Tanaka + Baby Bombers + 99 = 1 for the Win Column!...

Credit:  Associated Press

Yankees 12, White Sox 3...

Two young Bombers collected their first Major League hits to help power Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees to the victory over the Chicago White Sox.  Throw in another Aaron Judge home run and it was a good night at the office (even if it was a slightly wet and windy one).

When I saw the lineup card, I was a little concerned when I saw that two "fresh" rookies would be starting.  But on this night, they were exactly what the doctor ordered.  The Yankees jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.  Brett Gardner walked to open the game.  Following outs by Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez and a passed ball that moved Gardy to second, Didi Gregorius reached first safely on a throwing error by White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson.  Gardy scored on the play.  Chase Headley and Austin Romine both walked to load the bases.  Miguel Andujar, a new arrival from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, stepped to the plate and chopped a single to center which scored Gregorius and Headley. 

Credit:  Jonathan Daniel-Getty Images

Tanaka escaped a bases loaded jam in the 2nd but he wasn't so lucky in the 5th.  After the White Sox opened the inning by loading the bases with two hits and a walk, former Yankee Melky Cabrera lined a single to left, scoring two runs.  Fortunately, Tanaka was able to get out of the inning without any further damage.  3-2, Yankees.

The Yankees wasted no time in re-establishing a multiple run lead.  In the top of the 6th, against Sox reliever Jake Petricka, Austin Romine doubled with one out.  After Miguel Andujar hit a grounder for the second out, Tyler Wade followed with his first Major League hit, a fly ball that dropped in for a double to score Romine.  Ronald Torreyes then laced a sharp double to right, scoring Wade.  5-2, Yankees.  White Sox manager Rick Renteria came out to talk to Petricka and was thrown out when he began jarring with the Home Plate Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.  The Yankees two-out hit parade continued as Brett Gardner singled to center to score Torreyes.  Aaron Judge came up and lined "a bullet" to left for his 27th home run of the season.  8-2, Yanks.

Credit: Jonathan Daniel-Getty Images

Tanaka (6-7) finished his day by striking out the side in the bottom of the 6th.  I really didn't know what to expect out of Tanaka for this start.  I didn't know if last week's stellar performance against Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers was an aberration or a sign that Tanaka was back on track.  Fortunately, it appears the turbulence may be a thing of the past...or at least I hope so.  Tanaka's final line was very solid.  6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, and 5 SO.  He threw 101 pitches, lowered his season ERA to 5.56 and most importantly, did not give up any home runs.  

It started to rain in the 7th inning.  It got a little tense in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Wade, playing left field, was charged with an error.  A fly ball that normally would have been destined for center field drifted toward left with the aid of the wind.  Brett Gardner, playing center field, was moving with the ball and attempted to catch it but so was the left-fielder Wade.  Their gloves collided causing the ball to bounce out of Gardy's glove.  The White Sox put a second runner on base on another wind-aided fly ball that Ronald Torreyes missed.  There was also a fly in foul territory that normally would have been caught if not for the wind.  Despite a subsequent walk that loaded the bases, Chad Green was able to strike out Todd Frazier to end the threat.  Whew!  I was very worried that the wind was going to help the White Sox get back in the game.  I guess there's a reason they call it the Windy City.

In the top of the 9th, Didi Gregorius hit a one-out two-run homer to increase the lead to 10-2. In a bit of deja vu from earlier in the game, both Chase Headley and Austin Romine walked in front of Miguel Andujar.  Like the first inning, Andujar didn't miss the opportunity.  He lined a double to center to score (again) both Headley and Romine.  Nice debut performance by Andujar with 4 RBI's on the night.  He finished 3-for-4 with a stolen base.  He was probably left wondering what's so hard about baseball at this level.

Chicago's Adam Engel homered off Tyler Webb in the bottom of the 9th to make it 12-3 but then Webb settled down and retired the next three batters (two by strikeout).  The Yankees win!

Then it was off to bed for the Baby Bombers...

After so many close games and disappointing losses, it was nice to have a blowout.  The Yankees (42-34) moved back into a first place tie in the AL East with the win.  The Boston Red Sox lost to the Minnesota Twins, 4-1.  The Tampa Bay Rays lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-2, so they are three games back.  

Odds & Ends...

Former Yankees top prospect Jesus Montero, 27, is looking for a new team.  He was released on Tuesday by the Triple A Norfolk Tides, the top farm team for the Baltimore Orioles.  Montero recently completed a 50-game suspension for a banned substance and was only batting .143 in 49 at-bats with 14 strikeouts for the Tide. After Montero's trade to the Seattle Mariners in the 2012 deal that brought Michael Pineda to New York, he has spent time in the Toronto Blue Jays' organization in addition to his latest Minors stint with the O's.  I guess that means the Red Sox or the Rays are on tap next.  It's been a hard road for the player once billed to be the next greatest catcher for the Yankees.  Now he's struggling to just stay in the game at first base or DH.  Sad story for the guy who was supposed to be Gary Sanchez before Gary Sanchez was.   

News started breaking early on Wednesday about the promotion of third base prospect Miguel Andujar to the Yankees.  Andujar had just been promoted from Double A Trenton to Triple A Scranton on June 19th.  In 67 games for the Thunder, Andujar had a slash line of .312/.342/.494 with 7 HR's and 52 RBI's.  Out of 79 total hits, 23 went for doubles.  He also had a team-high 10 errors.  In 7 games for the RailRiders, Andujar was hitting .308 with 1 HR and 2 RBI's (8-for-26). It is a small sample size but he only committed one error at Triple A.  He hit well during Spring Training but his fielding was questionable. Nevertheless, he is known as an above-average defender.  He now has a golden opportunity to out-perform an over-priced, 33-year-old veteran.  Yesterday's debut, even if he was at DH and not third, was a great start.

Credit:  ESPN.com

To make room for Andujar, the Yankees placed DH Matt Holliday (viral infection) on the 10-Day DL retroactive to June 25th.  Holliday has been battling the symptoms of the allergic reaction he first encountered in Oakland.  He'll return to New York for further tests.  We wish Matt the best and hope to see him back on the  field in the near future.  

We thought the Chris Carter Experiment was over, but alas, it might not be.  The Yankees have announced that Carter, previously designated for assignment, has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple A. He now represents the next option should the Yankees decide it is necessary to place Tyler Austin on the disabled list (hamstring).  So, just when you thought it was safe to watch a Yankees game again...

Happy Thursday!  One final game in Chicago before the getaway to Houston, Texas.  Let's Go Yankees!

Former Yankees Update: Jesus Montero

This news may be a bit dated, hey I’ve been on vacation so sue me, but here is a former Yankees update in case you missed it. This time we are checking in with former top prospect Jesus Montero as he found a new home inside the American League East recently with the Baltimore Orioles.

As everyone remembers the New York Yankees traded Montero to the Seattle Mariners in the Michael Pineda and after an incident over an ice cream sandwich and a Biogenesis-related steroid suspension later the former Yankees catcher has seen his time run out with Seattle.

Montero signed a minor league deal with Baltimore earlier this month and will spend his age 27 season looking to rebuild some of the stock he lost since being one of the game’s top prospects in all the land while with New York. Montero will have to wait 50 games to begin that climb though after testing positive for dimethylbutylamine, a banned drug my Major League Baseball, in September while with the Toronto Blue Jays.

This Day in New York Yankees History 1/14: Jesus “Beast” Montero

On this day in 2012 the Yankees traded top prospect Jesus Montero along with Hector Noesi to the Seattle Mariners for pitchers Michael Pineda and Jose Campos. This deal has been a bit of a disaster for both teams until 2014 when the Yankees finally got a glimpse of their young right hander. All the while Montero showed up to Mariners camp 40 lbs. overweight and was trolled by a news reporter in a minor league dugout with an ice cream cone. Yeah, New York won this trade.


Also on this day in 1987 Yankees and Athletics ace Catfish Hunter and outfielder Billy Williams were elected to the Hall of Fame. Hunter was one of the game's first big money free agents when he signed his very lucrative deal with New York.


Finally on this day in 1970 former Yankees top relief pitcher, now known loosely as a closer, and New York Mets general manager Johnny Murphy dies of a heart attack.

Ten Years of #1 Yankees Prospects

The New York Yankees have added to their farm system like no other team in the last calendar year and that has seemingly positioned the Yankees not only for the 2017 season but for beyond as well. In a word, the Yankees farm system is stacked. Let’s take a look at the last ten years of Yankees #1 prospects... you know… just because. Enjoy.

2017: Gleyber Torres

To be continued.

2016: Jorge Mateo… then Gleyber Torres… then Clint Frazier

The year of the prospect returned for the New York Yankees and it began with Jorge Mateo, who had a down season by all accounts, continued with Gleyber Torres who was acquired in the Aroldis Chapman deal and ended with Clint Frazier who the Yankees brought over in the Andrew Miller trade from the Cleveland Indians.


2015: Luis Severino

Great first season but took a huge step back in 2016.

2014: Gary Sanchez

Likely the team's back up catcher after having a strong 2015 season and an even stronger Arizona Fall League this season.

2013: Mason Williams

On the 40 man roster and made his Major League debut this season. Likely to miss out on the Major Leagues on Opening Day due to the roster crunch but will be one of the first to be called up if/when an outfield injury occurs.

2010 - 2012: Jesus Montero

Traded to the Seattle Mariners for Micahel Pineda and Vicente Campos. Benched, optioned to the minor leagues multiple times, came to camp overweight multiple times, attitude problems reported and apparently he takes offense to being offered a ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day. Brian Cashman win?

2009: Austin Jackson

Part of the trade that brought Curtis Granderson to the Bronx and sent the man they call A Jax to the Tigers. Jackson has since been sent to the Seattle Mariners before hitting free agency this offseason. Jackson is still one of the better defensive center fielders in the game although his bat never fully came around in the majors.

2008: Joba Chamberlain

From one of the best young set-up men in the game to midges to mediocre. Chamberlain has seen time with the Detroit Tigers, the Kansas City Royals and recently signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians. It was Cleveland where he was attacked by the midges. Can you say full circle?

2007: Phil Hughes

From hyped prospect to 18 game winner to gopher ball giveaway days at Yankee Stadium. Hughes had a roller coaster ride of a tenure in the Bronx before leaving for Minnesota via free agency. Hughes had a great first season in Minnesota before coming back down to Earth a bit in 2015. Hughes still has that rising fastball and some of the best command in the game. Hughes is an ace, he just wasn't an ace for the Yankees.

…But Fire Cashman for Trading Montero for Pineda

“I want Brian Cashman’s head on a stake! How could he trade away our top prospect Jesus Montero for an arm like Michael Pineda?” That’s a dramatization of what many Yankees fans were screaming when news broke that the Yankees had indeed traded their top prospect away for Michael Pineda of the Seattle Mariners but it’s not an exaggeration by much. Many wanted Cashman fired despite attitude, maturity and defensive problems that were always surrounding Montero as a catcher and as a ball player in general. Many wanted Cashman fired for making the trade but as we stand here now four years later I think you can say without any doubt that the New York Yankees won this trade hands down. Especially after the latest bit of news involving Montero.

Montero, now a prospect with the Toronto Blue Jays after falling out of grace with the Mariners, was suspended for 50 games this week for, you guessed it, a failed steroid test. Montero, who tested positive for dimethylbutylamine, has now failed two drug tests in his MLB career including his inclusion in the Biogenesis scandal back in 2013 when he was with Seattle. That was before Montero got suspended again by the Mariners in 2014 after a heckler asked an overweight Montero if he wanted an ice cream sandwich while he was down in the Minor Leagues rehabbing. I found it funny, Montero apparently did not.

Anyone still think the trade and who “won” is still up in the air? I don’t. Anyone still think Brian Cashman should be fired for that trade? Me either.

Gary Sanchez is NOT Kevin Maas

Gary Sanchez is a man possessed and will not be stopped this season after Brian Cashman unleashed the Kraken on the league earlier this season. Sanchez has done nothing but unload on almost every pitcher thrown in front of him this season while also adding great defense and game calling behind the plate but while most are happy to see one of the Baby Bombers not only get a chance and succeed there are others who have to question how real this run really is. Some expected Sanchez to cool off by now, and he hasn’t while others have gone as far as to compare Sanchez to another couple of Yankees who started hot only to fizzle away, Shane Spencer and more notably a former Yankees first baseman named Kevin Maas.

Shane Spencer came up in 1998 only to belt 10 home runs in first 67 at bats helping the Yankees to a World Series ring and 114 victories while Kevin Maas hit 13 home runs in his first 110 at bats back in 1990. The similarities in them both are that both had careers that started hot and both had careers that quickly fizzled out but what Maas has that makes him unique to Spencer is that Maas was once considered a Yankees top prospect, like Sanchez, where Spencer was not.

One has to keep in mind that Sanchez has never hit the ball with this much authority in his career, not even in the lowest levels of the minor leagues, so a regression is in store for the Yankees catcher and his fans. The thing about Sanchez though is that he’s pretty much always been solid, especially for a catcher, offensively speaking so even with a regression to say .275 with 20-30 home runs that’s still something special for a 23-year old and a catcher in general.

Unlike Maas and Spencer, and Jesus Montero before him as well, he has the defense to stick and the on-base percentage to allow you to wait out the lows in order to reap the benefits of the highs. He may never hit in the .350’s again and he may never be on pace to hit something like 200 home runs in a season, I’m just guessing and exaggerating slightly, but having watched Sanchez as a 16-year old kid to what he has developed into today I just can’t see him falling by the wayside like Maas and Spencer. I don’t have a stat to back that up or anything other than my gut and the eye test I’ve received in 2016 but this kid is just too good, too mature, too willing to put in the word and too cool under pressure to let the big lights of New York and MLB pitching affect him. He can hit fastballs and he can hit the offspeed stuff too and I just can’t think of anything that he can’t do. That’s why he will be successful. Write it down.

Game Preview: New York Yankees @ Seattle Mariners 8/22

The New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners will kick off a potentially big series for both teams tonight inside Safeco Field. The Yankees are still in the thick of things for the second Wild Card in the American League however grim the situation appears right now while one of the teams looking to hold off the Yankees and grab that spot themselves are these same Seattle Mariners. In the opener tonight the Yankees will send a former Mariners pitcher to the mound in Michael Pineda looking to mow down a former Yankees second baseman in Robinson Cano. The Mariners will counter with Cody Martin who unfortunately has no ties to the Yankees either in the past or the present. Oh well, I like it when things work out like that.

Pineda began his career inside Safeco Field with the Seattle Mariners before being shipped to New York in the now infamous Jesus Montero trade. Pineda has pitched well lately including throwing five shutout innings last time out lowering his August ERA to just 3.18.

Martin will be making his second start of the season for the Mariners tonight against what has all of a sudden become a tough Yankees offense. In his last start he faced off against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and he allowed two runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings of work.


The game will be played at 10:10 pm ET inside Safeco Field and can be seen on the YES Network and MLB TV. Another game that happens in the middle of the night that comes on far too late for this East Coast guy to stay up and watch on a work night. It sucks, I miss my Yankees but I'm still rooting for them regardless. If you listen to my snores tonight they might sound a little like "Go Yankees" or something like that.

Weekly Prospects Check In: Gary Sanchez

Another week down and another week down on the farm for Gary Sanchez. The bat is MLB ready and the defense and running game prevention is getting better day in and day out. Sanchez is suffering from the roster crunch and blocks from the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann. Both McCann and Rodriguez are under contract for a couple more years while Beltran has a few more months inside the Yankees pinstripes before hitting free agency. Can Sanchez wait that long and will the Yankees make him wait that long?

Injuries happen and father time catches up to us all so I am in no way advocating that the Yankees will or should even consider trading Sanchez, but you know they are. See Jesus Montero, John Ryan Murphy and others as recent examples of this. The Yankees catching depth is not nearly as deep as it once was and Sanchez is at the top of that list so I feel that he’s safe… but it’s the Yankees we’re talking about and no one is truly safe.

So Sanchez continues to improve in the minor leagues and presumably chomps at the bit waiting on another call up to the Bronx. I hope it’s soon. Stay tuned. 

Year	Age	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2016	23	AAA	33	145	16	39	13	6	26	3	7	22	.287	.331	.529	.860
2016	23	MLB	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Weekly Check In: Jorge Mateo

When we last check in with Jorge Mateo it was just days after him being removed from a game with a phantom injury. Speculation immediately began as to what happened and quickly rumors became truths as we learned that Mateo was removed from the game for not hustling. To hear that a guy that stole over 80 bases last season is not hustling is a huge shock to me but it may explain some things in my mind. Mateo is surprisingly a terrible base runner and a bad base stealer. He gets by in the lower depths of the minor leagues based strictly off his speed.

Mateo gets caught stealing far more than he should and he also gets picked off at a rate that is not nearly talked about enough. If Mateo isn’t hustling that would explain a lot to me because if he’s that disinterested that he won’t hustle it would lead me to believe that his head is not fully in the game. This is troubling and worrisome to me but I have a tendency to overreact so maybe I’m looking too much into this. Maybe I’m not though, remember similar acquisitions thrown Jesus Montero’s way?

Some players take a public humiliation and a benching for lack of hustle on the chin, they straighten up and they fly right. Some players take it to heart and carry a chip on their shoulder and some spitefulness in their gut. Spitefulness will ruin a career in the long term, hard work will make one flourish. Let’s hope for the latter and not the former in this case with Mateo or he could become trade bait before the rest of the league catches on.

Year	Age	Lev	G	PA	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2016	21	A+	30	134	28	42	4	5	4	22	9	8	11	30	.350	.406	.567	.973

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Weekly Prospects Check In: Gary Sanchez

El Gary Sanchez, or so he likes to be called, is still toiling in the minor leagues just waiting for another call up to the show. As weird as this sounds when you’re talking about a company worth over $3.4 billion but it seems like the Yankees are taking their time with Sanchez’s development and it may all come down to money. The Yankees can delay his arbitration and his free agency by a year if they wait about three more weeks, the date changes every season and I don’t know the exact date admittedly but I know it’s usually around the 20^th-25^th of May, and that may be the plan right now.

Sure Sanchez struggled a bit in spring training and sure Austin Romine hasn’t done anything in the Bronx to warrant the Yankees sending him down but Sanchez has long been thought of as the future in the Bronx. It was Sanchez who allowed Brian Cashman to trade then top catching prospect Jesus Montero for Michael Pineda and it was Sanchez and Luis Torrens who have carried the Yankees heavy catching depth in the minor leagues.

Sanchez is everything the Yankees need. He’s young, he’s right-handed, he has some pop and he’s improving each and every day. He’s a shot in the arm and just what the doctor ordered and he may be one more doctor’s order away from a call up. Stay tuned. 

Year	Age	Lg	G	PA	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2016	23	AAA	24	107	13	28	11	5	20	2	7	16	.283	.336	.566	.902

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Jesus Montero, Michael Pineda & Is It Safe to Declare a Winner NOW?

Since January 23, 2012 fans of the New York Yankees and the Seattle Mariners have been discussing a certain trade between the two clubs trying to find, as we fans tend to do, a winner and a loser. At the time Michael Pineda was a top pitching prospect fresh off a strong rookie year in Seattle while Jesus Montero was fresh off making his MLB debut as a September call up in the Bronx. Yankees fans had waited patiently, or rather impatiently at times, for Montero’s arrival and he arrived in a big way in New York hitting his first home run almost immediately so it left a bitter taste in some people’s mouth when he was traded for Pineda on that day in January of 2012. Ever since then the fans have bantered and argued over who the winner is, is it safe to finally declare the Yankees the winner now?

Both players have been suspended with their new teams, Pineda for blatant use of pine tar against the Boston Red Sox and Montero for illegal steroid and PED use, and both players have been injured as well, Pineda’s shoulder that cost him two seasons and Montero’s left knee, but it has been Pineda that has made an impact at the major league level. Both players have reportedly come into spring training camp overweight and out of shape but only one has attempted to attack a scout for offering him an ice cream sandwich on a hot day in the minor leagues, which was Montero. That’s before you factor in WAR which has Pineda at 4.4 and Montero at -0.8.

Montero has not been able to crack a struggling offense desperate for power, especially right-handed power, with any sort of consistency in Seattle while Pineda has become a staple in the New York Yankees starting rotation. Pineda has shown flashes of brilliance and dominance, see the Mother’s Day game against the Baltimore Orioles and all those strikeouts for an example of that, while Montero is looking to platoon, not start, at first base once again for Seattle this season. Montero was traded when he was a catcher optimizing his value, his value as a soft hitting first baseman is little to none in terms of WAR, trade value or projections.

This is not a post to prop up Pineda, he will do that on his own, nor is it a post to dog on Montero, I like Montero and I wish him nothing but the best, but it is a declaration of victory in my eyes for the New York Yankees. Remember, a blog is a place for opinions and this is mine. As Pineda enters his prime he is seemingly getting better and better while Montero is simply just holding on but remember, in some eyes Brian Cashman doesn’t have an earthly clue what he is doing. 

Prospects Month ICYMI: Ten Years of Yankees #1 Prospects

The New York Yankees have seemingly made it their priority to finally build up the farm system for the team's benefit, not the other teams around the league's gain. While New York's system is still ranked in the middle to the end of the pack the team is finally starting to see some usable pieces come out of the system including former top prospect Luis Severino. Severino has graduated from prospect status and one of Gary Sanchez or Aaron Judge will be the 2016 top overall prospect which got me thinking, where are the former and current Yankees top prospects and what have they been up to over the past 10 years?

2015: Luis Severino

Waiting on Opening Day to re-join the Yankees starting rotation for his Sophomore season and his first full season in the Major Leagues.

2014: Gary Sanchez

Likely the team's back up catcher after having a strong 2015 season and an even stronger Arizona Fall League this season.

2013: Mason Williams

On the 40 man roster and made his Major League debut this season. Likely to miss out on the Major Leagues on Opening Day due to the roster crunch but will be one of the first to be called up if/when an outfield injury occurs.

2010 - 2012: Jesus Montero

Traded to the Seattle Mariners for Micahel Pineda and Vicente Campos. Benched, optioned to the minor leagues multiple times, came to camp overweight multiple times, attitude problems reported and apparently he takes offense to being offered a ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day. Brian Cashman win?

2009: Austin Jackson

Part of the trade that brought Curtis Granderson to the Bronx and sent the man they call A Jax to the Tigers. Jackson has since been sent to the Seattle Mariners before hitting free agency this offseason. Jackson is still one of the better defensive center fielders in the game although his bat never fully came around in the majors.

2008: Joba Chamberlain

From one of the best young set-up men in the game to midges to mediocre. Chamberlain has seen time with the Detroit Tigers, the Kansas City Royals and recently signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians. It was Cleveland where he was attacked by the midges. Can you say full circle?

2006 - 2007: Phil Hughes

From hyped prospect to 18 game winner to gopher ball giveaway days at Yankee Stadium. Hughes had a roller coaster ride of a tenure in the Bronx before leaving for Minnesota via free agency. Hughes had a great first season in Minnesota before coming back down to Earth a bit in 2015. Hughes still has that rising fastball and some of the best command in the game. Hughes is an ace, he just wasn't an ace for the Yankees.

This Day in New York Yankees History 1/14: Jesus “Beast” Montero

On this day in 2012 the Yankees traded top prospect Jesus Montero along with Hector Noesi to the Seattle Mariners for pitchers Michael Pineda and Jose Campos. This deal has been a bit of a disaster for both teams until 2014 when the Yankees finally got a glimpse of their young right hander. All the while Montero showed up to Mariners camp 40 lbs. overweight and was trolled by a news reporter in a minor league dugout with an ice cream cone. Yeah, New York won this trade.


Also on this day in 1987 Yankees and Athletics ace Catfish Hunter and outfielder Billy Williams were elected to the Hall of Fame. Hunter was one of the game's first big money free agents when he signed his very lucrative deal with New York.


Finally on this day in 1970 former Yankees top relief pitcher, now known loosely as a closer, and New York Mets general manager Johnny Murphy dies of a heart attack.

Ten Years of #1 Yankees Prospects

The New York Yankees have seemingly made it their priority to finally build up the farm system for the team's benefit, not the other teams around the league's gain. While New York's system is still ranked in the middle to the end of the pack the team is finally starting to see some usable pieces come out of the system including former top prospect Luis Severino. Severino has graduated from prospect status and one of Gary Sanchez or Aaron Judge will be the 2016 top overall prospect which got me thinking, where are the former and current Yankees top prospects and what have they been up to over the past 10 years?

2015: Luis Severino

Waiting on Opening Day to re-join the Yankees starting rotation for his Sophomore season and his first full season in the Major Leagues.

2014: Gary Sanchez

Likely the team's back up catcher after having a strong 2015 season and an even stronger Arizona Fall League this season.

2013: Mason Williams

On the 40 man roster and made his Major League debut this season. Likely to miss out on the Major Leagues on Opening Day due to the roster crunch but will be one of the first to be called up if/when an outfield injury occurs.

2010 - 2012: Jesus Montero

Traded to the Seattle Mariners for Micahel Pineda and Vicente Campos. Benched, optioned to the minor leagues multiple times, came to camp overweight multiple times, attitude problems reported and apparently he takes offense to being offered a ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day. Brian Cashman win?

2009: Austin Jackson

Part of the trade that brought Curtis Granderson to the Bronx and sent the man they call A Jax to the Tigers. Jackson has since been sent to the Seattle Mariners before hitting free agency this offseason. Jackson is still one of the better defensive center fielders in the game although his bat never fully came around in the majors.

2008: Joba Chamberlain

From one of the best young set-up men in the game to midges to mediocre. Chamberlain has seen time with the Detroit Tigers, the Kansas City Royals and recently signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians. It was Cleveland where he was attacked by the midges. Can you say full circle?

2006 - 2007: Phil Hughes

From hyped prospect to 18 game winner to gopher ball giveaway days at Yankee Stadium. Hughes had a roller coaster ride of a tenure in the Bronx before leaving for Minnesota via free agency. Hughes had a great first season in Minnesota before coming back down to Earth a bit in 2015. Hughes still has that rising fastball and some of the best command in the game. Hughes is an ace, he just wasn't an ace for the Yankees.

If Gary Sanchez = John Ryan Murphy Then Why Keep Them Both?

This is going to be a tough sell and this would require a lot of roster shuffling but if it could work would the Yankees consider calling up top catching prospect Gary Sanchez to fix the offense? The Yankees could make it work but it would probably be ill advised to be completely honest because it would likely have to come at the expense of backup catcher John Ryan Murphy. With the two players being similar as both are catchers, both are right-handed, both have shown pop and are productive at the plate while both hold their own behind the dish (although Murphy is far superior defensively to Sanchez at this point in their careers) could one of them be traded this offseason?

I personally love Murphy and what he brings to the team. He is a wizard behind the plate controlling the running game, with his game calling and with his defense while he isn’t exactly a slouch when he’s standing at the plate either. I like Murphy because he is a line drive hitter and he never saw a good fastball that he didn’t like and he didn’t drive. Over the course of a 162-game schedule Murphy may put up 15 home runs and 50 RBI, he’s that good, so why would the Yankees call up Sanchez to replace him? To be frank, they won’t barring an injury so does that mean Sanchez is the more likely of the two to be traded?

I’m honestly surprised that Sanchez is still on the team to be completely honest. New York has a ton of depth in the minor leagues at the catcher position with Austin Romine, Sanchez, Luis Torrens and others leaving many to speculate that New York would trade from a position of strength to fill a position that was lacking, middle infield for example. After a standout season for Sanchez in Triple-A and an amazingly hot start to his Arizona Fall League Sanchez’s trade value has never been higher and it may be time for Brian Cashman to strike a deal.

Much like Cashman traded Ramon Flores, who could easily be replaced by Taylor Dugas, Mason Williams, Slade Heathcott, Tyler Austin, Jake Cave and others, this July he may do the same this winter with Sanchez. As much as I’d love to see Sanchez be everything that Jesus Montero was supposed to be for the team before his trade to Seattle if the deal makes sense it would be ill-advised to pass it up. We may be seeing Sanchez wear a Yankees hat and/or uniform for the final time down in Arizona with the Surprise.

Most Popular Article of the Week: Making the Case to Trade Michael Pineda

"Got traded... see ya guys." - Michael Pineda

The New York Yankees and GM Brian Cashman ruffled the feathers of the league when they traded then top prospect Jesus Montero to the Seattle Mariners for an up-and-coming pitcher named Michael Pineda. It took a while for New York to reap some of the benefits of having the young right-hander, Pineda missed the entire 2012 and 2013 season with shoulder issues and missed some of the 2014 season with arm trouble as well, but finally got a long look at what they traded for in 2015. At times Pineda looked to be the ace of the staff and the savior for the team and at other times I wouldn’t have personally given up Jesus Montero’s mother for him in a trade. All in all though Pineda finished the season with a 12-10 record and a 4.37 ERA as he prepares to enter salary arbitration for the first time in his career. Is it time to sell “high” on Pineda and his two seasons of team control?


Pineda is a young talent that just can’t seem to stay healthy nor can he remain effective. Excuses are thrown around that Joe Girardi wasn’t giving him enough rest or was giving him too much rest of that someone messed with his Buddha statue named Jobu in his locker (Pedro Cerrano reference) and not enough results to really back him up on anything. After basically a full season and a glimpse into the future I’m not sure if Pineda has the marbles (I have a million of these “Major League II” references so stay tuned) to cut it in New York.


Pineda is an immense talent but this team is without a true #1 starting pitcher in my opinion while also having a few holes elsewhere to fill. When you look at the free agent market heading into this winter the talent pool is flush with starting pitchers, namely David Price, Jordan Zimmerman, Johnny Cueto and likely Zack Greinke if he opts out of his deal as he is expected to, while the Yankees have a laundry list of names to fill just five positions in the rotation. Masahiro Tanaka leads that list followed by Luis Severino, Adam Warren (Brian Cashman himself called him a starter recently), CC Sabathia for likely two more seasons, Ivan Nova, Bryan Mitchell and a slew of minor leaguers that are unlikely to crack the rotation out of Spring Training including Brady Lail and Rookie Davis.



If the Yankees could sell Pineda off for a right-handed hitting power bat or a second baseman the team has enough confidence in to play every day then I’m all for it. I’m all for selling high on a player when selling high makes sense for the organization and selling Pineda off this offseason may be in the best interest for everyone involved. Or not.

Making the Case to Trade Michael Pineda

"Got traded... see ya guys." - Michael Pineda

The New York Yankees and GM Brian Cashman ruffled the feathers of the league when they traded then top prospect Jesus Montero to the Seattle Mariners for an up-and-coming pitcher named Michael Pineda. It took a while for New York to reap some of the benefits of having the young right-hander, Pineda missed the entire 2012 and 2013 season with shoulder issues and missed some of the 2014 season with arm trouble as well, but finally got a long look at what they traded for in 2015. At times Pineda looked to be the ace of the staff and the savior for the team and at other times I wouldn’t have personally given up Jesus Montero’s mother for him in a trade. All in all though Pineda finished the season with a 12-10 record and a 4.37 ERA as he prepares to enter salary arbitration for the first time in his career. Is it time to sell “high” on Pineda and his two seasons of team control?

Pineda is a young talent that just can’t seem to stay healthy nor can he remain effective. Excuses are thrown around that Joe Girardi wasn’t giving him enough rest or was giving him too much rest of that someone messed with his Buddha statue named Jobu in his locker (Pedro Cerrano reference) and not enough results to really back him up on anything. After basically a full season and a glimpse into the future I’m not sure if Pineda has the marbles (I have a million of these “Major League II” references so stay tuned) to cut it in New York.

Pineda is an immense talent but this team is without a true #1 starting pitcher in my opinion while also having a few holes elsewhere to fill. When you look at the free agent market heading into this winter the talent pool is flush with starting pitchers, namely David Price, Jordan Zimmerman, Johnny Cueto and likely Zack Greinke if he opts out of his deal as he is expected to, while the Yankees have a laundry list of names to fill just five positions in the rotation. Masahiro Tanaka leads that list followed by Luis Severino, Adam Warren (Brian Cashman himself called him a starter recently), CC Sabathia for likely two more seasons, Ivan Nova, Bryan Mitchell and a slew of minor leaguers that are unlikely to crack the rotation out of Spring Training including Brady Lail and Rookie Davis.

If the Yankees could sell Pineda off for a right-handed hitting power bat or a second baseman the team has enough confidence in to play every day then I’m all for it. I’m all for selling high on a player when selling high makes sense for the organization and selling Pineda off this offseason may be in the best interest for everyone involved. Or not. 

Former Yankees Update: Jesus Montero

The New York Yankees once had a barren farm system with one exception, Jesus Montero. Brian Cashman set the Yankees world on fire back in 2012 when he traded Mr. Montero to the Seattle Mariners along with RHP Hector Noesi for RHP Michael Pineda and RHP Jose Campos. While Montero has basically been in the minor leagues or suspended ever since Pineda missed two seasons with the Yankees before becoming on the verge of being the team’s ace. While Pineda was winning games in the Bronx Mr. Montero was getting suspended for not being able to take an ice cream sandwich joke down in Class-A Ball but Montero has matured since and has made his way all the way back to the Major Leagues.

Montero was called back up to the majors on Thursday after a ton of hard work and a whole lot of growing up over the past calendar year. The Mariners were set to face a trio of left handed starting pitchers before the All-Star Break and the Mariners wanted to give the right handed hitting Montero at least a few games back with the big club after hitting .332 with 15 home runs and 68 RBI in 84 Triple-A games this season. Montero was leading the Pacific Coast League in hits, runs and RBI at the time of the call up and has a true shot to reclaim some of the hype he lost after “failing” as a top prospect in the Yankees system.

Yankees uniform or not Montero, to me anyway, is a Yankee. For that reason I will continue to root for him, even if Cashman did win that trade for Pineda. 

Most Popular Article of the Week: The Worrying about Robert Refsnyder Begins

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.

The Worrying about Robert Refsnyder Begins

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.