Game Thread: Throwing out the young guns

March 20, 2008 by Benjamin Kabak 50 Comments

The Yanks square off against the Blue Jays today in what will be a test of the Yanks’ young guns. While the next few games will be televised, today’s game is the last chance to see Major League for a few days. Wang and Pettitte will not throw against division rivals.

Meanwhile, the Yanks will throw their young tandem of Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain at Toronto today. Kyle Farnsworth will get some tosses in as well. After last night’s Phil Hughes game, Yankee fans would be comforted by a dominant Kennedy/Chamberlain outing. But worry not about Mr. Hughes. It’s only Spring Training.

Today’s game is on ESPN, and friend-of-RAB Keith Law will be joining the telecast in the 5th to talk about the Yanks and Red Sox minor leaguers. Be sure to check that out. The game will also be carried on MLB.tv and should be available here on Gameday at 1:05 or so.

Damon LF
Cabrera CF
Cano 2B
Matsui DH
Duncan RF
Betemit 1B
Ransom SS
Molina C
Green 3B

marc

I don’t care if phil said he was overstriding or not last night.. simple facts… 15-20 mph winds out to center and right center… his defense was terrible behind him and i believe in the third inning he only threw his change up.. one at bat to laroche posada called for the change on 3-0 which led to a walk… arod ran away from the ball hit softly into the hole for the 4th run to score… needless to say he wasnt helped and didnt look that bad at all.
Tripp

They should just go ahead and start Woodward at 2nd so they can have an all out reserve infielder battle today.
barry

It’s on YES as well.
http://www.samiamsports.blogspot.com samiamsports

Why is IPK’s fastball not even touching 90? i hope this is just a ST issue. Btw his curve ball looks filthy
- barry
  
  He’s probably not reaching back all the way, maybe a strategy to save arm strength for his long season as our #5.
- Jon
  
  If he never throws 90 MPH again but pitches like he is today I wouldn’t be too upset.
kris

3 straight swinging Ks! Awesome!
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.

IPK is a BOSS. But worry not about the velocity, I used to think he sat at 90-92, and can max out at 93. But reading more and seeing him live I would say he sits 88-90, but can reach 91-92.

BTW, I know all of IPK’s offerings are considered above average, put can that change develop into a plus pitch? I see it more and more, and it’s just very tantalizing.
- http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.
  
  Then again it could be that its ST and his arm strength isn’t fully built up yet, which I is the idea I’m leaning towards.
NYFan50

On GameDay I’m noticing a number of XBH for the Jays. How solid are those hits against Kennedy? The accumulated damage so far is minimal but all the doubles are troubling.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.

Nice Rake by Betemit.
http://myspace.com/lincolnsworld Link

Betemit crushed that thing.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.

LoL, idk if any1 is watching the game on ESPN, but there’s a guy behind home plate sitting in the seats with an amry green T-shirt, and damn is that dude fat. It’s sad to see some1 so fat that when you sit down your belly sinks to the level of your crotch, LoL.
- dan
  
  hahah I just noticed him…. I didn’t realize hot dogs and beer were free in spring training.
- RollignWave
  
  god the ESPN broadcast is awful. can’t they at least find a guy that doesn’t speak with a HUGE latino accent and is barely understandable?
http://myspace.com/lincolnsworld Link

yeah thats a big dude…lots of hot dogs and beer for him over the years lol….
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.

Nice spot by Law, but I have to ask is the Red Sox farm system rated so highly due to the amount of depth they have in terms of close to ML ready talent or are they rated so high because they have gobs of high-ceiling guys?

I was glad to see BA rank the Yanks only behind the Rays in terms of top farm systems when it comes to pitching. Very nice to see indeed.
Brian

In one of the world’s lesser surprises, Yankees.com has Kyle Anson being sent to minors camp today.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.

Seeing Cano bat 3rd, I still embrace my lineup idea of…

Jeter
Abreu
Cano
A-Rod
Matsui/Giambi
Posada
Giambi/Matsui
Damon
Cabrera

I think Cano is ready for the 3rd spot.
- http://ibleedblueandwhite.blogspot.com Jamie
  
  Jamal – I’d say give him another year… we have to see how he adapts to having a longer contract under his belt…also it wouldn’t hurt to see him put together a solid first half as well…
  
  We really did get lucky when the Diamondbacks decided that Cano wasn’t “worthy” enough to be included in prospective Randy Johnson trade(s).
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.

Lmao, God Damn that’s a fat SOB, I mean Jesus.
steve

any fellow yankee fans live in the LA area ? i need to start rounding up some yankee fans out here so we can watch some games at the bars
http://knickerbockerchatter.blogspot.com/ Bruno

I agree Jamal. First Abreu slump and it’ll happen. Cano hitting in front of A-Hole would help him tremendously, the same way it did for Alex in front of Griffey.
However, just drop Abreu down and keep Damon lead-off.

http://knickerbockerchatter.blogspot.com/
http://myspace.com/lincolnsworld Link

I see Kyle’s in midseason form.
- http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.
  
  Weak grounder up the middle that was not hit hard at all, a walk that should’ve been a K earlier in the AB, mistake pitch with FB over the plate after falling behind 2-1 and then he worked out of it. I think he actually did a nice job. Especially since he was pitching 91-94.
Phil

I thought Kyle was getting squeezed a bit some of his stuff today looked sharp.
Bo

A-Rod had one of the greatest yrs in history with Bobby A hitting in front of him. Posada had a great yr hitting behind those 2. I think a part of that has to do with Abreu seeing 10 pitches every at bat, making a pitcher work and getting on base at a 400 clip.

Let Cano hit 7 and be pressure free.
http://knickerbockerchatter.blogspot.com/ Bruno

Joba time!
http://myspace.com/lincolnsworld Link

smoke!
http://myspace.com/lincolnsworld Link

yeah i think he’ll be ok starting the season in the pen.
Number 27

so that joba chamberlain is pretty good
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=56352514 Jamal G.

I religiously believe that Joba should be a starter but damn if I won’t be happy seeing him nail down those 8th innings until mid-season.
http://www.samiamsports.blogspot.com samiamsports

Joba like its hot
http://www.samiamsports.blogspot.com samiamsports

he made it look too easy…good morning, good afternoon….and good night
Bo

They have to find a way to get him 150 innings. I just cant see them messing with him in the 7-8th innings if hes throwing well and on pace to hit his inning limit.

Mariano ’96 like.
- CB
  
  Mariano threw 108 innings in 1996 and the way they used him was terrible. Torre just kept throwing him out there.
  
  I wouldn’t put torre’s usage of Mo in 1996 as the model for how Joba should be used now. It’s basically impossible for them to get Joba 150 innings out of the pen safely, especially in he’s going to be the set up guy while he’s there.
http://knickerbockerchatter.blogspot.com/ Bruno

I agree. Using him as “Mr. 8th” is a recipe for him being the closer of the future, ala Mo & Papelbon. That’s why I think (even though I KNOW it won’t happen) they need to use him as the long-man/spot-starter, ala Santana when he came up.
finite24

Anyone see Peter Gammons sleeper list today???

He discussed it today during the Yanks/Jays game on ESPN. I caught the last second of the segment and saw only one name (Billy Butler) of several.

Did anyone see the segment? I’d really like to know who else he named.
http://justinyates.wordpress.com Yankee Psycho-fan-t

Joba is a monster…nuff said
http://justinyates.wordpress.com Yankee Psycho-fan-t

Law Named these prospects in order

1) Chamberlain
2) Tabata
3) Jackson
4) Kennedy
5) Brackman
J.R.

Britton seems like the forgoatten man. Strike out on three pitches and then two outs with one pitch each. The dude has a 1.80 era for spring. The yankees have a real logjam of talented bullpen guys.
pete

as for the cano batting third argument, i completely agree, although if he goes another year that’s fine with me too. Cano’s issue has always been striking out on pithces out of the zone, but he’ll have much better protection if he hits in front of A-Rod than in front of Melky. I’d do it this way:
Damon
Jeter
Cano
A-Rod
Abreu
Posada
Giambi/Matsui
Giambi/Matsui/Duncan
Melky
pete

cano’s stealing some bases this spring too
i’ve always thought he had speed, just doesn’t steal bases for some reason, not great acceleration i guess
- RollignWave
  
  Cano’s speed isn’t that good. at least in terms of base stealing. he’s simply not a guy that have that sort of explosiveness on the path. he’s more like Bernie in the sense that if your doing a base rounding drill he score pretty well but purely explosiveness from one base to another is not quiet so good.
  
  he’s first jump is good though. but he doesn’t capitalize it well enough (not particularly good read on pitchers) I think he actually COULD steal more successfully if he improve his read instinct (Melky does this wayyyy better than him, Abreu is the best case of this, a guy who isn’t actually blazing fast but because he simply has a INCREDIABLE read and jump he keep sweeping a lot of bags)
Rich

Yahoo! thinks that IPK is Jeff Kennard.

NY YANKEES
J Kennard
http://yankeesetc.blogspot.com/ Travis G.

i’ve always been a proponent of batting Arod 3rd. ya know, best hitter and all that. i’m also not enamored with JD as the leadoff hitter. it’s like they keep sending him out there to leadoff just because he always has. not good rationale. DJ or Abreu should be hitting leadoff. they both have speed and better OBP than Damon, while taking as many or more pitches/PA. honestly, after looking at their stats, it makes no fucking sense to bat Damon leadoff.
JD OBP: .353
DJ OBP: .388
Abreu OBP: .408!!!

it should go:
Jeter
Abreu
Arod
Giambi
Cano
Posada
Matsui
Shelley
Damon
Melky
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Ben K.
  
  That’s ten guys.
  - http://yankeesetc.blogspot.com/ Travis G.
    
    my mistake. get rid of Matsui or Shelley depending on the pitcher.
    - pete
      
      i disagree. People underrate damon’s skill as a leadoff hitter based purely on his avg/obp. Mind you, i still think he can put up a .290/.375 line, but more importantly, he’s got good speed and is quick out of the box, steals 25-30 every year, and has a weirdly good ability to foul off good pitches. I remember him being the most frustrating hitter to face when he was on the red sox, and i don’t think that has changed.
      - http://yankeesetc.blogspot.com/ Travis G.
        
        yes, he does have good speed, but like i wrote earlier, DJ and Abreu do as well (admittedly not quite the same level), while his pitches per PA is marginally better than Jeter and signicantly less than Abreu. a .375 OBP is asking too much when his career is .353 and he’s on the wrong side of 30. AND when the #2 & #3 hitters have better OBPs in reality than the hoped-for .375 mark.