WOULD THE YANKEES TARGET PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT?

The Yankees are no strangers to bold moves and high-risk signings, so it’s no shocker that whispers are swirling about seven-time All-Star and 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt possibly manning first base in the Bronx come 2025. But before we roll out the red carpet, let’s dig into what this really means—because as Yankees fans, we’ve learned to hope for a parade but prepare for a circus.

Goldschmidt’s résumé is undeniable. His 2022 season was video-game good: .317/.404/.578, 35 home runs, 41 doubles, and 115 RBIs. He was the engine of the Cardinals’ lineup and looked every bit the MVP. But here’s the catch—2022 feels like ancient history in baseball terms. His last two seasons have been… let’s call them “fine,” but not exactly “flashy billboard in Times Square” material. At 37, he’s no spring chicken, and while the Yankees have been known to bet on experience, sometimes those bets age about as well as milk.

Still, the timing isn’t crazy. The Cardinals are reportedly ready to move on from Goldy, opting for a “reset” in 2025. His $130 million contract expires at the end of the season, making him a free agent. For a team like the Yankees, always chasing October glory and occasionally forgetting about November regret, a short-term, cost-effective deal could be appealing. Maybe a one-year, $10 million pact? That’s pocket change for Hal Steinbrenner’s wallet—barely enough to cover the electricity bill for Yankee Stadium’s floodlights.

But let’s be real: is this the guy to solve the Yankees’ first-base problem? If Rizzo hangs up his cleats or opts for a quieter life full of golden retrievers and pasta, Goldschmidt could bring a steady glove and some veteran poise. On the other hand, the Yankees have been burned before by aging stars with shiny pasts. (Hello, 2005 Randy Johnson. Hi, Jacoby Ellsbury. We see you, Carl Pavano.)

And what about his bat? In Yankee Stadium, where lefties thrive with that tantalizing short porch, Goldschmidt’s right-handed swing might not translate into the 30-homer season fans dream of. Could he still drive in runs? Sure. But will he silence the inevitable boos by mid-June if he’s batting .240? Unlikely.

Then there’s the clubhouse factor. Goldschmidt has always been a consummate professional, the type of player who lets his bat do the talking. That kind of steady presence could be valuable in a locker room that sometimes feels like it’s one loss away from a reality TV meltdown. But is he dynamic enough to bring the spark this team needs?

At best, Goldschmidt is a low-cost, high-upside addition—a potential 2025 redemption story who helps the Yankees navigate Soto’s theoretical megadeal without completely blowing up the payroll. At worst, he’s the latest in a long line of former stars who make their farewell tour in pinstripes feel more like a farewell plod.

So, could Goldschmidt be the Yankees’ first baseman in 2025? Absolutely. Should we be cautiously optimistic? Sure. Will we be holding our breath? Only when he’s running out a double. Whatever happens, this is the Yankees we’re talking about—hope for the best, expect the bizarre, and prepare to cheer like crazy either way.

REMEMBERING THAT SMALL-CHACON PUNCH OF THE 2005 YANKEES

The 2005 New York Yankees season was marked by unexpected contributions from two unlikely heroes: Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon. These two pitchers, who started the season with little fanfare, became pivotal in the Yankees' quest for the playoffs, providing stability and surprising success when the team needed it most.

Aaron Small's journey to the Yankees' rotation in 2005 was nothing short of remarkable. Small, a journeyman who had bounced around various minor league teams and had limited success in the majors, was called upon by the Yankees during a season riddled with pitching injuries and inconsistencies. Despite the odds, Small seized the opportunity, delivering an astonishing 10-0 record with a 3.20 ERA. His calm demeanor on the mound and ability to consistently deliver quality starts earned him the trust of both his teammates and the Yankees' faithful.

Small's success was not just a stroke of luck; it was the result of years of perseverance and refining his craft. His ability to mix pitches and keep hitters off balance became his trademark, and he provided a much-needed boost to a Yankees rotation that had been struggling behind ace Randy Johnson. Small's performance was a revelation, and his perfect record became a symbol of resilience and determination. 

Shawn Chacon, on the other hand, was acquired by the Yankees in a mid-season trade from the Colorado Rockies. Chacon had shown flashes of talent in Colorado, but inconsistency and a lack of run support had plagued his time with the Rockies. Upon arriving in New York, Chacon found new life. Feeding off the energy of the Bronx and the example set by Aaron Small, Chacon posted a 7-3 record with a 2.85 ERA in pinstripes.

Chacon's success with the Yankees was attributed to his ability to command his pitches better and the run support provided by the Yankees' potent lineup. His presence in the rotation brought stability, and his performances in key games down the stretch were instrumental in the Yankees' push for the playoffs. The tandem of Small and Chacon quickly became a formidable duo, complementing the veteran presence of Randy Johnson and helping to compensate for the struggles of other pitchers like Kevin Brown, who had a disappointing season.

The Yankees' rotation was in dire need of depth and reliability in 2005, and the emergence of Small and the acquisition of Chacon provided just that. Their contributions allowed the Yankees to remain competitive in the tight AL East race, and their performances under pressure demonstrated their resilience and capability. Without Small's perfect run and Chacon's rejuvenation, the Yankees' postseason hopes might have been dashed.

After the 2005 season, Aaron Small struggled to replicate his success. He dealt with injuries and inconsistency, and by the end of the 2006 season, his time with the Yankees and in Major League Baseball had come to an end. However, his perfect season remained a highlight in his career and a cherished memory for Yankees fans.

Shawn Chacon, too, found it difficult to maintain his 2005 form. He continued to pitch in the majors for a few more years, with varying levels of success, before fading from the spotlight. Nonetheless, his time with the Yankees in 2005 is remembered fondly, as he provided the team with exactly what they needed when they needed it most.

Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon may not be the first names that come to mind when thinking of the Yankees' storied history, but their contributions in 2005 have left an indelible mark. They are remembered as two pitchers who stepped up in a time of need and helped propel the Yankees to success in a season full of uncertainty. Their legacy is one of resilience, seizing opportunity, and delivering when it mattered most.

--Alvin Izzo
BYB Yankee History Contributor

BABY BOMBER IS AN INSTANT SENSATION IN YANKEES SEPTEMBER CALL UP!

At least for the moment, we have forgotten how horrible the Yankees season has been.

Last night was fun. It was fun for a change as the Yankees won, but more than that, the Martian, Jasson Dominguez showed us all why he was called up.  Yes, part of the reason was that the Yankees have sucked and he was replacing Harrison Bader who was claimed off waivers by the Reds, but the other reason was because of his raw power.  The Yankees won 6-2 and Yankee Twitter went crazy.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW, JASSON DOMÍNGUEZ‼️

1 swing, 1 homer 😤

(via @Yankees)pic.twitter.com/QucVHxfewo

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 2, 2023

Wild!

And ESPN writes:

"At 20 years, 206 days old, Domínguez became the youngest Yankees player to homer in his first career game. He was the first Yankees player to go deep in his initial big league at-bat since Aaron Judge on Aug. 13, 2016.

Additionally, it was just the second time a player homered off a reigning Cy Young Award winner in his first at-bat, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The other was Marcus Thames -- also for the Yankees -- on June 10, 2002, off Randy Johnson."

That's a lot of information but this is the next Yankee generation, folks. Let's hope he doesn't disappear like Kevin Maas when all the teams figured out that he couldn't hit anything but a fastball.

Congrats the Jasson.  Congrats to the Yankees. Now just keep it going so we can salvage this season!

GERRIT COLE THROWS 2000

On Tuesday night, the Yankees embarked on an important three game series against their division rival Baltimore Orioles. Those Orioles are always muckrakers against the Yankees. And they certainly had Gerrit Cole's number last night in the early innings. But Cole did something great despite giving up two home runs and a two run double, quickly giving the O's a 4-0 lead. But it wasn't enough to beat the Yankees as they walked off with a 6-5 win in extras. Making the night even more special. 

"Gerrit Cole fanned former Yankees prospect Jorge Mateo in the second inning and became the 87th pitcher with 2,000 career strikeouts. He got there in 1,714 2/3 innings, third fastest all-time. Only Chris Sale (1,626 innings) and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez (1,711 1/3 innings) beat Cole to the milestone," reported CBS Sports. Good for him. He has been a different person, a different pitcher this season. Though he earned a no-decision in Tuesday night's game, he made history.

"In terms of games pitched, Cole is also the third fastest to 2,000 strikeouts. He got there in 278 games, behind only Hall of Famer Randy Johnson (262 games) and the great Clayton Kershaw (277 games)," reported CBS Sports. Anytime I get to mention Kershaw in a piece, it is a good piece!

Recall that last season Cole set the Yankees franchise single-season strikeout record, moving passed Ron Guidry's 248 strikeouts which he threw during his historic Cy Young season in 1978. Anytime I mention Guidry in a piece, it is a good piece! Cole has the opportunity to do much more as long as he stays healthy. He will be with the Yankees through 2028 given his current contract.

"He’s one of eight pitchers to achieve the milestone while wearing a Yankees uniform, joining the likes of Andy Pettitte, C.C. Sabathia, Catfish Hunter, David Cone, Mike Mussina, Bobo Newman, and Dwight Gooden," reported Sports Illustrated. Okay, I am a Pettitte and Catfish fan, so anytime I mention them...you get the point. 

Cole has shown tremendous growth and leadership as well this season. Often he is seen talking with young pitchers, reviewing their performance on the dugout iPad and even providing some much-needed humor when the team was down. His presence is invaluable to this team. Congratulations, Gerrit Cole on this well-earned accomplishment. And let's go Yankees, beat them O's!

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

STANTON FITTING IN NICELY

Source: MLB.com

Like many Yankee fans, I am getting excited as each video clip of batting practice and pitcher warm ups leak out onto the Internet. One of my favorite clips so far has been Giancarlo Stanton taking questions at his new locker on Friday when he showed up early to spring training. Maybe it’s that Stanton is the new guy on the block, and easily the Yankees’ biggest acquisition in the off season. Maybe it’s the fact that It’s been months since I’ve seen live baseball, and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’re starving for the Yankees to take the field and play ball. The whole presentation impressed me, and if he holds to form, we may have something even more special than his ridiculous hitting stats would indicate.

Source: Associated Press

The fact that he showed up early says something to me. This is not something a prima donna would do. I expected that his arrival would have been a grand spectacle, with reporters and microphones and flashing cameras pointed at him from all angles. I’ll be honest, I was worried about him having a need for attention that would disrupt the team dynamic. He certainly has the name recognition to generate a media circus. Instead, he just sat there and took questions, like any player would. Yesterday, he went out to the cages to take some swings and get his work in. He expressed more concern about getting the rust off his swing than the fact that he hit a few over the fence.

Source: Associated Press

If you ask me, this is critical for a guy as conspicuous as he is. The Yankees had a really good dynamic last year. It’s something Aaron Boone has to be very careful to protect. Stanton’s arrival was a stark contrast to some of the higher profile acquisitions in the Yankees’ past. Who could forget Randy Johnson’s literal run-in with the media that needed a public apology? How about the paparazzi surrounding Alex Rodriguez’ arrival that created a chill with his teammates? If you’re old enough, you might remember Rickey Henderson stepping in it with reporters when he first walked into the Stadium clubhouse as a Yankee and announced, “I don’t need no press now, man”. That went over like a lead balloon. To be fair, these were huge personalities, accustomed to reporters and cameras orbiting them like planets around the sun.

Source: Associated Press

Stanton is just as huge. So far, he is doing the smart thing and staying focused, fitting in, and making sure he’s ready to contribute. He doesn’t have a spotless record with the media, occasionally being unavailable for reporters after a game. The New York media is no walk in the park, and the fact that it has gone as well as it has for him is a great sign. This team has a lot of the key ingredients for a championship run. The less time they spend thinking about how to answer questions about their new teammate and the more time they get to focus on the game, the better. If he is the real deal, on and off the field, we have a lot of reason to be pumped about him this season.

--Ike Dimitriadis
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon

NATHAN EOVALDI'S STUFF ISN'T ENOUGH

There are a lot of reasons to be frustrated right now. Nobody likes looking at a sub .500 record, but this will pass. A lot has been written about the hitting too. It is what it is. The thing that gets me right now is the starting rotation and how poorly they are doing. Three of the five have ERA's above 5.90. The other two have yet to record an out in the 7th inning. It really got to me watching Nathan Eovaldi pitch against the Blue Jays.

I could feel the same exasperation that David Cone was expressing on the air. It was a steady diet of pitches over the plate and outside. He never established the inner part of the plate, and he soon became very predictable and very hittable. Here's the thing. Eovaldi has good stuff. He always has. Yet he's never been able to be strategic about how he pitches. He can hit the high 90's with his fastball and we have all seen it. When he has hitters guessing, he becomes unhittable. He has yet to consistently keep hitters guessing, swinging wildly at off-speed pitches and alternatively blowing his fastball past slow bats.

I liken it to playing poker. Yeah, if you have a good hand you're more likely to win. Without a poker face, you're unlikely to keep people in the game and win big. You're also unlikely to win when you have a bad hand. It's all about keeping your opponent guessing. Eovaldi hasn't looked like the pitcher that keeps hitters guessing.

It's really all about the basics. Hard stuff in, off-speed away. Wasting one off the plate outside to set the batters eye before throwing a hard fastball on the inside corner. Going up the ladder. A steady diet of inside fastballs before getting the batter way out in front on a breaking pitch. This is how good pitchers beat good hitters, and the great ones do it with consistency.

Randy Johnson had this problem. He had a blazing fastball and a long arm and he could strike out batters. He consistently struck out about 200 batters per season between 1990 and 1992, yet he also led the league in walks all three years. It was in 1993 when he started mixing in off-speed pitches and varying his locations that he went to another level. Where he used to give up over 100 walks per season, he never hit triple digits after 1993. Two years later he won his first Cy Young.

This is where it's a tough call. We do not know if Nathan Eovaldi is going to figure it out and turn into Randy Johnson, or if he is going to keep doing what he's doing and turn into Phil Hughes - another guy with tremendous potential and a penchant for giving up a home run at the worst possible time. Joe Girardi and Larry Rothschild should be on him about this. We know Brian McCann is trying to help, but Eovaldi keeps shaking his calls off. Hopefully, he gets the message and soon. Because it's getting frustrating.

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







Thank you for your loyalty to Bleeding Yankee Blue. 
Please shop at the BYB store!  
On Twitter: @BleednYankeeBlu 
On Facebook, LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue!
Don't forget to check out the BYB Hub.

I DIDN'T SEE THAT ONE COMING, NO...

There's a report out there that says that Zack Greinke has signed a 6 year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

According to Hardball Talk:

"One day after unveiling some bold new uniforms, the Diamondbacks boldly signed National League Cy Young Award runner-up Zack Greinke to a six-year deal worth a reported $205M, which is the largest average annual value in MLB history. It is arguably the Diamondbacks’ biggest signing since inking Hall of Famer Randy Johnson to a contract 17 years ago."

I didn't see the D-Backs as contenders for Greinke, or maybe I did. I mean, they clearly are in it in some capacity.  They did offer Johnny Cueto $120 million deal that was rejected. 

I guess they used that money and found more to offer to Greinke, and if the reports are correct.... good for them.

Yup, it appears Greinke is off the table and signed with the Diamondbacks.  That's kind of a big deal.












You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub! 

REMEMBERING MARCUS THAMES' FIRST AT BAT

One of our BYB Hub charter members, Lady at the Bat had a great post about Marcus Thames, the now assistant batting coach to Alan Cockrell.   While Thames baseball career wasn't super long, he did have some very good moments with the Yankees and I remember he did pretty well with the Tigers as well.

Anyway, Bernadatte Pasley writes:

"Do you remember Thames' first Major League at-bat? It was as a Yankee, during an interleague game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The pitcher was a future Hall Of Famer: Randy Johnson...


Thames saw everything during that at-bat, and saw a lot during a respectable 10-year career. Greg Bird and other Yankee prospects have a lot of respect for him. Here's hoping he earns it from the Yankees 25-man roster as well."

When I read Lady at the Bat today and saw that post, I just felt the need to share it here on BYB.  

Enjoy it and be sure to check out the BYB Hub for more great stuff!

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store! Follow me on Twitter@BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook! Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

BUT CAN THEY PITCH FOR THE YANKEES?

There is a lot of attention these days around the Yankees' pitching staff, and attention usually means trouble. It's hard to look at recent performances, in which the Yankees gave up 9 runs or more three times this week, and not think that the sky is falling. It's given rise to a bunch of rumors, the most popular one being about Johnny Cueto. Everyone knows the Reds are going to be unloading Cueto, everyone sees the instability of the Yankees rotation, and well ... you can do the math.

So here's the problem with the Cueto scenario. There are some players that do well with the Yankees, and some that do not do well. It's tragic when we sign a pitcher that is not "Yankees-friendly". He has some amazing numbers to prove that he is a good pitcher, but no matter how hard I try, I cannot see Cueto in that Yankees-friendly category. He is the stereotypical guy who I expect to be unprepared for the pressures of playing baseball in New York. He has only pitched for the Reds his entire career. Pitchers who pitch on low revenue, small market teams tend not to do as well under the bright lights and high pressure of Yankee Stadium. The fact that his career ERA is almost two-thirds of a point higher on the road than at home is something to notice too.

There are plenty of great pitchers who just could not hack it here. A.J. Burnett is a great, recent example. I loved what he did for us in 2009, but if you even include that year, his ERA's prior to joining the Yankees (3.82) and after he left the Yankees (3.59) were almost and more than a full point lower than his combined ERA in his 3 years as a Yankee (4.79), respectively. Looking at his HRs per season (12 before joining the Yankees, 27 as a Yankee, and 13 after the Yankees) gives you even more proof that he was not Yankees-friendly. He is not the only one.

Decisions made under pressure, without the luxury of breathing room to make objective evaluations and rational decisions, tend to go badly. This is especially true when you feel an urgent need to make a quick fix to an immediate problem. This is where I get worried. Honestly, Cueto does not look like a fit. I get that he is a 20-game winner and came in 2nd in the Cy Young voting last year. Randy Johnson came in second in the Cy Young and threw a perfect game the year before joining the Yankees. Kenny Rogers was 4th in the league with wins (17) and a perfect game winner the year before when he joined the Yankees. The list of pitchers who pitched well where they were before joining the Yankees is longer than you might think. Let's not add to it.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row







You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

WHY THE 'A' MATTERS

Does a logo on a hat matter when someone goes into the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Yup. No doubt about it.

In the case of Randy Johnson, a.k.a. “The Big Unit”, it mattered more to me than many things that have happened to the Arizona Diamondbacks these past few seasons. I'm an Arizona native after all.

Look, I hope it isn't just me, but it would physically bother me if Johnson entered Cooperstown with any other logo on his hat than that ‘rattlesnake A’ we so proudly sport here in the Grand Canyon State.

I would have also accepted that rattlesnake in the shape of a "D" logo we rocked on those black hats in ’01.

But I wouldn’t have accepted a Montreal ‘M,’ which I barely figured out was a stylized ‘M’ 3 years ago, or even that Houston star.

And while the Yankees interlocking ‘NY’ looks good on most, it just didn’t fit the 6’10” Cy Young icon. 

Oh yeah... and I could NOT live with the Seattle Mariners ‘S’ adorning his brow.  They gave up on him before his prime.  His real PRIME!  I know he was there ten years, but he was only celebrated for a short time in the great northwest.

The man is a Diamondback! He was a large rattlesnake who breathed fire on the mound!  He made the organization, and all his moments, his glory, it all happened when he wore purple or black.

Randy Johnson was the hometown hero; he lived here in the off-season.  We needed him... and it’s only fair that the Arizona fan base gets him as their first Hall of Famer.

It bugs me that Yogi Berra has no Yankees logo on his hat, probably a product of what he felt when he was disrespected by the organization he became synonymous with. The DBacks almost did the same thing to Johnson, depriving him of finishing his career and reaching 300 wins in Arizona and forcing him to call San Francisco his home for a year.

But the past is the past, and I take pride knowing that a man who slightly looks like my uncle Roy, but never went to prison, is going to the Hall of Fame and he’s sporting my home team’s colors and logo!

Sorry Seattle, you’ve got Pearl Jam, you have Nirvana and you should get Griffey Jr. too. But “The Big Unit” is our hero and our champion!

Thank you Randy Johnson for putting Arizona on the sports map. Congratulations on the Hall of Fame.

Wolfgang Von Bunt
BYB Staff Writer
Twitter: @WVBunt

 

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!