Yankees Ink DJ Lemaheiu to 2 Years, $24MM Deal and What It Means For The White Sox

I’ve heard for about 2 weeks now that the Yankees are iffy on whether or not they want to sign Machado, and recently received word that they were out.  You can read that here, and here’s a screen shot/time stamp, because I know how much you love when we suck our own dicks at Barstool Sports:

Jon Heyman confirms all of this here:

Manny’s HS coach confirmed today that it was his dream was to play for the Yankees.  The Yankees are one of the very best brands and organizations in sports; that is undeniable.  But money rules 99% of the time.  Done are the days of Cashman and the NYY inking players to Carl Pavano, AJ Burnett or Jacoby Ellsbury type deals.  In are the days are finding value in wins of each player.  Cashman has nailed that recently.  If I had the Yankees current 25 man roster construction paired with it’s current farm system, I’d be completely split on a player who might very well ink a record setting deal as well.

Aka I’d rather have Lemahieu/Andujar/Tulo at about $13 AAV (+ a cost controlled SP) than Manny at $33-35MM AAV if I were the NYY.  Here’s why:

I’ll break it down simplistically in terms of surplus value:

***Note*** This doesn’t take into account Didi Gregorious AT ALL, assuming he doesn’t play this year  

1 WAR = ~ $8MM/ Year

Steamer projects Andujar and Lemahieu both at 2.5 WAR, with Tulo 1.4 WAR in 2019

6.4 WAR x $8MM = $51.2MM in value

$12 MM+ ~$550K +~$550K = ~$13MM

$51.2MM – $13MM = about $38MM in surplus value.  They are getting great bang for their buck out of these guys, assuming they perform to their projections.  Even better if they outperform them (obviously)

Manny Machado, on the other hand, projects for a 5.2 WAR season.

5.2 WAR x 8MM = ~$41.6MM.  Assuming he’s making about $33-35MM, that’s about $6-8MM in surplus value.  Big difference.

Brian Cashman and the Yankees do not buy stars anymore.  They buy wins.  *Queues Moneyball scene*

They’re incredibly analytically inclined, which should explain why they weren’t really in the mix for Machado.  They didn’t see the value of dropping a massive contract on a player when they could get the same production for a better value with others.  They are treating this like a marathon, not a sprint, and not acting emotionally coming off a Red Sox World Series title.

Now, it’s now always completely black and white in baseball.  Bryce Harper is going to set a record with his contract wherever he goes, and advanced metrics don’t love him.  But advanced metrics don’t take into account marketability, intangibles, etc., which teams obviously place tangible values on.  Well guess what?  Apparently Hal was rubbed the wrong way with Manny’s “I don’t hustle” comments, and, needless to say, the Yankees have Judge/Stanton, etc. anyways.

Now what’s next for them?

Say they sign a Keuchel type pitcher or trade from their surplus (there’s that word again) of prospect capital to add a starting pitcher… again, they’d be in a better spot from a financial value than an addition of Machado alone would give them.  This will happen; I’d be shocked if it didn’t.

Now… this obviously is big news for White Sox fans, because it’s now down to two for Machado, them and Philly.

Philly is apparently meeting with Harper and his reps tomorrow in Vegas.  They have a desperate need for a LH power bat in their lineup.  Harper is obviously that.  With Kingery/Franco at 3B and Segura at SS for them, Machado might land with the Sox by default.  The “stupid money” comment made by their own was just that… stupid.

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I have a feeling we’re getting to the home stretch.  I need this to wrap up ASAP because MLB free agency has fried my brain this winter.

Let’s get this done, Rick

PS – Dan Clark is a fucking MORON, something every Yankee/White Sox/Phillies fan will agree on: