WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS... YOU MUST ANSWER

Source: Mike McGinnis/Getty Images North America

Can you believe we are officially two weeks away from Opening Day? Time flies! Pretty soon the games will officially count and the Yankees will kick off their "Chase for 28" starting in Toronto. The time for some of these guys to impress and earn their way onto this team is running out. So who is going to make the cut?

Source: Mike McGinnis/Getty Images North America

Neil Walker: The Yankees just signed him on Monday and he is already getting some action. He went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and played six innings in a minor-league inter-squad game in Tampa. Walker's primary position is second base but he played four innings at third base and two innings at first base. A versatile player like Walker is exactly what the Yankees need. He can play most of the infield, switch-hit, doesn't strike out a ton, gets on base ad he can hit a few home runs too. The Yankees got a versatile player for a bargain price of $4 million dollars which is a fraction of what he is really worth. The Yankees get a lot of options and save a lot of money for upgrades later if needed. It sounds like the Yankees infield may be set with Walker, or is it?

Source: Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images North America

Tyler Austin: They say when one door closes another opportunity opens and maybe that is true for Austin. If the Yankees hadn't signed Walker I would've said Austin would be the favorite for second base after the Yankees released Adam Lind. Adding Walker may complicate him getting onto the big league roster but he could still give the Yankees an interesting option to platoon at first base. Walker is a switch-hitter but is less effective against left handed pitchers. Austin could still offer another option to Aaron Boone if he wants to give Greg Bird a day off against a left hander. If Walker wasn't in camp right now I would say Austin probably earned a spot....but this is the second year the Yankees have signed a low cost veteran to compete for a bench spot at first base. Last year it was Chris Carter, this year will it be Walker?

Photo: Getty Images

Chance Adams: A lot has gone wrong for Adams this spring and he may have blown his chance. Wednesday's start against the Orioles was bad....really bad. He gave up two home runs and five runs in 1 2/3 innings and now has an 11.67 ERA. His command was all over the place and his velocity was down. It was just the outing where nothing went right and now scouts are doubting if he is even starter material now. After dominating High-A ball in 2016 he went on to continue pitching well in both Double-A and Triple-A last year. Scouts and baseball experts all expected to see Adams late last year but it never happened. We thought this was his year, and now scouts are wondering if he should actually pitch in a relief role instead. Despite all of his recent struggles the Yankees are still high on Adams but does he still fit into the rotation and if so when?

It will be interesting to see where all of these guys will end up as the last two weeks of spring play out. The Yankees are a team with a ton of talent and the possibilities for this team seem endless. There are a lot of guys out there fighting for a spot right now on this rebuilt and powerful team. There is minimal room for error now.

So if these guys want to be in the Bronx they better seize that opportunity now. It may not be there tomorrow. What do you think happens to these guys? Comment and tell us.

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

BOUR NOT BORING & COULD BE A YANKEE

(July 9, 2017 - Source: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images North America)

The Yankees stumble into the All-Star break like a drunk walking through Central Park. Last night at the Home Run Derby, Judge won the whole thing, even at one point facing off against Miami star Justin Bour.  And it was great to see, but now Bour has been the talk of New York, mostly because of some pretty interesting trade rumors.

Recently I wrote a couple pieces about pitchers the Yankees may be pursuing. While at this point, they seem to be nothing more than rumors, there seems to be some more serious talk going on regarding Justin Bour, a first baseman. The New York Post writes: 

Photo: Getty Images

"The Yankees may be looking to add another home-run masher to join Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez on their squad of Bronx Bombers. The team reportedly is pursuing a trade for Marlins first baseman Justin Bour..."

And BYB wrote:

"The Yankees are desperate to get some production out of first base. The Yankees have DFA'd Chris Carter twice in a two week time span and Tyler Austin and Greg Bird are on the shelf. The Yankees need a consistent face at first base that can give them some offense and rumors suggest Justin Bour may be on the Yankees radar."

(April 4, 2017 - Source: Brian Blanco/Getty Images North America)     

Look, it's true, with Greg Bird out for who knows how long, the Yankees may need more than just a rental player. Justin Bour seems to be a player that could provide what was hoped for from Bird. Also, things could get real fun with Judge, Sanchez, and Bour in the lineup on a daily basis.  Hell, just look at how much fun the Derby was last night with those three.

While Ji-Man Choi has done an admirable job just before the break, is he really the solution? It's a very small sample size by this guy.  Shouldn't the Yankees play it safe rather than being sorry?

(July 9, 2017 - Source: Rob Carr/Getty Images North America)

Now a Bour deal could get alittle costly, and I'm not sure what the Yankees are willing to give up in a trade or even who should be offered. If the Marlins are asking for Gleyber Torres or Clint Frazier, I  would hope Brian Cashman walks away.

That being said, with the production or lack thereof the Yankees have received from first base this season, Justin Bour could be the answer.  In the midst of a career year with the Marlins, it looks, at least on paper he could be.

Then again, after the disaster that was, Chris Carter, could anything be worse?

What do you think? Comment. 

        

 
--Michael Carnesi
BYB Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @sevn4evr

BYB Posada Original

This is a wonderful image I took of Jorge Posada is available on Laptop cases and Phone cases.

   

IS THE NEWEST YANKEE WAITING IN MIAMI?

Thank goodness the All-Star break is here. The Yankees need this break more than words can explain. Now that the All-Star break is here it means the trade deadline gets closer and those rumors continue to heat up. Could one of these be in the works?

Rumor has it that the Yankees are tied to two new targets in their two biggest weaknesses....and one of them has us and sports writers everywhere scratching their heads a little.

1) Padres - Yankees trade in the works?

This weekend the Padres sent special assistant David Post to watch the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre team. The Padres are going nowhere in their division and are 22 games behind and are expected to trade valuable left hand reliever Brad Hand before the trade deadline. Lefty Hand is in the middle of a breakout season and although he has good numbers the workload is going to be a serious concern. Hand pitched 111 innings in 2014, 93 1/3 in 2015, 89 1/3 last year and 47 so far this year, so some could make the case that Hand’s been overworked.

But the Yankees could welcome Hand’s addition because of the struggles with the bullpen especially with Tyler Clippard and Dellin Betances. We've been pretty critical of Clippard lately and some of us at BYB have more faith in him then all of us. Personally, I see Clippard as a liability at this point. He finished June with an 11.17 ERA and has a 13.50 ERA in his two July appearances so trying to justify putting any faith in Clippard in tough game situations is impossible at this point. Would Hand be an upgrade? Do the Yankees think so? I guess we will wait and see.

2) Miami has the All-Star game and the next Yankee?

Photo: Getty Images

The Yankees are desperate to get some production out of first base. The Yankees have DFA'd Chris Carter twice in a two week time span and Tyler Austin and Greg Bird are on the shelf. The Yankees need a consistent face at first base that can give them some offense and rumors suggest Justin Bour may be on the Yankees radar.

The list of possible first base trade candidates is extremely short and considering that the Yankees are dead last in production from first base at .200 they will likely have some competition from other teams looking for upgrades. Bour is 29 and in his fourth year in the majors and has a .286 this season with 20 home runs and 57 RBIs. He would certainly give the Yankees more production at first base but would probably cost the Yankees more then they would want to part with.

Photo: Getty Images

I really don't know how to predict just how costly he would be but considering he is on a very team friendly. Bour is a late bloomer and he is not a young guy. You have to wonder if this is just an abnormal strong year for him. His previous three seasons were not as impressive so how do you value a guy like Bour? This is what has me scratching my head.

I get why the Marlins would want a nice package in return for him. He is someone that they consider a valuable piece and cost effective. I would hate the Yankees to overpay for a guy that is not proven or consistent. I just don't know you come up with a fair price to make this happen. Is the Yankees farm and building toward the future worth a guy like Bour? I want to see more production at first, but this seems like a very risky gamble. Bour is playing in the Home Run Derby for his home town crowd so maybe he will show the Yankees something they can't ignore and make them want to pull the trigger.

The Yankees definitely need improvements at these positions but who knows if these new rumors have any more truth to them. I guess we will have to wait and see and hope that the trade deadline brings us some much needed support.



--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor 
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

CARTER'S BACK, BUT THE YANKS HAVE A BETTER CHOI

Photo: Jason Farmer/Citizens' Voice Staff Photographer

Tomorrow is America's Independence Day, but Yankee fans should already be celebrating their liberation from a June that was nothing short of a royal pain in the arse.

The month saw seven starters hit the disabled list, a stout bullpen melt like Velveeta, and a four-game division lead evaporate beneath a 13-15 record that included the season's longest home and road losing streaks. It was the team's first month of sub-.500 play since April 2016 and  made all the more painful by nine one-run losses, including three of the walk-off variety.

It ended with the call-up and subsequent horrific injury to outfield prospect Dustin Fowler in the first inning of his major league debut, the re-injury and return to the DL of rookie first baseman Tyler Austin and -- adding insult to  injuries -- the reappearance of the momentarily designated-for-assignment  Chris Carter to replace Austin.

To shoehorn Li'l CC back onto the roster, Joe and Brian saw fit to demote Miguel Andujar, who in his own major league debut the day before had helped the team to victory with four RBI -- the equivalent of 16 percent of Carter's season production over 59 games. In short, if the 30-20 Yankees of April and May were MLB's love bugs, June hit them like a speeding windshield. Splat.

Perhaps nobody has embodied the Yankees' worst expectations for this season or symbolized the organization's old paradigm of overpaying for castoff band-aids better than Carter. As NJ.com's Brendan Kuty noted: "Carter has had a terrible season, hardly making good on the one-year, $3.5-million deal he signed with the Yankees in the offseason."

Photo: New York Post

Which can only makes one's eyes roll at Joe's explanation for heading Carter off at the airport when he cleared waivers (that's right, nobody else in MLB wanted him either) and recalling him to the Bronx before he could even report to the team's Triple A affiliate, the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Railriders.

"He's a guy that's going to strike out," Joe explained. "That's been in his game ever since I remember but he's also a guy who really has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark. So maybe the five days off will really help get him going."

Being unemployed for a week because he's been so bad nobody else in baseball will have him at any price -- let alone as an overpay -- will really get him going, Joe? Is that really the story you and Brian are going with?

Just playing along for a moment that Joe's serious about a paid vacation week for an under-performing overpaid free agent as a motivational tool,  I would really like to ask him what kind of motivational message he thinks that sends to the rest of his team -- and specifically to his younger players he's supposedly grooming in this rebuilding year for a future dynasty. How does he suppose sending down Andujar to bring back Carter went over with the kids in the system?

Photo: Newsday

Better yet, how does he think re-hiring Carter off the street and handing him his old job back after sending him packing is going down throughout the organization when Ji-Man Choi, the Scranton first baseman,  is hitting .333 with six dingers, 15 ribbies and eight runs scored over his last 10 games?

And if the 30-year-old Carter had boarded the plane for Scranton, where exactly did Joe and Brian plan to bury Choi; a 6'1 230-pound lefty-swinging 26-year-old  with a .299/.391/.461/.852 line over 209  games and 712  at bats in Triple A; who has averaged a .306/.404/.490/.893 line over all minor league levels in his seven-year pro career; who hit five dingers and had a 12-percent walk rate over 129 major-league plate appearances with the Angels last season and who reportedly turned down offers from 10 other clubs last winter to sign a minor-league deal with the Yankees?

If Joe and Brian are genuinely sincere about wanting to motivate Carter and also sincere about being competitive during this rebuilding year, wouldn't the more constructive strategy be to reward the younger Choi who's performing well with a call-up to try and fill the Yankees' hole at first base  and let Carter try to "get going" with the Railriders in his place?

Performance over excessive payroll. Isn't that what Hal has always said this rebuild is all about?  So it may not actually require a full-blown declaration of independence on the part of a binder-bound manager who prefers to play it safe or a salary-conscious GM too stubborn to concede a bad signing to bump Carter and find a competent stand-in for Austin after all.

Maybe all it takes is a small revolution -- and a pair of tickets on the Scranton Shuttle going in opposite directions.

--Barry Millman
BYB Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @nyyankeefanfore

DON'T LAUGH, BUT THE YANKEES ARE LOOKING AT LUCAS DUDA!

This weekend both New York baseball teams were setting up to make big moves and have one thing in common that could set up a rare event. The Yankees and Mets are hardly frequent trade partners but on Saturday a common need quickly turned into a real trade possibility and rumors started flying. The Mets are likely to be sellers, and the Yankees have some serious issues to fix if they want to be contenders this year. The Mets may have what they need so could they really be trade partners?

Last week it sounded like Joe Girardi and Yankee ownership were on different pages. Yankee brass wanted to focus on pitching and Girardi wanted another option for first base and suddenly on Saturday Chris Carter was designated for assignment. Girardi and Yankee fans everywhere rejoiced (sorry Carter) and Tyler Austin was called up to finally get his shot.

Austin's first game up didn't go as we all had planned. His first game got the best of him and now the Yankees may be looking for some more veteran options to help out at first base. With an unproven Austin and Greg Bird still out with an unknown return date the Yankees and Mets may make a good trade match-up....enter Lucas Duda?

Now I have to admit, at first I laughed but HERE is one source talking about it and there are others out there too. I have frequently poked fun at Duda making up my own song to the tune of "Old McDonald" but the more I looked at it the more I understood why it makes sense at least on paper.

Duda may be one of the Mets most desirable pieces and the Yankees could be the best landing spot for him if other big names like Eric Hosmer on the Royals remain in playoff contention. The Yankees have a laundry list of injuries to deal with and it is now even worse now that Aaron Hicks is on the disabled list and Starlin Castro has a strained hamstring. The Yankees insist that Austin is the everyday first baseman now, but he's already had to play the outfield, the Yankees are going to have to take it easy as Jacoby Ellsbury gets back into a routine and let's face it....Greg Bird is still a giant question mark.

Photo: Getty Images

I have never been overwhelmed by Duda and the Yankees still see Bird as the first baseman of the future, but for now he can offer the Yankees something they don't have. He has the experience at first and he has hit five home runs this month and is rebounding after missing time last season  with injuries. He would also give them a legitimate power left hand bat to put between Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Matt Holliday. They’re going to need more pop if and when Hicks or Brett Gardner does hit a slump. It just gives the Yankees some more options without creating a roadblock at first base for Bird or Austin and since Duda is a free agent after the season it's an easy short term addition for the Yankees.

Photo: Getty Images

I still have all of my faith in Austin at first base right now. This weekend was just a blip, and Casey was right when he said A CAREER IS NOT DETERMINED BY 1 GAME but the Yankees are in a downward spiral and need some help. First base is a major weakness right now because offensive production at first base has been pathetic. Their .599 OPS from first base ranks 29th overall, and only the Angels (.590) are worse.

The Yankees aren't desperate but if the Mets are selling it can't hurt to look. Duda wouldn't require losing anything important. The Yankees aren't desperate yet, but if they don't do something soon things could get ugly soon.....and not just at first base.

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

A CAREER IS NOT DETERMINED BY 1 GAME

Yankee fans can be harsh.  Hell... baseball fans can be harsh.

(Bill Kostroun/AP) 

Now I will be the first to criticize ballplayers on bad play, maybe Girardi on using the binder too much... stuff like that.  But I know how hard it is to get to the Bigs, and then stay there.  Players have long careers or short ones based on not only game play, but sometimes in the decisions they make to come to a new club.  For Matt Holliday, it's been working out for him in the Bronx.  For Chris Carter, not so much.

But I am often reminded by something that the wise Marci Hensley said to me a while back when she spoke of her husband, Mike Hensley and his minor league playing days with the Cardinals and her son Ty, now with the Tampa Bay Rays. She said this:

"...I do know that making it to the majors is more about a bunch of factors such as health, opportunity, and work ethic coming together.  That doesn't happen in one season with kids coming out of high school. It takes some time, in pinstripes or in some other jersey, it doesn't matter."

It takes time.  Think about that.

Not gonna lie, I remember hearing that from her and it softened me.  I realize much more seeing these guys, even watching my 14 year old working hard to follow his dream. 

Instead of ripping a guy because he struck out, calling him 'terrible' or a bum, and there's no real body of work or time in the majors, you really have to put things in perspective and be quiet for a moment.  The game's hard, bottom line... and for some players, they peak and disappear.  Maybe that's Chris Carter... who knows...

Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

I only bring this up because our pal Tyler Austin was given a shot yesterday, and it wasn't a nice 2017 debut. But while he may feel bad about it... today on the June 25th, he's already moved on because that's what ballplayers do.

Now, you know my perspective on players and body of work and my new "nothing is instant" mentality, I had to share this silly comment from I guess, a Yankee fan. This popped up on Twitter yesterday to me:

"Tyler is terrible..."

When I tweeted, "...from the dude sitting on his couch. Got it."

That was followed up with:

"Quick question: Are you watching this train wreck? Or just looking through the world through pinstripe glasses? This is a bad team?"

Now how would he know anything about that? Tyler's terrible? First at bats of the season? SHally we call it a career? Ship him off? Are we expecting 3 homers?

And then the bad team comment.  Bad team? Here's their record... you tell me...

My point is you can't make a determination after 1 at bat, one game, one season.  People get impatient, I've been there too... but the bottom line is, it's ridiculous.  Knee jerk reactions from one bad game is insane.  Everyone needs to calm down... including the media:

Photo: NJ.com

NJ.com gave a subtle rip at Austin yesterday too:

"His first big-league game of the year was like a lit firecracker that didn't go off.

Everything about his showing in the Yankees' 8-1 loss to the Texas Rangers was a dud. Playing first and hitting seventh, Austin took an ugly 0-for-3 collar. He struck out his first two times up, then bounced into a double-play in his last at-bat.

This was just one bad day, which is no big or little deal over a six-month season, but Austin pinpointed a reason for his bad at-bats.

"I let the game speed up on me a little bit today," Austin said.

Photo: New York Post

He probably was extra fired up over knowing he's being handed a starting job (at least until Greg Bird comes off the DL) and badly wanted to make an immediate impact for a club that has been losing a lot of games of late while getting very little production at first base."

This is a kid that works harder than any prospect I know, other than Ty Hensley.  This is a dream for these kids.  This is a moment, that yes, sometimes they get jacked up about it.  Suddenly his debut doesn't go the way YOU want it to and the kid's terrible? I am respectfully asking you to shut up.

So what's the point of all of this? Maybe this...

Before you write off the New York Yankees... calm down.  Before you crucify a player for 1 bad game... put it in perspective.  Before you get silly on Twitter... check yourself.  One thing that I have learned in life is nothing is instant.  Skill, determination, confidence... it takes time and Tyler Austin, the Yankees... hell... even Tyler Clippard who's struggling right now... every player and person out there has a bump in the road...but it's what you DO with the bump.  Do you take your ball and go home? Or... do you try and turn it around.

One bad at-bat or bad game, or even bad season does not determine a career.   And if you're sitting on your couch with zero perspective on how life works... I kindly ask you to stop trying to be part of the conversation, but instead, learn about how achievement is done.

Happy Sunday.  Go out there and do something great today.

Hey Tyler, you have our support at BYB. Always.


Buy Casey BYB Merchandise (2017)

CARTER OUT, WONDERBOY IN!

We love Tyler Austin. 

Photo: Getty Images

We are not big fans of Chris Carter. Luckily for us, the latest news about Chris Carter being Designated for Assignment, and Austin coming up is music to our ears here at BYB.

Obviously several publications are reporting this, but we'll take a portion of NJ.com here:

(May 20, 2017 - Source: Brian Blanco/Getty Images North America)    

"Yankees fans let first baseman Chris Carter hear it Friday night at Yankee Stadium when he struck out swinging in the first and eighth innings.

The boos got a lot louder in the 10th inning when Carter had a chance to win the game and struck out again with a runner on third base... 

Source: Adam Hunger/Getty Images North America

A few minutes after the Yankees' 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers, Carter was designated for assignment.

With Greg Bird still on the disabled list trying to fully recover from an ankle injury, Tyler Austin is coming up from Triple-A to take over the Yankees' starting first base job."

(Feb. 20, 2017 - Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)     

There is nothing bad about this move.  The Yankees spent some dough on Carter, and so they were hoping for some production, but they didn't want to wait too long and now Austin is healthy.  Timing is everything and they made a smart move here.  Austin can be productive, and not only that, has earned a shot to be in the Bigs regularly.

I applaud this.  I hope injury stays clear of Austin, who plays pretty hard and has had his share.  He just needs a nice streak of quality at bats and solid play at first. 

I tip my cap and look forward to this. Kim, give your boy our best!

EVEN JOE GIRARDI WANTS TO REPLACE CHRIS CARTER!

(May 27, 2017 - Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America) 

The Yankees have a lot of issues to solve right now, especially if they want to upgrade the roster to position themselves for a run in the playoffs. Pitching has been a big focus lately. The Yankees need help with starting pitching but since they have been so ineffective the bullpen is just burned out and needs some middle relief help. It's unusual to hear Yankee brass and Joe Girardi on very different pages.....and right now they are.

Brian Cashman and Yankee brass are looking for ways to upgrade the pitching, but Joe Girardi has asked them to go another direction and look for another first base option, ready that HERE. Girardi has spent a lot of time defending him all season, and then suddenly that stopped on Tuesday night after the game. After Chris Carter's second inning error on a routine play gave up two runs and then going 0-3 at the plate Girardi actually pulled him for pinch hitter Austin Romine.

(June 20, 2017 - Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)     

Then after the game when he was asked about the performance coming from Carter at first base he responded with “That’s what we have.” “That’s what we have.” That stings a little and it's not a typical Girardi answer. That is the answer from a manager with no confidence.

So we've all been saying it, the Yankees need another option at first base since it sounds like Greg Bird won't be back anytime soon. For now, Cashman sounds like they are going to hold with Carter but says "I think he's in line with it" in regards to Girardi's request. For now, Cashman says sticking with Carter over Tyler Austin or anyone else "an organizational decision." 

(May 23, 2017 - Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)

So for now, I guess we keep searching and it at least sounds like Cashman will look until he sees something that he and Yankee leadership both like. "I think he'd like to come up with a better option, but we don't (have one), so he's asked the questions, which is normal. Listen, at first base we are at the bottom of the production list for the position despite entering the season thinking we had more than enough coverage. But that's baseball. Joe wants to impact that win column like we all do. So we'll focus on getting what we have right and trying to get them to maximize their potential because they haven't reached it in pinstripes -- at least in Carter's case. And if there are alternatives that are easily acceptable and declare themselves, I'm all-in."

Source: Patrick Smith/Getty Images North America

I seriously hope an acceptable alternative presents itself soon because I can't take much more of Carter. I really hope that at some point Austin gets his shot because we are such huge fans of Wonderboy. He may not be ready now and I guess I have to continue to trust in their judgment with Austin.....but Carter being the best option for us right now is a completely different story.

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ