Pre-Spring Training Surpise: 2012 New York Yankees 25 Man Roster Almost Fully Set

by Brandon C. on Feb 22, 2012 9:00 AM EST in New York Yankees Analysis

Normally teams take Spring Training in its entirety to come up with the group of players they want to carry for the upcoming season, but the Yankees have assembled their roster in a different way this season. They assembled it essentially as early and as easily as possible.

The way I look at it, if no injuries occur (a BIG if) the Yankees have almost all of their players figured out. Let's take a look:

C- Russell Martin, Francisco Cervelli (or Austin Romine!, but very unlikely Romine! wins that battle)

1B- Mark Teixeira

2B- Robinson Cano

3B- Alex Rodriguez, Eric Chavez

SS- Derek Jeter, Eduardo Nunez

OF- Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, Raul Ibanez, Andruw Jones

SP- CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, Ivan Nova, Michael Pineda, Phil Hughes/Freddy Garcia

RP- Phil Hughes/Freddy Garcia, Boone Logan, Cory Wade, Rafael Soriano, David Robertson, Mariano Rivera

That's 24 out of the 25 players. The only players with the potential to not make the team at all of those 24 are Eric Chavez, who is only making $900 K so he is cuttable, Eduardo Nunez, who would have to have a disastrous spring, and to a much less likely extent, Phil Hughes or Cory Wade.

13 hitters and 11 pitchers are listed above, so follow me after the jump for the options for the 25th roster spot, in order of how likely I see them making the team.

Cesar Cabral- The Yankees drafted Cabral, a lefty relief pitcher, in the Rule V draft, so if he does not make the team Cabral will have to be returned to the Boston Red Sox.

Clay Rapada- Another lefty reliever, Rapada absolutely dominates lefty hitters. The Yankees are known to want to lefty relievers for the season, so if Cabral doesn't make it Rapada very likely could.

Russell Branyan- Many will argue that Branyan's chances of making the team were destroyed when Eric Chavez was signed, but I'm not giving up on the Branyan bandwagon yet. Branyan can backup Mark Teixeira at first, and if necessary play third base and the corner outfield spots.

Brad Meyers- Meyers is a right handed pitcher that was selected in the Rule V draft along with Cabral. His chances are diminished because of the hand he uses to pitch with, but scouts seem impressed by Meyers, so the Yankees will take a very close look at him.

Manny Delcarmen- A non-roster invitee that has the potential to be the Luis Ayala of the 2012 Yankees. We shall see.

Chris Dickerson- It's not likely that the Yankees carry a sixth outfielder, but if they do I'd guess Dickerson has a leg up on Justin Maxwell.

Justin Maxwell- See Dickerson.

Brandon Laird/Ramiro Pena/Bill Hall/Jayson Nix- If Eduardo Nunez doesn't make the team, one of these three likely will.

Michael O'Connor- Another lefty reliever, seems to be blocked by Cabral and Rapada.

Kevin Whelan- Though the Yankees never seemed to be too impressed by Whelan, if he can get some control he has filthy stuff.

Matt Daley/Adam Miller- Not likely, but you never know.

Gustavo Molina/David Phelps/Adam Warren- Injuries would have to occur for these players to make the team.

Thoughts?

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Comments

Whelan/Kontos for the bullpen please

maybe even Warren of Phelps. We do NOT need a second lefty.

by jetanumba2 on Feb 22, 2012 9:16 AM EST reply actions

Kontos is out for 2-3 weeks, which is why I left him off this list. He’d have to come back and be really good to make the team.

Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc

Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter, Writer for On The Banks

by Brandon C. on Feb 22, 2012 11:49 AM EST up reply actions

what happened to him?

by jetanumba2 on Feb 22, 2012 12:13 PM EST up reply actions

Don’t remember what injury, maybe a strained oblique or something, got hurt in a bullpen session

Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc

Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter, Writer for On The Banks

by Brandon C. on Feb 22, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions

As usual in February

it all looks very promising on paper, and the allure of Opening Day just around the corner just makes me all the more anxious to get the show on the road.

i wish we had more chances / spots available for some of the promising talent coming up but i like all the 1 year deals handed out this offseason. A good chance for this season to be special without handicapping the potential coming up the pipelines for next year.

Im not thrilled about Chavez taking up a roster spot with his injury problems but for $900k you cant really go wrong and odds are he’ll be on the DL at some point this season anyway. I just hope Hughes gets that 5th spot, dont want to see him banished to bullpen purgatory wondering what could have been.

by GriffMan on Feb 22, 2012 9:31 AM EST reply actions

Nunez easily makes the team

No doubt in my mind. I’m hoping Branyan gets that last spot on the team. His power is too potent to ignore.

by CJGreffrath on Feb 22, 2012 10:18 AM EST reply actions

Especially at Yankee stadium

It was embarrassing to watch those home runs

by yanksrule on Feb 22, 2012 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

Ehh...

Manny Delcarmen- A non-roster invitee that has the potential to be the Luis Ayala of the 2012 Yankees.

So in other words a guy who gets insanely lucky throughout the season, earns a sparkly ERA, and is promptly used quite improperly throughout the playoffs?

Good.

"Don't you think it's strange that you'll make more money than President Hoover this year?"
"Why not? I had a better year than he did." - G.H. Ruth

by Andrew GM on Feb 22, 2012 10:21 AM EST reply actions

Pitching

CC said he felt they were the best rotation in the league. I don’t know if I agree, but I’d say it’s certainly the best pitching staff in the league. That bull pen is sick, especially if Hughes goes back to tossing mid 90s as a part of it.

Only Yankees fans can look at this team and not be ecstatic.

Most arguments are really about context.

by SheaWasBettor21 on Feb 22, 2012 10:45 AM EST reply actions

Hughes should be absolutely nowhere but the rotation

"I could never wear another uniform. I will always be a Yankee"- Jorge Posada

Thanks for the memories Jorge

by nyyrocks29 on Feb 22, 2012 11:02 AM EST up reply actions

this this this

I'd like to thank the good Lord for making me a Yankee fan.

by NJsandman on Feb 22, 2012 4:24 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

And it doesn’t even include Joba coming back later this year… Could Girardi’s new formula be the starter pitches 5, then go to Joba/Soriano/Robertson/Rivera to shut it down? Seems crazy, but that combo takes a lot of pressure off of the starters as long as they don’t use all 4 guys every day.

by otamamij on Feb 22, 2012 11:13 AM EST up reply actions

This seems extreme.

I’d say there’s almost no reason any Yankee starter should ever crack 110 pitches though.

Most arguments are really about context.

by SheaWasBettor21 on Feb 22, 2012 11:29 AM EST up reply actions

Try to convince CC Sabathia of that.

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." --Rogers Hornsby

@csm5206

by Chris McKeown on Feb 22, 2012 11:56 AM EST up reply actions

shorter gamezz

by jetanumba2 on Feb 22, 2012 11:44 AM EST up reply actions

I’d take the Angels rotation, Yankees bullpen, and not sure about lineup

Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc

Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter, Writer for On The Banks

by Brandon C. on Feb 22, 2012 11:42 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I think CJ...

…was such a steal.

Most arguments are really about context.

by SheaWasBettor21 on Feb 22, 2012 12:45 PM EST up reply actions

I completely disagree

Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc

Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter, Writer for On The Banks

by Brandon C. on Feb 22, 2012 12:52 PM EST up reply actions

But we shall see. I wasn’t a fan of the move especially because they have Ervin Santana and Dan Haren to re-sign after the season, and I wouldn’t have given Wilson that much over that many years.

Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc

Co-Manager/Writer for Pinstripe Alley, Editor/Writer for Blueshirt Banter, Writer for On The Banks

by Brandon C. on Feb 22, 2012 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

lets wait a year or two and see how stupid the Angels look

by jetanumba2 on Feb 22, 2012 12:55 PM EST up reply actions

Backloaded

He makes 10 and 11 mil in 2012 and 2013. If he’s 85% of what he was last season for the next 2 years, he just needs like 500 Mark Buerhle innings to be worth it.

He was obviously a monster last year, so what you’re really saying is he can’t sustain that level. I think he might actually improve on his walk rates by moving to a pitcher’s park and challenging more hitters. He just needs to stay healthy, as the stuff is quite legit.

Most arguments are really about context.

by SheaWasBettor21 on Feb 22, 2012 1:05 PM EST up reply actions

Waaaah, we wanted Castro or Garza!

http://www.nesn.com/2012/02/red-sox-compensation-saga-for-theo-epstein-proves-bud-selig-mlb-need-to-fix-process.html

"There is no room in baseball for discrimination. It is our national pastime and a game for all." - Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig

by Xavier10 on Feb 22, 2012 11:52 AM EST reply actions

this system is broken?

how about not allowing management to leave before their contract is up? They allowed him to leave so why are they entitled to anything other than a mediocre prospect? A GM doesn’t win games.

by jetanumba2 on Feb 22, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions