Yankees Add Pen Depth With Kelley

With Rafael Soriano gone, Mariano Rivera coming back from a major injury, and the inconsistent pitching of Joba Chamberlain, the Yankees added some depth to their bullpen by acquiring Shawn Kelley from the Seattle Mariners.   Outfield prospect Abe Almonte, who had recently re-upped with the Yankees on a new minor league deal, was sent to Seattle.

Kelley put up pretty good numbers in the 120 appearances he made with Seattle in his four year career. He was designated for assignment last week when Seattle added free agent catcher Kelly Shoppach to their 40 man roster.

After a season in which he struck out better than a batter an inning, Kelley had avoided arbitration when he and the Mariners agreed on a one year, $935K deal. He'll compete with the likes of former Mariners teammate David Aardsma in the Yankees pen.

The 23-yr old Almonte was a second baseman when he started out as a 17-yr old prospect in the Dominican Summer League before shifting to the outfield. He can play all three outfield positions and is good for 30 stolen bases a year.

Minor League Recap - 5/30

Abe Almonte's return from a 3 week stint on the DL was a successful one tonight for the Charleston River Dogs. The centerfielder hit his 5th home run of the season in the 6th inning to snap a 1-1 tie and beat the Hickory Crawdads 2-1. Justin Snyder added his 3rd home run while Noel Castillo went 6 innings for his 5th victory and Jonathan Ortiz picked up his 15th save.

The RiverDogs closer has been quite phenomenal this season - 24.1 IP 20 H 5 ER 4 27 K. Ortiz has successfully built off last season, spent primarily at Staten Island, when he recorded 53 strikeouts in just 32.2 innings pitched.

The Tampa Yankees blew a 4-1 lead, but Tim Battle's 9th inning infield single drove in Josue Calzado with the go ahead run, and the Yankees held on 5-4 over the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Trenton salvaged the finale of their 4-game series with New Hampshire by scoring 4 runs in the 8th inning for a 7-4 win. Kevin Russo tripled in the tying run and scored what proved to be the game winner on Reegie Corona's single. Cody Ehlers, who drove in 3 runs for the game, capped the inning with a 2-run double. Colin Curtis had a 3-hit, 2 RBI night that included his 4th home run.

The Thunder had built a 3-0 lead behind the second straight strong outing by George Kontos, but the Fisher Cats rallied against him and Zach Kroenke to take a 4-3 lead. Mike Gardner picked up the win.

Jose Tabata was apparently pulled during the game for failing to back up Austin Jackson on a ball hit between them. Mike Ashmore has more on another Tabata disciplinary action.

Justin Masterson out pitched Dan McCutchen in the Pawtucket Red Sox 5-2 win over the Scranton Yankees. McCutchen, making his second Triple-A start, was charged with 3 earned runs in 4.2 innings, with all 3 runs coming on a pair of home runs.

Minor League Recap - 5/30

Abe Almonte's return from a 3 week stint on the DL was a successful one tonight for the Charleston River Dogs. The centerfielder hit his 5th home run of the season in the 6th inning to snap a 1-1 tie and beat the Hickory Crawdads 2-1. Justin Snyder added his 3rd home run while Noel Castillo went 6 innings for his 5th victory and Jonathan Ortiz picked up his 15th save.

The RiverDogs closer has been quite phenomenal this season - 24.1 IP 20 H 5 ER 4 27 K. Ortiz has successfully built off last season, spent primarily at Staten Island, when he recorded 53 strikeouts in just 32.2 innings pitched.

The Tampa Yankees blew a 4-1 lead, but Tim Battle's 9th inning infield single drove in Josue Calzado with the go ahead run, and the Yankees held on 5-4 over the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Trenton salvaged the finale of their 4-game series with New Hampshire by scoring 4 runs in the 8th inning for a 7-4 win. Kevin Russo tripled in the tying run and scored what proved to be the game winner on Reegie Corona's single. Cody Ehlers, who drove in 3 runs for the game, capped the inning with a 2-run double. Colin Curtis had a 3-hit, 2 RBI night that included his 4th home run.

The Thunder had built a 3-0 lead behind the second straight strong outing by George Kontos, but the Fisher Cats rallied against him and Zach Kroenke to take a 4-3 lead. Mike Gardner picked up the win.

Jose Tabata was apparently pulled during the game for failing to back up Austin Jackson on a ball hit between them. Mike Ashmore has more on another Tabata disciplinary action.

Justin Masterson out pitched Dan McCutchen in the Pawtucket Red Sox 5-2 win over the Scranton Yankees. McCutchen, making his second Triple-A start, was charged with 3 earned runs in 4.2 innings, with all 3 runs coming on a pair of home runs.

Weekend Minor League Recap - 4/21

TRIPLE-A
Friday 4/18 Scranton 9 Charlotte 5
Kei Igawa turned a quality start and Scranton got home runs from Eric Duncan (2), Cody Ransom, and Shelley Duncan.

Saturday 4/19 Scranton 1 Rochester 0
Four Yankees pitchers combined on the shutout. Ransom drove in the game's only run in the 6th inning.

Sunday 4/20 Rochester 7 Scranton 4
The Yankees had a 4-0 lead, but starter Steven White and relievers Sean Henn and Chris Britton faltered. Brett Gardner had an RBI and a run scored, and is hitting .345.


DOUBLE-A

Friday 4/18 Trenton 8 New Britain 4
Chase Wright improved to 3-1 (2.92 ERA) and Kevin Russo and Cody Ehlers drove in 2 runs each.

Saturday 4/19 Trenton 5 New Britain 3
The Thunder tied the game in the 8th and then won it in the 11th on Ramiro Pena's 2-run single. Pena also homered in the game as did Matt Carson.

Sunday 4/20 New Britain 5 Trenton 4
The Thunder rallied late again (9th) to tie the game, but the Rock Cats got the winning run in the 12th. P.J. Pillitere went 4-6 to lead the Thunder. Starter Dan McCutchen turned in another good outing, allowing 2 earned runs in 7 innings.

Prospect check - Austin Jackson went 3-13 to drop his season average to .290. Jose Tabata went into a 1-15 skid and is hitting just .225.


ADVANCED 'A'

Friday 4/18 Lakeland 4 Tampa 1
Flying Tigers starter Luis Marte no-hit the Yankees for 7 innings in outdueling Ivan Nova (6 IP 3 H 2 ER 9 K).

Saturday 4/19 Tampa 3 Lakeland 0
Eric Hacker threw no-hit ball for 7 innings earlier this season. On Saturday, he allowed just 1 hit in 6 innings, didn't issue a walk, and struck out 5. The effort topped a good outing from NJ product Rick Porcello (6 IP 3 H 2 ER 1 BB 4 K). Hacker has allowed just 10 hits and 1 walk in 26 innings pitched thus far. He's also struck out 21 hitters.

Sunday 4/20 Tampa 3 Clearwater 0
Four Tampa pitchers combined on a 4-hit shutout with Grant Duff picking up the win.


Single-A

Friday 4/18 Columbus 6 Charleston 3
The Dogs defense let down start Zach McAllister as Charleston lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. Kevin Romine was 2-3.

Saturday 4/19 Charleston 6 Columbus 0
Dellin Bettances pitched the River Dogs back to the winning side of the ledger with 2-hit ball for 5 innings. The 6'8" right-hander walked 5 and struck out 5 to improve to 3-0, 2.66. Abe Almonte tripled, homered, and drove in 4 runs.

Sunday 4/20 Charleston 11 Columbus 7
Almonte had 4 hits, including a pair of home runs, and drove in 4 and Wady Rufino homered and knocked in 5 as the River Dogs overcame a 3-0 deficit.

Prospect Check - The River Dogs catchers are doing plenty of hitting. Highly touted prospect Jesus Montero is batting .356 and has an .888 OPS. In addition to his 2 home runs and 5 doubles, Montero has 14 RBI and 14 runs scored. Fellow catcher and 2007 amateur draft pick Kevin Romine is hitting .396 with a .912 OPS. The 19-yr old has 6 RBI and 7 runs scored in 13 games.

Weekend Minor League Recap - 4/21

TRIPLE-A
Friday 4/18 Scranton 9 Charlotte 5
Kei Igawa turned a quality start and Scranton got home runs from Eric Duncan (2), Cody Ransom, and Shelley Duncan.

Saturday 4/19 Scranton 1 Rochester 0
Four Yankees pitchers combined on the shutout. Ransom drove in the game's only run in the 6th inning.

Sunday 4/20 Rochester 7 Scranton 4
The Yankees had a 4-0 lead, but starter Steven White and relievers Sean Henn and Chris Britton faltered. Brett Gardner had an RBI and a run scored, and is hitting .345.


DOUBLE-A

Friday 4/18 Trenton 8 New Britain 4
Chase Wright improved to 3-1 (2.92 ERA) and Kevin Russo and Cody Ehlers drove in 2 runs each.

Saturday 4/19 Trenton 5 New Britain 3
The Thunder tied the game in the 8th and then won it in the 11th on Ramiro Pena's 2-run single. Pena also homered in the game as did Matt Carson.

Sunday 4/20 New Britain 5 Trenton 4
The Thunder rallied late again (9th) to tie the game, but the Rock Cats got the winning run in the 12th. P.J. Pillitere went 4-6 to lead the Thunder. Starter Dan McCutchen turned in another good outing, allowing 2 earned runs in 7 innings.

Prospect check - Austin Jackson went 3-13 to drop his season average to .290. Jose Tabata went into a 1-15 skid and is hitting just .225.


ADVANCED 'A'

Friday 4/18 Lakeland 4 Tampa 1
Flying Tigers starter Luis Marte no-hit the Yankees for 7 innings in outdueling Ivan Nova (6 IP 3 H 2 ER 9 K).

Saturday 4/19 Tampa 3 Lakeland 0
Eric Hacker threw no-hit ball for 7 innings earlier this season. On Saturday, he allowed just 1 hit in 6 innings, didn't issue a walk, and struck out 5. The effort topped a good outing from NJ product Rick Porcello (6 IP 3 H 2 ER 1 BB 4 K). Hacker has allowed just 10 hits and 1 walk in 26 innings pitched thus far. He's also struck out 21 hitters.

Sunday 4/20 Tampa 3 Clearwater 0
Four Tampa pitchers combined on a 4-hit shutout with Grant Duff picking up the win.


Single-A

Friday 4/18 Columbus 6 Charleston 3
The Dogs defense let down start Zach McAllister as Charleston lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. Kevin Romine was 2-3.

Saturday 4/19 Charleston 6 Columbus 0
Dellin Bettances pitched the River Dogs back to the winning side of the ledger with 2-hit ball for 5 innings. The 6'8" right-hander walked 5 and struck out 5 to improve to 3-0, 2.66. Abe Almonte tripled, homered, and drove in 4 runs.

Sunday 4/20 Charleston 11 Columbus 7
Almonte had 4 hits, including a pair of home runs, and drove in 4 and Wady Rufino homered and knocked in 5 as the River Dogs overcame a 3-0 deficit.

Prospect Check - The River Dogs catchers are doing plenty of hitting. Highly touted prospect Jesus Montero is batting .356 and has an .888 OPS. In addition to his 2 home runs and 5 doubles, Montero has 14 RBI and 14 runs scored. Fellow catcher and 2007 amateur draft pick Kevin Romine is hitting .396 with a .912 OPS. The 19-yr old has 6 RBI and 7 runs scored in 13 games.