Manny Machado has been subject of many trade offers and it sounds like the New York Yankees want him. Here’s why a select few fans don’t.
The New York Yankees are looking for a third baseman. The Baltimore Orioles are looking to unload Manny Machado’s contract and build up their farm system.
Ah, a match made in heaven.
But wait. Just take a second to think about that. The Yankees are looking to snag Machado, the three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner. Arguably one of the best third basemen in the game.
The Yankees just got Giancarlo Stanton. They have Aaron Judge. They have Gary Sanchez. With Machado in the Bronx, the Stadium will be blinding to look at with all those stars. While that seems to be nothing but positive for the Yankees, it might not be.
Judge and Sanchez are cheap now but come a few more quality years, the contracts will add up. Machado has been in the league for six years and is guaranteed to demand a pretty hefty contract.
The Yankees could get him, sure. But would they be able to retain him is the real question.
Also, looking to the future, bringing in an incredibly talented 25-year-old veteran locks that position up for good. Sorry Miguel Andujar and potentially Estevan Florial, you won’t get a shot at breaking the roster.
For all of you out there who are prospect-huggers, you might think that is the worst thing in the world. However, by keeping Machado in that position, you might be missing out on the next great third baseman.
You can’t blame Machado for that at all and there’s no way of predicting just how a prospect will pan out in the big leagues (just ask Eric Duncan). However, the Yankees will never find out what these prospects are capable of with Machado on board.
Plus, Machado is a superstar. It would be great to have a star-studded lineup with big names from one through nine, right? Wrong. The Yankees have done that before and look how that turned out.
The early 2000s were a time when the Yankees threw around cash like it was going out of style. That got them a lineup filled with pricey veterans such as Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Kenny Lofton and Johnny Damon, to name a few.
And in the last 17 years, the Yankees have only won one World Series championship.
Clearly, these lineups filled to the brim with superstars didn’t make much of a difference in the World Series pursuit. Often the lineup looked scary on paper but in reality, they often slumped at the same time. No matter how much talent was in the lineup, they couldn’t accomplish the one thing they were expected to do.
Machado is a big name within the Yankees’ division. It would be incredibly impressive if they can bring Machado to the Bronx to fit in with Stanton, Judge and Sanchez. However, there are complications than just throwing money his way.
If the Yankees went after Machado now, they would have to give up highly touted prospects to make it happen. If they wait a year, they’ll have to compete in a bidding war to make it happen. Is it all really worth it?
I’ve been impressed with Machado from a distance but that doesn’t mean he belongs on the Yankees. The Yankees can do it without him. Stacking the deck is fun but the Yankees have all the ingredients they need right now and don’t need Manny more.
