2014/2015 Official MLB Offseason Thread: Signings, Trades, Rumors, Etc.

[Special K]

The Yanks traded for Chris Carpenter, wow, that's awesome!!!! I didn't even realize he was still pitching, and all they gave up was their prized, holier than thou, NY Pinstripers adorned, second coming of Jesus Christ himself, ManBan? Keep up the great work No Brain Cashman!! ;-)

 

[lgna69xxx]

David not Chris

The Yanks traded for Chris Carpenter, wow, that's awesome!!!! I didn't even realize he was still pitching, and all they gave up was their prized, holier than thou, NY Pinstripers adorned, second coming of Jesus Christ himself, ManBan? Keep up the great work No Brain Cashman!! ;-)

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

An interesting trade. The "Bombers" (lol) are indeed getting younger, if not better, though only they would acquire a 30 year old pitcher and say they're getting younger. That they're stocking up on middle relievers tells two things: 1) they're playing for 2015 rather than building for the future and 2) they don't trust their starting pitching. This "Carpenter" is a 30 year old guy with one good season (2013) under his belt.

Cashman is in a bind as the folks in New York won't stand for rebuilding and with nearly $225 million spent he doesn't have much to show. He has a lineup of fading stars (Teixeira, Rodriguez, Beltran) and mediocre young guys (Headley, Gardner, Gregorius, Refsnyder.) Really, beyond McCann and Ellsbury he has nobody who would start for a good team.

He has an expensive rotation composed of bum knees, sore elbows, torn ACLs, and bum shoulders.

He did get a couple of good arms in this deal, but could he really afford to trade one of the very few starting prospects in the system for more middle relief? Sounds like a man without a plan. Good stuff, Brian!!

And this from Wally Matthews, who covers the "Bombers" (lol) for ESPN: "Is it official yet? Hate to use the "R" word around the Yankees, but this offseason has all the earmarks of a rebuilding program. I put the question to a team insider, who hedged, but only slightly. "I would say [the Yankees] are stockpiling guys for the future," he said. "If you want to use the word 'rebuilding,' I guess you could.""

 

[Special K]

The Yanks traded for Chris Carpenter, wow, that's awesome!!!!

David not Chris

That was pure sarcasm my friend. Lol.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I have to be honest. There may be some genius behind what appears to be craziness. But for the life of me i have no idea what the Yankees are doing this off-season.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

I have to be honest. There may be some genius behind what appears to be craziness. But for the life of me i have no idea what the Yankees are doing this off-season.

The speculation in NY is that Cashman is quite well aware that the Yanks have no shot in 2015-2016 and is rebuilding for the future while trying to give the impression that he's trying to win now as New York will not stand for rebuilding.

But consider what has to go right for the Yankees to win in 2015:
Sabathia's knee has to hold up and he has to perform, at 35, like he hasn't in three years.
Tanaka's torn ACL has to hold up. (Good luck with that.)
Ivan Nova has to return from Tommy John surgery and someone has to cover for him until he does in mid-season.
Michael Pineda has to throw 200 innings. (He hasn't thrown more than 70 since 1911.)
Chris Capuano, at 36, has to throw nearly 200 innings of quality ball, something he hasn't done since 2012.
Mark Teixeira, who hasn't had a good season since 2011, has to bounce back at 35.
Alex Rodriguez has to bounce back at 40.
Carlos Beltran has to bounce back at 38.
Brian McCann has to bounce back.
Didi Gregorius has to prove that he's more than the mediocre offensive performer than he's always been.
Some rookie has to perform at 2b.

My money's on McCann to bounce back, but good luck with all the rest.

Cashman has an unsolvable problem: a roster loaded down with old and broken players, many signed to long term contracts that won't expire for several years and, on top of that, an unproductive farm system. He's now looking to rebuild the farm system by trading off some of the few tradable pieces he has. Unfortunately, no one's taking Rodriguez, Sabathia, and Teixeira.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Well sarcasm or not, you were still wrong in your names so I corrected ya, lol...

That was pure sarcasm my friend. Lol.

 

[lgna69xxx]

I was not sure at first but as "pieces" are moved out and the return "pieces" are brought in, it seems more and more clear with each passing day of this cold nasty winter and I must say I like it, and A LOT! It reminds some Yanks fans I talk to of when Joe Torre was brought in all those years ago and the moves that first followed and most everyone was left scratching their heads wondering WTH are the Yankees doing!?!? It turned out pretty well tho, wouldn't you say?

The season does not start tomorrow but the Yanks are in much better shape already than at the end of last season. They are getting younger for one thing and that had to happen sooner than later. They are also getting prospects for the farm and that is never a bad thing. In some cases they have replaced guys with better defense and younger arms and guys more under team control moving forward who wont become free agents right away. Yes, I really like what Cashman is doing here but lets give it some time to see the results but I think many Yanks fans will be happy long term thus non Yanks fans being not so happy and that is never a bad thing lol.

Guys who pretty much all had off years last season should rebound and are also finally healthy, guys like McCann (who started to be the real Brian McCann in september), Tex who says his wrist is finally healthy and he has resumed offseason workouts, Beltran who is finally 100% healthy and ready to go, Ellsbury who was pretty good but can be better. Pineda has the chance to be the Ace or second Ace with Tanaka. CC i am not expecting much but like always, time will tell. Eovaldi I cant wait to see him work/learn for one of the games best pitching coaches in Larry Rothschild (who the heck does that guy remind me of? I will figure it out soon, lol) And the bullpen has the chance to be one of the best in all of MLB as it is now and something tells me Cash aint quite done yet with it.

I like what the Jays have done but they still need another starter and a closer to be contenders imho. Could they be in play for Max S or in a trade for Cole Hamels? What about James Shields? Questions will become answers.....Is it spring yet .....

I have to be honest. There may be some genius behind what appears to be craziness. But for the life of me i have no idea what the Yankees are doing this off-season.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I like what the Jays have done but they still need another starter and a closer to be contenders imho. Could they be in play for Max S or in a trade for Cole Hamels? What about James Shields? Questions will become answers.....Is it spring yet .....

I'm not that crazy about what the Jays have done. I liked the Russell Martin move at first, but not if it meant Melky Cabrera not coming back. They still haven't solved their big problem at second base. The outfield has question marks. They still haven't solved the bullpen problem. Not sure they will...they may have waited too long to make a move. All the good closers are gone & Anthopoulos has only about $9 million left to play with.

I have no problem with the starting rotation, though. It's mostly with second base & who will close that i'm concerned with.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

I have to be honest. There may be some genius behind what appears to be craziness. But for the life of me i have no idea what the Yankees are doing this off-season.

I was speaking with a friend tonight, a very knowledgable Yankee fan. He thinks that Cashman has his mind set on 2017. Two things.

1. The Yankee farm system which has produced almost nothing for the last 10 years (2 position players: Cano and Gardner, 1 starter: Nova, a few relievers) has had a couple of good drafts and they've spent a fair amount in the international market. And they've traded for some prospects. By 2017 the system should start to produce results.

2. The "Bombers" (lol) will have $63 million worth of dead wood coming off the books after 2016 (Teixeira, Sabathia, Beltran) and another $21 after 2017. With that money to spend and with a bit of homegrown talent the 2017 "Bombers" (lol) could be a scary team.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Keep it up Cashman

The Yankees are unlikely to trade for Cole Hamels. But you know what? At this point, they probably could.

They’ve got Didi Gregorius, a young shortstop the Phillies like. They’ve got catchers, premium young arms, some intriguing bats.

“We’re much deeper now,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “We’re much more flexible. We’re younger, more diverse.”

Of course, the Yankees should have taken this approach years ago, but better late than never. For once, they’re actually getting more players back than they’re giving up in certain trades. Their farm system, ranked 18th by Baseball America last season, probably has ascended to the top 15 and could be nearing the top 10.

Good Job Brain Cashman, uh I mean Brian Cashman :thumb:



http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...the-prospects-to-make-something-happen-010315

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Their farm system, ranked 18th by Baseball America last season, probably has ascended to the top 15 and could be nearing the top 10.

After last years draft, number 21 by Bleacher report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-mlb-farm-systems-post-trade-deadline/page/11
Entering last season, per Prospectus, number 23: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=22906
Entering last season, per Sporting News, number 29: http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/sto...014-prospects-red-sox-astros-pirates/slide/29

Maybe they enter the top 20 now, but it's quite unlikely.

 

[lgna69xxx]

You have 3 things right, rumpie

Last, Last and Last lol.

I do not know about all baseball fans, but I think MOST would take what Mr. Ken Rosenthal (and his years of baseball expertise and credibility) has to say over what rumples has to say anyday of the week pertaining to all things about America's Pastime, especially where the Yankees are concerned :lol:

After LAST years draft, number 21 by Bleacher report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-mlb-farm-systems-post-trade-deadline/page/11
Entering LAST season, per Prospectus, number 23: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=22906
Entering LAST season, per Sporting News, number 29: http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/sto...014-prospects-red-sox-astros-pirates/slide/29

Maybe they enter the top 20 now, but it's quite unlikely.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Here's some current information for you, iggy. According to the well respected Scouting Book, the Yankees have EXACTLY two of MLB's top 80 prospects. Ugh. Maybe Aaron Judge could be included, but he's not.

http://www.scoutingbook.com/prospects/

What Cashdollar has added is a bunch of middle relievers and a mediocre middle infielder. The Yankees do have a fine bullpen, but let's remember what middle relievers are: failed starters. You'll never see a middle reliever on a top prospect list, though some top prospects fail and wind up succeeding in the pen. Some failed starters: Mo Rivera, Jonathan Papelbon, Andrew Miller, and thousands more.

I like Ken Rosenthal. He has lovely bowties. But let's remember what Ken Rosenthal is: a reporter who has deadlines to meet. Let's also remember what he is not: a scout or an analyst. I'm curious to see how John Sickels rates the Yankee system, which should happen by the end of the month. I'll bet they don't have more than one Grade A prospect (Luis Severino.)

 

[lgna69xxx]

I love what Cashman is doing so far and there is a whole lot of offseason left before April. It seems for once he has full control but it would not surprise me if Hal or Hank pull rank on a big ticket free agent or wanting to make a big trade but as always, time will tell, Boyzzz!

 

[Merlot]

BOYZZZ!

I love what Cashman is doing too. Nothing!!! Got rid of Hughes...got dumped by Kuroda...stuck with several overpaid and much injured has beens ravenously eating up the team's salary...no team leader who can dream of stepping into Jeter's shoes, no leader at all... superstar Robinson Cano is a distant lost phenom...I mean thanks goodness A-Rod (fast deteriorating and a lost season) will be back to give the Yankees every effort (throwing balls to the hotties in the stands). When one of your two best players (mainly because he's considered healthy) is an ex-Red Sox you know you've been fucking up for a long time.

After last years draft, number 21 by Bleacher report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-mlb-farm-systems-post-trade-deadline/page/11
Entering last season, per Prospectus, number 23: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=22906
Entering last season, per Sporting News, number 29: http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/sto...014-prospects-red-sox-astros-pirates/slide/29

Maybe they enter the top 20 now, but it's quite unlikely.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...the-prospects-to-make-something-happen-010315

"Of course, the Yankees should have taken this approach years ago, but better late than never."

Rumples your FACTS must be rubbing off when you got some pinstriped fanboy quoting admissions that the Yankees philosophy has been a FAILURE! The embarrassment of seeing two teams winning 3 World Series each must too monumental for even the blind to ignore.

BRAVO!

Merlot

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Here's something interesting. The Yankees were to have the 25th and 29th pick in the 2009 free agent draft. The 29th pick was compensation for their not signing Gerrit Cole, their top pick in 2008.

They were planning to draft Mike Trout with the number 29 pick, having forfeited the number 25 pick to the Angels for signing free agent Mark Teixeira. The Angels signed Trout with the pick they got from the Yankees.

 

[lgna69xxx]

thats old news rumps... love Trout tho!

Tex has a ring with the Yanks and Trout none yet.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

thats old news rumps... love Trout tho!

Tex has a ring with the Yanks and Trout none yet.

Trout doesn't play for a team that has blown over $2 billion, coming up empty year after year after year...with one slim exception, the year they dropped over half a billion on three guys, two of whom have them in rebuilding mode for the next two seasons.

And, as both George Steinbrenner and Derek Jeter repeated many times over, the Yankees either win the WS or fail. They've failed 13 times out of 14 in the 21st century.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Trout would be a proud Yankee and we would be glad to have him, but as i said Tex has a ring with the Yanks and helped them get it. Trout has none. Coming up empty? The Yanks like the Dallas Cowboys are a money making machine lol. More Championships are on the way as well, don't you worry 'bout that and it won't ever take the Empire 86 years to do it