Where will they stick everybody?
Right now, the OF plan seems to be - left to right - Soto, Judge & Verdugo - with the 270-pound face of the franchise, our Captain, manning CF. That means instead of chasing Maris, he'll be chasing balls into both gaps on a nightly basis, expected to cover an entire zip code. Our most critical player, running himself ragged.
Meanwhile, Verdugo, a gold glove candidate in LF, would apparently move to RF, because Soto's glove clanks, and his throws to 3B will need a zipline. That leaves Trent Grisham - an actual defensive CF, now a salary dump - to do, um, what?
He can spell Judge in the late innings of blowouts, but can the Yankees afford to pull their best hitter in close games? Then there is the DH, a place where sluggers normally rest and heal - unless it's the Yankees, where Giancarlo will hold the slot until he tweaks something. All of which raises a truly unsettling question:
What if, gulp, Giancarlo doesn't get hurt?
Impossible, you say! It cannot happen. It defies all laws of space and time. Through the end of this decade, Stanton will occupy the Yankee DH slot like vegan activists at a Purdue chicken factory. But, still, what if Stanton - all .195 of him - somehow stays healthy? It would leave Judge and Soto to log hundreds of miles on their odometers. At age 25, Soto can probably handle the workload. Judge is another matter. Can the Yankees really run him out in CF for, say, 130 games?
Jeez, I dunno. The more you look at it, the more you wonder...
Also, there's the comedy bit: Who's on first?
Of course, we all expect Anthony Rizzo to return - un-concussed, cogent, sparkling with life and wit, and hitting .280. But, well, what if he's not? They can move DJ LeMahieu to 1B and put Oswald or Oswaldo at 3B, but after the sixth hitter in the lineup, we start drifting back below the Mendoza line.
Listen: The more I think about it, the more I sorta like trading for Verdugo. 1) He always hit well against us. 2) He's in his contract year. 3) He'll hate the Redsocks. 4) He's only 28. 5) He'll look and play better clean-shaven. But I wonder about the wisdom of playing three corner outfielders and pretending all is fine. It's a strategy that works in a weekend series. Not sure over 162 games.
The easy answer is to say the Yankees are not done. They need pitching - more so than ever, considering all the arms that just walked out the door. Last year, Brian Cashman foolishly built a team full of RH hitters. Now, he's addressing that issue. But right now, the team still looks out of whack. That Porsche we thrown in the pool? Let's check the registration first.
The question isn't when will Stanton get hurt, but when will Judge get hurt playing CF everyday. I know John Grisham and his .189 BA fits right in with the hitting doctrine but this team will be fucked if Judge is out for long periods of time.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Yankees aren’t done shopping
ReplyDeleteThey’ll be more player swapping
Let me remind you about something you should know
Judge’s Toe, Judge’s Toe, Judge’s Toe
Given that Verdugo can't hit lefties and Stanton can't hit righties, there should be plenty of opportunities for mixing and matching here. Let Soto or Verdugo DH vs. righties with Grisham in CF and Stanton on the bench, for example.
ReplyDeleteOf course, half these guys will be on the IL by mid-May and we'll be running out an Everson Pereira - Trent Grisham - Oscar Gonzalez outfield.
Yanks are not done yet...
ReplyDeleteAs for some fun, the YES Network already asking what Sterling's Soto HR call should be...
https://twitter.com/YESNetwork/status/1732898028338716916
And Stanton will get hurt again
ReplyDeleteWaving to his pals in the pen
But our attention is still down low
Judge’s Toe, Judge’s Toe, Judge’s Toe
The problem with all of this is we are not trading away ANY of the front office idiots or Boone. Even if we fix the "plane", still same shitty pilot.
ReplyDeleteYes, Acrilly is right about Boone
ReplyDeleteThe biggest bone head in the room
But even if he’s let go
There’s Judge’s Toe, Judge’s Toe, Judge’s Toe
I’m not overly concerned if Judge has to play for a large swath of games in CF. Someone needs to explain to me exactly what the risk is here? Is it that a world class athlete might have to run a few hundred feet more each day? If so, then let’s begin converting him into a 1B/Dh now. Injuries can happen anywhere. The toe injury occurred in RF. As far as Stanton, I don’t know what there is to say at this point. He will simply have to sit on the bench, a $32M spare part.. And when JD returns? Will he be able to throw? Or will he slide into the DH spot? At least the aging LeMahieu can still play 3B…we hope. In all actuality, having “too many” players should never be a problem. For the Yankees, the blouse wearing poodle walkers in analytics will simply give Boone his marching orders, and he will bray like a jackass in his acceptance of same, so Steinfuhrer presents him with a brand new 3 year extension after next season.
ReplyDelete"the blouse wearing poodle walkers in analytics"
ReplyDeleteAnd this blog is FREE, ladies and germs.
Duque, don't mean to be a jerk, but it's Perdue, with an e. I only mention it because I wrote commercials and ads for old Frank way back when.
I've never really understood the hand-wringing over Judge in center. DiMag, Mantle, Williams--as long as there aren't any booby traps to worry about (hi, Mick), it doesn't seem to be an issue. And Judge's size? I never really understood how that's an issue, either, but I'm no orthopedist.
Regardless, given Soto's defensive inabilities, he goes in right, Verdugo goes in left, where he belongs. Left field is just too big for Soto and his weak arm. But with Judge in center, not a problem.
The real quandry comes when the Martian returns. He goes in center, assuming his arm is okay. Judge back to right? Soto then in left, where he'll be a real liability? Tough call.
And not to worry. Stanton will be injured this season, and every season, until the end of time. If we're lucky, they'll be able to Ellsbury him at some point, because we'll never be lucky enough to have him come back to his Miami form (a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...).
But it's all just hot air until the season starts. Meanwhile, let's get Mr. Moto and do something to stabilize the bullpen. Or get Moto and another starter (Monty?).
Best news of the winter meetings? Kimbrel to the Os. Somehow, I don't think Vulture Arm is gonna pan out for them, but we'll see.
@ JM, "Vulture Arm", I always thought he looked like a cartoon gunslinger challenging the hitter to a fast draw.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good comparison, too, Hammer.
ReplyDeleteSean Casey: went on the record that he doesn't like Judge playing CF. Too much wear & tear. I think Sean Casey would make a good manager. At least the man thinks for himself.
ReplyDeleteI hate the idea of a 300 lb behemoth chugging around CF everyday. The Mick ruined his knee on a sprinkler head in CF. Joe DiMaggio developed a heel spur that ultimately forced his retirement. Bernie Williams had bad shoulder problems, possibly the result of diving for balls. And imagine if there is a collision due to miscommunication, would you want to be on the other end of a collision with a 300 lb freight train?
Then there is the idea of Judge being a quasi-leadoff man and hitting #2, running the bases, stealing bases. Something that Boone should be intelligent enough to put a stopper upon.
A lot of wear & tear, on a big guy that we can't afford to lose to injury. Big guy = Big frame + big feet. Think about it: a smaller guy probably doesn't get hurt on that play last year in Dodger Stadium because his foot wouldn't have been big enough for his toe to reach the concrete fence base. Sounds funny now, but when he gets hurt, we won't be laughing.
ReplyDeleteI wonder who will pitch. Pitching's pretty important these days. There's Prince Cole of course, and there's people in the bullpen. There's always people in the bullpen. I suppose Gil (Heal?)/Beeter/Gomez will be backfilling the holes left by Vasquez and Brito. Schmidt is still here. Nestor, but by May I suspect someone will be taking him out behind the spring house to shoot him. We have Rodon though! (just kidding). Maybe Frank Montas in the role of Luis Severino?
It's a mishmash again. Plug the corner outfield hole with two corner outfielders, open up a couple holes in the pitching staff.
________________________________________________________________________
2023: 2024:
Old man at first Older man at first
Whiffle head at second Whiffle head at second
Mendoza at short Mendoza at short
Old asshole at third Old non-asshole at third
Bad defense bad offense in left Bad defense good offense in left
Bad offense in center Good offense in center
Good offense good defense in right Out-of-position asshole in right
Catcher Catcher
Rickety Stanton Rickety Stanton
Two great, three good starters One great, one good starter
Bullpen Bullpen
Bench? who needs it Bench? who needs it
_________________________________________________________________________
I think we have a good shot a wildcard this year!
ReplyDeleteThat 2023-2024 comparison looked great when I typed it, all spacey and separated and sense-making. Posted - looked like shit. Would have deleted it if I knew how.
No worries
ReplyDeleteJack Curry reports: Billy McKinney and Anthony Misiewicz have signed minor league deals with the Yankees.
ReplyDeleteSo does this mean we're not going after Bellinger?
OK for reals...
ReplyDeleteIt's got to be pitching the rest of the way. The outfield will settle itself in time.
If I was the GM I would sit Stanton down and say the following.
"Giancarlo. Listen, we're moving on. You're going to be a pinch hitter. I'd love to try to find you a team that is willing to take you but it's a pretty tough sell, and, with your no trade clause, damn near impossible.
So the choice is yours. If you still want to play baseball, waive the no trade clause and I will do everything I can to find you a team. I know you have a lot of pride and have a lot of good at-bats in you. You just aren't going to get them here.
Otherwise, prepared to be bored because as I said, we're moving on and we need the DH slot to give us more flexibility and to rest our other players."
Excellent channeling there, Doug.
ReplyDeleteHere’s one more:
“Oh and Giancarlo. Do me a favor, will you please. When you run the bases - try actually running the bases…..OKAY?”
“It takes an unwaveringly tough man to make an unwaveringly tender chicken.”
ReplyDeleteFrankie P.
"Giancarlo, here's Jacoby Ellsbury's number. Give him a call. Ask his advice. Ask him how he did it. Go ahead. Give him a call."
ReplyDeleteFirst, a historical fact-check: Mantle blew out his knee on an open sprinkler head when he was playing RIGHT FIELD, with DiMaggio in center. Mantle was told always to defer to Joe...something that made him pull up short—and maybe not notice the sprinkler head. DiMaggio caught the fly ball (I believe it was hit by a rookie Willie Mays, these were the days when the gods roamed freely among us.), and then waved for the trainer and said some comforting words to The Mick.
ReplyDeleteMantle said it was the most Joe D. spoke to him all year.
Second, yes, Judge IS injury prone. But as noted by 999, he sustained maybe the worst injury of his career playing RF last year. There's no predicting Judge injuries!
ReplyDeleteI think, ideally, if The Martian can come back, you put him in center, Judge back in right, and Soto in left. I expect there to then be an endless, Jeter-like discussion of Soto's fielding: "How many extra runs is he giving up a season? According to Supercalifragilisticmetrics, it's..."
And it won't matter. Because like Jeter, he'll generate countless more at the plate.
For this year, pre-Martian: In late, close games when we're ahead, Trent "John" Grisham can come in to play center, and Judge can move to right. Not bad.
LOVE the suggestions about Cantrun. But now, yeah, for all the talk about how Stanton does or does not hit better when he's playing the field, he's the DH. Period. And when he gets hurt doing that, he can be a pinch-hitter. Assuming he ever gets off the DL.
ReplyDeleteIf we do get The Martian back, Stanton's playing time can be diminished to the point where he might well want a trade. I just don't know if anyone will want him. He's lost 82 points of BA, 175 points of OPS over the last two seasons. If he continues at this rate, he will disappear.
In general, yes, this team is far from finished. It's still a mess because Brian Cashman spent years making it a mess. Cashie knows one recovery trick: acquire a lot of guys now on the market.
ReplyDeleteIt worked a treat back in 2009, when he picked up CC, AJ, Tex, and Swisher. It didn't go so well when he brought in McCann, Ellsbury, Old Beltran, Brian Roberts, and Tanaka.
Let's hope he tries it again. But even if he doesn't—even if Soto is all we get—better him than watching the Oswaldii or Falafel flounder around in left field.
And loved the vegan line, Duque!
ReplyDeleteRemember how Giambi just fell apart when he quit the PEDs?
ReplyDeleteStanton really, really seems like the same story, only a lot longer of a contract.
Ohtani to the Blow Jays, new O’s owner. Things get more interesting
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI don't always read every comment here, maybe I missed it?
But: Has anyone wondered about what the acquisitions of all of these outfielders -- good, bad, and indifferent -- will do to the chances of Est. Florial escaping AAA......??
Flo who?
ReplyDeleteHow bizarre. Ah, the romance of Toronto!
ReplyDeleteIn any case, what this means for us is that the Dodgers will now jump into the Yamamoto bidding. Don't like it.
Is there some more recent news than this?
ReplyDeleteDec. 8: Rumors swirling around new team for Ohtani
Following early-morning news that Ohtani could sign as soon as Friday, a report from JP Hoornstra of Dodgers Nation has the two-way superstar potentially on his way to the Blue Jays. However, Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith and ESPN's Alden González also reported that while Toronto remains a finalist in the Ohtani sweepstakes, no final decision has been made.
@PineTar_Podcast
ReplyDelete·
31m
Got some boots on the ground. Shohei Ohtani is still in LA. For what it’s worth
Whatever. One guy says he's going to Toronto and the floodgates open with everyone who doesn't really know saying it's true. No offense, Celerino.
ReplyDeleteI'll wait until a real media outlet gets real confirmation about any real development.
At the risk of being crude I have to ask again. How is Judge playing in the outfield harder than huge men playing basketball? And plenty play into their late thirties. The starting, stopping, and jumping is way more frequent and intense. Hitting the hardwood is tougher on the body. The only thing that might mitigate injuries is that the movement is constant. I have yet to hear a baseball commentator in any media bring this up. What do you guys think?
ReplyDeleteI'm making the call right now...Michael King strikes out Soto to win game 7 of the World Series next year...LET THE CURSE OF MIKE KING BEGIN!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteJoe of Brooklyn, as of today Florial is still on the NYY 40 man, but I’d say he’s dead last on the ol’ depth chart:
ReplyDelete(Alphabetical Order)
Oswaldo Cabrera
Jasson Dominguez
Estevan Florial
Oscar Gonzalez
Trent Grisham
Aaron Judge
Everson Pereira
Juan Soto
Alex Verdugo
For those scoring at home, As of 8pm still not further update on Ohtani.
ReplyDeleteWe've got Verdugo and Soto
ReplyDeleteOhtani could land in Toronto
We're the only place Yamamoto should go
Judge's Toe, Judge's Toe, Judge's Toe
Kevin, I think you've hit it: the fear is the sudden stopping and starting—and, in centerfield, the racing from a standing start, and then, possibly, the diving. The trouble with big men diving—and Judge is a very big man, at 6-7, 282; Wilt Chamberlain weighed "only" 275—is that they can, apparently, more easily hurt themselves just falling.
ReplyDeleteBut yes, I think the risks are manageable. Or put it this way: Judge has proved capable of injuring himself anywhere. It's a risk we gotta take.
@ Kevin, Well, it's tough to compare different sports. I would say that baseball is tougher on the body over the long term than basketball. For one thing, MLB baseball is mostly played outdoors, and standing in the hot sun for hours a day takes a toll on everything, skin, face, eyes. These guys, at the age of forty, probably have bodies that have aged comparably to a sixty year old who did not play MLB. And I've never been on an MLB field, but from what I've heard, the field is "crowned". So it's not an even, smooth grass field, it's got bumps and upslopes and downslopes. When you're running as fast you can, tracking a flying baseball in the air, and you hit these slight slopes without looking at the ground, it can't be good for the legs. It'll take a big toll on the feet, ankles, and knees over the years.
ReplyDeleteJudge played college baseball, so he started MLB relatively late, compared to others. I've always thought that playing 10-12 years full time in the MLB is the point when the wheels start to fall off and the player loses more and more time to injuries and maintenance days. Judge has not reached that experience level yet, so he's got that going for him. But the more he plays CF, which is a much bigger area, and a lot more running around, you're shortening his career and his time of full effectiveness.
Horace and Hammer, all good points, although these guys are old looking at forty because they've spent 35 years of getting that pre-cancerous glow from Big Sol. Hopefully The Brain comes up with another centerfield solution. Funny to think that Yogi Berra played leftfield in The Real Yankee Stadium in his thirties! And Willie Mays played centerfield way into his thirties. Then of course we saw what happened to Griffey Jr....
ReplyDeleteDO NOT THROW ANY OF MY PORSCHES INTO THE POOL, YA CRUSTY OLD FUCKERS!!!!
ReplyDeleteFUCK HAL BLOODY AND SENSELESS ... AFTER THROWING HIS PORSCHES IN THE HARLEM RIVER!!!!