Tulowitzki to NY

jon abbey

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Yes! I was just arguing for this the other day, now Machado can play 3B as he should:


Jeff Passan

Free agent shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is in agreement on a deal with the New York Yankees pending a physical, league sources tell ESPN. Tulowitzki is expected to join the Yankees on a league-minimum deal, with the Toronto Blue Jays paying the remainder of his $20 million salary.

 

jon abbey

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I believe that NY didn't want Machado at SS or Andujar at 3B next year, and that before Tulo became available, they were looking at Galvis or Iglesias or Hechavarria, but Tulo is both cheaper (because TOR is paying him) and has more offensive upside while still being solid defensively (obviously, if he is healthy, but such a cheap gamble).
 

InstaFace

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I guess with the contractual offset language, Tulowitzki had no financial upside that anyone could offer him. I do wonder a bit why nobody else could promise him more playing time than the Yankees could, though.
 

Brand Name

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Maybe it roots for just wanting to fulfill his childhood dream team? He wore 2 with Colorado and Toronto because of Jeter. With the money fixed as you mention, the emotional aspect may have taken precedence?
 

jon abbey

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I guess with the contractual offset language, Tulowitzki had no financial upside that anyone could offer him. I do wonder a bit why nobody else could promise him more playing time than the Yankees could, though.
He wants to be a fulltime SS ideally and NY presumably offered him that for at least half a season and maybe the whole season if Didi doesn't come back well and he performs, I doubt many other teams would commit to that and certainly no other teams as good or with as fun personnel around him.

Galvis and Iglesias and Hechavarria are all still out there and maybe better bets than Tulo coming off surgery on both heels at 34 (certainly all better defensively although Tulo should be ok), pricier but presumably not that much. And that's not even getting into all of the second basemen out there...
 

jon abbey

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Good piece by Lindsay Adler in the Athletic, I wonder if she got some advance warning this was coming because it is a long piece written quickly after midnight on NYD. An excerpt:

“Toronto believes they know the player they released in December, and that he probably does not have the capacity to be an effective major-league shortstop at this point in his career.

“He will have to overachieve to play shortstop at (an) above-average level with above-average offensive performance for 140 games,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins told Toronto reporters during the Winter Meetings. “That would be unlikely based on what has occurred in the last two-and-a-half years.”

But Tulowitzki held a showcase for scouts the next week in Long Beach, Calif., and a person in attendance told The Athletic’s Robert Murray at the time that the shortstop moved well, and that “Obviously, he has to overcome the injury history. But if he’s healthy, he can help.””
 

mauidano

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League minimum is all it costs. Rockies on the hook for $38MM over the next two years. Very low risk and potential high reward move. Been away a year and a half.
 

BaseballJones

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Very good move for the Yankees in basically every way. Virtually no risk, potentially big upside. I hate when they make smart decisions.
 

Morgan's Magic Snowplow

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The only way this hurts the Yankees is if it affects their chances of landing Machado. Many people are speculating it won't but who really knows whats going on in Machado's head.

Otherwise, its a no-brainer move due to the negligible cost. But I don't think there is all that much upside either. Even if he stays on the field, 18 months is a long time to miss at Tulo's age and he was already showing some pretty severe signs of decline before losing all that time.
 

Minneapolis Millers

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The only way this hurts the Yankees is if it affects their chances of landing Machado. Many people are speculating it won't but who really knows whats going on in Machado's head....
Agreed. We've seen suggestions that Machado would prefer to play SS, but it's probably one of many factors, with $$$ likely being high(er) on the list. Still, this looks to relegate Machado to 3rd in NY. That works well for NY, but maybe it's a tie-breaker if Philly or CWS offers SS playing time.
 

jon abbey

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Machado has said all along, including last summer, that he’d be happy to play 3B in the right situation. PHI traded for Segura, Machado is likely playing 3B wherever he chooses (which will be NY).
 

jon abbey

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if Manny ends up in NYC, is it assumed first base will be the eventual home for Andujar?

or does he get traded?
This is up in the air, my guess would be everyday DH or traded. I think he would be great at everyday DH and he potentially has a special bat, but if he is dealt, next man up is Clint Frazier who I also think potentially has a special bat.

That being said, Hal said something in an interview this winter about Andujar to 1B, so if he is not dealt, I think he’ll at least get some reps there this spring.
 

Murderer's Crow

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if Manny ends up in NYC, is it assumed first base will be the eventual home for Andujar?

or does he get traded?
At this point, it's most likely that he would slide over to first to begin his tryout at 1B. If we were still in need of a SP, I would emphatically believe that he was getting flipped for a frontline starter.

In order of likelihood, I'd say 1B then DH then trade.

Assuming he has staying power at first, I could see a platoon with Bird and a mixing in of Voit/Stanton at DH.
 

Pozo the Clown

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you just know he'll bounce back to a .800+ OPS and have shockingly rare good health through the entire season.
Tulo circa 2019 feels/looks/smells a lot like Grady Sizemore circa 2014: a formerly great player who hasn't been very good or very healthy for quite awhile.

It wouldn't surprise me if Ellsbury ends up with a higher WAR than Tulo in 2019.
 

jon abbey

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Tulo circa 2019 feels/looks/smells a lot like Grady Sizemore circa 2014: a formerly great player who hasn't been very good or very healthy for quite awhile.

It wouldn't surprise me if Ellsbury ends up with a higher WAR than Tulo in 2019.
I think he'll need to be traded for that, with six outfielders ahead of him in NY currently, but if he is, certainly possible.
 

jon abbey

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Dan O'Dowd said on MLBN that Tulo had 15 or 16 major league offers, he has obviously always wanted to play for the Yankees and their SS spot is open until Didi is back, so he chose them.
 

Sandy Leon Trotsky

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It makes sense.... it's a good deal for both team and player and I still think Tulo has a better chance of staying healthy and returning to some form of his former self than Ellsbury.
 

jon abbey

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I was just coming to look for this thread, thanks. He wound up with a whopping 11 ABs for NY, but at least he got to (very very briefly) fulfill his childhood dream of playing for NY.