Bringing up babies.
Whatever you want to call it... I'm in.
Yes it's a desperate move. Yes, it designed to give fans like us... baby they should score some runs... (Sorry, not sure how Springsteen got in here) a reason to watch past the second inning.
OK so they didn't win for seven years but Blomberg was a lot of fun and Munson was Munson. As an aside, I took this picture last week in the Yankee Museum. It's supposed to be Thurman's locker. Apparently he played his entire Yankee career without wearing pants. Seriously, could they have gone any cheaper with this?
But I digress. Let's talk youts.
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Volpe will be just fine.
The alternatives for this season (because Brian is a terrible GM) were IKF at shortstop (already proven to not be up to the task) or Peraza who probably should have gotten the job but also would have been a rookie.
So it was Volpe to help sell tickets.
They were a marginal (at best) team the second half of last year and didn't do anything in the off season but get worse so why not have the kid play.
He's been pretty good of late and will be a 20-20 guy in his first season. He's also fixed his swing (No thanks to the myriad of Yankee hitting coaches) and is getting into the groove.
He's a keeper. Ultimately I still think he belongs at second, with Peraza at short, Murakami at third and Gleyber somewhere (anywhere) else.
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As to bringing up Jasson...
Sure. Why not? Granted it is premature but Bader is gone no matter what and Jasson is not going to be any worse at the plate and will certainly be more interesting.
That said, I will miss that prancing move that Bader does in the outfield. What with that anyway? Was his HS coach Arthur Murray? It's just so weird. Good defender though.
The thing is, Jasson has not shown himself to be a good defender thus far. He's had trouble with his routes in minor league ballparks. The vast center field in Yankee Stadium is going to be VERY hard for him.
But, at this point it is not like the games matter, so if he's going figure it out or prove himself to be the left fielder that he most likely is... better to do it now.
And he will hit.
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Last - If i were the Yankees I'd give Wells a bunch of starts at DH. If hitting is really his best tool then why not let him use it. Get him used to major league pitching.
Just as importantly...
It might also give Stanton a glimpse of his future as a bench guy and, if he has any pride, (hard to say) it might soften him up when it comes to his no trade clause. Because he HAS to go.
If they play Wells with the other four guys that would be five rookies.
BTW - The Rookies was developed by Bill Blinn he of Brian's Song, Purple Rain, and the TV series Fame.
I had the privilege of working with him once as well as watching a Super Bowl at his house. Big Bengals fan. He was a truly nice and extremely talented man.
I always look forward to Labor Day. It means the pennant race, such as it is, begins.
ReplyDeleteBut this September? A waste of time; so why not bring up the kids? Not that I'm going to be wetting my pants with excitement hoping they'll become the next Core Four.
Since the TD, there has been a waffling kind of feeling about Yankees (mis)management. It's as if they've lost their rudder and have no idea where they're going or why. Captain Hal is on the bridge staring into a vast ocean, looking to his lieutenant for some direction, and being an intern, he is looking back at the boss with the same blank look on his face.
As long as they don't run out of gas, they'll be perfectly happy going around in circles
Id bring up Andres Chapparo too cuz Rizzo is COOKED
ReplyDeleteRosters only go to 28 now in September, so if they release Montas then they can bring up another guy.
ReplyDeleteChapparo can hit, but he's approaching Fielder size.
ReplyDeleteMontas is already on the 60 Day DL (so they can't release him, but he's not taking up a roster spot.)
@ Rufus, I don't care if he's bigger than a whale. If he can hit, they should bring him up.
ReplyDeleteAs Jack London so famously said, "youth will be served".
ReplyDeleteNow, I don't know if any of these babies they bring up will stick in the majors, but I know one thing: They're already better than Stanton, Rizzo, and Donaldson. Better than Stanton, because Stanton is a Statue. Better than Rizzo, because Rizzo's gone dizzo. Better than Donaldson, because Donaldson is done-old-son.
As far as I'm concerned, they should've had the Martian up here and learning on the job in left field from day 1 of the season. Would things have been any worse? We've just been through the WORST Yankee season that I've ever seen. How could things have been any worse?
Austin Wells should've been up here, at the very least, by the All-Star break.
In a lost season, Cashman has wasted precious time, failed to develop. Well, he did develop Volpe. Although Volpe was probably here for the wrong reasons, it was the right move to start the season with Volpe.
You realize that Judge hit freaking .179 his first year with the Yankees? Freaking .179!!!!
Think that they brought up Judge too soon, and that if they'd kept him in the minors for another six years, Judge would've come up here and hit .320 with 62 home runs his first year? No, it would've just delayed his development another six years, and his first year in the majors, he probably would've hit ... freaking .179!!!!
All I'm saying is that, if any of these kids make it, there will be a long learning curve, and a great deal of patience will be required. But for damn sure, it beats the hell out of waiting for Stanton, Rizzo, and Donaldson to resurrect.
I predict Wells' porn-stache will have its own t-shirt by the end of September.
ReplyDeleteBuhBye Bader - please send me your new address in Cincinnati so I can ship you a pinstriped and Jordan Almond-Green MouthGuard!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Memories
Yanks losing this game...Tragic Number presently is 19...
ReplyDeleteGood points all around. I largely agree, Doug...though I have to admit, I remain pessimistic about Volpe. As my friend, James the shtarke from LA says, he can see Volpe working his way assiduously up to a year when he hits, say, .270, and drives in 87 runs. And that's the ceiling. I suspect he's right...
ReplyDelete...But hey, you never know.
ReplyDeleteAs Doug writes of the 1969 under-23s, Munson became Munson, Blomberg was fun (always felt the Yanks should've tried him in the OF, where I saw him play pretty well once), and of Ellis and Tepedino?
Well, Ellis became part of the Nettles trade, and Tepedino was part of the deal for Pat Dobson, who went 39-37 for us, 3.65 ERA, and nearly won us the 1974 division title.
If these youngsters bring as big a return, we'll be in clover.
Just in case our little winning streak against the AAA team known as the Tigers made you forget how shitty the Yankees’ offense is … today’s game is your reminder.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe .270, 87 RBI ceiling is not bad though Horace. Sort of a hustling Torres without the synaptic lapses
Nice tank loss…tragic number now 18…
ReplyDeleteYesterday, the Mets pulled out an improbable victory over the Rangers, and celebrated all through as if it were the seventh game of the World Series.
ReplyDeleteToday's Yankees effort was, shall we say, less than inspired. Another thing that needs to change.
But hey, since we don't have a night game, this blog will keep entertaining you instead!
Pulling defeat from the jaws of victory!
ReplyDeleteDidn't watch a minute.
Fuck HAL. Fuck Ca$hole with HAL's polo pony.