NL Rookie Preview '09 - NL Central

We are back to previewing our rookie of the year candidates in the National League. We've already taken a look at the NL East, so today we move to the NL Central.

The division has produced the last two winners - Ryan Braun, MIL, in 2007 and Geovanny Soto, CHI, last year. Jeff Samardzija tops the list of Cubs prospects that could have an impact this season, but he was on the MLB roster for more than 45 days last year, so he's not rookie eligible. The Cubs don't have any other players that are major league ready among their rookies.

The Brewers have J.J. Hardy as their every day shortstop, with their #1 prospect Alcides Escobar waiting in the wings. Hardy is coming off a very good year - .283-24-75 and is making $4.65 million this season. The Brewers don't keep high salaries, which means eventually Hardy could be elsewhere. For now though, he's the man.

The Cardinals have one of the rookie of the year favorites in Colby Rasmus, Baseball America's #3 prospect in all of baseball. The 22-yr old opened eyes when he 29 home runs at Double-A in 2007. Last season, his first in Triple-A, Rasmus was bothered by injuries and hit just 11 home runs with 36 RBI.

He could see significant playing time in all three outfield positions for the Cards this season. Rasmus also has speed, he's topped double figures in steals each season in the minor leagues and is an above average outfielder with a strong arm.

Among those battling for the Cardinals closer role are second year player Chris Perez and Jason Motte, who stood out in a 12 game appearance last season. Motte struck out 16 batters in 11 innings and is the anti-Rick Ankiel. That is, he was a catcher in the Cards system prior to converting to pitcher in 2007.

The Pirates are a franchise that is always infusing youth, and lack of salary, into their lineup. Dan McCutchen, part of the Xavier Nady-Damaso Marte trade with the Yankees, is competing for the back end of the rotation and could be a bullpen option as well. But it's the other McCutchen that everyone is waiting on.

22-yr old outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit .283 in his first full season at Triple-A last year. McCutchen is a spark plug type of player that could eventually develop some power as well. He hit 9 home runs last season and stole 34 bases in 52 attempts. He also showed some patience at the plate in garnering 68 walks.

McCutchen has the dreaded 5-tool tag that many players find hard to live up to. But McCutchen is expected to be an every day centerfielder. Of course, Nate McLouth may have something to say about that.

The Astros roster is filled with veterans. Players like Hunter Pence (3rd year) and J.R. Towles (2nd year) are the exceptions. The Astros top prospect is catcher Jason Castro, who was selected in the 2008 amateur draft out of Stanford, but won't have an impact on the lineup for at least a couple of years.

The Reds had a rookie rampage last season. Outfielder Joey Votto was the runner up to Soto in last year's ROY vote. Pitchers Johnny Cueto and (2nd year player) Edinson Volquez (who finished 4th in the voting despite not being eligible) and outfielder Jay Bruce (5th in the voting) should have an impact on the Reds lineup for years to come.

Though no rookie should have an impact this season, 2008 1st round pick, Yonder Alonso, could be pushing Votto as first base before you know it, and New Jersey native and Rutgers grad Todd Frazier could be competing for the starting shortstop job next season.

Ranking the NL Central ROY candidates

1. Colby Rasmus
2. Andrew McCutchen
3. Jason Motte

The Daily Yankeeland - 3/11

The Yankees style is buttoned up corporate; Nick Swisher has other ideas.

Johnny Damon, who dresses next to Swisher, says Swisher “knows that this is a short part of our lives, and he is going to enjoy it to the fullest.”

George King of the Post has a piece on the Yankees current third baseman. That would be Cody Ransom.

Mike Mussina and his family visited the Yankees yesterday and watched last night's game.

The Yankees travel to Lakeland today to take on the Tigers in a 1:05 start. CC Sabathia gets the start for the Yanks.

Peter Abraham has a live video chat scheduled for Noon EDT today.

Mariano Rivera threw a BP session today and felt good afterwards. Jesus Montero and John Rodriguez were the guinea pigs.

Investigators found evidence of steroids on the needles that Brian McNamee allegedly injected Roger Clemens with. The Rocket's DNA had already been found on the same needles. Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, was quick to dismiss the test, stating in not so many words that McNamee had tamperedwith the evidence.

Andy Pettitte was in D.C. last week to meet with investigators on the Clemens' perjury case.

The Yankees are being proactive in killing germs in the new digs.

A new autobiography of George Steinbrenner, says the Yankees owner and olympic backer, supported skaters Tanya Harding, Nicole Bobek, and Ron Karnaugh in the early '90s. Yes, that would be when Harding's goons "laid the pipe" to Nancy Kerrigan. The Steinbrenner camp says they don't remember funding Harding at all. King George doesn't have good taste in picking out skaters though. Bobek was arrested for home invasion in 1994.

Joba Gets His Groove Back

Joba Chamberlain wasn't worried, at least outwardly, about his wildness in his first two spring starts, but his manager Joe Girardi was starting to get a bit little concerned. Girardi added though, that he would be more concerned if it continued. You can rest easier, Skip.

Chamberlain was on the mark tonight as the Yankees thrashed the Reds, 7-1, in Tampa. The Yankees prized righty allowed a run on three hits over three innings. More importantly, he was in total command of his pitches. Chamberlain didn't issue a walk, while striking out three. The lone run scored when center fielder Brett Gardner misjudged a fly ball with a runner in scoring position.

The remainder of the Yankees pitching was equally effective. Phil Coke, Kei Igawa, Christian Garcia, and Anthony Claggett combined with Chamberlain for 12 strikeouts.

The Yankees offense had a big night too, collecting 14 hits, including home runs by Juan Miranda and Shelley Duncan. Gardner, Cody Ransom, and Ramiro Pena had two hits apiece, and Gardner and Ransom added to their spring resume with an RBI each.

Box Score

Joba Looks to Take Control

The Yankees play the Reds tonight in Tampa tonight at 7:15. The game will be televised on YES. Joba Chamberlain gets the start for the Yankees and he'll be looking to bounce back from his last start when he couldn't find the strike zone.

It was a rough game yesterday for Ian Kennedy, who gave up 5 runs in 2.2 innings pitched as the Yankees lost to the Blue Jays 6-2. More importantly though, Andy Pettitte faced seven hitters and felt good afterwards. Box Score

Brett Gardner continued his big spring as he battles for the center field job. Gardner hit his third home run of the spring and also added a single. Gardner only has nine home runs in his entire minor league career and none in the majors.

Mark Teixeira also enjoyed a 2-hit game and is hitting .500 this spring.

Mariano Rivera threw 30 pitches in the bullpen and expects to pitch in a game next week.

Cinderella Story

First we had the pool tournament, then in an effort to keep his pitchers from being bored, Mark Feinsand reports that Joe Girardi instituted the first annual (for his sake we hope there's more than one) WBC Ryder's Cup (with credit going to A.J. Burnett, who had the day's lone hole in one, for the idea).

Girardi split his pitchers into international teams and held a putting contest among his hurlers.

The countries were Chinese Taipei (Chien-Ming Wang), Cuba (Christian Garcia), Japan (Kei Igawa), Dominican Republic (Jose Veras), Puerto Rico (Jonathan Albaladejo), United States (A.J. Burnett), Mexico (Sergio Mitre) and “Native America” (Joba).

Since Mariano Rivera was throwing in the bullpen, Panama could not be represented. So Girardi came up with "Native America" for Joba Chamberlain.

Players had to putt between the bases using baseballs and bats. Wang and his teammates, minor league pitching coach Scott Aldred and Phil Hughes, beat Igawa, and right-handers David Robertson and Steven Jackson to take the top prize. And it was a great prize- they only had to run half as much as the rest of the pitchers. Though it only affected Hughes, since Wang isn't up to full speed yet, and, of course, Aldred doesn't have to.

Goose Gossage was asked by John Harper if Billy Martin would have come up with such a game.

“Nope,” Gossage said. “We went to the bar.”

Oh, how times have changed.

Yankees, Red Sox Bond

The intensity of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry goes without saying. But that doesn't mean these guys hate each other, or for that matter, even dislike each other. One thing that All-Star games, winter ball, and the World Baseball Classic do, are give players a chance to get to get know one another, and yes, even become friends.

Such is the case of a pair of middle infielders. Anthony McCarron of the Times reports that Derek Jeter and Dustin Pedroia can be seen palling around during the WBC. Yankees and Red Sox fans everywhere must be shuddering.

The two play the game the same way, balls to the wall, and it's not lost on the other.

"One of the good things about something like this is you get to put the personalities with the players," Jeter said. "I enjoy spending time with some of those guys."

Jeter says he admires the way both Pedroia and Youkilis play "every game like it's the last game they're going to play. You appreciate that."

"It's awesome to play with him, especially because we play against him so much during the season and he's always getting hits and doing things, so you respect him so much," added Pedroia. "We don't hate them and I don't think they hate us. It's great competition. That's what makes it fun - playing against great players and trying to win."

It's not just Yankees-Red Sox though. The intra-city rivals have a chance to show admiration for each other too.

"The thing with him, I respect the way he handles himself in New York," Jeter said of (David) Wright. "I can relate to what it's like coming up at a young age. He's a great player, it goes without saying that.

"But I'm more impressed with the way he handles himself. It seems like he's a guy on that team that people look toward. The thing I like about him is you don't have to be a rah-rah guy and run your mouth all the time to show leadership. I think he shows all the right leadership skills - he leads by example and he's not phony. What you see is what you get from him. It's not an image he's trying to portray; I think that's how he is as a person."

He notes how Jeter, despite his accomplishments, still works on his game diligently. "He's a leader and a winner and that's something I'd like to be," Wright said.

Remember all of this, Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets fans, the next time your ready to dump your beer or take a swing at the fan in the other team's colors.

Help Wanted: Gardner or Melkman

Here's our latest post on Baseball Digest; click the link to read the complete article.

Help Wanted: Gardner or Melkman

Center field has long been a position of honor and tradition for the New York Yankees, from Joe DiMaggio to Mickey Mantle to Bobby Murcer to Bernie Williams. Who will be next to fill the void?

World Baseball Classic - 3/9

The US blew out Venezuela on Sunday, belting three home runs en route to a 15-6 victory. Kevin Youkilis, Adam Dunn, and Ryan Braun all went deep as Team USA banged out 16 hits. Mark DeRosa and Chris Iannetta enjoyed big games with four RBI each.

Derek Jeter went 0-2 after replacing starter Jimmy Rollins. Matt Lindstrom picked up the win after starter Roy Oswalt struggled through three innings. Victor Zambrano was saddled with the loss, the first for the Venezuelan team.

The Dominican Republic shut out Panama 9-0 in a elimination game on Sunday. Miguel Olivo pounded two home runs and Johnny Cueto struck out five batters in 4.1 innings pitched for the win. Ramiro Mendoza took the loss for Panama.

Nelson Cruz also homered for the D.R..

Cuba opened their play in the WBC with an 8-1 win over South Africa on Sunday. The Cuban squad hit a classic record six home runs, two of them by Frederich Cepeda. South Africa was held to four hits and struck out 11 times.

3/9

Korea out dueled Japan 1-0 on Monday, with the lone run coming in the fourth inning. Tae Kyun Kim had two of the four Korean hits and drove in the lone run. Kenji Johjima had two of Japan's six hits. It was the first loss for the Japanese team.

The Daily Yankeeland - 3/9

The Yankees are taking on the Blue Jays this afternoon. Andy Pettitte made his spring debut, facing seven hitters in 1.2 innings pitched. The Yankees lead 2-1 on Brett Gardner's third home run of the spring. Russ Adams hit a solo shot off of Dan Giese.

The Yankees made their first cuts, sending J.B. Cox, George Kontos, and Kanekoa Texeira to the minor league camp. Andrew Brackman was reassigned to Charleston.

A-Rod Comes Through Surgery Nicely

Per Peter Abraham, Alex Rodriguez's surgeon, Dr. Mark Phillipon, held a brief teleconference with the media. He was quite happy with how A-Rod came through the surgery and confirmed they made the right decision.

As part of his recovery, A-Rod will actually have to ride an exercise bike today. He'll begin range of motion exercises on the weekend.

Q & A with David Adams

David Adams was the Yankees 3rd round selection in the 2008 amateur draft after a stellar career at the University of Virginia. With Robinson Cano and other second base prospects like Damon Sublett in the organization, Adams knows he has his work cut out for him to make it to the Yankees major league roster one day. But he's got the work ethic, motivation, and skills to do it.

We had the chance to do a Q & A with him recently to talk about not only being drafted by the Yankees, but the Tigers as well, and what the transition has been like to pro ball.


Q: Who was the ball player or players you looked up to as a kid?

A: Ken Griffey Jr. was always my favorite player to watch. I think everybody my age idolized Jr..

Q: Back in 2005, the Tigers took you in the 21st round out of Grandview Prep High School. Was it a difficult decision opting between pro ball and the University of Virginia?

A: It definitely was a difficult decision coming out of high school. My family and I were in awe throughout the whole recruiting and draft process. It is one of those things every kid dreams of. But at the same time, I wasn't sure what I wanted, so I was just taking it all in as it came.

Q: Your final season at UVA wasn't up to your standards when it comes to hitting. What do you think happened?

A: I have been asked that question regarding my final year at UVA many times... To this day I am still puzzled as to what happened. I had never struggled that badly in my life at the plate, and it seemed like no matter what I tried to do, it just spiraled downhill in the wrong direction the entire season.

Q: The Yankees were keeping tabs on you for a long time, all the way back to your high school days. What went through your mind when you found out they had taken you in the 3rd round in last year's amateur draft? Who gave you the good news?

A: I received a call from the local area scout Scott Lovekamp while my family and I were at dinner. I was pleasantly surprised. Going into the day I didn't know what to expect because of my struggles in my junior year, but to hear that the best team, historically speaking, had just drafted me, I thought to myself what better situation to be in.

Q: You played in 31 games for Staten Island after leaving UVA. How difficult or easy was it to make the transition to pro ball?

A: The transition was a little tough, only because of the physical adjustments I had to make. Coming out of college I felt a little lost with my mechanics at the plate, so days after I was drafted the Yankees sat down with me and set up a plan for a more comfortable setup. So, I spent the entire short season trying to master my new setup, which I now feel very comfortable with.

Q: Unfortunately, the Baby Bombers got swept in the first round of the NY-Penn League playoffs by the Jamestown Jammers. But you did collect 3 hits and an RBI in your first post-season game. How do you balance out the exhilaration of a big game with a bad loss?

A: I think the most important thing players must remember is to respect the game. And by doing that, the team is always first. So, whether or not I go 3-3 or 0-3, if my team wins then I am a happy camper. There is always room to improve regardless of personal success.

Q: Do you expect to start this season at Charleston?

A: I have high expectations for where I play this year, but it is out of my control. I have to go out there and perform, and let my play speak for itself. Whatever happens in the business aspect of baseball is out of my control.

Q: What's your daily routine to get ready, for let's say, a 7 PM game?

A: For a 7 pm game, I like to be at the field early... I will get some breakfast and then head up to field around noon or so for a pregame lift. This will allow some relax time and lunch time before we have to be on the field for pregame routines.

Q: What do you feel you need to work on most this season?

A: I think the most important part of my game I need to work on this season is consistency. I think the aspect of the game that separates big leaguers from minor leaguers, is consistency throughout the entire season.

Q: Which would you rather do, deliver the big hit or the make the big defensive play?

A: How about deliver the big defensive play and then the big hit to win it all, or vice versa. I think anybody would say both.

My Pinstripes: Thanks David and good luck this season!

David Adams: You're very welcome!

The Daily Yankeeland - 3/8

With today's announcement of Alex Rodriguez's surgery, the Kansas City Star decided to start a rumor about the Yankees inquiring into the availability of the Royals' Mark Teahen. The paper didn't cite any sources, and the rumor was quickly dismissed by Yankees GM Brian Cashman. Teahen came up as a third baseman, and has experience at both corner positions and the outfield.

Bernie Williams thinks having some time off will be a blessing in disguise for A-Rod.

The Star Ledger's Mark Carig has a piece on the joint quest of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy to forget the 2008 season and start anew.

The Post's Joel Sherman says the Yankees can survive and thrive without A-Rod.

The Yankees continue to try to sell their premium seats.

Former Yankees Graeme Lloyd and Pat Kelly are coaches on the Australian team in the World Baseball Classic.

Yankees Pound Tigers, 12-3

Angel Berroa knows that with Alex Rodriguez out of action, his chances of going north with the Yankees has increased greatly. Today, he homered, doubled, and drove in four runs as the Yankees rolled over the Detroit Tigers, 12-3.

A.J. Burnett finally made his spring debut, facing the minimum of six batters in two innings of work. In picking up the win, Burnett allowed one base hit, which was quickly erased by a double play. He didn't record a walk or strikeout before turning things over to Phil Hughes, who continued his good spring with three hitless innings. Hughes walked two and struck out four.

Berroa's home run was his second of the spring. Xavier Nady contributed his first home run of the exhibition season, and Jose Molina and Colin Curtis drove in two runs each. The Yankees had 12 hits and drew 10 walks, including three by Nick Swisher.

With all eyes suddenly on Cody Ransom, the veteran went 2-2 with two runs scored and a stolen base, and is hitting .300 for the spring.

Box Score

Breaking News: A-Rod to have Surgery

It is now official, Alex Rodriguez will have surgery on his ailing hip tomorrow and is expected to miss 6-9 weeks. He'll need additional surgery once the season is over.

Tomorrow's surgery will be arthroscopic and will repair the torn labrum.

(Dr. Mark) Philippon is confident in the “85-90 pecent range” that Rodriguez will be able to play through the entire regular season.

“I firmly believe this approach will be successful and allow Alex to return,” Philippon said. “We’ve had very good success with this approach. Short term, we feel the risk is very limited that he will re-tear his labrum during that six-, seven-month period.”

“Because of all the test findings, analysis, the function of Alex, I feel it’s in his best interest to have his labrum repaired, remove part of his impingement and therefore stabilize his labrum,” he said. “The goal here is to allow Alex to rehab rapidly in a safe manner.”

Learn more about hip arthroscopy.