Saturday, December 8, 2018

Entering the winter meetings, is there a Yankee plan?

Late post today. Went out drinking last night. Saw one of the great jam bands in America, Donna the Buffalo, an upstate source of musical pride. And while the band played, a revolving set of questions circulated in my head...

How would a three-year deal with JA Happ - age 36 - be much better than going six with Patrick Corbin or four on Nathan Eovaldi? In the final year, or years, they'll all suck. But in their best year, or years, what can Happ bring the Yankees? 

Were the Yankees frugal on Corbin and Eovaldi in order to make a huge splash on Bryce and Manny, or is cheapo Hal - always finishing second - the new normal?

If we miss out on a free agent stud pitcher, would that set up a farm system extinction event trade? If the Yankees were to chase - say - Madison Bumgarner, the deal might include Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, Greg Bird, or good grief, anybody? 

If the Yankees find an inside track on Harper, could there actually be a taker for Giancarlo Stanton? Would the Dodgers or Angels be interested?

Do we have anybody who might become a breakout player in 2019? Luis Cessa? Chance Adams? Domingo German? Jonathan Loasiga? Albert Abreu? Anybody? In the last three years, we could look to our farm system for hope. Now, we seem to have nobody. 

Will we get hammered next week in the Rule 5 draft, or - having traded so many of our best prospects - are we barren and bullet-proof? Will next week's draft signal how badly our system has been drained in order to capture the last two wild cards?

Why do I get the feeling that Boston isn't done? They will ditch the increasingly leaky Craig Kimbrel for a new closer, but they might also look for a stud first baseman? They are playing for consecutive rings. If Eovaldi sucks in his fourth year, they won't care, as long as they won multiple championships. 

And will we be celebrating Hal's frugality, if the Yankees still have nothing to show but a series of wild cards? What the hell is the Yankee plan?

17 comments:

Joe Formerlyof Brooklyn said...


I'm not sure why you go on and on about this. Randy Levine has already assured us, in no uncertain words, that the NYY team right now is better than the 2018 World Series champignons.

We did that just by signing Gardy, CC, and getting rid of Toe (adding Briwdwell). And this other pitcher guy.

Amazing!!!

Alphonso said...

I will tell you: one of your musings has an answer.

No one...anywhere...in any country.....in any universe...for any reason.....in any sport...will take Giancarlo Stanton.

It is like saying; "here; I have a bat cave full of the ebola virus. Want it?"

ranger_lp said...

Rumors starting to fly that Harper will be a Yankee. So there is a plan. We don't want to overpay though...that and Boras as an agent are mutually exclusive.

13bit said...

Esteemed Duque, friends, Bronxites and countrymen -

Here's the deal. If there IS a Yankee plan, THAT is when we should be very afraid. The plans trickling down the toilet pipes from the Yankee "braintrust" are the problem. We need a new planner, not a new plan. And, if I have not already said it within the past 20 minutes, please let me repeat - "Man plans, God laughs."

Okay, let me get back my brussels sprouts.

Carl J. Weitz said...

The Dodgers lusted after Stanton last year and almost nabbed him before the Yankees swooped in at the last minute. The way they frequently do when they really want a player. But with the stock market crumbling before our eyes, don't expect Hal to go after any major, expensive free agents. His line of credit has taken a nose dive concurrently so bank on Cashman going the reclamation/scrap heap route or at the very most resigning players like Adam Warren for small bucks.

Anonymous said...

COOP'S COVERT CRAP TEAMED WITH HALIGATOR ARMS....

BAD RECIPE.

JM said...

I think I saw on ESPN that the Padres are interested in a bat cave full of the ebola virus.

I was drinking, perhaps I heard wrong.

13bit said...

No John, you heard right. I’m stone cold sober and heard the same shit.

Anonymous said...

JOHN M.. 13 BIT... HAS STANTON BEEN MENTIONED IN A DEAL TO THE PODS?

Anonymous said...

Here's counter intuitive thought and I'm not saying I believe it at all. But what if... the Yankees public position of frugality is actually a sandbag? In other words by expressing major interest in a player other clubs get to drive the price up on the Yankees. Consequently they pay millions more than they would normally have to do.

By feigning disinterest they cool down the market and should they swoop in at the last minute they do so at a lower price.

Again, I honestly can't say I believe it and frankly, it sounds needlessly hopeful and naive but I figured we could use a new take. After all, Cashman does like to be stealthy.

Doug K.

Buhner's Ghost said...

I think you should listen to the music.

Carl J. Weitz said...

Doug...that is a possibility. A pay back you might say for decades where other teams would feign interest to drive up the price on the Yankees free agent targets and aggregately in certain years pushing them over the penalty threshold.

13bit said...

Doug, I WISH they were that clever, but I have seen nothing to convince me they can think their way out of a paper bag, let alone plan two steps ahead of the desperate opposition.

Even though "Brian" is an anagram for "Brain," that's just the Universe playing a cruel joke on us.

Never forget that "Randy Levine" is also an anagram for..."Drain Evenly."

I rest my case.

Anonymous said...

THESE ARTICLES CAN MAKE YOU NUTS.

JUST READ THAT A YANKEE SCOUT STATED, "FORGET ABOUT HARPER, STANTON IS A BETTER PLAYER ANYWAY."

HOPING FOR FAKE NEWS ON THAT STATEMENT.

HoraceClarke66 said...

I admire your optimism, guys, but I'm with 13bit on this one.

Stanton, unless he has developed newfound interests in zoos, brush fires, and surfing, will not go play for the Padres.

Coops is incapable of developing a plan anymore extensive than figuring out which calzone to have for lunch, and even if he did, Hal would nix it as too expensive.

Hal's plan is that in 10 years he will be an adored Premier League owner, worshipped by Man City fans all over the planet.

Randy Levine's plan extends to tonight and is limited to, in James Caan's words, a steak and a broad.

My plans? An underground, illegal website that will show nothing but great Yankees games of the past, a YES uncluttered by Michael Kay talk shows, Nets games, and New York jogging, excuse me, running stories.

Anonymous said...

Call it YESterday.

Doug K.

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