Good morning all. Last season really put a damper on enthusiasm, hasn't it? No threads on ST or Yankees baseball. Even the addition of Juan Soto isn't enough to bring out the "faithful".
With pitchers and catchers reporting, I thought someone would have started a thread. With all this lack of talk, I suppose, most of you are not really expecting much this year. I know I am a bit disappointed with the offseason. Seems like pitching will be Gerrit Cole and some others. BP has a few arms and at least the team seems to find effective pitchers out of the pen.
As much as I love Nestor, I think adding that 3 or 4 mph really stresses his arm and he has trouble staying in the rotation. Schmidt was actually improving through the year and seems to be a reliable 4 or 5. Rodon, meh. Stroman - I liked him a few years back, but is he anything more than a 3 or 4 at this point? Anybody else you want to see from the Minors that could make the lineup?
Anyway, let's get the ball rolling on where we see them going this year. Have to believe Baltimore is still top of AL East with the Blue Jays not far behind.
One of the biggest fumbles in sports history - imagine being next in line to run the freaking New York Yankees and you blow it with a DUI and subsequent divorce.
Quote:
In comment 16419678 GFAN52 said:
Quote:
Stanton is done and has been as a useful player. The slimmed down version isn't any better hitter. It sucks that he is almost untraceable and the Yankees are stuck with his contract. I hope next offseason, they just bite the bullet and eat the rest of his contract if they can't agree on some settlement. He's clogging up the DH position.
Last year Giancarlo could not catch up to anything faster than a batting practice lob so I suspect that he is being strictly viewed as lineup insurance against a Jasson Dominguez setback. I can't imagine any scenario where he is back next year even if he does return to his old form because the Yankees won't have room.
Something to keep in mind- the Marlins still have not yet begun the payments of $30M to the Yanks (due to begin soon). If Stanton can at least be a reasonable hitter with power (say .240 with 20+ HR), after this season he is due $32M, $29M and $25M over the next 3 seasons. If the Yanks were to throw that $30M into the deal, that's $56M over 3 years, or just under $19M a season. Not outrageous in today's market for a low AB high power guy. It also might help him mentally to get out of NY.
Sure he has the full no-trade clause. His favorite team, the Dodgers won't be trading for him since they need the DH slot for Ohtani. But what about the Angels?
I will be totally shocked Stanton is batting anywhere near .240 by the end of the season. His past MO is having a good season start batting, before the inevitable injury sidelines him, and he never gets his hitting back. I see him finishing another year hovering around .200.
Now, if those are the numbers in late May/early June- THEN you worry about it.
Gotta disagree with you there. First, DJLM *is* striking out a lot - he's striking out at a 33% rate this spring. Second, he's not passing the eye test - he's looked like crap at the plate so far. It's not like he's hitting the ball hard and being unlucky. Third, he's the slowest-footed player on the team.
This is who you want as your leadoff hitter? I think that's crazy. You need a higher OBP guy who's a threat to steal, to give the opposing pitcher something to worry about while pitching to Soto and Judge.
I'm not saying cut DJLM. I realize we're stuck with him at 3B for the foreseeable future. I'm just saying that a slow, weak-hitting infielder should bat 8th in the lineup and not lead off.
Might be the best idea MLB has come up with in years. Yankees breakout roster - ( New Window )
This does look very interesting - hopefully it will be televised somewhere
Quote:
Funny how his dad was once mentioned as the future boss of the Yanks- but got divorced and that was that (if I recall the story correctly).
One of the biggest fumbles in sports history - imagine being next in line to run the freaking New York Yankees and you blow it with a DUI and subsequent divorce.
I'm not sure I'd stay in a miserable marriage even to run the Yankees. (Although the DUI is obviously very bad behavior.)
I'm not saying cut DJLM. I realize we're stuck with him at 3B for the foreseeable future. I'm just saying that a slow, weak-hitting infielder should bat 8th in the lineup and not lead off.
Long story short, I realize that the Yankees have to be smart with their resources going forward so it makes sense to let him go but I am surprised that Torres hasn't gotten a short at third base. Maybe it's silly to switch him from a position he is comfortable at but I feel that he can handle it.
Quote:
I'm not saying cut DJLM. I realize we're stuck with him at 3B for the foreseeable future. I'm just saying that a slow, weak-hitting infielder should bat 8th in the lineup and not lead off.
Long story short, I realize that the Yankees have to be smart with their resources going forward so it makes sense to let him go but I am surprised that Torres hasn't gotten a short at third base. Maybe it's silly to switch him from a position he is comfortable at but I feel that he can handle it.
Well, his playing at SS really seemed to affect his offense (which remains odd to me), so I'm not sure he's the guy you want to mess around with. Plus, as you alluded to, I don't think he's in the long-term plans. (I suspect he's going to have a monster FA year and then we let someone massively overpay for him. Which is fine, he seems like a good kid, but not crucial.)
Volpe 2 for 3 from the leadoff spot tonight.
Kevin Smith (who?) started at 3B.
Peraza was seen leaving Steinbrenner Field around noon in street clothes Thursday as other players were arriving for a workout and then a night game against the Tigers.
Boone said that Peraza came to him Thursday morning and said the shoulder was bothering him again.
Eleven of the 13 position roster spots are a lock, with Grisham and the BUC adding to the nine starters.
Going in to ST, Peraza and Cabrera looked most likely to fill spots 12 and 13.
But Peraza has the bad shoulder and Cabrera (.048) is, thus far, going in the wrong direction from a disappointing 2023.
Jorbit Vivas is on the 40-man, but can't play SS and is hitting .143 himself.
Kevin Smith (Who? as Del Shofner says) can play SS, but isn't on the 40-man.
Everson Pereira is at .222 with 8 strikeouts and one XBH, (a homer) in 18 ST ABs.
Two of the named figure to make the OD roster. Jasson is in the wings to take a spot down the line, and Spencer after him, but the infield, which Cashman claims as an area of strength, is very thin. DJL is looking old and there is no depth.
Link - ( New Window )
Peraza was seen leaving Steinbrenner Field around noon in street clothes Thursday as other players were arriving for a workout and then a night game against the Tigers.
Boone said that Peraza came to him Thursday morning and said the shoulder was bothering him again.
Probably the best thing for him- it would be bad for future development for him to sit on the bench in NY while Torres and Volpe play 150+ games each. He need to go to AAA- and either play every day or be on the IL there to start the season and then play every day.
I still think the Yanks backup middle INF isn't on the roster. But as the comments from Rosario in the NY Post today showed, the FAs out there are not sold on the Yanks because there isn't a plausible route to playing time outside of an injury.
I suspect that the Yanks will either have to make a waiver claim on a cut vet at the roster cut down time or make a last minute trade for a backup.
In the same vein, I think that Oswaldo Cabrera would also be best served going to AAA and playing the supersub role there to prepare him and allow him to re-focus his hitting.
The OF is set, backup C is set, just grab a supersub INF and maybe either a speed late inning guy or roll with an extra bullpen arm to start the season.
The drum that many (including me) have been beating for some time now, arguing that the focus on "launch angle" has been misguided and self-defeating.
I think Volpe has bought in. For Soto and Judge, it doesn't really matter because they are so good. Trevino is really a spray it around and hope it lands on the ground type. Rizzo looks back to normal and focused.
I hope that Torres got the message- but he's in a walk year and I think his focus will be to hit as many HR as he can in the hopes of a big multi-year deal somewhere.
I have no idea what to expect from DJLM or Stanton. I think DJLMs track record is that he will correct whatever went wrong last year and he is healthy. Stanton- I have no idea. At this point, I would take a .240 BA and power and call it a success.
The upshot of that is that the Yankee backup 3B is in line for double duty: he plays when LeMahieu rests (or is injured) and he plays when Rizzo rests (or is injured) and LeMahieu covers 1B.
Even if Yanks had signed Amed Rosario, he is strictly a middle infielder; never played 3B.
Peraza was, by all appearance, planned to be the "double backup" for 3B. He in fact had far more major league 3B starts last year than at SS and 2B combined.
So Yanks have both the middle infield backup roster hole that Cashman was trying to fill with Rosario and, it appears, an even bigger hole created by Peraza's shoulder injury.
Since everybody in the day's lineup has to hit, that's a lot of plate appearances in 2024 that are up for grabs with no proven major league hitter to take them.
I don't think the INF back up is even in camp right now. I think they will make a trade/waiver claim at the end of ST. Think of Velasquez a couple years ago.
The upshot of that is that the Yankee backup 3B is in line for double duty: he plays when LeMahieu rests (or is injured) and he plays when Rizzo rests (or is injured) and LeMahieu covers 1B.
Even if Yanks had signed Amed Rosario, he is strictly a middle infielder; never played 3B.
Peraza was, by all appearance, planned to be the "double backup" for 3B. He in fact had far more major league 3B starts last year than at SS and 2B combined.
So Yanks have both the middle infield backup roster hole that Cashman was trying to fill with Rosario and, it appears, an even bigger hole created by Peraza's shoulder injury.
Since everybody in the day's lineup has to hit, that's a lot of plate appearances in 2024 that are up for grabs with no proven major league hitter to take them.
Can Wells play 1b? I am confident in his hitting.
He basically split time between 1B and C last season. He likes to catch, but missing two full seasons of college ball and then most of another after signing has really hurt his development behind the plate.
Next up.
Update on Peraza - ( New Window )
Can Wells play 1b? I am confident in his hitting.
Wells did play some 1B in college but has not done so since the Yankees drafted him in 2020.
From all appearances Yanks want him to focus on catching. And if he were to suffer an injury playing 1B, it would be hard to forgive, because he's an important piece.
Great to see him crush that HR today.
Whatever contract Boras brings to the Yankees they better match it for him. Of course it'll be up to Soto to decide if he want to return to the Yankees.
apologies ... that's just his slugging % ... his OPS is like 1.8 at this point.
Quote:
his OPS for the spring is a tidy 1.278...
apologies ... that's just his slugging % ... his OPS is like 1.8 at this point.
Lol. More meaningful to me is that Rizzo is having a good spring, which confirms again that it was the concussion that turned him into the worst hitter in baseball.
Link - ( New Window )
Typical Yankees post 2009.
In the other game, Warren doesn't throw anything straight, but was 93-94 mostly with high of 95.
"...and I get on my knees and pray,
We won't get fooled again...
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..."
@BNightengale
·
1h
The Yankees, while awaiting news on Gerrit Cole, have re-engaged with the Chicago White Sox and made a new proposal for ace Dylan Cease, but the new offer once again did not include prized outfield prospect Spencer Jones.
I wonder if the Yankees are fearing the worst now on Cole.
Doesn't sound good.
They would also have to give up 2 draft picks and $1M in international FA money
Quote:
Who has a down year last year when all you have to do is write a check to Snell? Luxury tax? Come on what are we shopping at Walmart?
They would also have to give up 2 draft picks and $1M in international FA money
I get that but they are not first rounders correct? and as for the international $ so you'd rather give up guys who may be major league ready soon or within a season or so for the promise of a kid in the DR who is currently 15 years old?
Quote:
..they said he's going for more tests.
Doesn't sound good.
Not for nothing, but the MRI would have shown the UCL torn and no further tests would be needed.
Quote:
In comment 16428132 rnargi said:
Quote:
..they said he's going for more tests.
Doesn't sound good.
Not for nothing, but the MRI would have shown the UCL torn and no further tests would be needed.
How sure are you about this? There are different kinds of MRIs, and maybe it showed something partial? Unfortunately I think this might just be a waiting game.
Quote:
In comment 16428141 GFAN52 said:
Quote:
In comment 16428132 rnargi said:
Quote:
..they said he's going for more tests.
Doesn't sound good.
Not for nothing, but the MRI would have shown the UCL torn and no further tests would be needed.
How sure are you about this? There are different kinds of MRIs, and maybe it showed something partial? Unfortunately I think this might just be a waiting game.
They send guys for MRIs all the time. In an hour or two we hear about a ruptured UCL or not. When was the last time someone was sent for an MRI that the results weren't known almost immediately?
Yes it could be, but to me this indicates the MRI is not showing the UCL is torn. Cannot remember the last time a player was sent and it wasn't clearly shown.
Need to go back and get a radiology degree, I suppose!
Wishful thinking