SSTN Mailbag: Deadline Reaction, Housekeeping, And AzFL!

What a difference a week makes. Some of this feeling might be because I'm in a good mood; I've been on my annual family vacation deep in the heart of Red Sox country, so good weather and plenty of beach has me feeling better than I might normally. When the Yankees are playing badly, it makes this trip worse; wearing a Yankee shirt when the team is playing badly when you're surrounded by Red Sox fans just isn't enjoyable. I grew up in a period where both teams were good, but the Yankees generally came out on top, so I'm used to being able to hold my head high when I'm at the Cape.

I wasn't sure I was going to be able to wear a Yankee shirt this year. The team was playing such uninspired baseball when I left for this trip, that I really wasn't sure if it was going to be worth it. The fact that the Yanks were in Boston at the start of the trip made it an even scarier proposition. Much to my surprise, the Yankees have seemingly righted the ship all at once. They won their series against the Red Sox AND swept the Phillies! They are playing like a different team, and I'm happy to say that the Yankees are giving me reason to hope again.

Oh, and for those wondering: no, I haven't made it to a Cape League game yet. The weather at night has conspired to keep me away from the games, but I hope to catch a few innings tonight. Some traditions must be observed.

As always, thanks for the great questions and keep them coming to SSTNReadermail@gmail.com. In this week's SSTN Mailbag, we'll discuss my reaction to the trade deadline, do some housekeeping, and discuss some potential Arizona Fall League prospects! Let's get at it:

Steve asks: I know we'll be a few days beyond it, but can you tell us your reaction to the trade deadline now that you've had a couple of days to digest it? Did the team do enough?

As I said in the Wednesday Discussion earlier this week, I think that the Yankees fell short of what I would consider a truly great Trade Deadline performance. If I had to put a grade on it, I'd be at C+/B-, with an asterisk. I think it's entirely possible that the acquisition of Jazz Chisholm and Mark Leiter Jr. could be enough to supplement the roster such that it is a championship contender. However, I, and many other Yankee fans, would have preferred that the team really spend to fill the obvious holes more fully. The Yankees seemingly are at the end of a championship contention window, and it is critical that they do everything in their power to give Judge and Soto the pieces around them to be successful. I'm not sure they did that.

In a vacuum, the moves Cashman made were very good. The Yankees received Jazz Chisholm, a dynamic player who hasn't always played up to his talent (though the aggregate is still a well above-average player, even at his worst), for Agustin Ramirez, who is at the fringes of my personal top-10 prospects list; Jared Serna, a diminutive infielder with some pop and an arm that has him destined for 2B, though one who hasn't yet advanced to AA (with the Yankees, anyway), but will be Rule V eligible this off-season; and Abraham Ramirez, the definition of a lottery ticket. This is well beneath the value I projected earlier this year when discussing Chisholm in the SSTN Mailbag, so it's hard to hate a move like this. The fit seems odd for this season given that someone will necessarily have to play out of position, but given the state of the offense, the Yankees needed to make the best move possible to find a dynamic offensive threat no matter where they could play on the diamond. The Yankees did that, and he's been pretty fantastic so far (and he's been good, if inexperienced at 3B). Chisholm played his best baseball under the tutelage of Yankee Hitting Coach, James Rowson. I can't help but think that Rowson knows how to get the best baseball out of Chisholm. I love this deal.

I highlighted Mark Leiter Jr. in last week's SSTN Mailbag. He's got a great mix of pitches to get guys out, and he pumps out a high strikeout rate, which is what this bullpen needed. Don't be fooled by his ERA; he pitched hurt earlier in the year and has been excellent since returning to pitch in July. The prices for relief pitching were as high as I've ever seen this deadline season, and the price for Leiter is right relatively speaking. Jack Neely has gotten a lot of play this season, and he's an interesting relief prospect, but having watched him pitch, I wasn't convinced he could be an impact reliever, which is what the Yankees needed this season. Benjamin Cowles is having a legitimate breakout, but again, he's Rule V eligible at the end of the season, and I don't see him as much more than a utility guy at maturation. Leiter is a win-now piece in a championship bullpen, and the Yankees really won't miss Neely or Cowles.

I was completely underwhelmed by the Enyel De Los Santos trade. The Yankees needed a second impact reliever, and I don't think De Los Santos is that. Again, he can strike guys out, so maybe the combination of Matt Blake and Desi Drueschel can get more out of De Los Santos than the Padres managed, but it was an anticlimactic end to the Trade Deadline. The Yankees won't miss Brandon Lockridge, a personal favorite, but not someone who is likely to even be a 4th outfielder with any regularity.

Now, let's get to the elephant in the room: Jack Flaherty. The rumor came in on Monday that the Yanks were deep into discussions with the Tigers for Flaherty. We have since learned that this rumor was absolutely correct; the Yanks had a deal in place for Flaherty, and the deal fell through upon medical review. The Yanks were still willing to make the deal, but at a lesser price (according to the dribs and drabs we're getting through comments from both teams' GMs). I am really torn on this one, and it's hard to be definitive without knowing all the details, which only the Yankees truly know. Flaherty has struggled with arm injuries, and most recently, a back issue that has required multiple injections over a very short span of time. I struggle to trust the medical evaluations that the Yankees make given their history, but I also think the Yankees need to be careful in situations like this. Trading for Flaherty would have necessarily bumped a starter out of the rotation. The rumor that persists is that the Yankees would have made a deal to send Nestor Cortes to the Twins if they acquired Flaherty. Does this remind anyone of the Frankie Montas situation a couple of years ago? If there was real medical risk in acquiring Flaherty, I understand why the Yankees stayed away.

I will tell you what annoyed me far more than the non-acquisition of Jack Flaherty: the fact that the Yankees stayed away from depth moves that might have cost money. The perfect example of this was Mark Canha. Canha was dealt, as expected; he's a veteran on an expiring contract. He plays good defense in RF and at 1B, absolutely mashes lefties, and has some speed. Canha, or a player like Canha, made tons of sense. He was acquired for a below-average pitching prospect, less than what I thought his value was. I'm sure Cashman knows he could have made this deal, but Cashman himself made reference to the budget for this year and next year in his public comments regarding the deadline. It tells me that Hal was not open to paying dollars for veterans at the deadline. That has been, and continues to be, the problem facing the Yankees: an owner that isn't all-in. A move like Canha wouldn't have been flashy, but it would have paid real dividends.

Many are upset that the Yankees didn't make a blockbuster deal (though I'd argue that Chisholm is, in fact, that caliber of player). The reality is that very few needle-moving players moved at the Trade Deadline this year. In fact, I genuinely believe that Chisholm was the best player moved this year. I think the Yankees' moves could very well be what the doctor ordered to save their season, but it's also very clear that more could have been done, but ownership's unwillingness to spend on veteran depth hurt.

Bruce asks: What do the red numbers indicate on the lineups you post?

I love your site. First thing I read every morning. Thanks.

First off, thanks, Bruce! We're glad that you enjoy the content you read on our site. Phil Cashier, who posts all of the game threads and lineups here at SSTN, marks all players with a below-average OPS+ (the number in parentheses) in red; he marks players with an above-average OPS+ in blue.

Alan B. asks: Andy: Now that the trade deadline has passed and we know which prospects are still here, can you give us a few possible names who could be going to the AFL in the fall? I have as possibles, Jesus Rodriguez, Ramon Flores, and Trent Sellers off the top of my head. Also, with trading away Jack Neely, who do you think is the Yankees #1 [relief] pitching prospect, I have it as Kevin Stevens.

That's actually a really interesting question. Most of the most popular names in the system have been to the Arizona Fall League at this point. There's also the matter of pitchers on rehab assignments to consider. Many teams are not sending their best pitching prospects to Arizona anymore. Instead, they send mid-tier prospects and players who dealt with injuries and need innings for one reason or another.

I agree with you that Ramon Flores is almost certainly going to Arizona. Roc Riggio is another guy at Hudson Valley who has a shot. Brendan Beck, depending on what's going on with his recovery, is another guy I wouldn't be surprised to see if he's throwing by then. Brock Selvidge is a good pitching prospect who might go to Arizona, though they may shut him down at the end of the season. Beyond that, it's kind of tough to figure out right now. We might need to check back in September on this one.

You won't like my answer regarding top relief prospects: take your favorite starting pitcher prospect who won't work out as a starter, and that's probably the best relief prospect in the system. My pick: Jackson Fristoe. He throws ridiculously hard, can spin the baseball, but can't repeat his delivery.