Yea, and I think that kind of in some ways helps make my point. If none of these players were going to be players we went after, then why have we continued to reset the luxury tax and save money in previous years? This is 3 or 4 seasons in a row of a very payroll conscious team that with the Cole exception, has been presenting themselves as staying under the CBT to fight another day. I mean last year we literally ran Rougned Odor out all godamn year because he allowed us to stay under $210m. For what?? And then finally arbitration crept up to the team and they took a salary dump with Donaldson. So now we're at $250m and don't want to overspend on anyone. I don't know man, I'm a huge Cashman defender but there's a lot more cracks there than most of us want to admit.Not sure what else they could have done, it seems like they went after both Olson and Freeman pretty hard. None of the SSs really made sense at mammoth price tags:
Correa: 10/350? He is going to end up taking a much shorter deal to go back to HOU probably.
Story: health questions
Seager: not great defensively
Semien: love the bat, but he is probably a 2B and NY already has two of those.
Baez: another righty who Ks constantly
My point is how we got to $250m is pretty odd. Don't you agree? Cashman wasn't saving all of his bullets to reset the cap so we could pay for back of Donaldson's contract.The two NY teams and the Dodgers are way ahead of everyone else in 2022 payroll, not sure how spending is the issue. Mega-deals end up as mistakes more often than not, and mistakes that you’re potentially locked into for a long time.
I really think they'll spend the money for the right fits. Especially for long deals. Cole fit. Freeman would have fit. Olson really would have fit, but if all Oakland wanted was prospects, the price was too high. A mammoth deal for Correa? I would have hated it for reasons I've stated before.Yea, and I think that kind of in some ways helps make my point. If none of these players were going to be players we went after, then why have we continued to reset the luxury tax and save money in previous years?
This is the answer to why our payroll is what it is this year. But the free agent pool was never a secret and if Cashman wasn't going to buy a shortstop, why the hell didn't we do more to go over the cap last year? He didn't really expect the cap to stay at $210m after the CBA, did he?I really think they'll spend the money for the right fits. Especially for long deals. Cole fit. Freeman would have fit. Olson really would have fit, but if all Oakland wanted was prospects, the price was too high. A mammoth deal for Correa? I would have hated it for reasons I've stated before.
I think the Yankees are trying very hard to build a balanced, flexible team with good defense. Still some work to do, but I appreciate that they're not just throwing cash at the biggest names.
As far as prospects go, they're strong at SS. I'm good going short term there and focusing elsewhere.
I'd be happy with another SP and catcher option. If Cashman could pull a rabbit out of his hat, I'd also love to be surprised by a CF upgrade, but I don't expect it.
Cashman has found a lot of guys on the scrap heap who have turned into solid pieces: Urshela, Voit, Tauchman, but all three of those shined and then declined, you need to develop prospects to consistently contend, as you rightly say.From an outside perspective, the reason you're carrying a $250m payroll is that there's not been a big influx of talent from the minors.
He’s 2-3 years older than everyone else but yes.No one is appreciating what an incredible deal Rizzo gave NY (I have not seen it reported yet but I am certain he got higher offers, from the Cubs at least).
Former Cubs FAs with contracts and projected 2022 WAR via Fangraphs:
Kris Bryant: 7/182 (2.7)
Javy Baez: 6/140 (2.9)
Kyle Schwarber: 4/79 (3.1)
Anthony Rizzo: 2/32 (2.9)
I really hope that trade happens. Watching the SOSH Yankee crew get increasingly frustrated with his nibbling and throwing 100 pitches in 3 innings will be a highlight of the season for me.I so want to knock TB out of the playoffs with Snell in the rotation. Make it happen, Brian.
I am not calling him a DH. I am saying that NL teams now have another spot in the lineup they have to fill and Voit is an impact bat to put there.Calling Voit a DH is a disservice. He’s an average 1B who when healthy can be a top 20 offensive player. We just don’t think he’ll stay healthy and we can’t wait around to find out
They were better off before MIL just signed McCutchen, who will mostly DH for them. Voit would be an upgrade for 1B also for some teams though, definitely OAK if he could survive covering all that foul ground.The fact of the matter is now that there is the DH in the NL, there are plenty of NL teams desperate for an impact bat to slot in there.
The Yankees are actually in advantageous position here.
The NY coaches would Clockwork Orange him endless loops of Andy Pettitte at his best and he'd go back to Cy form, your words do not hide your fear of the wrath of Snell returned and unleashed. He will throw a complete game 91 pitch shutout in game 6 to end TB's season, and then dedicate the effort afterwards to the TB front office and Kevin Cash, 'for always believing in me'.I really hope that trade happens. Watching the SOSH Yankee crew get increasingly frustrated with his nibbling and throwing 100 pitches in 3 innings will be a highlight of the season for me.
I could have written the same post. There's also another factor which is I lose trust of pitchers who were once aces but never really put it back together again. It seems like a project for someone who will flirt with greatness every few starts then fall apart again.I would not be excited to see Snell in the rotation. Intrigued maybe. Yeah, let's go with that.
He does have a punchable face though.