The big-spending, freewheeling, hell-bent-for-leather Yankees are back!
That's right! They're going to take a run at the free agent sweepstakes for - GASP! - Freddie Freeman! The biggest name on the board! (Aside from Carlos Correa who is waaay too expensive, people, I mean, come on, it doesn't grow on trees!)
That's the latest rumor, according to the unnamed sources that have made Twitter the gold-standard of truth in America. The Yankees plan to - GASP! - "take a run" at Freddie.
Once we end this sad lockout - WHICH THE OWNERS HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CALL! - Yankee super-scion Hal Steinbrenner will open his magical checkbook and restore the franchise to its perch as the largest stack of money in pro sports.
Surely, Freddie will spend the rest of February next to the landline, awaiting Cooperstown Cashman's historic call.
Like Manny Machado did. Like Bryce Harper did. Like Zach Wheeler, Patrick Corbin, Max Scherzer, Nathan Eovaldi, Yu Darvish and practically the entire island nation of Japan... Didn't we take a run at them, too?
Okay... I get it that the Yankees can't sign everyone. And two cold winters ago, yes, Hal shelled out for Gerrit Cole. But I'll believe Freddie Freeman in pinstripes when Cash calls a news conference instead of the 1-800 Tip Line. A tweet suggesting that Shallow Hal might unzip his fanny pack is less a cause for hope than just another gruesome reminder of what the Yankees used to be... and are no longer.
So, they'll "take a run" at Freddie? WTF does that even mean? They talked up Bryce Harper, then hid under their beds when he came to visit. They lip-synched praise for Machado, but never sent him an offer - terrified that he'd accept.
What is "taking a run?" Will they match the Braves offer? Will they "monitor" the bidding? A Zoom conference? A meeting of the brain trust? Will Cash draw columns on the whiteboard? WHY WE SHOULD SIGN HIM and WHY WE SHOULD NOT SIGN HIM. They'll fill in reasons, wipe it clean, have Miss Bixley type up the report and put it on Hal's desk by the following Tuesday. Then the Prince of Luxury Tax Austerity will rule. And we all know where this goes from there...
I'm sorry. But you can't just deflate expectations for 12 straight years and then expect everyone to jump for joy.
The Yankees are in a sorry situation, matched only by the game itself.
Even as Covid numbers plummet nationwide, the 2022 baseball season looks increasingly endangered.
We don't need false hopes. And frankly, unless Hal intends to shoot the moon - that is, spend for a catcher, a shortstop, a centerfielder and pitching - adding a 1B looks like a shaky strategy, anyway.
Sorry, folks. But it's just too cold outside to go stand on the Canyon of Heroes and wait for the parade.
If they sign Freeman, they will need to trade Torres. They will get a stop gap SS or go with one of their prospects...
ReplyDeleteTorres' job is safe. Hal will never spend the big bucks on Freeman. He simply can't afford it because the yacht needs a new commode.
ReplyDeleteI think Gleyber is gone, no matter what happens. We have too many shortstops in the pipeline, and at least one will move to 2B. Until they arrive, DJ holds the position... and eventually he moves to 1B.
ReplyDeleteSketchy, but not sure I see many other alternatives.
I'm still basking in the glow of the fantastic Pro Bowl, NHL All Star games, and Olympic follies to even think about baseball.
ReplyDeleteThe Pro Bowl would be more intense if they played flag football.
ReplyDeleteKeith Law ranks our farm system at 22nd out of 30 in The Athletic this morning.
ReplyDeleteThe AL East:
4. Rays
5. Blue Jays
10. Orioles
20. Red Sox
22. Yankees
Sorry, El Duque. Just stories thrown out there because nothing is happening. If it were from John Heyman or Joel Sherman, then I would take it seriously. The Yankees will say that they tried to make moves. It will be another year of Luke Void, until he is injured again.
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ReplyDeleteFAKE NEWS
The Yankees making a run at Freeman: “Well, we did our due diligence but in the end with didn’t feel comfortable going past four years. While we congratulate the Dodgers on signing a great player, we have every confidence in Luke Voit as out first basemen, who looks to be in the best shape of his career.”
ReplyDeleteIsn't Luke taking up yoga?
ReplyDeleteHe still looks like a circus strongman.
Rumors…it ain’t just a Fleetwood Mac album.
ReplyDeleteHow many modern first baseman, outside of the steroid era, aged well in their mid-to-late 30s?
ReplyDeleteAlbert Pujols was cooked by age 35.
Lance Berkman was declining by age 33.
Miguel Cabrera collapsed at age 34.
Carlos Pena declined hard after age 33.
Paul Konerko made it to 36 with good production before collapsing.
Carlos Santana was good up until age 34.
Mark Teixeira started declining immediately in his 30s and was out of baseball at age 36.
Richie Sexson had the same sudden drop in his 30s.
Derrek Lee's last good season came at age 33.
Adrian Gonzalez's last good season was at age 33.
Adam LaRoche's last good season was at age 34.
Justin Morneau was washed by age 34.
Carlos Lee was heavily declining after his age-33 season.
Aubrey Huff had a monster season at age 33 and was out of the game two years later.
I could go on and on.
Signing Freddie Freeman for six years (age 32-37) is a very big risk IMO. You're basically betting he ages like Joey Votto (likely Hall of Famer), instead of like every other non-steroid-using first baseman.
I'm not necessarily against the move for a win-now team. If Freeman has two great seasons left in him, he could help a contender win a ring or two. But we should acknowledge the risks here.
Well done ZacharyA. It seems to me that if we never actually play this season then we never actually have to concern ourselves with any of this stuff and instead just occupy our grey (or gray) matter with other meaningless past times, such as that oh-so compelling drama over at Spotify. Or which celebrity will die next, or be cancelled or better still - BOTH!
ReplyDeleteThe real news is A-A-Ron is going to be a daddy. Expect a diaper changing injury as soon as he has a hitting streak.
ReplyDeleteIn 2023.
Good to see ZacharyA Back with the Facts. And I agree, guys.
ReplyDeleteThe latest Freeman whispers are for Hal's planned 'Fonly Press Conference. It will likely come sometime around August, when the lockout finally knocks out the rest of the season, or MLB comes up with a master plan for a two-month playoff.
" 'F only the season wasn't wrecked! We were making a run at Freddie Freeman! 'F only the lockout hadn't ended everywhere. We were going to sign Carlos Correa. 'F only it weren't for the impasse. Cash had a time machine already to go, to correct every mistake he's made over the past 20 years. But then came that damned lockout..."
Take a run, have the runs, potato, poetahtohh
ReplyDeleteWell, El Duque, I stand corrected. Jon Heyman has reported that the Yankees will make a run. I just hope that Freddie's agent does not use the Yankees to jack up the price of his contract.
ReplyDeleteRuns Yankees Runs - likely not regular - get them some of that extra strength pink sauce to calm their exit strategy
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