And I will scream.
I, sadly, stem from the foul and outdated Yankee fan strain known as "Prospect Huggers." For some reason - maybe Fred McGriff, Jay Buhner, Doug Drabek? - we oppose the strategy of trading young players on the way up for old players on the way down.
I realize that the world has changed since 1999, we dealt Mike Lowell to the Marlins for next to nothing. Deadline deals are part of the modern landscape. I just get a nervous twitch around July 25, when the Yankee prospects that have been touted for the last three years are suddenly traded to Pittsburgh, and we are told they were never really part of "the plan" (which later turns out to be no plan.)
Maybe it's wrong to blame Brian Cashman, who - fun fact, is actual an A.I. manifestation - for everything. Actually, in recent years, he's been less likely to empty the farm. (I think he knows a Buhner-level fiasco will be etched onto his eventual plaque in Monument Park.) We're still getting over Joey Gallo and the Jordan Montgomery giveaway.
Anyway, a roster overhaul is coming. The Yankees need:
1. A solid 2B. (Or a 3B, allowing Jazz Chisholm Jr. to move.) The D.J. LeMahieu experiment is running its course. Unless he starts hitting - (right now, .243 and 2 HRs aren't cutting it) - LeMahieu is looking his age. (36.) Moreover, he looks tired. Last night, a grounder bounced past his diving glove, and it was not an error - just a play he always used to make. LeMahieu can help us as a utility infielder. I don't think he can hold up through September. I mean, two HRs?
2. A starter. Sunday, the Yankees will try Marcus Stroman, in the magically thinking hope that he's still got gas in the tank. He got walloped in the minors during his brief rehab. I suspect Stroman will end up in the bullpen. And, basically, Sunday's game is a bullpen start. He probably won't throw more than 50 pitches. (In other words, two innings?)
3. Bullpen. Just like every team in baseball.
This week, Spencer Jones - the 6'7" outfielder and first round pick, unfortunately saddled with constant comparisons to Aaron Judge - was promoted to Scranton, where he homered in his first at bat. (The next Aaron Judge!) Jones was leading the Eastern League in HRs, with 18, but he strikes out way too much. (70 times in 240 ABs at Double A.) Will Cashman trade him? I hope not. I'm hugging with all my might.
Instead, they have an excess of rather young, LH catchers with power: Ben Rice (who caught last night), Austin Wells and J.C. Escara. One of them can go - and certainly not cheaply.
Last year, at the deadline, the Yankees obtained:
Reliever Mark Leiter Jr. from the Cubs for Benjamin Cowles and Jack Neely. Cowles, a 25-year-old 3B, is hitting .215 with 4 HRs at Triple A. Neely, 25, also in Triple A, has an ERA of 6.91. Leiter is a bullpen lug nut. Nice trade. No complaints.
3B Jazz Chisholm Jr. from Miami for Augustin Ramirez (age 23, hitting .247 with 12 HRs for Miami), Jared Serna (23, hitting .215 with 1 HR at Double A) and Abrahan Ramirez (20, hitting .243 with 0 HRs in the Rookie Single A.) Chisholm is still a mystery, and this trade still is, like him, an uncertainty.
Enyel De Los Santos and RHP Thomas Balboni Jr. from Padres for OF Brandon Lockridge. The Yankees waived De Los Santos three weeks later. Balboni - 24, a great Yankee name - seems to have disappeared from the fossil record. Lockridge, 28, has hit .216 for San Diego. This is a wash, though I like having another Balboni.
Pitcher Kelly Austin from Pittsburgh for LHP Caleb Ferguson. Austin, 24, has 3.19 ERA at Somerset. Ferguson, 28, has been decent with Pittsburgh, with a 2.91 ERA over 30 bullpen innings. We could use him.
Not much to say. Considering how 2024 ended, we were probably always fated to be disappointed. But the changes are coming. Don't get comfy. July is almost here.
(Final note: I can't let the occasion go by without congratulating Jeff and Lauren Bezos on their marriage. Both are big readers of the blog. In fact, Lauren has been commenting under the name "Doug K" for several years.)
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8 comments:
I've spent the past few hours at the computer, reading the news and sports news. DJ has been noted as near the end of his rope, which is sad, especially since the last few years have been terrible due to repeated injuries. I feel for him, but his time as a starter is really past.
Stroman may not start on Sunday since he's sucked in his rehab starts in the minors. No control, still no speed--not a good combo. Even the Yankees front office is seeing that. Sounds like we're more likely to see a kid get the start, which is good for at least three innings (I hope).
There's this kid, Schlittler, who's pitching his way to a second half promotion to the bigs. He gets better and better. Sounds great so far.
Jones has cut down his strikeout rate from 44% to 29.9%. Okay, let's say 30. That's all this year. His season total may not look any good because of the flailings early on, but he's getting better. Looking at our current lineup, striking out is obviously not a problem. Even Judge does it with regularity, at least this month. So we shall see. The outfield/DH slots are pretty crowded, though.
Lombard is doing fine, Volpe should be, at most, a placeholder. Let Peraza play third, he's really good defensively and moving Jazz back to second improves that position defensively and offensively. Seeing how DJ is doing, is Peraza really such a bad idea? I think not. Bald, hollow-eyed, stat-obsessed GMs may not agree.
See ya later--I get to watch the game today in real time, tomorrow, too. Thank God. It's been a long week.
In response to our esteemed leader’s final note…..I wonder if Intern Pal has been modifying his look to be more and more like Bezos. It really isn’t too difficult to imagine that in his mind he sees himself as the J. B. of the Yankees.
The only reason LeMahieu, like Stanton (1 XBH in 35 PA) are still Yankees are their contracts. I’ve said it a thousand times, it’s fine to stretch out contracts to lessen yearly cap hit, but that comes with the understanding that you may have to eat the last few years of the deal. Just think of how we’re going to have to carry Judge and Cole in a few short years.
Stroman on Sunday, giving the game away. Why not the woefully yclept but wonderfully promising Cam Schlittler? https://www.profootballnetwork.com/mlb/yankees-coach-matt-blake-drops-huge-hint-about-electrifying-prospects-mlb-debut-amid-teams-rotation-struggles/
I was wondering whether the surgeon that did the work on Doug/Lauren should be praised or executed for crimes against humanity.
...and there is apparently no limit to HAL's delusions, so your scenario may be spot on.
If Storman can't pitch, DFA him. Maybe we'll get lucky and someone will take him off our hands. (and yes, I want a pony for my birthday too!)
LeMahieu? I feel badly about this. He was a great on-base machine. Perfect to stick in front of Judge. A solid infielder. A positive presence. I would have offered him that contract. But he's a -3 WAR player over the past 3 years. Retire him and offer him the batting coach position. That would upgrade the coaching staff.
Or put him in the booth with Michael and Paulie. That’ll sure raise the excitement level of each broadcast…
💤💤💤💤💤💤😴
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