2017 – The rumor in today’s morning news is that the Yankees have acquired superstar slugger Giancarlo Stanton from Miami. The Yankees take the inside track after Stanton reportedly nixed tentative deals with San Francisco and St. Louis by refusing to waive his no-trade clause to join either team, while the Yanks are apparently on the short list of teams he would be prepared to join. The question is what New York is prepared to give up to make the trade happen, and if simply picking up the remainder of Stanton’s huge contract, with some token players thrown in, may be enough, given the Marlins are mainly seeking salary relief – on-field competitiveness be damned. The trade will be made official in two days.