Simply look at 2023 - the team that won 82, that missed the playoffs, that unveiled Franchy Cordero and Willie Calhoun, that squandered a Cy Young season from Gerrit Cole, aka "The Pointer." The team that finished 4th in the AL East. That team.
Today's Athletic ponders nine MLB franchises likely to make a hard run at Soto in free agency. The list runs from Boston to Washington. After reading it, I can tell you that the sense of utter dread runs so deep that - honestly - DO NOT GO THERE. Save yourself the trauma, the degradation, the hammerhead toes and suicidal thoughts that come with the little pills of happiness hawked nightly via classic rock.
Simply stated, there are at least eight billionaire owners who are more likely to sign Soto than Higgity Hal, who will probably finish first-runner up, as he did with Manny, Bryce, Freddie, et al. The Yankees got a year from Soto not because they were willing to shell out for him; they were simply willing to empty their farm system. After Hal spent to keep Aaron Judge - remember, the Giants offered more - we all suspected the faucet would rust shut behind him.
I dunno our chances of signing Soto, but the worst-case scenario - the Mets landing him - looms just as likely, if not more. And make no mistake: That is the Yankee doomsday glacier. The franchise hasn't played second fiddle in NYC since the late 1980s. That would instantly change, and their tabloid back page domination would end. The Yankees would enter 2025 challenging for a wild card.
Considering that Judge, himself, could be tarnished from his woeful October - (Sunday, NFL announcer Greg Olsen referenced a dropped pass by cruelly mentioning Judge; is he already a cultural punch line?) -the halcyon days of chasing Ruth and Maris could be over. Judge could find himself naked in the batting order, especially when Giancarlo is hurt, which - we mustn't forget - is almost always.
So, assuming that Gleyber and Verdugo are gone, here's how the 2025 Yankee lineup could look on Opening Day.
SS Anthony Volpe
3B Jazz Chisolm
RF Aaron Judge
C Austin Wells
DH Giancarlo Stanton
1B DJ LeMahieu
CF Jasson Dominguez
LF A free agent (Tyler O'Neil? Jurickson Profar?)
2B Caleb Durbin
Listen... this plane don't fly.
This lineup features at least five (5) hitters - Volpe, Wells, DJ, The Martian, Durbin - who - honestly, it must be said - could be complete washouts. And if Judge gets hurt, dear god...
Nope. Without Soto, the Yankees would need to do something massive - empty the farm, again - and then sign a raft of pitchers, always at prices that make Food Stamps Hal cringe. (And they won't get that top-of-the-class Japanese hurler, who seems likely to join the Dodgers.)
Listen: I dunno where this franchise is going, but this we all know:
When the Yankees signed on for the walk years of Soto, Verdugo, Gleyber and Holmes, they accepted that 2024 was an all-or-nothing season.
So, imagine the 2025 Yankees without Soto? Yikes. Nothing.
Say, how 'bout them Jersey Giants!
The Yankees could be competetive without Soto if they sign, say, Bregman and Alonso, or a reasonable facsimilie of that pair. To me, the biggest questions are whether Hal will spend Soto-like money to improve the team or is he looking to build a KC/Cleveland type roster with no-name minor league farm hands dominating the roster. If the former, does Cashman have the ability to spend wisely? At least we already know the answer to question number 2.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how the basic problems of both the Yankees and Giants have the same root cause: Nepo Ownership.
ReplyDeleteHow about we spend nothing, bring up a slew of kids, and write off a year or two? It would be more fun than what I'm guessing is in store.
ReplyDeleteJM...You must not remember years like 2013.
ReplyDeleteOne of the great things about getting old is not remembering things.
DeleteBut, through the auspices of Mr. Peabody (and his boy, Sherman), I did a quick review. The problem with 2013 was the reliance on over the hill guys from other teams and also a rasher of Yankees who were past their sell-by date.
DeleteI don't want that. No over the hillers, just use kids wherever feasible. That might be fun to see.
Caleb Durbin broke the Arizona Fall League single-season steals record yesterday. He already owns the AFL career steals record.
ReplyDeleteThought you should know.
AFL career steals record. Durbin, that little compiler.
ReplyDeleteThat record's up there with Ben Gamel's back to back International League ROY and MVP seasons. True signs of the AAAA-er.
I'm suffering and then you go and make me read that line up? Fuck.
ReplyDeleteCan't have DJ in this line-up. Need another FA.
ReplyDeleteI vote with JM. But I'll go a bit beyond. Use half the money ($25 million) that Soto will need to stay to:
ReplyDelete... hire a slew of old retired guys who could field to drill the heck out of the young players in the basics of playing baseball -- you know, running the bases, throwing to the right base, basic fielding stuff, etc.
... invest in the minor league system, managers, coaches, and more
... spend some on recruiting youngsters with some promise
... get some physical therapy folks to work on the health of pitchers and Giancarlo
... hire a therapist for Brian Cashmonkey, to get his head out of his....