Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Ackley or Torreyes Should Go Down, Not Refsnyder


The New York Yankees were set to get back their 41-year old DH Alex Rodriguez before their series with the Toronto Blue Jays this week inside Yankee Stadium leaving many to wonder if Robert Refsnyder would be sent back down to Triple-A. I predicted Refsnyder would be sent down in an article that went live during Monday’s off day and whether or not that once again came to fruition remains to be seen but I wanted to speak on it a little bit this morning. Now I know what you’re thinking, here this guy goes again ranting and raving about Refsnyder like he’s the second coming of Derek Jeter, but it’s not going to go down like that. I am not going to rant, nor am I going to rave but instead I will simply suggest why I think either Dustin Ackley or Ronald Torreyes should go back down to Scranton and not Refsnyder.

When Refsnyder was called up he was sporting a .293/.336/.398 triple slash with two home runs and was fresh off a 16-game hitting streak in 34 games for Scranton and had been hitting right at .400 for the entire month of May. Refsnyder was called up and sat on the bench until Saturday when, playing right field, he fought off a 10-pitch at-bat that resulted in a RBI double off the wall inside the Oakland Coliseum I a 5-1 Yankees victory. Refsnyder has shown an ability to be a tough at-bat and a really tough out both in the minor leagues and in the Major Leagues yet the team continues to hold him back for a problem that they created, his defense.

I say they, and they being the Yankees organization, created because the team drafted him as a right fielder out of Arizona. The team felt it was needed to move him to second base due to arm strength concerns and then to third base out of necessity. Lately Refsnyder has been seen back in the outfield and back in right field specifically, guess that arm strength is okay after all, while Ackley rots on the bench. Ackley is rotting on the bench because of an ugly .152/.273/.125 triple slash in 22 games and may only be here because he is penciled in as the backup first baseman. By the way, have you seen him play first base? I think I’d feel more comfortable with Chase Headley at first base and either Refsnyder or Torreyes at third base but that’s just me.


Look, I’m done. I could tell you all about how the Yankees could mold Refsnyder into a Ben Zobrist type of athlete and how they could likely teach him to play first base but why? The team isn’t going to give him more than a New York minute in the majors just like they did last year and just like they will until they absolutely need him. He’s young, an athlete, energetic and he wants to win. I don’t know that by talking to him but I know that from watching him. The Yankees can’t get out of Refsnyder’s way and they can’t get out of their own way. I’ve been saying it for years and I feel like I’ll be saying it for years to come when he is elsewhere flourishing AGAINST us and not for us. 

7 comments:

  1. Hal should spend the money and the elf should've been fired already so what does that have to with the price of wheat in Russia? Absolutely nothing because it isn't happening. Refsnyder is the whipping boy.

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    1. it's nuts, as the few times he is given opportunities, he does really well. E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E sees this.

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    2. You guys haven't figured this out yet? I'm pretty certain that Refsnyder was caught in the coat room at a Yankee event throwing it to Cashman's date.

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    3. I've figured it out but that doesn't mean i still won't bitch, cry and moan about it :)

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    4. All he needs is to learn 1st base. He can learn and play 1st, 2nd, 3rd, RF but not SS...Castro can! Dump Ackley, is my pick, and hope he will sign a minor contract to be called if anything happens to Tex! He is a lefty and gets very little playing time anyhow even if they like his bat, what good is he on the bench most of the time.

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    5. I ment.....
      Ackley is a lefty and gets very little playing time anyhow even if they like his bat, what good is he on the bench most of the time.

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    6. He got the job because he caught fire for a month at the end of the season. typical Yankees. Take a small sample size for a veteran and hand him a job he didn't earn while you send the prospect who thought he won the job and worked his ass off back to Triple-A.

      I'm getting frustrated, can you tell?

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