Around the Empire: Yankees news - 11/4/23

Baseball America | Geoff Pontes and Dylan White: The Yankees offense at the major league level might be a mess, but it’s refreshing to learn that their farm system ranks highly in a series of metrics and advanced stats. Baseball America (subscription required) published their hit score+ and age-adjusted hit score+ rankings, and the Yanks did very well.

For the first time ever, BA measured hitting performance based on underlying metrics via the Hawkeye data accumulated across minor league parks. The Yanks ranked second with a 114.9 hit score+ and a 115.17 age-adjusted hit score+. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers were better in both. Both metrics are rate stats in which offensive performance is measured relative to the league average (100), using wOBA as a baseline.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: Some readers may be too young to remember this, but three quality pitching prospects rose up the ranks and made their MLB debut with the Yankees in 2007: Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Ian Kennedy.

Hughes and Chamberlain, in that order, were seen as the best of the bunch, while Kennedy was more in the “solid floor, lower ceiling” category. Now, with Kennedy officially announcing his retirement, we can finally say he had the better, longer career.

Kennedy told Evan Thompson of Sport Relay that he is calling it quits during the Rangers’ World Series celebration. “There’s no better way to go out” he said, and while he wasn’t a factor in the postseason with the Rangers, he gets his ring and a proper sendoff. He retires with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP, making a successful transition from starter to closer late in his career.

MLBPA: The MLB Players Association announced the winners of the 2023 Players’ Choice awards. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was recognized by his peers as the American League’s Outstanding Pitcher, and deservedly so.

Cole had a 15-4 record with a 2.63 ERA and 222 strikeouts in 209 innings this year with the Bombers. He is, to this day, the favorite to win his first AL Cy Young award.

MLB Trade Rumors | Anthony Franco: After letting Bob Melvin go to the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres are looking for a new manager. As part of the search process, Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza will interview for the opening this weekend.

Mendoza, Aaron Boone’s right hand, has already interviewed for the Mets and Guardians openings.