By Paul Semendinger
January 3, 2025
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The other day I wrote a short article noting the great positional flexibility the 2025 Yankees should have. I think this will help them tremendously during the season. As I have noted numerous times, I am very happy with the direction the team is going in. I believe that the 2025 Yankees, if they acquire a regular third baseman (not a player (Jazz Chisolm) playing out of position) will be a better and much deeper squad than the 2024 World Series team.
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The 2025 Yankees, thus far also have some good line-up balance in regard to left-handed and right-handed batters. In looking at the starters they have:
Right-Handed Hitters:
Paul Goldschmidt
Anthony Volpe
Aaron Judge
Giancarlo Stanton
Left-Handed Hitters:
Austin Wells
Jazz Chisholm
Oswaldo Cabrera (3b?)
Cody Bellinger
Switch-Hitter:
Jasson Dominguez
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As talks cool on Nolan Arenado and Alex Bregman (I still think (hope) the Yankees are considering either of them), I have come up with a possible candidate for third base for 2025...
Luis Rengifo of the Angels. Rengifo is a switch-hitter. He has had a positive )PS+ the last three seasons. He has some pop, he gets on base at a good clip. He could be a top of the order hitter...
Rengifo is arbitration eligible and could become a free agents after the season. The Angels aren't contenders. He could be a possibility...
(I know, he's not a great defender, but as people discuss Luis Arraez, I think he's better than him - plus Rengifo also allows Jazz Chisholm to play second base making that position stronger.
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Now that the holidays are over, I am finally able to spend long days writing and polishing my next book about the Yankees. More on this to come, but this will be a fun book chock full of Yankees information gathered by me and put together in ways never seen before.
This will be a fun book.
Artemesia Publishing will publish this book (title coming soon) in 2025, hopefully in time for the World Series, but definitely in time for Christmas (as long as I complete my end of the work).
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The NFL playoffs will begin in two weeks. I always enjoy the playoffs, especially as it gets closer to the Super Bowl. I don't know any of the match-ups, and I don't have a rooting interst in any team necessarily, but I am glad the following teams are in: Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburg Steelers, Detroit Lions, Washington Commanders, and Green Bay Packers.
I know many people are against the Chiefs saying that they win too much. I love teams that win all the time. I'm a Yankees fan - that's what I want the Yankees to do.
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I think most experts believe that Aaron Boone is an average, at best, manager. He's certainly not one of the best. The New York Jets need a head coach. The football Giants are a mess. The Mets have a manger who di well, but one season does not prove much...
When was the last time a baseball or football team in New York had a manager or head coach that was widely considered one of the best in the business?
Why can't New York teams figure out how to win championships any longer?
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Even without Roki Sasaki, the Yankees have a formidible starting pitching staff heading into 2025:
Gerrit Cole - last three seasons average: 12-5, 3.12 132 ERA+
Max Fried - last three seasons average: 11-6, 2.80 149 ERA+
Luis Gil - last year: 15-7, 3.50 117 ERA+
Carlos Rodon - last three years average: 11-8, 3.95 103 ERA+
Clarke Schmidt - last three years average: 8-8, 3.84 109 ERA+
That's five starters, two who are aces, one who is hopefully arriving, and two who are better than average pitchers to round out the rotation.
The defense behind the pitchers for the Yankees should be better than it's been in years. As such, the numbers should be a little better, at elast for the returning Yankees.
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I can see a scenario where the Yankees, since they're paying him, give D.J. LeMahieu every chance to win the starting third base job. I hope they are honest in their critique of him and don't only go by Spring Training numbers that can be skewed. I can see a scenario, also, where LeMahieu is healthy and bounces back to be a league average hitter.
It could happen...
I'd rather the Yankees go with a much more sure thing.
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Let's Go Yankees!
Brendan rodgers hit splits were terrible. He hit well below average when away from Colorado. We need another bat. I would rather chance it with Arraez despite his average to below average defense. Maybe play him at 3B. What about B. Lowe from Tampa Bay? Of course a trade for Donovan would be great if we dont have to give up Jones.
Regarding your thoughts on NY teams and managers and head coaches..... look no further than ownership..... Yankees, Giants, Jets. I would say there is a definite trend ...
Fun thoughts!
I would be with you on Rengifo, but the wrist injury last year makes me pass - very few players are able to approach previous performance in the season after a serious wrist injury. I don't think his offense will be enough to live with the defense in 2025.
My preference would also be to push Chisholm to 2B, though if he were forced to play 3B due to another acquisition, I think he'd be quite good there with an off-season during which he's presumably preparing for the role.
Rengifo isn’t a bad option.
Don’t know if he passes the eye test, but his dWAR is not too bad. Has ranged from 0.6 to -0.4 in his 6 seasons.
He carries only a lifetime .707/94 OPS/OPS+ although considerably better in the last 2 seasons. He has a just under 7% career walk rate. It was only 5% last year. He averages 16 HR’s per 162 games.
So, he does not appear to profile as a leadoff hitter. Certainly not over Bellinger or maybe even Jazz. He did steal 24 bases in only half a season last year. But he never had more than 6 in any previous season.
Kind of a tough guy to get a handle on. A…
The last great manager/coach was Torre. Unless you count that day Belichek “coached” the Jets. Ouch.