The Yankees have announced that left-hander Andrew Heaney has elected free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment. Right-hander Brody Koerner meanwhile has been outrighted off the Yankees 40-man roster, joining the RailRiders in Triple-A.
This announcement is largely a formality as it pertains to Heaney, since the free agent-to-be was designated for assignment a few days earlier. This officially concludes a tough 2021 season that will almost definitely serve as a coda to his time in pinstripes.
The 30-year-old Heaney saw action this year both on the Angels and Yankees pitching staffs, posting cumulative 5.83 ERA and a 2.0 HR/9 marks. These results, which include a 7.32 ERA and 3.0 HR/9 rate in the Bronx, quite readily explain why the lefty was given his walking papers instead of a spot on the Yankees postseason roster.
Despite the rough bottom-line results however, Heaney has stronger bounce-back potential than most players in the eyes of some metrics. A 4.12 xFIP and 3.84 SIERA for example both assume Heaney’s home run rate will regress and that his strong 26.9 K% and 7.3 BB% rates will lead to better results moving forward.
Teams who believe they can further tap into Heaney’s potential and help him avoid hard contact are likely to try and invest via a low-risk deal this offseason. Given that Heaney is only 30 years old and still misses plenty of bats it’s quite possible his next contract exceeds expectations.
Koerner appears set to experience a much smoother offseason. After getting his first taste of the big leagues this year, pitching three innings of one-run ball in relief, the 27-year-old will continue on in the only organization he’s ever known. Koerner only helped his stock this past season, with his minor league strikeout, walk, hit, and home run rates all trending in the right direction; that his 3.39 ERA in 2021 is more than a run and a half lower than his 5.00 ERA in 2019 is all the more impressive considering the lost 2020 campaign. While the Yankees likely view the 17th-rounder as a depth option more than anything, they’re surely happy to hang onto a player with swingman upside.
I like Heaney, he shows some flashes of being pretty good, and then tanks for a few games in a row. Someone will give him a major league deal
I wonder if Skaggs’ death took a toll on him
This has a Cubs signing all over it.
I could definitely see the Cubs.
Could also see a team like the Rangers since they’re still rebuilding and could use some arms (plus it’s somewhat close to OK)
No doubt Skaggs’ death was a factor. He was Skaggs’ best friend, according to writers at the time.
If it was a factor it took him from bad to worse… because this has been the way he’s pitched his entire career.
As an Angels fan Heaney has taken a toll on me. He’s always been great one start and then gets lit up the next. Can never win a big game. His problem is between his ears. He always looks nervous, and at the first sight of trouble he starts biting his lip, pacing around– horrible body language.. Not mentally tough and that will never change. I could say the same thing about me with my wife, but I’m under a lifetime contract so it is what it is.
As a Yankees fan this makes me happy. I feel bad for the guy but I’m glad to see him go. However, this is not the news I am waiting for. I keep hoping that I’ll see Boone’s and Cashman’s name added to this list.
I’d love to see Boone gone. I think wait on cashman
An ineffective Gerrit Cole gets pulled after retiring just six batters in the AL Wildcard Game.
Yankees fans: Fire Boone.
Ah, those self-proclaimed knowledgeable New York baseball fans. Yankees or Mets, it doesn’t matter. They always chime in with the wrong solution.
Cey Hey, if you think this is just from one game, you haven’t been paying attention. This is a long time coming.
Joe Says speaks the truth. My main issue with Boone is he is not only a mouthpiece of the front office, but he does not seem to have the ability to inspire the team to play better. Managers are supposed to get the maximum out of players. All Boone could do is spit out canned comments on “Things are going to pick up.” In other words, rather than get the team fired up about their opposition, he spent too much time telling them a WS title is inevitable. To me, this is why the team sleepwalked through the last two seasons. They expected to win and never seemed to understand they need to fight for it. Good managers (Cora, Cash, Hinich, etc.) don’t seem to do this.
Also, Cashman needs to go on the simple fact that he’s been at the helm too long and it’s time for a change. Of course, he did hire Boone so he should be put to death on that action alone.
Darth: Although I agree with your comments, I think it goes further. Boone is ineffective because he’s incapable of in-game decisions; he’s a slave to analytics. His sitting of players during hot-streaks, his failure to recognize obvious failures, while simultaneously justifying them with silver lining positives is nauseating. I was a supporter of Boone. This past year really changed my opinion.
He’s a product of the front office and the front office obviously doesn’t realize their team construction is a complete team failure. Many, many teams hit the home runs the Yankees did, without the swing-and -miss rates. Or with much better contact per at-bat. Instead, Yankees doubled down and just brought in another swing-and-miss guy, who occasionally hits a home run (Gallo, except he’s a good defender).
And, they’ve accomplished this while leaving gaping holes in the rotation by going cheap, SS, C, and CF. Hicks isn’t the answer. He’s another corner OFer. They’ve doomed themselves into precisely what they’re trying to avoid… spending a boatload of prospects, or a boatload of money.
I just don’t think it’s as bad as all that, @Clip.
SS is definitely a Real Issue. As well as a legitimate CF alternative. Though highly skilled, Hicks just simply can’t be counted on to make it through the season.
C is ok.
Phat Sancho & Higgy are a good enough tandem. I sometimes wish Sanchez would have broken in quieter. He was never going to be “Manny Ramirez who plays catcher”. He is what he is. But, look around MLB, man.
Upgrading at catcher is a lot easier to post than actually to accomplish.
So – yeah – some spots to shore up/fill in the lineup & bench. But really nothing onerous.
& I disagree strongly with “gaping holes in the rotation”. Cole = Ace. Montgomery, Taillon, German = proven above average starters. Cortes looks to be a good swing guy at the very least. We have Sevy as a bounce back candidate. We have some kids in AAA too.
Now: some rotation stability is definitely in order. But pitching didn’t let us down this summer. A co-ace would be great. But a DURABLE #3 (or even 4 actually) seems borderline required.
In the end, Cash could just run it back & we’d win 85-90 games. We have a couple holes. & couple places we should/could improve. But we will be playing in the postseason next year too. Hopefully longer though.
Bet.
Boone has spent his entire adult life in professional baseball, yet people who watch from their living room think they no more about in-game decisions. Btw, Boone wins 90-plus games every season. I think fans just like to suggest firing someone because it makes them feel important. It’s bullying, really.
Spending your whole life at something doesn’t necessarily make you good at it.
I have no problem admitting he’s better than me. He’s just not better than the other 29 people who have spent their whole lives in baseball. He’s getting out managed every turn. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you don’t watch many Yankees games. Because if you did, you’d see the same thing everyone else is seeing.
Got to disagree about the catching position! Sanchez is just not a viable option behind the plate. He simply can’t catch the ball. I agree that they need a SS, CF, 1B (if they don’t sign Rizzo), and some help in the rotation, but for me their biggest need is at catcher. Higgy is OK as a backup but they really need a starting catcher. Barnhardt of the Reds make sense to me. Two gold gloves and is a lefty batter. It will be interesting to see if the Reds pick up their option.
Cey Hey: Bullying? Really? Ugh, you’re so predictable. Anyway, I’m willing to bet just about any manager could have 90-plus wins with this Yankee team. They’re built to win like that, they’re just not built to win a WS.
You should stick to LAD as you seem more competent regarding your team’s moves. Also, please stop trying to label everything with common SJW terms. It’s…….too much.
Ducky, I respect your opinion more than anyone else on this board (Joe as well), and you’re always high on Sanchez. I was getting there but then he reverted back.
I looked back in Yankees history and every time they had a long cluster of WS competitive teams, they were incredibly strong up the middle, including C.
I am not saying you’re wrong – In fact I very well could be – I’m just tired of the same mistakes year-in and year-out, watching Gary flail on O and D, for example, especially during must-win games.
My position on the rotation is that we need a true #2-3 pitcher. We need someone to take some pressure off of Cole. So, you’re right, that’s not a gaping hole, but altogether these are critical positions to fill. The staff we had outperformed their norms imho, and we need to get a true high-leverage starter. Dodgers did it right.
I love the Yankees since watching Dave Winfield hit when I was 4 years old. They’ve been my favorite sports franchise ever since, and it’s not close. What they’re doing now simply isn’t working for postseason play – they’re too inconsistent to win all the way through. I hope you’re right bro, but I’m not nearly as co dissent as I was in ‘17.
Merci, @Clip.
I am not insensitive to the twin facts that Sanchez has not become the player we’d hoped & that a struggling Gary Sanchez is a terrible sight to behold. Really ugly.
Perhaps, @Mickey777 is on to something with Barnhardt.
However: upgrading half our lineup (C, SS, CF, 1B) in addition to adding a high end SP is a pretty tall order. This is why I am more inclined to kick the can down the road at catcher & first. I can also see that appeal to Cash. We’ve imperfect yet acceptable solutions at those spots that aren’t very expensive.
& a co-ace would be ideal.
But a good dependable #4 (or better, right?) is really all we need. & one can see an argument for going completely internal with the staff.
Also: just ignore that cey hey guy. He routinely gets threads shut down with his nonsense. It happens so much, I feel it is borderline intentional. Either way, he is a completely unhealthy & unhelpful influence on the board.
I appreciate your dialogue and wanted to chime in. Years ago, here in SoCal, I played against Boone in high school and travel leagues. I never thought it was a realistic hiring to pull him from the broadcast booth into managing in pinstripes. There are reasons Dusty Baker, Tony LaRussa
… are managing in the playoffs. Experience matters. I think the Yankees got caught up in the Alex Cora type hiring and made a knee jerk reaction to hire Boone after Girardi. He’s a good guy, but unfortunately just a good manager. The Yankees need someone great and with some experience.
How much time have you spent in New York? Born and raised here but I’ve also lived many years in other states. I know there’s other baseball towns out there, but it’s one of the few towns where baseball and not football is still #1. New Yorkers are definitely knowledgeable compared to other states. Even my old Aunts watch baseball and can name a lot of the players. That doesn’t mean people won’t make dumb comments like fire cashman. But fire cashman has been going on since the 2000’s. New Yorkers are impatient and got spoiled from all the winning in the late 99’s and very early 2000’s.
@dirkg –
Thanks for the insight. I agree completely that an experienced manager is in order. We played much sharper under Girardi. & we need someone who will stand up to the front office (read: Brian Cashman).
Boone is not the problem, A lineup of swing and miss guys who are always hurt is the problem. A problematic rotation is the problem.
Pissed me off when this nobody pretty much shut down the Braves. Guess it happens when the opposition overachieves for half a month.
If you think he’s a nobody, then you have no idea who he is.
Out of the 129 pitches who have thrown 100, he’s 15th in Z-Contact. Being able to throw pitches in the strike zone that can’t be hit is a great indicator of success. He and Caleb Smith are the only one in the group who were not good.
He ranks between Brad Woodruff and Corbin Burnes in that stat.
If he finds a pitching coach, he’ll take off.
He has a really high K rate and low BB rate. But it’s the HR’s that inflate his ERA. The Yankees were the worst team for a guy like him to go to having to pitch in that ballpark.
I see the Cubs trying to sign guys like this to a 1 or 2 year deal and flipping them at the deadline.. I think they’ll be spenders this off-season, but not in long-term deals, just stopgap type guys.
No way he gets a two -year deal. He needs to rework his value.
I could definitely see him being a guy the Cubs target. Maybe Dylan Bundy as well.
he will sign with the Mets
He was traded for junk
underrated comment
Needs to give up starting and move to the pen.
Heaney needs to give up baseball and move to flipping burgers.
Amen, Joe. Why they continued throwing him out there to give up BP home runs is beyond me. It embarrassed Heaney, the team, and Boone.
Careful, he’d miss and flip them on the floor.
Yankees moved him to the pen and he was worse
You know what was better? The Angels got two legit prospects … and Junk may actually wind up in the rotation. He had a great year and was very impressive in the majors with his call up. I have no idea how Cashman gave up so much for a guy who has been so bad for so long?
To the Giants for 1 yr/2.5 mil. Will have a 3.58 ERA with 192 Ks next season.
Bring him to Detroit. Give him a large outfield covered by speedy outfielders, Grossman, Baddoo, Greene, Hill, and Cameron. Give him an analytical pitching coach, Chris Fetters. I see a rebound!
Cashman is the one who should go. He built that roster with limitations. Cashman won’t be let go though he’s been with the Yankees for decades. The Yankees roster with all the limitations I don’t think any manager would of won a WS.
He had that with the Angels but the OF can’t play on the other side of the fence. He walked way too many and was rarely ahead in the count. He will probably have to settle for a Minor League deal.
Yes, the answer to limiting homers by Heaney is very simple… move the fences back… or maybe the batter has to tie one hand behind his back, or even better still we can allow the hot dog vendors in the bleachers to carry gloves and catch the ball? To quote our ever deteriorating president, “Come on, man!”
I have no idea why this guy isn’t good. With good control to go along with swing and miss stuff, he checks the boxes.
The Giants turn pitchers like him into aces.
Dodgers will get him cheap and turn him into another Koufax… or not.
Dodgers had him for all off 5 minutes before trading him to the Angels
The Yankees should have left Heaney in the cornfield after the Field of Dreams game.
Andrew Heaney needs a big dose of Pete Walker. Don’t take my word for it , ask Robbie Ray or Steven Matz.
Heaney can’t locate and is good for a half dozen center center meatballs a game, two to three of which find barrel and turn into dingers.
There are plenty of players who are FIP darlings but have awful command.
Heaney is going to be signed by the A’s, Rays, Giants, Dodgers, Guardians, Astros, Brewers or Cardinals. And he’s going to be lights out. This organizations know pitching unlike the Yankees and Angels.
Alexander Vizcaino was ranked 10th – traded for Anthony Rizzo
Kevin Alcantara was ranked 12th – traded for Anthony Rizzo
Josh Smith was ranked 14th – traded for Joey Gallo and Joely Rodríguez
Ezequiel Duran was ranked 15th – traded for Joey Gallo and Joely Rodríguez
Trevor Hauver was ranked 22nd – traded for Joey Gallo and Joely Rodríguez
Glenn Otto was ranked 23rd – traded for Joey Gallo and Joely Rodríguez
Hoy Jun Park was ranked 33rd – traded for Clay Holmes
Diego Castillo was ranked 42nd – traded for Clay Holmes
Janson Junk was ranked 44th – traded for Andrew Heaney
Thats an awful lot, for very little. Cashman should go.
Included in those trades were the trading teams paying most or all of the salaries of Gallo at least – not sure of the others but the point of the trades by the Yankees were to acquire the new players and not going over the Cap. In order to accomplish that the Yankees had to include more players to have the players salaries picked up,
Heaney can best avoid hard contact by staying off the mound.
So, as the article suggests, Heaney has some decent advanced metrics numbers like SIERA and xFIP, but his results are still what they are…bad. Doesn’t that kinda make those advanced numbers somewhat irrelevant as they relate to a pitcher’s current value?