Yankees System Review Pt 1: The Frustration
1. They wouldn't promote position players, regardless of how well they were playing. This was probably the most frustrating issue, considering we had AAA players like Rob Refsnyder and Kyle Roller scalding the ball while our MLB roster was struggling all year and had a negative run differential.
2. The continuing lack of walks up and down the chain. They give lip service to it, but you just don't see improvement anywhere. The guys who walk are the ones who came in walking and the guys who didn't don't start. This must be addressed before we have to trade more O'Brien's.
3. The college heavy draft. They can say whatever they want about this year's draftable players, but had they not spent three first rounders on Ellbsury, McCann and Beltran, you can bet your bottom dollar it would have been a more balanced draft. And they would have had a much larger draft allotment to spread around.
4. The development of starting pitchers. We have relievers coming out ears, but our starting program isn't nearly as robust. Of course, that could be deceiving, as Shane Greene was looking like a candidate for a bullpen conversion before becoming a dominant MLB starter. Bryan Mitchell could be next. So maybe there's more there than we think, and it will keep providing bandages till we get to Severino and Clarkin.
5. The lack of superstar position prospects. The other ugly outgrowth of blowing first rounders on over 30 hitters. Of course Aaron Judge could change that, and so could Greg Bird. And maybe 1 or 2 from their massive class of IFA's will be as good as Cano.
We'll look at positives tomorrow, but those were the big issues from this year, and they all still need to be solved.
posted by Kalel9 @ 9:10 AM
8 Comments:
This team isn't run well from the top down, but they are meeting Hal's apparent mandate of being in it as long as possible, even if it's illusory contending, so I think things will probably stay the same.
But after this long with the same people in charge and so much under-performance, it's time for new baseball people.
Points well taken, especially the lack of walks.
There has been alot of discussion about whether Refsnyder is ML-ready defensively at 2B -- what's your take? If he isn't ready but making progress, I can understand having him play every day at AAA and get his work done there, rather than getting Rich McKinney comps from the NY press.
We used to hear questions from some anon "scouts" about Cano's defense before he was called up, and they lived with the terrible Roberts defense for most of the season.
They always seem to find a reason not to promote unless they absolutely have to do it.
Note: I am not comparing their relative upside, only scouting and developmental issues both face(d).
Great article.
I understand the frustration regarding lack of promotions to the big leagues but I don't think Refsnyder belongs in that conversation. No matter how much he was raking, you don't typically see kids jump from High A all the way to the Majors in one season for a reason. It's a 3 level jump and I would have loved to see him up but I think that is asking way too much of a prospect.
He's a college prospect, not a kid.
Btw, when I was growing up I pitched and played CF. Then I hurt my shoulder an had to learn 2b. It's pretty easy, and I was ready to go as soon as the season started.
You're supposed to challenge hitters with every promotion. They clearly started him too low this year, and he should have been promoted. He's older than Cano was when Cano came up in `05 and saved a moribund season.
I don't agree with many thing Lawyer in NJ posts, but he is so dead-on with his first comment here.
George played to win, devil-may care. Hal plays to be competitive at the lowest cost possible. Winning at all cost is not his MO.
The lack of guys who make pitchers work is very frustrating. Now, even guys who used to are no longer doing it. Look at Gardner for example. Yes, more power, but the trade-off is his walks and steal opportunities, although he did not run as much as he should have anyway.
Aside from Bird and Judge, I do not see much in the system of gusy who "work" pitchers. Even Refsnyder had his overall walks drop this year.
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