Locked On Yankees - Daily Podcast On The New York Yankees

Miguel Andujar is up to four home runs in spring training, which we all know means nothing, but while he's not going to win the third base job with a great week in the Grapefruit League, he certainly isn't doing himself any harm. Speaking of not doing oneself any harm, the Yankees need to make sure Clint Frazier is absolutely well before he steps on a baseball field. There is no reason, at all, to rush him back from a concussion. It does seem that the appropriate caution is being taken. Aside from Frazier, pretty much everything in the spring is going the way the Yankees would plan it out. Maybe Gleyber Torrres wouldn't be 1-for-11, but again, that's 11 at-bats. It's Mailbag Friday, and there's a Braun Strowman reference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've finally got some on-field action to talk about, and for this one, it seems easiest to just go with some bullet points... * Clint Frazier suffered a concussion, which the Yankees should take seriously, even if it's "mild." * Aaron Judge is ready for game action after his offseason shoulder surgery. * Russell Wilson was in camp, and it was a good thing for the Yankees. * Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher are now Yankees special advisors. * Way-too-small sample size thoughts on the Grapefruit League performances of Brandon Drury, Tyler Wade, Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams, and Miguel Andujar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Yankees wanted Brandon Drury in December, and now Brandon Drury is a Yankee, arriving this week from the Diamondbacks in a three-way trade with the Rays. The Yankees gave up Nick Solak and Taylor Widener in the deal, but honestly don't figure to miss either one that much as they were dealing from a position of strength in their farm system. Drury fits the Yankees well, primarily as a third baseman, but also as someone who can play all over the diamond. That's not the best news for Miguel Andujar, or it might make it easier to start Gleyber Torres' season in Scranton, but the fact is that the Yankees are a better team as a result of this move. Also, it's Mailbag Friday! Drury is discussed, naturally, but there's much more, so stick around for that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge took batting practice together for the first time as teammates, but don't forget about Gary Sanchez, who is going to be a huge star if he isn't already -- he is already. Meanwhile, Brian Cashman wants a ring. Of course he does. But if the Yankees don't get one, does it mean the season is a failure? (Betteridge's Law applies here). J.D. Martinez goes to Boston, Chris Tillman returns to Baltimore, and both of those things have impact on the Yankees. Jake Odorizzi gets traded to Minnesota, and it would seem that the Yankees had no interest in him. But how about Chris Archer? HOW ABOUT CHRIS ARCHER? There's still time to apply to join the Locked On Yankees team. Email LockedOnNYY@gmail.com to introduce yourself, and include some samples of stuff you've written. Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spring training started, and guess who was right about very little of consequence actually happening in the early days? Meanwhile, the other teams in the American League East all are adding players, some more effectual than others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sorry for being a killjoy about pitchers and catchers. It's just, we wait all winter and build up to this day, and there's no baseball to watch, still. What a bummer. Also a bummer: We won't get to watch Yu Darvish pitch every fifth day, though it doesn't really seem like the Yankees were ever really all that into making it happen. What can they do instead to add to the rotation? There are plenty of options. Meanwhile, Goose Gossage will not be a spring training instructor this year, for reasons illustrated by Goose Gossage in his reaction to not being named a spring training instructor this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At long last, the Yankees have the man to take them to the Super Bowl, snagging quarterback Russell Wilson in a deal with the Texas Rangers. Wilson figures to make about as much of an impact for the 2018 Yankees as the other newest member of the team, Shane Robinson, a journeyman outfielder added on a non-roster invitation to spring training. With all of that going on, there's barely any time for mailbag questions on this Mailbag Friday. Just kidding, there's lots of time for it, and the questions are fun and good. If you have any for the next Mailbag Friday, do send them along to LockedOnNYY@gmail.com or just tweet them to @LockedOnYankees. It's always great to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todd Frazier going to the Mets gives further credence to the idea that the Yankees' third base job is Miguel Andujar's to win or Miguel Andujar's to lose, depending on how you look at it -- it doesn't really matter, he's the main guy going into camp, barring another acquisition. Meanwhile, Andujar appears very high on one new prospect list, and not at all on another. What to make of that? And exactly what should the Yankees be doing with this stacked farm system? When he gets to camp, Andujar will find that his old Single-A manager is now the Yankees' infield coach. Expect them to work closely together all spring. Luis Severino already has reported to Tampa, and he wants another starter to join him in the rotation. He's not alone in that! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A fond farewell to the late Oscar Gamble today, plus news of the Yankees adding righthanded pitcher David Hale on a minor league contract, wrap up the week in Yankeeland. But that does not wrap up this week on Locked On Yankees, because before we do that, it's Mailbag Friday!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Espinosa will join the Yankees for spring training, and if you've ever wanted a full breakdown of a non-roster invitation.... like, if that's something you haven't been getting enough of in your life, well, OH BOY ARE YOU IN LUCK. This offseason is terrible, but Giancarlo Stanton is still a Yankee. Keep that in mind. But what if Stanton wanted to grow a beard? What if Bryce Harper refused to sign with the Yankees unless he could keep his beard? What if Danny Espinosa... okay, nobody's changing any rules for Espinosa, but HIS BEARD IS AMAZING AND HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO GROW IT. Also on this show, another prospect ranking is out. Plus, a little rant about the MLBPA. Please come back soon, baseball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With this year's Hall of Fame class set, it's time for an early look at next year's ballot, which figures to include several short-term Yankees, but also Mariano Rivera, who darn well better make it on the first ballot, and Andy Pettitte, whose case... figures to be a topic of conversation for several years. On the other side of the career spectrum, is it time to freak out because Estevan Florial didn't make Keith Law's top 100 prospects list at ESPN? Of course it isn't, though that also doesn't mean Law was wrong in his reasoning, which he explained in between the last episode and this one. Meanwhile, in the mailbag, there are questions about regression, the leadoff spot in the Yankees' order, and the infield situation. Oh, that infield situation. We're gonna talk about that a lot between now and April, aren't we? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Yankees' farm system is well represented on prospect lists released by Baseball America and ESPN this week, hence the title of this episode referencing Gleyber Torres. Two guests on this episode, though, so get excited! Larry Fleisher is here to talk about the Yankees' remaining offseason to-do list, while Jason Lukehart takes up the case of a former Yankee who won't make the Hall of Fame this year (we know that from publicly released ballots), but should get a closer look in the future. Follow @LockedOnYankees on Twitter, and subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Not seeing it? Send an email to LockedOnNYY@gmail.com. Thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yu Darvish is tweeting again, and that's... well, it's fun, if nothing else. We still have no idea how interested the Yankees are in signing him, or what his emoji usage means, but at least there's something to talk about that's hot stove related. Then, Ben Badler from Baseball America joins the show to talk about the Yankees' pursuit of pending free agent Cuban outfield prospect Julio Pablo Martinez. Finally, a look at Mike Axisa's piece at CBS Sports detailing some ideas for the MLBPA going forward, and how some of those ideas may be beneficial to the Yankees, even though some may not seem to be on their face. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the slow pace of the offseason continues, the big topic of discussion is not just that nothing is happening, but why nothing is happening, and you might as well read the piece by Jeff Passan at Yahoo Sports because the first half of this episode jumps off from there into exactly what it all means for the Yankees and what they're doing. The second half of this episode is Mailbag Friday, which focuses on the rivalry with the Red Sox and the Yankees' infield situation. Follow @LockedOnYankees on Twitter. Email: LockedOnNYY@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gerrit Cole is an Astro, Andrew McCutchen is a Giant, and both of those things are negative for the Yankees for different reasons. The Yankees, though, should be on the phone to Pittsburgh to see if the Pirates still are in a dealing mood, and if so, what it would take to get Josh Harrison to New York. Meanwhile, the Yu Darvish derby continues, and the Yankees have the room under the luxury tax threshold to make it happen, maybe, although they still ideally would find a way to dump a contract somewhere else... again, Jacoby Ellsbury is the top candidate for that, but again, good luck finding a taker. How many more weeks of this wait-and-see game? Apparently lots, because as we look around the rest of the AL East, the biggest thing happening is that Curtis Granderson will play his age-37 season with Toronto. Also, my knee really does hurt, and it's been almost a month since I first banged it on the ground. Should I see a doctor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices