CHAPMAN COMPLETES THE ULTIMATE YANKEE PEN

Welcome to the Yankees, Aroldis Chapman! As BYB announced yesterday - AROLDIS CHAPMAN'S HEADED TO THE BRONX – the Yankees pulled the trigger on a trade that sends pitchers Caleb Cotham and Rookie Davis, third baseman Eric Jagielo, and second baseman Tony Renda to Cincinnati in return for the man who led the National League in strikeouts for a reliever.

This trade is huge, giving the Yankees Chapman, Dellin Betances, and Andrew Miller as what is arguably the best back end of the bullpen in all of baseball. The best part of the trade is the Yankees did not give up any top-ranked “untouchable” rookies in the process.

Top 3 K/9.0IP Ratios by Relievers in 2015: 1. @AChapman_105 (15.74) 2. @a_miller48 (14.59) 3. @DBetances50 (14.04)

— Yankees PR Dept. (@YankeesPR) December 28, 2015

Chapman has had a phenomenal 6-year career so far. Batters facing him over the course of his career are hitting .154, and in no single season have they hit above .200 against him. Last year, he led the majors in K/9 with 15.74. Going back over the last 3 seasons, that number is 16.34.

He leads the majors over that period, with Andrew Miller coming in second and Dellin Betances third. Over the last two years, he has given up a home run once every 30 innings. The numbers are incredible. When you think about what the end of game scenario looks like for the Yankees, it should be lights out. It’s ironic that we spoke about this scenario last December - COULD WE SNAG AROLDIS CHAPMAN NOW THAT DROB'S GONE? – and we were soundly ridiculed for suggesting it as a possibility. Now the dream scenario has become reality.

Yanks get Chapman and don't give away #ChosenOnes. Nothing bad about this deal. Great move. #BYB was mocked when we said this could happen

— Robert Casey (@BleednYankeeBlu) December 29, 2015

The Yankees gave up 4 good, but not great, rookie prospects. Starting pitcher Rookie Davis was the most highly ranked - #6 on Baseball America’s New York Yankees Top 10 Prospects List. He made it to AA Trenton last year, where he had an ERA of 4.32 and a WHIP of 1.38. Those numbers were comparable to his minor league career numbers. Third baseman Eric Jagielo had a higher ranking last year but has since dropped after reaching AA Trenton. He recorded a batting average of .288 and an OPS of .842, but a .883 fielding percentage dampened the view on him.

Caleb Cotham was a September call up by the Yankees where he amassed a 6.52 ERA and a WHIP of 1.552 and notched his first major league win.  Tony Renda is a second baseman at the AA level who hit .269 last year but became expendable with the Starlin Castro acquisition. We wish all these kids the best of luck, but I am not crying over any of their departures. You shouldn’t either.

There are certainly bumps in the road on this one. Many are talking about his domestic violence incident last October, and with baseball’s new domestic violence policy, he could begin the season on suspension. Under no circumstances do I or do any of our writers condone such actions, and we expect baseball to do the right thing. Once it is settled, we expect this to be about baseball.

You have to applaud Brian Cashman, who has been largely silent this off season on major acquisitions, for pulling this off. The team still has gaps to fill, but we’re in a better position now.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon







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AROLDIS CHAPMAN'S HEADED TO THE BRONX

I just want to put this out there, to get Bleeding Yankee Blue on record to let our audience know that the Reds' Aroldis Chapman has been traded to the New York Yankees for 4 prospects.  Those prospects are Eric Jagielo, Caleb Cotham, Rookie Davis and Tony Renda.  You can read USA Today for more.

We have a huge piece coming out early tomorrow morning by BYB Senior Writer Ike Dimitriadis.  I'm not here to take the thunder away from Ike's piece.  I just wanted to report the news about the trade this evening... and put this story right here...

COULD WE SNAG AROLDIS CHAPMAN NOW THAT DROB'S GONE?

That was written in December 2014.  The first line of the post is this: "Andew Miller, Dellin Betances, Aroldis Chapman. Think about it."

The Yankees did think about it... and the Yankee Bridge just got longer and a helluva lot nastier. 

More with Ike tomorrow... look for it here on BYB.


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GETTING TO KNOW SOME YANKEE PROSPECTS

(In Photo: Rookie Davis)
Anyone who follows the Yankees closely or relatively closely at least, knows of Aaron Judge, Jorge Mateo, Gary Sanchez and Rob Refsnyder. Both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus came out with their Top 10 Yankee prospects this past week and Judge, Mateo and Sanchez were the top three on both lists. But filling out the top 10 are several players who are lesser known that we should begin to get to know.

(Photo Credit: Staton Island Advance. Hilton Flores)
A name that many may know from this past June's draft is James Kaprielian. He was the Yankees first round draft pick and 16th overall and is ranked at the Yankees fourth best prospect on both lists. Kaprielian was one of the most polished arms in the draft after pitching for several years at UCLA.  He is looked at as a middle of the rotation guy who could eat innings but does not have a very high ceiling. He is expected to be quickly promoted through the minor leagues over the next couple of seasons and if he continues to progress and stay healthy could be in the Bronx as early as 2017, as Baseball Prospectus reports.

CF Dustin Fowler also made both lists after slashing .298/.334/.394 between A-ball Charleston and Advanced-A Tampa. He also turned some heads during the Arizona Fall League. His speed and contact approach at the plate are his biggest assets and he is looked at as an everyday CF. He does not provide a lot of power but with his speed, can leg out extra base hits. Scouts say that if he can't cut it as an everyday OF, he could be a solid fourth OF on a big league club within a couple of years.

RHP Drew Finley made Baseball Prospectus' list as the number seven Yankees prospect after being drafted this past June in the third round out of Rancho Bernardo HS in San Diego. Finley is projected to be a fourth starter or so. His fastball sits around 90 and his best secondary pitch is a big 12-6 curve ball that is inconsistent at the present. He is just 19 years-old though so that's not a huge surprise. Scouts say he hides the ball well and is sneaky to the plate and that he also could have room to physically mature some more. As a young, unpolished prospect, he is several years away from being on the big clubs radar.

LHP Ian Clarkin came in at number 10 on Baseball Prospectus' list after having a solid showing in the Arizona Fall League. It was a frustrating season for Clarkin who was shut down in spring training with elbow tendinitis and missed the entire summer before showing up in the AFL. Clarkin has some upside but has struggled with injuries which kept him from being ranked higher. His fastball sits in the low 90's but could improve as he physically matures. Clarkin is a guy I really like. There are only so many lefties and they are highly coveted! He is one I'll be following closely over the next couple of years. He is projected to be Major League ready around 2018.

Hard throwing RHP Rookie Davis is the number six prospect on Baseball America's list after advancing to Double-A Trenton this summer. Davis was a 14th round pick in 2011 out of Dixon (NC) HS. He compiled a 3.86 ERA between Tampa and Scranton while striking 129 over 130.1 innings. He allowed 132 hits and walked just 26. He seems to be a guy that can move up the upper echelon of the minors over the next 18 months-two years or so, and with his 95 mph heater, could make a solid middle of the rotation starter within a couple of years.

Wilkerman Garcia, one of the young prospects form the Yankees 2014 IFA spending spree, is ninth on Baseball America's list and just out of the top 10 on Baseball Prospectus. He's seen as a solid SS with good hands and arm for the position. He is a switch hitter with a line drive swing and although he is years away from making an impact in the Bronx, he is someone who we will be hearing about over the next several years.

21 year-old RHP Domingo Acevedo made Baseball America's list as the number five prospect in the Yankees system and it's easy to see why. First off he can hit triple digits on the radar gun, which alone gets people talking. The 6-foot-7 hurler from the Dominican Republican, who only starting playing baseball at 16 years-old, has pitched 106 innings over three seasons with the Yankees organization, reaching A-ball in 2015. He has struck out 188 batters over those 106 innings and has walked just 33 and owns a 2.46 ERA. Acevedo has a plus-plus fastball, a slider and change up, which he likes to throw and is developing. The sky is the limit with Acevedo as he continues to mature as a pitcher. I'd love to see Luis Severino and Acevedo in pinstripes dominating for many years!

Other names on the lists include 3B Eric Jagielo, who battled a knee injury in 2015. Jagielo is a good hitter, but has work to do defensively. Brady Lail was number nine on Baseball Prospectus' list and had a breakout year in 2015 in which he was promoted from Advanced-A to Triple-A Scranton. He is projected as a number five type starter who could help the Bombers in 2016 at some point. SS Tyler Wade was also listed on Baseball America's list.

The Yankees have some solid prospects in their system, some in the upper tiers of the minors on the verge of being a roster candidate, and others who are still several years away. Over the past several years the Yankees have made it a point to improve the organization from the ground up after it was gutted for over a decade. I like what the Yankees have coming through the pipeline. It's only a matter of time before many of these young men find their way to the Bronx.



 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia






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JORGE MATEO TOPS THE YANKEE PROSPECT LIST

This is just a quick note to keep you in the Yankee Prospect loop.  You know us here at BYB, we love the kids, we want to see the kids play and so, this is relevant.

LoHud, among many others have the story:

"BA announced it’s Yankees Top 10 list this morning,... here are Baseball America’s choices for the top prospects in the Yankees’ system.

Injuries (Ian Clarkin, Eric Jagielo, Luis Torrens) and players graduating to the big leagues (Luis Severino, Greg Bird) have opened the door to quite a bit of turnover this offseason.

(In Photo: Jorge Mateo)
1. Jorge Mateo, SS
2. Gary Sanchez, C
 

3. Aaron Judge, OF
4. James Kaprielian, RHP
5. Domingo Acevedo, RHP
6. Rookie Davis, RHP

(In Photo: Tyler Wade)

7. Tyler Wade, SS
8. Rob Refsnyder, 2B
9. Wilkerman Garcia, SS

 (In Photo: Dustin Fowler)

10. Dustin Fowler, OF"

 Drink it in, don't be shy.

 

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CHASE WHITLEY... GONZO

Word spread today that Chase Whitley was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays.  Newsday writes:

 "...righthander Chase Whitley, who underwent Tommy John surgery last May 19, has been claimed off waivers by the Rays."

Eric Boland also writes that the Yankees added 3 players to their 40 man roster.

"...righthanders Johnny Barbato and Rookie Davis and outfielder Ben Gamel.

(In Photo: Johnny Barbato)
Barbato, 23, who came to the Yankees from the Padres last Dec. 29 in exchange for reliever Shawn Kelley, went 6-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 40 relief outings between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Gamel, 23, was named the International League Rookie of the Year after batting .300 with 10 homers, 14 triples, 28 doubles and 64 RBIs in 129 games with Scranton.

Davis, 22, went 8-7 with a 3.86 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) between Class A Tampa and Double-A Trenton."

So there you have it.

I should have named my kid "Rookie". Kidding, Rookie's first name is actually William. Oh well.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MICHAEL O'NEILL

By now you know that we at BYB like to help you get familiar with the players striving to reach the big league club.   To that end, I had the pleasure of interviewing Michael O’Neill, outfielder for the Charleston RiverDogs and someone Casey got to see play live just last week. (Read A PERFECT NIGHT WITH THE CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS).

Yes, Michael is of that O’Neill lineage – Paul is his uncle, but what I discovered is a young player who embraces his uncle’s legacy, yet stays true to who he is in the pursuit of his Yankees dream.

O’Neill was drafted by the Bombers in the third round of the 2013 draft out of the University of Michigan.  He was initially assigned to Low-A Staten Island where the outfielder struggled somewhat at the plate; hitting .219 with 93 strikeouts in 64 games (256 AB).  This season with the RiverDogs, the 22-year-old has improved in virtually every batting category.  Through 129 games he’s hitting .256 with 10 home runs and 57 RBIs.

I talked with Michael shortly before a game against Greenville; a game where he would go 1-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI (with 2 walks).

BYB:  Growing up, was baseball always your favorite sport? 

Michael O'Neill: Yes, definitely, growing up there were many games where I watched my uncle play.  I played some basketball when I was little too, but my first passion was always baseball for sure. 

BYB:  And you always play the outfield?

Michael O’Neill: I think, like every other Little Leaguer, everyone wants to be the shortstop, so I played there for a little bit – until I was around 10 or 11, and from then on I was in the outfield.

BYB: Who was your greatest influence in baseball?  Who introduced you to the sport?  Who supported you in it?

Michael O’Neill: I decided I wanted to play baseball just by watching my uncle play.  My parents played a big role in supporting my decision and supporting me financially – I expected to play Little League and travel baseball and all of that.   I think it was a combination of people: my uncle, my parents, and many others who allowed me to follow my dream of playing baseball. 

BYB:  Did you have an idol?

Michael O’Neill: Yeah, my uncle.

BYB:  You were drafted in the third round of 2013.  What was your reaction to having the Yankees pick you? 

Michael O’Neill: Obviously I was excited.  It’s the best sports franchise in the world. You can’t have too many complaints about that.  I had an idea they were going to draft me – they drafted me out of high school (in 2010 the Yankees selected O’Neill in the 42^nd round.  He chose to go to college.).  They were interested in me while I was at Michigan, so it wasn’t a huge surprise, but it was a definitely a big honor. 

BYB:  Where were you when you found out and what did you do? 

Michael O’Neill: I watched the draft at one of my uncles’ house in Cincinnati, and then when I got drafted I was actually at my house just with my parents, watching on the computer.  I gave my parents a big hug and then a bunch of my friends and family reached out to me and it was an exciting day all-around.  Then we went out to dinner to celebrate.

BYB:  You’ve improved in virtually every category over your first year at Staten Island.  What do you think has been the biggest difference?  What has helped you the most in improving?

Michael O’Neill:  Well, first off, this is my second year, so last year everything was new.  The travel schedule was new; the playing every day at night was new.  That’s one thing, but just committing me to becoming better in the offseason.   I started the offseason at the Yankees complex in Tampa working with several people just to fine tune some things which I need like my swing, and the strength and conditioning staff down there… so, I think that was the biggest difference – the amount of work I put in during the offseason with the right people.

BYB: Has there been any coach in particular that has helped you the most? 

Michael O’Neill:  Well yeah, I have worked with two of the hitting coaches down in Tampa that have been really good for me, and then obviously the whole staff has been good for me, so it’s been a good year just development-wise.  Like you said, I’ve been able to improve in many areas and you just want to get better every year.  It’s good that you show people that you are making the effort to get better and you are getting better.  So, it’s what I’ve been able to do this year, and it’s something I hope to be able to do for however many years I can play the game. 

BYB: Is there any particular part of your game that you are working on right now? 

Michael O’Neill:  Yeah, I’m always working on something.  Right now I’m just trying to get my load at the plate to be more consistent – to get me in the best position I can to drive the baseball.  Defensively I’m working on line-drives and fly balls over my head - going back on the ball in the outfield.  At the plate I’m just trying to be as consistent as I can.

BYB: A few weeks ago I spoke with Ian Clarkin, and he indicated that the team (Charleston) was a pretty close-knit squad. (read EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: IAN CLARKIN for more.)  Is there anyone there that you are closest to, or hang out with the most? 

Michael O’Neill:  Yeah, I hung out a lot with Aaron Judge – he was my roommate.  Then when he got promoted, I hang out a lot with Tyler Wade and John Murphy.  I hung out with Mike Ford a lot, but he just got promoted.  I’d say there are two or three guys I do the most with – Rookie Davis too – he’s a pitcher.  Those are a few names I can throw out there… 

BYB: Sounds like you’re the guy everyone should want to hang around with – it seems like they all get promoted! 

Michael O’Neill:  Ha…yeah, I’ve had, I think, three of them now that have gotten the call up. 

BYB:  Is there a favorite non-baseball activity that you have? 

Michael O’Neill: Hmmm… I’m really big into cars, but I don’t like working on them.   I just like looking at them and driving them. 

BYB:  …and eventually someday collecting them??? 

Michael O’Neill:  Hopefully….that would be fun.   I don’t know, we spend so much time at the field that when you get an off day, you just want to decompress as much as you can.  During the off days I try to go to the beach and spend time with teammates – just try to get away from the game for 24 hours.

BYB: Earlier you mentioned your uncle.  Obviously Paul O’Neill is very beloved and endeared to Yankees fans everywhere.  How has his legacy influenced you?   Has it been positive for you, or put too much pressure on you? 

Michael O’Neill:  Yeah, it’s definitely something you think about.  I mean, there are people in the organization now that were here when he was here, so you know those people, but I try not to let it affect me.  I try not to think about it.  I don’t wear the same number he did for that reason.   I want to be my own player.  I want to make it on my own.  I’m either going to make it on my own, or I’m not going to make it.  I don’t want to stay in the organization just because of who was in my family.  That is big for me.  When I was still in high school I got drafted because of who my uncle was, and that kind of bothered me.   

I’m very close with my uncle and we always talk a lot about expectations for me and you have to be your own person.  I don’t wear “21” not because I have no relationship with my uncle; it’s just that I want to be who I am.  I don’t want to be Paul O’Neill. 

BYB:  I just have one more question for you because I know you have a game to get ready for.  Is there anything you want our readers/followers to know about you- Michael O’Neill – that maybe they haven’t heard before – or just anything to tell them more about you? 

Michael O’Neill:  Um….I don’t know….I’m not that interesting.   I went to the University of Michigan.  They were the best two years of my life.  I loved college and I miss college, but I also love playing for the Yankees; definitely a dream come true.   I came to play in the big leagues, and hopefully someday if I get to the big leagues, I’ll probably wear “21” to honor my uncle.  If I get there I think it would be a pretty cool honor to wear his number in the Bronx.

BYB:  Do you think after baseball you’ll finish up at Michigan? 

Michael O’Neill:  I’m actually going back to school this offseason and I’m going to try to get my degree as quick as I can.

BYB:  Michael, on behalf of BYB I thank you for your time and good luck to you in the future.  It was truly a pleasure speaking with you. 

Michael O’Neill definitely wants to make a name for himself while honoring his uncle’s legacy with the Yankees.  As I found with Ian Clarkin – a member of the RiverDogs when I interviewed him – O’Neill’s desire to put in the work it takes to achieve his dreams is exactly why I expect to one day see him in the Bronx. 

Too often we Yankees fans hear how our minor league system is lagging, yet when it comes right down to it, players like Michael O’Neill clearly show that our organization has a promising future ahead of it.

Only the seasons that lie ahead of us will determine whether or not Monument Park may one day hold two O’Neills, but I think Michael is certainly going in the right direction toward that dream.

    

--Steve Skinner, BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1