Minor league notes: Whelan setting himself apart in Scranton
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Jun 06, 2011 
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Kevin Whelan opened this season as a rather forgettable part of a potentially memorable Triple-A pitching staff. Legitimate prospects filled the rotation, and the bullpen was dotted with returned Rule 5 picks and veterans with big league experience.
Then there was Whelan, the last remaining piece of the 2006 Gary Sheffield trade. He was a fallen prospect, a guy who always walked too many batters and finally reached a new low with a 6.02 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A last season.
Whelan’s been a completely different pitcher this year. As Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s closer, he’s cut down on the walks significantly. He has a 1.73 ERA, 17 saves, and he’s allowed just 17 hits and six walks through 26 innings. He’s struck out 28, and his 0.88 WHIP is the lowest on the team.
“It is the command, which translates to confidence,” pitching coordinator Nardi Contreras said in an email.
Contraras was the second person I talked to who mentioned confidence when explaining Whelan’s sudden improvement. He’s always had a good fastball and a big splitfinger — and he’s had some real success from time to time — but it seems that things are just now coming together. If the Yankees find an opening for a one-inning guy, Whelan would surely be the front-runner for the job. It’s worth noting that he’s been especially good against left-handers, holding them to a .178 batting average with 19 strikeouts and only two walks.
It’s also worth noting that Whelan’s not on the 40-man, and the Yankees have found more openings for multi-inning relievers than short relievers this season. Jonathan Albaladejo had even better numbers as Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s closer last season — and he actually was on the 40-man — but Albaladejo barely got a look at the Major League level. So Whelan might not be looking for apartments in the city, but he’s surely put himself on the map. It’s impossible to ignore a guy who’s always had the potential and is just now finding the consistent results.
• Gary Sanchez is back on the Charleston active roster. He returned Saturday after being sent to extended spring training for what appears to be some combination of a bad back and a bad attitude, probably more of one than the other. He had a hit and drew a walk in his first game back.
• Greg Golson has been activated from the Triple-A disabled list, a move came one day after Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s most productive outfielder, Justin Maxwell, went on the disabled list with a jammed shoulder. Maxwell actually has a higher slugging percentage than Jorge Vazquez and homered in three games in a row just before the injury. For the season he’s hitting .260/.358/.588 and might have hit his way into a big league role had Andruw Jones not started hitting lately.
• Speaking of banged-up Triple-A players who might or might not be playing their way into a call-up: Carlos Silva was scratched from a start on Sunday because of tightness in his shoulder. Doesn’t seem too serious. Manager Dave Miley told Donnie Collins, “We’re just pushing him back.”
• If there’s no spot for Whelan as a short reliever in New York, the Yankees certainly have options for long relief out of Triple-A. George Kontos and Buddy Carlyle are still pitching well in long relief for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Kontos is holding right-handers to a .143 average with 24 strikeouts and four walks. Out of the rotation, tonight’s starter D.J. Mitchell has a 2.78 ERA and pitched seven scoreless in his most recent outing.
• After hitting .218/.292/.287 in April, Kevin Russo hit .316/.384/.408 in May. Brandon Laird made a similar turnaround, from .184/.213/.289 in April to .307/.343/.406 in May. Jesus Montero went the other way, from .365/.360/.473 to .269/.333/.413.
• Strange stuff in Double-A Trenton where hitting coach Julius Matos was ejected last week, then got into some sort of argument with manager Tony Franklin and has since been removed from his role. Popular roving hitting instructor James Rowson has taken over the job for now. It’s unclear whether Matos will return in any capacity.
• Austin Romine is the only Trenton regular hitting better than .277, and he’s missed a few games with a stiff neck and back after a home plate collision. Romine has certainly been the high point of the Double-A lineup. Melky Mesa is back to being an all-or-nothing hitter, Bradley Suttle is hitting for good power but a .233 average and Corban Joseph has been good but not great.
• I talked about him a little bit in today’s chat: Trenton reliever Tim Norton is starting to get some attention. Injuries have always been the biggest knock on the guy. This year he’s healthy and putting up incredible numbers (44 strikeouts in 29 innings, for example). One scout told Bill Madden that Norton is, “better than (Joba) Chamberlain right now.”
• Manny Banuelos has a 2.12 ERA and Dellin Betances has a 1.99, so those two are doing just fine despite higher-than-you’d-like walk totals. Craig Heyer, a guy the Yankees sent to the Fall League this offseason, has been awfully good since stepping into the rotation to fill in for some injuries.
• Tampa third baseman Rob Lyerly made the Florida State League all-star team, but as expected, the High-A roster is lowest of the four affiliates in terms of prospect buzz. Starters Brett Marshall and Jairo Heredia, though, are starting to do some things. In Heredia’s past three starts he’s allowed one earned run through 21 innings. He’s walked two and struck out 22. He’s another of those “if-things-go-right” prospects.
• J.R. Murphy remains the best all-around hitter in Low-A Charleston, but first baseman Kyle Roller leads the team with a .563 slugging percentage and corner outfielder Ramon Flores leads with a .407 on-base percentage.
• Slade Heathcott in April: .370/.453/.630. — Slade Heathcott in May: .216/.283/.289.
• The amateur draft begins tonight. The Yankees don’t have a pick until the supplemental first round — No. 51 overall — but they’ll almost certainly be part of the story with pick No. 1. The Pirates are reportedly planning to take Gerrit Cole, the former Yankees first-round pick who ultimately signed with UCLA rather than join the Yankees minor league system.
Headshots of Whelan, Sanchez, Golson, Romine and Norton
Re-post: Ramiro Pena has a higher OPS in Scraton this year than Montero.
If there was ever any substantiation needed as to why statistical comparisons are often meaningless, the Pena – Montero OPS speaks volumes.
By one point.
Righty Whelan- 19 strikeouts 2 walks 13 innings pitched against lefties who are managing a paltry .178 ba against.
I’m attaching his stats/splits again. Add him to 40 man. Subtract pitchers Sanit or Texeira and call him up. Looks like he has good control, and if it’s true he has a 95 mph heater and a split, he deserves a shot.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.....pid=460128
can’t wait for manban and dellin to be in the starting rotation
Last year’s first round pick, Cito Culver, took a lot of people by surprise.
Will they do it again ?
YT-
Didn’t Whelan come over in the same deal as Humberto Sanchez ?
I’m not a huge Joba fan and I’m excited to see Norton, but saying someone who has never pitched above AA is better than an established EIG in the majors is idiotic
Heredia should have no earned runs in his past 21 innings but yesterday Zoilo Almonte misplayed a ball in left field which kept the inning going, a batter later, that run scored. Heredia has been great though and Marshall too, he had 1 really bad start in early April but has started living up to his billing.
“One scout told Bill Madden that Norton is, “better than (Joba) Chamberlain right now.”
Is this the same scout who said Andrew Miller had pitched “the best inning ever”?
They just said the program on MLBnetwork will be covering the first 60 picks tonight….so there will be a new Yankee this evening……they won’t be for awhile
Anonymous scouts are dumb.
Please do not bash scouts, they watch the games.
“Please do not bash scouts, they watch the games.”
I’m not sure which game some of them watch.
Norton is 28 years old, I would expect him to beat up a bunch of AA batters. I know that not revealing sources is what gives them the quotes, but given the penchant for writers to use anonymous scouts to simply give some weight to their own opinion, and the fact that scouts are just like anybody else(Some good, some bad, some middling at their job) I wish they had to go on record with their names.
For every scout that liked a guy, there is invariably a scout that didn’t like him.
I agree…..when a writer says “one scout said”….that means absolutely nothing to me. I understand why they can’t say….but if these guys feel qualified to give an opinion then they should put their name behind it IMO.
The Yankees have been able to find some real talent later in the draft.
For example, D-Rob was a 17th round pick.
That’s pretty surprising considering how’s he’s worked out so far.
Blake,
Scouts are not much different than their GMs with hidden agendas which is why they say certain things off the record.
Don’t let Norton’s age fool you. He’s hot been healthy in years. The talent has always been there. Health is the reason. There are 30 year old minor leaguers that aren’t doing that well. The same thing can be said for Whelan.
For those that do follow minor leagues, watch out to see what Cody Johnson does in Trenton this year. Lot of strikeouts, but, a left handed hitter with upper deck power. Corner outfielder with a good arm, but, not a great outfielder. he also has some speed. Sort of a left handed Dave Kingman. He struggled for the first month and a half, but, he’s hit some monsterous shots over the last 2 weeks. Johnson is 23 years old and the yanks picked him up for next to nothing (about $50,000) this winter from Atlanta.
chances of Andy coming back to play baseball for the Yankees…None
Crawdaddy,
Yea I know….
Experience is all Norton needs. The age means very little. John Axford was no spring chicken when he got to Milwaukee and neither was Heath Bell.
Anyone going to tonight’s Weiner-Spitzer 2012 rally?
blake June 6th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
I agree…..when a writer says “one scout said”….that means absolutely nothing to me. I understand why they can’t say….but if these guys feel qualified to give an opinion then they should put their name behind it IMO.
============================================
I agree. In fact, I’m a little surprised that editors allow writers to get away with putting that kind of material in an article. What’s to keep the writer from just making up stuff? Even they are just using it as background, then why attach the pretense of authority? What does that add? Just offer it as background…
One thing is certain.
Whoever the Sux pick will be pure genius.
Everyone knows this in advance.
They never, ever make a mistake.
A couple of guys drafted in the 19th, 21st and 22nd rounds turned out ok for the Yanks….Mattingly, Posada and Pettitte. A few of their 1st and 2nd rounders, like Ron Blomberg pretty much tanked.
MTU June 6th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
The Yankees have been able to find some real talent later in the draft.
For example, D-Rob was a 17th round pick.
That’s pretty surprising considering how’s he’s worked out so far.
=================================
More and more I tend to think that player development and good management are more important that draft position. Talent matters, but it isn’t enough.
GB-
GGBG couldn’t even pay anyone to draft him.
Timmy Lincecum was passed over because he was deemed too small.
All kinds of anomalies exist within the draft.
No matter where you pick it takes a lot of luck to get a prospect to the Majors, and even more to have them reach their potential.
How many #1 picks have gone bust ?
MTU June 6th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
One thing is certain.
Whoever the Sux pick will be pure genius.
Everyone knows this in advance.
They never, ever make a mistake.
======================================
At the risk of sounding like an apostate, I think that some of you guys are a bit paranoid about the media coverage of the Sox.
EDIT:
Ghostwriter June 6th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
MTU June 6th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
The Yankees have been able to find some real talent later in the draft.
For example, D-Rob was a 17th round pick.
That’s pretty surprising considering how’s he’s worked out so far.
=================================
More and more I tend to think that player development and good management are more important than draft position. Talent matters, but it isn’t enough.
Listening to a reply of the Pettitte interview with Michael Kay on ESPN 1050 right now.
I sure do miss seeing Andy on the mound, hat down, just above the eyes and breaking bats with a cut fastball to a righty.
Ghost-
We’ve discussed this before and you and I seem to be on the same page (no pun intended).
Raw talent is certainly a big factor though.
Picking winners is a lot more than Science. Lot’s of luck involved too.
I wonder if we’ll see less late round success stories because the draft-and-follow rules have changed.
Ghost-
It’s not paranoia. I just enjoy making fun of them.
Warning Track Power June 6th, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Listening to a reply of the Pettitte interview with Michael Kay on ESPN 1050 right now.
I sure do miss seeing Andy on the mound, hat down, just above the eyes and breaking bats with a cut fastball to a righty.
=====================================
Me too. But part of me is glad that he chose to bow out on his own terms. The really sad part about his retirement was that I think that Andy had just started to peak. He had just become a complete pitcher, a modern day Whitey Ford, and now he’s gone…
MTU – You’re so cynical, you could be a New Yorker
GB – Absolutely right about Axford and Bell.
Overrall, I really wish I could know what Mark Newman, Cash, and the Yankees really think about some of these guys who manage to put up great mL numbers. I have to think there’s a reason. Just look at Colson Bean, or Albaladejo.
MTU,
On the first thing, you have a much better memory than me. Although we do seem to be on the same page.
And on the second, I was just teasing you a bit. Still, it cracks me up when Yankee fans act like victims. As if.
MTU, gardner was a 3rd round pick by the yanks. He was a small school walk-on, though.
I don’t blame AP one bit for bowing out but I thought he still had something left in the tank.
Still better to get out one year too early than one too late.
Joe-
I grew up there.
Ghost-
Gotcha.
GB-
Being old and suffering from Alzheimer’s I got confused between his draft position and the fact that he was a walk-on at school.
As the yougin’s like to say, “My bad”.
Andy had just figured out the game, and he had become so good at it. He probably could have pitched until he was 50. Had you ever seen him as good as he was last year?
MTU June 6th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
I don’t blame AP one bit for bowing out but I thought he still had something left in the tank.
Still better to get out one year too early than one too late.
************************************************
That’s true. Selfishly I wanted Pettitte to return for another year. Then I would have wanted him to stay a year more and another year, etc….
Looking forward to watching Pettitte play in an old-timer’s game one of these years
For those unfortunates who do not get MLB network (me).
RAB is live blogging the draft so you can see the results there if you like.
Joe In LI, I think that I’d have more faith in Norton than I would in Whelan, but, it would be great to see them both click at the same time. No more junk ballers in the bullpen. Just flame throwers that scare the hitters….because they always remember that control was not always there.
Reminds me of Koufax and Guidry. Great arms, no clue for years.
Andy took a lesson from Moose. One of the classiest, despite his HGH indiscretion.
BTW – Chad – thanks for the mL updates.
MTU is right….one thing is for certain….the Red Sox will make 4 brilliant and stroke of genius picks tonight.
I think Pettitte could return next year, but, I also think that his arm was bothering him more than he let on. If it feels good this winter, he could return.
GB – OMG – I forgot until now – June 6th – One of the greatest day in the history of free people.
So……where did you land?
Blake-
Just ask Gammons or some of the others over at NESPN.
Too funny.
Andy sounds happy in Houston.
Someone mentioned Cito Culver – anyone know where he is playing and how he’s doing? I keep looking for an update.
As for Cole – I hope he enjoys playing in the purgatory of Pittsburgh instead of the heaven of the NYY…
after watching this pre draft thing…..Bubba Starling has a nice swing….
# GreenBeret7 June 6th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
I think Pettitte could return next year, but, I also think that his arm was bothering him more than he let on. If it feels good this winter, he could return.
—————————–
he’ll be 40 & won’t pitch for over a year & a half in a major league game…if he does play at all it will be for Houston
Joe from Long Island June 6th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
GB – OMG – I forgot until now – June 6th – One of the greatest day in the history of free people.
So……where did you land?
———————————————————————————————————————-
I didn’t land anywhere, Joe. The beach landed on me.
Seriously, though, one of the great days in history.
I never made a beach landing, but, sure as Hell made a lot of air drops. Those were always fun, except for that first step and about 30 feet from the ground and all you could see was trees. That’s when I wanted my mommy.
GB-
Must have been even more fun with that 150 lb. pack on.
Chad-Count me in as someone that always looks forward to reading updates
about the Minor League players.
blake June 6th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
after watching this pre draft thing…..Bubba Starling has a nice swing….
-
runs a 4.36 40′ and throws it down on the court too…helluva an athlete
Coming back after being out of the league for a year will be tough. I think that Pettitte is done. There is nothing left for him to prove. He’s a Hall-of-Famer if they don’t hold the HgH think against him.
MTU June 6th, 2011 at 7:00 pm
GB-
Must have been even more fun with that 150 lb. pack on
———————————————————————————————————————-
Yeah, that wasn’t too bad, but, sure as Hell ruined the knees. I really did love jumping, though.
Yogi’s biography, by Allan Barra, has an interesting description of D-Day, and Yogi’s serving on one of those rocket boats. In general, it’s a great read, and I heavily recommend it.
Just fascinating history, D-Day, on so many levels.
So, why isn’t Pittsburgh announcing. What, they haven’t decided yet?
blake June 6th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
after watching this pre draft thing…..Bubba Starling has a nice swing….
_____________
Could be the greatest prospect since Drew Henson….
i could care less about the MLB draft. i feel about the same towards the NFL draft.
who cares?
i don’t have time to invest emotions on players that are drafted into the minors.
a #1 pick could be a bust, while the 30th round pick can be the best player on the team.
forget about it!!
Joe-
My Father was at Anzio.
Noesi has only thrown 9 innings in the over 3 weeks he has been here.
Girardi either has to expand his role or they need to send him back to AAA to start and get his innings in.
It is nice having Noesi around but he is a legit prospect. He shouldn’t be wasted pitching once a week in a mop up role.
Joe from Long Island June 6th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
“GB – OMG – I forgot until now – June 6th – One of the greatest day in the history of free people.”
My grandfather faught on Omaha beach, first wave. He was shot through the hip, but was able to fire his gun to ‘cover’ his fellow soldiers as they took shelter. He was then shot through the shoulder. He was awarded the Bronze Star for valor. He lived.
“Could be the greatest prospect since Drew Henson…”
or Joe Mauer….you never know. You take the best guy you can and cross your fingers.
MTU – you’re father is a hero in my eyes. You should be proud.
By May 16th last year when Noesi was promoted to Trenton he had already thrown 43 innings.
It’s June 6th and he has only thrown 30 innings this season.
LGY June 6th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Noesi has only thrown 9 innings in the over 3 weeks he has been here.
Girardi either has to expand his role or they need to send him back to AAA to start and get his innings in.
It is nice having Noesi around but he is a legit prospect. He shouldn’t be wasted pitching once a week in a mop up role.
*********************************
I appreciate you’re stance, but how else would you define “mop of role”??
That person is the last pitcher to be chosen to pitch in a game.
Its not a direct reflection on him, but that’s his role today and he has done a great job to date.
Tom in NJ – ditto. Just amazing.
That’s awesome MTU
GreenBeret7 June 6th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
———————————————————————————————————————-
I didn’t land anywhere, Joe. The beach landed on me.
Seriously, though, one of the great days in history.
I never made a beach landing, but, sure as Hell made a lot of air drops. Those were always fun, except for that first step and about 30 feet from the ground and all you could see was trees. That’s when I wanted my mommy.
=======================================
I’m confused. Were you there in ’44? Those paratroopers that they dropped in behind the lines at Omaha Beach had a real tough go of it. As I recall, Ike went out,and met with a bunch of the paratroopers the night before the mission, because he knew so many of them wouldn’t make it.
“As for Cole – I hope he enjoys playing in the purgatory of Pittsburgh instead of the heaven of the NYY”
____________
Let’s see…
He passed up 3 years of riding the buses in minors for 3 years on the beach at UCLA…
Passed up chasing fungos for 3 years of chasing California girls…
Passed up probably $3-4M over the position offer from Yankees for probably $10M or so from Pirates…
Gets to be streamlined to majors and learn his craft in pros rather than stuck behind depth in Yankee system…
Gets to eventually come to NYY as FA if he is any good for big bucks…
I don’t think he feels too bad about the path he chose.
Joe-
He survived, and I was.
He would never talk about the War in spite of my many attemps to get him to do so.
That was the way back then I’m told.
Like they said, “Where did we get such Men ? “
Might as well be the Weinershnitzel rally.
Lesson learned. Keep your junk in the trunk. Hope thats a universal saying for all parts.
Joe, from what my mom tells me he always underplayed his role in the war. ‘I only saw 9 hours of battle”
He was more proud of the work he did after the was as a Dr. in a VA hospital in Staten Island. He died of a massive hear attack while tending to a Vietnam war soldier in 1971.
I never met the man, but I miss him.
BoJo – yes, nice breakdown, but he’s still playing for the Pirates. Not that I’m biased, but who would want to play anywhere other than in the Bronx?
My old man was in Europe during the war as well, but I’m pretty sure that he wasn’t in the first wave at Normandy, although I’m sure that he passed through there on his way to Paris..
Last 20 years only Jeter and Hughes in the first round came with sort kind of hoopla and actually worked out for the team. Yet we’ve managed pretty fine.
He passed up 3 years of riding the buses in minors for 3 years on the beach at UCLA…
Passed up chasing fungos for 3 years of chasing California girls…
Passed up probably $3-4M over the position offer from Yankees for probably $10M or so from Pirates…
Gets to be streamlined to majors and learn his craft in pros rather than stuck behind depth in Yankee system…
Gets to eventually come to NYY as FA if he is any good for big bucks…
I don’t think he feels too bad about the path he chose.
========
Passed up being a Yankee = PRICELESS
Yanks don’t want a flip flopper.
There are advantages and disadvantages…..on the flip side Cole could be in the bigs now pitching for championships.
Little suprise there that the Mariners took Hultzen instead of the bat Rendon….though Rendon doesn’t look all that impressive to me
Tom – he sounds like someone really special.
I did mean being a Yankee is PRICELESS.
Rendon is going to drop all the way to the Yankees
I’m not saying Norton can’t make it, or be valuable, I think given his stats and apparent repertoire(I’ve not seen him pitch, but for maybe 1 inning in single A) the yankees should look at him. I just take umbrage that a 28 year old beating up on AA batters is somehow better *right now* than Joba Chamberlain, a guy who makes some major league names look foolish.
keithlaw
Heard that the Nationals were fairly convinced they were going to end up with Hultzen
3 minutes ago
MTU June 6th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Joe-
He would never talk about the War in spite of my many attemps to get him to do so.
==================================
Mine neither. He was proud of his service, but he wouldn’t talk about it.
“experts” saying Bauer of UCLA next at #3
Do me a favor fellas. Just let me know when the next CANT MISS prospect Boston drafts. Thanks.
Its also refreshing to see the Rays no longer getting first dibs.
Ghost-
Those Men were a different breed. Tough as nails.
Imagine trying to keep all that they saw to themselves ?
I believe my Father did not want to upset us so he remained Stoic to the end.
Just added to my admiration of him.
Many were that way. It’s astounding.
Off subject.
Have to share this. Read this and thought it was a riot.
Someone used the words”Stimulus Package”
SoS June 6th, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Might as well be the Weinershnitzel rally.
Lesson learned. Keep your junk in the trunk. Hope thats a universal saying for all parts.
_________
He’s proud of his junk (TM)
not a good start for DJ Mitchell, allowing the first two hitters to get hits, but, then struck out the next two and the third out was thrown out stealing on the strikeout
Banuelos wasn’t so lucky. Hit, walk, groundout, 3 run homer, and two ground outs. First homer allowed by Banuelos this year.
MTU,
Yep, we’re lucky that we had those old men.
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