Archive for Asides
Yanks hire former Cubs GM Jim Hendry, announce various promotions
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yankees have hired former Cubs GM Jim Hendry as a special assignment scout, the team announced. Bruce Levine says he got a multi-year contract. Hendry ran the Cubs from 2002 through the middle of last summer before being fired, and he’s the second former GM the Yankees have hired in recent years. Former Padres GM and current Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers served as a special advisor to Brian Cashman in 2010.
Towers is known for his ability to evaluate pitchers, but I honestly don’t know much about Hendry. At least two people with more access than I (Kevin Goldstein & Mike Ferrin) have applauded the move, so there’s that. I do know that Hendry was fired in late-July this past season, but stayed on another month to help the team sign its draft picks. That speaks to his character, if nothing else. Hendry is well-respected within the game and has done it all during his career, spending time as a college coach (at Creighton), a minor league coach, farm director, scouting director, assistant GM, and of course GM. I’m all in favor of adding voices to the front office, so I approve.
The Yankees also announced a series of promotions. Long-time assistant trainer Steve Donohue has been promoted to head trainer, replacing the now-retired Gene Monahan. Minor league head trainer Mark Littlefield will now be his assistant. Assistant GM Jean Afterman was given the title of senior vice president as well. Bill Eppler was promoted to assistant GM, with his former assistant Will Kuntz taking over as pro scouting director. The Eppler promotion is significant; he was the runner-up to Jerry Dipoto for the Angels GM job earlier this winter, and for the first time in a long time, there is an obvious in-house successor to Cashman.
Yankees sign Future NL Closer™ Manny Delcarmen
Posted by: | CommentsVia Joel Sherman, the Yankees have signed Future NL Closer™ and former Red Sox reliever Manny Delcarmen. It’s a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. We can only assume that if they trade him, it’ll be for a significant bat.
Delcarmen turns 30 in about two weeks, and he hasn’t pitched in the bigs since 2010. He split last year in the Rangers’ and Mariners’ farm systems, pitching to a 5.59 ERA in 38.2 IP. He owns a 3.97 ERA and a 4.01 FIP in just about 300 big league innings, most coming with Boston. It’s nothing more than a depth move for Triple-A Scranton, and he’ll join former teammate Hideki Okajima in the minors while the Yankees employ good pitchers in MLB.
The 2012 Phil Hughes Watch: Reportedly Not Fat
Posted by: | CommentsVia Andrew Marchand, the Yankees have sent personnel to California to check in on Phil Hughes during his offseason workouts this winter, and reports say he looks “great.” Hughes is working out at the Athletes Performance Institute near his Southern California home this offseason, which he didn’t do last winter but did do the winter prior to that. The competition for the fifth starter’s spot is steep, but the gig is right there for the taking for Phil. Step one of winning the job is coming to camp prepared, and it sounds like he’s on the to doing just that.
Yankees interested in Cuban left-hander Gerardo Concepcion
Posted by: | CommentsMonday: Ben Badler of Baseball America (subs. req’d) provided a scouting report today. “Concepcion is a slender 6-foot-2 with long arms, sloped shoulders and an athletic, wiry build that could have some projection remaining,” says Badler, who lauds his feel for pitching. “At times his fastball ranges from 88-92 mph, though some scouts have said they’ve seen him dip to 86-90 mph at times … Some scouts like Concepcion’s mid-70s curveball, which shows good depth at times … Concepcion also throws a changeup (some scouts have called it a splitter), though like many young pitchers it’s still a work in progress. While some scouts view Concepcion’s upside as a No. 5 starter, others see a bit more.” So there you have it.
Saturday: I’m way late on this, but Enrique Rojas reports that the Yankees are one of several teams with interest in 18-year-old Cuban left-hander Gerardo Concepcion. He’s reportedly close to signing as well, but it’s unclear with who.
I can’t find an actual scouting report on the kid for the life of me, so I don’t know exactly what kind of prospect we’re dealing with. Concepcion established residency in Mexico earlier a few weeks ago but is now training in the Dominican Republic. Concepcion defected from Cuba while in the Netherlands for the World Port Tournament this past summer. I guess we’ll find out more about him soon enough.
Kuroda speaks for first time since joining Yankees
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yankees officially announced the Hiroki Kuroda signing — a one-year, $10MM contract with a full no-trade clause — earlier this week, and yesterday he spoke publicly for the first time since agreeing to come to New York. “[The Dodgers] were unable to ever make a formal offer, I couldn’t wait any longer,” said Kuroda to Dylan Hernandez. The right-hander confirmed he received offers from several teams but only seriously considered the Yankees and the Hiroshima Carp, his former team in Japan. He turned down more lucrative offers to wear pinstripes.
“They have an incredible tradition,” said Kuroda of joining the Yankees. “They contend for the championship every year. I wanted to play for a team like that. When you get to my age, you don’t know how much longer you can pitch and I wanted to experience that before my career ended.” Kuroda never got to pitch in the playoffs in Japan, and the Dodgers qualified for the postseason only twice in his four years there. “To be a part of a team like that is something I will be proud of.”
Kuroda also spoke briefly about his relationships with Russell Martin, Clayton Kershaw, and Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. Hernandez says that Kuroda’s wife and two school-age daughters will remain in Los Angeles while he is in New York this summer, and he’s preparing for 2012 as if it will be his last season. “There will be a lot of change,” he said. ““Not only a baseball player, but also as a person, I think this will be an important year for me.”
Report: Yankees show interest in Raul Ibanez
Posted by: | CommentsVia Kevin Kernan, the Yankees have some interest in Raul Ibanez. Ibanez’s representatives contacted the Yankees about their DH opening last week, but apparently now the interest is mutual. I’m not the guy’s biggest fan, but Joe did made a decent case for him a few days ago. We have to be talking about a minor league contract at this point in the offseason, and I suppose it’s worth noting that Ibanez has posted a .337 wOBA with a .181 ISO against right-handed pitchers over the last two years. He’s unusable against lefties and on defense, though. The Yankees could do worse, but they probably could do better as well.
Kuroda’s contract includes full no-trade clause
Posted by: | CommentsKen Rosenthal reports that the Yankees’ one-year, $10 million deal with Hiroki Kuroda includes a full no-trade clause. This might not seem like a big deal, since it’s just a one year deal. When was the last time the Yankees traded a member of their active rotation mid-season? Best I can remember is Jose Contreras, whom the Yankees traded in 2004. Of course, that was a your problem for my problem trade, as they got Esteban Loaiza in return. Prior to that they traded Ted Lilly, though he’d been bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen prior to the Yankees replacing him with Jeff Weaver. There was also Shawn Chacon in 2006, but he hadn’t made a start for nearly a month before the Yankees traded him. In other words, Kuroda didn’t have much to worry about, anyway.
MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospects List
Posted by: | CommentsJonathan Mayo of MLB.com published his list of baseball’s top 100 prospects yesterday, with Matt Moore, Bryce Harper, and Mike Trout unsurprisingly occupying the top three spots. Manny Banuelos ranks 13th, one spot behind Jesus Montero. I coulda sworn those positions were reversed last night and Banuelos was in front of Montero, but I guess I’m just going crazy. Dellin Betances is #41, Gary Sanchez is #53, and Mason Williams is #73. Mayo’s rankings always seem to buck the consensus a bit, which I like. Prospect ranking isn’t a perfect science.
Yankees avoid arbitration with Boone Logan
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yankees and Boone Logan have avoided arbitration, the team announced. The AP says it’s a one-year deal worth $1.875M. He had filed for $2.1M while the team countered with $1.7M, so they settled just below the midpoint. Logan can earn an addition $25k by appearing in 55 games.
All six of the Yankees arbitration-eligible players (Logan, David Robertson, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Brett Gardner, Russell Martin) are now under contract next year for a total of $18.65M in guaranteed money (not including bonuses). Matt Swartz’s model at MLBTR projected the six players to sign for $17.8M combined, so give him a round of applause. Getting within 5% is pretty damn good in my book.
It’s official: Kuroda’s a Yankee
Posted by: | CommentsKevin Whelan getting designated for assignment earlier today kinda gave it away, but the Yankees have officially announced the signing of Hiroki Kuroda. It’s reportedly a one-year deal worth a cool $10M. He’ll be expected to step right into the rotation and do what A.J. Burnett couldn’t, and that’s eat innings at an above average rate. Perhaps working with his old Dodgers battery mate Russell Martin will help. Welcome to New York, Hiroki.
Just 6 days 'til pitchers and catchers report.
