The LoHud Yankees Blog

While we’re waiting for something more than rumors and hypotheticals on the hot stove, I thought we might try looking occasionally at some of the new members of the 40-man roster. We’ll start with Eduardo Nunez.

In his career, Nunez has been almost exclusively a shortstop with a handful of starts at second and third. He was once highly touted by Baseball America, but the magazine has since written that it overvalued him back when it put him in the Yankees Top 10. The bat came along the past two years, though, and that led the Yankees to protect him from the Rule 5. I saw him in the Triple-A playoffs, but he spent all of the regular season in Trenton.

Naturally, I asked Mike Ashmore for his take. Here’s what Ashmore wrote…

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Realistically, Eduardo Nunez is at least a year away from the big leagues. He needs a lot of work defensively, but if his defensive skills can ever catch up to his bat, he’ll be a solid big leaguer that can probably start on some teams.

Defensively, Nunez has an outstanding arm that he doesn’t always seem to be able to harness. Whether it’s issues with footwork or just getting lazy on a few throws, errors have plagued him throughout his career, and last season was no different. Nunez’s 33 errors were good enough to earn him the Eastern League’s Pewter Glove… he led the league with his penchant for the E-6. Nunez likely needs to develop a bit of a better work ethic in the field as well, as for someone who clearly needs to improve defensively, I’d often see him not taking his time in the infield during batting practice as seriously as he should.

Offensively, Nunez had what must be considered his best season in 2009, hitting a career high .322 with nine home runs and 55 RBI. Nunez is a relatively free swinger who makes contact more often than not. While you can’t argue with a batting average like the one he posted, 22 walks in 497 at-bats would suggest he might be better served to improve his plate discipline as well. He doesn’t have a ton of power, and primarily hits for singles, but he did connect for a career high in home runs last season, and his bat may overshadow his glove enough to where he may get a big league look at some point in the near future. While his speed is slightly above average, I can remember him running the Thunder out of several innings last season, sometimes at key points in the game. The speed is there, the instincts aren’t necessarily always connected to his feet.

This year’s Hall of Fame ballot was announced this afternoon, with Roberto Alomar headlining the first-timers and Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven the top returning vote-getters. I’m a long way from getting a vote, but this is what my ballot would look like as of tonight. Ask me tomorrow and I might have changed my mind. Frankly, I love that there is no definition for what makes a Hall of Famer. Good, smart baseball people can disagree. The gray area makes the decisions difficult and that’s exactly the way it should be.

Would, without question, get my vote

Roberto Alomar – A great all-around player throughout the 1990s. He hit for average, showed good speed, played great defense at second base and played well in the postseason. I’m sure a lot of people dislike the guy, but there’s no doubt he could play.

Would, after much second guessing, get my vote

Andre Dawson — We talk a lot about five-tool players these days, and Dawson was a five-tool major leaguer. Great arm. Good speed. Hit for a ton of power. I think of him as a dominant player, and that’s what I want in the Hall of Fame.
Barry Larkin — When Larkin was still playing, I thought of him as a future Hall of Famer. He was a really nice hitter at a premium defensive position and he might have won more than three Gold Gloves if he weren’t playing in a league with Ozzie Smith.
Mark McGwire – Not an easy choice, but the more we learn about the Steroid Era, the more I’m convinced McGwire should be in the Hall of Fame. There are plenty who disagree – probably most people disagree – but I would put him in.

Would not, after much second guessing, get my vote

Bert Blyleven – There was a time when I was firmly in the Blyleven-belongs-in-the-Hall camp, but I no longer think he had a dominant enough peak to be a Hall of Famer. He was very, very good for a long, long time, but I think the Hall should be full of players who were overwhelming at some point. I’m not sure Blyleven ever was. If he gets in, though, I won’t be upset about it.
Edgar Martinez – He’s exactly the kind of hitter I love – more walks than strikeouts, a lot of doubles — but I don’t think I would vote for him. It will be fascinating to see what happens with him. With apologies to Harold Baines, Martinez is the first great designated hitter to appear on the ballot.
Don Mattingly – Absolute proof that not all great players are necessarily Hall of Famers. Wouldn’t make my ballot, but I don’t think anyone could blame you if he made yours.
Dale Murphy – Kind of like Blyleven, I once firmly believed Murphy should be a Hall of Famer. Unlike Blyleven, Murphy’s peak was terrific — back-to-back MVPs, five 100 RBI seasons — but I’m not sure it was sustained long enough.
Jack Morris – A great player who pitched one of the great postseason games of all time. But not a Hall of Famer.
Tim Raines – I think I might come around some day. Right now, I don’t think of Raines as a Hall of Famer, but I’m always amazed at how much better his numbers are than what I might expect them to be.
Lee Smith – I actually typed his name into the “would” category before moving him down here. I honestly might change my mind again tomorrow. Throughout his career, Smith had one job to do and he did that job very well. Maybe I would vote for him afterall…

Not Hall of Famers, but I hope they get some votes

Dave Parker – Big guy with a big bat and a big arm. Always liked him as a player.
Alan Trammell — Another favorite. Trammell put up pretty good career numbers, and he hit especially well in his only World Series. Personally, I probably liked him more than I liked Larkin, but I think Larkin was a slightly better player.
Robin Ventura — Can you imagine how many times he’s had to watch that video of Nolan Ryan punching him in the head? It’s a separate part of his Wikipedia page! Someone give the guy a Hall of Fame vote for his troubles.
Ray Lankford – The 12-year-old version of myself would have voted for him. That’s what happens when you grow up in Southeast Missouri.

The full list of candidates
Roberto Alomar
Kevin Appier
Harold Baines
Bert Blyleven
Ellis Burks
Andre Dawson
Andres Galarraga
Pat Hentgen
Mike Jackson
Eric Karros
Ray Lankford
Barry Larkin
Edgar Martinez
Don Mattingly
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Dave Parker
Tim Raines
Shane Reynolds
David Segui
Lee Smith
Alan Trammell
Robin Ventura
Todd Zeile

As it stands, the Yankees have nine infielders on their roster: Four starters, first baseman Juan Miranda and four young utility infield candidates. Ramiro Pena has played a small major league role in the past, but the newest members of the 40-man – Reegie Corona, Kevin Russo and Eduardo Nunez — have never played above Triple-A. Corona and Nunez have limited experience beyond Double-A.

Given that lack of experience, and despite the wealth of infielders already in the mix, general manager Brian Cashman has said he could still be in the market for a backup infielder. Protecting three infielders from the Rule 5, he said, will have no impact on his decision to go after a utility man.

“This year, the guys that we protected, we felt that we wouldn’t get them back,” Cashman said. “These were guys that would stick, or had a very high probability of sticking. I just didn’t want to risk that. Even though, yeah, there were some extra infielders along the way with Nunez, Corona and Russo, but I wasn’t willing to give someone away for a waiver price.”

Last year the Yankees went into spring training with unproven Cody Ransom as their top utility candidate. Pena was a surprise choice to open the season in the big leagues even with no Triple-A experience. They went through most of the season with a mix of Ransom, Pena and Angel Berroa before finally adding Jerry Hairston Jr. at the trade deadline. The Yankees might not rule out adding a utility man, but a backup infielder wasn’t a priority last year, and there’s little reason for it to be a priority this year.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, Sam and I listed a few reasons the Yankees should be thankful this offseason. At some point yesterday, it became obvious that we missed one.

Bob Sheppard.

In case you missed the news, the legendary voice of Yankee Stadium has officially retired. Our friend Bryan Hoch at mlb.com had the story yesterday. At 99 years old, Sheppard has no plans of coming back to the booth. It had become clear that he was unlikely  to ever return to any sort of regular role, but we all seemed to be holding out hope.

“I was very much intimate with the action,” Sheppard told mlb.com. “I just felt, in one way, it’s even better to be here than to be up in my booth. This way, I’m comfortable, I have no outside assignments, and I can concentrate on the game… My heart beats when they win, and it stops beating when they lose. That’s part of the game and I did it for over 50 years, so it is nothing new to me.”

Baseballreference.com does not have box scores from back when Sheppard introduced the lineups for the first time — his first game happened to be Mickey Mantle’s first game — but a 2008 story from Sweeny Murti does have the lineups from that April 17, 1951 win against Boston. The Yankees batting order will give you a good idea of just how deeply Sheppard is entrenched in Yankees history.

Jackie Jensen LF
Phil Rizzuto SS
Mickey Mantle RF
Joe DiMaggio CF
Yogi Berra C
Johnny Mize 1B
Billy Johnson 3B
Jerry Coleman 2B
Vic Raschi P

Since Chad gave you a few things for the Yankees to be thankful about this morning, I thought I’d weigh in – as I prepare to enjoy some “Turkey for the Table” – with just a few more people/places/things that deserve Yankee gratitude. As they sit down, the Yankees should be giving thanks for …

• Mark Philippon: The Yankees very own Dr. Strange-glove operated on Alex Rodriguez’s hip back in spring training and, amazingly, also cured his October-phobia in the process. Well worth the co-pay, I’d say.

• Hal Steinbrenner: For his money, for his (relatively) rational approach to winning and losing and for his trust in Brian Cashman. But mostly for not being Hank Steinbrenner.

• Tax-exempt bonds: I mean, come on – without them, those fantastic “Legends Seats” would never exist!

• Jay-Z (feat. Alicia Keys): For – obviously – making the Yankee cap more famous than a Yankee can.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I’m settling into Connecticut for a day of turkey and pie with my sister and a few friends. Our hosts, Mandy and Todd, had their first baby a few months ago. My sister got engaged last month. You might have heard that I recently got a new job. There’s a lot to be thankful for in this house. I’m sure the same can be said around your table.

But this is a Yankees blog, and clearly the Yankees and their fans have plenty to be thankful for as well. Beyond the obvious – rings anyone? — here are four things the Yankees should be thankful for? Why four? Because five would have taken a bit longer and that turkey’s not going to cook itself. 

• Mariano Rivera: There are so many great players on this Yankees team. The organization must be thankful for Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira, Andy Pettitte and all the rest, but when a team is three outs away from winning the World Series, only the guy on the mound seems to matter. Is there anyone you’d rather have in that situation? 

• Brad Lidge: A lot of pitchers would have remembered to cover third base. Here’s to the guy who didn’t.

• Jesus Montero: Whatever his ultimate position — don’t give up him staying behind the plate just yet — the kid has one of the best bats in minor league baseball. And he doesn’t turn 20 for another three days.

• Whipped cream: Just when you thought a walk-off win couldn’t get any better, the Yankees added a creamy topping and made it perfectly delicious.

I’ve been away from a computer for a while, but according to Ken Davidoff, the Yankees have signed Jon Weber to a minor league contract. He will, without question, be assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Weber isn’t the kind of guy who will get anyone too excited, but he’s a nice hitter who can play either outfield corner and has a little bit of time in center. The Yankees don’t have a lot of outfield depth in the upper levels, so Weber is exactly the kind of guy the  Yankees need to sign to a minor league deal. River Ave. Blues called him this year’s John Rodriguez, and it’s a pretty solid comparison.

If Colin Curtis sneaks through the Rule 5 and Austin Jackson doesn’t open the season in New York, the Triple-A outfield could be set with Curtis in left, Jackson in center and Weber in right.

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Speaking of the Yankees minor leaguers, earlier today I emailed Mark Newman to ask about Jesus Montero, who is playing in Venezuela but hasn’t been playing much lately. I thought he might have aggravated that finger injury.

Not the case.

“He is not injured,” Newman said. “They are playing someone else.”

Nothing you can do in that case. The team in Venezuela makes the call, and right now Montero isn’t getting the starts.

As a pitcher, Roy Halladay has little or no downside. He’s coming off his career-high in strikeouts, he’s lead the American League in complete games the past three years and he’s gone over 220 innings the past four years. He’s durable, he’s dominant and he’s worth the $15.75-million he’ll make next year. Sure, his numbers will probably slide as he gets older and there’s always an injury risk, but here and now, he’s terrific. Who wouldn’t want him?

As a trade target, though, Halladay has some negatives. He’ll turn 33 next year, he’s in the last year of his contract and getting him would cost more than money. Forget statistics. Halladay’s Baseball Reference page is nothing but mouth watering goodness. That’s the obvious upside, but what are the negatives of a Halladay trade?

Age. To me, Halladay seems like one of those guys who will continue to pitch well into his late 30s. Just a guess, obviously, but he’s a big boy who’s held up pretty well. That said, a trade for Halladay is only worthwhile if it comes with a contract extension, and there would have to be some concern about a Yankees rotation that has A.J. Burnett and Halladay tied to multi-year contracts as they enter their mid-30s. I think it’s a minor concern, but it’s there.

Money.  Halladay is in the last year of a contract that will pay him $15.75-million. Last year, Burnett was a year younger than Halladay is now — and without nearly the track record — when he landed a five-year, $82.5-million deal. Halladay is going to cost more than that. Four years, $80-million? Five years, $100-million? Maybe. Certainly a contract that pays around $20-million a year. That’s close to half of what’s coming off the Yankees’ payroll this year. I know money seems like it’s never an issue for the Yankees, but there has to be a limit somewhere. Adding Halladay could limit the Yankees ability to fill other spots, and let’s not forget that Derek Jeter is about to need a new contract, Robinson Cano is about to enter the tens of millions and guys like Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and David Robertson aren’t going to be cheap forever.

Talent. If the swap were Halladay for Chamberlain or Hughes, I’d do it in a second, and I’m a huge believer in both. Even if it were Halladay for Chamberlain/Hughes and a highly touted, minor league pitcher (Dellin Betances, Andrew Brackman, Zach McAllister or even Manny Banuelos) I’d make the trade because Halladay fills a rotation spot for the next half decade. I would hesistate, however, to include either Austin Jackson or Jesus Montero. Jackson could fill a big league spot within the next year, and he’s going to be cheap for the next several years, something that would make it easier for the Yankees to pay Halladay and the rest. I would hesitate to include Montero because of his talent, but also because he also fills a spot the Yankees need, either as Jorge Posada’s successor or as a young, cheap designated hitter (again, something that helps the Yankees pay the other guys through the middle of next decade). I think you have to look at how the pieces fit, not just how much talent you’re giving up and how much talent you’re getting back

On a day we’re sure to keep talking about hypothetical scenarios and Roy Halladay trade rumors, there is one bit of concrete Yankees news.

Shelley Duncan has cleared waivers and, as he indicated last week, he has elected to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled Halladay holiday.

Thanksgiving is usually a quiet time in baseball, though there have been some exceptions. In 2003, the Red Sox put on a full-court press to get Curt Schilling, with Theo Epstein even traveling to Arizona to woo the righthander and his family over turkey and stuffing.

Now, at least according to our friends at the Daily News, it looks as if the Red Sox may be gearing up for a similarly productive holiday season. This time the target is Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay and the inevitable pursuit we all expected appears to be picking up steam. The Red Sox watched the Yankees land CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett last winter, so is it a big surprise that Boston is looking to add a marquee pitcher this offseason?

Since the Yankees aren’t just going to sit back and watch, there are two options:

1. Get involved in talks with the Blue Jays in an effort to drive the price of a Halladay trade up but ultimately pull out.

2. Legitimately try to make a deal.

In this situation, with Halladay being a 32-year-old ace and Toronto (seemingly) considering a trade within the division, the price is going to be pretty high regardless, so No. 1 almost isn’t necessary. Halladay is going to cost and, with new Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos now in charge, it’s not like the Yankees can just wait until Halladay is going to be a free agent and then pay him. Anthopoulos is surely going to move Halladay so Toronto gets something for him.

If the Yankees are truly interested, they probably need to be prepared to part with Phil Hughes/Joba Chamberlain and Austin Jackson/Jesus Montero, plus about $100 million for a contract extension on Halladay. Is that for certain? No, but it seems to be where most observers see the market. Boston is looking at Clay Bucholz plus another top prospect (the News suggests Casey Kelly, who Epstein is said to love), so this seems like a comparable discussion.

Should they do it? My thinking on these types of situations is this:

I can’t predict what the Steinbrenners want to spend on payroll but with the Yankees there is always wiggle room (and a lot of it) so I don’t factor in the extension very much at all. If the Yankees were willing to give Sabathia and Burnett – especially Burnett – a lengthy deal, Halladay is certainly just as (if not more) viable.

The player perspective is the more important issue and ultimately it comes down to whether you think BOTH prospects in the deal will become big stars. To me, I’d always be willing to trade one great prospect for an established superstar so – in my opinion – it’s only a losing proposition if both kids turned out to be huge.

If the Yankees could get Halladay for Joba and Austin Jackson, I would do it. I’m not convinced both players in that deal would become superstars and even if one did, it’s impossible to say for sure they’d even come close to approximating Halladay’s success. I’d try everything to keep Montero out of the deal (knowing the situation with Posada and the value of catchers in general) but of the other three – Hughes, Chamberlain, Jackson – I’d be less hesitant. There is no reason to believe Halladay won’t continue to be among the league’s premier pitchers, and if you have a chance to get him, I’d take it.

By the way, this isn’t about “blocking” the Red Sox. These kinds of deals can’t be only about keeping a player from another team. Or at least they shouldn’t be. Pitching is always the difference and Halladay would give the Yankees two legitimate aces, the top No. 3 in baseball (in Burnett) and probably Andy Pettitte coming in at No. 4.

That’d the best rotation in baseball and it wouldn’t even be close.