Thursday, November 5, 2015

YES Network: Exit Interview with Adam Warren


The YES Network and Lou DiPietro did an exit interview with Yankees swing-man Adam Warren and we will bring you an excerpt from that tonight here on the blog. CLICK HERE to see the entire interview and to give Lou a view or two to show your appreciation for his hard work and see below for our sample of the interview. Enjoy and thank you.

The New York Yankees' 2015 season ended at Yankee Stadium Tuesday night, thanks to a 3-0 loss to the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card Game.

Following the game, many Yankees players, coaches, and officials were in a reflective mood, beginning both the look back on this year and the look ahead to 2016 - so much so that the YESNetwork.com team was able to conduct a series of "exit interviews" on the subjects.

Here now is the brief exit interview with a Yankees hurler who was on the roster for but did not pitch in the Wild Card Game, RHP Adam Warren.

Q. How disappointing is it to see the season end this way?

WARREN: Yeah, I mean this is not where we saw our season ending, so it's disappointing right now, but I'm just proud of the way this team has come together all season. One game doesn't change that. It's tough to swallow right now, but it's one of those things you learn from and build off of going into next year.

Q. Your role changed multiple times this year. How were you able to make the adjustments and how did you make the transitions so smoothly?

WARREN: Yeah, this was…I wouldn't say challenging, but it was an interesting year, because I went from starter to reliever to starter and back to reliever at the end. I felt like the first transition from starter to reliever was the hardest, but after that, all of them felt a lot easier, because I just learned to have two separate routines and work off that. I was pleased with the way I threw the ball and adjusted on the fly.

Questions for New York w/ the Rule 5 Draft Looming


The New York Yankees have more than a few notable names and players eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this offseason including Minor League Player of the Year Ben Gamel and possibly their best pitching prospect currently in Rookie Davis. Who will get protected, who will be left out there for anyone and everyone and who will force the hand of the Yankees to create a 40 man roster spot? You're guess is honestly as good as mine, maybe better given my track record for predictions lately, but that doesn't mean it will stop me from taking a crack at it anyway.

Jake Cave:

Cave's biggest issue is that there are already three or four other Jake Cave's already on the team and one other similar player also up for protection in the Rule 5 Draft. Cave is a defensive first and speedy outfielder who doesn't have a lot of pop despite hitting left-handed. Cave will likely be left unprotected or included in a trade due to the fact that the Yankees already have Slade Heathcott, Mason Williams, Ben Gamel and Rico Noel to name a few.

Ben Gamel:

If one offensive player needs to be protected this time around it's Gamel. Gamel won the Minor League Player of the Year Award in 2015 for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and will almost certainly be claimed and hidden on a team's roster all season long. If it comes down to Cave or Gamel I think I have to go with Gamel.

Johnny Barbato:

Barbato was acquired in the trade that sent Shawn Kelley to the San Diego Padres. Barbato was left unprotected last year and wasn't selected and I don't think he did enough to warrant a team taking a waiver on him this season either. Especially after news broke shortly after the Yankees acquired him that he may require Tommy John surgery. He didn't but that alone makes him not worth the risk after his 2015 season in my opinion.

Rookie Davis:

If one player is protected this season it needs to be Rookie Davis. Davis hasn't pitched above Double-A but he has all the makings of being the next Adam Warren, David Phelps, Bryan Mitchell etc. type starter to come out of the Yankees system. Honestly, and I've followed Rookie for a while now, he may be the best out of the three mentioned above. Protect him.

Dietrich Enns:

This is one name I honestly haven't payed enough attention to in order to make a 100% responsible decision. I consider myself a self proclaimed "prospect humper" and if I don't pay attention to you then I have a sneaking suspicion other teams aren't going to take the risk of a 40 man roster spot with you. That's not a diss to Dietrich either, it's more of a sign that the Yankees farm system has come a long, long way in recent seasons.

Tony Renda:

In the world of roster flexibility and versatility that is evolving this day and time's game Tony Renda finds himself on the outside looking in. Sure, he's a good second baseman who possibly has enough of a bat to stick around but that's all he has in my opinion. Renda can't play any other positions, or hasn't in his professional career anyway, and doesn't have the type of bat or defense that makes you make room for him. Renda will be left unprotected and he may go elsewhere but he's not a great fit with the Yankees in my opinion.

Bovada's Early Pick for 2016 World Series Champions




The 2015 World Series is over and the clan over at Bovada are already thinking about the 2016 edition of the Fall Classic. Bovada has already come out and showcased the favorites to win the 2016 World Series as we sit today and the answer may or may not surprise you. 

The Kansas City Royals will be defending World Series Champions in 2016 but Bovada doesn't have them winning it all and they don't have their opponents, the New York Mets, winning it all either. They have the team that was beat by the New York Mets in the NLCS winning it all, the Chicago Cubs with 11/1 odds.

Following the Cubs, in order, are the Kansas City Royals, the New York Mets, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Washington Nationals whom are all at 12/1 odds.

The New York Yankees were given the 11th best odds to win #28 at 18/1 odds although a lot can change between now and October, 2016.

See below for the complete list from Bovada:



11/1: Chicago Cubs.

12/1: Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals.

14/1: Houston Astros, Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers.

18/1: Yankees.

20/1: Boson Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants.

25/1: Seattle Mariners.

33/1: Tampa Bay Rays.

40/1: Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins.

50/1: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres.

100/1: Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies.

200/1: Phillies.



The 2015-2016 MLB Offseason Calendar


Courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors:


  • Nov. 6: Final day for teams to extend qualifying offers to free agents. Qualifying offers must be submitted by 5pm ET.
  • Nov. 7: Players become eligible to sign with any team.
  • Nov. 13: Deadline for players to accept or reject qualifying offers. Players must formally make their decision by 5pm ET.
  • Nov. 9-12: GM Meetings are held in Florida. While not as active as December’s Winter Meetings, the groundwork for many trades and free-agent signings will take place here, and a few moves figure to be completed.
  • Dec. 2: Deadline for teams to decide whether or not to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players. The free agent market should expand to some degree on this day, albeit with relatively minor names.
  • Dec. 7-10: Winter Meetings in Nashville. These four days are among the most chaotic of the year for those who follow trades and free agency — often even more so than the days leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. MLBTR will be providing 24-hour, around-the-clock coverage while the Winter Meetings are in effect. It should be noted that the Rule 5 Draft will be held on the final day of the Winter Meetings.

Let the Long, Cold Wet Winter Commence


The 2015 World Series ended on Sunday, November 1st 2015 with the Kansas City Royals toppling the New York Mets in five games. While many of us, myself included, wasted an hour and a half watching the incredibly boring “Morgan” episode of The Walking Dead the hardcore fans watched the Royals come from behind yet again and win it all in front of the Mets home crowd thus starting the clock for the long, cold and wet winter to commence.

I believe in my heart of hearts that this offseason and winter is going to be especially long for the Yankees and their fans. Last winter was long and the team signed Chase Headley to man third base, Andrew Miller to close out games for the team and traded essentially Shane Greene for Didi Gregorius. Including the Nathan Eovaldi for Martin Prado, plus other pieces, deal the Yankees really only made four major deals last winter. Truth be told that may be four more deals than what the Yankees make this offseason, the roster is basically set.

The gift and the curse with the New York Yankees right now is their farm system and the fact that it is actually producing Major League level and caliber talent. I believe the years of filling every spot on the Major League roster with overpaid 30-somethings are over and I truly believe we are finally in the position to see just what the farm system has to offer. Does that mean the Yankees are going to have a $130 million payroll anytime soon? Lord know, they are still going to spend. The difference is when Brian Cashman says that “Bubba Crosby” is the Yankees starting center fielder on Opening Day I think he may mean it this time around.

When an opposing team or free agent knows you want a veteran presence to fill the void and know you’re not going to give the position to a young guy they get into the position of power. Cashman will not be giving that power to anyone this offseason in my opinion. Dustin Ackley and Robert Refsnyder will platoon at second base, Brendan Ryan will be the backup shortstop with Jose Pirela bouncing around everywhere in the infield and the outfield and the bench and bullpen will likely be filled out from within. The only signing I can see the Yankees making is the signing of a right-handed power hitting outfielder for the bench a la Chris Young from 2015 and half of 2014. That’s it.


The starting pitching is set, not that it cannot be improved with a trade or two, the bullpen is set, the starting lineup is set and the bench is basically set outside of a few spring training competitions or relatively minor moves. This has all the makings of a long, wet and cold winter ahead for Yankees fans, brace yourselves. Well unless Brian Cashman gets really, really creative. 

Weekly AFL Check In: Chaz Hebert


Chaz Hebert had two interesting and notable milestones that he achieved this week while he was down playing for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League. First Hebert was named to the Arizona Fall All-Star team for the Saguaros representing the New York Yankees and secondly he accepted my friendship request on Facebook. I'll leave you to decide which of the two will go up first on his trophy case.

Anyway, here are the stats that sent the right-hander to the All-Star Game this fall down in Arizona.

Chaz Hebert:

G: 3
GS: 0
IP: 7.0
W/L: 0-1
ERA: 1.29
K: 7
BB: 4
WHIP: 1.29

This Day in New York Yankees History 11/5: Yeah Jete's Wins Rookie of the Year Award


It was on this day back in 1996 that Derek Jeter was unanimously selected by the Baseball Writers Association of American to be the American League Rookie of the Year. Jeter hit .314 with 10 home runs and 78 RBI in his rookie campaign as the 22 year old shortstop became only the 8th Yankees to win the award and the first since Dave Righetti in 1981. Congrats Jete, that kid is going to go far I think.