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Saturday night open thread: 2009 Yankees Sporcle Quiz

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Happy Super Bowl Eve, y'all.

It's February and we are now only a fortnight away from pitchers and catchers! Huzzah. To celebrate, starring in tonight's open thread is the 2009 Yankees Sporcle Quiz. I've now realized that if you're browsing the comments in one of these Sporcle Quiz posts, chances are you've taken the quiz already so you can forget the rule about hiding quiz answer discussions in spoiler text. Feel free to talk about the quiz results or whatever floats your boat.


Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 2/2/14

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Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

Yankees News

The Role of Risk in the 2014 Pitching Market

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Every pitcher comes with some risk and any team thinking about signing one has to deal with that. Here's a look at the deals for pitchers that have signed this offseason which give us some clues about how teams price risk.

Pitchers are risky. If you run a major league team, it is impossible to avoid that risk no matter how hard you try. Every team tries to develop young arms and guide them through the minors to a productive major league career, but it doesn't always work out perfectly. When a team has a hole in their rotation and there is no can't-miss prospect ready to fill it, they have to turn to the free agent market. With fewer and fewer stars reaching free agency, this often means weighing the cost of significant risks against fairly limited upside.

When the offseason began, the market for starting pitchers was thin. Now that 20 pitchers who project as full-time starters have signed major league deals, pickings are even slimmer. Masahiro Tanaka has the biggest deal so far this winter, and it is impossible to imagine anyone else topping the seven years and $155 million he got from the Yankees. He is the only pitcher to hit the market this season with true top-of the-rotation potential and his headline-grabbing deal reflects just how difficult it has become to land that level of talent on the free agent market. Teams are locking up the best starters early in their careers whenever they can and the pitchers who make up the bulk of the market now tend to be the guys with the most risk surrounding them.

The need for quality pitching sets a certain price for starters, and the risks inherent in pitchers are presumably included in this price. Individual players have unique risks that affect their price, and if we can better understand these risks, we should have a better idea of the dollar amounts teams are willing to pay for a player. A quick look at the free agent starters who have signed new deals this offseason seems to indicate that teams price certain types of risk differently from others. This sample is too small to give us an accurate gauge of how these risks are priced in the long run, but it does hint at some of the overall trends in play.

To look at the cost teams assign to risk, I needed some basic idea of the cost teams are paying per win for starting pitchers this offseason. There has been a fascinating debate recently about the best way to calculate dollars per win. The folks at Fangraphs, led by managing editor Dave Cameron, have been advocating a system based on projections, since teams are buying future performance. Cameron and company have put the cost at approximately $6 million per win right now. At Beyond the Boxscore, Lewie Pollis published the results of his own study, showing that when examining past data, teams actually end up paying just over $7 million per win. Though both studies have their merits, for the purpose of looking at risk assessment, I am following Cameron's projection-based technique and its baseline of $6 million per WAR. Using the 2014 Steamer projections, here is the $/WAR value for all of the starters who have signed new deals this offseason.

Name

ERA

GS

IP

FIP

WAR

Average

Annual Salary

$/WAR

Hiroki Kuroda

3.95

32

189

3.66

3.4

$15.00

$4.4

Scott Kazmir

3.7

27

163

3.54

2.6

$11.00

$4.2

Ricky Nolasco

4.36

30

192

3.97

2.4

$12.25

$5.1

Bartolo Colon

3.78

29

182

3.54

2.2

$10.00

$4.5

Dan Haren

3.54

30

173

3.55

2.2

$10.00

$4.5

Scott Feldman

4.34

27

173

3.99

2.1

$10.00

$4.8

Josh Johnson

3.6

25

144

3.31

2.1

$8.00

$3.8

Tim Lincecum

3.9

31

182

3.54

1.9

$17.50

$9.2

Phil Hughes

4.22

24

144

4.3

1.4

$8.00

$5.7

Mike Pelfrey

4.66

25

144

4.36

1.4

$5.50

$3.9

Tim Hudson

4.05

30

173

3.62

1.5

$11.50

$7.7

Edinson Volquez

4.41

7

38

4.01

0.2

$5.00

$25.0

Matt Garza

3.78

29

182

3.59

2.6

$12.50

$4.8

Masahiro Tanaka

3.71

31

192

3.27

3.8

$22.14

$5.8

Bruce Chen

4.38

17

99

4.61

0.6

$4.25

$7.1

Jason Vargas

4.34

28

180

4.3

1.9

$8.00

$4.2

Ryan Vogelsong

4.39

30

176

4.11

0.7

$5.00

$7.1

Jason Hammel

4.26

17

96

4.05

1.1

$6.00

$5.5

Gavin Floyd

3.68

8

48

3.59

0.7

$4.00

$5.7

Roberto Hernandez

3.81

22

127

3.54

1.7

$4.50

$2.6

$/WAR Average

$6.3

Median $/WAR

$4.8

As you can see, the $/WAR average is right in line with Cameron's results, while the median is a bit lower. I have the average and the median dollars per win here to help deal with the impact a few outliers have on this small sample. Using these two numbers also gives us a nice range for predicting the annual value for the contracts of the remaining unsigned starters who are likely to sign a major league deal.

ERA

GS

IP

FIP

WAR

Low

High

Ubaldo Jimenez

4.03

30

192

3.79

2.5

$12.0

$15.7

Ervin Santana

3.96

31

192

3.71

2.7

$12.9

$17.0

Bronson Arroyo

4.49

27

153

4.25

1.2

$5.7

$7.5

A.J. Burnett

3.63

32

189

3.27

3.4

$16.3

$21.4

Paul Maholm

4.29

17

101

3.95

1

$4.8

$6.3

Joe Saunders

4.57

32

198

4.15

1.4

$6.7

$8.8

Chris Capuano

4.25

32

185

4.03

1.6

$7.7

$10.1

Aaron Harang

4.58

25

149

4.49

0.7

$3.3

$4.4

Erik Bedard

4.29

32

171

4.21

1.9

$9.1

$12.0

Of these numbers, a few are probably high due to some favorable projections from Steamer, but nothing feels wildly out of line. Still, there is a very wide range for some players. If Ervin Santana is looking at a four-year deal, for instance, the difference between his high and low is 16.4 million in total salary. This is where considering specific risks might be helpful.

I have selected three different types of risk and picked free agents signees that fit well to those categories to see if the results point to anything.These aren't projections for players just breaking in to the game, so they don't have unusual amounts of uncertainty surrounding them. Teams certainly aren't pulling up Steamer projections to set their offers, and there are many factors influencing these numbers, but one thing that the variations in $/WAR might indicate is the way teams value risk. For the most part, it is probably safe to assume that the deals free agents have signed are the highest bids they received, or at least a fair market value. Looking at players with easily identifiable types of risk attached to them and seeing which ones receive a lower-than-average $/WAR value should tell us something about the way teams perceive these risks Again, this is too small a sample to draw any strong conclusions, but the results can still be interesting and informative.

The first risk type is age. Getting old is rough. You have to get up to pee at night more, you wake up achy and just as tired as you were when you went to bed, and your baseball performance declines, sometimes rapidly. Three full-time starting pitchers signed this offseason are over 35:

Name

ERA

GS

IP

FIP

WAR

Average

Annual Salary

$/WAR

Hiroki Kuroda

3.95

32

189

3.66

3.4

$15.0

$4.4

Bartolo Colon

3.78

29

182

3.54

2.2

$10.0

$4.5

Tim Hudson

4.05

30

173

3.62

1.5

$11.5

$7.7

$/WAR Average

5.5

Median $/WAR

4.5

Hudson is the outlier here, which could be due to the Giants being the Giants or because he was fairly sought-after this offseason. Kuroda had the qualifying offer hanging over his head, of course, and I believe that is reflected here in the $/WAR value along with his age. I left 36-year old Bruce Chen off here because his low number of projected innings (96) deflates his WAR total below that of a full-time starter's workload. Including him puts the average $/WAR at $5.9 million, right in line with Cameron's data. Projecting Chen out as full-time starter keeps the numbers roughly the same as above, but the Panamanian still comes with a higher $/WAR than Kuroda and Colon.

A $500,000 to $1 million difference in $/WAR between the market at large and the market for the oldest pitchers available seems reasonable. The three charted players are all coming off strong seasons and fall at or near the top of the market, so the discounted rate does seem to connected to their age, not their ability or recent performance.

The second type of risk is injury history. Recent injuries would seem to be an even greater risk, but in this limited sample it is not priced much differently than just being old:

Name

ERA

GS

IP

FIP

WAR

Average

Annual Salary

$/WAR

Josh Johnson

3.6

25

144

3.31

2.1

$8.0

$3.8

Tim Hudson

4.05

30

173

3.62

1.5

$11.5

$7.7

Gavin Floyd

3.68

8

48

3.59

0.7

$4.00

$5.7

Matt Garza

3.78

29

182

3.59

2.6

$12.50

$4.8

$/WAR Average

5.5

Median $/WAR

5.7

The discount is the same as the one older player's face, and the median is much higher even with Hudson in both groups. Josh Johnson has the one of the lowest $/WAR values of any free agent to sign this offseason, which is understandable. Johnson mixed being injured with being unbearably awful last season, putting his career at a crossroads. Gavin Floyd, on the other hand, is a unique case in this group and might be pushing the numbers up a bit. He is coming off Tommy John surgery, which gives him a low inning total projection. If he comes back in May as he is currently expected to, he will easily top these projections and his $/WAR will be much lower. Without him, the average drops to $5.1 million while the median stays the same. I don't see this as compelling reason to omit him, however, because injury risk is still the central issue for him. Garza's $/WAR might be the most indicative of the overall trend here, though his poor finish in Texas is also a factor. He followed the exact same path from Chicago to Texas as Ryan Dempster, with very similar results, but Dempster got $1.25 million more in average annual value. Dempster was also in the "old" category at the time but still came out ahead, so injury risk seems to be primarily responsible for Garza's lower than average $/WAR deal.

The most interesting type of risk comes from inconsistent performance. Projections are based on previous performance, so when that previous performance is all over the place, the projections are more difficult to trust. That opens things up to extremes of risk and upside, and if the 2014 free agents are any indication, teams want no part in that kind of drama.

Name

ERA

GS

IP

FIP

WAR

Average

Annual Salary

$/WAR

Ricky Nolasco

4.36

30

192

3.97

2.4

$12.3

$5.1

Dan Haren

3.54

30

173

3.55

2.2

$10.0

$4.5

Scott Feldman

4.34

27

173

3.99

2.1

$10.0

$4.8

Jason Hammel

4.26

17

96

4.05

1.1

$6.00

$5.5

Phil Hughes

4.22

24

144

4.3

1.4

$8.0

$5.7

$/WAR Average

5.1

Median $/WAR

5.1

There is no systematic method for establishing what marks an inconsistent performance, I just looked for notable variations in ERA+ over the past three to four seasons. Haren also has the added inconsistency of a terrible first half to the 2013 season followed by a strong second half. Roberto Hernandez also fits in this category, but his false-identity snafu also plays a role in his price and since he is the most extreme outlier on the low end of the $/WAR scale, I think it is best to leave him off.

It is a bit surprising that teams seem to be more wary of inconsistency than age or recent injuries. Three of the five players here project out as just above league average by WAR, so the natural assumption would be that they would be right there at the market rate. Instead they are well below it, though the median is not far off from that of the full sample.

These are extremely small samples so making any broad generalization from the dollar values we get here for these risks is dangerous. However, looking at the nine remaining free-agent starters, even this limited data might be helpful.

Steamer might love A.J. Burnett a little too much, but his age shouldn't keep him from landing a deal on par with Hiroki Kuroda's. And if he plays as well as he projects, he'd be worth it. Bronson Arroyo has been struggling to find offers this offseason, which isn't surprising given his projections. It is hard to image that he'd go for just $7-$8 million on a one-year deal, but that's what his projected value is even before accounting for age.

Both Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana fall firmly in the "inconsistent" category and with qualifying offers attached to them, I think they can both rule out the high side from the projected salaries above. The risk that comes with their unpredictability will probably matter a great deal more than the upside. Both players could be impact arms for the right contender next season, but with a draft pick added to the price, they might even fall below the lower end of the salary range above.

More data is needed before we can conclude that this is actually how teams price out the risk that comes with age, recent injuries and inconsistency, but I think the framework has potential. Even these small samples yield some useful insights and with years of free agent contracts in the data set, we might begin produce some reliable estimates on the true cost that comes with specific types of risk.

Yankees Hot Stove: What can Emilio Bonifacio offer?

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Can he do something for the Yankees?

The Yankees have a real mystery on their hands as to how they are going to get through the season with an intact infield. Brian Roberts will probably get hurt, Derek Jeter might not make it through the season, Mark Teixeira will likely be dealing with a wrist injury all season, and Kelly Johnson, or whoever is the regular third baseman in 2014, will likely fall short of whatever Alex Rodriguez could have done. Aside from starting options, they need to figure out who will be playing backup for them. They already have Brendan Ryan, but as an alternative to Eduardo Nunez, the Yankees could acquire Emilio Bonifacio.

The super utilityman switch-hitter wouldn't exactly be a great addition to the team, but he would be a useful one. Bonifacio can play all three outfield positions, which is nice, but he can also play third base, second base, and shortstop. He's not a very good fielder overall, though he rated positively in right field (4 DRS), third base (1 DRS), and put up a 10 DRS at second base in 2013.

What Bonifacio actually does well is very little. In 2011, he stole 40 bases in what was the best season of his career. Since then he's been a below-average bat and his stolen base totals have fallen since then. Still, as a part-time player as he surely will be next year, Bonifacio stole a total of 30 bases in only 274 plate appearances and 64 games. That would have led the Yankees in 2013, and if he's given a decent amount of playing time as a backup to Roberts, and really everyone, he could end up doing it again in 2014, depending on how well Jacoby Ellsbury does.

Obviously, stolen bases doesn't mean value, since he's only been worth exactly one WAR over the last two seasons, but it surely beats what Nunez has done in that same time. According to Steamers, Bonifacio projects to hit .255/.318/.337 with 16 stolen bases and 0.5 WAR, meanwhile, Nunez is projected to hit .257/.307/.363 with seven stolen bases and only 0.1 WAR.

He also has the third highest amount of bunt base hits over the last three seasons, with 34, and the 25th highest total of sacrifice hits (21). That's over 10 more bunts than Brett Gardner and nearly 10 more sacrifices in that time. Those aren't necessarily important skills, but they're easy to take advantage of when someone has them. Bonifacio can bunt and it would be nice to have someone on the team who can actually do that when Joe Girardi inevitably calls for it.

As for 2014 salary, Bonifacio will make $3.5 million; meanwhile Nunez is still not arbitration eligible and will make just over $500,000. Sure, the latter is a steal by comparison, but the Yankees already went over their budget, so tax money shouldn't really be an issue. The Yankees have already extended their official invitations to spring training, but they could always add to that list if the right player becomes available.

Bonifacio isn't good, but what he is, is better than Eduardo Nunez. That doesn't say much, but if the Yankees are really considering Nunez for a role on the 2014, perhaps they're better off gong with Bonifacio instead. He isn't a big get, but he's the better get.

Poll
Should the Yankees go with Emilio Bonifacio?

  357 votes |Results

Superb Owl open thread

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Broncos/Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Get yer Roman numerals here.

At 6:30, the Broncos and Seahawks will kick off Superb Owl XLVIII in the gool ol' Garden State. Who do you have, Seahawks or Broncos? I'm still irrationally upset with the city of Seattle in general for taking Robbie away, but that's just me.

On a more somber note, kickass actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died today in his New York City apartment due to an apparent heroin overdose. He was only 46. That just sucks, and I'm sorry to have to be a buzzkill, but man. Kevin Goldstein tweeted out this scene of Hoffman, and as Goldstein says, it is amazing. Rest well.

Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 2/3/14

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Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

Yankees News

MLBPA frustrated by teams' 'public comments', pitcher market

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The union could consider a formal grievance against the owners, but at this point, it'd be hard to prove.

With several prominent free agents still unsigned, the MLB player's union is becoming more and more concerned by club executives commenting on the free agent market publicly, as Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.

The qualifying offer has played a significant role in the relative stalemate in free agency this winter. The bidding for players like Ubaldo Jimenez, Ervin Santana, and Stephen Drew would typically be highly competitive, with lucrative, multiyear deals the likely result. However, the additional cost of forfeiting a draft pick to sign players that have turned down qualifying offers has devalued their markets considerably. The one-year, $14.1 million deal was designed to provide small-market teams a contingency as their best players approached the open market, but the desired effect hasn't exactly come to fruition.

The Major League Baseball Players Association has expressed concerns that comments made publicly by team executives could be adding to the devaluation of certain players.

"We have had conversations with the union about public comments concerning free agents. We have a mutual interest in assuring that there is no excessive commentary." - Rob Manfred, MLB Chief Operations Officer

The MLBPA would have a tough time proving that any collusion has taken place so far, and their efforts could be an attempt to put some kind of pressure on team management in an effort to accelerate the markets for remaining free agents.

Teams will begin reporting for spring training in less than two weeks, and if the market's remaining high-profile stragglers are still unemployed as the season nears, the MLBPA could amp up their efforts to influence team officials. The current collective-bargaining agreement runs through 2016, so labor peace is assured until then, but major changes could be on the way if a player like Kendrys Moraleschooses to sit out the first third of the season in order to avoid the draft compensation he's is tethered to under the current system.

The player's union has filed grievances citing conspiracies to manipulate the market in the past. In the 1980s, teams paid the players $280 million, and in the early 2000s, the MLBPA won $12 million.

More from SB Nation MLB:

Former closers and other relievers still looking for contracts

Will the Yankees make the playoffs in 2014?

Why signing Nelson Cruz is a bad idea

Apple introducing 20 iBeacons to ballparks in March

2014 MLB salary arbitration tracker

Yankees Prospect Profile: J.R. Murphy

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Can this catcher win the backup job from Cervelli and Romine?

Background:

J.R. Murphy was drafted by the Yankees in the second round of the 2009 draft. The right-handed catcher was born and raised in Bradenton, Florida and chose to sign with the Yankees instead of going to the University of Miami to play for the Hurricanes. Murphy spent 2010 in Low-A Charleston, hitting .255/.327/.376. His defensive abilities were called into question, as he allowed 13 passed balls and 11 errors in just 53 games. He began 2011 back in Charleston, where he got off to a great start hitting .297/.343/.457. This earned him a promotion to High-A Tampa, but he only played in 23 games before he fouled a ball off of his foot and missed the rest of the season. He split 2012 between Tampa and Trenton hitting .248/.316/.386. Murphy's caught stealing percentage has increased steadily, going from 23% in 2010 up to 32% in 2012.

2013 Results:

Murphy started 2013 in Trenton, where he hit .268/.352/.421 with six homers, a BABIP of .293, and a 116 wRC+ through 49 games. He was promoted to Triple-A Scranton in June, where he maintained his production and put up very similar stats, hitting .270/.342/.430 with six homers, .a 304 BABIP, and a 117 wRC+. Murphy allowed 13 passed balls, and 86 stolen bases, with a caught stealing percentage of 37% through 105 games played in the minors.

On September 1st, he received his first call up from the Yankees when the roster expanded. While acknowledging the small sample size, Murphy did not have a good September. Through 16 games and 27 plate appearances, he hit just .154/.185/.192, with a -4 wRC+ (ouch) and only one RBI, which came during one of the games against the Astros. During the 70 2/3 innings that he caught for the Yankees, he allowed three stolen bases, but caught three on the basepaths without allowing any passed balls.

2014 Outlook:

Thanks to the signing of Brian McCann, the Yankees have a ton of catchers competing for the backup job. Murphy is among those, though he'd have to have a great performance to steal the job from Francisco Cervelli or Austin Romine, who have an advantage in that they have quite a bit more major league experience than him. Murphy would need to show that he's a much better hitter than he was during September. If Cervelli wins the backup spot, then Romine and Murphy are both looking at returning to Triple-A, where one of the two would start and one of the two could be moved to another position. There had been talk of Murphy moving to third at some point if his defense did not improve, and he has played 14 games there. That talk seems to have quieted down however, seeing as how he's only played one game at third since 2012. One of the two could also be traded, although Murphy probably has more of an upside in that regard since he's younger. At least there will be plenty of options at catcher if the injury bug of 2013 strikes again.


1952 Pacific Coast League MVP: Johnny Lindell

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Lindell was a pitcher turned outfielder turned knuckleballer who continually reinvented himself. His 1952 season with the Hollywood Stars is the perfect example.

Sometimes you have to re-reinvent yourself to get another shot.

That's not a typo.

Johnny Lindell really did have to re-reinvent himself. He was a pitcher who became an outfielder, and then, late in his career, developed a knuckleball, and used it to rejuvenate his career, winning the 1952 Pacific Coast League (PCL) MVP award while playing for the Hollywood Stars.

Lindell was 35 years old at the time and had already been in the major leagues for ten seasons, mostly with the Yankees. The outfielder (who also pitched in 23 games during the 1942 season) was never quite good enough at the plate to stay in the starting lineup over the long haul. Over the course of his twelve-year big league career with the Yankees, Cardinals, Pirates and Phillies he hit .273/.344/.429 with 72 HR and 404 RBIs.

After the ‘42 season, manager Joe McCarthy converted him to an outfielder because he didn't believe he had a good enough fastball. After the ‘50 season, with his average dipping to .190 in New York, he bounced around, finally ending up with the Stars in ‘52, where manager Fred Haney pointed him back toward the mound while also giving him some playing time at first base and the outfield.

The 6-4, 217-pound righty went 24-9 with a 2.52 ERA with the Stars that season, winning the league MVP award, thanks in large part to a knuckleball. He also had 174 at-bats, hitting .213/.294/.385. His knuckleball didn't appear out of nowhere that season though. An April 7, 1949 article in The Lewiston Daily Sunsaid Lindell had been working on his knuckleball on the sidelines while he was still with the Yankees. In fact, manager Casey Stengel put him on the mound in an April '49 intra-squad game to test it out.

"The way I look at it," Lindell is quoted as saying in the article the day before his start, "is like this. I believe I could be much more valuable to the Yankees if I could play left field against right handed pitching, and on occasions be used as a spot pitcher.

"I've been working on this knuckleball for five years. I've got it controlled now where I can get it over the plate four out of every five pitches. I know it's a great pitch, because nobody on the club can hit it."

His performance didn't quite match his optimism though. An article in the St. Petersburg Times the next day described his performance this way: "In yesterday's intra squad game that went five innings, Johnny Lindell pitched for the Regulars and was hit hard by the Yannigans as they won 3-0 ... Lindell had asked for the chance to return to the mound but the hitters timed his knuckle ball and drove it hard to all fields." Another newspaper says he gave up eight hits that day.

Afterward, he said it wasn't a fair test.

Fair or not, Lindell never took the mound for the Yankees in regular season play after that. By the time he ended up with the Stars in '52 though, he had apparently perfected his knuckleball - having consulted with Freddie Fitzsimmons, a knuckleballer who had won 217 MLB games - prompting PCL Historical Society president Richard Beverage to refer to his knuckleball as "an almost unhittable" pitch in his book, The Hollywood Stars.

That standout '52 season earned Lindell another shot in the big leagues with the Pirates. But in May 1953, the Associated Press took exception to Lindell's pitch being called a knuckleball.

"Knuckle ball my eye!" says the AP story.

Instead, they said he, and others who were said to throw a knuckleball at the time - including Hoyt Wilhelm and Dutch Leonard - were really throwing a fingertip pitch, which would have been gripped similarly to a knuckleball, expect that the pitcher placed his fingertips flush on the ball rather than curling them under and using his knuckles.

The article goes on to say, "Johnny may have won 24 games when he helped pitch Hollywood to the Pacific Coast league pennant but with the inept Pittsburgh Pirates he's going to find that nothing he throws may not work so well in the majors."

The writer must have felt quite satisfied when Lindell ended up going 5-16 with a 4.71 ERA for the Pirates in '53 before being purchased by the Phillies late in the season. Lindell saw limited action as a pinch hitter in '54 with the Phillies, and then retired.

In spite of the ups and downs of his career, the major highlight had to be his performance with the Yankees in the 1947 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, which the Yankees won in seven games. He hit .500 (9-for-18) that Series with a .625 OBP.

Lindell passed away in 1985, at the age of sixty-eight.

Taking an early look at the Yankees' bullpen competitions

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Which relievers will fill out the final four spots in the Yankees' bullpen?

With fewer than two weeks to go before pitchers and catchers report to Tampa, Florida, it sure looks like the Yankees won't make any more big, headlining moves, especially when it comes to the bullpen. After losing Mariano Rivera to retirement and Boone Logan to free agency, the Yankees have only signed Matt Thornton and a few scrapheap pickups on minor league deals to help replace the two. Because of this, the Yankees will head into camp with a number of bullpen competitions that will have to play themselves out.

The intriguing prospects

Jose Ramirez: Although he's not officially a reliever, the Yankees may choose to shift the 24-year-old right-hander to the bullpen, given his long injury history. Last season, as a starter, however, Ramirez pitched to a 3.67 ERA and 4.63 FIP through 17 starts split between Double-A and Triple-A. This was sandwiched between arm problems, of course. Since Ramirez has always done a good job of picking up strikeouts (career 8.6 K/9 in the minors), he wouldn't figure to have much of a problem in a relief role. Until the Yankees say differently, though, he's a starter.

Mark Montgomery: Arguably the team's best relief prospect, Montgomery struggled in 2013 after a strong 2012. He reportedly came to last year's camp out of throwing shape, and, subsequently, control and shoulder problems followed. Since he struggled last year, I would have to think the Yankees send him back to Scranton to iron out his control before giving him a shot with the big league team.

Chase Whitley: The 2013 season was yet another solid one for the right-handed Whitley; he pitched to a very solid 3.06 ERA and 3.05 FIP through 67 2/3 innings in his second go-around at Triple-A. Not only was he solid as a whole, but he was solid in a variety of roles; he can start, pitch long-relief, pitch short-relief, and even close on occasion. Given his solid three-pitch mix of a fastball, changeup, and cutter, to go along with his good results, it seems as though Whitley is ready for the big leagues. The head-scratching thing, though, is that he's currently left off the Yankees' 40-man roster and he went unclaimed during the Rule V draft.

Those who have seen big league time

Dellin Betances: After yet another disastrous trial in the starting rotation at the beginning of 2013, the Yankees finally shifted Betances to the bullpen. Following the demotion, Betances pitched to a dominating 1.46 ERA and ~2.43 FIP in 27 relief outings and 49 1/3 innings pitched in Triple-A before getting a couple cups of coffee in the Bronx. The 2013 season was originally supposed to be Betances' final minor league option year, but it was revealed this winter that the Yankees do, in fact, have one final option for the right-hander. He could easily be sent back down to Triple-A, but with a dominating showing this spring, it may be hard to not bring the soon-to-be-26-year-old up north with the big club.

Cesar Cabral: Following a lost 2012 in which he fractured his elbow, Cesar Cabral tried to make up for lost time in 2013. While his overall numbers weren't all that spectacular (5.20 ERA and 3.61 FIP), the left-hander was able to hold left-handed batters to a .678 OPS against. In his cup of coffee in the Bronx, the soon-to-be-25-year-old allowed just one of the nine left-handed batters he faced to reach base, while also punching out six of said batters. Obviously, we're dealing with a limited amount of data, but, Cabral has always (unsurprisingly) held left-handed batters in check over the years in the minors. He has also (again, unsurprisingly) always gotten hit pretty hard against right-handed batters. If the Yankees want to add a second true LOOGY to the bullpen mix, Cabral is certainly an option.

Preston Claiborne: Yes, Claiborne appeared in 44 games last year and provided relatively reasonable results (4.11 ERA and 4.14 FIP). And, yes, Joe Girardi has even publicaly penciled him into this year's bullpen. However, Claiborne was downright terrible in his final two months, pitching to an 8.80 ERA and ~7.04 FIP through 15 outings. For comparison, the much-maligned Joba Chamberlain pitched to a 4.86 ERA and ~7.22 FIP, spanning 18 outings in the same time period. Claiborne does have more experience at the big league level than everyone else previously listed in this post (sans Joba), but, ideally, he should have to earn his spot in the bullpen following a disastrous final two months of 2013.

The starters

David Phelps: Phelps followed up his solid rookie campaign in 2012 with a dud in 2013. Through July 4, Phelps pitched to a 5.04 ERA, albeit with a solid 4.00 FIP, before missing more than two months with a forearm injury. He came back for four games and was okay, but, overall, 2013 was a bit of a lost season for Phelps. He has bullpen experience (career 3.95 ERA and 3.72 FIP in 32 games and 63 innings) and could find himself there if he loses the fifth starter spot.

Adam Warren: Although 32 of Warren's 34 total appearances came in relief last season, he does have plenty of experience as a starter, doing so in his first four seasons in the Yankees' minor league system. In 2013, however, Warren finished with a solid 3.39 ERA and 4.32 FIP at the big league level. Because he had a good year, albeit with most of his time coming in relief, he could, perhaps, have a leg up on Phelps for the fifth starter spot. If not, he could once again be a solid option in a long-relief role like he was in 2013.

Vidal Nuno: From a pure results standpoint, Vidal Nuno pitched very well last season (2.25 ERA) through his five outings (three starts). Nuno was due for some hard regression, though, given his 4.50 FIP, inability to get swings-and-misses (4.1% whiff-rate), ground balls (35%), and just the fact that he pitched the majority of his games in hitter-friendly environments. However, he suffered a groin injury that shelved him for the final four months of the season, so we never got to know if he would continue his luck. Regardless, if Nuno doesn't end up as the team's fifth starter, he could be sent to the bullpen and provide Joe Girardi with a second left-hander.

The scrapheap pickups

After writing over 1000 words about nine guys who could crack this year's bullpen (with a combination of the latter three entering the mix if they don't win the fifth starter spot), there are still eight other guys (Bruce Billings, Robert Coello, Matt Daley, Brian Gordon, David Herndon, Chris Leroux, Yoshinori Tateyama, and Jim Miller), who were either signed or re-signed and added to the pile of relievers trying to make the 25-man roster. Instead of profiling them all myself, I'll direct you to Andrew's post, which does that very thing. Most/all of these relievers may end up in Scranton or in someone else's system after being released, but, if there's one guy who may have a fairly decent chance at cracking the team, it's Matt Daley. Daley, believe it or not, was one of the better relievers for the Yankees in September, allowing no runs in six innings and seven appearances. He has some experience in the big leagues (4.38 ERA and 3.65 FIP in 86 1/3 innings), and, if all else fails, his brief look last season could be enough to make the team.

With only three real, guaranteed options to make the 2014 bullpen (excluding Claiborne), there are four spots up for grabs. For an extremely early prediction, I'll say Warren (as the primary long man), Phelps (as a long man/multi-inning setup-ish man), Claiborne, and Cabral make it. That's just a huge guess on my part, obviously, but those four are all currently on the 40-man roster, thus having a (theoretical) leg up on those who aren't. We're still a long ways away from this sorting itself out, but I'm pretty intrigued at how it goes nonetheless. Competition usually brings out the best in players.

Some notes from the Yankees section of the 2014 Baseball Prospectus guide

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You should probably just go ahead and buy this book instead of reading about my caginess regarding its details on the Yankees.

The Baseball Prospectus annual guide to the 2014 season was recently released and it's on Amazon for only $17.25 paperback and $9.99 for the Kindle edition. BP guides are well worth the investment for all the information provided on damn near everything baseball, with team reviews and player comments written by highly knowledgeable baseball sources, from Deadspin founder Will Leitch to BP editor-in-chief Ben Lindbergh and SBN's own Marc Normandin and Adam J. Morris. Contrary to what you might think, I was not asked to advertise the book--I'm just highly recommending it. Go buy it.

The Yankees essay was superbly written by sadly-former beat writer Andy McCullough with player comments made by the BP staff, and it of course included some great tidbits on pretty much every player on their roster with the exception of Masahiro Tanaka, who was not a Yankee at press time. The section is worth the cost alone, and I don't want to diminish BP's hard work by releasing all the research contained in those pages. They deserve their payments. However, I will offer a sneak peak with some information.

Some thoughts on the Yankees' three big offensive additions and a few other players:

  • Skeptics can quibble about what exactly Jacoby Ellsbury will be able to do with his bat in pinstripes, but there is absolutely no denying that he is one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. BP noted that in his earlier years, Ellsbury got away with some mistakes in center thanks to his blazing speed alone, but now that he's spent even more time there, his routes and first steps just keep improving with time. Only Carlos Gomez and Denard Span had a better center field defensive rating from FanGraphs last year than Ellsbury. While Brett Gardner was solid in center all year in 2013, we should have even better defense waiting in 2014 from Ellsbury.
  • Projections can be finicky demons, but rarely have I ever seen a projection as identical to the previous season as BP is predicting for Brian McCann in 2013: .256/.336/.449 compared to .256/.336/.461 last year. Bold.
  • BP admitted some concerns about Carlos Beltran, like his five-year decline against lefthanded pitching and the erosion of his outfield range. However, they still like his bat and think that he will both benefit from extra DH time and come to love the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium. I was crazy enough to predict 30 dingers from Beltran in 2014, so let's hope so.
  • Ivan Nova's curveball is really, really good. How good? Nova had the second-highest curveball whiff rate in all of baseball, behind only Rangers ace Yu Darvish. With GIFs like the one below (h/t Jeff Sullivan), is it really such a surprise? Nova's mastery of the sharp curve and willingness to use it more often contributed to his renaissance in 2013:

  • Based on BP projections, Francisco Cervelli should win the backup catcher job since he would likely put up the best numbers in that role. Since his bat has been roughly average for a catcher during his career (93 wRC+), and his defense has reportedly rebounded from a slip in 2011 in 2012 through the time of his injury last year, it's hard to argue with that logic. It still creates a logjam at catcher in Scranton with Austin Romine and J.R. Murphy though. Of course, catchers being catchers, one will probably get hurt at some point and resolve the issue.
  • You might recall that it took outfielder Zoilo Almonte much longer than initially thought to recover from the ankle sprain he suffered on July 19th. Why was that? He had to get his wisdom teeth removed right when he was starting to get healthy again and that delayed him a little while longer. Not really the most captivating of information, but it was something I didn't hear about in 2013.

To finish off the preview, here are a few quick hits on some prospects:

  • BP is fan of 24-year-old righty Jose Ramirez, who they ranked as the second-best prospect in the Yankees' system. They said Ramirez has a "plus-plus fastball and change" with a "solid-average slider." It just seems like Ramirez needs to figure out how to stay healthy to make it. Hopefully, he can take a step forward in 2014.
  • Since BP ranked Gary Sanchez only 85th among baseball's top 101 prospects, it shouldn't be a stunner that reviews on him were mixed from BP. The comments mentioned that the reports on his defense "sound like they are from Jesus Montero's report," and that he occasionally struggled to catch pitches down the middle. Promising...
  • BP liked the Yankees' top picks in the 2013 draft, noting that Ian Clarkin has "good command and an advanced feel for pitching" thanks to a "low-90s fastball that can touch higher and a curve with plus potential." Meanwhile, Eric Jagielo reportedly has a solid offensive approach and "a good arm and hands at third." I'm assuming this means he has rummaged through cadavers and built a wall of hands to block grounders. Way to go, Eric!
  • Mason Williams had a hellish year in 2013, and though he's good at making contact BP doesn't think his bat will get any better until he makes a change in his hitting approach. Considering his pedestrian 95 wRC+ in Tampa and 84 wRC+ in the Arizona Fall League in 2013... yeah, Mason might want to consider some tweaks.
  • You will get only one full line from BP on a prospect here and like it. Fortunately for you, that prospect is Greg Bird:
"Lefty slugger Gregory Bird had one of the 10 best offensive seasons in the minors. As a first baseman with below-average range, he can't afford to lose much offensively, but the raw is real."

Greg Bird Greg Bird Greg Bird.

If you thought even a little of all the information above was interesting, want to learn a ton more about the other 29 teams, and enjoy 2013 Yankees-related allusions to the "Warm Body Award," "Franklin Pierce Adams' saddest of possible words," and "Performance Eradicating Drugs," then you need to go ahead and buy the 2014 BP annual. You should probably just do it anyway; as previously said, it is well worth the investment.

Should the Yankees consider a six-man rotation?

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With a pitching staff filled with age and durability concerns, should the Yankees go with six starters in 2014?

If your gut reaction to the question posed in the headline was "of course not, that's stupid," then you're probably not alone. With many fans still not totally warmed up to the now thirty-plus-year old concept of five-man rotations, it's no surprise that teams who've tested the waters with an extra arm before have met with some pretty harsh reaction. These guys are paid how much money? And they can't pitch every fifth day? Rabble, rabble, rabble. You know the deal. When the Atlanta Braves entered six-man territory in the second half of 2012 for the purpose of giving an aging Tim Hudson more rest, MLB.com's Terence Moore wrote:

"[Six man rotations] ruin the timing of starting pitchers who normally rest four days between starts. They don't allow your ace to pitch as often as he normally would. They cause issues with your bullpen. They force you to choose between playing with either one less reliever or one guy on the bench. And, for all we know, they could be the reason for that hole in the ozone."

Alright, hold up there, Terence. Six-man rotations are not responsible for the decimation of our atmosphere - everyone knows that's A-Rod's doing. And some of the other points made here aren't especially valid either. Pitchers don't always pitch on four days' rest so it's hard to believe that going on an extra day more often would really throw them off that much. Most teams, the Yankees included, don't usually skip their fifth starter in weeks with off days to keep everyone else on regular rest. Of the 2,429 games started by American League hurlers in 2013, only 1,210, just under fifty percent, were made by one working on four days' rest. The chart below shows that last year, the performance of the Yankees' top three returning starters and of the AL as a whole either got better or didn't change much after a five-day hiatus.

4 Days RestGSInningsInns. Per StartERAWHIPOPS vs.K:BB
American League1,2107209.25.964.221.34.7452.55
CC Sabathia16111.06.944.301.32.7533.22
Hiroki Kuroda1694.05.884.211.36.7703.00
Ivan Nova1057.05.704.111.53.7861.75

5 Days RestGSInningsInns. Per StartERAWHIPOPS vs.K:BB
American League7424,425.15.964.141.31.7312.56
CC Sabathia1384.16.494.591.25.7292.42
Hiroki Kuroda1285.07.082.540.98.5974.40
Ivan Nova540.18.021.560.89.5164.57

At least based on 2013's results, there doesn't seem to be any evidence that an extra day is a detriment to a pitcher's rhythm. Meanwhile, the Yankees have a rotation chock full of guys who could benefit from less strain and more rest. Sabathia is a 33-year-old whose velocity suffered a steep dive last season, Kuroda wore down late, Masahiro Tanaka is adjusting from a league that actually features six-day intervals between starts and Michael Pineda will be on a strict innings limit coming off shoulder surgery and two lost years.

Probably the most legitimate complaint about a six-man rotation is that it takes starts away from your best pitchers and hands them to guys who aren't as good. That's surely a concern if you have Clayton Kershaw or Felix Hernandez as your number one, but are we even sure who the Yankees' so-called ace actually is? On a typical five-man staff, a healthy pitcher starts between 32 and 34 times a season. Dividing 162 games equally six ways leaves you with 27 starts, but things don't have to work exactly that way. Passing over pitcher number six around off days would keep everyone else on five days' rest consistently, giving them 29 or 30 turns each. With so many age and durability related question marks in the rotation, keeping everyone fresh would be worth ceding a handful of starts to David Phelps, Adam Warren or Vidal Nuno.

A six-man rotation really should have no negative effect on a bullpen. For the Yankees, it might take some pressure off a highly untested relief corps. Last year Kuroda got nearly four more outs on average when working on five days' rest and Ivan Nova, albeit in a small sampling, got seven extra. Career splits also favor Kuroda's longevity on five days' rest - 6.46 innings-per-start to 6.12 innings on four days and Sabathia and Nova last slightly longer on an extra day as well - 6.79 to 6.74 and 6.15 to 6.04 respectively. The Yankees would have one less arm available in the pen during weeks when the sixth rotation member started, but that guy could also be used as a long reliever on off-day weeks. How often do teams use their last reliever or their last player off the bench anyway? For long stretches last year, Adam Warren sat in the bullpen without sniffing the mound. And would anyone shed a tear if there was no room on the roster for Eduardo Nunez?

Going forward, the Yankees have at least $248 million invested in Sabathia and Tanaka. They need another solid year from Kuroda and they'd like to see steps forward from Nova and Pineda. Every one of those guys besides Nova will need to have their innings managed this year, at least to a degree, and slotting an extra starter into the mix seems like a far less awkward way to achieve that than some of the methods the Yankees and other teams have chosen in the past - swaps to and from the bullpen, maddening pitch counts and late season shut-downs. I'm certainly not suggesting that six starters would be the right course for every team, but for the Yankees who feature a mixture of older starters and younger guys who'd benefit from less work, it has to be something worth considering.

Derek Jeter takes first batting practice on the field since last season

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Jeter clears another hurdle in his rehab.

Derek Jeter took batting practice on the field for the first time since injuries cut short his 2013 season, according to the Associated Press.

Jeter, who has been working out at the Yankees spring training complex in Tampa, FL, took 39 swings at the plate and also took some ground balls at shortstop. Prior to today, he had been hitting in indoor cages. He has been rehabilitating a number of different injuries that ruined his 2013 season, including an ankle he broke not once, but twice. He broke it the first time in the 2012 ALCS and then again in spring training in 2013.

On top of the ankle, Jeter also dealt with quadriceps and calf injuries. It was a season to forget, as he managed to get only 73 plate appearances. He hit just .190.

Spring training opens on Feb 15 for the Yankees as pitchers, catchers and injured players are scheduled to report. The team's first full-squad workout is on Feb 20.

More from SB Nation MLB:

Brisbee: Super Bowl champ Russell Wilson heads to spring training

Grapefruit League reporting dates | Cactus League

Jarred Cosart's "idiots" are actually quite reasonable

Will the Yankees make the playoffs in 2014?

2014 MLB salary arbitration tracker

Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 2/4/14

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Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

Yankees News

Yankees Prospect Profile: Jose Ramirez

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Ramirez could be the the Yankees' best pitching prospect, but can he ever stay healthy?

Background

It feels like Jose Ramirez has been around the Yankees' minor league system for a long time, but he only turned 24 in January. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2008, Ramirez has slowly ascended the minor league levels despite battling injuries throughout his young career. The Yankees have been impressed with his repertoire for quite some time, as he was reportedly preferred over Top 100 Prospect Arodys Vizcaino way back when the Yankees made their ill-fated move to re-acquire Javier Vazquez from the Braves. Fortunately for the Yankees, Vizcaino has not made much of an impact in the majors and was indeed converted to a reliever.

However, that could very well be Ramirez's destiny if he cannot turn his health around. In the past six years, he has dealt with injuries to his elbow, shoulder, and oblique, just to name a few of his ailments. He has never made more than 21 starts or appeared in more than 115 innings in any of his six minor league seasons. When Ramirez is at his best on the mound though, his fastball, changeup, and slider can cause nightmares for opposing hitters. FanGraphs writer JD Sussman saw him square off against up-and-coming Orioles starter Kevin Gausman in Double-A back in May, Ramirez fanned seven Bowie Baysox while walking only one in five scoreless innings. Ramirez clearly has talent, but will he ever be able to hone it over the course of a fully healthy season?

2013 Results:

(AAA): 8 GS, 31 1/3 IP, 8.0 K/9, 6.0 BB/9, 1.60 WHIP, 4.88 ERA, 5.05 FIP
(AA): 9 G, 8 GS, 42 1/3 IP, 10.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 1.02 WHIP, 2.76 ERA, 4.26 FIP

It was a tale of two halves for Ramirez who appeared to have mastered the Eastern League, thus earning him a promotion to Triple-A Scranton by mid-June. (That was while missing a couple starts in early April due to shoulder fatigue.) His control was relatively good by his standards, and he struck out 50 in about 40 innings, just over a batter a frame. Regrettably, the International League quickly sent Ramirez crashing back down to Earth the same way the Florida State League handled Rafael de Paula upon the latter's midseason promotion.

In as many starts as he made in Trenton, Ramirez was pummeled and ended up with quite an ugly stat line. He only allowed three homers, but batters were able to do their damage simply by getting on base frequently due to his shoddy control. Before Ramirez could straighten himself out, that injury bug struck him yet again at the end of July and his season ended thanks to an oblique injury.

2014 Outlook:

Ramirez is a very frustrating prospect to write about at this juncture. His pitches and repertoire look extremely good, but there's not much the Yankees can do about him if he cannot stay healthy. While we can rave on and on about his potential, he's not that young anymore and he only has nine games above Double-A to his name. Baseball Prospectus prospect evaluator Jason Parks ranked Ramirez second in the Yankees' system behind only Gary Sanchez, but ESPN's Keith Law and Baseball America's Josh Norris (former Trenton beat writer) did not even rank him among the team's top ten prospects. Ramirez is a divisive figure at a crossroads. And yet...

Jose_ramirez_milb_medium

Strikeouts like the one above are why people still rave about Ramirez. Even while he was struggling in Scranton, he still showed flashes of his potential. Yes, he had horrid control in Scranton, but that first strike is directly to J.R. Murphy's mitt. Ramirez immediately follows with a nasty slider that just dives under the hitter's bat and after an unseen ball, he finishes him off by blowing a fastball by upstairs. Ramirez is a big dude, and his occasionally gaudy strikeout numbers demonstrate how he can overpower opposing hitters.

Unfortunately, you have to actually make it to the mound to pitch (big, if true), and Ramirez has struggled to simply do that. Like Dellin Betances in 2012, this year might be Ramirez's last shot at proving he can stick in a rotation before he becomes a reliever. We can only hope that Ramirez stays healthy and that his rocky first taste of Triple-A was the result of jitters more than anything else.


Yankees Prospects: Fangraphs top 10 list

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Who made the list?

We've seen prospect lists from all over the internet, but here's one more for you to consider. Fangraphs has released their list of the top 10 prospects in the Yankees system. They were just ranked 20th overall by Keith Law, but Marc Hulet believes the system could be top 10 if some of his projected sleeper picks have big years.

Gary Sanchez, of course, comes away with top honors. Hulet believes that his career may have stagnated a bit this season, but he still has the potential to be a big league bat and an average defensive catcher. He will stay in Double-A and could move up by midseason.

Sanchez's best tool is his above-average power from the right side of the plate and he could eventually hit 20+ home runs in the Majors. He needs to stick to a consistent game plan at the plate, which could help him make better contact and produce a better batting average (and on-base percentage). Behind the plate, Sanchez has made improvements with his game calling and receiving but the big-framed catcher still struggles with his blocking and overall mobility.

No. 2 on the list is J.R. Murphy, who Hulet hints could be put into a trade. He can be a starter now, but with Brian McCann in front of him and Gary Sanchez behind him, there's not a lot of room for him. Hulet also suggests that he would be an above-average backup and could even play a corner infield spot on a part-time basis.

Murphy is the organization's best all-around catcher and a lot of organizations would love to have him. He has a solid line-drive swing and produces gap power but he'll likely top out around 10 home runs in the Majors with regular playing time. Defensively, he's improved by leaps and bounds since being drafted and has a chance to be an average receiver with an above-average ability to control the running game.

Recent first round draftee, Eric Jagielo is next on the list as Hulet believes the Yankees could start moving him quickly through the system in order to get him to the majors sooner. He seems to lack the confidence that Jagielo can stay at third base long-term, though I don't know where he would play in that case.

Jagielo has impressive raw power from the left side of the plate and can hit the ball out of any part of a ball park. He also has an improving approach at the plate and shows good pitch recognition despite the strike outs. Defensively, he shows a strong arm but may lack the range to remain at the hot corner long term.

Another evaluator who thinks Mason Williamsis heading in the wrong direction. Hulet believes that he needs to fix a lot of things after the disaster of his 2013 season, but since he's so young he has plenty of time to fix things. Unfortunately, at this point, he thinks Mason may only amount to a solid regular instead of the potential All-Star he was thought to be.

Williams' stock slipped in 2013 as he showed up a little out of shape and with inconsistent effort on the field. He lacked pop last year and, while he'll probably never be a power hitter, he needs to keep his swing short and quick to the ball. When he's right, Williams has above-average speed and the ability to swiped 20+ bases. Defensively, he's a strong fielder with a good arm and range, as well as solid reads.

Hulet says that, because of the way he plays, Slade Heathcott will always be dealing with injuries, even if he makes it to the majors. He should start the year in Double-A with the chance to move to Triple-A if he's healthy, which is still a huge question mark.

To say Heathcott hustles is an understatement. Unfortunately, his all-out play lends itself to injuries - both of the serious and of the nagging varieties, which have cut into his development time and hindered his effectiveness. His aggression gets the better of him at the plate and he strikes out too much for someone who should be building his game around getting on base and letting others drive him in. Defensively, Heathcott plays a very good centre field with excellent range, good reads and an average arm.

Another 2013 draftee, Aaron Judge, makes it onto the list. The man Hulet calls a "hulking monster" could start out in Low-A Charleston and even move up to High-A Tampa by the end of the year, despite never playing pro ball. There's not many players to compare him to, but the words Giancarlo Stanton are thrown around when discussing physical similarities.

As expected with his size, Judge's most impressive tool is his power but he struggles to keep a short, compact swing due to the sheer length of his arms. As a result, he may never hit of a high average but he should walk enough to produce a respectable on-base percentage to go along with the power output. Defensively, he has a very strong arm and enough range to stick in right field.

Ian Clarkin, the third 2013 first-round pick makes it on the list at No. 7 and Hulet believes the Yankees got a steal. He says Clarkin has the ceiling of a No. 2 or No. 3 starter and will likely play in extended spring training before moving to short season.

The lefty has an inconsistent, low-90s fastball with projection that could eventually push it into the mid-90s. His curveball also shows the makings of a plus offering and his changeup should be no worse than average. He needs to become more consistent with the command of pitches while also learning to attack the zone early in the count and trust his stuff.

Our boy, Greg Bird pops up at No. 8 in the system, but Hulet has a problem with the first baseman's high strikeout count. He wants Bird to make more contact in High-A Tampa and hopefully maintain a .400 OBP. His ability to keep a high batting average depends entirely on his ability to keep his strikeouts down.

Bird is your classic three-true-outcome hitter with good power, a patient approach and a lot of swing-and-misses. He made some adjustments as the year went on, incorporating a little more loft to his swing, and walked more than he struck out in both July and August while positing an OPS above 1.000. He's going to have to hit because he has limited defensive value but could be an average fielding first baseman with a little more polish.

Marc Hulet ranked Jose Ramirez next, believing that he has the potential to be a No. 3 starter if he can produce a solid third pitch, otherwise he'll likely end up as a dominate reliever with two plus pitches in his fastball and breaking ball. Surprisingly, he says Ramirez could start the season at Triple-A.

The Dominican righty has a nasty one-two punch with his mid-90s fastball and plus changeup. His curveball still needs a fair bit of polish to become a reliable, average offering. That development will be key in helping him remain in the starting rotation, as will the ability to avoid the infirmary.

Last, but not least,Tyler Austin rounds out the top 10 after a season that was derailed by a nagging wrist injury. He was overly unimpressive in 2013, but that may be the product of injury, so he gets a free pass as he returns to Double-A in 2014.

Seemingly, the wrist injury sapped much of Austin's power in 2013 and he struggled to consistently drive the ball. His bat was noticeably slower last year. When he's right, the outfielder shows good gap power with enough over-the-fence pop to make things interesting. He has a solid eye at the plate and isn't afraid to take pitches and work the count. Defensively, Austin is an average corner outfielder with good arm strength.

Aside from the top 10, Hulet also provided his idea of the next five:

Luis Severino "could be a Top 100 prospect in a year's time if he continues to follow his current development track. The right-hander has power stuff, including a low-to-high-90s fastball, breaking ball and changeup."

Gosuke Katoh "got on base, produced a strong batting average, and also hit for power. The only thing he didn't do was steal bases. The left-handed hitter showed an advanced approach and good feel for the game."

Abiatal Avelino "showed a good eye at the plate by making a ton of contact and walking more than he struck out (20 BBs to 17 Ks). Avelino will have to continue to get stronger as he moves up the ladder after just 14 of his 60 hits went for extra bases."

Jose Campos "continues to show glimpses of brilliance and is just 21 years old."

Luis Torrens "showed the potential to develop into an above-average defender while showing flashes of becoming a strong hitter with patience and a developing eye. The biggest deficiency in his game right now is his lack of in-game pop."

Yankees hot stove: Are any of the big name free agents available worth pursuing for New York?

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The Yankees' pitchers and catchers report to spring training a week from Friday, making it likely that the team has signed nearly all the players they intend to give a look to in camp. Two big names remain on the free agent market in Ubaldo Jimenez and Stephen Drew, but is either one worth a look by the Yankees at this stage? Pitching is one place where it is nearly impossible to have too much depth and the Yankees' infield leaves a lot to be desired on paper. Would either player represent enough of an upgrade to be worth whatever their price tags are at this stage?

The infield picture heading into spring training remains a huge question mark at nearly every position. It's uncertain what kind of production the Yankees can get from Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira after returning from serious surgeries. Can both of them stay on the field after missing nearly all of 2013? The departure of Robinson Cano and the suspension of Alex Rodriguez have left gaping holes at second and third base with exactly zero desirable backup options. With Stephen Drew still on the open market, the Yankees could potentially pick him up as a last minute acquisition before the team gathers in Tampa. Drew is normally a shortstop but has been rumored to be willing to play elsewhere in the infield if necessary. Even his ugly platoon splits and concerning numbers away from Fenway Park might be palatable as another option for an incredibly shaky infield. The difference between Drew and Kelly Johnson or Brian Roberts may very well only end up being their salary, but having another option in place before the likes of Eduardo Nunez or Brendan Ryan need to be everyday players doesn't sound so bad as an insurance policy.

Coming out on top in the Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes definitely gave the Yankees a bit more excitement in their pitching rotation, but the fifth starter spot is still up for grabs. If the team was hoping to fill it with someone who has a little more upside than David Phelps without Michael Pineda's labrum fears, they could possibly snag Ubaldo Jimenez off the market before pitchers and catchers report next week. Jimenez certainly doesn't come without question marks of his own after failing to be the pitcher he was before the Rockies traded him to the Indians after a dominating season in 2010. He did perform well down the stretch for Cleveland last season on their way to a wild card berth, but the competition wasn't exactly top tier over that final stretch. His price would have to be much lower than it was when free agency began this winter for it to make sense for the Yankees to get involved, but he could be an intriguing option if the price happened to be right. If everything pans out, Jimenez would only have to slot into the back of the rotation, thus minimizing how good he'd have to be to be worth the risk. If pitching is the key to the kingdom of the playoffs, the Yankees are betting a lot on their current cards. It might not be a bad idea to add another option to that mix if they think Jimenez is more the pitcher he was at the end of last season or the pitcher he had been for a while prior to that.

It's possible that Drew and Jimenez just aren't in the Yankees' price range for upgrades this late in the game and that the team is comfortable with the players they have heading to Florida. At this point it seems unlikely that the Yankees plan on making any kind of big move before spring training begins, but is that actually the correct course of action? Do you feel comfortable with the roster as it is currently constructed, or do you think you'd rest a little easier if there was another move or two made before the team begins Grapefruit League play in Tampa?

Yankees Spring Training: Who should be the backup catcher?

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Who among Francisco Cervelli, J.R. Murphy, Austin Romine, and Gary Sanchez should be the Yankees' backup catcher?

Going into spring training, the Yankees have a total of five catchers on their 40-man roster with another three coming in as Non-Roster Invitees. Eight catchers is a lot of catchers, and only two can make the team. The first is obviously going to be Brian McCann, but the second, the backup catcher, could really end up being anyone. It will come down to the remaining four catchers on the 40 (sorry Peter O'Brien), so out of Francisco Cervelli, J.R. Murphy, Austin Romine, and Gary Sanchez, one of these players will be coming with the team.

Francisco Cervelli

2013 (MLB): .269/.377/.500, 3 HR, 61 PA

Why He Will Get the Job: Honestly, Brian Cashman is probably going into spring training with the idea that Cervelli will be on the roster. He's officially out of options now, so if they want to send him to the minors they'll have to put him through waivers and will likely lose him. Just because of all that, I think it's safe to say that, barring a trade, Cervelli is the favorite here. They tendered him a contract for a reason.

Why He Won't Get the Job: While he might be the favorite, is he the safe bet? Two years ago he looked to have a job secured, but on the last day of camp Chris Stewart was brought in and Cervelli played the entire season in Triple-A. He's struggled with injury every year, most recently breaking his hand within the first three weeks of the 2013 season. While trying to rehab, he irritated an old injury in his elbow that essentially sidelined him for the rest of the year. Right after that, he was hit with a 50-game suspension because of his involvement in Biogenesis, so now his name, and likely his standing in the organization, is sullied and it's possible the Yankees could get rid of him.

J.R. Murphy

2013 (AA/AAA): .269/.347/.426, 12 HR, 468 PA
(MLB): .154/.185/.192, 27 PA

Why He Will Get the Job: Right now, Murphy is probably the best prospect that could make the team out of spring training. He essentially forced his way into the majors, jumping three levels and putting himself on the major league map. Many evaluators believe he can be a starter at some point, and though the Yankees have McCann and Sanchez, nothing is definite, so having him work under an All-Star can't be a bad idea.

Why He Won't Get the Job: He really came out of nowhere after several disappointing seasons, so there could be an argument to be made that the Yankees should sell high on Murphy and trade him before he goes back to his old offensive ways. Even if they keep him, the Yankees might prefer to let him go back to Triple-A and work on his game until they need to bring him up.

Austin Romine

2013 (MLB): .207/.255/.296, HR, 148 PA

Why He Will Get the Job: While his offense was pretty terrible for most of the season, Romine seemingly came to life in July and August when he hit .316/.394/.474 over that time. It's possible that he finally adapted to major league pitching and was figuring it out, but by that point Joe Girardi wouldn't budge from Chris Stewart. The Yankees could let him play in the majors and hopefully regain some of his value before they trade him at the deadline.

Why He Won't Get the Job: Well, this wouldn't be a true counterpoint if I didn't point out the fact that he was really bad for the entire first half of the season. His defense, which evaluators once lauded him over, was nothing special, and on top of all that he suffered a concussion that seriously limited his playing time at the end of the season. With no bat, underwhelming defense, and already exhibiting problems with concussions at 25, no one is going to want to trade for him. He will likely end up in Triple-A for most of the year.

Gary Sanchez

2013 (A+/AA): .253/.324/.412, 15 HR, 509 AB

Why He Will Get the Job: Gary Sanchez is their best prospect and is probably better than at least Romine and Cervelli right now. Skipping over Triple-A might be unorthodox for the Yankees, but it's not unheard of for top prospects. If they think his bat could help now, even in a reserve role, they should entertain the idea of letting him work out the kinks under the tutelage of Brian McCann, Joe Girardi, and Tony Pena.

Why He Won't Get the Job: Come on, it's the Yankees. There's no way they allow a 21-year-old catcher to make the team out of spring training, especially if there are other, older, viable options out there. But seriously folks, while Sanchez is good, he could probably use a little more time to work on his defense and adapt to the best minor league pitching. There's no reason to rush him, so unfortunately, Sanchez won't be given much of a chance.

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Who should be the Yankees backup catcher out of spring training?

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Around the Empire: New York Yankees News - 2/5/14

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Last Time on Pinstripe Alley

Yankees News

Over The Monster Podcast - Episode 93: Because you demand (Size)more!

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Red Sox yak'n for people who can't read!

Can we say 'we're back' when we just go and disappear again? Maybe! Let's see:

We're back!

Hey, you can! Hooray! Brendan O'Toole and Matt Kory are back and talking about themselves in the third person because three sentences is too much to go without being totally obnoxious. More importantly, they're get'n the old podcast out of the garage, throw'n a new coat of paint on it, and then realize'n, why are we painting this podcast that's dumb. Then they start recording.

They talk about the predictable stuff, but it's still interesting. That's their gift to you. The Red Sox off-season, not exactly fraught with tension, is discussed with interest! Also:

  • Jacoby Ellsbury's new-ish contract with the Yankeesis mentioned and not in passing!
  • 2014 season projections are looked at, digested, and then turned into fuel for further podcasting
  • Grady Sizemore is pre-lamented over.

All in all, it's a podcast that talks about the Red Sox and is therefore the best thing ever other than the actual Red Sox, love, beer, napping, and probably cupcakes. Enjoy the 93rd Over The Monster Podcast!

You can subscribe to and/or download the podcast at iTunes and/or listen and/or download at our hosting site, Podomatic. Email us with questions, media inquires and marriage proposals at OTMPodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening.

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