OT: NY Yankees 2025 Season Thread (Hal is cheap, Brian is dumb)

[moocow007]

Reports are that the Dodgers made back the entire $700 million they gave Ohtani in the 1st year of his contract through merchandise and global broadcast deals. And the expectation is that after Yamamoto looked like Sandy Koufax that they're also going to get a bump that should allow them to make back most of the cost of his contract as well.

On the Yankees side, they'll finally managed to get out from under Aaron Hicks salary...3 years after he was with the team and 5 years since he was semi useful as a player. Oh and they are increasing the price of a foot long dog by $3 so that should net them a solid chunk of change to bolster Hals bottom line.

[moocow007]

fixed

Yankees sign any mediocre vets for above market value yet?

[moocow007]

Which of you guys actually wants to trade Spencer Jones for Steven Kwan?

I'm not the biggest fan of Jones but I'm also not a fan of this foot half in, foot half out types of moves that Cashman keeps making. I get it that Kwan is a great fielder and that he seems like a very smart player but to me he's not a needle mover nor is he a replacement for Bellinger or Tucker (which I'm scared is the main reason the Yankees are looking to make this move). If you are going to trade top prospects I'd rather look at a larger deal for a more impactful player.

Matther Schmidt of Yankee Round Table echoed these sentiments about the proposed 'deal' and I agree pretty much 100%

Let me immediately say I am not a huge fan of this.

Look, I get it: Kwan doesn't strike out all that much, but if that is the sole barometer the Yankees are going to be using to repair their roster this offseason, then problems will ensue.

For all of the talk about Kwan being a "contact hitter," he batted just .272 in 2025. He also finished with a .705 OPS and 96 OPS+, both underwhelming numbers. He is a lifetime .281/.351/.390 hitter, good for a .741 OPS.

Kwan is a decent hitter; not a great one, and trading Jones straight up for the 28-year-old when they could include Jones in far more enticing trade packages would be dangerous.

The only situation in which I can envision Kwan being a good fit in the Bronx is if the Yankees re-sign Cody Bellinger and are simply looking for a corner outfielder. In that case, you can acquire Kwan and field a Kwan-Bellinger-Aaron Judge outfield, which looks really good.

But you kind of get the sense that people are viewing Kwan as a possible replacement for Bellinger, which wouldn't be great for the lineup at all.

[thebuzzardman]

Which of you guys actually wants to trade Spencer Jones for Steven Kwan?

I'm not the biggest fan of Jones but I'm also not a fan of this foot half in, foot half out types of moves that Cashman keeps making. I get it that Kwan is a great fielder and that he seems like a very smart player but to me he's not a needle mover nor is he a replacement for Bellinger or Tucker (which I'm scared is the main reason the Yankees are looking to make this move). If you are going to trade top prospects I'd rather look at a larger deal for a more impactful player.

Matther Schmidt of Yankee Round Table echoed these sentiments about the proposed 'deal' and I agree pretty much 100%

Let me immediately say I am not a huge fan of this.

Look, I get it: Kwan doesn't strike out all that much, but if that is the sole barometer the Yankees are going to be using to repair their roster this offseason, then problems will ensue.

For all of the talk about Kwan being a "contact hitter," he batted just .272 in 2025. He also finished with a .705 OPS and 96 OPS+, both underwhelming numbers. He is a lifetime .281/.351/.390 hitter, good for a .741 OPS.

Kwan is a decent hitter; not a great one, and trading Jones straight up for the 28-year-old when they could include Jones in far more enticing trade packages would be dangerous.

The only situation in which I can envision Kwan being a good fit in the Bronx is if the Yankees re-sign Cody Bellinger and are simply looking for a corner outfielder. In that case, you can acquire Kwan and field a Kwan-Bellinger-Aaron Judge outfield, which looks really good.

But you kind of get the sense that people are viewing Kwan as a possible replacement for Bellinger, which wouldn't be great for the lineup at all.

How about The Martian for Kwan instead, not that any team is dumb enough to do that, but let's pretend.

I'd do it. The Martian is just Rickee Ledee II

[knicks94]

Well we finally have a Mets fan free zone in this thread.

[KnicksGadfly]

Which of you guys actually wants to trade Spencer Jones for Steven Kwan?

I'm not the biggest fan of Jones but I'm also not a fan of this foot half in, foot half out types of moves that Cashman keeps making. I get it that Kwan is a great fielder and that he seems like a very smart player but to me he's not a needle mover nor is he a replacement for Bellinger or Tucker (which I'm scared is the main reason the Yankees are looking to make this move). If you are going to trade top prospects I'd rather look at a larger deal for a more impactful player.

Matther Schmidt of Yankee Round Table echoed these sentiments about the proposed 'deal' and I agree pretty much 100%

Let me immediately say I am not a huge fan of this.

Look, I get it: Kwan doesn't strike out all that much, but if that is the sole barometer the Yankees are going to be using to repair their roster this offseason, then problems will ensue.

For all of the talk about Kwan being a "contact hitter," he batted just .272 in 2025. He also finished with a .705 OPS and 96 OPS+, both underwhelming numbers. He is a lifetime .281/.351/.390 hitter, good for a .741 OPS.

Kwan is a decent hitter; not a great one, and trading Jones straight up for the 28-year-old when they could include Jones in far more enticing trade packages would be dangerous.

The only situation in which I can envision Kwan being a good fit in the Bronx is if the Yankees re-sign Cody Bellinger and are simply looking for a corner outfielder. In that case, you can acquire Kwan and field a Kwan-Bellinger-Aaron Judge outfield, which looks really good.

But you kind of get the sense that people are viewing Kwan as a possible replacement for Bellinger, which wouldn't be great for the lineup at all.

Yah...is that Cleveland's asking price though? Kwan's on a 2 year contract and then hitting FA. I like him but it's gotta be Jasson for me. I feel like Yankees had such a sky high price on Spencer Jones during the trade deadline that I can't see this happening, so they're pretty high on Jones' potential.

[knicks94]

Cashman or whoever oversees the scouting department needs to take talent evaluation 101 classes when it comes to drafting position players. It is beyond nauseating that everytime there is a great buzz from both fans and the FO surrounding a particular prospect 2 or 3 years later we are talking about dumping him in a trade. Are we going to do the same with George Lombard and Spencer Jones a couple years from now when we learn that they were nothing but hot cups of nothingness? The revolving door that is our farmsystem just straight up sucks!

[MrDollarBills]

Bryce Harper already made his thoughts on a salary cap known when he reportedly got into a verbal altercation with commissioner Rob Manfred in July, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Manfred was visiting with the Phillies as part of an annual visit he hosts with all 30 clubs' players. Harper reportedly told Manfred to "get the (expletive) out of our clubhouse," when Manfred mentioned the idea of a salary cap. Manfred reportedly replied by saying he would not leave and continued the meeting.

Those details from ESPN were the only details on the altercation until a new report from sports agent Allan Walsh. During an appearance on "Agent Provocateur," Walsh reported that, later, a "deputy" of Manfred's allegedly threatened Harper.

"Don't ever say that again to the commissioner," Walsh said, quoting what was allegedly said to Harper. "Don't ever disrespect him again publicly like that. That's how people end up in a ditch."

Oh this is definitely being brought up during negotiations.

Enjoy next season for what it will be, because a lock out is all but guaranteed at this point.