After ten years and one World Series championship Joe Girardi is out as Yankee manager. The move was surprising to many. People assumed if he left it would be because he wanted to be with his family. Instead he leaves because Brian Cashman wants to look in a new direction.
It's simple GM, Brian Cashman wants someone who he can pay less and will listen more. Cashman wants someone who is more inclined to analytics. He wants someone who will manage but at the same time allow Cashman to have say in who plays.
Joe Girardi finished over 500 every year as the Yankee manager. He was a good manager and had a strong career. It would have been fine to bring Girardi back. However it's not a huge thing that he's not coming back. His contract was up and the Yankees obviously felt it was time. Being that Girardi was overachieving I would have brought him back. I don't think this will have a negative or a positive impact on the team. The Yankees will be an elite team in 2018 regardless of the manager.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Monday, October 23, 2017
The Yankees Impending Free Agents
The Yankees Free Agents (who stays and goes)
Brian Cashman (GM) - Brian Cashman has been one of baseballs best GM's. You can say he gave out some bad contracts but the Yankees have the finances to do that so it doesn't matter. He has given plenty of great deals also. Cashman turned the Yankees farm system around restocking it with guys like Gleyber Torres , Clint Frazier , Justus Sheffield and a whole bunch of other home grown studs. The Yankees will almost definitely keep Cashman as the GM and they should.
Joe Girardi (Manager ) - Girardi has been the Yankees manager since 2008. He won the title in 2009. Girardi often gets criticized for over managing or relying to much on his binder for making decisions. The truth is Girardi isn't perfect but he is a good manager. Girardi had his team over achieve in 2017. He is good with the young players. I believe the Yankees keep Girardi.
CC Sabathia (Starting Pitcher) - Sabathia turned back the clock in 2017. He was 10-1 following Yankee loses and came up clutch all season. Sabathia went 14-5 with a 3.69 era in the regular season. Sabathia still has knee issues that remain a concern. If I'm the Yankees I resign CC to a one year deal for about $10 million. Sabathia is effective and is great for the young players. He also brings needed depth to the Yankees.
Matt Holliday (DH) - Holliday had a great first half for the Yankees but a virus and other injuries derailed his season. Holliday started just one playoff game for the Yankees. He had a big homer of Craig Kimbrel and walk off homer against the Orioles. Holliday was a great mentor to Aaron Judge and has been a great player in his career. The Yankees will move on from Matt Holliday. I would not bring Holliday back.
Michael Pineda ( Starting Pitcher) - Pineda has had a strange career. He has great stuff but has always battled injuries and inconsistent play. Pineda was having a good season before Tommy John surgery ended his year. Pineda will likely be out for most of next year. If I'm the Yankees I think I bring him back for the league minimum it can't hurt. He will be rehabbing all season. Ultimately I think the Yankees let him leave. Another team will likely sign him as a reclamation project.
Jaime Garcia (starting pitcher) - Garcia was one of the Yankees midseason trade acquisitions. Garcia was mostly ineffective but was just some needed depth towards the end of the season. Garcia was good in relief in his only playoff appearance. I think the Yankees will let Garcia sign somewhere else.
Todd Frazier (third base) - The president of the thumbs down club was a huge success as a Yankee. His numbers may not show it but he provided some huge clutch playoff hits and was great in the Yankee clubhouse. I love Todd Frazier and what he brings to a baseball team but I think the Yankees won't resign him. They have Gleyber Torres , Miguel Andujar and Chase Headley. They are trying to get under the tax threshold. It's possibly that Frazier comes back on a 1 year deal but unfortunately for him third base is the teams most crowded position.
Mashario Tanaka (starting pitcher) (Can opt out of contract) - So many questions surround Tanaka. Will he opt out or stay under his current deal ? If he opts out will the Yankees resign him? Tanaka had his worst year as a pro as his era was in the mid 4's however his playoff era was under 2 and he was the Yankees playoff ace. Tanaka is due to make upwards of $20 million next season and with his elbow concerns I think he will ultimately stay a Yankee. If he opts out i think the Yankees resign him to an extension fair for both parties.
Recap
Resign- Cashman , Girardi , Sabathia , Tanaka
Leave via free agency - Holliday , Frazier , Pineda , Garcia
Brian Cashman (GM) - Brian Cashman has been one of baseballs best GM's. You can say he gave out some bad contracts but the Yankees have the finances to do that so it doesn't matter. He has given plenty of great deals also. Cashman turned the Yankees farm system around restocking it with guys like Gleyber Torres , Clint Frazier , Justus Sheffield and a whole bunch of other home grown studs. The Yankees will almost definitely keep Cashman as the GM and they should.
Joe Girardi (Manager ) - Girardi has been the Yankees manager since 2008. He won the title in 2009. Girardi often gets criticized for over managing or relying to much on his binder for making decisions. The truth is Girardi isn't perfect but he is a good manager. Girardi had his team over achieve in 2017. He is good with the young players. I believe the Yankees keep Girardi.
CC Sabathia (Starting Pitcher) - Sabathia turned back the clock in 2017. He was 10-1 following Yankee loses and came up clutch all season. Sabathia went 14-5 with a 3.69 era in the regular season. Sabathia still has knee issues that remain a concern. If I'm the Yankees I resign CC to a one year deal for about $10 million. Sabathia is effective and is great for the young players. He also brings needed depth to the Yankees.
Matt Holliday (DH) - Holliday had a great first half for the Yankees but a virus and other injuries derailed his season. Holliday started just one playoff game for the Yankees. He had a big homer of Craig Kimbrel and walk off homer against the Orioles. Holliday was a great mentor to Aaron Judge and has been a great player in his career. The Yankees will move on from Matt Holliday. I would not bring Holliday back.
Michael Pineda ( Starting Pitcher) - Pineda has had a strange career. He has great stuff but has always battled injuries and inconsistent play. Pineda was having a good season before Tommy John surgery ended his year. Pineda will likely be out for most of next year. If I'm the Yankees I think I bring him back for the league minimum it can't hurt. He will be rehabbing all season. Ultimately I think the Yankees let him leave. Another team will likely sign him as a reclamation project.
Jaime Garcia (starting pitcher) - Garcia was one of the Yankees midseason trade acquisitions. Garcia was mostly ineffective but was just some needed depth towards the end of the season. Garcia was good in relief in his only playoff appearance. I think the Yankees will let Garcia sign somewhere else.
Todd Frazier (third base) - The president of the thumbs down club was a huge success as a Yankee. His numbers may not show it but he provided some huge clutch playoff hits and was great in the Yankee clubhouse. I love Todd Frazier and what he brings to a baseball team but I think the Yankees won't resign him. They have Gleyber Torres , Miguel Andujar and Chase Headley. They are trying to get under the tax threshold. It's possibly that Frazier comes back on a 1 year deal but unfortunately for him third base is the teams most crowded position.
Mashario Tanaka (starting pitcher) (Can opt out of contract) - So many questions surround Tanaka. Will he opt out or stay under his current deal ? If he opts out will the Yankees resign him? Tanaka had his worst year as a pro as his era was in the mid 4's however his playoff era was under 2 and he was the Yankees playoff ace. Tanaka is due to make upwards of $20 million next season and with his elbow concerns I think he will ultimately stay a Yankee. If he opts out i think the Yankees resign him to an extension fair for both parties.
Recap
Resign- Cashman , Girardi , Sabathia , Tanaka
Leave via free agency - Holliday , Frazier , Pineda , Garcia
Thank you fans and Season Recap
Thank you to the Yankees for an incredible season and especially thank you to all the people who follow me and @bombersbeat my partner in crime. This was our third season having a Yankee account and although our first season in 2015 will always be special this year was the best. We gained a lot of knew followers and had so much fun. Thank you to the Yankees for an incredible year. Think of this year as 1995. They have a chance to start a knew dynasty with this core. It was a devastating way to go out tonight but championship days are ahead for this group. The Yankees coming out party has just begun. Again thank you to the Yankees and thank you to all our followers who made this fun. We will be with you guys all winter talking about what's next. Feel free to follow my personal account @petervitella also and follow my partner in crime @wstobin2. Thank you guys again for an incredible year. That's a wrap on the 2017 Yankees it was an incredible ride. Follow @bomberbeat2 and @bombersbeat in the offseason and chat with us all winter.
#pinstripepride #thankyou
Now for the season recap. Many didn't expect the Yankees to be a playoff team and they made it all the way to game 7 of the ALCS. The Baby Bombers were led by Aaron Judge , Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino. Greg Bird battled injuries but had an excellent end to the season and playoff run. CC Sabathia turned back the clock and was the Yankees stopper all season.
The Yankees made some big trades acquiring Sonny Gray from the Athletics and Todd Frazier , Tommy Kahnle and David Robertson from the White Sox. All of these guys will be back in 2017 with the exception of Frazier. He is a free agent and it remains to be seen if the Yankees resign him.
The Yankees future is bright. They took the Astros to 7 games in the ALCS. They came so close in what many called a rebuilding year. Aaron Judge is a lock to win the Rookie of the Year and has a great shot at the MVP also. Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorius had even better seasons than in 2016. Things are very bright for the Yankees moving forward.
Looking Back on 2017 and Forward to 2018
The Yankees lost a 3-2 series lead with losses in Games 6 and 7 but in the process showed Major League Baseball that this is just the beginning of another Yankee dynasty. If you were to say in Spring Training that this team would have came within one game of reaching the World Series I would have jumped at that opportunity. This team is incredibly young and cost effective which means that the 2017 team will be the least talented Yankee team for a long time. This experience will only help the team as they know now what it will take to win a Pennant and eventually a World Series. Just as in 1995, 2017 can be the start of a new dynasty.
In 2018, the Yankees salary books look promising with Alex Rodriguez's albatross of a contract finally coming off the books as well as Matt Holliday, CC Sabathia, Todd Frazier, Jaime Garcia, and Michael Pineda also becoming free agents. There is a possibility of Sabathia coming back but not on a $25 million contract. Also with most of the key contributors being Pre-Arbitration eligible or Arbitration eligible, there is some wiggle room to add some free agents without going over the luxury tax. The Yankees have been heavily linked with Shohei Otani, who is a Japanese pitcher and designated hitter. He will come relatively cheap as he is leaving Japan before his age 25 season which forbids him from becoming a free agent, he will be an international signing instead. Also there is a possibility that Masahiro Tanaka opts out of his contract and there is a possibility that Jacoby Ellsbury, Chase Headley, Starlin Castro, and Dellin Betances are moved. If Ellsbury is moved that clears a good amount of money, but more importantly it opens up a roster spot for more prospects.The 2018 Yankees will be favorites to win the AL East and to get back to where they were in 2017 or even farther. In 2018 we will possibly see Gleyber Torres, Chance Adams, Justus Sheffield, and Miguel Andujar just to name a few highly touted prospects. Though 2017 ended on a sour note, 2018 might just be the year that title number 28 returns home to 161st Street and River Avenue.
Friday, October 6, 2017
CC The Stopper
The Yankees are facing a 0-1 hole with 0-2 possibly on the horizon after a 4-0 defeat on Thursday night. The Yankees also have to face Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber on Friday night which is bad new for any team but the Indians should not over look their opposing pitcher for Game 2.
CC Sabathia has been one of the best pitchers over his time in the MLB and has pitched countless big games and tonight's game is no different. CC will have to be the stopper like he has been time and time again. Sabathia is 9-0 this season with a 1.71 ERA in starts, according to Katie Sharp following a Yankee loss this season and heres to hoping he ends up 10-0 by the end of the night. Sabathia will certainly be amped up to pitch in one of the biggest games of the Yankees' season tonight but he will have even more adrenaline pumping because the Indians are his former team. Sabathia is a career 9-5 pitcher with a 4.53 ERA in the postseason but with his 107.1 innings of postseason experience should play a big factor.
The Yankee offense will still have to do the "impossible" and score runs against Corey Kluber, which looks like an even larger feat after they struck out 14 times last night and they didn't face Kluber. This Yankee team is known for scratching and clawing in games so I expect a hard fought game and any break for the Yankees could result in a win with a rested pen and with Cleveland without Andrew Miller and Cody Allen. The Yankees know what they are up against but the Indians might not know what they are truly up against.
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Wednesday, October 4, 2017
The Yankees Win the Wild Card game
What an incredible night last night In the Bronx. I was up in the grandstand in left field with 3 of my buddies and my brother. The place was electric. The crowd was intense. High fives and hugs with strangers and everyone screaming. It was an unreal experience in the Bronx last night.
The Yankees first inning was bad and Luis Severino did not have it. When Chad Green escaped I had hope. Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge got on base quickly and then one of the best moments I've ever had at Yankee stadium happened. Didi launched the 3 run homer to tie the game and it was all down hill for the Twins after that. David Robertson , Tommy Kahnle and Aroldis Chapman were electric on the mound. Gary Sanchez got two hits and of course homers by Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge made the place go wild. Joe Girardi managed a brilliant game.
An absolutely incredible experience last night. Bring on the Indians. The Chase for 28 makes its next stop in Cleveland.
The Yankees first inning was bad and Luis Severino did not have it. When Chad Green escaped I had hope. Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge got on base quickly and then one of the best moments I've ever had at Yankee stadium happened. Didi launched the 3 run homer to tie the game and it was all down hill for the Twins after that. David Robertson , Tommy Kahnle and Aroldis Chapman were electric on the mound. Gary Sanchez got two hits and of course homers by Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge made the place go wild. Joe Girardi managed a brilliant game.
An absolutely incredible experience last night. Bring on the Indians. The Chase for 28 makes its next stop in Cleveland.
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