Friday, February 13, 2015

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."

Pete Rose Wants Back in Baseball


There is finally a little bit of hope for all those, including myself, that are in the camp that want to see Pete Rose’s lifetime ban from Major League Baseball lifted and who want to see the All-Time Hits King in the Hall of Fame. Bud Selig was very adamant about keeping Rose out of the game and the Hall but did seem to bend a little the last time the All Star Game was in Cincinnati. Rose was allowed in the ballpark for the festivities and will be allowed in the park in 2015 when the game is back in Cincinnati. With a new Commissioner of Major League Baseball there may be more hope in the Rose camp.

Rose desperately wants to talk to new Commissioner Rob Manfred after Manfred was asked and quoted as saying that the Rose issue was something he would at least consider and discuss. Manfred did acknowledge that he never reviewed the case involving Rose and did not set a timetable in any shape or form but did acknowledge that he would be open to a meeting. However small the margin and the possibility for Rose there is still a chance… and that’s more than what he had with Selig. Optimism.


Listen, Rose bet on games as a manager of the Cincinnati Reds and was banned in August of 1989 and honestly it’s a crock. Rose’s Hall of Fame case is for his playing career, not his managerial career, first and foremost and Rose didn’t do anything different that “disgraced” the game. Rose’s job was to win games in Cincinnati, whether he bet on the game or not, and always bet on his team to win. Was it a crappy thing to do and against the rules? Absolutely, fine him, suspend him whatever. Ban him from baseball for trying to win games as a manager? What a joke. 

Fantasy Baseball Tip: Grab a First Baseman Early


Fantasy Baseball is just around the corner ladies and gentleman so it’s time to start doing research and it’s time to start getting ready to dominate your league. While some positions, outfield for example, have a gluttony of available players and should be put on the back burner first base looks to be a real concern this season. The pool of All Star caliber first baseman is dwindling and some of the remaining pool has huge health questions entering 2015. My advice is to grab a first baseman pretty early.

Probably the best first baseman in all of baseball is Paul Goldschmidt is coming off a broken hand that cost him two months last season but should still go in the Top 5 to Top 10 while Prince Fielder returns from the herniated disk in his neck that cost him almost all of the 2014 season. Joey Votto battled a quad injury for a lot of the 2014 season, the second time in two seasons he has missed time due to leg injuries, while Miguel Cabrera is also coming off lower body surgery and injuries in his ankle. That’s before even mentioning 1B/DH Victor Martinez who had knee surgery again and may miss Opening Day.


If you can get Anthony Rizzo, Jose Abreu or Goldschmidt I would grab them pretty early on in the draft just to be sure. If not it may be a long season for you, remember where you heard it first. 

Greedy Pinstripes Top 28 Prospects List: #16


Prospects Month is in full swing and we're already up to our 16th best prospect in the farm system, Austin DeCarr. 

Here is the write up from Kyle McDaniel on DeCarr:

Austin DeCarr, RHP Video: DeCarr was the Yankees 2nd pick this year, signing in the 3rd round for an above slot $1 million after being in contention for their first pick, which ended up being Lindgren. DeCarr is an interesting case as a post-grad student who blew up on the showcase circuit the summer after his senior year. The Yankees tried to sign him as an undrafted free agent last summer, but DeCarr wanted to play the year out and see where it got him. His stuff improved in the spring, sitting 91-94 and hitting 96 mph with an above average to plus curveball, but his fringy changeup and command wavered at times while his feel for the curveball also came and went.  There’s a chance for two plus pitches and a mid-rotation starter, but DeCarr is a year older than his prep counterparts and looked more like a late inning reliever to some scouts this spring.

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16. Austin DeCarr
17. Tyler Wade
18. Juan DeLeon
19. Dante Bichette Jr. 
20. Domingo German
21. Slade Heathcott
22. Nick Rumbelow
23. Jose Ramirez
24. Ramon Flores
25. Gosuke Katoh
26. Chasen Shreve
27. Taylor Dugas
28. Johnny Barbato

Meet a Prospect: Eddy Rodriguez


With Spring Training right around the corner there will be a ton of new faces in Yankees camp this year including Eddy Rodriguez. Rodriguez was born in Villa Clara Province, Cuba on December 1, 1985 to Edilio and Ylya Rodriguez. Rodriguez comes from farming and fisherman parents who defected from Cuba on his father’s fishing boat when he was eight years old. Rodriguez spent his college career playing college baseball at the University of Miami before entering the major leagues.

During the defection the boat Rodriguez and his family were on nearly capsized before the family ran out of food. The family resorted to eating ground up coffee beans before being discovered by the United States Coastal Guard. The hardship led to Rodriguez being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 20th round of the 2006 MLB First Year Players Draft where stayed until the 2009 season. Rodriguez left the Reds after reaching Double-A and began playing baseball in the Independent League.

Rodriguez stayed in Independent League baseball until the 2011 season signing a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres where he got his first cup of coffee in the major leagues. August 1, 2012 Rodriguez was called up and by August 2nd he made his major league debut replacing injured starting catcher Yasmani Grandal. Rodriguez responded by hitting a home run off Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto in his first major league at bat. Rodriguez was subsequently sent back down to Triple-A on August 9th of that season before being designated for assignment that September.

Rodriguez signed a new minor league deal with San Diego for the 2013 season and signed a minor league deal with the Tampa bay Rays in 2014 before signing his minor league deal with New York this season. Rodriguez has been invited to minor league spring training camp and looks to either back up or replace Yankees catcher Austin Romine in Scranton if he is put on waivers, designated for assignment or is traded by Opening Day. 

Looking at the 2015 Draft: 16th Best Prospect



Continuing our look at the 2015 MLB First Year Players Draft we take a look at the #16 ranked prospect expected to enter the draft. As always we will include the mini scouting report from MLB.com as we introduce the #16 prospect, Ian Happ. Happ is an outfielder and a Junior at Cincinnati University. 

Here is the write up from MLB.com:

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

An unheralded recruit from a Pittsburgh-area high school, Happ almost certainly will become the highest-drafted player in Cincinnati history. The Bearcats never have had a player taken in the top two rounds, not even when big leaguers Kevin Youkilis, Josh Harrison and Tony Campana came through the program in the 2000s.

Happ ranked as the top position prospect in the prestigious Cape Cod League in each of his two summers in college. A switch-hitter who's better from the left side of the plate, he has good balance and controls the strike zone well. Add in some deceptive strength, and he should hit for average and power.

Happ played mostly second base in 2013 and does have solid speed and arm strength, so a pro team could try him in the infield. But he lacks smooth infield actions and played mostly outfield during his sophomore spring and summer, and he may fit best in left field.

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16. Ian Happ
17. Phil Bickford
18. Mike Nikorak
19. Kyle Cody
20. Cody Ponce
21. Riley Ferrell 
22. Chris Betts
23. James Kaprielian
24. Jake Lemoine
25. Beau Burrows
26. Richie Martin
27. Kyle Tucker
28. D.J. Stewart

Yankees Sign Seven Minor League Contracts


The New York Yankees have announced seven minor league contracts according to the team's transactions page SEEN HERE:

New York signed a pair of LHP in Willy Cruz and Edintson Naranjo, three RHP in Freicer Perez, Arikson Ramirez and Alexander Rosario while also adding a pair of catchers in Brallan Medina and Felix Nieto.

I won't pretend I know anything about any of these guys so I'll leave the links on the transactions page to tell the story for us or you can always click the players name here on the blog.

This Day in New York Yankees History 2/13: Ron Hassey



On this day in 1986 the Yankees acquired catcher Ron Hassey from the White Sox along with Neil Allen, Scott Bradley, and a minor league player. This is significant because just a few weeks earlier the White Sox acquired Hassey from the Yankees and they gave him right back.