GIO URSHELA TAPS OUT

Gio Urshela officially called it a career, announcing his retirement on Instagram at just 34 years old. Ten MLB seasons, eight teams, and somehow still one of the more underrated players of his era.

From breaking into the league with Cleveland in 2015 to stops with the Blue Jays, Yankees, Twins, Angels, Tigers, Braves, and Athletics, Gio quietly put together a career most players would gladly sign up for: a .270 batting average, 73 home runs, and 759 hits. Not bad for a guy many front offices seemed determined to label as “just a utility player.”

But Yankees fans knew better.

Acquired for literal cash considerations in 2018 — baseball’s version of finding a Rolex at a garage sale — Urshela became one of the biggest surprises in the Bronx. In 2019, he hit .314 with 21 home runs and 74 RBIs while playing elite defense and delivering huge moments, including clutch homers in the ALCS. He was also an AL Gold Glove finalist in 2020 and played the game like someone who genuinely loved putting on the uniform.

And that’s why so many fans never understood why the Yankees moved on from him so easily.

At the time, Brian Cashman defended the trade for Josh Donaldson by basically saying the Yankees had upgraded everywhere on the field. Yankees fans were told Donaldson was the better bat, better glove, better fit — better everything.

As we all painfully remember, that aged about as well as milk in July.

Donaldson became a total bust, Cashman was wrong, while Gio continued being exactly what he’d always been: dependable, tough, professional, and the kind of teammate willing to run through a wall for his club. Meanwhile, Urshela himself admitted he was blindsided and confused when the Yankees decided to move on. Frankly, a lot of fans were too.

Even now in 2026, the Yankees still seem obsessed with chasing the “big upgrade” while overlooking players who actually fit the heartbeat of the team. Gio was one of those guys. Never flashy. Never loud. Just solid every single day.

Yesterday, Urshela posted this message:

“Today is the day to close this chapter as a professional player, and this is not a moment to be sad, it is a moment to be grateful to God for allowing me to play this beautiful sport that changed my life.”

That says everything about who Gio Urshela was. A pro’s pro. A fan favorite. One of the good ones.

Congrats on the retirement, Gio. Yankees fans won’t forget you.

GLEYBER TORRES: THE BEARDED ERA

Ladies and gentlemen, Gleyber Torres has entered his bearded era, and honestly, it’s a vibe. Now that he’s out of the Yankees’ clean-shaven clutches, Torres is rocking an impressive beard that screams, “I’m free, and I’m fabulous.” Say goodbye to the baby-faced Bronx Bomber and hello to the rugged, reinvented Tiger.

Here he is now:

With the facial rule gone, Greyber Torres can now rock an impressive beard. pic.twitter.com/OnTXyLZnqB

— Rogelio Castillo (@rogcastbaseball) December 28, 2024

Well, well, well.

Let’s rewind to when Gleyber first burst onto the Yankees’ scene. He was the golden boy, the prodigy, the guy you just knew would deliver in the clutch. And boy, did he deliver—especially in the postseason, where he had an uncanny ability to get on base like it was his job (because, well, it was).

But fast forward to this offseason, and it felt like the Gleyber love was fading. Was I the only one pounding the table and yelling, “KEEP THIS MAN”? Apparently so. The Yankees had other plans, and Gleyber’s grand farewell included a Game 4 home run in the World Series—a mic drop moment for the only MLB team he’d ever known.

Now, he’s off to Detroit, where the beard is thriving, and so is the vibe. Speaking to Detroit media, Torres said, “I feel like I have to play where somebody wants to give the best for me, and I just want to be available to do the best for the team.” Translation: “If you’re cool with the beard, I’m cool with you.”

Apparently, Gio Urshela hyped Detroit to him like a real estate agent trying to sell a fixer-upper: “Great history, lovely parks, you’ll love it here!” Torres is slotted to stick at second base, with Colt Keith sliding to first and Alex Bregman potentially joining the Tigers’ infield party.

But let’s get to the real star of this story—the beard. For decades, the Yankees have been facial-hair police, enforcing a strict “no beards allowed” policy like it was their primary mission in life. Credit George Steinbrenner for starting this nonsense back in 1976, and somehow, the rule stuck for nearly half a century. Players literally had to shave their identities at the door.

Now in Detroit, Gleyber is letting it grow, and honestly, he’s glowing. Will this newfound follicular freedom help him play better? Maybe! Will it make him look cooler while doing it? Absolutely.

Whatever the case, I’m rooting for Torres to thrive, beard and all. May he hit bombs, turn double plays, and prove that a little facial hair can go a long way in redefining a career. 

Go get ’em, Gleyber—you’ve earned it!

GIO URSHELA'S STILL GOT IT

The Oakland Athletics are keeping the offseason interesting, and the latest chapter involves none other than Gio Urshela! Now, I’ll admit, I had this wild scenario in the back of my mind where the Yankees swooped in, gave Gio a spot at third, and shifted Jazz Chisholm over to second base. Hey, it could’ve worked, right? But alas, Gio is off to Oakland, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier for the guy.

Last season, Gio posted 104 hits, 9 home runs, a .250 batting average, and 52 RBIs while splitting time with the Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers. He’s that steady veteran you can count on—a guy who doesn’t strike out much and is always looking to put the ball in play. Sure, he’s not exactly a power-hitter, but his glove at third? That’s where he really shines. Gio is a defensive wizard, and the A’s are lucky to get him in their infield.

Plus, Gio isn’t flying solo in Oakland. He’ll be reunited with former Yankee teammates Miguel Andujar and Luis Severino, which feels like a bit of a reunion tour. I’ve always been a fan of Gio—he’s just one of those guys who quietly goes about his business, does his job, and gets it done without all the drama. So, while I’m still daydreaming about a Yankees-Gio reunion, I’m thrilled he’s got a fresh start in Oakland.

Wishing Gio all the best with the A’s! You’ve earned it, my dude.

GIO URSHELA DID NOT SIGN A DEAL WITH THE YANKEES

We all thought maybe the Yankees were going to bring back Gio Urshela. There was some chatter about it and there was even a few stories about it on Bleeding Yankee Blue.  

Read COULD GIO URSHELA BE BACK IN THE YANKEE MIX? from January 2nd.  

Read LATEST RUMOR: YANKEES INTERESTED IN REUNION WITH FORMER THIRD BASEMAN from February.  

Whatever the case, it's not happening.  Here's why... he just signed a deal with the Tigers.

Empire Sports Media writes:

"...Gio Urshela, at 32 years of age, finalize a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers for $1.5 million, ending speculation about potential signings by both the New York Yankees and the Mets."

That's literally all I have.  

Carry on.

LATEST RUMOR: YANKEES INTERESTED IN REUNION WITH FORMER THIRD BASEMAN

I want a starting pitcher. The Yankees NEED a starting pitcher, but you won't find that good news on your social media feed right now. Instead, I found something else. It's not my first choice but it did bring back some nostalgic feelings.

In addition to solid pitching, we need some hitters because Juan Soto alone isn't going to cut it. The Yankees are interested in a reunion with Gio Urshela, find the details HERE. He may not be that bright shiny stud we have been hoping for all winter BUT the guy can hit and was consistent when he was with us. 

Hindsight is 20-20, but now that Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Josh Donaldson are gone it's another example of how dumb Brian Cashman is. Donaldson was never a good move and most of us hated it as soon as the trade happened. Nothing against IKF, he did everything we asked of him but getting rid of Urshela made the Yankees weaker.

In two seasons since Urshela was traded he batted .290 with 54 extra-base hits, including 15 home runs, 88 RBI and four stolen bases. This is the kind of production the Yankees desperately need. He may not be a shiny superstar, but we don't need a lineup of superstars, just guys that can hit. We have a bunch of guys that don't hit or score runs. 

If Urshela is healthy again, he could be a nice addition to the lineup. His 2023 season ended prematurely in June after he fell awkwardly at first base and suffered a fractured pelvis.  Thankfully, he didn't need surgery. As good as Soto is, he doesn't save the anemic offense. Urshela's bat is valuable, but he's also a good fielder and a good clubhouse guy, and you can never have enough of those. He gives more versatility to the Yankees. We know DJ LeMahieu is likely to miss time at third and who knows if Anthony Rizzo can bounce back and stay healthy. It's a good depth move, and we always need that.

If the Yankees have no other big moves in their back pocket, this could be a good move for the Yankees. I still want a big splash, but I don't think the Yankees will do it. This does help improve the team and we know what Urshela can do. Of course, there are other teams interested, the Mets, Angels and Marlins but it is believed the Angels and Marlins have made better offers.

Hopefully Urshela wants to come back home. It wouldn't be the move I dreamed of, but we've always loved Urshela.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

BEING A FAN WHEN YOU HAVE NO FAITH

The Yankees did it, and I don't know why.  

They are taking a chance on a guy that was never a Yankee guy, and now he is because we needed him... clearly out of desperation, all because the Yankees don't have a true gauge on what is going on with this market. There are better guys out there than Marcus Stroman. There are guys out there with less attitude. There are more respected guys out there than Marcus Stroman.  But that's ok... we got Marcus Stroman. I guess Cashman feels good about himself.

I haven't been this deflated about a Yankee team since forever.  I gotta tell ya. I actually contemplated packing Bleeding Yankee Blue up over the last few days. I'm close to done. 

I have no idea what Cashman is doing.  There's no leader to hold onto on this team unless you're a Judge or Cole fan.  Soto is terrific, Stroman is fine.  But then what?

So, if you are living under a rock, here's the news on Stroman, a loudmouth thug who cleaned up his Twitter so it didn't have all the Yankee hate on it. Joel Sherman of the New York Post really says it best when it came to the Yankee strategy:

"First, they heard the unsettling prices for Dylan Cease in a trade and Blake Snell in free agency.

They learned all things being equal Jordan Montgomery probably does not want to be a Yankee again.

Wherever else they looked the cost or the medical or the projection was not tempting, causing the Yanks to further bemoan not getting Yamamoto — their first, second and third pitching choice this offseason.

So they ultimately decided they had to get on the board with another veteran starter they believed capable of 150 quality innings..."

And so, what I say to that is "great", 150 innings and an attitude and drama every start? Why do we need that?

Stroman is a guy that was pissed at Cashman for not signing him in 2019 and made that public.  It doesn't help that Cashman is also public and at the time said that Stroman wasn't a difference maker.  He did the same shit when it came to Gio Urshela comparing him to Josh Donaldson. And he shipped Jordan Montgomery out of the Bronx only to see him shine.  He burned a lot of bridges with his public arrogance. That's not leading a team as a GM... that's just idiotic.  

But back to Stroman.  When you do that several times, it's a Marcus Stroman that you're left with.  Cashman's out of touch, Stroman's a loudmouth... you really think this is gonna go well over the next few years?

And then what? We got Carlos Rodon who always looks like he's not comfortable on the mound and is still trying to find himself.  The Yankees need to sign a few shrinks this off season too, because I see this going horribly wrong.

And so here I am as the Chief of Bleeding Yankee Blue actually wondering if I really want to do this anymore. I'm sitting here wondering if it's worth my time, Suzie and Jeana's time to continue to write about the Yankees where I have literally lost the passion for.   I forgot what truly being a fan is.  I am confused with our decisions, disappointed in our GM's arrogance and wondering when we will actually climb the mountain again.  

I'm at a loss folks... I feel like we all are.  

Is Stroman really the answer? Is Juan Soto for 1 year truly the answer?

I don't feel good about 2024. I just don't.

Calling out to my 2 favorite BYB readers,  Mike Darwin... John Rogers... talk me off the ledge.

COULD GIO URSHELA BE BACK IN THE YANKEE MIX?

Please Lord, let it be true.  Cashman made a fatal mistake letting Gio go for Josh Donaldson.

i keep seeing people bring up cashman’s quote about donaldson. i’m not saying tht he was on a HoF path before joining the yankees, but he wasn’t tht far off. pic.twitter.com/wMJdKYMw9S https://t.co/sXqXVW0HLI

— • (@nyy_saj) January 1, 2024

Gio was actually better than Josh Donaldson. The problem with Cashman was his analytics were looking at what Donaldson accomplished in the past and the analytics group wasn't going through a projection process and Gio did so much better than Josh after that trade went down.  Donaldson broke down, Gio was consistent.

Now there's word that Gio could be back in the mix for the Yankees. Empire Sports Media writes:

"Boone already indicated that veteran DJ LeMahieu would start the 2024 season at third base after a good defensive campaign. LeMahieu bounce back after a tough first half of the year offensively, picking things up during the second half following the All-Star break. However, if the Yankees want to bring in support, they may look to former Yankee Gio Urshela as a potential option....

if Urshela can continue hitting with a high batting average and getting on base at a 33% clip, he can be a good utility man to help defensively at multiple infield positions or simply lock down third base if DJ struggles. Urshela has played 4,620.1 innings at third base in his career, logging a .967 field percentage, including 10 defensive runs saved collectively. He posted six defensive runs saved last season over 270 innings, an impressive mark considering the innings limit."

The move makes sense.  Let's get Gio back!

TURNS OUT GIO URSHELA IS NOT JOSH DONALDSON. HE'S BETTER!

In 62 games with the Angels, Gio Urshela is batting .299 with a .703 OPS. Respectable.  Josh Donaldson batted .142 this year and was out a hell of a lot. I always hated getting rid of Gio, but I was hopeful that Josh Donaldson would have a good few seasons with us.  

Defensively I loved Donaldson at third, but I gotta tell ya, defesne was always Gio's strong suit. So, when Josh showed up and literally hit worse than Gio, and still played great defense, I was like "What's the point of this trade?"

Gio shouldn't have been traded away. I remember Brian Cashman's stupid comments about Josh and Gio.

"We appreciate what Gio has done but he's not Josh Donaldson."

Infamous words from the great Brian Cashman pic.twitter.com/NlBq6MRIM2

— 4 Train Savages (@FourSavages) August 29, 2023

Turns out Josh Donaldson is not Gio Urshela.  This may be the worst trade the Yankees have ever made... right up there with Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps.  Disaster.  

You know what I'd love? If Cashman was a man and just came out and said "You know what? I really blew that trade, I regret it, I'm sorry." I think the fans would respect him more.

Donaldson send a note out after being released today. 

Look, no hard feelings. This guy's a gamer even though he can't play too well anymore. I wish Josh well.

Oh, and by the way, I was accused of being a total asshole earlier when in my post JOSH DONALDSON GONZO! when I said that I loved today after reporting that Josh got released.  I want to explain. I wasn't being heartless; I was merely suggesting that I loved today because I see movement in the Yankees organization to better the team.  This is a good step.  

Anyway, that's that. I can't wait to see what's next. Maybe we can win a few games? How special would that be.

GIO URSHELA HAS DEVELOPED INTO THE REAL DEAL, HERE'S WHY

The Yankees have Josh Donaldson. The Angels have Gio Ursehla. Now we all know it didn't start that way. In the beginning, it was the Yankees with Urshela, and we were bringing the guy into the mix because he dazzled with the glove.  But what happened next was something wonderful. Gio Urshela was also able to hit and proved that to the Yankees while he was in the Bronx.

Next came this ridiculous deal. The Yankees, desperate to send off Gary Sanchez traded him to Minnesota for what really appears now to be a bag of rocks.  Josh Donaldson is about as broken down and inconsistent as we get, IKF just isn't major league caliber when he's on the Yankees level of performance and I honestly don't even think Ben Rortvedt exists. I don't think the guy ever set foot on the field since being in pinstripes. Talk about a no-show job, Tony.

Now... we as Yankee fans are seeing what we don't have. 

Gio Urshela is beloved by the Angels. In fact, when it came to a guy names Andrew Velazquez (remember him?), Gio even took his spot because he is so fabulous in the field.  By the way... to a point where the Angels are thinking about Urshela at shortstop for a few days a week. Can you imagine? I mean we're fumbling over ourselves here in New York wondering if guys like Volpe or Peraza could be the everyday Shortstop, meanwhile Urshela might have been the guy all along. But what do Yankee projectionists really know about our players anyway? Not much clearly.

NJ.com writes:

"That convinced the Angels to bring in... Gio Urshela in a trade with the Minnesota Twins. And that depth eventually sent the switch-hitting Velasquez to the minors on Friday, when the Angels optioned him to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Urshela, 31, sparkled with his glove at third base for the Yankees — and eventually was traded to the Minnesota Twins along with catcher Gary Sanchez. Many Yankees fans, frustrated by the hitting struggles of Josh Donaldson last season, longed to have Urshela back. He will start the season as a utility infielder, but he could bite into Luis Rengifo’s playing time at shortstop if he’s hitting.

Angels manager Phil Nevin — a former Yankees bench coach from 2018-2021 — said Urshela could play shortstop “once or twice a week” during the season, with the possibility of him playing even more if he’s hitting."

Ain't that something.  I don't know if you do it, but I do this for sure. I root for Urshela. I was always a fan of this guy.  He's passionate, a hardnosed ball player, and he's proving it again with the Angels. Damn right.

SHOULD BEN RORTVEDT'S LATEST INJURY BE A CONCERN FOR THE YANKEES?

If you have been anxiously awaiting the debut of Ben Rortvedt, you will have to wait a little bit longer. How much longer? That's a really good question that I wish we knew.

I've been really intrigued with Rortvedt since we acquired him with Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the trade that sent Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez to the Twins last offseason. His glove could be a golden ticket for the Yankees....if we get to see him in action. He hasn't had any big league action since 2021 where he played in 39 games for the Twins.

So how much longer do we wait to see him in pinstripes? At least a month, bare minimum, read more HERE. Rortvedt had surgery yesterday for a finger ailment that doctors spent days trying to figure out, but couldn't. Ultimately, he saw a specialist who was able to determine that he had an aneurysm near the posterior in his left shoulder, which had impacted the circulation in his hand and fingers. Yikes!

Is anyone else having flashbacks from 1996? All I can think about is David Cone's aneurysm that led to him losing feeling in his fingers. Talk about a flashback. For now, we will continue watching Jose Trevino and Kyle Higashioka and see what happens over time.

I really hope Rortvedt gets some action in pinstripes, but he hasn't been healthy since we acquired him, and that is a concern for me. First it was an oblique injury and then he had knee surgery to clean up his meniscus. It feels like it's one issue after another with him and he's only 25 years old.  

Hard to ignore the injuries here, but I am trying to think about the promise he has with his glove. I've always loved a good, strong defensive catcher. Question is.... will he be ours? 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj 

WHY THE WARRIOR SHOULD BE THE YANKEES HITTING COACH

Source: The Canadian Press

The Yankees have been awful to watch. Well, I don't have to tell you that. After Friday's loss against the Blue Jays, the Yankees have lost 13 games in a 16-game span in a single season for just the third time in the Wild Card Era (May-June 1995, Sept.-Oct. 2000). Saturday's loss made it 14. But, today is Paul O'Neill Day at the Stadium. If anything or anyone can wake up these corpses it has to be the Warrior. What is more interesting is listening to O'Neill diagnose the Yankee hitting woes from the booth. It got me thinking. Why isn't he the Yankee hitting coach? 

Paul O'Neill was the American League batting champion in the strike-shortened 1994 season batting .359. O'Neill spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Reds where he was a World Series champion in 1990 and an All-Star in 1991. Over his career, O'Neill batted .288 with 2,105 hits, 281 home runs, 1,269 runs batted in and an OPS of .833 over 2,053 games played.

About a year ago NJ.com interviewed O'Neill as if he was the manager of the New York Yankees.
"If O’Neill had Aaron Boone’s job, he’d be making a few hitters drastically change their approach to reflect who they should be at the plate.  Says O'Neill: “If you were a manager and you take this team, I’ll have (Luke) Voit, Stanton and Judge in my office, ‘You guys, I need you to hit home runs.’ “Then I’m going to take LeMahieu, Torres and Urshela and say, ‘Guys, I need you to be .300 hitters. I need you to drive the ball all over the place and keep the ball in play.’ Fast forward to today, you will hear the Warrior diagnose Aaron Hicks' hitting mechanics, and replace Urshela with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Voit with Anthony Rizzo. He knows hitting. Maybe he needs to step out of the booth and into the clubhouse. 

"The worrying Warrior figures if you give Yankees hitters specific roles, there’d be more guys on base for the big boys, and they’d probably be putting crooked numbers up a lot more often.“If you break it down to that, I think you’re going to have a much more balanced team than everybody going up with the same approach,” O’Neill said. “Does that make sense?” reported NJ.com. I would say absolutely. 

Balance. Everyone has a role. And just better managing. I just don't understand how Aaron Boone makes his choices? A computer makes the lineup. He pinch hits players when no one is on base. And he runs his pitching staff down to nothing by having a new pitcher every inning. I mean, if the Yankees tied the game in the 9th, I often wonder who would pitch the 10th? Aaron Judge?

Guys like O'Neill call the game straight. They use their wisdom from many years of playing to provide color and perspective. I would love that wisdom to get to the guy who needs help at the plate. Every team goes through slumps. But this team has a systemic issue that starts in the manager's seat and ends in the bullpen. Let's get the Warrior in to work with the hitters and CC Sabathia in to work with the pitchers. I will save that perspective for next time. For now, let's see if the Warrior's presence at the Stadium can motivate this team to turn the corner and start winning again. 

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

HEY CASHMAN, STOP TRYING TO COMPETE WITH STEVE COHEN

Dear Brian Cashman, 

You created the game... don't be the follower... be the leader. You're clearly out of practice.

Love,

Me

I am not a Gary Sanchez fan. I never have been, but trading him for a 35-year-old, sometimes broken-down 3rd baseman and a guy that will no doubt be a part-time shortstop is not a way to wow a Yankee fan base.  In fact, it's pretty awful.

Jeff Passan just tweeted this:

"BREAKING: The New York Yankees are finalizing a deal to acquire third baseman Josh Donaldson and shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Minnesota, sources tell ESPN."

Here's the worst part... The Twins still owed Donaldson $50 Million for 2 years and now the Yankees have that problem. Meanwhile, a better defensive 3rd baseman in Gio Urshela was just shipped off the Minnesota with Sanchez.

Meanwhile, let's think about what happens to DJ LeMahieu. Does he become our first baseman? Is that how the Yankees plan on fixing that problem? 

And let's look at Isiah Kiner-Falefa. A mediocre, 26-year-old shortstop. Cause, you know, we needed one. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want Carlos Correa either, but I made an argument for Didi Gregorius at least 3 times on Bleeding Yankee Blue and I know it's the smartest move ever. One year deal and Volpe comes up next year. Simple and a fan favorite.

The Yankees also get Ben Rortvedt. He's a catcher. OK then. 

Look Cash, everyone knows the Mets and pumpkin head Cohen are buying everyone up for a lot of money. Their team has improved. But you know what else improved? The player's egos... complacency. Players that get big money have a tendency to sit back and collect and play less hard. You know how I know? Because I've been a Yankee fan since the 70's and I've seen it time and time again when it comes to the free agency pool. Yankees never really won when they dug deep into the Free Agent pool to get top talent. I don't always work. So let the Mets do what they do... you just need to calm down and stop the knee jerk reactions by collecting injury prone 36-year old's like Josh Donaldson. Seriously stop that shit.

This Yankee move is a band aid. It will not help our club, it will further bury us.  

Something else better be coming, because I'm damn confused. The Yankees by far lost this trade BIG TIME!

 

THE INFIELD CONUNDRUM—HOW GLEYBER TORRES' PERFORMANCE MAKES ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE

Source: John Minchillo/AP

You've heard of the domino effect, right? If one falls just right, they all fall, in complete precision. It starts with all of the pieces upright and ends with all of them leaning forward. Well, that is how it is with Gleyber Torres and his performance at shortstop. His performance impacts the rest of the infield, where they play and how they will potentially need to cover for him should he fall. It is the great infield conundrum, and it starts and ends with Gleyber Torres and his ability to step up or fall forward.

The New York Daily News wrote, "Torres had a breakout season playing almost half the year at shortstop in 2019, hitting a career-high 38 home runs and slashing .279/.337/.535 with an .871 OPS. That power was enough for the Yankees to overlook his defensive woes and let Didi Gregorious walk as a free agent and move ahead with Torres as their shortstop. But it disappeared." His bat stopped making up for his lackluster performance and his inability to perform at shortstop displaced DJ LeMahieu at second, caused the Yankees to use Gio Urshela at shortstop and basically disrupted the flow of the entire infield.

To date, the Yankees have done nothing to plug the shortstop issue. And as a result, will be in the same situation they were last season. Recall that Torres put up abysmal numbers last season at the plate and committed 18 errors over 43 total in his career. Unacceptable. In 2020, Torres showed up to spring training out of shape. A shortened spring training will certainly impact Torres and his teammates, putting the Yankees at even more of a disadvantage.

“We’re just getting work in where we can,’’ Luke Voit said last week. “It’s a little bit harder not being able to use the [team] facility, but we don’t want to get too far behind for whenever we do start," reported the New York Post. With an unstable middle infielder, the Yankees chemistry is unsettled, which includes Voit who needs to try and "clean up" bad throws by his shortstop. And if the Yankees trade Torres, the team needs to get to know their new shortstop whether they go all in with big name or settle for an in between guy as they ready their farm for shortstop.

Source: Sports Illustrated

Will Torres play second? Will Torres play short? Will Torres play for another team? These are all questions that plague the Yankees who's shortened off season has certainly hurt their chances to build a championship team. Gleyber Torres is a pinnacle position player that holds a lot of weight in where other players play and even how they perform. The infield conundrum is real—just another domino in the Yankees free fall in the American League East.  

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

THE FRENZY FOR PLAYERS AFTER THE LOCKOUT WILL BE FIERCE

Source: Associated Press

Sigh. Wishing for the lockout to end is like wishing I could fast forward through February all the way to May. Once the lockout does lift however, it will be like Black Friday back in the day- squeezing through the doors to get to the best deals of the day. The frenzy for players after the lockout will be fierce—how will the Yankees fair in the showdown?

The New York Post layed down the gauntlet: "Steinbrenner should feel pressure. Of one title this century. Of one division title in the past nine years. And of a shadow — no, not of his late father, George, but from Steve Cohen across town. He might just take the Mets’ payroll to $300 million. Steinbrenner could act like he would be indifferent to the attention that would draw. It would be that: an act."

Source: Sports Illustrated

To fall to second best to the Mets is just unthinkable. Second best in the Big Apple just doesn't feel right and it isn't right. The Yankees have settled. They have spread their money around since signing Gerrit Cole and it has not served them well. It has not served them anything. And if they don't change their ways, they will be shut out of the frenzy that is certainly coming.

Reports the Post, "The simplest solution to complete the positional group would be Anthony Rizzo at first and Andrelton Simmons at short through free agency. Both offer high-end defense. Rizzo provides a lefty bat and big-game pedigree. Gio Urshela is around as a regularly used utilityman who could, when necessary, hit late for Simmons, then play short. Of the 159 players with at least 1,000 plate appearances between 2019-21, Simmons’ 71 OPS-plus is the second-worst." Absolutely none of this is appealing, except maybe Rizzo who the Yankees appeared to take a hard pass on. 

Source: Art of Dr. Seuss

Will the Yankees even be part of the frenzy? Could they, would they spend a dollar? Will they, can they buy a player? Don't mean to go all Dr. Seuss on you but the concern is real. And the actions so far are ridiculous. The Yankees need so much and unless they pounce when the bell rings, I fear that 2022 is just an extension of the last three years with nothing to say for yourself but that you were second to the Mets.

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