Originally Posted by
jacksonianmarch
Here is the deal. The Rays are a game away from the WS. The Yanks were tied in the 8th with a single solo homer being the difference for the winner or loser. It isnt like the title chances are any less. This is a talented club. Tweaks and additions are needed, certainly not wholescale tear downs. This isn't a post 2019 Boston team.
We have to square away catcher, and to be honest, the answer is pretty clear. Looking at the Yanks roster, it makes far more sense to just cut Gary loose or deal him to someone who is desperate. His arb number is expected to be in the $6 mil range and that is far too much for a guy who sucks at catching and has sucked at hitting 2 of the last 3 seasons. Higashioka can catch. He can frame. He can throw. The most important defensive position on the field isnt SS, it is catcher, and we have had a lumbering and lazy idiot behind the dish for too long. Thing with Higgy is that he can hit a bit too and has power. I would have a competition with Higgy the favorite going into ST. I would sign a veteran backup with defensive chops. We do not need a Realmuto at the price he will cost. We just do not, especially with DJ needing to be re-signed. I am looking at Austin Romine here. He played well with the Yanks, is a heck of a defender, and should come cheap.
We have to re-sign DJ. He isnt gonna play 1b, as the MLB HR leader plays there. He can play SS in an emergency, but he is a 2b and a really, really good one at that. I do wonder if the Yanks might be best served by moving either Gleyber or DJ to 3b, dealing Urshela and signing a solid defensive SS. Urshela has been nails at 3b, but DJ and Torres are better overall players. In doing so, we would then have the chance to move a 4 tool 3b who is getting paid peanuts for pitching, which should return something good. Maybe in that situation we could get a guy like Simmons, but he won't come cheap. We could bring in a guy like Jose Iglesias and have he and Wade duke it out or we could turn to Thairo Estrada or Kyle Holder, two slick fielding middle infield prospects who don't offer much bat.
We need to add to the rotation. Sevy is gonna be back in "July" per Cashman, so they are gonna slow play him. German is not a guy you can put into the rotation off the rip due to his lost time. Right now, the Yanks have Cole, Garcia and Montgomery. I know Schmidt is a top prospect and is ready, but I dont like the idea of 2 rookies in the rotation. Loaisiga seemed to find his way in the pen, not sure I want to mess with that. We are going to need to get some pitching. Maybe Urshela helps us bring in a pitcher and maybe we go out and sign one (like Gausman, although these reclamation project pitchers coming off a single good season rarely work out, I am looking at you Pavano). Either way, knowing reinforcements are on the way helps, but we cannot piss away 40% of our starts until Sevy is ready and German shakes off the rust.
We need to add to the pen. Kahnle is gone for the year. Ottavino imploded. He is getting paid too much to deal off unless we eat a lot of cash. Britton is likely to be back. Chapman is still nails. Green is still good. Cessa took a step forward. Holder didnt. Heller got injured again. Loaisiga was good. We have a bunch of good kids out there, but they are green and Boone was very afraid to use them in high leverage spots as evidenced by the debachle in game 5 where he tried to get 3 innings from Britton and Chap. We need another lockdown reliever, closer level guy who can handle the pressure. Not sure who is out there, but that is a definite need to fill, especially if we dont splash hard in the rotation