Yanks look great as Wang injures foot in 13-0 win

Sorry about the lack of updates, things over at Pinstripes Plus have been busy thanks to the draft. The Yankees have looked terrific in this past series, and aside from the injury to Wang's foot, the Yankees look like they may have turned a major corner. Granted, they've played a weaker team, but the offense is certainly clicking and the bench is much more versatile. Damon has been tremendous at the top of the order and Giambi has been lights out. Things can't look to good for to long, however. While running the bases in todays game, Chien-Ming Wang injured his foot and had to be escorted off the field. I missed it actually, I was folding laundry. Right now, it does not seem good, and Wang did not seem very positive after the game and told Peter Abraham that "it hurts a lot." Wang is scheduled for an MRI tomorrow, and if he has to miss more than a month, expect the papers to be flooded with C.C. Sabathia rumors and theories.

Also, I'll be in attendance at the game on Wednesday. I'm pretty excited. I haven't been to Yankees stadium since April 13, 2006.

The 2007 Draft: One Year Later

Now that a year has passed since the 2007 MLB draft, it would probably be a good time to look at how the prospects have performed one year after the draft.

1st Round: Andrew Brackman-RHP- (DNP)

2nd Round: Austin Romine - C - .281/.320/.385 with 8 doubles in 26 games

3rd Round: Ryan Pope - RHP - 7-4/2.68 ERA/ 82 K/18 BB in 94.2 IP

4th Round: Brad Suttle - 3B - .274/ .348/.419 with 1 HR in 17 games

5th Round: Adam Olbrychowski -RHP - 6-7/3.99 ERA/ 78 K/44 BB in 97.1 IP

6th Round: Richard Chase Weems - C - (DNP)

7th Round: Damon A. Sublett - 2B - .301/.402/.469 with 10 HR and 64 RBI in 399 AB

8th Round: Taylor D. Grote - CF - 1 BB in 1 AB

9th Round: Austin M. Krum - CF - .235/.316/.349 with 3 HR, 48 RBI and 15 SB in 378 AB

10th Round: Carmen E. Angelini -SS- .251/.307/.305 with 1 HR 14 RBI and 9 SB in 187 AB

11th Round: Isaiah D. Howes - LF - .193/.281/.298 with 2 HR in 114 AB

12th Round: Manuel A. Barreda - RHP - 5-0/3.00 ERA/44 K/15 BB in 39 IP

13th Round: Nicholas C. Chigges - RHP - 3-4/2.29 ERA/62 K/21 BB in 55 IP

14th Round: William B. Pruitt - 3B - (DNP)

15th Round: David Williams - OF - .258/.334/.353 with 2 HR and 43 RBI in 365 AB

17th Round: Ryan D. Zink - RHP - 6-1/3.46 ERA/42 K/23 BB in 52 IP

19th Round: Taylor Holiday - OF - .266/.339/.354 with 24 XBH and 21 SB in 376 AB

20th Round: Ryan K. Wehrle - SS - .235/.354/.356 with 3 HR and 14 RBI in 149 AB

21st Round: Justin R. Snyder - 2B - .320/.417/.454/ with 45 XBH in 478 AB

22nd Round: Craig D. Heyer - RHP - 8-0/2.55 ERA/40 K/17 BB in 81.2 IP

23rd Round: Matthew Morris - CF - .216/.268/.309 with 2 HR and 12 RBI in 139 AB

25th Round: Jason Kiley - RHP - 4-2/2.86 ERA/ 31 K/18 BB in 34.2 IP

26th Round:Gary P. Gattis - CF - .286/.379/.429 with 1 HR and 6 RBI in 49 AB

27th Round: Brandon Laird - 3B - .282/.320/.468 with 12 HR and 50 RBI in 333 AB

28th Round: Jeffrey J. Livek - RHP - 1-2/6.43 ERA/5 K/10 BB in 18.2 IP

29th Round:Matthew W. Pilgreen - RHP -(DNP)

30th Round: Christopher R. Carrara - 2B - .143/.294/.214 in 28 AB

32nd Round: Brian J. Chavez - SS - .115/.154/164 in 61 AB

33rd Round: Fred R. Jones - RHP - 1.76 ERA/4K/3 BB in 5.1 IP

36th Round: Daniel Cox - SS - 1-for-11 in 7 games

37th Round: Steven J. Strausbaugh - RF- (DNP)

41st Round: Jake W. Shafer - RHP - 6.1 IP/0.00 ERA/7 K/0 BB

42nd Round: Chris Raber - 1B - .256/.324/.327 with 2 HR and 27 RBI in 156 AB

46th Round:Daniel J. Kapala - RHP - 3.94 ERA/10 K/6 BB in 16. IP

50th Round: Larry Day - C - .177/.280/.242 in 62 AB


Top Pitchers:
Ryan Pope, RHP
Manuel A. Barreda, RHP
Nicholas C. Chigges, RHP
Craig D. Heyer, RHP
Jason Kiley, RHP

Top Hitters:
Brandon Laird, 2B
Damon Sublett, 2B
Justin Snyder, 2B
Taylor Holiday, OF

The Yankees scouting department obviously has an eye for pitchers. The majority of those who posted at least 50 innings have done a solid job. I'm a big fan of Brandon Laird, Damon Sublett Jason Kiley and Ryan Pope. I think each of them could be decent contributors at the major league level. The Yankees got some decent talent in 2007 draft, and the best part is, the no.1 draft pick has yet to throw a pitch.

Yankees draft ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte again

The Yankees originally drafted LHP/RHP Pat Venditte out of Creighton University last year in the 45th round. He opted to return to college, and the Yankees drafted him again today in the 20th round. Obviously the Yankees really like him, and perhaps they'll be even more aggressive in trying to sign him this time around.

When Venditte throws right-handed, he has an over-the-top delivery and throws an average curve and 88-91 mph fastball. From the left side, he throws side-armed style and has a slider and low 80's fastball. Aside from having a constant advantage over hitters, he is able to pitch longer than the average pitcher because the burden is shared between two arms. Seems like an exciting pick by the Yankees.

So far, I've spoken with Bittle, Corban Joseph and Matt Richardson. I'm waiting on David Phelps (14) to call me back.

Update- Check out the video on Venditte:

Bruney may be ready by ASB; Good read on Melancon

According to Ed Price of the Newark Star-Ledger, Brian Bruney is recoverin from his Lisfran injury quite quickly and could be ready to pitch again by the All-Star break. He's been cleared to play catch at 60 feet by a hospital specialist. Bruney will be a big help to the pen if he can pitch the same way he did earlier in the season. If he proves to be healthy and effective, wave goodbye to Latroy Hawkins.

Meanwhile, Tyler Kepner put together a nice read on future closer Mark Melancon (pronounced Mel-An-sun) who could be ready to make a big jump soon. Melancon thinks he's ready at least, and I believe him. I just hope he gets a brief stint in Scranton so I can interview him.

Now that Joba is a starter for the time being, the Yankees will need to find a solid group of relievers. J.B. Cox, Mark Melancon, Brian Bruney and David Robertson could all help, and if Humberto Sanchez can recapture his control after missing a season, there is a small chance he could be a late season boost. Either way, the tandem of Cox and Melancon should be more than enough.

I'll be interviewing four draft picks today, so don't expect many updates, but I plan on doing a little recap of some of the better picks of the day.

Coco vs. The Rays

There was an awesome brawl during the Sox/Rays game last night after starting pitcher James Shields threw at Coco Crisp. This may be the best bench clearing brawl of the year:

Yankees Draft Roundup: Day 1

Here is how the rest of the draft played out today for the Yankees:

2nd Round (75th Overall): Scott Bittle - RHP - University of Mississippi
The Yankees drafted Bittle in the 48th round of the 2007 draft, but the Yankee fan opted to return to college and found great success after moving to the pen last season. The right-hander decimated SEC pitching, posting a 2.79 ERA in 42 innings while striking out 59 and walking only 17. He has an astounding cutter that is slower than Mariano Rivera's, but with more movement. He also throws an average fastball and changeup.

I interviewed Bittle earlier today, and he is incredibly well spoken and polite. More importantly, he's extremely excited to be drafted again by the Yankees. Based on our conversation, he's got a great attitude and makeup, and I think he'll progress quickly through the organization once he signs. I think he projects to be a solid and dependable middle reliever, and he has a shot to reach the big leagues in the second half of 2009.

3rd Round (106th Overall): David Adams - 2B - University of Virginia
I don't know much about Adams, but the infielder hit .286/.384/.411 in his junior season and is according to reports is a hard-nosed, gritty player with average power and speed. Based on his stats, he seems to have solid plate discipline, and if he maintains that approach with the Yankees, we could see a consistent .280-.290 hitter. The Yankees really needed to add a few middle infielders, and Adams seems like a nice safe pick.

4th Round (140th Overall): Corban Joseph - SS - Franklin High School
Joseph is a solid left-handed power hitter with above-average defensive skills, good bat speed and a smooth swing. Wish I knew more about him, but finding good information on high schoolers can be tough.

5th Round (170th Overall): Christopher Smith - LF - Centennial High School
I don't know much about the outfielder, but he sure can hit. Smith posted a .708 batting average with 12 homers and 43 RBI in 20 games last season for Centennial High. According to his coach, Smith looked better at the plate than a young Darryl Strawberry, Coco Crisp and Eric Davis too. Seems like the Yankees drafted a natural hitter.

6th Round (200th Overall): Brett Marshall - RHP - Ross S. Sterling High School
Marshall encountered a tremendous spike in velocity prior to his 2007 season, and can now hit 96 mph with his fastball. He has an above-average slider, below-averae change and iffy mechanics. I could see the Yankees going all "Alan Horne" on him.

It seems like the Yankees went with reliable picks instead of high-risk/high-reward players today. That is not necessarily a bad philosophy, and by pairing a pick like Bittle with a pick like Marshall, the Yankees are getting a great mix of talent levels.

Yankees use 44th pick to draft Bleich

The Yankees drafted Stanford's Jeremy Bleich in the first supplemental round of the draft. The lefty posted a 5.56 ERA in 98.2 innings last year, striking out 60 and walking 30. According to Stanford's site, Bleich has improved on his fastball and has the best curveball and changeup on the team. His fastball sits in the high 80's to low 90's range with good movement. He also played on the USA Junior National team and supposedly has great makeup and a competitive attitude. His idol is also Andy Pettitte. Check out the rest here.

Yanks take Cole with 28th overall pick

The Yankees have drafted right-handed pitcher Gerrit Cole out of Orange Lutheran High School in the first round of the 2008 amateur draft. Cole, a 28th round pick, is able to hit 93-96 MPH with his fastball and boasts a decent hard-breaking slider and average changeup. Cole is a Boras client, and based on his pre-draft ranking, the Yankees are going to pay some serious cash to sign him, but it'll be worth it.

Some scouts and analysts have said that Cole is one of the best high school pitchers in the draft, and Baseball America had him ranked at no. 9 in the top 100 high school players in the 2008 edition of the Prospect Handbook.

On a somewhat related note, I'll be speaking with a few of the draft picks today and tomorrow for Pinstripes Plus. If you want to know more about the newest Yankee prospects, I highly suggest you check out the site and look into buying the magazine.

MLB.com has more on Cole:

Biographical Data
Player Name:	Gerrit Cole
Position:	Starting Pitcher
School:	Orange Lutheran HS (Calif.)
School Type:	High School
Academic Class:	Senior
Birthdate:	09/08/90
Height:	6'3"
Weight:	195 lbs.
Bats:	Right
Throws:	Right
Report Date(s):	03/08/08
Game(s):	Tesoro HS

Focus Area	Comments
Fastball:	Cole was throwing 95-98 mph early and settled in at 92-94 throughout his start.
Fastball movement:	He usually has plus arm-side sink and bore, though he was fairly straight in this outing.
Slider:	It's an average pitch now, which he throws 78-82 mph, but it projects as a plus pitch in the future. It has some depth coming from a 3/4 arm angle.
Changeup:	It's a little too firm at 79-80 mph, but he's got a good feel for it.
Control:	He's an above-average strike-thrower for a high schooler, letting his stuff work for him in the zone.
Poise:	His makeup on the field can be an issue, as he gets animated with umpires and teammates at times.
Physical Description:	Cole is a projectable high school right-hander who compares a bit to Kyle Farnsworth.
Medical Update:	Healthy.
Strengths:	His projectability and his stuff, with the ability to throw three average to plus pitches, and to throw them for strikes.
Weaknesses:	He has some mechanical issues with his delivery, with an arc in the back and a tendency to throw across his body; he gets too emotional on the mound.
Summary:	A projectable high school right-hander with the capability already to throw a fastball up into the upper 90s is bound to garner interest. Throw in a future plus slider and a changeup, all for which he can throw for strikes, and it's no wonder Cole is considered one of the top prep pitchers in the class. He's going to have to work out some kinks in his delivery and he's got Scott Boras as an advisor, but neither of those issues should keep him from being drafted early.

Yankees News and Notes: 6/02

Joba Chamberlain is set to make his first major league start tomorrow against the Blue Jays. He's only thrown nine innings against the Jays, but in that span he's allowed three hits and no runs. He also struck out 14. Starting is going to be a different ballgame for Chamberlain, but he has the stuff to do it. Expect some lumps, but overall, he'll be one of the better no.5 pitchers in the league.

Meanwhile, Jorge Posada played in a simulated game this weekend and was able to catch and throw to runners from behind the plate. He'll have today off, but will catch on Tuesday and Wednesday before likelky being activated for Thursday. Chad Moeller will return to Scranton. It'll be great to have Jorge back in the lineup, especially if he'll be producing from behind the plate.

Phil Hughes' bone scan t his past week revealed a "hot spot" on his pitching arm, and he won't be cleared to begin throwing for at least another week. He'll have another scan this week to determine any progress, but I really don't think we'll see Hughes until mid July.

The Yankees designated Morgan Ensberg for assignment yesterday, and called up reliever Scott Patterson. Ensberg hit .203/.263/.243 in 80 plate appearances this season, and cost the Yankees $1.75 million. They virtually had similar players in Ensberg and Betemit, but at least Betemit can try to play short and second. With the way J.B. Cox is throwing in Scranton, I don't think Patterson will stay with the Yankees for long.

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre outfielder Jason Lane has an opt-out clause in his contract if he's not promoted by Tuesday. Judging by the designation of Morgan Ensberg and the promotion of Ron Villone next season, the Yankees will most likely give him a shot. I got a chance to see Lane hit the game winning home run against the Indianapolis Indians last Friday, and also saw him play some first base during the series. He looks strong at the plate, and capable at first. The Yankees would be making a mistake by letting him go. I bet he could produce more than Shelley Duncan at this point. At least Lane can also play center field.

Finally, Troy Renck of the Denver Post notes that the Yankees may become interested in reliever Brian Fuentes; a pitcher they've had their eyes on for years. Ideally, they'd use him as the eighth inning setup man. Renck also noted that LaTroy Hawkins could wind up back in Colorado. Fuentes would be a good move, and because of his age he may not be as expensive as other pitchers on the trade market. It may only take one decent prospect and another average one to acquire him.

S/WB Yankee Notes: Austin Jackson went 3-for-5 with two doubles and seven RBI for Double-A Trenton on Saturday; he may promoted to Scranton in a few weeks...In his last 10 games, Eric Duncan is hitting .325 with four doubles, three homers and 12 RBI...S/WB reliever David Robertson struck out six in two and one-thirds innings against Rochester Saturday night...Ben Broussard is 8-for-23 with five doubles since joining the Yankees...Dan McCutchen has been suspended for three games after throwing at a Pawtucket batter last week.

Kennedy to DL

Ian Kennedy suffered a lat strain in the third inning of Tuesday night's loss against Baltimore, and will likely miss a few weeks.

Kennedy is going on the disabled list with his strained latissimus dorsi. He is scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday afternoon in New York. Kennedy said he first felt it in the third inning and tried to pitch through it. "It just came up and kind of grabbed," he said. He also said it isn't as bad as the lat and back strains that shut him down last September through the playoffs. (source)

Meanwhile, Mark Feinsand notes that Kennedy's injury could spell an early move to the rotation for Joba Chamberlain, which may be a bad idea. Of course, the Yankees will eventually have to put him in the rotation, but rushing him could end up being a mistake. His arm needs to get used to tossing 50-60 pitches, and then he'll be ready for a start. It takes time to build up arm strength for a pitcher, especially when one is moving from the pen to the rotation. Dan Giese and I talked about it this weekend. He was only allowed to throw 50 pitches in his first start, and now , more than five starts later he's moved up to about 80-90. These things take time and an arm is a fickle thing sometimes.

Speaking of Giese, I think he would be a great candidate to replace Kennedy for a while. Aside from last night, He's put up tremendous numbers in Triple-A and has a great mentality on the mound. He's honestly one of the nicest guys I've spoken with the clubhouse to, and his story can't be beat. His dream is to pitch in Yankee stadium, and now that he's adding an offspeed pitch, perhaps the Yankees should give him a shot. What would they have to lose?