The All-Prospect Team
By
Earlier today Mike Ashmore posed a question that piqued my interest: If you had to make a 25-man roster using only Yankees prospects, what would it look like?
Well, let’s see. (h/t Rafi for the email)
C: PJ Pilittere – gets the nod over Cervelli because he’s more experienced
1B: Juan Miranda – not much competition here
2B: Kevin Russo - let’s hope the hot AzFL carries over
SS: Ramiro Pena – slick fielding is all he can offer
3B: Bradley Suttle – I’m pretty sure he could outhit Eric Duncan right now
LF: Austin Jackson – heads to left because he’s inferior defensively to …
CF: Brett Gardner - team captain
RF: Shelley Duncan - team mascot Edwar Gonzalez – next best option
DH: Jesus Montero – not ready defensively, but how could you ignore that bat?
SP: Al Aceves – seasoned vet was an easy choice for top starter
SP: George Kontos – good stuff, Double-A success … why not?
SP: Jeremy Bleich – pitching for Stanford in the College World Series is the closest thing to the big leagues the system has to offer
SP: Zach McAllister – pounds the zone and gets a ton of groundballs
SP: Eric Hacker – tough as nails with Double-A experience
CL: David Robertson – best candidate for the job
SU: Mark Melancon – don’t want to waste him in the closer’s role
LOOGY: Wilkins DeLaRosa – I’m sure he can come in an let it fly for one batter and survive
MR: Phil Coke – how could I not take him?
MR: Steven Jackson – he was the man for Scranton in the second half last year
MR: Jon Albalajedo – big league experience + throws strikes = on my team
LR: Ryan Zink – wildcard … it’s nice to have a sinkerballer that can give you length out of the pen
BUC: Frankie Cervelli – he always was destined to be a backup
IF: Justin Leone – still technically a prospect and can handle just about any position
OF: Colin Curtis - can handle all three spots and maybe even run into the occasional homer
UTIL: Justin Snyder – pest can play everywhere and put up a tough at-bat off the bench
As I was putting the team together I tried to build a squad that would be the most competitive group in the bigs right now. I didn’t just list the best prospect at each position, that’s too easy. I went the more advanced prospects in general, especially the pitching staff. Guys like Brackman and Betances would be in way over their head right now.
So do I think this team could beat the worst team in Major League Baseball right now? No, I think they’d get crushed like a bug hitting a windshield. We’re talking about established big leaguers against practically children. The Detroit Lions would splatter USC too.
The only time they’d have a remote chance of winning is when Aceves is on the mound, and even that’s not all that great. The bullpen is pretty good, so they could steal a few wins if they have a lead after say, five innings. In general though, there’s just not enough experience on either side of the ball and too many rookie mistakes to endure.
So what do you guys think? (make sure you show some love and post your comments on Mike’s site as well)
161 Comments»
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What is your definition of prospect? Eligible for Tookie of the year?
Argh, i meant “rookie” of course.
Yeah, that’s the common criteria for prospect eligibility. No more than 50 IP or 130 at bats in the bigs, with no regards to service time.
I see you replaced Shelley Duncan as he has 131 at bats http://www.baseball-reference......sh01.shtml
That was the definition I also had in mind but I didn’t want to look up everybody.
Ian Kennedy barely missed the cutoff. He’s pitched 58.7 innings.
You did not spell his name right. B-U-S-T is how his name is spelled.
Nah, it’s T-I-M R-E-D-I-N-G-S I-S B-E-T-T-E-R.
Spelling fail!
Sarcasm detection fail!
Laptop theft fail!
SU: Mark Melancon – don’t want to waste him in the closer’s role
I love you.
Why do you say that, is because the 8th inning is the most important inning of the entire game?
No, he’s insanely efficient, he can throw 30 pitches in two innings.
No, I was saying that because I hate the rigid roles of the modern bullpen where you only use your best relief pitcher for the 9th inning, as opposed to deploying them at will wherever the game is most on the line (like, say, in a tie game in the 7th with the heart of the order up.)
If I could alter one rule for the good of the game, I’d blow up the Save statistic.
I agree, but he is efficient. The Save is a useless statistic, but some teams measure FA closers on how many saves they have, very much like K-Rod. I’m sure Juan Cruz would pitch a fine 9th inning, but he will get a much smaller deal than the closers have gotten just based soley on the fact they pitch in the 9th and have 35 plus saves.
And those teams that pay people based purely on saves are short sighted and likely some of the worse run teams in the league. Want to know how meaningless a save is?
Wes Littleton had one in the Texas Rangers 30 – 3 drubbing of the Baltimore Orioles.
But K-rod deserved the Cy Young for all those saves!
Joe Morgan’s infallible logic: it’s staggeringly powerful when seen in action.
Who makes more intelligible points? Peter Gammons or Joe Morgan?
PG
Peter Gammons, by a mile.
Gammons is a Boston homer; his only sin is his unnatural mental overinflation of all things Red Sox. Outside of that, he’s fine, perfectly sane, and full of useful information.
Joe Morgan is batshit insane and literally believes that the 1975 Reds were the finest collection of human beings in history, he’s the greatest player ever, Sabermetrics were invented by Satan, the most important part of the game is “cosistency”, and “too early to tell” and “anything’s possible” are valid forms of “analysis”.
http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2.....echat.html
Mark: Joe, as of right now who is the AL MVP?
Joe Morgan: That’s difficult to answer because the season is not over…
Ken Tremendous: The question was “as of right now.”
Theoretical Joe Morgan: Right, and it’s hard to answer because of what will happen in the future.
KT: But…the question is: right now, who’s the MVP. Like, now. At this moment.
TJM: But I can’t answer that, because I can’t tell the future.
KT: Hang on. Let me try something. What time is it?
TJM: No way to tell.
KT: Because you don’t know what time it will be in the future?
TJM: Correct.
KT: Fair enough.
But K-rod deserved the
Cy YoungMVP for all those saves!Absolutely right.
Along the same lines a top reliever is one who can enter in the middle of an inning and put out a fire.
( nods in agreement )
The Detroit Lions would splatter USC too.
Sadly, I’m not so sure about that anymore…
Oh come on, Detroit wasn’t all that bad, they just had bad luck. They could build a lead, just couldn’t keep it. They were competitive in many of their games.
Ya Calvin Johnson would have 300 yard games.
And the QB-Hydramonster of Culpepper/Kitna/Orlovsky/Stanton would throw 4 picks a game…
Na, Kitna would have better protection against a USC defensive line other than a Vikings D line. I think Kitna would be money against a college team.
One of the issues with the Lions is that Kitna was playing – if he was, they may have won a game or two. Dan Orlofsky was not a legit NFL QB.
Yeah, I think that the Lions would beat USC. I don’t think they’d “splatter” USC.
If they played 10 times, I think you’d see maybe 2 Lions blowouts, 2 USC narrow victories, and 6 narrow Lions victories. USC is a real good college program full of future NFL talent, and the Lions are craptastic.
I agree that they are one of the best if not the best college football programs, but we’re talking about an NFL team. Their perfect record was an anomly, not the typical season for them. A win in the NFL is not easy, not to say the same about college football. If they were to play 10 games the Lions would have a perfect record. I’ll leave the rest to you to figure out.
USC would be down ten players by the end of the game. Men against boys. You could take an allstar college football team and the lions would beat them.
HUGE physical difference between 21 year olds and 27 year olds for example.
RF: Shelley Duncan – team mascot
He’s still a prospect?
…and
“The All-Prospect Team
Posted by: Mike A. in Open Thread
It’s an open thread and he didn’t tell us to “play nice”!
Dammit!!! Shelley’s ONE at bat over the limit.
I updated the post. Sadly, that weakens the offense significantly.
Dammit!!! Shelley’s ONE at bat over the limit. I updated the post. Sadly, that weakens the offense significantly.
I will now officially scratch “Dammit, I want to put Shelley Duncan on my team but I can’t, now my team is not as good” off my list of things I never thought I’d hear anyone ever say.
Yes, it does. His bat is pretty good, good enough to play for the Pirates and Nationals. Not saying a lot, I know, but how the Yankees have soured on him on just 100+ AB’s. Legit 5 hitter, on that team at least.
Hey, Mike changed it to “Minors, Rants”
The pitching staff is better then Baltimore’s.
Naaa, I’ll take Guthrie, Tillman, and Matusz over all that.
I think he meant currently.
Their depth chart on mlb.com says Guthrie-Hendrickson-Uehara-Waters-Albers. So it’s arguably better then their current big league staff.
Oops my bad. I think the O’s rotation is better. I would take this rotation over Texas’ though.
Guthrie isn’t a rookie anymore? Right? Or am I crazy?
No, but he was a great pick up for the O’s. DFA’d in ’07
Where the hell were you Cashman!!!!!
Cashman fail
“Where the hell were you Cashman!!!!!”
Signing the great Kei Igawa, Latroy Hawkins, Doug Mientkiewicz, traded crap in Jaret Wright for Chris Britton, and pulled off Proctor for Betemit. Heh, seems like it was the perfect storm.
Well Guthrie was probably claimed before Cashman could even make an attempt to claim him.
no.. but its better than the astros rotation
Who is Ramiro Pena’s MLB comparison?
John McDonald, Jason Bartlett, Ronny Cedeno?
From what I understand, if Pena’s bat comes together, his ceiling is probably a Bartlett. If his bat doesn’t come together, he’s career bench material, if that.
No, I wish he could be the next Bartlett, but he’s more of a utility guy on a playoff contending team, or a good defensive starter on a non-contending team, although not good with the bat.
Sorry, misread the question. Fail. Seriously though, a good comp is Pedro Feliz, although he has a little more offensive potential. .300 isn’t bad, but it is for an OBP.
Bartlett is probably a good comparison. As he has the defense to make up for a below average bat. McDonald is probably another good one. The question with Pena is will his bat ever be good enough to play in a ML lineup. He’s a good bet to be at least a Util INF, but while he has shown gradual improvement in the minors he needs to take some BIG steps before people start looking at him as a viable starting option.
A more familiar comparison could be Alberto Gonzalez who actually did pretty well after going to Washington.
Thanks for the h/t Mike. I’m finally on the board!
I like seeing that we had a lot of the same guys. This was my post over there:
C: Montero/Piliterre
1B: Miranda/Vazquez(1 would prob. DH if it were AL)
2B: Castro
SS: Ramiro Pena(Corona if he doesn’t stick in Seattle)
3B: Eric Duncan
Util: Kevin Russo
LF: Curtis
CF: AJax
RF: Edwar Gonzalez
4th: Gardner
Wow, that’s a lack of power
Rotation: Coke, Hacker, Aceves, Garcia, Mcallister, Brackman
I know that a rotation(hopefully) only has 5 guys, but with Garcia being oft-injured, and Brackman just back, I went for an extra starter.
Shutdown bullpen: Melancon, Robertson(his innings are under, but I’m not sure about days of service), Whelan, Texeira, De La Rosa, Alba(same as Robertson), Dunn
What do you think? I took 1 or 2 farther away guys with more upside, but think overall it’s pretty solid.
Rafi,
How do you put the only prospect even close to making the major league club on the bench with gardner? He is the only one in that whole lineup that has major league experience and probably the closest of any of those guys to be able to perform decently at the major league level. I guess if you wont even start gardner on the all prospect team, you would not start him on the yanks. Yet, come opening day, gardner will probably be manning centerfield in the new stadium as melky has close to 1500 at bats to prove his worth and gardner has 120.
Who are you talking about, Melky? Melky’s not a prospect, he’s over the cutoff.
Na, he meant Gardner.
“How do you put the only prospect even close to making the major league club on the bench with gardner?“
Am I reading the “with gardner” part wrong? Is he saying “with gardner” like saying “in gardner”
That’s what confused me. I read that like he was asking how you put a prospect in addition to gardner on the bench next to gardner, i.e. Melky. My bad.
Yes he is, he is saying “in gardner” when he says “with gardner” from how I read it.
As you can tell by looking at the lineup, it’s lacking power. While I’d love to put Brett into the lineup, I needed the extra power in both corner OF spots. I actually thought about doing what Mike did and put Brett in CF and AJax in RF, but decided against it. As it stands, the lineup would look like this:
1.Castro
2.AJax
3.Miranda
4.Vazquez
5.Duncan
6.Gonzalez
7.Curtis
8.Montero
9.Pena
If I put Gardner in there, he’d go in the 1 spot, and you’d move everyone from 6 or 7 down 1. Not enough power for me
Gardner should start no matter what.
So what do you guys think? (make sure you show some love and post your comments on Mike’s site as well)
Mike, you’re a cheap pimp like Philip Tattaglia.
I’d go with Brandon Laird at 3rd over Suttle. Laird’s got sick power and decent discipline.
If you wanted some offense you could have gone with marsuzak at short. He’s not exactly ozzie smith with the glove but he has a pretty good bat.
I put Coke back in the rotation there. You gotta at least give it a try before putting him in the pen. If he is in the pen though I think he has a shot at the closer role on that team.
I’d start Cervelli over PJ for sure. PJ is a little more experienced but Cervelli at least has a chance of being a serviceable starter whereas PJ would be lucky to ever make it as a backup in the majors. He would be the backup on this team if you ask me. Although I might even consider Anson over him.
Chase Wright even though he was DFA’d the other day still should get a spot on this team even if it is in the bullpen.
Justin Christian is another guy who should make the team. He could compete with Gonzalez for the RF job or at least be a 4th OF/pinch runner.
Humberto Sanchez should also definitely get consideration for the bullpen if he is healthy.
Also since this is just about putting the best product on the field do guys like Brackman, Betances, and Garcia get consideration for at least the bullpen? They’re not fully developed yet but their stuff is certainly good enough to play in a ML bullpen right now.
Justin Christian is on the Baltimore Orioles.
J-Chrizzle signed with the Orioles. He’s gone.
Heh, and I didn’t know this until I pulled up his Wikipedia page, but Christian, like Joba and myself, is a native of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Whoops, my bad. I forgot they picked him up.
That’s right it is your bad, Bill.
You’ve left me no choice, Bill. I have to cut your balls off. That’s the rules.
You’ve messed with Project Mayhem.
Bill, we are not doing this to you. You did this to yourself, this hurts us more than it will hurt you.
Great reference, I love that movie.
Bill, I agree. The best possible rotation if we consider every one in the minors starting next season would be Hughes, kennedy, Coke, Aceves and I guess Kontos. Now, that team is in bussiness. With the pen above, they could pitch some shutout games and not rely on the offense at all which would be terrible against even mediocre major league pitching. That rotation gives this team the best chance to win day in and day out.
Mike….I would take USC straight-up against the Lions team that finished the year. I think that would be an interesting game….a more talented, superior-coached and less experienced team looking to make history versus a lifeless, inferior-coached and more experienced team playing for pride. Given Detroit’s lifeless offense and USC’s stellar defense, I would predict a score of 24-3 USC.
No freaking way man. Nobody in college would even stand a chance trying to guard calvin johnson. He was untouchable at gtech and now after being in the nfl for 2 years he would catch every pass thrown to him. Defenses and offenses are about 10x more complex in the pros the college kids wouldnt stand a chance. You’re talking about a bunch of college kids, some 19 and 20 trying to compete against grown men in the nfl? Please it’s not even a contest. Plus how good of a coach is Pete Carroll anyway? It’s easy to look like a genius when you consistently get the best talent coming out of highschool. USC lost to freaking oregon state lets not forget.
You don’t think the lions would be pumped up to play a college team? Please dude.
Agreed pat. Det would own.
0-16…..Fired the GM…..Fired the entire coaching staff…..worst team….ever…..in the history of the NFL…..I need say no more.
Cal Johnson is good when he has someone to throw to him and a running game to prevent triple coverage. I’l give you Coach Marinelli, Dan Orlofsky and the rest of that crappy team and take USC. They would beat Detroit.
Chris Johnson-could run all over USC
Calvin Johnson-would torch USC for 300 yards
Jon Kitna-When healthy, could throw all over USC.
Detroit would win man.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/.....rId=161197
Peruse Calvin Johnson’s senior season at Georgia Tech. He was utterly nullified by the following COLLEGE teams:
Troy, Clemson, North Carolina, Georgia.
He’s a great receiver… but he’s not Melvin Croussett. He’ll explode for 300 yards in some games against the Trojans, but not all of them. Every NFL player, even great ones, can be contained or nullified by talented players in an effective scheme. USC has tons of talented players and they play effective schemes.
I stand by my statement: the worst NFL team probably wins 8 out of 10 against the best college team, with 2 blowouts, 6 close victories, and 2 narrow defeats.
I stand by my statement: the worst NFL team wins 10 out of 10 against the best college team, I just don’t see it happening Tom. Can I call you Tom?
Can I call you Tom?
As a black man… no.
Tommie isn’t even your real name, right?
No, it’s Eric.
Remember that there are plenty of players on USC who won’t ever play in the NFL. Just by that standard, the Lions are much better than USC. NFL players are not only more talented than the average USC player, they are also much bigger, and obviously, size is a YUUUUUGE part of football.
Detroit may have a terrible offensive line by pro standards but all those guys were once successful on the college level. That o-line would give a “lifeless offense” (that was 27th in the NFL in scoring) so much more time and room to operate, not only would the score be in Detroit’s favor, it would be by a large margin. You have to realize, just about everyone in the NFL that is starting were great in college (Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith, etc.) 31-13 Detroit wins easy.
As one that has followed the Lions from the 50s’, may I say; “They sucked, this year and the last several years.
Bad; Front office, bad general manager, questionable head coaches and bad drafting…this all ads up to——-bad teams.
As far as them beating USC…get real folks. It would be a disaster, 10 of 10 for the Lions.
As others have so eloquently stated; The best in collage, don’t even make it to the NFL, those that do, have growing pains the first (2nd sometimes) year.
One could (possibly) take second string pro players and beat USC in 10 of 10 games.
That would serve them (Lions) right, get beaten by a collage team.
Put Hughes and Kennedy in there and this team may actually be able to come close to the worst team in the MLB. Who knows how that offense would do however? Guys like Ajax and Montero who are probably the best two offensive prospects out of the bunch are both a year plus away from the majors and more. But taking Hughes, Kennedy and Aceves as the top three guys in the rotation all of whom will probably start the year in triple A gives us a very competitive rotation and most likely, a better pen than at least one team in the MLB. They would win some very low scoring games but would get crushed if they were down by any more than two runs with that very inexperienced offense.
Put Hughes and Kennedy in there and this team may actually be able to come close to the worst team in the MLB.
Wait, are you saying those 2 added would make the team worse? Haha
I think he was saying that if you added those 2 guys you might have something resembling a major league squad (i.e. they would be as good as the current worst ML squad).
That whole team combined over a full season against major league pitching may hit less homeruns than arod alone in 2009. How sad is that? The only way this team competes with the worst team in baseball is the bullpen would probably be better than more than one team in the majors but that offense would be incredibly bad – really just horrendous and would completely depend on gardner for the most part. Considering gardner may not even be good enough to make the yanks and he looked like he was ready to jump out of his skin against good major league pitching i would think that offense would just collapse.
Mike,
I meant come close to the worst team meaning that they may get as many wins as the worst team in 2009 but i changed my mind. The offense would just be shut down except against the worst major league pitching. A rotation of Hughes, kennedy, Aceves, Kontos and Macallister with the pen above could potentially pitch a few shutout or 1 runs games but any more than 2 runs and that team is dead in the water.
Use the “reply to this comment” link (bottom right corner of each comment-box).
Urge to kill… rising…
Whither Melvin Croussett? Andy in Sunny Daytona’s head just expolded.
It’s ok. 2009 is The Year of the Melvin.
Get your popcorn ready.
Get your
popcorngriddles ready.Fixed.
NO! asshole, I meant popcorn. So there is no “Fixing” anything.
Get it, got it, good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNO6On7cK1M
Game… Blouses.
I call overtime.
http://tinyurl.com/4hfkj5
That ball was all slicked up I tell ya!!!!!!
Oh yea and……..
Dan Marino
Seeing T.O. as a Cowboy cry on national television after a disappointing loss in the playoffs was one of the greatest moments in the history of sports to me.
Look at this ass:
http://tinyurl.com/c9s5hh
NOTE: I just find it funny, not trying to say it is worse than TO.
get your commerorative waffle house coffee mug ready
I think I’d put Chris Garcia in that bullpen over Wilkins De la Rosa. Also, I’d platoon Gonzalez and Curtis in right field.
Not me, I’m greedy, I want to give him one last shot to start. No reason to be harsh and move him to the ‘pen, he’s still young. If anything I’d put De La Rosa in the ‘pen, he can dial it up with a great fastball/slider that would make him perfect for the ‘pen. I’m not suggesting it just saying I would rather keep Garcia in the rotation.
Heh, you’re talking to the biggest Garcia fan on this blog. I’m not saying put him the pen because of him, but because I wouldn’t put him above those five that are currently in the rotation (the All-Prospect team, not the real team).
Oh, I see, I thought you were talking about AA or A+. In that case (the All-Prospect team) I agree.
What is with this whole melancon would be wasted in the closer’s spot bit? That is the third time i have read that and i still have no clue what it means. You do realize that closers can pitch in close games when the team is down or for two innings at a time when the team is up by a run. Especially with the amount of innings melancon pitched last year and considering how young he is. I know robertson has more MLB experience but melancon appears to have the better stuff and was consistently said to be the only pitcher in the yanks farm system that has the talent to take over Rivera’s duties.
And melancon has got to be one of the few pitchers in the history of the game that has dramatically improved with each step up from A to AAA all in the same season. Who has a far better whip in AAA than in A ball? By the time he gets to the majors his whip will hit 0.5 the way he is going.
This looks like a job for
***SARCASM ALERT***
See above. Best relief pitcher does not need to be the closer. Save means nothing. There’s the jist. You lose.
What is with this whole melancon would be wasted in the closer’s spot bit? That is the third time i have read that and i still have no clue what it means.
Have you tried examining the concept for yourself to judge its merit, followed by offering a response either of affirmation or reasoned disagreement?
Did you even read what was said, or did you just gloss over it and jump to the conclusion than anyone who says “Melancon shouldn’t be a closer” is an idiot and fill in the rest of your narrative with your preconceived notions?
That might work, too. I’m just saying.
Why don’t you do that, and then share your insights with us via usage of the ever-so-handy “Reply to this comment” hyperlink at the bottom of this very box of text you’re reading right now? It’s written in blue, directly underneath and to the right of the paragraph you’re reading this very moment.
Why do you think I asked the question? I was not sure and there was no reasoned argument below the comment as all it says is “dont want to waste him on the closer’s role.” That was similar to the other times I read a comment like that in which the writer did not explain their reasoning.
My logic that he should be the closer is simply based on how major league bullpens are put together. The team often takes the best reliever and puts them into the closer’s role. Obviously, not every single time like Todd Jones was far from the best reliever on the tigers but this is most often the case. Mo is certainly the best reliever on the yanks on a consistent basis as are almost every single other closer in the league – Papelbon, K-rod, Hoffman, etc. with a few minor exceptions – Borowski. I think if melancon is the best pitcher out of the relief corps which he is touted to be and he is already in triple A that he should close.
What is the argument against that? The only thing i assume is that he can pitch a ton of innings – close to 95 last year but my argument against that logic as i said above is that closers who have that kind of rubber arm can pitch 2 or even 3 innings at a time if need be or pitch in situations where other closers may not pitch. That still takes a closer up to 100 innings and greatly shortens the game. Rivera had that kind of ability at one point as he started so he could pitch a ton of innings for a closer. The yanks used that to their benefit allowing him to pitch close to 80 innings in the reg season followed by up to 20 or more innings in the playoffs. Melancon has the same ability to pitch 100 innings.
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-270815
It’s all spelled out for you right there. We’re not saying that Melancon shouldn’t be the closer not because he wouldn’t be the best reliever on the team, we’re saying Melancon shouldn’t be the closer because the closer role shouldn’t exist at all (or at least, not as presently constituted.)
That statement includes Mariano Rivera, btw. He’s been misused his entire career. All closers have.
Is that better?
(and thanks for using the Reply link, btw. Much appreciated.)
So who would pitch the ninth with one run lead – whoever is performing the best at the time. As a closer by committee approach? Rivera may have been misused but he certainly cut the game short at times when we needed it. Particularly, in the playoffs of the late 90s and 2000 but also during the season when we REALLY needed a win.
I feel like when a team does not have a decent closer, there is constant comebacks in the ninth, blown leads and traumatic losses after tense tight games especially in the playoffs. Closer may be an overrated spot but when you dont have a good one, the whole team suffers because after games like the ones above in which the team plays so hard for the win to blow it in the ninth really effects the whole team at times bringing on losing streaks and playoff collapses – look at rivera in 2004 blowing the game in the ninth of game four.
That turned around the momentum entirely resulting in the biggest comeback of all time. Now, that was one of only two times rivera blew a huge game. But teams with no or bad closers that make the playoffs could have that happen at any moment late in a game. Does not matter which team it is, a crushing blow like losing in the ninth of a short playoff series often turns around the entire series. I would only want to see a sturdy, reliable closer out there who gets the job done 99 out of 100 times in close, later playoff spots. Not whoever is performing the best out of the pen at the time.
You can’t save the game in the ninth if you lose the lead in the eighth. Bring your best reliever in for the high leverage situations, not just cause the scoreboard reads 9th inning and you’re up by three runs. Thats a waste of a guy like Mo’s skills.
Ok, makes sense. I am in agreement with that sentiment. But if the closer role should not exist, why make robertson closer? Your right though that the best reliever should be pitching at the most crucial times. Thats why i like that melancon pitched almost 100 innings last year. Plus, Mo will continue to close and melancon will likely take the setup role, which could eliminate the seventh, eighth and ninth innings of very tight games if done right as both rivera and melancon pitch more innings than most relief pitchers at least up to this point.
Personally, I don’t think Melancon will be getting those 11 pitch innings at the ML level. So 90 innings is out of reach in my mind.
Also, Mo isn’t the multi-inning pitcher he used to be. He had a career high 74 appearances in 2004 to the tune of 78.2 innings and has trended downwards the last few seasons to 70.2 innings this last year. And coming off surgery (albeit minor) I think they may be careful with the usage of Mo. They have a more than capable bullpen, no need to overwork Mo.
Team Mascot! LOL
I just looked up Melvin Croussett’s minor league stats….they look like the stats I put up when I create a player in MVP Baseball 2005. Absurd.
He is the future closer.
He is Mo Reincarnate.
Mosanna, Mosanna, Mosanna in the highest.
He is the future
closerpitcher for high-leverage situations.Careful, TSJC is pretty sensitive about this stuff.
TOMMIE SMASH!!!
Your new here, aren’t ya kid (sorry)? Melvin is no joke. He could very well become the greatest pitcher of all time. No pitching record in MLB history is safe.
Viva Asesino De Sueños!!
You’re.
Damn I’m stupid.
Hey, at least you admitted it.
I’m from the South.
Now, excuse while I get back to my date with my sister.
You will be the 4th or the 5th to go on a date with her today?
She belongs to only me and my Daddy.
Haha
ICWUDT, just nobody else did. You should’ve emphasized the I’m by either bolding it, italicizing it, or any other way to make it stand out as Mike Pop clearly couldn’t tell WUDT. It’s gona’ be alright Mike, it’s gona’ be alright.
I had heard of Melvin Croussett many times over the past few months that I’ve been on here, never looked him up until today. He is the Chuck Norris of Baseball
Chuck Norris is the Melvin Croussett of martial arts.
Melvin Croussett once ate a whole cake before his friends could tell him there was a stripper in it.
Melvin Croussett took steroids once. They made him weaker.
Now that was awesome.
Melvin Crousett can kill two stones with one bird.
Two S’s Jack! Two! You don’t spell it Jesus Chrit do you?Get it right next time!
I’m sorry Mr. Croussett.
Not a list of those most ready for the majors but a mix of the best prospects and best suitabke for a 25 person roster:
C – Austin Romine
1B – Juan Miranda
2B – David Adams
3B – Bradley Suttle
SS – Ramiro Pena
LF – Brett Gardner
CF – Austin Jackson
RF – Eduardo Sosa
DH – Jesus Montero
Bench
C – Frank Cervelli
Up-the-middle INF – Eduardo Nunez
Corner INF – Eric Duncan
OF – Colin Curtis
SP
Andrew Brackman
Dellin Betances
Zach McAllister
Alfredo Aceves
Phil Coke
Closer
Mark Melancon
RP
David Robertson
Humberto Sanchez
Anthony Claggett
JB Cox
Mike Dunn
Wilkins DeLaRosa
Looks like the original post served the purpose of getting people talking haha…thanks, as always, to RAB for the love.
No Mike, thank you. From one Mike to another, thank you for providing us with this topic to have a discussion.
Get a room!
Heh
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3855674
Check out this pretty funny video of ESPN the Magazine’s Rick Reilly comparing the Yanks N’ Cowboys in terms of their underachievement…
I love how he tries to compare the signings of CC, AJ, and Tex to the likes of Kevin Brown etc., who was past his prime… What? Forget the fact that CC is 27-28 and Tex is 27-28, and AJ is 31-32, but i’m sure had the Brewers retained CC and the Red Sox signed Tex, he wouldn’t B whining about their age!
Oh, and then he says, “the best teams are the ones that are built from within.” Huh? First of all, the signings of CC, AJ, & Tex R a direct result of the Yanks’ new-found emphasis on player developememt! They didn’t trade Hughes, Kennedy etc. for Santana because they wanna “build from within” and they waited for a situation where they would only have to pay money and not give up prospects. Heck, they even missed the playoffs as a direct result of going with the kids, a typical “re-building” situation…
But no, if they don’t trade kids for Santana, they’re crazy. If they don’t sign CC, they’re stingy. And if they do sign CC, they’re – WAAAAAAAAHHH – outspending everybody else and its seen as “abandoning thier player developement.” How is combining established top-of-the-line veterans with great young talent considered “not building from within?” It’s the best proven strategy for winning. The Red Sox top 4 players are not homegrown. Beckett, Papi, Manny, and Dice-K were all signings or trades. But when the Yankees lose, it’s because “they don’t build from within.”
Even the Yanks dynasty had top players like Wetteland, Cone, Wells, Clemens, O’Neil, etc. who weren’t homegrown. Why? Because they were COMBINED with players like Bernie, Mo, Derek, Posada etc. That’s the best strategy. Just like the Sox combine those guys with Pimplebutt, Lester, etc. And that’s exactly what the Yanks are trying to do, to combine these free agents with Joba, Hughes, A-Jax and Malancon.
But of course, whatever the Yankees do, the hatin’ media will point out the bad things. Whatever the Yanks do is wrong. But U don’t hear them do all the whining when the Sox do it. Why? because it worked for the Sox. So just because it hasn’t worked for the Yanks, it’s “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH – oustspending, bad for the game, abandoning player developement, etc.”
Ugh, story of my life.
I wouldn’t call it underachieving, more like not achieving!
http://www.instantrimshot.com/
It’s ESPN. ’nuff said.
You got to say it. Our system is pretty devoid of impact players. Sad to see.
You got to say it. The upper levels of Our system
isare pretty devoid of impact players. Sad to see.”hey mikey d. (LSU)
its your mother. GET OFF the yankee blogs and study!
love you
=]
No Chris Malec love? He probably would be a better 3b than Suttle, put up better numbers & at AA
Excellent choices..Yanks look to be in better shape than a few years ago!!!!!!!!!
Brandon Laird sounds like he’ll hit anywhere. He might just be a big time professional hitter with 25 HR power in a few years.
I view him as very under rated.
Too bad he doesn’t have a position but if he has good hands and a good arm as he supposedly does, he can play somewhere and DH too.
Mike dunn would probably be closer to being a lefty out of the pen for a major league team than De la Rosa.
[...] a team of all Yankee prospects. What if something horrible happened to the team? I’m not the first blogger to try this, but I think that I can offer a unique take on [...]