CASHMAN - THE RICH KID

We all remember them. I'm not saying they are bad kids. I'm not saying that at all. Nope. If you're looking for an "Eat the Rich" Class Warrior...that ain't me, babe. It ain't me you're lookin' for... babe.

No, what I'm making the comparison to is the kid in school that seemed to have it all without being driven or talented enough to earn it on his or her own smoke. I myself went to high school with one kid in particular that had no athletic ability, no hidden talents and grades that would make him a scratch golfer! And despite the shortcomings on all fronts, he was accepted to Princeton (Early Admission). PRINCETON!!! This simpleton went to the Ivy League when he should've been playing catcher in a slow pitch softball beer league!! How? Why? A big bank roll that could buy away problems of ANY type.

Brian Cashman IS that same kid on the Major League level...only unlike my buddy Jimmy in High School, Cashman is an arrogant, analytic jerk off.  There, I said it.

He had the foundation built by MASTERS (Stick Michael and Buck Showalter). He has money to burn and has tossed it on HOUSE FIRES like Pavano, Ellsbury and McCann, etc, etc, etc. 

I believe Brian Cashman is a JOKE of a GM!! Look, Boonie is over his skis too, no question about that, BUT this is Cashman's ass 1st as far as I'm concerned. 

The sad thing is Hal, Randy and Lon seem like they are just corporate stooges in most companies thinking, "F it. I'm rich and will stay that way. Why rock the boat?" I genuinely dislike that cabal of clowns. 

The Boss would not only have canned this collection of company man cowards (Hal too), but he would also have had their houses in Vail torched and they would have all woken up with the heads of their prized stud horses lying next to them under their 1,000,000,000, thread count silk sheets!

Name one baseball move Brian Cashman made on his own that he's been right about. Do it. DO IT.  His "tough guy" talk to Derek Jeter, remember that? He'll do the same to Aaron Judge. He is a mutt. A bank rolled mutt who thinks he's good at his job. 

Remember he was still on the leash when he bought ARod and got the stacked crew for 2009. Cashman is complacent, has no baseball IQ and carries a weakly veiled contempt for the Yankee Fans. Show him the door. I hope he lands in Tampa, and they become doormats again because it'd be Cashman with no checkbook.

The Yankees didn't deserve to beat the ASStros. They didn't hit. They were mismanaged and lifeless aside from rock star Harrison Bader. It's on the players...but Cashman should hang for it. And he should before the Yankees offer Judge his deal. This hobbit has WAY overstayed his welcome. 

The Yankees look and feel like the Yankees of the 80s again. Big Names, CRAZY money and no plan. Get Jeter and Donnie in here to turn this ship around. Sometimes you need to fix a baseball team with actual BASEBALL people and not these video game zeroes holding calculators, spreadsheets...and Daddy's checkbook in case they F it up royally.

Time for change.

This one's for you Brian!

SCREAM IT DICKY!!

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

PARTICIPATED OR NOT, YOU CAN'T FEEL SORRY FOR BRIAN McCANN

I once called this guy a leader of the New York Yankees.  I don't see him as much of a leader these days.  I like Brian McCann, but he, like most of the Astros fell into cheating and deception and he is tainted like the rest of them.  He's just as bad as the others.

Randy Miller of NJ.com has an article out you should definitely check out. Not, he didn't interview McCann. No... he quotes Evan Gattis, that turd we wrote about in ASTROS CATCHER EVAN GATTIS JUST MADE THE ASTROS CHEATING SCANDAL WORSE the other day.

And Gattis talks about how McCann is in a bad place. How this whole cheating scandal is eating him up inside.  Oh Bitch... please.

Here's some of that article:

"Evan Gattis, also a newly retired slugging catcher who is bearded and bald, says McCann never was a fan of the Astros’ cheating and hates being linked to it now that their team has been outed.

'I could tell It was eating him up,' Gattis said this week on The Athletic’s “755 is Real” Podcast. 'He didn’t like it one bit. He’s played so long and he just understands what it takes to get to the big leagues and he’s got a lot of respect for big leaguers. You could just tell.'

Gattis, who admitted shame for participating in the Astros’ cheating, seems to feel more badly for what McCann is going through."

Here's the problem with all of this... I am not sympathetic to any member of the Astros, team or front office because THIS WAS A STRATEGIC OPERATION DESIGNED TO WIN GAMES. And ultimately if the players were deeply involved... or even had a whiff of it, they are still knowing participants because they are wearing a World Series ring from 2017. In other words... the ring represents a tainted season and GUILT by the Houston Astros.

Feel bad for McCann is you want. I don't. Every single one of them is trash.

Happy Saturday. Wash your hands.

CAN GERRIT COLE BREAK THE YANKEE UNLUCKY STREAK?

Source: CBS Sports

Fans and the media swarm on Gerrit Cole, who arrived in New York on Monday to face the media officially as a Yankee.  The crowning is today at the House that Ruth Built and the fanfare will be infinite.  But Cole follows a line of Bronx baptisms, that didn't exactly go as planned.  Can Cole break the Yankee unlucky streak?

"Cole will only be the seventh player feted at Yankee Stadium III, which opened for the 2009 season. The three big signings (A.J. Burnett, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira) who came aboard prior to the ’09 championship campaign ironically held their initial events at the old Stadium across the street while work continued at the new place," reported the NY Post.

Giancarlo Stanton, our last big seven-figure signing, came to us via the Winter Meetings in Orlando, where he was decorated a Yankee back in 2017.  He didn't make an early appearance at the Stadium. Stanton hasn't exactly been what the Yankees expected, but perhaps Cole will be different.

Source: Anthony J. Causi, NY Post

"Cole joins, in chronological order, Curtis Granderson, Rafael Soriano, Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran and Masahiro Tanaka, plus Boone. Of those six players, only Tanaka remains a Yankee, or even a currently employed player. None has played in a World Series as a Yankee," reminded the NY Post yesterday.

Cole appeared happy to be in New York, but not as excited as I had anticipated.  His one-word answers during a short TMZ appearance in front of the Mandarin Hotel were frankly lackluster and perhaps slightly aloof.  "Let's save the questions for the press conference," he bellowed as he signed autographs.  Slightly contradictory behavior if you asked me.  He followed with a slew of short answers, like "Of course" to a question about whether he was happy to be a Yankee.  What about being a Yankee is exciting?  "What doesn't excite me."  Interesting disposition from such a celebrity pitcher.  But it is early, and maybe he was told not to say much by his agent Scott Boras.

Let's see how Cole does today at his first official unveiling to the New York media and fans.  As a former fan himself, he knows what it is like to watch iconic players battle for wins in a city that is full of critics. Can he be one of those iconic players himself, who lives up to the expectations placed on him and the Yankees?  Time will tell, but God I hope so!

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

SLADE WILL RISE AGAIN BECAUSE SLADE BELIEVES IN SUCCESS!

I chatted with Slade Heathcott on the phone for nearly an hour. He's a cool cat. Not only that... he's honest, emotional, sincere and most of all, passionate. Passionate about his life, about his son, about baseball and about what's next.  I hope you realize something about this young man. When baseball ended for him... he didn't end. Slade was just getting warmed up.  He's alive and well and ready for his next thing... making a difference.  What you're about to read is the most opened and honest interview we've ever done here at BYB.  And it's provocative. The main topic is minor league baseball and a behavior against these young players so controversial and wrong, it needs to be not only be exposed, but corrected immediately.

Listening to Slade speak about the way minor league ballplayers are treated, and doing my research for the past few weeks, the information that's out there is disappointing, shocking and almost criminal in my humble opinion. We are talking about young athletes that are taken advantage of because they have a dream to play baseball.  And the owners know this... and in my opinion they take advantage just to line their own pockets. It's the equivalent of cattle. It's a farm system to them... literally. It's disgusting.  You'd almost question where we live in the world. But this is America, land of the brave, home of the free.  But in this case, minor league athletes are treated so badly, the abuse almost feels like they're not free.  It must stop now.

I loved every minute of this interview with Slade.  Check this out...

He's making life changes involving being a pilot, as well as working on other project, one of them being a 501c3 called More Than Baseball, or MoreThanBaseball.org. A not for profit that is making people aware of how minor leaguers are treated in a Major League baseball world.  It was eye opening. I let him speak... and speak he did.

Slade Heathcott:  Do you know how much a 6 year guy gets paid as a minor leaguer? Today’s estimate is $12,000. That’s less than a hot dog vendor at that player’s major league stadium. I want you to think about that. How do you live on that? You don’t. It’s not enough for training. It’s not enough for good food. 

Casey: Are you kidding me?

Slade: No man! Let’s not forget that minor league baseball players are athletes. They are the farm team of the Bigs. Without feeding and helping to protect these minor leaguers correctly, you end up with a lot of broken down minor leaguers that just don’t survive in the game or never make it to the pros.

Casey: But how long has this been going on and what can be done about it? 

Slade: We decided to put together More Than Baseball. The goal is to find a way to get all 30 Major League teams together to be able to raise money to help minor league players. Enough with the friction between players and owners and enough with controversy. The goal should be to get these teams help, through community, through fundraising, be it affiliates or otherwise to improve the lives of minor leaguers. 

Casey: It just seems so crazy to me because as I know from my sons. I mean, my 16 year old plays baseball and all his coaches talk to him about is solid training and good nutrition. So it makes a ton of sense. That nutrition is fuel.

Slade: Nailed it. We need to get them good food, not fast food. Heck, even if there was a deal between the team affiliate and restaurants and stores around that area where their minor league park was. Like maybe 15% off a healthy meal, that could help their bank account and still allow them to get better food for their bodies. 

I am trying to nail down something with a group called “Get your Elements”. Food that’s packed with nutrition for these young players. Without solid nutrition, how do you think these guys will perform on the field? They currently eat fast food. Imagine the talent pool if these young players were eat right and had the money to train better. 

Casey: I love that. Maybe teams could team up with big stores. Harris Teeters, or Shop Rite or restaurants. 

Slade: Yup. But not only that. These players also need better equipment. We need to get them better equipment rather than a minor league player or a player’s parents buying it for them. Good bats and better helmets, or extra training. 

Think about baseball for a second. It’s not like they come out to a 7 PM game at 6 and just run around the outfield and they’re ready to go. It’s a 10-hour day. Players are playing every single day. There are early workouts, Cages, hitting the field for BP. Minor Leaguers are athletes. Does it make sense for them to ride a bus for 10 hours and find a Wendy’s at 10pm because they don’t have enough money to eat good food? 

If owners collectively agreed to bump up their $12,000 minimum salary, even that would help. How much better would a team’s farm be if owners and teams took the time and money to feed their players properly instead of weeding out the crop. 

Casey: True. How did it effect you early on?

Slade Heathcott: My first year in Charleston for the Yankees minor league system I made $6600. That didn’t cover my training costs. But thank god I was represented so that was taken care of. For a lot of players, they don’t even have that. Their parents are paying for it. There are tons of fans out there that love this game but have no idea what’s going on with the minor leagues. It’s bad. We need to educate them. 

Luckily, guys like Tony Clark, Xavier James are on board to say “Hey, let’s look at this, let’s raise money and let’s try to improve the minor leaguers conditions." 

Casey: Well that's really good.

Slade: Yup. Hopefully we can bring the game together. Check out MoreThanBaseball.org . There's a lot to read and learn. I hope your audience checks it out. It's exciting. I'm energized by it.

Casey: I can tell, I love it. Let's change gears. Your debut at Yankee Stadium and as a Yankee in the majors. I want to know the feeling and I want to know how it all went down. 

Slade: May 20, 2015. Well, that night I ran for Mark Teixeira in the 9th inning. This is how it happened that night before. I got back to my place. I was feeding my son and I was with a bunch of guys… Bryan Mitchell, some others. I didn’t really have my cell on me at that moment. One of the guys says “Hey, Jacoby Ellsbury went down.” I didn’t think anything of it, but in the mist of that, I had missed calls on my phone. I called back Dave Miley who was trying to call me. Great guy... really great dude.

“Pack your bags, you’re going to New York,” Dave said.

I said “Stop messing with me, man'". He said he wasn’t and I was shocked. I packed and went.

Casey: Love it. It just happens that way. Just like they say. What's it like to put on the pinstripes?

Slade: Standing there in that uniform is amazing. Looking around me, there is literally nothing like putting on pinstripes. A center field debut. CC Sabathia is on the mound. There's nothing like that. Nothing.

**Quiet**

Casey: You're getting emotional right now.

Slade: I am. And even more than wearing them was that home run in Tampa.

Casey: You read my mind. Tell me about that.

Slade: Tampa Bay. 2015. Top 9. I had no intention of going in. I was literally filling water cups for my teammates. It's what I did as a young player. Make sure the big guys are hydrated. Joe calls my name. 

I think it was Chris Young that was supposed to be batting and Brian McCann's on first. I assume I'm running for McCann and I start stretching. But no, I’m hitting. I was like "What?" 

I got no swings in and John Ryan Murphy is literally telling me what Brad Boxberger throws. Well, the boss man upstairs wanted that moment to happen for me. But that wasn't the best part. 

I hit it and I'm running around the bases in a Yankee uniform and all the guys, my teammates... guys like ARod, they are all going crazy. It's hard as a teammate to not do anything as a player, but when you do something like that home run, it's amazing to see the guys support you like that.

Casey: Damn, that's awesome. I never heard that story behind the scenes.  What else can we talk about?

Slade: I can talk all day. But look, I'm on a mission to do different things now in my life and I'm going to. Only what's impossible is possible. Like this pilot stuff I'm doing.

Casey: I was just gonna ask you about that. Tell me what got you into this pilot stuff. You're flying planes?

Slade: Well, I knew I wanted to be a pilot before baseball was even gonna happen for me. I knew I wanted to join the military. I wanted to fly fighter jets.  I always did and so it's going to be reality for me. I want to fly in a fighter jet. In 2011 and 2012, I would wake up and fly in Tampa and then I went to the field and played. Now I'm not playing ball so I'm going back to get CFI, 10 rating, 7 months and I'll be busy, it will go through the summer, but I'm gonna do it.

Casey: What else do you want to do in your life. You seem full of energy right now.

Slade: Ah man, I have a bucket list. And listen to this. I want to climb Mount Everest.  And on the other side of it, I want to open an orphanage. I know, the 2 don't even go together and the orphanage sounds weird, but I'm so committed to it. I have made it my mission to serve in my life.  My life is to dedicate and serve. I also want to do things that I've only thought about and dreamt of before. Like running my first half marathon. I hate running but I'm going for it.  I want to raise money for non-profits. I want to help others. I just want to do it all.

Casey: OK, I'm exhausted. Ha!

Slade: Ha. This is me, man. Real deal.

Casey: Any last words?  

Slade: We can’t always control the cards we’re deal. We can you control what we’re playing. 

Ladies and Gentlemen... Slade Heathcott is my buddy.  I love this dude. He's inspirational and has more energy than anyone I know.

I hope you enjoyed this interview. Slade, thanks for taking the time.

YANKS HAVE 6 PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 100!

You can't beat it!

(Zachary Lucy/Four Seam Images via AP)

You really can't beat what Brian Cashman and the Yankees have done.  The New York Daily News has this report about the Yankees having 6 prospects in Baseball America's top 100.  It's great news actually... check out who they are:

Photo: Miguel Andujar / Charleston River Dogs

"They included Gleyber Torres (No. 6), Estevan Florial (No. 38), Justus Sheffield (No. 41), Miguel Andujar (No. 59), Albert Abreu (No. 77) and Chance Adams (No. 81)..."

And I found this nugget very interesting...

(Mark LoMoglio/Yankees)

"Abreu, the 21-year-old righty, is considered more advanced than Luis Severino at this stage of his development, according to Brian Cashman, though the GM noted that doesn't guarantee future success."

More advanced? I mean, Sevy is already good. Are you telling me there's someone better down there?  I mean, think about it... everybody is talking about guys like Torres, Sheffied and Andujar lately.  But reality is Abreu was a huge pick up and don't forget, we got him when we traded Brian McCann to the Astros.  McCann got a World Championship, but we got a hot prospect for future championships!

Look, it's just good stuff.  I had to share this.  It's an exciting time to be a Yankee fan.

THE DAVID ROBERTSON TRADE REALITY

Source: USA Today

I appreciate honesty especially in a world where we can't always find it easily.  Movies like Ocean's 11 and the upcoming Ocean's 8 highlight dishonesty, in the most entertaining way.  To say that dishonesty is a reality would be a true statement, although we don't like it and we don't wish our loved ones to practice it.  So, in an effort to stay honest and focus on reality, it is our duty to share with you some harsh and unpleasant realities: David Robertson could be traded in order to allow for the Yankees to build their forces for a new championship while staying under the luxury tax.

Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America

"The Yanks currently have $172 million-ish tied up in seven signed players, an estimate of what eight arbitration players will cost via MLB Trade Rumors, obligations from trades for Brian McCann and Chase Headley and the $14 million-ish each club will be charged for benefits such as pensions and insurance," reported the NY Post.  So, if the Yankees want to pick up "any kind of more expensive luxury item" they have to cut their current payroll.

Source: Abbie Parr/Getty Images North America

Sure the logical choice is the player labeled as the 5th outfielder.  But the reality is that trading Jacoby Ellsbury may not be that easy.  According to Chris Carelli of SNY, "trading Ellsbury will not be a simple transaction for a number of reasons."  These reasons include: his substantive contract (the biggest roadblock), no-trade clause, perceived future value, chronic injuries and age, and his need for everyday reps (in order for him to be ready to be inserted into the lineup).  

Source: Jason Miller/Getty Images North America

But there is someone who could give the Yankees the cushion they need to pick up that infielder and additional starting pitcher.  As much as I hate to say it and would hate to see him go, the reality is that David Robertson could provide the flexibility the Yankees need to keep dealing and still stay beneath $197 million.  

Source: Abbie Parr/Getty Images North America

"But the biggest dent within reason would come from trading David Robertson ($11.5 million for luxury-tax purposes and entering his walk year). The Yanks have depth to set-up Aroldis Chapman with Betances, Warren, Chad Green and Tommy Kahnle," reported the NY Post.  

Source: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America

And with the Robertson deal, the Yankees could move on Yu Darvish, Manny Machado or Mike Moustakas.  My reality is do we really need any of these?  Can we just pursue the championship with what we have or perhaps with a smaller pick up of Gerritt Cole or Patrick Corbin?  Can we rely on our farm system rather than sacrifice David Robertson who is coming off one of his best seasons since coming to the Yankees in July.  His ability to come into a game situation as a long reliever or as a closer make him invaluable to our bullpen.  His leadership on this Yankee team also cannot be undervalued.  

The Roberston Trade could be a reality if the Yankees are not willing to settle for what they have in place and feel they need more to secure their championship season in 2018.  I'd be dishonest if I didn't share this nugget but it is a painful one to swallow.

 

THE NEW YEAR AGENDA WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

This past week, the week after Christmas, was pretty quiet as I am reminded by my non-Yankee fan daughter that, "it's not baseball season and what could I possibly write about" as we sit in the frigid cold weather plaguing most of the Northeast.  And then she said something brilliant that allowed me to break through my icy writer's block: "the Yankees have to have an agenda for 2018; write about that."  So I am, given the advice of my daughter, the Met fan.

To have an agenda is to have a "a list or outline of things to be considered or done," as the dictionary reminds us.  And for sure, the Yankees have a list of things to be done.  Much like the theory of backwards design, however, we have to front load the agenda in order for us to reach our goal of a 2018 World Championship.  So as pseudo-GM, here is the agenda I think the Yankees should follow through the end of October:

I. Trade for or pick up a quality starting pitcher through free agency that has both longevity and chemistry to mix with the current Yankee starting rotation and pitching staff.

II. Continue to grow and develop young players in the farm system leading up to Spring Training and beyond and don't give up on them too soon.

III. Invest in our club house leaders, support their fitness goals, endorse their ability to counsel newbies, heed their veteran advice and keep them actively engaged in the game.

Sure there are sub points within these three main agenda items, but let's focus on the big three.

I. Trade for or pick up a quality starting pitcher through free agency that has both longevity and chemistry to mix with the current Yankee starting rotation and pitching staff.

Source: YES.com

Last week we stood by headline, "THE YANKEES COULD PLAN TO DO WITHOUT."  And this principle has served them well over the last few trades/acquisitions.  Backed by Brian Cashman's words published in the NY Post on Saturday, "We are not prioritizing any one thing, we are ready to go with what we have got,” general manager Brian Cashman told The Post. “We are open-minded to opportunities whether they be positionally or pitching. We are not prioritizing to add to the youth competition at third and second over the rotation option. We will take any opportunity to improve the club. If it makes enough sense, we’ll execute it.”

Photo: New York Post

The price, the player, the person, has to be able to gel with the current team.  But at the end of the day, a pitcher seems to make sense, knowing that it takes time to build young players, at least two seasons like we saw in Luis Severino and even the greener, Jordan Montgomery.  Could someone like Patrick Corbin or Gerrit Cole still be the last link to the growing pitching chain for the Yankees, fulfilling agenda item one?  Maybe.  If it makes enough sense to do so.  A sweetener in the deal with the Pirates could be infielder Josh Harrison, who has quietly built some buzz around his fit on the Yankees or possibly the Mets in 2018.

II. Continue to grow and develop young players in the farm system leading up to Spring Training and beyond and don't give up on them too soon.

Source: NY Daily News

According to the NY Post in mid-November, "While (Gleyber) Torres, the centerpiece of the 2016 trade that sent Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, was limited to 55 games in two minor league stops this season following Tommy John surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow, he is expected to be ready for the 2018 season and could surface in the big leagues next season. (Albert) Abreu, 22, was one of two young pitchers the Yankees got from the Astros for catcher Brian McCann last November. He appeared in 14 games at three levels this summer."  We will likely see both of these players this season, with Torres expected to find his way into the opening day lineup should he perform as anticipated this spring.

We have to provide mentoring, top of the line instruction, facilities and opportunities for our young talent to soar and stay competitive and strong as they grow as prospects.  We have spent years growing our farm system as it holds a top spot in the eyes of MLB.  We need to keep the resources strong and vibrant for these young guys as they are the future of our franchise.

III.  Invest in our club house leaders, support their fitness goals, endorse their ability to counsel newbies, heed their veteran advice and keep them actively engaged in the game.

Never underestimate what the veterans provide for our team; never take them for granted.  They may have slowed, they may not be as fresh as they used to be, but they are hard workers, with tons of experience and their offerings to the Baby Bombers are invaluable.

Source: NY Post

Respected club house veteran, Brett Gardner is a leader on and off the field and his presence within the Yankees organization is priceless.  He remembers the impact good mentoring had on him and strives to provide the same impact to his current teammates. "Guys like Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi, my rookie year, I remember how those guys treated me and made me feel like part of the team, and I try to do that for these young guys. I just stress to them the importance of living in the moment and taking things one day at a time," reported the NY Daily News.

Source: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The CC Sabathia signing solidifies the presence of another leader who provides insight and experience for the growing youth of the 2018 team and counsel to its new manager.  "In truth, Sabathia is indispensable as first-time manager Aaron Boone will undoubtedly learn quickly how harmony and effective communication within the clubhouse will be essential for on field success, especially in the Yankees’ fishbowl. The pressures of managing the Yankees are enormous and having someone like Sabathia who could assist Boone as a clubhouse interpreter and spokesman while directing the daily traffic surrounding the ball club and its players is pivotal," reports Forbes.

Source: MLB.com

Leadership is a precious commodity and it is essential for long term success, particularly when seasonal pressures reach their highest during the dog days of summer.  "Boone’s support staff must include Sabathia as he intimately knows the attitudes and behaviors within the clubhouse."

With the New Year Agenda set, there is not one item on the list we can live without.  We need to add to the talent, we need to support the growth of our farm system, readying the Baby Bombers for the Show and we need to continue to engage veterans in leading our team, both on and off the field.  Looking forward to ringing in 2018 later this evening, knowing that after that, there is much to get accomplished and the Yankees are just the team to get it done.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof