YANKEE UPGRADES & DOWNGRADES: PART ONE

The Position Players

In this our year of dwindling hopes and expectations, I thought what better time than to take a look at whether the Yankees have actually upgraded or downgraded with the acquisitions they’ve made.  Given their recent performance on the field, I think I know what overall conclusion I’ll come to, but I’m hoping that I’m wrong.

I’ll start at catcher.

Brian McCann was signed to a five-year deal and replaces Chris Stewart.  Last year Stewart was the epitome of futility at the plate (he hit .211) and behind it (he was second in passed balls with 12).

To date, McCann is hitting .238 with 13 home runs (Stewart had four) and has 8 passed balls while throwing out 43% of runners attempting to steal (Stewart had a 31% rate).  Given the increase in productivity as well as the better threat to throw runners out, I’ll label this acquisition an UPGRADE.

Let’s move to second base....

We started the season with Brian Roberts taking over for the richly departed Robinson Cano.  From the outset expectations were low, and Roberts pretty much met those.  He hit .237 and had a .974 fielding percentage.  That represented a significant drop in production from the position and there was only one label that could be given:  DOWNGRADE

When Roberts’ struggles appeared to be more permanent than temporary, GM Brian Cashman acquired Stephen Drew from the Red Sox and the Yankees declared that Drew would be their second baseman even though he had never played the position.

For whatever reason, many in media considered the Drew acquisition to be a much needed upgrade and had been calling for it from the moment the 2014 campaign began.

As a Yankee, Stephen Drew is hitting .154 and has a .947 fielding percentage at second base.  Sorry, but I’m failing to see where the upgrade occurred.  I’m labeling the Drew experiment a DOWNGRADE from Roberts (didn’t think that was even possible).

At third base we started the year with a combination of Yangervis Solarte and Kelly Johnson.  They were taking the hot corner over from the suspended Alex Rodriguez.  Solarte began the season on fire, and for a few brief weeks excitement grew over the possibility of his future in the Bronx.  Johnson, a multi-positional player, hit for a low average and struck out once every four at-bats.  Eventually Solarte cooled off and Johnson never really got going.  By the end of July both were traded elsewhere (Johnson to the Red Sox for Drew, Solarte to the Padres).  As much as I hate to do it, I’ll label this position another DOWNGRADE from Rodriguez to the collection of players that manned the position through July of this season.

At the end of July, the Yankees traded Solarte to the San Diego Padres for Chase Headley.  For a few years the Yankees had admired Headley from a distance, and finally they found the right time and player to land him.

Since coming to the Yankees, Headley has hit .250 and played a flawless third base (he has yet to make an error in the field as a Bomber).  He has also been called upon to play first base in five games and has done it well.  As of right now, the Headley trade can be deemed a success, and I’ll consider it an UPGRADE over Johnson/Solarte.

In the outfield there has been a couple of major pieces added that we need to take a look at.

First, there is Jacoby Ellsbury.  The former Red Sox centerfielder was signed in the offseason by Brian Cashman to a seven-year deal.  While he takes over at center field for Brett Gardner, he really isn’t replacing Gardner.  Instead, the addition of Ellsbury allows “Gardy” to move back to the left field – a spot where three years ago he made himself one of the best. 

As center fielder for the Yankees, Ellsbury has hit .278 and stolen 31 bases.  In the field he has been nearly flawless (one error in 305 chances).   He is hitting .296 with runners in scoring position (RISP), leading the regulars on the team in that category.  Initially slotted to bat at the top of the order, his success coupled with Gardner’s has allowed manager Joe Girardi to put Ellsbury in the heart of the lineup. 

Even though he has an occasional “slump” at the plate, overall Jacoby’s play is solid and he gives the Yankees a much needed spark both in the order and in the field.  He is an UPGRADE over former Yankees star Alfonso Soriano (who played left field until Gardner could move there).

In 2013, Ichiro Suzuki was the primary right fielder for the Yankees, with occasional starts from the likes of Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay, Ben Francisco et al.  Overall Ichiro hit .262 and played decently in the field, but he isn’t what he once was.  This offseason Cashman signed Carlos Beltran to a three-year deal.   At 37, Beltran is not much younger than Suzuki (he’s 40) and certainly not as durable.  He has managed to play in 85 games (of 118) and continues to be bothered by various aches and pains.  When Beltran rests, Ichiro has occupied right field and hit .277.  You’ll never have to worry about Ichiro missing time to injury – he keeps himself prepared to play at any time.

While the potential is there for Beltran to be an upgrade on the position, to date I have to label it as yet another DOWNGRADE as he has not lived up to expectations.  Quite honestly, given his age, he may never be what Cashman envisioned.  His best days are behind him.

Overall, the reviews are mixed as to whether GM Cashman has really upgraded this team.  From an everyday player perspective, it would appear he has not.  The slight upgrades at catcher and third base are more than off-set by downgrades at second base alone.  In our next article, we’ll take a look at the UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES in the pitching staff.

Let us know your opinion!  Do you agree or disagree with our assessment?  We want to hear from you!

    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1


 
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THAT ALEX RIOS RUMOR KEEPS POPPING UP

The latest out of Texas is that the Rangers would like to trade Alex Rios.  The Yankees have been linked to this guy for a few days now.  I need to tell you though, While Rios and his numbers are good in Texas, I almost feel like it's gonna be Vernon Wells "lite". Then again, we need a bat... and maybe Rios is the guy, especially if we don't give up a lot. 

Now, just to be clear, I liked Wells, I really did. I just don't know why he didn't catch fire in New York last season. Now there is an opportunity to get a bat in Alex Rios. But the question is, do we need this guy?

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.com:

Among teams that have checked in on #Rangers’ Rios, from my sources and @jonmorosi’s: #Mariners, #SFGiants, #Yankees, #Reds.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2014

Now the bigger question is... what do Yankee fans want?

Can he help us?

What do you think? Comment.

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THE BELTRAN "TOLD YA SO" SHOW

Now look, I'm not gonna jump on the bandwagon about how we all knew Carlos Beltran would get hurt. I mean, the fact of the matter is, we all knew it, but no one wanted to say it.  I would not have predicted a bone spur in his elbow though... my God.  It's ridiculous when you think about all the bad luck we have. 

Beltran at this point in his Yankee career reminds me already of the Travis Hafners and Vernon Wells types of the Yankees past. I hate spending big money on guys only for them to go to the DL. It annoys me,  and that is exactly what has happened to our friend Carlos Beltran.

According to Matt Snyder of CBSSports.com, "Carlos Beltran has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a bone spur in his right elbow, the club announced Thursday... Earlier this week, an MRI revealed a bone spur in Beltran's right elbow. Initially, the Yankees hoped to keep him off the disabled list, but he obviously hasn't made any improvement in the last few days. Surgery is a possibility, though Beltran and the Yankees would like to avoid it. If he does have surgery, the recovery timetable is six to eight weeks (via Sweeny Murti)."

So what does it all mean?  Well, it means another power bat out of the lineup.  That's the bad news.  The good news is Ichiro Suzuki may get more playing time and it's moments like this that we DEFINITELY need and CHAMPIONED the idea here at BYB that Ichiro should never be traded out of New York. When big guys go down, it's guys like Ichiro that step up and he's the perfect, reliable replacement for times like this.

And sure, before you scream at this post and accuse me of not knowing about Ichiro's "hurt back", know this... Ichi is day to day and while Soriano was the right fielder this week, Ichiro will be back and ready to roll.  Don't panic.

Anyway, we hope Carlos gets well soon, but it's my prediction, and my knowledge of how the Yankees operate, that Carlos Beltran will be out of the lineup a helluva lot longer that we all think.

Whatever the case... get well soon Mr. Beltran.

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STAY PATIENT YANKEE FANS, THE TIDE IS TURNING

OK, so we were all Gung-Ho with pupils dilated about the 2014 version of our Bronx Bombers going into Opening Day. 

Except our workhorse ace laid an egg, giving up six runs before the filled stadium seats were warm.

 Not a problem, we’ll get the next one we said.  After all, our consistent “Mr. Reliable”, Hiroki Kuroda, would return our world back to its expected orbit.

Only our offense fell on its face, going 0-10 with runners in scoring position (RISP).  Flashbacks to a lineup anchored by Overbay, Stewart, and Wells have begun to haunt us.

Fear not Yankees fans, there are still 160 games to play.

On my drive into work yesterday morning, I was listening to the MLB network on my XM Radio.  A worried Yankee follower (“Frank”) called in lamenting the plight of our new lead-off hitter Jacoby Ellsbury, who is zero for the season after the first two games.  He pointed out the amount of money we are spending on the former Red Sox outfielder and that “he’d better start hitting…”

Having either played baseball or followed baseball all of my life, my response to “Frank” and others like him would be: “Chill out”.

To use an old adage, “the season is a marathon, not a sprint”.

So our horse has come out of the gates a little behind.  The law of averages will catch up, trust me on this.  Ellsbury isn’t going to go 0 for 560.  His career batting average is .301.  That means at some point he will have a hot stretch to bring his average back to the norm (I graduated with a degree in Math, can you tell?).

CC Sabathia is a notorious Opening Day starter.  Before even taking the mound on Tuesday his Opening Day ERA was well over 5.00.  I’m betting that as the weather gets warmer, so will he.

We need to trust the players we have.  So what if they’ve collectively slept through the first series with the Astros.  It just means that they will collectively bounce back. Last night, we did in THE SUZUKI & SOLARTE SHOW!

There are some other shining points of light that we can hang onto until the Yankees become THE YANKEES.

With three hits, Brian Roberts has begun the season hitting .300 and our new catcher Brian McCann is hitting .375 in the heart of the order. 

Kuroda didn’t pitch poorly.  Over six innings he gave up just three hits and two runs while striking out five.  On any other day in the season, that’s a winning performance.

Our bullpen has looked pretty strong so far.  Other than Matt Dominguez’s home run off David Phelps, the pen has been virtually perfect.

Every MLB team will experience highs and lows throughout the year.  When you play 162 games, it happens.

We Yankees’ fans are a passionate group, and expect our team to win EVERY game. We here at BYB get that.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  We just need to accept reality when it doesn’t happen. 

Remember this: The best team the Yankees ever had (in terms of won-lost record), LOST four of its first five games.  That’s right, the 1998 Bombers were 1-4 after five games against the Angels, A’s and Mariners.

They went on to win 114.

I’m not saying this team will win that many games, but the potential is still there when looking at it from strictly a numbers point of view.

Keep the faith, trust our players.  We have a nice blend of experienced stars and young prospects that will carry us into October play.

Be patient, our problems are nothing that a little “home cooking” won’t fix.


    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1


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FROM "A GREAT OFF-SEASON" TO "DOUBT"

Thanks again Joel Sherman for starting my week off wrong...

Joel Sherman put a piece together yesterday in the New York Post to state that while the Yankees spent alot of money this off-season bettering their club, they also signed a bunch of guys that have had injury filled pasts.  OK then... thanks for starting my Monday off right. That's sarcasm for anyone that didn't get that.

Sherman writes:

"... They have areas of real fragility and little in the way of strong second-tier options. In 2013, as they used a franchise-record 56 players, that meant fire-drill acquisitions of underwhelming players such as Ben Francisco, Lyle Overbay and Vernon Wells, and too many at-bats ultimately for lightweights such as David Adams, Reid Brignac and Luis Cruz. 

It was “The Day After Tomorrow” as age, lack of emphasis on the bench and a woeful farm system finally caught up with the Yankees, leading to a playoff-less season.

Well, “The Day After Tomorrow 2” is in pre-production."

Why the Yankees let this guy into their facility is beyond me.  I mean, yes, Sherman's doing his job and he has the right to criticize all he wants. I mean, even us fans know that the idea of some of these guys on our payroll is "rolling the dice", like a Jacoby Ellsbury for instance, but what Sherman is failing to understand is "What happens if we didn't do anything?" or better yet, "Who else is out there?"  I don't mind criticism if you write about the Yanks and their "bad moves" as he's suggesting, but here's an idea, if you criticize, have a suggestion on what you would have done better. I mean, there is never a good suggestion box when it comes to Sherman. He just spews out annoying columns to get Yankee fans riled up... and for what? To sell papers? Stop already.

(In Photo: Zoilo Almonte)
We here at Bleeding Yankee Blue have offered our own backup plans, like slowly sprinkle the kids in. Slowly bring up guys like Tyler Austin or Zoilo Almonte and get them prepped for the Bigs.  But Sherman even slams the Yankees minor league system writing:

"... the farm system still isn’t ready to help much, the depth remains iffy and the frontline is brittle enough to suggest the Yankees are going to need way more than 15 really good players, even if the plague doesn’t hit again to cause the need for 56."

You know what Joel? That's what the minors leagues is for... let the kids develop and you know what, every once in a while you throw a kid a bone.   Look at the Core Four. Look at Bernie Williams, All started out slow and all developed into superstars over time.  But that's what we need... time, not criticism every time we open your column bro.

And in the future, make a solid suggestion. What's your plan... these guys that you wrote about?

"...they were outbid on Jhonny Peralta and Omar Infante, and tried hard to acquire Logan Forsythe from the Padres, who was instead dealt to Tampa."

Hmm. It seems like those suggestions are like 2013 all over again. It also seems like you're contradicting yourself.  Plus, are we really gonna give a guy like Peralta a shot? He's dabbled in PEDs just like Alex Rodriguez. You know, the guy you rip for being a liar?  What's the difference between Jhonny and Alex? 

Sure Omar makes sense, but it was clear the Yankees wanted cheaper and so they went Brian Roberts.  After all, they were saving what they could to get Masahiro Tanaka at that point. Look, what's to say Omar doesn't get hurt this season? What's to say Brian Roberts doesn't have a great season? We don't know. The Yanks made moves based on what they thought was right.

Here's a good idea for your next column... Write about what you would have done if you were the Yankees and don't give me guys that have already been signed... really think!  It appears that what the Yankees did was pretty significant this off-season, many of us believe that. And while the future doesn't look bright in the minor leagues as you suggest... don't tell those kids that, because they don't believe it for 1 second.   I know them... they want it more than anyone, they just want a chance.

Dear Yankees... ignore the haters... go win in 2014!

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

ARE THE YANKEES REALLY TRYING TO MOVE ICHIRO NOW?

Look, it would make sense to keep Ichiro Suzuki around these days, but with the signings of Carlos Beltran, Jacoby Ellsbury and with Golden boy Brett Gardner already there, this latest rumor about the Yanks willing to move him COULD make sense... but I'm skeptical.  The story comes from something called the Sports World News.

The story surfaced on January 31st... a story that was originally reported by Bleeding Yankee Blue and the rest of the media from back around January 4th. Back then, we posted ICHIRO'S DAYS IN PINSTRIPES MAY BE NUMBERED when there was legitimate news about it.  Back then, we still had Vernon Wells and there was talk about Brett Gardner having a bigger trade value than Ichiro.  It made sense then... not now, right?

 A month later, right now, we no longer have Vernon Wells and we signed Masahiro Tanaka.  Plus, no doubt Ichiro is still a hitter, he's got speed, he still great defensively.  Why? Why are we talking about this now and I'm asking you, the fan... should we get rid of Ichiro?

Sports World News reports that the Latino Post reports (that's funny), that "... the Japanese star's future with the New York Yankees is uncertain as the franchise continues to figure out where Suzuki fits into the team's future.

The Yankees had quite the busy offseason, bringing in catcher Brian McCann, outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carlos Beltran and ace Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who the team outbid other clubs for to the tune of a seven-year $155 million pact. The Yankees are mulling their options, seeing if they should keep Suzuki for what could be the final year of his career and final chance at a World Series title."

Look, in this offseason, the Yankees have done a lot.  It's not out of the ordinary to ship off Ichiro, I guess. Again, for his experience, maybe ego, it wouldn't make sense for him to ride the bench.  I don't see Ichiro as "that guy" though, complaining about playing time, but maybe he would be unhappy, who knows.

Sure, I guess we could ship him off for a relief pitcher or 5th starter and if the right combination came along, I know the Yanks wouldn't hesitate. Then maybe they put Zoilo Almonte on the bench, let him learn what the Bigs are all about... but I think Almonte still needs to prove his worth too and that's what Spring Training is for.

If anything, this Ichiro story is interesting... and dare I say, a bit old, and perhaps not even believable... but I just wanted to share it with you.

If you're in the Northeast... be careful out there today. The roads are mad slick. Be safe.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

VERNON WELLS IS RELEASED

You knew it was part of the process. Last week Vernon Wells was designated for assignment.  Read GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TO VERNON WELLS. This week he has been released. It's official. You can read that HERE.

The writing was on the wall.  When the Yankees acquired Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury and they already had the quick Brett Gardner, the still athletic Ichiro Suzuki and the power hitting Alfonso Soriano... you knew it was only a matter of time.

Wells was a good player for us early on last year, but just hit a wall.  Sure, there were moments of greatness, but it was clear, age had caught up to him.  No biggie, it happens to everybody.

I wish Wells well... get it?  Seriously though, I like the guy and I hope he latches onto a team. He's a gentlemen, a good teammate and just a helluva nice guy.  I know there's still something left in the tank... I know he knows that too.

Good luck Vernon, from all of us here at BYB.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fasted growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TO VERNON WELLS...

So news has broke.  Big news... maybe even obvious news.  Vernon Wells has been designated for assignment.  According to Buster Olney:

The Yankees have designated Vernon Wells for assignment, as they create roster spots on their 40-man.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) January 10, 2014

So why is this happening? According to the Star Ledger: "Looking to clear space on their 40-man roster, the Yankees have designated outfielder Vernon Wells for assignment, ESPN reported. 'Thank you Yankees for opportunity to be part of such a storied franchise,' Wells said on Twitter on Friday afternoon."

So a space on the 40 man roster is now vacant... what comes next?

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

I DON'T GET IT. WE'RE RANKING "TANAKA INTEREST" NOW?

I love reading Ben Badler of Baseball America. There has never been a thing I didn't like about his work, until today, when I read a piece discussing team interest and the "lurkers" and "sleepers" and sure things in pursuit of Masahiro Tanaka.  Now, truth be told, there is never a crystal ball when it comes to signing big names to big contracts. You're all smart, you know this.  I mean, if there was, we would have know that the Yankees were going to swoop in and sign Mark Teixeira even though the Red Sox were the "favorites" a while back. And who would have guessed Detroit was going to sign Prince Fielder just in time for the 2012 season?  Not me. I didn't see it coming.

In Badler's piece, there were 10 teams ranked as who are the closest to get Tanaka 10 is furthest away and 1 is the best chance. 10 through 3 are the Los Angeles Angels (10), the Boston Red Sox (9), the Arizona Diamondbacks (8), the Toronto Blue Jays (7), the Texas Rangers (6), the Detroit Tigers (5), the Chicago Cubs (4), and the Los Angeles Dodgers (3).

Then came number 2 and 1.  2 is the Yankees and number 1 is the Seattle Mariners.

Here's what Badler says of the Yankees:

"The Yankees desperately need pitching. Even as he enters his age-39 season, Hiroki Kuroda is still a frontline starter, but beyond him the red flags are whipping across the rest of the rotation.

CC Sabathia has lost nearly 3 mph off his fastball over the last two years and is coming off a year with a 4.78 ERA, the worst of his 13-year career. There’s Ivan Nova behind him, and perhaps Michael Pineda can return and be a mid-rotation starter, but he’s extremely risky. Maybe Manny Banuelos can help at some point, but the Yankees can’t count on much from him or anyone else in a farm system that’s thin on starting pitching.

The Yankees are reportedly trying to stay under the $189 million luxury tax, which they’re already pushing up against. Having Alex Rodriguez’s $25 million wiped away would give them more flexibility, which is why Tanaka probably won’t sign until after a decision on Rodriguez’s suspension is announced...

The only penalty for going over the luxury tax is money. The Yankees have plenty of that. What they don’t have is pitching, either in the majors or the minors. The Yankees have sent several of their top personnel to Japan to scout Tanaka, and if they think he’s a frontline starter, that could be an upgrade of four or five wins in a competitive American League East.

If that helps get them to the playoffs, it will be worth the tax money."

Then Balder gives his number 1 pick, the Mariners. Check this out:

"...the Mariners are the favorites to land him. That doesn’t mean they will sign him, but based on conversations with industry officials, Seattle’s resources and the makeup of the team, they are a strong fit.

The Mariners have money to spend. They have a new regional television contract that will pay them $2 billion over 17 years. The Mariners showed off their deep pockets earlier this offseason by signing Robinson Cano to a 10-year, $240 million contract, outbidding everyone by a wide margin... The money is there and so is the need. Seattle’s desire to trade for David Price is no secret. They need to upgrade the team to contend in 2014 and take advantage of Hernandez and Cano while they’re still stars. And the current makeup of the team isn’t enough for them to be strong contenders in the AL West.

(In Photo: Hisashi Iwakuma)

Tanaka would help change that. A starting rotation with Hernandez, Tanaka and Iwakuma (Tanaka’s former Rakuten teammate) would give them three frontline starters, with another potential premium starter in 21-year-old Taijuan Walker, though it may be too soon to count on him performing at that level next season. It would be one of baseball’s scariest rotations, with James Paxton and Erasmo Ramirez candidates to round out the final spot."

But what does it all mean? Sure, I guess anyone can choose the Mariners as the top team to land Tanaka, but aren't they the same team that just came out to claim they were broke?  And what about GM Jack Zduriencik claiming they "aren't going to be making a huge splash" since Robinson Cano and Corey Hart:



So what do you make from that? Are they bluffing? Plus, what's to say the Yankees don't throw everything at Tanaka, especially if Alex Rodriguez gets suspended. I'd say the chances are very, very good for the Yankees over the Mariners here, but of course, I'm biased.

Look, the New York Yankees have made it clear they need to do something to bolster their rotation.  There has been talk from Badler that a Tanaka / Iwakuma rotation in Seattle would be great.  I'll up you one; How about Tanaka / Kuroda?  Even Vernon Wells believes that saying "He's a great person to be a mentor to him." You know what? Wells might feel like the guy with one foot out the door, but he sure knows how to schmooze Yankeeland.  Wells makes sense, and I hope the Yankees take that into account.

Look, I'm not really giving Badler a hard time here. I am confused about ranking "interest".  I really don't think it makes much sense.  What's to say the Red Sox don't have a secret stash somewhere to sign Tanaka at the 11th hour?  How about the Dodgers? You know what I mean?

In the end, something will happen and here at Bleeding Yankee Blue, we "rank" the Yankees first to land Masahiro Tanaka... not that it really means anything... we'll just have to let it play out. But I will tell you this... the Yankees have lost out on big time pitchers before and looking at their rotation right this second, even Yankee brass knows there are too many question marks. What I'm trying to say is, there's going to pull the trigger to get Tanaka "big time"... because they don't want to be stuck in the middle of an empty parking lot with their dick in their hand without him...

To be honest, I don't even know what that means... but you get my point. 

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

ICHIRO'S DAYS IN PINSTRIPES MAY BE NUMBERED

Look, logically it makes sense that the Yankees will try to move someone like Ichiro Suzuki. Why you ask? Well, after all the insistence that Brett Gardner isn't "going anywhere", and the trade value of a guy like Vernon Wells is much less than a guy like Ichiro... Ichiro is the logical trade chip.  It sucks for me personally, because I am such an Ichiro fan, but I get it.

Now look, this isn't a definite of course.  This is speculation by none other than Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. He's good like that. Who would be the Yankees' trade partner you ask? It's the San Francisco Giants... MAYBE.  Check it out:

"It’ll be interesting to see whether in the next few weeks the Yankees can move him. With Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Alfonso Soriano, and Vernon Wells also in a crowded outfield, Ichiro, who can still play defense but can’t hit at the level he used to, could be a functional player for someone. The Giants always remain a possibility."

Now, in reality... reading that from Cafardo, it almost seems like he's just thinking out loud while he's waiting at a hot dog stand for the guy to put some mustard on his dog. It's almost like it's in passing, so we'll see in the next few weeks what this is all about. It may in fact be nothing, but you know... this is the "Hot Stove" season, and plenty of guys like to throw crap at the wall and see if it sticks.  Personally, that's what I almost feel like this is, but Cafardo's been known to be right a few times here and there, so let's just wait and see what happens with Ichiro.

Stay tuned on this one...

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

MARK REYNOLDS MAY BE S.O.L.

Earmuffs...

S.O.L. means "Shit outta luck", or at least that's what I learned it meant when I was 12 years old.  I once heard my Italian uncle say it when I was a kid and was literally baffled the entire weekend until I asked my dad what it meant.  He didn’t pull punches, he told me and I always thought that was cool that he did.

 Anyway.  We all knew that the Yankees and Mark Reynolds were engaged in talks about a possible return.  After all, Mark Teixeira is no 100% healthy, but claims he will be.  To be honest, I can’t trust that.  I would sign a backup, and fast.  Reynolds would actually be a smart signing.  He can play first base, and if Alex Rodriguez is suspended, he can play 3rd.   I know that Ike Davis is available, and he’s managed to suck in Queen recently, but he’d probably be a cheap trade and he’d fit the bill too… but let’s stick with Reynolds for a second… he’s my first choice.

According to the New York Daily News, “The Yankees have been engaged with Mark Reynolds about a possible return, but a source said the power-hitting infielder appears close to signing with another team outside the Bronx…”

So what does this mean? It means the Yankees are dragging their feet because there are a lot of money factors here:

• Masahiro Tanaka: This is a huge money factor.  He’s going to be a ton of money and the Yankees would rather full holes and have Tanaka than spend on filler and lose out to him. In other words, the Yanks will be "all in" on Tanaka.

• Alex Rodriguez:  I’ve mentioned before that we don’t know if he’s going to be suspended or not. If he is, the Yankees will have more play with cash.  If not, they need to be smart on their spending. 

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote about Reynolds as well, writing: “Reynolds remains an option for the Yankees, who are trying to find a temporary or permanent solution to replacing Alex Rodriguez at third base. Even if A-Rod gets his 211-game suspension reduced, the feeling is the Yankees will be in need of a third baseman to replace him for at least part of the 2014 season. Reynolds still has excellent power, but his strikeouts are problematic. Third base is also no longer his forté, but he could still play there if need be.”

Bottom line, I’d like Reynolds back, but I believe he’d have to be mad cheap to sign him. I doubt he’d go for it, but he should, he wasn't outstanding for us, but he did the job. Look, we just signed Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran… we need to be smart with our spending now.

Hey, can Vernon Wells play first? I'm half joking... I mean, what the hell are we gonna do with that guy?

Anyway, if something happens with Reynolds, we’ll tell you. Don’t worry, BYB has your back.


I leave you with Earmuffs... a great scene from Old School. 

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