On Tuesday night the Yankees made their first big move of the offseason. They sent pitcher Adam Warren and infielder Brendan Ryan to the Chicago Cubs for Second Baseman/Shortstop Starlin Castro. This is a good move for both sides and gives the Yankees another young solid infielder. Gone are the days of overpriced aging players. I love this!

There are many things to like about this. But first lets say goodbye to Adam Warren. He was the most consistent pitcher the Yankees had and most reliable in 2015. Wherever they put him, he was dependable. In the rotation or in the bullpen, he was good. He always gave the Yankees just what they needed that day and there's a lot of value in that, especially with a team full of question marks. Warren seemed to fit the role of 4th or 5th starter just fine but he was pushed to the bullpen after 17 starts in '15 because Ivan Nova came back from Tommy John surgery. Warren then filled the gap from starter to the trio of Justin Wilson-Dellin Betances- and Andrew Miller. THAT role he filled proved to be so vital because once he was inserted back in the rotation late in the season, his absence in the bullpen was felt. Manager Joe Girardi tried replacing Warren's absence with kid after kid from the minors in BIG spots. They rarely delivered. It ended up costing them the division. Warren now joins a World Series contender and probably one of the best rotations in the National League.

With Castro, the Yankees get a 25 year old 2B/SS with 6 years of major league experience. He hit just .237 through the end of July, but hit .335 in the final two months. For the Yanks, he fits the profile of their recent targets as a young, cost-controlled player in a buy-low opportunity. Castro is signed through 2019 with a team option for 2020. He has $38 million guaranteed left on his contract. The idea of him and Didi Gregorious as the Yankees new double play combo lights up my eyes and gets me excited to see what they can do

“You could be greedy (at second base),” manager Joe Girardi said at today’s Winter Meetings before news of the Castro trade went public. “You look for outstanding defense and offensive production. I mean, that’s the greedy part of it; that you can get a lot of production, too, offensively."

 The move gets the Yankees younger, cheaper and hungrier. GM Brian Cashman went on the Michael Kay Show last week and said he was focusing on acquiring players through trades as opposed to signing the usual big free agent contract. Today we see that Cashman and company have a plan they're sticking to. The Yankees are getting younger and more athletic....and I'm ok with that. Good job!

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Tags: Adam Warren, Andrew Miller, Chicago Cubs, Dellin Betances, Didi Gregorius, Joe Girardi, Justin Wilson, Starlin Castro, Yankees

The Yankees are in! Postseason baseball returns to the Bronx for the first time since 2012. It's been a hell of a roller coaster since then, as the Yanks said goodbye to some iconic players. Mariano Rivera in 2013 and Derek Jeter in 2014. They almost said goodbye to Alex Rodriguez for good both years but in 2015 he found the fountain of youth and became a clutch everyday 30 home run hitter. Now with a new group of players, the Bombers find their way to Tuesday night's Wild Card game at Yankee Stadium.

This team by NOOO means is going into the Postseason with any momentum or anything that makes you believe they will get far this October. They finished 3 games behind where I thought they would.  But I did predict the Yanks would get into October by making the Wild Card. I wasn't too off with my other predictions on how our main players would finish.

THIS Yankee team that takes the field on Tuesday will have more question marks going into that ONE game than it did going into the season. How does Masahiro Tanaka pitch with the season on the line? Who starts at second base? Who's Joe Girardi bringing into the game from the bullpen? How can Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury get out of their second half funk? How much more does Alex Rodriguez have left in the tank? There's more but you get the point. I'm really worried about this team and I'm afraid I know what fate awaits us on Tuesday night.

The Yanks will play the Houston Astros to determine who goes on to play the defending American League Champion Kansas City Royals in the ALDS. It was the one team I didn't want them to face because of their ace Dallas Keuchel. He's shut the Yankees down everytime he's face them and he neutralizes the lefty bats in the lineup, especially at Yankee Stadium, something we don't need in this sudden death situation. Any lefty getting thrown at the Yankees will be successful. Girardi has admitted such this past week.

To be honest, ANYONE taking the mound would've been successful against the Yanks this past week. A week that saw them go 1-6 needing to win only TWO games to clinch the Wild Card and Home Field Advantage in that sudden death game. A week that saw Girardi make some of the most baffling moves of his tenure here in the Bronx. That is what scares me as a fan.

Now to the positive. Last year saw BOTH Wild Card winners catch fire and go to the World Series. There's not reason to think the Yankees can't do the same. The One Game Playoff has proven to be the momentum swing that every team looks for come this time of the year. Tanaka gets the ball and I believe he can be the $175 million ace. I believe the bats of A-Rod, Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran still have a little magic left in them. I believe that Girardi can bring in Justin Wilson, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller in the late innings and secure a victory. I've seen it so many times this year. Why not again Tuesday night to an Astros team that is young, inexperienced in a big stage and is worn down. It can happen.

The 2000 Yankees stumbled into the Postseason losing 15 of their last 18 games and they went on to win the World Series for the 3rd year in a row. Not saying we're winning the World Series.....yet, but I am saying anything can happen to change the misfortunes of the present and turn them into a steamrolling truck all the way to the end. I'm just happy we have Postseason baseball back in the Bronx. It belongs here.

Prediction: Yankees lose due lack of urgency in the lineup and they're not able to get the "big hit" when they need it. It'll be close, but after 2-3 missed opportunities, it's time to pack up and head home.




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Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Andrew Miller, Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Dellin Betances, Derek Jeter, Houston Astros, Joe Girardi, Justin Wilson, Mariano Rivera, New Yankee Stadium, QUITE FRANKLY

I was going to post during the Toronto series but the rain out and god awful play of the Yankees delayed that until I had a better understanding of where they stood in terms of the playoff picture. I wanted to post yesterday after Monday night's amazing comeback but it seems after last night's loss, the Yankees are destined for the Wild Card.

Last night was a missed opportunity to gain ground on the Toronto Blue Jays when they lost to the Atlanta Braves in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Braves are one of the worst teams in baseball and for them to beat one of the best teams in baseball was a gift. A gift they might get again. So the Yankees blew a 3-2 lead and lost 6-3 and stayed 3 games out of first.

“It’s tough,” Joe Girardi said after watching his team blow a 3-2 lead in the sixth. “It’s tough that we’re not able to hold them down.”

The reasoning for the Wild Card over the Divsion is simple. Last night was the prime example of why the Yankees are in trouble. The Yankees that played like one of the best in baseball in June and July would've had Nathan Eovaldi on the hill and his 14-2 record. In the 5th when the Yanks went to the bullpen, Joe Girardi would've summoned Adam Warren to bridge the gap to Justin Wilson and Dellin Betances but with the injury to Eovaldi, that wasn't possible. We got Warren going 4 innings then went to young inexperienced relievers to hold a one run lead. That didn't go too well as Nick Rumbelow gave up a two run homerun to Nick Franklin who's batting .133 (!!) on the season.

“They’ve come up all year and done a pretty good job,” Girardi said. “It’s a lot to ask of them, but we think they’re capable of doing the job and we need it.”

Now with the opportunity missed, the Yankees don't gain ground and are just as close to losing that top Wild Card spot as they are overtaking Toronto. By this time next week we will have a better idea where the Bombers stand but I don't think it'll be good news. This team relies too much on the long ball. Their top two hitters Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner are the spark plugs, but they don't steal bases like they're supposed to. Ellsbury is batting .250 on the season and in the middle of an 0 for 28,29, 30 slump. That's very alarming. The offense goes into spurts of knocking the cover off the ball but it hasn't happened much since the beginning of August. This team is talented and have the tools to win it all but I feel with the injuries to Eovaldi and Mark Texieria, it may be too much to overcome. You lose your best pitcher and most productive hitter in the lineup. That kind of loss will eventually catch up to you.

I certainly can see the Yankees turning it around within the blink of an eye. I thought that was the case after Monday night's comeback but after what I saw last night, it's back to the same old story we saw this weekend against the Blue Jays. The Yanks aren't ready and they're just not as good as the Jays. It may be too late for the Yanks to turn it around, but then again..who says the Wild Card is a bad thing. It may be the best thing that happens to the Yankees.

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Tags: Adam Warren, Atlanta Braves, Brett Gardner, Dellin Betances, Jacoby Ellsbury, Justin Wilson, Nathan Eovaldi, Toronto Blue Jays, Yankees