2013 Spring Training Roster Battles: 5th Starter

(Can Nova The Unknown shake off his terrible 2012?)

Now that all the players are in camp and team workouts have started, we can transition from introducing them to the unwashed masses who may not be familiar with every ST invitee to actually analyzing them and what they have on their respective plates this spring.

The Yankees are never short on spring roster competitions and this year is no exception.  There are four surefire roster spot battles that will be playing out over the course of this year's camp, and if you want to be bold and throw the right-handed DH role into the mix then there are five.  I personally don't consider that a real competition as that spot is basically going to be a revolving door for all the old, right-handed infielders on the roster and possibly Eduardo Nunez if the Yanks get tired of watching him botch shit in the field.  So four it is, and we're going to cover all four this week, starting with the most exciting and most time-honored of Yankee Spring Training competitions- the competition for the 5th spot in the starting rotation.

Yankees Put Four In Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects

Prospect season continued today with the unveiling of Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list.  This comes on the heels of Keith Law's Top 100 from two weeks ago and BA's 11th place ranking for the Yankee farm system as a whole last month.

The four players who made the cut come as no surprise.  Mason Williams ranked 32nd, Gary Sanchez 57th, Slade Heathcott 63rd, and Tyler Austin 77th.  Williams and Sanchez moved up the board significantly from their rankings last year (Sanchez was 81st, Williams 85th), and the inclusion of Heathcott and Austin gives the Yankees 4 in BA's Top 100 for the second straight year even after ManBan and Dellin Betances dropped off.

BA wasn't as high on this group as Law was in his rankings, but this continues the same trend that we've seen play out with the Yankee organizational rankings this offseason/preseason.  It's Williams, Sanchez, Austin, Heathcott, and everybody else.  Hopefully that talent gap gets closed some this season with some bounce back years from other top guys and a couple of big hits in this year's draft, but 4 in the top 77 is still pretty damn good.

Is Michael Pineda Ahead Of Schedule? Should We Be Excited About That?

(Courtesy of the AP)

Michael Pineda came to Yankee camp last year with high expectations.  He was a hulking 23-year-old kid coming off an impressive rookie season, the Yankees had just traded their best prospect in years to acquire him, and he represented the first significant move in the Yankees' efforts to get younger and get below the $189 million payroll threshold.  Long story short, those expectations were far from being met after Pineda showed up to camp overweight, struggled with his velocity and command, and eventually missed the whole 2012 season with a labrum tear in his pitching shoulder.

Pineda came to camp this year with no expectations.  He started his rehab throwing program in the fall, and the early words coming back from Brian Cashman and the coaching staff focused more on the idea of Pineda not pitching at all in 2013 than on exactly when he would be back.  Since arriving in Tampa, however, there's been a pretty noticeable shift in the Pineda discussion and evaluation, and there seems to be a renewed sense of positivity about the progress he's making.  With not a lot of other positive storylines to latch onto this spring, I'll raise the question.  Is it too early to start getting excited about Pineda's comeback?

Nunez Confusion Continues

A little over a month ago, Brian Cashman stated that Eduardo Nunez would be shifted back to the utility infielder role that was taken away from him in 2012 because of his defensive struggles.  That announcement inspired my response post in which I openly questioned the Yankees' logic and decision making when it came to handling Nunez.  While acknowledging that Nunez has all the tools to be an effective utility infielder and was the best in-house candidate for the job, I felt and still feel that the Yankees' failure to stick with one defined role for Nunez was hindering his development and possibly contributing to his continued problems in the field.

This past weekend, the saga continued when Joe announced that Nunez would work exclusively as a shortstop in camp this year and there are no plans to work him in at any other position "for right now."  The reasons for doing this are obvious and sound, as Derek Jeter is expected to have a slow spring to work himself back from his ankle surgery and will definitely need regular days off early in the season regardless of whether he is able to play on Opening Day or not.  Nunez is the most logical choice as a backup for Jeter, and making sure he's prepared to fill that role makes sense.

With regards to the utility infielder position and Nunez's involvement in that role, however, Joe's statement does cause a bit of trepidation, if for no other reason than it's not in agreement with what Cash said earlier.  Third base is going to be just as much an area of concern with respect to health and rest as shortstop is, and Nunez was expected to be the backup for that position as well under the "utility infielder" title.  This disagreement in role definition from the two guys most in control of setting the definitions could be setting Nunez up for failure again, and could result in an adjustment of the projected bench roles and players filling those roles if there are still questions about Nunez's ability to handle the utility infielder job.

Scaled Back Spring For CC Could Be A Positive

(Always good to see the big fella on the mound.  Courtesy of the AP)

After what the team called a "scheduling error," CC Sabathia threw his first bullpen session of the spring on Saturday, really testing out his left elbow for the first time since offseason surgery to remove bone chips.  Sabathia said he felt good after the 29-pitch session, which was all fastballs and changeups, and commented on his desire to stay healthy for the full season this year, something that becomes a new goal for all players as they journey into their mid-30s.  Joe was also happy with CC's performance and gave a little bit of insight into what might be a more cautious team approach with CC this season when he announced that CC will be skipped the first time through the spring rotation.  This might come as a surprise and cause for concern for some, but if this is handled correctly it could be the perfect way to keep CC fresh.

Prep Yourself, Fool

Position players were set to report to camp today, which puts the Yankee 2013 Spring Training contingent at full attendance.  I am hanging like a bastard today, so rather than cover whatever's going on at camp today (hint- pitchers are pitching, catchers are catching, hitters are hitting), I'm just going to re-post all the Report Date Prepper posts from the past week and give you one last chance to get yourself ready for this year's camp.  As it is, I wrote half of these posts with a hangover too, so it only seems fitting.

- The Catchers

- The Relievers

- The Starters

- The Infielders

- The Outfielders

Wait, Derek Lowe Is Still Available?

That's a serious question.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I didn't realize Derek Lowe was still wallowing away on the free agent market.  I assumed some team had already snapped him up on a MiL deal after his surprisingly strong late-2012 stint with the Yanks.  Came to find out he's still out there thanks to Axisa's little update blurb on him yesterday when Lowe said he would be willing to come out of the bullpen.

I definitely wouldn't be interested in Lowe on anything more than a MiL deal, and I wouldn't expect him to make the Opening Day roster, but he could be valuable in multiple scenarios for the Yankees.  At best, he could do what Axisa would like him to do and serve as the swingman and 7th reliever in the bullpen, freeing the lose of the Nova-Phelps competition up to go down to Triple-A to stay stretched out as a starter for the eventual injury that will come up.  At worst, he decides to stay in Triple-A after camp ends and serves that cheap veteran innings-eater function I was talking about yesterday.

Lowe might still be holding out for a Major League offer, counting on other injuries in another camp inspiring teams to give him a look.  But if he doesn't get any, and still wants to play, he should be willing to take a MiL deal as much as the Yankees should be willing to offer him one.

Nothing To See Here, Folks...

Nope, nothing at all.  No big deal.  Just the 2 best pitchers in the last 30+ years of Yankee history doing their thing in the bullpen.  That's a pretty everyday occurrence right there.  Probably discussing the finer points of the cutter and counting their World Series rings.  Moving on...

(Photo courtesy of Erik Boland)

Don't Forget About Cesar Cabral

With almost every other pitcher still in the earliest phases of their Spring Training routines, Michael Pineda has dominated the headlines with the positive reviews he's gotten from his rehab work.  But there's another pitcher also on the comeback trail who's worth keeping an eye on, and that's lefty Cesar Cabral.  You might remember Cabral as one of last year's Rule 5 draft picks who came to camp and impressed the coaching staff.  He actually had a leg up on Clay Rapada for the 2nd LOOGY job, and probably would have won it were it not for the fractured elbow he suffered late in camp that caused him to miss all of 2012.

Via Chad Jennings, Cabral was also out on the mound yesterday and threw a 25-pitch session that drew positive feedback from Joe.  Like Pineda, Cabral won't be ready for the opening of the 2013 season, but his return should come much earlier as a reliever and could be a blessing if there are problems with Boone Logan.  George King reported yesterday that Logan had a wrap on his arm after throwing long toss and Larry Rothschild confirmed that the Yankees "are being cautious with him" this spring.  The first few days of ST are hardly the time to be cautious with a pitcher who isn't hurt, and this approach is a sign that there's concern about Logan's health after his heavy 2012 workload.  Cabral's presence not only gives the Yankees the opportunity to be cautious with Logan, but also to have another lefty option should Logan end up on the DL.

The Yankees could have very easily cut bait on Cabral last year after he missed the season, and it would have been perfectly understandable given his injury and the fact that they added more LOOGY depth to their system.  But they kept him around, brought him back to camp this year, and barring another injury will have him available should their bullpen require another lefty arm.

Friday Afternoon Linkapalooza: 2/15/13

No time for jibber jabber today.  Let's just jump right into the links!

- On Monday, el duque of It Is High... listed his top 10 Yankee prospects and went pretty off the board with his top two selections.

- William Juliano of The Captain's Blog investigated the pros and cons of the new Ticketmaster deal, and what the effects would be for buyers and sellers.

- On Tuesday, Matt Imbrogno of TYA took the lineup building idea a step further than I did by constructing two optimal batting orders based on CAIRO projections.

- Robert Casey of Bleeding Yankee Blue interviewed SS prospect Cito Culver.  I wish Robert would have asked him when he's planning on dropping the switch-hitting thing, but that's probably why I don't do interviews.

- On Wednesday, Jason Cohen of Pinstriped Bible dug deeper into Joe's "finding new ways to score" statement to point out that this year's team will not be completely powerless.

- Mike Axisa of RAB reviewed the Yankees' collection of 2012 international signings.  At first glance, there aren't any players who stand out like a Gary Sanchez, but there is potential there.

- Egon Spengler of NoMaas played with past and present projections for Jeter, A-Rod, and Ichiro to set a basis for expectations in 2013.

- Derek Albin of Pinstripe Pundits compared the projections for the 2013 offense to last year to see just how big the potential drop-off could be.

- On Thursday, Lisa Swan of Subway Squawkers commented on the Yankee front office's continued battle against StubHub and the stupidity of their choice to make that a major offseason focus.

- Chad Jennings of LoHud had the latest on Michael Pineda's rehab, which sounds like it's going very well, and some comments from coaches on his progress.

- Kate Conroy of Lady Loves Pinstripes wasn't drinking the Joe Girardi Kool-Aid when it came to the 95 wins declaration.

- Hunter Farman of Yanks Go Yard said the utility infielder job is Corban Joseph's to lose this spring.  I don't know if I would go that far, but he certainly has an opportunity.

- On Friday, Stacey Gotsulias of IIATMS set everybody straight on the comments Kevin Youkilis made about "always being a Red Sock."  Stacey is running the show over there now, so make sure you've got IIATMS in your regular blogosphere rotation if it isn't already.

- Daniel Burch of The Greedy Pinstripes kept the prospect interview train chugging by having his own Q&A with Corey Black.

This week's Friday Jam is "War Machine" by BRMC because well, why the hell not?



Enjoy your weekends, everybody.

Yanks Still In The Market For Pitching Depth, Eyeing An Old Friend

Along with signing cheap veteran players to fill bench results, a Yankee staple the past few seasons has been stashing a cheap veteran starter or two in the Minors for emergency pitching depth.  Last year it was Ramon Ortiz and John Maine who filled that role, and filled it admirably, but so far this offseason there hasn't been a single signing of that type.

Enter this little nugget of intel from The Post's George King about the Yankees monitoring the status of Chien-Ming Wang, who threw for Billy Connors recently in a quasi-audition.  According to King, the Yankees haven't reached out to Wang or his agent, but they will be scouting him when he pitches for Taiwan in the WBC.  Wang has never been the same since injuring his foot in Houston in 2008, and was downright awful last season in Washington (6.68/5.85/5.43 in 32.1 IP).  He wouldn't be in the running for a Major League call up, as those will most likely be given to Adam Warren and Brett Marshall, but he could serve as backup depth in Triple-A should one of those younger arms be needed in the Majors.

Position Players Report Date Prepper: The Outfield

(Awww, friendship.  Courtesy of Reuters)

Players continue to trickle into Yankee camp this week, but they all have to officially be there by Sunday, when Spring Training will really get started.  The final group of players to take a look at are the outfielders.  The Yankee outfield in 2013 will look, and probably play, much different than the one that started last season.  Nick Swisher is gone, replaced by the re-signed Ichiro in right field, and Brett Gardner returns to left (or possibly center) after missing pretty much all of last season.  The backup OF spots are not as clearly defined as they were last spring, and one of the main roster battles in camp will be for that coveted 4th outfield bench spot.  Let's meet our contestants.

At What Point Would The Yankees Consider Trading Robinson Cano?

(Dat swing... Courtesy of Getty Images)

Picture this.  It's sometime around the All Star Break, and the Yankees are floundering.  Andy is on the DL again; CC has had issues with his surgically-repaired elbow and spent a 15-day stint on the shelf as well; Hirok has regressed after his heavy 2012 workload; Phil and Nova are pitching about the same as they did last season.  Jeter's return from his ankle injury has been tough and he's still having to take days off to stay healthy enough to play; Youkilis is underperforming and on the DL with Andy; C-Grand is still striking out a lot, Teix continues to decline, and Ichiro is pre-trade Ichiro and not the post-trade version.  The team is hovering around 3rd or 4th place in the AL East, 13 games out of the division lead and 10 out of the last Wild Card spot.  It's the worst worst-case scenario imaginable, but one that honestly has a non-zero chance of happening.  If that were situation at the ASB, would that be enough to inspire the front office to trade Robbie Cano?

Position Players Report Date Prepper: The Infield

(Finger guns FTW.  Courtesy of Getty Images)

With Mo making his customary late arrival yesterday, all the pitchers and catchers who were invited to participate in Spring Training are now in camp.  And believe it or not, they're actually pitching and catching.  The remaining members of the ST invite list, the infielders, outfielders, and designated hitters, are scheduled to arrive on Sunday to complete the squad and get ready for the first Grapefruit League game of the preseason a week from Saturday.  Continuing our rough run-through of the players participating in big league camp this year, here are the infielders we can expect to see on Sunday.

Yanks Make Small Trade, Add A Bullpen Arm

It wasn't a move to re-acquire Jesus Montero as some people have suggested, and it wasn't the dream trade for Felix Hernandez that many still desire, but the Yankees and Mariners hooked up again today in a minor deal.  The Yankees acquired right-handed reliever Shawn Kelley from Seattle for MiL outfielder Abraham Almonte.

Kelley is 28 years old, has good size at 6'2"/220, and is actually a pretty decent relief pitcher.  In 44.1 IP last season over 47 appearances, Kelley pitched to a 3.25/3.55/4.20 tripleslash with a 9.14 K/9.  He's almost exclusively a fastball-slider pitcher, and can dial the heater up to mid-90s when he needs to.  Kelley spent small parts of the last 4 seasons in the Seattle 'pen, but could never break into a regular role.  He likely won't do that with the Yankees either, but he'll be right there with Cody Eppley as an early call-up candidate if he sticks.

Almonte was a fringe prospect at best in the Yankee system, and removing him from the outfield equation helps clear up a bit of the overcrowding problem that was creeping up in the Minors.  He didn't have much of a future as a Yankee, and may not have a much better chance of upward mobility in Seattle with all the OFers they've added.

Not a bad move for the Yankees, but if Seattle is interested in dealing it would have been better to try to make a run at Casper Wells.

** UPDATE 7:32AM- Neglected to mention this last night, but another added benefit of trading for Kelley is the years of team control remaining.  Kelley is a Super Two player and has 3 years of arbitration eligibility remaining.  If they want, the Yankees can keep him through 2015 before he hits free agency. **

The Offseason Boiled Down To The Simplest Terms

With the 2012-2013 offseason now squarely in the rearview, the Yankosphere is collectively getting its last licks in this week and putting the finishing written touches on what was universally regarded as a boring, unproductive, "bad" offseason.  There are a million ways to paint that picture, the best of which involve statistical analysis and comparison, and some of which have been done in bits and pieces on this blog as part of other posts.  But with so much still to happen that will ultimately determine just how successful or unsuccessful this past offseason truly was, it's almost more hassle than it's worth to try to dig through the numbers and analyze the projections.  Here's all anyone really needs to know about this offseason:

Reaction To Joe's Opening Press Conference

(No binder??  For shame, man.  Courtesy of the AP)

Joe met the media for the first of many times this season yesterday, giving his take on the most important and newsworthy talking points surrounding the team as they come into camp and setting the tone for what the important talking points will continue to be as Spring Training ramps up.  As usual, he was positive and optimistic when evaluating his team and their chances this year, saying he felt they were capable of winning 95 games and the World Series this year and citing the strong returning pitching staff as a reason.  There was plenty more where that came from and plenty to take away from what Joe had to say.

Where's The Rest Of CC Sabathia??

(Courtesy of the AP)

"Sabathia said he lost about 10 pounds over the winter and is down to 290. He said that’s what he was last spring, and that seems about right. He looks about the same as last spring. 'This is the ideal weight,' he said. 'I was probably about 300 by the end of last year, so I probably gained 10 pounds.'" (via Chad Jennings)

Either CC is wearing Shaq's shorts and t-shirt in that picture or he lost more than 10 pounds this offseason.  Seriously, what is going on there??  Is that a camera trick or something?  Dude looks fucking SVELTE.  If that's CC at 290 then I can say with 100% certainty that he looks better at 290 than I look at 200.  I'm also not 6'7" but you get the point.  The big fella is looking lean and mean.



P.S.- Is it the tights?  It's gotta be the tights.

Return Of The Spring Training New Numbers Game

(Obviously ain't going to be any of these)

One of the more fun parts of Spring Training is the juggling and assigning of numbers to new team members.  The exercise is especially tricky for the Yankees, who have their large collection of retired numbers and a couple of numbers that are off limits until they are officially retired.  It became even trickier this season with a greater influx of new players and a collection of returning players who decided they wanted to trade up for a better number this season.  Does any of this have any bearing on how each player will perform this season?  Absolutely not.  Is it worth covering on the first day of camp when all guys are doing is putting stuff in their lockers and maybe tossing a ball around?  I think so.  Especially now that I was smart enough to not guess at the new numbers this year and open myself up to criticism for the lack of AB4AR t-shirts in the world.  New number assignments after the jump.

C-Grand In Camp, Wants To Return Next Year

Curtis Granderson arrived at camp yesterday, and participated in some outfield running and throwing drills with Derek Jeter before speaking to reporters.  The biggest point of discussion was Curtis' impending free agency after this season and his desire to remain with the Yankees.

I don't need to go back through the reasons why I think the Yankees should let C-Grand walk after this season, and it certainly comes as no surprise that he wants to stay.  The stadium dimensions are tailor-made for his power swing, being a star in New York gives him a ton more opportunities to participate in off-field and local activities that he loves to do, and the Yankees would probably offer him the most money.  Curtis has fully ingrained himself into the Yankee family and been a valuable member of the team in his time here, but I still wouldn't anticipate anything more than a qualifying offer.

One interesting bit of baseball-related info to come out of Curtis' chat with reporters yesterday was the revelation that he tweaked his offseason program and started hitting earlier than usual at the suggestion of Ichiro (via Erik Boland).  If that change in routine helps cut down on the strikeouts and improves his overall production this season, maybe that will inspire the Yankees to consider offering C-Grand a new deal, especially if they are unable to re-sign Robbie Cano.

Pitchers & Catchers Report Date Prepper: The Starters

(The big 3.  Courtesy of Charles Wenzelberg/NY Post)

Today's the big day.  As I sit here writing this and as others of you will sit here and read it, players are making their way to the Yankees' Spring Training complex to begin their preseason work.  There's a lot that needs to be done to prepare for the 2013 season, and a lot that still needs to be worked out, but one thing will hold more true than it ever has for the Yankees this year and that's the need for their starting rotation to stay healthy and pitch effectively.  Last year's group did for stretches, especially for a period in June when Andy had joined the rotation and gotten up to full game speed, but injuries and uneven performance were the bigger storylines.  The Yankees head into camp this season with the same 6 familiar faces that finished last year vying for the 5 spots in this year's rotation, with some youth and depth behind them.

Jeter Runs For First Time Since Surgery; I'm Still Not Convinced He'll Be Ready For Opening Day

The Captain has had his walking boot off for a while now, and has been working out at the team complex in Tampa hitting in the cage and taking groundballs for the last 2 weeks.  Last Monday, Erik Boland reported that Jeter would begin running when everybody reported to camp "in a few weeks," and now it appears that schedule has been slightly accelerated.  Boland tweeted this morning that Jeter ran for the first time since his surgery and told reporters he had been given the "green light" to start intensifying his workouts.

This should be a positive sign that things continue to be right on schedule with respect to Jeter's rehab program, and to a certain degree it is.  But Jon Morosi's follow-up tweet stating that Jeter only ran on a treadmill does cause me to rein in my excitement a bit.  I was skeptical about the prospect of Jeter making it back for Opening Day when his early progress was reported by Joe last November, and this latest report does little to change my feelings.  Running on a treadmill and running on a baseball field are two completely different things, and as a shortstop who also hits leadoff, Jeter has to do quite a bit of on-field running.  If all he can do right now is take light swings and jog on a treadmill, he's still a long way away from being back in game shape.  He's still got 7 weeks to get there, but that may not be enough to be completely ready for Opening Day if he still isn't physically able to put multiple baseball activities together.

Regardless of whether or not Jeter was able to go Opening Day, the Yankees were going to have to handle him carefully for the first few weeks of the regular season.  That plan may have to include contingencies for how they want to handle the SS position if Jeter isn't ready to go, because to rush his comeback would be insanely unwise.  Hopefully Eduardo Nunez has been taking a lot of grounders this offseason...

Pitchers & Catchers Report Date Prepper: The Relievers

(The great Yankee tradition of the ST baton twirl.  Courtesy of Ron Antonelli/Daily News)

1 day.  We're just 1 day from the beginning of the 2013 Yankee season.  By this time tomorrow, guys will be rolling into Tampa, swinging through the team facility, getting their quick physicals, and getting settled to prepare for the first team workout on Wednesday.  It's about as exciting as the most un-exciting part of the season can be, and to prepare for it we're taking a 3-part look at the group of players who will make their arrivals tomorrow.  Last Friday it was the catchers, a most uninspiring group at the Major League level, and today the level of inspiration should jump a bit with the move to the bullpen.  It's shaping up to be another deep, talented, strong group in 2013, but not a group without its question marks, particularly in the health department.

It's Still Important To Stay Grounded With Ichiro & Gardner

(Can this trio carry enough offensive weight?  Courtesy of Getty Images)

ESPN NY's Spring Training countdown series got off to a pretty crummy start, but he's been a little better lately.  Earlier this morning, Wally Matthews took a break from handing out fictional punishments on Alex Rodriguez to discuss the 2013 outfield, which is actually a worthwhile topic.  The Yankees are looking at a serious offensive downgrade from that group this year, and the ability of Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki to be productive in their ways could be a big determining factor in the level of success this season's team can have.  Wally, to his credit, thinks Ichiro and Gardner can get the job done, and maybe they can.  But Wally's reasoning for why leaves much to be desired.

Cash Comments On MiL Option Situations (And So Do I)

The theme of the bulk of the Yankees' low-dollar offseason signings is that most of the players they've signed are fringe Major Leaguers at best.  Adding a little bit of intrigue to that "meh"-worthy group is the difference in contract situations and flexibility with regards to Minor League options.  Yesterday Chad Jennings of LoHud shed some light on the situation with comments from Brian Cashman on who does and doesn't have a MiL option or 2 still available, and who does and doesn't have the option of opting out of their deal if they don't make the Yankees' Opening Day roster.  While on-field performance in camp is usually the biggest factor in determining who makes it and who doesn't, these opt-out options could play a role as well.