At least being on the Yankees should help Teix with his All Star bonus. Nice win, all given.

Can Aceves pitch every game? 5 innings for him, 4 for Mo?

Can Aceves pitch every game?

No, but he can pitch five innings on Thursday, which is good enough for me.

I’m not that surprised Teixeira hasn’t made many all-star games.

His career splits:

.278/.368/.517 (pre-ASB)
.303/.390/.574 (post-ASB)

No, but he can pitch five innings on Thursday, which is good enough for me.

Since it’s not going to be Hughes I agree… but I still wish they would throw Hughes and begin stretching him out.  Who knows how long Wang is going to be out.

Well, with Aceves throwing four innings today, he’s getting two days off anyway.  He threw 43 pitches today, and if he does start on Thursday and throws something like 60, then he’ll be that much more stretched out, eight?  Plus, it just might occur to Girardi that when somebody, be it Hughes or any other reliever, throws a seven pitch inning, he might be able to throw another one.  Anyway, after Thursday they won’t need a fifth starter again until the 21st.  That’s plenty of time to worry about getting somebody else ready.

Who knows how long Wang is going to be out.

Don’t forget, Hughes has an innings limit.

I’d be willing to be they’re planning on doing something like this:

1) Get Aceves into Wang’s rotation spot ASAP. He’s set up to go 4 or 5 as it stands now as MC in VA said.

2) If Wang ends up being out for the year (worst case) you flip the switch to “starter” for Hughes so that he can end up hitting his innings caps by the time the season ends. If they were to throw Hughes in there right now, he could max out before the end of the season.

I’m also not sure how Joba and his innings cap is going to mix in with this, but if you have Aceves starting, you can do something with Aceves and Chamberlain as well.

Not eight, but right.  Right?

Also, Wang’s got to miss more than a month, doesn’t he?  They’re saying that he won’t throw until after the all-star break.  So then he starts a throwing program, and after maybe ten days of that he can make a rehab start.  But how many minor league starts will he need, even if things go well?  At least he should be able to run during all this time, and build up his leg strength.

on pace for 97 wins.

a lot sure can change in about 12 days.  good thing they didn’t fire the entire coaching staff after losing a couple of 1 run games to the Nats and Marlins!!

Don’t forget, Hughes has an innings limit.

Half the season is gone and Hughes is at just about 70 IP.  If he looks like he is going to throw over 100 IP the second half of the season then things are going really well.  But they could also skip him once a month or convert him back in mid September to keep him below his cap and still have a few innings in him to work out of the pen in the playoffs.

Yeah, I don’t see an innings limit issue with Hughes.  Even if he got 16 starts over the rest of the season and averaged six innings per start, he ends the year under 170.  And the odds of either of those things happening, much less both, are pretty long.

4-0 with the red hats.  I say they wear them the rest of the season and straight on through the World Series victory parade up the Canyon of Heroes.

At this point, neither Joba or Hughes have any worries about innings limit.

With the red hats, cut it up and reconstitute it under the standard issue caps.

What is the benefit of activating Molina and sending Cervelli down?
Why bother?
What would happen if they just… didn’t?  Is that possible?
I mean - Cervelli probably won’t do much offensively going forward, but Molina DEFINITELY won’t do much offensively.

What is the benefit of activating Molina and sending Cervelli down?
Why bother?
What would happen if they just… didn’t?  Is that possible?

He can only play in rehab games for so long (around a month, I think), at which point he must be reactivated. If he doesn’t play games, he won’t really be fit to rejoin the team should another catcher be needed.

Besides, Cervelli still has a chance to improve his batting, which is much more likely to happen getting consistent playing time in Scranton.

We all like our overachieving-ish kids, but if Molina’s ready, Cervelli is gonna be back in AAA seeing more action.

Won’t Cervelli also be called back up in September once the AAA team’s season is over? So, its really only a month to six weeks of Molina instead of Cervelli.

We still don’t know what Aceves’s ultimate ceiling is. I like the idea of putting him in the rotation if they aren’t going to stretch Hughes out.

Was Ransom DFA’d yet? (he asks rhetorically)

Yeah, Aceves is only 26 (if reported ages are to be believed), so for him to be hitting his stride now is not so unusual. These next 3 years should be the best of his career, so I am curious to see if he might really, legitimately, have the potential to be a number 3 type starter. I feel less of an urgency with Hughes, since he seems to be getting valuable experience and contributing in the pen, and he is younger, and he has an innings limit. It doesn’t seem impossible to me that by the end of 2010, the rotation could be Sabathia, Burnett, Joba, Aceves, Hughes. I sort of want to see a bit more of all of those guys in the rotation this year.

The fact that Aceves has significantly increased his strikeout rate is encouraging.  He would be a far better choice to start than Sergio Mitre.

I love watching Aceves work.  The guy just gets people out.  My wife calls him Pasta.  Alfredo sauce, get it?  Yeah, anyway… I don’t have a problem with starting him instead of Hughes, at least at first.  He’s finally having some really encouraging success and I’m fine with not messing with that for a bit.  I’d like to see Hughes throw more 2-3 inning stints in relief, though.

You know what’s boring?  Jury duty.

The little bit of the post game I got from Ace was pretty good too. Don’t remember specifics, something like the had 500 or so saves to go to catch Mo. Ace seem to be a nice dude, down to earth.

Who came up with the stupid idea that the All-Star selections should be based on first halfs? Why do we discount the previous second half as well? It’s a friggin all star game, not a “hot first half” game.

A lot of hate directed at Ransom yesterday.  As to the main question about why him instead of Pena (other than Pena’s development)...if you keep Pena and DFA Ransom you know who is next up on the 40-man roster to cover an injury?  Nobody.  On the AAA roster the only player that would even maybe possibly be an upgrade over Ransom is Kevin Russo, who has been on the DL twice already this year and in is AAA for the first time.  The argument is they could just go get somebody better if Pena or a starter goes down, but if good UIF’s were that available they would have already upgraded.

Why start Ransom over Hinkse?  Hinske is an OF who *can* play third, plus the splits J has pointed out.  As for never sitting ARod against a lefty…sometimes the cards are dealt such that you have to.  Just recently the complaint was he never rests.  Doctor’s orders are supposed to supercede ideal matchups, right?

And Molina over Cervelli?  Same argument for Ransom over Pena.  The other catcher on the Yankees’s 40-man (Cash) is on the DL.  I believe with the quirks in the system, he can’t be moved to the 60-day DL, and can’t be released, so…if you DFA Molina your next option is Chris Stewart, or PJ Pilittere.

Also, another afternoon game.

You know what’s boring?  Jury duty.

Kinda depends on the case, doesn’t it?

As to the main question about why him instead of Pena (other than Pena’s development)...if you keep Pena and DFA Ransom you know who is next up on the 40-man roster to cover an injury?  Nobody.  On the AAA roster the only player that would even maybe possibly be an upgrade over Ransom is Kevin Russo, who has been on the DL twice already this year and in is AAA for the first time.  The argument is they could just go get somebody better if Pena or a starter goes down, but if good UIF’s were that available they would have already upgraded.

Would you please stop acting as if running a major league baseball organization in the real world is somehow different than a roto league?   But since you mentioned Kevin Russo, we should wish him a happy birthday—he turns 25 on Wednesday.

Also, another afternoon game.

And this intrepid reporter will be on the scene.

I don’t understand Ransom hate either. He’s a career minor leaguer making league minimum trying his best to fill a need on the big club.

I don’t understand Ransom hate either.

For $200M, your utility infielder should be Chase Utley, your seventh starter should be Dan Haren, and the last man in your bullpen should be Joe Nathan.

[31] Those guys are All Stars not back ups.

That was the point.  Don’t you know sarcasm when you read it?

The Ransom “hate” is really about why an organization with a $200+ million payroll (with more spent on player development) has to rely on someone who may well be subreplacement level. It’s hardly testament of sound decision making.

[25] Seriously. I’ve often asked myself who the all-stars be if the seasons were played backwards. The Second Half All-Stars should not be ignored (nor should the full season All-Stars, but that shouldn’t be needed to say)

The Ransom “hate” is really about why an organization with a $200+ million payroll (with more spent on player development) has to rely on someone who may well be subreplacement level. It’s hardly testament of sound decision making.

The Yankees have admitted that in the past they didn’t spend as much on player development as they should have, and for the past few years are trying to get better about it.  Most of the position player help is either *just* making it to AAA, or is still a couple of years away.

Getting players outside the organization isn’t easy either.  You have 3 guys (Cano, Jeter, ARod) who are All Star caliber players; why would a FA infielder who is above replacement want to sign here?  Who would you be willing to trade to get a better player?  For all the angst, Yankees have the #1 offense in baseball right now, and a pretty good defense (for the Yankees) besides.

Getting players outside the organization isn’t easy either.  You have 3 guys (Cano, Jeter, ARod) who are All Star caliber players; why would a FA infielder who is above replacement want to sign here?  Who would you be willing to trade to get a better player?  For all the angst, Yankees have the #1 offense in baseball right now, and a pretty good defense (for the Yankees) besides.

Orlando Hudson was on the market a long time during the offseason, and eventually signed a very reasonable ($3.38 million) contract. In light of the way the financial crisis has caused many baseball salaries (apart from elite players) to contract, I don’t think it was out of the question that he could have been persuaded to accept a one year deal as a supersub, and then hit the FA market again in a year.

My point is that if you have a $65 million payroll advantage, there should be a way to have a better backup than Ransom.  So despite their aggregate rankings, I don’t think they are getting a bang that is commensurate with their bucks.

Also, given that in many ways they are a win now team, if having Pena on the roster all season improves the club, then I think that is the way to proceed.

Orlando Hudson was on the market a long time during the offseason, and eventually signed a very reasonable ($3.38 million) contract.

To be a starting second baseman.  Mike’s point is that guys like Hudson aren’t likely to want to be the Yankees’ BUI.  Your argument that he and his agent would view a super-sub role as a good way to build his future value seems weak.

Also, FWIW:

Orlando Hudson 2b
1 year/$3.38M (2009)

  * 1 year/$3.38M (2009)
      o signed by LA Dodgers as a free agent 2/20/09
      o $0.38M signing bonus (deferred, without interest)
      o 09:$3M
      o $4.62M in performance bonuses: $0.15M each for 150, 175 PAs; $0.2M each for 200, 225, 250, 275, 300 PAs; $0.25M each for 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 525, 550, 575 PAs; 10,000 for each PA 576-632
      o bonuses beyond 550 PAs deferred without interest
      o Hudson to donate $25,000 to club charity

Hudson has already earned $1.8M in incentives, and is 11 PA away from another $250k.  He’s got a very good shot at earning the full $4.62M in bonuses, which makes him an $8M player (or a touch less given the no-interest deferral).  Seems to me it’s going to be tough to get a guy to go for an incentive-based deal if you’re also offering him less playing time.

[33] Sure, you can be sarcastic, but I have to be the dum dum. I was being sarcastic too!

First-order sarcasm [31] is hard enough to communicate on teh intrawebs.  Second-order [32] is even worse.  Third-order [33] is just about un-possible.

[41] Yikes.

Mike’s point is that guys like Hudson aren’t likely to want to be the Yankees’ BUI.

Thank you!

There’s also little evidence that Hudson would be able to field SS or 3B at all.  He was a (slightly) below average defender at 2B last year and is again this year.  He would probably be worse at SS, and I don’t know if he has the arm for 3B.  Finally, how do you know they didn’t check in w/ Hudson and he said, “if I’m not starting, there’s no point in talking about it”?

To be a starting second baseman.  Mike’s point is that guys like Hudson aren’t likely to want to be the Yankees’ BUI.  Your argument that he and his agent would view a super-sub role as a good way to build his future value seems weak.

It only seems weak if you overlook the fact that we may be in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, and that players like Bobby Abreu had to accept a $5 million contract for one year when he had sought a contract that was over triple that amount over a multi-year period.

Given that Orlando Hudson was probably experiencing significant anxiety as the market collapsed, if the Yankees would have overpaid him for one year similar to the way they have overpaid other players for multiple years, I think there is a reasonable chance that he would have assented because a timely offer could have been made well before the Dodgers offered him a contract, so his alternative options were limited.

Viewed in that context, I think your assessment is weaker.

In any event, I will never believe that a team with a $201 million payroll is well run when the best option is Cody Ransom.

I rather the Yankee FO save a little scratch. The offense isn’t the issue, and Cody’s contribution or detriment, uh, -ation? ain’t that worrisome. I mean, if most of us are fine with Pena being the UIF, Cody is within the same ballpark.

If instead, the money saved goes toward a need later in this season, something that pushes the team over the top. Or more in the war chest for something longer term in the offseason, then even better.

There’s also little evidence that Hudson would be able to field SS or 3B at all.

Albeit in a small sample size,Cody Ransom’s career UZR and UZR/150 at 3B -2.6 and -19.5

Offense/defense, Hudson is almost certainly better.

Finally, how do you know they didn’t check in w/ Hudson and he said, “if I’m not starting, there’s no point in talking about it”?

We don’t know if they did or they didn’t. That hardly strengthens the case for having Ransom on the team given how much money they spend.

It only seems weak if you overlook the fact that we may be in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression…

No.  It strikes me as weak because it presupposes that a player like Hudson is likely to view a supersub gig as equal or superior to a starting job in terms of biding time and building his resume for another shot at free agency in a better financial environment a year from now.  And also because it presupposes that you wouldn’t have to increase the amount of guaranteed salary in order to get a player like Hudson to accept limited playing time.  I mean, geez, read what I wrote.  I didn’t say anything in disagreement with your assessment of the economy or its downward pressure on salaries and contract length.

No.  It strikes me as weak because it presupposes that a player like Hudson is likely to view a supersub gig as equal or superior to a starting job in terms of biding time and building his resume for another shot at free agency in a better financial environment a year from now.  And also because it presupposes that you wouldn’t have to increase the amount of guaranteed salary in order to get a player like Hudson to accept limited playing time.  I mean, geez, read what I wrote.  I didn’t say anything in disagreement with your assessment of the economy or its downward pressure on salaries and contract length.

The inclusion of the economy as a condition precedent to the discussion is that it may well have made many non-top tier players open to offers that under ordinary circumstances would have been dismissed out of hand.

Viewed in that context, Hudson hadn’t accepted a contract for a starting job until February 20th. That gave the Yankees months to make him an offer that he couldn’t refuse to be a supersub.

It also shouldn’t be overlooked that Cano had a very inconsistent 2008 season, and that Jeter and A-Rod are entering their mid-30s. So the opportunity for significant PT wasn’t necessarily unforeseeable.

Finally, being a supersub on a championship team is not a resume killer.

Viewed in that context…

“That context” being that we accept your speculation as to Hudson’s state of mind.  While it’s true that the multi-year contract offers he hoped for never materialized, several teams offered one year deals that came with their starting 2B job attached.

The inclusion of the economy as a condition precedent to the discussion…

Why do you keep defending the part of your argument that no one is disagreeing with?

That hardly strengthens the case for having Ransom on the team given how much money they spend.

So you don’t know if the Yankees talked to any better FA available than Ransom, or what their responses were, but by golly you’re SURE they *should* have had a better player than Ransom?  You also reference the economic situation, w/o referencing the fact that it may also limit what the Yankees can do?  From what I’ve read, sounds like they went over-budget to get Teixeira, so maybe they aren’t willing to keep going over budget for super-subs.  Or would you rather they saved the money on Teix to get a better bench player?

“That context” being that we accept your speculation as to Hudson’s state of mind.  While it’s true that the multi-year contract offers he hoped for never materialized, several teams offered one year deals that came with their starting 2B job attached.

You are speculating about Hudson’s state of mind as well because you are arguing that there is no way that he would accept being a supersub.

That’s understandable, because virtually every inference that a fan makes is speculation. All we can do is to familiarize ourselves with what is reported and extrapolate from there. The alternative is to blithely accept almost every decision that an organization makes as the correct one.

Why do you keep defending the part of your argument that no one is disagreeing with?

Because it changes the terms of what may or may not have been within the realm of the possible.

For example, in normal economic times, the idea that Hudson would have been amenable to being a supersub would seem to be far more of a stretch than it would have been in 2009. Afer all, he did take a paycut from his $6.25 2008 salary, and was seeking, according to media reports, a contract with an AAV of $10 million.

I’m not defending my “inclusion,” I have mentioned it only because the economy is/was an integral part of most players’ thought process given how the salary structure shifted so quickly beneath their collective feet.

So you don’t know if the Yankees talked to any better FA available than Ransom, or what their responses were, but by golly you’re SURE they *should* have had a better player than Ransom?  You also reference the economic situation, w/o referencing the fact that it may also limit what the Yankees can do?  From what I’ve read, sounds like they went over-budget to get Teixeira, so maybe they aren’t willing to keep going over budget for super-subs.  Or would you rather they saved the money on Teix to get a better bench player?

As I stated in [52], we are all engaging in speculation.

Golly? Sure? Please. Again, we are all speculating. By arguing the counterpoint, you are implicitly stating that you’re SURE that they didn’t have a better option.

The Yankees are still spending $201 million, which is $65 million more than any other team. I don’t understand how anyone can believe that it is well spent when Ranson is the best option.

As I have posted, I would not have signed AJ to a five year contract under any circumstances. To me, Teix was a more important signing than CC.

It should also be noted that there was a reason that Cashman was opposed to re-signing Alex after he opted out of his contract for a reason: to achieve payroll and roster flexibility. That’s what is lacking.

By arguing the counterpoint, you are implicitly stating that you’re SURE that they didn’t have a better option.

Of course I’m not sure.  I AM pretty sure Cashman is a good GM who looks into every possibility.  Yes, he still makes mistakes sometimes.  What I don’t like is when people complain about the UIF like there are great options out there on the vines ready to be plucked.  Cody Ransom *did* have an OPS+ last year of 170, and 107 the year before that.

The Yankees are still spending $201 million, which is $65 million more than any other team. I don’t understand how anyone can believe that it is well spent when Ranson is the best option.

Would you have signed AJ to a 3-year contract for the same amount?  That still would have impacted THIS year’s payroll.  If so, now you’re saying you’d rather have a better UIF than AJ?  I think it is money well spent when your high-end players match up well with the high-end players on every other team in baseball.

Put another way, would you rather have had Nick Green as the UIF?  That’s worked out pretty well for Boston, but coming into the year you were honestly thinking how much of an advantage they had because of it?

Of course I’m not sure.  I AM pretty sure Cashman is a good GM who looks into every possibility.  Yes, he still makes mistakes sometimes.  What I don’t like is when people complain about the UIF like there are great options out there on the vines ready to be plucked.  Cody Ransom *did* have an OPS+ last year of 170, and 107 the year before that.

I’m not sure either, as I said, I’m speculating. I agree that Cash is a good but not a great GM, although we will never know precisely what his true talent level is because, by his own admission, his authority has been preempted on several key decisions.  What I don’t like is when people assume that the best decisions are always made. Those OPS+ stats were in 46 and 51 plate appearances, respectively, so they don’t necessarily have much generalizability. I would also note that in 2005 and 2006 his OPS+ was 60 and 80 respectively, also in very small sample sizes.

If they signed AJ, then imo, they should not have re-signed Pettitte.

I’m not familiar with every potential option, but at this point, I would DFA Ransom and use Pena.

“What I don’t like is when people assume that the best decisions are always made.”

No one’s doing so that I can tell.  The conversation is a reaction to the claim Y->X, not by asserting !X, but by disputing the ->.  You can present a decision-making model and argue that a sensible prior plus the data makes it very likely that X, but, I doubt it’s easy to assemble any of those elements.