Anyway, a grand BA tradition is that after releasing a Top 10 list, the writer takes questions from the troglodytes. For the Yankees, this unleashes as orgy of speculative trivialism about names most Yankee fans will never even utter. It's like a Star Trek convention, where guys wearing Vulcan ears argue about the Gorn's backstory. But like those poor fools, I read it fervently for insights into the Yankee future.
Yesterday, it was scarier than a NASA report on global warming. If you dream about the Yankees' future, do NOT go here.
Here are the most distressing lines from yesterday's chat. Warning: This is NSFH. (Not Safe For Hope.)
1. "If he reaches his ceiling, he could be a Brendan Ryan type of guy." - This on Kyle Holder, our first-round pick last year at SS. Huh? We drafted a first-round SS (first SS since Cito Culver) - and at full potential, he's the next Brendan Ryan? Where's the rest room? I gotta barf.
2. "I don’t think there’s much chance Jagielo plays third base longterm. Evaluators have panned his defense since last year." - Again, a first-rounder looks compromised. We took Jagielo ahead of Aaron Judge and Ian Clarkin three years ago. Now, he looks like trade bait, or the next Kyle Roller. Why can't the Yankees develop thirdbasemen? Is there a curse we don't know about? Will we be stuck forever with Chase Headley?
3. "Yoan Moncada is likely to be in our Top 10 prospects overall. The ceiling is high for both, but Moncada could be a superstar." I can't let go. I CAN'T LET GO. BA says Mateo - our number one - will make their Top 100. Whoopie. The Redsocks signed Moncada, because Hal "I'm Not Cheap" Steinbrenner wanted to pinch his precious pennies. Yankee fans need to start considering the B-word: Boycott.
4. "I don’t think people are as high on him as they had been." They are talking about Aaron Judge, our power forward in RF. The new line on Judge is that he's got the biggest strike zone in baseball, and he was undressed last summer in Triple A. If Judge tanks, we're back to spinning crapola about Jesus Montero. We can't afford to have another Montero.
5. "Refsnyder, even if he’s never going to be Roberto Alomar at second, has improved and is an up-the-middle type of player." It's sad that I would become angry over positive words expressed about Refsnyder, but we know the deal: He'll never get a chance with the Yankees. What's the point of discussing this guy? Our top brass speaks ill of long and bloated contracts, then we trade for Starlin Castro. And the echo chamber adores this. (The NY Post recently had a headline that went, WHY THE YANKEES ARE DROOLING OVER STARLIN CASTRO.) What crapola. Have you gone onto any Cubs web sites? Because they're delighted to be done with him.
6. "He’s got 80 innings as a professional in two seasons and change. That’s alarming for a first-round starting pitcher." This is BA defending the fact that Ian Clarkin didn't make the top 10. Yep, another first-rounder. Clarkin has done nothing to warrant a top 10 ranking, aside from being picked in the first round. It's not his fault. He's been hurt. I get that. But deal with it, folks. (Same goes for Ty Hensley, the snake-bitten first-rounder. I wish I could wave a wand and snap the curse. But once injured, many players - especially pitchers - are never the same.)
7. "Evaluators weren’t particularly high on Molina." Somebody asked if OF Leonard Molina was ready to "break out." (That's the line prospect-huggers always use, dreaming of a guy who suddenly sets his league on fire.) Molina is another guy whose only reason for hope is that we paid a lot of money to sign him. He's young and wealthier than you will ever be. And so we're supposed to be excited. So when he doesn't hit, and he's rated poorly, the huggers claim anti-Yankee bias.
8. "He could be a mid-rotation guy." This is about James Kaprielian, our first-rounder from last June. A mid-rotation guy? Wow. So we had two first-round picks: One is the next Brendan Ryan and the other is a future David Phelps? Wow.
9. "He had elbow surgery, got crushed in the big leagues (though that may have been a product of the bone chips) and evaluators want to see better command and a smoother delivery." This is on Jacob Lindgren, another top picks, whom the Yankees spent most of last spring congratulating themselves for. (This is a common theme, by the way. The Yankiverse basically acts as an echo chamber for front office spin.)
10. "... starter stuff, below-average command and could be a weapon out of the bullpen." He's talking about Bryan Mitchell, whom we consider our sixth starter. Well, maybe I should cheer up. They say we might get something for Mitchell in a trade.
Hey, here's an idea! Let's trade for Jesus Montero! I hear Seattle might be willing to let him go.
Based upon this assessment of the Yankee's beefed up farm system, I have decided to follow other sports and return to full-time alcoholism. What is CC's is phone number?
ReplyDeleteJORGE MATEO THE NEXT BRENDAN RYAN???.... LET ME GET MY GUN..........BUT, YOU KNOW, C'MON, HOW COULD THEY BEGIN TO COMPARE THOSE TWO?..... ONE CAN RUN LIKE THE WIND, ANOTHER CAN'T RUN AT ALL..... "BA" IS DEFINITELY NOT THE SAY ALL, END ALL, ABOUT PLAYERS, THAT'S FOR SURE.
ReplyDeleteWell all of us who are so keen on "rebuilding" forget what an iffy process it is. If a high draft pick actually turns into a Brendan Ryan it's a great success. Most of these guys crap out. If Refsnyder makes one or two all star teams the way Castro did, that will be a great success too.
ReplyDeleteI'm still optimistic that the Yanks will have a pretty good core of young players in MLB within the next year, but it will then be necessary to spend wildly if they are to be a championship team. Hopefully, Steinbrenner hasn't forgotten how to do that.
You are all dreaming and, likely, overly optimistic. Under Cashman and Hal ( " I'm Not Cheap'" ) Steinbrenner, the Yankees have assembled a .500 team, with no prospects except Gary Sanchez ( who will likely crash ).
ReplyDeleteFor myself, drinking is the answer.
Tequila in the morning, tequila at lunch, and tequila in the evening.
I'll go through a lot of lemons and limes.
But shots are easier than manhattans.
Thanks, by the way, for sending me CC's contact info.
I DO HAVE THE SAME HOPE AS YOU CEEJA....I FEEL WE HAVE A REAL GOOD YOUNG CORE COMING WITH BIRD, JUDGE, SEVERINO, SANCHEZ, DIDI, CASTRO, LINDGREN, AND MAYBE HEATHCOTT, (WOULD HAVE LOVED TO TRY REFSNYDER AT 2ND-BUT THE "MYSTERY SCOUT" HAS SPOKEN).....THE ONLY WAY FOR IT ALL TO COME TO FRUITION IS HAL HAS TO THEN SPEND WILDLY AND FILL IN THE BIGGEST NEEDS, ONCE OUR KIDS FIND THEIR PLACE...... I AM THE MOST OPTIMISTIC, PESSIMIST ALPHONSO!
ReplyDeleteDavid Phelps is a mid rotation starter? Where, Altoona?
ReplyDeleteMe? A pessimist? Surely you jest.
ReplyDeleteWe have seen so much on which to base optimism. We have so many superstars….though a bit aged and slowed. We have a long menu of first round draft picks who have emerged, how exactly?
Our top prospects always dominate the top 10? 20? 1000? of baseball's top prospects.
Other teams are eager to trade who, exactly, to us?
Who says we are a dumping ground for guys who have already flamed out, and who were easily and eagerly replaced by the teams dealing them?
Our pitching staff is lights out….often favorably compared, for example, to the starting 4 ( or 5 ) of that other NYC team, right? Simple test; do you want our starting 4 or the Mets starting 4?
We got so much more value from McCann than either of the two catchers that preceded him, right? McCann hits .230 and into double plays. Cervelli and Russell have both out-performed him.
And who would argue that signing our best hitter, Carlos Beltran, to a three year contract ( after we had refused earlier to sign him to a 2 year deal), was anything but genius?
No one anticipated anything but a steal when we were able to sign Ellsbury for a contract that lasts forever. Like the Red Sox didn't know he was injury prone and, mostly, broken already? Let me just pose this question: would you rather have the Red Sox current center fielder for another 5-10 years, or Ellsbury?
Pessimist maybe. Realist, for sure.
In the case of the Yankees, both words mean the same thing.
You're not a pessimistic or realist, just another fan that doesn't get baseball.
ReplyDeleteI really want the world to know about this great man who brought back happiness into my life again after my husband left me and the kids 3 years ago for another women online when i contacted Dr Believe he cast a love spell for me within 48 hours my ex husband start calling me and begging for forgiveness for everything that have happened between us. I was so happy to have my family back together with love again here is the email of Dr Believe via believelovespelltemple@gmail.com a man with the great powers you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348156148821
ReplyDeleteGod bless you
I am very grateful for your help in my marriage.