DOES MICHAEL KING HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A STARTER?

Spring has finally sprung! Baseball has returned, we have the crack of the bat and the Yankees had fans for the first time since last year. It was a good day for all of us.

Well, maybe not ALL of us. Yesterday was Michael King's audition for a possible anchor to the starting rotation. He drew a tough assignment too. I'm sure going against the Blue Jays who will likely be the Yankees biggest competition this year was even more intimidating. The Blue Jays are pretty stacked offensively, and unfortunately King didn't stack up well against them. He gave up three runs on three hits, walked two and hit two over two innings.

So I guess next time Aaron Boone gives him the ball it will be all about redemption. I don't read too much into what happened yesterday. First game, he can rebound but for him to do so he will need to work on his control and improving his third pitch, which he has been working on in recent months. Every outing counts right now, especially with Deivi Garcia and Nick Nelson watching and observing while they wait for their chance.

This start was far from the end of the world for King, but it does show important it is for King to develop a third pitch and be effective with it. Maybe this just means is that he needs more time, and if it does then that is okay.

Fortunately, the Yankees added a lot of depth over the winter. Depth is a good problem for the Yankees to have, but not for King or anyone else who is trying to earn a spot in the starting rotation. I guess we wait and see what happens next with King....and add a little payback when we see the Blue Jays again.

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES HAVE A NEW WORKOUT AND IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

It's about time. In fact, it is way past time. I don't even understand what took so long.

In case you missed it, THIS is what I am referring to and yes it is way past time. After seasons of injury it seems that our hard hitting giants Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have revamped their offseason workouts in a big way. It's big but not in the muscular way. Last winter there were pictures of Stanton bench pressing supermodel Adriana Lima and I cringed when I saw it. Now it sounds like both of them have cut back on the weights and are now focusing on their flexibility and agility.

Wow. Well I am glad Stanton is taking a break from bench pressing supermodels, but why the sudden change of heart? Eric Cressey the Yankees director of health and performance is also happy about the change, "we have to be mindful of the stresses on guys who are 6-foot-7, 6-foot-8. Big dudes who are standing around for long periods of time in cleats. Those are things that normal people don’t encounter. So I think we’ve understood their preparation has to be markedly different in terms of not just building them up as athletes, but building them up as baseball players where there is a gradual on-ramping of those specific stressors. Running the bases, changing directions, swinging. So both of those guys are in a good place."

I wish it hadn't taken this long to put two and two together but I guess better late than never. It sounds like it is embraced by a lot of the other guys too. "Aaron in particular has taken a heavy interest in a lot of yoga. We’ve had a great instructor in Dana Santas who’s come in and helped out at our spring-training complex. Not just Aaron, but Luke Voit and Mike Ford and Thairo Estrada and Nick Nelson, a lot of those guys who are down there. So that’s something that I think is important."

He's right, it is important and the yoga will be just as important as the weight training. Maybe if the Yankees embraced this sooner they would have fewer pulled muscles. Maybe it would've saved Stanton a few hamstring injuries last season. Hopefully it pans out this season and it helps our guys stay healthy this season and productive.

And now I am trying not to laugh as I think about Stanton and Judge doing yoga poses....but I dig it!

  --Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

     BYB Managing Editor

    Twitter: @nyprincessj

THE YANKEES LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT STARTING TODAY

The Yankees dugout will have fewer bodies in it starting today. It's crazy....but it is happening. We talked about the possibility of it happening, and now we adapt again. Teams have already done a lot of adapting this year and it continues. Starting today, roster size has reduced from 30 to 28. It doesn't make sense but that's been the story for months now. So cross your fingers everyone!

But there is one change from last week, thankfully. In two weeks the roster was set to reduce again to 26 and that is no longer going to happen. The MLBPA agreed to a change of a 28-man roster for the rest of the season (including playoffs) and in addition the taxi squad will increase from three to five. 

I guess it is good that all teams will have more options available to them in the even of a last-minute change. Three didn't give a lot of flexibility so five is better and it sounds like one member of the taxi squad may still be a catcher, which could benefit the Yankees a lot. Gary Sanchez is on the radar (again) and not for a good reason. I know Gerrit Cole says he is impressed...but he probably doesn't have a lot of company there.

I still don't like this idea of reducing the roster but I'm not really surprised. We haven't seen any leadership from failing Commissioner Rob Manfred and let's face it....more players on the roster means more Green money that the owners won't have to dish out. That's the last thing they want to do considering how much revenue they will lose this season. The money continues to talk, and the pandemic continues on. More potential outbreaks with smaller roster sizes don't add up to a logical decision. Too bad Manfred and owners do not see it that way.

So it will be interesting to see how teams manage their roster reduction and then how they configure their taxi squad. We should be getting Aroldis Chapman back soon, so once that happens we could see someone else will have to be moved. I'm not sure who that could be but I think Nick Nelson has made a lasting impression and the Yankees will look to keep him around longer, especially now that Tommy Kahnle won't be back this season...or maybe ever.

It's hard to guess anything right now and some tough decisions will have to be made. We already saw the Yankees make one with Clint Frazier that Aaron Boone struggled with. COVID-19 hasn't made anything easy this season, and the roster is no exception.

--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

EVEN AARON BOONE "DOESN'T KNOW" ABOUT FRAZIER'S FUTURE

Is Clint Frazier the 31st man on a 30-man roster? Is he even 31? I don't know, and what's scarier here is neither does Aaron Boone.

Even with an expanded roster to start this unusual season, there isn't a clear path for Frazier. It's the same old story that Frazier has faced for years now.....where does he fit in? He was optioned down to their alternate training site after Saturday night's game along with Ben Heller. Aaron Boone's honest answer isn't very encouraging, especially not if you are Frazier and you happen to read it in the news. You can read about it in depth HERE.

Boone was honest and blunt. I admire an honest answer even when it isn't the answer you want to hear. It sucks to be both Frazier and Boone right now.

“I would say he’s great and a pro and I’m really proud of who he is right now and where’s he’s at. Doesn’t make it any less difficult. Again, you’re sending down a player who you know is ready to be an impact player in the big leagues. That’s a hard thing to do. Especially with the work he’s put in and the strides he’s made in every aspect of his game are real. So that’s a difficult one.”

And it must be even harder when you are sending down an impactful, major league ready bat but keep Miguel Andujar in left field for Sunday's game. I mean, I love that Andujar is back but he's never played a game in left field and he gets the call over Frazier. Maybe it wouldn't hurt as bad if Frazier had played in the previous two games, but that didn't happen either.

Then to top it all off, the Yankees plan to bring right-hand rookie relievers Nick Nelson and Brooks Kriske up to the roster who both pitched in Double-A last season. We can thank James Paxton's disappointing performance for that I guess. There's a reason for it....but if you are Frazier right now it probably doesn't make it easier to accept.

So when will we see Frazier? I don't know and neither does Boone. He called this decision "difficult" and believes "Clint's ready to be an impact player in this league. There's no doubt in my mind." He went on to say that Frazier is "just unfortunately, blocked right now with a lot of good outfielders."

He's not wrong, but a short 60 game season makes Frazier's future as a Yankee even cloudier. The Yankees have even less time to find an opportunity for him without a significant injury. We all don't want to see that happen, but unless it happens it is likely a reality.

So does this season really determine what happens to Frazier as a Yankee? Maybe. If the Yankees already acknowledge that he is "blocked" the trade rumors we have already seen for awhile aren't likely to go away. If anything they may intensify.

If the Yankees can't or choose not to use him....some other team will want to. Definitely not a good place to be in if you are Frazier, and it sucks. Guess we wait and see what happens.

--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj