Benintendi could have neatly filled the Yankee LF hole, which seems to deepen by the day. He bats LH, fields well and he gets on base, rather than seeking to hit every ball to Yonkers. But he has a grim injury history, and the Yanks lately have a grim injury history of ex-Redsocks with grim injury histories: Kevin Youkilis. Stephen Drew. Jacoby (gulp) Ellsbury. It's been 102 years since Babe Ruth, nearly 30 since Wade Boggs, back in the days when Boston was our farm club. Now, when we catch a lingering scent of Fenway on someone, I say, "Run!"
Thus far, this winter, Hal Steinbrenner has chugged from the chalice of pain. He has spent gobs of family money to maintain and - with Carlos Rodon - slightly improve the 2023 Yankees. Now, it's our turn to piss blood, as the rebuilding process turns over to Cooperstown Cashman and his spreadsheet orchestra. And they're heading to the swampy grasslands at LF and 3B.
Lately, Yank fans have filling Elon Musk's toy network with threats to go full Will Smith if the comedy team of Hicks & Donaldson appear in the opening day lineup. And I don't blame them. That's the Bronx, Jake.
But here's the rub. Nobody in baseball - not even Pittsburg - will give a tin of sardines for Hicks and/or Donaldson. The music has stopped on their careers, and the Yanks were left standing, without a chair.
Hicks will earn $10 million per season through 2027. Who wants that? The Yanks have a better chance of moving the statues in Monument Park. They could maybe throw in, say, $20 million and hope somebody will take him - for nothing. Does anybody see Cashman signing off on such a move? It was he who signed Hicks in 2019, setting off a chain reaction of injuries and slumps. Giving away Hicks would blow up directly in his face.
As for Donaldson, he'll make $21 million this season, then accept a $6 million buyout in 2024. If the Yankees throw in, say, $10 million, will anybody bite?
In both cases, it's money out the window, with the Yankees left with those holes in their lineup.
And if Cashman signs a LF or 3B tomorrow, he'll lose whatever microscopic bargaining power he has in moving these duds.
So, let me say it. There is a real possibility that one - or both - are in the lineup opening day. And that's Christmas, Jake. Ho ho ho.
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9 comments:
Donaldson will be starting at 3rd until one of the kids gets moved over there, there just isn’t anyone out there to get. Hicks, however, is done. They’ll run Cabrera out there before making Hicks a starter again
I don't know about this one.
Somehow the Dodgers, who should know better, took Gallo off our hands. There must be a greater fool out there somewhere. The Intern can't be the worst GM in baseball, can he?
The 2024 plan is to get Machado at 3B...
I agree that the price for Benny was too high. He is more of an injury threat than most players.
Just trade Torres and throw in a pitching prospect for one of DBacks' young controllable OF and we will be all set in LF.
Move Peraza or Volpe to 2B.
"The music has stopped on their careers, and the Yanks were left standing, without a chair."
Perfect. Could not be said better.
You are correct Doug K.
Reminds me of "It never rains in California."
Sure does!
Great assessment, Duque. Except...don't understand how the Yanks' trade leverage DROPS if Cashie signs another left fielder or third baseman.
Wouldn't that actually increase his leverage?
Yep, Cashman signing another LF or 3B shouldn't reduce their trade leverage. Let's fact it: Donaldson and Hicks are absolutely valueless. They really should be canned. Addition by subtraction. Or they should be bench boys for the entire season, depth pieces. But this franchise don't work that way. Whoever gets paid the most MUST play. So Donaldsuck will start at 3B and Barren Hicks will play ... somewhere. Somebody will get hurt and Hicks will get 400 at bats. You can count on it.
We dodged a bullet by not re-signing Benintendi. He'll get hurt again at some point in 2023. You can count on that too. And he wanted five years? What a joke. The White Sox got taken to the cleaners.
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