NEW YORK — If you happen to think torpedo bats are a shortcut to home run heaven, take a look at the Yankees’ box scores the last two nights. They’ve struck out 27 times, not to mention back to back losses to the Diamondbacks. So let’s be real about this next-generation lumber.

The early part of the MLB season has seen a continuing trend of clubs locking up their up-and-coming All-Stars before their arbitration and free agent eligibility.

The San Diego Padres recently inked their young superstar Jackson Merrill to a massive contract extension that could be worth up to $200 million in total. Merri