Anyone else watching the Yankees....

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Leo_The_Lip

Jay Bruce made the opening day roster.

This has me depressed.

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

You got to be kidding me. I must check this out. (By the way, Leo, I should have given you credit for being another guy who drops by in this thread occasionally.)

Ach, you're right. It's only because Luke Voit has a torn meniscus. What about Mike Ford? (Who must be a bit perturbed.)

[Déjà Bru]

Interesting. I just read that Bruce was actually competing with Mike Tauchman for a roster spot:

When he signed a minor-league deal Feb. 13, Bruce, 33, was considered to be a roster lock because he bats lefthanded, has power (318 home runs in 13 seasons) and can play the outfield and first. But Mike Tauchman’s emergence during the last few weeks and Bruce’s slump at the plate and at times uneven play at first made the decision between the two a source of intense organizational debate, with the momentum of late pointing toward keeping Tauchman, 30.

Tauchman, in addition to being able to play all three outfield positions and being relatively inexpensive — he’s due to make $575,000 this season — is under team control the next four years.

Bruce had an out in his contract that he could have exercised on Thursday if he was not informed whether he would be added to the big-league roster. According to his contract, he could have requested that the Yankees make him available to the remaining 29 teams, who would have had 48 hours to put him on their big-league roster. It was headed in that direction until the early hours Saturday morning, when Bruce was informed of the Voit situation by his agent and told that he had made the club.

But it was the injury to Voit that changed everything:

The Voit injury opened a roster spot for Bruce, who primarily has been an outfielder in his career but also can play first base.

"I wanted to be here," Bruce said of sticking with the Yankees, who attempted to trade for him before the 2017 trade deadline when he was with the Mets (he was dealt to Cleveland instead).

Bruce has played in 1,564 career games in his 13-year career, just 54 of them at first base (compared to 1,437 in rightfield and 1,510 overall in the outfield).

"Good enough," one National League scout said of Bruce as a first baseman. "Moves out there better than Voit, honestly."

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Leo_The_Lip

Jay Bruce made the opening day roster.

This has me depressed.

My condolences.

[Leo_The_Lip]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

You got to be kidding me. I must check this out. (By the way, Leo, I should have given you credit for being another guy who drops by in this thread occasionally.)

I'm too old to need credit any more.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Leo_The_Lip

I'm too old to need credit any more.

Me, too. No mortgage, no loans, pay credit card bills in full and on time, pay in cash! My credit score is lowered by this behavior!

[AirmenSmith]

So what are some moves you wish the Yankess had made in the off season? Feel free to criticize mine.

1. Sign Absudal Cabrera as a super utility guy. Dang guy signed for cheap and plays multiple positions.

2. Sign Charlie Morton. This was the main one I wanted. For the cost of Kluber it wouldn't have cost much more to get Morton. While Kluber has the higher upside I feel this rotation just needs a steady pitcher more than anything.

3. Gary Sanchez....I hope he proves all us doubters wrong but I would have let him go. I have always viewed the catcher position as a D first position. I feel his future isn't at that position anyway and that money could have been used for Cabrera/Morton. Even if his bat comes back he still suffers from lack of Defense.

On that note with him it also should be viewed that if your ace would rather another catcher then maybe that is for good reason. I would have let him go and had Higgy take the spot.

I will say I loved the acquisition of Taillon. I hope that pans out well.

Anyway just some discussion points while I'm bored at work.

[Déjà Bru]

1. Yes, I would have signed Cabrera and traded Andujar who is a bust. Injured again (hand). You have Wade, too, remember.

2. Meh on Morton. Turned 37 this past November, had a so-so year in 2020. My fingers make the sign of the cross as I say this, but I think the Yankees rotation will be all right with Cole, German, Kluber, Loaisiga, Montgomery, Taillon, and a couple of other young guys.

3. Absolutely agree about Sanchez, particularly about his defense. I think I said this earlier, but it points to the the lack of quality catchers in this game — catcher, the toughest position to play? — to have Sanchez still on the roster after these past few seasons of utter futility.

Here are his spring stats so far. Remember earlier this spring, when they were talking about a revival for Sanchez, hitting much better? Well, he's back down to the Mendoza Line, a harbinger for the upcoming season. (He's doing better than Andujar, though.)

[Déjà Bru]

The thing about Sanchez is, you see that he has 3 homers in ST? People go ooh and aah when he tags one and many say "I'll take .180 if he hits 20 homers."

Nonsense. When a pitcher is foolish or neglectful enough to groove one for Sanchez, he's a big guy; he'll lay into it and knock it out of here. The thing is, it's been proven that if you know how to pitch to Sanchez, you can get him out. That's what happens to some players who show promise initially, then fade away; pitchers figure them out.

The only defensive asset that Sanchez had was his arm; his passed balls, and pitchers preferring guys like Higashioka and Kratz (now, there's a guy that I am going to miss) behind the plate, demonstrate this. And I have not heard much about his arm lately. How Sanchez is still on the roster is mystifying.

[AirmenSmith]

Yeah Morton is a risk as well. I guess the amount of injuries is pushing me towards someone that can just stay healthy all season.

I do like the future of the Yanks staff though. The staff can be special if they stay health. Imagine a healthy rotation of Cole, Kluber, Sevy, Tallion, and take your pick. I'm also a huge fan of Medina and hope he pans out so him, Devi, and Monty behind Cole.

You are very right about the state of catching. When Sanchez is still considered a catcher that is when you know there is a problem. With Yadier and Buster on the way out there isn't much left. The amount of money they are paying him in arb is insane for a team that is trying to be financially responsible (Yes I am being nice). They could have used the 6 million in other areas.

[AirmenSmith]

Oh and what you said about Andjuar I agree. He needed to be traded last year when he was trying to come back. There isn't a position for him and his injuries are becoming a habit.

[Déjà Bru]

You mentioned "Sevy." I completely forgot about him! Typical of "out of sight, out of mind" in that he hasn't pitched since 2019. Well, maybe it was right to leave him out of my list. Rotator cuff that year, TJ the next and still recovering. Can't write him off at 27, but definitely a long-shot and not somebody to plan on for the future as of now.

[Leo_The_Lip]

When the Yankees don't have a first baseman, optioning Ford to AAA, and Sanchez stays behind the plate??

In olden days, Howard, Berra, Blanchard and such played LF and First when the other ones caught. Johnny Ellis could hit, but Munson was great, so they tried him at 1B before trading him to Cleveland.

Sanchez should be able to catch the infielders throws at 1B. Have they ever tried him there?

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Leo_The_Lip

When the Yankees don't have a first baseman, optioning Ford to AAA, and Sanchez stays behind the plate??

In olden days, Howard, Berra, Blanchard and such played LF and First when the other ones caught. Johnny Ellis could hit, but Munson was great, so they tried him at 1B before trading him to Cleveland.

Sanchez should be able to catch the infielders throws at 1B. Have they ever tried him there?

So they should stick him at 1B, a position that is regularly disrespected as to its defensive importance, so that he can learn a brand new position AND bat .147? Oh, no. No.

Sanchez has a one-year contract. If he is stinking up the joint in May, I say pull the plug and release him if he cannot be traded, which will be very doubtful.

[Déjà Bru]

New York Times headline: Pitchers Beware: Giancarlo Stanton Is Feeling Strong

Oooh, how fierce! How powerful! Tremble, ye pitchers!

The problem is, though, whether Stanton Is Feeling Healthy.

[Déjà Bru]

Well, Sanchez just hit a two-run homer on Opening Day, which means his job is secure at least until June.

Look, I would love to be wrong about him. Let's see.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Well, Sanchez just hit a two-run homer on Opening Day, which means his job is secure at least until June.

That made me laugh

[AirmenSmith]

Not saying it would have made a difference but when Sanchez came out for Tauchman to pinch run...couldn't they have had Bruce try to bunt? Seemed like a good time to do it.

Same for the man on 2nd rule in extra innings...

I'm not saying it would be make a difference but it would be nice to see at least some smallball play.

On a positive note I did like seeing Darren O' Day pitch. I was wondering who the hell the guy was with the side arm throw.

[dsvitak]

314 feet. That's the distance down the rightfield line in Yankee stadium.

Left handed power hitters have made a living pulling the ball in Yankee stadium for over a hundred years.

The old stadium was 296 feet down the rightfield line.

Maris. Mantle. Gehrig. Ruth. Reggie, and MANY more, too numerous to mention.

Jay Bruce could easily hit 35 bombs if he plays a full season in New York.

Edit to add...32 home runs over the last two years, at 406 at bats. This is 47 bombs for 600 AB's, and one homer per 12.65 at bats. That's excellent.

Sure..he's all or nothing...but 73 RBI for 406 AB's is 107 RBI for 600 AB's.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

So they should stick him at 1B, a position that is regularly disrespected as to its defensive importance, so that he can learn a brand new position AND bat .147? Oh, no. No.

I was reminded of this just now, when Jay Bruce made a great play on a wild throw to first, getting the second out in a double play and helping to squelch a Blue Jays rally. Let us speak no more of sticking defensive stiffs at first base. The only position that gets a bye defensively is DH.

[Leo_The_Lip]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

314 feet. That's the distance down the rightfield line in Yankee stadium.

Left handed power hitters have made a living pulling the ball in Yankee stadium for over a hundred years.

The old stadium was 296 feet down the rightfield line.

Maris. Mantle. Gehrig. Ruth. Reggie, and MANY more, too numerous to mention.

Jay Bruce could easily hit 35 bombs if he plays a full season in New York.

Edit to add...32 home runs over the last two years, at 406 at bats. This is 47 bombs for 600 AB's, and one homer per 12.65 at bats. That's excellent.

Sure..he's all or nothing...but 73 RBI for 406 AB's is 107 RBI for 600 AB's.

Charlie Finley's Pennant Porch
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