http://yankees.scout.com/2/596784.html
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Meet - Eric Wordekemper - pitching prospect.
Eric Wordekemper - 46th round pick from Creighton University. He's 6'1 and 200 pounds. He went 4-3 with a era 1.81 in 39 games in Charleston Riverdogs.
- Armed with Fastball four seam fastball that sits comfortably 88-91 mph range and tops out 93 mph, He compliments his reportiore with sinking fastball , a rapid improved slider that sits 83-84 mph and a developing split-finger around 81-82mph
He's remind me of Andy Petite.
I assure you that he isn't as good as Andy. No cutter. Less velocity. No curveball.
He throws that 2 seamer like Andy. Do you think He can learn that cutter from Mo's?
Chase Wright can He either be Andy or Mark Mulder?
Two pitches will not cut it as a starter but the high BB rate won't win him many plaudits in the pen. If he doesn't expand his repertoire or learn to control the strike zone, he'll be a long reliever at best - although, given the fact that he's a lefty, he's bound to have plenty of chances to work things out.
Jason, I think you are getting ahead of yourself. A cutter wouldn't fit Wright's style.
IE, he doesn't have an astronomically high BB rate. He walks about 3.5 per 9 innings, which is not out of line with plenty of successful setup men out there including Salmon Torres and Scott Proctor.
He kills lefties, which will likely be his calling card if he makes it to the bigs. I think that he could be a good lefty set up or middle relief pitcher. We're talking about a G/F ratio of 3.00 and a K/9 of 9.20ish against lefties. He could very well put up some excellent seasons, if in a limited role.
OrgAnization Comings and Goings
http://www.newsday.com/sports/ba...eball-
headlines
"The Yankees allowed major league scout Jim Benedict to break his contract and join the Indians in the same role. E-mailed Indians GM Mark Shapiro: "He will have a strong voice in our decision-making, both internally and externally . . . We are appreciative that Brian [Cashman] and the Yankees gave us the opportunity to interview him to be one of our chief evaluators." Former Yankees Pacific Rim scout John Cox
that's not me just in case you were wondering DNJ
The only Blogs that i post on is Yours, Mike's and R.L.Y.B (S.G and Fabain)
Mike's Plugh Winter Meetings Plan
http://www.canyonofheroes.blogspot.com
Since everyone likes to play Cashman especially all of us in the blogging community, I thought I'd write up my own Winter Meetings agenda, as if I were GM. Here goes:
1. Sign Igawa.
2. Sign Zuleta.
3. Get a final answer on Andy Pettitte.
4. Inquire about Dontrelle Willis.
5. Inquire about Freddy Garcia.
6. Trade (dump) Carl Pavano for a lefty reliever.
7. Drink a Hurricane or two.
8. Pack up my bags and come home.
Here's my thinking. Getting Igawa signed ASAP puts to rest any leverage that other GMs and agents have over my roster moves. Everything else I do about pitching plays off of having him under contract. As much as I like Craig Wilson, and as happy as I'd be if he were our starting firstbaseman next season, I like the idea of trying out Zuleta at a bargain price, say 2 years at $5 million. His consistent performance at .290/360/.550 across every level of competition leads me to believe he can post between an .850 and .900 OPS in the Majors. If he ends up hitting .275 with 20+ homers, he's a steal in this market.
Next, I need an answer on Pettitte. Play or retire. There's no sense in letting him string us out over the next few months. If he doesn't give an answer, let him come to us. I'd also look into both Dontrelle Willis and Freddy Garcia while I was in Florida. Nothing urgent, or worth giving up the farm for, but if they happen to be out there it's my job to see if I can get them. Willis is younger and has more upside. Garcia is a solid pitcher that you can plug in and forget about, something the Yankees have very little of in the rotation right now.
Trading Carl Pavano is a must. You can't expect to get much, but there should be a fair package of middle relievers and prospects that will make the Yankees happy. I'd love to get a lefty middle reliever that can actually pitch, and cash. If anyone can make this happen it's CashMoney. Work it out brother.
That's it. What about backup catcher and middle relief, you ask? Here are my answers for both:
Backup catcher (Wil Nieves, Kevin Nelson, Ben Davis)
Let them battle it out in Spring Training. Nieves has had time with the Yankees, albeit very few at bats. Nelson was in the White Sox system in 2005, but came to the Clippers last year. He hit .283/406/.415 with the Charlotte Knights, the ChiSox AAA club, last season. He's going to turn 26 in April, so he's fairly young. Ben Davis is the other option at AAA Scranton, but I don't think many people have faith in him. If these three guys fight it out at Tampa and no one comes out a decent prospect for the Bronx, then Cashman can sign someone. Why do it now, when the market is red hot?
Middle Relief (T.J. Beam, Brent Cox)
I'm very comfortable right now with a relief core of T.J. Beam, Brent Cox, Mike Myers, Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth, and Mariano Rivera. If we need to sign Villone to make sure we have a second left
DNJ,
his is just a quik reminder about the search of RH pitcher Hugo Pivaral from Guatemala. He was signed by the Dodgers 13 or 14 years ago as an international prospect when he was age 16 for $50,000, scouted by Mike Brito (the same who discovered Fernando Valenzuela). He had a great fastball and some promise, as many clubs were interested in him. Was sent to the A team, the same that Darryl Strawberry was rehabilitating while with the dodgers organization. He got injured the first year, spent 1 year on the DL and never again was the same. He came to the Yankees some years ago, I donīt know how, but I know that because a newspaper here in Guatemala reported that.
Iīm asking this because heīs the ONLY baseball player from this country to ever sign a pro contract. I want to know what happened to him. He should be about 30 years old now.
And Iīll take this opportunity and say that baseball is not hot in Latin America. Soccer is. Of 22 countries, just 5 caribean countries have baseball as national passtime: DR, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Some have love for the game, like Mexico and Colombia, but the rest know nothing about this game, like Guatemala.
Thatīs why if someone is the rare minority and love this game in this countries, like myself, you have to visit US sites
Interesting Chofo.
I couldn't find much else on Pivaral. A google search turned up a bunch of links to his 1996 baseball card. He was considered quite a prospect back then, appearing next to the names Paul Konerko, Miguel Cairo, Karim Garcia, Chan Ho Park, and Todd Hollandsworth. He is mentioned in the February 8th issue of USA today baseball weekly, Vol 4. Issue 39 if you can get your hands on it.
The following link mentions his name, although I am not sure as to the context.
http://members.tripod.com/Brusza...zak/
outlaws.htm
Here's My Plan next year after 2007 season.
Vernon Wells will be a free agent after 2007 season. I would move Damon to left and play him in center. I always admired Vernon Wells. He had always had a great arm and glove in the outfield.
Rj who will be a free agent after next year. Rj's Salary who's $17 million will coming off the books. Yankees could signed wells to that salary.
Another option will be Signing Mark Texiera next year. He's also will be free agent after 2007 . He could replaced Giambi's and played him at first/Dh.
I'm Sorry for thinking ahead next year.
Thanks DNJ,
I also found that he has tested positive this year for substance abuse while playing in the Central American and caribbean games.
He made a very silly thing that ended his shot at a ML carreer in 1994. When he got hurt in a practice, he told no one, so the injury got worse. He was shut down a year and never was the same again. I guess the pressure of representing a country got to him.
Anyway, thanks for everything
I hate Damn Redsox. Red means Evilsort of way They are stealing spotlight away from the Yankees. Redsox Also Copy Yankees does and success.
For Example, Jeter's was named The Captain. Look, They copy The Yankees, Redsox named Varitek as their captain as well. Varitek's who spent fours years in minors of seattle mariners until He was traded to Redsox along with Derek Lowe. Why Does Varitek deserved to be captain of Redsox, He's not considred a true homegrown like Jeter. Trot Nixon's as true redsox, and should be the captain not Varitek.
Second Wang's had great numbers this year, He's yankees homegrown who spent fours years in yankees minor league. I think Redsox was enamored and jealous of Wang's success this year. They to entered Asian market like the yankees and Win The Bid for Matsuzaka's rights.
YESNetwork.com's Jennifer Royle is in Orlando, Fla., with the latest buzz from Baseball's Winter Meetings.
"It's going to be a quiet week," said Cashman, who seems to be leaning on using a minor-league prospect as his No. 5 starter.
"Cashman said He plans to look within and at 29-year-old Wil Nieves as Jorge Posada's backup"
Our last two backup catchers have hit under .200, so I have no problem promoting Wil," Cashman said.
source -yesnetwork
http://www.yesnetwork.com/news/a...id=36019&
vkey=4
On Wfan Sweeny Murti just said the Yankees are going after Brad Penny. are you figin kidding me. This whole front office is so clueless it isent funny. This guy has a bad elbow. They rather have this guy over Zito, Schmidt, and Lilly or Pettitte unbelievable....
The Yankees may just be trying to raise Penny's asking price because the Red Sox are also looking at him.
Penny is too much of an injury risk for me to want him. Just one of these days, we're going to understand the value of having five healthy starting pitchers.
Please Cashman, I don't want Petite back in yankees uniform. Did you know New Drays pitching coach was former Astros coach Jim's Hickey? He's familiar with Petite since He coached him for three years.
Drays and Jim Hickey was so happy and jumping for joy when They heard that Petite are closing two year with the Yankees.
"Quote from Jim Hickey telling his Drays hitters what to expect from Petite and his reportiore
Okay fellas, Expect him to throw his cutter and curveball , changeup and fastball.
My point is that Hickey's is familiar and knows where he throws his pitches in certain areas and percentages of a strikezone.
http://www.nypost.com/gossip/cel...006/
photo01.htm
Victoria's Secret stunner Adriana Lima cozies up to Derek Jeter back stage at Fox and Friends.
Go Jeter. Your so lucky.
So is anybody with a TV.
Angels are still interested acquiring arod.. Cashman don't Trade Arod. Colon for Arod? No thanks?
Rodriguez certainly would, but any deal could be complicated and would also command a high price tag in trade. The Yankees have expressed interest in both Ervin Santana and Scot Shields, two players that Stoneman has all but refused to trade. A deal for Rodriguez, though, would probably require yet another player, possibly Chone Figgins.
Another major snag to a deal is the Yankees themselves. General manager Brian Cashman has given no indications that he's ready to trade the two-time MVP, and Rodriguez, who has a full no-trade clause, has said he wants to remain in New York.
On the block? One player that could sweeten the deal for Rodriguez is Bartolo Colon. A baseball source said the Angels have begun to shop him around.
http://losangeles.angels.mlb.com...t=.jsp&
c_id=ana
Red Sox get Drew
Former Dodgers outfielder signs for five years, $70M
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com...dsox/
index.html
Yes Haha! Redsox front Office's what a joke. First They let go Damon last year as free agent and they go after Drew this year. I don't get it all
They ended paying him more per year ($14 mill) than Damon, for someone about the same age, and they gave him more years.
Drew is clearly a much better player than Damon, aside from health issues.
Drew is a good signing in the short term, but he's so injury prone that you can be sure that he'll miss 150 games or so over the course of the deal. He's definately an upgrade over Nixon.
I'm tempted to write a little on Andy, but back to studying.
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