Yankees catcher Brian McCann will visit a neurologist today after suffering a concussion during yesterday’s game, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets. If McCann heads to the 7-day DL, Austin Romine, who’s hitting .252/.313/.374 for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, would likely take his place for the time being. A DL stint would be another disappointment in what’s been a rough season for McCann, who’s hitting just .238/.294/.384 in the first season of a five-year deal. Here’s more from around the East divisions.
- A.J. Burnett, who has struggled since the All-Star break, no longer looks like a trade asset for the Phillies, Ryan Lawrence of the Daily News writes. Burnett has allowed five runs or more in four of his last five starts. There’s also the problem of his contract, which contains a complex player/mutual option for 2015 and increases in size for starts he makes down the stretch this season. He also has a $7.5MM signing bonus that the Phillies don’t begin paying until December.
- Melky Cabrera’s rebound season in 2014 will likely earn him a significant contract, and the Blue Jays need him back next season, Brendan Kennedy of The Star writes. Figuring out how much Cabrera will get is tricky, due to his health history and PED connections, Kennedy points out. But Kennedy polled several agents, who figured Cabrera’s .314/.365/.477 season so far might get him about three years and $36MM-$45MM this winter, which would be a nice upgrade on the two-year, $16MM deal he’s on now. One suggested Shane Victorino’s three-year, $39MM deal with the Red Sox might be a precedent for a deal with Cabrera.
Word is that it is not a significant injury though. Him hitting the 7 day wouldn’t be the end of the world. Would be very minor in the grand scheme.
Say what you want about McCann’s offensive struggles, but he’s helped guide a patchwork rotation and the results have been far better than could have been reasonably expected.
It’s hard enough on a normal catcher working with a full staff of 10-12 pitchers… McCann has worked with 12 different starters and 12 different relievers, who run the gamut from young aces, experienced journeyman, struggling veterans, big-league castoffs and rookies who are making their major league debuts.
I agree. The offense has been a real disappointment, but he clearly knows how to catch.
When the Yankees won 85 games last year with a horrible injury riddled team, it should have been a wakeup call to their fans that something is going on here, when Fangraphs posted an article on how many favorable calls the Yankees players and pitchers get every year, it should have become ever more apparent to some people that MLB colludes with the umpires to make sure the Yankees are always in the thick of things. McCann has nothing to do with young pitchers doing well, just like he doesn’t have anything to do with Tanaka getting 50+ splitters in the dirt called a strike this year.
MLB loves when the Yankees are in the playoff chase, they sell the most merchandise and gainer the biggest U.S television ratings. It’s beneficial for MLB to have the Yankees doing well because when they visit a struggling market such as Tampa, they usually bring in a near full house.
Yes. Such a simpler explanation. Can’t be possibly that the Yankees are good framers, but rather a massive conspiracy by the umpires and MLB. Doubt he has 50 called strikes in the dirt. Most those splitters are swinging strikes.
I doubt that, people have been aware of the Yankees getting a favorable strike zone for over a decade. Why is it hard to fathom that the a team with such a negative run deferential and a non existent pitching staff has got the support of MLB’s brass due to MLB’s nationwide decreased attendance and television ratings? The Yankees are a draw and like every draw, you protect them if you can.
Can you explain the Yankees remaining over .500 last year and this year? It’s not like their pitching staff has been good?
You can’t be serious. You think bud selig favors the yankees?
Well MLB was aware and approved of A-Rod apparently using steroids during the 2007 season when he last won his MVP.
that’s a big and broad accusation. if you could demonstrate that MLB had taken a hard line against all PED users but decided to look the other way with A-Rod because he was a yankee, perhaps your claim might have some credibility.
Go read up on your news, this was headlines a little over a month ago. MLB kept quite on it but it was leaked that this was stated during their arbitration meetings. He used a banned substance to heal an injury during the 2007 off-season and was given an exemption on his testing.
you are missing my point. steroids have never been out of the game, for quite some time were quite happily tolerated by both mlb and mlbpa as part of the same business interests you decry. cherry picking a-rod while turning a blind eye to every other steroids user and using that as ‘evidence” that somehow selig favors the yankees merely shows you can’t stand the yankees. That, we can certainly see from other posts.
What’s funny is I’m actually a Yankee fan, I just like the Jays more hint the name. Go look at fangraphs and see how the strike zone is for certain teams instead of mindlessly arguing with me over foolishness as to looking for “facts”, If MLB admitted to giving the Yankees a favorable strike zone I’m pretty sure that would hurt the game of baseball. It’s like in soccer and the star on the team falls down and draws a call. The Yankees are the Manchester United of baseball and most of their fans refuse to acknowledge it because they’re use to them getting every borderline strike.
This is a rumor site, get use to crackpot theories, I’m not Bud Selig so I can only bring up stuff like him allowing Steinbrenner back in the game, or allowing A-Rod to win an MVP on steroids as an example.
I even think that is selling Melky a bit short. Big bats are going to be in so short supply this winter, and he is probably one of the top 2-3 batters that can play the field this winter. Cruz as expected is back to his career norms, and Hanley is the only other real option.
If he doesn’t get Nick Swisher money, I’ll be unpleasantly surprised.
3 years/39 million??? Done and done. Sign him up. Me thinks he end up at 4/60 tbh. Thats a little tougher, but I might still sign up for that.
Melky would fit in with the Yanks next year.
Where? With Gardner and Ellsbury cemented, A-Rod locked in at DH, Beltran will likely be playing RF on most days. I suppose the Yanks use Gardner as trade bait for an infielder or starter, but as presently constructed they do not need an outfielder, so i’m not sure where Melky would fit in.
Though Cashman’s strategy has always been “get the best players we can and we’ll figure out where to play them later,” so you may be right…
You sure he doesn’t forget when he was traded for a bunch of used balls known as Javier Vazquez back in 2009? Also Cabrera’s defense is a massive minus so I applaud any trade of Gardner to acquire him since it makes your team worse.
Hi defence although not steller, is far from being a massive minus.
He can throw and takes good routes on balls.
Rfield -12.
Not many trade assets on the Philly roster.
That’s because the guy currently occupying the GM’s chair is not exactly an “asset” himself……