The New York Yankees have traded for National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton, who hit 59 home runs in 2017 fell into the Yankees’ lap for Starlin Castro and 2 less than top-tier prospects.
Of course the sports media loves trades and free agent signings the way the political media loves wars and scandals. Fans fall in love with the idea of overblown fantasy lineups but they forget about how a lineup may or may not mesh in big spots when runs are hard to come by.
However, the Yanks are rightfully committed to keeping payroll under $197 million to avoid paying the MLB luxury tax for the first time since the socialistic tax went into affect. At the same time they are in need of starting pitching (beyond possibly going back to the CC Sabathia well one too many times) which is always expensive (though today’s trade of Chase Headley does give them some more wiggle room).
Giancarlo Stanton is a tremendous talent. But at $265 million that the Bombers are now on the hook over next ten years (unless he unlikely opts out after three years), the right fielder has a similar skill set to Aaron Judge; he’s a big right handed slugger.
But the Yanks already have Aaron Judge along with Gary Sanchez; they have enough right handed power. The case can be made that they were too right handed before they landed Stanton.
In addition, they have an overcrowded outfield. They would love to part ways with Jacoby Ellsbury and his terrible contract but who is taking the money? Brett Gardner is a scrappy player who compliments the sluggers in the lineup, but is more tradable than Ellsbury. Clint Frazier is primed to break in full time with the team, but is now likely a tradable commodity for a pitcher.
Frazier has the well-rounded gritty type of skill set that the Yankees will have less of with Stanton taking up a roster spot. Stanton also plays the same position as Judge; who’s moving to left field?
When you add in Aaron Hicks this also takes away flexibility at the DH spot where the Yankees need to rest Sanchez from catching at times. On top of that, the Yanks have a plethora of outfield talent in their system.
The Yankees were second in runs scored in 2017 and first in home runs. What this all boils down to is that the Yankees don’t need Giancarlo Stanton to go to the next level.
It’s like trading for Hakim Olajuwan when you have Shaq and need a point guard. Yes, it will attract attention but does it add up to winning?
In the regular season it probably does. You play enough inferior teams in the regular season to slug your way into the playoffs. But the postseason is a different animal.
Runs are tougher to come by. Big sluggers with holes in their swing are often exposed by elite pitching. They become feast or famine, usually more famine. That’s why I would rather save this money for better starting pitching this offseason and next.
It’s usually the get-the-uniform dirty scrappers that shine in October when you have to scratch and claw for runs. If you are a Yankee fan think back to the mid-2000s when you had varying combinations of Arod, Gary Sheffield, Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi and Robinson Cano in the lineup. They were good for 100+ regular season wins but not many October victories.
The Yankees were a feel-good story in 2017 with young talent succeeding ahead of schedule. Expectations would have increased anyway but this puts a big bulls eye on the team’s back now.
For Yankee haters the Evil Empire is back. The innocence is gone. It’s World Series or bust again.
Maybe I’m wrong and Stanton/Judge will be more Mantle/Maris than Arod/Sheffield. But I am now much less excited about the direction of this organization than I was a week ago. Talk soon.
-Marksman