That's not how things work.

I know what the Yankees ought to do ... the Yankees ought to get Manny Machado and Bryce Harper:

"The Yankees need a LeBron. That is just a start.

To get their LeBron James, they need to get younger and more talented quickly so that when the star-studded free-agent class after the 2018 season is available, they can pounce.

Bryce Harper, who is only 23, and Manny Machado, who is 23 as well, anchor that class, but the Yankees must make themselves an attractive fit for either of those superstars to show up."

Three years into the future? Why would anyone even attempt to map things three years into the future?


"They need to begin the retooling process immediately. That means starting the Great 2016 Sell-off."

Immediately?

So Manny Machado and Bryce Harper ... assuming these two humans are alive and healthy three years from now ... are not going to sign up with the Yankees unless the Yankees take immediate action?


"A month from now teams will go strong to make deals and the Yankees need to put themselves in the right trading sense of mind — from ownership on down."

Well, a month from now is not what I thought you meant by the word "immediately," but, OK. Like everyone else, you think the Yankees should be "sellers."


"Come trade deadline time, the Yankees need to trade all veteran assets and look at it as if they are trading up for the future instead of treading water. Last month it was evident this team was going nowhere, and even though they’ve played a soft schedule since, they have not made a dent in the AL East race."

For the millionth time, this is a great idea in your fantasy baseball league.

In the actual world, a lot of things have to happen before you trade your veteran assets:

1) The veteran assets with no-trade clauses have to agree.

2) You need a buyer.

3) You need a buyer who is willing to make a reasonable deal.


"The Yankees remain 40-1 odds, according to Bovada.lv, to win the World Series."

I'd put the odds at around 100-1, but let's not talk about that. Let's assume the Yankees are sunk in 2016. I have not yet seen a convincing argument that trading away everyone in six weeks is going to help lower those odds by 2018.


"Anyone who can’t help that future team who can be traded, should be traded. The good news is the Yankees have valuable assets that can help build the future — and not just Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller.

The Cubs, Giants and Nationals all need help and all will be dealing and the Yankees have valuable pieces.

Carlos Beltran could make a return engagement to the Giants and could help San Francisco get that even-year championship again.

The Giants are looking for bullpen help and an outfielder, and they still love Beltran, according to sources. Beltran could best help a team as a designated hitter — that should open up the AL market for him as well, but the Giants are confident he could slide to left field to help them."

So here we go again.

The Yankees aren't getting diddly for any of these guys, OK?


"The Mets once got Zack Wheeler for Beltran — the Yankees should be so lucky. The Yankees also have a trade piece in Chase Headley, who has turned around his season."

Zack Wheeler is 18-16 in his career. Chase Headley is one of the the most overpaid players in baseball. You're undermining your own argument.


"After the 2018 season the Yankees can’t simply drop the biggest bag of money on Harper or Machado and win the day. Yes, players will almost always go for the money, there is no doubt about that, but for these Yankees it’s going to take that LeBron-like addition and more to get back to championship mode."

Let's go with this premise. The Yankees have to get younger and better in order to lure Lebron-like Harper and Machado.

You still haven't made one convincing argument that any of the current Yankee assets can be traded for good, young players.

Headley is garbage, Chapman is a rental, Beltran is 39 years old, and Miller is a great closer.

All four put together, what kind of young players are you expecting in return?


"If Harper comes along in pinstripes for the 2019 season, he is going to need plenty of help, and that’s why the Yankees have to put themselves in position now to begin to get that help.

Look at the superstar pitching talent the Nationals have in Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer. It’s not just Harper — and now they need one of the two closers the Yankees have in Miller or Chapman."

Who are the Yankees getting in return???

 You can have Miller. He's on a shuttle to DC as we speak.

We'll throw in Headley, ARod, and Teixeira and we'll even pay 100% of their salaries.

I think it's sad to break up the bullpen, which is the only reason the Yankees have a surprisingly high 2.5% chance of winning the World Series, but Kevin Kernan has promised Future Machado and Future Harper, so I guess you gotta do it.

One question, though: Who are the Nationals giving up for Three Stiffs and a Closer?

Who are the Nationals trading to the Yankees that will ... how did you phrase it? ...  provide "plenty of help" for Harper and Machado?

Is the goal to give free agents a soft landing spot by clogging the roster with a bunch of utility infielders and long relievers?

If the Yankees could miraculously find future superstars by trading away their current roster, then let's do it, regardless of whether Machado and Harper are coming.

I fail to understand how trading old crummy players for young crummy players would lure future superstar free agents to join your team.