No hope of bringing in any decent FAs, obviously no help from the farm, so 2014 will be more of the same - retreads, DFAs will comprise about 75% of the roster. They will have to do it without Kuroda and Mo to boot.
There is a slim chance that we could turn this around, but it would require Hal to open the vaults and that is not going to happen
They need to resign guys are sign new guys to replace what's going to be lost. Then you have the age factor in other spots. I can't see next year being any better.
...I think the IF and the Catcher positions will be better...and I think their record will be better.
resign who? Cano for 8 years? no thanks. Hughes? no way. And sign who? McCann. Decent catching option. Shame they have to sign a free agent catcher to what will be a sizable deal considering that was supposed to be the one strength in the yankee system. Who else? Michael Young? Who fills the pitching holes? No Andy, No Kuroda, No Mo. CC is pitching like a 5 let alone and ace. Go position by position and realize how much they have to fill and what is left. Most of what is left is old and declining further and further. What does Jeter have left? He cant stay on the field for a week. A-rod is done for next year. Ichiro and Soriano both very old and limited. Do we really want Granderson back? Wells is back, awesome. Tex will be back, ok thats great but he really is not THAT much better than overvbay anymore scary enough. Then look at the farm and then look at the available free agent class. Realize that the yankees were basically laughed at during the deadline for the potential trade chips, and realize that is almost impossible for this team to be a contender next year unless Cashman does something he hasnt proven he can do....become VERY creative.
I don't think they will lose 100 games. This winter hopefully they will sign a good catcher and a few pitchers. Tex will hopefully be back and healthy. Jeter who knows. They should sign a full time 3rd baseman and a shortstop if Jeter cannot be counted on full time. I don't think Nunez is the answer for a longterm shortstop.
JeterRules, you have to look at the available free agents. Saying they should sign all those guys sounds nice, but the class is very thin. Very few impact players out there. The only actual thing i can see them potentially doing is desperatly trying to trade one of their existing outfielders, who no one will want, in order to upgrade out there with someone like Ellsberry or Choo. Other than that you are looking at Michael Young at 3rd perhaps, a marginal player at SS if Jeter cant hack it, and hoping Tex doesnt come back to continue his rapid slide to medicority. There really is not much out there in free agents to help. Ellsberry is interesting. One of the few real impact players that might be available. I think they should sign him, injury risk noted, and trade off Gardner somehow. CC's decline is killing them, and who knows where Pineda will be. Kuroda does not look to be back, but they might have to blow him away if they want to have a legit team. Look at the SP available. Hughes is one of the BETTER options, which frightens me because i am thinking more and more they might feel thay HAVE to bring him back. Unless you want to take a chance on someone like Lincecum or Garza. Point is outside of McCann, there are no slam dunk "go out and get THAT guy" free agents out there. Cano is THAT guy, and his contract is not going to be pretty. Hey AJ Burnett is a free agent!!
I think my above post helped me map out what the yanks should do. I honestly think they should stonewall Cano at 6 years. Take it or leave it. After that, let Hughes walks and sign Garza if you can work a decent deal ( although i think he might be the next AJ in waiting here). Sign McCann, the only no brainer move out there. Let Granderson walk. Then trade Garder to sign Ellsberry. or Keep Gardner and make Ichiro a role player. Sign Michael Young if you dont have to go too many years. And do whatever it takes to get Kuroda back on another short deal. After this year his thoughts of going back to Japan may not be there anymore. There is the rub with all this, having to over pay guys like Garza or Young to play here is clearly not ideal, but its the only way i see this team competing. C - McCann 1b - Tex 2B - hopefully Cano, if not significant downgrade. SS - Jeter/nunez 3B - Young CF - Gardner LF - Ellsberry RF - Soriano DH - rotation (Jeter Ichiro Wells etc). SP1 - Kuroda if possible SP2 - CC and a prayer SP3 - Garza SP4 - Nova SP5 - hopefully Pineda, probably Phelps. Closer - Robertson? Looks a lot better than the 2013 yankees, but at a significant cost.
I was thinking Ellsbury and Garza myself. I don't think Kuroda will be back but if I am the Yanks I offer him a lot of money to return. CC better find it soon or I just don't know. I do like McCann and Young could be a 1 year stopgap until something better comes along maybe in a trade. Just thinking out loud.
Im not sure Young will take 1 year. I think being a legit team hinges on Kuroda. You wont be a great team unless you have a true #1 starter to matchup with other team's aces. Even in the best of scenarios, CC just is not that anymore.
I think CC just didn't do enough to get his strength back after surgery, spending more energy on losing weight. I'm hoping that's the case and that he goes back to his old ways of bulking up in the offseason and being a horse. I like McCann and Garza as well. Maybe Kuroda takes a final 1-year deal… 3B is really thin. Looks like the only options are Young, Reynolds and Betemit coming off an injury. Young might be looking for a few years, we don't want to go there with more guys in their late 30s, though I might expect Cashman to do the easiest thing and sign Youkilis again.
No more Youk and his back. They signed him for 12 million and he played in what 20 games or so? Not worth the risk unless he wants to come back for 2 mil or so and I don't think he will.
I said 'could' meaning that unless they make some decisions to alter the current course they are on - they 'could' get there. As constructed - how many games do you think this team is gonna lose next year, assuming no Kuroda and no Mo? After the off-season and we see if the team is serious about fixing this broken team - I would be willing to make a wager on an over/under number of losses. I know you'll go under and I'll go over.
...pretty sure they won't stand pat...at least 1/2 of last night's starting line up will be different opening day, and will be considerably better, at least offensively than they are now.
...I like the looks of the line up, but I don't think it would cost prohibitive at all...most of the additions you listed will making the money that the subtractions are making now.
Hope you are right, but they have A LOT of work to get there. Unless this team opens up the wallet, or they get a new GM who knows how to spend $$$ more efficiently than $24M to Youk and Wells, or they find some kids in the system who make huge jumps in winter ball, etc. A few botox injections isn't couldn't do it - a full-fledged nip 'n tuck may be in order.
...Wells will only cost the Yanx $2.8 Mil next year. They may not win it all next year but they will be a much better team IMO.
I haven't finished scrolling down yet, so if someone mentioned this, I apologize... I don't think its just strength training with CC... he needs to reinvent himself as many others did when they lost their velocity... the question becomes will CC or better yet can CC...
