Tuesday, May 25, 2021

The Yankees are about to make perhaps the most important move of 2021

Rumors buzzed last week that the Yankees - desperate for a CF - were on the verge of trading for Delino Deshields Jr. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the SEAT BELT signs. Passengers should return to their seats and prepare for a bit of turbulence. You might want to check in the seat pouch for your stomach distress bag. Flight attendants should take secure positions...

Cooperstown Cashman's annual spring mating dance is about to begin. DO NOT PANIC! DO YOU HEAR ME? DO! NOT! PANIC!!!!! A trade is coming, that's all, hahahaha, (somebody shoot me), and we should snuggle into the recliner and fortify our courage. For Alphonso, that means a cistern full of canned mixed drinks - the "Sidecar" his current bev of choice. Whatever Cash does, it will conjure a universal "WTF" across the Yankiverse, and the clouds part and the mountainside comes into view.

The problem with Deshields? Nothing personal. It's just that he'll turn 29 in August, he bats RH - (yeesh, don't we need lefties?) - he's a career .246 hitter, he has no power, his base-stealing isn't what it used to be (or what his dad used to be) and his current big numbers at Triple A - he's hitting .365 - reflect a sample size smaller than Ivanka's cosmetically altered overbite. If the Yankees acquire him, it will be strictly for defense - which is reasonable, I suppose - but - yeesh - if that's all there is to the circus, why not just try Estevan Florial, or Thomas Milone, or Tyler Wade, or the wall-bouncer, Cliff Frazier, and see what happens? 

What we need is a Cameron Maybin, and frankly, there aren't any. The Mets, who actually have the real Cameron Maybin - now hitting 0-for-19 on the season - are looking for the Maybin guy who performed so well two years ago.  (Also, Maybin is not a CF, so... nope.)    

Another factor might complicate a trade for Deshields. Apparently, he has a June 1 "opt-out" clause in his contract, allowing him to become a free agent unless the Texas Rangers promote him to the majors. Thus, to get anything in a trade, Texas must call him up, slap him on the back and then deal his ass. Having seen the Rangers a week ago, I think I speak for humanity in wondering, what would be the point? In return, they might pry Nick Goody or Mike Montgomery from the Scranton roster. (And here's the kicker: They probably have June 1 "opt-out" clauses in their contracts, too.) 

Greg Allen, whom the Yankees signed last winter, would normally have gotten a call by now. He's 28, a switch-hitter CF with speed. Unfortunately, he's out with an oblique injury, and those things are bastards. So, we're back to square one.

My hope is that Cooperstown has his eye on some veteran lug nut out there, showing speed and defense at Triple A, with another June 1 opt-out. If there is one thing we've learned over the years, it's that the Gammonites never correctly predict a Cashman trade. Whomever leaked it that the Yankees were talking about Deshields - Cashman? - did it with the purpose of kicking the tree, perhaps after Texas asked too much?

This we do know, at 38, Brett Gardner cannot play CF every day. He'll dissolve. He already looks 40. His best use is as a fourth OF, who spells the starters now and then. We need somebody who can cover ground and torment pitchers when he reaches base. (Frankly, I'd love to see Wade get a shot, but that's not Cashman's style.) 

If the Yankees can find a cheap alternative, we will not have to pay the king's ransom on the Aug. 1 trade deadline. If we fail, the last few weeks in July could be a torture chamber.

A deal is coming. Brace yourselves, everybody. It's going to get a little bumpy.

21 comments:

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Is Jacoby Ellsbury close to resuming baseball activities?

ranger_lp said...

@Rufus...almost spit out my coffee reading that...LOL

Anonymous said...

For the life of me, I can't see why they don't throw Florial in CF. He won't be any worse than what we've gone through so far this year. Too many strikeouts? Are you kidding me? We're already the strikeouts kings of the universe. It's not possible for Florial to make it any worse.

Look, it's going to be on the job training for him. He'll probably be pretty bad for a while. I'm willing to sacrifice some now, hoping that he develops into a good player. Hopefully, by the end of the year, he'll show some promise. It's always a calculated gamble; there never is a sure thing. He's a lefty hitter and he's fast. We're very short on lefty hitting outfielders right now. On the other hand, we could catch lightning in a bottle, and he might turn out to be just what the doctor ordered. Some guys have crappy numbers in the minors, but they turn it on when they make it to the show. (Perhaps they grow up in a hurry.) Didn't Robbie Cano have crappy numbers when they brought him up?

The Hammer of God

ranger_lp said...

@Hammer...Florial has gotten his BA up to .172. Let's see where he is at in two weeks...if he improves maybe he moves up...more likely, Yanks get a lug nut OF for the present...

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...

Beatles had it first:

Oh, flew in by Miami Beach B.O.A.C.
Didn't get to bed last night
On the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man I had a dreadful flight

. . . we all are having a dreadful flight without leaving the ground.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Off topic, but since I brought up women fighting at baseball games last week:

https://nypost.com/2021/05/25/three-women-in-wild-brawl-at-white-sox-cardinals-game/

TheWinWarblist said...

Not panicking ...

Not no no no panicking ...

NO PANICKING!!!


Hrrmm ...

Ahh ...

Ahhh-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside said...

Can I get way off topic... to Uncle Floyd? Floyd has been selling his junk on eBay lately. Yesterday he put up his accounting book for his live gigs in the 80’s... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Uncle-Floyd-s-1980s-Book-keeping-records-handwritten-notes-/224471841387?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286

One of the performers is listed as Ed Alstrom. I’m like, I know that name... he’s the weekend organist at Yankee Stadium... so I email him to see if it the same Ed Alstrom. And it is! How obscure is that?

Now back to your regularly scheduled UHF.

HoraceClarke66 said...

I only watch Count Floyd.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Rufus, that was the quote of the day!

But I'm with Hammer, and the Yoko Ono Plastic Band: All we are saying/ Is give Flor a chance!

Why not? In fact, Cano was a pretty good minor leaguer by the time the Yanks brought him up—in 2005 he hit .333 during a month in Columbus—but it's true that rookies often flash when first brought up. If nothing else, it takes teams some time to get a book on them.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Oh, and you want further proof that Delino is not delightful?

Look at his lifetime OPS: .666. THE DEVIL'S NUMBER!

Even the cosmos are urging us not to make this deal!!

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Hoss,

Don't forget about "Don't let me down" regarding the latest five tool guy. Wasn't Tony Womack that guy at one point? Maybe he's available.

Count Floyd, Uncle Floyd and even Uncle Al, the kiddies pal, are all ok by me.

UHF, the most underrated movie ever. Featuring the Nash Metropolitan.

JM said...

I know I'm dreaming, but Willie Mays is available.

Alphonso said...

I actually think Wade can do the job, part time, in CF.

Carl J. Weitz said...

Hey, if "The Martian" is the next Mike Trout/Mickey Mantle why not call him up? He is already the best outfielder at any level defensively. Trout made his MLB debut at 19 and Jasson Dominguez is only about 8 months away from 19. They say he's a superstar hitter (or will be) and even if he hits .200, that would be a cut above what they have currently. Let them try the kid now. Other organizations do it.

TheWinWarblist said...

Carl, you know full well that The Yankees are NOT an other organization.

Carl J. Weitz said...

LOL...true, Winnie!

EDB said...

This is what genius Cashman does. He picks up stiffs. Deshields in the minors for The Texas Rangers. It shows that he is not very good. And Ed you ask, why are the Yankees so thin in the outfield specifically CF? The answer is easy. The Genius resigned Barren Hicks, who cannot stay healthy and if he did, who needs him. Are there any analytics, which make up for his under .200 batting average, poor arm in the outfield and loafing after shallow fly balls. One more fact before I go. Take a look at the Scranton Roster. All four catchers are either retreads or in their late twenties. Other than Florial, do the Yankees have any prospects to bring up to fit in to the outfield? Cashman is the executive of the decade.

Kevin said...

The Brain has spent the past fifteen years drafting catchers, shortstops, and centerfielders. Many have been highly regarded. By someone. We need a legitimate second-tier star, at least, and if The Brain can't trade for one, say "adios" to any realistic chance of even winning the division.

Btw, comparing our starting pitching to those early thirties starters is laughable. We call a six innings start as "heroic". Those pitchers were pissed if they didn't go nine. I'm reading "The Best Team Money could Buy". THOSE starters were pissed if they didn't go nine. I thought that I'd read every book from that era. The book was very densely written for its sub-genre, I guess that forty-five years has dimmed my memories, and plenty of things I'd never read. An amazing story was that in '75 the Oakland pitching coach (es) told Hunter, Blue, and Holtzman to throw almost all fastballs, just rely on COMMAND. Which makes me wonder why command isn't as sought after maybe as much as velocity.
I know that most of you have read the book, but for younger fans this book gives invaluable insight into the game. Hey could we pickup Count Basie for the rotation?

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