ICYMH: Nick Goody

The Cleveland Indians have acquired Nick Goody from the New York Yankees in a relatively minor trade earlier this offseason so here is a short blurb about the right-hander. You know, just in case you miss him. Enjoy all!

Nicholas Gunnary Goody was born on July 6, 1991 in Orlando, Florida and a member of the New York Yankees MLB team. Goody attended the University High School in Orlando where he played for the school's baseball team as a shortstop. Goody's strong arm and defense earned him a spot with the State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota's baseball team but not as a shortstop but as the pitcher we see him as today. Goody served as the team's closer in his freshman year before making the transition to the starting pitcher. Goody did well as a starter posting a 6-2 record with a 1.29 ERA while posting 114 K's in 84 IP including a 19 strikeout game before being named the Suncoast Conference Pitcher of the Year. 

Goody's arm was attractive enough that the New York Yankees came calling in the sixth round of the 2012 MLB First Year Players Draft making the right-hander the 217th overall selection. Goody was immediately assigned to the Staten Island Yankees but by the end of his first professional season he had made stops in Charleston with the Charleston Riverdogs and Tampa with the High-A Tampa Yankees. Goody saved seven games with posting a 1.12 ERA making an immediate impression with the team. 

Goody was invited to spring training in 2013 but had to undergo the dreaded Tommy John surgery essentially ending his season. Goody returned to the mound on May 6, 2014 where he earned a promotion to the Double-A Trenton Thunder. Goody earned another invitation to the Yankees spring training camp in 2015 after his comeback season in the minor leagues in 2014 although he did not make the team out of camp. Goody was back in Trenton to begin the 2015 season where he was named an Easter League All-Star. Goody was not able to participate in the game though because the Yankees were more concerned with him being promoted to the Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. 

Goody spent time in and out of the Yankees bullpen in 2016 before being designated for assignment earlier this winter. The team decided to trade him to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later or cash considerations up to $50,000. Goody will pitch out of the Indians bullpen in 2017, good luck to him. 

Learn the Name Giovanny Gallegos

The New York Yankees may be done with their heavy lifting on the free agent market but that does not mean the team is done improving their roster at the big league level. If the free agent spending is done, and Yankees GM Brian Cashman says it is unless the team can move some payroll around, which leaves the team two options in order to improve. They can make trades, and subsequently sign more free agents if they move money in those deals, or they can simply continue building from within. One such name and arm that they could build from within with is a name that a lot of people and fans may not know now, but you should get to know him. His name is Giovanny Gallegos, learn the name.

The 25-year old relief pitcher was added to the Yankees 40-man roster this winter making arms such as Nick Goody, who was traded to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later or cash considerations, expendable. The Yankees must be high on him but who is he?

Gallegos is another big-framed right-handed pitcher for the Yankees standing at 6’2” that signed with the team out of Mexico in 2010. Gallegos had a rough and rocky road to his career that included a knee injury and a Tommy John surgery but has since found his niche as a reliever after being moved there full time in 2015. Gallegos is the Yankees stereotypical low ERA, low WHIP, high strikeouts and low walk type reliever they seem to be pumping out in excess lately. Gallegos is a big command guy while surviving with enough velocity and movement to be effective.

Gallegos is a former starting pitcher so he is not a two-pitch pitcher like most relievers. Instead Gallegos has three off-speed pitches alone that he uses at will against batters. That in itself is something special. Gallegos has been nothing but dominant in the Yankees minor league system and reached Triple-A in 2016 where he posted a 1.40 ERA and 0.84 WHIP with a 5-1 record. Gallegos is a ground ball pitcher, which can only help inside Yankee Stadium, and is poised to make a run at the final spot in the Yankees bullpen a la Johnny Barbato in 2016. Stay tuned to see if he can do it. 

My Thoughts on the “Turned Down” Jose Quintana Deal

The New York Yankees need starting pitching and reportedly the team has had at least preliminary discussions with the Chicago White Sox regarding that very topic. The Yankees are interested in Chicago White Sox southpaw and former New York farmhand Jose Quintana. New York is so interested that apparently, according to a “source” anyway, the Yankees recently turned down a deal proposed by the White Sox for Quintana. The deal would have included Luis Severino, Jorge Mateo and Clint Frazier for the Yankees while Chicago sent Quintana and his four years of team control back to the Bronx. Here are my thoughts on the Yankees turning down this deal.

First and foremost, damn that’s a lot. The Yankees would send two of their top five prospects (arguably) to the White Sox including one of the top prospects in all of Major League Baseball along with a young pitcher in Luis Severino for Quintana. That’s a ton but as I’ve said many times this offseason the White Sox are not in the business of losing trades. Look at the Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech and two others trade as an example of that.

Now I know what you’re thinking, I think the Chicago White Sox are crazy for asking for that from the Yankees for Quintana. Well, you’re right. I do think they are crazy but honestly if and when they trade Quintana this offseason they are going to get a comparable package from whatever team acquires him. Why shouldn’t that team be the Yankees?

Sure, losing Mateo hurts but the team has Gleyber Torres. Sure, losing Frazier really hurts but when you are acquiring the type of talent you are in Quintana you can bite the bullet. Losing Severino really hurts in my eyes because I truly think the Severino we saw in 2015 is the version of Severino we will see going forward and not the 2016 version that struggled and refused to work on his secondary pitches. Why do I think that? I have no idea, I just do. It’s my opinion. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t give up Severino for Quintana though.

I truly hope the Yankees find a way to get this done. Yes, I realize I am freaking some people out right now. The self-professed “prospect humper” is suggesting trading away two of the top five prospects in the Yankees system. The prospect humper also wants to make the postseason in 2017 and the World Series as soon as 2018. I want my cake and I want to eat it too and with the farm system that the Yankees have assembled I truly believe they can do that with this Quintana trade.

Pull the trigger. 

Yankees Re-Sign Culver, Release O’Neill

According to our friends over at Pinstriped Prospects, shout out to Robert Pimpsner and his crew for a continued year of great success and even better work by the way, the New York Yankees made a couple minor league deals that I think are noteworthy. The Yankees signed Cito Culver to a minor league deal and they also released outfielder Michael O’Neill from his contract.

Culver is still somehow just 24-years old after being the Yankees first round draft pick in 2010. The Yankees promoted Culver to Triple-A for the 2015 and 2016 seasons but never made the call to bring him to the Major Leagues. Culver has always been considered to be a top notch defensive shortstop but his bat has always lacked which has kept him from taking the big step to the Bronx.

O’Neill, son of former Yankees star Paul O’Neill, is also 24-years old and was a third round pick for the Yankees in the 2013 MLB Draft. O’Neill reached Double-A with the Trenton Thunder this past season but his bat lacked in 60 games after a strong start to the season in Tampa. O’Neill will now look to latch on with another team to continue his dream of reaching the show.

Good luck to both. Oh, and good morning Yankees family. We’re back!

This Day in New York Yankees History 12/22: Javier Vazquez... Again

On this day in 2009 the World Series champions acquired Javier Vazquez from the Atlanta Braves for outfielder Melky Cabrera. The last time we saw Vazquez in Yankees pinstripes he was giving up that grand slam to Boston Red Sox Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS.

Also on this day in 2008 the New York Yankees signed Chien Ming Wang to a one year deal worth $5 million to avoid arbitration. The 28 year old right hander had missed half the season after an injury running the bases in Houston ended his season.

Finally on this day in 1982 Lee Mazzilli was traded for the third time this season as the Yankees trade the first basemen and outfielder to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Tim Burke and three minor league players. Mazzilli was acquired in New York that August for Bucky Dent from the Texas Rangers.