TALKS WITH THE PIRATES FOR BRYAN REYNOLDS STILL A REAL THING

I personally don't have a problem using guys like Oswaldo Cabrera or any of the other outfielders the Yankees picked up in the off-season to try and fill the void in left field. 

Think about it; guys like Rafael Ortega, Billy McKinney and Willie Calhoun... even Michael Hermosillo. And yea, there's even Aaron Hicks! Now the Yankees are gonna force Hicks on us to start the season in left because they want their money to work for them. But let's be honest, Hicks is trash and there are enough outfield "parts" that we have that can fill that void in the outfield. 

And that brings me back to Bryan Reynolds. I guess my question is, do we really and truly need the guy? Is this a media grown story?

Bleacher Report writes:

" MLB Network's Jon Morosi, the Yankees are among the teams that have contacted the Pittsburgh Pirates to discuss a trade for Bryan Reynolds.

Morosi noted the Yankees could be at a disadvantage in trade talks for Reynolds because they don't have a lot of high-quality starting pitching in their system, and the Pirates prefer starters if they deal the 27-year-old outfielder...

In 493 career games, Reynolds owns a .281/.361/.481 slash line with 74 homers and 239 RBI."

The numbers look good, but the trade could be important and maybe that's the biggest issue for the Yankees. Who do they give up to get Reynolds in pinstripes and also, is it worth it?

The Yankees are in a better position in left field than you think. But I guess we just need to wait and see what will happen next.

Stay tuned.

THE ASKS FOR PIRATES OUTFIELDER BRYAN REYNOLDS ARE SIMPLY UNREALISTIC!

Source: CBS Sports

The Yankees signed Aaron Judge to a nine-year, $360 million contract that will keep the American League's Most Valuable in pinstripes for life. Judge earned that contract through his leadership on the field and in the clubhouse and of course for his Triple Crown numbers plus let's not forget the regular season AL home run record in 2022. Judge isn't a superhero, an Avenger of sorts, but rather a guy who simply put in the time and work and it paid off in a big way. Could the same be said for Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds? Not quite. In fact the asks from the Reynolds camp are simply unrealistic. No, I am not comparing Reynolds to Judge by any measure. What I am simply saying is this: you have to earn your reward by putting down the numbers and behaviors to demonstrate your worth. Reynolds just has not done that yet.

Source: AP

"While sources say the Pirates offered over $75 million for six years with no team options, Reynolds’ camp originally mentioned the $168 million, eight-year deal Matt Olson received as a comp (though their request was lower than that)," reported the New York Post on Friday. Although the Pirate outfielder hit a career-high 27 home runs in 2022 and in 493 career games has a .281 BA, .842 OPS and 127 OPS+, he's not worth $168 million nor would the Yankees be willing to give up the number of prospects the Pirates have inquired about in their talks.

As NJ.com reports, "The Yankees wouldn’t even consider trading (Oswald) Peraza straight-up for Reynolds. Peraza is their long-term solution at shortstop, where he’ll partner with second baseman Anthony Volpe. I do think a package of Everson Pereira and right-handers Will Warren and Clarke Schmidt is something the Yankees would at least consider, However, I’m not sure that would be enough for the Pirates."

The piece to consider here is the Pirates really don't want to trade their All Star outfielder. He is part of their three year rebuild plan. So any deal they make will need to have equal to better value than their current 27-year-old slugger. 

"The Yankees have a glaring need in left field and have remained an obvious fit for Reynolds, a switch-hitter with all-around ability and three years of team control remaining. He has been an in-demand trade target for several years now and Pittsburgh has maintained a high asking price throughout. At this point it feels like the Yankees (and other teams) are simply waiting until that asking price drops. New York's in-house left field options are Aaron Hicks and super utility man Oswaldo Cabrera," reports CBS Sports. 

Reynolds could be a good fit and provide complimentary offense to the Yankee lineup. He, Harrison Bader and Judge will also make for a superior outfield—with the left corner clearly an Achilles Heel for the Yankees currently. Is he worth the asking price? No. Could the Yankees find their guy in-house this spring and wait until the trade deadline for a guy like Reynolds? Maybe, if he is still there. Other teams like the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Guardians, and Los Angeles Dodgers are interested in closing the gap in their outfield as well. 

It will be interesting to see what happens here with Reynolds and available free agents as we move one week closer to Spring Training 2023. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE BIGGEST ISSUE THE YANKEES HAVE YET TO ADDRESS THIS OFFSEASON

We all know by now that the biggest concern the Yankees had this offseason was signing Aaron Judge. And now that this has gratefully happened, the Bombers, if you would still call them that, need to address the fact that they essentially have the same offense they had last year—sans Matt Carpenter and Andrew Benintendi. It's a problem and unless they have a plan to rectify this, could the Yankees be in the same predicament they were at the end of last season when the offense just shut off?

As The Athletic reports, "There’s still time — and they don’t have to necessarily address this until the trade deadline — but, yeah, the lineup still needs improvements for an October run. Without upgrades, the Yankees will rely on guys like Aaron Hicks and Josh Donaldson bouncing back, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu being 100 percent healthy, unproven players like Oswald Peraza and Oswaldo Cabrera being key contributors and Judge being otherworldly." Waiting until the trade deadline is not a risk I want to take and Yankee front office should consider the position they are putting the team in if they don't address this Achilles Heel right now.

Source: NBC Sports

Perhaps the addition of Brian Sabean as executive adviser to general manager Brian Cashman will be just the kick in the butt the Yankees need to make a deal before spring training which is less than a month away. "Sabean, 66, spent 30 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, leading the organization to World Series rings in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He spent the past four seasons as executive vice president for the Giants and previously spent eight seasons with the Yankees, joining the organization in 1985 as a scout. Sabean served as New York's director of scouting from 1986 through 1990, and vice president of player development and scouting from 1990 through 1992," reported ESPN.

With a passion for the game and tremendous experience, Sabean could be the lift the front office needs in getting some late stage off season deals done for the Yankees. The offense just was not there during the last part of the postseason and if they want to remain enduringly competitive, they need to think ahead instead of putting the same lineup in place as they did last fall. 

"A move that very much makes sense is trading for Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds. He is a left-handed presence at the top of the order that the Yankees need and is a good fielder. The price to land him could end up being high; however, it’s the kind of move that would provide balance to their lineup," reported The Athletic.

To improve their chances in the stretch against a team like the Houston Astros, the Yankees need a guy like Reynolds but it will likely cost them more than one of their prospects. And is that a deal they are willing to make? They don't have many more options. Sabean with his experience scouting may be the missing link to make that kind of assessment—stick with your youngsters and develop them or trade one or more away for a seasoned switch-hitting All Star outfielder who requested a trade of his current team earlier this fall. 

The Yankees have a big hole to fill in their lineup and corner outfield position. Is this something they want to fill with current prospects or do they do what Hal Steinbrenner has suggested in his "we are not down yet" statement last month? Make the offense unbeatable and give the Yankees the best chance to win in 2023. Don't wait til the trade deadline to do what needs to be done now. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

YANKEES HAVE A LOT TO DO NOW THAT JUDGE IS BACK

Source: CBS Sports

It is both a sigh of relief and cheers of excitement that our home-grown slugger is back in pinstripes. To even picture Aaron Judge in another uniform was nauseating. And now that Judge's negotiations are over, the Yankees need to get down to business with the rest of the team. The Yankees have a lot to do now that Judge is back. In fact it was Aaron Judge that told leadership he wanted to see improvement if he was to turn down the opportunity to pitch at home in San Francisco and leave $400 million on the table for San Diego. Time to own up to this pledge to do better. 

According to CBS Sports, "Left field is a glaring need and adding another starting pitcher is never a bad idea. The left side of the infield needs work too, though the Yankees do have good internal options there. Judge getting back was an important offseason goal. Now the Yankees have to improve the roster around him." Aaron Hicks offered nothing since signing his big contract a few seasons ago. His stints to the IL and lack of hustle in the field only added salt to the Yankees wounds. 

Source: Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media

"During the Winter Meetings, general manager Brian Cashman told reporters that the Yankees would “love” to bring Andrew Benintendi back. Last season was a career year for Benintendi, who was an All-Star for the first time. He hit .320 with a 124 OPS+ before joining the Yankees. In New York, he hit just .254 with a 109 OPS+ in 33 games before a broken hamate bone ended his season," reported NJ.com. The Yankees have also expressed their interest in Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds who asked to be traded earlier this week. The switch hitting All Star would make a great addition to the Yankees but it will cost them a lot to get him. 

Then there is starting pitching. The Yankees parted ways with Jameson Taillon earlier this week. Taillon accepted a four-year, $68 million deal late Tuesday night with the Cubs, pending a physical. That leaves a hole in the middle of the rotation, one the Yankees need to quickly fill. 

Source: Associated Press

"The Yankees are preparing to make an offer to Carlos Rodon, their top remaining target, and seem hopeful, or perhaps even optimistic, which shouldn’t come as a surprise the way this winter has gone. The Yankees beat out the Giants (who also are pursuing Rodon) for their own superstar Aaron Judge, and the Mets kept Brandon Nimmo, also preventing him from going to San Francisco," reported The New York Post. Rodon is a hard throwing left-hander and ironically was a Giant, last season. In 2022, he posted a 2.88 ERA, and 237 strikeouts over 178 innings. 

The Yankees have a lot to do now that Judge is back for good. Let's hope they can get some deals done before the end of the year and start 2023 in a great and powerful way. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

OUTFIELDER BRYAN REYNOLDS STILL ON THE YANKEES RADAR

Yes the Yankees are linked to Juan Soto and Andrew Benintendi. Yes the Yankees have talked about David Peralta and Ian Happ too. But Bryan Reynolds has been a guy that's been on the Yankees radar for a while.  And while all those other options are good, the trade value for them could be bigger than for a guy like Reynolds. Whatever the case, this tid-bit is interesting.

Inside the Pinstripes writes:

"The Yankees (along with the Miami Marlins) have "not stopped calling" about Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds...

the 27-year-old hasn't exactly looked like the All-Star that played in 159 games and earned MVP votes a year ago. The center fielder, who recently returned from a right oblique strain, is slashing .257/.339/.459 with 15 homers and 1.4 fWAR across 84 games played...

Reynolds is a young player with a solid track record and three more years of team control after this season. It might not require the type of package a Soto trade would command, but Reynolds is still a valuable piece that Pittsburgh won't move unless they get what they're looking for."

Look... Matt Carpenter is shining in the Bronx right now.  A guy like Reynolds could do the same. If the Yankees can flip Gallo to another team by the deadline, Reynolds would be a nice fit and probably more productive than Gallo down the stretch. 

We will see what happens, but this is interesting to say the least.

CENTERFIELD UPGRADE OPTIONS FOR FAILING AARON HICKS

I'm confident that EVERY fan knows this and I hate to point out the obvious but I will....Aaron Hicks contract was a huge mistake. So obviously, thinking Hicks will magically be better this year and live up to expectations is just beyond stupid. So that's why the Yankees need to get an upgrade when this lockout finally ends. The Yankees said they would look for options and they are out there.

But the question is, who? I found an interesting read on NJ.com HERE and I agreed with most of it. I even liked the scouts explanations on the Yankees choices. The article mentions four targets, but honestly only two make sense here. 

1. Bryan Reynolds

Some people may be asking "WHO?!" and that's not completely surprising. Bottom line is he's young (turns 27 this month) and he's under team control until 2026 and he's been overlooked. He's only been playing in the majors for 3 years and while 2020 was not a great season for him I don't think 60 days was a fair assessment. I do look at 2019 and 2021 and like what I see though. I will gladly take a .302 BA, 24 home runs, and 90 RBI on our roster right now. He's not a natural center fielder but he's playable out there. And let's face it Hicks is playable....nowhere. Reynolds is still young and moldable and he can play defense! He's not a liability. He made 2 errors in 137 games in center field, so he's not so new that he's a mysterious gamble. We already have the gamble with Hicks and we should be 95% confident what that outcome will be. He has experience in left field too so if the Yankees need help there he can easily fill in.

The downside: He will cost a ton. If the Yankees have ANY hope in getting the Pirates to trade him it will cost four good prospects and that is guaranteed to include either Oswald Peraza OR Anthony Volpe.

2. Ketel Marte

It's easy to find a lot of reasons to like Marte. He's the "hit for average" player that we all wish the Yankees could find and stockpile. He's been a consistent hitter his last three seasons and he has power also. Countless teams are salivating to get this guy in their lineup....but there are two challenges here.

1) The Diamondbacks are gonna have to be blown away to deal him. The Diamondbacks insist they are not considering a full rebuild. He's easily their most valuable piece. The Diamondbacks are highly unlikely to be a contending team anytime soon in the NL West but, he's still a very affordable player and if the Diamondbacks don't want to commit to rebuilding, they probably don't want to disenfranchise the fan base they have by getting rid of their most popular player. 

2) Scouts have a lot to rave about but he may be a better fit elsewhere. He's got the pop, versatility in the outfield and second base, can run and steal bases but....he's a better defender at second base. Find a Diamondbacks fan and ask them about Marte's effectiveness in centerfield. You will be hard pressed to find one that says he's a great option. The consensus is he's better at second base. We don't need second base, we already have a clog there with both Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu. Is he an upgrade over Hicks? Sure, but any uninjured body is. If the Yankees are serious about upgrading centerfield I wouldn't put Marte on the top of my list especially at what the Diamondbacks will want for him.

I think everyone is in the "Anyone is better than Hicks" camp and it will be interesting to see if the Yankees can upgrade from Hicks whenever this lockout finally ends. Hicks doesn't even deserve to be a benchwarmer, so hopefully the Yankees will finally make the right move considering they really did a "swing and miss" with Hicks.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

BRYAN REYNOLDS COULD BE BRONX BOUND!

Brett Gardner is gone, Aaron Judge sometimes plays center and the Pittburgh Pirates have a centerfielder in Bryan Reynolds and he may be available. Do we want him? Would we rather have an Anthony Rizzo or Matt Olson and a starting pitcher? Alot of questions... let's take the Bryan Reynolds news first...

NJ.com writes:

"They’re among the potential suitors for Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds, according to a tweet from MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, “but the team feels no pressure to move him. He won’t be a free agent until after 2025, and an extension remains possible."

On Tuesday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters that center field was an area the club may try to upgrade, with shortstop and the pitching staff also in mind.

Last season, Reynolds was an All-Star, hitting .302 with 24 homers, 90 RBI and a .912 OPS in 159 games. The 26-year-old is projected to make $4.5 million via salary arbitration in 2022, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Pittsburgh could be motivated to trade Reynolds before he gets even more expensive via arbitration."

Now look, I personally feel like the Yanks can be just fine in the outfield without Reynolds. They have a lot of guys that can play there.  Lefty bats and some consistency is what we really need. Signing guys like Rizzo... or pursuing a Matt Olson would make better sense.  Even getting another starting pitcher would work! Here's another thing that bothers me alittle about Reynolds. I love fast outfielders.  But what I mean is I like speed on the bases as well as the field.  He doesn't run alot... I wish he did.

Let's see how this plays out. I'm definitely interested in seeing the Yankees make significant moves this offseason.

McCUTCHEN GOES WEST!

Photo: Getty Images

I didn't see this one coming... did you? First Gerrit Cole goes to the Astros, now Andrew McCutchen heads to the San Francisco Giants.  Nice snag by SF!

MLB.com writes:

"The Giants' aggressive offseason objective of bolstering a power-starved lineup took another significant step on Monday, as the club has acquired longtime Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, along with cash considerations.

Photo: USA Today Sports

Pittsburgh received two of the Giants' Top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline -- outfielder Bryan Reynolds (No. 4) and right-hander Kyle Crick (No. 16) -- and $500,000 in international bonus pool space."

And there you have it.  Pittsburgh fans might be angry about this one.  I've always heard that McCutchen was Pittsburgh fans first and no doubt this one will sting those fans similarly to the way Miami fans are disappointed that Giancarlo Stanton is gone from Miami.

That's it! McCutchen is a Giant. Wow!

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