Yanks DFA Nunez To Clear A Roster Spot For Solarte

(So long, Scissorhands.  Courtesy of Getty Images)

In retrospect, I think we should have all seen this coming.  As first reported by Mark Feinsand, the Yankees have designated Eduardo Nunez for assignment in order to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for Yangervis Solarte.  It started late last week when Solarte was announced as Joe's pick for the final bench spot, it continued earlier today when Solarte was given Nunez's number 26, and it concludes with this roster move.

The move comes as a bit of a surprise based solely on Nunez's tenure with the team.  As recently as a week ago he looked like the odds-on favorite to win the final roster spot, but I guess his ST performance that was right in line with the consistently below-average production he's had his whole Major League career was the final straw.  The bottom line is the guy didn't hit and didn't field.  You have to be able to do one or the other to stick and the Yankees gave him plenty of chances to prove that he could.  We'll see where Nunez goes now, but this move has to all but signal an end to his Yankee career.

Don't Think So, Vern

Vernon Wells was on MLB Network Radio on Thursday, talking about his future with the Yankees.  He said "hopefully I'll get one more year" with the team and that both he and his family "had so much fun" being a part of the Yankee organization in 2013.  Wells is still under contract with the team for the next season, albeit with none of his salary counting towards the payroll thanks to some nifty accounting when the Yanks traded for him last year.

I hate to break it to you, Vern, but I don't think you're getting that year and I don't think the team shares your enthusiasm about coming back.  You're the 6th outfielder on the Major League depth chart right now and contrary to your statement there is not "possibly one spot" up for grabs, at least not one that you have a realistic shot at.  You hit .233/.282/.349 this past season, .221/.294/.295 in the second half.  You didn't hit for any power after May, you can't play the outfield, and if it wasn't for Eduardo Nunez's existence you would have been the worst player on the team this year.

The Yankees still need to add Brian Roberts and Matt Thornton to the 40-man roster, and at some point they're going to add at least 1 more starting pitcher.  You're as good as gone, Vern, and to be honest that's for the best.  If you're getting any time in the Yankee outfield in 2014, something went terribly, horribly wrong.

Who's Next On The 40-Man Roster Hit List?

The Yankees appear to be making up for a slow Winter Meetings week with another flurry of signings early this week.  They've agreed to sign Brian Roberts to a 1-year deal as part of what looks more and more like a patchwork solution at second base.  And a few hours ago the Matt Thornton signing broke, giving them an MLB-proven option for the LOOGY role in next year's bullpen.  Add to that the still-not-official Carlos Beltran signing and the Yankees are looking at 43 players for 40 spots on the active roster right now.

So who gets the axe next?  Based on the positions of the players added, it only makes sense that Vernon Wells be the one to go for Beltran.  He serves little purpose as a 5th or 6th outfielder and the team can get better production out of the DH spot by rotating players through than they would have from Wells.  Lefty pitcher David Huff will probably also get future endeavored now that Thornton is in the 'pen.  No need to carry 3 lefty relief options when there's only 1 available spot.

The last one could be a little trickier.  Roberts' presence could signal the end for Eduardo Nunez.  But with Nunez and Dellin Betances both reportedly still having MiL options left, perhaps the Yankees will just take the easy way out and bump 1 or both of them down to clear space.  Another spot should open up when the A-Rod suspension decision comes down, for 50 games at least, and it makes sense to hold onto as many potential assets as you can when your projected starting lineup is as old, injury-risky, and platoon-heavy as the Yankees' appears it will be.

They don't have to make any decisions yet, but as physicals get completed and deals become official it will be interesting to see how they go about juggling 40-man spots for all these new players.

Non-Tender Deadline Moves Won't Be The End Of The 40-Man Shuffle

(Listen to the bell, Vernon.  It tolls for thee.  Courtesy of Kim Klement/USA Today Sports)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The non-tender deadline was yesterday and the Yankees continued their onslaught of offseason activity with a flurry of moves.  They traded Chris Stewart to the Pirates for a PTBNL in the morning, reuniting him with his 2012 catching partner and clearing some of their new logjam at the catcher spot caused by the Brian McCann signing.  In the afternoon, they officially non-tendered Jayson Nix, Matt Daley, and David Adams, freeing up 3 40-man roster spots in the process.

Stewart's spot makes 4 but that will go to McCann when his signing is made official later this week.  With so many free agent feelers out right now and the Rule 5 Draft coming up next week, those 3 remaining spots will really come in handy.  You have to think the Yankees are unofficially reserving 1 for Robinson Cano, or whoever they sign to replace him in the unlikely event he signs elsewhere.  Another will be held for Hiroki Kuroda, to whom the Yankees have reportedly made another 1-year contract offer.  And based on the Yankees' recent history, it's high likely they will select a player - another unheralded bullpen arm is my guess - in the Rule 5, bringing them back to a full 40-man roster.

Non-Tender Deadline Wrap-Up

So a lot of stuff happened yesterday afternoon and last night that I didn't get to.  If you were busy like I was, here's what you missed.

- The Yankees non-tendered Jayson Nix, Matt Daley, and David Adams to free up 3 more spots on the 40-man roster.  I bet they'll try to re-sign all of them to MiL deals, but Adams is the only one I'd care about getting back.

- They did sign Russ Canzler to a MiL deal, giving him a second go-round after cutting him in February.  I did a piece on Canzler way back when they first signed him in January and he still profiles as that same type of player.  Has always hit lefties in the Minors and can play some corner IF/OF.

- Brendan Ryan's new deal was formally announced by the team.  Via Joel Sherman, the deal is actually worth $2 million this year and next year with a team option for 2016.  If the Yankees decline, it becomes a $1 million player option, bringing the AAV of the deal to $1.67 mil.  Every little bit helps.

40-Man Moves Could Signal The End Of Nix, And Maybe Nunez

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

If you didn't get all jazzed up at the announcement of the 40-man roster moves on Wednesday, don't worry.  I didn't either.  It went almost exactly as expected, with the Yankees protecting Gary Sanchez, Slade Heathcott, Shane Greene, Bryan Mitchell, and Jose Campos from next month's Rule 5 Draft by adding them to the roster and leaving their Rule 5 eligible relievers unprotected.

The one unforeseen move was made via trade, a small trade between the Yankees and the Padres for MiL utility infielder Dean Anna.  Anna is a 26-year-old lefty hitter who can play all over the infield and some of the outfield, with his primary positions being second base and shortstop.  He was hardly a prospect in the San Diego system, but the guy does appear to have some tools.  He hit .331/.410/.482 (.400 wOBA) in 582 Triple-A plate appearances last year, he's always had strong K and BB rates, and he's got enough gap power in his bat to conceivably be a useful bench player.  He came at the expense of High-A pitcher Ben Paullus, which is to say the Yanks basically got him for free, and his immediate addition to the 40-man is another harrowing sign for some of the Yankees' incumbent infielders.

Yanks Make 40-Man Roster Moves

Yesterday was the deadline for teams to reset their 40-man rosters before next month's Rule 5 Draft and as expected, the Yankees were very active in protecting some of their top eligible guys.  They added 6 players to the 40-man: Gary Sanchez, Slade Heathcott, Bryan Mitchell, Shane Greene, Jose Campos, and newly acquired Triple-A infielder Dean Anna (more on him later).

The players left unprotected were relievers Tommy Kahnle, Dan Burawa, and Chase Whitley.  None of those decisions come as a surprise, although it is a bit of a bummer to not protect a strong Triple-A arm like Whitley.  There's a good chance at least 1 or all 3 of those guys get picked next month.  Luckily, hard-throwing bullpen arms are a source of major depth in the Yankee system.

There was one roster casualty yesterday, Tsecond baseman Corban Joseph.  He was outrighted off the roster and back to Triple-A after clearing waivers.  He struggled with a shoulder injury this past season and with Anna now on the 40-man his dwindling prospect status takes another hit.

40-Man Roster Crunch Could Be Coming

The move hasn't been made yet, but according to a report by Joel Sherman the Yankees are planning to add Double-A right-handers Bryan Mitchell and Shane Greene to the 40-man roster to protect them from next month's Rule 5 draft.  Both guys are part of that gaggle of MiL players who will become Rule 5 eligible this offseason and with Slade Heathcott and Gary Sanchez sure bets to get added as well, that's 4 spots that will be taken up.

Between this, the spots reserved for arbitration-eligible players, and the anticipation of more spots being taken up by free agent signings, the 40-man could be set to suffer a few casualties before next spring camp.  That's bad news for guys like Chris Stewart and Jayson Nix, Joe favorites who offer little on-field value when compared to others at their respective positions.  Don't be surprised to see either or both of these guys get non-tendered to make room for the new 40-man spots.

Thinking About Possible Rule 5 Casualties

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

In a little less than 2 months, the MLB Winter Meetings will wrap up and hot stove season will be brought to a full boil.  At the end of the meetings, the 2013 Rule 5 Draft will be held and the Yankees could find themselves in a tricky spot for that draft this year.  It's no secret that the Yankees have a crowded 40-man roster on their hands right now.  It's something that seems to have been a growing problem for the past few years, a byproduct of an aging roster full of big contracts and an organizational desire to both protect its top prospects and keep the below-replacement level players blocking them around (see: Nix, Jayson or Stewart, Chris).  With an unknown number of roster spots opening up and a large group of Rule 5 eligible players worth protecting, the Yankees might be at risk of losing a useful prospect or 2.

Report: Yanks To Call Up Murphy Today

As first reported by Joel Sherman on Friday, the Yankees intend to call up J.R. Murphy from Triple-A today to serve as their 3rd catcher.  The move comes as a bit of a surprise - Murphy isn't on the 40-man roster and hasn't really been talked about as a major September call-up candidate - but not an unearned surprise for the 22-year-old catcher coming off a career year.  After hitting .268/.352/.421 (.353 wOBA) in 49 games at Double-A Trenton, Murphy was moved up to Triple-A where he hardly missed an offensive beat.  In 59 games for the RailRiders, Murphy hit .270/.342/.430 (.350 wOBA) and overall he set career highs this season in hits (111), HR (12), and BB (47) while throwing out 37% of potential base stealers.

As the third catcher, Murphy will see little if any playing time in September.  This promotion comes mainly as a reward for a strong MiL season and mainly because there isn't a single other viable catching option in the system right now.  Murphy will catch bullpen sessions and work with the team during pregame workouts, and there will be plenty for him to learn from watching and talking with the team's veteran players.  By choosing to bring him up for that purpose, the Yankees are showing a slight change in organizational philosophy.

Looking At The Roster Expansion Call-Up Candidates

In less than 3 days the regular season will move into its final month, and with the calendar page flip will come the yearly expansion of the active rosters.  The Yankees, unsurprisingly still battling a ton of injuries and still looking to make any marginal upgrade they can to improve their playoff chances, figure to be one of the teams most likely to call up a lot of players.  At least on paper they do.  There are plenty of players who could help the Yankees in some capacity down the stretch, it's just that so many of them happen to be among the injured.  I know, ain't that a B?  There really isn't as much available on the current 40-man as you might think, so here's a quick preview of who will, may, and may not get called up to the show this Sunday.

Aardsma DFA'd, I'm Confused

(Used courtesy of The Star-Ledger)

David Aardsma became the biggest roster crunch casualty of the spring yesterday when the Yankees designated him for assignment to clear the final 40-man spot they need to fill out their Opening Day 25-man.  Despite signing him to what was essentially a 2-year deal, and despite a solid ST performance from Aardsma in his first fully healthy season back from TJS (6 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 7 K in 7.2 IP over 8 appearances), Aardsma "didn't really fit" with the team's bullpen needs according to Joe Girardi.  Aardsma's spot in the bullpen will be given to Shawn Kelley, who apparently impressed Joe more with his ability to throw multiple innings.

I understand that somebody was going to have to take the 40-man fall to make enough space for all the Yankees' recent acquisitions.  It's the nature of being an old, injured, inflexible team.  I also understand that Aardsma, as the 4th right-hander in the pecking order at best and only on a $500k deal, isn't the greatest loss in the world.  I'm just not sure I understand the logic in the decision making.  To say the Yankees "needed" another multi-inning guy in the 'pen this season is a bit of a stretch.  Their rotation isn't a "5 innings and out" type, they've got solid depth to cover the late innings, and they're going to have David Phelps holding down the longman spot when Hughes returns from the DL.

He may not have been a world beater, but I think Aardsma is, was, and would have been a better guy to have for the lower-leverage innings than Kelley.  ST stats being what they are, Aardsma still pitched better than Kelley this spring and he deserved a 40-man spot.  Isn't that why the Yankees signed him to a 2-year deal in the first place?  To have him around for this season?  If anybody deserved to go, it was probably Cody Eppley.  But like Kelley, he can pitch multiple innings as well and that's what Joe wants.

It's a tough break for Aardsma, but he should catch on somewhere else.  I'll just never understand the decision to sacrifice a better player to keep lesser ones on the roster.

David Adams Release Reaction

(Photo courtesy of Jordan Megenhardt/MLB.com)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The Irrational Fan's Take:

'"What are the Yankees doing??  Why would they get rid of Adams?  He's only 25 years old and he's coming off the best year of his career.  He hit .306/.385/.450 and he can play second base and third base.  The Yankees are going to need infield depth this season and possibly next depending on what happens with A-Rod and Cano and they just gave away one of their top young players at those positions to clear a roster spot for Vernon Wells!  That guy Brad V. from IIATMS/TYA ranked Adams 14th in his Top 30 Prospects this year, so he's gotta be good.

Not to mention the fact that Adams and Corban Joseph could have made a nice lefty/righty platoon DH on the bench if Hafner got hurt this season and then transitioned to second in 2014 if Cano doesn't get re-signed.  I don't get it.  How can they start playing Adams at third base last season and then just dump him for a player they didn't even need?  This is why the Yankees never develop any good young position players.  They never give them a real shot.  They've got a bunch of kids in the Minors who can play and now they're getting rid of them to get older.  Horrible move.  Cashman should be fired right now."

The Rational Fan's Take:

Current 40-Man Roster Reflects A Team In A State Of Flux

The Yankees continue to pluck petals off their 40-man roster flower to make room for the free agents they're slowly adding.  Last Friday it was Josh Spence for Kevin Youkilis, this week it was Jim Miller for Ichiro Suzuki.  Neither Spence nor Miller are a great loss from the 40-man, and both cleared waivers and accepted assignments to Triple-A to help boost the all-important organizational depth at that level.  But the removal of players like them for the Youkilises and Suzukis of the world paired with the addition of a half-dozen guys for Rule 5 Draft protection has resulted in a bit of a strange 40-man roster breakdown right now, at least to me.  The Yankees' lack of high-ceiling upper MiL talent has never been more on display than it is presently, and their current 40-man roster is a perfect example of a team (and an organization) in transition.