Yankees: Pitching and Defense
They're essentially betting that Tanaka, Pineda, and CC will make their starts and that their BP will be lights out - and that plus D around the diamond will limit suppress the other teams' o's.
Now, the BP should be great, but betting on Tanaka, Pineda and CC seems like a long shot. What's more if they're all healthy and dominant could the Yanks have over done it on D? That's what will be interesting. Will having Gregorious playing SS stop enough balls and turn enough unturned DP's to create wins on the field? Can they consistenly win on the margins without the traditional Yankee O?
It's possible that they will, especially if we have health luck, and get something out of Eovaldi and Nova/Severino as the season moves along, but, man, oh, man would better hitters help.
posted by Kalel9 @ 7:50 AM
13 Comments:
Cashman thinks that pitching holds the keys to the kingdom, and he has apparently sold Hal on that.
It could work if everything goes right, but it's risky as hell.
The problem is that he ignores their fragility.
Yeah, it's a long shot, but I want to see how it works when they're all healthy - presuming they're all healthy - at the start.
We've had terrible luck in the injury department for 2 years now. Time for something to come our way.
I think the offense will surprise some people this year. Our middle infield was statistically the worst hitting group in baseball last year and they are both gone. I think a full season of Headley will also help.
But really, health will be the most critical factor in the teams success.
If we have health, luck, I think they'll be a really intereting team.
I think it's great that Teix has lost fat and added muscle while staying away from foods that may cause inflammation, but he keeps talking about ignoring the shift and pulling like crazy. Contrast that with McCan who seems to actually want to make adjustments.
McCann needs to take his walks. He swings at way too many balls.
I meant to write ball 4's.
He used to, but I think he cheats to compensate for declining bat speed.
I actually liked Teix comments re: shift in the sense that it's main purpose is to make you change your strengths. Teams want him to try and hit singles because it suppresses his biggest strength, which is pull-side power.
He also pointed out that even if he starts hitting singles the other way, teams aren't going to abandon the shift.
I'm not sure. Walks are supposed to go up in your 30's and his have gone down since his really early years. I think he's a selfish hitter.
Btw, since ARod is there, I hope they are having him preach to Judge.
Judge is probably, along with Bird, the only offensive prospect we have who could forrce his way up this year.
Not counting Refs, since he should make the team.
If they had one dominant hitter I think the other hitters would relax a little and stay within their respective zones. That's about the only interactive team aspect of baseball.
That one can emerge is even more unlikely than all their starters staying healthy.
Good defense strengthens pitching in two ways. First, you get a higher percentage of outs on balls in play. Second, pitchers who have confidence in their defense are more willing to use more of the plate and pitch to contact, instead of trying to paint the black with a perfect pitch all the time.
I'm with everyone else here on Moncada. I think the most devastating argument against Hal is the money they spent on Beltran, Ellsbury, and McCann, not to mention Drew and Capuano. At the same time, it's not crazy to have limits on what you'll spend on a prospect at least two years away from the big leagues. The question I keep asking myself as a comparison here is how much would/should the Yankees have spent on Jesus Montero had he become a free agent at age 20 -- one year older than Moncada and after he had shown the ability to learn to hit AAA pitching? I don't know the answer, but I do know what has happened to Montero since.
Anyhow, I'm hoping that in the next two years one or more of the IFA kids the Yankees signed in 2013-14 shows that kind of promise.
Does anyone know if Gregorius knows how to bunt? If not, is there any thought of getting him to learn? Given his speed, he could materially improve his BA, especially against LHP, if he could drag bunt now and then.
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