Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Meet a Prospect: Ruben Tejada


The New York Yankees have signed former New York Mets product Ruben Tejada to a minor league deal and will presumably have him in spring training camp this spring fighting for a job. While this signing is not on the same level as the Matt Holliday or the Aroldis Chapman signings this could be significant nonetheless, especially with the release of Dustin Ackley and other key losses in the infield both at the Major League and Minor League level. So let’s meet the guy that could be up in the Bronx with an injury or two or a strong showing this spring down in Tampa. This is Meet a Prospect: The Ruben Tejada Edition.

Ruben Dario Tejada was born on October 27, 1989 in Santiago de Veraguas, Panama to Ruben Sr. and Donaji Tejada. Ruben Sr. was a pitcher in Panama for the Los Indios de Veraguas and that mixed with the fact that Tejada Jr. grew up mere feet from Omar Torrijos Herrera Stadium in Panama the middle infielder was destined for baseball. Growing up Tejada idolized the likes of Derek Jeter and Omar Vizquel leading Tejada to sign with the New York Mets in 2006 as a 16-year old international free agent and prospect. 

Tejada toiled around in the Mets minor league system through the 2009 season and it was the year 2010 when Tejada was invited to Mets spring training camp. Tejada impressed the Mets enough to become the youngest position player to make the New York Mets Opening Day roster since Tim Foli in 1971. Tejada was a part-time player and a player that bounced back and forth between Triple-A and the Major Leagues until becoming a fill-time player in 2011 after an injury to third baseman David Wright moved then second baseman Justin Turner to third base.

It was business as usual for Tejada from 2011 through the 2015 regular season but Tejada was in the spotlight again during the 2015 NLDS when Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman ended his season and ultimately his Mets tenure with a slide into second base that broke Tejada’s right fibula. That broken fibula ended his season and in March of 2016 the Mets places Tejada on waivers before releasing him the next day. Tejada latched on with the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants in 2016 but neither resulted in long tenures back in the big leagues unfortunately for Tejada.  


Now Tejada is back in New York, this time with the New York Yankees, and once again back to fighting for his MLB career. Good luck to him and we are very happy to have him. Welcome to the family Ruben. 

14 comments:

  1. RUBEN TEJADA....this one bothers me.
    First, he was a MET. That should of eliminated him.
    He has no place on a team moving forward.
    Maybe someone thinks he can hit ? Anne hits better.

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    Replies
    1. Classic Cashman dumpster dive move to show he is smarter than everyone else. News flash elf you're not.

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    2. I must say in defense of Cashman, he is the best dumpster diver in baseball. Being as he is so good at it, it seems to me "that is what the team needs, try getting under the cap".
      I think we will have some trades before spring. We need to dump some $$$$$$$$.

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    3. How did that dumpster dive workout at 2B before Castro got here, or the Ackley dumpster dive move?

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    4. Ken H, one can always find something we don't like or, in this case a trade. But one thing is for sure...none of us can see the future!
      Most of the time, the back of a players card is what one can expect from a player but, there are many exceptions for the card being of any value!

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    5. Reed I can see into the future, death, taxes, Hal is a cheap bastard now and in the future and the elf will one day get stuck on the side of the wall rappelling down it and we will never win another WS as long as Hal is the owner and my boy Levin will continue to love Gardner until he retires. Mark them all down

      Delete
    6. Say what you will re: Ken Hans....but, the boy
      is consistent, and funny.

      Delete
  2. Ken H, what you wrote above is true, to a point! The rest is nothing but opinion, which we all have a right to express.
    Every action, has a reaction, replacing Cashman is a reaction to the ownership of the Yankees, not him and his moves or not moves. Look at the Farm System for what he can do if given a chance to do his job. Our System is now one of the better systems in baseball, rising from the ashes at the bottom of all systems.
    This team will be better each year if they get under the Luxury Tax...the main objection to spending money!
    We have paid $297.64 as of 2015, this is not good business...Hal thinks Business first as did his dad the last few years.
    I will not defend Cashman for the bad deals he has been said to have made, because many were his and many weren't!
    Without money to play with, NO manager can build much of a team any other way than the Yankees are doing it now! All we need is for Joe G to play the talent not the age of a player.

    Let's hope for a much better year for the team in 2017!

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    Replies
    1. Reed with this pitching staff pencil in 4th or 5th. Again you heard it here first. What you failed to mention in your George comment is that he spent money to make money. Hal takes your money to make his money. They are entirely two different business men. Hal sold off 80% of the YES network, explain why? Second all these teams that are flushed with money is because it is from their tv revenue. The tv revenue now goes into Ruppert Murdoch's pocket as Hal took his money out of the investment. I know it kills you that I'm right and you can't agree with me so my suggestion is for your New Years resolution to just agree with me and I promise you that you will be in a better place, especially on this board.

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    2. Carlos Quintana...Seems to be the current rumor floating by.

      This is a ex-Yankee, which makes everything worse.
      Will cost a bit less than Sale, but still a ton.
      Unless he falls to you, save your top prospects.

      There is a market for Gardner, and a smaller one for Headley.
      But there is one. That is what I read, and have learned.
      They will not be here when Yankees have lift off. So do it.

      Keep kicking tires, and include Tanaka, and Pinada in the talks.
      They will not be here either.

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  3. Ken H, do you go out of your way to misunderstand what I write?
    I have written about King George and how he spent his own money many times. What you may have missed was the last few years when George wanted to get under the cap...he said so anyhow, and he did, to a small degree.

    TV Revenue goes to the teams, NYY get about $95 mil. + 5% a year...from what I can find out. Maybe someone may find better numbers...maybe!

    Don't count out the pitchers we have, moving Pineda to the BP will help the team much more than trading him.

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  4. I (at this point) will give the 3rd place spot to the Yankees for 2017. Notice I placed them in 3rd, not 3rd or 4th!
    I may change as the 2017 spring training goes along, right now with what we have...I say 3rd place!

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