YANKEE FAN PANIC: WE SIGNED THE WRONG PITCHER!

There's been plenty of bitching over the past 24 hours. Here's the most common complaint:  "The Yankees should have signed Alexi Ogando, not Scott Baker."  Eh... whatever man.  Here's the reality... Who knows if the Red Sox got the better deal here... it's just baseball.

I'd love to be mad, but I'm tired of being mad.  The Yankees signed Scott Baker to a minor league deal yesterday.  Read THE YANKEES WALK DOWN BAKER STREET. SIGN SCOTT BAKER for more.  It was right around that time that Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweeted that the Red Sox signed Ogando:

Sources: #RedSox in agreement with free-agent reliever Alexi Ogando on a one-year, major-league contract, pending a physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 30, 2015

OK then. And just like that... Yankee fans are not happy.

Let me tell you what I'm happy about; I'm happy that the Yankees bullpen has already been touted one of the best in baseball for 2015 and that we don't even need Alexi Ogando.

I'm also happy that the Yankees are stockpiling arms, and taking fliers on pitchers like Scott Baker, trying to see if they can get alittle "lightening in a bottle"... and for Baker, it's good to see this guy work his way back after Tommy John surgery.

Sure, it's not the most ideal thing in the world, but in baseball, you look for cheap, inexpensive deals when you have a full staff and as things develop, and spring training happens, you see what works and what doesn't work.  Scott Baker could possibly come back and be a solid pitcher for us... he also may shit the bed. But here's the reality... we didn't spend $9 million on him... we got him cheap, just to get a look.  Hey, that's not a bad thing.

Being jealous because the Red Sox signed Alexi Ogando is fine, I guess. But let the off season play out.  Don't panic.  The Yankees pen is in a great position right now and the bottom line is... we just didn't need Alexi Ogando, that's it.

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THE TROUBLE WITH HATING JOBA CHAMBERLAIN

Know the whole story, come on guys... you're better than that.

Look, if a baseball fan doesn't like a player, I have no beef with that. I really don't.  But here's what I don't like. I have never been a fan of calling a player a "bum."  I don't understand that and I never will.  Being called a bum is suggesting that the player, whomever he is, doesn't work hard.  It's suggesting that they're just "lazy" or don't apply themselves.  Here's the reality; players that make it to a major league club don't just "slip in".  They are noticed.  They get contracts based on performance. There's talent there.  And so... when a player has a bad season, that's exactly what it is in my opinion... a bad season.  Sure, sometimes players end up fading, but it doesn't mean they "suck" or are "bums".  It means they just don't have what they once had.  Maybe it's confidence, or age, or injury... whatever.  In my opinion... name calling... it's silly.

That brings me to Joba Chamberlain.  I wrote a piece yesterday titled WHY ISN'T JOBA CHAMBERLAIN BEEN SIGNED YET? Sure, my titled asked a question, but what I noticed next came as a surprise. What you're about to see is comedy.  Some of it may have been from just seeing the headline and never reading the story and some of it is not knowing the true nature of what has transpired in Joba Chamberalin's off season. Some of the comments may even just be jokes. Whatever the case, I found it interesting.

The fact is, Joba Chamberalin has actually received a ton of offers this offseason, but the reason why he remains unsigned isn't because he's a "bum" at all.  It's because he turned those contract offers down.  Check this out:

That's a small sample on Facebook, and look, this isn't some kind of lesson in reader humiliation or anything... I love the BYB readers.  All I'm saying is there's a full story about Joba Chamberlain here. Maybe I should have revealed everything about Joba in my piece yesterday and I apologize and that's my bad.  But look, it brings me back to my point... teams wanted Joba, but Joba, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports: "“has rejected multiple offers from teams he did not want to join.”

So, sure, if you wanted to call him a bum, I guess you have that right. But the reality is, that really doesn't make much sense.  And sure, you could say that no one wanted him... but that's not true either.

What is true is Joba was probably waiting for the right deal.  That's it... plain and simple.

Look, enjoy your Saturday and do NOT take this post personally.  I just wanted to bring it to everyone's attention... it's weird, that's all.



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THE YANKEES WALK DOWN BAKER STREET. SIGN SCOTT BAKER

When I was a kid, there was a song that always comforted me. The song was Baker Street, and everytime I hear it, even to this day, it brings me back to my childhood. When I hear it... life is good.



Now truth be told, while I am a big fan of Baker Street... I am not so much a fan of Scott Baker.  Not now at least.  Was I ever? Hell yeah. Baker had a nice run with the Twins and he was always a solid pitcher.

Here's the deal. The Yankees signed Scott Baker to a minor league deal today.  That news comes from Matt Eddy:

#Yankees become latest team to try to reclaim value from veteran RHP Scott Baker, signing him to minor league deal, like #Rangers last year.
— Matt Eddy (@MattEddyBA) January 30, 2015

Now look, if it was 2009, I'd love Baker on the New York Yankees.  Back them, he was 15-9 and just a very good pitcher.

These days though, he's recovering from Tommy John surgery and he's bounced around. He was on the Cubs and his last team was the Texas Rangers in 2014 where he went 3-4 with a 5.47 ERA.  Is that great? Not really.  But here's my take on Baker signing with the Yankees;

It's a "stock-piling of arms" situation.  Much like the Jeff Francis, signing Banker simply does this; it let's the Yankees get a look and see if he can offer anything.  If he can, that's great! Trust me, there is nothing better than watching players fight their way back to the Bigs. I love watching that! 

Remember what Scott Kazmir did? It was a long road, but he did it and those types of stories are great; Great for the fans and great for the players that push themselves.    And look... if it doesn't work out for Scott Baker, it's not a big deal for a team like the Yankees... they just move on.

So... If you're asking me my opinion of the Yankees going after Baker, I really don't have one. I just hope the guy personally bounces back and if he helps the club in the process... it's a good thing.  But that's it...

Welcome Scott... good luck to ya pal. Go get'em!

Now, if you'd excuse me... I'm going to go listen to Baker Street on my iPod now... and back to 1978 we go...

 

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A BETTER BELTRAN? I'D SAY SO

As spring training approaches, I always think about the scene from Major League where the group of misfits from the Cleveland Indians struggle and prepare for the season. They were all excited, many cocky, others goofy, all with chips on their shoulders who eventually found the winning formula. If anyone on the Yankees roster is chomping at the bit to get spring training started, it's Carlos Beltran. Although he is neither cocky nor goofy, I’m sure he has a chip on his shoulder and is prepared to prove to himself, the Yankees and us fans why the Yankees signed him.

Carlos Beltran is a true professional and borderline Hall of Famer in my opinion, but he struggled in 2014 while dealing with the bone spur in his elbow and has really taken some heat for it. He did sign a rather big three year contract worth $15 million a year at 36 years old. But his previous success warranted it. The criticism, sometimes cruel, he received is not warranted.

Remember Yankees fans, Beltran is a team player. Remember when Joe Girardi needed a first baseman with Mark Teixeira out after Francisco Cervelli popped his hammy? Beltran was your man. He took one for the team and played a very uncomfortable first base. But he sucked it up, succeeded well enough and even made light of it afterward. He said when asked about having the ball hit his way, “.. please God, hit it somewhere else!”

Joe Girardi was pleased and impressed with his willingness to be a team player at the time. “That man is willing to do anything you ask him to do,” Joe Girardi said. “Whether you put him some place he’s never been or you move him in the order, he just asks to play. He wants to contribute. That’s what I’ve learned. It’s very, very unselfish.” The skipper loves him, so he deserves our respect.

Us Yankees fans have to admire that. He wants to play. He wants to contribute. You know what? Injuries happen. It’s part of the game. 2015 is a brand new season, with new faces and some new coaches. If you ask me who is going to be ready come opening day, my money is on Carlos Beltran.

Although Beltran’s average dipped to .233 last summer, his other offensive stats weren’t too far off from his 2013 pace. He still hit 15 home runs in 109 games and added 23 doubles. In 2013, he hit 24 home runs and 30 doubles in 149 games. He also drew just one fewer walk than the previous season, showing a patient, professional approach at the dish. From 2011-2013 Beltran averaged 26 home runs, 88 RBIs and a .288 batting average. I don’t see any reason, barring injuries, why he can’t produce numbers similar to that in 2015.

With the respect of Joe Girardi and presumably everyone in the clubhouse, Carlos Beltran is one of the guys you want to be around. If I were a young player, particularly a Latino player, I would engulf myself with any and everything Carlos Beltran has to say. He has the experience, the knowledge and resume to back up everything he says. Soak it in while you can.

Beltran finally got his shot to be a Yankee in 2014. He famously asked the Yankees to sign him at a discount in 2005 and the Yankees refused. But years later, he is in pinstripes. One rough, injury plagued, season in which no regulars besides Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner really put up respectable numbers, shouldn't be a reason for negative publicity and cruel words toward Beltran.

Beltran wanted to be a Yankee and now he is. He is a team player with the willingness to do whatever it takes to help his ball club succeed. He should be respected and will come out swinging, literally and figuratively, this season. I have all the respect in the world for him and look forward to seeing him in the middle of the lineup.

2015 will be a year of redemption and all of us Yankees fans should show Beltran how we Bleed Yankee Blue for him! That's my take at least.


 
Dan Lucia
BYB Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia

 

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WHY ISN'T JOBA CHAMBERLAIN BEEN SIGNED YET?

I've never been a Joba Chamberlain hater. This is a guy that came to Bleeding Yankee Blue and we put out his note thanking the Yankee fans everywhere, EXCLUSIVELY. Remember? Read JOBA THANKS THE FANS EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH BYB! In it, he said:

"...I'm so grateful and thankful for the tremendous 7 years. Ups and downs included. It made me a better man, father, friend, and baseball player... I wouldn't be anything without the fans that supported me. I know it was hard at times but I hope they know I gave it everything I had every time I went out there."

So, in short, there's a loyalty from me personally and I would love to see Joba signed somewhere, but that hasn't happened and it's strange.  I was reading Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports who wrote this:

"Chamberlain at 29 is the youngest right-handed reliever on the open market. He had a presentable season in 2014, though his second half was sub-par, as was his performance in the playoffs. Yet, with February just days away, Chamberlain remains unsigned...

...At this point, Chamberlain knows that he is unlikely to meet his goal of a two-year deal and is considering a one-year offer with a relatively low base salary and incentives, the source said. Chamberlain made $2.5 million with the Tigers last season, and finished with a 3.57 ERA in 63 innings...

'Joba’s had some issues family-wise,' Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski told the Detroit Free Press after the team clinched the AL Central. “His mom’s been very sick. People don’t realize how that has affected him at times.'

Rival executives, though, still question Chamberlain’s makeup, a concern that first surfaced during his days with the Yankees. One exec also said that it alarmed him that the Tigers, for all their bullpen troubles, are not bringing Chamberlain back.

Chamberlain is said to be working hard, and has even shaved his beard. Now, he just needs to find a new home."

What's my point to all this? Don't forget those players that made you smile... that made you excited to watch your team.  Joba was one of those guys. Joba was electric for a while there in the Bronx and he's a good egg with a few small missteps.  I'm not sure why the Tigers don't wanna bring him back.  Maybe they still can't get over the playoffs.  But what's past is past, and this guy needs a new team, no doubt.

I hope you get signed soon Joba. Yankee fans still lova ya, pal.

Hang tough.

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THE RAYS MAY BE IN ON YOAN MONCADA

Quick note... because I know many of you are very excited about the possibility of the Yankees trying to snag 19 year old Cuban stud Yoan Moncada.  Apparently the Tampa Bay Rays checked in on him recently too.  This comes after clubs like the Yankees, Giants and Red Sox all gave him private workouts. Now apparently, the Rays are doing the same.

According to the Tampa Bay Times:

"The Rays most likely can't afford to sign Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada, but they took at him Wednesday during a private workout at the Trop anyway.

Moncada showed impressive power in front of a group of team officials, including baseball operations president Matt Silverman.

Still awaiting clearance to sign with an MLB team, Moncada, 19, is expected to get a deal worth at least  $30- to $40-million. He has worked out for several other teams, a list that reportedly includes the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, Giants and possibly the Cubs. Moncada is considered among the best players to leave Cuba."

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times always has his finger on the pulse which is why I wanted to at least bring you this nugget on Moncada and the Rays this morning.

It's all very interesting as the sweepstakes tighten up.  All I have to say is... "Come on Yanks... get this kid." 

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MASAHIRO TANAKA SAYS HE FEELS GOOD

According to Masahiro Tanaka himself, his elbow feels good.  The Japan Times says:

"Tanaka, who missed two months last season due to an elbow injury, worked out ahead of his second big league season on Thursday.

Using the indoor facility of his former club, the Rakuten Eagles, Tanaka ran sprints, practiced fielding and played catch — in which he mixed in some breaking balls.

'So far so good — including that (the elbow)...Whether I’m the ace or I’m used in different roles within games, I’m always thinking I’m going to win, so I’m not going to change anything I do.'"

We really need this guy to be a big time ace for us this season.  Behind a healthy Tanaka, I believe we can do anything.

In other news... this is Tanaka and his puppy.

 He posted this on New Years Day.

That's all I got... carry on.

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THE YANKEES’ 6-MAN ROTATION: WHY IT MAKES SENSE

This idea has been kicked around for a few years now, with the prevalence of arm injuries and pitchers pitching into their later years. There are conflicting thoughts on how much rest and caution is required to keep starting pitchers healthy. What is clear is that the Yankees have a very fragile starting rotation to start the 2015 season (see Dan Lucia’s article THE YANKEES ROTATION SCARES ME). They have to consider how to give their pitchers rest, and the best way may be to have a 6-man rotation.

About a year ago, I wrote a piece called “COULD THE YANKEES USE A 6-MAN ROTATION?”. In it, I made the case for how and why the Yankees could benefit from a 6-man rotation. The strategy was that you would have 5 regular starters and a 6th starter who would float through the rotation, taking the place of a different starter each time through. The result would be that everyone would get a break once every 6th turn through the rotation. The problem I was trying to solve was how to fit in six legitimate quality starters into a 5-man schedule, when many starters need the rhythm of taking the ball every 5th day.

The reasons for a 6-man rotation are different now. I believe that the Yankees need to consider seriously having a standard 6-man rotation, with starters taking the ball every 6th day. Let’s review the Yankees’ starting rotation. The likely starters are C.C. Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi, and Chris Capuano. They have Ivan Nova rehabbing, with a probably return in May. Who believes that any of these other guys will be pitching the entire season without missing a start due to injury? Sabathia is coming back from knee surgery. Tanaka pitches under the cloud of a fragile UCL and Tommy John surgery, with some speculating that it is inevitable. Pineda’s shoulder troubles have gotten a lot of press coverage. Though Capuano served us well in 2014, remember that he missed significant time due to various injuries in 2013.

With all that, would extra rest help? Most doctors and physical therapists will tell you that more rest allows the body to heal and reduce the risk to the kind of injuries that come from over-stressing the muscles and tendons used in a pitching motion. An extra day off would mean more time to heal. Over the course of a season, it means fewer innings and less strain on every starter’s pitching arm. It would mean carrying an extra pitcher on the roster, but the strong bullpen helps offset the risk. It would also give opportunity to rising stars like Adam Warren, Chase Whitley, and others to get some experience and help carry the load. Who knows, we might get a full season with minimal injuries to our starters. What a welcome sight that would be.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row





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I HATE THE WAY ICHIRO LOOKS RIGHT NOW...

Here's my man, Ichiro Suzuki sporting his new Miami Marlins uniform.

I just threw up in my mouth alittle bit.

I hope Ichiro kills it in Miami.  Good luck, old friend.

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THOSE AMPHETAMINES WILL GET YA!

Quick note.

Tyler Palmer, a minor league Yankee has tested positive for amphetamines.  According to NJ.com, "Tyler Palmer has been suspended 50 games without pay for testing positive for amphetamine, according to MLB.

He also recorded his second positive test for a drug of abuse, the league said. His suspension will start at the beginning of the Gulf Coast League season."

In this day and age, with all the restrictions and rules... you'd think these kids would just go back to old fashioned hard work to try and make it to the bigs.

Look, I understand "getting an edge" and being "alittle better" than the another player, but let's face it,  players need to play clean.  Amphetamines? Really?

What's next.... Quaaludes? I feel like I'm on one of those hard hitting drug episodes of the White Shadow.

Don't know the White Shadow? Check it out. 



It's a 70's thing. You wouldn't understand. 

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DROB DASHED FOR LESS...

So David Robertson went to the White Sox for less money than the highest bidder....

Which begs the question... did the dude just want a change of scenery and get the hell out of New York, or did he really feel as though Chicago was the best chance for him? More on that in a moment.

Look, I have no beef with David Robertson for leaving the Bronx.  If he wanted to make a few extra bucks, change his city, do something good for Erin and Luke, go for it.  Hell, the Robertson's wore BYB for me when I asked them too.  How do you get mad at these 2 good looking people anyway? You can't. 

But look, I just found this nugget interesting and wanted to bring it to your attention.  According to Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago, DRob dashed for Chicago for less money than the highest bidder after all.

Rick Hahn said #WhiteSox weren't the highest bidder for David Robertson, who signed a 4-year, $46-mil deal.
— Dan Hayes (@CSNHayes) January 24, 2015

OK then. We don't know who the highest bidder was, but you have to remember that the Astros were "hot and heavy" for DRob at one point. I am assuming it was them. 

And here's another nugget; Not exactly news considering David now wears a White Sox jersey.  According to Comcast, David believes the White Sox are better than the Yankees.

"I think so. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think that. We’ve got a great squad right now. I’m looking forward to know the guys and seeing how they perform out there.”

No big whoop... and not even breaking news... just rivalry stuff.

Whatever the case, DRob is a White Sock... and that's OK.  I have no beef toward DRob. I just hope that when the Yankees play Chicago... and he's pitching... we remind him just how great it was in the Bronx.

Love ya pal.  Good luck in 2015.

 

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THE YANKEES JUST SIGNED A CATCHER

Quick note and it comes from Baseball America's Matt Eddy and something many could have missed.  The Yanks have signed a catcher. His name is Eddy Rodriguez. He was signed to a minor league deal. Check it, before you wreck it.

Now here is what we know about Eddy Rodriguez. According to H4 Entertainment:

"The 29-year-old Rodriguez has spent the majority of professional career at the minor league level. He did have a brief two game cameo for the San Diego Padres in 2012. During that stint, Rodriguez recorded his one and only major league hit. A home run in his very first at-bat, against Johnny Cueto of all pitchers."

Here's that video:



It should also be noted that the guy is not some kind of big hitter. This just happened to be a special moment.  And so, the Yanks will see what the guy could offer from a minor league level.  No biggie, just a small pickup but worth printing.

Welcome Eddy.


 

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BYB HOT STOVE: VOLUME XII PITCHERS ON A BUDGET

Our focus again is on pitching and here is a run through of some pitchers who are available at a cheap price but could be helpful to any team in need of a pitching tune up (which frankly is most teams other than perhaps the Cubs and Nationals right now).  Now let's preface that these pitchers have some dings on them for sure, some have deeper scraps and burns than others but according to Jeff Todd of MLB Trade Rumors, they could have some value to teams in need.

Mike Adams is a 6'5"set up guy who was not that effective for the Phillies during his 12 million dollar contract, but he could be an interesting find for a team this off season.  Specifically his strengths lie in strike outs and having an ERA under 3.  Interesting find, if you want to invest in a 36-yea-old pitcher.

Next up is John Axford, who at 31-years-old could prove to be a find for a team in need of a late inning pitcher.  He needs to work on his walks and long balls, but otherwise he could be an inexpensive investment in the hands of the right pitching coaches.

We could get peachy about Brandon Beachy who is only 28-years-old and has a life time ERA of 3.23 with only 46 starts for the Braves.  Now, here is the glitch.  He has had two UCL (Tommy John) surgeries.  However, according to John Hopkins Medical Center, "Approximately 75-85 percent of athletes return to their previous level of competition following reconstruction of the UCL. Some baseball pitchers even report increased velocity after surgery. The average rehabilitation time for throwing athletes is about 1 year, but it may take up to 24 months for a patient to return to their previous ability level."  And, I want to add that other pitchers are out there with small contracts with worse injuries than this.  He, again, with the right pitching staff, could be a gold mine.  Keep an eye out for this one.

Finally, our last pitcher profile goes to Chad Billingsley, who has also succumbed to Tommy John surgery.  At 30-years-old, Billingsley could be a great right-handed starter again with a chance to make a comeback with any team that will take a chance on him.  Interestingly enough, as we know, baseball is a game of chance and this may be a chance of a lifetime for both Billingsley and the right team.

I leave you here this week with an interesting thought and perhaps a future closer look in an upcoming post.  All of these pitchers have something in common besides injury and second chance opportunities.  They are people who need people to invest in them and not just financially, but emotionally and physically. A friend of mine is currently someone who I would say is the kind of influence you want on young people who are moving up the ladder in sports and in life.  His name is Father Rob Hagan and he is the Associate Athletic Director and sports chaplain for Villanova University Athletics.  His influence on student athletes is simply stated as "Often you are called to encourage the discouraged, to pass on wisdom you have learned to others,” says Fr. Hagan.  And this is just what we need in the case of athletes like these and future teams who strive for success.

That's it for this week's Hot Stove of pitchers on a budget.  Let's see what happens with these guys and others as February approaches.
 

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof



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