THE MERRY-GO-ROUND STOWERS-GRAY TRADE

Photo of: Josh Stowers

Just when you thought it was done, it wasn't... and then it was, and then we got someone from Seattle.

That's the brilliance of Cashman.  Keeping the cards close to the vest and making the right moves any way he can.

Quick note at this point... and then we move on.  Sonny Gray is gone from the Bronx. I'm sure he's thrilled. I know the Yankee fan base is, and by the way... that's OK.  Gray didn't fit in the Bronx and that happens sometimes.  It doesn't mean he doesn't succeed any place else. I actually think he's a solid pitcher. The problem was the dynamic with he and New York didn't work out. And so... now we move on.

Bryan Hoch writes:

"Sonny Gray is receiving the change of scenery he coveted, shipped to the Reds on Monday afternoon as part of a three-way trade that resulted in the Yankees' acquisition of outfield prospect Josh Stowers from the Mariners. 

Thirteen weeks after general manager Brian Cashman candidly said he was "open-minded" to trading Gray, Cincinnati sent infield prospect Shed Long and a 2019 Competitive Balance Round A pick to the Yankees in exchange for Gray and Minor League left-hander Reiver Sanmartin. 

The Bombers then flipped Long for Stowers, who was Seattle's second-round selection (54th overall) in last year's MLB Draft and was rated as the Mariners' No. 10 prospect by MLB Pipeline."

And just like that, the Yankees improved their future.  And that's the genius of this whole thing. You would think that Gray's value was low, but they almost had Shed Long a solid young prospect, but then they improved even more snagging Josh Stowers. Love it.

In the end Gray is gone.  In the end, we just became a better team.

THERE'S A SNAG IN THE SONNY GRAY TRADE

We are 21 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training and Sonny Gray is still a Yankee, surprisingly. The trade we've heard is going to happen hasn't yet. The Red's and Yankees have agreed on the package for the trade, but it sounds like the Red's are looking for a little more before the deal is final. So, what's the holdup?

Neither team has commented on the close to done deal that would send Gray to the Reds in exchange for second-base prospect Shed Long and a compensatory draft pick. The Reds and Yankees are in agreement with their negotiation....but now the Reds want to negotiate with Gray.

At the end of the season Gray is set to become a free agent. If the Reds are going to send a draft pick and their seventh best prospect who could be MLB ready as early as next season, they want a longer commitment from Gray, so they are trying to negotiate an extension. Jon Heyman tweeted the details over the weekend.

The Reds have been interested in Gray all off season, and maybe the connection with new pitching coach Derek Johnson will make this negotiation with Gray easier. Obviously delaying free agency isn't something players are interested in doing. If Gray went to the Reds with no extension and had an incredible bounce back season he might get a big payday from another team. In that case, the Reds lose a top prospect and a draft pick for a one-year rental if they can't sign Gray in the off season. They are already concerned about attracting pitching as it is.

But the Reds have been making upgrades with one-year rentals all winter. Other recent additions include Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Tanner Roark, and Alex Wood. If the Reds can add Gray to the rotation he would be the third notable pitching addition to the rotation since the Reds acquired Roark from the Nationals and Wood from the Dodgers in other deals last month.

I think negotiating an extension with a player is always hard, but maybe the Reds have reason to be confident here because of the connection with his old pitching coach. This could be a win-win scenario here for the Reds. If they can negotiate another year or two with Gray and he has a bounce back season with them it will be good trade for both sides.

Gray said he wants to "play somewhere you're wanted" and it's clear the Reds want Gray, and reconnecting with Johnson could be the best thing for him. Here's to hoping that we hear some good news at the end of this long holiday weekend.

It's time to move on and get this deal done, best of luck to you Sonny.

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

THE SONNY GRAY SAGA IS ABOUT TO END

Source: NESN

Word on the street is that the Sonny Gray deal is going to drop this weekend, shipping out the 29-year-old pitcher who just could not hack it in the Bronx.  According to Jon Heyman via a post on CBS New York, Cincinnati is the front runner of this trade.

Source: Reds Minor Leagues

"Catcher Tyler Stephenson and Second baseman Shed Long (Cincinnati’s sixth and seventh-best prospects according to MLB.com) are the names rumored to be in a proposed package for Gray."  CBS also reports, "along with the Reds, the Braves, Brewers, Giants, and Padres are all said to still be in the mix for Yankees’ expendable starter."  At the time of this post, the Reds and Yankees appear to have reached an agreement to ship Gray to Cincinnati for a draft pick and Long as reported by Fox Sports New York last night. Apparently, Stephenson will not be part of the deal. Honestly, whatever we are able to recover as a result of unloading Gray is fine with me.  He's better off going somewhere else where he could potentially be successful.

Fans, loyal readers... let's all pause and breathe out a collective sigh of relief.  The Sonny Gray nightmare is over and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I haven't been this relieved since Brian Cashman dumped Tyler Clippard in July 2017, ending that nightmare stint in New York. Ironically, this is just about the time we picked up Gray.  When one door closes, another one opens...didn't work out quite that well for the Yankees.

"The right-hander seemed to implode in every single appearance in the Bronx, pitching to a miserable 6.98 ERA at home. He would eventually be demoted to the bottom of the Yankee bullpen as GM Brian Cashman opted to trade for Lance Lynn rather than give the ball back to Gray," reported CBS. Implode is describing his performances lightly.  Recall how anxious we all got when it was Gray's turn in the rotation. My disgusted face re-appeared often this past season, even a few days before he was expected to take the hill.

As we approach just under three weeks until pitchers and catchers report, let's hope that the storms don't hold back Gray catching a plane and getting out of town to join his new team in time for the upcoming workouts.  No hard feelings, Sonny. It's just time for everyone to move on.  The Sonny Gray Saga is about to end...and that's just one less thing to worry about.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof