Right-handed relief prospect, Mark Melancon, previously hailed as Mariano Rivera’s successor because of his live heater and hard curve, tossed 16 1/3 innings last season posting a 3.86 ERA. A closer look at his numbers indicates a much weaker performance than his ERA suggests, however, as Melancon walked 5.51 batters per nine and only struck out an identical 5.51 batters per nine, leading to a 4.44 FIP. Not too impressive, right? This was obviously an extremely small sample though, a mere handful of nervous rookie innings that were atypical of the work Melancon had done while in the minor leagues. With just over 150 innings pitched in the Yankees’ farm system, the confident righty boasts a 2.54 ERA and a 0.906 WHIP, numbers which are understandable given his dominant minor-league peripherals (9.2 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 0.5 HR/9). Basically, down on the farm, he has been as effective as anyone could have hoped.
And so, I wonder, what will happen to Melancon this season? I definitely expect to see him, at some point, and believe he would be a tremendous asset to the team’s relief corps. Yet, with an already crowded bullpen, it seems the soon-to-be 25-year old will be slated for Scranton for most of the year, although someone could certainly falter or experience an injury that would alter such an outcome. CHONE projects Melancon to post a 4.42 FIP this season and Marcel sees a 4.23 FIP, but, given his legitimate success in the minors, his stuff, and his makeup, I’m inclined to believe FanGraphs’ fan projection, which forecasts the Colorado native as a 3.33 FIP pitcher with stellar peripherals. So far this spring, Melancon has appeared in 2 games, giving up 2 hits and striking out 3 over 2 2/3 innings pitched.
It’s a shame we won’t see Melancon more this season, but, I guess that is a testament to the team’s bullpen depth.
Photo by the AP
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14 Responses to Melancon a "victim" of the Yankees' relief depth
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I don’t think he makes the team out of spring training but I’d guess that assuming he pitches well, he’ll spend as much time in NY as he does in Scranton. He’s the logical first choice for a call-up if a middle reliever or Rivera needs to go on the DL. Assuming they keep Rumulo Sanchez as a starter, I only count 3 RP likely to be in Scranton on the 40 man: Melancon, Boone Logan and Albaladejo. I think we’ll see all 3 at some point but Melancon seems most likely to get significant innings.
I think we’ll see plenty of him. He’ll be this year’s David Robertson. He’ll be a major contributor to this team.
would love to see him get a real shot…albi goes to aaa. logan will get long look only because of the trade.. melancon is a great talent
I have a lot of problems with the Yankees falling in love with the Mitre’s and Gaudin’s of the world.You develop pitchers in the minors and then pitch them.You don’ have sit while lesser talents take up space.I’m sick of the Edwar Ramierez, Albaldejo types when guys like Melancon need to pitch.
Yankees have a plethora of 21 year old and older younger pitchers trapped deep in the organization, looking for a chance to pitch and actually didn’t sign soem good prospects last year because they had enough young pitchers, yet Triple A is constantly full of has beens and never wuzzes who rarely amount to anything but block our younger guys.
You just described every organization in history. It makes sense to have depth. If the prospects deserve the spots, guys like Edwar will not prevent them from getting them.
A big part of it is contractual. A guy like Mitre doesn’t have much roster flexibility.
you are right on the money..well said ..
Melancon is ML ready, now.
If he is, he will get a spot. If he doesnt get one now, he will get it during the season.
Its reasons like this that I hated the Chan Ho Park signing. Melancon will be wasting time down in Scranton whyle Park is in New York showing Cashman that he is the new Brett Tomko. Hopefully because he is not being payed much, if park has a +5 ERA come mid june which I beliee is gonna happen that we can get rid of him for Melancon. I mean what has Park ever proven beside the fact that he pitches like crap. In no way should he have been given a guaranteed spot in the pen. He should have only been offered a minor league deal, told to take it or leave it and forced to earn his way on this team. I would rather have a young talented reliever in Melancon then a wast of a roster spot in Park.
What will be worse is if they also put mitre in the pen. Then you basically have only five guys there in Mo, Marte, Hughes/Joba, Robertson and Aceves. Mitre and Park are only making the pen worse and not improving it. Obviously Cashman has not learned his listen with signing this garbage veterans pitcher with the likes of Park and Mitre. That will be as bad as the likes of Karsay, Farnsworth, Hawkins, Edwar and Tomko. I would rather see then build the pen with young relievers from our system or young starters who throw hard but there is no rotation spot for them so they get put in the pen. The pen should be built from within not with veterran relievers who Cashman overates because they throw hard.
Park has been very good out of the bullpen, and the Yankees have done a good job integrating young relievers over the last few seasons. If Melancon deserves a spot, he will get one. There is nothing wrong with depth.
All I am saying is Park should not have been given a guarantee contract. We have seen way too many times of these veteran relievers coming in and pitching like crap. Park will be the next Brett Tomko and hopefully with his small contract he will be gone in june when he has his expected 5 Era.
when i hear worthless’s name i get ill.. throw in hawkins also..how about just giving igawa a ticket home and not waste a AAA spot either..he has no future why block kids out .. 4 years of this bum,
To be honest, I agree with Mike. Now, I don’t hate the Park signing, but I think it was unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. You can never have enough pitching depth, though, so why not.