Is Aaron Hicks the Yankees Left Field Plan? | 840

Today is January 24th. Cashman went on a show and talked with his mouth and said some things. We're going to react to those things. It's Talking Yanks. Let's do it. Episode number 840. Jake, your old lucky number. Luke dab in the chat. Just a hot mention. If you're listening on the podcast app or YouTube, they are live on amp right now. And there's a live chat and Lou dab pinstripe strong starting pitcher Lou dab from Blitz ball battle is in the chat delivering mail tuned in Jake. How are you doing? Episode 840. As I said, Cashman had some quotes. I'm going on vacation next week. Spring training is kicking off. You're getting married in a couple weeks. You're wearing blue and pink. Anything else? It's all happening. Isn't it? It's all. It's all happening. John Davis. Cashman Hicksey. Everyone tuning in with us. Hope you're doing well today. And yeah, we got a we got some quotes. I think the the talking yanks faithful somewhat know what to do with those quotes, but also, you know, you're one of the best Cashman translators in the game. So we'll dive into that and especially it's been the big topic of the offseason. The topic that we thought would be addressed more by this point, but is not it's our seventh left field episode Ortega stands stand up. So yeah, I'm doing generally. Well, January 24th is date. It is today. It's an update. It is the date. That's a great date. It's a good time to place a bet on the Yankees winning the World Series one week till February one week until February and if you want to place that bet you can head to trafficking sports book, but also the conference championship games are coming up in the NFL. Yes, one more shot for those teams to get to the big game. Are you burping over there? Yeah, I burped a little bit. I just chugged the coffee official sports betting partner of NFL and you can bet just $5 and get 200 and free bets instantly download your African sports book app and use code Yanks new customers can bet $5 on the conference championship and get 200 and free bets instantly only at trafficking sports book with code Yanks minimum age and eligibility restrictions apply. See show notes for the tails. Show me that tail. Thanks DK. I these cashman quotes are good. They're not as they're not as people will run with what they're not Bubba Crosby is our center fielder. They're not, you know, Nick Swisher's our first baseman. They're not that he actually was a bit more honest and said things like he opened up in the quote is boom boom and this was on the MLB Networks Radio Sirius XM show the front office with Duquette and Bowden. He said that more more moves could potentially take place. The team would still like to add a left-handed hitting outfielder to balance us out now yesterday on Twitter that wasn't making the rounds, right? It was another quote from this conversation, but when you actually go look at it, that's different than what everyone is getting upset about. He literally said, yeah, we still want to add a left fielded left-handed left fielder, right? That's the bigger quote, but people are running with the fact that he said it's Hicks is the starter now and he used the word default. He said that Hicks Cabrera and Florio the trio of them are the default for left field in lieu of any other moves. He said everything you want to hear. Yeah, but people were kind of running with it the opposite last night getting hot for no reason. So Jim my my guy our guy your guy Joe's McFly has a way with words sometimes and he had a soul raffling the other day because Ryan Cashman is looking for a left-handed hitting left fielder and Hicks is that Florio is that but it's kind of the old college quarterback. If you have two quarterbacks, you don't have one. So he's like so even when we're talking Aaron Hicks trade rumors and stuff like that. He's like imagine being the Yankees and hitting other teams up and having Hicks and Florio and you know, we talked about them being traded and Hicks would be a salary dump and you know, what value does Florio have at this point it shows is like imagine being the Yankees calling up another team for their left-handed hitting left fielder and saying hey, you want Hicks or Florio? They'd say well, isn't that in that what you're looking for so yeah, man. It's um, you're right. I mean, obviously I don't I think they know they can't move those guys straight up to the quotes that are going around the internet, you know Hicks would you know fully recovered and he would kind of be the default for that left field position makes sense. I I do think that there would be a counter argument the Yankee fans would want to hear of that as well. The Cabrera would have first crack at it. Like, you know, like, you know, he's versatile, but he's not an outfielder. He has young and potential he played he played well in the outfield while he makes a couple mistakes in a during the playoffs spring training. You're like, hey, yeah. Well, he'd never played like it's an easy sure but also think of that Yankee mindset, right? Like if if Cabrera is shown the chops to play defense anywhere on the field if he makes one or two mistakes in April you shrug if he's gonna if the Yankees would actually let him be the left fielder. The problem there is and maybe we'll talk about a little bit at the end of the episode because there was some Yankee utility guy rumors. His best role is utility. He can be anywhere. He can end up anywhere. And if it almost feels like if you don't rely on him, it's kind of the expectations, right? If if as well, the Cabrera comes into the season as the you know, was he 2324 he could play everywhere and like if you get a good day from him, it feels like a bonus that feels like a win when you talk about his Waldo Cabrera potentially as the everyday left fielder like you're saying, you know, hasn't really played a lot of outfield and then he has a tough April then everyone's screaming and say Rafael Ortega is in the Yankees minor leagues a guy who played a hundred games with the Cubs last year. People are going to be calling for him and send him down. Why is he playing there? So you're right at the end of the day. The quotes are kind of a win the fact that cashman says he's still exploring and looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder. That's kind of good news because I do think that's you know, pursuing Ben intended, you know, were they truly in on VAR show? I have no idea but it it feels like the thing that needs to be addressed and my biggest thing with Hicks and like, you know, Hicks he's been nice to us. Joe Hicks has been nice to us his brother. It's the Brett Gardner thing like that's I've been mentally laughing that if Aaron Hicks ends up on the roster, he's going to play a bunch of games and that was kind of where we were with uncle Brett like who was you know, we were beloved Brett Gardner crew. I know there were some deep cuts that weren't but if Aaron Hicks is on this roster, he's going to play a lot of games because guess what he can switch it and he can play every outfield position to a degree. So that's that's my concern with Hicksy. Yeah, I mean, I can't imagine that he would have to play well with his Waldo right to get stuck there, you know, like or there's or other people are injured which obviously can happen happens happens a lot. It's likely to happen. Yes. He's usually one of the guys that goes down which is why Gardner got so much run room. So, I mean you need him to be healthy to even be that role guarding guard Gardner was that role because he was always healthy Hicks has not been healthy lately. So I don't know. I don't I don't think it's the same. I also think that it's it's less was last year, right? No 30 games. Well, yeah, but towards the end he got at the end he got hurt. But yeah, they just straight up benched him last year. Yeah, so they did that already, you know, so I think they already said that we're going to go trade for outfielders to replace you and okay that outfielder got hurt, but we still don't want to start you were going to bench you they did that. We saw them do this with Hicks. So I don't think he's going to get into that Gardner role where he's just stuck that was because Gardner was pretty consistent healthy and could track down balls in Center even when he didn't provide offense. So you knew exactly what to expect from him. Yeah, I guess that's my thing but between between, you know, Stanton obviously has an injury history like Bader like I know Bader's the new guy but he's he has a little bit of an injury history that like if Aaron Hicks ends up on the opening day roster, there's going to end up being playing time for him in his past and this is funny. I hadn't brought this up in the past two seasons. He's played 162 games. He was out a lot of 2021. So his last 162 games what some would consider a full season of baseball and 211 batting average 322 on base a 317 slugging for a 639 OPS and 83 OPS plus. So yeah, and he did say last year that he had he lost a lot of weight slimmed down because of the wrist injury, right? And then he halfway through said I can't play at this weight. He had he said it is after his power. He was going to bulk up. So interesting to see how he comes into spring if he's heavier again and back to what he was before but yeah, I mean like listen Hicks was one year where the numbers were great or good and all that but it was always an interesting at-bat. I I don't think he holds the same respect reputation and health as Gardner to get stuck there. I think they'd go to Cabrera or they go to Ortega or they do a carousel of tryouts and not just hand it to one guy where like when injuries happen. It was like well guarding right there. Have fun. Yeah, I just it that the financial equation ties into me to like it if he's on this roster making that amount of money and you know, you're start doing the 40-man game like I but they benched him last year. Right same money ready, but he played what was it the fourth most game on the Yankees or something like that? Something like that him and Rizzo were tied for fifth Donaldson had him and IKF so I don't know man. Did I just I just say that three of the top five Yankees playing games last year were Hicks Donaldson and IKF. I don't love that. Yeah, how many did he play after seventh on the Yankees and played appearances want to take out some like sub situations, but yeah played. Yeah, and down the stretch. It wasn't a lot like after the deadline. It wasn't a lot of really was probably after that. It's a good percentage of a late game getting judge off his feet standing off his feet having an outfield day. It's standing down the stretch playing out. He played and I don't know. I think it just it feels like that Yankee conversation. We end up stumbling into every year is kind of and I hope I hope this is the year. You know how every year we've kind of sniff something out with the Yankees that was like, you know, maybe the lineup is too right-handed. Maybe they should have more speed and defense and then they got more balance. They got more speed and defense. Maybe this year is the year that like playing time truly gets earned, you know, like I think that's what's hurt and Yankee fans a lot is that over the past two years Aaron Hicks hasn't like earned earned playing time the difference is that or the learned lesson to learn from last year is like even if you're the best record in baseball, even if you're winning crazy, you still need to go holster up the things that are not there and they never did that last year. It was kind of like everyone was when it when the problems arose. It was like, well, yeah guys, even when you were good. These were problems, but you just thought you just thought well, the vibes are good. Let's just keep going. It's like you should have had some things in place. Bennett any getting hurt stinks because that did hinder it a little bit. But yeah, I don't know. I think there would be run out there with us Waldo and him. I don't think it would be it starting every game. Yeah, no, I want and they're still actively searching for hopes. Yeah. Yeah, if another move like happens something I get hung up on on the Twitter streets. I probably shouldn't let bother me because he's operated a certain way. But as Waldo being like the left fielder isn't mutually exclusive from him. Also being the backup at every infield position just slide. Those are the Hicks days and he process it and as Waldo's a short third second, wherever that's that's how they would do it. So, right? People can talk. That's not how they would do it. Have they done that? I feel like you always said we always say they're going to do stuff like that, but it never. So much like the DJ years. Like he's been hurt a little bit the last couple but down the stretch, but it's like, oh, well, he'll go slide over to third on the day. Geo sit and whatever. They would still do it. They would they would start with that path early in the year. They'd have every we know they're going to do that the first two especially early when like everyone's going to get an off day in the first two weeks. They map out the first two weeks for every player and as Waldo would play. We're out of the six games. That repositions in that time and then by then usually injuries and bad play or good place start to figure things out Hicks was healthy in September, right? That's what I was looking at. There's a lot of stuff. Yeah, I think so. He played because I read he had like a good there's a good two weeks in there that I remember us getting excited about not in September. Yeah, he only started three games in September last year and and two of them were the doubleheader or the Texas the last two games of the of the year. All right. I think you're looking at the wrong thing there. I wasn't he started 18 in September. Yeah, it had just center field. That's half less than half September. You probably play 28 games. I'm like that around half 31 games. Yeah. It looks like there are a couple September doubleheaders. Yeah. Yeah, and then if you do September and like August, it's like for the last 50 games. He played like 40% started 40%. That was a weird time. I don't know. I don't think he is of the level of like they're not going to change and I still want to see the full picture for left field in the deadline outfielders that they can potentially target at the deadline will be available. But are you so let's say I think these quotes by cashman are better. They're what people actually want to hear but they're getting mad at what they were construed to be. Well, let's call it said we're looking for a new left fielder. Let's call it 50% because we up until the trade deadline is, you know, we want to see who's available and all that. We know Hicks can still be a backup center fielder is a switch hitter. If Hicks starts like 50% of the games up until the trade deadline. Are you okay with that? Well, I'd have to see the what it is and the other position would depend on a lot of other positions is IKF starting shortstop because then no Donaldson starting third baseman looking back is a no like if you got DJ starting at third and process short and then left field is a rotation. Sure. Can I can do with one position where we're finding our way and playing hot hand and ready to make better as soon as someone's available. I can't do it with three. I guess that's the problem. It's a carousel of that. I think between injuries and stuff. I think it turns into two to three pretty quickly and that's that's my concern. Yeah. Well, and that's also cashman's concern publicly saying they're trying to find a new left fielder, which is we all should be excited about. It's just I didn't want to do five years on Benny. Then who else is out there? Michael a Taylor just went but I don't know if he's anything. Yeah. I mean, he's he's very good defensively. You don't know not a lefty not a stick not a left and it is it is interesting that like obviously we know when we did our left field pie chart. We're like lefty batter. It has to be and cashman said the same thing. I was looking for a lefty left fielder. How many of those exist in baseball right now? I mean, like even that are on teams that could be traded. Yeah. I mean start getting into the profiles and like what team that we aren't thinking of is falling apart. I like I don't know TJ Friedel Friedel is the left fielder for Cincinnati Reds. He's supposed to lead off for them this year. I don't know like I don't know who that guy is with the New York Yankees, you know, so there's guys out there. It's just there's nothing. There's nothing too too spicy, but it very much feels like right now. There's two guys on the roster that are very much only on the roster due to their contract situation and that takes him down. Yes. Oh and I kept but they gave him my contract. So I guess not that's unfortunately, that's still just an internal Yankees argument like the Yankees. That's just a philosophical Yankees group chat must be just as lit as you and your buddies talking about IKF because I don't know what that is. So weird 6 mil deal. Don pick him up. You have I'm trying to find left-handed left fielders. Why are you looking for those? It just recalled something I had read around the time that Benintendi signed with Chicago. Was that like if you look at the two numbers for him leading up to his free agency remarkably similar to the two years before Hicks signed his extension and mixes were probably a tick better if one of them was better and who's that Benintendi? Oh, so it's a little bit of a oh, he's probably right to not go to five. Good shot. We could have we could end they were they were gung-ho on that from the start. Yeah. Those who knows what it looks like feel very different at bats. It felt like but you got a hat comes up pro farm. Jesse Lincoln go double trade for him. And jock Peralta a lot of guys that kind of were available Gallo Tony Kemp. It's well at the stadium. These are always open for business. Who else we got Ben Gamble bring him back. Soto probably out. Jake Cave bring him back Santander in Baltimore. He hits well at the stadium. That one could yeah, they would they would have to be bad for a little bit. They're excited this year. Yeah, they've had a weird offseason anyway, which we're getting to on TPP. Who's to Capito Marcano? Do you know how that is? Yeah. Did I say his name any anywhere close to correct all around it? I think he came up with the Padres. He get traded. He's with Pittsburgh now to Capito Marcano. What a name to Capito Marcano. Yeah, I played with the Padres in 21 Pittsburgh last year. He's 23 years. Okay, second baseman shortstop left fielder and I love this place for Pittsburgh to Capito Marcano, you know where he's from Delaware to Capito Venezuela. He's named after his hometown. I mean, come on. To Capito. That's what it says. I don't know if he's the solution. Marcano. What are you talking about? I don't know. 555 62 OPS last year with Pitt 49 games. Jim the Yankees feels like they just need a little bit of better help and maybe really you DJ Friedel, maybe you need a little bit of better help better help. They get you in touch with a therapist working with a therapist can get you closer to the best version of yourself. When you feel empowered, you're more prepared to take on everything life throws at you. You're thinking about giving therapy a try. Why not with better help? It's convenient flexible affordable and entirely online. You fill out a brief questionnaire. They get you matched with a licensed therapist and you can switch therapist at any time for no additional charge. If you want to live a more empowered life therapy can help get you there. Visit better help.com slash Yanks today to get 10% off your first month. That's better help. Help.com slash Yanks and there's a link in the description something you're thinking about. Go check out better help. Okay. How about this name for you? Kansas City Royal? Yes, every year of arbitration available. Yes to him. So it's a get him for a long time. Hit 18 home runs last year. I love them in 129 games 99 OPS plus three triples. How were they hard hit rate second highest of all left-handed left fielders last year. MJ Melendez Melendez the catcher left fielder Royals. Yeah, he's he's like this. He cog in their rebuild. So it's not looking great. The Yankees is done. He's a Yankee now. He's on the Yankees. Cash loves that hard hit rate. Melendez is good. I remember when they played the Royals this year. He he stood out him and Vinny pass with Tino. Watch out for your Royals. Watch out Chapman J cave. He's not a solution. Make Brian Reynolds happen, right? It would have happened at this point, right? I don't know. Just I'm just organizing lefty left fielders by hard hit rate hard hit percentage because at one point the Yankees just love that. Yeah, still got that on the screen. How about you? Stremski? You got a Jake. So Winski from Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Jackson Jack. Sorry. The Jake's and the Jacks have worked too hard. He looks like a Jack. He looks like Jack Doyle a little bit is a Jack. I know and he looks like one. So it's my bad. Yeah, it's my bad. That's huge. Lefty hard hit lefty just below app is his slash line. So not good. Maybe the hard hit rate sorter isn't good. You think the Sox will trade us for do go? No. Okay, because then the Mookie trade looks so crazy. I mean home run to fly ball rate. Is that what we want? Jack? So Winski's up there Santander's up there. Hey Santander like Cole Calhoun. They're probably gonna sign him at some point. There's not a lot of options, man. My eyes are distortion profile and profile or internal, right? I mean unless there's a trade we don't see coming, but I'm trying to find trades. We don't see coming. I found to Capito and I found that's really it and I don't even think that's anything. Yeah, I wonder you mentioned Tony Kemp. He's looked good at the stadium whenever he's there. His numbers last year weren't great. He's versatile and I wonder if they could do for them. That would kind of be their version of the Elvis Andrews trade. They got Elvis Andrews and just let him play shortstop because they were like, well. We need someone to play shortstop and if he gets any value cool. Have Aaron Hicks do that outfield in Oakland, IKF. They need another shortstop. They're letting that kid play. He looks like he looks very young. Boone's nephew. Yeah, his name Nick Nick Green or something. Yeah, something very generic like that. Oh, it's true. It is true. We're just on I mentioned David Peralta. Yeah, just a deep dark hunt for left fielders. I mean Tony Kemp's not the answer and he doesn't have good numbers at the stadium. He's upset good numbers versus the Yankees. I think he just had one or two timely homers last couple. Nick Allen. He's 0 for 10 at the stadium camp. I think it was against. I think that was the Eno. Versus the Yankees. No home runs. Are we that? Hey, can I ask you kind of a dark podcast? This is his career. I thought Tony Kemp killed the Yankees. I've seen him Homer at the stadium. I think I caught a Tony Kemp Homer at the stadium. I don't think so. That'd be a weird thing for me to forget. It says he's got no homers versus the Yankees. If the Yankees waved and released Aaron Hicks tomorrow, what's your reaction? Ooh, some something's coming. Yeah. Is that not your reaction? Why is this a dark podcast? Only question because I think I'd be fine with it and I don't know if anything would be coming three homers at the stadium in 2020 like at this point. I'd be I think I'd be more okay with an Ortega as well though Cabrera like left field battle in spring training than having Hicks and in the mix. Yes. Well, that's everything you've been saying. You're worried about Hicks stealing all the thing. I think that that I think there will be an evil even split between the three. You think that if Hicks is around, he's getting all the reps. Feels like that's what I've seen in recent years. Just I mean last year. I Gallo Stan Stan got hurt and Gallo was not good that judge was playing center field. So like it's got a lot of run. He also had a good April no slugging but good numbers, right? And they were trying to so they so there was like a body of work within the season that needed to totally fade and it took until like midsummer for them to be like, all right, we don't care about that anymore. We're signing more and you're becoming a bench player and he had that like second. Yeah, like another like seven week period was like, oh wow numbers from June started June to mid-July was like numbers sneaky best on the team 918 OPS. Yeah. So like there was a lot of things that got him that that run but if he's not playing well, I don't think I think a lot of things are going to happen again. Oh, yes. Oh, it's Tony camp 2 for 25 at the stadium to home runs. Yeah, I don't know. Just I clicked career splits at the stadium and it I don't know what happened three homers career at the stadium and his numbers are nuts in four games started three homers against the Yankee. Tony Tony Kemp and Jess's friends with Tony 1.681 OPS at Yankee Stadium against the Yankees. We're getting different different source stats here. Tony Kemp show. I'm going to click it again. That was 2021. Okay, I was doing career. I clicked career and it took me there. Maybe mom fat finger in this but it's making me look like I saw two homers 2021. I haven't tried to oh as I'm sliding down. I kept I slid backwards by accident as I was sliding down the screen. I slid left and it took me like back. Oh, that's so annoying when that happens career numbers at the same not great. But those that that 2021 year that's what who are they who are they against it was good that whole season. One was it like a game-winning homerun? That's why we all remember is one a game-winning maybe not game-winning Homer was the other like a lead off. I think both were like just just crushers. It felt like in my soul. It feels like a game-winning Homer and it feels like a lead off Homer the next day against Cole. Okay. There was a homerun on June 18th against Wandi Peralta. They were the Yanks were up three to two in the sixth inning and it was a three-run home run. Okay, then the very next day top of the first homerun off Domingo Hermann. So he crushed us. He won them the game winning Homer lead off and then the next time we played them in Oakland. He homered off of Chad Green bottom eighth in a tie game. So that's why we remember him as just like killing the Yankees any and he hadn't homered between those homers two months between them. Vanderbilt. Yes, the classes with them. A lot of other people to went to Vanderbilt. There's some nice quotes about Rodan wanting to be a Yankee. Can you read those to me? I haven't seen those. Let's see. So on this same program. Yeah that our guy Brian Cashman was was on. Cashman said the team stayed in touch with Scott Boris and Rodan. I know that this is the place Rodan wanted to be which obviously there's a little fluff there hindsight that pretty good but but also we from the people we heard from in the game that that was true. I think we told you guys on here but we heard from pretty good sources that he was only coming to the Yanks if they re-sign judge which is kind of a power play for Rodan. And then yeah, he said thankfully. Cashman said thankfully there were things on the board still after judge re-signed since we weren't sure what was going to be in play. Once judge had officially agreed to New York. Ultimately, we were able to pivot and land Rodan, but he did say that they were trying to trade for Rodan last deadline with the Giants, but the Giants opted not to move them because they thought they were still in the race. That's a great strategy that I'm sure teams do if it's if a guy's about to be a free agent and try and trade for him, but even if like, you know, you can't get them at least during free agent courting period. You're like dude. We wanted you last year. The Giants wouldn't move you. The Giants didn't tell you they wouldn't answer a call. We were desperate. Called every day. John, you called and then John is in the room and brings out his iPhone scrolls down year later and said look at all these calls. Look at them. Giants didn't answer. Little Correa effect. Just get them in house. Sounds like they have three bad physicals and they come back home. Kind of what Yanks did with Britain, right? Showed him the daycare and all of a sudden this is the place he would take a not closer role. Did he sign anywhere? Not yet. You free agent free agent closer. We get to spring the more it feels like once the Yankees can put someone on 60 days, just bring them back a pissy spring training Zach Britton trying to make the team bottle that up sell it in a jar and I'm buying it. Okay, one sale. He's got to be pissed at Britain's pick like when they're doing PFP drills. He like pushes Maranatio and he's like you got options, right? To some people. We have to wonder. Okay. Are you buying a bottle of Britain's piss? No. It's the piss fire. Zach Britton in a bottle represented by a replica of him. Kind of like the fuel. No one people. This is the stuff that fuels. Zach Britten. It's just his urine people jar air. Yeah, and they're like I was at the Grand Canyon and I wanted to yeah, and then they open it and they take a whiff. That's what I want to be Zach Britton piss spelling. So like the fart can and Jack to get some treehouse saying that song farting. All right. That's everything we got. I think hopefully a left field might be the conversation until the God gosh. Dang. Trey does come home. Cows usually stay home. Ducks fly together.