2019-20 Yankees Offseason Discussion

EvilEmpire

paying for his sins
Moderator
SoSH Member
Apr 9, 2007
17,270
Washington
Eh. I want to get excited, but I don't trust most of what I read. I'm happy that the Yankees seem determined to have a competitive offer. I hope it works out, however long it takes.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
So NY is around $246M currently with Cole, $229M if they move all of Happ's salary (both those numbers include Ellsbury). Gardner is presumably the next order of business, 40 man spots are an issue too. I wonder if they would bring in Martin Maldonado also, since Cole was so so good once HOU got him back last summer.
 

curly2

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 8, 2003
4,919
If (when) Cashman finds some sucker to pay Happ's contract, that will piss me off more than him signing Cole.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
Also trying to add 2-3 more years to LeMahieu's deal has to move up the priority list with Cole signed and Didi elsewhere. He has 1/12 left for 2020, I would offer him another 2/30 or even 3/44, that would pull him up to a $14M AAV.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
Also I guess Cole will buy #45 from Voit, not sure if baseball players do that much but he can afford it.
 

Marciano490

Urological Expert
SoSH Member
Nov 4, 2007
62,314
Congrats fellas.

I actually like these modern Yankees. Maybe I've lived in NYC for too long, or JA has my dynasty team looking tasty with all his Yankee prospect picks, or they're just a likeable team with Judge and LeMathieu and no Jeter or Clemens. A good Yankees team is like a good Cowboys team or Steelers team or Lakers team - the leagues just feel off when they're not juggernauting.

Cole is a dude to go all in on - he's big, he's healthy, he's young and he's good in the regular and post season alike.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
It's going to be interesting to see if Happ is a net positive or negative, I think it is close. He was NY's best SP down the stretch in 2018 (he started game 1 of the ALDS for a 100 win team), then the jumpy balls messed him up for most of 2019 but he was very good in September (1.65 ERA in 5 starts, 27 innings, 18 hits allowed and 28 Ks). 17M is hefty though, I will guess that he goes along with one of NY's young SPs (Nick Nelson or Yajure, whoever Blake likes less) and NY gets back someone who doesn't need to go on the 40 man yet and the other team picks up all $17M (a bit of wishful thinking, yes).
 

Wingack

Yankee Mod
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
34,526
In The Quivering Forest
Congrats fellas.

I actually like these modern Yankees. Maybe I've lived in NYC for too long, or JA has my dynasty team looking tasty with all his Yankee prospect picks, or they're just a likeable team with Judge and LeMathieu and no Jeter or Clemens. A good Yankees team is like a good Cowboys team or Steelers team or Lakers team - the leagues just feel off when they're not juggernauting.

Cole is a dude to go all in on - he's big, he's healthy, he's young and he's good in the regular and post season alike.
He is not likable though. At least as a fan of an opposing team.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
JA has my dynasty team looking tasty with all his Yankee prospect picks
Thanks man! I was actually going to ping you, Tim Naehring couldn't stop gushing about my man Luis Medina tonight on the YES show, he said he is the next Severino.
 

Marciano490

Urological Expert
SoSH Member
Nov 4, 2007
62,314
Thanks man! I was actually going to ping you, Tim Naehring couldn't stop gushing about my man Luis Medina tonight on the YES show, he said he is the next Severino.
I’m holding Deivi as the next Severino, but I’ll stash Medina too when the league reopens. He’s bound to have a dope nickname. Good looks and happy belated!
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
I imagine this means Martin Maldanado is on his way.
I would try to sign him to 2/8 and bring him and Higashioka to camp and make a decision in March. Also you would get the bonus of learning exactly what Houston hitters were up to the last few years and Houston knowing that they know.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
Cole was very good with Chirinos last year:

2.46 ERA, .596 OPS allowed, K-ing 152 of 398 batters faced or 38.2%.

But his numbers with Maldonado were ridiculous, 10 dominant regular season starts after they got MM back at the deadline:

1.57 ERA, .471 OPS allowed, K-ing 114 of 249 batters or a ludicrous 45.8%.

and then MM started all five of Cole's postseason starts, four of which were dominant (the Rays are not happy about this) and the fifth in game 1 of the WS where WAS got to him for 5 ERs but he still finished seven innings as he did in all five of his postseason starts.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=colege01&year=2019&t=p
 

Murderer's Crow

Dragon Wangler 216
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
23,543
Garden City
View: https://twitter.com/jonheyman/status/1204826570969337862


You guys smell any smoke with this? It’s another serious chunk of change but Cashman surely has the chips to get it done, depending how much they wanna bet on Gio.

Andujar, Clint and Adams/Nelson would probably do it, right? Maybe even with Happ thrown in for ballast?
I don't think so. It would take more and isn't really solving a problem. 1b, C, and adding lefties are really the only thing this team "needs" and I would argue they would be perfectly fine just sitting still. Find a lefty at the deadline if nothing good comes this winter.

Also, in case anyone was worried about Voit giving up the #.

View: https://www.instagram.com/p/B58Ng4mA7mg/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
You guys smell any smoke with this? It’s another serious chunk of change but Cashman surely has the chips to get it done, depending how much they wanna bet on Gio.

Andujar, Clint and Adams/Nelson would probably do it, right? Maybe even with Happ thrown in for ballast?
I honestly can't tell if you are serious or sarcastic here (serious, I think?) but 1) it would be hard for NY to take on this big contract, 2) COL would be looking for decidedly more than that in return IMO and 3) Arenado has an optout after 2021 that creates too much uncertainty.

If he is genuinely being floated, it's to the teams that lose out on Rendon/Donaldson/Kris Bryant. If Rendon goes to the Rangers (IMO the most likely landing spot all along for him and still the faves), that leaves the Angels/Dodgers/Phillies/Nats all looking to upgrade still.
 

sean1562

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 17, 2011
3,651
View: https://twitter.com/jonheyman/status/1204826570969337862


You guys smell any smoke with this? It’s another serious chunk of change but Cashman surely has the chips to get it done, depending how much they wanna bet on Gio.

Andujar, Clint and Adams/Nelson would probably do it, right? Maybe even with Happ thrown in for ballast?
i cant imagine that is anywhere close to being enough for Arenado, and they could probably get other teams to trade them much more. The OF in Coors is massive, Frazier would be terrible there. Andujar is basically a 1B and Adams isnt even a prospect anymore. The Braves would be able to make a much better proposal that wouldnt even include Pache.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
And Arenado has a full no-trade clause and the possible opt-out really complicates his valuation and the Rockies don't really want to move him and NY doesn't need him...

I am still interested in a possible Jose Iglesias signing as a backup though.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
I love that I was talking about him to NY at least a month before any of the beat writers.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
I feel bad for Higashioka, he turns 30 in April (!!!), is a truly elite pitch framer as I discussed last week and had 20 HRs in just 241 ABs in AAA last year, but Maldonado seems like an upgrade (if it happens, obv).
 

chawson

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
4,675
I honestly can't tell if you are serious or sarcastic here (serious, I think?) but 1) it would be hard for NY to take on this big contract, 2) COL would be looking for decidedly more than that in return IMO and 3) Arenado has an optout after 2021 that creates too much uncertainty.

If he is genuinely being floated, it's to the teams that lose out on Rendon/Donaldson/Kris Bryant. If Rendon goes to the Rangers (IMO the most likely landing spot all along for him and still the faves), that leaves the Angels/Dodgers/Phillies/Nats all looking to upgrade still.
No, I was being serious, actually. The trade values site has that deal as stilted in the Rockies favor, if you can believe it.

Just floating it, and I probably wouldn’t have had it not come from Heyman. I remember talk last off-season on this board of trying for Arenado, either before or when he hit FA (which would have been this offseason IIRC).
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
I remember talk last off-season on this board of trying for Arenado, either before or when he hit FA (which would have been this offseason IIRC).
Yeah, I talked about him some but that was before Urshela emerged and they signed LeMahieu (at 2B now but can play 3B if Gio implodes as it's easy to find a 2B).

The Dodgers are probably the best fit for Arenado, they may turn there after CLE wants too much for Lindor.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
One lesson that NY could take from this year's postseason is that even with the spread out postseason schedule, the games are so intense that ideally you need to use two catchers and not start the same guy in every game. HOU, WAS, LAD, all used two guys in the postseason, where NY just used Sanchez and he was clearly burned out by the end with all of the sign switching, etc. Maldonado would give them that second guy, plus a defensive tutor for Gary all season long.
 

TheDivision

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 21, 2019
1,517
One lesson that NY could take from this year's postseason is that even with the spread out postseason schedule, the games are so intense that ideally you need to use two catchers and not start the same guy in every game. HOU, WAS, LAD, all used two guys in the postseason, where NY just used Sanchez and he was clearly burned out by the end with all of the sign switching, etc. Maldonado would give them that second guy, plus a defensive tutor for Gary all season long.
Excellent point and despite being a “game changer”, it’s futile if he’s burned out.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
Gardner is likely going to have to leave a substantial amount on the table to come back to NY, he is 36 but showing no signs of decline, career high in HRs last year and a sprint speed as good as ever (somehow). He has made around $71M total in his career, I would guess NY would go to maybe 1/12 or even 1/14 but I am sure he could get at least 2/28 elsewhere. That's a lot to turn down in terms of relative career earnings, but Howie Kendrick is also 36 with $76M in career earnings (go Howie) and he just turned down multi-year deals elsewhere to stay with WAS on a 1/4 deal, Zimmerman also said for him it is WAS or retirement.

Anyway, curious to see where NY ends up in total payroll. If they are going to be over $248M, the sooner they accept that the better because after that they can just add one year deals for veteran bench guys without incurring additional penalties besides a huge tax. If they move all of Happ's deal, they are around $229M and I think at that point should just go to maybe $257M and sign all of Gardner (14), Betances (10), and Maldonado (4) to one year deals, if they agree obviously. Also that way they don't have to worry about staying under $248M at the summer deadline because they've already accepted going over for a year.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
Cashman seemingly aiming big all over the place, from Ken Rosenthal’s Athletic piece just posted:

“ Perhaps it’s no surprise that some of the game’s most powerful clubs have spoken with the Brewers about a possible trade for left-hander Josh Hader, who has won the Trevor Hoffman Award in each of the past two seasons as the top reliever in the National League.

The Yankees have been the most active pursuer of Hader, sources said, but a deal with any club remains unlikely. The Brewers understandably want a lot for Hader, who is 25, under club control for four more seasons and projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $4.6 million in his first crack at arbitration.”
 

Murderer's Crow

Dragon Wangler 216
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
23,543
Garden City
Gardner is likely going to have to leave a substantial amount on the table to come back to NY, he is 36 but showing no signs of decline, career high in HRs last year and a sprint speed as good as ever (somehow). He has made around $71M total in his career, I would guess NY would go to maybe 1/12 or even 1/14 but I am sure he could get at least 2/28 elsewhere. That's a lot to turn down in terms of relative career earnings, but Howie Kendrick is also 36 with $76M in career earnings (go Howie) and he just turned down multi-year deals elsewhere to stay with WAS on a 1/4 deal, Zimmerman also said for him it is WAS or retirement.

Anyway, curious to see where NY ends up in total payroll. If they are going to be over $248M, the sooner they accept that the better because after that they can just add one year deals for veteran bench guys without incurring additional penalties besides a huge tax. If they move all of Happ's deal, they are around $229M and I think at that point should just go to maybe $257M and sign all of Gardner (14), Betances (10), and Maldonado (4) to one year deals, if they agree obviously. Also that way they don't have to worry about staying under $248M at the summer deadline because they've already accepted going over for a year.
Why? I don’t think the second year is the issue for Cashman in all likelihood, it’s the AAV.
 

EvilEmpire

paying for his sins
Moderator
SoSH Member
Apr 9, 2007
17,270
Washington
I wouldn't mind a two year deal at a relatively low AAV for Gardner. One year would be better, but I'd be fine with it.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
Why? I don’t think the second year is the issue for Cashman in all likelihood, it’s the AAV.
Because next year they will be trying to get under $248M again, this year it’s looking likely they’ll go over unless they actually don’t have to pay Ellsbury.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
More Hader buzz this AM, would you guys trade Andujar/Deivi/Happ (and his whole deal) for Hader? He is 25, lefty, and controlled for four seasons.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
Also keep in mind that NY has to open up 40 man spots for Cole and presumably Gardner soon, hopefully Maldonado also, so they need to move guys.
 

jon abbey

Shanghai Warrior
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
71,128
1 year for Gardner at 12.5 million but the deal also includes a club option for 2021 at $20 million.
Option is $10M, reported wrong initially by doofus George King. I didn’t mention it initially because clearly it was not right.