Predicting the Opening Day roster
There are less than two weeks before the Yankees break camp, so it’s prime time to start whittling down the decisions on the roster. From what I can tell, there are really only five spots left up for grabs, and two of those battles may already have been won (Billy Traber being added to the 40-man roster is, to me, a clear sign of the thought process, and Shelley Duncan should be on the roster over Jason Lane).
What do you do with Morgan Ensberg, who isn’t likely to go to Triple-A and is a professional hitter? Do the Yankees take a utility infielder like Chris Woodward, Nick Green or Cody Ransom, or a speedy outfielder like Brett Gardner? Here’s my breakdown and the fights we should be watching as the last games are played:
STARTING PITCHERS
Wang, Pettitte, Hughes, Mussina, Kennedy
BULLPEN
Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
Kyle Farnsworth
LaTroy Hawkins
Bruney/Veras/Ohlendorf/Albaladejo/Ramirez/Britton – take your pick, random righty
Karstens/Rasner/Patterson – long reliever, spot starter, innings eater
Traber/Igawa/Phillips/Henn – lefty out of the ‘pen
POSITION PLAYERS
Jorge Posada C
Jason Giambi 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Derek Jeter SS
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Johnny Damon LF
Melky Cabrera CF
Bobby Abreu RF
Hideki Matsui DH
BENCH
Jose Molina
Wilson Betemit – backup infielder at all positions
S. Duncan/Lane – outfielder and first baseman
Ensberg/Gardner/Woodward/Ransom/Green (I take Ensberg, but we’ll see)
Bryan Hoch
My Picks:
Ohlendorf
Patterson
Igawa
Duncan
Betemit (because he can play middle infield positions)
Gardner
This really stinks because I think Ensburg did enough to earn a spot on the team. Too bad he can’t play second and short. Too bad we have to break camp with 12 pitchers.
Chaz – You take Igawa? To me, he’s got to go to Triple-A and straighten himself out. Traber should have that job all but locked up.
Gotta go with Bryan on that one.
My picks:
Patterson
Traber
Ohlendorf
Woodward
Gardner
Duncan
My picks:
Bruney
Traber
Rasner
Duncan
Woodward
Igawa: deserves a 1 way ticket back to Japan.
Henn: let’s face it, he’s 5th starter/long reliever on any other team but the Yankees. Give him a shot in AAA.
gardner must stay and see at-bats in Scranton – can’t have him waste his future riding the pine in New York
Olendorf > power sinker = dp
Patterson > long relievers
Traber > lefties
Duncan > Lane easy
Ensberg – power righty – too bad he doesn’t have speed.
I wish we still have cairo and not betemit.
As things stand right now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Betemit either released or sent back down to AAA. I just can’t see how a player who is only hitting .170 like Betemit, and will not provide much offense during the regular season over Morgan Ensberg who is having a great Spring, and has shown in the past that he is capable of providing a lot more offense than Betemit which could go a long way to help this team succeed down the road. Ensberg will only strengthen an average bench. Keep Woodward as well he can backup those other infield positions as well while at the same time provide a little offense. With that being said, those two guys make Betemit expendable.
There’s no way Karstens or Rasner, or Igawa should be on the roster by the time Opening Day comes around, considering how they have pitched. All three will either be released or sent back down where they belong. Karstens really has no value whatsoever as he has yet to show that he can pitch at this level, not likely he’ll see the end of Spring Training. Rasner, and Igawa have been very inconsistent, if not terrible. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Traber as the lefty specialist out of the pen, and either Kennedy or Mussina as the long reliever for this team.
My Picks:
Bullpen:
Lefty –
B Traber
ERA: 0|IP:4|H:3|BB:0|SO:5
He has very good control, and one strike out per inning. I would want a lefty that comes out and gets strike out people, with good control.
Righty Pen:
J Albaladejo
ERA:6|IP:6|H:7BB:2|SO:8
or
B Bruney
ERA:4.15|IP:4.1|H:6|BB:1|SO:6
They both have good strike out numbers. JA has 8 SO which is very good for only 6IP. He also post good numbers as a September call up. However, I’ll be willing to give Bruney another shot at the pen because he had a very good year in 2006 and is already used to playing in New York. If he has a few bad outings, I’ll send him down and bring up JA.
Long Relief:
S Patterson
ERA:0|IP:6|H:1|BB:0|SO:5
I think Patterson is the clear choice. Jeff Karsten has a very high ERA and does not look comfortable. Let Patterson play and prove himself.
As far as the Bench:
S. Duncan with his style of play, energetic attitude, and good power display makes him the clear cut. I think if he was to play 120+ games he can hit 25+ HR easily. Last year in the minors he was on his way to setting a minor league record and was leading the minors with 25 HRs before he got called up. He is an all around hard playing individual. This club house needs his energy.
My bad on the Igawa pick. I would like to change my choice to Traber. 6 innings pitched and a 0.00 era. He’s got the spot. My BAD.
Still, Igawa has 7 innings and an era under 4.00. If he can finish strong why shouldn’t he get a chance to earn that fat paycheck he’s drawing in? I just would like to see the investment pan out. I grow tired of watching Cashman’s “want-to-be-just-like-Theo” moves go SOUTH.
Bottom line, the last 2 weeks are going to be interesting. 1 bad outing could cost one of these guys a chance at making the opening day roster. It’s go time.
P Traber, Patterson, Ohlendorf
& Igawa Pos. Duncan, Ensberg, Woodward.
This could change, within the next few days,I’m hoping Ensberg can make it. Woodward is also a ? mark.
“GO YANKEES”
STARTING PITCHERS
Wang, Pettitte, Hughes, Mussina, Kennedy/David Wells
BULLPEN
Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
Kyle Farnsworth
LaTroy Hawkins
Ohlendor
Ramirez
Traber and Igawa
POSITION PLAYERS
Jorge Posada C
Jason Giambi 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Derek Jeter SS
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Johnny Damon LF
Melky Cabrera CF
Bobby Abreu RF
Hideki Matsui DH
BENCH
Jose Molina
Wilson Betemit
Ensberg
Gardner
Sorry Shelley, we’ll call you midseason!!!
I guess there could be an argument for Nick Green but where’s he been at?
You know people have said that Melky Cabrera is not the CF of the future, Gardner may have stated his case and you could find Cabrera dealt if he isn’t moved to right next year.
“Henn: let’s face it, he’s 5th starter/long reliever on any other team but the Yankees. Give him a shot in AAA.”
Posted by: yanksrox@gmail.com | March 17, 2008 11:46 AM
henn is out of minor league options, wack him with Bruney.
Fuentes is coming.
I am extremely tempted to approach Matsui (if he’ll waive no trade) and possibly Mussina to the Dodgers. trading Matsui would open a roster spot for Duncan and Gardner,
Duncanisn’t going anywhere. There’s no way the Yanks send Duncan who was hitting .333 with 3 Hr’s, and 11 RBI’s at the start of the day to the minors, and keep Betemit. He offers nothing offensively as his .160 BA proves, he’s nothing more than a late inning defensive replacement. IF the Yanks want a strong bench they will have guys who can produce offensively like Ensberg, and Woodward who can also play different infield positions as well. Like I said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Yanks sent him packing for the minors or just released him.
I know I put David Wells on there. He could be used out of the pen and as a spot starter (or more if Kennedy or Moose fails). Clemens is gone now, so there is no conflict there.
I’m all for trading Matsui if it means getting decent a lefthander in the pen.
Last thing this team needs is another old fart who is at the end of his career. His ERA was 5.57 and allowed 200+ hits in just 157 IP. Who needs that?
Matt I agree with you about Duncan. I like his energy in the second half, this would mean a spot for Gardner instead.
Betemit – the argument is he can play any infield position and he is excellent defensively. He does have power, even if his average is low. Most importantly, if we had an infield injury, I’d trust him over anyone else to fill in.
Last thing this team needs is another old fart who is at the end of his career. His “ERA was 5.57 and allowed 200+ hits in just 157 IP. Who needs that?”
Posted by: matt_saiki@yahoo.com | March 17, 2008 04:16 PM
It could be more than we get out of Mussina and Kennedy.
On the Sui note, Fuentes is being scouted but Sui isn’t gonna agree to go there.
Actually Chris Woodward has a better career FP than Betemit, I think Woodward’s is .962 to Betemit’s .951, and like Betemit he can play different infield positions. Betemit does have more power, but all he will do is hit a pitcher’s mistake pitch once in a while, and probably strike out almost half the time depending on how many AB’s he gets. This team will benefit more from players who aren’t one-dimensional like Betemit is, and go with Woodward who can provide more offense.
I I agree Matsui won’t want to go to Colorado, I was maybe thinking of a trade with the Dodgers for bullpen help. It will put a dent in the offense, but I think the Yanks will still be OK.
If Giambi goes back to DH, Matsui will not want to be a backup outfielder.
My argument with Betemit extends to the fact that he was here last year and should be given a longer leash per say. Also again, if an infielder got hurt, I’d rather have Betemit playing than Woodward. Betemit has made some excellent run saving plays for the Yankees already in his short career. Betemit has done this at first base, a position that is not his most confortable.
Matsui to the Mets is also possible with Alou hurt.
Woodward could possibly do the same thing, he is definitely worth the gamble, even if he doesn’t his glove is still solid enough to use him in Betemit’s role.
Woodward has gotten hurt.
Opening Day Roster ???
Starting Pitchers…
Wang, Hughes, Pettitte, Mussina, Kennedy
Bullpen…
- Mariano [closer]
- Joba [8th inning set-up man] – but, would rather see Joba as a STARTER…Joba will be limited to about 140 innings this year, so if he starts the season in the bullpen, my hope is that he will only be there no longer than for the months of April and May [about 36 innings]…Then, Joba will be ready to complete the season within the inning limitations [as a starter]…Joba could start about 17 games [104 innings] during the months of June, July, August, and September.
- Hawkins [6th and 7th innings]
- Farnsworth [6th and 7th innings]…but, I do envision the same nightmares as last year from Kyle Farnsworth!
- Veras [5th and 6th innings]
- Ohlendorf [long inning reliever]
- Traber [lone lefthander out of the pen]
…note: regarding Igawa – I think he will start the season in AAA, but he should be in SWB as a STARTER because he is simply not an effective reliever! I do hope Igawa can somehow change his approach, to keep his pitches down, ’cause I think he can still contribute to the pitching staff this year [and, 2009 and 2010].
Position Players…
Posada (C)
Giambi (1B/DH); Duncan (1B/DH/OF)
Cano (2B)
Jeter (SS)
A-Rod (3B)
Damon (LF)
Melky (CF)
Abreu (RF)
Matsui (DH/LF)
Bench…
Molina (C); Betemit (Backup Infielder);…
And, the final spot on the roster is close, but I think it will be Gardner (OF/ Pinch-Runner) – over – Lane !!!
Of course, it is a long season; and, there will be many roster changes throughout the year !!!
Play Ball !!!
Go Yankees! Number 27 in 2008 !!!
Jimmy27NYY
http://baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/
Opening Day Roster ???
Starting Pitchers…
Wang, Hughes, Pettitte, Mussina, Kennedy
Bullpen…
- Mariano [closer]
- Joba [8th inning set-up man] – but, would rather see Joba as a STARTER…Joba will be limited to about 140 innings this year, so if he starts the season in the bullpen, my hope is that he will only be there no longer than for the months of April and May [about 36 innings]…Then, Joba will be ready to complete the season within the inning limitations [as a starter]…Joba could start about 17 games [104 innings] during the months of June, July, August, and September.
- Hawkins [6th and 7th innings]
- Farnsworth [6th and 7th innings]…but, I do envision the same nightmares as last year from Kyle Farnsworth!
- Veras [5th and 6th innings]
- Ohlendorf [long inning reliever]
- Traber [lone lefthander out of the pen]
…note: regarding Igawa – I think he will start the season in AAA, but he should be in SWB as a STARTER because he is simply not an effective reliever! I do hope Igawa can somehow change his approach, to keep his pitches down, ’cause I think he can still contribute to the pitching staff this year [and, 2009 and 2010].
Position Players…
Posada (C)
Giambi (1B/DH); Duncan (1B/DH/OF)
Cano (2B)
Jeter (SS)
A-Rod (3B)
Damon (LF)
Melky (CF)
Abreu (RF)
Matsui (DH/LF)
Bench…
Molina (C); Betemit (Backup Infielder);…
And, the final spot on the roster is close, but I think it will be Gardner (OF/ Pinch-Runner) – over – Lane !!!
Of course, it is a long season; and, there will be many roster changes throughout the year !!!
Play Ball !!!
Go Yankees! Number 27 in 2008 !!!
Jimmy27NYY
http://baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/
I see Sean Henn out on waivers..and he will land with a smaller market team…With a 95+ fastball..and his slider that is working this spring.. and a lefty.. he’s gone..Yanks never gave this guy a real shot
jgt1954,
The Yanks gave Henn plenty of shots, but he REALLY hasn’t performed well at the major league level. He’ll do well elsewhere, and probably on a small market team in the NL — Florida would give him some very consistent outings etc….
I just think it’s an aesthetic thing to have a lefty in the rotation and/or bullpen. You don’t NEED a lefty anywhere (though it would be nice), bur rather it’s important to righties who can deal with lefty hitters. We can extrapolate all the statistics in the world and show lefties hit righties and righties hit lefty etc…but the fact of the matter is YOU don’t see too many lefties touching the likes of Beckett, Joba, etc…
If the Yanks can, trade Henn for some late 20′s early 30′s reliever who’s consistently mediocre. Just someone we can keep around for a few years or someone we can call up from AAA.
GO Yankees!