Empire Writes Back
Fansided

New York Yankees: What to expect from the Winter Meetings

ByChristian Kouroupakis|

The New York Yankees kicked off the 2015 Winter Meetings yesterday at the Gaylord Opryland hotel in Nashville, as Brian Cashman and the rest of baseball’s general managers continue to shape their rosters for the 2016 season.

Big moves have already been made by several teams this offseason, but none of them by the Yankees. Last week the Boston Red Sox signed LHP David Price to a seven-year, $217 million contract, which was a record breaking deal in Major League Baseball. It didn’t last one, as the Arizona Diamondbacks and Zack Greinke agreed on 6-year, $206 million contract, sending the ace to an organization that typically chooses NOT to spend big and topping the per year amount of Price.

And what is the team with a payroll of about $212 million doing while their rivals and small market teams are bringing in big names? They’re, for some strange reason, being conservative and claiming they have a “tight budget.”

“I want young, cost-controlled everything. It doesn’t matter the position.”- Brian Cashman

If you haven’t heard, general manager Brian Cashman has decided to work the trade market to improve New York’s roster while hoping to avoid dipping into the free-agent pool for any major upgrades. Cashman is specifically focused on acquiring young, cost-controlled players, a concept that has resulted in some success as he acquired names like Didi Gregorius, Nathan Eovaldi, Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve, Dustin Ackley and Aaron Hicks.

Although he said anyone is available, Brett Gardner and Andrew Miller are names that have been heavily mentioned throughout the media. Over the weekend, Cashman said he expects both Miller and Gardner back in the Bronx next season, but he also said that he’s willing discuss a trade involving them. Miller and Gardner are two of the more valuable and tradeable players the Yankees have to offer, but the trick is finding a good match that brings back equal value.

Oct 6, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher

Andrew Miller

(48) throws against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning in the American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Miller is coming off a terrific season (36 saves, 2.04 ERA, 14.6 K/9), and with Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel off the market, teams like the Houston Astros have shown interest in the left handed closer. As for replacing him, Dellin Betances is more than capable of taking over the 9th inning for manager Joe Girardi.

But if an Andrew Miller trade were to happen, what would the Yankees receive in return? If you remember when the Baltimore Orioles acquired Miller in 2014, they shipped starter Eduardo Rodriguez to the Red Sox. So the Yankees will be looking to add a similar piece; a young starter with a high ceiling.

Gardner has one of the more flexible contracts on the Yankees’ roster.  Right off the bat, the ideal situation for Cashman was to deal Gardner to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for a young lefty starter. All signs were pointing to James Paxton, but after the Mariners acquired outfielder Leonys Martin from the Texas Rangers, making a potential deal turn to dust.

More from Empire Writes Back

Gardner will make $38 million over the next three years which could be easily moved in this market, and the value he has in the field, on the base paths, and at the plate (besides the second half of 2015) is very attractive. Specifically for the Chicago Cubs.

If you watched the 2015 National League Championship Series you can tell the Cubs are in need of a left/center fielder after the defensive play of Kyle Schwarber. The Yankees have expressed interest for second baseman Starlin Castro but probably also have interest in Javier Baez who’s an athletic/powerfull second baseman. Baez could also give them an option at short should anything happen to Gregorius.

What the Yankees are looking for is a player with solid all-around credentials at second base, which they’ve lacked ever since Robinson Cano left for Seattle. They have a hole at second base, only having a mediocre platoon of Ackley and Rob Refsnyder on the roster.

Gardner has drawn interest from the Cleveland Indians as well, with Carlos Carrasco as part of a potential deal. Shipping Gardner and Miller won’t surprise me one bit, and a package deal part of a three team trade is how I think it’ll be done.

More from New York Yankees

A trade involving Ivan Nova I think is on Cashman’s agenda as well. Given the Yankees’ current rotation depth, and the astronomical contracts being signed by starters in the free agent pool, there’s some obvious sense in trading Nova. Not only is he a cheap rotation option for a team in need of a starter, but the Yankees can afford to lose him considering they have plenty of other rotation candidates and could be on the hunt for more.

The problem with Nova, though, seems to be figuring out what he’s worth. He might have more value to the Yankees as a cheap insurance policy (who has had success in the past) than he has on the trade market as a buy low rotation candidate.

While I’m talking about the rotation, will the market for a starting pitcher eventually fall into the Yankees’ comfort zone? We know they aren’t going to spend money, but there are a ton of names off the market and the cost to bring an available starter could come down. And there are still a lot of good rotation options available.

Sep 26, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher

Wei-Yin Chen

(16) delivers a pitch during the first inning of the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Red Sox won 8-0. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Wei Yin Chen, Scott Kazmir and more are available and it’s worth wondering if the Yankees find a starter they’re comfortable signing. A new report has it that the Yankees have talked to the Marlins about Jose Fernandez, which could be an unexpected blockbuster deal.

The more entertaining and reasonable option would be Chen, considering the experience he has pitching in the American League East and attributes that are favorable towards New York. Chen is known for staying healthy, only has 706.2 innings on his arm, and the rotation of Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Chen, Eovaldi, and Michael Pineda could very well compete for the division.

You won’t see the Yankees go after any big names in the free agent pool, but why? They won a World Series in 2009 after they spent big on Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and A.J. Burnett, and haven’t spent (or won) like they did in that season.

Next: 5 Greatest Yankees Of All-Time

My honest opinion is, the Yankees don’t want to admit that they are not forming a team that’s going to be title contenders. Going into 2013, 2014, and 2015 they just didn’t seem like they were going to win anything. They are simply trying to shave some salary while being potential punch contenders, and build a younger and more athletic team.

This angers many Yankee fans, and has George Steinbrenner rolling over in his grave, but the Yankees are simply being financially responsible in order to build a better team years down the road. We can only wait and see what Cashman has up his sleeve this week.

Home/New York Yankees