Most notable, perhaps, is the volume of low-risk, high-reward players Yankees scouts have found under Eppler. Relievers like Bruney, Dan Giese, Edwar Ramírez and José Veras were signed as free agents, and all pitched well last season. Stories like the signing of Alfredo Aceves especially invigorate Eppler. On a tip from Lee Sigman, the Yankees’ scout in Mexico, Eppler sent one of his scouts, Jay Darnell, to shoot video of Aceves’s pitching. A rare look inside the Yanks' front-office, focused on a key cog whom I had never even heard of. I like the moves the front office has made in the last few years, Kei Igawa aside. The Yanks will never (I hope) receive a high draft ticket, and they'll never really settle for mediocrity at a key position, so for the farm system to be successful it has to focus on finding high potential players in non-traditional locations like Japan and the Indy Leagues. Must read material.
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