Locked On Yankees

A fond farewell to the late Oscar Gamble today, plus news of the Yankees adding righthanded pitcher David Hale on a minor league contract, wrap up the week in Yankeeland.But that does not wrap up this week on Locked On Yankees, because before we do that, it's Mailbag Friday!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Danny Espinosa will join the Yankees for spring training, and if you've ever wanted a full breakdown of a non-roster invitation.... like, if that's something you haven't been getting enough of in your life, well, OH BOY ARE YOU IN LUCK.This offseason is terrible, but Giancarlo Stanton is still a Yankee. Keep that in mind.But what if Stanton wanted to grow a beard? What if Bryce Harper refused to sign with the Yankees unless he could keep his beard? What if Danny Espinosa... okay, nobody's changing any rules for Espinosa, but HIS BEARD IS AMAZING AND HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO GROW IT.Also on this show, another prospect ranking is out. Plus, a little rant about the MLBPA.Please come back soon, baseball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With this year's Hall of Fame class set, it's time for an early look at next year's ballot, which figures to include several short-term Yankees, but also Mariano Rivera, who darn well better make it on the first ballot, and Andy Pettitte, whose case... figures to be a topic of conversation for several years.On the other side of the career spectrum, is it time to freak out because Estevan Florial didn't make Keith Law's top 100 prospects list at ESPN? Of course it isn't, though that also doesn't mean Law was wrong in his reasoning, which he explained in between the last episode and this one.Meanwhile, in the mailbag, there are questions about regression, the leadoff spot in the Yankees' order, and the infield situation. Oh, that infield situation. We're gonna talk about that a lot between now and April, aren't we? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Yankees' farm system is well represented on prospect lists released by Baseball America and ESPN this week, hence the title of this episode referencing Gleyber Torres.Two guests on this episode, though, so get excited! Larry Fleisher is here to talk about the Yankees' remaining offseason to-do list, while Jason Lukehart takes up the case of a former Yankee who won't make the Hall of Fame this year (we know that from publicly released ballots), but should get a closer look in the future.Follow @LockedOnYankees on Twitter, and subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Not seeing it? Send an email to LockedOnNYY@gmail.com. Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yu Darvish is tweeting again, and that's... well, it's fun, if nothing else. We still have no idea how interested the Yankees are in signing him, or what his emoji usage means, but at least there's something to talk about that's hot stove related.Then, Ben Badler from Baseball America joins the show to talk about the Yankees' pursuit of pending free agent Cuban outfield prospect Julio Pablo Martinez.Finally, a look at Mike Axisa's piece at CBS Sports detailing some ideas for the MLBPA going forward, and how some of those ideas may be beneficial to the Yankees, even though some may not seem to be on their face. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the slow pace of the offseason continues, the big topic of discussion is not just that nothing is happening, but why nothing is happening, and you might as well read the piece by Jeff Passan at Yahoo Sports because the first half of this episode jumps off from there into exactly what it all means for the Yankees and what they're doing.The second half of this episode is Mailbag Friday, which focuses on the rivalry with the Red Sox and the Yankees' infield situation.Follow @LockedOnYankees on Twitter. Email: LockedOnNYY@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gerrit Cole is an Astro, Andrew McCutchen is a Giant, and both of those things are negative for the Yankees for different reasons. The Yankees, though, should be on the phone to Pittsburgh to see if the Pirates still are in a dealing mood, and if so, what it would take to get Josh Harrison to New York.Meanwhile, the Yu Darvish derby continues, and the Yankees have the room under the luxury tax threshold to make it happen, maybe, although they still ideally would find a way to dump a contract somewhere else... again, Jacoby Ellsbury is the top candidate for that, but again, good luck finding a taker. How many more weeks of this wait-and-see game?Apparently lots, because as we look around the rest of the AL East, the biggest thing happening is that Curtis Granderson will play his age-37 season with Toronto. Also, my knee really does hurt, and it's been almost a month since I first banged it on the ground. Should I see a doctor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gerrit Cole, still not a Yankee. Yu Darvish, maybe a Yankee? Brian Cashman was on the radio talking about the top pitcher on this winter's free agent market (sorry, Jake Arrieta, but it's true), and now it's dare-to-dream time in Bomberland. Or is it? Cashman is under no obligation to play it totally straight with his public comments -- and really, he shouldn't, because everyone else in baseball can listen to the radio, too. Still, it's fun to think about the possibility of Darvish in pinstripes... if the Yankees can clear the space under the luxury tax threshold to make it work. Can they trade Jacoby Ellsbury? Somebody else? Do they even necessarily have to get under that $197 million figure?There are a lot of questions there, and then there are even more questions in the latter part of this episode because it's Mailbag Friday... which features more talk about Darvish, Ellsbury, the luxury tax... and pro wrestling.Subscribe to Locked On Yankees on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts, and feel

Fansided baseball contributor and "Baseball By The Book" podcast host Justin McGuire, formerly the baseball editor at Sporting News, is the guest at The Yankee Haters' Ball, a recurring segment in which we hear from, well, Yankee haters.A lifelong Orioles fan, McGuire discusses putting allegiances aside for professional reasons, as well as the possibility of Manny Machado following in Mike Mussina's footsteps as a homegrown Orioles star to bolt for The Bronx in free agency. Then, after discussion of most hated and favorite Yankees, it's a rehash of Derek Jeter's (in)famous home run in Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series.Good news! Locked On Yankees is now available on iTunes. The show also can be found on Stitcher, via RSS, and hopefully by however you subscribe to podcasts. Please do subscribe, rate, and review the show, and feel free to reach out at LockedOnNYY@gmail.com, or on Twitter at @LockedOnYankees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of the offseason is spent trying to figure out what to expect from a team, but thanks to Dan Szymborski and his ZiPS projections, we don't have to do it all by guessing.This episode is just one big interview, featuring a top-to-bottom breakdown of the Yankees' 2018 ZiPS projections, how the model came up with them, and what they mean. Also, there are multiple tangents, but somehow not into Mr. Szymborski's well known online habits of creating WWE matches with baseball players, or Hearthstone cards, or blowing a gasket over the Hall of Fame.We'll just have to have him back on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's Mailbag Friday, absolutely nothing of importance has happened with the Yankees all week, and Thursday felt like it didn't even exist in the regular universe because of the snowstorm, so... Mailbag Friday takes over the whole dang show.It's a fun one, though, because the questions are good. In fact, the questions lead to such a good time, there isn't even enough time to get to every question in the mailbag, which means that the next time we open the mailbag, we'll get to talk about the Yankees and pro wrestling... which also may come up in the next episode, when Dan Szymborski stops by to talk about the ZiPS projections for the 2018 Yankees.And, who knows, maybe by next time there will be more in the way of news to talk about? Probably, since there's already a guest booked, and that's the way the universe works.In the meantime, go ahead and follow @LockedOnYankees on Twitter... and stay warm this weekend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nothing has happened with the Yankees, or with pretty much anyone else in baseball, over the holidays, but while there is not a lot of new ground to cover, there is the delight of welcoming Steven Goldman to not just a segment, but a full episode of Locked On Yankees.The host of The Infinite Inning podcast, formerly of The Pinstriped Bible and Baseball Prospectus, Goldman shares some thoughts about the Yankees' third base situation, weighing the possibilities of Miguel Andujar, Mike Moustakas, and other options for New York at the hot corner. Then, a topic that Yankees fans surely don't want to think about, but should: what if Aaron Judge regresses after his Rookie of the Year campaign?Finally, but not for the last time, it's time to talk about Mike Mussina's case for the Hall of Fame. Does Jack Morris' upcoming induction change anything? Is it fair to hold intangibles against a pitcher whose numbers point rather strongly toward Cooperstown? Is it hypocritical to argue against Mussina based on subjective crit

It's been a week since the Yankees were reportedly on the verge of acquiring Gerrit Cole, since which time nothing has happened. But we're assured by Randy Levine that the Yankees are continuing their offseason work, as if there was any doubt about that.Meanwhile, Todd Frazier never seemed likely to be back in pinstripes in 2018, and he still doesn't. That doesn't mean it's impossible to see it happening, but something else probably has to happen first. You can guess what that something else is when the Yankees are all about staying under that $197 million luxury tax threshold.Mailbag Friday is here, prefaced by a request for anybody who has a copy of Tim Raines' car commercial from his Yankees days to please make it public. The world needs your service. Also, there are mailbag questions, which is good, because this was a realllllllllllllly slow week when it comes to the Yankees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now that CC Sabatbia's one-year deal to stay with the Yankees is finalized, what will the completion of his "unfinished business" mean for the big lefty's Yankees legacy?Meanwhile, the 2018 Yankees are going to hit a lot of home runs. But where are they going to hit them, does it matter, and how should it influence planning for further additions to the roster?And, as you may have noticed, Gerrit Cole is not on the Yankees right now. What happened with a trade that was reportedly close, and what does "close" even mean? A friendly reminder that, although this trade rumor went well beyond social media, Twitter is not real life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is posting at a time when trade talks between the Yankees and Pirates for Gerrit Cole - and maybe Josh Harrison - are reportedly in progress, and who knows how close anything is to being finalized? So, when you listen to this, maybe Cole is a Yankee, maybe he isn't. You'll know, because you're on the internet, but the points talked about here should apply regardless of the status of the deal.We're learning just how much the Yankees value Estevan Florial. It's also coming into focus just how easily the Yankees can deal from strength in their farm system, when there's basically cover for top prospects at the major positions. Like, you can trade Clint Frazier because Florial is in the system and the major league outfield picture features two guys who just hit 50 homers.Meanwhile, Jacoby Ellsbury inches ever so slightly closer to the exit, even if there's no reason to expect anything to happen with him anytime soon. At least there's now a potential taker, at some point, if their other options are exh

Would Mike Moustakas really be a fit for the Yankees at third base on a one-year deal? Maybe, but to get to that point, a lot of other items on the hot stove have to be sorted out, and it's not hard to make a case that as one-year third basemen go, the Yankees would be better served just bringing back Todd Frazier -- that is, if he's available for it.Tanya Bondurant, newly anointed as the MLB league manager at SB Nation after a successful run as managing editor of Pinstripe Alley, joins the show to talk a bit about that new job, a bit about her old job, and a bit about the Yankees in general.Finally, it's a look around the American League East, where as excited as the Yankees are for their offseason so far, everyone else is kind of down in the dumps -- although the Rays do have a very Rays new player in the fold.Follow @LockedOnYankees on Twitter and visit the website at lockedonyankees.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reaction to CC Sabathia agreeing to come back to the Bronx on a one-year, $10 million deal. Looking to 2019 in the new segment "Getting Way Ahead Of Ourselves" with thoughts on Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. Trying to determine whether Gerrit Cole or Patrick Corbin is more worth pursuing for the Yankees, and trying to figure out what the price might look like for each, plus accompanying infielders like Josh Harrison and Brandon Drury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacoby Ellsbury isn't going anywhere and Manny Machado isn't coming to the Bronx, at least not right now. The swiftness of the Giancarlo Stanton trade may have warped our minds as to how quickly things happen, but on the whole, this is a slow baseball offseason, and there are many waiting games that the Yankees have to play as they go about the rest of their winter business.While the winter meetings ended quietly after a rousing start, there was some news at the conclusion, with the Yankees losing four players in the Rule 5 draft. Craig Goldstein from Baseball Prospectus joins the show for the Farm Report, taking a look at what was lost but might return, as well as the expectations for Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar, plus analysis of Clint Frazier's situation.Plus, it's the debut of the Friday Mailbag, with questions about the Yankees' third base situation and needs in the starting rotation, as well as a fun thought exercise about players out of position.Remember to follow @LockedOnYankees on Twitter, and

Jabari Blash is the newest Yankee! Okay, we're not accustomed to the Yankees making salary dumps, but Chase Headley is off the books now, and that means the Yankees only have more business ahead this winter. Plus, Charlotte Wilder stops by The Yankee Haters' Ball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Yankees make a major splash to celebrate the premiere of Locked On Yankees, trading for National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton just days after naming Aaron Boone as the new manager of the Bronx Bombers, and right before the winter meetings and all the action that traditionally occurs there. So, what next? Hal Steinbrenner actually drops a hint about what the Yankees might be thinking with regard to what is generally perceived as their greatest need this offseason. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices