He strikes out way too much.

A lot of hit at-bats are feeble giveaway at-bats.

I can't say it was a mistake to sign him, but he did not have a great year.

"For all their emphasis on cutting-edge analytics and their professed desire to get younger, more athletic, and yes, more economical, the Yankees still are susceptible to the seduction of the bright, shiny object.

Case in point: Giancarlo Stanton."

Come on.

He's a good player, he hit right around 40/100, he's young and probably about to hit his prime.

He stayed healthy, he played good in he outfield, and he was good with the press.

He just strikes out way too much.


"The 2017 Yankees came within one victory of going to the World Series, and if there was one area of their game that didn’t need shoring up, it was offense.

Last year’s team led the major leagues in home runs with 241. They were second in runs scored with 858, second in on-base percentage (.339) and third in OPS. (.858).

Still, confronted by a need to improve their starting pitching, the Yankees found they could not resist adding Stanton to their already high-powered offense when it became obvious that the Marlins, and their frugal CEO, Derek Jeter, were looking to dump the remaining 10 years of Stanton’s 13-year, $325 million contract despite his winning the N.L. MVP last season with a whopping 59 home runs."

Starting pitching?

For improved starting pitching, you need starting pitchers.

Who was available?


"In fairness, the 2018 free agent crop for starters was not a strong one. The biggest-ticket item, Yu Darvish, had a disastrous, injury-ridden season for the Chicago Cubs, making just eight starts and going 1-3. Most of the others — Tyler Chatwood, Alex Cobb, Andrew Cashner — had seasons of similar futility without being injured. Only Jake Arrieta had a decent season for the Phillies. The Yankees were probably wise to avoid investing in that market."

Right ...


"But about a month after the Yankees parted with Starlin Castro and two minor leaguers for Stanton, the Houston Astros were prying Gerrit Cole away from the Pirates for a minor league outfielder (Jason Martin), two mediocre relievers in Michael Feliz and Joe Musgrove, and a decent third baseman, Colin Moran.

Cole, for the record, pitched seven brilliant innings of three-hit ball, allowing just one run in Game 2 of the ALDS between the Astros and Indians Saturday afternoon.

Certainly, the Yankees, with their re-stocked farm system, could have put together a comparable package."

Oh, what a bunch of baloney.

After the games are played, it's real easy to proclaim that Gerritt Cole is better than J.A. Happ. Gerritt Cole was the answer to a World Series title the whole time. If only the Yankees had stayed focused on Gerritt Cole and not been distracted by the shiny HR-hitting object. 


Why don't you let this play out?

Over this season and actually the next ten seasons?

Stanton could light Price up tonight and lead the Yankees to a World Series title.

Maybe he'll hit four in one WS game and six overall, shattering every WS HR record.

But it doesn't even matter. Stanton's performance of lack thereof has nothing to do with Gerritt Cole.

The Yankees could have traded for both Stanton and Cole. It wasn't an either/or decision. They demonstrated that with the acquisitions of McCutchen and Happ.

They just decided Cole wasn't worth the price.

We'll never know if that was the right call.

Maybe Cole would have shut down the Red Sox in Game One of the ALDS. Maybe Cole would have gotten shelled at Fenway.