BOONE LOGAN? I'LL STAY!

Are the Yankees reuniting with Boone Logan?

Good Lord I hope not, but it sounds like the Yankees and the Mets are going to try and "out do" each other to try and land him. Normally, I hate to lose to the Mets but in this case I would be thrilled to. I may do a cartwheel even! Please Mets.....offer him a crazy contract and sign him.

Hold on to your Yankee hats, according to the New York Post HERE New York really wants Boone Logan to move back east. Both New York teams aren't the only ones interested, Seattle and the Rockies are also interested in re-signing him after an impressive 2016 season. The free agent list of available starting pitchers this season is pretty pathetic. It may be the worst in the last decade so teams are going to look to bolster their bullpens to make up for it. I smell a bidding war in the making.

I just hope it isn't the Yankees. On paper, Logan had a good season holding opponents to a .166 BA in 66 games but I am not convinced that this wasn't just a fluke. I want to give Logan the benefit of the doubt here and say he reformed his game but I am also looking at disappointing seasons in 2014 and 2015 where he had ERA's of 6.84 and 4.33 respectively. Then of course....I can't stop thinking about how much we constantly called him the lefty specialist that couldn't get lefties out while he was a Yankee. There are just too many bad memories for me so yes I am skeptical.

I know we need pitching, a lefty especially after we traded away Justin Wilson, Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller but how desperate are we here? I am still haunted by August 15, 2013. The Yankees and Angels were playing. The bases were loaded and Chris Nelson was at the plate and hit a grand slam. That wouldn't have stung as bad if it was Mike Trout but....really? Nelson? A guy we had for about five minutes to fill a temporary need. That is a tough pill to swallow. Oh what I wouldn't give to erase this memory from my brain.

Between all of the inconvenient injuries during his time with us and his sloppy pitching after awhile I changed his name to Boob Logan and thought of him as the new Sergio Mitre... the forever thorn in Casey's side and the reason Bleeding Yankee Blue was created. It's good to see Logan finally have some success with the Rockies, but maybe that has to do more with who he is playing for. The Rockies are also rebuilding but it's not the same pressure as playing in New York. Nothing is, and that is why I think the Yankees should review all of the previous aggravating game replays and just pass.

Once was enough for the Yankees. Go ahead and take him, Mets!  The left handed reliever market is actually pretty good this season. Why try what has already failed and look at someone else.....like Brett Cecil perhaps? That I could get behind. Just because you make the call it doesn't mean you pull the trigger.....right? I'm just going to answer my own question and say yes to make myself feel better. I guess we will wait and see what happens.

 --Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer & Editor
  Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ



 

STEPHEN DRE...ADFUL

The readership of BYB thinks what Mike O’Hara tends to write is Tex Bashing. “The guy LIVES to bash Tex!”  It’s very true.  I went from Boone Logan to Tex in a flash.  Mark has been my target…sometimes for good reason (most times for good reason) and sometimes I’m little tough on him (just sometimes).

Tex got a boo boo on his toes recently and we’ll see if it becomes an excuse.  But for now let’s move on to someone much, much worse.  Stephen Drew is just ridiculous.

He MUST have some incriminating photos of Cashman locked away somewhere to still be in the Bigs collecting 5 million for his “services”.  Which as far as I can tell consist of a decent glove and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE!  We could actually make opposing teams place the ball on a tee for JD’s little brother and he’d still hover around the Mendoza line.

He doesn’t have a hole in his swing; he has a swing in his hole!  Why is he on this team?! Seriously.  Tell me.  Anyone? Bueller?

Is the Yankee Brass just being stubborn that they royally screwed the pooch on this one?  What can they possibly see in this guy?  The Sox are laughing at us!  When Girardi pencils his name in the lineup you KNOW Joe, a good-hearted guy, is saying, “Drew…this really sucks.”

The Yankees aren’t good enough to just let Stephen suck all year.  They have Didi already.  It’s time to bring someone up or teach ARod to play 2nd…I’m kidding of course, but at least in that scenario we’d get the bat with the errors.  Drew is bad.  No, no…he’s is just sinfully lousy.

It’s time to fix this problem.  Eat the 5 million.  You gave it to him, now you can feeling like clowns as you write the check and send him away to spend it on an in house batting cage in Arizona or where ever he calls home.

So Tex, heal up that bruised piggy and keep off my list.  For now I’ll take my swings at Drew.

** Harsh?  Nah.  Here’s one for our Shortstop/2nd baseman.  I’d pencil him in as, and have him walk up to this gem by Pearl Jam. **





 
--Mike O'Hara
Senior "Features" Writer
Twitter: @mikeyoh21


 
You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub.

BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME XX

Another week closer to opening day and it is about time! Let's take a look at what's happening across the MLB.  First up- Alex Rodriguez is giving out compliments these days, specifically to his new teammate and short stop Didi Gregorius.  As a matter of fact, Rodriguez, according to Ken Rosenthal, is morphing into a future scout, breaking down our new short stop in numbers and adjectives.

"What you see in a lot of young players are 6 or 7 arms, but then their accuracy is 3 or 4. Which is normal, par for the course. As they get older, they go from a 7-1/2 arm to about a 5-1/2 or 6-1/2 and their accuracy goes to about 6. But when you have that combination at 25 years old of crazy range, 7-plus arm, 7-plus accuracy ... even Ozzie [Smith], he had 7 accuracy but he didn’t have 7 arm strength. [Gregorius] has made plays from the hole, from his back foot, throwing the ball 90 mph across the diamond from his back foot. You don’t see that. It also makes it a lot easier for your third baseman to play third base," according to Rodriguez.  This is really positive...really positive and if this isn't complimentary enough, another veteran, praised Gregorius for his performance on the field.  "Didi is unbelievable, as good a shortstop as I’ve seen,” first baseman Mark Teixeira said. “And I’m not over-exaggerating.”

This is incredibly encouraging, now if he can hit with as much excitement and power, then we would be in business.  According to Rosenthal, "Gregorius is intent upon improving his offense -- he’s working to keep his body looser at the plate, not stiffening up the way he did in the past. For what it’s worth, his spring performance -- 10 for 35 with three doubles, two triples and two walks -- has been encouraging. He’s young, he’s energetic, he’s athletic. I don’t know about the rest of the Yankees, but the new shortstop, at least, will be fun to watch." Let's see what he can do- give the guy a chance and who knows? The possibilities are endless!

Turning to pitching, another man down in Colorado this week.  According to Nick Groke of the Denver Post, "Jorge De La Rosa, the Rockies' No. 1 arm, is nearer to the disabled list than the pitching mound. It's doubtful he'll be ready to start the season. Other than playing catch right now, he's pretty much shut down," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said Tuesday. De La Rosa is suffering from a left groin strain that has hampered him all spring." To add salt to the wound, Groke states that, "Weiss described De La Rosa's injury as "chronic " — a worrisome word for a team that used a club-record 15 starting pitchers last season."  This is not good for the Rockies who continue to battle through the thick competition of the National League West and their ace pitchers.

Finally, the Mets are keeping an eye out for a closer amidst their pitching injury woes.  According to Mark Saxon's Twitter feed, the Mets closely watching  three Dodgers left-handed relief options — J.P. Howell, Paco Rodriguez and Adam Liberatore — in case any of the three become available. As we mentioned last week in Hot Stove XIX, Josh Edgin is out with Tommy John surgery leaving a left-handed void in their pen.  The Mets are also taking a closer look at former Yankee pitcher Boone Logan and recent word is the Mets are still interested in Rookie lefty closer Rex Brothers.  Pitching is where the Mets have excelled over the last couple of years and they are hoping that this will help them contend this year, earning a spot in the post season.  We shall see.

That's it for BYB Hot Stove.  See you next week!

-Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store! Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook! Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

IT'S A MATTER OF TRUST

I’ve just about had it.

I’m tired of watching old players well past their prime breaking down and leaving unfulfilled promises in the hands of our medical staff.  I’m tired of a manager’s misguided loyalty to his players that results in the same lineup letdowns day after day, and I’m tired of watching a win slip away while that same manager seems to be oblivious to the obvious.

It’s all about trust.

We are fielding one of the oldest, if not the oldest, teams in Major League Baseball simply because our general manager would rather try to catch lightning in a bottle with players whose glory years are a distant memory, instead of looking to what we have in our minor league system.

He simply doesn’t trust the youngsters. As a result, we are left with a band of broken part-time players.

Our GM has a strategy of trying to harness a rebirth of former stars.  He throws money at them like it was soft candy at a geriatric parade, and we get stuck with a bevy of mid-to-long term contracts for players that spend more time worrying about what surgery to have next rather than what their approach should be with the next at-bat.

Brian Cashman’s strategy has become as worn as the players he’s acquiring, and it needs to stop.  Start trusting what you have developing in the minor league system Brian.  Why not give a shot to a young outfielder instead of signing Carlos Beltran to a three-year deal?  What would you have lost?

Beltran has appeared in 107 of our 149 (as of this writing) games.  He’s hitting .235.  Tell me how one of our prospects would have done worse.  I’d struggle believing you.

One player Cashman brought on board that isn’t a geriatric (he’s 31), but who plays like one is Stephen Drew.  The GM traded Kelly Johnson to the Red Sox for him on July 31^st.  I’m not altogether sure what “Cash” saw in Drew, given that he was hitting .176 in Boston at the time.  I know he was trying to fill a void at second base because the former superstar second baseman that the GM signed during the off-season – 36-year-old Brian Roberts – hadn’t worked out, but Drew’s last truly good season was in 2010 (I’m being nice) and he had never played second base.

Yet another gamble to rekindle the past has failed miserably, as Drew is batting .135 with the Yankees. He currently ranks 307^th (yeah that’s not a typo) in the American League in hitting, and of those around him in the rankings, only one – John McDonald of the Angels – has played in more than 70 games (McDonald isn’t a starter).

(In Photo: Jose Pirela)
All the while the club has had TWO second basemen at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre who have far out-shone anything Drew has displayed in the Bronx.  24-year-old Jose Pirela has hit .305 with 10 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and 60 RBI at Scranton.  His play at second has been decent with a .979 fielding pct (Drew’s is .971).   If Pirela doesn’t “float your boat”, the RailRiders have another choice in 23-year-old Rob Refsnyder.  The baby Bomber hit .300 with 8 home runs and four stolen bases in half a season with the club.  During the first half of 2014, Refsnyder pounded out a .342 average at Trenton.  In the field, the former outfielder held his own with a .988 fielding pct.

(In photo: Rob Refsnyder)
My only question is what would either Pirela or Refsnyder have done that could be worse than Drew?  Why didn’t we give at least one of them a chance?

Since we are on the topic of Stephen Drew, it brings me to my issue (well, primary issue) with our manager Joe Girardi.

As I mentioned, Drew isn’t exactly burning good memories into the minds of Yankee faithful with his play in the Bronx, yet Joe Girardi continues to put him into the starting lineup.  To date, Drew has appeared in 36 of the 42 games played since he donned pinstripes.  In spite of his anemia at the plate, Girardi puts Drew in the seventh spot of the order, and he’s even batted as high as fifth in the lineup.

Does Girardi feel “obligated” to put Stephen Drew in his daily lineup?  Or, is Girardi an extension of Brian Cashman, believing that Drew is going to have a rebirth soon?  I think it has to do with loyalty.  Our manager is loyal to a fault.  Look at how many times he turned to David Huff in the middle of the season before realizing that the lefty “specialist” was hurting more than helping (that’s just one of several examples).

Joe Girardi has shown himself to be resistant to change.  In previous seasons he used Boone Logan until his arm virtually fell off, and he continues to throw Beltran and Mark Teixeira into the heart of the order in spite of the fact that neither is hitting above .236.

As I sit here pondering our situation, I can’t help but think that maybe the problem with the Yankees is that our management team lacks “creativity”.  They have become so set in their ways that the Bombers are now stale.  The close-mindedness of our GM and manager has snuffed out the candle of yet another season.

(In Photo: Chris Stewart)
I want to believe in Girardi.  After all, I still think last season was perhaps his finest as he kept the team in the playoff hunt until the very end while having to use the likes of mannequins Lyle Overbay and Chris Stewart.  Only, in watching this season I’m starting to think that maybe he just “lucked into” that playoff chase of a year ago.  I think I’ve lost my trust in him.

Unfortunately, our owners have all but pledged to bring back the men responsible for the product we see on the field every day.  They have a blind trust in Cashman and Girardi.  Or, maybe they just don’t care.

I’ll keep hoping that we turn a corner, but with the age of this team and the mentality of those that run it, it’s becoming a struggle to even watch on a daily basis.

I will enter 2015 with no expectations.  It’s a feeling that I haven’t had in quite some time.  We’ll see what the off-season brings, but it will be on the field where this team will have to regain my trust.

    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1


 
You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook! 

THAT'S NO WAY TO HONOR O'NEILL!

Now before you get crazy, let me state that the actual ceremony for Paul O'Neill was just plain awesome.  There is no better way to honor a Yankee great than at the stadium with 50,000 friends. 

We love Paulie here, and the Yankees did the right thing honoring him. All I'm saying is, I wish a win went along with it. 

The Yankees scored ZERO runs off Indians pitching today.  Brandon McCarthy got his first loss as a Yankee, but once again, he was strong and just in the zone. There is no way better to describe McCarthy.  The dude is a huge success in the Bronx, and I wish him a long tenure here.  I hope that can happen. 
McCarthy went 6.1 innings, giving up 7 hits and 2 runs. You can't kill the guy at all, he was great. The bottom line is this; if your team doesn't score runs, you can't win.

The other run was given up by Chase Whitley. Lefty Rich Hill appeared today as well.  Hill kind of makes me long for Matt Thornton... who makes me long for Boone Logan, or... something like that.  I'm not too sure how I feel about Hill yet. I do know this, I like Whitley in the starting role better. In fact, I would suggest they send him down and let him work in that capacity.   I don't feel like Whitley is comfortable in the relief role. It could be just me... but I feel like it's Joba and Hughes all over again.

The only other highlight besides Paulie's honoring today? Derek Jeter passed Honus Wagner today. Just plain awesome.

Final: Indians 3 - Yankees 0.

We were shut out. All can do is suck it up, go out and get a steak dinner, go to be bed early and come back tomorrow and win.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

YANKEES ARE CUTTING THE FAT

It's good to see that the Yankees are learning from past mistakes.  All I mean by that is keeping guys around that really aren't contributing sucks. Fans get angry. It almost seems like the Yanks are listening. In the past, the Yanks have kept guys around and waiting too long to pull the trigger.  They did it with guys like Boone Logan, who, many of us weren't too fond of, but he kept coming back and kept giving up home runs and disappointing all of us.

Brian Roberts was NOT a fan favorite this season and didn't really do much in Yankeeland.  I'm sure he was a nice guy, I know he was a great teammate, but when the Yankees finally decided to release him (Read BRIAN ROBERTS GONZO), and acquired dudes like Martin Prado and Stephen Drew, it was clear, Yankee brass understood we were in the middle of the summer and we weren't in first place.

 (In Photo: Martin Prado)
Now they've cut more fat, and this report comes from CBSSports.com. They wrote:

 "The Nationals are acquiring reliever Matt Thornton after a waiver claim from the Yankees, sources said... it'll be a substantial savings for the Yankees. New York will more than $4M via this waiver claim. Thornton has a $3.5-million salary for next year per his existing contract."

So yeah... Yanks are cutting the fat.  It was either I used a picture of someone literally cutting fat off their steak like the one below...

Or Thornton's mug. Some would suggest it's the same thing.

Good luck Matt.

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!

WHY HAVEN'T WE SIGNED PAUL MAHOLM?

I've been screaming about lefties in the Yankee pen for a while now.  Then, we finally let Boone Logan walk away, something I was definitely supported, but I was definitely disappointed when my favorite lefty, Clay Rapada asked for his release from the Yankees last season.  Clay eventually signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels, read WISH OUR BUDDY CLAY RAPADA WELL...

Hey, that sucked, but I thought the Yanks would have least have an alternate plan in all of this. After all, having a few lefties in the may not be a top priority, but it is essential in baseball.  Remember Mike Stanton? You know what I'm saying...

Right now the Yankees have Matt Thornton, a veteran lefty. That's a big upside as we turn the page past Logan. I like that, but we need more than just Thornton, trust me.  We do have Cesar Cabral and Vidal Nuno. 2 youngsters who could be a huge help.

But Vidal Nuno should be made strictly a srtarter.  Cabral on the other hand is a nice idea in the pen, I am not sold on him yet.  David Huff? Hmm. Sure, on that occassion that we need to call him up in case of an injury to one of our guys, then I'm on board.  Nothing against Huff, I just want to see someone else instead.

Paul Maholm.  Now look, this is just a fantasy at this point.  Maholm has been watched very closely by the Texas Rangers, and the Yankees should be in on that as well.  Why they aren't, I just don't know, unless they are just counting their money in a back room somewhere for Masahiro Tanaka... who knows.  But there is no question, while our rotation needs help, so does our bullpen.

Maholm is a 9 year veteran. He was 10-11 with a 4.41 ERA for the Braves last season and pitched 153 innings.  His career numbers give him more losses than wins, but depending on the team he was on, like the Pirates  for instance, maybe lack of offense, he may have not been given the right setting and support.  The Yankees lineup could be a boost for him, confidence wise, as well as performance.  All I'm saying is, I would love to give this guy a shot.

According to Jim Bowden of ESPN, the Rangers "checked in", according to Maholm.

Paul Maholm just told us that the @Rangers are one of the teams that have checked in on him #SXMSports
— JIM BOWDEN (@JimBowdenESPNxm) January 15, 2014

So... why haven't the Yankees? Should they? Are we OK with the lefties we already have? What do you think? Tell us, comment.

And enjoy your Friday Ladies and Gentlemen...

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.

I FOUND SERGIO MITRE JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

You all know how Bleeding Yankee Blue got started.  If you don’t, here’s a recap.  The Yankees were losing, and I don’t remember if it was a losing streak or just inconsistent play.  But I do know that I was frustrated.  On September 14, 2010 the Yankees almost lost and important game to the Rays. On September 13th, they lost at the hand of Sergio Mitre. (Read WHY LAST NIGHT WAS IMPORTANT.)  Sergio Mitre was with the team that week and let's just say he wasn't having a successful time in pinstripes. In fairness, much of the weaker arms in the pen weren't.  It was a combination of trying to save the strong pitchers arms and giving guys like Mitre or Boone Logan time for the big guns... but it wasn't working. For the fan, it was frustrating.  I was screaming at the TV that week like many fans do and suddenly I felt as though I needed to put it on paper.  It was a rant.  Not vicious, but just enough so I get get my frustrations out.  Well, I felt better and Bleeding Yankee Blue will always be connected to Sergio Mitre because of it. Mainly because he was the first picture I chose to post here at BYB.

Well, just in time for Christmas and kindness and all that stuff... I decided to have a change of heart.  I did my research. 

And I’m happy to report that Sergio Mitre is alive and well. His twitter handle is sergio_mitre … and is now a prophet apparently if you look at his Twitter picture above.  Now let me state that I am doing something that I never thought I’d do, but I’m doing it because I am trying to keep in the spirit of Christmas… I’m forgiving Sergio Mitre the grudge I had against the Yanks in 2010 and extending an olive branch.

Sergio, I’m sorry for being so angry, same with you Yanks… I’m a Yankee fan, we expect perfection, but I have learned to step back and realize that there are more important things out there than wins and losses sometimes. Sometimes it’s about kindness, generosity… and yes, life.  That’s what Bleeding Yankee Blue has become and a lot of it has to do with you, whether you know it or not.  You opened my eyes.

Don't tweet much, but today is a a good reason to do it.. I am throwing my first bullpen in a long time.. Will see what happens..
— Sergio Mitre (@sergio_mitre) November 17, 2013

@tnchicks thank you for the support.. Two bullpen sessions down and still rolling..
— Sergio Mitre (@sergio_mitre) November 22, 2013

I see I have a couple new followers.. That's good I'm racking them up.. Hahaha..
— Sergio Mitre (@sergio_mitre) December 14, 2013

Hey, he's got a sense of humor too... Love that. Now, before reading through Sergio’s tweets, I have no idea where he went and what he’s been up to.  But now I do.   Read these Tweets from him.

Hey, I’m thrilled there’s some clarity on what’s been going on from Sergio (Assuming this is Sergio. He’s not verified, but you need to assume it is if Ramiro Pena is following him.)

So Sergio, Merry Christmas.  I’m sorry I was being an angry fan. A speedy recovery to you.

And to all my Bleeding Yankee Blue Readers… follow Mitre on Twitter.  His followers number is weak.  We need to help our buddy out.  Hey… it’s Christmas.

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.

IN THE FREE AGENT WORLD... WHO'S LEFT?

Charlie Wilmoth of MLBTradeRumors.com put together this list of some of the unsigned, relevant players still looking for homes this off season.  I see a few guys on that list, pitchers in particular that I’d love to take a chance on and would probably bolster our rotation in the back end. Check out his list:

“Unsigned:
5. Masahiro Tanaka
6. Ervin Santana
7. Matt Garza
9. AJ Burnett

11. Ubaldo Jimenez

14. Stephen Drew

17. Nelson Cruz

23. Bronson Arroyo

25. Grant Balfour

28. Kendrys Morales

32. Fernando Rodney
36. Suk-Min Yoon
43. Paul Maholm
46. Jesse Crain
48. Jason Hammel"

Hey look, Bronson Arroyo is still available.  Jimenez is too.  Would the Yankees have an AJ Burnett reunion? Probably not, but he’s out there.  And of course, there is Matt Garza.  One name that popped out at me was lefty reliever Paul Maholm. 

Now I have stated many, many times that I love having 2 lefty relievers in the Yankees pen.  It makes Joe Girardi’s job easier and when the Yankees had Boone Logan and Clay Rapada in the pen together, it was much more comforting to me than just having Logan there.  Options… I like options.

But again, the starters that are looking for deals are decent and still available.  Plus, don’t we have like a gazillion dollars after we didn’t re-sign Robinson Cano? Brian Cashman probably has stacks of money in his office.  Let’s spend 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.