New York Yankees notes: Jeter, and other stuff
If you watched New York Yankees icon Derek Jeter dive to his left last night and come up flexing his throwing hand you probably had the same reaction I did.
"Oh, no." Or something a little "rougher" than that.
Jeter, however, is fine. Manager Joe Girardi said he did not even notice Jeter's temporary discomfort.
"He's fine," Girardi said. "I asked him and he said, 'My hand's fine.' I didn't know about it until they said it [on television] in the fifth inning."
I know that Travis brought John Sickels interview with Yankee Senior VP of Baseball Operations Mark Newman to your attention last night. It was fabulous work by Sickels, who particularly did an excellent job getting Newman to discuss the high risk/high reward strategy the Yankees employ in the draft. In case you have not read it, here is a snippet.
"When I look at it from the perspective of player development and scouting, our mandate to win yearly in the majors gives us two main challenges: our draft slot and the fact that we often trade prospects. Where we pick in the draft is always an issue, at least if we're doing our job by winning at the major league level. We almost always have lower picks in the draft, and that makes it harder to get players with high upsides in the draft process, especially for the hitters.
"At times we need to trade prospects to build a major league roster that can achieve our goals, the (Javier) Vazquez and (Curtis) Granderson trades are examples. Of course, sometimes we can bring players to the majors as well, like (Robinson) Cano or (Phil) Hughes or (Joba) Chamberlain, and that's always satisfying. But either way, it is an expand/contract cycle that we have to manage in the farm system.
"Because of those two factors, especially the draft slot issue, we will take risks on some players to get a high-ceiling guy in the system."
- Dave Robertson is expected to build on his 2009 success and become a key late-inning reliever this season. Some folks are even wondering if he will develop into Mariano Rivera's successor as closer.
My take: I love Robertson, but I think that's too optimistic. Besides, we don't know yet how much longer Mo can keep being Mo. - Another guy who has been thought of as a future closer is Mark Melancon. He did not look like it in a few big-league appearances in 2009, and he will likely start the season at AAA. But, I doubt anyone will be surprised if Melancon, who will be 25 in a few days, makes a Robertson-like rise to an important spot in the bullpen this season.
Melancon feels more comfortable pitching to big-league hitters than he did a year ago.
"When you first get there, you think everybody is going to hit everything you throw," Robertson said. "But eventually you find out that you can get away with some stuff. You can't always get away with stuff, but every now and then you do. You have to trust your stuff. Not every pitch is going to be great, but not every hitter is going to take a great swing."
"There were times where I think I gave the hitters too much credit," Melancon said. "I wasn't attacking ... I guess (because) I wanted it so bad and I wanted to be up there so bad."
"I don't think you go back and try to reinvent anything," Melancon said. "It's still the game of baseball, but it's a different feeling out there. That's why last year getting the first taste was so good, because I got that out of the way. I know these guys better now. I just feel so much more comfortable." -
Tino Martinez is serious about being good at his new gig as part of the YES Network broadcast team.
0 recs |
12 comments
|
Comments
I have never understood the "we draft low so we have to take chances" theory
The worst team picks number 1 and 31. The Yankees pick #30. Essentially, the worst team (Nationals) gets one free pick (#1), and then the Yanks pick ahead of them in every other round (#30 vs. #31, #60 vs #61 etc).
Besides, in baseball more than any other sport, great players are often low draft picks. When the draft was 1,000 rounds, stars came out of the 40s and 50s.
by designatedquitter on Mar 19, 2010 10:17 AM EDT reply actions
Yes and no
The baseball draft is so much different than other sports, because there is more of a crapshoot mentality. Even high first round picks tend to take a year or two, sometimes more, to reach the majors.
I guess it depends on your definition of a “low” draft pick is. Third and fourth round picks routinely make the majors, but guys like Don Mattingly who were drafted in the 19th round tend to be the exception rather than the rule.
Newman said "We almost always have lower picks in the draft"- I took his statement to mean literally that.
And if the draft is such a crapshoot (and I agree that it is), then the position that one drafts in matters less. As I said, compared to the Nationals, the Yankees draft ahead of them all the time, except for one pick, the very first. (The Yanks also have a pick the Nats don’t- the very last). Compared to the NBA- 2 rounds with 2nd rounders not often making it, or the NFL, 7 rounds with the higher picks almost always making the team, baseball’s draft handicaps the best teams the least. Therefore, the we- pick-low argument makes little sense to me.
by designatedquitter on Mar 19, 2010 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions
Of course it matters where you pick.
Do you really think players drafted 21-30 are as good as players 1-10? Though a lot of the can’t miss guys do in fact miss, the young guys with 90+ mph fastballs go early.
+1
There’s very little “can’t miss” talent. Our best picks are coming back from injury or have a slightly lower ceiling or some other concern. Our best picks are equivalent to the Nationals’ second pick.
There’s a world of difference between rounds 1 & 2. And while there are gems to be found out there, if there was simple method for spotting it, it would be found already.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
+1st Round
OK- Lets look at some of our guys. Jete was picked in the first round (6th overall) in 1992. A-Rod went number one overall in 1993. Tex went in the first (fifth overall) in 2001. CC went in the first (20th overall) in 1998 (and only that late because of ‘size’ issues). Mo and Robbie were signed Latin guys and Andy was a signee. Jorge was a hard working guy that went in the 24th round, but busted his ass getting where he is. Nuff said.
Global domination, bizarre experiments on youth, our best player squatting in buildings drinking Bacardi, what you call the Evil Empire, I CALL HOME!!!!
by SteveBalboniHOF on Mar 19, 2010 7:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I love the philosophy
The Yankees aren’t looking for a bunch of guys who might make it to the big leagues. They are looking for that one guy who might be a superstar, at least with their first pick.
by Ed Valentine on Mar 19, 2010 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions
If he cuts down the free passes
Which is part of why Mo is so good. Robertson obviously has the stuff to K people but I’d like to see the walks cut down a little bit more.
"I'm just tryin' to be the great, tryin' to get a piece of cake
Take it offa your plate, eat it right in your face" --Lil Wayne
NO! Not Robertson!!
That makes SENSE! He’s a reliever!! Why the hell is he going to be a closer!
I want a starter like Joba to be the closer!!
NO!!!!!
(***opens window and jumps)
Master of the squeegee
I get the humor and all that
and I, too, would like to see Joba become a great starter but you do realize that Mo was a starter before becoming the setup guy in ’96 and taking over the closer role in ’97…
absolutely.
MO failed miserably tho.
Joba has been average.
Master of the squeegee
by FreeBradshaw on Mar 19, 2010 2:41 PM EDT up reply actions

by 

























