Spring Training Game Thread: The Next Pettitte
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(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Left-hander Nik Turley — number 11 on my preseason top 30 prospects list — gets the start for the Yankees against the Orioles at GMS Field this afternoon. The big southpaw has been getting slapped with the “next Andy Pettitte” tag for a few years now, but it’s a) inaccurate, b) completely unfair, and c) a convenient game thread topic. Pettitte was a big league rotation mainstay when he was Turley’s age (23) and he also threw quite a bit harder. It might be more accurate to say he’s the “next age 35-40 Pettitte” because he’s nothing like the young Andy.
That doesn’t make Turley a bad prospect though, not at all. He’s a true three-pitch pitcher who can use either his fastball, curveball, and changeup in any count, and not many 23-year-olds can do that. I’m not sure if we’ll see all three pitches today since it’s only his first outing of the spring, but I guess we’ll find out. Without looking through all the rosters, I’m guessing Turley is the only 50th round draft pick currently on a 40-man roster, which speaks to his development as a prospect. He’ll made his Grapefruit League debut today and if all goes well, he’ll be a big league option sometime in 2014. Here’s the lineup…
- LF Brett Gardner
- SS Jayson Nix
- 2B Robinson Cano
- DH Juan Rivera
- 1B Dan Johnson
- RF Zoilo Almonte
- CF Slade Heathcott — fun!
- C Chris Stewart
- 3B Corban Joseph — slightly less fun!
And on the mound is Turley, the big lefty from Southern California. Here is the day’s second string, courtesy of Byran Hoch and Chad Jennings.
Available Pitchers: RHP Matt Daley, RHP Preston Claiborne, LHP Josh Spence, RHP Cody Eppley, RHP Mark Montgomery, and RHP Tommy Kahnle are all scheduled to pitch.
Available Position Players: C Frankie Cervelli, 1B Kyle Roller, 2B Jose Pirela, SS Cito Culver, 3B Walt Ibarra, LF Ramon Flores, CF Adonis Garcia, RF Tyler Austin, and DH Kyle Higashioka will all come off the bench.
This afternoon’s game is scheduled to begin at 1:05pm ET and can be seen on YES and MLB.tv (no blackout restrictions). Enjoy.
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Banner Design By
The Tyler Austin Watch
CoJo at 3B doesn’t tickle your fancy?
LF for him could be better
Where is Turley going to pitch this year? Trenton? or is he headed back to Tampa?
I would assume Trenton. He made a start there at the end of the year and you’d think that 112 innings with a sub 3 era would mean you’re ready to graduate from A+.
Monty is in the list of second string pitchers. Man I want to see him pitch today.
Kahnle is worth watching too
I got to stay home today due to our sitter calling out with the flu. My toddler’s napping and there’s a Seamless sandwich order on the way. Time to get me some Slade in CF!
I don’t know about the velocity aspect of it, I have the dvd box sets of games from the Yankees WS years (I watched it quite a bit during this offseason), Andy was mostly 89-93 touching the occasional 94. I think that is around Turley’s velocity as well. They have similar body types, and pitches (though Andy had the cutter in addition to a curve ball)
No one’s going to be Andy, but the comparisons aren’t totally out of left field either
Do we read anything into Slade getting the start in CF and Gardner playing LF?
Like:
- Gardner is going to stay in LF when Granderson comes back?
- There is a tiny chance Slade might see some action with the big team?
- They don’t want Slade playing LF at all in case it hurts his development?
- Am I crazy?
Yes
No
Yes
Probably
Haha, spot on.
When he is back, I think it will be a mistake to play Gardner in LF over Center. The only reason Yankees would do that is if they feel they are hurting Granderson’s trade value. This very well could be the case because otherwise Granderson is the superior defensive player in every facet and should hence play the more difficult OF position.
D… its spring. They gave Billy Crystal an at bat, for shit’s sake.
BILLY CRYSTAL IZ BLOCKING TEH PROSPECTZ!
That’s my ambition if I ever get famous. Blackmail…uh, convince the Yankees to let me get a spring training at bat.
And then I would just bunt everytime to get Axisa’s blood boiling.
Awesome.
this…
Yes.
Yes, but not anytime soon.
No.
No, just excited.
Slade 3-3 w/ 2hrs and a few fantastic catches would make my afternoon.
Unfortunately I’m at work so there’s very little that can happen that will make my afternoon.
Just reminds me that I’m not in Florida.
I have to go to the doctor at 3. It’s a routine follow-up check on my blood pressure and blood sugar. But, as I have had a tendency throughout my life, I’ve got an ingrown toenail on each foot that I need to get cut out.
So would you rather be at work or have that done?
Turn your head and cough.
Trust me, that doesn’t work.
I stand corrected.
Just trying to make you feel better.
I’ve never had an ingrown toenail. Are those painful? Serious question.
Depends on how deep they get. The ones I’ve had can get pretty deep. I used to get them so badly on my big toes that I had procedures done to essentially kill the nails. Even with that, years later I got one on my left big toe that was the worst I ever had. The doctor showed me the piece he cut and it was about half an inch thick. That’s how far it grew in. That…was painful.
Kenny never sounds that enthused saying “Lineups, first pitch, baseball.”
I believe this is because he has to say it because Kay started saying it, and he finds the whole thing stupid.
SAM PEARCE! SAM PEARCE! BY GAWD, THEY’RE PLAYING SAM PEARCE’S MUSIC!
Russ Canzler’s music too. Oh, that’s right, we never heard his.
Fandango?
Phantasio? Beaver Cleavage?
Gotta go with Phantasio. By far the most random character in the entire history of WWE.
But when I see these Fandango promos, I seriously wonder if we’re back in the early 90′s. That’s where it seems that gimmick belongs.
Lasted all of about three weeks before they realized “what have we done?”
Also, the forementioned Cleavage, Friar Furguson, Saba Simba, the Headhunters. Who else was there and gone or repackaged within weeks?
Of course, there’s also “The Ringmaster.” What ended up happening to that guy?
He became Chilly McFreeze, if memory serves.
Salvatore Sincere? Mantaur? The original Faarooq Asad? Probably quite a few others I’m neglecting.
Leadoff walk to a guy with a career .305 OBP? DFA his ass!
An errant pickoff throw? Double DFA his ass!!
Well, he doesn’t have Andy’s pick-off move. That’s for sure.
I thought Pearce only hit clean-up for shitty teams.
He’s better than Teixeira!
See?
Conor Jackson was semi-decent for Arizona from 2006-2008. Anyone know what exactly went wrong with him?
Looked like a bloop.
Wow. Nik is not having a good day.
Wow. Neither is the infield defense.
Jayson Nix: BASEBALL PLAYER!!
Lol Nix.
Well this is going well.
Imagine if this was a regular season game. How many people would be heading for the bridges by now?
Yes, Kenny, there are other things that can go wrong. Weren’t you watching on Sunday?
There’s no one out.
None of this actually matters, right? RIGHT?
Thank heavens for that. 5 runs before the first out, 4 earned. Turley’s spring training ERA is 108.00.
lol, right about now Steinbrenner would have been freaking out trying to make trades.
I was cursing my slingbox for (apparently) crapping out on me today… maybe it was saving me this aggravation.
It’s aggravating, but I still wanna see Slade and Montgomery.
Reality check for Mr. Turley. Not entirely a bad thing. Thew a couple good off speed pithes but was leaving the FB fat over the plate. Expected at this time of year.
No control on the curveball either.
Yeah. Impossible to tell what that was about. He wasn’t making the team anyway. Plenty of time to work on whatever it was, if it’s anything other than jitters or rust.
He checked RAB right before first pitch and the Game Thread title spooked him badly.
I’m not high on Turley, older, soft tossing lefties often put up inflated numbers at the lower levels. Doesn’t really have the velocity to be useful in the pen. I was surprised Mike ranked him so high.
why would a spring training game aggravate you unless there is an injury?
Turley family member.
Cody Eppley: Major League Pitcher.
The difference was striking.
Gonna pretend it’s 0-0 in my book. Ignore the Turley happenings.
*rimshot
Nice pun.
I’m gonna admit that never even occurred to me. Just seemed like the most appropriate word.
I know not all of these guys will make the team, but why does it seem like the Orioles have nothing but other teams’ retreads and castoffs in their lineup?
Duqette’s theory of GM’ing seems to be “Pick up as much shit as you can, so that something sticks when you throw it at the wall”
To be fair, that was the 2011 Yankees starting rotation, and it did kinda work.
Worked for the O’s last year too.
That can’t possibly be. Everyone knows only the Yankees do that. Is your TV upside down?
I might be standing on my head for all I know.
Steve Pearce and Russ Canzler in the outfield… it’s like our team’s going to look in 2015 if Hal keeps the austerity crap up.
#HalfJoking
don’t worry, once the “cheap seats” are empty at the Stadium along with the Championship Level (or whatever the f they call it) his eyes will be open.
Yet they’re still kicking our butts!
This start is just going to make it all the more awesome when Slade single-handedly wins us the game. #troll(maybe)
I missed Gardy last year.
Me, too. He’s fun to watch. And as much as I hate the Ichiro signing, he is too. I guess it’s the speed and all the close plays at first base.
We have a patient slap hitter and an impatient slap hitter. It’s funny how differently they play despite what you’d think.
BASEBALL PLAYER!!!
Looked like Pena was chatting with Cito.
Nap over. Enjoy the game.
Bundy .. niiice.
I don’t get all the hate on the Os. They have a good, young nucleus and will only improve. Everyone said they’d go away last season and they took the Yankees to the brink. And that was without their leader and one of their best players, Markakis. They have just as much a shot as anyone in the AL East.
Oh no, Eddard has found the same Kool-Aid that they’re drinking at ESPN and MLBn
You mean the networks that predicted the O’s to win < 80 games?
They also got really lucky in close games–I don’t care how good your bullpen is, 16-2 (or whatever it was) in extra innings just isn’t sustainable. They needed to add 6-ish WAR over the offseason just to get the same number of wins as last year, and they didn’t do it.
The 2012 Orioles are in the past and I’m not here to talk about the past. I’m here to be positive about the future.
Also, we BEAT them in the past.
I think people are prematurely discounting the O’s. They have nice up the middle pieces in Weiters, Hardy, and Jones. A full season of Machado will be an upgrade. Markakis is a solid player, Chris Davis is okay, but 2b, LF and DH don’t have good options and their rotation is shaky at best. Unless Bundy is ready to step in as a number one by mid-season I don’t see them competing.
I agree. Their only counter is, they got lucky. If we had that kind of success in 1 run games they’d say it’s due to the great bullpen we have. They’re not even looking at the ballplayers they have like you did. Os are a good team and the Yanks will have their hands full with them all year.
The Yanks will have their hands full with everyone this year because we suck. It won’t be because the O’s are anything special.
Their run differential last year was that of an 82-win team. I’ll buy that a good bullpen really earned them 85 or 86, and that’s what I’ll expect to see them put up this year, with maybe an extra couple of wins from more Machado and better health. Barring unforeseen circumstances – a smart trade, etc. – they won’t crack 90 or seriously contend for the division.
That’s you. If we had that record in one run games I’d say we were lucky sons of bitches. Because that’s unsustainable success.
CoJo looked like a statue, hah.
The Yankees are going to rue the day they let Sam Pearce go.
If you’re going to claim we will rue the day you may as well get his name right.
It’s a running joke.
Who, Eddard?
/lowhangingfruit’d
Somebody took #40´s horse right from under his legs!!
I’ve always wondered if fandom ends for players once they reach professional baseball.
Wow…that was a hell of a play by Flahrety.
Just turned the game on. I see Turley’s start went well.
OO Kenny I love it when you talk prospects to me.
Man, I’m not mentally prepared for another year with no production out of the catcher position.
Personally feel I jinxed that hit.
The Yankees will be just fine with Chris Stewart at C. We actually have a guy who can get a hit with RISP instead of swinging for the fences.
Stewart hit .156 with RISP last year, which is actually better than his career average with RISP (.141).
See..he’s…clutch? I think?
!!!!!!!!!!
Corban Joseph Multipass
+1000
http://gifs.gifbin.com/1233928.....apping.gif
+Rosebud
I get that gifs aren’t meant to convey the content of their source. But in the movie he’s applauding the terrible operatic debut of his mistress because he could never admit to being wrong. So every time I see somebody use this to applaud somebody, I feel like there’s a tinge of irony.
Havok is a pretty sarcastic guy.
Your feeling is not entirely misplaced.
Gardner showing some POP!!!!!!!!!!!! That ball jumped off of his bat!
This is how you put a rally together! You don’t have to swing for a HR every time. I like the new look Yankees with Gardner at the center of the change.
The only reason that wasn’t a homer is because that is about as far as Gardner could hit the ball.
Nice inning. ALmonte with another hit. Slade with good hustle to avoid a DP, Stewart a clutch hit, patient atbat for Joseph and pf course, Gardy’s hot start continues
I’m sorry Jayson Nix is fucking terrible.
But…but…
THINK OF THE MEMES, MAN!
CoJo, that’s Nunez’s job.
Well, Cojo’s defense is not his strong suit either, so no big surprise. ANy idea when Adams is gonna play?
Wasn’t that Nix?
Could have been. I’m watching on my computer, and don’t always get the best resolution. I was just guessing.
Actually, we are referring to different instances.
Cash with the troll LMFAO
So round…..
Careful with the sexism.
Shut your face sweet cheeks.
Yea, I think that comment from Cashman was unnecessary. Usually I enjoy the Cash Snark but that was pretty dickish.
Yeah, not sure how that’s gonna help resign Joba.
Can’t help but really like Machado for some reason.
Quick question, was this posted before or after he hit into a double play, because I’m really liking him right now to.
Hahaha, when he was on deck.
Either one of two things happens: either this team as constituted is good enough to make the playoffs as Cashman claims or it is not good enough, in which case Steinbrenner hopefully learns a lesson. IMO, I think that this is a competitive team in the AL East, although probably not a WS calibre team. I think you guys are way overstating how good Martin was and how bad Cervelli/Stewart is. Not that big a difference. I think many forget how bad LF was for most of last year and that Gardner is a big upgrade over Jones/Ibanez/Wise/fill in the blank. While Tex’s days as a superstar, no matter what he is payed, are over, he had health and injury problems last year that compromised him. The pitching staff is definitely better. And I expect that Grandy comes back June 1 very hungry, if for no other reason than his time to earn his big contract has been shortened. This division will be close, like the NFC East, where a 9-7 record could win it.
First of all, you do know how silly it is to essentially say either they’re good enough or they’re not, right?
Also there’s about a 20 homer difference between Martin and Cerv-wart.
I don’t really disagree with the rest of your points.
I’d tend to agree on Martin. His power and occasional clutch hitting will be missed but it’s not the huge loss some are making it out to be. I really want to see Romine win the job but if it’s Cervilli/Stewart that’s okay. Won’t be nearly the disaster some are making it out to be.
Martin did a lot of good things, he played excellent defense, was one of the best base running catchers in the league, took a walk at an elite rate, and had elite power for a catcher. No he wasn’t great last year because his BA was .211, but he had a BABIP of .222. That probably isn’t all bad luck but probably some of it was. He wouldn’t have to return to his career BA and BABIP norms to be an elite catcher. Francisco Cervelli can probably hit for a higher average than Martin but he is literally worse at everything else. Stewart is supposedly a better defender, but catcher defense is far from an exact science and we have very small sample of data to go on. And Stewart is a career .217 hitter who doesn’t walk that much or hit for much power. Not re-signing Martin probably cost the team 2-3 wins next year, which could be a decisive amount in the AL East. It’s especially frustrating when they invested the money in Ichiro instead, when we had a similar in house option in Chris Dickerson (who we subsequently had to DFA).
word for word, this.
I just heard a really booming voice in the background: “BEER, beer, beer, BEER, BBEEEER.”
Nice.
You know everything is right in the world when that happens.
ooo the Yankees get to hit against Dylan Bundy.
Only 90, 91mph from Bundy. Bust.
If he pitched for the NYY Wally Mathews would be furiously writing an article on his disappearing VELO!!!
Did Cano bare hand that catch?
Yep. Then almost threw it away.
Bundy’s starting to flash his stuff.
Please, there are children present!
I laughed.
If nothing else, Gardner’s eye seems to be fairly locked in. That’s nice to see.
I’ve always been an irrationally optimistic Gardner fan. Here’s hoping he has a monster year.
Seriously it’s ST let’s get a little optimism. I’ll say .300/.400/.410 with 65 SBs!
Amen. And let’s add +4 dWAR from some gorgeous outfield defense.
Another hard hit ball by ALmonte, even though it was an out
Zol-Mont has actually impressed me a bit. I didn’t think he would, but he has.
I predict a great season for Gardner, and a bounce back year for Joba (not dominating but very good). Otherwise I’m pretty meh in my outlook. I think everyone else is gonna pretty much have down years or be meh.
Slade!
Wow. Dan Johnson doing his Tex impression.
Kahnle with the cheeeeeeeeeese.
Jorgie’s gonna be one hell of a manager some day. The Yankees would be wise to give him a prominent internal role when he is ready.
Well that was an interesting throw.
Defensive catcher.
First impression of Slade: PUH-LEEEZE stay healthy, we have got somtheeng for reals.
anyone know how hard Rondon was throwing? Saw he had a couple of Ks that inning.
92-94 and the slider was looking good. Little wild though.
Nix, doing his best to separate himself.
Cito in for Nix?
Jayson Nix, 2K’s, GIDP, and an E6 against what is essentially a minor league team. I’m restarting my campaign of hatred against him.
Gosh darn Sam Pearce.
Cito with the tag!!
Wow, Cervelli…that was a decent throw.
Maybe has rediscovered his 2009 self.
Cervelli confirmed for Opening Day starter
I’ve never been a huge fan or been very confident in Cervelli but he has looked very good behind the plate thus far.
I haven’t seen him yet (I’m not near a TV right now), but if Cervelli’s defense looks as good as everybody is saying I could totally get on board with that. He’s a likeable enough dude.
it’s not that it’s that good…it’s just not bad.
I guess a lot of the praise is shock factor then.
Bored, so am I the only one who thinks
Dickerson+Martin>Ichiro+Cerv-wart
This is what bothers me the most about letting Martin go, if they didn’t have the money to pay the younger more valuable Martin for two years, why did they have it with Ichiro. Especially when Ichiro and Dickerson seem to have similar skill sets at this point.
You’re preaching to the choir, Preston. I’m pretty sure that C-Dick could give us what Ichiro would give us, maybe less steals but slightly more power, and Martin>>>Cerv-wart
This, I just can’t believe how some people don’t see it that way.
I respect their opinions, but I don’t get them.
The only way I can understand the counter argument is if you’re sure that Ichiro’s second half last year was for real, and that you’re sure there is no way Martin’s average can rebound. Honestly though, I think the opposite of that situation is much more likely to happen (Martin’s average rebounding, and Ichiro turning back into the 2011 Ichiro).
Yeah, plus he hit great for like a month, tops, not the entire second half.
He should’ve gotten the Raul treatment;
“Hey dude thanks for the big hits, but you’re old and not that good anymore so bye bye”
They didn’t do that because aparently Ichiro ables them to earn some more money, i think.
On top of that, they gave him a two year flippin’ deal.
Talk about something i don’t understand.
Yeah, the two year deal is what really grinds my gears.
I agree that letting Martin go was a mistake, but not sure I can compare Ichiro to Dickerson. Yet with Granderson’s injury, I’d like to have both in camp.
No, I posted that yesterday too.
Is this a lefty knuckleballer?
It’s like our minor leaguers don’t ever take fielding practice.
Except Cito. That was Jeter-esque.
Missed most of the game. Five errors? Who were the culprits?
Turley, Nix, Ibarra, CoJo (2)
(or Nunez constantly changing disguises and uniforms)
*CoJo 1, Pirela
Nix(I think for two), Cojo, Johnson (I think) and I have no idea.
Thanks.
missed everything
how was slade???
He looked okay, Almonte was impressive though. Hit the ball hard all game.
thanks!
Roller is a tank.
I would be a terrible manager, even though it’s ST, I’d be pinch hitting an actual hitter here.
even in Spring Training
YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME
/Herm’d