The Yankees’ offseason officially kicks off today after getting bounced from the post-season last night. Here’s the latest out of New York and the rest of the AL East:
- GM Brian Cashman acknowledged the evident fact that the Yankees weren’t quite “good enough” this year, as Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com writes. While things turned out better than many expected, says Heyman, there’s still plenty that will need to get done heading into 2016. Adding a significant starter is at the top of that list, he writes, though the team could also stand to fill out its relief corps. Otherwise, New York needs to keep plugging away at developing its young talent and focus in on a solution at second base, in Heyman’s estimation.
- Also taking a look at the Yankees’ offseason needs is Jim Bowden of ESPN.com (Insider link). His priority list is somewhat different, especially at the top. For Bowden, adding a big, right-handed bat is the most important need.
- The Blue Jays are now the only AL East club left standing, but the offseason could only be days away if they fail to advance. Baseball teams are always looking ahead, of course, and Toronto is no different, as Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca writes. GM Alex Anthopoulos says he’s “already stressed out of [his] mind” dealing with playoff pressure, but has already begun working on possible winter moves. “We have a sense from July conversations of who might be available in trade, but there’ll be another wave of players that no one’s expecting as we talk to clubs that we’ll get a sense of. That can be exciting,” Anthopoulos said. “The off-season can come up fast on you, so you don’t end up shutting it down.”
- One notable factor in the Blue Jays’ success this year was the durability of its pitching. As Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca writes, the organization changed its approach to handling arms after the 2013 season, switching out of an innings-based system. “Generally speaking, we try to watch our players, we don’t treat everybody the same, which is maybe what we did early on,” Anthopoulos explained. He went on to say that he is “pleased with the results” of the club’s experimentation, though he wasn’t too interested in sharing the details. As Davidi writes, subtle reductions of stress and careful monitoring of effort that goes beyond innings thrown appears to be at the base of the effort. There’s a ton of information in the piece, so you’ll want to give it a full read.
Why is AA stressed? He should enjoy this. Plus, I think they are better than the Rangers. Don’t Worry, Be Happy!
The better team doesn’t always win in October
It’s hard to enjoy this run with that 22-year postseason drought on the books. Even if the better team (Blue jays) don’t win, the front office still did it’s job, on paper. The pressure is now on players more to execute.
There’s still a lot riding on this team doing well in the postseason. The fans and players should enjoy it now, but should the team drop out quickly there will be criticism based on the list of prospects the Jays have given up the last 3 years. It’s been 22 years — to me, it’s worth it just to have won the division. But AA knows that if the Jays lose quickly and he can’t put a decent pitching rotation together for next year the fans will turn right back against him.
I agree with cash. This was prob one of the weakest yanks teams to make the playoffs in my lifetime (32 years). But I also did not expect them to make the playoffs, so they over achieved. The yanks got pretty lucky this year. We won a bunch of games we shouldn’t have and we didn’t lose games we easily could have. That’s baseball for you tho.
Refsnyder needs to get a long look at 2B next year. The way he hit at the end of the year, and the big strides he took defensively are very encouraging.
I wouldn’t be too surprised if Cashman and Co. try to move Gardner and Nova, either for a RH hitter, or for a pitcher, while making roster/positional room to sign an OF bat like Cespedes or Upton. Not saying that it should happen that way, but it seems like something the Yankees would do.
Whatever the case, I’m excited for the off-season, rumors are fun!
Yankees have more problems than a couple of positions, their complete roster is old expensive and aging Seven Position players will be 32 yrs or older, not a Prescription for success in the Short term. In other words they are the Phillies in waiting! Young and Hungary Red Sox will be eating theYankees Lunch next year when they sign David Price
The sox were younger than the yankees this year too. How did that work out?
See how New York works out next several years with McCann, Ells and a host of others.
Can’t buy their way to DC’s any longer. Have to get in the trenches and do it the honest way.. For a change.
Well they’re currently better than boston. Have a top-10 system, and have money, so i gather it will workout pretty well.
Odd that a fan of a team like boston would be talking about spending in such a way…
Who gives them a top 10 system? i saw them pre season with middling (15-20) and would be shocked to see them top 10, even with them signing like a dozen of the top 20 kids on the IFA market 2014-2015 season.
As for record wise better than Boston last 2 season’s.. Not hard.. Think Seattle even managed that, though Seattle has managed to graduate a pretty nice young crop also and is in nice shape, unless they make mistakes and trade some away.
Days of buying the way to victories and hopeful championships is over. Even LA won’t be able to sustain that payroll with all the liabilities and penalties the league imposes on free spenders now, right or wrong. Teams are forced to go about building from within and Yankee fans got a glimpse of what Boston has developed at Pawtucket the last 2 years toward the end of the season with plenty more on the way over the next few years.
the yanks success was due mostly to their farm system that produced Jeter, Posada, Riviera, Cano, Soriano, BWilliams, Pettitte, Guzman & Milton among others. Some all stars…some headed to the hall of fame. But that farm system dried up. Yes, they have deep pockets and can sign FA talent …. but it only goes so far.