CLOSE Giancarlo Stanton speaks to reporters after his introductory New York Yankees press conference. Pete Caldera/NorthJersey.com
New Yankee Giancarlo Stanton with his new jersey during the winter meetings in Orlando, Fla., on Monday. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
ORLANDO, Fla. – In his eight seasons with the Marlins, Giancarlo Stanton has never played on a team that finished above .500.
Now, the right-handed slugger is on the newly installed favorites to win the World Series.
“I’m very excited to be here and to be a part of the Yankees,’’ Stanton said Monday, introduced as the newest Yankee during a Winter Meetings news conference.
"I’m just looking forward to stepping up and being with this winning environment and winning culture.’’
The reigning NL MVP, Stanton described the Marlins as directionless, and chastised the organization for the “unprofessional, circus times’’ he spent there, though praised the city and sympathized with Marlins fans.
“Sometimes things just spiral out of place and you have to find a new home,’’ Stanton said.
That new home is the Bronx, where Stanton said he won’t have any issues with splitting time between right field and designated hitter, and possibly even playing some left field.
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And reigning AL Rookie of the Year and incumbent Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge also has no issues with floating about, possibly even playing some center field to accommodate Stanton.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said he checked with Judge to get his take on a possible deal for Stanton, which came together last Thursday.
Judge told Cashman he was “pumped’’ to have Stanton on the team. “This is exciting. If you could pull that off, that would be amazing,’’ Judge said in response, according to the GM.
Yankees' Aaron Judge, right, greeting teammates before playing against the Cleveland Indians in the ALDS. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Brett Gardner remains the starting left fielder, with Aaron Hicks the starting center fielder. The Yankees will figure out a role for Jacoby Ellsbury, if he remains on the club, and Clint Frazier must now be seen as a possible trade chip as the Yanks engage the market for a significant starting pitcher.
“We’ve got to keep finding ways to improve,’’ Cashman said. “There’s other aspects of the roster that we want to attack and fortify… to put a team that (manager) Aaron Boone and his coaching staff can go forward with.’’
The Yankees shipped All-Star second baseman Starlin Castro to Miami (saving $22 million in the process) along with two minor leaguers. Also, the Yanks will receive $30 million to offset the remaining $295 million on Stanton’s contract, as long as he doesn’t opt out after the 2020 season.
But Stanton sees the Yankees as in it for the long haul and says he isn't even thinking in terms of a possible opt-out in three years.
“This team isn’t on a three-year plan,’’ Stanton said. “They’re in for the long haul and I want to be a part of that.’’
Stanton wielded his no-trade clause to reject trades in place that could have sent him to the St. Louis Cardinals or San Francisco Giants, and the Yankees benefitted greatly from that power play; they were one of four clubs, including the L.A. Dodgers, that Stanton would have approved a trade to.
Even with Stanton’s massive contract, “we accomplished this deal in such a way that my goal is still to be under the threshold,’’ Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said of falling below the $197 million luxury tax threshold for 2018.
“Even with (Stanton) added, we’re comfortably under the threshold with some more money to spend on whatever we deem we want to spend it on.’’