On Thursday, news broke that the Mets, one of the few teams who’d continued to kindle the Hot Stove throughout the winter, were again firing up, with the signing of 34-year-old Jed Lowrie. And then on Friday, amidst a chaotic deluge of arbitration settlements, the Yankees added to perhaps the league’s most crowded infield mix, signing second baseman (and now, perhaps, utility infielder) DJ LeMahieu.
On the surface, both deals were head-scratchers: the Mets, of course, just replaced a pop-up option at the keystone with a potential hall-of-famer, and already seemed set at third and short. First base was tentatively reserved for a Peter Alonso/Dominic Smith/J.D. Davis mix, and the team had spent much of this month assembling depth options of every sort. So where would Lowrie fit? And why wouldn’t the team have used its (ostensibly) few remaining resources where it needed it most, viz. in center field, or to tighten a loose mid-relief corps?
The Yankees, then, may have seized the enigmatic upper hand with Friday’s LeMahieu signing. Gleyber Torres, an early-season option at shortstop during Didi Gregorius’ absence, looked to have second-base on lock for the next half-dozen years at least, and the team has young, good, and very cheap options at the corner spots. Plus, there’s the addition of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, brought in to hold down the early-season fort if he can make his way to the field, who seemed interested in New York only because of its clear path to playing time. LeMahieu has played positions other than his native second before, but none since 2014, since which time he’s entrenched himself as (arguably) the game’s premier defender at the position. Utility men don’t typically make $12MM a year, especially on the heels of two below-league-average offensive seasons, so perhaps the signing is a mere precursor to a move on a larger scale.
Lowrie has been excellent over the last two seasons, accruing 8.5 fWAR in 310 games. He appeared in more games last season, though, than he did from 2015-16, and nearly as many games in ’17 as he did from ’10-’12. Injuries have always been a major part of the profile, and the soon-to-be 35-year-old had mostly dropped the utility moniker in recent years, appearing only in cameo roles at positions other than second. So where will the team deploy him? Third base is an option, but that’d move Todd Frazier to first, where, after three middling offensive seasons, he seems a disjointed fit at best. Such a move, too, would likely keep Peter Alonso in the minors, where the recurrence of a demolition tour would seem of little benefit to anyone. Lowrie probably doesn’t have the range for short at this point in his career, and a utility role wouldn’t be appropriate for someone of his pay grade. Perhaps Frazier will shift full-time to the bench, where the club already has much younger and much cheaper options, or is sent away in a back-page trade, netting a fringe return at best. Steamer, for its part, forecasts Lowrie to be just two percent better offensively than Frazier next season, so hoping for a straight upgrade seems presumptuous.
LeMahieu is part of the rare breed, since Statcast data was made public, to post well-above-average exit velocities and a well-below-average launch angle. The combo works for Christian Yelich, but for most others – Eric Hosmer, Ian Desmond – it spells disaster. If the Yanks can rework LeMahieu’s swing – he already boasts an opposite-field-dominated approach that should fit perfectly in their park – and transplant his defensive wizardry at second to another position(s), the club may have a bargain on its hand, but such an outcome seems unlikely. He doesn’t fit at first, and the club has now lost leverage in a potential Miguel Andujar trade. If the rookie-of-the-year runner-up can shore-up his defensive woes and find a bit better control of the strike zone, the Yankees are looking at a perennial all-star. With a value nowhere near his potential peak, shipping out Andujar now – or moving him to first base – seems altogether shortsighted.
Do you like the respective moves? Pick your answer in the poll below.
Only made sense for the Yankees.
DJ is entering his age 30-31 season
Lowrie was better player, 2018, but entering age 35-36
DJ came with more upside; won batting title two years ago and has a career .298/.350/.406 line—not to mention, LeMahieu is the best defensive second baseman on planet.
Shall i point you to the last big time infielder to leave Coors and end up in the AL East and how that worked out? Cough…Tulo…cough.
I do not think it’s a bad move necessarily but not sure I’d be throwing out batting titles implying it may happen again. Which it won’t.
LeMahieu only won the batting title because he sat the last couple games of the season, that’s the first point I’ll make.
The second point I’ll make is that Tulo got hurt and barely played in Toronto, so you can’t really grade his offense on such a small sample size. Yankee Stadium is a hitter’s ballpark; it’s not Coors Field, but it isn’t Safeco either.
DJ’s value is in his defense and to that end, he solves a problem for the Yankees. Torres isn’t a bad defender, but he isn’t a gold glover, at least not yet, and with Didi sidelined at least until the All Star break having DJ at the keystone and Torres at short is an upgrade that also takes pressure off Andujar. Now he doesn’t have to get to all the grounders Tulo wasn’t even going to get close to.
This is less an offensive move and more a defensive move. If LeMahieu hits .280 it’s a win for the Yankees.
So what you’re stating is that although Torres isn’t great at 2B, they should let him play SS?
Did you watch Torres try to play a major league SS for the Yankees in 2018?
As per his former Jays manager – Tulo’s bat may only be a fraction of what it once was, but his fielding is very close.
Torres is a natural SS. Part of his issue was learning a new position, not athletic ability to play said position (s)
Torres will do just fine at shortstop if needed. Tulo is a good deal for the Yankees considering they will only pay him league minimum. Toronto is on the hook for the rest.
Did YOU watch Torres at SS last year is the question, because it sounds like you didn’t.
He’s fine at SS – that’s his natural position.
Torres will only play ss if Tulo gets hurt. Right now he is an ave defender, he is young and lazy but will get better as he matures.Anduar is a different story, very bad habit of double pumping his glove…very hard to break.
You mean when Tulo gets hurt
It’s Tulo, after all
Exactly. The guy has played 66 games total over the last 2 seasons and, suddenly, he can be counted on to be an everyday SS?
Learning second base is not that hard if you can already play short.
I had bone spurs in feet too. Felt like always stand on broken glass. Post surgery, stand longer but still linger with nerve problem.
Tulo, stand all day at SS, long season? Smart money say, no. Yankees are now smart money! Yankees want big Tulo play for one or two months, then know, a lot, needs a newer for SS.
Problem with Tulo is no one knows if he’ll be healthy on opening day. Lowry is likely the better utility player but wait and see if the Yankees make other moves before grading this one.
As a Mets fan let me tell you the story of Jose Reyes whom got moved to 2b in his first full season. He was awful there and it made us all think he was a bum. Not everyone can just move to 2nd because they play shortstop.
Tulo already stunk with the bat before he left Colorado, and actually picked up a bit when he got to Toronto (park adjusted), before getting hurt. So leaving Coors had nothing to do with his decline. Spoiler alert: it never does.
I can’t see how the Yanks signing LeMahieu makes any sense. It would have made since to sign Murphy originally being a good contact hitter that is also a much needed LH bat. Great article on PinstripeAlley about the problems this signing brings.
I thought signing Murphy 6 weeks ago would have been a much better fit as well, solving the need for a LH bat and shoring up the keystone. I’m not sure why Cash didn’t go after him or, at least, not aggressively enough for the amount of money he just gave LeMahieu.
It seems silly to bring in more RH hitting middle infielders when you already have 4 of them. The only way this makes any kind of sense is if Cashman knows something the rest of the league doesn’t and that is that Machado only wants to play for the Yankees. In that case, signing everyone around him forces Manny to prove he wants to be a Yankee that badly by taking less money and fewer years so that Cashman gets him at his price.
If we get Machado on our terms, fantastic. If not, this move guarantees that the Yankees solve a problem up the middle without committing to a huge contract. Personally, I’d rather see the Machado money go to Harper. Trade Gardner+ for a starter, or even flip Stanton at this point. Watching him club homers is nice and all, but that contract will be an albatross in 5 years when Judge, Severino, Torres, Sanchez and Andujar are past arbitration and looking for record deals. Not so much Sanchez unless he’s a perennial all star, but the others will definitely want big money and Stanton will be old by baseball standards.
Except Murphy can’t play middle infield so it would give them three 1b for no reason. And do nothing towards supplying much needed middle infield depth
Murphy would be signed for age 34 and 35 seasons’
Murphy’s also the antithesis of DJ at second base D
How bad is Murphy at defense? Murphy was worth -0.9 bWAR, despite .299BA and 12 HR in 2018.
Basically, the only thing Murphy has going for him is he’s LH hitter, and better hitter, but 34 in 2019 — think would not be worth it on a two-year deal
The Yanks signing LeMahieu makes total sense.
Most of the people commenting here haven’t experienced or learned Yankee history from the late 70’s until George got suspended and allowed Gene Michael to build a farm system and develop their own players starting in the early 90’s.
Every offseason George signed at least one of the top free agents. If he had any decent prospects he wanted to trade them for name veterans (he was going to trade Ron Guidry until GM Gabe Paul threatened to quit). The Yankees payroll and turmoil increased each year, and they stopped making the playoffs.
This Machado thing would take them back to those unglorious days of yesteryear. No one knows it better then the majority of NYC baseball writers. With exception of celebrity-worshiper Mike Lupica, all that I’ve read are happy with the LeMahieu signing and are hoping this is the end of the threat of going backwards.
The Yankees are on the right path. They simply need to stay the course.
You act like the Yankees only behaved this way in the 70’s when, in fact, they were still doing the same thing from 2005-2015ish. They didn’t develop anything of note from the farm and kept throwing big money at every free agent they could find to hide all their warts. It worked out well in 2009, sure, but it was mostly a lost decade of disappointment and failing to make the playoffs. Cashman was on cruise control for too long.
This changed when he acquired Chapman and then made the Andrew Miller trade to load up the farm system. He also did well on trades for Hicks and Didi, as well as drafting Judge and developing Severino and Sanchez. But his failure to add that one last piece could really cost them in 2019. Loading up on decent guys isn’t going to get them past the Red Sox.
I think you are presenting a very optimistic perspective. DJ also has a career 756 OPS / 92 OPS+. His 2016 batting title and career year is a misnomer. If you look at his career, that is the one year that doesn’t fit.
He really is the best defensive glove on second base and you should have emphasized that only. His bat is very league average.
Best defensive 2nd basemen? You’re Wong.
If we’re talking about best defensive 2nd basemen, I wouldn’t Panik thinking about who I would pick.
Easily. Bet you anything you’ve never watched him play.
DRC+ measures offense better in colors field and according to that DJ was slightly above average every year except 2016 he was excellent
According to statsimakeup+ DJ lemahieu was an MVP candidate pretty much every year. I’m sorry his “traditional” stats didn’t match!
Lowrie >>> LeMahieu. AND he’s making less money. Not to mention that DJ is coming off 2 sub-replacement level seasons in Coors Field(of all places). You don’t need to rah-rah every move Cashman makes. You’re embarrassing yourself.
Same guy who said he’d take Neil Walker over DJ.
You don’t need to criticize every move Cash makes. You’re embarrassing yourself.
No, I don’t want Lowrie for his age 35-36 seasons… I would criticize that move, if Cash gave anything more than year to 34 y.o. Lowrie or 33 y.o Murphy.
I didn’t say I’d take Walker over LeMahieu. I said Walker has been better over the last 2 years(because he has). Lowrie is the better player and he’s cheaper and I’m glad the Yankees didn’t get him. Enjoy.
what?
@Rightout
I wouldn’t give more than 1 year to 33 year old Daniel Murphy and 34 year old Jed Lowrie.
Two-year deal takes ‘em thru 34-35 and 35-36.
Just another whiney Yankee hater.
But a 2-3 year deal to 36yo Happ is the best move ever, right?
What’s confusing? Lowrie being much better than LeMahieu over the last 2 years? Or is it WALKER being better than LeMahieu over the last 2 years?
Why do you keep bringing up J.A. Happ?
I didn’t want him for 2 years plus vesting. But… 2 years, plus 3rd year won’t vest if sucks, not end of world, for SP who went undefeated for you in regular season.
Happ didnt cost more than 2 years. vesting option won’t vest if he makes less than 27 starts or 165 IP. I’m cautiously optimistic, with regards to the Happ signing, despite bombing his lone playoff start.
You and I both know, the price of SP market. Happ is an irrelevant comp, and I wasn’t praising the signing at the time.
For any of you who follow my posts, know I thought Happ was a gamble, but necessary evil nonetheless.
As for Neil Walker…. not a fan of his game but Thank you for everything. Hope you find a job in 2019.
*Going 2 years for Happ was a necessary evil.
If it was up to me, wouldn’t sign to anything more than a one-year deal. I’ve said this here… numerous times… But 1 year wasnt happening
Would have preferred a left handed bat!
Stupid move by Cashman when resources are needed elsewhere.
Both are good moves assuming both play more often than not. Both teams have glaring awful players playing everyday
Gleyber Torres, Didi Gregorious, glaring awful players? Tulo was simply going to be a fill in
I think he’s referring to Bird as one of the “glaring awful players”.
Yeah, no. DJ doesnt play first, neither does Tulo, or Gleyber, or Andujar. So, why would a DJ signing affect 1B? The Yankees also have Voit, which i wouldnt say is a glaring awful player.
Try to stay on topic next time, yeah?
It’s a bench spot one Bird was occupying, and he can also play first by the way. So please keep up.
Bravesfan was referring to a player everyday, not a bench spot. Therefore, he cannot be referring to Bird.
Not that smart, huh?
The condescension from you two is hilarious.
+srechter
b-b-but he stARTED IT!!!!!
but anyways, he deliberately went off topic to talk about Bird because me and him had an argument about Bird before. i’m willing to put $20 on it saying that is the case here, which is why you saw me reply the way i did
Didi and Tulo might combine to play about 80 games in 2019. Those are hardly guys that you can rely on.
Gleyber came back from TJ before spring ended. Why am I to believe that Didi wont come back until the all-star break? I think he will miss some time, but not that much time. Obviously it is just speculation on our end when he will come back, but is their any reports that have a timeline for when we should expect him to return?
*are there (instead of is their)
For the win! lol
Gleyber had it on his NON-throwing arm. That’s the huge difference here. A shortstop needs a strong arm, so Didi certainly figures to be out most of 2019.
+Bernie
Ah, I see. I still think he only misses a month or two. Would be surprised to see it be 2 months more than that
Lowry is the better pick as he plays all infield positions. He also put up big numbers in a JG ballpark. LeMahieu’s numbers are much different away from Colorado.
Since becoming a regular in 2013, DJ LeMahieu has hit .331/.391/.449 at Coors and .264/.312/.365 on the road. Furthermore, as I stated in the DJ signing thread, since 2013 he is worth +58 DRS, #1 amongst all MLB 2B.
I’ll take those road numbers w/ Brendan Ryan defense
He’d certainly have the bat for a utility role…
Those road numbers are garbage
Xabial, what are you trying to say? That his road numbers are ok? His road numbers are not good at all, I hope as much as you post you realize that. The signing is strange to say the least.
I agree that the signing is a bit strange. Reminds me of what happened last offseason when Cashman traded for Drury and then signed Walker to an already crowded IF. Its like he is repeating himself only he got better players than Drury and Walker.
Dont attack the sensitive one please.
I think if Cashman signed Carl Pavano out of retirement Xabial would praise it.
He’s so anxious to slurp every move Cashman makes that he’s trying to pretend that DJ has done anything of note over the last 2 seasons. He’s a very good glove man and a solid option to bat 8th. A difference-maker he is not.
Be careful dude your time here is almost up.
@jekporkins
Only praise “American Idle” gets from me is for the discount he took initially signing.
Maybe if he keeps it up he will end up with a team of Allstars.
No long term commitment and kept 2 of the top available infielders away from other contenders in their respective leagues. On the surface both moves appear to be good ones.
Both moves are great. Fine versatile players adding depth. FA signees, so you give up nothing to get them. What’s not to like?
For me it doesnt make sense for either team. It just seems weird moving Lemahieu around when he was a gold glove at 2nd. But Seattle did it with dee Gordon. And that worked out good. Like to see what moves the yankees make after didi gets back. I’d like to see what other moves the mets make. But i feel like they needed to add elsewhere first instead of another infield spot. Like the outfield if cespedes will not play at all next year. And what about Alonso in the minors? He will be major league ready next year.
I think DJ is a good enough player and they got him for a good enough price. My main concern is that the infield was already crowded and now it is even more crowded. Tulo only had a spot until Didi comes back, now it doesnt look like he has a spot at all. When Didi comes back does DJ lose his spot too? Does he then simply become a backup player?
Maybe shouldve kept Ronald Torreyes. Can move him around the infield more than Tulo or DJ and there was no expectation for him to start, only to fulfill a role.
If the yanks had some plan to move Andujar, I don’t see how this affects their leverage. If another GM told Cashman “well you have more IF than you need so give me Andujar for peanuts” Cash should immediately hang up the phone.
STARTING LINEUP FOR THE NYY
CF AARON HICKS
RF AARON JUDGE
LF BRYCE HARPER
3B MANNY MACHADO
C GARY SANCHEZ
1B MIGUEL ANDUJAR
SS GLYBER TORRES
2B DJ LEMAHIEU
(Waiting for all the dislikes)
WAITING FOR THE NURSE TO GIVE YOUR MEDS.
why do you still think they getting harper? THAT IS A DREAM… NEVER GONNA HAPPEN… HE HAS NOT EVEN BEEN LINKED TO THE YANKEES (except by you crazy Yankee fans)
as far as Machado… I think they bowed out when they signed Tulo… now that they got DJ they are definitely out
Machado mystery team is the Angels…. I think they swoop in and get him… Bravos will get harper… I think thats y they have been so quiet.
“Never been linked “ means nothing. They can easily pivot to Harper now if they choose. Not saying they will, but they can.
they can also offer trades for Trout, Acuna, Goldie etc…. point is its unrealistic…. NOT HAPPENING
Actually they are dumb becuz Goldie is the 1 player they should have been targeting LMAO
Harper does not make any sense for them except for the fact that he bats lefty… If they wanted him they would have made an offer or met with him a long time ago…. not 1 rumor about harper going to the yanks ever has been dropped except by Yankee fans
The problem with almost every sports fan is that you guys hear what the “journalists” / “reporters” say and believe every word that comes out of their mouth. How many times has the “credible sources “ been wrong this year alone. Every “reporter” swore Corbin was going to NYY … wrong !
Harper and Machado to Philadelphia, all because they claimed to have “stupid money” you guys are so gullible
You forgot mike trout, stanton and mookie betts
Replace Manny Machado with Bryce Harper.
The late great George Steinbrenner isn’t alive anymore.
But if they to sign Bryce Harper… Wow.
He already has Harper in the lineup lol
So Harper is gonna play 3B??? Huh.
Andujar goes back to his rightful place.
Save 300M for an ace. Or Nolan next yr 😉
Only Arenado, an even better 3B than Manny, but no guarantees he reaches the open market
Hicks, judge, Stanton and Harper rotate through OF and DH. Gardy backs up all OF positions. Easy
SP?!
Get it, bc Andujar has played SP as much as he has 1B in his professional career (like 0 times). So him “going back” to a position he has never played allowed me to arbitrarily pick another position
maybe next year
X is deranged.
Really sporting of the Yanks to forego the DH
The DH is your mother
(Designated Hoe)
So Stanton not in the starting lineup?
Nope can’t afford Stanton , Harper and Machado one gotta go I rather Stanton
I assume Stanton is grooming the infield or is catching in the bullpen?
Stanton got traded to LAD for prospects
Both moves are good. The Mets add another solid bat and the Yankees get a decent utility player. The only problem with Lemahieu is that he doesn’t bat left.
He sorta does, actually. Hits like a pull lefty.
Maybe the Yankees will sign Harper now and forget about machado. They need a big left handed bat. Especially while Didi is out
Explain to me why it is imperative they need a LH bat. Their lineup was practically just as RH heavy last year and they were 2nd in average runs per game (with injuries to a lot of their better hitters: Judge, Gary, Gleyber, Didi, etc.). To me, it really doesnt seem like it is all that big of a deal.
If the argument is centered around playoff performance, I’d understand the clamoring for a LH a bit more. However, Didi wont be out for that long. He should be back before the playoffs. They still need a LH bat by then? Idk.
Seems as if people put way more importance on LH/RH balancing act than they should.
Nope. He’s a Brave-in-waiting.
Andujar or Torres/bird , low level prospect for Kluber and Carlos Santana coming
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s Torres that get it done
Keep Bird.
Make it Andujar AND Torres, then it might be possible.
Don’t be silly. You’ll dump Santana’s over valued contract in the process while picking up an young all star for nothing
Kluber and Santana is not enough for Machado AND Torres
.229/.277/.422/.698
DJ road stats for 2018
Machado is now out of the mix and probably for the best. However I don’t necessarily believe the Yankees got better and keep in mind their second half was below 500. Hope a pitcher is in the works
D.J. performs better offensively and outhits (excepting power) Gleyber Torres every day of the week. Torres will NEVER be the premier defender LeMahieu is. Look for Gleyber to fill a utility role while D.J. mans 2nd base.
Lemahieu has only had one season in his career in which he did better than Torres did last year…
Torres will be an excellent player. It’s foolish to compare him after 1 season.
LeMahieu hit into incredible bad luck last year. If you look at his strikeout rate and his hard hit balls rate, it’s an almost exact copy of Andujar’s numbers. So that’s why the Yankees signed him over guy who, positionally, would’ve made more sense (like Gonzalez or Murphy).
Hitting the ball hard isn’t a good thing when you have no ability to hit it in the air
This is why for his career he’s a below average hitter.
If Bird continues downward, Voit does keep up what he did last year
Move Andujar to 1st
DJ 2nd base
Torres 3rd
Tulo. SS
Lot of moving around but might turn out best infield and when DiDi comes back Tulo switch to utility not perfect but options.
This signing only validates to me one of the two Andujar or Torres is on the move for a SP.
I think they are both good signings. They both make sense for their teams. It adds good depth to both.
What doesn’t make sense is the Mets taking on Cano’s contract.
Brodie Van Wagenen got overzealous and Jerry Dipoto played him like the neophyte he is.
Not much BVW has done makes sense.
“We have money, but we’ll be careful”
Oookaaay…
First thing is…”I may deal Syndergaard…but we’re going for it!”
Um…ok
Then he takes on a huge contract spanning half of a decade on a regressing, aging player and sure, a great young closer, who will get extremely expensive and very quickly.
Socks knocked off yet?
Then he re-signs Juerys Familia. $8MM to the dude who could have closed out but he’ll just be a setup man? Ok. Do whatcha want.
Then he signs Lowrie…
But fills the OF with what basically amounts to four #4 outfielders.
Keon Broxton? Really?
I dunno, man…I think BVW is sinking the Mets. They’ve been on the fringes of a rebuild for two seasons. I think they’re blowing it. I think BVW is throwing money at problems, and he can’t plug all the holes.
Just my two cents…
lol lets not forget that he sent top prospects over to convince dipoto to grace him with such a terrible contract. you would think just eating the contract and some mid level prospects would get the closer, but leave it to the mets to go above and beyond.
if only they would trade with the yankees like that
Think that the Mets have selected a more capable (albeit older and more fragile) player than Yankees, but Yankees were addressing a need while the Mets confuse me.
The Mets spent $10 million to attain middle infielder (2nd) when we have Rosario, Cano and McNeil already seems perplexing. That is not including potential bench options in system.
The Mets could have opted to use that money to address other needs, including adding to the backend of bullpen. It may allow manager flexibility where you can use one elite reliever earlier on need basis etc.
The Mets could have used existing payroll space, Lowrie salary, and insurance payouts to attain a legit outfielder.
These are the new Mets. In the past they would have signed a guy like Lowrie for 4 years. Now they are only over paying an oft injured, aging, past his prime player for 2. Well done!