Yankees Offseason Thread

Wingack

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Probably should have one of these, even though things have kicked off already.

Now that the Yankees seem to have an operating plan in place it should be interesting to see if they continue with it. They could also go in a totally different direction if they want. Trade for a Chris Sale and then go hard after Chapman and Encarnacion and that would maybe put them smack in the middle of playoff contention.

Will they move Gardner? Can they move Ellsbury? Are they going to continue to try to stockpile young chips? We can only wait and see.
 

RedOctober3829

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From the theater of the insane.....

When you wish a upon a star … don’t expect it to come true. That’s what I’m telling myself now and telling you before the crazy tweets come flying at me.

Late in September as the Yankees hurtled toward elimination and thoughts shifted towards 2017, I had a scout tell me there was a trade the Yankees had to make and that he could see it happening.

The target? Mike Trout.

Yes, that Mike Trout. The best player in baseball over the last five years, still only 25 years old.

The reasons this scout told me to look out for this deal? There are plenty.

The basis of it comes from the big restock the Yankees pulled off with the Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller deals last July, on top of what had already become one of the more talent-rich systems in the game. The Yankees now had “an army of prospects,” according to this scout.

“You don’t accumulate all those prospects with the intent of keeping them all,” the scout told me. “They have value and it makes complete sense to spin off four of five of them for Trout.”

Trading prospects for the biggest star in the game?

“It’s very much a Yankees kind of move and makes too much sense for them,” he told me.

The Yankees could then trade Brett Gardner, move Jacoby Ellsbury to left and Trout, who doesn’t turn 26 until next August, could man center field and become the leader of the Baby Bombers.

The scout went on to state that the Angels have maybe the worst farm system in baseball and this was a way to inject talent into their system immediately.

The kicker to this thought was the obvious connection between Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and his former assistant, Billy Eppler, now the Angels’ GM. A move like this could jumpstart a rebuilding effort as Eppler enters his second year with the Angels, who have seen their win total drop from 98 to 85 to 74 over the last three seasons.

“All of that is true,” a GM of another major league team told me. “But that has zero percent chance of happening.”

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/11/15/mike-trout-new-york-yankees-los-angeles-angels-sweeny-murti/
 

jon abbey

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I'll be very shocked if they trade a lot of young talent for almost anyone, Cashman knows they're not close to contention yet and he is still in stockpiling young talent mode.

I think they will:

1) Go after a premium reliever, Chapman #1 on the list.

2) Bring in a lefty power hitter for DH, Beltran or maybe Brandon Moss or Matt Holliday, not giving up a first round pick and not going to too many years, ideally 1-2.

3) Gardner and Headley will probably get traded, but probably not this winter, as their replacements (Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar) aren't quite ready yet. If Andujar doesn't keep developing, Manny Machado may be their top target after 2018, and Headley's contract goes through 2018, so that works out well.

4) Rotation: I am not sure they bring in anyone here, they have a ton of options and they need to see which of them can potentially cut it, since Pineda and Sabathia's contracts are up after 2017 and Tanaka can opt out also, leaving them with no locks for the 2018 rotation as of now. Severino, Warren, Cessa, Green, Adams, Montgomery, pick two of those guys in spring training to fill out the rotation.
 

Wingack

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I have always kind of liked Brandon Moss. He provides some lefty pop and versatility and if he gets hot he could definitely be traded down the stretch.
 

jon abbey

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Also if the Mets resign Cespedes, they will have a serious outfield glut, and maybe the Yankees could take the last year of Granderson's deal ($16M) off their hands for minimal return.
 

j-man

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i say forget 2017 focus on 18 19
1 we have NO Ace no Number 1 Tauka is a 2 at best we need to know the tax first if vets want to come only offer a 1 year deal with the likey hood of getted dealt july 31

http://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-new-york-yankees/

B Gardner is a NL Guy he couild fit in COL



Hendley can bring some high minor talent like
49 Reynaldo Lopez R 22.9

Amateur FA (DOM) Jun'12 2 287 MLB Early 2017 #3 #5

lucas giolito
AAA SP 44 Lucas Giolito
Jose Marmolejos
 

j-man

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i say forget 2017 focus on 18 19
1 we have NO Ace no Number 1 Tauka is a 2 at best we need to know the tax first if vets want to come only offer a 1 year deal with the likey hood of getted dealt july 31

http://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-new-york-yankees/

B Gardner is a NL Guy he couild fit in COL



Hendley can bring some high minor talent like
49 Reynaldo Lopez R 22.9

Amateur FA (DOM) Jun'12 2 287 MLB Early 2017 #3 #5

lucas giolito
AAA SP 44 Lucas Giolito
Jose Marmolejos

here is a crazy idea trade CC Back to Cle with the yanks playing 23 mil of 25 mil cle can send like a player to be named
 

j-man

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i say forget 2017 focus on 18 19
1 we have NO Ace no Number 1 Tauka is a 2 at best we need to know the tax first if vets want to come only offer a 1 year deal with the likey hood of getted dealt july 31

http://www.rosterresource.com/mlb-new-york-yankees/

B Gardner is a NL Guy he couild fit in COL



Hendley can bring some high minor talent like
49 Reynaldo Lopez R 22.9 or

Amateur FA (DOM) Jun'12 2 287 MLB Early 2017 #3 #5

lucas giolito
AAA SP 44 Lucas Giolito
[
 

j-man

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if u want to go the old way there are only 3 FA Jansen or chapman 4y 80 mil or y ceneris 5 Y 110 M WITH A OPINTON after 2019
 

j-man

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I'll be very shocked if they trade a lot of young talent for almost anyone, Cashman knows they're not close to contention yet and he is still in stockpiling young talent mode.

I think they will:

1) Go after a premium reliever, Chapman #1 on the list.

2) Bring in a lefty power hitter for DH, Beltran or maybe Brandon Moss or Matt Holliday, not giving up a first round pick and not going to too many years, ideally 1-2.

3) Gardner and Headley will probably get traded, but probably not this winter, as their replacements (Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar) aren't quite ready yet. If Andujar doesn't keep developing, Manny Machado may be their top target after 2018, and Headley's contract goes through 2018, so that works out well.

4) Rotation: I am not sure they bring in anyone here, they have a ton of options and they need to see which of them can potentially cut it, since Pineda and Sabathia's contracts are up after 2017 and Tanaka can opt out also, leaving them with no locks for the 2018 rotation as of now. Severino, Warren, Cessa, Green, Adams, Montgomery, pick two of those guys in spring training to fill out the rotation.
Holliday i have to watch that guy every game near st louis he is DONE Beltran love him but only on a 1 year deal dang if we can get machado wow but we are always going to be good on off with that short wall
we need guys that can throw low and smart
 

jon abbey

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Rich Hill is definitely getting at least three years from someone, maybe even four.
 

hbk72777

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I've been reading everywhere that the Yankees want an everyday DH. Is that really something they need? I thought the flexibility would be better, getting the young players at bats even when they have a day off in the field. I'd like to see them use all available money on pitching, starters, middle relievers. While the pitching market sucks this year, a multi year deal for Encarnacion would be another nightmare and take away funds from the '17, '18 markets.

I can't see any decent DH willing to accept a 1 year deal..
 

BigMike

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Rich Hill is definitely getting at least three years from someone, maybe even four.
The thought that some team might give Rich Hill 3-4 years is just beyond insane. Especially at what will probably be a mid teens annual rate.

This is a guy whose whopping 110 innings last year is more than he has thrown the previous 5 seasons, and who has topped 100 innings twice in his career.

A one year deal may work out, maybe he gives you 100 innings, and is healthy at postseason. That would be a huge year for him. And probably a 1/3 chance he reaches that level
 

jon abbey

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The thought that some team might give Rich Hill 3-4 years is just beyond insane. Especially at what will probably be a mid teens annual rate.

This is a guy whose whopping 110 innings last year is more than he has thrown the previous 5 seasons, and who has topped 100 innings twice in his career.

A one year deal may work out, maybe he gives you 100 innings, and is healthy at postseason. That would be a huge year for him. And probably a 1/3 chance he reaches that level
I'm against most big multi-year deals in most cases at this point, but the interesting thing about Hill is that if he is healthy (obviously a huge if), it seems like he will almost certainly give you very good performance, so he won't clog your team with an underperforming big contract that is difficult to bench.
 

jon abbey

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So, for instance, I'd be happy to give him say 3/36 if I ran the Dodgers and had money to burn, and then just not count on him as one of my five rotation guys. I think it's a unique situation.
 

jon abbey

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Joel Sherman writes about this today:

"With five weeks until Christmas, the Yankees’ shopping list looks like this: 1) Aroldis Chapman. 2) Further bullpen depth, particularly a proven lefty. 3) Improve the rotation. 4) Value shop for a hitter."

http://nypost.com/2016/11/19/the-tightrope-yankees-walk-with-their-4-item-offseason-wish-list/

I think 1 and 4 are correct, and 2 and 3 will end up being filled internally. Severino is a big factor here, if he ends up in the bullpen along with Betances and hopefully Chapman, that is an extremely strong back end.
 

Wingack

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Any acquisition of a veteran by the Yankees this year (outside of Chapman) has to be treated like the way the A's usually run things. Short term deals, with the hopes of dealing them at the trading deadline.
 

Papelbon's Poutine

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Any acquisition of a veteran by the Yankees this year (outside of Chapman) has to be treated like the way the A's usually run things. Short term deals, with the hopes of dealing them at the trading deadline.
Yeah, I was going to ask earlier and couldn't quite get around to how to phrase it right. I'd have to ask why even go after Chapman? You guys have done an amazing job of restocking the farm and getting the brass on board with an actual, honest to goodness rebuild. Why go commit all that money to Chapman? In hopes of a faster rebound to contention? Plans for 2018+?
 

jon abbey

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It's a good question, I'd say that they have money to spend, they think Chapman will retain his stuff through the contract, he won't cost a first round pick, he's proven pitching in NY isn't an issue, and his contract shouldn't interfere with any other moves in future years. If the plan is to be contenders in 2019 and beyond, Chapman can certainly be part of that.
 

Lose Remerswaal

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I also think yhat the yanks need to appear to be doing something and signing Chapman does that. It also protects Betances and also fills that much needed Domestic Abuser position externally instead of internally.
 

jon abbey

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There's a lot of talk about McCutchen being traded, and NY would seem to be a pretty good fit if PIT didn't value him too insanely highly, as he'd immediately be their best outfielder and NY obviously have lots of prospects to offer.

But I think it would have to be two unconnected deals, McCutchen to NY for prospects (Mateo as the lead guy?) and Gardner for lesser prospects to someone else. Ellsbury (unmovable contract) and Judge will be two of NY's OF starters next year, so Gardner would have to go if McCutchen came, and PIT wouldn't take Gardner back because his deal is almost the same as McCutchen's, 2/25 and 2/28.5. Obviously McCutchen's 2016 raises question marks, but he was 3/1/3/5 in the MVP voting from 2012-2015 and just turned 30 in October.

I wrote a long post about this last summer before the trading deadline, but I think I ended up never posting it because it didn't seem to make sense mid-season, but I think it's more possible now. Supposedly PIT isn't just listening to offers on McCutchen, they are making the calls and offering him around.
 

jon abbey

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It looks like Melancon may sign first of the big three relievers, SF and WAS both said to have offered 4/60 or more. I wonder what Cashman's limit for Chapman is, maybe 4/85 (total guess)?
 

jon abbey

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If WAS pulls off the Sale for prospects deal, I think they're more likely to then go big after Chapman and maybe outbid NY.

I'd definitely like Chapman back at a non-insane price, but NY also seems to me to have a lot of guys with huge arms in the minors who could maybe be dominant in relief (starting with Severino, who had amazing numbers in relief down the stretch this year, 0.39 ERA in 23 innings over 2 months, a .105 BAA). Domingo Acevedo is another, he gets it up to 103 and Keith Law thinks he has no chance to stick as a starter (FWIW).
 

jon abbey

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Not such huge news, but NY's first round pick moves up from #17 to #16 with the Rockies' signing of Desmond.
 

grimshaw

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Curious if any of you think if the Angels ever cash in on Trout, that the Yankees have enough/would be players for him. And would they do that over using chips for starting?

It's been a while since they have had the star power to put asses in seats, and with the Sox stealing the spotlight and widening the talent gap, don't they have to do something? I know the free agent class is ridiculous next off season, but are the fans going to be patient until then?
 

jon abbey

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What they're doing is obviously the smartest way to build, and what fans react to more than anything is winning. Right now NY has the best and deepest system in the game (amazing how far they've come with this just since last June's draft), so if anyone has the pieces for Trout, they do, but I think they would prefer to keep the boatload of talent that would take and pay up for Harper and/or Machado in two years.

As BOS fans have seen with guys like Betts and Bogaerts, the real value in today's game is having pre-arb guys develop into stars, but of course they can't do that if you don't give them the chance. NY is going to give a lot of guys chances in 2017 and probably 2018, we will see how they all pan out.
 

jon abbey

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So with the addition of Chapman, I wonder if NY can get any value back for one year of Clippard ($6.15M), who should have built up some value in the last few months in NY after a weak few months in ARI. WAS knows him well and he had nothing but success there and they need bullpen help, that seems like a good fit all around.

NY has guys like Heller and Holder and even Gallegos who they would love to give a chance to in Clippard's spot, I think. This is where NY stands with 40 man bullpen options:

Locks:

Clippard
Betances
Chapman

In the SP picture, otherwise big helps to the MLB bullpen:

Severino
Warren

Other possibilities from guys on the 40 man currently:

Layne/Bleier/Enns/Shreve (one of these gets the lefty spot if NY doesn't sign someone to bump them all)
Holder
Heller
Mitchell
Gallegos
Goody
Barbato

So if they can move Clippard, a bullpen potentially of Mitchell/Warren, one of those lefties (Layne?), Holder, Heller, Severino, Betances and Chapman, I will sign up for that.
 

jon abbey

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I think NY is probably pretty close to set for now, here is Joel Sherman's latest on both them and the Mets:

http://nypost.com/2016/12/13/yankees-mets-floating-vets-in-deals-as-only-way-to-tweak-rosters/

If I were Cashman, I would be:

1) trying to get WAS to give me an actual prospect or two for Tyler Clippard, who seems like a great fit in WAS for multiple reasons as explained in the previous post.

2) trying to move Gardner to the Mets for Granderson. They have similar salaries (Gardner under contract for 2 years, Granderson for 1), the Mets need an actual CF and could play Cespedes/Gardner/Conforto with Lagares as the 4th guy and move Bruce. The Yankees get the LHH power of Granderson back for a season, and clear salary for 2018 as well as an outfield spot for Clint Frazier.
 

jon abbey

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The offseason YES show with Jack Curry had Cashman on Tuesday night for a 30 minute interview, fairly interesting. He said that he thinks NY is 99.9 percent set as far as free agents/trades, but he is staying in touch with agents about FA prices and keeping Hal posted as markets seemingly crater.

That part was reported by the beat writers, but what I didn't see anywhere was when they asked him "Which rookie do you think can make the team this year?" and instead of going to an obvious candidate like Judge or Holder, his response was to rave about Chance Adams, how he destroyed (his word) both high-A and AA last year, keeping his stuff from pitches 1-100 and doing it from April-September, and saying that if he kept it going, he could make an impact in the bigs this year.

This is why I think Severino is going to end up as a Betances-like bullpen weapon pretty quickly if he doesn't get it together in the rotation (either in MLB or AAA) in the first couple months, plenty of SP options even if Severino and Warren are in the big league pen (Cessa, Green, Mitchell, Montgomery, Adams, even Enns is a longshot), and guys like Kaprielian and Sheffield and Acevedo not too far behind. NY's rotations look loaded at every minor league level coming into the season, and they need to start auditioning those guys in the bigs ASAP to see which are genuine assets.
 

Section30

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Betances feels disrespected by the Yankees after Levine describes him as "a victim of his agent"

"I was planning on putting everything behind me until I was aware of Randy Levine's comments saying I was the victim in this whole process and saying how much they love me, but then they take me in a room, trash me for about an hour-and-a-half," Betances said. "I thought that was unfair."

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18711546/new-york-yankees-president-blasts-dellin-betances-agent-arbitration-case
 

jon abbey

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Betances feels disrespected by the Yankees after Levine describes him as "a victim of his agent"

"I was planning on putting everything behind me until I was aware of Randy Levine's comments saying I was the victim in this whole process and saying how much they love me, but then they take me in a room, trash me for about an hour-and-a-half," Betances said. "I thought that was unfair."

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18711546/new-york-yankees-president-blasts-dellin-betances-agent-arbitration-case
Covered at length in the spring training thread.