7 Yankees observations from Day 1 of spring training | Domingo German’s thin ice; Jameson Taillon, Austin Wells impress

Yankees starting pitcher Domingo German was the talk of the first workout of spring training — and it wasn’t for a great reason.

By Brendan Kuty

TAMPA — The thinnest ice in Yankees camp might be under the spikes of Domingo German.

After just Day 1, that was plenty clear.

In the days leading up to the start of spring training, German at best could be described as embattled. The starting pitcher was on the precipice of a return from a season-long suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy. He’d already once sent the organization scrambling and social media into a tizzy with a cryptic message about possible retirement before quickly walking it back. Some Yankees staffers had been rubbed the wrong way by how he’d been portraying his eventual reinstatement as a phoenix rising from the ashes, though the situation he was in was self-made.

Yet, there was manager Aaron Boone — not long after the team’s first pitchers and catchers workout had ended — answering questions about yet another German incident. On Wednesday night, German posted to his Instagram story that something was “over” and deleted all the pictures on his account, leading fans to speculate that he might have considered retiring again. He then deleted the post and then posted something new about being ready for the start of the season.

Thing is, by the time the questions came, Boone had already addressed the matter earlier in the morning with German. Boone said that he’d been “taken aback a little bit and immediately concerned.” But he added that German’s words might have been “taken out of context” and that the pitcher was fine.

The problem: It’s German who needs to add the context to his own words.

The other problem: He might be working from a deficit in his own clubhouse.

Reliever Zack Britton was asked about German’s return and didn’t hold back.

“I think sometimes you don’t get to control who your teammates are and that’s the situation,” Britton said. “I don’t agree with what he did. I don’t think it has any place in the game or off the field or at all.”

Britton added that German doesn’t have to prove anything to him, but that it’s up to German to take care of his own life.

The Yankees know German will be a lightning rod for a while, or at least until he speaks for the first time publicly about what led him to his suspension, what it taught him and how he’s changed his behavior since. He joined Thursday’s workout but was on a field beyond the view of reporters. He wasn’t the only pitcher working on the far-away field, but the Yankees are smart.

Which means they know that unless German can control his actions that are in the public view — another thing Boone said he discussed with him — the scrutiny will only intensify. And at what point does it stop being worth it for the Yankees?

Jameson Taillon is huge: It was entertaining watching the newly acquired Taillon play catch with top pitching prospect Deivi Garcia. Taillon stands at 6-foot-5, and just looked even bigger across from the 5-foot-9 Garcia. Imagine what it’s like facing Taillon from the batter’s box.

Austin Wells is impressive: He was in a hitting group with several other Yankees catchers Thursday, including fellow first-round pick Anthony Seigler (2018) and Josh Breaux, a second-rounder from 2018. Wells’ bat stood out. Specifically, it was his bat speed that separated him, and how his lefty swing looks cut out for hammering the cheap seats at Yankee Stadium. The leg kick is pronounced but quick and the swing is relatively compact.

The biggest mystery of camp … is simple: What does the inside of the Gas Station look like? Wait, what’s the Gas Station? It’s the enormous barn-like structure near the Dale Mabry Highway side of the player development complex. It’s got a white roof and white doors and blue paneling. Inside, Boone said, is just a slew of the newest, shiniest equipment used to track pitchers, from slow-motion cameras to high-definition cameras to radar guns and maybe even otherworldly technology. The scene when the scientist from “Independence Day” opens the secret lab and shows Will Smith the captured alien spaceship from the first time comes to mind.

Masked up: Players were on top of their face mask responsibilities, which need to be minded when they’re not performing baseball activities. Kudos to them.

Keeping the expectations low early: Asked how Corey Kluber and Taillon looked in their first workouts with the Yankees, Boone kept it short: “”They looked like you hoped they would look here on Day 1.”

All the bullpens: Here’s a list of everyone who threw a bullpen session, presumably all of them happening inside the Gas Station: Taillon, Kluber, Chad Green, Britton, Deivi Garcia, Aroldis Chapman, Asher Wojciechowski, Darren O’Day, Adam Warren, Clarke Schmidt, Nick Goody, Mike King, Yoendrys Gomez, Albert Abreu and Luis Garcia.

Gary Sanchez must overcome ‘inadequacies’ and ‘limitations’ at Yankees spring training, report says

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez hit a career-worst .147 in 2020.

By Mike Rosenstein

When New York Yankees pitchers and catchers take the field Thursday for their first spring training workout in Tampa, Fla., many eyes will be on the lookout for Gary Sanchez.

It’s safe to say this is a make-or-break year for the 28-year-old catcher, who hit a career-worst .147 in 2020. That, when combined with his defensive deficiencies, forced the Yankees to ponder non-tendering him this winter. In the end, the Yankees offered Sanchez a contract and avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $6.35 million deal.

But Sanchez won’t be able to avoid the criticism which puts a target on his back heading into this season. Per SNY:

“Over 162 games there’s enough game action to disguise his inadequacies behind the plate. But in the postseason, both he and (those inadequacies) get exposed in a real negative way. I’ve seen it three years in a row. You can’t hide it in the postseason,” said a National League executive who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Adds an MLB scout: “I believe he’ll have a bounce-back year, offensively, especially if they don’t put that extreme pressure on his defensive limitations. They’re probably afraid to give up on him until they see how 2021 progresses, which is smart. … There aren’t many guys that have his arm, but stolen bases look to be a thing of the past with analytics. The bad part is that the analytics don’t care too much about throwing, but handing the staff, framing and receiving are golden for anyone right now.”

Sanchez will compete with Kyle Higashioka for playing time behind the plate. But they aren’t the only catchers who are worth watching this year.

On Monday, general manager Brian Cashman signed Robinson Chirinos to a minor-league deal. According to the New York Post, Chirinos was Gerrit Cole’s part-time personal catcher in 2019 with the Houston Astros. That’s a role Higashioka filled with the Yankees in 2020.

Catcher also is a position of depth down on the farm, thanks to:

• Austin Wells (first-round pick in 2020, No. 28 overall)
• Anthony Seigler (first-round pick in 2018, No. 23 overall)
• Josh Breaux (second-round pick in 2018, No. 61 overall)
• Antonio Gomez (international free agent in 2018)

3 Yankees potential areas of improvement before spring training

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

By Brendan Kuty

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman always says his roster is never finished.

That’s especially true with spring training less than a week away.

While the Yankees project to have one of the best lineups in the league (once again), a stout rotation (as long as its healthy) and a strong bullpen, there are a few areas in which they could improve.

Here are three of them.

Left-handed hitting

Agreeing with veteran Jay Bruce on a minor-league deal was a half-step in the right direction toward addressing the Yankees’ heavy right-handedness, even if their only hoping he can take occasional at-bats off the bench. Boone’s regular starting lineup currently features just one hitter who can hack from the left side, and that’s the switch-hitting center fielder Aaron Hicks. Cashman has said the Yankees’ lack of southpaw bats is slightly concerning, but that he’s not willing to possibly downgrade from a pure hitting standpoint at any one spot in the order just to add a lefty. It seems highly likely that the Yankees will just roll into 2021 with what they’ve got, which might not be so bad. They will be returning essentially the same lineup as last year, which posted a .811 OPS vs. righties.

Front-end bullpen help

The Yankees still have a strong one-two punch with Aroldis Chapman at closer and Zack Britton in the eighth inning. If Darren O’Day pitches the way he did in 2020, when he posted a 1.10 ERA for the Braves, he’ll be an excellent replacement for Adam Ottavino, especially against right-handers. Chad Green projects to be solid in the seventh inning. But the Yankees still haven’t covered for the loss of Tommy Kahnle, who pitched just one inning last year before needing Tommy John surgery and then signed with the Dodgers in free agency. They reportedly have been talking to several accomplished free agent options, including the familiar Justin Wilson, and they scouted David Robertson’s recent showcase in Alabama.

Starting rotation assist

As the old adage goes, you can never have enough starting pitching. The first four spots of the Yankees’ rotation seem locked: Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon and Jordan Montgomery. After that? Well, the Yankees hope Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery) can return sometime in July. But with the potential injury risks (Kluber, Taillon) and the lack of a definite fifth starter (Deivi Garcia? Clarke Schmidt? Jhoulys Chacín?), paired with the inning watch that comes with trying to rebound off a season that lasted just 60 games, and the Yankees are going to need more quality innings from more arms.

7 Yankees spring training x-factors: Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, Aroldis Chapman, more

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, will be counting on closer Aroldis Chapman in 2021.

By Joe Giglio

It’s the most wonderful time of year, Yankees fans.

Pitchers and catchers are on their way down to Tampa, Florida for spring training.

It will be different (less fan attendance and interaction), but it’s still meaningful in this way: We’re on track for a full season of baseball in 2021, and that can’t be taken for granted ever again after the truncated 2020 campaign.

And most projection systems believe it can be a special one in the Bronx, with a deep good enough and deep enough to win it all. If the first championship Yankees team since 2009 is about to emerge, things will have to go right and x-factors must hit in the right direction.

Here are seven to watch as spring training begins.

Corey Kluber’s health

When right, Kluber is special. From 2014-2018, Kluber posted a 151 ERA+, 5.51 SO/BB, and owned a 2.83 FIP while becoming one of just 21 pitchers in baseball history to win at least two Cy Youngs. To put those numbers into perspective, here’s how Mets star (and the current best pitcher in baseball) Jacob deGrom has performed over the last five seasons: 153 OPS+, 4.98 SO/BB, 2.78 FIP.

The last time we saw this guy truly pitch, he was deGrom-ish. I don’t expect that kind of performance (nor should the Yankees), but a healthy Kluber will be an effective Kluber.

Jameson Taillon’s stuff and readiness to take a leap

When the Yankees landed Taillon in a trade with the Pirates, it felt like a classic buy-low on a guy that could rise once leaving a poor organization for a forward-thinking group. Am I thinking about how Gerrit Cole changed once he left the Pirates for the Astros? Yes, I am. Now, don’t go expecting a dominant force to emerge and future $300M man to toe the rubber in the Bronx alongside Cole. But if Taillon’s stuff is where it was just a few years ago before injuries, expect the Yankees pitching performance team to up his level.

Gleyber Torres’ glove at shortstop

I am worried about the Yankees infield defense. Gio Urshela is a stud at third base, but is coming off elbow surgery. DJ LeMahieu can play all over the infield, but 32-year-old second baseman rarely get more range or move more quickly as they age. Luke Voit isn’t a liability at first base, but you will not confuse him for prime Don Mattingly or even Tino Martinez around the bag.

And then there’s Torres, who needs to spend most of spring getting his swing back on track. The Yankees can pretend he’s fine at shortstop, but there was a reason this franchise sniffed around the Francisco Lindor market and was linked to guys like Freddy Galvis in free agency: Torres is a second baseman playing shortstop.

Clint Frazier’s maturity

This isn’t so much a knock on Frazier as a curiosity of how much more he can grow. It feels like the spotlight has shined too bright on this player for what he wasn’t or isn’t and not enough on what he’s become: Quite good.

Frazier posted a 149 OPS+ in 2020 and now owns a 113 OPS+ mark for his career in the bigs, spanning 524 at-bats. Over parts of four seasons, Frazier has basically played a full season (162 games) for the Yankees. His numbers: .258/.331/.475, 24 HR.

He’s clearly a good young player. In 2020, Frazier’s defense and plate discipline improved. One more leap in on-field maturity and we could be talking about an American League All-Star.

Gary Sanchez’s attitude

Sometimes I’m not sure Sanchez hears the outside noise or gets where his career has gone. That’s probably good for a player, especially with the Yankees. But Sanchez can’t be oblivious to being benched in the postseason and the team bringing him back for 2021 because there was no true cost-effective Plan B.

If Sanchez wants to flip the script on his Yankees career, this is the last chance. If not, we’ll see a new everyday catcher by 2022. It could even happen by the trade deadline. How Sanchez acts and looks in spring will go a long way to determining his future.

Aroldis Chapman’s velocity

Here’s a snapshot of Chapman’s average fastball velocity over the last five years.

2016: 100.4

2017: 100.1

2018: 98.9

2019: 98.4

2020: 98.1

What we’re watching is a natural decline, and doesn’t mean Chapman is about to fall off a cliff as an effective lock-down reliever. But it’s notable, and could result in a flame-thrower throwing less than 98 MPH on average this coming season. Sure, Chapman could work in a splitter and change up his approach to get hitters out. It may work. But if Chapman’s velocity is down in Tampa, expect eyebrows to be raised again.

Championship-or-bust mentality

Last year, it felt like the Yankees were locked in from Day 1 of Summer Camp. Maybe it was all of the coverage we got to watch on YES. Maybe it was Cole’s intensity. Maybe it was just my perception.

It was fun to watch, but perhaps too draining to carry over 162 games. We know the expectations are high for this team. They should be, and should be embraced. But manager Aaron Boone needs to find the right balance between title-or-bust and long grind for a full season.

Mets trying to sign ex-Yankees pitcher James Paxton, former Phillies ace Jake Arrieta

The New York Mets are thinking about signing former New York Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton.

By Mike Rosenstein

The New York Mets are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to upgrade the starting rotation for 2021.

After missing out on Trevor Bauer, who signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets are scouring the free agent market with spring training set to begin next week. Per SNY’s Andy Martino:

Discussions continue with Mets and Jake Arrieta. No indication deal is close. Some interest in James Paxton, too. … Paxton costs more than Arrieta btw. Electric stuff when healthy and great makeup. Medicals would need a very close look. … Mets said to be all over the depth SP market. We’ve reported on Arrieta and Hill, but it could be others too or instead of. Strategy appears to be engaging with many of the remaining options and see who you reel in. Plenty FAs we have not mentioned.

Last week, Sportsnet reports the Toronto Blue Jays are shopping for starting pitching, “with Canadian James Paxton and Taijuan Walker among their current considerations, according to multiple industry sources. Intriguingly, they appear to be focused on a shorter-term acquisition, a stance that would cut them off for free agent arms seeking multi-year commitments.”

Paxton hit the open market this winter after spending the last two seasons with the New York Yankees. In 2019, following his trade from the Seattle Mariners, Paxton won a career-best 15 games. But Paxton struggled in 2020, making just five starts during the coronavirus-shortened 60-game season and spending time on the injured list with a flexor strain. The 32-year-old southpaw posted a career-worst 6.64 ERA in 2020.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported in December that “as many as 20 teams” were scouting Paxton. And his agent, Scott Boras, has been pumping up Paxton to anyone who will listen. Per MLB.com:

“Obviously, he was not completely rehabilitated when he made an attempt to help his club and come back. Now, he’s certainly got his back strength back to 100% and he’s back throwing off the mound and doing well.”

As for Arrieta, he’s a free agent after completing a three-year, $75 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The 34-year-old former Cy Young Award winner battled injuries the last two seasons, and Arrieta’s 5.08 ERA last year was his highest since 2013.

MLB farm system rankings: Yankees don’t crack the top 10

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman oversees a farm system that can’t crack the top 10 of the latest rankings.

by mike Rosenstein

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman seems intent on keeping the team’s payroll below the luxury tax threshold this season. And you know what that means: no big-ticket free agency additions.

That leaves Cashman with two options for adding talent: signing low-risk, high-reward players like Corey Kluber, or trading for affordable pieces like right-hander Jameson Taillon.

However Cashman’s ability to trade is only as good as the farm system from which he can pull prospects.

The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked the minor-league system of all 30 MLB clubs. The Yankees come in at No. 14. Here’s why:

The Yankees seem to develop velocity as well as any organization and have used it to great effect for their own system and for packaging unheralded prospects into bigger trades, while largely hanging on to their own high-dollar guys from the draft and the international market. Because they’ve drafted so low in recent years, their top 20 reflects more of the high-upside talent they’ve found internationally than draft products, although they do have a few recent draftees whose industry value might rise quickly once they get to play this year. They have some depth up the middle, especially at catcher, and even with trades like the Jameson Taillon deal they still have a lot of power arms.

As for Law’s top 10 farm systems, Cashman can’t be happy seeing a pair of American League East rivals atop the list.

1. Tampa Bay Rays

2. Cleveland Indians

3. Toronto Blue Jays

4. Miami Marlins

5. Arizona Diamondbacks

6. Atlanta Braves

7. San Diego Padres

8. Minnesota Twins

9. San Francisco Giants

10. Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodgers’ Trevor Bauer to Mets fans: I’m sorry for teasing I’d sign with New York

Trevor Bauer is coming home to pitch for the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner announced his decision on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in a two-minute video posted to his Twitter account.

By Mike Rosenstein

Talk about cruel and unusual punishment.

Right-hander Trevor Bauer went out of his way this winter to flirt with the New York Mets on social media, praising new owner Steve Cohen and the Mets’ fan base.

But in the end, it was nothing more than a long, drawn-out tease, as Bauer signed a three-year, $102 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, reportedly leaving money on the table from the Mets.

In the moments leading up to his announcement on Friday, social media accounts connected to the 30-year-old promoted Bauer-Mets memorabilia and collectibles, leading many to believe he was heading to New York.

On Sunday night, Bauer returned to Twitter to apologize to Mets fans for leading them on:

Mets fans, I owe you an explanation and apology. My intention this entire offseason was to engage with fans in ways that made the off season and free agent process more interesting. I woke up early on Friday not knowing what my decision would be and spent the next 5 hours on the phone with my representation team trying to figure that out. I wasn’t on social media or my website, as my marketing and digital team was managing both at the time, so I didn’t see what happened until after the fact. I’ve taken some time over the last two days to figure it out, and I take full responsibility for the mistakes outlined below. In the spirit of transparency, here’s what happened:

Throughout the free agency process, my team prepared marketing materials for multiple organizations, as I didn’t know where or when I would sign. In order to be prepared for a moment that could materialize very quickly, we had uploaded many of those to my website on the back-end. The plan was not to have those pages live until a decision had been made, which is obviously not what happened. That was the first mistake. The plan was to release a link to my website and the appropriate materials via linktree on my Instagram page once my decision was finalized. Unfortunately, that link was posted in error well before any decision had been made. That was the second mistake. Understandably, the link was quickly discovered and began to spread on social media. The resulting confusion is understandable and regrettable. My intention was never to mislead your fan base, nor was it to troll you in any way. I had a fantastic time engaging with fans from many teams over the last few months and Mets fans priced to be as passionate and energetic a bunch as any, so I offer my sincerest apologies for how the events Friday played out. I have no control over false media reports stating a contract was in place or that terms had been agreed to, but I do accept responsibility for the errors above. It was an embarrassing and emotional moment for me.

For those of you who entered the giveaway, you will be entered into a raffle for game tickets next time the Dodgers play the Mets (and fans are able to be in stadium). I will also be donating $10,000 each to the following New York-based nonprofits: Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC @BBBSNYC STEM Kids NYC @stemkidsnyc The Get Schooled Foundation @getschooled Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens @vbgcq

I look forward to my next visit to Citi Field and hope to hear you just as loud in person, even if it’s not in cheers for me.

The Dodgers, who are the defending World Series champions, and the Metswere the finalists for Bauer, who won the 2020 National League Cy Young Award after posting a career-best 1.73 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds. He will be the third Cy Young Award winner in the Dodgers’ starting rotation, joining Clayton Kershaw (NL in 2011, 2013, 2014) and David Price (AL in 2012).

Seriously, why can’t MLB owners and players agree on ANYTHING?

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark (left) and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred (right) are on a collision course … again.

By Bob Klapish

There’s nothing that fires up a baseball purist’s engine like these final days before pitchers and catchers. The endless winter is almost over, you’re ready to fall in love with the game again. Happens every year – except this one.

Sorry, I can’t ignore what a depressing stretch it’s been for the industry. Lively debates – like Gerrit Cole vs. Jacob deGrom, or which coast better suits Trevor Bauer’s social media skills – were replaced by another round of mindless arm-wrestling between the owners and the union. Oblivious as ever, neither side could agree how to protect the season while COVID still hangs over us like an anvil.

The Hall-of-Fame announcement, which is usually the PR equivalent of a B-12 shot, was a washout this time around. And if this wasn’t gloomy enough it turns out Mickey Callaway, who the Mets once thought highly enough to hire as their manager, was an alleged serial sexual harasser all along.

Go ahead, call me Debbie Downer. I plead guilty. But let’s not kid ourselves about how MLB’s trending. Attendance is off 14% from its peak in 2007. It feels like the disconnect with fans, especially younger ones, is growing wider. That’s especially true in the smaller markets – imagine rooting for the Pirates or the Orioles; what’s the point? But regardless of one’s market loyalty, no one can say this is baseball’s golden age.

The recent failed negotiation between Rob Manfred and his union counterpart, Tony Clark, is another reason to look to the heavens and ask for common sense to prevail. You’d think both sides would understand the all-around risk of starting the season with COVID-19 still killing 3,000 Americans a day. But no, it wasn’t that simple. Both sides detest each other, personally and professionally. Distrust runs rampant. Motive-questioning poisons even the most simple suggestions.

Make no mistake: what we’re witnessing is just a warmup for an apocalyptic labor breakdown coming next winter. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement will have expired, to be replaced by the kind of toxicity which can yield only one outcome – a strike or lockout. Choose your sides; choose your terminology. Either way it’s a Frankenstein lurking in the shadows. The result will be self-destruction that’ll dwarf today’s COVID rift. If baseball has any sense it’ll start looking for a true, independent third party to break the impasse. It’s clear Manfred and Clark are incapable of negotiating in good faith. Most fans I talk to have washed their hands of both.

Just look at how badly the talks went this week, when Manfred proposed delaying the season for a month. That would create a window for more ticket buyers to be vaccinated, which would in turn allow for greater revenue at the gate. The commissioner suggested down-sizing the schedule to 154 games. He offered to pay the players in full for their 162-game salaries. Seemed reasonable, right? Not so fast. That concession didn’t come without a price. The commissioner wanted expanded playoffs, as well as the authority to cancel additional regular-season games as warranted by the pandemic.

The players association responded with a flat “no.” There was no counter-proposal, no promise to at least think about a Plan B. The union instead vowed to soldier on: full schedule, full pay, no concessions. Clark and his hard-liners went as far as to avoid a conversation with the Biden administration. The White House wants MLB to delay the season and spoke to Manfred about it earlier this week. But the union wouldn’t get on the phone, lest they feel pressured. It’s a very bad look.

Then again, everything the union does is within their rights per the CBA. It’s written in plain English: no revisions can be made without bilateral agreement. Not even the President has the muscle to change this.

But I have two problems with these developments, leading me to blame both sides. Manfred has been aware of the rumblings since late December. Opening camps safely has been on his mind for weeks, if not months. Yet, he waited until the 11th hour – when many players have already reported for early workouts – to ask for changes. Pitchers have begun their routines. To stop them cold now, ask them to sit tight for a month and then resume in four weeks, is an open door to injury.

Manfred is an accomplished, Harvard-educated labor lawyer. Smart man. He had to know the union would reject his proposal this close to the reporting dates. Clark and his lieutenants believe MLB’s proposal was performative, designed to make the union look bad. Maybe they’re right. But the players need to be held to account as well.

Protection from the CBA doesn’t justify knee-jerk rejection. Look, I get the unionist’s argument that says the instant the players counter is when they start negotiating away their rights. There’s nothing that says the union has to talk to Manfred about any of this. But they should.

These are unprecedented times that pose a danger to us all. The union wants to forge ahead with its shut-up-and-pay-us battle cry, without enough attention paid to the risk to support staff. That means trainers, clubhouse attendants, stadium workers, bus drivers, caterers and food providers. Throw in the distinctly older demographic like coaches and umpires and suddenly the union’s militancy looks less reasonable.

The point is, everything can be negotiated. All it takes is a modicum of respect on both sides of the table. But that’s not what’s happening here. Even Manfred’s desire to increase the number of playoff berths, which theoretically would give more players a chance to win a championship, was spat on.

Two things to keep in mind when it comes to debating the postseason format. First of all, it’s the owners, not the players, who rake in the lion’s share of the cash in the playoffs. Second, the union believes an overcrowded October is merely a ruse by the barons to cut back on payroll, thus lowering salaries for mid-tier players. Why? Because more teams in the postseason devalues regular-season excellence. You don’t have to spend as much to make it to October if you’re one of 14 teams instead of, say, 10. You don’t have to be great or even good. Glorified mediocrity will do just fine, thank you.

So here we are – which is to say, nowhere. Pitchers and catchers will take the field in about 10 days. Normally we’d be riffing on the sweet sounds of fastballs thundering into leather. But not now. The background noise, snickers and accusations and promises of score-settling down the road, is too loud to ignore. What a pity.

Yankees’ Aaron Judge’s ranking among best right fielders sparks debate

Is Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge the best in the game at his position?

By Brendan Kuty

No doubt: Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has the talent to be the best right fielder in Major League Baseball.

But does that mean he should be ranked higher than, say, Dodgers star Mookie Betts? What about Bryce Harper of the Phillies?

MLB Network sparked a debate among fans Thursday when it ranked Judge the fourth-best at his position.

On Twitter, some fans decried the list, saying that Judge’s He-Man strength and Gold Glove defensive abilities should rank him higher. Judge has hit 119 home runs in 424 games with a career .948 OPS. He led the league in home runs, runs, walks and strikeouts in 2017, when he was the AL MVP runner-up and the Rookie of the Year. In 2018, he finished 12th in the MVP vote.

Judge is 2-3 best player in baseball— Nick Kosalka (@nick_kosalka) February 4, 2021

Others said that the 28-year-old has to do more to stay on the field and stop getting hurt before he can claim the throne. Judge played just 28 out of 60 games in 2020; just 102 of 162 in 2019; and 112 in 2018.

An accurate snapshot due to his injuries. If he was on the field more likely would be 2 or 3— Amr Khalifa (@Cairo67Unedited) February 4, 2021

Here’s MLB’s full list:

1. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

2. Juan Soto, Washington Nationals

3. Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves

4. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

5. Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies

6. Mike Yastrzemski, San Francisco Giants

7. Michael Conforto, New York Mets

8. Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers

9. Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies

10. Jorge Soler, Kansas City Royals

There’s no reason to think he has been better then Betts Soto or Acuna since he hasn’t been as healthy as them. If all of them played 160 games Judge tops the list— Elliot (@EllioAlexandr) February 4, 2021

If anyone tries to argue that Soto, Betts and Acuna aren’t 3 absolutely incredible players who are deserving of being ahead of Judge, they’re wrong. Judge is 100% on par with them and is one season from making it a non-competition.🤞🏼he stays healthy and pushes to the top!— KO (@KyleJORourke) February 4, 2021

Fair, due to injuries.

Otherwise, he’s #1.— Alex Wood (@ThirdBaseDan) February 4, 2021

Yankees’ Brian Cashman updates status of Brett Gardner

Brett Gardner hit a career-low .223 last season playing in 49 Yankees games.

By Randy Miller

Spring training is just two weeks away, so we’ll probably find out beforehand if the Yankees bring back free agent outfielder Brett Gardner or move on from the last remaining player from their 2009 World Series team.

It’s believed that the Yanks would like to re-sign Gardner to back up Clint Frazier in left and Aaron Hicks in center, but it could down to how big of a salary cut the 37-year-old is willing to accept.

Gardner’s salary last season was $12.5 million before it was prorated to $4.63 million for a 60-game season. His only shot to return may be for $2 million to $3 million tops due to probable luxury-tax threshold concerns.

General manager Brian Cashman has been complimentary but noncommittal about Gardner throughout the offseason, and that again was the stance in his interview Tuesday with the YES Network.

“You know how we love Brett Gardner,” Cashman said on Yankees Hot Stove. “He’s been here for a long time. We’ve bet on him forever. He’s always produced and honored those assessments that we’ve made, so it’s been a great marriage. I’m not saying you know it’s going to continue. I’m not going to say that it’s over. But he’s still on the board and we’re always trying to figure out a way to make ourselves better.”

Figuring out how to make the money work for both sides may be tricky.

According to spotrac.com, the Yankees are only $9 million below the $210 million luxury-tax threshold. Cashman surely wants to save money for this summer’s trade deadline, so the Yankees might offer a take-it-or-leave-it proposal that offends Gardner, a lifetime .259 hitter who batted a career-low .223 last season with five homers, 15 RBI in 49 games.

Would an insulting offer entice Gardner into signing elsewhere after 13 seasons, 1,548 games and 1,384 hits with the Yankees? Would Gardner opt to retire even though he wants to play this year? Or would Gardner, who already has $84.6 million in career earnings as a big leaguer (according to baseball-reference.com), take what he can get from the Yankees?

“Time will tell if we can continue on our journey together, but nothing but bouquets Brett Gardner’s way,” Cashman said.