Tagged: Rob Refsnyder
Don’t Look Now But It’s J-Mont Time!…
Credit: Chris O’Meara, AP
Whoa, I didn’t think it would happen but Jordan Montgomery has claimed the fifth spot in the starting rotation. As recent as yesterday, I said I expected the Yankees to go with either Bryan Mitchell (currently on the Major League roster) or Chad Green (currently in the minors) since both pitchers are on the 40-man roster. Surprisingly, Manager Joe Girardi has announced they’ll call up Jordan Montgomery to make his much anticipated Major League Debut on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays.
I think it’s a terrific move. While I have been aware of the minor league accomplishments that Montgomery has achieved, I jumped on the bandwagon during Spring Training after watching him pitch. I had been a big supporter for Mitchell but the tall young left-hander changed my mind. I think it is tremendous to add another talented lefty to the rotation to go with CC Sabathia. Montgomery may not profile as a frontline ace, but he can be a very effective Big League pitcher. There will be bumps in the road but I think Montgomery can be an important part of the starting rotation when the team returns to contender status in the not-so-distant future.
No word yet who has lost their spot on the 40-man roster. You always have to worry about Rob Refsnyder given the lack of love he has been shown by Yankees management (regardless of how you or I feel about Ref). I think it will probably be one of the lesser known younger pitchers but it’s really anybody’s guess for who will lose the seat at the table.
With Montgomery scheduled to start tomorrow, it pushes everyone else back a day. Luis Severino will pitch on Thursday. To make room on the 25-man roster for Montgomery, the Yankees have demoted lefty reliever Chasen Shreve to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The decision regarding the 40-man roster, which was not announced, will be made by Wednesday.
Congratulations to Montgomery for his arrival at The Show and best of luck for much success on Wednesday for his Major League (and Yankee Stadium) debut! Exciting times! These are the steps that lay the foundation for the next World Series Championship!
It’s been announced that catcher Gary Sanchez will miss four weeks with a Grade 1 Strain of his right brachialis muscle (behind his bicep). I think all of us knew that this was going to be longer than a 10-Day DL stint. A month is a long time, but all things considered, it could have been worse, much worse. So, I guess we’ll just have delay the Yankees Regulars Reunion Party until May when Sanchez and Didi Gregorius both return.
I’ve already seen a few articles speculating who the Yankees should acquire for interim catching help. I think they’ll just go with the in-house candidates like they did for Didi Gregorius. I would prefer to see a platoon between Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka rather than just give the job outright to Romine. I really want to see what Higashioka has in his bat. He was a late bloomer but I think he can be a better catcher than Romine. Of the external candidates, the only name that sounds reasonably appealing to me is John Ryan Murphy of the Minnesota Twins. But despite the good job Murphy did as the Yankees backup catcher a couple of seasons ago, he has had a difficult time staying on the Twins’ MLB roster and is currently at Triple A.
With Sanchez out of the lineup, it’s critical for someone else to step up. Could that guy be right fielder Aaron Judge? Judge homered on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles and again yesterday on Opening Day against the Tampa Bay Rays. He has done a good job in reducing strikeouts and maybe now his bat is coming around. After struggling at each level, he has always overcome the challenges. Let’s hope this is the start of success for Judge in the Major Leagues, his final frontier.
Speaking of Opening Day, it was a magical day. Prior to the game, I had hoped the significance of the day would help bring out the best in Pineda. It did. Big Mike pitched exactly the way we know he can. He took a perfect game into the seventh inning before surrendering a double to Evan Longoria. He lost the shutout in the eighth, thanks to a Logan Morrison home run. Those would be the only hits (and run) allowed by Pineda, who went 7 2/3 innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out eleven in one of his most magnificent performances in recent memory. This is the Big Mike that can take us to the Promised Land.
For the second day in a row, Aroldis Chapman saw a potential save opportunity evaporate due to multiple late inning runs. After the top of the eighth inning was completed, the Yankees held a slim 3-1 lead. It felt like we’d see Chapman in the ninth to try for his first save of the season. He had even gotten up to throw in the pen but it was not meant to be as the Yankees easily scored five runs in the bottom of the 8th to ice the game. So, for the ninth inning, Chasen Shreve cleanly delivered three outs with no hits, walks or runs, striking out one. For his trouble, he received a free all-expenses paid one-way trip to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
In addition to Judge’s fourth inning home run off Alex Cobb, Chase Headley and Starlin Castro also homered later in the game. Matt Holliday had a good Yankee Stadium debut as he was 2-for-4, with a run scored and one ribbie. Chris Carter, also making his Yankee Stadium debut, tripled to drive in a run during the eighth inning scoring explosion.
It was a GREAT day for the Yankees and their fans from beginning to end. The day could not have been better scripted. Well, I wouldn’t object to the erasure of Longoria’s hit or Morrison’s homer, but all things considered, it was a wonderful day in the Bronx neighborhood.
For a day like yesterday, it’s fun to have a day off today to let the pleasing victory marinate. Take these good feelings and channel them into the desire for a sensational debut performance tomorrow by New York Yankees starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery! Wow, that does sound good…
Have a great Tuesday!
The Dawn of the New Season…
It seems like we were just getting excited about pitchers and catchers reporting to training camp. Now, here we are at the end of the Grapefruit League season and awaiting the first pitch to start the 2017 MLB season.
It was a very successful Spring for the Yankees. It was far better than I could have imagined. Heading into Spring, we were concerned about Greg Bird. He hit well late in the 2015 season but missed most of last year due to his shoulder injury. There was doubt about how he would perform and if the shoulder would hold him back like, say, the way Mark Teixeira’s wrist did. Bird smashed any concerns that he is ready. I know that Spring stats do not really mean much, but Bird led the Yankees with 8 home runs and was second on the team behind Gary Sanchez with 15 RBI’s. He played first base like a veteran and by all accounts, he is posed to be a future star in New York. I’ve always thought of Bird as a professional hitter and not one who will be susceptible to prolonged slumps. I am very glad to see that he is ready to fly (no pun intended).
Credit: John Raoux, AP
What can you say about Gary Sanchez? He continued the great success from last Fall without missing a beat. His bat delivered (5 homers and 16 RBI’s), and do did his arm (.983 fielding percentage in 102 innings worked, with a sub .500 stolen base percentage against him as he threw out 6 runners while only allow 4 SB’s). He is arguably the most exciting Yankees catcher since Jorge Posada or to place him higher, Thurman Munson. Good times ahead for the catching position, no doubt.
Aaron Judge held off Aaron Hicks to win right field in the Battle of Aarons. I feel bad for Hicks because I know that he needs to play every day to be successful. It’s hard to get into rhythm with limited, spot starts. But I would have been very disappointed to see Hicks get the right field job over Judge. At this point, sending Judge down to Triple A serves no purpose. He has proven himself at that level. He needs to master the Major Leagues and he can only do that by being here and playing every day. His ceiling, if successful, is so much greater than Hicks. Dating back to the days of Reggie Jackson and Dave Winfield, I love powerful right fielders at Yankee Stadium.
If I was the General Manager of the Yankees, Brett Gardner would be living in a different zip code. Nothing against Gardner, he’s been a good Yankee but his best days are behind him. He needs to open the way for younger guys. I’d prefer to start Hicks in left over Gardner, so I’d find a way to move Gardy even if the return is not ideal. The perfect scenario would be to trade Jacoby Ellsbury and move Gardner to center, but that’s not going to happen with nearly $90 million left on Ellsbury’s contract.
In the starting rotation, Luis Severino won the fourth spot but it was not an overpowering Spring performance. Last year, Severino chased his first win as a starter without success (he picked up a few wins in the bullpen but was 0-8 in his starts). I really hopeful that we do not go weeks or months trying to get that elusive first win this year. Severino has so much potential but he still leaves so many wondering if his stuff plays better out of the pen. It would be nice if he could prove those naysayers wrong (including me) to become a vital part of the rotation.
Manager Joe Girardi has delayed his decision for a fifth starter. With three scheduled off days during April including two days in the first week, a fifth starter is not needed until Sunday, April 16th at home against the St Louis Cardinals. Of the competitors for the fifth spot, only Bryan Mitchell made the Opening Day roster as a reliever. Chad Green will go down to AA Trenton while Jordan Montgomery will go to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Both Green and Montgomery will have early April starts in the minors for further auditions. I am sure that Mitchell will get some audition opportunities through long relief. Mitchell had been my favorite for the rotation but Jordan Montgomery changed my mind. So, I am hopeful that Montgomery gets the call-up when it is time for the fifth starter.
Credit: Associated Press
I was glad to see Chasen Shreve make the Opening Day roster as the second lefty behind Tommy Layne. Well, technically the third but Aroldis Chapman doesn’t really count since he’s on the mound at the end of games regardless of who is at the plate. When the Yankees toyed with the minor league signings of Ernesto Frieri and Jon Niese, I was fearful that Shreve would be one of the odd men out. Perhaps he still is given the Yankees’ propensity for the using the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shuttle to keep the bullpen fresh. Another young reliever I am happy for is Jonathan Holder.
Utility player Ronald Torreyes won the interim shortstop role while Didi Gregorius begins the year on the Disabled List. I am not excited about Torreyes in an every day role, but there were limited internal options. The Yankees will make room on the 40-man roster to bring up Pete Kozma to back up Torreyes, but Kozma has no bat. It did not make sense for the Yankees to trade for a shortstop since Didi will be back by the end of April or early May, and, unfortunately, prospect Tyler Wade is not quite ready. I also didn’t want to see the Yankees slide Starlin Castro back to short. He is still relatively inexperienced at second and needs to continue his work at the position. The Yankees obviously agreed as they never played Castro at short during training camp. Many thought the Yankees should have slid Castro to short to allow Rob Refsnyder to start at second. I am not sure that Refsnyder, for whatever reason, will ever get a legitimate chance in the Bronx. He was sent down to AAA for the start of the season with earlier reports that he was on the trading block.
I am not expecting this to be a playoff year for the Yankees. They could surprise and nab a Wild Card spot but I don’t think this is their year to unseat the Boston Red Sox as AL East Champions. They are still a year or two away from being a legitimate World Series contender. I do think this will be a more exciting team than last year’s team from beginning to end. The Baby Bombers proved that last year when the deadline deals moved Chapman to the Cubs and Andrew Miller to the Cleveland Indians, and Alex Rodriguez was released. It was only a preview of the excitement and energy the younger players can bring, which is further enhanced by the presence of Greg Bird this year.
Despite the quick arrival of the regular season, I am ready. Play ball!…
Warp Speed to Opening Day…
At the conclusion of the World Series, the off-season seems like it will be so long. We wait for the opening of free agency, then the winter meetings which generally brings a short frenzy with signings and trades. Then we wait through the holidays, and go through a quiet January. Finally, around Valentine’s Day, we are able to get our baseball fix as training camps begin to open.
Then, we blink, and here we are a week away from Opening Day. Cubs fans are probably still trying to recover from the hangovers, but the rest of us are anxious to begin the new year and at this point, everyone is optimistic.
The Yankees’ off-season was relatively quiet. The major move, aside from the return of Aroldis Chapman, was to sign free agent Matt Holliday, now the team’s starting DH. Matt’s days in the field, at age 37, are over but the bat remains effective and so do the leadership abilities. I’ve been very pleased this spring with the impact that Matt has had on the younger players, most notably Aaron Judge. With only a one-year contract, it is possible that this is Matt’s only year in pinstripes. Time will tell, but given what I’ve seen so far, I hope the team is able to find a way to bring him back next year.
Credit: Matt Rourke, AP
I am not sure what can be said about Masahiro Tanaka other than he’s been amazing this spring. Through five starts and 18 2/3 innings, he’s only surrendered six hits while striking out 22 to go with a sparkling 0.00 ERA. I realize that spring stats do not mean a great deal but Tanaka appears to be setting himself up for a career year. Of course that carries good news/bad news as Tanaka can opt out of his contract at the end of the year, but that’s something to worry about after the season. For now, let’s just enjoy what could be a tremendous year for the young right-hander.
Manager Joe Girardi has announced that CC Sabathia, rather than Michael Pineda, will slot in the rotation behind Tanaka. It was something of a surprise given CC was fighting for the fifth spot last spring. Girardi gave the ‘right-left’right’ strategy as his logic for the move, putting the left-handed Sabathia between two righties. He also referenced Sabathia’s numbers last year…3.91 ERA in 30 starts. His record was only 9-12 but wins and losses are deceiving for pitchers as they are dependent upon run support.
I am not sure how Pineda will react to the move back to third in the rotation. If it motivates him to overcome his inconsistency, I am all for it. The starting rotation needs a solid year from Pineda if it is going to be successful.
The fight for the last two spots in the rotation has been interesting. At the start of training camp, I felt the favorites were Luis Severino and Bryan Mitchell. Severino started strong and then has struggled with starts recently (although he did throw three hitless innings in relief yesterday). Mitchell has been good but not great. Chad Green has probably pitched the best among the contenders but the dark horse that is emerging is tall left-hander Jordan Montgomery. Luis Cessa, one of the early hopefuls, has already been sent to minor league camp for re-assignment. At 6’6” with an ability to pitch inside, I am very intrigued by Montgomery. He has proven himself at both the AA and AAA levels, and I think the 24-year-old is ready for the major leagues.
Credit: Reinhold Matay, USA TODAY Sports
In the right field competition, I think Aaron Judge has done enough to hold off Aaron Hicks. The stats are fairly comparable. Judge is batting .300 (15-for-50) with 2 HR and 4 RBI. Although he is still among the leaders in strikeouts (with 12), he is striking out less than he did last season in the Bronx. Hicks is batting .279 (12-for-43), also with 2 HR and 4 RBI. Hicks has struck out seven times. Judge has also displayed a terrific arm in right. For me, Judge has done what he needs to this spring and deserves the opportunity to take right field.
Greg Bird has been named the starting first baseman to the surprise of no one. Bird currently carries a .432 BA (19-for-44) with 6 HR and 11 RBI. I don’t think there was any chance that Chris Carter was going to beat out Bird, but Carter has been almost non-existent during training camp. He is currently batting .136 (6-for-44) which is actually up from where it was a few days ago. He only has one home run to go with 22 strikeouts. I think there’s a very strong argument for why Carter should be DFA’d when Tyler Austin returns from his foot injury.
With the final days of training camp winding down, the greatest uncertainty lies with shortstop. Didi Gregorius is out for the next month after suffering the shoulder sprain in the World Baseball Classic, so the question is who will replace Didi at short. The most logical move would be to slide Starlin Castro to short, and use a platoon of Ronald Torreyes and Rob Refsnyder at second. For me, it’s not ideal because Castro is still learning the nuances of second base and it should remain his focus. The only problem is there are no other true shortstops on the 40-man roster. Prospect Tyler Wade is the most advanced shortstop in the system and he’s probably my favorite for the temporary replacement but he’s young (only 22). He’s batting .342 in Grapefruit League action (13-for-38) but doesn’t have much power. Other possibilites are non-roster invitees Pete Kozma and Ruben Tejada. Didi’s bat will certainly be missed while he is away.
With the latest minor league re-assignments, the Yankees have 39 players remaining in camp. This includes the injured players (Tyler Austin and Didi Gregorius). With Opening Day just a week away, there will be more cuts this week as the Yankees pare down to 25 for the trip to St Petersburg to face the Tampa Bay Rays on April 2nd.
This has been a fun spring. The Yankees have the best record in the Grapefruit League (or the Cactus League for that matter). I know that spring stats mean nothing when the regular season starts but winning is always fun. We’ve seen some great stuff from the talented super-prospects in the organization like Gleyber Torres and James Kaprielian. Although they won’t be heading north with the big league club, they’ve given us glimpses of their incredible futures. Gary Sanchez has continued to impress and Greg Bird has shown that last year’s shoulder injury is no longer an issue. I am anxious and ready for the season to start. The Cubs are yesterday’s news.
For a few dollars more…
Like many Yankees fans, I found myself very disappointed that the Yankees lost Cuban free agent infielder Yoan Moncada to the Boston Red Sox. After an off-season of inactivity, it felt like the Yankees would make the winning push to bring Moncada to the Bronx. Then, to come up short to the Red Sox, feels so wrong. The money the Yankees were offering Moncada was huge ($25 million with the potential to go to $27.5 million), particularly considering the 100% tax associated with the bid had it won. Boston was all-in with over $31 million, and we are left to wonder why the Yankees couldn’t push a little bit harder.
I know, a 19 year old who has not proven himself and is at least two years from the major leagues. Still, under best case scenario, he would have been THE replacement for Robinson Cano. Perhaps the Yankees feel that they are in good hands with Rob Refsnyder at second and potentially Eric Jagielo in a few years at third. If Moncada puts up Hall of Fame numbers in Boston, this one will be forever a hard one to take. I felt that he was a blue chip, can’t miss prospect and he certainly would have zoomed to the top of the Yankees prospect list had he signed.
Conversely, if he flops, this will sting in Beantown and Hal Steinbrenner will look like a genius. But somehow, I suspect that Moncada will be alright and Hal’s frugal mind will leave the Yankees as the bridesmaids. It’s hard to think of a guy who is spending nearly $235 million to field a team this year as a frugal mind but he is unquestionably more bottom line oriented than his father was.
If the Yankees fail to advance to the play-offs for the third year in a row, it is going to place great pressure on Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman. But it’s the owner’s decision to go young and cut costs so time will tell if the manager and GM are the casualties. I am not looking for Girardi to leave. If he does get the ax, there’s not really anyone out there that I think could do a better job (who is not already employed).
This is a tough year. We have to have faith that the young moves for guys like Didi Gregorius and Nathan Eovaldi will pay off. Can they bridge the gap to when the farm system is ready and capable of producing major league talent?
If Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and, egads, Alex Rodriguez can’t turn back the clock, it’s going to be a long year in the Bronx and the future, without Moncada, is still a bit unclear.
I am not sure what I would do if I was the owner of the Yankees. It is so important to get a collection of cost controlled players to supplement the larger contracts. Everyone on the 25 man roster can’t be a mega-millionaire. Something has to give. But with the younger players, after years of picking lower in the draft or not having any top draft picks, the Yankees have to figure out a way to be creative. The loopholes that they’ve exploited for a century have closed and they need to find new ways to exert their financial strength. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long time before a World Series championship returns to its rightful home.
My guess for a World Series champion in 2015 is the easy pick…the Washington Nationals. On paper, they have it top to bottom. But inevitably, it will be some surprise team that no one saw coming. But sadly, the Yankees will most likely be home for the holidays by October.
As usual, I hope they prove me wrong…
–Scott
The Man said he was sorry…
You had me at…, um, no, you didn’t…
We are supposed to simply accept a handwritten apology? Right. Sorry, I don’t buy it and I don’t think it would matter if A-Rod spoke before a packed house at Yankee Stadium. Alex Rodriguez is sorry for only one thing. He got caught. He could care less about you or me. Honestly, at this point, the only thing that I’d accept out of A-Rod’s words would be a retirement announcement.
I saw a few New York sportswriters commenting that home runs will bring the fans back. Are we so shallow that we could forgive Alex for his behavior by simply forgetting all with the first ball that clears the fence? I know that I will not be a fan of Alex Rodriguez today nor would I be one if by September he has hit 40 home runs. My days cheering him are over. I am still a Yankees fan, and of course, I want the team to win. I would not wish for A-Rod to do anything detrimental to the team (well beyond the damage that he’s already done) but I will only accept his contributions as team contributions, not individual accomplishments.
I admit that I hope Alex plays so poorly in the spring, the Yankees bite the $60 million bullet and release him. But that’s too far fetched to be possible. He won’t need to do much to hold his own on the roster. Rob Refsnyder could play twice as well in spring training and end up in Scranton/Wilkes Barre while A-Rod is the team’s full time DH. But still, the thought of an outright release would be the best possible outcome in my mind.
As good as the Boston Red Sox’ front office has become, it’s too bad they weren’t better back in 2003 when they failed to acquire A-Rod from the Texas Rangers. How differently things might have been had A-Rod gone to Beantown.
Ifs and buts, I know…
It’s a numbers game…
There was a time when it seemed odd that Phil Hughes wore #65 or that Joba Chamberlain wore #62. Now, with the announcement plans to retire numbers 20, 46 and 51, the lower numbers are slowly going away. Of course #2 will soon be retired for Derek Jeter and I’ve always wondered if some day #21 will be taken down for Paul O’Neill. Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Bernie Williams were all great Yankees and they deserve becoming legends of Monument Park. It was also very classy of the Yankees to announce plans for a plaque for former second baseman Willie Randolph.
It thought it was cool when Manny Ramirez wore #99 for the Los Angeles Dodgers a few years ago. Now, we’re probably just a few seasons away from someone donning the same number with the Yankees. Hopefully, I won’t live to see the days when players are wearing triple digits.
Make or break a farm system…
Based on all reports, I would love nothing more than to see the Yankees sign Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada. However, based on what I’ve read, I do expect the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the bidding. I hope the Yankees emerge victorious. Given they’ll be limited in the international market for the next few years, Moncada would be icing on the cake for the fantastic international draft they had this year. I know that there are no certainties but Moncada does sound like the real deal. I guess if the Dodgers win the bidding, I shouldn’t fret too much since I live just a few miles away from Dodger Stadium. But after an off-season of largely inactivity, signing Moncada would make this winter well worth the wait. I guess we’ll find out in the next couple of weeks.
NESN.com
Open the door…
Count me among those who hope that new MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred re-opens the Pete Rose case. It’s time to let Pete the Ballplayer take his rightful place in Baseball’s Hall of Fame. I will never defend Pete the Man, but I saw the ballplayer play, and he remains one of the greatest that I’ve ever seen. He has served his sentence and deserves to stand among the game’s greats.
* * *
It’s hard to believe that it is time for pitchers and catchers to report. With this off-season’s inactivity and losses, it is hard to envision October baseball in the Bronx. Yeah, yeah, if all things go right and everyone stays healthy, I know they have a chance. But realistically, this is a third place team at best with the potential for the cellar if things go horribly wrong. As always, I will throw in the caveat that I hope I am wrong. But if anything, I do think the Yankees are laying the groundwork for future success.
Let’s play ball…
–Scott
Bonjour, Fevrier…
Ready or not, here come the 2015 Yankees…
The Yankees have stayed the course and true to their word, they didn’t purchase any big ticket items this off-season. While I am glad to see that they want to end the ridiculous cycle of overbuying for soon to be past their prime ballplayers, it’s an almost certainty that the Yankees will again miss the post-season this year. There’s always the chance that guys like Carlos Beltran, CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Stephen Drew and Brian McCann play to their prior levels, but really, for everything to come together, the odds are against it.
Max Scherzer might have ensured a few more wins but he would not have made the Yankees a World Series contender. So, perhaps the current path chosen by Yankees management and ownership will ultimately mean a World Series caliber team in a couple of years rather than a few years of a team trying to hang on. I am excited for the future when guys like Aaron Judge, Greg Bird, and Luis Severino begin their ascent to the Bronx.
I thought the Philadelphia Phillies made a good signing with former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley. There’s a good chance that Billingsley never makes it back from his past injuries, but conversely, there is a small chance that he could. It was a shot worth taking. Granted, this is not exactly Clayton Kershaw that we are talking about, but Billingsley, if right, can help a pitching staff. Meanwhile, the Yankees signed former Minnesota Twins pitcher Scott Baker for insurance. I would have preferred to take a flyer on Billingsley.
Another pitcher that I’d probably be interested in for insurance purposes is former Atlanta Braves starter Brandon Beachy. I really liked Kris Medlen but unfortunately so did the Kansas City Royals.
The Yankees need options for the spot in the rotation currently held by Chris Capuano. Of course, Capuano is just a placeholder for the eventual return of Ivan Nova but I don’t really expect Nova to be effective this year when he does. It will probably be 2016 before we start to see the Nova of old. I have heard talk of converting Adam Warren to a starter, but I like the current configuration of the bullpen even with the loss of David Robertson. I expect the Yankees to name Dellin Betances as the closer rather than use a closer committee comprised of Betances and Andrew Miller. Miller should serve as the prime setup guy, with the others, including Warren falling in line.
While I am hopeful that Stephen Drew returns to the player he can be, I still hope that this is the year Rob Refsnyder arrives to take second base.
While former high prospect Austin Romine is out of options, I feel that John Ryan Murphy is better suited to be the Yankees backup catcher. Sadly, Romine will see his Yankees career end in spring training either through trade or release. Hopefully, the Yankees can get something for him when the time comes.
The calendar page is almost ready to turn to February which means that pitchers and catchers will soon be reporting. Even if this will be another disappointing season for the Yankees, the thrill of the spring is always a great time.
–Scott
Like it or not, here comes the 2015 season…
What’s the plan?…
Well, it’s January 2015. The Yankees roster is slowly evolving. The latest addition/return was the surprise re-signing of Stephen Drew which certainly makes sense. While I still prefer to see Rob Refsnyder win the second base job outright, Drew certainly provides great insurance at both second base and shortstop. It’s no sure thing that Didi Gregorius will be successful and I’d prefer not to see Brendan Ryan as the only other choice, even if he is a slick fielder.
I am still concerned about the starting rotation. Reading CC Sabathia say the knee is fine is hardly a ringing endorsement that he’ll be the CC of old. I think best case he is a strong #3 in the rotation if he is able to come back healthy. His days as the team’s ace are over…in my opinion. The hope of the rotation lies with Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda. Obviously, there are health concerns with both pitchers. Even though Ivan Nova will return later in the year, I do not expect him to be back up to par until 2016. Nathan Eovaldi is the project. The Yankees apparently think they can turn him around and perhaps they can. It would be good to get him to the point that he is as reliable and consistent as Hiroki Kuroda was.
While I get why the Yankees will not pay $200 million for Max Scherzer, I wish they would make a play for James Shields. With a rotation containing so much uncertainty, the Yankees really need a dependable starter without question marks.
I have heard some rumblings that the Yankees now have the prospects to make a trade for Cole Hamels, but I am not sure that’s one I would pursue. I like prospects such as Aaron Judge and Luis Severino and want to see them succeed in pinstripes. It was tough when I was a kid and the Yankees were always trading youth for veterans. Doug Drabek, Jay Buhner, Fred McGriff, Al Leiter, J.T. Snow, Brad Ausmus. I know the list is much longer than this, but it was tough watching guys like that succeed elsewhere.
I don’t think that Cole Hamels would be the missing ingredient to suddenly make the Yankees the World Series favorites. So, if he is not the difference maker, then the Yankees shouldn’t raid the cupboards to bring him aboard. I’d rather see Hamels go to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The fear of course is that he’ll be calling Fenway Park home next season.
At this point, I still do not see the 2015 Yankees making the play-offs. I think the Baltimore Orioles will still be the team to beat. They suffered off-season losses, yes, but they’ll also be getting back Manny Machado, Chris Davis and Matt Wieters. The Toronto Blue Jays look to be the most improved team and they’ve been a team of potential for a few years. Boston will be stronger, and it’s best to never underestimate the Tampa Bay Rays even if Joe Maddon and Andrew Friedman are no longer calling the shots.
There’s still time for GM Brian Cashman to make the moves to propel the Yankees into contention but so much is riding on better seasons from Brian McCann, Carlos Beltran, and Mark Teixeira. Of the group, McCann is the only one I feel is capable for turning it around. Beltran and Teixeira are in their decline years, and that slippery slope is steeper for some guys.
Hear the voice of the Bard!…
There’s a nice piece in Nick Cafardo’s column today (Sunday Baseball Notes in The Boston Globe) about the comeback of Daniel Bard. It would be good to see Bard successfully return to his position of bullpen relevance after years of struggle. Perhaps that’s a buy low signing the Yankees should pursue. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. There was a time when Bard was a Yankees draft pick although he never signed. Even if he goes back to Boston or another team, I truly hope that Bard is successful.
Short walk to the Hall…
Congratulations to the Hall of Fame inductees: John Smoltz, Randy Johnson, Craig Biggio, and Pedro Martinez. I think all of the selections were justified. It was sad that it was the final ballot appearance for Don Mattingly, but it was a given that he was not going to make it. Maybe he can take the Joe Torre route…great managerial success to go with a strong playing career…to gain access to the Hall.
25 years is long enough…
Put me in the group of people who want to see Pete Rose allowed to enter the Hall of Fame. He remains one of the best players I’ve been privileged to see play in my lifetime. This is not an endorsement of Pete the man and I feel what he did was wrong, however, Pete the player was one of the best players of all-time.
I am glad that this is the last full month without any baseball activity. Looking forward to the opening of spring training camps next month.
–Scott
Searching for the diamond in the rough, a/k/a the Rebuilding Program…
Happy New Year!
This has been an odd off-season for Yankees fans. Quietly, the Yankees have made small deals to get younger. The only significant addition of a proven high level performer is lefty Andrew Miller. Didi Gregorius makes sense given the team’s need at short, but he’s hardly proven himself as a top flight shortstop to this point in his career.
It was difficult to see David Robertson leave to sign with the Chicago White Sox, particularly since there were no outward signs the team tried to keep him. Not sure what the team saw that we didn’t, but Robertson has proved he can pitch in the Bronx and that’s not an easy task…especially when you follow the footsteps of a Legend…
Despite the brevity of his Yankees career, I was disappointed when I heard the news that Martin Prado had been traded to the Miami Marlins. While I am hopeful that Rob Refsnyder grabs second base in spring training, there’s always the chance that neither he nor Jose Pirela will be successful. Prado provides great diversity to a roster. While I am not disappointed that Mark Teixeira will have a sorely needed legitimate backup in Garrett Jones, I am not quite sure what to think about starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi. I understand the potential is there, but it’s yet to be proven.
Robert Mayer – USA Today Sports
But probably the biggest sadness of the off-season occurred with the New Year’s first trade which saw the Yankees send once top prospect Manny Banuelos to the Atlanta Braves for relievers David Carpenter and Chasen Shreve. I can so remember when the “Killer B’s” (Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman) were so highly touted and viewed as the future of the Yankees. Betances failed as a starting pitcher, but obviously, he resurrected his promise with brilliance in the bullpen and now looms as the likely new closer. Brackman was released a couple of years ago and is now out of baseball. Nevertheless, I still had hope that Banuelos would finally arrive. After Tommy John surgery in 2012/13, I expected him to struggle in 2014. Few pitchers are able to come back at an immediate high level. It takes time. There is still time for Banuelos to blossom. To the Yankees’ defense, there is always the chance he’ll never be what he could have been. I will still root for Banuelos, the Brave, and I do hope that he becomes the pitcher we thought he would be.
Mike James – AP Photo
As a Yankees fan, there are certain guys in the farm system that you follow closely. Granted, there has been a shortage of high level talent in the system, but still, you hold out hope that certain guys will become the next core of the team. Yet, in recent years, it has usually just ended in disappointment, with Banuelos being the latest. I can think of Eric Duncan, Cito Culver, Mason Williams, and Slade Heathcott as a few who have failed. The successes of players like Dellin Betances have been few and far between. So, perhaps that’s why GM Brian Cashman is shuffling the deck. But it’s hard not to say that this feels like a rebuilding program, rather than re-tooling. So, the two year play-off drought threatens to be more. I know, I know, if CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Carlos Beltran, Brian McCann, and, eek!, Alex Rodriguez can return to form, the Yankees will be in the hunt. But that’s not a bet I would take. Of the players, I think, realistically, McCann is the only way who will bounce back. That means, with the roster as-is, the Yankee Stadium lights will be out in October.
I do have to add the usual caveat….I hope that I am WRONG!
So now, I look forward to the next wave of prospects making a difference. I am hopeful that guys like Aaron Judge, Luis Severino, Jacob Lindgren, Gary Sanchez, Ian Clarkin, and the aforementioned Rob Refsnyder are able to accomplish what so many in front of them have failed to do…wear the pride and pinstripes of baseball’s most storied franchise, the New York Yankees.
Here’s hoping for much happiness and success in 2015 for all!
–Scott
Slowly but Shirley…
It’s a Chess game…
I wanted to see the Yankees make a move but sending Martin Prado to Miami was not exactly what I had in mind. As with my previous post, I understand why the Yankees can’t pay another $25 million per year for a top starter and how that figure balloons with the luxury cap limitations.
It’s good that the Yankees are acquiring a young arm with Nathan Eovaldi but when I heard the guy has had control problems and allowed the most hits among NL starters, I wasn’t exactly enthused. Still, there must be something in Eovaldi that Larry Rothschild and company see and know that they can tweak for more effective results (or so one would hope).
The Yankees have long needed a quality back up first baseman so adding Garrett Jones does add some pop off the bench with an ability to play first for extended periods of time.
Al Behrman
I liked having Martin Prado on the roster given his versatility, however, if his departure means that Rob Refsnyder will get a legitimate shot at second base in the spring, then I am all for it. Jose Pirela has been hitting all winter long and looks like he can be the utility player that Ramiro Pena never was and might even be an option at second base if Refsnyder stumbles. Clearly, the Yankees do need to open starting spots for young guys and as such, the Prado trade was probably justified after the team re-signed veteran third baseman Chase Headley.
I still do not see the Yankees as more than an 85 win team (and most likely less). But as some have said, they are accomplishing the goal of getting younger. Personally, I think if this is the path they’ve chosen, then it’s best to move the most desired players to other teams for quality prospects and wait for the albatross contracts to expire.
As it stands, we’ll be watching the Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers race for the AL Championship. I don’t expect the Baltimore Orioles to go away, but I don’t think the Yankees will be in the thick of things come September based on the current roster configuration. I am just not convinced that we’ll see the collective bounce back of the group that includes CC Sabathia, Brian McCann, Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira. Chances are that one or more will spend a significant amount of time on the DL and the Yankees will be searching for replacements in AAA and on the scrap heap.
Would Max Scherzer change that outlook? No, probably not. The Yankees need a vast overhaul and it’s probably going to take a few years just to flush the toilet. The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers have been able to maneuver very quickly to unload dead weight but the Yankees have too much of it.
The worst thing the Yankees could do at this point is to sign a veteran infielder like Asdrubal Cabrera to play second. I don’t want to see a placeholder at the position. I’d rather see a player with strong long term potential. No more Mark Reynolds fill-ins. It is time to develop the future core of the team.
I would love nothing more than to see a guy like Tyler Austin come to spring and force the Yankees to play him in right field. Carlos Beltran should be the full-time DH at this stage of his career, not Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod should be playing somewhere in Siberia. If there is one move that would make me truly ecstatic this off-season, it would be to find a way to eliminate A-Rod’s presence. If I was a billionaire, I’d gladly give another team $61 million to take him off my hands.
Chris Capuano qualifies as one of those Mark Reynolds fill-ins, but of course, he’ll be the first to go if Ivan Nova successfully returns in May or June. The wild card that I like is to finally see Manny Banuelos fulfill his destiny of reaching the Bronx. He is now far enough removed from his Tommy John surgery that 2015 should be his potential breakout year ala Dellin Betances. If the Yankees broke camp with Banuelos in the starting rotation over Capuano, I’d be very happy.
I am sure that there are still more moves to be made, but at least the Yankees are finally doing something even if we do not yet fully understand the plan.
Meanwhile, Boston Red Sox fans continue to gloat…
–Scott
Waiting for Signs of Life…
How to build an 80-win team…
The Boston Red Sox have gotten stronger with the recent additions of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, and most likely, the re-signing of their former ace Jon Lester in the coming weeks. The Toronto Blue Jays quietly signed catcher Russell Martin (a significant upgrade over Dioner Navarro) and last night, pulled off a major trade for arguably one of the best third basemen in the game in Josh Donaldson of the Oakland A’s. The cost for Donaldson was Brett Lawrie and prospects. Given Lawrie’s inability to stay healthy, this trade provides further enhancement for a team that has held promise for a few years.
Lance Iversen, The Chronicle
Then there’s the Baltimore Orioles. They may not have made any big moves but they are still the AL East champs until proven otherwise.
I am not sure what’s going on with the Tampa Bay Rays. They will be losing a great potential manager in bench coach Dave Martinez when they finally name a replacement for Joe Maddon and the team no longer has the feeling of eternal optimism that it had when Maddon and former GM Andrew Friedman were running the show. So, we’ll leave them out of the equation.
So, clearly, the Blue Jays and Red Sox are determined to challenge the Orioles’ hold on the division championship. Meanwhile, in the Bronx, just crickets…
Last winter, the Yankees were quiet at the beginning of the off-season but then launched a flurry of signings in December that netted Brian McCann, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Carlos Beltran. It was a lot of money, but it still had the feeling the money could have been better spent. Of course, if the Yankees would have just paid Russell Martin a few years ago rather than allow him to leave as a free agent, the Yankees could have gotten him much cheaper than the deal they signed McCann to (or the one Martin ultimately signed with the Jays). Ellsbury is a known risk given his injury risk. He held up fairly well in his first season in pinstripes, and I like having him on the team. But the truth is the Yankees had a center fielder on the roster at the time in Brett Gardner and would have been better served going after a bat for left field. Beltran has been a great major leaguer but his age simply does not bode well for staying healthy.
Now, I could write major concerns with Ramirez and Sandoval, but the Red Sox are dealing from a position of strength and have loosened some major league players, combined with quality prospects, to make a major trade to further strengthen the team (such as a move for the Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels). The Yankees last year were just trying to fill holes.
I am surprised that the Yankees have not been linked in any way with star free agents Jon Lester and Max Scherzer. Clearly, either one would immediately enhance the Yankees’ chances in 2015. They need to find answers for other positions (third base, shortstop and the bullpen) but a high end rotation is a must for any team to succeed. As it stands, there are too many questions with Masahiro Tanaka’s elbow, Michael Pineda’s ability to stay healthy or if CC Sabathia is riding the major downslope of his career.
The Yankees need to sign either Scherzer or Lester, and retain the free agent trio of Brandon McCarthy, Chase Headley, and David Robertson. With this off-season of inactivity, it feels like the Yankees are going to lose out on all of the above. At least today, two days after Thanksgiving.
I remain hopeful that Rob Refsnyder wins the second base job in spring training. As for shortstop, the easiest solution is to re-sign Stephen Drew. It’s really too bad that the organization was unable to develop a high level shortstop prospect in time for Derek Jeter’s departure. Jorge Mateo looks like a strong possibility but he’s years away from being ready for the major league level. So, the Yankees are best served finding a short-term solution like Drew and hope for a bounce back year with a full training camp. I’d prefer that over a trade that could potentially cost what high level talent the Yankees do have in the upper levels of the minor league system.
If the Yankees do nothing, they’ll be battling the Rays for last place. If they merely try to fill holes with cheaper alternatives, they’ll still be cellar rats. Something has to give….soon.
I agree with Hal Steinbrenner when he says that you don’t need a $200 million payroll to win but the Yankees roster as currently constructed is not championship-caliber in my opinion. Too much risk and uncertainty, and players who’ve seen their better days. Alex Rodriguez is such a huge albatross and it’s a shame that he is now the “face” of the team.
Hopefully, Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner boys have a plan in place that is driven for success and not merely a bean counter’s approach to fielding a team.
Time will tell, as it often does (as the saying goes)…
–Scott
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