MLBTR: Yankees have talked to Brett Tomko about comeback

January 21, 2014 by Mike Axisa 40 Comments

Via MLBTR: The Yankees are one of several teams to talk to Brett Tomko as he attempts a comeback. The right-hander has battled arm problems in recent years, but he’s healthy now and was able to spend time pitching in winter ball. He is planning to work out for teams in the coming weeks.

Tomko, 40, last pitched in the big leagues back in 2011, when he chucked 17.2 ineffective innings with the Rangers. You probably remember his brief cameo with the 2009 Yankees. Tomko says he is open to going to Triple-A and mentoring young pitchers, and it sounds like he’s already thinking about a post-playing career in coaching. The Yankees have signed a ton of pitchers to minor league deals in recent weeks. If they add him to the pile, great. If not, oh well. No reason to get worked up over it either way.

Farewell Mo

I guess any player on a minor league deal is a good thing but talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.

I guess Tanyon Sturtze and Scott Proctor weren’t available.
- Dalek Jeter
  
  Talk about complaining about nothing.
  - trr
    
    Heh!
  - Farewell Mo
    
    I guess any player on a minor league deal is a good thing…
    
    Doesn’t sound like a complaint to me.
    
    I’d say you are the one complaining about nothing.
    - TWTR
      
      It’s kind of ridiculous that any time a person disagrees with a move, actual or potential, it’s viewed by some as a complaint. Otherwise the discussion here would be limited to: “Good job;” “Great job;” or “Really Great job.”
      - Farewell Mo
        
        Exactly. Anyone who says anything perceived to be the least bit critical is attacked or branded a “troll”.
        
        Like you aluded to, I guess some would prefer one big circle jerk
      - Rolling Doughnut
        
        You’re new to RAB?
        
        Macho Man “Randy Levine”
        
        Exactly. Pretty much 90% of the comments on here are disagreeing with/complaining about whatever the subject of the article is.
        
        Fucking deal with it.
    - Dalek Jeter
      
      …BUT talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel then a comment about two pitchers which is clearly meant as a passive aggressive shot at a MiLB contract for Tomko.
      - Farewell Mo
        
        Big difference between making an observation followed by an attempt at humor and a complaint
        
        Get up on the wrong side of the bed today?
        
        Macho Man “Randy Levine”
        
        At least you acknowledged it as merely an attempt at humor.
        
        Your comment does read more as a complaint than anything, quite frankly.
      - vicki
        
        it was a joke any of us could’ve made. we get it. you don’t like him. maybe if you girls just don’t sit so close to each other in the lunchroom.
    - Jorge Steinbrenner
      
      He’s actually not “scraping the bottom of the barrel.” He’s a veteran MLB pitcher who has come up for air several times, looked good, and appears to look good again. I sincerely doubt it’ll last, but there’s not much to lose here. Someone has to pitch those innings prospects aren’t pitching.
      
      There are several rock layers below Brett Tomko with which you could, say, fill the long relief and extra starter’s innings of your AAA team with.
      - Farewell Mo
        
        I’m not against signing him to a minor league deal. Though I appreciate your effort, your explanation was not really necessary
        
        Jorge Steinbrenner
        
        Your fucking mother appreciated my effort.
        
        Macho Man “Randy Levine”
        
        Ha ha! Multiple entendre!
Dalek Jeter

Meh, why not?
Jorge Steinbrenner

Never say no to an MiLB. Perhaps you even wind up with a future coach.
- Farewell Mo
  
  Maybe he’d even make a recruiting call to Tanaka.
  - Jorge Steinbrenner
    
    Crickets.
Andrew J.

Heard Aaron Small making a comeback.
D Train

Are we really THIS desperate? Wow.
TWTR

I would rather rely on Warren, Turley, etc.
nsalem

With the possible availabity of Tomko I feell much better about our future in the event we lose out on Tanaka.
King of Fruitless Hypotheticals

I read ‘MLBTR’ and ‘Tanaka’ and my heart lept.

Then I saw Tomko and I was crushed (no offense Brett).
Eselquetodolosabe

Would prefer Johan Santana on a minor’s deal, but he’s probably looking for a ML deal.
- Farewell Mo
  
  Definitely though I don’t think he’s gonna get guaranteed money coming off that kind of injury
- Dalek Jeter
  
  I can’t see anybody giving Johan a ML deal. I mean, he was just barely ML average last season in just 17 starts and he’s again coming off of a huge injury…the last time he was really useful was like 2010.
- Jorge Steinbrenner
  
  Bring him on an MiLB as well. He’s probably got ten times a better shot of helping the MLB team than Tomko does.
TWTR

Yankees or Cubs?
http://RiverAve.Blues Joseph

Tanaka on Twitter, “eeny meeny miney mo…”
- W.B. Mason Williams
  
  Mo is code for Mariano.
  
  Somebody pay me to run a baseball blog in Chicago.
LarryM Fl

Bottom feeding at its best.
CashmanNinja

I wouldn’t mind Tomko on a minor league deal. It’s a win/win situation. He could add some depth/eat some innings in the minors and if he’s good enough then get a chance to help the parent club. If not then he looks for a job elsewhere. I don’t see a problem with getting him for depth because there are ALWAYS injuries to pitching rotations. Hell, I think he could even come in and produce in a limited role out of the bullpen. He’d have to earn a call up, but I don’t have a problem with that at all. I’d prefer him over Johan because let’s face it…Santana wasn’t looking good before this latest injury and now he’s going to have to come back from TWO surgeries when 1 alone is enough to end a career.
- Eselquetodolosabe
  
  Good point regarding Tomko and minor league depth. Considering how many MiLB were released, NY is probably looking to fill roster space.
Midland TX

Am I making this up, or did he and the Yankees part on bad terms? I seem to remember him badmouthing the team over a lack of opportunity, whether it was high-leverage innings, or use as a starter, or getting a call-up, or something. He had some really nasty things to say about the club and I’m surprised he’d be open to coming back to the Bronx.

Aha – here it is:

http://www.theyankeeu.com/2009/07/tomko-upset-at-yankees-5791

“He went out firing, saying he would not return to the Yankees even if he cleared waivers and was offered a spot with Triple-A Scranton.

“I don’t think I got a fair shot,” he said. “I pitched great in spring training and didn’t make the team. I pitched great in the minors, got called up and didn’t get much of a chance. I understand other guys are pitching great. But it could have been different. I can’t see the point in coming back.” “
- Macho Man “Randy Levine”
  
  As John Lennon once said, “Time wounds all heels.”
- CashmanNinja
  
  Money talks. Plus he hasn’t pitched in the majors in a little while. He doesn’t exactly have a line of suitors wanting to offer him a huge contract or anything. What he does have is a handful of teams that took time out of their day to see how he’d throw in an audition. They don’t have to offer anything. And there’s no way he gets a major league deal. So right now, if he was impressive at all, he’ll have a few teams offer him a minor league deal with hopes of making it back to the majors. He knows he won’t make a ton of money or get a multi-year deal so he’s going for a ring and play for the vet min…which may not seem like much for a player, but considering he hasn’t been in the league in a few years I’m sure that is a TON more than he’d make selling used cars or anything right now if he’s strapped for cash. So he’s going to make a quick buck and try to have 1 last hoorah. So anything that happened in the past will stay there. If he were younger than I’d say bad blood could keep him away, but if the Yanks are the only team to offer him a deal does that mean he says no just because he was mad at them years ago?
http://riveraveblues.com Rick

What is with Cashman and his love for old over-the-hill players with injuries?
I see a new GM in our future.
- BFDeal
  
  What is it with commenters and their love of complaining over a GM kicking the tires on a possible MiLB depth signing?