New York Yankees release their non roster spring training invite list

The New York Yankees announced on Thursday afternoon their non roster spring training invite list.  It is headlined by top prospects Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, Greg Bird, Jacob Lindgren and Rob Refsnyder.  The Yankees also announced six minor league signings and then the 20 other players that were the invites to go with everyone on the 40 man roster. 

The six minor league contract guys with invites to spring training are Scott Baker a right handed pitcher, infielder Cole Figueroa, infielder Jonathan Galvez, catcher Juan Graterol, infielder Nick Noonan and catcher Eddy Rodriguez.  Baker is a guy who has had a decent career as a starting pitcher mainly with the Minnesota Twins.  He will be insurance in case someone gets hurt in spring training and he has an out clause but we don't know when that is.  I am sure if he doesn't make the team he won't want to go to AAA.  The infielders are guys who could also potentially make the team but I would list that as very unlikely unless major injuries happen.  The Yankees are probably going to have Stephen Drew at second and Didi Gregorius at short with Rob Refsnyder in AAA ready to take over at second sometime this year or next year.  The utility guy is probably going to be Jose Pirela. 

The bright up and comers that headline the prospects that will be in camp are Severino and Judge.  Severino is a dynamite starter who led all Yankees farmhands last season with 127 strikeouts.  He should start the year in AA Trenton and is rated as baseballs 23rd best prospect.  He will have a chance to make a good first impression and could even reach AAA at some point this year and be knocking on the door to the big leagues.  Judge is a power hitting right fielder who should also start out at AA Trenton.  He led the prospects in RBI last year with 78 and was rated as 68 prospect in baseball.  The Yankees have 14 guys in camp who were originally drafted by the Yankees.  Lindgren is included in this list as he was the second round pick in last year draft.  He is a left handed reliever and considered the Yankees ninth best prospect.  He could appear in the majors this season after advancing to AA last year and posting a 2.16 ERA.  Right handed reliever Nick Rumbelow, left handed reliever Tyler Webb and catcher Trent Garrison are also products of the 2014 draft.  Infielder Rob Refsnyder who is the Yankees number 6 prospect, right hander Nick Goody, left hander James Pazos were drafted in 2012 and infielder Greg Bird who is the Yankees number 11 prospect and Jack Cave the number 8 prospect were drafted in 2011.  The Yankees draft selections are rounded out by Cito Culver and Slade Heathcott who were first round selections.  Kyle Roller who is a 1B and catcher Kyle Higashioka.  In addition catcher Francisco Arcia, right hander Vincente Campos, right hander Diego Moreno and right hander Wilking Rodriguez have been invited to camp.  Andrew Bailey was also included in the list, he is a former big league closer who had been rehabbing with the Yankees last year.  He is 30 years old and owns 89 saves over 206 career appearances with the Athletics and Red Sox. 

The total number of players expected to report to camp is 66 with pitchers and catchers reporting on Friday February 20, 2015 and position players reporting a few days later with the first full squad workout scheduled for February 26, 2015. 

New York Yankees and New York Mets news and rumors

The Super Bowl is over and pitchers and catchers report in about two weeks.  It is time to look at what has been going on with the New York Yankees and the New York Mets.  There really hasn't been much going on especially with the Mets.  They made their big move early in the offseason and that was it.  They still haven't gotten a shortstop which would lead you to believe they think Wilmer Flores is the answer at short for now.  I don't agree with them but if that is what they believe then so be it.  The Yankees are pretty much set in stone, they have made a bunch of minor moves this off-season and they could make a move for the cuban guys now.  Yoan Moncada is the most notable to keep an eye on.  He is a 19 year old switch hitter who is supposed to be five tool and basically a can't miss guy.  If the Yankees sign him he could be their second baseman or 3B of the future.  He would fit perfectly with their team.  Another young talent that they could have on the team in the next couple of years to go with the Aaron Judge, Greg Bird, Luis Severino crew. 

The New York Yankees did sign Scott Baker to a minor league contract.  He is a veteran who has battled injuries the last couple of years but pitched pretty decent for the Texas Rangers last year out of the bullpen.  He was a long man/spot starter type of pitcher. 

The Yankees have stayed away from the big fish this off-season but James Shields is still out there.  You have to wonder if he would sign a lesser deal now that it seems he isn't going to get the big money he may have gotten earlier in the off-season.  The Yankees haven't been linked to him but you wonder if they would jump in if they could get him for say 75 million instead of over 100 million. 

The Mets rumors were early in the off-season when you heard the Troy Tulowitski rumors mainly.  He isn't going anywhere right now and definitely not to the Mets.  The Mets appear to be going with Ruben Tejada or Flores at SS.  I think they should get a SS but it doesn't look like they will.  Ian Desmond has been another guy they have been linked to but you haven't heard that in at least a couple of weeks so that may be dead now. 

Johan Santana has been working out for teams and you hear the Yankees name in the mix but if anything that would be another minor league contract.  He was throwing though and then shut it down for a little bit due to shoulder soreness so I would think they would pass on him but we will see what happens. 

Alex Rodriguez is the big name for the Yankees and you have heard a lot about him lately.  The main thing is the Yankees trying to avoid his milestone bonuses.  This could get ugly but it doesn't appear Joe Girardi has a part in this or wants to have one.  He spoke over the weekend about him and said they have been talking and considers their relationship good and he just wants to put him and all of his players in the best position to succeed. 

The Mets really haven't had much going on overall and I really don't expect much to happen with them.  Dillon Gee is still on their team and could be traded in the next couple of weeks but not even sure that will happen.  The best news is that pitchers and catchers will be reporting in about two weeks or so and then we can start discussing this more in depth and no more rumors, it will be talking about the players on the field and what is going on with the teams. 

Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl is upon  us and after all the deflating talk it is finally time for the last football game of the year.  There are those of us in the baseball world that are very happy because that means it is time for baseball to go back to the forefront and we can see spring ahead of us and pitchers and catchers will be reporting very soon. 

The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are the two teams competing this year.  The Seahawks are looking for their second straight championship and are led by quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch and of course have a very good defense if not great defense.  The Patriots are led by their head coach Bill Belichek and their quarterback Tom Brady.  They have heard all the talk for two weeks now about them cheating with deflating footballs and how they have cheated in the past.  I think though this will be a good game and afterwards especially if the Patriots win you will hear more talk about cheating but for the time being it has basically gone away and everyone is focused on the game.  It should be a very good game. 

These are two good defenses and the Patriots have a very good offense.  The Seahawks offense isn't so good but if they run the ball that is pretty much their offense and Wilson has a knack for making big plays at big times.  If the Patriots stop Lynch though, they should be able to win the game.  I am predicting a fairly low scoring game.  I would say 24-17 somewhere in that range and I am going to go with the Patriots.  I know they haven't won the Super Bowl in ten years and they have lost the last two they have been in.  The last two though have been against the New York Giants who have their number and I think they are going to be extra enthusiastic with everything going on and right now they probably are the best team.  I think the Seahawks are very good but haven't been playing their best, they were lucky to make it out of the NFC Championship game and I think they are ready to be knocked off of their throne.  I am picking the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl and then it is on to the business of baseball. 

Hot Stove season wrapping up and spring training is drawing near

This has been a very busy off-season for many MLB teams.  There has been free agency as always but there have  been many trades, more then I can ever remember in one offseason.  It is now about a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting which means that for the most part all of the heavy lifting is done.  This year though it is still pretty active.  I take a look at the latest and what may come next. 

Max Scherzer signs a 7 year 210 million dollar deal with the Washington Nationals.  It is actually half deferred which means he gets half of that in seven years and then the other half for the next seven years.  It is actually a 14 year deal where he will only play for the team for seven years though.  This is a crazy deal and I guess we can say Scott Boras does it again.  The Nationals right now look to be loaded with pitching and are an instant favorite for the World Series. 

James Shields is the only big name left out on the open market and who knows where that is going.  We have heard some things here and there but nothing major regarding Shields.  I would expect his situation to be resolved though in the next couple of weeks. 

The Houston Astros signed Colby Rasmus to a one year deal and were close to acquiring Ryan Vogelsong but that appeared to fall apart and now he may be close to rejoining the San Francisco Giants on a one year deal.  Yovani Gallardo was traded to the Texas Rangers for prospects.  The Red Sox signed Dana Eveland to a minor league deal. 

The Braves have signed former Brave Kelly Johnson and also now on Thursday night have agreed to a one year contract with Jhonny Gomes.  The Cincinnati Reds have signed pitcher Jason Marquis to a minor league deal.  Dontrelle Willis is back in baseball signing a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. 

I wouldn't expect anything really major to happen the rest of the way.  Shields will be signed by someone and there may be a couple of more trades.  It is looking more likely now though that the Philadelphia Phillies will hold on to Cole Hamels until the trade deadline and that the Washington Nationals may hold onto all of their pitchers for right now also.  There is a chance that anything can happen at anytime  though as it already has been a crazy off-season. 

New York Yankees and New York Mets news and rumors

The New York Yankees have been busy settling their coaching staffs for their major league team and all of their minor league teams.  The Yankees Hal Steinbrenner was quoted on Wednesday at the owners meetings in Arizona.  He basically said what they have been saying all along that they have a high payroll and he would like to cut it even more but never say never.  He left the door open just slightly for Max Scherzer or James Shields for those that are dreaming but I still wouldn't expect it.  I would expect some lesser pitchers like Johan Santana on a minor league contract or maybe a trade.  The Mets have been involved in rumors for Ian Desmond of the Washington Nationals.  The first report the other day said that they balked at giving up Noah Syndergard and now it is coming back up again today with Dan Duquette making some comments about it.  I am not sure if it was close or still close but it does sound like they had substantial talks so we will see what happens there.  If I was the Mets I would trade Syndergard because you have to give up something to get something and having a really good SS could put them over the top. 

The New York Yankees avoided arbitration with pitcher Ivan Nova on Wednesday agreeing to a one year 3.3 million dollar deal that is non guaranteed.  The only other Yankees stuff that is going on is what is not going on.  Alex Rodriguez had posted some pictures of him fielding and hitting the ball to instagram but other than that he remains quiet.  He is still a big mystery and I honestly have no idea what to expect.  There are those that think he will just hang it up in spring training collect his money and the Yankees can collect there money through insurance and then there are some who think he will hit really well and don't count him out and some that think he will play but may not be very good.  It all remains to be seen but in a little over a month the circus will be in town in Tampa, Florida. 

As for the Mets they really haven't done much of anything this offseason.  They did sign Michael Cuddyer but that was pretty much it.  They are now involved in rumors of Dillon Gee being traded but that hasn't happened yet and also for a SS with the focus now on Ian Desmond.  I think they should go out and get him if they can.  I don't buy into Wilmer Flores being an option at SS right now.  I think the Mets are close enough that they need to go for it by acquiring a legit SS.  They have a good young pitching staff with plenty of guys other then Syndergard as well.  I personally would trade him knowing you already have Harvey, Wheeler and DeGrom with Niese, Gee, Colon etc.  We will see what happens but I think if they really want to contend this year go get a SS. 

There are still big names out there on the free agent market such as Scherzer and Shields but ultimately I

don't see either NY team getting involved and getting them.  I would say it is more likely for the Yankees of

course but I really don't see them getting involved either