Yankees GM Brian Cashman met with media today in Las Vegas and provided updates on several potential targets (and non-targets) on the team’s radar this winter. The highlights….
- Cashman gave his firmest answer yet about the Yankees’ apparent lack of interest in Bryce Harper, telling reporters (including Newsday’s David Lennon and the New York Post’s Joel Sherman) “I’m surprised you’re still asking” about the free agent outfielder. Cashman reiterated that the Yankees don’t have room for Harper, as the club already has six outfielders and Harper isn’t viewed as a first base option, and the general manager would prefer to spend on more pressing areas of need on the roster. While this could be some gamesmanship on Cashman’s part, he isn’t saying anything that isn’t true, as making a $400MM splurge on Harper wouldn’t seem to be the best use of the team’s resources.
- Manny Machado, however, still seems to be a target. Cashman said he’d had “several conversations” with Dan Lozano, Machado’s agent (via Sherman and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Twitter), though the two sides had yet to meet at the Winter Meetings. Reports yesterday from Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman indicated that the Yankees had interest in Machado but weren’t willing to spend more than $300MM to sign him, which could be a roadblock to an eventual signing. Unlike with Harper, the Yankees have a clearer positional need for Machado, given that Miguel Andujar’s mediocre glovework may require him to move away from third base, and shortstop Didi Gregorius will miss at least part of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Speaking of Gregorius, Cashman again noted (via Sherman) that he would like to retain the shortstop on a long-term deal.
- Cashman has also spoken to agent Scott Boras about one of his more notable free agent clients, Japanese southpaw Yusei Kikuchi (via Feinsand). The GM first mentioned his team’s interest in Kikuchi a few weeks ago, and the Yankees have a long history of landing top talents out of Japan.
- The Yankees considered Patrick Corbin to be the best free agent pitcher available, though Cashman said the team wasn’t comfortable about giving the left-hander a six-year contract (as per The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler and WFAN’s Sweeny Murti). Since Corbin was firm in looking for that sixth year, New York never made him a formal contract offer. Corbin did land that six-year deal, and $140MM in salary, from the Nationals last week.
It’s just gamesmanship.
No, it makes perfect sense. Machado is much more likely.
Drive the price down, swoop in when there’s value. Pretty basic business.
What’s Cashman going to do, tip his hand now and inflate his market? No.
Drive his price down and more will be in on him. Boston too.
Yeah, because Boras has no ideal if anyone was doing that. I mean this is his first year ever doing this. Also there aren’t any other teams involved so of course the Yakees can ‘drive down’ the contract.
Forget too many OF’s and playing 1B……..
Maybe it’s simply not diplomatic for Cashman to come out and say da Yankees simply don’t think much of Harper, and no way would they consider giving the guy a long-term high-money contract.
Machado however is another case. In the past week both Boone and Steinbrenner publicly double-talked and made excuses for his hustling issues and comments. But I will accept that they have a money ceiling – they did for Corbin.
Does Manny give up $30-60-90m to go play for a storied franchise instead of suiting up next to Arrieta knowing they’re playing for a poor team, but the money’s great. Hoping they’ll become salary dumps in a few years.
Who else is seriously in on Manny?
Where did I say Boras doesn’t have any idea? Of course he does – that’s literally why I said it’s BASIC business.
You can’t make a massive dent in someone’s value through public comments on your interest, but you can cost yourself more by overplaying your hand – that’s Boras’ wheelhouse.
I cannot believe I’m having to explain this to grown adults. No wonder the US economy is in the tank – Joe Nobodies can’t understand basic market economics.
Sigh.
Drama queen
Driving the price down only works when nobody else is interested. Nobody wants to play for the Yankees so bad that they take a discount. In fact, the Yankees have a well documented history of having to overpay free agents to get them. Sorry if reality hurts, Yankee “fans”
lol
I’m a grown adult with an understanding of economics.
Geeze, maybe next you can explain how “the US economy is in the tank”.
Signed,
Joe Nobody
P.S. In your explanation, please do not confuse the US economy with the way government runs their finances……a government that is taking in record tax revenues…..during the in-the-tank economy we’re somehow muddling through.
I agree. Seriously how many teams would even pony up $250-300? Philly. Chicago. LAD. NYY.
Same with Harper. It’s like WHO has the cash to swing it?
Dodgethis… yes and no. Driving the price down – you’re right on that.
However, in the past when a big name player would become a FA Steinbrenner would literally say “ok big name guy go get your offers come back before you sign elsewhere and we’ll top that offer. That’s a little different than HAVING to overpay a player to get their attention.
Steroid franchise? HA! You fool
Passes on a 26 yr old LH generational talent because of 35 yr old gardy and oft injured Hicks who will be FA in 1 year. Who you fooling Brian….its all posturing becuz its Boras client.
Douche.
Both of you are probably right…
Sure, because guys like Ellsbury, Gardner, and Frazier are indispensable when it comes to winning championships..
Well, it’s not like any figure to get regular playing time. Could easily see Giancarlo move back to OF and you’d have a perfectly fine OF right there. Then they could sign whoever to play 1B or DH, and they don’t need to necessarily get Harper to do that.
I can see the Yankees jumping in if there’s perceived value later on. I think he’s being legit though, and they won’t be in unless they think he’s below market or they don’t get the other items they want.
Cash signs Manny & he plays SS this year until DiDi comes back. Andujar plays 3rd then switches to DH. Next spring he learns 1st.
plot twist. Bird comes swarming in and starts hitting bombs…said no one ever
Its not impossible. Main problem with Bird is catching up to the high inside fastball. He has a really good eye at the plate and if he figures out how to tweak his swing in order to catch up to that pitch dont be surprised if he bats .260 with 30+ HR. I am also unsure how much his injuries affected his 2018 performance.
Choke up on the bat. Solved. Bonds, the GOAT, did it. Why don’t players like Bird do what works in order to catch up to the high fast ball?
As a Sox fan that tries to be fair, I love Bird’s swing. The last baseball item my dad said to me was how Darryl Strawberry’s swing reminded him of Ted Williams. Well that’s what I see when I look at Bird hitting in Yankee Stadium. When healthy and on his game, just a perfect swing.
Bonds also leaned so far over the plate with his tank of armor on his elbow that he eliminated the outside pitch beating him if he choked up on the bat. A pitch on the outside part of the plate was not very outside to him.
I think that in order for you to have success with choking up, you have to expect the high inside fastball. That, of course, is when pitchers give you a low and outside pitch.
But aside from those reasons, Bird (practically everyone in the league) does not share the same swing or stance as Bonds. Choking up could then lead to different results. I think Bird just needs to make some tweaks to his stance. His swing is very smooth but it might be his stance that doesnt allow him to have success with the high and inside pitch.
Im not saying that choking up couldnt help, just saying why it might not
+dewey
It is a nice swing. But it is no secret that he has troubles catching up to the high inside fastball. He may need to tweak something or do get stronger in the right muscle groups, whatever those may be, to increase bat speed.
Bird had more problems than that last year. Previous to last year he wasn’t swinging through 90 mph middle of the plate fastballs. There was something wrong with him. He was unlike pre 2018 Bird when healthy.
Bird and Sanchez have to prove that 2 years ago wasn’t a fluke. They both have upside that would give the Yanks a big boost. My future line-up going into the 2018 season had Sanchez batting 4th and Bird 5th.
+bern
It could be a possibility that he was mentally out of it, too. I saw a bit of hesitation from him and less than confident swings.
Hopefully 2019 is a much better year for him.
+slider
Gary produced at an extremely high level in both the 2016 and 2017 seasons. I think if anything was a fluke its his 2018 campaign. Injury riddled and unlucky. He would scorch the ball 115 MPH it felt like but on a line to the LF. He did just get his non throwing shoulder worked on. Could have been something affecting his swing
Fixed. “Choke up on the bat. Take vitamin S. Solved. Bonds, a goat, did it.
Actually the idea of choking up is to give you more bat control to just make contact. The outside pitch is irrelevant because you are in contact only mode.
+dob
I mean, the more you choke up on the bat, the less length you have, though its not like the difference is that large. Thats kinda what I was getting at
Bonds hit a ton of HRs and – ignoring the PED elephant (which further suppresses his standing in any debate) – he’s an upper tier HOFer, but the GOAT he is not.
Lot of people acting like Bird is a garbage player when he’s not. Dudes fallen on bad luck health wise and it takes time to come back from those injuries and preform at a high level. Especially with everyone in his ear. It’s as if Bird had to hit at least a double in every at bat to quiet the critics. I hope he’s taking the time to get his mind right this offseason and he’s ready for spring. I’ll give him another chance.
I agree. Let him and Voit battle it out in spring and then platoon them if they seem to match each others production capabilities. Im not quite certain you can trust Voits numbers quite yet and the same goes for Birds.
Another chance? Clearly it is his last chance to prove he can stick at the major league level, at least as a Yankee.
Agreed. He has been injured since he came up and has always been “promising”. Just like Pineda – you may see flashes of brilliance, but there is no consistency to just being good.
I hope Bird figures it out. But I do not think it will be with the Yankees.
Platoon with those two is useless. Bird actually has better numbers against lefties than her does against righties.
Bird comes in with a hangnail and missed 4 months. This after hitting .600 in spring training
Then where is Stanton playing when Andujar switches to DH?
Los Angeles, where he always wanted to be.
Why would you want to trade a 38 HR hitter in a bad year? And don’t say because he only hits those HRs when it doesn’t matter because it’s factually incorrect.
Actually, it’s factually correct. He’s the least clutch player in the league
Because you can just “learn”first base. So now you moved his below average glove from one corner to the other……problem solved.
Your mom learned first base! It couldn’t be that hard! Sniff sniff sniff, sniffles.
1st base is way easier than 3rd. And a lot of ball players have been moved there in the past.
But this guy can’t field anywhere. It looks like he’s running on a waterbed.
I think that’s what happens…and the Yankees still don’t win a title from it.
So theyll be like the Dodgers except with fans that actually watch the games.
I have a hard time believing that the Yankees won’t sign anyone who’s good. I do have a beef with the supposed luxury tax budget constraints. Since when do the Yankees care about bargain-hunting?
Theyve been bargain-hunting since those horrid 2013 signings.
I wouldn’t say signing Miller (who ended up being a valuable deal both in production and as a trade asset), Chapman and trading for Stanton’s contract were bargain hunting.
Considering how much Harper is projected to get, Stanton’s contract might very well be a bargain.
Bargain hunting doesnt necessarily equate to low total dollars spent. More so you acquired something for cheaper than it might actually be worth.
Acquiring Stanton was bargain hunting? Just because you held restraints doesn’t mean your cheap.
Bargain hunting only implies that you try to get something for cheaper than it is normally available for (e.g a discount, sale, BOGO, etc) and not that the product itself is of low total cost.
Depending what Harper and Machado get, Stanton might very well be a bargain, although he himself is not cheap/inexpensive.
Yanks didn’t bargain hunt to acquire Stanton. They didn’t TRADE the prospect value you might expect for a player of his contract but aside from the $30 mil they get from the Marlins they are basically paying him $30 mil per year.
How do the Yankees have 6 outfielders? Judge Stanton and Ellsbury. That’s 3 by my count. Platoon Stanton and. Judge as the Corner outfielder and dh. Harper can play all 3 outfield spots. Hes been wanting to play for the Yankees since he was 9 or 10.
Gardner, Hicks, Frazier
Judge, Stanton, Hicks, Gardner, Ellsbury, and Frazier. They are all part of the mix.
Do you stop counting your fingers halfway through? Just because you dont name them doesnt mean there are only three.
So that was an extremely ignorant little paragraph that you blessed us with. Sometimes it’s best to not talk about things that you dont reall know anything about.
…fyi.
That’s the first time I ever heard Cashman so open. instead of saying nothing. or we’ll have to see.
Harper will fall into their lap. Dont give anything away Cash. The final offer will come to you from Boras with a discount. All you have to do is say yes — and just say no to Machado.
Cashman has reportedly ruled out the possibility of landing Harper. He doesnt think Harper at 1B is realistic.
Smell the roses. The Yankees do not need another OF, and they dont want one asking for 10+ years 300+M
Or they don’t want to give anything away and just throwing you off. “Won’t go >300M for Machado.” Lololol This mum on Harper makes me believe they’re going after Harper even more. Remember the Yankee way; they swoop out of nowhere.
Hahahahahahaha
Just like they did for Ellsbury!!!! Everyone knows that famous Yanks discount every player wants to take. cAShMaN iS tHe GrEatEsT gM EVer.
Nope, wrong. You are confusing the Yankees with the team thats so corny they called themselves “The Yankees of the West”: the Angels. It is the Angels who are the “come from nowhere” team and yes, they are geographically located closest to Harper’s LV hometown, could easily make RF open by trading Calhoun, and have a history of signing “the #1 guy” – plus the thought of Trout/Harper has to have ownership salivating.
Who else can see the Angels being Harper’s out of nowhere pick?
One. One person that would be you, JTO. Also no one would take Calhoun without a prospect attached.
really? Look up George Weiss.
Trolling or just stupid and wrong, stop trying to eat at my table, you aren’t ready. Fall back.
So the Angels will have $29 x 3 into Pujols , $34 x 2 + whatever record breaking annual salary to keep Trout, $27 x 4 into Upton and probably $35 x 10 for Harper ? That’s $115 m per year for the next 3 years minimum for 4 guys with gaping needs everywhere you look. I don’t see it.
Though I agree, I don;t think Harper makes much sense… I wouldn’t necessarily take Cashman at his word. If somehow Harper’s price drops, he’d almost HAVE to consider him, and trade Hicks to make room.
Why would he trade Hicks instead of putting Harper in LF?
“The final offer will come to you from Boras with a discount.”. Because Boras and Harper are all about discounts?
MLB should encourage teams to spend past the luxury cap. They should get rid of drops to ibm and draft picks. It’s good for baseball in that it can help teams keep homegrown stars.
There’s no correlation between extinguishing those things and stars staying with their organizations. In fact, those things are intended to help teams who may lose their homegrown stars in the free agent market.
How do you encourage teams to brush past a cap you instigated? That’s like a cop nudging you to drive over the speed limit.
Not happening. Allowing the luxury tax in the last CBA was a huge mistake by the players. It allows the owners an excuse to stop spending the way they have in the past, basically acting like a soft salary cap. The owners WANT the tax to stay
Funny cause I said a a few times the Yanks weren’t in on Harper especially at first base! Lol
This could indeed be gamesmanship, but truth be told, Cashman and the Yankees really have done a great job of misdirection in the past, so who the heck knows what happens at this point.
A few observations:
I don’t like Machado at SS at all. He has been rated poorly at the position and I don’t see that getting better. It seems extremely unlikely they sign him for that role in my opinion. Fans on here and some writers have written about the musical chairs of players rotating while Didi rehabs. I hate that idea. I hate rotating players and taking them off a position they’re intended to play. Machado is a phenomenal 3rd baseman. It makes FAR more sense for the Yanks to sign him for that position and that position only and trade Andujar for a young pitcher. There are ample fill-ins at SS for the time being.
I’ve grown to really see a Kluber trade as a possibility. Both with his AL experience and his option based contract, it’s really a great scenario for the Yankees. If his arm flies off next season or the season after (which it probably won’t) they just buy him out. I really like those types of deals for pitchers. They Yanks greatest risk in that case is long-term prospect capital. Oh well. Rather that, than Corbin breaking down 2 years into a 6 year $140M contract and reading about the fans with pitchforks on the NY Post for 4 years. Maybe that will never happen, but a risk nonetheless.
Gray trade is the main piece right now. I can’t explain why, but I think for the Yanks, while they still have them, it mildly keeps the price down for other acquisitions. Once Gray is gone, other teams will “now” know the Yanks need to fill that spot. I think once Gray is moved, dominos will fall into place.
“Mark my words, Harper is going to be a Yankee” -Xabial
Hahahahaha
This.
Kikuchi to the Giants!
I’d love to see this. Great PR move, easy ballpark to pitch in, supportive fanbase, close city to his home if that makes a difference, and a huge Asian population.
This is what should have been with Ohtani. I hope since this time money actually matters, the giants decide to pay the price for him. 7/49 with a boatload of incentives and an opt out at the end of 2020.
Dude said he liked the bay, whatever that means, lol, but money talks, get out the checkbook and write that dude a check. Get em going
Roll the dice on Kikuchi, Cash. Only SP worth rolling the dice on left. I dont think I would mind Keuchal tho
Considering how often the Yankees do well with Japanese talent I’d pass. They messed up with Irabu and Igawa. Although they did well with Tanaka and Matsui.
So its about 50% chance its a good signing? For your #5 SP, I’d go for it. Not too many other options left on the market this year and I am not sure if the Yankees can afford to sit pat with this rotation even with Paxton (given his injury history).
Although not Japanese, dont forget that Wang was good until he hurt his elbow and Kuroda was also good for them.
Two different sets of circumstances ( Wang was an international amateur FA and Kuroda had proven himself here and came to the Yankees after his contract with the Dodgers.
I guess, I mean i thought we were just looking at how Japanese (or just international players from Asia) players fared playing for NYY. Like I dont see why Wang being a FA makes a difference? I see the difference but why does it matter?
He was brought up through the minors, unlike every other Asian player the Yankees got. (Not including Rensynder)
Ah, I see your point now. I still think, while risky, its worth it to for the Yankees to roll the dice on Kikuchi. I would have to imagine he wouldnt cost more than Keuchal and they wont have to give up any player capital either
Offense is not the issue!! It’s pitching pitching pitching..they will win plenty of 5-4 games, in the playoffs, they need to win 2-1 or 3-2
Who cares about the dumb Yankees? All they do is bully everyone with their money and never win. They and Dodgers are perpetual losers who can’t buy happiness with their greediness wanting ALL the players.
Really? I guess your a red sawx fan? Lol
Ohhh with the second highest payroll behind the Dodgers????
You lost… loser
Yankees, perpetual losers, won a hundred games last season, won a WC game, and went to within one game of a World Series in 2017. As a fan, i’m pretty happy with that.
Ummm. Perpetual losers?
It made no sense signing Brett Gardner so quick…
Easy depth signing as he can play CF.
Youre still caught up about a depth signing? A Gardner signing wouldnt prevent the Yankees from going after Harper if they wanted to. Gardner isnt commanding 30M a year.
What is preventing the Yankees from wanting to is there is no real fit currently and Harpers gigantic price tag
Lot of good reasons to sign him early. Last season they had Shane Robinson manning the outfield for 25 games, as their 5th outfielder.
Rest assured, Gardner is not standing in the way of a Harper signing. I don’t think they really like him for the contract he’s looking for. If his price drops and they change their minds, they’ll trade Hicks.
It makes perfect sense. He can start (unlikely) or be the 4th OF. It’s a 1 year deal. The idea that Gardner is blocking anyone, let alone Harper, is absurd. However, if Hicks is hurt, Gardner is a better choice to replace him.
Technically Cashman did not say no to Harper… he said he had 6 outfielders.. Outfield was not a need and Surprised you’re still asking.. but I didn’t see a no we are not pursuing Harper
Hahahahaha, he technically said he doesn’t know why everyone keeps asking him about Harper? He’s never been a thought dude! Hahaha haha
Let’s watch the Red Sox win it all again!! Way to go Hal!! Your father is ashamed of you!! If you don’t no how to run the team, sell it to someone who does!!!
Moron, your bus is leaving!
You need to calm down. No one who knows anything about the Wilpon’s would complain about the Steinbrenner’s. I agree with the poster would said that having a $300mm payroll of old superstars is not going win anything. A big reason the Yankees had 96 and 98-2000 is that George was suspended in the early 90’s and couldn’t trade away Jeter, Pettitte, and Mariano for the Ken Phelps and Jessie Barfields of the world…
As a very long time baseball fan, i never thought i’d hear or read this phrase “but weren’t willing to spend more than $300MM to sign him” in the context it was stated. We’ve jumped past the point of $250MM being an outrageous amount for anyone and it’s somewhat disturbing. There has to be a breaking point and i’m not sure i can spot it on the horizon.
There’s a growing sect of baseball people, mainly players and agents, that would like to do away with the 6 years of team control. At the very least, lower the amount of years of team control. If that happens, there will be more big long term contracts, because it will make players eligible for FA earlier and more young/prime years available to teams. Unless, of course, teams start keeping players, those who are ready, down on the farm longer. But that very well could lead to litigation by the players union.
The horse is out of the corral and i see no clear way to round up that mustang.
Ah yes, the “its disturbing the players everyone come to see get more profits over the billionaire owners” argument. No, it’s not “disturbing” that the players are getting more of the massive, massive profits and its how it should be.
Every single time anyone complains about player salaries, they are in actuality saying “the owners deserve these profits more”, and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the intent, but it’s what you’re doing so….wake up. Those profits -must- go to someone, yknow…
Your generalization is invalid. First off, the owners of businesses should make more money than its employees. Second off, neither party, owners or players (including agents among the players) should be making the kind of money they are. Both parties are continuing to drive away everyday Joes and Josephines because of the high costs.
The fact that you contend the profits must go to someone is true, but you make it sound as though owners are obligated to spend 100% of their profits, when that is simply not true.
Yes, it is disturbing that player’s salaries have reached this high and will continue to escalate. It’s also disturbing that a beer costs $10+ at a lot of stadiums and that a crappy hot dog costs $4+.
There is a breaking point. Just because i can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not in existence.
You truly are clueless.
You think the owners are getting less when the player gets more?
The cost is simply passed on to guess who genius?
The second they stopped getting fans to pay 14$ a beer, that’s the second player’s salaries go down.
But hey, continue your “worker party” rant, clueless.
I said it two months ago… I’ll say it again. Harper to the Dodgers, Machado to the Yanks.
I have Harper to Angels, Machado to Yanks.
Definitely can see Harper to the Dodgers.
I have Harper to the Padres, Machado to the Expos.
In the words of Yogi: “It’s De ja vu all over again.”
The Yankees need a front line starting pitcher. They should be trading for one now that Corbin is gone.
Since I can’t upvote on my phone, you get it in words.
Yes – it is deja vu all over again.
As sweet a swing as Harper would have in Yankee Stadium, he not a necessity. Frazier can take over LF at a fraction of the cost. Money that can go towards SP which is what they really need. They can eat a bad contract to get a good SP. Manny would be a better fit anyway since he can play 3B and Andujar can learn first base
Frazier might not ever play in MLB again.
Thats what you would want, isnt it? I’d say there is a high chance he plays in the majors as earlier as next season. Unless there are new reports that he is still dealing with concussion like symptoms i see no reason why he wont see the MLB again.
His reasons are as follows
He hates the Yankees
The end.
Everyday you somehow come up with something dumber than the crap you posted the day before. It’s amazing how clueless you’re when it comes to knowledge about baseball.
Please do 90% of this board a favor and STOP POSTING!!!!!!!!!!!
Brock Holt had severe concussion issues in 2017 and he came back in 2018. I really hope that Frazier comes back and the fog has lifted. I read a story about Brock Holt and having concussion issues is real scary. Good Luck Frazier.
A lot of attention for a guy who couldn’t take an open checkbook franchise to a World Series in a decade, let alone win it.
When was the last time. The Yanks sign a big contract?
I mean, he’s right OF is the least of Cashman’s worries when he has two good players there and Giancarlo available to take the third spot.
I love it when a GM publicly takes money out of Boras’ pocket. Boras response “Hal, Hal look at my binder”. Scott Scott look at the Ellsbury contract.