SEAN MANAEA OPTS OUT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE YANKEES?

Sean Manaea just opted out of his contract with the San Francisco Giants which means that he is now a free agent. And with that, what does it mean for the Yanks? Well, if I am the Yankees, I think I would stand clear.  Look, someone like Cashman will come at this like "Manaea is a fifth starter in the Bronx".  After all, that's a good point, they just got rid of Domingo German and most likely Luis Severino is gone too.  But there are 2 things I'm worried about with Manaea.  For one it's his record... the other is mental health struggles... yup you read that right. He's pretty vocal about it. 

Anyway, the Associated Press writes:

“I have opted out, but I had an amazing time with the Giants,” he said via text message. “Everyone was really good to me and they run a top-tier organization.”

...The 31-year-old Manaea went 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA over 37 appearances with just 10 starts in his one season with San Francisco — not the regular rotation role that had been expected for the eight-year major league veteran.

Manaea pitched his first six major league seasons with the Athletics, then went 8-9 with a 4.96 ERA over 30 appearances with 28 starts and 158 innings in his lone campaign with the Padres. He has been outspoken about his mental health struggles with San Diego..."

I'm all for sensitivity to mental health, but baseball is a business.  At the end of the day what would the Yankees do?  Overall, there is an argument to be made that Manaea will be a stud in New York. He's a lefty, he has a change of scenery and could actually perform pretty well... but there's another side of me that says stay clear... the Bronx is a hard place to pitch.  

Whatever the case, don't think for a second that the Yankees are avoiding Manaea.  They are looking at EVERYONE, panicking, struggling and trying to make the right decisions as not to piss us off more.  

Stay tuned on this one.  

YANKEES KEEPING OPTIONS OPEN FOR SOMETHING MORE

Source: Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Brian Cashman told the media that his phone isn't on silent when asked if the Yankees will be making more moves prior to Opening Day, now slated for April 7th. In addition, the Yankees GM said he would make the Yankees franchise player, Aaron Judge, an extension offer ahead of the season's opener. Following a 10-9 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, one of the best teams in baseball, the Yankees are keeping their options open for more depth and breadth to this 2022 team. And that's good because right now, they are not good enough.

Source: Corey Sipkin

I for one is glad that Cashman addressed the Judge situation. He brings so much to the table for the Yankees. His charisma, his swing, his defense and just his disposition keeps the Yankees blood pumping. He needs his extension and then he just needs to focus on playing baseball. “I’m a baseball player,’’ Judge said. “I’m gonna come in here and do what I need to do on the field. If I take care of what I’ve got to do on the field, everything else will work out,” reported the New York Post. Not surprised at his response to reporters regarding his extension. He is confident and ready to perform. Just like we need him to be.

Then there is pitching, which has been the Yankees' Achilles heel for years. Injuries and just lack depth have hurt the Yankees over the last several seasons. Will Cashman bring in more starting pitching for 2022?

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

"The Yankees are one of several teams in the mix to trade for Oakland Athletics starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, who are available on the block," reported SI.com. Does Cashman get this done without giving up prospects? Maybe, if they consider shipping Gleyber Torres to Oakland?

“I would expect the Yankees do everything possible to preserve both of them (Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza) and retain their flexibility going forward,” MLB Ken Rosenthal said on Ryan Ruocco and CC Sabathia's  R2C2 podcast this week. “Maybe both become stars for the Yankees. Maybe one gets traded for an even bigger pitcher than Frankie Montas.”

Source: Athletics Nations

My optimism remains high that the Yankees go after more. They have to in order to contend against the teams in their own division let alone the rest of MLB. The Jays, the Rays, the Orioles and the Sox all score a lot of runs against the Yankees and have just the ballparks and talent to make things happen. If the Yankees don't lock these teams down, and don't score their own runs, they are going to be simply left out of what looks to be an exciting season. Let's hope Cashman keeps his ringer on extra loud for something more—because right now, this team is just not there yet.

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

SEAN MANAEA TO THE YANKEES?

The Oakland A's are having another fire sale and the Yankees aren't done shopping! Everyone is lining up and ready to make a trade.....including the Yankees. Let's do this!

The Atlanta Braves got lucky and landed Matt Olson. I'm a little bummed, I've had my eye on him for a long time. He was my first choice to man first base but maybe we can get another prize from Oakland instead. The Yankees would be happy to take Sean Manaea off of their hands, but so would every other team.

I think the Yankees could use a boost in their pitching and I think Manaea fits the bill. The Yankees would love some more back up behind Gerrit Cole, especially a left handed pitcher who had a 3.91 ERA in 32 starts last season. Hal Steinbrenner may think we have a championship caliber team, but I am not sold. After Cole fell apart last season a little backup help certainly wouldn't hurt.

Manaea is one of the most attractive pitchers in the game, and the A's know that. They also know that once he becomes a free agent at the end of the season they likely won't be able to afford him so just like they sold off several of their other players Manaea is part of their fire sale.

Now the question is can the Yankees snag him? The asking price for Olson was more than the Yankees were willing to pay, but Olson isn't a free agent until 2024. Oakland will look to move Manaea fast and they have a fair amount of suitors already so far with the White Sox, Twins, and Royals also interested.

Our pitching held up better than I expected last season, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't upgrade it if we can. I think Manaea would be the perfect addition in pinstripes now let's just see if Cashman can get this deal done.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

HELP WANTED IN THE YANKEE RUMOR MILL: A WINGMAN FOR GERRIT COLE

Source: New York Daily News

There has been a lot of talk about figuring out the middle infield and center field deficients for the 2022 Yankee team. But, as always, pitching is still an area of growth. Adding a pitcher as a wingman to Gerrit Cole would be a one-two punch for the Yankees. But who are the likely candidates?

Source: NY Times

Noah Syndergaard: Coming off Tommy John surgery, the Mets ace is ready to go in 2022. According to the New York Post, "He might just be a tease, but he is one talented tease. If he takes a multiyear deal, the Yanks should be out. But if Syndergaard were willing to take a big one-year pact to re-establish himself for next year’s market, he becomes more attractive." I mean getting Thor would be an asset but would he be able to keep up? Corey Kluber had a hard time getting acclimated after his injuries, but yet he pitched a no-no. So, Snydergaard may be worth the effort.

How about Sean Manaea? My impression of him in 2021 is he is a tank. And in 2023 he is a free agent. But could the Yankees make a play for him and perhaps some of his teammates in 2022? Matt Chapman and Matt Olson are corner infielders who have a one-two punch. "When those guys are hitting, we've got a good chance to win games," manager Bob Melvin per an interview via NBC Sports. I know we are focused on pitching here but there could more when it comes to negotiating with the A's who have annual payroll restraints that will keep them from keeping all of their premier players. 

Source: USA Today

And Aaron Nola? He's signed through 2022 with an option for 2023 but, if the Phillies want to beef up and contend, they may consider trading him and the Yankees would welcome him with open arms. "Philadelphia has quite a to-do list to tackle this offseason if they wish to improve the team and put them in a position to contend next season, and Nola is far from being at the top of their list of concerns," reported Fan Nation. He had a subpar season but could bounce back in the Bronx. 

All three of these guys are worthy wingmen for Cole. And let's not forget to mention that Corey Kluber could be a full strength next season giving the Yankees a one-two-three punch. Let's see how things play out and surely there could be other contenders albeit I say Justin Verlander? I feel like he had his chance to be a Yankee and now he is just stuck with his sticky stuff in Houston. Something is brewing, just not sure who will be the next Yankee starting pitcher. 

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @suzieprof

TRIPLE PLAYS & DEFEATING THE A'S IS THE BEST FEELING!

Happy belated Father's Day out there to all Yankee dads. The Yankees gave you and the rest of us an improbable win and excitement that we all desperately needed.

I was honestly dreading playing the Oakland A's this weekend. The A's are the second best record in the league and I was still nervous even though we just had a great series against the Blue Jays. I was wishing that we would've had Gerrit Cole lined up to pitch this series because Oakland's pitching is very good. It's hard not to worry about this team this season, but the Yankees showed us all they have some fight in them. 

Maybe the Yankees can turn the corner and will continue to do so. I hope that's what this series proves to us all and makes us believe again. The A's have a very good team and the fact that we just took two out of three and managed to beat Sean Manaea yesterday instead of fail miserably is a good sign.

And what about the fact that yesterday the Yankees turned their third triple play in a season for the very first time? That's a stat I can finally get behind. It makes me even more excited that the Yankees turned three double plays within 31 days! I feel even better knowing this happened against the Blue Jays and the A's, that's something to really feel good about. 

And we need to feel good right now. We needed this high, this boost of confidence heading into an off day. It's been a tough season, but it looks better now that we have climbed out of fourth place and are sitting 4.5 games out of first place. It's a lot better than 8+. It's a start, and it will continue to be a grind but if the Yankees keep their foot on the gas pedal we can continue to climb up the standings and look beyond September.....but it won't be easy.

It's nice to go into a day off with good vibes and with the promise of Luke Voit coming back into the lineup. I can see that fight in them again. They need to keep that fire. They need to continue to believe in themselves and win series.

We've seen enough of the losing Yankees, this feels good again. 

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE... LIVE AT THE STADIUM!

The trek to Yankee Stadium from Central NJ via the 3:54 a.m. NJ Transit train this Wednesday morning when most were still catching z's was easy.  

Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America

Not sure the same will be true for the Yankees tonight as this Oakland Athletics team is a force to be reckoned with in a game that will determine each team's destiny in the 2018 post season.

BYB had an exclusive opportunity to share our thoughts on tonight's AL Wild Card matchup against the Oakland A's during Spectrum NY 1 News Mornings on 1 at the crack of dawn in front of the House that Ruth Built.  And we shared your concerns and ours as well, as the Yankees battle in a one and done game that will either make them winner take all winners or better luck next year losers.

Thanks to Spectrum NY 1 News reporter Shannan Ferry's search for active Yankee fan blogs, #BYB was picked to be this morning's Yankee analyst for tonight's playoff in the Bronx.  And we took every opportunity to share our concerns and our excitement for this AL Wild Card match up.  I took on questions regarding Luis Severino and his readiness for tonight's game, the fan's take on the choice of Sevy to pitch tonight's critical game and what strategies could lead us to victory.

I echoed the fan's concern about Sevy but also made a point to say that if Sevy is the early part of the season Sevy, he would perform at his best and be lights out to A's bats early on.  Sevy's stud-like performances through July were nothing short of stellar.  Could that guy stand on the hill tonight in front of thousands of screaming fans and lead this team to victory?  Of course! I think I share many of the same worries you all do and they don't stem just from Sevy.

As we wrote earlier this week in the post COMMUNICATION IS NOT A SOFT SKILL IN BASEBALL OR IN LIFE, we need the two Baby Bombers in Sevy and Gary Sanchez to effectively communicate with one another and be on the same page.  They need to trust the process and stay focused on performing at their highest potential tonight.  No passed balls.  No temper tantrums.  Just pure clean baseball.  When you are the ace of your club and your organization chooses you to lead your team to victory, you have to bring it.  That also means Sanchez needs to get out there and block every ball and frame every pitch with finesse and expertise to support the Yankees and their ace.

Source: Jason O. Watson/Getty Images North America

Sure, the A's are going with the trendy "opener" approach since they will need to rely on their bullpen to get it done early instead of a starter like Sean Manaea who was shut down with a shoulder injury in August.  The A's no-hit wonder is likely out for the entire 2019 season following his surgery.  This means the A's big guns will be out of the box first and the Yankees offense needs to anticipate the hard stuff and get their bats moving quick.

Clearly, we want to win and we have the capacity to do so, as I shared with Spectrum NY 1 News this morning, but it is going to take everyone's contribution to get there.  I stated that the team has no "standouts" this year.  This team has won and lost as a team and for tonight to be a W it has to be all hands on deck. The Yankees need to keep their eyes on their defense while taking advantage of mistakes made by the litany of A's pitchers and driving those mistakes into the outfield and over the short porch.

The road to the Bronx from NJ this morning was filled with anticipation and anxiety.  It was smooth sailing for me but I only needed to talk about the Yankees chances of winning.  The Yankees have to actually go out there and win.  And they have the capacity to do so, just like I followed the transit plan to the Bronx they need to follow the script to Boston.

All eyes on the Bronx today as the Yankees look to pick up from last year, stronger and with more key elements to lead them to #28.  If you get the chance to watch the stream of this morning's Spectrum NY 1 News Mornings at 1, please let us know what you think.  Hoping to share the video clip with you if you are not a Spectrum user or within the five boroughs.  Catch up with Shannan Ferry and Spectrum NY 1 News on Insta, and Twitter...they will be at the Stadium all day bringing coverage of today's excitement around the Yankees Wild Card Game.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

THE GREAT WILD CARD STARTER DEBATE

Photo: Getty Images

The Wild Card game is two weeks away, and I don't want to believe it. This season has gone by far too fast. We aren't in the Wild Card game yet but, barring a complete and epic disastrous collapse we will be. It's not too early to start thinking about this....so who should the Yankees trust to start this one game win or go home game?

The A's don't have the hard choice that we do. I feel like their choice of starting pitcher is reasonably already made. Now that Sean Manaea is out for shoulder surgery, I assume the A's will likely start Mike Fiers. He has the experience and he's probably the best guy for the job. The Yankees though? You can probably make a case or two for all of them.....except Lance Lynn. I think it's safe to assume his performance has pitched his way out of that consideration. So, what about the others?

Photo: Getty Images

1. CC Sabathia

Why he is deserving: Seriously, I don't think CC has been given enough credit because he has been good this year. Some people I have talked to disagree but it is hard to argue against his 3.80 ERA in 142 innings with a bad knee! I think that says a lot about him. The last three years he has put up very similar numbers and even better ones than years previous. He is a pitcher that is adapting well as he ages. He still fools hitters. His experience in the postseason will continue to be huge for the Yankees. He's pitched in A LOT of big games, if anyone can handle the pressure....he can.

Why he may not be the best choice: CC hasn't been as effective since returning from the disabled list. Not to mention the A's roughed him up pretty good earlier this month. I'd say the A's got a really good look at him so that might not be the best move.

Photo: Getty Images

2. Masahiro Tanaka

Why he is deserving: Tanaka has been on fire lately! He looks completely different then the start of the season. He's been the Yankees best starter now for the last couple of months and been consistent while others have struggled. I also can't forget what he accomplished last year in the postseason, he was unstoppable. Also something to consider....the A's haven't faced Tanaka this season so they haven't had a good look at him. So, advantage Yankees?

Why he may not be the best choice: Tanaka is very home run prone. If the Yankees win home field advantage this could be a problem since the A's can hit the long ball. They are second in home runs hit this season, just after the Yankees. Tanaka excels by getting hitters to chase out of the zone. He's very good at using his sliders and splitters to expand the zone and the A's do not chase after pitches. If Tanaka uses that approach the A's could lay off those pitches and back Tanaka into some really bad counts. His approach has been very successful against other teams....but it probably wouldn't work against the A's thanks to their plate discipline.

Photo: Getty Images

3. Luis Severino

Why he is deserving: He is crazy talented and had a dominant first half. For a while his name was in early talks for Cy Young. When he is on, batters can't catch up to him. He limits balls put in play and he throws hard. He put up good numbers last season and has the experience.

Why he may not be the best choice: He's been inconsistent and ineffective since the All-Star break. It's hard to ignore the past couple of months. His command is off, he has lost his slider completely. It's not unreasonable to say that Severino has been one of the worst pitchers in the second half and his downward spiral couldn't have come at a worse time considering how poorly the Yankees have played for awhile now. The most concerning point for me, his worst appearance of the season came against the A's. He wasn't fooling the A's at all. Why should the Yankees expect a different result? Would it be wise to play him again in a one game playoff? I'm having a hard time saying yes.

Photo: Getty Images

4. J.A. Happ

Why he is deserving: Let's face it....the Yankees got everything they could have asked from him. He's been reliable and he's put up some damn good numbers. He faced the A's earlier this month and only allowed one run in six innings. He's proven he can handle the A's and our toughest division rivals. He's been great in the regular season, I don't see him cracking under postseason pressure.

Why he may not be deserving: I really can't think of a lot of negatives. I guess my biggest concerns would be playing the A's again. They would see him twice in less than a month which motivates them to prepare for round two and study. The more often hitters get to look at a pitcher, the more advantages it gives them. Maybe more concerning, Happ is a fly ball pitcher. The A's are among league leaders in runs scored and home runs as mentioned before and that could be a dangerous combination, especially if the game is home.

I'm not sure who Aaron Boone is going to trust with the ball here. It's a tough choice that will be highly scrutinized in a one game playoff. I don't think I could pick just yet. Do you have a favorite to start the wild card game? Comment and tell us why.

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

ONE-DAY PLAYOFF IS INEVITABLE

Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America

As the headline suggests, a one-day playoff is inevitable...potentially, if the Yankees can make it there.  The other hope is that if the Yankees do go head to head in a one-day playoff via the AL Wild Card, will they do so at home?  If you ask baseball analysts, you would probably get mixed opinions.

Source: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images North America

If the season ended today, we would host Oakland at home.  Who would be on the mound?  If it was me, it would be J.A. Happ, who has been the most consistent starter since coming to the Yankees in July.  I actually think he has more than Aaron Boone is willing to show the world, pulling him early to potentially, "save" him from...I am not sure what.  For Oakland, who rallied throughout June and July to catch the Seattle and overtake them in the Wild Card race, they have built a tremendously close-knit clubhouse culture.  This kind of chemistry is essential for winning, but as Sporting News reported this week, could that culture be in jeopardy and potentially give the Yankees an edge?

Source: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images North America

"The front-office tinkering has upset several players, who perceive changes such as shortened outings for starting pitchers and a recent strategy of beginning games with a reliever as “gimmicky baseball.” More concerning for the team, perhaps, is the claim that decisions are largely being made without significant say from (Bob) Melvin, who less than a month ago indicated he didn't want to use the "opener" strategy."

Source: Jason O. Watson/Getty Images North America

Upsetting players and their makeup does nothing for winning.  The Yankees have had to move a lot of pieces around to support injury holes and keep the team on track.  The A's have had to do some maneuvering themselves, particularly after losing no-hit wonder Sean Manaea.  It is not clear who the A's would start if the one-day playoff was tomorrow.  Keeping guys focused and energized is key if they are going to win.  If the A's feel any kind of mistrust, it could be their undoing.

Source: Stephen Brashear/Getty Images North America

But, we still have another game in Seattle, three in Minnesota before coming home to battle the Toronto Blue Jays and division leading Boston Red Sox.  Is a one-day playoff inevitable?  It appears so.  The Red Sox continue to hold on tightly to their lead at the top of the East and the Yankees are still trying to elevate their lineup to cover up for the missing Aaron Judge and sub-par performances both physically and mentally by Gary Sanchez and Luis Severino.  It is likely the one-day playoff is looming...I just hope it happens and it is in the Bronx and oh yea, that the Yankees win.        

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof