Quite the reverse of a decade ago when seemingly every player called up from Pawtucket, or Portland, contributed to Boston’s success. Yankees finally built their own system from within, through development and smart trades.
NY roster 2020
- Thread starter jon abbey
- Start date
That decade in the desert must’ve been rough between the home grown teams of the late 90’s/early 2000’s and this latest monster collection.
Yes, I thought the Yankees neglected development in the minors, or at the very least were not good at it. Abbey knows the details better than I but Cashman and Damon Oppenheim began to change the focus and invested in better coaching at all levels.
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What I think happened was that when the CBA outlawed almost all obvious ways to outspend opponents, NY started to pour money into scouting on every level, and landed guys like Voit and Urshela and Tauchman for basically nothing. Tauchman doesn't even go to arb until 2022, Voit 2021, Gio this past winter, under control through 2025/2024/2023 respectively. That's only one component of what they've done, but it's a big one that often gets overlooked.
And now tonight Ford has a homer, two hits, and three rbi already.
They just keep pulling dudes out and throwing them in the lineup and they just keep mashing.
They just keep pulling dudes out and throwing them in the lineup and they just keep mashing.
Ford is a hitter. He’s like the fat kid in Little League who hit line drives every time up.
Ford was literally undrafted out of Princeton, then not taken seriously by NY for a long time. SEA took him in the rule 5 draft before 2018 but he was beaten out in spring training by Ryon Healy and Daniel Vogelbach and returned to NY, which doesn't look great except again Ford was left off the 40 man the next winter (pre-2019) and no one took him this time. Then NY's 2019 flood of injuries meant that he got the call last year and he has been very impressive since, he somehow led all of MLB in OPS against LHP in 2019 (just ahead of JDM) despite being a LHH.
It looks like it might be two to three week for DJ:
https://www.nj.com/yankees/2020/08/yankees-dj-lemahieu-could-miss-3-weeks-with-thumb-injury-aaron-boone-says-what-it-means.html
Big sigh of relief, if true. I read something last night mentioning surgery as a possibility.
I have a lot of confidence in this team, the deep roster, and a seeming ability for the 'next man up' to get things done. A (more) serious DJ injury would feel different to me. Not an original take or anything, but I think he's the engine that makes this team go. Good defense with lots of flexibility + a superb hitter who is constantly doing work.
I hope this prognosis is correct.
https://www.nj.com/yankees/2020/08/yankees-dj-lemahieu-could-miss-3-weeks-with-thumb-injury-aaron-boone-says-what-it-means.html
Big sigh of relief, if true. I read something last night mentioning surgery as a possibility.
I have a lot of confidence in this team, the deep roster, and a seeming ability for the 'next man up' to get things done. A (more) serious DJ injury would feel different to me. Not an original take or anything, but I think he's the engine that makes this team go. Good defense with lots of flexibility + a superb hitter who is constantly doing work.
I hope this prognosis is correct.
Britton onto the IL with a strained hamstring and Andujar back down, Heller back up and young Miguel Yajure with his first callup, he turned 22 in May. Yajure had a big breakthrough season last year, dominating in high A Tampa (2.26 ERA in 127.2 innings) and even better in a brief taste of AA at the end of the season (2 starts, 11 innings, 1 run allowed). Fangraphs bumped him up to NY's #11 prospect this winter:
"He looked like a cutter/changeup pitchability guy a year ago, but Yajure has since enjoyed a velo spike and was bumping some 97s late last summer as he climbed all the way to Double-A. A Yankees source credits the velo bump to a foundation laid during Yaure’s 2017 Tommy John rehab. Additionally, Yajure’s changeup has become a plus pitch. It’s a firm, sinking offering in the upper-80s. He works his cutter away from righties for swings and misses, and can dump his curveball in for strikes the second and third time through the order to get ahead of hitters with something new. His huge 60-inning workload increase from 2018 to 2019 was a bit surprising, and assuming Yajure doesn’t come out of the chute sitting 88-92 from the aftershocks of that uptick, he’s tracking like a 50 FV arm."
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-54-prospects-new-york-yankees/
"He looked like a cutter/changeup pitchability guy a year ago, but Yajure has since enjoyed a velo spike and was bumping some 97s late last summer as he climbed all the way to Double-A. A Yankees source credits the velo bump to a foundation laid during Yaure’s 2017 Tommy John rehab. Additionally, Yajure’s changeup has become a plus pitch. It’s a firm, sinking offering in the upper-80s. He works his cutter away from righties for swings and misses, and can dump his curveball in for strikes the second and third time through the order to get ahead of hitters with something new. His huge 60-inning workload increase from 2018 to 2019 was a bit surprising, and assuming Yajure doesn’t come out of the chute sitting 88-92 from the aftershocks of that uptick, he’s tracking like a 50 FV arm."
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-54-prospects-new-york-yankees/
Injuries are still piling up. Cressey may start to take heat. Torres left the game today with a hamstring and now Paxton.
View: https://twitter.com/bryanhoch/status/1296548336263204869?s=21
View: https://twitter.com/bryanhoch/status/1296548336263204869?s=21
Whew, quite a week for NY. Sweep 4 from BOS, get swept three from TB, lose Britton, lose Gleyber, lose Paxton, after already being down Judge/DJ/Stanton. So a few days off for the team isn't the worst thing.
So let's take a deep breath and see where we stand, no games until at least Monday (currently scheduled off day but possible doubleheader makeup with the Mets if it is deemed safe) and Cole will pitch again next, his 6th start in the first 26 games.
NY can take a bit of time to decide on the roster spots, three guys onto the IL and Judge back leaves two more spots, the 40 man is a huge problem to clear spots in also. The best use of those two spots I think is Matt Duffy and Clarke Schmidt, both of whom need 40 man spots, let's see what I can figure out.
Hicks CF
Judge RF (Boone said today he will be back next time NY plays)
Voit 1B
Tauchman LF
Frazier DH
Sanchez C
Urshela 3B
two of Estrada/Wade/Duffy 2B/SS
Bench: Gardner, Ford, Kratz, one of E/W/D
Cole
Montgomery
Tanaka
Happ
Schmidt
Yajure
Nelson
Loaisiga
King
Cessa
Heller
Holder
Ottavino
Green
Chapman
That is the best team NY can field currently I think but good luck to Cashman with the 40 man, Cessa seems like the most obvious DFA/trade a la Hale today, I don't think Avilan can be released when he is hurt but maybe he can go on the 45 day IL at least. Then I'd replace Cessa's 28 man spot with Deivi, that is a fun ten man bullpen.
So let's take a deep breath and see where we stand, no games until at least Monday (currently scheduled off day but possible doubleheader makeup with the Mets if it is deemed safe) and Cole will pitch again next, his 6th start in the first 26 games.
NY can take a bit of time to decide on the roster spots, three guys onto the IL and Judge back leaves two more spots, the 40 man is a huge problem to clear spots in also. The best use of those two spots I think is Matt Duffy and Clarke Schmidt, both of whom need 40 man spots, let's see what I can figure out.
Hicks CF
Judge RF (Boone said today he will be back next time NY plays)
Voit 1B
Tauchman LF
Frazier DH
Sanchez C
Urshela 3B
two of Estrada/Wade/Duffy 2B/SS
Bench: Gardner, Ford, Kratz, one of E/W/D
Cole
Montgomery
Tanaka
Happ
Schmidt
Yajure
Nelson
Loaisiga
King
Cessa
Heller
Holder
Ottavino
Green
Chapman
That is the best team NY can field currently I think but good luck to Cashman with the 40 man, Cessa seems like the most obvious DFA/trade a la Hale today, I don't think Avilan can be released when he is hurt but maybe he can go on the 45 day IL at least. Then I'd replace Cessa's 28 man spot with Deivi, that is a fun ten man bullpen.
the Yanks aren't missing the playoffs. TB games are rough but only one more series against them, plenty against Baltimore, Toronto, Miami, Mets coming up to win enough games (what, 15 more might be enough? who cares what seed you are this year, basically no home field advantage) so they have 5 weeks to get healthy. I wouldn't be too worried except about Paxton, that could linger awhile.
in the long term, why so many injuries the past three years? some of it is undoubtedly luck, but the organization should deep dive and determine how much of it. maybe they did that when firing the conditioning staff (I think?) at the end of 2019 and it's still shit... the rash of hamstrings could well be the irregular "summer" training
in the long term, why so many injuries the past three years? some of it is undoubtedly luck, but the organization should deep dive and determine how much of it. maybe they did that when firing the conditioning staff (I think?) at the end of 2019 and it's still shit... the rash of hamstrings could well be the irregular "summer" training
Yeah, they just hired new people in what, December or January? Stanton and Voit both lost a ton of weight since then (Voit is still hard for me to recognize), and both looked fantastic until Stanton got hurt again. I think that 1) almost everyone has a ton of injuries this year and 2) NY targets giant human beings with high exit velocities as hitters and high velocities as pitchers, so it's not surprising if they get hurt a bit more often.
But also I don't think these are all completely real injuries, the Judge one seemed like 3-4 days tops until he could have come back, Gleyber may be similar. Britton is already throwing and the Paxton one I think may be to try to find his velocity while not worrying about starting every five days also. Stanton and DJ ones are definitely real.
But also I don't think these are all completely real injuries, the Judge one seemed like 3-4 days tops until he could have come back, Gleyber may be similar. Britton is already throwing and the Paxton one I think may be to try to find his velocity while not worrying about starting every five days also. Stanton and DJ ones are definitely real.
I saw that you bumped this and thought maybe Cashman had put Schmidt on the 40 man and called him up.
Instead, I read speculation about Brock Holt.
I'm disappointed.
Instead, I read speculation about Brock Holt.
I'm disappointed.
You know...had they made room on the 40 for Schmidt it'd go a long way as far as fan buy-in on this season. Oh well.
They haven’t made moves yet and there was no rotation spot for Schmidt before this, so I’m not sure what that means.
Also if you polled Yankee fans right now and ask them if they’d prefer to activate Schmidt or Adam Warren, I think the most common response would be ‘Warren! Who’s the other guy?’, even though Warren is out for the season. ‘Fan buy-in’ on personnel moves is not something any decision maker should care about one bit.
Also if you polled Yankee fans right now and ask them if they’d prefer to activate Schmidt or Adam Warren, I think the most common response would be ‘Warren! Who’s the other guy?’, even though Warren is out for the season. ‘Fan buy-in’ on personnel moves is not something any decision maker should care about one bit.
You have a much lower opinion of Yankee fans than I do. The rotation spot would be to replace Paxton. But service time is important so there's that?
Schmidt is already 24 and has a chance to be the fourth guy in the postseason, ahead of Happ and Paxton if he doesn’t find his velocity. Loaisiga is awesome for 25 pitches and quickly fades, King is a 3 inning guy. Nick Nelson is up and might be worth a shot, Yajure is up and I’d love to see that, but if you told Cashman to pick his best current team, I think Schmidt is 5 and maybe 4 ahead of Happ, and he has to be on the 40 man after the season anyway, I hope he gets a shot soon.
Cleveland is showcasing Clevinger for Cashman tomorrow night against the Twins. 
Plesac is still in purgatory, but I don't think he going anywhere anyway.
Plesac is still in purgatory, but I don't think he going anywhere anyway.
Here’s the big move we’ve all been waiting for.
View: https://twitter.com/yankeespr/status/1298651445160562693?s=21
Presumably this is just smart depth like Iannetta was, before the retirement. Why not, right?
View: https://twitter.com/yankeespr/status/1298651445160562693?s=21
Presumably this is just smart depth like Iannetta was, before the retirement. Why not, right?
Not sure why they need a fourth catcher waiting in Scranton in addition to Sanchez/Kratz plus Higgy on the IL (who is already evidently back in Scranton ramping up to return), but maybe this bumps one of the previous three. Iannetta had genuine upside, this guy looks like just a body.
Edit: Although when they activate Higgy, they will very likely DFA Kratz to clear the 40 man spot and hope no one claims him, so maybe this is slight protection against Kratz being claimed.
Edit: Although when they activate Higgy, they will very likely DFA Kratz to clear the 40 man spot and hope no one claims him, so maybe this is slight protection against Kratz being claimed.
You wonder if the hitting Andujar and Tauchman did in their respective first years in pinstripes can be revived here in September. Maybe a weekend of ABs in Baltimore will revitalize them. Although Alex Cobb might tie them in knots.
I was surprised, looking at box score, to see how bad many of the yankees are doing.
Aaron Hicks had provided nothing and it seems like that's a 50% chance each year with him. It's not a surprise that Gardner regressed some. It's a surprise that he collapsed. Sanchez has had stretches as bad as this before but buried in the middle of a season they don't jump out like this. Torres collapsing this badly is a bit of a surprise. Taken all together with what injuries that are, unfortunately looking like the norm for Judge and Stanton it's not the fearsome lineup expected coming into this year.
Any yankee fans have any insights on Torres in particular?
Aaron Hicks had provided nothing and it seems like that's a 50% chance each year with him. It's not a surprise that Gardner regressed some. It's a surprise that he collapsed. Sanchez has had stretches as bad as this before but buried in the middle of a season they don't jump out like this. Torres collapsing this badly is a bit of a surprise. Taken all together with what injuries that are, unfortunately looking like the norm for Judge and Stanton it's not the fearsome lineup expected coming into this year.
Any yankee fans have any insights on Torres in particular?
4 more versus BAL starting Thursday getting interesting, given NYY's lead over them is 2 games.
NY sends Schmidt back down, clearing one spot for the return of Urshela/Loaisiga on Tuesday, so they need to clear one more. They are still carrying three catchers, Mike Ford and his .496 OPS (!!!!) could go down for the first time this year.
Rumblings on Twitter that something is wrong with Torres as he's not in the lineup tonight and they chose to send Andujar down instead of Estrada.
Yep, but Boone and Gleyber say it's minor, but still you need to keep Estrada over Andujar just in case, I guess.
View: https://twitter.com/MaxTGoodman/status/1305963685429604356?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/MaxTGoodman/status/1305963685429604356?s=20
I'm going to take a crack at NY's ideal 28 man postseason lineup, leaving out Paxton even as a reliever.
LeMahieu 2B
Judge RF
Voit 1B
Stanton DH
Frazier LF
Torres SS
Hicks CF
Urshela 3B
Sanchez C
Bench: Higashioka, Andujar, Wade, Tauchman, Gardner
Cole
Tanaka
Garcia
Happ
Montgomery
Schmidt
Loaisiga
Nelson
Cessa
Ottavino
Holder
Green
Britton
Chapman
That is the current team minus Kratz/Estrada plus Judge/Andujar. It's too bad Schmidt didn't get a chance this year, but I can't fault NY too much for that given the short season.
Edit: I am bumping King for Schmidt given the new playoff setup (no off days in the first three rounds) and King's continued shittiness.
LeMahieu 2B
Judge RF
Voit 1B
Stanton DH
Frazier LF
Torres SS
Hicks CF
Urshela 3B
Sanchez C
Bench: Higashioka, Andujar, Wade, Tauchman, Gardner
Cole
Tanaka
Garcia
Happ
Montgomery
Schmidt
Loaisiga
Nelson
Cessa
Ottavino
Holder
Green
Britton
Chapman
That is the current team minus Kratz/Estrada plus Judge/Andujar. It's too bad Schmidt didn't get a chance this year, but I can't fault NY too much for that given the short season.
Edit: I am bumping King for Schmidt given the new playoff setup (no off days in the first three rounds) and King's continued shittiness.