The minors.

First off, I can’t recap the games I missed when I had no DSL/Internet access. Too much work.

I CAN tell you this. Top pitching prospect Luis Severino was promoted to AA Trenton. He started the year at Low A Charleston so this makes two promotions this year. 20 years old and now in AA. He pitched in the futures game. In his first game for AA Trenton, he got the win. 5 IP, 1 R, 2 H.

I hope they don’t include Severino in a deal for someone like Cliff Lee. I don’t want Lee, who turns 36 soon. Why take on all that $$$ ($22MM) for someone 36 next month and just off the DL? Not only that, Lee didn’t want to come to NY a few years ago. Why bring in someone who doesn’t want to be here? Remember the problems with Randy Johnson? Past his prime, didn’t want to be here…. the same could happen with Cliff Lee….

As for tonight, 7-21…

AAA: SWB got a run in the top of the 9th to win 2-1 on a SF by 3b Rob Segedin, just promoted from AA. For those following Jose Pirela (.313) and Rob Refsnyder (.290) there are the batting averages. Cashman has stated he’d prefer to keep Refsnyder in the minors. I disagree, unless Cashman has something up his sleeve like acquiring Marlon Byrd from the Phils. Byrd, a RHB, can platoon with Ichiro and give the pop that Ichiro doesn’t give. If not, then why not promote Refsnyder to platoon with Ichiro? Ichiro, 40, isn’t an everyday player. Refsnyder, a RF converted to 2b by the Yanks, has seen more time in his natural RF position lately. Bruce Billings 1 R in 7 ip, 4.94. Refsnyder had a double and RBI tonight.

AA: Trenton swept a DH.

Game 1: 4-1 win. Jaron Long (Kevin’s son) 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H. C Gary Sanchez, HR, 2 RBI. CF Jake Cave promoted to Trenton. Double, RBI.

Game 2: 8-5 win. CF Mason Williams 3 h, triple, rbi. 3 hits, double, solo HR, Pete O’Brien. That makes 30 HR for O’Brien between High A Tampa and AA Trenton. 1B Tyson Blaser 3 h, 2 doubles, 2 rbi. C Francisco Arcia 2 h, HR, 2 rbi.

High A: Tampa won 5-2. Rafael De Paula (6-5, 4.15) 1 R in 5 2/3, CF Danny Oh triple 3 rbi.

Low A: Charleston won 8-5. 17 hits. LF Brandon Thomas 4 for 4, 3 rbi. CF Mark Payton, 2 h, HR, 2 rbi. SS Tyler Wade 3 h, rbi.

Keep an eye on players… there have been and will be promotions.

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Why not…. ?

I’ve heard some names attached to the Yanks as far as getting a pitcher goes. CC should be back in August, maybe Pineda too. I place more credence in CC coming back than Pineda. Even when (and if) they do come back, how good will they be? Will CC be the pre-2013 CC (very good) or the CC we’ve seen since 2013 (struggling)?

One thing is for sure. They’ll need another starter. Nuno is not long for the rotation, and you wonder how long Whitley and Phelps will hold up.

It’d be nice to get a Samardzija, but you wonder if the Yanks have the goods to get him. Word is (and Joel Sherman has written) that the Cubs would want a high-end, just about ready for the majors starter in return, which the Yanks don’t have unless they make a three-way deal. Jason Hammel may be a nice fit. Some people are talking about David Price but there is no way I can see the Rays trading Price within the division.

Other names include (from MLB Trade Rumors): John Danks, Ian Kennedy (a former Yankee) and Cliff Lee. Personally, I don’t think Lee would approve a trade to the Yanks.

Let’s explore these pitchers and I’ll bring up another name which hasn’t been mentioned much but one that I think may be a good fit.

I am going to skip over Samardzija, Price and Lee. I don’t think the Yanks get any of these three. If they do, great, but I’m going to be a bit more realistic here.

Danks: 29 and a lefty. 6-6, 4.34 this year. ERA+ 94. 4-14, 4.75 last year. Average season 12-14, 4.21, ERA+ 105. Went 13-11 in 2009 and 15-11 in 2010 but is 21-36, 4.62 since. Hmmm. Not sold on him.

Hammel: Will be 32 and is a righty. Has AL East experience from his time with the O’s and Rays. Having a good year, 6-5, 2.99 with the Cubs. Average season 9-11, 4.64 ERA+ 95. Not bad, but I’m not too sold on him.

Kennedy 29 and righty: The Yanks had some problems with him when he first came up (maturity). 29 and a righty. Had a great 2011 (21-4, 2.88, 4th in CYA and 14th in MVP). Decent 2012, 15-12, 4.02. 12-18, 4.56 since 2012. Currently 5-8, 3.90, ERA+ 88 pitching in a pitcher’s park in SD. For his career, is 58-48, 3.99, ERA+ 99. Average. But take away that one great season, and he is 37-44. Averages 12-10, 3.99, but was that one great season a flash in the pan?

Now for someone whose name hasn’t been mentioned but who I think may be a good fit:

MLB Trade Rumors states

•Though Joel Sherman of the New York Post said not long ago that the Mets should act boldly as buyers, the team’s recent woes have him convinced that the opposite may now be true. After a 4-11 skid, he writes that the Mets should deal two of Jon Niese, Bartolo Colon and Dillon Gee this summer and also make Daniel Murphy available in trades.

Ok. There you have it. Sherman thinks that the Mets should trade two of Niese, Colon (who, to me, is too old for the Yanks to pursue) and Gee. Why not make a deal with the Mets, especially when it makes sense?

I think Niese may be a good fit. The Mets have some good young pitching coming up. Matt Harvey will be coming back from Tommy John surgery sometime next year, Zach Wheeler is young, and they have just brought up Jake deGromm and Rafael Montero. Noah Syndergaard is on the way. The Mets need hitting, and the Yanks may have some hitting prospects to trade to the Mets for someone like Niese.

Jon Niese is 27 and a lefty. He is 4-4, 2.78 for the Mets right now. ERA+ 126. For his career, 47-44, 3.84, ERA+ 97. But he has been improving each of the last three years. Since 2011, he is just 25-21 (his team doesn’t hit) but with a 3.37 ERA. ERA+ 109. Granted that Citi Field is a pitchers’ park, but…

Compared to the others listed above (Danks, Kennedy and Hammel), Niese’s numbers are very comparable. Yes, Samardzija, Price and Lee (who is 35) may be nice, but for reality sake, why not consider Niese (who has NY experience already)?

S.T. Gm 20. Jays trounce Yanks, 17-5

Jose Ramirez has had a good spring training, but it is worth remembering that he will be starting this year at AA, not AAA.

Today he showed why.

Ramirez only got one man out today. He gave up 2 H, 4 walks and all the runners scored. 1/3 IP, 6 R, 2 H, 4 walks.

Adam Warren relieved Ramirez and was just as bad, reminding us why he’ll start out at AAA (while also reminding us of his one, terrrible, MLB appearance in 2012). 1 1/3 IP, 8 R, 4 H, 5 walks, 2 K.

After just two innings today, the Yanks were down 15-1, on their way to a 17-5 loss.

Branden Pinder gave up 2 R in 1 1/3. 16-1 after 3.

Preston Claiborne gave up 1 R in 2 IP. Josh Spence no runs in 2. Graham Stoneburner 0 R in 1 IP.

Kevin Youkilis had two hits, a triple and a solo HR. Jose Pirela had 2 H and an RBI.

Derrek Lee, meanwhile, said no to the Yanks as far as coming out of retirement.

 

Moves and maybe moves

The Yanks sent some players down today.

Heading to AAA: Austin Romine (seems to guarantee Cervelli starter and Stewart backup, but Bobby Wilson is still in camp), Francisco Rondon, Brett Marshall and Dellin Betances.

Heading to AA: Jose Ramirez (who had a GREAT spring), Manny Banuelos (out for the year with TJ surgery), Nik Turley and Ramon Flores.

Reassigned: Chase Whitley, J.R. Murphy and Luke Murton. Murphy had a decent spring, going 4 for 11.

The Yanks signed Ben Francisco to a minor league deal. Francisco hit .240-4-15, OPS+ 83 for three teams (Tor/Hou/TB) in 2012. He is a .257 career hitter, OPS+ 101. He mostly plays LF/RF but has played a little in CF too. The righty hitter has a 162 g. average of .257-15-56. He went 2 for 19 in the postseason for the Phillies, 2009-2011, with 1 HR and 3 RBI. He is 31.

The Yanks are apparently trying to lure Derrek Lee out of retirement. Lee didn’t play in 2012. In 2011 he hit .267-19-59, OPS+ 109 for Balt/Pit. He’s 37, and has a career line of .281-28-90, OPS+ 122 for 162 games. He has 331 career HR.

 

 

 

A-Rod surgery Ok, but Yanks lose out on Morse

A-Rod’s surgery went ok, but a big bat the Yanks could have used—Michael Morse—went to Seattle.

Morse had no place in Washington after their recent moves. Morse could DH (which the Yanks are looking for) as well as play 1B and corner OF vs. lefties (which is also a Yanks’ need—a righty bat in the OF vs. lefties and a backup for Teix).

Morse hit .291-18-62 last year, OPS+ 112 and he went .303-31-95, OPS+ 147 in 2011 for the Nats.

Instead he goes to Seattle in a 3-team deal, the A’s and Nats also involved.

Morse is a free agent after 2013. So you had to watch what you gave up. The M’s now have added Jason Bay (hoping for a comeback), Kendrys Morales and Jason Bay to go with the developing Montero as they look to improve their offense. Apparently Justin Smoak (who they got for Cliff Lee) is out of their plans (as he should be after posting a .217-19-51 OPS+ 87 mark last year). … and to think that Seattle took Smoak instead of a package deal for Montero (who they got for Pineda a year later) for Lee. They might still have Pineda today. Of course, the Yanks don’t expect Pineda until mid-summer and hope he’s the same after his shoulder surgery. It’s funny how the dominoes fell.

Speaking of surgery, A-Rod had his hip surgery today and all reports are that it went as expected. If everything goes well, he may rejoin the Yanks shortly after the All-Star break.

Posada retires today.

Jorge Posada announces his retirement at a press conference at Yankee Stadium today. See Bronx Baseball Daily (link at right) for a review of Posada’s career.

Cody Ross signed with Boston. He most likely will platoon in RF. Boston still has holes to fill.

Kevin Millwood signed a minor league deal with the Mariners. Omar Vizquel signed with Toronto. Vizquel, the active leader in games, PA and AB, will be 45 in April. He has 2841 hits.

Besides Ibanez, Damon, Vlad, Matsui… forgot another DH still out there: Derrek Lee. One off the board: Wilson Betemit, who signed with Baltimore.

Ex-Phils broadcaster Andy Musser died at the age of 74.

 

Kershaw wins NL CYA

Clayton Kershaw won the National League Cy Young Award after going 21-5, 2.28. As with Verlander in the AL, he won the “Triple Crown” of pitching for his league, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Roy Halladay was second, Cliff Lee third and one-time Yankee Ian Kennedy fourth.

Could Bobby V be the next manager of Boston? Rumors are they’ve chatted.

Meanwhile, Dale Sveum is the new Cubs manager. Sveum played for Milwaukee 1986-1988, 1990-91, the Phils 1992, White Sox 1992, A’s 1993, Mariners 1994, Pirates 1996-1997, Yankees 1998 and Pirates II 1999. He hit .236, OPS+ 82 in his career. His best year was 1987, when he had 25 HR and 95 RBI.

As an interim manager, Sveum took over the Brewers for the last twelve games of the 2008 season and went 7-5. The Brewers were the wild card, and Sveum managed them in the NLDS, losing to the Phils three games to one.

Brian Schneider, who graduated from my hometown’s high school, re-signed with the Phils today.