The Sommer Frieze

I’ll talk later about rebuilding and how it’s going to take a few years, later.

For now, some news from Chad Jennings, as the Yanks sign another catcher:

Got the clubhouse today and saw the guy I wrote six months ago the Yankees should consider signing to a minor league deal. Catcher J.D. Closser (left) has joined the Yankees on a minor league deal and been assigned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. To make room for him on the Triple-A roster, Eladio Rodriguez was assigned to Staten Island. Closser started the year with the Cubs in Triple-A Iowa, but was released on April 10. He hit .333 with a double in four games, but Iowa has two other catchers with big league experience and Closser was expendable. The 28-year-old has played 160 games in the big leagues with 10 homers and 21 doubles. He’s also struck out 93 times. Given the state of the Yankees catchers, it makes sense to have another experience player in the fold.

He is a switch-hitter, .239-10-48 in 447 MLB at bats. His MLB time was with the Rockies, and he was last in the bigs in 2006.

Angel Reyes, ticketed to Staten Island and not really regarded as a high prospect, gets suspended for 50 games for violating the PED policy. Cue Groucho Marx “Hello, I must be Going.” Goodbye, Angel.

Back. Very busy today, and I have a dinner/raffle to attend tonight, so I’ll miss a good chunk of the game. As for rebuilding,

Yankee fans may not want to hear it, but even though I’d hate to see the team come in 3rd or 4th, it might be the bitter medicine the team needs. We know the streak of playoff performances is going to come to an end some year.

I wrote about the age of the team. This teams’ stars are for the most part, all 34 and over. The only ones in the prime years are Wang and Alex, and Alex is 33 in July. It is a team built for the now, not for the future. I don’t see the next dynasty built around these guys, nor do I think they win with the current team. That’s not to say that they can’t regroup and make the playoffs. They can do that this year. But it’s not a team built for the future. It’s a team stuck in neutral—at best.

For a few years, I’ve believed that the Yanks have been like the little Dutch boy putting his finger in the dike. Plugging this hole and that hole. What they really have needed is to build a whole new dam. Fans don’t like to hear that. It takes time, cost and construction. People want the established stars. But in doing so, there is a hunger missing. Youngsters will have growing pains. They aren’t “known commodities.” But it’s necessary. They should have constructed a young pitching staff years ago instead of relying on fading Johnson’s, Mussina’s, Clemens’, etc. They should have developed a catcher for 2008 or 2009 instead of 2011. When Eric Duncan is the crown jewel of the system, as he was a few years ago, something isn’t right.

So there are two things to do right now. 1) Develop kids who are too young now but who hopefully develop into stars (and by doing this, you have to trust your gut, your instincts and your scouts) or 2) Throw more money at the Igawas, Randy Johnsons, Farnsworths, Giambi’s, Clemens’, Jaret Wright’s, Pavano’s etc. of Major League Baseball, which I don’t want to do. Been there, done that.

I’m disappointed in Hughes and Kennedy as any Yankee fan is. 2-5, 4.90 or so could have been expected. No one thought 0-6, 8.85 or so. Maybe 2008 proves to be valuable in that it enables the franchise to take a good, hard look at certain youngsters…

and enables them to make a BETTER determination on them. Instead of seeing a kid only a few times because they are scared to put him in the middle of a pennant race, maybe now they see him more often and really get a good look at him and a better evaluation on whether he stays or is trade bait.

If it means third place…it means third place. 2006 actually helped Boston in this regard. It forced them to admit they needed more pitching…they got Dice-K. It forced them to turn to look at Pedroia. Youkilis was a full-time player. They developed. Hopefully if the Yanks finish 3rd or so in 2008, they do the same as Boston did. Look at players. Hopefully they develop just as Boston’s did. Don’t go after a quick fix retread. Some names I’ve heard bantered about make me shake my head. You want them, see an old-timers’ game. I’d rather lose with Kennedy than see Igawa, sign David Wells (45), sign Barry Bonds (44), trade for Trachsel, etc.

At least some $81 million or so comes off the books come this winter. Invest it wisely. Teixeira is one. CC another. I’d look heavily into a setup man so that Joba can go into the rotation, but since he’s never started a MLB game, we can’t just assume that Joba would just go into the rotation and be 20-6 right off the bat. Who knows, maybe he struggles there too?

Speaking of a setup man, promote David Robertson from AA to AAA. If, in a month to six weeks, he is kicking butt like he has throughout the minors, maybe he is your setup man. 23 years old. Minor league WHIP of 0.88. ERA 0.96. 139 K in 113 IP. Give him a shot. See what you have. Look within before signing someone to an overpriced deal or giving up a prospect for a retread.

At least at 14-16, they are only three back. They do look boring right now. The past couple of years they were on a treadmill. Making the playoffs but going nowhere. In order to get ahead, they need to get off that treadmill. If it means one or two steps backward for eight steps ahead, so be it.

I’m looking at Homer Bailey’s stats. 4-2, 2.29 at AAA. Turns 22 tomorrow. Compared to Hughes. Last year for Reds … 4-2, 5.76. 28 walks AND 28 K’s in 45 1/3. So it’s not just Hughes and Kennedy. Other youngsters struggle too.

It will take time. I said three years for the youngsters. Then we can see. Those are for the youngsters in the majors already. What amount the minors? Here are some ages of young players. In 2011, Montero would be just 21, Romine 22, Cano 28 (hopefully in his prime), Melky 26, Tabata still just 22, Horne and McCutchen 28 (hopefully in prime and contributing), David Robertson 26, Melancon 26, Betances 23 (hopefully in majors), Jairo Heredia 21, Austin Jackson 24. Heck, Wang (the only one good as of now who’ll still be in his prime) will be 31. Hughes 24, Joba 25, Kennedy 26. Npt all will make it. You can see some…three years. Others? Hey, with Montero, Romine, Tabata, Heredia…it may take five, maybe six to be a star—three to make the majors, five or six to STAR in the majors.

It’ll take time.

Meanwhile, the alternatives…2011—Posada 39, Alex 36, Jeter (and they have to find a position for him…where?) 37, Damon and Matsui will be 37 and gone. Rivera will be 41 and most likely retired. Abreu 37 and gone. Giambi 40 and gone.

It’ll be a different team. They can throw money at people like they’ve unsuccessfully done, or lay the seeds now. But it might be a good three years (or more) of pain.

CC and Teix might help. They’d be huge pickups. But they most likely need MORE than that.

You know they need change…but that change won’t be easy. They are going to have to tear down to rebuild.