WOULD THE YANKEES SETTLE FOR LA STELLA?

 And is that a bad thing?

With still no news about DJ LeMahieu, the Yankees obviously need to figure out who their back up plans can be.  DJ is so versatile, not to mention an incredible table setter for the Yankees, it's really gonna be hard to match a player like him if he and the Yankees can't make a deal.  Enter Tommy La Stella.

NJ.com's Joe Giglio writes:

"This guy just feels like a Yankee. Maybe it’s the name. Maybe it’s his New Jersey roots. This guy is a grinder, on-base machine (.370 in 2020) and has turned into one of the hardest players in baseball to strikeout. La Stella wouldn’t just represent a player than could fill LeMahieu’s shoes in the field and at the top of the order; he would be an effective replacement for Brett Gardner’s kind of approach at the plate."

Pinstripe Alley writes:

"La Stella is what you would call a swing-changer. In reality, what he changed the most was his approach and stance, and it worked wonders for him. You can read more about his transformation here. Basically, he watched hours of video and decided to stand “taller, knees hardly bent at all, with his bat at about a 45-degree angle on his shoulder,” per the OC Register.

In five seasons between 2014 and 2018, he hit 10 home runs in total. Then, after re-working his swing with the Angels in 2019, he hit 16 balls out of the park for a new career-high. No, he isn’t a 35-home run hitter now, but he has decent power, as he drives the ball more often."

But look. All of this bothers me because this replacement, while a very good one, is not the answer. I said it perfectly a few weeks ago... WITH NO LEMAHIEU, YANKS HAVE NO SHOT AT A WORLD SERIES TITLE IN 2021. I'm sticking to that. The Yankees don't have the tools without a guy like DJ...bottom line.

But don't worry Joe Giglio from NJ.com believes the Yankees will be fine. His reasons? These:

"Here are five reasons why.

Yankees can win the division without LeMahieu...

When Brian Cashman puts a dollar valuation on a player, he’s usually right...

This franchise unearths talent now...

Replacement options are there...

Decline at is probably coming soon..."

There's plenty wrong with these 5 reasons, but the big one is that he's wrong. 

Let's face it, guys like Giglio are the same guys that said that picking LeMahieu up in the first place was a bad idea. 2 years later, it's clear looking at his numbers, his ability to get on base, his defense and his ability to come through in the clutch, that no one can replace him, AND/OR the Yankees will have a real hard time winning without him.  Health is an issue on the Yankees. We also need a starting pitcher... just one solid starter can get us over the hump, but need a table setter to win it. DJ is that guy. In short, this is a guess from Giglio and nothing more.

Bottom is this.... La Stella coming to New York would be nice... but it's not DJ nice... he's a hole filler and for me... I'm telling you, I don't see a championship coming to New York if DJ isn't back. We need much more than La Stella... we just do.

YANKS HAD A CHANCE TO SNAG TOMMY LA STELLA & THEY BLEW IT

I'm a huge Tommy La Stella fan.  He was the hungry, energetic second baseman on the Atlanta Braves that I wrote about a while ago.  If you didn't see the report, read about it here. It's called: TOMMY LA STELLA COULD BE A PERFECT FIT FOR NEW YORK. In it, I wrote:

"...I speak of “our guys” a lot here on BYB.   You know, players that you watch move up the ranks and follow, because they're local guys and they’re doing things the others aren’t. They’re guys like a Doug Cinnella in the 90's,  like Rob Segedin, a farmhand now with the Yankees. Guys like a Rob Kaminsky , and if you’re from North Jersey you know him. And even guys like Tommy La Stella, a second baseman prospect for the Atlanta Braves that has the energy, pride and respect for the game like nothing I've seen in a long time...This kid wants it and it’s evident the way he mans the position...I am a Tommy La Stella fan.  He’s courageous, he’s talented and I wish I was able to get him over to New York one day."

That was last March. Here's the reality. The Yankees didn't pull the trigger to try and acquire this guy, and that's because Brian Cashman is hinting our minor leaguers are the answer.  Look, you know me, I'm all for the youth movement. But this post is personal for me, I wanted to see La Stella in pinstripes.  Anyway, Cashman said of the recent vacancy at second base:

"...He specifically mentioned Triple-A standouts Jose Pirela and Robert Refsnyder as a pair of players who could battle for the starting second base job in 2015.

'As long as they’re developing, they’re going to get a chance,' Cashman said. 'The last few years there’s been less of an opportunity because there have been less obvious candidates. We’ve had, to some degree, some failures, whether it’s in our development or our drafting or our signing internationally that caused a little bit of a black hole that everybody obviously knows and we acknowledge.'”

Here's the thing, I don't trust what Cashman is hinting. I'm sticking with my theme. It's my opinion that Yankee farm is bred to be traded.  I am not for it, I'm suggesting the Yankees don't give them enough of an opportunity.  So, if Cashman is going to commit, then commit. I support the idea of Rob Refsnyder, but my gut says the Yankees may not give him a shot.  That's why in the back of my mind, I was thinking about Tommy La Stella, a Major League second baseman, battle tested and still very young and still very hungry.

Now there's the thing, maybe Cash IS serious about Refsnyder or Pirela filling the hole. I applaud it. The only way that it's in line with the "youth movement", is because Cashman and the Yankees passed on La Stella, who was now acquired by the Cubs.  It's been reported here:

Cubs acquired INF Tommy La Stella and ATL's No. 4 international signing bonus slot for RHP Arodys Vizcaino and 3 int. signing bonus slots
— Mark Gonzales (@MDGonzales) November 16, 2014

Gonzales is from the Chicago Tribune.

What's the point of this post? Simply to say, "Hey Cash, I'm holding you to it.  You passed on a great young, hungry second baseman and floated Refsnyder and Pirela in our faces. Now we want to see action.  Don't break our hearts."

We're ready for the youth movement in Yankeeland. But if on Opening Day, we end up with some 38 year old second baseman of the scrap heap and Refsnyder and Pirela end up back on the farm...

I will come right back to this post and highlight the fact that we passed on a young sensation who wants the opportunity. Tommy La Stella.

Congrats to the Cubs.  They got a good one here.

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!

GRIND IT! IN BASEBALL, IN LIFE!

I have always been a fan of hard work and dedication.  It's never easy and for such a long time I searched for heroes in my life, be it my dad or athletes like Robin Yount, Rickey Henderson, Rod Carew, Ron Guidry or Jorge Posada. Watching these guys play the game... watching their approach, their passion... it made me realize that if you wanted something bad enough, there was nothing you couldn't do.  Baseball translates to life in so many ways and we've talked about that here at BYB plenty. Well... we're about to talk about it again...

I have immediately gravitated toward new heroes... heroes for my own son who is now playing in a more competitive league and finding obstacles all around him.  Guys like Ty Hensley. Guys like Tommy La Stella.  Guys like Mason Williams or a guy like Dean Anna, a 6-year minor leaguer, and a guy who wants to make it big with the Yanks.  He wants to go pro and be on the biggest stage... playing in the Big Apple. 

Look, breaking in with the Yankees is tricky. The Yankees sometimes remind me of David and Goliath and what I mean by that is, you have a team that for as long as I can remember, has always had the big names in baseball.  They were Free Agent giants that made their names in New York.  From Reggie Jackson to Tino Martinez, the list goes on and on. Be it big trades or big signing, the Yanks collected established talent. Then, when youngsters in Yankeeland work their way through the farm system and finally are ready to make it to the Bigs, sure, the Yanks will "give them a look", but because these giants are already in pinstripes, mucking up their finances, well, it ain't easy for those kids to break through.  That's why we see our youth being traded away.  It's hard for the Yankees to keep them around, especially when Yankee brass salivates over what other options are out there.

Look at 2009 when we signed CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher?  We didn't make the playoffs with what we had in 2008 and we didn't give the farm a chance to blossom.  So we went big.

We did it again this winter, and sure, while the Yanks will sprinkle some youth around Masahiro Tanaka and Brian McCann, there are plenty of talented youngsters in the minor leagues ready to burst with energy!

Look, I'm not faulting the Yankee way. All I'm doing is stating the mere fact that sometimes it doesn't matter how much true talent you have in a place like New York. Sometimes teams are just set in their ways. The Yankees... they're set in their ways.

But I root for the believer anyway.  I root for the ones that work their tails off and still see themselves at the top of the mountain wearing pinstripes, even though the odds might be against them. That type of dedication gets me all fuzzy inside.  Jorge Posada was never a guy many believed in, at least that's what I thought.  But you know who believed in him? He did.  His teammates did. And the Core Four did as well because they're all now famous because of their work ethic...together.  Thank God for that.  Thank God for guys like Bernie Williams, who refused to take criticism of his talent personally.  All he did was work harder and became an outstanding center fielder.

Posada told us in his interview with BYB: "I would always say 'Grind it!'", and that hat brim picture that you see at the top of this post? That's my son's hat.  We wrote "Grind it" in there to keep him inspired and keep him motivated.  

Look. It's hard being a parent. We sometimes forget just how much pressure there is as a kid, even though, there shouldn't be pressure at all.  It's hard to explain to an 11-year-old that you have to work hard, because, for as long as that son or daughter has been alive, we, the parents, were always helping them.  Now, suddenly it's them alone on the baseball diamond. We're on the sidelines. The words "work hard" seem too easy. The work... well, that's harder, and they have to do it for themselves.  Again... baseball and life are parallel.  Overtime, my son becomes frustrated, and it becomes a struggle of me explaining that life's not easy and either is baseball.  Sometimes... you just need to "Grind it." It's getting there that is exhausting.

Rickey Henderson was my guy growing up. I remember as a kid, I found an Ad in Beckett Monthy for a baseball card shop in San Diego. I remember it because it was the biggest Ad on the page. I remember writing them a letter at about 12 years old and I asked them for a catalog. I remember the first thing I ordered was a Rickey Henderson 8 x 10.  It went on my wall. Rickey was with the Oakland A's at the time and I didn't care. He was my idol.  He was the guy I wanted to be.  I practiced sprints in my yard.  I wet the grass next to a base I made, a brick, and practiced sliding for hours by myself.  Why? Because I wanted to be the fastest kid in Little League.  I wanted to be Rickey Henderson.  And you know what? I was... for a while and that gave me confidence.  

After a while, I was hitting, pitching and even played shortstop as a left hander.  Why? Because I had confidence and because I wanted to also be like another hero of mine... Robin Yount. Sure, he may have been a righty, but it didn't matter to me... I had to learn it.  Well, I remember the day the I got my first double play and for a while there, I figured out how to play shortstop backwards. I achieved something big... but it wasn't easy. Again... Confidence.

What's my point to this? "Grind it", that's my point.  It's baseball season.  There are alot kids that don't think they're up to snuff and want to quit right about now, your kid could be one of them.  All I'm saying is, take the time to look them in the eye and explain how the world works. Explain goals... explain falling down and getting back up... and explain confidence. If you do, they will run through a brick wall.  It's starts with confidence. Once they have that, a strikeout once in a while won't matter anymore.  Giving up a home run on an 0-2 pitch will slid off their back.  If they have confidence... if they "Grind it", they will be successful... in baseball... in life.

I leave you with this, from 2 people I adore.  My wife and I became friends with this couple through baseball and our families are tighter than ever since we met last summer. Our boys played together.  I take this quote below to heart, because I love coaching kids, teaching kids and allowing them to understand confidence.  I believe that if you allow a child to work hard for you and you show them respect, there is nothing they won't do on the diamond for you. In short, it's about getting them understand how important "trying" and working hard is.  It's a quote from our pal Joe Girardi:

Grind it! Sure, maybe you lose the game, but trust me... you won.

TOMMY LA STELLA COULD BE A PERFECT FIT FOR NEW YORK

Sure, the Yankees have Brian Roberts at second these days since Robinson Cano took the money and moved to Seattle.  Now, we all know that Cano is a great second baseman, but never exactly had the fire in the belly, at least that's what I think.  He did it with ease, and that’s probably what annoyed me all these years about Cano.  Anyway, look, it’s not our problem anymore if you love Yankeeland. The talented second baseman found a new home… and life goes on.

The only reason why I’m even bringing it up is because there is a kid that I’m absolutely gushing over… and the kid's homegrown, meaning, from my area.  I speak of “our guys” a lot here on BYB.   You know, players that you watch move up the ranks and follow, because they're local guys and they’re doing things the others aren’t. 

(In Photo: Doug Cinnella)
They’re guys like a Doug Cinnella in the 90's,  like Rob Segedin, a farmhand now with the Yankees. Guys like a Rob Kaminsky , and if you’re from North Jersey you know him. And even guys like Tommy La Stella, a second baseman prospect for the Atlanta Braves that has the energy, pride and respect for the game like nothing I've seen in a long time.

This kid wants it and it’s evident the way he mans the position.

I was reading Mark Bowman of MLB.com the other day, in fact it was from his March 18th article, right around the time the Yanks played Atlanta.  In it, La Stella talks about finding his way through baseball. He spoke of his loving family, and believing in himself and what he could accomplish on the diamond. Bowman’s subtitle says it simply, but then expands quite well on what could possibly be the most recent bright moment in North Jersey baseball.  The subtitle… “Braves second baseman beginning to knock on door of the big leagues.” Sure, but that’s just the start.  Have you seen this guy turn 2? Have you seen this guy hit? He’s a warrior, he's scrappy and he needs the proper recognition he deserves. What I would do to get him to the Bronx if I was Brian Cashman. This kid's got a future.

There are some unique quotes from this kid, and good job by Mark Bowman. Check this out: “… As La Stella has impressed during his first big league camp and created further reason to wonder when he might be given a shot to serve as Atlanta's starting second baseman, he has not lost sight of what he learned when his parents forced him to get a job after he abruptly quit playing baseball during the summer leading into his senior year at St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, N.J.

"It was really a perspective issue," La Stella said of his decision to briefly stop playing. "It was one of those things where I really didn't understand just how blessed and fortunate I was to be able to do what I had been doing. It took me stepping away from the game and realizing that I'm very lucky and fortunate to be able to do.

'Thank God for my parents, because they made me go out and get a job. Getting the job really gave me the perspective I needed to really get back into it and realize that I have a gift and [I was] wasting my talent.'

…his parents did not allow him to remain idle. Instead, they led him through a job search that ultimately landed him employment at a farm stand.

Along with delivering bales of hay that would be used for Halloween arrangements, La Stella had a wide range of responsibilities, none of which was more influential than the task of feeding an uncooperative donkey.

'Every night when I would go to feed this donkey, as I was carrying that bucket of food out there, I was thinking, 'What am I doing?'' La Stella said. 'I could be playing ball…'”

I love this kid. It's a great life lesson as well. Look, sometimes you actually need to step away from something you love to realize what you actually have.  Kudos to Bowman for capturing that moment. Kudos to La Stella for opening his eyes and seeing the big picture.  If he didn’t, who knows if he would be trying to make it to the Bigs these days. He could have been pumping gas.

La Stella’s an inspiration to all kids.  We all have kids in our own lives struggling in sports, many of us do at least. As they get older, the competition becomes tougher. That’s when frustration builds. That’s when there’s a drop off and that’s when you see who the champions really are.  "The quitters find a new hobby or new activity… the champions work and climb the mountain", or so they say.   It’s hard as hell to stay with it, that's for sure. Sometimes, like La Stella, you need to walk away to see the big picture… but never quit on yourself.  Believe.

I am a Tommy La Stella fan.  He’s courageous, he’s talented and I wish I was able to get him over to New York one day. Who knows, maybe they're eyeing him right now. Maybe the Braves aren't interested in giving him away either.  The Yanks could use his youth, desire and perseverance.  He’s got guts and I want you all to follow this kid wherever he ends up… he’s got his head on straight… like Ty Hensley, like Dante Bichette, like Tyler Austin… all these kids want are chances.  They’re working their tails off… they believe, they’re just looking for the window of opportunity.  Hopefully La Stella gets his chance…I’m pulling for him.

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!