WOULD THE YANKEES BRING BACK JORDAN MONTGOMERY?

The New York Yankees have a stockpile of starting pitchers, but that hasn’t stopped one MLB analyst from suggesting they should roll the dice and trade for another arm. Yep, we're talking about none other than Jordan Montgomery, the former Yankee who had a less-than-stellar 2024 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick isn't shy about admitting it was a bust of a signing. He candidly told Arizona Sports, "If anyone wants to blame anyone for Jordan Montgomery being a Diamondback, you’re talking to the guy that should be blamed. Because...I pushed for it. They agreed to it — it wasn’t in our game plan. And looking back, in hindsight, a horrible decision to invest that money in a guy who performed as poorly as he did."

Ouch! That’s some brutal honesty right there. But here's where it gets interesting. Some analysts believe Montgomery's rough patch could make him the perfect "buy-low" candidate. Enter Jeremy Nielsen of Pinstripe Alley, who thinks the Yankees should bring Montgomery back into the fold. Nielsen writes, "If the Yankees traded for Montgomery, he’d escape a toxic situation in Arizona and return to the organization which drafted and developed him. He’d also get a full spring training this time around. Instead of missing camp entirely while holding out for a better deal that never came."

Now, before you say, "But wait, isn’t the Yankees' rotation already packed?" Nielsen is way ahead of you. The rotation lineup for 2025 is looking pretty solid with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, and the new addition of Max Fried. So, where does Montgomery fit in?

Nielsen concedes, "Giving Montgomery an outside shot at best of making the rotation… The most likely scenario in which Montgomery would return to the Bronx is as a break-glass-in-case-of-long-term-injury option. If one of the projected starters goes down for an extended period, bringing Gumby aboard would make more sense."

There you have it! While the Yankees seem set on the mound, bringing Montgomery back could be a strategic move if injuries strike. Who knows, maybe a reunion with the Yankees could reignite the spark in Montgomery's pitching career.

Personally, I'm a Gumby guy, but I just don't see it. 

THE REVENGE OF SCOTT BORAS!

Is Scott Boras back on top again? Yes, but let's not confuse that with any sort of likeability factor. Last winter I had a lot to say about Boras. I definitely had my fun stirring the pot because, he just had an underwhelming winter for his clients. The massive contracts that were predicted for his big star clients never panned out. I laughed, and celebrated because let's face it....it's so easy to really dislike the guy and he just failed.

In June we said SOTO READY TO LET BORAS "DO HIS THING" EVEN THOUGH HE'S SUCKED AT IT LATELY.  We wondered if the baseball world finally had enough of Boras and his crap and that's why his big free agents didn't sign anywhere close to what they were projected to make. Suddenly, Boras had lost his touch. Jordan Montgomery was so disappointed in his deal, he ended up firing Boras! I said the market clearly didn't value his clients the way he did. He looked out of touch with baseball.

Fast forward a year later and everything has changed. Is it a comeback? I'm not sure if it's a comeback or just a rare gem of a client like Juan Soto. He's the white whale every team wants to land after Soto had multiple chances to sign a very profitable extension but turned them all down. Now Scott Boras is back to doing Scott Boras things.

Those Boras things right now, include an epic battle believed to be narrowed down to The New York Mets won the Soto Sweepstakes. Boras did a good job trying to suck every last dime out of both of these New York teams. It is like the revenge of Boras, back from sports agent failures of the past. Now negotiating a deal for his client worth around three quarters of a BILLION dollars. This is more than Shohei Ohtani money, folks. Suddenly, I can't say he sucks like I did at the beginning of the year.

In the end, Mets, win on more money and yes years than the Yankees, and if you're Boras, that's the goal right?

I do believe that Boras is back in a big way. He sucked last winter, but he doesn't right now. At the end of the day, this deal is done it is a new record and Boras and Soto get the last laugh.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

SOTO READY TO LET BORAS "DO HIS THING" EVEN THOUGH HE'S SUCKED AT IT LATELY

It's no secret, Juan Soto will be the top free agent this winter. Hal Steinbrenner has been hopeful that Soto would sign a midseason extension, but that isn't happening. The baseball world has known it, but now it's come right from Soto's mouth so Hal can get off his delusional train ride. 

It's that time of the year. The Subway Series always sparks some sensational Yankees and Mets gossip and John Heyman shared in the New York Post HERE that the Mets could be the Yankees biggest threat to sign Soto this winter. We all know Steve Cohen has a big piggy bank and is more likely to spend more of it than Hal is but Soto replied with "we will see. In the offseason we will figure it out. I'll let [agent Scott Boras] do his thing. We're going to see." 

And we are definitely going to see. Soto clearly has a lot of faith in Boras, but does he have too much faith? Serious question. You can say many things about Boras like he is "bad for baseball" for example. He does get a pretty penny for his clients, which causes us to pay more money in the end but historically he's been great at his job. It's all about making his clients the most money, which he has done.....

Except this past winter, he had an epic fall from grace. Take a look at the MLBtraderumors.com projected for five of his clients and compare it to what they signed for:

Cody Bellinger: PROJECTED 12 years, $264 million     ACTUAL: 3 years, $80 million
Blake Snell: PROJECTED 7 years, $200 million             ACTUAL: 2 years, $60 million
Jordan Montgomery: PROJECTED 6 years, $150 million     ACTUAL: 1 year, $25 million
Matt Chapman: PROJECTED 6 years, $150 million       ACTUAL: 3 years, $54 million
J.D. Martinez: PROJECTED 2 years, $40 million           ACTUAL: 1 year, $12 million
TOTAL PROJECTED:   $804 million                              ACTUAL:   $231 million

All five of these players had impressive 2023 seasons. Bellinger won a Silver Slugger. Snell won his second Cy Young Award. Montgomery got a World Series ring. Chapman won a Gold Glove. Martinez was an All-Star. All of these guys were expecting a bigger pay day. It didn't happen.

The market didn't value these guys the same way Boras did. He tried to sell it in a tough financial market but it didn't happen. Diamond Sports Group filed for bankruptcy, and they provide television broadcasts for almost HALF of all MLB, NBA and NHL games. This left almost HALF of all MLB teams facing uncertainty about any local tv coverage in the future. One of these teams were the Rangers, who wanted but couldn't afford to bring back Montgomery.

So Boras didn't have the healthiest market to sell his clients to. In the end, Montgomery left Boras for new agents so it's not a great look for Boras. Now Soto trusts Boras to "do his thing" and get him the biggest and best deal? That's a scary gamble. 

Soto has declined as many as seven contract extensions in the last five years. He believes Boras will bring him his pay day, but is he foolish to do so? Will Boras misread the market again? It could happen.

I dunno Soto, Boras didn't "do his thing" for his clients last year. It might not work out the way you think it will.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

JORDAN MONTGOMERY SUDDENLY SUCKS

I'm a big Gumby fan.  I didn't want to see Jordan Montgomery leave New York.  It was great when he just dominated after that.  I can't stand Brian Cashman so I wanted him to just take it up the ass.  Then Monty won with the Rangers and It was perfect.  Now however, Monty is struggling a bit.

Burn City Sports Burn City Sports writes:

"Jordan Montgomery’s home ERA has ballooned to an alarming 9.00 this season after allowing six earned runs in just two innings against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.

Montgomery faced boos as he left the mound at Chase Field following a disastrous 3rd inning that included a leadoff single, a two-run home run, a single, a walk, another single, and finally, a grand slam, making it a 6-1 game with no outs recorded."

Maybe it's the same thing that Blake Snell is going through.  Snell revealed last week how important Spring Training is and that this year he didn't have it holding out for big money and it really bit him in the ass.  Could be similar as Snell can't light a candle these days, he's so horrible.

Whatever the case, I really want to see Monty do well for the Diamondbacks.  I wish him well.  

JORDAN MONTGOMERY JUST SIGNED!

The Yankees front office sucks.

ESPN writes:  

"Left-hander Jordan Montgomery and the Arizona Diamondbacks are in agreement on a one-year, $25 million contract that includes a vesting player option for a second season, sources told ESPN on Tuesday night, bolstering the National League champions' rotation with the postseason standout from the team that beat them in the World Series."

Dear Yankee fans, 

You have been duped. This Yankee team is a third-place team in 2024. Never did they EVER have any intention of giving you a championship team this year. They actually thought that signing Juan Soto to a 1-year deal would satisfy you.  Well, maybe it has for you, but I am disgusted by the lack of effort the Yankees put into their starting pitching.  Awful.

 

DESPERATE YANKEES ARE TALKING TO MONTGOMERY AGAIN

Here we go again. The last big fish in the Scott Boras camp that remains unsigned. We all knew this headline was coming. The Yankees are about as desperate as they come....but is Jordan Montgomery equally as desperate?

I guess we will wait and see but according to Jon Heyman HERE now that Blake Snell is off the market, the Yankees are trying to rekindle talks with Montgomery in hopes to convince him to come back home to the Bronx. The way I see it, Boras, Montgomery and the Yankees are all desperate. It's the perfect disastrous combo.

According to Heyman, there is a big gap between Montgomery and the Yankees. That's a big DUH we all know this. Who knows if the Yankees are willing to make him a similar offer compared to what they offered Snell but....it is rumored Boras is still asking for a hefty contract. The rumor mill says Boras believes Montgomery is comparable to Philadelphia Phillies Aaron Nola's contract extension of 7 years and $162 million. You're welcome for that chuckle.

Seriously, Snell had a $150 million offer that he foolishly didn't take, and Montgomery doesn't have the same resume or experience but he's worth more money. Okay, Boras. We all see how well that worked out for your clients. All of your big fish didn't get near the number of years or money they were looking for, but Montgomery is going to be different. I've got a bridge I will sell you for really cheap.

All signs point to no teams are banging on Montgomery's door and I don't mean that disrespectfully. Honestly, I have always liked Montgomery AND I wanted him more than I ever wanted Snell. I never wanted anything to do with Snell. He can't pitch deep into games and the amount of home runs he'd give up in Yankee stadium would be a huge mistake. I want Montgomery, I just don't think he should want us but he needs a new home.

He deserves better than the Yankees and that is hard for me to say. We NEED his durability, and he has already proven he can handle pitching in New York. Brian Cashman burned that bridge just like he's screwed up so many things over the years. The Yankees need Montgomery to save them now more than ever. Who knows if this Gerrit Cole injury pans out the way we HOPE it will. Isn't Karma funny?

The Yankees are banking on Montgomery taking another short-term deal as ALL of his other clients this offseason. I guess we will wait and see if all of these desperate parties can bridge the gap. If the Yankees do make this happen (and that's a BIG if) someone should make Cashman eat crow. I'd pay to see that.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

SCOTT BORAS & HIS UNSIGNED CLIENTS! DID HE BLOW IT?

As a baseball fan, the free agent market this winter hasn't been as exciting as I hoped it would be. Sure, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were exciting to watch even though neither of them are Yankees but I am left wanting more.

Speaking of wanting more....so are Scott Boras and his still unsigned free agents. Boras is known to have his clients go deep into the offseason before signing but, we are two weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training. Yikes! The clock is ticking, and Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell still do not know where they are reporting.

This reminds me of the 2017 and 2018 offseason when the top four free agents were also Boras clients. So, it's DeJa'Vu all over again. This time I think it is a little different because I think Boras misread the market. The Dodgers are the big spenders and then a couple other teams are spending some cash and then there's a whooooolllleee lotta teams that are doing squat.

It's not easy out there. I know Boras is used to playing the waiting game, but he's waiting for an unrealistic offer for Snell. The Yankees offer for six years and $150 million was decent. There's some wiggle room there, as always. I know Boras isn't interested in decent, he wants and that is his job but his counteroffer of nine years and $270 million isn't even in the ballpark. Teams aren't looking for a long-term deal for a pitcher that will be pushing 40 years old. That counter left no room for negotiation, so he shouldn't be surprised that the Yankees pivoted.

If I'm Jordan Montgomery I might be more worried than Snell is. It is believed by many, that Montgomery wants to return to the Texas Rangers. I can see why he would, however, the Rangers have a BIG financial crisis right now. Their TV deal is in jeopardy because Diamond Sports Network is in bankruptcy and if there is no resolution the Rangers can't afford to sign him. That's an embarrassing predicament for the reigning World Series champions to be in. It's time to start thinking about Plan B.

I have a soft spot for Cody Bellinger because I really liked watching his dad Clay Bellinger play for us back in the day. I've met Clay too, and he's a good guy that gives back to the community. He did an interview for us back in 2016 to check out EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: CLAY BELLINGER it's one of my favorites. I've always hoped that Cody would one day follow his dad's path and be a Yankee. A girl can dream, but it isn't likely. At this point, I am sure Cody would just like a contract and honestly I do too. I wish there was a better market for him, but right now it is pretty thin. He's been searching for that multi-year deal for over $200 million and the market just isn't there. I think there is mutual interest for Cody and the Cubs to reunite, and I think it could happen, but it won't be what he hoped for.

There's a cliche that I like to use a lot and that's "read the room" and if Boras did that, he would see that the majority of MLB's 30 teams are not spending big money. Last winter the Giants tried to spend big money (but didn't succeed). The Mets spent money last year (it didn't work out for them), the Yankees did the year before and this year the Dodgers spent $1.1 BILLION dollars. Aside from that, no one is spending. Boras is trying to command a price the market does not dictate, and it makes him look silly. 

It's time for a reality check, Boras....time to drop your price tags and negotiate.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

DETAILS OF BLAKE SNELL'S OFFER FROM THE YANKEES ARE LEAKED

The Yankees signed Marcus Stroman last week, and now 2024 payroll is already north of $300 million. I'm not excited by it. The Yankees still need improvements to move past last season's disaster because Stroman wasn't enough, but is Blake Snell enough?

The Yankees seem to think it is, multiple sources reported an offer was made to Snell last week but mlbtraderumors.com say details are still unknown HERE yet SI.com speculates on terms HERE. I think the Yankees know the odds of getting Jordan Montgomery back are next to none, so Snell is the next best thing. Gotta love the feeling of settling, but the Yankees caused this mess with Montgomery when Brian Cashman opened his mouth and inserted his foot.

So now we wait and see what other details leak and wait to see if this is even legit, "Cy Young winner Blake Snell continues to seek a contract that will pay him at least $240 million, and now awaits to see what team blinks first. The New York Yankees made an introductory offer for nearly $100 million less, which was quickly dismissed, before they turned to Marcus Stroman to fill their vacancy with a two-year, $37 million deal."

I believe the idea of waiting to see who blinks first is valid. Unofficial word is that the Yankees and Scott Boras are far apart in their negotiations.....big shocker, I know. The Blue Jays are rumored to be in the hunt for Snell also as they look for rotation upgrades also. So it really could be a matter of who blinks first and it might be a team not even mentioned.

I do know this, if the Yankees offer was around $140 million it is definitely too low. I am not a huge Snell fan, but even I know that offer for a two-time Cy Young winner is not going to get a deal done. He will get more, but will it be from the Yankees?

The Yankees still have a lot to do this winter. I am just losing faith that the right moves will actually be made. The Yankee brass just doesn't have what it takes anymore to build winning teams or continue the Yankee legacy and it is hard to watch.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

WHEN THE BYB YANKEE FAMILY SPEAKS

Plenty of reaction to my post BEING A FAN WHEN YOU HAVE NO FAITH over the past 24 hours. I did not expect that. 

I'm fine. I'm not suicidal... I'm frustrated and I've lost the heart for my team right now.  Will BYB end? I've seriously considered it. There's only so many different ways you can write that the Yankees leadership has failed us fans.  You gotta appreciate Suzie Pinstripe's post today titled: YANKEES WIN NEW AWARDS... read it. It's about being a true Yankee fan and her mom's perfect words.  That mindset is beautiful.  

But fandom is really an individual thing and the idea of me writing about frustration for my team every day just seems manic and painful.  What's the point?  I did get some advice from many readers saying "See how the season plays out" and "this space won't be the same if you're gone" and that's fair and nice of everyone. I mean, I'll always be a "fan", I just wouldn't be presenting my heart's true feelings for my team every day.  

I did have one reader on Facebook write "It's OK to go away."  Trust me, you don't hurt my feelings with your 200 friends, pal.  You don't stick around in cyberspace since September 2010 if you weren't relevant.  Bleeding Yankee Blue is still here cause we have alot to say and we don't hold back... you still have those 200 friends. Have fun with that.  

But look, ultimately it comes down to the Yankees, right? We're all annoyed, frustrated, happy, concerned, hopeful... insert the word here.  I've always had the approach that it it's how I feel that moment and write about it. That is where I am and have been for months. the Yankees front office and leadership is awful.  They lie to the fans; they don't make true significant changes and a lot needs to change but won't.  We've all been fooled once again.  

And so yea, my problem is I feel this way every day when it comes to my team... that's just me.  But look, I am thankful for the notes and comments and rally cry to keep Bleeding Yankee Blue going.  I haven't truly decided yet.  We will see.  

In the meantime, I wanted to share this heartfelt fan's email.  His name is Rob, and he is a Yankee fan true and true and wrote this to me. I asked him to share it with our audience and he said sure... so here it is.  Thanks Rob

Hey Folks:

I'm not saying you're wrong about Marcus Stroman, but I am saying you might be.

Free agency has upset old notions of team loyalty, and the age of social media magnifies a lot of stuff. Like the NBA or a fight, there's a lot of hype on social media that should be taken with a grain of salt. One could even say that Stroman's brashness will help him in Da' Bronx. (It did wonders for Reggie Jackson, who never loved the Yankees but loved being the straw...)

I might remind you that some very significant Yankees in their day used to lambaste the team. Roger Clemens hated the Yankees–until he came to love them. Ditto Wade Boggs, Johnny Damon, Graig Nettles, and David Cone to name a few others.

There are, of course, players who came to town that hated it and did better elsewhere: Kevin Brown, Ed Whitson, Kyle Farnsworth, Sonny Gray, A. J. Burnett, Carl Pavano, Rick Cerone, Don Baylor. Jacoby Ellsbury never really fit in either and I sincerely wonder about Carlos Rodon.

But agents, GMs, and money talk these days. Jordan Montgomery prefers to stay in Texas, but do you think he'd love the Yankees again if they made him an offer that he & Scott Boras couldn't refuse?

For the record, I've never been a huge fan of Stroman, but if you ask me if I think he'll be better than Rodon or Schmidt, yeah, I do. I also think Cashman has worn out his welcome.

But if Hal's money was mine, I'd make that can't-refuse-offer to Montgomery. That's WAY better than dumping out the minors for Dylan Cease.


Cheers,
Rob


P.S. My MA residency notwithstanding, I've been a Yankees fan since the days of Mickey Mantle.

Sometimes you need an outside perspective to make you understand where we've been and where we need to go. Everything Rob said came back to me like a rush. He's right. He's right in many examples. Let's hope stuff like this can reset my mind and refresh me as we are walking into spring training. Great letter, Rob.... we appreciate you here at BYB.


Happy Sunday everyone. Make today great. Keep truckin'.

--Robert Casey
Bleeding Yankee Blue Chief
Twitter: @bleednyankeeblu

THE YANKEES BEING THE TOP SUITOR FOR MARCUS STROMAN IS NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF

The Yankees and Marcus Stroman are talking extensively. I wish it was a short or even non-existent gossip but it's not. I wish it was a "thanks but no thanks" but it doesn't sound like it. Is this a sign of desperation.....or just failure?

We are all ready for some stability behind Gerrit Cole. The Yankees had a big swing and miss with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and it sounds like the Yankees are giving up on both Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. Now the Yankees sound like they are past "Plan B" and have jumped to "Plan X" which is Stroman, read more HERE.

I remember the 2019 trade deadline; Brian Cashman was talking about the rotation and said the reason the Yankees didn't get Stroman was because they didn't see him as a "difference maker" and thought he would likely be in the bullpen instead of the rotation. It wasn't a fit and that really didn't sit well with Stroman.

He went on X and had to post a temper tantrum about it. "Besides [Gerrit] Cole, there's no current Yankee pitcher who will be anywhere in my league over the next 5-7 years," Stroman tweeted in 2019. "Their pitching always folds in the end. That lineup and payroll should be winning World Series’ left and right…yet they’re in a drought. Lol.” In 2020 he had to repost it again "This tweet will continue to age unbelievably well," and it just makes me shake my head.

Both of those posts have been deleted. He's scrubbed all "anti-Yankee" sentiments from his account and now suddenly what I never thought could be a possibility really might be.... even though I don't think it should. I don't think Stroman moves the needle enough for the Yankees. He's got a chip on his shoulder. He's not fond of the Yankees, and he doesn't want to pitch for us to help, he wants to pitch here because he has an axe to grind. He thinks we need him.....we don't. 

At this point in his career, I'd say he's good but if he wasn't a difference maker in 2019, he isn't now either. He's past his prime years and he hasn't even pitched 140 innings since 2021 and that doesn't put him at the top of my list. Without a remarkable bounce back year from Carlos Rodon, this doesn't improve the rotation and that's just a risky gamble. This just doesn't sound like a mutually beneficial fit. The Yankees can do better than this....and they NEED to do better than this.

If the Yankees pull the trigger and sign Stroman we know they are officially desperate. You can delete your tweets, Stroman but that doesn't mean they were never posted. It still happened. We know how you feel about us....and trust me, the feeling is mutual for a lot of us.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

ARE THE YANKEES GIVING UP ON A REUNION WITH MONTY?

It's amazing how "desperate" the Yankees look this winter. I can't say I like it, but I guess that is what you get when the insanity train keeps rolling with Brian Cashman in charge. The Yankees are still searching for a starter, and we are still impatiently waiting.

I never liked the way Jordan Montgomery and the Yankees parted ways. Brian Cashman and his big mouth really burned a bridge there. Last week I said CASHMAN'S "PLAN B" MEANS MENDING BURNED BRIDGES, and I don't think Cashman can do it. I am even less optimistic after reading some headlines this weekend.

It's no surprise the Rangers want Montgomery back. He helped them win their first World Series, and he blossomed into a better pitcher in Texas. He's valuable, and the Rangers know it unlike Cashman did. Now MLB insiders are predicting he returns to Texas and a local barbeque spot is offering him free barbeque for life is he returns to Arlington, read more HERE. Why should he want to go back to New York? I really don't think he should.

So now the Yankees have to hope and pray that Monty wants to go back to the Bronx. They say they feel confident that they get either Monty or Blake Snell, and now they believe they may have better chances with Snell, read more HERE. So are the Yankees giving up, and preparing to settle for Snell?

I hate to use the word settle, but that's what it feels like. I also think IF the Yankees can get Snell but not Monty, it is settling. It feels weird to say that about a guy who was a Cy Young in both leagues, but Snell comes with some real risk that may not give the Yankees the stability they need.

There's a lot to like about him. The resume can't be overlooked. I love his pitching repertoire especially the killer curveball and a good slider. His final 23 starts last season were his lowest ERA in sample size and dominated hitters with runners in scoring position. All pluses on paper.

But what about his walks? He walked 13.3 percent of batters in 2023 which is the most by any qualified starter since 2000. The walk rate and high pitch counts could be more of a detriment to the Yankees than a benefit. We have seen enough of our starters not pitching deep into games which makes us burnout the bullpen. The Yankees need another reliable arm beyond Gerrit Cole, and I don't think that is Snell. The control issues can't be ignored.

So now we wait and see what today and the following days bring. If we hear more Snell rumors, we know what that means. I guess we will wait and see if the Yankees have to settle more than we would like but the Yankees have to figure it out soon. Spring Training will be here soon.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj