by Dan Salem and Todd Salem (12-9-13)
TODD:
F that $189 million!
It seems as though, pending the results of the Alex Rodriguez arbitration hearing of course, the Yankees are eschewing their original off-season plan of sticking below a $189 million payroll for the 2014 season. Rather than making a bunch of small moves, they already plunged into two new, huge contracts before the winter meetings even kicked off.
There seem to be two distinct trains of thought in regards to the new hires. Everyone loves the Brian McCann signing and everyone hates the Jacoby Ellsbury contract. And let's not forget the departure of the one and only Robinson Cano.
I'm interested in hearing your perspective on these moves and lack there of, but just as a taste, I'll say that I kind of feel the exact opposite.
DAN:
That whole payroll limitation was just a fun way of curbing spending. You make a statement and stick to it, unless opportunities arise in which you just throw your prior limitation into the wind. The New York Yankees have no cap. I repeat, they do NOT have a spending limit and damn is it good to be a fan. They missed the playoffs in 2008, spent nearly a half a billion dollars in salary in the off-season and won the World Series in 2009. Now the team missed the playoffs again in 2013 and is well on their way to spending up a storm. As long as the team can afford it, I'll be marking my calendar for a ticker tape parade in November of 2014. Woo!
As for the moves and non moves so far, very very happy as a Yankees fan. Let me just lay them out for you and then I'll touch on the two men you mentioned and the big one that got away.
Non Moves:
Robinson Cano signs with Seattle (2B)
Curtis Granderson signs with Mets (OF)
Moves:
Yankees sign Brian McCann (C)
Yankees sign Jacoby Ellsbury (OF)
Yankees sign Carlos Beltran (OF)
Yankees sign Kelly Johnson (2B/INF)
Yankees re-sign Hiroki Kuroda (RHP)
People do in fact seem to love the McCann signing and hate the Ellsbury signing. I LOVE them both. I realize McCann is no Buster Posey, but the biggest Brian McCann stat that jumps out to me is his career .350 On Base Percentage. Sure, he's "only" a career .277 hitter, but the catcher he is replacing, Chris Stewart, is a mere.214 hitter with a .287 OBP for his career. The Yankees have lacked anyone at catcher who can consistently get on base for years. He fills a hole big time.
I also love the Ellsbury signing. He is a better version of Brett Gardner. Lots of speed and athleticism with better stats all around. But more importantly, he is a huge upgrade over the departed Granderson and makes Gardner a viable trading chip, something the Yankees have also been without for quite some time.
The move I was most happy about though, the re-signing of Kuroda for one year. That man can pitch. He isn't flashy, is getting old, but he definitely has one more year in the tank. He is a huge addition for the number two or three spot in the Yankees' rotation. With CC Sabathia as the number one, Kuroda takes pressure off of Pineda to perform as a number two starter. Big win here.
As for Mr. Cano, I tip my cap to the years we had together. I also tip my cap to the amount of money he got Seattle to pay him. I just hope he enjoys losing. Losing like a lot. If there is one thing that Seattle's baseball team is not known for, its playing in October. Cano's departure opens the door for some further additions to the Yankees roster in the pitching department. This has been an issue for the team for the last several years, and since Andy Pettitte can't be counted on to come out of retirement, we need someone who will rack up wins for the team.
So, you're anti McCann and pro Ellsbury? How do you feel about the loss of Cano and additions of Johnson, Beltran and Kuroda? Has some optimism crept into your otherwise cloudy disposition?
No comments:
Post a Comment