Is Corey Seager in the Yanks’ sights?

The Gleyber Torres at SS experiment failed. He’s going back to 2B. Gio Urshela was a stopgap but he isn’t a SS. So the Yanks admit they need a SS. There are a lot of top SS on the market in free agency this year. Are the Yanks targeting Corey Seager?

(And before I go on, did you notice how poorly Didi Gregorius did (.209) with the Phillies this year?)

Seager checks a lot of boxes. 2x All-Star. Former Rookie of the Year. NLCS MVP. WS MVP. 2x Silver Slugger. 3x MVP consideration, twice finishing in the top 10. That doesn’t even include any accolades he may get for this season.

Lefty hitter for a righty-dominated lineup. Lefty hitter for Yankee Stadium. 25-30 HR capability, but WITHOUT the low batting average (.297 career hitter). 27 years old, in his prime. OPS+ 131 for his career (average is 100). His 162 game average is .297-26-93.

Seems like a perfect fit, and scouts think he would have to be moved to third later on. The Yanks could use him at SS for a couple years until either Oswald Peraza or Anthony Volpe is ready at SS (with apologies to current 3B Gio Urshela).

Seems like a perfect fit. Won’t come cheap. The Yanks have admitted the need for a SS. Will Hal, Cashman, etc. go all-in for Seager?


In other news: 1B coach/OF coach Reggie Willets is leaving the Yanks to become an assistant coach at his alma mater, Oklahoma.

Game 93. Yanks do big (4 HR) and small things in beating Phils, 6-4.

When you look at the Yankees’ win (6-4) over the Phillies last night, it’s easy to look at the four homers that were hit. But to me, most impressive was the little things that Greg Allen and rookie Estevan Florial did in the victory.

Both players are filling in while others are on the IL or Covid-IL.

Florial was brought up earlier in the day when Trey Amburgey (hamstring) had to go on the IL. This was his third MLB game.

The Phillies struck first when Rhys Hoskins hit a HR in the second inning off of Yankees’ starter Domingo German.

The Yanks tied it in the bottom of the third. Allen tripled, and Florial got him in with a groundout to second. Just doing the little things to get the run in.

The Phils got a run in the fourth to go up 2-1. They were helped by a balk by German, and ex-Yankee Ronald Torreyes doubled in the run.

The Yanks went up 3-2 in the fifth. Allen walked and stole second. He moved up to third when Florial flied out (doing the little things). I would have liked to have seen Tyler Wade squeeze home the run there, but he swung away and lined out to SS (to ex-Yankee Didi Gregorius). Gregorius tried to double Allen off of third but made a throwing error that allowed Allen to score. Brett Gardner followed that with a HR (4).

Gary Sanchez homered (17) in the sixth to make it 4-2 Yankees.

In the top of the seventh, Chad Green got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam with a couple of strikeouts, the last one to Didi.

In the bottom of the seventh, Giancarlo Stanton homered (16) to put the Yanks up 5-2.

The Phillies got a run in the top of the eighth to cut it to 5-3, and it was Torreyes who got the inning going for them.

In the bottom of the eighth, Florial hit his first MLB HR to put the Yanks up 6-3.

Aroldis Chapman gave up a HR in the ninth to Andrew McCutchen (another ex-Yankee playing for the Phils, managed by, you guessed it, ex-Yankee Joe Girardi) that made the score 6-4 before closing out the game.

With the win, the Yanks, 49-44, are in a virtual tie for third, 7 games back. After tonight’s game with the Phils, they have four games at Fenway against Boston, followed by three in Tampa Bay. These games are right before the trade deadline.

I won’t write about rumors, but if the Yanks do make deals, I’ll write about the deal and my reaction to it.

Gardner solo HR (4)
Stanton 2 hits, solo HR (16)
Sanchez 2 hits, solo HR (17)
Florial 2 RBI, solo HR (1) FIRST MLB HR


German 4 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 W, 5 K. 1 Balk. Gave up 1 HR. 4.71
Cessa (W, 3-1) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 1 K. 2.89
Luetge (H, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 WP. 3.25
Green (H, 13) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K. 2.76
Britton (H, 2) 1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 1 K. 6.00
Chapman (S, 17) 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.41

The Yanks are bringing up Asher Wojciechowski for a spot start tonight vs. the Phils.

S.T. Game 24. Yanks lose slugfest, 13-12 to Phils.

Aaron Judge finally hit his first HR of spring training, and Gleyber Torres added one as well, but it wasn’t enough as the Yankees (13-9-2 in spring training) lost a slugfest to the Phillies, 13-12. Chris Gittens also homered for the Yankees.

And yes, our old buddy Didi Gregorius tortured his old club again with another HR.

Any remote chance Michael King had to be the #5 starter—or even on the team heading north—probably disappeared with his showing last night. With the spring training rules of letting a pitcher off the mound because of too many pitches in an inning, then to have the pitcher go back out for the next inning to complete his work after he got some rest, all to protect the pitcher, it is embarrassing for a pitcher to actually have that happen to him.

It has happened to several pitchers this spring, and last night King was one of them, and it had to happen twice. The same thing happened with Matt Moore, the Phillies starter. King hasn’t had a good spring training.

King hit not one, not two, but THREE batters. Meanwhile, a Phillies pitcher threw not one, not two, but THREE wild pitches.

Ugly game if you were a pitcher.

Right now, I’d say German is the #5 starter behind Cole, Kluber, Taillon and Montgomery. Not necessarily in that order, but we do know Cole is #1.

King 2 1/3 IP, 7 R, 5 H, 2 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR. Hit THREE batters.
Lane 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Loaisiga 3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K.
L. Garcia 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Lyons 1 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 1 W, 2 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Cortes (L) 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K.

Hitting highlights:

LeMahieu 2 hits.
Judge 2-run HR
Florial 2 RBI
Gittens solo HR
Torres 3-run HR

The Yankees did make some moves. From ESPN:

Reassigned RHP Kyle Barraclough, OFs Socrates Brito and Ryan LaMarre and RHP Asher Wojciechowski to minor league camp.

Also, it appears as if Mike Tauchman has won a bench spot over Jay Bruce.

S.T. Game 21. Phils blank Yanks, 4-0.

The Yankees (13-7-1 in spring training) only got two hits—both by Giancarlo Stanton—-in losing 4-0 to the Phillies Monday night.

The bats seem to be in a bit of a slump lately. I like the pitching, with one exception. With Zack Britton out, Justin Wilson needs to step up, and he’s had a bad spring so far. Last night he gave up a 2-run HR to our old buddy, ex-Yankee Didi Gregorius.

Taillon (L) 2 2/3 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 W, 5 K. Needs to go deeper and soon. Opening Day not far away.
Green 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 WP.
O’Day 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Wilson 0 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 2 W, 0 K. Gave up the HR to Didi, didn’t get anyone out.
Cortes 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.
Lyons 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K.

On another note (NBA), Lakers legend from the 1960s Elgin Baylor (retired #22) passed away, age 86. RIP.

UPDATE: Wilson complained of shoulder tightness and will be getting an MRI today. So the Yanks could have two lefty relievers on the DL come Opening Day (Britton and Wilson) and if so, we may see both Luetge AND Lyons on the team Opening Day.

S.T. Game 19. Late HR beats Yanks, 4-2. Sanchez has the flu.

First a sore back, now the flu, will keep Gary Sanchez down a while.

Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery both pitched well, but a 2-run HR in the top of the ninth off of Ben Heller beat the Yanks (10-7-2) 4-2.

Concerns: The Yanks really haven’t hit yet. Also, Gleyber Torres made his fifth error of the spring.

Good points: Pitching. Kyle Higashioka hit a HR, his 3rd of spring training.

Cole 3 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 W, 6 K.  7.00
Otero 2/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 0 K.  3.86
Montgomery 4 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 5 K.   4.09
Heller (L, 0-1) 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K.  27.00  Gave up a 2-run HR.
Wivinis 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.  0.00

 

An Aside: Last I saw, Didi Gregorius was 0 for 22 for the Phils so far this spring.

Didi joins Girardi w/Phils

Joe Girardi in Philadelphia now has a SS he is very familiar with.

After the Yanks wouldn’t offer Didi the QO of $17.8 MM, Didi has gone to Philly to join Girardi at a one year deal of $14MM.

Maybe the Yanks can throw that Didi $$ to Cole.

But the Yanks might have been hoping Didi would come back at less than $17.8 MM. He did not.

Didi only signed a 1 yr deal, so he is hoping that a good 2020 re-establishes his value after a 2019 that did see 16 HR, 61 RBI in only 1/2 a season, but a .238 batting average as well as a significant amount of time missed.

It may be safe to say that Didi, in his short term with the Yankees, may be the 3rd best SS in Yankees history behind Derek Jeter and Phil Rizzuto. Who would you say would be better? Dent? Crosetti? Kubek? Koenig? I would put Didi #3, above all but Derek and the Scooter.

 

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Named to the All-MLB team: D.J. LeMahieu 1st team and Aroldis Chapman 2nd team.

If there is a Plan B, that may need to be changed.

Things have been quiet, and I don’t want to get into rumors, but if the Yankees’ off-season strategy is go after Gerrit Cole, but have a Plan B in case Cole rejects the Yankees offer, Plan B probably needs some alteration.

The top two targets for the Yankees, pitching-wise, are Cole and Stephen Strasburg. The Yanks have met with both, but it is expected that Strasburg will go back to Washington. Cole is a different story.

The Yanks have wanted Cole for a long time. They drafted him out of high school but Cole decided to go to UCLA instead. Then, when the Pirates were shopping him, the Yanks wouldn’t meet the Pirates’ demands (Miguel Andujar for one) and Pittsburgh traded Cole to Houston instead.

Apparently the Yanks told Cole that the money is there. It’s up to Cole, a Southern Californian, to decide if he wants New York.

But if the Yanks can’t get Cole (and it appears, for now, that all their eggs are being placed in that basket), or Strasburg, who is or was the Yankees Plan B?

If it was Zack Wheeler, forget it now. Wheeler signed a 5-yr., $118MM deal with the Phillies yesterday.

Cole Hamels reached a 1-yr., $18MM deal with Atlanta.

There are other Plan B’s out there, like Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Gio Gonzalez, but they aren’t the WOW factor Cole or Strasburg are.

And if these Plan B’s are off the market when Cole decides, and he decides against the Yankees, what then?

Besides the pursuit of Cole, the Yanks also have to see about re-signing or letting go some of their own—Brett Gardner (most likely will be back what with Hicks going to miss most of 2020), Didi Gregorius (most likely gone), Austin Romine and Dellin Betances.

Of course, Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner may look to the trade market. If that is the case, Clint Frazier and/or Andujar could be names (among others) dangled.

Some Yankees’ offseason decisions.

Besides exploring the free agent market (Cole, Strasburg, Bumgarner, Wheeler), the Yanks have decisions to make on their OWN players, some of whom are free agents themselves.

Do they bring back Didi or are they fine with Gleyber at SS and D.J. at 2B?

What about backup C? Romine is a free agent. Meanwhile, Higashioka is out of options. The Yanks say they are fine with Higashioka, but he’ll have to prove he can hit. Higashioka does have some power, but a .164 career batting average. In 146 MLB at bats, Higashioka is .164-6-17, OPS+ just 45. He’s not young. He turns 30 next April.

Romine could start for some teams, and the Yanks could lose him if Romine does want to start. Romine hit .281-8-35 as a backup last year, OPS+ 97 in probably his best season in the majors. He has done much better with the bat the last two seasons. His 162 game average is .239-11-59, OPS+ 73, but the OPS+ the last two seasons have been 93 and 97, so a big improvement from before.

Brian Cashman, as of now, states that the 3B job is Gio Urshela’s to lose after Urshela hit .314-21-74, OPS+ 133 in 2019. But was it a fluke? Urshela’s defense was significantly better than that of Miguel Andujar’s in 2018.

As for Andujar, his defense hurts what is a solid bat. He finished runnerup for ROY in 2018, hitting .297-27-92, OPS+ 130, but 2019 was wasted because of an injury. In 12 games he was 6 for 47. Where will Andujar be in 2020? Did he get “Wally Pipp”ed and lose his job to Urshela? There are rumors that the Yanks may try him at 1B and maybe LF to try to make him versatile and keep his bat in the lineup.

He also may be trade bait. He and Clint Frazier, and both because of their defense. Frazier hit .267-12-38 in 69 games last season, OPS+ 111 and in his career has 16 HR in 393 at bats with a .254 batting average.

Frazier is 25. Andujar will be 25 in March. Both are not sure things to start the season with the Yanks because of their defensive liabilities and also a crowded roster. They could be traded —one, or both— in a deal for a starting pitcher if the Yanks feel the price tags on Cole, Strasburg, Bumgarner and/or Wheeler are too high.

Then there is Dellin Betances, who hurt his value by only pitching 2/3 of an inning this year (shoulder) and getting hurt again (Achilles) at the end of the year. He is a free agent.

Decisions, decisions. …. It’ll be an interesting offseason.

Thoughts on Mgr of Year; CYA winners announced, and Houston’s scandal.

Another blog makes a good point. It may be that a Yankees manager may NEVER be selected Mgr. of the Year because of several reasons. One being the expectations that the Yanks are supposed to be good because of who they are and their financial resources. So if they do well, it was because they were EXPECTED to do well. The manager only did what he was expected to do.

But that wasn’t really the case this year. Yes, the Yanks were expected to do well, but with the team they EXPECTED to have, not a team ravaged by injuries. Severino and Stanton missed almost the whole year each.  Betances and Montgomery the same. Didi two and a half months, Andujar all but a handful of games,  Hicks over half the year and so on and so on. Still, the Yanks won 103 games and the AL East. Still, Boone didn’t get MOY despite managing a M*A*S*H* unit to that victory total.

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It is looking more and more like Didi won’t be back. We’ll see, but in reading the tea leaves and insider commentary…

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This Houston cheating scandal with the cameras, video cheating, etc. has added another s to the Astros name on various sites. You can guess where that s is going…

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The CYA was announced. In the NL, Jacob DeGrom repeats as the Cy Young Award winner, getting 29 of the 30 first place votes.

It is amazing the lack of support DeGrom gets. Take a look at the win totals in these past two CYA winning seasons.

2018 10-9, 1.70, led majors in ERA.
2019 11-8, 2.43. Led NL in strikeouts.

21 wins COMBINED. The Mets are wasting his starts.

In the AL, teammates Justin Verlander & Gerrit Cole were neck and neck with Verlander winning his second CYA. He previously won the CYA in 2011 (and MVP that year too). In addition to two CYA, Verlander also has been the runnerup three times.

Verlander got 17 first place votes and 171 points to Cole’s 13 first place votes and 159 points.

Verlander 21-6, 2.58. Led majors in wins, starts and IP. Struck out 300.
Cole 20-5, 2.50. Led AL in ERA. Led majors with 326 strikeouts.

You could have flipped a coin between the two.

As for Cole, it’s expected the free agent won’t sign until the new year.

 

No Q.O. for Didi. John, Munson, Mattingly on Modern Baseball Era ballot for HOF consideration. Boone up for MOY.

The Yankees did not extend a qualifying offer of $17.8MM to Didi Gregorius. If he leaves as a free agent, the Yanks receive no compensation.

It could be that the Yanks want him back, but at less than that figure. But Didi now can talk to anyone.

Didi made $11.75MM last season, when he missed a significant amount of time recovering from TJ surgery. He played in 82 games, and despite hitting 16 HR and driving in 61 runs, only hit .238 with an OPS+ of 87. It was his worst OPS+ since his first year with the Yanks in 2015.

One other problem is that Didi didn’t walk much. His OBP was just .276.

As such, the Yanks probably didn’t think a raise from $11.75MM to $17.8MM was warranted or deserved. IF the Yanks want him back, it probably would be for less than $17.8MM.

Didi hopes to return. We will see.

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From MLB.com:

Gregorius was one of seven Yankees to hit free agency on Halloween, following right-hander Dellin Betances, outfielder Brett Gardner, right-hander Cory Gearrin (who I don’t expect back), outfielder Cameron Maybin (questionable), catcher Austin Romine (would he come back as a backup or does he want to start elsewhere) and retired left-hander CC Sabathia.

As you know, the Yankees declined a $20 million option on first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, instead paying him a $5 million buyout.

Of that group, the Yankees seem most likely to pursue a reunion with Gardner, who could man center field in the wake of Aaron Hicks’ Tommy John surgery.

The Yankees announced the following roster moves on Monday:

• Reinstated 3B Miguel Andújar, 1B Greg Bird, OF Jacoby Ellsbury and RHP Jonathan Holder from the 60-day injured list.

• Reinstated RHP Jake Barrett from the 60-day IL and outrighted him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

• LHP Tyler Lyons has elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

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BBWAA awards:

Aaron Boone has been named as one of three finalists for AL Mgr. of the Year.

D.J. LeMahieu may get consideration for MVP, but he won’t be in the top 3. The top 3 are Bregman, Trout and Semien but the order won’t be revealed until Nov. 14.

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Also from MLB.com:

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced 10 candidates under consideration for induction as part of the 2020 Modern Baseball Era ballot: Dwight Evans, Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Marvin Miller, Thurman Munson, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Ted Simmons and Lou Whitaker.