There Is Such A Thing As Too Much Talent

This is the image that pops into my head when I think of Brian Cashman looking at his organizational roster.

Over the years, when it comes to teams seemingly having too many good players, you've likely heard the phrase "it'll work itself out" over and over again. And the majority of the time that phrase rings true. However, we're seeing one of the rare times when having too many good players is causing headaches.

Five days ago, when Greg Bird made his return to the team, Ronald Torreyes was optioned to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. That move was followed by a bit of outrage, which is totally understandable. Toe is a beloved member of the Yankees, as he's not only been a good to great contributor to the team for the past two plus seasons, fans and teammates love him for his attitude on and off the field. But a roster crunch made the move necessary.

Now, as Adam Warren is about ready to make his return from injury, the Yankees are left with another difficult roster decision.

So I decided to take a look at the roster and try to see what should happen. Honestly, it was a lot tougher than I thought.

I'll start with the guys that will stay in the Majors...

Pitchers
Dellin Betances
Aroldis Chapman
Chad Green
Tommy Kahnle
David Robertson
CC Sabathia
Luis Severino
Chasen Shreve
Masahiro Tanaka

Catchers
Gary Sanchez
Austin Romine

Infielders
Miguel Andujar
Greg Bird
Didi Gregorius
Gleyber Torres

Outfielders
Brett Gardner
Aaron Judge
Giancarlo Stanton

That's 18 players, leaving just seven spots remaining.

Now let's look at players that may not be shoe-ins to stay in the Majors, but certainly deserve a spot on the active roster...

Domingo German - After his incredible starting debut Sunday followed that up with a bad game, a horrible game, and a "meh" game. But if you ignore the stats you'll see that German has earned a longer look. After giving up a three-run homer the other day, he settled down and look good. That's a nice trait for a pitcher to have. Secondly, he has swing-and-miss stuff... another good trait for a pitcher to have. Finally, I'd like to see him pitch on regular rest more often. German was actually off for nine days before that awful start against the Rangers last week.

AJ Cole - It's only been 11 innings, but he's given up just one run, struck out 12, and walked six during that time. Cole's not this good, but he's not only earned his spot in the bullpen, he can't be sent to the minors without passing through waivers first due to being out of options.

Sonny Gray - I'm starting to think his rotation spot could be in jeopardy, especially if he can't turn things around before Montgomery returns, but he'd go to the bullpen way before getting DFA'd (due to service time he can't be sent to the minors without passing through waivers, and then accepting a minor league assignment, first).

Jonathan Holder - Like Cole he hasn't pitched a ton this season, but since April 21st (15.2 innings) Holder has not allowed an earned run, while striking out 16 and walking just two. Jonathan's not only earned a longer look, he's become one of the team's better relievers.

Brandon Drury - His numbers in the Majors, with Arizona and New York, are hardly mouth-watering, but keep in mind that he put up those stats while suffering from headaches (real ones, not the ones I've been talking about) and blurred vision. I want to see what he can do while 100%, the Yankees probably want to see that, and you should too.

Ronald Torreyes - While I didn't like it, I understood the decision to option Torreyes to AAA. Ronald is great in the utility role, but the fact of the matter is the Yankees have better players available to them. I would absolutely welcome him back to the MLB roster, but I don't see where.

Neil Walker - From Opening Day up until April 30th it looked like Neil was not the steal we all thought he was. Even at just $4 million it looked like the Yankees overpaid for him, as he was batting .165/.212/.190. But since May 1st he's hit .300/.407/.500 and not only earned his spot on the active roster, but made a case to play every day.

Clint Frazier - Frazier is probably the main cause of headache for Brian Cashman. Not because of how bad he is... quite the opposite, in fact. The man is absolutely crushing in AAA, batting .341/.414/.636 with five home runs, five doubles, and three triples in just 22 games. He's even stole four bases. He's either going to return to the Yankees and help guide them into the postseason and beyond, or be the key piece in a trade for a starter that will guide them into the postseason and beyond.

Aaron Hicks - I'm not sold on him being a starter, at least not for the Yankees, but if you look beyond a pedestrian batting average this season (.232) he's a solid player. He'll get on base at a decent clip, doesn't strike out much, makes contact often, and is a top ten defensive centerfielder in all of MLB.

Okay, at this point we're up to 27 players worthy of a spot on the active roster. That leaves a couple of tough choices to make. But don't go racking your brains to make cuts yet, there's more...

Tyler Austin - There was a time when it looked like Tyler may be the team's answer at first base, ahead of the oft-injured Greg Bird, but that time has passed. Since May 1st Tyler has hit .130/.163/.326. I don't believe he's done, but his roster spot on the Yankees should be given to someone else.

Jacoby Ellsbury - I'd rather Jacoby stay on the disabled list all season long, because he will return this season, and he will push somebody a lot more deserving off the active roster. I doubt he gets much playing time, but as long as he's on this team he will be in Yankee pinstripes.

That's 29 players for 25 spots. Honestly, with Austin likely to miss the cut, you can say 28 players for 25 spots. But I'm not done yet...

Jordan Montgomery - Monty's still a ways away from returning (he just started playing catch this week), but when he does he'll go right back into the rotation. And deservedly so. Jordan isn't going to "wow" anyone, but his ERA+ of 117 over 182.2 MLB innings shows there shouldn't be any doubt what his role is and should be.

Adam Warren - Boone has said Adam could be back this weekend. Warren was awesome last season, putting up a 2.35 ERA and an ERA+ of 193. In fact, the only time he hasn't been really good was during his short time with the Chicago Cubs in 2016. So even with a great bullpen as is, Adam will be welcomed back with open arms.

And there you have it. That's 30 players (I'll go ahead and subtract Tyler Austin for you) for 25 spots. So what should the Yankees do from here?

For starters, I believe that instead of carrying 13 pitchers and 12 batters, it should be the other way around. I think that extra bat would come into play more often than that extra arm would. Mind you, I won't say having 13 pitchers is a bad move, as our starters don't often pitch deep into games, but 12 pitcher should still get the job done. Besides, as you'll see in a bit, it may be necessary to keep 13 pitchers anyway.

Starting Pitchers
Luis Severino
Masahiro Tanaka
CC Sabathia
Jordan Montgomery
Sonny Gray

Relievers
Aroldis Chapman
David Robertson
Chad Green
Dellin Betances
Adam Warren
Tommy Kahnle
Chasen Shreve

I really think Cole and Holder have earned MLB roster spots, but the sad truth is there's just no room for them. What's worse is the whole "out of options" thing for Cole. The only reason I would support keeping 13 pitchers is so Cole wouldn't be lost for nearly nothing (he'd have to be designated for assignment, and then Cashman would likely work out a trade and get little in return).

Domingo German may be a regular starter for the Yankees next season, but for right now he's the odd man out (when Montgomery returns, of course). Like Cole and Holder, when rosters expand he'll not only be back in the Majors, but he'll be a nice contributor.

Position Players
C - Gary Sanchez
1B - Greg Bird
2B - Gleyber Torres
SS  - Didi Gregorius
3B - Miguel Andujar
LF - Brett Gardner
CF - Aaron Hicks
RF - Aaron Judge
DH - Giancarlo Stanton

Bench - Austin Romine, Brandon Drury, Neil Walker, Jacoby Ellsbury*

*Since Ellsbury's stay on the disabled list could go on for a while, I wanted to note that I'd keep AJ Cole around due to him being out of options. Then, hopefully by the trade deadline, Cole could be included in a trade or someone else from the bullpen would be dealt to make room for AJ to stay there.

If it wasn't for the fact that, like I said, Jacoby Ellsbury will be on the MLB roster when he returns this season, I'd really like having Ronald Torreyes in that last bench spot. Stanton could play either corner outfield position if needed, while Boone could put Hicks or Gardner in centerfield, if necessary. Toe will be back when rosters expand, and like Cole, Holder, and German, will make a contribution to the postseason run.

And that leaves me to talk about Clint Frazier. In a vacuum Frazier would be the starting left fielder, pushing Gardner to center, and Hicks to the bench. In fact, that's what I originally had down, but then I decided to change things.

In terms of trade value, is it better to let Frazier continue to mash in AAA or possibly get exposed in MLB? After all, in his 146 MLB plate appearances, Clint has only managed a batting line of .235/.281/.456. Mind you, he's still only 23 and has massive potential, but if he were called up today and struggled, that could hurt his trade value.

So I'm going to let him keep killing it in AAA. If he somehow remains with the team past the trade deadline, or after a big trade is done with, then it'll be time to call him up.

It's hard leaving so much talent in AAA, but the insane amount of depth the Yankees have is one of the biggest reasons I believe this team has an outstanding shot at winning the whole damn thing this season. And that depth is going to help create, either directly or indirectly, a dynasty that brings New York more titles in the future.

Here’s my roll of the dice…

2017 Opening Day Roster Prediction…

Since everyone seems to be coming out with their Opening Day roster predictions, I may as well jump in.  My choices are probably not too much different than the ones provided by Daniel Burch a few days ago.  With all sincerity, I am glad that I am not Joe Girardi.  It's challenging to make the call with a few players.  Girardi has some very difficult decisions ahead, followed by tough conversations with adversely impacted players.

Here are my picks:

Starting Line-up

C: Gary Sanchez

1B: Greg Bird

2B: Starlin Castro

SS: Didi Gregorius

3B: Chase Headley

LF: Brett Gardner

CF: Jacoby Ellsbury

RF: Aaron Judge

DH: Matt Holliday

Bench

1B: Chris Carter

OF: Aaron Hicks

UTILITY: Ronald Torreyes

C: Austin Romine

Starting Rotation

1-RHP: Masahiro Tanaka

2-RHP: Michael Pineda

3-LHP: CC Sabathia

4-RHP: Luis Severino

5-LHP: Bryan Mitchell

Bullpen

LHP: Tommy Layne

RHP: Ben Heller

RHP: Chad Green

RHP: Adam Warren

RHP: Tyler Clippard

RHP: Dellin Betances-Setup/Backup Closer

LHP: Aroldis Chapman-Closer

I decided against Jon Niese.  Nothing against him personally, but the Yankees would have to open a spot on the 40-man roster for him.  I feel that both Ben Heller and Chad Green have pitched effectively this spring and are deserving of the opportunity to head north with the big league club.  Either Adam Warren or Chad Green can fill the spot starter role.  I think that once Ernesto Frieri is ready (assuming that he proves he belongs back in the majors after a lost year), he'll come up to replace either Heller or Green.  So, with my roster, there's no room for Niese.  

I felt Jordan Montgomery was destined for reassignment to minor league camp but after his contribution in Friday’s no-hitter win over the Detroit Tigers, he has probably re-inserted his name into the OD roster discussion.  If, somehow, Montgomery makes the final cut, I  anticipate Chad Green being sent down.  I feel Montgomery needs to start so I could see Mitchell moved out the #5 spot to make room.  This will be an interesting development to watch over camp’s final weeks.

There are a few players above that I would absolutely love to kick to the curb.  If I had $90 million to burn, Jacoby Ellsbury would be anyplace but the Bronx.  I am ready for Chase Headley to go too.  But the time is not right for either to leave so we'll just have to deal with it and hope for the best.

I had really hoped that reliever Jonathan Holder would snag a spot but it doesn't appear he is quite ready.  Lefty Chasen Shreve was another that I hoped would up his A game, but he hasn't looked too great this spring in limited opportunities although he was part of yesterday’s no-hitter.

I am also disappointed that Rob Refsnyder is not in the picture.  It's too bad that he didn't grow up playing the infield as a kid.  With better defensive skills, there's no doubt that he would have supplanted Ronald Torreyes on the roster.  

The above roster assumes that the Yankees do not make any trades or other moves between now and Opening Day.  It's possible that Refsnyder and others could be moved but I am not expecting any blockbuster deals at the moment.  Jose, can you see?  Sorry, I'll let it go...

I don't think any of the roster predictions that I've seen are wrong.  The Yankees are very fortunate to have more than 25 guys deserving of a major league roster spot.  It certainly beats the alternative.

The latest Yankee to head to minor league camp for re-assignment is SS/2B Jorge Mateo.  

Have a great Saturday!  I have a date with my Harley…

ICYMI: Does Brian Cashman Hate Rob Refsnyder?

By Bran Van Dusen:




By now you've all seen that the Yankees plan on calling up Rob Refsnyder once rosters expand. I'm sure many people, including Daniel, are really happy. Although, they would have been happier had this happened a month ago. Two months ago? *shrugs*

I have no idea what makes some of you happy.

Yesterday Daniel wrote about Brian Cashman, particularly a quote he made before the season. In it, Cash basically talked about the team's desire to not only build the future, but also build a team that could win the World Series.

It didn't take long for somebody to bring up the fact that Rob Refsnyder is still in the minors, and use that as an example of how Cashman is full of it. On the surface that's a great point. If the team isn't calling up Refsnyder, then it looks like the whole "build for the future" thing is nothing more than lip service.

But there's a problem with this thinking....

What has Rob Refsnyder done to push for a promotion?

Don't get me wrong. I hate Stephen Drew, just like many of you. Nor do I think Brendan Ryan is the answer. But you can't tell me that a triple-slash of .269/.360/.396 in AAA is something to salivate over. Therefore, I totally understand not wanting to lose Stephen Drew or Brendan Ryan, as one of them would likely be designated for assignment to make room for Refsnyder to be added to the active roster. If Rob was tearing the cover off the ball that would be a different story, but he's not. His on-base percentage is good, but his batting average is "meh" and his slugging percentage is poor.

And it's unlikely to expect him to improve on those numbers in Major League Baseball. I understand the promotion might be the kick in the butt he needs, but when you're trying to win now it's not a gamble you really want to make until you have to.

The fact that no trade was made for a definite starter at second base should tell you that Cashman and the Yankees are not giving up on Refsnyder. Which is a good thing. Sure, his numbers currently are far from spectacular, but that doesn't mean he should be considered a bust. It looks as though they still believe in him, but do not feel it necessary to make the move now. However, Rob is being called up in September, so he will get a shot.

Rob Refsnyder may not become a regular starter this season, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that he's the starting second baseman for them on Opening Day next season. I know it's hard for a lot of Yankees fans, but you must be patient.

Discussing a Potential 2016 Contract for Chris Young

In separate posts we have already discussed potential contracts for the 2016 season for both Stephen Drew, who got a “yay,” and Chris Capuano, who got a “nay,” and this evening we will discuss the potential future of Yankees fourth outfielder Chris Young. Young was signed in September of 2014 after having a horrendous season with the New York Mets and came across town to the Bronx with his big bat and glove in hand. Young did nothing but have clutch hit after clutch hit and walk off heroics in his month with the team earning him another contract for the 2015 season. Has he done enough and will he be fortunate enough to do the same in 2016?

If you would have asked me a month ago I would have said absolutely without blinking an eye but right now I’m not so sure. Young is the only true right handed outfielder the Yankees have since Carlos Beltran switch hits and both Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner bat left-handed which is a fact that is hard to ignore. That’s hard to ignore much like his ability to come in as a defensive replacement in right field, as a pinch runner late in games or his ability to hit home runs off the bench when all the spotlights are on him. What’s also hard to ignore is the imposing figure standing in the shadows patiently waiting his turn in Triple-A, Mr. Aaron Judge.

Sure, Judge has looked overmatched a bit since moving up to Triple-A leaving many to believe that he isn’t ready but that’s not what I took from it all. Judge may be scuffling a little but he also battled a back injury in Scranton that has coincidentally, or not coincidentally whatsoever, flared up right around the time his stat line went down steadily. A full offseason mixed in with a full spring training could do wonders for Judge, so could a trip to the Arizona Fall League, leaving him ready to make a difference on the ball club and in the lineup in 2016.

If the Greg Bird situation has taught me one thing it’s that the Yankees can mix and match and move players in and out of a lineup to keep everyone fresh almost as well as anyone around the league. With two center fielders on the team in Ellsbury and Gardner the Yankees could easily move Judge in and out of the right field, left field and DH position next season getting him enough at bats to justify his development while keeping the legs of Gardner, Ellsbury and Beltran fresh and healthy for the entire season.

If the Yankees allow Judge to be the next Bird and allow him to lead the charge of the next wave of Yankees prospects then I think the team has to wave goodbye to Mr. Young. If the team thinks Judge needs a full season, or at least another half season, in Scranton then I guess a new deal for Young wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world as long as the AAV was kept relatively low. New York could always designate Young for assignment in June or July and bring up the Judge I guess. 

Discussing a 2016 Contract for Chris Capuano

Yesterday I probably shocked over 90% of our readers and Twitter followers, shameless plug alert... follow @GreedyStripes on Twitter, when I actually defended a 2016 contract for the Yankees second baseman Stephen Drew. Yes, that Stephen Drew and no he doesn't have naked pictures of me or dirt on me that I am trying to keep from my wife and off the internet. Could I possibly do the same thing for Chris Capuano? In a word, nope.

While I appreciate Capuano taking one on the chin more than once this season I think the need for his veteran arm in 2016 is quickly deteriorating. The New York Yankees learned and proved this season that where the team lacks in producing positional players and starting pitchers they more than make up for it in the bullpen department. The Yankees have a shuttle bus running back and forth from Yankee Stadium to Scranton/Wilkes Barre this season bringing up and sending back viable relief pitcher after viable relief pitcher. Capuano's only saving grace has been his ability to give the team multiple innings, something he may lose the more he loses his routine and starting job.

I'm not going to bad mouth Capuano, he's given his all for the Yankees and continually taken his DFA's quietly and come right back to the team when he could easily elect free agency and latch on elsewhere. That doesn't mean I'd rather the Yankees waste another 25 man roster spot on him for 2016 thus sending one of Nick Goody, Nick Rumbelow, Caleb Cotham, Branden Pinder, Bryan Mitchell or another back to Triple-A.

There's no such thing as a bad minor league deal, mind you, but if the deal comes with a 40 man roster commitment I would have to pass. Sorry Cap.

Does Brian Cashman Hate Rob Refsnyder?

By now you've all seen that the Yankees plan on calling up Rob Refsnyder once rosters expand. I'm sure many people, including Daniel, are really happy. Although, they would have been happier had this happened a month ago. Two months ago? *shrugs*

I have no idea what makes some of you happy.

Yesterday Daniel wrote about Brian Cashman, particularly a quote he made before the season. In it, Cash basically talked about the team's desire to not only build the future, but also build a team that could win the World Series.

It didn't take long for somebody to bring up the fact that Rob Refsnyder is still in the minors, and use that as an example of how Cashman is full of it. On the surface that's a great point. If the team isn't calling up Refsnyder, then it looks like the whole "build for the future" thing is nothing more than lip service.

But there's a problem with this thinking....

What has Rob Refsnyder done to push for a promotion? 

Don't get me wrong. I hate Stephen Drew, just like many of you. Nor do I think Brendan Ryan is the answer. But you can't tell me that a triple-slash of .269/.360/.396 in AAA is something to salivate over. Therefore, I totally understand not wanting to lose Stephen Drew or Brendan Ryan, as one of them would likely be designated for assignment to make room for Refsnyder to be added to the active roster. If Rob was tearing the cover off the ball that would be a different story, but he's not. His on-base percentage is good, but his batting average is "meh" and his slugging percentage is poor.

And it's unlikely to expect him to improve on those numbers in Major League Baseball. I understand the promotion might be the kick in the butt he needs, but when you're trying to win now it's not a gamble you really want to make until you have to.

The fact that no trade was made for a definite starter at second base should tell you that Cashman and the Yankees are not giving up on Refsnyder. Which is a good thing. Sure, his numbers currently are far from spectacular, but that doesn't mean he should be considered a bust. It looks as though they still believe in him, but do not feel it necessary to make the move now. However, Rob is being called up in September, so he will get a shot.

Rob Refsnyder may not become a regular starter this season, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility that he's the starting second baseman for them on Opening Day next season. I know it's hard for a lot of Yankees fans, but you must be patient.

Quick Hit: Good Problems & Pitching Logjams

The New York Yankees are in the middle of a dog fight in the American League East division with the revamped Toronto Blue Jays. What once was thought of as a given, the fact that the team would run away with this division, is now the farthest thing from that with 11 games remaining head-to-head including this afternoon's game and the lead in the division for New York dwindling. The great news for New York is that reinforcements are on the way, they just have to hold on for a little bit longer.

The Yankees may have a bit of a logjam in the starting rotation in September when Michael Pineda returns off the disabled list, which is the best problem to have in the Major Leagues. Adding Pineda back into the fold with Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Nathan Eovaldi, Ivan Nova who has pitched better than his record would suggest and CC Sabathia who takes one step forward and two steps back would give the Yankees a strong rotation overall. Not only is that rotation one not to be messed with in September but it would be one to be feared in October.

It's the best problem to have, the team just has to hold on until Pineda gets back.