DESPERATE FOR PITCHING

Source: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

As I watched the headlines unveil about the Luis Severino injury, I couldn't help but zero in on local sports reporter Bruce Beck's comment on the 6:00 p.m. broadcast last night as he said the Yankees essentially need to figure this out.  And yes, they do.  He went on to say that Jonathan Loaisiga, despite having a bad outing, could be an option.  The New York Post said, "His stuff is filthy enough it makes veteran baseball men pay attention."  Are we desperate for pitching? Desperate for Severino or a little bit of both?

Source: NJ.com

Brian Cashman said in an interview yesterday, "Obviously, it’s a concerning situation until he’s on the mound for a consistent period of time,’’ Cashman said, “to the point where you forget that it even happened. We’re obviously a long way away from that," reported USA Today.  He went on to say that the team would rely on who they have in the pipeline and re-evaluate as needed.  That doesn't sound desperate, but are they underestimating the potency of the injury?

Source: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

According to the NY Post Loaisiga, "is no sure thing. But he is possible thing. He has that arm. He has that slider. He got seven outs Wednesday and five of them were strikeouts, and all of those looked downright unfair. He knows he has an opportunity here, that he can pitch his way onto the March and April rotation, and if it saddens him that Severino had to get banged up to force that to happen … well, he’s been in those shoes, too. Plenty." 

Source: MLB.com

But, here's the thing...are we willing to take a chance on Loaisiga in the short term or even the long term?  I don't think so.  Even if he is the real thing.  The Yankees need someone else, and that someone else would need to be here regardless if Sevy is in the rotation or not.  And that someone may not be the obvious choice in everyone's conversation.  What if it was a one-year contract for Bartolo Colon or James Shields?

Source: Sporting News

According to USA Today, "Maybe it’s time to pick up the phone and see if the San Francisco Giants can be persuaded to deal Madison Bumgarner now instead of waiting until this summer. The Arizona Diamondbacks should be open to listening to offers for ace Zack Greinke, and perhaps Robbie Ray, too. The Cleveland Indians dangled co-aces Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer during the winter, so maybe those talks could be re-visited." 

Source: SNY

The Yankees are desperate for pitching, starting pitching that is.  And they have been for years.  They are trying to patch the hole with James Paxton and perhaps Loasigia, but they need another stud to compliment Sevy.  He can't do it alone and hopefully, this is just a little blip and he will recover and we can forget it happened.  Wishing...

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE YANKEES SHOULD GRAB JAMES SHIELDS

The Yankees better pay attention to this one.

James Shields may be on the market again. The powerful right-handed starter, who the San Diego Padres traded to the Chicago White Sox less than two months ago, is now at the top of the leader board in trade rumors. The White Sox have become sellers in this market, and the Yankees may have a chance to make a major steal.

Okay, Shields may not be the pitcher he once was. But he is still a respectable starter and given that the Padres are eating half the cost of the rest of his guaranteed contract, he is more than a good bargain. Right now his 4.68 ERA - of which his American League half is a meteoric 5.17 - is driving his price down. That's not to mention his 1.480 WHIP and his opponents' OPS of .811. So where is the value? The devil is in the details, my friends. All those numbers are over-inflated by his first three appearances in a White Sox uniform and his final appearance before the Padres traded him. It was a terrible 3-week slump that makes him look far worse than he is. Without that stretch, his ERA on the season falls to 2.66 and his opponents' batting average is a paltry .236.

The downside on Shields is that he is 34 years old and we have seen a drop in some of his pitching stats. According to PITCHf/x data, the average velocity on his fastball has dropped 2 mph over the last two years and his cutter seems to have lost some of its sharpness. That's not surprising for a pitcher at this age. My guess is that he is adjusting to his new limitations, which may explain some of his ineffectiveness from the end of May to early June. Still, he pitched six consecutive quality starts, and that says something about his current state.

The last thing to remember is his durability. During the time of his first full season in 2007 until now, he leads of all baseball in innings pitched (2111) and games started (318). Given the Yankees track record of injuries, he might be the perfect pitcher to help bring stability to the rotation. The Yankees have less than a week to figure this out. But if the White Sox are putting him on the block, Brian Cashman better be dealing.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @KingAgamemnon




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WINTER MEETINGS, BAH HUMBUG

Music City is hosting this year's Major League Baseball Winter Meetings.  It is being held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center and welcomes more than 3,000 baseball executives.  It's been an event that we have been chatting about over the past few weeks as if something magical is going to happen there for the Yankees.  I guess it is no surprise that we have been rather ho-hum about the Yankees, their prospects and the opportunity to do something great next season.  I suppose it is too early to say, but given their track record over the last couple of years, it is hard to be spirited.

The other evening a friend of mine and Yankee fan said to me "there is no such thing as dynasties in baseball anymore.  It is one and done because of free agency and the possibility of making more."  He's right and that makes me feel even more Ba Humbug about the Winter Meetings.

A bunch of stuffed shirts get together, hang out at a beautiful resort and talk about who is giving up whom for what.  They do this over beer tastings, massages, cocktail events and oh, yes, meetings. And the media follow them around to get the inside scoop.  It is hard to get excited about James Shields, when you think about the price tags associated with the most recent transactions, David Price and Zack Greinke.

And when the Yankees ponder giving up their best prospects, like Aaron Judge, for what they believe is the best starting pitching prospect in baseball, Marlins Jose Fernandez, I get sick to my stomach.

Baseball, aka Money Ball, has really made me feel less like a fan than ever. Gone are the days of simplicity...everything is big.  Could I actually be bored about baseball?

As I decorate our Christmas tree for the holidays and carefully place each World Series ornament on the tree, I become nostalgic about the teams that made us proud.  It's not easy to get to the top of the baseball tree, but we have done it 27 times, always hoping for #28.  So although dynasties are not common place today, there will always be a big battle for the ultimate trophy and there will always be Winter Meetings to keep us hopeful for things to come.  Here's my message: MLB unless you show me more than just luxury and laughs, I say Bah Humbug to the Winter Meetings 2016.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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SHIELDS UP - BREACH IN THE STARTING ROTATION!

Available starting pitchers are becoming a scarce commodity, and Yankee fans are starting to get frustrated. Actually, I think we are reaching a fever pitch of frustration. The biggest prizes on the free-agent market are disappearing from the shelves and we are starting to feel like that dad going to the fifth Toys R Us to find that elusive Christmas gift, knowing he’s late to the game and that time is running out. To make matters worse, there’s a sense that the price point is set. David Price went for 7 years, $217M. Zack Greinke went for 6 years, $206M. Even Jeff Samardzija, who hasn’t had a winning record since becoming a full-time starter, went for 5 years, $90M. I am waiting for the announcement on the team that made Johnny Cueto the third $200M contract signing this offseason.

So what about James Shields? The San Diego Padres have been trying to unload him for a while now, and he’s available for the right price. Here’s the ironic thing. Purely based on his contract, he is a bonafide starter available for 3 years, $63M, with a 4th-year team option for $16M. The prices free agents are getting, and surely what Cueto will command, makes this look like a bargain. There is a buyout option after 2016 on Shields’ contract, so this will likely turn into a one-year rental if he has a good year. Still, it’s one year of Shields' ability.

James Shields is exactly the kind of starter the Yankees need. For the last few years, he has been considered a premier starter, highly sought after by teams looking to step up their rotation and contend for the postseason. Last year his record was a drop from his prior years, but it would be understandable if he didn’t perform playing for a team that was already out of contention by the end of June.  Eleven of his first fourteen starts were quality starts before the wheels fell off the Padres’ bus. Shields had a QS% above 70% in three of the four years prior to going to San Diego. His ERA has been 3.52 or lower four of the last 5 years. If his number of wins doesn’t sparkle, it isn’t because he didn’t pitch well.

I am not saying that Shields is made of vibranium. (Sorry, I had to get that one in there – if you don’t follow Marvel, don’t worry about it J.) But he is a worthy acquisition, especially in a market where starters are way overvalued. Let’s face it – the Yankees need a lot of things, and a quality starter is an absolute must. We’ll have to give them some young talent in return, but if we take on the big contract, we won’t have to give up top-shelf talent. This fits with Brian Cashman’s plan. It's a no-brainer. Pick up the phone, make the deal, and let’s move on to the other big challenges.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon







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SORRY CC, BUT ENOUGH'S ENOUGH!

It's been a crazy few weeks. Between all of the crazy trade deadline action and the Yankees getting an unwelcome surprise from the injury bug, my head is spinning. I've have been sitting here on pins and needles.

It's funny, I remember the series we played against the Rangers for instance. I came home from work and I turn on my TV. As soon as I turn it on, BOOM there goes a three run homer to Josh Hamilton. I immediately face palm. Fine, it's only the first inning and I get it.

No time to panic but come on! Our pitcher that night? CC Sabathia. My thinking was, it was his first time through the batting order. Then it got dicey. I worry that down the stretch, if CC keeps doing this sort of thing, it could really hurt us.

I feel like each pitch I am watching from CC he's hanging fastballs and breaking balls. It's batting practice! Hey CC....the ball isn't supposed to go in the stands. Ideally, we like it to hit Brian McCann's glove. If not, as long as it lands in a position players glove we are good. I am in physical pain watching these outings though, and I am starting to yell at the rest of the BYB team now too.

So this is how I feel as CC gets the ball tonight.  If he has a bad outing tonight, I think it's safe to say I am off of the CC Sabathia "Starting pitcher" train. It might be time to go to the bullpen like BYB previously wrote about in SABATHIA TO THE BULLPEN? THINK ABOUT IT.

You know, I really like CC Sabathia as a person. He is a great guy and he has so much passion but at the end of the day it's not about throwing out "likable" people and hoping they perform. It's about throwing your best guys into the game everyday who are reliable and get the job done. I worry that that just isn't CC anymore. It is time to do what is best for the team and let someone dependable take the lead.

The Yankees have kept him in the rotation out of respect, and I get that. But now the Yankees are dealing with injury to Michael Pineda and arm fatigue to Ivan Nova, that is a huge blow to the team right now. It's crunch time. It's August....it's time to be thinking about the postseason. Nova may not be on the DL yet, but I have a bad feeling about this that I just can't shake. I hope I am wrong, but if I am not then we are down 2 starters and we have already lost out on the Johnny Cueto, Cole Hamels and David Price sweepstakes the Yankees need to think long and hard about this because the postseason is at stake here.

All I can say is Brian Cashman better be on the phones asking about Yovani Gallardo or Jeff Samardzija or James Shields right now. The last time I checked....Dustin Ackley can't pitch. Oh yeah... and he's hurt. Maybe we can pull a miracle like in Moneyball and teach him.

We need to because I am sorry CC....but we can't afford your inconsistency anymore.


   

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ 








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THE YANKEES COULD GRAB JAMES SHIELDS

If there were 2 pitchers that I was convinced the Yankees would try to get at the trade deadline, I was pretty sure it would be David Price or James Shields.  Price disappeared to the Toronto Blue Jays, while James Shields still remains in San Diego.  But, it doesn't mean he'll stay there, at least that's what I think... and so does Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

"Shields is a guy the Padres might be able to slip through waivers because of his hefty salary. It’s hard to imagine a team putting a claim in, so Shields could be an August acquisition for a team such as the Yankees, who didn’t solve any pitching needs."

Tough to tell right now, but there is no question to me that the Yanks should at least get 1 starter, or keep an eye on the waiver wire for a strong reliever.   There's no question that alittle pitching help, well, can't hurt.

Stay Tuned...

 


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TALKING CHISOX VS. YANKEES WITH A CHICAGO GUY

I thought this was cool and so we posted it for your enjoyment. This is my friend Paul Chivari from Chicago.  He's the guy that came up with this terrific BYB jingle:


We wrote about it in  THE BYB JINGLE YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD. Anyway, he wanted to share a preview for the Yankees - White Sox Weekend.  I hope you enjoy it.  Be nice, he's a good dude.  -Casey

The last time the New York Yankees visited Chicago it was for back-to-back series against the Cubs and the White Sox in May of last year.  That was when I reached out to Robert Casey to have him appear on my radio show and gain the New York perspective on what that road trip would mean for the Yankees. At that time I had no idea that I was in store for one of my most treasured friendships that I’ve gained in the world of sports. After all of our interactions and contributions to each others projects it feels like more time than just fourteen months have passed.

Now that the Yankees are back in Chicago I felt that it would only be right if I gave my Chicago perspective on what the forthcoming White Sox-Yankees series means to me.  So I present to you, BYB nation….

The White Sox are finally playing their best offensive baseball all season. In their last eight games they outscored their opponents 56-17 while winning seven of those contests. All of those games were on the road, but they were against weaker American League squads in Cleveland and Boston. Ace right hander Jeff Samardzija, who is in a contract year, started the road trip as a big trade piece for a team towards the bottom of the league standings. Now, with the trade deadline falling just hours before this series kicks off Samardzija is in a position where he may stay with the team for the remainder of the season. Only 3.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot, the White Sox front office feels that they are contenders and choose to remain buyers rather than the sellers many expected them to be at the deadline. With both teams looking to add help to their respective rosters in the hopes of a run to a title, anything can happen to either the White Sox or the Yankees at the deadline. Both teams may stand pat, though both have been linked to big names.

Trade rumors?

The Yankees did acquire outfielder Dustin Ackley but they desperately need some starting pitching. This was a known fact before right hander Michael Pineda was scratched from his Thursday start in Texas then placed on the 15-day DL. Despite this setback to the rotation, the Yanks were linked to San Diego Padres closer Craig Kimbrel.

The school of thought is that by adding Kimbrel the Yankees will have a formidable back of the bullpen with Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances.  That never happened. The biggest names of the starters that were connected to the Yankees were David Price and Cole Hamels.  They're both gone now.  James Shields is still available, but with three years remaining on his deal, the cost may be too rich for even the Yankees.  Who knows….maybe Jeff Samardzija could switch locker rooms this weekend.

The White Sox trade hopes aren’t as bright. With the Detroit Tigers in demolition mode the only viable option for the White Sox would have been Yoenis Cespedes, but he's a Met apparently.  The Sox did land Justin Sellers for infield depth, but probably won’t be the boost their offense could use.  

What to expect

The White Sox recent success shouldn’t scare anybody right now. A home stand against the Yankees and Rays followed by a three game series in Kansas City will more than likely bring them back to where they were a week ago - at the bottom portion of the American League standings. This weekend will be a big series and they may have run out of momentum after Thursday’s loss at Boston. Their 24-22 home record needs to improve and their starting pitching has been good all year, but if the Yankees are anything like the team that posted an average of nearly nine runs a game in Texas this week the White Sox pitching staff could be in for some long games. The Yankees will face two left handers in Rodon and Danks and are 18-11 against lefties this season.

While the White Sox may be hot, they have yet to prove themselves against any major contenders at US Cellular Field. Melky Cabrera has been on fire and Jose Abreu brings a ten game hitting streak into Friday’s contest. Rookie lefty starter Carlos Rodon may struggle against the veteran Yankee sluggers unless his slider is dominant. John Danks has been better recently but is 2-3 lifetime against the Yankees and has had trouble against Mark Teixeira and Jacoby Ellsbury.

Jeff Samardzija is the only real x-factor the White Sox have to combat the Yankee power bats only allowing five home runs in nine starts this season at home.

Prediction: Yankees take two out of three

--Paul Chivari, White Sox fan
    & Friend of Robert Casey
    Twitter: @PaulChivari



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"WE'RE DEFINITELY IN ON PRICE"

That quote came in a text form from a friend of mine that put a call into one of his friends at the New York Yankees. Whether or not they were allowed to actually say anything to him is another post for another time...

"We're definitely in on Price" doesn't seem earth shattering, but it definitely let's us see that something is happening when it comes to the Yankees and starting pitching and the trade deadline. Yankee fans are chomping at the bit.
 

Now, as I expressed in PRICE & CESPEDES ARE AVAILABLE... YOU IN?, the idea of Price in pinstripes is appealing because we need pitching, he's a lefty and he's a good pitcher, but you gotta wonder if the guy can handle a place like New York.  Tampa Bay and Detroit aren't the same.  I personally want to see David in New York. One good outing and he's on his way.

Cespedes on the other hand... eh. I mean, I could take him or leave him, especially if it means us holding onto guys like Aaron Judge, Luis Severino and Greg Bird. I'd rather have the kids. But you know as well as I... the Tigers will try to package these guys and they will want prospects... and they will want alot of them. 

According to Jayson Stark of ESPN:

#Tigers called teams today & told them they're "rebooting." Will listen on David Price, Cespedes etc. More to come at http://t.co/gtnhE81RUu

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) July 29, 2015

Well, there you go and that goes back to my buddy's insider with the New York Yankees.

What they would give up? Who knows, but for me personally, I have always have been of the belief that the Yankees liked Price or James Shields.  I just have a gut feeling it's gonna be Price.  If Cash is smart, the big 3 won't be included in that deal.

And remember my prediction of Rob Refsnyder? Yup... he'd be part of that deal... trust me.


 

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