From Bryan Hoch:
Cam Schlittler is rumored to be near the top of several wish lists as the Yankees engage in discussions ahead of Thursday’s Trade Deadline. Early in the right-hander’s big league career, it has been easy to see why.
With triple-digit heat that has already registered the hardest fastballs thrown by any Yankee this season, Schlittler is showcasing plenty to dream upon. But he’s also raw and learning, as evidenced by a fifth-inning exit from New York’s 4-2 loss to the Rays on Monday evening at Yankee Stadium.
“Hitters make quick adjustments. They’re going to make you pay if you’re not in the zone,” Schlittler said. “Not being able to execute the fastball allows them to lay off that pitch and focus on some other things. The biggest thing is just trying to work ahead and limiting the walks.”
On the one hand, we can all be very fairly disgusted by the Yankees at the moment. It was a pathetic performance by the offense, and it required the Yankees to burn their second-best reliever, Luke Weaver, just to keep it close. That was very bad.
The only reason they’re still at the top of the Wild Card standings is because the Rangers lost to the Angels, and the Red Sox choked away a ninth-inning lead in Minnesota.
They should feel REALLY bad about themselves.
On the other hand, come on, despite a poor performance tonight overall, how are you not excited about the Cam Schlittler experience going forward? This dude has fucking ELECTRIC stuff. And he has already shown a surprising ability to battle. The problems he has are “don’t throw so many fucking balls,” and that’s so unlike his pitching in the minors that it is suggests to me that nerves play a big part of that. This is only hos third Major League start ever. There is SO much upside here. Even if the Yankees choke away this season, having Schlittler ready to contribute next season makes me feel better about the 2026 Yankees (Schlittler might be ready to pass Will Warren in the rotation next season at this point). Speaking of the 2026 Yankees, Clarke Schmidt revealed that he got the inner brace Tommy John surgery, meaning a 10-12 month rehab instead of a 16-18 month rehab, so he will likely be available in the second half of next season. That’s HUGE.
So yes, Schlittler pitched poorly tonight overall, but he showed SO much promise. He was far, far from the reason to be pissed tonight. It was the shitty offense that really embarrassed themselves in this one.
Featured image, though, is Schilttler’s dumbest pitch of the night. A hanging slider after he just missed the plate with two previous pitched. This led to a two-run home run in the first inning.
To me it’s clear the Yankees are terrible at developing young hitters. Too many to name but you all know the list. The question is how are they at developing young pitchers? I’d say better, based on Michael King and Clarke S. But I’m so pissed off at their love affair with the dumbest manager I’ve ever witnessed I’m having a hard time getting excited about anything going forward.
They have also bet on the wrong horse a few times in recent years. Look at Josh Smith, Caleb Durbin. Not to mention that time they could have gotten Josh Donaldson production (or better) for 1/5 the cost with Gio.
I get the idea of not hogging prospects but could they keep some of the good ones?
I don’t know what to think anymore. Developing young players is hard. Those who graduate to average or above average MLB players are rare. I think the Yankees have done OK recently in that regard. Where I think they fall down is trying to execute rebuilds and still win at the same time. They just end up holding on to dead weight for too long. Or don’t address roster imbalances until it’s too apparent of an issue. Just poor roster management in general – especially for a team with their resources. So much waste.
I hear you, it’s not so much the minor leaguers where they seemingly keep making the wrong decision (Kriske vs Whitlock).
I’m talking about the major leaguers who get here and look good for a bit but then don’t improve and get worse. Sanchez and Gleyber looked like perennial all stars and boom! Volpe had promise and was a great base runner and fielder; now? Austin wells, what? I’m
Worried about Jasson too; why did he play CF in the minors to play LF here? It’s nuts.
Escarra 205/636 and 1-20 in throwing out base stealers over Narvaez 258/757. In all fairness for Narvaez they got 22 year oldElmer Rodriguez who is currently their #6 prospect so that trade could work out in a couple of years.
Gotcha. Yeah, it seems like guys with promise and pedigree do fail to improve at the MLB level once they’re here. Volpe is a strange case. He was a top-10 prospect in all of baseball and at least FanGraphs wrote about him as a potential all-star and someone who may not stick at SS but his bat would play as above average at 2B or 3B (.250-280 with 25-30 HRs). That has not happened. And yes, the metrics have had his defense as excellent, but that’s not the case this season.
I don’t know. With Lombard on the way and a few back-up plans, I would trade Volpe to a team looking for a quick turnaround with ML talent for a rental and some prospects. Cash would never do that because Volpe is “elite” and they’re going to ride that until he’s out of baseball.
Estimated Judge timeline. Will it matter?
https://x.com/bryanhoch/status/1950229249274892528?s=61&t=fhOaqwtc8q2TMSXUDRjPeg
i pointed out some of the guys we lost but look at the ones we have kept: peraza, cabrera, volpe… just of the infielders it’s the lower tier
and they were the ones ranked higher, IIRC.
Peraza was a top 60 prospect 2 years running. phenomenal was rated from 5-15 back to back years. Were they overrated or poorly coached?
I think you just never know with prospects. I just grabbed the Top 10 prospects from five years ago.
1 Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
2 Fernando Tatis Jr.
3 Eloy Jiménez
4 Victor Robles
5 Royce Lewis
6 Nick Senzel
7 Forrest Whitley
8 Kyle Tucker
9 Alex Kirilloff
10 Brendan Rodgers
Two major wins up on top, and then Kyle Tucker a major win at #8, and then a bunch of mostly garbage (Royce Lewis has been okay).
Keith Law in 2022 on Volpe: “He’s almost certainly the reason the Yankees haven’t gone after one of the big shortstop free agents this winter, and I think they’re right. He’s going to be a star, and very soon at that.”
On Wells: “Wells can hit, which is good because the odds remain heavily against him staying at catcher. He certainly wants to catch and has improved from “no chance” to “unlikely at best,” with more arm strength (but still below average) and some better actions behind the dish, but it’s never going to be average and will always lag behind his bat.”
Yankee top 5 2016 in order Mateos, Acevedo, Sanchez, Judge, Fowler.
Back-to-back Baltimore drubbings of the Blue Jays.
The American League just kind of sucks.
MLBTR just throwing around names for the Yankees. Ryan Hensley, no? How about Danny Coulombe or perhaps even teammate Phil Maton. But wait the Yankees are interested in Austin Slater, can never have enough Austin’s. And the Yankees floated Bellinger and PGold with 1 team.
bellinger has been consistently very good this year. even when his hitting is off he’s a pleasure in the field. i’d be bummed if they traded him. at this point i’d be happy to make him very rich on a 10/200 and whatever happens, happens.
Agree very much with Big Fan that numerous budding Yankees stars – position player prospects with genuine talent and early MLB success – have suffered a collective deterioration of their skills at the MLB level, and the manager is the most likely culprit. Gary Sanchez had HOF talent and under Girardi I bet he would have kept his focus and stayed on track. Gleyber and Volpe needed a manager who could help them maintain focus and keep learning and developing. Under Boone it’s just complacency and idiocy.
I mean, Sanchez left here and then sucked for multiple teams, so I think some players just are going to suck.
Gleyber, for instance, is the same guy in Detroit that he was here. Good hitter who can’t field for shit. And he’s making $15 million for it, so it’s not like he’s some undervalued guy.
Per Savant Gleyber has a batting run value of 90 and fielding run value of 41. phenom is 16 and 33. With the exception of 2021 Gleyber has been an offensive force. Money rules but would the Yankees be better with Gleyber and no Volpe?
Hoch: Luis Gil starts tonight for @swbrailriders vs. Nashville. He’s expected to throw 75 pitches. If all goes well, he’s starting Sunday at Miami.
Mark Leiter Jr. is scheduled to throw live batting practice Thursday, then would have a Minor League rehab game over the weekend. The Yankees hope to activate him Aug. 4-6 at Texas.
Aaron Boone said the “expectation” and “hope” is that Aaron Judge will return as a DH when eligible to be activated on Aug. 5. He performed light cage work today. That could continue through the week, with velocity machine work coming over the weekend.
Dominguez to the Blue Jays. In a corresponding move, they DFAed old friend, Chad Green. You KNOW Cash is licking his chops at the chance of getting Green back for “free.”
gave me a heart attack that jasson went to a division rival
Spencer Jones back in the lineup, playing RF.
phenom is a total choke job.