Brian Cashman went on WFAN Thursday afternoon with the Sports Pope, Mike Francesa. He answered many questions about the upcoming Yankees season. Below are some highlights.
Gleyber Torres
Francesa asked Cashman if there is any way — if Torres has an amazing spring — that he could break camp with the big league club. While Cashman said anything is possible, he highly doubts that is realistic. Torres, who had a strong finish in 2016 and was named the Arizona Fall League MVP, has yet to play Double-A, an extremely important level for prospects.
Aaron Judge
Judge, who burst onto the scene last August with a mammoth home run, struggled before ending the season on the disabled list. Cashman said that if Aaron does not win the starting job in spring, he will probably start the season in AAA so he can continue to get regular playing time.
I’d be pretty upset if Judge does not head north with the Yankees, but the onus is on Judge to make the necessary adjustments and reduce his high strike out rate.
Gary Sanchez
Last spring was the first time Brian Cashman referred to Gary Sanchez as “The Kraken.” He did so fully expecting #ElGary to win the backup catcher job behind Brian McCann, but Austin Romine simply out-played Sanchez in the spring of 2016.
Fast-forward a year and Sanchez is the starting catcher and the player every Yankees fan is most looking forward to seeing in 2017. Cashman is happy with the team’s catching situation now, which is a big reason they were confident trading McCann to Houston.
Chris Carter
Francesa asked Cashman how the newest Yankee, Chris Carter, fits into the 2017 plans. Cashman was careful to clarify that the impending contract, worth one year and three million bucks, still has i‘s to be dotted and t‘s to be crossed.
As Carter remained a free agent this winter, Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner stayed in touch and felt the price tag for the NL home run leader was too good to pass up. Cashman did not clarify how Carter will be used, but did say he will provide extra depth at first base and designated hitter, which is obvious.
Assuming Carter’s deal becomes official, it seems that the Yankees’ primary motive for signing the slugger was because he fit into the budget more so than the roster.
Starting Rotation
Cashman reiterated this is an important year for the starting rotation because of the many question-marks surrounding it. CC Sabathia, who pitched well in 2016, and Michael Pineda, who struggled, are impending free agents, and Masahiro Tanaka can opt-out of his contract after this season.
The remaining spots will be competed for by Luis Severino, Chad Green, Adam Warren, Bryan Mitchell, and Luis Cessa, but as of now there are no clear-cut favorites. Everybody is on a level playing field.
Michael Pineda
Cashman and the Yankees, like fans, were baffled by Pineda’s numbers in 2016. His strike-out to walk ratio was near the best in the league but his ERA ballooned. Cashman said a big reason Pineda struggled is due to his limited pitch repertoire, which includes a fastball, slider, and inconsistent changeup.
2017 will be a big year for Big Mike, who is pitching for a contract.
Clint Frazier
Mike Francesa, posing his Frazier question by saying he’s “a goofball,” asked how Clint fits into the 2017 Yankees. Cashman said he doesn’t, now, because of the outfield depth on the roster. Frazier has to conquer AAA before making the jump to the majors, and will primarily play LF in Scranton.
James Kaprielian
While Chance Adams may be the Yankees #1 pitching prospect right now, Cashman said that James Kaprielian is a “wild card.” Injuries have limited his time in the minors so far, but his stuff is dynamic and his four pitch-mix project to be major league ready soon.
Other Notes
Cashman is excited about what Matt Holliday can bring to the Yankees, saying he’s a veteran leader and a “man mountain.” Cash is apparently a Game of Thrones fan.
Cashman also spoke about Brett Gardner, saying he fielded many offers for the left fielder this offseason but determined he was worth keeping.
The Yankees expect more from Jacoby Ellsbury in 2017, but understand he’s going to be 33-years old and many of the things he did in Boston — like hit for power — is probably unrealistic to expect.
Cashman knows the Red Sox are the team to beat. After Boston added Chris Sale this offseason, he referred to them as the Golden State Warriors of the division. Cashman hopes that the Yankees will soon be a Golden State Warriors of their own.
