Yankees Pros and Cons: Spring training week three

Welcome to Yankees Pros and Cons, a weekly column at Pinstripe Alley!

Each Monday we point out a series of players who either impressed or underperformed. This week saw the Yankees go on a roller coaster ride with injury news, roster decisions, and on-field action. It gave us plenty of material to work with, that’s for sure.

Now, on to the list:

Pro: Luis Cessa

I like to start these posts with a little positivity. Cessa, the subject of much derision around these parts, appears a lock to make the team. He has the inside lane to either a long relief role or a spot as a backend starter. Cessa tossed four innings of shutout ball on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out four. Spring training results aren’t predictive, but it’s better to see this than Cessa getting roughed up.

Con: Luis Severino

The Yankees ace was supposed to make his spring debut on Tuesday. Instead he was a late scratch before getting shut down with rotator cuff tendinitis. Severino will get re-evaluated sometime next week. In the meantime, he is all but certain to start the season on the injured list.

Pro: Masahiro Tanaka

With Severino on the shelf, the Yankees tapped Tanaka to start on Opening Day. This marks the fourth time that right-hander started the season opener. Tanaka has made two starts this spring, allowing two runs in 6.1 innings. More Tanaka is never a bad thing.

Con: Troy Tulowitzki

Remember when Tulowitzki hit a couple of home runs in the early going? That was fun. He has cooled off considerably since. The shortstop has gone 0-for-12 with nine strikeouts over the last few games. It even prompted Aaron Boone to address the slump. “Just a little late.” the Yankees manager told Bryan Hoch. ”That’s a result of, you miss a year and a half and you face some big-time velocity. He’ll get there. I’m convinced of that, timing wise, but that’s what it is.”

Pro: Giancarlo Stanton

A rare video pro:

Yes, Stanton makes the list just for that.

Con: Clint Frazier

The good news? Frazier had a nice little game against the Pirates yesterday, including hitting a game-tying single. The bad news, however, comes when you consider Frazier is ticketed for Triple-A. His .160/.267/.240 showing more than likely convinced the Yankees that he needs time in the minor leagues to get back up to speed.

Get ready for Brett Gardner, everyday left fielder.

Do you agree with this week’s list? Have any pros and cons that you want to share? Let us know in the comment section!