Despite the shutdown of baseball (and everything) because of the coronavirus, the Yankees did make a few moves on what was supposed to be Opening Day.
Makes you wonder if the season DID start today, would Loaisiga have been the #5 behind Cole, Tanaka, Happ, and Montgomery?
Posted in Mike's Musings, Minor Leagues, Offseason Moves, Players
Edited from MLB.com:
TAMPA, Fla. — A Yankees Minor League player has tested positive for the coronavirus, general manager Brian Cashman said on Sunday, marking the first known case to impact the Major League Baseball world.
The team is not divulging the player’s identity, citing HIPAA regulations, and Cashman said that the player’s symptoms are improving.
“The player’s symptoms have dissipated, and he is resolved symptom-wise,” Cashman said. “No more fever, no more fatigue. He is much better, although he is still isolated.”
• FAQ: What to know about delayed Opening Day
According to Cashman, the player called the club on Friday morning to report a fever and fatigue. He did not report to the facility, and team medical staff checked his temperature before testing him for influenza and strep throat.
Both tests were negative, prompting the club to send him to Tampa General Hospital on Friday morning for what Cashman said was the first — and, to date, only — coronavirus test issued to any Yankees player, coach or employee. The positive result was delivered to the Yankees late on Saturday by a laboratory in Tallahassee, Fla.
“He’s a younger player, and so because of that — first and foremost, he was not in any of the groups that were with Major League players,” Cashman said. “We did our due diligence about any staff members or Major League players that were here Thursday when he hadn’t been presenting any symptoms at that time. … What were the possible interactions?
…
The player who tested positive has never entered George M. Steinbrenner Field and there is no known link to any of the Major League players, according to director of media relations Jason Zillo.
Out of an abundance of caution, and with coordination from the local Department of Health, the Yankees have self-quarantined all Minor League players, plus some coaches and personnel until March 25. Players are receiving boxed meals in their hotel rooms and are in constant communication with the club via an app called Teamworks.
…
Cashman said that the Minor League complex, which has been shuttered since Friday, will undergo extensive cleaning and will also be closed until March 25. Yankees Minor Leaguers train at a player development complex adjacent to the Major League complex, separated from the Steinbrenner Field footprint by Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“We’ve already initiated those deep cleans with a specific company involving a bleaching component,” Cashman said. “As we speak, the Minor League facility is getting re-cleaned again, not for the first time this week. The Major League facility is going to be cleaned again after the Minor League facility is done today. So those practices have been in place and will continue to be in place.”
Posted in Minor Leagues, Spring Training
If you are wondering what the suspension of spring training and the postponement and delay of Opening Day means for Domingo German and his return to the Yankees, think no further.
It pushes it back.
German wasn’t suspended for a certain time, but for a certain amount of GAMES. So his suspension resumes whenever the games resume.
Originally considered a candidate for a June return, now, depending on when MLB does kick in, he may not be back until August.
And with the changes to MLB as far as the rosters (no increase from 25 to 40 in September, but only from 26 to 28), if this delay pushes him into September, then there could be a chance he doesn’t come back at all this year.
He’s not eligible until the Yankees’ 64th game of 2020, but who knows now when that 64th game will take place?
That 64th game was originally supposed to be June 5th. Now?
This pandemic / national emergency does give some players like Judge, Stanton and Paxton time to heal without missing games. So there is that. A silver lining.
But we wish the black cloud never would have appeared.
As expected the minors followed MLB’s lead. Minor league baseball postponed for the time being as well.
Posted in Mike's Musings, Minor Leagues, Players, Scandal, Spring Training
From MLB.com:
TAMPA, Fla. — The Yankees’ players voted unanimously to remain in Florida and hold informal workouts at the George M. Steinbrenner Field complex while awaiting Major League Baseball’s decision regarding the resumption of play, according to player representative Zack Britton.
That vote was held on Friday at Steinbrenner Field, following general manager Brian Cashman’s participation on a conference call with all 30 GMs. Players had the choice of returning home or to their home Major League cities, but the Yanks have decided that they will stick out the coronavirus shutdown as a team.
“We have a great group of guys,” Britton told MLB.com. “Hopefully, we’ll have a shot at a World Series title. We want to be prepared to seize that opportunity. Guys aren’t panicking about this thing; we understand that it’s serious, but the Yankees have a ton of resources in the area. We feel like this is a good place for us to be.”
Britton said the team would hold its first workout on Saturday. Activities will include hitting in the indoor batting cages, throwing from the bullpen mounds and strength work in the gymnasium.
“[Managing general partner] Hal Steinbrenner spoke with us and made it known that the facilities were available for us to use if guys wanted to stay down,” Britton said. “Guys had the option of going to New York or going home. It’s still technically Spring Training on our contracts, so we took a vote. There’s a lot of unknowns, so the guys wanted to stay at the Spring Training site and work out to be ready for the season, whenever it starts.”
Meanwhile, as expected, the minor leagues followed suit, suspending everything for now and delaying the start of their seasons also.
Posted in Mike's Musings, Minor Leagues, Spring Training
The Yanks made a few more cuts today. From MLB.com:
Right-hander Brooks Kriske was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Right-hander Albert Abreu and outfielder Estevan Florial were optioned to Double-A Trenton. Right-handers Luis Gil and Luis Medina have been optioned to Class A Advanced Tampa. In addition, right-handers Domingo Acevedo and Alexander Vizcaíno were reassigned to Minor League camp.
I think you may see Kriske sometime this year in the Bronx.
Gary Sanchez is expected to catch Friday after being shut down for a few days with a sore back.
As for the game Monday, the Yanks (10-6-2) lost to the Phils, 3-1. J.A. Happ was solid, giving up one run in four innings on a HR. But Mike King gave up a 2-run HR in the bottom of the eighth that lost the game.
So far, it’s an encouraging spring from Happ. If he gets back to 2018 or 2016 form, he helps make up for this year’s loss of Severino.
Happ 4 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 0 W, 5 K. 1.38 Gave up a solo HR.
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 0.00
King (L, 0-1) 2 2/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 W, 0 K. 3.86 Gave up 2-run HR.
Holder 1/3 IP 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 0.00
Just a hunch. I think Loaisiga gets the #5 starter spot (barring injury) and Garcia, Schmidt and King go to AAA. I have no clue as to what the Yankees do with Tropeano. Once Paxton is back, Loaisiga goes to the bullpen. The Yanks probably won’t push Loaisiga, but hope he gives four or five. Now what happens when German is ready is up in the air. For when Paxton does return, you have Cole, Tanaka, Happ, Montgomery and Paxton. Three lefties in the rotation, especially at Yankee Stadium, is a good thing so there is no guarantee that German gets his starting role back.
Of course, much could change with injuries and/or ineffectiveness.
Tony Zych is last in the baseball encyclopedia, and now is signed by the Yankees to a minor league deal.
Zych had thoracic surgery in November 2018, and hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2017. While with Seattle from 2015-2017, he got into 70 games, starting one, and was 7-3 with a 2.72 ERA (ERA+ 151) with one save.
The RHP is 29.
Cameron Maybin, who did so well as a sub for the Yanks last year, has signed a one-year deal with the Tigers for $1.5MM. Maybin hit .285-11-32 for the Yanks in 82 games last year. OPS+ 127. He hit a postseason HR against the Twins in the ALDS.
Posted in Mike's Musings, Minor Leagues, Offseason Moves, Players, Spring Training
Ok. We know the Yankees would like for Kyle Higashioka to win the backup C job, especially since he is out of options.
That doesn’t mean the Yanks are giving it to him or that the Yanks won’t have options if he can’t cut it, or that there won’t be competition in spring training.
Already the Yanks have signed Erik Kratz and Chris Iannetta to minor league deals and today they signed another veteran C to a minor league deal—Josh Thole.
Thole, 33, is a lefty bat, as opposed to the other three. He hasn’t played in the majors since 2016. He was with the Mets 2009-2012, Toronto 2013-2016. He doesn’t have much pop, as his 162 game average is .242-3-38, OPS+ 73.
But more experienced MLB insurance in case Higashioka can’t cut it.
