Montero fails to homer in fifth straight game, is immediately released for shaming the organization
ByThere are still some tickets left for this year’s Double-A Eastern League All-Star Game in Trenton, if you’re interested.
Triple-A Scranton (6-1 win over Partucket)
Kevin Russo, Ramiro Pena, Shelley Duncan, Colin Curtis: Yurendell DeCaster & Eric Duncan: all 1 for 4 – Russo drew a walk & K’ed … Pena walked, scored a run & K’ed twice … Shelley walked, scored a run, drove in one & K’ed … Curtis broke the game open with a grand salami in the 8th … E-Dunc doubled & scored a run
Austin Jackson: 0 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Juan Miranda: 0 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Jose Molina: 1 for 2, 1 2B, 1 BB – caught six innings
Josh Towers: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HB, 7-10 GB/FB – 61 of 86 pitches were strikes (74.4%) … his ERA’s high, but he’s certainly been better than I expected
Anthony Claggett: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 3-2 GB/FB – 17 of 29 pitches were strikes (58.6%) … hadn’t pitched in the last six days
Double-A Trenton (10-1 win over Erie)
Austin Krum: 1 for 5, 1 RBI, 1 K – threw a runner out at second from CF
Reegie Corona: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Eduardo Nunez: 1 for 5, 1 R – quietly hitting .308
Jorge Vazquez: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K – BOMBS … fourth homer in his last 10 games … second straight day with a two-bagger and a jack
Jesus Montero: 3 for 4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB – 11 for his last 19 (.579) with a double and five homers
Chris Malec: 2 for 3, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Edwar Gonzalez & Kyle Anson: both 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 K – Edwar doubled & drove a run in … Anson allowed a passed ball, homered & drove in five
Justin Snyder: 1 for 3, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Wilkins DeLaRosa: 4 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3-3 GB/FB – just off the DL
Jason Stephens: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 2-0 GB/FB
Kanekoa Texeira: 2 IP, zeroes, 4 K, 1-2 GB/FB
Josh Schmidt: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2-0 GB/FB
High-A Tampa (1-0 win over Lakeland)
Dan Brewer, David Adams & Seth Fortenberry: all 0 for 3 – Brewer drew a walk … Fortenberry K’ed
Matt Cusick: 0 for 4
Brandon Laird: 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K - bumps his SLG over .360
Damon Sublett, Jose Gil & Kevin Smith: all 1 for 3 – Sublett drew a walk … Gil doubled
Mitch Hilligoss: 0 for 2, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
Lance Pendleton: 6.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 2-8 GB/FB
Pat Venditte: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0-1 GB/FB – good to see him working multiple innings rather than wasting away in the closer’s spot
Jon Hovis: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1-1 GB/FB
Low-A Charleston (4-0 win over Greenville)
Jose Pirela, Ray Kruml & Abe Almonte: all 0 for 4 – Kruml K’ed … Almonte scored a run
Melky Mesa: 1 for 4, 1 K – doubled a runner off first from RF
Corban Joseph & Tommy Baldridge: both 0 for 3, 1 BB – Baldridge drove a run in
Taylor Grote: 1 for 2, 2 R, 2 BB
Garrison Lassiter: 4 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI – career game for the young guy
Chase Weems: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 PB – first jack of the year
David Phelps: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 5-4 GB/FB
Charles Nolte: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 4-2 GB/FB - raised his K/9 to 4.60
Short Season Staten Island (4-2 loss to Lowell)
Jimmy Paredes & Zoilo Almonte: both 1 for 4, 1 RBI – Paredes swiped a bag, K’ed & committed a fielding error … Almonte hit a solo jack & K’ed twice
Kyle Higashioka & Neil Medchill: both 0 for 4, 1 K
Rob Lyerly, Kelvin Castro & Francisco Santana: all 0 for 3 – Lyerly & Castro each K’ed twice, Santana once … Castro committed a pair of fielding errors
DeAngelo Mack: 0 for 2, 1 BB, 1 SB
Luke Murton: 1 for 3, 1 R, 2 K
Trenton Lare: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 1-5 GB/FB
Mike Solbach: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, 3-1 GB/FB
Griffin Bailey: 2 IP, zeroes, 3-2 GB/FB
Rookie GCL Yanks (5-2 win over GCL Braves)
Ramon Flores & Jose Mojica: both 1 for 4 – Mojica doubled in a run
Jose Toussen & Kelvin DeLeon: both 0 for 4 – Toussen scored a run & swiped a bag … DeLeon K’ed twice
Kevin Mahoney: 1 for 3, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Eduardo Sosa: 2 for 3, 2 R, 1 3B, 2 RBI
Justin Milo: 1 for 2, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Nik Turley: 5 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 Balk, 4-3 GB/FB – picked runners off first & second
Dan Miller: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 3-0 GB/FB
Danny Gil: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Gabriel Tatis: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1-2 GB/FB
JESUS MONTERO!!!!
HIP! HIP!…. JESUS!
Scranton won 6-1.
Mike – Any thoughts on Turley’s upside? Also, Phelps and Pendleton are really having solid seasons. It will be interesting to track these guys.
Turley has considerable upside, especially if he fills out that long lanky frame.
Turley=Andrew Miller
6ft7 lefty. any idea what kind of stuff he has?
When he was drafted 90-92 mph fastball with good sink. Decent CB. Turley has so much room for projection though.
He’s the grandson of ‘Bullet Bob’ Turley. Good to keep the Yankee pedigree going.
Big B- Turley is 6′6″ 195 and throws about 98-92. Kid could fill out and be A MONSTER. He’s also shown signs of being very coachable and picked up a good feel for a changeup and curveball. I’ve been on this kids jock since he was drafted I think he could be something special. But thats all just IMHO.
Shit 89-92 not 98-92, that would be pretty insane.
Do you think Turley is the best lefty starter in the farm? Considering WLDR is starting but likely to end up in the ‘pen (i.e., Coke) and Bleich is up-and-down and already polished… is Turley the most projectable lefty?
Turley is the most projectable, but Bleich is the bext LHP in the Yanks’ system right now.
Most projectable.. definitely. However you have to rank Banuelos and Bleich ahead of him in terms of prospect standing simply because the have both performed at a higher level than he.
Thanks – it seems like he’ll be fun to follow…
tops out at 98 and can still fill out?? ¿the f*ck?
As someone else said last thread, Montero is now OPSing over 1.
This is un-frickin’-real
.352-.411-.583 on the year.
so he’s only OPSing .994!!!! BUST!
A-Rodian
Wow. Banner night for the farm system. So many good performances.
Is it possible that Jesus IS a God?? Or at least a deity… some kind of supernatural being?
He’s the 2nd Coming for sure.
“Is it possible that Jesus IS a God?? Or at least a deity… some kind of supernatural being?”
Let’s just say he winters on Mt Olympus.
It seems as if Laird has hit well over the past week or so after starting so slowly.
Oh, I think you mean Luke Murton, not Mike.
Sheesh, I didn’t even call him Matt. At least that would be understandable.
Whats up with Kanekoa Texeira’s 5.7 K9 (8.4K9 career) this season?
And will he be left off 40 man roster and be eligible for rule 5 draft?
I wouldn’t be surprised if he was left off…40 man spots will be precious this offseason!
Seriously! Ivan Nova played his way back on the 40 man so far.
Yeah, he’ll get left off. Too many other guys to protect. Jackson, Nova, maybe Whelan.
What happens to Vazquez? You think he stays in Trenton or gets bumped up to Scranton? Is Vazquez a 40 man roster addition next year?
Stays in Trenton, Scranton’s already met their quota of 1B/LF/DH types. No need to add him to the 40 man, he’s no R5 eligible for another two years.
yeah!
Let’s not waste AAA roster spots on prospects when we can provide employment for a busload of retreads.
People have to stop calling for the promotion of players just because they are playing well. This is the Yankees dammit and we don’t promote until you have paid your dues!
whatever the heck they are…
Looking at current 40 man roster:
9 names immediately come off @ season’s end: Cash, Molina, Hinske, Ransom, Nady, Damon, Matsui, Tomko, Pettitte,
You can add an additional 2 (Bruney and Cabrera)if needed.
Based on this many openings… who do we need to concern ourselves about rule 5 – we can add 9 players (jackson, nova, …)?
A lot of strikeouts for the starters today.
This is good news for the farm system. Am I wrong to feel like the farm had a down year last year? I just feel this year has so much good news (besides Betances/Brackman duo) compared to last year.
Oh yeah, it was definitely down last year. The only real bright spots were Montero, McAllister and Melancon. Everyone else was just kind of there.
FYI – McAllister is going to be the first Yankee to throw a no-hitter in the new stadium. 2012?
Ivan Nova. You’re on.
What year?
We’ll go 2012. All’s fair.
Pfft, those all are wussy predictions.
Nova, McAllister, Betances, Brackman, Burnett, Joba, CC (only if he doesn’t opt out), Hughes, Wang (only if we somehow keep him), Bleich, AND…Chapman ALL throw no-no’s in 2012 (somehow they all pitch).
oh and I forgot Vizcaino, Heredia, and De La Rosa.
and Banuelos.
Take off Chapman if he’s really 26.
My dreams are wild.
Yeah, but who’ll be the FIRST?!?!?!?!
can’t choose, too many prospects
I can’t believe you left off Crousett, who will pitch ONLY no-hitters. He will walk one batter a game so as not to cheapen the perfect game.
Betances ended his Charleston season blazing hot. He deserved his Tampa promotion. This season he’s disappointed. No progression. Why?
No idea. Sometimes it just doesn’t carry over.
Because development doesn’t happen in a straight line.
Especially if development means good stats!
NYTimes reporting that Chapman is 26, not 21.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07.....amp;st=cse
“The Yankees, who have been at the forefront of signing international pitchers, will have discussions about whether they should pursue the left-handed Chapman. He fires a fastball that exceeds 100 miles per hour and is widely considered the premier pitching prospect in Cuba. His age was reported Thursday as 21, but reports in March at the World Baseball Classic said he was 26.”
Interesting.
With an arm like that, who cares.
He’ll be cheaper. Maybe only marginally, but cheaper is still cheaper.
Agree with both of you, but the lack of command is more troublesome at 26 than 21. Makes you think he’s much less likely to ever develop the secondary stuff if he hasn’t by now, and (if you watched the video) he clearly hasn’t.
I was thinking he was a young kid who needed some serious mechanical work in instructs. His fastball fluctuates from 90-100 MPH on successive pitches, so he seems to not have a very repeatable delivery. His slider is all over the place.
Still want him, but the price just went way down.
I wonder if Cashman takes the plunge and risks several million dollars ($50 mm +) on this guy after Contreras / Igawa (high-profile int’l signings) have failed… Not saying I hope the Yanks take a pass, bug just curious.
That’s thinking like a fan, not a GM.
Yeah. Aren’t huge signings in this period like 2-3 million? 50 million is absolutely ridiculous.
Well 21 is still mad projectable, 26 is close to a more finished product. Whatever sign him put him in the EiGhtH
It’s the same as the dumb people who say “well Beyonce is really 30.” Who gives a shit?
OMG!! BEYONCE IS 30!!!!!
I DONT FUCKING BELIEVE IT!!!!!
SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME HE’S LYING!! PLEASE!!!!
+26
Totally disagree. If he is 26 he is probably a lefty reliever or back end starter. If he is 21, he has ace upside
I disagree. If he is twenty one you have to use him in the 8th inning to get the best out of him.
Those 5 years just shaved off $25 million from his price tag. Too bad. Still think he’d be a great piece and he’d push for a rotation spot soon. However, Cash probably holds onto the purse strings tighter.
Bingo.
Still has huge upside, but he’s not the Second Coming anymore.
he could be 35, i’d sign this guy up in a heartbeat as long as there is movement on that fastball
He could also be a lefthanded Manny DelCarmen if he doesn’t refine his delivery and secondary stuff. One 100 MPH pitch with so-so control makes you a back of the bullpen guy, not an ace.
True that.
true, but man delcarmen is a nasty bullpen guy
he could probably close for a national league team
/gammons’d
But he’ll never make 25 mil
good to see Wilkin back
Montero is a beast.
I’m really hoping that Turley turns into a beast.
esp for the reason that he was almost < irrelevant
There’s a fucking shitload of interesting arms in the Tampa, Charleston, and lower affiliates:
- Betances, Brackman, Bleich, Mitchell
- Banuelos, Marshall, Heredia, Turley and Vizcaino
… These guys are gonna compose our top 5-15 right?
brackman and betances if they dont turn it around should fall down the list, Marshall is ready to be that high yet, probably neither is turley since he is still GCL….I would move phelps in that list somewhere.
So what does Montero have to do to enter Matt Wieters territory of prospectness? He is 3 years younger after all.
Become an uber defender and that aint happenin
Is Wieters an uber defender?
idk. if he hits at AAA like he is right now in trenton and is just a solid defender he could be there cause there is nothing tremendous about wieters AAA numbers, so if montero profiles as better bat with less D he could be there.
At AA:
.365/.460/.625/1.085
Wieters
.325/.395/.571/.967
Montero, not including today’s game (his avg is now .342 and his OPS .994)
As far as hitters go, they’re not too terribly far off. Wieters is a better defender.
weiters AAA was much more human, but still excellent.
305/.387/.504/.891
Montero AA including today
.346/.418/.580/.998
so if he even goes to AAA and hits that way less D could still put him in the same chatter.
Number of at bats needs to factor into these discussions
Become a Red Sox.
+42
IETC.
I hear a lot chatter about Montero’s D. does anyone have an mlb catcher comparative just on D?
Piazza?
I’ve heard Piazza.
I could live with that no problem. he was lousy throwing runners out though he had some shitty pitcher help too, but he called a decent enough game.
Bob Uecker?
how about victor martinez
Kevin Goldstein had Montero topping his prospect watch list today:
Jesus Montero, C, Yankees (Double-A Trenton)
Thursday’s stats: 2-for-5, HR (5), R, 2 RBI, K
Basically, if you go deep in a fourth straight game, you make the Minor League Update, and continue to do so until the streak ends. If you need someone else to keep track, the 19-year-old Venezuelan product is now 8-for-14 in those four games with 24 total bases, upping his season averages to .325/.395/.571. For a teenager in Double-A, that is entering nutsy koo-koo territory.
That last line is great – nutsy koo-koo territory
http://www.baseballprospectus......gueupdate/
isnt that where axisa lives?
Hell, that’s where I live.
So in the last three years, the Yankees have had two top-of-the-lists starting pitching prospects come through their system. Now they have a top-of-the-lists teenage bat raking through AA, position be damned.
Yeah, Cashman can’t put together a farm system.
i commented yesterday the new project prospect list has us w 3 top 48 prospects. Montero at 11, Z-Mac 34, A-Jax 48.
And all of them should move up 4 because it still counts Wieters (1), Holland (2), Hanson (4), and Martinez (10) because they havent qualified out yet.
Also on the list that is already in the Majors Gamel (13), LaPorta (15), Beckham (21), McCutchen (23), Mazzaro (24) and a few others who may or may not qualify out the rest of the year. So for me that makes Montero top 7, Z-Mac 25, A-Jax 39.
This year and next year were really going to be the make or break year for Cashman/ Oppenheimer’s minor league plan.
They took over in 2005. They’ve had 4-5 years of control and have just completed their 4th draft. That’s enough time to start expecting results.
And this year really feels like a tipping point. Hughes, Joba, Montero are clear. But the lesser guys – Gardner, Cervelli, Pena, Melky, Robertson, Coke, Aceves etc. – tangibly contributing to the big league club is impressive in an entirely different way.
And now their sending Sanchez right to GCL ball. They must think his bat is phenomenal to do that. Maybe not Montero but they must think it’s special.
15 of the 25 players on the 25 man were developed through the minor league system. If you want to discount Jeter, Mo and Posada that’s still 12 of 25. The Sox have 8 of their 25 through developed via the minors and the rays have 6 or 25.
and that number would be higher if Melancon was up instead of Tomko as he should be, Pena was still there before the Hinske deal and will add Jackson for at least one of the of’s next year. So you are talking more like 18 by start of next year with A-Rod, Tex, CC, Burnett, Swish being the exceptions with unknowns on who replaces Nady and Damon or if they come back.
I’m wondering if they are trying to “lower” the level of the GCL team a little by making it a latin DSL like team.
Not only is Sanchez starting there but we seem to have a big group of thos DSL level guys there a little bit earlier than one might usually expect.
I suspect we might be trying to get these guys over to the states earlier for their training to help them adjust to this country.
Keeping a bunch of them together on a young team might help a lot in their development.
Having a successful minor league system shouldn’t be judged just by the star players. Like you say, talking about the “average” level players. If you can churn out serviceable major leaguers who stay healthy and produce at average levels, that’s huge, too.
Obviously, you need the stars. But one thing about teams like Minnesota and Oakland is that they seem to come up with lots of ‘decent’ guys, so that they remain competitive with just 2-3 very good position players and 2-3 very good pitchers.
Even if all these minor leaguers we’re hearing about don’t become stars (Montero will, but maybe not all of these pitchers, or Romine, etc.), if even a few of them are ML average players, it’s still great.
‘Sall good.
Vendette showing why he should’ve been in Tampa a month ago
Pat Venditte will get people out in the major leagues in September of 2010.
just read an interview b/w lane and talerico the juco from NJ we drafted in the 21st round. tell you one thing, he certainly doesnt lack for confidence, and it seems like he will sign.
http://www.nomaas.org/draft/?p=237
Haha I know right. Pretty ballsy to bring up yourself and The Mick in the same sentence. I like that thought.
*though.
i laughed at the beginning when he said he was the same size but by then i wasnt really laughing when he said the next mick and the next joey d.
Put me on the mound, put me behind the plate, I’ll do whatever it takes to win and get the best I can out of that position. I plan on working myself to be the best I can be, I plan on being the best that ever was to be completely honest with you, and I don’t mind if you write that.
Kid just wants to play baseball
I am starting to think we should move Montero to an OF corner. He has the arm for right and thats far easier to play in Yankee Stadium. That bat shouldn’t wait for the glove to catch up…especially when it probably never will.
don’t let people around here hear you say that
Start the transition now, so he’s comfortable by this time next year.
No reason to rush him at all. Let him continue to dominate at the plate and grow as a catcher.
Rushing is when you push a guy more quickly than he can handle. Player performance, not age, should determine a player’s advancement. He appears to be one of the rare birds who may be ready at 20.
The bat plays anywhere. In fact I don’t really care anymore if he knows which hand the glove goes on. Posada has 2 more years on his contract and Cervelli can be his caddy through ‘11. By ‘12 Cervelli might show he can be the everyday catcher (somewhat unlikely), Romine might be ready to take over the job (fairly likely), or they can look outside the org for some help. There’s no reason to force a square peg through a round hole, especially when there are a couple square holes to fill and round pegs laying around.
I would not hesitate to bet that Montero with Piazza defense at C > Cervelli at C in 2012, all things considered. Have to imagine that Montero’s bat would more than make up the difference with Cervelli’s defense.
It also doesn’t take that long to learn a new position (relatively speaking, I mean). Montero could catch this year and all of next, and I’d still wager he’d be a serviceable (not great, but serviceable) corner outfielder by the end of the following year if Montero does indeed prove he cannot catch at all.
…but you know what, even if Montero only gets one or two seasons of catching in the majors (if that), and then has to move to another position, that is still a surplus of value the Yankees collect in those two years, and probably well worth the transitioning pains if and when they come. Sort of like Victor Martinez in Cleveland, or what the Twins (or the team after the Twins) might need to face with Mauer a few years down the line if his back issues ever flare up again.
The problem with your argument is that there are 2.5 seasons between now and 2012. The Yanks do not have a single big time bat in the OF signed to play next season. Damon, Matsui, and Nady will all probably be gone. Swisher is a nice league average corner OF. Between Melky, Gardner, and A-Jax the Yanks should be about league average in CF. So next year one OF corner is open. The next year the other can open. Yanks don’t really have in house candidates for either corner. Meanwhile the Yanks have Posada for 2.5 years and Cervelli should at least be a nice backup, so catcher is covered until 2012. And the Yanks have a couple other prospects in house who could be ready by then (or a year later). When the bat is ready, and that could be next year, I don’t wanna waste another minute praying for the glove to come around.
if he can play a up-the-middle premium position…even for a few years before switching… then exploit that.
you don’t need homegrown at every position, and there’s always a glut of corner OF’s available.
and although we have Posada for the next 2.5 years, after our “Outfield” “loses” Matsui…who is the prime candidate to be our semi-regular DH?
Why?
How much better will he get before losing interest and develoing bad habits?
I hate!!! the idea of holding players back when they have mastered a level.
You need to stop thinking.
Alright buster, but
a) nobody outside the org thinks he’s really gonna stick at catcher anyway and
b) Montero has recently launched himself from a top 30 prospect to perhaps THE BEST pure hitting prospect in the minors. As such, a positional move down the defensive spectrum does little to affect his overall value.
It’s a losing battle on this site, Tremont. Oh, by the way, I agree with you. If only because there’s not one non-Yankee voice who thinks he’ll be able to stay behind the plate. If there was any way, any way at all, I thought he could catch in the bigs, I’d be at the front of the line of people screaming that we should keep him there.
what???
You started off OK but stating that a great hitter is “about” the same at SS, C or DH is just…well…weak?
This is the kinder gentler emac2
Realistically there isn’t a whole lot of lost opportunity at this point, he’s not ready for the majors, and its generally the easiest to move from catcher, to any other position (assuming the athleticism is there).
If his bat can play at catcher, thats redic, think about how much the Yankees have benefited from the premium production of Posada over the past 10 years, now we’d be talking about potentially even more premium of a bat, that’s insane.
Worse case they can always move him, but once they do move him, he’ll never go back, so for now just lets see if he can play catcher. There isn’t a rush.
These days AA is where prospects face their biggest challenge. AAA is a 30+ beer league for most teams to stash their back-ups.
Sometimes guys just hit. Montero has a crazy command of the strike zone for a 19 year old and he is facing legitimate pitchers in AA. IMHO, they could put Montero in the ML lineup right now in the 7/8th spot and he’ll put up an .800+ OPS.
I guess I’m of two minds as much as I’d love to have Montero as a catcher, I’d like him in the ML as soon as he’s ready and not wasting two years trying to play a position that he won’t stick at.
The only problem with moving Montero to a corner OF spot is that he makes me look like Brett Gardner. Watch a clip of him running the bases. Serious lead foot. There is just no way he can cover enough ground to play the OF. He can be a catcher, 1B (blocked) or DH. Es todo.
Regarding Montero…..you might keep in mind the fact that Yogi Berra, who turned out to be a reasonably decent defensive catcher, didn’t really develop his D skills until he was in the majors for 3 years……came up in 46 and was quite poor…..but his bat warrented working with him, so they attached Bill Dickey to him until he “got some learnin’”, and became MVP in 49……with a bat like that, you can give Montero plenty of time…..
True. If it’s me, though, and he looks like an ultra high level hitter, like a Pujols/Manny/ARod type, I’d be hoping to make him something other than a catcher. Hitting catchers are great, but the position trashes guys bodies and shortens careers. Yogi was a freak, he was so durable for so long. I say corner OF for him. Maybe he can start his career catching, but I want him at 3b or LF before he’s 26 years old, if he pans out as an MLB masher. There’s a reason there are no catchers with 500 HR, and only 1 with over 400.
Number of major leaguers with 300+ career HR: 122
Number of major league catchers with 300+ HR: 6
Number of major league catchers with 400+ HR: 1
Number of major league catchers with 500+ HR: 0
Montero: 3b or corner OF, ASAP.
doesn’t have the quickness for 3B. but i’m all for moving him to LF, which will be a need position for us very shortly.
Not having looked I am assuming that LF in the NYS is as big as the old one in which case you do not want to more Montero to left field.
good point, but usually you have a more athletic player in RF. and one with a strong arm (so he can make the throw to 3B) which maybe montero has, being a catcher.
So you’re telling me he can be the first 500+ HR catcher.
So what you’re telling me is that the Yankees should never move any player to catcher, ever, because they’ll never be any good there. They shouldn’t even have a catcher. Just throw to a bat boy, at least they’re not wasting anyone’s potential that way.
God, people are dumb.
It’s like the B-Jobber argument isn’t enough. The new dumb idiot argument is now ‘move Montero or he will never be a good player!’
I really think we need an RAB term for the ‘dumb argument du jour’.
Dramatic much?
Gifted offensive players don’t stick at C because their bat is too special to an everyday C which abuses their body and the position is difficult to play at the ML level.
Maybe with your massive intellect you could address the actual comment and not one you invented.
Mike Piazza was a very, very gifted offensive player. You think he’d be anywhere near as special if he had played 1B? Piazza’s career OPS is .922. Carlos Delgado’s career OPS is .929. So instead of a Mike Piazza, you could have Carlos Delgado. Think Delgado is going to the Hall of Fame on a first ballot like Piazza is? That’s pretty much your argument. Montero is so much more valuable at catcher than at any other position. It’s the same as saying Joba should relieve, because you’re wasting his stuff in a starter role. In other words, retarded.
Moving Montero from catcher automatically lowers his value, and for no reason.
It’s another dumb argument from the crowd who thinks they’re on the cutting edge by disagreeing with common sense.
the reason is that it’s highly unlikely he’ll be a viable major league catcher. and the sooner we realize that and switch him to a corner OF position, the sooner we get his bat to the bronx. and we all know it’s his bat that makes him a special player anyway.
It is safe to assume, then, that you would have moved Piazza to 1B.
Good job.
when piazza was in the minors, what were they saying about him? if they were saying he more than likely wouldn’t be able to remain behind the plate, than yup.
find me some quotes
What do you think? His defense was otherworldly awful throughout his career.
The quotes aren’t whether or not Montero will remain HEALTHY behind the plate, its whether his defense is major-league caliber.
he said montero will never be a good player, where exactly
Piazza would have hit better and lasted longer if he hadn’t played catcher.
You have to at least admit there is a logic to playing an elite bat in a position that allows him to play more and last longer. In the case of Montero you also have to look at the average at best defense you are going to get as well.
Not to mention the fact that we are pretty stocked in catching prospects.
I wouldn’t have a problem with him as the September DH if he keep hitting 300-400-500 and let the production decide the post season and 2010 level.
Montero is hitting well enough to