The Official 2024-25 RAB Offseason Plan
Added 2024-11-22 11:00:10 +0000 UTC
Comments
I've been thinking a lot about your analysis if we were GM for a Day. I am of the old school Yankees Way--the one that works and has a proven track record. I am not hostile to data. I am a data and software guy in my real job, so it isn't as if I am behind the times. I just don't place much value on most of the new analytics, which are fine for the initiated, but really don't make a difference in the end except at the margins. This creates a mindset of putting marginal players who can be marginally effective on the field. Ho hum. Baseball is supposed to be fun. So here is my take. Most players after Judge in your line-up may or may not hit much above a dollar ninety at long stretches of the season. It's like 1968 all over again, except everyone is living in it. I don't know if some tinkering was done to the ball again or whatever, but a .240 hitter isn't "slashing." He's a mediocre hitter showing up for a payday. I wish everyone would just drop "slashing" or only apply it where it applies: to .300 hitters or, at least given the current crop, to .280+ hitters with .340+ OBP. To be short, here is what my lineup would look like if I was a GM and had the most successful billion dollar franchise behind me: Chisolm, 2B (He's a sparkplug, he steals) Soto, RF Judge, LF Bellinger, as in Cody, 1B/CF Bregman, 3B Wells, C Volpe, SS Dominguez, CF Wild card, DH I think in our make-believe world that I can get production from this crew and it is do-able in the real world given some risk taking and imagination. If the Yanks get stuck with Big K, I mean Big G, then he goes to DH. Perhaps try him out at leadoff like they did Judge one year (which was disastrous btw). But my observation of him is that he thinks too much up at the plate. He is thinking too hard as he watches a hanging slider in the middle-middle go by and land in the glove of the catcher. In all seriousness, I can't figure him out. He can be the best player for 60 games a year, is clueless, and then hits in the big shows like the All Star Game or the playoffs. Go figure. I'd prefer some other club go figure and try to drop at least half of that salary. In other words, pay someone else to play against him. But whatever the Yanks do, they don't need that slow-footed and occasional hitter in the middle of the lineup killing rallies.
Nicholas Pisano
2024-11-27 17:23:57 +0000 UTCKikuchi signing at 3/63, a 21M AAV, with the Angels for his age 34-36 seasons, is the best supporting point for keeping Cole. That's a crazy amount of money for a #4/5 starter, unless we're to believe the 10-game run with the Astros is the new Kikuchi. I'd bet against that.
MikeD
2024-11-25 22:47:46 +0000 UTCI love so much about this plan. I do however agree with the decision to keep Cole. One, I absolutely do not consider Eovaldi to be his equal, even though Mike isn't suggesting he is. Two, there is no guarantee that Eovaldi or anyone else actual signs with the Yankees. Three, the market for starting pitchers I think is going to such that retaining someone like Cole for 4 years might actually be a steal. Just look at what Kikuchi just got. Four, there is always a risk that a new pitcher can't acclimate to NY like Sonny Gray. We know what we are getting from Cole. I think we should take it.
Spookie
2024-11-25 16:19:08 +0000 UTCTrading Jasson is tough tough tough, but I can do it for that return though. Also wonder which of these moves are still applicable given that we do know that Cole is here to stay. Eovaldi doesn't get signed for sure. Will we do the Whitesox trade still? I guess we can still do that if we sell high on Gil.
Kelvz Rodriguez
2024-11-25 03:52:26 +0000 UTCBluesky do or die 🙌
Ryan H
2024-11-24 10:01:37 +0000 UTCEach year of these there is at least one MTPS that makes me hug the prospects a bit much and gives me hesitation. This year? I'd do all of these. Blow up the farm system *for these guys*. The only exception I would make is overpaying as much as was proposed here for Lamonte. Other than that? I'm with this plan.
Chris
2024-11-23 21:45:23 +0000 UTCCould make for an interesting separate column for Mike. The Plan B.
MikeD
2024-11-23 21:16:57 +0000 UTCUnderstood, although don't fall too hard in love with prospects if you're getting Crochet and Robert back.
MikeD
2024-11-23 21:09:09 +0000 UTCI could tolerate Naylor and his lefty bat, but not sure how much it would cost to acquire him, and I wonder if he's going to become more injury prone. He's still only 27, but he's working on a Ruthian-sized pot belly. He looks thicker than Ruth ever did as a Yankee, probably even exceeding Ruth as a 40-year-old Brave when he was cooked. Beyond that, not sure we'd have the prospects to acquire him based on what was included in the rest of the plan. It wouldn't surprise me, though, if Naylor ended up on the Yankees based on needs and if other trades and/or free-agent signings don't happen.
MikeD
2024-11-23 20:53:41 +0000 UTCFun read as always. We all appreciate the amount of work that goes into these. Took me a couple days to absorb it, so I can only imagine how long it took to write. I probably would have amended the offseason plan to include Cole simply because we now know he's part of the team, and it immediately throws off other assumptions. That said, I agree with the reasoning. Hopefully he has a mid- to late-30s like Scherzer and Verlander. Not something to bet on, but I also wouldn't bet against him as he's already making changes. Perhaps something for the offseason. The decreasing K and swing rate are concerning, but I'd be interested in a more in-depth look at what he's been doing differently the last two years. Last, you blew my 14/700 for Soto right out of the water!
MikeD
2024-11-23 20:48:42 +0000 UTCDisappointing.
MikeD
2024-11-23 20:31:00 +0000 UTCWe only sign longshoremen from Newark that missed their children's birth to pick up some extra shifts at the port. So what if they can't hit their weight? They're ready for the lean times!
W.B. Mason Williams
2024-11-23 17:22:49 +0000 UTCYikes. What an awful take.
I'm Not The Droids You're Looking For
2024-11-23 15:22:25 +0000 UTCI agree. With Cole staying as a done deal, I'd want to ask Mike what the downstream impact of that is on his plan. He now has whatever amount less in AAV to play with (too lazy to check but it's $5-10mm/year IIRC). Also, trade Jasson over my dead body! Otherwise great work Mike.
I'm Not The Droids You're Looking For
2024-11-23 15:21:27 +0000 UTCYeah.
Michael Axisa
2024-11-23 14:50:53 +0000 UTCDisagree. 3 years is an eternity. Stanton could be gone, Judge could move to DH or Soto to 1B, Robert is a FA in 2 years, etc
Dan G
2024-11-23 14:41:03 +0000 UTCIncredible work as always Mike! Couple thoughts- Goldschmidt in the Chavez/Andruw/Holliday veteran dead cat bounce role? While we’re pilfering Chicago teams, I’d love to get Happ. Switch hitter with pop No Naylor? Nevermind just threw up a little …
Dan G
2024-11-23 14:26:46 +0000 UTCCoulda used that extra $2M of wiggle room to improve the bench. That's the same bench as 2024 which was... not great. Fun read as always though!
brian m
2024-11-23 07:28:27 +0000 UTCMike, sorry, is the RAB’s twitter account dead? Are you posting just on bsky from now on?
Federico Triulzi
2024-11-23 07:03:28 +0000 UTCOne thought I have and i know it’s a lot of work already is to look at forward payroll commitments. I’m sure Yankees don’t just looked at one specific budget number but also 3 year look forward. That plays into their trade strategy re younger players. For example- signing Soto. Means they only need one of Jason and jones. Etc
Yuri brodsky
2024-11-23 03:12:19 +0000 UTC. . . it does appear that there is consensus against the moldy peaches
KD Tolliver
2024-11-23 03:02:39 +0000 UTCYup, rather have a dollar than 4 quarters
Bob from Manalapan
2024-11-23 02:08:17 +0000 UTCHow did Cole pitch in the WS? He almost survived the inning from hell but let up two big knocks. It’s on him too. Leaving aside the PFP fail.
Jingling Baby
2024-11-23 01:16:10 +0000 UTCHaven't you learned that quality is always better than quantity? Bregman, Adames, Walker and Santander and a Soto substitute is in no way better than Soto and substitutes for the others.
DocBob
2024-11-22 23:17:21 +0000 UTCIsn't Eovaldi hurt half the time?
DocBob
2024-11-22 23:13:42 +0000 UTCMike, you’re a madman (complimentary) and I love you for going to this level of detail every year for us ravenous fans. Just wanted to say thanks.
Gary D.
2024-11-22 21:29:34 +0000 UTCAxisa for GM. Great work, this is a detailed and fun read.
hbcobra
2024-11-22 21:15:19 +0000 UTCThis seems to not be so much about baseball. The “questionable attitude” thing looks like projection. I neither own the team nor get paid to make decisions in their financial best interests. For my money, he’s the most fun player to watch in all of MLB. As a fan, that’s pretty important to me.
KD Tolliver
2024-11-22 21:12:50 +0000 UTCAre you implying that Stanton has an attitude problem and wants to be injured?
Big Davey88
2024-11-22 20:53:16 +0000 UTCYes. All the bat flippin' and ass shakin' is great when things are going well, not so much when the lean times come. A 15-year contract is going to have lean times. Remember how much we all loved Verdugo in April and then wanted to strangle him in September? How do you think Soto is going to react the first time he hears boos at the Stadium? Are his defense and baserunning, already subpar, likely to get better or worse with all the guaranteed money in his pocket? You don't have to look too far to find a cautionary tale about a generational talent who got a huge contract and started mailing it in. How long before Soto asks "if Big G can take a 6-week wellness retreat every summer, why can't I?"
pkmuldy
2024-11-22 20:11:24 +0000 UTCOh I agree. Appreciate the nice comment. Yeah that is why on all those trades I had the Yankees overpay by 5-10 value. Maybe not enough.
Drew
2024-11-22 20:07:46 +0000 UTCThis is my first year subscribing, so my first Offseason Plan, and man does this new team sound fun. Though like others I'd still opt for keeping Cole, even if it does blow Hal's (imaginary) salary cutting. And I got chills reading the whole section about Soto. It's an insane amount of money with an incredible amount of risk, but if anyone has ever been enough of a sure thing to merit this kind of contract, it's him. With everything else in the world slowly going to shit, the idea of Soto being a Yankee for life is incredibly comforting, something to make the Yankees fun to watch for the next decade-plus.
Will
2024-11-22 19:42:49 +0000 UTCWhat about taking a flyer on someone like Shane Bieber?
David L.
2024-11-22 19:41:54 +0000 UTCI agree too. I get the logic of Evoldi for 2 years at same-ish price as Cole instead of Cole for 6 years…but I’d still rather have those 2 years of Cole over Evoldi, which was basically gonna happen anyway.
Bryan Mayer
2024-11-22 19:31:15 +0000 UTCLots of turnover after the WS. First thought was, who the heck are the Yankees gonna trade at the deadline for an upgrade down the stretch? Prospects are mostly gone, haha. But I'll ride and die with Cole. Gonna bank on him reinventing himself as his stuff declines. He's too prideful and smart not to try.
Chris M.
2024-11-22 19:29:43 +0000 UTCI don’t love the Gil trade. It feels like an over reaction to the 5th inning. “At least we get to watch superior infield defense instead of whatever Torres was”
Bryan Mayer
2024-11-22 19:29:04 +0000 UTCHard agree here.
The Original Drew
2024-11-22 18:25:22 +0000 UTCQuestionable attitude?
KD Tolliver
2024-11-22 18:13:44 +0000 UTCLove that you do this for us every year, Mike. Thank you thank you thank you!
Mark P in VT
2024-11-22 17:36:52 +0000 UTCI think it makes the offseason plan more compelling keeping a decision that was already made by the Yankees in your offseason plan. Cole will be on the team no matter what next year, so you should just keep him on the team too. Takes this exercise from a pure fantasy to maybe something that could legitimately happen.
Gai Kaufman
2024-11-22 17:20:41 +0000 UTCGiving Soto $750M and 15(!) years is crazy talk and will set this organization back for a generation. I get that he's young but he's got city miles on him and a questionable attitude and betting that he's going to get all that guaranteed cash and give you back a decade and a half, or even a decade, of elite play is a fantasy. Spread the money and risk around. If you can add Bregman or Adames, Walker and Santander (while unloading $15M of Stroman) for the same approximate $50M AAV and without the lifetime commitment to one dude, that's the way to go.
pkmuldy
2024-11-22 17:11:39 +0000 UTCI agree on the Cole decision. I was amazed that everyone was saying that the NYY would just give him the extra year and move on. You pay a guy that much in his mid to late 30s to get his peak years. But his return has a huge impact on the offseason plan...
DZB
2024-11-22 17:03:43 +0000 UTCLove Andrew Nardi, and I'm similarly lower on Gil. You might have to wait until they update those values though. Like Mike said, the current numbers for many prospects (Jones, Hampton, Vivas, Pereira) are too high, so your Crochet package is probably an underpay (r/NYYankees will say otherwise - shocker).
chuangeUp
2024-11-22 16:49:53 +0000 UTCSo much fun to read! The fact that not one single person in the comments is even batting an eye at the massive Soto numbers tells me it’s still prob not massive enough lol
Steve
2024-11-22 16:31:07 +0000 UTCI would sign up for that team in heartbeat. This is always my favourite post of the year (until we read the "The Yankees are your XXXX World Series Champions"). I can't imagine the amout of work that goes into this, thanks Mike! PS. I will try and run these moves on OOTP 25 and see what happens.
Federico Triulzi
2024-11-22 16:18:37 +0000 UTCI concur about Yandy Diaz, I’m dreaming of a Fairbanks + Diaz trade this winter.
CaptainTightpants12
2024-11-22 16:06:35 +0000 UTCFair enough, it's not for everybody. Thanks for all the hard work!
Tyler
2024-11-22 15:57:30 +0000 UTCSteve Cohen and Juan Soto: Let's Dig Cole Together. Gleyber Torres: I am going to be RICH.
Kyle
2024-11-22 15:56:49 +0000 UTCFYI-Long description ahead- Ideal and Realistic Yankees Offseason 2024-2025-not including “Fire Boone & Fire Cashman or sell Hal.” Those aren’t going to happen. Would love to hear your thoughts! Goals in order to win World Series-Must Improve defense, speed, base running, depth, flexibility (both roster & payroll), contact skills (for hitters-in particular against lefty pitchers ), strikeout & swing & miss & limited walk activity (for pitchers-mostly bullpen). And to slightly lower luxury tax AAV payroll (Steinbrenner mandated-I disagree with it, but oh well). Eventually Judge or Soto move to first base so that is why I don’t have a lot of longer term commitments. End of 2024 Luxury Tax (according to Spotrac)-$314.5 million (rounded up). Key: IF-Infielder (multiple positions) OF-Outfielder (multiple positions) C-Catcher 1B-First Base 2B-Second Base 3B-Third Base SS-Shortstop LF-Left Fielder CF-Center Fielder RF-Right Fielder DH-Designated Hitter UTL-Utility Man (both IF and OF) L-Left handed R-Right-handed S-Switch Hitter RP-Relief Pitcher SP-Starting Pitcher All dollar amounts rounded up to nearest half a million $ amount- so in actuality Luxury tax will be slightly lower. 26 man roster-additions/retentions/already on roster & deductions: Roster Additions: Add 7 players/$50 million AAV OF-L-Michael Siani (STL trade)-1 yr/$1 million dollars (pre-arbitration prediction) RP -L-Andrew Nardi (MIA trade)-1 yr/$1 million (pre-arbitration prediction) IF(2B)-R-Nico Hoerner (Cubs trade)-2 yrs/$24 million ($12 million AAV) SP-L-Garret Crochet (White Sox trade) -1 year/$3.5 million (arbitration prediction) RP-R -Kirby Yates (Free Agent Signing)-1 year $13 million ($13 million AAV) RP-R-David Robinson(Free Agent Signing)-1 year $9 million ($9 million AAV) IF (1B) -Carlos Santana (Free Agent Signing) -1 yr/$10.5 million ($10.5 million AAV) Trade Details (values from Baseball trade values)-Yankees overpaid on some of these as there is always a bit of a “Yankees tax” involved in trades. Trade #1: To White Sox from Yankees- 57.6 Value (Minors) OF-L-Spencer Jones-33.5 value IF-R-Roderick Arias-11.1 value SP-R-Chase Hampton-9.7 value OF-R-Franscico Villario-3.3 value To Yankees from White Sox-42.5 value (Majors) SP-L-Garret Crochet-42.2 value (2 yrs control) (Minors) RP-R-Jared Rosario-0.3 value Trade #2: To Cubs from Yankees-24.3 value (Majors) SP-R-Luis Gil-24.3 value To Yankees from Cubs-19.4 value (5 yrs control) (Majors) IF(2B)-R-Nico Hoerner-19.4 value (2 yrs control) Trade #3: To Marlins from Yankees-12 value (Minors) OF-R-Everson Pereira -5.1 value IF-R-Jorbit Vivas-4.2 value SP-Carlos Legrange-2.7 value To Yankees from Marlins-10.7 value (Majors) RP-L-Andrew Nardi-10.7 value (4 yrs of control) Trade #4: To Cardinals from Yankees-4.5 value (Minors) OF-L-Anthony Hall-2.5 value SP-R-Sabier Marte-2 value To Yankees from Cardinals-3.9 value (Majors) OF-L-Michael Siani-3.9 value (5 yrs of control) Roster Retentions- Resign-Add 2 players/$50 million AAV OF-L-Juan Soto-14 years/$658 million ($47 million AAV) RP-L-Tim Hill-1 year/3 million ($3 million dollars AAV) Roster Deductions-Deduct 3 players/$10 million AAV SP-Luis Gil-R (traded to Cubs)-$1 million AAV OF-Trent Grisham-L (non-tendered contract)-$5.5 million AAV (projected arbitration) IF-Jon Berti-R (non-tendered contract)- $3.5 million AAV (projected arbitration) Call ups from Minors (New to Roster)-1 player-$1 million AAV IF-R-Caleb Durbin-$1 million AAV Other Luxury tax commitments-not reflected on 26 man roster-$54 million AAV Player Benefits-$17.5 million AAV Minor League Contracts-$2.5 million AAV Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool-$2 million AAV Non 26 man, but 40 man roster salaries-$7 million AAV Releases/DFA-still paying off-$25 million AAV OF-Aaron Hicks-S-$10 million AAV IF-DJ Lemahieu (estimated) -R-$15 million AAV “Locked in” Salaries (long term salaries): 6 players-$154.5 million AAV OF-R-Aaron Judge-$40 million AAV SP-R-Gerrit Cole-$36 million AAV SP-L-Carlos Rodon-$27 million AAV SP-R-Marcus Stroman-$18.5 million AAV RP-R-Luke Weaver-$2 million AAV DH-R-Giancarlo Stanton-$22 million AAV Arbitration Players (estimated from MLB Trade Rumors)-6 players-$28 million AAV SP-R-Clarke Schmidt-$5.5 million AAV IF/3B-L-Jazz Chisholm Jr.-$7 million AAV RP-R-Mark Leiter Jr.-$2.5 million AAV RP-R-Ian Hamilton-$1.5 million AAV C-R-Jose Trevino-$4 million AAV SP/RP-L-Nestor Cortes Jr.-$8.5 million AAV Pre-Arbitration 26 man players (all at $1 million AAV)-4 players-$4 million AAV SS-R-Anthony Volpe C-L-Austin Wells UTL-S-Oswaldo Cabrera OF-S-Jasson Dominguez Notable Backups on 40 man roster, but not on 26 man roster (injuries)- C-R-Carlos Navarez 1B-L-Ben Rice IF-R-Oswald Peraza OF-R-Duke Ellis SP-R-Will Warren SP-R-Cody Poteet RP-R-Scott Effross SP/RP-L-Ben Shields RP-R-Jake Cousins Final Roster Breakdown w/Luxury Tax implications: 298.5 million AAV Non 26 man roster commitments-$54 million AAV New players (trades & signings)-7 players/$41 million AAV Under Contract Players (long term contracts)-6 players/$154.5 million AAV Retained Players (resigned)-2 players/$51 million AAV Estimated Arbitration Players-6 players/$28 million AAV Pre-Arbitration Players-4 players/$4 million AAV Minor League Call-ups-1 player/$1 million AAV Starting Lineup (9) - SS-R-Volpe RF-L-Soto CF-R-Judge 3B-L-Chisholm DH-R-Stanton C-L-Wells LF-S-Dominguez 1B-S-Santana 2B-R-Hoerner Bench (4): C-R-Trevino IF-R-Durbin UTL-S-Cabrera OF-L-Siani Pitching: Starters (5): SP-R-Cole SP-L-Crochet SP-R-Schmidt SP-L-Rodon SP-R-Stroman Bullpen (8): -Longman- SP/RP-L-Cortes -Middle Relief- RP-L-Hill RP-R-Hamilton RP-R-Leiter -High Leverage- RP-R-Robertson RP-R-Yates RP-L-Nardi -Closer- RP-R-Weaver
Drew
2024-11-22 15:55:35 +0000 UTCAwesome as always. Though some I would be super nervous with the injury risk in the rotation, assuming three of Crochet, Eovaldi, Rodón, Schmidt, Cortes miss significant time based on their histories and workload (not that a rotation with Cole + Gil would fair much better in the risk department).
Joe
2024-11-22 15:55:30 +0000 UTCThis is a copy and paste job from what I wrote on the Yankees subreddit a few weeks ago. Trade values have changed. I pretty much agree with Only addition would be possibly getting Robert instead of Siani. And Robert’s $8.3 million AAV luxury tax number is there instead of Kirby Yates #. Maybe up the Soto AAV. I don’t know. Love to hear your thoughts.
Drew
2024-11-22 15:55:25 +0000 UTCI understand that it is meant for fun, and I also understand that is not supposed to be an actual prediction. But I always enjoy them in past years because they contain some well thought out ideas about things that the Yankees could at least conceivably do. This year, the entire thing is DOA from the start because of that one move. You may as well say hey, let’s bring back Graig nettles to play third base.It’s his game and his rules, but I was very disappointed by that.
Mike Bono
2024-11-22 15:54:22 +0000 UTCThe entire plan is a work of fiction (see all of the previous year plans). But also, it is fun (see all of the previous years plans).
Kyle
2024-11-22 15:47:04 +0000 UTCI like a lot of this, but you need to bring back Cole. As someone said it already happened (the opt-in/weird opt out) and also quite frankly while I like Eovaldi as a #2/#3-I don’t like him as a true #1. Say what you will about Cole, but dude is super consistent. He gives you the innings and starts we need (save for beginning of this year with the TJ scare-I know). Also he is a “core” guy along with Judge, Stanton and hopefully Soto. A guy who is super close to Hal and is defacto pitching coach & captain#2. We are of the similar wavelength on a lot of other things. I have kicked around a Gil for Hoerner trade myself. I really love the idea of Carlos Santana for 1 year at 1B. Gold glover (this year!), great great clubhouse guy, switch hitter, mashes lefties, outstanding K% and BB% #s. Yeah hard hit rate & power isn’t outstanding, but again he is in all of my offseason plans pretty much. I like Wade a lot, but not when you can get Santana for only money. Yeah he is 39 yrs old-but a 1 yr deal is never bad. If he struggles against Righties you do have Rice’s bat. I do eat Lemahieu’s 15 million immediately. I just do. Like you did with Stanton last offseason plan. I love the duel Robert/Crochet trade. But both Dominguez and Jones? Umph. I would try to do it and actually have Robert as a defacto elite 4th OF/DH (Stanton does get hurt). May require Dominguez yes-but not to prospect hug too much-I am not trading him. He is a super core piece for me. For Skubal (not happening in a million years)? Sure. But not Crochet. Jones, Arias, Hampton + more can all go to White Sox. I keep Lombard. I need to keep 2 current top 5 prospects. Dominguez and Lombard. Is it ok if I post my offseason plan later on today as a response? Not as detailed as yours with 40 man/minor league signings. But just wanted to get everyone’s thoughts on it. Love the community that has been built. Love the work Mike. Thank you sincerely for all the great content. Yeah we pay $3/mth-but to get all this is incredible. RAB has been a constant in my Yankee fandom for over a decade. Been on the Patreon for the last few years.
Drew
2024-11-22 15:45:55 +0000 UTCI've tried it in the past and it wasn't for me. I like being able to go into the games and hit/pitch.
Michael Axisa
2024-11-22 15:42:50 +0000 UTCThanks Mike, awesome stuff as always. Super random question - the Rosenberg / The Show comment got me thinking - have you ever played OOTP? I think you'd really thrive - it's a much more detailed sim.
Tyler
2024-11-22 15:31:07 +0000 UTCI don't know how you comfortable sit in a chair with the size of your testicles. Saying see-ya to Cole after how he pitched in the World Series takes some serious (low stakes) intestinal fortitude. That being said, I know it's strictly an exercise, but while on paper the teams seems better, the utterly important vibes doesn't check out for me. I am not 100% sure what I would do differently, and I do like the idea of trading for Robert Jr, but I think I would rather him in LF and move Jazz back to CF. Judge to 1B. Figure out 2B and 3B from there.
The Original Drew
2024-11-22 15:04:30 +0000 UTCI fist pumped when I saw Robertson (should have been a Yankee for life) and audibly said "Ho-lee SHIT" at some of those trades. Ballsy! It would probably get ravaged, but you just signed Juan Soto for that deal and it's probably more important to push the pedal to the metal when you have him plus Judge approaching his mid 30s. I personally would have cut DJLM regardless. His deal was always a luxury tax manipulation, and he has looked cooked the last two years.
Nick Fugitt
2024-11-22 14:54:26 +0000 UTCI wish you had more time to think about Plan B. Without Soto your payroll is less than 10M above the tax line. At that point changing some moves and resetting probably makes more sense than forcing Bellinger (in left?).
chuangeUp
2024-11-22 14:49:39 +0000 UTCKeeping Soto and cutting Cole alone makes this at least 80/100. Well done. The White Sox certainly won't sell low now on Robert, especially not as a throw in with Crochet. Domínguez and Jones is reasonable for Crochet, so Getz won't give Robert for a Lombard-tier prospect.
chuangeUp
2024-11-22 14:36:59 +0000 UTCYou locked this after already knowing Cole is back. So what would change in your plan?
Jeremy W
2024-11-22 14:14:35 +0000 UTCThat was an amazing read. Tough to stomach Cole, but I do like the upside of Crochet with the theoretical stability of Eovaldi. In your post yesterday, you mentioned when Judge wanted more moves they signed Rodon. I’ve long thought they would so some thing similar to that this year (assuming they re-sign Soto). The past month or so I thought it would be Max Fried. But reading this and some of the tea leaves, I do think that “other move” probably should be a trade.
John Balas
2024-11-22 14:08:35 +0000 UTCMike's not saying Cole can't follow Mussina and Sabathia's paths. It's that if he does decline the way they did, paying 36M AAV for his 34-38 years would be a massive mistake.
chuangeUp
2024-11-22 14:06:46 +0000 UTCI love the Crochet/Robert trade. I want thinking I'd want to trade Jasson but that's the kind of deal I think it'd be worth it for
colin
2024-11-22 13:52:19 +0000 UTCYou're insane in the best way possible - amazing article.
BK Bobby Digital
2024-11-22 13:25:34 +0000 UTCIt's a tough one to stomach without Cole, and all things considered Id rather keep Cole, not sign Eo, and still trade for Crochet. I know I'm banking on Cole following the Moose and CC path but we haven't seen anything that would tell us Cole won't make adjustments. With that said, great work as always Mike, have a good thanksgiving and hopefully Santa delivers us Soto as an early Christmas present!
Ken Celelli
2024-11-22 12:52:41 +0000 UTCWow, that was a lot of work!
TJD
2024-11-22 12:24:05 +0000 UTCI know timing with this is hard, and we know Cole is back. Can you do a plan C with Cole in the mix and the downstream impacts?
Ryan Drury
2024-11-22 11:38:09 +0000 UTCI stopped reading when I read you cut Cole. Not because it was the wrong move, but because it didn’t happen. Makes the entire plan a work of fiction.
Mike Bono
2024-11-22 11:24:13 +0000 UTC
