Saturday Afternoon Food For Thought: ST Starter Results

CC Sabathia- 5 G, 21.0 IP, 13 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 16 K
Hiroki Kuroda- 4 G, 11.1 IP, 15 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 12 K
Ivan Nova- 5 G, 19.2 IP, 21 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, 21 K
Masahiro Tanaka- 5 G, 21.0 IP, 15 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 26 K
Michael Pineda- 4 G, 15.0 IP, 14 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 16 K

Total- 88.0 IP, 78.0 IP, 24 ER, 10 BB, 91 K

We all know by now that Spring Training stats don't mean anything.  That said, it's hard to look at what the Yankee rotation has done this spring and not be impressed.  They've been great.  All of them.  The only really shaky-looking numbers are Kuroda's and all 6 of his ER came in 1 bad start.  He's been money every other time and very sharp in MiL outings.

The true test starts in a few days, but the Yankee rotation has passed the ST mid-term with almost straight A's.  CC looks healthy, sharp, and much more comfortable than he did last year.  Nova's more calm and confident.  Tanaka and Pineda have each looked overwhelming at times.  Based on what they've done this spring, this is the most excited I've ever been about a Yankee rotation heading into the start of the season.  Ever.

Late Spring Training Winners And Losers

(Courtesy of the AP)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

Somebody cue the music because we've reached the final countdown.  We're now only a week away from Opening Day.  This time next week we won't be talking about who's going to make the bullpen or win the 5th starter competition or what the batting order should look like because all of that stuff will be decided.  That means the guys in camp still competing for roster spots or clearer roster definitions don't have much time left to prove their worth.  A little less than 3 weeks ago, I singled out some of the early winners and losers in Spring Training.  In the time since, the winner/loser landscape has almost completely changed, as it's wont to do when the sample sizes become a bit larger and roster cuts start being made.  With a handful of ST games remaining, here is the updated list for who's sitting pretty and who's not.

5th Starter Competition After 2 Weeks

(Courtesy of the AP)

Vidal Nuno- 2 G, 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
David Phelps- 2 G, 4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Adam Warren- 2 G, 4.1 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Michael Pineda- 2 G, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

I don't think it's 100% accurate to call Pineda the early leader in the 5th starter competition even after his impressive season debut outing last night.  He is a week or so behind the other 3 pitchers and has made 1 less appearance because of that.  But looking at what the other 3 have done in their 2 starts, 1 of which was against a college team for Nuno, I don't think any of them have done anything special to separate themselves from the pack either.  Phelps and Warren have been hittable in their 2 appearances, and none of the other 3 guys have pitched to much length in their starts.  For having the advantage of the week head start, nobody is really that far ahead of Pineda when it comes to game action.

With Pineda in action now and looking very good with his fastball, slider, and command, everybody else has to step up to keep this competition interesting.  If Pineda continues to pitch like he did last night, he's going to win the spot.

A Rainy Day Of Firsts Yesterday

(Courtesy of the AP)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

For a while, it didn't look like yesterday's game was going to happen.  It was raining hard, the scheduled start had been pushed back, and the forecast wasn't all that promising.  It was supposed to be Masahiro Tanaka's second ST appearance and first official start in a Yankee uniform, cause for as much excitement as any ST game should cause, and both Mark Teixeira and Alfonso Soriano were also slated to make their first ST appearances.  As luck would have it, the weather cooperated long enough to get the game in and not deprive us of another chance to dissect Tanaka's outing or the string of related "firsts" that happened yesterday.

Early Spring Training Winners And Losers

(Yangervis Solarte, Spring Training MVP.  Courtesy of US Presswire)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

The Spring Training game schedule is now a shade over a week old after yesterday's game.  Not all of the starting pitchers have made 2 appearances yet, not all of the starting position players have seen a ton of action yet, and there's still a handful of players who have yet to make their 2014 debut.  In so many words, it's still very early.  With only 9 games down and another 3+ weeks to go, Spring Training 2014 and all its associated roster battles are not even close to being over, and what will happen over the next 3+ weeks will surely factor more heavily into the final 25-man decisions than what's happened over the last 9 games.  That said, it's not like the first 9 games have been completely meaningless.  Here are some of the early spring camp winners and losers thus far.

It's Way Too Early To Worry About CC's Velocity

(Courtesy of the AP)

(Originally published at IIATMS/TYA)

It was quite the weekend for the Bronx Bombers in the Grapefruit League.  The beat the Phillies on Saturday and the Blue Jays on Sunday by a combined score of 12-2, showcasing solid pitching from the top of their ST staff to the bottom and plenty of power from both sides of the plate.  Of course wins and losses in ST games are the least important things to come out of said games, but winning still beats losing and the Yanks looked good as a team over the last 48 hours.

The highlight of the weekend was the triple-headed 2014 pitching debut of the top of the starting rotation.  CC Sabathia, Hiroki Kuroda, and Masahiro Tanaka all threw 2 scoreless innings on Saturday, with Kuroda looking very sharp and efficient in his outing (he only threw 17 pitches) and Tanaka giving everybody a peak at his impressive array of offspeed pitches and plus fastball command on the corners.  The only pitcher who wasn't generating positive buzz after the game, despite almost identical results, was Sabathia.  In his first game action since last year's disastrous season, Sabathia's fastball lived in the mid-80s and topped out at just 88 MPH.  This sent up the emergency alarm in the form of a tweet barrage from the beat writers and set the stage for another spring of hand-wringing over the big guy's velocity.  Before everybody starts freaking out, I'd like to kindly ask that you take a deep breath, spend the next 5 minutes reading the rest of this post, and relax.

2014 Spring Training Roster Battle Recap

We're almost a week into the ST schedule and already the roster battles are starting to heat up.  There are 4 main ones in camp that I covered earlier this week and they're only going to get more intense as guys like Michael Pineda and Scott Sizemore get into game action this coming week.  Here they are again for anybody who missed them:

- 5th Starter

- Utility Infielder

- Backup Catcher

- Bullpen Spots

2014 Spring Training Roster Battles: Bullpen

(Courtesy of Corey Sipkin/NY Daily News)

As discussed in last week's roster evaluation post, the bullpen has experienced greater turnover from last season to this than it has in a long time.  Mo is gone, Joba is gone, Boone Logan (and Loone Bogan) are gone, and the Opening Day bullpen in 2014 will look very different than it did at any point in 2013.

The final major roster battle this spring is for those open bullpen spots.  The number of available spots could be anywhere from 3 to 1 depending on what happens with the 5th starter competition and the health of the pitchers involved in that, and there are a number of players vying for those spots.  The top competitors are an interesting group to say the least, from veterans to rookies, righties and lefties.  Adding further intrigue to the competition is the presence of the recently-signed Andrew Bailey.  He's not expected to be ready until late summer at the earliest, but he said upon arrival in camp that he "100%" expects to pitch this season.  Until that happens, here are the leading contenders for the season-opening spots.

2014 Spring Training Roster Battles: Backup Catcher

(Courtesy of USA Today Sports)

Yesterday I broke down what I believe to be the most open and even roster competition in camp this year, the battle for the utility infielder bench role.  From that, we move today to the roster battle I believe to be the least open and even and more of a token competition than anything, the competition for backup catcher.

The Yankees' upper-level catching depth has come a long way from where it stood at the end of last season.  Gone is THE Chris Stewart, replaced by Brian McCann, and returned is the man who would have made a better starting option than Stewart last year had he stayed healthy.  In his absence, a pair of prospects got chances to showcase their talents as Major League backup options and all 3 enter camp this year with a chance to nail down that job again.  After the jump, the competitors for the backup catcher spot.

2014 Spring Training Roster Battles: Utility Infielder

(Knee me up, Scotty!  Nailed it.  Courtesy of the AP)

Truth be told, I'm scared to death about the projected starting infield this year.  75% of it consists of mid-30s and older guys who have struggled with injuries over the last 1-4 years, and 2 of those players played a combined 32 games in 2013.  The one healthy starter is stepping into a full-time role at a position he's only played 18 games at in his career, so yeah, things aren't exactly on solid ground with respect to anticipated infield production.

That being the case, the Yankees are going to need a solid infield bench behind this group and the utility infield role will be the most important role of the bunch.  Shortstop is already locked down with Brendan Ryan.  What the Yankees really need is a guy who can be a reliable backup to Brian Roberts at second and Kelly Johnson at third, and maybe have the ability to throw a first baseman's glove on in a pinch.  Out of all the candidates for the job, there are 3 who stand out as the real competitors.  I expect they'll all get a long look at each and every infield position at some point this spring to determine who is the best option.

2014 Spring Training Roster Battles: 5th Starter

(The favorite?  Courtesy of the AP)

By the time this post goes up, the Yankees will be in the middle of their first Spring Training game of 2014.  The start of ST games brings with it the end to the early, relatively stress-free spring camp activities.  No more light jogs around the outfield, half-speed double play turns, and nice-and-easy BP sessions in the cage.  From here on out, guys are being judged on what they do and how they do it and results count.  Well, they count as far as the players who are competing for roster spots are concerned.

ST is never short on roster battles and this year is no exception.  The Yankees have more than a few spots up for grabs and plenty of players battling to earn one of those spots.  Over the next week or so, I'll break down the key roster battles in camp and the players involved, offering up my loose predictions for who I expect to win.  In following Yankee ST tradition, we start with the competition for the 5th rotation spot.

Report: Tyler Austin's Wrist Still Bothering Him

One of the things the Yankees were really hoping for this spring was a healthy one.  That was a 2-part goal, the first involving nobody suffering new injuries as a result of ST workout or game activity and the second being their large group of players coming back from injuries staying healthy and not suffering any setbacks.

It sounds like we've got our first setback in that second group and it didn't take very long for it to creep up.  According to Chad Jennings, outfield prospect Tyler Austin has been feeling some soreness in his right wrist, the same one that bothered him for most of last season.  It started up a few days ago and didn't go away, so Austin told coaches today and was held out of batting practice.  The plan right now is to let Austin rest it for a few days and see how the wrist feels then, but this obviously isn't an encouraging sign for how the wrist is going to hold up over the long haul once the season starts.

I hate to jump to the worst possible conclusion, but seeing as how I wasn't a fan of the idea to send Austin to the AZFL after the injury ended his MiL season early I feel like I can say it.  If this injury turns out to be something that requires surgery, and the Yankee medical staff missed it and thought the rest and rehab plan was the way to go, someone's ass should be fired.

Take It Easy, Teix

Position players aren't scheduled to report to Yankee camp until Wednesday, but Mark Teixeira arrived yesterday and started his spring workouts as he continues to work his way back from last year's wrist injury/surgery.  Teix took some light fielding drills with Mick Kelleher and some light hitting drills with Kevin Long, and when he settled into his locker today he took time to speak to the media.  I guess he's feeling better than he was earlier in the winter because the standout quote from Teix was a pretty bold declaration:

"I absolutely plan on playing 150-plus games this year.  That's my goal."

More power to him for setting the bar that high, but let's pump the brakes before we get too carried away with playing time goals that excessive.  This is the same guy who hasn't played more than 150 games since 2011, played only 15 last year, and was still feeling some stiffness in the wrist less than a month ago.  Now 1 day after showing up at camp he's saying he expects to play in over 92% of the team's games this year.  Given the backup options behind him, I'm sure the Yankees would be thrilled to get that many games from Teix this year.  Before we start talking about that though, let's maybe get a real batting cage session in and see how the wrist feels after a few ST games.