Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
XRayReb asks: Which pitcher and position player do you predict will make their MLB debut first?
It’s difficult to say, as the Yankees carry a loaded roster and the few interchangeable pieces are players that have already seen action at the major league level. Still, the 40-man roster is a useful
tool for estimating who has the inside track to a cup of Joe when the team is in a pinch, and currently that makes our likeliest candidates Elmer Rodriguez and Spencer Jones.
Rodriguez is an easier sell, as he rose through three levels of the minors last year (though admittedly he made just one start in Triple-A). After dominating at High-A and Double-A, he’s one good half with the RailRiders away from a callup if the team is in need of starting pitching, and even though the team’s depth is strong in the rotation there’s plenty of concern about how many of them are coming off of injuries — and new ones always pop up sooner or later in the year.
Jones is a much tougher pitch, for a variety of reasons. First, he’s blocked from the majors much like Rodriguez is with Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham patrolling Yankee Stadium’s outfield, but unlike with the rotation it’d take a small disaster unfolding for him to see time in the majors. The organization wants him developing by playing every day, which means a backup role where he’s playing once or twice a week is out of the question, and there’s another name ahead of Jones on the depth chart with Jasson Domínguez on the outskirts as well. On top of that, Jones’ play has one glaring flaw that the team surely wants to see major improvement on before they consider calling him up.
The problem with the position player side is that nearly everyone else has made their major league debut already, either because they’re veterans and journeymen waiting for another chance or they’re prospects that got a taste of the majors but not much more. Thus, even with a couple of theoretical candidates on the board, Jones still stands as the likeliest to appear first just because of the incredible power that he can put on display, flaws and all.
ConorGallogy asks: With so many at the WBC, have any minor leaguers getting an opportunity shown more than expected?
There’s quite a number of Yankees participating in the WBC, to be sure, but it hasn’t opened up that massive a window for the organization’s prospect to take over the show. The tournament is two weeks long after all, and some players will be returning earlier as they get eliminated. One of the more unheralded names that have shined during this part of spring, however, is Max Schuemann, a third baseman with a handful of game experience in the majors with the A’s. Schuemann has appeared in 10 games this spring, hitting for a 1.036 OPS entering play on Friday, and he’s caught the eye of Aaron Boone and the coaching staff for his effort in camp. He’s not likely to appear with the team anytime soon, but his name is in the hat now should the team need depth in the infield, and that’s not something that might’ve developed as well had so many of the regular’s not been busy elsewhere.
yankobb asks: Is it just me or are the WBC celebrations become more exaggerated this time around? I know it’s always been more emotional but celebrating like you just won the championship when you push your lead from 14 runs to 15 runs seems a bit excessive.
We here at Pinstripe Alley tend to collectively side in favor of letting players express themselves on the field, and the WBC is no exception here. Quite the opposite, in fact — the unique circumstances of the tournament and the limited time with which these players have to enjoy the bonds they formed on these rosters lead to plenty of moments where the players want to erupt in celebration, regardless of the scoreboard. And since the mercy rule is in play, there’s no real threat of “overcelebrating” or anything of the sort: every run brings a team closer to walking off in a way that these players won’t get to experience once they’re back with their MLB teams.
