Yankees Trade Strategy & The Great Pop-Tart Rivalry

**Craig Carton** (0:00)
Matt and the Bronx are the fan. Matt, what's going on, Cookie?

**Matt** (0:04)
Hey, what up, boys? How's it going?

**Craig Carton** (0:06)
Great.

**Chris McMonigle** (0:06)
How are you?

**Matt** (0:08)
I'm doing good. I'm doing good. I got a couple of quick takes, and then I'll give you my opinion on who I think one of those players are that he might be talking about. So basically, as a Yankee fan, can't complain too much. Obviously, the injuries have caught up. But man, is this movie getting old. We've seen this before. And what annoys me, obviously, every team wants to bolster their roster at the trade deadline. But I feel like every year, for the past few years, Yankees always need a piece. It's like always an emphatic move that has to be made.
I guess that's just how it goes. But when is it just good enough?
Good question. I don't know if you guys agree with that.

**Chris McMonigle** (0:48)
Yeah, I mean, again, I don't disagree with that. But give me the other team in baseball who doesn't need significant help at the deadline. The Dodgers? No, that's true. That's about it, probably. Yeah. And even the Dodgers, they're probably going to add. Look, I'm not saying you're wrong. For $300-plus million, do you think you'd have a more complete team and not need a bunch of stuff? Totally agree. They traded for a third baseman last year who now can't play, so third base is a problem. They had a young catcher who was third in the Rookie of the Year voting. And even last year, on a down year, hit 20 home runs and drove in 80 RBIs. He's got four and driven in 10 It's July. So now suddenly, catcher is a problem. They didn't think catcher would necessarily be a trade deadline problem.
They thought they'd have a good defensive catcher who's a little light hitting. Now they have a disaster area. So now that's jumped up on them. There's no doubt. They knew going in that the bullpen, they did nothing to help the bullpen. They knew they would have arms in the rotation that would eventually transition to the bullpen. They knew they had kids in the minors they could put in the bullpen. And they knew going in, they were going to have to attract a dread deadline to help the bullpen. But now it's turned into third base probably needs something. The catcher certainly needs something. So sure, I don't think that's unfair.
I don't think it's unfair to say they're attacking the trade deadline and need to improve four or five spots for a team that's got a $300 million payroll. I think that's absolutely a fair criticism.

**Craig Carton** (2:04)
Here's the good news. You're getting Christian back tomorrow.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:07)
Yes.

**Craig Carton** (2:07)
Bednar who's out for paternity leave, I believe he's back tomorrow as well. I think I read that, right? So your closer's back. Obviously one of the key parts of your team is back in the outfield. So that's going to make them a better team. And look, you play the twins.
If you lose to the twins, you gotta have a real problem.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:26)
Right? Well, yes.

**Craig Carton** (2:28)
Is that fair?

**Chris McMonigle** (2:29)
Yes, it's fair.

**Craig Carton** (2:29)
Okay.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:31)
I think at the end of the series in Tampa.

**Craig Carton** (2:34)
That's a better one. Because they're right after Minnesota, right?

**Chris McMonigle** (2:36)
I'm going to look at the standings after the series in Tampa. And if they are six, seven games behind Tampa, that's going to be a problem.
It's going to be a problem.

**Craig Carton** (2:45)
That's when something happens.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:46)
That's when, I don't know if anything happens.

**Craig Carton** (2:48)
Well, that's what people are talking about things happening.

**Chris McMonigle** (2:50)
People are talking about things happening right now.

**Craig Carton** (2:52)
I mean, but outside of the obvious people that, like my dear friend Sean Morash, who's going to say it on April 3rd.
You know, I think if they're seven games out, let's say they lose two out of three to Minnesota, lose three out of four to Tampa. That's what you're talking about, right? So while the losing streak stops, it's a lot of losing still. And then it's four consecutive series losses coming into the All-Star break, pretty much, right?

**Chris McMonigle** (3:16)
Right.

**Craig Carton** (3:17)
That's when the rumor mill really kicks in.

**Chris McMonigle** (3:20)
If the Rays win tonight, the Yankees are four games back in the division, four.

**Craig Carton** (3:24)
Okay.

**Chris McMonigle** (3:25)