THREE EGGS IN OUR BASKET & WE BROKE SOME.

Source: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America

The start of the 2018 season has been an incredible one for the Yankees.  They are dynamic to watch and whenever anyone in the lineup is up to bat, there's a strong possibility that there will be a hit or more.

The atmosphere is already electric and there's more to come, even without the salt and pepper cheer that former Yankee Todd Frazier created for his new team the Mets. Can you tell I am jealous?

Source: Corey Sipkin

However despite the positivity surrounding the Yankee team, with three eggs in our basket we dropped one Saturday to the Blue Jays, 5-3 and we lost two players to game play injuries along the way.

Source: AP

"Their already depleted outfield took another shot on Saturday, when Billy McKinney — playing in just his second game in the majors — was forced to leave after crashing into the left field wall trying to make a catch against the Blue Jays in the bottom of the first," reported the NY Post.  Then, in his first appearance of 2018, pitcher Adam Warren "was pulled after being drilled in the lower right leg on a comebacker by Aledymas Diaz."  Oh yea, and did I mention we lost?  So with three eggs in the basket, we broke some.

Source: NJ.com

According to ESPN, "the Yankees have shown they will be okay on those nights when Stanton and Judge just don't have it. "That's the whole key," Judge said. "Whenever somebody doesn't step up and doesn't do their job, you've got 24 guys behind him to pick him up."  Tyler Austin stepped in big time and gave the team "some thump" according to NJ.com with two home runs.  But those weren't enough to carry the team to victory mostly because of the "Dellin Betances factor."

Source: Corey Sipkin

"An eighth-inning home run off Dellin Betances, who's clearly not over the control woes that made him an unusable four-time All-Star in the playoffs last year, put Toronto ahead for good," reported NJ.com.  On top of that was his 40 pitches and wild throwing.  Clearly Betances was "entitled" to that bump up in pay he requested last year.

Source: AP / Fred Thornhill

It is not all doom and gloom and as my first few comments at the top of this post suggest, the Yankees are on fire despite some cool downs like this one along the way.  We broke some eggs in time for Easter Sunday, but hopefully we will pick up some fresh ones today leading to the Yankee home opener on Monday.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @Suzieprof

REMEMBER ALEDMYS DIAZ? NO ONE ELSE DOES EITHER

Aledmys Diaz was one of those Cuban players the Yankees were "in on" then, not so much. Then "maybe they liked him..." then... "The Yanks were definitely gonna sign him". Then... the Cardinals did. That happens many, many times with the Yankees and these Cuban players. 

The Yanks always come back with "Well, there was something we didn't like" or "Yeah, he's not a good fit at this time." Well, this time they could be right. We wrote about Diaz extensively here at BYB.  Here's one of those articles when the Yankees were hot and heavy on the guy for a moment. Read ALEDMYS DIAZ IS IN HUGE DEMAND BY THE YANKEES from February 2014.

Aledmys Diaz eventually signed a 4 year, $8 million dollar contract with the Cardinals.  Well, it turns out he was just designated for assignment by the Cards.

Interesting nugget.  According to MLB.com:

#stlcards have designated Aledmys Diaz for assignment. It's a gamble, but they hope he'll clear waivers because of salary still due.

— Jenifer Langosch (@LangoschMLB) July 8, 2015

According to Hardball Talk, "Diaz was batting just 235/.292/.344 with three home runs and 21 RBI through 67 games this season at Double-A Springfield. He’ll probably pass through waivers because of the money he is owed, but his future in baseball is not particularly bright."

Baseball is a fascinating thing.  It's all about performance and being at the right place at the right time.  Diaz was in the right place... but didn't perform.  Hey, maybe the Yankees got this one right, who knows.  Hey, maybe they even try to snag him now... Stay tuned.

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WILL THE YANKEES SNAG CUBAN, YOAN MONCADA?

Baseball America says the Yankees are a "favorite". I call that a "guess."  That's because it is.

The Yankees track record with Cuban players is terrible and I say that with who has been out there, who Yankee fans have gotten their hopes up about and then... nothing.

Do we need to go down the list?

Aledmys Diaz- He went to the Cardinals
Rusney Castillo- He went to the Red Sox
Daniel Carbonell- He went to the San Francisco Giants

Yoenis Cespedes- Signed with the A's

Those are just a few. In fairness, they did sign Adonis Garcia, read YANKEES SIGN CUBAN ADONIS GARCIA from May 2012.

Now, Brendan Kuty of NJ.com writes this, of another Cuban sensation, Yoan Moncada:

"...the Yankees will be the team to beat, according to a report from Baseball America’s Ben Badler.

Badler listed the eight teams most likely to fight for the 19-year-old, who brings impressive power and speed for an infielder. He’ll be attractive to just about every team, but to the Yankees for several reasons, the report said.

One, since the Yankees have already blown past their MLB-imposed spending limit for this international signing period, which ends July 2, they have nothing to lose, the report said...

Two, the Yankees’ biggest holes near the top at their farm system are at shortstop and third base — both places where they’re looking for major-league starters for 2015, as well.

And the third: Their wallets."

Now, based on that, I would love to have Moncada in New York.  But, here's the reality. If the Yankees like Yoan Moncada, I have no serious indication that it's going to happen.  That could only mean 2 things:

• The Yankees are planning a sneak attack and sign him in the dead of night... something Brian Cashman does brilliantly.

• They are interested, but aren't going to break the bank for him.

And to be honest, it's as simple as that.  You don't need to analyze Sabermetrtics or read the top Baseball publications or talk to baseball insiders on this rumor.  That's because it's a rumor with no clear cut answer... yet.

It's 50-50. Moncada could end up in pinstripes. He also may not.

Carry on...

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THE YANKEES HAVE THAT CUBAN FLAVOR

The Yankees have been attached to Cuban players for a while... the that Cuban flavor keeps coming...

You remember when the Yankees liked Daniel Carbonell, right? It was a big deal back in May. He was a big strapping outfielder and they actually scouted him in February.  Only to not go further. Read (THE YANKEES REALLY LIKE THIS CUBAN OUTFIELDER)

There was also Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz, and the Yankees were "hot and heavy" on him, only to not really be. It was weird, but Diaz eventually signed with the Cardinals.

They did sign Adonis Garcia back in 2012. He was a 26 year old outfielder. Read YANKEES SIGN CUBAN ADONIS GARCIA. He's currently in Scranton.

Now apparently the like this new kid, Rusney Castillo and as George King III of the New York Post says, something could be brewing:

 "The Yankees held a private workout for Rusney Castillo on Friday at the minor league complex in Tampa and are interested in talking dollars with the free agent Cuban defector... the Yankees sent four scouts, the Yankees like the 27-year-old right-handed hitter as a second baseman. Other clubs believe the 5-foot-9, 205-pound Castillo’s future is in the outfield...According to a person on the grounds in Tampa, the Yankees had several talent evaluators from the professional and international side watching Castillo, who travels with a guy who hits fungoes, another who throws batting practice and a third man who towels him off in between sessions.  Castillo is represented by Roc Nation, which is headed by Jay Z."

Now all of that is well and good, but are the Yankees really serious? And think about this? They lost Robinson Cano. They are about to lose Derek Jeter to retirement. How strange is the Yankees infield going to look in the future?  My God. I just had to think about that for a second.  Brian Roberts couldn't hack it at second this season and he was eventually gonzo.  Now they have Stephen Drew and others filling in when needed... they Yankees seem pretty determined to get something done.  Maybe Castillo is the answer for the future infield. Or maybe he becomes another outfielder they will eventually need.

We will have to see. I trust the Yankee scouts.  If they see something in this kid, let's get'er done.

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REMEMBER ALEDMYS DIAZ? THE CARDINALS DEFINITELY DO

Remember when the Yankees were hot and heavy scouting Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz? Read CUBAN SHORTSTOP BEING "SCOUTED HARD" BY YANKS from February.

Then the Yanks were all excited... they were going to offer a showcase with the kid and see what he had. This was right about the time Derek Jeter announced that 2014 would be his last season. Read  ALEDMYS DIAZ IS IN HUGE DEMAND BY THE YANKEES.

It was clear then, the Yankees were going to make a 'big push" to sign the kid.  Then... they didn't. Suddenly, Diaz was no longer important to them. Maybe they were unimpressed. Maybe they just didn't see him as a long term thing.  Maybe they just didn't care enough, even though many reported said they did.

I can tell you now... The Cardinals saw potential.  The Cardinals have signed Diaz. The deal is worth $8 million. The deal tweet comes from Bob Nighengale of USA Today:

The #STLCards sign Cuban free-agent shortstop Aledmys Diaz to a major-league deal and will bring him to camp Monday.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 9, 2014

Now look. Diaz could be a great pickup for the Cardinals, no doubt about it, but I trust Yankee brass and their instincts on this one. If they didn't want him, I just support the decision and we move on.

One person didn't move on.  One Cardinals fan wanted to do the "nah nah nah nah nah" dance on the BYB comments section. They are totally allowed, they kept it clean, check it out:

OK Kooky Pirate... You got me...and you're hilarious...sucker.

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NO DICE ON ALEDMYS DIAZ?

Not sure if you all saw The New York Post's George King III piece on that Cuban shortstop the Yankees were looking at. If you haven't, I have a nice update for you, or not... depending on how you feel about Aledmys Diaz. 

 

 

It turns out that after their private workout with Diaz last Friday, the Yankees do not and will not make an offer to him. In other words... no dice. According to King:

 

"After watching Cuban defectors Aledmys Diaz and Odrisamer Despaigne work out, the Yankees aren’t going to offer the shortstop or right-handed pitcher contracts."

 

 

Diaz is demanding $20 million, and I guess with the Yankees just dumping a ton of dough toward Brett Gardner's extension and grabbing Andrew Bailey... as well as them not being "too jazzed" about Diaz, they'll take a pass. It is amazing though. I mean, reports were that this Diaz kid was dynamic and was being scouted for months now by the Yanks. I guess at the end of the day, maybe they just figured he wasn't a priority.  Read ALEDMYS DIAZ IS IN HUGE DEMAND BY THE YANKEES. That's what we wrote about Diaz last week. It's funny how quickly things change. I guess life goes on. 

If there is any other follow up news on Diaz, we'll share it with you here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. Remember... there were 7 teams in on Diaz... now apparently there are 6.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

ALEDMYS DIAZ IS IN HUGE DEMAND BY THE YANKEES

And it’s not just the Yankees.  There are 7 teams total that are drooling over this kid. Reports are that the Yankees, Giants, Braves, Phillies, Blue Jays, Mariners and Cardinals all want him.

See this picture above? This is the Yankees future shortstop.  This is the future of the New York Yankees. I believe that. So far this is what we know.  Aledmys Diaz has worked out for the Cardinals and is expected to receive and offer “soon" from them.

Yesterday, the Yankees were reportedly watching him in a workout as well. I have nothing on that and don't believe the hype in today's papers... that info will come out later today. No one truly knows anything at this moment on the Yankees and Diaz, other than to report that the Yanks are very, very interested and the suggestion of "a contract negotiation is not out of the question right now between the 2 parties."  No doubt the Yankees will be eager to try and fill the void of Derek Jeter after the 2014 season, so this is important to them… don’t get it twisted.

Jaime Torres is the Diaz agent and knows his client is going to be something big, saying: " "We know he's going to be in the major leagues... It's only a matter of time. His preference is shortstop, but he's played second and third and I'm sure would be comfortable playing whatever position is necessary."

The Blue Jays saw Diaz last week and said this according to Sportsnet.ca: 

"...Diaz worked out privately for the Toronto Blue Jays last weekend, an industry source told Sportsnet, although a union between the two doesn’t appear imminent..."

I found this video of what appears to be Diaz...





The Yankees do not want to let this one go. He reminds me of Derek Jeter.

Stay tuned ladies and gentlemen... this could be the biggest fish yet...

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

CUBAN SHORTSTOP BEING "SCOUTED HARD" BY YANKS

This is interesting and I guess there is never a bad time to check for new talent. That being said... I can't wrap my head around the fact that the Yankees are looking for a new shortstop.

Jon Morosi of FOX Sports is reporting that the Yankees are among a few teams that are checking out Cuban shortstop Aledmys Diaz. He tweeted that here:

Yankees were among teams scouting Cuban free agent shortstop Aledmys Diaz at his showcase today, sources say. @FOXSports1
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) February 13, 2014

So what does it all mean? Well, it means that for the first time in 20 years, the Yankees are looking for a shortstop. Obvious.

I was reading Hardball Talk and this is what they said about this young man:

"...Diaz, 23, hit .315/.404/.500 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 313 plate appearances at-bats during his last season in Cuba from 2011-2012. There are questions about his defense, so his future might actually be at second base.

Diaz was originally expected to sign with a team last off season, but he was suspended for a year for falsifying his age in an effort to get around MLB’s international spending cap and land a bigger contract. He’ll be eligible to sign next week, so we could see something come together pretty soon."

Oh boy... do we bother with this? Is Diaz a trouble maker or should we just go for it? Remember, the Yankees just recently signed another Cuban Shortstop. Back in July, I wrote THE YANKEES JUST SIGNED A SHORTSTOP, and it was all about a kid named Yonauris Rodriguez.

The question is, are we just going to sign a bunch of theese kids and see what sticks or is there a plan here?  It's such a bizarre concept, signing a shortstop for the Yankees future.. but this is where we are. The Derek Jeter Farewell Tour is coming... and then... it's on the the next one.  Wow, I can't believe it.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.