The Yankees struck early by picking up left hand pitcher James Paxton earlier this week, a strategy that the Yankees missed out on in years past. Typically, the front office has looked home grow a new team and pick up a few pieces here and there while staying under the luxury tax. But this year, it was critical that they prioritize pitching first and they are not done yet.
Source: ESPN
According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, the Yankees will have to beef up their infield to be a defensive arsenal against the ground ball, of which Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino are experts. "If you are going to bring in a groundball specialist, “you better make sure there is good (infield) defense behind (the pitcher) if it is going to work, so there are a lot more moving parts there,”stated Brian Cashman. Sherman added, "And the Yankees’ infield defense is, at minimum, suspect. Their best gloveman, Didi Gregorius will miss at least two months after Tommy John surgery. Miguel Andujar was, by metrics, the majors’ worst defender at third. Gleyber Torres has the quick-hand/strong-arm attributes to be a top defender, but was not consistent last year. Luke Voit is a below-average defender and Greg Bird, perhaps, average at first."
Source: Daily News
So the next move may be another pitcher or an infielder who may or may not be Manny Machado. I believe Cashman is going to be very cautious and selective when it comes to Machado given his no hustle attitude, a polar opposite of Didi Gregorius whose void will be felt as he recovers from surgery.
Source: NY Post
"We just try to ask a lot of questions about how they compete. This environment can bring out a different experience for some. So I don't have a new secret formula to address predictability on who will thrive and survive and who won't here in New York,"stated Cashman via ESPN.
Source: NJ.com
Former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi has been a topic of conversation more than once in 2018 and he could be involved in a Cashman interview before the end of the year. Ground ball pitchers are attractive to the Yankees who have that short porch in right field. "And the market offers more of the same with free agents Patrick Corbin (11.1 strikeouts per nine), Charlie Morton (10.8), J.A. Happ (9.8), plus the Indians triumvirate of Trevor Bauer (11.5), Carlos Carrasco (10.7) and Corey Kluber (9.3) available in trade," reported the Post.
Source: USA Today
Who will be the next new pitcher for the Yankees? Who knows? Did we see Paxton coming? I didn't but it is a good move despite losing Justus Sheffield who appears to need more grooming, which is more time the Yankees couldn't afford to give. Let's pick up one more pitcher, Cash, and then focus on beefing up the infield without Machado, please.
--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof
So now we have shut the door probably on Happ unless Corbin signs somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteHapp pitched well and Happ had just as good a year as Paxton.
Paxton is younger but in two years he will be a FA where in two years Happ would retire and perhaps Sheffield would be ready.
Now everyone is banking on Didi getting back by end of June and only one position player has ever done that and that was Carl Crawford. He was never the same after that, from rushing back to early or just it was one of those happens deals.
Besides the Yankees doctors have a reputation of not being able to read a medical file.See Bird, Judge and Youk to name a few.
I say either sign Didi to an extension now or we sign Machado or maybe ship Wade, Grayand Hicks to the Cubs for Russell and sign Harper to play CF.
I would had preferred Happ instead of CC and I am afraid the Yankees will regret bringing CC back.