Yankees calling up Montero, three others today

September 1, 2011 by Mike Axisa 53 Comments

Today’s the day, the day that teams can expand their rosters and the day Jesus Montero finally joins the big league team. Mark Feinsand reported late last night that three others will be getting the call: Brandon Laird, Chris Dickerson, and … wait for it … Scott Proctor! I’m dead serious. The Yankees must have promised him a call-up when they signed last month, and remember, he spoke about wanting to rejoin the team two summers ago, when we learned about his alcoholism.

Proctor made a handful of appearances with Triple-A Scranton, but he was below replacement level in 29.1 IP with the Braves earlier this year (6.44 ERA, 6.04 FIP, 5.80 xFIP). Despite all his arm problems, Proctor still has a pretty decent fastball. I’m pretty surprised they’re only calling up one pitcher though, I figured a Lance Pendleton or Aaron Laffey or Raul Valdes would also join the team just to soak up any garbage innings. They’ll certainly add a few more players once the minor league season ends on Monday, like Pendleton, Hector Noesi, Greg Golson, and Ramiro Pena. Probably a few others as well.

Laird and Dickerson will just fill out the bench, allowing the Yankees to rest the regulars in blowouts and what not. Dickerson figures to serve as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch-runner. The Yankees will need to free up two 40-man roster spots to accommodate Montero and Proctor, and I’m guessing Justin Maxwell will be one of the moves. He’s done for the season with a shoulder injury and will be out-of-options next year, they can just outright him no problem. Steve Garrison and Kevin Whelan could also be roster spot casualties.

JonS

I just realized that Jesus has a brother, also named Jesus, that is a catcher for the Cardinals org. lol
- Accent Shallow
  
  His other brothers are all named George Foreman.
  
  Seriously, though, who does that?
  - Foghorn Leghorn
    
    some guy who took too many shots to the head. Geo Foreman Sr’s head is full of jello
    - The Scout
      
      When you give all your kids the same name, you’ll never call them by the wrong one.
    - YanksFan in MA
      
      George always claimed he did that so because the man he thought was his father wasn’t. He always wanted his kids to no matter what know he was their dad. Can’t say that makes much sense but whatever.
  - http://Www.or.ly MeGustaMontero (JM)
    
    I know a family with 5 josephs, a Josephine, and 2 anthonys. Yeah, I know and I don’t get.
- Ted Nelson
  
  It’s pretty common… I lived in Spain for 5 years and like 90% (exaggeration, but honestly would not be surprised) of Spanish women are named Maria after the virgin Mary… could be Maria Jose (Mariajo), Maria Teresa (Maite), Maria Isabella (Maribel), etc. Most people in general have one of a handful of names and variations on that name that’s biblical.
  
  It’s not that comparable to naming all your kids George, because it’s overtly religious. The two Jesus Monteros have different middle names, and those might well be the names their family uses to refer to them.
Foghorn Leghorn

You’ve got a friend in Jeeezus….Jeeezus
MannyGeee

Proctor is back… that is interesting.
- TheEvilUmpire
  
  And in other news, the Yankees call up Joe Torre as an extra manager off the bench to spell Girardi in the late innings.
  - NYinTX
    
    Torre’s Naps Above Replacement Level in the late innings is off the charts. The stuff of legend really.
MannyGeee

I would assume Lendleton & Noesi will make the trip next week… although with AJ on the mound we coulda used him tonight.
- Dave
  
  They both pitched last night. No point.
Billy Pilgrim

Jesus Montero should be immediately inserted into the lineup tonight against the lefty John Lester. He should be DH vs lefties with Jones in LF vs lefties. Gardner’s been struggling so he can take a seat tonight. We need all the boppers we can get into the lineup with the worst pitcher in the league on the hill for us tonight.
- Foghorn Leghorn
  
  you need to print this post out and fax it to Girardi so he can put it in the binder
- Bavarian Yankee
  
  Maybe he’ll even be the catcher tonight if Martin is still banged up. Let’s be honest: even if he makes some mistakes he won’t lose the game because it’s freaking AJ Burnett on the mound.
  - Rich in NJ
    
    That would be a cruel and unusual way to make a ML debut.
    - The Scout
      
      The wild pitch/passed ball record would be in danger.
      - Bavarian Yankee
        
        AJ Burnett: “today’s a good day to make history” :D
  - CP
    
    He won’t catch tonight. Girardi is (I think rightfully) concerned about having a rookie catcher immediately catching new pitchers. Plus there’s the fact that Montero is reportedly a below average catcher and AJ couldn’t find the plate with a GPS.
    
    I expect Montero to first catch when Nova starts since they worked together last year in AAA.
    - http://myspace.com/bksmalls Smallz
      
      Agreed.
http://Www.or.ly MeGustaMontero (JM)

Jesus raptured that one!
/sterling’d
Billy Pilgrim

Tonight would be a good night for Proctor to pitch. A nice low leverage situation where he can eat up a couple innings in a a blowout.
- https://twitter.com/TheRealJeromeS Jerome S.
  
  “Montero’s Four Grand Slams, Yankees Overcome AJ, 16-7”?
  - Sarah
    
    It is going to be such a disappointment when that doesn’t happen.
The Constant Gardner

Scott Proctor? My head just assplodes.
- MannyGeee
  
  signed, Joe Torre
http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder

Dickerson but not Golson?

OH, THE HUMANITY! OH, THE INJUSTICE!
- MannyGeee
  
  /Monteroisdinero’d
  - Monteroisdinero
    
    Painfully obvious. Golson>>>>.Dickerson to mop up for Swisher in RF
    
    our 3G outfield provides the best coverage.
    - Ted Nelson
      
      Dickerson has been a very solid MLB hitter over a season’s worth of MLB PAs.
coolerking101

Why is Whelan getting the shaft? Previously we were told the guy had great stuff, but no control. In the last year or two, his control appears to have come around. I’d rather see what he can do in the bigs than watch Luis Ayala.
- bottom line
  
  “Steve Garrison and Kevin Whelan could also be roster spot casualties.”
  
  Yeah, and Aaron Laffey and Curtis Granderson could both be MVP candidates.
  - Sayid J.
    
    Hmmm…
john

I want brackman up! he has been good of late and we need all the pitching we can get with burnett pitching..
- john
  
  oh and heres my sterling call
  
  ” Jesus hits one to the heavens!” or something religious. so much potential there
  - Monteroisdinero
    
    Just the opposite-it will not be religious-unless your religion is money.
    
    /Monteroisdinero!
    - Adam
      
      Sterling does have his Broadway fetish…
      
      “Jesus Montero…Superstar!”
- bottom line
  
  Yes. Bring up Brackman, Kontos and Whelan.
http://procrastinationperfected.tumblr.com/ BigDavey88

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.” – Mark 13:26-27.
- icebird753
  
  This most likely is prophetic of how Jesus will hit the major leagues and clobber 14 home runs this month. And then send the upstart Angels packing in the ALCS, and finally be elected as supreme ruler of the United States.
  - http://procrastinationperfected.tumblr.com/ BigDavey88
    
    Jesus has returned.
    
    This time, he has a bat…
- cg
  
  Nice…you’ve definitely been waiting for the chance to post this :)
  - icebird753
    
    if that’s to me, no lol i just interpreted the Scripture, written by the Monsiah thousands of years ago
  - http://procrastinationperfected.tumblr.com/ BigDavey88
    
    Actually I typed in “bible versus about Jesus returning” into google this morning and called it a day.
    
    That one stood out right away. Must have been divine intervention.
Prof. Plum

“Jesus has risen.”
- Mike Myers
  
  thats my call…or jesus has risen again…something like that.
  
  hopefully he get so excited he has a stroke and has to be replaced.
Mister Delaware

Even if its just to get him a little more service time, the Yankees sort of owe this to Proctor.
http://myspace.com/bksmalls Smallz

BREAKING NEWS. The Yankees have hired Joe Torre as the new bullpen coach! Scott Proctor just retired….
Fernando

Why Proctor? C’mon, let’s use some of the young guys in the garbage innings — Brackman, Kontos and Whelan. You want to evauluate Whelan and Kontos in the majors to see if they are worth protecting for next year’s Rule 5. So why waste innings on Proctor?

Plus, doesn’t Brackman have to be added to the 25 man roster either next year or the one after? Again, let’s see what he can do.

Either way, I expect Kontos (and maybe Whelan) would be taken in the Rule 5. Teams are searching for relief help and these guys can at least be useful trade components if they show something in a September call-up. It seems wasteful to give “garbage, low-pressure” innings to someone like Proctor who has NO CHANCE to be on next year’s team.
- Ted Nelson
  
  Proctor was signed with the promise he would be promoted on Sep 1. Not only that, but he’s done very well in AAA for them since that promise. They don’t have to pitch him, but they would be breaking their word if they didn’t promote him.
  
  This is not an either/or decision. They could have promoted Kontos, Whelan, and/or Brackman along with Proctor. They chose not to. Since they actually watch these guys pitch, they just might know something you don’t know.
  
  The AAA season is almost over, and these guys may be brought up then. The difference between bringing them up now and a few days from now or not bringing them up at all if the Yankees don’t feel they are good enough is not worth getting so bent out of shape about. It’s really marginal.
- Troll Killer
  
  Whelan is on the 40 man roster.
Dicka24

Cutting Whelan would be abbsurd. If anything, Whelan should be pitching before Proctor, Valdez, or Laffey.