Life after Jeter

[jacksonianmarch]

This story by Ken Rosenthal got me thinking. It essentially says that the yankees should be alright atfer Jeter moves off his current position since the pair of kids, Ramiro Pena and Eduardo Nunez are playing so well with the ST time they got

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9368910/Yanks-should-be-fine-when-Jeter-vacates-shortstop?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49

 

For a bit of perspective, Pena and Nunez have been in the yankee system seemingly forever.

 

Pena was signed in 2005 as a INTL FA. He's currently 23 yrs old and just finished up an unspectacular season in AA where he hit .266/.330/.357 for a .687OPS. Pena is your prototypical middle infielder. No pop, all glove guy who makes average contact and has average speed. Not sure what the scouts at ST are seeing since his MiLB record is unimpressive on the offensive side and he doesnt really offer much more than what he already is offensively. He profiles to be a utility infielder since his defensive skills are so good, he could be a late inning infield replacement anywhere. He is ticketed to start in AAA this yr

 

Nunez is the real high ceiling prospect of the pair. He was signed in 2004, but is 2 yrs younger than Pena (Nunez is 21). He was signed with a lot of fanfare (in the scouting community), considered a 5 tool prospect, and started off in Staten Island as an 18 yr old. He absolutely raked for a teenager (.313/.365/.427). But he fell off the prospect map after that. In 2006, he split time between A and A+ ball, although his aggregate BA was around .200 with no power to speak of. In 2007, he once again split time between A and A+ ball batting .251 overall with minimal power and no patience. 2008, he started in Tampa as a 20 yr old and started off the same way. But he had a very solid finish (.300+ over the last half of the yr) and finished with a respectable .271BA, although his patience and power still were late to the party. He did steal 14 bases though and projects to be a basestealer if he could get on base more often. Now, at 21 and fresh off a very solid spring training where he faced MLB competition and held his own, he is going to rocket to the top of the depth chart right behind Jeter. His ST stats may give us a clue that the end of last yr was no fluke. Right now, he's 10 for 26, with 2 doubles, a homer, 4 walks and NO strikeouts. And to go with that, Nunez is a guy with plus range but less impressive hands (4 errors this spring). He is ticketed to start at AA this yr.

 

So, while both were kinda non prospects last yr, it is refreshing to see scouts so interested in them. It also would be nice if we got some world class defense from the SS position. Either way, at least at the upper levels, we have two guys who could really make an impact should we move Jeter off the SS position.

 

Now that begs the question, what about deeper in the system. Well, SS is one of the positions that we actually dont have a ton of depth on the horizon. Carmen Angelini looks like he's gonna take a lot of time to develop after having a dismal yr both offensively and defensively in 2008. He's likely to repeat Charleston. Addison Maruszak, a 2008 draftee who is small but has a professional approach to the plate is our A+ starter. His ceiling is a Loretta type player, with no real plus tool aside from batting average. And below that, Garrison Lassiter, a 2008 HS draftee has the highest offensive ceiling, but he wont last as a SS. And the DSL signee from 2008, Giancarlo Arias, hasnt played a game in our system. So needless to say, if Nunez or Pena flail this yr, then we might be seeing a SS acquisition should Jeter be moved off SS.

[a700hitter]

Will Girardi have the onions to move Jeter off SS this season, because if he stays at SS, the Yankees will finish out of the playoffs again. He looked like a dinosaur at the WBC.

[David Bowie]

they can't replace jeter.

 

nobody can replace jeter.

[David Bowie]

Will Girardi have the onions to move Jeter off SS this season' date=' because if he stays at SS, the Yankees will finish out of the playoffs again. He looked like a dinosaur at the WBC.[/quote']

 

although I don't doubt he looked old, I hardly think the WBC is a good measuring device.

[26 to 6]

I say let him do his thing at short if he's unwilling to move. Then let him walk after 2010. Let him go play in LA with Torre or some s***.

[David Bowie]

I say let him do his thing at short if he's unwilling to move. Then let him walk after 2010. Let him go play in LA with Torre or some s***.

 

how quickly you cast out the yankee savior. If I were a yankee fan, I'd probably want him to retire a yankee.

[jacksonianmarch]

we agree on something

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

If he can't help the team, why should they keep him? Gestures be damned.

[BoSox21]

how quickly you cast out the yankee savior. If I were a yankee fan' date=' I'd probably want him to retire a yankee.[/quote']

 

I'd think Yankee fans would prefer to win. I don't think anyone in Boston is still upset that Pedro, Trot, Damon, etc. are gone

[David Bowie]

well I would think Jeter, messiah that he is would come to his senses and take on a diminished role if he really wanted to stay with the yankees. If he figures 14 seasons, 4 rings with the yankees be damned, he wants more money, and a larger role, then yeah f*** it. It sucks for everybody, but they'll have to let him go.

 

maybe he'd end up on the red sox

[Keeper]

Jeter may not even be average at ss anymore. The move is inevitable. How he reacts to it is unpredictable.

[Gom]

I think Jeter will move to CF. Yount did it, and let's face it...what other team wants a poor-poor ranged SS.

 

The fact is that the Yankees will tolerate Jeter's deficiencies longer than any other team. The Red Sox are going through the same thing with Varitek.

[CrespoBlows]

Jeter may not even be average at ss anymore. The move is inevitable. How he reacts to it is unpredictable.

 

May not be? That's nice of you. Jeter has been an atrocious SS from the moment he arrived in the league. He does have good range going back for flyballs, which may suit him in CF.

 

Corny joke, but apparently some Japanese fans (according to Rob Neyer) watching Derek Jeter on the YES Network assumed his name was Pastadiving Jeter, because of the amount of times that Kay would utter that phrase.

[CrespoBlows]

The Yanks are probably going to wind up with Hardy.

 

Nunez and Pena? lol

 

Seriously, what the f***? This is bad even for you. Nunez has a career OPS of .648. AND HES TEH REL DEL!

[David Bowie]

well i dunno about atrocious. he's got intangibles man. intangibles. like leadership n stuff

[Gom]

Bill James had a great article in his fielding bible. He said that all of the terrible fielders were inherently some of the best players in the game. The reason being was that for them to stay in the league, their other talents would have to compensate for their deficiences. There are really no terrible hitting AND terrible fielding players. If you're terrible at one thing, you're great at something else to make up for it. Makes a lot of sense.

 

Jeter has poor range, but he makes up for it at the plate. When the day comes that he doesn't, he'll move. People are noticing his defense more because of an increase in our understanding of defense in baseball and because he's declining as a hitter and as a fielder...so the gap when Jeter ceases to be an elite overall SS is coming closer and closer.

[TheKilo]

Yankees will let Jeter play SS til his contract expires, then move him to 3B and ARod to DH.

 

edit - oh, only after paying Jeter over $20M per four 4-5 years.

[David Bowie]

i guess the super jump throw counts for nothing.

[Dojji]

Good guess.

[diony]

The only way I can see the Yanks not resigning Jeter is if they have the next Honus Wagner in the minors.

 

Pena stinks, Nunez is an utility infielder. GG defense with no bat. Much like Alberto Gonzalez last year.

 

I see the Sox interested in Hardy if the asking price is reasonable.

[Gom]

Yankees will let Jeter play SS til his contract expires, then move him to 3B and ARod to DH.

 

edit - oh, only after paying Jeter over $20M per four 4-5 years.

 

FAIL.

[26 to 6]

how quickly you cast out the yankee savior. If I were a yankee fan' date=' I'd probably want him to retire a yankee.[/quote']

I do want him to retire a Yankee. I love Jeter. I just don't love the fact that in a few years Jeter may be more of a liability than a luxury. An expensive liability at that. If he wants to back off early, say in the fashion of Don Mattingly or something that would be awesome. if he wants to hang around for several more years, he needs to switch positions, take a different role, reduce his salary, or play somewhere else. If I had to see Jeter in another uniform, I would only be able to tolerate it if Joe Torre were managing the team, for sentimental purposes.

[jacksonianmarch]

The Yanks are probably going to wind up with Hardy.

 

Nunez and Pena? lol

 

Seriously, what the f***? This is bad even for you. Nunez has a career OPS of .648. AND HES TEH REL DEL!

 

Like I said before, he fell off the prospect map due to his terrible 2006 and 2007. He started off terrible in 2008 too. But with the way he finished 2008 and with how he is hitting in ST, you cant help but be optimistic. I think of it this way. He's the kind of prospect that everyone watches and goes ga-ga over due to his raw ability. He most certainly isnt backing that up with numbers. But he's at least going in the right direction

[jacksonianmarch]

The only way I can see the Yanks not resigning Jeter is if they have the next Honus Wagner in the minors.

 

Pena stinks, Nunez is an utility infielder. GG defense with no bat. Much like Alberto Gonzalez last year.

 

I see the Sox interested in Hardy if the asking price is reasonable.

 

Wrong as usual. Nunez is far from the gold glove SS you bill him as. He's the 5 tool guy who has yet to put it all together. Pena is the GG defense guy with no offensive projectability.

[ORS]

Like I said before' date=' he fell off the prospect map due to his terrible 2006 and 2007. He started off terrible in 2008 too. But with the way he finished 2008 and with how he is hitting in ST, you cant help but be optimistic. I think of it this way. He's the kind of prospect that everyone watches and goes ga-ga over due to his raw ability. He most certainly isnt backing that up with numbers. But he's at least going in the right direction[/quote']

I think of it this way. You've just identified 3 whole seasons, which is 6 half seasons. You are jerking off over this guy due to him being 1/6 in those half seasons with good play. As an added comical bonus, you are suggesting this guy might be considered an option for the team that has no qualms about expenditures to fill positions with the best player available, and several of the game's better looking young shortstops will be in the FA market in about the same amount of time it takes this kid to progress through the levels. Just stop, already. You are like a used car salesman suggesting Donald Trump is going to buy the '74 Vega you have on your lot.

[BoSox21]

The fact is that the Yankees will tolerate Jeter's deficiencies longer than any other team. The Red Sox are going through the same thing with Varitek.

 

The Red Sox are tolerating Varitek simply because there is no better option. The Yankees are tolerating Jeter cause he's Jeter.

[rician blast]

"Life After Jeter," a spoken word book by Alex Rodriguez.

 

Highlights:

 

"We (Derek Jeter and I) want to kill each other. I think we both drive each other and motivate each other. But, when we're off the field, we're like family...That makes it more of a healthy relationship."

 

"We (Derek Jeter and I) always talk about getting old, gray, and fat when our careers are over and just having a good time. He's like me. He wants to have a good time and be a good person. It's a weird situation for us. It's just like we're looking in the mirror. the only difference is I'm on the West Coast and he's on the East Coast."

 

"You go from sleeping over at somebody's house five days a week, and now you don't sleep over."

[diony]

Wrong as usual. Nunez is far from the gold glove SS you bill him as. He's the 5 tool guy who has yet to put it all together. Pena is the GG defense guy with no offensive projectability.

 

I confused the names. I know who they are. They both kinda suck. Pena is worth something because of his defense. I'd rather have him than Berroa.

[jacksonianmarch]

I think of it this way. You've just identified 3 whole seasons' date=' which is 6 half seasons. You are jerking off over this guy due to him being 1/6 in those half seasons with good play. As an added comical bonus, you are suggesting this guy might be considered an option for the team that has no qualms about expenditures to fill positions with the best player available, and several of the game's better looking young shortstops will be in the FA market in about the same amount of time it takes this kid to progress through the levels. Just stop, already. You are like a used car salesman suggesting Donald Trump is going to buy the '74 Vega you have on your lot.[/quote']

 

We'll see ORS. You know better than anyone that prospects with talent sometimes turn a corner and become solid prospects again. Our best example is Austin Jackson, who was absolutely awful for 194 games between 2006 and the first half of 2007. This after being solid in his rookie ball campaign as an 18 yr old. He finally turned it on in the latter half of 07 and then had a solid yr in 08 for Trenton. After a very strong ST, he is one of our top 2 prospects and is essentially in line for the CF job barring any total disasters in 2010. Nunez is that kind of talent. 5 tool, great swing, fast, power projection, great arm, good range, projectable hands. That type of player. If that kind of player ever puts it all together, then they get their chances and they move up the lists. I understand your POV on the yankees push to pay the premium on impact players, but I honestly and truly believe that Cashman would like to end that reliance and make it a luxury again by building a core from within.

[jacksonianmarch]

I confused the names. I know who they are. They both kinda suck. Pena is worth something because of his defense. I'd rather have him than Berroa.

 

I am not writing this kid's ticket to Cooperstown. I am not even considering that he'll make it to the bigs. I am just saying that he may have turned a corner and gotten to a point of him being relative in the prospect world once again. If he bombs out in 09, then we'll know it was just a hot streak in an otherwise disappointing career.