Archive for Polls
Fan Confidence Poll: April 9th, 2012
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 0-3 (12 RS, 18 RA)
Season Record: 0-3 (12 RS, 18 RA, 1-2 pythag. record), 3.0 games back in AL East
Opponents This Week: @ Orioles (three games, Mon. to Weds.), Thurs. OFF, vs. Angels (three games, Fri. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- The Yankees opened the season with three games at Tampa Bay, their home away from home. The Rays won the first game in walk-off fashion and the Yankees’ comeback fell short in game two. Tampa completed the sweep with a shutout win yesterday.
- Injury News: Michael Pineda has been playing catch and will throw long-toss this week. Boone Logan is fine after a bout with back spasms. David Aardsma threw his first bullpen session since having Tommy John surgery last July. Andy Pettitte will appear in a minor league game tomorrow.
- The Yankees traded George Kontos for Chris Stewart and optioned Frankie Cervelli to Triple-A. Justin Maxwell was designated for assignment and claimed by the Astros. Bill Hall was released at his request, and Jorge Vazquez was cut as well. The Yankees also claimed Cody Eppley off waivers and signed Ramon Ortiz for minor league depth.
- Eduardo Nunez will get a lot of playing time against left-handed starters. David Phelps and Clay Rapada made the Opening Day roster as the final two relievers.
- The Yankees topped FanGraphs’ organizational rankings for the third straight year. They opened the season with their lowest payroll since 2007.
- The Joey Votto and Matt Cain contracts could impact the Yankees down the road.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Poll: The Long Man
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(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
No one likes to see a teammate get hurt, but it’s hard to imagine the Triple-A trio of David Phelps, Adam Warren, and D.J. Mitchell didn’t take the Michael Pineda shoulder tendinitis news as a personal positive. The injury freed up a bullpen spot and moved those three one step closer to the big leagues. There’s only one spot for three guys though, and the team is clearly looking to fill that spot with a traditional long man.
“Larry (Rothschild)’s done a really good job of getting them built up,” said Joe Girardi. “We kept them in camp a long time, and it was important they were built up for the season, and they are. But they’re built up to be a long man as well.”
What we’re talking about is the Hector Noesi role, which is fitting since Noesi was a Triple-A starter with seemingly little path to the big leagues at this time last year. As usual, these things have a way of working themselves out. The Yankees have to decide which of the three is best suited for the role and make the decision fairly soon since the Triple-A season starts in three days. Looking at Spring Training performance doesn’t really help one player stand out from the pack either…
| G/GS | IP | TBF | ERA | K% | BB% | GB% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell | 6/0 | 14.1 | 63 | 2.51 | 19.0% | 12.7% | 50.0% |
| Phelps | 6/1 | 16.0 | 67 | 2.25 | 17.9% | 6.0% | 47.2% |
| Warren | 5/2 | 15.0 | 63 | 4.80 | 12.7% | 1.6% | 60.0% |
Not only are we talking about Spring Training numbers, but we’re talking about a small sample of Spring Training numbers. That’s like, the double whammy of baseball statistics. Maybe the two negatives cancel each other out and we should take these number seriously, but good luck deciding who’s performed the best.
I don’t think there’s a wrong answer here. I believe all three guys are capable of long relief work in the show right now, so there’s a chance the decision will come down to factors other than expected performance. Warren isn’t on the 40-man roster, so that might work against him. The Yankees reportedly view Mitchell as a reliever long-term, which could work in his favor. It could also work against Phelps, who might be sent to the minors so he remains fully stretched out for whenever a spot start is needed. We could come up with a million different scenarios supporting each guy.
The nice thing about this whole situation is the flexibility. Whatever decision the Yankees make isn’t permanent; they can swap these guys out as needed. If Phelps ends up throwing 80 pitches in extra innings or something, they could send him down and recall Mitchell for a fresh arm. If the guy they pick for Opening Day stinks, well there are two replacements ready to go. We say it every year but it is worth repeating: the bullpen at the start of the year is never the same as the bullpen at the end of the year.
Anyway, a situation like this calls for a poll. We’ve had quite a few of these lately, but so be it. It’s that time of the year.
Fan Confidence Poll: April 2nd, 2012
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 3-2-1 (45 RS, 39 RA)
Spring Training Record: 16-11-1 (147 RS, 130 RA)
Spring Training Schedule This Week: @ Marlins (Mon. on MLBN), @ Mets (Tues. on YES/SNY/MLBN), vs. Mets (Weds. on YES/MLBN), Thurs. OFF
Regular Season Schedule This Week: @ Rays (three games, Fri. to Sun.)
Top stories from last week:
- Michael Pineda will start the season on the 15-day DL with shoulder tendinitis. He had some soreness prior to Friday’s start but did not tell the coaching staff or trainers. The Yankees will play it conservatively, unsurprisingly. With Pineda on the shelf, Phil Hughes, Ivan Nova, and Freddy Garcia will follow CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda in the Opening Day rotation.
- Other Injury News: Cesar Cabral has a stress fracture in his elbow and figures to miss significant time. Nick Swisher (groin) and Curtis Granderson (elbow) have returned to the lineup following minor injuries. Minor leaguer Ravel Santana (ankle) is starting to get back on the field as well. Austin Romine (back) suffered a setback. George Kontos has a blister.
- The Yankees claimed Craig Tatum off waivers then outrighted him off the 40-man roster. Russell Branyan was released and re-signed to a minor league deal in a cost-saving maneuver. Jack Cust, Steve Pearce, and Jason Bulger were brought aboard on minor league deals as well. The Astros and Orioles have some interest in Justin Maxwell.
- The Dodgers sold for $2 billion and it could impact the Yankees down the road.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Last day to vote: 2012 Prospect Watch
Posted by: | CommentsJust a heads up, today is the last day to vote for our 2012 Prospect Watch. We’ve gotten over 2,700 responses so far and Mason Williams is starting to distance himself from Manny Banuelos, though fewer than 100 votes separate the two. Make sure you get your vote in before I close the poll this evening.
Reminder: Vote for the 2012 Prospect Watch
Posted by: | CommentsJust a reminder, the 2012 Prospect Watch poll is still up and active in case you missed it yesterday. So far we’ve gotten over 2,400 responses, and Mason Williams leads Manny Banuelos by fewer than 50 votes. The poll will be open through the weekend, and it looks like this one will come down to the wire. Please make sure you vote if you haven’t done so yet.
Poll: The 2012 Prospect Watch
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The incumbent. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
If you’ve been reading RAB long enough, you’re well aware of our annual Prospect Watch. The idea is simple. We pick a prospect, and throughout the regular season we track his progress in the sidebar, specifically his most recent (i.e. last game) and overall season performance. Past Prospect Watch subjects include Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Andrew Brackman, Jesus Montero, and last year, Manny Banuelos. Needless to say, some years have been better than others.
Rather than just pick a prospect and run with it this year, we’re going to try to something new. For the first time ever, you folks will be able to pick our 2012 Prospect Watch candidate by voting in the poll at the end of the post. As you can tell from our previous watches, we’re looking for star power here. Solid and consistent is nice and all, but the Prospect Watch is all about holy crap performances. The occasional 4-for-5 with two doubles and a homer out of Montero made all the 0-for-4 with two strikeouts worth it.
I’ve taken the liberty of picking five candidates for this year’s prospect watch, all of whom are among the team’s seven best prospects. They’re all slated to spend the season in a full season league as well, which is key. With all due respect to Ravel Santana, no one feels like waiting until the NY-Penn League season kicks off in late-June for the Prospect Watch to go up. Here are those five candidates, listed alphabetically with a short little blurb…
Manny Banuelos, LHP
We’ve never had a two-time Prospect Watcher, but I’m not opposed to idea at all. That’s just the way things shook out in the past. Armed with a new cutter, Banuelos is scheduled to start the year with Triple-A Scranton and is poised to join Joba as the only player to go from RAB Prospect Watch to the big leagues in the same season.
Dante Bichette Jr., 3B
The Yankees first round pick just last season, Bichette took home Rookie Level Gulf Coast League MVP honors last year and will start his first full pro season with the Low-A Charleston River Dogs. He’s an all-around hitter with patience and power, capable of long hit streaks and long homers.
Jose Campos, RHP
Acquired from the Mariners as part of the Montero-Michael Pineda swap, Campos destroyed the Short Season Northwest League last year and will join Bichette in Charleston. His big fastball and surprisingly excellent command should lead to a ton of performances DIPS disciplines will love. That means lots of strikeouts and few walks.
Gary Sanchez, C
With Montero gone, Sanchez is now the best hitter in the organization. Last year with Charleston he hit the same number of homers (17) as Montero did at the same level in 2007, just in 226 fewer plate appearances. Sanchez could spend the first few weeks of the season back with the River Dogs, but a trip up to High-A Tampa seems inevitable at some point this summer.
Mason Williams, CF
Williams isn’t just another cog in what figures to be a dynamite Low-A lineup in 2012, he’s going to set the table and bat leadoff. His huge showing with Staten Island last season vaulted him up prospect lists, and now he’s the Yankees best all-around position player prospect.
* * *
The minor league seasons begins next Thursday, the day before the Yankees open their 2012 regular season in Tampa. The poll will remain open through the weekend. Thanks in advance.
Second Lefty Poll: Rapada or Cabral?
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Hooray for funky lefties. (Paul Sancya/AP)
It as appears as though the Yankees only have one open relief spot at the moment, assuming the loser of the Phil Hughes/Freddy Garcia fifth starter competition heads to the bullpen. With three rounds of roster cuts already in the books, the number of realistic candidates for that last spot is down to just two: left-handers Clay Rapada and Cesar Cabral.
The Yankees have been looking for a second left-handed reliever for a few too many years, but now they appear to have a pair of qualified candidates. Rapada and Cabral share handedness but not much else. They’re different pitchers with different styles at different points of their careers. Which one is a better fit for the Yankees?
The Case for Rapada
A 31-year-old journeyman, Rapada has impressed by retiring all but one of the 12 left-handed batters he’s faced this spring. The one exception is a walk (after getting ahead in the count 0-2, no less), but he’s atoned by striking out seven of the remaining 11 batters. Rapada’s big league track record is limited, though he has held the 136 lefties he’s faced to a .153/.252/.200 batting line with a 26.5% strikeout rate. His Triple-A track record is more of the same.
Rapada has been groomed as a lefty specialist since the day he signed with the Cubs as an undrafted free agent in 2002. They dropped his arm angle almost immediately, and now he relies of the deception of his sidearm motion more than sheer stuff — mid-80s heat with a mid-70s slider — to get same-side hitters out. He’s a true LOOGY and has excelled in the role over the last few years. There should be no growing pains.
The Case for Cabral
Cabral, a 23-year-old taken from the Red Sox (via the Royals) in this past offseason’s Rule 5 Draft has impressed as well this spring. He hasn’t been as good as Rapada, but he’s struck out eight of the 20 left-handers he’s faced while allowing six hits and walking zero. One of those hits was a homer. Cabral moved to the bullpen full time to start the 2010 season, and since then he’s held same-side hitters to a .202/.263/.294 batting line with a 35.4% strikeout rate in 133 PA. That’s mostly at High-A with a little Low-A and Double-A mixed in.
The Yankees obviously like Cabral, otherwise they wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of trading up in the Rule 5 Draft to get him. He’s more of a power pitcher than Rapada, sitting in the low-90s with a changeup and a slurvy slider. The changeup is his best secondary pitch, which theoretically means Cabral could face some right-handed batters and at least hold his own. He has all three minor league options remaining and is under team control through at least 2017. With zero Triple-A or MLB experience, there figures to be more than the usual ups and downs associated with young pitchers.
* * *
Unless something unexpected happens, the Yankees can only break camp with one of the two. Rapada can opt out of his minor league deal at the end of Spring Training, and he’ll surely get a job elsewhere given his spring performance. Because he is out of minor league options, the Yankees won’t be able to add Rapada to the 40-man roster and send him to Triple-A. Cabral simply won’t clear waivers as a Rule 5 Draft pick, he’s been too impressive as well.
The last bullpen spot won’t sink the season, and as far as I’m concerned, there’s really no wrong answer here. Both Rapada and Cabral are worthy of being the second left-handed reliever on a contending team.
Fan Confidence Poll: March 26th, 2012
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 5-0-2 (35 RS, 19 RA)
Spring Training Record: 13-9-2 (102 RS, 91 RA)
Opponents This Week: Mon. OFF, vs. Blue Jays (Tues. on YES/MLBN), @ Braves (Weds. on ESPN), vs. Orioles (Thurs. on YES), vs. Phillies (Fri. on YES/MLBN), @ Astros (Sat.), @ Marlins (Sun. on YES/MLBN)
Top stories from last week:
- Joba Chamberlain suffered an open dislocation of his right ankle playing with his son on Thursday. He had surgery that night and further tests showed no microfractures. Joba was released from the hospital yesterday and will be in a cast for six weeks before switching over to a weight-bearing walking boot. There is still no definitive timetable for his return, but the best case scenario apparently has him back on a mound by July.
- Other Injury News: Derek Jeter (calf), Russell Martin (groin), and David Robertson (foot) have all returned to game action. Nick Swisher left Tuesday’s game with groin tightness and is still a few days away from returning to the field. Frankie Cervelli (knee) and Alex Rodriguez (ribs) are fine after getting hit by pitches last week. Minor leaguers Slade Heathcott (shoulder) and Ravel Santana (ankle) are expected to return in June.
- Dellin Betances, David Phelps, D.J. Mitchell, Brandon Laird, George Kontos, and Ramiro Pena were all optioned to Triple-A. Several others were reassigned to minor league camp. The Phillies have interest in Pena and the Yankees reportedly offered Freddy Garcia to the Marlins. They declined, however.
- The Yankees placed 13th in Baseball America’s organizational rankings. Right-hander Rafael DePaula finally got a visa and will soon officially join the organization.
- The Triple-A stadium situation could linger into 2013, and Jorge Vazquez is getting sick of playing there.
- Meredith Marakovits will take over as the YES Network’s new clubhouse reporter.
- Forbes says the Yankees are worth $1.85 billion.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Fan Confidence Poll: March 19th, 2012
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 3-4 (29 RS, 29 RA)
Spring Training Record: 8-9 (67 RS, 72 RA)
Opponents This Week: Mon. OFF, vs. Pirates (Tues. on YES/MLBN), @ Rays (Weds. on ESPN), @ Red Sox (Thurs. on YES/ESPN), vs. Twins (Fri. on YES/MLBN, split squad), @ Phillies (Fri. on MLBN, split squad), @ Tigers (Sat.), vs. Tigers (Sun. on YES)
Top stories from last week:
- In the biggest and most surprised news in quite some time, Andy Pettitte came out of retirement to sign a minor league contract potentially worth $2.5M with no incentives. He will need 6-8 weeks to get in game shape before rejoining the rotation.
- Injury News: David Robertson threw a bullpen session yesterday, his first since suffering a bone bruise in his right foot two weeks ago. Derek Jeter will be out until Tuesday with a “tender” right calf. Ramiro Pena will miss a few days with a sore ankle. Both Nick Swisher and Russell Martin have missed a few days with sore groins. Freddy Garcia has a right hand contusion after getting hit by a comebacker. Robinson Cano is fine after getting hit by a pitch in the hand yesterday. Slade Heathcott won’t return from his latest shoulder surgery until May. Dan Burawa will miss quite a bit of time after suffering a torn oblique.
- The Yankees have to stay under the $189M luxury tax threshold in both 2014 and 2015 to qualify for 2016 revenue sharing rebates. They spent close to $3M on amateur international free agents last year.
- The Yankees are unlikely to look at the recently released Dontrelle Willis, and they also passed on a chance to sign Mike Gonzalez a few weeks ago.
- Manny Banuelos and Gary Sanchez headlined the first wave of roster cuts. David Phelps has been generating some Spring Training buzz. Bradley Suttle is not in camp because “injuries have taken their toll.”
- The Yankees ranked 15th in Kevin Goldstein’s organizational rankings.
- Brett Gardner won his second consecutive Fielding Bible Award in left field.
- There will be no expanded instant replay in 2012.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
Fan Confidence Poll: March 12th, 2012
Posted by: | CommentsRecord Last Week: 3-5 (23 RS, 34 RA)
Spring Training Record: 5-5 (38 RS, 43 RA)
Opponents This Week: vs. Astros (Mon.), vs. Red Sox (Tues. on YES/MLBN), @ Blue Jays (Weds.), @ Nationals (Thurs. on MLBN), vs. Nationals (Fri. on YES), vs. Astros (Sat. on YES/MLBN), @ Orioles (Sun. on MLBN)
Top stories from last week:
- Injury News: David Robertson slipped on some steps in his home and was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right foot. He is expected to be ready for Opening Day. Eduardo Nunez missed just about all of last week with a bruise after getting hit by a pitch in the right hand. Brad Meyers has started throwing bullpen sessions after suffering a shoulder injury while lifting weights this offseason.
- Mariano Rivera will announce his decision to retire or keep playing at some point this summer.
- Freddy Garcia said he’s willing to pitch out of the bullpen if he doesn’t win the fifth starter’s job.
- Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, and Eduardo Nunez all agreed to one-year contracts worth ~$500k for 2012.
- The Triple-A Scranton Yankees will be temporarily renamed the Empire State Yankees this season.
- The Yankees signed left-hander Alex Smith out of an independent league.
Please take a second to answer the poll below and give us an idea of how confident you are in the team. You can view the interactive Fan Confidence Graph anytime via the nav bar above, or by clicking here. Thanks in advance for voting.
