Some notes on the Yankees and Royals to kick off Sunday morning:
- Jordan Montgomery is the “overwhelming favorite” for the fourth spot in the Yankees’ rotation, notes George King III of the New York Post. That’s not especially surprising, given that the lefty’s Tommy John procedure is now 21 months behind him. The 27-year-old’s strong 2017 rookie season positions him well to step up in the wake of injuries to Luis Severino and James Paxton. The final spot in the rotation is still entirely up for grabs, although King feels Jonathan Loaisiga is the early frontrunner. Surprisingly, King notes that right-hander Clarke Schmidt could be in the fifth starter mix after turning some heads early in spring training. The 24-year-old was the Yankees’ first-round pick out of the University of South Carolina in 2017, but he’s made all of three career starts above High-A, thanks largely to rehab from a Tommy John of his own. That, coupled with Schmidt’s roster status (he needn’t be added to the 40-man until after this season), would seem to make him a long shot for a season-opening role.
- One pitcher who might not be as strong a contender for the Yankees’ final rotation spot is Luis Cessa, whom King says the club “seemingly likes…in the bullpen.” That jibes with a similar report from Bryan Hoch of MLB.com earlier this week, although Hoch’s report came before news broke of Severino’s season-ending Tommy John surgery. From the outside, it appeared that blow could have changed the calculus on Cessa’s potential usage, but it seems he’s still more likely to occupy a bullpen role in 2020. The 27-year-old has started 19 of his 86 career MLB appearances, but he was used exclusively as a reliever in 2019.
- Salvador Pérez logged four innings behind the plate in the Royals’ spring training game Friday (h/t to the Associated Press). That marked his first catching action since his Tommy John surgery last March. “It was kind of like Opening Day — once you catch the first pitch, it’s a regular game,” Pérez said postgame, via the AP. “I blocked some balls, threw to second base between innings. It was all great.” At last check, the 29-year-old was on track to be ready for Opening Day. In 2018, Pérez hit just .235/.274/.439 (89 wRC+), but he’s long shouldered extremely high workloads behind the plate in Kansas City.
To be clear, Montgomery favorite? Or only option?
they have a lot of options – him, Cessa, Loasigia, Garcia, King, etc. so no
So yeah, only option
Lol
Ha!
He’s the favorite only option lol
Montgomery is an excellent 3 or 4 starter. Kid has good stuff and knows how to pitch, plus a bit of funk to his lefty delivery.
Schmidt looks like the real deal. He throws in the mid-90s with a devastating curve/slider mix and a nice changeup. Looking forward to watching his ascension. Looks to me like he could be a 2 or 3 starter. Not as sold on Mike King as some writers seem to be. Guy is a bullpen piece or maybe a #5 starter.
dude hasn’t thrown anywhere close to a full workload in 3 years. hes hard to rely on, even if the expectation is a #3
With both Paxton and German due back in June, they could use Schmidt as their 5th starter for two months and then move him back to AAA to manage his workload.
I’m not saying the Yankees should be relying on Montgomery as a #3 this season, just that he has the potential to be a solid 3/4. I think it’s reasonable to get 140 innings out of him this season.
Better bp piece than starter. We can’t win the World Series with him as a starter.
considering you generally only use your 3 or 4 top starters in the playoffs, Cole/Tanaka/Paxton + a potential deadline deal should have you covered
Folks often complain that the Yankees haven’t develop front-line starters and then don’t want prospects to have a shot at actually becoming a big league starter. Make up your minds. Which one is it???
At least they develop starters. i give boston all the credit in the world for developing fine youn hitters since John henry owned the club, but the philosophy of drafting big bodied arms for the most part that would hold up to the rigors of a full season the club USED to use was easy (to me) see as about useless and led to countless wasted #1-2 picke over 15, or so years with only now traded Michael Kopech, not being a garbage thrower having a chance to last at the MLB level.
NY at least drafted, or signed IFA talent of legit quality as starters over the last 20y and developed them, so give them credit.
Really and this is based off of whet knowledge that you have regarding one Clarke Schmidt?
The knowledge I have is my eyesight. Do you know how to make a judgment on a player or do you just wait to read what other people say/write and parrot it on comment boards such as this one?
*southpaw*
“Pshhh you listen to scouts? Lol, buddy, my EYES are the only scouts I need”
The Yankees just need to be in contention and heel by the Allstar break. By then all the pretenders will be looking to make a move.
Yankees have to learn that all the money in the world will not buy a World Series. Proof is the past 10 years. The Tigers and other teams have tried to field the best players for the most money and still come up short.
To win requires desire and team work. To many big checks equal to many big egos. To many big egos lead to not working together. That is unless the cameraman and trash cans are you best friend.
So I really would love to see all teams stop paying this big upfront money and field players who have a desire to play for the sport. Look into the past and see what players made and how they played then. Look at today the stat driven corporate world of sports. Stat playing will kill the sport so let’s field robots. Wait I am sure the Yankees have though about that among other teams using AI to improve the game.
Blows my mind all the arm chair managing that goes on, but nobody looks at how the sport is getting lost to greed.
Yankees probably go to a WS or 2 in the last few years if Houston didn’t cheat.
Every team at some level has had cheating. The Yankees too had issue with PEDs. Greed will cause cheating, what does that teach the kids watching the sport.
Screw it, I will cheat through life, adults do it and get paid millions to cheat.
The NYY didn’t HIT, it wasn’t about Houston hitting their pitchers all the time. And I am NOT a Houston fan, RS fan n fan of the sport.
Adding. I am horrified what the Houston team did, n I wish they could be brought to task for what they did to a beloved sport
Well your a red Sawk fan so there you go! Another cheating team like the Astros.
keyword “probably.” not a given.
Did Astros pitchers cheat? Cus Yankees batted a paltry .214 in that series
Usually in playoffs games are low scoring but in big spots when you continue to thrive the other team squeezes the bats a little tighter to try and catch up. I’m thinking all the excuses by Astros fans and Red Sox fans and anti Yankee fans just is pathetic.
Greed has always been part of the game since the late 1800’s, it’s just that the players didn’t have any leverage until the last 45 years. Now they are simply getting as much as they can based on the labor agreement that was negotiated by ownership and their union. Same as what I’d do as well as yourself I’m sure. Still can’t believe people are still so hung up on this fact. It is what it is, and has been for a long time now. People complaining about it and bringing up the Good Ol’ Days are really showing their age…..
I think the Yankees have some nice young pieces that aren’t greedy at all. I also think they showed tremendous team work and a next man up attitude all of last year. They’ve built from within and supplemented with players they’ve paid for as well… They’ve done a little bit of both, which is just the reality of the game today. And I’m a Red Sox fan.
The game evolves. I was adamantly against interleague play and then instant replay. Watching the occasional manager throw a tantrum/kick dirt arguing was the part of the game I enjoyed. Home plate collisions and hard takeout slides are gone. Now I’ve accepted that it is what it is. My complaints don’t matter as it’s up to the owners/players. The playoffs will inevitably expand further where teams slightly over .500 will make it in. Robots will be calling balls and strikes. Maybe I will still enjoy baseball. Maybe I won’t.
The Yankees aren’t spending through the roof like they were 10 years ago. They took the time to rebuild their farm system recently, and that’s why they’re back into playoff contention. They have a lot of offensive and bullpen depth. Starting pitching, not so much. That’s where they have to search the open market. So the Yankees did learn. But with so many organizations going younger, bunching up against the luxury tax, and random teams like the Twins stacking arms, it’s going to be a lot tougher even for the richest teams. Don’t be surprised if the AL Central suddenly becomes a 95+ win battle between the Twins and White Sox. I wouldn’t sleep on the Reds or D’Backs either. I think this season is going to be more of a level playing field.
tiger68
“Yankees have to learn that all the money in the world will not buy a World Series.”
They are well aware of this fact. Money can’t buy the WS. It can only buy better odds. Which is why they’ve made it into the postseason 7 times in those 10 years to which you referred. What do expect them to do? Stop trying? Fortunately for their fans they will keep trying to win now. And thank god. That’s all I ask. Keep trying.
Yes, try convincing players they should play for free and for their love of the game while the team they play for is making money off their name/image/performance. Definitely a great idea. I mean you say “look into the past and see what players made…”. You do realize there is a thing called inflation right? And there are factors way outside of baseball’s control that play a factor on how much the players make.
Yanks getting the Full Monty this year
Hard to believe that Salvy is still in his 20’s & maybe there’s a silver lining in missing last season which the downtime mixed with rest might actually help to extend his career moving forward albeit at a different position as he progresses into his 30’s.
Yes, his patience at the plate still lacks but his power is still good, his defense is fire, the leadership is immense & passion is contagious!
Can’t wait to see him compete again…
Stretch Green out for 5in?
I think Green is his best only when he’s seeing the same batter once in a game really. He did a great job as an opener last year.
We need to be done with this, “Astros cheated” stuff. Let’s put it behind us and be done. They’ll probably find nothing on the Red Sox it looks like. All the players are saying nothing happened it was just Alex Cora from the Astros happened to manage the Red Sox.
But seriously let’s be done with the Astros cheated stuff, I’m over it, that was two years ago LOL enough already. They got their punishment let’s get over it.
The commissioner’s report just came out in January. It just happened. And the players weren’t punished. Nothing to LOL over.
Fine, you want to keep bringing up that the Astros cheated go ahead. I’m tired of it. Let’s move on.
It’s like the girlfriend who remembers crap from 3 months ago, that you’ve already talked about and gone over, and she keeps bringing it up. Let’s move on.. punishment was doled out, its over. Oh.., and LOL.
Gary Found Manfred’s MLBTR account
Yankees should of traded for Kluber. Rangers traded nothing for him. However I’m sure Indians were asking for Torres.
It’s good to see Perez getting back to health. He’s one of the games best catchers and it would be a real disappointment if he weren’t able to make it back from his TJ surgery. I’m not a Royals fan by any stretch of the imagination but I wish Perez the best as he works his way back to form this year! He seems like a class act and a really talented ballplayer.
yanks need to trade for somebody’s ace
No one is trading an ace this time of year. The Yankees will have to go with the kids in their system.