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Inbox: Should Yanks prioritize pitching or prospects?
- Updated: December 26, 2016
Since Jose Quintana has two years remaining under contract, wouldn’t it be worth it to trade Clint Frazier, Jorge Mateo and two arms to the White Sox and get him back? — John F., Rockford, Ill.
It doesn’t sound like the Yankees feel that way, though they have checked in with the White Sox about Quintana, as you’d expect with any available player of his caliber. It’s not an identical case to Chris Sale, but the Yankees’ mindset appears to be the same: Backing up the truck with prospects is a move better suited to a team that feels that they are one piece away from being a championship club.
The Red Sox believed that they are with Sale, and now they’ll go into the new season labeled as baseball’s version of the Golden State Warriors. The Yankees aren’t there yet, and even though their restocked farm system could put them close to getting a deal done, I’m not sure Quintana puts them over the top.
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The rotation would look better with Quintana, but at what price? The package that Boston had to cough up for Sale is a good starting point, considering Quintana’s extra year of affordable team control. Unless general manager Brian Cashman drastically changes his stance regarding Frazier and/or Gleyber Torres, Quintana will be pitching elsewhere in ’17.
At what point will the Yankees realistically be ready to contend? Is there a chance this year? — Matti L., Israel
I wouldn’t go waving any white flags just yet, though it’s difficult to argue with the Red Sox as the division favorites. The rotation would concern me, with only Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda and CC Sabathia assured of jobs, but the bullpen will benefit from re-signing Aroldis Chapman and should protect most of their late leads.
They believe that, if healthy, the combination of Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird and Matt Holliday should outproduce what the heart of their lineup produced last year. That was a team that scored just 680 runs, 12th in the …
