If Brian Cashman made decisions about the New York Yankees based on fan’s social media imprint, the team would be focused on 3 things right now. First is resigning Dellin Betances and signing Martin Maldonado. The New York Yankees are trying to move JA Happ to make room for Gerrit Cole’s contract. Betances would be expecting more than the $7.1 million he made last year, and Maldonado’s agent will be getting him more than $5 million, bringing the combined salary total to over $12 million. Plus, the team is all in on Kyle Higashioka, so neither is going to happen (while I think letting Betances walk is a mistake).
The last is signing/trading for left-handed hitters. The team is not worried about it, why are the fans?
The Yankees Don’t Need Left Handed Hitters
When I was in little league, I was a pure lefty. With the Yankees projected lineup for next year, we’ll be just fine with just Gardner in the lineup. Torres, DJ, Stanton, Judge, and Luke Voit all have the regular capability of going deep to the right field. Also, it’s only 314 to the left field. It’s the same distance to the right. So we have 6 guys in the lineup with the capability of going deep to right field. 5 of them are right-handed hitters.
Where Would We Play Them?
Kyle Shwarber is a left fielder/first baseman who’s a defensive liability. Voit and Stanton are better defensively than Shwarber, so where would you play him? Josh Bell is the first baseman. You got Voit, DJ, and Ford at first. Why would you trade for Bell? Yankees fans want to sign Jason Kipnis. He’s a second baseman/outfielder. He’s not going to play over DJ, Gardy, Judge or Stanton. So why waste money on him?
We Gotta Be Smarter Than This
Getting left-handed bats just for the sake of having left-handed bats means you have to sacrifice. It will mean giving up all our best prospects in January for someone who can bust as a Yankee before spring training starts. Yes, we haven’t won since 2009, but our team as constructed can win 5 championships in the next 7 years. Don’t screw it up because you’re scared there aren’t too many lefties in the lineup. Just calm down everyone. Pitchers and catchers haven’t even reported yet.