370 replies to this topic

[nvalvo]

As a Giants' fan, I can tell you that Stewart is a totally respectable defensive-specialist catcher.

He's expendable for SF because they are quickly becoming crazy deep in high-minors catching.

[jon abbey]

Kontos has potential to contribute too, NY was pretty high on him, I think.

Cervelli was evidently crying in the clubhouse about this. Maybe less fist pumps and more line drives, dude?

[terrynever]

Kontos has potential to contribute too, NY was pretty high on him, I think.

Cervelli was evidently crying in the clubhouse about this. Maybe less fist pumps and more line drives, dude?

And fewer throwing errors would have helped his case, too.

I think this deal makes the Yankees better in a subtle way.

[jon abbey]

We'll see, Cervelli's hitting numbers were better than I expected when I just checked.

In other news, the reports yesterday were wrong and Bill Hall did actually opt out to try to make another team. Also, Justin Maxwell has been DFAd, so if he manages to clear waivers (fingers crossed), NY can send him to AAA.

[terrynever]

We'll see, Cervelli's hitting numbers were better than I expected when I just checked.

In other news, the reports yesterday were wrong and Bill Hall did actually opt out to try to make another team. Also, Justin Maxwell has been DFAd, so if he manages to clear waivers (fingers crossed), NY can send him to AAA.

Justin Maxwell is a pretty good AAAA player. I could see Boston -- as one of many teams -- that could sign him. His opportunity to advance to the big leagues is better with the Red Sox than the Yankees.

[derekson]

I think the Nats might be a likely team to snag Maxwell. Isn't that where the Yankees got him from as well?

They don't really have much going on for CF until Harper makes the bigs and could at least use Maxwell in a platoon with Bernadina.

[jon abbey]

And just since we didn't mention it, David Phelps got the last job in the bullpen, as the long guy. NY also signed the ghost of Ramon Ortiz today, I guess to fill out the AAA rotation in Phelps' absence, along with Warren/Mitchell/Banuelos/Betances.

[ThePrideofShiner]

The Angels released Bobby Abreu on Friday. The Yankees had a deal in place to trade Burnett to Anaheim for Abreu, before Burnett nixed it.

Any chance the Yankees sign him? I'd rather have Abreu than Ibanez.

[jon abbey]

The Angels released Bobby Abreu on Friday. The Yankees had a deal in place to trade Burnett to Anaheim for Abreu, before Burnett nixed it. Any chance the Yankees sign him? I'd rather have Abreu than Ibanez.

Neither of them can hit lefties or field, and Ibanez has more power. My gut instinct is to agree with you, but I'm not sure that's right.

[jon abbey]

Look out, AL! Jayson Nix is joining NY tonight, presumably replacing the mildly concussed Eric Chavez.

[terrynever]

Cashman spoke with Francesa today.
Among his talking points:
Pettitte will pitch Sunday, throw a bullpen Tuesday or Wednesday of next week and then they will decide whether to put him in the rotation and on which day. Next Friday is a possibility at home against Seattle if all goes well following the final rehab start.
Despite the injury outbreak, they want to be careful with Swisher and hold him out until next Tuesday when the Rays come in for three. The hammy has been whimpering since spring training.
Garder still feels his sore elbow when hitting and won't swing today and Friday. Then they will see where he's at.
Jayson Nix can play infield and outfield. He might be in the lineup real fast as Yanks know they can't keep sending Ibanez and Jones into the field every night.

The 4-game series with KC looks like a holding action for New York, which be be seeking at least a split and then use the off-day on Monday to rest up for the Rays. That might be the first meaningful series of the season as Tampa is starting to pull away from its East foes.

Edited by terrynever, 03 May 2012 - 02:04 PM.

[derekson]

Interesting that Nix is playing LF while Nuñez plays SS.

[derekson]

If they're holding Swisher out that long why didn't they just DL him instead of playing with a 2 man bench? Keeping him on the active roster while he's inactive for 2 weeks is a move right out of the Red Sox medical handbook.

Edited by derekson, 03 May 2012 - 05:04 PM.

[terrynever]

If they're holding Swisher out that long why didn't they just DL him instead of playing with a 2 man bench? Keeping him on the active roster while he's inactive for 2 weeks is a move right out of the Red Sox medical handbook.

If Swisher returns Tuesday, he'll have been idle 10 days. I guess the big brains figure they're getting five days of Swisher instead of 15 days from some minor league outfielder like Wise or Melky Mesa or Jayson Nix. Truth is, Yanks are kind of thin when it comes to position player prospects in the high minors.

[ThePrideofShiner]

Rivera carted off the field, injured while shagging fly balls during batting practice per Heyman on Twitter.

[terrynever]

So how does the loss of Rivera impact Cashman's blueprint for 2012?

The only impact is in the bullpen. Robertson can take over for Mo. Soriano is the 8th-inning setup. What happens in the 7th inning when the Yanks have a lead? Wade and Boone Logan? Nah. They gotta get Hughes out of the rotation and into the bullpen.

Rivera's loss initiates a chain reaction of personnel moves. Cashman now has to be praying that Manny Banuelos can build up his innings and maintain the momentum of his start earlier this week for the Empire State Yankees. By mid-June, the Yankees will need Banuelos as their fifth starter. CC, Kuroda, Nova, Pettitte and Banuelos. Sorry, David Phelps. You pitch a lot like Jeff Karstens, and that won't work in the AL East.

I think the Yanks' chances to contend depend on Banuelos taking it to the next level. They need a surprise contributor in the rotation, a young arm who can energize the rotation from the back end.

If Mo hadn't gone down, Hughes would probably stay in the rotation and maybe serve as a serviceable No. 5 starter. Now the plan changes. The Yankees will need Hughes in the bullpen and they need help from a 20-year-old lefty who hasn't done much in AAA ball over the past two seasons but has a world of talent.

Edited by terrynever, 04 May 2012 - 12:07 PM.

[derekson]

Gardner apparently had a setback and is being sent for an MRI on his elbow.

[jon abbey]

So possibly Nova, Robertson, Rapada and Ibanez (the least likely) all got hurt tonight. Details in four separate posts at RAB:

http://riveraveblues.com/

[jon abbey]

Seemingly mostly positive injury updates after the game:

http://yankees.lhblo...-of-a-lot-more/

[Freddy Linn]

Robertson to the 15-day DL with a strained oblique.

[Lose Remerswaal]

At least they still have Soriano