Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Catching Up on the Winter Meetings Day 3

Brandon McCarthy seeks a four year deal worth $48 million, yeah no.





Girardi: Yankees' Bullpen Will Still "Be Very Strong" Without Robertson

David Robertson's recent leaving of the Yankees for the White Sox has generated mixed reactions from the former's fanbase.

Some are claiming his departure will unlock the potential of Dellin Betances, while others say Robertson was too reliable to let go. It's tough to argue Robertson hasn't been solid since joining the Yankees in 2008, but still, will his absence really weaken their bullpen?

Team Manager Joe Girardi doesn't seem to think so, expressing confidence in the Yankees' current group of guys Tuesday.

"We feel that our bullpen is going to be very strong again [in 2015]," Girardi told MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. "We feel like we have a number of great arms. I'm not really worried about that because of the arms we have down there, and I feel like we'll have a very good bullpen."

The Yankees have acquired two notable relievers over the last month, so that belief doesn't appear misguided. They traded Francisco Cervelli to the Pirates in exchange for lefty Justin Wilson November 12, before signing former Red Sock Andrew Miller to a four-year/$36-million deal last Friday. 

Yet it's not absurd to wonder if Robertson would make the Yankees even better, glad as Girardi says he is for him.

"I feel like relievers get one shot at usually the long‑term contract," Girardi said. "And he got that shot and he took full advantage of it. I wish him the best of luck, except against us."

Robertson's new contract will pay him $46 million over four seasons, slightly less than what the right-hander was reportedly trying to get. He was originally said to be asking for $52 million, a price the Yankees simply weren't willing to reach.

Nonetheless, Robertson will still make $11.5 million annually through 2018, the second highest closer salary in baseball. 

Article Revisit: Sergio Romo


With the loss of David Robertson to the New York Yankees bullpen still heavy on my heart for some reason I attempted to move on and consider viable backup options for the former Yankees closer. I was going through the TGP archive and I found an article I had written on November, 19 of this year and the article still makes a lot of sense. You may even be able to go as far as to cross out Shawn Kelley’s name in the article and insert Robertson’s in. Thoughts? Here’s the article:

Sergio Romo's free agency this winter can be described in about three sentences or less making him an interesting bullpen option for the Yankees and a viable backup option in case David Robertson decides to sign elsewhere. Let's take a look at those three sentences to see if he makes sense for the Yankees.

1. Romo has closed out all three rounds of the National League playoffs including the World Series, clutch comes to mind.

2. Romo had a not so great start to the 2014 season but pitched lights out when it matters posting a 1.29 ERA in October to go along with his career 2.59 ERA with the Giants.

3. Romo is better than Shawn Kelley.


Meet a Prospect: Andrew Miller


Andrew Mark Miller signed a four year deal with the New York Yankees last week taking less money and less years over teams like the Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros. Miller will join a Yankees bullpen that already has the likes of Shawn Kelley, Adam Warren, Dellin Betances, Justin Wilson and others but not before he is introduced right here on the blog. Let’s meet a prospect, the Andrew Miller edition.

Miller was born on May 21, 1985 and had spent time with the Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles before coming to New York. Miller played his college ball at the University of North Carolina and even won the Baseball American National Player of the Year and Roger Clemens Award in 2006.  When Miller left UNC he was the single season record holder for the school in IP (133) and strikeouts (325) while finishing his career with 27 wins.  That warranted Miller with being the sixth overall pick in the 2006 MLB First Year Players Draft when the Tigers selected him.

Miller wasted no time in making his debut as the big lefty was already in the show in 2007 conveniently making his major league debut against the New York Yankees. It was after he made his debut in that season that the Tigers traded him along with Cameron Maybin, Mike Rabelo, Dallas Trahern, Eulogio de la Cruz and Burke Bradenhop to the (then) Florida Marlins for Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera.  Miller’s stay in Florida was overall an uneventful one that led up to him being traded to the Boston Red Sox before the 2011 season.


It was in Boston that Miller scrapped the idea and dream of being a starting pitcher in lieu of being a relief pitcher and the idea stuck. While it didn’t happen right away, Miller won three of his first four starts with the Red Sox, it was an injury before the 2012 season that eventually caused the move. Miller battled injuries in 2012 and torn ligaments in his foot in 2013 that caused him to miss half a season before really breaking out and taking a step forward in 2014. Miller would begin the campaign with Boston before being traded to Baltimore on July 31st before the trading deadline. Miller did nothing but post a 1.04 ERA with Baltimore and was on the mound in the game where the Orioles clinched their first American League East division title in 17 years. The Orioles were defeated in the ALCS by the Kansas City Royals but not before the team swept the Detroit Tigers behind 3.1 IP from Miller not allowing a hit or a run to score with three strikeouts.

Welcome to New York Andrew and welcome to the family! 

My Thoughts on the Loss of David Robertson


#$&*, the first word that ran through my mind when the MLB At Bat app on my phone told me that David Robertson had signed with the Chicago White Sox on a four year deal. I’ll let you use your imagination on what exactly that word was but the word was followed up with an immediate sadness. Brian Cashman preaches the need for a three headed monster in the bullpen and a need to be more like the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants and then he lets Robertson walk away. Cashman in the same breath will then preach the need to get younger, improve and specifically improve the farm system. Then on the exhale he lets one of the few homegrown players the team had walk to a team like the Chicago White Sox.

This isn’t going to be a fire Cashman rant, hell it probably won’t even turn into a rant at all as I’m just genuinely confused. Cashman isn’t Billy Beane so he doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt that he knows what he is doing, not from me anyway, so this one really has me scratching my head. The team announced that Andrew Miller wouldn’t be the Yankees closer leaving Dellin Betances to close which leaves a gaping hole in the Yankees bullpen, one that Robertson would have easily replaced. What is the plan now to fill that gaping wound in the Yankees bullpen before it gets infected?


Bryan Van Dusen wrote yesterday that if the Yankees did not bring back Chase Headley that it would affect Martin Prado the most because he would essentially lose his greatest asset to the team, his versatility, and the same thing happens here with Robertson and Betances. With Robertson now gone Betances loses his greatest asset to the team, his fireman abilities and multiple inning capabilities. I don’t like this, I don’t like this at all, and I am truly looking for an explanation. Help?

TGP Daily Poll: Yankees Sign Jason Grilli?



With the loss of David Robertson in free agency the New York Yankees will likely to be in the market for a new relief pitcher or two, specifically a closer, and that pitcher will more than likely be Jason Grilli. His closer experience and willingness to take a one year deal will seal it for New York.


Vote in our poll and be sure to wish @DRob30 a goodbye. 

Quick Hit: The White Sox are going for it!


I believe we can officially state without a doubt that the rebuilding process in Chicago is over and the White Sox are back. The team has added Jeff Samardzija in a trade to join Chris Sale and Jose Quintana in the rotation while adding David Robertson and Zach Duke to the back end of their bullpen. The team also has a potent middle of the order with Adam LaRoche, another free agent signing, and Jose Abreu with a healthy Adam Eaton thrown into the fray.

Chicago won’t be the whipping boys for the New York Yankees that they have been in recent seasons.


This Day In New York Yankees History 12/10: Carston Charles Sabathia


On this day in 2008 the Yankees went on a crazy spending spree and gave out the fourth richest contract in Major League history when they handed a seven year contract worth $181 million to left handed free agent starting pitcher CC Sabathia. This was the largest contract ever handed down to a starting pitcher and included an opt out clause after three seasons for the then 28 year old. This AAV of $25 million was just ahead of the Mets deal with Johan Santana that he had signed in February of 2008.