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Saturday, April 28, 2018

With Baltimore's collapse a certainty, the 2018 Yankees are merely in a BEFORE MANNY mode

Sometimes, numbers spook us. For example, did you know that in 29 years, at our current rate of consumption, the oceans will run out of seafood? (Actually, this won't bother me; by then, I'll be in a rec room, eating creamed corn, grunting unintelligibly, and - if I'm lucky - privately reliving the Bucky Dent game.)

Sometimes, numbers rile us. Did you know that 77 percent of Republicans say they get angry at least once a day? It's true, and you know what, that really pisses me off. WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO BE ANGRY ABOUT? THEY'VE GOT ALL THE MONEY. THEY'VE GOT THE WHOLE FUCKING GOVERNMENT FOR SALE. THEY'VE GOT THE POWER, YET THEY'RE WHINING? FUCK THAT! 

Sorry. I'm okay now. I took a pill.

Sometimes, numbers tell us what we already know. For example: The numbers up top tell us that Didi Gregorius is baseball's best shortstop, bar none, period, book'm Dano! In fact, Sir Didi might be the game's best player. Exclamation point, right on, motherfucker! Of course, it's April, and let's not ruin anybody with expectations based on a month. Still, thus far in 2018, only one other shortstop comes close - Mr. Manny Machado - and frankly, the world still see him playing third. 

Here are some gruesome numbers: The Orioles are 7-19, last in the AL East, and 12-and-a-half games out. Manny's time in Baltimore is dwindling. At this rate, I doubt the front office will wait until July to put him on the block. (The earlier he goes, the more they can demand.) A nuclear bomb is about to explode in some divisional race near you. And considering the stakes, it's feasible to imagine Baltimore doing what would have once seemed unfathomable: Trading Manny to the Yankees.

Now, a number of things would have to happen. Machado would have to accept a return to 3B, because Didi isn't moving. But Cooperstown Cashman would certainly offer at least three young players whose future in the organization would be virtually blocked by Manny's arrival: Miguel Andujar, Tyler Wade and Brandon Drury. Throw in a Clint Frazier or Justus Sheffield, and the deal could get done. It sickens me to think of Baltimore rising on the backs of the Yankee farm system - didn't they do that in the 1970s with Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez and Rick Dempsey? - but I ask you: Does anyone not think it will happen?

There is one huge uncertainty. Machado, 25, will be a free agent next winter. Before a trade, would Baltimore give the Yankees a window to try and sign Manny to a long-term contract? And if so, could it happen? (They'd have to be careful, because too much money could vault them past the luxury tax threshold.) If he's a three-month rental, the price would drop... that is, unless an insane bidding war evolves. For the Yankees, that's the worst-case scenario. We blow our entire system for a rental. And again, I ask you: Does anyone not think this will happen?  

Frankly, I hope it doesn't. I don't wish Machado harm, but I find myself hoping he tweaks a gonad around July 1, forcing him to miss three months. That would squash a universe-altering mid-season trade. Nothing gives more joy than a homegrown Yankee, and watching the 1990's ascension of Bernie, Mariano and Jeter was a great thrill. Even if our prospects fail - a few surely will, Tyler Wade sure looks shaky - I'd rather we wait until winter to sign Machado. But let's not kid ourselves. The gorilla is in the room. The clouds are forming on the horizon. The 2018 pennant race will feature a BEFORE MANNY and an AFTER MANNY. And no team will be more affected than the Yankees. 

11 comments:

Rufus T. Firefly said...

It is my sincere hope that the only reason Coops even looks a Machado is to drive up the price for whoever eventually signs him.

Sir Didi is currently leading MLB in HR, RBI, average, slugging, OPS and WAR. It's only April, but that's pretty impressive.

Machado is a good player just not a fit for the Yankees unless they somehow trade Scranton for a pitcher.

SS is locked up (unless Coops does something incredibly stupid)
Andujar and Torres both look like they will live up to the hype and be solid players (if not stars) for years. And they're cheap dates.

Time to not pull a Bill Bergesch 1980's approach for the Yankees. No more Steve Kemps or Ken Phelps's.

If you want to go and get stars, start trolling for ace pitchers, not the #4 and #5's Coops has been reeling in.

At this point, I don't even want them to go after Harper. Get pitching.

13bit said...

Rufus, regarding your first line, about the Yanks wanting to drive the price up - Cash is not that clever or forward-thinking.

And Duque - you are dead-on, every last point, from the very first sentence to the last. And does anyone think this will NOT happen? No. Crackhead/Cooperstown Cash sees the shiny Coin or, in the comic universe "Kashy Sees the Shiny Koin." And that coin is named Machado and my guess is that Cashola cannot get to sleep at night without thinking about Machado, thinks of him as soon as he wakes up, and lovingly stares at his stats all day while he's at the office. It's beyond reason at this point and, just as I can convince myself, if I keep thinking hard enough, that I NEED that new guitar, Cash has already moved - very quickly, I'm sure - to the "what on earth can do to make this happen stage?"

Other owners know this. Their intel on him and they psych dossiers are as complete as Vlad's is on Donnie. They know how to play Brian like a piccolo AND, on top of it, they know how to make him think that HE is the one who got the steal. I don't want to say "we are doomed," so I'll just say "we are fucked." It's like knowing what's going to happen as the opening credits roll. All we can do is sit back, try to push some popcorn back down our gullets, and watch the action play out with a sickening feeling.

Baseball is a funny sport. Actually, any organized human endeavor is so revealing. I was reading the quotes last night - the players saying stuff like "we don't quit" and "that's the kind of team that we are," etc. This is after 7 straight wins. The need and ability to brainwash oneself is probably essential to any success. Some version of affirmations or positive thinking. But I digress.

Is it time to organize a write-in campaign? Should we pray to the J**U Gods for the Angles to acquire M*****O? We might need some serious outside intervention here, as Brian is in full drug addict mode.

13bit said...

I really need to start proofing. My apologies.

JM said...

The one fly in the Machado ointment is money. We have Stanton, we're stuck with Ells (God rest his soul)...I don't know if we're going to shell out that kind of money with so many cheap, young, promising guys already here.

I know, I know....pipes dreams of an old man.

In fact, I'm old enough to remember when your shortstop could bat below .200 because you had an outfielder who hit .368 and smacked a lot of homers.

Ah, the memories...

Carl J. Weitz said...

The team needs another ace starter (Madison Bumgarner, perhaps?)The Yankees don't need Machado. He would be a luxury at the right price. Next year the cost would only be money, something the Yankees have in abundance. But controllable infielders with potential all-star futures, not so much.

Carl J. Weitz said...

And yes, I can see The Cash Man fucking everything up.

Joe of AZ said...

Calling all cars.

A reward is being offered for whoever is willing to stealthily knock Dreary Drury upside his head, and ensure he's seeing double stars for a few more months and unable to return. anDUjar is BEAST

Local Bargain Jerk said...


A reward is being offered for whoever is willing to stealthily knock Dreary Drury upside his head...

Call 1-800-TONYA-HARDING

HoraceClarke66 said...

I think the phrase you want is, "Gillooley him."

I never thought I would write this, but...have faith in Coops!

He held out on Pine Tar Cole, didn't he? All right, he's probably up all night regretting not pulling the trigger there. But still!

We have several factors in our favor here:

—First, that display Didi put on last night was the greatest all-around single game I've ever seen from a Yankees shortstop, and that includes a lot of Derek Jeter games (and, you know, some Ruben Amaro ones). Home run, bunting for a hit, a double, making amazing plays in the field...

Plus, he's a Coops guy. Good luck moving him, Manny.

—Andujar is now hitting so many doubles that he seems to be a one-man experiment for MLB's idiotic notion to start every extra inning with a man on second. And he costs nothing. And will cost nothing for years.

—What we need is pitching. Even Coops must recognize this. I think a much, much bigger fear must be a really stupid deal for Bumgarner. But I'd even take that over a Manny deal.

—Food Stamps. I never thought I'd write this, either, but Hal may save us here. I don't know how Coops goes to him and says, 'Hey, I want to trade for the somewhat lesser version of what we have already, only for hundreds of millions more.'

Manny's insistence on playing short is going to hurt him in general. Even the Mets have a good-looking young shortstop they want to play.

13bit said...

WE NEED PITCHING.

PERIOD. FULL STOP. FINIS. ETC.

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