Sunday, January 31, 2021

Five things I believe the Yankiverse learned this week...

1. Brian Cashman is done shaking coconut trees... for now. Why do we think this? He did a big talk radio splash last week. That he spoke publicly suggests the facelift is finished, and the Yankees will stand pat until spring training. He might sign a scrap heap bullpen thingamabob, a lefty tool hitter or a backup backstop. Any big moves, they'll wait.

2. Cashman's expression of love for Clint Frazier suggests Red Thunder will stay. It's possible that Cash was simply chatting up Frazier's trade value, but there's a point of overkill, especially considering Clint's popularity (and the Mets rise.) If anybody took seriously the rumors of Yasiel Puig - (why? I didn't) - they are dead now.

3. Frazier's LF housemate - Miguel Andujar - should also stay, at least through spring training. There, Miggy will get a huge chance to showcase his 3B skills, while Gio Urshela recovers from surgery (bone chip.) Gio should be ready for opening day, but Miggy gets to play third-base for a month. If he looks good, the Yanks will have mucho trade options. Andujar is incredibly valuable as a 3B. 

4. As much as we love rom-com endings, don't expect Masahiro Tanaka to ever pitch for the Yankees again, Old-Timers Day notwithstanding. They cut him loose. They broke his heart. If Tanaka pitches his team to the Japanese championship, and then seeks to return to America, don't expect him to offer a Yankee discount. They broke his heart. Hal could have re-signed Tanaka. He wouldn't spend the money. Surgary accolades cannot spackle over that fact. Hal wouldn't spend the money.

5. The Yanks are playing "good boss/bad boss" with Gary Sanchez. Cashman calls him out, Boone praises him. Will that change Sanchez? Over his Yankee career, he's played "good catcher/bad catcher." When he's hot, you know he'll cool off. When he's playing solid defense, you know he'll slacken. He is what he is. Can he be starting catcher for a championship team? Five years in, and we still don't know. But mind games won't work.

12 comments:

JM said...

Boone has been doing too many mushrooms during the off-season. That's the only reason I can think of for him saying Sanchez will have an All-Star year.

Anonymous said...

Thoughts on thoughts...

Sanchez

It's too bad that they banned "greenies" because I suspect that a lot of his issues are focused based. A little Adderall might go a long way with this guy.

Tanaka

According to Thomas Wolfe, "You Can't Go Home Again" but I suppose, for Tanaka, it beats being a #4 starter in Kansas City.

Perhaps a better reference would be Preston Sturges' "Hail The Conquering Hero". He gets back the number 18 and will be an Ace again.

Someone should follow him around for the year and write a book. It's got to be a strange experience.

AnDUjar

Speaking of strange experiences, from breaking Joe D's rookie records to afterthought because of injury. Still a better DH than anyone on the roster. I can't imagine how frustrating this has to be for him.

Frazier

Will we finally get to see this guy have 400 AB's? It's about time.

and last...

Cashman Says He's Done.

So... we've added no one on offense? I think this is accurate. We were good enough I suppose. It was really pitching.

In theory Kluber is better than Paxton and both are injury risks.

In theory Jameson Tallion is better than Happ but is a bigger injury risk

What we lack is the innings eater. A guy with a 4.25 ERA who throws 180 innings a year and gives us a chance when he starts.

The back end of the rotation is the same.

Doesn't feel like a championship but when does it these days.

Doug K.


13bit said...

Adderall doesn’t really make you focus, it makes you think you’re focused. I don’t think any chemical will help Sanchez. He’s a moron and a sack of shit. Not to put too subtle a shine on it. And none of our kid pictures are going to get a chance to show their stuff now. Cashman is an even bigger moron and an even bigger sack of shit. And the biggest moron and the biggest sack of shit from which all other sacks of shit descend is Hal “Lord Bottom I Am Broke” Steinbuster.

Anonymous said...

13,

Aren't the kids the #4 and #5? Montgomery is 4 and then some combo of German/Schmidt/Devi is 5. There aren't any other starters on the roster to take those slots.

Plus you know one or two starters are going to get hurt. There will be more than enough innings for everyone. What they don't have is that workhorse to eat innings.

Doug K.



Alphonso said...

He hasn't been " hot" for a long time. And even that spell didn't last very long.

I think he is a dog. Just one opinion.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Who is hot? Or not? Alphonso?

HoraceClarke66 said...

Yeah, essentially next to nothing has been done.

Overall, I would say this is probably a worse Yankees team than the one that got within a game of the ALCS last year, which was in turn a worse team than the one that got within two games of the World Series in 2019, which was worse than the team that got within a game of the World Series in 2017.

Hmm, detect a pattern here?

Sure, the stars could align.

Sanchez could play only moderately horribly—.210, 30 homers, say. The Gleyber might prove to NOT be in the usual, Yankees injury death spiral. Frazier could show his stuff, Judge could play 140 games, Kluber could bounce back, the kids might have something, and Giancarlo could sprain his nose in spring training, leaving us to watch DH Andujar merrily spray doubles off the wall all year.

Could happen. But it would sort of ALL have to happen for the Yanks to have a legitimate chance in 2021. Which is asking a lot.

Kevin said...

Andujar, the man who can't field, the man who never walks, the man who tore his shoulder labrum; who may never be the same. And yet you guys "hate" Stanton? I just don't understand the love affair with Stone Hands.

Anonymous said...

He's not tying up payroll. He was a great rookie and made us all happy

Doug K

Scottish Yankee fan said...

It is not Stanton's fault he has a ridiculous contract and seems to be constantly injured
It is the Yankees brains trust fault for taking this contract on

The fans are entitled to point this out ans point out he is one of the reasons we are pleading poverty and trying to get under this luxury tax

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