There is a lot of luck involved in this. The one year that the Yanks are actually in a position to sell just happens to be the year when everyone is willing to pay a crazy amount on relief pitching (thanks Royals) AND when the Yankees just happened to have two of the best relief pitchers. Now some of this is by design, and Cashman deserves credit for executing. But if this was an offseason when everyone was paying top-dollar for starting pitching, the Yanks wouldn't have much to offer.

Maybe, but the Yankees have kinda been at the forefront of the relief pitcher explosion.  They gave Miller a big contract with a limited track record.  Then they traded for Chapman when he seemed like a toxic asset.

 

I guess they're really just "lucky" that they have lost a few games to put them out of the race this year, but even then they probably deserve some credit for pulling the plug around 4-5 games out of the wild card.

 

Money is a big advantage.

 

It is, no doubt. I don't see a reason the Twins can't afford to do some of the same if they allocated resources better, and were willing to pull the trigger when opportunity arises. But it's unreasonable to stockpile the number of big FAs that the Yankees are capable of acquiring.

Man, Jepsen really screwed us this year. If he could have been a "proven closer!!11!!!1!" he would have been such a nice trade chip right now. Unreal.

 

Man, Jepsen really screwed us this year. If he could have been a "proven closer!!11!!!1!" he would have been such a nice trade chip right now. Unreal.

Yeah, I was just thinking this.  If he - or May - were having a solid season ...

 

Man, Jepsen really screwed us this year. If he could have been a "proven closer!!11!!!1!" he would have been such a nice trade chip right now. Unreal.

Perkins

 

It is, no doubt. I don't see a reason the Twins can't afford to do some of the same if they allocated resources better, and were willing to pull the trigger when opportunity arises. But it's unreasonable to stockpile the number of big FAs that the Yankees are capable of acquiring.

Agree completely.  For most teams, it's about efficiently spending the money.  By efficient, I mean spending on the correct players at the correct positions at the correct times.  This team has generally struck out on those three points over and over again.  It's not how much they spend, it's been where, how, and when.

icymi

 

here is an MLB writer's opinion on the 30 GMs/front offices

 

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/191820174/breaking-down-all-30-mlb-general-managers/

 

Just a bit of speculation, but perhaps we haven't had confirmation of Jeremy's Santana trade because more than ?$3 million? is changing hands, and the trade has to be approved by MLB (and they have to figure out the conversion rate  ).

 

Question: what Billy Joel song would work well as a reliever's entrance music?  "We Didn't Start the Fire" with runners on base, obviously -- but what about the start of an inning?

Pressure

 

So they took advantage of their resources, and didn't keep them around "to be competitive this year/next year"? Isn't that what a smart team does? Some teams trade their players, and get better, some do not......for some reason.

I think you misunderstood my point. Yes, what Cashman did was very smart. But some of it was a product of circumstances outside his control. Chapman and Miller stayed healthy. Beltran is having his best season since 2011. If the Yankees had won 3 more games this year and are in the thick of the wildcard race, they probably don't trade as many players. If relievers weren't so highly valued this year then maybe they only get 2/3 of the prospects that the were able to get this year. It was a perfect storm that he definitely has taken advantage of.

 

Perkins

Perkins was hurt and clearly was hurt all year, I'm not going to fault him for that.

I will fault Jepsen for being a terrible healthy pitcher this year.

Lucroy is holding up the catching market; Norris hasn't gone any where (right?); McCann is said to be available as well.   If Suzuki doesn't get traded it's probably because other teams are engaged with other options, not because of Twins FO ineptitude.  That said, Suzuki could probably be traded in August either to the claiming team or if he passes all the way through.  

 

Still it will be disappointing not to finally trade Suzuki, now that he has some kind of value...

Edited August 1, 201610 yr by PseudoSABR

 

Wow, Yankees just traded Beltran for Tate+more.

Once A-Rod and a couple of those contracts are off the books the Yankees are setting up for another dynasty like run.

Just in time to block the Twins rebuild from ever making it out of the Wild Card round... (again)

With the kind of returns we're seeing for relief pitchers, I wouldn't have minded throwing out May in the market to see what kind of return he'd get. 

 

Just in time to block the Twins rebuild from ever making it out of the Wild Card round... (again)

*sobs uncontrollably*

 

Just in time to block the Twins rebuild from ever making it out of the Wild Card round... (again)

Maybe they can bring back Gardenhire as a bench coach/good luck charm, given his run of success vs the Yanks...

 

With the kind of returns we're seeing for relief pitchers, I wouldn't have minded throwing out May in the market to see what kind of return he'd get. 

Interesting thought.  Feeling out the market wouldn't hurt.  Nobody says a deal would have to be made.

 

I still stubbornly consider him a starter in my head though.

I don't buy the "catcher trade market waiting on Lucroy" at all.  Who gives a bleep what the market for Suzuki is, he's meaningless for the next 2 months, send him to Cleveland for their 12th best prospect and call it a day.  

 

Perkins was hurt and clearly was hurt all year, I'm not going to fault him for that.

I will fault Jepsen for being a terrible healthy pitcher this year.

I'm not blaming Perkins for being hurt.    Just imagining what he could've fetched if he was pitching well

 

Lucroy is holding up the catching market; Norris hasn't gone any where (right?); McCann is said to be available.   If Suzuki doesn't get traded it's probably because other teams are engaged with other options, not because of Twins FO ineptitude.  That said, Suzuki could probably be traded in August either to the claiming team or if he passes all the way through.  

 

Still it will be disappointing not to finally trade Suzuki, now that he has some kind of value...

Yeah, I don't think a failure to move Suzuki at this point suggests ineptitude, not like it did back in 2014.  Although I think there is a window to get something done -- Milwaukee is apparently asking for a lot on Lucroy, Norris is having a poor season, and McCann will be out of many team's financial range even if the Yankees eat some cash.

 

I think they might be holding back a Suzuki trade because of our lack of viable alternatives at the position, which is defensible but merely shifts the front office ineptitude to a different area...

Edited August 1, 201610 yr by spycake

 

Perkins was hurt and clearly was hurt all year, I'm not going to fault him for that.

I will fault Jepsen for being a terrible healthy pitcher this year.

 

I will fault Ryan for acquiring a terrible healthy pitcher.

 

I don't buy the "catcher trade market waiting on Lucroy" at all.  Who gives a bleep what the market for Suzuki is, he's meaningless for the next 2 months, send him to Cleveland for their 12th best prospect and call it a day.  

I'm not totally sure they have 12 prospects anymore. All Yankees now. 

 

With the kind of returns we're seeing for relief pitchers, I wouldn't have minded throwing out May in the market to see what kind of return he'd get. 

If May was performing like 2015, definitely.  But I doubt there would be anything there with his current numbers.

I don't agree.....not trading Suzuk is bad, imo. He's a FA after this year, they aren't good, and he's pretty bad defensively. They can sign a mediocre FA next offseason, if they need to. 

 

apparently, spy and I just aren't seeing eye to eye this deadline.......

 

*sobs uncontrollably*

 

 

Maybe they can bring back Gardenhire as a bench coach/good luck charm, given his run of success vs the Yanks...

MAKE IT STOP!!! 

 

I don't buy the "catcher trade market waiting on Lucroy" at all.  Who gives a bleep what the market for Suzuki is, he's meaningless for the next 2 months, send him to Cleveland for their 12th best prospect and call it a day.  

I agree, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Twins are thinking of exercising their option on Suzuki for 2017 if they don't get something decent this year. For whatever reason, it seems the current staff is higher on him than most of us. 

Hrmm.....Toronto trades for Scott Feldman from the Stros instead.  Thinking that probably kills Santana to the Jays.

Blue Jays just acquired Scott Feldman, no more Santana?

 

Do you think a. there was anything to the Theo "chaos theory," and if so, b. did it work?

Well it looks like the Chaos Theory of Theo (at least in RP market) worked as he sized up the market ahead of the deadline, drew a line in the sand and worked it to his advantage.  Yes, giving up #30-40 prospect in Torres sucked but after seeing what Miller cost the Indians, Abad cost the BoSox, and Smith cost the Giants, it was well worth it.

If no other moves are made Antony gets a D for this trade deadline.