1898 replies to this topic

[BaltBird 24]

An expiring Cortes isn't a cheap price for an expiring Williams. Cortes had a rough, injured 2023, but he's a consistent 2.5-4 WAR SP. He'd probably be our 2nd or 3rd best starting option.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I was just thinking I wonder if they'd have taken Kremer instead, Cortes is better but 3 years of control is valuable. There's injury risk there, but imagine having Williams and Felix. We'd have to sign some FAs obviously.

This is where my angst with Elias comes in. Do stuff like this assuming Kremer would have worked for them.

[BaltBird 24]

Cortes was a luxury for NY. Cole, Fried, Rodon, Gil, and Stroman will be slated for the rotation. They'll still have Clarke Schmidt waiting for the spot starts/ injuries.

Trading Kremer would've been dealing our 3rd best SP.

[Mackus]

This is where my angst with Elias comes in. Do stuff like this assuming Kremer would have worked for them.

I think we need Kremer way more than we need Williams in 2025. I wouldn't do that trade as the roster stands right now or even if we add one mid-rotation starter to the mix.

If we're gonna sign or trade for two good SP, then that changes and maybe it's a worthwhile endeavor. Depends who we add though, as Kremer has 3 years left whereas Eflin and any possible rental trade acquisitions would be pending FAs.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I think we need Kremer way more than we need Williams in 2025. I wouldn't do that trade as the roster stands right now or even if we add one mid-rotation starter to the mix.

If we're gonna sign or trade for two good SP, then that changes and maybe it's a worthwhile endeavor. Depends who we add though, as Kremer has 3 years left whereas Eflin and any possible rental trade acquisitions would be pending FAs.

Thats what I mean. Sign a few guys and then it leaves you the ability to move a Kremer. I agree thats its tough to do it without at least 1 guy  already signed.

[CantonJester]

The Cubs are reportedly close to a deal with Houston for Kyle Tucker.

 

Word is Cashman was afraid to deal Gil to Houston (specifically) in any deal for Tucker. Yankee fans are a bit gobsmacked to actually believe that, so they return to their previously held opinions on Brian Cashman the GM. 

[mdrunning]

Word is Cashman was afraid to deal Gil to Houston (specifically) in any deal for Tucker. Yankee fans are a bit gobsmacked to actually believe that, so they return to their previously held opinions on Brian Cashman the GM. 

I saw that they didn't want to deal Gil. I also mentioned in another thread that Houston thought the Yankees' offer (whatever it ultimately turned out to be) was "crap." Typical Yankees. Your best for our worst.

[Mackus]

Yankees trading for Cody Bellinger and $5M. No word on what's going back to Chicago, but it can't be much. Bellinger is guaranteed $32.5M this year and then has a $20M player option for 2026 (technically a $25M option with $5M buyout if he opts out).

I'm guessing he'll be their 1B?

EDIT: Bellinger says he'll be the CF. Guess that's Dominguez in LF and Judge in RF.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Apparently Bellinger's wife used to date Giancarlo Stanton.

[BaltBird 24]

Replacing Soto with Bellinger is perfect. This might take them out of the Santander running, and he's a much better hitter than Bellinger.

Yankees OF defense will be greatly improved, however.

[Mackus]

What's kind of fun to consider is if Bellinger has a really good year, still isn't close to as good as Soto so their offense isn't anything special, but then the Yankees have to give him a $200M+ contract and he goes back to being a 93 OPS+ bat after that.  

[NewMarketSean]

Bellinger will have his best season since 2019 in NY next year and finish top 10 in the MVP race.

[makoman]

Trade was for Cody Poteet and the Cubs will pay $5M. Straight salary dump I guess.

 

Someone already said it on here, I think Bob, he just doesn't hit it hard anymore. From 2019-24 his hard hit% MLB percentile has been 86, 62, 20, 39, 10, 15. Similar drop in average exit velocity. I guess it's a buy low flier by a team that can afford it but I wouldn't want him. 

[BaltBird 24]

He had a surprisingly good 2023 despite the poor metrics. I think 2024 is a good baseline of what to expect, mid 700s OPS with good defense. He could also fall off a cliff like he did in 21-22.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

The "deals' the Yankees are making may or may not be good value but we shouldn't care a rats azz about that. Because the Yankees are really making moves to separate themselves from the rest of the ALE.

 

If they pull on the proposed trade for Framber thats really going to suck.

[Mackus]

The Yankees have gone backwards so far this offseason, IMO.  They aren't separated from anything and I don't think any other moves that they could make would lead to any separation above where the O's should get to.

 

We've gone backwards, too, so work that has to be done to make sure we don't fade back from where the Yankees are now or may finish up, but plenty of targets still out there.  It'll be really disappointing if the Orioles don't look like the better team on paper entering the season, but don't think we're far off from that being the case.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Just disagree Mackus. I think the Yankees have made some significant moves to improve their pitching. They lost Soto and thats big but Belanger is going to hit in NY and give them a much better defensive outfield. We have signed a decent OFer too but their pitching kicks our butts. Here's the Yankees current rotation.

 

Gil - 3.50

Cole - 3.41

Fried - 3.25

Schmidt - 2.85

Rodon- 3.96

 Add Valdez to this??? Holy smokes. 

[Mackus]

Think Soto, Cortes, Holmes, and Torres is a more impactful group than Fried, Williams, and Bellinger.  Obviously the vast majority of that is Soto, but they haven't made up for his loss yes, so they've gone backwards.  I expect they add a good 1B and another option for 2B or 3B, so maybe they end up making up all of what they've lost.  But whatever they do, the Orioles should easily be able to end up as the better team on paper.  If they aren't that's on Elias & co not doing enough, not because the Yankees did so much or are so good that we couldn't catch up.

[Mackus]

Simply adding up the WAR, the 4 guys the Yankees have lost (and ignoring easier to replace guys like Verdugo and Rizzo) provided 13 bWAR in 2024.  The 3 guys they've added provided 7 WAR in 2024.  I think at this point they've clearly gone backwards and don't really see much room for reasonable disagreement with that.  Give them a 3 WAR 1B and a 2 WAR 2B and assume a full year of health for Williams and they're just about breaking even.  Internal development from young guys like Wells, Volpe, Gil, and Dominguez could push them higher, but I also think the O's will have a good bit of internal improvement as well.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I am not really debating that the Yankees and/or Orioles have regressed from October. I agree they both have. What I am saying is that from where the clubs ended up once teams announced who was leaving the Yankees have improved their club this offseason much more so than the O's.