I know what many of you are thinking, what in the wild, wild
world of sports is Daniel Burch talking about? He’s seriously worried about
Robert Refsnyder? Really? Hear me out people before you click off the site,
un-bookmark us and never return to read any of my content again. If anyone is
well aware of his week last week where he hit .400 it’s me. If anyone is well
aware that he hasn’t had an error in over a week, an achievement for him, and
two errors in his last 20 games it’s definitely me. I’ve been beating the drum
for Refsnyder in the Bronx since last season and no one has beat it more than I
have since his drafting from Arizona. I’m worried Yankees fans and one little
quote in an interview put this overwhelming worry in my heart. “I was trying to
hit my way out here (Scranton Wilkes-Barre)” and that he, to paraphrase, is no
longer trying to be perfect. Keep reading.
When a prospect is ready and is essentially wasting away in
the minor leagues no one knows it more than he does. We have seen it far too
many times, a prospect is ready but is blocked by an aging veteran or another
player and continues his minor league career until his development takes a
tumble in the wrong direction. We saw it with Jesus Montero, and he never
recovered, and we saw it with Austin Romine, who may never recover, and my
worry is that we may start to see the effects of it soon with Refsnyder. When a
player gets bored or when a player knows he has done all he can to warrant and
earn a shot and when he still doesn’t he gets discouraged. It’s human nature.
When you get discouraged you get bored and when you get bored you get
unmotivated. When you’re unmotivated, well I don’t have to show you how deep
the rabbit hole gets.
I’m not saying that if the team doesn’t call up Refsnyder
like yesterday then he will be a bust of a prospect but I am saying if
something doesn’t happen soon, especially with Drew petitioning to move to
Mendoza Line down and rename it to the Drew Line, then the team may have a
problem on their hands now and for the future. Refsnyder seems like a great
player with a good background and upbringing that left him with a good head on
his shoulders but even the most patient person can only wait for so long before
human nature kicks in and based off his comments after winning Offensive Player
of the Week and after disappointment after disappointment this winter Refsnyder
may be closer to that invisible line then we think.
Wow. I'm glad I'm not the only person that feels this way. I love the Yankees, so I really hate to say this. But the worst place in baseball is the Yankee farm system. If I actually had the skills to get drafted, I think I would have pulled a JD Drew and not sign if I was drafted by the Yankees.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I personally could go that far Jeff as an absolute die-hard fan but I get what you're saying and I do agree. It's fun at first with the prestige and the honor and such but once you hit about Double-A it becomes a death wish to your development and career unless your traded away.
DeleteIt was painful to say that. I just don't see any way around it. The last homegrown position player that was given a shot was Gardner. That was six years ago.
DeleteAgreed, I'd like to see him in the majors. If you're winning, it doesn't matter who's on the field. If you're losing, then it does. And I would greatly prefer to watch a few young kids getting regular at bats, not like what the Yankees are doing with pirela.
ReplyDeleteI expect there will be a point where drews brutal offense forces this move. But the team has straight up said it's bc of his defense, and he still has what, half a year at triple A level? We aren't talking years of being held back, we are talking months.
Refsnyder was in Scranton last year but I couldn't tell you how long, total, he has been there without looking it up. Since I'm at work I cannot look it up unfortunately or I would.
DeleteMy point is Drew is learning the second base position just like Refsnyder is. Refsnyder was drafted as an outfielder, the Yankees moved him. Drew was a shortstop and the Yankees moved him. What's more important to THIS team? Offense at the bottom of the order since the current lineup is a black hole in the 7-8-9 spots or defense?
With Mark Teixeira at first base saving bad throw after bad throw and the offense struggling I think I would have to go with Refsnyder's offensive superiority and blooming defense over Drew's mediocre defense and horrible offense.
You da man Daniel!
DeleteGotcha. I think I might just be cautious after all the hype we saw last year (Yangervis Solarte batting .429 in spring training, staying hot for a little, then performing his way off the team).
DeleteAnd just so you know, I stumbled on this blog just yesterday- I regularly read lhblogs, but wanted to see a bit more about the farm system and prospects. Got here, and enjoy it, and have been checking in regularly.
Cheers
DB
Solarte did it for a month or so. Refsnyder has been tearing up pitching for over a full season now. Big difference. Refsnyder is a highly regarded prospect, Solarte was a minor league deal we got off the waiver wire. Big differences.
DeleteI'm glad you found us and I'm glad you're enjoying your stay. Come back and chat anytime, the only one of us that bites is Hans.
Daniel always tells the truth Spade, put your 2 cents in with the rest of the family...always wecome.
DeleteAbsolutely, hope to see a lot more of spade. I love me some prospects talk
DeleteOk, I get it guys but let me point out some facts here, actually one big fact...Hal. Not Cashman not Joe G. and surely not Refsy!
ReplyDeleteThey owe money to Drew, none to Refsy.
Bringing up Refsy starts his option years, wait one more year and they save money both ways.
Cashman has shown he will bring up a young player.
Hal, on the other hand, wants to save money not win.
Let's put the blame where it belongs shall we! We have had the opportunity and money to sign anyone one or more of the Cuban players and haven't done so right? Anyone in their right mind knows it is not because of Cashman. Granted, Cashman is not the best GM but he is very far from being one of the lower class GMs' in the majors. Over the last few years, he has had to pass on very good players and go after guys that may have something left to help the team, some have panned out and others...not so much!
Working for a bottom line Bookkeeper has to be a real Cluster Fu-k for a GM!
The World Series is theirs, it always has been...sell the damn team to someone that wants to win HAL/HANK!
When the team starts worrying about service time and money owed to under-performing players let me know so I can go follow a team like the Nationals, Padres or Dodgers.
DeleteI just did Daniel!
DeleteWhat other excuse is there for not bringing up a guy that is putting a hurt on everyone he hits against. It is no stretch for it to be the truth, many of the teams do it and so have the Yankees.
Is this one of those cases? I hope it isn't, but we will never know for sure, will we?
They just have no trust for the guy defensively. You have rangey guys at SS, 1B and you have the shift. Refsnyder would be fine the team didn't look at his stats though they looked at his age and passed.
Delete