CASTILLO BUZZ IS REAL WHEN IT COMES TO YANKEE ROTATION HELP

Well, folks, the Yankees are in a bit of a pickle. With Gerrit Cole out, the rotation suddenly looks like a puzzle with a giant missing piece. And with Luis Gil also on the sidelines, that puzzle just got even harder to solve. Yankees fans everywhere are now playing armchair GM, scrambling to find solutions that don’t involve throwing batting practice fastballs every fifth day.

Let’s be real—pitching wins ball games, and right now, the Yankees don’t have nearly enough of it. I’ve already made my case for the Yankees taking a low-risk, high-reward shot on Trevor Bauer. A cheap deal, a proven arm, and no gutting of the farm system—seems like a no-brainer. But another option is now making the rounds, courtesy of TWSN, and it’s a big one:

Luis Castillo.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll remember the Yankees were in on Castillo back when the Reds were shopping him around. Instead, he landed in Seattle, where he’s continued doing what he does best—shoving.

For nearly a decade, Castillo has been one of baseball’s most reliable arms. He’s not quite cracking the top five in Cy Young voting every year, but he’s always lurking. In 2023, when Cole took home the hardware, Castillo finished fifth. That’s nothing to scoff at. He’s also a three-time All-Star with a career 3.56 ERA, all while racking up strikeouts like it’s his day job (because, well, it is).

Why the Yankees Need Him

If Cole misses significant time, the Yankees can’t afford to just “make do” with what they have. They need a legitimate frontline starter, and Castillo fits the bill. His biggest selling point? Durability. He eats innings like a man at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and with the Yankees’ rotation looking thinner than a dollar slice of New York pizza, that’s exactly what they need.

His last two seasons in Seattle? Solid as ever:

• 2024: 30 starts, 1.8 WAR, 3.64 ERA, 175.1 IP
• 2023: 33 starts, 3.4 WAR, 3.34 ERA, 197 IP

He’s reliable. He’s battle-tested. And if the Yankees are serious about competing, they might have to pick up the phone and see what it takes to bring Castillo to the Bronx.

Would it cost prospects? Absolutely. But if the alternative is hoping for a miracle from the current rotation, well… let’s just say, Yankee fans deserve better than that.

CAN WE STILL CALL GERRIT COLE OUR "ACE"?

WOW - that was UGLY! This was worse that Cole's horrendous start against the Red Sox last year in the AL Wild Card game. That was terrible enough and I didn't even want to remember it. I don't want to remember this one, either. Thank goodness this isn't the playoffs because THIS Gerrit Cole just isn't going to cut it in the postseason....period. 

What the hell happened to Cole? Serious question. Yesterday was supposed to be a pitcher's duel and an exciting "ace" vs "ace" battle but Castillo just straight up annihilated Cole and the Yankees. If you didn't want Luis Castillo before yesterday, now you do. He just made an example out of us, he's got skills.

So where are Cole's "ace" skills? The Yankees need to get this guy back on track because what we saw yesterday will NOT get us to the World Series. Cole is supposed to be the number one in this rotation and yesterday he looked like a zero. This is not the guy we can give the ball to every fifth day and have confidence that he is going to get the job done. That wasn't the guy that they can count on or the guy worth a $324 million contract. Harsh but true, especially when you wear a Yankee uniform.

Cole's six earned runs including three home runs in the first inning against the Mariners should concern everyone. I don't want to hear "oh he just had a bad night" because it's not. That was the most runs Cole has allowed in his 10-year career AND it was the fifth time this season that he has coughed up five runs or more in a start. It's August...and I don't care that we still have an 11 game lead in the AL East. Excuse time is over and we really don't need to listen to Aaron Boone tell us Cole had no command or rhythm, save it pal, we saw that! 

Until Cole can prove he can live up to being an "ace" and can deliver in the regular season, the Yankees should NOT trust him in high stakes games. I can't stand the thought of watching another game like last year's Wild Card game. The playoffs will be here before we know it and right now I have more faith in Nasty Nestor Cortes then our so-called "ace" and the Yankees need to fix him, NOW.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WILL THE YANKEES GO "ALL-IN" BY THE DEADLINE TOMORROW?

And here we are in the home stretch, and it is weird to think about. We went from talking about the trade deadline two months ago and being in a position of "want" versus need and now we are in the final hours before the trade deadline is here. Since then, the Yankees have dealt with some injuries. We've got Andrew Benintendi but....there's more coming, right?

I hope so! I have wish list items that do not include Juan Soto. I'd love to get him, but I don't see the Yankees parting with the top prospects it would take to get him. So, I have two other wish list items that the Yankees will be more inclined to make (fingers crossed). The question is, can the Yankees make a deal happen before 6pm EST tomorrow? I hope these happen....

1. Get Frankie Montas!

Just like the Mariners, Luis Castillo was my first choice but honestly....not at the price the Mariners paid. I think they overpaid for him so hopefully the the Yankees can negotiate a good deal and get it done. Time will tell, the Blue Jays, Twins and the Cardinals are also frontrunners to land Montas but who knows what other mystery teams may be out there. The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported on Thursday that it’s believed the A’s are asking for at least two top prospects and possibly “a currently rostered player with substantial team control remaining,” you can read more HERE if you subscribe to The Athletic. And yes, I would prefer Montas over Noah Syndergaard for too many reasons to list in this story.

2. Find Joey Gallo's new match and send him packing!

Supposedly THERE ARE TEAMS THAT ACTUALLY LIKE JOEY GALLO according to Jon Heyman. Hard to imagine or believe but I am going to hope and pray that for once he is actually right. He doesn't have the best track record but if he is actually right about this one I will give him kudos! I have a hard time believing anything Heyman says but other people like Jack Curry are completely believable and I do believe he is on to something here....

So I hope the Braves come calling and Cashman is smart enough to answer his phone and get a deal done. They had Gallo 2.0 already so Curry has a good point, he can step right in and fill the void. Who knows, maybe he will even be rejuvenated there. If he is, good for him I have no ill will towards Gallo....I just can't watch him strike out anymore or wear a Yankee uniform.

A lot is going to happen by 6pm tomorrow. I hope a lot happens for us, honestly...and Montas and Gallo are just the beginning of my wish list but I am hoping if I am not too greedy this time that the Yankees will surprise us all. I hate to wait and see....but that's what I will be doing....watching social media for the juicy details.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

MARINERS LAND LUIS CASTILLO

The Yankees were apparently engaged in trade talks with the Reds for Luis Castillo, but it would be the Mariners that would win this one.

MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"Mariners and Reds announced a deal sending two-time All-Star Luis Castillo to Seattle. In exchange, the Reds bring back four prospects — highly-regarded infielders Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo and right-handers Levi Stoudt and Andrew Moore.

Castillo had been perhaps the prize of this year’s rotation market."

Let's see what happens next.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH STANTON?

Is he really just "exhausted" as Aaron Boone said HERE or is there more to the story? It's a fair question to ask after Giancarlo Stanton missed two games in a row after he was named MVP of the All-Star game. The Yankees have taken some tough hits lately, if this is more than just exhaustion, it is terrible timing.

I hope it really is nothing, but considering that the Yankees have lost nine of their last 17 games it is hard to ignore. We all knew the Yankees weren't going to keep the same incredible pace all season and they had to slow down at some point. But after the Yankees have had some unfortunate losses with Michael King and a giant question mark surrounding Luis Severino it's a lot of bad news in a short time frame.

And it just leaves me and the rest of Yankeeland wondering exactly what is ailing, Stanton. Neither side is giving a lot of details other than Boone saying there are no injury concerns right now. I want to believe that, especially with the great season the Yankees have been having so far but it is hard to also forget that Stanton has quite a lengthy history with leg injuries.

So I hope it is just "exhaustion" but at the same time, if there isn't more to the story why not just shut it down? Stanton's smirk and smartass answer of  "Sure, write what you want" only adds fuel to the fire as we are already wondering what moves the Yankees will make as the trade deadline is fast approaching on August 2nd. Yankees have been connected to Luis Castillo, Andrew Benintendi, bullpen help and now....more focus on Juan Soto IF Stanton is hurt? Yikes!

Hopefully it's just exhaustion as the Yankees are trying to spin it. However, if it is I have an idea on how to help with some of that it's called rest and focus on the game. Maybe he's not doing enough of either now that he has a new love interest and it bring me back to 2020 when he was hanging out with / bench pressing Adriana Lima and couldn't stay heathy.

Hoping for good news from Stanton as the Yankees continue to push towards an AL East title....and maybe even a championship at the end of the season. 

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

RUMOR: YANKEES ARE SHOPPING FOR A STARTING PITCHER

We still have more than a month to go before this years trade deadline and the rumors are already rolling and picking up steam, I like it. All eyes are already on the Yankees and the Dodgers as other teams are banking on us trading for upgrades so we can stay on top.

It's nice to be looking to trade this season for a upgrade and not out of desperation and I really hope it stays that way. Oh but, so do other teams, read more HERE. We still have a long way to go before the deadline but so far FOUR teams that are on pace to lose 100 games this season are actively scouting us.

That's smart on them, honestly. Heading into Sunday the Yankees starting pitchers led the American League in earned run average at 2.97 ERA and there's only one other team in all of baseball that has a better ERA and that the Dodgers at 2.63 ERA. That's impressive.

So other teams are lining up and waiting for the Yankees to come calling and when they do they may have some trade requests of their own. Over the weekend we learned that the Yankees are interested in Luis Castillo, more HERE. The Reds have been open to the idea of trading Castillo for a while now and they even asked the Yankees to include Gleyber Torres in a package back in January of 2021 that the Yankees quickly turned down. But now, they may have their eyes on a new name.

The Reds have been scouting Will Warren who has been pitching down in Double-A. Multiple teams will check in on Castillo and considering he isn’t a true “rental” the Reds have a little more say on what they can ask for in a trade. Castillo is arbitration eligible for next season and easily one of the most attractive trade chips this season and the Reds know it.

But the Yankees also another option to consider. MLB insiders have been blowing up social media since the start of June saying that the Oakland A's are "likely to move" ace Frankie Montas by the deadline also. No big surprise there since the A's are always selling....but the question is who would they want?

It might seem crazy to even be talking about this idea. After all, the Yankees pitching has delivered and the idea of another starter might seem like more of a unnecessary want than a need but as the old saying goes...you can never have too much pitching.

And I don't think it is a bad move. Honestly, the Yankees have already been talking about how they are going to minimize Nestor Cortes workload and what his inning limit should be. You also can't ignore that Luis Severino has only thrown 18 innings since 2018 thanks to various injuries and he's already at 72 innings this season. The Yankees are going to need to be smart with how they use both of these pitchers. Oh and not for nothing, we still don't know that Jameson Taillon will be effective for a full season more more innings pitched either.

As good as we have been so far, the Yankees will need pitching down the stretch. There's still a lot of baseball left to play and the Yankees have a lot of pitching challenges ahead of them. It never hurts to be proactive.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

FORMER MLB PLAYERS HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO

Crime doesn't pay. Just ask Luis Castillo and Octavio Dotel. Amazing story about these two. They are in trouble with the law... and it's big time.

2 tweets are coming out about this:

Formers MLB players Octavio Dotel and Luis Castillo linked to a drug trafficking and money laundering’s case in Dominican Republic, attorney @JeanARodriguezS says. #ListínDiario

— Listín Diario (@ListinDiario) August 20, 2019

Former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel was arrested in the Dominican Republic as part of what the Office of the Attorney General called the “largest operation against organized crime” in the country. There are no details yet as to why Dotel himself was arrested. https://t.co/DWlu0xlI2f

— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) August 20, 2019

And just to be clear, this is the Luis Castillo that played back in the day, a journeyman for many teams.  The Big Lead writes:

"Castillo batted .290 over 14 years for the Marlins, Twins, Blue Jays, and Mets. Castillo has been retired since 2010..."

Too bad.  Terrible.

REMEMBER CASEY MCGEHEE? THE GUY'S STILL GOT IT!

Just a quick note about former Yankee Casey McGehee.  He was traded to the San Francisco Giants.

According to Juan Rodriguez, who's on the Marlins beat, the Giants received McGehee and the Marlins get back 2... Kendry Flores and Luis Castillo:

#Marlins getting RHPs Kendry Flores and Luis Castillo from #Giants for Casey McGehee.
— Juan C. Rodriguez (@JCRMarlinsbeat) December 20, 2014

The Giants needed a 3rd baseman fast.  Think about it.  Pablo Sandoval signed with the Red Sox.  The Yankees then snatched up Chase Headley. 

They needed to make a move... and now they did.

McGehee didn't play in the Major Leagues in 2013.  He played in Japan.  When he returned in 2014, it seemed like whatever he learned over there "took".  He appears to be an improved player.  Gotta love that.

Anyway, just wanted to keep the BYB audience in the loop.

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THE YANKEES, THE METS & SPENDING: A FAN'S TAKE

The metaphoric comparison for the Mets and Yankees spending habits over the recent years are best illustrated in Ernie Palladino’s headline in his November 25th article on CBSLocal.com:

Same Old Yankees, Same Old Mets This Offseason

What Else Is New? NYY Jump Right In While NYM Dip Their Toe in the Water

The Yankees performed their usual dazzling diving board plunge into the free agent pool so far. Brian Cashman’s Christmas came early, inking former rival outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, former Met Carlos Beltran, and power-hitting catcher Brian McCann.

All three signings helped cushion the blow of losing Robinson Cano to the Mariners.  It was also a comforting remedy for the Yankee faithful since missing the playoffs in 2013. It's important to note that it's only the second time in the last 14 years.

Anyway, this off-season splash of seismic proportions have sent ripples across the Major League Baseball. The New York Metropolitan fan base has been wondering for seasons when they will get to swim in the deep end again.

Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal tweeted this:

So the Mets have spent $27.5 million on major-league free agents since 2010. The Yankees have spent $238 million in the past two weeks.
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond) December 4, 2013

“I think it is an absolute joke that a team in New York spends like the Royals and Pirates,” said long time Mets fan Chris Higgins.  “It is tough to be a Mets fan these days, but I truly believe they will turn it around, when though I don't know.”

It could be coming sooner than many people expected.  In June, Met’s General Manager Sandy Alderson proclaimed that the team should have a $90-100 million dollar payroll entering 2014.  Recently, Alderson finally opened the checkbook, and did a cannonball of his own.

Former Yankee Curtis Granderson traded pinstripes to rock the blue and orange for cool four years $60 million. Outfielder Chris Young inked a one-year 7 million dollar deal, and Bartolo Colon will help bolster the rotation with a hefty 2 year-20 million-dollar contract.

“It was something that had to be done,” said Andrew Baicher, a Mets season ticket holder since 2006.  “You had to restore credibility to a franchise that has been ridiculed for its frugal ways.”

In 2006, the Mets lathered with a $101,000.00 payroll, were on the brink of reaching the fall classic. They took the St. Louis Cardinals to Game 7 of the NLCS.  The Cardinals escaped from Queens with the pennant, and the Mets franchise has been on a continuing downward spiral of epic proportions ever since.

Citi Field has been a ghost town throughout much of its existence.  Nearly the entire farm system has auditioned at one time or another.  A fan can only go so many times for a tee shirt Tuesday door prize.

Much of the inability to field a competitive team can be attributed to numerous investments gone awry.  It’s hard to predict the future, but the Mets have been submerged in contract misery especially during the recent dark times.   Omar Minaya regretfully doled out over a combined 100 million dollars to out Jason Bay, Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo.  The team found themselves waist deep in financial peril after falling victim to Bernie Madeoff’s Ponzie Scheme. 

There is no denying that when Alderson took the reigns as General Manager in 2010 he was already behind 0-2 in the count.  Alderson was tasked with shedding dead weight contracts and building a winner. Building a winner isn’t a quick fix with a financially hamstrung team that finished 70-92 to close the Omar Minaya era.  Worst of all, he was partnering with Wilpons.  The duo still finds themselves submerged in hot water with a dissatisfied Met fan base. 

How can they justify not spending in one of the most valuable markets in the country? 

Lifelong Yankee fan AJ Morebito has had the luxury of rooting for a team that has sustained excellence with a free spending blueprint.   While he agrees with Met fans being distraught, he knows better than anyone that spending the most doesn’t guarantee a championship.

“I would be mad if my owner wasn't spending money on top free agents but it’s a business. If you have the money you do what you want with that money, but more money doesn't mean the best team.”

According to Kevin Wells of the Washington Times, "In the last 18 years of World Series, the team with the highest player payroll has won four times." The New York Yankees "...did it in 1996, 1999, 2000, and 2009."

The Wilpons remain in the crosshairs of that fan base; but Alderson is slowly transforming his reputation.  Money may buy happiness, but it's only temporary when you don’t win.

--Jon Pino
  BYB Guest Writer & Philadelphia Phillies Fan




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