WHEN HARRISON BADER COMES OFF IL, HICKS BETTER HIT THE BENCH!

Source: USA Today

I am about to rant, so if you want to log off and move on with your social media feed, this is the time to do it. Those that know me and have seen my Tweets know that I have had it with lazy, lackluster, la-la land Aaron Hicks. I really wonder what he is thinking about when he is in the outfield. Like does he know who is up at bat? Does he know how many outs there are? Does he know what he is going to do if the ball is hit to him? These are things I wonder because when I watch him play, he appears completely incapable of playing professional baseball. 

And this is just his defense or rather lack of defense. Don't get me started on his offense. So, when Harrison Bader is healthy, I hope that Aaron Hicks sits and doesn't get up again.

“You’re out there trying to do your job and when the results aren’t going your way, they’re hard on you,” Hicks said of the fans’ response to him. “They always want the big hit and they always expect you to play well. If you’re going to be a starter for the New York Yankees, you have to be better than everybody. It’s just tough when you’re hearing the boos. That’s their way of voicing their opinion. It’s a tough fanbase. It definitely doesn’t make it easier,” reported The Athletic. 

 

Is this guy kidding me? If you play hard, the fans will love you, even if you have a tough stint now and then. More than his plate performance is his lack of hustle in the outfield—letting balls dunk in front of him as he trots towards them, bobbling plays off the wall and this Sunday had to be the worst, failing to even try to throw out St. Louis Cardinal Yadier Molina tagging up from third. The veteran catcher basically walked across home plate as Hicks stood dumbfounded holding the ball in the outfield.

Source: The Athletic

"With less than two months of the regular season remaining, Hicks’ future with the organization seems clouded at best with the Yankees making two trades for outfielders before the deadline in Andrew Benintendi, who is a free agent at the end of the season, and Harrison Bader, a Gold Glove center fielder who manager Aaron Boone has said he envisions manning the middle of the outfield in 2023," reported The Athletic. And his position on the postseason roster may disappear if Bader and Benintendi are producing as expected as well.

Hicks tells The Athletic that his hitting has been subpar at best this season but spins it in such a way that it is just part of the game. He also doesn't say a thing about his defense, which is just embarrassing. 

“Horrible. Honestly, horrible,” Hicks said of his season. “My on-base percentage has still been high, but there’ve been so many highs and lows. I started off the season good. I was hitting for a high average for a while. I wasn’t really hitting for much power. I then went into a deep slump where I had a lot of loud outs and wasn’t really doing much. I was struggling with guys in scoring position. That’s just the game,” reported The Athletic. 

According to NJ.com, the Yankees were interested in cutting ties with Hicks and even tried to shop him at the trade deadline, but got no traction. He is virtually unusable and with Giancarlo Stanton, Bader and hopefully Matt Carpenter (if he recovers from his foot fracture) in the lineup, there is no place for Hicks on the Yankees this September and beyond. 

Source: Charles Wenzelberg

But I have heard this story before—the stars have to align in order for the Yankees to cut ties with a guy like Hicks. It took us years to get rid of Gary Sanchez and look who we have now in Jose Trevino. Bader could be that guy as soon as he comes off the IL. Hicks dug his own grave here in New York. No fan did that for him. He needs to own his deficiencies and get lucky enough to play for another team—or better yet head for the golf course and give up baseball altogether. Maybe he will be happier blaming others for his bad golf game. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

WEDNESDAY COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR SANCHEZ

The Yankees current drama with the catching situation is driving me crazy. I'm tired of talking or even thinking about Gary Sanchez. He's been awful for the last three seasons now and now the Yankees are diving deeper into the starting catcher problem and it's terrible timing. 

I understand the drama with Sanchez. It's hard to walk away from a young catcher that is cheap. The Yankees want to believe in him again. They want him to redeem himself and still be a core part of this team, but it's just not working and it can no longer be ignored. The Yankees also don't want to think about cutting Sanchez loose and him rebounding with another team, which could happen. Meanwhile, the bigger issues on my mind right now is getting DJ LeMahieu signed back and figuring out the starting rotation. The Yankees have three major issues to deal with after a season with large revenue losses.

So all of these ties to Yadier Molina make it more complicated. I do think the Yankees have genuine interest in signing Molina. I don't think the Yankees are just looking to drive up the price for other teams but I also think the Yankees are going to tender Sanchez a contract by Wednesday's deadline. So if the Yankees are trying to sign Molina, what's going to happen with Sanchez?

I don't know, exactly. What I do know is the Yankees are not signing Molina if they are keeping Sanchez because there's no point. Molina won't be cheap and the Yankees are looking to shed payroll. They aren't going to carry two catchers who could cost upwards of $18 million before even factoring in Kyle Higashioka, and the Yankees aren't going to get rid of him. Higashioka took Sanchez's job at the end of the season and he's proven to be the more consistent and a cheaper option.

The only real option I see here is if they really are serious about Molina is that Sanchez gets then is traded. Since we all know Sanchez has very little trade value, the Yankees would have to be willing to trade him with no real expectations on what they back in return for him even if it is for a bucket of balls and a pack of Big League chew.

The timing just sucks and it leaves a lot to figure out later. I'm ready to move on from Sanchez, honestly. I'm tired of worrying about him and what happens with him behind the plate. I'm just ready for the resolution on this either way I don't care. We let this problem get out of hand for too long.

It's time to cut the cord, wish Sanchez well wherever he plays in 2021 (even if it is with us) and get down to business. The Yankees put themselves in this position and now it is time to make a decision and move forward. This team has other needs outside of just a catcher and we can't afford to waste more time and miss out on other opportunities.

Wednesday can't come fast enough for me....that's when we start getting some answers.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

A NEW NAME THAT COULD REPLACE GARY SANCHEZ FOR 2021!

I think the writing is on the wall for Gary Sanchez. I just think "time's up" for him in pinstripes. This weekend we asked WILL THE YANKEES CONTINUE TO INVEST IN GARY SANCHEZ? And I really hope that the answer is NO. I don't say NO because I have ill feelings toward him, but he's had a lot of opportunities and it just hasn't worked out. It's time to move on.

I think Brian Cashman and the Yankees might finally be realizing that. I know Cashman can be hard to read sometimes and the Yankees can be unpredictable but the Yankees have unwavering confidence in Sanchez....until now.

That sounds a lot different then recent years. I think the Yankees are ready to move on but maybe not to some of the names we've talked about. As much as I like the idea of J.T. Realmuto or Yadier Molina, the Yankees sound like they are not going to be big spenders this winter. If they are looking to get under the luxury tax, they might not have room for either of them....or want to save any room for Sanchez.

According to George A King III HERE, "Dec. 2, which is Sanchez’s 28th birthday, is the deadline for teams to offer pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players a contract for next season. Any player who isn’t tendered, and there a lot of industry types who believe Sanchez won’t be, is a free agent."

I don't see the Yankees trading him by December 2nd. Even if teams do want him, they will likely get a better deal on him if he does become a free agent. So the Yankees are really in a tough spot there. But if they did just let Sanchez become a free agent....there's another name they could consider.

Here's a new name to watch, James McCann. The 30 year old played last season for the Chicago White Sox and some baseball enthusiasts called him an important part of one of the best catching tandems in baseball. He was an All-Star back in 2019 with a .273 BA, 18 home runs and 60 RBI's.

It's harder to get excited by his 2020 numbers thanks to the shortened season but he finished with a .289BA, 7 home runs and 15 RBI's. He may not be the same slugger than Sanchez is but he still has a good bat and is definitely a defensive upgrade. He allowed two passed balls with a .985 fielding percentage and threw out 33% of runners. He has some defensive concerns also, he ranked third in the AL in 2019 for errors but he showed better numbers this season and could still be an upgrade the Yankees want and would still cost less than Realmuto.

I think the Yankees know that Sanchez is no longer the answer. Maybe McCann isn't the answer but he's worth a look. Honestly I don't hate the idea of McCann and Kyle Higashioka, it certainly looks a lot better on paper than any combination with Sanchez right now. 

I'm willing to look at all possibilities right now, and right now I'm willing to bet the Yankees are too. Right now it sounds like Sanchez may not get the birthday gift he's hoping for....I guess we will wait and see what happens.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

WILL THE YANKEES CONTINUE TO INVEST IN GARY SANCHEZ?

Source: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

COVID-19 did a number on many families, small businesses and big box stores. It took people's lives, it took people's livelihoods and it took away a number of activities we all loved to be a part of including baseball. This stark reality makes this year's off-season even more complicated for players and teams alike. All the more reason for us to bring this discussion front and center: Will the Yankees continue to invest in Gary Sanchez?

According to the New York Post, "Dec. 2, which is Sanchez’s 28th birthday, is the deadline for teams to offer pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players a contract for next season. Any player who isn’t tendered, and there are a lot of industry types who believe Sanchez won’t be, is a free agent." With the Yankees in need of more pitching and more DJ LeMahieu why would they even consider investing in a guy who is a liability behind the plate and batted .147 last season? And Sanchez would make more money next year if the Yankees do sign him, and honestly, he just doesn't deserve it.

Source: NJ.com

"With the Mets needing a catcher, and if they fail to sign J.T. Realmuto, would the Yankees have to hold their breath should Sanchez move to Queens as a free agent? That’s likely to happen more so than the Phillies having an interest in Sanchez should Realmuto not return to Philly, even though Sanchez played for Joe Girardi in 2016-17," reported the Post. 

So if Sanchez goes, then what? 30-year-old Kyle Higashioka becomes the Yankee number one catcher unless they can sign someone else. I know you laugh, but Yadier Molina has been linked to the Yankees and could be a good gap year veteran to slot into that spot. 

The Yankees would be foolish to continue to put their faith in Gary Sanchez. Maybe he can be productive somewhere else. Maybe he needs a new experience, a new city? Maybe he will head to Philadelphia or go play for Derek Jeter in Miami. Either way, he likely will not be in Pinstripes come December and the Yankees will need to regroup to see who can come in and reclaim a position that has been a deficiency for the last couple of years. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

SORRY, SANCHEZ IS NOT FOR SALE

Photo: New York Post

Some Yankee fans still love Gary Sanchez despite the disappointing season he just had. Other fans though, seem to be ready to move on and find a new starting catcher. So of course once "news" broke that the Marlins and Yankees were in talks about a potential trade social media went crazy, but what does it really mean?

Honestly.....nothing. The Yankees were just doing their due diligence by checking in as they always do on talented players. Even if the Yankees and Marlins did discuss a trade for J.T. Realmuto Brian Cashman has said he's "not for sale" and you can see that for yourself HERE. Yup, in his own words, not even just a news article. So even if some fans aren't sold on him, the Yankees are for the long haul.

It is understandable for fans, or even the Yankees to question Sanchez's future but even if you aren't completely sold on Sanchez as the Yankees everyday catcher there are three big reasons that the Yankees will stay the course with Sanchez rather than test the waters with Realmuto....

1. Yankees have seen the upside and the power

The Yankees believe that 2018 was just a down season and not a preview of what is to come. He's not far from his impressive two-month introduction to the majors and good sophomore season. The Yankees remember the 750 plate appearances he has made with 53 home runs and the 132 RBIs to go with them. We all know that defensively Sanchez also had a down year but he still threw out 30% of base runners and has a career average so far of 36% caught stealing. Sanchez had a down year, but has had some great moments in his young career.

2. Realmuto isn't a huge upgrade

To justify trading Sanchez away the Yankees would need to see a bigger value in Realmuto's defense. I'd say he's a good catcher but he is no Yadier Molina who is one of the best catchers I've watched in my lifetime. Realmuto also has success with throwing out hitters but also has a weakness with framing pitches. He's a good catcher, but not a massive upgrade defensively to Sanchez. Offensively, he also doesn't have the power that Sanchez does. Last season he hit 21 home runs, his first time hitting over 20. He will hit for average, but the Yankees value Sanchez's power more.

3. Sanchez makes more financial sense than Realmuto

It's hard to ignore the numbers. Sanchez is two years younger and comes with four years of team control compared to Realmuto's two. The Marlin's just tendered him a contract, while Sanchez isn't even arbitration eligible yet. Aside from their contracts, the Marlin's may be in a rebuild but they aren't going to give the biggest name on their team away for just a straight swap of Sanchez for Realmuto. They are going to expect some top prospects as well, which benefits the Marlins more. Realmuto's not an upgrade for the Yankees, and including top prospects for a guy who isn't a large upgrade isn't a smart move.

Sanchez had some serious growing pains, but the Yankees can see the clear potential he has based on his previous season. We should see that too. If there is a "better" catcher for the Yankees, it's not Realmuto. So for now, Sanchez is not for sale.

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

THE POSADAS ARE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE! DONATE!

I'm touched by what Jorge and Laura Posada are doing for Puerto Rico.  It's Hurricane Maria disaster relief, and you need to get on board to help if you can.

Sports Illustrated writes:

"Jorge Posada and his wife, Laura, are spearheading a fundraising campaign to aid hurricane relief in Puerto Rico.

The fundraising page on YouCaring has raised over $68,000 of its $100,000 goal from 408 donors in less than 24 hours. "

And by the way, they are already over $100,000 at this very moment and it's still growing.

If you can, look at their YouCaring page and donate.  So many were devastated by that storm.  People like the Posadas, the Molinas (Yadier and his wife are doing something similar ) are amazing people with big hearts.  You gotta love and appreciate that.

Once again, the Posada's donation page is HERE.

I'M READY FOR THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC!

This year, while everyone waits around for opening day in April, I’m waiting for March 2nd. Because that is the day the World Baseball Classic begins.

For three weeks in March, baseball fans get the opportunity to watch talented players from all over the world. Contrary to popular belief, the WBC is not the Olympics of baseball. Baseball was actually a sport in the Olympics when the WBC was created by the MLB in 2005. This will be the third WBC played. While full rosters haven’t been released yet, the MLB has released the names of 32 players that are confirmed to play. Among them, the Yankees own second baseman, Robinson Cano.

Cano will be representing the Dominican Republic at the WBC. Some fans are not pleased about this. They feel that he should be representing the USA since he recently received his citizenship. Yes, it’s silly to gripe over. The way I feel about it, I don’t care what team he plays for, as long as he is not injured. So far, Cano is the only Yankee confirmed for the WBC, but full rosters will be out later this month.

I’m very interested in seeing the team from Japan. Baseball was eliminated from the Olympics for the belief that the sport was too American, and yet the team from Japan has won both WBC championships. Did you know that Ichiro Suzuki also played for the Japan team?

Watching the USA team will be pretty interesting. We will get the chance to see the best players from both the AL and the NL. “We're certainly interested in having top name players, but we're also interested in having 28 players, half of which will be pitchers, to make it work as a team” said the manager for the USA team, Joe Torre. You can read the rest HERE. It will be interesting to see the team he puts together.

Of the MLB players already confirmed we have Jose Reyes joining Cano on the Dominican Republic team. Triple Crown winner and AL MVP, Miguel Cabrera will play for Venezuela, Yadier Molina and Carlos Beltran for Puerto Rico, and David Wright and Joe Mauer for the USA team.

Personally, I will be donning my Robinson Cano, Dominican Republic jersey when the WBC starts. And if I had to make a prediction for the winner, I think Japan will take the championship for the third time.

--Erica Morales, BYB Writer
Twitter: @e_morales1804

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THE YANKEES & THE FREE AGENT RACE

Every year when the offseason starts, I like to take a look at the potential free agents and who the Yankees should go after, including free agents on the Yankees. I also like to play GM and decide for myself who the Yankees should take, dump, and add.

I view this season as a disappointment. The Yankees were running on all cylinders at one point when they were leading the rest of the division by 10 games and looked as if they could potentially win 110 games or more. They squeaked by the Orioles for the division crown, and also squeaked by them in the ALDS, then promptly got crushed by the Tigers in the ALCS in only 4 games, scoring a total of 6 runs. Alex Rodriguez's lack of production really hurt our chances, but moving him is really unthinkable, and he could end up turning this all around. Here are my picks on the Yankees Free Agents to be.

•  Nick Swisher: Although once a fan favorite, he now seems to be anti-Yankee after a few of the comments that he made about the fans. BYB wrote HEY NICK SWISHER... IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU! Nick will command a lot of money that the Yankees aren't willing to spend on someone who hits so poorly in the postseason, that's the bottom line.

• Hiroki Kuroda: Give this man a new contract! Kuroda had arguably his best season ever after his transition to the AL and proved valuable for the Yankees. He was their most dominant and reliable pitcher this season. I would lock him up to a 2-3 year deal. His age doesn't really seem to bother me much. I am curious however is Russell Martin, his old battery mate in LA was a factor with his success. We shall see if he signs again.

• Ichiro Suzuki: Ichiro's stellar play since coming over from Seattle before the trade deadline makes him deserving of a new contract. He hit .322 with the Yankees, which in itself is enough to earn himself a new contract. I would sign him to a 2 year deal to patrol right field given the fact that Swisher will most likely not be resigned.

• Raul Ibanez: Lord Voldemort is well deserving of a new contract. His playoff performance will go down in history and he is also a good guy to have in the clubhouse. 1 year with a team option for a 2nd year at roughly $2-3 million is the route I would take in giving Ibanez a contract.

• Andruw Jones: He had a terrible season, he batted under .200 and is really seems to be getting old. He was good while he lasted. Let him walk, I'm OK with that.

• Russell Martin: If Mike Napoli or Yadier Molina are on the open market. I say, let Martin walk. If their asking price is too high or the Yanks are unable to get either of them to come to the Bronx, re-sign Martin. Russell has done a good job but there is significant room for improvement with that bat of his.

• Freddy Garcia: Is there even a slight chance the Yankees would sign him again? Don't count on it. Freddy, you did good while you were with us in the Bronx, but it's over. No hard feelings.

• Andy Pettitte: If Andy Pettitte wants to come back, the Yankees should make that happen undoubtedly. That's it.

• Mariano Rivera: No explanation needed here. Re-enter Sandman, he has unfinished business.

• Eric Chavez: Eric provides a good bat and great fielding off the bench. Re-sign him for a 3rd straight 1 year deal.

• Derek Lowe: Solid long reliever/ 5th or 6th starter option, re-sign him. If he doesn't get a gig somewhere else as a starter, the Yankees should use him as their new Freddy Garcia.

We'll have another unique perspective on the Yankee free agents within the next few days as well.  BYB's Lem Allen will give his thoughts, no doubt he'll be pretty colorful about it!




--Will Cohen, BYB Contributor




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WHY I'M RE-EVALUATING GARY SANCHEZ'S FUTURE

Oh here it comes, the inevitable “who gives a crap about that Jesus Montero fellow we just traded away, such and such prospect is going to be better anyway” post.

Well not quite, but the shocking trade has undoubtedly greatly altered Gary Sanchez's future. Whereas before he was a low level prospect with tons of potential who was doomed to be blocked for years, the Yankees' lack of a long term answer behind the dish, barring an extension for Russell Martin or a Miguel Montero signing next winter, now has all eyes on Sanchez as the solution.

In Sanchez's top five prospects profile, I wrote, “With such an uncertain future and his path to a big league starting role blocked until 2018 (assuming he could learn to play 1st and replace Tex, even longer if not), the Yankees may find him most valuable as a trading chip.” This was working under the assumption that Sanchez's defense will never develop into an above-average skill, and that if the future Yankees are willing to play an offense first catcher, Montero would take the job. Otherwise, either Austin Romine or Russell would hold the job. If the latter situation ends up the realistic one and the Yankees continue to value defense first, Montero's departure has little to no effect on Sanchez's future, unless he can somehow learn to play third base or a corner outfield position. However, scouts are much higher on Sanchez's defensive potential than they ever were on Montero's. Ryan Kelley of Baseball News Hound (HERE) wrote, “Unlike Jesus Montero, Sanchez’s athleticism and build should allow him to develop in to a solid receiver.” While it's certainly easy for me to point at Sanchez's ludicrous passed ball totals and assume he will never develop a strong defensive game, scouts seem convinced that he has the athleticism to figure things out back there. I will remain skeptical, as is appropriate with all prospects, but if the scouts say that he has the ability, I'm going to trust them.

It's no secret that Sanchez has attitude problems, and in my opinion the first step to becoming a more complete player is losing the sense of entitlement. Plenty of players get over their problems, but as we've seen with guys like Milton Bradley, extremely talented players can be put into a perpetual battle with themselves that keeps them from even touching their full potential. However, it's important to remember that few teenagers don't have attitude problems, and that's exactly what Sanchez is today. If he hasn't shaken the problems by 21 or 22, then we have a legitimate problem on our hands, but for now I'll view it as a heavily exaggerated story.

I don't think I need to go into much more detail describing his offensive potential than I have in the past. He has an immature approach at the plate which results in a lot of strikeouts and relatively few walks. However, scouts say he has a good eye that should help turn those numbers around as he progresses. The power is phenomenal, in fact raw power may be the one area of his offensive game that has clear potential to surpass Montero's. Whether or not he'll be able to hit for a high average remains to be seen, but as with plenty other aspects of Sanchez's game, the potential is certainly there.

All I'm trying to say is while I'm not radically changing my opinion on Sanchez, there is certainly a much clearer road to the Bigs for him. Perhaps something will finally click with Romine and he'll become a .300 hitter. Maybe Russell has a big year offensively and earns a big check. Hell, I wouldn't count on it but what if Yadier Molina and Miguel Montero manage to make it to the free agent market after the 2012 season? Common sense would suggest that the Yankees would pretty much have to pursue one of them. There are still plenty of ways for Gary's path to be blocked, but as of now he's our top catching prospect and with Jesus gone represents the exciting young impact hitter we keep on expecting to finally show up.




--Grant Cederquist, BYB Staff Writer



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