The reasons why Cody Bellinger will be a Yankee by Christmas

Year after year, Brian Cashman replays a yuletide practical joke on the last true Gammonites, Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman, who - little known fact here - are actually the same person. Nobody notices, because one of them - dunno which - wears a bow tie. Who can think in the presence of a bow tie? 

Anyway, here's what happens: Around - say - mid-December, Cashman dog-whistles a trade rumor, and the Twins of Typeface chase it like a beagle after a sausage truck. The deal goes nowhere, and the bow tie clenches, awaiting the next whisper. Generally, Cashman operates on his own secret wavelength, like Taylor Swift, always surprising us, though not necessarily in a good way.

So, what should we make of the current rumors linking the Yankees to Cody Bellinger? 

Yesterday, Rosenthal said: "It's a financial negotiation. I expect at some point Bellinger will be a Yankee."

Heyman said: "The Yankees want the Cubs to pick up a chunk of the two years and $52.5 million remaining on Bellinger's contract... They are believed to be more than $10 million apart on an agreement."

If we're really talking about a $10 million gap, that's clam dip money. 

I get the feeling Bellinger is coming our way. Here's why:

1. The Yankees keep whispering that Bellinger would become Roger Maris, if blessed by the Stadium's right field porch. Last year, he hit a mere 18. Apparently, somebody analyzed the entire season and projected that - were he a Yank, Bellinger would have hit 26. Not exactly Reggie Jackson. But who cares? These analyses are bogus, but that's how the Yankees crunch. 

2. Bellinger plays two positions - CF and 1B - both of which are trouble spots. He seems to be very good, defensively, at either. Fun fact: He came up as a 1B and was moved to the outfield, because of his speed. He has a Gold Glove in RF (2019), and he's played full seasons in CF and 1B. He would give Cashman flexibility in building the rest of his roster. If they want to chase Alex Bregman, they can. If they prefer Anthony Santander, they can do it.

3. He is the son of Clay Bellinger, a link to the last great Yankee dynasty. The Yankees seem to like this bullshit. (Al Leiter's nephew last August.) It would make him sort of a local boy, an Anthony Volpe-type, even though he was born in Scottsdale, Arizona. A homecoming, of sorts, though completely bogus.

4. He's only 29. I say "only" because we're talking about the Yankees.

5. The Yankees seem ready to punt on Spencer Jones, their top OF prospect after The Martian, (who they won't trade because of the hype investment.) Jones, now 23, last year in Double A hit .259 with 17 HRs. Not terrible. But he struck out 200 times. That's a shitload of Ks. At 6'6", he still looks good coming off the bus. And don't get me wrong: I'm not angling for such a trade. But I think Cashman will pull the trigger, and Jones will be the lynchpin.  

Listen: I try to avoid trade rumor-mongering. Whadda I know? But if $10 million is what separates Bellinger from the Yankees, I gotta believe he's on the way.