TGP Yankees Awards Biggest Bounce Back Season

The TGP Yankees Award for Biggest Bounce Back Season goes to none other then Joba Chamberlain!!

Who else could this really go to? I guess you could make a case for Ichiro if you look at his Sea/NYY splits or you could make a case for Andy Pettitte after coming back from retirement and then coming back AGAIN from a fractured ankle but no one came back quite like Joba Chamberlain did. Joba not only had Tommy John surgery but also had a freak ankle dislocation injury that was once considered life threatening. His season was ultimately deemed over immediately until Joba continued to work hard and give 120% in his rehab to get back to the majors. He blew threw the minors leagues, showed a little rust in the Majors, and ultimately settled in to have a great last month + of the season and really solidified a shaky and match up heavy bullpen for the Yankees. Let's look at Joba's small sample size of a 2012 season.

Joba came into his age 27 season a lot later then expected after the aforementioned ankle injury that delayed the Tommy John surgery rehab and the rust showed. His numbers do not reflect in any manner just how he looked from late August through the end of the season. Joba's final line looked like a 1-0 W/L record, 4.35 ERA (which got over a 10 point ERA at one point in the season), 20.2 IP,  22 K's to 6 Walks, 1.548 WHIP, and a 9.6 K/9 ratio. He was able to accumulate exactly a 0.0 WAR but it is generally hard to have a positive WAR as a reliever, let alone in 20 IP. At the end of the season he was challenging hitters, locating pitches, getting out both righties and lefties, going multiple innings, and overall he just stayed healthy. Cannot ask for much more then that at this point.

Congratulations to Joba Chamberlain for being the Yankees biggest bounce back player in 2012!

Yankees List Of Minor League Free Agents

Baseball America has listed their list of minor league free agents and a ton of Yankees names made the list including Ramiro Pena's name at the very top of the list. Here is the complete list broken down by organizational affiliate.

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre

Jason Bulger RHP

Manny Delcarmen RHP

John Maine RHP

Jon Meloan RHP

Tim Norton RHP

Ramon Ortiz RHP

Kevin Whelan RHP

Mike O'Connor LHP

Jose Gil C

Gustavo Molina C

Craig Tatum C

Kevin Russo 3B

Doug Bernier SS

Ramiro Pena SS

Cole Garner OF

AA Trenton 

Grant Duff RHP

Lee Hyde LHP

Josh Romanski LHP

Walter Ibarra SS

High A Tampa 

Ronny Marte RHP

Rookie Ball

Kelvin Castro RHP

Short Season Ball

Edwin Beard OF

Yankees Claim Josh Spence

The Yankees have claimed another reliever. This time Josh Spence from the Padres.

Spence is only 24 years old, but has already appeared in 51 MLB games. In that time he's pitched to a 3.15 ERA while striking out over 9 hitters per 9 innings. However, Josh has also walked 5.4 batters per 9 innings, which is not a good number by any means. His batting line against was a big .302/.375/.395, but that came with a BABIP of .375. Taking his age into account, if Spence can regain some of the control he showed in the minors (he walked 2.8 per 9 there), then he could help the team out.

Yankees Claim David Herndon

It's not Joakim Soria or Ryan Madson, but the Yankees acquired a reliever rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. They claimed David Herndon off of waivers from Toronto.

Herndon isn't expected to return until midway through the 2013 season. David is 27 years old, and has spent the last 3 seasons with the Phillies, where he threw to a 3.74 ERA. He threw 7.2 innings this past season before going to the DL, and struck out 8 batters while walking only 1.

I wouldn't expect Herndon to contribute much to the Yankees, but at this point why not take a shot?

On A One Year Deal, Consider Me Sold On Torii Hunter

If the Yankees and Torii Hunter were willing to sign a one year deal, maybe even with a mutual or team option for 2014, I think I have finally warmed up to the idea of Torii Hunter in pinstripes. I have finally come to the realization that we are not going to acquire someone like Justin Upton after the D Backs traded Chris Young to the Athletics earlier in the offseason. I have also come to the realization that we are probably going to see some sort of a downgrade in right field next season, not that we cannot afford a little bit of a step back in some areas offensively as we will still be a prolific offense when healthy. Torii Hunter just may make the most sense for the Yankees in 2013, here is why.

The Yankees will have two guys out in the outfield next season batting from the left side in Curtis Granderson and Brett Gardner while Torii is a right handed power bat to even out the lineup. While Torii was never as good as he was advertised in the outfield his speed made up for a lot of his miscues in center field so a move to a smaller right field in Yankees Stadium would really do him some good. Not to mention that potentially having Brett Gardner in center field covering all the ground that he does can only help Mr. Hunter. Torii has been an above average hitter basically his entire career even in a spacious outfield out in Anaheim. His triple slash for 2012 was .313/.365/.451 while hitting both right handed starting pitchers and left handed starting pitchers. It helps that Torri is an all fields hitter which will help him in Yankees Stadium although his power is considered more of "pull power" and left and left center field tend to swallow more then a few home runs for right handed hitters. After the year of the injury and post season let downs in 2012 Torii Hunters durability and post season experience will be a sight for sore eyes in New York and will be, in my opinion of course, highly welcomed by the fans. Torii is one of the more respected players in the game and does everything right and by the book and that just screams New York Yankee to me.

The Angels did not offer Torii a qualifying offer so basically all we would have to give up to acquire him would be money so if the years are right, preferably just a one year deal for the 37 year old, then show me where to sign. Sure his ground balls are up and sure his strike out numbers are up and sure he only hit 16 home runs in 2012 hitting in between guys like Mike Trout and Albert Pujols and sure he has always been double play prone but unlike most of his career we do not need him to be the superstar, we just need him to be Torii Hunter. His right handed bat evens out the lineup, his speed and fundamentals and more then adequate defense mixed with Gardner in CF gives us the best outfield defense in the game hands down, his (hopefully) willingness to sign a one year deal keeps us flexible going forward, and his character will give us another guy for the fans to flock behind.

Cody Ross May Have Just Talked His Way Out Of NY

Early reports in free agency had the Yankees very interested in right handed outfielder Cody Ross, formerly of the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants. Cody Ross and his agent told ESPN that he was seeking a three year deal worth $25 million. He may have just spoken his way off the Yankees board with that many years. The Yankees are looking for a shorter term fix, preferably on a one year deal, so the Angels Torii Hunter is looking more and more attractive. His 2012 season was comparable to Josh Willingham's 2011 season, although Willingham had more of a sample size and less of a bounce back season then Ross but I digress, so he wants the same comparable contract as Willingham. Josh signed for a three year $21 million contract so Cody Ross is looking for a small raise annually. With the 2014 luxury tax looming and his glaring road/home splits I cannot see him signing with the Yankees this offseason. 

Yankees Have Interest In Braves Catcher David Ross

The Yankees are looking for catching help and depth and have expressed interest in former Braves back up catcher David Ross. Ross will be entering his age 35 season in 2013 and has been the best back up catcher in the league for several seasons now while backing up Brian McCann for the last four seasons. The Yankees need a starting catcher and while they are probably going to re sign Russell Martin I do not understand tipping their hand on David Ross unless they think he could be a starter. He has not topped over 200 at bats in a season since 2007 and would not take back up money or years in my opinion in what is a weak free agent market for catchers. With Chris Stewart, Austin Romine, and Francisco Cervelli already in the fold for next season along with newly claimed Eli Whiteside, who by the way is out of minor league options but should clear waivers, I cannot see a spot for David unless he is signed as a starter.

TGP Yankees Awards : Best Relief Pitcher

The TGP Yankees Award for Best Relief Pitcher goes to Rafael Soriano!

When we all watched the breaking news about Mariano Rivera going down on the warning track while shagging fly balls in Kansas City pre game I think a lot of us thought the season was over. Rafael Soriano stepped in and stepped in in a huge way and #untuck 'd his way into the hearts of Yankees fans. After being signed in the 2010 off season for ridiculous numbers with multiple opt out clauses the Yankees finally got their money's worth out of Soriano in 2012. Let's take a closer look at his 2012 season that ultimately saved the Yankees season.

Rafael Soriano's age 32 season showcased some controversy when he untucked his jersey after every save, although shooting an arrow in the air is totally legit, and it could not have united the Yankees fans on twitter any more. Soriano finished with 42 #untuck 's in 45 opportunities and in 67.2 IP. He also showcased a 2-1 record with a 2.26 ERA in 69 games this season. His 1.167 WHIP and 2.6 WAR almost rivaled the man he replaced, the great Mariano Rivera.

Congratulations to Rafael Soriano for being the Yankees best relief pitcher for 2012!

Joakim Soria Interested In Setting Up For Mariano Rivera

Joakim Soria kind of showed his cards today when he came out and said that he would be interested in being the Yankees set up man, setting up Yankees (unofficially) closer Mariano Rivera. Soria's agent Oscar Suarez confirmed Joakim's interest in an interview with ESPN earlier today. Soria is not expected to be ready until May of 2013, although June of 2013 would not be out of the question given our luck, so I do not know if this is posturing for a bigger contract elsewhere to close or if he is sincere but either way I think this is worth kicking the tires on. It is not like he is going to sign for a huge deal, a multi year deal, and if he wants to be on the Yankees that bad maybe even would settle for a non guaranteed contract. Wishful thinking I know but either way I at least give Soria a call. Could you imagine a bullpen with Joakim Soria, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, and the great Mariano Rivera? That's greedy.... and I like it.

Yankees Claim Giants Catcher Eli Whiteside

BREAKING NEWS: Francisco Cervelli just got put on suicide watch, and in other news the Yankees claimed World Series Champions San Francisco Giant's catcher Eli Whiteside. Whiteside is a 33 year old catcher is definitely a defensive first catcher with very little to offer with the bat, much like Chris Stewart who we also got from the Giants last season for George Kontos, but this is nothing but a depth move so you can overlook the downsides. Since 2009 Eli has compiled a 3.32 catchers ERA which is the lowest for any catcher in that span with at least 1200 innings played. Maybe he can be our 2009 version of Jose Molina in 2013?