Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The Robert Refsnyder Rant You All Knew Was Coming


You all had to know this was coming, no? I gave it a couple days to let it cool down and to allow myself to collect my thoughts and I'm still not happy with the decision to option Robert Refsnyder down to Triple-A to begin the 2016 season. I'm not. You shouldn't be either truth be told and here's why?

Let's use some logic in this rant. The New York Yankees don't have a true or logical standout option for the backup third baseman position. This is the whole reason the team slotted Refsnyder in at third base this spring rather than letting him play his native second base or his original position, the outfield. But no, New York didn't do that. New York scrapped the idea of having Starlin Castro learning the position as well and gave the bulk of the reps to Refsnyder at the position. At the time of this writing the Yankees have played 25 spring games and Refsnyder has seen time at third base in 18 of them. I don't need a calculator or a a percentage to know that this is the vast majority of the games the Yankees have played have showcased Refsnyder at third base.

So why send him down? He hasn't killed it with the bat granted but neither has Pete Kozma and neither has Ronald Torreyes, the obvious choices for the last bench position now. He has made his errors or booted balls as well but if you actually watch the games and not simply read the box score you would know that a lot of those balls Refsnyder hasn't gotten to not many third baseman's around the league would have gotten to either. The disrespect for Refsnyder continues.

Sure Refsnyder could use more work at third base but when will this team stop simply babying their prospects and simply let them figure it out at the major league level? Derek Jeter wasn't ready defensively in 1996 and there have been concerns about most prospects that have come through the Yankees system in one way or another since. Robinson Cano was used out of necessity and worked out pretty well and the same can be said for Brett Gardner and Chein-Ming Wang pre-injury. It's worked out a million time and failed about three million times truth be told but it never works out when you wait for the "perfect opportunity" because you're development eventually goes in reverse. And it's about to. Again. For Robert Refsnyder. Period!

16 comments:

  1. I don't think the Yankee brass think to highly of him! Absolutely bullshit if you ask me

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    1. No they don't Kelly and I find it discouraging going forward. The talent is obviously there and it's being kept down at every possible opportunity.

      Welcome to the boards, stay a while

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  2. I think I will mark this one up too; "How to be a Frustrated Yankee fan"!

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    1. I was frustrated two seasons ago, flat out angry last season. This feeling is more a borderline feeling of hopelessness.


      If ref isn't allowed growing pains and time to learn not only one position but two then what does that mean for the prospects who aren't Luis Severino or Greg Bird that come up and go gang busters right out of the gate?

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    2. Daniel...
      We are all frustrated, angry and disappointed but, the real games haven't begun yet.
      There are a few players Cash will be looking at from the last cuts this spring. This is the time of year Cashman goes dumpster diving. So we have that to get upset about yet...keep your powder dry, we have 162 games to go before the play-offs!

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    3. That's the worst part. The best 25 are playing their best baseball now, before the real games have begun, and not after. THAT is why it's frustrating, that's why it's disappointing and that's why I am angry.

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  3. You were shortstop right?

    I'd first say maybe back to AAA would help get a bit more confident, being that he took two off the face.

    Hopefully it's a non issue, hoping for a healthy infield and a hopeful headley. Jeter and Cano were given opportunity at a time of need. We have starters, and are improved over last year.

    Not saying it's right. You know where I stand, this team already bores me to all hell (originally was planning to see sanchez bird and possibly refs in the Bronx. Now, we get jack shit) . Haven't seen any of these damn games because the yes network is greedy, so can't comment on how refs was playing.

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    1. Daryl...
      No, I was not an SS for long, I moved to 2nd base because nobody wanted to play 2nd base after the fist few times and we had a good player that could play SS. I also was the closer but back in those days there was no such thing as a closer...per-say! In college, I played 2nd and closer.
      Did you play baseball?

      Don't worry about the young guys, they will be back unless we make some trades or pick up someone that gets cut. Sanchez will be up in May and Refsy soon after, if not before. AS for Judge, he has to clean up his hitting zones and recognition of pitches.
      Have a little faith young man...as we can't do anything about it...accept what you can't change and change what one can.

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    2. Daryl I was the shortstop.

      And sure I know that Jeter and all them were used out of necessity. My thing is the development and ready time. The Yankees actually tried to trade for a replacement rather than give it to Jeter just like they have successfully done to Ref for two plus years now.

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    3. So it's wishful thinking, but moving him to AAA to reboost morale after 2 grounders to the face.

      But that's bologna, I know that. Could have 1-given him a couple days off 2-put him at DH 3- put him at 2nd.
      The guy wants to play in the Bronx. bottom line. shipping him to AAA is just demoralizing.

      2 things-
      I think the level to which we are pissed depends on how starlin and headley perform. If headley bats ~.260 and fields a bit better, we can't really complain.. as much.
      However, we could shuffle a bit to get Refs at bats regularly and give Arod and Tex at bats.

      Ug.

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    4. Daryl...(I had this written last night and forgot to post it) oops!
      Daniel was the SS and hit HR's, which means he was a good ball player. The best player is the SS on most high school and college teams.

      This AM....
      We have 3 players that will need time at DH already...Beltran, Tex and McCann so there would be little DH for him but, he could give Castro and Headley a day off every once in a while. My thoughts are, he will come up in a few weeks.

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    5. Daryl,

      we absolutely can complain because we all now that Refsnyder was going to be the backup, not the starter. He's in his mid-20's so his development years are over, it's time to put him to the test.

      Delete
  4. This is a classic example of the elf trying to think he is smarter than everyone else. Here is my point... Joba was screwed around in a similar fashion. Pen to Starter back to Pen effed with his head and he never recovered. Now you have the something with Refsynder. OF to 2nd to 3rd. Commit to the kid at one spot and let him run with it. He's a good hitter and I think this playing around in the field has affected his approach to hitting. Cashman stop trying to think your smarter than everyone else because I have a news flash for you...youre not! You guys knew I was going to rip him didn't you? Lol

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  5. Refsnyder is just the latest in a long list of prospects that have been jerked around and overgroomed by the Yankees. As mentioned by Hans, Chamberlain, Hughes, Austen, Laird, Heathcott, Romine, and many others have all been screwed by the Yankees. Refsnyder is close to moving to the top of this list. Right now, the top spot still belongs to Cervelli. He served as backup catcher admirably for an entire season. What happens? He gets sent to AAA the following season for Chris Stewart. The Yankees did Cervelli a favor and traded him. The ironic part? Stewart serves as Cervelli's backup during his breakout campaign. Here's hoping that Refsnyder gets traded to a team that will appreciate the talent that he is.

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    1. Excellent point Levin, especially with the other players you mentioned. Again this is the elf thinking he is smarter than everyone else. If Romine gets beat out by this other scrub I'll be pissed off because he has earned the spot.

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  6. May I add to this diatribe? Thanks, I think I will!
    The idea a player has to be of a certain age to be a big league player is not the way the world works. One kid at 20 is more mature both physically and mentally than another at 24...that is just the way things are in the real world.
    The idea that a player has to work his way through the system until he is a perfect player is crap. What will one learn playing against others not as talented as he is?
    I bring up Mateo as an example along with Willy Garcia. Both of them are young kids @ 20 and 18 respectively. Both have a ways to go before they are ready to face the big guys but, they both should be able to make the transition by the year 2017. Willy maybe 2018 but no later.
    The same holds true for pitchers if one has the talent and is 20/22. bring him up and get him playing. What is better to judge a player on than the real deal.
    Sending a kid down after getting hit in the face and making an error or two sends a message; be perfect or get sent packing...talk about pressure for a guy learning a new position...not so good! I understand Refsy needs a little more help with 3rd base and sending him down will help him until he is needed at 3rd...sometime in May.
    Another thing, I don't know of many infielders that have never been hit in the face with the ball...it goes with the turf.

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