IAN CLARKIN IS BACK WITH THE CHISOX

I can't make it up if I wanted to.  Last week I told you this in IAN CLARKIN'S ON THE MOVE AGAIN...

"Clarkin was on the Chicago White Sox topping out at Double A last season. But now... he's on the Cubs claimed off waivers. "

Well... now he's back with the White Sox, as he was just claimed off waivers from the Cubs.  MLB Trade Rumors writes:

"The White Sox announced that they’ve claimed left-hander Ian Clarkin off waivers from the Cubs. It’s a quick turnaround move by the ChiSox, who only last week lost Clarkin on waivers to the Cubs."

I shit you not.

Carry on.

IAN CLARKIN'S ON THE MOVE AGAIN

Photo: AP

Remember Ian Clarkin? He was that lefty pitcher we got the same night we drafted Aaron Judge.  Well, he's long gone from the Yankees since we interviewed him here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. Read EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: IAN CLARKIN for a cool interview.

Anyway... Clarkin was on the Chicago White Sox topping out at Double A last season. But now... he's on the Cubs claimed off waivers. That news comes from many sources, but we'll go with Cubs reporter Tony Andracki… because hell... let's give him a plug:

Cubs add another LHP option in Ian Clarkin, whom they claimed off waivers from White Sox. Clarkin, 23, made 25 appearances (12 starts) in Sox system in 2018, topping out at Double-A.

— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) November 20, 2018

OK.  And there you have it.

I know, I know... no one cares.  I do.  I like to follow around former Yankees and track them over their careers. Some flourish... some don't, but once a Yankee, always a Yankee I always say.

THE YANKS ARE GOING FOR IT ALL... NEXT YEAR

Hope you're happy, Yankee fans.

Rooting for the kids  and toughing out this roller coaster rebuilding year required just a bit more patience than your winning DNA could handle -- and apparently, you had an ally in the owner's suite at the Stadium.

You wanted the team to make some moves? You got 'em. The questions of the hour though are: Were they moves that could transform this team  from the worst in baseball over the last six weeks to one that can rocket past the Rays and Red Sox into the playoffs with a real chance to win it all?

Or is that just the impression they give off to  wishful Yankee fans still sporting their spring "best in baseball" goggles who are so frustrated by relentless trips to the DL  and regression to the mean that any moves at all now resemble a yellow brick road to the Emerald City?

Let's take a quick look-see which is closer to the truth.  Remember, Brian had said they'd be "careful buyers" at the deadline and his focus would be "putting out the best effort possible, but not at the expense of what we feel can lead us to more championships, plural."

In the new paradigm, that mean's reducing payroll (aka hitting the tax threshold to eliminate the burdensome penalty the team pays now so they can start spending big anew down the road) and maintaining a fresh stock of young farmhands to keep the big club supplied with talented bodies so they don't have to keep dipping into the free market for beefcake whenever a starter goes bad.

So, boiling down the deal to its essence,  for the price of a pair of the team's top 20 prospects, an unranked throw-in farmhand, a certain inconsistent veteran reliever whose name rhymes with flippered who was in danger of being kidnapped from the player's parking lot by angry  mobs and fed to the Pizza Rat, and an additional $15 million added to the payroll,  Joe got in return:

• A pair of top-notch bullpen arms for his binder -- one that will be with the team through next season making top-notch dollars, and one who'll be under team control through the next three that's pre-arbitration eligible.
• A third baseman in his third consecutive year of decline but with some pop remaining in his bat and  only the remainder of this season to pay.

Clearly, Todd Frazier -- the 31-year-old infielder with a dozen more dingers at the mid-season break than Headley -- and a big-time closer-caliber arm like ex-Yankee setup man David "Sweet Home Alabama" Robertson" on short-term deals are more than enough to satisfy Brian's "putting out the best effort possible" advocates. 

And 24-year-old Tommy Kahnle, the big prize in the deal, certainly fulfills both "best effort" and "What we feel can lead us to more championships, plural" pledges.

And while the three prospects the team let go -- pitcher Ian Clarkin, centerfielder Blake Rutherford (both former first-round picks) and outfielder Tito Polo (the PTBNL in the Ivan Nova trade with the Pirates) -- all probably have futures in the Bigs ahead of them, with the Yankees all were stuck in lines behind more talented players  that likely meant years before they might see the Bronx and no protection in a Rule 5 draft.

Photo of: Blake Rutherford

So it was a very good deal for the Yankees. You can make a strong case it's great for the rebuild, and it's certainly better for the moment as it immediately makes their toasted grilled cheese bullpen firmer and deeper  and (hopefully) lessens the need to Joba-cize promising young starters into binder fodder so they can properly finish honing their craft on the farm as both they and the farm were intended  (a.k.a learning third and fourth pitches and mastering how to get through batting orders three times etc.).

And, of course, another big hairy bat in the lineup is always a welcome addition in Yankee Universe where anyone standing at home plate with lumber in hands is considered a runner in scoring position.

But here's the thing... The reason the bullpen was melting like Velveeta over charred Wonder bread in the first place was because the rotation was the weak link by not consistently providing length or staying out of trouble early. Remember?

And the infield position that was woefully under-producing was first base, not third base. Remember?

I mean, sure Frazier may provide a handful of dingers more than Chase in the second half. But he's also just one step ahead of tripping over the Mendoza line.

And moving Chase to first base where he's only played 14 games in his professional life and giving him a "crash course" so he can platoon with newly acquired rookie Garrett Cooper who's played  all of six MLB games there himself  sounds like rubbing two bad experiments together hoping one good one will come of it.  That's no upgrade, it's a wash at best. Frazier doesn't fill a hole. He just moves one.

No, my friends, if this team was truly "going for it" this season, you'd see the team going all in on at least one front-end type starting pitcher and at least one above-replacement level corner infielder -- preferably a first baseman that, you know,  actually has extensive experience  playing and hitting like a major league first baseman, no assembly or platoon required.  (Eating the last year of Chase's deal and snagging a certain young nifty third baseman wouldn't be a bad idea either if the O's go all garage-sale crazy and put Manny on the block like some have posited might be in their interest.)

Starting pitching and first base. Those were the two burning dumpster fires on this team before the trade and so they remain --  and calling it a blockbuster in big block letters doesn't change that fact.

So until I see Brian bring home someone legit to extinguish either one, rest assured he's sticking to the blueprint and -- absent any other moves to follow -- this trade tips toward future rewards far more than the present, which is just fine by me.

Like Bill Parcells once said when asked if his team was a winner or a loser, you are what your record says you are. And like ESPN's Andrew Marchand wrote, the Yankees are "losers of 22 of their past 32 games. That's a .313 win percentage, which wouldn't win you the batting title, let alone a division."

That's a helluva deep dark place to expect a couple of relievers and a meh infield bat to dig you out.

If over the next 11 days Brian  somehow manages to pull another whiz-banger of a deal out of his tailpipe that protects the rebuilding blueprint but provides those two precious missing ingredients handicapping this team's chances for a meaningful run at a ring this season, nobody will be more thrilled than yours truly.

In the meantime, please pardon me if I  continue rooting for the kids, demanding that performance and not paycheck size  decide playing time, looking forward to the Hot Stove and savoring what's left of this wild roller coaster ride.

I know a championship race when I see one and I'm enjoying every frustrating, exhilarating minute of the one we're in  -- for 2018.

--Barry Millman
BYB Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @nyyankeefanfore

 

CLIPPARD OUT! DROB & FRAZIER ARE IN!

Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America

Word on the street...Tyler Clippard is going to Chicago...White Sox that is.  And the Yankees are getting Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle.

Source: ELSA/GETTY IMAGES

According to the NY Daily News, "Late Tuesday evening, the Yankees were close to acquiring 1B/3B Todd Frazier — the Toms River, N.J. Little League legend — and relievers David Robertson, the former Yankee, and Tommy Kahnle from Chicago, according to multiple reports."

Source: Mike Stobe/Getty Images North America

Well, it appears the deal is done.

Also reports the News, "Top Yankee outfield prospect Blake Rutherford (and struggling reliever Tyler Clippard), according to USA Today, appears to be part of the package going to the White Sox. Pitching prospect Ian Clarkin, a first-round pick in 2013, is also in the deal according to multiple reports."

Hump Day Wednesday couldn't get much better...#LetsGoYankees.

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @suzieprof

I CAN'T WAIT FOR IAN CLARKIN!

Photo: MiLB.com

Just a quick note because we love our Yankee youth movement here! Ian Clarkin is making progress!

MLB.com's Manny Randhawa writes this of Clarkin:

Photo: MiLB.com

"Ian Clarkin (Yankees' No. 21) tossed six scoreless innings for Class A-Advanced Tampa in a 3-1 victory over Bradenton. The 22-year-old right-hander yielded only two hits, walked three and struck out eight, lowering his ERA on the young season to 0.82 (one earned run in 11 innings pitched)."

Now, we interviewed Clarkin a while back here at BYB, and since then we've been rooting hard.  If you haven't seen it, be sure to check out. It's EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: IAN CLARKIN.  I love this portion of the interview:

"BYB:  What one thing about yourself do you want our readers and followers to know about you?

Ian Clarkin: Just know that I’m working hard every day trying to make myself better.  I don’t take a day off.  I just try to get better every single day.  I’m working hard to be who I want to be and complete my dreams. "

Gotta love drive.  Gotta love this kid!

YANKEE PROSPECT WATCH: CLARKIN & TORRENS

(Courtesy: MiLB.com)

Last week in Prospect Watch, we here at BYB covered the Yankees number 20 and 19 prospects respectively, Jordan Montgomery and Drew Finley. Read YANKEE PROSPECT WATCH: MONTGOMERY & FINLEY for more!  Today, we have #18 and #17... Ian Clarkin and Luis Torrens.

(Photo: Pinstriped Prospects)

#18. LHP Ian Clarkin was the 33rd overall pick in the 2013 draft at just 18 years-old but injuries have stunted his growth as a player. In his first three pro seasons, Clarkin totaled just 80 innings and missed the entire 2015 regular season with elbow issues. In 2016, Clarkin rebounded nicely down in Tampa throwing 98 innings while finishing with a 3.31 ERA.

Clarkin was drafted as a guy, like James Kaprelian, who was seen as being polished for his age and had a high floor without necessarily a number one starter type ceiling. While Clarkin still has a low 90’s fastball from the left side, to go along with a change up and a curve ball, he still has to remain healthy as the injuries have made it tough for him to progress. Clarkin again missed the end of the 2016 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

(Charleston RiverDogs File Photo)

Although Clarkin has battled the injury bug, he is still a southpaw and will turn just 22 just prior to spring training. With a couple good, healthy years, Clarkin could be a middle of the rotation candidate come 2019 or so. But staying on the field will be the biggest hurdle for Clarkin to overcome to give himself a chance.

(SI.com)

Coming in at # 17 on the Yankees prospect list, and number nine in MLB.com top catching prospects in baseball, is 20 year-old Luis Torrens. Signed at 16 in 2012 out of Venezuela where he was primarily a short stop, the Yankees saw potential to turn him into a catcher. Torrens hit the ground running and has made the transition seamlessly.

Photo Credit: Dave Schofield

Torrens is looked at as a better defender than Gary Sanchez but does not possess the same power. His arm strength is there shown by his 41% caught stealing rate in 2016. Torrens is seen as an advanced hitter for his age and is willing to work pitchers into deep counts and utilizes all fields. Torrens batted .250 this past summer between low A and A ball, but did produce a .350 OBP which shows his maturity as a patient hitter with 15 home run potential as he continues to develop.

An interesting note about Torrens is that he will not be protected from the rule five draft coming up on December 8th during the Winter Meetings. For those who are unfamiliar with the rule five draft here is some info from MLB.com:

Players first signed at age 18 must be added to 40-man rosters within five seasons or they become eligible to be drafted by other organizations through the Rule 5 process. Players signed at 19 years or older have to be protected within four seasons. Clubs pay $50,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. If that player doesn't stay on the 25-man roster for the full season, he must be offered back to his former team for $25,000.

(Photo Courtesy: MiLB.com)

Since Torrens has only made it Single-A ball and is only 20 years-old, the likelihood of a team selecting him to be on their Major League roster for the entire season is pretty slim, but he is a sought after prospect. Assuming he stays put, Torrens could be in the mix for a backup role in 2018 or 2019, or could also be used as trade bait over the next year or two with Gary Sanchez seemingly in firm control of the catching position for the foreseeable future.

Torrens is my type of player; a good defender with a solid approach at the plate who is advanced for his age. I’m looking forward to watching him progress over the next couple of seasons.

Next up on the Prospect Watch will be Billy McKinney, a former A’s first round pick acquired from the Cubs in the Chapman deal, and Tyler Wade, a fourth round pick of the Yankees in 2013.

--Dan Lucia,  

BYB 'Series' Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @DManLucia

 

CLINT FRAZIER IS JUST TOO MUCH FUN!

(Chris Post/for New York Daily News)

Gotta love our newest Yankee farm hand Clint Frazier.  He's not afraid of the Twitter and is out there a lot talking to all sorts of folks.  He's fun to watch out there...

First he's trying to score dates a few months ago... now he's giving hair tips to Nationals Bryce Harper.  Check this out:

@clintfrazier Ehhhh pretty good right there bro..Gotta learn from JW with that mop!

— Bryce Harper (@Bharper3407) November 24, 2016

JW is Jayson Werth, who looks like Christ on a regular day.  All in good fun here, gotta love it.

(Photo: Julie Jacobson, AP)

Now we here at Bleeding Yankee Blue have interviewed plenty of Yankee minor leaguers over the years.  Ty Hensley, Ian Clarkin, Sean Carley, Dante Bichette Jr, Cito Culver, Tyler Austin, Michael O'Neill and the like. Check them out, I know you have time:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TY HENSLEY: YANKEES 1ST ROUND PICK

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: IAN CLARKIN

(In Photo: Sean Carley from Carley's Twitter)

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: SEAN CARLEY IS EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: DANTE BICHETTE JR.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: CITO CULVER

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TYLER AUSTIN... WONDERBOY

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MICHAEL O'NEILL

Maybe it's time to reach out to Frazier.  I think the dude would be a lot of fun to chat with, don't you think?

Look for it.  I will personally reach out to this dude, ask him about his time on the Indians, the Yankees and applaud him on having a set of balls, reaching out to whomever he'd like to start up alittle banter.

Love this dude! Hey Clint, let me know if Bleeding Yankee Blue can interview you this offseason. I think it would be great!

 

YANKEE PROSPECT WATCH: MONTGOMERY & FINLEY

(Source: The Times Tribune)

This is a new series breaking down our Yankee prospects in a top 20 list brought to us by MLB.com.  BYB will give you our thoughts on these guys in our new series!  Let's get started with #20, Jordan Montgomery and #19, Drew Finley...

As the off-season really starts heating up, the big trade and free agent news and rumors will be the biggest headlines around baseball and Yankeeland. But with everything that Brian Cashman has done with the farm system, the top prospects here at BYB will be given their fair share of coverage. 

(Photo: MiLB.com)

#20 is LHP Jordan Montgomery. He was phenomenal at Double-A Trenton before being promoted to Triple-A Scranton where he was arguably even better. In 19 starts in Trenton Montgomery compiled a 9-4 with a 2.55 ERA to go along with a .239 BAA. After being promoted, the former South Carolina Gamecock finished the season 5-1 over six starts and a very impressive 0.91 ERA with the Rail Riders.

 

(Source: USA Today)

Montgomery, who was a big game college pitcher before being drafted in the fourth round in 2014, showed signs of brilliance in 2016 with his fastball being clocked as high as 94 which makes his fading change up, his best pitch, even better. Along with those two pitches, he works in a curve ball and cutter as well.

 

As spring training approaches, look for Montgomery to be given a shot to earn a back of the rotation spot for the Bombers. I firmly believe that the change up is the best pitch in baseball and many scouts have applauded the way he can spot his, as well as his other pitchers, as it dives away from right handed batters. The Yankees could sign a pitcher or two but with a talent pool that includes youngsters like Montgomery, the Yankees could very go into Opening Day with the southpaw a member of the starting rotation.

 

#19 is Drew Finley...

 

(Photo: MLB.com)

One spot ahead of Montgomery is RHP Drew Finley. A third round pick out of Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego in 2015, Finley gave up his commitment to USC to sign with the Yankees. He, along with James Kaprielian, were seen as two of the most polished pitchers in the 2015 draft. That says a lot about Finley, as he was drafted out of high school.

Scouts love Finley’s curve ball and say he is willing to throw it in any count. Not too many young pitchers have that confidence and as a 20 year-old, it says a lot. He throws a low 90s fastball with a lot of movement to compliment the curve ball.

 

(Photo credit:  Robert M. Pimpsner, Pinstriped Prospects)

Finley spent the summer of 2016 with the Staten Island Yankees where he made six starts where he finished 0-3 with a 4.28 ERA. But he did hold opposing batters to a .212 average and had an impressive 1.10 WHIP on the season.

Finley is still young and has some time ahead of him and won’t be in the big league talk for likely two to three years, but a polished pitcher at a young age who is still learning is a huge asset in a strong system. Being the number 19 overall prospect in arguably the best farm system in baseball shows the kind of high hopes scouts and the Yankees have for him.

Keep in mind, as we saw this summer, prospect rankings change often when players are traded or acquired and as their stock grows or shrinks. We here at BYB will keep you informed of any changes as the off season continues.

 

(Photo: MiLB.com)

Next up on the prospect watch will be #18 Ian Clarkin (above) and #17 Luis Torrens, both very intriguing young players that we should all be excited about.

 

 

--Dan Lucia,  

BYB 'Series' Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @DManLucia

  

 

THE YANKEE ARMS ARE COMING!

 

Although we've only had a small sample to work with, it appears that some of the young bats in the Yankee organization have found their home in pinstripes. Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge in particular have taken their opportunity and running with it. Tyler Austin has seen success as well. But what isn't talked about as much are the arms that are working their way toward the Bronx.

 

 

Suzie Pinstripe did a great piece on Justus Sheffield titled:PITCHING PHENOM JUSTUS SHEFFIELD HEATS IT UP IN TAMPA, and he's earned that headline. But there are more exciting arms that are even closer to making their mark with the big club. Let's review...

 

 

We've seen the good and the bad of Luis Severino this season as well as some great outings as of late from relatively no-hype prospects Chad Green and Luis Cessa.  Both were acquired in the Justin Wilson trade with Detroit last off season. Both have live arms but weren't seen as big time prospects. With the youth movement in motion it's been great to see those two take advantage of opportunities. 

 

 

With the 122nd overall pick in the fourth round of the 2014 amateur draft, the Yankees selected LHP Jordan Montgomery out of the University of South Carolina. After posting a combined 2.95 ERA between A-ball and high-A ball in 2015, Montgomery began the year at Double-A Trenton. Montgomery went 9-4 over 19 starts posting a 2.55 ERA before being promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Montgomery picked up where he left off and over four starts is 3-1 with a 0.71 ERA over 25.1 innings. For the season he has a 2.19 ERA with 123 strikeouts to 43 walks over 127.2 innings. His fastball, which was clocked between 87-91 in college has jumped up and is now siting in the low-to-mid 90's regularly.

Montgomery doesn't have a terribly high ceiling, but has a ton of poise and is comfortable with all four of his pitches. After his last start in which he threw seven scoreless while striking out eight and allowing just three hits, Montgomery quoted by MiLB.com as saying; "I've been trying to be as aggressive as I can, changing speeds, mixing up pitches and keeping the hitters as off-balanced as I can." Montgomery is comfortable throwing his fastball, change-up and slider is hitters counts which, like he said, keeps the hitters guessing. With his repertoire and knowledge of pitching, he could be a middle of the rotation mainstay in the Bronx as soon as next year.

 

 

The other very exciting pitcher to keep and eye out for is RHP Chance Adams. The 2015 fifth round pick has a mid-90's fastball to go with his change-up, curve ball and slider. He started his second professional season this spring in Tampa with a 5-0 record along with a 2.65 ERA before making the jump to Trenton where he has continued to cruise. Since joining the Double-A club, the 22 year-old has gone 8-1 with a 2.07 ERA.

Adams was quoted in The Trentonian as saying; "I've been trying to learn how to pitch and not just be a thrower. Being able to throw off speed in (different) counts and not just throw fastballs in hitters' counts like 2-0. I've been really working on the change-up. It's really developed over the last few months."

With his improvements made seemingly every start, Adams could find himself in Triple-A in September and/or next spring with an opportunity to see some time in the Bronx in 2017. Adams has a bit of a higher ceiling than Montgomery and could make a great number three-type starter when the time comes.

 

 

Aside from Montgomery and Adams, the Yankees have 2015 first round pick James Kaprellian who had an injury plagued 2016 season. He was seen as a guy who could have maybe made it to New York this summer but the injuries derailed those hopes. Young flame throwing Domingo Acevedo is another guy who could make his presence known in the next couple of years as he is now in high-A ball. Acevedo tops 100 MPH regularly and has struck out 102 batters in 93.0 innings this year.

 

 

Along with Justus Sheffield, LHP's Ian Clarkin and Dietrich Enns are names we will likely hear next spring as well as Drew Finley and maybe even Dillon Tate. While some of these guys are a couple years away, the Yankees system is as good as it's been in the last two decades and that's something to be excited about!!

 

 

Now that some of the big time offensive prospects have made an impact and guys like Luis Cessa and Chad Green have had a taste of success, the Yankees youth movement is in full swing and us fans finally have something to be excited about!  Back in July, I wrote that something needed to give to make the Yankees fun again and I, for one, am enjoying August much more than I did the first four months.

Keep and eye and ear out folks, because the Yankee arms are coming!

One quick personal note: Happy Anniversary to my wife Angela of six years!

 

 

--Dan Lucia, BYB Senior Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @DManLucia