jacksonianmarch

And that's what I think he'll give us. 200+IP 200+K 3.60ish ERA and 1.20ish WHIP. That's top of the rotation stuff there

Lester vs Pauley and Lester loses? Tito let him cook out there and the sox couldnt hit the scrub. The sox are sputtering going into a pretty important stretch vs the Angels, Tigers and Yanks.

honesty is the best policy

Tito is going to win manager of the yr and he should. His in game managing skills blow. He has faith in players well past the point of faith for most fans. But he inspires confidence in his role players so that they can play beyond their means when called upon. I always found that fascinating about Tito. You bring a scrub up and most of the time, they are able to give a more than standard effort for the sox in their time in the bigs. That is Tito's gift and that one gift has kept the sox in this thing for so long. The sox are 1 game under .500 over the last month, while the Rays are 7 games over, and the Yanks are 7 games over. That's a 4 game swing in the standings. Currently, the sox sit 8 games out in the L column of the Yanks and 5 games out in the L column from the Rays. The division is not gonna happen barring a miracle. And, if the returning players have any adjustment periods or slumps, the sox are dead. I think the original poster underestimates the Rays. They've played to 7 games over without two of their most reliable pitchers. Garza and Shields are gonna find it, they always do. Once those guys find it, they are gonna go on a run, which is why I wont write off the division just yet from a Yankee-Ray perspective. Regardless, this has been a spirited effort from a team that is stuck in the most grinding division in baseball. If they were completely healthy, I think they were still the odd men looking out. With their current deficit and their injuries, I find it hard to believe they go to the playoffs.

we'll see red. Nova has done a lot in recent weeks to increase his stock, mostly throwing with better velocity. Plus, there seems to be a lot of urgency to move contracts which always benefits NY

I made it easy? Haha, I only responded to drag you back into one of these spats. I am in your frickin head there captain.

I bet there is SOMETHING that we can do to fix him. You dont go from dominant to incredibly bad in one season during what should be your prime.

I love it when the seemingly entitled member of the board is reduced to short, inflammatory retorts. Can we get another?

Only 4 runs off Davies kinda blows. Oh well, Tex is hot again. Mitre looked terrible and is likely to get one more start before the deadline. The good news is that Pettitte is feeling no ill effects from his groin strain and says that he should be back in 2 weeks. We'll see if that's just optimism or reality

Yankee prospects, my top 20 mid season 1. Jesus Montero, 20yr old C, AAA-.278/.354/.467- a top 5 prospect in the game and probably the biggest offensive prospect coming into this season. He struggled for the first two months in adjusting to pitcher’s pitching around him. After getting back to what made him great through his minor league career, the 20 yr old has been on a tear. Over the last 33 games, his OPS is approaching 1.100 and his OPS on the yr is .821. A far cry from the mid .600s from just a month earlier. Defense is said to be improving, but he’s still no defensive whiz 2. Austin Romine, 21yr old C, AA-.275/.349/.413- as an overall prospect, Romine has really jumped onto the scene over the past 2 seasons. He started out this season incredibly hot, hitting .330 through the first month and maintaining a BA over .300 through 2 months. June and July have not been kind though. Regardless, he has shown good pop and a great presence behind the plate. He wont be a top tier masher, but his bat should carry well in a starter’s role in the bigs. His defense is top notch, though. 3. Manuel Banuelos, 19yr old LHP, GCL-A+-23.1IP 1.47ERA, 0.94WHIP 11.2K/9IP- Banuelos entered the yr as the top Yankee pitching prospect. But an appendectomy took his first two months of the season. Ever since his return, he’s shown good velocity (sits 92, touches 95-96) and a fantastic curve-change combo. He’s small, but his motion is effortless. Even though he will probably reach about 80IP this yr due to his injury, he’s probably ticketed for fall ball and should debut in AA in 2011. 4. Dellin Betances, 22yr old RHP, A+-40IP 1.35ERA 0.80WHIP 10.6K/9IP- Betances was the talk of the 2006 draft as a project flamethrower. Well, the Yankee brass did him no favors. After dominating in the GCL at the start of his career, elbow pain started limiting his effectiveness. He was sidelined for most of the yr in 2007 but made what seemed like a full recovery in 2008, throwing well for Charleston. In 2009, he looked completely off with Tampa and eventually underwent ligament “reinforcement” surgery. Essentially the same procedure as TJS, but instead of removing the torn ligament, they left it in place and put the tendon from his leg around it, essentially doubling its strength. He came back in record time and looking like his old self again, snapping off a good curve and sitting mid 90s. His last 2 starts have seen him likely experiencing a dead arm period as the FB has dipped into the low 90s, but if he can maintain his stuff, then he’s back on the forefront of the yankee prospect circle 5. Andrew Brackman, 24yr old, A+-AA- 85.2IP 4.94ERA 1.33WHIP 8.3K/9IP- Brackman has been very frustrating to follow since he was signed in 2007. TJS in 2008, flashes of brilliance mixed in with a lot of putrid efforts in 2009. He started the yr off terribly as well, but after a return from a hand injury, he’s been money. WHIP sub 1, K/BB of 7 in High A, good enough to warrant a promotion. In Trenton, his command has been worse than it was in High A, but his stuff still shines through. He is by no means a finished product, but his curveball is showing signs of returning to “wipeout” range and his FB has upticked into the mid 90s again. Assuming they can keep his mechanics together (which is not a foregone conclusion) we should see him progress. Due to his size and his injury history, his age wont be taken into account as much as it would with others. Expect the Yankees to keep him in AA this yr and move him to AAA next. He needs to be in the Bronx by 2012 or they risk losing him 6. Gary Sanchez, 17yr old C, GCL- .378/.455/.622- Sanchez was the big IFA signing from 2009 and he is showing he is worth the cash. Defensively, he has shown that he has the tools, although he is still raw. He’s got a cannon of an arm and is getting more accurate. He has the quicks to block the ball, but his mechanics need work and his gamecalling needs a bit of work. But the tools are there for him to be a top notch defensive catcher. Offensively, the kid is on another planet. He has light tower power to all fields as a 17 yr old and has shown a very advanced approach to the plate. When the Yankees signed him, they talked about how he paralleled Montero offensively and Romine defensively. If that plays out, then Sanchez might be the Yankee future behind the dish 7. Corban Joseph, 21yr old 2B, A+- .311/.385/.453- Joseph is a masher, plain and simple. The Yankees selected him out of HS in 2008 and he has shown advanced offensive tools ever since. His power is starting to come and his eye has continued to impress. And his numbers are even more impressive considering the league. The FSL is where hitters go to die, and this guy is just tearing it up. Defensively, he’s made 12 errors in 80+ games. So while not great, he is definitely improving from the butcher that he was. I still think his future is in the OF, but he has starting offensive tools. Expect him to hit AA next yr and he should be a big league option by 2012. 8. Graham Stoneburner, 22yr old RHP, A/A+- 99.1IP 2.36ERA 0.91WHIP 9.2K/9IP- Stoneburner was a 14th rounder from 2009 who was a DES, meaning he fell due to signability issues. The Yankees inked him and he hasn’t looked back. He throws a mid 90s sinker with a wipeout slider that has served him very well. His high K/9IP, impeccable control and high GO/AO ratio (1.88) all bode well for the young righty. But the progression of his changeup from minus to average will determine his role in the bigs. Regardless, he has a bright future either in the rotation or at the back end of the pen 9. David Phelps, 23yr old RHP, AA/AAA- 106IP 2.04ERA 1.01WHIP 8.7K/9IP- Phelps was another 14th rounder, this time from the 2008 draft out of ND. Known at the time as a pitchability guy with good control and a deep arsenal, he looked the part of a guy who would move up the charts. But last season, his velocity spiked into the mid 90s, where he is now sitting in the 93-94 range, topping out at 96. He’s shown this yr, that the spike in velocity is no fluke. He complements that with a plus curve and a solid change, all of which he locates well. In 2 seasons, he’s navigated A ball all the way to AAA and is probably second in line for a spot start behind Ivan Nova. Phelps profiles as a #2 starter with his current stuff, and his progression has been nothing short of impressive 10. Slade Heathcott, 19yr old CFer, A- .282/.352/.359- Heathcott is a true 5 tool prospect, drafted out of HS as the Yankees #1 pick a yr ago. He signed late, so he has been adjusting to the wood in his first yr, but the Yankees are very pleased with his progress. While his power is a bit late to the game, he is hitting for a solid average and taking his fair share of walks. He has also stolen a base every 4th game as well. The two biggest areas of concern for Slade have been health and strikeouts. He has missed time on two separate occasions with shoulder and arm issues and has struck out more than 1 time per game. If he can scale back his reckless abandon to a level that allows him to play solid D without jamming shoulders AND if he can start making more contact, he could reach his potential. Slade has all the makings of a top flight CFer, and this yr has shown that he has the innate tools. It’s all about progression from here 11. Eduardo Nunez, 23yr old SS, AAA- .304/.358/.405- Nunez was signed in 2004 and from 04-08, the biggest question was if he would ever start showing that he belonged. It took a midseason promotion from A to A+ in 2008 to spark something in Nunez to start kicking it into gear. Since then, he’s swung a potent bat. Over the past 2 seasons, he’s posted BA’s of over .300, but the most impressive thing this yr in patience. Last yr, his IsoPatience was .027. This yr, he’s nearly doubled it to .051. Add to that the 19 stolen bases and the significantly improved defense and you are looking at a guy who should be a starting SS in the big leagues. The big problem is the guy in front of him is gonna be around for a little while longer. Nunez was placed on the 40 man prior to this yr, so he has already lost one option yr. He’ll need to be in the Bronx for good come 2013 or the Yanks would have to put him through waivers. He is becoming a pretty important trade chip for this franchise 12. David Adams, 23 yr old 2b, AA- .309/.393/.507- Adams was considered a 1st round talent when the Yankees took him in 2008, but he slipped to the 3rd round after a subpar season at the University of Virginia. Since coming to NY, he’s done nothing but rake. The guy has an OPS of .816 in his first full season with a wooden bat and started out this yr white hot, with an OPS at .900 and stealing 5 bags in 2 months. The problem is, Adams sprained an ankle on May 22nd and has been out ever since. Word was, 2 months ago that he would return in a couple weeks. Well, it’s been nearly a month and no word. He was to be involved in the failed Cliff Lee trade, but his physical was alarming. I can only assume that Adams has a pretty significant injury to his ankle. Regardless, assuming he can return to full health, he’s a big league 2b in the wings. The problem is two-fold. 1, Robby Cano is young and entrenched at 2B in the bigs and 2, obviously David’s health. I see Adams as a trade chip mostly as he plays a good 2B and swings a potent stick. 13. JR Murphy, 19yr old C, A-.240/.284/.327- Murphy was the Yankees second rounder from 2009 out of the Pendleton School in Florida. He started the yr in EST and moved to the long season leagues at the end of May. Thing is, Murphy was probably rushed. He signed late last yr, so he didn’t get to adjust to the wooden bat, and it seems he’s struggling with it this season. But overall, he has a good approach and has shown a lot of pop through instructs, so the assumption is that it will come. He was a 3B and OFer in HS, but the Yankees are grooming him at C. As one can see from the above players, the position is pretty stacked. He is raw behind the dish, but has shown good skills. The hope for the Yankees is that he progresses steadily with the stick and the glove and his projection is as a starting catcher. As a 19 yr old, though, he’s got a long way to go 14. Cito Culver, 17yr old SS, GCL- .231/.311/.295- Culver was the much criticized 1st rounder of the Yankees this season. He’s a switch hitting speedster with a slick glove who the Yankees think projects as a starting SS. He also signed for slot quickly, which makes me think the Yankees were saving some bank for later on in the draft. Regardless, his defensive game is ahead of his offensive, although he has shown a good eye in his short tenure. The hitting adjustments are taking some time, though, as he is adjusting to the wooden bat. That being said, the fact that he started so soon means that he should have it down pat come next season. 15. Hector Noesi, 23yr old RHP, A+/AA 112IP 2.17ERA 0.94WHIP 9.0K/9IP 6.2K/BB- Hector Noesi was signed out of the DR in 2004. He spent 2005-2008 tolling through injury, PED suspension, and short season before really finding his secondary stuff last yr in the SAL. But once he harnessed his curveball, he’s been downright untouchable since. Previous to this, he was really a FB-change guy who located very well. But now he sits low 90s with a hammer curve and a plus change, and he has used that to put up ridiculous Nintendo numbers over the past 2 yrs. Hector has top of the rotation stuff and should be in AAA before long. 16. Jose Ramirez, 20yr old RHP, A-90.2IP 3.28ERA 1.19WHIP 8.2K/9IP 2.9K/BB- Ramirez is quite a prospect for this Yankee farm and follows in the line of solid pitchers that the Yankees keep developing. Ramirez has seen his FB velocity increased over the past 2 yrs. The guy sits low to mid 90s and can touch as high as 96. He throws a plus changeup and has been working on a curveball which has improved over the season. He’s probably due to get shut down in the next few weeks as he is young and hasn’t thrown this much in his career. His stuff is impressive and he profiles as a top of the rotation pitcher if he stays healthy. He’ll be in Tampa in 2011 with a very strong chance of moving northward 17. Ivan Nova, 23yr old RHP, AAA-111.2IP 3.06ERA 1.31WHIP 6.8K/9IP 2.1K/BB- Nova is really putting on a show of late for the scouts in AAA. Typically sitting low 90s with the occasional 95, Nova has been sitting around 95 and in some games even sitting at 97mph. He’s always had great run on his fastball, which garners him a ton of ground balls (1.6GO/AO) but he has always been knocked for his approach. For a guy who has a mid 90s heater and 2 plus secondary offerings, he seems to pitch to contact far too much. The Yankees have been working with him on setting batters up and it seems to be working as he’s posting his highest K/9IP rate in any long season league. Also, of late, we have seen some 6,7,and 9 K performances showing that he is making strides. He’s got the stuff of a top of the rotation starter and the kind of movement most pitchers dream of. But his projection seems to always be limited by his approach. He’s probably more of a #3 in the bigs, but if he continues to improve on his setup and staying off the plate in deeper counts, then he could propel to the top of a rotation. 18. Brandon Laird, 22yr old 3B/1B, AA- .278/.340/.508- Laird has proven throughout his minor league career that he can hit homers and drive in runs. He was 9th in A ball in 2008 in RBI with 86. In 2009, he led the FSL in RBI with 75. This yr, he leads all of MiLB in RBI with 84. He’s also in the top 5 in homers with 21. What I am really impressed with is the progression in his plate approach. He’s on pace for over 50 walks, which would be a career high, although he is also on pace for 100K’s which would also be a career high. He slimmed down in the offseason and has been playing a decent 3b, although he has been working out at 1b and LF of late. My best guess is that he profiles as a starting 1b or a starting COF in the bigs. His power is too big to pass up, and if he continues improving with his discipline, he could be a really good one 19. Adam Warren, 22yr old RHP, A+/AA- 93IP 2.23ERA 1.12WHIP 7.5K/9IP 3.5K/BB- Warren has been a revelation since we drafted him in the 4th round in 2009. He’s seen a velocity boost from 89-91 to 92-96mph with his 4 seamer. He also throws a solid 2 seamer in the low 90s with good bite. He throws three plus potential off speed offerings with the changeup being close to plus now. He throws a good curve and a promising slider as well. Though he has solid stuff, he is a very economical pitcher and definitely profiles as a starter. Not sure if he’s top of the rotation caliber as he doesn’t have the K numbers of most dominant pitchers, but he looks like he safely projects into the middle of a rotation. Regardless, the Yanks have something here 20. Brett Marshall, 20yr old RHP, GCL/A- 36IP 3.25ERA 1.22WHIP 8.3K/9IP 2.4K/BB- Brett Marshall has thrust himself even further into the hearts and minds of Yankee prospect circles. After having TJS the middle of last season, he’s recovered quickly. Now back on the mound, the Yankees have stopped tinkering with him. He was drafted in 2008 and was easily the most promising arm in the draft. The Yanks took away his best off speed offering (slider) in the hopes of teaching him a pitch that has less stress on the arm (curve). Well, he blew out his arm throwing a curve, so the Yankees decided to give him back his slidepiece. And it has been very, very solid. His velocity is back up into the mid 90s range, although he seems to be controlling things a bit better in the 91-93mph range. Regardless, if this kid can avoid major injury again and find a way to control the ball at higher velocities, he could have a future in the rotation. But I have a feeling this kid ends up as a power reliever. He’ll be in Tampa in 2011 and should have an IP limit.

Qualls has almost $2mil left on his contract this yr then is a FA. Snyder has $2 mil left on his contract for this season, $5.75mil on his contract for next yr and a $6.75 mil contract option for 2012

I have a feeling this is gonna happen. Read a report that the DBacks were trying to add Chris Snyder and Chad Qualls into the deal if the Yankees kept Joba out of it. The Yanks balked. But as the negotiation wears on, I bet they can find common ground. I bet the Yankees are able to make it work by bringing on Chad Qualls and probably moving Nova, McAllister and another guy. Qualls is a guy with a helluva resume but an absolutely abysmal season.

Sooo, we might be seeing Dan Haren before long. Mitre looked awful

oh, yeah, then I agree with you. Although I dont think Cashman, Hank and Hal employ a guy simply to leak info. My guess is that the leak changes depending on the situation

Spud, if Iglesias can hit .250/.300/.350 in the bigs, then he'll be worth almost twice as much as Scutaro. His glove is special. His range is special. His accuracy with his arm and his arm strength is solid. Getting compared to Ozzie Smith defensively by multiple scouts is impressive. I doubt his bat is able to get to MLB average, but it doesnt need to.

No, I am saying that these rumors would be detrimental to the kids. Nothing like an impending trade to throw you off your game Agreed, but there is always a leak. The sox and yanks have tried to clam up on rumors over the past few yrs, but someone always leaks stuff No, what I am saying is that the Yankees and Mariners had an agreement in principle for Lee, so obviously they liked what they saw. The problem in that negotiation was Adams' ankle. The rumor I heard, granted operative term rumor, is that the M's wanted Eduardo Nunez in the deal instead of Adams and the Yanks balked saying that the deal was already agreed to. In terms of Haren, if the holdup is on Joba, then I dont think they'll match up to be honest with you. Not sure why we wouldnt cash that chip in for a true top of the rotation horse who is pretty cost effective in the grand scheme of things

I see. So when called out, you go into insult mode. Actually, do you have any other mode but insult mode?

I'm still not convinced that his bat will play out as a solid big league bat, but he'll be worlds better than Scutaro defensively. I bet that even if Iglesias turns into the prototypical SS (minus hit, good speed, great glove) that he'd be worth more than Scutaro. And you have to like Epstein's signing of Scutaro now that Pedey is hurt. Mostly because having a rotating door at both middle infield spots would be death. The Scutaro acquisition is a good one in the long run. It gives the sox 2 yrs to get Iglesias ready and allows the sox to get some offense in the post Manny-Papi era.

The only thing that it would require is a pen acquisition of some sort. And I have heard rumors that the Yankees might take a bad contract off Arizona's hands to lessen the prospect burden. Regardless, this floated deal and the failed Cliff Lee deal should give anyone pause to criticize the Yankee system. It's highly underrated and chock full of talent. And it will only get better

On the contrary, why would the Yankees want to harrass their kids with the possibility of being dealt? The funny thing about this is that Ivan Nova isnt even in my updated top 15 Yankee prospects and Zach McAllister isnt in the top 20. Neither of them are the best pitchers at their level (David Phelps is the best pitcher in AAA). McAllister is looking more and more like a 4th or 5th starter and Nova's ceiling looks like a #3 but I think he might end up in the pen. Regardless, a prospect deal always has a chance to bite you in the ass, but getting Haren shores up the #2 spot in the rotation behind CC and it allows Hughes to go to the pen in 5 weeks when Pettitte comes back. It's a no-brainer.

you do know that -1^999 is -1, right?

This is a negotiation. There are 7 days left in the negotiation before the end of it. We'll see Mitre twice in that time. Cashman might change his mind by then. Also, shocked the Yankees want the DBacks to pick up some money here.

we all know the M's have used their extra base hit quota.