of Machado, his fanboys and the effin media. I'm sick of sabermorons who don't understand the limitations of statistics or the difference between statistics and reality.

    Don't care. Don't give a $#!t. He's not needed. He's an ass. He's not 60 times better than Andujar. I like Andujar. I do not like Machado or his fanboys.

    Let him not hustle around someone else's ballfield. Maybe that's why he'll never be a champion. He's not a team player.

    ReplyDelete
  3. THINK ABOUT THIS....

    LETS OFFER BOTH MACHADO AND HARPER $31.5 MILLION PER YEAR FOR 3 YEARS.

    TELL BOTH OF THEM OUR PLANS OF WANTING THE 2 OF THEM TOGETHER ON THE YANKEES.

    FOR $183 MILLION, MAYBE WE CAN SNAG BOTH OF THEM.

    WE SPEAK TO BOTH OF THEM AND TELL THEM IF THEY ACCEPT, THERE WILL BE THE BIGGEST PRESS CONFERENCE IN SPORTS HISTORY WITH BOTH OF THEM DONNING YANKEE CAPS, AND SHIRTS AT THE SAME TIME.

    OF COURSE, THIS WON'T HAPPEN BECAUSE THIS WOULD REQUIRE SOME "OUTSIDE THE BOX" THINKING WHICH COOP IS INCAPABLE, AND HAL IS IMPERVIOUS TO.

    ReplyDelete
  4. WTF?

    Did Hal Steinbrenner just troll us?

    ReplyDelete
  5. LOLOLOL...I'm surprised it took this long for one of those unsolicited endorsements of penis prowess or $ 1500/day income through hitting secret Facebook and Google sites pop up here. That one is next. You see these in the comment section of some popular sports blogs. So perhaps its an indication IIHIIFIIC is expanding its readership.

    I'd prefer to see Harper on a one-year contract or even longer. They could trade Gardner and recoup 8 million and have Frazier as a sub. Someone will pay Gardy 8 million to be their starting left or center guy.

    But let's assume that he Yankees agree with Duque and sign Manny for one year. I don't think they'd just release Tulo for zilch. Someone, especially a tanking team would be happy to assume a former star for minimum salary. But the Yankees would never pay Lemahieu 12 million a year for 2 years as a utility/bench player. More likely the Yankees would trade him much like they did Brandon Drury only quicker. Or they'd make him the every day 2B and make Gleber the utility infielder. Either scenario is bad.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If you believe any of this fantasy, nature will soon drop 8 inches of fresh powder on the streets of LA.

    ReplyDelete

  7. John Robet only became interested in penis size after an unfortunate incident with his wife Lorena Robet.

    Doug K.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ALL CAPS,

    I like it! I hope one of Hal's minions is reading today. Really good suggestion and oddly, reasonable. They both hit the market again at age 29 in what should be a better environment. Plus they make their 30 M a year.

    Doug K.

    ReplyDelete
  9. who cares about the penis size? I want my virginity back! and here I've been thinking for years that our neighbor's randy goat took from me something that could never be recovered. we live in amazing times, my friends!

    ReplyDelete
  10. We have entered the world of fantasy fiction. How about we dig up the Babe, clone him15 times, and in 20 years we will begin a streak of 14 straight Series wins?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Just saw the Knicks traded Portzingas. Good. Fragile, malcontent, prima donna.

    Now the Giants just have to trade Beckham (fragile, prima donna)to the Raiders for A couple of firsts and third. Enabling them to fix both sides of their line and get a QB.

    and the Yankees need to sign Harper and all the NY franchises will have turned it around.

    Doug K.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The Knicks are the laughingstock of the NBA. 20 plus years of complete mismanagement. Dolan and the executives that he hires make Hal , Cashman and their management team seem as competent and intelligent as the brains at Apple and Microsoft.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Tulo cannot secure a better deal financially. Whatever he earns from the team he plays for comes out of his guaranteed huge contract.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Continuing this fantasy of the Yanks signing Manny: When Didi returns, Andujar is traded for a super SP. To bad it's a fantasy.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Pretty funny, Doug K. and KD!

    Yeah, the Knicks change direction again. Which only shows you that it CAN always be worse. They nearly acquired the Yanks from George, back in the 1990s.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mediasavvy, I agree that Manny is overrated. But it's not about exact dollar comparisons.

    Of course Machado is not worth 60 time a Miggy. Manny, by many measures, will be overpaid with his new contract, whatever it is, while Andujar is grossly "underpaid" considering his relative production.

    But their current paydays only have to do with their opportunities in the market.

    A better judge for us fans, I think, is what they bring us. If Manny were to get us a couple rings—and not saying he necessarily would—then I think $30-$35 mill a year is worth it.

    It would likely also be worth it to Hal and his family of lizards. Continuing Yankees success—and in this town, with this team, success is measured one way only—will add much, much more than that $30-$35 mill to the Steinbrenner coffins in increased attendance, souvenir sales, and above all, TV ratings.

    But that's not how Hal or most MBL owners think. They are risk averse. They just see that money flying out of their wallets—at the same time that they end up throwing away the equivalent every year on signings such as those of CC, Gardner, Lemahieu, and others.

    It's stupid, but they won't be moved from it.

    ReplyDelete
  17. "Steinbrenner coffins" -- if only.

    ReplyDelete

  18. I really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821
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    ReplyDelete

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