New York Yankees 2016 Season Thread

[Déjà Bru]

This is the 2016 Yankees season thread.

I'm watching my first spring training telecast today. Nice to see everybody on the field today. No injuries yet! Only Aroldis Chapman is missing, of course.

Two impressive rookies living up to their advance billing in this game at least: Jorge Mateo and Aaron Judge. Not only did they both hit long home runs but they looked like moose men doing so. Big powerful dudes.

[actionjackson]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

This is the 2016 Yankees season thread.

I'm watching my first spring training telecast today. Nice to see everybody on the field today. No injuries yet! Only Aroldis Chapman is missing, of course.

Two impressive rookies living up to their advance billing in this game at least: Jorge Mateo and Aaron Judge. Not only did they both hit long home runs but they looked like moose men doing so. Big powerful dudes.

Chapman is still eligible to participate in Spring Training games and if I'm not mistaken, gets to go to extended spring training during the first 30 regular season games that he is suspended for. He just can't be with the big club during those 30 games.

Yes, the Yankees are making me quite nervous with their financial restraint, and holding onto talented prospects. I don't know what to make of it really, but it is a bit unnerving for this Blue Jays fan.

[Caporegime]

I've only seen one ST game so far, but it was a dandy. Mateo went yard, but the highlight of the game was Judge hitting an absolute bomb to the opposite field for a three-run homer. At 6'7" 255 lbs, if he can't cut it as a baseball player, he'd sure enjoy a helluva career gator rasslin'. I can't wait until he's in da Bronx full time.

Now that Hal Steinbrenner has opted to become living proof of the old saying about how greatness skips a generation by running the Yanks like they're a bankrupt, Third World nation whose population has had to resort to cannibalism for sustenance, they need young studs like Judge to fulfill their potential more than ever. At first glance, he looks like a franchise player in the making, but his numbers also suggest that he still has a few glaring holes in his game that need addressing.

Sadly, we lost Bird for the year, but it'll be fun watching Serevino in his first full season as a big leaguer. It's been a long time since their system has even come close to producing a starting pitcher with his ability. Here's hoping he can stay healthy and continue to develop his seemingly endless potential.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Caporegime

Now that Hal Steinbrenner has opted to become living proof of the old saying about how greatness skips a generation by running the Yanks like they're a bankrupt, Third World nation whose population has had to resort to cannibalism for sustenance, they need young studs like Judge to fulfill their potential more than ever.

Heh. I loved this! However, I do agree in general with how Hal and Brian are handling the team these days. Case in point (so far, that is): In days gone by, the Yankees would have already traded Aaron Judge for a guy like Carl Crawford only to have Crawford play in 69 games, bat .265 with only 4 homers and 16 RBIs (his actual stats with the Dodgers last year). Or, they would have signed somebody like Crawford for mega $$ who would then turn in a performance like that while taking a roster position away from Judge.

[Caporegime]

[

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Heh. I loved this! However, I do agree in general with how Hal and Brian are handling the team these days. Case in point (so far, that is): In days gone by, the Yankees would have already traded Aaron Judge for a guy like Carl Crawford only to have Crawford play in 69 games, bat .265 with only 4 homers and 16 RBIs (his actual stats with the Dodgers last year). Or, they would have signed somebody like Crawford for mega $$ who would then turn in a performance like that while taking a roster position away from Judge.

Perhaps, but we'd be more than compensated by the fact that Max Scherzer, David Price, and probably Yohanes Cespedes, whether they needed him or not (King George would've done everything in his power to stick it to the Mets this offseason as penance for them daring to upstage the Yanks by making it to the Series), would be wearing pinstripes now.

Hal has already asserted more than once that he isn't his father and intends to run the Yankees very differently than he did. Sounds logical, right? After all, why would anyone seek to emulate the business acumen of a man who transformed a greatly diminished brand scarcely worth $10 million dollars into sports empire worth billions? Like I said....living proof that greatness skips a generation.

Of course, outside of Red Sox fans, probably the one individual who is absolutely euphoric about Prince Hal The Half-Witted's five-and-dime approach to running the Yankees is Brian Cashman. He finally has an opportunity to prove his critics throughout the King George years, who argued that even a lobotomized chimpanzee could've done his job, wrong. He's done a fairly good job cobbling the team together with trades and lesser signings. He's a very good evaluator of talent and a damn good tradesmith. Then again, he learned from the best in the biz....Stick Michael.

[Déjà Bru]

Another chuckle. So glad that you have elevated Cashman above "lobotomized chimpanzee" status!

On another matter, what say you and others about CC Sabathia? Think this is it for him if he doesn't impress this year? The Yankees have a buyout option for next year, the last year of his contract.

Get this run-on footnote to Sabathia's contract that I found on Baseball Reference:

$25M Vesting Option, $5M Buyout; 2017 salary guaranteed if he 1) does not end 2016 on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury, 2) does not spend more than 45 days in 2016 on the disabled list with a left shoulder injury or 3) does not make more than six relief appearances in 2016 because of a left shoulder injury

[Caporegime]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Another chuckle. So glad that you have elevated Cashman above "lobotomized chimpanzee" status!

On another matter, what say you and others about CC Sabathia? Think this is it for him if he doesn't impress this year? The Yankees have a buyout option for next year, the last year of his contract.

Get this run-on footnote to Sabathia's contract that I found on Baseball Reference:

I think C.C. is dead weight at this point. I'd be genuinely stunned if they get more than 7-9 wins out him and if he posts an ERA under 4.90. Sad to say, but he's gone from point man to Dave LaPoint.

I'm sincerely happy for him on a human level that he's clean and sober now. However, as a Yankee fan, i thank St. Hubbins that this will likely be his last year in pinstripes. One more year of watching this once great pitcher and fierce competitor further deteriorate into a glorified batting practice pitcher will be enough to drive me to drink.

[knightdreamer2k]

I wish that Ivan Nova would nail down the 5th spot, not cc. I feel Nova at this point is the better option.

[Déjà Bru]

I know that he's been addressed in another thread here, but Rich Gossage really needs to shut up. This from a Yankees fan. He may be right in what he says, but not in how and when he says it. ("When" refers to the 21st Century, like it or not.) He's become a caricature and an embarrassment.

Goose Gossage again ruffles some feathers with comments | Newsday

[psd]

Originally Posted by Caporegime

[
a lobotomized chimpanzee could've done his job, wrong. He's done a fairly good job cobbling the team together with trades and lesser signings. He's a very good evaluator of talent and a damn good tradesmith.

Yes, he IS a good evaluator of talent & a good tradesmith. But the reason why many (myself included) think he is so vastly overrated as a GM is because of the huge room for error that the basically unlimited resources grants him. Having A-rod, Tex, Ells, CC on ANY other team (except the Dodgers now) would be crippling to those teams. Yanks don't even bat an eyelash. And a lot of the trades that Cashman has gotten are pure salary dumps that other teams would not be financially able to do. Sign a FA and he sucks, they pay some other team to take him and they try someone else. Those are 2 big luxuries that all other teams except LAD do not & cannot have.

Also, the Yankees payroll has been close to or over 200 mill every year since 2003! The only other team that has ever been over 200 is the Dodgers the last 3 years. No other team has had even ONE year of a 200 mill payroll. Of course it is not the only reason for Cashmans success.But it is a large factor in it. I would love to see what he could do without all that money. Give him 125 mill to spend and lets see how he does. My guess is not very well. He is a very good fit for the Yankees, and is a great GM for them. But I doubt he could take a low payroll team and make them legitimate contenders.

[Caporegime]

Originally Posted by psd

Yes, he IS a good evaluator of talent & a good tradesmith. But the reason why many (myself included) think he is so vastly overrated as a GM is because of the huge room for error that the basically unlimited resources grants him. Having A-rod, Tex, Ells, CC on ANY other team (except the Dodgers now) would be crippling to those teams. Yanks don't even bat an eyelash. And a lot of the trades that Cashman has gotten are pure salary dumps that other teams would not be financially able to do. Sign a FA and he sucks, they pay some other team to take him and they try someone else. Those are 2 big luxuries that all other teams except LAD do not & cannot have.

Also, the Yankees payroll has been close to or over 200 mill every year since 2003! The only other team that has ever been over 200 is the Dodgers the last 3 years. No other team has had even ONE year of a 200 mill payroll. Of course it is not the only reason for Cashmans success.But it is a large factor in it. I would love to see what he could do without all that money. Give him 125 mill to spend and lets see how he does. My guess is not very well. He is a very good fit for the Yankees, and is a great GM for them. But I doubt he could take a low payroll team and make them legitimate contenders.

I think that's Prince Hal The Half-Witted's plan.

[Déjà Bru]

Catching up on Yankees news:

• They have a tough decision ahead about CC, who gave up seven runs (four earned) the other day in 3 2/3 innings. Don't care if it's only ST and don't care if he's never been good in the spring. He's battling for a #5 spot in the rotation and he cannot bring it.
• What is it about the Yanks and wrists? They dodged yet another bullet yesterday when Ellsbury's x-rays came up negative after taking a 90-mph fastball on the wrist. Gardner is just coming back from a bone bruise in his wrist.
• Ooops #1: It's getting to be now or never time for 25-year-old Slade Heathcott. So, he oversleeps and misses the team bus which is bound to bring up speculation again about his problems with alcohol. Heathcott is in danger of missing the bus entirely in terms of a major league career.
• Ooops #2: In the "don't burn your bridges department," Evan Rutckyj, a minor league relief pitcher who was Rule 5-drafted by the Braves out of the Yankees farm system, and who opened his big mouth and criticized how he had been handled by his former organization, was returned to the Yankees on Friday. Uh-oh. Cashman: "I made sure that our coordinators and our player development director saw [Rutckyj's comments] so they can welcome him with open arms."

[Caporegime]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Catching up on Yankees news:

• They have a tough decision ahead about CC, who gave up seven runs (four earned) the other day in 3 2/3 innings. Don't care if it's only ST and don't care if he's never been good in the spring. He's battling for a #5 spot in the rotation and he cannot bring it.
• What is it about the Yanks and wrists? They dodged yet another bullet yesterday when Ellsbury's x-rays came up negative after taking a 90-mph fastball on the wrist. Gardner is just coming back from a bone bruise in his wrist.
• Ooops #1: It's getting to be now or never time for 25-year-old Slade Heathcott. So, he oversleeps and misses the team bus which is bound to bring up speculation again about his problems with alcohol. Heathcott is in danger of missing the bus entirely in terms of a major league career.
• Ooops #2: In the "don't burn your bridges department," Evan Rutckyj, a minor league relief pitcher who was Rule 5-drafted by the Braves out of the Yankees farm system, and who opened his big mouth and criticized how he had been handled by his former organization, was returned to the Yankees on Friday. Uh-oh. Cashman: "I made sure that our coordinators and our player development director saw [Rutckyj's comments] so they can welcome him with open arms."

I'm really rooting for Heathcott to make it, and not just because he's a Yankee and I'm a Yankee fan (Although, that's certainly a big factor ). It's always uplifting to see someone successfully exercise their demons and achieve their lifelong dream. However, that being said, his oversleeping and missing an exhibition game was flat out DUMB. It would've been bad enough for a young player to do who doesn't possess Heathcott's baggage, but for him, as you astutely noted, this terrible lapse in judgement will do nothing but fuel speculation that he's back on the thunder juice.

Hopefully, it was just that...a terrible lapse in judgement and nothing more. He's not Josh Hamilton where he'll be given another opportunity in relatively short order by a different organization if he flushes his chances with the Yanks. He's literally fighting for his baseball survival here, so let's hope he can get his act together. He showed great promise in the brief time he was with the Yanks last year.

I read about Rutckyj's remarks. They weren't that terrible. It sounded more like he was just trying to fit in and endear himself to his new organization. I'll give the kid this much: He was an absolute unknown to both baseball fans in general and Yankee fans specifically before he opened his pie hole. Now, thanks to the media kinda blowing his remarks a little out of proportion, he's achieved a slight level of infamy. Not bad for a generic minor league pitcher who, in all likelihood, will nev er be heard from again. It's his 15 minutes.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Caporegime

I'm really rooting for Heathcott to make it, and not just because he's a Yankee and I'm a Yankee fan (Although, that's certainly a big factor ). It's always uplifting to see someone successfully exercise their demons and achieve their lifelong dream. However, that being said, his oversleeping and missing an exhibition game was flat out DUMB. It would've been bad enough for a young player to do who doesn't possess Heathcott's baggage, but for him, as you astutely noted, this terrible lapse in judgement will do nothing but fuel speculation that he's back on the thunder juice.

Hopefully, it was just that...a terrible lapse in judgement and nothing more. He's not Josh Hamilton where he'll be given another opportunity in relatively short order by a different organization if he flushes his chances with the Yanks. He's literally fighting for his baseball survival here, so let's hope he can get his act together. He showed great promise in the brief time he was with the Yanks last year.

I read about Rutckyj's remarks. They weren't that terrible. It sounded more like he was just trying to fit in and endear himself to his new organization. I'll give the kid this much: He was an absolute unknown to both baseball fans in general and Yankee fans specifically before he opened his pie hole. Now, thanks to the media kinda blowing his remarks a little out of proportion, he's achieved a slight level of infamy. Not bad for a generic minor league pitcher who, in all likelihood, will nev er be heard from again. It's his 15 minutes.

We are a forgiving society, for sure, on both accounts. Though maybe a bit more forgiving of Heathcott than Rutckyj, given comparative prospects of the two.

[Déjà Bru]

It looks like Romine has the edge over Sanchez for backup catcher. At 27, he should have the edge by now!

Also, media, scouts, and execs are starting to view Severino as the staff ace, he's looked that good. Exciting!

[TribeFanInNC]

regarding Sabathia...
I think when you are paying someone $20M+ dollars, you are pretty married to whatever he provides. I can't imagine they just move him to the bullpen or release him. I can't realistically believe there is actually any competition or tough decision.

[swampdragon]

Sabathia will start the season in the rotation on a short leash. With his track record, he's earned a chance to fail in regular season games, and these aren't the 1993 Braves he's competing with for a spot in the rotation. Besides, if he's healthy they're going to need him. There are too many health risks in that rotation.

[Qdiddy09]

Originally Posted by swampdragon

Sabathia will start the season in the rotation on a short leash. With his track record, he's earned a chance to fail in regular season games, and these aren't the 1993 Braves he's competing with for a spot in the rotation. Besides, if he's healthy they're going to need him. There are too many health risks in that rotation.

I agree, he has earned that right as you said. I think Girardi gives him April to get an extended look at what the year is going to look like. Honestly if he's a .500 pitcher that goes 6 innings each outing and keeps the team in most games as a 5 starter that's all they really need and would be an improvement from what he was providing. They can bypass some of his starts early on as well if the off days line up without having to mess with the pitch/rest cycle of the rotation.

Possible to that him and Nova both be 5 starters and split up the starts depending on match ups, either way like you said way too much injury history in this rotation to just let him go. Best case scenario the other 4 pitch to their potential and capabilities, stay healthy and CC is the veteran 5 guy who pitches well enough to keep some winning streaks going

[Déjà Bru]

I think we are all in agreement, though, that we are seeing the Sunset of Sabathia. If I am reading his contract details correctly about a $5mm buyout option for next year, and if he does not open everybody's eyes wide this season, then it's seeya CC. He's no (artificially preserved) Roger Clemens.

[swampdragon]

Nova will get plenty of starts. The only one of the four starters going in who's not a high injury risk is Severino. Tanaka will have to skip a start from time to time, Eovaldi isn't getting 7 runs per game support again, and anyone with Pineda's injury history is more than likely to miss significant time in any given season.