YANKEES SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE UNPLUGGED

February 15th came and went—the day I wait for every year once the World Series ends. My colleague @JayBilly2 added salt the wound with his comment earlier in the week, "Hate to be a party pooper. No baseball until July." Could the long-awaited Yankees Spring Training Schedule be just a fairy tale? Are we really in for no go for baseball 'til the early summer?

"Tuesday is day 76 of this owners vs. players war over money, the sides still are very far apart and there are no talks scheduled. Not good," reported NJ.com. Despite both sides coming together for quarterly meetings in Florida on Saturday, and Aaron Judge's videos that were filled with optimism, no deals were made, no resolution agreed upon. In order for the season to start on time, a new deal would be needed by the first week of March. Which is exactly two weeks away.

"The sad thing is the talks are going nowhere. Baseball is lost in the desert with no resolution in sight. The last play in the Super Bowl is usually when the NFL passes the stage to baseball and it’s a rite of passage every year. Baseball fans look forward to the beginning of another season, and here we are with no idea when spring training is going to start and a strong likelihood that the season is going to start late. It’s a sad day for baseball," said baseball writer Bob Klapisch.

What is the fight about? Shared revenue, base salaries, free agency and minor league positions and salaries. And they are no closer to a resolution than they were when the lockout began. Which means that the Yankees and all spring training schedules are virtually unplugged. I wish we all could share with you more optimistic news. But there's nothing. Do you believe in Miracles? Yes. But they are reserved for the Olympics, which have filled some of the void, but will soon come to an end too. 

So we are left with binging, NHL, March Madness, NBA...and then, maybe baseball. 

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

ROB MANFRED'S GROWING LIST OF FAILURES CONTINUE

I'm sick and tired of hearing about the MLB lockout. I'm tired of writing about it. I'm tired of thinking about it. But when in the middle of a lockout, it can't be avoided when you write a blog.

So I had a terrible lapse of judgement on Thursday and Rob Manfred gave me false hope. I wanted to believe what he was selling. We all do, but I really hoped for that miracle. He made a nice pitch that you can read HERE but here's what gave me some hope:

"That's the art of this process. Somebody makes a move. And that's why we'll make additional moves on Saturday that creates flexibility on the other side and what seemed like a big gap on this topic or that topic isn't such a big gap anymore."

He made it sound like owners were ready to play ball and the gap could be bridged....but that didn't happen at all. In fact, negotiations lasted approximately an hour and then Jon Heyman tweeted this:

That's frustrating for me to read. There hasn't been nearly enough time at the negotiating table to get this deal done. Saturday's meeting between MLB and MLBPA was the first in 11 days. Both sides didn't even meet to START negotiating until 43 days after the lockout started. Neither side knows the art of negotiation at all and no sense of urgency.

So Sorry, Manfred's follow up comment of  "I believe we will have an agreement in time to play our regular schedule" is nothing but a bunch of crap. We are in the middle of February so to think that both sides are going to light a fire under their asses and agree to a deal by March 31st feels like a wild fantasy.

If and when March 31st rolls around and the season hasn't started we should all remind Manfred of this. He's a lying clown and he's killing this sport. #FireManfred!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE BLOCKBUSTER TRADE THE YANKEES NEED TO MAKE

Source: Yahoo Sports

With the universal DH rule announcement on Thursday, first base just became a more defensively aligned position instead of a place to land a sunsetting big leaguer with a big bat. The hot corner has been a big controversy over the last several years as we point out in our post on Saturday, I FEEL LIKE THE YANKEES JUST USED LUKE VOIT. All the more reason why a blockbuster trade with the Oakland A's needs to happen as soon as the gun goes off for the 2022 season to begin.

Source: The Athletic

"The Yankees were uncharacteristically quiet before the lockout, with [Joely] Rodríguez their only signing. They have a lot of work to do if they’re going to return to the postseason this October, and it might take a blockbuster deal to get there. They match up well with Oakland and could make a strong bid to land Olson, Bassitt and Laureano. All three would be significant upgrades," reports SI.com. We are all familiar with Matt Olson given all of the banter about the 27-year-old defensively elite first baseman with a lefty bat. But what about the other two "sleepers" in the mix?

Chris Bassitt is going into his last pre-free agency season requiring the Athletics to put up some additional money to keep him. The right hander had another strong season and could provide much needed consistency in the rotation. "He’s quietly been one of the AL’s best starters since returning from elbow surgery in 2018, logging 412 innings with a 3.23 ERA, including a 3.15 ERA and career-high 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 27 starts in 2021," reported the Athletic.

And then there is center fielder Ramon Laureano who likely provides a slight upgrade to Hicks in center. He played only 88 games in 2021 after being suspended pending investigation of use of a performance enhancing substance and has 30 more games to serve before returning to the lineup of any team. He averages about 20 home runs and 15 stolen bases batting.249. He is the least appealing of a a blockbuster deal but could provide needed help in the core outfield position.

Source: Mercury News

"Barring any other moves, Aaron Hicks is poised to return to his role as New York's starting center fielder—he missed much of last year after a season-ending wrist injury. That's really the only position in the outfield where the Yankees could put someone like Laureano. Aaron Judge and Joey Gallo are set to occupy the corner spots.," reports SI.com.

Source: NBC Sports

What would the Yankees give up? Likely one of their prospect shortstops like Anthony Volpe as well as other members of the talented young farm system—potentially five of these players would need to be in the mix to get a trade like this done. Now they could resign Anthony Rizzo and avoid this kind of trade all together, favoring shortstop and starting pitching, but knowing them, they are likely going to deal with the A's who have a history of offloading big salaries.

The Yankees need to make a blockbuster trade. But this may not be the one go for given the risk in giving up too much talent. The focus right now is getting the season going—ending the lockout and moving forward with 2022. But make no mistake the Yankees will be active and what direction they go and how the universal DH impacts this will be interesting to watch. 

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

I FEEL LIKE THE YANKEES JUST USED LUKE VOIT

Greg Bird was sucking... and all the sudden this guy Luke Voit comes off the bench and the Yankees started playing him. And you know what? It worked. Voit busted his ass, showed promise and started to really open eyes. This guy was a beast, a competitor, a home run hitter... everything.

And then... out of the blue, and maybe because Voit kept getting hurt, the Yankees brought in Anthony Rizzo as if to suggest that Luke Voit's job wasn't safe. Is it fair? Hey... it's baseball. But one would suggest that the Yankees used this guy to get over the hump and did... and now that is why there is so much talk about Luke Voit being traded.

Couple that with the fact that the MLB is in the final days on instituting the DH rule for the National League too (which is so outrageous, I can't even tell you how much Manfred sucks), and it's very possible that the National League will be blowing up Cashman's phone right now in an attempt to get Voit to come to the National League as a DH over there so they can keep his bat in the lineup.  

Whatever it is, know this Yankee fans. Luke Voit loves New York and wants to be in the Bronx. I love that!

The New York Post writes:

“I want to play first base for the Yankees,’’ Voit said. “If that happens, great. If not, I’ll go somewhere else.”

When asked if he expected to stick with the Bronx Bombers, Voit responded, “I expect to. I’m the only first baseman on the depth chart right now.”

That’s because Anthony Rizzo, who took Voit’s job last year after a July trade from the Cubs, is now a free agent.

General manager Brian Cashman announced prior to the MLB lockout that first base was among the areas of need on the roster. That will still be the case whenever the work stoppage comes to an end ..."

This stoppage has changed the paths of a lot of player's careers, and it has shown me the true nature of the MLB, especially since Manfred came in... this is business. Money needs to be made and it saddens me because these athletes just wanna play and enough is enough.

Voit is a Yankee right this second. We need to respect that. Will Cashman trade him off if he has the opportunity? Only if he finds a first baseman, but even that means that Voit is still valuable as a backup or even DH. 

But time will tell. The one thing I do know is that Voit has proven himself in pinstripes. Injuries are plentiful yes... but when this guy's healthy, he's an animal, and you have to admire that.

Stay tuned...

JEREMY GIAMBI SUICIDE IS TRAGIC

Yankee fans all remember Jeremy Giambi as the guy that was thrown out on the most incredible flip play from Derek Jeter to Jorge Posada at home plate in Game 3 of the 2001 ALDS... Yanks vs. A's. 

But Giambi has a career, and of course was brothers for Jason Giambi.  In short, hearing about Gerald Williams death was tragic enough. Cancer sucks... but learning that Jeremy Giambi killed himself is equally tragic and just not right.

You don't have to like the guy, but Jeremy was a competitor. He played 6 years in the bigs, but the other day his life was ended forever in what appears to be a suicide. The New York Post writes:

"Law enforcement was reportedly called to Giambi’s parents’ Southern California home at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday to find him deceased.

Giambi’s agent, Joel Wolfe, said in a statement Wednesday that the family requested privacy...

“We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a member of our Green and Gold family, Jeremy Giambi,” the A’s wrote on Twitter at the news of his death. “We offer our condolences to Jeanne, Jason, and his family and friends.”

Suicide is a terrible thing. Prayers go out to the family. So sad.

MLB'S "TOP 10" MANAGER RANKINGS WILL SHOCK YOU!

Well....everyone is entitled to their own opinion, right? We are also entitled to say we don't agree with someone else's opinion. That's pretty much where I stand right now. 

Since I am not crazy enough to pay for a subscription to the Boston Globe, I will let NJ.com summarize what I am talking about HERE. Pete Abraham picked his top ten MLB managers and it gave me a good laugh. You are a funny guy, Pete!

I like some of his list. As much as myself and all other Yankee fans can't stand the Tampa Bay Rays I have to admit Kevin Cash is a very good manager. He has proven he can lead and develop young talent and help them become good ball players. He can also manage a team with a small budget. He's been a consistent pain in our asses now for awhile. I get why he's ranked number one.

And then we've got managers on his top ten list that are just flippin crazy! He ranked Aaron Boone at number ten! I guess I can't say his list stems from pure Boston bias....but it is bonkers. Boone is not a top ten manager and NO his 328-218 managerial record doesn't gift him a spot on this list either. If anything, it just tells us he has some talent on the team that has helped his stats. It says nothing about his abilities as a leader or a manager.

The Yankees have taken a massive step backwards since they kicked Joe Girardi to the curb. It still doesn't make sense to me. Boone was supposed to connect with players better, but if that were true why haven't we made it deeper into the postseason? Shouldn't we have won a ring by now? He's got the same core of players that were once young and now our window of opportunity with our youth is gone. How does he connect? Shouldn't Gary Sanchez be so much better? He is still terrible!

Obviously, Abraham has an interesting calculation process because Boone should really be at the bottom. I think his metrics are off somehow. I will give Boone a top ten ranking....but it's as a puppet or a "YES" man because that's all he is. He's bottom tier, no where near the top.

Are you laughing as hard as I am? There's your comedy for the day. You're Welcome.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

ANTHONY VOLPE IS THE REAL THING

Source: Mark LoMoglio | Tampa Tarpons

With comparisons to Derek Jeter, Shortstop Anthony Volpe is making his journey to the major leagues. He is the apple of the New York Yankees' eye, born on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and growing up in New Jersey. Volpe is athlete that took advantage of the pandemic to bulk up and get better. Does he have a big future with the Yankees? They are counting on it.

"Volpe is being hailed as a second coming to a franchise legend, too … the one who shares the same home state, played his position and had the same demeanor. Hall of Famer Derek Jeter won five World Series playing shortstop for the Yankees from 1995-2014. Volpe, who likely will begin this year playing for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, figures to debut in the majors by 2023 or 2024. By then, you may hear a lot more people projecting a modern-day No. 2, some of it coming from teammates," reported NJ.com.

Source: MLB.com

The Yankees will have to plan on a gap year before bringing up their future shortstop. He needs to grow and develop before he is ready for his big league debut. Scouts credit him for his baseball acumen and ability to study pitchers as he waits for his next at bat. This kind sharp, smart game play is impressive and is serving him well.

"The 27 homers were shocking for a 5-foot-11, 180 pounder, but he did so much more hitting .294 with 35 doubles, six triples, 86 RBI and 33 steals over 109 games, the first 54 with Low-A Tampa and the last 55 with High-A Hudson Valley. His shortstop play was superb, too," reported NJ.com.

Source: MLB.com

Anthony Volpe is the real thing, but his dream won't come true until 2023. This means two things: (1) the Yankees need to help him develop, keep him healthy and enabled him to focus and (2) they need to find a shortstop who can fill in during the 2022 season as they wait for this great new talent. Here's to you Anthony! Do great things and maybe we will see you in September!

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

THE GERALD WILLIAMS DEATH IS SHOCKING

When I saw Jorge Posada's Instagram the other day, I got very sad. I could not believe what I was reading. Unbelievable.

Gerald Williams was a guy that had a decent baseball career and was always around. Especially with best friend Derek Jeter. It's one of those guys that you just assume will be around forever.  When I saw Jorge's post, I was pretty upset about it.  

Cancer is a bitch. It takes people too soon.  Such a shame.

The New York Post writes:

"Close friend and former teammate Derek Jeter announced Williams’ passing in a message tweeted by The Players’ Tribune:

“Gerald Williams passed away this morning after a battle with cancer. To my teammate and one of my best friends in the world, rest in peace, my brother. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Liliana, and their whole family,” Jeter said.

Williams, a speedster who could play all three outfield positions and had a cannon for an arm, spent 14 seasons in the majors after the Yankees drafted him in the 14th round out of Grambling State University in 1987. Although he didn’t reach the majors until the age of 25, he spent parts of seven seasons with the Yankees in two separate stints from 1992-96 and again from 2000-01. He also played for the Brewers, the Braves, the Rays, and the Marlins before finishing his career with the Mets in 2004 and 2005."

Prayers to the Williams family... to Jeter and to the baseball community.  Death is a terrible thing, especially when it goes after the good and the young.

Gone too soon. Rest in peace friend.

JASSON DOMINGUEZ SETS A NEW RECORD THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND!

I will be the first to admit, I have been following every tidbit of Jasson Dominguez information I can get my hands on ever since the Yankees signed him back in 2019. I am guilty for getting sucked up into the hype but even I know that Dominguez is just a prospect for now. Sometimes prospects don't pan out.

But I really hope he does. I also know we have hyped the hell out of this kid already especially with the idea of him being the "next Mike Trout" and some baseball fans are ready to buy into this comparison quite literally and it is scary.

I LOVE baseball memorabilia. I love baseball cards, plaques, articles I have saved, bobbleheads....I have a nice little collection. I love to pop into the local card shop near me that operates the most impractical hours known to man and even though it isn't convenient I STILL frequent and buy there. I've come across and bought some really special cards and I have spent some money. 

But I have my limits. So when I came across THIS on Twitter it made my head spin.

Read that again: final sale price $474,000!!

Almost half a million dollars for a kid that hasn't even graduated from High A ball yet. In comparison, to a 2017 Topps near mint condition 2017 Mike Trout card that Goldin was also auctioning off as I write this piece with a current offer of $7,000. That's just bananas.

I love memorabilia. I love following prospects but there's no chance in hell I would pay that kind of money even if I was a very rich woman. I just want to interview the person that bought this card. I want to get in their head and ask WHY?! How did they value this card? What was their justification? Why would you spend so much money on THIS card. And the question I don't want to consider as a possibility but must.....what if he doesn't have a successful major league career?

For as long as I breathe, I will continue to buy cards and memorabilia. It's in my blood. But now I have to wonder....are we doing this kid a disservice by overhyping him? If he wasn't feeling the pressure before, it's impossible not to now.

I don't know what to call this besides redamndiculously crazy! Would I buy a Jasson Dominguez card in the future? Sure, maybe. But I can say with 474,000% certainty that I'd spent a lot freaking less!

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT FREEMAN, NO NO!

Source: Disney's Encanto

When the lockout ends...if the lockout ends...the Yankees will...drama, drama, drama. The Yankees need a full out makeover. Is Freddie Freeman a part of the formula? I have no idea. And quite frankly neither does anyone else. MLB needs to bring in a federal mediator to get this lockout thing to end. But in grand style, they rejected that notion on Friday. As far as any deals with players, who knows. But despite the lack of any information, the pundits keep on publishing, and we keep on waiting. Are you as tired about the Freeman rumor as I am? If you are, read on.

Source: CBS Sports

According to CBS Sports Saturday afternoon, "While most of the industry has expected Freeman and the Braves to work out their differences and agree to a new contract, it's notable that the first half of MLB's offseason came and went without the two sides agreeing to a pact." The article brought in some other information, nothing new, the same stuff what we have reported here at BYB over the last few months.

Source: Athletics Nation

"The Braves, for their part, have since shown interest in first-base alternatives, be it trade targets like Matt Olson (Oakland Athletics), or free agents like Anthony Rizzo (coincidentally, most recently of the Yankees). It's only fair, then, that Freeman evaluates his own options." Round and round we go, where this stops, nobody knows. The Yankees also have the same interests in the same players as the Braves. But the challenge is the lockout, and the focus needs to be on ending that so that there can be real action instead of statements like, "The Yankees will pounce when...and " The Yankees are first in line for..."

The bottom line is, all this bantering about Freeman, Olson, Rizzo and even Carlos Correa at this juncture is just a mute point. The real news that is not rumor at all is that MLB stands to lose more money, which they cannot afford given the 60-day schedule in 2020 due to the pandemic and even the disruptions in 2021. 

"MLB’s 2021-22 lockout is entering its third month with no immediate compromise in sight, all but certain to delay spring training while also jeopardizing the start of the regular season," reported USA Today. 

Source: Disney's Encanto

I am tired of the banter and talk about trades and acquisitions when the real story that we all have to face is that the two sides of baseball, owners and players, are fighting over revenue shares. They are no closer to agreement than they were in the fall and as February roars onto its second week, the hopes of a more normal regular season is fizzling away as each day passes. So yeah, I don't want to talk about Freeman much like the family in Disney's Encanto don't talk about Bruno. 

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

BIG NEWS FOR BABY BOMBERS AS LOCKOUT CONTINUES!

Major League Baseball may be at a standstill right now.....but the minor leagues are ramping up. It's signs of life for now. It's something to hold on to and get excited about. This is even more true if you are following any and all news on some of our baby bombers like Anthony Volpe AND Oswald Peraza.

No MLB news to follow means more focus for me on any minor league developments and apparently Aaron Boone feels the same way. In case you missed it, top prospects who are not on the 40-man roster have been invited down to the Tampa training complex for a "mini camp," read more HERE.

And in addition to the "mini camp" starting next week Boone also committed to spending some time with minor league development if MLB Spring Training is delayed, which looks more and more likely as the week rolls along with MLBPA and owners still not agreeing on a new CBA.

This may not sound like a lot, but it would give Brian Cashman some more insight on exactly where these young kids are and how they are progressing while big league action is at a standstill. The Yankees have been strategizing how to upgrade at shortstop and while both Volpe and Peraza are "close" to big league action according to scouts they aren't quite ready yet....but should be soon.

And how soon could give the Yankees a better idea on if they should consider a short term solution to shortstop for a year or if they should consider a trade or free agent signing for a couple of years. None of us like the big league lockout, but if it does last longer the Yankees could make the most of this time by getting a good assessment at these younger kids.

The Yankees have invested a lot of time and interest in these younger shortstop prospects. I think that and the idea of a big name like Carlos Correa would require an expensive long-term contract that they don't necessarily want to spend means good news for our baby bombers. At least, that is what I hope because I'd rather not watch the Yankees spend money on cheater Correa.

Time will tell, but I can't wait to hear what else comes out of "mini camp" starting next week and hopefully this kids continue to impress. It's a small piece of good news! Stay tuned.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE FRENZY FOR PLAYERS AFTER THE LOCKOUT WILL BE FIERCE

Source: Associated Press

Sigh. Wishing for the lockout to end is like wishing I could fast forward through February all the way to May. Once the lockout does lift however, it will be like Black Friday back in the day- squeezing through the doors to get to the best deals of the day. The frenzy for players after the lockout will be fierce—how will the Yankees fair in the showdown?

The New York Post layed down the gauntlet: "Steinbrenner should feel pressure. Of one title this century. Of one division title in the past nine years. And of a shadow — no, not of his late father, George, but from Steve Cohen across town. He might just take the Mets’ payroll to $300 million. Steinbrenner could act like he would be indifferent to the attention that would draw. It would be that: an act."

Source: Sports Illustrated

To fall to second best to the Mets is just unthinkable. Second best in the Big Apple just doesn't feel right and it isn't right. The Yankees have settled. They have spread their money around since signing Gerrit Cole and it has not served them well. It has not served them anything. And if they don't change their ways, they will be shut out of the frenzy that is certainly coming.

Reports the Post, "The simplest solution to complete the positional group would be Anthony Rizzo at first and Andrelton Simmons at short through free agency. Both offer high-end defense. Rizzo provides a lefty bat and big-game pedigree. Gio Urshela is around as a regularly used utilityman who could, when necessary, hit late for Simmons, then play short. Of the 159 players with at least 1,000 plate appearances between 2019-21, Simmons’ 71 OPS-plus is the second-worst." Absolutely none of this is appealing, except maybe Rizzo who the Yankees appeared to take a hard pass on. 

Source: Art of Dr. Seuss

Will the Yankees even be part of the frenzy? Could they, would they spend a dollar? Will they, can they buy a player? Don't mean to go all Dr. Seuss on you but the concern is real. And the actions so far are ridiculous. The Yankees need so much and unless they pounce when the bell rings, I fear that 2022 is just an extension of the last three years with nothing to say for yourself but that you were second to the Mets.

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