In order to return to relevancy in 2017, the New York Yankees will have to execute certain bold and strategical moves in the offseason.
Despite a promising second half, featuring an even more promising peek into the future, the New York Yankees fell short of their ultimate goal in 2016. Whether that was simply making the playoffs by way of the Wild Card Game or adding a 28th title to their incredible collection, 84 wins was an accurate representation of a slightly above average ballclub.
With that said, a second half which saw the Bronx Bombers actively pursue a playoff spot featured numerous positives. Ultimately, the emergence of rookie Gary Sanchez into a superstar led the team to heights they never could have imagined following an August 1 trade deadline fire sale.
Those heights brought about hope. Hope as to the 2017 landscape, potentially bringing about the team’s first real postseason endeavor since 2012. However, if the Yanks want to turn that hope into pure results, fulfilling an inevitable goal, changes will have to be made.
Evidently, youth and improved pitching paved way to an unforeseen second half run. That will be the name of the game next year.
Which aging, merely unproductive, or sneakily valuable pieces must be contributing elsewhere come opening day of the next calendar year? Rather than the where, or the what, let’s focus on the who.
Coming off an uneven campaign, Gardner still provides quality of toughness, essentially a grind-it-out mentality, to any team. In the process, he can be a productive No. 2 hitter with a great glove in either left or center field.
At 33 years of age, he also brings a veteran presence to the table, with valuable postseason experience. He is the perfect fit for a team looking for outfield help, but not willing to break the bank.
If the Yankees look to get guys such as Mason Williams, Aaron Hicks (in an everyday role) and, most importantly, Clint Frazier involved, their nine-year marriage with Gardner must come to an end.
Additionally, it will provide the flexibility of sliding Didi Gregorius and Starlin Castro into the top spots in the lineup more regularly.
This is not a case of being unproductive or old. In fact, a move like this would be cutting ties with a young arm possessing tremendous upside.
With that said, Bryan Mitchell has never put it completely together for the New York Yankees. Whenever they have expected big things from the kid, he has either gone down with an injury or given them just short of what they wanted to see.
The right-hander has only three years of big league experience. At 25-years old, teams will be eager to roll the dice on him, and will likely overpay a tad to do so.
Any club looking for a guy with plus stuff, yet unpolished mechanics inducing a lack of consistency, will make the call. Give him the right pitching coach, and time, and he will be off to the races.
Romine was one of the nicest surprises of 2016. Initially expected to be a backup catcher who provided some stellar defense, with a lack of a true bat, he basically ended up splitting time with Brian McCann in the first half.
In his first real opportunity in the bigs, he drove in 26 runs in 62 games, developing the reputation as a guy you can trust with an opposing left-hander on the mound.
His OPS (.725) was 174 points higher against lefties, raising his average 74 points (.274) against southpaws as well.
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At the very least, he proved that he deserves an everyday catching opportunity. That will not happen in New York.
With Gary Sanchez’s unbelievable rise to stardom, he is destined to be in there every single day in 2017. Brian McCann is not going anywhere as well. The Yanks need his veteran presence to help Sanchez through growing pains, along with his expected further role as a more than capable backup catcher and powerful designated hitter.
If another team has a hole at the catching position, the Yankees can, and should, receive more than they think for the 27-year-old.
This may be a little too bold, but may be the final move which will completely catalyze the future.
There is no denying Dellin Betances’ value to the New York Yankees. Over the past three years, he has established himself as one of the best three relievers in the American League.
Running out of gas at the end of 2016 was merely a case of overuse. The 28-year-old Brooklyn native simply had nothing left.
It was unfortunate; it really was. Now, the common Yankee fan thinks he is not closer material when, in reality, he is.
Whether it is pitching the seventh, eighth, or ninth, any team will move mountains for a man who has fanned 392 batters in 247 innings over his last three seasons, pitching to the tune of a 1.74 ERA in the process.
Possessing electrifying stuff, with incredible composure and fortitude, the 6’8″, 265 lb beast can bring back three or four top prospects considering the fact that he does not hit free agency until 2020.
If the Yankees attempt this move, it will be under one condition: they open their checkbooks for one or two top relievers in free agency this offseason.
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