YANKEE PITCHING PROSPECTS: WHO CAN IT BE KNOCKING AT MY DOOR?

Can’t believe I am quoting Men at Work but I am.  "Who can it be knocking at my door? Stay away, don’t come around here no more…"  Yes, it’s crazy and yes it’s true, but the injury door is flying open every five minutes, so I have to once again take a sip from the confidence potion and start thinking about our future pitching staff. 

(In Photo: Manny Banuelos)

Manny Banuelos, Jose Campos, Michael Pineda, Chien-Ming Wang, David Phelps and Ivan Nova- a motley crew of Pinstripers in training.  Senior ESPN baseball writer Keith Law ranks Yankee farm system 10^th in the league.  Incidentally, according to Law’s 100 top prospects, catcher Gary Sanchez is ranked 18^th and three of our outfield prospects are also ranked.  But what about pitching?  Who’s going to be the 5^th starter, frankly who is going to take Phil Hughes’ spot, at least temporarily?  

(In Photo: Vidal Nuno)

Who will the Yankees bring up periodically to fill in Clay Rapada in the bullpen and perhaps get some real time mentoring with Mo?  Lots of questions and lots of speculation, but let’s take a closer look at our farm system pitching prospects who may make a trip to the Bronx this year and perhaps stay for a while making way for some interesting combinations in 2014. 

Now I have to throw out one disclaimer- I am always about the farm prospects and I fight for their opportunity in my tweets and posts quite often, but I would like to say that I am slightly disgusted that the Yankees did not pick up former Cardinal pitcher now Brewer Kyle Lohse. (Read about Lohse HERE.) 

He would have made a solid addition to our club.  Again, it was not to be and Scott Boras got his man 33 million for three years with Milwaukee.  Maybe next time Brian Cashman- story of our lives this off-season. 

Onto the our farm prospects- Coming off of Tommy John surgery, Manny Banuelos was once thought of as next big pitcher for the Yankees.  But as we all know, nothing is a guarantee.  Banuelos is optimistic throwing three days a week now and is holding onto his dream to pitch for the major league club. “Every time I throw, it feels better,” said Banuelos, who will remain in Tampa for the rest of the year with an eye on pitching in 2014,” according to a New York Times article published last month.  The Yankees have protected their young pitching prospect by keeping him on the 40-man spring training roster.  There is still a lot of hope for him.  

His buddy, 6 foot 8 pitcher Dellin Betances is also fighting for a spot in the show.  “Betances will start this season in Class AAA, a litmus test of no small significance after he took what Cashman described as “a radical step back” last season. Larry Rothschild, the Yankees’ pitching coach, said Betances shortened his stride over the winter with the goal of making his delivery more consistent. “Being that tall, sometimes it takes time,” Rothschild said.”  Cashman is watching closely at his two stinging B’s and hopes to see some progress from both of them this year. 

(In Photo: Jose Campos)

Jose Campos, the added player in the Michael Pineda deal last season could be make good on a deal that many are calling sour grapes.  RHP Campos could be a Mariano Rivera in the making with his continuity and efficiency.  He is slated as a starter but he may have some possibilities beyond that post.  Unfortunately, because of injury, he will start the season with Charleston and look to move up to Double A Trenton sometime this season.  If he stays healthy and makes progress this season, we could see him late next season or in 2015. 

Finally, Michael Pineda- almost scared to utter his name as I am as sleepless as you when I think of Jesus Montero in Seattle.  What is going on with this guy?  There’s not much to tell.  Cashman keeps feeding us some little lines about him throwing off of the mound now and his velocity is coming back.  According to the New York Times article (HERE) Yankees Practice Patience With Pineda’s Return, the Yankees are hopeful that Pineda will begin a rehab assignment in June.  “Since that blockbuster deal, the Yankees have gotten nothing out of Pineda, who turned 24 last month. Last year he reported to camp 20 pounds overweight and wrecked his shoulder. Surgery ended his season before he threw a single major league pitch. A drunken-driving arrest in Tampa last August, after the police pulled over Pineda’s Nissan S.U.V. at 2:35 a.m. with the headlights off, hardly endeared him to Yankees management,” states, the Times.  The Yankees believe that investing in Pineda is the right thing to do based on great comebacks from injured pitchers like Curt Schilling and Chris Carpenter.  God, I hope they are right.  But I am not holding my breath.  

 I like what I see coming out of Trenton this year who by the way announced their starters for the season just this week.  And Scranton has the organization’s pitcher of the year in Mark Montgomery who we may very well see this season.  Keep an eye out for him!

Lots to anticipate this spring for pitching and sure we have our veteran staff but don’t give up on David Phelps, Ivan Nova and anyone of these rookies- we may see the likes of Montgomery, Zach Nuding (Trentonian HERE) and maybe even Betances this season.  Hopefully, anyone of these guys will knock on the clubhouse door with something to prove this season- might just be what we need to keep the Yankees in it this year!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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