http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=10172
I'm going to agree with a low ranking without trying to put together too much information. Basic summary, Montero is the only real prospect, a bunch of possible big leaguers fill out the system here and there, and the only other prospects are young, unproven, and years away.
Montero is a beast by almost any scouting report I read. So let's jump from this to a long-term yankee outlook. They appear to have few prospects that will help them. Here are the contracts they have on the books:
Arod 2017
Teixeira 2016
Sabathia 2015
Granderson 2013, 2014 option
Burnett 2013
Cano 2011, 2013 with options
Swisher 2011, 2012 option
Marte 2011, 2012 option
Posada 2011
Rivera 2010
Jeter 2010
Pettite 2010
Vasquez 2010
and then a whole lot of smaller contracts of shorter terms and less dollars
(Data from http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/new-york-yankees_111398168678860040.html)
Montero seems blocked by Teixeira at first, and the DH role may possibly be filled by Arod a few years in the future. Jeter seems to be a lock to resign, but may only have a few more years at short. A lot of money seems to be coming off the books, but replacing Pettite and Vasquez may require some more big free agent signings, longer and more money than they may want to commit to less than star level pitchers.
What needs to be the Yankees long term plans right now, and how does Montero really fit? And are the Yankees waiting for some prospects to emerge from a group that does not seem ready to replace the performance currently being made (of which even if it could be duplicated certainly comes at a much higher risk)?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The ranking isn't real surprising. The Yankees traded away a few top prospects, their number one guy is a catcher who can't catch and anybody close to being major league level is already here (like Melancon).
ReplyDeleteMontero is trade bait at the moment. He looks like a monster with a bat and the Yankees are selling high. They don't have any big holes to fill at the moment so they can be patient and wait for the right offer.
I agree. The Yankees unloaded the likes of Austin Jackson and Ian Kennedy in offseason deals. Montero is the best prospect New York has in a thin system. The Yankees will probably try to flex some muscle in this June's draft but who knows what results that may turn out.
ReplyDeleteLong term the Yankees need Hughes to be a dependable starter, Joba to take over for Mariano if he isn't going to start, and to develop a few starting pitching arms to go with the offense.
So I guess the question becomes how do they address these long term holes in any other way than through top-dollar free agents?
ReplyDelete