Monday, March 3, 2014

An Extremely Early Look At The 25 Man Roster


With Spring Training not much older than a couple of weeks I wanted to take this opportunity to take a very early educated guess at the 25 man roster for the 2014 season. We have seen a handful of games now and there are a few Yankees prospects that are making an impact. Obviously keep in mind that this list WILL change, we are still waiting on the debut of Michael Pineda for example so I did not include him just yet, but this is what it is today in my opinion. Still a lot of spring to go and I see another one or two of these posts in my future.

C: Brian McCann
1B: Mark Teixeira
2B: Brian Roberts
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Kelly Johnson
LF: Brett Gardner
CF: Jacoby Ellsbury
RF: Carlos Beltran
DH: Alfonso Soriano

BN: Francisco Cervelli
BN: Eduardo Nunez
BN: Dean Anna
BN: Brendan Ryan

SP: CC Sabathia
SP: Hiroki Kuroda
SP: Masahiro Tanaka
SP: Ivan Nova
SP: Vidal Nuno

CP: David Robertson
SU: Shawn Kelley
RP: Dellin Betances
RP: Matt Thornton
RP: Cesar Cabral
RP: Adam Warren
LR: David Phelps

19 comments:

  1. How did they get rid of Ichiro and his $6M contract?

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  2. Daniel...he has a good point!
    For sure, if I was GM he would be gone as a "Take him, take him please" deal. We have plenty of out fielders.

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  4. Sorry about that, made a mistake....

    In April we will not need 12 pitchers, put Itchy back as the 5th BN...or better yet bring back Zoilo "Zaro"!

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    1. Zoilo is def waiting in the wings and is close, he deserves to be there now but there is an absolute logjam.

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  5. Leaving Ichiro off was a total brain fart... which sucks. Comes down to Nunez or Anna at this point with Ichiro taking one of the spots...

    I would give it to Anna personally because I want to see what he has but it would go to Nunez so he could help platoon at third base with Kelly Johnson.

    Good catch mscott and Mr. Reed

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    1. I think there will be a surprise in store for all of us! I think they keep Anna and Nunez (unless they trade Nunez) and let Ryan go.
      My reasoning is simple and then gets complicated down the line!
      As good a fielder as Ryan is, he is a very light hitter. Anna can play SS much better than anyone else we have, as he has shown, and he can hit much better than Ryan. Zoilo should replace Itchy in the outfield.
      Am I right in that Ryan is able to be sent down to AAA? If so, that is what will happen, knowing he will have a call-up by April 30th or close to it! Cut Ryan and sign him to a minor league contract...if he can't be sent down. I think Cisco or one of the other catchers is going in a trade along with Itchy!
      So far I have two guys off the 25 man list.
      Which means, replace Itchy with Zoilo and Ryan with Anna. If Cisco is going in a trade, replace him with Sanchez but they will give the job to JR because he is more of a rounded catcher than is "Sandy" at this point.
      "Sandy" will make a better all around catcher (I think) but, right now it is JR. If one of them has to be traded make it JR.
      This is a game played by men and the real name of the game is WIN...2nd place, is nowhere! 1st place is the only place that can be repeated again and again! 2nd place is never an option.

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    2. I am pretty sure Ryan has no options and cannot be sent down. And we just signed him to what could equate to a three year deal, no? Can't see him getting cut.

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    3. We are still assuming that all of our infielders make it to opening day healthy.
      With this group, that could be a long shot. But if they do, releasing Ryan might be a better choice as he is owed less over two years than Ichiro is over one year.

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    4. It makes sense to release Ryan over sending down Nunez or Anna, yes, but I really can't see it happening. Not on a three year deal (including option)

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  6. THE MOST UNDER RATED...baseball team in America ? The New york Yankees.
    Yes, that is debatable, and I am extremely partisan. But I read the hammering everyday.
    Not here at GP. But in the New York papers, and from the know nothing experts at ESPN. Blinded fools.
    This was discussed today while at work, with Peter, a retired banker, and Yankee die hard.

    We both know the Yankee starting pitching will be better. Falling apart from day one, they still
    won 85 games last year ! ....Kuroda died with his heart on his sleeve.

    But Jeter, Teixiera, and Roberts are big question marks !!....If you read my stuff, you know I am
    consistent when I say...." these guys do not have cancer, and injured people get better. "
    The starting outfield four, are way better than most teams. And, the catching is now, a strength.
    The bullpen needs a dominant set up man for Robertson....like Grant Balfour. That could happen
    in a trade involving a young catcher, and young outfield talent now being blocked.
    And maybe put Ichiro into that mix. Paula Dean would.
    We now have Dean Anna. Of he, who calls himself, "the most under rated ball player in baseball."
    I subscribe to his theory........I love bravado, and those that can back it up.

    So why are the Yankees not being cut any slack in the media ?
    Peter, the ex-banker, and myself almost spoke the same words in unison. The frustrated writers are
    Met fans. Domed by genetic composition, to follow a team, that really should have been named after
    a plumbing product. ...ie: The NY Commodes, The NY John, The NY Urinals....the point is clear.

    Those same sour faced ' reporters ', voted for Obama. And would do so again for the next hundred years.
    You can not tell me differently. It's a mental mind set. They can not help it.
    I would call them communists, but that would leave me open to political correctness.

    Peter the banker, and I, stood there laughing. He commented on Nova's performance today, and
    he was impressed. As well he should have.
    Peter, is a good man. An educated human being, and a friend. A man with bravado.
    We shook hands, and we both went on with our afternoon tasks.
    The 2014, NY Yankees, are going to have a fine year. I know this.

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    1. That's when you say and check out the greedy pinstripes as you walk away ;)

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    2. Patrick...
      Most TV/sports media are Liberals, therefor Mets fans. They don't like owners that use their money to build a winning team. That's why we have the system we have now. The Yankees damn near support a few of the teams around the league...that is fine, for them. Take from those that work hard for their money and give it to those that will not spend it on the team they own, but, will put it in their off shore account.

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  7. I would like to be able to tap into some of the calls from other teams as to which player or players they have been asking the Yanks for.
    Ryan is the type of SS I would want if I were pitching, so it is hard to give him up.
    Question; can he be cut and resigned to a minor league contract?
    I like what Anna brings just a bit more than Ryan...Fielding-Ryan by a bit, Hitting-Anna, by a little +, Speed-Anna, by a bit, Quickness-about even, SB-Anna, by a little, Range-unknown!
    Maybe they will trade Nunez this year, he could use a change and a new start with another team.
    What a quandary, two good utility players and a 3rd baseman, plus Itchy...what to do?

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    1. He could be cut and sign a minor league deal, sure, but would he? And if he would, why didn't he already? You know?

      Nunez has options so if he doesn't impress I could see him starting the season wasting time in AAA. Maybe it's the Anna homer in me talking though

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    2. I did not know Nunez, had options! As much as I like Nunez, he is a part time 3rd baseman...ONLY!
      Whereas, Ryan, Anna, Kelly and Cisco (3rd base/catcher) and Itchy have more than one position they can play, and play well!

      I really wonder if Cashman is trying to find a team for Itchy. The reasoning is, the players ahead of him are going to rotate so there is simply no room for a player of his stature to ride the bench. Besides he wants to get that 3,000th hit.

      What say you?

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    3. Sticky situation because I am sure Ichiro was used to lure Tanaka, and then you trade him away? Doesn't seem likely but you never know.

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    4. You are right, it isn't very likely at all.
      As for "The Tank" his Ego demanded he play for the Yankees, with or without Itchy being here. Where else can he have such a big stage to show just how good he is? Most of the good Japanese pitchers were forced to play with teams that don't get the coverage the Yankees do, therefore, who really ever sees the games they pitch...and how good they are?
      The thing is, with all the depth we have in the outfield, both Itchy and the Yankees know he isn't going to get more than 100-200-300 ABs, and just like Jeter, he wants that 3,000th hit. He needs about 260 hits for the 3,000 hit club, IF he were to play every day it would take him 2.5 years...as he is hitting lately. He is signed for this year only, right? Next year he will be a FA, I think, but also a year older. Why would he not want to go someplace where he could play most of the time, if not all the time?
      I think "The Tank" would understand that, both have a ego demanding they be among the best!

      Just my opinion, on a sticky situation!

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    5. I understand and agree, it would just be pretty crappy to say "hey we got Ichiro and Kuroda" and then trade Ichiro. I am more or less thinking of the opt out clause at this point, don't wanna piss Tanaka off before that.

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