For starters, his mere presence in Tampa makes little sense. The Yankees traded three minor league pitchers for him, and it's not even certain he has a position to play. If Trent Grissom plays CF - the preferred defensive scenario - then Juan Soto moves to LF and Verdugo mines splinters. That's a combustible situation, because Verdugo is not above complaining about management.
The trade for Verdugo came days before the bigger move, which acquired Soto for a tranche of young arms. At the time, it seemed a stopgap, in case the Soto deal collapsed. Ever since, the Hellbent Yankees have been raking the methane fields, scrounging for pitchers. You can almost imagine them trading Verdugo - a fun scenario, now that he shaved his beard - to alleviate the dearth of pitching. But I doubt Brian Cashman wants to admit he made a mistake, so Verdugo is here to stay, at least until August.
But here's the crazy part:
I can't dispel the notion that Verdugo is the most intriguing player in Tampa. Here's why:
1. He'll turn 28 in May. Agewise, he's entering his prime.
2. This is his contract year. Next winter, he's a free agent.
3. He's a grudgy type - outspoken, edgy, a partier - who never forgets an insult and will likely hate Boston forever.
4. He bats LH. This winter, Cashman finally realized the insanity of a RH-hitting lineup in Yankee Stadium.
5. He seemed to always hurt us. I hated to see him in clutch situations.
6. Maybe - just maybe - this could be his career year.
Let's explore that hallucination. Verdugo is a career .281 hitter who slid last season (amid a teamwide Redsock collapse) - to .264. BTW, that would still have placed him third on the Yankees, who were certifiably pathetic. (Gleyber led the team with .273.) He hit 13 HRs, and that's the knock: Little power. But he'll be hitting in Yankee Stadium, not Fenway. He'll have the Porch instead of the Monster.
Let's imagine that all the above reasons converge to bring about Verdugo's career year. Here's what his numbers could look like:
15-20 HRs, (previous best: 13.)
75-89 RBIs. (previous, 74.)
Batting average .310-.315. (previous, .308.)
10 stolen bases (previous, 7.)
An On Base Percentage of .380 (.367.)
Those would be all-star numbers. Verdugo would likely end up hitting leadoff. Yes, imagining career years is just a parlor game. He could shit the bed. But if you're pondering the Yankee lineup, searching for hope, you have Judge and Soto... and then what? A bunch of maybes. Wanna imagine DJ LeMahieu (at 35) having his best season? Or Anthony Rizzo, 34? Good luck with that.
Verdugo is approaching the greatest chance of his life: He could play LF in Yankee Stadium, with a short porch, with protection in the lineup and a pile of games against the franchise that traded him. Come October, a contract of gold could be awaiting him. Is he smart? Does he recognize the opportunity? I guess that's what we'll find out.
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19 comments:
Hoss, a belated reply to your comment yesterday about finding young Cash a job in the South Pacific before 1998.
I think maybe we should find a young Hal a job in a touring show of "South Pacific." He obviously has an affinity for the musical theater, else why would he do a turn in "Kinky Boots," one of the gayest musicals of the gay White Way? Young Hal might have discovered his one true love--The Thee-ah-tah--and never gone near his dad's baseball team, instead carving out a stellar career on Broadway (and perhaps marrying Nathan Lane once it was legal).
The team would have gone to someone else in the family who might have had the brains to fire Cashman early on. History would have been so different.
Oh, and trade Verdugo.
“I look up ~ I look down”
“I look up ~ I look down”
“I look up ~ I look ……………”
From yesterday as well...
Rufus -
"Ernie Pyle is buried next to their section."
Truly one of the greatest American writers. His war stuff is fantastic but his writings while travelling America in the 30's was a significant contributor to my wanderlust.
https://www.amazon.com/Ernies-America-Ernie-Travel-Dispatches/dp/0394575725
"Young Hal might have discovered his one true love--The Thee-ah-tah--and never gone near his dad's baseball team,"
Actually, given his track record, he would have kept the team but told Brian to trade Aaron Judge to Boston for cash so he could "afford" to put on a revival of "No No Nanette".
As to the Cherub (and he still looks like someone who hung high school freshman from gym lockers to me) El Duque shares some valuable perspective.
It's too bad that he has Laxa Boone as his manager. He would do better under a Billy Martin type who could teach him, "Party Hard. Play Harder. Or... I'll hang you from a gym locker."
Yeah, the trade for Verdugo was a bit of a head scratcher. But we desperately needed LF OF, especially before Soto. Injuries could determine how much he plays. Yes, he could be traded at the deadline, you know we will need pitching.
Stanton will get hurt. He might even sit a lot against righties. Verdugo will play plenty.
Pub -
But...but...but...
Slimmed down Yankees slugger looks different this season: 'Be a baseball player again'
https://nypost.com/2024/02/19/sports/giancarlo-stanton-knows-what-he-has-to-prove-in-2024-yankees-season/
CANT-RUN looks like he’s lost 16.66% of his manly-mass during the off season (based on the photo of him next to Judge in the POST article that Doug was kind enough to provide in his previous post).
More slender, tender and less of a pretender?
Time will tell
He'll never be the player he was when he juiced. Though hopefully the injury-riddled part of quitting is over.
You guys love baseball history, right?
I watched “The Catcher Was A Spy” on Netflix about the mysterious long time backup C turned spy, Moe Berg. Not sure how accurate, but it was certainly smoothly made, well acted, and fun to watch.
Doug K, thanks for mentioning Ernie Pyle's "Ernie's America: The Best of Ernie Pyle's 1930's Travel Dispatches". I had read his World War II books, my dad fought in Italy and spoke highly of him. I just ordered your suggested book from Amazon, looking forward to it!
I love Jeana from bleedingyankeeblue:
"The Yankees can't stay on the field, and they aren't healthy enough to play to their full potential. This problem is much bigger than adding one more starting pitcher. We need innings eaters too, that's not Snell, Cortes or Rodon right now. This is why the bullpen gets burned out.
"This team hasn't been able to hit for years...This lineup is filled with guys that can't put the ball in play, strike out too much and don't practice baseball fundamentals. The Yankees...are so hypnotized by analytics and the insanity of doing the same failed routines over and over again that they forgot the basics."
Nothing we don't already know, but it's nice to have another voice out there saying what we're saying.
Kevin,
Glad to be of service. I gave the book to a friend of mine several years ago when he was the news director of NPR because I figured he would appreciate just how much story he gets into so few words and he made it required reading for his reporters.
BTR - I read the book. VERY interesting man that Moe Berg.
Amen, JM! I think HAL would've been much happier that way—maybe even smiled once or twice.
Yanks had the winning combination back then, with Michael, Showalter, and Watson—Stick, Buck, and Bob. Crazy not to stick with it. But then, the whole history of the Steinbrenner Yankees has been chasing away great front-office talent.
Yes, that Pyle book is great. I thought the Moe Berg movie was pretty good—but the book, by Nicky Dawidoff (Red Sox fan, but terrific writer) is better. Very complex character, Berg—absolutely intriguing. Mostly a third-string catcher with the BoSox and others, but never seemed to press very hard to be more. Seemed content to travel around the country for 17 years, reading stacks of newspapers and sitting in the bullpen or the dugout. Strange life.
Was it Charlie Comiskey would said of Moe Berg..."Speaks seven languages, and can't hit in any of them?"
Pub
Lol
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