They now have their vet super-sub. Reportedly they are sending rookie ball bat John Cruz to the Marlins. The Rays are also somehow involve, though its not clear how.
MLB Pipeline
@MLBPipeline
The Marlins are acquiring Yankees No. 28 prospect John Cruz and Rays outfield prospect Shane Sasaki in a three-team trade, with the Yankees acquiring Jon Berti and the Rays getting Ben Rortvedt.
Rortvedt is goinna roll around in Tampa's magic dust
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF postions other than 1B
I started a thread on this, somebody obviously deleted it, okay now. It improves their bench, much needed. Don't know why they trade a catcher to a team in their division.
Even though he wasn't going to get time with the Yanks, and he was out of options, why help out a division rival. He has a better arm than either of the Yanks catchers, I'll say that much.
I think he has Tatis pre-suspension type potential so I think this is a bad trade for the Yankees.
I get what you were seeing- double digit power in rookie ball from any 18 year old is rare. On the other hand, the Yanks are overflowing with real high end OF right now. Even if he developed quickly with power, it would be hard to push aside Jones and Dominguez, especially since the reports I've seen say he was destined for DH/1B work with the glove.
Not to mention if they somehow re-sign Soto, the OF would be full for a lot of years since Soto would be the "old man" of that group at 26 next year.
I started a thread on this, somebody obviously deleted it, okay now. It improves their bench, much needed. Don't know why they trade a catcher to a team in their division.
Even though he wasn't going to get time with the Yanks, and he was out of options, why help out a division rival. He has a better arm than either of the Yanks catchers, I'll say that much.
But he can't hit- with the Yanks not being super solid in the bottom third of the order, you have the take the chance on Wells bat to improve things- maybe a Posada type of trade off of offense for defense.
They couldn’t get Berti for someone like Anthony Hall
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
a few weeks ago, when we were discussing Kevin Smith (who?) as the possible backup 3B/SS, you said that player wasn't on the team yet and the Yanks would make a trade right before opening day - exactly what happened
I think he has Tatis pre-suspension type potential so I think this is a bad trade for the Yankees.
I get what you were seeing- double digit power in rookie ball from any 18 year old is rare. On the other hand, the Yanks are overflowing with real high end OF right now. Even if he developed quickly with power, it would be hard to push aside Jones and Dominguez, especially since the reports I've seen say he was destined for DH/1B work with the glove.
Not to mention if they somehow re-sign Soto, the OF would be full for a lot of years since Soto would be the "old man" of that group at 26 next year.
Sure he's far away (though a guy with the talent he's shown can move quickly). And what would be wrong with having a power lefthanded hitting first baseman. They have no first basemen with power in their top 30 other than Rice (a catcher by trade who is already 25).
It's not that Cruz was traded that gives me pause. It's that he was traded for a 34-year-old utility guy who hit .294 last year, but .240 in 2022 and .210 in 2021. He's not a .294 hitter.
Also, Soto wouldn't be the old man of the outfield. Judge has that locked up for a while.
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
Let's slow down on his hitting prowess and plus contact. He's a lifetime .258 hitter over five seasons, which jumped a bunch after last year's .294.
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
Let's slow down on his hitting prowess and plus contact. He's a lifetime .258 hitter over five seasons, which jumped a bunch after last year's .294.
Ah yes, the old "ignore the OBOP and look at the worthless BA stat" to support your claims. No- just stop.
a Mets fan I'm happy to see Berti out of the NL East. Extremely scrappy/annoying player. That being said, I think Miami did pretty well. A lottery ticket and Sasaki who could be a solid MLB 4th OFer. I suspect Peter Bendix is successful with the Marlins.
Thanks to injuries to Oswald Peraza and D.J. Lemahieu, the Yankees were out of backup infielders. By acquiring Berti, the Yankees now have a viable backup infielder who can play shortstop and pretty much anywhere else. He’s played everywhere but catcher and first base during his six-year major league career. The Marlins asked him to be their regular shortstop at times in 2023, but he’s best as a versatile role player who is capable of filling in wherever is needed.
RAYS ACQUIRE
Ben Rortvedt, C
Age: 26
The Twins’ second round pick in the 2016 draft, Rortvedt was traded to the Yankees in the March 2022 trade that sent Josh Donaldson to New York and Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela to Minnesota. Rortvedt has long had a solid reputation as a defensive catcher, but he’s always struggled to hit. He’s a career .243/.323/.373 hitter in the minors, and in two stints in the majors, he’s a .146/.234/.255 hitter in the majors.
Rortvedt is out of options, but in coming to the Rays, he ends up in a near-perfect situation. Tampa Bay had only one catcher (Rene Pinto) on the 40-man roster. Alex Jackson, who isn’t currently on the 40-man roster, was slated to back up Pinto, but Rortvedt will now handle that spot with Jackson likely heading to Triple-A. If he can provide solid defense, the Rays will likely live with Rortvedt’s well below-average bat.
MARLINS ACQUIRE
John Cruz, OF
Age: 18
Cruz ranked as the Yankees’ No. 25 prospect coming into the season. He is a promising young lefthanded hitter with a chance to hit for average and power, but he will have to continue to clean up his approach to get to his potential. Cruz was one of the standouts on the Yankees’ loaded Florida Complex League club last year. His 10 home runs were second most in the league, and he also ranked in the league’s top five in hits, extra-base hits, slugging percentage and total bases. He’s a center fielder for now, but he may end up in the corners when he fully fills out.
Shane Sasaki, OF
Age: 23
Sasaki ranked as the Rays’ No. 21 prospect coming into 2024. He was left unprotected and unpicked in the most recent Rule 5 draft. He projects as a potential fourth outfielder whose well above average speed plays well on the bases and in the outfield. His lack of power is what will potentially limit him from an everyday role.
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
Let's slow down on his hitting prowess and plus contact. He's a lifetime .258 hitter over five seasons, which jumped a bunch after last year's .294.
Ah yes, the old "ignore the OBOP and look at the worthless BA stat" to support your claims. No- just stop.
Several posters commented on the fact he hit .294 last year. But on OBP of .344 when you hit .294 is nothing to crow about. For comparison, his OBP was .388 the year he hit .258, .313 when he hit .210, and .324 when he hit .240. His walks were down 25 percent last year despite having more plate appearances.
It's not surprising that Yanks went outside the org
to fill the need. They had to do so because, after Peraza went down, they had no IF prospect in the org they could even pretend was major-league ready (and Peraza himself is a long way from a major-league-confirmed player).
Cashman has talked about the infield being an organizational area of strength, with an implied justification for why he won't talk to Gleyber Torres about a contract.
But where is the strength? Not in the org, not major-league ready. Thus another 34 year old in the fold, this one who kicked around the minors until he was 29.
I think he has Tatis pre-suspension type potential so I think this is a bad trade for the Yankees.
Tatis hit 22 home runs in the Major Leagues at age 20. This guy is the 27th ranked prospect: not in baseball, but in the Yankees' system.
Cool. Look where Tatis was at 17 & 18 years old. He was a low ranked prospect that didn't have the numbers that Cruz had.
Cruz might not work out, but due to his potential he's not a guy I would have traded for a 34 year old average player. I watched many Yankees FCL games last year. He was consistently the top player on the field for either team. That includes top ranked IFA signings and top 10 draft picks. He didn't get a big IFA signing bonus like Arias, Dominguez, Mayea etc but since he's signed with the Yankees he's been just as good if not better than all of those guys at the same point in their careers.
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Good post Rich. I mean if you can't be optomistic on opening day when can you be in life? Don't expect it to be contageous around here though. I'm sure the miserable SOB's will be out bitching about Cashman 2 hours before first pitch or whenver the game thread is set up.
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Love this post. I'm almost 52, but on Opening Day, I always feel like a kid. This year is no different.
Yeah, losing Cole sucks. But, overall, this is a better team than last year. I think outside the obvious addition of Soto, the biggest factor could be Volpe changing his swing. They don't need him to hit 20+ HRs. They need him to be able to eventually settle in at the top of the order with a .400+ OBA. His new swing is very promising.
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Good post Rich. I mean if you can't be optomistic on opening day when can you be in life?
HA! Great point. I remember watching the Mets on opening day when I was a kid in the mid 70s and after the first out in the first inning, a guy held up a sign that said "Wait 'Til Next Year!"
Thanks Rich, I will temper my fears for the time being! I hope you're correct, obviously!
I get the concerns about losing Cruz, but I also think getting Berti shows a 'win this year' mentality that isn't all bad. You never know about trades like this until everything plays out down the road.
Details - ( New Window )
@MLBPipeline
The Marlins are acquiring Yankees No. 28 prospect John Cruz and Rays outfield prospect Shane Sasaki in a three-team trade, with the Yankees acquiring Jon Berti and the Rays getting Ben Rortvedt.
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF postions other than 1B
Even though he wasn't going to get time with the Yanks, and he was out of options, why help out a division rival. He has a better arm than either of the Yanks catchers, I'll say that much.
He's 18 yrs. old, bad trade, seriously?
Long way to go from rookie ball to the bigs
I get what you were seeing- double digit power in rookie ball from any 18 year old is rare. On the other hand, the Yanks are overflowing with real high end OF right now. Even if he developed quickly with power, it would be hard to push aside Jones and Dominguez, especially since the reports I've seen say he was destined for DH/1B work with the glove.
Not to mention if they somehow re-sign Soto, the OF would be full for a lot of years since Soto would be the "old man" of that group at 26 next year.
Even though he wasn't going to get time with the Yanks, and he was out of options, why help out a division rival. He has a better arm than either of the Yanks catchers, I'll say that much.
But he can't hit- with the Yanks not being super solid in the bottom third of the order, you have the take the chance on Wells bat to improve things- maybe a Posada type of trade off of offense for defense.
Now what, Cabrera back to minors?
Tatis hit 22 home runs in the Major Leagues at age 20. This guy is the 27th ranked prospect: not in baseball, but in the Yankees' system.
Quote:
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
Now what, Cabrera back to minors?
No- per the NY Post this morning, they were already down to 26- with Rortveld and Jahmai Jones on the roster.
Since they traded Rortveld, no need for roster gymnastics.
IMO, the big question is whether they find someone else to replace Jones, or if they keep him around until DJLM returns.
Tatis type potential? Walker Jenkins has that kind of potential. In no world, would the twins or any team give up a player like that for Berti.
I actually really like this trade for the yanks. I could see him leading off at some point.
Berti - ( New Window )
I blame Cashman for a lot, but not the Giants' struggles
thanks - looks like he uses the whole field hitting-wise
what's sad is that at the Marlins home games in those highlights, there are hardly any fans at all in the stands
Quote:
I think he has Tatis pre-suspension type potential so I think this is a bad trade for the Yankees.
I get what you were seeing- double digit power in rookie ball from any 18 year old is rare. On the other hand, the Yanks are overflowing with real high end OF right now. Even if he developed quickly with power, it would be hard to push aside Jones and Dominguez, especially since the reports I've seen say he was destined for DH/1B work with the glove.
Not to mention if they somehow re-sign Soto, the OF would be full for a lot of years since Soto would be the "old man" of that group at 26 next year.
Sure he's far away (though a guy with the talent he's shown can move quickly). And what would be wrong with having a power lefthanded hitting first baseman. They have no first basemen with power in their top 30 other than Rice (a catcher by trade who is already 25).
It's not that Cruz was traded that gives me pause. It's that he was traded for a 34-year-old utility guy who hit .294 last year, but .240 in 2022 and .210 in 2021. He's not a .294 hitter.
Also, Soto wouldn't be the old man of the outfield. Judge has that locked up for a while.
Quote:
In comment 16447777 wigs in nyc said:
Quote:
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
Let's slow down on his hitting prowess and plus contact. He's a lifetime .258 hitter over five seasons, which jumped a bunch after last year's .294.
Quote:
In comment 16447789 KDavies said:
Quote:
In comment 16447777 wigs in nyc said:
Quote:
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
Let's slow down on his hitting prowess and plus contact. He's a lifetime .258 hitter over five seasons, which jumped a bunch after last year's .294.
Ah yes, the old "ignore the OBOP and look at the worthless BA stat" to support your claims. No- just stop.
Or he could be another flame out. Remember the legend that once was Marcos Vechionacci?
Too many, better players on the farm to worry about. Losing the 28th best prospect who is still just 18 is by no means a bad trade at all.
Jon Berti, SS/3B
Age: 34
Thanks to injuries to Oswald Peraza and D.J. Lemahieu, the Yankees were out of backup infielders. By acquiring Berti, the Yankees now have a viable backup infielder who can play shortstop and pretty much anywhere else. He’s played everywhere but catcher and first base during his six-year major league career. The Marlins asked him to be their regular shortstop at times in 2023, but he’s best as a versatile role player who is capable of filling in wherever is needed.
RAYS ACQUIRE
Ben Rortvedt, C
Age: 26
The Twins’ second round pick in the 2016 draft, Rortvedt was traded to the Yankees in the March 2022 trade that sent Josh Donaldson to New York and Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela to Minnesota. Rortvedt has long had a solid reputation as a defensive catcher, but he’s always struggled to hit. He’s a career .243/.323/.373 hitter in the minors, and in two stints in the majors, he’s a .146/.234/.255 hitter in the majors.
Rortvedt is out of options, but in coming to the Rays, he ends up in a near-perfect situation. Tampa Bay had only one catcher (Rene Pinto) on the 40-man roster. Alex Jackson, who isn’t currently on the 40-man roster, was slated to back up Pinto, but Rortvedt will now handle that spot with Jackson likely heading to Triple-A. If he can provide solid defense, the Rays will likely live with Rortvedt’s well below-average bat.
MARLINS ACQUIRE
John Cruz, OF
Age: 18
Cruz ranked as the Yankees’ No. 25 prospect coming into the season. He is a promising young lefthanded hitter with a chance to hit for average and power, but he will have to continue to clean up his approach to get to his potential. Cruz was one of the standouts on the Yankees’ loaded Florida Complex League club last year. His 10 home runs were second most in the league, and he also ranked in the league’s top five in hits, extra-base hits, slugging percentage and total bases. He’s a center fielder for now, but he may end up in the corners when he fully fills out.
Shane Sasaki, OF
Age: 23
Sasaki ranked as the Rays’ No. 21 prospect coming into 2024. He was left unprotected and unpicked in the most recent Rule 5 draft. He projects as a potential fourth outfielder whose well above average speed plays well on the bases and in the outfield. His lack of power is what will potentially limit him from an everyday role.
Please, hold your breath. We’d all appreciate it
Quote:
Not holding my breath until Cashman makes a good trade
Please, hold your breath. We’d all appreciate it
Right back atcha enlightened one - piss off
So the Soto trade wasn’t good?
Get lost you troll clown.
Quote:
In comment 16447876 rich in DC said:
Quote:
In comment 16447789 KDavies said:
Quote:
In comment 16447777 wigs in nyc said:
Quote:
- hit .294 last year, though light on power
- good defensive metrics
- 95th percentile sprint speed
Looks like everything we hoped IKF might be?
Outhit DJ over the past two years.
Don't know that I'd say great, but I've watched a lot of Marlins and he's a very useful player. SBs down a ton last year. He's 34, so might be due to age. But solid hitter and most significantly very versatile. Plays OF and the 3 IF positions other than 1B
I wonder if the plan is to give him that Randy Velarde type of role where he plays somewhere different every day and ends up being a regular without a single position?
If so, he could be the leadoff hitter. His career OBP from the leadoff spot is .325, but he hit .354 with a .405 OBP last year from the leadoff slot- though only in 89 PAs (79 ABs).
Let's slow down on his hitting prowess and plus contact. He's a lifetime .258 hitter over five seasons, which jumped a bunch after last year's .294.
Ah yes, the old "ignore the OBOP and look at the worthless BA stat" to support your claims. No- just stop.
Several posters commented on the fact he hit .294 last year. But on OBP of .344 when you hit .294 is nothing to crow about. For comparison, his OBP was .388 the year he hit .258, .313 when he hit .210, and .324 when he hit .240. His walks were down 25 percent last year despite having more plate appearances.
Cashman has talked about the infield being an organizational area of strength, with an implied justification for why he won't talk to Gleyber Torres about a contract.
But where is the strength? Not in the org, not major-league ready. Thus another 34 year old in the fold, this one who kicked around the minors until he was 29.
Berti is a nice player. Expensive with the luxury tax and i'm surprised he was the guy.
Quote:
I think he has Tatis pre-suspension type potential so I think this is a bad trade for the Yankees.
Tatis hit 22 home runs in the Major Leagues at age 20. This guy is the 27th ranked prospect: not in baseball, but in the Yankees' system.
Cool. Look where Tatis was at 17 & 18 years old. He was a low ranked prospect that didn't have the numbers that Cruz had.
Cruz might not work out, but due to his potential he's not a guy I would have traded for a 34 year old average player. I watched many Yankees FCL games last year. He was consistently the top player on the field for either team. That includes top ranked IFA signings and top 10 draft picks. He didn't get a big IFA signing bonus like Arias, Dominguez, Mayea etc but since he's signed with the Yankees he's been just as good if not better than all of those guys at the same point in their careers.
Quote:
Not holding my breath until Cashman makes a good trade
So the Soto trade wasn’t good?
Get lost you troll clown.
Another Cashman ball licker ? Everyone can state their opinion on an opinion site fuckface and I will state mine
Quote:
In comment 16448074 averagejoe said:
Quote:
Not holding my breath until Cashman makes a good trade
So the Soto trade wasn’t good?
Get lost you troll clown.
Another Cashman ball licker ? Everyone can state their opinion on an opinion site fuckface and I will state mine
Just what everyone looks forward to, a vulgar post. Adds a lot to the thread.
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
Quote:
In comment 16448074 averagejoe said:
Quote:
Not holding my breath until Cashman makes a good trade
So the Soto trade wasn’t good?
Get lost you troll clown.
Another Cashman ball licker ? Everyone can state their opinion on an opinion site fuckface and I will state mine
Troll, Troll, Troll
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
Quote:
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Quote:
In comment 16448502 rich in DC said:
Quote:
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Good post Rich. I mean if you can't be optomistic on opening day when can you be in life? Don't expect it to be contageous around here though. I'm sure the miserable SOB's will be out bitching about Cashman 2 hours before first pitch or whenver the game thread is set up.
Quote:
In comment 16448502 rich in DC said:
Quote:
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Yeah, losing Cole sucks. But, overall, this is a better team than last year. I think outside the obvious addition of Soto, the biggest factor could be Volpe changing his swing. They don't need him to hit 20+ HRs. They need him to be able to eventually settle in at the top of the order with a .400+ OBA. His new swing is very promising.
Quote:
In comment 16448560 rnargi said:
Quote:
In comment 16448502 rich in DC said:
Quote:
Yanks open their season at 4 PM today with Cortes on the mound. Wonder if Berti gets their on time to play?
Also, since it will be relevant this season, AAA Scranton- Wilkes Barre starts their season at 2 PM on Friday. The other long-season leagues apparently start next week. I haven’t seen the final rosters yet- probably waiting to see what happens with Jahmai Jones
So what's your take, Rich? How do you feel about the roster and the current (and probably future) injuries already clouding the team? I want to be optimistic, but I'm not. Seems like a re-run about to happen with a very, very high payroll. Talk me off the ledge.
One word- health.
Last year, at this point, Rodon, Cortes, Montas and others were all down. This year its one guy- Cole. Sure- he's your #1 SP- but it is also not a full season injury.
Judge, Rizzo and Trevino are healthy- and the Yanks aren't going to Dodger Stadium this year, so no weird fence steps to run into.
The Yanks offense is dramatically improved by Soto alone- but I expect that Volpe will be MUCH better based on his changed swing in ST.
Remember the new hitting coach emphasizes hitting the ball hard to all field, not launch angle. That will help Volpe a great deal.
Stanton probably isn't a .300 hitter like he's been this spring, but I'll take .240-.250 out of him with power. He's apparently no longer muscle bound and showed he can get the pitch down and away. Keep in mind that Stanton's BABIP the past two seasons was .227 and .210- from a hitter with a career BABIP of .310. Regression to the mean with health and loss of muscle bound swings should be in order. I believe that 2016 is possible- but remember that was his low point before the past two seasons. 2021 Stanton is possible as well.
Last season, the lineup was pathetic against power righties- but they have some very solid lefty bats now- Soto (obvious there), Verdugo, Wells and Cabrera is being told to bat lefty more now. Add in Grisham off the bench and Dominguez and his switch-hitting in July or so- and this is a much more balanced team.
Torres is likely to overperform as he is in a contract year. He's playing for a 9 figure deal- and another strong season gets him there.
Don't sleep on Gil or Schmidt. They are not your average #4 and #5 SP.
In short, too many are assuming that the loss of Cole for 2+ months means the Yanks are done. Its almost like they think this is the 2023 lineup again. I think a lot of pundits are going to be eating some serious crow about the Yanks by June when Cole returns to a first place team.
Good post Rich. I mean if you can't be optomistic on opening day when can you be in life?
HA! Great point. I remember watching the Mets on opening day when I was a kid in the mid 70s and after the first out in the first inning, a guy held up a sign that said "Wait 'Til Next Year!"
Thanks Rich, I will temper my fears for the time being! I hope you're correct, obviously!