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Yankees Update: Bad News On El Capitan While The Team Keeps Winning
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday April.24/2013
Derek Jeter. The Yankee Captain. A future Hall of Famer. Last October, Jeter broke his ankle during the American League Championship Series. All off-season, it was reported that Jeter would be ready for Opening Day. After a series of set-backs, it has now become clear that due to a small crack in his ankle, Jeter will not be ready until after the All-Star Break. Can the Yankees survive without their captain? Only time will tell.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees Correspondent/Trade Correspondent): Follow @nross56
Transitions are rarely easy. People, generally, are creatures of habit and routine. Change is almost always seen as a scary thing for most. Yankee fans are no different. The transition from the old guard is an overwhelming theme to this season for the Yankees.
As Week Three of the Major League season moved along, the Yankees received more bad injury news on their shortstop, Derek Jeter. The Yankee captain suffered a significant setback in his recovery from a broken ankle when it was reported that a small crack had emerged in the same location as the injury.
Reports had indicated that Jeter’s surgery would prevent such a re-occurrence. Obviously, this is not the case, and now, the Yankees will be without their shortstop until at the very least the All-Star break.
Yankee fans’ reaction was obvious as the news broke. For the better part of two decades, Jeter has been the constant in the Yankee lineup, and this injury reminds Yankee fans, again, that the times, they are a changing.
The Captain:
Down On The Farm – New York Yankees Update
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, April 17, 2013
Almonte is showing his stuff at Triple-A, Particularly, his plate patience is something to keep an eye on and may land him in the Bronx sooner than originally expected. In Scranton, Zolio Almonte has begun to separate himself from Melky Mesa as the more advanced outfield prospect. The Most exciting thing about Almonte is how he is managing Triple A Pitchers He Has worked out 10 Walks – while putting up a very impressive .512 OBP.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees Correspondent/Trade Correspondent): Follow @nross56
Yankees Report From Down on the Farm:
As of the writing of this paragraph, Almonte had worked another two Walks to further improve that On Base Percentage. The ability to control the strike zone and force pitchers to throw strikes may be the most important factor in promoting a ball player.
In the pre-season, we talked briefly about Almonte as a potential replacement for an injured Curtis Granderson. While Vernon Wells has obviously filled the ranks of the Yankee Outfield, should there be regression from Wells or further injury, Almonte is beginning to show himself as a real option to get Major League At-Bats.
Zolio Almonte HRs:
Opening Week Jitters For The Yankees
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Follow @mlbreportsWednesday, April 10, 2013
Opening Week was what many suspected, but as the Yankees come out of that leg of the marathon, they are alive and kicking. The question will be as it always was: Can the pitching keep the team in the game?
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees Correspondent/Trade Correspondent): Follow @nross56
As winter turns to spring, anyone who loves the game of baseball begins to become anxious. The season is almost here becomes a rallying cry for those fans who spend the cold winter missing the boys of summer.
Opening Day is a borderline holiday for we baseball fans. It marks the beginning of our six (6) month journey. A time of renewal and rebirth. A time of hope as spring turns to summer and our favorite teams return to their ballparks. The Yankees headed north to begin the season and immediately entered their traditional role in the spotlight of New York.
For over 100 years, there has been no bigger ticket in sports in the Big Apple than the Yankees. Sadly enough opening day was as bad as many of the naysayers expected. CC Sabathia, a traditional slow starter, was beaten badly by the Red Sox.
Sabathia’s largest weakness was the frequency with which runners reached base. Allowing 12 base runners over the course of only five innings, Sabathia provided the Red Sox with opportunity after opportunity.
Much has been made of Sabathia’s decreasing velocity. It was the hot topic after the outing. Sabathia topped out at around 92 MPH on his fastball, which seemed ultimately much more hittable.
Equally worrisome to the loss in velocity is the inability to control the strike zone with 4 Walks during the start. All in all, it made for another horrid opening day from a pitcher that has traditionally been poor on opening day.
Ivan Nova: Back When It Was Working:
NL Trade Deadline Targets
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday April.8/2013
If all goes well with the team this year, the Astros could improve on their 2012 year. If all else fails, Houston might challenge the ALL-Time Loss Record. Whatever happens, any Veteran Player with a heartbeat will be on the trading block by June. The Astros will continue to dissolve any of their assets (with expiring contracts) onto other teams in order to pick off some more prospects. The Astros will also Draft 1st overall at the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft. The Astros also play in the toughest Division in the Majors for pitching, plus have already put up back to back 100 Loss Seasons. Their second half Won – Loss Records might challenge historic rates.
By Jordan Gluck (Prospects/Baseball Operations Correspondent) Follow @JGluck777
Likely Mid season trade targets NL:
I’m assuming these teams will have a winning percentage of at least .475 and therefore will not be sellers although that doesn’t entirely rule out being sellers at the deadline. We are far away from the deadline but it’s nice to see who might be available. Nationals, Braves, Phillies, Reds, Cardinals, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants and Rockies (sleeper).
I believe these teams will be sellers and there are not many in the NL because of the parity. Many of these teams don’t have that much to offer so it would not surprise me if a team above (Brewers?) makes a few trades for over slot prices. Marlins, Mets, Pirates, Cubs and Padres.
Giancarlo Stanton (Formerly Mike Stanton hits it out of Dodger Stadium):
Trust In Cash: Vernon Wells And Getting Through Early 2013
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Follow @mlbreportsMonday April.1, 2013
Our own Chuck Booth predicted that Mr. Wells could be wearing pinstripes this season and lo and behold, Chuck was right. Now, to see if Wells can bridge the gap for the Yankees until Curtis Granderson returns.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees + Trade Correspondent) Follow @NRoss56
There have been few moments as divisive for Yankees fans over the past year than last weekend’s trade for Vernon Wells. While I will get to the trade analysis of the Wells deal, I find it incredibly interesting the conversations and general disdain Yankee fans are currently showing for the management team in the Bronx.
The Yankee universe took to social media after the announcement of the trade. A large contingent were calling for Brian Cashman’s job, which I’m sure is not anything unusual for the General Manager of the Yankees. It did get me thinking about where the team is coming into the season.
Vernon Wells Highlights – Parental Guidance is Advised:
The Yankees Prospects Going Into 2013
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Follow @mlbreportsSaturday, March 23, 2013
The Tampa Yankees are the High-A affiliate for the Yankees and served as the home for Gary Sanchez, Mason Williams, Tyler Austin and Slade Heathcott during the 2012 season.
By Nicholas Rossoletti (Yankees Correspondent/Trade Correspondent): Follow @nross56
Heading into the 2013 season, few things in the Yankee universe have been more controversial than the organizations goals to get under the $189 million salary mark after the season. It has been largely debated as to whether such a goal is realistic for an organization known for spending wildly in its never-ending pursuit of championships.
It is also hotly debated whether the goal will have the desired effect of taking some of the Yankee millions out of the revenue sharing arena and placing them back into the Steinbrenner family pockets. I won’t spend much time discussing the benefits or negatives of a team sticking to a 189 million payroll, but I will say that it is very possible to build a world champion well within that budget.
The first step to building a future champion regardless of how much money the Yankees spend is to follow the formula that brought the Yankees success over the past two decades: build a base around young talent. So with this article we will take a look at the prospects that Yankees fans have to hope pan out and begin heading for the Bronx.
Slade Heathcott showing off how to slide in the AFL:
MLB Reports Top 100 Prospects: A Rebuttal To The MLB.com’s Top 100
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Follow @mlbreportsTuesday February.12, 2013
By Jordan Gluck (Prospects/Baseball Operations Correspondent) Follow @JGluck777
Before I show you my top 100 prospects – I want to get you familiar with my grading tactics and styles and what I value most. All prospects have ceilings and very few players reach that ceiling. First lets go through the tools of what I personally value most and where.
Tools:
Bat:1
Power:2
Speed:3
Glove:4
Arm:5
Makeup:?
Those are the 5(6) tools that scouts use and the scale goes from 20-80. 80 being HOF rare like Giancarlo Stanton Power and 20 being absolutely terrible like Bengie Molina has 20 speed. Most people reading this will probably have more than 20 speed so that’s how pathetic it is.
Jurickson Profar Prospect Highlights:
Tyler Austin – Yankees Prospect: A Baseball Story of Courage; Feature Interview by Lori Martini
Friday August 10th, 2012
Lori Martini (Baseball Writer- and @LoriMartini on Twitter): Baseball is my life. Heck, if I could get paid for playing softball- I would have the greatest, happiest job in the world! I’m sure anyone who has played the game feels the same way. So many players go through the system and either get overlooked, marred by injuries or simply can’t perform up to major league standards. Aside from all of that, there are the politics and life in general that can get in the way of success.
So when we see athletes like Lance Armstrong and Mike Lowell, not only overcoming testicular cancer, but rising to the top of their respective sport, one cannot help but feel completely inspired. These guys did NOT give up and in fact, they fought harder than anyone. Given the success they have experienced, the hard work certainly paid off. Which brings me to a very special ballplayer and today’s feature subject, Tyler Austin.
Tyler was born in Macon, GA to Kim and Chris Austin and has two younger brothers, Dylan and Kyle who also play ball. At age 17, Tyler was diagnosed with testicular cancer during the MLB Draft. Read the rest of this entry
