Yankees Ten Game Report – Games 22-31

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

The New York Yankees have blown through another ten game chunk of the 2021 season, so here we are again. The Bronx Bombers finished series vs. the Orioles, Tigers, and those lovable Houston Astros. The Yankees split a four-game set with the O’s, swept three against the Detroit and took two of three against Houston. All in all, they won seven of ten, so things are looking up in the Bronx.

Often the object of Yankees fans’ wrath, no one has been hotter than Giancarlo Stanton the past two weeks. His numbers for the past twelve games are mind-numbing. His slash line – .481/.509/.904 for an OPS of 1.413. Over that span, Stanton has gone 25-52, with 6 HR and 4 doubles. He sent another missile into the Yankees bullpen yesterday.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Aaron Judge isn’t hitting at the same clip as Stanton (I mean, who can?), but he contributed three home runs of his own to go with ten RBI over the past ten games. By the same token, he played in nine of those games. Staying healthy is important.

Speaking of health, there’s cause for concern. Third baseman Gio Urshela came up gimpy in yesterday’s series finale against the Astros. Gio banged up his knee in on a diving play late in the game. The team is awaiting results of an MRI as of this writing. The timing is unfortunate, as Urshela went 12 for his last 33 AB’s while bringing home seven baserunners.

Second baseman Rougned Odor was fortunate to not have any structural damage in his left knee after a scary home plate collision with Astros catcher Martín Maldonado. Still, Odor went on the 10 day IL.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Gleyber Torres has picked up the pace over these three series. He has 10 hits in his last 30 AB’s, with three doubles and seven RBI. Even better, he walked five times and only struck out three. His at bats have been quality. No HR’s yet, but this approach is better. Really, Gleyber doesn’t need to be a power bat. This is good.

Gerrit Cole and Corey Kluber each delivered a pair of strong starts. Kluber especially opened eyes with a dominating performance against the Tigers. In that game, he gave eight innings of two-hit shutout ball, punching tickets for ten Detroit hitters. Domingo Germán shut out the Orioles over seven innings and gave five effective innings vs. the Astros (2.25 ERA, 12 IP). In the second game, Jordan Montgomery ground out six innings of three-run ball against Houston, not having his best stuff. At the same time, he’s growing as a pitcher, and those games are character builders.

The bullpen has been lights out, and Aroldis Chapman is putting up video game numbers. Over his eleven appearances (11 innings), the Yankees closer has allowed five baserunners (two hits, 3 BB) and struck out 26. His FIP is -0.81 (yes, MINUS).

Chad Green has done his job well, but the Astros got to him yesterday with Jose Altuve hitting a three-run HR that was the difference in the game. These things happen. We don’t like it, but “that’s baseball, Suzyn”. Just have to turn the page and move on.

Darren O’Day went on the injured list with a right rotator cuff strain, necessitating Michael King‘s return from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. From the left side, Lucas Luetge and newcomer Wandy Peralta (obtained from the Giants for OF Mike Tauchman) have done the job. Justin Wilson has not pitched well in his return to the team, with an overall ERA of 7.04 – and 16.88 over his past three games. To be honest, the Yankees need more from him.

But reinforcements are coming. Luke Voit played a pair of games in Syracuse for Triple-A Scranton, scorching the ball. Him and Miguel Andújar had quite the game on May 6 against the Triple-A Mets.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Voit was expected to play again in Syracuse last night, but when I scanned the field during batting practice, he was noticeably absent. Of course, given the uncertainty for the injury to Urshela, I suspect he was scratched and is on his way to New York. However, we’re still waiting for official word.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Andújar DID play last night for and only went 4-5 with a pair of home-runs in a 17-11 win for the RailRiders. There was some confusion last night, after he was moved mid-game from first base to third. This created a false alarm, thinking he may have been pulled. He’s making his own case for a return to the Yankees.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

So that’s it for this Yankees Ten Game Report. The Bombers are looking better, more like the team we expect to see. See ya next time! 😎👋🏽

**UPDATE**

Luke Voit was not recalled from his rehab assignment, and yesterday was a scheduled day off as part of the plan. However, Miguel Andújar was called up after his big performance in Syracuse.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

 

Advertisement

Are Astros Nearing the End?

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

The Houston Astros are a household name in Major League Baseball as a result of reaching the playoffs four of the past five seasons. In 2017, they won their first World Series championship, and last year battled seven games in a classic World Series against the Washington Nationals. This past November came the bombshell revelation of their 2017 sign-stealing scandal, tainting the sole title they have.

After a tough start to 2020, the Astros rebounded from a 7-10 start, climbing to a record of 14-10 going into Thursday afternoon’s game in Denver against the Colorado Rockies. Beating up on bad Giants, Mariners and Rockies teams has propelled them to a seven game winning streak.

All is not well, as José Altuve is barely hitting his own weight with a .180 average and .241 OBP. George Springer is struggling at .215 on the season, while ace Justin Verlander is shelved as a result of a forearm strain. Josh James, a 27 year old with a 100 mph fastball is no longer in the rotation because of inability to throw strikes. James’s bloated ERA of 11.17 has relegated him to mop-up duty. Lance McCullers, Jr’s ERA sits north of 5.00 in his first year back from Tommy John surgery.

Only Zack Greinke and 24 year old rookies Brandon Bielak and Blake Taylor have provided reliable mound-work in Verlander’s absence. On the offensive front, Carlos Correa, Yuli Gurriel, Alex Bregman and Michael Brantley have picked up the slack. Josh Reddick is an active contributor to the Astros cause as well.

Yesterday, Astros beat-writer Brian McTaggart announced last year’s rookie sensation Yordan Álvarez is out for the season with a partial tear in his right knee.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The Astros have many questions going beyond this season. Springer (30 yrs. old), Brantley and Reddick (both 33) will become free agents. Behind the plate, Martín Maldonado gives excellent defense and is cheap (3.5 M through 2021), but a poor hitter and better as a back-up.

The aforementioned Justin Verlander, now 37, faces an uncertain future. He went on the shelf after his Opening Day win with a forearm strain. This type of injury to a pitcher is an ominous sign, and often leads to Tommy John surgery. Greinke’s outings are as good as ever, however, he is 36 years old and the velocity is declining. Young José Urquidy (on 10-day IL) is ready for a spot in the rotation. 22 year old Forrest Whitley may be ready sometime in 2021.

The Astros owe Verlander a prorated portion of his 33 million dollar salary for this year and the full amount in 2021. Greinke has a price tag of 35M this year and next. However, 10.33M is paid by Arizona, resulting in a little financial relief. Altuve’s contract runs through 2024 at 29M/year. Gurriel is still productive, but enters arbitration this winter. Because Houston owes so much in active contracts, it may result in them trading the 36 year old Gurriel and go with 23 year old Abraham Toro.

If 2020 were a normal season, the team’s budget would have been just over 230 million dollars. For 2021, eighty-nine million dollars is dedicated to Verlander, Greinke and Altuve. New general manager James Click has decisions to make about Astros future. Myles Straw and Kyle Tucker can fill in if Click moves on from Brantley, Reddick, and Springer,

Will owner James Crane further distance himself and his team from the disgrace from the sign-stealing scandal? Former manager A.J. Hinch and GM Jeff Luhnow are history, and letting Springer, Reddick, and Brantley will remove a few more pieces. But Altuve, Greinke and Verlander aren’t likely to go anywhere unless Crane is willing to eat most of their contracts.

Correa and Bregman are young superstars not yet in their prime. It remains to be seen if the Astros keep one or both upon entering free agency. Winning games fixes a lot of problems, moreover, Houston seems to be back on track for the time being. However, if they fall apart, it will be interesting to see what ownership decides to do.

 

Joe Kelly Fight Club V2.0

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

Last night, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros began a two-game series in their first meeting since the Astros sign-stealing scandal news broke in a story by The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich.

The game was relatively uneventful until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Joe Kelly entered the game for the Dodgers. Let’s reacquaint ourselves with Mr. Kelly.

 

In April 2018, Kelly threw at then-Yankees hitter Tyler Austin in retaliation for a hard slide into Brock Holt (now of the Brewers). All hell broke loose and Red Sox Nation created “Joe Kelly Fight Club”, complete with t-shirts and all.

Back to last night, there were signs in that sixth inning that something was going to go down. Kelly walked a couple hitters, and was missing inside a lot. He walked Alex Bregman, with several pitches inside before he buzzed ball four behind his head. He missed inside to Yuli Gurriel in the next at bat before walking him on four pitches. Kelly went to 2-0 on Carlos Correa, missing with a head-high off-speed pitch before striking him out on the next three pitches to escape the inning. Video in this tweet by Rob Friedman, the Pitching Ninja (recommended follow on Twitter) captures the moments.

 

Needless to say, the Astros were not happy with Kelly’s pitching last night. The usual “you’re risking ending a guy’s career throwing at someone’s head” kind of stuff. This is true and I don’t condone throwing at a person’s head, but the Astros HAD to know some kind of retaliation was coming. To a man, Kelly handled the postgame questions perfectly.

 

It will be interesting to see if anything goes down tonight when these two teams square off again. They have three more games remaining against Houston, including a pair at Dodger Stadium September 12 and 13. Tonight’s game-time is 9 PM eastern-time.

UPDATE: Joe Kelly has been suspended for eight games by Major League Baseball. Very harsh punishment.

Mike Fiers was the First to Speak-up but not the Last

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

Unless you have been living under a rock since mid-November, you have heard about the 2017 Houston Astros using technology to steal signs to gain an unfair advantage over their opponents.

When former Astro and current Oakland A’s staring pitcher Mike Fiers went on record with The Athletic’s Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal, speaking out on how his former team stole catchers’s signs, it turned the baseball world on it’s ear (the Drellich/Rosenthal piece can be read here).

Needless to say, Fiers’s former teammates are upset that he broke an unwritten code of clubhouse culture. Major league clubhouses are sacred. What goes on in a clubhouse is supposed to stay in a clubhouse. Fiers may never be fully trusted again by some current and future teammates because he went against the grain, letting team doings become public.

On social media, the reaction has been mixed. Many folks are calling Fiers a hero (including this writer), and many are destroying him, calling him a rat, a bad teammate and many words unsuitable to repeat here. Reactions from many ex-players, including Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez had this to say:

 

Mike Fiers was the first former Astros player to speak out, but I don’t think he will be the last. Players are human beings, and many human beings have consciences. Fiers proved he has one by going public. But he can’t be the only one who feels the same way about his team’s cheating. Immediately after Game 7 of the 2019 World Series, former Astro Gerrit Cole distanced himself from the team.

https://twitter.com/HunterAtkins35/status/1189758262133919744

This is certainly not to say Cole will say anything at all regarding the Astros’s indiscretions, but it makes me question whether he agreed with what his former teammates were doing.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said the current Houston squad was cleared of any wrongdoing, but let’s remember how Jose Altuve jumped all over a slider thrown by New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman to end the ALCS, and had a look of terror on his face as he told his team not to rip off his jersey. He did that for a reason.

Two days ago, Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel, a member of the Astros from 2012-18, gave something of an apology, saying he is “sorry for the situation”, but also pointed out they didn’t cheat every game.

But make no mistake, Keuchel wasn’t happy the aforementioned “clubhouse code of silence” was broken.

 

This isn’t over by any stretch, and I think as time goes by, more people will shed light on what really happened. It’s just a matter of how long and how many people have a conscious. Stay tuned.

2019 Yankees Take’em or Trash’em – Starting Pitchers

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

The 2019 season came to a heartbreaking finish for the New York Yankees two days ago, and for their fans it still stings. With the World Series between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros set to begin Tuesday night, now is a good time to begin a post-mortem assessment of the Bronx Bombers.

This year’s “Take ’em or Trash ’em” will begin with the pitching staff. We will begin with the starters and follow with the bullpen.

Masahiro Tanaka – On the surface, Tanaka’s 11-9 record and 4.45 ERA look very pedestrian, but his numbers were skewed by a pair of starts against the Boston Red Sox where he was absolutely destroyed (14 ER’s over four innings). Take away those two starts and his season ERA was 3.84. Masa stayed healthy all year and was very dependable. If MLB goes back to using the same ball from 2018 and before, look for more strikeouts and overall better results.

TAKE HIM 👍🏽

 

J.A. Happ – (12-8, 4.91 ERA) Happ was signed to a two-year deal last offseason with a vesting option (27 starts or 165 innings) for a possible third year. His 2019 season had more ups and downs than an elevator. Happ gave up 34 home-runs and had ten starts where he gave up four or more runs. He also showed the brilliance of his second half of 2018 after Brian Cashman traded for him. He’s still under contract at 17M for 2020, and the Yankees would have to eat the majority of his salary if they decide to pull the plug and trade him.

TAKE HIM 👍🏽 (and pray he reverts to his 2018 form)

 

Domingo Germán – (18-4, 4.03 ERA) It’s amazing how quickly things can change. Germán was rolling along toward the end of May, pitching to a 9-1 record and an ERA of 2.60. From there, the rail-thin right hander was up and down, until his season was abruptly halted on September 19, when he was placed on administrative-leave after allegations of domestic abuse surfaced.

It remains to be seen where Germán’s career goes from here. If an investigation proves him guilty of domestic abuse or assault, it may be the end of the line for him in Pinstripes.

My take (If he’s guilty of these charges)? TRASH HIM 🚮 

 

James Paxton (15-6, 3.82 ERA) Paxton’s first season in the Bronx was a tale of two halves. The Big Maple pitched with mixed-results for the first four months of the season. In a pair of back to back starts in April, Paxton dominated, fanning 12 in both outings. However, he was consistently inconsistent until the calendar flipped to August. Going into Pax’s August 2 start against Boston, his ERA sat at 4.72 with a record of 5-6. Over his last eleven starts, Paxton put the Yankees on his back, going 10-0 with an ERA of 2.51. His final start against the Astos in the ALCS proved his internal fortitude, where he insisted on staying in the game, despite being well over 100 pitches. I look forward to seeing more of “The Big Maple”.

TAKE HIM 👍🏽🇨🇦

 

Luis Severino (1-1, 1.50 ERA) Luis Severino missed the majority of 2019 with shoulder and lat muscle strains. When he came back, he looked like the Sevy Yankees fans are used to seeing. His three starts in September were abbreviated as he was still getting stretched out. Severino started twice in the postseason and pitched well enough, but it was clear his command wasn’t where he or the Yankees wanted it to be. Now healthy, look for him to have a big impact in 2020.

TAKE HIM 👍🏽

 

Jonathan Loáisiga – (2-2, 4.55 ERA) Loáisiga began the 2019 season as the Yankees’s fifth starter, thanks in part to Luis Severino’s injury and CC Sabathia’s “That’s for you, bitch” suspension. He made a couple starts before Sabathia was activated, but his command was inconsistent and it got him in trouble. He was sent to AAA Scranton before being recalled again for a start in early May. Soon after, Loáisiga was shut down for three months with a right shoulder strain. He came back in mid-August and was used exclusively in relief. Jonathan’s stuff plays better out of the pen, and he may stay healthier if stays in relief.

TAKE HIM 👍🏽 (as a reliever)

 

CC Sabathia (5-8, 4.95 ERA) Unless you have been living under a rock, or you don’t follow baseball and clicked on the link to this article by mistake, you know how much CC Sabathia meant to this team. Yeah, his numbers this year weren’t great and to me they don’t mean much. He DID record his 3,000 strikeout this year and my son and I were lucky enough to win tickets to our first game at Yankee Stadium in April and we got to see CC pitch (and WIN!) against the Kansas City Royals.

IMG_20190419_183142437

The last image we’ll see of CC pitching for the Yankees was him leaving the field with Stevie Donahue and his shoulder hanging, but he was so much more. Other great pieces from many excellent baseball writers have chronicled Sabathia’s accomplishments on the field and what his leadership has meant. I just want to say, “CC, you’ll be missed”.

TAKE HIM 👍🏽 (even if he’s retiring)

 

In our next installment of Take’em or Trash’em, we’ll assess the Yankees bullpen.

Thanks for reading! 😎

The Yankees are 5-7. Let’s Not Panic.

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

The 2019 season in Major League Baseball is two weeks old (except for the Mariners and Oakland A’s, who began a week earlier in Japan). The New York Yankees have started off winning only five of their first dozen games, and Yankees Twitter is already ablaze with a lot of bad takes interspersed with several others being much needed voices of reason.

I’m not sure what’s more disturbing. Is it people blaming manager Aaron Boone or Twitter GM’s creating polls asking whether this is Boone’s fault or GM Brian Cashman for creating the roster? WE’RE TWELVE GAMES IN, PEOPLE! The Yankees have played 12 damn games! Get a grip on reality.

Listen. There are several players injured. The team has Luis Severino, Giancarlo Stanton, Didi Gregorius, Miguel Andújar and Aaron Hicks among others on the injured list. Sure there have been some players not performing well, most notably Zack Britton and James Paxton after last night’s loss and sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros. I’ve had some wingnut tweet me during each of Paxton’s three Yankees making sure he tells me how bad he is.

Thank God for the mute button. I can’t think it’s an exercise in good judgement to write a guy off after his first three appearances in Pinstripes, but there are people out there doing that.

Rest assured, Yankees players, coaches and front office don’t want to have a record of 5-7, but it’s EARLY. We’re not even halfway through April. So please, hang in there. When players get healthy and the temperatures warm up, these Yankees will be the Bronx Bombers we all know and love.

Didi admiring Judge 495

It’s Opening Day!

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

It’s finally here!

Opening Day in MLB is a holiday in my household. Personally, I feel that it’s better than Christmas. Baseball is my favorite thing in life after my son. Every team in baseball is full of optimism and dreams of hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy in October.

And the weather is warmer in the vast majority of the country than it is on Christmas!

There is literally nothing on the agenda for me today than watching our national pastime. Good luck and best wishes to whomever you root for.

Enjoy the day, everybody!

What is with Angel Hernandez?

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has been working for some time to improve the quality of games and speed up pace of play. This has been well documented, and Manfred has proposed and added several new rules to “improve” the game.

Another way to speed up MLB games is having consistent and fair umpiring, especially behind the plate. Case in point, yesterday’s game between the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals. Angel Hernandez, everyone’s favorite ump this side of Cowboy Joe West, was behind the dish. Astros pitcher Forrest Whitley threw a close pitch that should have rang-up Harrsion Bader to end the top of the first inning, but Angel didn’t give him the call. Hinch began chirping about the non-strike call. Bader eventually reached base on an error, prolonging the inning. Hernandez, a notoriously terrible umpire, ejected Astros manager A.J. Hinch for arguing balls and strikes. Hinch was so irate and incredulous from being tossed that he had to be restrained.

https://twitter.com/FlagsFlyHouston/status/1106683173075865601

It’s bad enough that Hernandez felt the need to make himself the “star”, ejecting a manager in a spring training game. Making it worse, Hinch claims Angel “said some condescending things that are inappropriate, unprofessional.”

Believe it or not, when umpires create their own “umpshows”, it adds unnecessary time to a ballgame. If MLB goes ahead and begins use of Trackman doppler radar in the future, some umpires will eventually need to find a new line of work. Angel Hernandez should be among them.

MLB Non-Roster Invitees – AL West

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

Well, something finally happened — Manny Machado agreed to a ten year contract with the San Diego Padres, first reported by Jeff Passan and Mark Feinsand.

Once Machado passes his physical, the deal will become official. Before long, Bryce Harper will choose where he plays for the next several years. Everyone….BREATHE!

Okay, back to why we’re here. Last time out, we examined some interesting non-roster invitees in the AL Central Division. Today we head west and finish off the American League West, starting with the Astros.

Houston Astros

  • J.B. Bukauskas (RHP) – Bukauskas, a 22 year old right-hander, was Houston’s first round draft pick in 2017. He was drafted out of high school in the 20th round of the 2014 draft by the Dbacks, but decided to go to college at the UNC. Bukauskas began ’18 with one abbreviated start in Rookie ball, made 13 more starts across various levels of A-league ball. He made one brilliant six inning start at AA Corpus Christi to finish the season. Overall J.B. pitched well, amassing a combined ERA of 2.14, walking 24 and striking out 71 over 59 innings. Bukauskas will most likely spend the larger part of 2019 in Double-A. If he does well, look for him to be promoted to Triple-A Round Rock late in 2019
  • Yordan Alvarez (LF/1B) – Yordan is the Astros number three rated prospect in their system, a power-hitting 6’5″ hulk of a man. The 21 year old Cuban played 88 games in 2018, almost evenly split between AA and AAA. He hit 20 home-runs in 379 plate appearances, with an overall slash-line of .293/.369/.534. Not too shabby. Expect to see him soon, probably later this season.
  • Forrest Whitley (RHP) – Things are looking better for the Astros second ranked prospect than a year ago. In early 2018, he was suspended 50 games for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. After returning, Whitley made eight uninspiring starts for Double-A Corpus Christi. He put up a 3.76 ERA over 26.1 innings, striking out 34. Forrest also added another 26 innings of work in the Arizona Fall League with similar results. This young man has a lot of catching up to do to justify his being the organization’s number-one pick in the 2016 draft.

Los Angeles Angels

  • Jo Adell (CF) – Jordon Scott “Jo” Adell is a 19 year old center-fielder from Louisville, KY, the tenth player taken in the 2017 amateur draft. He spent most of 2018 playing in A-level ball in Burlington, Iowa. Adell was promoted to High-A Inland Empire (San Bernadino) after 25 games, and was again promoted to AA Mobile to finish the season. He stumbled in Double-A, hitting .238 in 17 games. Jo finished with 20 HR’s, and his power will only increase as he fills out. Adell, the top-ranked prospect in their system, plays all three outfield spots. Good thing, since the Angels CF spot is currently occupied by Mike Trout
  • Griffin Canning (RHP) – Canning, a 6’2″ righty out of Mission Viejo, CA is the second-ranked prospect of the Angels. Originally drafted in the 38th round by Colorado in 2014, he decided to go to college at UCLA. Re-entering the draft in 2017, the Angels selected Canning in the 2nd round. He rose quickly through the minors in 2018. He made two scoreless starts in High-A Inland Empire and was promoted to AA Mobile. Ten starts and a 2.17 ERA later, the 22 year old was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake. The competition was stiffer in the Pacific Coast League. Canning was hit hard in Salt Lake, surrendering 68 hits and 22 walks over 59 innings, posting a 5.49 ERA. Chances are he spends most of the summer in AAA.
  • Peter Bourjos (OF) – A blast from the past! The rail-thin 31 year old vet played the first four seasons of his career in Anaheim. After 2013, Bourjos bounced from St. Louis to Philly, Tampa and Atlanta. The Braves released him in July, and shortly after he signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants, finishing the year in AAA Sacramento. Bourjos doesn’t have the same speed he once had, but can steal a few bags and be a good defensive replacement. If you’re looking for offense, well, you’re dreaming.

Oakland Athletics

  • Sean Murphy (C) – Murphy is an athletic (see what I did there?) 24 year old strong-armed catcher. Murphy, a third round draft pick in the 2016 draft, had a productive season on both sides of the ball until he suffered a broken bone in his right hand. He recovered at the very tail-end of the season, and was promoted to Triple-A Nashville. Murphy played three games before the season ended, then went to Winter league ball in the Dominican League. He struggled in the Domincan Republic, hitting .185 with two home-runs and 13 RBI in 23 games. A’s fans can look to see him play this year in Las Vegas, the team’s new Triple-A affiliate.
  • Jesus Luzardo (LHP) – Luzardo, the first ranked prospect in the A’s system, was acquired from the Washington Nationals a part of the 2017 trade that sent Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson to D.C. The 21 year old southpaw began last season in High-A Stockton (Calif.) where he dominated opponents for three starts. Luzardo was promoted to AA Midland in the Texas League, posting a 7-3 record and 2.29 ERA, with 86 K’s in 79.2 innings. He was bumped up to Triple-A Nashville, where he was lit-up to the tune of 25 hits and 13 runs over 16 innings (7.31 ERA). Expect Luzardo and his mid-90’s fastball (he can reach back for 97-98 mph) to spend 2019 in AAA Las Vegas.
  • Jerry Blevins (LHP) – 35 year old Jerry Blevins started his major league career way back in 2007 with these same Oakland A’s. He enjoyed a long and productive career, primarily as a LOOGY (lefty one out guy). Blevins made 60 or more appearances in seven different seasons, proving his durability. He’s not a strikeout pitcher, rarely topping 90 mph but gets outs by mixing his ordinary fastball with a low-70’s looping curve. Jerry had an off-year, logging a 4.85 ERA, but can be very useful on the cheap for the perpetually cost-efficient A’s.

Seattle Mariners

  • Dustin Ackley (OF/2B/1B) – Ackley hasn’t appeared in a MLB game since an injury-riddled season in 2016 with the Yankees, but he’s still around. He signed a minor league deal with the M’s on January 24, after spending the last two seasons with the Salt Lake Bees, the Triple-A affiliate of the Angels. Ackley, soon to be 31, was the 2009 first round pick of the Mariners. At best, Dustin will be a very useful piece at a low price if he makes the big-league club. At worst, he will be experienced minor league filler at the AAA level.
  • Kyle Lewis (CF) – Lewis was the Mariners first round draft pick (#11 overall) in 2016. His career was slowed by a right knee injury that he suffered in late 2016. It cost him the majority of 2017 after re-aggravating it, eventually leading to his knee being scoped in February 2018. After he returned, the 23 year old center-fielder split last year between High-A Modesto (Calif.) and AA Arkansas, posting a combined .244/.306/.405 slash-line. In 86 games, Lewis hit 9 home-runs and drove in 52 RBI. If his knee problems resurface, he will be likely destined for a corner outfield spot. Expect him to begin 2019 in Double-A Arkansas.
  • Ichiro Suzuki (OF) – Amazing. Simply amazing. Those were my initial thoughts upon discovering that this will be Ichiro’s 28th season in professional baseball, when you include his nine seasons in Japan. At age 45, he isn’t expected to play very much if he makes the team. If so, Ichiro won’t embarrass himself out there. I won’t bet against him, as no one takes better care of his body.

Texas Rangers

  • Tim Dillard (RHP) – Dillard was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002’s amateur draft, and spent the next 16 seasons in the organization, mostly in the minor leagues. The 35 year old Dillard made 73 appearances over parts of four seasons in a Brewers uniform, mostly in 2011 and 2012. He hasn’t made a big league appearance since, but became a beloved figure among fans in Milwaukee in large part because he’s one of the funniest people on Twitter (@DimTillard – you should follow him).
  • Jason Hammel (RHP) – The 36 year old from Greenville, SC has seen better days. Hammel spent the last two seasons with the Kansas City Royals, including a record of 4-14 with a 6.02 ERA last season. He began the year in the starting rotation and pitched himself out of it by the All-Star break, thanks in large part to a particularly gruesome four-start stretch where he surrendered 27 runs in 17.2 innings. He does not throw hard enough to overcome mistakes as he did in earlier years. At the big league level, he’s nothing more than a warm body to eat insignificant innings.
  • Hunter Pence (RF) – Pence has had a long, productive career and wants to keep playing, so he signed a minor league deal with the Rangers on February 7. He spent time re-working his swing over the winter after a rough 2018 when he hit a career-worst .226. Pence only hit four home-runs in 97 games. It didn’t help that he missed more than six weeks with a sprained right thumb early in the season. Another great follow on Twitter (@hunterpence), by the way.

Before we close, I want to pay respect to San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who is retiring after the 2019 season. I have long admired Mr. Bochy for the way he goes about things. He just carries himself as a friendly professional. Here is a very a proud moment for him, handing the ball to his son, Brett Bochy for the first time.

And with that, we have looked at each team in the American League. In a few days, we will delve into the National League, beginning with the NL East Division. Who know, maybe even by then Bryce Harper will have found a home — I still think it’ll be the Phillies. We’ll found out. See you then!

MLB Non-Roster Invitees – American League Central

Posted on by Charlie Ricker

Welcome back! Pitchers and catchers have been in camps across Florida and Arizona, getting acquainted or reacquainted with each other. This week, position players will be in camp looking to get things started. In addition to players on 40 man rosters, there are several “non roster invitees” with each team, looking to make good impressions. Some are young guys, usually early round picks that teams are excited to see, and the rest are veteran ballplayers trying to latch on somewhere.

On Friday, we took a look at three non-roster invitees on each team in the AL East who To start off your Monday. Let’s pick three NRI’s on each team in the AL Central to talk about.

Chicago White Sox

  • Blake Rutherford (RF) – Rutherford, a 2016 1st round draft pick, came to the White Sox in the summer of 2017 from the New York Yankees in the deal that sent David Robertson, Todd Frazier and Tommy Kahnle to the Bronx. Rutherford, 21, spent last year in High-A ball where he posted a .293/.345/.436 slash line to go with seven home runs and 78 RBI. A left-handed hitter, Rutherford is tall and lanky (6’3″, 195), can play all three outfield spots and can steal a few bags (15 in 2018). He is expected to begin 2019 with the Double-A Birmingham Barons.
  • Ryan Goins (INF) – Goins began the 2018 season with the Royals, where he posted an anemic .226 average in 41 games. He was released at the beginning of July and signed a minor league deal with Philadelphia the following day. The 31 year old Goins spent the rest of the season with their Triple-A team where he hit .220 over 42 games. At least he was consistent. He’s no more than minor league filler, but will provide steady infield defense no matter where he plays.
  • Evan Marshall (RHP) – If 28 year old Evan Marshall never throws another major league pitch, he’s come out on top. He’s overcome and returned from brain injury from a 105 mph comebacker and he and his wife, Allie, had a major health scare when their four-month son Ryan became ill. Thankfully, it appears both Evan and Ryan are healthy now. Here’s hoping Evan can resume his major league career on Chicago’s South Side in 2019.

Cleveland Indians

  • Dioner Navarro (C) – Wait, what? The 35 year old switch-hitting catcher hasn’t played a major league game since 2016, when he split the season between the White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, hitting a weak .207. In 2018, Navarro played 20 games with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League, with pedestrian results. Surprises can happen, but I will be stunned if he plays another MLB game.
  • Matt Joyce (OF) – After hitting a career-high 25 home runs in 2017, the left-handed slugger lost his mojo in ’18. He finished the season barely above the “Mendoza Line” at .208 and only seven HR’s in 83 games. After two seasons in Oakland, Joyce signed a minor-league deal with the Tribe a little more than a week ago. He rebounded nicely in ’16 after having a rough 2015 season in Anaheim, but at age 34, the odds are a bit longer.
  • Alex Wilson (RHP) – Signed to a minor league deal the same day as the aforementioned Matt Joyce, Wilson came from the Tigers, where he spent the last four seasons. He had decent numbers last season, posting a 1.05 WHIP to go with a 3.36 ERA. The 32 year old Wilson isn’t a strikeout pitcher. He “only” throws 92-93 with his heat and has a cutter (86-88) he employs well. Wilson could be a guy the Indians make good use of, especially after losing Andrew Miller and Cody Allen to free agency

Detroit Tigers

  • Casey Mize (RHP) – 21 year old Casey Mize was the number one pick in last year’s amateur draft after a successful collegiate career at Auburn University. He has a fastball that ranges 92-96 and can reach back for a little more when he needs it. Mize made five brief starts in the low minors, all but one at High-A ball in Lakeland (Florida State League). Over his 11.2 innings, he struck out ten and walked only two. Look for Mize to spend all 2019 in the minors, and at the very least the first month of 2020 so the Tigers can keep an extra year of team control.
  • Daz Cameron (OF) – Cameron, a 2015 first-round draft pick of the Houston Astros, was acquired by Detroit in the 2017 mid-season trade that sent Justin Verlander to Houston. The young center-fielder, the son of former MLB outfielder Mike Cameron, began 2018 in High-A Lakeland. He was promoted to Double-A after 58 games, and again promoted to Triple-A Toledo after a good showing in more than fifty games in Erie. In AAA, the sleek right-handed hitter struggled a bit in his brief 15 game stint as a Mud Hen. Look for him to begin ’19 in Toledo, but he could be in the Motor City by September, maybe even mid-season if he tears it up.
  • Pete Kozma (INF) – Thirty year old Pete Kozma will never be confused for a good hitter, but hard work and determination are a staple of his. After his days with the Cardinals ended after 2015, he bounced from the Yankees to the Rangers, to Detroit. He even found time to play 24 games with the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League. Expect Pete to play in Toledo this year, assuming he stays with the organization. If nothing else, Kozma’s work ethic and experience will be more important to the team than his actual play.

Kansas City Royals

  • Drew Storen (RHP) – The ink on Storen’s minor league deal isn’t even dry, having signed his contract on Friday, Feb. 15.

If he doesn’t make the team, he has an opt-out he can exercise on March 25. Storen spent 2018 recovering and rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, last pitching for the Cincinnati Reds in 2017. If Drew is healthy, he will be a serviceable reliever. Storen, now 31, doesn’t have the velocity he had when he was closing for the Nationals in the early part of this decade, but he knows how to pitch. It’s no-risk, high reward potential for the Royals.

  • Homer Bailey (RHP) – Also pulled from Cincinnati’s recycling bin is former Red Homer Bailey, he of one of the most hideous season stat-lines in recent history. All he did over his 20 starts was go 1-14 with a 6.09 ERA and WHIP of 1.63. He is still only 32, and the velocity is still more than good enough, averaging more than 93 with his gas. Perhaps a much needed change of scenery and some mechanical adjustments will do Bailey good. Another no-risk/potential high reward.
  • M.J. Melendez (C) – 20 year old Melendez was Kansas City’s second round pick in 2017 and is rated as the team’s fifth-best prospect in their system. He spent last year in A-ball in Lexington of the South Atlantic League where he hit a respectable .251 with 19 home runs and 73 RBI in 111 games. It’ll be a while before Melendez reaches the majors for good, but rubbing elbows with the boys in the big-club now will be good motivation for him to work hard and get back.

Minnesota Twins

  • Royce Lewis (SS) – Royce is the top prospect in the Twins organization and was the number one pick of the 2017 amateur draft. Lewis, 19, spent last season split between Single-A Cedar Rapids, where he hit .315, and High-A Fort Myers (.255). His combined stats were respectable, logging .292/.352/.451 with 14 HR’s and 74 RBI. He stole 28 bases in 36 attempts. Lewis had 21 errors in 112 games, but experience and maturity will help clean that up. Look for him to start the season in High-A ball and advance to AA Pensacola later in 2019. If he really crushes it, a promotion to AAA Rochester late in the season isn’t be out of the question.
  • Lucas Duda (1B/DH) – Like a lot of current free agents, the market just hasn’t been there this offseason. The lefty power-hitting Duda took what he could, signing a minor league deal last week. The Twins need a first baseman after Joe Mauer retired, and this is a low-risk deal that will pay off if the 33 year old Duda has a rebound year. He’s never going to hit for average, but if Lucas hits closer to the 30 jacks he tallied in 2017, it’ll be well worth it.
  • Tim Collins (LHP) – Collins first made it to the major leagues back in 2011, when he made the Royals team out of spring training. He stayed in Kansas City through 2014, then missed the 2015, ’16 and ’17 seasons because he had two Tommy John surgeries. The 28 year old Collins resurfaced in 2018 with the Washington Nationals, making 38 appearances. The 5’7″, 168 lb. lefty is small in stature, but still generates a good fastball, still reaching 93-94 even after his elbow surgeries.

And with that, we’ve knocked off the AL Central Division. On Wednesday, we will turn our eyes to some non roster invitees in the AL West. Please join us!