*OFFICIAL* Spring Training news & notes

[nykgeneralmanager]

I figured we could have a thread dedicated to following how guys are progressing and such throughout the next month. With all of the young guys in camp, any info about them is exciting.

Post whatever you have in here...you can keep the pictures in the other thread.

[Wade2k6]

PHIL HUGHES: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... p&c_id=mlb

I'd suggest reading the entire article, we should be ready for the REAL Phil this season.

Having just completed receiving Phil Hughes' latest bullpen session, an impressed Molina told Posada, "You know what? Phil looks like he has more pop."

Posada concurred, and the backstops aren't the only ones who have noticed.

Said manager Joe Girardi: "You watch him and he leads the groups in running. He just looks like an athlete, a thoroughbred and a leader."

and this...

Phil Hughes sat slumped in his chair. He

[Wade2k6]

Hopefully Montero can keep it up. I'd liek to see him have a real good year

[Pharmcat]

More Hughes... http://yankees.lhblogs.com/

Hughes was, in a word, terrific. He made Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu and Francisco Cervelli look foolish at times. He got Abreu to swing and miss at a curveball and had Damon fouling balls off the other way, a sign of how late his swing was. Jeter only swung at 3 of the 10 pitches he saw and fouled all of them off.

Now, keep in mind, the hitters have been facing live pitching for four days and Hughes started throwing off a mound in Tampa in mid January. But what was encouraging is the confidence with which Hughes threw his curveball.

That was the pitch he was throwing when he blew out his hamstring in Texas last May. For Hughes to throw the curve the way he wants, he has to follow through with his body and

[Pharmcat]

any1 read the article in the post bout melancon? got my hopes up lol

[cmaff051]

I'll need to see Phil's curveball now to believe it, but he was right, you never saw his good curveball after injury, even in the playoffs.

[nykgeneralmanager]

Here is that article about Melancon: http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252008/sp ... htm?page=1

The sooner he gets to the majors, the quicker people will stop saying Joba should be a reliever.

Mark Melancon did not pitch an inning last season. He has pitched 62/3 innings in his entire minor league career. Yet, Yankees officials speculate Melancon could pull a Joba, emulating Mr. Chamberlain by rocketing from the Florida State League to late-inning Yankee relevance in one season. This season.

"I thank Joba for opening that door," Melancon said after a simulated two-inning batting practice session.

The scouting report on Melancon is above-average fastball with command (though his control was sketchy yesterday), a power curve that some in the organization equate as an out pitch to Chamberlain's slider and, as Nick Green, who hit against him in the BP session, said an ability to hide the ball in his delivery. However, what every Yankees official cites as Melancon's greatest asset is a serious, professional, determined makeup.

"This guy wants to compete and will not get rattled," minor league pitching coordinator Nardi Contreras said.

Sixteen months removed from Tommy John surgery, Melancon will begin in Single-A Tampa's pen and try to further build on the positive results of a 2006 Yankees draft that already has delivered Chamberlain and Kennedy, a draft that is appearing as a seminal moment in franchise history.

For there are many events over the past few years that accentuate the Yanks' attempted shift toward a more youthful hue, beginning with the early-season 2005 promotions of Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang. But the 2006 draft just might be the most symbolic episode because of its marriage of amended philosophy to successful execution.

What a draft...Joba, Kennedy, Melancon, McAllister, Curtis, Kontos, Hilligoss, Betances, McCutchen, Robertson. Also, in the INTL free agent period we picked up Montero, Heredia, Urena.

Of those 13 guys, 2 are already playing major roles on the big league club, 4 are in our top ten prospects, and 4 more are ranked 11-33. And some of the others will be much higher once they reach the upper levels of the minors.

[Pharmcat]

[quote="cmaff051"]I'll need to see Phil's curveball now to believe it[quote]

still a hater , eh?

[34Celtic]

Prospects ranked out of the top 15-20 are hardly ever anything to write home about. Can you elaborate on some of them?

[nykgeneralmanager]

Prospects ranked out of the top 15-20 are hardly ever anything to write home about. Can you elaborate on some of them?

Most of the time, guys may not be in the top 20 simply because they are in the lower levels. You'll have your rare exceptions such as Tabata and Montero were top 5 at the ages of 17 or 18...but they are rare prospects to begin with. It can have as much to do with age and track record as it can do with talent. Just a year ago, Horne was 23rd, Cervelli was 39th...now both are in the top 10. Sure that isn't the case every year, but lets not forget how incredibly deep this farm system is. Many guys who are 20-35 in the Yankees system would be 10-25 in other systems.


Outside of the top 20 are guys like Robertson, McAllister, and Kontos who all project as major league pitchers, although not as starters. These guys aren't expected to be scrubs, there is simply no way to put them too high in this deep farm system. The same goes for Hilligoss and Curtis, who can have a role in the majors. Obviously none of them have ceilings as superstars or else they would be higher, but a number of them could have a significant impact in the majors.

[34Celtic]

I'd say we trade a few of them for a reliable reliever...I would do that in a second, that way Joba could start this yr.

[cmaff051]

still a hater , eh?

Hater of what? I know what a GREAT Phil curveball looks like and I'm not going to take Abraham's word for it until I see it for myself. I watched this guy in the minors a ton and I saw how good his curveball could be. People said Phil had a great curveball during the postseason, and I just didn't see it.

[Basketball Jesus]

Outside of the top 20 are guys like Robertson, McAllister, and Kontos who all project as major league pitchers, although not as starters.

What

[Wade2k6]

Just a few pics from spring training.

Joba looks alot thiner from last year. Montero looks like pretty damn big for an 18 year old. And of course, Hughes.

[Wade2k6]

-= original quote snipped =-



What

[Wade2k6]

Chamberlain with 2 scorless innings. Struck 2 out in his second inning of work

Hughes, Kennedy and Horne all pitched. Hughes pitched a 1-2-3 inning, while striking out 2. Kennedy pitched two innings giving up one hit and striking out 2. Horne pitched one inning and struck out 1.

Arod 1 for 1, with 3 RBIs

Of course all this coming against no other then The University of South Flordia.

Heres the box score: http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/art ... y#boxscore

[cmaff051]

Igawa gave up a grand slam to the #9 hitter on the South Florida Bulls.

[Pharmcat]

Igawa gave up a grand slam to the #9 hitter on the South Florida Bulls.

[James_Dolan]

Just release that scrub.

[Wade2k6]

Boxscore for todays game against Philly:
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/art ... y#boxscore

Glad to see A-rod hitting the ball well. It was nice to see Montero hit a HR in his only AB.