Turn my music high, high, high, high-er. {You don’t know… what you’re doing, doing, doing.} Sure I do.
The New York Yankees blueprint for success in 2016 is simple: Get younger, more flexible, more versatile and copy the champs. Easier said than done.
What I believe the Yankees should do and what they can and will do is the toughest part in figuring out their 2016 plans. No one is saying go sign every marquee free agent but they do need a shakeup.
Catcher: Brian McCann, Gary Sanchez, Austin Romine.
Back in 1997, Joe Girardi was 32 and a rookie Jorge Posada played 60 games and never looked back. Fast forward to 2016, McCann will be 32 and while Sanchez is younger than Posada was, his Arizona Fall League exploits suggest he’s ready for prime time. It could be the Yankees go with Romine to begin with, giving Sanchez the opportunity to learn and play every day to start the season, while calling him up to give the team a boost in the second half. If it’s up to me, Sanchez is on the Opening Day roster, backing up McCann.
First base: Mark Teixeira, Greg Bird.
I want Bird at first base, period. Bird has a sweet swing, pop and he proved he’s ready. I’m not trying to discount what Mark Teixeira did in 2015, an All-Star campaign with 31 home runs. That said, Tex always gets hurt, he’s in the final year of his deal and Bird is the present and future. Teixeira is from Maryland and Baltimore is about to lose Chris Davis, maybe there’s a match.
Second base: Rob Refsnyder, Dustin Ackley.
Could the Yankees go with this platoon tandem? Sure. You’re not getting a lot of defense here but Ackley hit the hell out of the ball and the club was confident enough in Refsnyder to start him in a playoff game. So which move would I love to see here? Ben Zobrist. I’ve been watching Zobrist since his days as a shortstop with the 2004 Tri-City ValleyCats. Zobrist is clutch, a switch-hitter and plays multiple positions. Zobrist will be 35 but his versatility has me sold.
Shortstop: Didi Gregorius.
Gregorius is the present and future here and should only gain confidence moving forward.
Third base: Chase Headley.
What can I say folks, awful contract. Headley was atrocious in the field and didn’t provide much pop from a corner infield position. A perfect fit here would be Todd Frazier. The Cincinnati Reds are selling on everyone, Frazier is a local kid and can crush it at the hot corner. Maybe the Yankees can pull another Scott Rolen for Edwin Encarnacion. One can dream.
Outfield: Carlos Beltran, Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Aaron Hicks, Slade Heathcott, Mason Williams.
Beltran was the best hitter on the club, during the second half. However, Beltran’s knees make him better suited to be a designated hitter, except Alex Rodriguez is entrenched there for the time being. There’s some great defense and speed in the mix but it’s also brittle, full of clones and lacking power. Might they undo the 2013 off-season and swap Ellsbury for Robinson Cano? Would they try to free up payroll by dealing Beltran or gain some starting pitching with swapping Gardner? Could they deal all three, play Hicks in center, dip into the free agent market and sign Justin Upton and Alex Gordon? May they steal some thunder from the New York Mets and ink Yoenis Cespedes?
Whichever route they go, the Yankees need more pop and endurance in the outfield.
Designated hitter: Alex Rodriguez.
A-Rod of 39 was impressive, while A-Rod aged 40 faded. The age, inability to even play a month’s worth of games in the field and the contract aren’t ideal but it is what it is. If A-Rod gives you half of his 33 home runs and 86 RBI, you take it.
Starting pitching: Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Pineda, Adam Warren, Ivan Nova, CC Sabathia, Bryan Mitchell.
Long list of starters may make rotation look deeper than it appears. Health, experience and consistency are all factors with this lot. Sabathia’s salary, performance and alcohol problems make him virtually unmovable. The team could get creative with deals for Pineda, Warren, Nova and Mitchell.
To me, the free agent difference makers are David Price (postseason numbers notwithstanding) and Zack Greinke. A notch down, Wei-Yin Chen is nice and a lefty but I’m not giving up a draft choice. I’m also big on Hisashi Iwakuma and his sinker but he’ll probably stick with Seattle and the Yankees would have to give up a draft pick. Scott Kazmir is a lefty and doesn’t cost you a draft pick but can he hold up?
If the Yankees go on the cheap here, it’s time to go big on the next component of the pitching staff.
Bullpen: Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances, Justin Wilson.
This is where you copy the champs. Yes, there are more than the three I listed above but if the Yankees are going to go with a bend but don’t break starting rotation, it stands to reason their strategy should be to shorten the game. As I mentioned, the Reds are still holding a fire sale and Aroldis Chapman is available, 27 and a difference maker. The San Diego Padres would likely be open to discussing Craig Kimbrel. Would the Yankees trade shortstop prospect Jorge Mateo to the Padres? Is a package of Sanchez, Mitchell and lower level prospects enough or worth it for Chapman?
I know what you’re thinking, Chapman and Kimbrel is overkill right? Yet, it’s where the game is moving and there’s a reason why I only listed three relievers above. Three relievers, all of whom were spent while the rest of the gasoline alley bullpen faltered in September. It may go against the grain to give up a lot for relief pitching but if your starters can’t hold up, you need a deep bullpen.
Plus, who’s beating a bullpen of Chapman, Kimbrel, Miller, Betances and Wilson? You have four, maybe five innings to score if you’re the opposition. I’m not in love with the free agent market when it comes to relief pitching, so if the Yankees can get creative here and swing deals for Chapman and Kimbrel, they may not have to tweak much else.
