I don't mean to jump the gun here (well actually I do) but I was thinking about what we have & don't have for 2015 & what our biggest needs are. First lets look at what we have...... 1B = Mark Teixeira (CHECK) C = Brian McCann (CHECK) LF = Bret Gardner (CHECK) CF = Jacoby Ellsbury (CHECK) HOLY SHIT! that's pretty much IT! going into 2015 for position players. Billy Beane where the fuck are you? So looking at this mess we're going to need a 2nd baseman, a 3rd baseman, a shortstop & a right fielder. Okay, go with me on this now, as far as the infield there's Jed Lowrie, he can play short, 2nd & 3rd. He's only 30 years old & is only earning $5.25 with Oakland this season. Oh year & did I mention he's also a switch hitter. He'll give you 10-15 HRs & 50-60 RBI & is a career 258 hitter. Then there's Ben ZoBrist, 33 years old plays 2nd, SS & some RF. has some pop 15-20 HRs & 70-80 RBI & a career 262 hitter. Earns 7M this year with Tampa. BTW: he's ALSO a switch hitter. And Finally there's my boy in San Francisco Pablo Sandoval. 27 yrs old plays 3rd & 1st (so he could back up Tex) is ALSO a switch hitter & earns $8.25 this yr with the Giants. Is good for 15-25 HRs & 70-85 RBI. A career 295 hitter. Can you imagine signing all 3 of them? DAMN! my nipples just got hard. And then there's....well.......HIM! what if he comes back & IMO probably will. What do the Yankees do about........HIM!? Okay now lets jump to RF, I've narrowed it down to 3 players........... 1) Melky Cabrera (29) $8M with the Blue Jays. a career 285 hitter. 2) Nelson Cruz (34) $8M with the Orioles. a career 269 hitter 3) Alex Rios (33) $12.5M with the Rangers. A career 279 hitter _______________________________________________________________ Okay, you ready for this? My wish list this Christmas for the mound... 1) Johnny Cueto (28) RHP earning 10M this season with the Reds 2) Max Scherzer (30) RHP earning 15.5M with the Tigers but will be looking for 25M+ going forward. And to a lesser extent, James Shields or innings eater Justin Masterson of the Indians who IMO just needs to find a solid team to pitch for. Well, there you have it boys & girls. Put your thinking caps on & share your idea's. AMERICA............................wants to know.
I also forgot, the following players are UFA ................. Derek Jeter..................$12M Hiroki Kuroda...............$16M Ichiro Suzuki................$6.5M David Robertson..........$5.2M Alfonso Soriano............$5M Kelly Johnson..............$3M Brian Roberts...............$2M So that's almost $50M coming off. But don't get excited because about $20M is going back on for A-Rod. What a waste.
The thing I find most amazing is it wasn't until I was putting the OP together that I found out that we only have 4 starting positions locked in for next season. Left, Center, 1st base & catcher. This team needs a shit load of work for next season.
First you need to find a new GM, Cashman's "magic" has been lost, team is really decaying under his watch, he's done very little to shore up the holes on the squad, granted there have been tons opening by the year See my thread regarding Rob Refsnyder, give him a chance at 2B and see if there's something there. This is becoming a giveaway kind of season but either way how much worse can he be than the washed up vets we're trotting out now? A-Rod will more than likely try to come back in Spring Training, realize he can't go on and the Yankees pay him the rest of his contract but try to collect a partial amount back in insurance. So in the infield 1B - Tex (still a ? because he misses a lot of time and will always, the wrist injury is chronic) 2B - Refsnyder (hopefully he shows he can stick, they need some low cost options) SS - ??? - whoever it is has massive shoes to fill, even though his production has drastically dropped off 3B - ??? - they could buy low on Chase Headley, let him heal up and hope he returns to form. They've been scouting him a lot lately...even his 2013 was WAY better than what we've gotten recently...granted his 2014 is garbage but still probably a wash compared to Kelly Johnson getting major ABs (that's a giant blow on Cashman's reputation by the way, that he went into a season with this payroll asking Brian Roberts and Kelly Johnson to log starter playing time) C - McCann...you have to hope he rebounds, this has been a putrid start. You thought you'd get at least 2-3 years of solid production before he started his decline but damn. OF - Gardner, Ellsbury, Beltran (he's got two years left and Tex is going to hog a lot of the DH time) By the way Cruz with his season now is going to get a massive payday...he already has 25 HRs. Don't think the Yankees will go that route since OF, while not necessarily a strength, isn't their biggest offensive weakness. SP - Tanaka SP - Sabathia (he's got a lot of time left, we're stuck with him) Then ??? Cannot rely on Pineda at all, ever. This year proves it. Have to plan as if he'll never be a major factor. Kuroda I get the sense that even if he pitches a bit better down the stretch, while he hasn't been atrocious, that he will go to Japan to finish his career or retire. He doesn't want to be part of a semi-rebuild or continually playing for a non-contender. The Yankees will need to be active in the SP market. Bullpen is okay, backend there are some issues (Ramirez) but it's really hard to find good back end help, and if you do, they usually get promoted within the bullpen due to need or leave for larger roles.
There's no way Cueto is hitting the open market. He has an .836 WHIP right now. In perspective, Tanaka has a .951. Under 1 is stellar. Keep in mind the Reds PAID Homer Bailey to keep him, you think they'd all of a sudden run out of money for Cueto?
I was saying to Rick2583 that both of those players have team options for next year and won't hit FA. Specially Cueto (Rick2583 put that as his Xmas wish) at 10M would be stupid idea for the Reds to turn that down.
The thing with the Reds is that there team payroll has jumped nearly $40M dollars since 2010 & over the next 2 years Votto's salary jumps from 12M to 20M & Bailey's jumps from 9M to 18M with nothing to show for it as a team. So I'm just guessing that MAYBE they might not be able to afford another big contract with Cueto going beyond next season. JMO.
If that's the case that was really dumb of them giving Bailey money that should have gone to Cueto - if they knew they could only afford one you let Bailey walk.
Oh Dan I agree 100%, Whoever approved that deal should be shot. I mean does warrant that kind of a contract? I just don't get it.http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/baileho02.shtml
Going into this season the guy was barely (no pun intended) a 500 pitcher. I would love to know what Jocketty saw in this kid that warranted a 6 yr $105M dollar contract.
When I refer to HIM in the OP that's who I'm talking about. So Vic, speaking of the OP how would you fill in the missing pieces I mentioned?
Remember the movie Major League? I say something like that team... a bunch of unknowns expecting them to fail... this patchwork theory isn't working, hasn't worked, and won't work... we need to restock the farm... it'll take time...
