The Yankees’ 2019 season has been one for the ages. Their perseverance through the trials and troubles they have faced has been amazing to watch. Unexpected heroes have established their place on the team as serious contributors and a big part of their success. The replacements have outperformed everyone’s wildest expectations, but what happens when a runner-up ROTY returns from the IL? Is there a need for a slumping shortstop who is coming off Tommy John Surgery but who has been a crucial part of the team for years?
Yes, the 2020 off-season will be full of tough decisions.
Lets take a look at at a few of them.
- NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 23: Miguel Andujar #41 of the New York Yankees reacts after his third inning double against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Hot Corner Questions
Gio Urshela/Miguel Andujar
Backstory:
Heading into the 2019 season, their was a lot of buzz surrounding the 24 year old Miguel Andujar.
His rookie season had been a success to say the least; Andujar hit .297 with 27 HRs and 47 doubles, and would end up being second place in the American League Rookie of the Year, losing only to the two-way phenom, Shohei Ohtani.
‘Miggy’ was a big part of the Yankees offensive success in 2019, and along with Giancarlo Stanton, kept the Yankees afloat when some of their big hitters went down with extended stints on the DL (now IL), but was a serious liability in the field.
Unfortunately, Andujar hurt his shoulder diving back into 3rd base on a pick-off play and ended up having season ending surgery.
Gio Urshela was given a shot to show his worth.
Urshela’s game was almost the exact opposite from Andujar’s. He was mainly known for his defensive prowess, and was his glove was considered elite at the ‘Hot Corner’. On the offensive side of the ball however, he was a serious liability.
In spring training prior to this season, Urshela worked on his mechanics, and boy, has it paid off:
Urshela is batting .325 on the season, and had he been able to qualify for the Batting Title, he would be contending for the lead! He has hit 20 HRs, and has proved to be a very clutch hitter in crunch time.
Dilemma:
Which of the two 3rd Basemen are part of the Yankees future?
If Urshela can duplicate his 2019 accomplishments, there is no question. He has a great glove, AND he can hit.
But many fans and analysts think that the ’19 campaign may have been a fluke, and that he is not this great of a hitter, while Andujar was simply born to hit, and has a great approach at the plate.
Prediction:
The Yankees keep the hot hand at the hot corner and leave Urshela at 3rd base.
Andujar gets dealt for starting pitching…
Catch a Cole’?
Gerrit Cole
Backstory:
Gerrit Cole was a very good pitcher when he was in the National League – Gerrit Cole became an ELITE pitcher when he joined the American League.
After being traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Houston Astros in the winter of ’18, Cole took his game to the next level, becoming a Cy Young caliber pitcher and put up monster numbers. In fact, Cole joined a very exclusive club this season, as he notched up 300 strikeouts, putting him alongside All-Time greats like Walter Johnson, Sandy Koufax, and Pedro Martinez.
This winter he is a free agent.
The Yankees desperately need a front of the rotation guy, and while we have seen spurts of his potential, Luis Severino is not quite there yet.
After a disappointing year from free agent signing J.A Happ, Cole will be the Yankees #1 priority in free agency, as their starting pitching was their Achilles heel this season, and if there is anywhere that needs improvement, it is there.
Dilemma:
Hal Steinbrenner, the principal owner and managing general partner of the New York Yankees, has not recently signed any big name free agents, and Brian Cashman has historically not been too successful with the big deals, and they often don’t pan out.
With the Yankees hoping to extend some of their young stars within the next few seasons, placing an additional monster contract on their books would make it very difficult to do so.
Prediction:
The Yankees give Gerrit Cole whatever it is he wants to play in the Bronx.
Last winter, the Yankees passed on former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher, Patrick Corbin, because they did not want to give him the extra year he wanted. Corbin now plays for the Washington Nationals and is having himself a great year.
With the benefit of hindsight, the Yankees probably should have given Corbin what he wanted, and with that in mind, I don’t think the Yankees make the same mistake again.
Will The Knight Depart?
Didi Gregorius
Backstory:
‘Sir Didi’ has been in the spotlight ever since Brian Cashman traded for him to fill the enormous shoes of the legendary shortstop for the Yankees, Derek Jeter.
Commonly viewed as a primarily defensive shortstop, Gregorius greatly improved at the plate since joining New York, and has been one of the best left-on-left hitters in the league.
His left handed bat has been a great equalizer and has brought great balance to the severely right handed lineup that is the Yankees.
And lastly, and maybe most importantly, he is absolutely beloved by his teammates. His legendary post-game tweets along with his ability to communicate with both the american and Hispanic players has been an incredible asset. (Gregorius speaks five languages. Dutch, Papiamentu, English, French and Spanish.)
Dilemma:
With all that being said, his tenure in the Bronx may be coming to an end.
With 2020 being his last year under contract, the Yankees may look to move on from their veteran shortstop. Gregorius’ 2019 season has been one to forget. He started on the Injured List as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, and since his return, he has an abysmal .289 On Base Percentage. This, coupled with the fact that the Yankees young star second baseman, Gleyber Torres, is a natural shortstop, and with the depth that the Yankees have in the infield, there may not be a spot for Didi in the deep Yankees lineup.
Lastly, signing Gregorius may hinder their ability to sign their main target, Gerrit Cole to the massive contract he is surely to demand.
Prediction:
The Yankees resign Gregorius to a long term deal that is similar to the Aaron Hicks deal. (Hicks received a 7 yr/70 million dollar deal…) meaning, many years, but not much AAV (Average Annual Value).
Will Betances Finally Leave the Bronx?
Dellin Betances
Backstory:
Dellin Betances was born and raised in New York City, growing up just minutes away from the legendary Yankee Stadium. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 8th round of the 2006 MLB Draft, and debuted for the club in 2013. In 2014, Betances became the first rookie Yankee pitcher to make the All-Star team along with teammate Masahiro Tanaka since 1947.
In the past 5 years, Betances has been commonly regarded as one of the top relievers in the MLB. The 6″8-260 lb righty, features a 100 mph fastball and one of the most devastating breaking balls in all of baseball.
In 2017, Betances and the Yankees went through a rough patch, when Betances lost his arbitration hearing and was noticeably hurt by the proceedings and what was said about him. Yankees President Randy Levine was quoted as saying “…It’s like me saying, ‘I’m not the president of the Yankees; I’m an astronaut. No, I’m not an astronaut, and Dellin Betances is not a closer.” (New York Times).
This disconnect may loom large as the Yankees might try to request a discount from the big righty to continue playing for his hometown team.
Dilemma:
In the past couple of years, Betances has not been very consistent and has had trouble with his control.
Injuries have also begun to play a big part of his career; Betances suffered a right shoulder injury in the preseason which would delay his season debut to the middle of September. In his return to the bigs, Betances tore his Achilles when he took an awkward hop off the mound, and is now done for the season and potentially part of next year.
With the Yankees bullpen being as deep as it is, the Yankees may choose to either request a major discount or disregard him entirely.
Betances will be one of the best relievers on the free agent market this year, and there are very good offensive teams that are simply missing that big arm in the pen.
Prediction:
The Yankees let one of their best players of the last decade, walk.
With the depth they have in the bullpen, and his inconsistency even BEFORE the injury, I think they move on from Betances.
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