[Elmgrovegnome]

I agree about the NL to AL thing for pitchers. Also the contract..... I am not too bothered that we didn't pay. Especially since we got Pax so we've improved the rotation some although not nearly at the level we need to.

Ohhh so you wouldn't play Manny at SS until Didi comes back? Interesting. Hmmmmm…… I would definitely do that. Oh wait you're assuming that Miggy is gone before the season starts? Ohhh.... ya in that case, maybe Echevaria (who is still unsigned right) is a good idea. But if Andujar is here I would certainly play Manny at SS until Didi is healthy.

Manny prefers SS, but he is not that great at short. He's a better third baseman.

[Elmgrovegnome]

Also after last season if someone told you...………… we are bringing the entire offense back as is (with minor adjustments like McCutcheon out Frazier in etc) and the only bolstered the pitching with top end guys like Corbin and Paxton or Syndegaard would you be happy with that?

Scoring wasn't our problem last season. Just because Machado and Harper are out there should we be so desperate to sign them? Just a question?

Desperate? I don't think any 100 win team is desperate, but they do need to counter Boston's offensive output.

I would have preferred Harper too, but it was mentioned by seasons end that there was no indication that the Yankees had any interest. By your own logic should a team with Stanton, Hicks, and Judge be desperate for another outfielder?

The age of both Harper and Machado is what makes them so attractive. Who knows what the team will look like six years from now. Locking one or both up long term is nearly guaranteed production for six years or more. Judge and Stanton have been pretty consistently good from year to year. Sanchez is suddenly a concern. I personally hate the idea of trading Andujar. His offensive production was the most consistent all season. I think Machado is a slight drop off from Andujar. But if it lands them an elite pitcher it would be worth it.


You mentioned the deep farm system. It's not so deep anymore. Cashman traded away the top prospects that aren't in New York. Most of the Yankees top farm prospects are in A ball. That is a long ways from the majors and most of the time only a few are still major league prospects by AAA, if they get that far.

[Elmgrovegnome]

@dieterbrock I haven't read anywhere that Machado is a done deal. The only thing I noticed was he followed Yes Network on Twitter, then followed them. I read that they were lowballing Machado.

I think Cashman's hands are tied. He has little room to be creative right now with Hal hovering over him, worried about the cap.

And @Horny Mcbae Sure it's Hal's money. But, I don't have to like it. As a fan I want to see the team winning and not passing up on available players that surely could help. If the Yankees profited $640 million in 2017 and the profits have increased every year for a decade then it's likely they made even more than that in 2018. So, the Luxury tax and free agent money should be easier for the Yankees to deal with than any other team. But it's seems Hal is not willing to go above the norm to cap to win. I don't like an owner that doesn't care about winning. I suffered through Georgia and the Rams for 40 years. It sucked other than for 3-4 years of the GSOT , which happened on the cheap.

Boston has 4 WCs in this century now. I want an owner who sees that as unacceptable, and who trusts one of the best GMs in the league to fix it.

[dieterbrock]

@dieterbrock I haven't read anywhere that Machado is a done deal. The only thing I noticed was he followed Yes Network on Twitter, then followed them. I read that they were lowballing Machado.

I think Cashman's hands are tied. He has little room to be creative right now with Hal hovering over him, worried about the cap.

And @Horny Mcbae Sure it's Hal's money. But, I don't have to like it. As a fan I want to see the team winning and not passing up on available players that surely could help. If the Yankees profited $640 million in 2017 and the profits have increased every year for a decade then it's likely they made even more than that in 2018. So, the Luxury tax and free agent money should be easier for the Yankees to deal with than any other team. But it's seems Hal is not willing to go above the norm to cap to win. I don't like an owner that doesn't care about winning. I suffered through Georgia and the Rams for 40 years. It sucked other than for 3-4 years of the GSOT , which happened on the cheap.

Boston has 4 WCs in this century now. I want an owner who sees that as unacceptable, and who trusts one of the best GMs in the league to fix it.

I’ve been on a Yankee chat board (riveraveblues dropped the chat) and the moderator there seems to be connected somehow. He’s been on every decision, player availability etc. he’s been on the money every time. He said it’s a done deal and they are working out the details. I’d be shocked if this was the first time he was wrong.
Love Andujar. Would hate to lose him but if he landed a Kluber I’d be all for it.
I’d rather see Machado at 3rd and let Andujar DH. Leave Stanton in LF

[Horny Mcbae]

Desperate? I don't think any 100 win team is desperate, but they do need to counter Boston's offensive output.

I would have preferred Harper too, but it was mentioned by seasons end that there was no indication that the Yankees had any interest. By your own logic should a team with Stanton, Hicks, and Judge be desperate for another outfielder?

The age of both Harper and Machado is what makes them so attractive. Who knows what the team will look like six years from now. Locking one or both up long term is nearly guaranteed production for six years or more. Judge and Stanton have been pretty consistently good from year to year. Sanchez is suddenly a concern. I personally hate the idea of trading Andujar. His offensive production was the most consistent all season. I think Machado is a slight drop off from Andujar. But if it lands them an elite pitcher it would be worth it.


You mentioned the deep farm system. It's not so deep anymore. Cashman traded away the top prospects that aren't in New York. Most of the Yankees top farm prospects are in A ball. That is a long ways from the majors and most of the time only a few are still major league prospects by AAA, if they get that far.

Yes I am well aware of that. I mentioned that we could use Sonny Gray to bolster some of the depleted farm system, although it might not get us much but still its one of our tradable chips. What I meant was that we have the luxury of having players such as Judge and Gary and Miggy and Gleyber coming up from the farm system and costing us peanuts.

I agree at team with Stanton - Hicks - Judge should not be desperate for a Harper but I also see it a little differently. I don't see Stanton as a every day outfielder and certainly not going forward. Which is why I feel Harper is a "better fit" as compared to Manny who is the better player but we already have Didi (who we will extend) and Andujar who could very well improve his defense to at least average levels.

To your point about Machado and Harper....... you're echoing my sentiment that a 100 win team shouldn't be desperate and what that means is we should not go crazy with offering a Machado or a Harper a huge contract we feel would hamper us down the road. Doing that would be the deifiniton of "desperate". You are right nobody knows what the team will look like in 5 years but we have a good idea about its offensive production with the players we ALREADY have here. If you are guaranteeing production from Harper and Machado why not with Judge, Gleyber, Andujar and Stanton?

Now if we were talking about going over the top to get an elite pitcher then i would sing a different tune. Even if the last 2 years of that pitcher's contract was painful i would do it to bring us a WS in the first 2-3 years of said contract. I don't see Machado and Harper being as "must haves" as an elite pitcher would be. I am not against spending big money. I wouldn't mind as long as it fills the actual real needs of this team and pushes us closer to the WS we want.

Manny, as good a player as he is, can't be said to be the differnce maker between us and Boston. Just as a hypothetical, De Grom would be because its a major area of weakness for us and in the post season picthing is king, hence my comfort level with offering that kind of player a contract that we might be uneasy with because in the short term if does move us much closer to the WS than Machado would.

[Horny Mcbae]

I'll miss D-Rob and love that dude BUT after seeing him pitch last season (almost every game) I think this is one of the best moves Cash would have made this offseason. Walking away at the right time.

Guess its Britton for us now.

[dieterbrock]

I'd love Harper's bat in Yankee stadium, but there isn't a spot for him.
And Cashman is right, you don't pay a guy that much money and then switch his position.
Looks like they are planning on using Tulo at SS until Didi is back, he had quite a bit of interest.

[Elmgrovegnome]

Yes I am well aware of that. I mentioned that we could use Sonny Gray to bolster some of the depleted farm system, although it might not get us much but still its one of our tradable chips. What I meant was that we have the luxury of having players such as Judge and Gary and Miggy and Gleyber coming up from the farm system and costing us peanuts.

I agree at team with Stanton - Hicks - Judge should not be desperate for a Harper but I also see it a little differently. I don't see Stanton as a every day outfielder and certainly not going forward. Which is why I feel Harper is a "better fit" as compared to Manny who is the better player but we already have Didi (who we will extend) and Andujar who could very well improve his defense to at least average levels.

To your point about Machado and Harper....... you're echoing my sentiment that a 100 win team shouldn't be desperate and what that means is we should not go crazy with offering a Machado or a Harper a huge contract we feel would hamper us down the road. Doing that would be the deifiniton of "desperate". You are right nobody knows what the team will look like in 5 years but we have a good idea about its offensive production with the players we ALREADY have here. If you are guaranteeing production from Harper and Machado why not with Judge, Gleyber, Andujar and Stanton?

Now if we were talking about going over the top to get an elite pitcher then i would sing a different tune. Even if the last 2 years of that pitcher's contract was painful i would do it to bring us a WS in the first 2-3 years of said contract. I don't see Machado and Harper being as "must haves" as an elite pitcher would be. I am not against spending big money. I wouldn't mind as long as it fills the actual real needs of this team and pushes us closer to the WS we want.

Manny, as good a player as he is, can't be said to be the differnce maker between us and Boston. Just as a hypothetical, De Grom would be because its a major area of weakness for us and in the post season picthing is king, hence my comfort level with offering that kind of player a contract that we might be uneasy with because in the short term if does move us much closer to the WS than Machado would.

With Manny it's not about desperation. He's better than Andujar, offensively and defensively. It's hard to ignore the potential. I've seen a few people hoping it happens with Andujar moving to first. Voit is a 28 year old rookie. There is a very good chance that he can't duplicate his production in the last two months of the season. In that regard there is a place for Manny and a need.

Counting on offensive production is hard to do with Torres. He hasn't become the All star he's predicted to be, yet. I have no worries with Judge, Stanton, or Andujar. Throw in Machado and it's a done deal. If Sanchez can bounce back and Gleybers game approaches his upside, then it's a done deal. But I do worry about the production of Boston's core, which is what the Yankees need to match.


If there was a top pitcher out there, then certainly he should have been the number 1 priority. But, I don't have faith in Hal to approve the deal. I am not convinced at this point that Manny is a done deal either.

[dieterbrock]

With Manny it's not about desperation. He's better than Andujar, offensively and defensively. It's hard to ignore the potential. I've seen a few people hoping it happens with Andujar moving to first. Voit is a 28 year old rookie. There is a very good chance that he can't duplicate his production in the last two months of the season. In that regard there is a place for Manny and a need.

Counting on offensive production is hard to do with Torres. He hasn't become the All star he's predicted to be, yet. I have no worries with Judge, Stanton, or Andujar. Throw in Machado and it's a done deal. If Sanchez can bounce back and Gleybers game approaches his upside, then it's a done deal. But I do worry about the production of Boston's core, which is what the Yankees need to match.


If there was a top pitcher out there, then certainly he should have been the number 1 priority. But, I don't have faith in Hal to approve the deal. I am not convinced at this point that Manny is a done deal either.

Manny at 3rd base is a superior player to Andujar as a complete package, his defense there is great. We'll see about the bat. On one hand, Du is ahead of where Manny was as a rookie, but there's no guarantee he will continue to improve either.
Voit is a curious case as well. He was buried in the St Louis farm system, blocked at 1B by Adams, Carpenter and Martinez. On one hand, we have the Shelley Duncan/Kevin Maas/Shane Spencer comparisons, but on the other hand there have been plenty of guys who were late bloomers and didn't get to shine until after age 26, Josh Donaldson was buried in Oakland until he was 27, and heck Justin Turner was 30 when the Dodgers let him play

I was not big on Corbin and man, I wouldn't want the Yankees on the hook for that contract he signed. Yikes. Of course we'll have plenty of hindsight regret on that if it turns out to be a Verlander situation and will be quietly forgotten if it turns out like if its a Yu Darvish...

I think they did well with the pitching staff, not sure what else they could do. The Mets were never going to deal with the Yankees, even in a 3-way

[dieterbrock]

Yanks sign Britton