SSTN Mailbag: Langford and Duncan!

Apologies in advance - this is going to be a shorter than typical Mailbag. Real life just got in the way this week, as can happen to us all sometimes.

However, I want to make a quick note based on some discussion on posts and Mailbags in the past few weeks that I think will help clarify my point of view. I am beginning to realize that my use of the word "industry" is ambiguous, and I want to clarify what I mean when I note industry views on a player or situation.

I often think that public reporting in the media we typically consume on baseball either misses the core points that need addressing or are overly simplistic in nature. Other times, I just think they miss the mark. When I use the word "industry," I am referring to what baseball organizations and front offices are thinking. How do I do this? I do have a couple (though slowly dwindling, sadly) of contacts in front offices and dugouts throughout the MLB game. In another time in my life in the last decade, I came very close to working both in front office and near-field capacities for Major League Baseball teams. When I note the industry opinion on a player, for example, that is a generalization of how front offices around the league view a player. It does not refer to common media.

That said, I often disagree with industry opinions. Scouting reports I write use data and video and my own interpretations. When they are not my own, I am sure to note it. I hope this helps clarify my writing, and in the future, I'll refrain from using industry so generally.

As always, thanks for the great questions and keep them coming to SSTNReadermail@gmail.com. In this week's SSTN Mailbag, we'll talk about Wyatt Langford as a trade target and the loss of Shelley Duncan! Let's get at it:

Fuster asks: I doubt that Spencer Jones is the answer in center. 

he looks like he might be an asset in right field if he learns not to whiff quite so often 

but the Yankees have a reasonably good right fielder, one who is  more valuable than Jones on offense.

is Wyatt Langford capable of covering center for a couple of seasons,

would Texas consider trading him 

and would a package of Jones, Ramos and Will Warren be persuasive?

I have some very general doubts about Spencer Jones and his ability to both play CF and hit consistently enough to be an effective cog in a championship lineup. I also know the Yankees love Jones, and are very unlikely to trade him unless the return is significant. I'm not sure that Langford counts as such in the Yankees' eyes.

In a vacuum, the idea has merit. Langford is fast, makes solid contact, and is likely to be a solid defender in CF despite spending the majority of his time in LF in recent seasons. Langford is also right-handed and while he was awful with RISP last season, he is excellent in those situations for his career. He also comes with 3 years of team control and is heading into his prime.

On the downside, he hits a ton of balls in the air to the deepest part of Yankee Stadium, which will likely cost him. He also is another guy with a big uppercut swing, which the Yankees would be well-served to differentiate throughout the lineup. Langford is a good target, but imperfect.

Frankly, I don't think the Rangers and Yankees matchup particularly well. The Rangers don't just need starter depth; they need an ace-caliber pitcher. They also need thump in the lineup, and I'm not sure Jones for Langford gets them closer to that goal. I think the Yankees would need to include a lot more for Langford, and I'm just not sure he's worth it. I really like Langford, but I need to think more about a deal that might work for both sides.

David M. asks: Thoughts on Shelley Duncan leaving to join the Red Sox dugout?

I think this was a huge misstep and missed opportunity for the Yankees. I called out Duncan as far back as 2023 as a candidate for a big league manager. I believe I was the first, and my opinion hasn't changed. The Yankees should have made him the big league bench coach at the conclusion of the year with Boone's lame duck status. It's a frustrating decision, but I understand it from Duncan's perspective. He's clearly ready for the jump.