New York Yankees MLB News - Yankees Baseball Blog

The New York Yankees have signed Dan Johnson

chinmusic — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:51:38 +0000

The Yankees have signed 33-year old lefty swinging 1B/DH Dan Johnson to a minor league deal. Johnson played in 14 games for the White Sox last year and he was 8 for 22 (.364 avg, 1.367 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 3 homers and 6 RBIs. He also played in 137 games in AAA-ball for the White Sox last year and he was 127 of 476 (.267 avg, .880 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 28 homers, 85 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Johnson has now played in 413 games in his first seven years in the majors and he is 313 of 1,320 (.237 avg, .750 OPS) with 170 runs scored, 56 homers, 194 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Johnson will get a shot to win a job as a part time DH/1B this spring for the Yankees.

The New York Yankees sign Thomas Neal

chinmusic — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 03:55:55 +0000

The Yankees have signed 25-year old righty swinging outfielder Thomas Neal to a minor league deal. Neal got his first taste of the majors in 2012 for the Cleveland Indians. He played in 9 games for the Indians last year and he was 5 for 23 (.217 avg, .511 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 2 RBIs. Neal also played in 117 games in AA-ball last year for the Indians and he was 127 of 405 (.314 avg, .867 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 12 homers, 51 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Neal will get a shot to win a bench job with the Yankees this spring.

The New York Yankees re-sign Reegie Corona

chinmusic — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 03:52:39 +0000

The Yankees have re-signed 26-year old switch-hitting 2B/SS Reegie Corona to a minor league deal. He last played in 2010 in AAA-ball for the Yankees. Corona has now played in 714 games in his first seven years in the minors and he is 673 of 2,601 (.259 avg, .677 OPS) with 364 runs scored, 21 homers, 224 RBIs and 128 stolen bases. Corona will likely start the 2013 season in AAA-ball for the Yankees.

The New York Yankees don’t look too good at catcher for 2013

chinmusic — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:25:42 +0000

Unless the Yankees bring in another catcher before the season starts, they are going to roll with some combination of Austin Romine, Chris Stewart, Francisco Cervelli and Bobby Wilson behind the plate. It will likely be an open competition in spring training. 24-year old rookie Austin Romine is the only guy out of this motley crew that could probably play every day. He came into the 2012 season as the Yankees’ #8 prospect according to Baseball America. Romine played in only 31 games in Rookie+A+AAA-ball last year for the Yankees and he was 25 of 103 (.243 avg, .741 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 4 homers and 15 RBIs. His only major league experience came back in 2011, when he played in 9 games for the Yankees in which he was 3 for 19 (.158 avg, .358 OPS) with 2 runs scored. 30-year old Chris Stewart is allegedly a good defensive catcher that can’t hit much. He would be exposed with the bat the more he plays. Stewart played in 55 games for the Yankees last year and he was 34 of 141 (.241 avg, .611 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 1 homer, 13 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He has now played in 148 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 76 of 351 (.217 avg, .583 OPS) with 39 runs scored, 4 homers, 26 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Stewart played in 54 games behind the plate (46 starts) for the Yankees last year and he had 4 errors and 8 passed balls. He only threw out 7 of 34 (20.6%) runners trying to steal on him, but Yankees’ pitchers liked throwing to him as they had a 3.41 ERA with him behind the plate. 26-year old Francisco Cervelli played most of last season in the minors. He played in 99 games in AAA-ball for the Yankees last year and he was 87 of 354 (.246 avg, .657 OPS) with 43 runs scored, 2 homers, 29 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. He also played in 3 games for the Yankees last year and he was 0 for 1 (.000 avg, .500 OPS) with 1 run scored. Cervelli has now played in 184 games in his first five years in the majors and he is 133 of 490 (.271 avg, .692 OPS) with 58 runs scored, 5 homers, 71 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. He will need to show that he has improved on D, if he wants to win a roster spot this spring. 29-year old righty swinging Bobby Wilson played in 75 games for the Angels last year and he was 35 of 171 (.211 avg, .569 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 3 homers and 13 RBIs. He has now played in 191 games in his first five years in the majors and he is 81 of 389 (.208 avg, .593 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 8 homers and 37 RBIs. Wilson played in 72 games (58 starts) behind the plate for the Angels last year and he had 4 errors and 2 passed balls. He threw out 15 of 60 (25%) runners trying to steal on him and Angels’ pitchers had a 4.11 ERA with him behind the plate. This quartet is going to be pretty awful for the Yankees in 2013.

GRADE FOR THE CATCHERS IN 2013: D-

The New York Yankees DFA Chris Dickerson

chinmusic — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 16:38:13 +0000

The Yankees have designated 30-year old lefty swinging outfielder Chris Dickerson for assignment. Dickerson played in 25 games for the Yankees last year and he was 4 for 14 (.286 avg, 1.126 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 2 homers, 5 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He played in 85 games in his two years with the Yankees and he was 17 of 64 (.266 avg, .761 OPS) with 14 runs scored, 3 homers, 12 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. The Yankees should be o.k. without Dickerson, but he did play well when called upon.

UPDATE: (1/12/2013) - The Yankees have released Chris Dickerson.

The New York Yankees have claimed Russ Canzler off waivers

chinmusic — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 16:35:38 +0000

The Yankees have claimed 26-year old righty swinging 1B/DH Russ Canzler off waivers from the Cleveland Indians. Canzler played in 26 games for the Indians last year and he was 25 of 93 (.269 avg, .697 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 3 homers and 11 RBIs. He also played in 130 games in AAA-ball for the Indians last year in which he was 129 of 487 (.265 avg, .815 OPS) with 68 runs scored, 22 homers, 79 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Canzler has now played in 29 games in his first two years in the majors and he is 26 of 96 (.271 avg, .700 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 3 homers and 12 RBIs. Canzler is a decent hitter, but he’s a horrible defensive player. I could see him getting some ABs for the Yankees at DH in 2013, if he makes the team.

The New York Yankees sign Matt Diaz

chinmusic — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:51:42 +0000

The Yankees have signed 34-year old righty swinging outfielder Matt Diaz to a minor league deal. Diaz played in 51 games for the Braves last year and he was 24 of 108 (.222 avg, .613 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 2 homers and 13 RBIs. He has now played in 726 games in his first 10 years in the majors and he is 543 of 1,863 (.291 avg, .770 OPS) with 211 runs scored, 45 homers, 225 RBIs and 33 stolen bases. Davis will likely start against lefty starting pitchers for the Yankees at a corner outfield spot or as the DH in 2013.

The New York Yankees re-sign Ichiro Suzuki

chinmusic — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:28:23 +0000

The Yankees have re-signed 39-year old lefty swinging RF Ichiro Suzuki to a 2-year, $13 million dollar deal. Suzuki played in 67 games for the Yankees last year and he was 73 of 227 (.322 avg, .794 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 5 homers, 27 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He played in 162 games overall last year for the Mariners and Yankees in which he was 178 of 629 (.283 avg, .696 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 9 homers, 55 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. Ichiro has now played in 1,911 games in his first 12 years in the majors and he is 2,606 of 8,085 (.322 avg, .784 OPS) with 1,204 runs scored, 104 homers, 660 RBIs and 452 stolen bases. This was a good move for the Yankees as Ichiro looked re-energized after joining them last year.

The New York Yankees sign infielder Gil Velazquez

chinmusic — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:09:32 +0000

The Yankees have signed 33-year old righty swinging 2B/SS Gil Velazquez to a minor league deal. He played in 19 games for the Marlins last year and he was 13 of 56 (.232 avg, .496 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 2 RBIs. He also played in 110 games in AAA-ball for the Marlins last year in which he was 124 of 398 (.312 avg, .775 OPS) with 52 runs scored, 4 homers, 42 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Velazquez has now played in 32 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 17 of 72 (.236 avg, .503 OPS) with 2 runs scored, 0 homers and 4 RBIs. Velazquez might get a shot to win a bench job for the Yankees next spring.

The New York Yankees sign Bobby Wilson

chinmusic — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:00:17 +0000

The Yankees have signed 29-year old righty swinging catcher Bobby Wilson to a minor league deal. Wilson played in 75 games for the Angels last year and he was 36 of 171 (.211 avg, .569 OPS) with 19 runs scored, 3 homers and 13 RBIs. Wilson has now played in 191 games in his first five years in the majors and he is 81 of 389 (.208 avg, .593 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 8 homers and 37 RBIs. Wilson will battle Chris Stewart and Francisco Cervelli for a roster spot next spring.