Four Yankees prospects — Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Gary Sanchez, and Mason Williams — made Baseball America's top 100 prospects list today. The quartet also cracked top 100 lists from Keith Law and Kevin Goldstein this month. The latest on the club:
- Yankees manager Joe Girardi accidentally talked about Eric Chavez as if he was on the Yankees' roster, in a discussion with reporters today. GM Brian Cashman said the team was not closer to signing the third baseman, though ESPNNewYork's Andrew Marchand still expects a deal. Sunday night, Chavez pegged his chances of returning to the Yankees at 50-50. Joel Sherman of the New York Post heard that through Monday, the Yankees had not talked to Chavez's agents in several days. He senses that the Yankees will stick to an offer in the $1MM range.
- Yahoo's Jeff Passan analyzes the struggles of the team's rotation additions of the last 15 years, and wonders if Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda can "flip history the bird" as C.C. Sabathia has.
- Sherman looks at why the Yankees chose Raul Ibanez over Johnny Damon.
sorry if this makes me a hater or whatever, but i can’t imagine a more fun story in baseball than Pineda completely flopping this year.
I can understand the Yankee hate (it actually makes us stronger), but come on, wishing for a professional athlete’s career to go down just because he was traded to a team you don’t like is petty and vile.
what was said? i didnt get to see it as it was deleted by the mods already. people are starting to get alittle nervous because the yankees improved their rotation. they have 4 solid starters now with their 5th spot up for grabs between hughes and garcia. and hopefully hughes can get back to his 18 win season form
me hating the Yankees makes you stronger?
“I can understand the Yankee hate (it actually makes us stronger)”
lolwut
As a Mariners fan i hope Pineda does well. I hope Montero does better though..
I wish Montero the best. The Ms could be serious contenders in a year or two. A lot of good young talent coming up, especially pitching, to complement the core of Montero, Ackley, and Smoak.
“but i can’t imagine a more fun story in baseball than Pineda completely flopping this year. ”
A player making minimum wage being a flop is a fun story? I can think of other fun stories such as what if your boy Matt Kemp went back to the 2010 Matt Kemp. What if Manny tested postive yet again and got banned from baseball for life. What if Jose Reyes was out for the year after the 1st game of the year (not funny for that to happen, but more funny at the Marlins).
If Kemp regressed to his 2010 season (which people forget consisted of 28 homeruns, 89 RBIs, 19 stolen bases) the Dodgers will be screwed because he would likely still be the best hitter on the team.
If Pineda is a flop, the Yankees still have the best lineup in baseball, a damn good rotation and a pretty good bullpen.
“but i can’t imagine a more fun story in baseball than Pineda completely flopping this year. ”
A player making minimum wage being a flop is a fun story? I can think of other fun stories such as what if your boy Matt Kemp went back to the 2010 Matt Kemp. What if Manny tested postive yet again and got banned from baseball for life. What if Jose Reyes was out for the year after the 1st game of the year (not funny for that to happen, but more funny at the Marlins).
sorry if this makes me a hater or whatever, but i can’t imagine a more fun story in baseball than Pineda completely flopping this year.
Yanks Ibanez contract is pretty inexpensive……not too shabby
GO sign Pudge to help with Nova and Pineda
ummm what does nova need help with? 16 wins last year? under 4.00 ERA nova was fine and will only improve
If he can get his K’s up then he will be a force to be reckoned with. If he doesn’t then he will still be a pretty good 4-5 starter that keeps the team in games.
I’d say Nova is a legit #3 but probably nothing higher. He is certainly better than a #4 or #5 starter.
I agree with you, if he get’s the strike outs up he is a legit #3. But as I said if he doesn’t he is a back end type pitcher. Pitchers who don’t miss bats don’t become aces.
I don’t think the Yankees need Nova to be an ace. And he doesn’t have to be a high K pitcher to be a good one (Hey look at Maddux, not that I am comparing the 2 lol). He gives up less than a hit an inning. His BB/9 is not high but it’s not low either (3.2/9). I think reducing his BB/9 despite it not being very high is just as if not more important than increasing his K/9. He is a ground ball pitcher. And his HR/FB ratio is very low for a pitcher who pitches in a wiffle ball park. He is a solid starter and I’m pretty sure every AL East team would have him in their rotation (Yes he’d probably even make the Rays number 5 starter over Davis/Niemann)
Martin is great with the pitchers, no need for Pudge.
Pudge? The same guy that sucked in 2008 with 2 HR and 3 RBI as a Yankee? No thanks.
Passan can wonder all he wants. But there is absolutely no doubt the Yankees starting rotation is better now then it was on January 1st.
Today: CC, Nova, Pineda, Kuroda and Hughes/Garcia
Prior to Jan.1st: CC, Nova, AJ, Hughes and Garcia
There is no comparison.
Yeah, I’ve heard people talking about how Pineda is due for a Verducci effect, but the problem with that argument from a Yankee fan’s standpoint is that it compares Pineda with Pineda instead of Pineda with Burnett. I think a Verducci-effected Pineda may well be better than even a three-pitch version of AJ Burnett, especially now that his fastball is way down.
The Yanks have depth in pitching with Garcia ready if someone falters.
Much better rotation than last year’s team that finished 3rd in AL.
slider my friend, I think you are confusing the 2011 rotation with Colon who was a valuable piece of that rotation to the rotation the Yankees were heading into the new year with on Jan 1st. of just: CC, Nova, AJ (head case), Hughes (???) and Garcia (a year older). It certainly did not inspire confidence in this Yankees fan.
Have a clue, AJ is no longer with the team, you forgot Kuroda a good veteran pitcher, both Nova and Hughes have won18 games in the big leagues, and how about Pineda a bordrline rookie of the year. He throws gas. You left out over half the starting pitchers.
Have a clue, AJ is no longer with the team, you forgot Kuroda a good veteran pitcher, both Nova and Hughes have won18 games in the big leagues, and how about Pineda a bordrline rookie of the year. He throws gas. You left out over half the starting pitchers.
Have a clue, he’s talking about 2011.
Slider, I forget to mention. The Yankees starters actually finished 5th in the AL with a 4.03 ERA – 4th in overall ERA 3.73 (if you include the pen).
Are you saying it’s a given they’ll either be first or second in the AL?
They don’t have to be, they finished second in runs last year with sub par years from their studs.
Seems like Sherman covered every point of why cashman didn’t choose Damon (various reasons) yet wouldn’t state it flat out in the entire article.
Very excited about this upcoming season, and yet very scared for the moves made. Pineda needs to be somewhat impressive or people will go over the top on him with criticism. I don’t see as much pressure on Kuroda and I honestly think he will pitch well. But if Pineda doesn’t lock down at least 15 wins there will be people calling for Cashman’s head…wrongly or not.
A lot of Pineda’s criticism is going to depended on how well Montero plays.
“the yankees have a bunch of really great players on their team and i’m excited about the prospects of this season.” – every Yankee fan every year since 1995.
It really must suck to live in the 2nd biggest city in the US that has the 2nd most sports teams (and at one point had 6 sports teams) and yet have only 1 successful franchise the past 20+ years.
In the past 20 years, the city of New York had ten championship teams (5 Yankees, 2 giants, 3 devils) That’s out of nine teams.
In the past 20 years, the city of Los Angeles has has had seven championships (5 lakers, 1 ducks, 1 angels). That’s out of six teams. Add two for USC football and one for UCLA basketball and you’re even, with LA using one less team.
By the way. I live in New York.
I wasn’t counting college sports actually. And by you living in NY, you should know we don’t count the Devils and Nets as NY teams. And the Angels and DUcks are not LA’s teams.
Ok so take away the Devils and college sports and add the Galaxy. LA 8 – NYC 7.
It doesn’t take rocket science to know that I was talking about professional sports and not ones this country doesn’t care too much about, at least not for local teams, such as the Galaxy.
Also take away the Ducks and Angels from your list too.
Sorry. Using your (very limited) definition of what constitutes as a championship, NYC’s seven teams have seven championships in the past twenty years and LA’s four teams have five championships.
Oh, and using your logic, the Giants and Jets shouldn’t count as NY teams but I’ll let you have it because I’m sick of this discussion.
Do you really think a lot of LA cares about the Galaxy and a lot of NY cares about the Red Bulls?
NY actually has 8 championships the last 20 years (Yankees 5, Giants 2, Rangers 1) and 9 the last 21 (if you include Super Bowl 25 for the Giants). LA may have 4 teams but only 1 has won a title. I believe almost every other city with 4 or more teams (except Philly) has had at least 2 teams win a title in that same span.
Giants and Jets play a few miles outside of NYC, oh and last I heard, their team name starts with New York. Therefore, they count for New York.
But I”ll be glad to end the discussion if you want to.
So the Los Angeles Angels, who play in a different county don’t count for LA, but the New York Giants who play in a different STATE count for New York?
And, if a team or a sport isn’t super popular, then those championships don’t count?
Just want to make sure I’m following your logic correctly.
They werent called the LA Angels when they won. I never said the other championships don’t count did I? Its just something people don’t care about. But I guess when your city loses TWO teams from the most popular sport, there has to be something else besides the Lakers.
And the problem is?
And the problem is?
The Yanks could have five starters win over 15 games a piece this year. Good work Cashman. CC is a #1, Pineda,Kuroda,Nova, and Hughes all possible #2 or #3s.
I think a big key is does Phil Hughes rebound after the lost season last year, he is still 25 and the onus is on him to step up.
While people are looking at things to pick at about Pineda and Kuroda coming to the AL East, they forgot seemingly that while it is tougher to pitch in the AL East, these guys are also coming to a better hitting team that will give them far more run support unlike anything they ever got in LA or Seattle.
Case in point A.J. Burnett, as dreadful he was in a Yankee uniform when you look at his numbers, he still managed to get double digit wins each season because of the run support he received, often times he didn’t even get deep into games. It was pray for 5 innings and pull him with a lead.
As a White Sox fan, Yanks have a very nice team. The game is won on the mound.(Rays). They really improved – concern would be age and defense. Still like the Rays to win division.
The Rays have good young pitching, but it is untested. Their offense isn’t that good ranked 13th. Longo is great, other than him no star players. They wouldn’t have made the playoffs last year if the Sox didn’t collapse.
The Rays have a very, very underrated offense this season. Longoria, Pena, Luke Scott, Upton, Jennings, Zobrist, Joyce. The rotation is outstanding, and they always find a way to put together a nice bullpen. They’ve improved form last year, IMO
The Rays have a very, very underrated offense this season. Longoria, Pena, Luke Scott, Upton, Jennings, Zobrist, Joyce. The rotation is outstanding, and they always find a way to put together a nice bullpen. They’ve improved form last year, IMO
We could have had 7 prospects in the top 100 if we didn’t trade away Montero, if Gerrit Cole didn’t decide to go to college, and if Cashman didn’t trade Arodys Vizcaino for Javier Vazquez. Sad times…
sad times? pineda + 4 in the top 100 should make you feel better.
We are all crossing our fingers that our rotation is as good on paper as on the field but I absolutely see reason to be optimistic as the Yanks have a TON of young pitching right now:
Pineda (23)
Nova (25)
Hughes (25)
And the following set to start at AAA…
Banuelos (21)
Betances (24)
Warren (24) 2nd year : 3.60/4.05 FIP in 152 IP last year
Phelps (25) 2nd year: 3.19/3.69 FIP in 107 IP last year
Mitchell (24) 2nd year: 3.18/3.96 FIP in 161 IP last year
Hopefully, CC will continue to be an ace and Pineda, Nova and Hughes can perform well in 2012. That allows the Yanks a LOT of options for the #5 spot and some decent trade pieces if needed.
Wow Hughes is just 25!
Warren, Phelps and Mitchell are back of the rotation guys, 4-5 guys. The Yankees got CC, Betances, Banuelos, Nova, and Pineda for the next 6-7 years. So i believe all those 3 guys are expendable, maybe they keep one for a 6th man/ Long reliever role (personally i like Warren the best out of all of them). It’ll be interesting with what they do with these guys, but it never hurts to have too much pitching
EDIT- and i also forgot about Hughes, further complicating the roles of those 3 guys
I didn’t say Warren, Phelps or Mitchell were front of rotation guys, but more importantly they are cheap and potentially usefull back end guys. There is absolute value in a guy who might be able to give you 175-190 innings of 4.25 -4.50 FIP ball at $400,000. We just traded 1 who did worse than that at $16.5 mil and the Pirates were hapy to get him for $5 mil per. I do happen to think that both Warren and Phelps are capable of doing better and so might Mitchell if he can develop an attack vs lefty hitters.
But either way, Pineda, Nova and Hughes on the mlb staff and 5 near mlb ready pitchers at AAA all 25 or under is a great thing.
yeah i know you didn’t say that, i just mentioned that to show that they are options 7,8,9 for our rotation. The Yankees have no need to keep all of them. I could see them sending one or two of them in a package for a SS/3B in the near future, now that A-rod and Jeter are getting up there in age and will be relegated to holding the DH spot or LF perhaps? (in Jeters case). It’ll be interesting what happens in a couple of years, your going to have 9 guys who can/ready for the big leagues. Not sure if those 3 guys can surpass Betances, Banuelos, Pineda, and Nova. I’m not 100% sold on Betances though, hes too erratic at times. I love Banuelos, he can pitch, Betances has the higher ceiling though, just based on stuff and physique. Time will tell. Like we said its a good problem to have.