Yanks: Pitchers and Catchers Report
As you know, Tanaka has already taken a short bp session, and the rest of the presumptive starters will start taking turns with him in the coming days. A big story will be Tanaka's health, Eovaldi's third pitch, Pineda's health and velo and CC's health and velo.
Feels like JR Murphy will be the backup catcher, so Austin Romine will probably have to beat him out or face a trade.
Next week, if he's not there already, Rob Refsnyder will need to start staking his claim to second base. I think his bat is a little more electric than he's gotten credit for and I expect him to make the team.
But, it will be good to have the Yanks back, even if it's just is little camp blurbs. It's a very big year for the system, especially if they can add some more IFA's before the ban begins, to go along with the full supply of draft picks they finally kept.
Let's go, Yanks.
posted by Kalel9 @ 5:15 PM
22 Comments:
Holy crap, Waldman making sense:
“The way this offense is (coming into spring training) they better hope he still can play,” she said. “Look, it’s not my job to psychoanalyze Alex. What I do, and sometimes don’t, understand is the anger directed at him. This just didn’t start with the steroids. His persona, for many people, has never been likeable.”
The NYP's King's sources tell him the Yankees likely won't pay up for Moncada even though they really like his talent. If so, this is no longer a great franchise. Hal, Levine, and Cashman killed it with incompetence and greed.
I doubt Refsnyder makes the team unless Drew or Gregorious gets hurt.
He needs more time at 2B playing everyday at AAA.
Let's hope King is out to lunch as usual and that Phil's hunch comes true.
Refs is fine now.
Fine now at what?
I'm looking for Kings comment, LINJ, where did you see that? The article today just states his assumption that they'd likely pass if it went up to 40-50mil..nothing from any source.
Personally, I thknk King and Berman are homers with no actual sources. Shit Berman article today was how pat Riley pulled one on Jackson, what a crock of shit.
Still feel like Moncada will be a Yankee.
Also, they had Refs come to camp early, so at least someone thinks that could be worth their while this Spring.
As I said, the NYP. I never said the report is definitive. He either has good sources, is making shit up, or is being used as a negotiating ploy.
If the Yankees didn't have such a bad offense or if they had signed any of the big Cubans, I would be less inclined to be skeptical about their ability to get things right.
Refs brings enough in terms of offense/defense (the way all players should be viewed) to offer suffiicient upside to finish off his development in NY.
Have you seen him play defense or are you just making this stuff up? I've seen him personally and my opinion has been corroborated by another member on this forum, as well as the majority of the scouting community. His defense right now is well below average. He would need to hit .330+ to make up for what he gives back. I like the kid, I am hopeful he's made some improvements to become passable but based on what he was last season, that would never be playable in the majors. I'm not talking range or anything when it comes to his defense, in talking about routine plays that he struggles with and unless he improves on them, he is a HUGE liability.
I have den him play, dude. Defense is less than half of the equation.
http://nypost.com/2015/02/20/yankees-remain-wary-of-price-tag-for-cuban-star-yoan-moncada/
Seen
I disagree but we've gone down this path before and our philosophies as a whole don't lineup, so no point in beating a dead horse. I am pulling for the kid, I love homegrown talent just as much as you do.
On a separate note, I'm really excited to see Eovaldi, Pineda and Mitchell in camp. Eovaldi has improved every year and I am predicting a breakout year for him.
Also, what's peoples opinion of trading Gardner? I waver back and forth but I think his contract makes him extremely valuable and could probably bring back a good haul.
As I have said, he is the one over 30 asset they have that has a tradeable contract and he is basically the same player is the typical season Ellsbury.
So if you want to get younger and diversify the offense, there's a chip.
They would probably trade him for pitching though...
If, however, Moncada or Refs played LF, they would be in a better position to consider that, even though I hate trading offense for pitchers because of their fragility.
I haven't seen Refs play and am not a scout by a long shot. What strikes me is the amount of positive publicity the Yankees have given Refs, such as a lengthy interview on YES and the NYTimes article. They seem to be acting as though they think he has a real shot to make the team and he sounds like a fantastic kid.
At least from his minor league history, would it be outlandish to think he could possibly hit like Lou Piniella -- .280-.290's with healthy doubles and 10-15 homers?
I think that's right around his ceiling, which would be great if he can produce that type of offense. Hopefully with some strong OBP too.
His walks were good at SWB but nonexistent at Trenton (perhaps because he was hitting .350), so his total for 2014 are skewed downwards. Perhaps it is an indication that he is more cautious on borderline pitches from better pitchers -- we'll see soon enough.
Lou's rookie year was his age 26 season. I never want to see that here.
Me neither. But that was 1968 and 20 teams. He got his opportunity with expansion. I recall Piniella was quite a "RA" as a minor leaguer and got on the wrong side of several managers, including getting traded by the Seattle Pilots to KC after a cameo appearance in Ball Four. :-)
Lou didn't walk and Refs is quite a bit faster.
I actually think he might top out around 20 homers a year with the Yanks. I think the RF wall would help him.
Joey G. should be instructed to never overextend him again:
http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2015/02/yankees_masahiro_tanaka_spring_training_larry_roth.html
New post on Tanaka.
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