12/17/12

Mack Stuff - Logan Taylor, Josh Spence, Mike Pelfrey, Different Spin on RA




Taylor is a perfect example of the kind of ballplayer that DePo drafts… a high school player full of tools, promise, and uncertainty. Taylor was a first and third baseman and pitched during the week as a junior. A classic 6-5 pitcher’s body, Taylor upped his fastball velocity fron the high 80s to the 92-93 range and thw Mets drafted him in the 11th round as a pitcher. Impressive 13.5 K/9 as a senior but had control issues. His first choice was to go play for Arkansas, but ‘didn’t make the team’, so he went to pitch for Eastern Oklahoma State Junior College Stat line at EOSJC: 5-2, 1.90, 80.0-IP, 120-K. The Mets sent Taylor to Brooklyn, who was full up with rotational pitchers; however, he managed to get himself in 13 games (19.0-IP). The strikeouts were still there (19), the control problems seemed gone (2) and the ERA/WHIP was awesome (0.93, 0.67). Outlook: Taylor will pitch 2013 as a 21-yr. old so there’s no rush. The problem is, if he’s to return to being a starter, where. Savannah and St. Lucie are locked up. Maybe a return to Brooklyn. We’ll see. There’s a bunch of other guys like this one from this last draft that we’re just going to have to wait it out for a couple of years. It could be a great draft.


The Yankees have been hit with an $18,917,994 Luxury Tax bill for 2012


Ted Berg‏ @OGTedBerg -  FWIW, the Bill James projection for Anthony Gose in 2013 is .253/.324/.369. For Kirk Nieuwenhuis: .259/.329/.414.


LHP Josh Spence designated for assignment to make room for Kevin Youkilis
              There’s going to be this very short period where a very good pitcher is available to sign. Spence isa 24-year old lefthanded relief pitcher that relies on control and location. His go-to pitch is his sinker (mid-80’s), backed up with a slider. He had a great 2011 for San Diego, only his second professional year (40-games, 0-2, 2.73, 1.11, 29.2-IP, 31-K). He did struggle in 2012 (4.35) and was surprisingly DFA’d. The Yankees picked him up last month, but had to move someone today for A-Rod’s replacement. I loved what Spence did in 2009 for Arizona State (18-G, 15-starts, 10-1, 2.37, 1.20, 102.2-IP, 125-K) and was surprised when he was drafted so low (9th round). His lack of height (6-1) and fastball worked against him here. Still, Spence would be a great addition to anyone rebuilding a bullpen.


The Twins have agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Mike Pelfrey worth $4 million with an additional $1.5 million possible through incentives, CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman reports.

              NYT - Wow, this is amazing and just goes to show what the value is today for good starting pitching. Big Mike has a below .500 lifetime W-L record and he could be paid $5.5mil in 2013. I love this sport.


To the Mets, apparently, it is fine for David Wright, their new $138 million player, to visit David Letterman and Jon Stewart, as he has done in the past. Yet when Dickey appears on the same shows, as he has this off-season, he’s full of himself. Please. Dickey is unfailingly polite and respectful, the way we wish all players would be. His compelling back story, and willingness to share it, broadened the Mets’ appeal. He has peeled off painful wounds from his past in an effort to help others deal with child sexual abuse, appearing on the cover of the latest Sports Illustrated in an article about it. Yet this is the man the Mets chose to malign.Trading him might make sense, if the prospects help the Mets start winning again, someday. Smearing him in the process was utterly classless. For all he gave the Mets, on the field and off, Dickey deserved better.


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