It's time for the Yankee "Clean New Deal"

At the time, it seemed rather fishy, even by Yankee standards. Just days - practically hours - after our "fully operational Death Star" signed long-term contracts with Aaron Hicks and Luis Severino, both players came up lame. Now both face injuries that undermine the 2019 season. 

Coincidence? Nah. In the Yankiverse, there is no such thing. My guess is the players were privately concerned about their ailments - Hicks' lower back and Severino's throwing shoulder - during the negotiations. It's why they signed what the Gammonites called "team friendly" deals. They were secretly worrying.  

And let's be thankful for those moves - what I'm calling the Clean New Deal -  because the alternatives could be disastrous. 

Severino is currently out until mid-May. But he does not need to rush back too quickly. If not for the new deal, he would now be entering the most important contact year of his life, with a barking shoulder. Could he divulge it? What if he misses the season? He'd miss out on financial security. A pitcher coming off of arm surgery wields no bargaining power. This spring, he'd be more likely to stay quiet and pitch through the pain. He'd have no safety net - not the 4-year $40 million deal he has now. 

Shoulders are a bitch. Severino could miss a vast portion of this season. But the Yankees - who have him through 2023 - must now treat him as a long term investment. If not for the deal, and the peace of mind that comes with it, Severino might be out there throwing, hoping the pain will go away, and throwing his career out the window.  

Then there is Hicks, who suffers back pain. He says he vastly underestimated his original malady - a suggestion that he knew about it during negotiations. At first, the Yankees said he'd miss a weekend. Now, it's opening day. (Since the Yankees never tell the truth about player injuries, we can't count on anything.)

If it's a herniated disk, Hicks will miss six to eight weeks, not counting rehab. He could be out until July - and, worse, compromised in his play. You don't want him rushing back to hit .210.   

Without that long-term deal, Hicks might be on a course to do just that. He would be worrying about losing his big contract next year. Now, both sides have a stake in giving Hicks adequate time to heal. The money is not a factor.

The losses of Severino and Hicks have been this spring's most sobering events. Without either, it's hard to see the Yankees overtaking Boston, which would mean their second straight world championship. Imagine two in a row. Will kids grow up dreaming of playing for the Redsocks, as baseball's premier team? 

In March, the worst thing we can do is push an injured player back too quickly. But that requires the player to disclose private aches and pains that, frankly, are not in his interest to discuss... unless the team has a long term investment. Long term contracts dictate long term strategies. If they go south, it's only money, and the Yankees sure have enough. They should pursue more long term deals, and it should begin soon - like TODAY - with Dellin Betances. Let's save the future with the Clean New Deal!