THE YANKEES & TAKING A DEEP BREATH

When January hits, it's quiet in the Bronx. There are a few things that run through my mind though.  I am relieved that Christmas is over, yet terrified that we may very well suffocate in a house of toys.  I also think about baseball and Spring Training...a lot.  This year and this month, January, I’ve managed to sit back and relax and not be so anxious and annoyed if the Yankees aren’t doing anything. I've changed my tune. I mean, sure, when you read me, I tend to be on edge. But the reality is, over the past several days, my tone is changing.  Why you ask? Because Yankee brass is saying the right things lately.

Start with Brian Cashman who, I believe is doing a good job with what he is given.  The funds are not there, that is clear, and sure, Cash is probably playing the game to the media because he always does, like for instance that he is being patient (HERE) and I quote:  "I think patience is a virtue, and it's something we've learned can be used effectively... It's a harder road to walk, but sometimes it's not the worst road to walk. Sometimes you've got to wait for the right time and the right place to strike."

OK, now, anyone looking at that will accuse Cashman as trying to trick us and failing miserably at it.  I’m sure there is someone out there screaming saying “Give me a break Cashman! You’re only saying you’re being patient because you missed the boat on many decent free agents!”  Sure, say that, you have the right.  I don’t see it that way though.  You know what I see? A guy, a team ready to pounce… not of the big names, but the right names.

Look at Hal Steinbrenner, finally coming forward yesterday saying “We’ve signed three or four of the biggest free agents on the market, and we’re pretty happy with that... It’s great to have Andy back and Kuroda and Ichiro. Youkilis, I’m excited about. I’ve always liked him as a player. We’ve got some work to do, still. We need another bat. We’re not done yet.” Read HERE.

Sure, look at that and you'll say "Hal, you are talking up the other guys because you didn't get new guys!" Sure, but the reality is, we DID get some big free agents, they just happened to be Yankees already.  Nothing wrong with alittle Andy Pettitte on the roster, you know what I mean?

But think about it, Cashman drops hints, Hal made a statement of how they're "Not done yet"... it all falls into their plan.  You see, I've been watching Cashman for a long time. There are 2 things he does, drops a subtle hint if he's getting crucified by the fans, or says nothing and just makes the move.  Cashman usually does this stuff right around the time things are about to go our way.  Using buzz words like "patience" and "pounce" or "not the worst" and that only means to me that he’s talking to teams and trying to make the right deal. Notice I said the RIGHT deal.  These are the new Yankees, they just don't pour out money anymore.  Now, it’s clear that big time free agents are not in the cards for the Yankees this off season.  Trades are though. 

Cashman said "Sometimes you've got to wait for the right time and the right place to strike." True.  Like Black Friday when the world is going to Target to get the $15 TV… many get them, but you wait a few days and the same deal shows up at Best Buy. Sure, it may be $20 bucks, but you missed all the crowds and aggravation.   There are guys out there, but the right combination is needed to make the right deal.

Now I have been preaching for weeks that Giancarlo Stanton is the right guy for the New York Yankees.  A 23 year old stud with right handed power and a future.  He is also ticked off at the Marlins right now.  Dan Jennings would be a fool to try and keep a disgruntled employee like Stanton in Miami.  But truth be told, the biggest minor leaguers we have would need to go to Miami to make that deal happen. Then, you’d probably need to throw in Curtis Granderson too, for good measure.  Many believe that you get this deal done with that, I sure do, but it’s clear the Yankees don’t.  The deal the Yankees want is not giving away the farm.  

Justin Upton is available.  But at what price?  Again, a perfect example of talent and a right handed bat with power. Upton would be great in the Bronx, but it doesn’t seem like the Yankees are interested in Upton at all.  Why? Again, the high price tag.  We’d need to give some pretty good guys away to get him and I’m not just sure the Yankees want to do that.  Sure, you can say that they want to have their cake and eat it too, but they can't.  Sure, the Yankees are a company first, you have to go in wanting it all to be successful, but you have to realize that the right deal needs to be made too. That's what the Yankees appear to be doing.

The closest thing to perfect right now is a Michael Morse trade for the Yankees.  This is a guy that is only 30, a beast in Washington but he’s inexpensive.  Sure, maybe the Nationals will ask for a pitcher, maybe they ask for a minor league or a season ready player, but that’s it. Then in return, we get a guy like Michael Morse who is electric as a teammate from what I’ve been reading.  He’s passionate about the game and again, exactly what Cashman wants… a right handed bat with power.  Maybe this was what Cashman was talking about when he suggested waiting "... for the right time and the right place to strike."

When I was just out of High School, I remember watching “Colors” on HBO, a movie starring Robert Duvall and Sean Penn.  There’s a great lesson in it, probably too vulgar for BYB, but for the sake of dramatics, I’ll write it. Careful with the video below... 

There’s a moment when aggressive rookie cop Penn wants to rough up some thugs. Duvall asks, "Did you hear the one about the two bulls?...  These 2 bulls are sitting on a grass knoll... the baby bull says ‘Hey pop, let’s run down and f--k one of those cows.’ The papa bull says, ‘no son, let’s walk down… and f--k them all.'"



Brian Cashman’s about to f--k them all. His patience is about to pay off. And when he does, we will all understand why he waited when he did.   When he does, it will all make sense.

In this new year, I’ve realized that I need to be alittle bit more patient, on BYB, when it comes to my Yankees, even at home.   Hopefully I’m right about this… Damn, we’ll see how long this lasts…






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