Notable Spring Training Invites

by jscape2000 on Jan 14, 2009 10:18 PM EST in New York Yankees Analysis

The full list is available at LoHud.

Angel Berroa- he figures to be 'merely' the backup infielder, but he's the strongest backup plan the Yanks have had in the infield since... gulp... Miguel Cairo in 2004?

Ramiro Pena- the Yanks will never (I hope) have a shot at a David Price in the MLB Draft. Instead they sign non-draft Latinos, and some, like Pena, blossom into decent prospects. BA calls him the Yanks' best infielder. His bat is still a ways from MLB ready.

John Rodriguez and Todd Linden- look for one of these guys to be released and the other to play in Scranton.

Shelley Duncan- Remember when Duncan was the "first baseman of the future." That was last January. I kid, I kid.

Sergio Mitre- I'd honestly forgotten that the Yanks snatched up Mitre. My math could be off, but I don't expect him to pitch more than a handful of innings this season, let alone pitch any innings for the big league club.

Mark Melancon- the electric reliever will end the Joba debate once and for all around July, and when Joba moves to the bullpen again in August, they will create the sort of dominant bridge to Mariano that we remember the Stanton-Nelson being.

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Dude, why'd you have to remind me of Miguel Cairo?

I kid, I kid.

I liked some of what I saw from Duncan last year, but there’s no way he makes the final roster. Not with Tex and Swisher at 1B, right?

Third Quarter Collapse: An Orlando Magic blog at SB Nation

by Evan Dunlap on Jan 15, 2009 12:17 AM EST reply actions

no, he wont make the roster

but he could go back to Scranton. or maybe get signed to a ML deal by another team with a need.

by Travis G on Jan 15, 2009 2:32 PM EST up reply actions

Joba won't be in the pen if we sign a 4th starter

Cash, at this point at least, seems committed, as I think he should, to stretching Joba’s 130 or so innings out over the whole season by using him as the 5th starter and skipping some of his starts (and using Hughes, Kennedy, Aceves, et al, in his place). Now, in the postseason, you can be sure he’ll be in the pen setting up for Mo. Though I’d love to see him make a postseason start, it’d be hard to reserve his innings that much during the regular season to allow him to have enough left to be in the postseason rotation.

"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden

by SenorSwanky on Jan 15, 2009 10:26 AM EST reply actions

Can't put Joba in the Pen

Leave the team with only 3 starters, and then Hughes. No Joba will go most of the season.
I’m excited Melancon got to go. According to many, his stuff is filthy good. I am disappointed that Jesus and Ajax didn’t get a shot. They’re both 19 so they both got plenty of time.

To the tune of the classic children's song "This Old Man" (the part with nick nack patty whack)

Big Snack, Silverback, take the Dawg Pound's Bone, the Black and Gold sent the Brownies crying home.

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Jan 15, 2009 5:55 PM EST reply actions