MLB Offseason 2013-2014

It wasn't the money, it was the years. They wanted to pay him 25 million a year.

 

and were willing to go to 7-8 years, but 10 is stupid? Come on. For the difference in money, you passed on your best player and gave that money to another OF, to bring you to 5 (all making 15M plus, except Gardner, who you'll now likely have to trade). And 2B will now be manned by someone pretty close to replacement level.

 

Yes, 10 is stupid. It wasn't a money issue.

Get over it. We didn't want him.

 

The Yankees are done acquiring players at this point but I do believe they will make a good effort to move Ichiro.

 

I think they still need a starter and some help in the bull pen.

 

Well I am not sure Ichiro will be able to get that done for you. I just think that they had designs on moving Ichiro from the get go which would explain the Beltran signing.

 

Agree, I'm not sure anyone would want Ichiro (except maybe Seattle to retire his number).

 

I've seen rumors to that effect. Ichiro to Seattle would be the most likely scenario.

 

Still doesn't mean that it wasn't a stupid decision. Actually it was two stupid decisions...the first to sign Ellsbury, and then to not sign Cano.

 

That's your opinion.

 

With the winter meetings starting tomorrow the Yanks have a chance of leaving the bad taste of losing Cano behind them and putting together the final touches of what could be a great offseason. Here are my recommendations:

1. Trade Gardner for Chase Headley. Both player are approaching their final year before free agency. Both players are perfect fits for their proposed new teams.

2. Trade Ichiro, Romine and Warren to the Dodgers for Matt Kemp. With Arod likely out for most if not all season, the Yankees need another right handed bat to balance their lineup. Considering the significant financial relief, the Dodgers will likely eat a good portion of Kemp's contract, they also could use Ichiro as a fourth OF, Romine is better than any catcher in their system and Warren could be a solid back end of the rotation starter for them. Kemp is still young and could be a phenomenal force for the Yanks for years to come.

3. Sign Johan Santana or Roy Halladay to incentive laden contracts. Either could be a low cost, low risk, high reward option and may serve as inexpensive insurance in case Tanaka is not posted or as quality 4th/5th starters if healthy. Santana specially could be a good fit in Yankee stadium.

4. Go after Tanaka if posted. It is going to cost a lot more money with the new posting system, but at 25 with his track record, he is the best SP available. If not posted, give Pineda, Nuno or Banuelos a chance to win the 5th spot.

5. Sign Erisbel Arruebarruena and let him win the 2B job. The 23 yr. old Cuban defector is supposed to be a defensive wiz at SS. At his age a transition to 2B shouldn't be difficult. His range could more than make up for Jeter's lack of range and give the Yanks a chance at a solid defense down the middle.

6. Sign Seung-Hwan Oh when posted. He has nasty stuff and could be the next Uejara

This could be the new lineup:

CF Ellsbury

SS Jeter

RF Beltran

LF Kemp

C McCann

1B Teixeira

DH Soriano

3B Headley

2B Arruebarruena

Bench

C Cervelli

IF Ryan, Johnson

OF Almonte

SP

Sabathia

Tanaka

Nova

Kuroda

Santana/Nuno/Banuelos

RP

Robertson

Oh

Kelley

Cabral

Betances

Huff

Phelps

This team can win it all. Cashman, let's get it done...

 

I still like my idea better of moving Jeter to 2nd Base and getting a short stop.

 

@Yanks: I like Santana, but no way should the Yankees sign him. Way too injury-prone. Hell, did he even pitch at all after his no-no?

 

@Yanks, that team is not good enough to beat the Red Sox, or the Rays. What was learned last year was that it's the team with the most depth that usually wins, and that team has none, especially in the starting rotation.

And why would the Dodgers ever do that deal for Kemp. You keep acting like the Yankees have talent to trade away. They don't, especially the kind that other teams want. They won't just want spare parts, especially if they're willing to eat much of the salary for Kemp, which is what has been indicated. Why would they do that trade for some middling talent from the Yankees, when they could get a lot more from other teams?

 

Well, I see Derek moving to 3rd a more likely senario if he'd ever go for it. 2nd takes as much mobility as SS.

Agree, but I'm thinking he'd be cheap with big upside.

You're starting to be laughable. So it's great when the Dodgers take your overpaid trash, that's frekkin brilliant baseball management, but when someone else proposes a deal it's bull?

The Sox can't talk about big "dumb" contracts, had it not been for the Dodgers, you'd be stuck with Becket, Crawford and Gonzales.

As I wrote above, we do have something they may want.

So what is it, you bitch when we "buy" players and bitch when we want to deal?

Seems like some pretty one-sided bitching to me.

 

Of course the owners call the money shots.... where is that different?

Accounting moves? 15 for Beltran, 21 for Ellsbury, 17 for McCann, 16 for Jeter and 16 for Kuroda are indications that Hal is tired of paying the luxury tax?

Our farm system is thin, so this is the only way to compete. Not that that's any different that what... EVER.

The Yankees smartly decided that Cano wasn't worth it. To spend that long a deal on a second baseman, one that is lazy and has a history of choking when the team needs him would have been stupid.

The way Choke Rod has played (when he's played) the last few years is contrary to your statement. His hips are gone. He can't last. He looks for one pitch to hit. I've always hated him, but now I hate him and he sucks.

Face it, the Dodgers bailed you guys out or you'd be in the same situation we are in.

 

Plus, even with the 'bailout', they had to give up Gonzalez to get rid of Beckett and Crawford. He wasn't part of the problem, he was a masher with a non-terrible contract, and signed for like 6 more years at that point. We'd have just as soon kept him, but that was the price of hitting the reset button on Crawford and Beckett.

 

Correct. Two horrible contracts signed by the Red Sox.

Again, you were bailed out by the spend happy Dodgers.