True, the Yankees need outfield help, especially with Frazier down. But for heaven’s sake, does it have to be another 40 HR and 200 K’s guy?
The Yankees have no secrets. The entire world of baseball knows they are in deep do-doo and on the cusp of falling off the radar to even qualify for a Wild Card spot in this year’s playoffs.
The Yankees are desperate to find suitable replacements for Corey Kluber, who is now pegged for a September return (if the Yankees get lucky), and now Clint Frazier, who is receiving a series of tests for vertigo that is likely to end his season.
Yankees: Oh No – Not Again!
While Hal Steinbrenner threw a jab at his dad, stating he will not do anything “rash”, the keyword in the above paragraph is suitable, meaning that if reports are true the Yankees will acquire Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers, I’m outta here.
According to reports from nj.com and MLB Rumors, we can “expect to hear more and more about Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo and right-hander Kyle Gibson, especially when it comes to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.”
The part about Gibson is okay, at least as far as his 6-0 in 12 starts this season and his 2.00 ERA is the best in the American League.
But Gibson is 33 and according to Spotrac, he is making $10 million this season and is under contract for $7 million in 2022, after which he will become a free agent.
Who needs that? – and who needs Joey Gallo’s 200+ strikeouts in a lineup that doesn’t hit with men on base or with runners in scoring position.
Sure, Gallo would be a left-handed bat in a righty-dominated Yankees’ lineup, and he will pepper the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium forty times a season.
Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman Wouldn’t – Would He?
But hasn’t Brian Cashman learned his lesson yet? Teams built on the three-run home run do not win anything in the league.
Look it up, Brian, and take a peek, for instance, at the lineup of the Houston Astros. You’ll see Michael Brantley (.385 SLG) and Jose Altuve (.374 SLG) in the same lineup as Yuli Gurriel (.571 SLG) and Yordan Alvarez (.514 SLG).
They call it balance, Brian, and if you don’t know it by now, the Yankees are one of the most unbalanced teams in the league.
The Yankees are slow of foot, they make too many outs running the bases, they hit into a ton of double plays, and they have too many rally killing at-bats with men on base.
Joey Gallo has a knack for getting on base (he leads the league in walks with 64), but at 6’4″ 250 lbs, he has only 26 career stolen bases over seven seasons.
He’ll clog the bases when he isn’t striking out, just like Luke Voit and Giancarlo Stanton. The Yankees need more of that?
Yankees: Try This Player On For Size
Instead (Brian), I’ll throw a name out there as an example of the type of ballplayer you should be looking at.
How about Starling Marte of the Miami Marlins?
At 32, Marte does meet the age criteria the Yankees need, but everything else is good to very good.
Marte (all stats are career numbers) hits for average (.287), he can steal a base (261), he can get on base (.344 OBP), and his batting average on balls hit in play (BABIP) is .341, compared to the major league average of .297.
Moreover, as a centerfielder where the Yankees need him most (he plays all outfield positions), Marte has 30 assists, eight double-plays, and has committed only 15 errors in more than 1,000 chances in the field.
That sounds like a complete ballplayer to me, Brian.
Yankees: A New Look?
With the addition of Tim Locastro, another speedster, I was hoping that Brian Cashman and the Yankees would be embarking on a direction that creates a new look for the team.
Joey Gallo is been there done that, deja vu, more of the same – and not what the Yankees need.
Instead (Brian), go out and find us a Starling Marte…
Here’s What Readers Are Saying…
Travis Achesinski got to try something what we got now is not working
Al D’Avino Never happen. Brings them over the luxury tax.
Howard J Dock Yankees don’t need a home run hitter who strikes out a lot.
Salah A Ali Joe Gallo for god sake for what
Luis Garay I’ll take someone who can hit for average plays solid defense and can create Mayhem on the bases with speed. If there’s one thing I wish this team had that I haven’t seen players that sacrifice and play ball.
Joe Impalli He does lead the league in strikeouts. Sounds like Cashman’s kinda guy
James Carroll Gallo is a gold glove winner, can play all 3 outfield spots/first base, lefty bat, hits a ton of home runs, and gets on base at a very high %. Also, his batting average against fastballs is now at .300 since the sticky substances have gone away. It was below .200 before. He would help this team a lot
Bruce Chester No he makes 2 much $$ and he ain’t that good. Just go with what they got the team sucks and ain’t making the postseason 
Rosalie Landry Joey Gallo will save the Yankees.
Mike Ackerman Makes perfect sense! This is the basic design of the team; dinger or a K . I bet this will be another deal where the rangers will pay a lot of Gallo’s salary. How good a deal for the Yankees that another team will pay big bucks to have their former. player play against them?
David Paseornek Look, we are now only a game over .500 Chances are we are going to be selling and not buying. 10 out of first
Closing Comments And Final Thoughts
I didn’t think I would but I find myself in the minority based on the reader’s comments, with most fans looking at Gallo as a lefty bat with the ability to draw walks and get on base.
With that, I’m closing published comments in the interest of growing page length, but I’ll continue to answer all as time allows.
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.
