Author Archive
How Yankees Must Handle Impossible Masahiro Tanaka »
When it comes to opt-out clauses, the New York Yankees tend to opt in. They aren't always happy about it. They don't always do it right away. But when Alex Rodriguez opted out of his deal during the 2007 World Series, the Yankees turned around and gave him a bigger contract they would come to regret. When CC Sabathia was ready to opt out of his [...]
Yankees’ Next Big Moves Will Make or Break New »
It's not easy to do what the New York Yankees have done. It's even tougher to do what they have to do next. In this era in which total rebuilds are all the rage and tanking is rewarded, the Yankees rebuilt their farm system without also suffering through a 101-loss season (like the Chicago Cubs) or 324 losses over three campaigns (like the [...]
Gleyber Torres’ Fall Breakout Shows Yankees »
Nolan Arenado caught scouts' eyes in the Arizona Fall League when he was 20 years old. So did Derek Jeter, Corey Seager and Francisco Lindor. Gleyber Torres is 19. "He's playing against older guys," Carl Moesche of the Major League Scouting Bureau said in an interview on Saturday on MLB Network. "And he's not intimidated." Torres is the youngest [...]
Gary Sanchez’s MLB Superstar Breakout Just the »
There's a New York Yankees coach named Tony Pena. He was an All-Star catcher when he played in the major leagues, the only All-Star catcher ever born in the Dominican Republic. When you ask him why there's only been one, he first says, "Don't ask me that question." Then he points across the Yankees clubhouse, at the corner where 23-year-old Gary [...]
After a Farewell Night Like No Other, Is This Really »
NEW YORK — With most guys, the retirement announcement comes before the ceremony. No, not with most guys. With everyone. Everyone but Alex Rodriguez. It's always complicated with him, so of course it was complicated on the night that should mark the end of a brilliant if also monumentally flawed career. Of course the skies roared with [...]
Are We Watching the End of Alex Rodriguez’s »
There are some skills Alex Rodriguez will never lose. He'll always be able to tell us how good he is, how hard he works, how great he can be. "I've been working really hard, tweaking, running and training," he told reporters, including Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. "My time will come." Sorry, Alex. Your time has come…and gone. I [...]
Yankees’ Lack of Star Power a Big Concern Both »
NEW YORK — In the seats behind home plate, scouts from rival teams ogle the relief pitchers the New York Yankees haven't yet decided to sell. Just the other day, the Chicago Cubs had three scouts at Yankee Stadium, enough so each could have focused in on just one of the late-inning relievers who could change the trade market and perhaps [...]
Streaking Yankees Could Find It Tough to Sell Come »
NEW YORK — The stories saying the New York Yankees would sell at the trade deadline were already starting to appear. It made perfect sense, because the Yankees are old and flawed and sure don't look like a team set up to win a championship. Trade Aroldis Chapman, trade Carlos Beltran, maybe even trade Andrew Miller and the Yankees could [...]
Aroldis Chapman’s Comeback Gives Lifeless »
Finally, over the weekend, the New York Yankees generated a little excitement. Finally, Yankee Stadium had some life in back-to-back wins over the Boston Red Sox. You'd have thought Aroldis Chapman was on the mound. Not yet, but soon enough. On Monday, Chapman's 30-game domestic violence suspension runs out. Soon, maybe even Monday night against [...]
Can New York Yankees’ Awful Start Be Saved by »
A week ago, there were serious stories in serious newspapers asking how long the Boston Red Sox should wait before making a managerial change. By Tuesday, the Red Sox were half a game out of first place in the American League East. Baseball's monster division isn't what it once was, and the Red Sox had the extra advantage of four games against [...]