Sox Trade For Former Yankee Mark Melancon

From WEEI:

According to multiple sources, the Red Sox acquired Astros closer Mark Melancon in a trade Wednesday for pitcher Kyle Weiland and Jed Lowrie.

Melancon, 26, a 2006 draft pick of the Yankees out of the University of Arizona, had Tommy John surgery late in 2006 and missed the 2007 season. He made his debut for the Yankees against the Red Sox in 2009. He was traded to the Astros last year as part of the Lance Berkman deal. The right-hander went 8-4 with a 2.78 ERA and 20 saves in 25 chances for the lowly Astros this past season. He had 66 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings.

Weiland, 25, debuted for the Red Sox this season, going 0-3 with a 7.66 ERA. He is expected to be given a spot in the Astros rotation.

The Sox also signed Nick Punto to 2-year deal worth $3.5M.

Mark Melancon is a Crybaby

From Bernardo Fallas (hat-tip to NYBD):

Astros righthander Mark Melancon, who joined the Astros from the Yankees July 31 in the trade that sent Lance Berkman to the Bronx, has not been in Houston very long. But he can already spot at least one big difference when pitching at Minute Maid Park than at Yankee Stadium.

"You feel like (the fans) have your back," said Melancon, who picked up his first career win in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the New York Mets. "It's nice to pitch in that circumstance."

Every Yankee fan I know was hoping Melancon would become a major part of this team, so the support was there. The problem is that when you don't perform and cost the team games, you're going to hear it from the crowd, that's just New York being New York. If whatever lack of support (a few boos?) he felt actually bothered him, than the Yankees are better off without him. There's no place for spineless pitchers in this town.

Some More Moves and News

Along with Chad Moeller, Kevin Russo was also called up earlier today. Mark Melancon will head to Scranton to make room for Russo on the roster.

Nick Swisher should be back in the lineup tonight, at least according to Chad Jennings, that seems to be the plan.

It may have been missed with Moeller being called up, but earlier I mentioned that the Yankees signed 27-year-old second baseman Jeff Natale.

Granderson Headed To DL

LoHud's Josh Thomson is reporting that the results for Curtis Granderson's MRI are back and show that he has a Grade 2 strain of the left groin. He will be placed on the 15-day DL either and the Yanks will callup Mark Melancon from Scranton-Wilkes Barre. There is no timetable for his return at the moment.

You figure Brett Gardner will start in center everyday now, with Randy Winn and Marcus Thames splitting the left field duties. As of now I assume Thames will start against lefties and Winn will start against righties.

If there's a positive in all of this, it's that Mark Melancon will get another shot in the big leagues, and with the way the bullpen has looked lately they could use another arm. In 13 games for the Yankees last year, Melancon went 0-1, with a 3.86 ERA. In 16.1 innings he allowed 7 ER on 13 hits, walked 10, and struck out 10. This year for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre he's 3-0, with a 1.76 ERA in ten games. In 15.1 innings pitched, he's allowed 3 ER on 13 hits, walked 5, and struck out 15.

USA Today's 100 Names You Need To Know For 2010

For the 14th time, USA came out with their list of 100 names you need to know for the upcoming baseball season. They describe the players on the list as

the next wave of players heading into the major leagues who, in our view, could make the biggest impact in 2010.

These aren't necessarily baseball's 100 best prospects because many top prospects are too far down in the minor leagues to contribute in the majors this season. Others are stuck behind established major leaguers.

Not all of the players on our list have rookie status, either, but our standard for inclusion is that a player must have had more innings (for pitchers) or at-bats (for hitters) in the minor leagues in 2009 than he has had during all of his major league time.

The Yankees who made the list include Mark Melancon (#52), Zach McAllister (#56) Jamie Hoffman (#58), and Jesus Montero (#66). Here's what they had to say about each:

Melancon:

Next in line to continue the run of success the Yankees had last season with young pitchers setting up in front of closer Mariano Rivera, Melancon, 24, should fill one of the openings. He's a hard thrower with a sharp-breaking curve. Groomed as a reliever since turning pro in 2006, he has bounced back well from missing 2007 after Tommy John elbow surgery.

McAllister:

He's a sinkerballer who induces plenty of ground balls and can pitch himself into the mix as a 22-year-old this spring. Major league bullpen work is a possibility, but McAllister would be among the first to be considered if there's a need for a major league starter. His chances would improve if the Yankees decide to keep Phil Hughes in the bullpen.

Hoffman:

Hoffman, 25, is a strong defender who can play all three outfield positions, has plenty of speed and is a consistent contact hitter. That's why the Yankees believe he someday will be an everyday player. In the meantime, Hoffman must be good enough to make the roster because he was a Rule 5 draft selection from the Dodgers and must be offered back to Los Angeles before he can be sent to the minors.

Montero:

His power is his biggest asset, but the fact that he's a catcher and there's no other obvious successor to Jorge Posada could have Montero, just 20, in the major leagues this season. Barring an emergency, his initial stay won't be long because he has had only a half-season at Class AA and needs to continue developing his defensive game.

Former Yankees prospects, Austin Jackson (#19) and Jose Tabata (#86) also made the list.

Bid On A Mark Melancon Game Used Jersey

Are you a fan of Yankees prospects? Robert M. Pimpsner wanted me to let you guys know that you only have just over a day left to bid on this game used Mark Melancon Staten Island Yankees jersey.

Happy bidding!

Holy Embarrassing Costumes, Batman!

Yesterday was the annual rookie hazing day for the Yankees. Each year they pick a theme and make the rookie dress up in embarrassing costumes. This year's theme was 1960's Batman.

(AP Photos/Ted S. Warren)

The first shot shows video coordinator Anthony Flynn as Robin, Mark Melancon as Batman, Ramiro Pena as Catwoman, Michael Dunn as the Riddler, and massage therapist Lew Potter as the Penguin. The second has radar gun operator Brett Weber joining them as the Joker, and Joe Girardi just posing for a picture. The third shows the rest of the Yankees laughing and taking pictures.

Now, I'm not sure why the video coordinator, radar gun operator, and message therapist were forced to dress up, but I assume this is either their first year on the job, or they just had to fill out the cast due to the lack of rookies on the roster. Either way, I hope this good natured fun eased their minds on their way to face the dangerous Angels in Anaheim.

Add Edwar to the List of Call-Ups

Last night we learned that Mike Dunn, Mark Melancon, Ramiro Pena, and Francisco Cervelli would be joining the Yankees. Today, Chad Jennings informs us that Edwar Ramirez will also be added to the roster.

In 29 games for SWB Ramirez is 1-5 with 4 saves and a 3.18 ERA. In 51 IP he's allowed 18 ER on 39 hits, he's walked 16 and struck out 62. Oppenents are hitting .205 against him.

Replacing them on the SWB Yanks roster will be RHP Humberto Sanchez, RHP Eric Wordekemper,
and OF Freddy Guzman. There are still two spots open on the SWB Yanks roster and I will update this post as soon as those players are identified.

Also, Mark Feinsand is reporting what Jennings said yesterday, that Shelley Duncan and Austin Jackson could join the Yankees once the Triple-A playoffs are over.

Four Players Inclduing Mike Dunn Coming Up

John Heyman via his Twitter page is reporting that the Yankees will call up Francisco Cervelli, Ramiro Pena, Mark Melancon, and Mike Dunn tomorrow.

Like I said earlier today, I'm very interested in seeing Dunn pitch at this level. In 37 games with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Dunn is 3-3, with 2 saves, and a 3.34 ERA. In 72.2 innings pitched, he's allowed 27 ER and 58 hits, he's also walked 46 and struck out 98. With Scranton he had a 2.33 ERA in 11 games.

Cano, Along with Several Relievers Clear Waivers

George King reported this morning that Robinson Cano, Mark Melancon, Brian Bruney. and David Robertson have all cleared waivers.

As King correctly points out "The fact that players clear or are put on trade waivers isn't an indication they will be moved. Most times it's a procedure clubs go through to gauge interest in their players and see if they are able to trade them later should another team have something they want."

Yesterday the Yanks place a second group of players on waivers. That group includes Alfredo Aceves, AJ Burnett, Melky Cabrera, Phil Coke, Shelley Duncan, Sergio Mitre and Edwar Ramirez. They have until Monday to clear.

Melancon Headed Back to the Bronx

Well, Los Angeles actually... According to Chad Jennings, Mark Melancon has been called up to the Yankees, and will join the team in Los Angeles when for their three-game set with the Angels. There is no word on any corresponding moves. Maybe David Robertson goes back down?

Melancon has struggled a bit this month down in Scranton where he posted a 4.11 ERA in 10 games. Overall he's 4-0 with 3 saves and a 2.50 ERA in 25 Triple-A games.

What do you guys think of the move? Me? I like it, I thought they rushed him out of here too quickly the first time around.

Rosenthal: Joba is not headed to Yanks' pen yet

Because of the early season struggles of the pen and injury to Brian Bruney there have been cries all throughout Yankeeland lately for the Yankees to make Joba the setup man again. Ken Rosenthal says not so fast, he's needed elsewhere.

First things first: Yankees right-hander Joba Chamberlain is not returning to the bullpen — at least not yet.

"I can revisit that at any point," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday. "But right now, he is needed even more in the rotation than ever."

Chien-Ming Wang is on the disabled list. His replacement, Phil Hughes, remains largely unproven. The Yankees' current setup man, Brian Bruney might come off the disabled list in two weeks.

No, the Yankees are not panicking about their bullpen, not even after their weekend debacle in Boston. Cashman is always looking to upgrade, but says that he is not being "uber-aggressive" about looking for relief help, and that none of the available relievers interest him.

The Yankees' bullpen, featuring most of the same relievers, last season ranked second in the majors in strikeout rate, fourth in opponents' OPS and seventh in ERA. Cashman refers to the group as "talented and gifted and probably undersold."

"Nobody wants to hear it," another Yankees official said, "but you just have to let 'em pitch."

Actually, the best thing would be for the relievers to pitch less, and to that end CC Sabathia's complete game Monday night, even in a 4-2 loss to the Tigers, was a start.

Only two American League rotations — the Orioles' and A's — had averaged fewer innings than the Yankees' entering Monday's play. Wang, who worked only six innings in his three starts, was the primary culprit, but not the only one.

The Yankees believe that relievers such as right-handers Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez will return to form as their starters pitch deeper into games.

Lefty Damaso Marte allowed Kevin Youkilis' game-winning homer on Friday night, but manager Joe Girardi said it was the best Marte has thrown all season — and he made a point of repeating that several times to Marte.

For now, the Yankees have little choice but to stay the course, but the calls for Chamberlain to return to his original role only will grow louder if the team's relievers continue to struggle.

I completely agree with Rosenthal. Like I've been saying for a few days now, the Yankees pen has been as bad as they are because they're overworked. You can't expect a bullpen to pitch four innings a game and still remain sharp. Most team's bullpens will struggle if their pitchers are only throwing five innings a start.

That was one of the things that I did like about CC's performance yesterday, he gave the bullpen the night off. Once we see more of that from the Yankees staff, the better the bullpen will be too.

As Rosenthal also points out, there are other issues with moving Joba to the pen; Brian Bruney and Chien-Ming Wang, and someone he didn't mention, Mark Melancon.

Until Chien-Ming Wang proves he can pitch again the Yankees only have five starters including Hughes. So there is no way they can move Joba out of the rotation now.

If Bruney can come back in two weeks and pitch like he was - and there's no reason to believe he can't - the Yankees don't need an 8th inning guy because they already have one. Also, Mark Melancon looks like the real deal, not based on the two innings in Boston, but on everything he's done in the minors as well. After getting his feet wet for a week or two, he could slide right into the seventh inning role, which would leave Jose Veras, Phil Coke, Jonathan Albaladejo, Edwar Ramirez and Damaso Marte to handle the sixth. I think that should work out just fine.

The bottom line is that the Yankees need to see where they're at with Bruney, Melancon, and Wang, before doing anything drastic.

Now, what happens if Melancon is as good as advertised, Bruney and Wang come back at full strength, and Hughes is successful as a starter? Well that's a unbelievably great problem to have for the Yanks and it will give them two choices:

1) Keep Joba and Hughes in the rotation and have something of a six-man rotation to limit the innings for the two youngsters, and if the Yankees have a lead after six the game will be over.

2) Move Joba to the pen and if the Yankees have the lead after five the games will be over.

Again, that would be a great problem to have, sadly I don't think it's very likely that things will work out that perfectly. They never do.

Melancon, Robertson and Berroa Called Up

According to Pete Abe, Mark Melancon, David Robertson, and Angel Berroa have all been called up to replace Chein-Ming Wang, Brian Bruney, and Cody Ransom on the roster. We all heard out about Robertson last night and the other two we learned about this morning.

(Melancon, Robertson, and Berroa)

Berroa was hitting .316/.365/.491 with 2 HR and 13 RBI in 14 games for Triple-A Scranton. Melancon was 2-0, and had struck out 17 and walked just three in 10.1 innings scoreless innings. And Roberston was 0-1, with a 0.00 ERA, and has struck out 14and walked just two in 8 innings.

With Melancon coming up it probably means that Bruney is headed to the DL, which is a terrible blow to this team.

Melancon Gettting A Lot Of Attention This Spring

Today was Mark Melancon's day to throw some to live hitting and many people came away impressed.

First there was this from Tyler Kepner of the NY Times:

Melancon looked good Sunday, with a crisp fastball and curveball. He induced missed swings, broke Cano’s bat and impressed the veterans.

“He’s got a bright future, there’s no doubt about that,” said Jorge Posada, who caught Melancon’s session. “He could be a short reliever, a closer type. I think he could do it.”

Posada also talked about Melancon’s professional demeanor, the diligent way he works out in the weight room and his commanding presence on the mound. Those were some of the same sentiments I found last June, when I wrote this piece on Melancon, then blowing away hitters for Class AA Trenton.

Peter Abraham was equally impressed:

Wow. 30 pitches and there were four swing and misses. He also broke Cano’s bat. There were two balls put in play, singles by Jeter and Romine.

Melancon’s fastball was as advertised. He also threw five curveballs and all but one were strikes. It’s a big curve, too.

And so was Mark Feinsand:

I'm certainly no scout, but Melancon's stuff looked pretty impressive from my vantage point, which was behind the cage and about six feet to the right.

Instead of trusting my own amateur evaluation, I went to some more qualified people to ask their opinions on Melancon.

Joe Girardi: “His ball cuts, it sinks; it's got a lot of movement and late life to it. That usually translates into swings and misses, not solid contact.”

Jorge Posada: “Good curveball, his four-seamer naturally cuts and he's got a very good two-seamer. … His attitude, his demeanor, he works really hard. It's good to watch what he's doing. He's very professional.”

And in a different article Melancon told Feinsand:

"I think I'm ready," Melancon said when asked if he feels he belongs in the majors. "I still think I have a lot of learning to do. I'm definitely not at the level I want to be at."

Roderick Boone had this quote from Girardi:

"Obviously, you don't want to make too much of what you see right now because I believe his stuff is going to get better as he goes in spring training," Girardi said. "I love his arm. I love the movement on his fastball. His curveball is very good. So he's an interesting young man."

Girardi also told Pete Caldera that:

Melancon is “a guy we expect to be in the [relievers] mix,”

And finally here's some quotes from Melancon from Bryan Hoch:

Melancon has become the readiest available answer to this eternal question:Who will replace Mariano Rivera as the Yankees' closer?

"I think it's able to be done, so I'm excited for that," Melancon said. "I'm excited that people are throwing that out there, but I know it's not true until I make it true."

"I knew this year would be a good opportunity for me to possibly get in and have a shot at making the team," Melancon said. "I think I'm ready. I still think I have a lot of learning to do. I'm definitely not at the level that I want to be at."

"Mo is awesome," Melancon said. "Obviously on the field, he's great. But off the field, he's a standup person and you can see that by the way he carries himself. That was fun for me to try and get to know him. What I realize about the older guys -- [Andy] Pettitte and Mo -- they just know the game like the back of their hands."

I don't have much to add to this, except that I think he will be a major part of that bullpen at some point this season. The injury to Edwar Ramirez, if serious, may open that door even sooner.

Last season in the minors Melancon went 8-1 with 3 saves and a 2.27 ERA with Tampa, Trenton, and Scranton-Wilkes/Barre. In 95 innings he struck out 89 and walked just 22. For more on Melancon check out his Baseball Cube page here.

Melancon Hopes A Big Spring Will Take Him To Majors

From Chad Jennings:

Twelve months later, Melancon is back in big league camp, and as the Yankees’ first official workout gets under way is this morning, he no longer needs any favors.

Twenty-three years old, with a season and a half of professional experience, Melancon believes he has a chance to break camp in the major league bullpen.

And he just might be right.

“I hope that’s not false hope, but I think I do,” Melancon said in a telephone interview from Florida. “I think I’ll have to have a good spring training, but rightfully so. I think you should, if you’re going to make a team, you should have to have a good spring training."

“He may be ready, but there are a lot of big league relievers there,” Yankees minor league pitching coordinator Nardi Contreras said. “He’s got a lot of things going for him and we’ll see what he does in spring training and who’s ahead of him and who’s not. But he’s going to be seen.”

“He came along, but that’s because he put in the work,” Contreras said. “He’s very knowledgeable and has a special young arm. He knows what he wants out of his career and his life, and he puts everything into it.”

“I don’t think you make a team off of three weeks,” Melancon said. “I think that’s over time and building trust. Hopefully last year I proved that my arm can hold up and handle that many innings.”

“Obviously I’m not going to back down and plan on being in Scranton,” Melancon said. “But if that happens, I understand that. Hopefully what happens in spring training will dictate where I go. That’s all I can ask for.”

I don't know if he's going to be able to make the team out of spring, but I do think we will be see Melancon in a Yankee uniform at some point this season. He's looked at as the team's future closer and he doesn't have much more to prove in the minors, so there's no reason to keep him there.

For more info on Melancon, check out his Baseball Cube page here.

More Yankees Prospect Stuff

As is normally the case during this time of year there are a lot of stories about prospects. The latest comes from SNY.TV's Michael Salfino, who goes over the Yankees top ten prospects. (hat tip to WasWatching.com)

Baseball America editor John Manuel, always a great help to us here, listed the Yankees' top 10 prospects as follows (in order): outfielder Austin Jackson, catcher Jesus Montero, pitcher Andrew Brackman, catcher Austin Romine, pitcher Dellin Betances, pitcher Zach McAllister, pitcher Alfredo Aceves, pitcher Phil Coke, pitcher Mark Melancon, third baseman Bradley Suttle. Complete information on all of these players is available in Baseball America's 2009 Prospect Handbook, which can be ordered here.

But first let's address Manuel's suggestion here (subscription required) that Jackson could possibly propel himself into the Yankees lineup as the starting center fielder as early as this upcoming season. Our scout disagrees.

"He's not close enough. Jackson is like the Mets' Fernando Martinez. He has to do something. Let's see some numbers, not just scouting reports. He's going to fall somewhere between Melky Cabrera and Bobby Abreu. Is that too big a range? Yes. But he's all projection now. While he passes the eyeball test, the numbers haven't been there."

This exchange on Jackson set me up to mock those who compare Montero to Mike Piazza. Our scout quickly chastened me. "He does have Piazza-type bat speed. The bat projects even at first base, and [that's] even in New York, which doesn't settle for anything less than top shelf at a corner spot given their payroll. He's very impressive in the cage. Behind the plate, he's much less so and my sense is that he probably can't play there."

Dellin Betances is a real Frankenstein -- 6-foot-8 -- with a monster of a fastball. Being this tall presents challenges as well as opportunities, says our scout. "The problem is always repeating delivery. But tall guys get better depth to their breaking stuff and better downhill plane to their pitching. And Betances does throw overhand and has a really promising knuckle curve. But when he comes down a little in his arm slot, he really starts to telegraph his pitches. Can he sustain his velocity as a starter? That's my big question with him. Doing that will require him to improve his delivery."

The Yanks are preparing lefty Phil Coke to be a starter this year, and our scout thinks this is a mistake. "I can't see him contributing to the Yankees as a starter in '09. But I do like him in the pen. He hardly touches 90 mph as a starter but was up to 94 in relief, but mostly in the 92 range. That's pretty tough when you're going lefty on lefty in the pen and it's enough to survive even against some big-league righties. But Coke doesn't spin the ball well enough to start."

Melancon is being groomed to replace Mariano Rivera as closer, and I was skeptical because none of the Minor League numbers really pop. That's a mistake, says our scout. "He's been hurt. Discount the stats. He throws hard and the curve is good. He's at least a seventh- or eighth-inning guy and I do project him as a future closer."

For the rest of the article, including some info on Zach McAllister, Bradley Suttle, and Alfredo Aceves, click here.

Great Yankee Prospect Breakdown

Today looks like it's going to be a slow one so if you're bored go check out this great breakdown of the Yankees top five prospects over at Baseball-Intellect. The top five players are 1) Jesus Montero, 2) Dellin Betances, 3) Austin Jackson, 4) Andrew Brackman, and 5) Mark Melancon. Eventually they will post a breakdown of the rest of their top 15.

It's definitely worth the read, so go check it out.

Is something wrong with Melancon?

From Chad Jennings:

Perhaps a more pressing issue is the fact Mark Melancon didn't pitch. That's three straight playoffs games without an appearance from Melancon, and tonight's eighth inning was a perfect time to use him.

Yesterday in Pawtucket, Melancon had his back wrapped, but when I asked about it he said it wasn't an issue. Sounded more precautionary than anything, and maybe it is, but it is a bit odd that he hasn't pitched these three games. I asked Dave Miley about it postgame, but as always, Miley's not allowed to comment on injuries. I tried to find Melancon, but he walked out of the clubhouse just as I was leaving the manager's office.

I don't want anyone to get too concerned. If it were a big deal I think Melancon would have said something yesterday or the team would have given at least a few details tonight. I'll try to track Melancon down tomorrow and let you know. Might have a little bit of a sore back, but that's speculation based on where I saw the wrap.

Remember Melancon is coming off of Tommy John surgery, which wouldn't effect his back, but still make be a cause for concern. And he has also thrown a lot of innings this season. I'm sure there will be more information from Jennings in the upcoming days.

Newman: Melancon Could Stay in the Minors All Year

Chad Jennings interviewed the Yankees Senior VP of Baseball Operations Mark Newman yesterday, and asked him about several things, here's what Newman had to say about Mark Melancon. And sorry to those who wanted to see him in the Majors this year, you might be disappointed.

With a 1.57 ERA through 11 Double-A games, Melancon has fans calmoring for a call-up, but Newman is happy to leave the right-hander where he is.

“He could stay there all year," Newman said. "Probably will. Not a guarantee, but probably.”

Newman has long stressed patience with his young pitchers. Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy were the exception to the rule. The methodical development of Phil Hughes and now of Mark Melancon is the norm. Add in the fact Melancon is coming off surgery and threw just 7.2 professional innings before this season, his big league ETA may be a little later than some fans had hoped.

“He’s not throwing very many pitches," Newman said. "He went three innings the other day on 31 pitches. Some guys would get two-thirds of an inning on 31 pitches. We want him to use his breaking ball and changeup, but he can have a nine-pitch inning and do it with his fastball. Developmentally, it’s important that he use his secondary pitches.”

It's understandable that why the Yanks don't want to rush him, having him develop his breaking ball and change up will only help him, and the Yankees in the long run.

The Yankees also have David Robertson and J.B. Cox already at AAA, and both will most likely end up with the Major League team at some point in the near future.