I Alone Can Fix It (Part Two)

 Make This Trade Edition

This AM El Duque brought up the legitimate fear that Cashman, perpetually in search of his white whale, could trade away The Martian and Spenser.

Interestingly enough “The Martian and Spenser” was an ill-conceived and short lived episodic on ABC starring Ray Walston and Robert Urich. 

The premise was simple Spenser, based on the exceptional Robert Parker novels about a Boston based detective, was coerced into caring for his geriatric uncle (Ray Walston) who wore an old set of rabbit ear antennas on his head and believed he was a Martian. In a twist of fate the antenna’s, when properly adjusted helped “Uncle Martin” both bring in the Uncle Floyd Show on UHF and reveal the location of that weeks murderer.

But I digress. I really want to talk about sofas. 

NO!

I want to talk about an interesting trade idea I've seen mentioned. 

Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Padres are over budget and trying to get costs down ahead of a potential sale of the ball club.

In the 2025 season, Tatís Jr. hit .268 with 25 home runs and 71 RBIs. He won a Platinum Glove last year. Strong arm in outfield . Was an All-Star the last two years.   

He is signed. Only twenty-seven and is four years into a 14-year, $340 million contract. Twenty-five million a year. Cheap! 

Only three million a year more than they just gave Grisham, and probably five to ten million dollars less per year than they will have to pay Bellinger (5) and Tucker (10) for better defense and similar to superior offensive production. 

Plus, like Tucker, he's young so the Yankees would be getting peak Tatis Jr.

I really like this and would gladly give up the Martian + plus other assets to get this done. Tatis already is what we hope Jasson eventually becomes and, to be honest, might never achieve, especially on the defensive end.

There is one caveat. 

Everything I’m reading says the Padres want to include a second large contract / salary dump to make this happen.  The name most often mentioned is Manny Machado.

Manny Machado

On the surface getting Machado after his peak and over paying for the declining years is so Cashman. The Yankees love to bring in expensive, once great, corner infielders.  

Machado is already 33 and has nine, count em, NINE years to go on his 350 Million dollar contract. He gets 21 million dollars this year. A steal!!!! And then 40 million dollars a year the rest of the way. Yikes! 

Last year he hit 27 HRS and batted .275. He’s still a good third baseman. He’s also kind of a dick.

The Padres desperately need to get out from under this contract.

Figure he’s more or less worth the money for the next three years and then drops off a cliff. 

If we had a different kind of owner the short term potential for a championship using this batting order would be worth it.

Jazz 2B

Judge RF

Tatis LF

Machado 3B

Rice 1B

Stanton DH

Wells C

A NEW SHORTSTOP!!!!! ANY NEW SHORTSTOP!!!!

Grisham CF

That's a really good lineup!  

Possible Solution:

While taking on the Machado contract helps lower the prospect cost it’s just too much money for the number of years left. 

Perhaps the Yankees could do what they did with Stanton and have the Padres chip in ten million a year starting in year five to lower the overall cost.

It’s not a great solution but at least the Yankees wouldn’t have to massively overpay for yet another ageing DH, and Stanton is gone in two years or less, and they might get a ring for their trouble. Of course Judge is probably the future DH for those years... (Sigh) 

Or...

I guess we could give up the farm for Tatis Jr. He’d be a great addition to the team and preferable to Bellinger or Tucker.  Brian could take the savings and put it towards Tatsuya Imai. 

That would work. 

The Yankees should see if The Martian and Spenser plus Schmidt and Warren and taking Tatis' contract off the Padres hands could get it done.