Following former Yankees in 2015

jon abbey

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There was a lot of talk out of Arizona early in spring training about them not seeing why Peter O'Brien (former Yankee power-hitting with no position prospect they moved for Brandon McCarthy last summer) couldn't be their starting catcher, even though much like Jesus Montero, no one thought he could actually play the position competently in the bigs. Now I see that he will be starting the season in LF for their AAA team, that is a little different. 
 

derekson

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jon abbey said:
There was a lot of talk out of Arizona early in spring training about them not seeing why Peter O'Brien (former Yankee power-hitting with no position prospect they moved for Brandon McCarthy last summer) couldn't be their starting catcher, even though much like Jesus Montero, no one thought he could actually play the position competently in the bigs. Now I see that he will be starting the season in LF for their AAA team, that is a little different. 
 
In addition to his existing defensive issues, O'Brien developed the yips on the return throw to the pitcher this spring.
 

terrynever

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Shane Greene threw eight innings of one-run ball on Thursday during Detroit's 7-1 win over the hapless Twins. The run was unearned.
 

terrynever

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Shane Greene, eight shutout innings tonight in a 2-0 win at Pittsburgh.

So basically, Cashman traded Greene for Didi, three-way deal, acquiring a young shortstop who swings his bat like it is a mop, then signs his former shortstop to play second base, thereby blocking Pirela and Refsnyder, who both can hit a bit.

Let's say Cashman doesn't trade Greene. He retains a quality starting pitcher, 26 years old, and has two kids who can hit t battle for the second base job in the spring while Drew plays his natural position. And Didi doesn't come to NY.

What is Cashman smoking in the offseason?
 

jon abbey

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He thought he was selling high on Greene, who did seem to break through last year but who was very pedestrian before that in the minors. I'd give that one a few years before passing judgment on it. 
 

terrynever

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I respect a good breakthrough season, especially when it involves a young starting pitcher with great stuff. You just throw that away to make a trade for a shortstop who had been sent back to the minors by his former team?
 

21st Century Sox

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jon abbey said:
He thought he was selling high on Greene, who did seem to break through last year but who was very pedestrian before that in the minors. I'd give that one a few years before passing judgment on it. 
Super early to judge...though Didi has been pathetic, and Greene super in two starts...
 
I don't think it will be a few years to judge - I think by the end of this season we will know.
 

jon abbey

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There was a funny (to me) graphic on MLBN last night showing the last few pitchers who began the season with consecutive outings of 8+ innings and 0 ERs. The previous one to Greene was the immortal Andrew Albers for MIN in 2013, who made 8 more starts after that and has been back in the minors since. 
 

cromulence

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Yeah, let's tap the brakes. He's pitched against the Twins and the Pirates, and had 5 and 3 Ks in each start, respectively. I like Shane Greene and think he's a solid middle of the rotation guy, but he's definitely not this good.
 

jon abbey

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rembrat said:
Robertson is such a beast. 6IP 0ER 1BB 10SO on the year.
 
Miller has been dominant also so far:

Robertson 6 1 0 0 1 12, 2 saves, 4 year/$46M deal
Miller 7.1 2 0 0 4 15, 6 saves, 4 year//$36M deal
 
Plus NY got a #1 pick in the exchange, I think both teams are pretty happy with how that's gone so far, will be fun to keep an eye on over the next few years.
 

terrynever

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Robertson now with 17 Ks in 8 innings, 2-0 with three saves in 8 appearances. Has any team over the last 20 years had better closers than the Yankees? Stupid question. Let Robertson walk, sign Miller. Their bullpen this year might be their best, front to back.
 

jon abbey

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Brandon McCarthy tears his UCL and is out for the season, NY dodged a bullet there. 
 

terrynever

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Shane Green back on track. Eight innings tonight against KC, one run, four hits, no walks, three Ks.
 

cromulence

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rembrat said:
Robertson - 13IP 9H 1BB 23SO
 
Dude is nuts.
 
Blew it yesterday, though. Got bailed out by the offense in the bottom of the ninth. Doesn't look like he'll be getting a ton of chances this year unless they pick it up.
 

jon abbey

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Cano has a .669 OPS as of this second, by comparison the .183-hitting Stephen Drew is at .630.
 
He started really slow last year also and then got back to himself, but that is a rough quarter of a season (in a few more games).  
 

jon abbey

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Cano is down to a .630 OPS now, one home run. 8 more years on that deal after this one. 
 

terrynever

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Robertson just gave up a three-run HR to Donaldson with one out in ninth. Toronto wins, 10-9.
 

jon abbey

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Yankee draft pick/switch-pitcher Pat Venditte called up by the A's, first switch-pitcher in MLB since at least 1900. 
 

cromulence

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I really wish they'd hung onto him, if just for the novelty of it. By the way, Shane Greene got lit up again yesterday and has a 5.40 ERA. Nice move, Cashman.
 

jon abbey

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Yeah, I wonder if he even stays in the rotation once Verlander is back. 
 

jon abbey

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Cano down to a .604 OPS as of this second (midgame against TB). As a comparison for no other reason than to amuse me and mildly surprise Terry, Gregorius is currently at .605. 
 

terrynever

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jon abbey said:
Cano down to a .604 OPS as of this second (midgame against TB). As a comparison for no other reason than to amuse me and mildly surprise Terry, Gregorius is currently at .605.
Didi has recently reduced the amount of huge swings he takes. I see some hope at the plate. And no matter how much I cringe over his lack of baseball IQ, the Yankees are so much better at SS this year. To witness diving stops and strong throws from short is something we haven't seen in 12 years.

And Cano baffles me. He had a great year in his first year after signing a big deal. That's usually when a free agent struggles. To slump in year two Is not a good sign for Seattle. Funny thing is, Cano lost 10 pounds for this season and looks great.
 

jon abbey

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The thing to remember about him is that he's got a serious concussion history, and those can be cumulative. I see he had a concussion scare in May, which turned out to be negative, but that can end things quickly for a catcher. 
 

terrynever

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Not if baserunners keep dancing into home plate like ballerinas. Foul tips are the biggest dangers to catchers nowadays.
 

jon abbey

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Since those first three dominant starts, he's been just horrendous. 10 starts, a 8.60 ERA and .993 OPS allowed, yikes. No hitter in the AL right now is doing that well, Nelson Cruz leads the league at .988. 
 

jon abbey

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With another 2 HR game, Drew passes Cano, .644 OPS to Cano's .620.
 
I would say that Cano really misses Yankee Stadium's RF, but every time I see him he is rolling over the ball and hitting weak grounders to the right side. 
 

NDame616

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jon abbey said:
With another 2 HR game, Drew passes Cano, .644 OPS to Cano's .620.
 
I would say that Cano really misses Yankee Stadium's RF, but every time I see him he is rolling over the ball and hitting weak grounders to the right side. 
 
.577 OPS away from home this season
.889 away in 2013
 

terrynever

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jon abbey

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NY's 2010 trade of Jimmy Paredes (14th in the AL in OPS right now, tied with Gardner) and Mark Melancon (tied for the MLB lead in saves with 24) for two months of a washed-up Lance Berkman was not their finest moment. 
 

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jon abbey said:
NY's 2010 trade of Jimmy Paredes (14th in the AL in OPS right now, tied with Gardner) and Mark Melancon (tied for the MLB lead in saves with 24) for two months of a washed-up Lance Berkman was not their finest moment. 
 
Had absolutely no idea Paredes was part of that. Damn. I don't think he's actually this good, but still. Melancon - meh. He'd be nice to have but his ERA is deceiving. Anyway, thanks for the downer.
 

jon abbey

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Yeah, I mean, both were traded again after that, neither are anything close to superstars (Paredes' WAR is pretty low, presumably because of poor defense), but still worth noting, I thought.
 

terrynever

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I said thanks last night that the Yanks didn't try to sign Nick Swisher after the 2012 season. You look at Nick's career stats and the Yanks got the very best four-year stretch of an erratic player's career. Cleveland got one decent year and then his knees gave out.
 

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Old friend Manny Banuelos made his MLB debut tonight against Max Scherzer and the Nationals.
 
He left with two outs in the sixth because of dehydration and cramping. His final line was pretty good: 5 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K on 75 pitches.
 

jon abbey

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Cervelli and Chris Stewart have beaten the Mets in extra innings two nights in a row, both with hits in the winning rally each time.
 

jon abbey

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Our old buddy Vidal Nuno is dominating TEX tonight, 6 1 0 0 2 9, 97 pitches.
 

jon abbey

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David Robertson has blown 2 games this week, 5 ERs combined in 2 innings and a season ERA over 3 now.