YANKEES DUMP OTTAVINO TO THE RED SOX

And now it's pretty positive that Adam Ottavino is the best damn reliver the Red Sox have. No question actually. Yup... it's rare, but it does happen. The Yankees and the Sox have made trades before.

In 2014, it was Red Sox receiving Kelly Johnson and the Yankees getting Stephen Drew and cash.

In 1994 the Red Sox got money in the Scott Bankhead deal. 

In 1986, the Red Sox got DH Don Baylor and the Yankees got DH Mike Easler.

And it happened several times before that. all the way back to Babe Ruth.  So yeah... it doesn't happen a lot, but it does happen.  

But the biggest concern I and several others have is that we hope that Ottavino doesn't suddenly become a superstar and this trade screws us down the road. I guess you have to roll the dice on it.

Anyway... NJ.com writes:

"Ottavino was 2-3 with a 5.89 ERA in 24 appearances with the Yankees in 2020. He was stellar for most of the 2019 season, his first in a three-year, $27 million deal, but had a rough September and terrible postseason.

With most of Ottavino’s salary off the books, Cashman will be able to add one or two more significant pieces and stay under this year’s $210 million luxury-tax threshold."

So there you have it... Ottavino... GONZO. And life moves on.

A PUNDIT REPENTS AS THE YANKEE BANDWAGON PICKS UP STEAM

(May 1, 2017 - Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)    

A key aspect of this rebuilding Yankee team  I was looking forward to watching most this season were its dual dimensions of a team playing with nothing to lose coupled with the unexpected contributions that would surely come from a sea change in composition and chemistry.

A dangerous combination. And they haven't disappointed.

Sure, there's some young members of this team that have been slow to get started who will eventually come around. And there's definitely one member of the old guard who shall remain nameless (but tops the payroll in salary this year)  who should plan on retiring immediately following the conclusion of Game 162 whether the team makes the postseason or not.

Photo: MLB.com

But it seems like for the most part the veterans have played like  the backs of their  most collectible baseball cards while the benchers with no cards in their past and likely no place in the team's future plans have played three feet over their caps and potentially ignited new careers for thmselves.

So all in all, so far it's been about what I expected:  An almost complete surprise from one day to the next. One hell of a ride.

Another unexpected surprise: A bonafide bandwagon.

It feels like years since our last one. I almost forgot what that felt like; when it seems like everyone in the world is scopelocked on our guys and even our most casual fans start paying close attention and  our doubters start believing and our believers start talking in tongues to one another. And the haters -- they just shut the heck up.

It always takes me by surprise when it happens because I'm always the guy rally-capping and calling for a dink, a doink and a dinger when we're down late. You don't look behind you when you're that guy  because there's usually either just empty seats or people looking at you and shaking their heads like you're deluded.

But then that moment arrives when  you suddenly realize you and your small band of hardcore fanatics are not alone. It can be quite a shock.

Photo: Getty Images

I sensed that moment may have arrived for this Yankees team Wednesday night shortly after Judge's history-making (aren't they all now?) 13th bomb into the Monument Park netting when Chris Carter awkwardly fought off an inside pitch to bloop an RBI single over the heads of a drawn-in infield and tied the game 6-6.

Photo: Getty Images

Chris friggin' Carter. The $3.5 million home run king they love to hate. The walking whiff  who just days ago nobody wanted to replace a kid hitting .100.  The  Stephen Drew rental for a new generation.  Came through with a dying quail that didn't even reach the outfield grass. And the reaction?

No more cracks. No more sarcasm, live or online. Just wild applause and appreciation. And acceptance. Heck, he's even hitting over the Mendoza line.

For better or worse,  Carter's a Yankee now.

Another sign of the bandwagon's arrival? When pundits who made bad bets elsewhere start liking your chances.

Photo of Ken Davidoff /Twitter

After the game, in an article titled "Blue Jays’ trash may lead to Yankees’ playoff treasure," the Post's Ken Davidoff  performed a mea culpa and post-mortem on his preseason prediction the Bue Jays would win the AL pennant; then went on to explain the Yankees's suddenly plausible path to the division title.

"The second-most astounding statistic to result from this game? The Blue Jays, widely regarded as a serious contender before the season started (that Davidoff guy from The Post has them making the World Series), dropped to 9-19 — the worst record in the majors — after blowing 4-0 and 6-3 advantages."

Davidoff's change of heart toward the pinstripes  wasn't the first I've seen, but it was the first I've seen that acknowledged a legit shot at the division  -- which got me wondering about something.

With the mass layoffs over at the worldwide leader  in Bristol, Connecticut recently, how many picked the Yankees to take the division?

I dug up ESPN's big baseball preview and, out of 35 in-house baseball experts, whaddayaknow?

Just one --  Steve Wulf --   picked the Yankees to take the Beast this year.

When asked why, he replied: "A nice blend of youth and experience, speed and power. And then there's the DNA -- the last time the Yankees went four years without finishing first was 1993."

More than 100 people have been given the boot at ESPN, but Wulf's still got his job.

Why am I not surprised?

 --Barry Millman
BYB Writer
Twitter: @nyyankeefanfore

WAS LETTING CANO GO A MISTAKE?

(Sept. 29, 2016 - Source: Stephen Brashear/Getty Images North America)

When you look at Robinson Cano's numbers last season, and his return to good, solid baseball, you gotta wonder.  The New York Daily News writes this:

"Ex-Yankee Robinson Cano returned to dominance in 2016, belting a career-high 39 home runs, triple-slashing .298/.350/.533 and ranking sixth in all of baseball with an ESPN Wins Above Replacement of 7.3.

Cano is now three seasons into his 10-year, $240 million contract with the Mariners. And so far — with the exception of the first three months of 2015, when he battled a reported stomach illness and struggled as a result — it's worked out very well for Seattle."

(Sept. 27, 2016 - Source: Bob Levey/Getty Images North America)    

OK... fair enough, but how good has it really been for Seattle?  In 2014 they finished 3rd, 2015 they finished 4th and in 2016 they finished 2nd.  Sure, maybe there is progression there with Cano improving in 2016, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows.

(April 5, 2014 - Source: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America)

And yes, on the Yankees side, it didn't really work out well either yet.  Jacoby Ellsbury when healthy is good, but when is he healthy? I mean, every Yankee fan I know was yelling about that signing.  And at second base, there hasn't been a good replacement.  Stephen Drew was a mess... again... another guy Yankee fans didn't want and remember that moment we had Brian Roberts?

(Sept. 13, 2016 - Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

But here's the difference... there's movement toward improvement. The Yankees are looking future.  The Yankees have Starlin Castro, to me a clearly "temporary piece" as they wait for the youngsters.  And those youngsters are Jorge Mateo and Gleyber Torres.

Photo of Jorge Mateo: NJ.com File

Now we all know Torres is the Yankees minor league shortstop and he is in the future, but these kids are almost ready for major league play. Mateo is a second baseman, Torres could play it if the Yankee choose to go that route, but the good news is, we have pieces that can very well be dominant, maybe even better than Robinson Cano.  If Cano was in the Yankees second base spot, it's possibly we may never see those guys, and that's all I'm saying.

Photo of Gleyber Torres

Cano wanted way too much money and the Yankees turned their back on him because they didn't like the asking price and didn't think he had a lot left.  We will have to see if that move was truly smart.  But for now, us Yankee fans are excited about the future youth. 

Right now, if you need to compare teams and all they accomplished giving away Cano and getting him... the jury is still out as far as I'm concerned.

That should not sway you from NOT reading the Daily News piece.  It's HERE.  Mike Mazzeo does a great job breaking it all down.  Please check it out.


 

JOE GIRARDI & THE JOB HE'S DOING

(July 28, 2015 - Source: Tom Pennington/Getty Images North America)

With the daily tales of Jose Quintana sounding more and more like a byproduct of Jose Cuervo and little else, I got to thinking some more about our big splash re-signing of Aroldis Chapman.

(May 8, 2016 - Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

It was exactly a year ago the Yankees first signed him to create the super bullpen combo with Dellin and Andrew known as No Runs DMC. The word 'rebuild' wasn't even in our vocabulary yet, and the word 'prospects' still referred to our chances for a postseason run.

From blockbuster trade piece for a potential playoff contender, to trade piece for a bunch of kids we hope have a future in the Bigs... and then back again to a team stripped of it's top draws and more question marks than when he left. What a difference a year makes, huh?

Looking back at Aroldis's dizzying journey also made me realize that this winter marks the end of the third year of Joe Girardi's four-year deal, and as we enter it's final season -- the extra one Joe extracted from the team by leveraging interest from his hometown Cubs, I wonder where all the turbulent change his team is undergoing may send Joe's career careening next.

I'm a fan of Joe. I really am.

(May 19, 2016 - Source: Getty Images North America)

I know about all the handicaps he's had to overcome and the better-than-expected finishes he's performed. But I also know that if the team is truly evaluating all its assets and liabilities moving forward, the manager's position has an impact on the daily success of the product on the field. That can not be ignored.

It seemed to me that Joe would stick with a cold bat way too long or sit a hot one way too fast...OR keep a dead arm in the rotation and send a live one to the pen, based more on the number of zeros in their contract and their years of MLB service than their numbers on the score card!

And was it really beyond his authority to order two of our leading base stealers to actually try and steal a bag a little more frequently when they both underwent mid-career psychoses and decided it was more comfortable for them to remain glued to their bases until the next hitter moved them over?

And what about all those phony spring training "competitions" for the starting rotation and catchers when everyone knew the outcomes in advance -- especially the youngsters who invariably were the losers, despite often being the winners in the scorecards? Does "Competition always brings out the best" ring a bell?

I bet that was great for morale. The stories those kids brought back with them to the farm when they got sent down must've been priceless.

(Aug. 29, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)

Heck, maybe I'm just not privy to the proprietary metrics that informed him Stephen Drew really was the best option at second base in the entire organization, for the entire year. Meanwhile we all saw he was the worst hitting second basemen in the league.

Maybe a good players' manager does these things. Maybe there's old-school wisdom to his play-it-safe strategy. Or maybe he was only following orders from Brian and Yankee brass. I've given him a pass for years using that one myself.

(Oct. 1, 2016 - Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America)

But you know what? Joe's always saying: “My job is to manage the guys in the room.’’ I think he's telling the truth. It's one of his go-to lines whenever he's asked if he's being ordered to play stiffs over warm bodies or whenever he's asked to pontificate about rumored trades.

So in this, his final year, that pass is rescinded. From now on whenever Joe says things like that -- and particularly whenever he manages like that -- I'm taking him at his word. It's his job. His choices. His wins. His losses. Period.

(Sept. 16, 2014 - Source: Brian Blanco/Getty Images North America)

Three years ago this winter, Joe signed a four-year extension with the Yankees rather than jump to an almost certain gig with the Cubs because he "absolutely" believed the Yankees would win another World Series before his deal expired. And here we are three years later, the Cubs have their ring and the Yankees are having dreams about a pitcher named Quintana who likely still wouldn't be the final piece in their championship puzzle.

Joe's loyal, I'll give him that. Funny thing about that "competition always brings out the best" thing, though. It can also bring out the worst.

The heartbeat of the next Yankees dynasty will be the young bloods who start coming up this season. Whether Joe hears it or not, I believe, will decide if he'll be allowed to compete with them any further.

 --Barry Millman
BYB Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @nyyankeefanfore
 

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STARLIN CASTRO: KEEPER OR ON THE BLOCK?

Starlin Castro came to us following a set of seasons where the Yankees were dreadful at second base. If it wasn't Stephen Drew hitting below .200 for almost his entire tenure as a Yankee, it was the defensive liability of Rob Refsnyder. The Yankees were able to salvage Refsnyder's hot bat by finding other places in the field and in the lineup for him to play, but Drew was sent packing and rightfully so. The Yankees acquired Castro in a trade last year from the Cubs in a trade, but some are asking whether or not the Yankees should turn around and put him out there for offers.

Even though Castro was a huge step up from Drew, let's not kid ourselves. He is not an All-Star or even in the conversation. No matter how you look at him, except for his salary, he runs about middle of the pack. Second basemen are hard to find, so you cannot blame the Yankees for acquiring him for the dollars they are paying. Still, if they found someone better, they could shop him around. That, however, is a big if.

The way the free agent market is shaping up, you 're not going to find a good second baseman at a reasonable price. Chase Utley made $7M in 2016 and will likely make more with his postseason experience. At age 38, he is also an injury liability, and we already have enough of those. His 2016 WAR of 2.0 compared to Castro's 1.1 makes it hardly an upgrade. Neil Walker had a WAR of 3.7, but taking on a salary comparable to his 2016 salary of $10.55M would be going in the wrong direction for the Yankees.

Then there's the trading block. The Yankees could probably get something good for him. But getting another (better) second baseman would be a stretch. If they do not get another second baseman, the Yankees also have absolutely no one in their system to take his place. The best option right now would be Ronald Torreyes. He is an exciting player to watch, but the Yankees would be rolling the dice if they made him the starting everyday second baseman. The best minor league prospects in the farm system are at least a few years away, assuming they ever pan out.

So while it might be tempting to think about a second base upgrade, the options just aren't there. Besides, Castro has been pulling his weight, doing a good job with the bat (.270 Avg, 21 HR, 70 RBI) and a decent job in the field (Fielding pct .980, where the league average for second basemen is .983). There has also been no drama with him, getting his work done, and trying to help the Yankees improve. This one's a keeper.

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

IN DEFENSE OF JOE GIRARDI

I have always been a Joe Girardi fan. From his playing days to the present, I believe in G.I. Joe. Yes, he is lousy with the media. You can see the disdain he holds for the beat writers as they smugly badger him after games. His Northwestern Engineering degree wasn’t an accident. The man is SMART. My friends, that is a fact. He played the game. He was a Manager of the Year. Joe KNOWS Baseball. He is also a good person. NOBODY has ever said one bad word about the guy as a father, friend and teammate. That, in my opinion, is the measure of a man. Is he always right? NO. Emphatically no. But the Old Professor, Billy Martin and even the Great Joe Torre made BIG mistakes in their careers as Yankee managers.

So now we come to what I like to call “THE WORLD vs. JOE GIRARDI” in regards to the handling of ARod. This is the same ARod that once ripped Derek Jeter in a GQ article. It is the very same ARod that has juiced for the majority of his career (if you believe MLB). This is the guy who pretty much always put himself before anyone else.

Yes, he has done a remarkable job of repairing his image. I also believe Al has learned many lessons and IS actually sorry for what he’d done in the past. BUT as my Dad says, “Once the damage is done you can’t put a timetable on how long it will take others to forgive and forget.” HE IS 100% right.

Make no mistake, the “Baseball Writers” that are backing ARod aren’t doing it because they like him. They are doing it because they are just the same glorified TMZ hacks that I have always seen them as. It’s not about Alex. It’s not about Joe. It’s not about The New York Yankees. It’s about getting the juicy “Days of Our Lives” type story that they rush to print or post before the next guy. This isn’t about Baseball. 

If it were, we read how JOE GIRARDI is doing a great job with a less than great team. The only consistent thing Joe has had this year has been AWFUL inconsistency! The Yankees are old, hurt, underachieving, overpaid and usually flat. Sure, Didi has been great. Cash and Co. did a great job re-seeding the farm and the future may be bright…but these Yankees are not an easy ship to steer.

The staff is baffling. Big Mike should be an ace…he isn’t. Nate is truly nasty…and then gets lit up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. They punted on Nova. CC has done well with spit and tape holding him together long enough to learn to pitch in a new way…but the coach WILL turn back into a pumpkin at the stroke of midnight. Sevy is a kid and needs A LOT of work. And then Masahiro…well, should we just make the week 8 days for his sake?

I lost my mind when Alex wasn’t in the game at Fenway the other night. Aaron Hicks is HORRIBLE. Alex could literally play his position. I. AM. NOT. KIDDING. Yes, it’d be a disaster, but have you watched Hicks? Now Alex eventually played at Fenway, but it took a while.

And then there is Tex. Well, I wish him well in life after baseball. He is, from what I’ve heard, a good guy and he was a really good player. But he doesn’t hit AT ALL either. Why not let Al DH and put McCann at 1st? Well, Joe is still trying to win…he says. He isn’t wrong. UNBELIEVABLY the Bombers are still in it. No, I don’t fully believe that…but it’s not impossibility. Joe also doesn’t seem to think AL can help. He’s the manager. Is it personal? Maybe it is. And we blame Joe?

Remember Alex Rodriguez made this bed. It’s not like Joe is benching the 2007 version of ARod. He is sitting a guy who now hits like Stephen Drew and can’t field.

 The question then becomes, “Why didn’t HE do it to Jeets?!” Seriously? You wanna go there? Okay. Derek Jeter was like Joe Montana. Even in decline he made the guys around him believe. He still hit over .200 and HE WAS DEREK JETER! The Captain. The Jeter argument doesn’t hold the dirty water in the Charles River. Alex, much to his dismay, is NOT Jeter. He never was, and the 700 dingers won’t get him closer…not one bit.

Now, do I want to see Al out there at 3rd a few more times? Yep. I want to see him hit a couple bombs and go out with a smile on his face. I like Alex. I like to see people learn a lesson and comeback to be better people. I think ARod has done that. But the bottom line is he doesn’t help the club (HICKS, TEX, McCANN, HEADLEY etc… don’t much either) and Joe makes the calls. I believe in Girardi. I admire him for fighting the good fight. I will miss Alex Rodriguez. 

Not the way I miss Paulie, Jeet, Andy, Mo and Jorge…but still. He was one of the greatest, natural talents EVER to play this game. I just wish it was different…and I think Joe Girardi does too.

** Alex Rodriguez IS the Man of the Hour…unfortunately his story is kind of as sad as this great Pearl Jam song. Goodbye, Al. You were truly something to watch.**

  
  
--Mike O'Hara, Senior "Features" Writer 
Follow me on Twitter: @mikeyoh21