SU says don’t be misled by Brian Cashman’s statements.  He has historically said one thing but then done the opposite.  The fact that he is saying why would the Yankees ever look to sign Bryce Harper when they already have so many outfielders is a prime example of that.  His statement that they have had multiple chats with Machado’s agent could also be a ruse to drive up the asking price for Machado for some other team.

SU has been clear: neither Harper or Machado are necessary with a high powered offense that they already have in place.  OK, Didi may be out until August but seriously, you can get by with a pedestrian shortstop until then.  SU does not want the Yankees to trade Andujar or Torres.  This has been the plan: grow your youngsters.  For $30 million a year, you can get two players at $15 million who are almost just as good.  The stats for the $30 million+ players do not add up.  Look at Stanton: 40 home runs but not many doubles and hits .260 with 600 strikeouts.

The need is clearly pitching.  SU will be patient and will trust the process.

Random thoughts for a Monday morning:

• SU saw that the Mets hired Chili Davis as their new hitting coach.  SU says good move – he had a good run with the Red Sox and seems to connect well with players.  I like that hiring.
• All quiet in Yankee Land but don’t be fooled by that.  The market is still being “set” for the big free agent names this winter.  The Yankees are being linked to both Harper and Machado on Twitter but who knows?  As a fan, their biggest need is still pitching and while they passed on Corbin, Happ is still out there.  Kuechel says he will cut off his beard for 2019 but SU says he is over the hill – no longer as effective and definitely one to steer clear of in this market.  Eovaldi was not worth the money as he has already had 2 Tommy John surgeries.  The Yankees were right to stay away.  I guess the Sonny Gray trade is going to have to yield someone who can make the rotation.  If the Yankees want to sign either Harper or Machado AND trade Stanton, well then SU is all in.  But to sign one of these guys and still need to find starting pitching, then it makes no sense.
• The Giants are showing signs of life late in the season when only draft pick positioning is on the line.  The Redskins are in free fall and their defense just gave up yesterday – obviously not inspired by having Mark Sanchez as your 3rd string QB.
• Jeremy Lin rumors are swirling.  Only SU cares but he is playing well and can help a contender.  Still one of the players that I tune in to watch.
• Only one more game to have to watch Urban Meyer run his hand through his hair to keep from imploding on the sideline.  He says he will never coach again but there are going to be a lot of NFL slots opening up after this season and we will see if that holds.
• Harold Baines has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  That one is a head scratcher for SU.  Solid player in his career but was he one of the top hitters at his position for an extended period?  I don’t think so.
• Finally, you had to love that Miami Dolphins win on the hook and ladder play that never, ever works over the Patriots.  That one play could cost them home field in the AFC playoffs – not insignificant.

So, what happened to all of those good match-ups for the college bowl games this year?  SU has reviewed the line-up and it’s underwhelming:

• Michigan vs. Florida in the Peach Bowl – SU had thoughts about going to this year’s Michigan bowl game (although there was definite push-back from SU family members after the Ohio State blowout) but I have zero interest in seeing yet another game against Florida – especially at $160 a seat.  They played them last season in the kick-off game in Dallas and they were Harbaugh’s opponent in his first season’s bowl game.  Michigan vs. LSU or Georgia would have been much more entertaining.  They could have paired Florida vs. UCF – interstate rivalry that would have been a first time match up I suspect.
• Texas vs. Georgia in the Sugar Bowl – look, Georgia is a 4A team – came oh so close to knocking off mighty Alabama.  Texas has 3 losses.  Why not Michigan vs. Georgia?  SU suspects there is some contractual arrangement that prevents it from happening but Big Ten vs. SEC would have been interesting and must see tv for the Michigan faithful.
• I won’t go through the other bowl games but Rose (Ohio State vs. Washington is a yawner) and UCF vs. LSU in the Fiesta is another one that can be missed.  SU has always enjoyed the bowls but something is missing this year.

I do think the BCS committee got it right – Oklahoma deserved to be in over Ohio State and Georgia.  Now if they can get their defensive backs not to hold on every pass play, well that is another story.  If it’s Clemson vs. Alabama again, that one is getting old.

Mets pulled the trigger on Cano and Diaz.  Rumors have them going after Kluber next in a trade as Callaway would be reunited with his ace from the Indians.  Looks like the Mets are being aggressive for 2019 in a division that may be winnable (of course, that was their story this year as well).

Ronald Torreyes, traded to the Cubs, got designated for assignment yet again.  I hope he is not taking this all personally.

SU gives props to the Kansas City Chiefs for cutting Kareem Hunt in a bold move.  He is only 23 and SU suspects he will be back either next season or the year after if he can get his head on straight, do a lot of community service and become a solid citizen.  Players have to realize that cameras are everywhere – if you are going to break the law, chances are someone will see you.

Finally, if you want to see basketball played the right way (as Larry Brown likes to say), then you have to check out Michigan’s team this year.  Very balanced, more athletic than past teams and they already have some quality wins.  As SU has said many times, I am in it for the process and the journey.  It’s very hard to win it all and March can bring disappointment when you least expect it.  But I enjoy seeing how the team improves and overcomes adversity.  They are worth the 2 hours of your time.

As you know, SU is not a fan of putting trivia questions out there as some in the SU intergalactic subscriber base have been known to access the internet in coming up with their answers.  But SU just came across this question and in the spirit of the Robinson Cano trade rumors, I will offer this one up:

“Robinson Cano played 9 seasons with the Yankees.  Which two players spent 9+ years with the Yankees and also played with the Mets?  Both players were Yankees before they moved to Queens.”

SU did not get either one but the answers are both brand names.  Have at it and be the first to show off your greatness.

Met fans, hold on to your hats.  Your new GM, and former player agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, is getting ready to pull the trigger on bringing Cano from the Mariners to the Mets along with Edwin Diaz who had 57 saves last year to lead baseball.  OK, so Van Wagenen was Cano’s agent – maybe he knows something others don’t?  Let’s consider:

• Cano is 36.  He was suspended 80 games last year for PED use.  He makes $24 million a year and has 5 years left on his contract.  And did I say he was 36?
• Cano is made for the DH.  True, he has been a work-horse over the years in terms of games played except for 2018, but he is now 36 with a contract that goes til he is 40.
• The Mariners will be throwing in some money here which should help.  Diaz is due for arm issues after all of those saves this season – we have seen that before with over-worked relievers the following season (see Scott Proctor’s elbow).  Plus do the Mets really need such a stud closer this season?
• As a Met fan, are you prepared to see Cano jog down the 1st base line on infield ground balls?
• Or are you envisioning hard hit line drives all over Citi Field?  SU likes Cano and I have continued to root for him since he left the Yankees.  Great hitter and was a gold glove caliber 2nd baseman.  But you knew when he signed that contract that the last 5 years were not going to be pretty.  I just can’t see him being productive without the DH spot as an option for him.

In case you missed it, Ronald Torreyes was traded to the Cubs who in turn, traded their super sub/pinch hit specialist to the Dodgers.  It looks like Torreyes could get a real shot to play in 2019.  Good for him.  An easy guy to root for.

Corbin visited the Yankees yesterday.  SU read that at his recent wedding, one of the toasts mentioned Corbin’s desire to come home and play in NY.  SU believes the Yankees have to be the front runners here.  So, if you sign him, do you still sign Happ?  SU says yes – or maybe Eovaldi who had a strong 2nd half of the season.

What do you say Met fans?  Dare to be great?  Make the Mets great again?

And so it begins.  The Yankees picked up a pitcher from the Angels and in order to make room on the 40-man roster, they DFA’d Ronald Torreyes.

Now, Torreyes was a key bench player for Girardi in 2017 but Boone had no use for him this past season.  Despite the few chances that he got to play, he always hit.  Plus a great guy in the clubhouse and a player favorite.  But, at 150 pounds, not a home run hitter and as we know, the Yankees are all about home runs vs. actually moving runners along and getting on base.

Hey, he would not have been a key player in 2019 although with Didi’s injury, you figured they could use someone like him.  SU will monitor the future moves here.  AJ Cole is still on the roster and could have been moved to make room as well.  He is pretty terrible.  I will withhold judgment – for now.  Need to see what’s up with free agency.  Some smart GM will pick up Torreyes – he is only 26 years old and he only hustles and works hard.

Don’t look now but YOUR NEW YORK KNICKS have become quite entertaining to watch this year.  All of the close games that they have been losing are now turning into W’s.  This team plays hard as you can see that every player is competing for minutes every night.  The coach has juggled line ups and his substitutions almost every game so that come the 4th quarter, it’s hard to know who will be in there.

Case in point: Trey Burke was a DNP for several games in a row.  Then, all of a sudden, he is back in the rotation and putting up huge numbers.  Now, Fizdale is playing him down the stretch in the 4th quarter and has also figured out that he can pair him with Mudiay and have two point guards in at the same time.  It makes sense to have your best players on the floor at the end of the game and he is also going with the hot hand as appropriate.  SU would like to see a bit more ball movement as their assist totals are very low but they do push the ball up the court and play hard on defense.

Last night, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 7 blocks for the Grizzlies.  He was a one and done player for Michigan State and he is thriving now in the NBA in his rookie season.  SU says it shows that Tom Izzo at Michigan State is overrated as he did not get much out of Jackson last season.  This guy can play and should have been able to do more last year for the Spartans.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Lin is now thriving in Atlanta and he will be moved in December to a contender.  Just hope he can stay healthy.

Finally, another last second loss for the Giants who can now go into full tank mode to be better positioned to draft a quarterback.  Time to just rebuild.  It’s too bad as the NFC East is terrible and 9-7 will likely win the division.

Michigan fans are licking their wounds this morning after a thorough beatdown by the Buckeyes yesterday.  Let’s get right to it:

• Jim Harbaugh’s offensive play calling continues to baffle SU.  While just about every other team in the country plays a fairly wide open style in this era, he continues to pound the ball on the ground with the strategy of wearing down the opponent in the 4th quarter.  This approach has worked in the NFL – about 25 years ago.  But given all of the rule changes, most teams have opened up the passing game and looked to throw down the field.
• Clearly, the country’s best defense was overrated as they were torched against a diversified Ohio State attack.  Zero pass rush and crossing pass after crossing pass killed them.  SU was surprised that Michigan’s coaches were not prepared for that as other teams have used it effectively all year against the Wolverines.
• The Big Ten is mediocre this year.  Teams like Wisconsin, Michigan State and Penn State had down years and even Ohio State struggled most of the season defensively.  Now, only Northwestern stands in their way and while upsets are always possible, you have to wonder if the Wildcats can put 4 quarters together against a high powered attack like Ohio State’s.
• Love him or hate him, Urban Meyer is a great college football coach.  SU is no fan but you have to give him his due.  It sure looks like he will walk away for health reasons (plus ongoing controversy) and SU has said for a long time that he will go to the NFL.  Perhaps he needs a year off.  But he has always played a wide open offense and it makes a huge difference.  Michigan has some playmakers at wide receiver and the offensive line was better as the season unfolded.  Hopefully, Harbaugh will get an offensive coordinator for next season and allow him to put in a more creative scheme.
• Bottom line: if the goal for a successful season is to beat Ohio State, then you need to make changes.  Harbaugh is a great recruiter and the team was fun to watch this year.  SU does not live and die with football – or any sport or team for that matter.  There are too many other more important things in life as we all know.  But the best coaches recognize their shortcomings and make the adjustments.  It will be interesting to see if Harbaugh can do that.  I also don’t think he is an attractive alternative for the NFL now given his conservative approach offensively.  We are not talking Andy Reid here.  But he can certainly thrive at the college level with a bit of a tweak for next season.

So, Michigan fans, how are you feeling this morning?

OK, the reviews and comments are in: mostly positive.  Paxton sounds like a feisty competitor, wants to be in NY, he’s a lefty and is in his prime.  The only downside – and this may be a big downside – is that he rarely makes every start and has had pretty much every possible injury you can have over the years.  Now, the good news is that his arm should have less wear and tear as he is never making 30+ starts a year.  But the Yankees will have to be a little wary of this going forward.

While Sheffield may turn out to be the real deal, SU does not have the attachment to this guy as of yet and as we all know, the Yankee prospects are always over-hyped.

So, what happens next?  SU says the key is what they do with Aaron Hicks.  If Cashman re-signs him, then they won’t sign either Harper or Machado.  If Hicks leaves, then SU predicts the Yankees will be all in for Bryce Harper.  I don’t see any Machado scenario unless they are going to trade Andujar which would be stupid.  Give him a chance to work on his fielding or make him a first baseman.  And please: all the talk of a partial season shortstop solution – there are a million guys out there that can fill that void.  Didi is the man – he will be fine and they should not give up on him.  Plus he’s one of your few left-handed hitters.

Did you see last night’s Chiefs – Rams game?  I must admit that while I love the offense, at some point it’s a little ridiculous.  Can it really be that easy?  Only a handful of teams fire on all cylinders like that it’s surprising how the defenses are unable to cover receivers without being penalized.  Last night may also be a function of playing in a warm weather city.  That may not happen in January when it’s windy and cold.

OK, Cashman has made his first trade getting Paxton from the Mariners for some prospects including Justus Sheffield who is their top pitching prospect and possibly their top overall guy.  SU does not know much about Paxton but he has a lot of strikeouts and is 30 years old.  Definitely someone who will be slotted in high in the rotation.  It would have been fun to see what happened with Sheffield but the team is built to win now and SU has confidence in Cashman’s judgment (Sonny Gray excluded).

They need to go for it in 2019.  SU says good first move.  Thoughts?