It Is Too Late For Improvement: Start Selling
Photo Via: Kathleen Malone-Van DykeThe season has been a rollercoaster. Yankees fans have never been so angry in a regular season. This 2021 team was supposed to cruise into the Postseason and play for a shot at a World Series, just like the expectations for nearly every team during my lifetime. Well, that is simply not going to happen.
Today is July 1st (my official first day for checking the standings each season), and the Yanks are 8.5 games out of first place in the division. Not only that, but there are 3 teams ahead of New York in the division — none of which the Yankees own a winning record against.
When it comes to the players, the Yankees quite simply have three options. First, the club can change nothing. Keep the same players. Try to rehab Kluber, rehab Severino, and rehab Britton. The team as it is now is 41-39. The Yankees would more than likely miss the playoffs, but it would successfully remain under the luxury tax threshold and hopefully lead to increased offseason spending. The only two players already set for free agency are Corey Kluber and Lucas Luetge.
Second, the Yankees can make trades or call up prospects in an effort to make this team a true World Series contender. In all honesty, I am not sure that a potential trade exists that could cure many of the Yankees’ season-long issues. Also, any big trade the Yankees could make would likely include the departure of multiple top prospects, essentially meaning the Yankees would be putting all of their eggs in the 2021 Yanks’ basket. That does not sound like the smartest idea. Even names like Ketel Marte, Joey Gallo, or José Berríos, who have each been floated around in trade rumors, do not on their own constitute a definite improvement on a large enough scale to take this Yankees’ team from one that is playoff-hopeful to one that is World Series contending. Would it be nice to one of their names penciled in the lineup/rotation? Sure, but the Yankees need to focus on a 3-year plan here. If Hal Steinbrenner is willing to blow through the luxury tax and do it again next season, then sure, go trade for all of the talent you can get your hands on. I just do not see that happening given the trend of the past three trade deadlines.
The last and best plan for the Yankees is to sell. We saw a little bit of it in 2016 when Cashman sent Carlos Beltrán, Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, and Brian McCann packing. It worked, too. The Yankees ended up one game away from the World Series the very next season. By trading away veterans, the Yankees were able to promote Gary Sánchez, Aaron Judge, and Chad Green. The organization’s top prospects are certainly not as highly regarded this season, but you can only find out what you have by giving opportunities.
The Yankees have already spent half a season under the luxury tax threshold. It would not be wise to spend now to go over the $210M figure in hopes of saving this season, especially if the Yanks only acquire one difference-maker. Then if that acquisition does not work, we will be right where we are now at this point next season.
The conversation of who should be traded and who should be acquired is for another day. As for now, it is clear that selling is the best way to proceed. This Yankees club needs to be put to pasture. Nobody is having fun. The fans, the players, the coaches, Brian Cashman, nobody. Last night, as the Yankees allowed 7 runs at home in the 9th inning to blow a 4-run lead with their once dominant closer on the mound, Aaron Boone had his head slumped while he jotted down notes onto pad. Every Yankee put their head down just like him. The team’s supposed leader, Aaron Judge, was not allowed to play last night despite the season being “on the line” because the organization requires periodic resting no matter how imminent defeat is, or how badly a win is needed. If there was a neon sign hanging over home plate that read, “Fire Boone,” I am still not sure that the call for a change in management would be more obviously needed than it is now.
Do not make us go through this again next season. Get players that will help this team for 3+ years. Become a faster baseball team. Become a better defensive baseball team and one that can make contact and move runners over. But please, just please, do not make one small acquisition to put the franchise just over the $210M payroll number and call it a day. Either go all-in, or do not go at all.