Quantcast
Channel: SB Nation - New York Yankees
Viewing all 4714 articles
Browse latest View live

Yankees rumors: Yanks possibly interested in a Nick Swisher reunion?

0
0

With the Indians seeking to trade him, could Swish end up back in the Bronx?

Here's a bit of an odd rumor that emerged late last night--the Yankees might want Nick Swisher to return to Yankee Stadium in pinstripes. From MLB Daily Dish:

A major-league source suggested this evening that he could see Swisher going back to the Yankees in a trade, considering that the Yankees are looking for outfield help this winter.

Ken Rosenthal already reported that the Indians are exploring possible trades involving Swisher, who left the Yankees via free agency after the 2012 season for a four-year, $56 million deal with Cleveland. That news isn't very surprising since Swisher had the worst season of his career in 2014, but what makes it interesting is that the Indians might be interested in a "bad contract for bad contract" swap. That's likely what draws the Yankees' interest, if it is indeed there.

When "sources" say things as vague as they "could see" something happening, that means such a wide variety of actual possible events. For all we know, the source is just spitballing and suggesting things that entered his mind. In the event that he's actually spoken to people with the Yankees and leaking possible interest though, a Swisher reunion certainly carries some intrigue.

In 2013, Swisher did his share to live up to his contract, hitting .246/.341/.423 with a 115 OPS+ and his ninth straight 20-homer season. He was a big reason why the Indians snapped a six-year playoff drought and earned a Wild Card spot. His successful year juxtaposed with the Yankees missing the playoffs made many fans upset that the Yankees let him go without much pursuit. However, those sentiments probably faded quickly in 2014. Swisher hyperextended his knee in mid-May, and it ailed him throughout the season, as he badly struggled to a .208/.278/.331 triple slash, a career-low 74 OPS+. He was only hit eight homers, easily his lowest total as a big league regular, and he was limited to 97 games. Swisher's season ended after August 9th, as he underwent knee surgery to remedy the injury.

Even though Swisher's ability to cover both right field (somewhat) and first base could be useful to the Yankees, it's difficult to see reacquiring Swisher making much sense for them at this point. The soon-to-be 34-year-old is unlikely to be as awful as he was in 2014, but how does he fit on this team? With right field, first base, and DH likely covered by some amalgamation of Carlos Beltran, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Martin Prado, and Chris Young, I don't understand acquiring a player who is owed $30 million over the next two years.

The only it would make sense for me is if the Indians are willing to eat a lot of the contract, or if they're indeed willing to take one of the bad contracts off the Yankees' hands. I doubt it would happen since those types of "change of scenery" trades don't seem to occur very often, but if the trade was just Swisher-for-Beltran, Swisher-for-Teixeira, or Swisher-for- CC Sabathia, then sure, that deserves some careful thought. All have no-trade clauses though, so the point is likely moot. (In some alternate dimension, A-Rod for Swisher is a thing and I'm laughing my ass off.)

I can't see the Indians being that interested in acquiring any of those pricey players though, so this rumor probably isn't going anywhere. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to explore the wonders of that A-Rod for Swisher dimension now.

What's that? Sal Fasano is manager and he has a "mandatory Fu Manchu" rule? Rollerblading Mark Teixeira and Jason Giambi serve as mid-inning entertainment? I could get used to this.

Poll
Which bad non-A-Rod contract would you want to trade for Nick Swisher?

  755 votes |Results


PSA Comments of the Day 11/19/14: So keep your head up, Billy Butler

0
0

The Oakland Athletics just gave Billy Butler a three year, $30 million dollar deal. That's a bold strategy, Billy Beane. Let's see how it plays out. Pitchers and catchers report in 92 days.

While not quite as blockbuster as Monday, Tuesday offered some interesting moves. The White Sox signed reliever Zach Duke for three years while the Athletics gave Billy Butler a three year, $30 million dollar deal. We'll see how both of those play out next year. In any case, David Robertson is probably looking at that Zach Duke deal and smiling.

Comments of the Day

One response to the idea of trading Brett Gardner and John Ryan Murphy for Elvis Andrus.

And another...

One more for good measure. Yeah, quite a few PSAers were not keen on the idea.

Meanwhile, here is one such thought on the rumor about the Yankees going after Max Scherzer

GIF of the Day

Not much in the way of GIFs on PSA yesterday.

Honorable Mod Mention

Not one mod acted honorably yesterday. Reprimands will be handed out.

Fun Questions
  • What is your acceptable limit/tolerance of snow?
  • Fill in the blank: Bacon goes best with _____________!
Song of the Day

It's A Party by Busta Rhymes

As always, link us your song of the day!

Still nothing coming from the Yankees homefront except for rumors and speculation. Although, I'm kinda happy that they didn't sign Billy Butler to a three year, $30 million dollar deal. How do you feel about that deal?

It's a brand new day and the sun is high.

Yankees Potential 2015 Free Agent Target: Colby Rasmus

0
0

The talented but enigmatic outfielder is an intriguing reclamation project, but likely for some other team.

2014 Statistics: 376 PA, .225/.287/.448, 18 HR, 4 SB, .321 wOBA, 103 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR

2015 Age: 28

Position: Left-handed hitting center fielder

Colby Rasmus is a center fielder. The New York Yankees employ not one, but two elite center fielders on long-term contracts - they already have the luxury of playing one in left field. Colby Rasmus is not going to be given a contract to start at center for the New York Yankees. Colby Rasmus will not, even if his market completely bottoms out, look to sign a value-building contract with the New York Yankees where he will never be given an opportunity to play center with any regularity. In any case his market is not likely to bottom out that deep, considering his intriguing talent and the lack of depth at center field around the league.

However, this is Major League Baseball where the Atlanta Braves are trading away its All Star, 25 year old outfielder and erstwhile face of the franchise, while Jeffrey Loria and the Miami Marlins are signing theirs to the largest contract in baseball history.  The Yankees signing Rasmus this offseason would be a bigger surprise than both those transactions combined, of course, but this isn't called the silly season for nothing.

Silly is pretty much what Rasmus can make you look if you attempt to predict how he will perform from year-to-year. At 27, with just six MLB seasons under his belt, he has already been a four-win player with two teams, posting a wRC+ of 129 and 130 in those years while playing a premium position. Rasmus has shown multiple tools, most intriguingly above-average power for an up-the-middle player. Colby Rasmus should really be looking at a major payday as a free agent. Instead, he wasn't made a qualifying offer.

Unfortunately for Rasmus when he's not playing like a borderline All-Star, he plays like a player who shouldn't be playing. Aside from his two best seasons, he has generally been a below-average hitter. There is little in his peripherals to suggest that his bounce-back 2013 was anything more than an aberration in an otherwise premature decline.

It's likely no coincidence that his two best seasons coincide with his clear peaks in BABIP. Meanwhile, his steadily increasing strikeout rate, which lead to an ugly 2014 triple slash line despite a league and career average BABIP, is a concerning trend to say the least.

Courtesy of FanGraphs

Consider the expected market for Rasmus - FanGraphs crowdsourcing has pegged him at 3 years and $30 million; a scary contract at two-thirds the price - and he looks less of a buy-low candidate and more an overpay for a toolsy underachiever. Although, for his sake I hope he proves more the former than the latter, so long as he doesn't sign in the AL East anyway.

After all, he isn't going to sign with the Yankees. Probably.

Are the Yankees playing it safe or just playing it coy?

0
0

The Yankees haven't been part of free agent headlines so far. Have they changed their philosophy or are they waiting for the right time to strike?

In the early stages of the 2014-15 MLB offseason, it seems like we're hearing a lot more about who the Yankees aren't planning to pursue than who they are. Jon Lester and Max ScherzerNot according to Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the Daily News. Pablo SandovalBrandon Kuty of NJ.com says no. Hanley RamirezAnother negative from Feinsand. Moving down this year's free agent list, the answer seems to be the same. International standouts like Kenta Maeda and Yasmani Tomas are reportedly off the radar and homegrown bullpen ace David Robertson is likely a goner if someone meets his alleged Papelbonian asking price. The only notable free agents the Yankees have been seriously linked to are mid-rangers who were on the team last year - Chase Headley and Brandon McCarthy - and even in their cases they only seem interested in team-friendly deals.

It's hard to recall an off-season when fans and media who follow the Yankees had lower expectations in mid-November, and our little corner of the internet is no exception. In last week's staff free agent predictions, only four of our writers had the team signing one or more of the top five free agents on the market.

It's not as if the Yankees aren't going to spend a few dozen Brinks trucks worth of money next year. They're already locked into twelve guaranteed contracts at a total cost of $174.8 million, according to Baseball Prospectus, and their six arbitration eligible players will add another $11.8 mil per MLB Trade Rumors' projections. They'll need to fill out the rest of the roster somehow. Even if Headley and McCarthy are the only notables they come to terms with, the opening day 2015 payroll will land somewhere in the $215 million range, placing it significantly higher than the 2014 edition and in range of the second highest in club history.

But these are the Yankees, are they not? Their entire marketing strategy for the entirety of this century has revolved around a relentless and sometimes completely irrational demand for excellence. Bringing back a roster essentially the same as the one that stumbled to 84 wins last season and missed the playoffs for the second year will be seen as an abandonment of that philosophy. That may not go over well with a fan base that's eyeballs-deep in the World Series every year mantra, and it certainly won't help with ticket sales or regional cable ratings. There's no Jeterpalooza to fall back on this year. Cirque du Rodriguez might draw some stares from the slow down to look at that car wreck crowd, but if A-Rod doesn't hit and the Yankees don't win, that attention won't last long.

As obvious a path as it may be for the Yankees to start chucking cash at their problems until things get better, you have to wonder what Hal Steinbrenner was thinking as he watched two eighty-something game winners battle it out for a championship this October. He probably asked himself "why am I paying $50 to $100 million more than these guys - and padding their pockets with my luxury tax and revenue sharing dollars - to not get what they're getting?"

It's not hard to understand where Hal's coming from. With more teams involved, producing increasingly scatter shot results in the playoffs, the Yankees can remain a legitimate contender with incremental, rather than monumental improvements. Why break payroll records to field a team that - if it even makes the postseason - could easily get wiped out in three games...or one?

Maybe it's not a shift in organizational strategy that's keeping the Yankees out of the headlines...perhaps they're just not impressed with the talent that's presently available to them. This year's free agent class is certainly speckled with warts, even at the very top. Lester and Scherzer are on their way to contracts that could be the second and third largest of all time for pitchers, and starting pitching really wasn't the Yankees' problem last year, even as their rotation was decimated by injury. Hanley Ramirez comes with a medical rap sheet that reads like a Tolstoy novel. Sandoval's conditioning is infinitely in question, and we saw how paying a premium for postseason prowess worked out with Carlos Beltran a year ago. MLB free agency takes place on Fifth Avenue, not at the outlet mall. The Yankees may not like what's being sold at the price it's being sold for.

Then there's a third possibility - one where the Yankees are just playing it cool for now and fully intend to go bananas once the market develops. Historically they've often telegraphed their off-season objectives, but it doesn't always go that way. Bernie Williams was about to step on a plane bound for Boston before George Steinbrenner won him back with a last minute seven-year offer. The Yankees touted Bubba Crosby as their starting center fielder in the fall of '05 before getting in on Johnny Damon. They spent weeks in 2008 denying their interest in Mark Teixeira before sweeping him up - again edging past the Red Sox with a $180 mil bid. At this time last year, Jacoby Ellsbury wasn't really on anyone's mind, but he'll don the pinstripes through 2020. There may very well be a top-tier free agent who the Yankees are secretly drooling over. Jon Heyman speculated yesterday that it could be Scherzer, though there are several other payers New York and Scott Boras could have discussed during their brief conversations since the GM meetings.

Call me old fashioned, but I'm not ready to believe we've entered an era where the Yankees reply to failure with inactivity. We're still near the beginning of a long off-season that will see four or five nine-figure contracts handed out by MLB teams. I'm willing to bet that by the time pitchers and catchers report to Tampa, the Yankees will be on the hook for one of them.

Preparing the Yankees for the 2014 Rule 5 Draft

0
0

It's nearly that time again. The offseason is already well underway, but things don't really start to heat up until the winter meetings in December. Part of that kickoff is the Rule 5 Draft where teams get a chance to steal some young minor leaguers away from each other. This year, high school draftees from 2010 and college picks from 2011 will be eligible for the draft this year. If you remember from last year, the Yankees ended up losing a few pieces in the draft, Tommy Kahnle the most prominent among them. However, after what happened with both Slade Heathcott and Jose Campos, the Yankees need to make wiser decisions this December, but who can they protect?

Jake Anderson | 2B/3B - You've never heard of Jake Anderson and there's nothing else to see here. The second baseman hasn't spent more than one game above low-A. He could be taken in the minor league portion of the draft and no one will mind.
Worth Protecting? No.

Francisco Arcia | C - A spring training staple for the last few years, Arcia has mostly been minor league fodder, so there's not chance of the Yankees actually protecting him, catcher or not. He's likely to make it through the draft, though, so there's no reason to be alarmed.
Worth Protecting? No.

Tyler Austin | OF/1B - Austin had an amazing year in 2012, but since then he's been limited by nagging injuries and disappointments. It seemed like he finally got over a wrist injury this season and with his experience in right field and first base, he seems like an important player to keep on the 40. If the Yankees are looking for a legitimate backup first baseman, they might not have to look too far this spring.
Worth Protecting? Yes.

Danny Burawa | RHP - Burawa was left unprotected last year and no one took him then. Now, after a 4.70-ERA and 5.5-BB/9 season at the age of 25, teams likely won't be any more interested. On the flip side, Burawa put up a career-high 11.1 K/9 this season, identical to what Kahnle put up in his last season with the Yankees. Just because he struggled this year doesn't mean someone might not take a chance on him.
Worth Protecting? Maybe.

Caleb Cotham | RHP - Having been in the system since 2009, Cotham is 27 and now has a 5.46 ERA to his name in Triple-A. He'll be a minor league free agent next year and hasn't really offered anything promising, so it's doubtful the Yankees do anything to protect him.
Worth Protecting? No.

Cito Culver | SS - It's time to throw in the towel on Cito Culver. He's only 22, but after five seasons (already?) of waiting, his bat isn't getting any better and his defense isn't really that well regarded. Chock him up as a bust and move on because I know I will be furious if the Yankees waste a roster spot on him.
Worth Protecting? No.

Gabriel Encinas | RHP - Having just returned from Tommy John surgery, it's possible the Yankees don't even have to worry about him getting away. They wouldn't be missing a whole lot if he was drafted, but he could be something to watch if he ever figures out where the ball is going. 
Worth Protecting? No.

Ben Gamel | OF - Gamel is by no means a great baseball player, but at only 22 years old he could make his debut in Triple-A to serve as legitimate major league depth. Now that Zoilo Almonte is gone and Slade Heathcott cannot be relied upon, Gamel might be someone worth holding onto as a just-in-case option.

Brett Gerritse | RHP - It took him four seasons to finally get out of Charleston, but Gerritse finally did it in 2014. He's another one that will be a minor free agent next year, so he's probably not getting picked up by anyone as a 23-year-old who just just saw High-A for the first time.
Worth Protecting? No.

Angelo Gumbs | 2B - The once legitimate prospect took a huge hit over the last two seasons, struggling at the plate and struggling to stay on the field. His was one of the heads Rob Refsnyder had to step on to get all the way to the top and it doesn't look like he's going to be recovering any time soon. He's still only 22, so it might be worth it for someone to pick him up, but the Yankees don't have the time or the space to protect him.
Worth Protecting? No.

Fred Lewis | LHP - At one point, Joe Girardi was actually very impressed by Fred Lewis, but I'm sure that time has come and gone. He's now 27 and just completed a 6.89-ERA and 8.5-BB/9 season between Trenton and Scranton. Maybe at some point, as a lefty reliever, there was an outside chance he could make it, but right now it doesn't look like it will be with the Yankees.
Worth Protecting? No.

Mark Montgomery | RHP - Montgomery was thought to be the next relief ace from the system, but a shoulder injury has completely derailed his career. That's not to say that he's been bad, but he's lost a lot of control on the ball and reports indicate that his velocity is down. Still though, he's 24 and on the cusp of a call up, so it might be time to see if he can succeed or not because if the Yankees don't want to take the chance, someone else will.
Worth Protecting? Yes.

Zach Nuding | RHP - Nuding hasn't exactly offered much in the way of promise, but he did have a solid performance in Double-A before struggling in Scranton. He has shown that he is able to at least eat some innings after reaching at least the 100-inning plateau in his four full years of professional baseball. This year he reached the 150-inning threshold and could turn himself into an intriguing long reliever at some point.
Worth Protecting? Maybe.

Branden Pinder | RHP - Pinder had a solid bounce-back season after being demoted to Tampa in 2013 by pitching to a 2.04 ERA with a 2.0 BB/9 and 8.4 K/9 between Trenton and Scranton. He was well regarded once and now he could be again. At 25, it's really now or never with him and the Yankees, especially with David Robertson possibly leaving, could choose now.
Worth Protecting? Yes.

Kyle Roller | 1B - Sure, he's a 26-year-old fringe prospect, but Roller impressed this year after hitting .300/.391/.550 on the season and finally getting a taste of Triple-A. If the Yankees are serious about finding a backup first baseman, or at least someone who can take his place if Mark Teixeira gets hurt again, they have to at least consider Roller. He made it through the draft last year, so maybe he does so again, and if he does he should be someone to watch in spring training.
Worth Protecting? Maybe.

Evan Rutckyj | LHP - Unfortunately, the left-hander isn't as good as his name suggests as the 22-year-old struggled mightily in his first taste of Tampa with 15 walks in only 12.1 innings. Perhaps he could have been someone to watch at some point, but three years in Charleston will wash off anyone's shine. I'd personally like to see him stay in the organization, but he's certainly not someone the Yankees will protect.
Worth Protecting? No.

Rob Segedin | 3B - This year, Segedin had a great return from injury as he hit .283/.398/.428 after moving up to Scranton. He's a third baseman and has also spent some time in the outfield, so he could be someone of use to the Yankees at some point. He just turned 26, so he's not exactly a can't-miss prospect, but he's the closest third baseman the Yankees have to the majors and he should at least be considered for protection.
Worth Protecting? Maybe.

Matt Tracy | LHP - As a left-handed starter who can eat some innings, the Yankees are going to take a long look at Tracy before they decide whether or not to protect him. He hasn't done very well against lefties, so he's not a specialist, but he could be another emergency depth option if the need ever arises.
Worth Protecting? Maybe.

Phil Wetherell | RHP - Wetherell has lived in relative anonymity in his time with the Yankees, but after getting pushed through High-A and Double-A this year, he's at least proved that he exists. In the best year of his career, the right-handed reliever had a 2.88 ERA against superior competition, though his peripherals weren't exactly exciting. He's shown an ability to throw multiple innings out of the bullpen, so maybe there's something here, but it's too early for the Yankees waste a roster spot on him. The Yankees should hope that he makes it through this year and can build off his 2014 season to become an actual option in 2015.
Worth Protecting? No.

Mason Williams | OF - Remember when he was the top prospect in the system? Hard times have fallen for the slap-hitting outfielder and it looks like he's headed into an ugly downward spiral. Mason's glove is still elite, but his inability to drive the ball in any regard can't be ignored. I know the Yankees will be very tempted to protect him just because of who he is, but it's time to let him go. If I were running the team I would try to trade him before the draft, just to get something back for all their effort. At this point, he could probably really use a change of scenery because the Yankees coaches are clearly not helping him.
Worth Protecting? No.

Zach Wilson | 3B - Wilson is a third baseman with very little prospect status to speak of. He reached Double-A for the first time this year at the age of 24, but didn't really show much promise. He could be a candidate for the minor league portion of the draft, but if he goes, he goes.
Worth Protecting? No.

The 40-man roster currently stands at 36 right now, but with a shortstop, third baseman, starting pitcher (at least one), and closer (possibly) to sign, the Yankees won't have much room to add anyone. They're going to have to get rid of someone by either non-tendering the likes of Esmil Rogers and David Huff or DFAing Eury Perez, Zelous Wheeler or Slade Heathcott. I would say that the Yankees will realistically only have room for one, maybe two, of these players and if I had one person to choose I'd go with Tyler Austin and call it a day.

Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 11/20/2014

0
0

All of us @Pinstripe Alley, send our thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of former scout, pitching coach and first-round pick Jeff Taylor.

ESPN | Andrew Marchand: According to one NL exec, the Yankees are 'Sleeping Giants' for Max Scherzer.

NJ.com | Brendan Kuty: Talks between the Yankees and White Sox about Alexei Ramirez are still not progressing.

Baseball America | Vince Lara-Cinisomo: Former Yankees scout, pitching coach, and first-round draft pick Jeff Taylor has passed away at the age of 58.

LoHud | Chad Jennings: A look at the Yankees bullpen depth ahead of the Rule 5 draft.

It's About the Money | Brad Vietrogoski: David Robertson is absolutely worth Papelbon money.

Yankees Potential 2015 Free Agent Target: Chris Capuano

0
0

Will Chris Capuano find himself in pinstripes again?

2014 Statistics: (NYY) 65.2 IP, 4.25 ERA, 3.85 FIP, 7.5K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 0.2 WAR
Age: 36
Position: Left-handed starter/reliever

The Yankees' starting rotation was hit with so many injuries in 2014 that the one, the only, Chris Capuano somehow found his way onto the team, and he actually made 12 solid starts. It is still true that you can never have enough pitching, and the Yankees wanted to make sure they had some pitching, so right around the All-Star break the Yankees purchased Capuano's contract from the Colorado Rockies.

Capuano rewarded the Yankees with a very solid stint, posting a 4.25 ERA, and for the most part, keeping his team in every game (aside from one). Yes, Capuano is a 36-year-old pitcher on a team that might be looking to get younger, but he is a pitcher, and he is a lefty, so he does have value. With all the uncertainties in the rotation going into 2015, the Yankees would be smart to stack up as many pitching arms as they are able to get, and Capuano would be a cheap arm to retain.

Of course the majority of people probably do not want to see Capuano start again, but it wouldn't kill this team to have an available arm if, and I truly hope not, a barrage of injuries hit the rotation again. Capuano would even make a decent lefty to bring out of the pen and get some outs. Bringing back Capuano would simply be a move of the Yankees preparing themselves for the worst, and if the worst does not occur, all parties can easily move on.

The Yankees will hopefully look to some of their younger arms like Bryan Mitchell and Manny Banuelos for pitching depth, but keeping Capuano isn't the worst move in the world. Capuano has pitched extremely well in the Japan All-Star Series, so that alone may encourage him  to try and land a few more extra dollars on is next deal.

2015 MLB Free Agent Profile: Chase Headley

0
0

Once thought to be an up-and-coming star after a breakout 2012, Chase Headley is looking to reverse course after two subpar seasons. It won't happen with the Mets.

It's not that Chase Headley is a poor player, it's just that he was expected to be so much more. Now entering free agency for the first time at the age of 30, the former Padre finds himself looking for a reasonable contract as opposed to the mega-deal he once seemed certain to get. After toiling in relative anonymity in San Diego, Headley burst onto the national scene in 2012, hitting .286/.376/.498 with 31 home runs, a National League-leading 115 RBI and an fWAR of 7.2. He placed fifth in the National League MVP race and also nabbed his first and only Gold Glove for his strong work at third base.

Unfortunately for Headley, it's been a struggle since. In the two seasons since his breakout campaign, he's batted .246/.348/.387 with less combined home runs (26) and RBI (99) than he did in 2012 alone. Unable to sign Headley to an extension, San Diego finally dealt the 2005 second-round pick to the Yankees for Yangervis Solarte and a minor league pitcher on July 22, 2014. The trade seemed to breathe some life into Headley's game, as he hit .262/.371/.398 in 54 games, far better than the .229/.296/.355 line he managed with the Padres. Headley became a mainstay at the hot corner for the Bronx Bombers through the end of the season while playing his customary strong defense, compiling a career-high UZR of 20.9.

With Alex Rodriguez a question mark in his return from a year-long suspension and Mark Teixeira succumbing to a myriad of injuries, the Yankees are reportedly very interested in keeping Headley in the Bronx. It certainly isn't unreasonable to expect him to produce a 3-4 fWAR, but a largely average major league career that now spans seven seasons makes a 2012 repeat quite unlikely. Either way, Headley won't be an option for the Mets who have David Wright entrenched at third base. His ability to play first base could have provided a right-handed platoon partner for Lucas Duda, but the signing of Michael Cuddyer and a price tag that will probably outweigh what he's worth never made him a viable target for general manager Sandy Alderson.


Yankees Potential 2015 Free Agent Target: Torii Hunter

0
0

What would the Boss do? Sign the geriatric Hunter, probably.

2014 Statistics: 142 G, .286/.319/.446, 33 2B, 17 HR, 113 wRC+, 0.3 fWAR

2015 Age: 39 (born 7/18/1975)

Position: Right field/Designated hitter

Over the past couple years, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter's retirement tours have caught the most attention around the game, a fact that isn't surprising since both are legendary Yankees and future Hall of Famers. However, there have been several other memorable players from the 2000s whose careers wound down during this time, as well: Todd Helton, Paul Konerko, Adam Dunn, and more. These players might not necessarily end up in the Hall of Fame, but they are certainly All-Stars who I will remember for quite some time. Pretty soon, I'll be able to put Torii Hunter in that category as well.

A career American Leaguer, the 39-year-old Hunter has been frequent foe for the Yankees since becoming a regular for Minnesota in 1999. However, the agile young center fielder who suddenly became a power hitter in 2002 is no longer the player he once was for the Twins and Angels. During the course of his most recent two-year deal with the Tigers, Hunter has been a shadow of his formerly excellent defensive self in the outfield, though he has maintained a solid bat in the dangerous Tigers lineup. Hunter crossed the 300-homer plateau in 2013 with a .304/.334/.465 campaign that was good for a 117 wRC+. The 2014 season was more of the same, with just slightly lower numbers across the board. Even as he's aged, he's played under 140 games just once since 2005, and he hits righties just as well as lefties.

As a DH-only option, teams could do a lot worse than Hunter. Would he actually continue playing if he was forced into DH duty at this point though? For someone who's said that he's considering retirement already, it's conceivable that Hunter could just decide to hang up the spikes if he doesn't find a job to his satisfaction. He's made over $160 million playing this game, so at this point, he's probably just playing to try to make it into his first World Series after years of playoff disappointment (often at the hands of the Yankees).

Hunter's simply not a fit on the Yankees. They already have a player who does almost exactly what Hunter is capable of at this point in Carlos Beltran. Hunter was healthier and a better hitter in 2014, but there's no sense in having another DH-type who can't really play the field. Even beyond the RF/DH role, players like Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, and Brian McCann will likely need to get time at DH as well. Also he's kind of an ass.

At this point, Hunter seems most likely to try to find some kind of a spot on a team with playoff hopes, or perhaps return to the Twins for one final season. That's just fine with me.

Yankees sign international prospect Bryan Emery

0
0

Get in, loser, we're going shopping (for more international prospects).

The Yankees international spending spree continues, as according to Ben Badler at Baseball America, they have signed yet another international prospect. This time, it's 16-year-old Colombia native Bryan Emery. Emery is an outfielder who was ranked 23rd among international prospects, and this signing gives them 10 of the top 30 prospects. It is clear that the Yankees were not going to be denied this year's new international talents.

Emery is listed at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, and it looks like he has decided to remain a left-handed batter after trying out as a switch-hitter. Emery is said to have big time power, a strong arm, and is very athletic for his size. While Emery has worked out for various teams in the infield and outfield, he is expected to start off at right field for now. This just in: Carlos Beltran has mysteriously been locked out of Yankee Stadium.

Emery will cost the Yankees a lot, as they will have to pay double the bonus just to sign him, and that is mainly because the Yankees opened their wallets and didn't care what anyone thought while proceeding to sign as many elite international players as possible. The Yankees are expected to pay 100 percent on every signing they make because they went over their bonus pool. Beginning July 2, the Yankees won't be allowed to sign a player for than $300,000, so of course they have gone all out to acquire these new prospects.

The Yankees were expected to dive headfirst into this international pool because they understood that their farm system wasn't as strong as they would like, so this was one way to fix it, and fix it quickly. Out of the 10 signings the Yankees have made, they hope at least one will stick and become a big time player for them. Regardless, the Yankees have done a nice job of "renovating" their farm system.

Yankees seen as the favorites for Yoan Moncada

0
0

Will Yoan Moncada be the latest International Free Agent signing?

It appears that the Yankees are continuing their assault on the international free agent market, as Ben Badler of Baseball America is reporting that the Bronx Bombers are the favorites to land Yoan Moncada, once he's been cleared with the Office of Foreign Assets Control. With 10 of the top 30 players already signed to contracts, Moncada would be just the cherry on top for this season's crop of talent. The team is already over its allotment so his contract will cost the team double the final amount, and they're one of the few teams that can afford to make that kind of a move.

Yoan Moncada is a 19-year old premium middle infield talent from Cuba that scouts have watched for years. At 6-foot, 210-pounds, he's said to have been the best Cuban player to be available since Jorge Soler. Here's a scouting report from Kiley McDaniel of FanGraphs: "He’s a plus-plus runner with above average raw power from both sides of the plate and the tools/skills to stick in the infield, possibly at shortstop. Moncada is the quick-twitch type with big bat speed that clubs covet."

It’s exciting to see the Steinbrenner family commit to adding high-end talent to the farm system, and adding Yoan Moncada to play shortstop or second base would be quite expensive.  The Yankees have made their presence felt in 2014, choosing to come off of the sidelines and exploit the rules like the Rangers and Cubs. Stay tuned, as OFAC could take a few weeks to release him, but this IFA signing season has been one for the history books.  Now we’ll see if the team lands their first elite talent in this wave of Cuban talent.

Yankees add Tyler Austin, Mason Williams, Danny Burawa, and Branden Pinder to 40-man roster, Zelous Wheeler sold to Japan

0
0

The Yankees made some adjustments to their 40-man roster to prepare for the Rule 5 Draft.

Yesterday, Jason wrote a helpful article detailing all the Yankees' candidate for the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. Today was the deadline for teams to add players to their roster in order to protect them from being chosen, as the Rockies did with former Yankees prospect Tommy Kahnle last year. Rule 5 selections must stay on the major league roster all of the next year to remain with their new organizations; if they are cut, they are returned to their original teams. So who did the Yankees choose to protect?

Austin is the least surprising of the bunch, as he was terrific in the second half for Trenton this year (.336/.397/.557 in 33 games), perhaps finally demonstrating that he's over the wrist injuries which plagued his 2013 campaign. He also tore up the Arizona Fall League in 19 games, batting .304/.392/.449 in 19 games before a bone bruise following a collision ended his stint. Burawa and Pinder are a bit odder selections, but still understandable. The Yankees saw Kahnle pitch well in Colorado after letting him go for nothing, and while Burawa and Pinder probably aren't quite as good as Kahnle was in the minors last year, it still doesn't hurt too much to protect them, especially with openings in the big league bullpen.

Choosing not to protect strikeout machine Mark Montgomery was strange in light of these moves, but the Yankees know him a lot better than we do. They've soured on him the past couple years due to injury struggles, a high walk rate, and even showing up to camp out of shape. Someone will probably claim him, but so it goes. Among the intriguing names Jason went over who weren't protected were Ben Gamel, Zach Nuding, Kyle Roller, Rob Segedin, and Matt Tracy. Even though there were probably some cases to keep an eye on them, the Yankees aren't going to go down in flames next year by virtue of losing them should other teams claim them. Also Cito Culver and Angelo Gumbs weren't protected, but they are less than good, so whatever. (Still have nightmares about Cito being taken a round before Andrelton Simmons in the 2010 Draft... sigh.)

Protecting Mason is... interesting to be kind. Williams was once considered among the best prospects in the Yankees' system, if not *the* best, but he has been ugly to watch for a couple years now. Although a team probably would have scooped him up if he was unprotected since scouts still rave about his tools, would that have really been so bad? Williams has shown a complete inability to hit pitching above A-ball (he wasn't that great in High-A either), and the Trenton outfield is likely to be crowded next year anyway. Is holding onto Mason for this long really worth the long-shot payoff? Who knows. It's a weird move, but even though oddly choosing to protect Jose Campos over Kahnle likely cost them a decent reliever last year, I'm not going to get too riled up about it.

Still worth a confused Tex GIF though:

In other news, to clear up one of the spots on the 40-man roster, the Yankees sold infielder Zelous Wheeler to Masahiro Tanaka's old team:

Wheeler was just infield depth, so it's not a big loss. Still, he was a fun bench addition to the team, and it watching him homer in his first career start was pretty awesome. Good luck in Japan, Zelous!

What do you think about the Yankees' 40-man additions?

Kevin Long claims Brian McCann's disappointing season with the Yankees was due to contract pressure

0
0

Kevin Long recently discussed why he thinks McCann struggled in his first season with the Yankees.

When the Yankees signed Brian McCann to contract worth five years and $85 million, it was expected that he would be an offensive and defensive upgrade over the catchers the team had gone through in recent years, such as 2013 Chris Stewart. Instead, he had a mediocre season at the plate, and even though he hit 23 home runs and hit better as the season progressed, he still ended up having one of the worst seasons of his career. Is it possible that some of his struggles had to do with McCann feeling pressure to live up to his hefty contract?

Well, Kevin Long thinks so. The recently departed hitting coach had a lot to say in a conference call on Wednesday. When he was asked about Curtis Granderson's struggles with the Mets last season, Long said, "I think it's common that the first time you come into an organization after you sign a big contract I think it plays a little more difficult than it might seem." He went on to say that he thought that was true for Granderson. He also compared him to McCann, saying that McCann also struggled in the first year of his new contract, but that he got "better and better and more comfortable." Brendan Kuty of NJ.com thought Long inferred that Granderson struggled because he was trying to live up to his contract, and that the weight of McCann's contract might have had to do with his struggles too.

These sound like two different things to me. First, that McCann might have hit poorly because he was uncomfortable in a new environment, and that as he got more comfortable, he started to play better. After all, McCann had spent the entirety of his career with the Braves, so he had to switch to a new league, new coaches, new teammates. As the catcher, he had to learn the Yankees pitching staff as well. On the other hand, what Kuty is saying sounds more like McCann may have experienced some kind of performance anxiety knowing he had signed a huge contract and trying to meet the expectations that the Yankees had of him. Jacoby Ellsbury also signed a huge contract, and he had no problem playing well. Maybe it was a combination of the two, and that after his slow start, McCann started to feel the pressure to play better, which prevented him from relaxing and getting more comfortable at the plate.

If this is true, then maybe we can count on a much better 2015 season from McCann. Do you think McCann's struggles had to do with pressure to live up to his contract? Or do you think it's more likely that he just needed time to adjust to a new league and new pitchers?

Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 11/21/2014

0
0

Prospects protected, Zelous ejected, Shortstop trade rumors have stalled, and Randy Levine talks

ESPN New York | Andrew Marchand:  The Yankees protected four prospects from the Rule 5 draft, they also sent Zelous Wheeler to the Rakuten Golden Eagles, aka "Tanaka's former team"

It's About the Money | Brad Vietrogoski: Trade talks for Elvis Andrus and Alexei Ramirez have gone nowhere, but at the end of the day neither the Rangers or the White Sox are good trade partners at this time.  It is possible that some other teams may be better fits.

CBS.com: Randy Levine hints that the Yankees may have some surprises hidden up their sleeves for the offseason.

New York Daily News | Mark Feinsand:Giancarlo Stanton recently signed the richest contract in baseball history, and Randy Levine is as excited about the deal as anyone because it makes Alex Rodriguez's bloated deal only the second highest in history.

Grantland | Ben Lindbergh: Finding the roster spot with the longest lineage on all 30 teams, including the Yankees

Yankees Potential 2015 Free Agent Target: Francisco Rodriguez

0
0

Is K-Rod a potential replacement for D-Rob?

2014 Statistics: 68 IP, 69 G, 3.04 ERA, 4.50 FIP, 44 SV, 9.7 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 1.5 fWAR

2015 Age: 33

Position: Right-handed relief pitcher

Apparently the New York Yankees have made re-signing David Robertsona top priority, though at this point in the offseason that's hardly makes it certain that we will see D-Rob sign with the New York Yankees. In the event the Yankees fail to bring back their closer, Dellin Betances might appear to be a ready-made replacement, though if the front office chooses to favour a veteran over promoting internally it would hardly be the first time. There is a lot to be said about keeping Betances in his current role as 'relief ace' of course, his ability to generate strikeouts and pitch multiple innings in a game arguably makes him more valuable if he isn't reserved for the ninth inning.

Should the Yankees pursue a 'proven closer' in the open market, there are few options more 'proven' than Francisco Rodriguez. With 348 career saves he is behind only Joe Nathan among active players, and he holds the single-season record with 62 saves. Should the Yankees fail to sign D-Rob, K-Rod might hold appeal especially as he does not have a draft pick attached, and he might well be persuaded to settle for a one or two year contract with an annual value of $5 to $7 million, likely making him significantly cheaper than Robertson and perhaps Andrew Miller.

Rodriguez made his major league debut in 2002 with the Los Angeles Angels, where as a setup man he was a key part of their magical postseason run in 2002. Promoted to closer before the 2005 season after the departure of Troy Percival, K-Rod reached 208 saves after his fourth full-season as closer, and as an example of the market value of the save statistic, the Mets signed him to a three year 37 million dollar contract. His time in New York was turbulent, involving a much publicised spat with his pitching coach followed by an even more well publicised arrest for assaulting his girlfriends father. Ultimately he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers as a setup man, where he has been ever since apart from the second half of 2013 when he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. Re-signed by the Brewers to close for 2014, K-Rod pitched his way through a typically solid season.

Despite a declining fastball, Rodriguez continues to post solid strikeout numbers, pitch his way to a solid ERA - though his 2014 FIP is a little concerning - and close out games. At this point in his career he isn't at the top of the relief pitcher market or a rival for Robertson so expect him to wait out D-Rob and Miller's decisions before receiving offers from the teams that miss out.

Personally, should the Yankees fail to bring back Robertson I'd rather they spend the money elsewhere patching the many holes on this team. Relief pitching is the one roster area where we can be reasonably confident in the high-level minor league depth available to complement the existing strength. However, I wouldn't be too upset if they chose to sign K-Rod to a contract of no more than 2 years and $14 million. That type of deal wouldn't make him a barrier to promoting elite relief talent like Lindgren, or ultimately stop the Yankees giving ninth inning duties to Betances, but it would allow them not to rush the process of turning over the closer role to Dellin after just one successful major league season.


A review of the tactics MLB has used to try and speed up the game this Fall

0
0

MLB spotted plenty of flaws in its first round of improvements, but the direction is the right one.

This fall, MLB dedicated its Arizona Fall League to testing a host of trial rules all designed to improve the pace of play. While the specifics ranged from the perfectly logical to bizarrely borrowed from other sports, I love that MLB was willing to take the chance and try this out.

In brief the experimental rules were:

The No-pitch Intentional Walk: Instead of making the pitcher throw four balls, the manager just signaled for the batter to take his base. Personally, I'd rather make the pitcher throw the ball. The batter might take a hack and hit it, as Miguel Cabrera did a few years ago against the Orioles, or the intentional balls might take the pitcher out of his rhythm.

Stand in the Batter's Box: Under the new rules, unless there was a foul ball or a pitch to dodge, the only reason the batter was allowed to leave the batter's box was if he called time. Love it.

Inning Break Clock: Teams had only 2:05 to swap positions between innings. There was a lot of complaining about this one, especially by the catchers. Two minutes might not be enough time, but I'd love to see MLB try a three minute clock.

Pitching Change Clock: Anything that results in the return of the bullpen cart is a-ok by me. Let's not watch a guy jog in from left-center field then take a dozen warm up pitches. Make him feel the need to sprint!

Three Conferences: The most arbitrary of the rules, each team was allowed to hold only three time out conferences per game. That meant, in theory, that if the catcher visits the mound twice in the first inning to go over signs, and then the pitching coach comes out to give the guy a breather, that the manager can't come out in the eighth to discuss whether to pitch to the next hitter or to walk him. Why three? Just because it's baseball and we like things that come in threes?

I haven't seen as much discussion of the three conference rule as of the other rules. I suspect that's because the impact of this one is subtler. You could see the highlights of the fielders sprinting off after the inning, but there's no good highlight of a shortstop wishing he could go to the mound to discuss positioning with the pitcher.

My chief opposition to this rule is that it would kill the hidden ball trick. And baseball without that working Little League trick actually working every decade or so is a lesser game.

The Shot Clock: By far the rule that got the most attention; only at Salt River Field, the pitcher has only twenty seconds from getting the ball back from the catcher to get on the mound and come to "set." From there, he can deliver a pitch, throw to a base, or step off. There was a lot of confusion in the early goings over whether a pitcher could step off or he had to throw the ball, but eventually they clarified that stepping off was an option too. Another issue was training the countdown operator to recognize "set."

This improvement seems the most far fetched to me, but it is in many ways the most intriguing because it's the most invasive.

The rules seem to have had an effect. Through the first couple weeks of the Fall League, the average length of game was about 25 minutes shorter than last year.

Game times at the MLB level have picked up in the last few years, mainly because the Yankees and Red Sox no longer employ good hitters capable of laying off pitches for a 5 hour, 9 inning matchup. But I'd welcome a couple changes like the ones MLB tested this fall. Anything that means less time for John Sterling to monologue between pitches is ok by me.

PSA Comments of the Day 11/21/14: Yoan Moncada. Get it done, Cash

0
0

Until anyone can present me with a legit reason not to sign Yoan Moncada, the Yankees need to be all in on him. The puns alone are worth the price. Pitchers and catchers report in 90 days.

The Yankees made some waves yesterday. The Bronx Bombers have once again showed that they're all in on the international prospect market, signing Brian Emery. They should be all in on Yoan Moncada as well. Preliminary reports are starting to come in, saying that the Yankees are the team to beat in terms of signing him. Good to know.

Comments of the Day

LTL starts this magnificent string of comments, showing the real reason why we should be happy that the Yankees signed Brian Emery

YankeeOutsider has high hopes for the Yankees down the line with the potential/hopeful Yoan Moncada signing on the horizon.

Meanwhile, El Cruz and I show the primary reason why signing Moncada is truly the best of ideas. Even White Sox got to shout!

GIF of the Day

noonoo's response to my Subway photo was pretty perfect. Hence why it wins.

Honorable Mod Mention

Doug takes home the HMM award with his photoshop/meme maker work.

Fun Questions
  • There's 8 feet of snow outside your door. What do you do?
  • What do you look for the most in a movie you watch?
Song of the Day

Main Menu from Super Smash Bros. Wii U

As always, link us your song of the day!

Well gang, it's been real. However, Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U has finally come out. It will be taking up a lot of my free time until baseball comes back. I'll check in on everyone now and then, especially when the Yankees do something fun. Perhaps I'll challenge David Cone to a match!

FREE FOR ALL

Yankees Potential 2015 Free Agent Target: Corey Hart

0
0

Could the Yankees take a chance to provide Mark Teixeira with some backup?

2014 Statistics: 255 PA, .203/.271/.319, 6 HR, 70 wRC+, -1.2 fWAR

2015 Age: 33

Position: Right-handed first baseman and right fielder

Last offseason the Mariners took a risk on a buy-low candidate that would hopefully put a spark in their listless offense: Corey Hart. Even though he missed all of the 2013 season with a micro-fracture (knee) surgery, Seattle's front office was still pretty confident that he could return to form in 2014. Even if he got close to his .278 True Average in 2012, that would be a huge success given his deal was only one year and $6 million. And one year later, one can confidently say that the deal was a failure. Hart hit a dismal .203/.271/.319 (70 wRC+) with just six home runs in 68 games. He missed most of the season due to a thigh strain and knee contusion (same knee that was operated on), and he was below-replacement level when he was on the field.

But even so, there is cause for optimism. Sure, he'll probably be relegated to the infield in the future now that his knee and increasing age will give him the defense of a tortoise on NyQuil, but he could still provide some value with the stick. If we take a quick look at his batted ball data:

hart_batted_ball

We can see (although the 2014 sample is small), that his tendencies are not that all different, even though the lack of opposite field hits may come as a cause for some concern. His BABIP of .244 is certainly not of the sustainable variety, and I would assume that that would improve should he remain healthy.

The obvious question mark with Hart is his knee. Knee surgery is tricky business, and we've seen excellent players emerge differently: you have your Grady Sizemores, your Victor Martinezes, and your Joe Mauers. A good example of what Hart faces in the future is more akin to Mauer and Martinez; for players not dependent on their legs to survive, bat-first hitters may be able to not only extend their careers after their surgery, but thrive. Granted, that does include the limiting defensive appearances, but it's something.

I doubt that Corey Hart is the solution to the many woes that faced the 2014 Yankees, and I don't think the team needs another first base/corner outfield-type player. But with that being said, I don't think the idea of Hart is terrible as insurance. The primary backup for Mark Teixeira, as of now, is Alex Rodriguez. After that, it's Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann. Having a non-first baseman covering first base because it's "just first base" is not only problematic for defensive purposes, but also because the aforementioned can't be relied upon to cover the position given their own injury concerns. On a minor league deal with incentive bonuses, a Corey Hart could be intriguing at best and brief at worst.

The Yankees' current 40-man roster tree and the Ruben Rivera/Aaron Judge connection

0
0

How do the Yankees' current roster spots date back, and how are the two outfield prospects related 23 years apart?

Over at Grantland yesterday, Ben Lindbergh put together a pretty tremendous article detailing the lineage of the oldest roster spots in baseball. The lineage is determined by how the current players on each major league team got to their respective clubs, and if applicable, how the players acquired in exchange for them were added. Some spot got back a long, long way, such as Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, whose spot stretches all the way back to 1977, linking  memorable players like David Justice, Kenny Lofton, and current Padres manager Bud Black.

The Yankees were included in the article of course, but after the retirement of Derek Jeter, who of course dated back to the 1992 MLB Draft, the oldest roster spot now belongs to--you guessed it--Frank Stallone Alex Rodriguez. Observe below:

Interactive table by Nick Wheatley-Schaller of Baseball Prospectus.

I've always been interested in unique projects like these, and a couple years ago, I assembled a chart delving into the roster history of the 2012 Yankees. That one dated back to 1990, when Mariano Rivera was signed, and when his cousin Ruben Rivera was signed as well. Mo's cousin was once a top outfield prospect, and the 1997 trade sending him to the Padres for the rights to sign the late Hideki Irabu set of a chain reaction of trades that lasted all the way up to the 2012 Yankees, thanks to Nick Swisher.

Although the current 40-man roster does not have as many intriguing connections since the Yankees don't trade too much and most of their roster spots are pure signings, it's still cool to see in visual form how each member of the club joined up. Check it out:

Yankees roster tree

After A-Rod, the oldest roster spot ironically belongs to the newest Yankee, pitcher Justin Wilson. The lefty took Francisco Cervelli's spot, and he was with the organization since signing in March 2003. The Yankee who's been with the organization the longest after A-Rod is starter Ivan Nova, who was signed as a 17-year-old out of the Dominican Republic in July 2004.

While these spots aren't quite as old or interesting as the Rivera-Swisher connection, do not fret! There is hope on the horizon, for the Ruben Rivera roster spot technically lives on through top prospect Aaron Judge. The exciting young Trenton outfielder was drafted in 2013 thanks to a compensation pick the Yankees gained from the Indians signing Swisher away in free agency. Here's how that spot has evolved over the past 23 years:

Rivera to Judge

That's awesome, and there are some pretty memorable players mixed in there, too. It's just one more reason why we need to see Judge in the Show for the Yankees someday. If so, then Ruben Rivera will have another legacy beyond his awful baserunning and Jeter glove theft! So huzzah!

I'll try to keep this chart updated as the Yankees' 40-man roster develops this off-season. Thanks again to Ben Lindbergh for the idea and to Bluebird Banter's Minor Leaguer for the general chart format.

What should the Yankees do with Austin Romine?

0
0

Now that the Yankees have traded Cervelli, what does this mean for Austin Romine?

The Yankees have finally traded Francisco Cervelli and now the backup catching role is a wide open race between Austin Romine and John Ryan Murphy. One argument exists that the Yankees see Murphy as the favorite to land the job and would let Romine, who is now out of options, go through waivers. I, unfortunately, have to disagree with that idea because I just don't see the Yankees letting that happen.

If Romine goes through waivers there's a good chance that he will be picked up by another team. Over the last few years we've seen that they are reluctant to let players go for nothing in return. They have taken inferior players over promising rookies just because of their contract; Cervelli over Murphy last year and Chris Stewart over Romine the year before that. I can't see them not taking advantage of this situation again.

If the Yankees choose Murphy over Romine then they probably lose Romine. If they go with Romine, Murphy can simply be sent down. Obviously, having five catchers on the 40-man roster is ridiculous, but over the last few seasons their depth behind the plate has been one of their strengths. By making Romine expendable they would go from four useable catchers to only two in one offseason, and with Gary Sanchez being the best catcher they have waiting in the wings, even if he gets the bump up to Scranton, they will be seriously lacking in major league-ready talent.

Going with Murphy could force them to sign a catcher to a minor league deal just to serve as legitimate depth in case of injury. This year's class of free agent catchers is impressive for what they need, but will any of them really be interested in an undefined role that may never materialize? By going with Romine they could bypass the issue of MLB depth altogether.

This is all not to say that I think Austin Romine is better than Murphy, or really any good at all, but it's just the move that makes the most sense for the roster. Maybe they do see Romine as completely expendable, but in that instance I'll be very surprised because history shows that the Yankees don't operate that way. They're cautious, likely too cautious, so don't be outraged when we find out in spring training that Romine is going North with the team.

Poll
What should the Yankees do with Austin Romine?

  201 votes |Results

Viewing all 4714 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images