THE YANKEES LIVE RENT FREE IN AROLDIS CHAPMAN'S HEAD - AND IT'S HILARIOUS!

"No way. Not even dead." - Aroldis Chapman 

"If I were told that I was being traded to New York, I'd pack my things and go home. I'll retire right on the spot if that happens. I'm not crazy. Never again." - Aroldis Chapman

Oh, silly Chapman YOU ARE CRAZY! I love these stories that come out (they feel like they are more frequent lately) where players are talking so vehemently against the Yankees....and they start impersonating each other. In case you missed it, Chapman just did his best Vladimir Guerrero Jr impression. I'm sure he's flattered.

In case you missed it, Chapman does not miss the Yankees one bit and he made sure everyone knows it. You can read more about it HERE, and laugh. Once upon a time, Chapman wore pinstripes but he got a bad tattoo, got an infection, had a falling out with the "Yankee bosses" as he stated and was eventually removed from the 2022 ALDS roster after he threw a temper tantrum. That's the reader's digest version.

So a podcast he was on asked if he would ever return to the Yankees and he pulled a Vlad. Almost three years ago we wrote VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR IS OBSESSED WITH THE YANKEES & I LOVE IT! He said he would "never" sign with the Yankees "not even dead." They say imitation is the highest form of flattery....in this case, it's also another hilarious headline Yankee fans laugh at. How sad to be void of any original thoughts, Chapman.

I can answer that with an unoriginal thought though. Chapman doesn't have to worry about the Yankees giving him a call anytime soon. I think I can speak confidently when I say Chapman shouldn'tstare at his cellphone like a sad teenage girl waiting for her crush to text.....we don't want him back. He can stay in Boston, eat his clam chowder and go get as many bad tattoos as he wants. We're good with David Bednar closing out our games. Maybe he's just salty that closed out Game 1 of the Wild Card series but then had to watch his old team rally back and win the series.

At any rate, Vlad used that line better. At least it was entertaining and inspired by family and childhood drama. Chappy is just mad because he wasn't traded or released after the Yankees decided they were over his crap. 

What a cry baby....

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

WHAT SHOULD THE YANKEES DO WITH LUKE WEAVER?

The Yankees are prepping for their formal meetings in Tampa, and they have some decisions to make as they start shaping their 2026 roster. One of their decisions is going to have to involve Luke Weaver and after his 2024 season, I really didn't think he would be taking up such a big part of the Yankees puzzle.....but he is.

The Weaver from 2024 and Weaver this season are complete opposites He was one of the headlines last year because he came out of nowhere and he became one of Aaron Boone's most trusted arms. Hell, after 2024 I thought he had a good argument to be the next closer. But this season, was a big regression.

There's a lot of questions now about Weaver and his confidence. Despite working with Gerrit Cole since mid-summer, he hasn't looked right. He went from being a dominant figure last season to a pitcher that lost some of his mechanics and started tipping his pitches. Even scouts said his delivery was obvious, and he was giving too many clues to what was coming next. He wasn't fooling opposing hitters and they picked up on everything that was coming, read more HERE. His ineffectiveness on the mound is what made him fall out of Boone's trusted circle and replaced with Camilo Doval.

And that's not all. Looking back, now the question of stamina comes to light. Spring training was not a great start for Weaver. His velocity was down, leaving questions if Weaver's increased workload in 2024 had taken a toll on him, and if he was ready for what was to come. By summer, Weaver suffered a hamstring injury. After experiencing discomfort, an MRI confirmed a hamstring injury, and the initial diagnosis was supposed to be an absence of 4 to 6 weeks. Weaver received a plasma injection to help with the recover....but the Yankees reinstated him after only 17 days.

And once Weaver came back, he didn't look the same. The mechanics were off and soon his confidence was gone. Listening to him after ALDS Game 1, I'd be lying if I said I was not concerned. He even said he wasn't 100%, read more HERE.

"I don't really feel like myself. I don't feel like my mind is completely clear to go out there and attack. I do feel physically strong. I do feel mentally strong overall."
I think that is a real concern. The Yankees have some blame here. They rushed Weaver back without letting him heal and obviously he overcompensated in other areas to deal with it and just lost the mechanics he once had and his confidence.

So now the Yankees have to decide what to do here. Can they "fix" Weaver? History doesn't paint a pretty picture there and I just don't trust their medical approaches. Could more rest this offseason help get him back on track? Maybe, but he's also going to get a pay raise this year (he's a Scott Boras client) so maybe the Yankees are better served letting him test free agency and finding a more cost effective arm. The Yankees bullpen was a weakness this season, so I am not sure the Yankees shouldn't just rebuild it around David Bednar. I miss the old Weaver and I'd want him back, but I am concerned.

Would you want Weaver back for the right price? Comment and tell us.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

A CRAZY NEW NAME FOR HITTING COACH IS OUT THERE!

Remember Manny Ramirez? Every baseball fan does. He was one of the most feared hitters in baseball during his years with the Boston Red Sox and throughout his MLB career. Now 14 years removed from his playing days he would like to return to Major League Baseball, but in a much different role.

Manny's playing days may be long gone, but now he is looking to get back into the coaching world and he has let all 30 MLB teams know. Jon Heyman talked about his credentials on MLB Network and X last week.

As Heyman mentions, he has credentials. He knew how to hit, that's the reason he was every pitcher's nightmare. But can he TEACH someone how to hit? That remains to be seen, and is a valid question. Manny had the "it" factor, but can he develop that in someone else? He doesn't have the long resume of teaching hitting skills like he does making clutch hits. So does his MLB experience give him the real credentials to jump to MLB again as THE hitting coach?

It's an interesting scenario to think about especially after leaving MLB in 2011 after testing positive for PEDS for a third time. Boston has a history of bringing back former Red Sox favorites into special roles for the organization. Could Manny be the next edition after David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez? It's what Boston does.

But is it what the Yankees would do? Considering James Rowson could easily be heading back to Minnesota as their new manager, the Yankees would need a new hitting coach. It would be crazy, but the Yankees do a lot of crazy things like keep Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman around. The Yankees are also obsessed with the long ball, and Manny had plenty of those. It's too crazy in my opinion....it's not a fit. 

I'm curious to see where this goes, the man with the "credentials" as Heyman says and the man with the PEDS background....is there a team out there (besides Boston) that will really give this guy a chance?

Can Manny even articulate and teach others to do what he did? That would be a season worth watching. It could be a disaster, or hilarious....or just crazy enough to work? 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

YANKEES ALREADY HAVE STARTING PITCHING PROBLEMS FOR NEXT SEASON!

We may not be strategizing for the World Series, but the Yankees brain trust already has a problem to solve in the offseason. Since the Yankees have a real problem exercising their smarts sometimes (I'm being generous) they better get started now.

The 2026 starting rotation already has too much uncertainty. There are still unknowns with Gerrit Cole's timeline for a return. He's set to start throwing off a mound this week and if all goes well he should be back around May. There's even more uncertainty with Clarke Schmidt who had Tommy John surgery back in July. He could be back late in the year, but that is still a big if. That could be around August of next season. That's a lot of uncertainty to have, even before the latest news with Carlos Rodon. 

Rodon underwent an elbow scope Wednesday to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur. He will be shut down for the next eight weeks and will also miss the first few weeks of the regular season. That's three starters starting the season on the Injured List at minimum. Now the Yankees need more depth.

The Yankees need a veteran starter with experience, so they are looking for the 2026 Carlos Carrasco but one with better results in the regular season. Not just the guy that pitches well in Spring Training to get the gig and then fall flat. HERE is the free agent list, it's a lengthy one and if I am being honest, the starting pitchers don't have me jumping out of my seat.

But, neither did Carrasco or Marcus Stroman this season, and they didn't single handedly bring us down. The Yankees need depth, they need someone serviceable to get us through the first few weeks while Cole and Rodon ramp up. Two names that I keep seeing in the rumor mill are Merrill Kelly and Chris Bassitt and while I am not loving either option, I must admit the idea of adding depth to the Yankees while making the Blue Jays weaker doesn't suck right now. They could be the new Carrasco but...there's another interesting option.

There is a real strategic option with a guy like Nick Martinez. The Reds have used him as both a starter and reliever this season with 20 of his 40 appearances as a starter. His 4.45 ERA doesn't look pretty but he had better success in a reliever role. He could help some stability while our starters are out but be a reliable arm out of the bullpen also, which the Yankees need. His 2.87 career ERA as a reliever is what should intrigue the Yankees the most.

The Yankees need to add some arms because right now the start of 2026 is already in jeopardy....in October. The Yankees brain trust needs to find an answer to this that the analytic geek in the front office isn't capable of fixing. They have a long time to start fixing it but they better get started now.....

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

ENOUGH! LET'S BOYCOTT THE YANKEES TO CHANGE THIS TEAM'S FUTURE

Let’s stop pretending the Yankees are “a tweak away.” This isn’t a tweak situation. This is a teardown-from-the-top situation. The front office, the GM, the manager—all of it. The entire operation has gone stale, soft, and shockingly satisfied with mediocrity. And while the team keeps trying to convince us that “stability” is a strength, it’s really just a euphemism for “we’ve given up.”

Brian Cashman has been the general manager since 1998. Aaron Boone has been the manager since 2018. The Yankees haven’t won a World Series since 2009. That’s sixteen years without a championship in the Bronx—longer than most Yankee fans’ kids have been alive. Yet every October, we get the same smug postmortem: “The players didn’t perform.”

No, Brian. You didn’t lead. You didn’t build. You didn’t adapt. You’ve become the guy who keeps slapping duct tape on a leaking ship and calling it a “rebuild.”

Boone? He’s not a manager; he’s a dugout buddy with a laminated analytics chart. Players might like him because he’s “chill,” but they sure as hell don’t respect him. This team plays like it knows the teacher won’t fail them no matter what. Boone’s not commanding a locker room—he’s hosting a summer camp. He’s a nice guy, sure. But nice guys don’t win in New York. They get run over.

If Boone wants to keep smiling and shrugging off accountability, let him do it in Miami. Go manage the Marlins, Aaron. You’re not cut out for the Bronx.

And then there’s the invisible man, Hal Steinbrenner. The son of the Boss has somehow mastered the art of being rich and irrelevant at the same time. George Steinbrenner built empires out of outrage. He spent recklessly, yelled publicly, and cared deeply. Hal? He’s MIA—vanishing after another wasted October while fans stew in silence. Not a press conference, not a statement, not even a token apology for the mess he bankrolls. The man is allergic to accountability.

Randy Levine? Another ghost. The Yankees' front office has turned into a bunker of bureaucrats who think spreadsheets win titles. They’ve replaced instinct with iPads, guts with graphs. Baseball has always been a blend of numbers and feel—but this “analytics army” has tipped it so far toward the data that the soul of the game’s gone missing.

Every decision feels preprogrammed. Every bullpen move feels like a computer simulation. Every lineup card feels like it was spit out by a Roomba. And yet, year after year, they act stunned when the “process” fails.

Newsflash: analytics don’t lead. People do... the game has a heartbeat. And right now, the people in charge of the Yankees are cowards.

So, what should fans do? Stop feeding the beast. Don’t buy the tickets. Don’t buy the jerseys. Don’t give them a dime until they give us a reason to believe again. I stopped going two years ago, and I don’t miss dropping $1,000 for a game at a ballpark run by people who couldn’t care less about winning.

You can still love the Yankees. You can still cheer for Judge, Cole, and the pinstripes. But stop financially rewarding the clowns running the circus. Because as long as the seats stay full, Hal Steinbrenner will keep thinking everything’s fine.

Money is the only language ownership understands. If they feel the financial pinch, they’ll finally panic. And maybe—just maybe—that panic will spark the fire that George once lit under this franchise.

Until then, it’s all smoke and mirrors. Boone will be back in 2026 because he’s under contract. Cashman will still be around because Hal values his “institutional knowledge” (translation: he’s too lazy to fire him). Randy Levine will pop up for one photo op, then disappear again. And we’ll all sit through another season of analytics-driven nothingness.

ARod called it out—Cashman’s roster construction is one of the worst in the sport. And he’s right. It’s unbalanced, predictable, and dependent on the long ball. There’s no small ball, no strategy, no adaptability. Boone can’t manage a bullpen, can’t construct a lineup, and can’t think on his feet without his analytics binder telling him what to do.

It’s robotic baseball run by men who’ve forgotten that emotion and instinct still win in October.

So what’s next? Simple:
Boycott. Boycott. Boycott.

Cancel your ticket plans. Stop going. Stop pretending it’s going to fix itself. Because it won’t—not until Hal, Randy, Cashman, Boone, and their overpaid analytics department feel what fans have been feeling for years: fear.

Let them panic. Let them squirm. Let them finally realize that Yankee fans aren’t loyal to mediocrity—we’re loyal to greatness.

And greatness doesn’t live here anymore.

By the way, I'm right.

A TRAGIC DEATH FOR JESUS MONTERO

Jesús Montero, once hailed as one of baseball’s most can’t-miss prospects, has died at the age of 35 in his native Venezuela.

The New York Yankees confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement on Sunday, saying, “The Yankees are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jesús Montero. We send our sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

According to Venezuelan sports outlets, Montero had been involved in a serious traffic accident several weeks ago. 

Montero’s talent was undeniable from the start. Signed out of Venezuela by the Yankees as a teenager, he made his professional debut in 2007 at just 17 years old. His bat quickly turned heads across the minors. As MLB Trade Rumors noted:

“Montero is best known for having been one of the league’s most elite prospects in the early 2010s. Signed out of Venezuela by the Yankees as an amateur, Montero made his pro debut in 2007 at the age of 17. His second professional season saw him break out at the Single-A level, where he hit .326/.376/.491 with 17 homers and 34 doubles in 132 games. That strong performance earned Montero plenty of attention prior to the 2009 season, when he became a consensus top-50 prospect in the sport.”

The expectations were sky-high. Montero’s power in Triple-A — 21 home runs and a .517 slugging percentage in 2010 — made him the Yankees’ next supposed superstar, the heir apparent to the team’s aging core. But the raw numbers didn’t translate to big-league success.

After a trade to Seattle for pitcher Michael Pineda, Montero’s career took a sharp turn. His tenure with the Mariners was marked by inconsistency, diminished production, and a now-infamous 2014 incident in which he reportedly tried to confront a team scout during a minor league rehab game.   

Seattle eventually waived him in 2016, and while Montero had short-lived stints with the Blue Jays and Orioles organizations, his once-promising major league career never found its footing again.

Montero’s story — from prodigy to tragic figure — is a sobering reminder of how unpredictable baseball can be. For all the hype, the magazine covers, and the scouts’ glowing projections, the game still humbles even its most gifted players.

Jesús Montero was only 35. Gone far too soon, but forever remembered by Yankee fans who once believed they were watching the rise of a star.

PLAY IT AGAIN, HAL

Are you listening to Brian Cashman’s end of the year presser? WHY?! Why do it again? It’s like the same awful Christmas sweater that you bought in a pinch 10 years ago to make it a friends Holiday Party! Now you keep dusting it off to re wear each year. Throw it away! Donate it to Goodwill! Better yet don’t go the the next “Bad Christmas Sweater” get together…those parties are worse than fruitcake.

The Yankees are now like that Christmas sweater in a way. Sure, they’re still the NEW YORK YANKEES. They are synonymous with big time sports like the Tree at Rock Center is with Christmas. But the magic is gone! It feels like the years after we were told Mom and Dad were Santa (Though I’m still investigating that one).

Who changed it all? Well, it seems to be the 3 UNWISE MEN! Hal isn’t a baseball man or a competitive titan like his father was. He is a silver spooned bank teller who reads from a Steinbrenner script…but he can’t sell it. George NEEDED to win. He believed he owed it to New York. Hal hears about all the subways in the city and probably thinks they just have a lot of low-rate, chain sandwich shops! He isn't NYC.

It's like that movie “Funny Bones” with Oliver Platt and Jerry Lewis. The great comedian and his unfunny son. “There are some that can read funny, and there are those with funny bones…you’re neither.” See it. It’s great and sums up the massive gap between “The Boss” and “The Bust”.

Cashman is a clown. He was the wunderkind under the Stick Michael regime and just a figure head while the Dynasty was playing and winning. Then he took the massive checkbook at his disposal and found a way to get it done in 2009…still with Mo, Jeter and company.

He constructs bad teams! He makes dumb moves. Sure, the sun shines on a dog’s ass now and then but…well hell, I'll just shout Ellsbury and leave it there! He is defiant every year when the press asks why the Yankees are a broken record of broken teams. He needs to go! FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE!! They canned GI Joe Girardi and he was good! Cashman is like 10-week-old milk at this point. He stinks and you’ll get violently ill if you drink any of his nonsense. Hit the Deegan, Brian. You need to move on.

Then we have Boone. I like Aaron Boone. Had the chance to meet him a few times, He is genuine. He loves the game, and I KNOW he gets that he is the skipper of the greatest franchise in sports. He has been ok. Not great. Not the main reason they fall short. He’s been ok. But this is NEW YORK! Like Colin Quinn once said about New York audiences, “I don’t care if Jack Nicolson gets up on that stage…if he isn’t funny within the first 5 minutes he’s gonna get booed.” 

 

 

Boone is a nice guy…but my Uncle Jack is a nice guy, and he shouldn’t manage the Yanks either. I think Aaron would be better suited skippering the DBacks or Pads. He’s a So Cal guy and they can skate by with the laid back thing. NOT IN THE BRONX.

Sadly, ZERO will change. The great player we have…and we have 1…will be another year older and edging closer to the Pat Ewing, Charles Barkley club. Pitching is touch and go. Max is good, Cam could be great, and Cole is on a new elbow. They are selling a dream, and we haven’t shown interest in buying into it for years now.

Change is the only thing in life that is guaranteed…somehow the New York Yankee Brass is the exception to the rule. They won’t for yet another year. Firing a bullpen coach named Mike Harkey? He was the problem???

Look, I still believe in Santa. I stopped believing in the Yankees…and that is more of a kick in the head to my childhood than fading faith in a jolly elf from the North Pole, gang.

That's the bottom line.

--Mike O'Hara
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @mikeyoh21

VOLPE GETS TORCHED IN HIS CHARLES TYRWHITT AD

Clearly, I’ve hit that dark offseason point where there’s nothing left to say about the Yankees — because, well, they’re done. Out of the ALDS. Season over. Cue the awkward front-office reshuffling that’s supposed to make fans believe something meaningful is happening. Sure, they’ll probably fire a bullpen coach or two — maybe even an analytics intern for dramatic effect — but that doesn’t actually fix a thing. You want to show fans you mean business? Fire someone. Make a statement. Sometimes that means the manager has to go, even if he’s got another year left on the deal.

But in the middle of all this postseason misery, I fell down the rabbit hole of something equally painful: a brutal online thread roasting Anthony Volpe. I mean, the comments section looked like a therapy group for angry Yankees fans. Just pure exhaustion and fury about how bad Volpe was this year — and yet somehow, this guy still lands endorsement deals.

Charles Tyrwhitt — the British shirt company that screams “Wall Street dad on casual Friday” — decided Volpe should be their brand ambassador. Why? Certainly not because he’s a leader. Not because he’s consistent. It’s because he’s recognizable. In New York, you can be mediocre as long as people know your name. That’s apparently the new marketing strategy.

Meanwhile, Yankees fans know the truth. This kid was flat-out awful. He gave away outs like Halloween candy and vanished completely in the playoffs — multiple strikeouts, no spark, no energy. Since April, I’ve been saying it: Volpe isn’t ready for the big stage. And 2025 just proved it.

Let’s look at the carnage: a pathetic .212 batting average, strikeouts galore, and defensive struggles so bad it made you wonder if he was playing blindfolded. The fielding metrics were rough — and the eye test was worse. And now? Shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. Boone confirmed he won’t be diving for at least six months, which might keep him out for Opening Day 2026.

Honestly? I’m fine with that. The Yankees need a break from Volpe as much as Volpe needs a break from baseball. Let him heal, rethink his approach, and maybe learn how to hit a breaking ball.

And as for Charles Tyrwhitt — I hope they’re enjoying the “brand synergy” of having a shortstop who can’t hit .220 selling their shirts. I can’t imagine sales are booming when the comments under their ad read like a Yankees postgame rant thread. Just scroll through Facebook — it’s a massacre. Hundreds of fans shredding both Volpe and the brand.

In short: the Yankees’ season ended with a whimper, their shortstop ended up on an operating table, and their “brand ambassador” is now a walking reminder of a year everyone wants to forget. Sad? Sure. Predictable? Absolutely.

THE YANKEES MAKE SOME CHANGES BUT WE NEED MORE!

A week after the Yankees were eliminated in the ALDS by the Blue Jays and some coaching changes are being made. That could be music to any fan's ears but before we all get excited, will they be the "right" changes? 

Of course, we all want those changes to include Aaron Boone because he's a proven loser since 2018. He's a well liked loser though to Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and others so as much as we want to see him get dumped the Yankees have made no indication that he will be fired. Multiple sources, like the New York Post HERE say Baboonie is expected back for a ninth season, but a couple familiar faces will not be.

The Yankees are rumored to NOT be bringing back first base and infield coach Travis Chapman. That's not a big loss. After watching Anthony Volpe (VolpE6 as I call him) become a liability and the laughing stock of this team I think this is an early Christmas or Hanukkah gift! It's worth mentioning also that there was a public riff between Chapman and Baboonie back in August. Baboonie yelled at Chapman after a baserunning error from Jazz Chisholm and later expressed regret for it and wished that it was handled privately. Funny how Baboonie gets in a tizzy with Chapman and then he isn't invited back, huh?

The bigger name on this list of names not returning is longtime bullpen coach Mike Harkey. He's been around since 2008 and is one of Baboonie closest confidants. He's the only coach on this team that actually knows what it feels like to win a championship. He's not a regular face by any means but it is odd to think about a different guy in this role. Maybe it is time though after the Yankees bullpen finished with a 4.37 ERA and was the eighth highest in the majors.

After two years as the Yankees hitting coach James Rowson may be leaving the Bronx for a promotion. The Yankees have given the Minnesota Twins permission to speak to Rowson about potentially returning to Minnesota as their new manager. He previously was the Twins hitting coach from 2017-2019 and is highly respected there. Now that the Yankees achieved the highest-scoring offense in the majors this season under Rowson's coaching this feels like a no-brainer for the Twins if both sides want to reunite.

This is just the start. According to the Athletic HERE, Pitching coach Matt Blake and catching coordinator Tanner Swanson have club options. I would be surprised if Blake's option wasn't picked up because he has a lot of support with Cole and he didn't completely suck. Bench Coach Brad Ausmus and third-base coach Luis Rojas now have expired contracts. I'd be lying if I said I would miss Ausmus so I am going to spare you.

So the Yankees could look very different from a coaching perspective next year. But does it make a difference if Baboonie is still managing and Brian Cashman is pulling his puppet strings? It's still insanity no matter how you rejig everyone else.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

CALEB DURBIN IS IN THE NLCS GUYS

It’s almost hilarious — if you can stomach the pain — how the Yankees spent an entire season scrambling for a third baseman when the solution was sitting right in their own farm system. All they had to do was believe in Caleb Durbin the way they believed in Anthony Volpe. Instead, Brian Cashman — the self-proclaimed architect of modern mediocrity — shipped Durbin off to Milwaukee for a closer the Yankees didn’t even need. Devin Williams was supposed to “lock down” the ninth inning. Instead, he wasn't good.

Back in December, New York sent Nestor Cortes, Durbin, and some cash to Milwaukee for Williams. It was hailed as a “win-now” move — classic Cashman buzzwords for short-term panic disguised as strategy. In reality, the Yankees traded away a contact-hitting, glove-first infielder for a relief arm who couldn’t handle Yankee Stadium pressure. It’s the kind of move that defines Cashman’s reign: impulsive, short-sighted, and allergic to player development.

Durbin didn’t just prove New York wrong — he embarrassed them. Milwaukee simply believed in Durbin and handed Durbin the keys and watched him flourish. By midsummer, Cashman had to call the Rockies and overpay for Ryan McMahon just to stop the bleeding. Translation: the Yankees traded away a cheap, controllable third baseman, then had to buy one back who, also was not good. That’s not baseball IQ — that’s front-office malpractice.

Meanwhile, Durbin’s rookie season spoke for itself: a .256/.337/.402 slash line, 11 home runs, 53 RBIs, and steady defense that gave Milwaukee’s infield life. A walk-off homer in May turned him from promising prospect to clutch performer, and he hasn’t looked back since.

The irony? While Durbin plays in the NLCS, Cashman’s Yankees are at home wondering how they managed to get fleeced again. Every time this front office makes a deal, it feels like they’re chasing ghosts of the 2009 team instead of building something real.

So, here’s the truth: Milwaukee believed in player development. Cashman believed in another quick fix. Now the Brewers might win a World Series, and the Yankees are left with empty analytics spreadsheets and another October spent in silence.

Brian Cashman didn’t just lose a trade — he lost the plot.

THEY SAY BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO....BUT THE YANKEES NEED TO DO IT!

But sometimes it is REALLY a lot easier than we make it out to be. The Yankees are in that very spot right now. They have multiple infielders to choose from and while the rest of us can see that one of them simply isn't a good fit it's lost on the Yankees. Are the Yankees in denial or are they just brainless? They have to make a choice.....

They have to commit to one of them, but they have an inability to make the right choice. The Yankees have a massive problem at shortstop and I want to bang my head against a wall every time I see Anthony Volpe in the lineup. He's had three seasons and 486 regular season games to prove himself, but it just hasn't happened. 

There have been some flashes of brilliance, but a major league shortstop needs to have more than just moments. To be a shortstop for the New York Yankees you better have more than just potential. The Yankees love his pop and he can run but he's all or nothing at the plate and in the field he's his own worst enemy. We've watched three seasons riddled with errors. His first season he finished second for number of errors committed, second season he finished fourth and this season he was number one. Not a stat to be proud of.

Volpe has had more than enough time to show that he belongs. He's not the next great shortstop. He's no Derek Jeter. The Yankees must open up a shortstop competition this Spring to fill the position. I'd say look at Free Agency also but, the Yankees are not looking to invest in an expensive shortstop. They will look to throw their dollars elsewhere instead.

Lucky for the Yankees, they have another option. Not just another option actually, a GOOD option. The Yankees need to give Jose Caballero a real look as an everyday shortstop. Caballero is a better player in all areas of the game besides power. He has grit, and the Yankees have enough guys that are all swinging for the fences. He more than came through when the Yankees needed to bench Volpe, and it was refreshing to not watch VolpE6 as I like to call him.

The Yankees have Oswaldo Cabrera returning and George Lombard Jr also working his way up. Virtually anyone besides Volpe is worth a shot. The Yankees need a complete overhaul if they want to actually get back to a feared and formidable team. That means everyone from the front office to guys on the field. 

The Yankees have a lot of breaking up to do this winter. Volpe is just one of many. He had his chance.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj