Off Season Hot Stove Thread

LSU boy set for life.  

Allegedly, Brian Cashman responded to the Blue Jays' deal by calling 54 year-old former LSU and MLB pitcher Ben McDonald and offering him what is believed by some sources to be a one-year deal loaded with incentives at the major league minimum salary.

"Our people have been impressed by what they saw at a Dave And Busters, when Ben was encouraged by his children to throw on a radar pitching machine.  I was told by our analytics department that though his velocity was not what it was when he retired, his spin rates were, from what I was told, off the chart.  Obviously, it's my job to listen to everyone and discuss it with my bosses, then follow through with all due diligence to improve our ball club, and if I can do that, then I don't mind reaching out to determine interest and if a deal is possible, and if those two conditions are met, then taking the plunge."  

Cashman left the dais to uproarious laughter after a parrot flew over the podium at which he was speaking and relieved itself upon the Yankees' general manager's head and neck.  Cashman did not make himself available for follow-up questions and issued no comment to reporters, leaving the building immediately upon exiting the men's bathroom.   While Cashman would not confirm that a deal had been finalized, he did indicate that there is a Dave and Buster's near their Spring Training facilities in Tampa, Florida.

Jeter locks up one of the Marlin's talented young arms. 

Scherzer is a pitcher that the Yankees should have signed seven years ago; however, Mad Max is still a bulldog, especially if you get to the playoffs.  The fact that Scherzer's agent is negotiating with the Mets could be to drive up his last MLB contract before a return to the West Coast team of his choice; however, if Scherzer does sign with the Mets, it could mean something else.

If Brian Cashman is in fact in the market to improve the Yankees and looking to make an exciting deal, then we might be able to learn something from the deals that have not been made.  We know that the Yankees did not even try to resign Corey Kluber and allowed him to go to the Tampa Bay Rays, of all teams, and Kluber was signed for less money than the Yankees paid him last season.  That makes no sense.  Why wouldn't the Yankees simply offer Kluber another 1 year 11 million dollar deal to remain a Yankee AND keep him away from last year's American League East Champion?  Now, consider if the Yankees allow Max Scherzer to sign with the cross-town rival Mets without making an offer?  Wouldn't those two cases perhaps indicate that the Yankees are in negotiations with someone for an area of need - shortstop, catcher, centerfield, first base - that shall also bring back a starting pitcher or even more intriguing - two position players (i.e., a catcher)?

In the past, Brian Cashman has prioritized signings before negotiating with players already in Pinstripes whose contracts have expired (e.g., Andy Pettitte, Brett Gardner).  It is possible that with the CBA expiring Wednesday, Corey Kluber - a very rigid creature of habit - may have not wanted to wait with insecurity.  In that scenario, Cashman would have leveled with Kluber's agent that essentially he'd prefer to lose Kluber than to stall the more important negotiation, even though it may mean failing to complete the deal AND losing Kluber.  Why else would Cashman not offer Kluber one more million than Tampa Bay?

Or, has the management of the Yankees just bought into their own media soundbites and believe they can configure a playoff team based upon their own analytics, while maximizing profits for Hal?