My Thoughts on Twitter (X) Posts
- Paul Semendinger
- Dec 20, 2025
- 2 min read
by Paul Semendinger
December 20, 2025
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It's been quiet in Yankees land. Here are my thoughts on some recent posts on X.
My Thoughts - I have been saying this for a long time. I believe that the Yankees feel they're good enough. Now major sports writers are saying the same thing. We shall see.
We might all be wrong. Maybe the Yankees will surprise the fans with a big move or two soon.
My Thoughts - If this is true, if the Yankees don't even have a plan to meet with Imai, then how much more evidence does one need to see that the Yankees are not serious about making meaningful additions to improve the team for 2026.
My Thoughts - Here we go again. The Yankees are going to try a putting a player out of position. The only reason to even try something like this is when you are out of options. This is a desperation-type move (or the type of move a team makes when it doesn't seem to care about winning).
Rosario has played 953 games in his MLB career. The Yankees are the seventh team he has played for. He has never, not once, played first base.
If one wishes to add in Rosario's minor league career, he has played 1,457 games as a professional baseball player. He has never played first base. Yet the Yankees feel this is the way to plan for 2026.
"Let's continue our annual tradition. Which player should we play out of position this year?"
My Thoughts - I haven't read the book referenced here, and maybe there is some missing context, but, if this is true, has anything changed since 2008 to give fans any indication that Hal Steinbrenner's perspectives on the Yankees and baseball have changed?
My Thoughts - What more needs to be said? This is classic. Pure gold.
My Thoughts - Neither player was ever a Yankee, but both were better and more impactful players than many of the newest Hall of Famers. They're also more worthy than many of the worthy Yankees who are not yet enshrined. I want Willie Randolph, and Graig Nettles, and Thurman Munson and Tommy John in the Hall of Fame. But there are also great players from other teams that also deserve the honor of being in the Hall of Fame.
My Take - I should call this My Most Unpopular Take Today - I don't care about the WBC. I don't want Judge on the WBC team. I also don't want David Bednar on the team. I don't want any Yankees on the team. I want the Yankees players getting ready to play baseball for the Yankees - meaning preparing with the team, not away from the team. (Ideas like this used to be self-evident. A team needs time together to prepare for the season.) And I know, a player can get injured in Spring Training as well, but Judge is far too valuable to the Yankees to risk him being injured in a competition. I am happy for Aaron Judge, but the Yankees are paying his salary. He needs to be with the Yankees.
On your other points:
Anyone surprised about Rosario? If so, you haven’t been paying attention. It is what they do.
Agree 100% on the exhibition series within the exhibition season. It is supposed to be a time to get the team ready for the season. 34 year old indispensable superstars do NOT need to be flying around risking injury just so greedy owners can line their pockets even more. Dammit Steinbrenner, get off your… wallet and spend the money everyone knows you must in order to have a contending team. Contending for a championship, not just a competitive one so you can sell tickets.
Also agree 100% on the HoF. Totally expected the very well qualified Murphy to make it.…
It has been apparent for some time that tha Yankees are waiting on Bellinger.
If they sign him they will make no other significant additions. They will do their usual dumpster dive for “Hail Mary”, so called depth arms. If they do not get him back they will pivot to someone. Who knows who as who knows who will still be available? It does not appear as though they will worry even if nobody of significance is available. They have now told us as much. Nobody should be surprised. It is who they, specifically Steinbrenner, are.
The most influential voice in his ear is el Presidente’ himself, Randy “The Snake” Levine. As long as he is employed by that team,…
Mr. Semendinger, I respect your writing. You are good and even know what you're talking about. My comment on meeting with Imai is how do you know that the Yanks haven't met with him before the offseason. Do you know if any other team has met with Imai? I do know Imai is spending the offseason in Japan. While the Yanks have not met with Imai this offseason, as far as we know, they have met numerous times with Boras. Maybe that's the deal with Boras. He meets with the teams, not his clients. Who knows?
As been pointed out on MLBN about the WBC: it's a tournament that is backed by
MLB, do a certain amount of MLB stars must be a part of the process.
Hal might not be tanking, but his actions may have the same result.