The Yankees’ loss of James Paxton is nothing to slough off. But the jump to find an outside replacement is misguided and unneeded. At least for now…
The Yankees, regretfully, have been through this before. The 2.870 days lost to player injuries last year gave them plenty of practice in finding solutions to problems that unexpectedly rear their ugly head.
The Yankees didn’t panic in 2019, and there is no reason to start now. The team’s plan has always been to look inside the organization first, before exploring options such as trades or free-agent signings to fill a hole.
Still, some believe the Yankees would best be served by reaching into the bottom of this year’s free-agent barrel to stem the adverse tide.
And so it is that we find a well-intentioned but misguided story in the New York Daily News.
It suggests the Yankees need to cover their tracks by signing Jason Vargas or Collin McHugh (I know, you’re saying Collin who?) to a minor league deal with incentives.
As fans, we all follow baseball enough to know a team can never have enough pitching.
But we also know there is a limit to the amount of candy we allow our children to collect and eat on Halloween.
Yankees: More Is Not Necessarily Merrier
Because there is probably any number of names that can be substituted for the two chosen in their article, forget the attributes either Vargas or McHugh bring to the table. Except to say, it’s reasonable to assume either or both should be signed by now.
Aw, what can it hurt? The more, the merrier, right?
Add them to this list already invited to Spring Training (RHP Domingo Acevedo, LHP Luis Avilan, C Kellin Deglan, OF Zack Granite, RHP David Hale, INF/OF Rosell Herrera, C Chris Iannetta, C Erik Kratz, LHP Tyler Lyons, OF Thomas Milone, RHP Dan Otero, C Wynston Sawyer, C Josh Thole) – why not?
Why not is because Spring Training is a show and tell time for every player in the Yankees camp.
And despite the grumbling of veterans who can’t wait to begin the real season, leaving behind the endless exhibition games, it’s on Aaron Boone to “audition” each player in his camp.
Boone ne
eds and wants to see Jordan Montgomery, Deivi Garcia, Clarke Schmidt, Mike King, and so many others numerous times on the mound before he is obligated to toss a bone to Jason Vargas before a blurb appears in MLB Transactions that he’s been released and sent on his way.
Not only is more, not merrier, but the Yankees have the depth to at least get the season underway.
J.A. Happ is here by accident only because Brian Cashman wasn’t able to unload Happ’s $17 million draws on the luxury tax for this year.
The battle between Montgomery and the up and comers is enough drama for one Spring Training.
Yankees: We’re Good – Let It Be
Put that together with the impending battles still to be waged among position players, and the tax increases even more.
Choices loom at first base between Luke Voit and Mike Ford, at third base among Miguel Andujar and Gio Urshela, and for a reserve outfielder between Clint Frazier and Mike Tauchman – with Cameron Maybin still a possible signee.
Enough is enough. And the Yankees already have enough. July offers an opportunity to re-tool and tweak the roster for the push on home, leading to the World Series.
But for now, let it be and stop with the nonsense that Jason Vargas, or anyone else, is the chosen one to lead the Yankees forward after the loss of James Paxton.
Keep it simple, Brian. And besides, it’s already complicated enough…
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
