2014 Yankees preseason

[jacksonianmarch]

I know we're a ways into ST by now, but better late than never. Thus far, it sounds like Tex and Jeter are healthy which is huge. It sounds like Pineda has gotten his stuff back. And it sounds like Tanaka has good stuff. I don't give a s*** about the puff pieces that bored beat writers dream up after months of inactivity. By this point last yr, Jeter was having setbacks, Granderson broke his arm the first time and Tex decimated his wrist. So at least we're doing better than that to this point Edited March 9, 2014 by jacksonianmarch

[Station 13]

Yeah how about that infield could be outWARed by a single player such as Trout. So why haven't they signed Drew with nobody to replace Jeter?

[jacksonianmarch]

You do know that you outWAR'd Mike Trout by 2 with your IF and that included a career yr from Napoli and a since departed Stephen Drew, right? You're pointing out our 8 and 9 hitters in our lineup. If we get anything out of them, it's a bonus.

[jacksonianmarch]

I'd set up out lineup as follows.

 

1. Gardner LF

2. Jeter SS

3. Ellsbury CF

4. Teixeira 1B

5. McCann C

6. Beltran RF

7. Soriano DH

8. Johnson 3B

9. Roberts 2B

 

That's a deep, deep lineup

[Bellhorn04]

I'd set up out lineup as follows.

 

1. Gardner LF

2. Jeter SS

3. Ellsbury CF

4. Teixeira 1B

5. McCann C

6. Beltran RF

7. Soriano DH

8. Johnson 3B

9. Roberts 2B

 

That's a deep, deep lineup

 

I imagine Girardi will do some tinkering with the lineup in the early going depending on results. I think Ellsbury is your opening day leadoff hitter though.

[seabeachfred]

I'd set up out lineup as follows.

 

1. Gardner LF

2. Jeter SS

3. Ellsbury CF

4. Teixeira 1B

5. McCann C

6. Beltran RF

7. Soriano DH

8. Johnson 3B

9. Roberts 2B

 

That's a deep, deep lineup

 

It certainly is a stronger Yankee lineup than the one they used last season. A lot depends on what they get from Jeter and how Teixiera comes back from his wrist injury of last season.

[jacksonianmarch]

He may be. If that's the case, Gardner shifts to the 9 hole acting as second leadoff and Johnson and Roberts shift up a peg. Johnson has power and OPS'd a respectable .714 last yr while being jerked around the diamond. He's a lefty in our park. Assuming he doesn't age all at once, he might have a surprisingly productive yr.

[jacksonianmarch]

Also, I think this team sets up pretty well for a midseason trade for Chase Headley. That's assuming the likely scenario that either Johnson or Roberts aren't working out, be it injury or in effectiveness. I'd say the likelihood is that Roberts would be the one getting replaced with Johnson moving back to his natural 2b position

[BSN07]

I thought Ellsbury was signed to leadoff?

 

Just for fun here's how see the Yankee batting order play out,

 

1. Ellsbury CF

2. Jeter SS

3. Beltran RF

4. McCann C

5. Teixeira 1B

6. Soriano DH

7. Gardner LF

8. Johnson 3B

9. Roberts 2B

[jacksonianmarch]

If Gardner isn't leadoff, he'll hit 9th. There is no point to stacking him at the 7 slot with guys behind him who are less likely to drive him in.

[jete02fan]

I know we're a ways into ST by now, but better late than never. Thus far, it sounds like Tex and Jeter are healthy which is huge. It sounds like Pineda has gotten his stuff back. And it sounds like Tanaka has good stuff. I don't give a s*** about the puff pieces that bored beat writers dream up after months of inactivity. By this point last yr, Jeter was having setbacks, Granderson broke his arm the first time and Tex decimated his wrist. So at least we're doing better than that to this point

i'm happy to see Betances finally make some real strides

[jacksonianmarch]

I have said for years on the scout.com site that he needed to be converted to relief. But every time I did, they'd talk about how amazing his stuff is and how you need to exhaust his starting potential, etc, etc etc. The kid has two dominant pitches and cannot repeat his delivery enough to go deep into games. In short stints, he's been dominant thus far in the minors. That will translate, IMO. He throws upper 90s with a true knockout curve. He will be a closer type and might end up as our setup man by seasons end

[Palodios]

I have said for years on the scout.com site that he needed to be converted to relief. But every time I did, they'd talk about how amazing his stuff is and how you need to exhaust his starting potential, etc, etc etc. The kid has two dominant pitches and cannot repeat his delivery enough to go deep into games. In short stints, he's been dominant thus far in the minors. That will translate, IMO. He throws upper 90s with a true knockout curve. He will be a closer type and might end up as our setup man by seasons end

 

We seem to see this trend in all sorts of organizations. No one wants to put a starter in the pen, even if he isn't any good as a starter. Luke Hochevar wasted away as an awful starter for years until they realized the #1 overall pick was a good reliever. Andrew Miller same exact thing, but #7 overall instead of #1. Lincecum may very well be another example, although he was untouchable as a starter for a long time.

[jacksonianmarch]

At least Hochevar and Miller were lights out in the minors. That's the thing with Dellin. He had one lights out season in High A. Other than that, his walk totals were just absurd. When he converted fully to the role, his walk totals dropped to 3.9 per 9IP and his stuff shone through. The kid's K/9IP as a reliever in AAA last yr was 12.4 with a WHIP just under 1 and an ERA of 1.35. He was lights out. In the last 3 seasons, he walked 185 in 281IP as a starter.

[jacksonianmarch]

Pineda threw a scoreless 2.2IP with 5K today. He's got his stuff back. Now the question is, will his shoulder explode or not? I think NY will actually option him to AAA for two month to try to cap his innings

[redsoxfan3]

Pineda threw a scoreless 2.2IP with 5K today. He's got his stuff back. Now the question is, will his shoulder explode or not? I think NY will actually option him to AAA for two month to try to cap his innings

 

You are kidding, right? Did you see the lineup he pitched against? There was not one starter in the lineup for the Orioles and you are claiming that he has his "stuff" back.

 

Don't get me wrong, it was a solid performance, but I would expect someone in his position to pitch like that facing a AAAA or AAA lineup. It is encouraging that he is making progress, but I think it is a stretch to claim he has his "stuff" back based off of him pitching 2.2 innings against a weak lineup.

[rjortiz]

You are kidding, right? Did you see the lineup he pitched against? There was not one starter in the lineup for the Orioles and you are claiming that he has his "stuff" back.

 

Don't get me wrong, it was a solid performance, but I would expect someone in his position to pitch like that facing a AAAA or AAA lineup. It is encouraging that he is making progress, but I think it is a stretch to claim he has his "stuff" back based off of him pitching 2.2 innings against a weak lineup.

 

You're talking to a guy who lists the entire Yankees farm system as legitimate prospects.

[jacksonianmarch]

RSF, he was throwing hard with good break on his slider. That's what I'm looking at. Per SR's, his stuff is nearly all the way back. Now, we need to make sure the shoulder doesn't explode

[redsoxfan3]

RSF, he was throwing hard with good break on his slider. That's what I'm looking at. Per SR's, his stuff is nearly all the way back. Now, we need to make sure the shoulder doesn't explode

 

I see your point of view now. I just wanted to know what specifically you were referring to when you said he has his "stuff" back. I watched him pitch against the Red Sox and he has a lot of potential. He is definitely on the right track. He could be a real asset for you guys this year if he is used wisely. I was not trying to knock his talent, I was just not impressed by the numbers he put up in one game. If he continues to pitch like he has this spring, he could be pretty filthy this season.

[jacksonianmarch]

CC dominated again. 89-91 tonight, so he is going to need to continue to be a good pitcher

[jete02fan]

CC dominated again. 89-91 tonight, so he is going to need to continue to be a good pitcher

he also has to do a better job of coming through the first three frames with minimal to no damage

[jacksonianmarch]

CC of last yr was actually a very good pitcher without his velocity. When he started ramping up the velo, he lost command and was horrible. I hope he isn't looking at the radar gun. A 90mph fastball is still a good big league fastball. It isn't the elite one he used to have, but it isn't like he's throwing 80mph out there like Jamie Moyer. As long as he locates that pitch as well as his plus change and slider, he'll be a top tier level pitcher. If he cannot do that, then he's gonna get abused.

[yankees228]

So Pineda is the 5th starter. This rotation has a lot of potential and could be the best they've had since 2003. There's no true number one on the staff, but there also might not be any fours or fives either.

[rjortiz]

So Pineda is the 5th starter. This rotation has a lot of potential and could be the best they've had since 2003. There's no true number one on the staff, but there also might not be any fours or fives either.

 

Kuroda is a definite number one, but other than that I agree. Their first four starters are very good, and Pineda has a lot of upside. Even if he fails, they could turn to David Phelps. He isn't good, but he's not a terrible fifth starter.

[yankees228]

Kuroda is a definite number one, but other than that I agree. Their first four starters are very good, and Pineda has a lot of upside. Even if he fails, they could turn to David Phelps. He isn't good, but he's not a terrible fifth starter.

 

I like Kuroda a lot, but he's not a true number one, at least based on how I define it. When I talk about number ones I'm talking about guys like Kershaw, Verlander, Harvey, Lee, etc. There are, at most, 15 of them in the entire league. Kuroda doesn't belong in that category. But you can probably change the definition of a number one to include many others, so this is all just really semantics.

 

My only point is that the Yankees should have a very strong rotation, albeit without an elite pitcher.

[iortiz]

I like Kuroda a lot, but he's not a true number one, at least based on how I define it. When I talk about number ones I'm talking about guys like Kershaw, Verlander, Harvey, Lee, etc. There are, at most, 15 of them in the entire league. Kuroda doesn't belong in that category. But you can probably change the definition of a number one to include many others, so this is all just really semantics.

 

My only point is that the Yankees should have a very strong rotation, albeit without an elite pitcher.

 

agree, Kuroda is not a no 1 by any means.

[rjortiz]

I like Kuroda a lot, but he's not a true number one, at least based on how I define it. When I talk about number ones I'm talking about guys like Kershaw, Verlander, Harvey, Lee, etc. There are, at most, 15 of them in the entire league. Kuroda doesn't belong in that category. But you can probably change the definition of a number one to include many others, so this is all just really semantics.

 

My only point is that the Yankees should have a very strong rotation, albeit without an elite pitcher.

 

I would agree going off your definition. My line of thinking is that he's been one of the top 20 pitchers in the game, so he's a quality option to have on top of your rotation.

[jacksonianmarch]

CC, Kuroda, Nova, Tanaka, Pineda. I have a feeling our rotation is going to be very, very good. Our ERA+ out of the rotation should be top 10 in baseball

[jete02fan]

CC, Kuroda, Nova, Tanaka, Pineda. I have a feeling our rotation is going to be very, very good. Our ERA+ out of the rotation should be top 10 in baseball

i'm looking for the rest of the staff..well, at least CC and Kuroda to push Nova to be consistent for longer periods...he definitely has it in him....

[jacksonianmarch]

Tanaka strikes out 10 in 6IP to finish off a sterling spring. Our starters have been good this spring, especially the young guns. I am very excited about our pitching right now. If they can stay healthy and continue this into the season, we're gonna be hard to beat. I just hope the young guns in the pen are ready for the big time. This far, they've been dominant in spring games, but holding a 7th and 8th inning lead in Fenway going through the heart of the sox lineup is a little different than holding a lead at Steinbrenner field vs the back end scrubs