River Avenue Blues

The Yankees Will Get A Better Haul for Sonny Gray Than You Think

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(Presswire)

Brian Cashman, so the saying goes, is a ninja. The reputation is deserved: Yankee moves often materialize quickly and (from our perspective) out of nowhere. The organization as a whole rarely tips its hand with regard to its plans – an impressive feat considering the hyper-intense media environment in which it operates. That is why Cashman’s statements on Sonny Gray, which make it abundantly clear that the Yankees will trade him, have been so surprising.

Cashman’s candor began in earnest last August when he told Michael Kay that “if he winds up somewhere else pitching, he’s going to be pitching extremely well because the equipment is all there, the stuff is there, (but) consistently it’s not playing out right here.” Considering the fact that the Yankees were in the midst of a playoff push, this is about as honest as Cashman could be at the time without outright giving up on a member of the team.

This trend has continued since the end of the season. On October 12, just three days after the Yankees premature postseason exit, Cashman used his annual end-of-the-year press conference to once again make it clear that Gray is persona non grata. “To maximize his abilities,” Cashman said, “it would be more likely best [for him to be] somewhere else.”

As if that wasn’t straightforward enough, Cashman slammed Gray once again last week at the GM Meetings in Minneapolis. The Yankee GM told New York Post reporter Joel Sherman that the team is “going to move him if we get the right deal because I don’t think it is going to work out in the Bronx.”

Cashman’s uncharacteristic candor over Gray is certainly surprising, but there is another element of his statements worth exploring: the seeming belief that Sonny simply can’t make it work with the Yankees. Cashman made it a point in each of the above statements to emphasize that fact.

This suggests that the Yankees believe there is something to the statistics that show Sonny seemingly cannot pitch in Yankee Stadium beyond simple sample size noise. His home/away splits are downright remarkable, as Dominic mentioned in his excellent review of Gray’s season a few weeks ago. Gray pitched to a 3.17 ERA on the road and a 6.98 ERA at home – and those trends were present in 2017 too.

This also suggests that Cashman is right when he expresses confidence that the team will find a compatible suitor for Sonny this offseason. If the Yankees believe that there is something about the organization and Sonny that isn’t compatible, other teams very well may as well. And if that’s the case, teams will see a pitcher with a proven track record of success – including in big postseason matchups – who, for whatever reason, couldn’t make it work with the Yankees. His age, track record as a starting pitcher and success away from Yankee Stadium create a buy-low package that many teams won’t pass up.

Think about it. If Sonny Gray had been a Cleveland Indian this year and had an identical season, many of us would want the Yankees to go after him. Furthermore, Cashman wouldn’t be so blunt about his intentions if he didn’t know there were interested teams out there.

Because the bulk of our familiarity with Sonny comes during his Yankee tenure, it can be easy to forget the track record that made so many of us excited when the team traded for him in 2017. That underlying record hasn’t changed, even if his value is obviously lower than it was then.

This is not to say that the Yankees will receive a huge haul for Sonny as it is to say that it will not be as meager as we might think. I can’t predict what a trade will look like – and even if I did, it would suck – but I do not think the Yankees are in a position where they will just dump Gray for scraps. He still has considerable upside, and some team will take a chance on him. And if Brian Cashman is to be believed, he’ll probably realize that upside– just not in pinstripes.

Friday Notes: Steinbrenner, Rule Changes, Prospect Rankings

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(NY Post)

The GM Meetings are over and now we have about a month to wait before all hell breaks loose at the Winter Meetings. If you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s the Official RAB 2018-19 Offseason Plan. I’m linking back to it here only because it took forever to write and I don’t want it to be forgotten about. Anyway, here’s some news to close out the week.

Steinbrenner on Today’s Game ballot

George Steinbrenner is on this year’s Today’s Game era committee ballot, the Hall of Fame announced. Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Charlie Manuel, Lou Piniella, and Lee Smith are also on the ballot. The 16-person committee will meet during the Winter Meetings next month and announce their Hall of Fame inductees (if any) on December 9th. Twelve votes are needed for induction.

“I think he is a Hall of Famer … (He) was very impactful. Both for this franchise and this industry and clearly a Hall of Famer from my viewpoint,” said Brian Cashman to Ken Davidoff earlier this week. This is the fourth time Steinbrenner is up for a Hall of Fame vote, with his most recent rejection coming in 2016. I think George belongs in the Hall of Fame and I can understand why some might be on the fence, but, ultimately, when you tell the story of baseball history, you can’t skip over Steinbrenner. Warts and all, he was a towering figure in the game.

Rule changes on hold until end of offseason

According to Ronald Blum, discussions regarding potential rule changes for the 2019 season have been put on hold, likely until right before the start of Spring Training. MLB and the MLBPA must agree on rule change proposals, however, if the union rejects an on-field rule change, the league can unilaterally implement the proposal in one year. Here are the rule changes that were discussed during the GM Meetings, via Blum and Jon Morosi:

  • A limit on defensive shifts.
  • A 20-second pitch clock.
  • Restrictions regarding the use of technology during games.
  • Moving the trade deadline to mid-August and eliminating trade waivers.
  • Alterations to the 10-day DL because teams abuse the hell out of it.

The Astros were busted recording the other team’s dugout during the postseason, and there have been issues with teams using technology to steal signs for years now. Remember the Apple Watch thing with the Red Sox last year? Like that. MLB and the MLBPA want to stop that. Joel Sherman writes that, after the Astros incident, MLB put an official in each team’s replay room during the postseason, and did not allow teams to pipe their center field camera angle into their replay room. Those measures could become permanent. We’ll see.

As for everything else, I am a hard no on limiting shifts and a hard yes on a pitch clock. Pitchers take too damn long. Speed it up. Limiting shifts though? Nah. I am against anything that limits creativity. Did MLB ban breaking balls when they found out half the league couldn’t hit sliders? Nope. The strong will survive. Moving the trade deadline seems like a solution in search of a problem. What’s wrong with trade waivers? The dog days of summer can be a real grind. Trade waivers help keep things interesting. How much longer do we need to give teams to decide to buy or sell at the deadline? July 31st is fine.

Three Yankees on top Appy Prospects list

Baseball America (subs. req’d) continued their look at the top 20 prospects in each minor league with the rookie Appalachian League not too long ago. Rays SS Wander Franco claimed the top spot. Three Yankees made the list: OF Everson Pereira (No. 9), RHP Luis Medina (No. 13), and RHP Luis Gil (No. 19). RHP Luis Rijo, who went to the Twins in the Lance Lynn trade, is No. 14. I wrote about Pereira earlier this week. Here’s a snippet of Medina’s scouting report:

What keeps scouts interested with Medina is a fastball that sits in the 95-96 mph range and touches 100, with impressive plane and sink. He’s also got a 60-grade curveball and a changeup that could become a third plus pitch as well … Medina has a good arm action but simply struggles to repeat his delivery with any kind of consistency.

Medina is still only 19 and his numbers with rookie Pulaski this year weren’t good. He threw 36 innings with a 6.25 ERA (6.46 FIP) and high strikeout (25.5%) and walk (25.0%) rates. That’s 47 strikeouts and 46 walks in 36 innings. He also uncorked 12 wild pitches, so yeah. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Medina has some Dellin Betances in him. The stuff is elite. The control and delivery are far from it. The potential reward is very high but he is long-term project.

As for Gil, the Yankees acquired the 20-year-old from Minnesota in the Jake Cave trade, and he had a 1.37 ERA (3.28 FIP) with 35.8% strikeouts and 15.4% walks in 39.1 innings with Pulaski. “Gil’s best pitch is a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and touches triple digits, exploding in the zone late on hitters out of a loose arm action. He throws a fringe-average curveball in the low 80s and is still in the early stages of developing a changeup,” says the write-up. I’ve seen reports describe Gil’s curveball as above-average, so who knows. Gil is just another lower level hard-thrower in a system full of them.

Yankees reportedly re-sign Gio Urshela to minor league deal

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(Jason Farmer/Scranton Times Tribune)

According to Matt Eddy, the Yankees have re-signed infielder Gio Urshela to a minor league contract. Urshela has some MLB time and it’s safe to assume he’ll be in big league camp as a non-roster invitee. He’s the second minor league signing the Yankees have made this week, joining Ryan Lavarnway.

Urshela, 27, came up with the Indians, then went to the Blue Jays in a cash trade this past May, then joined the Yankees in another cash trade in August. He played 27 games with Triple-A Scranton and hit .307/.340/.475 (129 wRC+) with two homers. Urshela is a career .225/.274/.315 (57 wRC+) hitter in 499 big league plate appearances, almost all with Cleveland.

In the field is where Urshela makes his money. He’s regarded as an outstanding gloveman at the hot corner — I thought he would get a September call-up to be Miguel Andujar’s defensive caddy before the Adeiny Hechavarria trade — and he can play shortstop if needed. You might remember this play (you also might remember his two errors in ALDS Game Four last year):

I am surprised and I am glad the Yankees were able to re-sign Urshela. I thought he’d head to a team that offered an easier path to big league playing time. He’s stuck behind Andujar with the Yankees. As noted in my offseason plan, the RailRiders need a third baseman, and Urshela is as good as a Triple-A depth third baseman as you’ll find in minor league free agency.

The Yankees need to replace the injured Didi Gregorius, and while Urshela figures to get a chance to compete for the utility infielder’s job in Spring Training, I don’t think he’s a candidate to play shortstop on an everyday basis while Didi is out. Urshela, Ronald Torreyes, Tyler Wade, Thairo Estrada, and the recently claimed Hanser Alberto represent the Yankees’ infield depth at the moment.

Dealin’ David Robertson continues to, well, deal [2018 Season Review]

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More of this in 2019, please! (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

One of the more exciting moments in mid-2017 was getting David Robertson back from the White Sox.

Ostensibly, Robertson could have been considered the third most important piece with Todd Frazier to shore up third base and Tommy Kahnle producing a better season to date. But there’s nothing like getting a welcomed old face back in the fold.

By the end of 2018, Robertson proved himself to be the best part exchanged in the deal. He followed up his rebound in 2017 with another strong season as he cemented himself in Aaron Boone’s circle of trust in relief.

Fireman Dave

Robertson’s numbers as a whole were slightly down in 2018, though they still trumped his 2016 performance. His ERA increased from 1.84 to 3.23 while his FIP went up from 2.57 to 2.97. Down below, you’ll see more about why his numbers decreased, but it was still a strong season for the reliable righty.

Robertson was used more as a traditional late-inning reliever to begin the year, not pitching before the seventh inning until mid-May. That didn’t preclude him from high leverage innings, just meant that Boone was going to others (Chad Green, for instance) in earlier fireman roles.

As time went on, Robertson found himself in different spots, particularly after the Yankees added Zach Britton. Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman were cemented as the eighth and ninth inning guys, giving Robertson the opportunity to put out earlier fires.

The right-hander finished the year with 33 shutdowns and 11 meltdowns, the latter a career-worst, though just by a hair. He produced a Win Probability Added of 1.54 for the season.

Trending Up, Trending Down

A funny thing happened in Robertson’s age-33 season: His velocity actually increased! He averaged 92.3 mph on his heater and 83.8 mph on his curveball. that was his hardest fastball since 2011 and his hardest curveball ever.

Despite his increased velocity and reliance on his curveball (more on that later), Robertson saw an increase in contact against him. However, a lot of it on out-of-the-zone pitches. That may have been simply due to hitters chasing his curve. Thanks to the increased contact, he didn’t get as many swings and misses out of the zone, perhaps due to hitters sitting off-speed.

As a whole, Robertson wasn’t quite as dominant in 2018, which comes down to his fundamentals. His prodigious strikeout rate fell by 6.4 percent to 32.2 percent (still great!) while his walk rate went up 0.5 percent. He allowed one more home run. His 9.2 percent walk rate was his second-highest since 2011.

However, some of the 2017 performance had been smoke and mirrors. He posted a career-best 95 percent strand rate in his half season with the Yankees and that fell precipitously to 67.5 in 2018. Regardless, Robertson still posted strong numbers, maintaining an important role in the Bombers’ bullpen.

Experimentation and Adaptation

Like any veteran pitcher, Robertson has had to change over the years. Early on, it was adding a cutter to his mix skew his fastball-curveball approach. Now, he’s moved with baseball trends and thrown the fewest percentage of fastballs in career. He throws his heater (almost exclusively a cutter) just 42.5 percent of the time, down 5.9 percent from a year ago and 38.4 percent from its peak six seasons ago. Additionally, he’s worked in two-seamers and changed everything about how he pitched just a few seasons ago.

With fewer fastballs has come an increased reliance on his curveball. He throws the primary breaking pitch 47.4 percent of the time, eclipsing his fastball for the first time in his career. This isn’t something novel in that the rest of the league have encourage their pitchers to throw their best pitches more often.

Despite increased velocity, his fastball was less effective in 2018, producing a negative pitch value for just the second time (2016). On the other hand, his curveball was nearly or even more effective, depending on the source. He added some differentiation with his slider that he started experimenting with the last few years, tossing the harder breaking ball 14.4 percent of the time with good results.

Mike has detailed Robertson messing with new arm angles, dropping down and trying to throw off the rhythm of hitters. It’s been infrequent, but the wily vet trusts the gimmick enough to use it in the most important spots. For instance, ALDS Game 4 against J.D. Martinez.

One figures we’ll see more tinkering from Robertson as he gets older and utilizes a long career’s worth of wisdom in getting hitters out as his stuff lessens.

Postseason

I’ll drink to David Robertson in the playoffs. (Getty Images)

In the 2017 postseason, Robertson was used in all of the Yankees’ most important situations. He got 10 key outs in the Wild Card Game. He pitched with the Yankees leading by just one in three ALDS appearances. He helped keep the Yankees in striking distance in ALCS Game 2 and was asked to shut down Houston rallies in Games 4 and 6.

This season was decidedly different. Robertson threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings with one walk and seven strikeouts, allowing no hits in the postseason. In his one inning in the Wild Card Game, he allowed two line drives but escaped unscathed.

However, there wasn’t really a high-leverage spot to give him. Dellin Betances usurped him as the most-trusted reliever in high leverage spots in the WCG and ALDS Game 2. Beyond those spots, Robertson was forced to pitch with the Yankees trailing. Not his fault nor should it be a mark against him. Circumstances made it so the Yankees couldn’t insert their best relievers in spots to win games.

(P.S. The photo above isn’t even close to the best David Robertson alcohol photo. Trust me.)

What’s Next?

Robertson’s four-year, $46 million deal he signed with the White Sox has lapsed and he is now a free agent. He was ineligible for a qualifying offer, having received one from the Yankees in 2014.

The 33-year-old reliever has made the odd move of representing himself in free agency, a decision he explained to MLB Trade Rumors. He said it had nothing to do with his agents and more about knowing himself better than anyone else:

“Being a guy that’s hung around long enough to know what I can offer a team and what I would like in return, I feel I’m best suited to have all the discussions necessary to figure out my next contract.”

It makes too much sense for Robertson to be back in pinstripes for the 2019 campaign. He’s proven to be one of the few relievers in baseball that stays at or near an elite level for years on end and he should get multiple years in a free agent deal. The Yankees, meanwhile, will need to bring back or add a reliever with both Robertson and Britton hitting the open market.

Mailbag: Taillon, McCann, Bour, Kipnis, Gray, Schwarber

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There are 12 questions and eleven answers in this week’s mailbag. Remember to send all your mailbag related correspondence to RABmailbag (at) gmail (dot) com.

Taillon. (Dustin Bradford/Getty)

Chuck asks: Don’t hear much about Jameson Taillon. Any chance we could pry him away from the Pirates?

I don’t get the sense the Pirates are willing to trade Taillon, who is very good and under team control through 2022, but that is the kind of pitcher the Yankees should be targeting. Taillon, 26, had a 3.20 ERA (3.46 FIP) with good strikeout (22.8%), walk (5.9%), and ground ball (46.2%) rates in 191 innings this year. His four-seam fastball spin rate is comfortably above-average and he seems like a good candidate for the “hey, stop throwing so many sinkers” plan the Astros implemented with ex-Pirates Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton.

Pittsburgh traded (a lot) for Chris Archer at the deadline and they have Taillon and the sneaky good Trevor Williams under control for a while, so they have the makings of a good rotation front three. They traded Cole last year because he was getting expensive and they knew they wouldn’t be able to re-sign him long-term. The Pirates aren’t at that point with Taillon yet. They’re probably two years away from that point, really. I love the idea though. Taillon seems like a great target and, if the Pirates did make him available, I think you put Miguel Andujar on the table. Love the kid, but you have to give to get. I just don’t think Pittsburgh is ready to move Taillon yet.

Ryan asks: Who is this year’s Headley/Castro candidate of contract you’d like to shed without concerns of return? Or was that a rare case of AAA bursting at the seams?

I wouldn’t say I was eager to dump Starlin Castro’s contract last year. He’s an average player and useful, but also pretty replaceable, and if they could use him to get someone better, they should. And they did. Starlin wasn’t an albatross though. Anyway, the Yankees don’t really have that moveable bad contract player this year. The Yankees have six contracts on the books at the moment:

  • Giancarlo Stanton: Nine years, $240M remaining
  • Aroldis Chapman: Three years, $51.6M remaining
  • Jacoby Ellsbury: Two years, $47.3M remaining
  • Masahiro Tanaka: Two years, $45M remaining
  • CC Sabathia: One year, $8M
  • Brett Gardner: One year, $7.5M

Everyone wants the Yankees to move Ellsbury but I can’t see that happening at this point. Move Tanaka or Chapman? Eh. The Yankees need starters. Trade Tanaka and you wind up reinvesting that money in another starter who might not be as good as Tanaka. I suppose the Yankees could trade Chapman for a young pitcher, then sign a pricey closer to replace him. Can’t see it though. Chapman has a no-trade clause. Aside from Ellsbury, the Yankees don’t have any real bad contracts on the books. Perhaps that’ll change next year after they sign some free agents this winter.

Dan asks: Is it time to go full Evil Empire and sign both Harper and Machado? Then trade for deGrom. I think an offer that starts with Andujar, Frazier and Sheffield gets the Mets to listen. What do you think?

Man, the Yankees really should. How often do you get a chance to acquire a 26-year-old star like Bryce Harper or Manny Machado for nothing but cash (and a draft pick and international bonus money)? Basically never. This offseason there’s a chance to get two guys like that. It’ll never ever ever happen, but, if you were ever going to make a case for the Yankees going full Evil Empire and signing everyone, this is the offseason to do it. Sign Harper and sign Machado. And, if you do that, doesn’t it at least create the option of an Aaron Judge for pitching trade? Maybe build a package for both Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco around Judge? Not saying I’d do it! I’m just saying it’d open up the possibility.

Dan asks: What are your thoughts on a reunion with Brian McCann? Great clubhouse influence, lefty with power. Still a good defender. He could be a nice, cheap get.

This question was sent in before the news of Gary Sanchez’s shoulder surgery broke. I had McCann on my radar for my offseason plan, but, ultimately, I think he’s going to wind up with a starting job elsewhere. Even after a down season in which he hit .212/.301/.339 (82 wRC+) in 216 plate appearances around knee surgery, McCann’s track record is long enough that I think some team signs him to start. The Braves are supposedly looking for someone to share time with the right-handed hitting Tyler Flowers. McCann is from the area and he still lives there. Seems like a perfect for him, no? I love the idea of signing McCann. He’d give the team a nice safety net should Sanchez not be ready for Opening Day and he’d be a quality backup once Sanchez is healthy. I am all for it. I just think another team is going to give him starter money and starting catcher playing time.

Bour. (Getty)

Douglas asks (short version): What about Justin Bour? I know Bour wasn’t good last season with the Phillies but he was good as recently as 2017, would add left handed power to the line-up, would be a pick-up for 2 seasons and is projected to get around $5 million in arbitration, leaving plenty of money to chase Machado, Corbin, Harper, etc.

Hard pass on trading for Bour. Know why? Because the Phillies are almost certainly going to non-tender him at the end of the month. MLBTR projects a $5.2M salary next year and that is way too much for a first base only bench bat. If anything, the Phillies will non-tender him and re-sign him at a lower salary. Matt Adams was projected to made $4.6M last year and he can play (“play”) the outfield in addition to first base. If he got non-tendered, Bour is getting non-tendered. That’s why the Phillies got him so cheap in the first place. Everyone knew he was getting non-tendered after the season. The Marlins had no leverage. Bour would be fine as a first base pickup. Not great, not terrible. Just fine. If the Yankees can sign him and have him compete for the job with Greg Bird and Luke Voit, great. Do it. But don’t trade for him. Just wait a few weeks and he’ll be available for nothing but money.

Dom asks: One reason, to many, to not hand out mega-contracts to Harper/Machado is because it will leave less money to pay homegrown players when they are FAs. But, doesn’t it make more sense to pay Harper/Machado now, resulting in having more prime players under control for this window of contention, than eventually signing the homegrown guys when they’re older and not in their prime anymore?

Yuuup. Isn’t this one of the benefits of having productive young players? In addition to what they give you on the field, they’re also cheap and allow you to spend elsewhere. That’s one reason I despise the luxury tax plan. Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Luis Severino were all in their pre-arbitration years this past season. You only get so many years of those guys making six figures! Rather than take advantage, the Yankees capped their spending. Now Severino is arbitration-eligible and Judge and Sanchez will be in 2020. They’re still going to make far below what they’re worth, but the savings aren’t as great. This is the Yankees’ best chance to win a World Series. Right now. In 2018, 2019, and maybe 2020. Not four or five years from now. Right now, when their core guys are in their primes and cheap, like Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada were in the late-1990s. Windows close. Fast. At a time when the Yankees should be putting every last resource into winning a championship, they’re holding back.

Steve asks: So thoughts on Kipnis for fill in 2B? I know he had a down offensive season but he’d be a lefty who wouldn’t close much in lux tax, plays decent defense and think the Indians would be more open about moving his contract then say Kluber, etc.

Jason Kipnis has been really bad the last two years. Like, sneaky bad. I knew he didn’t put up numbers like he did in his prime, but he’s been even worse than I realized. Kipnis hit .232/.291/.414 (81 wRC+) last year and .230/.315/.389 (89 wRC+) this year. Yeesh. And he has $17M coming to him next season (his luxury tax hit is only $8.75M) assuming his 2020 option is bought out. I know Kipnis is a left-handed hitter and he might benefit from the short porch (plus the Yankees need left-handed hitters), and I know he can play the outfield too, but he’s been pretty bad two years running now. Can’t you sign Jed Lowrie at a similar luxury tax number and expect more production? Kipnis is a maybe, if anything. There’s no reason to think he’s gong anywhere right now. If some things fall through in free agency, the Yankees could think more seriously about Kipnis later in the offseason.

Juan asks: It certainly feels to me like there’s a personality element to Cashman’s Sonny Gray comments. Greg Bird was equally awful this season after being not good the previous year, but the Yankees still speak of him with a positive outlook. What do you think happened with Gray? Why can’t it be repaired?

Jonathan asks: What do you think is the benefit of Cashman being so candid about wanting to trade Gray? Don’t you think this diminishes his value, considering he’s giving no option to hold on to him if he doesn’t get enough in return? I don’t get why any GM would ever say this, really. What gives?

Going to lump these two questions together. It is pretty weird, isn’t it? It seems like Brian Cashman is going above and beyond to make it known not only that Sonny Gray is available, but also that he’s not wanted. “I don’t think it is going to work out in The Bronx. I don’t feel like we can go through the same exercise and expect different results,” he said the other day. That’s pretty harsh! Cashman is always quick to admit some players can play in New York and other can’t, but very rarely does he single someone out like this. I can’t ever remember it happening.

I sensed a lot of frustration with Gray this year. More than the usual “he’s not pitching well” frustration because we go that with guys every year. Aaron Boone, Larry Rothschild, and Cashman all seemed frustrated with Gray. Maybe it was his preparation? His attitude? Whatever. Cashman has chosen to express that frustration this offseason and, honestly, I think everyone knew it existed. Instead of lying about it, he’s being honest. I don’t think Cashman would do it until he was certain he could get a good deal for Gray. He wouldn’t go out there and crush the guy if his market was non-existent. Supposedly there’s a good amount of interest. Teams still want Sonny despite this year’s performance and despite the GM taking the guy’s head off every chance he gets.

Neil asks: Any trades headlining Gleyber for a young controllable pitcher that you would consider and might make sense for both teams? (Yeah, I know, pitchers break….)

The one that immediately jumped to mind is Walker Buehler. Unless the Dodgers think Max Muncy at second base is a viable long-term strategy (nah), they need a second baseman. Hell, they might need a shortstop. Corey Seager is coming back from Tommy John surgery and it’s always been a bit unclear how long he’ll stay at short anyway because he’s so big (6-foot-4 and 220 lbs.). The Dodgers have a need for a middle infielder.

Buehler was the most impressive young pitcher I saw this past season and it’s not even close. It was Buehler (big gap) Jack Flaherty (enormous gap) everyone else. Buehler threw 137.1 innings with a 2.62 ERA (3.04 FIP) with excellent strikeout (27.9%), walk (6.8%), and ground ball (50.0%) numbers this year, and he was real good in the postseason too. The stuff is electric.

I feel like both teams would say no to Gleyber-for-Buehler. The Yankees will want to keep their budding star middle infielder and the Dodgers will want to keep their homegrown budding ace. But that’s the idea. If you’re going to trade Torres, you have to get a Buehler type (or a Flaherty type) back. The Mets wouldn’t be unreasonable to ask for Torres in a Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard trade, and of course the Phillies wouldn’t give up Aaron Nola without getting Gleyber. There are a few pitchers out there I’d part with Torres to acquire. Not many though.

Jon asks: Schwarber seems to be a perpetual trade rumor. What would it realistically take to get him and would he improve the team, assuming no Bryce Harper? Could a package centered around Sonny Gray and Jonathan Loaisiga work, since they’re both traded in your offseason plan?

Schwarber makes more sense for the Yankees now than he did back in 2016, when they apparently tried to get him at the deadline. He’s never played first base but he’s going to wind up there eventually, so the Yankees could move him there and have him split time at first and DH, and be the emergency third catcher. They also need a left-handed bat and Schwarber’s pull heavy left-handed swing would fit well in Yankee Stadium.

This past season Schwarber hit .238/.356/.467 (115 wRC+) with 26 homers, and over the last two years he has a .225/.336/.467 (109 wRC+) line in nearly 1,000 plate appearances. That … kinda sucks? For a bat only guy, yeah, it kinda sucks. After all that hype and all those rejected trades, that’s it? Schwarber is young (26 in March) and cheap (projected $3.1M in 2019) and there’s always a chance he’ll improve, for sure. I don’t know that Gray and Loaisiga will get it done — Theo Epstein is said to love Schwarber — but I don’t know how much higher I’d go either.

Michael asks: Read recently that MLB will eventually expand, with places like Portland, Charlotte and a location in Mexico as possibilities. But is MLB ignoring the lack of enthusiasm for baseball in Tampa and Miami? What’s the possibility of those two franchises moving to one of the locations being considered for expansion?

I worry about this. MLB is stuck in Miami because that $600M ballpark is only seven years old. Tampa is a different story. The Rays have been trying to get a new ballpark for years now — the most recent chatter has them moving to a park on the other side of the bay in Ybor City — but can baseball work there? Doesn’t MLB have to answer that question before building a new park? Florida would seem to be the perfect place for baseball. It’s warm all year and there are a ton of players from the state, plus there are people from all over Latin America as well. It seems like it should work. It hasn’t. There are other baseball hungry markets out there. I would hope MLB would at least consider relocation before breaking ground another new park that will sit half empty 81 times a year.

Yankees reportedly sign Ryan Lavarnway to minor league deal

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(Presswire)

According to Joel Sherman, the Yankees have signed journeyman catcher Ryan Lavarnway to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. The team hasn’t announced the signing yet, but that’s not unusual. In recent years the Yankees have announced their minor league signings and non-roster invitees all at once a week or two before camp.

Lavarnway, 31, was once a notable prospect with the Red Sox, and he’ll provide some catching depth in the wake of Gary Sanchez’s shoulder surgery. This signing has been in the works for a few days now, possibly before Sanchez’s shoulder started barking, and the surgery might’ve ramped up the team’s efforts to get a deal done. Who knows. The Yankees needed another Triple-A catcher anyway.

This past season Lavarnway hit .288/.375/.485 (145 wRC+) with nine homers in 77 Triple-A games with the Pirates. He also went 4-for-6 as a September call-up. Lavarnway is a .208/.268/.326 (59 wRC+) hitter in 423 career big league plate appearances. He is not regarded as a good defender at all. His framing and throwing numbers (career 20.2% caught stealing rate) are pretty bad.

With Sanchez rehabbing from shoulder surgery, Kyle Higashioka and Lavarnway are the catching depth behind Austin Romine. The Yankees needed another catcher to pair with Higashioka in Triple-A even before the Sanchez injury. I wonder if they’ll try for another minor league depth pickup just to have some more options with Gary rehabbing.