Baseball Is Back, But Meaningful Stats Aren't

With Spring Training games right around the corner, I wanted to take this time to remind everyone not to get too worked up over Spring Training statistics.

"Baseball's back, baby!"

While most Yankees fans were disappointed with the season Chase Headley had in 2015, those that put any stock in Spring Training statistics were likely out-of-their-minds infuriated by the end of the season. That's because Chase finished the season batting a lowly .259, but in 21 Spring Training games that year he hit .305.

Speaking of Headley, he was actually tied with the team lead during the 2015 Spring Training with three home runs. One of the guys he was tied with is of no surprise... Alex Rodriguez. However, what if I told you that the two other players that also hit three homers during Spring Training 2015 were Stephen Drew and Chris Young?

One more bit of information regarding the Yankees' 2015 Spring Training...

Esmil Rogers pitched 15.1 innings and had a 2.35 ERA. But during the regular season his ERA was a bit higher. Okay, it was a lot higher... 6.27.

To really drive home the point that Spring Training statistics are a small step above "useless", I'm going to show you three non-Yankees who had great springs but poor regular seasons.

Taijuan Walker P SEA

2015 Spring Training: 6 GS, 25 IP, 3-0, 0.36 ERA

2015 Regular Season: 29 GS, 169.2 IP, 11-8, 4.56 ERA

CJ Cron 1B/DH LAA

2015 Spring Training: 74 PA, .426/.446/.779

2015 Regular Season: 404 PA, .262/.300/.439

Mike Zunino C SEA

2015 Spring Training: 51 AB, 7 HR, 1 HR/7.3 AB, .353/.431/.882 

2015 Regular Season: 350 AB, 11 HR, 1 HR/31.8 AB, .174/.230/.300

"Did he really have to show two players from the Mariners?"

Yes, it's great to watch baseball again, however we have to keep in mind that Spring Training games are nothing more than glorified practices. Pitchers are working on new mechanics and/or new pitches, hitters are working on tweaks to their swings. Guys like Rob Refsnyder and Starlin Castro are going to be taking reps at third base, a position pretty much unknown to them.

Even managers will dial things back a bit. For instance, instead of calling for a hit and run in some situations, they're going to let things go so players can just take regular at bats.

So enjoy watching the games (I know I will). If you're lucky enough to go to some of those games I'll be extremely jealous of you. But whether Dustin Ackley hits .400 (career .244 hitter), Alex Rodriguez fails to hit a single home run (he led the Yankees will 33 last season), or Luis Severino gets rocked (led Yankee starters with an ERA of 2.89 last season), remember that what you're seeing then is probably not what you'll see later.

"But it's baseball!"

Call Me Crazy But How About Ian Desmond On a One Year Deal?

This is a crazy thought so go ahead and call me crazy, I can take it. It is crazy but this is also The Greedy Pinstripes, not the fiscally responsible pinstripes, and the offseason is the time to dream. The sky is the limit in the offseason and almost every team is optimistic right about now, why not the Yankees as well? The Yankees roster is just about set with just a few spring training competitions to go down at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa this spring but New York could take one of those spring competitions away with one Ninja Cashman, out of left field and really freaking crazy signing that actually works. Sign Ian Desmond?

Desmond is listed as a shortstop according to Baseball Reference but he does have very limited time at second base and right field as well. Desmond, list most shortstops, are extremely athletic and has a strong throwing arms meaning that Desmond learning third base is not out of the realm of possibility and neither is a transition, at least on a part-time basis, to first base. Desmond could conceivably play any position in the Yankees infield other than catcher and truly give the Yankees a complete infield and bench.

Sure Desmond would eat up the first round draft pick of the Yankees and sure he would likely command a substantial AAV on a one-year deal but he sure does make the team a whole lot better in my opinion on both the offensive and defensive side of the baseball and that's all that should matter at the end of the day.

Sure Robert Refsnyder could be that guy, you all know by now that I prefer that scenario to come to fruition, but the Yankees have shown little to no interest in him at the major league level. Desmond pacifies the organization and pacifies the fans due to being a big name and an upgrade over what the team has. I don't think it's going to happen and I don't necessarily want it to happen as a fan but hey, it could happen.

ICYMI: Predicting the Spring Training Invitees

It's just about that time of the year Yankees family, the time where we're still digesting Christmas both emotionally and physically and where we're approaching a brand new year. Some are making New Years resolutions, others are buying out their local liquor stores while some are preparing for a quiet night at the house with friends and family. The Yankees are no exceptions but they do have one major task left to do presumably this week or next and that is to announce who they are inviting to Spring Training this March.

We know the entire 40 man roster will be invited to camp but who else? Honestly, I don't know but I am going to take an educate guess at it. If I missed anyone leave it below in the comments section.

Pete Kozma
Vinnie Pestano
Domingo German
Luis Cessa
Chad Green
Diego Moreno
Kyle Higashioka
Ronald Herrera
Francisco Diaz
Sebastian Valle
Jorge Mateo
James Kaprielian
Cesar Puello
Tyler Austin
Aaron Judge
Brady Lail

Predicting the Spring Training Invitees

It's just about that time of the year Yankees family, the time where we're still digesting Christmas both emotionally and physically and where we're approaching a brand new year. Some are making New Years resolutions, others are buying out their local liquor stores while some are preparing for a quiet night at the house with friends and family. The Yankees are no exceptions but they do have one major task left to do presumably this week or next and that is to announce who they are inviting to Spring Training this March.

We know the entire 40 man roster will be invited to camp but who else? Honestly, I don't know but I am going to take an educate guess at it. If I missed anyone leave it below in the comments section.

Pete Kozma
Vinnie Pestano
Domingo German
Luis Cessa
Chad Green
Diego Moreno
Kyle Higashioka
Ronald Herrera
Francisco Diaz
Sebastian Valle
Jorge Mateo
James Kaprielian
Cesar Puello
Tyler Austin
Aaron Judge
Brady Lail

Yankees Make Three Changes to Spring Training Schedule

Picture courtesy of Yankees.com

The three changes are as follows according to Yankees.com:

The club's March 28 game will now be at 6:35 p.m. ET at George M. Steinbrenner Field against the Tigers, while the Yanks' March 30 contest will be at 1:05 p.m. in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., against the Braves.

The Yankees will have a split squad on March 29, with one group hosting the Pirates and the other traveling to Clearwater to face the Phillies. Both games will be at 1:05 p.m.

2016 New York Yankees Spring Training Scheudle

The New York Yankees announced last week that pitchers and catchers would report to Yankees camp down in Tampa on February 18, 2016. The first workout for these players will be the next day, February 19, and position players will arrive on February 24. The team's spring training schedule begins on March 2 against the Detroit Tigers inside George M. Steinbrenner Field and ends with a pair of exhibition games inside Marlins Park against the Miami Marlins.

photo and schedule courtesy of Lohud.com

Girardi "encouraged" after Sabathia's second start

CC Sabathia might have left some pitches up in his start against the Mets Sunday afternoon, but his manager is still pretty content with what he saw.

Yankees skipper Joe Girardi noticed some good signs during Sabathia's four-run outing in Port St. Lucie, he told reporters after the 6-0 loss. 

"I saw some good things," Girardi said, according to NJ.com. "I saw some good sliders, some good fastballs, change-ups."

Sabathia went 2 2/3 innings and struck out four in Sunday's contest -- giving up five hits while walking none. He allowed a pair of solo home runs to Juan Lagares and Lucas Duda in the bottom of the first, as well as a two-run shot to David Wright in the third.

It was Sabathia's second consecutive game in which he yielded two or more earned runs, and his ERA on the spring is now a hefty 11.57.

"You know, I think we forget: CC didn't pitch much last year," Girardi said. "And for him, it's about getting back to the consistency and getting some work. CC's always thrived on work."

Sabathia is attempting to come back from a knee injury that limited him to just eight starts in 2014, and his primary goal for this month seems to be -- as Girardi says -- re-acquainting himself with the mound. That appears to be the reason for the Yankees' lack of concern over his bad numbers, which include nine hits over 4 2/3 innings. 

So when Sabathia feels good about a particular performance, the team feels good too.

"He feels great, and there's a lot of life to his arm," Girardi said. "So I'm still encouraged."

Headley says he and A-Rod have had no issues so far in camp

The relationship between Yankees infielders Chase Headley and Alex Rodriguez was expected to be somewhat awkward going into spring training, but at least so far, the two have had no problems.

Headley said as much during a recent appearance on the New York Daily News Yankees Podcast -- a feature hosted by beat writer Mark Feinsand.

Headley, fresh off his signing of a four-year/$52 million deal in December, is set to be the Yankees' starting third baseman this season -- a team decision that will likely limit Rodriguez to the DH spot come April.

But according to Headley, he and Rodriguez have gotten along fine over the first few weeks of camp, and A-Rod in particular has caused no difficulties as he attempts to come back from a suspension for steroid use.

"He's been tremendous to me," Headley said of Rodriguez. "[His presence] really hasn't been an issue."

Rodriguez said earlier this offseason he still believed the third-base job was his to lose, a statement quickly countered by Yankees GM Brian Cashman. Cashman said that Rodriguez -- who played solid defense in three games at the position this week -- is not currently seen by the Yankees as someone they can rely on, but rather someone they have low hopes for. 

Still, Rodriguez's return to the field has sparked an unsurprising media firestorm at the Yankees' complex -- one Headley says he tolerates and doesn't hold against the veteran. 

"You knew there was going to be the attention," Headley said. "But as far as any friction, there's been none and we don't expect anything."

The Yankees seem to already have an idea of what their Opening Day lineup will look like, and in the group they have used multiple times throughout the first half of the preseason, Headley has batted sixth and Rodriguez seventh. That placement could represent a higher club confidence in Headley, who has hit .364 in nine contests this month.

Headley maintains that he and Rodriguez are working well together, though, and says the possibility of tension between the two will have to disappear eventually.

"I think both of us have the same goal, which is to win a championship," Headley said. "And I think that when guys are on the same page, a lot of that other stuff goes away."

Yankees will make A-Rod earn his playing time in 2015

Alex Rodriguez won't get special treatment from the Yankees this season. 

The 39-year-old infielder will have to earn his playing time in spring training, club manager Joe Girardi said Friday. 

Rodriguez, coming off a season-long suspension for steroid use, is expected to DH for the Yankees come April, and has been welcomed back by many of his teammates in recent weeks.

But Rodriguez is still a question mark after missing all but 44 games since the end of 2012, and Girardi says he will essentially be treated like a rookie over the next month. 

"He's on our roster, but you have to prove yourself, in a sense, for playing time and how you fit in," Girardi told ESPN New York. 

Rodriguez still has three years left on his contract -- worth a hefty $61 million.

He probably won't get a chance to start this season, seeing as the Yankees have already re-signed fellow third baseman Chase Headley this winter. Rodriguez has also had a pair of hip surgeries over the last few years, so health concerns could too arise. 

That doesn't seem to be the Yankees' biggest issue with him, though, and Girardi says they're just worried about his ability to compete.

"We really haven't seen him play in two years and we don't know exactly where he is at, so that's something he has to prove and earn," Girardi said.

The Yankees have reportedly considered trying Rodriguez out at first base this offseason -- something Girardi says he will make a decision on when the veteran arrives at camp. The two are said to have discussed the idea in the past, but nothing regarding it was finalized. 

Nonetheless, Girardi appreciates A-Rod's cooperation.

"Everything he has said, he has said he is willing to do anything to help us," Girardi said. "That's what you want with your players."

Tanaka feeling healthy after first bullpen session

Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka's elbow injury last season was definitely serious, but Tanaka himself apparently isn't stressing it.

Tanaka feels fine with the current state of his rehab a day after throwing his first bullpen session of 2015, he told the media Friday morning in Tampa. 

"I feel it's healed," Tanaka said, according to NJ.com. "I'm confident I can get through the season."

Tanaka partially tore his right UCL during a start in Cleveland last July, sidelining him until September 21. When the issue was first realized, Tanaka was only expected to miss 6-8 weeks, but the then-rookie struggled to recover quickly. 

The Yankees aren't that concerned about Tanaka's ability to stay healthy, however, and don't view his situation as unique.

"What he's been through, it's not really uncommon," team manager Joe Girardi said.

Tanaka, along with all of the other Yankees' pitchers and catchers, reported to spring training Friday, the first notable date of the club's preseason. The rest of the squad is set to arrive February 25, and the first exhibition game will be played March 3. 

It's presently unknown when Tanaka will make an appearance in an active contest, but the Yankees trust he will be okay when he does. 

"There's been a lot of pitchers who have gone through what he's had and pitched for a substantial period of time before anything has to be done," Girardi said.

Tanaka "looks good" during first throwing session

Masahiro Tanaka's first throwing session of spring training Tuesday might not have been a very large sample size, but according to one of Tanaka's teammates, it was still pretty impressive.

"That's unbelievable," fellow Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova told MLB.com. "I didn't know that he would be able to do it like he did it."

Tanaka arrived at the Yankees' minor-league complex Tuesday morning and worked out indoors for just under an hour, heading outside to play long toss with his interpreter around 11 a.m. EDT. 

There Tanaka hurled from distances ranging between 90 and 200 feet, and made 16 pitches on flat ground at 60 feet. Tanaka is said to have declined to talk to the media until Friday, when pitchers and catchers are set to report. 

Tanaka is recovering from a partially torn UCL which kept him out for much of last year, and the Yankees say they have no plans to hurry him back. 

"We won't rush him into it," Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "I know what he's done [in Japan], I just want to see how much effort and force he's using, and then we'll go from there."

Tanaka was 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA in 129 1/3 IP through July 8 last season, but due to the aforementioned elbow injury, didn't take the field again until September 21. All in all, he went 13-5 with a 2.77 ERA and 141 strikeouts last year  -- recording a 1.06 WHIP. 

It's a safe bet the Yankees are rooting for a repeat of those numbers in 2015, and if they are indeed, it's fair to say this was a good start. 

"[Tanaka] looked good," Nova said, via Newsday. "[Looked like] the same guy."

McCann looking to improve against shift in 2015

Hitting into the shift was definitely a recurring issue for Brian McCann last season, but the 30-year-old Yankees catcher is looking to adjust to it this time around.

McCann will attempt to beat the shift more in 2015 after the negative effects it had on his numbers last year, he said when working out in Georgia earlier this week.

"Now that the shifting's involved, it's time for me to take a step back and figure it out," McCann told The New York Post Wednesday. "Now I've got to beat the shift. I've hit a certain way for nine years. The shift obviously is more advanced."

McCann was usually one to pull the ball last season -- something which frequently kept him off base. Facing opponents who tended to play each of their infielders on the right side including their second baseman on the outfield grass, McCann often struggled to make good enough contact to beat defenders -- resulting in a large number of groundouts. 

But since that kind of play leaves the other half of the field virtually unguarded, McCann says he will try to counter it by shortening his swing. 

"Not just go up there and look for my pitch," he said. "Shorten up sometimes and take that hit to left. The more times you do that, they'll stop shifting."

McCann batted just .232/.286/.406 with 23 home runs and 75 RBI for the Yankees last year -- stats many found to be disappointing. McCann signed a five-year/$85 million deal with the team last winter -- a contract that seemed to command more production. 

And McCann wants to put up just that in the upcoming season, but admits he will have to change his approach if he's going to do so.   

"I hit .290, .280, now you're hitting .240, .230," McCann said. "It's time for me to make that adjustment, and I went into this offseason, and that's where I'm at."

Yankees Invite 26 Players to Spring Training Camp

The New York Yankees have finally announced their list of players they are inviting to Spring Training and the list includes 26 players. In total New York will have 66 players in Spring Training including their 40 players on the 40 man roster.

Starting pitchers:

Scott Baker

Luis Severino

Relief pitchers:

Andrew Bailey

Jacob Lindgren

Nick Rumbelow

Tyler Webb

Nick Goody

James Pazos

Vicente Campos

Diego Moreno

Wilking Rodriguex

Infielders:

Cole Figueroa

Jonathan Galvez

Nick Noonan

Robert Refsnyder

Greg Bird

Cito Culver

Kyle Roller

Outfielders:

Aaron Judge

Jake Cave

Slade Heathcott

Catchers:

Juan Graterol

Eddy Rodriguez

Trent Garrison

Kyle Higashioka

Francisco Arcia

Betances: Yankees will welcome back A-Rod in 2015

Yankees infielder Alex Rodriguez probably isn't the most popular guy in the clubhouse after his recent steroid scandal, but the veteran is nonetheless being welcomed back by one of his teammates. 

"I'm looking forward to playing with A-Rod again," Yankees reliever Dellin Betances said Tuesday, via The New York Daily News.

Betances played with Rodriguez briefly in 2011 and 2013, short periods during which the two likely didn't bond much. Betances didn't spend a full season in the majors until last year, when Rodriguez was suspended.

But Rodriguez does have a notable amount of big-league experience, possibly the reason Betances is viewing his return so positively.

"We welcome him back with open arms," Betances said. "We just want everybody to contribute and help us get back to the playoffs."

Rodriguez, who hasn't appeared in a game for New York since September 2013, is expected to be the Yankees' starting DH this season, presumably hitting near the bottom of the order.

The majority opinion seems to be he will also compete for the third base job in spring training, though after the re-signing of Chase Headley, chances are he's not the favorite for it. Headley's new contract is worth four years and $50 million, a rather large sum for a backup. 

Still, Betances is excited to work with him again, and doesn't think Rodriguez will be a distraction come Opening Day.

"He's a great guy," Betances said. "I can only speak for myself, but I'm defintely looking forward to seeing him play and helping us win."