This offseason, the Yankees did what we’ve come to expect each year: Make winning the main focus. In exchange for a few minor leaguers, they acquired the man with the human cannon arm, Aroldis Chapman, from the Reds. Fresh off domestic violence charges and facing a suspension, the Yankees decided to roll the dice. Despite already having Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances in the bullpen, they just had to have the shiny new toy with the big warning label.
Chapman, once he came back to the field, lived up to his expectations and almost made some people (not me) forget why he missed all those games. In a shocking un-Yankees-like move, when the rumors started about moving Chapman they stood pat and waited for the market to come to them. The result was a great trade with the Chicago Cubs; moving Chapman and getting young prospects Gleyber Torres and Adam Warren. For the Yankees, this move was a home run; their bullpen remained intact while getting younger, which is something I strongly feel they should continue to do.
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Even true fans can be tempted by the win streaks and performances by some of the rotation, but if the Yankees sneak into the Wild Card, this still isn’t a World Series-winning team. That’s why I say, “sell, sell, sell!” The pinstripes need to go young, build the farm system and free up some cash to get talent. There are a number of players who should at least be offered to see what the Bombers can get in return. My picks for who to offer are Carlos Beltran, Andrew Miller, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and Ivan Nova.
This year is also a true test for Hal Steinbrenner, who is much like his father. Brian Cashman seems to get it; he does his job by testing out what they can get in return for their current talent. This team could create a new look for the franchise in terms of how they handle the trade deadline and expectations.
The next few weeks will be major in terms of the direction the team goes in. I hope that pride and the “We Are the New York Yankees” mindset don’t lead the team to miss out on some potentially great deals. Teams are always looking for quality arms and steady bats during the playoff push. If the results are bad, the Yankees will need to shine up the car and take some nice pictures for their new sale ad.
For bonus Yankees talk and more, follow Joe Cardoso on Twitter @cright.
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