Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Excuse Me As I Continue To Beat The Drum For A Youth Movement In New York

"You mean to tell me Mark Teixeira will play an entire month injury free before I get called up?" - Robert Refsnyder

I am feeling very ranty today, yes I know that's not a word and I don't care, because I feel the Yankees could be doing so much better this season. The team heading into last night's game was ranked 24th in team WAR in the league ahead of only the Chicago White Sox (terrible), Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers (terrible), San Diego Padres (terrible), Philadelphia Phillies (terrible), and the Houston Astros (terrible). Brian Cashman did his typical Brian Cashman moves at the trading deadline trading away young talent for aging veterans and the moves are not working. I admit that I was heavily in favor of the Chase Headley and the Martin Prado moves but the team has not improved all that much on the offensive side with these additions.

Stephen Drew is batting .171/.216/.257 as a Yankee but as improved the Yankees defense at second base. Brian Roberts wasn't hitting well at all but he was hitting better than Drew by about 50 points on a bad week. While I admit and agree with letting Roberts go I do not agree with the fact that Cashman absolutely refuses to call up Robert Refsnyder. Refsnyder is your best hitter in your highest minor league affiliate batting .301/.393/.474 and plays, wait for it, second base. You can call for Drew's sample size as a Yankee but I will simply counter with the fact that these numbers are right in line with his stats while in Boston as well and trump your argument so don't bother.

Mark Teixeira will probably be injured again by the time I publish this post but the Yankees refuse to get a true backup first baseman. Brian McCann has filled in well and Chase Headley has surprised me with his play at first base but once again Cashman refuses to call up his second best hitter in Scranton, Kyle Roller. Roller is batting .279/.374/.487 with 14 home runs and plays a more than adequate first base. If Roller had a few more home runs he'd probably be in someone else's Triple-A squad right now like Peter O'Brien, and he'd be better off for it as a player.

The Yankees caught fire for a few months with Yangervis Solarte why not try it again with one of these two? My only hope at this point is that Cashman walks away after this season, by his choice or not, and the younger and more in tune Billy Eppler takes control of this team. It may take a few years but I'd rather miss the playoffs for two straight years and have a future rather than miss the postseason for two years and continue to dump years and cash into 30 something has-beens and salary dumps.


4 comments:

  1. Not nitpicking at all because I agree with everything you said. Merely wanted to point out that Roller has 14 home runs at aaa, and 24 total on the season. To me, all the more reason for him to be called up.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Another reason for Roller is that Tex is a hang nail away from being out for the season.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I totally agree Jeff and yes I should have been more clear when I said Roller only had 14 home runs in AAA, not total. My bad.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Everyday I would hear on the radio or read in the papers (A few years ago) the Yankees trading away a future star or, very good player for a guy like Rocky Colavito!
    I would use some very "sailor like words" to describe my anger to say the lest! This has been going on since CBS bought the team, back a year or two, the difference between them and George was...they never had a clue and tried to run the organization like a business...something like the way the kids have been doing things!
    I have been an stellar supporter of the Farm Kids getting their chance at the Show, that's what they have worked for their entire baseball life. Some will be a flash in the pan, some will fade, but some will be the new Jeters', Canos' etc...very good players. Also, some of the ones that don't make it now, will go back and get things together and become what they thought they were...very good players.

    ReplyDelete

Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)