The LoHud Yankees Blog

Add J.C. Romero to the list of potential Yankees bullpen targets. Jon Paul Morosi has reported that the Yankees have shown some interest in the veteran lefty. We’ve previously heard Pedro Feliciano’s name connected to the Yankees, and Scott Downs is looming as arguably the top left-handed reliever on the market.

My guess is this: Every unsigned lefty who has shown an ability to get left-handers out at the big league level will be on the Yankees radar.

That doesn’t mean the Yankees will get aggressive in their pursuit, but Brian Cashman wants a second lefty alongside Boone Logan. Damaso Marte is essentially lost for the year, and Steve Garrison — that’s a real person, I swear — is a complete unknown.

The Yankees are probably going to check on every available lefty to gauge the market and determine value. Depending on the cost, Romero might not be a bad option. He’s not flashy, but last year he held lefties to a .217/.323/.277 slash line. That’s pretty close to his career line against left-handers (.215/.311/.292).

This role isn’t about being flashy or finding a big name. It’s about getting one or two outs at a time so that the bigger and more versatile arms can be saved for the later innings.

I’ll let the Associated Press handle this one…

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A jury on Saturday acquitted former major league baseball player Jim Leyritz of DUI manslaughter, after days of testimony that centered on whether Leyritz ran a red light moments before the 2007 crash that killed a mother of two.

The jury did convict Leyritz of driving under the influence, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum six-month jail sentence. Jury foreman Brian Hall said the panel wanted to send a message that drinking heavily before driving was not acceptable — but no juror believed Leyritz had committed manslaughter.

“When you look at the manslaughter part of the case, it’s not provable either way,” Hall said. “It’s just two people who made bad decisions that night.”

On the night of the crash, Leyritz had been celebrating his birthday at local nightspots, according to trial testimony. The woman who died after the vehicles collided on Dec. 28, 2007, 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch, had gone out to bars after work and had a blood-alcohol level twice Florida’s legal limit, according to testimony.

Leyritz faced between four and 15 years in prison if he had been convicted of DUI manslaughter. The jury had signaled a deadlock on Friday, but they had been deadlocked on the DUI charge, not the manslaughter charge.

The 46-year-old former player burst into tears when the verdict was read, hugged his mother, attorney David Bogenschutz and other friends and family members. In an interview, he criticized the investigation as shoddy and the trial as unnecessary.

“If it had been investigated properly from the beginning, we wouldn’t be here,” said Leyritz, who played 11 major league seasons and hit a memorable 1996 World Series home run for the New York Yankees. “I wouldn’t wish this on anybody. It’s been a horrible situation for everybody.”

Defense experts testified that Leyritz may have been below Florida’s 0.08 percent blood-alcohol level limit when the crash occurred, even though it was 0.14 percent three hours later.

Two witnesses testified that Veitch had the green light at an intersection before Leyritz’s Ford Expedition hit her vehicle, causing a rollover crash that ejected her onto the pavement. But under cross-examination, those same witnesses were less definitive about whether Leyritz’s light was red or yellow.

Defense expert witnesses also said Veitch’s lights may have been off and that Leyritz did not appear to be speeding. They also raised questions about the reliability of Leyritz’s blood tests and suggested he may have suffered a slight concussion that caused his body to absorb alcohol more slowly.

In one way or another, these three have been linked to the Yankees, sometimes with nothing more than speculation. In one way or another, they all make sense for the Yankees, but I’m not sold on any of them as a legitimate fit.

Bill Hall
Makes sense because… He’s a utility man who could give Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter their necessary days off while also helping in the outfield corners.

Not a fit because… There aren’t enough infield at-bats to justify the cost. The Yankees need to give Rodriguez and Jeter days off, but combined those two aren’t going to be sitting out as many as 10 games a month. Hall is overkill unless he’s willing to accept a tiny contract. Even then, his time at shortstop has been extremely limited the past four years. The Yankees have had luck with midseason bench additions – Hairston, Hinske, Berkman — and if they discover they need an impact utility-type, the past has shown that those sort of players are readily available on the trade market.

Justin Upton
Makes sense because… He’s young, talented and has a contract that makes sense. Upton makes sense for every team in baseball.

Not a fit because… The Yankees have a good outfield as it is. Absolutely Upton would be a positive addition – the kid’s good — but the Diamondbacks are understandably asking for a significant return. Upton’s availability meant Brian Cashman had to make a phone call, but the Yankees have built a good farm system that’s ready to help at catcher and on the verge of restocking the rotation and bullpen. Why give that up to plug a hole that doesn’t exist? Upton is a nice dream, but not a realistic one. Worth the contract, but not worth the cost.

Miguel Olivo
Makes sense because… Jorge Posada is no longer an everyday catcher, Francisco Cervelli has never been an everyday catcher and Jesus Montero is an unknown at the major league level.

Not a fit because… The Yankees aren’t going into next season with only one of Posada, Cervelli and Montero. They have all three, and all three give the Yankees a solid situation behind the plate. Defense is not going to be a strength there, but Cervelli will probably be better defensively than he was this season, and both Posada and Montero bring significant offensive potential. Bringing in Olivo would suggest the Yankees don’t think Montero can handle the job, and most indications are the opposite, that it’s time to put Montero behind the plate and see what happens.

This is a few days old, but I never got around to posting it during the GM meetings. I’ve gotten to know Mark Newman over the years, and I was happy to see him chosen for this kind of award. The Yankees have really built themselves a strong minor league system, and Newman deserves a lot of that credit.

Sheldon “Chief” Bender Award

Mark Newman, New York Yankees Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations

The Bender Award is presented to someone with distinguished service who has been instrumental in player development. Newman recently completed his 11th season of overseeing the drafting and acquisition of prospects for the Yankees. Entering the 2010 season, more than half of the players on the club’s 40-man roster were either drafted or signed as non-drafted free agents.

“There are some exceptional people that are in this industry that do great work,” Newman remarked. “I always assume some other people deserve recognition. I am certainly honored by it, but surprised.”

“Mark Newman’s résumé is virtually unparalleled in player development,” Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner said. “The success of the Yankees farm system is often overshadowed by their storied success at the Major League level. You cannot overlook the long list of league championships and Major League players produced under Mark Newman’s watch with the Yankees. Mark epitomizes the characteristics of Chief Bender in producing players and a winning atmosphere for the organization.”

Newman has been with the Yankees for 22 years. He joined the organization in 1989 as Coordinator of Instruction, responsible for supervising all Minor League managers and coaches and planning Major and Minor League spring training.

He was promoted to Director of Player Development and Scouting in 1996 and then to Vice President of Player Development and Scouting a year later.

Oakland Director of Player Development Keith Lieppman received the award last year. Minnesota Twins Senior Director of Minor League Operations Jim Rantz was honored as the first Bender Award recipient in 2008.

I’m a geek about the 40-man roster. Even as a kid, I remember getting Baseball Digest delivered my house in the country and reading through the rosters in the back of each issue. I understand that it should be boring, but I like these sort of lists and groupings, and I always thinks it’s interesting when people are added and removed. A team can’t have its 25-man roster until it has its 40-man roster, and I like that.

Yesterday, the Yankees 40-man additions took an obvious back seat to the new pitching coach. But these three are officially worth knowing heading into next season.

Dellin Betances
Starting pitcher
How he got here: Back in 2006, Betances was an eight-round pick with first-round stuff. Injuries have slowed some of his progress, but 2010 reestablished him as one of the elite pitching prospects in the organization.
What’s to like: First time I saw him, I was struck by just how big he is. He’s not a wiry 6-8. He’s pretty thick. He works mostly with a low to mid-90s fastball and big curveball. Baseball America noted that even if he takes a step back, he could slide into the mix as a possible closer candidate down the road.
Up next: He made only three Double-A starts last season, so a return to Trenton is probably in order. A September call-up seems possible, but there are enough pitchers ahead of him that there’s absolutely no need to rush his progress. Keep him and healthy and let that arm carry him.

Brandon Laird
Third baseman
How he got here: He just kept hitting.  Even with a big league brother, Laird was only a 27th-round pick and the Yankees drafted two third baseman ahead of him. He certainly didn’t come into the system with a lot of hype, but he hit — and hit for power — leading up to a breaking 2010 season in which he had 25 homers and 102 RBI between Double-A and Triple-A.
What’s to like: Primarily the power. That said, when I saw him in spring training, Laird seemed to play a better third base than I was expecting. He’s been working in the outfield corners, and if he could become a four-corners type of utility player, he could play a role pretty quickly.
Up next: More Triple-A at-bats. Probably more time in the outfield. Depending on the Yankees needs in New York, a big league call-up is certainly not out of the question.

Ryan Pope
Relief pitcher
How he got here: Slow and steady is probably the way to describe it. Pope was a third-round pick in 2007, but he’s never had one of those breakout years that puts him firmly on the prospect map. Even within the Yankees system he’s been overshadowed.
What’s to like: Pretty much everything since the second week of May. After opening the season in the rotation, Pope moved to the Trenton bullpen and finally started to standout from the pack. His first relief outing was two hitless innings with no walks and four strikeouts. He never let an inherited runner score.
Up next: A promotion to Triple-A. Although a move from the rotation to the bullpen is usually seen as a bad thing, it might actually help Pope standout from the large group of young pitchers in the upper levels of the Yankees system. With Jonathan Albaladejo out of the picture, Pope could be the first Triple-A reliever called up next season.

While he was still in Florida for the GM meetings, Brian Cashman talked quite a bit about the process of finding a pitching coach.

He’d never done anything like this — searching for a pitching coach without a favorite in mind — so he set up a process that went far beyond a conversation between a GM and a candidate. It was a test as much as an interview. Cashman tried to come up with a process that simulated what a pitching coach does on a day-to-day basis.

“It was very different,” Larry Rothschild said. “It was much more in-depth. It wasn’t just about a question and answer. It was about something definitive you saw when you watched video of six different hitters and three different pitchers.”

Candidates watched video of hitters from opposing teams, then had to explain how they would attack those hitters.

Candidates also watched film of three Yankees starters: CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett. Cashman said there was a total of six hours of video. Each candidate was given a full day to watch and evaluate the film. After the day of film analysis, a second day was devoted to a standard interview with both Cashman and Joe Girardi.

“It’s everything,” Cashman said in Orlando. “It’s who they are as people. What their pitching philosophies are. What their pitching programs and plans are. How they utilize video. How do they utilize information? How they incorporate our advance scouting in attacking hitters. Can they see things that are obviously good or bad? There are certain things in the video that are setup in such a way that we’re looking for them to pickup on certain things.”

Obviously, Rothschild found those certain things.

“I probably spent seven or eight hours watching the video, just to get comfortable with it,” Rothschild said. “I do a lot of video work in the season anyway, so it was nothing new. As far as an interview process it was something I had never thought of and had never see and really had never heard of.”

A few things to take from Larry Rothschild’s conference call this afternoon.

Why leave the Cubs?
Rothschild grew up in Chicago and was under contract for another season, but he had already asked GM Jim Hendry for the opportunity to pursue jobs that might let him spend more time with his family in Tampa. “The decision because relatively easy because of that,” he said. “And the opportunity with the Yankees doesn’t come along every day.”

Accept the job. Speak to the media. Then what?
Rothschild said he planned to make phone calls immediately, some to current Yankees pitchers to prepare for the future, some to former Cubs pitchers to thank them for the past. Most pitchers won’t start throwing until late next month, so Rothschild can’t begin working on any physical changes right away, but he seems to like video work and he said he wants to get to work as soon as possible. One bonus: He lives within a mile or two of the Yankees spring training complex, so he’ll be there for anyone who shows up early. “If need be I might make a trip or two to see people,” he said.

Not to name names, but there’s this guy named A.J. Burnett…
Part of the interview process involved watching and evaluating video of three Yankees pitchers: CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes and — of course — A.J. Burnett. “Right now I haven’t had the time to really look at everything closely,” Rothschild said. “I have done some homework on it, but I’m not prepared at this time to tell you what we’re going to do as far as going forward with A.J. Those conversations will first come between me and him and then we’ll go from there.”

Style? Philosophy? Personal coaching theories?
“I kind of look at guys individually,” Rothschild said. “I can go through the stuff — first-pitch strikes, what to do 0-2, when to pitching inside, all that stuff — but really it depends on the guy’s stuff, his deception and his delivery, and how you analyze that to work with guys. I think the one thing they have to be able to repeat deliveries. It’s something I harp on a lot. If you can repeat a delivery, you should be able to control the ball to an extent.”

Relationship with Joe Girardi
When Rothschild first arrived in Chicago, the Cubs catcher was a veteran named Joe Girardi. “We were comfortable together,” Rothschild said. “To a pitching coach he was very helpful. The relationship was good at that time and I’ve seen him off and on since.”

As a Chicago guy… Cubs or White Sox as a kid?
Wouldn’t you know it, Rothschild’s dad is a lifelong Yankees fan. “This news put a huge smile on his face,” Rothschild said. As a kid, Rothschild would go specifically to watch the Yankees play when they came through Chicago to play the White Sox.

The Larry Rothschild conference call is beginning now, and it started with two bits of news.

Dellin Betances, Brandon Laird and Ryan Pope have been added to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.

Also, the Yankees have traded for Braves minor league outfielder Cody Johnson, who will be added to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre roster. He was acquired for cash.

UPDATE: I should note that Johnson has been added to the Scranton roster for now. Doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be there in April. The Yankees have not said where he’ll open next season.

Here’s the announcement from the Yankees.

The New York Yankees today announced they have signed pitching coach Larry Rothschild to a three-year contract. The 2011 season will mark Rothschild’s 37th season in professional baseball as a player, coach or manager. He has served on the Major League coaching staff for two World Championship clubs – the 1990 Cincinnati Reds and 1997 Florida Marlins.

Rothschild, 56, joins the Yankees after serving as the Chicago Cubs pitching coach from 2002-10. Over the nine-year stretch, the Cubs pitching staff combined to lead the Majors in strikeouts (11,604). Cubs pitchers led the Majors in strikeouts in each of his first seven seasons as the club’s pitching coach through 2008, including a still-standing single-season Major League-record of 1,404 strikeouts in 2003.

He began his coaching career as a roving minor league pitching instructor for the Cincinnati Reds from 1986-89, before joining the Major League staff as bullpen coach from 1990-91 and then pitching coach from 1992-93. Rothschild then served as roving minor league pitching instructor for the Atlanta Braves in 1994, before taking on the role of pitching coach for the Florida Marlins from 1995-97.

Rothschild was named the first manager in Tampa Bay Devil Rays history on November 7, 1997, and remained in the position until April 18, 2001, compiling a 205-294 managerial record over the stretch. Under his guidance, the club’s winning percentage increased each of his three full seasons with the organization.

Originally signed by the Cincinnati Reds as a non-drafted free agent in 1975, Rothschild’s minor league playing career spanned 11 seasons from 1975-85 with the Cincinnati and Detroit organizations, going 66-46 with a 3.96 ERA in 387 appearances (80 starts). He made seven Major League relief outings (all with Detroit in 1981 and ’82), recording a 5.40 ERA with one save and no decisions (8.1IP, 5ER, 8H, 8BB, 1K, 1HR).

The Chicago, Ill., native graduated from Florida State University with a degree in business management.

The Yankees have released reliever Jonathan Albaladejo so that he can sign a contract to play in Japan.

Last season, the Yankees made it pretty clear that they didn’t see a spot for Albaladejo in the big leagues. He was arguably the best reliever in all of Triple-A baseball, but that earned him only 11.1 big league innings.

It’s hard to blame the guy for looking elsewhere.

In December of 2007, Albaladejo came to the Yankees in a swap with the Nationals. The Yankees sent Tyler Clippard, who was crowded out of the Yankees rotation only to find a spot in the Washington bullpen.

Albaladejo made New York’s Opening Day roster two years in a row, always has something of a mop-up reliever with no truly defined role. He changed his approach this season and the results were impressive: 43 saves, 82 strikeouts and 18 walks in 63.1 Triple-A innings.

He was understandably disappointed that he didn’t get more of a look, but he was always professional about it, saying he understood there were other guys who deserved a shot as well. Now he’ll get a chance to go make some money and, I would assume, possibly give the big leagues another shot in a year or two.