With all of the changes to the Yankees roster over the last few days, I thought it would be constructive to lay out the roster as it currently stands and highlight some possible upcoming changes.
Lineup
C: Jorge Posada
1B: Mark Teixeira
2B: Robinson Cano
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Angel Berroa
LF: Johnny Damon
CF: Brett Gardner
RF: Nick Swisher
DH: Hideki Matsui
Bench
UIF: Ramiro Pena
CF: Melky Cabrera
C: Jose Molina
Rotation
Joba Chamberlain
CC Sabathia
AJ Burnett
Andy Pettitte
Bullpen
Mark Melancon
Dave Robertson
Damaso Marte
Jose Veras
Phil Coke
Jon Albaladejo
Edwar Ramirez
Mariano Rivera
Steven Jackson
The Yankees are carrying a whopping 13 pitchers, including 9 relievers, due to Chien-Ming Wang hitting the DL. There are a number of changes to expect in the next two weeks. Phil Hughes will start on Tuesday, and Brian Bruney should be back within two weeks, as should Alex Rodriguez. Furthermore, the Yankees desperately need another bat off the bench, as Tyler Kepner notes:
They had Jorge Posada at third and Hideki Mastui at second against the Red Sox’ Ramon Ramirez, with Angel Berroa and Brett Gardner due up. Joe Girardi knew it was time for a pinch-hitter and from his bench he produced … Melky Cabrera.
Cabrera proceeded to roll out to Ramirez, which hung Posada up between third and home, allowing Matsui to reach third and Cabrera to take second. That left the inning up and the game, as it turned out, to Gardner, a .232 hitter with no home runs and three R.B.I. This cannot happen if you are the New York Yankees, with a $200 million payroll, even with two projected starters, Xavier Nady and Alex Rodriguez, on the disabled list.
So let’s assume four roster moves over the next few weeks: the returns of A-Rod, Hughes, and Bruney, and the addition of a minor league bat like Shelley Duncan or John Rodriguez (how have they not signed Jim Edmonds yet). The A-Rod move is easy, as Berroa would just be DFA’d and sent back to the minors once he passes through waivers. The other three returns will likely come at the expense of three men in the current bullpen. I would probably send down Jackson, Ramirez, and Veras. Jose and Edwar need to find the rhythm that they had for much of last season, and Jackson clearly does not have the confidence of Joe Girardi. However, if I had to guess, the three going down will be Jackson, Robertson, and Melancon, unless those last two really assert themselves over the next few days. Otherwise, the team will send them back to SWB for more seasoning.
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15 Responses to The Current Roster And Upcoming Changes
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TIQ IQ
I would probably send down… Veras.
out of options…
Good point. I guess one of Melancon and Robertson will have to go.
I’m thinking demote Jackson…unless either Melancon or Robertson fall on their faces. those two present tremendous upside, probably moreso than Jackson, at least imo.
A few things I would like to pitch in on this topic:
1) I would definitely prefer John Rodriguez to Shelley Duncan or Juan Miranda. He has proven he can hit major league pitching.
2) Veras is out of options, so I doubt you’ll see him sent down. Plus, if he’s your fifth or sixth best reliever, that’s a damn good pen.
3) I think Melancon is in the Majors for good unless he really struggles, so expect Jackson, Robertson, and Edwar sent down.
4) A Bullpen of Mo, Bruney, Marte, Melancon, Coke, Veras, Albaladejo looks pretty good to me.
5) Any more news on Nady? Seems like the Yanks are being awfully quiet about his situation.
“Plus, if he’s your fifth or sixth best reliever, that’s a damn good pen.”
but that’s the thing…the Yankees bullpen looks extremely talented. Full of hard throwing K pitchers, but the problem is is that they are so prone to suddenly just losing it as well.
a bullpen by nature is volitale, but this team’s bullpen is literally either going to not allow a baserunner or allow the population of China to score on them. and that’s a problem. Veras, for example, has great stuff, but he’s also very prone to an absolute collapse on the mound.
Yeah you make good points, and I agree. I just think that is the nature of bullpens and it all starts with the starting pitchers. Right now, the Yankees just aren’t getting an adequate amount of innings out of them and that has seriously exposed this bullpen. If the Yankees starters were consistently giving them 6-7 innings, I don’t think the bullpen would look like as much of a concern as it does right now.
very fair indeed…I think so as well. They’ve been worked to death thus far this season…if/when C.C., Joba settle down, they might get the rest they need to stay effective.
and I must say I have pleasant visions of a backend of the pen being Melancon, Bruney, and Mo (with Robertson also a possibility). damn…
The biggest problem in the bullpen isn’t that Edwar/Veras/Albaladejo/Coke/Marte are bad, it’s that they’ve had to throw a TON of pitches thus far. I mean Veras went 4 innings or something like that in the 14-inning game and then had to come back in a huge situation in Boston. Then, he’s suddenly in the next game pitching in an equally high-leverage situation. Guys like Veras need to pitch no more than 5-6 innings per week to remain effective and Girardi just can’t find that time off for them right now when the other options are guys recently called up from AAA
My observations.
Robertson is not MLB quality. He just doesn’t have the stuff.
Melky and Gardner have repeatedly failed to deliver.
Jury is still out on Cano but you have to like what we are seeing.
Relievers are fine but not yet finding their stride.
Rivera suffering his typical April tragedy against sox
Team can hit.
Patience. It sucks to lose close games to the sox. Its april. There is a lot to like about this team. Key guys are back and Arod will make this a devastating line up.
That’s pretty hasty on Robertson- he has a good fastball with good command and a very good curveball.
He also K’d 36 in 30 innings last season- his issue is not stuff.
I agree…his fastball/curveball combo can be electrifying. He has pretty good middle relief potential, imo.
I’d take him over Alba or Edwar, that’s for sure.
When A-Rod comes back, Pena goes down to play short every day at Scranton. He needs to play to continue his development. Berroa sticks as the utility infielder. Also, to bring up Shelly or Rodriguez, you have to make another 40-man roster move to put them on the roster, so someone else has to go…
Which is why I had Berroa being DFA’d.
Or you DFA Miranda, who will not play for the Yankees anyway.