2019-20 Yankees Offseason Discussion

YankeesIsrael

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So with Hicks out most if not the entire season, the teams OF options are at Stanton, Judge, Tauchman, Gardner and Maybin. I guess it remains to be seen if Stanton will primarily be the LF or DH to determine who will most likely return.
They also have Frazier. He even has some CF experience.
 

jon abbey

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Normally I would be kind of irritated that Hicks didn't just get the surgery 2-3 months ago so he could miss much less of next season, but dude beat Verlander in a ALCS game and I will take that tradeoff.

Also kind of excited there is a road for Maybin to come back now, he has already said how much he loves it here and how much he would like to come back, but it didn't look possible before this news.
 

TheDivision

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Also kind of excited there is a road for Maybin to come back now, he has already said how much he loves it here and how much he would like to come back, but it didn't look possible before this news.
Me too and and also excited to see how Gio and Tauchman will produce over a full season.
 

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I'm glad Voit got surgery as I'm guessing that injury was lingering for him and that's why he played so bad. That gives me hope for him going forward.
 

jon abbey

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Buster Olney just tweeted “Sources: Yankees have discussed making a change at pitching coach and moving on from Larry Rothschild.”
 

EvilEmpire

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I'm not a fan of this kind of information leaking before a decision is made and executed. Sucks for Rothschild.
 

jon abbey

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Well, it was only a few minutes early, EE, seems like he’s gone.

“Larry Rothschild is being removed as #Yankees pitching coach. NYY will likely announce later today offically. “-Joel Sherman
 

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It's official. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27949790/yankees-announce-pitching-coach-larry-rothschild-return

"I want to personally thank Larry for his near decade of commitment to this organization. Larry cares deeply about his craft and the pitchers under his tutelage, and he played a significant role in our successes over the past nine seasons. There's a reason why Larry has had the type of distinguished baseball career he's had, and it starts with experience and dedication that is difficult to emulate," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said in a statement.
 

TheDivision

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The team probably needed a change, but Rothschild should get credit for helping Paxton turn it around.
 

jon abbey

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I don't see it now, but one of the beat guys said that he would guess NY would replace Rothschild with two people eventually, a pitching coach and an assistant, which I like.
 

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I don't see it now, but one of the beat guys said that he would guess NY would replace Rothschild with two people eventually, a pitching coach and an assistant, which I like.
As they do with the hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere? Any thoughts on the rest of the staff?
 

jon abbey

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As they do with the hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere? Any thoughts on the rest of the staff?
This is just about the pitching side of things, Rothschild was brought in by Girardi and it was time to update things. Lindsay Adler in The Athletic has details about how the shakeup is organizational:

"Although Rothschild is the only announced change to the major league pitching staff, his dismissal comes as the organization is turning over nearly their entire pitching development infrastructure. In a radical overhauling of their minor league coaching system, the Yankees fired the pitching coaches at nearly all of their affiliate levels.

The changes throughout the organization have been taking place over the course of the season. Danny Borrell, who spent 11 seasons working in the Yankees minor league system and the last five as their lead pitching coordinator, left to become the pitching coach at Georgia Tech. The Yankees then hired Sam Briend as their new director of pitching, a role that would have overseen Borrell. He was previously the director of player development at Driveline Baseball.

The Yankees also recently dismissed Scott Aldred, who was the pitching coordinator at the high-minors level. Other changes include: Tim Norton, pitching coach for the Double A Trenton Thunder; Gabe Luckert, pitching coach for the Low A Charleston RiverDogs; and Justin Pope, pitching coach for the Gulf Coast Yankees.

Tommy Phelps, the pitching coach for the Triple A RailRiders, was retained.

It should be expected that the Yankees finally turn fully “new school” in their hiring process for a new pitching coach. Their analytics department is one of the most extensive in the major leagues and they have invested heavily in the new pitching technology that assists pitchers in pitch design and in refining their mechanics. Briend will likely have significant influence as the Yankees go through the process of hiring a new major league pitching coach.

Some teams in the major leagues are now carrying two primary pitching coaches on their staffs now. Across town, the Mets replaced pitching coach Dave Eiland in June with 82-year-old Phil Regan and 37-year-old Jeremy Accardo as a pitching strategist. The Braves employ pitching coach Rick Kranitz and bullpen coach Marty Reed. The Yankees have done well with the double-barreled approach from hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere."

https://theathletic.com/1331317/2019/10/28/larry-rothschilds-firing-highlights-a-radical-overhaul-of-the-yankees-pitching-development-infrastructure/
 

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Any thought to Searage becoming the primary pitching coach? Purely speculative, but Pittsburgh fired him earlier this month, and he was Cole’s first guy in the majors if that’s of remote interest to possibly woo Gerrit.
 

jon abbey

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Any thought to Searage becoming the primary pitching coach? Purely speculative, but Pittsburgh fired him earlier this month, and he was Cole’s first guy in the majors if that’s of remote interest to possibly woo Gerrit.
Interesting, although obviously Cole took a big leap after leaving PIT.

I don't really know what's going on, but it will be interesting to see what Sam Briend's title is at the end. His hiring over the summer is certainly connected to this, I posted about that here back then:

https://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?threads/ny-hires-sam-briend-as-director-of-pitching.27650/
 

TheDivision

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This is just about the pitching side of things, Rothschild was brought in by Girardi and it was time to update things. Lindsay Adler in The Athletic has details about how the shakeup is organizational:

"Although Rothschild is the only announced change to the major league pitching staff, his dismissal comes as the organization is turning over nearly their entire pitching development infrastructure. In a radical overhauling of their minor league coaching system, the Yankees fired the pitching coaches at nearly all of their affiliate levels.

The changes throughout the organization have been taking place over the course of the season. Danny Borrell, who spent 11 seasons working in the Yankees minor league system and the last five as their lead pitching coordinator, left to become the pitching coach at Georgia Tech. The Yankees then hired Sam Briend as their new director of pitching, a role that would have overseen Borrell. He was previously the director of player development at Driveline Baseball.

The Yankees also recently dismissed Scott Aldred, who was the pitching coordinator at the high-minors level. Other changes include: Tim Norton, pitching coach for the Double A Trenton Thunder; Gabe Luckert, pitching coach for the Low A Charleston RiverDogs; and Justin Pope, pitching coach for the Gulf Coast Yankees.

Tommy Phelps, the pitching coach for the Triple A RailRiders, was retained.

It should be expected that the Yankees finally turn fully “new school” in their hiring process for a new pitching coach. Their analytics department is one of the most extensive in the major leagues and they have invested heavily in the new pitching technology that assists pitchers in pitch design and in refining their mechanics. Briend will likely have significant influence as the Yankees go through the process of hiring a new major league pitching coach.

Some teams in the major leagues are now carrying two primary pitching coaches on their staffs now. Across town, the Mets replaced pitching coach Dave Eiland in June with 82-year-old Phil Regan and 37-year-old Jeremy Accardo as a pitching strategist. The Braves employ pitching coach Rick Kranitz and bullpen coach Marty Reed. The Yankees have done well with the double-barreled approach from hitting coach Marcus Thames and assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere."

https://theathletic.com/1331317/2019/10/28/larry-rothschilds-firing-highlights-a-radical-overhaul-of-the-yankees-pitching-development-infrastructure/
This is very good news, and hopefully this change in pitching culture will lead to pitchers being more successful in Pinstripes. Also, it's not like a precedent because the Astros are an organization to emulate with regards to pitching.
 

jon abbey

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Yeah, honestly, if I'm looking at the situation from the top down, I am much more concerned with why Sonny Gray and Lance Lynn were mediocre to bad for NY and instantly turned into All-Stars when they left. I would guess this shakeup has more to do with that and less to do with anything that actually happened this year.
 

jon abbey

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Abbey, the Yankees might have competition for your Francisco Lindor dream. The Dodgers are pursuing him, according to Jon Morisi.
It doesn't make too much sense for NY anyway, and as with Bauer, I think CLE would want to send him to the NL if at all possible (and as with Mookie, it's going to be close to impossible to convince their fan base that it's the right move if they move him).
 

sean1562

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man i had not been paying any attention to the rangers this year, Lance Lynn accumulated 7.6 bWAR?? the dodgers must be really down on seager I guess move him to 2b?
 

jon abbey

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man i had not been paying any attention to the rangers this year, Lance Lynn accumulated 7.6 bWAR?? the dodgers must be really down on seager I guess move him to 2b?
He could be part of the deal also, they have Lux too.
 

chawson

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Abbey, the Yankees might have competition for your Francisco Lindor dream. The Dodgers are pursuing him, according to Jon Morisi.
When I read that, my first thought was that Seager would be flipped to New York in a three-team trade. Not a lot of teams need shortstops and Seager’s a nice buy low.
 

jon abbey

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When I read that, my first thought was that Seager would be flipped to New York in a three-team trade. Not a lot of teams need shortstops and Seager’s a nice buy low.
NY doesn't really need a SS either, they have Gleyber and LeMahieu can slot back in as the everyday 2B, which is by far his best defensive position.

So I don't think they'd have too much interest in Seager, who hasn't quite returned to his pre-injury form yet. I do think they'd be very interested in Lindor because 1) he's Lindor and 2) there's been a good bit of smoke over the last couple of years about Lindor and NY having mutual interest. Olney predicted he'd end up in NY eventually a while back and just tonight, the MLB Trade Rumors chat guessed he'd end up in NY:

jeff in akron
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What team is the best fit for Lindor?

Connor Byrne
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Speaking of Yankees shortstops ... I think they make a lot of sense. Could keep Torres at 2B and continue to move LeMahieu around the INF.

https://www.jotcast.com/chat/mlbtr-live-chat-10-28-19-6305.html
 

sean1562

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would this push the indians into full fire sale mode? i cant see them being even kind of competitive without Lindor.
 

jon abbey

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would this push the indians into full fire sale mode? i cant see them being even kind of competitive without Lindor.
I mean, it depends what they got for him. They traded Bauer last summer and arguably made the team better. I don't think it's really the Dodgers style to push in too many chips for a guy they don't desperately need, but if they got back Seager or Lux for him, that's not a huge step back, plus whatever else they'd get besides that.
 

jon abbey

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Aaron Hicks posted in an Instagram story that he had successful surgery today.

 

jon abbey

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I'm ready to up my offer to Cole from the 8/248 in the first post to 8/264 ($33M per), plus I would offer Martin Maldonado 3/12 as the backup, Cole's personal catcher who has superb career defensive numbers, he is two years older than Romine (33 to 31). Last winter Maldonado and his agent Boras turned down 2/12 from Houston and ended up firing Boras and then having to sign for 1/2.5 with KC, and then traded twice midseason, so I think he'd be very happy to be offered 3/12.
 

RedOctober3829

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Edwin Encanarcion declined the $20 million option on his contract so he is a free agent. I can't imagine he'll be back in pinstripes. If Martinez opts out, I'd take him on the Red Sox. All depends on how Bloom and Cora want to distribute the DH at-bats.
 

jon abbey

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Actually that was a team option that NY declined, with a $5M buyout (not sure if they are the ones paying some or all of that with the complicated trades involving his contract last season).
 

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Actually that was a team option that NY declined, with a $5M buyout (not sure if they are the ones paying some or all of that with the complicated trades involving his contract last season).
Thanks, that makes much more sense. No way that EE would decline a guaranteed 20M
 

jon abbey

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Jon Heyman just tweeted:

"Aroldis Chapman prefers to remain a Yankee and will pursue an extension with the team. If no extension can be done quickly, he will opt out of the $30M and 2 years left on his contract. Whereupon the Yankees will extend the $17.8M qualifying offer (which he obvs would decline)"

This is what I thought would happen all season, with NY adding maybe a 3rd year to make it 3/45 remaining, but now I think they might let him go and take the compensation pick. This and whether they offer Didi a QO (this is such a tough call, I think he would likely accept if they offered and I don't think they really want that) and what I expect to be a very quick re-signing of Gardner will be the big things to watch for NY the next week or so.
 

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I know Yankees fans are spoiled and we have it good with Chapman but there is something about him that always seems like he is a ticking time bomb. I wouldn't be upset if he walked, especially considering how Cashman always finds bullpen arms to bolster the team. If he goes, though, I would expect Betances to be back for sure.
 

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Chapman has been very capable as a Yankee closer, and his 2016 trade to Chicago put Gleyber Torres in pinstripes for the next 15 years. Time to cut bait and move on.

Also, I am relying on the Jon Abbey Yankee newsletter via SOSH for my winter pinstripes fix. It’s all here in one place. With an honest interpretation of the facts, too.
 

jon abbey

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They have already interviewed two other young pitching coaches (from Michigan and Arkansas if I remember right). There are plenty of reasons someone wouldn't want to jump into that competition, they like it where they are, etc.
 

jon abbey

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Yeah, the same guy's followup tweets:

"Those are obviously big and positive developments for Arizona and TCU. It’s really difficult to pluck a premier pitching coach away from college baseball. The pay for those guys is already strong — and the job security is something that consistently comes up."

"Also, @umichbaseball’s Chris Fetter and @RazorbackBSB’s Matt Hobbs, as we reported a while back, both interviewed and are still considered candidates."
 

jon abbey

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Beltran leaves the Yankees for the Mets job, which is a loss but much less of one with Boone really growing into the managerial job this season.
 

sean1562

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I can’t imagine didi would turn down a QO. Even without one, what would his market be?
 
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jon abbey

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I can’t imagine didi would turn down a AO. Even without one, what would his market be?
Especially since the Reds just picked up the option on Galvis. The Twins could sign him just to make sure he doesn’t hit against them any more. :)
 

Van Everyman

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"Aroldis Chapman prefers to remain a Yankee and will pursue an extension with the team. If no extension can be done quickly, he will opt out of the $30M and 2 years left on his contract. Whereupon the Yankees will extend the $17.8M qualifying offer (which he obvs would decline)"
Would he get more than $30M/2yrs on the open market? I get that he had a very good season and notwithstanding how things ended didn't have a Kimbrel-style meltdown this postseason or anything.

But I have a hard time imagining another team inking Chapman to a long term, big money contract -- and after the Taubman controversy wouldn't discount (har) the blowback his DV past might have on depressing his market.
 

jon abbey

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Especially with the QO attached, but I think he’d probably beat that anyway.
 

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Less voices to deal with in college than in the pros. Plus much better job security at places like TCU and Arizona. They already make good money as well.
And good money goes a lot farther there as well. I know Yeskie's salary is speculated to be around 250K. He and Saarloos are both around 40, and may well have young families. Plus both have been away from the Professional grind for more than a decade.

Saarloos probably spends 15-25 nights on the road a season (not sure what they do on some of the Texas based road games). Probably is not away from his family (assuming he has one), for more than 4 days at any time. He probably only has to do about 12-16 plane flights during the season. I assume when he is at home, probably a 30 minute or less commute (maybe far below)

Quality of life is for most people Dramatically better for the TCU pitching coach then the Yankee coach, especially if you have been away from the professional grind for 10-15 years
 

RedOctober3829

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And good money goes a lot farther there as well. I know Yeskie's salary is speculated to be around 250K. He and Saarloos are both around 40, and may well have young families. Plus both have been away from the Professional grind for more than a decade.

Saarloos probably spends 15-25 nights on the road a season (not sure what they do on some of the Texas based road games). Probably is not away from his family (assuming he has one), for more than 4 days at any time. He probably only has to do about 12-16 plane flights during the season. I assume when he is at home, probably a 30 minute or less commute (maybe far below)

Quality of life is for most people Dramatically better for the TCU pitching coach then the Yankee coach, especially if you have been away from the professional grind for 10-15 years
There are a lot of summer days and nights away from their families on the recruiting trail for college coaches that need to be taken into account as well. It is not the grind that pro ball is, but college baseball is a big-time grind that take a lot of time away from families.
 

jon abbey

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One of the better Yankee follows on Twitter ('Yankeesource') proposed this lineup with guys currently under contract (so no Gardner, no Didi) and it looks pretty solid, offensively and defensively:

2B LeMahieu
RF Judge
SS Torres
LF Stanton
1B Voit
CF Tauchman
C Sanchez
DH Andujar
3B Urshela

That's not to say they can't improve on that, but that's a pretty solid starting point going into the offseason and it makes it very clear how huge it was that Cashman managed to add Voit, Urshela and Tauchman in the last 15 months for very little in acquisition costs.
 

jon abbey

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Plus all of Ford/Estrada/Wade/Clint/Higashioka still have options, 26 man roster next year which those guys are happy about. It's too bad because Higashioka has earned a shot and is out of options but I think the most important upgrade spot this winter is backup catcher. I don't think there are many lessons to be learned from this year's postseason results but one IMO definitely is try to rotate in two catchers in the postseason, even if the games are spread out, they are still so intense and draining on a C, especially with all of the constant sign switching needed currently. The new catcher should be as good defensively as they can find, any offense is a bonus. Maybe something like Maldonado if they can get Cole, and otherwise Jason Castro?

Now is when they are starting to miss Luis Torrens, who SD took in the rule 5 in winter 2016 at 20 even though he was nowhere near ready, kept him as a third catcher all season, then sent him back to low A in 2018 (!). This year he did well in AA at 23, NY has no high-level catching prospects currently, Torrens should be next up as someone with options after Higashioka, ah well.