2023-24 Yankees Offseason Discussion

[jon abbey]

King NY got in a deal clearing space from MIA before the rule 5 in 2017, for Caleb Smith and Garrett Cooper.

Thorpe is good, the #61 overall pick in 2022, but he hadn't even pitched professionally yet this time last year.

Brito ended up looking impressive as a long reliever last year, but had close to no value going into last season, a surprise 40 man addition after 2022.

Vasquez blossomed in the 2021 minor league season, but NY actually traded him away as part of the Joey Gallo deal that July. NY was sending TEX six players in exchange for Gallo and reliever John King, but they didn't like King's medicals so they reworked the deal and took out Vasquez and Everson Pereira (and still somehow got Joely Rodriguez thrown in).

Higashioka is/was far and away the longest tenured player in the NY organization currently, originally drafted in 2008 and not debuting until 2017 (!!!). He's an OK backup catcher, but NY is overloaded with catchers currently.

 

[jon abbey]

All of which means that NY did not have to touch their pre-2023 core prospects in either of these trades, their entire young position player prospect core remains intact.

 

[jon abbey]

View: https://twitter.com/mike_petriello/status/1732526007100354660?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Is the idea still that Soto is going to FA no matter what? I’m guessing an extension is done before Opening Day.

 

[BoSox Rule]

So are Bonds’ numbers safe or is he just gonna be Ted Williams or Mickey Mantle as a hitter in YS?

 

[jon abbey]

Is the idea still that Soto is going to FA no matter what? I’m guessing an extension is done before Opening Day.

Boras wouldn't commit to that earlier today but that was the earlier report. I think both sides would probably like a couple months of the season at least to see how it goes.

 

[Wingack]

And it is worth noting, that Soto leaves, the Yankees will get a pick which will essentially replace Thorpe.

So you can look at as Soto, Grisham, draft pick for King, Thorpe, Vasquez/Brito/Higgy.

That’s a deal you do 10 times out of 10.

 

[jon abbey]

The first six of these are definitely gone, the bottom three could be returned after the rule 5, but it is crazy how many pitchers NY has churned out and traded the past few years.

View: https://twitter.com/MaxTGoodman/status/1732532445918966258

 

[Murderer's Crow]

Which is something you do when pitching isn’t a huge concern and you might sign a top 10 pitcher on the planet in the next week.

 

[jon abbey]

On TV just now:

Martino "The Yankees will go over 300M they are all in on Yamamoto"

 

[jon abbey]

View: https://twitter.com/BrandonTierney/status/1732617774793367835?s=20

 

[jon abbey]

I do think NY is done on the position player side of things, they could still trade away a guy or two but I think they're done bringing in new guys.

So it's pitching, Yamamoto is the obvious target we know about, but maybe others too.

 

[Murderer's Crow]

I do think NY is done on the position player side of things, they could still trade away a guy or two but I think they're done bringing in new guys.

So it's pitching, Yamamoto is the obvious target we know about, but maybe others too.

I'm not completely sure of that. I still think they could look at Gleyber as a way to maybe save $10m (est arbitration) AND recoup some prospects.

 

[Thurms Ghost]

I do think NY is done on the position player side of things, they could still trade away a guy or two but I think they're done bringing in new guys.

So it's pitching, Yamamoto is the obvious target we know about, but maybe others too.

Kuty and Kirschner in the Athletic mention them having interest in Jordan Hicks
https://theathletic.com/5117389/2023/12/06/yankees-juan-soto-trade/

 

[EvilEmpire]

If Yamamoto doesn't happen, what is the best pitching fit out there? I'd guess a trade is unlikely after the prospect pool got thinned out so much unless Gleyber is involved somehow. Though maybe they would be open to trading an Oswald(o).

 

[Wingack]

View: https://twitter.com/jackcurryyes/status/1732824837192614202?s=46&t=-M7K07aV9oTvsCKHtZkfZQ


Cashman wants the Yankees to be the Yankees again.

 

[jon abbey]

I'm not completely sure of that. I still think they could look at Gleyber as a way to maybe save $10m (est arbitration) AND recoup some prospects.

I think they keep him now, but anyway that doesn’t contradict what I said. I think they’re done adding position players, possibly not done moving them.

 

[jon abbey]

NY was projected 27th in LF/CF combined by Fangraphs before these two trades, now they are 1st.

 

[Bread of Yaz]

I think they keep him now, but anyway that doesn’t contradict what I said. I think they’re done adding position players, possibly not done moving them.

As someone who owns Peraza on my fantasy team for $1, I'm hoping they deal Gleyber for a starter or to replenish the farm -- but probably unlikely until they see if Rizzo, DJLM and Stanton are having reasonably productive years

 

[jon abbey]

I think they're now going to lean into having all these guys in walk years in the same lineup, hoping that drives them to be their best. The last time they had a top player in a walk year, he hit 62 HRs.

 

[jon abbey]

THIS!

View: https://twitter.com/cameronmaybin/status/1732850813804875814?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g

 

[jarules1185]

Is it an unpopular take anymore? It's the most anachronistic, personal-choice-violating rule I know of in sports. It's such an unforced error at this point.

Not yet sure if the Yankees want to sign me, but I'm a Yankee fan and would never sign with them (unless I was good enough to just ignore the rule and dare them to "punish me". What would punishment even be?). I don't even have a real beard, i just have zero desire or intent to shave.

 

[jon abbey]

I was sure that once Judge was officially made captain last year, he’d join forces with Cole and get them to dump it, but not yet somehow.

 

[jarules1185]

Judge would look much scarier with facial hair (I mean, at least I assume, given that I'm not allowed to find out without using AI). Cole would look equally goofy.

The biggest facial hair gap in scariness I've seen was CC, and he didn't even have a big beard either. He just went from a badass, enormous stubble beard guy in that half Milwaulkee season to an overweight sweaty, kind of uncomfortable looking guy on the Yankees. His jawline no longer had definition. I think they may have lost at least 1 playoff series between 2010-2012 because of this.

 

[jon abbey]

Yeah, it's such a self-inflicted error, really ridiculous, but I've ranted about it here lots over the years (I even started a thread once but I can't find it anymore).

 

[simplicio]

Judge would look much scarier with facial hair (I mean, at least I assume, given that I'm not allowed to find out without using AI). Cole would look equally goofy.

The biggest facial hair gap in scariness I've seen was CC, and he didn't even have a big beard either. He just went from a badass, enormous stubble beard guy in that half Milwaulkee season to an overweight sweaty, kind of uncomfortable looking guy on the Yankees. His jawline no longer had definition. I think they may have lost at least 1 playoff series between 2010-2012 because of this.

 

[jon abbey]

Juan Soto is younger than 5 of the 7 guys NY lost in the rule 5 draft yesterday (none especially exciting, although they could use Spence or Sauer back for SP depth).

 

[jon abbey]

Someone (Wingack?) mentioned last night that Soto played 162 games last year, Verdugo and Grisham also have good recent track records for staying on the field.

Games played in 2022/2023:

Soto: 153, 162
Verdugo: 152, 142 (presumably at least some of that was sitting against lefties)
Grisham: 152, 153

 

[jarules1185]

Photo

You can't play baseball like that, it's super unprofessional. This is why the rules exist.

 

[jon abbey]

View: https://twitter.com/jackcurryyes/status/1733131138216923171?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g

 

[jon abbey]

I find it very mildly interesting that even though NY is only at 35 on the 40 man, neither of those guys were able to get a 40 man spot, which kind of clearly means more guys are coming who will need those spots.

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

Andy Martino: "The Yankees have a strong desire to land Yamamoto and a willingness to show Evil Empire levels of financial aggressiveness. The Mets had hoped that the Yanks’ acquisition of Juan Soto would take them out of the Yamamoto sweepstakes, but Hal Steinbrenner remains all-in on spending even after completing the Soto trade, per sources."

 

[NYCSox]

Cohen's idiocy gave them cover to pull out the 2009 playbook of spending like out-of-control maniacs.

 

[EvilEmpire]

It is true that my preferred level of financial aggressiveness for this offseason is high.

 

[jon abbey]

Ohtani to the Jays means the Dodgers will now be fully after Yamamoto also, wonder what Cashman's backup plan is there.

 

[jon abbey]

If I was suddenly a billionaire, one thing I would do is ask Harold Reynolds how much it would take to get him to retire from public baseball commentary. This is, um, not correct.

View: https://twitter.com/TalkinYanks/status/1733216482706776066

 

[Wingack]

Maybe that is 8/9/1/2. Because it can’t possibly be 1/2/3/4.

 

[simplicio]

1. "who stole the most bases"
2. "who stole the 2nd most bases"
3. "who hit the most home runs"
4. "who hit the 2nd most home runs"

Lineups are easy.

 

[Murderer's Crow]

Ohtani to the Jays means the Dodgers will now be fully after Yamamoto also, wonder what Cashman's backup plan is there.

And Soto

 

[jon abbey]

And Soto

Huh?

 

[Murderer's Crow]

Huh?

If they aren’t breaking the bank on Shohei, they’ll have the ability to pursue both Yamo this year and Soto next year.

 

[Wingack]

There are some reports on X that Matsui and Tanaka are going to be in attendance when the Yankees meet with Yamamoto on Monday.

 

[Wingack]

Rather than give a huge deal out to one of the top non-Yamamoto pitchers, I am kinda hoping the Yankees give Paxton and Wacha a look if either of them will sign a one year deal.

 

[jon abbey]

I think Frankie Montas may be their target if they want someone like that, assuming of course no one wildly outbids them.

Wacha I think will definitely get a multi-year deal somewhere.

 

[Wingack]

I think Frankie Montas may be their target if they want someone like that, assuming of course no one wildly outbids them.

I would be very open to that too. The upside is there.

Wacha I think will definitely get a multi-year deal somewhere.

I know. I agree. And he deserves one.

 

[jon abbey]

Matsui and Tanaka will not actually be at the Yamamoto meeting tomorrow, so much fake news these days.

View: https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1733928700930887964?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g

 

[jon abbey]

Interesting:

View: https://twitter.com/ken_rosenthal/status/1733929813239329205?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g

 

[simplicio]

Matsui and Tanaka will not actually be at the Yamamoto meeting tomorrow, so much fake news these days.

View: https://twitter.com/martinonyc/status/1733928700930887964?s=46&t=0GHHaPVUX26Io0V2HIcS0g

Maybe they're still recovering from Kikuchi's wife's surprise party in Toronto, I hear it was a rager.

 

[jon abbey]

Pretty curious to see who NY can get from LA, presumably two pitchers at the fringe of their 40 man. The return of JP Feyereisen would be exciting.

 

[jon abbey]

View: https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/1733931809119825941