DEALS, DEALS, AND MORE DEALS

Well, December is a huge time of year for holiday deals.  Most Major League Baseball teams fully agree and have accommodated the season in their own offseason by wheeling and dealing every day!  I never remember seeing so much activity during the offseason.  Even the infamous trading deadline of July 31 during the season doesn’t typically offer as much activity, although this year it had more action than usual.

The 3 teams with the highest volumes of trades and/or free agent signings thus far have included both teams in Chicago (the Cubs and the White Sox) and the Padres.  Other very active teams who have overly improved themselves in the last few weeks include the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Marlins, Giants, Blue Jays, Mariners, and Reds.    I believe that teams like the Orioles, Rays, Royals, Braves, Phillies, and A’s have lost a lot with their activities, while the notoriously low-spending big market Mets have only added 1 mediocre player (Michael Cuddyer) and basically a pinch hitter (John Mayberry, Jr.) to help improve their below .500 team.

Without getting into all the players that have changed uniforms recently, I am mostly proud of the Cubs.  I’ve been to Chicago and experienced their great fanbase firsthand.  Any team who has had the misfortune of not winning a World Series in over 105 years whilst still persistently filling an old stadium with loving fans deserves happiness.  If they ever make it to the World Series and are not playing the Yankees, I would definitely root for them!

The Cubs’ first move happened a few years ago when they hired Theo Epstein as their General Manager.  That was a great choice because Theo must be a genius, since he figured out a way to build a Red Sox team who won it all after 86 years of failure.  Now, he can perform his magic again with a team that’s had an even longer drought.  He has certainly helped his own cause as the Cubs’ GM by building one of the best farm systems over the past few years and then, last month, hiring Joe Maddon as the Cubs’ new manager.  Theo didn’t stop there as, over the last few weeks, he’s added many quality players including his top signing, free agent Jon Lester (LHP).  With the Cubs’ new leadership, recently acquired players, and an excellent farm system for their future Major League players or trade bait, they look like they will contend very soon!

Of course, as the NYY writer, I have to break down the Yankees’ acquisitions and lost players…

MLB Free Agents - New Additions or Re-signed:

Andrew Miller (LHP/Reliever):  His numbers are extremely impressive and, thus, he is rightfully considered one of the best relievers in baseball.  All Yankees’ fans should be excited to have signed him!  His numbers against lefties and righties are equally effective so opposing teams will not be able to counteract with their bench players too often.  Clearly this is a great signing!

 

Chris Young (LF):  Chris improved his skills the minute he changed his uniform to the better team in New York!  He’s below average, for sure, but the risks versus the rewards are doable for his role as a fourth outfielder.  If he fails, they can release him without having lost too much.

Chase Headley (3B) re-signed:  When the Yankees acquired him in July, we all got to see some “Nettles-like” plays at 3^rd base.  He also demonstrated some grit after getting hit in the mouth with a 96 mph fastball thrown by Tampa’s Jake McGee and then anxiously returning to play the next day.  His hitting was better than most of the team’s players.  I’m very glad he was re-signed.  Plus, his addition creates the subtraction of A-Rod’s questionable health as a third baseman.

Chris Capuano (LHP) re-signed:  Hopefully, we won’t need him to start too often.  I believe the Yankees signed him for insurance for their unstable starting pitching in terms of health issues.  He has demonstrated to be a very sly pitcher who utilizes pitching smarts with some of his diminishing skills to still be productive enough as a “6^th” starter, a backup starter, or an added lefty arm in the bullpen.

Free Agent Losses:

David Robertson (RHP/Closer):  I am not happy at all to have lost him to free agency!  He was one of my favorite players of this decade.  This guy did everything asked of him, without complaining and with overly positive results.  His saves record last year (39 out of 44) was very good, especially while trying to fill the shoes of the greatest closer of all time, Mariano Rivera.  Robertson is one of the Yankees’ own farmhands that clearly deserved to stay.  He could have easily enhanced our bullpen, as he’s always done.  The Yankees acquired Miller as a contingency, anticipating they were going to lose Robertson to free agency, but most fans were teased when Miller was signed - imagining the most awesome 1-2-3 punch of Miller, Betances, & Robertson in the late innings!  The White Sox signed a great reliever and great guy in Robertson.  I wish him well.

Brandon McCarthy (RHP):  I know they were clearly outbid for McCarthy in terms of the contract length offered by the Dodgers - for 4 years.  So, based on that and his historic stats and health issues, I cannot blame the Yankees for letting him go.

David Huff (LHP/Reliever):  He was too inconsistent for me.  We have better lefties than him - on the team and in the minors.  Good riddance, Huff (and don’t puff as smoking is no good for you).

Trades:

Justin Wilson (LHP) from the Pirates for Francisco Cervelli (C):

- This, to me, was a good trade for the Yankees.  Cervelli was a decent hitter and could even run, for a catcher.  The problems with him were his health and his tie to steroids - having already been suspended for 50 games.  A-Rod represents enough steroids for this team!  With Brian McCann and an overloaded farm system of catchers, Cervelli’s role as a backup catcher was easily expendable.

Gonzalez Germen (RHP/Reliever) from the Mets for cash: 

- Gonzalez is one of those young arms with so-so stats.  The Yankees have enough cash to hand out to the Wilpons who are still crying poverty.

Didi Gregorius (SS) from the Diamondbacks for Shane Greene (P) to the Tigers:

- This trade is definitely one that is premature to truly evaluate at this stage because of Didi’s youth and lack of enough historic playing time.  It seems like the Yankees have a chance to have a steal on their hands - if Didi’s defense is unaffected in New York and his hitting improves, especially in the shadows of Derek Jeter.  As for the loss of Shane Greene, the Yankees took a huge gamble.  They obviously have health questions surrounding starters Tanaka, Nova, and Pineda.  Thus, trading the healthiest starter from last year’s rotation only enhances their Major League pitching depth’s vulnerability.  I know they acquired a potentially young and promising shortstop in the deal, but I am not convinced that the Yankees couldn’t have alternatively offered an equivalent or even a slightly better player to offset trading a much needed arm in their own depleted system.  Had they done that instead, perhaps we could have still gotten Gregorius directly from the Diamondbacks or via the same 3-team combination with the Tigers.  I believe you have to give something good to get something good, but you should not subtract from an area in which you have so little to give.

Nathan Eovaldi (RHP), Garrett Jones (1B), and Domingo German (RHP) from the Marlins for Martín Prado (2B/3B) and David Phelps (RHP) and cash:

- Martín Prado filled several positions during his few months as a Yankee and he did it with quality defensively and offensively.  With physically-challenged players such as Teixeira, A-Rod, and Beltran it made complete sense that his abilities were overly valuable.  Additionally, the Yankees are possibly considering a competition for their second baseman between rookies Rob Refsnyder and José Pirela in a possible youth movement.  Prado could have acted as insurance at second base and could have helped bring one of the rookies along during the season.  With that said, Eovaldi’s arm is considered by many as extremely promising.  The average of his fastball velocity (95.5) in 2014 was the Major League’s fourth highest!  He currently has control issues, but he’s developed several different types of pitches while recently enhancing his control issues.  Like the Gregorius deal, this one may take some time to fully evaluate, but it could be a steal of a deal. As for acquiring Garrett Jones, he will finally offer a decent first baseman to fill in for or replace Teixeira during his health issues.  Domingo German offers a ton of potential for the Yankees in years to come as he’s considered one of MLB’s top pitching prospects.  Lastly, David Phelps was a good pitcher for the Yankees, but they have a surplus of his mediocre type making his inclusion a non-factor. 

BTW, I at least wanted to acknowledge some of their notable Minor League Free Agent signings/re-signings thus far:  Jonathan Galvez (2B/3B/OF); Juan Graterol (C); Jose De Paula (LHP); Andrew Bailey (RHP/Reliever); Cole Figueroa (2B); and Jose Campos (RHP) re-signed.

In summary, the Yankees have built a younger team and have strengthened themselves overall, but they have also lost some key players.  Their main gains include Didi Gregorius, Justin Wilson, Nathan Eovaldi, and some promising young arms, while their main losses include David Robertson, Martín Prado, Shane Greene, and Brandon McCarthy.  Of course, the offseason is still alive, so we’ll see what else they do!  My wish list for trades includes the Nationals’ ace starter, Jordan Zimmermann (RHP); the Reds’ closer, Aroldis Chapman (LHP), and the Reds’ ace starter, Johnny Cueto (RHP).  We’re all allowed to dream.