-The Seahawks have given Sidney Rice a five-year $41 million contract. That's great but who exactly is throwing the ball to him? Tavaris Jackson? Charlie Whitehurst? Good luck Pete Carroll.
-The New England Patriots obtained Albert Haynesworth from the Redskins for a 2013 fifth-round pick. Call me crazy but I think New England just got a steal here. Yes, Haynesworth was a huge baby in Washington but New England will either make him fall in line or cut him. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Haynesworth might have a big year. If he passes the physical which is as big an "if" as Haynesworth himself.
-Reggie Bush is now a Dolphin. Not sure if he is what the team needs. Yes, they needed a running back but Bush is not close to an every down kind of back and if the Dolphins are expecting second-round pick Daniel Thomas to shoulder the load they might have more problems than they think. Trusting a rookie this year to shoulder a significant load is dangerous.
-Is there anyone out there who has gotten less respect than Donovan McNabb? McNabb is now on his third team in three years after the Redskins traded him to Minnesota for two 6th round picks over the next two years. I think McNabb could have a decent season if Minnesota gives him reliable receivers. Letting Sidney Rice walk was not a good start.
-Now that the Pirates are hovering around first place is there any team that is synonymous with futility in sports anymore? For evidence I submit the Cincinnati Bengals. I think Bruce Gradkowski is going to be their starter. Wow. Fun. This whole Carson Palmer saga is like watching two little children fight over toys.
-The Jets have made Santonio Holmes a very rich man. They had no choice. Without him their offense stutters and probably falls on its face.
-I think the Redskins have been in Washington, D.C. too long because they are starting to operate like Congress. They spend money like it isn't theirs on useless projects, for example Albert Haynesworth, and just about every other free agent that walked in the locker room. They often get no results from said spending sprees and then try to fix the problems by going out and throwing money around. They have an owner who doesn't have a clue. They just signed a guy (Donte Stallworth) who killed a man while driving drunk. Yep, maybe the Redskins are truly at home n D.C. At least Congress will go out and root for them.
-The Giants released center Shaun O'Hara this past week and signed former 49er David Baas to a deal. Baas played center last season for the Niners and was a guard before that. It is still unclear if the Giants intend to use Baas as a guard and bring back O'Hara on a cheaper deal or if they will use Baas as center. Despite being injured last year O'Hara was one of the better centers in football and is an all around great guy. Personally, I think the Giants should bring him back but that could just be the fan in me talking.
-Speaking of the Giants, it appears they are one of two teams Plaxico Burress is interested in joining. The Steelers being the other. I don't think anyone would have predicted that. Most experts had him signed up for Philly the second he emerged from prison. I liked Burress during his time with the Giants and would love to see him back. However, I don't know where he fits in with Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, and youngsters Ramses Barden and Victor Cruz and Jarrell Jernigan at that spot. The idea of having Burress show Barden how to use his size in traffic is intriguing. Plus, it does create major matchup problems for opposing defenses. Eli can throw 50 times a game and rack up 4,300 yards with an effective Burress teaming up with that receiving corps.
-The Eagles signed Jason Babin, who had 12.5 sacks last year for the Titans. Babin teams up with Trent Cole to give the Eagles a very good defensive end tandem. Just what the rest of the NFC East wanted to hear.
-If the Giants want to contend this year they must sign Mathias Kiwanuka, Steve Smith, and Kevin Boss. All three are extremely talented players at their respective positions and Kiwanuka was leading the team in sacks last year and should be a number one priority along with Smith who also is coming off an injury plagued season. Those injuries should give the Giants a little bit of a discount as those players would have cost the Giants big money over a full season. They need to take advantage of that and get these guys signed.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Trade Candidates
The July 31st, non-waiver trading deadline is quickly approaching so I thought I would take a look at some of the players who are being mentioned in rumors.
B.J. Upton, OF, Rays: Upton was once a highly touted prospect, showing that he possessed five tools. Now, his power is kind of there, his speed is still there, but his ability to hit for average has vanished. Earlier in the year I labeled Upton as one of the most overrated players in the game. So far this season he has only proven me correct by hitting .229 with 15 homers and 52 RBI's. He also has 13 doubles and no triples while stealing 23 bags. Upton has regressed almost every year after his stellar 2007 campaign where he hit .300 with 24 homers and 82 RBI's. He plays a decent centerfield, though not quite gold-glove caliber. The Washington Nationals are said to be lusting after Upton and, according to reports, would offer up the moon for him. To me that is just silly. Washington's best chance for success if further development of their young players, not trading them. Sure, Upton is only 26 but he has been in the league since he was 19 and has had seven years to prove something. The NAtionals would be wise to stay their course. They have a progressing Danny Espinosa who is being mentioned for NL Rookie of the Year, a rehabbing Stephen Strasburg who could return in September, the top prospect in all of baseball in Bryce Harper at AA, and a wealth of other prospects including Anthony Rendon, Tyler Moore, Brad Peacock, Tom Milone, and a wealth of others. In the next five years this team should develop into a power in the NL. Why risk that by trading for a player who has only regressed every year since 2007-08? All Upton is is a strikeout waiting to happen. If they can get him without giving up major prospects or anyone on their current roster then I would give it a try. Maybe a change of scenery would help. More likely it won't. the only thing that will help Upton is Upton and I don't think he cares enough to do that.
Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets: Beltran is enjoying a resurgence this season. He leads the NL in doubles and has shown he can still hit the home run and his knees are holding up. The Mets are in limbo right now, not fully committed to a rebuild but not exactly stocking up for a stretch run. The Mets are stuck in a limbo of uncertainty. Injuries have derailed what could have been a surprise season for them. Maybe not a playoff berth but a winning record wasn't out of the question. Still isn't. However, Beltran is 34 and entering free agency this offseason. The Mets need to get something in return for him since he doesn't fit into their long-term plans. Teams like the Giants, Phillies, Braves, Pirates, Indians, and Rangers all could use Beltran's pop. The Mets are trying to pry a top prospect out of the deal since Beltran really is the best bat on the market right now. Getting a key player in return for Beltran is imperative for the Mets. They need someone who will be able to step in in a year or two, whether its a pitcher or position player, and contribute.
Mike Adams, RP, Padres: Adams is viewed as the best relief option on the market and the Padres are asking a lot in return for him. Yankees GM Brian Cashman has maintained that he won't go crazy for relief pitching this year, especially with Rafael Soriano coming off the DL this week. There are a lot of teams that could use Adams as either a set-up man or closer who might overpay for him. Personally, I'm not a big fan of giving out huge contracts or offering up big-time prospects for relievers. Look at the Yankees history with big name relievers to find out why. Relievers are probably the most volatile commodity in baseball, dominating for a year or a few and then flaming out. Rare is the Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, or Dennis Eckersley. With that being said, there are still team who have a real shot at making the playoffs this year who could use someone like Adams. The Pirates could always use someone to set-up for Joel Hanrahan who is enjoying a fine season. The Cardinals bullpen has been something of a spectacle this season as well and they could use him. Both the Cardinals and Pirates are tied with the Brewers for first place with the Reds breathing down all their necks and the Brewers now have Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford to close out games for them. Adams in St. Louis could mean the difference between playoffs or golf.
Tyler Clippard, RP, Nationals: Clippard is a wins vulture, somehow escaping even bad outings with a "W." A new baseball term has even come into fashion in his honor, "Clip" as in clip the win. He isn't dominating but gets the job done by keeping hitters off balance with a variety of breaking stuff and a decent enough fastball. Clippard is still young and is coming off his first All-Star Game appearance so he could bring in a decent prospect or two. The Braves, Yankees, Rangers, Red Sox, and a slew of other teams have shown an interest. I personally like Clippard having seen him pitch at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and meeting him a few times. However, being a nice guy and good pitcher in the minors are on the opposite pole of reality. Clippard is still a good set-up man but, like with Adams, I think the Nationals will have to be very pleased with the package they take away from the deal which would prohibit me from trying to acquire him, especially when combined with his mediocre performance level in high leverage situations.
Heath Bell, RP, Padres: Bell is the closer in San Diego but is not their best reliever (that would be the aforementioned Mike Adams). Bell would like to stay in the NL but you can't always get what you want. All the teams previously mentioned in the Adams and Clippard paragraphs would be in play for Bell as well. Since he would cost less in terms of prospects than Adams, I would target him instead if I'm the Cardinals GM. He has shown he can close and the cost is lower. In a bad economy, like this one for available players of all positions, you sometimes have to clip coupons and use them wisely. With Adams overshadowing Bell in drool factor among teams someone like the Cardinals just might be able to swoop in and grab Bell with their coupons.
The trade market this year is not as cut and dry as in years past. There are a ton of teams that are hovering around respectability that will prohibit them from becoming sellers. Hell, even the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in a tight race in the NL Central where three teams share the lead and the Reds are only 3 games out in 2nd. Not even the Twins, with their 47-54 record are conceding defeat. There is a complete lack of depth right now in the market. That's not to say trades won't develop. Hell, the Marlins could trade Hanley Ramirez tomorrow, you just can't predict it. Either way, this is among the best periods in all of sports and we should all sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully our favorite teams don't become stupid and trade their best prospects for spare parts.
B.J. Upton, OF, Rays: Upton was once a highly touted prospect, showing that he possessed five tools. Now, his power is kind of there, his speed is still there, but his ability to hit for average has vanished. Earlier in the year I labeled Upton as one of the most overrated players in the game. So far this season he has only proven me correct by hitting .229 with 15 homers and 52 RBI's. He also has 13 doubles and no triples while stealing 23 bags. Upton has regressed almost every year after his stellar 2007 campaign where he hit .300 with 24 homers and 82 RBI's. He plays a decent centerfield, though not quite gold-glove caliber. The Washington Nationals are said to be lusting after Upton and, according to reports, would offer up the moon for him. To me that is just silly. Washington's best chance for success if further development of their young players, not trading them. Sure, Upton is only 26 but he has been in the league since he was 19 and has had seven years to prove something. The NAtionals would be wise to stay their course. They have a progressing Danny Espinosa who is being mentioned for NL Rookie of the Year, a rehabbing Stephen Strasburg who could return in September, the top prospect in all of baseball in Bryce Harper at AA, and a wealth of other prospects including Anthony Rendon, Tyler Moore, Brad Peacock, Tom Milone, and a wealth of others. In the next five years this team should develop into a power in the NL. Why risk that by trading for a player who has only regressed every year since 2007-08? All Upton is is a strikeout waiting to happen. If they can get him without giving up major prospects or anyone on their current roster then I would give it a try. Maybe a change of scenery would help. More likely it won't. the only thing that will help Upton is Upton and I don't think he cares enough to do that.
Carlos Beltran, OF, Mets: Beltran is enjoying a resurgence this season. He leads the NL in doubles and has shown he can still hit the home run and his knees are holding up. The Mets are in limbo right now, not fully committed to a rebuild but not exactly stocking up for a stretch run. The Mets are stuck in a limbo of uncertainty. Injuries have derailed what could have been a surprise season for them. Maybe not a playoff berth but a winning record wasn't out of the question. Still isn't. However, Beltran is 34 and entering free agency this offseason. The Mets need to get something in return for him since he doesn't fit into their long-term plans. Teams like the Giants, Phillies, Braves, Pirates, Indians, and Rangers all could use Beltran's pop. The Mets are trying to pry a top prospect out of the deal since Beltran really is the best bat on the market right now. Getting a key player in return for Beltran is imperative for the Mets. They need someone who will be able to step in in a year or two, whether its a pitcher or position player, and contribute.
Mike Adams, RP, Padres: Adams is viewed as the best relief option on the market and the Padres are asking a lot in return for him. Yankees GM Brian Cashman has maintained that he won't go crazy for relief pitching this year, especially with Rafael Soriano coming off the DL this week. There are a lot of teams that could use Adams as either a set-up man or closer who might overpay for him. Personally, I'm not a big fan of giving out huge contracts or offering up big-time prospects for relievers. Look at the Yankees history with big name relievers to find out why. Relievers are probably the most volatile commodity in baseball, dominating for a year or a few and then flaming out. Rare is the Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, or Dennis Eckersley. With that being said, there are still team who have a real shot at making the playoffs this year who could use someone like Adams. The Pirates could always use someone to set-up for Joel Hanrahan who is enjoying a fine season. The Cardinals bullpen has been something of a spectacle this season as well and they could use him. Both the Cardinals and Pirates are tied with the Brewers for first place with the Reds breathing down all their necks and the Brewers now have Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford to close out games for them. Adams in St. Louis could mean the difference between playoffs or golf.
Tyler Clippard, RP, Nationals: Clippard is a wins vulture, somehow escaping even bad outings with a "W." A new baseball term has even come into fashion in his honor, "Clip" as in clip the win. He isn't dominating but gets the job done by keeping hitters off balance with a variety of breaking stuff and a decent enough fastball. Clippard is still young and is coming off his first All-Star Game appearance so he could bring in a decent prospect or two. The Braves, Yankees, Rangers, Red Sox, and a slew of other teams have shown an interest. I personally like Clippard having seen him pitch at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and meeting him a few times. However, being a nice guy and good pitcher in the minors are on the opposite pole of reality. Clippard is still a good set-up man but, like with Adams, I think the Nationals will have to be very pleased with the package they take away from the deal which would prohibit me from trying to acquire him, especially when combined with his mediocre performance level in high leverage situations.
Heath Bell, RP, Padres: Bell is the closer in San Diego but is not their best reliever (that would be the aforementioned Mike Adams). Bell would like to stay in the NL but you can't always get what you want. All the teams previously mentioned in the Adams and Clippard paragraphs would be in play for Bell as well. Since he would cost less in terms of prospects than Adams, I would target him instead if I'm the Cardinals GM. He has shown he can close and the cost is lower. In a bad economy, like this one for available players of all positions, you sometimes have to clip coupons and use them wisely. With Adams overshadowing Bell in drool factor among teams someone like the Cardinals just might be able to swoop in and grab Bell with their coupons.
The trade market this year is not as cut and dry as in years past. There are a ton of teams that are hovering around respectability that will prohibit them from becoming sellers. Hell, even the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in a tight race in the NL Central where three teams share the lead and the Reds are only 3 games out in 2nd. Not even the Twins, with their 47-54 record are conceding defeat. There is a complete lack of depth right now in the market. That's not to say trades won't develop. Hell, the Marlins could trade Hanley Ramirez tomorrow, you just can't predict it. Either way, this is among the best periods in all of sports and we should all sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully our favorite teams don't become stupid and trade their best prospects for spare parts.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Ubaldo and the Yankees
Rumors have started swirling recently about a possible trade involving the Yankees and Rockies for Ubaldo Jimenez. It is rumored Colorado sees Yankees top prospect Jesus Montero as a possible solution at first base and a deal could center around him and either Dellin Betances or Manny Banuelos, the Yankees top two pitching prospects plus some others. Given the Yankees recent history with National League pitchers I have to wonder if this deal makes sense for the Yankees.
So far this season, Ubaldo has struggled. Sure, he is pitching better now after an 0-5 start but the question must be asked, why did the guy who finished third in the NL Cy Young voting last year get off to such a rough start? Was he jealous of the deals Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki were given by Colorado? Was his arm not 100% after throwing all of those innings last year? His velocity has been down this year which could explain why he has been as hittable this season. His swing and miss rate is down to 7.5% after having never been below 8.9% between 2007 and 2010. Still, he does get a lot of strikeouts and groundballs, offsetting those numbers a little. However, his track record in the playoffs isn't very ace-like and his interleague numbers are very blah to say the least. His numbers against the American League are very similar to what A.J. Burnett is posting now. He owns a 6-4 record, 4.08 ERA, 7.3 K/9 ratio (down from his normal 8.1 career rate) in 79.1 innings against teams on the Junior Circuit.
The comparables to A.J. Burnett are pretty uncanny this season. Jimenez has thrown a couple of good starts only to look terrible on his next couple. This year Burnett's line is: 8-7, 4.15 ERA, 97 hits allowed in 119.1 innings, 52 walks, 100 K's (7.5 K/9) and a 1.24 WHIP. Jimenez sports a 5-8 record, 4.08 ERA, 101 hits allowed in 110.1 innings, 43 walks, 99 K's (8.1 K/9) and a 1.30 WHIP. Eerily similar. Burnett is a little wilder and gives up the long ball (17 this year compared to Jimenez's 8) a little more often but the numbers are very close to each other. Do the Yankees really want to give up a boatload of prospects for a guy who might just be another A.J. Burnett?
OK, so A.J. never had a season like Jimenez did last year. Jimenez was a true ace last season. However, this season he has been anything but. In a league where offense is no longer king, one has to wonder what is behind Jimenez's recent downturn. Is it arm related? He did have major shoulder surgery in 2004 while in the minors. Sure, it was in 2004 but shoulder problems can linger and become an issue again, especially is the pitcher puts a lot of strain on his shoulder, or even elbow. Jimenez throws a bunch of pitches that put strain on those joints. Aside from his 2 and 4 seam fastballs he throws a slider and splitter which can strain even the strongest elbows. I'm not saying he is injured but his long term health must be questioned if you are going to give up the farm.
Now for the big question, can Jimenez handle the American League? We have seen many good pitchers come over from the National League to the Yankees only to become shells of their former selves. Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright (he saw his big success come in the NL hence the 3 year, $21 million deal the Yankees gave him), Kyle Farnsworth, Javier Vazquez, Chris Hammond, Paul Quantrill, and even Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown come to mind although they were good or great in the AL before moving on to an extended NL stay. I'm not saying Jimenez would follow in their footsteps but it is worth noting.
All of this is just speculation, much like the speculation that Colorado would trade their ace pitcher who is under a team friendly contract until 2014. I don't see why they would even dangle their best pitcher, regardless of how tough a year he is having. Colorado is 8 games out of first place in the NL West and they have been known to make a crazy second half comeback. I just don't see why, unless they are completely blown away by an offer, they would part with their best pitcher who is still just 27 years-old. If an unbelievable offer came their way then I would understand but why would a team like the Yankees offer up a whole slew of their best prospects for a guy who is pulling an A.J. Burnett impersonation this season? The Yankees would be much better served to bring Jesus Montero up to the big leagues to replace Francisco Cervelli who has been downright dreadful on both sides of the game, allow Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances (both of whom have made every guru's top 50 prospects list) to develop and eventually take their places in the rotation or bullpen in the next couple of years. All three of those kids are among the top prospects in the game, and would all be cheaper and under team control for a long time. If they develop as projected, or if even one does, it still gives the Yankees more payroll flexibility and still gives them a helluva player at that position, whether it is DH, pitcher, or catcher. There are very few pitchers in this game right now that I would trade 2 of those kids for and three of them are on the Phillies roster (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels), two are on the Red Sox roster (Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz), one is already a Yankee (C.C.) and one is in Seattle (Felix Hernandez).
Bottom line, while Jimenez is intriguing because he might be the best available (or semi-available) starter on the market this year. However, I wouldn't give up the farm to get him. Nor would I trade him if I were the Rockies unless he was a real clubhouse cancer and just stopped pitching because he felt bad he wasn't given a new contract. I don't see this trade matching up.
So far this season, Ubaldo has struggled. Sure, he is pitching better now after an 0-5 start but the question must be asked, why did the guy who finished third in the NL Cy Young voting last year get off to such a rough start? Was he jealous of the deals Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki were given by Colorado? Was his arm not 100% after throwing all of those innings last year? His velocity has been down this year which could explain why he has been as hittable this season. His swing and miss rate is down to 7.5% after having never been below 8.9% between 2007 and 2010. Still, he does get a lot of strikeouts and groundballs, offsetting those numbers a little. However, his track record in the playoffs isn't very ace-like and his interleague numbers are very blah to say the least. His numbers against the American League are very similar to what A.J. Burnett is posting now. He owns a 6-4 record, 4.08 ERA, 7.3 K/9 ratio (down from his normal 8.1 career rate) in 79.1 innings against teams on the Junior Circuit.
The comparables to A.J. Burnett are pretty uncanny this season. Jimenez has thrown a couple of good starts only to look terrible on his next couple. This year Burnett's line is: 8-7, 4.15 ERA, 97 hits allowed in 119.1 innings, 52 walks, 100 K's (7.5 K/9) and a 1.24 WHIP. Jimenez sports a 5-8 record, 4.08 ERA, 101 hits allowed in 110.1 innings, 43 walks, 99 K's (8.1 K/9) and a 1.30 WHIP. Eerily similar. Burnett is a little wilder and gives up the long ball (17 this year compared to Jimenez's 8) a little more often but the numbers are very close to each other. Do the Yankees really want to give up a boatload of prospects for a guy who might just be another A.J. Burnett?
OK, so A.J. never had a season like Jimenez did last year. Jimenez was a true ace last season. However, this season he has been anything but. In a league where offense is no longer king, one has to wonder what is behind Jimenez's recent downturn. Is it arm related? He did have major shoulder surgery in 2004 while in the minors. Sure, it was in 2004 but shoulder problems can linger and become an issue again, especially is the pitcher puts a lot of strain on his shoulder, or even elbow. Jimenez throws a bunch of pitches that put strain on those joints. Aside from his 2 and 4 seam fastballs he throws a slider and splitter which can strain even the strongest elbows. I'm not saying he is injured but his long term health must be questioned if you are going to give up the farm.
Now for the big question, can Jimenez handle the American League? We have seen many good pitchers come over from the National League to the Yankees only to become shells of their former selves. Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright (he saw his big success come in the NL hence the 3 year, $21 million deal the Yankees gave him), Kyle Farnsworth, Javier Vazquez, Chris Hammond, Paul Quantrill, and even Randy Johnson and Kevin Brown come to mind although they were good or great in the AL before moving on to an extended NL stay. I'm not saying Jimenez would follow in their footsteps but it is worth noting.
All of this is just speculation, much like the speculation that Colorado would trade their ace pitcher who is under a team friendly contract until 2014. I don't see why they would even dangle their best pitcher, regardless of how tough a year he is having. Colorado is 8 games out of first place in the NL West and they have been known to make a crazy second half comeback. I just don't see why, unless they are completely blown away by an offer, they would part with their best pitcher who is still just 27 years-old. If an unbelievable offer came their way then I would understand but why would a team like the Yankees offer up a whole slew of their best prospects for a guy who is pulling an A.J. Burnett impersonation this season? The Yankees would be much better served to bring Jesus Montero up to the big leagues to replace Francisco Cervelli who has been downright dreadful on both sides of the game, allow Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances (both of whom have made every guru's top 50 prospects list) to develop and eventually take their places in the rotation or bullpen in the next couple of years. All three of those kids are among the top prospects in the game, and would all be cheaper and under team control for a long time. If they develop as projected, or if even one does, it still gives the Yankees more payroll flexibility and still gives them a helluva player at that position, whether it is DH, pitcher, or catcher. There are very few pitchers in this game right now that I would trade 2 of those kids for and three of them are on the Phillies roster (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels), two are on the Red Sox roster (Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz), one is already a Yankee (C.C.) and one is in Seattle (Felix Hernandez).
Bottom line, while Jimenez is intriguing because he might be the best available (or semi-available) starter on the market this year. However, I wouldn't give up the farm to get him. Nor would I trade him if I were the Rockies unless he was a real clubhouse cancer and just stopped pitching because he felt bad he wasn't given a new contract. I don't see this trade matching up.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Grading the Front Offices and Managers
Both the Yankees and Mets entered this season with a ton of question marks. The Yankees lost out on Cliff Lee and saw Andy Pettitte retire leaving what appeared to be a gaping hole in their rotation. The Mets were surrounded by questions about their economic stability and are embroiled in a billion dollar lawsuit and new GM Sandy Alderson has had to work around a media that is always asking him when he will start the big fire sale. Life in New York is not easy. Not for Brian Cashman and not for Sandy Alderson. It doesn't get any easier on the field for Joe Girardi, who is expected to win the World Series every year, or Terry Collins who has to prove this Mets team is good enough to contend. Here are their grades for the first half of this year:
Brian Cashman: He lost out on Cliff Lee, saw Andy Pettitte retire, and saw the rival Red Sox sign Carl Crawford and trade for Adrian Gonzalez. Things were not looking good for the Yankees. It wouldn't get better for Cashman as days after losing out on Lee and with Crawford already in Boston, Yankee owndership circumvented Cashman and signed Rafael Soriano to a ridiculous contract leaving question about who is running the team swirling around the Bronx. Cashman's offseason looked impotent, especially when he signed Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to minor league deals. Colon and Garcia were considered by many to be washed up has-beens with nothing left to give. Still, Cashman needed arms to compete for roster spots. So far, the Colon and Garcia signings might have been the salvation of the Yankees first half. Both have pitched extremely well and have provided innings to ease the burden on a depleted bullpen that has seen Joba Chamberlain lost for the year and Rafael Soriano for an indefinite amount of time. The other big free agent signing of the year, Pedro Feliciano, was supposed to give the Yankees a veteran lefty arm to supplement Boone Logan and get lefty hitters like Crawford, Gonzalez, and David Ortiz out. Feliciano has yet to pitch in a game this year due to arm issues. Losing Feliciano, Cashman's big free agent signing, hurt. Cashman's first half, which includes this past offseason, was not very good when measured by expectations. He is saved only because Colon and Garcia are pitching well. Still, its hard to overlook the shot across his bow by the Steinbrenners with the Soriano signing, a disaster in itself so far, and the fact that he didn't land Cliff Lee, and Feliciano, who had been abused by the Mets over the years, goes down before getting into a game. I'm not even mentioning the child-like way he handled the Derek Jeter negotiations. Overall grade: C-
Joe Girardi: It's never easy being the manager of a team that everyone expects to win every year. Having the largest payroll will do that. To Girardi it's just another day at the office. Injuries to his main bullpen cogs not named Mariano have left him scrambling for answers. He has had to rely on kids like Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton, Cory Wade, Amaury Sanit, Jeff Marquez, and veteran retreads like Buddy Carlyle, Luis Ayala, and Sergio Mitre. Some have surprised, like Wade and Ayala. Others have been good. While others, like Sanit have been disasters. He has also had to deal with a contentious relationship with Jorge Posada whose outburst in Boston threatened to rip apart the team, questions about where a struggling Derek JEter should bat, and a host of other issues on a day to day basis. A 1-8 mark against the Red Sox hasn't helped matters either. Still, the Yankees are right there, hovering around first place with the Red Sox, and Girardi has this team playing well. Take away those losses to the Red Sox and the Yankees have a 6 game lead in the East. Right now the Yankees are on pace for 97-98 wins. Not too shabby. Grade: A-
Sandy Alderson: When he took the job as Mets GM he knew he was facing a daunting task. He was handed over the keys to a car that needed major repairs but would still be expected to take to the road. He surrounded himself with some very good baseball people in Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, among others and has not blown up the team for the sake of a total rebuild. The Mets have responded by going out and playing some good baseball despite the truckload of injuries to key players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Ike Davis, not to mention staff ace Johan Santana. He just traded Francisco Rodriguez and cash to the Brewers to prevent the Mets from having to pay $17.5 million in a vesting option for two players to be named later. Freeing up that money for next season helps pave the way to resigning Jose Reyes. It would have been very easy for him to just blow up a team that has not played up to its potential in recent years or has been hit by enough injuries that would make entire hospitals weep at the workload. With the trade deadline approaching he will have his work cut out for him but he has a plan and will be prepared. With a baseball braintrust like he has assembled, how can he not be? Alderson's overall grade: B+
Terry Collins: Managing the Mets might have been one of the least appealing jobs in all of baseball. The financial questions swirling around ownership, the roster of underachievers and DL candidates, and the New York press hovering about like vultures waiting for the death to swoop in and pick at the remnants. Into this cauldron stepped Terry Collins, a man who last managed in 1999 and whose 444-434 record didn't instill a ton of confidence in the Mets fanbase. Collins has responded by leading the Mets to a 46-45 record at the break, leaps and bounds above where anyone expected to see this team at this point. Throw into that the fact he has not had Johan Santana all year, has lost Ike Davis, David Wright, Angel Pagan, and Jose Reyes to injuries for parts of this season, and has juggled a lineup that has included Justin Turner playing second and third, Willie Harris playing everywhere, and Scott Hairston getting significant playing time. Still, the Mets are above .500, a small miracle that has kept the Mets faithful hopeful that there might be a future for this club. His overall grade: B+
Brian Cashman: He lost out on Cliff Lee, saw Andy Pettitte retire, and saw the rival Red Sox sign Carl Crawford and trade for Adrian Gonzalez. Things were not looking good for the Yankees. It wouldn't get better for Cashman as days after losing out on Lee and with Crawford already in Boston, Yankee owndership circumvented Cashman and signed Rafael Soriano to a ridiculous contract leaving question about who is running the team swirling around the Bronx. Cashman's offseason looked impotent, especially when he signed Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia to minor league deals. Colon and Garcia were considered by many to be washed up has-beens with nothing left to give. Still, Cashman needed arms to compete for roster spots. So far, the Colon and Garcia signings might have been the salvation of the Yankees first half. Both have pitched extremely well and have provided innings to ease the burden on a depleted bullpen that has seen Joba Chamberlain lost for the year and Rafael Soriano for an indefinite amount of time. The other big free agent signing of the year, Pedro Feliciano, was supposed to give the Yankees a veteran lefty arm to supplement Boone Logan and get lefty hitters like Crawford, Gonzalez, and David Ortiz out. Feliciano has yet to pitch in a game this year due to arm issues. Losing Feliciano, Cashman's big free agent signing, hurt. Cashman's first half, which includes this past offseason, was not very good when measured by expectations. He is saved only because Colon and Garcia are pitching well. Still, its hard to overlook the shot across his bow by the Steinbrenners with the Soriano signing, a disaster in itself so far, and the fact that he didn't land Cliff Lee, and Feliciano, who had been abused by the Mets over the years, goes down before getting into a game. I'm not even mentioning the child-like way he handled the Derek Jeter negotiations. Overall grade: C-
Joe Girardi: It's never easy being the manager of a team that everyone expects to win every year. Having the largest payroll will do that. To Girardi it's just another day at the office. Injuries to his main bullpen cogs not named Mariano have left him scrambling for answers. He has had to rely on kids like Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton, Cory Wade, Amaury Sanit, Jeff Marquez, and veteran retreads like Buddy Carlyle, Luis Ayala, and Sergio Mitre. Some have surprised, like Wade and Ayala. Others have been good. While others, like Sanit have been disasters. He has also had to deal with a contentious relationship with Jorge Posada whose outburst in Boston threatened to rip apart the team, questions about where a struggling Derek JEter should bat, and a host of other issues on a day to day basis. A 1-8 mark against the Red Sox hasn't helped matters either. Still, the Yankees are right there, hovering around first place with the Red Sox, and Girardi has this team playing well. Take away those losses to the Red Sox and the Yankees have a 6 game lead in the East. Right now the Yankees are on pace for 97-98 wins. Not too shabby. Grade: A-
Sandy Alderson: When he took the job as Mets GM he knew he was facing a daunting task. He was handed over the keys to a car that needed major repairs but would still be expected to take to the road. He surrounded himself with some very good baseball people in Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, among others and has not blown up the team for the sake of a total rebuild. The Mets have responded by going out and playing some good baseball despite the truckload of injuries to key players like David Wright, Jose Reyes, and Ike Davis, not to mention staff ace Johan Santana. He just traded Francisco Rodriguez and cash to the Brewers to prevent the Mets from having to pay $17.5 million in a vesting option for two players to be named later. Freeing up that money for next season helps pave the way to resigning Jose Reyes. It would have been very easy for him to just blow up a team that has not played up to its potential in recent years or has been hit by enough injuries that would make entire hospitals weep at the workload. With the trade deadline approaching he will have his work cut out for him but he has a plan and will be prepared. With a baseball braintrust like he has assembled, how can he not be? Alderson's overall grade: B+
Terry Collins: Managing the Mets might have been one of the least appealing jobs in all of baseball. The financial questions swirling around ownership, the roster of underachievers and DL candidates, and the New York press hovering about like vultures waiting for the death to swoop in and pick at the remnants. Into this cauldron stepped Terry Collins, a man who last managed in 1999 and whose 444-434 record didn't instill a ton of confidence in the Mets fanbase. Collins has responded by leading the Mets to a 46-45 record at the break, leaps and bounds above where anyone expected to see this team at this point. Throw into that the fact he has not had Johan Santana all year, has lost Ike Davis, David Wright, Angel Pagan, and Jose Reyes to injuries for parts of this season, and has juggled a lineup that has included Justin Turner playing second and third, Willie Harris playing everywhere, and Scott Hairston getting significant playing time. Still, the Mets are above .500, a small miracle that has kept the Mets faithful hopeful that there might be a future for this club. His overall grade: B+
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Grading the Mets
Who would have thought they would be above .500 at this point in the season? Certainly not I. Injuries have hit this team like a runaway truck on the Santa Monica Freeway and yet their car is still able to drive. Let's grade them out.
Jose Reyes: Has put on a show of his talents as he is about to enter free agency. Still can't shake the injury bug though. When on the field he was the NL MVP. A+
Carlos Beltran: Has stayed healthy and has been very productive. Mets couldn't ask for more from him right now. A
Daniel Murphy: Has filled in beautifully for the injured Ike Davis. Whatever the Mets ask of him they get and then some. Not a power hitter but will get the job done. A
Justin Turner: Another guy the Mets have asked a lot of only to see results come forth. Timely hitting overcome his defensive shortcomings. Where would the Mets be without him? B
Ike Davis: Thirty-six games into this season he was lost to injury. He was on pace to emerge as one of the better first basemen in the NL. A-
David Wright: He was lost after 39 games. Hasn't been the same player he was only a couple of years ago. His defense is still outstanding but his bat needs to have its holes filled. C+
Josh Thole: Has been hit and miss all season. The Mets would like some consistency from him. C-
Ronny Paulino: The Mets catcher has surprised many by hitting .320. Has been everything Thole was supposed to be. B+
Ruben Tejada: He was never known for his bat but I think the Mets would sign for his .261 AVG if he continues to develop his defense. Learning on the job. B-
Jason Bay: A .237 AVG, 6 homers, and 28 RBI's is not what you would expect from him. He will have one good game followed by ten bad ones. He needs to step up or step down. F
Angel Pagan: Injuries impeded his season. The MEts need the Pagan from last year if they want to continue to progress. C+
Scott Hairston: An outfield fill in who has played up and down. Still, a nice 4th outfielder to have because there is pop in that bat. Maybe not at Citi Field but its there somewhere. C
Willie Harris: A lockerroom leader. Harris will play anywhere he is told. His offense isn't great but his versatility gives Terry Collins lots of options. C
R.A. Dickey: Started off poorly but his knuckleball came back and he reemerged as the surprise ace of last year. Where would the Mets be without him? B-
Dillon Gee: Whoa! Where did he come from? After Chris Young went down Gee came up and started winning.8-3 with a 3.76 ERA is something the Mets will take any day of the week. A-
Mike Pelfrey: Supposed to be the ace in Johan Santana's absence. Has regressed from any improvements he made last year. D-
Chris Capuano: A nice pick-up by the Mets. This cheap option has been pitching very well for them at the back end of the rotation. Tied for the lead in wins with 8 but has a .500 record. B-
Jon Niese: Continues to improve, exactly what the Mets were hoping for. He probably won't be an ace but he is a good lefty option right now for a team that badly needed him to take the next step forward. B
Francisco Rodriguez: This is the K-Rod the Mets were hoping for when they signed him to that huge contract. The Mets still want to get rid of him and his big money option for next season though. A
Jason Isringhausen: Back from the dead and pitching very well in the set-up role. Not bad for a guy many didn't think had it anymore. B
Bobby Parnell: The talent is there. The results? Getting there. Could be the future closer of the Mets if he continues to improve like he has. B+
Pedro Beato: Good ol' Petey Beato has done a good job, giving the Mets another late inning option. Not bad for a Rule 5 pick from the Orioles system. B-
Tim Byrdak: The 37 year old lefty has been, well he is in the League because he throws left-handed. Nothing more. Lefties are hitting .259 off of him so he hasn't been an ideal LOOGY guy. D
D.J. Carrasco: He comes in when the Mets want to punish themselves for playing above everyone's expectations. There are better options out there. F
Taylor Buchholz: Was pitching well until he was put on the DL for shoulder fatigue and will be kept there as he battles depression/anxiety. B
Jose Reyes: Has put on a show of his talents as he is about to enter free agency. Still can't shake the injury bug though. When on the field he was the NL MVP. A+
Carlos Beltran: Has stayed healthy and has been very productive. Mets couldn't ask for more from him right now. A
Daniel Murphy: Has filled in beautifully for the injured Ike Davis. Whatever the Mets ask of him they get and then some. Not a power hitter but will get the job done. A
Justin Turner: Another guy the Mets have asked a lot of only to see results come forth. Timely hitting overcome his defensive shortcomings. Where would the Mets be without him? B
Ike Davis: Thirty-six games into this season he was lost to injury. He was on pace to emerge as one of the better first basemen in the NL. A-
David Wright: He was lost after 39 games. Hasn't been the same player he was only a couple of years ago. His defense is still outstanding but his bat needs to have its holes filled. C+
Josh Thole: Has been hit and miss all season. The Mets would like some consistency from him. C-
Ronny Paulino: The Mets catcher has surprised many by hitting .320. Has been everything Thole was supposed to be. B+
Ruben Tejada: He was never known for his bat but I think the Mets would sign for his .261 AVG if he continues to develop his defense. Learning on the job. B-
Jason Bay: A .237 AVG, 6 homers, and 28 RBI's is not what you would expect from him. He will have one good game followed by ten bad ones. He needs to step up or step down. F
Angel Pagan: Injuries impeded his season. The MEts need the Pagan from last year if they want to continue to progress. C+
Scott Hairston: An outfield fill in who has played up and down. Still, a nice 4th outfielder to have because there is pop in that bat. Maybe not at Citi Field but its there somewhere. C
Willie Harris: A lockerroom leader. Harris will play anywhere he is told. His offense isn't great but his versatility gives Terry Collins lots of options. C
R.A. Dickey: Started off poorly but his knuckleball came back and he reemerged as the surprise ace of last year. Where would the Mets be without him? B-
Dillon Gee: Whoa! Where did he come from? After Chris Young went down Gee came up and started winning.8-3 with a 3.76 ERA is something the Mets will take any day of the week. A-
Mike Pelfrey: Supposed to be the ace in Johan Santana's absence. Has regressed from any improvements he made last year. D-
Chris Capuano: A nice pick-up by the Mets. This cheap option has been pitching very well for them at the back end of the rotation. Tied for the lead in wins with 8 but has a .500 record. B-
Jon Niese: Continues to improve, exactly what the Mets were hoping for. He probably won't be an ace but he is a good lefty option right now for a team that badly needed him to take the next step forward. B
Francisco Rodriguez: This is the K-Rod the Mets were hoping for when they signed him to that huge contract. The Mets still want to get rid of him and his big money option for next season though. A
Jason Isringhausen: Back from the dead and pitching very well in the set-up role. Not bad for a guy many didn't think had it anymore. B
Bobby Parnell: The talent is there. The results? Getting there. Could be the future closer of the Mets if he continues to improve like he has. B+
Pedro Beato: Good ol' Petey Beato has done a good job, giving the Mets another late inning option. Not bad for a Rule 5 pick from the Orioles system. B-
Tim Byrdak: The 37 year old lefty has been, well he is in the League because he throws left-handed. Nothing more. Lefties are hitting .259 off of him so he hasn't been an ideal LOOGY guy. D
D.J. Carrasco: He comes in when the Mets want to punish themselves for playing above everyone's expectations. There are better options out there. F
Taylor Buchholz: Was pitching well until he was put on the DL for shoulder fatigue and will be kept there as he battles depression/anxiety. B
Grading the Yankees
OK, so here we are at the All-Star break, fresh off of Jeter's momentous conclusion of his 3,000 hit milestone and of Robinson Cano's display of power during the Home Run Derby. Times are good for the Yankees and their fans. Here are my grades for the Yankees so far:
Derek Jeter: I will start with the Captain since he leads this team. His first half has been a sadly predictable one, ground balls and little power. However, after injuring his calf he came back with a seemingly renewed stroke that showed some extra base life. His play in the field has been steady. His batting average spiked after his 5-5 day and now sits at .270. The Yankees need more consistency out of him at the plate going forward. Hopefully, his rediscovered power after his DL return remains. C+
Curtis Granderson: Where would the Yankees be without Granderson? Offensively he is the Yankees MVP. He brings a dynamic that the Yankees offense has lacked for a while. This was the Curtis Granderson the Yankees were hoping for. A+
Mark Teixeira: The power is definitely there but not his batting average. Nobody would have thought a .244 average would be attached to Teixeira's name after his hot start. Then again, who would have pegged him for 25 homers either? He needs to be a little more consistent. B
Alex Rodriguez: His power has been sapped by nagging injuries but A-Rod has posted a .295 average or higher for most of the year. Currently on the DL after having knee surgery, he will miss 4-6 weeks. Hopefully his power returns as well. A-
Robinson Cano: Only for Robinson Cano would a .297, 15, 57 line be a little disappointing. He is still one of the best second basemen in the game, if not the best. Even though this might be a down year it is still a damn good one. A
Nick Swisher: This is a contract year for Swisher and he has not responded with production. He hovered around .200 for far too long but has really stepped it up to raise the average to .249. He was never a hitter for average anyway but his home run production is a bit off. He is currently on pace for 19-21 homers which is a bit below his norm. A strong second half is needed from him. C-
Jorge Posada: His season started off ugly. Aside from a few homers he wasn't hitting at all. His mental breakdown in Boston only complicated things but something seemed to click afterwards and he started hitting. His average sits at .230 and he only has 9 homers but what else can you expect from a 39 year-old former catcher? This should be his last season and Yankee fans should show him some appreciation as the clock winds down on a storied career. That said, he needs to keep hitting. D
Russell Martin: He started off looking like the Russell Martin of old, hitting for average and power. He has since tailed off and has seen his average dip to .220 and hasn't homered since June 29th, his 10th of the season. His defense has been solid, if not splendid. He earned a trip to the All-Star game but it looks like catching all of these games has taken its toll on him. Despite that, the Yankees thought he was only a stopgap and he has exceeded expectations. C+
Brett Gardner: A slow start and going back and forth in the lineup didn't help but he has turned it around. He needs to be more aggressive on the basepaths and smarter too. Still a catalyst. B-
CC Sabathia: He is the ace of the staff and has pitched his best baseball since donning the Pinstripes. Nothing more can be expected of him. Cy Young contender. A+
Bartolo Colon: When he signed few people thought he would even make the team. However, Colon has emerged as a workhorse #2, making him one of the best offseason signings in the first half. A short stint on the DL for a leg injury hasn't slowed him much. A
A.J. Burnett: After last season anything Burnett could give you past the 3rd inning would be a blessing. He hasn't been great but he has kept the Yankees in the game...for the most part. C+
Phil Hughes: After one of the worst starts ever, Phil spent quite a while on the DL, apparently suffering from a dead arm. He has made one so-so start since coming off the DL but looked much better. The Yankees thought they would be seeing an emerging ace. Instead, they are trying to save his career. Too few games for a grade though. Incomplete
Ivan Nova: He seemed to get better with every start. That still wasn't enough to save him from a demotion to AAA. That is not indicative of Nova's season but rather a testament that the Yankees rotation has been performing very well so far. He will get the ball every fifth day down in Scranton for the time being but he showed the Yankees he can be dependable. B+
Freddy Garcia: Like Colon, few thought he would stick. And, if he did stick, that he would be pedestrian enough to keep the Yankees in the game. Well, it looks like everyone is wrong. He has surpassed everyone's expectations and has pitched to the tune of a 3.13 ERA. He gets out of the jams he gets into and keeps the Yankees in games. Nobody expected this from him. A-
Mariano Rivera: Still Mariano. A+
David Robertson: Whatever the role he has filled it admirably. Walks too many but strikes out oh so many more. A+
Joba Chamberlain: Tommy John surgery ended his season but he was excellent before being shelved. Not enough to grade though. Incomplete
Rafael Soriano: He was awful before being shelved on May 14th with arm ailments. He would get an F if he were healthy. Incomplete
Luis Ayala: Didn't make the team out of Spring Training but that hasn't stopped him from being one of Girardi's most reliable bullpen arms this season. A complete surprise. A-
Boone Logan: What happened to the progress made last year? Hasn't gotten lefties out as he is supposed to. His failures have the Yankees searching for a replacement but has shown some improvement that might ease the Yankees fears. D-
Cory Wade, Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton: The bullpen fillers have been pretty good. Wade is emerging as a viable late inning reliever and Pendleton has performed a lot better than many expected. Noesi's future is probably still as a starter but he has shown he can get MLB hitters out. A
Andruw Jones: He was signed to hit lefties. He has a few homers off of them this year but that's about it. Defense is a mark above average but is no longer an offensive threat. F
Eduardo Nunez: Filled in nicely for Jeter offensively. His defense is still a big question mark though. Will get more playing time with A-Rod out. B-
Francisco Cervelli: Brian Cashman admitted Jesus Montero was better all around and Cervelli hasn't done anything to disprove that notion. His defense is atrocious. His offense is only there when men are on base. A .214 hitting catcher is acceptable only if the defense is there. It isn't. Still doesn't know Curtis Granderson doesn't play second base. F
Chris Dickerson: Filled-in here and there and didn't embarrass himself or the team. Not bad for a fifth outfielder who was sometimes called upon to start. Also has displayed excellent defense when necessary. B-
Eric Chavez: This poor guy has no luck. He was hitting well until he broke a foot running the bases. Seriously, how does that happen? Has had nothing but setbacks during rehab. He was hitting well and playing excellent defense when he was healthy though. Incomplete
Ramiro Pena: Batting under .100 with a .091 AVG. I knew he was a light hitter but not that light. His defense has been just so-so. The emergency AAAA infielder. Incomplete
Up Next: The New York Mets
Derek Jeter: I will start with the Captain since he leads this team. His first half has been a sadly predictable one, ground balls and little power. However, after injuring his calf he came back with a seemingly renewed stroke that showed some extra base life. His play in the field has been steady. His batting average spiked after his 5-5 day and now sits at .270. The Yankees need more consistency out of him at the plate going forward. Hopefully, his rediscovered power after his DL return remains. C+
Curtis Granderson: Where would the Yankees be without Granderson? Offensively he is the Yankees MVP. He brings a dynamic that the Yankees offense has lacked for a while. This was the Curtis Granderson the Yankees were hoping for. A+
Mark Teixeira: The power is definitely there but not his batting average. Nobody would have thought a .244 average would be attached to Teixeira's name after his hot start. Then again, who would have pegged him for 25 homers either? He needs to be a little more consistent. B
Alex Rodriguez: His power has been sapped by nagging injuries but A-Rod has posted a .295 average or higher for most of the year. Currently on the DL after having knee surgery, he will miss 4-6 weeks. Hopefully his power returns as well. A-
Robinson Cano: Only for Robinson Cano would a .297, 15, 57 line be a little disappointing. He is still one of the best second basemen in the game, if not the best. Even though this might be a down year it is still a damn good one. A
Nick Swisher: This is a contract year for Swisher and he has not responded with production. He hovered around .200 for far too long but has really stepped it up to raise the average to .249. He was never a hitter for average anyway but his home run production is a bit off. He is currently on pace for 19-21 homers which is a bit below his norm. A strong second half is needed from him. C-
Jorge Posada: His season started off ugly. Aside from a few homers he wasn't hitting at all. His mental breakdown in Boston only complicated things but something seemed to click afterwards and he started hitting. His average sits at .230 and he only has 9 homers but what else can you expect from a 39 year-old former catcher? This should be his last season and Yankee fans should show him some appreciation as the clock winds down on a storied career. That said, he needs to keep hitting. D
Russell Martin: He started off looking like the Russell Martin of old, hitting for average and power. He has since tailed off and has seen his average dip to .220 and hasn't homered since June 29th, his 10th of the season. His defense has been solid, if not splendid. He earned a trip to the All-Star game but it looks like catching all of these games has taken its toll on him. Despite that, the Yankees thought he was only a stopgap and he has exceeded expectations. C+
Brett Gardner: A slow start and going back and forth in the lineup didn't help but he has turned it around. He needs to be more aggressive on the basepaths and smarter too. Still a catalyst. B-
CC Sabathia: He is the ace of the staff and has pitched his best baseball since donning the Pinstripes. Nothing more can be expected of him. Cy Young contender. A+
Bartolo Colon: When he signed few people thought he would even make the team. However, Colon has emerged as a workhorse #2, making him one of the best offseason signings in the first half. A short stint on the DL for a leg injury hasn't slowed him much. A
A.J. Burnett: After last season anything Burnett could give you past the 3rd inning would be a blessing. He hasn't been great but he has kept the Yankees in the game...for the most part. C+
Phil Hughes: After one of the worst starts ever, Phil spent quite a while on the DL, apparently suffering from a dead arm. He has made one so-so start since coming off the DL but looked much better. The Yankees thought they would be seeing an emerging ace. Instead, they are trying to save his career. Too few games for a grade though. Incomplete
Ivan Nova: He seemed to get better with every start. That still wasn't enough to save him from a demotion to AAA. That is not indicative of Nova's season but rather a testament that the Yankees rotation has been performing very well so far. He will get the ball every fifth day down in Scranton for the time being but he showed the Yankees he can be dependable. B+
Freddy Garcia: Like Colon, few thought he would stick. And, if he did stick, that he would be pedestrian enough to keep the Yankees in the game. Well, it looks like everyone is wrong. He has surpassed everyone's expectations and has pitched to the tune of a 3.13 ERA. He gets out of the jams he gets into and keeps the Yankees in games. Nobody expected this from him. A-
Mariano Rivera: Still Mariano. A+
David Robertson: Whatever the role he has filled it admirably. Walks too many but strikes out oh so many more. A+
Joba Chamberlain: Tommy John surgery ended his season but he was excellent before being shelved. Not enough to grade though. Incomplete
Rafael Soriano: He was awful before being shelved on May 14th with arm ailments. He would get an F if he were healthy. Incomplete
Luis Ayala: Didn't make the team out of Spring Training but that hasn't stopped him from being one of Girardi's most reliable bullpen arms this season. A complete surprise. A-
Boone Logan: What happened to the progress made last year? Hasn't gotten lefties out as he is supposed to. His failures have the Yankees searching for a replacement but has shown some improvement that might ease the Yankees fears. D-
Cory Wade, Hector Noesi, Lance Pendleton: The bullpen fillers have been pretty good. Wade is emerging as a viable late inning reliever and Pendleton has performed a lot better than many expected. Noesi's future is probably still as a starter but he has shown he can get MLB hitters out. A
Andruw Jones: He was signed to hit lefties. He has a few homers off of them this year but that's about it. Defense is a mark above average but is no longer an offensive threat. F
Eduardo Nunez: Filled in nicely for Jeter offensively. His defense is still a big question mark though. Will get more playing time with A-Rod out. B-
Francisco Cervelli: Brian Cashman admitted Jesus Montero was better all around and Cervelli hasn't done anything to disprove that notion. His defense is atrocious. His offense is only there when men are on base. A .214 hitting catcher is acceptable only if the defense is there. It isn't. Still doesn't know Curtis Granderson doesn't play second base. F
Chris Dickerson: Filled-in here and there and didn't embarrass himself or the team. Not bad for a fifth outfielder who was sometimes called upon to start. Also has displayed excellent defense when necessary. B-
Eric Chavez: This poor guy has no luck. He was hitting well until he broke a foot running the bases. Seriously, how does that happen? Has had nothing but setbacks during rehab. He was hitting well and playing excellent defense when he was healthy though. Incomplete
Ramiro Pena: Batting under .100 with a .091 AVG. I knew he was a light hitter but not that light. His defense has been just so-so. The emergency AAAA infielder. Incomplete
Up Next: The New York Mets
Friday, July 8, 2011
Updated Top Ten Yankee Prospects
Earlier this year I made my Top Ten List of Yankee Prospects which you can read here. Since we are now halfway through the 2011 season I thought I would do some revising. I have removed guys who have spent a significant amount of time in the Majors from the list so that eliminates Hector Noesi (#6) and Ivan Nova (#7). I don't think they have lost any shine from their future prospects but I felt they have acquitted themselves well enough at the big league level this year and that this list should focus on guys who have yet to make the Majors.
1. Jesus Montero, C. He was number one on my previous list and remains there. His season has been somewhat of a disappointment but he is still hitting .289 with 7 homers and 33 RBI's. Scouts have said he looks bored in Scranton and that could very well be the case. He proved last year he can handle AAA and this year is no different. Right now he is dealing with smoe back/side stiffness and is on the 7-Day DL but its nothing major. His defense isn't great but its improved a little this season. He would be a borderline backstop defensively in the Majors but that isn't what makes Montero special. He has good power and can hit for average. I am actually very surprised the Yankees have not made him the backup to Russell Martin yet like they did with Jorge Posada in the mid to late 1990's. He can use the challenge and a little love from the Yankees might go a long way. And, if the Yankees want to use him as a trade chip, having him show he can handle the Big Leagues would be a huge advantage.
2. Manny Banuelos, SP. He had a fabulous Spring Training this year but has regressed a little at AA but he retains the #2 spot on my list. His numbers aren't hideous or anything. In fact, his numbers still look quite good. In 16 games this season, Banuelos has compiled a 3-2 record, 3.28 ERA, and has struck out 77 in 74 innings. His one bugaboo so far has been his walks. He has allowed 39 walks this season after only allowing 25 in 64.2 innings all of last year. It isn't anything to get worried about. The stuff is still there. He has the makings of a future ace and the Yankees know it.
3. Dellin Betances, SP. Betances jumps from #4 to #3 and deservedly so. He could overtake Banuelos for the #2 spot at any time. His 2011 season at AA Trenton has been something of a display. He often gets into trouble by walking too many hitters but then proceeds to get out of those jams by striking guys out. So far this season he has a 4-3 record with a 2.62 ERA, and 86 strikeouts in 75.2 innings. He has allowed 40 walks, however, after allowing 22 in 85.1 all of last season. He has shown he can tame the wildness before and I am confident he will be able to do it in the future. What he projects to is either Mariano's heir or a staff ace. It might not be long before Betances is #1 on this list.
4. Gary Sanchez, C. He drops from #3 after a poor showing this year at Low-A Charleston. He was sent to Extended Spring Training after some attitude problems but has since returned and has shown some improvement. He is only hitting .239 at the moment but has 8 homers, which match last year's totals, and 30 RBI's. He is still very young, only 19, so I am sure he will outgrow his attitude problems. His defense has been awful this year, allowing a whopping 23 passed balls. He needs to focus more behind the plate and devote himself to the game. If he does that he could have a higher ceiling than Montero at least offensively. Sometimes kids just need a kick in the ass and Sanchez needs that right now.
5. Bryan Mitchell, SP. Mitchell was drafted by the Yankees in the 2009 Draft. They stole him away from the University of North Carolina with a huge bonus. He throws his fastball in the low 90's with a good slider and an outstanding, knee-buckling 12-6 curveball. It might seem like an awfully big jump for a 20 year-old kid with less than a full season of pro ball under his belt but this kid can pitch. He needs to cut down on his walks which are a result of him wanting to strike everyone out and be perfect all the time. If he learns to pitch to contact sometimes the Yankees could have another ace in their pocket who also has a "B" in his name. He should also be able to add some zip to his fastball as he packs on some weight to his 6'2" 175 lbs. frame. He makes it to number 5 based purely on talent and not statistics.
6. Mason Williams, CF. Williams is another of those toolsy guys and another first-timer on my list. Power was never considered to be a tool Williams possessed but that tool could develop over time. He has speed, an arm, hits for average, and understands the game. He is a pretty darn good outfielder, showing very good instincts and cat-like reflexes in the outfield. He might be a little too aggressive on the bases but he should learn when and where to steal a bag. In many ways he reminds me of a young Bernie Williams with a much better arm. He showed up to Staten Island ready to play this year, raking to the tune of a .325 AVG with 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 12 RBI's, and 5 stolen bases (out of 9 attempts). The Yankees might have an upgraded version of Brett Gardner in Williams or the next Bernie Williams. Either way I think the Yankees would be happy. He just needs to cut down on the strikeouts.
7. J.R. Murphy, C/3B. Murphy has often been overlooked because the Yankees have like 400 catching prospects that rank. However, Murphy might just be the one who sneaks in and ends up squatting behind the plate for the Yankees. At Charleston he was hitting to the tune of .297 with 6 homers and 32 RBI before earning a promotion to High-A Tampa. He has struggled a little bit since his promotion but you can't base anything on the 41 at-bats he has at that level. He improved his defense significantly, enough so that the Yankees stopped playing him elsewhere on the field and started putting him behind the plate a little more often. He also has a great eye and is pretty hard to strikeout, at least for someone his age (20) and playing at his level. He is versatile enough so that if he doesn't make it as a catcher he can always play the outfield or DH or play some first or third.
8. Slade Heathcott, OF. He is currently on the DL but has earned himself a promotion to High-A Tampa. He still has some makeup issues after starting a brawl by getting hit by a pitch and then turning around and laying out the catcher. He served a 5 game suspension for that act but, considering his background, he has come a long way. He has one of the best outfield arms in all of minor league baseball and his bat looks like it is coming around. He hit .271 with 11 doubles, 4 triples, and 4 homers while amassing 16 RBI's and 6 stolen bases. He has the speed to become more aggressive on the basepaths but like Mason Williams he needs to learn when and where to steal. He should end up developing some decent power, probably in the 15-25 range at the big league level.
9. Andrew Brackman, SP/RP. Brackman entered the season at #5 on my list and closest to making the Majors out of the "Killer B's" but an extremely poor showing at AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has eroded some of the shine off his prospect status. Last year, Brackman made major strides, going 10-11 with a 3.90 ERA while striking out 126 and walking only 39 in 140.2 innings. This year, however, Brackman has lost control. He leads the league in walks (51), hit batters (10), wild pitches (14) and has an ugly 7.96 ERA and 1.84 WHIP. He was removed from the SWB rotation and placed in the bullpen but that hasn't helped. The stuff is there but something is missing. His fastball velocity has been up and down, reaching as high as 94-95 and as low as 87 for a game. At 25 years old and having signed a Major League contract after being drafted time is running out on Brackman who could become a free agent after this season or next season, I'm not sure which.
10. Mark Montgomery, RP. So far this year he has pitched in a total of 7 games but that was enough to earn him a promotion from Staten Island to Charleston. On July 1st of this year he struck out 5 batters in one inning. His slider is devastating and it shows in the strikeout totals, 19 in 7 innings. Think about that for a second. Nineteen outs out of 21 were by strikeout. Granted, he did have that 5 in one inning appearance but even if you take those two extra away that is still 17 out of 21 outs made being achieved by a strikeout. He is a reliever to the core so the Yankees don't really have to worry much about innings limits or any of that nonsense that can impede the arrival of pitching prospects in the Big Leagues. The Yankees have proven they will advance him as he earns it, having already done so after only 4 innings at Staten Island. If he keeps it up he could be in the Bronx in a year.
11. Austin Romine, C. Considered to be the better all-around catcher among the Yankees catching prospects, Romine has also swung a hot bat at Trenton this year. He has 11 doubles, 4 homers, and 35 RBI to accompany his .294 AVG. Right now the lack of a roster spot and regular playing time behind the plate at AAA Scranton is the only thing keeping him from being promoted. Once Montero gets promoted or traded then Romine will move up. He was #10 on my last list but the emergence of others rather than Romine's poor play caused a slight drop. One could argue that Romine is better than Murphy but I am taking into account overall prospect status which means Murphy might have a higher ceiling than Romine but Romine will surely be a catcher in the Majors.
12. Adam Warren, SP. He was #8 on my previous list but, like Romine, he slipped due to the emergence of others rather than his lack of production. Warren has done very well for himself at AAA so far, amassing a 6-3 record, 3.20 ERA, and 67 K's over 104 innings. He doesn't strike many hitters out and has a tendency to walk too many but he has a poise that you can't teach and escapes the jams he gets into with minimal damage. He probably won't develop into an ace but he could easily fit into the back end of the rotation and perform similarly to Ivan Nova this season.
13. David Phelps, SP. Like Warren he won't strike many hitters out and pitches to contact. He has gone 4-6 with a 3.38 ERA with 74 K's in 85.1 innings. He won't be an ace but could, like Warren, be a back of the rotation type guy.
14. Tommy Kahnle, RP. Kahnle is, like Montgomery, a strikeout machine. He also has developed a wild streak as he tries to strike every hitter he faces out. He has 64 K's through 50 innings with Charleston this year and could find himself on his way to Tampa soon. He just needs to eliminate some of those free passes, he has walked 30 in those 50 innings. He has held opposing hitters to a .196 AVG and only 1 homer this season but has a 3.96 ERA. The talent is there, he just needs to harness it and use it effectively.
15. Graham Stoneburner, SP. Injuries have really set him back in his development. He is undersized at 6'1" and 190 lbs. but he can bring the heat at 94 MPH. He was pitching well for Trenton this year before an injury sidelined him. He is now making rehab starts with the GCL Yankees. He has a good delivery which explains why he has been able to have the success he has enjoyed. He really needs to develop a second pitch, and maybe a third. If he can get an off-speed breaking ball to be as consistent as his fastball then the sky is the limit for Stoneburner. If not, it looks like a relief role in the majors is where he will end up. I have faith in him and think he could be a viable #3 guy in the Yankees rotation in one to two years. He just needs to stay healthy, get his arm stretched out, and develop another pitch or two.
Honorable Mentions: David Adams, 2B (needs to stay healthy otherwise he makes this list); Brandon Laird, 3B (has struggled at AAA this year); Cito Culver, SS (surprising a lot of people with his bat and arm at SS); Caleb Cotham, P (will make this list once he gets healthy and puts a few innings under his belt); Tim Norton (was on pace to make his MLB debut this year until a career threatening injury derailed those plans. If he can recover from it he can be an excellent middle reliever); Shaeffer Hall, SP (another pitcher in the mold of Warren and Phelps); Ben Gamel, 1B (younger brother to Mat Gamel of the Brewers, can flat out rake).
The Yankees farm system is one of the best in baseball. There are a lot of intriguing prospects scattered throughout the many levels and some of them will develop into legitimate superstars. However, there will also be plenty of flameouts. Right now, the Yankees system has a few power arms but their pitching prospects closest to the Majors are more finesse, pitch to contact types who can either do well or get bombed in the Majors. On the offensive side there are a lot of high strikeout guys but there are some with real potential. Lately the Yankees have been drafting more toolsy type players instead of power hitters. This year, however, they drafted Dante Bichette, Jr. who is a power type prospect. At every single level there are guys to watch and by the end of the season I'm sure my list will have to be changed once again as guys like Zoilo Almonte play their way into contention. Nothing is harder than trying to project baseball players. Ruben Rivera was the next Mickey Mantle and Brien Taylor was the next Nolan Ryan. And nobody knew where Chien Ming Wang came from and few predicted Robinson Cano would develop as he has. That's what makes this so much fun. Nothing is better than watching a kid get drafted and come up through the Minors and then emerge on the Big League scene. All you need is patience.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
So Long, Kerry!
Kerry Collins announced his retirement today after 16 up and down years in the NFL. Collins had a rocky start to his NFL career after being selected by the Carolina Panthers #5 overall in the 1995 Draft. He never lived up to the hype in Carolina, throwing 49 INT's to 39 TD's while completing only 52.6% of his passes. During the 1998 season Collins was released by the Panthers after telling coach Dom Capers his heart wasn't in it anymore after starting the season 0-4. The Saints picked him up just before the police did for drunk driving. It seemed as if Collins would be nothing but another first round flameout.
The rumors about his alcohol problem had already begun making the rounds. He made national headlines in 1997 after it became public that he had called Panthers wide receiver Muhsin Muhammed a racially derogatory term that begins with the letter "N" and supposedly also used similar language with Norberto Garrido, an offensive lineman of Hispanic heritage. Following the 1998 season he was not re-signed by the Saints. However, the New York Giants took a flyer on him and signed him in February of 1999.
New York isn't exactly the best place to try to resurrect a career that has been tainted by alcohol and racial bigotry (see: Rocker, John), even if it was inadvertent and an isolated incident. However, Collins would begin to live up to the promise he had showed in college and in 1996 when he made the Pro Bowl. This is when I began to take a true interest in Collins since I was a Giants fan.
The Giants had been looking for a quarterback since Phil Simms retired. The position was a revolving door of mediocrity with Kent Graham, Dave Brown, and Danny Kanell. That is until Kerry Collins showed up. His Giants career got off to a slow start, going 2-5 in 1999 but he completed 57.4% of his passes and began to get his life under control. The next year he led the Giants to a 12-4 record and steamrolled the Minnesota Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Championship game, throwing for 381 yards and 5 TD's. Collins had brought the Giants back to the Super Bowl. His Super Bowl performance was less than memorable but to me it didn't matter. I was 10 years-old the last time the Giants had made it to the Super Bowl. Now, at 19, I was seeing my favorite team back in the Big Game and able to appreciate it more. The loss hurt but the Giants finally had a QB. The 2001 season began with high hopes for the Giants. They were coming off their Super Bowl run and, at least to me, there was nowhere to go but up.
Even though the 2001 season was disappointing one for the Giants as they finished 7-9 but the future still looked bright. Collins had brought some stability to the QB position and had a young Amani Toomer to throw to and Tiki Barber running the ball. In 2002, Collins would become the first Giants QB since Phil Simms in 1984 to throw for more than 4,000 yards with 4,073 yards and led the Giants to a 10-6 mark and another playoff berth. Sadly, the Giants spit the bit in that game against San Francisco, blowing what looked like an easy win, as Jeff Garcia and Terrell Owens made it look like the Giants didn't put anyone on defense. Still, Collins had a strong game, throwing for 342 yards and 4 TD's. However, the future didn't look as bright. The team just never recovered from that loss and went 4-9 in the 13 games Collins played in in 2003, his last season as a Giant.
After the 2003 season the Giants fired Jim Fassell, hired Tom Coughlin, signed Kurt Warner and traded for 2004 #1 pick Eli Manning. Collins was released and went on to sign with the Oakland Raiders where he put up decent numbers in the two years he played there despite playing on one of the worst teams in the NFL. Then, in 2006, Collins signed with the Tennessee Titans and made another Pro Bowl, his second, in 2008. He became the emergency guy, someone Titans coach could look to to step in when Vince Young struggled or went off the deep end. Collins never complained, he just did his job.
In 2008, Collins became just the 15th quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 35,000 yards. In 1998 nobody would have guessed Collins' career would take such an upward surge. While Kerry Collins will never go into the annals as one of the best quarterbacks of all-time he will be remembered by me for what he did as a Giant. I'll also remember him for teaching me a lesson in that no matter how low you go you can always get back to the top, always reverse bad fortune with some hard work. I still own my #5 Kerry Collins Giants jersey and have no intention of giving it up. The NFL might not have lost a legend but it did lose a class act and a true role model. Good luck, Kerry and thanks for the memories!
All Hail Harper!
Ever since reading the June 8, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated (I know the date because it has become one of my prized possessions after I sent it to him for an autograph while he was still in high school and he obliged), I have been on the HarperMania bandwagon. How could you not be? Sure he can be a little flashy, like when he blew a kiss to the opposing pitcher after sending one to Saturn. Think about when you were 19 years old and now place yourself in his position, wouldn't you be just a little flashy? I know I would be. He will grow up when he reaches the big leagues, and he will reach the big leagues. Before this becomes a living let the kids have some fun and do stupid things, so long as stupid doesn't harm individuals or end up with jail time.
There has never been this kind of hype surrounding a position player in the history of the game. Social media and the competition in the sports media market is mostly responsible for this. After all, ESPN, SI, The Sporting News, and everything between, not to mention the one billion bloggers are all looking for the next big thing to increase readership and followers. Twitter and Facebook have accounts and pages dedicated to Harper and the mania he has created with his ability to send baseballs to Duluth with a flick of his wrists. So far, in his first professional season, he has not disappointed.
Harper started out the year at Hagerstown and quickly impressed scouts. He managed to hit .318 with 17 doubles, 14 homers, 46 RBI, 19 steals, and a .423 on-base percentage in 72. Scouts said he started to look bored and the Nationals braintrust agreed, promoting him to AA Harrisburg, a significant jump from Low-A ball. In his first three games at Harrisburg, Harper has hit .500 (5 for 10) with 2 RBI, 1 steal, and 1 walk. He has not struck out yet so clearly he doesn't think he is overmatched. Granted, that strikeout will come but it is evident AA is going to have to adjust to him rather than him adjusting to AA at this point.
So, what's next for the next Baseball King? I doubt Washington will rush him just for the sake of putting fans in the seats. That would most likely hinder Harper's development. However, if he shows he can handle AA pitching with the ease he handled A pitching a trip to AAA might be in order. The Nationals could keep him in AA this year and possibly promote him to AAA next year if he shows progress in Spring Training. Or, the Nats could promote him to AAA this year and put him on the Big League roster next season with a strong Spring. Unlike Stephen Strasburg (who should be back by the end of the year or will start fresh next season giving the Nats their needed ace), the Nats don't really have to protect anything on Harper's body except his mind. They don't want to hurt his confidence by promoting him just for the sake of selling tickets and risking stunting his development. They also don't want to keep him at minor league stops unnecessarily because he might get bored and let his mind wander like it appeared to do at Low A. Whatever the Nationals decide to do they know they have a gem and someone who will bring excitement and anticipation like Strasburg did last year. Soon, baseball will be very relevant in Washington, D.C. when Strasburg Jordan Zimmerman, and John Lannan are joined in the rotation by Brad Peacock who is lighting up AA right now. The lineup will be extremely formidable with Ryan Zimmerman, who is still only 26, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Tyler Moore, Michael Morse, Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, and a host of others. The Nationals are going to be making it a 3-way race in the NL East like it is in the AL East right now. Bryce Harper is going to be a huge factor behind that.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Swings (and maybe some misses)
-I am big fan of Brad Richards joining the New York Rangers. The fact that he took less money to join the Blueshirts says it wasn't all about the money, as with some past free agents who came to Broadway. He knows John Tortarella and has proven he can win in that system. He brings a playmaking ability, both on the power play and in even strength situations, that the Rangers have been sorely lacking for a couple of years now. While this doesn't necessarily mean that Lord Stanley's Cup is in this team's future, it does mean that at least, as of right now, that gleaming silver has caught the attention of the Rangers. There are still some things that need to happen with the Rangers before we pencil them in. Marian Gaborik has to prove he is tough enough to handle New York and Torts' system. Youngsters like Ryan Callahan, Brandon Dubinsky, Michael Del Zotto, Michael Sauer, Dan Girardi, and Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, and a host of others have to keep improving. And, in the case of Callahan, stay healthy. However, for the first time since Scott Gomez and Chris Drury signed on the dotted line a few years ago, there is real talk of contention. It is my opinion that the Rangers are much better now than they were then.
-Phil Hughes makes his first start since April tonight. He had shown increased velocity during his rehab outings in Trenton so there is always the hope that he comes back and regains the form he showed in the beginning of last season. If the Yankees get that pitcher back they significantly bolster their pitching staff which consists of C.C. Sabathia and the two surprises of Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia. If Hughes is the same pitcher he was at the beginning of last season then A.J. Burnett becomes the fifth starter by default which isn't a terrible thing. And, if anything happens to anyone there is always Ivan Nova waiting in Scranton.
-I can't help but wonder when Derek Jeter is finally going to reach 3,000 hits. If I had to guess it will come at home against Tampa Bay tomorrow or Friday. Yeah, I know I went out on a limb. I'm also betting that it come on a ground ball.
-The more I think about what the Yankees did with Ivan Nova the more I get a little miffed at the Yankees. Here was a guy who was really starting to turn the corner in his pr career and could be blossoming into a solid #3 starter and then bam! Down to the minors. The Yankee leadership said it was best for his development. Really? Giving the kid the impression that no matter how well he does he was never in the Yankees plans. Telling the kid that basically Freddy Garcia has more upside than you do? He seems like a level-headed enough youngster that maybe this doesn't really bother him. But, then again, he is young and was pitching the best baseball of his MLB career and he still couldn't hold down a job with the Yankees. Can't be good for anyone's confidence. With all that said, I don't envy the choices Brian Cashman has to make. Nova was pitching well but so was everyone else except A.J. Burnett. It probably wouldn't be the best thing for Nova to move to the bullpen because he takes a while to warm up and it also is a different form of pitching. Personally, gun to my head, I probably move Garcia into the bullpen, or Colon. Colon hasn't pitched this many innings in years and has had several injuries to his arm over that span. Garcia is having what is basically a career year and he is like 50 years old at this point. I just don't like "rewarding" kids with a demotion when they are playing well. Nor do I like stunting their development so that an aging veteran who doesn't have near the amount of upside can live off a Yankee Legacy like Jorge Posada is doing. Sure, Posada is hitting right now but is this Jorge really better than a Jesus Montero right now? No. Or, the Yankees could ease Montero into the bigs by sending Frankie "Throw it to Centerfield" Cervelli down to AAA and letting Montero catch a game or two a week and get a start at DH every now and then like the Yankees did with a young Posada.
-Added to the Yankee prospects to watch list are Cito Culver, the Yanks first round draft pick last year and Mark Montgomery, a relief pitcher with Low A Charleston who has struck out 16 batters in 6 innings. Culver, the man whom Keith Law said had no business being a first round pick is hitting .299 with 15 RBI's in 18 games. I'm not saying Culver is going to be the next Jeter but he is making real strides. And, for those interested, this year's first round draft pick Dante Bichette, Jr. is hitting .159 but has 15 walks in 13 games and only has 9 K's. He has something you can't teach there and for an 18 year-old kid thats not a bad start. However, it's Mason Williams that will soon be rocketing up prospect lists, especially if he keeps hitting like he is.
-Mets fans have something to be excited about and the name is Matt Harvey. Here is what ESPN's Keith Law said about Harvey as he heads into the Futures Game "Harvey was the seventh pick in last year's draft and came into pro ball boasting a plus fastball with good downhill plane and a solid average-or-better changeup but struggled with both breaking balls. Reports this year have the breaking balls improving but the changeup regressing -- which would still leave him a three-pitch guy, plenty to be a front-line starter given the strength of his fastball. Harvey tore through high Class A, which is what you'd expect a first-rounder drafted out of the ACC to do. He has made one start in Double-A, giving up four runs and allowing 11 baserunners in four-plus innings." The stuff is there with Harvey and I personally think he will be a future ace for the Mets, especially if they the ballpark as it is.
-For those of you expecting some sort of rant about the All-Star Game rosters, sorry. I just enjoy the game for what it is nowadays. It's always nce to see certain guys make it but its not like not making an All-Star team is like like losing a Gold Glove vote to a DH like Tino Martinez did to Rafael Palmeiro who only played 25 games at first.
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