Texeira was honored along with Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, Mets ace R.A. Dickey, Mets infielder Daniel Murphy, Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin and collegiate and NBA star Dikembe Mutombo at the 32nd annual dinner benefiting AHRC, a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City.

Question: At what point does the off-season turn off and you start to get ready for the year?
Mark Teixeira: I do get antsy once February hits, so this is the last day I can relax.

Q: We understand that you work out at Bobby Valentine’s facility in Connecticut.  Has he changed the locks or anything?
MT: He didn’t change the locks, but it’s funny I had been hiting there for two years, I had bought a machine for the facility, so when I am around there I can use the pitching machine.  It’s been throwing great, and everything was fine, I was getting all my work in.  As soon as he gets the Red Sox job, I go in the next morning, the first ball out of the machine — right at my head.  I don’t know if it was a bad ball, I don’t know if the gears jammed, whatever happened we had to get a technician in there to fix it.

Q: Other than that, how has the offseason gone?
MT: It’s been great, you know, just recharging the batteries, and looking forward to a great season.  We basically have the same team back, got a couple of key additions on the pitching staff, which is going to be great, and so we’re excited.

Q: Were you surprised about the trade of Jesus Montero?
MT: Never surprised in baseball, this business, I’ve been traded twice, a lot of great players have been traded, and Montero might be really, really good.  He’s got a chance to be special.  But so does [Michael] Pineda, and I think that’s what we’re banking on. We’re banking on Pineda being a top tier starter and someone that can really be a force for a long time.

BBD: You only faced him in, I believe, three at bats, and you have a home run and, I think, a strikeout. From that small sample size, what do u remember
MT: Explosive fastball.  Really good slider.  He’s so big — any pitcher that is that big, that can throw that hard, his margin of error is going to be a lot bigger than everyone else’s.  He can not have his best stuff, but when you’re 6-7 and thrown 97, you’re going to get outs.

BBD: Curtis Granderson has said that Pineda didn’t seem intimidated by the Yankees lineup.  Do you see that in him?
MT: Yes, it’s mound presence and you see it with the best pitchers in baseball.  They have that presence on the mound. And as a young guy, to be able to go out there and have no fear and go after everybody — I think I hit a 3-1 fastball or 3-2 fastball.  I get a lot of sliders or changeups on 3-2.  He went right after me. I got lucky on that pitch, but it just shows his confidence that he’s going to go after people.

BBD: You tweeted that you lost 14 pounds in the offseason.  Why did you feel like you needed to?
MT: I didn’t feel like I needed to, but I’m always trying to get better.  I know that the older I get, the more important nutrition is, and any chance I get to make myself lighter, faster, more energy, its going to be better for my game.  It just kind of happened.  I started changing my diet a little bit, started drinking a lot of raw juice and it really helped.

BBD: C.C. Sabathia talked about eliminating Cap’n Crunch last year; did you do anything like that?
MT: I can’t say I eat a lot of Cap’n Crunch.  I’ve really eaten pretty well the last few years, but this year I think really fine-tuning. I’m always trying to find that little edge to help myself physically, mentally, energy-wise, and I think those little things can help me over a long season and hopefully a long career.

BBD: There has been talk of the Yankees picking up another bat in a trade with some of their surplus pitching.  What do you think of the Yankees lineup as it stands now?
MT: We basically have the lineup we had last year.  Rotating a DH wouldn’t be bad, but if you can pick up a guy who can come in and give some pop off the bench or be a DH every now and then, we’re  not going to say no to that because we can use all the help we can get.

BBD: One of the areas you said you would like to improve is getting on base. Do you and hitting coach Kevin Long have a plan in place for that?
MT: I do. One thing I really noticed is that my average with no men on base was really, really good, and with men on base it wasn’t.  When no one is on base, and they’re playing a big shift, I might lay down some bunts this year.  I’ve been so against it my entire career, but I may lay down a few bunts.  If I can beat the shift that way, that’s important.  And also, not trying to hook the ball so much left handed. So when you have a 1-2 pitch, instead of trying to drive the ball in the gap and drive in the runs, you know take that single to left.  It’s [harder] than it sounds, but one hit a week really adds up.

Thurman Munson plaque at Monument Park at old Yankee Stadium. Photo credit: The Guy With The Glasses

BBD: What does Thurman Munson and the Munson Award mean to you?
MT: A Yankee legend.  Someone who did the right things on and off the field, someone whose legacy has continued to grow, because of the great things he’s done in the community, with the foundation, his family and his wife Diana have done so many great things in the community, so the Munson name is very special to the Yankees.

BBD: How did you get started working with Harlem RBI?
MT: Harlem RBI is an organization I started working with two years ago.  I knew the great work they were doing with kids in Harlem, with education.  Education has always been very important to me, and so to be able to work with those kids, you know it serves over 1000 kids, was just a natural fit for me.

On second reaction, no, not really.

Not only do the Yankees have an impressive pool of catching prospects to pick from over the next several years, they never seemed to shy away from the possibility of trading Montero.  The Yankees reportedly considered letting Montero go on several occasions, but only for high quality starting pitching. The deal had to give the Yankees what they most desperately needed. Ultimately, they needed a proven starter far more than they needed the unproven right-handed power bat of Jesus Montero. His potential aside, the decision was made based on most pressing need. It was simple, really.

Along with Montero, pitching prospect Hector Noesi was also traded. Noesi pitched 30 innings for the Yankees last season, mostly working out of the bullpen. The Yankees received Michael Pineda, a star of the 2011 season for his dazzling rookie performance.   Also impressive was their acquisition of RHP Jose Campos. At nineteen he led the Northwest League with 85 strikeouts in 81 innings. In addition, they signed pitcher Hiroki Kuroda, a veteran who spent the last four years pitching for the Dodgers. He capped 2011 with a 3.45 ERA.

For the offensive-minded, trading a prospect of Montero’s caliber is a ridiculous risk. Why would you part with a bat that developed, who hasn’t even reached his potential?  Montero’s talent cannot be undercut in comparison to the other catchers in the Yankees system.  There’s no denying that the Yankees gave up quite the hitter and possibly only Gary Sanchez will come close to Montero’s power.

And then we’re back to pitching. If you’re pitching-minded in this squabble, then you’re looking at the Yankees starting rotation, firmly grasping exactly why the trade made sense in January, only months away from opening day. You don’t need to worry much about that bullpen. But questions about the Yankees rotation were far too difficult to answer without a big move.

We can dig deeper. And perhaps this doesn’t count for much right now, but there’s an issue worth exploring if the rumors are correct that Seattle plans on continuing to develop Montero as a catcher.

Buried beneath the discussions of Montero’s extraordinary talent, struggles at the plate, and reports on his development behind the dish at Triple-A Scranton, there was the matter of behavioral issues.

In 2010 Montero was benched for failing to run out a grounder. The general feeling was that it was an indication he might be getting too comfortable with his uber prospect status. While these moments pop up even with major league players, alarm bells sounded. The incident didn’t become an ongoing problem, at least not according to any published reports. Mentioning it might seem pointless. But this is a player who, for all his offensive talent, doesn’t figure to be at the position he was drafted. A lack of discipline would kill his chances at developing at the position, which most don’t believe he’ll play for his career.

Discipline might not be a huge issue, but if the Mariners continue the Montero catching experiment, that discipline is crucial.

During Montero’s exciting run with the Double-A Trenton Thunder, what he lacked, he really lacked, but what he excelled at, he mastered. The difficulty in considering his future was how to get past the defensive question. The answer, of course, was as a pure designated hitter for the future- an Edgar Martinez or David Ortiz for the next generation. For a generation of Yankees fans facing the impending retirement of Jorge Posada, the possibility of a new leader behind the plate seemed a nice passing of the torch. But that didn’t appear realistic. Yankees fans heard the votes of confidence from GM Brian Cashman and other front office people, but as much effort was being put into it, the reality became clearer. So, there was a puzzle. Where did he fit in? Where did more defensively skilled catching prospect Austin Romine fit in? What about Russell Martin? And in a couple of years, what’s the solution to Gary Sanchez?

The pieces were being shifted, but there was one missing. Giving up on Jesus Montero meant getting the piece that helped complete the overall team picture. The catching part of the picture suddenly makes more sense.

At the end of the 2012 baseball season, there will be plenty of opinion on whether the sacrifice benefitted the Yankees enough.  And there will be plenty of opinion on Montero’s impact and if he can develop into a good enough catcher.

Montero came with questions in the Yankees system.  He takes all the same ones to Seattle.

There’ll be no ‘Five Questions With…’ this week, but next week a Pirates prospect steps into the spotlight.

Similar reactions may have been heard on the left coast when Seattle Mariners fans found out their young stud pitcher Michael Pineda was headed east. The Yankees and Mariners have reportedly completed a four player exchange with their young studs as the centerpieces.

As first reported by the Seattle Times’ Larry Stone, the Yankees sent Montero and pitcher Hector Noesi to the Mariners for Pineda and pitcher Jose Campos. Noesi was one of the Yankees promising young starters on the rise, and showed some of his mettle as a reliever at the Major League level last season. Campos is a 19-yr old right-hander with potential (Evaluator John Sickels rated him as the #5 M’s prospect for 2012 and had this to say, “Grade B: We need to see him at higher levels and his secondary stuff needs refinement, but his upside is very high, he throws hard, and already throws strikes.”), but will not have an impact for quite some time.

Clearly this deal was about the Yankees need to boost their starting rotation and the Mariners need for a big bat. After being rebuffed in their attempt to acquire Felix Hernandez, the Yankees went after his young teammate (Pineda will be 23 next week).

Pineda’s rookie season of 2011 saw him finish 9-10, 3.74 with a 1.10 WHIP and 173 strikeouts in 171 innings.  The 6’7″, 260 pound native of the Dominican Republic limited AL hitters to a .211 batting average and gave up just 133 hits. He also held right-handed hitters to a .587 OPS with a torrid fastball and nasty slider. According to Fangraphs.com, Pineda averaged 94.7 mph on his fastball, the fourth best mark in the AL.

Pineda dominated in pitcher-friendly Safeco Field (2.92 ERA in 12 starts) and was much better in the first half before tiring down the stretch. In fact, the Mariners limited his innings per start over the final two months of the season.

With the Yankees lacking pop from the right side, Montero got the call to the bigs in August and produced a .996 OPS in 69 plate appearances.  Among Montero’s 17 hits were four home runs and four doubles, and he drove in 17 runs.  Montero has good power to the opposite field and averaged 18 home runs in his first four full seasons in the minor leagues.  He was nearly dealt to the Mariners at the 2010 trade deadline for Cliff Lee, but Seattle opted to obtain Justin Smoak from Texas instead.

In Montero, the Mariners get a player with 30 home run potential, even if their ballpark is not suited to a hitter’s needs. There were mixed feelings within the Yankees organization as to whether or not the 6’4″ Montero could make it in the Major Leagues as a catcher and that certainly played into the decision to deal him. With 1st base occupied (Mark Teixeira) and the DH slot needed to give the Yankees aging stars (Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, etc.) a rest, there wasn’t much room for Montero to flourish. With Seattle, he’ll get that chance.

Brian Cashman told the Bergen Record’s Bob Klapisch that he believes he took a big gamble.  ”I gave up a ton (for Pineda). To me, Montero is Mike Piazza. He’s Miguel Cabrera.” He may have taken a risk, but this deal appears to be a “win-win”, with both teams profiting. It also puts the Yankees back on top as the favorite in the AL East.

Cashman wasn’t done dealing on Friday night though. A short time after the trade was reported, word came that the Yankees and free agent pitcher Hiroki Kuroda had agreed to a one year contract, pending a physical, worth $10-11MM. Kuroda was thought to be seeking a $13MM deal.

Kuroda, who turns 36 in February, came over from Japan in 2008 and was 41-46 in four seasons with the LA Dodgers, despite a 3.46 ERA. He’s coming off a 13-16 season with a career low 3.07 ERA and a 3.7 WAR, also tops in his four seasons.

With the two acquisitions, the landscape of the Yankees’ starting rotation changed drastically. Prior to Friday evening, the Yankees five man squad was made up of ace CC Sabathia, 2nd year man Ivan Nova, the erratic A.J. Burnett, Phil Hughes, and surprise 2011 stand out, Freddy Garcia. Hughes’ immediate future is now up in the air and he could be used as trade bait to bring back a bat. The Yankees would most certainly rather trade Burnett, but the $33MM owed to him is an albatross around Cashman’s neck.

The Yankees would be looking for a short term, low salaried player. CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported tonight that Carlos Pena was among the bats that were piquing the Yankees interest.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

It was a night filled with agony and anticipation mixed with a pulsating sense of dread, fear, and hope. Finally, exhalation, for the Rays and Cardinals. The Red Sox and Braves fell to earth and saw all hope shattered. Rookie Freddie Freeman’s face as he grounded into a double play to end the Braves chances, put the harsh period on what looked like a sure thing. The heartache etched into his young face as he watched the opponent celebrate.

In the mix of all the action young rookies and hopeful prospects such as Freeman were trying to make an impact, rising to the occasion  to show the team what they are capable of. For them it’s one part sports contest, one part audition.

For Yankees pitcher Dellin Betances it was a chance not to help the team clinch a playoffs spot, that was done, but it was to showcase a little bit more of his talent. He allowed one hit and two walks, striking out two Orioles batters. It looked good early for the Yankees and the game appeared to be in cruise-control. But Betances name will now be attached to one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history. The Rays rallied from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Yankees 8-7. Betances did what he needed to do, pitching two innings, allowing a hit and two walks. He also struck out two. Looking ahead to 2012, he can rest assured that he’s passed a very big test. The Rays were simply entering into some sort of unimaginable destiny.

On September 4th Tampa was nine games back in the Wild Card on September 3rd, trailing the confident Red Sox. On September 28th they were down seven runs going into the eighth inning and preceded to win the game 8-7 in the 12th inning. Evan Longoria was the star of the upset, but the bullpen had a one-run lead to protect. Rookie relievers Jake McGee and Brandon Gomes played a big part in the Rays holding on.  Gomes pitched a scoreless 11th and McGee did the same in the 12th when the ball was handed over to closer Kyle Farnsworth. McGee had pitched 33 innings for Triple-A Durham before his call-up in May, finishing with a 2.70 ERA and 38 strikeouts. His Durham teammate Gomes had put in 25 innings for the Bulls with a 1.07 ERA. The Rays called on him in May after sending McGee back to the minors.

The Yankees pen also brought out a few young arms including George Kontos, possibly the Yankees most major league ready reliever, and Andrew Brackman pitched in the loss. Kontos pitched 2/3 an inning allowing no runs and no hits. Brackman also pitched in short-relief , also scoreless in his 1/3 of an inning of work.  The Phillies were also not in a do-or-die situation, nothing more than winning a ballgame and setting a franchise record with 102 wins, they too put some of their young pitchers in the spotlight. Justin De Fratus picked up his first major league win when he pitched a scoreless 12th. Michael Schwimmer pitched two innings of one-hit baseball.  De Fratus made his major league debut on the day the Phillies clinched the National League East, add the 28th, a second non-pressure situation to his major league resume. Not a bad way to begin. Career milestones and Phillies milestones seem to go hand in hand for him.

The Phillies National League rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, called Allen Craig up in June from Triple-A Memphis with 42 at-bats under his belt between there and Double-A Springfield.  Playing the role of spoiler, the Houston Astros could do nothing with Chris Carpenter whose glittering start included eleven strikeouts. Craig went 2-5 with a home run in the Cardinals 8-0 victory. It was a comeback no one believed would happen. The Braves were in control with an 8 1/2 game lead for the wild card.

As the Cardinals fought their way back, Braves closer Craig Kimbrel was closing in on a most unfair destiny. Will people remember that the 23-year old rookie set a major league record with 54 saves in 79 appearances? Hopefully, but add him to the Braves disastrous ending. September was his undoing. He blew three saves in eight opportunities. Let it also be remembered that the Braves were not hitting and the Braves pen was worn out. It was a nothing game to the Phillies. Not a game they needed anyway. The Braves season ended in a 4-3 loss to their long-ago longtime rival.

Ryan Lavarnway was behind the plate for the Red Sox when Robert Andino hit the game-winning single that gave the Orioles, a team with nothing but pride to play for, the 4-3 victory. Lavarnway’s was another face in a crop of prospects that experienced that historic day in baseball. All Lavarnway can do is look forward to his bright future. One that all who watched that brilliant night of baseball got a good look at.

Austin Romine – New York Yankees – The common belief was that Austin Romine should be out of Double-A where he’d spent 2010 and 2011. But Jesus Montero was blocking him at Triple-A Scranton. Montero got an anticipated call to the Bronx. Romine got an unanticipated call to the Bronx. After finally getting a promotion to Scranton on the final day of the Trenton Thunder’s home schedule, the reaction was that at least he’d get some Triple-A at-bats. But September 12th. he arrived at Yankee Stadium and made his major league debut. His first experience in Yankees pinstripes was catching Mariano Rivera’s 599th save. Romine isn’t the exciting bat that Montero is. What he has is a toolbox of skills that he has quietly developed over the past two seasons at Trenton. Those skills need even more polishing, and by getting behind the plate in the playoffs, he would get to improve upon an already excellent ability at his position. He gives the Yankees options. And he gets to show the Yankees (and fans) why he should be the catcher of the future.

Justin De Fratus- Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies bullpen is a weakness on a team that is being called the best in franchise history. Post-season baseball requires the services of the bullpen more than any other time of the season. Justin De Fratus arm could be immensely helpful to a pen that, like any, is feeling the wear and tear of the season. De Fratus split his time between Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley, finishing with a 2.99 ERA in 75 innings pitched.

Leonys Martin – Texas Rangers – His inspiring story has made the rounds and made his debut all the more special among this pack. Martin defected from Cuba and began the pursuit of his baseball dream. The twenty-three year old fully earned his call-up, hitting .348 at the time for Double-A Frisco. The outfielder is getting his opportunity due to Nelson Cruz going on the DL, but it would be a shock not to see him remain on the roster for post-season play.

Jacob Turner – Detroit Tigers – The Tigers 2009 first round pick has certainly made a fast trip to the majors. And he’s put a heck of a lot of work in during a short period. His first professional season in 2010 ended with a 3.28 ERA in 115 innings combined for Class-A West Michigan and Advanced-A Lakeland. He began 2011 at Double-A Erie, but ended it at Triple-A Toledo. Turner threw 131 innings, struck out a career-high 110 batters, and posted a 3.44 ERA. The Tigers plans appear to include him in the post-season, despite a rough start to begin his major league career. Turner has 9 innings under his belt, with a 7.45 ERA in two games. After all he’s accomplished so far, there’s no reason to count him out.

Trenton, New Jersey – The trade deadline came and went again, and a rumored deal involving Yankees catching prospect Jesus Montero once again didn’t materialize.

This means Austin Romine,  the Yankees other top catching prospect, remains second in line to Montero.  Despite the belief of many that his defensive skills and leadership qualities put him far ahead of Montero, that’s the reality.

Those trade rumors never seem to involve Romine, an indication that the Yankees may have him, not Montero, in their long-term plans . Either way, Romine is doing exactly what is asked of him at Double-A Trenton and there is no distracting the twenty-three-year-old from his well-known intense focus.

Romine is in his second season at Trenton hitting .283 with 5 home runs, 44 RBI, and 28 walks. He began the season on the right foot, hitting .306 in April and knocking in 15 runs. While he hasn’t hit for average consistently, he’s shown tremendous improvement in pressure situations and overall patience at the plate.   his  In 2010 he struggled with pitch selection and developed a tendency to swing at pitches out of the zone. The result this year has been smarter at-bats, better contact, and more consistent results.

He was on a good roll when he had to go on the DL after suffering a concussion when he was hit by a ball behind the plate.”*

“The injury sucked. It came at a bad time,” Romine said.  “I had been swinging the bat good. But I came back. I’ve hit around .300 most of the time and that’s what I wanted to do.”

At the conclusion of last season, he knew exactly what he needed to work on in the off-season and heading into spring training.

“Last year I was trying to hit their pitch. I was chasing. I’m not afraid to get a strike or even hit with two strikes. It doesn’t bother me now to hit with two strikes. That bothered me last year. This year I’m more relaxed. I’m just more comfortable in the box. I have a better approach. I’m going to have a bad game, but hopefully if I do I’m able to get it back quicker.”

His progression at the plate is important, but the Yankees have made it clear to him that his value is behind the plate. His ability to call a game, be solid at the position, and work with the pitchers are the qualities that make him most meaningful to the organization.

“We talked about this with him last year from time to time,” said Thunder Manager Tony Franklin. “I think everybody in the organization will agree. It’s not the hitting that’s going to matter as much in his major league career as his defense.”

Romine’s razor-sharp instincts as a catcher allow him to trust himself and have earned him complete trust with his pitchers.

“If they don’t trust me then they aren’t going to perform well. Being able to just talk to them and them trusting what I’m saying, even sometimes when I’m bluffing, as a catcher you have to take chances. You tell them to throw a certain pitch and you don’t know if they guy is  going to hit it, but sometimes it takes that type of stuff to gain respect.”

It is his second season at the Double-A level, a level he thought he might be done with after last year. There was a good chance that Montero would be with the Yankees to start 2011 and that Romine would start at Triple-A Scranton. Romine quickly got over that.

“I’ve definitely benefited from it. Anytime you get to play everyday…that’s what I want. I believe I’m an everyday catcher. And I work really hard to be an everyday catcher. It’s what was dealt to me. And I get to come here and catch future big leaguers that are here now. This is pretty high caliber baseball.” Tony Franklin believes Romine has proven himself, not just in his own game but in how he’s influenced his teammates and their success.

“I think behind the plate is where he’s really made the biggest difference in his individual career, as well as what he’s done for our ball club. And he has a chance to get a lot better,” said Franklin.

At his heart, Romine cares most about his role as a catcher. He is always more interested in talking about a pitcher, than himself.  His maturity and leadership, as well as improvements at the plate, will be hard to ignore when the Yankees decide his future with them.

*On August 4th Romine went on the DL with disc discomfort.  He’s currently day-to-day.

Photo by Jessica Quiroli

The Boston Red Sox were the biggest winners this past off-season with the acquisitions of both Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez and were easily tabbed to the A.L. East favorites. Gonzalez had been one of the elite home run hitters in the National League while playing in the spacious Petco Park.

The former N.L. All-Star had completed seasons of 30, 36 and 40 home runs while playing for San Diego. The Red Sox and many of those around baseball, spoke volumes about what he could do playing 81 games at the hitter friendly confines of Fenway Park.

Crawford meanwhile is the player who had all the tools. He had just begun to develop power to a game that already included hitting for contact, speed and solid throwing arm. The Sox struck silently and nabbed Crawford, stunning the industry and easily made them the favorites not only in the East, but in the Majors.

However, baseball is not played on paper and the Sox struggled to even win a game. In fact, they played below .500 ball until completing a series sweep against their biggest rivals — the Yankees.

The Yankees, normally the favorites in the East, did not have a good off-season. In years past the 27-time World Series champions could just use their vast monetary resources to solve any problem that arose. The issue this off-season — pitching.

The previous season witnessed the Yankees needing another starter to legitimately compete for a championship. They almost had one at the deadline — a man named Cliff Lee was involved for a number of high-level prospects, including Jesus Montero.

At the very last second, the Seattle Mariners turned down the Yankees offer and shipped Lee to the Rangers. Ironically, it was Lee and the Rangers who would eliminate the Yankees from the postseason.

No one in New York panicked. They knew Lee was No. 1 on general manager Brian Cashman’s list of targets and that he had all the money in the world to offer him. Except this time, the player unlike so many others, turned down the cash and spurned the Yankees for an offer that was $40 million less.

Coupled with the retirement of Andy Pettitte, the Yankees rotation was in shambles. Experts felt the Yankees had a good chance to miss the postseason altogether and they may be right. With everyone in the division capable of beating each other, there may be only one team that heads to the postseason in the suddenly dangerous A.L. East.

The Tampa Bay Rays had won the A.L. East division crown in two of the last three seasons, strengthening the depth of the division, but they were over looked after their disappointing off-season.

The Rays bullpen had been ranked No. 1 in the Majors last season. It was compiled of mostly bargain-basement, journey-men type of pitchers, but mixed together and put in the right situations — they succeeded.

However, this past off-season witnessed many members of the Rays pen jump ship and cash in on respective their career seasons. How would the Rays replace their whole bullpen was what many questioned, but as the season has gone on, those questions are deemed unwarranted.

In a span of two weeks, the Rays had pushed themselves from the basement in the East to the top spot, doing it with superb starting pitching and clutch hitting. It’s true they started the season horribly, 0-8 to be exact, but they are for real because of their manager.

Joe Maddon knows his club better than anyone else and has a feel for the game that many can not match. He puts his players in the right situations, by looking at the match-ups in a binder filled to the brim with stats and pushes the right buttons.

However, the division does not end with those three teams even if they currently reside one, two, three in terms of division standing. The Toronto Blue Jays have been extremely inconsistent this season — it is hard to know what to make of them.

One series they can be absolutely dominating and the next series could witness them dropping two of three to the lowly Houston Astros. The Jays have a rotation that could make anyone blush with the talent they throw out on the mound on a nightly basis.

Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek comprise the top of their rotation. Each has the ability to flat-out dominate an opponent, much like Romero’s all-for-nothing masterpiece last night against the Yankees and Morrow’s 17 strikeout gem last season.

The Jays also possess arguably the most feared and most complete hitter in all of baseball — Jose Bautista. Bautista erupted last season by blasting 54 home runs and already has 19 and we are not through the season’s first two months.

Lastly, there are the Baltimore Orioles who sit at two games under .500. Manager Buck Showalter has definitely improved the mindset of the club and they no longer believe they are out of any game.

The young talent that fills out the roster on a nightly basis is some of the best in the game including Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Their rotation, however, is where the real jewels reside.

Zach Britton may be the best one of them all. The 23-year-old lefty is on his way to the Rookie of the Year award with his amazing start to the season. Britton currently holds a record of 5-2 while pitching to a 2.35 ERA.

He does it all with basically one pitch — a sinker which he can throw anywhere from 90 to 97 mph. It’s not only the velocity that is the problem for hitters to deal with, but also the downward movement that forces batters to pound the pitch into the ground.

The teams in the American League East all have question marks and many bright spots. While it’s still easy to bet on either the Yankees or the Red Sox to win the division, the little guys are making the climb.

It’s only a matter of time before they take down the big guys.

Ryan Lazo is a Senior Writer for BaseballDigest.com. He can be reached at RMLazo13@gmail.com, followed on Twitter @RMLazo13 and read his blog Artificially Enhanced.

Instead of immediately trading the promising youngsters within their farm system — Jesus Montero, Austin Romine, Manny Banuelos to name a few — general manager Brian Cashman went bargain hunting. He wanted to add pieces that were low-risk, high-reward type of signings and thus far, Cashman is batting .1000 for the year.

Cashman’s first gamble involved taking a chance on former National League All-Star catcher Russell Martin. Martin, 28, had just completed two-consecutive disappointing seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers after his 2007 All-Star season.

Last season actually could be deemed Martin’s worst since breaking into the majors as he only played in 97 games while hitting .248 in that span. The Yankees searched the market for a catcher who could be a stop gap until one of their young catchers proved to be ready for the majors and Martin fit that criteria.

After signing a one-year $4 million deal, Martin underwent knee surgery which set him back in Spring Training. However, once the season started, Martin has not even come close to resembling a stopgap — instead he resembles a starter.

Martin has already displayed more pop — three home runs in only nine games — then he has shown since his previous All-Star level when he blasted 19 and has hit for a higher average since that time as well. The Yankees have also been thoroughly impressed with the way he is receiving the pitching staff and keeping would-be base stealers at bay with his strong throwing arm.

If Martin continues playing this way, it would give the young catching prospects another full year of development instead of being rushed to the bigs too soon.

The next step in Cashman’s bargain hunting came in filling a rotation that was devastated by the retirement of Andy Pettitte and being left at the altar by Lee. He zeroed in on a pitcher that had impressed in winter ball and the pitcher is former Cy-Young award winner Bartolo Colon.

Colon impressed during the Spring with a consistent 93 mph sinker that moved well within the zone. Hitters either pounded the ball into the dirt or struck out swinging at the hands of the 38-year-old.

Colon would not earn a starting spot within the rotation because of his lack of pitching over the past few seasons. Yankees management worried that he would not last the length of a full season and instead went with the safe route and gave the job to Freddy Garcia.

In a typical prove you wrong scenario, it can be argued that Colon has been an invaluable member of the bullpen in the seasons first full week. Phil Hughes has struggled without the extra velocity on his fastball and has been hit hard in his first two outings.

As a result, it has been Colon who has come into the game and kept the Yankees within striking distance. In eight innings pitched this season, Colon has struck out 10 with a consistent mid 90s fastball. If Hughes continues to struggle, Colon could be pitching his way into the rotation by the end of April.

Even Eric Chavez — former All-Star for the Oakland Athletics — has contributed in a small number of opportunities. Chavez, four seasons removed from his last season of playing over 100 games, played a big role in the Yankees only win over Boston this weekend.

Chavez, making his first start of the season, went a perfect three for three with two doubles and one RBI. All this success has helped give Cashman the confidence to also try to find lightning in a bottle with other players.

During Saturday’s telecast, it was announced that the Yankees had inked Carlos Silva. Silva, who had been released by the Chicago Cubs, will be sent to the Minor Leagues and the hope is he would be able to fill a spot if a starter would go down with an injury.

With all the high-priced superstars within the Yankees lineup, it has been the other guys who have provided the biggest spark thus far. The message has been sent, the Yankees other guys can get the job done, making their lineup even deeper.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles have cooled down some after their quick 5-0 start to the MLB season. The Rangers — who have been one of baseball’s hottest teams — sent the O’s down to reality by winning the weekend series quite handedly. The O’s visit the Yankees Monday night in the Bronx.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox only needed a weekend series against the biggest rivals to jump start their season. The Sox earned the series win, by earning the victory Friday in their home opener and earned a win behind the stellar pitching of Josh Beckett on Sunday night. With a 2-7 record through the team’s first nine games, the Sox are still looking to get on the right track.

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays, like the Red Sox, have continued to be a big disappointment within the A.L. East. The onus has to fall on the pitching staff that has not been able to keep the team within striking distance of the opponent. The Rays will look to stop the slide as they visit the Red Sox tonight at Fenway Park.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays have been up and down through their first nine games as they dropped their weekend series to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Jays, normally known for their offensive firepower, have struggled in that regard thus far on the season. The Jays continue their road trip tonight as they visit the struggling Seattle Mariners.

Ryan Lazo is a Senior Writer covering the A.L. East for BaseballDigest.com. He can reached at RMLazo13@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @RMLazo13.

The New York Times’ Joe Brescia recently spoke with Mauer about Montero, and a number of other subjects. Mauer knows what it is like to be questioned about his physical build translating to the position. “Too big. Not quick enough. I heard everything under the sun,” Mauer said by phone. As for Montero’s attitude? “That’s good,” Mauer said. “He might find that everyone wants to throw their two cents in. But I really enjoyed the position and that was not going to stop me.”

“My advice to him is try and learn as much as you can. He’s lucky he has Jorge Posada, a pretty good catcher to learn from. And he has Russell Martin there now, too, another good one to help him. Those two guys that have been around the block. He should follow those guys around and learn as much as he can.”

Bryce Harper made his much anticipated professional debut with Washington on Monday, but struck out both times up. Harper said playing in the pros felt no different than playing anywhere else and told the Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore after the game that he was happy with his game. “I felt really good up there.It’s the first two at-bats. That’s why we have spring training. That’s what it’s for – get all the rinky dinks out.”

Having already lost Adam Wainwright for 12-15 months after Tommy John surgery, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa may start watching his pitchers through his fingers. His other ace, Chris Carpenter, left Tuesday’s spring training game with a mild hamstring strain.

Florida Marlins rising star Mike Stanton will probably be out two weeks after he strained a quad running out a grounder on Monday.

With no takers, free agent outfielder Garret Anderson announced his retirement Tuesday after 17 seasons in the big leagues. The career .293 hitter leaves the game with 283 HR, 2,529 hits, 1,365 RBI, one World Series ring, and three All-Star appearances. He played all but one season in California (2009 with Atlanta); the first 16 years of his career were spent with the Angels and his final season in 2010 was as a Dodger.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

So many questions during this spring training…Will Albert Pujols sign a new deal before his self imposed deadline/scheduled day to report? Will Jesus Montero make the Yankees 25 man squad? Is Josh Beckett healthy? Can Don Mattingly manage a Major League club? Can anyone stop the Phillies starting rotation?

And of course spring training means that while teams may look much better than others on paper, everyone has a clean slate. Everyone can dream of the post-season, of hitting .300, and throwing a perfect game. Of popping champagne corks and hoisting the World Series trophy. There are some that will place too much emphasis on the games themselves- George Steinbrenner was infamous for that- but the most important thing in spring training is to come out of it healthy. The miles per hour on the fastball will come as will the bat speed. But keeping the hamstrings and shoulders and elbows healthy is much better than having the best record in the Grapefruit or Cactus League. That’s why the focus of today’s spring training report is those players we shall dub…

The Comeback Kids

Soon we’ll be getting a chance to see if players that were injured last year or in prior years have what it takes to get back to playing Major League Baseball. Here are some of the stories to follow this spring.

Brandon Webb is being counted on to help replace Cliff Lee in the Texas Rangers starting rotation. Webb averaged 17.5 wins per season from 2005-2008 and 231.2 innings.  Apparently the latter took it’s toll. Webb went on the DL in April, 2009 with what was originally diagnosed as bursitis. After rehabbing it for several months, Webb had to undergo surgery and missed all of the 2010 season.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Webb recently told the Ben and Skin radio show in Dallas that he’s excited about the upcoming season. “I’ve made some dramatic strides. If anybody had been around me for the past month or so since I’ve been throwing, it’s been awesome. I don’t think they have to be too patient. I think I should be totally ready to go in spring training, jumping right in with the guys and just carrying on like a normal spring training for myself.”

In case Webb doesn’t recapture his 2007 NL CY Young form, he does have something to fall back on; he’s begun selling used cars with his brother in-law.

Carlos Santana can play a mean guitar, but baseball’s Carlos Santana can swing a mean bat and call a pretty good game. The Cleveland Indians catcher is hoping to be at full strength for the start of the season as he continues his way back from a torn LCL and surgery. Santana was knocked out for the remainder of the 2010 season when his knee lost a collision with the Red Sox’ Ryan Kalish in early August.

Santana, who hit .300 over his first 20 big league games, recently got word from his doctor that he can resume full baseball activities. That’s good news for the Indians who are in a rebuilding stage and need all the help they can get.

Indians fans are also hoping for a big comeback from Santana’s teammate Grady Sizemore. The one time five tool prospect has suddenly become injury prone and is trying to make his way back from the microfracture knee surgery he had last June. Sizemore was a budding superstar, who from 2005-2008 averaged 27 HR, 29 SB, and 116 runs while playing Gold Glove defense. He once played in 382 consecutive games.  But Sizemore played in groin and elbow pain for all of the 2009 season and it showed in his lackluster offensive production. Finally the Indians shut him down in September and he underwent surgery on both areas.

Last season Sizemore injured his left knee during spring training and then aggravated it in a game against Baltimore in mid-May. When doctors went in they found extensive cartilage damage and opted for the more complex microfracture surgery based on Sizemore’s desires to “…play another 10 years” and “…only have one knee surgery”. Indians GM Chris Antonetti told MLB.com Jordan Bastian that he’s hoping that Sizemore will be ready at the start of the season or “shortly thereafter”.

Chien-Ming Wang was a two time 19-game winner and unlikely ace for the New York Yankees in 2006-2007. But a Lisfranc injury prematurely ended his 2008 season and then shoulder trouble limited him to just 12 games in 2009. Surgery followed, causing Wang to miss all of the 2010 season after signing as a free agent with the Washington Nationals.  GM Mike Rizzo told MLB.com’s Bill Ladson back in January that he was confident that the Taiwanese native would be ready to go when camp broke.

With the retirement of Andy Pettitte and the inability to land Cliff Lee via free agency, the Yankees have brought in a number of pitchers to compete for the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation. One of them is former AL CY Young winner Bartolo Colon, who did not pitch in the Major Leagues in 2010. Colon found some success and some life on his fastball (91 mph) in winter ball recently, so he decided to give “The Show” another shot. Colon has reportedly lost a substantial amount of weight and hopes that his arm and shoulder issues are behind him. He has not been able to reach 100 innings since his 21-win, CY Young season in 2005.

Colon won’t have to look far to see another reclamation case. Suiting up near him will be former top Cubs prospect Mark Prior. The right-hander hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2006 due to an assortment of arm issues. After selecting Prior with the 2nd overall pick in the 2001 draft, the Cubs were salivating at the thought of a 1-2 punch of Kerry Wood and Prior for many years to come. Sometimes life just doesn’t work out the way you planned, in particular for Mark Prior and his pitching career.

It didn’t start out that way though. Prior finished third in the 2003 NL CY Young voting after finishing with an 18-6, 2.43 mark in 30 starts.  Then things started to turn- a line drive off his pitching elbow created a fracture in 2005. An MRI during spring training the following season showed a moderate shoulder strain. Something was clearly still wrong when he returned- teams rocked him to the tune of better than seven earned runs a game. When shoulder tendinitis put him on the DL in August, little did Prior know it would be the last time he would pitch on a major league mound.

After initially ruling it out, Prior had to go under the knife in April, 2007 to have the shoulder cleaned up.  Renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrew was confident Prior would pitch in ’08 following the procedure. But a year later a tear in Prior’s shoulder led to another surgery and another missed season. Prior tried to come back with the Padres in ’09. but was released in August.  Part of  2010 was spent in an independent league and for a short time in the Rangers organization. Which leads us to where Prior is today, having signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in December. One more shot, one more time hoping to recapture something, to come back as a reliever.

Yes, spring training is a time for new hopes, redemption, and a lot of daydreaming.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

Yankees: From the moment George Steinbrenner and company signed Jesus Montero out of Venezuela at age 16, Yankees fans have been drooling at the prospect of seeing Montero reach the majors. The $2M bonus baby is a presence behind the plate at 6’4″, 225 lbs, a factor that has many scouts wondering if that’s where his future lies. Early in this off-season Montero was nearly guaranteed a chance to prove himself at the majors in 2011, but then the Yankees signed Russell Martin and told the former Dodger that he would be the starting catcher. That left Jorge Posada as the full-time DH/part-time catcher and Montero wondering what the immediate future holds for him. GM Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office must decide whether to let Montero be mentored at the major league level by Martin, Posada, and coach Tony Pena or have him start the season at Triple-A Scranton. Montero’s spring training performance will certainly have an impact on that decision.

The Yankees aren’t too concerned with the hard hitting catcher’s bat, but know he needs to prove himself defensively. In his four seasons in the minors Montero has a .314 career batting average and .882 OPS. He has also averaged 19 home runs over the past two seasons. The now 21-yr old was nearly dealt at last season’s trade deadline for Cliff Lee, but instead remained in the organization and caught fire at the plate. His hitting coach Butch Wynegar told the NY Times, “Initially it bothered him. He didn’t come out and say it exactly, but I could tell it in his demeanor. He wants to be a Yankee, and I think that did motivate him a little bit, knowing that nobody’s untouchable around here. It kind of shook him up a little bit, like, ‘I’ll show them.’ ”

“Monty was a joy to be around, and he’s still raw and growing,” said Wynegar. “That’s why I call him a beast. That’s why I think he can be a monster.” Ranked the ninth best prospect by MLB.com, the Yankees hope 2011 is the arrival of the monster.

Red Sox: When Casy Kelly and a package of prospects were sent to San Diego for Adrian Gonzalez, shortstop Jose Iglesias became Boston’s number one prospect. The Red Sox have had stalwarts at all infield positions, but shortstop since the team traded Nomar Garciaparra during the 2004 season. Marco Scutaro, in his second season in Boston, holds down the position for now. Jed Lowrie has also seen time there, but the long term plans for him in the organization are unknown. GM Theo Epstein is hoping that Iglesias, a native of Cuba that signed in 2009, will be the shortstop for many years to come. The 21-yr old played the majority of his first season at Double-A Portland, but missed a substantial amount of time after being hit on the right hand with a pitch. His return from injury included a 13 game stint in the New York-Penn league (rookie ball).

Iglesias’ time in Portland showed that his bat still needs work. Though he hit .285, he posted just a .695 OPS- nearly 80% of hits were singles and he lived up to his reputation as a free swinger by drawing just eight walks. Iglesias’ glove work is well ahead of his bat though. He’s got very good range, an excellent arm, and soft hands.  Despite the missed time, Iglesias was still ranked the #42 prospect for 2011 by MLB.com.  Spring Training will determine whether Iglesias starts the season in Portland or Pawtucket (Triple-A).

Rays: Tampa Bay lost many players via free agency this winter and dealt others, but this is an organization stocked with very good prospects. One of them is outfielder Desmond Jennings, who is the heir apparent to Carl Crawford. But the name on everyone’s lips after his brief 2010 stint in the majors is right-handed pitcher Jeremy Hellickson. The fourth round pick in the 2005 amateur draft (Hoover HS- Des Moines, IA) has got the goods. Only Mike Trout is rated as a higher prospect in Major League Baseball.

Hellickson throws a steady fastball that hits the mid-90s and can throw both his curve and changeup for strikes. He has excellent composure on the mound and is aggressive in his approach towards hitters. The Iowa native averaged 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings at Triple-A Durham last season while posting a 1.173 WHIP. He made his Major League debut on August 2, holding the Twins to two runs and three hits over seven innings to earn his first win in the bigs. Hellickson allowed just three earned runs in his first three starts, all of which he won. The Rays monitored his innings, however, and of his seven additional appearances, just one was as a starter.

With nothing left to prove in the minors, Hellickson will go to spring training trying to win the final spot in the rotation. If he doesn’t, the Rays will then have to decide whether to use him out of the pen or send him back down to Triple-A.

Blue Jays: Another right-handed pitcher with tremendous potential is in the #1 spot for the Toronto Blue Jays. Kyle Drabek, acquired in the Roy Halladay deal, is on the precipus of what many feel should be a long and illustrious career. Drabek’s big pitch is his nasty curveball.  Padres pitcher Mat Latos had the chance to play with Drabek earlier in his career and had this to say, “It’s (Drabek’s curveball) pretty filthy. I’ve seen a lot of curveballs and some nasty sliders, but not a curveball like that. All I could think was, ‘I’m glad I’m not a hitter.”’

Drabek’s four seam fastball is in the low 90′s, while his two-seamer is is around 88-90 mph and has plenty of movement. Like Hellickson, Drabek has received high mark for his mound composure. He’ll need it since he should be in the Blue Jays starting rotation opening day and facing the best the AL East has to offer.

Orioles: The Orioles have developed some fine young talent of late- catcher Matt Wieters and pitcher Brian Matuz immediately come to mind. Shortstop Manny Machado was rated the best pure hitter and defensive infielder in the O’s organization by Baseball America and the 24th best prospect by MLB.com. He’s the highest pick by the Orioles since they draft pitcher Ben McDonald out of LSU in 1989.

Just 18 years old, Machado was the 3rd overall selection in last June’s amateur draft from Brito Miami (FL) High School. He didn’t sign until mid-August though, so the Orioles got to see him play just nine games, seven of which were for Aberdeen of the NY-Penn League. In that short stretch, Machado impressed with 10 hits in 29 AB (.345) and an .855 OPS. Being from Miami and having a 6’3″ frame, Machado has already drawn comparisons to fellow Miami native Alex Rodriguez. There are some in the organization who feel Machado, like A-Rod, will eventually move to 3rd base once his body matures.

The comparisons to A-Rod end there though. Machado is expected to hit for average with some power. He gets high marks for his fielding ability and for his hard work. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen has known Machado since he was 10. “He’s hungry. (Machado) wants to be good. … I’ve see this kid prove himself day by day, week by week, year by year, to get better. I never thought he would be this good.” Machado will start the season in ‘A’ or Advanced ‘A’ ball.

Rumors, News, Transactions

MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian and Fox’s Ken Rosenthal have reported that the Cleveland Indians and infielder Orlando Cabrera have agreed to a deal. Rosenthal expects Cabrera to compete for the 2nd base job.

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told reports that 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez is ahead of schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery.

The Texas Rangers and centerfielder Josh Hamilton have agreed to a new two year, $24M deal.

The Angels Jered Weaver lost his arbitration hearing and will “only” make $7.37M this season. He had been asking for $8.8M.

Rumors are spreading that the Twins are thinking of dealing lefty Francisco Liriano, though they have him under control through 2012.

Drew Sarver is a senior writer  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

Champion of the Winter Meetings: The Boston Red Sox clearly claim this title.  First they swung a deal to bring the powerful bat of Adrian Gonzalez to Beantown and then signed the speedy Carl Crawford to a free agent deal. Post winter meetings, GM Theo Epstein has worked on stocking the bullpen. He’s added Bobby Jenks, Dan Wheeler, and Matt Albers and will still look to add another lefty (Felix Doubront is the sole left-hander in the pen at the moment).

Where’d everybody go?: The Tampa Rays knew this would happen, but it still has to be painful for manager Joe Maddon to see his team being dismantled.  Crawford and Wheeler are in Boston. 1st baseman Carlos Pena went to the Chicago Cubs. Shortstop Jason Bartlett was dealt to the Padres. Set up man Joaquin Benoit went to Detroit. Lefty Randy Choate signed with the Marlins.  Brignac will replace Bartlett and there’s still very good starting pitching, but some major holes need to be filled.

Standing Still: The NY Yankees had a chance, but it turns out they never really had a chance, to land Cliff Lee. While Boston’s offense and pen got stronger, the Yankees have been unable to fill their biggest needs, starting pitching and bullpen help. Andy Pettitte has yet to determine if wants to play again. Kerry Wood wanted a sizable “donation” from the Yankees, but instead gave the Cubs a hometown discount.  Jon Rauch should be on the Yankees radar. The Yankees did add a new starting catcher, Russell Martin, with Jorge Posada taking on full time DH duty. It remains to be seen whether or not minor leaguer Jesus Montero will have an impact in 2011.

Oh Canada: The Blue Jays dealt their top starter, Shaun Marcum, for a top 2nd base prospect in the Brewers’ Brett Lawrie.  A good deal for both squads.  The Blue Jays are counting on their stud, Kyle Drabek, to earn a spot in the rotation some time during the 2011 season.

The Jays lost reliable set up man/closer Scott Downs, 1st baseman Lyle Overbay, and catcher John Buck, who enjoyed his best season, to free agency.  As possible additions, the Jays signed 1st baseman Mike Jacobs and outfielder Corey Patterson to minor league deals. It’ll be difficult to compete with those plusses and minuses.

Hot L Baltimore: It’s been a tough off-season for the once proud Orioles. Players just don’t want to sign with a team that has been floundering in the AL East for so long. The O’s did get shortsop J.J. Hardy in a deal with the Twins and slugger/whiffer Mark Reynolds from the Diamondbacks.  The latter deal cost them David Hernandez, but dealing the pitcher for some more offense was worth it.

Rumors, News, and Transactions

The Angels have reportedly dropped out of the running, for now, for 3rd baseman Adrian Beltre. The free agent is demanding a sixth year guaranteed contract.

Brandon Webb is said to be weighing offers, with either the Rangers, Cubs, or Nationals being the right-hander’s final destination.

Drew Sarver is the Yankees content editor and a contributor  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

Back to Greinke for a moment. Per the NY Post’s Joel Sherman, the Royals reportedly offered Greinke to the Yankees in return for Jesus Montero, Eduardo Nunez, and either Dellin Betances or Manny Banuelos. A very steep price that GM Brian Cashman was not willing to give up for only two guaranteed years of Greinke.

Another pitcher who may or may not be back is Andy Pettitte, who’s decision making skills seem to be right up there with Brett Favre’s. At least he’s not making daily/weekly pronouncements. With the Yankees pitching so up in the air, how long until Cashman takes the Royals asking price to Seattle in a Hail Mary attempt for Felix Hernandez?

Rumors, News, and Transactions

The Nationals have signed outfielder Rick Ankiel to a one year, $1.5M deal. (correction)

The Brewers are bringing back infielder Craig Counsell for another year.

The Twins added to their depth, signing former Braves prospect Chuck James to a minor league deal.

Since George Steinbrenner took over the team, the Yankees always have had a penchant for bringing guys back a second time. Add reliever Luis Vizcaino to that list. He was inked to a minor league deal.

The Indians dealt Austin Kearns to the Yankees at the trade deadline, but have brought the free agent back with a one year, $1.3M deal.

The World Champion Giants inked veteran reliever Guillermo Mota to a minor league deal.

The Rangers added some depth by signing a trio of veterans. Outfielder Endy Chavez, pitcher Seth McCLung, and infielder Brian Barden all got minor league deals and major league invitations.

Drew Sarver is the Yankees content editor and a contributor  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

The heated pennant race in the AL East received an injection of youth into the equation as both the Rays and the Yankees called up their top prospects, Desmond Jennings and Jesus Montero respectively.

Although not battling for a playoff spot, the Royals and Mets will try to reach relevance next year by giving their young rookies a chance to gain big league experience, specifically Mike Moustakas and Jenrry Mejia.

These four rookies have the ability to give your fantasy team a push in September:

Desmond Jennings OF: Thrown into the heat of a pennant race, Jennings could help solve the Rays’ DH/leadoff problem. The heir apparent to Carl Crawford’s left field spot next season, Tampa’s number one hitting prospect brings speed potential to an already fleet-footed lineup. Whether his role if off the bench or in the starting lineup, Jennings’ ability to steal bases consistently is appealing to fantasy owners in need.

Jesus Montero C: With unquestionable talent at the plate, Montero may find it hard to find playing time on a stacked Yankee lineup. Able to give Francisco Cervelli a breather at catcher, New York’s top prospect could rotate between a possible DH role and being behind the plate. If given the time, Montero could be more valuable than incumbent fantasy catchers such as Matt Wieters or Kurt Suzuki considering his plus power.

Mike Moustakas 3B: After a three home run, 11 RBI audition before the rosters expanded, Moustakas has given the Royals’ organization enough motivation to promote the former No. 2 pick. With the third base spot currently manned by the light-hitting Wilson Betemit, Moustakas and his 34 minor league home runs (Between Double-A and Triple-A) could add pop to a lineup that has none outside of Billy Butler. Although his call-up isn’t a lock, the Royals could help both their lineup and your own for September by bringing up their top prospect.

Jenrry Mejia SP: After appearing in relief for the Mets earlier in the season, Mejia was sent down in order to be converted back into a starter. Recalling him from Triple-A Birmingham signifies New York’s intent to give the young righty a chance to start this September. A strikeout machine in the minors ( 35 K’s in 35 innings between stints in both Double-A and Triple-A), Mejia’s call-up might as well be an audition for a spot in the Mets’ 2011 rotation. With four starts a realistic possibility, the righty could easily contribute 2 wins and 25 strikeouts for New York this month.

Pettitte’s injury, which is expected to keep him out of action for 4-5 weeks, compounded an already-difficult situation for Cashman, who knows he must retool the current bullpen if the Yankees are to repeat in 2010.

Had a deal with Seattle  for Cliff Lee fallen into place, there would have been no worries concerning the starting rotation.  But with A.J. Burnett’s continued ineffectiveness and inconsistency, there is some reason for alarm.  For now, Sergio Mitre will take Pettitte’s turn in the rotation.  Though he has looked decent at times, neither he nor the likes of Chad Gaudin, Dustin Moseley, etc., are pitchers you’d want to rely on for any length of time.

Let’s start this off by saying Brian Cashman will not do anything crazy. No deal for Roy Oswalt and the $23 million that remains on his contract.  No deal that includes prospect Jesus Montero for a back-end of the rotation starter.

But Cashman can start to look more seriously at Ted Lilly (though ESPN reported Sunday night that the Cubs were asking for Montero) and others.  How pressing the need is will be determined by how Pettitte is feeling as the trade deadline approaches.

Here’s a look at the starters and relievers that could be available by the July 31st trade deadline:

Starters

Roy Oswalt – As  previously mentioned, the Astros’ soon-to-be all-time leading winner (he’s one victory behind Joe Niekro) has a contract that will scare most teams away.  Oswalt, who turns 33 in August, is owed the remainder of $15 million this season and $16 million in 2011.  There’s also a $16 million option for 2012 with a $2 million buyout.

It’s doubtful the Astros will get much back for him until the 2011 deadline.  Certainly not a top tier prospect if the Astros want the their trade partner to assume a large chunk of Oswalt’s contract.

Dan Haren – When Haren was dealt to Arizona, the Dbacks had to send top prospect Brett Anderson and current NL star Carlos Gonzalez and four others (Arizona also received Connor Robertson) to Oakland. The current version of Haren might be had for a song.  That’s how bad he’s been this season.

Haren has allowed a whopping 155 hits in 133 innings.  His strikeout (133) to walk (27) ratio is still remarkable, but that doesn’t really matter when opponents are hitting .287 against you.

Haren’s been better of late – a 3.69 ERA over his last 9 starts – but his contract is a major sticking point.  He’ll received $12.75 million over each of the next two years and there is a club option for 2013 worth $15.5 million (with a $3.5 million buyout).  Had this been a previous incarnation of Haren, perhaps he wouldn’t even be available.  But with his current performance, his contract is too rich for my blood and probably the Yankees’ too.

Ben Sheets – Mr. Moneyball, Billy Beane took a $10 million shot on the oft-injured right-hander in hopes of getting a big pay day at the trade deadline.  So far the move has backfired.  Sheets, who missed all of last season as he recouperated from elbow surgery, has pitched better of late, but most of his outings are of the 6-inning, 4-earned run variety.  And of course he is always a major risk for injury.

Ted Lilly – The one-time Yankee prospect blossomed once he left the organization in 2002.  Lilly has averaged nearly 15 wins in each of his last four years as a member of the Chicago Cubs and is set to become a free agent after the season.

As a left-hander, he would be a good fit into the rotation which is now down to one southpaw due to Pettitte’s injury. Don’t look for a live fastball though. Lilly has been clocked routinely at just 86-mph.  He’ll be paid $13 million for this season.

Kevin Millwood & Jeremy Guthrie – The Baltimore duo have completely hurt their trade value over the last two months.  Millwood allowed 37 earned runs in 32 innings before landing on the DL in early July with a strained forearm. Guthrie has pitched to a 5.67 ERA in his last 9 starts.   STAY AWAY.

Brett Myers – Oswalt’s teammate in Houston is working on a one year, $5 million deal that includes a mutual option in 2010.  The 30-yr old has put up a 3.35 ERA in 19 starts this season after missing much of last year.  Myers has some anger issues and I wonder if he can handle playing in New York. (Playing in Philly was a different kind of crazy.)

Tom Gorzelanny – The “other” Cubbie lefthander has pitched to a career best 3.12 ERA in 19 appearances, 13 of which were starts, and has 81 strikeouts in 80.2 innings pitched.  Gorzelanny throws 88-92 mph and has held right-handed hitters to a .228 batting average.  Control has been an issue at times.  He should come cheaper than Lilly.

Scott Kazmir, Jarrod Washburn, Pedro Martinez – Let me know when I can stop laughing.

Relievers

Scott Downs – The Toronto Blue Jays left-hander is in high demand.  He’s a Mike Stanton type that can get out both lefties and righties, and when needed, can close.  Toronto will certainly look to rip a team off, especially one in their own division.

David Aardsmaa – The Mariners closer has been frequently mentioned as being available. That doesn’t mean he necessarily is available though.  Aardsmaa had a breakout season in 2009 when he recorded 38 saves, held opponents to a .190 batting average, and posted a 2.25 ERA.   It had to be a suprise to the White Sox and Red Sox with whom Aardsmaa had posted ERAs of 6.40 and 5.55 the previous two seasons.

The reason to deal Aardsmaa now is that his trade value will never be higher. His ERA has climbed back up to 5.22 and he’s 0-6.  Aardsma has also already matched his 2009 total of four blown saves.

Brandon League – People like to mention Aardsma’s teammate a lot because of how hard he throws, but League is not a significant upgrade over what the Yankees currently have on the major and minor league rosters.

Leo Nunez -  The Marlins closer has been outstanding in his second full season in Florida.   Nunez has 22 saves in 27 attemps and has a 4.5 to 1 K:BB ratio.   He will not come cheaply, however.

Always a plus, Nunez has American League experience, when he was a member of a surprisingly strong 2008 KC Royals pen.

Brad Ziegler – The sidewinder is a solid righty specialist.  The Yankees could do better than to get someone who is just a specialist.

Kevin Gregg, Jason Frasor, Shawn Camp – Downs’ teammates in Toronto. From left to right – Wouldn’t touch him with a 10 ft. pole, wouldn’t touch him with a 5 ft. pole, wouldn’t touch him with a 1 ft. pole.

Okay, but seriously folks.  Gregg can’t be trusted with a lead, period.  Frasor’s story is similar to Aardsma’s- a breakout 2009 season and  a great job as a late season closer.  But he’s returned to his 4+ ERA form this season.  Camp is decent, but he’s not a significant upgrade from who the Yankees can run out there now on a daily basis.

Jonathan Albaladejo – Yes, he’s already on the Yankees, but he’ll get another chance when he’s recalled today to take Pettitte’s spot on the 25 man roster.  After some mediocre to bad cups of coffees in the show, Albaladejo (boy, that name really doesn’t roll off the tongue) has been dominant at Triple-A Scranton.

Albaladejo has recorded 31 saves while posting a 0.96 ERA and struck out 61 batters in 46.2 innings pitched.  But tha is in Triple-A, and Albaladejo will need to step up his major league game in order to stick around this time.  He will most certainly get the chance in late inning situations if that is the case.

So there you have it.  As the trade deadline nears, others will become available.  But because there are so many teams still in the race, there will be players (e.g. Bobby Jenks) who will stick with their current teams when they might otherwise have become available.

For Brian Cashman it will be a process… and steady as she goes.

Drew Sarver is the Yankees content editor and contributor  for BaseballDigest.com.  You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and followed on Twitter.

It always seemed likely that this was Lee’s last week as a Mariner – if nothing else, the first place New York Yankees would be less than thrilled to have to face him in his scheduled start against them on the 9^th. With the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays snapping at their heels, acquiring the best pitcher in the American League rather than having to play against him would have been a real coup for the Yankees. Despite General Manager Brian Cashman insisting that his team would have no part in the Chase for Cliff, the Yankees were both in a position of need and had the prospects (that is, the Jesus Montero) in order to pull off a swap with the Mariners.

On Friday morning, rumors started to fly that a Lee trade was in the works, and soon. Pieces began to fit together. Lee packed off to the Yankees, with Montero, second baseman David Adams, and pitcher Zach McAllister heading to Seattle. I was just getting over my elation with acquiring Montero, one of the most promising power bats in the game (there was prancing involved), when the Mariners pulled a fast one. Trade off – another team had stepped in instead.

The next few hours were absolute chaos in the Mariner corner of the internet. Conflicting reports were flying all over the place, but finally a firmer picture emerged. The Texas Rangers were the new team in on the Lee bidding, and for them to beat a package including Montero, they had to be including budding star first baseman Justin Smoak in the deal. Still, nothing was confirmed, so as Friday morning turned into afternoon everyone was still into dark about where exactly Lee was going, and who was coming back to Seattle.

The picture became clearer in dribs and drabs. Texas was confirmed as the recipient. Injured reliever Mark Lowe would be accompanying Lee, as would a significant portion of the rest of Lee’s pay for the season. The return? Justin Smoak, and ‘three other prospects’. The depth of Texas’s system was such that the three other prospects could have been very shiny indeed, and so Mariners fans waited on bated breath to hear who exactly was coming back to Safeco Field.

The answer was anticlimactic in the extreme. No Tanner Scheppers. No Derek Holland. No Engel Beltre. Instead, junkballer Blake Beavan, reliever Josh Lueke, and future utility man (at best) Matt Lawson. Granted, the non-Montero part of the Yankees package wasn’t much to write home about either, but Smoak aside, it was pretty easy to be underwhelmed by the return. It might even have been worse than the prospects sent to Philadelphia seven months prior, which is a pretty low bar under which to stoop.

Fortunately, the trade will not be judged based on the performances of Beavan, Lueke, and Lawson. Instead, it will be defined by the career of Justin Smoak, the absolute key to the deal. Only at the last minute would Texas GM John Daniels consent to having such an asset prized away, and for good reason. Smoak was part of the great first baseman draft of 2008 (the Mariners picked dud reliever Joshua Fields with pick #20), and looks to be the best of that class. Good contact, possibly the best eye in the minor leagues – potential ‘plus-plus power’ from both sides of the plate. Combine the bat with a good/great glove at first base, and the Mariners have their answer at first base for the forseeable future, and a key part of their next quality side. Smoak would have been a fair swap for Lee by himself.

That’s not to say that the trade was perfect. Some, including me, prefer Jesus Montero as an impact bat to anchor the lineup, and it will be interesting to see how things turn out. The arguments for Smoak are many, though: Montero has no position, and may end up at designated hitter. Smoak switch-hits, Montero is right handed. Smoak leaving Texas diminishes a divisional rival, while Montero merely hurts the New York Yankees. But no matter whether you preferred Smoak or Montero as the trade centerpiece, it was clearly a great trade. Seattle turned three months of one of the best pitchers around – they were not going to be able to extend or re-sign him – into a critical component of the organization for the next six years.

So, Mr. Smoak, welcome to Seattle. You may think you have some very large shoes to fill, but I’m more than confident that you’ll fulfill your promise and become one of the icons of this team.

It’s a hefty to price to pay for Rangers’ GM Jon Daniels. He’s giving up a player who they view as an annual 30-40 home run hitter for a three month rental. Evidently Daniels is worried about the pending bankruptcy of the team and may feel this is the Rangers lone shot at a title.

But it also makes me think of  a 2006 Rangers deal.  Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young, and Termel Sledge for Aki Otsuka and Adam Eaton”.

Now Cliff Lee is a much better pitcher than Eaton or Otsuka, the latter of which was to fill the closer role at the time. But Gonzalez was a can’t miss prospect and he has proven all the scouts right. Smoak may make Daniels regret this deal as well.

The Yankees and Mariners had agreed to deal in principle that would have sent Jesus Montero, David Adams, and Zach McAllister to Seattle, but the Mariners decided to look for a better off.  They certainly got one.

* * *

With all of the hoopla (pun very much intended) over LeBron James last night, I was shocked to see he was not the subject of conversation on Twitter this morning.  No sooner had my computer booted up then my brain got a jolt as well.  The NY Post’s Joel Sherman reported that the Yankees are in deep conversations with the Seattle Mariners for Cliff Lee.

Say what?

By 10 a.m. Sherman had tweeted and written that the teams were on the brink of getting the deal done.  Jesus Montero, the Yankees number one prospect, would be the centerpiece of the trade.  Montero has struggled at the plate for much of his first full season at Triple-A, but is still highly regarded around baseball.  This would also indicate that the Yankees front office is higher on catching prospect Austin Romine for the future.

The Mariners are also said to be intereted in 2nd base prospect, and UVA product, David Adams.  Sherman says a third prospect will also be included in the deal.

With Lee’s free agency on the horizon, you have to wonder if the Yankees will demand a window to negotiate a long term deal with the prized left-hander.  Though the Yankees would be giving up prospects, acquiring Lee would preclude losing draft picks if Lee went elsewhere and the Yankees then signed him as a free agent.

Some feel this deal would be overkill since the Yankees roll out CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, and Javier Vazquez on a regular basis.  Though three of the pitchers are All-Stars, Hughes has an innings limit and Burnett and Vazquez have struggled at times.  It’s possible once he nears the innings limit, Hughes could bolster the bullpen for the remainder of the season as he did last year.

While there are mixed feelings about giving up a top prospect, Cliff Lee is the type of player you give him up for.

Update: 11:20 am ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted that since Lee is set to face them tonight, the Yankees told the Mariners they have to have answer soon.

Joel Sherman has now reported that the Yankees will not ask for a negotiating window to get a long term deal done with Lee.

Update: 3:45 pm Sherman says the deal is off – he just tweeted:
“To repeat the Yankees aren’t getting Cliff Lee. Mariners concerned about David Adams ankle plus apparently another team has jumped in hard.”

Update: 4:20 pm According to several people involved with the Yankees, the deal is definitely dead (for now) with Seattle.

It look the Texas Rangers are the team that has re-entered the fray.  Rangers’ Hall of Fame beat writer T.R. Sullivan says “…the Rangers won’t do (Justin) Smoak”.  Possibilities are Jared Saltalamacchia, Engel Beltre, Derek Holland, Omar Beltre and Blake Beavan.

Stay tuned for updates.

Joe Girardi and the Yankees fans got a good look at the future in players like Jesus Montero and Slade Heathcott and ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte in the unique intrasquad game.  The Yankees, whose lineup featured minor leaguers on both sides by the time the game concluded, topped their future (hey, at least they didn’t destroy their future) 9-6.

With the regular season starting Sunday night, that also means it was time for the Yankees to pare down the roster.  The 25-man roster to start the season looks like this:

Pitchers:

CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Andy Pettitte
Javier Vazquez
Phil Hughes
Mariano Rivera
Joba Chamberlain
Sergio Mitre
Damaso Marte
Alfredo Aceves
David Robertson
Chan Ho Park

Catchers

Jorge Posada
Francisco Cervelli

Infielders

Derek Jeter
Alex Rodriguez
Robinson Cano
Mark Teixeira
Ramiro Pena
Nick Johnson

Outfielders

Curtis Granderson
Nick Swisher
Brett Gardner
Randy Winn
Marcus Thames

Manager Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman opted to go with Sergio Mitre as a long man in the pen rather than keep either Royce Ring or Boone Logan as a second left-hander in the bullpen.  Either could still be called up quicky if Damaso Marte’s cranky shoulder proves detrimental to the team as it did last season.

There was a big change in the team’s catching depth as well.  With Jorge Posada bothered by a stiff neck and Francisco Cervelli slowed by a sore hamstring, there was speculation that veteran catcher Mike Rivera might make the squad out of Tampa.

Not only didn’t Rivera make the team, he was on the verge of being released.  Rivera became expendable after former Yankee Chad Moeller was released by the Baltimore Orioles.  The Yankees quickly scooped him up as well former Diamondbacks catcher Robbie Hammock, and signed the pair to minor league deals.  Meanwhile Cervelli’s hamstring felt good enough for him to travel with the big squad.

* * *

Drew Sarver covers the Yankees for BaseballDigest.com and blogs at My Pinstripes.  He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and followed on Twitter.

3.  Manny Banuelos – Probably the best left-handed pitching prospect the New York Yankees have developed since current Yankee Andy Pettite.  Manny Banuelos was neck and neck with Arodys Vizcaino for the title of best pitching prospect in the Yankees organization but a trade solved that debate.  Banuelos was an international free agent that signed on March 30, 2008 out of Mexico.

Later in 2008 Banuelos made his professional debut when he appeared in 12 games for the Gulf Coast Yankees, three of which were starts.  With the GCL Yankees he was 4-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 42 innings.

The 2009 season saw Banuelos make his full season debut with the Charleston RiverDogs and in 25 games he was successful with a 9-5 record and a 2.67 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 108 innings.  Late in the season he was moved to the bullpen where he remained when he received a one game promotion to the Tampa Yankees late in the year where he pitched a perfect inning with 2 strikeouts.

Manny currently posses three pitches, a low 90s fastball and what is said to be a plus curveball and changeup.  He profiles to be a top of the rotation starter and could see himself in Double-A at the end of 2010 if he continues his success with the Tampa Yankees.

2010 Prediction: Class-A Advanced – Tampa Yankees

2.   Austin Romine – Coming in right behind the slugging Jesus Montero is the best defensive catcher in the organization in the form of Austin Romine.  The Yankees selected the 21 year old catcher in the second round of the 2007 First-Year Player draft out of high school and made his professional debut later that season appearing in just one game where he went 1 for 2 with a RBI for the Gulf Coast Yankees.

In 2008 he moved up to the full season leagues where he was part of a platoon with Jesus Montero.  In Charleston he hit an even .300 with 10 homeruns, 24 doubles a triple and 49 RBIs in 407 at bats with 3 stolen bases in 3 attempts.  He missed some time with a right groin strain but made up for it when he was sent to the Hawaii Winter Baseball League where he hit only .208 in 17 games.

Romine and Montero continued their platoon in the first half of the 2009 season when they opened it up on the roster of the Tampa Yankees.  Just before the All-Star Game Montero was promoted and Romine took over the everyday catching duties for the T-Yanks.  With Tampa he hit .276 with 13 homeruns, 28 doubles, 3 triples and 72 RBIs in 442 at bats.  After winning a championship with Tampa he went to the Arizona Fall League where he was .400 in 15 at bats.

Austin’s strength is his defensiveness, though he is not bad with the bat.  Romine posses a plus arm and thrown out 30 percent of the bases runners who attempted to steal on him at a level where the Yankees do not emphasis holding runners on.  He is expected to be the regular catcher at the major league level, splitting some time with Montero.
2010 Prediction: Double-A – Trenton Thunder

1.   Jesus Montero – Young, big, and powerful are three words that can best describe catching prospect Jesus Montero who comes as no surprise to be number one on our New York Yankees top prospect list.  The 6 foot 4 inch 225 pound right handed slugger has impressed at every level he has competed at.  Signed at the age of 16 on October 17, 2006 and he made his professional debut the next season with the Gulf Coast Yankees where he hit .280 with 3 homeruns, 6 doubles, and 19 RBIs in 107 at bats. 

In 2008 Montero played his first full professional season with the Charleston RiverDogs where he hit .326 with 17 homeruns, 34 doubles, a triple, 2 stolen bases and 87 RBIs in 525 at bats.  The 2009 season he split between the Tampa Yankees and the Trenton Thunder.  Between the two he hit .337 with 17 homeruns, 25 doubles, a triple, and 70 RBIs in a shortened season due to an injury.

Jesus’ greatest asset is his bat.  An average defensive catcher at best Montero’s is however one of the best hitters in the game, ranking in the top ten throughout the minors.  Though an injury cut his 2009 season short he is expected to start the 2010 season as the regular starting catcher for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees as a 19 year old.  With his hand-eye coordination and great power he is expected to be a regular at the major league level, if not at catcher as an everyday designated hitter at the worst.
2010 Prediction:  Triple-A – Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees

Be sure to check out the BaseballDigest.com Bleachers Forum to discuss the Yankees Top 10 Prospects as well as see the rest of the Top 30.

With players such as Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and Brett Gardner now entrenched in the major leagues the Yankees now have the task of replacing them in the system. In addition the trades the Yankees have made this past off season sent two of their top prospects to other teams in order to strengthen the big club.

It was an up and down year for the Yankees in the minor leagues as several of their top players experienced injuries such as Dellin Betances, Jairo Heredia, and Jesus Montero. Former first round pick Andrew Brackman struggled in his first professional season but found success at the end of the season out of the bullpen. Others however emerged such as the young Jose A. Ramirez who ended the year on the NY-Penn League championship roster of the Staten Island Yankees.

1. Jesus Montero – Young, big, and powerful are three words that can best describe catching prospect Jesus Montero who comes as no surprise to be number one on our New York Yankees top prospect list. The 6 foot 4 inch 225 pound right handed slugger has impressed at every level he has competed at.
2. Austin Romine – Coming in right behind the slugging Jesus Montero is the best defensive catcher in the organization in the form of Austin Romine. The Yankees selected the 21 year old catcher in the second round of the 2007 First-Year Player draft out of high school and made his professional debut later that season appearing in just one game where he went 1 for 2 with a RBI for the Gulf Coast Yankees.
3. Manny Banuelos – Probably the best left-handed pitching prospect the New York Yankees have developed since current Yankee Andy Pettite. Manny Banuelos was neck and neck with Arodys Vizcaino for the title of best pitching prospect in the Yankees organization but a trade solved that debate.
4. Slade Heathcott – One of the two members of the 2009 First-Year Draft class who made our Top 10 prospect list is outfielder Slade Heathcott. Although he appeared in only 3 games during the season with the Gulf Coast Yankees.
5. 

   Zach McAllister pitching for the Trenton Thunder - Photo Credit: Robert M. Pimpsner

   Zach McAllister – Zach McAllister was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 3^rd round ove the 2006 First-Year Player Draft and made his professional debut later that season as a piggyback starter with fellow draft pick Dellin Betances.

6. JR Murphy – John R. Murphy is the second member of the 2009 Draft class to be named to the Top 10 Prospects. Murphy was selected in the second round of the draft out of high school. The 6foot 190 pound catcher then made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Yankees where he hit .333 in 9 games with a homerun, a double and 7 RBIs.
7. Andrew Brackman – As a former two-sport athlete in college the towering Andrew Brackman never has been through the regular off-season training routine that typical pitchers went through, in addition sitting out a season due to Tommy John surgery he did not have his best stuff in 2009, but the Yankees still liked what they saw from his development.
8. Wilkins DeLaRosa – Originally signed as a right fielder with a killer arm DeLaRosa’s bat was not able to come around and the Yankees moved him to the mound in 2007.
9. Jeremy Bleich – Selected in the supplemental round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft the left-handed pitching Jeremy Bleich made his professional debut pitching 3 innings allowing 2 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 4 for the Staten Island Yankees in September of that season.
10. Ivan Nova – Ivan Nova is a guy that Yankees fans could see sometime soon in the Bronx. The young right hander signed on July 15, 2004 as an International Free Agent and then made his United States debut in 2006 with the Gulf Coast Yankees.

Other Names to Know

Beyond the top ten prospects are several players that could break into the list next year such as right-handers Jose A. Ramirez, DJ Mitchell, Christian Garcia and Hector Noesi. That latter was added to the 40-man roster this past off-season. Infielders Bradley Suttle and Corban Joseph are also names to follow in the minors. Newly signed catcher Gary Sanchez has yet to get into a game but could be on the list next season after making his professional debut. In addition the young Kyle Higashioka has the ability to be great defensive catcher as well as become a good hitter.

Check back throughout the week as we take a closer look at the Top 10 New York Yankees Prospects