Read an article in the Post that said the Yankees are picking up the option on Britton, but declining on Gardner.
I think 90% of us expected these two moves. Britton was their best late inning guy last year and fastballs with sinking motion always plays well. Gardy is at best a 4th OF next year, barely ahead of Tauchman, so not worth $10 mill vs Tauchman's $600k. He does get a $2.5 mill buy out. I think they try to resign him to a lower deal. But if the ax is coming out they may just walk away and go with Tauchman and maybe Florial.
Tanaka, IMV, is the only other guy they look to bring back, but what are they willing to pay? I suspect he is still worth in the $12-$15 mill range, but what does Hal allow? My guess is that Deivi Garcia is the guy that would replace him in the rotation - lots of junk with a better FB.
DJ is priority signing number 1, without question.
Pitching is more murky question. I’d love Tanaka back, but he may shop for his last biggest contract and sign elsewhere.
I’m happy to see the back of Happ and Paxton...but we have a lot of questions about the guys set to replace them.
Is Monty ready for a full time rotation spot? I say yes, I, a fan
Will German be back? I hope so, but still question marks there.
Severino return? Probably can’t count on him really returning to form until 2022.
Garcia? Schmidt? Any of the other kids ready to step in? All possible...but Yanks could really use a solid #2-3 starter to bridge the gap.
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to a cheap 1 year prove it deal. Something in the $8-$10 mil range should be possible. Perhaps even less.
I don't see Paxton taking that deal.
In a normal year you’d probably be right. But every team in MLB lost a ton of money this season and there are no guarantees next season will be much better. I think you’re going to see more players signing one year deals this off season in hopes the market corrects itself. Not many teams are going to be throwing around a ton of money this season
I wish the Yankees farm system was still churning out quality relievers. That well has run dry in recent years.
Britton and Ottavino (for more obvious reasons)
I love DPs.
I wish the Yankees farm system was still churning out quality relievers. That well has run dry in recent years.
Yes, Britton has a bit of the John Wetteland effect, but not quite as bad. He is a bit wild say 50% of the times, looks like he cannot find the plate and you say WTF! I know exactly what you mean. But he does get the job done.
Let some other team have the injury prone pitcher.
He has already proved that he can't stay healthy.
@Feinsand
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23m
The Yankees did not exercise J.A. Happ's $17 million option for 2021, per source. He is now a free agent.
How does Brantley fit?
Frazier-Hicks-Judge
Signing another starting outfielder so we can bench Frazier in the postseason again seems like a huge waste.
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it's too easy for teams with power RH pitchers to shut down the lineup - see the Rays. Would love to see Michael Brantley on a two year deal replacing Gardy or if Gardy is brought back, replacing Tauchman.
How does Brantley fit?
Frazier-Hicks-Judge
Signing another starting outfielder so we can bench Frazier in the postseason again seems like a huge waste.
are you counting on Frazier/Hicks/Judge playing 162? I'm pretty sure we could get Brantley ABs and have insurance when Judge inevitably gets hurt.
Frazier/Hicks/Judge/Brantley/Gardner would be a good 5.
how expensive to you think Brantley will be? He's made $16 last year and is 32. I don't think he's going to get a raise. 2 years @ $25 to $32 for Brantley and 1 year $2-4 for Gardner is certainly affordable for the Yankees.
@Feinsand
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23m
The Yankees did not exercise J.A. Happ's $17 million option for 2021, per source. He is now a free agent.
Too much for him, no surprise there.
I think they try and bring back Tanaka and DJ.
There are finite resources though. So it depends on what other moves they might make. I'm not against the move. I just would make other moves first.
After seeing Brad hand outrighted on a 1 year / $10M option, felt like Britton would like his 1 year $13M vs the unknown.
So I was surprised by it a bit. Which is not to say I disagree with it.
I don't really care about the cash other than the fact that ownership clearly has some limits in mind.
Happy to let this be the walk point for Gardy. Frazier deserves the everyday job, and I'm fine with Tauchman/Wade getting the spot starts in CF or wherever else. Probably a bit lower production than what you get from Gardy, but they are on pre-arb contracts vs $5M or whatever incremental $ it will take to sign Gardy.
Different conversation if they think Frazier can meaningfully improve the starting pitching puzzle in a trade. But even then, I would prefer a guy like Brantley to Gardner.
I think they should and will take their time on that front -- there could be some solid players available on affordable one year deals if this market is as miserly as some early indicators would predict.
The SP market is really weak. Given his upside, I think they probably end up with Paxton back for a year, somewhere between $10 and $15M. Maybe some sort of mutual option for a second year or a team option with a $3-4M buyout.
Even then, the need at least another arm or two. If it's a cheap market, i wouldnt mind firing out a few one year deals on guys like Kluber, Gausman, Minor, Quintana, Alex Wood. I want them to give a legitimate role to Garcia, and possibly Schmidt too. But with Sevy's recovery process and those guys lack of experience, they need some pieces to just steady the picture.
I have no trust at all in Robbie Ray, but they've always seemed to have a hard on for him, so that wouldn't shock me.
(and btw - the fact that TB declined his $15M is yet another harbinger that this is likely to be a very bad offseason for the players at large)
(and btw - the fact that TB declined his $15M is yet another harbinger that this is likely to be a very bad offseason for the players at large)
I would absolutely take Morton on a 1 year deal. Our window for a Championship won't remain open forever.
Problem is Hal is putting Cash on a super tight budge this year so we'll be shedding tons of payroll this offseason.
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would make a whole mess of sense for NYY.
(and btw - the fact that TB declined his $15M is yet another harbinger that this is likely to be a very bad offseason for the players at large)
I would absolutely take Morton on a 1 year deal. Our window for a Championship won't remain open forever.
Problem is Hal is putting Cash on a super tight budge this year so we'll be shedding tons of payroll this offseason.
I think it can be accepted that payroll will not be going up. But I think it remains to be seen how intent they are on getting the 2021 number down. I suspect that minimizing commitments beyond 2021 heading into a nasty labor negotiation are the most major priority.
If Cashman can paint a picture for ownership of a 2021 with a great shot to win a title, without adding dollars to 2022 and out, I could see them spending close to 2020. Perhaps not quite as high. But I don't think that a massive 2021 slash is as much of a given as some have made of it.
Just my opinion. could damn well be wrong.
Yet, I did think Morton may be a good idea as an innings eater.
They may just say WTF and go with the young guys.
I don’t think the pressure is as intense on Cashman after the Rays lost in the World Series. Let’s see him freshen up this team without signing free agents.
Jon Lester is old and was awful this year. Why would the Yankees want him?
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Jon Lester is old and was awful this year. Why would the Yankees want him?
Yep. No more old, old pitchers, please.
Yankees PR Dept.
@YankeesPR
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3m
RHP Tommy Kahnle elected free agency today in lieu of accepting an outright assignment.
Yankees PR Dept.
@YankeesPR
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3m
RHP Tommy Kahnle elected free agency today in lieu of accepting an outright assignment.
After his TJ surgery, it was a near certainty that he would not play in 2021 anyway, when he would have reached FA. Maybe he can find a team to give him a one-year deal with an option for 2022 so he can get paid for both seasons.
Just another roster spot open.
Don’t be so quick to dismiss him. The Yanks have liked him for a while. He was noticeably a better pitcher this year- with the exception of two starts.
His first start was really bad- but excusable with the layoff. He then got ripped by the Yanks in a mid-September start. Outside of those games, he was actually good.
He was also in his first season back from TJ. We should expect some better results going forward. His stuff is good enough to have been a former 1st round pick. He just never really pitched up to that status.
In addition, because he was traded mid-season, the Jays cannot make a tender offer to him.
He will never be a front-of-the-rotation SP, but he might be a good 3/4 type who supplements Cole and Severino.
I don’t think the pressure is as intense on Cashman after the Rays lost in the World Series. Let’s see him freshen up this team without signing free agents.
If the Mets want to spend this winter, were I Cashman, I would check in to see if they would be interested in Chapman. The Mets bullpen is a mess, and the Yanks have depth and closing options. That $17M can be better spent fortifying the rotation and maybe middle INF options.
If you have better SP options who can go deep into games, you don’t need quite so many relief options.
(and btw - the fact that TB declined his $15M is yet another harbinger that this is likely to be a very bad offseason for the players at large)
I have read that he is debating retirement. Last time around in FA, he said he wanted to play near family- and they live in Florida.
Paxton- no, IMO. He seems to be one of those guys who always spends time on the DL, meaning you will have to scramble to find someone to fill in for 5-10 starts for him. When healthy he is usually very good. However, how healthy will he be after a dreaded forewarn strain (usually a precursor to TJ surgery).
Happ- absolutely not. I think he would take it to spite the team for preventing his option for kicking in.
I don’t think Gardner gets one- nor should he. He really is near the end offensively and it is time to see what Frazier can do full time. Tauchman is a hit or miss guy- but I suspect there will be some number of 4th/5th OF types still available in FA in February who will sign cheap.
Paxton- no, IMO. He seems to be one of those guys who always spends time on the DL, meaning you will have to scramble to find someone to fill in for 5-10 starts for him. When healthy he is usually very good. However, how healthy will he be after a dreaded forewarn strain (usually a precursor to TJ surgery).
Happ- absolutely not. I think he would take it to spite the team for preventing his option for kicking in.
I don’t think Gardner gets one- nor should he. He really is near the end offensively and it is time to see what Frazier can do full time. Tauchman is a hit or miss guy- but I suspect there will be some number of 4th/5th OF types still available in FA in February who will sign cheap.
Happ was let go. Gardner did not have his option picked up. I doubt they offer Masa $18.9 mill, he will be let go to enter free agency. IMO, I would not re-sign Paxton, like you I am leery of the forearm strain and his penchant for the IL.
Might be time to go young.
@Yankees
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13m
The Yankees have extended a qualifying offer to INF DJ LeMahieu.
DJ - ( New Window )
Gardner for $5 mill would be ok. The others, ah no unless they can get Tanaka for really reasonable.
Gardy is a good 4th or 5th OF - unless they think Florial is ready. Then stay with Tauchman and work with Florial.