- This afternoon’s game was started by future comeback player of the year Phil Hughes. In 5.0 innings of work, the righty gave up 3 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, and 3 strikeouts. It was an overall solid start, with the only runs coming off a bomb from Matt Joyce. After the game Hughes claimed that he was working on his changeup, and Russell Martin said that he built consistency with the pitch throughout the game. The three lefties attempting to make the team this year pitched today, with Clay Rapada earning 2 strikeouts and Mike O’Connor earning 1 strikeout over 1.0 inning, while Caesar Cabral earned 6 strikeouts (!) over 2.0 innings. Offensively, Gustavo Molina had a 2 run homerun off relief pitcher Brandon Gomes, and Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Vazquez, Cole Garner, and Justin Maxwell each doubled. (Box Score)
- Earlier today, I posted about the situation in right field if Nick Swisher goes down, Greg Corcoran and Bronx Baseball Daily has another article about the future of right field and Zoilo Almonte‘s possible part of it.
- In the third part of their Minor League Preview series, It’s About The Money previewed the Tampa Yankees today. The players to watch on this team are Slade Heathcott, Ramon Flores, J.R. Murphy (Currently assigned to Trenton), and personal favorite Mark Montgomery.
- Sliding Into Home isn’t as excited as most fans when it comes to the Andy Pettitte reunion. I tend to agree, though I could foresee a miracle of a comeback. Beyond The Boxscore looks at Pettitte’s stats compared to some recent Hall of Fame inductees. Lastly in Pettitte news, Larry Koestler looks at the PitchFx data on the lefty.
- Here’s today’s workouts, apparently Pettitte will throw a bullpen to hitters on Friday.
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5 Responses to Nightly Links: Hughes, Almonte, Pettitte
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TIQ IQ
What are the chances of Justin Maxwell making the club opening day, maybe as a backup outfielder? If he can stay healthy, he is a beast, what do you think?
I love Maxwell, and he’s having a ridiculous spring, but he would have to carry those numbers in to the AAA season. I could see him taking over for Gardner or Andruw Jones assuming an injury, but I just don’t see the Yankees relying on him unless he shows more longterm success. He’d definitely have a chance on a less competitive team, but the odds he breaks camp in the Bronx after a hot March are close to zero.
He has to go through waivers right? If so he may be claimed, I’m not a huge fan but someone probably thinks enough of him to do it. He’s a decenty outfielder but he strikes out over 30% of the time and seems to have some mighty big holes in his swing. He doesn’t seem like someone who will ever have lasting success at the major league level, he gets figured out too easy.
Justin Maxwell may be the Yankees’ version of Jeremy Lin, hopeful thinking. The guy can steal, has power, play defense, decent arm, and so far this spring, he hits for a good average. If he can do this more consistently on a major league level, the Yanks should give him a chance
I don’t know why people think Maxwell is this hidden gem. He’s a good athlete, and he has some pop, but the kid is a 30% K guy in AAA and the majors. He has vast holes in his swing and major league pitchers will do worse to him than AAA. He isn’t going to hit for average, he is going to K all the time, and his OBP won’t be good enough to justify him in the lineup. The people who want to start Maxwell over Swisher in RF are crazy, the kid is well known in baseball. Can he contribute so some team as a 4th outfielder? Sure, is he a starter on a team like the Yankees? No.