COLESLAW VS. COLE HAMELS

I’m all for one and no so much for the other.  Coleslaw?  It’s great! There is nothing better then a nice side of good coleslaw with corn on the cob, string fries and a lobster this time of year!  I dig it.  It completes the meal.  Look, if you’re not a seafood person, a little slaw on a pulled pork sammie, or with your burger at the weekend cookout…you can’t strike out on that deal.  Long story short, coleslaw makes things better in my culinary opinion.  It is a nice complement to the overall plate.

 Now let’s talk the other Cole…Hamels.  It is being widely speculated that he may soon join the New York Yankee starting rotation.  They say that his latest start in the Bronx was an audition of sorts for a deal in the making…for the LOVE OF COLESLAW I HOPE NOT!  There was a top scout from the Dodgers also checking in on Hamels during the matinee tilt recently.  Well, Magic, you can have this guy.  31 years old, not shy about finding himself injured and call the cardiologist…this guy is missing a heart.  Don’t buy it? 

Ask Uncle Charlie Manuel about young Mr. Hamels.  Yes, his answer may take the better half of an afternoon (Charlie tends to trip over his vowels and syllables), but there is no doubt that he’ll bring up the 2009 World Series and the temper tantrum #35 pulled when the chips were down on the Phightin’ Phils.

A friend of mine recently compared picking up Cole Hamels to when the Yankees went out and signed Mike THE MOOSE Mussina…NOT. EVEN. CLOSE.  Yep, the Moose wasn’t warm and fuzzy with the media, but the Moose was a killer.  He was there in the clutch and was FLAT OUT a better pitcher.  Hamels, you ain’t the Moose.

I don’t think this deal will happen.  I think although Ruben Amaro is going to do a clearance sale on the way out of the City of Brotherly Love, he’ll still ask for Judge, RR, Murph or others who are in the system and ready to go.  I wouldn’t give him a single Triple A player for Cole.  Hell, I wouldn’t even call Trenton!  I’d give the Phillies scout directions to the Staten Island Yankees’ field and tell him to pick 3 and I’d toss in De Paula.  Now, that sounds crazy I know.  And I am kidding…to an extent.  But this deal won’t help the Yankees. 

Cole Hamels isn’t our guy. I’d Aim for Mike Leake.  He seems to get it.  I could go into why CC needs to be moved and how Severino’s time has come…but I won’t.  As of now, all I am saying is HOLD THE COLE…not the slaw, the Hamels!

** Here you go Yankee fans!  Happy summer to ya! – Love Mikey O’**





 
--Mike O'Hara
Senior "Features" Writer
Twitter: @mikeyoh21



 
   
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WITH CAPUANO OUT, WHO'S NEXT?

Brian Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner went with a different philosophy this past off-season when it came to prospective starting pitching. They didn't sign any big name, high priced free agents. They decided to trade away Shane Greene and David Phelps and obtained Nathan Eovaldi from the Marlins. They then went with a road less traveled approach by the Yankees and signed multiple inexpensive starting pitching options. They went with the idea that there is strength in numbers and to utilize what they have. Now, with Chris Capuano likely out for Opening Day, this strategy will be tested.

We were all concerned about the rotation as the off-season rolled along. We know of the injury history of Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Michael Pineda. Nathan Eovaldi is going to be pitching in the AL East for the first time and Chris Capuano is a, now injured, well-traveled vet who is the epitome of a number five starter. So with Capuano out, who is the next man up?

The Yankees decided to get Adam Warren and Esmil Rogers stretched out to prepare to be starters if needed, and it looks like that was a good move. Both would fit the mold as number five starters, with Adam Warren having a higher ceiling in my not so always humble opinion. The big issue I have with Warren being in the rotation is that he was dominant out of the bullpen for the Yankees in 2014. Warren threw 78.2 innings over 69 relief appearances finishing with a 2.97 ERA and 76 strikeouts, averaging nearly one per inning. So to lose his arm out of the bullpen, in addition to David Robertson, would be a loss. 

As for Esmil Rogers, he pitched reasonably well for the Yankees in 2014 after being claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays. He started one game and was used primarily to eat innings in games where the Yankees were either up or down quite a bit. So far this spring though, he has thrown the ball very well to the tune of five hits over 6.0 innings, striking out six and not issuing a walk. While it is a small sample size, I do like what he has been able to accomplish so far this spring.

Other less likely options include Chase Whitley, Jose DePaula and Scott Baker. Whitley threw reasonably well during his time in the Bronx in 2014, but as the summer got long, he struggled some. Jose De Paula pitched in the Pacific Coast League for the Giants Triple-A affiliate in 2014 and posted respectable stats, finishing with a 4.21 ERA in the notoriously hitter friendly league. De Paula is a hard throwing lefty, which is appealing, but does not have any big league experience and only has one year at Triple-A. Scott Baker has a 66-52 record over nine seasons and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2012. He pitched for the Rangers in 2014, mostly in relief, and posted a sub-par 5.47 ERA. Baker has struggled this spring allowing four runs on eight hits over four innings.

So if Joe Girardi asked me, “Lucia, what do you suggest I do?” Here’s what I’d tell him as of today. Make Esmil Rogers the fifth starter. He has no minor league options, so give the man a chance. Put Adam Warren in the bullpen where he has thrived. With him, David Carpenter, Justin Wilson, Chasen Shreve, Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances as the potential bullpen, all the starters have to do is get through five innings, six being a plus. Keep Chase Whitely and Jose De Paula, along with prospect Bryan Mitchell, in Scranton’s rotation ready to be called upon if needed. Scott Baker could be in Scranton, but definitely not in the Bronx. There it is Joe. I've spoken.

Obviously with a couple weeks left, things can change. The Yankees used 13 different starting pitchers in 2014 so all these guys, plus Ivan Nova and Chris Capuano, and then some could be needed throughout the season. But as far as I’m concerned, go with Esmil Rogers, he’s the next man up!


  
Dan Lucia
BYB Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia

 

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YANKEES WON! IT'S SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS!

This is my recap, but to the other extreme of sex and baseball.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, read BYB MAY BE ABOUT FAMILY, BUT WE'RE NOT BABYSITTERS.

It was so cute the way the Yankees played well! It reminded me of the time I saw the new Spongebob movie with my kids! Yippee! My kids were so happy, and we had alot of laughs and popcorn.

OK... I'm joking about how this set up has been presented.  I was told kids read BYB too yesterday and I was trying to be funny this morning.  It's a joke... no one should take me seriously.  What is serious however is that the Yankees won yesterday and demolished the Astros in a Spring training game.  Gotta love that.

Big moments came from the kids.  Jake Cave his a homer, a solo shot. Rob Refsnyder his a single scoring 2.  Greg Bird also hit a 2 run home run.

The pitching started with Scott Baker. He gave up 3 runs in the first inning and that was it. He struck out 2. Jose DePaula had 2 scoreless innings.. and yeah, there was a bunch of pitching that happened, but ultimately for the Yankees... it was that 9th inning that they ended up breaking wide open, scoring 6 runs.

Life is good.  It's all sunshine and rainbows... and no sexy images of women or men taking their clothes off...

I kid, I kid.

Final: Yankees 9 - Astros 4

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THE YANKEES SIGNED A LEFTY!

This isn't major, but it's important.  I've always been a fan of the lefty. 

The Yankees made a move and signed former Padres and Giants lefty Jose De Paula to a major league deal.  According to Aaron Gleeman of Hardball Talk:

"... the 26-year-old career minor leaguer he gets a big-league deal with a spot on the 40-man roster.

De Paula spent this season pitching for the Giants at Triple-A, where he had a 4.21 ERA and 41/16 K/BB ratio in 51 innings. He had a similarly unimpressive 3.86 ERA and 57/11 K/BB ratio in 75 innings at Double-A for the Padres in 2013."

Lightening in a bottle? Maybe. I mean the dude is young and the Yankees see potential I guess... and so, they're going for it.

Welcome Jose.

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