You are playing with house money from Hal ( " I am not cheap" ) Steinbrenner.
Some of your dice rolls have been really successsful;
Voit
Urshela
Maybin
Even the Tauchman boy has contributed
Now the real world threatens:
1. Andujar cannot hold a candle to Urshela at third base. And now Gio is showing clutch hitting and power, not just clutch hitting and average. We saw Andujar at third and he was awful. His shoulder may need the knife. Gold Glove Defense at third can be crucial.
What to do?
Keep him at DH and see if he regains hitting form. Let him play once a week at third, giving Urshela a rest. If he doesn't " seem right," have him visit Dr. Andrews and get that labrum repaired.
2. Bird gets healthy.
What to do?
Stash him at AAA and see if he can shine. If he does; trade him. Let the Princeton guy remain as back-up.
3. Tuto gets healthy.
What to do?
Assign him an "Ellsbury" injury and keep him on the IL. We have Torres and Estrada and Le MAHIUE to play infield. I want to resist, as long as possible, the age-old mantra " that Estrada is young and needs to play everyday." He may be a prime asset right now at the major league level.
4. Judge gets healthy.
What to do?
Start him in right field. Who has to move, and where? likely candidate is Tauchman then Maybin. Frazier also has to prove himself capable again. I now dread seeing him in the outfield.
5. Stanton gets healthy.
What to do?
Trade him. Pay his way to Kansas City. Let Andujar DH most of the time. He makes contact. Stanton strikes out. Frazier and Le MAHIEU are far more dependable hitters.
6. Hicks gets his back, back.
What to do?
He has to be our CF and Gardy moves to left. Frazier and Maybin are back-ups.
7. Didi returns
What to do?
I guess the only choice is to move Torres back to second, and use Le MAHIEU a lot, as back-up and DH. He is also great at third, if needed. This all means that Tyler Wade is obsolete for a while.
I'm not dealing with pitching. Do you really believe we will get back a 100% healthy Dellin and Luis? Ever?
Funny, I don't want this job. I want the team to stay as it is. Keep the injured guys away. Except for AAron Judge, who is a prime ballplayer. Also, I do think we need a healthy Hicks.
And we need the pitchers.
And a large cocktail.
ReplyDelete5. Stanton gets healthy.
What to do?
Trade him. Pay his way to Kansas City.
This made me think of a question I've never thought about before: Did Stanton's no-trade clause (or I must approve all trades clause) come with him from Miami?
I don't know the answer to this. Could he even be traded?
Stanton was a .260 hitter last year. He does strike out a lot but that's not, like, THAT low in terms of his ability to get hits. His OBP was too low. But he made up for it with 38HR and 100RBI.
ReplyDeleteI don't think a Stantonian player on the roster is a bad thing. I do think the entire team taking that approach is a bad thing and produces last year's disappointment (the most miserable season ever spent watching a 100-win team).
Maybe we could balance the on-base contact guys with the power guys to create an optimal roster. You know, like teams have been doing for about a century? Instead of pretending there are just three outcomes, we could acknowledge that making contact, getting on base, and scoring runs are all outcomes, too?
Maybe someone can suggest this crazy new approach to Cashman?
Nearly everything Cash has done with this roster has been Golden. "Nearly". But we - the Yankees and their fans - have a 40-man problem. These "no-names" have really contributed and the harsh reality is: many of them cannot stay in the organization once the injured guys come back.
ReplyDeleteIt's a harsh reality, very harsh, because seeing some of these guys go will break hearts (those players & fans) and will quite frankly be sad. Okay, harsh reality time:
Ford: Unfortunately I don't see him coming back. He's a DFA candidate to make room on the 40-man.
Bird: he's done in NY never to be seen again. Trade if possible in July - for everyone's sake. At this point you might get a rookie league or A player in return.
Wade: I think he's essentially done, too, on the 25-man roster (already back at AAA) though he might come back (this year) due to injury/injuries. When Didi comes back, there will definitely be zero room for him. What's best for Wade is a trade because quite frankly, Urshela earned his roster spot.
Andujar: the Yanks will give him 3-weeks. If he doesn't start hitting, I bet he has surgery and is done until 2020. Not that I want that to happen, but I'd rather have a 100% healthy Andujar to start 2020 rather than someone just finished with rehab & likely not ready for 2020. Surgery opens-up a 40-man spot as he'd move to the 60-day IL.
Tauchman: he's had timely hits despite his low BA ... not sure of his status but I'm pretty sure he cannot be optioned. In March when they got him, the article stated "Tauchman has an option remaining for 2019". Note: "an option". He started the year in the Minors ... so does that mean he no longer has an option to go back? That's what I believe. He's earned a right to, at least, be at AAA, **IF** eligible but they might have to DFA him when Stanton comes back UNLESS they send Frazier back down (come on, we all must admit he needs to vastly improve his outfield play!). I don't see that, Frazier being demoted, happening - and it would only happen IMO to protect Tauchman. But ... the Yanks would still need a 40-man spot. IF Andujar has surgery, that would open a 40-man spot.
Maybin: He's done very well ... but when Hicks comes back, they have to DFA him. That would stink if Hicks can't stay healthy - Maybin would be gone - he can't, won't, nor should be go to AAA.
Urshela: He "stole" - No he **earned** Wade's utility infielder spot at minimum. But he's obviously earned MORE than that as the starting 3B position. IF he had more ABs, he'd be leading the AL in hitting!!! He's staying (no options left on him - once they purchased his contract from AAA, they must keep him on the 25-man or lose/DFA him). Unless he goes 1 for 52, that ain't happening.
Tulo: I loved his Spring, I love the story of redemption, but with these young guys stepping up is there a spot for a guy who hasn't proven in 3 years (or more) he can stay on the field? Harsh reality: "No". He might be a DFA'd once healthy - if healthy.
Estrada: he likely goes back down, protected, to AAA. He's young - he'll have his opportunity. Given the number of injuries, he may have his opportunity sooner rather than later and be able to stick on the 25-man.
Montgomery: don't forget about him, he could be back as *early* as "June". Yes, June! And that requires a 40-man roster opening b/c he's on the 60-day IL. Jake Barrett is my guess to be the DFA casualty.
Sevie returning, "after the all-star break", requires a 40-man roster opening as he's on the 60-day IL.
Stanton & Judge: .if Maybin & Tauchman can't stick on the 25-man, they are DFA casualties ...
The Yankees are dying right now... can we get another rain delay? Worked yesterday.
ReplyDeleteTauchman can be 4th fielder, need be and next year. $ Dh's? (Stanton, Frazier, Anduhar and scratch that, newly called up pitcher for the pen.) Somebody's trade bait for a pitcher come July...
ReplyDeleteYou dread seeing Frazier in the outfield? He has superb defensive skills. You know what I dread? Seeing another of your logorrheic, moronic posts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about almost everything, Alphonso, except that it's too early to give up on The Thundering Red Herd in the outfield.
ReplyDeleteLet's see him play the rest of the year out there, and how he does. If terrible—then time to maybe start converting Andujar to a left fielder, and thinking about Clint as the DH. But Frazier has speed, a good arm—there should be no reason he can't be worked into being a better outfielder.
I wouldn't count on Sevvy or Monty or Toonces coming back anytime soon, if ever.
The real dilemma is the OF. Yes, Tauchman is the first man out. If it comes down to a back-up choice between Gardy and Maybin...I think Gardy has to go, hard as that is for me to say.
The real conundrum is Stanton. I'd love to ship him to KC, too. But CAN we get rid of him? Well, maybe he'll relapse...
We all know... because we've been told...that there's no such thing as a clutch hitter. But I'd rather see Frazier or Ushela or Minnie Menoso at the plate in a close game with men on base than Stanton. Yes, he had 38 HRs and 100 RBI, but I wonder how many of those came when the team was down or tied in the late innings, and how many came when it didn't matter--when the game was already lost or won. To be fair, although there is no such thing as clutch, that's a stat that should be determined for everyone. I don't know for sure, but I think the "no clutch" conclusion comes from compiling all ABs by all hitters, which would mean it's one of those "on average" stats. There must be guys who perform better and worse than the average. Is there a stat for that?
ReplyDeleteSorry, Minoso. Damn phone.
ReplyDeleteClutch indicators: RISP average and maybe they compile each batter's leverage outcomes.
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