Fixing the Yankees
Welcome to the annual article on how to fix the New York Yankees. New York fell in five games to Tampa Bay in the ALDS and actually regressed after signing arguably the world’s best pitcher in Gerrit Cole. A quick reminder. The author doesn’t expect to win a title every season, but the Yankees are poorly constructed across the board as far as what it takes to be a World Series contender or winner or even a team that can make it there, the latter two of which haven’t happened since 2009. Here are the Top 10 things, in no particular order, to fix the Yankees for 2021 and beyond (unless MLB strikes which would surprise no one).
1. Sign Trevor Bauer.
Bauer hinted on Twitter that the Yanks lacked pitching. Well, here you go. A maniac on the mound who is a throwback combined with his own mechanics and numbers, Bauer would really boost the Yanks. The rumor is that he doesn’t get along with Cole. I am sure they can figure it out.
2. Finalize the pitching staff.
Let James Paxton, J.A. Happ and Masahiro Tanaka walk. Paxton is always hurt and can’t handle the stage with Happ and Tanaka looking worn down. 1-5 should be Gerrit Cole, Trevor Bauer, Luis Severino (back from Tommy John), Jordan Montgomery and Deivi Garcia.
3. Good-bye El Gary!
Time is up for Gary Sanchez. The Yankees have babied him ever since Joe Girardi rode him for being lazy. Girardi was right. Sanchez gets hurt often, is too inconsistent at the plate, calls a horrendous game and still can’t block pitches in the dirt consistently. Plus, he looks like he doesn’t care. Insert J.T. Realmuto, the best catcher in baseball, who brings everything Sanchez doesn’t. And of course trusty Kyle Higashioka as the backup.
Gary Sanchez
4. Trade Aroldis Chapman.
Two straight postseason disasters with a walk-off home run and a game-winning home run given-up. The neck tattoos, sweating, stupid smiles and stares and choking on the big stage are embarrassing (Rajai Davis also tied the World Series off him in 2016 when Chapman was a Cub so this has been going on for some time). He also has the domestic abuse situation on his resume. Chapman’s 100 MPH overrated fastball can go somewhere else.
5. Re-sign DJ LeMahieu.
He’s your best and most versatile player. Get it done.
6. Play Clint Frazier.
Enough is enough with Brett Gardner. 2009 World Series winner, nice career in pinstripes, clubhouse leader, at times comes up with huge hits. But enough is enough. Frazier needs to play now. He is too good at hitting. He just needs to work on his outfield play to be more of a complete player. It’s mind-boggling that he didn’t get an at-bat against Tampa Bay in Game 5.
7. Balance the lineup.
The Yankees have way too many righthanded bats who hit for power. Go find some contact/power lefty bats who could start regularly or platoon positions. Do you bring back Didi Gregorius and put him back at shortstop and move Gleyber Torres back to second base? What about 2016 World Series champion and Chicago Cub Anthony Rizzo if available (depends on his $16.5 million team option or the team could buy him out at $2 million and let him walk)? How about Joc Pederson to platoon left and center with Clint Frazier and Aaron Hicks?
8. Trade Tyler Wade/Miguel Andujar.
Wade doesn’t belong on the field and Andujar has been replaced officially by Gio Urshela at third. Go get more bullpen arms or starting pitching by trading these two.
9. Fix the rest of the bullpen.
If you can trade Chapman, who closes? Zack Britton and Chad Green are too inconsistent for the job. How about Alex Colome? He’s young enough at 32, had a 0.81 ERA in 2020 and owns a solid track record. Can he handle New York? There’s only one way to find out. Adam Ottavino has turned into another bust and has one more year left on the 3-year/$27 million contract. If he can’t perform, perhaps you can use Clarke Schmidt and Nick Nelson a little more and sign someone else for depth. Blake Treinen perhaps? The Yankee bullpen isn’t vaunted and is nowhere near the best in baseball. Much of that has to do with not getting enough length from the starting pitching. They go together at this point.
10. Fire Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone.
Brian Cashman
Saved the best for last. Credit Cashman for all of his special finds like LeMahieu and Voit and trading for Torres. Credit him for keeping the train going after Gene Michael and Bob Watson starting in 1998. Credit him for trades like Jake Westbrook for David Justice, Eric Milton for Chuck Knoblauch and Homer Bush and David Wells for Roger Clemens. But time is up. He has failed the last 16 years at building a pitching staff and developing farm arms and constructed a lineup that is too one dimensional. With that, he has created an analytical nightmare of Ivy League dorks (see ALDS Game 2, pulling Garcia after one inning for Happ) who control the franchise and the manager, Boone, who is a puppet, cool Dad and bobblehead to front office calls. Even when Boone is allowed to manage, he brings Chapman in far too early in Game 5 against the Rays for seven outs, can’t manage the bullpen overall, didn’t play Clint Frazier enough the last two years, somehow thought it was fine to play Gary Sanchez late in Game 5 thanks to a pinch-hitting Mike Ford, rolls out inconsistent lineups year in and year out, gives hot players the day off and to repeat, accepts his role of puppet instead of being a man and challenging Cash and crew. Maybe from here, the Yanks can have more balance, less analytics, a roster built more for a title run and better coaches and medical people which will also help the overall health and productivity of the team. The winningest team in professional sports history needs a jolt from owner Hal Steinbrenner, that is if you can find him and get him to care. How’s this for a thought? Pluck smarty pants Dayton Moore from Kansas City as your general manager and shock baseball by signing former Boston manager Alex Cora. Both have rings. Both understand baseball. Both blend analytics with an open mind, going with your gut and old school strategy. Could be a match made in baseball heaven.
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