The Hot Stove League has been anything but, and we are only a month away from pitchers and catchers. Many top players are still available. The biggest move recently has been Jay Bruce back to the Mets. Nice for Yankees fans, since Bruce was a thorn in the Yanks’ side during that ALDS series with the Indians.
Because of the inaction, I haven’t written much. Hey, nothing to write about.
The Cold Stove is probably so because a lot of previous big-spenders like the Yankees are trying to get under the cap and are out of the market. They want to get under the cap to reset themselves for next year’s killer free agent class.
The Gerrit Cole rumors have apparently died down regarding the Yankees, but have heated up with the Astros to the point a false rumor came out yesterday stating the Astros traded for him. If the Yanks get Cole, they want to do so without giving up Gleyber Torres or Estevan Florial, and apparently the Pirates want one or both. If the Yanks get Cole, they would want the deal focused on Clint Frazier, who is blocked in NY, and other prospects, like Chance Adams and/or Miguel Andujar. But if I’m the Yanks, and I am including Andujar in the deal, then I need an infielder back, and that would be Josh Harrison.
One infielder that would have fit the Yanks well was ex-Yankee Yangervis Solarte, a switch-hitter with pop who could play 2B and 3B. He could have been nice insurance for Torres and/or Andujar, but Solarte was dealt from SD to Toronto.
One baseball passing, Bob “Beetle” Bailey at the age of 75. Bailey played for the Pirates (1962-1966), Dodgers (1967-1968) Expos (an original Expo, too, 1969-1975), Reds (1976-1977), and Red Sox (1977-1978). His last MLB appearance was as a PH in the “Bucky Dent” game. He PH for 3B Jack Brohamer in the seventh inning against Rich “Goose” Gossage and struck out. He never played in a postseason game, not even with those 1976 Reds.
Bailey hit .257 with 189 HR and an OPS+ of 111 in his career. His 162 g. average was .257-16-65. Primarily a 3B, he also played some LF and 1B. He had his best seasons from 1970-1974 with Montreal, and of course had that great nickname.
Lastly, from the NY Post. The Yanks will finally extend the netting in order to protect fans.
The Yankees announced details about the additional protective netting that will be installed at Yankee Stadium in time for Opening Day and will extend far down both the first- and third-base lines.
The netting will be 9 feet high on both dugouts and 8 feet as the net extends toward the foul poles, from Section 011 on the first-base side to Section 029 on the third-base side — essentially to where the stands jut out to parallel the foul lines.
Above the dugout, the netting will be partially retractable to allow for interaction between fans and players during batting practice.
The old netting ended near the on-deck circles, short of the dugouts.
The netting will be in place by the Yankees’ home opener against the Rays on April 2. There also will be protective netting installed at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa by the start of spring training next month.
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