What will be the Yankees MAIN priorities?

[Rick2583]

1) I think it has to start with Cano. Although most of us have agreed that 6 years should be the limit I think in reality you're probably looking at 8 years 200M.

2) We'll need at least one strong solid starter because we still don't know what we're going to get from Pineda.

3) 3rd base. If A-Rod is going to miss the entire 2014 season we can't have another 3rd base by commitee as we did this past year. Though you may not get much average wise from Reynolds he just may be our only option. I was impressed with Nunez late season work at 3rd so he'll be an okay back up option. And hell, we could also take another look at Chavez. Someone IMO we should have resigned to begin with.

4) Ryan is a wizard with the glove so he would be a nice fill in for Jeter from time to time. But I'd feel better with someone like Drew.

5) Back up at 1st. I'd like to see the Yankees go after Kendrys Morales who could also be used as DH.

6) Catcher, this CANNOT be taken lightly. McCann or Salty should definitely be considered.

7) If we don't resign Grandy the outfield needs to be addressed, Guys like Choo, Ellsbury or even McCloth could be options.

 

[Messiah717]

As you said the needs are going to be Cano, a starter, catcher and an outfielder. As I said in the other thread it should be about the right player and not the most expensive ones. Any which way you slice it there's going to be question marks because how can you predict next years versions of CC and Jeter?

 

[yankeesince59]

...Cano may very well be the last player signed, if he's resigned by the Yanx at all.

 

[RustySpan]

First sign Girardi, which should be done soon.

Then look for pitching, pitching and more pitching, Cano is not a priority IMO, he can wait until the bitter end IMO, I bet he's still a FA sometime in January.

 

[Rick2583]

...Cano may very well be the last player signed, if he's resigned by the Yanx at all.

You just know some team is going to offer Cano what he wants. 8-10 years & in the ballpark of 250M

 

[Yankeefan5545]

From what I just heard on MLB the Rangers have McCann as a prime target to add to their team. Thought it was strange to be making those comments early.

 

[vette322]

1) Catcher - sign McCann. Can't go 2 years in a row completely neglecting this position, and this move makes too much sense.
2) See '1' above.

Other moves need to be made and other holes need to be filled, but Catcher - needs to be done right away, and then I'll comment on the rest.

 

[JeterRules20]

I think they go after Girardi first and foremost. Cano will not sign anywhere for months in my opinion and I don't see him as a Yankee next year. He really is only out for the money. I woudn't mind seeing Salty as the catch but would love to see McCann. They have to find an outfielder and I hope they can unload Ichiro for a bag of balls on someone. Offer Grandy a one year deal and that is all. They need at least one starter and some help in the bullpen.

 

[yankeesince59]

From what I just heard on MLB the Rangers have McCann as a prime target to add to their team. Thought it was strange to be making those comments early.

...Washington said he wanted A J back next year...who knows.

 

[Messiah717]

I think Girardi could've caught this year and it would've been better.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

I know im going to get trashed for saying this..but we can live with the combination of Stewart and Romaine IF First and Third are maned by guys who can hit with power and average. Yes Martin was a loss..but not at his salary.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

To me it starts and ends with starting pitching.

 

[Rick2583]

I know im going to get trashed for saying this..but we can live with the combination of Stewart and Romaine IF First and Third are maned by guys who can hit with power and average. Yes Martin was a loss..but not at his salary.

Consider yourself trashed Al.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Lol

the dimished mind of a soon to be 40 year old

 

[cagedlion]

Yankees need to strengthen the middle positions from catcher,pitcher, ss, 2b, CF with better talent,
hoping management signs Cano. One thing for sure, I will need a score card to know the
players on the 2014 team. Will Girardi come back? Yankee management would be
foolish not to resign him. I have questioned some of his moves, but in the end
he kept this abomination of a 2013 team in the running. I never thought this
team would stay in contention until the last few games. I had them "gone fishing"
in May. It had been one tough baseball season for these Yankees.

 

[Yblue]

The current yankee holes include:

1. #1 starter
2. #2 starter
3. 2nd base
4. Competent short stop
5. 3rd base
6. catcher
7. vacated closer role (unless you think Drob is the guy...i do not).
8. considering the OF consist of 57 year old Ichiro, 57 year old Soriano, and Gardner who can never finish a season, and throw in Vernon friggin wells, i would suggest an upgrade in the OF is a must as well.
9. back end starter

This is a market with very few attractive, impact type players, and a barren farm for which to make an impact trade with or fill in any of these holes, as well as a clueless GM who unfathomably is keeping his job yet again.

To recap, that is basically a rotaion, and entire infield outside of 1B (which by the way is filled with a rapidly declining hack), a closer, and an upgrade need in the OF. Basically the whole Goddamn team.

What did i miss?

Good friggin luck.

 

[Rick2583]

The current yankee holes include:

1. #1 starter
2. #2 starter
3. 2nd base
4. Competent short stop
5. 3rd base
6. catcher
7. vacated closer role (unless you think Drob is the guy...i do not).
8. considering the OF consist of 57 year old Ichiro, 57 year old Soriano, and Gardner who can never finish a season, and throw in Vernon friggin wells, i would suggest an upgrade in the OF is a must as well.
9. back end starter

This is a market with very few attractive, impact type players, and a barren farm for which to make an impact trade with or fill in any of these holes, as well as a clueless GM who unfathomably is keeping his job yet again.

To recap, that is basically a rotaion, and entire infield outside of 1B (which by the way is filled with a rapidly declining hack), a closer, and an upgrade need in the OF. Basically the whole Goddamn team.

What did i miss?

Good friggin luck.

No I'd say you pretty much covered it all. BUT.........now that you found the problems, what would be your solutions?

 

[vette322]

Good summary. Pretty much covers just how far-gone Yankees leadership at all levels (owners, GM, player development, scouts, etc.) have failed, and have been failing this organization for quite some time. To have that many holes and uncertainties is inexcusable, and for the resources this organization has - I would reject ANY excuse offered up.

You can't get rid of the owners, unless they sell, so what's next? Cashman, Levine, Trost, Oppenheimer, etc. The OBVIOUS choice is Cashman, but it sounds like he may not be going anywhere. Hopefully, Cashman decides to "work" this off-season, unlike last off-season when he chased whores, hurt himself repelling, and took 10 minutes to give Youk $12M and thought Wells getting 3 hits in a ST game was reason enough to take on $14M of his worthless ass.

 

[yankeesince59]

No I'd say you pretty much covered it all. BUT.........now that you found the problems, what would be your solutions?

...you won't get any because evidently it's easier to bitch and exaggerate that it is to offer something new and compelling.

 

[Rick2583]

I'll say again that the following line up is possible. Not probable but possible..............

1) CF = Ellsbury
2) SS = Jeter / Drew
3) 2B = Cano
4) 1B = Teixiera
5) LF = Soriano
6) DH = Morales
7) C = McCann
8) 3B = Reynolds
9) RF = Gardner

I'll work on the pitching & the bench.

My new Closer is Edward Mujica. Saved 36 of 38 with a 2.19 ERA and a 0.859 whip

 

[RustySpan]

Honestly if they can just find a way to land a great starter I'd be happy, because that's really the move that everything else rides on, without better starting they're toast and plenty of shaky offensive teams make the playoffs, it's all about the pitching, also the other stuff is going to take time, it's unreasonable to expect so many holes to be filled in one off season, show me the super-store filled with great players to be had and I'll change my stance, until then I do not expect all these positions to be addressed, just give me a great starter for now.

 

[Rick2583]

Honestly if they can just find a way to land a great starter I'd be happy, because that's really the move that everything else rides on, without better starting they're toast and plenty of shaky offensive teams make the playoffs, it's all about the pitching, also the other stuff is going to take time, it's unreasonable to expect so many holes to be filled in one off season, show me the super-store filled with great players to be had and I'll change my stance, until then I do not expect all these positions to be addressed, just give me a great starter for now.

The SUPER STORE is called free agents. My additions, Ellsbury, Drew, Morales & McCann or even Salty are all FAs.

 

[yankeesince59]

...pitching was not the problem this year...the offense ranked 14th in SLG % (one point higher than the Astros for last place)...and topped it off by finishing the season batting .222 in September.

...I also see NO reason why D-Rob can't be the closer...Mo blew 7 saves this year and I'm sure DR can do at least that well because he had better numbers than Mo did this year. I really don't know why some people put such a premium on the closer role, as if the guy pitching the 7th or 8th innings is any less important.

 

[Majorball]

I feel if we fix our offense, it will take a huge burden off the bullpen. I think our DH averaged around 200 for the season. Our DH!

 

[yankeesince59]

...yup, hell, even if they had a healthy Tex, Jeter, Granderson, and even (gulp) ARod, it would have made a world of difference.


2013 production from;

LF .236 .293 .399 .692

3B .231 .293 .340 .633

SS .228 .286 .312 .598

1B .229 .292 .397 .690

 

[Yblue]

...you won't get any because evidently it's easier to bitch and exaggerate that it is to offer something new and compelling.

What's exaggerating about that? All are true areas of concern. Its reality. I actually forgot something....with the Cubs open, job they might be looking for a manager too. I also did place a plan on this board quite a whole back detailing what the yanks would need to do. Essentially signing every free agent of impact there is. That would include guys like Ellsbury, McCann, I mentioned Garza at the time but he has regressed since coming back to the AL, resigning Kuroda somehow but he looks cooked. Colon was another option. Look what is out there. Look at how awful the farm is and realize just how many holes there are. Money to spend or not it's going to be almost impossible for the Yankees to be fixed next year. Its a multi year project at this point i believe directly resulting from years of neglect and mismanagement with the draft, development and dishing out bad contracts. Who exactly is this great starter the yankees are getting anyway? Especially with this GM. How he is coming back yet again......I shake my head.

 

[Yblue]

But the didn't have jeter, arod etc. Old players decline ad get hurt. They will again. and they had nowhere to turn when they did. Jeter will be back buy who knows at what capacity. Arod is likely gone. Tex.....pencil him in for further decline but yes he will help but prob not as much as some expect. I'm personally hoping granderson is gone. I would not expect Soriano to be all that great next year either. I think they need to upgrade in the OF as I mentioned, but with so many true holes its difficult to focus there.

 

[Majorball]

^^^^ I agree with you Blue, there is only one fix for the 2014 Yankees... And that is money, money to buy time for the low minors to hopefully develop under new leadership, time to fill holes all over the 25 man roster. Free Agents will once again be the band aid to 2014 and possible 2015. And if Cano signs somewhere else, then there isn't enough money to Humpty Dumpty back together again

 

[Yblue]

^^^^ I agree with you Blue, there is only one fix for the 2014 Yankees... And that is money, money to buy time for the low minors to hopefully develop under new leadership, time to fill holes all over the 25 man roster. Free Agents will once again be the band aid to 2014 and possible 2015. And if Cano signs somewhere else, then there isn't enough money to Humpty Dumpty back together again

What new leadership?

And i sure hope Cano isn't signed if his demands remain above a reasonable level. I don't see a WS caliber team in the near term with or without cano. The last thing they need is another Arod or CC situation just when this team might hopefully start to improve in a few years time. For once they need to look a little bit further than tomorrow and realize that this team is in dire straights until the fix the permeating issues on the foundation of the organization residing at the top levels and in player development. Adding yet another crippling contract does not make all that better.

 

[RustySpan]

No amount of money can fix this problem like fans want, there simply isn't enough great players to be had, my prediction is they find a way to grab one, maybe two marquee players and the rest will be OK players and farmhands.