The Big Pitcher

NEW YORK YANKEES: 10 MOST HIGHLY-TOUTED PROSPECTS SINCE 1990

Number  one and two along with Jesus Montero will blow your mind, and most likely  the reasons why we have to tread softly when it comes to  Prospect expectation..

Out of the top  ten, only two players went on to  meet their expectations.. A few had moderate success, but considering how high they  were ranked, we have to label them as moderate to  severe disappointments

The Big Pitcher

As we close in on Spring Training, which opens in less then three weeks, we’re entering our yearly Hope Springs Eternal portion of the Off Season.. Except, for the first  time in many years, the proverb actually might have some substance thanks to  an influx of highly touted prospects acquired at the 2016 deadline..

The man on the street, even the saltiest of old dogs are optimistic come February 1st

“Even with Gardiner Headley and our very suspect starting rotation I am excited about our Season for the first time in a few years.
If metric-headed Clippy and his inadequate staff dont screw em.up let the Kids play, grow learn and Jell, no ???”

Yes sir, we have a copy that!

The Yanks will use 2017 as a bridge to the future as they  try to  develop the catching position, first base, and right field..If Cashman finds a new home for Brett Gardner, we can add left field to that mix..

By the July trade deadline if Sanchez, Judge, Bird, Austin, and Frazier are in the starting line-up and producing , the bridge to  2019 has encountered unquestionable  smooth sailing..

If the Yanks can fill 4 or 5 positions with inexpensive prospects, a moderately priced SS,(Gregorius) and one or two of Torres, Andujar, or Mateo to  cover 2nd and 3rd base, Ellsbury would be the  only over-pay in the starting line-up, creating salary flexibility for the talent rich 2018 / 19 Free Agent class.

Hal will  also  want to  sneak under the Luxury Tax limit once Sabathia and ARod are off the books… It’s probably a safe bet the 2018  season won’t be  seeing any big ticket items either, and that includes Tanaka if he opts out…?

Cashman, who is also in the final year of his contract has leveraged his value to  the Yanks quite nicely..It’s very difficult to  see Hal not tendering his Baseball OPs head honcho at the start of a total rebuild which not only includes position players, but the whole starting rotation..

Cashman better hope his 2017 pitching auditions don’t trend as badly as the 2013 Spring Training debacle..That  cache of prospects and farm hands was a complete bust, prompting Steinbrenner to  clean  house, changing the player development regime by replacing Mark Newman with Gary Denbo.

The Bombers will  enter the 2017 with  3 locks in the rotation, Tanaka, Sabathia, and Pineda…

Severino, Cessa, Green, Mitchell, Warren, Adams, Montgomery, and Enns, seem to  be the contenders for the last two  spots..

The bull pen has 4 locks, Chappy, Betances, Clippard, and one of Layne, Bleier, Shreve as the LHP LOOGY or whatever

If the Yanks carry a 12 man pitching staff, barring injuries, 7 of the 12 holes are filled, leaving 2 starter and 3 reliever spots available

Mikey 2 Chins

M2C has assembled an unofficial list of Opening Day rotations for the four full season minor league affiliates.. If the Bomber system is being ranked anywhere from 1 to  5 in the polls, then Cashman might have a decent pool of pitchers to pull  from???

Also not on the list Zack Littell and Stephen Tarpley, possible Double-A rotation candidates.

The big question  will be what Cashman  does with the pitchers who don’t crack the rotation..? Who  goes to  the pen in an effort to  fill out the last 3 spots, and who  goes to Triple A to  remain stretched out ?

No  doubt if the last two  rotation spots are filled internally, there will be innings limits and strict pitch  count ceilings, so this starting rotation  could easily go 8 or 9  deep..

The projection is Cessa and Severino  get the rotation gig, Mitchell and Warren  go  to  the pen, Green, Adams, Montgomery, Enns remain rotation depth  at AAA…?

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