Tag: yankees

Could Harper and Machado be on the same team?

As the MLB hot stove continues on throughout the beginning of winter, two of the biggest dominoes have yet to fall. Former MVP Bryce Harper and perennial All-Star Manny Machado have yet to choose their new teams for the foreseeable future. It seems that literally any team in the league would jump at the chance to have even one of these amazing players on their rosters. But could they both possibly land on the same team?

Rumors have been flying that the Chicago White Sox could potentially try to acquire both Harper and Machado. When I first heard this I honestly thought there was no chance that could happen. Why would two players in their primes go to such a terrible team? Well, money always plays a big factor in these type of situations and that is what the White Sox have. Harper and Machado have potentially both been looking for deals in the 10 year, $200-300 million range, so this seems like a long shot the White Sox could pull that off and get both of them.

If I had to take a guess, I truly believe Machado will become a Yankee. He’s made it known he wants to be one and he would fit well into their infield. He just seems like the type of player that was born to be a Yankee. The real question is where Harper will land because he’s been tied to numerous clubs during the offseason such as the Cubs, Phillies, Nationals, White Sox, Dodgers and Yankees. The final team that could emerge and acquire them both is the Yankees. Why? Because they’re the Yankees and always have the money and appeal for the biggest stars in the league.

Wherever each of these two massive assets land could really shake up the league this year. Machado was a huge factor in the Dodgers late run to the World Series and Harper is always a threat to pop off at any time. As the stove warms up we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Dave Cook – Contributor

 

The Yankees acquire James Paxton from Mariners

Paxton Dealt to New York

The New York Yankees have just made a big splash in the trade market. The pinstripes went all in on 30-year-old James Paxton. “The Big Maple” is a hard-throwing left-hand pitcher, sitting 95-98 MPH with his fastball and can touch 90 MPH with his slider. When he puts it all together Paxton is magical to watch. What I really like about his pitch selection is the depth he gets on his slider combined with a filthy curveball. They end up at similar points but cross the plate at different angles with a roughly eight MPH difference in velocity. Paxton has had some elite showings, such as his 16 strikeout performance in seven shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics. He would then follow that game up with a no-hitter on May 8th, 2018.

While Paxton possesses all the talent in the world, he is not a dominant ace that opposing hitters will bow down to. Last season Paxton went 11-6 with a 3.76 ERA and 208 Ks in 160.1 IP. He is a great fit for the Yankees as his problem over the years has been not getting deep into starts. As with most strikeout pitchers, Paxton struggled to get deep into games, averaging 5.2 IP per start last season. His ERA was much higher than the 2.98 ERA he posted in 2017, despite his WHIP going down slightly, and his H/9 (7.5) and BB/9 (2.4) staying exactly the same. Most of his advanced statistics were consistent year to year, making for an unusually large disparity between his 2017 and 2018 earned-run average.

The Yankees went all in for a pitcher that is already 30-years-old and has never logged more than 160.1 IP in a big league season. The Yankees have the lefty under team control for two full seasons before he hits free agency. Paxton is injury prone with a ton of upside. If I had to give a player comparison to Big Maple, I would say that the Yankees just got themselves a Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi has not had the successes that Paxton has had in the regular season but is two years younger and should peak at the same age.

Mariners Land Top Prospect in Sheffield

New York dealt their biggest prospect in Justus Sheffield, as well as two other prospects. Sheffield is a 22-year-old lefty with a ton of potential. He is expected to start the 2019 season on the Mariners’ roster as he is considered MLB ready. He got a taste of the majors by logging 2.2 IP at the end of the season in 2018 for the Yankees and will shift his focus to making an opening day roster. Sheffield went 7-6 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 games with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last season.

The Yankees also sent Erik Swanson, a 25-year-old RHP who had a 2.66 ERA in 2018 between A, AA, and AAA ball. Both pitchers will compete for a spot in the rotation on opening day. 23-year-old CF Don Thompson-Williams was also shipped to Seattle after hitting .299 with 22 HRs, 74 RBIs and 20 steals in A-ball. This was a great trade for the Mariners considering they have chosen to enter a minor rebuild. The Mariners got two players who will compete for starting spots on the MLB roster, including a top prospect and a young outfielder that dominated the minor leagues in 2018.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Manny Machado Free Agency Prediction

Manny Machado – New York Yankees

It pains me to say this, but it appears that the New York Yankees will make a serious a serious bid for one of the brightest young superstars in the game. His antics in the 2018 postseason were noted but will not cost him. Unfortunately, when you are as good as Manny Machado, you can get away with being a terrible person who injures people intentionally and is openly anti-hustle.

Shortstop is wide open for the Yankees right now, and for the foreseeable future with Didi Gregorius on the shelf with a torn UCL.

“Gregorius is under contract through 2019, then hits free agency in 2020. That means that Manny Machado to New York would be a smooth transition. With Didi out, Machado could slide right in at shortstop while Gregorius recovers.” – With Gregorius out for 2019, Machado’s path to New York is paved – WTF Sports

Manny Machado is one of the best young players in the game, coming off another strong season in 2018. Machado hit .297 with 37 HRs, 107 RBIs, and a .905 OPS. He played 162 regular season games between Baltimore and Los Angeles. He is lined up for a mega-deal not many teams can offer.

The Yankees certainly can afford Machado and will be looking for some massive upgrades after being defeated in the ALDS by the Boston Red Sox. The rivalry is back, and that front office is going to do everything they can to be on the winning side of it. Over the last three seasons, the Yankees have watched the Boston Red Sox clinch the American League East on their own turf twice, and advance to the American League Conference Championship just weeks ago. Brian Cashman is going to do anything in his power to stop the Boston Red Sox from having a fourth champagne celebration at Yankee Stadium in as many years.

New York is tired of watching the Red Sox dominate this rivalry over the last few seasons. Now they have the funds and the youth to get back to their historically dominant form. Look for the Yankees to pursue Machado heavily and for Machado to go for the largest contract available. That will likely end with Manny in pinstripes.

Bryce Harper Prediction:

Bryce Harper Free Agency Prediction 2.0

Patrick Corbin Prediction:

Predicting Where the Top Free Agent Pitcher Will Land

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Predicting Where the Top Free Agent Pitcher Will Land

Patrick Corbin – New York Yankees

Patrick Corbin grew up in Syracuse rooting for the Yankees along with his whole family. When asked about the possibility of donning pinstripes back in December, here was his response, “It would definitely be great to play there. I grew up a Yankee fan. My whole family are Yankee fans. My mom, my dad, my grandpa, everybody. Really, every generation of my family has been Yankee fans. I know the Yankees have had some interest in the past, and there were a lot of rumors this winter that got my family excited. It would have been cool.” Corbin told Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

The Yankees primary need is starting pitching and Corbin should be their top priority. In a breakout year Corbin went 11-7 with a 3.15 ERA. He had 246 strikeouts in exactly 200 innings for the Diamondbacks. Patrick Corbin is the top arm in the market at only 29 years old. The Yankees could seriously benefit from adding a talented left-handed starter like Corbin. Majority of teams will be interested in the top pitcher in free agency which gives Corbin plenty of leverage to pick where he wants to go. The Yankees are a competitive team as well as the team he grew up watching.

The Evil Empire have been spending wisely the last few seasons and waiting for the right time to splurge on some superstars. They currently have the financial capability to negotiate with Corbin and Machado in the same offseason. Cashman knows how capable his team is as constructed. Adding two of the top free agents would almost ensure the Yankees would win a championship and reclaim the throne in the American League East.

See where I project Bryce Harper to land, it is not what most people project:

Bryce Harper Free Agency Prediction

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

 

 

 

 

With Gregorius out for 2019, Machado’s path to New York is paved

Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius is set to have Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm this off-season. Gregorius has a torn UCL that he sustained in the ALDS against the Red Sox. Typically Tommy John surgery takes a player off the field for at least a year, sometimes more. Aaron Boone however had a different take saying, “We think there’s a realistic chance he plays the bulk of the season with us.” Now I have no idea what gave Boone the confidence to say that but Yankees GM Brian Cashman had no timetable for the recovery. The date of the surgery has not been set, though I’m sure it will be soon.

Gregorius is under contract through 2019 then hits free agency in 2020. That means that Manny Machado to New York would be a smooth transition. With Didi out, Machado could slide right in at shortstop while Gregorius recovers. Should he come back sooner than expected, they could ease him in with a utility role. Gregorius hit .268 with 27 HRs, 86 RBIs, 89 Runs, and a .829 OPS in only 134 Games. He battled injuries all season but took advantage of that short porch in Yankee Stadium and played great defense all season. I could see him coming back late in the season and providing some depth for a stacked Yankees infield should Machado sign. After 2019, Didi will have a chance to make some money and find a well deserved starting role most likely elsewhere.

Image result for didi gregorius gif

Manny Machado is one of the best players in baseball, which he has continued to prove this season. Manny hit .297 with 37 HRs, 107 RBIs, and a .905 OPS. He played 162 regular season games between Baltimore and Los Angeles. As he faces off with the Brewers in the NLCS, Machado will look towards free agency, and what that will mean for his career.

Image result for machado gif

Machado has been great for the Dodgers, a large market team that should have interest in signing him to a long-term deal. However, Corey Seager is on his way back from Tommy John surgery and will look to retake his spot as the captain of the Dodgers infield. Maybe the Dodgers make a power move by moving Seager to second-base to keep both stars in Los Angeles.

Image result for machado gif dodgers

Should the Dodgers fail to re-sign Machado, expect the Yankees to go all in to bring Manny back to the American League East. The Evil Empire has worked hard to get back under the luxury tax in recent years. They are looking to pay up for a proven seasoned superstar slugger like Manny Machado. It appears as if Machado to New York has been developing for years and now it looks clear as day.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Yankees, Astros Wild Card Game? There’s a real good chance.

Everyone is talking about how the Yankees could win 100 games this year and still have to play in the postseason. With the Athletics red hot since the All-Star break, and the amount of injuries down in Houston, the Astros could be in the same boat.

The New York Yankees are locked into second place of the American League East. They currently trail the Red Sox by 10.5 games, and have a 15 game lead over the third place Rays. The Yankees are 77-46 which puts them on pace to go 101-61. It’s a crime they will almost certainly have to play in the Wild Card as this team currently has the second best record in all of baseball.

The Astros were rolling early on and looked like they would breeze by the American League West to an ALDS appearance. In June and even July, the Athletics were considered sellers by many. Since then they have stormed into contention and are now tied with the Astros for first place at 74-49. They did so in dramatic fashion, walking-off the Astros in the 10th inning last night. The Athletics are the second hottest team in the league, only trailing the Boston Red Sox who appear to be head and shoulders above the rest of the league. The Athletics have won 7 of their last 10, while the Astros have only won 3 of their last 10. Oakland continues to rise and now has the fans behind them and some serious momentum. The Astros are struggling and have some injuries in key places. Houston still has the best team, but the American League West title could be headed to Oakland.

Now, what would a Yankees, Astros Wild Card look like? It would most likely be in New York as they have the better record and are still playing like an elite team this season. Luis Severino would likely get the call, which could be an issue for the Evil Empire. Luis Severino is 16-6 with a 3.28 ERA. Since July, Severino has struggled mightily going 4-4 with a 6.33 ERA, 11 homeruns allowed, and 30 earned runs in 42.2 innings. Also last season Severino got the call for the Wild Card game in Yankee Stadium, and it didn’t go well. Sevy lasted 0.1 IP (that’s one out people) and gave up three earned runs. If the Yankees want a chance to beat the defending World Series champs, he’s going to have to turn it on and get at least to the 6th before handing it to the Yankees elite bullpen.

The Houston Astros will be turning to their savior once again should this game happen, Justin Verlander. The Ace of the Stros is 11-8 with a 2.52 ERA in 164.1 IP (26 GS). Verlander has a history of being clutch, and really showed off last season. He put up a 5-0 record, with a 2.21 ERA, 38/8 K/BB ratio, and a .177 BAA (Batting Average Against) in 36.2 IP in the 2017 postseason. Since then he has continued to cruise and has not yet faltered in an Astros uniform. If this game happens I’m rolling with the Astros as I do not envision a scenario where Verlander doe’s not shut down any lineup put out there with the season on the line.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Yankees fans finally getting what they expected out of Giancarlo Stanton

Giancarlo Stanton has had laughable moments as a member of the New York Yankees this season. His pinstripe career began with him getting booed inside Yankee Stadium during his first home game of the season where he struck out five times in one game. Then on April 8th, just four days later he would have another 5 K game, and end his day going 0-7. April was a horrid month for Stanton and the Yankee’s fans wasted no time showing their displeasure with the 2017 National League MVP (April 8th).

You just hate to see it. Since hitting rock bottom, Stanton has gradually improved each month and is finally looking like the version of Stanton we saw a year ago. After a 7-2 win over the Yankees, Stanton is hitting .281 (21st) with 30 HRs (5th), 76 RBIs (5th), .879 OPS (12th), and 3.3 WAR (17th). Those rankings are of American League hitters. If I had to pick Stanton’s numbers through 117 games, I would’ve thrown out similar numbers.

My point is that Stanton while taking a weird route to get here, has met expectations. What he is doing right now is what he’s always been. He is an inconsistent power hitter that will hit 10 homeruns in a week then tail off for a month. He is still a great hitter and will end each season with great stats, but has never shown an ability to be consistent. Here are his numbers by month:

April: .218, 3 HRs, 11 RBIs, 40 Ks, 11 BBs, .661 OPS

May: .264, 6 HRs, 14 RBIs, 29 Ks, 8 BBs, .847 OPS

June: .298, 8 HRs, 17 RBIs, 36 Ks, 11 BBs, .950 OPS

July: .323, 5 HRs, 18 RBIs, 30 Ks, 7 BBs, .876 OPS

August: .373, 5 HRs, 11 RBIs, 13 Ks, 6 BBs, 1.077 OPS (Through August 12th)

As you can see he had an embarrassing April but has been a solid slugger since with a rising batting average each month. He is on pace for a great August and could finish as a top ten MVP Candidate at this rate. Everyone needs to get off Stanton’s back and realize that without Judge he has carried this Yankee team since July 27th. It seems like the Yankees fans are routing against their superstars and cannot wait for them to make a mistake so they can boo them relentlessly. Boston has a tough media, but at least we have a fantastic fanbase.

So can we please stop making fun of Stanton for striking out five times twice in the same season just because that has not happened in the live ball era and he managed to do it in the same week. Also cut the guy some slack so what he struck out to a position player on the Chicago White Sox.

Whoops didn’t mean to put that there, but seriously people stop that.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Nathan Eovaldi shoves, Red Sox have a chance to put away Yankees

The Red Sox have been an absolute force this season with a 78-34 record that is by far the best record in baseball. Boston’s .696 winning percentage is .065 percent higher than the second place Astros in the MLB standings.

The Yankees came into the four game series 5.5 games back of Boston with a chance to put themselves on the precipice of first place. The Yankees came to town Thursday with Brain Johnson on the mound, who had one of the stranger outings you could have. Johnson went 5 IP with 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BBs, gave up 3 HRs yet had 11 Ks. While this outing wasn’t great, he did just enough to have a decent start keeping the Red Sox in the game. C.C Sabathia would get the start for the Yanks and did not look sharp. He threw 77 pitches in just three innings, with two earned runs, four walks, and two strikeouts. Once C.C. departed with a fairly quick hook the Red Sox offense exploded and never looked back. Jonathan Holder came in and got obliterated allowing seven earned runs without recording an out. That’s a living nightmare for a pitcher and the Red Sox walked away from a strange game with a 15-7 victory. (Also Steve Pearce had a decent game)

Night two was the turning point for the series. Porcello plunked Brett Gardner the lead-off hitter in the right tricep. The count was 0-2 and there was clearly zero intent to hit Garnder, yet Severino threw high at Mookie Betts with a 96 MPH fastball on the first pitch of his outing. Cora was not thrilled, came out of the dugout and got ejected before he could even get a word in. This would seemingly ignite the Red Sox offense as Andrew Benintendi would hit a ground-rule double which would be followed up by Steve Pearce’s fourth homerun of the two-game series. Ian Kinsler would later walk, steal his eleventh base of the season, and score on an Eduardo Nunez well placed pop-up. Boston’s three-run first was enough to get the job done as Rick Porcello threw a one-hitter, allowing one run and striking out nine, for a 86-pitch complete game masterpiece. Final: Red Sox 4, Yankees 1

Game three was more of the same from the Red Sox pitching staff as Nathan Eovaldi threw eight scoreless innings, allowing only three hits, one walk, and struck-out four. Eovaldi has now thrown fifteen scoreless innings as a member of the Red Sox, dropping his season ERA to 3.38. As a team, the Red Sox have a league leading 2.44 ERA since the All-Star break, the Dodgers are second with a 3.23 ERA. Mitch Moreland opened the scoring with a two-run homer (13th) in the first inning. J.D. Martinez would follow suit with his league leading 33rd homerun in the 4th inning to make it 3-0 early. Leon hit a controversial ground-rule double to make it 4-0 in the 7th. The only sore spot for the Red Sox was the play of Craig Kimbrel who gave up two hits, two walks, and allowed a run. He did get two strikeouts but looked extremely shaky and needed 32 pitches to complete the inning. Final: Red Sox 4, Yankees 1.

Tomorrow the Red Sox will come into the series finale with a 8.5 game lead and a chance to sweep their division rival. We will see Masahiro Tanaka (9-2, 3.84 ERA) vs David Price (11-6, 3.97 ERA) on Sunday Night Baseball. This will be a big game for the Yankees as they are digging themselves into a hole late into the season. It will also be a huge game for Price who needs to prove that he can compete against the Yankees after getting shelled in Yankee Stadium last time he squared off against the Evil Empire. The playoff race is starting to really heat up and the Red Sox are staying hot.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

MLB Trade Deadline Eve Recap

Osuna to Astros

The Astros made a splash move to acquire All-Star reliever Roberto Osuna with less than 48 hours until the deadline. They acquire Osuna in exchange for Ken Giles who’s has been garbage this season (0-2, 4.99 ERA) and has an attitude problem, RHP prospect David Paulino who was a top prospect before getting popped for PEDs, and minor league RHP Hector Perez. Osuna has a career 2.87 ERA, with 253 Ks in 223 IP and has converted 104/124 Save opportunities. With Osuna under control through 2020 and only 23-years-old this deal seems like a slam dunk for the Astros. I have no idea how they managed to pull this off. It should be noted that Osuna is suspended until August 5th for domestic violence.

Image result for roberto osuna

Zach Duke to Mariners

Zach Duke has been a solid reliever for the Twins with a 3.62 ERA in 37.1 IP. Duke is nothing special but can get the job done and will help the Mariners bullpen. The Twins get RHP Chase De Jong, a 33-year-old bum with a 6.35 ERA and corner infield prospect Ryan Costello.

See the source image

Adam Warren to Mariners

The Yankees continue their unusual trade deadline by trading away yet another Major League reliever, this time 30-year-old righty Adam Warren. Warren has been a big part of the Yankees bullpen with a 2.70 ERA in 30 innings of work this season. Losing Warren weakens the depth of the Yankees bullpen much like the trade of Chasen Shreve. The Yankees will get “future considerations” for Warren or in other words they essentially just gave him away for free. I do not get what the Yankees are trying to accomplish by trading MLB players for lesser pieces. The Evil Empire seems confused lately as they are trading away players to make their Major League roster worse while trailing the Red Sox 5.5 games. What the Yankees are doing makes absolutely no sense, there is no positive to making these moves, I’m just confused.

Image result for adam warren

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports

Yankees just got worse

Today the Yankees made a move that just makes no sense. On July 24th the Evil Empire made a splash move to trade for a once elite closer who is still in his prime. It appeared that the Yankees were trying to bolster that bullpen with a bunch of studs. I wrote about how that move improved the Yankees team and why they made the move here:

Why would the Yankees trade for a bullpen arm?

However today the Yankees traded away a quality bullpen arm in Chasen Shreve (2-2 with a 4.26 ERA, in 38 IP with 46 Ks and 18 BBs). Zach Britton has a 1-0 record with a 3.57 ERA in 17.2 IP and 15 Ks to 12 BBs. Britton has been slightly better but nothing special so far this season. Now Britton takes Shreve’s place instead of the Yankees just outright adding another above average relief pitcher. Instead of lengthening the bullpen depth they just got slightly better for two top 15 prospects.

Now the question is, who did they get for Shreve? The answer… Luke Voit. WHO? A 27-year-old minor league first basemen who is hitting .299 with 9 HRs and 36 RBIs in 271 at-bats at the AAA level. In other words an older prospect who is having a solid season for a minor league affiliate of the 4th place Cardinals. I have no idea how Luke Voit is going to help the New York Yankees playoff push more than a reliever with a 4.26 ERA.

The Yankees could use help at first base with a 25th best .701 OPS out of the first base position, but why on earth would they trade for Luke Voit? The should have called the Rangers and asked for Adrian Beltre and moved Andujar to 1st. They could have made a move for plenty of other bats not named Luke Voit who you have never heard of until today unless you are a Cardinals fan or know too much about baseball like me. To put this in Bostonian terms, the Yankees just gave up a quality 6th or 7th inning reliever for Sam Travis.

This article isn’t to slander Zach Britton, he absolutely has the talent to get back into a groove and become Britton of years past who was one of the best relivers in the game. I’m just questioning why a contender with a good farm system is trading away major league pieces for role players who are not even MLB ready.

Scott Neville – Head Baseball Writer – WTF Sports