It’s here.  The Manny Machado road show has come to New York.  SU continues to be puzzled about the Yankees’ interest here in adding another $300 million contract that will of course, end badly but let’s try and go inside the minds of Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman and read along with them:

• After the initial meet and greet at Yankee Stadium, they will show a picture on the big screen in the outfield of Machado in a Yankee uniform with “New York, New York” blasting.  Smiles all around.
• They will then show a video montage of clips of Robinson Cano hitting ground balls to 2nd base and strolling down to 1st base.  Yankee camera men, secretly positioned around the stadium, will carefully film Machado’s reaction.  They will look for nods of agreement that signal, “Hey, that’s about right – got to save my energy for the long season.”
• They will then show video clips of Machado getting into fights at 2nd base, 3rd base, and then stepping on the first baseman’s foot at 1st base in frustration.  But hey, he’s a good guy and like Roger Clemens, “he may be an a-hole but he’s our a-hole.”
• No doubt while Machado is visiting, Miguel Andujar will be out in 30 degree temperatures fielding ground balls at 3rd base.
• Finally, they will show pictures of Machado in an Orioles’ uniform from a couple of years ago and then last year with the Dodgers to show the 40% weight gain.  I am telling you – he is a much bigger dude now than he used to be.  Project that forward and he will weigh 300 pounds in 2 years.

All the signals point to this happening:

• Yankees sign Machado to a horrible, inflated contract with some opt out that he will never take as no one wants to pay this much (as in all inflated contracts with opt out clauses).
• Yankees trade Andujar and all of his amazing upside for doubles and more home runs and close to a .300 average for some pitcher who will immediately need Tommy John surgery.  This will be the defining moment for Cashman – in a bad way.  It is so clear to SU that Andujar has a lot of upside.  Let him practice fielding ground balls all winter – he will get better.  Plus you put up with Gary Sanchez who averages 1.3 passed balls per game when healthy and never runs hard to 1st base.  Please, please, please keep Andujar.  Why does he come up in every trade rumor?  Why do you not want to build around him and Gleyber Torres?
• The Yankees are going to get that Japanese pitcher this winter.  SU likes that move and the hope is that they use the unused Machado money to do that.  That is the smart move.

SU says pass on Machado and Harper, bring back Didi in the summer and then sign him to a long-term deal.  You need the left-handed bat badly.  Jordan Montgomery who had Tommy John surgery last season will be back at some point and he looked good.  Stay the course with the youngsters.  The pitching still isn’t there but you can always make a July trade deadline move.  If I have to root for a team with both Stanton and Machado, this will be very bad.  Help me here.  I will never abandon the Yankees but stop making it so hard on me.