Good morning, Pinstripe Alley readers. Let's check out some of the Yankees-related stories floating around the Internet from the last few days.
- Phillip Brown of Bleacher Report did a scouting report on Manny Banuelos. I know Bleacher Report isn't our favorite thing here at Pinstripe Alley, but at least take a look at the video of Banuelos from last Spring Training against the Red Sox. It's in the third slide, and he's awesome. Prospects his age don't throw changeups like that. Without that appendectomy in early 2009, you have to wonder where he would be in his development right now. Would he have enough innings under his belt to vie for a rotation spot in 2012?
- Jim Caple of ESPN published his rules to live by at the annual winter meetings. His number one rule: Never, ever, ever, ever deal with the Yankees. Basically, because the Yankees are good all the time, teams shouldn't trade with them and make them better, even if the pieces the Yankees can offer them will improve their own clubs in the long run. Actually, that doesn't matter, because mainstream media and Yankees fans convince other GMs that Yankees prospects are amazing. So the Yankees will hose you, no matter what. Right.
- Mark Feinsand of The Daily News reported that Phil Hughes is looking to come into camp already in good shape. Last month, Hughes returned to Athletes' Performance Institute in Los Angeles, the same facility he trained at in 2008 and 2009. Hughes knows what's at stake, stating, "I’m certainly not at the point in my career where I can come in and go through the motions, and if I give up eight runs in an outing, it’s all good because it’s spring training. For me, coming off a bad season, I’m trying to do as much as I can to make sure that I’m ready to go when spring training rolls around."
- Benjamin Kabak of River Ave. Blues took a look at the recent trades the Yankees have made with both American League and National League clubs. I still can't get over the Bobby Abreu deal. What a disater that was for the Phillies.
- Eric Schultz of The Yankee Analysts reviewed Gary Sanchez's 2011 and considers 2012 an important year for the nearly 19-year-old prospect. Will he shed the maturity issues, improve upon his defense, and continue raking the way he was before a broken finger prematurely ended his season? Only time will tell, but for the Yankees, a solid year from one of the top prospects in baseball would be great.