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March 28, 2008
2008 Opening Day Roster
According to Peter Abraham, the Yankees have now cut down to 25 players on their active big league roster.
The pitchers:
Jonathan Albaladejo
Brian Bruney
Joba Chamberlain
Kyle Farnsworth
LaTroy Hawkins
Phil Hughes
Ian Kennedy
Mike Mussina
Ross Ohlendorf
Mariano Rivera
Billy Traber
Chien-Ming Wang
The position players:
Bobby Abreu
Wilson Betemit
Melky Cabrera
Robinson Cano
Johnny Damon
Shelley Duncan
Morgan Ensberg
Jason Giambi
Derek Jeter
Hideki Matsui
Jose Molina
Jorge Posada
Alex Rodriguez
When Andy Pettitte comes off the D.L. next weekend, either Albaladejo, Bruney or Ohlendorf will come off the roster. My money is on Albaladejo.
The Yankees are covered when it comes to having nine sticks to put in the line-up.
It will be interesting to see how Girardi handles the infield if something happens to Jeter and Cano in the same game. Granted, the odds are against something happening to both in the same contest - but, it's not impossible. Either Betemit plays SS and Ensberg will be pressed into duty at second, or, Betemit plays second, A-Rod moves over to short, and Ensberg plays third. So, there's some coverage there - albeit just unconventional.
It will also be interesting to see what happens with Posada and Giambi if they're on base late in a close game. Do you pinch run for them? If so, do you use Betemit? For Giambi, probably - sure - as Betemit can then play first and you don't lose him. But, if you run Betemit for Posada and then Molina comes in to catch, you're without that true back-up middle infielder for the rest of the game. So, look for Duncan or Ensberg to run for Posada in those spots.
On the whole, the Yankees took most of the players that one would expect. Albaladejo, Bruney and Ohlendorf will need to pitch well, from day one, and keep it up, to stick around - after we know which of the two survive Pettitte's return. In any event, the bullpen does not look terrible.
The big trick is the starting rotation - as, for the most part, they did not have the greatest spring training in history (as a group). It's old news, but, as the starters go, so will this team.
Posted by Steve Lombardi at March 28, 2008 11:03 PM
Comments
It's good to know Joe Girardi is just as full of crap as everyone else in baseball. His "I'm not a big believer that you have to have big-league experience to succeed" quickly went by the wayside with Patterson. He clearly outperformed Albaladejo. What would have been the crime to give him the job, especially since it had a built-in failsafe?
Posted by: baileywalk ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.waswatching.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 28, 2008 11:54 PM
>> It's good to know Joe Girardi is just as full of crap as everyone else in baseball. >>
Are you serious? Pettitte's coming off the DL like, 3 days into the season, no?
Posted by: Pete at March 29, 2008 12:05 AM
Albaladejo will likely only pitch if a game is out of reach one way or another.
They need to stretch out Patterson and make him the long reliever.
Posted by: Rich at March 29, 2008 12:06 AM
I give Joe credit for changing his mind and not going with a long man in the pen. That's the right decision, given that Albaladejo, Bruney, and Ohlendorf out-pitched Rasner, Karstans and Igawa by a wide margin. In fact, the potential long relievers were also outpitched by several guys who didn't make the team.
Posted by: David at March 29, 2008 12:37 AM
"They need to stretch out Patterson and make him the long reliever."
Could the fact that Patterson has never pitched a AAA game factor in Joe's decision as well? How about the Brett Gardner effect: keeping him in AAA to get consistent work instead of putting him in the MLB when (as Rich said) "a game is out of reach one way or another"?
Posted by: B(rent) at March 29, 2008 01:01 AM
* ... in the MLB where he will only pitch when (as Rich said)
My apologies on the mistake.
Posted by: B(rent) at March 29, 2008 02:34 AM
Are you serious? Pettitte's coming off the DL like, 3 days into the season, no?
----------
What part of "especially since it had a built-in failsafe" didn't you understand?
There's no reason to turn Patterson into a longman. But if spring training "competition" is supposed to mean anything, then Patterson should have made the team. Basically you earn the job -- but only if you've pitched above AA, apparently. I can't remember which blog it was, but I said "Don't expect Patterson to make the team -- when asked about him Girardi's first response was 'He hasn't pitched in AAA yet.'" People shouted this down, said it didn't matter, Girardi wouldn't be swayed by it, etc. Yeah, well, how'd that work out?
Posted by: baileywalk at March 29, 2008 10:02 AM
I understood you fine. It's just disgusting behavior is all - we're not even at Day One of 2008 and you're already trashing the new manager.
Did he ever say he *wouldn't* use major league experience as part of his decision? All he said was that he wasn't a 'big believer' that major league experience had everything to do with success.
Give it a rest already. Let's play a few friggin' games first.
Posted by: Pete at March 29, 2008 10:14 AM
There must be something about the name Pete...
You need to live a little if you categorize saying someone is full of crap as "disgusting behavior." I wasn't trashing Girardi. I like him as a manager. All I said is that he was dishonest -- or at least being dishonest in this situation.
But feel free to overreact again.
Posted by: baileywalk at March 29, 2008 12:43 PM
>> But feel free to overreact again. >>
Oh, you mean like you did?
Posted by: Pete at March 29, 2008 07:21 PM