A key for the Yankees in 2016 will be Michael Pineda. He’s shown flashes of tantalizing upside, and could be on New York’s list of most valuable pitchers. But Pineda has yet to put it all together over a full season. You likely remember May 10, which was the date of Pineda’s monstrous 16 strikeout outing. […]
Author: Ben Diamond
Brian Cashman is an Elite Trader
When Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs asked baseball fans how they felt about their team’s front office, the Yankees and Brian Cashman ranked at the neutral position of 15th. This data isn’t exactly shocking, given New York’s reputation of being perpetually dissatisfied with their teams, but considering the Yankees’ run of success, Cashman probably deserved a higher […]
Are the Yankees approaching a rebuild?
Yankee fans are accustomed to rooting for a contending team. Although they haven’t made the playoffs in two out of the last three years, and lost in the wild-card game last season, there hasn’t been a shred of doubt that the front office will attempt to assemble a contender in 2016. While some skepticism is certainly warranted with the […]
Building a Bridge to the Elite Relievers
Following Monday’s trade for fireballer Aroldis Chapman, it’s quite clear that the Yankees have the best 1-2-3 ‘pen punch in the game, if not the best ever. Obviously, this absurd combination of high-strikeout and low-ERA relievers—Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and Chapman—has the Yankees’ relieving corps receiving some high praise. There’s one thing to keep in […]
Brett Gardner: Second-Half Slacker
The Yankees have been throwing Brett Gardner’s name out in trade talks (frequently) this offseason, and it certainly isn’t overly surprising. The outfielder, who was an All-Star in 2015, was anything but in the second half, batting an abysmal .206/.300/.292 with a well-below average 66 wRC+. His finish to 2015 left fans, and the team, […]
Chase Headley’s 2015 of Career Worsts
When the Yankees signed Chase Headley to a 4-year, $52 million deal last season, it was fairly uncontroversial…especially for a Yankees contract. Headley was seen as an unspectacular player, but one that brought enough value with his bat and glove to be at least an average everyday third baseman for the team. Without any other […]
Trade Analysis: Castro for Warren
Last season the Yankees second baseman tied for last in the major leagues in WAR, at -1.2. Stephen Drew was a mess, hitting just .201, and the Yankees showed little confidence in prospect Rob Refsnyder to step in. The team acquired Dustin Ackley late in the season, and the expectation going into 2016 was an […]
Breaking Down the Yankees Payroll: Pitchers
*Brian McCann, $15M vesting option if he totals 1,000 PAs from 2017-18, catches 90 games in 2018 and is not on the disabled list at the end of the 2018 season *Brendan Ryan, $1M player option *Alex Rodriguez, $6M bonus at 763 HR and 764 HR *Brett Gardner, $12.5M Team Option, $2M Buyout *Jacoby Ellsbury, […]
Prospects Who Could Make An Impact in 2016
The Yankees have started to make an attempt to get younger. Last year, they traded for Nathan Eovaldi and Didi Gregorious, gave rookies Luis Severino and Greg Bird prominent roles, and avoided trading top prospects. The goal of building a team that can have short term and long term success, which is what the Yankees are […]
Analysis: The Hotstove Has Been Lit
Going into the 2015 offseason, it was all but guaranteed that the Yankees would trade either John Ryan Murphy or Gary Sanchez. Along with Brian McCann and Austin Romine, the team had a surplus of catchers, and plenty of needs elsewhere. An explosive Arizona Fall League performance by Sanchez may have put him ahead of […]