A few months ago one of us complained about the prospect of starting the season with Chris Stewart and Frankie Cervelli as the Yankees’ catchers and I thought, never happen. But these are the new Yankees and guess what? Looks like that’s exactly what’s going to happen since Austin Romine was optioned to Triple A yesterday.
Oy, huh, though The Wife is pleased–Cervelli is one of her favorites.
Thing is, I was fine with that until all the injuries hit. The Tigers went to the World Series last year with Alex Avila behind the plate, so you can get that kind of production there and be fine as long as it's picked up in other places.
The problem is when the opening day lineup is going to have Frankie, Nix/Francisco, Nunez...oy is right.
I thought before spring training people were saying this team will be fine. I think this team is ripe for a 3rd, or worse, finish in the AL East.
I'm just glad Phelps is pitching well. I really like him and will be rooting hard on the day he pitches.
I did have Dan Johnson on my video game fantasy team, I was getting no production out of him so I did the virtual world equivalent of PEDs by modifying his ratings; all of a sudden Dan Johnson turned into Babe Ruth-Lou Gehrig world beater. I'm hoping the Yankees can figure out how to do the same with they physical version of Dan Johnson.
Anything short of that, we are eff'ing screwed.
I will sign up for being .500 on May 1 and within 5 games of first place, sign up for it in a heartbeat.
and in all honesty, I don't think that's like...a CRAZY scenario or anything.
Cervelli does seem to have matured a bit and to have improved (or re-improved) his defense. This is his shot. He perhaps still can't hit, but he might hit enough to stick around a little while. And I expect Girardi will manage the catcher position like a platoon, pinch-hitting often for high-leverage at-bats later in games. Regardless, this is the best example of the consequences of Hal changing the goal from "win this year" to "re-set the luxury tax to 17.5%."
[2] Years ago when we had the MLB game on PC, there was the option of making your own team, stats and all. Naturally I chose Charlie Brown's team and gave everyone Barry Bonds/wiffle ball type numbers and destroyed every team we played. My way of tribute, so to speak...
Yeah, Phelps look good, Pineda's progressing. Make or break years for Hughes and Nova. With the pen, we could be the best run preventers in the AL. That should keep us hanging around for a while.
Wasn't Romine supposed to be a 'good' prospect?
[7] Before he hurt is back and sat out most of last season: yes. But remember, he hasn't played that many games in or above the Bermuda Triangle (aka AAA SWB); were it not for the injury and subsequent lost development time, the question might have likely been how many games he starts and whether he catches CC or not.