Bronx, NY: Only a few weeks ago I said the New York Yankees don’t really need a starting pitcher as badly as everyone thinks. A few weeks before that I said the NY Rangers trade for Jacob Trouba would prevent them from signing Artermi Panarin. Yup, it’s been a summer of steaming hot takes for me. Now with the NY Mets busting in and cuckolding the Yankees with Marcus Stroman, you might wonder what the Flushing Hell is going on here. Well, I can’t promise you answers, but I can promise you words. Let’s get to it.
Mookie, Xander, and JD get their Groove Back
It was ugly in Boston, but salvaging the fourth game was not nothing for the Yankees. It’s a big difference between losing four games over a weekend over two. But even my pinstriped-colored glasses can’t deny that some serious kinks were exposed in the pinstriped armor. Domingo German’s 5.1 inning, three earned run effort felt like gem after the shelling of Tanaka, Paxton, and Sabathia in the first three games.
With the Red Sox offense getting back some of their Jason Vorhees relentlessness, the pressure for the Yankees to upgrade their rotation has, shall we say, intensified? The silver lining for the Bombers is mediocrity of Boston’s pitching staff, including their just extended ace Chris Sale, and an average bullpen. They need frontline help too, but the pickens are slim. With the Giants and Indians playing some decent ball, the pickens might be even slimmer still if Bumgarner and Bauer stay put. Hee haw.
Brodie Steps In
And complicating matters is the seller-turned-buyer across town, your New York Mets. I’m confused, does the acquisition of the Yankees’ top target Marcus Stroman make the Mets more or less likely to deal Noah Syndergaard? Do they think they’re contenders or are they loading up for next year? What we do know is that the Mets gave up two of their top ten prospects and now boast a farm system that has only one of it’s top 12 prospects above single A. I haven’t seen a farm this depleted since the dust bowl. Ooof.
I don’t know what Brodie VW is doing, but you have to give him credit for not being shy to wheel and deal even after the Cano trade is starting to look like one of the worst in recent memory. They gave up prospects to take on way more salary for crappy players. They hit the trifecta on the checklist of a horrendous trade. Flush it Dude, let’s go bowling.
Yankees Mets Blockbuster?
With such a barren cupboard, another trade has to be coming for the Mets. They have to get some flour and eggs in there or they’re looking at a long run with no cake.
Again, I must point out the obvious compatibility between the Yankees and the Mets as trade partners. For all you Clint Frazier haters out there, how about a package around Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial and Albert Abreu? Tell me that’s not a win win. But the fear ante goes up when these teams make a swap and fans and GMs alike think with their bungholios instead of their heads.
Too Scared
The Mets are afraid Thor would thrive in the Bronx and make them look bad for the 12 millionth time. And the Yankees are afraid he wouldn’t pan out, like many starting pitchers acquired at the deadline by Cashman. You have the swings and misses like Denny Neagle, Jeff Weaver, and Sonny Gray. And you have the caught lookings like Justin Verlander. If you throw in bad signings like Javier Vazquez, Carl Pavano, and Kei Igawa, starting pitching has been a bit of an Achilles Heel for the Cash. I think he’d be pretty willing to overpay at this point as long as he gets the right guy.
Anyhooza, it’s should be an interesting couple of days. Come back tomorrow for Angry Ward, a man who never lets his bowl fill with dust. Follow us on Twitter at @BenWhit8, @MeetTheMatts, @Matt_McCarthy00, Instagram @MeetTheMatts and like our Facebook page, Meet The Matts.
