This was the hallowed grounds of Joe D, Mickey, Bobby and Bernie - plus a train of hopefuls, from Roger Repoz to Jerry Mumphrey, who came and went, and then retired to airport Ramadas, signing glossies forever as "a former Yankee CF." Wither goest Bubba Crosby?
This winter, the Death Barge has a CF problem, perhaps caused by its insatiable desire to ring some September hype from Jasson Dominguez, it's top CF prospect. We'll never know if The Martian might have stayed healthy, had he only remained in Scranton. But he threw out his elbow trying to impress the Yankee Stadium crowd - just as Ruben Rivera did 27 years earlier - showing off a rifle that now might forever be slightly half-cocked.
Dominguez is out until July, and - gulp - then what? It's not certain that he'll be ready to take over CF. He'll need a rehab in Scranton, and if he struggles there, well, his climb could be compromised, at least until he starts hitting.
In simple terms, the Yankees can't expect him to be their CF in 2024.
So what can they do in CF? Some options.
1. Sign Clay Bellinger's kid. Arguably, Cody Bellinger was always destined for the Yankees. The problem? He'll cost a shit-ton, probably for 5 to 10 years, and his career stats look suspiciously like those of Giancarlo Stanton, once upon a time. He's coming off a big season (.307, 26 HRs) following a few clunkers. (In 2021, .210 with 19.) He'll turn 29 in July. The Yankees cannot afford another high-cost bust. Hal Steinbrenner has shown he'll only spend up to a certain amount to restore the Yankees. Is CF where that money should go?
2. Sign a stopgap CF. Kevin Kiermaier comes to mind. He's a free agent, and he always hits well against us, so at least we'd get him off the streets. Like Bellinger, he's coming off a big year, (.267, 8 HRs), following a mulligan (In 2021, .228 and 7 HR.) He won't sell tickets. Also, didn't we jettison Harrison Bader because he was - in essence - a Kiermaier? Finally, the guy might have a Gold Glove arm, but his legs will soon turn 34. Pass.
3. Estevan Florial. OMG, we're like those kids in The Blair Witch Project: We keep walking in the forest and coming back to this downed tree! In this case, the tree is Florial, and we can't escape him. He had an arguable breakout season at Scranton (.284, 23 HRs), but he can't break out of the Yankees, who give him no respect. (They think he strikes out too much, this from a team of whiffers.) He could make sense as a three-month slot-holder, if we're waiting for The Martian, but - let's face it: If he ever breaks out, it will be in Kansas City or Detroit. He's the one walking in circles. Sad.
4. Scrap heap. Of course, this is our fate. Nobody combs a junk yard like Cooperstown Cashman. He'll find a Cameron Maybin or a Billy McKinney - somebody that costs the minimum - and the YES team will gush over Cashman's frugalness. We went all of 2023 with a clown car in LF, and - frankly - it cost us the postseason. This is what happens when you bury a few players in gold, and they get hurt or just don't produce. You fill in the gaps with whatever you can find.
Playing CF for the fucking New York Yankees used to mean something incredible.
Now, where art thou, brother Bubba?
This organization sucks. I doubt we'll sign anyone worthwhile. For any position. Aside from piles of money, why would any really good player want to play for these stumblebums?
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to think that Judge sold his soul to the devil, and in return he gets gaudy stats whenever he plays but never a ring. You can almost smell the sulphur.
Oh thank god.
ReplyDeleteI thought that sulphur smell was coming from me.
Appreciate you clearing that up, JM.
I first learned all about sulphur as a child whilst watching an instructional documentary on tv that showed how to use sulphur to make weapons to help defeat the dangerous walking lizard men that boldly lived where no on had gone before. . .
I saw that documentary, too. Very instructional.
ReplyDeleteGIVE UP, KIRRRRRRRRRK!
ReplyDeleteAnd along with the listed worthies, the likes of Earl Combs (.325 lifetime BA, HOF), The Sorcerer (Mick the Quick Rivers), and—when he felt like it—Rickey Henderson also played CF for us.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm down to thinking, "Where have you gone Joey Peptone?/ Our Yankee nation turns its lonely eyes to you..."
I AM….KIR-OCK!!!
ReplyDelete(Miramanee would be proud)
ReplyDeleteActually, I’d be OK with Kiermaier on a relatively low-cost, one year deal if we can improve around him. There’s just too many holes to fill, too many question marks. Yeah, they’ll spend some coin, but as duque correctly pointed Steinway will only spend up to a certain point and then it’s scrap heap time.
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ReplyDeleteI don't know if anyone in the front office is of a religious bent but it looks like the last few offseasons involved a shit-ton of prayer and not a whole lot of anything else.
Pray the inevitable injuries to LeMahieu and Rizzo don't happen simultaneously, pray Jackie Asshole isn't really shot and he doesn't make any stupid racially-tinged asshole "jokes", pray someone from the Dumpster Dive Five pans out, pray Severino isn't shot too, pray Cortes wasn't a one-hit wonder, pray Judge stays healthy and hits 60+ again to keep the fans interested in an uninteresting team, pray for the reanimation of Big G(ust), pray German stays on the rails, pray for a leftfielder to emerge from the swamp, pray Bader is not really Bader, pray the big 2022 offseason signing isn't a delicate princess bust - it's all fingers crossed and bottles rubbed and worn out pants and no actual team building.
Why expect anything different this offseason? Soto? - we'll get 2 years of Kevin Fucking Kiermaier and we'll take it like men. And they'll be on their knees again praying for Cole and Judge to stay healthy, German's smooth rehab, Princess Rodon's Pavano Syndrome cure, Rizzo and LeMahieu again, someone to play leftfield, and on and on and on. One prayer always answered though - for the money to roll in like high tide. Hard team to root for.
First thing I thought of Mildred...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcJWRBpsDh8
Leave it to the Geek Genius, Cashman.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully ranted, Mildred!
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