But soon, two actual shoes will fall, unleashing a swarm of memories - future fantasies of a world that was suppose to be.
I'm talking about Gary and Clint. The Kraken and Red Thunder. Gary Sanchez and - um - Jackson Frazier . Both remain free agents, both remain bearded, both are still awaiting bidders - though neither is exactly trending on Twitter.
Across the Yankiverse, nobody is calling for the Yankees to enter the auction. But in the deep recesses of our minds, don't we all believe it could still happen? That they'll suddenly figure out the secret to hitting?
Ah, we were so much older then, we're younger than that now...
Okay. I need a pause. When we discuss Gary and Clint, we touch upon unhealed scars, deep bruises within the human Yankee condition. Once upon a time, each was untouchable, a future star around whom this team would be built.
In 2016, as the Second Coming of Elston Howard, Gary was held in even higher esteem than Aaron Judge. And Clint was soon to receive No. 77 - perfect balance to No. 99. Remember how he supposedly asked for No. 7? The audacity! The energy! We saw Sanchez hit bombs in the Home Run Derby. We watched Clint break a bat over his knee.
In 2019, who among us would have predicted such career meltdowns?
Remember Gary's rifle throws to second? his .299 batting average as a rookie? Remember Clint's gym videos? his beautiful girlfriend (future wife), and that unique batting stance? One hallmark of this blog used to be me shouting, whenever possible, don't trade Clint Frazier!
It hurts. So here's where everything stands...
Supposedly, the SF Giants are pondering Gary. The Twins, who had him last year, have punted: They signed Christian Vasquez. The fact is, nobody covets an "offense- first" catcher who hits .216 and fans once every three at bats. Last year, Sanchez hit 16 HRs with an OBP of - yikes - .282: He's not even drawing walks. He's now 30. Plus, his glovework: The way Gary waves at balls in the dirt could have long ago inspired the phrase "defensive indifference."
Then there is Clint, whose career has so fizzled that he changed his name. In a world that worships and monetizes fame, who changes his name?
Clint was one of four players who came from Cleveland for Andrew Miller, who pitched the Indians to the 2016 world series. We followed him through multiple concussions, through a Hell Night of defensive miscues on national TV, which got him demoted to Scranton before he'd finished his shower. Now, he's a 28 year-old free agent nomad who hit .216 last year in 37 ABs with the Cubs. Not one HR. In fact, he was so bad that, in Triple A, Frazier actually did worse: .190 in 232 ABs.
He has since gone public about suffering vertigo, perhaps from his multiple concussions and the resulting depression.
All of us who would dream of being a Yankee... who would want such a fate as the one faced by the guy we (derisively?) called "Red Thunder?"
Well, prepare yourselves. One of these days, the headline will flash: "Ex-Yank slugger signs..." A swarm of bittersweet memories will flash. The world that was supposed to be.
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12 comments:
I can see Clint on the Savannah Bananas. He might have a really good time there.
Gary, though...is there a team called the Dour Petulants? Maybe in Dubuque? Dunkirk? Decatur?
Same old story. The individuals whom The Genius listens to, put in his ear that Clint and Stud to Dud Sanchez, thought they were both it!. Gary had personality issues in the minos. I guess the Yankees thought he would mature. The Giants can have him.
1) "The way Gary waves at balls in the dirt could have long ago inspired the phrase "defensive indifference."
Beautifully said. Perfect summation. Funny and dead on.
2) "He's now 30."
Sigh. You made me feel old. That happens every once in a while.
3) "Then there is Clint, whose career has so fizzled that he changed his name. In a world that worships and monetizes fame, who changes his name? "
He changed his name to the way more famous "Jackson" of Reggie and Michael fame.
It could have been worse. He could have switched his first name to Clyde.
JM - Yes. The Savannah Bananas. Good choice.
His new nickname could be "The Red Peel" (That way his wife could be Mrs. Peel.)
Don't put it past Cashman to bring these guys back again for seconds. Cashman just luuuuuuvs to bring people back for second and third go-rounds.
The careers of both Gary Sanchez and Clint Frazier and both typical examples of Cashman's failings as GM.
Sanchez was rumored to be resistant to coaching in the minors, and he continued that in his major league tour with the Yankees. He had a couple of big seasons (a half season and then a full season, to be exact) and then simply flamed out. Yankee coaching was unable to correct numerous issues, with batting mechanics, with catching mechanics, with calling pitches. He also had injury problems that doubtless caused some of his poor play.
Frazier never really got going. His claim to fame is a couple of months where he hit a little bit and showed something (it was either 2019 or 2020, I'm not sure). The concussion injury and its aftereffects derailed his career. What gets lost is that the Indians really pulled one over on Cashman. He traded away perhaps the best reliever in baseball at the time and got back four guys who turned out to be DUDS.
Even if the Yankees were to tank and try to rebuild, Cashman has proven that he has zero ability to find appropriate talent. And even where there is some talent, the player development is maybe the worst in all of baseball.
Seriously, is there another team that has not developed a decent, durable starting pitcher in a quarter century?
Is there another team that has only developed two good everyday players during the last twenty years?
Not only does the talent evaluation and scouting suck but they simply don't develop any new players. A lot of it has to do with stocking the entire minor system with losers and re-treads. And stocking the major league roster with dead wood and high salaried has-beens.
Spending on free agents is the only thing that has kept this franchise relevant over the last two decades. It's sole championship during that time period (2009) was due to throwing around enough gold to sink the Titanic.
But in 2009, they still had the old guard of Jeter, Posada, Rivera to be the backbone of the team. There is no such foundation right now.
Despite spending a great deal of money during the winter, their chances of doing anything memorable in 2023 are probably worse than in 2022.
Hammer,
"Seriously, is there another team that has not developed a decent, durable starting pitcher in a quarter century? Is there another team that has only developed two good everyday players during the last twenty years?"
That's why the additions of Minya and Sabean were both welcome and quite possibly mandated.
Hammer, Cashman's Yankees developed a decent, durable, reliable starting pitcher...lefty, to boot...pretty recently. They traded him last year for an injured, glove-first outfielder.
@Publius, Indeed, I forgot about Montgomery! He does need to put up another year or so before he can get that "solid" moniker, but I'd say it's looking good for him. BTW, he goes over to the Cards, and all of a sudden he's greatly improved. Hmmmm .... more eyebrow raising.
And last year, Nestor Cortes emerged. But he's like the USPS commercial "I've been everywhere, man, I've been everywhere". We'll have to see if he continues his progress this year. And more eyebrow raising what with all the groin injuries.
There is a NY Daily News article by Matthew Roberson that I just read, dated January 11. Pretty much echoes what I've been writing recently. Except he counts Brett Gardner as one of the best players that they've developed, along with Judge. I didn't even count Gardner in my analysis because I always considered him to be a 4th outfielder. But I guess we do have to include him. At least he did contribute somewhat.
@Doug K., Yeah, I hope all these guys they're bringing in have some positive impact. But if they're just being relied upon as advisors, without any real power to make changes, then I don't think much will changes.
It's so unfortunate that a franchise with this much money fails to use it's financial might properly. We should have the best scouts and the best coaches. We should be able to find, sign and develop the best international free agents.
Instead, money is thrown around haphazardly at free agents and old washed up players. And money and roster space continues to flow to has-been players who really have no business being here. They have the money; how about taking a hit and releasing some of the dead wood?
And our scouting system is obviously a joke. Why else would Cashman stock the minor league roster with so many career minor leaguers? If he had a good scouting system, why would Cashman continually bring back the same guys (now older) for second and third chances?
And the coaching is obviously lousy. Everyone comes here and is almost always worse. Then they leave and they're immediately better players. Judge had to get personal batting instruction to have his big year. I wonder if Nestor Cortes sought out a personal pitching coach in 2022.
Hammer - Totally agree.
@ Hammer....Cashman almost always gets fleeced. He's a fucking incompetent. I've heard that he has one song on a loop playing in his office. It's the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again."
Sanchez won't ever again hit because as a batter he's as dumb AF. Stubborn, too. Will not listen to anybody. Actually, in his tenure on the Yankees, that might have been smart.
As for Frazier, I wouldn't mind if the Yankees gave him a minor league contract. As long as they plan to start Hicks in LF anyway, perhaps Clint can have a great spring or a torrid start at Scranton. I mean it's Hick he'd be replacing, not Mike Trout.
How I rooted for both of them to succeed. In a way Is till do. It's sad and depressing when old prospects just fade away.
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