ST Game Thread: Some pitchers cut as Mo debuts

March 13, 2011 by Benjamin Kabak 102 Comments

Freddy Garcia — This is the face of determination. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Happy first day of cuts! As the U.S. lost an hour last night, the Yankees lost six players from the Big League camp as well. Per the team’s press release, Hector Noesi has been optioned back to AAA while Adam Warren, David Phelps, Brian Anderson, Buddy Carlyle and Andy Sisco were reassigned to the Minor League camp. Some of those guys will stick around while others may leave the organization before the end of Spring Training.

With that slate of six sent down, the Yankees say they now have 26 pitchers, eight catchers, 13 infielders and 11 outfielders remaining in camp. Of the pitchers still around, those intriguing ones include birthday boy Manny Banuelos, Andrew Brackman, Dellin Betances and the feel-good story of the spring Mark Prior. Soon, however, the club will send down their heralded arms. As the Major League hurlers throw more innings, it’s harder to find the frames for the young kids in Grapefruit League game action. Many of them will be back.

So as camp thins out, the Yanks are set to take on the Minnesota Twins today in Tampa. Freddy Garcia, making his third appearance today, will continue his bid for a spot in the rotation. In five innings so far, he’s allowed just two hits while striking out three. Following him at some point will be Mariano Rivera, who is making his spring bid while competing for a spot in the Yanks’ bullpen. Joba and Rafael Soriano may get the ball today as well.

The lineup looks pretty good this afternoon.

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Andruw Jones LF
Russell Martin C

Freddy Garcia P

First pitch is at 1:05 p.m., and this one’s on YES where Bob Lorenz and Kenny Singleton will have the game.

Mike HC

Great sports day today. Catch a couple of Yankee innings, Duke vs. North Carolina, and then the Knicks.
CS Yankee

I feel that Mo not only has a spot on this years club; he will be the closer.

/goingoutonalimb’d
- http://twitter.com/#!/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ
  
  Or better yet, t3h eighth.
- MannyGee
  
  Mo’s stuff obviously plays better out of long relief… see: 2003 ALCS Game 7… Large Sample sizes are for d-bags
The Three Amigos

I enjoy the broadcasts so much more when Lorenz does the broadcasts rather then Kay. Last year in Seattle when it was Singleton and Lorenz it was much better to watch.
- Mike HC
  
  Agreed. I like Lorenz too. He may seem better than he is though because he only comes in small spurts and gives us a small reprieve from Kay.
  - http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
    
    The Eric Hinske of broadcasting?
  - The Three Amigos
    
    Im just sick of Kay telling the same stories over and over again. While he is no John Sterling, who doesn’t even know half the players called up, his refusal to buy into any stats besides wins and era, make him insufferable sometimes.
    - Mike HC
      
      I used to get on Kay a bit more, but I’ve come to accept his style. He does get annoying at times, but he sometimes evokes some entertaining conversations with his color guys.
  - vin
    
    So you’re saying there’s a small sample size with Lorenz?
    - Mike HC
      
      hahah … definitely
CS Yankee

Oh, that lineup is looking awfully close to our opening day lineup (less Grit’).

Change the 8 & 9 and place Gardner in LF…Yankees win!
NC Saint

When did Bob Lorenz start calling games?
- Cuso
  
  several times a year when Kay doesn’t make the trip. He did in Toronto last year, Texas the year before. other times also, I’m sure
Cuso

concession guy is back

beer-neerrrr-beerrrrrr-yep!!
miketotheg

I can’t stand that concession guy!! it drives me bonkers!! i can’t even listen to the broadcast!!! I swear I would put down a twenty for someone to knock that guy the F$%k out!!!
- Cuso
  
  i know. drives me nuts. watched 3 games this year, heard his dumbass throughout all 3 telecasts.
  - Mike HC
    
    I don’t really mind him. Gives the added atmosphere of being at the game and baseball season starting up again. I do see how it could get annoying though.
- Cuso
  
  and he’s getting louder
  - MannyGee
    
    he only sounds louder b/c there are 6 less people in the dugout between him and the mics
Mike HC

Garcia just threw 92 mph and is consistently high 80’s. His stuff looks damn good. As long as he stays healthy, he looks like an excellent signing by Cash.
Mike HC

ARod’s arm seems to be in mid season form. That was a laser.
RichYF

Is it just me or does Jeter look like a statue out there? Those balls were hit relatively hard, but he basically did a Daria out there with the effort. It’s not going to be a fun year for him.
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  It’s also ST.
- MannyGee
  
  not a contract year…
  
  /Beltre’d
Chip

Wow, I thought that was a pop-up behind second off the bat
James A

when a-rod is on, he just makes baseball look so damn easy
Mike HC

Wow. ARod sending a warning to the league this spring. He is going to be fun to watch this season.
Cy Pettitte

Arod looks so locked in, let’s hope this carries into the season
James A

What’s Nishioka’s fantasy value? Does he have any at all?
- Mike HC
  
  There are a lot of potentially productive second baseman this year. In a shallow league, he probably does not get drafted and you can wait to see how he performs for the first couple weeks to a month of the season. In a deeper league, he will be a late round pick that you hope works out.
Cy Pettitte

is the YES gun accurate? just had Garcia at 94
- MikeD
  
  Yeah, I saw that, too. If Garcia can hit 94 again that would be significant, but I’m doubting it.
  - Mike HC
    
    Regardless of the literal number, he has consistently been around 90 all day. He threw about mid 80’s last year. He is giving up some runs, but I am only encouraged by this performance.
    - MikeD
      
      Perhaps another year further from surgery is helping, as well as the innings he tossed last year.
      
      His velo was fine today, but his command was way off. We know he has good control, so wouldn’t be too concerned. Out the collection of arms shooting for the 4th and 5th slots, he seems a lock to go north with the team no matter what he does in ST.
      - Mike HC
        
        Yea, very much my thoughts.
  - MannyGee
    
    The YES gun just clocked that pigeon at 72, so yeah…
    - MikeD
      
      I know that pigeon, and it’s steroids.
- Chip
  
  It was probably either the bat speed or the foul ball speed. Both his 92 and 94 readings were on batted balls
Mike HC

Martin looked great behind the plate there. It will be nice to get consistent above average catcher defense this year.
Mike HC

Too bad Garcia could not get that out. Either way, I say his day was an overall positive sign for the season.
Monteroisdinero

For me, Garcia looks like this year’s Javy. He can’t throw it by anyone and if he doesn’t have PERFECT location, he is very hittable.
- Mike HC
  
  The big difference is that Garcia was signed to a minor league deal while Javy was paid far more and we had to give up valuable young players for him. But agreed that there are going to be some tough days for Garcia if he does not have his location. If he can be only a little better than Javy and stay healthy all year, it would have been a very good signing.
- http://www.yankeenumbers.com Mr. Sparkle
  
  Not even close. If Garcia shows he can’t hack it, they’re not going to coddle him and/or keep him around, trying to figure out a way to make their investment work. Since they got him on the cheap, they’ll cut him loose.
  
  Garcia’s not coming off a year where he finished near the top of Cy Young voting as Vazquez was. There’s no reason to even think that maybe he’ll turn it around, as they did with Javy. They also did not trade viable MLB players for him.
  
  No…it will be much easier to dump Garcia without blinking an eye if that’s what it comes to. Last year, everyone knew they were stuck with Vazquez all year.
  - Monteroisdinero
    
    Good points. I was referring only to Garcia’s stuff-nothing else.
- MikeD
  
  It’s not an unfair comparison in style, but I’m not sure today would be a reasonable game to determine he needs PERFECT location, since he had POOR location today. There’s a wide gap between those two.
  
  Also, based on how he’s been throwing in Spring Training, his velocity has been better than last year now that he’s further from surgery, and his velocity has been better than what we saw from Javy last season. Not that I’m expecting great. Remember, he’s shooting for one of the back-end rotation slots, and greatness is not something you get out of the 4th and 5th spots.
  
  BP’s Jay Jaffe wrote an article on Garcia for Pinstripe Bible that is encouraging from one data point. Garcia’s high percentage of quality starts. If he can replicate that, he’ll give the Yankees a fighting chance.
  
  http://www.pinstripedbible.com/2011/03/11/surprising-quality/#comments
- http://pron.biz imrstby
  
  my thoughts exactly, except…without the “talent”. no loss no gain in garcia’s case imo.
MikeD

I should know the answer to this, but what’s the difference this time of year to being optioned back to AAA, as Hector Noesi was, or being reassinged to Minor League camp, like Warren and Phelps?

Does that mean Noesi leave Florida, while the guys stay behind, or something else?
- Chip
  
  I believe they’re referring to the fact that Noesi is on the 40-man roster and an option must be used to send him to AAA
http://washingtonplantation.com Tom in Georgia

This year’s Javy at 1/11 the cost. Keep your shirt on!
Chip

Aaaaand drink!
Cy Pettitte

Jeter in midseason form with his GIDPs
Mike HC

Pretty insightful interview with Girardi so far.
Mike HC

Whoa! Girardi kinda called it.
Cy Pettitte

good job Joe, jinx’d him
Chip

Yeah, no more Girardi interviews, he’s unlucky
Monteroisdinero

Hey-we were down 7-0 to the Nats last week and came back and we didn’t even have our 70M infield playing!
Mike HC

I vaguely remember Tex hitting great last spring training too and then doing the same old slow start routine anyway. Hopefully he gets off to the hot start this year.
http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack

If anyone is interested in joining a RAB fantasy league – check the Off-Topic thread for details. 1 opening left and draft starts at 4pm ET.
- mbonzo
  
  League ID#: 52282
  League Name: River Ave Blues
  Password: rab776
  
  Hope we can get an RABer by 4pm today. 12 teams standard on Yahoo.
- http://twitter.com/#!/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ
  
  Standard league? No OPS, OBP or stuff like that?
  - mbonzo
    
    Batters Stat Categories: Runs (R), Home Runs (HR), Runs Batted In (RBI), Stolen Bases (SB), Batting Average (AVG)
    
    Pitchers Stat Categories: Wins (W), Saves (SV), Strikeouts (K), Earned Run Average (ERA), (Walks + Hits)/ Innings Pitched (WHIP)
    - http://twitter.com/#!/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ
      
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      - mbonzo
        
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        http://twitter.com/#!/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ
        
        Haha sure.
      - bonestock94
        
        DAMMIT! Just missed lol, I’ve been wanting to get into a RAB league.
        
        http://twitter.com/#!/iiKeane JobaWockeeZ
        
        Try making one.
        
        bonestock94
        
        Yea, maybe
Monteroisdinero

I say we hire Pettitte as a personal pitching coach for Banuelos. We need a quality lefty starter asap. Andy can teach him everything plus the pickoff move. We have 6 righties and one lefty amongst our starter pool.

The best thing he could do for us if he doesn’t come back.
Monteroisdinero

Mo with the knee highs!!
Mike HC

Mo coming out throwing hard. 92.
Chip

There’s that two seamer that Rothchild asked him to start throwing inside. That’s just not fair
- Mike HC
  
  haha, that pitch really wasn’t.
Mike HC

Mo gets the superstar calls even in Spring Training!
Mike HC

The guy is just a machine.
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Guys I love Mariano Rivera so much. SO MUCH.
- Mike HC
  
  He is a pleasure to watch no matter what time of the year it is. March or October.
- mbonzo
  
  Mo is the new Andy me thinks.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    Nah, there’ll never be another Andy. But Andy was always 1A and Mo 1B. But I love them in very different ways.
Cy Pettitte

Mo says he wants to throw 12, he’s gonna throw 12
jb

Nice to see pitches getting framed again.
Mike HC

Jeter has been hitting the ball hard so far this spring I think.
hogsmog

Does anyone else think that Freddy Garcia looks like The Rock?
- Mike HC
  
  yea, good call
bonestock94

lol, I think I found a little easter egg on RAB, but I can only see it on my phone. YANKRES R TERIBBLE!!
Mike HC

Does anybody know how many viewers YES gets for these Spring Training Yankee games? Just curious.
cano is the bro

Freddy Garcia said “you know” maybe 20 times in that 2 minute interview
- Mike HC
  
  Well, to his credit, everything he said we did basically know already, ha.
cano is the bro

yay brackman
Mike HC

I love Kim’s question to Mo, basically asking, “You are so good, do you even have to focus on anything whatsoever?” ha
Dillon

How hard was brackman throwing?
- Mike HC
  
  about 91-93
  - Dillon
    
    ouch….that’s not so hard. we need him sitting mid 90’s
    - cano is the bro
      
      ehh its still early on, could be building up arm strength still. Some of his breaking balls were hard
    - Mike HC
      
      Yea, he didn’t impress me that much. Still has major league stuff though either way.
    - http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
      
      7 starting pitchers averaged over 94 on their FB last year.
      - MikeD
        
        91-93 is on a little on the lower end for Brackman. He had better velo his last time out, so I’d chalk it up to early ST for him.
cano is the bro

is it me or does belliard look pretty chunky…
- http://www.twitter.com/deanezag Zack
  
  When was the last time he didn’t look chunky?
cano is the bro

brackman’s velocity seems to have dipped a bit in his second inning
tbrs

girardi looks like a midget next to brackman
http://Aradm2k9@aol.com Mantle28

If anyone needs another person for RAB fantasy leagues I’m in.