OT - Stanton traded to Yankees

Submitted by Clarence Boddicker on

The Marlins traded Giancarlo Stanton to the Yankees for Starlin Castro and a bag of circus peanuts. Red Socks...your season ends today. The Yankees are going to hit 400 home runs next year.

ckersh74

December 9th, 2017 at 11:07 PM ^

They might be out of the running for both of them. Harper's going to get $40 mil/year. WIth the Yankees paying luxury tax (they have every year since 2003), they're in the 50% bracket, so that $40 mil becomes $60 mil. And Machado's contract isn't going to be too far behind.

ckersh74

December 9th, 2017 at 11:20 PM ^

It's gonna be close. When adjusting for Stanton, they're at $103.3 mil for 6 players (Tanaka, Ellsbury, Chapman, Headley, Gardner, Robertson), plus whatever number Stanton comes in at. They're probably north of $117 mil, with 18 players yet to sign to fill out the 25-man roster. The luxury tax threshhold is $195 mil now. Oh, and those 18 players have to include the majority of your starting pitching, which isn't going to be cheap. 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/new-york-yankees-salaries-…

NYWOLV93

December 9th, 2017 at 11:24 PM ^

When all is accounted for the Yankees have about $14 million remaining to stay under the threshold. They had about $25 million to play with before this signing. They are 100% going to stay under the threshold. That's been the gameplan for the last 2 seasons...to get under before next year's free agency. There's no way they deviate from it now. This may not be the last move they make either. May package Clint Frazier with Ellsbury to make it more appetizing for another team to get some of that atrocious contract off the books. 

ckersh74

December 9th, 2017 at 11:31 PM ^

Here might be the problem: I see three starters for the Yankees: Tanaka, Grey, Severino. Okay, fine, you still sign those three and end up $14 mil under the cap, using your scenario. No problem. But you're still going to need two more starters. WIth guys like Mike FIers getting $6 mil/year, this thing could very well be closer than you think. 

EDIT: They may get under the threshhold this season, but they may turn around and blow it into outer space all over again if they go out next fall and bring home either Harper or Machado. You're not going to want to have two absolute monster contracts in the $70 mil range combined in the same clubhouse.

Two guys eating up 1/3 of the luxury tax space is absolute madness in today's game. 

NYWOLV93

December 9th, 2017 at 11:37 PM ^

I don't know why you believe they need two more starters. The rookie Montgomery was very good in his rookie season this year. They are more than likely to resign CC as well, somewhere in the 10-12 million range. So it will be close, but as I said this is likely not the last move they make. In addition, they have two top pitching prospects in Chance Adams and Justus Sheffield that are likely to make an appearance during the season. Their pitching prospects aren't as dire as some are making them out to be. 

 

And yes, the entire purpose of them getting under the threshold this year is to reset the luxury tax so that they can spend big in next year's free agency. That's the point lol....so that the $40 million contract isn't $60 million, like you said.  My guess is they go for Machado. Not going to want two huge contracts? This is the Yankees baby!

 

Edit: Also forgot to mention that Chad Green, who turned into a top reliever in all of baseball this year, will explore a starting pitcher role this year, which was what he was originally brought up to do. They will test it out in spring training and go from there. 

ckersh74

December 9th, 2017 at 11:44 PM ^

The bottom tax rate is 25%. That could make a $40 mil contract into $50. 

Sure, it's the Yankees. Fair enough. But this is also a different Steinbrenner that we're dealing with. The old man wouldn't bat an eye at a $400 million payroll, luxury tax be damned......but he's not around anymore. And I would still question having 2 guys eat up 1/3 of the luxury tax space. 

P.S. I'm not one of these guys that has a hatred for the Yankees. Frankly, I don't care one way or the other. Either way, my team is looking at 110 losses next summer, so what the Yankees do is irrelevant to me. I'm just looking at the numbers and trying to figure out what they're trying to do. 

Clarence Boddicker

December 9th, 2017 at 11:53 PM ^

Hopefully the Yankees find a way to unload Ellsbury's contract. That's $22 million being flushed down the toilet every year from now until 2022. Coincidentally, that's the last time Cashman left The Boss Baby unsupervised in the office with his phone and the Rolodex.

The Yankees are okay with starters. Severino-Tanaka-Gray work as your frontliners. Mongomery and Green are seasoned and solid back-of-the-rotation guys. Sheffield has top of the order stuff and Adams looks like a solid 4-hole guy.  The Yankees will undoubtedly bring Sabathia as insurance. And if that's not enough, they still have Clint Frazier and Estevan Florial as trade chips for a frontline starter. All the cards...

NYWOLV93

December 9th, 2017 at 11:51 PM ^

Yea I didn't think you were hating at all lol I just follow the Yankees very closely so I'm trying to clarify the organization's goals, one of which is to remain under the luxury this year. This goal was stated before the beginning of the 2015 season and every move has been made with that in mind. Cashman is a savy GM that has turned sawdust into bookshelves... essentially turning Brendan Ryan and Brian McCann into Giancarlo Stanton. Pillaging the Cubs and Indians farm systems. Along with of course a ton of home grown talent in Judge, Sanchez, Bird, Severino etc. 

 

Hal Steinbrenner is slowly turning into his father. When Hank was running things after George passed, the Yanks were a bit more stingy. Hal has been saying recently that whatever money the Yankees have will be reinvested into the team. I don't doubt the Yankees will be more than amenable to opening their wallet in the upcoming years.

BostonWolverine

December 9th, 2017 at 10:45 PM ^

Are you suggesting this because Jeter's the owner? I'm a Yankees fan and I had the same thought. After a little bit of consideration, I figure you don't buy a baseball team just to send a player to your old stomping grounds. 

The Marlins were slated to lose $60 million this year. Gotta be done. Starlin's gonna make $10 million next year, and I'm guessing he's not gonna be making that money in a Marlins uniform, either. 

NYWOLV93

December 9th, 2017 at 10:51 PM ^

Nothing odd. Jeter had better deals from the Giants and Cards and Stanton rejected both of them. Marlins obviously wanted to take the best deal possible but needed to dump the salary one way or another. Stanton's NTC really screwed them in this scenario. Was the perfect storm for Cashman and the Yankees to swoop in while still staying well under the luxury tax to be even bigger spenders in next year's free agency. Marlins just got hosed by Stanton's unwillingness to go to teams willing to shell out more in terms of prospects and cash. I doubt the Yankees went into the offseason eyeing Stanton but the opportunity was too good to pass up. 

Amaizin' Blue

December 10th, 2017 at 12:24 AM ^

Salary dump or not. Jesters move was dumb. Bad business. I heard on MLBN that he never talked to Stanton ahead of time. Why not manup as one superstar to another. Get his list of teams and explain that they have no choice but to deal him. Instead Jeter agrees to two deals he knows Stanton will turn down. That just ruins Jeters bargaining power and he sells him for nothing to the Yankees

NYWOLV93

December 10th, 2017 at 12:30 AM ^

I don't follow your logic. There were only a certain number of players that could take on that contract. Regardless if Jeter talked to him ahead of time, the only two viable contenders were the Dodgers and the Yankees. The Yankees made a better offer than the Dodgers. He got the best deal he could've managed. Are you saying that they should've never dealt with the Cards or Giants to hide the fact that Stanton had given them little wiggle room? If so, I think the Yankees would've seen right through that regardless. At the end of the day, the Yankees were never going to take on that contract and give up top prospects, and Stanton was never going to go to teams with better offers than the Yankees. I don't think Jeter screwed up the negotiations. Everyone in the league knew the Marlins needed to move that contract, and the Yankees would've known they had the leverage if the Marlins continued to approach them for a deal instead of other players in the market. 

Amaizin' Blue

December 10th, 2017 at 12:35 AM ^

I was not following it that closely but there had to be more than two teams he’d accept a deal to. Yes, I know he wanted to be on one of the two coasts. Obviously some of those teams are of no interest to him. But my point is to get the list then start dealing.



Oh and don’t let it leak if you have a deal that is not confirmed. I’m sure SF and STL or anyone would keep it in confidence until hearing back from Stanton. What benefit do they have to spill the beans and make any other team just have to shell out less to get him.

NYWOLV93

December 10th, 2017 at 12:50 AM ^

SF and STL were both the ones that leaked that Stanton rejected their deals lol. You say you're sure that Stanton would've accepted more than two teams but all reports indicate otherwise, and there were really only 4 or 5 players that were willing to absorb the contract in the first place. The Marlins definitely weren't the ones that spilled the beans...why do you think that's the case? I think if you had followed this sitution more closely you'd realize Jeter's hands were really tied by the no trade clause. It really seems like the only team Giancarlo would've gone to other than the Yankees was the Dodgers. Besides the Giants and Cardinals, who he both rejected, the only other player that may have been willing to absorb the contract was the Red Sox? Maybe? Who else? No other teams were even mentioned, and by all accounts Giancarlo had no interest in going to Boston. 

Just to list them out, obviously none of the other AL East teams could afford the contract. The NL East teams probably couldn't either (and I'm sure they'd prefer to trade him out of the division anyway...and I doubt Giancarlo would've gone to any other eastern team besides the Yankees). In the west, the Angels couldn't afford him, there were no mentions of Houston making a run and I doubt they could afford him anyway, the A's obviously couldn't and the Rangers...well again there was never a mention of them and I doubt Giancarlo would've gone to a noncontender in Texas instead of a coast, especially if he rejected better teams like the Cards and Giants. On the NL side the Padres obviously couldn't, nor could the Rockies or DBacks, so really all that's left is the Dodgers.

There just weren't that many options considering the massive amount of salary the Yankees were willing to take on. Jeter was screwed from the start.

Amaizin' Blue

December 10th, 2017 at 12:50 AM ^

I was not trying to suggest the Marlins spilled the beans. I don’t know how the news of the first two deals got out. Just saying it would’ve perhaps marginally helped the Marlins if it didn’t. Yes it was a bad situation for the Marlins from the beginning. And yes I don’t have all the details but agree there were not too many other teams who would deal.

Zenogias

December 9th, 2017 at 10:14 PM ^

People have to remember: Stanton's contract is absolutely huge, especially for a corner outfielder. The most valuable players in baseball aren't the guys with enormous contracts; by and large they're being paid what they're actually worth. The most valuable players are the pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players who play at MVP levels but can't be paid what they're worth. When you trade a guy like Stanton, who's got a fair market contract, you're never going to get the same type of return you would get for a guy being paid below market (like Chris Sale was). What you get is all that money freed up.

Clarence Boddicker

December 9th, 2017 at 10:38 PM ^

But for the Yankees, trading Castro partially offsets assuming Stanton's contract. They also got Miami to pony up $30 million if Stanton does opt out of his contract in 2 years. So the Yankees are still on target to get under the luxury tax. And trading Castro opens a spot at 2B for Gleyber Torres who is rated the #1 prospect in the minors right now.

Michigan Arrogance

December 9th, 2017 at 10:26 PM ^

AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH

SFBlue

December 9th, 2017 at 10:35 PM ^

Giants Whiffdddd on him and that dude who signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Greater Fullerton Placenita, Fuck It Let's Just Call It Tustin

Clarence Boddicker

December 9th, 2017 at 11:39 PM ^

They'll try Miguel Andujar at 3rd this year. Cash loves him and the kid looks to have a killer bat. His numbers in the minors have been on a steady upswing: .300 ba last year, power bat with low strikeout totals. The glove is shaky though. If he doesn't work out they'll go for Machado. Wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees pass on Harper regardless. He has a bad injury record already, and for the money he'll want those are big dice to roll.

OwenGoBlue

December 10th, 2017 at 12:40 AM ^

I've been hoping for Machado for years but if Miguel can do it all the better. This Stanton move basically takes the place of the future Harper deal to me.

I think Cashman has at least one more big move in him this year. Wouldn't be surprised if Frazier headlines a deal for a starter given the outfield glut. Have to think Jacoby is on the way out as well but don't know who's up for taking on that deal.

Youngharbaugh4

December 9th, 2017 at 11:50 PM ^

Cause with the cap room they will have next year getting rid of contracts, they might be able to sign Machado or Harper still, if they are willing to spend that much. The old yankees are back. which I hate with all my heart.