Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Wise words that Yankee fans should be keeping in mind as they clamor for more moves this offseason. Trade for Lindor, bring in Hader, and I even saw someone say they should trade for Wilson Ramos. Everyone needs to slow down, relax…maybe have some dip.
The Torre dynasty lost it’s way when the team started signing big name free agents and trading away the farm system for star players. Right now the club has a strong rotation, dominant bullpen, and an average to above average starter at every position. They also have added depth with Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier who produced at borderline all-star levels when healthy, Mike Tauchman who could be this generations Brett Gardner from a productivity standpoint, and Thairo Estrada who played well in the Ronald Torreyes role.
The bullpen is stacked and I would rather bring back Betances on a one year prove-it type of deal, then give away premium talent for Josh Hader to be the third or fourth option out of the pen. No player has been more overrated by Yankee fans then Austin Romine, and he will be exposed in Detroit this year. Kyke Higashioka will be just fine in a backup role. No trade for a reserve catcher is needed. Ramos for Happ? With apologies to Jack Suhadolnik the Mets don’t need an 7th starter at 17 million a year (Degrom, Syndergaard, Stroman, Porcello, Matz, Wacha) and the Yankees don’t need a back up with the same skill sets and defensive issues as Sanchez. Other than that, the trade sounds great.
The Lindor idea has merits, but the mechanics of that kind of deal would make it pointless. Deivi Garcia is the type of young, cost controlled starter the Yankees will need to offset the Cole deal. Andujar and Frazier are talents in an area of need. I’m not ready to assume Gio Urshela is the player we saw last year rather than what every other year of his career says he is. Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, and Giancarlo Stanton are never healthy and productive at the same time which makes dealing Frazier risky as well. Add in the fact the infield is where the Yankees are stacked with Lemahieu, Torres, Urshela, Andujar, Voit and maybe even Ford and Estrada and there is no reason to deal for Lindor.
Lindor is a great player but if he, Torres, and Urshela are going to play everyday then Lemahieu becomes the main first basemen if you want him in the line-up. So really your replacing Luke Voit with Lindor. Right now Voit’s career 162 game average is .273 29 83. Lindor is .288 25 87. I get that Voits batting average would probably drop some if he actually played 162 games, and Lindor hits a few more home runs than his average shows now but is it worth giving up your best prospects for the difference between them? I say no.
The Yankees can make these moves to upgrade what is probably the best team in the game already, but what’s the point? Three years from now the same fans screaming for these deals will be calling Cashman an idiot for having to cut payroll after giving up young all-stars while they were cheap. Remember Jason Giambi, Javier Vazquez, Randy Johnson, and Kevin Brown ….or you will be doomed to repeat them.