Our favorite source of SWB info, Chad Jennings, spoke with Yankee minor league pitching guru Nardi Contreras and reports the following on our bet to replace the immortal Mo in 3 years:
Humberto Sanchez
Throwing bullpen sessions, but Contreras said he's not at 45 pitches yet. Forty five is an important number because if the Yankees are going to use Sanchez as a starter, they want him throwing at least 45 pitches before they let him pitch to hitters. If he's a reliever, he can start at 35 pitches. It has been my understanding that Sanchez will work as a reliever, at least that's what I was told this spring, but Contreras made it sound as though that's not set in stone. He obviously didn't go into specifics -- to be expected because the Yankees rarely go into specifics with this kind of thing -- but it sounds like Sanchez could be -- could be -- fairly close to pitching in games.
It's easy to forget that TDS was a top pitching prospect before TJ surgery forced him to take a year off.
In 2006 TDS posted a 5-3 record and 1.76 ERA in 11 starts for AA Erie. He had 86 strikeouts in just 71 innings allowing only 2 HR. After a promotion to AAA Toledo, Sanchez had 9 starts and a 3.86 ERA.
Scout.com had the following to say about Sanchez:
Possessing a plus fastball and a knockout strikeout pitch with his curveball gives him more than enough to be a big weapon in the back-end of a big league bullpen, and some scouts believe his ultimate role with the Yankees may depend on the further development of his changeup. With stuff comparable to Joba Chamberlain, he affords the Yankees a lot of flexibility upon his return.
High praise, indeed.
While his rehab is a bit behind schedule, if Sanchez can begin throwing to live batters in the next couple of weeks it's not unlikely that he could be in a position for a September call-up.
Humberto Sanchez
Throwing bullpen sessions, but Contreras said he's not at 45 pitches yet. Forty five is an important number because if the Yankees are going to use Sanchez as a starter, they want him throwing at least 45 pitches before they let him pitch to hitters. If he's a reliever, he can start at 35 pitches. It has been my understanding that Sanchez will work as a reliever, at least that's what I was told this spring, but Contreras made it sound as though that's not set in stone. He obviously didn't go into specifics -- to be expected because the Yankees rarely go into specifics with this kind of thing -- but it sounds like Sanchez could be -- could be -- fairly close to pitching in games.
It's easy to forget that TDS was a top pitching prospect before TJ surgery forced him to take a year off.
In 2006 TDS posted a 5-3 record and 1.76 ERA in 11 starts for AA Erie. He had 86 strikeouts in just 71 innings allowing only 2 HR. After a promotion to AAA Toledo, Sanchez had 9 starts and a 3.86 ERA.
Scout.com had the following to say about Sanchez:
Possessing a plus fastball and a knockout strikeout pitch with his curveball gives him more than enough to be a big weapon in the back-end of a big league bullpen, and some scouts believe his ultimate role with the Yankees may depend on the further development of his changeup. With stuff comparable to Joba Chamberlain, he affords the Yankees a lot of flexibility upon his return.
High praise, indeed.
While his rehab is a bit behind schedule, if Sanchez can begin throwing to live batters in the next couple of weeks it's not unlikely that he could be in a position for a September call-up.
