ICYMI: Are the Yankees & Angels Now Trade Partners Again?

Just a quick hit and a little bit of me thinking out loud here. The New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were thought to be potential trade partners for much of the winter with zero trades getting done when all the ink was dry. Are these two teams potentially trade partners again just a few weeks into their spring training schedules?


All winter long many of the fans wondered if the Angels would part with some of their young starting pitching to acquire the Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner. The Angels were looking for some outfield help to replace the traded Josh Hamilton and were able to find it elsewhere leaving Gardner back in the Bronx presumably for another season. Now the Yankees, who looked for starting pitching much of the winter, may have an extra starter or two on their hands while the Angels are stuck looking for at least one heading into the season.


The Angels have already lost a pair of starters this spring in Jered Weaver, who is dealing with chronic neck pain, and C.J. Wilson, who is struggling with his shoulder after injuring it last season. There is no word on when Weaver will continue throwing this spring but all signs point to Wilson being on the disabled list on Opening Day 2016 so is it time to make a deal?


The Yankees seem extremely impressed with what Luis Cessa has been able to do this spring and it almost seems like the ultimate “hype him up and sell him high” scenario that Brian Cashman is becoming known for. Would the Angels GM, and former Yankees assistant GM, Billy Eppler bite on Cessa or would he rather a commodity that he is already familiar with. A commodity like Ivan Nova or Bryan Mitchell perhaps?


I don’t pretend to know what the state of the Angels system is, their strengths and weaknesses, but if New York could turn Cessa into a nice prospect or two that would go a long way in making the Justin Wilson trade not hurt so bad. If the Yankees could sell even higher on Nova, who has also looked great this spring by the way, and fetch two or three starting prospects in his contract year then even better. If not then it may be another season without the postseason for the Angels and frankly, either would suit me just fine.

Most Popular Article of the Week: A Different Sense of the Game: Baseball Through the Eyes of the Blind

I would like to introduce you to our newest writer, his name is Benny Tomko. This is his introductory article. He would have posted it himself but we had some issues with getting him signed up, Google can make things awfully difficult at times. So without further delay I introduce you to the latest writer in the stable of writers we are building here, Mr. Benny Tomko.


Please comment and welcome him to the site and if you want to follow him on Twitter follow @BennyTomko.

The crack of the bat, the smell of fresh cut grass. These are things that baseball fans with eyesight tend to take for granted. I should know, I was a part of that demographic at one point in my life. I played baseball, catcher, and all I ever wanted to do was wear the pinstripes of the Bronx Bombers. But, the Man upstairs had different ideas. On October 31, 1996, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the portion of the brain that controls eyesight (occipital lobe). Ultimately, I was blessed enough to be cancer free, but, would lose my eyesight as a result. This, however, would not remove my passion for the game


The last game that I attended with 20/15 vision was game two of the 1996 World Series. Greg Maddux pitched an absolute gem against my boys, in route to a 4-0 shout out. All told, he threw 86 pitches, and, gave up four hits, none of which were particularly hit hard. I remember being so frustrated with the outcome that I was unable to appreciate my surroundings. It took the gleamy eyes of my grandfather, Sparky, to remind me just exactly where we were; Yankee Stadium. If I knew then what I know now, I would have soaked it up just a little bit more.


These days, going to the ballpark is a bit different then it used to be, but that's OK. Now, I take my cane, radio and headphones, and attend the game with someone that I can communicate throughout the game, as to not be "in the dark". I always used to tease others when I saw them at a major-league baseball game with a radio and headphones. I thought, "the game is right in front of you, why do you need someone to tell you what's going on?" Now, I completely understand, and, feel kind of bad about the Smack I used to talk about others. I guess it's the same sense of humor that is used when I used to tease people about going bald, and now, I am. Karma is a funny, funny beast.


Now, I am a degree holder, husband, father and still head over heels for my New York Yankees. I have been able to convey my passion for baseball upon those closest to me. My wife never gave a second thought to the game of baseball, but since she has met me, it's a completely different story. I am so blessed to still be able to appreciate the game that I so love. And now, I get to write about it every day.


I look forward to providing a unique commentary on the game that is the backbone of our great nation. Thank you, Daniel. Put me in, coach, I'm ready to play 

The KBO Posting System Is About to Change

This would normally be the Yankees spring training Grapefruit League post but the Yankees are off today as they prepare to play host to the New York Mets tomorrow. With that said we will cover something that could not only affect the Yankees and the Mets but the entire league, the Korean Baseball Organization posting rules are about to change.

Currently the way Korean-born ballplayers make their way to the United States and the Major Leagues is through the blind posting system much like the Japanese League and Nippon Professional Baseball Organization had until recently. Major League Baseball wants the KBO to adopt a similar or identical policy as well after an influx of talent including Jung-Ho Kang and Byung-Ho Park have made their way over to the states in recent years.

When a Japanese league player is posted a MLB team has to basically post up $20 million to be in the pool of teams that the player picks from and the same will likely come from the KBO players as well. The posting fee will not be as high, the rumor right now is just $8 million, but the basic premise of the policy will be the same.

What the Latest Roster Cuts Truly Mean

In case you missed it on Saturday afternoon the New York Yankees sent down another group of players to minor league camps. By my unofficial count the Yankees now have 40 players left in spring training camp meaning that 20 more need to be cut before Opening Day 2016. What do these latest rounds of roster cuts mean for the players left and their chances of making the club when the team heads north.

First and foremost it is almost a foregone conclusion that Robert Refsnyder is going to be the team's backup third baseman against the Houston Astros and Dallas Keuchel on Opening Day. Donovan Solano is down and so is Jonathan Diaz leaving little in the way of competition.

Ben Gamel is down so it looks like Aaron Hicks will be the starter if Jacoby Ellsbury is not ready, and he should be just as an FYI after taking a pitch off the wrist, and someone like Slade Heathcott would be the 4th outfielder in this worst case scenario.

Chasen Shreve is also the inside man for one of the open spots in the Yankees bullpen. Bryan Mitchell is another along with the loser of the Ivan Nova and CC Sabathia spring battle. The dark horse for the final spot though? Is it James Pazos? He still has a chance but the Yankees seem completely enamored with a young man named Luis Cessa right now.

Mel Stottlemyre is Back in Good Health!

Good news to start your morning Yankees family and it comes from the New York Daily News and John Harper. According to the New York publication former Yankees pitcher and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre is winning his battle with myeloma cancer and his health is improving, great news!

Mel was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, the cancer of the blood, back in 1999 and he presumably thought he was losing his battle with the disease last summer at Old-Timers Day in New York. Mel told the Yankees crowd during a surprise ceremony and plaque presentation in Monument Park that he was ready to coach in Heaven but a change in medications may have saved Stottlemyre's life.

The 74-year old Stottlemyre is living his life again and is considering taking up golf and fishing again, a long cry from the brittle man we saw last June in the Bronx. This is great news and I couldn't be happier about Mel and his new-found health.

Congrats Mel!

This Day in New York Yankees History 3/21: Robin Roberts #36

On this day in 1962 in a ceremony prior to a spring training game the Phillies honored the newest Yankee, and former Philadelphia player, Robin Roberts by retiring his number 36 uniform number. Roberts wore the number for 14 seasons while with the Phillies and started the game against his former team giving up four runs in three innings. Roberts, the future Hall of Fame right hander would get the win in a 13-10 Yankees victory.

Yankees Spring Training Open Thread 3/20

So what happened today down at Yankees spring training camp? Let's get caught back up!

Ivan Nova made the start today against the Minnesota Twins and he did not have the best start to make his case for the team's 5th starter spot. Nova allowed four runs on five hits in 4.1 innings with three walks. Not ideal but it is still spring and it is the fifth starter we're talking about here. Moving on. Especially considering that Nova was working on a cutter today, a pitch he did not throw before Tommy John surgery.

Jacoby Ellsbury did not play today and probably wont before Thursday. This is when we start to worry, right?

Complete off day tomorrow, no workouts or anything.

The New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4. Five wins in their last six games!

Checking In w/ the New Additions

The New York Yankees were the only team without a major league free agent signing this winter but that doesn’t mean that Yankees GM Brian Cashman didn’t make any additions to the club. Out the door is Stephen Drew, Justin Wilson, Adam Warren, Chris Young and others and in their places are Aaron Hicks, Starlin Castro, Aroldis Chapman and Luis Cessa most notably. How are these four new Yankees going with their new club? Let’s find out.

Aaron Hicks:

Year	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2016	9	26	2	7	2	1	3	0	1	6	.280	.308	.480	.788

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Starlin Castro:

Year	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2016	8	22	3	9	2	1	7	0	1	3	.429	.455	.667	1.121

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Aroldis Chapman:  

Year	Age	ERA	G	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2016	28	3.38	3	0	2.2	0	1	1	0	3	6	1.125	0.0	0.0	10.1	20.3

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Luis Cessa:

Year	Age	ERA	G	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WHIP	H9	HR9	BB9	SO9
2016	24	0.00	2	0	4.0	1	0	0	0	0	3	0.250	2.3	0.0	0.0	6.8

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Spring stats mean little to nothing, closer to nothing, and it’s been said 100 times but why not 101? At the same time though, and this is especially true for Cessa, you want to make a good first impression and a good early impact. Some are doing that while others still have plenty of time to turn it around. I have to say that I’m impressed with the power shown by Castro and Hicks this spring and the pitching by Cessa so maybe Brian Cashman knows what he is doing after all. Not sure, stay tuned. 

Meet a Prospect: Evan Rutckyj

Evan Rutckyj has been returned to the New York Yankees after being taken in the Rule 5 Draft by the Atlanta Braves this winter. The Canadian-born left-hander was a bit of a surprise pick in the Rule 5 Draft this winter and frankly I'm not surprised he was returned, his command issues were the reason his development has been delayed in New York and it's the reason he is back in New York, so let's meet him. This is Meet a Prospect: The Evan Rutckyj Edition.

Evan Rutckyj was born on January 31, 1992 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and came over to the United States and the Major Leagues after the New York Yankees drafted him with their 16th round pick in the 2010 MLB First Year Players Draft. Rutckyj spent his amateur baseball career at St. Joseph's Catholic High School before making the trek across the border and into the Yankees organization.

Rutckyj was a part of the Pan American Games representing the Team Canada team that won the gold medal in 2015.

For the majority of his Yankees tenure he showcased flashy "stuff" as a starting pitcher before being moved to the bullpen full-time due to concerns with his control. Rutckyj took strides in 2015 across the board and caught the eye of the Atlanta Braves who took him in the Rule 5 Draft. Rutckyj continued to struggle with his command and walks in spring training and was returned back to the Yankees this week so he can continue what is going to be an awkward situation for him.

Rutckyj told the local Atlanta media that he did not like the Yankees organization because he felt like the trainers and coaches were unapproachable. Rutckyj praised the Braves organization for making him feel welcomed while the Yankees organization seemingly gave the lefty the cold shoulder. This is the first time I've heard anything like this so hopefully these two sides can make up and get Rutckyj on the right track going forward.

Welcome back Evan, welcome back to the family.

Yankees ST: New York Yankees @ Minnesota Twins 3/20

The New York Yankees, for what its worth, are hot lately in spring training winning four of their last five Grapefruit League games heading into today's contest with the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees will send Ivan Nova to the mound looking to have another great start this spring against another man who has had a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, who rested and rehabbed it rather than undergoing the Tommy John surgery, and another who has yet to have the dreaded Tommy John surgery to this date in Ervin Santana.

The game will be played at 1:05 pm ET and can be seen on MLB TV only. Go Yankees!