2021-2022 Off Season Thread

[sjb23]

The Yankees have internally discussed whether to trade for A’s first baseman Matt Olson, a person with knowledge of the discussions told NJ Advance Media. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t permitted to speak publicly.

The A’s appear ready to sell off some of their most valuable assets to cut payroll, and the Yankees need a first baseman.

I posted this a few pages back - what do you think?

I'm all for one-stop shopping whenever possible. For two years of Olson and one year of Manaea, I'd add one of Dominguez/Volpe/Peraza, and either Gill or Medina to a Voit/Gleyber/German package. I think that's a balanced package of quality, quantity, high ceilings & low cost that might be more attractive to the A's than we think. Can the Yankee organization recover from losing 5 or 6 very good players in this trade? IMO all names mentioned are expendable. Can this Yankee offer be beat? That's not something the organization can control. The question is, what are they willing to offer?

Some folks might think I'm underpaying, and some might think I'm overpaying. I don't even mind sweetening the pot (Andujar or Frazier or Garcia?) and overpaying if it strengthens the 2022 roster. Three acknowledged weaknesses (SS, 1B, TOR starter) become strengths. Also, in a bigger picture it opens up a couple of roster spots - which is important and has value.

Couple this potential deal with the acquisition of a star shortstop (plug in your preference, cost being secondary) and we might be looking at an AL East contender.

[Zimmer's Helmet]

I am sure Yankees would pull the trigger on that deal.

I'd throw in Peraza for good measure and drive all 3 to Oakland myself.

[sjb23]

If the new salary floor set by the CBA is 100mil wouldn’t they need him to stay to help reach that floor?

If the A's give up Olson and Manaea they are shedding about $16M, If they get Voit,Gleyber,German (each with three years of control) and 2 or 3 top prospects, they are gaining about the same $16M - it's a wash, money wise - and they get five or six guys for two, with many years of control !!

[yank4life2005]

Cashman has engaged the agents representing 2 separate SS.

Heyman-

The Yankees have 3 guys who can play CF but with the health uncertainty surrounding Aaron Hicks they’d like to add some help in CF if possible

Yankees GM Brian Cashman on Anthony Rizzo: “A lot to like there.” Has talked to his agent

[Bauer]

I posted this a few pages back - what do you think?

I'm all for one-stop shopping whenever possible. For two years of Olson and one year of Manaea, I'd add one of Dominguez/Volpe/Peraza, and either Gill or Medina to a Voit/Gleyber/German package. I think that's a balanced package of quality, quantity, high ceilings & low cost that might be more attractive to the A's than we think. Can the Yankee organization recover from losing 5 or 6 very good players in this trade? IMO all names mentioned are expendable. Can this Yankee offer be beat? That's not something the organization can control. The question is, what are they willing to offer?

Some folks might think I'm underpaying, and some might think I'm overpaying. I don't even mind sweetening the pot (Andujar or Frazier or Garcia?) and overpaying if it strengthens the 2022 roster. Three acknowledged weaknesses (SS, 1B, TOR starter) become strengths. Also, in a bigger picture it opens up a couple of roster spots - which is important and has value.

Couple this potential deal with the acquisition of a star shortstop (plug in your preference, cost being secondary) and we might be looking at an AL East contender.

"Somebody once asked me if I ever went up to the plate trying to hit a home run. I said, 'Sure, every time.'" -- Mickey Mantle

Dominguez? You've given up already on the guy we were told could be "the next Mickey Mantle?" Admittedly, he did not have a Mickeyish year, but (a) he's very young and (b) ran into Covid-affected baseball.

[Bauer]

Cashman has engaged the agents representing 2 separate SS.

Heyman-

The Yankees have 3 guys who can play CF but with the health uncertainty surrounding Aaron Hicks they’d like to add some help in CF if possible

Yankees GM Brian Cashman on Anthony Rizzo: “A lot to like there.” Has talked to his agent

I dunno about that Cashman comment on Rizzo. There's something oddly perfunctory about it.

[sjb23]

Dominguez? You've given up already on the guy we were told could be "the next Mickey Mantle?" Admittedly, he did not have a Mickeyish year, but (a) he's very young and (b) ran into Covid-affected baseball.

I haven't given up on him, but I haven't been one who thinks he's untouchable or a sure thing, either. It's more realistic to think that Olson and Manaea will contribute to a championship-caliber team than it is Dominguez to become a superstar 5 years from now.

Also, I'd let the A's choose between Dominguez, Volpe, or Peraza - they might value each one differently.

[philleotardo]

Cashman has engaged the agents representing 2 separate SS.

Heyman-

The Yankees have 3 guys who can play CF but with the health uncertainty surrounding Aaron Hicks they’d like to add some help in CF if possible

Yankees GM Brian Cashman on Anthony Rizzo: “A lot to like there.” Has talked to his agent

Are Judge, Gallo and Hicks the 3?

[False1]

Jim Bowden on the MLB network saying yanks could get Olsen for Gleyber and Voit - no wonder he's not in a front office anymore

He published this same lousy take online several days ago. I think it was Gley, Voit and German. All three would actually be nice buy-low acquisition targets for other team because their value does not line up with their potential production. But even packaged you're not getting Olson for those three. I could see the A's actually rolling the dice on fairly young guys like this that have a few years before getting too expensive... to see if they catch the upside for a season or two and then trade those guys prior to FA. But for a talent like Olson they're almost certainly going to want elite ML ready-ish prospects that they can control for more than a few years.

I love Voit's bat and hate to sell low but if the A's bite at that the Yankees better not even blink before signing on that deal.

[Yankees1962]

I'm an optimist, but I hope that means Cashman is ready to move on from Gardner and realizes that Hicks is more suited as his fourth outfielder than his starting CF.


Brendan Kuty @BrendanKutyNJ 3h
Cashman mentioned shortstop and CF when asked if he had a priority list right now. Added that pitching is always something the Yankees are searching for.

[False1]

If the new salary floor set by the CBA is 100mil wouldn’t they need him to stay to help reach that floor?

I would be shocked if there is a floor implemented. Also, Olson made $5MM last year and will probably get about double that this year. If they really "needed" to reach the floor they absolutely could sign a free agent or two to get there.

$100MM is <12 Heaneys.

[Yankees1962]

I haven't given up on him, but I haven't been one who thinks he's untouchable or a sure thing, either. It's more realistic to think that Olson and Manaea will contribute to a championship-caliber team than it is Dominguez to become a superstar 5 years from now.

Also, I'd let the A's choose between Dominguez, Volpe, or Peraza - they might value each one differently.

I know you don't value prospects like I do, but I wouldn't allow the A/s to make such a choice.

[Bub]

Anybody know if Olson is a dead pull hitter like Rizzo? Last thing I want is another lefty power hitter coming here and trying to hit everything into the short porch.

[False1]

I'm an optimist, but I hope that means Cashman is ready to move on from Gardner and realizes that Hicks is more suited as his fourth outfielder than his starting CF.


Brendan Kuty @BrendanKutyNJ 3h
Cashman mentioned shortstop and CF when asked if he had a priority list right now. Added that pitching is always something the Yankees are searching for.

Well, clearly this isn't true... unless he is set on Gley at 2B and DJL at 1B... which would be terrible.

1B should literally be priority 1B, with SS priority 1A.

[False1]

Anybody know if Olson is a dead pull hitter like Rizzo? Last thing I want is another lefty power hitter coming here and trying to hit everything into the short porch.

He likes to pull, but definitely wouldn't call him a dead pull hitter. His pull rate was 39.5% last year, which is a little above average (45th among 132 qualified hitters) and has come down for three straight seasons. He's not a LH Judge or Stanton, but he can go to all fields (34% straight, 27% oppo).

For reference, Jose Ramirez led the league at 54.9%. DJL has the lowest pull rate of all at 23.4%. Rizzo was 20th with a 43.2% pull rate.

Here's his statcast page, some good info here:

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savan...-r-hitting-mlb

Also, if you haven't seen much of him you can get a sense of his hitting ability in this 2021 highlight clip. The first minute or so you get to see some bombs to center / left-center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmzk7JD9fqY