According to Bryan Hoch, Alfredo Aceves’ shoulder felt better today after a 20-pitch bullpen session.
In addition, from PA, we learn that Damaso Marte was throwing 88 mph meatballs last night (he gave up 2 homers). Marte has now given up 3 ER over 4 2/3 IP with Scranton. He usually throws around 92 mph, so maybe it’s just a bit of rust. However, as PA states, I don’t think the Yankees can count on him coming back anytime soon. His latest outing may force them to pursue another lefty via trade.
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30 Responses to Aceves and Marte update
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TIQ IQ
Well this isn’t good now is it? I don’t know how we can address a starting pitcher which we need and a relief pitcher that is worth trading for and worthy of use especially a lefty when the only real lefty available is Grabow who is a no for me! We may have to try and get a starter and lesser reliever from whatever team we get the starter from.
There are a few options for a lefty:
John Grabow (Pirates), Arthur Rhodes (Reds), Craig Breslow (A’s), Ron Mahay (Royals), Joe Beimel (Nationals), Joe Thatcher (Padres) and… the wonderful Ron Villone (Nationals).
Hopefully the Yankees get creative.
I respect your writing but you should be shot for even mentioning Villone haha. Yeah I don’t see any of them helping us out that much. I would just go with a righty who can get out lefties.
Ha, thanks TOCH. Yea, I hate Villone. Ken Davidoff suggested the move a few weeks ago, so I figured I’d throw him in there. I’d be surprised if the Yankees didn’t acquire another lefty, just because Cashman and Girardi have indicated that they would like another lefty for lefty-lefty matchups (which would free up Coke a bit more).
Adding a left just for lefty sake doesn’t seem smart, we’ve done it before with Embree and foulke and others and it never works out so now that we have a lefty we want to make the same old move? There are more pressing needs than a lefty in the pen… like a starter in the rotation? Or a true blue set up man so Hughes doesn’t have to be in the pen next year? Would a leftybe nice yes but so would Wang not getting injured this year or last, just seems like more important things could be done with the prospects we would use for Grabow. Lets just stop taking every player the Pirates don’t want how about that.
I’d take Rhodes. A situational lefty that could be used strictly for lefties. I think the Yankees have been burned before because they basically picked up scrapheap lefties which haven’t really panned out. Still, though, you’re right. The most pressing need, as of now, is another starter and at least one quality reliever (not just a situational guy).
Rhodes scares me because he is 39 but he does have a .125 opposing batting average against lefties so that might be someone to look into for cheap, but if you are going to get him I would have to assume it would be after you lock up a starter.
Handedness is overrated. Give me a good pitcher and I don’t care what side they throw from. Just another way LaRussa ruined baseball.
Dave that is somewhat foolish to say, it may be overrated but not when it comes to specialty pitchers… Rhodes has a .125 opposing BA aginst lefties and he has an opposing BA of over .320 against righties so it’s not overrated when looking for a specialist.
I don’t want to pitch a specialist in those situations. Have we learned anything from how we abused Arthur Rhodes in big situations. Guys like that feast on lefties that can’t hit lefties. The big hitters mash those guys.
OK but it has nothing to do with what Rhodes does as a pitcher all I am saying is that it does matter lefty vs lefty righty vs righty and if you can’t even see that it matters this conversation goes no further.
I’d much rather have Hughes face a lefty than some soft tossing guy who the good hitter can crush. Most of these lefty specialists are wildly inconsistent. Sure all things being equal you want the lefty-lefty matchup. But things are not equal. So I’ll go with the better pitcher.
You can’t just say that though… Say it is the 6th inning and two lefties are due up with 1 out 1 on and the starter is done you bring in a guy like coke to get the two lefties and save Hughes to set up the 8th or 9th. Now another situation is Hughes is unavailable and you have the choice of Melancon, Robertson or a lefty specialist to go after Mauer you’re bringing in the lefty.
In the postseason, I use Coke to get the guys out in the 6th and use Hughes for both the 7th and 8th. Then Mo in the 9th.
You are acting like I want a lefty no matter what here i’m not! I’m just saying there are times where having two lefties can help.
I’d always go with the better pitcher, too, but Rhodes’ numbers these past 2 years are pretty impressive. I think it’s a waste to carry a situational lefty unless he can definitely get lefties out (he has to be a shutdown lefty-lefty guy). So I see what you’re saying. Those types of guys can come in handy. Imagine if the Yankees make it to the World Series and see the Phillies, for instance. Arthur Rhodes or a guy like him would be very useful.
I’d have no faith in Arthur Rhodes. You tell me we can get a shutdown guy. Fine. But I think the cost for that would be too much. Adding another starter is much more important right now.
Rhodes has shut down lefties so that is a shut down guy when facing lefties and I am not even encouraging getting Rhodes I didn’t even bring him up. Read my comment below I have said the whole time only get a lefty for the pen if we a starter first.
I see what you’re saying and, again, I agree. I merely report on what the Yankees are doing and what they’ve said and this month we’ve heard that the Yankees would like to acquire another lefty. That’s all.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not getting on you for reporting. Just commenting on the desire to add a LOOGY.
Gotcha.
No one is saying go out and get a lefty for lefty sake but if there is a “shut em down” lefty out there it wouldn’t hurt to look into it, however like I said earlier it should be after the starter is secured. I would say if that Bronson Arroyo rumor is true you might see Rhodes accompany Arroyo here in a deal, that would be the only way I see that happening but I don’t want Arroyo on the team so don’t think I want that deal I’m just using it as an example of getting a lefty with a starter.
To me it comes down to who would you rather have in the pen David Robertson and Melancon or just one of them and a lefty who can get lefties out and allow Coke to face righties and to be saved for tough lefties like Ortiz.
Take it for what it’s worth but Peter Gammons said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the Yankees trade for Zach Dukenow i’mnot saying it would happen or that itwould be a good idea but I think it is at least somewhat probable because the Yankees would probably have the Pirates throw in Grabow in order to get the prospects they want. Now this fills a lefty in the pen who has pitched in the backend of a pen and a starter who happens to be a lefty and only 26 but it also makes you wonder if either Duke or Grabow are cutout for New York or the the New Yankee stadium.
Good Lord. If Duke goes the Yankees, I’m not sure what will happen but I don’t think it will be pretty. He’s a guy who needs an above average defense behind him in order to be very successful and the Yankees simply don’t have that, especially in the outfield (the infield defense is, for the most part, average, with 3B being a problem).
They are 7th in baseball in defensive efficiency, probably the best metric for team defense. Not that bad.
A-Rod was pretty awful early in the year. I don’t know what the metrics say, but it appears he’s been better as of late.
I’m surprised given the OF. That probably factored in Gardner, who’s not around for a few weeks. Duke still sucks, lol.
Agreed. To me, I would be fine with Washburn, Duchscherer, or maybe Bannister. No one else that I can think of interests me.
Washburn is less and less likely to leave as the minutes pass seeing as how he is now willing to re-sign with the Mariners long term, Duchscherer should not even be an option he is injury prone and hasn’t pitched all year no way would I give up prospects for a guy to go on the DL. If no one esle interests you we are in the same boar becuase I don’t want anyone available but we have no choice if we don’t get a starter we will have Igawa and Mitre as 4 and 5. Chamberlain probably gets pulled out odf the rotation before his innings limit making him have about 4-6 more starts and Wang is gone so who else comes in to pitch? Igawa is the only one we have besides Hirsh and both are god awful! I’mnot crazy about Duke but are you really willing to say that Igawa and Mitre are better than Zach Duke? Mitre needs just as much defense and K’s just a little amount of people but he also can’t get out of the 5th inning so what do we do??