Banuelos To Have Tommy John Surgery

Yankees Shut Down Manuel Banuelos For Rest of Season

From Andrew Marchand:

The New York Yankees' top pitching prospect, Manny Banuelos, will not pitch again this year after throwing in six games all season, the team's vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman told ESPN New York on Monday.

"He's not going to be back this season," Newman said.

The left-handed Banuelos, rated the Yankees' No. 1 prospect by ESPN's Keith Law prior to the season, has been out of action since the middle of May with what Newman described as a bone bruise in his left elbow.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman previously had stated that he thought Banuelos, 21, would return this season because of the progress the team's doctors had seen.

But Banuelos is being shut down for the rest of the season with the hope that he can play in Winter Ball and then be ready for spring training next year. Newman said doctors don't think that Banuelos will need surgery. The Yankees are unsure how the original injury occurred.

"That's a good question," Newman said.

...

"He'll recover from this," Newman said. "That's what our doctors say. We have no doubt about it. At this point, there is no reason to push it. We are trying to be as prepared as we can for next season."

And so ends a rocky season for the 21-year-old southpaw. In just six starts earlier this year, Banuelos went 0-2, with a 4.50 ERA. In 24 innings pitched he allowed 12 earned runs on 29 hits, walked 10 and struck out 22.

Jesus Cometh..... Tomorrow

From Joel Sherman:

The Yankees were still working through some issues involving who to call up tomorrow when rosters expand on Sept. 1. But there were three players not in dispute: Jesus Montero is going to be promoted while Manuel Banuelos and Dellin Betances will not be, The Post has learned.

The Yanks simply feel that Banuelos and Betances, their top two pitching prospects, have met their objectives this year, which were to progress from Double-A to Triple-A and log enough innings to become factors to pitch in the majors next year. Betances started 24 games and worked 121 innings. Banuelos started 26 times and pitched 128 innings. In the way that the Yanks progress starters, both would be in line to pitch about 160 innings next year, which is a high enough total for them to be major-league considerations.

The Yanks had fiddled with the idea of using one or both out of the major league pen in September to see if they could become factors for the postseason roster, especially the left-handed Banuelos. For now, however, the Yanks had enough concerns — particularly with fastball command — that they did not see the wisdom in trying to transition to the bullpen on the fly two pitchers they remain adamant will pitch at the top of a rotation in the future.....

As for Montero, he is going to get opportunities to play and specifically hit, which is by far his best tool. Jorge Posada’s postseason roster spot remains tenuous enough that Montero could have a big September and make himself viable for October at-bats as a DH. Posada will not be the DH against lefty pitching and the Yanks are currently in line to play the Rangers, who will start at least two lefties against the Yanks.

Nice! I can't wait to see Montero finally get his chance.

As for Banuelos and Betances, I'm glad the Yankees aren't messing with them and turning them into relievers, even if it is just for a few weeks. Both pitchers are still very young and clearly need more work in the minors anyway. There's no use screwing with that for a few innings of relief work.

Betanecs Isn't Pleased With Himself Or The Yankees

From John Nalbone:

Although legitimately thrilled for his good friend Banuelos, Betances expressed frustration with himself, his surprisingly lackluster season and, at times, with the Yankees’ developmental plan for him during a surprisingly candid interview last week with select reporters, including Mike Ashmore of the Hunterdon County Democrat.

“It (stinks) not being able to pitch good, to be honest,’’ Betances said. “It’s frustrating because you know that if I’m throwing as hard as I am, I should be able to pitch better. I have the confidence in myself to bounce back and finish strong … at least for this year.”

When asked if the Yankees were allowing him to use all of his pitches, Betances said:

“No, right now I feel like I could do whatever I want. I just haven’t got the chance to do it. ’’

Another touchy subject with the 6-foot-8, Brooklyn-educated Betances has been his limited innings, but it is difficult to blame the notoriously cautious Yankees for his inability to reach 100 innings with less a month remaining in the regular season.

Because of his 4.9 walks per nine innings, Betances has been maddeningly inefficient and is averaging less than five innings per start.

“I think now they’re going to let me go,’’ Betances said. “I mean, I would love to go seven innings. I haven’t gone seven innings since Charleston (in 2008) just because they haven’t given me the chance. I’ve had games this year where I could have gone longer than six, but they have something going now and it’s getting to the last month.’’

In his only start following that interview, Sunday in Altoona, Betances again was capped at five innings.

Even if he averages nine innings over his final five (scheduled) regular season starts, Betances will not reach the organization’s preseason goal of 150.

...

“They feel like they have a limit of innings for me,’’ Betances said. “Now that it’s getting into August, the goal is 150 and I’m not even at 100 now. So, it’s one of those things where they probably want to let me go and see if I can get to 130-150 by the end of the year.”

Sounds to me that he only has himself to blame. Although I would like the see the Yankees allow him to use and refine his entire arsenal of pitches at some point in the near future.

The article also mentions the similarities between Betances' and Banuelos' double-A numbers:

• Betances: 4-6 with a 3.57 ERA and 54 walks in 98 1/3 innings.
• Banuelos: 4-5 with a 3.59 ERA and 52 walks in 95 1/3 innings.

But again, his poor performances as of late obviously didn't help his cause. He's still young and there's no need to rush him so I don't think this is anything to be too concerned about going forward.

The Shrinking List of Left-Handed Bullpen Options

From George A. King III:

To the surprise of no one, the Yankees don't expect Pedro Feliciano or Damaso Marte to contribute at any point.

The lefty relievers, who have been on the DL since the start of the season, are working out in Tampa, but Girardi didn't paint a positive picture.

....

Feliciano has increased workouts in Tampa, but has a lot of work left before he can be considered able to return.

"Until you necessarily see him throw bullpen [sessions] at nearly 100 percent and possibly throwing batting practice sessions, you just hope you get to that point," Girardi said. "Until he can do that, I am not sure what we'll get."

Marte, who contributed to the 2009 World Series title and then appeared in 30 games last year, is running out of time.

"The days are ticking away," Girardi said. "I don't know if we will see him. I am hopeful that we do, but I can't tell you that we will."

Lefty reliever J.C. Romero asked for his release from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and was granted it. The Yankees have some interest in lefty reliever Arthur Rhodes -- who recently was released by the Rangers -- but only at the minor league level.

...

If the Yankees are serious about bringing top pitching prospect Manuel Banuelos to the majors as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen, expect to see him do that for Triple-A, where he is currently working as a starter.

"If you were going to make him a second lefty per se, you would have him do it down there [at Triple-A] before you would have him do it here," Girardi said. "He would have to adapt to coming into the middle of an inning and starting an inning. When you are starting, you have your routine -- 20 to 25 minutes. As a bullpen guy you can't necessarily do that."

I still think giving J.C. Romero a shot before he asked for his release would have been a good idea. I don't really like the idea of bringing in Rhodes. I've seen him give up too many big hits to lefties throughout the years to have any real faith in him. But a minor league deal can't hurt I guess.

The idea of bringing up Banuelos is the most intriguing, and as long as it doesn't hurt or hold back his development as a starter I'd be all for it.

Banuelos Solid in SWB Debut

Manuel Banuelos was pretty impressive in his first SWB start last night, going 5 innings while allowing 2 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 8. He threw 100 pitches, 62 for strikes, and according to those in the ballpark, his fastball sat between 90-93 MPH.

For more on Man-Ban's debut, check out these stories from Donnie Collins.

Sickels On Banuelos

From John Sickels:

Banuelos is physically slight at 5-11, 155, but there's nothing slight about his fastball, which works at 91-94 MPH and can hit 95. He has a low-effort delivery which should help him stay healthy, although he still has to get through the classic injury nexus. His changeup is ahead of his curveball at this point, but both have the potential to be plus pitches, which would give him a complete arsenal. Scouts like his feel for pitching, and he showed superior command and control in the low minors.

His walk rate has crept up this year, with a BB/9 ratio approaching 5.00, which is too high. Eastern League sources indicate that he's recently had problems commanding his fastball, which wasn't a problem in the past. He's had few problems with left-handed hitters, holding them to a .229 average with zero homers this year, but right-handers have been more effective with a .277 average and a consistently higher walk rate.

At age 20, Banuelos still has plenty of time to iron out his command issues. His strikeout rate remains impressive, and he's still one of the best southpaw prospects in the game. He needs a good dose of Triple-A, but the Yankees refused to include him in rumored deadline deals. We should see him in the majors sometime in 2012.

Remember folks, Man-Ban will make his first Triple-A start tonight against Lehigh Valley.

Montero To Be Promoted... "In the very near future"

From NJ.com:

According to sources close to organization, Trenton catcher Austin Romine, then Dellin Betances, will be next to board the SWB shuttle, with top overall prospect Jesus Montero expected to join the Yankees' lineup in the very near future.

I have no idea when the very near future will be, nor did the article explain any further. But either way, it appears that it will happen at some point this season.

Banuelos Promoted To Triple-A

Banuelos To Start Tonight vs. Boston

Mark Fiensand is reporting that Sergio Mitre has been scratched for tonight's start vs. the Red Sox due to "some type of ribcage/oblique type injury". He hopes to get back on the mound by Thursday.

Bryan Hoch is also reporting that Manny Banuelos will take his place. The game is on ESPN and will start at 7:00pm.

KLaw Says Banuelos Can Start in the Big Leagues Right Now

From a recent online chat with ESPN's Keith Law:

Joe (RI) Manny Buenlos has been lights out for the Yankees so far, how long before he forces his way to the bigs?

Klaw (12:19 PM)

Midyear? I feel like this is Heyward/Atlanta all over again, where you might let the best interests of the club in the current season trump long-term considerations - and it's not like Banuelos has a ton of things to work on in the minors. If they gave him a rotation spot now I wouldn't argue.

According to everything Cashman and the Yankees are saying, it's not going to happen. And if the Yankees don't want to potentially waste guys like Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon--whoever wins that 5th starter spot--I wouldn't hold it against them. I also wouldn't hold it against them if they continue to take it slow with Man-Ban. After all, the kid is turning just 20-years-old this weekend and hasn't pitched above Double-A.

But what if you were running things, would you give the kid a shot?

Mo Hops On The Manny Banuelos Bandwagon

From Andrew Marchand:

The greatest pitching prospect whom Mariano Rivera had ever seen was 1991 first overall pick Brien Taylor. Taylor and Rivera were teammates for Class A Fort Lauderdale in 1992.

In the nearly two decades since then, Rivera has watched prospects come and go, but he has never seen one better than Taylor.

Until now.

The greatest closer in the game thinks 19-year-old lefty Manny Banuelos is the greatest pitching prospect he has ever seen.

"I would say so," Rivera said during a conversation with ESPNNewYork.com in which he revisited Taylor's devastating skills and Banuelos' combination of ability and composure.

"I like everything about him," Rivera said of Banuelos. "The makeup and how he keeps his composure. I notice situations and how you react in situations. Where you make your pitches in tough situations, where you spot your pitches, he has the ability to do that."

...

Rivera has begun to advise Banuelos. Rivera has told "little Manny" to not listen to all the hype. The clutter will only cloud his chances.

"'Stay humble, stay within yourself, God will take care of the rest,'" Rivera said he has told Banuelos. "You don't try to put that junk in your mind because that will hurt you."

Banuelos, who is from Monterrey, Mexico, speaks decent English. He understands what Rivera's compliment means. When it is relayed to him that Rivera has said he is the best prospect he has ever seen, Banuelos smiled sheepishly.

"Mo said that, 'Thank you, Mo,'" Banuelos said.

The article, like most we've seen this spring, is filled with praise for Banuelos, including a few quotes from Jorge and Jeter.

The left-hander struck out two more yesterday in two scoreless innings of work. He now had 8 K's over 5 innings this spring, while allowed just a walk and three hits.

Martin on Banuelos: He's Like Clayton Kershaw

How about a little more Man-Ban?

This comes from Bryan Hoch:

"He has as good stuff as I've seen," said Russell Martin, who caught Banuelos' two scoreless innings against the Red Sox on Friday. "I compare it to [Clayton] Kershaw or even more polished than Kershaw, which is pretty good."

...

Manager Joe Girardi wouldn't bite on the Kershaw comparison, but he remains impressed by what Banuelos, who turns 20 on March 13, has already done in camp.

"From looking at him where I'm standing, it doesn't look like he has any fear," Girardi said. "He's aggressive, he has confidence in his offspeed stuff that he can throw it behind in the count and he doesn't nibble. He goes right at hitters."

...

"He's tremendous. He's poised out there," Martin said. "You forget that he's 19 years old. He's not scared at all. He just gets the ball and throws it, whatever you put down. He actually has an idea; he's not afraid to shake off. He has a good idea how to pitch and he's only 19, but he knows how to do it."

In three scoreless innings this spring, Banuelos has allowed a hit and a walk, and struck out five.

Sickels Compares Banuelos and Rangers Prospect Perez

Every so often, Sickels tosses together a 'prospect smackdown,' in which he compares two players on the bases of background and intangibles; physicality, healthy, and tools; performance; and projectability. The players that he compares normally have something more specific in common than the standard positional comparison. On Friday, Sickels compared Banuelos to Martin Perez - both are smallish, thin southpaws who have been doubted at times due to their stature. I will re-post some of Sickels' thoughts on Banuelos here, but you should read the entire smackdown over at Minor League Ball.

Background and Intangibles

Signed out of Mexico in 2008, Manny Banuelos made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League that summer, pitching well for the GCL Yankees and emerging as a sleeper to watch. He followed that up with a strong 2009 season in the South Atlantic League, then continued pitching well in 2010, although his season didn't get started until June due to a spring appendectomy. He was the youngest and one of the most impressive pitchers in the Arizona Fall League. He has excellent mound presence and a mature demeanor, especially given his age, earning high marks for his makeup.

[snip]

Physicality, Health, and Tools

Banuelos is a 5-10, 155 pound left-handed hitter and thrower, born March 13, 1991. He isn't the best athlete in the world, but he generates excellent velocity for a pitcher his size, throwing 90-94 MPH and sometimes higher. His mechanics are smooth, clean, and easy, and scouts have a hard time figuring out how he throws so hard with so little apparent effort. He threw just 87-92 MPH in past seasons, so the velocity boost last year was very noticeable. Banuelos mixes the heater with a very good changeup and an improving curveball, which was below average in '09 but rated as at least solid last year and looked plus to me when I saw him in Arizona. His control is very good-to-excellent. Although the appendicitis last year is obviously not going to recur, he did suffer from a "tired arm" in 2009, and some scouts wonder about his durability given his size. The Yankees believe that he has a good shot at staying healthy due to his delivery.

Banuelos Impressive in Spring Training Debut

I'm not sure that Banuelos could have performed much better in his one-inning debut. It took Banuelos all of seven pitches, all strikes, to retire the side in the fourth inning. He struck out two (both looking) and retired the other on a weak grounder. While these games don't count for much of anything (beyond rhetoric), I cannot imagine that anyone expected Banuelos to perform so masterfully against Major League hitters - particularly on the heels of Betances' fine outing. Here are a couple of snippets from Buster Olney on Banuelos' performance:

As much as I anticipated the arrivals of Chamberlain, Kennedy, and Hughes a few years back, I have never been quite this excited for a crop of Yankees prospects - and it's not terribly close.

Banuelos Making Grown Men Swoon in Spring Training

As per John Harper of the Daily News:

A year ago Manny Banuelos barely registered on the Yankees' radar, but now, not even 20 yet, he has this camp buzzing like spring training of 2007 when veterans were wowed enough by a young Phil Hughes to promptly label him the next Roger Clemens.

Hughes hasn't quite lived up to that hype, although he is surely beginning to deliver on his promise, which is more than you can say for a lot of spring training phenoms.

Who knows how it will go for Banuelos, but to see him up close Wednesday, you had to be impressed. The lefthander is only 5-foot-10, yet the ball explodes out of his hand, the mid-90s velocity further enhanced by a smooth, polished delivery that looks effortless.

Beyond that, GM Brian Cashman noted a poise that he likened to that of Orlando (El Duque) Hernandez.

"Banuelos has a presence, a confidence on the mound that's a lot like when El Duque showed up," Cashman said Wednesday. "Guys hadn't even seen El Duque throw yet, and I remember (Joe) Torre and (Mel) Stottlemyre seeing him and saying, 'There's something about this guy.'"

That's high praise, obviously, considering how important El Duque became to the Yankees' championship run in the '90s.

Or perhaps all you really need to know is that Yankee scouting and development people have fallen harder for the teenage lefty than they did for Hughes at a similar stage - when he was ranked as one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball.

"You can't believe how excited our minor-league people are about Banuelos," one Yankee person said Wednesday. "I never even heard them talk about Hughes the way they talk about this kid."

That's all the more remarkable considering that, while Hughes was a first-round draft choice, Banuelos was part of a group signing out of the Mexican League in 2008, when the Yankees picked up four players, including former Bomber reliever Alfredo Aceves, for a total of $450,000.

At the time Banuelos was 17, weighed maybe 150 pounds, and topped out at 90-91 mph.

"When we signed him we thought he could be an interesting lefty out of the bullpen," Cashman said Wednesday. "But last year his velocity jumped from the low 90s to 95-96, and it's clear now he has a chance to be a starter toward the front end of our rotation."

Banuelos missed the first two months of last season due to an appendectomy, so his blossoming caught everyone by surprise. Besides the jump in velocity, scouts say his changeup has developed into a major league-ready weapon as well.

After dominating in Class A Tampa, Banuelos made only three late-season starts in Double-A, so Cashman has made it clear that the lefty has no chance of beginning the season with the Yankees, despite their need for starters.

After Banuelos threw Wednesday, however, Cashman jokingly said he might have to send him down to minor-league camp earlier than planned just because the kid has the major-league staff salivating.

"My minor league guys are saying, 'You better get him out of here right now or you'll never be able to,'" Cashman said with a laugh. "But no, there's no way he can start the season. He's only 19. We've got to keep the diapers on for a while."

Cashman didn't rule out seeing Banuelos in pinstripes by the second half of the season, however. The lefty turns 20 next month and is one of a handful of young Yankee pitchers who are being touted as legitimate prospects.

When asked about Banuelos Wednesday, in fact, superscout Gene Michael laughed and said, "He's a keeper, but there's a whole group of 'em here who are really good."

The wealth of pitching and catching in the Yankees system right now is enviable, and I feel that Banuelos may have the most value of any prospect in the organization - including Jesus Montero. That is not a knock on Montero ... rather, it is a testament to the diminutive lefty, as well as the Yankees tremendous work in the international scouting arena. Banuelos' ceiling is that of an ace, and he combines that with a fairly high floor, as well. Lefthanded pitchers with Banuelos' stuff, poise, mechanics, and command are very rare, and his progress is simply astonishing.

While this report may be a bit of fluff, it is nothing but good news - especially when taken in conjunction with the praise Banuelos received following his stint in the Arizona Fall League. I'm excited to see how he performs with Trenton, and I expect to see him in Scranton by the summer ... and I wouldn't be shocked to see him toeing the rubber in Yankee Stadium in 2011, either.

Two of the Killer B's to Start Season in Trenton

From Mark Feinsand:

The Yankees are looking all over camp for arms to fill the final two spots in the rotation, but two of those arms are already out of the mix.

Brian Cashman told me today that neither Dellin Betances nor Manny Banuelos have a shot to make the Yankees’ rotation, as both are ticketed for Double-A Trenton when the season opens.

"Betances and Banuelos aren't earning spots in the rotation out of spring training," Cashman said. "They’re going to get their first taste of big-league camp, then they’re going to get slotted into Trenton. They have no chance to make this team."

...

"The other guys are all competing for anything," Cashman said. "They’re more advanced, they have more experience and they’re in a better position. Betances and Banuelos may help us down the line, but they’re not coming to camp here to help us now or solve any problems. They’re not advanced enough to be in a position to do that."

While some fans may be upset at the fact that these guys don't even have a chance to make the team, this is the smart move by the Yanks.

Despite their need of a starter (or two) they shouldn't rush these guys along. Let these guys develop properly and hope some of the garbage signed over the offseason can fill the void. If the Yankees are still searching for a starter in June or July and someone in the minors is having a monster year, then we can restart this discussion.

Newman on Montero, Romine, Laird, and some Triple-A Starters

This all comes from Chad Jennings...First, here what Newman had to say about the catching situation (logjam) at Triple-A:

Now that Russell Martin is on the roster, it’s likely both Jesus Montero and Austin Romine will open the season the minor leagues. In theory, each should each be in Triple-A, but that’s a logjam the Yankees don’t want.

“They need to catch, so that’s something we’ll deal with if we get there,” vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman said. “I wouldn’t want them to split right now.”

Montero and Romine split catching duties in the lower levels, but at this point, both need to get used to catching every day. They also need repetition behind the plate so that they improve defensively.

Obviously the Yankees won’t set anything in stone right now, but the arrival of Martin could force Romine back to Trenton, where last season he hit .268 with a second half that was worse than his first. I’m sure he’d rather move forward, but repeating the level might not be a waste of time.

Was signing Russell Martin really worth setting back Montero and Romine back this much?

Here's what Newman had to say about Brandon Laird:

So far so good with Brandon Laird’s work in the outfield. Newman said the Yankees are convinced he can play the corners. Left field at Yankee Stadium might be a little spacious for him, but they think he could play right field in the Bronx, and he could play left in most parks. “He’s going to do well enough out there that he’s going to be an option,” Newman said. The Yankees still think Laird is better defensively at first and third, but he could be a legitimate four-corners option as soon as 2011.

It'll be interesting to see how Laird does in Triple-A to start the season. After his promotion, he hit just .246/.268/.344 with 2 HR and 12 RBI in 127 plate appearances with SWB last year. If he can put up numbers like he did in Double-A last year (.291/.355/.523, 23 HR, 90 RBI) he may be an interesting midseason callup.

And some of those big name prospects who should be in Scranton to start the year (I suspect he's referring to Andrew Brackman, David Phelps, Hector Noesi, and D.J. Mitchell):

If the Yankees feel the need to move one of their prospect starting pitchers into the Major League bullpen next season, they can make that adjustment quickly. There’s no need to make that switch out of spring training. “When they get to Triple-A, they don’t need a full year doing that,” Newman said. “They need a month or two of adjustment. They still need innings. You don’t want to limit innings by putting them prematurely in the bullpen.”

The talented pitchers in the Yankees system are the only thing making this offseason hurt less, and the four pitchers expected to start at SWB are just the tip of the iceberg. Besides Brackman, Phelps, Mitchell, and Brackman, the Yankees also have the other two Killer-B's (Banuelos & Betances) and Adam Warren. Wilkins Arias, who is already a reliever, has had a very good winter in the Dominican and could open some eyes this year as well.

With all those arms in the top two levels of the pen (and I left out a few others) I would not be surprised at all to see at least a couple of them make some sort of impact, whether it's as a starter or reliever.

Bryan Smith's Thoughts on Manny Banuelos

Bryan Smith is a regular contributor for Fangraphs, focusing mainly on prospects. Smith spent four days in Arizona last week to take in some AFL action, and he posted his thoughts on many of the more promising prospects at that level. This morning, he had this to say about Manny Banuelos:

The other high talent that I saw in the Arizona Fall League was Manny Banuelos, in his not excellent last start in the AFL: October 28, allowing 7 hits and three earned runs in three innings against Peoria. Clearly, he didn't live up to expectations, and it shouldn't surprise that neither did his velocity. After those summer reports of the 5-foot-11 lefty hitting 97 mph, my hopes were high driving into Peoria that day. But Banuelos looks worn out, pitching 90-92 mph, touching 93 a couple times. I agree with what Keith Law wrote in his report, saying: "the only concern I'd have off this look was that hitters did square up his fastball when he came toward the middle of the zone, as the pitch has some downhill plane but not much lateral movement."

Other than the straight, somewhat mediocre fastball, there really is a lot to like about Banuelos. Despite the results, his curveball is actually really good, better than advertised. It had good, hard break, and that day was even better than his highly acclaimed change, which was good, mind you, but more average-to-plus than the 65 pitch that has been hyped elsewhere. He also is a really strong southpaw given his slight build, and should have no problem handling big innings jumps each of the next two seasons. I'm not sure the velocity reports are true, or at least sustainable, but it doesn't mean he's not still the best of the Yankees pitching prospects.

While this is a far cry from the sort of enthusiasm I would like to see about Banuelos (whom I would agree is the best Yankees pitching prospect), it is fair praise nonetheless - particularly as it pertains to his ability to handle the rigors of a Major League season. You can read the full article here, and I would recommend checking out his other entries, as well.

Newman on the Promotions of Banuelos and Betances

Yankees Senior VP of Baseball Operations Mark Newman spoke with John Nalbone about the two recent promotions. Here's is what he had to say:

Newman: “A lot of factors went into it. Their performance in Tampa certainly played a big part of it. The movement of other players played a role and they would not have come if we did not feel they were ready.’’

As for thrusting his two young arms into a heated playoff race in late August, Newman had this to say:

“They were in the same kind of (playoff) situation at Tampa. All of our top three teams (Tampa, Trenton and Scranton) are in first place. But the level of competition up here is better and will prepare them in some ways for next year.’’

Newman said he would not have believed anyone back in March had they told him Betances and Banuelos would have made it this far, this fast.

“Neither one was on the mound at the time … they were both injured. Their performance from the middle of the season until the end has been beyond what any of us could have imagined. They have both been outstanding. In this business if you start making long range predictions about young guys like this, either positively or negatively, you make it tough for yourself. But having all five of the guys we have in that Trenton rotation now, that’s quality stuff.’’

Both pitchers make their Trenton debut this week. Banuelos will start Monday and Betances will get the ball on Tuesday.