Spring Training Roundup

Sorry about the tease of a welcoming post and then the lack of a follow-up, Mexico blessed me with an ear infection. Yesterday saw the Yankees destroy Verlander and the Rays continue their unbeaten pre-season streak with a split-squad combination of an 11-7 win and 7-2 loss. Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy continue to struggle with control, while Phil Hughes struggles with consistency.

I'm sure naysayers will be quick to ride the Yankees youth in meaningless outcomes and preach doomsday, but it's important to keep a few things in mind:

• There is a reason younger pitchers come to spring training early. They don't know their comfort zone with preseason preparation and control doesn't come as quickly. Right now Joba Chamberlain is a pitcher who has never started in the major leagues and is coming off half a season of throwing his two "ace" pitches, and neither of his secondary ones. It will take time to incorporate four pitches for a two-pitch reliever and that will result in a lack of control and a lack of success. Hence, spring training. For Kennedy, he's a starter that relies on his pinpoint accuracy. His stuff is major league solid, but not dominating like Hughes or Chamberlain, therefore his control will make or break him. Kennedy cannot often afford mistakes, so it makes sense that in March he will take his lumps and it very well might carry into the beginning of the season, these things take time.
• Finally got to see Shelley Duncan homer today. It looks like his bat speed might be a little quicker than last year, which could cut down on his strikeouts. Duncan was able to get around on a low Sabathia fastball, which I'm almost sure he would have missed or fouled last year. Instead it went off a tarp in left center. He is almost guaranteed to make the team in some capacity, regardless of how you feel about his extreme enthusiasm.
• Morgan Ensberg is pulling away from Woodward and Lane in my mind. I think he gets the 25th spot as a backup corner infielder. Betemit will be the middle infielder, while Duncan can be a 1B/OF and Molina the backup catcher. Add Matsui and Giambi to the mix and the Yankees have plenty of depth.
• Speaking of Giambi, I'm not sure if it is because I haven't seen him since October, but he looks even smaller in his upper body this year. I almost feel like that's a good thing, especially for his chronic foot and leg problems.
• Betemit looked good in the one at-bat I saw as a righty against Sabathia. His swing looked more fluid and he just had a better presense all-around. Last year it often looked like he wished he was hitting lefty and it often lead to me wishing he was sitting on the bench.
• Chien-Ming Wang will have over 130 strikeouts this year. Mark it down. Wang struck out six in under five innings today and he is using his changeup and slider a lot more with his fastball and sinker. Wang will take lumps from time to time whether it is struggling to keep the ball down or soft hit singles and doubles, but if he can add the threat of a strikeout in a big spot, another 19 win season will silence the oblivious critics.
• I think the irony of this spring training is that Andy Pettitte has been the least heard player this spring. Seriously, have you read any quotes whatsoever?
• Suspension aside, Melky Cabrera is having a serious camp so far. Pecota may have suggested Cabrera and Cano will not improve significantly from last year, but I'm not sure you can mark that down when they are both approaching their mid 20s. Cabrera will never be an All-Star, but Cano more than likely will be one this season, again.
• Billy Traber will make the roster, and he might be a very pleasant surprise. He is simply doing everything you can ask out of a player looking to make a bullpen out of camp.
• Bullpen watch: Traber, Karstens, Hawkins, Farnsworth, Rivera, Veras. I think all the spots except for Veras are pretty much decided at this point, but Veras has the best stuff of any of the young pitchers and Ohlendorf has not been great and neither has anybody else competing for the last spot.