AAA: SWB off.
AA: Trenton (9-4) won 3-1.
Abreu 4 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 4 W, 2 K. 5.25
Lane (W, 1-0, 1.29) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 3 K.
Acevedo (H, 1) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 0.00
D. Alvarez (S, 2) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. 3.00
High A: Tampa (5-10) lost 10-3. C Jason Lopez 2 hits, solo HR. CF Pablo Olivares solo HR.
Low A: Charleston (7-8) lost 7-5. LF Canaan Smith 3-run HR. Dalton Higgins three scoreless IP of relief.
Posted in Mike's Musings, Minor Leagues, Players, Regular Season
Tagged Abreu, Lane, Lopez, Smith, Higgins, Acevedo, Alvarez, Olivares
AAA: SWB (8-6) lost both games of a DH to Lehigh Valley, and both by 5-3 scores.
Game 1: SS Thairo Estrada 2 hits. 3B Mandy Alvarez 2 hits, 2 RBI. C Ryan Lavarnway 3 for 3. RF Zach Zehner 2 hits, RBI.
Loaisiga (L, 0-1, 3.60) 5 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 W, 7 K.
Game 2: 2B Gosuke Katoh 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR. Chance Adams gave up 5 runs in the fourth, inc. 2 HR. ERA 10.32.
AA: Trenton (8-4) also lost 5-3. Brody Koerner 7 IP, 5 R, 3 ER.
High A: Tampa (5-9) threw a 2-hitter and scored six in the eighth to win 6-1. CF Pablo Olivares 2 RBI. DH Dermis Garcia 2 RBI. LF Isiah Gilliam 2 hits, RBI. C Donny Sands 2 hits.
Deivi Garcia 4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 W, 8 K. 3.75
Bristo 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. 2.45
Kriske (W, 1-1, 0.00) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 4 K.
Low A: Charleston (7-7) won 7-1. CF Josh Stowers 2 hits, RBI. 1B Max Burt 2 hits, 2 RBI.
SS Eduardo Torrealba 2 hits, RBI. 3B Nelson Gomez and C Mickey Gasper each with a solo HR.
Orozco (W, 1-1, 1.88) 6 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 4 W, 3 K.
C. Espinal (S, 1) 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 7 K. 0.00
The Yankees were off Thursday.
I will not have a report on any of Friday’s action. I’ll be out of town.
AAA: SWB (4-4) won 9-8 in 10 innings. PH Mandy Alvarez GW hit. LF Trey Amburgey 2 hits. 1B Mike Ford 2 hits, 2 RBI. C Kyle Higashioka 2 RBI, but had to leave the game (see below) .RF/1B Ryan McBroom 2 hits. 3B Gosuke Katoh 2 hits, HR, 3 RBI.
It appears as if Chance Adams, so good a few years ago, has taken a step backwards in his development.
The reason Higashioka was called up was—wait for it—there may be ANOTHER Yankee going on the DL, and that may be Gary Sanchez.
AA Trenton was off.
High A: Tampa (2-6) lost 8-6. SS Oswaldo Cabrera 2 hits, RBI. LF Tyler Hill 2 RBI. 3B David Metzgar HR, 2 RBI. Deivi Garcia 4 IP, 2 unearned runs, 6 K.
Low A: Charleston (4-4) lost 4-0. DH Josh Breaux 2 of the Riverdogs’ 5 hits.
Scott Sanderson, who spent two years with the Yankees in 1991 and 1992, has died at the age of 62. He was an All-Star in 1991. He spent 19 season in the majors, going 163-143, 3.84. His 162 g. average was 13-11, 3.84.
Sanderson was with the Expos (1978-1983), Cubs (1984-1989), A’s (1990), Yankees (1991-1992), Angels (1993), Giants (1993), White Sox (1994) and back with the Angels (1995-1996).
He was with the 1981 Expos that played in the NLCS, the 1984 and 1989 Cubs that played in the NLCS, and the 1990 AL pennant winning A’s. He got into five postseason games, going 0-0, 5.73.
Some of Sanderson’s best seasons:
1980 Expos 16-11, 3.11
1984 Cubs 8-5, 3.14
1989 Cubs 11-9, 3.94
1990 A’s 17-11, 3.88
For the Yankees, he went 16-10, 3.91 in 1991 and 12-11, 4.93 in 1992.
He was the player who wore #21 before Paul O’Neill.
Posted in Ex-Players, In-Season Moves, Mike's Musings, Minor Leagues, Players, Regular Season
Tagged Adams, Alvarez, Amburgey, Breaux, Cabrera, Ford, Garcia, Higashioka, Hill, Katoh, McBroom, Metzgar, O'Neill, Sanchez, Sanderson
Gary Sanchez wasn’t the only player in the Yankees’ organization with a 3-HR game on Sunday, and while the big leaguers pounded out 7 HR, SWB hit 6 themselves, four off ex-Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz.
AAA: SWB (2-2) won 10-2. 1B Mike Ford 3 hits, all HR, 4 RBI. Ryan Lavarnway, Mandy Alvarez and Cliff Pennington hit the other three. Pennington also had 4 RBI. David Hale 1 R in 5 2/3 for the win.
AA: Trenton (1-2) got beat 16-5. 3B Wendell Rijo 2 solo HR. Jhalen Jackson solo HR. Rashad Crawford 2 hits, RBI. 2 hits for Ben Ruta. Not a good day for Albert Abreu, Jose Mesa, Jr., James Reeves or Will Carter.
High A: Tampa (2-2) scored 2 in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2. Isiah Gilliam with the walk-off 2-run HR. CC Sabathia started for Tampa, 4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 6 K.
Low A: Charleston (3-1) won 7-2. LF Brandon Lockridge 2 hits, solo HR. SS Max Burt 2 hits. C Eduardo Navas 2 RBI. 1B Mickey Gaspar 2 hits.
AAA: SWB (1-2) lost 10-8. OF Trey Amburgey 4 hits, RBI. 1B Mike Ford HR, 2 RBI. 3B Mandy Alvarez 2 RBI. 2B Gosuke Katoh 3-run HR.
Not a good outing for starter Chance Adams. 3 IP, 6 R, 5 ER. Reynal Espinal (L) gave up 4 runs in 1 2/3 IP. Rex Brothers pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out 5.
AA: Trenton (1-1) won 3-2 in 11. C Jorge Saez 2-run HR in the top of the 11th. LF Ben Ruta 2 hits. RF Rashad Crawford 2 hits, RBI. 3B Wendell Rijo 2 hits. Pitchers combined for 14 K.
Koerner 5 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 2 W, 6 K. 0.00
Acevedo 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 3 K. 0.00
Lane 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 0.00
D. Alvarez (W, 1-0, 0.00; BS, 1) 2 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 W, 3 K.
High A: Tampa (1-2) won 12-9. 1B Dermis Garcia 3 hits, 4 RBI, HR. RF Steven Sensley 2 RBI. C Donny Sands HR, 3 RBI. Starter Glenn Otto 4 IP, 1 R, 7 K. Relievers Anderson Severino and Jefry Valdez gave up 8 R, 7 ER, in 3 IP.
Low A: Charleston (2-1) lost 3-2. CF Isaiah Pasteur 2 hits.
Myatt 4 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 4 W, 3 K 4.50
Orozco (L, 0-1, 2.25) 4 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 W, 4 K.
James Paxton was sharp in his last outing before the regular season begins as the Yanks (17-9-4 in spring training) beat the Twins 5-3 on Sunday.
The Yanks used mostly minor leaguers in this one, and Clint Frazier had a 3-run double. Diego Castillo had 2 hits and an RBI.
They are supposed to play the Nationals in D.C. Monday night as their last exhibition game, but there is a good chance of a rainout.
Paxton 
5 2/3 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 1 W, 5 K.
Cessa (H) 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Feyereisen (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.
Alvarez (S) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Posted in Mike's Musings, Players, Spring Training
Tagged Alvarez, Castillo, Cessa, Feyereisen, Frazier, Paxton
Masahiro Tanaka looked good today as the Yanks beat the Braves 7-4 to improve their spring training record to 14-6-4.
Tanaka gave up just 1 run on 2 hits in 5 IP in preparing for his Opening Day assignment.
Aaron Judge continued his hot spring with a 2-run triple. He has 11 hits this spring, and ALL are extra base hits. 4 doubles, 1 triple and 6 HR.
Luke Voit is continuing to make you think he isn’t last year’s flash in the pan. He hit a solo HR, his fourth of spring training.
Austin Romine had 3 hits and 2 RBI.
Ryan Lavarnway had 2 hits and 2 RBI.
Tanaka 5 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 W, 7 K.
Ottavino 2/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 2 W, 2 K. Free agent signing struggling a bit.
Tarpley (H) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 1 K. Don’t sleep on this kid.
Diehl (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 3 K.
Alvarez (S) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Yanks pitchers combined for 15K.
It’s just spring training, but some encouraging things, esp. from Tanaka, Voit, Judge, and Tarpley. And tonight, Romine.
The Yanks made a low-risk, high-reward signing tonight by signing Gio Gonzalez to a minor league deal. He has an April 20 opt-out. He gets $3MM if he makes the major league roster, with incentives.
It is an insurance move in case of a worst-case scenario regarding Severino and CC.
A lefty, but I don’t mind having a lot of lefties (Happ, Gio, CC, Paxton).
UPDATE: And Jordan Montgomery when he gets healthy.
I remember that the 1980 Dick Howser led Yankees, who went 103-59 before getting swept in the ALCS by KC, had four lefty starters in Guidry, John, Rudy May and Tommy Underwood.
Remember that lefties, hitters and pitchers, are what has made Yankee Stadium and the Yankees over the years.
Gio was predicted by MLBTR to get a 2-yr., $24MM deal. Quite a come-down from that prediction, and along with Tulowitzki, a possible steal.
Gonzalez, 33, was 10-11, 4.21 (ERA+ 100, right on league average) between Washington and Milwaukee last year. In 2017, he won 15 games, had an ERA of 2.96 and finished 6th in CYA voting.
A 2x All-Star (2011 and 2012) he led the majors in wins with 21 in 2012, when he finished 3rd in CYA voting and 20th in MVP voting.
Since 2010, he’s pitched 170 or more innings in every year except one. So he eats innings. His career mark is 127-97, 3.69, mostly in the NL. ERA+ 111.
From 2008-2011 he was with the A’s. 2012-2018 Nationals, end of 2018 Brewers.
In 8 postseason starts, 0-0, 4.91.
Average 162 g. season 14-11, 3.69 (ERA+ 111). Average last six years, 11-10, 3.72.
I’d expect a decent back of the rotation starter, 11-10, ERA around 4 or low 4’s (taking into account AL vs. his recent no-DH NL years) if he is there all year long.
He is a low cost insurance policy, esp. against injury (Severino and CC now, maybe injury prone Paxton/Tanaka later) and youth/inexperience (Cessa, German, Loaisiga).
But a surprise in that he fell to such a low cost, minor league deal after earning some $12MM/year or close to it the last four seasons.
Posted in Mike's Musings, Offseason Moves, Players, Spring Training, The Front Office
Tagged Alvarez, Diehl, Gonzalez, Judge, Lavarnway, Ottavino, Romine, Tanaka, Tarpley, Voit
