The Yankees Appear To Be Out On The Manny Machado Sweepstakes Because Staying Under The Luxury Tax Is Way More Important!
Well, this isn’t great. I haven’t really taken many of the reports (Dan Clark) and articles with the same regurgitated takes too seriously, but I’m buying into Hector Gomez here. He’s legit and was the first to be on the Robinson Cano PED story along with recently nailing down Nelson Cruz’s final two steams. I have no reason not to believe what he’s saying here about the Yankees being out of the race along with my own doubts before this report.
First of all, it looks like the Yankees have no interest in opening up the checkbook for Manny, as shitty as that sounds. Whether that’s because they don’t trust his character or as simple as they’re being cheap fucks and sticking to this luxury tax bullshit who knows? Whatever it is, it’s ridiculous. To finally get under the luxury tax number and be ready to spend on a free agency highlighted by two 26 year old potential game changers and you come up empty? Really not even offering a serious contract to the one you were in on? That’s a slap in the face to every fan who pays top dollar for you seats. The Boston Red Sox won the 2018 World Series, as most of you remind me every day, after winning 108 games in the regular season and capturing their 3rd straight AL East tile. As good of a team as you may have, the Yankees have to respond with a monster free agency and change the tides, especially when you have the money to spend and are under the all important penalty number. I liked Manny more than others and I think his hustle/dirty antics were not a big deal considering he’s one of the best defensive third baseman ever and a consistent top 5-10 bat in this league. That’s why I wanted him. It would have been a statement signing and one, whether Boston fans admit it or not, would have easily made deadly. Now that appears to be all gone into smoke.
So are the Yankees fucked? No, they won 100 games last season and have vastly improved their starting rotation that gave them issues for most of 2018. Can they still win the World Series? Absolutely, no question about it, but Manny would have put them over the top. Your defensive problem at third would have turned into a massive strength. We’re talking a 2-3-4-5 of Judge-Machado-Giancarlo-Sanchez and that doesn’t include Voit, Andujar, Gleyber, Hicks. That’s nightmare fuel for opposing pitchers, especially when I expect a gigantic season from Giancarlo. Is that lineup still very good? Yes, but the potential for a “fuck you” lineup was there and instead Hal Steinbrenner couldn’t fathom putting in a real offer. I don’t think this falls on Cashman. Judging by his quotes and coming out with the “fully operational death star line” I think he wanted that gigantic splash, but upper management wasn’t on board with a mid-250 million dollar offer. Maybe not even 200? As of right now there hadn’t even been an official offer made. That’s embarrassing.
For people that think I’m anti-Miguel Andujar you are mistaken. I love the kid. I thought he should have won AL ROY over Ohtani. He was the offensive MVP for this team last year because of his consistency and high average. Now, do I think the Yankees were way better off with Manny at third over Andujar? For sure, I have a working brain. Miggy is 23 and an offensive weapon, but I thought signing Manny and dealing Miggy(or shifting his position) would have resulted in a way better roster. Now we have to hope he’s worked his ass off in the offseason to improve defensively because it really couldn’t get worse than what we saw over there in 2018. He lost us games. The good thing about Miggy is that he has a good head on his shoulders and desperately wants to get better. He’s going to bust his ass to improve as much as possible for the 2019 season so we have that to be optimistic about. If it doesn’t get better than we could very well be doing this same song and dance for Nolan Arenado next year. I am concerned at how much I’m going to hold my breath with this infield. Any wrong step Tulo takes could be a season ending injury. Every ball hit to Miggy could end in disaster. For a team with quite a few ground ball pitchers, the infield defense is a giant question mark.
As for the delusional White Sox fans out there, mainly White Sux Dave (shout out Kate) please get something through your brains. Manny Machado isn’t choosing the White Sox (if he does) because he believes in the rebuild and he loves the south side of Chicago. No he’s not. He’s doing it because you have the best contract offer on the table and Manny has no choice but to take the money. Manny wants to be in New York. His wife wants to be in New York. He wants to be a Yankee. The Yankees just don’t want him as much as he wants them. Story of my dating life pretty much. I just thought I had to make that clear because Dave is trying to sell me that he wants to play in a hitter’s park and become a star in the south side, meanwhile his team is going to always be second fiddle to the Cubs no matter what they do. Stardom doesn’t come to those who play for the White Sox. Neither do rings.
TLDR: This sucks balls. I don’t blame Manny for getting his money, who could? I just hate Hal Steinbrenner for duping us.
Oh and FUCK Dan Clark
P.S. This whole blog is retracted if Hector Gomez is wrong. It’s very possibly I just wrote 1,000 words for no reason, but I was waiting for my Chick Fil A delivery and had nothing better to do.
P.P.S. I wasted my birthday wish on Manny becoming a Yankee.