Los Angeles Yankees?

With the news of the Yankees managerial change came the subsequent news of another managerial change in the majors. The Los Angeles Dodgers made a move of their own, when their former manager Grady Little “resigned” and is set to be replaced by none other then Joe Torre. Grady Little must really hate Joe Torre, as he has no essentially cost him his job twice (the other time being when Torre’s Yankees knocked Little out of the 2003 playoffs). While nothing is official yet, Torre is expected to be offered a three year deal in the vicinity of $3.5-4 million per year (yes it is less then the Yankees offered him). Torre did not wait long to get back into the managing scene, as I for one expected him to sit out a year before returning, but he wasted little time. The fact that he did waste such little time may hint at how hostile Torre has become towards the Yankees, but maybe he just find the right situation at the right time. Torre does, after all, now lead a talented young team with bright young stars like Chad Billingsley and James Loney and no one should be surprised if they are successful next season. Torre should also like the fact that while he’s staying in a large market, he no longer has to face the absurd expectations of being forced to win every year. Los Angeles fans are much more tolerant of losing then those of us in the New York area. In addition, Torre is likely going to be joined by his former bench coach Don Mattingly. Mattingly is likely to be either Torre’s bench or hitting coach as he seems just as scorned by the Yankees as Torre. Mattingly will also enjoy the prospect of being a part of the same team as his son, Preston, someday as his son is currently a prospect in the Dodgers minor league system. Mattingly still likely believes that his best road to managing someday is to tail on Joe Torre’s coat tails. Either way, do not expect to see Torre or Mattingly at Old Timer’s Day any time soon.

Girardi In Charge

The Yankees direction less off season finally got a little direction with their new manager being announced. Joe Girardi has agreed to a 3 year, $7.5 million contract to become the new manager of the New York Yankees. Girardi follows in the footsteps of another Joe, Joe Torre, but is a needed change of pace from the man who preceded him. It was a rare occasion for Yankee fans to witness Torre being ejected from a game, as he was the consummate example of cool. Girardi is likely to be ejected twice as often as Torre was during his tenure if he should spend an extended period as manager. Girardi’s not Lou Piniella by any means, but he’s certainly more hot headed then Torre. Girardi spent four years as a player with the Yankees and won three World Series titles (1996, 1998, 1999), spent 2005 as the Yankees bench coach under Torre, and in his only season as a manger Girardi won the NL Manager of the Year award in 2006 with the Florida Marlins. Girardi led a Marlins team that people expected to be one of the worst teams of all time to a respectable 78-84 record. Girardi is known to be good with young players and the Yankees have plenty of them, his relationship with the veterans on the team is still undetermined. Girardi played with several of the players on the Yankees currently, Jeter, Posada, Rivera, and Pettitte to be specific, so he will have to earn the respect of his former teammates. Girardi is also known for his work ethic, as he often does the exercises and drills with his players as he still has the physique of a marine. He will also have to prove that he can get along with Hank and Hal, as Girardi’s tiff with Jeffrey Loria, the Marlins owner, caused his exile from the team, but if they were willing to hire him over Don Mattingly then they most be somewhat affectionate for him. Still, Girardi has some awful large shoes to fill, as the man who preceded him never failed to make the playoffs, so Girardi will be expected to do the same even after losing this season’s MVP as well as possibly some other players. The Bosses would have hesitated to fire Mattingly after a lost season, but they may not hesitate so much to do it to Girardi if need be.

Bombshell Laid on the Bombers

I told myself I would try to write as little about Alex Rodriguez and his contract situation as possible. That was before Sunday night. That night was the night that the story was leaked that Rodriguez would opt out of his contract with the New York Yankees. A-Rod had within ten days of the World Series to make this decision, but apparently he must have known all along that this was going to be his course of action, or else he did not have a whole lot to think about if he was able to make that decision this quickly. The message was passed along by his agent Scott Boras to Brian Cashman through text messages of all things. The excuse, A-Rod is concerned about the direction of the team and the uncertain situations of Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte and does not believe ten days would have been long enough to evaluate the situation. Yea, like anyone buys that one. Rodriguez could not care less about his former teammates situations make no mistake of that, he simply is chasing the money and obviously did not wish to remain with the Yankees. The Yankees, mainly Hank Steinbrenner, have reiterated their position on not re-signing Rodriguez due to the opt out. Without the money being sent to the Yankees from the Texas Rangers, the Yankees no longer seem willing to commit so much of their own money to Rodriguez. Besides, the opt out was really an insult to the Yankees anyway. As of now, this appears to be the end of the Alex Rodriguez era in New York. Perhaps the only positive from the situation is that he totally stole the Red Sox thunder.
Allow me to paint you a picture with my imagination brush. A-Rod is pretty much done as a Yankee, so any number of teams could be pursuing him. One of those suitors is likely to be the Boston Red Sox. Imagine the day that A-Rod returns to Yankee Stadium in a Red Sox uniform. Imagine that A-Rod has one of his typical seasons and is selected to the All Star Team, in Yankee Stadium, as a member of the Boston Red Sox. A-Rod will become public enemy number one in New York and the boos that will rain down on him will be off the charts. People who could not even get into the game would likely stand outside the stadium and boo just to let out their hatred on this man. A-Rod will always be known in New York as the man who could not handle the pressure, who could not produce in the big spot, could not deliver a Championship to New York, and ran away for a bigger pay check. Apparently $27 million a year is just not enough money to feed your kids. Is it not most people’s desire to make more money? Sure, it is but when you are already the highest paid player in the game and are being offered a $3 million raise per year from your team then the “wanting more money” excuse will not fly. He should not expect to make a whole lot more from another team anyway. It will be a sad day when A-Rod is inducted into the Hall of Fame and will have no team’s hat to wear into the Hall. All he should wear is a big dollar sign on his cap, as that was the only place his loyalty fell to.

Contract Gate Part 178

On the ongoing drama that is A-Rod’s contract situation, the latest news in now that Brian Cashman is near ready to propose a contract extension when they meet with him. The reports are that the extension is expected to be right around 5 years for $150 million. You don’t have to be a math major to realize that this $30 million per season extension is set to break records that this contract already held. A-Rod would then be under the Yankees control until the 2015 season and his contract from hereon out would be worth $231 million. Still, as astronomical as this all sounds it would still be a far cry from what could possibly come out of this situation. At one point, Scott Boras was talking about A-Rod possibly commanding an astounding $40 million per season! While it is still $3 million more then A-Rod had been set to make a season with another extra 5 years tacked on, it’s conceivable that Alex Rodriguez may even see this offer as an insult. This is obviously a more then fair offer but with Scott Boras behind the scenes he is almost certain to try to squeeze more out of the Yankees. If the Yankees can actually land A-Rod at this price then it would almost be a bargain to keep the best player in the game for a price tag that at least didn’t hit ten digits. One could argue that there may be better things to do with the money that could field a whole team, but Rodriguez’s production would still be impossible to replace in the Yankees lineup by just one player. This offer could be seen as a test to A-Rod’s loyalty to the Yankees, as if he truly wants to stay a Yankee no matter what then he should jump at this offer. If he’s been listening to Brian Cashman’s statements about not pursuing him if he opts out of his contract then he should take this offer. The window for A-Rod to opt out of his contract will be closing soon, as the Red Sox are likely to finish off this World Series sooner rather then later (yea I said it) so 10 days later he’ll have to make his decision. Cashman is trying to end this soon as he’d probably like to put this and the Yankees managerial opening behind him as soon as possible. Unfortunately for him, even after the two biggest off season priorities are taken care of he’ll still have plenty of work to do.

A Good Start

The Yankees off season may have begun quite a bit sooner then they would have hoped for, but the real off season is about to get under way. The Yankees off season, unlike most recent years, will mainly consist of keeping their own players under contract. At one of their many meetings, the Yankees hierarchy has decided that their first move of the off season will be to pick up Bobby Abreu’s $16 million option for next season. That was probably the easiest decision they’ll have to make this off season. Abreu finished up the 2007 season at .283-16-101-123-25 and there’s no reason to believe that he’s not capable of putting up a similar line next season. After a May in which Abreu hit only .208 most people were glad that the Yankees could rid themselves of Abreu this off season and were hoping to do it even sooner. However, in a second half that he hit .305 with 11 HR’s and 60 RBI’s Abreu again put himself back into the Yankees plans for the 2008 season. Abreu’s patient approach at the plate still fits in perfectly in the Yankees’ lineup and sets up the rest of the hitters that hit behind him. The tougher decision will come for the Yankees after next season when they have to decide whether to sign Abreu to a new contract or to move in a different direction. Abreu will be 34 at that point and will if he has another season like this one then he will likely command a four year commitment to re-sign. At that point, it may be time to hand right field over to top prospect Jose Tabata or at least require a short stop gap before he is ready, which would make Abreu expendable. It all makes you wonder what the Phillies were thinking when they gave Abreu up for a bunch of no names (CJ Henry and Matt Smith were the biggest names of the deal, wow).

Prospect Profile: Eric Duncan

Once a shining star from Seton Hall Prep School, Yankees minor league slugger Eric Duncan has fallen on some hard times. Duncan has failed to hit above .250 since 2004, but things were not always such a struggle for Duncan. Duncan was once highly touted, as he was selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2003 draft. The 6’1, 205 lb 3rd baseman debuted in professional baseball as an 18 year old and debuted he did, when he hit .278 with the GCL Yankees and was then promoted to the single A Staten Island Yankees where he hit .373. Unfortunately, Duncan’s stock was never that high again. Duncan’s power improved, as he hit 16 home runs in 2004 and then 19 in 2005, but his batting average plummeted to .257 and then .235 respectively. Back problems hindered Duncan from then on out, as he never seemed to truly bounce back and prove himself in the minors, and he has compiled just a .250 average in his minor league career. Despite not really seeming to improve much, Duncan has steadily climbed the ladder in the Yankees minor league system as he finished up the 2007 season in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Duncan was touted as a power hitter when he was drafted, but with 60 career home runs in 1878 pro at bats, the power has not exactly translated. Duncan will either have to vastly improve his power numbers or his batting average if he ever hopes to be a useful regular in the big leagues. Duncan has had a decent walk rate in the minors (237 in his career) but they fail to adequately offset his strikeouts as he has whiffed a disturbing 454 times in the minors (nearly a 2-1 K-BB ratio). Duncan began toying with 1st base in 2006, likely because he was being blocked at 3B by Alex Rodriguez and 1st base was his fastest track to the majors. The Yankees were surely hoping that Duncan would step up and claim the Yankees vacant 1st base job, but he failed to do so. First base is still wide open for the Yankees, but Duncan would have to improve dramatically to be an option for the Yankees any time soon. Duncan’s 17 errors in 34 games in 2003 and 26 errors in 123 games in 2004 seemed to indicate that first base or the outfield would have been Duncan’s eventual home anyway. Duncan will be 23 at the start of the 2008 season, so there is still time for him to turn it around and become a contributor in the majors. However, it now seems like Duncan’s ceiling is a Shelly Duncan type career then of a truly top prospect. Duncan will likely begin 2008 as AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s everyday first baseman, and it seems very possible that Duncan could spend time with the big club next season.

Calling Your Bluff

Alex Rodriguez’s contract situation is something that promises to be the Yankees main storyline throughout the off season. In fact it is probably the only thing that will take the attention off of the Yankees managerial opening. Once that position is filled, Brian Cashman and the rest of the Yankees front office will turn their full attention to Alex Rodriguez. Brian Cashman has made his opinion on the infamous opt out clause pretty clear, that if A-Rod opts out of his contract then the Yankees will not negotiate with him. Cashman is, however, prepared to possibly offer Rodriguez an enormous contract extension to sway him away from opting out. If this were true, it would be bad news for A-Rod and Scott Boras, as without the Yankees in the mix A-Rod will never be able to receive the record breaking contract he covets, as his price tag is unlikely to be brought up as much by the other teams. Cashman has reiterated this statement several times, but it remains to be seen if he will stick by these statements should it actually happen. Brian Cashman does not want to be the man that allowed one of the greatest players who ever played the game to walk away from the Yankees, so I for one wonder if he will stick by his words if A-Rod should become a free agent. These statements by Cashman could simply be a ploy to keep A-Rod from opting out so that the Texas Rangers can continue to send the Yankees money for A-Rod’s contract. The fact of the matter is, 54 home runs are irreplaceable in any lineup, even the Yankees, and Wilson Betemit or Mike Lowell would be far from adequate replacements. Much has been made of A-Rod’s post season play, but the Yankees need him, plain and simple. Cashman would not look good if he were to go back on his statements and still offer A-Rod a huge contract after he opts out, but he would likely take the hit for the good of the team. I, for one, do not believe that Cashman is just going to sit on his hands and allow A-Rod to go sing with the Boston Red Sox or some other team. Only time will tell, but it promises to be a dark cloud hanging over Yankee stadium until it is resolved.

Those be Fightin Words

After Joe Torre’s declination of the Yankees contract off and his press conference last Friday, most people were quick to attack the Yankees front office for not trying harder to keep Joe Torre around. Well, the Yankees front office is attacking back. Hank Steinbrenner showed that the next generation of Steinbrenner’s will not be much kinder and gentler then George. In reacting to Joe Torre’s statement that the Yankees contract offer was an insult, Hank Steinbrenner essentially told Joe Torre that he had no right to complain and that the Yankees made his career. “Where was Joe's career in '95 when my dad hired him?" said Hank. “My dad was crucified for hiring him.” He also went on to say that he believed the contract was completely fair and that he had hoped that Torre would accept it. He backed off his statements a bit, calling Torre a great manager and class act, but the message was clear that Hank was not happy about Torre’s reaction to the contract offer. The Steinbrenner’s were likely also upset about the media’s portrayal of the situation, as mostly everyone sided with Joe Torre. If nothing else, these statements cemented Hank Steinbrenner as a potential strong leader and perhaps as a worthy successor to his father. He may even end up with sole possession of the team if he wrestles the rest of the power away from his brother Hal. George Steinbrenner never would have shied away from a confrontation, even with a beloved figure such as Joe Torre, and Hank has show that he is not afraid of that either. Maybe he does have what it take to survive in this town…

Prospect Profile: Jeffrey Marquez

Remember the days when the Yankees farm system was described as one of the most barren in baseball? Well as I’ve been highlighting those days are long gone, especially in the pitching department. The next in a long line of these young pitching prospects is Jeffrey Marquez. The 23 year old right hander was selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2004 draft. The 6’2, 175 lb starting pitcher has never sported an ERA over 4.00 in his professional career. He debuted with a splash with the GCL Yankees with a 0.63 ERA and 18 K’s in 14.1 innings as a 19 year old. Marquez has a career minor league ERA of 3.40, but his K rate was not quite as good as indicated by his rookie showing, as his 6.78 K/9 is good but not amazing. Marquez has given up hits, as he’s allowed 474 in 458 innings, but his real strength is his control, as he has a superb BB/9 rate of 3.12 (better then a 2-1 K-BB ratio). Marquez most recently went 15-9 with a 3.40 ERA for the Trenton Thunder in the 2007 season.
Marquez features a repertoire that has become typical of a Yankees minor league pitching prospect (as this is what minor league pitching coach Nardi Contreras believes are some of the best pitches to throw). He features a four seem and a two seem fastball, changeup, and curveball. Marquez is somewhat of a sinkerballer, but his fastball can reach 94 mph and comparisons to Chien-Ming Wang are not unwarranted. Other then his sinking fastball, Marquez’s changeup is also one of the best in the minor leagues, while his curveball is above average as well. Marquez will get many groundball outs in the big league’s, but should maintain a better K rate then Wang has due to his changeup. Marquez certainly has the talent and the track record to start the 2008 season in AAA, but with the crowded rotation in the Yankees upper minor leagues, he may have to wait for his chance and start the year back in AA Trenton. Still, a fast start and Marquez could easily find himself in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Marquez has the talent and potential to even reach the major leagues at some point next season, but that seems unlikely. As long as the wheels don’t come off this season, then Marquez seems to be a lock to make his major league debut by the all star break of 2009.

An offer he shouldn't have refused

The long wait is over… sort of. Joe Torre has officially turned down the Yankees offer of a one year, $5 million contract with an extra $3 million in incentives and an option for a second year. This effectively ends Torre’s 12 year run as Yankees manager in which he led the Bombers to one of their most successful runs in franchise history. The week and a half long hold out ended in a conclusive manner with Torre’s rejection of the team’s offer. It begs the question of why Torre did reject it. Was it the $2 million pay cut of his base salary? Perhaps, it is a substantial pay cut, but even with that he still would have been the highest paid manager in baseball and if Torre led the team to the World Series then he would have received $1 million more then he had been getting paid in recent years. Many are calling this an unfair offer that Torre had no choice but to reject, but since when is $5 million a slap in the face? Lou Piniella and Tony Larussa have a comparable track record to Joe Torre but did not feel insulted when they were offered less money then Torre was offered now. If Torre loved this job as much as he often stated he did, then he should not have let that pay cut effect his desire to return to the team.
On the other hand, Torre should have no need to prove himself to the Yankees organization, as he has taken this team to the World Series in half of his years as the Yankees manager. The incentive laden contract essentially is telling Torre to prove himself, so it could be seen as insulting. Torre even stated during his press conference that “that kind of motivation was not needed” and that he took them “as an insult”, so it seemed to be quite the mitigating factor in his decision. Also, I’m sure if my boss wanted me to come back to work at severely reduced pay I’d be upset as well. Either way, Torre is gone and the Yankees will have to move on with a new man in the dugout. It is indeed the end of an era, but all good things must come to an end and whoever does replace Torre as the Yankees manager will still have a talented team to work with, so the Yankees success does not have to end just because Joe Torre’s reign has. Torre’s relationship with the organization has also taken what may be irreparable damage, as when asked about a possible return to the organization for an event or some sort of role, Torre could only say “I’m not prepared to comment on that right now”. Yea, that’s a no.

Mo' Problems

As if the Yankees did not have enough drama going on already, the will have to face the reality of what Joe Torre’s departure will mean for the rest of the players. The first and most obvious impact will be on free agent Mariano Rivera. Rivera was quoted as saying after the news about Joe Torre broke that the Yankees were “1 of 30 teams now”. Rivera seems genuinely upset at the Yankees organization not only for the way his contract situation was handled but now that Torre will not be back as the Yankees manager. These problems stem all the way back to spring training when Rivera stated his preference to have his contract situation resolved before the season started and then his displeasure when it wasn’t. He later stated that he would test free agency, that the Yankees would not get any home town discount, and now that they are just one of 30 teams. Losing the greatest closer of all time would obviously be a huge blow to the team, and it would likely cause the Yankees to reverse course and revert Joba Chamberlain back into a reliever. There is little doubt in anyone’s mind that if need, Chamberlain could do for the Yankees what Jonathan Papelbon has done for the Red Sox, but he still will not be Mariano Rivera. The Phillies are the most prominent pursuers of Rivera’s services, but it could be conceivable that most of the teams in the league would be willing to convert their current closers into setup men to make room for Rivera. The loss of Rivera would also be detrimental to the psyche of the Yankee fans, as they will be without Joe Torre and now Mariano Rivera and it could set a bad trend for other players with questionable returns such as Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte. My gut instinct still tells me that as long as the Yankees are willing to match any other offer he receives on the open market; Rivera will still be a Yankee next season. Cashman would be wise to resolve this situation quickly if for nothing else then to help sway the other free agents to stay.

If not Joe, then Who?

Joe Torre’s status as the Yankees manager continues to be left in limbo, and could remain so for awhile even after the meeting of the Yankees hierarchy meets in Tampa. I have stated that I, personally, still believe that Joe Torre is the best choice for the job, but assuming he does not return to the Yankees for a 13th season, then who should replace him? The names that have most often been mentioned for this position are Tony Larussa, Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi, Buck Showalter, and Bobby Valentine. Perhaps the best news for Yankee fans is that the Cincinnati Reds already hired Dusty Baker as their new manager, eliminating any chance of him becoming the next Yankees manager and ruining the careers of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy. Anyway, I’m going to outline the pros and cons of each of the 5 main candidates to replace Torre should he not be brought back.

Tony Larussa

Pros- Larussa is by far the most experienced and well established candidates on the list. In 28 seasons as the manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A’s, and St. Louis Cardinals, Larussa has compiled a 2375-2070 record (.534 winning percentage), five pennants, and two World Series rings. The four time Manager of the Year ranks 3rd on the all time managerial wins list behind only John McGraw and Connie Mack. Larussa led the 83 win Cardinals to the 2006 World Series title and probably does not receive enough credit for leading a not so talented team to a championship.

Cons- A lot of people believe that Larussa was fortunate to walk into good managerial situations like with in Oakland with “the Bash Brothers” and his early Cardinals years again with Mark McGuire and later Albert Pujols. He’s also only managed in a smaller market city such as Oakland and a city where they love everything in St. Louis, so its uncertain whether he will be able to handle the scrutiny in New York. Even more uncertain is whether he could handle George Steinbrenner. He’ll also likely command at least the same amount of money the Yankees have been paying Joe Torre over the past few seasons.

Don Mattingly

Pros- Donnie Baseball appears to have been mentored by Torre personally to take over the managerial job someday, and this may be the day. Mattingly is also a “true Yankee” which could appeal to the fans and to the Boss. He also knows the current team well after serving as bench coach and hitting coach before that.

Cons- The obvious one is that Mattingly has no managerial experience, but everyone has to start somewhere. Also, Mattingly would feature the same style of managing that Torre used, and teams often would like to head in an opposite direction when changing managers.


Joe Girardi

Pros- Girardi already has a Manager of the Year award under his belt after only a season as the manager of the Florida Marlins in 2006. Girardi led a Marlins team that everybody expected to be one of the worst teams of all time to a 78-84 record. The fact that the Marlins took a step backwards this year to a 71-91 record without Girardi would seem to indicate that he had something to do with their success. Girardi also seems skilled at handling young players, which the Yankees now have plenty of.

Cons- Girardi still has limited experience and that experience was with perhaps the smallest market out there. Girardi also feuded with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, which led to his exile from Florida, so it makes you wonder how he will get along with the Steinbrenner’s. There also remains several of Girardi’s former teammates on the Yankees, which could make it harder for Girardi to command respect from those players.

Buck Showalter

Pros- The two time AL Manager of the Year has experience in New York, as he managed the Yankees from 1992-1995. In Arizona, he arrived with a 65 win team and then turned it into a 100 win team in one season. In 1995 he led the Yankees to their first playoff berth since 1981. His stricter and harsher managerial style would be a nice contrast from Torre’s laid back style.

Cons- Showalter has been out of baseball for a year now and his inability to take a blooming Texas Rangers team to the next level is discouraging. His .514 career winning percentage as a manager is not all that inspiring either. He has also never brought a team to the World Series.

Bobby Valentine

Pros- Bobby Valentine has plenty of experience in New York, managing the New York Mets for seven seasons and leading them to the 2000 World Series. His style is also quite different then Joe Torre’s, but that’s about where the good things end.

Cons- Valentine has been out of American baseball since 2002, as he has been managing a team in Japan for several years now. He claims to be happy in Japan and in no hurry to return to Major League Baseball, so it would likely take quite a commitment from the Yankees to pry him away. His .510 career winning percentage is also less then stellar.

New Bosses in Town

In breaking news, George Steinbrenner is old. At 77 years old, his health is declining at an unconfirmed rate and it is no secret that he can’t be “The Boss” forever. At one point, it seemed almost certain that Steinbrenner’s successor would be his son-in-law Steve Swindal, but after a drunk driving incident and a divorce from George’s daughter, Swindal is no longer an option for that position. That left the question of who would be the sole successor to Steinbrenner completely unanswered. Well that question has now been answered, well sort of. Steinbrenner’s sons, Hank and Hal, have taken over as the main heads of the Yankees organization, with George still a “main consultant” of the team. Supposedly, all decisions will be finalized by Hank and Hal, but assuming that George is still lucid, you can bet that he still has the final word on all matters. Once George passes on, it now seems rather certain that Hank and Hal will share the duties as long as they are both willing, similar to the situation the New York football Giants were put in when their owners Wellington Mara and Robert Tisch passed away and their sons took over the franchise together. I’m not saying that George is about to suffer a similar fate, but this seems like a sign that his health is not as great as it once was. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner will have to make an immediate decision on the future of the Yankees managerial position, as well as future decisions such as the details of the new Yankee Stadium. One thing is for certain, Hank and Hal have some big shoes to fill if they hope to live up to the dynamic reputation of their father.

Prospect Profile: Austin Jackson

The Yankees outfield of the future is beginning to get a bit crowded. With Melky Cabrera already a fixture of the future in CF for the Yankees and stud prospect Jose Tabata on the way, the Yankees will have little need to sign a big time outfielder in the foreseeable future. Not to be overlooked is yet another rising outfield star in the Yankees system, Austin Jackson. Jackson was drafted by the Yankees in the 8th round of the 2005 draft out of high school and he is a 6’1, 205 lb right handed hitting center fielder. The 20 year old was not expected to sign with the Yankees when they drafted him, as he was a highly touted basketball prospect as well (a 4 star guard from rivals.com) and already was offered a full scholarship to play basketball at Georgia Tech. However, like many other young multi sport athletes, Jackson chose baseball and began the 2005 season with the GCL Yankees. He hit .304 in 2005 and in his first extended play in 2006 with single A Charleston, Jackson hit only .258 but stole 36 bases. Jackson has hit .283 overall in his minor league career with 17 HR’s, 120 RBI’s, and 79 SB’s in 1176 at bats and is showing the signs of a 5 tool player. Jackson has above average defense in center, an above average arm and speed but not amazingly so in any of those categories. The biggest concern with Jackson should be his strikeouts, as he struck out an astounding 152 times in 2006 as opposed to only 60 walks.
Austin Jackson is still a very raw talent, as he was not focused 100% on baseball until he was drafted by the Yankees. Now that basketball is out of the picture, Jackson should continue to improve and has the potential to be a Tori Hunter type hitter but with less defensive skills. A few all star appearances are not out of the question. Jackson did strike out 51 times less in 2007 then in 2006 so it is a promising sign of his development. At only 20 years old, Jackson appeared in three games for the double AA Trenton, but did not bat. As noted earlier, the Yankees young outfield is becoming crowded and with the veterans blocking him and Jose Tabata ahead of him in the pecking order, Jackson may have to wait awhile before receiving an extended look from the Yankees. Since the Yankees have no need to rush Jackson, he may begin the 2008 season in single A Tampa, but they could be aggressive and start him in Trenton. Either way, he’s likely to finish the year in Trenton and is unlikely to see the big leagues before 2009 at the very earliest.

Rocket's Farewell

Lost in the shuffle of Joe Torre’s job being in limbo, another early exit for the Yankees from the playoffs, and all of the other general mayhem in Yankee land is that last Sunday, October 7th, we all likely saw what is to be the end of Roger Clemens career. While no official announcement has been made yet, and likely won’t for awhile, Clemens last pitch in Game 3 of the ALDS vs. Cleveland was likely his last pitch of a storied career. Clemens performance this season has likely dropped off enough where he will finally decide to hang ‘em up for good. Clemens body no longer seems able to withstand the wear and tear of even a half a season, as he battled many injuries ranging from his hamstring, groin, and elbow throughout the season. Clemens finished the 2007 campaign at 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA and finished his illustrious career 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA and 4672 K’s. Clemens ranks 8th on the all time wins list and 2nd on the all time strikeout list and is obviously a first round ballot hall of famer. Which hat he wears in the HOF is another question, although it still seems likely to be the Red Sox. Clemens has won 2 World Series rings, both with the Yankees, and has appeared in 6 World Series all together (1 with Boston, 4 with the Yankees, and 1 with the Astros). Clemens work ethic and conditioning are well documented, and it’s the main reason he’s been able to pitch to the age of 45. At some points, even as late as the 2006 season, it seemed as if Clemens would be able to pitch forever. However, seeing as how his ERA nearly doubled this year from last year’s 2.30 ERA, the Rocket may choose to finally call it a career now that he no longer seems capable of performing at the level he has been accustomed to.
Of course, in another twist of events, when asked about retirement on October 12th, Clemens would not rule out another return in the 2008 season. When asked about retirement, Clemens said: "You know, I haven't been very good at this. I thought last year was good. I thought three or four years ago was good.” On the other hand, Clemens wife Debbie has been quoted as saying that she thinks its time for Roger to finally retire. "I think he's ready to do the barbecue and come home,” Debbie said of her husband. Clemens seems unlikely to make a decision anytime soon, but if some team is still willing to give him a pro-rated $28 million for half a season then he may be tempted to return for a 25th season. The Yankees seems unlikely to go that route again, unless Clemens agrees to a severely reduced pay (fat chance) or perhaps if it would sway Andy Pettitte to return next season. The Astros seem somewhat feasible to land Clemens for next season even after being burned by him last season, if nothing else then for the crowd draw. If this truly is it for Roger Clemens, one of the greatest pitchers of all time, then it is somewhat sad that he exited to a smattering of boos in his last appearance, while leaving after an injury in the playoffs. At least he can look back at his exit in the 2003 World Series to see his proper farewell, the first time he retired.

The Lesser of Two Evils

Yankee fans are put in an awkward situation for this year’s ALCS. The matchup between the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox makes a Yankee fan wonder: who to root for? Of course, a lot of Yankee fans will choose option C of apathy, but the true baseball fans will still at least have moderate interest in the outcome. To root for the team that just knocked ours out of the playoffs, or to root for our arch-rivals. Neither side seems too attractive, but Yankee fans are likely to hear a lot less smack talk from Indian fans if they win then if the Red Sox were to win it all. Of course, there’s also less shame in losing to the World Series champions, so if the Indians were to win it all then it could soften the blow that the Yankees took by losing to them. Unfortunately, the Red Sox are already up one game to none in the series, but it is still very conceivable that the Indians could come back to win the series, especially considering the Red Sox will be pitching Tim Wakefield for the first time in nearly a month for Game 4. If the Red Sox were to win the World Series for the second time in four seasons then Yankee fans will never hear the end of it, so that is the main reason I will be rooting for the Cleveland Indians in this series. At least the Rockies could make this argument irrelevant with the way they have been playing.

Prospect Profile: Marcos Vechionacci

The last time the Yankees promoted a homegrown infielder to their roster to play a major role, his name was Robinson Cano. Needless to say that promotion has gone well, so who else do the Yankees have lurking in their minor leagues as far as infielders go? One of those lurkers is third baseman Marcos Vechionacci. Vechionacci, now 21, is a 6’2, 170 lb third baseman with experience at SS and 2B and has the makings of a future gold glover. His defensive prowess is equal to modern day stars such as Eric Chavez and Scott Rolen, the two players he is most often compared to. Vechionacci was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Yankees pack in 2002 as a ripe 16 year old and has now spent 4 seasons in the Yankees minor league system. Vechionacci has had only moderate success in the minor leagues thus far as he is a career .258 hitter in his minor league career with 16 homers and 190 RBI’s in 1613 AB’s, as well as 40 stolen bases. Vechionacci came out of the gates strong, hitting .336 in the Yankees GCL Rookie League as an 18 year old and then .292 in low A Staten Island. However, he has failed to hit higher then .266 at any level since then, but has been able to move through the Yankees minor league system, ending up in AA Trenton at the finish of the 2007 season.
Make no mistake that Vechionacci’s claim to fame is his fielding, but he is believed to one day become a legitimate 5 tool player. Vechionacci also features a keen eye at the plate, but he also compliments that with plenty of K’s. This may keep Vechionacci from becoming a typical .300 hitter in the majors unless he cuts down on the K’s, but he could become something of a Troy Glaus hitter with Scott Rolen’s glove. Vechionacci has featured a clean bill of health throughout as well, never missing any significant time due to injury. Vechionacci could begin the 2008 season with the AA Trenton Thunder and with a good performance could quickly find himself in AAA Scraton/Wilkes-Barre and as one of the first men available as a replacement for the big club. The biggest variable for Vechionacci’s arrival date as a major player for the Yankees is whether Alex Rodriguez sticks around after this season with the Yankees or not. If A-Rod should leave, Vechionacci could be up as soon as next season, as the Yankees will hesitate less to rush him due to the steady defense he can deliver right away. However, if A-Rod wishes to remain in New York then Vechionacci could automatically find himself just as trade bait, as he’ll be blocked by A-Rod, Cano, and Jeter/ Alberto Gonzalez at all of the positions he seems capable of playing. Vechionacci will have to have a strong season in 2008 to become a main focus of the Yankees plans for the future regardless.

So Long Joe

Some current Yankee fans are not even old enough to remember a time when Joe Torre was not the Yankees manager. I’m almost one of them, only vaguely remembering the Buck Showalter regime. Torre has been the Yankees manager for the past 12 seasons, compiling a 1173-767 record as the Yankees skipper, winning four World Series, 6 AL Pennants, and appearing in the playoffs for all 12 seasons. Think about it for a second, Joe Torre went to the World Series in HALF the years he was manager of the Yankees. Those World Series appearances combined with his .605 regular season winning percentage still are not enough to satisfy George Steinbrenner. Torre is on the verge of likely being “fired” (his contract is technically up but it is essentially a firing) despite the success he has had. Steinbrenner seems to desperately want another World Series ring before he passes and Torre’s recent failures in the playoffs have tested the Boss’s temper for long enough. The new Yankees manager will likely come from a list of Tony Larussa, Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi, Buck Showalter, or Bobby Valentine, but what exactly are any of them going to do that Joe Torre would not have done (except perhaps manage the bullpen a little better). This isn’t about whether or not the Manager’s role is overrated (which it is) but if Torre already has the player’s respect and proves he can get to the post season year in and year out then why dump him? Say what you will, but Joe Torre is still the best man for this job, as the other candidates are either unproven, proven but not proven to be any good, or seemingly unable to handle the pressure in New York as opposed to that in say Oakland or St. Louis. Throw in the fact that keeping Torre may help significantly in keeping Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte and it almost seems like a no-brainer to keep him. Alas, Torre still remains unlikely to return next season, the end of an era that has seen as much success for the Yankees as any other. It’s sad, but nothing can last forever, and Joe Torre should be remembered as a great Yankee, have his number retired, and always be cherished in the hearts of the fans who were fortunate enough to witness this monumental run.

New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians Series Wrap Up

Unfortunately, this is also a season wrap up after the Yankees were defeated in the ALDS by the Cleveland Indians, culminating with the 6-3 defeat Monday night. The Yankees were unable to mount a Dallas Cowboys type comeback as the ‘Boys simultaneously did as the Yankees went down. The Yankees failed to escape the first round of the playoffs for the 3rd year in a row, failed to appear in a World Series for the 4th year, and failed to win a World Series for the 7th year in a row, a drought of immense proportions for the Yankees. Chien-Ming Wang, pitching on 3 days rest, failed to make it out of the second inning and capped a dreadful series for him as well as for Yankees captain Derek Jeter. This series marked the end of many era’s, the most likely being the last of Joe Torre as the Yankees manager as well as the end of Roger Clemens career in a not so fitting way, as well as what could potentially be the end of Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Bobby Abreu, and Andy Pettitte in pinstripes. It’s unlikely that Cashman will let most of those guys escape but it could be a potential doomsday for the Bombers to lose such a huge portion of the team. Here’s a breakdown of the series as a whole from the Yankees perspective:

Would- Have Been Hero: Johnny Damon- Damon has created quite the resume of his postseason pedigree and this series proved that he can do it with the Yankees just like he did with the Red Sox. Yankee fans will remember Damon’s heart breaking grand slam off of Javier Vasquez in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS that put the final nail in the Yankees coffin, but now that Damon is doing it for the Yankees its much easier to swallow. Damon had 2 HR’s and 5 RBI’s this series, as well as a tremendous catch in left field in Game 4 that saved a couple of runs and gave the Yankees a legitimate chance to come back in the 9th. His play this series has even likely saved his roster spot for 2008, as he seems unlikely to be shopped after his strong second half and performance in this series.
Runners Up- Andy Pettitte and Robinson Cano

Goat- Chien- Ming Wang: It could be argued that Wang single handedly cost the Yankees this series with his putrid performances in Games 1 and 4. Wang went 0-2 with a 19.06 ERA this series and now features a career playoff ERA of 7.58. The 19 game winner only pitched a combined 5.2 innings in his 2 starts and left the Yankees in a big hole in both games. There is little doubt now that Andy Pettitte should have started Game 1 of the series and is the Yankees true ace. Wang also proved that he should never again be considered one of the elite pitchers in this league, at least not to the extent that Josh Beckett or C.C. Sabathia are true aces.
Runner Up- Derek Jeter (Batted .176 this series)

Turning Point: “Bug Gate”- Joba Chamberlain picked a bad time to blow his first career save in Game 2 of this series, although he did so without even allowing a hit and it was aided by a swarm of bugs. This swarm can be taken as nothing short of an omen out of the Bible for the Yankees, as Joba’s wild pitch and subsequent blown save put the Yankees down 0-2 in the series and gave them a hole they were never able to climb out of.

This series certainly did not go the way the Yankees wanted. Despite the fact that the Yankees were the 2-1 favorite to win the World Series, they fell to the team they swept twice during the regular season and went into the night and into what is sure to be an uneasy and eventful off season. I plan to go more deeply into different aspects of the series, this is just the general wrap up so don’t fret my loyal readers.

Big Game Wang?

Chien-Ming Wang has been the Yankees ace for the past two seasons now, winning 19 games in both seasons and recording ERA’s of 3.70 or lower in both. However, that success has not carried over in October for Wang, at least not to the same degree as it was in the regular season. After Thursday night’s debacle in Cleveland, Wang now features a post season pitching line of 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP in 18 career post season innings, 3 starts. Sounds bad right? However, it’s still better then it looks, as Wang’s numbers are now quite skewed by his one really bad start on Thursday, as prior to that he had a sparkling post season ERA of 2.75. In the 2005 ALDS against Anaheim, Wang pitched well enough to win but his defense let him down as he was charged with 3 unearned runs and Wang won game 1 of the 2006 ALDS against Detroit, pitching a workman’s 6.2 innings, 3 ER performance. Thursday’s 4.2 innings, 9 hit, 8 ER disaster left his post season numbers as what they are, but to call him a choker would be unfair. Wang’s 5-7 BB-K ratio is a far cry from his regular season 59-104 he sported this year, so perhaps his nerves could be affecting his control, but that’s a number more likely effected by his style of pitching and lack of K’s in general. Two things, however, a fan should like about Wang for post season play would be his control of the running game, as opposing runners have been caught 22 times and have stolen 32 bases on him in his career, and the steady, reliable defense he brings from the pitcher’s position as he only has 2 career errors in 146 total chances. So what does this all mean, it means the Yankees ace is not in the same league as Josh Beckett or Brandon Webb, but the Yankees should still not hesitate to send him out for a possible Game 5 rematch with Sabathia and should still remain confident in the quit Taiwanese pitcher who never seems to get rattled, even after a start like his in Game 1.

Individual Player Grades: The Pitchers

Chien-Ming Wang- Despite missing the first month of the season with a hamstring injury, Chien-Ming Wang still managed to win 19 games for the second consecutive year and with a little better luck he could have easily recorded his first career 20 win season. Wang finished the year at 19-7 with a 3.70 ERA, a near carbon copy of his 2006 season in which he finished second in the CY Young voting. Wang won’t finish that high in the voting this season with superior competition, but a second straight highly successful season should ease the Yankees worries that 2006 could have been a fluke and they should now know that they can count on Wang as their ace for years to come. Wang should be receiving a long term contract extension from the Yankees any time now and his substantial raise from $489,500 in 2007 will be well deserved.
Grade- A-

Andy Pettitte- Andy Pettitte’s return to the Bronx should be seen as an unmitigated success, especially when one remembers back to April when Pettitte was the lone fixture in a Yankees rotation in flux with injuries and indecision. Pettitte got off to a fantastic start to the season, sporting an ERA under 3 as late as June 14th, but was plagued with poor run support for the early part of the season as he only had a 4-4 record at that point. Pettitte finished the year 15-9 with a 4.05 ERA, but his ERA should have been lower if he were not knocked around for 9 runs in 5 innings on a meaningless game in the second to last game of the season. Pettitte still had a fine season and the Yankees would welcome him back should he decide to pitch another season and pick up his player option for the 2008 season.
Grade- B+

Roger Clemens- The Rocket’s return to the Bronx made its share of headlines, but Clemens actual return to the mound may have paled in comparison to its build up. Clemens pedestrian 6-6 record and 4.18 ERA hardly seem to be worth a pro rated $28 million, but its also important to remember that the Yankees really began to take off when Clemens arrived and his mentoring to the young pitchers helps make up for his somewhat mediocre pitching. Clemens battled a myriad of injuries this season, ranging from a fatigued groin, foot, hamstring, and elbow problems, but that should be expected from a 45 year old pitcher. The 2007 season seems almost certain to be Clemens last now that his performance is starting to substantially drop off and his body is breaking down, but Roger Clemens is certainly hard to predict and another mid season return in 2008 can not be ruled out. If Clemens delivers in the post season, then I’m sure the Yankees will think he’s worth every penny of that pro rated $28 million.
Grade- C+

Mike Mussina- After a stellar 2006 season in which he went 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA, the wheels came off on Mike Mussina’s 2007 campaign. Not even in his wildest dreams did Mussina envision himself being exiled from the Yankees rotation at any point in time, but sure enough Mussina was yanked from the rotation in favor of rookie Ian Kennedy. Moose did eventually regain his spot and pitched quite effectively for the most part after doing so, going 3-0 with a 3.35 ERA after being reinstated in the rotation and regaining Joe Torre’s trust. He even pitched himself back into the plans for the post season rotation. Mussina’s overall line of 11-10 with a 5.15 ERA is still not what the Yankees wanted after signing him to a 2 year deal this offseason and he’ll still likely have to battle for a rotation spot next season if he’s not traded or out right released.
Grade- D+

Phil Hughes- The long awaited debut of the Yankees phenom Phil Hughes finally happened this season with mixed results. Hughes looked awful at times but brilliant at others. Many will remember Hughes masterpiece against the Texas Rangers in his second career start when he was taken out of a no hitter in the 7th inning due to injury. Hughes overall line is 5-3 with a 4.46 ERA and Hughes was on a roll to finish the season and its questionable on whether he should have been in the Yankees post season rotation over Mike Mussina. These were my thoughts earlier on Hughes pitching but in brief his velocity is down and his pitching is more of a finesse style then the power pitcher he was touted as in the minors. I expect Hughes to break out and possibly be the Yankees most effective starter next season, but Hughes still had a respectable debut this season.
Grade- B-

Kei Igawa- I would not even bother listing him but with the Yankees paying a $26 million posting fee for him plus his 5 year, $20 million contract I really have no choice but to grade Igawa. To say Igawa’s signing would was a disaster would be an understatement, as Igawa was awful for the Yankees this season going 2-3 with a 6.25 ERA and being banished to the minor leagues. The Yankees are still on the hook for Igawa for 4 more years which makes it even worse, but he appears likely to be traded this off season, most likely to San Diego who has expressed interest in him. The only thing that will save him from an F is his 6 shut out inning relief performance against Boston earlier this season.
Grade- F+

Carl Pavano- Remember him, the Yankees opening day starter in 2007? Most Yankee fans would like not to, but his four year, $39.95 million contract can not be forgotten as the Yankees are still on the hook for Pavano for one more season. Pavano underwent Tommy John Surgery back in June and will be out for the first half of the 2008 season, as if it really matters. Pavano will not pitch for the Yankees again and his signing will go down as one of the worst in Yankees history. He was 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA before being shelved for good.
Grade- F

Joba Chamberlain- The converted minor league starter to reliever, Joba Chamberlain took the league by storm as a rookie. The flame throwing right hander went 2-0 with a 0.38 and 34 K’s in 24 innings. Joba’s 98 mph+ fastball and devastating slider have been the cause for his instant success as a reliever, but his plus curveball and changeup are going to waste in the pen and still show that his future should belong in the rotation. Chamberlain’s future is as bright as can be regardless of where he ends up and this small sampling is enough to make Yankee fans salivate.
Grade- A

Luis Vizcaino- Vizcaino’s numbers make him look like a starter, he was 8-2 with a 4.30 in 75.1 innings. But he was just an overused bullpen arm with a lot of vulture wins. Vizcaino was a reliable setup man for Torre throughout most of the season after struggling in April, but he’s miscast as an eighth inning setup man and better off used in the 6th or 7th inning. At a decent price he could be brought back for next season (he’s a free agent), but Brian Cashman will have to find someone better for the eighth inning if Joba Chamberlain does indeed re-enter the starting rotation.
Grade- B-

Kyle Farnsworth- When Farnsworth was inked to a 3 year, $17 million deal prior to the 2005 season he was expected to take Tom Gordon’s role as Mariano Rivera’s top setup man. That hasn’t worked out, as Farnsworth posted a 4.80 ERA in 60 innings and never really found a role on the team. Farnsworth has proved that he can not pitch more then an inning at a time or on back to back days and remain effective, so the brittle right hander has proven almost useless in the Yankees pen. Combined with Farnsworth’s bashing of the organization mid-season it was a surprise Farnsworth was even still on the team after the trade deadline. It would again be a surprise if he was still on the team next season.
Grade- D-

Mariano Rivera- These were my previous thoughts on Mariano Rivera but the great Yankee closer may not have had his best season but he’s still better then 99% of the closers out there and remains among the elite. Rivera had 30 saves and a 3.15 ERA, the first year in which his ERA was over 3 since his rookie season in 1995. The Yankees should still consider themselves lucky to have the best there ever was at the closer position and should re-sign him to a 2 year, $20 million or so contract this off season while they groom a replacement.
Grade- B+

Prospect Profile: Alan Horne

In another example of just how deep the Yankees pitching depth in the minor leagues really is, Alan Horne is another fine young pitcher in the Yankees system and going into the 2007 he may not have even ranked among their top 5 pitching prospects. The 24 year old Horne went 12-4 with a 3.11 ERA and helped the Trenton Thunder to the Eastern League title and was named their Pitcher of the Year. The 6’4, 195 lb right hander had 165 K’s in 153.1 innings. His 57 BB’s may still be a little high but it’s an improvement over his 61 in about 30 less innings in 2006. Horne’s 2006 season in Tampa was rather average, 6-9 with a 4.84 ERA combined with his 4.70 ERA post all star break this season leave some doubt about how good he can be, but Horne still has a rather high ceiling overall. Horne features a fastball that can range from 92-96 mph on a good day, but if he muscles up a little he could easily notch it up to consistently 96-97, and also a plus curveball and a newly refined cutter that he now has good control over. His changeup is still below average for now and he’ll likely need to refine it to become a truly dominant pitcher. Another concern with Horne is his health as Horne has already had Tommy John surgery and battled hamstring issues last season. Horne was selected in the 11th round by the Yankees in the 2005 draft after leading the University of Florida to the College World Series. Horne will likely begin the 2008 campaign with AAA Scranton/ Wilkes Barre and could be one of the first pitchers called up if one of the Yankees starters is injured. If the real Alan Horne is the one from the first part of last season then he has the talent to be in the majors midway of next season, but with all the young pitching ahead of him in the depth charts, Horne may have to wait until 2009 to get his real shot at the big leagues.

Yankees Individual Player Grades- The Hitters

Now that the regular season is over, it’s time to hand out the regular season grades to each player, this time I’ll be grading the position players and next time will be the pitchers. These grades are based solely on the regular season and mostly on what each player’s expectations were and whether they lived up to them or not, standard F-A grade system.

Jorge Posada- 2007 was Posada’s finest season yet, and at age 36 that is no small feat for a catcher. Posada hit .338 with 20 HR’s and 90 RBI’s, with his batting average climbing an astounding .60 points in one season. Posada’s defense did take a bit of a hit however, as Posada was the second least efficient catcher in throwing out base runners this season, only ahead of Jason Kendall. The defensive fallout may seem like a blip on the radar but it’s the only thing keeping Posada from receiving a perfect score this season.
Grade- A-

Doug Mientkiewicz- Doug Mientkiewicz got off to a miserable start for the Yankees at the plate, as he hit just .154 in April. After missing a large part of the season with a fractured wrist and being forgotten behind Andy Phillips, Mientkiewicz hit .429 since returning from the DL while providing stellar defense at 1B throughout it all. He’s even likely played himself into substantial playing time throughout the postseason, and for a guy who many expected to be lucky to break the Mendoza line this season, that’s not half bad.
Grade- B-

Jason Giambi- Nobody expected Jason Giambi to regain his 2001 AL MVP form, but he was certainly expected to contribute and whether he did or not is arguable. To be fair, Giambi did battle foot problems throughout most of the season but that hardly seems to make up for his .236 BA. His .356 OBP is still not bad but Giambi has become some what of the odd man out and will remain so in the playoffs with Hideki Matsui being relegated to DH duties at first. Not what one would want from someone making over $17 million a year.
Grade- D+

Robinson Cano- Robinson Cano was a steady player before the all star break (.274, 6, 40) but was spectacular after the break (.343, 13, 57). Cano has become arguably the best second baseman in the AL and second in baseball behind only Chase Utley. Despite nearly a .40 point drop in batting average from last season, Cano improved in most aspects of his game this season, hitting 4 more home runs (15 to 19), scoring 31 more runs (62 to 93), and driving in 19 more runs (78 to 97). To be fair, Cano did have nearly 150 more at bats then last season, but the progress he’s made has to be encouraging.
Grade- B+

Derek Jeter- After a season in which he hit .343, drove in 97 runs, scored 118, stole 34 bases, and finished second in the MVP voting, Derek Jeter has regressed quite a bit in all of those categories in 2007. Still, it’s hard to argue with a .322 BA. Jeter’s fielding percentage fell slightly as well from .975 to .970 and he made three more errors, but another gold glove may still be likely due to the lack of validity that award carries. October is still time for Jeter to sine though, as Jeter is a career .314 hitter in the post season and he holds the record for most post season hits with 128 for now.
Grade- B-

Alex Rodriguez- Nobody was quite sure what to expect from Alex Rodriguez following another dismal post season showing in 2006, and his early error in Game 1 of the season seemed like a bad omen for the season. However, Rodriguez put everything behind him and had an epic season, hitting .314 with 54 HR’s, 156 RBI’s, 143 runs, and 24 SB’s. A-Rod even cut his errors nearly in half this season from 24 in 2006 to 13 so a Gold Glove would be warranted, even if it is a meaningless award. A-Rod is sure to claim his second MVP award as a Yankee, but it will all mean nothing if he continues to drive in 0 runs in the playoffs. Still, as this is nearly a regular season grade, Alex Rodriguez will earn the only perfect grade of any of the Yankees hitters.
Grade- A+

Hideki Matsui- Matsui’s April, consisting of a .207 batting average and a hamstring injury, was cause for a lot of concern after his injury plagued 2006 season as well. Once Matsui returned form the DL his batting average came along, but the power was still lacking as Matsui only had 8 home runs at the start of July. Matsui’s hot July put that fear to rest with 13 home runs and Matsui finished with a workman’s like .285-25-103-100 line. His defense has declined in left field even further, however, as Johnny Damon has taken many of the starts in left with Matsui being relegated to DH duties, as will be the case in the post season. Still, Matsui’s steady production cannot be overlooked and he should make good on the final 2 years of his contract.
Grade- B+

Johnny Damon- Johnny Damon opened the 2007 as the Yankees starting center fielder but finished the season as somewhat of a role player. Damon was nicked up through most of the beginning of the season so his play slowed down considerably, as he hit just .229 in April. Damon started to be benched frequently by manager Joe Torre, meanwhile Melky Cabrera asserted himself as a regular and stole Damon’s old position as the starting center fielder. However, Damon flourished in his new role, as he hit .297 in August and .313 in September with diminished playing time. Damon has started most of his game at DH or LF nowadays and once again finds himself penciled into the starting lineup more times then not. It’s beneficial to the team that Damon has succeeded in his new role, but his overall line of .270-1263-93-27 still leaves a lot to be desired.
Grade- C+

Melky Cabrera- Melky Cabrera was the antithesis to Johnny Damon, he started year off as a role player but eventually became the starting center fielder and is likely to remain so for the Yankees for years to come. Melky, like many of the Yankees hitters, was off to a slow start when he hit just .200 in April. Melky took off in June and never looked back, well except for a sup-par September in which he struggled and only hit .180. Melky still lacks the power the Yankees would like to see from an outfielder and lacks the speed to make up for it, but this is less of a problem with him as a center fielder rather then a corner out fielder. Melky’s overall line sits at .273-8-73-66-13, which is comparable to his stats last season, but something that is somewhat alarming was his plummeting K/BB rate which fell from 59/56 last season to 68/43 this season. If the trend continues then Melky may not remain a viable regular for much longer, but for now he still had a solid season.
Grade- B-

Bobby Abreu- Bobby Abreu, again like most of the Yankees hitters, got off to a rather slow start, hitting just .253 in April and bottoming out with a .208 May. There were talks that he was washed up and rumors of the Yankees trying to trade him. The old adage says “Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make”, and that’s certainly the case with Abreu. Abreu rebounded to go .305-.390-11-60-64 after the All Star break and was a huge reason for the Yankees comeback to make the playoffs. Abreu’s final line broke down at .283-16-101-123-25, a spectacular all around season. He drove in 100 runs for the 5th straight season (6 out of 7), but failed to draw 100 walks for the first time since 1998. Abreu still enjoyed a fine season and made it an easy decision for Brian Cashman to pick up his option for next season.
Grade- B+

Same Old Mo?

After his blown save on September 28th against the Orioles, there was a surprising amount of criticism thrown in the direction of Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Rivera gave up 3 earned runs on 3 hits to blow his fourth save of the season in 34 chances. Most of the concern about Rivera stems from his age as at the age of 37 most players’ best days are behind them. In some ways, there may be some reason to be concerned as this is the first season since his rookie year in 1995 that Rivera will finish the season with an ERA over 3.00, but that really should be the end of the concerns. A 3.15 ERA is still nothing to sneeze at, nor are 4 blown saves. In addition, Rivera’s WHIP, a far better indicator of a pitcher’s performance then ERA, is still lower then his 1997 WHIP of 1.19 and comparable to his 2000 WHIP of 1.10 and no one was questioning Rivera based on his performance then. In comparison, the Cleveland Indians closer, Joe Borowski, has blown twice as many saves as Rivera and has an ERA nearly two runs higher then that of Rivera’s (5.07). October is Rivera’s time to shine as well, and while there may be a few notable blow ups in October for Rivera (Game 7 of 2001 WS and the 2004 ALCS), but Rivera is the best there has ever been in the post season when it comes to closer, featuring an all time line of 8-1 with a miniscule 0.80 ERA. No player can last forever, and Rivera will break down sooner or later, but the Yankees and their fans have no reason to worry about Rivera for this season and it begs the question of who would you rather have as your closer in a big spot? Joe “sure I led the leagues in saves but I suck anyways” Borowski? The Yankees would be wise to give Rivera at least a 2 year deal this off season while they groom their new closer and Rivera will likely deliver during those two more seasons.

Prospect Profile: Jose Tabata

After being one of the Yankees brightest stars in the minor leagues, Jose Tabata has become somewhat of a forgotten man in the Yankees farm system. This is due mostly to Tabata’s wrist injuries and the subsequent wrist surgery that cut his 2007 season short and caused him to miss time during his season in single A Tampa. The #6 ranked outfield prospect by scout.com in 2006, Jose Tabata is a 5-11, 160 lb outfielder from Venezuela. Tabata is still only 19 years old so there is certainly plenty of time for him to put his wrist problems behind him. Tabata was signed as an international free agent by the Yankees in 2005.
After hitting .314 as a sixteen year old in the Yankees GCL rookie league, the buzz around Tabata began to grow exponentially. Tabata’s legend only grew after hittng .298 with the low single A Charleston River Dogs and by the time spring training of 2007 rolled around Tabata even hit .429 with the Yankees during spring training. However, his following 2007 season with the high single A Tampa Yankees was derailed by his wrist injuries and eventually cut short by the surgery. Still, Tabata proved he could handle the next level while not even being 100% healthy, hitting .307 with 5 home runs while in the line up. Overall, Tabata has hit .305 in his minor league career. Some scouts have compared Tabata’s offense to that of a young Manny Ramirez, but the fact that he only hit 13 minor league home runs in his three seasons makes you wonder if he really will ever develop that type of power. Tabata is regarded as a far superior defender then Ramirez, but he’ll likely land in one of the corner outfield spots in the majors, especially considering Melky Cabrera’s emergence as the Yankees centerfielder of the future. It’s tricky to try to predict Jose Tabata’s time of arrival since it also depends on the Yankees plans with their other outfielders. Tabata has the talent to potentially be with the Yankees at some point next season, but New York’s crowded outfield likely will not make room for him until Bobby Abreu, Johnny Damon, or Hideki Matsui are gone. Damon and Matsui have two years each left on their contracts and Abreu has a one year option for next season that is almost certain to be picked up, so if his success continues Tabata could have a starting spot in right field ready for him in 2009.