JAPANESE STUD YAMAMOTO SETS RECORD AS MLB FREE AGENCY LOOMS

It's a good time to be Yoshinobu Yamamoto right now. He's grabbed the spotlight at the right time, just before he becomes a MLB free agent and everyone is watching, eagerly.

The Orix Buffaloes ace set a record in Game 6 of the Japan Series, with 14 strikeouts and no walks over 138 pitches in a 5-1 complete-game victory over the Hanshin Tigers to force a decisive seventh game. His 14 strikeouts broke Yu Darvish's previous milestone of 13 strikeouts back in 2007. You can read more about it HERE.

This is the perfect event to add even more hype around Yamamoto's impending MLB posting by the Orix Buffaloes this winter. Yamamoto has a 16-8 record with a 1.21 ERA and 169 strikeouts in 164 innings. It is expected that bigging will start at $200 million over six or seven years which would surpass the $155 million that Masahiro Tanaka received from the Yankees back in 2014.

The Yankees need more rotation help, and they've already been connected to several names. They will always be tied to several names whether it is credible or not just because it's the Yankees. I like the idea of adding an ace to strengthen the rotation.... but are the Yankees a good fit for Yamamoto?

I definitely want him to be, but the Yankees are a hot mess right now. I am not sure the success they had with Tanaka, is realistic right now. Nothing is ever guaranteed, but the Yankees are so lost right now. I don't have confidence they won't ruin him. We've already seen the Yankees tamper and ruin some talent; Deivi Garcia was the perfect example. They tinkered with him and tried to make him into something he wasn't, and it didn't end well. We covered it in ANALYTICS FAILED DEIVI GARCIA AND NOW THERE IS PROOF!

Yamamoto will have a new league to get used to, and if the Yankees are fortunate enough to outbid everyone else and gain Yamamoto's arm in the rotation that would be huge. I just don't have faith that the Yankees won't ruin him, too. We've seen it before. 

The Yankees are too analytics driven and are too good at using them incorrectly and I don't think they are willing to change their ways. I just hope it won't damage Yamamoto....or anyone else.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

OTHER DUMB MOVE MADE. WHO'S MINDING THE YANKEES STORE?

Deivi García isn't and wasn't going to be the greatest pitcher who ever lived, but Deivi García was a home-grown prospect and something the Yankees have since moved away from him. I would have loved to see what this guy would have become. After all, he hasn't been with the Yankees very long. But this organization no longer raises and breeds solid talent on the farm. Instead, they pivot, make quick moves out of desperation and it shows all us Yankees fans (or at least me), that the Yankees do not actually have control on their wants and needs. "Knee jerk" is no way to run a team. 

The Yankees lost patience. The Yankees are desperate.  The Yankees have shown that home grown is a thing of the past.  You know why the Yankees will never win another World Series for a long time? It's simple... they don't build a farm system. That's it.

Inside the Pinstripes writes:

"The New York Yankees made a surprising move this past week.

New York activated right-handed relief pitcher Jonathan Loáisiga from the 60-day injured list and to make room on the roster designated former No. 3 prospect Deivi García for assignment. The Chicago White Sox quickly swooped in and claimed the former elite prospect Thursday and optioned him to the minor leagues. "

And so what the White Sox will do is check Garcia out. They will tweak him, mold him, acclimate him and eventually debut him.  And he will perform.  No, he won't be Cy Young, but the kid has enough talent and spunk to have a pretty good career. It's a dumb move by the Yankees plain and simple.  They Yankees are making these moves like they are in first place and can afford to get rid of young talent, but the bottom line is, they're terrible, they have a manager who has no true grasp of the game and does not command respect and a General Manager who is clearly in a position where he knows his days are probably numbered even though Hal says they aren't.

Former Yankee Catcher Eric Kratz says it best about how the Yanks handled Garcia. The New York Post writes:

"Kratz, who considered himself a role model for Garcia, going so far as to calling him his “hijo,” or son, blamed the front office for Garcia’s career going off the rails.

“They did him wrong in the organization is the sense of the coaches they had to coach him through being a 20-year-old in the big leagues."

They did wrong by him.

Look, there are plenty of other things the Yanks are doing right now that I don't approve of, but this one is silly.  Will they ever get their head out of the sand?  Forever the Yankees have been on the offense with many moves.  These days, they have no idea how to play on defense... this is clear.

Who's next, Jasson Dominguez?

Aaron Boone showed his true colors trying to explain why Garcia is now gone, but not a single reporter followed up with a "Well, there are major leaguers on your team really struggling and you seem to put them in the lineup every day? What's the difference?"  Here's what Bozo said:

“Just really has struggled to find that consistency,” manager Aaron Boone said Monday. “Has had some injuries that derailed him a little bit in different seasons.

“But really just struggled, whether it was certain times the stuff would come and go, other times the command was an issue.”

I'm sorry, the farm system is where you work out your kinks, work out your struggles, but yet your major league roster is riddled with injury and inconsistency and struggle, and no one follows up and goes in hard on this guy?

We're in a very dark time to be a Yankee fan folks. No one is minding the store.  Too bad.

 

SHOULD BOONE & THE YANKEES BE CONCERNED ABOUT "THE KING"?

Tuesday's game against the Phillies wasn't Michael King's fault, but he definitely didn't look his best. It's super early in the season to think that all starters will be dialed in and at the top of their game. I definitely don't expect that for King after he fractured his elbow last season, but did he just have a bad game.....or is there more to it?

It is hard to ignore that King fractured his elbow last year so when we hear that his velocity is down almost 3mph from last year and after a strong spring start I think it is natural to ask the question - is something wrong. King says his elbow feels fine, read more HERE and that his mechanics are off. When a player's velocity decreases that much I think it is fair to question if it really is that simple or is it wishful thinking? 

I really hope King is right and he just tried to generate more power in his delivery, "mechanically, it feels like my timing’s a little off," King said. "I feel like I’m trying to generate power early in my mechanics." Maybe that made him overcompensate and it affected his delivery. I HOPE that is the right explanation....but then again, if he is overcompensating that also opens up to the possibility of more injuries. Coming back from an injury like his is tough, so any sign of struggle is going to raise some questions. We all know what King is capable of and his first start in spring was impressive but this last start looked like a step backwards.

According to King, he is going to work closely with Matt Blake in hopes to fine tune his mechanics. Honestly, the idea of that scares me even more than the possibility of King being injured. The Yankees have a terrible track record when it comes to developing pitchers. They've proven they have no clue what they are doing a good recent example would be ANALYTICS FAILED DEIVI GARCIA AND NOW THERE IS PROOF! so I have no faith when it comes to Blake and his "ideas" with pitchers.

I really hope this is just a fluke for King. I hope we see him again soon and this is just a distant memory. I also hope Blake doesn't tinker with King so much that they try to turn him into something he isn't.....it certainly wouldn't be the first time.

Here's to wishful thinking......

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WE KNOW WHAT SEVERINO'S NEW ROLE SHOULD BE!

Opening Day is right around the corner, and the Yankees will be missing another pitcher. It's frustrating but honestly, not surprising that Luis Severino will miss some time. 

It's a pattern we are all familiar with. Severino will join Frankie Montas and Carlos Rodon on the Injured list, with his third lat strain of his extensive injury filled career. This is his fifth consecutive season with an injury and since he's no stranger to lat strains I am sure the Yankees have a general idea of how long he will be out, but it is still going to hurt.

We already knew the risk that came with Severino, but Frankie Montas hasn't been a good move for us and the Yankees have been hoping Domingo German would be a staple in the rotation. I've always thought the Yankees rely too much on Severino and German instead of trying to upgrade the rotation. Now I miss Jordan Montgomery more than ever and really wish the Yankees hadn't given  JP Sears, Ken Waldichuk, and Luis Medina to the Oakland A's. Our depth isn 't as deep as I would like it to be.

The Yankees do have some options, but I think Deivi Garcia and Jhony Brito are two candidates that stand out the most to me. Last year, I thought Garcia was in a race against time. He wasn't pitching well and there were several young kids coming up behind him. Now that some of those guys are gone, he has a chance to prove that he has fixed all of his mechanics issues and be a big league pitcher again. I'd like to see Brito pitch more now that Aaron Boone has been singing his praises.

The Yankees have options, thankfully. I think one additional option they need to think about when Severino is finally "healthy" again is moving him out of a starting role and into the bullpen. His mechanics have always been a long term concern, so I think he will be more effective in the bullpen. Call it a hunch but I think he's destined for the bullpen and will be more effective there.

Now if I could just convince the Yankees....because I'm willing to bet I am right.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

WHAT MICHAEL KING'S INJURY MEANS FOR THE YANKEES

The Yankees have been playing from their knees during these last two series since coming back from the All-Star Break. The first was a doubleheader with Houston, where they failed miserably. And they are in the midst of the second, against Baltimore, which has been a horrible showing for this Yankee team. To add salt to the Yankees' wounds, hitting them while they are down, Michael King suffered a season-ending, hard-to-watch pop in his elbow on Friday night. What does this injury and King's absence down the stretch mean for the Yankees? Here are my insights.

Source: New York Post

"Before the injury, the 27-year-old was having a breakout season and was a pivotal part on the back end of the Yankees bullpen, posting a 2.29 ERA and a career-high 66 strikeouts through 51 innings pitched. As the Yankees seek to continue rolling throughout the season, MLB’s upcoming trade deadline could be the time to find another relief pitcher. With King’s absence, the Yankees called up Clarke Schmidt from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Schmidt had posted a 3.00 ERA in 24 innings in MLB this season," reported SI.com. 

Although many contemplated that the Yankees would go for another bat and outfielder to fill the gap for their non-performing peers, they are going to be forced to find two great arms to take the helm for King and the floundering Aroldis Chapman. Chapman simply cannot pitch and King will be unable.

Prior to last night's news that King would be sidelined for the rest of the season with a fractured elbow, Sports Illustrated predicted, "The Yankees are World Series contenders and are on pace to win 111 games, but King’s injury could impact New York’s position heading into the playoffs if he’s unable to pitch again this year." 

So who is available for the Yankees to pick up in a hurry, before the looming trade deadline in August? According to MLB Insider, "Reds right-hander Luis Castillo is the best starting pitcher available on the market, and certainly won’t come cheap. Regardless, the Yankees rotation has recently experienced some turbulence, and lost Luis Severino to the IL with a low grade lat strain. That’s why MLB insider Buster Olney believes Castillo should be the big move that they make ahead of the deadline." That could solve the starter issue but there is still the gaps in the bullpen. Sure the Yankees can try to plug that hole with current prospects but so far, that approach has been lackluster.

Are the Yankees in trouble? Yes, without a doubt. They have the rubber game in Baltimore and they have an upcoming short series with the Mets this week, in Citifield. King's injury coupled with Severino, Miguel Castro, Ron Marinaccio and very early on Chad Green, has put the Yankee in a very challenging position. Could Zach Britton be back? How about Deivi Garcia? These are still questions for the Yankees. Do the Yankees have another diamond in the rough out there? If so, I would like to know. 

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

YANKEES TALK ABOUT INNINGS LIMITS WITH NASTY NESTOR & I'M GONNA LOSE MY MIND!

There's a fine line between "protecting" a player and coddling him....and I don't think the Yankees know the difference. Even if they do know the difference, I worry that they will still screw it up.

And that's a real possibility when it comes to Nestor Cortes, read more HERE. We are heading into June, and there are already headlines about innings limits. The Yankees are going to come up with some crazy science experiment to make sure Cortes still pitches enough to help the team get to the playoffs without overworking him before they get there.

That's where Matt Blake comes in....and some more Yankees analytics. Because we all know how much the Yankees love to throw analytics into everything, and Blake is already babbling about it.

"The historical way to do it was just to look at innings totals and go up 20 or 30 percent," pitching coach Matt Blake said. "That’s not fair to guys because all innings come in different ways with pitch counts and stress. You can look at their body, performance in the weight room and training numbers and then track that as the year goes on," Blake said. "You add subjective and qualitative feedback from the players, who can tell us how they’re feeling physically and mentally and see if there are any trends positive or negative."

The historical way has been used for a long time. Teams have analyzed strengths and weaknesses throughout spring training and made adjustments throughout the regular season as needed. But what about when you have a short spring training and a pitcher that hasn't pitched more than 119 professional innings?

It's the perfect storm for a lot of shenanigans yet to come. I'm calling it now. Cortes is the real deal, we can see it. Is he going to pitch 200+ innings? Probably not due to a bunch of factors....but I don't like the idea of Blake and Aaron Boone already talking about this. We've seen the Yankees experiments go wrong already. Deivi Garcia is the most recent experiment....and what about Joba Chamberlain back in the day?

Do we want Cortes to pitch to the point of dead arm? Of course not, but the Yankees have proven they don't know how to identify or prevent that either. Just let him pitch! The league will eventually get more intel and make some adjustments to try and be more successful against him. It's a natural part of the game. He wants to pitch and help his team, let him do it! He's not a flame thrower, the 100+ mph fastball isn't in the equation here. There's a difference between playing smart and conditioning properly and a science experiment.....but the Yankees can't identify this.

The Yankees better think long and hard about shutting Cortes down early....it didn't help Stephen Strasburg or the Nationals back in 2012. There's no reason to think it will help us either. Stop the coddling or knee jerk reactions and let the man pitch using logic!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

JP SEARS SAVES THE SERIES, NO THANKS TO THE OFFENSE!

There was one bright spot in last night's game against the Orioles, and that was JP Sears. The Yankees didn't have any offensive answers to the Orioles, but Sears rose to the occasion all on his own.

It shouldn't be that way though. Sears looked great, he was impressive and since he has exploded onto the Yankee scene unexpectedly, we hinted that IT JUST WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE FOR DEIVI GARCIA. But honestly, Deivi Garcia isn't the only concern.... there's an elephant in the room we can't ignore.

All I want to reflect on is how great Sears looked in his first major league start where he threw 84 pitches, in 5 innings that allowed 3 hits and no earned runs.....but I can't. The Yankees deflated offense completely distracted me. Sears moment is overshadowed for me by the same old, disappointing offense. The Yankees won another series, but no thanks to the dead offense.

The Yankees have found their first test of the 2022 season. The injury bug has finally weaseled its way back in the clubhouse, and it couldn't come at a worse time. The Rays are up next in an important four game series with a 4.5 game lead in the AL East that sounds like a nice cushion.....but it's not. I don't care that it's early in the season because the Rays are a thorn in the Yankees side. We aren't 100% healthy and we aren't playing our best. It's time to buckle down.

Good teams will find a way to win no matter what obstacles are in their way. I don't care that Giancarlo Stanton is out with what Aaron Boone now claims is "ankle inflammation" and not a calf strain. Yes, he's a big par of the lineup but so are guys like Aaron Hicks only because he's paid an insane amount of money and utterly useless.

There is plenty of other talent that should be able to step up and help this team keep winning, but that doesn't include Hicks. I don't think there is anything in the world that would make Boone see and understand this. He's useless offensively and defensively. He literally has no benefit for the Yankees....but yet he led off last night. Go figure.

I'm happy for Sears, I am but he carried the Yankees last night. He's the reason we won. The offense needs to pull their heads out of their rear ends and figure it out fast or the Rays are going to close the gap.

We squeaked out a win last night.... but I'm still mad. The Yankees owe Sears a few beers and a nice steak dinner.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

IT JUST WENT FROM BAD TO WORSE FOR DEIVI GARCIA

The Yankees aren't admitting this yet but, they are worried about Deivi Garcia and so am I. Garcia used to be the Yankees second-best pitching prospect and he's in a downward spiral and barely cracked the top 30. He couldn't wait for 2021 to come to an end but his 2022 start so far is nothing to feel great about.

We got a short, encouraging glimpse of Garcia in Spring Training but it was short lived. I was hopeful that he would carry that with him into the regular season. As bad as his 2021 start was, this year looks even worse and he better turn it around fast otherwise some new kids are knocking on the door of the 40-man roster.

The season is young but he has a bloated 9.90 ERA in six starts with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders down in Triple-A. In 20 innings he has allowed 22 earned runs on 27 hits and walked 16 batters. He's quickly losing ground to guys like JP Sears and Hayden Wesneski, who isn't on the Yankees 40-man roster yet but he's making the Yankees think long and hard about that. If Wesneski continues to impress, Garcia is going to find himself left behind.

I hope Garcia can pull himself out of this. He's still 23 so he's young and I think he can be saved, however I already said ANALYTICS FAILED DEIVI GACIA AND NOW THERE IS PROOF! The Yankees have some other kids that are starting to climb the rankings and Garcia is freefalling. I think the Yankees are to blame for a lot of that because....the Yankees haven't done well developing young talent. They look at numbers spit out of a computer and try to tinker with these younger kids like they are a science experiment. Not to mention Matt Blake and Aaron Boone are just brainless morons.

But Garcia is in a race against time. He may be young enough, but some of these other kids pitching well are older than him and proving they are already closer to that big league opportunity. They may outpitch him for a big league opportunity and that would suck. I like Garcia, I've always pushed for him....but time may not be on his side anymore.

I hope Garcia can pull it together quickly. We always want to see the kid that we follow for a long time make it to the show and be successful. I still hope that happens, but I'm worried about him. He doesn't have a lot of reputable coaches behind him to guide him....and history has proven this. 

I want to see the Garcia from Spring Training come back again....please!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

ANALYTICS FAILED DEIVI GARCIA AND NOW THERE IS PROOF!

Remember back in 2020 when we all watched Deivi Garcia and were excited about his future? It feels like so long ago especially after the terrible season he just had, but now there are signs that the old Garcia is on his way back! And with that another reminder about just how bad the Yankees reliance of analytics are.

Analytics are here to stay in baseball, but the Yankees have been particularly bad at it. REALLY bad and now Garcia is just another example of that. In January I wrote ALL EYES ON THESE YANKEE PROSPECTS IN 2022! and I said I thought Garcia could rebound if Matt Blake and his boneheads would stop trying to turn him into something he wasn't....and I was right.

Check THIS out. More details on just how wrong the Yankees were again. Imagine that.
"Last year, believing Garcia was too 'rotational' in his delivery — meaning he turned too much — the Yankees adjusted his pitching form and his control issues worsened. He walked 68 batters, had a WHIP of 1.875 and allowed 21 homers in just 90 ²/₃ innings with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and finished the season with a 7.25 ERA."

Now Garcia said he has reverted some of his mechanics back to what he was doing back in 2020. You know....the year he actually was effective. Then Blake and his analytical staff with no experience tweaked with him and broke him down. So much for "if it aint broke don't fix it." They didn't just make some minor adjustments with Garcia, they tried to change him into something he wasn't and that's the Yankees failure.

So hopefully Garcia is rebounding. It's early, and spring games "don't matter" but I disagree in this case because this is about getting Garcia's confidence back again. Even Kyle Higashioka said he could see the difference, and Aaron Boone too but again he's part of the problem so I won't give him any credit.

Garcia is proof that the Yankees don't know what they are doing with Blake in charge. "Coaches" who never played in the majors shouldn't be experimenting with young prospects. They don't have the experience or knowledge to make them successful. The Yankees have egg on their face.

I've never wanted to see a young kid succeed more than I do Deivi because the Yankees failed him....plain and simple. I hope he rounds in a big way this season and finds his way back to the rotation despite the Yankees massive screwup.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

IS PAUL DEJONG A GOOD FIT IN THE BRONX?

 A nice nugget here from Yanks go Yard and worth reporting here on BYB.  Paul DeJong, a solid St. Louis Cardinal... and the idea of him being traded to the Yankees. Is this possible? Yup? Will it happen? Unsure... but check this out:

"Should the Yankees give the St. Louis Cardinals a call about Paul DeJong?

He certainly struggled in 2021, but his worst-case scenario is a solid utility guy — and, oh, well, one problem: he’s under control for a very long time. Could be a good thing! But, at first blush, seems bad.

DeJong is currently signed through 2023, in the midst of a below-market six-year, $26 million deal signed prior to the 2018 season. Still just 28 years old, he also comes with a pair of team options for 2024 ad 2025, options the Cardinals presumably assumed they’d use instead of transferring the shortstop position to Edmundo Sosa for a good portion of 2021 (DeJong played 107 games at short)...

...In that case, what’s the match here? If it’s Deivi Garcia, who also struggled mightily last year, sure (though how the mighty have fallen). If the Cardinals require power and pedigree and insist on Austin Wells, maybe not so much.

A stopgap in wolf’s clothing is still a stopgap, and we have no overtures that DeJong will suddenly turn back into 2019 DJ LeMahieu the second he gets out of comfortable St. Louis."

The bottom line for me is DeJong is a solid alternative and could cost a hell of a lot less than Carlos Correa.  And if that's the case, maybe we could seriously consider Freddie Freeman at first base for the Yankees long term.  It's clear the Yankees are not interested in Anthony Rizzo. If they were, it would have happened before the lockout.

Nice piece by Yanks go Yard and something to seriously consider.

ALL EYES ON THESE YANKEE PROSPECTS IN 2022!

When the lockout finally ends, I have my eyes on two names the Yankees have had big plans for. The Yankees have been waiting for them to take that big step and make an impact, so have fans who have been especially interested in the Yankees young prospects. But that young part only lasts so long....

The Yankees have prospects that could fill two of the three big needs they have this offseason, but are they ready to rise to the occasion and be productive? That's the big question. The Yankees have interest in upgrading their centerfield and pitching and the Yankees have names we all WANT to be ready. 

1. Estevan Florial

We've seen brief appearances in the majors, but wish they were more permanent, especially since we need someone else to deliver when Aaron Hicks has proven he can't. Florial has the power, the athletic ability, and is considered the best defensive centerfielder in the organization but he hasn't been able to put it all together to stay in the big leagues. Last season he struck out 121 times (30.9%) and only had a .219 BA. That's just not going to get it done in the majors. Those numbers are scary in Triple-A, so considering a full year of that would be setting him up to fail and would only add more problems to the current Yankee roster. You can't promote someone that hasn't proven they are ready.

This could be a make it or break it season for Florial. Hard to imagine the Yankees being stuck in this position with their most talented centerfield defender but.... he only has one more option year left. Fangraphs didn't even include Florial in the Yankees list of top prospects this season. The clock is starting to tick and if progress isn't made, he could find himself as a non-tender candidate next season. Maybe.

2. Deivi Garcia

This one stings a little. Garcia took a BIG step backwards that I don't think anyone saw coming. He was considered to be a favorite for the Yankee rotation last season, but after two big league starts, we could all see he wasn't ready. He's got the pitching arsenal; he was projected to be a number three type starter but then pitching coach Matt Blake had to start tinkering with his mechanics which led to a 6.85 ERA. Another example of the Yankees unqualified coaching staff.

I think Garcia can be saved. Even Blake has suggested that it is a possibility that Garcia spends more time going back to previous methods that made him successful before. Not to mention that he is about to turn 23 so he's still young and the Yankees can turn this all around.... if they would just let the kid do what he was good at and successful with before. He's also healthy with no major injury history. He was just obviously mismanaged by a staff not qualified to experiment with him the way that they have.

I really think Garcia could rebound if Blake and his boneheads would stop trying to tinker with him and stop trying to make him into something he's not. Florial could be saved with work from qualified hitting coaches, which the Yankees have needed for a long time.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

 

COULD WILSON CONTRERAS DISPLACE GARY SANCHEZ?

One of the last remaining players of the 2016 World Champion Chicago Cubs is catcher Willson Contreras. Word on the street is that Brian Cashman is interested in bringing the 29-year-old catcher to the Bronx. Would that move displace Gary Sanchez or provide a platooning opportunity of catchers that would include the Yankees carrying three catchers during the 2022 season? 

According to SI.com, "Contreras, 29, isn't perfect for the Yankees—he's another right-handed bat that strikes out quite a bit—but he hits for power, plays solid defense behind the dish and has produced better numbers recently than Sánchez."

Defense would be nice to have behind the plate for a change of pace. Sanchez just isn't athletic and has given up his share of ball games because of his poor defense and appearingly lackadaisical performance behind the plate. Plus perhaps Contreras could ignite this team and provide assurance to Yankee pitchers who tend to prefer backup catcher Kyle Higashioka to Sanchez.

The Yankees will have to be prepared to give up some prospects for the veteran Cub catcher. "Weeks ago, The Athletic's Jim Bowden created a trade proposal for New York to acquire Contreras, sending pitching prospects Deivi García and Yoendrys Gómez along with Sánchez to Chicago," reported SI.com. I don't think they will add Sanchez to a trade like that but instead keep him to DH and fill-in for Contreras if the Cub catcher can make things happen early.

Source: NY Post

Could this be the last stand for Sanchez? I really hope so. He has had more chances than anyone in the league and has not proven himself. He doesn't hustle, he makes the team vulnerable and he can't hit consistently. Time for the Yankees to make room for someone else and that someone else could be Contreras. 

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