Saturday, November 2, 2019

Hot Stove! The Hot Corner!

Here is probably the cheeriest conundrum for Yankees fans to contemplate headed into 2020:  what to do about third base?  The options are...hard for even Cooperstown Cashman to screw up.

First, we have to give Coops his props.  Gio was a revelation, in the field AND at the plate.  Even during an injury-hampered October, he managed two home runs in the ALCS, and we all would much rather have seen him up there at any given time than, say, Sancho, who so often looked like a blindfolded man trying to fight off bees.

And behind Urshela, of course...is El Matador, Miguel Andujar, the best natural hitter to make this tea in a long time, and your 2018 Rookie of the Year, save for rank Yankee hatred.

Of course, we don't know just what El Matador will bring after a devastating injury and a year off.  But if he's anything close to his former self at the plate, the options are delicious.


What I Would Do:  If his once-strong arm is back, I say put AnDUjar in left field, thereby shoring up an outfield that figures to be one of the Yanks' big weaknesses next season.

If it's not back, give him a first baseman's glove, and have him spell Mike Ford.  And, oh yeah, there will be plenty of room at DH during the 50-150 games Giancarlo is likely to miss out on because of hangnails, toe blisters, and paper cuts.

Having him back, if he is back, will be an enormous addition.  And even if Gio reverts a bit to the mean, we'll still have a terrific glove and a pretty good hitter at the third sack.

WWCCD?  As mentioned, it's hard even for Coops to screw this one up.  His normal inclination would probably be to trade Miggy for some overrated starter "with a strong arm."  But considering the injury, I doubt if he can pull that off.

And Gio is one of Coops' pick-ups—players he always likes to have out there (and will even foolishly reacquire if necessary, looking at you Nick and Javier) to show what a genius he is.









19 comments:

JM said...

Of course. Yes.

Boy, this crap is simple.

Next.

Anonymous said...

Rendon!!! Ha ha ha like that will happen.

However -

Just for the hell of it I'm going to say that Urshala is a pumpkin and that we should package him. (with Voit, another pumpkin)

What gives me some consternation is...

Let's say for the sake of argument that they do decide to trade Urshala on his own. What does anyone think he would bring back? If the answer is very little, which I think is the correct answer, then how is he our Third Baseman?

If they could get a return, either with or without Voit, we can resign Didi (and don't worry - when Hoss gets to shortstop I'm going to say let Didi go.) and go with...

1B (Ford!) With AnDUjar as back up.
2B Gleyber
SS Didi
3B DJ (with AnDUjar as back up)

Did I already say Rendon?

Doug K.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Doug K., I already got to SS, and I thought that the move to make with my head was to let Didi walk, and the move with my heart was to keep him.

I guess I would see how little it would take to keep Didi (My guess after last year is, very little). And yes, I would love to sign Rendon, too, and just let it rip!

But...since we're dealing with HAL here, our only, slim chance of getting a first-rate starter is to go cheaper. If Gio hits only, say, .280 with 20 HRs, his glove will make him worthwhile.

Anonymous said...

I forgot you did SS. I'm old.

Doug K.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Did you ever see "The Sweet Smell of Success"? When Burt Lancaster tells a comedian who tries to feed him a joke he's already printed? "You're not reading the column!" :)

Anonymous said...

No, but now I will. Thanks.

Doug K.

HoraceClarke66 said...

A great, great movie. It's the one the crazy kids are always quoting in "Diner."

ranger_lp said...

29 minutes left...no extension...

ranger_lp said...

26 minutes...

13bit said...

yeah, I was just wondering, myself.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Wait, which time are we on??? Do we leap forward—or fall back on Chap?

Stang said...

Congratulations, Chapmaniacs!

HoraceClarke66 said...

Great. More dead weight to carry another year into the new decade.

ranger_lp said...

More blown saves to look forward to...

13bit said...

Bed-crapping choker given another tear. Goodbye to any more big wins. Hello mediocrity. Eat shit, Brian, you blind worm.

Alphonso said...

I love your description of Sanchez; " the blindfolded guy trying to fight off bees."

I said early last season that the Yankees should see if Andujar can play the outfield. He has the arm, the athleticism and the power. I think he has better than average foot speed as well, though he didn't have to run hard on those HRs.

No one ever listens to me, but not everyone can play first base the way it needs to be played. I would give the job to Le Mahieu if he'll take it, and have Ford & Luke battle for back-up and DH. A lot will depend, also , upon what happens with DIDI. If he goes, then Torres becomes SS, LeMahieu plays second and someone else plays first ( is either Ford or Voit good enough to start there )?

In my view, Gio has earned third base until performance proves it wrong. No way are we getting the Houston guy, by the way. He is a better version of Machado.

Don't matter anyway. Until we replace the strikeout, HR hitters with real batters, we can't win.

That is already in evidence.

Anonymous said...

Andujar has never played the outfield. He would be more of an adventure than Clint.

HoraceClarke66 said...

I would think he could learn left field. And I fear Clint ain't comin' back.

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