Monday, November 20, 2023

Where have you gone, Mr. Steinbrenner, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you...

Today, Yoshinobu Yamamoto becomes an MLB free agent, a prize to be auctioned off among the most odious billionaire egos on the planet.  

Not since 2018, when Manny Machado and Bryce Harper toured Gotham - looking for love in all the wrong places - has the Yankiverse been infused with so much hope and desperation over one potential signing.

At age 25, Yamamoto is, by far, the market's most intriguing pitcher. He will cost some lucky owner more than $200 million, plus the generous posting fee to his Japanese counterparts. 

What he won't cost is a first-round draft pick and bundle of prospects, neither of which the Yankees can afford to lose. At stake is money, which the Yankees have, and their owner's absolute will to win, which - well - remains a bit sketchy.

We will soon learn how badly Hal Steinbrenner wants to win in 2024.

For Yank fans, it is the central question this winter. 

Yamamoto may already be leaning 
our way. (Thanks AboveAverage)
The Yankees might trade for Juan Soto - the most active MLB rumor since Brian Cashman's anger management classes - but such a deal could drain our farm system for a decade. Also, by himself, Soto cannot bring a pennant. He'll need protection in the lineup, and the Yankees will need pitching, pitching, pitching... 

Add Yamamoto and Soto, and maybe the rest can can be finessed. (Cody Bellinger could help, but there might be better ways to spend the money.) 

Across town, Mets owner Steve Cohen has made his obsessions quite clear. He will spend whatever it takes. So have several owners, including the Dodgers, Astros, Redsocks, Cubs, Phillies and Blue Jays.  

Hal will have to outbid them. There is no NYC discount, no tradition of greatness, no  postseason guarantees, no chances of trading their way into a championship. It's up to Hal and his money. 

Joltin' Joe has left and gone away. Hey, hey, hey.  

16 comments:

JM said...

A mark, a yen, a buck or a pound,
It's all that makes the world go around...
That clinking, clanking sound.

All good, provided Hal doesn't tell Cashman, "I'm tired of throwing good money after bad." Which is likely true, but if it is, he should fire Cashman, and he hasn't.

So who knows?

Doug K. said...

Joltin' Joe may have left and gone away but NY sports is currently undergoing an Italian Renaissance.

The Giants have the "Passing Paisano" and the Knicks have "The Big Ragu". Throw in Little Tony on the Yankees and it's frickin' Ellis Island over here.

I'm just sayin'

---

As to The Admiral... it's kind of a lose lose.

Yes, we should bust the bank to get him but the overpay (don't care about the luxury tax $$ but Hal does) is probably $75M to outbid the Mets. So if the Yankees get him we become seriously limited in the rest of our pursuits.

We need hitting first and foremost. But, having a Cole, Admiral 1-2 top of the rotation is some playoff gold.

BUT, we still need those lefty hitters. (Cough) Soto.

Besides, the renaissance demands it!

"Ronzoni Soto Buoni!"

---

OK, I know it's "Ronzoni Sono Buoni," but it's SO close.


AboveAverage said...

There is nothing quite as wonderful as money
There is nothing quite as beautiful as cash
Some people say it's folly
But I rather have the lolly
With money, you can make a splash

BTR999 said...

Don’t know what Steinly has in mind here. Will he spend the bucks on Yama? Spend it on Bellinger instead? Make liars out of all of us and remake the whole team? (Take that, IIHIIFIIC he’ll mutter…) The useless Stanton, Rodon, & DJLM by themselves will cost the team $73M. We don’t even get the $5M pittance from the Marlins this year. Why, one could almost feel sorry for him…almost.

HoraceClarke66 said...

Money can't buy everything
It's true
But what it can't buy
I can't use
I want mo-o-o-ney
That's what I want...

Carl J. Weitz said...

No one should hold their breath waiting for Hal to open up his wallet. He just doesn't care about winning.

The Yankees should only trade for Soto if they can con some other team into taking Stanton with NY shouldering a sizable part of his contract because Soto is a horrible outfielder and should only be used as DH. Do you think Gleyber is a clueless baserunner? Wait until you see Juan run the bases. Adding Soto is fine but giving up the few remaining prospects that are marketable for a one-year rental for a one-dimensional player is not very smart. This flawed thinking by Cashman is what has the team currently in deep trouble.

AboveAverage said...

Me and Yamamoto
(Doodle-dee-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo)
Straighter than narrow oh
Wherever we go-go
Everyone knows
It's me and my Yamamoto

Carl J. Weitz said...

Money
It's a crime
Share it fairly, but don't take a slice of my pie
Money
So they say
Is the root of all evil today
But if you ask for a rise
It's no surprise that they're giving none away

el duque said...

It should be:

Jingling George has left and gone away.

AboveAverage said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AboveAverage said...

You never give THEM your money
You only give THEM your Brian Cashman
And in the middle of negotiations
He breaks down

TheWinWarblist said...

"Winning" for Hall is taking all our money for himself. He has won every single year he's been alive.



Fuck Hal with a horde of horned demons for all eternity is a sulfurous lave pit.

TheWinWarblist said...

Go go Little Tony! Go!

JM said...

Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
Right-hander Lance Lynn and the St. Louis Cardinals are in agreement on a one-year contract with a club option that guarantees around $10 million, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Lynn, 36, was drafted by Cardinals and returns, pending physical, as they rebuild rotation.

Hoo boy.

Scottish Yankee fan said...


If he is as good a pitcher as everyone seems to think he is then it is a no brainer

All he will cost is $$$ no draft picks no prospects

Still Scrooge McHal will probably not do the deal

HoraceClarke66 said...

Interesting, Carl Weitz! But I don't worry too much about Soto because we will never, ever get him.

We have nothing in the farm system, nothing at all, now that we smashed up The Martian. Nothing, at least, that could possibly entice SD to trade him. I would gladly settle for Cody—which would mostly be money, too—but don't expect that to happen, either.