Alvarez made just under $6 million last year, I doubt he's doubling his salary in 2016. And I don't think he played any 3B last year, he's just not a good fielder.
Although he did play in college with David Price, so he's got that going for him.
NY offseason 2015/2016
- Thread starter jon abbey
- Start date
Although he did play in college with David Price, so he's got that going for him.
The extra money would be to try to get him to commit to a one year deal in what looks like a bench role, but after I posted the above, I looked at his home run chart, and the bulk of his power is to center as opposed to pulled to RF, so maybe not quite as good of a fit as I thought.
I thought the Yankees missed an opportunity to get younger and more athletic by signing Heyward, an acquisition that made sense from a baseball perspective. You make room for him by trading Gardner (if you can't trade Beltran) and using Hicks as a 4th OF for one year. The strategy of waiting for big contracts to expire, and signing a guy like B.Harper a few years from now, is extremely problematic. Most notably, Harper is the face of the Nationals franchise and the owner has deep pockets. Even though his agent is Boras, the Nationals will probably extend Harper at some point with a massive contract.
Alvarez might get a starting job somewhere; I think the Orioles should go after him and forget about the idea of paying Chris Davis.
Pretty doubtful IMO, not only is Boras his agent, but I'd be surprised if there hasn't been some kind of covert communication between NY and Harper, one way or the other or both. If you don't believe that Harper wants to be a Yankee, then I agree that it doesn't make sense, but there's at least some evidence that he does.
Also they've been trying to trade Gardner and presumably haven't been happy with what's been offered, plus don't forget they have Judge on the brink in AAA.
Also it's not just Harper likely hitting FA after 2018, the list of potential FAs (obviously not all of them will get there) is insane:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/why-the-incredible-class-of-2018-will-change-mlb-as-we-know-it-051035127-mlb.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/why-the-incredible-class-of-2018-will-change-mlb-as-we-know-it-051035127-mlb.html
Please provide a list of those that have and have not had the secret meetings with the Yankees. Thx.
I know Harper grew up a Yankees fan and it was always his dream to play for the Yankees. That could be a factor. Then again, it is impossible to determine what will motivate Harper at this point. For example, maybe Harper will come to appreciate the idea of spending his entire career with one organization, like a Yaz, Brett, Tony Gwynn, and will want to resign with the Nats. The Nats owner is one of the richest owners in baseball, he has spent big bucks on Boras clients and was interested in giving big bucks to Heyward. I can't picture him letting Harper go, the face of his franchise, without a fight. I would fully expect the owner to offer Harper a massive 400 million contract to keep him there.
Joe Pos wrote the other day he thinks it might take $500M:
http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/bryce-harper-500-million-man/
http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/bryce-harper-500-million-man/
Updating after the Chapman acquisition:
C: McCann
1B: Teixeira
2B: Castro
SS: Gregorius
3B: Headley
LF: Gardner
CF: Ellsbury
RF: Beltran
DH: A-Rod
bench: Sanchez/Romine, Ackley, backup 3B, Hicks
rotation: Tanaka, Eovaldi, Severino, Pineda, Sabathia (Nova in AAA?)
bullpen: ???, ???, ???, Lindgren, Miller, Betances, Chapman
C: McCann
1B: Teixeira
2B: Castro
SS: Gregorius
3B: Headley
LF: Gardner
CF: Ellsbury
RF: Beltran
DH: A-Rod
bench: Sanchez/Romine, Ackley, backup 3B, Hicks
rotation: Tanaka, Eovaldi, Severino, Pineda, Sabathia (Nova in AAA?)
bullpen: ???, ???, ???, Lindgren, Miller, Betances, Chapman
NY still has an open bench spot, ideally someone who can play 3B so Castro never has to. Juan Uribe is the much-rumored obvious choice, but I am still hoping for Pedro Alvarez, who is a defensive disaster but would be an awesome bench bat.
What are the chances it goes to Refsnyder and he becomes a UT IF/OF guy? Seems like the Castro acquisition all but dooms Refsnyder to a utility role or trade bait. He played OF in college so that shouldn't be a problem. Bench of Ackley, Hicks, etc. could use a R bat?
I don't think he can play 3B, and Castro is the only one on the roster besides Headley who theoretically can, and he's never actually done it plus he is already the starting 2B and backup SS. I think Refsnyder is going back to AAA next to Bird and in front of Judge, for one of the better right sides of a AAA team that you will see.
Alvarez is from the Bronx right?
Really would be a great fit. He also gives the Yankees A-Rod insurance.
Really would be a great fit. He also gives the Yankees A-Rod insurance.
What do you guys think about Yates? His splits are pretty terrible but I'm wonder if they think they see something in him. Just filling up the 40 man?
Yeah, although current A-Rod insurance would be getting Beltran out of the OF and playing Hicks there, with Williams or Heathcott moving into the 4th OF spot, and Judge also as a possibility if he's ready.
He had good minor league numbers and seems to have OK stuff, but has indeed been awful since being called up, and a RHP who gives up that many HRs in Yankee Stadium is pretty petrifying. I'm guessing just another arm to throw into the mix, not a favorite to make the team.
Poor mans replacement for Warren. At the least he can be a functional ROOGIE, a luxury a team with so many LHP'ers in the pen can afford. Had a down year last year, but with many RP'ers w/o much of a track record a season is a SSS, so if the HR's were just bad luck he should be a positive regression candidate. Hal has a bigger weekly lunch budget than he cost him, and they have room on the 40 man, so there is not risk here and some potential for reward
Former Red Sox draft pick too. Yankees of late seem to love anyone with a Red Sox connection, even if he never signed
So it seems like maybe Cashman is planning on using the last bench spot for roster flexibility also, much like he used a couple of the bullpen spots last year. Interesting quotes here:
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2016/01/11/cashman-starlin-castro-positioned-yankees-backup-third-baseman/
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2016/01/11/cashman-starlin-castro-positioned-yankees-backup-third-baseman/
Well, looks like they have filled that last bench spot/40 man roster spot:
http://nypost.com/2016/01/13/yankees-obtain-left-handed-pitcher-infielder-from-dodgers/
40 man definitely, both of those guys are added and now they are back to 40.
But I think they are actually leaning towards Refsnyder to fill out the bench, based on quotes from Cashman and Girardi this week.
"So who fits that open spot on the bench?
“Is it a (Rob) Refsnyder?” Girardi said. “And if it is, his versatility becomes really important for us as well.”"
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2016/01/12/girardi-indicates-significant-playing-time-yankees-bench/
But I think they are actually leaning towards Refsnyder to fill out the bench, based on quotes from Cashman and Girardi this week.
"So who fits that open spot on the bench?
“Is it a (Rob) Refsnyder?” Girardi said. “And if it is, his versatility becomes really important for us as well.”"
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2016/01/12/girardi-indicates-significant-playing-time-yankees-bench/
Buster Olney has been ranking team units this past week across both leagues, and he is generally pretty high on the Yankees. He only does the top 10 (in his opinion obviously, although he talks to many scouts also), here are NY's rankings along with other AL East teams where applicable:
Outfields: NY (5th), BOS (4th)
Infields: NY (10th), TOR (4th)
Bullpens: NY (1st), BOS (3rd), TOR (7th), BAL (9th)
Rotations: NY (not listed), TB (10th). 8 of the 10 are in the NL, CLE and TB are the only 2 AL rotations to make his cut.
It's really looking like a three team race with TOR, BOS and NY in the AL East this year, should be fun.
Outfields: NY (5th), BOS (4th)
Infields: NY (10th), TOR (4th)
Bullpens: NY (1st), BOS (3rd), TOR (7th), BAL (9th)
Rotations: NY (not listed), TB (10th). 8 of the 10 are in the NL, CLE and TB are the only 2 AL rotations to make his cut.
It's really looking like a three team race with TOR, BOS and NY in the AL East this year, should be fun.
Mostly track record evidently, I was surprised also. Hicks seems like a very good 4th OF, though, and they do have Judge and Slade Heathcott and Mason Williams behind the five guys listed here, dunno if that's a factor. Here is the full writeup:
"A track record means something, which is why the Yankees are placed this high on this list, but for the team's regular outfielders, 2015 was a very strange year. Right fielder Carlos Beltran was sick in spring training and got off to such a terrible start that there were questions about whether he was finished as an MLB player at age 38. But from May 1 to the end of the season, he batted .295 with 19 homers and an .862 OPS.
Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury essentially carried the offense through the early part of the season, but in the second half, they were among the worst run-producers in MLB. Of the 256 players with at least 150 plate appearances after the All-Star break, Gardner and Ellsbury had the 12th and 13th-lowest OPS, respectively.
To help cover up for some of the uncertainty in the team's aging outfield -- and to get younger -- the Yankees added Aaron Hicks, a talented player who sometimes frustrated the Twins with what they felt was an inconsistent approach. The Yankees also will use Dustin Ackley in their outfield mix; he showed good bat speed at the end of last season."
BOS/NY/KC (8th) are the only 3 AL teams ranked in OF, I'm starting to think this series of rankings is overrating NL teams in general.
"A track record means something, which is why the Yankees are placed this high on this list, but for the team's regular outfielders, 2015 was a very strange year. Right fielder Carlos Beltran was sick in spring training and got off to such a terrible start that there were questions about whether he was finished as an MLB player at age 38. But from May 1 to the end of the season, he batted .295 with 19 homers and an .862 OPS.
Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury essentially carried the offense through the early part of the season, but in the second half, they were among the worst run-producers in MLB. Of the 256 players with at least 150 plate appearances after the All-Star break, Gardner and Ellsbury had the 12th and 13th-lowest OPS, respectively.
To help cover up for some of the uncertainty in the team's aging outfield -- and to get younger -- the Yankees added Aaron Hicks, a talented player who sometimes frustrated the Twins with what they felt was an inconsistent approach. The Yankees also will use Dustin Ackley in their outfield mix; he showed good bat speed at the end of last season."
BOS/NY/KC (8th) are the only 3 AL teams ranked in OF, I'm starting to think this series of rankings is overrating NL teams in general.
Mildly funny, I happened to notice that every acquisition that Cashman has made since last trading deadline ranked very high on the BA 2010 top prospects list:
#11-Ackley
#16-Castro
#19-Hicks
#22-Chapman
Pedro Alvarez was #8 on that list, Brian, you know you want to...
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2010/269546.html
#11-Ackley
#16-Castro
#19-Hicks
#22-Chapman
Pedro Alvarez was #8 on that list, Brian, you know you want to...
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2010/269546.html
