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2015 Hall of Fame Ballot: Pedro Martinez

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A look back at a glittering career and how it intersected with the New York Yankees.

Career Statistics:2827.1 IP, 409 GS, 10.04 K/9, 2.42 BB/9, 2.91 FIP, 87.1 fWAR (16th among pitchers all-time)

Years Active: 1992 - 2009

Position: Right-handed starting pitcher

Time on the Ballot: First

For the second part of this series on members of the 2015 Hall of Fame ballot and their connections to the New York Yankees, we look back at the career of Pedro Martinez.

Martinez was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1988, and made his major league debut in 1992 as a relief pitcher. Then-Dodgers ace and Pedro's brother Ramon would assert that Pedro was the better pitcher in the family, but Los Angeles didn't think the 5"11', 170 pound Pedro had enough size to carry a starter workload. After a solid 1993 coming out of the bullpen, Martinez was traded to the Montreal Expos where he was given an opportunity to join the starting rotation. Pedro took his chance and ran with it, to a tune of 3.4 fWAR in the strike shortened season as he was a big part of the Expos having the best record in baseball that year. Martinez continued to develop as a starter, winning a Cy Young in 1997 after a remarkable year–305 strikeouts with a 1.90 ERA and 8.6 fWAR.

With the looming likelihood of losing Martinez to free agency, Montreal traded Pedro to Boston before the 1998 season where he was signed to what was a record contract of 6 years, $75 million. Martinez had already established himself as a top-tier pitcher in Montreal, but it was in Boston that he became a superstar; pitching a very solid 1998 and only being relegated to second in the Cy Young because of former Red Sox and fellow member of the 2015 ballot Roger Clemens having an exceptional season in Toronto. In 1999, though, Pedro could not be denied his American League Cy Young to match the NL version he'd won as an Expo.

Top Single Seasons by fWAR - Fangraphs

Pedro Martinez, in 1999, pitched his way to the fourth best single season by fWAR in history, a list where four of the other five top-six single seasons date back before 1900. Even if fWAR isn't your statistic of choice, by any measure Martinez's 1999 was astounding. He won the Triple Crown with 23 wins, 313 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.07. Impressive as that ERA is, his FIP was an even more tiny 1.39, accounting for the offensive nature of Fenway Park. Martinez came back in 2000 with an encore, lowering his ERA to 1.74 and WHIP to a liveball record of 0.74; winning his third Cy Young award. After an injury-hit but still impressive 2001, Martinez continued to perform at a high level in 2002 and 2003. This stretch from 1997 to 2003 - considering he spent the bulk of it pitching his home games in a hitter-friendly ballpark harsh on right-handers, in the most offensively charged era in history, in the heavier scoring American League - is one of the greatest stretches of dominance any pitcher has ever had.

Martinez was a part of the 2004 World Series winning Red Sox, part of a freakish rotation where none of the five missed a start all year. Following the breaking of the curse, Martinez became a professional free agent for the first time in his career, and signed a four year, $53 million contract with the New York Mets.  Pedro was Pedro for the first year and a half of that contract, but then it all started to unravel. He had a series of poor performances, sandwiched between trips to the disabled list and ultimately his season ended when the Mets medical staff found a torn rotator cuff. The ensuing surgery and rehabilitation led to him missing most of 2007, returning in September and pitching well even as the Mets were collapsing around him, blowing a 7 game lead with 17 to play. Pedro limped through his final year with the Mets in 2008 as injuries continued to take their toll, causing him to miss extended time and sapping him if his velocity and best stuff when he did take the mound. Martinez signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in the middle of the 2009 season, coming back into the major leagues in August and serving as a key part of their postseason rotation.

"I just tip my cap and call the Yankees my daddy"

Pedro Martinez - September 2004

Martinez's games pitched in Yankee Stadium were often events in themselves, and there were days when he thoroughly dominated the Bronx Bombers. Never more so September 10th 1999 when Martinez faced 28 batters, striking out 17 and coming within a Chilli Davis  home run of a no-hitter.  To accurately assess how dominant Pedro was, consider how virtually every member of the Dynasty Yankees called it at least as great as any pitching performance they had ever seen, including David Cone who had pitched a perfect game only two months prior.

New York got in their share of shots as part of the rivalry, of course. The 2003 American League Championship Series featured two duels between Clemens and Martinez, and the Yankees came out ahead in both. First in game three, now more remembered for the brawl that culminated in Pedro throwing Now York's 72 year old bench coach Don Zimmer to the ground. The 2003 ALCS ultimately went the full seven games, with Martinez and Clemens starting the decider in Yankee Stadium. Boston took a quick 4-0 lead and were up 5-2 in the eighth inning, when Grady Little went to the mound, but was famously talked out of making a pitching change by the tiring Martinez. The Yankees tied the game against Martinez, setting up Aaron Boone's iconic walkoff home run.

Late in the 2004 season, after a regular season loss to the New York Yankees, Martinez delivered the above quote, calling the Yankees his daddy and admitting to wanting to face any team other than them at that point. This line was lorded over Pedro by the New York fanbase during his game two ALCS start in Yankee Stadium. Martinez had the last laugh that year though, as his Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to come from 3-0 down to win a postseason series. New York faced Martinez far less in his declining years, which were spent in the National League. However, perhaps fittingly, Pedro's final game of his professional career was in Yankee Stadium. New York did their part to give the day a turn-of-the-century feel, winning as they so often did, to take the 2009 World Series.

Pedro Martinez in his prime was three Hall of Fame caliber pitchers rolled into one. He had a fastball to match Roger Clemens, an array of 'out' pitches that was almost a rival of Mike Mussina, and control as good as anyone this side of Greg Maddux. His spell of dominance was shorter than most inductees though, and some voters might choose to keep him off their ballots for that reason especially with fellow first-year candidate Randy Johnson having far superior counting stats. However, Pedro should still sail through induction in his first time of asking.

Congratulations on an incredible career Pedro Martinez.

Likely Cap if Elected: Boston Red Sox

Poll
Do you think Pedro Martinez be inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2015?

  87 votes |Results


San Francisco Giants increasing pursuit of Chase Headley

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After losing Pablo Sandoval, the club is looking to sign Headley to play third base.

After losing Pablo Sandoval to free agency, the San Francisco Giants are looking for a new third baseman, and Chase Headley is among the candidates who can replace him. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal noted on Saturday the Giants are aggressively pursuing the free agent infielder, who has been extended a four-year offer from an unknown team.

Several teams who have been linked to Headley this offseason have considered him as a first base option, however the departure of Sandoval ensures the Giants will look at him as a third baseman. In 135 games last season, Headley posted a .243/.328/.372 batting line to complement 13 home runs and 49 RBIs.

The four year deal Headley was offered is reportedly worth $65 million, notable because of the four-year, $48-50 million contract many expect him to ultimately receive. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman said it would be wise of Headley to take the $65 million deal considering Victor Martinez got a four-year, $68 dollar contract this offseason.

Both the Marlins and Yankees have been linked to Headley in the past, however Clark Spencer of The Miami Herald reported the Marlins have not engaged in any discussions that involved Headley earlier this week. New York was very interested, but refuses to make an offer that is over three years.

Rosenthal is unsure how the Giants' interest in Headley will impact the organization's interest in Jon Lester. As of Friday afternoon, the Giants were one of four teams Lester will choose between. San Francisco was willing to offer Sandoval a contract that was worth close to $95 million, and as a result, could afford both Headley and Lester if interested.

Although the team that made the $65 million offer is unknown, San Francisco may have made such a proposal considering it is looking to fill a third base vacancy. Headley was worth over $100 million over the last five seasons ($102.4) according to FanGraphs, and defensively has been among the best third baseman over the past few seasons.

Washington Nationals likely to trade Tyler Clippard

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The 29-year old reliever could be pitching out of a different squad's bullpen in 2015.

With the Yankees signing Andrew Miller on Friday afternoon, the market for late inning setup options has quickly picked up. Sergio Romo and Luke Gregerson are among the veteran free agent setup men, but according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard will likely be traded this offseason and can help a team looking to upgrade the back of the bullpen.

Washington has a significant amount of right-handed relief options, and Clippard is expected to make $8 or $9 million in his last year of arbitration. In addition to having other relief options, which include Aaron Barrett, Craig Stammen, Blake Treinen, and Taylor Hill, the Nationals likely feel that Clippard is getting too costly. Although Miller was signed to a four-year, $36 million contract and Clippard has had comparable success, the Nationals' depth would make losing a consistent reliever such as Clippard manageable.

Clippard, 29, posted a 2.18 ERA and 2.75 FIP in 70.1 innings pitched in 2014. He also posted a 10.49 K/9 last season, the second highest of his career, and his 1.5 WAR was a career high. He has made at least 70 appearances in each of the last five seasons, and saved 32 games in 2012 while Drew Storen was out with an elbow injury.

Even with Clippard, Rafael Soriano, and Storen already in their bullpen, the Nationals still chose to pursue Grant Balfour last offseason. But with young arms looming, Washington likely won't be adding major pieces to its bullpen this offseason.

The Dodgers, Blue Jays, and White Sox are all teams that are seeking help in the back of their respective bullpens, Rosenthal notes, and Miller's contract can either lower or elevate the price of free agent relievers and setup men who are available through a trade.

Although there is no current favorite, the Dodgers can emerge as the frontrunner to acquire Clippard. The club didn't want to make Miller a four-year offer, is not interested in Brian Wilson, and wants to build around closer Kenley Jansen, who will earn $8.2 million next season, according to MLB Trade Rumors. No deal is imminent, however Clippard should be the topic of conversation for several teams at some point during the Winter Meetings.

Blue Jays rumoured to "love" closer David Robertson

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Quick: name all the Blue Jays pitchers who recorded a save in 2014.

In descending order by the number of saves: Casey Janssen (25), Brett Cecil (5), Sergio Santos (5), Aaron Loup (4), Aaron Sanchez (3), Dustin McGowan (1), Todd Redmond (1), and Marcus Stroman (1). For those good at math, that's eight different pitchers recording the 45 total saves last season, which happened to be the most in the major leagues last year, as well as the most in franchise history. That is more-or-less just party trivia, but it does give you the general idea that the bullpen wasn't very stable, especially in the beginning of the season when closer Casey Janssen was on the disabled list and in the second half of the season after Janssen's literally ill-fated vacation to the Dominican Republic.

The Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen had the major's fifth-worst bullpen FIP in 2014 at 4.05, and an eighth-worst shutdown-meltdown ratio (1.638). Casey Janssen, Brandon Morrow, Dustin McGowan, and Sergio Santos are free agents. Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin are gone in trades. Clearly, the state of the bullpen is less of a pen and more of a gigantic hole ready for the foundation to be poured in.

This evening, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post tells us that the Blue Jays are smitten with righty David Robertson, having "engaged in dialogue" with his agent. Robertson did an admirable job closing for the Yankees in the first year of the post-Mariano Rivera era. In 64 innings over 63 appearances, he struck out 96 batters (13.4%) and walked 19 (3.22%), finishing with a 3.08 ERA / 2.68 FIP / and 2.13 xFIP. But the bullpen in the Bronx is a little bit more crowded now that Andrew Miller is now a Yankee.

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Robertson has a $39-million, three-year offer from the Mystery Team, but with Miller signing for four years (though at a lower average annual value), Robertson is likely going to hold off putting his pen to the paper until he gets that extra year. Davidoff believes that the asking figure is $50 million--which is what the Phillies guaranteed to Jonathan Papelbon back in 2011 (there is also a vesting option for $16 million in 2016).

That is a lot of money to spend on a single reliever, even for one of the best in the game, and it just doesn't seem to fit in the style of general manager Alex Anthopoulos. On signing a big-ticket free-agent reliever, Anthopoulos has said that he "wouldn't necessarily completely rule it out", which is as close to a "no, we aren't going to do it" as you will get from him. The money will be better spent getting someone like Luke Gregerson, who was profiled by Noah Sherman earlier this offseason, and also somehow acquire someone who can sort of play second base as well as sort of be able to hit baseballs. Yes, the bullpen needs a rebuild, but getting Robertson will mean the other holes will have to remain unfilled.

I believe that the Blue Jays love David Robertson--I'm sure all 29 other teams do as well--but I don't think they will be willing to pay him as much as he wants. And the only way of loving him, baby, is to pay his lovely fee.

Could health be the Yankees' key to success in 2015?

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Recent history shows that the key to more Yankees wins is simply a healthy team.

It's probably no surprise that the disappointment over the last two years has coincided with the two most populous Yankee teams in franchise history. In 2013 the team used a franchise record 56 different players throughout the course of the season which was five more than the previous record. Last year they broke that record by using a whopping 58 players to fill out the roster. As injuries and ineffectiveness piled up the Yankees scrambled to find replacements but the results weren't always pretty. Outside of a couple savvy trades the replacements usually came in the form of a minor leaguer from an underwhelming Yankee system.

To highlight the negative impact of using all those players on team performance, the graph below plots Yankee win totals against the number of players used for each season since 1996. That year was used as the cutoff because the strike shortened 1994 and 1995 seasons would have skewed the trend and going back to years prior to that would take us into an era where disabled list stints were fewer and playing through pain and injury was the norm. (Data courtesy of Baseball Reference)

The aforementioned 2013 and 2014 teams are represented by those two plot points at the bottom right of the graph. On the flip side, that little guy at the top left represents the infamous 1998 Yankees. While the sample size here is small and things such as the quality of players aren't taken into account, it's clear that the more players the Yankees use, the worse they perform on the field. So the key to a successful 2015 campaign could be as simple as avoiding the injury bug and keeping players off the disabled list.

That will be easier said than done. Each Yankee penciled into the starting lineup for 2015, with the exception of the recently acquired Didi Gregorius, is on the wrong side of 30 and most of them have struggled with injuries in the past. With the odds stacked against them it will require a considerable amount of luck for the Yankees, but a healthy team will most likely mean happy fans this year.

PSA Comments of the Day 12/7/14: Yankees' Saturday not as exciting as Yankees' Friday

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The Yankees made some big acquisitions on Friday. They decided to take Saturday off to cool down. Today, perhaps they'll watch some football along with the rest of us. Pitchers and catchers report in 74 days.

No time to waste here. You know what the Yankees did yesterday. We have a lot of COTD awards to give out.

Comments of the Day

River Ave U wants Greg Kirkland to search through a year's worth of articles and comments to find a Comment of the Year. Again, we all want things!

Speaking of the COTY, LTL is accepting beer and/or money for his COTY post, currently at +37.

I'm not sure what aspect got Harlan's comment into the blue. I'm guessing it was the Sterling HR call, but hey maybe people really like Dr. Brown's Black Cherry or hate Mountain Dew.

Blanky laments laughing at my MEorius nickname for Didi Gregorius.

Apparently, a few PSAers agree with both Greg Kirkland and DIETYILTY on Trout.

I think a lot of us would prefer Brandon McCarthy over Hiroki Kuroda at this point.

Yeah, trading Gardner and Phelps/Warren for something good is pretty standard around these parts.

GIF of the Day

Nothing worthy of the GOTD award.

Honorable Mod Mention

No HMM award either.

Fun Questions
  • John Sterling's Andrew Miller HR Call.......GO!
  • Least favorite way to travel?
Song of the Day

Jungle Love by Morris Day and the Time

As always, please link us your Song of the Day.

The Yankees did not make any huge acquisitions yesterday. It's a shame, since Friday set the bar so high. However, the Winter Meetings are fast approaching. Perhaps dreams can come true. Also, feel free to use this as your open thread for the afternoon. There's football on.

Winter Meetings are coming

Does Jon Lester or Max Scherzer make more sense for the Yankees?

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If the Yankees are going to sign one of the top free agent pitchers on the market, does Scherzer or Lester make more sense?

Now that the Yankees have traded away Shane Greene in a three-way deal with the Tigers and Diamondbacks, they have huge holes to fill in the rotation. Early in the offseason it seemed like the team would not pursue one of the major free agent starting pitchers on the market, but in recent days they've been linked to both Jon Lester and Max Scherzer. Both are elite pitchers, but which would be a better fit for the Yankees?

Lester: 1596 IP, 8.22 K/9, 3.07 BB/9, 0.82 HR/9, 3.58 ERA, 3.67 xFIP, 1.28 WHIP, 35.4 fWAR

Scherzer: 1239.1 IP, 9.59 K/9, 2.82 BB/9, 0.97 HR/9, 3.58 ERA, 3.42 xFIP, 1.22 WHIP, 27 fWAR

When comparing their stats over their professional careers, Lester and Scherzer are remarkably similar though Scherzer has the slight edge. Both pitchers will turn 31 in 2015, but Scherzer is six months younger and he has the advantage when it comes to workload concerns, as he's pitched about 350 less innings than Lester. Scherzer also has the better strikeout percentage, 25.7% compared to Lester's average of 21.8%. His strikeout numbers have actually improved quite a bit over the last three seasons, considering that he averaged about 8.20 K/9 in 2010 and 2011, yet hasn't dipped below 10 K/9 since then. Lester's K/9 dipped to the 7 range in 2012 and 2013, before bouncing back to 9.01 in 2014.

On the flip side, Lester certainly has his own advantages over Scherzer. For one thing, he has a much higher ground ball percentage of 46.8% compared to 38.8% for Scherzer which would bode well for Yankee Stadium. Lester could be beneficial as a lefty since there are huge concerns surrounding CC Sabathia as he returns to the rotation, including not only the health of his knee, but whether he can still be an effective starter. We all know that the Yankees like their left-handed pitchers, so Lester has the edge there. Since he was traded from the Red Sox to the Athletics in the middle of this past season, he also wouldn't cost the Yankees a draft pick. For what it's worth, Lester also has more familiarity with the hitters in the AL East.

Both had good 2014 seasons, and both will ultimately end up inking hefty contracts. When it comes down to it, Lester and Scherzer are both talented pitchers, and I wouldn't be upset to see the Yankees sign either of them, though Scherzer has gotten better and better over the past three seasons, which has not been the case for Lester. If you had to pick between the two, who would you choose? Vote in the poll below.

Poll
Which starting pitcher would you rather see the Yankees sign?

  3006 votes |Results

Yankees sign Andrew Miller: Analyzing past free agent bullpen signings

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Looking back at some of the past free agent bullpen signings show some reward, but significant bust potential as well.

On Friday, the Yankees made history with Andrew Miller, inking the dominant left-handed reliever to a four-year, $36 million deal. The contract is a new MLB record as the largest non-closer contract in baseball history. For the Yankees, this isn’t unchartered territory, as ownership has doled out record contracts on multiple occasions. They’ve set the bar in previous seasons for player contracts, such as Alex Rodriguez’s 10-year, $275 million pact or CC Sabathia’s seven-year, $161 million deal. Let’s take a look at some other significant Yankees free agent reliever contracts and how they fared.

Rafael Soriano

At the time of his signing, there was a reported division between the front office and ownership on whether or not to sign him. Ultimately, ownership won out as Soriano agreed to become the richest non-closing reliever, signing a three-year contract worth $35 million, to be the set-up man for Mariano Rivera. Looking at the chart below, it was clearly a tale of two very different seasons for the right-hander.

Years

IP

ERA

FIP

K/9

BB/9

2011

39.1

4.12

3.97

8.24

4.12

2012

67.2

2.26

3.32

9.18

3.19

2011 was a year that found him missing nine weeks due to injury during the first half, struggling when healthy and ultimately demoted to the seventh inning. The following season was a complete turnaround for Soriano as the Yankees lost Mariano for the year and then fill-in closer David Robertson to injury. Installed as the closer he flourished, converting 42 of 46 save opportunities. During the offseason, he chose to opt-out of his final year to test the free agent market.

Steve Karsay

Steve Karsay was another non-closing bullpen pitcher to receive a record setting contract from the Yankees, as he came to agreement with the team on a four-year, $22.5 million deal. Unfortunately, the Yankees only received one year of a return on their investment, as injuries took their toll on the right-hander. Here are his numbers from his time in pinstripes:

Years

IP

ERA

FIP

K/9

BB/9

2002

88.1

3.26

3.61

6.62

3.06

2004

6.2

2.7

6.65

5.4

2.7

2005

6

6

2.35

7.5

3

The team finally bit the bullet and released him from his contract in 2005.

Pedro Feliciano

Back in 2011, the Yankees decided to pluck free agent lefty specialist Pedro Feliciano from the Mets, on a 2-year deal, worth $8 million. This contract will easily go down as one of the worst in team history, as a torn capsule and rotator cuff kept him from pitching a single inning for the club.

Tom Gordon

The Yankees were looking to solidify their bullpen and provide a solid bridge to Mariano Rivera during the 2003-04 offseason.  They accomplished their mission, reaching an agreement on a two-year, $7.25 million contract with the free agent right-hander. Looking at the numbers in the table below, he was a solid investment for the two seasons that he spent with the club.

Years

IP

ERA

FIP

K/9

BB/9

2004

89.2

2.21

2.44

9.64

2.31

2005

80.2

2.57

3.68

7.7

3.24

Kyle Farnsworth

With the departure of Tom Gordon via free agency, the Yankees had a set-up opening in their bullpen. They chose to fill that opening by signing Kyle Farnsworth to a three-year deal worth $17 million. The biggest issues of Farnsworth’s tenure in the Bronx were clearly walks and being homer prone, as he gave up an average of seven per year.

Years

IP

ERA

FIP

K/9

BB/9

2006

66

4.36

3.77

10.23

3.82

2007

60

4.8

5.04

7.2

4.05

2008

44.1

3.65

5.64

8.7

3.5

Wrap up

Relievers are generally a volatile commodity and can become ineffective from one season to the next without warning.  Hopefully, Andrew Miller can avoid falling into the group of failed Yankees signings.  With his new contract and the possible departure of David Robertson, the fans and the team are both counting on it.

**All stats courtesy of FanGraphs


Daily Red Sox Links: Jon Lester, Andrew Miller, Shane Victorino

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Today's links look at finding a new elite reliever, what to do at the Winter Meetings, and possible issues with Shane Victorino.

After missing out on Andrew Miller to the Yankees, the Red Sox are on the search for the next out-of-nowhere elite reliever. (Alex Speier; WEEI.com)

John Henry took a trip last weekend. (Jason Mastrodonato; Masslive.com)

In more Jon Lester news, Ryan Dempster is being a traitor. (Patrick Mooney; CSN Chicago)

If the Red Sox cannot bring their former ace back, expect them to more aggressively pursue Max Scherzer. (Michael Silverman; Boston Herald)

With the Winter Meetings getting underway today, the Red Sox have plenty of things to get done. (Tim Britton; Providence Journal)

They aren't the only team with a busy week ahead of them, though. Here are some needs for the other AL teams. (Mike Axisa; CBS Sports)

One team that could be willing to deal some pitching appears to be Miami. (Bill Baer; Hardball Talk)

Will the Red Sox have a problem on their hands if Shane Victorino is on the roster without an everyday role? (Adam Kaufman; Boston.com)

Ryan Lavarnway has a new home. (Chris Hatfield; Sox Prospects)

Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 12/8/14

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Let's play GM; five questions for Cashman; how will Andrew Miller succeed in pinstripes and should the Yankees let Chase Headley walk?

Sports on Earth | Adam Berry: Picture yourself as the Yankees GM: what would you do?

New York Daily News | Anthony McCarron: Winter Meetings are always exciting, and the Yankees come into the meetings with more than a few questions that need to be answered.

Beyond the Box Score | Ryan Romero:Andrew Miller just became a very wealthy man, but will he be prove to be a successful acquisition or be the latest failure in a long line of free agent, left-handed relievers signed by the Yankees?

Beyond the Box Score | Jeffrey Bellone:Chase Headley is valuable commodity these days. The Yankees appear willing to let him go if necessary and use some combination of Prado, Pirela, and Refsnyder to man the infield, but should the Yankees let that happen or should they try and retain the 3rd baseman?

The rise of Milbetrob? Why bringing back David Robertson makes more sense than ever

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With Andrew Miller in the fold, keeping David Robertson would turn the Yankees' bullpen into...a monster.

On Friday the Yankees came to terms with Andrew Miller on a four-year, $36 million contract that shattered the previous record for a non-closer reliever. The deal drew praise from some and raised eyebrows from others, but "non-closer" is an arbitrary distinction which has more to do with who you share a clubhouse with than with your actual ability to pitch. Miller could have easily closed for the Red Sox and Orioles last year, but those clubs had the very capable Koji Uehara and Zach Britton shutting the door in the ninth and saw more value in using him elsewhere. The Yankees didn't acquire a closer or a setup man in Miller - they brought in one of the better relievers in the game.

With Miller in the fold, the Yankee pen looks at least as strong as it did in 2014 when it logged a solid 3.70 ERA and 1.23 WHIP and held opposing hitters to a .677 OPS. Miller and Dellin Betances will hold down the eighth and ninth in some order with some assemblage of Shawn Kelley, Adam Warren, Justin Wilson and possibly Jacob Lindgren, who struck out 48 in 25 minor league innings, constructing the bridge that gets them the ball. That all sounds good, but why stop there? David Robertson is the fourth best relief pitcher in baseball over the past four years according to fWAR and he's still a free agent. Signing Miller kept the bullpen a strength, but bringing back Robertson would make it a Hulk-like super-strength.

The Yankees' TV voice, Michael Kay, is known for many things - among them is his invention of the monster Quangormo to describe the team's 2004 late-inning relief troika of Paul Quantrill, Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera. Quangormo morphed into Tangormo when Tanyon Sturtze entered the fray, and it's reappeared in several incarnations since as the names and faces in the Yankee pen have changed. The classic trios were effective, but they had the uninspiring Quan and Tan elements holding them back. A triumvirate of Miller, Betances and Robertson would know no such limitation. In short: Milbetrob smash!

The main obstacle in the way of the birth of Milbetrob is money, or at least how much of it the Yankees intend to spend. Multiple reports have Robertson seeking a Jonathan Papelbon payday - four years and at least $50 million. Brian Cashman has said he wants his "sweet home" grown arm back at the right price, but $50 mil seems not to be it. There is a precedent, though, for the Yankees allotting more than the $21.5 million per year that Robertson and Miller will cost to a pair of late-game relievers. In 2011 and 2012, Rivera and Rafael Soriano shared $26 million in AAV. They never excelled as a tandem the way the Yankees hoped, but when Mo went down it wasn't a bad thing that Soriano was around.

Investing in both Miller and Robertson and joining them with the MLB minimum salary that Betances will earn next year might actually be a steal compared with the inflated cost of other pitchers still on the market. In 2014, the three relievers combined to toss 216.2 elite innings that would have made them the best pitcher in the American League if they were one person. Compared with the $25-$27 million that Jon Lester and Max Scherzer will earn per season over the next six or seven years, not four, $22 mil for that kind of production doesn't look so bad.

2014IPERAWHIPK:9BB:9
Jon Lester219.12.461.109.011.97
Max Scherzer220.13.151.1810.292.57
MILBETROB216.22.080.9213.872.74

Obviously pitching in relief isn't the same as starting. Lester and Scherzer have an automatic impact on every single game they appear in while Milbetrob requires help from its teammates to have the opportunity to contribute. Much has been made of the lights-out Kansas City bullpen that helped bring the Royals to within a win of a World Championship, but they also had starters who kept them in game and an offense that rose to the occasion in the playoffs, averaging 0.6 runs more per game than it did in the regular season. On the other hand, Milbetrob would have its say in a majority of the Yankees' games, particularly close ones, while a starter - even a great one - influences only 33 or 34. 29.7 percent of the monster's innings last year were of the high-leverage variety, compared with 10.6 percent for Scherzer and 7.1 for Lester.

A lot of the hesitation from teams when it comes to spending big on relievers comes from the idea that they're too volatile to rely on for multiple years. Historically, plenty of bullpen arms have seen meteoric rises followed quickly by tumbles into obscurity, and the results of the massive contracts given to them are mixed at best, but some of that risk is mitigated by the relative shortness of those deals. Scherzer's next contract is likely to run through his age 37 or 38 season but the Yankees won't pay Miller - or Robinson if they keep him - a dime past age 33. Joe Torre was infamous for burning out Gordon, Quantrill, Sturtze, Scott Proctor, and just about every other middle reliever or setup man he ever laid eyes on, but Joe Girardi's smart bullpen management is one of his trademarks, making it all the more probable that Milbetrob will remain healthy and effective.

Creating Milbetrob wouldn't necessarily absolve the Yankees of their need for starting pitching - currently no one in the projected rotation threw more than 136 innings or made more than 20 starts in 2014 - but it would upgrade the staff in a big way without the use of an eight figure deal.

Yankees prospects: Baseball Prospectus 2015 top 10

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Baseball Prospectus has released their top 10 Yankees prospect list for the coming 2015 season and it includes all the names you've come to expect over the last few months. Well, mostly:

OF Aaron Judge
RHP Luis Severino
C Gary Sanchez
LHP Ian Clarkin
SS Jorge Mateo
2B/OF Rob Refsnyder
1B Greg Bird
CF Leonardo Molina
LHP Jacob Lindgren
C Luis Torrens

Aaron Judge ranks higher than Severino, likely because the latter is still believed to end up as a late-inning reliever, rather than a top of the rotation starter. Gary Sanchez remains at the top of the list, but he still could ultimately end up at first base, depending how things go for him. BP ranks lefty Ian Clarkin at No. 4, despite his lack of big velocity. Jorge Mateo, the pride of the Yankees shortstop prospects, is now considered to be their No. 5 prospect, while PSA favorites Rob Refsnyder and Greg Bird rank No. 6 and 7.

The biggest surprise on the list might be the inclusion of Leonardo Molina, who, despite rave reviews and many positive scouting reports, has yet to produce at any level to what people expect from him. Still, he's yet to turn 18, so his youth might have something to do with it. I just wouldn't expect him to get a top 10 inclusion until he started proving his value. He is actually the only player on this list that has the ceiling of an All-Star.

To round out the list, lefty reliever Jacob Lindgren and young catching stud Luis Torrens rank No. 9 and 10. For a high-leverage reliever, Lindgren's ranking makes sense, but for someone like Torrens, who has been lauded over for his youth and hitting abilities, it's a surprise to see him so low and especially below someone like Molina. Perhaps his failures at Low-A Charleston this year had something to do with it.

Noticeably absent from this list is third base prospect Eric Jagielo. He took a major hit to his prospect status over the last season due to concerns about both his hitting and fielding abilities and the fact that he was hurt for a good portion of the year. Many believe that he will ultimately have to move out of third base and that he currently has too much swing and miss in his swing.

Baseball Prospectus has third baseman Miguel Andujar, righty Austin DeCarr from the 2014 draft, and Ty Hensley among the system's rising stars, believing them ready to have big years in 2015. They also name Jose Ramirez, Tyler Austin, and Danny Burawa as the most likely prospects to get promoted to the majors this year and make an impact. It's interesting to see no Refsnyder included in that group. Oh, and in case you were wondering, new Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius ranks third among the top talent 25 and under in the organization.

What do you think about these rankings?

Yankees rumors: New York believed to be willing to give Chase Headley and/or David Robertson four years

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The Yankees are believed to be willing to bring back third baseman Chase Headley and/or closer David Robertson on a four-year deal as long as the price is right. Their willingness to go four years is different than their reported stance last week, particularly with Robertson, where it seemed like four years might be the deal-breaker. With the two players each having reportedly received four-year deals from the Astros, of all people, it's possible that the Yankees think they can lure them to New York the way they did with Andrew Miller, who left money on the table from Houston in favor of putting on pinstripes.

Seems like adding on the extra year was all it took for the team to feel like they were fully back in the Headley sweepstakes after reports last week that they might even be backing away from him. All reports are that Headley liked playing in New York and would be interested in a return, which might play to the Yankees' favor with his four-year offer for $65 million reportedly coming from the Astros. Is a brief stint with the Yankees last summer enough to sway him?

Signing Miller meant that the Yankees didn't need to overspend for Robertson, but not guaranteeing Miller any sort of role opened the door for the homegrown closer's potential return. If he, too, would rather play for the only team he's ever known for similar dollars he could get elsewhere, the team would likely welcome him back. Miller already being on board probably means that the Yankees don't have any intention of getting into a bidding war for Robertson, but being willing to give him four years, which seems like a necessary offer after Miller received four years, could very well keep them competitive in the negotiations.

Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York says that the Yankees aren't willing to match the offer the Astros gave Headley (though they don't seem to believe any such offer from Houston has actually been made), nor are they willing to give Robertson Jonathan Papelbon money. If either player is willing to take less than that to play in New York, great. If not, the team sounds ready to work with what they have. That might be alright in the bullpen, but third base without Headley is sort of a mess while operating under the assumption that Alex Rodriguez can't be anything close to a regular player in the field. If Martin Prado is forced to play third on an every day basis, that leaves second base open to one of Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela, and forces Carlos Beltran to stay in right field. Perhaps the Yankees are confident in that, but there's plenty of reason to worry about it coming to fruition.

Should the Yankees go four years for Headley and/or Robertson? What's the maximum deal they should offer either player?

Pinstripe Alley Podcast Episode 69: Didi Gregorius and the first big moves of the off-season

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It's been awhile since we last recorded a podcast, but a very busy Friday by the Yankees led to a bit of a roster shakeup that necessitated a return to the podcast airwaves, whether you like it or not! Rebellious.

The Yankees didn't really make any major moves over the past month, so we didn't, either! However, given the trade for Didi Gregorius and the signing of Andrew Miller, as well as several other topics, we decided that it was time to return to the Pinstripe Alley Podcast. And hey, maybe a certain retired shortstop will give us a listen now that he doesn't need to plan for games anymore! We eagerly wait Erick Almonte's subscription.

[0:45] Welcome, Didi Gregorius & Andrew Miller
[2:07] Oh, also Francisco Cervelli is gone
[5:22] The Blue Jays now have Russell Martin&Josh Donaldson! The Red Sox now have Pablo Sandoval&Hanley Ramirez! How does this affect the Yankees?
[8:57] The Yankees' rotation could really use some reinforcements, especially given Shane Greene's departure. So who should they sign?
[12:45] With Miller signing, is David Robertson a goner?
[20:50] Didi Gregorius, new Yankees shortstop. Huzzah?
[28:27] Is Chase Headley's four-year, $65 million deal real?If so, should he be signed at that value?
[39:54] Back to rotation concerns, especially CC Sabathia
[46:30] Welcome to the Baseball Hall of Fame voting process! It's a mess.
[58:53] Tweetbag: Yoan Moncada, the Astros' weird fascination with D-Rob, adding another bat, Robertson/Betances/Miller bullpen dominance, token LTL question,
[1:07:00] Yankee/Mitre of the Week (what, you think we'd skip it?)

Podcast link (Length: 1:13:39)

iTunes link

RSS feed

Pinstripe Q&A: How would you impress the big name free agents?

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Maybe you could take them to Derek Jeter's Taco Hole?

This week has seen the Yankees make some pretty big moves. They signed Andrew Miller and traded for a shortstop in Didi Gregorius. But there are still holes on the roster, and there's a chance we may seem a big name be acquired to fill them. I asked the PSA staff how they would impress the possible future Yankees.

Q: In the past week, the Yankees have been linked to some of the biggest names on the free agent market. If you were in the Yankees front office, what recruiting pitch (in addition to the giant pile of money) would you give to get these big stars to sign with the Yankees?

Michael

Pinstripes are incredibly slimming. And to any prospective shortstops out there, I would just show them the statlines our shortstops put up there last year. There's almost no way you'll fail to be an upgrade!

Doug

First, I would lay out all 27 World Series rings on the table for dramatic affect. Next, I would bring out Yogi, Mariano, Pettitte and Reggie, to help the recruiting process. Moving forward, I would stick to the Yankees "Wine & Dine" playbook and show them why New York City is the greatest city in the world. Last, I would show them the secret Steinbrenner bank vault filled with money and simply say "Sign Here x______."

Bryan

"Okay [highly regarded free agent who expects bags of money] New York is the place to be! We have it all! And I can guarantee you that you will always be in the lineup, regardless of your numbers, aliments, or issues. And you won't have to worry about a young, up and coming rookie taking your spot, because when you play under Joe Girardi, and you're a veteran, you will play until you collapse. We also have barbers round the clock to take care of your facial hair, so don't worry about that either! And if that doesn't interest you, well then maybe your own personal homerun call made by the legendary John Sterling will do it for you. John! Come in!"

*John Sterling rushes in and performs personal homerun call for free agent*

"What? You're a pitcher and will only get at bats during interleague play? Well, that's okay because John will always be ready. Just come to NY, and don't think about the taxes at all."

John

Have you met Paul O'Neill? A couple 3 WAR seasons, one 4 WAR year and one 5 WAR year, and he is a deity at Yankee Stadium.

Have you met Luis Sojo? He actually produced negative value in his time with the Yankees, and he's still cheered at Old Timer's Day.

Have you met Hideki Matsui? One ring, a string of 2 WAR seasons, and one hot week in October and he's an immortal.

If you want to play in front of the most forgiving fanbase on the planet, come to Yankee Stadium. I won't matter if you hit .254/.302/.418, because so long as you pounce on the knuckleball in Game 7, you'll always be fondly remembered.

Andrew

Four words: Gourmet macaroni and cheese

Greg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8475/8141683264_4d792dfc58_z.jpg

http://thebalancedplate.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/bagel-group.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2359/2290003939_1f69cc234d.jpg

"So if you'll just sign on the dotted line..." -I'mGivingYouAPitch

Matt F.

I would take said free agent to Derek Jeter's yacht-a-copter where we would cruise whatever body of water Jeets happens to be parked in. We would then fly it back to New York and spend like seven hours dropping water balloons on Mark Teixeira as he tries to exit his house. Then I would take them to eat the food Greg suggested above. Finally, I would end the day by taking them to their very own room in the caverns of Yankee Stadium where they could Scrooge McDuck it up.

Those are our answers, so now it's your turn. How would you impress the possible future Yankees?


NYY, AZ, and DET make another 3-way trade involving 4 players

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The Tigers find their fifth starter, the Yankees fill Jeter's mammoth shoes, and Arizona loads up on all the prospects involved in the deal.

Nearly five years ago exactly, the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers pulled off a massive six-player deal that involved future Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, RF Curtis Granderson, and CF Austin Jackson. They all got back together to make another deal this past Friday, but on a much smaller scale and with much less star power.

The New York Yankees plugged their most glaring hole at short stop by acquiring SS Didi Gregorius from Arizona, tabbing Gregorius as Derek Jeter's replacement. The Detroit Tigers shored up the back end of their rotation by adding RHP Shane Greene from the Yankees, and the Arizona Diamondbacks re-stocked their farm system by bringing LHP Robbie Ray and 2B Domingo Leyba in from Detroit. As the go-to site for rookies and prospects at SBNation, we'll analyze all the pieces in the deal as all four players spent time in the minor leagues this year.

Didi Gregorius

didi gregorius

Photo courtesy of Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Mariekson "Didi" Gregorius joined the professional ranks in 2007 when he signed with the Cincinnati Reds for $50,000. The 6'2 205 pound left handed hitting, right handed throwing short stop steadily ascended the minor league ranks, getting his first taste of the Major Leagues in 2012 after splitting the majority of the year between AA Pensacola and AAA Louisville. He cracked Baseball America's Top 100 that year, and John ranked him 136th. This will be the second three-team trade he's been a part of by the tender age of 25, first heading to Arizona in 2012 along with Lars Anderson and Tony Sipp, and now to the Yankees. He spent barely a week in AAA before Arizona named him their starting short stop for the 2013 season in late April. Gregorius hit .252/.332/.373 over 404 plate appearances with seven home runs, 16 doubles, a 94 OPS+, 92 wRC+, and .311 wOBA. It was good for 1.4 fWAR with essentially league average defense (-1 Defensive Runs Saved). slightly below average offense, and no running game to speak of (zero successes in two attempts). In his seven game stint to start the year he went 12 for 31 with a .387/.424/.645 triple slash in an incredibly small sample size.

The short stop position was Gregorius' to lose for the 2014 season, and that's exactly what happened as he opened the season back at AAA Reno. In 57 games and 260 PA's, the Dutch native hit .310/.389/.447 with excellent plate discipline (24 BB to 26 K), 14 doubles, three home runs, .375 wOBA, and a 122 wRC+. He was promoted in early June after incumbent short stop Cliff Pennington went down with an injury and finished out the year with Arizona, hitting a meek .226/.290/.363 with six home runs, nine doubles, 22 walks (7.4%), and 52 strike outs (17.4%) in 299 trips to the dish. More advanced metrics weren't kind either with a 76 wRC+, 81 OPS+, and just 0.3 fWAR. Gregorius is a much better hitter against right handers, hitting .274/.340/.428 over 421 PA's between AAA and MLB. Against southpaws, he only managed a .233/.324/.317 triple slash line in 138 trips to the plate. The move to Yankee Stadium should benefit Gregorius as 18 of 20 extra base hits in 2014 were down the right field line to his pull side. He's also faded down the stretch the past two seasons, posting an OPS south of .600 from August 1st on. On defense, he was once again about  league average with the leather (0 DRS), and only committed six errors in 80 games with the Diamondbacks split between third base and the two middle infield position. At the AAA level, he made 10 errors in 57 games while playing both second base and short stop.

After a little over a full season's worth of at bats spanning two years, the book has been written about Gregorius. He's a slick, flashy defender with a fantastic arm and solid range, but is lacking in the offense department. He doesn't have much power and still struggles with consistent contact, but has become a solid hitter against right handed pitchers. The wheels are nothing special, grading out as average to a tick below, and he's worked to become a more patient hitter as he posted the best walk rate of his career in 2014. At worst, Gregorius represents the strong side of a platoon with his defense. If the cards fall right and he figures out lefties, he could be a league average hitter that solidifies the toughest defensive position outside of the battery. He doesn't become arbitration eligible until the 2016 season so the Yankees have four more years of control with him.

2014 AAA stats

GPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCS
57260226427014432530
BBSOXBHBAOBPSLGOPSwRC+wOBAISOBABIP
2426210.3100.3890.4470.8361220.3750.1370.338

2014 MLB stats

GPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCS
8029927035619562730
BBSOXBHBAOBPSLGOPSwRC+wOBAISOBABIPfWAR
2252200.2260.290.3630.653760.2870.1370.2570.3

*****

Shane Greene

shane greene

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Greene joined the Yankees organization as a 15th round pick in the 2009 draft, signing for $100,000 out of Daytona Beach Community College. His first four seasons were pretty bland, throwing to a 4.79 ERA in 341.2 IP while being near the league average age. It wasn't until 2013 that he really made a breakthrough, splitting the year between A+ Tampa and AA Trenton. The 6'4 210 pound right hander kicked off the year throwing 75 innings for Tampa, posting a 3.60 ERA, 2.61 FIP, and 1.24 WHIP with 69 strike outs (22%) and only 10 walks (3.2%). He allowed 83 hits with the opposition hitting .279/.309/.377 off him with a .351 BABIP. He was 24 years old and facing younger competition with strong peripherals so the Yankees brass moved him up to AA. Greene finished the year with a 3.18 ERA, 3.61 FIP, and 1.41 WHIP over 79.1 innings with 68 strike outs (19.5%) and 20 walks (5.7%). The better competition hit him harder, accumulating a .289/.343/.418 triple slash with another high .350 BABIP. Over the course of the entire year, lefties handled him much better, hitting .313/.370/.446 in 260 PA's, but he ate innings and showed good control and decent strike out numbers.

Greene broke camp for the 2014 season with an assignment to AAA Scranton/W-B on the heels of his strong 2013 campaign. The International League hitters had no trouble handling him as he compiled a 4.61 ERA, 3.40 FIP, and 1.58 WHIP over 66.1 innings. He struck out 57 (19.2%) while walking 26 (8.8%), but once again he was victimized by a .360 BABIP and 65.5% strand rate. The opposition hit .292/.352/.393 against him as a starter and he was also pretty horrid at home in AAA, posting a 7.17 ERA and 2.21 WHIP. The first three appearances he made in 2014 were out of the bullpen, twice with Scranton/W-B and once with the Yankees in late April. He came back to the AAA rotation five days after his MLB debut and stayed there until his promotion in early July when the Yankees were desperate for help in their rotation that had been decimated by injuries. Once in New York he really turned things on, throwing 78.2 innings with a 3.78 ERA, 3.71 FIP, and 1.40 WHIP with 81 punch outs (23.5%) and 29 walks (8.4%). Greene allowed 81 hits with a .330 BABIP and an opponents triple slash of .264/.332/.381. His half season of work resulted in 1.2 fWAR and he generated 50.2% ground balls and a 1.78 GO/FO ratio after posting a 1.26 GO/FO in AAA.

On the mound, Greene works with a basic three pitch mix of a fastball, slider, and change up, but he can manipulate the fastball to cut or sink, giving it three different looks at generally the same velocity (92-94 mph) with a little more on the four seamer. The slider is his strike out pitch, throwing it 26.6% of the time with New York in the mid to high 80's. He rarely uses his mid 80's change up, throwing it just 3% of the time. He features a crossfire delivery which creates deception and gives him good angle on the pitch. There's no doubt Detroit was impressed with him as his best start of the year came against the Tigers when he dominated them through eight innings, scattering five hits and three walks with five strike outs. At this point he likely slots in as the #5 starter in the Tigers rotation with 5 1/2 years of team control and near league-minimum salaries for the near future.

2014 AAA stats

WLGGSIPHRERHRBBSO
52151366.179393432657
ERAFIPWHIPBB%K%K/BBH9BAOBPSLGOPSBABIP
4.613.401.588.819.22.1910.70.2920.3520.3930.7450.360

2014 MLB stats

WLGGSIPHRERHRBBSO
54151478.281383382981
ERAFIPWHIPBB%K%K/BBH9BAOBPSLGOPSBABIPfWAR
3.783.711.48.423.52.799.30.2640.3320.3810.7130.3301.2

*****

Robbie Ray

robbie ray

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

Robbie Ray was a 12th round pick by the Washington Nationals in 2010, but signed for a bonus befitting a much higher round at $799,000 out of Brentwood High School in Tennessee. His first full season was his full season debut as well as a 19 year old in 2011. He struggled the following year in A+ Potomac as a 20 year old, three years younger than the average Carolina Leaguer. 2013 began with a return to Potomac before earning a promotion to AA Harrisburg on the heels of a 3.11 ERA and 3.97 FIP over 84 innings. Ray struck out 100 (29.3%) while walking 41 (12%) with just 60 hits allowed, and opponents hitting just .205/.311/.336 off him with a .273 BABIP. He finished the season with 58 more innings at the AA level with a 3.72 ERA, 3.55 FIP, and 1.33 WHIP. Ray racked up 60 more strike out (23.5%) with only 21 walks (8.2%) and 56 hits allowed and a .317 BABIP. Between the two levels he struck out 160 and walked 62 in 142 innings pitched with a 3.36 ERA and 3.80 FIP. Opponents hit .224/.318/.351 off him with lefties in particular struggling to a .560 OPS, and just one of the 13 home runs he allowed. He was much better on the road as well, pitching to a 2.87 ERA and limiting opponents to a .196/.292/.319 triple slash.

Over the Winter, Washington flipped Ray as the headliner of a package to Detroit for Doug Fister. Detroit sent the 22 year old lefty to AAA Toledo for the start of the 2014 season, before having him make his Major League debut in May. He was called up again in August and struggled mightily. For Toledo, he made 19 starts and a relief appearance totaling 100.1 innings of 4.22 ERA ball, a 4.05 FIP, and 1.50 WHIP. Ray struck out 75 (17.2%) with 44 walks (10.1%), 106 hits allowed, and a .326 BABIP. His MLB time wound up spanning 28.2 innings with just 19 punch outs (14%), 11 walks (8.1%), and 43 hits including five home runs. It added up to a brutal 8.16 ERA, but a 5.23 FIP and 4.78 SIERA as he was dealing with a ridiculously low strand rate of 59.6% and equally as high BABIP of .376 in the short sample. For the entire season he threw 129 innings with 149 hits allowed, 55 walks, 94 strike outs, and 11 home runs allowed. That translated to a .295/.365/.453 triple slash with a .342 BABIP by opponents with right handed hitters posting an .836 OPS and left handers a .765 OPS.

His repertoire consists of a low 90's fastball he can run up to 97 mph, an above average change up with good fade, and a fringy breaking ball. The change up sits in the low to mid 80's and he messed around with a high 70's slider and curve without really finding anything that worked. He's got solid control, a durable 6'2, 195 pound frame, and is a good athlete who repeats his delivery well. There's always a chance Ray finds the right grip for his breaking ball and establishes himself as a pitcher with an average, above average, and plus pitch giving him a mid rotation cieling. If not, he could wind up as an inning eating back end option. With Arizona he could step into the competition for the fifth starter slot or make a return to AAA, this time in the Pacific Coast League.

2014 AAA stats

WLGGSIPHRERHRBBSO
762019100.1106514764475
ERAFIPWHIPBB%K%K/BBH9BAAOBPSLGOPSBABIP
4.224.051.5010.117.21.709.50.2770.3510.3980.7490.326

2014 MLB stats

WLGGSIPHRERHRBBSO
149628.243262651119
ERAFIPWHIPBB%K%K/BBH9BAOBPSLGOPSBABIPfWAR
8.165.231.8810.815.41.4313.50.3500.4000.5930.9930.3760

*****

Domingo Leyba

domingo leyba

Photo courtesy of Bryan Green

The Detroit Tigers struck a deal with Domingo Leyba in 2012 for $400,000 out of the Dominican Republic. The 5'11, 160 pound switch hitting middle infielder tore apart the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut as a 17 year old in 2013. Over 247 trip to the plate, he hit .348/.446/.577 with 28 extra base hits including 15 doubles, eight triples, and five homers. He walked 34 times (13.8%) to just 26 strike outs (10.5%) while also stealing 16 of 24 bases with a 195 wRC+ and .487 wOBA. He was buoyed by a .376 BABIP and didn't show any distinctive splits by handedness or whether he played at home or on the road. DSL numbers are to be taken with a grain of salt as they don't really have any meaning as far as a baseline for projections. What you can take from the numbers is he performed much better, like 95% better, than the rest of the league in his first pro season at a very young age while playing 20 games at short and 36 at second base.

His impressive season was good enough to vault him over the rookie leagues and straight to short season A ball for the 2014 season. Through 37 games and 154 PA's at Connecticut in the New York-Penn League, Leyba hit .264/.303/.375 as an 18 year old playing against competition an average of three years older than him. He hit 11 doubles, one homer, and stole one base while walking eight times to 17 strike outs and spending the majority of his time in the field at the keystone. His BABIP was more realistic at .294 and he posted a 99 wRC+ and .315 wOBA. After Detroit send short stop Willy Adames to Tampa at the trade deadline, they promoted Leyba to Low A West Michigan. He began his stint at second base but moved over to short stop for the last half of August. Leyba made 124 plate appearances in his 30 games there with an incredible .397/.431/.483 triple slash which was good for a 165 wRC+ and .420 wOBA. One could argue it was a stretch of fantastic luck with a .441 BABIP, but the short sample also included Leyba hitting line drives at a 23.1% clip, 7.4 points better than the Midwest League average. Across the two levels he made 278 plate appearances with a .323/.360/.423 line, 14 walks to 30 strike outs, and 21 extra base hits. Leyba only went up to hit right handed 66 times and only managed a .233/.292/.283 line against southpaws, which is something to keep an eye on in the future as this is the first time he's shown any sort of statistical weakness in his brief career. He finished the year off with 13 games in the AFL as one of a handful of teenagers, hitting just .171/.277/.171 against FAR more experienced competition.

The calling card with Leyba is his well rounded skill set and phenomenal maturity. He has great barrel control and an innate ability to make contact while spraying the ball all over the field. The power isn't there right now but he could grow into the strength to post double digit home run totals. His approach at the plate is really good and he could wind up being a low walk, low strike out type of player. Average would be a generous way to evaluate Leyba's speed as he doesn't stand out with his wheels but doesn't hold up traffic either. The lack of footspeed also limits his range, but sure hands, quick transfer from glove to hand, and good defensive instincts make him a great second baseman, but fringy short stop. Leyba's maturity is well beyond his years, acting and playing like a grizzled veteran rather than someone who is still two years away from his first beer. A start in the California League could be in Arizona's plans as he has the polish to hold his own against older players. Looking further into the future, I could see Leyba cracking the MLB roster sometime around 2018 or 2019 at second base. By that point his main competition will probably be Chris Owings, but envisioning rosters three to four years in advance is tough.

2014 A- stats

GPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCS
37154144203811111712
BBSOXBHBAOBPSLGOPSwRC+wOBAISOBABIP
817130.2640.3030.3750.678990.3150.1110.294

2014 A stats

GPAABRH2B3BHRRBISBCS
301241162046701712
BBSOXBHBAOBPSLGOPSwRC+wOBAISOBABIP
61380.3970.4310.4830.9141650.420.0860.441

*****

It's easy to look at this and see all three teams winning this deal. New York finds a short stop to play good defense, Detroit adds another option to their fifth starter mix, and Arizona replenishes the farm with a nearly MLB ready starter and a teenage second baseman with a good stick. All four players involved have their warts, but I like it for everyone involved. It may not have the star power and implications of the last time these three got together for a deal, but this trade still will have an impact on the upcoming season.

David Robertson reportedly signs four-year deal with the Chicago White Sox

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The Yankees have reportedly lost free agent closer David Robertson to the Chicago White Sox on a four-year deal in excess of $40 million, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The Yankees were rumored to still be interested in a Robertson reunion earlier today, willing to give the closer four years if the price was right. Bringing back Robertson would have given the Yankees one of the best bullpens in the majors, but now that dream is dead.

With Robertson signing elsewhere after turning down the Yankees' qualifying offer, New York will receive a compensation pick in June's amateur draft. The White Sox have a protected pick, so they surrender only their second round pick for signing Robertson. The deal ended up not being the Jonathan Papelbon-like deal that Robertson was said to be looking for, so you have to wonder where the Yankees drew the line. The White Sox are on the verge of swinging a deal for Jeff Samardzija, so bringing in Robertson clearly indicates that the team is going for it in the AL Central this season.

It's unclear at this point whether Dellin Betances or Andrew Miller, or a combination of the two, will be used as the Yankees' closer in 2015. Hopefully Joe Girardi chooses to deploy them intelligently instead of relying on strict innings-based closer/setup man roles.

For the second season in a row Yankees fans have to say goodbye to a beloved homegrown player. The writing was pretty much on the wall after the signing of Andrew Miller on Friday, but the Yankees' reported willingness to go four years renewed a bit of hope. The only Yankees left from the 2009 championship team are now CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Brett Gardner, and Alex Rodriguez.

Good luck in Chicago, D-Rob. We will certainly miss you. Robertson didn't get nearly enough credit for pretty flawlessly stepping into the shoes of the greatest closer of all time in Mariano Rivera, but he was definitely among the game's best relievers for the last few years running. Losing him undoubtedly hurts.

Update:

Update II:

Oh.

Update III:

David Robertson, White Sox agree to 4-year, $40 million contract, per report

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The White Sox bolstered their bullpen in a big way at the Winter Meetings with the addition of the best closer on the market.

One of the top relievers on this year's free-agent market, David Robertson, has agreed to a four-year, $40 million deal with the Chicago White Sox, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

The move should help solidify the Chicago bullpen, a major area of weakness last season. Chicago relievers combined to blow 21 saves, while ranking near the bottom of the league in a number of major categories. Jake Petricka, Ronald Belisario and others spent time finishing games, but that role now slides to Robertson who is coming off a great season in New York.

Robertson spent the first seven years of his career with the Yankees and took over for Mariano Rivera as the club's closer in 2014. The right-hander finished with 39 saves in 44 opportunities, striking out 96 batters and walking only 23, while posting a 3.08 ERA in 64⅓ innings. For the third straight year, Robertson finished with over four times as many strikeouts as walks.

Relievers are often hard to depend on from year-to-year, but Robertson has been as steady as any in the game since arriving in the Bronx. The 29-year-old veteran has thrown over 60 innings per season for five straight years, making at least 60 appearances out of the Yankee bullpen in every season during that time span. Dating back to 2011, Robertson has posted a 2.20 ERA and 2.40 FIP in over 250 innings pitched.

Robertson turned down a qualifying offer earlier this offseason from the Yankees, which means the White Sox forfeit their second-round pick in 2015 for signing Robertson. The White Sox's first-round pick is protected as a top-10 selection.

In 2014, his final year of team control with the Yankees, Robertson earned $5.2 million.

White Sox sign David Robertson

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Chicago White Sox have signed former New York Yankees closer David Robertson to a 4 year, $46 million dollar contract.

In his first season as the closer for the New York Yankees, Robertson recorded 39 saves along with his 3.08 ERA (2.68 FIP) to go with his 37.1% K rate.

Keeping score at home, with the signings of Robertson and Zach Duke, General Manager Rick Hahn has invested roughly $15 million dollars in shoring up one of the worst bullpens in all of Major League Baseball.

Despite spending that amount already, Hahn may not be done. Reports indicate that the White Sox are also in on former Oakland Athletic, Luke Gregerson. The Park Ridge, IL native is seeking a three year deal himself. With the way Winter Meetings have went so far in 2014, can't put it pass Hahn & company locking up another bullpen arm.

Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 12/9/14

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Lester decision should come soon; thoughts on the Golden Era Ballot; Prado and the shift; comparing Headley and Ellsbury

Buster Olney | ESPN: The Jon Lester decision should be announced on Tuesday, with the Cubs and Red Sox the favorites. Olney's colleague Jerry Crasnick tweeted that at least one scout and one front office person say, "Don't count out the Yankees."

Joe Posnanski | JoeBlogs: Poz posted some thoughts on the Golden Era ballot before yesterday's Hall of Fame announcement. I suspect that he was as disappointed as I am that not a single new Hall of Famer was elected. Once again, Hall of Fame voters failed to learn the Buck O'Neil lesson: the Hall of Fame is a museum that celebrates lifetime accomplishments, and that is most meaningfully done while the players are still alive. Voters squandered a chance to honor Jim Kaat and Minnie Minoso for careers that transcended their numbers (Kaat because of his years in the booth, Minoso as a trailblazer for Latin American players).

Eno Sarris | Fox Sports: Martin Prado makes the list of players not to try to shift on, because of his strong two-strike approach. He actually led the league in percentage of hits to the opposite field with two strikes.

Dave Cameron | Fangraphs: Dave Cameron makes an interesting comparison between Chase Headley and Jacoby Ellsbury. He overlooks the acuteness of Headley's injury history (a recurring condition as opposed to a series of fluke injuries), but ultimately, I acknowledge that there's the possibility that Headley will be a valuable investment for the team that signs him.

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