2013 Yankees Season

[thefiestygoat]

We need to DFA Vernon Wells.  At this point there is no room for him on the roster.  My ideal lineup is this.

 

C: McCann

1B: Teixeira

2B: ???

3B: ???

SS: Jeter

LF: Gardner

CF: Ellsbury

RF: Ichiro and Soriano platoon

DH: Beltran

I can't wait for Wells to get DFA'd. Some GM out there will probably want Ichiro based on his name rather than his actual ability. Yankees won't get anything in return but maybe they won't need to eat too much of his $6.5M. Richardson and Almonte provide enough cover in AAA if they need an OF when injuries hit. I think Beltran and Soriano rotate between RF/DH. Yankees seem in on Infante and I hope they can get him for around 3/30ish.

DH: Beltran/Soriano

C: McCann

1B: Teixeira

2B: Infante

SS: Jeter

3B: Reynolds (shouldn't cost too much)

LF: Gardner

CF: Ellsbury

RF: Beltran/Soriano

Bench

C Cervelli

2B/3B Johnson

SS Ryan

OF Almonte/Richardson

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Simply not true. How do you explain last offseason then? They let Russell Martin walk over $3M when they had no replacement. They let Swisher walk when they had no replacement. Sounds like being cheap and punting the season to me.

 

2013 Yankees C: .213/.287/.298 .266 wOBA 61 wRC+ (26th overall) 0.9 WAR (23rd)

2013 Yankees RF: .251/.292/.343 .280 wOBA 70 wRC+ (30th!) 0.2 WAR (25th)

 

Yeah, the Yankees usually spend money, but it's clear that Hal was more concerned about the bottom line than winning games last year. That's not debatable. I truly believe that if it wasn't for the lost playoff revenue and sharp decreases in attendance and tv ratings last year, that Hal would still be talking about this luxury tax sh!t and trying to pull wool over our eyes about "fielding a championship caliber team."

 

Your team still spends a hell of a lot more than most teams though.  Most of the other MLB teams' fans would kill to have a payroll anywhere near what the Yankees spend year in and year out.  CC not having a CC year, Jeter and Texiera missing most of the season, and assorted other injuries had lot more to with the Yankees not winning as much as expected as them "punting the season".  The Yanks can only buy their way out of so much...they use their resources to fill positions where needed (like they did with McCann and Ellsbury), and deserve credit for doing that, but it's heard to buy your way out of so many players (especially pricey ones) being hurt, especially in-season. 

[Daniel]

Your team still spends a hell of a lot more than most teams though. Most of the other MLB teams' fans would kill to have a payroll anywhere near what the Yankees spend year in and year out. CC not having a CC year, Jeter and Texiera missing most of the season, and assorted other injuries had lot more to with the Yankees not winning as much as expected as them "punting the season". The Yanks can only buy their way out of so much...they use their resources to fill positions where needed (like they did with McCann and Ellsbury), and deserve credit for doing that, but it's heard to buy your way out of so many players (especially pricey ones) being hurt, especially in-season.

And in the end, their showing was respectable enough. I'm actually somewhat excited to see what the Yanks can do this year.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[thefiestygoat]

Your team still spends a hell of a lot more than most teams though.  Most of the other MLB teams' fans would kill to have a payroll anywhere near what the Yankees spend year in and year out.  CC not having a CC year, Jeter and Texiera missing most of the season, and assorted other injuries had lot more to with the Yankees not winning as much as expected as them "punting the season".  The Yanks can only buy their way out of so much...they use their resources to fill positions where needed (like they did with McCann and Ellsbury), and deserve credit for doing that, but it's heard to buy your way out of so many players (especially pricey ones) being hurt, especially in-season. 

I think you are confusing what I'm arguing and we aren't even close to being on the same page. I'm talking about the 2013 offseason, nothing to do with year to year payroll.

My point is that last offseason, Hal went cheap and intentionally put a bad product on the field. That's a fact. There is no disputing this. Probably the 1st time in the Steinbrenner family era where they intentionally made an effort to downgrade the roster.

A team like the Yankees with the resources they have should never nickel and dime and lie to the fanbase the way they did. It's insulting. If they want to go cheap, that's their right, just don't say things like "championship caliber team" is your goal.

With that said, as I mentioned before, and posted an article to back it up, Hal clearly learned from his mistake. He loses a lot more money from rushing into austerity mode and missing the playoffs and losing attendance and TV revenue than he does from getting under the tax threshold.

Staying under the tax threshold is an attainable goal, one that they are moving towards in future years by no longer giving out bad 10 year deals like what Cano got. I have no problem staying under the tax threshold. I support it infact. It's just not something you can rush into. It requires a change in philosophy and I think them letting Cano walk is proof that they are going to start being more responsible from here on out.

Also, it's not even like I wanted the Yankees to go on a huge spending spree last offseason. I just wanted them to re-sign their guys (Swisher and Martin). Letting Martin walk over $3M when you had no replacement is just petty. With Teixeira's health, Swisher would've been great not only for RF but for 1B which along with RF and C they got pretty much no production from at all.

 

Injuries were an excuse. Even if those guys stayed healthy they were still intentionally punting the season by choosing Ichiro/Wells, Stewart/Cervelli, Overbay over Schierholtz, Martin, and Swisher like Cashman wanted. With a roster constructed around old guys, it's not like any of the injuries outside of Granderson's were surprising.

It's all in the past now. I'm happy that they have learned from their mistakes and are re-committed towards putting the best team they can on the field.

[Mike Brown]

I can't wait for Wells to get DFA'd. Some GM out there will probably want Ichiro based on his name rather than his actual ability. Yankees won't get anything in return but maybe they won't need to eat too much of his $6.5M. Richardson and Almonte provide enough cover in AAA if they need an OF when injuries hit. I think Beltran and Soriano rotate between RF/DH. Yankees seem in on Infante and I hope they can get him for around 3/30ish.

DH: Beltran/Soriano

C: McCann

1B: Teixeira

2B: Infante

SS: Jeter

3B: Reynolds (shouldn't cost too much)

LF: Gardner

CF: Ellsbury

RF: Beltran/Soriano

Bench

C Cervelli

2B/3B Johnson

SS Ryan

OF Almonte/Richardson

 

Yea but what about Ichiro?

[thefiestygoat]

Yea but what about Ichiro?

I'm hoping they can dump him off to a team that needs a 4th/5th OF and open up a 40 man roster spot. They still need to add at least another SP, 2B, and 3B and the 40 man roster is already full. I figure getting rid of Wells, Ichiro, and Nunez helps with that. Though the Yankees organization has had this weird fetish for Nunez for years so I won't hold my breath on them finally ditching him.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I think you are confusing what I'm arguing and we aren't even close to being on the same page. I'm talking about the 2013 offseason, nothing to do with year to year payroll.

My point is that last offseason, Hal went cheap and intentionally put a bad product on the field. That's a fact. There is no disputing this. Probably the 1st time in the Steinbrenner family era where they intentionally made an effort to downgrade the roster.

A team like the Yankees with the resources they have should never nickel and dime and lie to the fanbase the way they did. It's insulting. If they want to go cheap, that's their right, just don't say things like "championship caliber team" is your goal.

With that said, as I mentioned before, and posted an article to back it up, Hal clearly learned from his mistake. He loses a lot more money from rushing into austerity mode and missing the playoffs and losing attendance and TV revenue than he does from getting under the tax threshold.

Staying under the tax threshold is an attainable goal, one that they are moving towards in future years by no longer giving out bad 10 year deals like what Cano got. I have no problem staying under the tax threshold. I support it infact. It's just not something you can rush into. It requires a change in philosophy and I think them letting Cano walk is proof that they are going to start being more responsible from here on out.

Also, it's not even like I wanted the Yankees to go on a huge spending spree last offseason. I just wanted them to re-sign their guys (Swisher and Martin). Letting Martin walk over $3M when you had no replacement is just petty. With Teixeira's health, Swisher would've been great not only for RF but for 1B which along with RF and C they got pretty much no production from at all.

 

Injuries were an excuse. Even if those guys stayed healthy they were still intentionally punting the season by choosing Ichiro/Wells, Stewart/Cervelli, Overbay over Schierholtz, Martin, and Swisher like Cashman wanted. With a roster constructed around old guys, it's not like any of the injuries outside of Granderson's were surprising.

It's all in the past now. I'm happy that they have learned from their mistakes and are re-committed towards putting the best team they can on the field.

 

This just isn't entirely fair fiesty.  I can understand why they let Swisher go...the Yankees were likely getting fed up with his no-show postseasons, and let's face it, the postseason is where it's at for the Yankees.  Like I said, if CC pitches like CC of 2009-2012, and the walking wounded had been able to play in more games, Yankees win 90+ and contend.   

 

To call the Yankees "cheap" in any given year is just not right.  Cashman has signed players to his fair share of bad contracts through the years, and for most MLB teams, those contracts would be crippling from a flexibility standpoint, but he still enjoys the freedom to dole out big contracts, even when he's already got some bad ones still on the books...Cashman never really has to pay for his mistakes, the way many other GMs do.  Yankee fans never have to deal with a fire sale or mega-reduction in payroll, when it looks like a window of opportunity is closing...you know (and can practically take it for granted) that even when all signs point to a "we should probably tear this thing down and rebuild" phase, your team is just about ALWAYS in play for the best and most expensive FA players available to fill needs.     

[thefiestygoat]

This just isn't entirely fair fiesty.  I can understand why they let Swisher go...the Yankees were likely getting fed up with his no-show postseasons, and let's face it, the postseason is where it's at for the Yankees.  Like I said, if CC pitches like CC of 2009-2012, and the walking wounded had been able to play in more games, Yankees win 90+ and contend.   

 

To call the Yankees "cheap" in any given year is just not right.  Cashman has signed players to his fair share of bad contracts through the years, and for most MLB teams, those contracts would be crippling from a flexibility standpoint, but he still enjoys the freedom to dole out big contracts, even when he's already got some bad ones still on the books...Cashman never really has to pay for his mistakes, the way many other GMs do.  Yankee fans never have to deal with a fire sale or mega-reduction in payroll, when it looks like a window of opportunity is closing...you know (and can practically take it for granted) that even when all signs point to a "we should probably tear this thing down and rebuild" phase, your team is just about ALWAYS in play for the best and most expensive FA players available to fill needs.     

If the Yankees let Swisher go for his no show postseasons then I'd be concerned about how they value players. I feel that judging a player on such a small sample is a horrible way to evaluate talent. Swisher was so productive for the Yankees on a much larger sample in the regular season in 598 games and 2,501 PA. From 2009-12 he ranked 6th in WAR amongst MLB RF and had the 5th highest wOBA. I would hope that would carry more weight than 36 postseason games. I would've had no problem letting him walk if they had a suitable replacement.

There's absolutely no way the Yankees would've won 90+ games last year even if everyone stayed healthy and Sabathia pitched well. They still would've been getting horrendous production out of RF and C for the whole season and LF for most of the season.

The Yankees were fortunate to finish 85-77 last year anyway. The Yankees were outscored by 21 runs and had a Pythagorean record of 79-83. Rob Neyer has further analytical information to break it down that the Yankees were really closer to a 71-91 team. If anything, the Yankees were lucky last year.

I think you take exception to me calling the Yankees cheap since I'm young and seen so much success. Trust me, I don't take that for granted and I don't think the Yankees need to throw money around for the sake of doing so. I'm happy that with the exception of 2013, they are willing to put money back into the team rather than their pockets. More ownership groups in MLB should take this approach.

But what they did last year was cheap. It's not just me that thought that. If you check out River Ave Blues, NoMaas, or Replacement Level Yankees Weblog archives and read the posts and comments, it's clear that the majority of the fanbase, young and old, felt that they went cheap last year. Like I said in the past, I'm all for spending smarter and not giving out mega contracts like 10 year deals. I don't mind getting under the tax threshold, but it has to be done with a plan and over the course of a few years so you can avoid a season like last year.

 

To sum it up, yes the Yankees aren't cheap, but in 2013 they did go cheap. I'm glad that's in the past and they have moved forward now after they realized how much revenue they lost out on last year. I'm just going to leave it in the past since I'm so tired of arguing about it and hearing words like luxury tax.

[thefiestygoat]

Baseball America Yankees Top 10 Prospects

1. Gary Sanchez, c
2. Slade Heathcott, of
3. Mason Williams, of
4. J.R. Murphy, c
5. Eric Jagielo, 3b
6. Aaron Judge, of
7. Ian Clarkin, lhp
8. Greg Bird, 1b
9. Luis Severino, rhp
10. Gosuke Katoh, 2b

No surprise Sanchez is 1st, in fact the gap between him and the rest of the list is probably pretty decent. From what I've read, Sanchez should be able to stay behind the plate long term which is a plus. He didn't have an overwhelming year in A+ with a 108 wRC+ in 399 PA but did well as a 20 year old in AA with a 113 wRC+ in 110 PA. He's still young for the league and I'm excited to see how he does this year in what will probably be a full year of AA ball.

 

Heathcott was finally able to stay healthy for a decent chunk of time before finishing the year injured. Still he managed to play over 100 games in a year for the 1st time in his career and had a decent 104 wRC+. Not a great year but the fact he stayed healthy that long leaves me with a glass half full outlook towards him for 2014. Needs to breakout this year though.

 

Williams was a huge, huge disappointment last year. Such a shame since he pretty much killed his trade value when the Yankees could really use it too. Had an early season DUI arrest, hit below average in A+ with a 95 wRC+ in 461 PA, didn't even hit in the Arizona Fall League which is an offensive league. Hopefully he can bounce back.

 

J.R. Murphy was one of the few bright spots last year. Hit well in AA and AAA last year. If they don't trade him, I think he can pass Romine on the depth chart with a strong 2014. Theoretically in a perfect world I suppose the Yankees hope he and Sanchez could split the catching duties in NY in a few seasons if they both reach their potential.

 

Loved the Jagielo pick and hope he can be one of those prospects that comes out of college and can get fast tracked through the minors. Also love the Judge pick but he seems like he's more of a project long term. Hopefully the Yankees don't destroy Clarkin like they tend to have done for at least a decade now to pitchers. Love the upside he has though and it's worth noting that the previous year's 1st round pick, Hensley will finally be healthy to play this year.

 

I'm interested in how Katoh does this year. Had monster GCL numbers which mean nothing (looking at you Dante Bichette Jr.) and supposedly the Yankees are going to get him on a throwing program so he can use his fantastic defense at SS which would increase his value.

 

Overall not a strong farm system at all and they have had a few down years now but hopefully some of these guys bust out this year.

[thefiestygoat]

Here's a look at the remaining free agent SP on the market thanks to FanGraphs. Right now the rotation has Sabathia, Kuroda, and Nova. All 3 of whom have question marks themselves but should still hopefully be able to hold it down. Andrew Marchand says that the Yankees intend to have a 5th starter competition between Phelps, Warren, Pineda, and Nuno which is fair enough.

 

Garza, Jimenez, and E. Santana seem to be the 3 best guys on the market that will command mutli-year deals, which says more about how weak the market is than the quality. I'm not into Jimenz or Santana at all but I do like Garza more than most, partially due to his success in the ALE before. With that said, he is going to get paid a lot and I wouldn't blame the Yankees for walking away if they would rather use the money on 2B or 3B.

 

In terms of cheap options, I'd have some interest in a guy like Maholm whom George King said the Yankees had on their radar as a back up option. Sure he has his warts and injury history but this is about bottom feeding for guys on the cheap who can provide some value. Amongst the remaining FA SP he ranks 5th in HR/9 (0.86), 8th in GB% (50.8), 12th in FIP (4.00), and 7th in RA9-WAR (5.6) over the past 3 seasons combined. Amongst those P he is 1 of 7 to have pitched at least 500 IP in the past 3 years. He's coming off a 1 year/$6.5M contract so I doubt he will warrant that much money or commitment. Maybe he'd be interested in a reunion with McCann.

 

According to Jon Heyman the Yankees checked in on Pelfrey whom I'm not a fan of but I can understand why they would do it. He missed most of 2012 due to Tommy John surgery and put up a decent 3.99 FIP in 152.2 IP for the Twins last year. Shouldn't command that much money or commitment so he's another bargain bin guy. Amongst those FA SP above, over the last 3 years he ranks 4th in HR/9 (0.84), 15th in GB% (45.0), 18th in FIP (4.16), and 30th in RA9-WAR (0.3). Seems more like a back up option to the back up options.

 

Oh, and for the helluva it, 2 time ex-Yankee Chad Gaudin is out there and he started 12 games last year! I  also wonder if the Yankees would be willing to take a flyer on minor league deals for Wang (again) or Tsuyoshi Wada (if he stays stateside).

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

fiesty, it's all good if you want to agree to disagree, but re:  Swish, do you really think the Yankees let him walk if he had been anywhere from a good to great playoff performer?  I know sabes guys don't believe in clutch or stepping up and will always spout "small samples" whenever a good regular season producer disappears in the playoffs, even if it happens time and time again.  Sabes guys tend to discount the human element, and that after a while, for a guy like Swisher, it can become almost purely a mental thing...after 2008 and 2009, does Swisher start pressing in 2010 and 2011?  Especially when he knows Yankee fans often measure player success by what they do in the big game, in the big spots?  Maybe in 2010, Swish is thinking "Geez, I really need to start getting it done in the playoffs...", and puts more pressure on himself, grips the bat more tightly...there aren't advanced metrics or acronyms for this, but though sabes can clearly help flesh out traditional stats, they never account for what players are from the neck up...they treat players as though they were all Vulcanized robots, when we've seen that some guys are more prone to struggling with pressure, getting rattled, controlling their emotions, etc, and that can affect on-field performance. 

 

I don't hold your age against you, never did.  I never brought it up once during this conversation.  You're lucky, in that a "cheap down year" in Yankeeland these days is an 85-win season where the Yankees spent over $228 million in player salaries (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/?team=NYA).  The only people who are going to relate to Yankee fans bitching about such things are other Yankee fans...to the rest of the baseball world, they're going to sound entitled, spoiled and ridiculous.  I'm not saying you're any of these at all (I firmly believe that you are NOT), but when only one other MLB team is even in your spending continent (the Dodgers), no one is going to take complaints about the Yankees being cheap in 2013 seriously. 

 

All of the 2013 payrolls:

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/?cyear=2013&team=&pos=              

[Daniel]

Strangely, I'm a little excited to see what this team can do. Don't think I'll buy any tickets for games (I actually buy Mets tickets now, since you still have e-delivery on Stubhub) but I could see myself watching a fair amount of games on TV, whereas last year I couldn't have watched more than 30 innings of Yankees baseball, including what happened to be on in bars.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Mike Brown]

Baseball America Yankees Top 10 Prospects

No surprise Sanchez is 1st, in fact the gap between him and the rest of the list is probably pretty decent. From what I've read, Sanchez should be able to stay behind the plate long term which is a plus. He didn't have an overwhelming year in A+ with a 108 wRC+ in 399 PA but did well as a 20 year old in AA with a 113 wRC+ in 110 PA. He's still young for the league and I'm excited to see how he does this year in what will probably be a full year of AA ball.

 

Heathcott was finally able to stay healthy for a decent chunk of time before finishing the year injured. Still he managed to play over 100 games in a year for the 1st time in his career and had a decent 104 wRC+. Not a great year but the fact he stayed healthy that long leaves me with a glass half full outlook towards him for 2014. Needs to breakout this year though.

 

Williams was a huge, huge disappointment last year. Such a shame since he pretty much killed his trade value when the Yankees could really use it too. Had an early season DUI arrest, hit below average in A+ with a 95 wRC+ in 461 PA, didn't even hit in the Arizona Fall League which is an offensive league. Hopefully he can bounce back.

 

J.R. Murphy was one of the few bright spots last year. Hit well in AA and AAA last year. If they don't trade him, I think he can pass Romine on the depth chart with a strong 2014. Theoretically in a perfect world I suppose the Yankees hope he and Sanchez could split the catching duties in NY in a few seasons if they both reach their potential.

 

Loved the Jagielo pick and hope he can be one of those prospects that comes out of college and can get fast tracked through the minors. Also love the Judge pick but he seems like he's more of a project long term. Hopefully the Yankees don't destroy Clarkin like they tend to have done for at least a decade now to pitchers. Love the upside he has though and it's worth noting that the previous year's 1st round pick, Hensley will finally be healthy to play this year.

 

I'm interested in how Katoh does this year. Had monster GCL numbers which mean nothing (looking at you Dante Bichette Jr.) and supposedly the Yankees are going to get him on a throwing program so he can use his fantastic defense at SS which would increase his value.

 

Overall not a strong farm system at all and they have had a few down years now but hopefully some of these guys bust out this year.

 

I didn't realize Heathcott was that highly touted.

[thefiestygoat]

fiesty, it's all good if you want to agree to disagree, but re:  Swish, do you really think the Yankees let him walk if he had been anywhere from a good to great playoff performer?  I know sabes guys don't believe in clutch or stepping up and will always spout "small samples" whenever a good regular season producer disappears in the playoffs, even if it happens time and time again.  Sabes guys tend to discount the human element, and that after a while, for a guy like Swisher, it can become almost purely a mental thing...after 2008 and 2009, does Swisher start pressing in 2010 and 2011?  Especially when he knows Yankee fans often measure player success by what they do in the big game, in the big spots?  Maybe in 2010, Swish is thinking "Geez, I really need to start getting it done in the playoffs...", and puts more pressure on himself, grips the bat more tightly...there aren't advanced metrics or acronyms for this, but though sabes can clearly help flesh out traditional stats, they never account for what players are from the neck up...they treat players as though they were all Vulcanized robots, when we've seen that some guys are more prone to struggling with pressure, getting rattled, controlling their emotions, etc, and that can affect on-field performance. 

I do think there is a mental part of the game, though I'm not sure how to factor it in. I should probably read "The Psychology of Baseball: Inside the Mental Game of the Major League Player" that I found one day for a few dollars but has been sitting in my room for a few years now.

Swisher probably was pressing and maybe the Yankees front office being closer to him took note and had some concerns about it. I'm sure with a guy like him, it would be easy for them to spot changes in behavior given how outgoing his personality is. There is definitely something to the whole "postseason in NY" thing even if sabremetrics dismisses it.

I think the Yankees were hoping Ichiro would still be around or just below league average offensively while providing solid defense. They mentioned revenue/Japanese market as a big reason for retaining him so I suppose that helped tip them in favor of Ichiro. In a way they wanted to take a gamble on Ichiro on a short deal than Swisher long term. I disagree with it but I can understand it to some degree.

 

 

I don't hold your age against you, never did.  I never brought it up once during this conversation.  You're lucky, in that a "cheap down year" in Yankeeland these days is an 85-win season where the Yankees spent over $228 million in player salaries (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/?team=NYA).  The only people who are going to relate to Yankee fans bitching about such things are other Yankee fans...to the rest of the baseball world, they're going to sound entitled, spoiled and ridiculous.  I'm not saying you're any of these at all (I firmly believe that you are NOT), but when only one other MLB team is even in your spending continent (the Dodgers), no one is going to take complaints about the Yankees being cheap in 2013 seriously.

Oh, don't worry man, I know we're cool and you weren't trying to take a shot against me or anything. I hope I wasn't coming off too defensive or as a jerk. It's interesting you mention how this is the sort of thing that Yankee fans can't relate to with fans of other MLB teams. I think that's spot on. I also have to admit that in a weird way I kind of like how the rest of MLB fans tend to hate the Yankees. It probably makes no sense or comes off like I want to be oppositional but playing the "bad guy role" as the Evil Empire is kind of fun.

[thefiestygoat]

I didn't realize Heathcott was that highly touted.

Slade Heathcott is a really interesting story not just for his on the field talent but struggles off the field. I'm really pulling for this kid.

They took him 29th overall in the 1st round in 2009 as a toolsy, athletic kid out of a Texas HS. Far from a finished product but with a ton of potential.

 

So far he's battled numerous injuries which have interrupted his development - two surgeries on his left shoulder, right knee injury last year just to name some of them. One thing that is awesome about him but could hurt him is that he is one of those players that literally goes all out when he plays which opens him up to getting banged up. Plus he can be a bit hot headed as he got into a brawl shortly after this article that profiles his off the field issues was published. Some speculate the catcher said something to him about his past and he couldn't quell his anger. I highly recommend the full article and I'll post a few snippets.

 

Slade Heathcott aimed the shotgun at his father.

"I was ready to do it," the Charleston RiverDogs' 20-year-old millionaire center fielder said. "Had my finger on the trigger." "It was just a matter of where I was going to shoot him."

Jeff Heathcott spent part of Slade's high school years in jail.

Slade's mother, Kimberly Johnson, moved from Texarkana early in his senior year. She and Slade's younger brother Zane went to Alexandria, La., home of her soon-to-be husband. Slade Heathcott spent most of his senior year living with friends, bouncing from one house to another. But that wasn't the worst of it.

------

Heathcott countered his high school anger with drinking. He was arrested for driving under the influence, tore up his knee playing football for Texas High School, got kicked off the baseball team for academic reasons. And kept drinking.

"I know there are stories about kids who grow up in three-bedroom, two-bathroom houses with picket fences," said Barry Norton, the athletic director at Texas High School. "Slade's story isn't like that."

The full article really demonstrates his dysfunctional family situation, general homelessness as he lived out of his truck part of his senior year of high school, his alcohol addiction which nearly got him shot in the skull, and which the Yankees found out about when he missed a flight. He's been going to AA meetings and Church to help turn his life around. He clearly grew up in a toxic situation and I really hope he can be one of those kids that finds a way out of it to be successful, not just on the field but more importantly off of it. He's had to deal with a lot more than any teenager or young adult should have to. Hopefully he can stay healthy and continue to play the game he loves.

[thefiestygoat]

Strangely, I'm a little excited to see what this team can do. Don't think I'll buy any tickets for games (I actually buy Mets tickets now, since you still have e-delivery on Stubhub) but I could see myself watching a fair amount of games on TV, whereas last year I couldn't have watched more than 30 innings of Yankees baseball, including what happened to be on in bars.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I'm definitely excited about this year's team and as of right now I don't think they are a lock to be a playoff team, but they will have a decent chance to make a wild card run. The fact that they improved by adding a legit RF and have 2 great defenders in CF and LF while being able to employ a solid rotating DH spot between Beltran/Soriano/Jeter and have one of the best defensive SS in Ryan to back up Jeter should he be DHing or need a day off is awesome, plus they added McCann in his prime who adds a lot of value offensively and behind the plate which should aid the pitching staff. Plus Johnson is a very solid 2B/3B option that gives them flexibility. I'm hoping they re-sign Reynolds or someone similar at a low cost to help out at the corners for depth. Plus a healthy Teixeira, though in decline mode, still is an upgrade over that they had at 1B. I also really like the minor league deals they have handed out so far and think some of those guys can contribute when injuries hit.

 

SP is still questionable but I hope that McCann who is a solid pitch framer and is a vet can help out the younger guys. I really hope the Yankees can add a low cost guy like Maholm on a short term deal considering next year's free agent market has the potential to have a few guys out there (Homer Bailey, Clayton Kershaw , Jon Lester, Justin Masterson, Max Scherzer, James Shields) though I'm sure 2-3 of them probably get extensions.

 

In a nutshell, for a team that had many holes they've done a good job at addressing C, RF, 1B (since Teixeira is coming back), SS, and DH. This team will have a legit fighting shot at the postseason and that's all I ask for. Just find a way in and then hope you end up being the hottest team for the short tournament.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

I do think there is a mental part of the game, though I'm not sure how to factor it in. I should probably read "The Psychology of Baseball: Inside the Mental Game of the Major League Player" that I found one day for a few dollars but has been sitting in my room for a few years now.

Swisher probably was pressing and maybe the Yankees front office being closer to him took note and had some concerns about it. I'm sure with a guy like him, it would be easy for them to spot changes in behavior given how outgoing his personality is. There is definitely something to the whole "postseason in NY" thing even if sabremetrics dismisses it.

I think the Yankees were hoping Ichiro would still be around or just below league average offensively while providing solid defense. They mentioned revenue/Japanese market as a big reason for retaining him so I suppose that helped tip them in favor of Ichiro. In a way they wanted to take a gamble on Ichiro on a short deal than Swisher long term. I disagree with it but I can understand it to some degree.

 

Oh, don't worry man, I know we're cool and you weren't trying to take a shot against me or anything. I hope I wasn't coming off too defensive or as a jerk. It's interesting you mention how this is the sort of thing that Yankee fans can't relate to with fans of other MLB teams. I think that's spot on. I also have to admit that in a weird way I kind of like how the rest of MLB fans tend to hate the Yankees. It probably makes no sense or comes off like I want to be oppositional but playing the "bad guy role" as the Evil Empire is kind of fun.

 

re:  who is more prone to failing in big spots than others...yeah, no sure-fire way to factor it in, but I guess you get a "feel" for guys who have a knack for imploding.  Armando Benitez, who could clearly be one of the most dominating closers in baseball for weeks and even months at a time, got that deer-in-the-headlights look when the stakes got higher, and Met fans could see his meltdowns coming a mile away.  I think once Swish's four Yankee postseasons reached 36 games and saw him put up almost invisible numbers (130 AB, 12 R, 21 H, 7 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 15 BB, 38 K, .162 BA, .277 OB%), with the 36 games being a decent-sized sample from a postseason standpoint, the Yankees just said "Screw it, if he's ever going to find postseason success, it's probably not going to be here."  We'd have to analyze Swish's game-by-game numbers to know this for sure, but let's face it, there's some hitters out there who feast on a lot of bad teams and bad pitching in the regular season, and come playoff time, get exposed when they're forced to face good pitching game after game. 

 

You weren't coming off as defensive or jerky at all.  Wasn't even thinking that.  I'm a Patriot fan, and they're kind of seen as the "Evil Empire" of the NFL, so I'm familiar with being a fan of a "villain" team...hell, if you really think about it, the Devils have been the villain of the NHL for roughly 20 years now.  Whenever someone mentions the "B" word, re:  hockey, you can be sure the Devils and trapping get mentioned soon after. 

Edited December 11, 2013 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Mike Brown]

Slade Heathcott is a really interesting story not just for his on the field talent but struggles off the field. I'm really pulling for this kid.

They took him 29th overall in the 1st round in 2009 as a toolsy, athletic kid out of a Texas HS. Far from a finished product but with a ton of potential.

 

So far he's battled numerous injuries which have interrupted his development - two surgeries on his left shoulder, right knee injury last year just to name some of them. One thing that is awesome about him but could hurt him is that he is one of those players that literally goes all out when he plays which opens him up to getting banged up. Plus he can be a bit hot headed as he got into a brawl shortly after this article that profiles his off the field issues was published. Some speculate the catcher said something to him about his past and he couldn't quell his anger. I highly recommend the full article and I'll post a few snippets.

The full article really demonstrates his dysfunctional family situation, general homelessness as he lived out of his truck part of his senior year of high school, his alcohol addiction which nearly got him shot in the skull, and which the Yankees found out about when he missed a flight. He's been going to AA meetings and Church to help turn his life around. He clearly grew up in a toxic situation and I really hope he can be one of those kids that finds a way out of it to be successful, not just on the field but more importantly off of it. He's had to deal with a lot more than any teenager or young adult should have to. Hopefully he can stay healthy and continue to play the game he loves.

 

Yikes!  I try to stay away from sports athletes' personal lives.  But it sounds like this kid has the adversity to battle through anything.  Much like Joba and his dad's illness. Too bad Joba didn't pan out.

[thefiestygoat]

Yankees completed the Chris Stewart trade, acquiring RP Kyle Haynes. Obviously nothing special but considering they got something for Stewart, I love it. Also a nice depth addition since they could lose both RP Danny Burawa and RP Tommy Kahnle in the Rule V Draft tomorrow. Haynes could take one of their spots in AA this year. Here is Pirates Prospects scouting report on him:

 

Haynes was a reliever heading into the year, sitting in the 93-94 MPH range with his fastball, and touching 96 in the past. He’s got good life on the pitch, attacking the zone and using a fastball-heavy approach. After success in West Virginia during the early part of the season, he moved to the rotation where the strong results continued. As a starter, Haynes was sitting 90-92 MPH with his fastball. He also mixed in his low-80s curveball, but still mostly leaned on the fastball. He doesn’t profile as a starter in the majors, but if he can improve his curveball he could develop into a strong reliever.

 

Also Cashman confirmed today that Betances and Nunez still have an option year left which is good news for flexibility, though I think Betances is ready to contribute out of the bullpen. I still hope that they just exile Nunez from the organization though.

[Mike Brown]

I honestly think Betances is vastly overrated.  I was never a fan of him.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Mike Brown

[thefiestygoat]

I honestly think Betances is vastly overrated.  I was never a fan of him.

He was hyped because of his draft status. He busted as a starting pitcher but did great as a reliever last year in AAA. Like every pitcher he gets to focus on 2-3 pitches and gets to empty the tank. If he pitches how he did last year, then I think he forces his way onto the team.

 

2013 AAA as a reliever: 60.2 IP, 12.31 K/9, 3.85 BB/9, 3.19 K/BB, 0.14 HR/9, 0.9725 WHIP, 1.34 ERA

 

 

Heyman reported that the Yankees rejected the Reds offer of Phillips for Gardner. I hope Cashman just laughed at them and walked away/hung up. The only thing more funny is seeing all the Yankees fans on twitter that are upset and think that would've been a good deal.

[Hi, I'm VALUE!]

Turns out we only lost Kahne in Rule V

 

Also, Giants sign Mike Morse, which probably puts them out of the Gardner trade rumors that have been going around.

 

I'm just not sure who to root for at this point for any more signings.  Infante wants something like 4/32 or better, which seems like a high price to pay.  We don't have a ton to trade, and a lot of the other options we have at 2B/3B/SP are kinda meh for the money they're going to ask for (Tanaka aside).  If Tanaka goes elsewhere or is not posted, I haven't a clue what we're going to do in the SP market. 

[Onddeck]

He was hyped because of his draft status. He busted as a starting pitcher but did great as a reliever last year in AAA. Like every pitcher he gets to focus on 2-3 pitches and gets to empty the tank. If he pitches how he did last year, then I think he forces his way onto the team.

2013 AAA as a reliever: 60.2 IP, 12.31 K/9, 3.85 BB/9, 3.19 K/BB, 0.14 HR/9, 0.9725 WHIP, 1.34 ERA

Heyman reported that the Yankees rejected the Reds offer of Phillips for Gardner. I hope Cashman just laughed at them and walked away/hung up. The only thing more funny is seeing all the Yankees fans on twitter that are upset and think that would've been a good deal.

id rather have Gardner (speed, good BA, suprisingly clutch every once in a while, great leadoff, true yankee) but realize our infield is a meltdown waiting to happen. Who knows what kind of season jeter or tex will have, we have a situation at 3b, and obviously losing cano.

I'm not for the trade but realize it's not that bad of a proposal

[thefiestygoat]

Turns out we only lost Kahne in Rule V

 

Also, Giants sign Mike Morse, which probably puts them out of the Gardner trade rumors that have been going around.

 

I'm just not sure who to root for at this point for any more signings.  Infante wants something like 4/32 or better, which seems like a high price to pay.  We don't have a ton to trade, and a lot of the other options we have at 2B/3B/SP are kinda meh for the money they're going to ask for (Tanaka aside).  If Tanaka goes elsewhere or is not posted, I haven't a clue what we're going to do in the SP market. 

He can't do anything offensively but Mark Ellis seems like he could be an option. Of course Infante is the better player but I can understand not wanting to commit to him for 4/32. All the defensive metrics really like Ellis and he's probably looking for a 1 year deal around $3M. No idea what to do about SP, just an insanely weak market and the Yankees lack trade chips.

 

id rather have Gardner (speed, good BA, suprisingly clutch every once in a while, great leadoff, true yankee) but realize our infield is a meltdown waiting to happen. Who knows what kind of season jeter or tex will have, we have a situation at 3b, and obviously losing cano.

I'm not for the trade but realize it's not that bad of a proposal

I still wouldn't like the proposal at all but it would at least be a bit more respectable if the Reds were offering to pretty much eat the overwhelming majority of the $50M left on Phillips deal owed to him over the next 4 years. 33 year old 2B whose already declining though so I still wouldn't do that deal even if the Yankees pretty much got Phillips for free.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

OK Robinson, you went and took the money, not going to judge you on it, it's an insane amount of coin and I can certainly understand why someone would take it, but there's no reason to be a complete dick about it.  The Yankees didn't respect you?  They weren't trying?  Why, because they didn't get stupid like the Mariners did?  Because the Yankees dared to offer you a terrific deal that actually showed some measure of restraint?  $25 million per year for 7 years?  Yeah, those Yankees are sure unappreciative cheapskates.  Keep busting it down the first base line you fvcking jerk.   

 

Just another dummy who'd be doing some extremely menial if he couldn't swing a bat.  What an a$$hole.  I'm not even a Yankee fan and now I hate the guy.   

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10125503/robinson-cano-seattle-mariners-finalize-huge-contract

Edited December 13, 2013 by Colorado Rockies 1976