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Yankees Sign Brett Tomko

By Ben Jones [February 13, 2009 at 6:39pm CST]

The New York Yankees have signed pitcher Brett Tomko to a minor-league deal, Tyler Kepner of The New York Times reports.

Tomko, 36 in April, went 2-7 with a 6.30 ERA for the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres in 2008. The right-hander made 10 starts and appeared 12 times in relief.

Full Story | Comments (56) | Categories: Brett Tomko | New York Yankees

Comments

Good deal, he's from my home town.

Posted by: Zak | February 13, 2009 at 06:47 PM

Why, with all the pitching depth the Yankees have with up and coming young players, would they sign Tomko???

SoCalYankeeFan 8)

Posted by: So Cal Yankee Fan 8) | February 13, 2009 at 06:47 PM

Hmm, figured the Dodgers would sign him as depth.

Posted by: Tomahawk368 | February 13, 2009 at 06:49 PM

Sort of random, to.

Posted by: Tomahawk368 | February 13, 2009 at 06:50 PM

oh wow!!! The Yankees crazed spending countinues. hahaha. Eh, he sucks. couldnt hurt i guess.

Posted by: yankfan1 | February 13, 2009 at 06:50 PM

Tomko, more like Bombko! That's what we called him in LA anyway! Good thing its only a minor league deal, this guy would get crucified in NY. I doubt he will make the team he's pretty awful.

Posted by: cutmeibleedblue | February 13, 2009 at 06:54 PM

Doesn't hurt to have depth, I guess.

Posted by: venn177 | February 13, 2009 at 06:54 PM

Why, with all the pitching depth the Yankees have with up and coming young players, would they sign Tomko???

SoCalYankeeFan 8)
___________________

Ummmm more depth? Just a minor league deal, so it's probably less than 400k.

Posted by: YanksFanSince78 | February 13, 2009 at 06:56 PM

Oh boy that's it! Start printing those WS tickets now baby! We just signed Tomko!

Posted by: Tim | February 13, 2009 at 07:00 PM

Just kidding. Can't wait for this season to begin. It ought to be a dog fight in the AL East.

Posted by: Tim | February 13, 2009 at 07:01 PM

"Hmm, figured the Dodgers would sign him as depth."

Wow, even when other teams sign someone to a minor league contract the Dodgers get ripped. Ridiculous.

Posted by: cheba63 | February 13, 2009 at 07:05 PM

Why not, may make the team is a long reliever/spot starter. Adds depth, it can't hurt

Posted by: bravoboy10 | February 13, 2009 at 07:05 PM

The East Coast is where all the action is at. There's no definite team in the AL central or NL west, but that's because they're all (no offense to fans of the teams) pretty bad at the time.

I'd have to say Indians for AL central and Giants for NL West.

Posted by: venn177 | February 13, 2009 at 07:08 PM

"Just kidding. Can't wait for this season to begin. It ought to be a dog fight in the AL East."

Agreed, I'm more of an NL East guy but your right. Yankees and everyone in that division need as much depth as possible (brad penny, rocco baldelli, and john smoltz) may be a little over doing it but still. Over all I think Tampa is still the all around best though. They have proven pitching in the clutch and actually may have the best line-up top to bottom.

Posted by: bravoboy10 | February 13, 2009 at 07:10 PM

Does he still throw fastballs the first time through the lineup then his slider and off speed pitch second time through?

Posted by: g | February 13, 2009 at 07:11 PM

"I'd have to say Indians for AL central and Giants for NL West."

Giants are also my pick to win the west. there pitching could be a top 5 staff if Zito returns to form. Unfourtunatly they have zero offense outside of Lewis(maybe), Winn, and Molina. They need to get the Nick Johnson trade done though and hope those young bats come along.

AL central is wide open anyone of the five, yes even KC, could win it

Also watch out for the Reds in for the Wild Card

Posted by: bravoboy10 | February 13, 2009 at 07:15 PM

This is a signing for AAA depth, not the majors.

Posted by: V | February 13, 2009 at 07:23 PM

Tomko really sucks. But being a Dodger fan I guess I can't really say anything.. we just signed Jeff Weaver to a minor league deal.

Posted by: richie | February 13, 2009 at 07:35 PM

Not a great signing, but he does show occasional brilliance with a good fastball..

Posted by: TripleHHH | February 13, 2009 at 07:35 PM

this puts them over the top

Posted by: johan is GOD | February 13, 2009 at 07:40 PM

bravoboy10

how did you not mention Pablo Sandoval he may be our best hitter on the Giants
Its all good though.

Posted by: Bleacher_bum_SF | February 13, 2009 at 07:47 PM

LOL I loved the line, get your WS tickets we signed Tomko. I guess since Boston signed Smoltz our answer was Tomko ???
He has pitched well before , but overall he is a batting practice pitcher, unless he makes some adjustments....which I am clueless about what, but anyway, at least he is not in the rotation

Posted by: TripleHHH | February 13, 2009 at 07:59 PM

"LOL @ the Yankee fan that said the Yankees already have "depth" and a lot of young kids.

You just described the Red Sox. You only wish that described a Brian Cashman team."

Yup, with Hughes, Kennedy, Coke, Aceves, they have no young player depth - and that is only for players with ML experience.

"Why does Cashman keep doing this ?? Cashman brings in the likes of Sidney Ponson or Tomko for depth. Theo Epstein signs Brad Penny, John Smoltz. And last year, even Bartolo Colon gave them some good starts (not that it would continue long)."

Ponson was signed because they had no one else to make the starts last year. The Red Sox got Smoltz (who won't be ready until mid-season, mind you) Penny (who was worse than Ponson last year) and Saito (a signing I thought was great). That is awesome, they are all fine players that have potential - but the Yankees, signed CC Sabathia, Tex and Burnett.

The deal doesn't make a ton of sense, but really...it is all just for Depth. If they need a pitcher when all 5 out of the 9 guys are hurt, Tomko will probably be the option.

Posted by: B3NG4L | February 13, 2009 at 08:10 PM

The deal adds depth. There's no problem with that.

Posted by: Agent | February 13, 2009 at 08:11 PM

Atleast you arent platooning Blum and AARON FREAKING BOONE at 3rd this year.

Posted by: RoyOswaltSteroidFree | February 13, 2009 at 08:11 PM

I guess if the Yankees are looking for some insurance for later on, they found it in Tomko. See how this turns out.

Posted by: bradmaster21 | February 13, 2009 at 08:36 PM

This signing pretty much levels the playing field again.... Bwaaaahahahah!!

Posted by: HarshInFresno | February 13, 2009 at 09:02 PM

"LOL I loved the line, get your WS tickets we signed Tomko. I guess since Boston signed Smoltz our answer was Tomko ???
He has pitched well before , but overall he is a batting practice pitcher, unless he makes some adjustments....which I am clueless about what, but anyway, at least he is not in the rotation"

Posted by: Tim | February 13, 2009 at 09:33 PM

I don't even want to imagine what would have to happen to have Tomko in the rotation

Posted by: Tim | February 13, 2009 at 09:34 PM

I still don't get how Bomko gets any job, even a minor league one, in baseball. He had one decent season.

Posted by: AA | February 13, 2009 at 10:36 PM

...why?

Posted by: FineHamAbounds | February 13, 2009 at 10:48 PM

Hmm, figured the Dodgers would sign him as depth.

Um, noooooo. he 'pitched' only in name, for us, and sucked! there was NO way he was coming back to LA. if he ever resigned, i think he'd get killed by us fans the first game he'd be in

Posted by: lakersdodgersyankees4life | February 13, 2009 at 11:09 PM

I laugh a big, hearty one when a signing of this nature makes so many people start bashing. It's not like Tomko's taking a 40 man spot from anyone. If he performs well at AAA and a need comes up for a fill in for a start or an extra bully then maybe he's an option as opposed to calling up Hughes or Kennedy for a week just to send them back down. No harm no foul.

Posted by: YanksFanSince78 | February 13, 2009 at 11:49 PM

Why not just bring up the 6th Overall Yankee Prospect Zach McAllister?....

*PS......He is from my hometown..lol*

Posted by: Chi_Cubs_85 | February 14, 2009 at 12:48 AM

Depends totally on the terms of the contract whether this is good or not. I'll assume Tomko didn't warrant more than say $700K for one-year, Minor League deal, in which case this is just fine. He's not the one getting called up if/when Aceves, Kennedy, and Hughes are needed. But, their call-ups will open up holes in the AAA team, which is where Tomko will come in.

It's kinda a sad state when your best-case scenario as a player is for 5 guys to get injured so you can make the 40-man roster.

-JM

Posted by: jagteq | February 14, 2009 at 01:47 AM

"I don't even want to imagine what would have to happen to have Tomko in the rotation"

The Yankees would have to magically turn into the Royals overnight.

Posted by: Slayer | February 14, 2009 at 02:35 AM

"Ponson was signed because they had no one else to make the starts last year. The Red Sox got Smoltz (who won't be ready until mid-season, mind you) Penny (who was worse than Ponson last year) and Saito (a signing I thought was great).

"Epstein does not leave his starting pitching thin and Smoltz is now expected back by Mid May, early June at the latest, that's why they went and signed him after watching him throw in December, so "mid season" as you wrote is a long gone time table.

The Yankee pitching depth has less than a half dozen ML wins between them as posted above and yep.. That can definitely spell trouble with Burnett and Wang as 2 of the starters. Burnett constantly on the DL and Wang with no ML innings since last June. You would think that Cashman had learned after last season's disastrous shortcomings in the Yankee rotation to have a better backup plan for injuries than Ponson/Tomko types, but since all have signed this FA off season, it's apparent that he has not learned.

Posted by: johns | February 14, 2009 at 08:24 AM

He sucks when you sign him for depth on MLB The Show

Posted by: Braves for NL East!! | February 14, 2009 at 08:45 AM

Remember when the Red Sox had Schilling waiting to come back and thought they would have him pitch important innings late in the season...

Lucky for them, they had a pretty healthy rotation..

Remember when the Red Sox had Penny, Smoltz, Saito, all on the wrong side of their careers coming back from some sort of ARM surgery and thought they would pitch important innings for them late in the season?

Hopefully for them, their rotation will stay healthy for the season..

See what happens when you lose multiple starters from your rotation, including your ace.. like Beckett and Lester gone for weeks, months.. pft.. we'll see this "depth"..

Posted by: dapoktan | February 14, 2009 at 09:08 AM

Not only does Tomko suck as a pitcher he is also a flaming uhh jerk. You guys would be better off bringing up a AA than him if one of your real pitchers goes down!

Posted by: mission_reds | February 14, 2009 at 10:19 AM

I love it...even when the Yankees make a move just for an emergency, there are 22 toolshed Red Sux fans on here dying to show that they are STILL the most jealous legion of morons on the planet. It's not the lifer Sox fans either...they actually remember that their team has only won two titles in 90 YEARS!! It's the other 90% of the "fans" that didn't even know the team existed until the 2004 playoffs.

The Yankees now have CC, AJ, Wang, Andy, Joba, Hughes, Aceves, Coke, Kennedy, Giese Tomko and Mitre. Looks like the depth is decent to me...whether we signed a 42 year old coming on an arm injury or not. (Smoltz)

Posted by: jjyankeesfan2 | February 14, 2009 at 10:43 AM

In other news the yankees are final talks to bring Adam Eaton to NY for Melky Cabrera and Phil Hughes.

Posted by: Justin | February 14, 2009 at 11:01 AM

JJ, you still can't stop tripping over vulgar words.

Some of us Sox fans have been lotyal to them also since well before 2004, like back in the 60's also and are certainly not newbies.

Posted by: johns | February 14, 2009 at 11:04 AM

Johns - Sorry bible boy...didn't mean to offend your innocent eyes with such gross vulgarities like "morons". Now go back and READ where I was slamming the newbies, NOT the lifers...something I specifically wrote out. DUH.

Now....getting back to YANKEE baseball, since this IS a Yankee thread....

Looks like this is how the roster may shape up barring any more additions/subtractions:

CC, AJ, Wang, Andy & Joba

Tex, Cano, Jeter, ARod, Damon, Gardner, Nady, Matsui (DH) Posada

Swisher (OF,1B), Molina (C), Berroa or Ransom (2B, SS, 3B), Melky (OF)

Mo, Bruney, Marte, Veras, Ramirez....and Robertson, Coke, Albaladejo, Melancon, Dunn, Giese and H Sanchez fighting for the remaining 1-2 pen spots.

VERDICT:
Rotation has the potential to be one of the top 3 best in MLB if everyone stays healthy. That's an IF for EVERY team though as always.

Batting order will provide plenty of runs. Damon, Jeter, ARod, Tex, Matsui, Nady, Cano, Posada and Gardner is damn potent!

Pen is young but very solid, with plenty of power arms in AAA waiting in the wings.

Bench? Not as good as Boston's OR TB's. Molina is one of the best in MLB at throwing out runners but can't hit at all. Berroa never lived up to his billing. Yankees need to keep Swisher or this will be a problem area like the last few years. A guy like Nomar would be a plus over Berroa or Ransom.

PREDICTION:
Yankees, Boston and TB ALL have the ability and talent to win the division. Comes down to who stays healthy! However, I see the Yankees additions enough to bring a division title back to the Bronx with Boston falling a few games short and taking the wild card. Rays won't be sneaking up on anyone this year and nobody will foolishly assume they will collapse in Sept...they still win 90-93 but fall just short of making the playoffs.

Why do I think the Yankees will win the division? This was their rotation last year when they won 89 games: Moose, Andy, Ponson, Giese Hughes/Kennedy/Aceves/Wang/Pav
ano/Joba. Yes...they won 89 with Sidney Ponson as their #3! (Wang is in the #5 because he only pitched a 3rd of the year)

This year: CC, AJ, Wang, Andy and Joba.

One would have to honestly think that monster leap in rotation quality would give the Yankees a dozen+ games. There won't be any Beckett vs Kennedy...or Kazmir vs Ponson...Halliday vs Giese games this year AL Beast...sorry.

Also, Tex for Giambi is a decent stick and major glove upgrade. Matsui is healthy. Posada over Molina is a huge stick upgrade. Those reasons along with the pitching upgrades give the Yankees 12-14 wins which puts them at 101-103. Boston has virtually the same team that won 95 last year. A few guys get healthy and a few others get injured in their place (just like every team) and they should finish about the same...95-97. Rays come in at 90-93.

Have fun with this one trolls! I'm out for the day!

Posted by: jjyankeesfan2 | February 14, 2009 at 11:51 AM

johns:
"The Yankee pitching depth has less than a half dozen ML wins between them as posted above and yep."

Counting FAIL.

Posted by: Thirty5Thirty6 | February 14, 2009 at 12:00 PM

My point was that if the Yanks needed a SP for A start or an extra arm out of the bullpen, it might be better to bring up Tompko for a couple of days rather than wasting a call-up for three or four days and messing up the routine for Hughes or Kennedy. The move really should be a non-issue. He's certainly not blocking anyone, and if he were recalled would probably be the 11th man, and not a guy who will see too much action.

Posted by: YanksFanSince78 | February 14, 2009 at 01:03 PM

"The Yankee pitching depth has less than a half dozen ML wins between them as posted above and yep"

This is where you lose all credibility, when you judge a pitcher on wins.

"...Wang with no ML innings since last June. "

Yea, I'm so worried that Wang, who has no sign of arm trouble, nor has he ever, will have another freakish injury running the basepaths. Do some research.

Posted by: B3NG4L | February 14, 2009 at 01:18 PM

Oh I don't know, it could hurt if he pitched.

Posted by: Melkor | February 14, 2009 at 01:32 PM

I wasn't posting all of that to try and start any flame war JJ and B3NG4L. Certainly Wang has never had a history of arm injury and I am well aware of that, just as also aware that he has not thrown a ball for nearly 9 months now and he may change his delivery after the devastating foot injury he sustained as well that could hurt his arm.

All was trying to say is that there were multiple starters on the market earlier that could have been had for less than 5 million that went by and none were taken up on by the Yankees/Cashmen and it just seems ironic that after last season when everything imploded and shortage like they sustained from freakish injuries hurt them so much that they didn't address them with anything better than Tomko.

I watched this entire FA off season expecting them the last cpl weeks to make a move and it never came, who knows? Maybe they have plans on either Sheets or even Paul Byrd later on this season when they decide to go for it when the season will really count, or even the finished Martinez the see something in was all that was trying to post.

Pitching is just what I focus on, all those seasons throughout the 60's, 70's and halfway through the 80's when Boston never had any made me learn to appreciate it in an entirely new manner when a GM like Epstein goes out and gets actually TOO much of it for a change I guess and wasn't trying to upset any of you with thin skin..

Posted by: johns | February 14, 2009 at 03:12 PM

johns-

You still didn't recognize your counting fail.

And I don't really get your logic of basing a young pitchers wins on whether or not they should be given a chance. How do you succeed if you are not even given a chance?

Posted by: Thirty5Thirty6 | February 14, 2009 at 04:25 PM

looks like the red sox's low risk ideas r catchin on

Posted by: marc | February 15, 2009 at 09:56 PM

I do not understand the depth argument. He stinks on ice. That is waste, not depth. We could have used that money for a bucket of baseballs.

Posted by: Finchster | February 16, 2009 at 01:35 PM

brett tomko
more family guys are
needed as your wife and
brother. Then your mother
who wears the pink ribbion
of the pardes which i was bless to give her.
gsr rob

Posted by: rob | February 17, 2009 at 01:07 PM

I just wanted to say that mariano rivera is the most overrated closer in the game because anyone can do his job even somebody as crappy as randy johnson can do his job, derek jeter couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat he is too busy making sure he looks good to learn how to play shortstop, and don't tell me about those championships because we all know he wasn't the reason they won it, they won due to chuck knoblauch's steller defense and scott brosieus's clutch hitting. The orioles have a better shot at winning the division than the yankees. I mean nick markakis is much much better than melky cabrera and both r the number 3 hitters. The orioles have a better bullpen and rotation...standings

red sox
rays
blue jays
orioles
yankees

400 mill for last place and they won't even have a 1st, 2nd, 3rd round pick to show for it cause they gave it all away.

Posted by: marc | February 17, 2009 at 04:53 PM

Wow, Marc, I am just blown away by your stupidity. If you want to have even a grain of credibility, go finish the 6th grade and fix up your comma splices.

I am just shocked; is it possible someone could have as little baseball knowledge as you, or are you just a one-sided, bandwagon fan from Boston.

When was I informed Melky was the #3 batter? Hehe...... I'm still laughing.

At least I know now to regards your posts as if a very intelligent monkey wrote them.

Posted by: Yankee for l1fe | February 17, 2009 at 10:28 PM

"I watched this entire FA off season expecting them the last cpl weeks to make a move and it never came, who knows? Maybe they have plans on either Sheets or even Paul Byrd later on this season when they decide to go for it when the season will really count, or even the finished Martinez the see something in was all that was trying to post."

I would actually agree with you if Pettitte wasn't signed... but the signing of him solidified the rotation. We have guys like Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy being the 6th/7th options, instead of being the 4th and 5th starters in the roatation like last season. That is GREAT lengths in adding depth.

Posted by: Agent | February 18, 2009 at 09:49 AM

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Yankees Sign Brett Tomko

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