Vazquez, Banuelos and Nunez early Dawson favorites
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 15, 2011 
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First, an announcement: We’ll be hosting a live chat here at the LoHud Yankees Blog tomorrow afternoon at 2:30. Not sure whether Sam is going to be around, but I’ll be back from the clubhouse in time to do a little chatting about the Yankees at roughly the mid-way point of their spring schedule. Stop by.
Second, a remarkably minor detail: For those of you who care about the lowest levels of the minor league system, it turns out the four minor leaguers brought over to face CC Sabathia and Bartolo Colon this morning were Kelvin DeLeon, Jose Toussen, Damon Sublett and Neil Medchill. It was DeLeon who doubled off Sabathia’s first pitch of the day. DeLeon also had two of the four hits off Colon, and Sublett later smoked a double to center off Sabathia.
Third, an actual blog post:
Last year Jon Weber won the Dawson Award as the best rookie in Yankees camp. He was out of the organization by the middle of the season. The year before last, it was Brett Gardner who won the Dawson Award. Now he’s the everyday left fielder. Basically, the Dawson Award is about as reliable as a spring training batting average for predicting long-term success.
But, let’s face it, part of the fun of spring training is seeing the new guys.
If I had to vote today, I would pick Jorge Vazquez for this year’s Dawson Award. There’s much more hype around Manny Banuelos, and Eduardo Nunez is much more likely to play his way onto the team, but Vazquez has been the Yankees best hitter. And that’s in a camp with a red-hot Alex Rodriguez.
Look at it this way: Imagine Vazquez were a Top 10 Yankees prospect. Imagine he came into camp with the same sort of hype as Banuelos, then hit .463/.483/.893 with three home runs through 28 at-bats. Imagine these were Jesus Montero’s numbers.
If Vazquez had any sort of prospect hype, the entire Yankee Universe would be exploding. He doesn’t generate the same attention as Banuelos or Montero or Andrew Brackman — and he might not have the same long-term impact — but that doesn’t mean he’s not having a better spring.
Banuelos has been terrific, and if he tosses three more scoreless innings against a major league lineup, I could easily change my tune.
Nunez has been all-around impressive, and if he does play his way onto the team, that might be worth rewarding.
But right now I’ll take Vazquez’s production.
Associated Press photo of Vazquez with Montero
I say give it to Jorge, since it is unlikely he will spend much time in the major leagues. If he could just get some discipline he’d be a real beast. He has so much power.
Sigh… one more year of Pena?
NV, Misread that… Nunez FTW!
If it weren’t for Chavez Vasquez would be going North.
He has certainly earned the award.
I could see him getting it.
Kind of sad that people don’t think much if Vazquez because if his age. Aren’t we past ageism?
One more thing about confidence – Phil had it in SPADES early last year. He would strike a guy out or whatever, and just walk around the mound aftewards like he owned it. Unlike Braden, who had to shout it out to make it clear that the pitcher owns the mound, Phil just showed that that is the pitcher’s domain. That’s what I love to see.
I can’t recall Andy pitching inside, but then he must have because he had such an amazing career.
m-
Speak for yourself. I like Vasquez. Older or not.
Nunez needs to make the team not be wasted in aaa
If pen a makes the team I will lose it
Doreen March 15th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Erica -
it really is amazing what kids will pick up on.
Sheen does not merit this kind of coverage. And, hello? Where is his family? He is clearly out of his right mind. He needs help, not coverage.
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You can’t really do much to help someone who clearly doesn’t want it. Its sad
Betsy, I think Andy made a career in using his cutter earlier (might have been his second yr and on), the older Andy came back from H used a lot more off speed pitches.
It’s a really small sample size, though.
There are loads of people who tear it up in ST then bomb during the year
My file is acting up. That means time to go home.
Good night all
Erica -
I guess you have a point there about not wanting help.
Have a good night.
Cash, that’s true…………aww, I miss Andy. When he came back from Houston, it felt like he’d never left.
m….ageism is alive and well here at the LoHud……Myself, SJ & GB were reminded of such a few days ago…….Kinda of funny in a way because I can still hit 70 mph in the cages
Chad – thanks again. The info you post here is the best available. Excellent reporting, and your analysis is fair and balanced. It is the place to come for Yankees’ info. And, this is only ST……
GB- thanks for the info about the US military and how they deal with radiation exposure. I appreciate it.
Thanks for the write-up on the top rookies in camp, Chad. It’ll be interesting to check the numbers on 30 March. Vazquez’ chances would be so much better if he was better defensively. Eventually, the best place for him might being partnered with Juan Miranda in Arizona. They make a complete hitter, just that neither is very good on defense. With strikeout pitchers, that will matter a little less.
My projected 25
Jeter swisher Tex arod cano posada granderson Martin Gardner
Chaves Montero nunez jones
Cc AJ Hughes Garcia colon
Mitre Logan Robertson feliz joba sori Mo
they are saying Joba isn’t going to throw for at least a week, guess he’s staying in Tampa to start the season
Any time Joe In LI. That’s one thing that they take seriously….clean-up and protection from NBC threats (nuclear, biological and chemical). Everybody spends hours a month going through this training…including officers, regardless of heat or cold. We had training in the desert in full dress-out in 125 degree heat. You learn to drink water with a gas mask on. Fun times.
Vazquez is having a really good spring, but there is a not a spot on the 25 man roster for him.
# stjetersburg March 15th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
My projected 25
Jeter swisher Tex arod cano posada granderson Martin Gardner
Chaves Montero nunez jones
Cc AJ Hughes Garcia colon
Mitre Logan Robertson feliz joba sori Mo
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really like the 2 LHRP….big boost against a lefty hitting team like the Sox
Joba will be fine in a week
Joeman
I wouldn’t be surprised to see man ban also coming out of the pen in sept and the playoffs
Should we worry about morale if Vazquez has to go to Scranton?
got it from Roto World but it was sent out in very early afternoon, maybe something has changed
Joba Chamberlain underwent an MRI on his sore left side Monday that revealed an oblique strain.
The Yankees were hoping that it was just soreness, but the MRI showed some damage. Chamberlain won’t throw for at least a week and is now in danger of missing the start of the regular season. He has registered a 3.60 ERA over five appearances this spring.
I also think this teams pen will shut down lots of teams who will have to score enough in the first fivebinnings to beat us
Nick in SF….Berkley Bears laying 3.5 tomorrow vs. Miss….
Nick in SF March 15th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Should we worry about morale if Vazquez has to go to Scranton?
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I’d worry more about pitcher morale if he’s playing defense in NY for the Yankees.
Wow didn’t see that looks like nova makes the team if joba can’t go
I’m thinking Colon just might be the #5 SP on this team…..never would have thought it
Stjetersburg,
I expect that to be the roster as well
Except I think Nova will be in the rotation and either Colon or Mitre will be gone with the one that stays the long man…..
NIT is very dangerous, Pat M… Are the kids happy to still be playing? Have they already checked out for the season? Are they thinking about the NCAA?
Danger all around.
Has Colon even expressed an interest in being a long man? Can he even do it?
# blake March 15th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Except I think Nova will be in the rotation and either Colon or Mitre will be gone with the one that stays the long man…..
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Joe G seems to be really hot on Colon…I think they cut Mitre loose because of the money he will make
mitre 900k, colon 1.5
# mick March 15th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
mitre 900k, colon 1.5
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WOW!!!!!
Mitre is also a favorite of Girardi.
Mitre makes 1.1 if he makes the team.
Mitre pena are both favorites as is cervelli but it’s time to upgrade the roster
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see man ban also coming out of the pen in sept and the playoffs”
And then Fracessa and a segment of Yankee fans will scream that he should remain in the pen forever.
I think they take Colon and Garcia and wait for one of them to falter Nova is insurance
If joba can not go it opens the door for garrison a lefty Girardi likes since if he needs a hard thrower he has soriano
03/17 7:20 PM
715 Bucknell + 500
716 Connecticut – 700
give me 2 hung on Bucknell
Retarding or even delaying the development of a young pitcher who has a chance to be their #3 starter by season’s end seems like a high price to pay to keep two marginal, at best, veteran starters, but that’s often how this team operates, so it could happen.
Just another reason I hate Joe Maddon. Clogging up my free newspaper with garbage like this.
http://s1039.photobucket.com/a.....S5qcGc.jpg
Rich,
I agree with you. There will Colons available every year. At some point you have to trust what you are developing…..otherwise you’re really missing the point of it. I like what we’ve seen from Colon this spring…..just not enough to keep a kid with upside out of the rotation. The experience he gains in April could pay off in September and in 2012.
as the great Mickey Mantle once said
Son if I wanted to go to a picnic I would have stayed home with my family
blake
Given how long Colon has been out of MLB, he’d probably benefit from working out of the pen and then being ready when the inevitable chance to start (at least a few games) arises. I hope he sees it that way. In exchange, they could agree to let him opt out in 6 or 8 weeks.
Mitre has incriminating pictures of Girardi. He’s not getting released.
Colon, Garcia, Nova and Mitre will make the team if Joba will miss the beginning of the season. Once he returns however, Nova would get sent down and Mitre would be long man out of the pen.
CC, AJ, Hughes, Colon, Garcia
Mariano, Soriano, Robertson, Nova, Logan, Feliciano, Mitre.
However, if Mitre is injured, Brackman could make the squad.
Colon may break down by the ASB, but that’s ok, as Nova would be brought up. May as well milk Colon for all he’s worth while he has it.
I think Brackman needs regular work.
If Mitre and Joba aren’t able to break camp, someone’s needed to fill those shoes.
Lawdy, Lawdy!!! There are some real nut cases loose in the world. There’s an idiot running loose in the US named Ben Fulford that “runs” an organization named The Anti-Corrupution Society. he explains all about HAARP (High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program) blaming the quakes in Haiti, Chile and Japan on asecret organization in Nevada and New Mexico and used an Atmospheric plasma weapons system to cause the quakes to steal the “vast gold and oil deposits under Haiti.
If you remember the character that Carson played with the nut job in the hat that raved on about conspiracies, based on Ed Anger in National Enquirer or some such rag, that’s what this guy looks like.
LOL! Conspiracy theorists. Surprised it took them this long.
This guy makes some on this board seem normal.
Simon, it’s great reading if you need a laugh.
I’m out for now. See you all later.
GB, post the link and I’ll read it when I get home. Thx!
Here you go, Simon. Don’t blame me if his plasma gun melts your brain.
http://anticorruptionsociety.c.....-on-japan/
# GreenBeret7 March 15th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
This guy makes some on this board seem normal.
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LOL!!!
Rich,
I think I saw somewhere where Colon would accept the long relief role if offered…..they could also approach him about extending his opt out until a few weeks into the season and let him make a few starts at AAA…..don’t know if he’d do that or not.