Maybe it was the juiced-up "superball" of 2019, which transformed routine flies into Ruthian shots. (And which might be the permanent normal, by the way.) Or maybe Happ finally reached his sell-by date. It doesn't matter. He is what is.
On that note, put yourself in the sneakers of an opposing GM at this week's winter meetings, and ask the fundamental question: What will you give up for a 37-year-old contract volcano who was jettisoned for the playoff rotation and finished last season with a 4.91 ERA? I'd start the bidding war with Zolio Almonte, and I'm not sure I'd drift much higher.
Happ was last year's Sonny Gray, who was the Chase Headley of 2018. Like rabbit's foots or millstones, the Yankees always have one. So now come rumors that Cooperstown Cashman is shopping Happ at the meetings, and I can't help but wonder how awful any trade will look. Before Hal Steinbrenner assumed the mantle of Commander in Cheap, the Yankees used to live on the other end of salary dumps: We were the team to accept Kevin Brown's ridiculous contract. Whenever another franchise faced strangulation by some horrible deal, we would take over. We found space for Brian Roberts, Ichiro, Headley and, of course, the mother of all salary dumps: Giancarlo Stanton.
To get much for Happ, the Yankees will likely have to add $12 million in movie money, plus a prospect. Even then, we might settle for another team's mistake, and maybe a worse one than Happ. What's more likely is that Cashman will give Happ and a couple prospects for some 28-year-old minor leaguer, a "Boom Boom" McBroom or "Brigadoon" Refsnyder. Cashman can claim he's found another Voit, Urshela or Tauchman, and salvage some hope.
But one thing we've learned: A horrible pickup seldom brings a happy ending. Happ was the mistake of 2019, as Gray was for the previous year. If we trade him, expect little in return, and then - adding sting to the wound - to watch him improve in 2020. Expect the worst.
In trading Happ, we're in a hapless position.
Damn, that was a long hard slog for a lame pun. But I did it. Okay, now shoot me.
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20 comments:
Well, last night Eli showed he can still QB a hell of a quarter.
I'm tired of defending Ichiro, but I will, once more.
In 2014, his last year with the Yankees, he was used against right-handed pitching in 296 ABs, and batted a not-so-bad .274.
But against lefties--where Joey Binders didn't want to play him--he had 63 ABs and hit .333.
That ain't bad. His problem wasn't that he sucked. Hell, if the Yankees had a .274 hitter now he'd be way up the batting stats ladder. It was that Jojo the Shaven-Headed Dog Boy didn't use him against the pitchers he was very effective against. Unless he had a gun to his head, more or less.
True, he was strictly a singles hitter by that point. But wouldn't you like a singles hitter like that in the current lineup instead of Sanchez, Stanton, or some other rally killer?
As for Happ, he's not exactly crap. But he's well beyond his sell-by date. Maybe he can be a middle-innings reliever. Somehow I don't think he'll want to follow Boobs to the Pods.
Regarding Happ, it is just a matter of dumping his salary so we can use the money elsewhere. Who we get in a trade for him is almost irrelevant.
Winter Meeting News and Notes:
1) The Yankees and Brett Gardner are getting closer to a deal. The amount is irrelevant. The guy is coming back AGAIN instead of a younger cheaper version with more upside.
2) Take a look at this guy. Yoshitomo Tsutsugo. He plays left field,third and first. Bats over .270 and hits for power. He's 29. Strikes out too much but walks a lot as well. in 2018 he hit .295. He's a free agent.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=tsutsu000yos&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-
3) Never thought I'd see paradise and Sacramento in the same sentence. That said, it's actually a very nice city that gets overshadowed by San Diego, LA, and San Francisco albeit with good reason. But the 4th best city in CA is still in CA.
Whereas the 4th best City in NY State is Rochester (sorry Schenectady) where the wind blows so cold off Lake Ontario that it will crack your face while you are still indoors. I've lived in both. I'll take the sunshine. You don't have to shovel heat!
3) Scott Boras will be giving an address at 3PM today. It will be where people can send the checks.
Doug K.
I know some of you will say Syracuse is the number four city in NY State.
We should let the Royals and the Nationals battle it out.
Doug K.
The trade for Happ is like off loading the slag from a tanker and trying to sell it as fossil fuel.
There is no value, but there comes with that emptiness a heavy load.
So the yankees will
1. Not get a human being ( player ) in return. I mean, they may get a name...maybe Mason Williams is still only 33. Or Dante Bichette can be retrieved, and
2. The Yankees will also have to fund 90% of his 2020 salary. So they will have, maybe $1 million to play with. That won't even buy Hal a studio apt. in Switzerland.
It would be better just to throw Happ in a round pen and let people bid on him. He could be the first player ever sold on Ebay.
So ... I want to say this now, before anything else happens. Whether or not Hal signs Cole, maybe even more so if he does, I hate Hal with an intense burning righteous fury that will never extinguish. He has robbed us of our birthright of never-ending champions and dynasties for a decade. Despite having inherited wealth beyond measure, his stunted penurious soul wishes only for more money. Not the far more important wealth of success. Just dollars and cents. Championships will elude him for he is a misshapen grotesquery grubbing in slime when he should be tall shining beacon.
Fuck you Hal. Fuck you always and ever. I swear I will befoul your grave if ever I can.
May Hal get cancer from turning over couch cushions looking for loose change.
May cancer torment Hal from now until the heat death of the Universe.
HERE WE GO WITH THE MOTHERFUCKING, "MYSTERY TEAM"!!!
Mystery team is Scott Boros...
Didi signed one year with Phils...
NOW, THERE ARE SUPPOSEDLY 2 "MYSTERY TEAMS"...
I HATE THAT BORAS.
THE LONGER THIS GOES ON, THE MORE LIKELY WE DROP OUT.
THEN WHAT?
I don't hate Boras. He's doing his job, for his customers.
If the Steinbrenners did their job for their customers the way Boras does, we'd win the Series every year.
If the Yanks want him, they should be able to get him. If.
Duque, I gotta differ with you on Happ. Last year's signing was not in the Gray area.
Happ had just put together four straight excellent seasons, pitching in every different kind of venue: Seattle, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Yankee Stadium, where he did best, 7-0, 2.69.
There was every reason to believe he was yet another canny, older pitcher who had put his early arm woes behind him, and learned how to pitch. A two-year deal for $34 mill didn't seem that outrageous at all (though neither should it have stopped the Yanks from going after Corbin).
And who knows? There is every possibility that a year's tutelage under BoJo the pitching coach was what did him in.
I do think you're right about how little the Yanks can get expect to get for him. And in view of that, why trade him at all? Why not keep him and see what he can do freed from the malevolent influence of The Blob?
And Doug K., why shouldn't the Chiefs and the Red Wings battle it out?
Rochester: the only city in North America ever to abandon a subway system that was already in use. (Cincinnati abandoned its before it every opened.)
Latest: NY Post is reporting that Houston is one of the "mystery teams," now supposedly regretting its decision to let Cole go.
Hoss,
You are correct as this is a baseball not a basketball blog.
Part of my thinking was that the Rochester Royals eventually became the Sacramento Kings.
Rochester Royals 1945–1957
Cincinnati Royals 1957–1972
Kansas City-Omaha Kings 1972–1975
Kansas City Kings 1975–1985
Sacramento Kings 1985–present
I was trying to tie everything together in my missive with a poorly aimed stone. Clearly it was a bridge too far.
Should have gone with the Chiefs and the Red Wings.
Doug K.
Didi leaving to join the Phillies leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
1) Who will Gleyber dance with?
Seriously he made the dugout fun.Now all that's left is Gardner having steroid rage.
2) How will we beat Minnesota next time?
3) He signed for one year and 12M. We didn't have that available?
What are giving Gardner. It better be under 10.
and finally... 4) Why am I so mad at Gardner?
He's been a good Yankee.
Doug K.
CC was also a good Yankee. Until he wasn't. Then, he used the good will engendered by his Yankee tenure to take the victory lap that cost us more than it helped us.
I used to love Gardy, but he should have gone home after this season.
Hapless position? Nary, El Duque: Mssr. Happ is a skilled, craftry pitcher, maybe worth his contract as a reliever with gas, command and a plan you'll figure out...
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