Monday, October 21, 2019

Now, what?

Nah, I can't do this. It just seems so wrong, so cheap, so brown-noserly, to be revving up the Yankee hot stove league... in mid-October. Nope, it feels demeaning, humiliating, as if we are trained circus mice, performing tricks for the billionaire heirs, who have already boarded the private jet for Fiji. Nope, it's just so insect-like: Hey, everybody! What should the Yankees do? Gee-willickers, Michael, let's go down the 40-man, and see what to look forward to in 2020! Get excited, folks! The winter meetings are just around the corner!
Weeeeeeeee!
 


Nope. No can do. It's still too raw. It still hurts too much. For me, all of 2019 pivoted on Cashman's original winter sin: The decision to ignore Patrick Corbin - a North Syracuse guy who grew up wanting to pitch for the Yankees - in favor of J.A. Happ. They refused to offer Corbin a six-year deal, even though at the end of it, he'd still be younger than Happ. So, Happ flounders all year and never even warranted a post-season start. In the end, we had no ace, and the Astros had three. Had we won Saturday night, surely, today we'd be grieving over the loss to Geritt Cole. The reality of Yankee management in 2019 was starkly simple: We were brilliant in signing position players, but we never built a rotation. Unfortunately, baseball is 90 percent pitching, pitching, pitching. We didn't want to pay for it - not with Corbin, not with Dallas Keuchel, not with anyone. In the end, that fundamental goof - the cheapness of it all - it took us down. 

Nope, I can't start yahooing about 2020. It hurts too much. Of course, we have building blocks: LeMahieu, Gleyber, Judge, Urshela, Severino, and maybe Miguel Andujar. After that, I dunno anymore. We have no options with Giancarlo Stanton; he is a forever Yankee, just Bobby Bonilla will die a Met. Right or wrong, Aroldis Chapman will always be remembered for blowing big games, and Dellin Betances - due to the stupidity of his injury - is this generation's Q-Tips Henry Cotto. Gary Sanchez? Edwin Encarnacion? Even Sur Didi... no, it's too soon. The names just hurt too much. 

I believe the problem with the Yankees is their built-in echo chamber of sychophants. They own the primary media that covers them, and thus, they control access to everybody else. We get most of our news from YES, and it's a constant drumbeat of corporate talking points. Last year, we heard them gush over the Happ signing. Soon, they'll have something else for us. Right now, I don't want to think about it. Just hope for a volcano in Fiji. 

33 comments:

13bit said...

Is Brian in Fiji at the moment?

Celerino Sanchez said...

Another year, another failure and nothing is going to change. Folks, welcome to the new normal. Lets look at the tenure of HOF Cashman. 1 WS (And it left us in purgatory for 8 yrs of Texiera & CC, not to mention paying off Pittsburg to take the great AJ Burnett. He was the leader of the greatest collapse in Western civilization (next to Rome) all because he wouldn't resign Pettite and Clemens. But then again why would you, when you could get Kevin Brown, Jose Contreas & Javy (2x) Vasquez. Let's not forget the Jacobys; Ellsbury & Stanton, 2 guys that sum up the ineptitude of our GM. And finally some highlights of the Cashman catalog of FA signings/trades: Jaret Wright, Kei Igawa, Carl Pavano, Kyle Farnsworth, Jeff Weaver, Steve Karsay, Stephen Drew, Brian Roberts, Michael Pineda, Kevin Youklis, Travis Hafner,Jason Nix, Chris Stewart, Vernon Wells and who can forget the great SERGIO MITRE. Yup, the more things change the more things stay the same.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

If you want to cry some more, look at the bloat at the top of this chart:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/new-york-yankees-salaries-and-contracts.shtml

The Yankees have one more year of control for Otto than for Tanaka. I'm gonna puke before breakfast.

Anonymous said...

I am sad.
We are all sad.
The days are getting shorter. The nights longer.
The Giants somehow look even worse.
Crowds chant "2024!" to Don Jr.
And, despite not having enough money to run the school system, my city is getting a major league soccer team.

Not a good day. But...

I will not give in to despair. Although.. soccer. (Sigh)
No.
No.
Where there is life there is hope.

So I will try, for the next thirty days to not eat sug... sorry that's for a different list. I will try to post one positive Yankee development.

Not because it will lead to anything.
We all know what we're up against
but because we deserve it.

Off-Season Happy Yankee Thought #1

All that remains on Jacoby Ellsbury's contract is one year and $21,142,857 (I think there is a buyout as well).

The Yankees have shown a willingness to blow off the last year of a big contract. (See: Rod, A). So we will get back the 40 roster spot and NEVER have to think of him again.

It's a start.

Doug K.



Rufus T. Firefly said...

Doug K,

Ellsbury's buyout is $5M. Less than the maintenance fee at the Dale Mabry home for the aged.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

And Ellsbury hasn't taken a 40 spot for a while.

60 day EL makes him exempt. So he'll probably stick around on the roster for insurance money.

Anonymous said...

Rufus,

OK I'll come up with another one.

Doug K.

Anonymous said...

JOEL SHERMAN JUST WROTE AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW 2 PLAYERS CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF THE "PATRICK EWING YANKEES", AND THE "MICHAEL JORDAN ASTROS"....

I LIKE THE ARTICLE AND AGREE WITH IT.

HE SUGGESTS THE YANKEES DEAL FOR FRANCISCO LINDOR AND SIGN GERRIT COLE.

LINDOR WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO CURING 2 OF OUR 3 MAJOR ILLS.

HE IS CONSIDERED A CLUTCH "BIG GAME" SWITCH HITTER WHO IS DANGEROUS FROM THE LEFT SIDE, AND HE CAN RUN.

OF COURSE, HIS OTHER SUGGESTION, IS TO SECURE GERRIT COLE AS OUR ACE.

HE SUGGESTS US GIVING UP A FEW OF OUR HIGH END ARMS IN THE MINORS, (DEIVI INCLUDED), ALONG WITH ANDUJAR, FRAZIER, AND "SUPERMAN" DOMINGGUEZ.

I'M ALL IN, BUT OF COURSE, IT'S COOP'S CALL.

....BUT I AM SICK OF HIS PREVIOUS HOLDING BACK ON TRADES TO KEEP GUYS LIKE DAVID ADAMS (FOR CLIFF LEE), AND MIGUEL ANDUJAR (FOR GERRIT COLE).

Anonymous said...


Rufus,

I looked it up and the rule is:

"A team can move a player to the 60-day injured list. This frees up a roster spot on both the 25 man and the 40 man roster if the player was active prior to that. However, the player must be added back to the 40-man roster if they are activated from the injured list or after the season."

So Happy Yankee Thought #1 stands.

That said, because you are right they could try to do the insurance thing again and, as a result, trade someone on the bubble who would have made the 40 if Jacoby was gone...

(Even though putting money ahead of good roster construction would be counter productive because they are all a bunch of greedy ass…)

Breathe, Doug.
Breathe,
It’s going to be OK.
Breathe.

As I was saying... I will put Happy Thought #1 on the 15 day RL (Rufus List).

Here is Happy Yankee Thought # 1A

If you go to the Modell’s on Tarrytown Road in White Plains -- part of the store sells heavily discounted merchandise...

(It’s where I got my Jesus Montero shirt for $3.)

I’m sure you can get a great deal on those cute little parrots with the Yankee Logo on them.

Doug K.

JM said...

Ump Eric Cooper is dead at 52 from a blood clot or complications therefrom.

The Yankees are dead from a management clot and complications therefrom.

TheWinWarblist said...

The deepening sadness of these Yankees is that they had the talent to go to and win more than one WS ... IF they had been given one or two first line starting pitchers. A free agent signing or two would have cost the franchise noting but money. Money is the Yankees fundamental competitive advantage. And Hal chose to not use it for the betterment of the franchise, but rather hoard it for himself. He is the lowest smallest little man to run the Yankees since CBS. I wish ill on him. I wish cancer and death on him. A cruel debilitating cancer that deprives him of his ability to "lead" this noble franchise and then takes his life before his time.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Doug K,

Many apologies for doubting your wisdom.

And thanks for the christmas shopping tips! Except I don't do any christmas shopping. Maybe I'll send something to my old boss that I hated.

Rufus T. Firefly said...

Winnie,

I am convinced they could have won *this* year if they hadn't wasted two roster spots and hadn't trusted Otto. I mean, look at him when he's driving Bart's bus -- he's stoned all the time!

13bit said...

The General lit up the whole team with that last at-bat. Had Chapo not been so well "rested" and maybe been sharp from pitching more in September, they might have won the game with momentum. They might have won the next game, a big "if" and then gone on to maybe win the Series.

Yes, yes, I know: "for want of a nail, blah blah blah..."

The hitting was not great. DJ was the only one who seemed determined to grind it out. We had an ABYSMAL lack of good pitching and that's squarely on Cash-Money and Halligator Arms.

It's going to be interesting to watch how Cash spins this season. I have a feeling I know how that's going to go.

Suzyn's Bitch said...

I get that it's all 20/20 hindsight, but REALLY, why pitch to Altuve in that situation? Even the optics of that moment are David (Altuve) and Goliath (Chappo).

Walk him and deal with Brantley and Bregman.

Maybe it was inevitable, given all the comments above, which I totally agree with, but I can't help thinking that Boone one decision sank the ship.

And yes, Duque is probably right when he says we would have gone down at the hands of Cole the following night, but I would LOVE to have had that chance.

Altuve... fucking midget!!

Anonymous said...

Fucking HAL!

Anonymous said...

2020 SEASON STARTING OFF WITH GOOD NEWS FOR US.

CC OFFICIALLY HANGS IT UP.

NOW GARDY MUST BE LET GO TOO. (SORRY FAITHFUL).

WE SQUEEZED OUT GARDY'S BEST YEAR, BUT IT MUST BE TIME TO END IT NOW.

CORDS MUST BE CUT.

CONTINUE THE GOOD 2020 NEWS.

Ken of Brooklyn said...

And following up Doug K's happy Yankee thoughts, I have two.

1B. DJ.
This year I was introduced to DJ LaMahieu, a player for whom I knew little about before. He has become of beacon of hope for me, a shining a light for the future, the possibility that this team might finally possess a truly situational hitter.

1C ( AS ALWAYS). IIHIIFIIC!
Without your daily exercising of comedy insight, mega intel and Ab Fab unparalled wit, I wouldn't have made it. Without your attempts at exorcising the demon spawn that is FrankenSteinbrenner, and his henchman Pooperstown A$$Hman, I could have never gotten through the season/post season relatively unscathed. You are sports therapy personified, and PLEASE know that I, a very infrequent commentor but daily reader, really really REALLY appreciate each and everyone's contributions!

THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of my broken pinstriped heart!

KnickerBlogger said...

Yes they should have signed a top line starter -- BUT --

I don't think that's what did them in. The non-top of the lineup did them in. What the heck happened to Sanchez & EE? Toss in Gardner (OPS: .345) and maybe even Didi (.478). I mean EE hit .058(!). The Yanks could have gone without the DH and done better.

If Stanton and Voit were healthy, that could have tipped the series.

Not saying they don't need to address the pitching going forward, but that wasn't the issue as far as I could tell. Heck if they signed Machado and/or Harper, they would have won this series, if for no other reason than they would have had more hitting depth.

My $.02

TheWinWarblist said...

Stanton healthy? Surely you jest.

My 2 cents?

Hal chose to hoard nearly all of the massive profit the Yankees generate for himself and not for the betterment of the franchise. He is the lowest smallest little man to run the Yankees since CBS. I wish ill on him. I wish him real unrelenting pain and intolerable suffering. I wish cancer and death on him. A cruel debilitating degrading cancer that deprives him of his ability to "lead" this noble franchise and then takes his life before his time.

Anonymous said...

WARBLIST....

SHOULD WE THINK THE UNTHINKABLE?

CAN WE GET HANK BACK?

....AND TO KEN OF BROOKLYN....

YOU ARE AN UNHERALDED BEACON OF HOPE ON A SITE THAT NEEDS ONE.

THANKS FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND UNBRIDLED YANKEE LOVE.

13bit said...

We don't want Hank. We want Jennifer, but that won't happen, so we're stuck with Hal.

What did us in was the veterans and big money guys coming back from injuries, given 10 days to get in the groove, and benching the young and hungry guys.

I hate Hal's guts forever, but he does spend more than many other teams spend. The REAL PROBLEM IS CASHMAN. He calls the shots, he doesn't want anybody around who will question him, even if it's good for the team, he has built a team of Yes-men around him in the office and at the operations level and he won't listen to anybody. He has to prove how smart he is. Problem is, he's not that smart and he's even less smart when it comes to pitching. He has also convinced Hal that he can run the show and, since Hal is only nominally interested - so long as he's turning a profit - Hal will let Brian continue his bullshit business, undisturbed. Did we hear one peep out of Hal during these "playoffs?" Remember George? Shit, I never thought I'd miss that guy until the last few years.

Anonymous said...

I HEAR YA 13 BIT....

....BUT WE NEED TO BE HONEST.

EVEN IF IT WAS TAUCHMAN, MAYBIN, AND VOIT, INSTEAD OF STANTON, AND ENCARNACION, WE STILL WOULD NOT HAVE BEATEN HOUSTON.

THEY STILL, ARE MUCH BETTER THAN US.

....AND THAT HURTS, BUT IT'S TRUE.

BETTER STARTING PITCHING.

BETTER LINEUP BALANCE.

BETTER CLUTCH HITTING BY FAR.

FASTER, QUICKER BASE RUNNERS.

BETTER COACHING.

BETTER GM.

BETTER OWNER, WILLING TO SPEND WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE RING.

YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT CASHMAN.

SOMEHOW HE HAS POSITIONED HIMSELF AS NEARLY THE KING OF THE YANKEE CASTLE, WHICH, TO ME, STILL IS UNBELIEVABLE.

HAL NEEDS TO GIVE MORE OF A SHIT ABOUT THIS TEAM AND STOP PUTTING "MANDATES" ON IT.

THERE IS A REASON WHY TEAMS LIKE OAKLAND AND TAMPA DO WELL, BUT NEVER WIN IT ALL.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO GO "THE EXTRA MILE".

WE DO.

FUCK FACE BETTER WAKE UP BECAUSE IF THE METS TAKE THIS CITY OVER, I'M GONNA GO POSTAL.

HoraceClarke66 said...

First, don't worry, ALL-CAPS. The Mets are NOT taking over the city.

The Wilpons, much like HAL, don't care about baseball. They are wannabe real estate magnates.

Second, ALL-CAPS, I agree with you about most of the botched trades for pitching. But not so much if Pittsburgh was really holding out for Andujar in exchange for Cole.

I don't know if that's so. At the time, we heard they wanted The Gleyber. Then, the other day, A-Rod was saying all they would've had to give up was Chance Adams and Clint Frazier, and I hope that's not so because if it is it will cause me to weep like an old woman...

But at the time, it would've been foolish to give them Andujar. And if he can recover from is injury, it might still be foolish.

The man was a monster at the plate. 76 extra-base hits at 23? He could be great.

But let's face it, too: even if we had picked up Cole, OUR pitching coach would never have fixed him. He doesn't fix, anybody, ever.

HoraceClarke66 said...

All of which leads me to conclude this: you're all right.

HAL is too cheap to spend what he should on this team. He doesn't care about winning it all and has figured out how to maximize his earnings by NOT doing so.

Coops is a butt-kissing buffoon, a supreme office politician who knows damned little about baseball. Yes, he did some very good dumpster diving this season. Not, he did not come up with enough pitching to win. Again.

The Yankees' instructors and trainers are all terrible and should be fired. Almost nobody gets better when they come here; instead, they go backwards. Which means that, when other teams figure them out, our coaches have no idea of what to do next.

The injuries have taken their toll. What we thought of as an emerging dynasty has dissipated in good part because of that.

The approach to hitting is ridiculous. Our swing-for-the-fences, one-dimensional offense is exposed in every playoffs.

We are saddled forever with that gigantic millstone Derek Jeter tied around Cashman's neck without the poor fool even realizing it.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Suzyn's Bitch: you're wrong. It's even stupider.

The next man up after Altuve was NOT Brantley. It was a defensive replacement, Jake Marisnick. A lifetime, .227 hitter.

Yes, Chapo was a blinking idiot not to just walk Altuve and go after Jakey.

But an equal idiot: Ma Boone, who did not seem to be paying attention. He should've ordered the walk, particularly once Chapo fell behind on the count.

HoraceClarke66 said...

And Warbler, you're being terribly, terribly, terribly unfair...to CBS.

Even if they had cared, the reserve clause made it impossible for them to rebuild quickly.

HAL and Coops had no such restrictions. One just wants the money, the other is a boob.

So there.

celerino sanchez said...

I don't quite understand the whole we hate Hal approach. This team spent the most of $$$ of any team for the last 10-15 years and have 1 WS to show for it. At some point to have step back and ask why am I spending this $$$. Now I do blame him for keeping Cashman that a whole different debate.

TheWinWarblist said...

CS, this team did not spend the most "$$$" of any team. Not if you look at the percentage of the supposed gross that goes into player salaries. The Yankees make the most profit and spent the lowest percentage of that on player salaries. Don't be a YES dink. Don't make excuses for robber barons and billionaires who are ROBBING US!! Think for yourself!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!? WHO ARE YOU !? FUCKING MICHAEL KAY!?!?

TheWinWarblist said...

There doesn't have to be a volcanic eruption in Fiji. Just one mosquito teeming with Dengue hemorrhagic fever virus.

Celerino Sanchez said...

WW or are you Brian Cashman's father? From 2001 to 2013 the Yankees had the highest payrolls, sometimes by $40-50 million dollars and they were #2 from 14-17. So what did the spend get us? 1 F-ING WS. If you think that's a good return on investment, then I'd hate to have you running my business.

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