It Was Fun While It Lasted: The Official 2024 New York Yankees Off-Season Thread

[BujuBoombastic]

Just looked at his career numbers. Not a great hitter, but definitely a good hitter. More importantly he’s a consistent hitter. Every year he seems to hit right around his career averages (remember, what made guys like Jeter, Paul O’Neil, and Bernie special was consistency). I know he’ll be 34, but a 2-3 year deal with the ability to move him if they get a shot at Vladimir Guerrero would be a good short term move if they land Kyle Tucker first

Any word on Blue Jays
trading Vlad? I’m surprised they haven’t extend him yet.

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

Any word on Blue Jays
trading Vlad? I’m surprised they haven’t extend him yet.

They’re not a small market team so I’m sure they’ll try to extend him. If I were Hal, I’d be trying to reach out to his old man to bury whatever hatchet the two of them have with the Yankees. The last truly great season they got out of first base was 2009 Texiera. Would be nice having a star hitter at that spot again you can trust to do damage.

 

[holidayinn21]

No to Profar
No to Tucker-I'm not going through another season of that shyt
Suzuki-I like him, but he's a RF/DH. So no.
No to Teoscar-That's that Ellsbury shyt.

Get Spencer Gallo Jones up outta here and get a LF or 3B. Keep the kid at CF. Don't make this shyt difficult.

 

[BK360NATL]

Re: Vlad Jr. Not sure what I'm missing, besides his eventual FA after the season, but why would people think that Toronto, Boston, Tampa or Baltimore would deal us such an elite talent then have to face us multiple times next season??? He'll be playing in Citi Field with Soto and Lindor in 2026.

I know we're all pipe dreaming and reeling post-Soto, and we need a 1B, but the Vlad Jr stuff won't happen unless you're willing to part with Dominguez and Jones to start. So basically, no.

I don't pretend to know much about Walker, but we really just need a reliable fielder at 1B with some pop and consistency at the plate. Bellinger would be a great addition for CF/backup 1B as well. Then we address 3B/2B and the bullpen with a bonafide closer.

We need more contact and higher OBP hitters in our lineup. This was needed even when Soto was in it. Everyone doesn't need to swing for the fences. Putting the ball in play, taking pitches and walking, then running the bases can also be a potent attack in generating runs.

We don't have a dearth of high-end prospects to trade, but Stroman, Spencer Jones, Cortes, Schmidt or Gil should bring some level of quality back.

I like the Fried signing, as it really provides another quality 1-2 starter and deepens the rotation. If we can convince Sasaki to sign with us, even better. But, there really is something to top Japanese players recently preferring to play on the West Coast. I won't get my hopes up there.

 

[Remote]

The Max Fried signing was probably necessary, although I don't think the Yankees are getting an ace. Fried just doesn't strike enough guys out to the point you can project him as a Tier 1 guy. That said, being a left hander that induces ground balls IS VALUABLE in Yankee Stadium. He's the kind of guy you won't get a huge ceiling out of, but he's probably giving you a high floor.

It's difficult for me to get excited about pursuing Christian Walker. He's in his mid-30s. He hasn't been a great hitter, though he does make hard contact and gets on base moderately well. He's precisely the kind of player Brian Cashman has built these lineups around for the past 10 years or so. Swings hard, walks a bit, doesn't hit for average, prone to long stretches of great or horrible play. This past season his K-Rate shot up 5%. To me, there are so many more paths to this going bad than going well. An .800 OPS player sounds great but this guy could fall off a cliff fast. And sure, he's a much better defender than what the Yankees have had. I just don't think I want to commit 3-4 years for defense.

Regarding Luis Gil, I'm not entirely against trading him -- even as the Rookie of the Year. This guy has electric stuff but he's got serious issues with walks and I'm not sure that's ever going to get fixed. Gil pitched 151.2 innings last season. And among SP's with at least 150 innings, Gil was dead last in BB/9 at 4.57 -- second worst was Frankie Montas at 3.94. There's a part of me that thinks this guy belongs in the bullpen. So if someone offers you the likes of Kyle Tucker for him, I'm not saying you make the trade, but you damn sure think about it.

 

[g-ice]

Apparently the Yankees and Astros talks for Tucker is heating up.

They better sign him to an extension ASAP if they do this.

 

[tremonthustler1]

I'm not loving this.


So Houston thinks Gil/Rice will suffice for Tucker and keep winning in the AL West but we don't think it's good enough for us?

Sounds like they think they can develop them better than we can.

 

[ExodusNirvana]

 

[King P]

I'm not loving this.


So Houston thinks Gil/Rice will suffice for Tucker and keep winning in the AL West but we don't think it's good enough for us?

Sounds like they think they can develop them better than we can.

All the more reason not to get attached to them. Something that bothers me when it comes to Cashman.

Hug your wife, don't hug prospects

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

Apparently the Yankees and Astros talks for Tucker is heating up.

They better sign him to an extension ASAP if they do this.

I'm not loving this.


So Houston thinks Gil/Rice will suffice for Tucker and keep winning in the AL West but we don't think it's good enough for us?

Sounds like they think they can develop them better than we can.

If that’s what it takes to get Tucker up here, I’m ok with that trade, but he HAS TO HAS TO HAS TO be signed long term this winter too.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard something from him that seems genuinely determined and not condescending or arrogant. What’s going on here? Someone he needs to look at is Mason Miller.

 

[BK360NATL]

I'm not loving this.


So Houston thinks Gil/Rice will suffice for Tucker and keep winning in the AL West but we don't think it's good enough for us?

Sounds like they think they can develop them better than we can.

I mean, I would like for Gil to stay and develop off of last season's breakthrough. There's real talent there.

But.... if we can get an extension signed for Tucker, and we can definitely get Bellinger, I'd have zero problem in giving up Gil or Schmidt and Rice for Tucker. Even Spencer Jones would be available.

I remember prospect hugging David freaking Adams vs acquiring Cliff Lee....settling for Michael Pineda for Jesus Montero, who had previously been off-limits...... holding on to Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, Ivan Nova and even Luis Severino when they had real value... At this point, get the proven product now while the interest in the prospects is there.

 

[Remote]

I mean, I would like for Gil to stay and develop off of last season's breakthrough. There's real talent there.

But.... if we can get an extension signed for Tucker, and we can definitely get Bellinger, I'd have zero problem in giving up Gil or Schmidt and Rice for Tucker. Even Spencer Jones would be available.

I remember prospect hugging David freaking Adams vs acquiring Cliff Lee....settling for Michael Pineda for Jesus Montero, who had previously been off-limits...... holding on to Miguel Andujar, Clint Frazier, Ivan Nova and even Luis Severino when they had real value... At this point, get the proven product now while the interest in the prospects is there.

The Yankees should have taken the proven talent only because

1) they were trying to win immediately
2) because the talent they did keep, didn't get any real chances to develop anyway

I'm fine with holding onto your prospects. But you need to let them play and learn and build confidence.
If you're just going to stash them, then send them to the bench because they struggle for 2.5 weeks...you're a fukking idiot.

Baltimore gave Jackson Holliday 10 games in April before sending him down. But when they called him up at the end of July, he played 50 games.
Was he bad? Yeah. But at least the Orioles gave him the experience to fail and learn. We will see if he grows in 2025 but at least you know Baltimore is going to lean on him. You don't know what the hell to expect out of Jasson Dominguez next year.

 

[King P]

The Yankees should have taken the proven talent only because

1) they were trying to win immediately
2) because the talent they did keep, didn't get any real chances to develop anyway

I'm fine with holding onto your prospects. But you need to let them play and learn and build confidence.
If you're just going to stash them, then send them to the bench because they struggle for 2.5 weeks...you're a fukking idiot.

Baltimore gave Jackson Holliday 10 games in April before sending him down. But when they called him up at the end of July, he played 50 games.
Was he bad? Yeah. But at least the Orioles gave him the experience to fail and learn. We will see if he grows in 2025 but at least you know Baltimore is going to lean on him. You don't know what the hell to expect out of Jasson Dominguez next year.

I feel where you're coming from, and I don't disagree. However, Baltimore doesn't have the same situation as us. They don't have the pressure of being competitive every year. Some franchises are set up better for rebuilds than others, and player development arcs can depend on that circumstance.

Teams like the Yankees are, whether fairly or unfairly, mobbed by their fans and investors when they don't field a competitive team. The stock of the team can fluctuate a lot more so year over year if the team isn't jumping into the luxury tax often enough to justify the big market designation. Whereas Baltimore is set up perfectly to let their prospects develop with no danger of failing to field something competitive for half a decade trying to get there.

 

[Remote]

I get it.

The Yankees have to justify charging people $30 for chicken tenders or whatever the hell that bucket costs.

 

[BK360NATL]

I feel where you're coming from, and I don't disagree. However, Baltimore doesn't have the same situation as us. They don't have the pressure of being competitive every year. Some franchises are set up better for rebuilds than others, and player development arcs can depend on that circumstance.

Teams like the Yankees are, whether fairly or unfairly, mobbed by their fans and investors when they don't field a competitive team. The stock of the team can fluctuate a lot more so year over year if the team isn't jumping into the luxury tax often enough to justify the big market designation. Whereas Baltimore is set up perfectly to let their prospects develop with no danger of failing to field something competitive for half a decade trying to get there.

The other piece to that re: Baltimore is that they sucked for so long and were able to both stack up high draft picks AND develop them. They converted elite talent into MLB regulars. While all draft picks are wildcards, they've done a good job of identifying and converting their high-end picks. Houston and the Braves did the same. We unfortunately don't have anywhere near the track record for player development.

The only way that I'd include Luis Gil in a deal for Kyle Tucker is if Tucker agrees to an extension upfront. If not, the Astros can choose from Schmidt/Cortes, Rice and another top 20 org prospect OR they can kick rocks. We won't be the only team with serious interest and offers.

Another option, Bellinger (CF/1B - (Cubs kick in $$$) for Stroman and another prospect (Rice or E. Pereira).

Sign Christian Walker (1B)

Trade for Devin Williams (closer)