Todays main event: Heading to the complex
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 18, 2013 
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Today is an off day in big league camp, which means all of the action is happening at the minor league complex. Phil Hughes is throwing a simulated game at noon, then Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera are pitching in a minor leauge game at 1 p.m. Should be fairly routine, but I will update this post with information from the complex. Heading over there now.
UPDATE, 12:05 p.m.: Hughes is facing Matt Snyder and David Adams.
UPDATE, 12:08 p.m.: Bonus Cody Eppley appearance. Hughes is through his first inning.
UPDATE, 12:11 p.m.: The High A and Low A teams are at the complex today, so Pettitte and Rivera will be playing with the super young guys.
UPDATE, 12:42 p.m.: Hughes threw about 40 pitches. A comebacker hit him in the back, but both he and Larry Rothschild laughed it off as a non-issue. Hughes expects to start a minor league game next.
UPDATE, 1:02 p.m.: Andy Pettitte is pitching in the High-A game, but both Mason Williams and Gary Sanchez have the day off. Mariano Rivera is pitching in the Low-A game.
UPDATE, 1:13 p.m.: Second batter for Mo, first broken bat.
UPDATE, 1:17 p.m.: Mo is through his inning. Pitched around an Aune error at short. Struck out the last two.
UPDATE, 1:34 p.m.: Rivera threw a second inning. Strikeout, strikeout and a 4-3 on a broken bat.
UPDATE, 2:15 p.m.: Double by Cervelli, who already has an RBI single. Pettitte is through four innings.
UPDATE, 2:49 p.m.: Pettitte went 5.2 innings with two runs, eight hits, no walks and seven strikeouts. Said he expects to got 90-95 pitches on Saturday.
@MLBRosterMoves
The @Nationals grant C Chris Snyder his unconditional release.
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Dumpster Beacon, activate!
I like Chris Synder, I wanted to get him from ARI when he was traded to Pit. He kind of really sucked last year. I’d take him over Chris Stewart though.
Snyder still have back problems???
James Wagner ?@JamesWagnerWP
Chris Snyder has been released and says he has signed with the Angels. Minor deal with camp invite.
Cashman was too slow.
AAO – It was in his editorial this morning, let me see if I can find the link… that’s the second time he’s thrown shade at Joba in the past two weeks lol. He must have really annoyed him in the clubhouse.
@KenDavidoff
In the #Yankees’ austerity movement, Mark Teixeira is looking more like a problem than a solution. http://bit.ly/YLkPhE
Final Four:
Kansas
Duke
Kansas State
Indiana
Championship:
Duke vs. Kansas
NCAA champion:
Kansas
I also like Georgetown but had to pick Indiana.
Chad, please keep the updates coming. Especially would like to hear about Gary Sanchez’s and Andujar’s AB’s vs. the Big Boys (Pet and Mo). I also hear that Bird is hitting the cover off the boy. Thanks for any details.
Go Huughes!
off the *ball (that is)
Jerkface March 18th, 2013 at 12:01 pm
Cashman was too slow.
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The Angels also like catchers that can’t hit.
The Angels also like catchers that can’t hit.
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Snyder has a chance to hit though!
Davidoff breaking some news about Tex’s contract… Did he just realize that?
nm the Hoyas are up against Kansas. They got screwed.
I wish I could’ve picked Duke, Kansas, Indiana and Georgetown but it’s not possible.
Snyder has a chance to hit though!
—————-
Maybe that’s what counted against him
Thanks Shame for the link
Just searched the WBC to see what the brackets look like and saw this on their site: “Individual Tickets are on sale now. Tickets for Semifinal Game 2 start at $5.”
@EyeOnBaseball
Chase Headley to see thumb specialist, opening day ‘in doubt’ http://cbsprt.co/ZNlDjK via @cbssports
MLB and the players union are trying to fast track an international draft by June 1st. Great. That is the death of the minor leagues. Puerto Rico has pointed to their inclusion in the draft as the reason their amateur baseball scene declined. Without the money from the IFA process, the talent dried up.
Anyone else staunchly supporting the Dutch to win this whole damn thing..?
JF – How would the international draft work?
Baseball had a very successful system in place, even with some intermittent competitive distortions that resulted from market-size asymmetries. I’m not sure why they are so intent on risking a decline in the name of parity.
Shame,
Count me in for the Honkballers!
@jonmorosi
Should US baseball fans support Team Puerto Rico – comprised of US citizens – now that Team USA is out? My column: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/s.....eam-031713 …
JF – How would the international draft work?
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Players would have to register for the draft with MLB. Then they get drafted. Would probably be the same pool/hard slot as the amateur draft but with less money.
@ESPNNYYankees: Hughes sim game is done. 41 pitches, two hits in first inning, no good swings in the second
The 2nd inning was against a simulated Yankees lineup
@TylerKepner: On Baseball: Yadier Molina Makes All the Difference for Puerto Rico http://t.co/0heCBwL93q
Wish the cards hadnt signed him
MLB would almost certainly bungle an international draft….I wish they’d just leave things alone
All catchers have back problems…………..just sayin
If the Yanks can get Mourneu without giving up much then Id pursue it….Id rather them target a longer term option like Olt though if he’s available and a deal makes sense
@jonmorosi
I’m the worse writer ever and love to troll twitter about the WBC. My column
The bottom line is, something needs to be done about 3B long term because they absolutely cannot rely on Alex Rodriguez.
GM’s know the Yankees are cornered here.
Getting Olt won’t be easy but it also won’t hurt as much as Headley. So getting Olt would be a nice hedge against the Padres asking too much for Headley and Olt could theoretically be used to acquire Headley as he grows too expensive for the Pads while they look to rebuild.
If Olt isn’t going to start in NY now, then there is no urgency to get him immediately which reduces any leverage Texas has.
You wanna see some batspeed watch the HR Justin Upton crushed off the phillies 2 minutes ago. He annihilated it over the berm in the outfield.
Oh how I wish we could have gotten J Upton…. I guess Boeshy and Franchisco are just as good…..
Olt could start some games, enough to keep Youkilis fresh. Nobody’s saying hand over the 3B job overnight. But when the Youk bandaid wears off or he leaves via free agency, you don’t want to have to be put in a situation where you have to solve 3B overnight. The last time Cashman was pressed to fill a huge need overnight, he acquired Pineda.
So yeah, you can wait but GM’s aren’t stupid. They know you’re cornered the whole time. And the longer you wait, the less time you have to plan a smoother transition.
This is where “the plan is patience” doesn’t work. You play a game of chicken with these GM’s and eventually you run out of time to work with and you get crushed.
@EyeOnBaseball
Chase Headley to see thumb specialist, opening day ‘in doubt’ http://cbsprt.co/ZNlDjK via @cbssports
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Glad Cashman didn’t rush to trade for him.
Yeah because now his career is obviously over.
blake March 18th, 2013 at 1:05 pm
@jonmorosi
I’m the worse writer ever and love to troll twitter about the WBC. My column
————
Lmao.. must have missed that, did he really have a link?
JF – Thanks.
Musty can start some games at 3B if they don’t make a trade. Will he?
Not that Olt doesn’t have more upside, but the Yankees aren’t currently particular willing to ride it out with young players. I’m skeptical that they will ever be again despite Hal’s occasional rhetoric.
“Glad Cashman didn’t rush to trade for him.”
Because he would have gotten hurt here too? That’s speculation.
Glad Cashman didn’t rush to trade for him.
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Doesn’t make sense. He hurt his thumb sliding in a ST game the other day, had we traded for him he never would have made that slide.
It’s always about price. It would be nice to have David Wright too, despite the rib cage issue. Obviously, that isn’t happening, but if the price had somehow been right, who cares about the rib cage?
There’s no doubt in my mind Cashman’s going to put on his cool hand Luke poker face stealth mode look, wait until the last minute and get stuck with his pants down as usual.
Don’t get me wrong.
Cashman is just a drone whose batteries are running out, honestly.
Chad,
How is Aune looking out there?
Rich in NJ March 18th, 2013 at 1:28 pm
“Glad Cashman didn’t rush to trade for him.”
Because he would have gotten hurt here too? That’s speculation.
________________________________________________
Is it any different from posters on here blaming Cashman for not foreseeing the injuries to Granderson and Texiera?
Is it any different from posters on here blaming Cashman for not foreseeing the injuries to Granderson and Texiera?
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Hmm doesn’t add up. You mean blaming Cashman for not having a deeper roster with less injury risk?
“Is it any different from posters on here blaming Cashman for not foreseeing the injuries to Granderson and Texiera?”
There have been people here who blamed Cashman for either of them getting hurt? I have’t read that.
I blame someone (not sure how much power Cashman currently have) for not trading Granderson in his contract year, or passing on Tex for Holliday, but the other stuff? That’s bizarre.
Jerkface March 18th, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Glad Cashman didn’t rush to trade for him.
–
Doesn’t make sense. He hurt his thumb sliding in a ST game the other day, had we traded for him he never would have made that slide
___________________________________________
Does it make sense bashing Cashman for not keeping Swisher, not foreseeing the injuries to Granderson and Tex?
Granderson is going to leave via free agency, yet Cashman made no proactive move to bring in reinforcements. He waited, got cute as usual and ended up taking the weekly plunge into the dumpster as usual with Francisco and Boesch.
He could’ve had Cabrera.
Controversies aside, Cabrera is not scrap heap trash.
Does it make sense bashing Cashman for not keeping Swisher, not foreseeing the injuries to Granderson and Tex?
–
The Yankees Roster being incredibly risk heavy was obvious. That Granderson and Teixeira got hurt is even worse because the huge injury risks are still present (and uninjured [for now])).
Though Teixeira has been injured each of the past 3 seasons.
Oh, yeah, you can read his comment about meaning the lack of depth. That does make more sense, but jerkface is right. The impending lack of offense was an issue last season when Cashman said that he had offense to spare.
Melky is just one example of a proactive move being better than a last minute dumpster dive. He could’ve traded Granderson for a younger OF.
So yeah, good thing he didn’t trade for Headley who is injured and good thing he kept Granderson instead of trading him before he got injured?
I get it.
Is tomorrow opening day? All I know is the team is looking worse than when Cashman comforted us by saying that it is not.
The is team will be out of the pennant race early is they don’t come up with offense. They have a solid pitching staff, but not good enough to overcome this lack of offense.
As someone said earlier, the playoffs were a big if before Grandy and Tex were hurt. Now, I suspect not many other than ardent Yankee fans are predicting playoffs for the team.
The reality is the team is in trouble this year, and this was supposed to be the last shot for awhile. Meanwhile, Cashman is looking dumber by the minute by letting Swisher and Chavez go. Who needs a first baseman, third baseman or outfielder?
Jerkface March 18th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Is it any different from posters on here blaming Cashman for not foreseeing the injuries to Granderson and Texiera?
–
Hmm doesn’t add up. You mean blaming Cashman for not having a deeper roster with less injury risk?
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No team has a bench to cover losing a Teixeira and Granderson, who despite their flaws are still fairly productive and were our 4 and 5 hitters.
I was excited about Swisher being gone but that excitement was based on an anticipation that Cashman would, I don’t know, kind of like, replace him?
No team has a bench to cover losing a Teixeira and Granderson, who despite their flaws are still fairly productive and were our 4 and 5 hitters.
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Swisher would have been good coverage.
“No team has a bench to cover losing a Teixeira and Granderson, who despite their flaws are still fairly productive and were our 4 and 5 hitters.”
Sure they do. They have high quality ML ready prospects, who might have to endure a learning curve, but certainly aren’t Juan Rivera-types.
And prior to the desire to shrink payroll, which Cashman has probably opposed, the payroll advantage did offer depth. Again, it might be a step down from the starters, but still quite good.
Rich in NJ March 18th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
“Is it any different from posters on here blaming Cashman for not foreseeing the injuries to Granderson and Texiera?”
There have been people here who blamed Cashman for either of them getting hurt? I have’t read that.
I blame someone (not sure how much power Cashman currently have) for not trading Granderson in his contract year, or passing on Tex for Holliday, but the other stuff? That’s bizarre.
________________________________________________
I’ve read it plenty of times on here and other forums. Passing on Tex for Holliday? That was the right move.
Jerkface March 18th, 2013 at 1:40 pm
No team has a bench to cover losing a Teixeira and Granderson, who despite their flaws are still fairly productive and were our 4 and 5 hitters.
–
Swisher would have been good coverage.
___________________________
Yeah, and hindsight is 20-20
The Yankees put all of Hal’s one year eggs into the 2013 basket. The basket is broken. They spent money only on one year guys for this last shot. Now, they have little chance this year and none next.
It seems to me the options are either to really try this year with Morneau or someone like that or try to acquire assets for the future. They will do neither as we all know.
Do the Yankees do anything anymore other than waiver wire pickups?
Mustelier .280 .357 .480 .837
Rivera .286 .302 .381 .683
…
“I’ve read it plenty of times on here and other forums. Passing on Tex for Holliday? That was the right move.”
Tex, Holliday
2009 141 169
2010 124 149
2011 121 151
2012 116 138
Define right?
Swisher is not a bench player. It’s easy to advocate a 300 mil payroll and say then they would have depth.
Tackleberry,
It isn’t hindsight. Have you not read the board over the winter? It is called foresight. The Yankees have none. Check next years signed players and tell me they have foresight with half the team gone and a large budget issue.
Yeah, and hindsight is 20-20
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Except for the fact that none of this is hindsight.
Swisher is not a bench player. It’s easy to advocate a 300 mil payroll and say then they would have depth.
–
You’re right, Swisher would have been in RF. Or Choo. Or anyone else suggested this offseason. Or Cespedes.
Doesn’t make sense. He hurt his thumb sliding in a ST game the other day, had we traded for him he never would have made that slide
I think it does make sense. It appears Headley has a risky slide approach just like Gardner involving and exposing the thumb in a slide. So therefore, it can be reasonably argued that the injury would have occurred if the Yankees would have acquired with his risky slide approach, just like it should come as no surprise if Gardner experiences a similar injury this year as well.
The one injury that could not be forseen is the Granderson injury. Happ just hit him where it caused the damage, that could happen at any time and is a freak accident.
The Yankees have never before let productive players leave for money. It is now part of their business plan it seems. This winter another hoard will depart.
It is no way to win. Ask the low income teams how well letting your good players annually leave works out.
Swisher instead of Ichiro? So you’re saying the Yankees would be better if they’re payroll were higher? And we wanted to pay Swisher until he was 36 or whatever?
Cespedes was a gamble, it paid off. Those kind of guys end up hitting .230 sometimes also.
For me, the depth move is a backup at 3b or 1b that is reasonable. That reasonable option was Jeff Keppinger. He is the insurance for an increasingly brittle Teixeira. You move Youk to 1b and Keppinger comes in at 3b. Yankees should have spent more on a versatile backup infielder or at least traded for one. Now not at Swisher prices but at Keppinger prices.
A risky slide approach? Thank you. Now, I have heard everything.
A risky slide approach? Thank you. Now, I have heard everything.
I guess you have not heard about the complaints regarding Brett Gardner.
In the past the yankees brought in guys like Keppinger as insurance.
For more information on the risks in slide approaches:
http://www.ripkenbaseball.com/.....cle_id=819
Ichiro is old as hell and not good the last 2 years, so signing him for 2 years did not make much sense. I’d rather have Swisher.
And yea Cespedes was a gamble, but the Yankees could have made a few gambles and if they worked out they would be in much better shape for 189 than they are now.
Base stealers have to slide head first in general.
Headley slid feet first, which is not a ‘risky slide’. You can’t 100% protect your hands while sliding. stuff happens.
Eric Chavez at the very least could have been on this team. He could play 1st. Or 3rd.
Jacksquat,
Signing Cespedes would have been a risk. My question is how can the A’s afford a risk and the Yankees not. Same for Darvish, Soler, Chapman and on and on.
I agree with you to the extent the Yankees are out of the risk taking business. That is why they don’t risk playing young players or signing international players of note anymore. They sign only low cost(low risk) players now.
I believe in the expression “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. I also believe in the expression “penny wise, pound foolish”. Both apply to the Yankees.
Chavez wanted to play in AZ near his home. He was not an option that was missed.
The one risk the Yankees could always take was spending money. Some worked out great, some didn’t, but it covered up a lot of other mistakes, which was GREAT!
Just saw the video. He was trying to break up a double play. The risk is having his hand slide into the base while trying to break up the play with his feet. Here is a nice link about what to do with your hands when sliding:
http://www.proswingbaseball.co.....slide.html
•Hands – Always keep your hands up in the air; don’t let your arms drop and your hands drag on the ground.
This is the quickest way to scrape and cut your hands, twist your wrist, or break a finger.
You could counter argue that when the Yankees were in the risk taking business they ended up with Rodriguez and Teixeira.
Chavez wanted to play in AZ near his home. He was not an option that was missed.
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Chavez at the beginning of the offseason said he wanted to return, he was never offered a contract. In light of not being offered a contract, he chose to play near his home.
Or you could say that when the Yankees were blinded by the promise of a “sure thing” with Giambi, Rodriguez, Teixiera they were taking a more conservative approach.
This has always been a conservative company.
They were helped by Jeter’s generation. Small moves worked. All you had to do was keep that core in tact and tinker around the edges.
The Yankees never offered Chavez a contract. He had no choice but to leave. Don’t believe what a player says after he signs. Do you expect him to say he never wanted to play for them but the Yankees dumped him?
Chavez was absolutely an option ignored because, if you will recall, Cashman had his blinders on only focusing on pitching. He seemed perfectly happy here the last two years.
Simple rule–no player will sign with you if you don’t offer them a contract.
Jerkface March 18th, 2013 at 2:01 pm
Chavez wanted to play in AZ near his home. He was not an option that was missed.
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Chavez at the beginning of the offseason said he wanted to return, he was never offered a contract. In light of not being offered a contract, he chose to play near his home.
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I don’t remember it that way. Do you have a link to something that says that’s how it happened? I remember he signed pretty quickly.
“You could counter argue that when the Yankees were in the risk taking business they ended up with Rodriguez and Teixeira.”
The original A-Rod trade was probably Cashman’s best move. A top three player in MLB with a subsidized contract who was under 30. Cashman’s second best move may have been recommending against re-signing him when he opted out.
Not all risks are created equal. With Holliday coming to FA shortly, signing Tex was not a smart risk.
But here’s where things have changed: It just to be that if the Yankees took a bad risk, they would outspend the mistake.
They don’t do that anymore.
So, no Cespedes, Chapman, Soler, Darvish, etc.
Carly,
Don’t argue Headley is a risky slider. You have no basis. Players get hurt. That is why teams should have a bench.
Now you see when the team requires drastic change, they are ill equipped to manage through the turmoil. They really don’t have a strategy to adapt abruptly to extreme turnover.
It’s a game they’re going to have to get used to playing.
I also dispute Chavez said that at the beginning of the off season. Why would any player so limit their options.
I really don’t know why folks feel the need to argue in support of decisons that turned out to be bad ones.
I don’t remember it that way. Do you have a link to something that says that’s how it happened? I remember he signed pretty quickly.
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He signed Dec 5. The Yankees never offered him a contract. The Yankees were willing to wait and wait and wait. Everyone else went off the board.
“I’ve read it plenty of times on here and other forums. Passing on Tex for Holliday? That was the right move.”
They could have signed both….but Hommiday has clearly been the better player
It doesn’t matter anyway because Chavez cannot play even a full time platoon role. He’s a backup. He has to go through extensive preparation just to be able to play on any given day. This may be why he wasn’t signed. Although I know all the Cashman haters like to turn everything into something Cashman messed up, even if it isn’t true.
“Although I know all the Cashman haters like to turn everything into something Cashman messed up, even if it isn’t true.”
You love him.
This trade deadline Cashman is going to have to get real familiar and cozy with the idea that he’s going to get screwed. He just has to get better at finding the GM who will screw him over the least in any given deal.
According to Feisand the Yankees really liked a keppinger/chavez platoon, but never made official offers to either player and both were snapped up. They waited too long. This isn’t about being a hater. We were all here while the Yankees were playing the waiting game.
Jerkface March 18th, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Yeah, and hindsight is 20-20
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Except for the fact that none of this is hindsight.
___________________________________
Yes it is. You really felt Swisher was worth a 5 year 75 mill deal? No way!! Its only now that Tex and Granderson are hurt that you’re killing Cashman for letting him walk.
Rich in NJ March 18th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
“Although I know all the Cashman haters like to turn everything into something Cashman messed up, even if it isn’t true.”
You love him.
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Here’s the deal:
Do you see people here every day bashing Cashman about everything possible? Yes.
Do you see me here every day saying how great Cashman is? No.
Get the picture?
Yes it is. You really felt Swisher was worth a 5 year 75 mill deal? No way!! Its only now that Tex and Granderson are hurt that you’re killing Cashman for letting him walk.
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It is, in fact, NOT hindsight. You apparently missed the offseason, where I was advocating signing real baseball players and damning the 189 limit. Letting Swisher go meant getting someone AS GOOD AS or BETTER THAN Swisher. Either Swisher, or Choo, or JUpton. The Yankees did not do this. Disaster struck, which was foreseen by most here, and the Yankees now have little coverage for it.
Here’s the deal:
Do you see people here every day bashing Cashman about everything possible? Yes.
Do you see me here every day saying how great Cashman is? No.
Get the picture?
__
Your love obscures your perception. In just this thread:
Rich in NJ March 18th, 2013 at 2:05 pm
The original A-Rod trade was probably Cashman’s best move. A top three player in MLB with a subsidized contract who was under 30. Cashman’s second best move may have been recommending against re-signing him when he opted out
__
Yet you say the same thing every time Cash is “bashed.”
He gets credit for what he does right and blame for what he does wrong.
Cashman is synonymous with the FO. People get confused. I want it to be clear that we’re hating ALL of the suits and not singling anyone out in particular.
He just has to get better at finding the GM who will screw him over the least in any given deal.
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We already know him!! JACK Z!!!! Crazy Jack would have traded us Jaso for Kei Igawa or something!
At this stage would you take the over or under on a combined 25 home runs from Teixeira and A-Rod?
Definitely under.
It is, in fact, NOT hindsight. You apparently missed the offseason, where I was advocating signing real baseball players and damning the 189 limit. Letting Swisher go meant getting someone AS GOOD AS or BETTER THAN Swisher. Either Swisher, or Choo, or JUpton. The Yankees did not do this. Disaster struck, which was foreseen by most here, and the Yankees now have little coverage for it.
____________________________________________________
Was it Cashman? Or maybe Hal not approving the funds for Cashman to go out and sign the players you were creaming over? Can’t spend the money if the owner sets a limit can you?
By being cheap this off-season the Yankees left themselves vulnerable to inadequate replacements should an injury or two hit (which was pretty likely given the advancing age of some of the players and that several key veterans were returning from injury). True, Tex and Granderson were healthy when spring began, but its pretty obvious that had additional reinforcements been brought in during the off-season (such as a legitimate power bat for the OF, another veteran capable of playing IF or OF, etc …) then Cashman would not be relegated to “dumpster diving.” To me, the only way out of this mess before the season starts is either through a huge overpay in terms of a trade or taking on some other team’s albatross of a contract (e.g. Alfonso Soriano).
Was it Cashman? Or maybe Hal not approving the funds for Cashman to go out and sign the players you were creaming over? Can’t spend the money if the owner sets a limit can you?
To build on what Shame said:
Cashman is synonymous with the FO. People get confused. I want it to be clear that we’re hating ALL of the suits and not singling anyone out in particular.
_
Obviously, it’s possible that Randy or Hal are making most, if not all, of the baseball decisions, and that Cashman’s hands are tied.
But he still has the title and is cashing the big check.
So if you want to give him credit for good moves, you also have to give him blame for bad ones.
Lastly, Cashman is the last GM in MLB who has been hurt by an overall lack of funds during his tenure. He has used them wisely at times, but it has been the great eraser.
Better what it with that creaming language, you’ll be in the penalty box
I don’t get your end game here, Tackelberry? You’re falling into a deep LOHUD Fallacy. The Yankees, for whatever reason, did the opposite of what many people here wanted. I don’t care if its HAL or Cashman who didn’t do a better job in constructing the team. They didn’t do a good job. Thats the point.
The Yankees going with a scrapheap plan because of the 189 limit was rightly derided by many here, that its not working out so far is apparently only a surprise to you.
watch it, damn you swype.
Well contrary to the latest trends in baseball, I never understood big 1B contracts. This meant that I didn’t like the Teix signing. I was also vehement about trading Swisher and signing Beltran. Then doing the same with Granderson. To me, that was a total no brainer.
To my mind trading a player with a year left vs letting them walk for a pick cuts out a few years of development time and risk. But perception needs must.
None of us know what happens in the Yankee front office. We are told Cashman had no authority to offer contracts at the winter meeetings. If true, that is very odd and suggests signifcant dysfunction.
We also hear Cashman saying he agrees with everything Hal says. That is great as a yes man, but isn’t the GM the one who is supposed to advise the owner?
I suspect Hal has told Cashman he has to put up or shut up. We all recall Cashman saying with money and a farm system all other teams better watch out. Now, the farm isn’t good enough evidently to replace anyone. Now, they don’t have spending money.
The farm system is Cashman’s responsibility. The lack of spending has to be on Hal. It was Cashman who agreed to the Cole draft. It was Cashman who made Bichette aned Culver their first picks in the draft leaving all pundits scratching their heads.
These people make a lot of money to make good decisions. Bad draft picks, missing out on international players, unwillingness to re-sign your own players or to enter into multi year contracts all point to very significant management problems.
The New York Times over the weekend refvenced the collapse of the mid-60s and wondering if that is occurrring now. I have been saying that for many months. It seems quite obvious that is the road they are on. They can get off it, but they won’t unless the stadium is significantly empty.
Simple question to any Cashman supporter, what happened?
Really glad it’s NCAA Tourney time. Got to love this time of year. By the time it’s over it will be time for some real baseball games.
Bo,
I completely agree. Beltran wanted to play here. Swisher has value. They did nothing and we got only a 35th pick or so in the draft. Maybe they can draft the next Cito Culver.
They are, of course, doing the same thing this year with Cano, Granderson, Hughes, Joba and the rest. They will get nothing for Hughes or Joba and perhaps not for Granderson for fear they would accept the offers.
I have been saying for a long time that foresight is neeeded. They have none.
The Yankees have great foresight, they have foreseen that the dumpsters will be overflowing next offseason due to the sequester cutting garbage services.
Cashman being surprisingly honest on Francesa right now. None of the kids have done enough to be on the team right now. Neither Boesch and Francisco guaranteed to break camp with the Yankees. More dumpster diving to come when other teams announce their 25-man rosters. “It’s garbage time right now.”
The Yankees going with a scrapheap plan because of the 189 limit was rightly derided by many here, that its not working out so far is apparently only a surprise to you.
________________________________________
JF
Pretty premature to say its not working out so far when not a single game that counts has even been played yet. Lets wait til the game actually count to see whether its a disaster or not.
So is Cashman admitting that he hasn’t brought enough talented kids into the organization.
The farm system is Cashman’s responsibility. The lack of spending has to be on Hal. It was Cashman who agreed to the Cole draft. It was Cashman who made Bichette aned Culver their first picks in the draft leaving all pundits scratching their heads.
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Actually that was Damon Oppenheimer and his scouts that made those picks. Opp runs the draft, not Cashman
Did Cashman consider Mustelier a kid? Because I think he has done enough to earn a spot. He hit pretty decently all spring (around .300) and made some solid plays in the OF and at third.
Cashman hires the people running the farm system and the draft.
Just watching Cardinal-Mets telecast on MLB.TV. Cardinal announcer was talking about conversation with Joe Torre re WBC. Torre mentioned that player salaries are insured for injuries sustained while at tournament. David Wright’s salary will be paid to Mets for any regular season time lost. I assume that the same is true for Tex. The Yankees would recoup about $7 million if Tex is lost for about a third of the season. It will be interesting to see if the money is used to upgrade the team, since it would seem to be found money.
Doesn’t Cashman get credit for paying overslot and drafting accordingly? He should.
His problem has been to trade his best prospects for an insufficient return.
Reading between the lines, I think what he’s saying is that there are probably going to be better options than we have now to fill the bench when teams start cutting players in the next 10 days. At least, that’s my take on it. I could be wrong.
bruceb,
You’ve violated the first rule of Lohud: Never, ever say “I could be wrong.”
“It’s garbage time right now.”
LOL, he did not really say this, right?
i dont get it about Musty. What elese does the guy need to do? With the team starved of offense youd think an offensively skilled player at a position of need would be appreciated. i really hope he makes the team. Not only for his bat but also so i can laugh at O’Neill trying to pronounce his name all year
That may be one of the biggest LoHud fallacies ever posted, tom.
Sorry, Rich. I may be wrong.
See, it feels good right? I found that out a long time ago.
Oppenheimer works for Cashman. Where does the buck stop with you, Tackleberry? Clearly, not with Cashman.
If you don’t see a disaster about to happen, you need to look again at the roster.
“The Angels also like catchers that can’t hit.”
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speaking of catchers who can hit…
Zunino sounding pretty confident catching Felix (watch out Jesus!)…
Felix was throwing to Zunino for the first time in a game and liked what he saw from the young catcher.
“He’s pretty good, pretty smart. He caught the ball pretty good, good rhythm. He’s going to be good,” he said.
Interesting that he talked about the catcher’s rhythm. That is not something I have heard from a pitcher very often. When I asked Zunino what it was like to catch Felix in a game situation as opposed to a bullpen, the number one topic was tempo.
“You have to remind him to slow down sometimes,” he said. “He gets his adrenaline pumping and he just wants to go, go, go, and sometimes you have to slow the tempo down for him. But when he gets into that groove and throws everything for strikes it’s a lot of fun to catch because it’s easy to the point of he hits his spots like nobody else. It’s so fun. My goal is to keep him in his gear as long as I can. Either tell him to pick up the tempo or turn it down a little bit.”
Zunino clearly enjoyed the experience of catching Felix.
“You think of the best pitch you have ever seen and go from there,” he said of his four innings.
http://mynorthwest.com/374/222.....for-Beavan
What Cashman is saying is they will only look to upgrade from released players. I don’t know why no one believes him. He has been honest lately. They won’t spend. They won’t enter into multi year contracts and they intend to fill the team with players released elsewhere.
Not wanting it to be true, I understand. But, it is.
Cashman certainly has input into the draft by telling Oppenheimer they want to draft cheap signable players like Bichette and Culver. No risk in the draft after Cole.
I’ll come out and say it. I’ve been a Cashman supporter for a long time and still am. Maybe I’ve been in management for too long. You sit down at any meeting and you try to plan out a strategy both short term and long term. But the horizon is limited, you only see a short distance and the cure for it is time.
The Yankees are in this weird position that the mandate is, to compete at the top level every year. Cashman has hired or developed quality people at every level. From Eppler to Oppenheirmer to a whole scouting staff rebuild. I agreed with his drafting strategy. Pitchers and catchers first. And then the pitchers started breaking down at the AA level. The catchers realistically need a longer time to develop.
The suits wanted production now but were unwilling to pay for overslot drafting. So while everyone else was pumping money into the drafts, the Yankees were put on a budget. Hence the Culver and Bichette drafts picks. Draft picks are like perennial gardens, you have to project that years down the road, they’ll look great.
But the Yankee suits and fans have bought into “I want it now, mantra”. So Cashman has been squeezed every year, to put a product on the field – now. Hence the successful dumpster diving, 95 wins last year. But, we want a winning product, now, this spring, this year, now. A 210 mil, scrooge product. Entitlement anyone?
Yankees were not going to spend to keep Swisher. Although I like Ichiro, I would have signed Melky for 2 years.
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When Yankees break camp, I am sure they will go with the veterans. Say hello to the Minors, Melky, Musty, etc. Girardi/Cashman love the vets.
“But the Yankee suits and fans have bought into “I want it now, mantra”. So Cashman has been squeezed every year, to put a product on the field – now”
What evidence do you have that fans have an “I want it now” mentality? We keep hearing it, but I haven’t seen any proof.
Smart management educates fans about the reason why they have to take a step back at times. The NY Giants and NJ Devils do it regularly, and they are the best run team in NY, by far, in leagues with salary caps.
In 2010, the Yankees had the opportunity to start integrating young, developing players while their stars were still likely in their prime.
Instead, Cashman traded Melky, IPK and AJack, three younger players that would have mitigated the age-related declines we are now seeing.
A year ago, he said he had offense to spare, despite the fact that the core was aging/declining. So he traded his only ML ready bat with any upside for pitcher under 26 (the most risky asset in MLB) and then had him compete for a spot in the rotation despite his velo being way down and having shoulder discomfort.
All the pitchers didn’t break down in AA. IPK, Joba, and Hughes were never giving consistent innings as starters year after year.
This is a GM who said in 2006 that he would no longer have to sign other teams’ expensive FA starters. Yet he signed CC, AJ, and Kuroda subsequent to making that assertion.
The dumpster diving is the result of Hal wanting to spend less, and the failure of Cashman’s “plan.”
Bo,
Is it all Hal’s fault? Cashman and his team get no repsonsibility for making their first picks players no one thought had first round talent?
We don’t know if Cashman has recommended anything Hal wouldn’t do. I suspect Cashman has been telling him the prospects are on the way. Well, they got lost.
The draft picks should be done by best talent available. Any other way is foolish. Isn’t that what every draft analyst in any sport has said since there have been drafts?
Why not trade Swisher and sign Beltran? Hal’s fault?
Why not sign Halliday? Brian is blameless?
I disagree it is wrong to try to win regularly. That is why they play, and the Yankees do have a huge financial advantage they choose to give away in the future.
Poor Brian. He has had more money than anyone for the last ten years. Yet, he has left us with waiver wire acquisitions since his draft and his development haven’t produced a single player who they think can help even under these circumstances. That doesn’t cause you concern?
Enough whine with your cheese. Can’t wait for the season to start and they lose their 1st game.
Hope they open up 10-0 to shut you all up. How do you stand it?!?!
I think Cashman is going to leave next year. I don’t think he wants any part of the NY media when the stuff hits the fan when they don’t even offer Cano a competive offer.
“Enough whine with your cheese”
The only one whining is you.
it’s 1984 rich, negative is the new positive…
why play the season?
“it’s 1984 rich, negative is the new positive…”
There is and always has been one constant in life: reality.
Learn it. Love it. Live it.
I am not sure if anyone follows the college ranks in advance of the amateur draft in June, but there could be some interesting names available. Same on the HS side, though I rely more on Baseball America, Keith Law, and other sites to help out on the HS front. At 27, 32, and 33, there could be some nice options available from LHPs, to possible 3b, to power righties, to up the middle talent. I cannot wait until the June draft, personally.
mick March 18th, 2013 at 4:25 pm
why play the season?
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Because we all love baseball
i think we should stop arguing about whose fault this mess is. Better argument is does the club (a) intend on expending the resources (both monetarily and through player development) to fix the problem and (b) does the club have the management, scouting, and developmental personnel to fix the problem?
austinmac March 18th, 2013 at 3:52 pm
Oppenheimer works for Cashman. Where does the buck stop with you, Tackleberry? Clearly, not with Cashman.
If you don’t see a disaster about to happen, you need to look again at the roster.
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I don’t see any disaster becuase the season hasn’t even started yet. I’ll wait to let the first month or so of the season play out before I delclare it a disaster. How do you or anyone else know whats going to happen? The pitching looks pretty good so I don’t see this team as a disaster.
It was Cashman who made Bichette aned Culver their first picks in the draft leaving all pundits scratching their heads.
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The Culver pick was such an over reach to the point that no one loved the pick.
The Yankee season will depend on its pitching. Not HR’s and scoring 8 runs a game.
We get good consistent starting pitching we will be fine.
If not…………………well you know.
@EricFisherSBJ: Developing: Yankees have sued StubHub over company’s plans to open ticket pickup location near the ballpark
Shame Spencer March 18th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
“It’s garbage time right now.”
LOL, he did not really say this, right?
He did indeed.
. How do you or anyone else know whats going to happen? The pitching looks pretty good so I don’t see this team as a disaster.
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When ppl say disaster I think they are looking at the organization overall. Declining line-up with injuries, good rotation but it has age and injury risk on it, young players two yrs away, the FO is pulling back on spending, etc.
Has Vidal Nuno already been reassigned?
“it’s 1984 rich, negative is the new positive…”
There is and always has been one constant in life: reality.
Learn it. Love it. Live it.
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Oh please enlighten us , educate us in the failure of the franchise.
Mr. mick,
Approaching the future with a hopeless and resigned attitude doesn’t strike me as joyous. I’m with you, run off a 9 for 12 streak to open the season is what I’m looking for. Anything to lighten the gloom. Of course, it would be called a fluke. Could happen, though. Hope so.
bruceb March 18th, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Shame Spencer March 18th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
“It’s garbage time right now.”
LOL, he did not really say this, right?
He did indeed.
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So all of Blake’s dumpster diving jokes had merit to it. That’s actually a bad thing now that I think about it
Poor Brian. He has had more money than anyone for the last ten years. Yet, he has left us with waiver wire acquisitions since his draft and his development haven’t produced a single player who they think can help even under these circumstances. That doesn’t cause you concern?
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And while he had more money than anyone, under his watch, nine playoff seasons. That’s a pretty good record.
uh; Phelps, Nova, Robertson, Joba, Mustelier, Nunez, Gardner don’t help?
My major beef all along, was that Cashman didn’t stand up enough to the suits and force a couple of years rebuild. He’s now on the ledge for next year, no sure things and he needs a couple of kids to break through from AA. Maybe, we’ll get lucky. But the system is awash in quality talent in A ball and down. Shows you how good the scouting system is drafting with bad position and a budget handicap.
mr tom, winning their 1st 10 might shut the enlightened ones up till they lose their 1st game .
i take that back. they will whine thru the 1st 10 saying they were lucky.
whining is reality, to live is to whine…
to whine is to win…i whine therefore i am.
whining is the new winning.
Sorry to interrupt all the gloom and doom and Cashman bashing, but it is good to see David Adams back on the field. He was hitting against Hughes in the simulated game today
uh; Phelps, Nova, Robertson, Joba, Mustelier, Nunez, Gardner don’t help?
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It helps but that’s mostly filler. Not saying they are terrible or garbage but that list includes a 28 yr old that never played in the bigs, a middle reliever, a position player that is a liability on defense, back end starters, etc. It shows you how lack luster they have been at developing.
why should they have been developing when they could buy anything they needed?
look at it as a change in ownership.
maybe it will happen again?
maybe this is the beginning of a painful transition period?
only time will tell.
harping about what you think will happen won’t change anything.
why should they have been developing when they could buy anything they needed?
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Because thats how you get young superstars? Multi-pronged approach > extreme approach. Or did they not notice that their best player is Robinson Cano.
Jerkface March 18th, 2013 at 4:41 pm
@EricFisherSBJ: Developing: Yankees have sued StubHub over company’s plans to open ticket pickup location near the ballpark
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I don’t see how they’ll ever win on this… if they do, there will be even MORE empty seats at the stadium with those ridiculous ticket floors they’re implementing. Either that, or you’ll see some incredibly cash heavy security guards for the lower levels.
“Oh please enlighten us , educate us in the failure of the franchise.”
Keep whining.
Who cares if they fire off a 10 game winning streak..? We expect this team to compete. We also expect them to have a harder time doing so than last year (when they blew a 10 game lead).
mick March 18th, 2013 at 4:57 pm
why should they have been developing when they could buy anything they needed?
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Because the game was changing and they couldn’t acquire the talent as easily as they could. I think Verducci pointed this out in his Yankee Years book with Torre.
It helps but that’s mostly filler. Not saying they are terrible or garbage but that list includes a 28 yr old that never played in the bigs, a middle reliever, a position player that is a liability on defense, back end starters, etc. It shows you how lack luster they have been at developing.
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What’s one man’s lackluster is another man’s shine. Half glass adage. The Yankee fans were told that Granderson was now, what Ajax would be in a couple of years. I voted a couple of years down the road. Phelps and IPK look pretty similar to me. Nova, before last year looked pretty impressive and so on.
I’m a big fan of Nunez. Jerked around no end, with every play could put him on the bench, never mind the minors. I remember Nunez and Gardner running riot while Jeter was hurt, a couple of years back.
But, no gambles, the sure thing, play it safe. The bean counters are watching pennies. Total oxymoron – baseball sells dreams and entertainment, with development an art form and they’re doing spread sheets yearly.
“Brian, we need a big name to sell tickets, they know Youk, no one knows Mustelier. Go to the meetings Brian but check with us before doing any trades. Bottom line you know”.
Rich in NJ, please elaborate as to exactly what you believe Cashman’s accomplishments have been since he assumed total command of the organization after the 2005 season?
Yes we blame hank for the A-roid contract extension but without the Yankee dollar in 09 they are not winning anything. Please tell us why we have the same group /the Tampa cabal in place since Cashman took over with little to show for top flight major league players on this current roster.
The question then becomes can Cashman do it when other organizations can also spend big time especially the ones who control their lucrative over air rights. Finally do you believe that Cashman would still be the GM if George were alive?