STANTON YAPS GUMS

Giancarlo Stanton takes a shot at the Marlins... and Derek Jeter I suppose.

It's just that that organization down there was going through the motions and they had some pretty good players in Stanton and Christian Yelich and Bour and JT Realmuto. The problem was they could never gain traction, like ever in recent years. And that's why Jeter cleaned house.  But will it work for that organization? Probably not.

The fan base is now gone and I personally think that while Jeter is doing the right thing by trying to "start over" and striping the Marlins down to studs, it's not a house. Him wanting to run that team wasn't about the team at all.  It was about convenience for him and where he lived geographically.   But now you have guys like Stanton coming out ripping that organization... and he's not wrong by the way.

Bryan Hoch has this nugget:

"Asked for the biggest takeaway of his first season in Yankees pinstripes, Giancarlo Stanton offered a not-so-veiled swipe at his former employer, noting how his new expectation is to keep the Yankee Stadium lights burning throughout the month of October. 

'It's more just playing games that matter; games when you're in it past May 7, which I'd never done,' Stanton said. 

'That's the biggest difference. Every single game, win or loss, is huge -- for a season.'"

Look, one could argue that the team had the tools and just couldn't get into a rhythm which is fine, I guess.  But you gotta wonder if this Marlins team was getting the support they needed at all.  Say what you will about Jeter, and trust me, I rip him often as a Marlins owner, but he's trying to figure out that combination to find a winning team.

Unfortunately winning a bunch of championships with the Yankees can't instantly bring success to the Marlins.

We shall see.

BASEBALL NEEDS A REVAMP, BUT ROB MANFRED CARES ABOUT PITCHING CLOCKS

Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke to the media this weekend and he had a lot to say. The media asked about everything from impending rule changes, to payroll concerns as well as why Major League baseball still has 100 unsigned free agents with spring training games set to start next week. The answers were definitely interesting...

We have all been anxiously awaiting those spring training games to start, and when they do next week Manfred was pretty clear that pitch clocks will be part of those games. But beyond those spring training games? Well, that is up in the air.

Manfred wants the MLBPA to buy into his pitch clock, that may be a challenge for him. If they don't he could chose to implement it unilaterally which could create more tension with the already fragile state within baseball operations. Nonetheless, Triple-A and Double-A has been using a pitch clock since 2015.

If a pitcher takes too long to begin his delivery an automatic ball is added to the count. It's unclear if that same penalty would be used in spring training but it seems unlikely. I'm sure there would be some sort of grace period there, especially if Manfred wants the least amount of resistance on this issue. He should want the players to get used to this, not have more reason to fight about it.

And what about payroll and the state of the league right now? According to Manfred, he does not believe there is any relationship between how much money is spent and how good a team is or is trying to be.

So what about that Luxury tax? Not a factor I guess. Oh and, the Red Sox winning 108 regular season games with the highest payroll and winning another championship don't measure how successful a team is, or at least trying to be? If that is the case I guess the Marlins have a chance, right?

Their low payroll and rebuilding team doesn't measure how successful they aren't going to be I guess. There is evidence to show that there is a connection between dollars spent and team success. It's okay when the Red Sox do it, but when the Astros were in rebuild mode and then won a World Series it was a major topic of conversation.

And what about all of the remaining free agents? Those payroll dollars aren't being spent on guys that should be employed by now. We've already talked about that when we wrote COLLUSION IN BASEBALL? Yet, here we are getting ready to play games and the two top free agents still aren't signed. Manfred says he thinks the free agent market will begin to move once games begin, read more HERE. The past two winters we've seen big names still unsigned going into spring. The markets should be shaped by now, not getting underway. That's what winter is for.

Manfred's answer is it is Bryce Harper's fault. After Harper's team suggested he wanted $400 million two years ago that was "an impediment" for discussions now. He singled Harper out, but didn't have any words of wisdom for Manny Machado's identical situation.

Manfred is really concerned with his pitch clock. A pitch clock won't matter when two of the biggest names in the game are still unsigned and you have more teams in rebuilding mode and very few in the "spend lots of money" mode. The game is much better when the best players are playing and owners put competitive teams on the field. Rocket science, right?

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

KEEPING THIS YOUNG, NUCLEUS TOGETHER WILL BE COSTLY

Source: Twitter

So, yesterday marked the first of what is expected to be multiple contract extension signings for the Yankees.  Luis Severino signed a four year extension, which "buys out his arbitration years, and is worth $40 million and could max out at $52.25 million through the fifth season, league sources told ESPN." Keeping this young, nucleus together is going to be costly and "we have to manage our payroll in the present as well as the future,’’ Cashman said. “There’s going to be paydays coming down and you have to prepare for those.’’ So, does  this mean that guys like Aaron Judge and even Gary Sanchez will be signing papers potentially before the 2019 season?

Source: NJ.com

"Cashman wouldn’t say specifically if he’s engaged representatives for Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez about long-term deals, but “we’ve approached certain players and we are always open, for the right people, to do things and find common ground if that’s at all possible," reported NJ.com.

Source: Sports Illustrated

If these guys earned the right to be invested in, then, by all means, invest is what I say.  This is exactly why the Yankees can't be throwing money at guys like Manny Machado or Bryce Harper who have not demonstrated that they will be able to perform at the level they are predicted to in years 7, 8 or 9.  We need to save our cash for Judge, Sanchez and potentially Didi Gregorius and Aaron Hicks.  Many also speculate that depending on how Dellin Betances performs this year that he will get a contract extension, protecting his role on the Yankees over the next couple of years minimally.

Source: NJ.com

The Yankees have learned through costly contracts that investing in today without thinking about tomorrow just doesn't make sense.  Jacoby Ellsbury is one reason.  Alex Rodriguez is another reason.  We could go on, but we all know that the Yankees have invested in players for the long haul and that, for lack of a better word, has bitten them in the butt.

Source: USA Today

As Cashman admitted, "Overall, “we try not to do bad business, although I have been guilty of doing some bad business deals,’’ Cashman said. “It’s not intentional, but we do try to do sound business where people can look at and mostly say that makes sense.’’

Keeping this young, nucleus together will be costly but very much worth it when it comes to Aaron Judge and Didi Gregorius.  I am still unsure how Gary Sanchez and Aaron Hicks fit in the Yankees' future, but if they perform, they will be part of investment in the Yankees' future.

Glad for Sevy and looking forward to "locking up" a few more guys in the weeks and months to come.

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

POSADA & THE MARLINS: MY TAKE

If you haven't read Suzie Pinstripe's piece about Jorge Posada and the Marlins yet, make sure you go to ALSO REPORTING FOR BUSINESS IS JORGE POSADA... BUT NOT IN TAMPA, make sure you do it.

In the meantime, I have my own thoughts in the wacky news report about the idea that a portion of the Core Four is getting back together down south. Here it goes...

Posada is a winning Yankee, but can he help fix the miserable Marlins and be a winner on another team?

I'm sure Jeter is counting on it as Posada steps into the role of special advisor of baseball operations. Posada's hiring hasn't been formally announced yet but SiriusXM reported it first.

Jeter is going into his second season as the team's CEO, and since taking over he has definitely built an inner circle with a lot of Yankee connections including vice president of player development Gary Denbo, director of player personnel Dan Greenlee, director of amateur scouting DJ Svihlik and now Posada looks like he is next.

It's no wonder why Jeter would entrust Posada to help rebuild his miserable franchise, he's extremely qualified. His .273 career average with 275 home runs and 1,065 RBIs in parts of 17 seasons with the Yankees were part of a winning culture that all of us loved to watch. That's pretty much the exact opposite of what is in Miami right now, so Posada could be part of the next winning combination.

The last time the Marlins had any postseason success was back in 2003. Posada was the batter when the Marlins recorded their final out to beat the Yankees in the 2003 World Series, when he hit a soft grounder toward first base and was tagged out by pitcher Josh Beckett to end the game. Posada gave the Marlins its second championship. The Marlins have not played in a postseason game since.

So maybe this is another example of how superstitions and baseball go hand in hand. Can Jeter and Posada bring postseason success back to Miami eventually?

Look, the whole idea is interesting and you all know how much we love these guys here on BYB.  Well... Casey isn't thrilled with Jeter these days... but we can all celebrate in some fashion that the idea that some of the Core Four are back together is kind of cool.

You gotta wonder if this will be enough to get that Marlins team performing to the best of their ability. Jeter stripped this team down to the studs.  I'm just not sure they have the talent, and I am not so sure Posada and Jeter can single handedly fix it so they are competitors.

Yes, it's exciting, but this is baseball.  In the end, exciting is only part of it. A team's gotta win to be successful... right?

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

ELLSBURY HAS FOOLED US ALL

Not a lot to write here other than I am incredibly disappointed in the Yankees for signing Jacoby Ellsbury, and I am unbelievably annoyed that this dude can't stay healthy.

I actually feel as though the Yankees need to cut bait.  It's really pathetic now.

The New York Post writes:

"Spring training has barely begun, and Jacoby Ellsbury is already hurt. The injury-prone outfielder is out with plantar fasciitis and won’t report to Yankees camp until next month, Aaron Boone said at his spring-training opening press conference at Steinbrenner Field on Wednesday. 

'Obviously, he had hip surgery late in the year and we expected him to be here as an active player from the start [of spring training], but just some issues he’s had with his plantar fascia kind of crept up as he went through his rehab this winter. It slowed him a little bit.'”

Do you think Ellsbury milking that contract or so you think this is legit? I think it's BS, that's what I think.

Anyway... Jacoby is out...again.  I'm actually fine with it. But the next step is to blindfold him, tie him up, and drop him off on a curb somewhere in the country and just move on.  I'm over this dude. Seriously.

SEVY GETS LOCKED UP

A quick note and then we move on...

Luis Severino has been locked up by the Yankees for a 4 year deal. Nice! He's literally one of the best pitchers the game has today. That had to be done.

ESPN writes:

"Starter Luis Severino has signed a four-year extension with the New York Yankees through the 2022 season that includes a fifth-year club option that would cover one season of free agency, it was announced Friday. 

The four-year deal, which buys out his arbitration years, is worth $40 million and could max out at $52.25 million through the fifth season, league sources told ESPN."

My man, Passan with the report, and there you have it.

Another piece handled by the genius Cashman!

Life is good in Yankeeland!

WHAT'S THE CATCH?

Spring training has officially begun for our New York teams and with the 2018 season officially behind us, we can all dream for a better season this year. One thing that needs to improve for both teams is catching, an extremely important position offensively and defensively. So I ask all of you, what's the catch for NY catching?

Source: The Athletic

If you ask the front office in Yankeeland, the catch is Gary Sanchez.  The J.T. Realmuto deal slipped through the Bombers fingers or maybe wasn't ever anything really but we all know he landed in Philadelphia. Realmuto seems to be the real deal and a great catch but, Aaron Boone is “excited” about Gary Sanchez and what he can contribute to this 2019 season.

The manager and the catcher spent some time together during the offseason in the Dominican Republic and according to NJ.com, Boone found “a guy that frankly is very hungry to go out and show the world how good a player he is.'' He also said Sanchez has a desire to step up this year. Could Sanchez be “that guy” and a real catch for the Yankees this year?  We will have to wait and see but his passed balls' history and his lackluster performance in the batter's box needs to improve to make me a believer that the Yankees putting all their faith in Sanchez was the right move versus going all in with Realmuto.

Source: Sporting News

As far as the Mets are concerned, there was definitely potential for a catcher upgrade, as former first-round draft pick Kevin Plawecki, who was traded to the Indians during the off season, and Travis d’Arnaud is coming off of the DL. Unfortunately, d’Arnaud has had a streak of injuries, including having to have Tommy John surgery, and Plawecki turned out to be not too good of a hitter. Neither of them are great offensively with Plawecki only throwing out 10 of 60 base stealers and d’Arnaud only 11 of 66 during the past season. Not very impressive.

Source: MLB.com

Luckily during the off season, the Mets made some great moves including acquiring Wilson Ramos from the Phillies. Ramos will provide the Mets with what the lineup was missing in the past; a quality hitter as well as a great catcher. The only concern with the new catcher is his past two knee surgeries, but he says he is ready to go. "I want to be behind the plate as much as I can. That’s what I’m working right now," Ramos said via NJ.com. "I’m working to be healthy and help my team behind the plate.” With a healthy Ramos and Travis d'Arnaud, it looks like the Mets could have their catching in order.

The catchers in New York are warming up for what we all hope will be a great 2019 season and an even better inter-league battle between the Yankees and Mets.   Here's to much warmer days and competitive catching in New York.

--Missy O'Rourke
BYB Contributor
Twitter: @missy_orourke

COLLUSION IN BASEBALL?

No, I am not talking about the conspiracy between President Trump and Russia. We breathe baseball here, not politics. That being said, does collusion exist in baseball?

There are WAY too many free agents still on the market right now. Spring training is here and there are far too many big names out there still with no job. Thankfully J.A. Happ isn't one of those names and he was smart to sign in December, but you can still hear some of his frustration:

"It’s surprising and it’s disappointing. I know we're [the Players Association] working on ways to change this, but it's frustrating for sure to see all the quality guys out there that can help teams win not being signed this close to spring. It's a bummer," read more HERE.

Last winter was slow, but it also didn't have the same star studded power as this free agent class, so many didn't expect another slow market. Big names like Bryce Harper and Manny Machado usually create a slower market for others until they sign but....they both still don't have jobs. How can two young guys with infinite talent still be on the market? This wouldn't even be possible three years ago.

And what about Dallas Keuchel, a Cy Young Award winner three years ago? There's no reason why he does not have a job. Or Craig Kimbrel, who led the NL in saves for four straight seasons and was the closer for the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox who is the best reliever on the market. Adam Jones does not have a job, nor does Mike Moustakas or Gio Gonzalez.

How about Doug Fister or Marwin Gonzalez? I mean, Gonzalez is extremely versatile. Teams salivate over a guy they can plug in multiple positions. You can't convince me that a guy with his versatility doesn't fit on one of the 30 MLB teams. I'm not buying that one.

There are approximately 70 experienced free agents still unsigned with Opening Day less than two months away. Quite a few of these players would be major game changers to a team, especially contending teams like the Red Sox who haven't addressed their bullpen and the guy that helped them win their championship. Side note, I am VERY okay with not seeing Kimbrel pitch against the Yankees.

So should fans and players be mad at the owners? It's easy to say that owners are trying to be strategic with how they are spending their money and don't want to sign those big money long term deals. They are in it to make money, but fans are in it to see their favorite players. Without their favorite players there is no reason to buy the expensive jerseys, MLB extra inning packages, game tickets or outrageously priced beers at those games.

Long term and big money deals do have a bad stigma attached to them. We tend to remember the bad deals like Bobby Bonilla, Jason Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury and Alex Rodriguez and understandably so. I know I can't wait to get rid of Ellsbury.

But not all long term deals are remembered as a disaster. I'd say CC Sabathia's seven year deal was a good investment. He's been reliable and it helped us get an immediate championship. Oh and Derek Jeter's 10 year deal back in 2000 was one of the best investments any team could make.

More than half of Major League teams haven't signed a free agent this winter. That's a startling number. So far, the only player to get a payday of over $100 million is Patrick Corbin. Many teams (like the Yankees) CAN afford guys like Harper or Machado, but yet they have chosen not to. Are MLB owners behind this?

I love baseball, but it's not easy to make it here. Yeah, there is a potential to make BIG money here.....but it's a long road to get there and maybe it is scaring some guys off. Maybe guys like Kyler Murray who just chose the NFL over baseball (read more HERE) are more interested in the guaranteed money than a gamble in MLB free agency. At this point, can you blame them?

So who is to blame for these last slow winters? Are players just greedy and have they ruined free agency....or are MLB owners colluding to change the game? It makes me wonder if a salary cap is the only thing to get baseball back on track.

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