IS IT TOO EARY TO TALK ABOUT FREE AGENCY?

Source: NBC Sports

It's Halloween, the weather is getting cooler, the World Series is over and the shift from in season to off season has officially begun.  So the question I have this Halloween Hump Day Wednesday: "Is it too early to talk about free agency?"

Source: Sporting News

“We’ll plan to improve this club in any way shape or form we can,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said after the Yankees were eliminated in the AL Division Series by the eventual world champion Boston Red Sox. That begins with a full analysis of the free-agent market, where the Yankees’ ability to spend freely for an impact bat and high-end pitching should require watching all winter," reported NJ.com.

Source: The Associated Press

According to the rules, the window to talk with a team's own free agents ends this Saturday, as the full market of free agents become available for all to woo.  Now it comes down to who are we shopping for and what do we need to do dethrone the Red Sox in 2019.

Photo: USA Today Sports

It's clear we need to fill the void of Didi Gregorius at short stop since he will be on the mend after having Tommy John surgery this off season.  We will also miss his bat in the lineup so getting another lefty like Bryce Harper into the mix may be helpful.  But as NJ.com states, "Yet, as the leading offensive presence on a club with championship aspirations, Harper’s Washington teams failed to advance in four trips to the NLDS and missed the playoffs entirely in 2018." And let's not forget that the other 26-year-old top free agent, Manny Machado's lack of performance in the World Series aided in the Red Sox 5-game win over the Dodger's in the World Series.

Photo: USA Today Sports

For starting pitching, Arizona Diamondback left hander Pat Corbin leads the list for the Yankees (he was on it last season as well). "This past April, the lefty told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that “it would definitely be great to play’’ in the Bronx. “I grew up a Yankees fan (in upstate New York). My whole family are Yankees fans.’’With his signature slider, Corbin, 29, increased his price with a 3.15 ERA in 200 innings this season for Arizona," reported NJ.com. The kid from Syracuse, New York could be good pick up for the Yankees.

Source: New York Post

The Yankees need to be open to a variety of changes and shifts that will enable them to move past the Red Sox in 2019.  This includes being open to signing two signature leaders in CC Sabathia and Brett Gardner for one and two year contracts respectively.  It's October 31st and it's not too early to talk about free agency, in fact it is a sense of urgency as the Yankees begin to fill in gaps in hopes of getting out of the gate early and rebuilding for 2019 now.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @Suzieprof

THE FAT LADY HAS SUNG

Good Morning BYB Freaks.  The Fat lady has sung. A Red Sox fan has sent me an email... and it's kind. Read this...


Dear Casey,

Thanks for the Congratulations. The truth is, I loved watching this season and really liked my Red Sox win. I did want to point out a few things about your website and me being a Red Sox fan though and I find it kind of important.

You do great work. I say this because I have read your site for a few years now. I rarely agree when you and your writers write about my Boston Red Sox, but I have to say, you guys are real. You are knowledgeable and you say it like it is.  Dare I say that I respect you and your writers. You are true fans.

I did find it unfair that you were ripping us fans about the "Yankees Suck" chants the other night.  I wasn't there at Game 5, but I have been at plenty of games where if the Red Sox were playing the Yankees or not, that chant is always there. I think you are right in a sense. We are always thinking about the Yankees. It's been a long journey. Your team has a lot of championships. We are only recently winning. So, you can understand that it's that whole razzing thing. We don't hate the Yankee fans. We get it. We hate the Yankees, just like you guys hate the Red Sox.  You have said it multiple times, "That's what being a fan is."

Casey, I really just wanted to say thanks.  You have opened my eyes to being more of a baseball fan than a Red Sox fan. While I will always bleed red, I now have an opened mind when I watch baseball.  I don't get crazy when things don't go the Red Sox way, but I do see both sides to plays and respect the game a lot more than I did before I started reading Bleeding Yankee Blue.  I know, this is weird, but you guys are great like that.  It's never about hate and rudeness. You write truthfully and honest. I really enjoy it and look for it every day.

I just wanted to say thanks for congratulating the Red Sox and the fans on a good season. No other Yankee website would do that. Yes, there are "trashy" fans as you say on all corners of the world, but there are some good ones too.  I hope you and I can form that bond. You guys at BYB make it cool to be baseball fans.

Respect and thanks


Greg
Boston

Um... Wow! I didn't expect that email, but I got it late last night and to be honest... I couldn't wait to post it this morning.  Greg, thanks for getting it. We aren't about the hate and appreciate you input.  Your team played amazing this season.  The good fans deserve all the best.

Happy Tuesday. I have a feeling I'm having Tacos in my house tonight.

EXCLUSIVE: YANKS "NOT JAZZED" ABOUT MACHADO

Photo: Los Angeles Times

You know how I hate speculation, but I actually do have a tiny, tiny... (did I mention tiny?) piece of information involving Manny Machado and the New York Yankees. Take it for what it's worth...and it's probably not worth much.

You know I have a "source" inside the Yankees hot box, and while it's way too early and while this may not be a ton of legitimate info, it's still a piece that I haven't heard anywhere else "officially".  The Yankees are quote "not jazzed" about Manny Machado "since the World Series".  That comes from my guy on the inside and that makes a ton of sense considering some of the antics he pulled during the playoffs.

Photo: USA Today Sports

It's being suggested by my source who spoke to a person who does not want to be named that while Manny is a talented player, the New York Yankees worry is he's more of a selfish player... "not Yankee material".  the word selfish is not his word, but instead my interpretation of what was relayed to me. The words in quotes are direct.

Now look, this is just interesting if anything else.  We saw Manny do some pretty immature things on the field down the stretch, and while I would like to see Manny play in New York ( I really do), I believe that some of the stunts he pulled in the World Series for instance aren't exactly the Yankee way.

Manny Machado says he didn’t mean to spike Steve Pearce https://t.co/Piq9GHFDT5 pic.twitter.com/gA8ubEgD2n

— Boston.com Sports (@BDCSports) October 28, 2018

Stepping the heel of Steven Pearce running to first base a few nights ago... while it could have easily been a mistake or a 'misfooting' on the first base bag, it still looked bad.  Secondly, remember when he kicked Jesus Aguilar of the Brewers during that series?

ICYMI: Things got heated between Manny Machado and Jesús Aguilar late in Game 4 of the NLCS. pic.twitter.com/jz6HwCMaYw

— ESPN (@espn) October 17, 2018

All these little incidents look like something you do when you are frustrated, and, of course, when you're coming down the first base line and you want to let loose alittle, the first baseman is the only one there, right?

Photo: OC Register

I like Manny the ballplayer, but I don't like Manny the dirty ballplayer. I don't like dirty and I don't like desperate. Manny has enough talent to let THAT do the talking. Why does he need to play dirty and why do little incidents like this keep happening? Seems like a pattern of a player that wants his way.

But look, the point of this post is to let you know that I have a tidbit, and hey, it may mean absolutely nothing. But it's damn interesting.

Do I see Manny Machado coming to the Yankees? I do.  I think that it is someone we can have at short if Didi Gregorius is out after Tommy John, or at third if we want to have a more veteran player there in place of a Miguel Andiujar.  But long term? I'm not sure that's the play when it comes to Manny Machado. I would hate to pay big money and attach a long term to him. Couple that with his antics down the stretch this season, the way he seems to treat the opposing team and his immaturity... I just don't know what to make of it.  I think if the Yankees did take a chance on him they would hope that his happiness of being a Yankee would allow that immaturity and lack of hustle to go away. But you just don't know if that will happen until he's in the Bronx and to be honest it's a roll of the dice.  Now I'm just rambling...

Hey, we will have to see. That being said, I always vowed I'd bring you nuggets when I get them... and I got one. Take it or leave it... it's pretty interesting though.

Carry on...

IS IT TIME TO SAY 'GOODBYE' TO BRETT?

I'm a nostalgic girl. I go home to New York pretty often. It's nice to go, and then it sucks to leave. So when it comes time to go I never say 'goodbye' to friends and family I always say 'see you later' because let's face it, goodbye sounds like forever. It's permanent and it sucks.

So I am at this point now with a particular Yankee. The World Series is over now and the Yankees have to make a very difficult decision. Do they pick up Brett Gardner's $12.5 million option for next season? If they choose not to pick it up they owe him a $2 million buyout. Number and strategy should make the decision easier than what it is. Too bad things aren't always as easy as it seems.

Photo: New York Daily News

The Yankees have a lot of talent, and that is especially true for guys that play in the outfield. It's a logjam, actually. It's hard to see a clear future for him when you see other guys like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier still trying to make his way back from his concussion. Oh yeah, and there is some guy out there named Jacoby Ellsbury who is essentially nothing but dead weight for the Yankees.

He's magically supposed to be relevant again next season in case you missed it read DON'T WORRY...JACOBY ELLSBURY WILL BE READY. I know, I laughed too!

Anyway, so what waits for either Ellsbury or Gardner remains to be seen. Personally, I couldn't care less about Ellsbury. Gardner on the other hand isn't as cut and dry.

Is Gardner on the decline? Yes, he's 35 years old and he hit .236 this year. He played in less games because again the Yankees outfield is full of younger talent. It's just how the game goes now. But what Gardner hasn't been able to contribute to on the field he's made up for in the clubhouse. As our Core Four went into retirement, Gardner and CC Sabathia stepped into leadership roles.

The Yankees value Gardner more than just what he has done on the field. Clearly, Brian Cashman believes Gardner is worth more to the Yankees on the field then anything he was ever offered for him in the past. "Nothing ever came closer for a trade for him because we always valued him more than the industry, correctly I believe,” Cashman said. “We felt the trade attempts were weak because he was very valued here. There were knocks on the door, but it was a head-scratcher for us because he was disruptor on offense, a difference-maker on defense. He has unique skills and we have been lucky he is ours" read more HERE.

I've always admired Gardner because he had one hell of a journey to get to where he is today. If you haven't heard all of it THIS is a good summary of it. How can you not root for the scrappy kid who tried out for the College of Charleston as a walk-on but failed to make the cut and somehow still makes it in the end? He's the example of not giving up even when someone tells you 'no.' It's a story we all tell our kids and want them to believe in.

So this is more than just a $10.5 million decision. It's one that comes with a unique history and circumstance. I wish this decision was about Ellsbury instead because that would be a no-brainer. Gardner is a not just a good guy for the organization to have....he's a GREAT guy for the organization to have. But is he great enough for the Yankees to find room for him?

I dread this answer. So are the Yankees going to say "goodbye" and how would you feel about it? If this is the end it sucks knowing we watched Gardner play his last game against the Red Sox, who are now World Champions. I think I am going to be sick now...

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @Nyprincessj

ACT LIKE YOU'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE

I'm a Yankee fan, but I'm a baseball fan, BUT... I barely watched the World Series.

Congrats to the Red Sox, not so much on the World Series, but for a great team season, full of a lot of wins and achievements. Who doesn't like Mookie Betts? Who spits thinking what could have been if the Yankees took a chance on Steve Pearce or Nathan Eovaldi?  Who really thinks Clayton Kershaw is a big time pitcher?

Think again.

The Red Sox won and for that team, a very special one, Congrats is in the cards on that. For the Boston fans that act like they've been there before, I tip my cap.  That's class.

For the Chants of "Yankees Suck" in a World Series, admit it, you're obsessed with us.  You love to hate us... but we weren't even involved. YOU WERE PLAYING THE DODGERS.

You can hear the Yankee chants. I don't get those. Of course, I know the history, But I don't get it.

— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) October 29, 2018

I mean, in your minds, who did you think you were really playing?

I will never understand the classless, childish bull involved with clueless and 1 dimensional Sox fans that can't seem to get past the fact that the Red Sox triumphs literally have nothing to do with us Yankee fans and our team.  You've passed us this year, fools. You should be looking in your rear view waving goodbye... not egging us on so we come back stronger.  You missed the entire point of your season Red Sox fans.  You were the best team on the diamond this year and you can't move forward. Dumb.

Imagine winning the World Series and still chanting “Yankees suck”. The Red Sux fan base is such a joke. They never stop obsessing about us.

— Princess (@NYYprincess33) October 29, 2018

The Yankees fell short.  Chanting "Yankees suck" in the World Series... kind of pathetic.  We literally mean nothing in your big world right now.

And that's the difference when it comes to being there before and not being there enough.  The Yankees have done more with less the past few years.  No big time signings other than Giancarlo Stanton and we all know that didn't really work out.

Photo: USA Today Sports

We have youngsters... we're trying to play like a smaller market team even though we spend big money. We in essence were the underdogs this season, not the Red Sox who had every big name and spend a ton of money to get there. Hey, I'm not saying that's wrong by the way... the object is to win in the now, and the strategy has been pretty much invented by the Yankees during the Steinbrenner years.  The Red Sox, the Dodgers, they adopted it and they made it to the World Series... but my Yankees were not in it based on a new strategy. And maybe that's why I didn't care about this year's World Series.  Either way, you can't ignore a good baseball team when you see it, and the Red Sox were that this year. Bottom line.

Photo: Boston Globe

But when it comes to the Yankees, we just weren't ready and the Red Sox were.  But when it comes to the fans (and there are a great group of respectful Sox fans out there), many of you acted like trash.  You should be standing tall, tip your cap to your team, congratulate the Dodgers for making it that far and walk into the sunset knowing your team did something pretty amazing... you won a whole lot of games.... and you had a great damn team.

Will the Yankees return stronger next season? Absolutely.  But the Yankee fans will be angrier because of your silly display.  Yankee fans are funny. We don't think much of it when the Sox beat us. We don't go off on Red Sox fans when their team does better.

We get mad at our own team... we get mad at Aaron Boone or Cashman for the moves they made or didn't make.  Red Sox fans? They have this thing in their head where razzing a losing Yankee team means something. It doesn't. You guys won... that's it. Congrats.

Let me state for the record the not all Red Sox fans are trash, and trust me, there are plenty of trashy Yankee fans out there.  I'm targeting the few that think that fighting after a loss is smart. I'm targeting the ones that will shove an opposing fan, or spit on them if they disagree. I'm targeting the geniuses that are obsessed with us Yankee fans and can't stop chanting "Yankees Suck" even after the Red Sox were the last team standing in the World Series. That was a few series' ago... get over it.

It's baseball folks, act like you've been there before.

Congrats to the Sox. A great team this year.  I hate every minute of it, but as a baseball fan, you need to respect the grind, and that's what I'll do.

MAKING BASEBALL FUN AGAIN

Source: CBS Sports

The World Series has not disappointed as far as keeping things interesting even without the Yankees.  The game last night with the back and forth banter between each team besting the other was crazy fun to watch. The night before, watching Walker Buehler get excited with a fist pump as he completed a 2-hit 100+ pitch 7th inning carrying his Dodger team into the 8th with a 1-0 lead was fun to watch.  18 innings may not have been fun, but it was two good teams going at it and that I like.  The competition between two well matched teams is making baseball fun again. But there are other parts of baseball that are taking that fun right out of it.

Source: Sporting News

It was not fun to watch Manny Machado slump up to first base after smashing a deep single into the outfield on Friday night.  "Machado got caught watching a long fly ball that he thought was heading into the seats, only to watch it bang off the wall. He had to settle for a single and missed out on what looked like a potential double," reported CBS Sports. The same article reported that "Manny Machado has not been shy about admitting he'll never be Johnny Hustle. "That's not my cup of tea," he said after jogging out a routine ground ball during the NLCS." 

Source: KNBR 680

The spotlight lens has been focused more closely on the Dodger shortstop over the last several weeks, revealing some undesirable qualities in the young player. These include failure to hustle, cleating the first baseman after crossing the base and just an overall cockiness, which is just not appropriate and only collectively takes away from baseball as a fun competition between two teams, highlighting the player as an individual.

Source: Newsday

He's not the only one taking the fun out of the game.  Guys like Yoenis Cespedes do it too.  I sometimes feel like Gary Sanchez does this when he appears not to hustle down the base paths or behind the plate.  Even the mere appearance of laziness is undesirable.

Source: USA Today

There was an article published a little over a year ago about how baseball needs to brand the "Face of Baseball" in order to take the sport to the next level as far as leveraging star power for more dollars for the game.  According to ESPN, "What this sport needs now, to get back into the Face of Baseball business, is the sort of culture change that will allow the game to give people what sports fans demand in the 21st century -- a culture built around players who aren't afraid to express their personality." But to what extent?  Guys like Machado hurt the sport with their "real personalities" and Kris Bryant and Mike Trout, make baseball fun again with their behaviors both on and off the field.

When I see exciting games and inviting ball parks that welcome fans in, it makes me feel that baseball is reaching out to today's fans and making the game fun again.  When I see attitudes and lack of hustle, it takes the game down a road that it really needs to avoid.  Making baseball fun again is a trend I hope advances as the World Series winds down and a new season begins later this spring.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @Suzieprof

SANDY KOUFAX IS A BASEBALL LEGEND...

Photo: AP

Of course, FOX Sports, the network broadcasting this World Series blows it to a national audience... big time.

I just want to put this right here.

This is Bill Nye.

This is Sandy Koufax.

It took me 33 seconds to Google that.

How pathetic.

FLORIAL IS ON FIRE IN THE ARIZONA FALL LEAGUE!

Photo: MLB.com

Damn, I love our farm system and I am excited about Estevan Florial.  We just wrote ESTEVAN FLORIAL IS WORKING ON STUFF! the other day and explained that he's working to get to the Bigs and straightening out mechanics and his talent.  Now comes word that he's just moving along quite nicely.

Photo: USA Today

Not only that; There's that other talented kid by the name of Thairo Estrada many of us know and really like. Hey, this is all great stuff!  That's why you gotta love the Arizona Fall League!

Check this out... it's from MLB.com...

"Yankees No. 2 prospect Estevan Florial and No. 16 prospect Thairo Estrada brought home seven of Glendale's 21 runs on Thursday, with Florial, who entered the game late as a pinch-hitter in the fifth, driving in all four of his runs in an 11-run ninth inning with a pair of two-run knocks.

Estrada extended his hitting streak to four games with a 3-for-5 game, including three runs and three RBIs. Reliever Kyle Zurak allowed one hit and struck out one in two scoreless innings."

I would love to see these guys with us real soon.  Hopefully they get a bunch of at bats in some spring games.  Would be fun.

I'm very excited folks...

DON'T WORRY... JACOBY ELLSBURY WILL BE READY

Photo: New York Post

I get a kick out of this story and a lot of it has to do with the fact that Jacoby Ellbury was out all damn season and reality is... WE DON'T NEED THE GUY.  And so, when Scott Boros comes out and let's the world know that Ellbsury will be ready for the 2019 season... I have to say, who cares.... honestly.

The New York Post:

"Scott Boras said Jacoby Ellsbury will be ready for spring training after undergoing hip surgery late last season and missing the entire 2018 year. 

Photo: New York Post

'He got the right doctor and the right surgery, and I fully expect him to be ready [for spring training],' Ellsbury’s agent said before Game 3 of the World Series between the Red Sox and Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. "

So where's he gonna play Scott? We have Judge, Stanton, Gardy, Hicks.. oh yeah... and Clint Frazier.  It's over Scott... Sadly, it's over Jacoby.

I mean sure, we're still owed him over 40 million for the next 2 years, but there's gotta be a way to cut this loser loose and eat some of that money and ship him off to another team for a bag of balls and L-screen.

Right?

YANKEES ARE "FRONT-RUNNERS" FOR MACHADO... WHATEVER THAT MEANS

Photo: AP

The season's not even over yet, and Manny Machado, while has proved that he's mad talented... is also lazy. You know... Robinson Cano lazy. Plus, we have Didi Gregorius at short. Although, with Tommy John recovery on the agenda for Didi, getting Manny makes sense. But in the Twitter world, where everything is crazy, the idea of Manny coming to the Bronx looks like a real thing.

Now YES Network's A.J. Herrmann writes this, and to be honest, I don't know what to make of it...

"The former Baltimore Oriole and current Los Angeles Dodger battling it out in the World Series has drawn criticisms this October for his open aversion to running hard, as well as some of his dirty tactics on the bases. 

Despite those demerits, Machado remains one of the most supremely talented players in the game today with elite skills on both sides of the ball and four All-Star selections in his last six seasons, and the Bronx Bombers could reportedly become his next club. 

'There are only a few teams willing to spend at least $300 million for the mercurial star,' Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote Thursday. 'The New York Yankees are the front-runners, while the Philadelphia Phillies also plan to be in the bidding.'"

Now, here's the thing, and you really need to put this in perspective. While the report from Herrmann says Yanks are 'front-runners', you are all smart enough to realize that there's no inside information here. That word 'front-runners' was offered by another beat writer...yes, Bob Nightengale. There's no other information and indication that this is a real thing. It's a guess based on the money the Yankees have. Literally... that's it.

I think it would be very cool to see Manny in the Bronx. But honestly... I'm not getting to excited yet... I'm just not.