Bronx Bomber Ball

As we get ready to bring in the new year, and hopefully also end a nine-year championship drought in the Bronx, we here at the BBB thought it would be a good idea to count down the top 10 Yankees memories from 2017. Since we've had some noteworthy moves this offseason, the list includes both on and off the field moments. The 10 moments that do make the list are completely arbitrary and decided by yours truly; however, I've also included some honorable mentions that could have easily made their way onto any other fan's list. Photo Credit: Anthony Gruppuso/ USA TODAY Sports

With the Yanks having already made a major splash in a relatively otherwise quiet offseason across the league, they're looking to make another move. According to Jon Heyman of FanRagSports, the Yankees are interested in starting pitcher Yu Darvish, who they have shown trade interest in in the past. Photo Credit: USA TODAY Sports

With either utility-man Ronald Torreyes or one of the Yankees inexperienced rookies projected to man two of the four infield positions, the Yankees have been quietly involved in acquiring a more experienced, veteran infielder. With Gerrit Cole talks seemingly going nowhere, the Yankees have inquired about another one of the Pirates’ talented players, Josh Harrison, to possibly fill one of their infield gaps.   Photo Credit: USA Today Sports

The Yankees pitching staff is debatably one of the best in the game, with names like Severino, Gray, Tanaka and Sabathia headlining the starting five. The Yankees have a core of talent that will compete every game until the last out is made. With names like Adams, Sheffield and Abreu, their farm system is also producing names that have shown success and who are projected to compete at the major league level. Over the last few weeks, Gerrit Cole and the Pirates have been rumored to be involved in a possible trade with the Yankees. Adding Cole to the staff will make the rotation a whole lot better and the Yankees would have a truly elite rotation.   Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Yankees have made a splash in the International Prospect pool by signing outfielder Raimfer Salinas, 16 and catcher Antonio Cabello, 17. Both are from Venezuela, and both are ranked in the top twenty international prospects for 2017 according to Baseball America’s rankings.  The signings gave the Yankees five of Baseball America’s top 20 international prospects, including OF Everson Pereira, SS Ronny Rojas, and SS Roberto Chirinos. Salinas is six foot, 170 pounds with plus speed and arm strength. Cabello is five foot eleven, 185 pounds and shows a patient hitting approach from the right side.  The signings are more than likely a result of the failure to sign the “Japanese Babe Ruth” Shohei Ohtani, who chose to sign with the Angels as an international free agent. @JesseSanchezMLB via Twitter Salinas and Cabello’s signing bonuses aren’t yet announced, but shortstop Ronny Rojas signed for $1M in September, so it’s fair to assume Salinas and Cabello recei...

One of the biggest storylines for the Yankees braintrust this offseason has been what to do with Jacoby Ellsbury and his unwillingness to waive his no-trade clause. He has repeatedly voiced his desire to stay in New York, and believes he can be the starting center fielder next season. According to a new report, however, the 33-year-old could possibly change his mind.   Photo Credit: Getty Images

Per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, the Yankees are closing in on a deal to acquire Pittsburgh Pirates ace Gerrit Cole. Passan goes on to say that while the final package has not come together at this point, the sides are talking and there is “a feeling of when rather than if.”  He also goes on to say that while the Yankees remain the likeliest destination for Cole, the Pirates would likely still move him elsewhere if the trade with the Yankees falls through. Credit: Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports

Earlier news broke by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com that the New York Yankees have resigned CC Sabathia to a one-year deal worth $10 million. Sabathia has been with the Yanks since 2009 when he inked a seven-year, $161 million deal. He's been the veteran pitching staff leader, a role that was once filled by fellow southpaw, Andy Pettite. In 2018, Sabathia will provide veteran leadership for rookie manager Aaron Boone and a young Yankee roster. Photo Credit: Paul J. Bereswill

The outfield was a big part of this team’s offense in the 2017 season and was vital in leading the Yanks to the ALCS. No one in this part of the team underperformed and by the end of the season, there weren’t enough spots for how well everyone was performing. Down below is the grades for each Yankees outfielder: Photo Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Yesterday, the Winter Meetings wrapped up, ending with the annual Rule 5 Draft. For those who are unfamiliar with the draft, it is essentially teams selecting a minor league player with four to five years of professional experience that has not yet been added to the 40-man roster of their team. Since the Yankees have such a deep farm system, they were not able to add all the talent that they wanted to their 40-man roster, and lost four players as a result: RHP Anyelo Gomez, LHP Nestor Cortes, 1B Mike Ford, and RHP Jose Mesa.   MiLB.com

The Yankees wasted no time dumping salary in wake of the trade for Giancarlo Stanton, departing with second baseman Starlin Castro (Miami) and Chase Headley (San Diego). Castro will be making $10M in 2018 with the Marlins, while Headley will be making $13M in 2018 with the Padres. Dumping these two contracts offset the cost of Giancarlo Stanton, but it also leaves two holes at 2B and 3B. Read who will take over second base here  , and continue reading to see the Yankees options for third base in 2018. Within the organization, the Yankees have some young, talented infielders. The most experienced being Ronald Torreyes, but he’s proven to be a very valuable bench piece as a utility player, and I’d imagine that role would continue for him in 2018, that is if he doesn’t win the starting second base job. Essentially, Torreyes, Gleyber Torres, Tyler Wade, and Miguel Andujar are fairly interchangeable pieces between 2B and 3B. Miguel Andujar, however, seems that he would stay at 3B d...

According to Jon Heyman and others, the Yankees have been in contact with free agent lefty CC Sabathia about a return to the Bronx. CC has stated repeatedly that his preference would be to remain with the Yankees. Credit: Mark Lomoglio/Icon Sportswire

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, the Yankees are interested in Orioles star third baseman Manny Machado. The Yankees are one of multiple  teams interested in the infielder, and Cashman has the ammunition to make a move if he pleases. However, it would be interesting to see a star like Machado traded to a division rival, but stranger things have happened.  SI.com

Despite acquiring Giancarlo Stanton, a move which makes the Yankees likely the most potent lineup in baseball, the Yankees aren’t finished making moves. Specifically, the Yankees want to compliment their deadly lineup by improving the rotation using the money they just cleared up in the Chase Headley deal earlier this morning which cleared up his $13 million salary and gives the Yankees more breathing room beneath the luxury tax. The two primary targets have been reported to be Michael Fulmer of the Tigers and Patrick Corbin of the Diamondbacks according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Photo Credit: USA Today

It seems that even after acquiring slugger Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees are not done shopping this offseason.  According to Joel Sherman of the NY Post , the Yankees have traded righty Bryan Mitchell and third baseman Chase Headley to the Padres for outfielder Jabari Blash. Photo Credit: Elsa | Getty Images Because of the small return in a 28-year old-outfielder with a career .200 batting average that has no chance of sniffing the Yankees outfield, this is a clear salary dump for the New York Yankees. This is also a two for one trade to clear space on the 40-man roster.   With the subtraction of Headley and the $13 million left on his contract for 2018, Todd Frazier automatically becomes a candidate to be resigned by the Yankees to man third base. Frazier, a New Jersey guy who clearly loves playing in pinstripes, should be fairly easy for the Yankees to retain if they want him to. Toward the end of the season, Frazier was favored at third base over Chase He...

After an already exciting offseason for the Yankees, one big question still remains: will the Yankees resign CC Sabathia? After recent rumors about the Yankees being interested in trading for Gerritt Cole, a guy they once drafted, it almost seems like they’re turning their shoulder on Sabathia. CC has been worth every penny of his monster contract that the Yankees offered him in 2009. Not only has he performed, but he has genuinely enjoyed his time in New York. After the game seven loss to Houston, CC said "This is my home. I want to see this thing through, I want to come back here and finish things off. This is where I want to be.” Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The Yankees kicked off day one of the Winter Meetings in a big way, officially introducing 2017 NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton as the newest member of the organization. In addition to that, the Yankees were involved in a number of rumors. However, not too much has gone down just yet. Let’s take a look at some rumors and rumblings from day one of the Winter Meetings. Photo Credit: Willie J. Allen Jr. | AP

Today I had a heated argument with a teammate of mine about the state of the Yankees. He was upset that the Yankees pursued Stanton because they “didn’t need him” and “need starting pitching.” I told him to shut up. I have HAD IT with people complaining about the Yankees starting pitching issues. Of course, if the Yankees don’t resign CC Sabathia, it would be wise to go out and get a guy to settle out the back end of the rotation. However, if they do bring him back, which I pray they do, the Yankees will thrive in 2018 with what they have.  In 2017, the Yankees starting rotation had serious question marks. Masahiro Tanaka was the ace without question, and he ended up having the worst year out of all five starters. Luis Severino was coming off a season where he was literally sent to the minor leagues and nobody could have predicted that he would end up in the AL Cy Young race. CC Sabathia had a great bounce back year, proving to be the Yankees “stopper”, winning 10 cons...

photo from USATSI Pittsburgh Pirates ace Gerrit Cole is in the crosshairs of the New York Yankees, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports . The team that added the National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton over the weekend, is hoping to increase their talent on the mound as well with Cole being a potential major arm in the starting rotation.

Shortly after the news broke about the Yankees new bench coach Josh Bard, it was reported by Bob Nightengale that former Giants’ third base coach Phil Nevin will be the new Yankees' third base coach and that Mike Harkey will be returning as the bullpen coach. Photo Credit: Zimbio

With the managerial position taken care of, it was only a matter of time until the rest of the Yankees coaching staff was filled in. The first new member of the staff to join Aaron Boone will be the 39-year-old bullpen coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Josh Bard.   Photo Credit: Dodgers Photo Blog

Last night reports were coming out that the Yankees were close to acquiring the reigning NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton, which happened to set Twitter on fire like nothing I have ever seen.  Yankee fans including myself refused to go to sleep for fear of missing the story break. By the time I woke up this morning the trade was at the finish line. Photo Credit: SI.com

It’s really hard to type when your hands are shaking from excitement. Maybe even hyperventilation.   Photo Credit: Newsday The Yankees have acquired Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins. The prospect load isn’t overwhelming, but the Marlins have acquired all-star second baseman Starlin Castro. So, this leaves a gaping hole at second base right? Not exactly. The Yankees are obviously very excited about their number one prospect in all of baseball in Gleyber Torres. Hurt for most of 2017 due to Tommy John surgery in his non-throwing arm, Torres promises to have an all-star caliber career for the Yankees. Moving Castro could simply be making room for Torres to start at second base heading into the 2018 season.  If Torres is going to start for the Yankees at second base, he’s going to have to prove his worth in Spring Training. However, he did in 2017. He hit .448 with six doubles, a triple, two homers and nine RBI in 19 games. Torres’ time is now, but the ...