About the Off-Season: Contingency Plans
By Tim Kabel
February 1, 2025
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Today is February 1st. In less than two weeks, pitchers and catchers will report to Spring Training for the New York Yankees. Before you know it, the season will be underway. The Yankees made a lot of moves during the off-season but there are still moves we are waiting for them to make. Everyone knows they could use at least one left-handed relief pitcher and ideally, an infielder who can start at either third base or second base. Jazz Chisholm, Jr. would man the other position. However, what if they don't acquire an infielder?
I'm fairly certain the Yankees will pick up at least one relief pitcher but what if they don't get someone to play third base? Ideally, the Yankees would like to return Chisholm to second base, where he's most comfortable. He did a fine job learning third base on the fly last season and I'm sure if he worked at it in Spring Training, he would be proficient at the position.
There have been many and varied options proposed through both free agency and trades to fill the slot at third base. So far, the Yankees have done nothing in that regard. It is possible they will acquire someone, but many folks feel that they won't. The Yankees have demonstrated a pattern of making almost all the moves they need but not quite in the last several years. Hal Steinbrenner seems to promote the theory that “good enough” is good enough. He has replaced his father's relentless drive for excellence with a quest for adequacy. Were Hal to be a character in a play or movie about the Old West, he would be a settler. Because that's what he does. He settles.
Right now, on the roster, the Yankees have DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza as options to play either third base or second base. Of the three, I feel most comfortable with Oswaldo Cabrera because I have absolutely no faith in DJ LeMahieu. As far as Oswald Peraza goes, because he has never really been given a chance over a reasonable period of time, it's hard to say what he might do.
Cabrera did a fine job last year in the utility man role and for a while, played a lot of third base. Unfortunately, Aaron Boone showed a predilection toward replacing Cabrera with essentially anyone he could. He played Jon Berti and DJ LeMahieu over him even in the postseason in the case of Berti. I believe that if Cabrera was given the opportunity to play third base on a regular basis, while being rested against particularly tough left-handers, he would have a solid season. I don't think he's a superstar, but he would be more productive than some of the people the Yankees trotted onto the field last season, including LeMahieu and Anthony Rizzo at first base.
There is one problem with the scenario I have proposed.
The problem is that Aaron Boone almost always leans toward using veteran players, even when they are well past their prime and fading badly. He seemingly pays no attention to current events and holds to his belief that the veteran players will perform at their previous levels. He spouts nonsense in postgame press conferences about players such as LeMahieu being very close. My question is, close to what? There was a recent report that at the end of last season, the Yankees were close to designating DJ LeMahieu for assignment. However, veteran players, including Aaron Judge, stepped forward and insisted that he be given an opportunity to remain on the team. That's a good thing from the players’ perspective. It shows leadership. Was it somewhat misguided? Absolutely. But standing up for a teammate is admirable. However, there's a big difference between not designated somebody for an assignment and making him the starting third baseman.
The nightmare scenario that I envision is that Oswaldo Cabrera will have an excellent spring training and win the job as the starting third baseman. However, two weeks into the season he will be struggling a bit offensively and Aaron Boone will instantly turn the position over to DJ LeMahieu. A month and a half will go by and LeMahieu will again be batting.204 with no extra base hits and two RBI. Oswaldo Cabrera will have become the Yankees’ version of Punxsutawney Phil and be burrowed in the dugout unseen except on one or two days a year.
Will that happen? It might not but, we all know there's a very good chance that it will.
Unless the Yankees go out and get someone else to play third base, DJ LeMahieu will be lurking in the shadows just waiting for an opportunity to take over. You can't blame him for that. He is a Major League Baseball player, and he wants to be on the field. Just because he wants it, doesn't mean it's the right thing for him or the Yankees. That's where you need the manager to exercise sound judgment. That's not going to happen with Aaron Boone in the dugout.
I do believe that Oswaldo Cabrera would be a more than adequate solution for third base if the Yankees do not acquire anyone else and if he is given the opportunity to play on a regular basis and to work through the peaks and valleys of the season just like everyone else. The second part is the tricky part with Aaron Boone as the manager. He will immediately turn things over to LeMahieu and stare, blank-eyed into the camera during the post-game interviews and make snide and condescending remarks about how he knows LeMahieu and trusts him.
To be perfectly clear, I have no problem at all with Oswaldo Cabrera being the starting third baseman. If he can't handle it, the Yankees could always acquire someone else during the season. However, I have absolutely no faith in Aaron Boone and do not believe that he will give Cabrera a legitimate shot to win the job and to maintain it. That is one of the reasons why unlike others, I believe the Yankees still might get someone else to play third base.
Otherwise, we will see what we have seen before. DJ LeMahieu will take over at third base and demonstrate very clearly that he is washed up and it will hurt the team. Hopefully, Brian Cashman still has one more move or two, counting the bullpen, up his sleeve. Otherwise, the Yankees will have a problem. All teams have problems, but this one is avoidable and unnecessary. Either commit to Cabrera if he has a strong spring training or get somebody else outside of the organization.
Let's see what the Yankees do.
Everyone is So sure that DJ is a waste of time and money 💰, well then what's the harm in letting him prove it in spring training ?? Goldschmidt is older, nobody mentioned him...I think Everyone is Afraid DJ won't fail, he'll win the job. If that's so impossible, why not let him prove you right ?? DJs a pro, losing his roster spot to injury, nobody likes...I say,let him play, you all seem to know exactly what you'll get from Cabrera so, let it play out, nobody knows it all, but most seems to think they do.... He's done stuff in both Leagues not many have done before, you were quick to jump on that bandwagon and Now after…
I have a slightly different take on this issue. I think Cashbrenner believe the American League is weak right now and the Yankees as presently constituted are strong enough to win the Division and the pennant. Teams that in recent years that have presented challenges to the Yankees (Boston, Houston, Toronto, etc.) are in a downward phase, and they view Baltimore with its group of very fine young players as their only competition. That's why they are standing pat. They feel they've done enough. Add to it Hal's propensity toward mediocrity and claims of penury and we have our answer. One last hope: DJ Cabreramahieu (one half bench player/one half 37 year old over the hill, bless him) start …
I love it that people still think that Boone is really in charge in any meaningful way. He never, ever was. Cashman pulled a coup in the 2016-17 off-season. Stick was very sick, so he no longer was a threat to stop Cashman. Stick died in September 2017. Boone knew what his rules would be when he agreed to become the Yankees manager. Name another manager who really was in charge, who was not around for at least the first interviews for both his Pitching Coach or his 3B Coach. Even last year, when he decided he was going to bench Torres, he was overruled and it publicly became a day off to clear his mind. Does that so…
when they first acquired LeMahieu, they said that he was expected to be coming off the bench and filling in
utility infielder was to be his role
DJ forced his way into the line-up
over the last two seasons, he's pretty much forced his way out of the line-up
and no one should expect that LeMahieu is going to get much in way of playing time if he hits .200
Boone may like veteran players, but Boone is not fond of losing...and many believe that he'll attempt to avoid using non-productive players ..... if he has a choice.
he'll have choices
Nice job, Tim.
If they can find a trade partner for stroman, i believe it will cost them approx. $9mm. That saves them $9mm. They can then do a deal for 3rd.
Its his 2026 option, and his well known attitude that has teams gun shy. That is where being smart comes in. No way, no how how they should have agreed to 140 inning, $18mm option for him. That was not smart.
Having said that, over the last few years, i have reconciled myself to the fact that Hal is much different than his father, and that getting frustrated and angry does me and everyone around me zero good. The good news, they are and will be in the…