The baseball season came and went with the Banter largely asleep at the wheel. I’ve been so busy doing other things I’m afraid the posting has been sporadic at best. That said, I am still so honored that you folks continue to drop by—it means a ton. And I have no plans of shutting anything down around here no matter how quiet it’s been.
Over at Esquire Classic, check out Q&A’s with John Edgar Wideman, Robert Benton, and Edward Sorel. I really like how they came out. Such interesting guys. Also, check out Sally Kempton’s 1970 profile of Dustin Hoffman, Garry Wills’s 1969 portrait of Richard Nixon, and Federico Fellini’s 1963 remembrance of Vita Veneto, Rome, and La Dolce Vita. Fun, fun, funski.
In the meantime, hope you all are doing well.
Picture by Bags
Phew.
And Kate Upton has the tweet of the year.
Well, if nothing else the franchise has been asleep at the wheel for most (but happily not quite all) of the season on the major league level, but the minors has been cooking up a storm recently. We knew this would come someday, and it's likely not over yet, so don't feel too bad. I think we all have reasons to write 2016 off like it never happened (or demand a refund with interest and punitive damages). For now, gonna target 2018 as the year the team makes its big push back to serious contender status (though like in 2009, they could surprise us).
Meanwhile, keep doing what you need and we'all keep the lights on for you as we can and will.
I think you're right, Will, that 2018 is what we should be setting our sights on.
Although, I'm really thinking more about 2020. But that's not a baseball thing.
Tee-hee. But don't forget, RI, there is another cycle in which to make our voices heard, even if it's a bit more subtle. Think about it in terms of how at least this franchise here is re-building from the ground up >;)
Happy you're back with us. I need something to raise my spirits, and the hot-stove is just the item. Been following Riverblues for updates. But I'd be surprised that we see any major action until; the new CBA is a done deal.
Yay, the Banter is back! : )
I've been checking in everyday, as I always do and will continue doing...
Yeah, River Ave Blues is awesome. My main source for Yankee news, and I've been following all the hot stove stuff at MLBTR, per usual.
Glad to see you folks here and I hope all is well
McCann to the Astros for pitching prospects! He had a full no trade, so he must have wanted to go to Houston.
Adonis, Brian. You were a solid Ysnkee. The Steelers have lost 4 in a row and the Sabres 5. Lots of losing for my not baseball team. Oi!
Don't know much about these two young guys from HOU but am regaining my faith in Cashman. The system looks stocked now..just in time for the arrival of Bryce Bryce Baby on a $400million deal?
If any of youse are bored in the offseason, check my latest podcast episode. #48 no up, should get to 50 by years end.
Okay, good point, Will. 2018 it is.
Ara, your autocorrect seems to find Brian McCann very attractive.
[7] I imagine the opportunity to play is a big source of persuasion for someone like McCann. I never warmed to him just for i'm sure silly subjective reasons but he seems a solid guy.
[9] will try and listen to the podcast tonight!
Does anyone have a sense of how good these youngsters might be? I'll check River Ave Blues.
Seems to be mortivated as a salary dump. Think the Yanks will consider going after Sales? Lots of talk here in DC that the Nats would love to have him, and that his team really wants to move him.
[11] Same. By all accounts he was a leader in the clubhouse, but whatever made him a star with Atlanta didn't transition all that well here, and the Braves probably knew it was time to move on. Of course, they might not have been so bad this season if they'd kept him, but these kinds of move are made for the future. The guys we're getting back, according to RAB, are relatively high-ranked within the Astros organization (not to say that means they are highly ranked across MLB), but they are pretty far away in A-ball, so this is a futures trade and nothing more unless they show prodigious development in the next season or two.
If I were Hal or Cash, I'd be looking for an opportunity to hire the Pittsburgh pitching coach as a VP of minor league pitching development (or a well-paid roving specialist) with what he's done at least for free agents who've come his way; J.A. Happ, AJ, now Nova. He'd be tremendous for Pineda and Severino. He and LR would make a formidable coaching combo for Yankee pitchers. For his part, Gary Denbo seems to have done a bang-up job as well in that role for the hitters coming up.
[13] I'd find that shocking, but shocking is not shocking anymore around here. Could be collecting pieces for such a move, and this would be a brilliant move on Cash's part, but I don't see Chicago biting on any package the Yanks offered unless it was someone the Yanks would be really hard-pressed to give up (Lindgren, Fraizer, etc). Aside from that, Sale would be wasted on next year's roster here unless the Yanks got major additions to their offense and middle relief, so again I don't see it happening.
I will say it appears the Yanks sold high on Justin Wilson and Shane Greene and got some serious value in return, so anything is possible.
Still here. Following Gleyber Torres in the Arizona Fall League and hoping for a basketball city championship for my favorite team.
[9] Really don't think Bryce Harper and his 1.6 WAR is worth $400 million. He's had 1 good year, 1 great year and 3 mediocre years. People making comparisons to Mike Trout are looking pretty silly.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone