Top 30 prospects

This year it will be difficult to narrow it down to 30, mainly because we have so much depth. The last 10 on this list will probably be pretty interchangeable between each other and between the next 20 on the list, because we have a bunch of guys who have the tools to possibly become major league material. Many people hold a lot of stock in scouting reports and very little in actual performance. I tend to be closer to the opposite, however I do take scouting reports into account heavily. For example, while stats may be similar, Manny Banuelos is a higher end prospect than Adam Warren. Here's my list, and I'll provide an explanation for each.  Noesi has been in the majors for over half the season, so he is not being included on this list. Montero was a September call-up, so he is.

1. Jesus Montero: Preseason Rank: 1. Will be 22 next season. Most people know who he is by now. It's tough to argue with how good he is because he is proving right now he can handle major league pitching, albeit in a small sample size. Scouts give him 80/80 power, and he hits to all fields. His power to right field will serve him well in Yankees Stadium, and he should be a DH/Back-up to Russell Martin for the big league team next year. So long Cervelli, I hope we can get a useful piece in return for you via trade. 18 HR this season and he handled AAA pitching really well. He is going to be a very good major league player at the very least.

2. Dellin Betances: Preseason Rank: 2. Will be 24 next season. Finished with a 3.7 ERA 142 K in 126 innings.Most people would have Manny Banuelos in this position but I disagree. Manny is younger, with similar stats in AA and AAA. Dellin, however, strikes out more batters, and has a better WHIP. His fastball sits at 94-95 and he's already got a nasty curveball. He needs to work on his control, just like Manny, but his build is better, and thus it is likely that the ball comes up on hitters quicker. He is 6'8, 260, compared to Manny's smaller frame. He is older by 3 years, but his large build should allow him to last longer in the majors and at some point he should be a Verlander or Ubaldo Jimenez type who can go late into games. Then again Banuelos is Lefty. He'll be in AAA next season and could be in the majors by the middle to end of next season.

3. Manny Banuelos: Preseason Rank: 3. Will be 21 next season. Finished the season with a 3.75 ERA, but pitched 129 innings and had 125 K. His control faltered this season but he showed he can handle the upper minors. He should challenge for a rotation slot coming out of spring training next season, but will likely end up in AAA to start the season. No reason why he shouldn't excel there the way he has so far in his career. A 21 year old in AAA, he will be one of the youngest players in the league. His fastball is sitting around 93 now, and his changeup is his major strikeout pitch. His curveball has improved greatly as well. If his control comes back around, he will dominate AAA next season and we will probably see him in the majors at some point.

4. Gary Sanchez (Sanchize): Preseason Rank:  4. Will be 19 next season. He started off with an abysmal first half, but really turned it on in the second half before his injury. He ended up with 17 HR despite his slow start. His average never quite came around, finishing at .256, but he got so hot at the end of the year, as an 18 year old, young for his level, in single A. The struggles he had coincided with his "maturity issues," where he was fighting with the coaches about playing time, etc. Hopefully this is all behind him. Maybe he sees how quickly a prospect can fall off if he stops trying. If so, he will start off in High A next season and the sky is the limit. If he starts off hot, he could easily supplant JR Murphy as the starting AA catcher quickly. If all goes well he could be a 20 year old in AAA by 2013.

5. Mason (Mad Mase) Williams: Preseason Rank: 18. Will be 20 next season and will start off in at least Low A Charleston, but may skip a level. Being the MVP of your league (my prediction) will do that. Either way, he is a young guy with a boatload of talent. A possible future 5 tooler by all accounts. He flashed the speed and reasonable power in his short time at Staten Island. Most impressive was his high average (.349) and his SB total (28), although he was caught 12 times. He even had 3 homeruns to go along with all of this. He could be a Brett Gardner with more power. He's got plenty of time to get there, and he seems to have the right makeup. It's too early to tell right now, but his ceiling is so high that it would be foolish to put him miuch lower than this, because the summation of his tools and his results are better than anyone ranked below him.

6. Austin Romine (Bromine): Preseason Rank: 5. Will be 23 next season. Romine had a bit of a disappointing season. He repeated a year in AA and his numbers did not improve significantly. In fact, his power numbers actually took a hit. Nevertheless, he hit for a decent average and moderate power for a catcher. He finished the season .279/.343 after struggling in a short appearance in AAA at the end of the season. He's at a premium position, and he's got great defense. He has proven that he can hit so he would be a valuable member of many teams. Doesn't have the highest ceiling of anyone in our system, but I can't say I'm disappointed to have him in our system.

7. JR Murphy (Murph): Preseason Rank: He was one of my preseason Dark Horse candidates, meaning he was top 30. He will be 21 next season, and will probably start in Tampa. He really improved his stock this season. Overall he batted .287 with 7 HR and a .325 OBP. More importantly, he learned how to catch last offseason, and it now looks like he will stick at this position. He unseated Gary Sanchez as the starting catcher early in the season until he was promoted to Tampa. Scouts seem to think his bat is a sure thing, so the improvement in his catching will go a long way towards increasing his standing as a prospect.

8. Slade Heathcott: Preseason Rank: 8. Will be 21 next season. He was really starting to have a breakout season when it was cut short due to another shoulder injury. Given his ability to overcome these injuries in the past, I will give him the benefit of the doubt and leave him at number 8. On the other hand, had he not suffered the injury he would probably be even higher on this list. He hit .279 with a .349 OBP this season. He had a short stint in Tampa, where he had one of the best games of his career, then went down with the injury. He hit 5 HR, but only stole a disappointing 6 bases. He continued his stellar play in the field, although you have to think that all of these shoulder injuries are taking a toll on his arm. I am cautiously optimistic that he will return early next year. He didn't end up getting surgery in the offseason, so lets hope his shoulder holds up.

9. Adam (The Warden) Warren: Preseason Rank: 10. Will be 24 next season. Cashman said on several occasions that Warren was one injury away from getting a few major league starts this season. He is about as major league ready as an AAA starter can get, and will most certainly compete for a slot in the rotation next year with Phelps, Noesi, Banuelos, and Betances. It will be a fun spring training to watch. This season he went for a 3.6 ERA with 111 K in 152 IP. His K/9 was really low for him, but he proved he could successfully handle AAA hitters at just 23 years old. He throws a 4 seamer that can hit 97 but sits around 94, and a 2-seamer that ranges from 90-92. Also throws a changeup (his out pitch), a curveball, and a slider. He profiles as a back end starter, somewhere between 3-5. I'd be surprised if he couldn't be more successful than Burnett was this year.

10. David Phelps: Preseason Rank: 9. Will be 25 next season. Before he went down with the injury, he was the next guy on the depth chart to start for the major league team. Unfortunately, while he was injured, Adam Warren emerged as that guy. While he was healthy, he pitched about as well as could have been expected, with a 2.99 ERA in 114 IP with 95 K. He strikes a decent amount of guys out and he keeps the ball inside the park, two important qualities for the majors. Most importantly, he has excellent control, with only 2.1 BB/9 this season. Take away his slow start, and he looks like a dominant AAA pitcher. Look out for him to be a surprise candidate to swoop in for a rotation spot next season. He has a 92 MPH 2-seamer and a 93 MPH 4-seamer, with a big league slider and an average curveball, as well as an average changeup. His control is what separates him from the others, but so far he hasn't been able to get major league hitters out (granted spring training is a small sample size). This season he will likely get a shot in the majors at some point. This will be the true test. If your wondering why he's not above Warren, it's because Warren didn't get injured, simple as that.

11. Brett "Fire" Marshall: Preseason Rank: 15. Will be 22 next season. Accomplished 2 major things this season. First of all, he got his innings total up to 140. Secondly, he figured out high A hitting. His first half numbers were pretty bad but by the end of the season his ERA was down to 3.78. Hopefully he can carry that momentum into next season. If he does, you may see him crack the top 10 on this list because he certainly has the stuff. He had 114 K in 140 IP this season. He throws a 92-95 MPH 2-seamer, a circle change-up and a slider. AA next season will be a big test for him.

12. Dante "Bichette Happens" Bichette Jr: Preseason: Unranked (new draft pick). As much as people say his fielding might not allow him to stay at 3B, the bottom line is that a hitter with great power and who can hit for average is a high-end prospect no matter what. We've seen it with Montero. This season, after being drafted as the Yankees number one pick, he did not disappoint. He raked. His BA was .335 and his OBP was .440. He hit 4 HR and OPSed at .947. He made an immediate impression and will be just 19 next season headed to Staten Island most likely. Sky's the limit for this hard worker.

13. Zoilo Almonte (Boilin Zoilo): Preseason Rank: Unranked. Will be 23 next season. He seems to improve every season. Had a very similar season in course to last year. Starts off slow, catches fire midseason, then gets promoted and cools off a bit. Either way, he ended up with 15 HR, 18 SB, and a .276/.345/.803 line. Next year will be a big one for him in AA. He held his own towards the end of this season in AA, so hopefully he can really put it all together next season. He is a solid fielder with a good arm with good speed. In fairness, 14 might be a generous rank, but next season will be a big test.

14. Corban Joseph (CoJo): He'll be 23 next season, and likely in AAA, although I'm not sure where that puts Kevin Russo. He had a decent season, hitting .277/.353/.768 in AA, with 5 HR and 4 SB. He doesn't have a lot of speed or range at 2B, and 3B may be his long-term position. Given that, his value may be limited. I am not as high on Joseph as many people are, but I've been wrong before. People have been talking for a while about his power that will develop, but we haven't seen it yet. Either way, he has a bright future and will likely see the major leagues at some point with some team.

15. Brandon Laird (Bash Brother): Preseason Rank: 13. Will be 24 next season, and will start in AAA. Let's look at the positives. He's young, he's got some decent power, and he won the award for best 3B in the International League. Now for the negatives: .260 average, .280 OBP, and really took a step back from his career year last season. This will be a big year for him. It will likely determine if he has a shot at a big league gig or if he'll be a future back-up type.

16. DJ Mitchell: Preseason Rank: 20. He'll be 25 years old next year. Looks like his career path will be more of a mop-up guy, with an outside shot at being a high leverage reliever. He had an excellent season for AAA SWB this year, throwing 161 innings and striking out 112, with a 3.18 ERA. He certainly surpassed expectations by a long-shot. Given his success at this level it is hard to ignore him, especially when just a few years ago he was considered a top 10 prospect. At this point he will likely get a shot in the majors, it's just a matter of when and for who. He throws a 2-seamer at 91 and induces a ton of ground balls. He also has a solid change and curveball. He's as ready as he'll ever be for the MLB.

17. Graham "Cracker" Stoneburner: Preseason Rank: 12. Will be 24 next season, and this will be an important year for him, after missing a good portion of 2011. He did muster 91.1 IP on the season, however, most of which were at Trenton. He will probably start at AA next season at well, but will move to AA very quickly if he performs well. I predict a much better season in 2012. This year he got hit around quite a bit, but a lot of this could have been rust. He throws a 92-94 MPH 2-seamer, and a 4-seamer. He also throws a slider and a change-up. I still haven't lost faith in him, and I do believe he could be at least a high-leverage reliever in the future.

18. Jose Quintana (Jose Quintanadana): Preseason: Unranked. Will be 23 next season. Will start in either High A or AA. He came out of nowhere this season. He had a strong 2010, but this year he really blossomed. He threw 102 IP, with 88 K, and a 2.91 ERA. He has a 90-92 MPH fastball with a curveball and change-up. He's left handed, so with those numbers he is a legit prospect. Next year he will be a fun guy to watch, he could easily move up or down on this list based on his performance.

19. Ravel Santana: Preseason: Unranked. He will be 20 years old next season. The only reason this guy isn't number 6 on this list is because of the "gruesome" injury he suffered this season. Scouts report that he has 80 power AND 80 speed. We've heard that before with Kelvin De Leon, but Kelvin never performed like this kid did. Unfortunately, the horrific injury basically destroyed his ankle. He may or may not even play next season. Even if he does, he may be significantly slowed down and sapped of some power. Regardless, a guy who starts off at 80/80 can still be highly effective with a hobbling injury. I give this kid a 19 despite his questionable future.

20. Rafael DePaula: Preseason Rank: 17. Will be 20 years old next season. I can't justify excluding this guy from the top 20, because just stepping foot on American soil puts him in the top 15. Throwing a pitch at his rumored velocity of 92-97 brings him right to the top 10. Then, if he has success with his nasty FB, CB combo for one season, he's top 5. Hopefully his VISA situation is resolved asap.

21. Cito Culver (Cheeto): Preseason Rank: 16. Will be 19 years old next season. Some will argue that Gumbs belongs above him, here's why I disagree. Cito Culver will be a 19 year old in Low A next season. He has had success from the right side of the plate (.324). Worst case scenario, he could always just focus on the right handed swing. He has a cannon for an arm, and he has excellent range, while he has to work on his hands. He has a great deal of speed, but needs to get more aggressive on the basepaths. 10 SB in 10 attempts this season. I feel his upside is higher than Gumbs, and I don't feel that their performances were all that different. A couple of tweeks to his swing and this hard worker will be back to a top 15 prospect.

22. Angelo "Bubba" Gumbs: Preseason Rank: One of the dark horse candidates. He'll be 19 years old next season as well. Gumbs is a toolsy kid with a quick bat. He played a lot of 2B this year and I think that is where his future lies. They say he probably won't stick long-term at SS. I guess we will see. He's got good range and good hands, as well as impressive speed. It will be interesting to watch he and Culver develop. Finished the season batting .264, with 3 HR, 11 SB, and 7 CS. He walked at a decent clip, with an OBP of .332. Again, I like Culver's upside more than Gumbs'

23. Jairo Heredia: Preseason Rank: Unranked. Will be 22 years old next season. Here's a guy who put himself back on the prospect radar by reinventing himself in high A. He pitched to a 3.29 ERA in high A after a miserable 6 + ERA last season. He had 68 K in 68 IP. He unfortunately got injured and lost the rest of his season at that point, however he took positive strides and will hopefully see some time in AA next season if all goes well. He has an 89-92 fastball, with a plus curveball and change-up.

24. Andrew Brackman (Brack Attack): Preseason Rank: 6. He'll be 26 years old next season. He has fallen farther than any other prospect, and quite frankly, he's lucky to be on this list at all. He still has the potential to turn things around, but he's running out of time. Next season is make or break for him, and I'm going to go ahead and predict he breaks. The Yankees are too good to carry a liability just in hopes that he develops into something. Early in the season he lost his velocity, and he just couldn't figure out how to pitch again. Finally, late in the season he started hitting 94-95 again, with some sink. He also throws 2 different curveballs. He's got a long road ahead of him and he doesn't have that much time to traverse it. He may have a decent career, but it probably won't be with the Yankees.

25. Tyler Austin: Preseason Rank: unranked. He'll be 20 years old next season. Here's a young guy who can really hit. He did it in the GCL and at Staten Island this year, and I think he should be tested at low A Charleston next season. He batted .354 this season, with 6 HR and was 18/18 in SB attempts, which is impressive for a 1B. Therein lies the only problem with him, he is a 1B. In order to be a 1B in the majors, you really need to hit for power, and he will have to develop that to ever make it to the next level. Don't count him out though because he has done nothing but tear the cover off the ball so far in his career.

26. George Kontos: Preseason Rank: unranked. He'll be 27 years old next season. He's currently with the major league team, auditioning for a spot in the bullpen next season. He was unable to stay healthy as a starter, so to the bullpen he went. He pitched really well for SWB this season, with a 2.62 ERA and 91 K in 89 IP. He had good control as well (2.6 BB/9). He has a 91-92 MPH fastball with a nasty, nasty slider. Next year will be his chance in the bullpen.

27. Mark "Monte" Montgomery: Preseason: Unranked. Will be 21 years old next season. Montgomery was our 10th round draft pick this season, and shortly after dominating at Staten Island, including a 5 K in one inning performance, he was sent to Charleston, where he successfully closed out some games. He finished the season at 16.2 K/9, with 15 saves in 28 IP. He's got a long way to go, but he seems to have a good feel for pitching. He throws a 91-93 MPH fastball with a nasty 86 MPH slider. He's got a lot to prove but he could be a really fast mover if he continues his success at high A next season.

28. Jose Rosario: Preseason: Unranked. He'll be 20 years old next season. He's at a premium position, and he performed extremely well in the GCL this season. At this point it's just picking favorites, but I like the kid, and I think he's got the opportunity to be a difference maker. Here's his line: .311, 6 HR, 13 SB.  He's got speed and some power, and he's at a position that the Yankees farm system is not currently very deep at. That's a recipe for success.

29. Isaias "The hata" Tejeda: Unranked. He will be 20 next season. We are really getting down to the nitty gritty here, and I can't say that Tejeda is that much better if at all better than some of the guys who didn't make this list, but he is a guy who could have some real value if he continues to develop. This season was his breakout season, as he batted .331 with a .402 OBP for the season. He OPSed at .965 in a small (40 games) sample size. There's not much in the way of a scouting report on him but any time a 19 year old has that kind of success in the GCL it should open eyes. The jury is still out on him, but he's a player you can dream on because he is a catcher with what appears to be a decent bat.

30. Mikey O'Brien: Unranked. He will be 22 next season and will begin at either High A Tampa or AA Trenton. There were a number of players that could have occupied this position, but I chose they guy who had the best statistics of them, and did it at a reasonably high level. In 119 IP, he sported a 3.16 ERA and 99 strikeouts in a season that was split between Low A and High A. He's a small body with a lot of "spunk." He's cut from a similar cloth as David Phelps and Adam Warren in my opinion. His fastball ranges from 91-95, and he also has a curveball and a change-up. His performance speaks for itself, but he will have to do it at higher levels if he wants consideration as a starter. He is one who might have to settle for a relief role in the long run, but nothing is set in stone.


Here is a list of the guys who could have easily slotted in the top 30 depending on who you ask, the time of day, the mood of the observer, and better knowledge of advanced scouting reports. I'll put them in my own order, but once you reach this point you are really splitting hairs.

31. Bryan Mitchell - RHP
32. Taylor Morton - RHP
33. Jake Cave - OF
34. Chase Whitley - RHP (Relief)
35. Claudio Custodio - 2B/SS
36. Nik Turley - RHP
37. Kyle Roller - 3B
38. Preston Claiborne - RHP (RP)
39. Josh Romanski - LHP
40. Kramer Sneed - LHP (RP)
41. Gregory Bird - C
42. Daniel Burawa, Tommy Kahnle, Mike Gipson - essentially the same prospect (RHP, RP)
43. Ben Gamel - OF
44. Matt Tracy - LHP
45. Gabriel Encinas/Evan Rutckyj - Both young projects, RHP, LHP respectively.
46. Ray Kruml - OF
47. Jose Ramirez - RHP
48. Melky Mesa - OF
49. Ramon Flores - OF
50. Rookie Davis - RHP, Jordan Cote - RHP, Hayden Sharp - RHP, Daniel Camarena - LHP, and Chaz Hebert - LHP. These are the likely starters from this years draft class. I give them all an approximately equal chance to succeed for now, although Cote and Davis are my frontrunners.

YEEP 8/19/11: Here we go yo, here we go yo, so whats so whats the Rosario!

Evil Em VP: Jose Rosario: Played great in both games, hit a HR in the first one.

AAA SWB: L 4-7 to Durham. L: Kontos
Bash Brother Laird: 1/4, 2 K (.257). He's in the midst of a horrific slump. He's 2 for his last 33. That's probably the worst slump of any prospect I've followed this season.
David Phelps: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, HR (3.68 ERA). Looks like he's a long way away from the majors right now, but I'd give him a couple more starts before I start to make judgments.
Kontos: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 K (2.82 ERA)
Scott Proctor: 1 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 K (1.42 ERA)
Kevin Whelan: 1 IP, BB, K, 0 ER (2.20 ERA). High A Tampa: W 5-3 vs Brevard County. W: Romanski S: Flannery

High A Tampa
Honest Abe Almonte: 1/4, SB (25) (.255)
Walt Ibarra: 0/2, R, 2 BB, 2 K (.296)
K-Roll Roller: 1/4, 2B, RBI (.276)
Mustelier Musketeer: 0/4, R, K (.301)
Dee Mack: 2/4, R, 2B, K (.313)
Seggy Segedin: 1/4, RBI, K, SB (2), (.226). I'm disappointed with his performance at this level. Kyle Roller has really proven me right that he's the better of the two.
Castrol GTX Castro: 0/4, 2 K (.294). Last post I said I'd take bets on whether he'll be over .300 at the end of the year. I'll take the under.
Bromance Romanski: 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 8 K, HR (3.11 ERA)
Preston Claiborne: 2 IP, BB, 2 K, 0 ER (3.34 ERA)
K-Flan Flannery: 1 IP, BB, 0 ER (1.41 ERA)
I'm excited to see AA Trenton's relief corps next year. Kramer Sneed, Claiborne, Flannery, Dan Burawa, Mike Gipson. I just hope someday we don't have to pay our relievers the big bucks like Soriano.

Low A Charleston: W 1-0 against Augusta. W: Dott S: Montgomery
Shane Brown: 0/3 (.274)
Ray-Flo Flores: 0/4 (.260). I remember at the beginning of the year a lot of people were talking about this kid and how he was a beast. This talk seems to have quieted.
Barreda: 4 IP, 3 H, BB, 4 K (3.8 ERA)
Gerritse: 2 IP, H, 2 K, 0 ER (0.00 ERA). Just promoted from SI, it was time.
Dott: 2 IP, 4 K, 0 ER, 0 H (1.26 ERA). He's dominated this level, but that's not much to say for a 23 year old relief pitcher.
Monte Python Montgomery: 1 IP, 0 ER (2.21 ERA). 12th save of the season. Bold prediction: He'll be in Trenton by the end of next season.

Short Season Staten Island: L 0-4 to Connecticut. L: Wetherell
Mad Mase Williams: 0/4 (.352)
Cheeto Culver: 1/4, SB (6) (.270)
Ben Gamel the Camel: 0/4 (.301)
Cody Grice: 1/3, BB, K, SB (10) (.263)
Angelo Bubba Gumbs: 0/4, 2 K (.277)
Ty Austin: 1/4, K (.245)
Reymond Nunez: 1/3 (.279)
Paullus: 1 IP, K, 0 ER (4.13 ERA)
Wetherell: 1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, K (2.38 ERA). The runs should have all been earned, because they were his own errors.

GCL Yankees: Double Header

Game 1: L 1-11 vs GCL Blue Jays. L: Cruz
Jose Rosario: 2/3, HR, RBI (.324)
Justin James: 0/4, 2 K (.270)
Isaias the Hata Tejeda: 1/3, K (.333). Hits, hits, hits hits hits hits!
Matt Duran: 1/2, BB (.250)
Bubba Jones: 0/3, K (.243)
Daniel Lopez: 1/2, 2B, BB, SB (18) (.299)
Alcantara: 0/3, 2 K (.259)
No pitching worth talking about today in GCL game 1.

Game 2: W 2-1 vs GCL Blue Jays. W: Vinas.
Jose Rosario: 3/3 (.322). Picked up right where he left off. Maybe they should switch him with Cito.
Matt Duran Duran: 0/4, 3 K (.250). Ruff day.
Janitor Custodio: 1/3, BB, K, SB (22), CS (2), (.309)
Bichette Happens: 2/4, R, 2 K (.333)
Daniel Lopez: 2/4, 2B, RBI, K (.322)
Nuding: 3 IP, 2 H, ER, 4 K (3.0 ERA). Rehab start.
Daniel Alejandro Martinez: 2 IP, 2 H, 4 K (1.2 ERA)
Checo: 1.2 IP, H, 2 BB, 3 K (2.57 ERA)

YEEP 8/18/11: Betances pretty sharp in AAA debut, but could be better.

Evil Em VP: Mariel Checo of the GCL Yankees for pitching a perfect 3 K inning. Image thanks to fivebrosports.com

AAA SWB: L 1-5 to Durham. L: Betances
Montero: 0/3, BB, 2 K (.281). He misses A-rod.
JoVa: 2/4, RBI, K (.251). He doesn't.
Laird: 0/4 (.257). He's indifferent.
Russo: 0/3, K (.273). Him too.
Betances: 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 8 K, HR (4.5 ERA). Not a bad debut. The K's and lack of BB's are encouraging.
Brack Attack: 2 IP, H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K, HR (6.83 ERA). My prediction after his last performance was accurate.

AA Trenton: W 5-2 vs Erie. W: Heyer. S: Texeira
Krum: 2/5, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, K. 2nd HR of the year (.259)
Kruml: 0/4, R, RBI, 2 K (.290)
Austin BRomine: 1/3, BB, K (.288)
R-Ly Lyerly: 2/4, RBI, K (.248). Positive steps lead to ends in slumps.
Melkman Mesa: 0/4, K (.237). Take R-Ly's advice
Craig Heyer: 8 IP, 9 H, 2 ER, 5 K (3.64 ERA)

High A Tampa: W 7-2 vs Lakeland. W: Gil
Honest Abe Almonte: 2/3, 2 R, 3B, RBI, BB (.255). 13 for his last 36 (.361). Good for him.
Walt Ibarra: 3/4, 3B, 4 RBI, K (.298). Looking forward to seeing the first decent SS since Ed Nunez to grace Trenton's infield next season.
K-Roll Roller: 0/3 (.277).
Mustelier Musketeer: 2/4, R, 2B (.319)
Dee Mack: 0/2 (.308)
Seggy Segedin: 0/3, 2 K (.226)
Luke Murton: 0/1, 2 BB (.282)
Castrol GTX Castro: 1/3, R, RBI (.298). I'll be taking bets on whether he finishes the season above or below .300.
Cozmo Kramer Sneed: 1 IP, H, 2 K (3.19). Thumbs up.

Charleston River Dogs: L 6-9 to Augusta
Shane Brown: 2/4, R, 2B, RBI, K, SB (1) (.286)
Eddy Sosa: 1/1, SB (14) (.255)
Ray-Flo Flores: 0/3, K (.263)
Recchia: 4 IP, 6 H, ER, 4 K (2.62 ERA)

Short Season Staten Island: L 0-1 to Connecticut. L: Pinder
Mad Mase Williams: 0/4, K (.358).
Cheeto Culver: 0/3 (.270)
Ben Gamel the Camel: 0/4, 2 K (.309)
Grice: 0/3, K (.262)
Gumbs: 1/3, 2B, E (8). Heyy, a hit! (.284)
Ty Austin: 1/3, 2B (.244) Heyy, another hit!
Reymond Nunez: 0/3 (.279)
Brebbia: 1 IP, H, 0 ER (0.00)
Pinder: 1 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, K (1.23 ERA). Got the loss.

GCL Yankees: Double Header
Game 1: W 4-3 vs GCL Braves. W: Vinas. S: Checo
Daniel Lopez: 1/3, 2 R, HR, RBI, K (.291). That's 3 HR on the year.
Janitor Custodio: 1/2, R, HR, RBI, K (.326). Congrats on your first career HR in America.
Bichette Happens: 1/2, 2 RBI (.341)
Bubba Jones: 1/3, 2B (.265)
Rutzkrieg Rutckyj: 4 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 2 K, HR (5.36 ERA).
Hayden Sharp: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 K, 0 ER (21.6 ERA) That's more like it. We'll just forget that first performance ever happend.
Checo: 1 IP, 3 K, 0 ER. Perfect inning. (2.53 ERA). 3rd save of the season.

Game 2 was a continuation of yesterday's game. See YEEP 8/17/11 for the box score.

YEEP 8/17/11: Banuelos Meh Performance, Nuno impresses.

Evil Em VP: Vidal Nuno

AAA SWB: L 2-3 to Durham. L: Banuelos
A-Rod: 1/2, RBI, 2 BB, K, E. Reached base 3 times in his final rehab start.
Jesus Montero: 1/3, BB (.283)
JoVa: 0/4, 2 K (.248)
Laird: 0/4, K (.260). Still cold.
Banuelos: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (3.48 ERA). Same old story with him, high pitch counts in short outings.
Lance Pendleton: 3 IP, 2 H, ER, 3 K (3.02 ERA)
Proctor: 1 IP, 2 H, K (1.0 ERA). Proctor is back, haha.

AA Trenton: W 9-6 vs Erie. W: Whitley. S: Pope
Krum: 2/5, 2 R, BB, SB (19) (.256)
CoJo: 0/3, R, 2 BB, 2 K, CS (.262). There's the walks, I guess.
Austin BRomine: 2/4, R, BB, 2 K (.288). Please call up Jesus, please call up Jesus.
R-Ly Lyerly: 1/5, R, RBI, 3 K, 2 E (15) (.243). Way too many errors at 1B
Melkman Mesa: 1/2, 2 RBI, BB, SB (17) (.240)
Kruml: 4/5, R, 2 RBI, K, SB (36), CS (11) (.293). Easily the best season of his career, and there's still some left to play.
Chase Whitley: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, BB, K (2.97 ERA). He'll be in AAA next season, knocking on the door.

Low A Charleston: L 2-3 to Hickory. L: Nuno
Shane Brown: 1/4, R (.273)
Ray-Flo Flores: 1/4, K, PO (.265)
Vidal Nuno: 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, BB, 8 K (2.57 ERA). Jose Quintana redux? Reliever turned starter who enjoys some transient success. He's even lefty like Jose. I don't hate it.
Monte Python Montgomery: 1 IP, K, 0 ER (2.33 ERA). Excellent first professional season.

Short Season Staten Island: Double Header
Game 1: W 7-1 vs Connecticut. W: Mitchell
Mad Mase Williams: 1/4, R, RBI (.367)
Cheeto Culver: 0/4, R, E (15) (.278)
Ben Gamel the Camel: 2/4, R, 2 RBI, 2 K, SB (5) (.308). Flashing some of that potential.
Cody Grice: 2/4, R, 2B, 2 RBI (.276). I like.
Angelo Bubba Gumbs: 2/4, R, K (.285) All these 2/4's. Never a bad thing.
Tyler Austin: 1/3, 2B, RBI (.237)
Reymond Nunez: 1/3, R, BB, K (.284)
Bryan Mitchell: 6 IP, 8 H, ER, BB, 4 K (4.44 ERA). There's the outing we've been waiting for. Now just cut down on the hits and we'll all be happy.
Wetherell: 1 IP, BB, 2 K, 0 ER (1.66 ERA)

Game 2: L 6-7 to Connecticut. L: Paullus
Mad Mase Williams: 1/4, R, RBI, K, SB (21) (.365). Two 1/4 games, he's a bust.
Cheeto Culver: 0/3, BB (.274)
Gamel the Camel: 2/2, R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB (.319). Flashing some more of that potential.
Cody Grice: 0/4, K (.268)
Ty Austin: 1/4, R, K (.238)
Gumbs: 0/1 in a pinch hit appearance.
Reymond Nunez: 0/1 with a K in a PH appearance.
Cotham City: 1 IP, H, ER, BB, K (1.71 ERA)
Arneson: 1 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, K (4.09 ERA). Lucky to escape with 1 R in this game.
Paullus: 2 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 2 K, HR (4.3 ERA). Our pitching was pretty bad overall in this game.

GCL Yankees: W 7-5 vs GCL Braves. W: Cowsert. S: Hinojosa
Jose Rosario: 1/6, R, 3B, RBI, 3 K (.301)
Isaias Tejeda: 2/5, RBI, E (9) (.333). Looks like he can swing the stick a bit, consistently at this level.
Bichette Happens: 1/5, R, 2 K (.339)
Matt Duran Duran: 1/5, R, 2 K (.259)
Bubba Jones: 1/5, RBI, 2 K (.259)
Daniel Lopez: 1/5, 2 R, K (.290)
Prior: 1 IP, 2 K, 0 ER
Tay-Mo Morton: 3.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 K (2.2 ERA). Still lovin what this kid brings to the table.
Maines: 2 IP,  H, R, 0 ER, 2 K (1.93 ERA)
Mad Cowsert Disease: 1 IP, K, 0 ER (2.29 ERA)
Hinojosa: 1 IP, H, K, 0 ER (1.98 ERA). Save number 7.

Analyzing the Yankees Draft Signings

This was a light year in terms of the number of guys we signed (21). Usually about 25-30 will get signed. We did manage to sign a lot of high ceiling talent. The way I see it, we signed 6 potential starting pitchers, a host of relievers (7), and a full infield and outfield worth of position players (8). Hopefully we can do a good job supplementing this with some international free agent signings.



Just so you don't think I'm overly optimistic, here are the problems I see with this year's crop. First of all, most of the higher ceiling hitters are corner infield and corner outfield types. These are the types of guys who have to really mash to ever get to the major leagues, and also the types of players that are always available on the free agent market. The other problem I see is that all of the starting pitchers we got seem like projects. They are high ceiling types who have great tools but lack refinement. It's always good to have high ceiling guys, but I also love to see an Adam Warren, David Phelps, or Mikey O'Brien type, who is already refined at draft time but doesn't have that same high ceiling.

I do think there are a ton of positives you can take away from this draft class as well though. First of all, the first round pick has so far been a great success in the GCL, hitting for power and average. Secondly, I think we did a great job supplementing what we already have at the lower levels. We have a ton of high ceiling outfield prospects and up the middle players currently. Now we have power corner bat types as well. The third thing we did well was to pick up effective relievers who could move through the system very quickly. There isn't a single reliever who hasn't has some degree of success so far, and some have been pretty impressive, especially Montgomery. Finally, although I'm not happy with the fact that all of the starting pitchers we drafted are high ceiling project types, I do think there is a good chance that one or two of them pan out.

Here's a list of all of the guys we drafted and their draft position.

3B Dante Bichette Jr. (Comp. A)
RHP Jordan Cote (3rd)
INF Matt Duran (4th)
C Gregory Bird (5th)
OF Jake Cave (6th)
1B Austin Jones (7th)
RHP Philip Wetherell (8th)
RHP Zachary Arneson (9th)
RHP Mark Montgomery (11th)
OF Cody Grice (12th)
OF Justin James (13th)
RHP William Davis (14th)
RHP Branden Pinder (16th)
RHP Hayden Sharp (18th)
RHP Robert Paullus (19th)
LHP Daniel Camarena (20th)
INF Zach Wilson (21st)
RHP Corey Maines (23rd)
LHP Matthew Tracy (24th)
LHP Chaz Hebert (27th)
RHP Joseph Maher (38th)



Starting with Bichette, we will discuss.

1. Dante Bichette Jr.: Known on this blog as "Bichette Happens," this high school draft pick got off to a very slow start to his major league career. Up until a couple of weeks ago, he was hitting well under .200. Then he went on an absolute tear, and he hasn't slowed down since. This situation reeks of "adjustment time" changes to his swing, which occur after about 1 month of play in the GCL. Either way, he has since brought his average all the way up to .344 and he is OPSing at .976 in 167 at bats. This pick was criticized, but I don't think there is much bad you could say about it at this point, except that he's a corner player.

2. Jordan Cote: A 6'6, 215 lb RHP with a lot of projectibility. Apparently he has a frame that could allow him to fill out to 240. He's another high school kid. Damon Oppenheimer described him as "He's a classic projection guy, who's already got some 'now' stuff" to an MLB.com reporter. His fastball currently sits at 88-92, but many scouts are saying he could add some velocity as he fills out. Apparently his off-speed stuff is fringy, but he has great physical tools.

3. Matt Duran: He can play 1B or 3B. Known on this blog as Matt Duran Duran, this 6'1, 208 lb right handed first baseman is known for his power hitting. Another high school kid, he has been described as a tireless worker who has adjusted to the GCL through hard work. Duran has hit .265 with 2 HR and is OPSing at .808 so far for the GCL Yankees in 49 at bats. In 138 plate appearances, he has a .269 average with 9 SB, 1 HR, and 18 RBI.

4. Gregory Bird: This 6'3, 205 lb catcher out of Colorado projects as either a catcher or a first baseman. He's a big, strong kid, and he hits left handed. He has a lot of lift in his swing, and has a ton of power. He had 39 HR in three seasons of high school.

5. Jake Cave: 6'1, 180 lb left handed thrower and hitter drafted as a CF. This kid actually throws a 94 MPH fastball as a pitcher. He's slim, and has good power potential, with quick hands and good lift in the swing. He's an inside out hitter, and an outstanding overall athlete. Unsurprisingly, he has a cannon from the outfield, and he also has good bat speed.

6. Austin Jones: 6'1 left handed hitter who throws righty. He is another potential power bat, and his nickname is Bubba. He's hitting .269 in the GCL in 26 at bats. So far, he hasn't had any extra base hits, but he's still just 18 years old (19 in 4 days), and has a lot of potential.

7. Phillip Wetherell: A 6'5, 225 lb RHP from Western Kentucky. He's 22 years old, but has dominated for the Staten Island Yankees this season. He has an 11.32 K/9 and a 1.79 ERA in 20.2 IP. He has done a great job in relief at this level, although he is old for the level.

8. Zachary Arneson: Another 22 year old, he's 6'2, 190 and has done a good job in limited action for the SI Yankees. In 10 IP, he has 10 K, and he has a 3.6 ERA. He, Wetherell, and Montgomery represent guys who will be used as relievers in the minor leagues for the Yankees. All have done a nice job.

9. Mark Montgomery: 5'11, 205 lb RHP reliever. Known on this website as Monte Python, he has been just that, a python. Still 20, his K/9 at Charleston has been 15.22. He had 5 K in one inning this season. His ERA has been 2.45. A lot of people are excited about him, but he'll have to duplicate this success at the higher levels to be a major league reliever.

10. Cody Grice: CF 6' 220 Righty. Grice is out of his junior year at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. He had a great freshman year at Grand Valley. In 55 games he hit .411 with 5 HRs, 34 RBIs, and 45 runs. During his sophomore year he continued his dominance. He hit .455 with 6 HRs, 49 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases. 2011- He hit .381 with 4 HR, 59 RBIs, and 59 runs. He was second in RBIs and first in runs on his team. He also had 23 stolen bases. They placed him directly in Staten Island probably because of his advanced age (21) and his cool name.

11. Justin James: 20 years old, OF, Sacramento City College. The son of Dion James, Sacramento CC outfielder Justin James is making a name for himself on the diamond. Skipped senior year, and is clearly raw but shows five-tool potential. James is 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds and is an above-average runner. hits lefty, and he shows raw power in batting practice, even to the opposite field. Because of his frame, speed and raw power potential, James could go as high as the third round. During the 2011 season Justin hit .309 with 20 RBIs, 46 runs, and 19 stolen bases. Projectable with power, but hasn't shown it yet. So far in the GCL, he has a .278 average with 4 doubles and a .403 OBP.

12. William "Rookie" Davis: 14th Round - William Davis RHP 6'3" 235 HS. Comitted to ECU. He has a nickname of "rookie." Yankees drafted him as a pitcher and this season he went 9-0 with a 1.02 ERA. He also struck out 136 in only 61.1 innings. Over his four seasons in high school Davis was 25-4 with a 1.67 ERA and 415 strikeouts in 209.1 innings. 89-92 mph FB can sit 90-91. His CB has some shape cen be avg pitch at times.

13. Branden Pinder: Another reliever who has had some success in the minors in his brief career. He's a 21 year old, 6'3 210 lb right handed guy who has done a great job saving games for Staten Island. He has 27 K in 21 IP with a .86 ERA and 10 saves for SI this year. Scouts have been impressed with him, and the results speak for themselves.

14. Hayden Sharp: 6-6, 200, RHP HS, He is signed to play at Central Oklahoma. Nothing on his other pitches though, or his command. As a senior he was used mostly as a reliever and had 82 strikeouts. Keith Law on Twitter: Pop-up guy for the draft this year - Hayden Sharp from Morris, OK. Hit 98 just before the draft, lots of 93-96, quarterback was committed to Central Oklahoma. His first appearance in the minors was rough, but he has plenty of time to adjust. He's just 18 years old.

15. Robert Benson Paullus: 21 year old out of Memphis, another college guy turned reliever. He's 6'1 , 190, throws right handed, and has been okay for Staten Island this season. He has a 4.29 ERA, and 31 K in 21 IP. He has a very low .195 average against, but has a high walk rate that has hurt him. He has 10 BB in 21 IP.

16. Daniel Camarena:LHP, HS, CA. 6 walks in 49 innings this spring while striking out 76, illustrating his superb feel for pitching and ability to carve up the strike zone. worked hard to add strength and his velocity jumped a tick this spring, ranging from 87-91. his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame lacks projection. He makes up for it with his polish and command. CU- scouts rate as an average pitch. already flashes a big league CB sometimes. Most scouts see Camarena's future on the mound, but he could be a standout two-way player in college. Strong mature build. Top level 2-way prospect. Has been primary LHP but may have higher ceiling as a hitter. varies FB velocity/movement/location, tops at 91 sinks it at 83-84 as well, big CB, nice CU. San Diego committed. Selected for the Aflac All-American team.

17. Zach Wilson: 6'1 205 lb, 3B out of ASU. He's 21, and he started at Staten Island, where he's struggled. He has hit .222 in 171 at bats, although he does have 6 HR.

18. Corey Maines: 6'0, 195 lb kid out of Illinois St. Throw right handed, another reliever out of college. Overall, between GCL and SI, he has sported a 3.95 ERA with 13 K in 13.2 IP. He hasn't been bad, but he's 23. This was probably more of an organizational filler type pick.

19. Matt Tracy: 22 year older who's 6'3, 212 and throws lefty. He's done a great job for Staten Island this year, throwing 32.1 IP and striking out 29 with a 2.78 ERA. Doesn't have the most upside, but as they say in baseball, he's lefty, and he does in fact have a pulse. He has held opposing batters to a .203 average this season.

20. Chaz Hebert: LHP high school kid out of Louisiana, probably a starter for our minor league teams. 6'2, 180 lbs, hits low 90's with his fastball. He supplements that with a slow curveball, but hopefully he can develop some other pitches or improve that curveball.

21. Joseph Maher: RHP 6'5, 185 lb. Mid to high 80's fastball with a sinker, and a breaking ball.

I'll go through the international free agent signings another time.

YEEP 8/16/11: Bad News and Losses

Evil Em VP: Adam Warren

Unfortunately Ravel Santana did in fact suffer a brutal injury to his ankle. He shattered the ankle and tore many ligaments during the injury. Sounds like he got his foot jammed up against second base in a SB attempt. Gary Sanchez is also out for the season with his broken finger.

In other news, looks like we ended up signing 21 of our 50 picks from the draft. I'll go through each one in a separate post.

AAA SWB: L 0-2 to Durham. L: Warren
Kevin Russo: 0/4 (.275). 4 for his last 36 (.111). Slumpy McSlumperson over here.
A-Rod: 1/3. I don't see the point in this. He can help us now, why wait until the end of the week.
Montero: 1/4, K (.283)
Laird: 0/4 (.262). Speaking of Slumpy McSlumperson, 4 for his last 29 (.128).
Adam "the Warden" Warren: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, BB, 8 K (3.33 ERA on the season). Great outing, too bad he had to get the loss.
DJ Mitchell: 1 IP, K, 0 ER (3.52 ERA). I guess he's in the bullpen now that our rotation includes ManBan, Dellin Betances, Warren, Pendleton, and soon to be David Phelps.
Kontos: 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER (2.75 ERA)
Brack Attack: 1 IP, K (6.78 ERA). Folks, we officially have an Andrew Brackman sighting. That's 2 outings in a row with no runs, 3 in a row that are not so bad. I'm ready for the disappointing appearance that inevitably will follow though.
Whelan: 1 IP, zeros (2.25 ERA)

AA Trenton: Double Header:
Game 1: L 0-6 to Erie. L: Hall
Krum: 0/3 (.252)
CoJo: 0/3, K (.265). Continues to regress. David Adams is ready for AA Cojo, watch yo back.
Austin BRomine: 1/2, BB (.285). I bet there's at least one person who can't wait for Montero to be promoted. Not so sure how much he'll be rooting for Jesus to succeed though, hehe. Glad to see Romine back though.
R-Ly Lyerly: 0/3, K (.244)
Melkman Mesa: 0/3, K (.237)
Kruml: 1/3 (.286)
Boilin Zoilo Almonte: 0/2, K (.250)
Shaeffer Hall: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K (4.4 ERA). I think we're approaching the time when he becomes a full-time LOOGY.

Game 2: L 2-8 to Erie. L: Arbiso
Kruml: 1/2, R, 3B, BB, K (.287)
CoJo: 0/3, K (.263)
Boilin Zoilo Almonte: 1/3, 2B, 2 RBI (.252)
Melkman Mesa: 1/3, K (.238)
Pope: .2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, BB, 2 K (4.91). And there goes all of the good stats he put up there for a while.

High A Tampa: L 5-12 to Lakeland. L: Casanova
Honest Abe Almonte: 1/5, R, 2B, K (.252)
Walt Ibarra: 2/4, 2 R, K, E (9) (.293). All I do is hit hit hit no matter what! He's done it over 355 at bats this season.
K-Roll Roller: 3/4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K (.282). 16 for his last 33 (.485) with 2 HR, 10 RBI, 4 BB in his last 10 games. He's got 15 HR on the season between the two levels in 357 at bats. The only catch? He's 23.
Luke Murton: 1/5, K (.283)
Dee Mack: 1/4, RBI, BB (.312)
Seggy Segedin: 0/4, K (.231)
Castrol GTX Castro: 0/4, (.297). Finally dipped below .300.
Jose Quintanadana: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, BB, 5 K, HR (2.86 ERA). That ERA is climbing with every start.
Burawa: 2 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 K (3.41 ERA)
Casanova: Shelled for 6 ER in 1.2 IP

Low A Charleston: L 4-5. L: Gipson
Shane Brown: 1/2, RBI, 3 BB (.274). Looked impressive at the plate today.
Ray-Flo Flores: 0/4, BB, 2 K (.265)
Higgy: 0/4, K (.238) Officially back to his old hitting self.
Gipson: 4 IP, 2 H, R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (2.00 ERA). Nice spot start. He must have been demoted for this reason because it couldn't have been his performance. He's been pretty good for Tampa.
Dott: 3 IP, BB, 3 K (1.35 ERA)

Short Season A All-Star Game
Mad Mase Williams: 0/1, RBI, K
Stevenson: 0/2, 2 K
Gamel: 0/1
Evan DeLuca: 1 IP, H, 2 BB, 0 ER
Pinder: 1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, BB, K
Congrats to all of the guys who got to play in this game.

GCL Yankees: L 5-6 to GCL Pirates. L: Cowsert
Jose Rosario: 1/3, 2 R, RBI 2 SB (11) (.308). He didn't forget how he was playing before the injury I guess.
Janitor Custodio: 1/2, R, 3B, RBI, SB (25) (.324). Excited to see him in full season, hopefully next year.
Matt Duran Duran: 1/2, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K (.265). Not bad for an 18 year old at this level.
Bichette Happens: 2/3, RBI, BB, K (.344). A great way to start his career as a Yankee. Everyone knocked this pick, but so far, so good.
Justin James: 0/1 (.278)
Daniel Lopez: 1/4, R, 2B, K (.293)
Gabe Encinas: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 8 K. (5.32 ERA) The 8 K are impressive, but he's gonna have to put together some stellar starts to salvage the season.
Edwar Rodriguez: 2 IP, 3 H, ER, K (3.31 ERA)
Mad Cowsert Disease: 1 IP, H, ER, BB, 2 K (2.41 ERA). He's been so good for us, he deserves to not be judged on this loss.

YEEP 8/15/11: A boring day, only two affiliates played

Low A Charleston: L 1-4 to Hickory. L: Kahnle
Ray-Flo Flores: 1/4, 2B, K (.267)
Higgy Higashioka: 1/4, RBI (.248).
Eddy Sosa: 0/4, K (.256)
Shane Greene: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K, 0 ER (3.82 ERA). Finishing off his decent season well. He'll be a good candidate to break out for next year in my book.
Kahnle: 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (4.38 ERA). No comment.
This level is quite boring without Sanchize, :(

GCL Yankees: L 3-4 to GCL Pirates. L: Polanco
Jose Rosario: 2/5, 3B, RBI (.307). 2nd game back from some injury, picked up right where he left off.
Isaias the hata Tejeda: 1/4, 2B, RBI (.331).
Bichette Happens: 1/4, R, 2B, 2 K (.338).
Matt Duran Duran: 0/2, RBI, 2 BB, E (2) (.255)
Yeicok Calderon: 1/4, K (.230). I think this is the last day I'll follow him unless he turns out to be something more than a budget Kelvin De Leon.
Bubba Jones: 2/4, R, K (.269)
Daniel Lopez: 0/2 (.295)
Justin James: 0/4, 2 K (.283)
Mark Prior: 1 IP, BB, 3 K (1.5 ERA)
Reynaldo Polanco: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, HR (5.09 ERA). He can salvage his season with a few solid late season starts.