LEFTY TYLER OLSON WAS JUST CLAIMED

Just a quick note. Olson was just claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals.

According to MLB.com, "The Royals claimed left-hander Tyler Olson off waivers from the Yankees on Tuesday and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha.

 Third baseman Mike Moustakas (torn ACL in his right knee) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Olson on the 40-man roster.

The 26-year-old Olson was 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA in 11 games (three starts) for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, striking out 21 batters in 27 1/3 innings. He allowed two runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief in his only Major League appearance this season."

And that's that.




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THE YANKEES JUST MADE SOME MOVES

It's been an uphill battle all season, and it's freaking brutal.

Now comes word the Yankees made a few moves and we at BYB wanted to let you know about them. Don't get overly excited... we didn't trade for Mike Trout...

According to Lou DiPietro at YESNetwork.com, "Right-hander Anthony Swarzak has been called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and to make room on the 25 and 40-man rosters, the Yankees optioned RHP Luis Cessa to Triple-A and designated LHP Tyler Olson for assignment...

'We knew we wouldn't have Cessa for a couple days, so we swapped in Swarzak, who we feel is built up as much as Cessa almost in a sense,' manager Joe Girardi said. 'We really want Cessa to go down and start, too, so we thought it was best for his growth to go pitch (in Triple-A).'"

Whatever Joe, I really don't care, as long as you are making moves to try and shake things up so we get a winning streak going. After all, BYB writer Ike Dimitriadis did what he could last night when he showed up at Yankee stadium with this terrific Facebook headline...

"Hoping to bring us a win tonight."

Just win... A LOT!  The time is now.

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GARY SANCHEZ GETS THE CALL

And so you wondered if the Yankees were gonna do anything to try and get more wins... maybe change things up a bit, bring in new, young energy.  Well, in addition to Aroldis Chapman coming off suspension and Yankee fans getting a 'taste' of Ben Gamel, the Yankees have called up Gary Sanchez.

According to Shane Hennigan of the Scranton Times Tribune, the Yanks made that move:

Gary Sanchez has been promoted to New York.

— Shane Hennigan (@RailRidersTT) May 13, 2016

No idea is that means Austin Romine gets cut, but one would assume that Tyler Olson would now go down and the Yankees would hold onto 3 catchers for the time being.  Who the hell really knows... I know I've lost track of alot of personnel moves recently.

Anyway, Chad Jennings brings up a good point as to why Sanchez is up:

"With Chris Sale and Jose Quintana starting for the White Sox on Friday and Saturday, it makes sense for the Yankees to add an extra right-handed hitter. Sanchez has been red-hot lately. He has a nine-game hitting streak with three homers in his past eight games. He had two more hits tonight. The Yankees lost a key right-handed bat when Alex Rodriguez was hurt, and Sanchez replaces some of that right-handed power potential. The Yankees had previously faced only one lefty since the Rodriguez injury. "

Good enough for me. Give the kid some at bats and experience in the Bigs, and we actually are making an effort to win here. Wow. 

Anyway, I'm happy with this move.




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THE YANKEES AND A LOT OF JUGGLING

Small note but important one because everyone's a fan of Ben Gamel these days.  Gamel was just sent down.

CBSSports.com writes:

"The Yankees optioned Gamel to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. Gamel started games Tuesday and Wednesday but went just 1-for-8 in five games with the Yankees, so the team decided to send him down to open up a spot on the roster for reliever Tyler Olson."

All good, Yanks need an arm, and they also liked what they saw, and so, Gamel will be back. Don't panic.





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NOW TYLER OLSON WAS SENT BACK DOWN...

The never ending saga when it comes to young pitching and a major league baseball team's needs.

We just wrote about how Luis Cessa was sent down to the minors for Tyler Olson.  That was in a piece  titled CESSA SENT DOWN. Now comes word from Joel Sherman of the New York Post that something else just happened...

To get fresh arm for pen #Yankees optioned Tyler Olson to AAA, recalled Braden Pinder

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) April 16, 2016

And there you go, Olson is down, and now Branden Pinder is up. 

And life goes on...

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CESSA SENT DOWN

Quick note because I have personally made my opinion known that I dig Luis Cessa and like him in the Bigs.  To no report the next item would be irresponsible and shouldn't be ignored... Cessa was sent down.

According to several sources, but we'll go with JP Pelzman of the Bergen Record, "Yankees recalled lefty reliever Tyler Olson from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and optioned righty Luis Cessa to Scranton.

Cessa allowed one run in two innings with the Yankees. Olson, who was 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 11 games for Seattle last season, made his Yankees debut and allowed three hits and two runs in 2 2/3 innings."

No matter, Cessa will be back, and I look forward to seeing Olson pitch again. I happen to like this guy too.

Carry on... and enjoy this weekend, it's going to be glorious.

 

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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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THE BRIDGE OF HEYMAN COUNTY... OR SOMETHING

I found this very interesting tweet from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports and I wanted to bring it to your attention. God I love the BYB audience... anyway.

It has to do with the Yankees, their bullpen and what the Yankees might be thinking about as they embark on the regular season.  Check this out:

Nobody is better on back-end of the pen than yanks, but they may look to add a veteran reliever or 2 to fill middle innings

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 25, 2016

Now, it's very interesting, but it also makes perfect sense.  I can't believe Heyman and I agree... I think I hear the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse running down my hallway...

The Yankees are always looking to improve, this makes sense, but I also feel as though the Yankees are not 100% jazzed about their starting rotation.

Ivan Nova is sucking the life out of me.  CC Sabathia hasn't been spectacular.  We're not seeing dazzling from anyone else... improvement, and yes the others are getting stronger as Spring Training progresses, but you know what I mean. That's why the Yankees have 2 closers in the back end of the bridge.  That's why there are a lot of relief pitcher pickups and plenty more in the minor leagues. But the concern is if these starters can only go 5 innings every game during the regular season, which, many believe will be the case, the combination of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman (who we miss for 30 games due to suspension, read HERE) will burn out quickly.

Sure, you can throw a few arms in there to fill the void once in a while, but 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.

Hey Heyman, nice tweet. Makes sense. We never, ever agree... but things change.



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THAT TIME RONALD TORREYES WAS ELI WHITESIDE

It's a silly story, but this is baseball and sometimes players get picked up to be let go or claimed off waivers and then signed again then to be released.  In this case, it was Ronald Torreyes, pictured above.  But I remember when it happened with the Yankees and catcher Eli Whiteside.  Excuse me while I look through my BYB archive for a classic:

This is JOKE OF THE DAY... from January 2013.  The story was about catcher Eli Whiteside:

"It appears Eli Whiteside was outrighted to AAA by the Texas Rangers... Eli has been all over the place, from the Giants, to the Yankees to the Blue Jays to the Rangers and now outrighted to AAA, read MLB Trade Rumors tracker HERE."

(In Photo: Ronald Torreyes)
Now comes our friend Ronald Torreyes.  According to MLB.com, "An offseason roller coaster continued on Monday for Ronald Torreyes, as the Yankees claimed the infielder off waivers from the Angels. To make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Lane Adams was designated for assignment.

It was less than three weeks ago, on Jan. 15, that the Yankees claimed Adams off waivers from the Royals and designated Torreyes for assignment. The Angels claimed him on Jan. 25, but they designated him two days later. 

(In Photo: Tyler Olson)
Torreyes began the offseason with the Dodgers, who designated him on Jan. 7, then traded him to the Yankees five days later -- with left-hander Tyler Olson -- for infielder Rob Segedin."

And you know, it's just the game and the way teams get structured as they get closer to Spring Training.  Whatever the case, Torreyes is back with the Yankees... for now.

Oh yeah, and just a recap on what Eli Whiteside's been up to... Whiteside saw the Big show in 8 games with the Chicago Cubs in 2014. He was not on the pro level in 2015. And you know what? A solid minor league guy is fine too.

I don't know, I just found it interesting and when I saw Torreyes was back with the Yanks, it reminded me of the time Whiteside bounced all over the place.

Where else can you get a silly story from my ridiculous memory bank about a catcher named Eli Whiteside.  Right here... on BYB.

Nighty Night.

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THE YANKEES 'LITTLE' MOVES ARE ADDING UP

(In Photo: Tyler Olson)
The Yankees have made a bunch of under the radar, unimpressive moves over the past couple of weeks leading to some of us fans cracking jokes at their expense. Comments like "Another game changer" or "Look out, the Yankees are making moves!" have come up. I'd have my fair share of laughs reading some of these comments, which are mostly made in fun, but what they are doing is beneficial to the organization as a whole.

(In Photo: Kirby Yates)
The Yankees made trades to obtain LHP Tyler Olson and utility man Ronald Torreyes from the Dodgers and RHP Kirby Yates from the Indians, plus signed RHP Anthony Swarzak, INF Donovan Solano and Jonathan Diaz to minor league contracts. They even snagged Lane Adams.

(In photo: Anthony Swarzak)
I honestly had never heard of any of these guys! But what they do bring is depth to minor league system. Plus you never know, one of these guys could be a diamond in the rough! I'm not holding my breath but you never know!

(In Photo: Donovan Solano)
As important as it is to obviously add depth to the Major League roster, it's equally as important to add depth to the upper echelons of the minors. By doing so they can leave some of the younger players still developing at the level they belong rather than promoting them out of necessity.

I know it's tough for us to swallow as Yankees fans that they aren't making blockbuster deals day in and day out. In the back of our minds we are awaiting the breaking news of the blockbuster trade or the big time free agent signing but that's not the way they are operating now. I've mentioned in several other pieces that we very well may have to wait a year or two for the large contracts to begin to expire.

With that being said, there are still several free agents that could fall into the Yankees laps. Justin Upton and Yoenis Cespedes, for example, remain unsigned and teams seem unwilling to offer them long-term deals. Several outlets have speculated that they could be signed for a one-year deal with the hope that next year's slimmer free agent class would allow them to earn their pay day.

So for you fans hoping for that big name to come through, there is still hope!!!

What Brian Cashman has done however is created one of the league's best bullpens, added a young Aaron Hicks, who has some big upside, brought in some young power arms to the minor leagues via trades and not spent much money at all. These moves will all allow the organization to continue to get stronger as a whole, even though the Big League club shows modest improvement from last year, minus Aroldis Chapman and Hicks.

I am excited for the future and also excited to continue to watch the youth movement develop. The off season is not over and I'm sure Brian Cashman is still taking calls regarding trades. Maybe they'll surprise us, maybe not.

But all in all, these little moves add up and the Yankees organization, from top to bottom, is stronger now than it was this time last year.

As I wait out the winter, I'll (impatiently) take it.

 
 --Dan Lucia
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @DManLucia




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BYB PAL, ROB SEGEDIN SHIPPED TO LOS ANGELES

A minor trade went down today involving a guy we liked here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Yankee farm hand Rob Segedin was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers today for lefty pitcher Tyler Olson and infielder Ronald Torreyes.  The Dodgers announced it on Twitter:

Dodgers acquire IF-OF Rob Segedin and a player to be named or cash considerations from @Yankees for IF Ronald Torreyes and LHP Tyler Olson.

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 12, 2016

We interviewed Rob back when Ty Hensley took a picture with him and Anderson Feliz wearing our BYB shirt back in 2013.
 

After our interview with Segedin, read BYB EXCLUSIVE: ROB SEGEDIN, he took a picture wearing his own Bleeding Yankee Blue shirt.

Personally, I like Segedin.  He was a hard worker and was determined to go pro with the Yankees.  According to Hardball Talk:

"Segedin, 27, hit .287/.360/.426 with seven home runs and 34 RBI in 71 games last season between the Yankees’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates while appearing defensively at first base, third base, and both corner outfield spots.

(In Photo: Ronald Torreyes)
Torreyes, 23, hit .261/.308/.347 between Double-A and Triple-A in 2015.

 (In Photo: Tyler Olson)

 Olson, 26, had a 5.40 ERA in 13 1/3 innings of relief with the Mariners."

I look forward to seeing what Torreyes and Olson have for us.  I also wish Segedin well.  He's a good kid.  He deserves everything that comes his way. We're fans here at BYB.

Best of luck, kid.

 

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