River Avenue Blues

Cashman: Dellin Betances will start for Triple-A Scranton

by 25 Comments

Via Chad Jennings: Brian Cashman confirmed that prospect/suspect Dellin Betances will open the season as a starter for Tripe-A Scranton, just like last season. He’s expected to join Adam Warren, Brett Marshall, Vidal Nuno, and Shaeffer Hall in the rotation. Hall could get stuck spending a third year with Double-A Trenton if the Yankees sign a veteran depth starter.

Betances, 24, was so awful as a starter for Scranton last year (6.39 ERA and 5.88 FIP) that he had to be demoted to Double-A, where he was slightly less awful (6.51 ERA and 4.15 FIP). Betances pitched in relief during the Arizona Fall League and it seemed like he would continue to pitch out of the bullpen going forward since his command and mechanics have shown negligible improvement during his 6+ year pro career. The Yankees will burn Dellin’s final minor league option this year, meaning he’ll have to pass through waivers to go to the minors starting in 2014. It’s make or break time, if he doesn’t show any improvement early in the season they should stick him in the bullpen quickly and salvage whatever value they can.

Hot .GIF Action: Corey Black

by 23 Comments

That little right-hander up there is Corey Black, the Yankees’ fourth round pick from last summer and their 24th best prospect in my opinion. He pitched against the Orioles in Sarasota this afternoon and got hit around a bit — didn’t help his own cause with two walks — allowing two runs in an inning of work. He was very clearly overthrowing at times, which really isn’t necessary when you already live in the mid-90s.

Black is a big arm strength guy who is still working on his secondary stuff, but he did manage a 50/15 K/BB in 52.2 innings across three minor league levels after signing last summer. He’ll continue to work as a starter as he climbs the ladder, but his ultimate destination may be the bullpen. More .GIFs — which you can click for a larger view — after the jump. [Read more…]

Curtis Granderson, patience, and vulnerability

by 72 Comments

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

It took all of ten Spring Training innings for the Yankees to suffer the inevitable injury that exposed their … well … vulnerability to injury. Because the baseball gods have a twisted sense of humor, it wasn’t one of the team’s older or injury prone players who got hurt. It was the young-ish and generally durable Curtis Granderson, who will miss the next ten weeks thanks to an errant J.A. Happ pitch and a fractured right forearm. Assuming everything heals well, he’ll return to the team in early-May.

The injury takes a huge bite out of New York’s lineup, obviously. Granderson is one of the game’s premier power hitters and that just can’t be replaced. Joe Girardi will have to get a little more creative in an effort to generate runs, which is something I’m sure he’ll enjoy. The speed of Ichiro Suzuki and Brett Gardner will be that much more important, ditto the continued health of Travis Hafner and Kevin Youkilis. Those two have combined for nine (!) DL trips in the last three seasons, but the Yankees have no choice but to keep their fingers crossed and hope they stay on the field through April.

Despite the initial shock of Granderson’s injury, the Yankees do have time on their side. Opening Day is still more than a month away and the club does have some internal options to audition in camp. None of them are particularly appealing to me outside of multi-threat/contact-challenged Melky Mesa, but they might as well give the Zoilo Almontes and Ronnie Musteliers and the like a chance. It’s not like other clubs are going to start offering up their spare outfielders out of the kindness of their heart, quite the opposite will happen. Trade prices have suddenly skyrocketed and now isn’t the time for desperation.

Brian Cashman has been on the job a long time, so he’s been here before. The Yankees lost Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield to significant injuries in the span of about two weeks back in May 2006, but it wasn’t until the trade deadline that Cashman acquired Bobby Abreu. Melky Cabrera got his chance and took advantage (.360 OBP and 98 wRC+), which is what the Yankees could use now. Outside of Mesa or Almonte running into some fastballs and having a Shane Spencer-esque month, they’re not going to be able to replace Granderson with a power hitter. Someone who can get on-base at a decent clip and not embarrass himself defensively is typical stopgap stuff. Cashman has always been patient in these situations and wouldn’t expect anything different now.

The Yankees have a pretty small margin of error this season, so the impact of Granderson’s injury is more dramatic than it would have been a year or two ago. The Bombers got worse this offseason while other clubs in the division improved, meaning the AL East might be a four-team race instead of the usual two or three. If Jeter’s ankle takes longer to heal than expected, or Ichiro turns back in to the pumpkin he was from 2011 through the 2012 trade deadline, or one of Hafner or Youkilis gets hurt, the Yankees are going to have a very serious problem on their hands. Then again, so would most teams who lost multiple regulars. New York is more vulnerable because of their age and division though, a problem that has been exposed before the calendar even flipped to March.

Sanchez & Williams crack BP’s top 101 prospects list

by 66 Comments

Jason Parks at Baseball Prospectus released his list of baseball’s 101 best minor leaguers today (no subs. req’d), which is topped by Rangers SS Jurickson Profar. Cardinals OF Oscar Taveras ranked second while Pirates RHP and former Yankees first rounder Gerrit Cole placed third. He’s an easy top ten guy, but top three? Might be pushing it. Orioles RHP Dylan Bundy is fourth.

The Yankees landed just two prospects on the top 101, C Gary Sanchez at #47 and OF Mason Williams at #51. It’s seems odd that OF Slade Heathcott didn’t make the list, especially since Parks admits “a bias against safe and secure in favor of high and hazardous.” I can understand leaving OF Tyler Austin off using that criteria, but Heathcott too? In Park’s defense, he did say he doesn’t believe Heathcott’s ceiling is as high as some others. Either way, all four guys were among the top 100 prospects in baseball according to Keith Law and Baseball America.

Fan Confidence Poll: February 25th, 2013

by 81 Comments

Spring Training Record: 1-1 (8 RS, 5 RA)
Spring Training Schedule This Week: @ Orioles (Mon.), @ Phillies (Tues.), vs. Orioles (Weds. on YES), vs. Blue Jays (split squad, Thurs. on YES), @ Astros (split squad, Thurs), vs. Phillies (Fri. on YES), vs. Red Sox (Sat. on YES), @ Red Sox (Sun. on YES)

Top stories from last week:

  • Hall Steinbrenner is reportedly “freaked out” over the reaction to his plan to get payroll under the $189 million luxury tax threshold by next season. The owner confirmed Scott Boras knows they’re willing to discuss a “significant” contract for Robinson Cano.
  • Injury News: Curtis Granderson (forearm) will mess ten weeks following a hit-by-pitch. Derek Jeter (ankle) continues to ramp up his workouts. Phil Hughes (back) has a bulging disk and figures to miss at least two weeks. Michael Pineda (shoulder) will stretch out his bullpen sessions and begin throwing changeups soon. Mark Montgomery (back) has resumed throwing off a mound. Relief prospect Nick Goody (ankle) has been shut down following a car accident.
  • Despite Hughes’ injury, the Yankees do not have interest in Kyle Lohse. They are also unwilling to give up a good prospect for Alfonso Soriano, though that as before Granderson’s injury.
  • Mason Williams, Slade Heathcott, Gary Sanchez, and Tyler Austin all ranked among Baseball America’s top 100 prospects.
  • Melky Mesa, Walt Ibarra, Gil Velazquez, Juan Cedeno, and Pat Venditte will all participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
  • The Yankees are officially the Evil Empire, at least when the phrase is used in relation to baseball.
  • David Price took back his comments after saying he wouldn’t sign long-term with the Yankees.
  • Frankie Cervelli does not had an option remaining despite recent reports to the contrary.

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.

Given the team's current roster construction, farm system, management, etc., how confident are you in the Yankees' overall future?
View Results

Update: Cashman confirms Cervelli doesn’t have an option remaining

by 30 Comments

February 24th: Cashman misspoke and confirmed to Jack Curry that Cervelli does not have an option remaining. He also indicated the guys who can’t be sent to the minors without passing through waivers (Cervelli and Stewart) have a leg up in the catching competition. That’s not terribly surprising.

February 9th: Via Chad Jennings: Brian Cashman confirmed that Frankie Cervelli has a minor league option remaining. I was under the assumption that he burned his final option last season, but that wasn’t the case. The Yankees will be able to send Cervelli to Triple-A this year without having to pass him through waivers, which is kinda big considering the wide open catching race. The internal options all stink, but it would be nice to keep everyone around just in case.

Cashman also confirmed that Cody Eppley, Eduardo Nunez, and Ivan Nova have an option left as well. Chris Stewart and Clay Rapada do not, but both are expected to make the team anyway. Both Juan Rivera and Matt Diaz can opt out of their minor league contracts if they don’t make the team out of Spring Training while Dan Johnson’s opt-out date is later in the summer. Unlike the Ivan Nova-David Phelps competition for the fifth starter’s spot, the Yankees will only be able to keep the winner of the Rivera-Diaz competition for the right-handed bench bat role. The loser figures to look for a big league job elsewhere.

Open Thread: 2/24 Camp Notes

by 256 Comments

The Yankees lost to the Blue Jays in their Grapefruit League home opener, but no one cares. Curtis Granderson was hit by a pitch that broke his right forearm in the game, an injury that will sideline him for ten weeks. Given all the offense they let go this offseason, the last thing the Yankees needed was their top power hitter suffering a serious injury.

As expected, Brian Cashman said it was unclear what the injury meant for the outfield situation following this afternoon’s game. Obviously Brett Gardner will step in as the everyday center fielder, but the plan to shift Granderson to left might have to go out the window if he can’t get enough reps there before being game ready. Cashman said they won’t try Eduardo Nunez in left and he’s not sure if any of their young players are ready to play everyday in the big leagues right now. Pretty awful situation. Here’s the box score and here’s the rest from Tampa…

  • As always, Chad Jennings has the day’s workout assignments for those who didn’t play in the game. Hiroki Kuroda and Mark Montgomery (back) threw live batting practice while David Robertson and Andy Pettitte threw side sessions.
  • Brian Cashman said Derek Jeter will probably play his first exhibition game around March 10th, and he’ll start first as a DH before playing shortstop. The Cap’n said that will give him enough time to get ready for Opening Day. [Andy McCullough & Jack Curry]
  • Phil Hughes (bulging disk) will spend about five days working out in a pool before picking up a ball according to Cashman. The right-hander finished off his anti-inflammatory medication yesterday. [Jennings]
  • Tomorrow’s travel squad is light on projected big leaguers, with only Frankie Cervelli, Dan Johnson, Jayson Nix, Brett Gardner, and Curtis Granderson making the trip to Sarasota to face the Orioles. Southpaw Vidal Nuno will start that game, which will be broadcast on MLB.tv but not YES.

Here is your open thread for the night. Both the Islanders and Knicks are playing, so talk about those games or anything else. Enjoy.