BIG MAPLE THIS!

You aren't an amazing pitching if you throw one no hitter in your career. All you are is a pitcher who had a good day.

On May 8, 2018, James Paxton threw a no hitter for the Seattle Mariners.  It was great. I remember the highlights. I was happy for him.

Fast forward. The Yankees acquire Paxton for Justus Sheffield. I was disappointed to see Sheffield go. After all, you have a young, moldable pitcher that could become something great in pinstripes, WITH HOWEVER, the understanding that he may not be. But that's what you get with young pitchers. You take chances on what they are projected to become and you work and roll with it and see what happens. 

But the Yankees didn't have time for that and so they made a move to get Paxton in pinstripes. Their thinking was that he'd adjust to the big stage and put up nice numbers and help the Yankees win the whole damn thing.  But while putting up a 15-6 record was nice for Paxton, we didn't win, and so what's that point. Look, I didn't like the move at the time and was pretty vocal. But all I kept hearing was, "It's a great move... Paxton threw a no-hitter."

Paxton threw a no-hitter? That's all you got?  While he may have had a successful win season in 2019 and literally showed up to dominate in like one post season game, I have never seen over all dominance in this dude. 

He's not consistent. He gets hurt too much. He doesn't appear to be a gamer. And while it seems that I'm only picking on Paxton here, I am because it's a post about him... yes it's true, Yankee pitching hasn't done much of anything this year. It's embarrassing.  But when it comes to Paxton, stop trying to put lipstick on a pig... because it's not working, it's never worked.

The Yankees are in a world of hurt.  It probably isn't fair to rip on Paxton for injury and inconsistency, but too bad.  Something needs to be said.  We don't want this guy back. We want a pitcher that can figure out how to pitch in a New York mentality, dominate, adjust and not get injured.

We want a team that looks hungry out there.  The Yankees need to do better because they've been exposed mightily in a short season.

IT'S TIME TO PROMOTE GIO GONZALEZ

It's hard to watch these games right now. There's just so much going wrong right now and the Yankees need to make some adjustments right now. A lot actually. The defense is bad, Aaron Boone makes me want to throw things, the losses and the pitching. Oh that pitching....it needs a lot of help.

It's not just the recent implodes on the bullpen either. Those have been bad, especially since this is one of the best bullpens we've ever had on paper. The potential is there, but what about the starters? Improving the starting rotation was at the top of Brian Cashman's list of priorities over the winter but it has certainly been battle tested so far.

It's early and starters are still getting their rhythm but is anyone else bothered by the fact that only two of our starters have pitched BEYOND the fifth inning? I expect Masahiro Tanaka to be economical and thankfully he has but Domingo German has been a pleasant surprise. He's stepped up in a big way. I wish I could say the same for guys like J.A. Happ and James Paxton. We all wanted to see Paxton come in here and be the reliable guy the Yankees were impressed with in Seattle. We gave up Justus Sheffield for him, so that came with high expectations. Is he cracking under the New York lights or is it still too soon to tell? The Yankees need to be more economical. We can't burn the bullpen out this early.

The Yankees have to be watching and thinking about Gio Gonzalez right now. He looked big league ready in his start Tuesday night where he struck out 10, gave up three hits and one walk in a 5-1 win. His first start was rough, but he's making a good impression at the right time. The Yankees signed Gio as insurance for CC Sabathia and extra depth while we waited for Luis Severino to come back for a May target date that will no longer happen. The Yankees will have to tap into their pitching reserves longer than they expected which could be a game changer.

The Yankees won't have a lot of time to think about this one. Hopefully if he continues to pitch well it will be an easy call-up but Gio can opt out of his contract on April 20th if the Yankees don't call him up by then. He has two more starts before that happens, which is two more opportunities to force the Yankees hand but at this point with our long list of injuries those outings might not matter. He may not be the pitcher that he once was, but he is still an innings eater. German has pitched well so far, no denying that but who is more likely to pitch deeper into games at this point. Gio definitely has experience on his side.

By next weekend we will know what happens with Gio. The Yankees could call him up. The Yankees may pass and he may opt out or.....he could choose to stay in Triple-A. Either way, decision day is coming. If Severino didn't have a setback this decision wouldn't be as important. You can never have enough pitching and the season is very young, we could have more pitching injuries. It wouldn't be wise for a team to lose pitching depth when everyone seems to be dropping like flies.

It's hard to imagine letting a big league option like Gio get away. He could be the added boost we desperately need right now.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE NEXT YANKEE PITCHING PHENOM YOU MUST WATCH

Photo: Scranton Times-Tribune

The Yankees don't have a lot of pitching depth now that Justus Sheffield and Sonny Gray are no longer on the team. It's something that I continue to think about because we all know how important pitching is and it's true....you can never have enough of it.

We already know the Yankees have familiar faces of Domingo German and Jonathan Loaisiga as possible call ups if needed. At some point Jordan Montgomery will be back also, but we still don't have a good timetable on that either. The Yankee also still have Chance Adams who has fallen from grace and could be facing a "make or break" year. There is another name out there that could be a potential call up his season and you may not have heard about him.

Right hand pitcher Michael King is ranked as the Yankees fifth best prospect according to Baseball America. He's also one of 21 non-roster players that received an invitation to spring training on Friday. King has flown under the radar, but his talent seems legit and he could be a productive player for the Yankees going forward.

King hasn't had a lot of attention on him until recently, and given what he has been able to accomplish it is no wonder why the Yankees are really starting to take notice. The Yankees acquired him in 2017 from the Marlins. He was part of a deal that sent international bonus money as they pursued Shohei Ohtani. The Marlins didn't score with Ohtani, but the Yankees may end up scoring with King.

Last season King jumped all the way from Class-A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with impressive numbers.

Here are his numbers just in Triple-A: 4-0 record with a 1.15 ERA in 39 innings.
Here are his numbers between all three levels: 1.79 ERA, 152 strikeouts, 29 walks in 161 1/3 innings.

The numbers are certainly impressive, but so is the confidence according to minor league pitching coordinator Danny Borrell. "Every time he moved up, he seemed to get better. He wasn’t fazed by the better competition and he knows how to pitch. I could see him in New York this year if he pitches like he did last year. I don't see him regressing," read more HERE.

It's nice to see a new face making a path toward the majors, especially ones we tend to overlook.  Who knows, maybe we will see him in the Bronx this season. I like the sound of that!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKS MAY LIKE PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT. WHAT CAN I SAY?

Photo: USA SI

I don't know if this would ever happen, but I like where their heads at. Plus anything Yankee news that doesn't have to do with Bryce Harper, Manny Machado or Nick Cafardo's theory of why Giancarlo Stanton would be traded is refreshing to me.  Bottom line.

New York Metro writes this... and it comes originally from Buster Olney. But I'm not a big fan of Olney. I'm a big fan of Metro's commentary about Olney's rumor:

"According to ESPN's Buster Olney, rival evaluators believe that the Arizona Diamondbacks intend to trade six-time All-Star Paul Goldschmidt. Arizona is on the cusp of a rebuild as rumors have already swirled this offseason that ace Zack Greinke is also on the trade block. 

They also are on the verge of losing top-tier starter Patrick Corbin, another southpaw linked to the Yankees. With Goldschmidt entering the final year of his deal, it makes him a prime trade candidate. The quicker they do so, the higher the return will be. "

So look... here's the deal.  The Yankees like Corbin too, but Corbin is a free agent.  Goldschmidt means you need to flip over talent to the Diamondbacks.  While the Yankees have had made those deals with Arizona before, I'm just not sure who they would send over?  We have a really good farm.  We even just gave away Justus Sheffield to the Mariners for James Paxton, and no one really wanted to part with Sheffield, but we had to make a deal. Now rumors are flying that the Yankees offered Sheffield to the Diamondbacks for Goldschmidt. I guess nothing happened.  Hey, we got a major league pitcher from the Mariners.  I'm happier with that.

Now we're faced with the latest rumors that the Yankees aren't thrilled with Greg Bird and Luke Voit. I find pitching to be the real priority here. Get another starter, via free agency. Roll the dice with Voit or Bird at first, and forget someone like Goldschmidt.

But hey, it's the rumor season, and while I'm no fan of Olney, this idea of the Yankees perhaps trying to snatch up Goldschmidt makes a helluva lot of sense.

Whatever the case.  Stay tuned about this one. It's interesting.

THE YANKEES HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT BIRD & VOIT

Photo: NJ.com

Interesting turn of events here. So before the Yankees traded top prospect Justus Sheffield to the Mariners for James Paxton, the Yankees may have had their eyes on a completely different prize, read more HERE. Pitching is Brian Cashman's focus, but the Yankees are also looking for another upgrade.

So it makes sense that the Yankees turn their attention to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Yankees have put their faith in Greg Bird for awhile now, and it hasn't panned out for them. Then came Luke Voit who had an impressive 39 game audition so to speak. He had some huge moments for us, but either the Yankees aren't sold on Voit as an everyday first baseman, or the Yankees saw a good opportunity to pounce on a bigger fish named Paul Goldschmidt.

We first wrote about Goldschmidt earlier this month in THE YANKEES HOT STOVE IS FIRING UP! We said he would be an interesting name to watch, and he could've been an interesting name that the Yankees traded for. He's an All-Star, powerful bat and a much better defender then Bird or Voit. The Yankees were "pushing" Sheffield's name in trade talks and were hoping he would be a centerpiece to get Goldschmidt in pinstripes. The Yankees have options at first base, but but there is no denying Goldschmidt would be an upgrade, and Cashman knows it too.

"Obviously we had a first baseman that we acquired late in the year that played really well for us. He's currently manning that position. Voit will have a chance to reclaim his spot, or reinforce that that's his spot. And Bird will have a chance to try to take it from him. We'll see," said Cashman.

The Diamondbacks are reportedly "intent" on trading Goldschmidt who is one year away from free agency. It sounds like a rebuild is on the way in Arizona now that Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock are free agents this year. The Yankees saw the opportunity and went for it, but it sounds like the Cardinals and the Astros are front runners.

So what does this say about everyone involved?

Photo: New York Post

It sucks to lose Sheffield because we have been following him for so long. He was projected to be a starter for us, but obviously there is still work to be done. The command needs work. The Yankees are in "win now" mode for the next two seasons. They went with the more sure-fire bet with Paxton. He's definitely not a guarantee, there is some risk there but he is a damn good pitcher that makes the Yankees rotation better.

More importantly, if the Yankees were so sure that Sheffield was going to be front of the rotation type guy....they wouldn't have been so eager to trade him for a one-year rental at first base that they could just sign if they waited for one more year. They valued one year of Goldschmidt over Voit, Bird and Sheffield. Tough to hear, but true.

Photo: Sports Illustrated

It sounds like the Yankees are ready to give Voit a chance to steal the everyday first baseman job that Bird previously won, but not been able to hold for a while now. He earned the opportunity, but it's not unreasonable to see why the Yankees would be uneasy about his ability to effective the entire season. Voit had an impressive six weeks, but he was a 27 year old minor leaguer that got hot at the right time. Was he just a late bloomer? Can he be the everyday guy?

We love Voit here at BYB. We also loved Sheffield, but this just goes to show that the Yankees are willing to make upgrades anywhere they can. Would you have preferred Sheffield for Goldschmidt over Sheffield for Paxton?

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

YOU WANT SYNDERGAARD? FORGET IT

Photo: Sports Illustrated

I don't even like the guy. I know, I'm in the minority, but anyone who takes on a persona of someone else that's fictional really must be self-conscious or something.  Ridiculous.

That being said, he's good. Great? No... but good. But I think he looks better surrounded by a crappy team of Mets.  That's just me.

Anyway.  This is a great report, and it's brought to us by Sports Illustrated...

"The Yankees are not expected to pursue Mets SP Noah Syndergaard, if the Mets do decide to trade him..."

That was expanded on by Andy Martino of SNY:

"Trading Syndergaard -- which is no sure thing to happen, even though the Mets are exploring it -- would only be one piece in a larger strategy. The Mets could obtain a package of prospects and major leaguers for Syndergaard, then replace him with a free agent such as Patrick Corbin, J.A. Happ, Dallas Keuchel, or Nathan Eovaldi. 

Those pitchers are all in the mix for the Yankees, too; Happ and Corbin are particular targets in the Bronx. The Yankees, by the way, do not expect to pursue Syndergaard, per sources."

And it all goes back to the idea that the Mets wants a boatload of prospects, which, the Yankees have. But they already gave away Justus Sheffield for Paxton. And so, now the idea is to just sign a free agent.  They don't want to give away the farm... the Yankees want to keep it intact the best they can. And so... Syndergaard's future in the Bronx? It ain't happening.

I hate Thor anyway... what a stupid superhero.

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT NEW PITCHER OF THE YANKEES?

The Yankees struck early by picking up left hand pitcher James Paxton earlier this week, a strategy that the Yankees missed out on in years past.  Typically, the front office has looked home grow a new team and pick up a few pieces here and there while staying under the luxury tax.  But this year, it was critical that they prioritize pitching first and they are not done yet.

Source: ESPN

According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post, the Yankees will have to beef up their infield to be a defensive arsenal against the ground ball, of which Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and Luis Severino are experts.  "If you are going to bring in a groundball specialist, “you better make sure there is good (infield) defense behind (the pitcher) if it is going to work, so there are a lot more moving parts there,”stated Brian Cashman.  Sherman added, "And the Yankees’ infield defense is, at minimum, suspect. Their best gloveman, Didi Gregorius will miss at least two months after Tommy John surgery. Miguel Andujar was, by metrics, the majors’ worst defender at third. Gleyber Torres has the quick-hand/strong-arm attributes to be a top defender, but was not consistent last year. Luke Voit is a below-average defender and Greg Bird, perhaps, average at first."

Source: Daily News

So the next move may be another pitcher or an infielder who may or may not be Manny Machado.  I believe Cashman is going to be very cautious and selective when it comes to Machado given his no hustle attitude, a polar opposite of Didi Gregorius whose void will be felt as he recovers from surgery.

Source: NY Post

"We just try to ask a lot of questions about how they compete. This environment can bring out a different experience for some. So I don't have a new secret formula to address predictability on who will thrive and survive and who won't here in New York,"stated Cashman via ESPN.

Source: NJ.com

Former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi has been a topic of conversation more than once in 2018 and he could be involved in a Cashman interview before the end of the year. Ground ball pitchers are attractive to the Yankees who have that short porch in right field. "And the market offers more of the same with free agents Patrick Corbin (11.1 strikeouts per nine), Charlie Morton (10.8), J.A. Happ (9.8), plus the Indians triumvirate of Trevor Bauer (11.5), Carlos Carrasco (10.7) and Corey Kluber (9.3) available in trade," reported the Post.

Source: USA Today

Who will be the next new pitcher for the Yankees?  Who knows? Did we see Paxton coming?  I didn't but it is a good move despite losing Justus Sheffield who appears to need more grooming, which is more time the Yankees couldn't afford to give.  Let's pick up one more pitcher, Cash, and then focus on beefing up the infield without Machado, please.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

PAXTON'S A YANKEE, BUT WHO IS NEXT?

Photo: Newsday

Looks like Brian Cashman has pulled the trigger and there's mixed reaction to shipping Justus Sheffield off to Seattle, but the bottom line is, if you have an opportunity to snag a guy like Paxton, and they don't want Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres... somehow... you go for it.

But now who's next?

Reports are that while the Yankees love Corey Kluber, they could easily pass on him because the amount to get him will be massive. And so, the idea of a JA Happ or a Patrick Corbin may be instead in their wheel house.

I personally think you stick with what you know works.  JA Happ has proven to be a valuable pitcher for the New York Yankees.  He was amazing for us down the stretch. He's definitely someone we need to pursue and pursue... HARD!

Jon Morosi writes this of the priority list...

Source: #Yankees remain interested in free agents Patrick Corbin and J.A. Happ, following the James Paxton deal. Yankees are placing a higher priority on adding one more starting pitcher than signing Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. @MLB @MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 19, 2018

And that's another thing. Do we NEED another bat? Do we NEED to spend a fortune on Harper or Machado? I mean, yes, I love the idea of them in pinstripes.

When stuff like that happens it's amazing. But 5 years down the line when they're dogging it because they're rolling in Yankee money... we as fans don't like it anymore and you know that!

This tweet says it all.

Well done, Cashman. The Yankees need two starters. One by trade, one from free agency. You got the first part.

— ღ 𝒢𝑒𝓁 (@LttleGel) November 19, 2018

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but I don't think we get Kluber, Harper or Machado.  What we do get is stability in our starting rotation.

JUSTUS SHEFFIELD TRADED & YANKS GET A BIG FISH

The Yankees got a pitcher, a Mariner ace. But the Yankees gave away a good one in the process. Hey, it's business.

The Yankees PR Department has tweeted the following:

Trade: The Yankees have acquired LHP James Paxton from Seattle in exchange for LHP Justus Sheffield, RHP Erik Swanson and OF Dom Thompson-Williams.

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) November 19, 2018

OK then. I would have loved to have seen Sheffield flourish in New York, but there's no time for waiting. We need it now.

The Yankees need experienced starting pitching. That is why they made this move. James Paxton will be a nice fit.  Now we just need 1 more pitcher like a Corey Kluber and have the potential to be unstoppable.

Nice move Cash.

JUDGE IS BACK & SO ARE THE DAMN RED SOX!

Photo: Getty Images

Another game, another loss and another series the Yankees should have won. Not the greatest end to the weekend, eh? By now we all know what went wrong. We lost to another bad team this time the Blue Jays. So, where are the positives?

Photo: Getty Images

It's getting harder to find a silver lining with this team, but there is one thing that I am looking forward to watching. It's time, everyone....Justus Sheffield is coming! Now that the RailRiders have been eliminated from playoffs the Yankees are FINALLY bringing him up. This team needs some fresh blood and a prayer lately. Maybe Sheffield can breathe some fresh life into this team somehow.

And the Yankees also called Domingo German back up. We saw him earlier this season but he was sent back down to the minors due to performance issues and was then sidelined with an elbow injury.

The Yankees have a day off today. It couldn't come at a better time as the Red Sox are back at Yankee stadium on Tuesday. Hopefully this time the Yankees have some better results. At this point the Red Sox have absolutely nothing to lose, but the Yankees are still fighting to stay ahead of the Oakland A's. Momentum isn't on our side right now.

Photo: Getty Images

But maybe, just maybe it could change with Aaron Judge back in the mix. Rumor has it, Judge may return to the lineup against the Red Sox, read more HERE. A productive Judge back in the lineup would be a huge upgrade to this team and the timing couldn't be any better.

Aaron Boone thinks if Judge returns during the Red Sox series that he will have 30-40 at bats before the end of the regular season and Judge feels that is plenty of time to get him back in a productive routine. Going forward the Yankees need a productive Judge.

Photo: Getty Images

As the Wild Card race between the A's and the Yankees continues to stay too close for comfort the Yankees have a disadvantage in the schedule going forward. The A's will face the Angels and Twins. The Yankees get three at home against the Red Sox, then three at home against the Orioles. But then they finish with four on the road against the Rays who are a hot a team right now and finally with three in Boston. The schedule is definitely scarier.

It's hard to watch the Yankees falter in September. If it's not pitching, it's a lack of hitting. It's not fun to watch. What will be worse to watch....the Red Sox clinching at Yankee stadium this week. I may become violently ill so let's hope it doesn't happen on our turf. Let's hope Judge is back in the lineup and the Yankees play the best series they've had their entire season....I hate Boston right now more than ever. Protect our house, boys!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj