Thursday, December 20, 2012

Not the Usual Yankee Holiday Spirit

It's Christmas time and that usually means the Yankees are about to reel in or announce a big free agent signing. But oh have the times changed, and the Yankees are having none of it. The Yankees are being frugal and cutting costs (mainly players salaries). This means no big free agent signings...just over the hill, over paid, under performing players.

The Yankees have spent somewhere around $50MM on free agent signings/resignings and the team has arguably gotten worse not better. The biggest free agent signing is Kevin Youkilis. His stats last year .236, 15 HR, 46 RBI. The man he's replacing .272, 18 HR, 57 RBI...and A-Rod was crucified for those numbers. I would have rather the Yankees kept the $12MM thrown at Youk and gone with someone from the farm system. I would rather give Romine the job at catching than to sign someone like AJ Pierzynski. I do like the rotation and the moves made to bring back Pettitte and Kuroda. While aging, those guys know how to pitch and have shown they can handle the bright lights and big pressure situations. I will take Pettitte back every year until he doesn't want to play or he proves he just no longer has it. That being said though I would rather see Phelps in there over Nova.

At this point I'm not feeling all that positive about the season and we're about 60 days from the first spring training game.

16 comments:

old professor said...

This has been a confusing off season. Cubs, Royals, Mariners and Dodgers all signing multiple free agents. Yankees get older and slower.

AJ is going to the Rangers so there are no options left for catching (maybe Nova and Warren to Seattle for Montero). This team's makeup signals a third place finish in the division. The boys cannot be their father's children with putting money before winning.

Crash said...

The headline reads "Pierzynski Passes on Yankees, Signs with Rangers"...how can a player pass on a team that never offered him a deal??? That's like saying Greinke passed on the Yankees...or Hamilton passed on the Yankees...nope was never an option.

Give me a break. Everyone is trying to make the headline now because the Yankees are not spending. Yankees are doing it right...kind of...finally. I said it before but I hope Romine gets the job.

old professor said...

While I like the idea of giving the farm system players a shot with the team, I do not think Romine is ready for the majors: (a) defensively he is sound, but is behind offensively (b) did not play very much at triple a (c) has had back problems which is never good for a catcher.

I believe part of the rationale the Yankees are passing on most of the free agents is not only the salary cap issue for 2014, but they don't want to give up draft choices. They will have a number one pick and will receive a sandwich pick when Swisher signs and they will receive one when Soriano signs with someone. So it is very possible the Yankees will have made three picks before the second round begins. Having said that I have not been impressed with the history of the Yankees and their draft. They have stockpiled catchers and have no major league ready position players with the exception of Mason Williams and maybe David Adams.

old professor said...

Well, Swisher signs with the Indians for $56 million - he won't have to worry about his post season problems because the Indians will not be in the post season. But the way this off-season is going I would suspect the Yankees aren't going to see the post season either. They lost out on Ibanez who signed a ONE YEAR 2.5 million contract - Yankees apparently never made an offer.

Prepare for a long long season.

Giants will also be sitting home for the playoffs. Defense looked horrendous and the offense looked worse.

Crash said...

Cashman made a statement about this years budget and that is why Ibanez wasn't offered a deal. Kind of in a similar spot to last year when he had to trade AJ to free up a couple million to sign Ibanez and Chavez. He may be out of $$ right now and may need to go dumpster diving come early spring to see who is looking for a job that can fill the need. Scott Hariston's name keeps coming up but I think he will find a job long before then...his numbers against lefties are too good.

Maybe an OF like Grady Sizemore, Austin Kerns...i don't know...slim pickings.

Anonymous said...

Kerns was with the Yankees once before and was allowed to walk. Sizemore is a left handed bat which is the last thing they need. However, Sizemore is still young and if he can avoid the injury bug, he could be an interesting pick up, specifically as a dh. As for last year and the trade of AJ, it wasn't to free up money it was to get rid of a head case. It will be intersting to see which NY team finishes with the worst record. I few posts ago, I indicated it almost seemed as if the Yankees were experiencing some financial issues (they sold off a portion of the Yes network and it turns out that within three years the amount they sold of will be more than fifty percent). With the strict budget that has cramped the Yankees in the off season it could be they really don't have the money.

Crash said...

I agree that AJ was traded because of his inconsistent performance...however, Cashman could not sign Ibanez and Chavez until he freed up some $$ and that was directly related to the AJ trade.

I think the whole salary cap for luxury tax and revenue sharing reasons is a smoke screen. I think the declining attendance at the stadium because of ticket prices, parking, concession stands, etc. has finally caught up to them. The fans recognize they have spent too much on players that are too old and can't bring back a title. Management has made too many big money deals that have failed (see A-Rod)and finally ticked off the fans enough that it is starting to hurt the deep pockets of the Yankees. When the Yankees have a hard time filling the stands for a playoff game you know there is a problem. Why spend hundreds to take the family to a game to watch aging overpriced past their prime talent lose when it matters the most when they can sit at home for nothing. Makes no sense...and it makes no cents!

old professor said...

You are the last person I would have expected to finally come to the realization the Yankees are an old club that is aging and overpriced. The problem is there will be no solutions in the near future unless the Yankees get into the free agent market. The closest to major league ready position player is David Adams. Williams, Messa, Betances, Banuelos, Slade Heathcoth, Bichette are still two years away at the miniimum if ever. They have not used their draft choices wisely.This team is in signficant rebuilding mode.

Crash said...

Here's insult to injury...in 2009 Yankees sign Mark Teixeira and send they're first draft pick to the Angels as compensation. The Angels turn around and use that pick to draft MIKE TROUT!!!

I don't think it is unrealistic to expect to see Banuelos and/or Betances in the Bronx to start the season in 2014. Same with Mason Williams. With Granderson's departure after this season, and only another year of Gardner, they need those guys to step up.

Crash said...

Yankees did sign Matt Diaz to a minor league deal with an invite to camp. He was with the Braves recently. He had 2 decent years with the Braves before an injury slowed him down a little. He hits lefties real well, .324/.364/.498 career slash line against left-handed pitching. If healthy he could go for double digit HRs and close to .300 avg.

old professor said...

The key is him staying healthy. The Yankees seem to have a lot of "if he stays healthy " on the team. Let's start with Mo - can he return to form and stay healthy after a significant knee inury, can Jeter return and stay healthy after surgery on his ankle, can Pettitte stay healthy at his age, can Joba return to form after leg surgery and elbow surgery, cna Garnder com back and stay healthy after elbow surgery, can Romine stay helathy with a bad back, can Tex stay healthy after suffering from a bad thumb/wrist and back? Oh and can A-Rod come back and be productive after hip surgery? Way too many questions that have to be answered.

Crash said...

Mo will be fine. He's pushing off, not making cuts in the open field. Pettitte will be helathy, his injury last year was taking a liner off his leg, not exactly his fault or a breakdown of the body because of age. Joba already proved he was healthy. Gardner is fine. My main questions are Jeter and A-Rod. I don't think we see A-Rod until after the ASG if at all. Jeter may be there opening day but will he be 100%. Pineda will be the wait and see case. If he can be what he was prior to surgery Yankees have a big boost to the rotation come June, July, or whenever Cashman decides to bring him back.

Crash said...

Likely the last weekend for Giants football. Giants need to win and the Cowboys, Bears, and Vikings all need to lose. I can actually see 3 of 4 happening...the one game that likely won't go the Giants way is Chicago at Detroit. The Bears should beat up the Lions. Other than that I see the Giants winning at home against the Eagles, Cowboys losing again on the last day of the season to an NFC East opponent, and the Vikings will be no match for the Packers.

Matsui officially retires. Guy plays 20 years has over 500 HR between MLB and Japan, and certainly was a big reason for the 2009 Championship for the Yankees.

old professor said...

Matsui was the consumate professional. Never said anything against anyone just went out and did what he was asked to do. Ichiro has the same professional demeanor and will perform at a high level. As for the giants they don't deserve to make the playorrs. It is time for their to be a change in the coaching. The offensive coordinator lack imagination and needs to go. Coughlin will not make the changes necessary and therefore needs to go.

Crash said...

The Giants show up to the party too late. I disagree about your assessment on the coaches. This was not a coaching issue it was a players issue. They didn't play well, there was no urgency, no heart. With one exception, the defense laid down for most of the season and that may be Perry Fewell's down fall. If you have a bad game or two that's on the players, but the defense just never came together and performed as it should...for the entire season. That's a coaching issue.

Anonymous said...

You are probably right regarding the defense. Do you realize they did register a sack since early October. I still believe the offense just was too predictable. Bradshaw seemed completely disinterested until this last game and Eli sucked for three weeks.

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