Assuming Bird stays healthy, the Yankees are pretty much loaded for position players except for second and third base. When are they going to patch these holes? To be honest, I was never a Castro fan, it seemed to me he played when he wanted to and booted a lot of balls that are routinely handled in AAA. Will Torreyes get the gig full time? Or at third, will Todd Frazier re-sign or will they tap someone else? Given the insane riches in the outfield, it seems to me that trading Gardner and Ellsbury for a pair of good infielders is that last piece of the puzzle.
I hope you get to see him this season because that means that he’d be in AAA at age 18!
If the Yanks ever manage to trade Ellsbury, they would have to keep Gardner. He’s the only back-up CF to the fragile Hicks.
I’m sure Torres and Andujar will be given long looks in spring training but I’d be very surprised if the Yankees didn’t go after a veteran infielder, most likely via trade. Todd Frazier would be OK but this is his only shot at free-agency in his prime. He’s bound to get offers for at least three years, which probably rules out New York. With Headley gone, they will also need a reliable back-up at first. It would be great if Stanton, Judge or Sanchez could fill the role but none of them have any experience.
Clint Frazier is a solid CF. So Ellsbury & Gardner could be traded, I just don’t expect it.
At least one infield position is expected to be filled between Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar. So I only expect one veteran to be picked up. Moving Gardner would not be difficult, but moving Ellsbury is very difficult.
Castro was good but not great and was lacking in defense. Tood Frazier is looking for a multi-year deal but he and the Yanks are keeping communications open in case things fall into place.
Torreyes will be in the mix to start the year at 2nd or 3rd but they feel he is most valuable on the bench. If Torres looks like he needs a few months in AAA though, I expect Torreyes to start the season at 2nd.
I think Clint is a quality prospect and the Yankees are wasting him. Even dealing Ellsbury, that leaves Judge, Stanton, Gardner, Hicks, and Frazier all fighting for OF playing time.
Frazier MAY be a solid center fielder. He’s proven nothing yet.
If you’re the Yankees and you think you can win it all in 2018 - which is pretty smart, because they can - handing center field to a kid who hasn’t yet played well in the major leagues is a high risk proposition.
I meant solid defensively. He would be backing up Hicks in the scenario I responded to above.
Former Red Sox reliever Daniel Bard has retired from baseball. I was wondering what ever happened to him. Apparently it was a case of the yips. Rick Ankiel syndrome. I mean, this excerpt pretty much says it all.
If only he’d stayed in the bullpen. Trying to be a starter just destroyed him and he could never get back in the groove.
A really bizarre story: An agent was filming his clients in the shower at his house with a hidden camera. I’m just confused as to why players would be showering there? Maybe I can see an agent meeting a player at the gym someplace and the player takes a shower after his workout, but at an agent’s house?
NBC Sports - HardballTalk: Agent fired for allegedly filming clients as they showeredhttp://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/01/10/agent-fired-for-allegedly-filming-clients-as-they-showered/
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The Mets have reportedly signed Jay Bruce to a three-year deal.
When he was traded to the Indians last season, he talked about how bad it was on the Mets and how relieved he was to be going to a contender. Apparently $39 million eased his concerns.
It makes sense for the Mets and the price is reasonable by today standards but it is surprising that Jay returned to them.
So Castro doesn’t want to play in Miami. I can’t say I blame him, but what a way to endear yourself to your new team and city if they can’t accommodate you with a trade.
I wouldn’t blame Starlin Castro if he literally shit his pants every day in spring training just to get out of there.
I was overjoyed at this news because it means the Blue Jays, who have long wanted Bruce, can’t have him.
I wouldn’t give Jay Bruce $39, much less $39 million. He’s 31 next year and a heavy, slow power hitter, which is exactly the kind of player who often blows up at 32. Bruce hits home runs but, honestly, he really isn’t a noticeably good player:
Jay Bruce WAR By Year In The Last Five Years
2012: 1.9
2013: 5.3
2014: -1.1
2015: 0.8
2016: 0.6
2017: 2.7
I’m inclined to think last year was likely better than any year he’ll ever have going forward. The Mets won’t get their money’s worth. I’m also a little confused as to where Bruce is going to play, since last I checked the Mets have two corner outfielders already.
From what I hear, the name Castro is not a popular one in Miami.
So the Yanks resolved all 8 potential arbitration deals in the last 2 days and the remaining money below this years luxury tax limit is around $20.7 million. That is taking $14m into account for Est. Player Benefits. Numbers I’m using are from Cot’s. At some point, one of the Yankee Center Fielders will be traded saving another chunk of money. I still don’t think the Yanks will trade for Cole, but they will likely add 1 more player and I think it will be an infielder.
Main Cot’s Page: Then pick your team and click on the link towards the top 2018-23 payroll and tax tracker and use the second tab of the spreadsheet. Dodgers Tax Tracker 18.xls
It looks like right now the Red Sox are the only team over: Red Sox Tax Tracker 18.xls but there are only in the 20% penalty year. But there are a lot of Free Agent signings left to be made.
Astros get Gerrit Cole from the Pirates for four young players - Colin Moran (3b who can hit some albeit without that much power), Joe Musgrove (fell apart as a SP his rookie year, then was excellent after he moved to the bullpen), Michael Feliz (hard thrower who spent some time in the majors last year) and OF Jason Martin (about whom I know nothing - from a quick google he’s 22 and did okay but not great in AA last year). Not a bad haul for Pittsburgh although none of those guys (except maybe Feliz) projects as an absolute top-level talent.
Agree with you that the under on Bruce’s next three years is a heck of a lot more likely than the over. Not a player I’d especially want on my roster at $13 mil per year…(now watch him hit fifty homers in 2018)
As for position, here’s what I hear:
First, the Mets keep thinking they can turn Michael Conforto into a capable CF (the old “but he’s really athletic!” fallacy.l). I’m dubious, but if they can do it then Bruce joins Cespedes in the corners.
Second, the Mets have given the 1B job to Dominic Smith, pretty much, but the jury is still out as to whether he will be any good. Bruce provides backup if Smith isn’t what some say he is.
I don’t find either to be a solid justification for signing Bruce, but I suspect that’s what the thinking is.
Just to complicate matters for the Mets, they appear to have added Adrian Gonzalez now to. So 1b suddenly looks pretty full.
The Cole deal looks pretty good for the Astros. The prospect package looks a lot lower than what the Pirates had been said to be looking for.