BARBATO MAY JOIN THE YANKEES' ARMS RACE

Source: Getty Images

The Yankees' so-called competition for the 4th and 5th rotation spots has been the topic of much discussion this spring. But as Michael Kay pointed out last week on the YES Network, teams are always looking for their 6th, 7th and 8th starters since the average MLB rotation's 8th man sees roughly 5 starts in a season.

And in the case of the Yankees,  who have used the third most  pitchers in the majors over the last three seasons, the need for additional arms who can provide length is always especially urgent.



So it will probably surprise nobody when all of the known competitors for those spots wind up getting penciled into the starting lineup sooner or later, along with some names who have yet to make themselves known.

(April 13, 2016 - Source: Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images North America)    

One name that could find its way onto a starting lineup card down the road this season could be quite a surprise, though, and that's   Johnny Barbato, who was optioned to Triple A camp last week after being lit up for five runs in 2/3 of an inning in his final relief appearance with the big club.

"After coming out of the bullpen in 43 of his 44 appearances for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and New York Yankees last season, the right-hander might see a different role in his future," wrote the Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader's D.J. Eberle on Sunday. " 'I think my spring’s been really good,' Barbato said.  'They’re going to try to put me into the rotation and all of that stuff, so I’m trying to make sure I command all of those pitches to try to get into the fifth or sixth instead of going just one inning.'

Photo: Times Tribune

"Barbato has appeared in five games this spring — between the Yankees’ big-league and Triple-A camps — and while the results have been mixed, the 24-year-old has been pleased with his progress and so has his Triple-A manager Al Pedrique.

“He threw the ball real well, kept the ball down, showed good velocity, threw some good breaking balls for strikes and I think he’s going to be working on the changeup,” Pedrique said after Sunday’s 7-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. “We’re happy with what we’ve seen so far. His velocity is back, the command of the breaking ball is better.'

"While the decision to turn Barbato into a starter isn’t final yet, Pedrique said they’re going to let him get his innings count up and see if he can handle the length more accustom to a starter than a reliever.

“If everything works out, I’m assuming that he’s going to be in the rotation to start the season and go from there,” Pedrique said. “I think he’s such a strong guy. For me, if he can manage the changeup and the breaking ball with the velocity that he has, I don’t see why he cannot be a solid starter.”

 --Barry Millman
BYB Writer
Twitter: @nyyankeefanfore

CRITICISM ONLY MAKES YOU STRONGER

We write a lot about giving youth a chance in the big leagues.  From high school ball to college to the minors and eventually, if you are lucky and strong enough, to the majors, there is opportunity to grow into a successfully ball player.  The key to growth is very simple: reflection.  By reflecting on your performance, feedback from your peers and coaches and visualizing the success you know you can have, you only get stronger and that's just what Johnny Barbato is going to do as he packs his bags to head back to Scranton/Wilkes Barre before last night's game against the Royals.

Yankee pitching coach Larry Rothchild provided two very essential pieces of advice for Barbato who earned the final bull pen spot after impressing Yankee management this spring.

"First, he told the 23-year-old righty that he still deserves to pitch in that majors and that his demotion came mostly as a way to fit onto the roster All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman, who returned from a 30-game domestic violence abuse suspension. The other? Find consistency with your slider, Rothschild told Barbato," according to NJ.com.

Why is this significant?  Because Barbato has an opportunity to come back stronger later this season, and potentially impact the team in a positive way.  This stick-with-it-ness is was separates him from the mass of millennials who either move on to something easier, less challenging or can't take advice from peers or supervisors.  Barbato stated very frankly that his slider has been flat lately and he believes it will work itself out.  With a little more practice and reflection, he will improve.  He believes it and that's the most important part.  He knows he needs to work harder and develop this pitch along with his fast ball and curve.  This is the kind of mindset we need in our young players.

As young people graduate college and move into new careers this spring, it is important to note that jobs are not just given to you because have a degree.  You have to earn your spot in the work world. There are many people ahead of you, with more seniority and experience and you have to respect that.  According to Forbes, "If you allow other people to get to know you over a long course of time, you’ll grow to trust their advice, and they’ll be able to point out the blind spots you may have otherwise never addressed. Furthermore, you’ll recognize and resolve your own weaknesses far more effectively if you stay put and address what bothers you rather than jumping ship and blaming your discontent on your former co-workers and boss."

Criticism only makes you stronger and Johnny Barbato figured that out on his trip back to the minors. We wish him the best and hope he stays focused on improving, one day at a time.

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




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CHAPMAN IS BACK, BUT CAN HE HIT?

I know... it's a cheap shot headline.  I just want the Yankee pitching and hitting to work together for crying out loud!  Lately it feels like our pitching is doing pretty well, we just can't score runs and you usually need to hit to do that.

As many already know, but it's worth mentioning on BYB's pages, Aroldis Chapman is back and officially on the 25 man roster.  To make room, the Yankees sent down Johnny Barbato. ESPN writes:

"Aroldis Chapman returns to the major leagues on Monday after serving a 29-game suspension handed down by Rob Manfred under the domestic violence policy (note: the suspension was shortened by 1 game from its original 30)."

Good...and that brings me to the hitting part of this post and that of 3rd baseman Chase Headley.  Now, I'm not only picking on Headley here, I'm picking on all of them, but Reggie Jackson had something to say to Headley today and it's a great little piece of advice, inspiration, whatever.  I mean, after all, this is a Hall of Famer and a guy who struck out way too much in his major league career.

NJ.com writes that Reggie visited with the players and Headley talks about what he said:

"Reggie Jackson visited with him in the batting cage after his session and offered some uplifting words.

'Just talking as hitters,' Headley said. 'We've all been there. He's like: 'Listen man, everybody has been where you are, like, just know you're going to come out of it, keep going.'"

And it's very true.  I hammer many of these guys for not hitting all the time, but it's just a matter of time.  Headley WILL hit again. It's not like he's lost his ability to ever hit.  It's just so strange to see them all go through it at the same time.  It's literally insane.

But the reality is, we need too now.  It's May, and it's no longer early.  We need some strings of wins... we need some strings of hits and we need most of all, consistency.

Anyway... Yanks need this one tonight.  Let's go!

 


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WOULD THE YANKS TRADE AWAY ONE OF OUR MONSTER 'PEN?

Interesting article from Joel Sherman of the New York Post you need to read. While I just reported late last night about how the Yankees pen is unstoppable... read ON YANKEES PEN: "THOSE GUYS ARE RIDICULOUS", Sherman believes that yes, they are truly great but you gotta wonder if that greatness will help get them traded by the trade deadline... especially if the Yankees are in the thick of it and want a solid starter like they wanted this off season:

"You might remember that during the offseason, the Yankees were willing to listen to offers for any of their big relievers, notably Andrew Miller, but also Dellin Betances and even Chapman after he was obtained. Their focus was to find a high-end starter with less than three years of service time...

More interesting, if the Yankees are contending, should they still consider dealing Chapman to try to fix an area of weakness (assuming they shop Chapman rather than Miller or Betances, whom the Yankees control into the future)?"

Very interesting theory, and of course, it makes alot of sense, but I believe Cashman is smart when it comes to our pen, and to be honest, as good as Chasen Shreve and Johnny Barbato have been to get to the Yankees 3 headed monster, I don't expect them to last super long.  In essence, the Yankees need their starters to give them alittle more some days.  If they do, they may not need another starter.  But of course, stockpiling arms is never a bad thing either.

Look, it's just another interesting story about the Yankees plans down the road.  There are options, and while Cashman has stated he has no intention of trading away Betances, Miller or Chapman... you just don't truly know what Cashman is thinking... he never shows his hand.

Anyway... nice piece from Sherman, be sure to check it out.



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WELL, THAT WAS ANNOYING

Last night's game aggravated the crap out of me.  I mean, the reality was Nathan Eovaldi actually pitched really well, even getting into the 7th, but he made a few minor mistakes that cost us the game. And when you make a mistake off of Josh Donaldson, you will get murdered.  There's a reason why my oldest son idolizes Donaldson... he's freaking awesome.

But there was more to it.  The Yankees only had 3 hits all night.  Technically 2 because that Blue Jays bobble was not a hit, but for some reason they gave it to Brian McCann.  Whatever the case, Blue Jays pitching, namely Marcus Stroman was outstanding.

Eovaldi went 6.2 innings, gave up 7 hits and 4 runs.  Barbato relieved him and in 1.1 he only gave up just a hit.  I am liking Johnny Barbato, but I can already tell that much like Chasen Shreve last season, Joe Girardi will over use Barbato until the dude gets wiped out.  It's just the way it goes when it comes to Joe and his pitching toys.

Bottom line, the Yankee hitting could not crack the Stroman pitching code.  In the fourth, Beltran grounded out and in the process, Alex Rodriguez scored.  Shortly after, there was a wild pitch with Starlin Castro up and Tex scored.  Our lead off men, Ellsbury and Gardner... 0-8. In comparison, Pillar and Donaldson in their respective 1 and 2 positions in the line up were 4 for 8.  That's significant.

Yankee offense was lame.  Bottom line.

Final: Blue Jays 4 - Yankees 2

Tonight we face Robinson Cano and the Seattle Mariners at the stadium.  Can we please have a nice weekend and get a sweep against those M's? I was not impressed with the Yankee series against the Jays.  Geez.
 

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WIN WELL DONE

This is what I like about these New York Yankees.  They don't appear to give up when they are losing.  A few times this season I was able to enjoy the Yankees, when, if they were behind, they clawed back to hold their opponent and win the game.  It's a glimpse of 2009 all over again and I love it.

They don't appear slow and tired.  They appeared energized at the plate.  I honestly feel like we need to credit Marcus Thames and Alan Cockrell because there is something unique about each players approach to the plate.  I've never seen Brian McCann look so good.  I like what Starlin Castro brings to the table.  There's life... and me likey.

Yanks won 3-2.  Masahiro Tanaka was on the hill and he did OK.  Again, nothing spectacular but he got us to the bridge.  I keep waiting for this guy to be lights out and I wonder if that will ever happen. I'm just not sure.

Tanaka went 5 innings again, gave up 3 hits and 2 runs.  He struck out 6 and walked 4. Johnny Barbato got the win and that's because the Yankees came back.  With us down 2-1 it was McCann with a solo shot to tie it up. Then, Jacoby Ellsbury singled in Chase Headley to put us ahead for good.

The Yankee bridge came in and did their job. Andrew Miller got save number 2. It was a big win, but I was tired. I tweeted this:

Yanks win, but Recap in the morning. I gotta get my beauty sleep. I want to look totally hot tomorrow morning. Love you all #BYB

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) April 13, 2016

Needless to say, this morning I don't feel rested and I look fat.

Oh and by the way, did anyone happen to get a glimpse of that bat boy warlock handing the bat back to Castro last night?

My god, I didn't know they had Bat Men in Toronto.  Sweet Lord. You can't make that up.

Final: Yankees 3 - Blue Jays 2


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CHAMPIONS OVERCOME ADVERSITY

 

The ‘tres amigos’ in the Yankee bullpen of Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances had quickly dwindled down to un solo amigo...kind of. With Aroldis Chapman definitely to miss time while suspended and Andrew Miller now with a bone chip in his wrist, the crazy 1-2-3 punch has turned into just one. Yes, Miller has been cleared to pitch, but will the Yankees be that stupid? 

But one thing good teams, and in particular champions do, is overcome adversity. Even more, they are the BEST at overcoming adversity.

 

 

Let me first give you my glass half full points. Both Chapman and Miller will be back, this is true, and yes, the season hasn’t officially started yet and we still have All-Star Dellin Betances. So it’s better this happened now than in September, that's the bottom line.

 

The big negatives are obvious though as losing two of the three biggest pieces of the bullpen are going to be hard to replace. Nobody can argue that. It could be argued that Chapman and Miller are not only the two best relievers on the Yankees, but also the two best lefty relievers in all of baseball. But what good teams do is find the next man.

 

 

I’m a firm believer that the best way to become a star is to take advantage of your opportunities. Chasen Shreve, who had a great five months in 2015 before struggling in September, will now be the 'go to' lefty. The young man has had a great spring and should be able to hold down the fort well enough for the next six weeks or so.

 

(In photo: Luis Cessa)

As for the rest of the bullpen, Bryan Mitchell had been phenomenal and would be relied upon more so by manager Joie Girardi before the foot injury. But we move on... Off-season acquisition Luis Cessa now seems to have a path to the Opening Day roster as do Johnny Barbato and Kirby Yates.  I expect these guys to shine together.

 

The unfortunate circumstances also put more pressure on the starting rotation  though. It appeared the starters had to get through just the sixth inning on most days before turning the game over to bullpen, but now with the lack of depth and experience, the starters must dig down deep and be efficient in order to minimize the amount of innings the bullpen will be required to throw.

 

 

The depth that Brian Cashman has added and developed over the past two off-season’s is now more important than ever. Depth is huge and that point is clear before the first meaningful game has even been played.

 

With the bullpen using less experienced and unproven arms, it’s yet to be seen who will step up. Naturally there will be a couple guys who under perform and hopefully for the sake of the team, there will be one or two guys who take this opportunity in stride and force Girardi and GM Brian Cashman to keep them on the roster for the course of the season.

 

 

Plus the offense will have to win games on its own. That’s inevitable.

 

How the Yankees perform as the season begins will have a lot to do with the ability of some of these young men to step up and overcome their own adversity. Whether it be the nerves of pitching in front of nearly 50,000 fans at Yankee Stadium, or just simply facing the best hitters on the planet, each individual on a team needs to be better than the opponent more often than not.

 

 

It’s not necessarily easy, but just like every other team, the Yankees will have to overcome adversity. 

 

The Champion come October will be the team that overcomes adversity the best.

 

 

 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia




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THE YANKEE ROTATION IS WHAT IT IS!

At the trade deadline in 2015 and this past off season, Yankees GM Brian Cashman decided to stay put when it comes to the Yankees starting pitching candidates. He improved from within by promoting Luis Severino while neglecting to sign any free agents or make a splash in the free agent market. I am not against this strategy as the brass has decided to be more frugal as of late, but the Yankees now have what they have. Only time will tell how that turns out.

Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda are locks for the rotation with just over a week to go before Opening Day. CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova are battling for the last spot and with their most recent performances, it appears CC has the upper hand.

Tanaka has struggled as of late, although he pitched rather well on Tuesday, but that it not terribly concerning since the starts during the spring really don’t mean a whole lot. The guy can pitch, we know this. He is slotted as the Yankees ace, without really being named the ace. As long as he stays healthy, which is a big if, he should be able to keep the Yankees in games more often than not.

Luis Severino has pitched well this spring for the most past, particularly as of late. He got roughed up early in the spring but has compiled a 3.86 ERA over five games while striking out 19 over 16.1 innings. He has just 11 career starts, but has the stuff to be a dominant force and the Yankees need a lot out of the young man this season if they want to make a run.

Nathan Eovaldi has been working on his splitter for over a year now and feels this could be the year it becomes a real weapon in his repertoire. He was blessed with great run support last season, 7.1 runs per start, which helped him to a 14-3 record with a respectable 4.20 ERA. If the Yankees are be compete for a title, Eovaldi will have to be very solid once again… and remain healthy.

Yankees brass and fans alike are waiting for Michael Pineda to break out. He has shown signs of brilliance and times of ‘what the hell is that’? He’s allowed just one run over nine innings in his three spring appearances through this past Sunday and will need to remain healthy and pitch up to his potential.

CC Sabathia struggled mightily as the spring got going but has pitched much better as of late. The opposite has happened for Ivan Nova, however. Nova got off to a good start but not some much his last few outings. It appears that Sabathia has the upper hand for the fifth starter role and as Manager Joe Girardi has said, the clubhouse, which unanimously had Sabathia’s back last October as he fought his alcohol battle, will likely be a factor as to who wins the job.

“This is a good man that comes to work every day and is well respected and always competes and is a fierce competitor and has meant a lot to this organization.” Girardi was quoted as saying. If Sabathia were demoted to a bullpen role, it could have adverse effects behind the scenes.

While there is a ton of potential in the rotation, there are also question marks in both the health department and the performance department. The rotation could be a reason the Yankees are successful or could be a reason they struggle to compete.

If the starters can turn the game over to the bullpen, which is strong, the Yankees will have a good shot to win ballgames. Dellin Betances, Chasen Shreve, Brandon Pinder (who was optioned to minor league camp on Wednesday) and Johnny Barbato have all had very good springs, while arguably their top two relievers in Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller haven’t been their best but are obviously expected to be huge parts of the team. Now with Miller possibly out for a bit (Read ANOTHER BIG BLOW TO THE YANKEES STAFF), we just have to keep an eye on everything very closely.

Behind the probable starting five, the Yankees have Ivan Nova, Luis Cessa and Bryan Mitchell, amongst others. Cessa and Mitchell have both had good springs, especially Mitchell, who was informed on Tuesday he will be on the Opening Day roster. He could fill a relief role similar to Adam Warren a couple years back and could be a strong candidate to get a start when the need arises.

The rotation has question marks and talent at the same time and the Yankees will definitely have to win games with the offense at times. That pretty much goes for all teams though. I have faith in the club and the arms, as long as they stay healthy. I sure am not going into the season expecting the Yankees to stink. There is no fun in that. It’s a ride we have to enjoy.

We are close to Opening Day and I am excited! It’s almost time for Yankees baseball!

I’d also like to give a quick shout out to my son Evan as he turned seven on Easter Sunday. Happy Birthday Bud!

 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia

 





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THE YANKEES SHOULD SNATCH UP STEVE DELABAR

Not sure if you know Steve Delabar and his story.  If you don't, be sure to check out DON'T STOP BELIEVING...EVER.  Bottom line, after injury and pretty much thinking his baseball career may have been over, he stumbled into the fact that maybe he could actually pitch again.  The Mariners took a chance on him and eventually he was traded to the Blue Jays. He became an All-Star with the Blue Jays in 2013.  He was a fighter.  But now it seems, he was released by the Blue Jays.

Bluebird Banter writes:

"The Blue Jays released Steve Delabar...For Delabar, it's the end of his time with the Jays. He didn't have a bad spring. 7.2 innings, 5 hits, 1 home run, 3 walks and 8 strikeouts, but he would have had to be almost perfect to make the Jays."

Look, you're looking at those numbers and thinking that my title is utterly ridiculous.  Think of it as you in a Yankee meeting.  We offer Delabar a minor league deal, we see what's up and see if we can work with the guy and if he is someone we can use to bolster our middle rotation.  Let's not forget, BYB just wrote a piece about exactly that in THE BRIDGE OF HEYMAN COUNTY... OR SOMETHING:

"MLBTradeRumors.com makes a another very interesting point; Those selections for the middle part of the rotation don't have much experience either: 

"Current options include pitchers such as right-handers Bryan Mitchell, Johnny Barbato, and Branden Pinder and lefties Chasen Shreve, Tyler Olson, and James Pazos — most of whom have quite limited experience in the majors. While it’s easy to imagine these and other arms all spending time at the big league level, it also makes sense for the club to pursue a veteran addition or two."
And so, here we are.  Let's see what the Yankees do next."

Bryan Mitchell has since made the team as a reliever, but no question, Delabar has the experience.  All I'm saying is this is a guy that busts his ass.  Maybe alittle change of scenery will motivate him in the Bronx.  Who knows... I'm spitballing here, but not a bad investment and someone we can get on the cheap and get some eyes on. You know what I mean?

Just a thought... let's see how it goes.

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