The Yankees are Back!

By Anthony Leo (Contributor)

 

The 2013 season for the New York Yankees was a disappointment to Yankee fans. The team had numerous amounts of injuries that had major affects on the outcome of the season. Players like Kevin Youkilis, Curtis Granderson, Mark Texiera, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter all missed significant amounts of time. Despite all of these injuries, the Yanks were able to stay competitive by patching up the roster with a wide variety of different players. The Yankees finished with 85-77 record, which put them 6.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for that final playoff spot.

After coming off of such a disappointing season, the Yankees needed to open their wallets a little bit this offseason. Ever since George Steinbrenner acquired the team, spending big has been part of the Yankee way, and that has not changed at all this offseason.

They have already signed 7 time All Star catcher Brian McCann to a 5 year $85 million dollar deal. They didn’t stop there. They also signed Jacoby Ellsbury away from their bitter rivals, the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees essentially gave Ellsbury an offer he could not refuse of 7 years $153 million dollars. Next, the Yankees signed veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran for 3 years and $45 million dollars to come to the Bronx.

Ironically, in 2004, Beltran wanted to come to the Yankees but ended up signing with the cross-town rival New York Mets. The Yankees also made a very under-the-radar move in signing Kelly Johnson. The former Rays utility man will look to be this year’s version of Jayson Nix. Johnson will be able to help the team in a wide variety of ways and should be much more productive than Nix was at the plate.

Of course on the flip side, there is the loss of star second basemen Robinson Cano, as he signed the third largest deal in MLB history with the Seattle Mariners. Seattle signed Cano for a crazy 10 years $240 million dollar deal to be the face of their franchise. The Yankees wanted Cano to come back to the Bronx but Cano’s asking price was too much for the Yankees. The Yankees know first hand how these long-term deals can backfire, so Brian Cashman let Cano walk, and in turn has extra money to spend on the rest of the lineup.

While the New York Yankees have made plenty of noise this offseason, they are far from done. They still have numerous holes to fill. They have already filled the gaping hole at catcher with the signing of Brian McCann. The question is who will be throwing to pitches to the new Yankee catcher.

Right now the Yankees have some of their starting rotation from last year returning. CC Sabathia, who is supposed to be the leader of the rotation, is coming back and hopes to have a bounce back year. Ivan Nova will also be coming back to be the Yankees’ third starter. Hiroki Kuroda, who last year showed he was the Yankees number one pitcher, was a free agent until the Yankees signed him back to a one-year deal for $16 million dollars. The 39 year-old Kuroda is towards the end of his career but can still offer the Yankees some valuable innings pitched.

Then there is Michael Pineda. Pineda was acquired in a trade with the Mariners when the Yankees sent catcher Jesus Montero to Seattle in return for Pineda. Pineda is yet to pitch a game for the Yankees. He has been in rehab fighting back from an injury. The Yankees are hoping he can comeback to offer than some much needed innings in the starting rotation.

After the signing of Jacoby Ellsbury, the Yankees have now started to field offers for Brett Gardner. If the Yankees decide to trade Brett Gardner it will probably be for a middle of the rotation starter. Then there is the new hole that the Yankees have not had to address in 17 years because there was 17 years of greatness there with Mariano Rivera. They now need a new closer to shut down games. They have many options available such as moving David Robertson to the closer role or going out into the field to sign a closer like Grant Balfour or Fernando Rodney.

While the Winter Meetings may be over, there is still plenty of time left in this offseason. Surely some big moves have yet to come for many teams. The Yankees definitely need to keep spending to fill in some holes on this roster. That being said, the Yankees are on the right track. They already made numerous additions that should help them get back to becoming legitimate World Series contenders. While it remains to be seen what types of move the front office will make going forward, one thing is for certain. The New York Yankees are back baby!

 

Ellsbury in Pinstripes…..WHAT?!

By Jake Chernock (Contributor)

The New York Yankees shocked the baseball world when news broke that the team had signed former Boston Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a 7 year, $153 million contract. As a Yankees fan I was definitely shocked by this. Quite frankly, the deal makes little to no sense.

Let’s start with the deal in itself. 7 years are far too many to give to a player whose durability is in question. Since 2010, Ellsbury has played in over 140 games only once. Also, Ellsbury is not a power hitter, which is something the Yankees desperately need to add to their lineup. While he did hit 32 home runs during the 2011 season he has not hit more than 9 home runs in any other season during his career. Finally, let’s put $153 million in perspective. Miguel Cabrera doesn’t make that much. And he’s the two time defending AL MVP!

Another huge problem is that the Yankees have so many other positions of need that they don’t fill with this deal. The team is in need of a second baseman, (if Cano doesn’t resign) shortstop, (in case Jeter isn’t healthy), and third base. (in case A-Rod is suspended for 2014 and beyond).

Plus the starting rotation is in shambles with a declining CC Sabathia and an inconsistent Ivan Nova as the only two certainties. And this doesn’t even address the fact that the Yanks lost the best closer in baseball history to retirement this offseason, and probably will need to upgrade the back end of their bullpen.

The deal also doesn’t make sense because the team already has Brett Gardner, who is basically a lesser version of Ellsbury. It does open up the possibility that the team can move Gardner and a prospect in order to add a starting pitcher; something that the team certainly should pursue to strengthen an area that clearly is in need of help. Or, the team could opt to use Gardner and Ellsbury as a dynamic duo on the base paths and patrolling the outfield. Then again, it all comes back to the fact that the Yankees spent way too much money to create these scenarios.

The deal will also have a heavy impact on the way the team conducts business the rest of the offseason, especially with their pursuit of star second baseman Robinson Cano. The deal sends a firm message to Jay-Z and Roc Nation that the Yanks will hold firm on their current contract offer of 7 years, 175 million. It also affects the team’s pursuit of Japanese right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, as it is up for debate whether the team can re-sign Cano and sign Tanaka while also keeping the payroll under the luxury tax mark of $189 million (this will depend on what happens with A-Rod).

Look, there is little question that Jacoby Ellsbury is one of the top base stealers the game has to offer, and features a terrific glove in center field. I do believe he will have a positive impact on the Bombers in 2014. Any time you can add a guy that will bat near .300 there will be some improvement. But at the same time, the Yankees have signed an aging outfielder with an injury filled past to a mega-contract that comes with significant risks and hurts the team’s pursuit of other free agents.

MLB Offseason Preview Part One: Free Agency

By Brandon Lebensfeld 

With the conclusion of the World Series, baseball officially moves into what is possibly the craziest, busiest, and unpredictable portion of the sport. That is of course the offseason. GMs from the 30 major league baseball clubs will be working around the clock, trying to make moves to help their teams improve. While there is no telling exactly what decisions these executives will make over the offseason, I’ve done my best to try and predict them.

Here’s where a think a few of the big name free agents in baseball will sign over the offseason.

Free Agent Signing:              Old Team:                New Team:                 Contract:

RF-Carlos Beltran:                    STL                          TEX                           3yrs-$33mil

2B-Robinson Cano:                  NYY                         DET                          7yrs-$227mil

CF- Jacoby Ellsbury                 BOS                         SF                             6yrs-$110mil

CF-Shin Soo-Choo                   CIN                           SEA                         5yrs-$72mil

1B-Mike Napoli                       BOS                           BOS                          2yrs-28mil

C-Brian McCann                    ATL                             NYY                           4yrs-56mil

Carlos Beltran– Despite coming off of a season in which he hit almost .300, there should be some concern with signing the Cardinals right fielder to a multi-year deal. The 36 year old has a history of injuries and has shown some signs of slowing down. While he can still play 85-100 games in the outfield, he will need some days off. That is why the Rangers would be the best fit for Beltran. He can rotate between playing right field and DH, and will have the luxury of playing 81 games a year in a very hitter-friendly ballpark in Arlington.

While the Cardinals would love to have Beltran back, I doubt they will offer as much money as American League teams will, as he is not worth the money if he can only play in 60 percent of the teams games. The Mariners could also make a play for Beltran, but I see him signing with the Rangers. They give him the best chance at winning that elusive World Series ring.

Robinson Cano– While as a Yankees fan I would love to see Cano spend the rest of his career in pinstripes, I don’t see a long term deal with him and the Yankees working out. Offering Cano a contract in the neighborhood $300 million dollars would be outright ridiculous. At age 31, he isn’t going to get any better than he is now, nor will he out-do his stats from his past 5 seasons. If Cano continues to demand “A-Rod money,” the Yankees will be forced to let him go elsewhere.

Once Cano realizes that it just won’t work out in New York, I see him taking his talents to Detroit. The Tigers have a great shot at capturing a championship, and are built for both the present and the future. While Johnny Peralta played very well for Detroit at 2^nd base until being suspended because of the Biogenesis scandal, I doubt that the team will resign him. The Tigers should be hesitant to pull the trigger on this deal. That being said, having the chance to pair Cano with Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder could be just what Detroit needs to get over the hump and win their first championship since 1984.

Jacoby Ellsbury– Despite having a very lackluster postseason, Jacoby Ellsbury is still an elite centerfielder and leadoff man. He was the table-setter for the Red Sox, and played a major role in the team having the best regular season record in baseball. The Red Sox will definitely try to re-sign Ellsbury, but I don’t think that they will offer him the type of contract that he is looking for. The Yankees might also try to lure in Ellsbury, but I don’t see him as the type of guy that would switch from his former team’s arch nemesis.

That is why San Francisco will be a great fit for Jacoby Ellsbury. The Giants have a very talented team that could very well be back in the swing of things next season. While Ellsbury is looking for a hefty contract, the Giants should be willing to give it to him, as he would fit well in a lineup with Hunter Pence, Buster Posey, and Pablo Sandoval. This combionation of great hitting and solid pitching could make the Giants contenders once again in 2014.

Shin-Soo Choo– Expect Choo to wait until Jacoby Ellsbury signs his deal until he makes a decision on where to go. The Red’s outfielder could elevate his value based on how much Ellsbury signs for. Plenty of teams will be interested in Choo though. He is coming off of a season in which he hit .285, hit 21 homers, and stole 20 bases. Many teams could use an outfielder that can put up those types of numbers. While the Reds could potentially resign Choo, I don’t see them as a team that is willing to commit to the type of long term contract that Choo desires.

I feel that the Seattle Mariners will be the team that ends up landing Choo. While Seattle has had its struggles, they are a team on the rise. They have one of the best pitchers in the game in Felix Hernandez, as well as a ton of young prospects all around the board. Choo would be a nice fit on this team, and could enjoy a return to the Pacific Northwest, as he started his career with the Mariners back in 2005. Seattle has the money to spend, so I expect them to sign Shin-Soo Choo.

Mike Napoli– While there are a few teams out their that could use the services of Mike Napoli, I expect the Red Sox slugger to stay put in Beantown. The Sox originally signed him to a 3 year $39 million deal last season, but had to restructure the deal after a hip issue popped up during his physical.

Now that Napoli has proved himself in Boston, the Sox will definitely want to resign him. They already offered him a qualifying offer for 1 year $14.1 million, but Napoli probably wants a longer term deal than that. While I think Napoli will test the waters of free agency, I’d be shocked to see him leave the Red Sox. After his success this season, Napoli has essentially become a cult hero in Boston. Napoli will get this all sorted out very early in the free agency process, as he will remain in Boston.

Brian McCann– McCann is by far the best catcher available this offseason, and he could see a very hefty contract thrown his way because of it. When healthy, he can consistently hit for at least 20 homer runs every year. The problem is that many teams could be put off by the injury problems he has had in recent years. He has played his entire 9-year career in Atlanta but that could change after this offseason. Especially now since is coming off of shoulder surgery, I see him going to an AL team, where he will be able to settle into the DH slot in a few years.

That is where the Yankees come in. One of the major reasons for the Yankees’ struggles last season was the fact that they had no reliable catchers to choose from. Quite frankly, they cannot rely on the duo of Austin Romine and Chris Stewart to get the job done behind the plate. I don’t think the Yankees will end up waiting for Gary Sanchez to develop, as they could very well deal him for a second basemen if Cano leaves (Dustin Ackley and Jason Kipnis come to mind). McCann would be a great fit in New York, with the short right-field porch in Yankee stadium. The Yanks have no problem dishing out money, so expect them to out-bid the Red Sox for Brian McCann.

Check back soon as Brian will let you know who he expects to see traded in part two of our MLB Offseason Preview.