Five current members of the Astros bullpen (Luke Gregerson, Chad Qualls, Pat Neshek, Joe Thatcher and Sam Deduno) were on the 2011 Padres, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart notes. Astros manager A.J. Hinch was an executive with the Padres in 2011, but he says the Astros weren’t intentionally aiming to acquire former Padres players. “When we started this offseason, we wanted to have multiple guys that could finish games,” says Hinch. “Chad Qualls has a long history of closing, and Neshek and Gregerson were added for that reason. The way the game has evolved, those last nine outs are really hard to get, and to have guys that have done it before is nice to have.” Here are more quick notes from around the Majors.
- Outfielder Chris Young has had much more success with the Yankees than he had with their crosstown rivals, writes MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “We’ve always talked about [how] New York sometimes can be a tough place to get used to and adjust to. Sometimes it takes some players some time,” says Yankees manager Joe Girardi. “The way he’s played for us, I’m a little bit surprised that’s what happened [with the Mets], but he’s been really good for us.” Young now has 17 extra-base hits in 112 plate appearances with the Yankees going back to last season, after having just 20 in 287 plate appearances with the Mets. He’s also done a better job hitting for average and getting on base. His history suggests he might come back to earth, but at only 31, he could continue to help in a part-time role in the Bronx. Hoch notes that Young’s contract contains a series of bonuses for plate appearance thresholds, so if Young continues to play well, he could end up making significantly more than the $2.5MM he’s guaranteed.
- The Reds say catcher Devin Mesoraco (hip impingement) was available to pinch-hit this weekend, but his absence in the ninth inning with the tying run aboard against the Cardinals says otherwise, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Mesoraco wasn’t even in the team’s clubhouse after the game, Rosecrans reports. Mesoraco has been out for a week now, but the Reds continue to play with a short bench, even though they could place Mesoraco on the disabled list and backdate the move to April 13. In any case, being without a healthy Mesoraco hurts the 5-6 Reds — he earned a January extension after hitting .273/.359/.534 in a breakout 2014 season.
Chris Young is being used as a 4th OFer on the Yankees, selectively facing and sitting against certain pitchers, as opposed to playing fulltime with the Mets. He’s more effective in his current situation at this point in his career. Don’t look too hard for an answer when the obvious is there.
Everyone has more success with the New York Yankees.
They are the best franchise in all of professional sports.
Should this come as a surprise? The Mets are irrelevant.
Ah, and Yankee fans wonder why so many people around baseball enjoy watching that bloated roster flounder.
Not really sure what to say to that. Should probably check the standings though.
It’s people like you that makes our fan base look bad.
“I’m a little bit surprised that’s what happened [with the Mets], but he’s been really good for us.” He hit a blistering 239 in 6 seasons at AZ and .200 with the A’s and his time with the Mets was surprising? Really Joe? Really?
There are other things a hitter can do than hit for average to be productive.
Young has been everything the Yankees could have asked for as a 4th outfielder. Solid defense and impressive pop in his bat(That grand slam in Tampa had some serious distance on it). Not that he should be more than a 4th, I think he thrives in a limited role, but if any of their other outfielders need a day off I feel fine about seeing Young in the lineup.
Heath Bell must have left his phone on silent