Ex-Yankees update: Chien-Ming Wang, Arodys Vizcaino, tons more

This blog has been starving for an update on ex-Yankees, and I thought there would be no better time than today to revive this blog’s old periodic feature.

Why today? Well, that’s easy. Haven’t you seen the Nationals box score from last night?! If you were too lazy to click through that link, I’ll just go ahead and tell you that old friend Chien-Ming Wang picked up his first win since beating the Mets on June 28, 2009, while wearing pinstripes. Wang had a no-hitter through five innings, lost it in the sixth, but left without allowing a run. Although it may hurt some of you to see him back to his winning ways, I feel really good for him. It’s been a long journey for him, and I guess he needed a fresh start.

Another reason to bring back the ex-Yankees feature today is due to some news out of Braves camp. Atlanta called up  pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino, who went from the Yankees to the Braves in the Javier Vazquez deal in the 2009 offseason.

Without further ado, below are updates on some more old friends.

Yankees top prospects [Baseball America]

I like to check in on Yankees prospects during the season from time to time, but the offseason gives me a chance to analyze them more closely.

Baseball America is the go-to source for MLB prospects, and Trenton Thunder beat writer Josh Norris got a hold of its 2011 top 10 Yankees prospects before it released them. Without further ado, here are the top 10 (in comparison to last year):

What happened to…?
Arodys Vizcaino was traded to the Braves in the Javier Vazquez deal … Zach McAllister went to the Indians in the Austin Kearns deal … J.R. Murphy had a rough year in mid-A ball … Jeremy Bleich underperformed in AAA.

New guys…
Dellin Betances made a name for himself, again, last year in high-A and AA … Hector Noesi shined in AA last year and earned a promotion to AAA … Eduardo Nunez had a brief stint in the majors last year, showing he could hit, run and field … Brandon Laird showed great power numbers for AA and earned a promotion to AAA.

Vazquez will be better this time around

There hasn’t been a more active general manager in baseball than Brian Cashman in the year 2009.

Cashman’s latest deal was centered around ex-Yankee starter Javier Vazquez in a five-player, two-team deal yesterday morning. Vazquez was effective for the Yankees in the first half of 2004 before an arm injury hampered his second half. After giving up a grand slam to Johnny Damon in Game 7 of the ALCS that year, Vazquez was dealt to the D’Backs for Randy Johnson. He publicly announced it was his arm injury that hurt his performance with the Yankees (perhaps for the first time) in his press conference yesterday:

“In the second half, my arm didn’t feel as good as it did in the first half, and it was really the first time in my career, and really the only time in my career, that I felt my arm wasn’t where it’s supposed to be.”

What has he done since? He’s pitched for three teams, registered at least 200 innings each season and compiled an ERA of 4.09. Last year with the Braves was arguably the best season of his career, marked by his 2.87 ERA, 1.026 WHIP and 238 strikeouts. The only other pitcher of the decade with more strikeouts is Randy Johnson and the only other pitcher of the decade with more innings pitched is Livan Hernandez. He had this to say on returning to the Yanks:

“I’m glad to be back. I’m excited to be a part of the team again. Everybody that knows me, knows that I didn’t want to leave my first time out. I’m just glad to be back.”

He’s got the right mindset, and it sounds like he’s a different pitcher, at least, that’s what the fans voted.

As much as I don’t want to forgive him for that pitch he made to Damon, I think Vazquez can change his luck with the Yankees in 2010. Here are my three reasons why he will:

1. He’s got five more years of experience under his belt (three in the AL). Now he’s faced his fair share of AL hitters, while in 2004 he entered with hardly any experience against the AL.
2. I think the 2010 Yankees easily offer the best offensive support he’s had in his career. With a team that will probably average around 5.5 runs per game, I fully expect him to collect at least 15 wins.
3. Presumably, he’ll be a middle or back end of the rotation guy instead of the ace, so he doesn’t have to deal with that pressure of leading a staff. The pressure dial has been turned to its off position.

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As for the rest of the trade, the Yankees have a lot of benefits to outweigh losing their league-average starting left fielder. Melky Cabrera was a fan-favorite, Robinson Cano’s lover, YouTube star and perhaps a blooming hitter. Brett Gardner and Jamie Hoffmann can rock-paper-scissors for the last outfield spot for now, but I doubt either will be in the opening day lineup.

Because Vazquez is only signed for 2010, the Yankees could get some compensation draft picks back if he rejects an arbitration offer after the season. That helps make up the loss of pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino, who just turned 19. He had a ways to go before pitching with the Yankees.

I’ve learned Boone Logan, like Michael Dunn, is a lefty specialist (lefties have hit .231 against Logan in his career). Because of the terms on his contract, Joel Sherman reports, he will have to earn a spot on the 25-man, but I’ll predict he makes the cut (barring any reliever pickups by Cashman).

Most importantly, to me, the deal allows Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes to secure the set-up spot in the bullpen (hopefully not both). Sorry folks, but David Robertson was not ready to have that job without a legitimate backup option on opening day. Now the Yankees will be able to groom Chamberlain or Hughes as a starter in 2010 and be able to seamlessly bridge the gap to Mariano Rivera .

My guess is the last spot in the rotation is up for grabs in spring training. As most of you know, I’d prefer Hughes as the starter, but I think the Yankees will go with Chamberlain because of his experience.

Javier Vazquez traded back to Yankees

Javier Vazquez was given just one year to prove he could handle pitching in New York, but he couldn’t. Now, he’ll get another shot, as he was traded to the Yankees for Melky Cabrera and Mike Dunn.

The Yankees also received lefty reliever Boone Logan from the Braves, but his numbers aren’t very pretty.

Judging from the numbers, the Yankees acquired a big time starter for an average — at best — left fielder and two promising relievers.

UPDATE: Sweeny Murti confirms the Yankees also sent pitching prospect Arodys Vizcaino to the Braves.

First reaction: Advantage Yankees (still). But let’s look a little deeper.

Vazquez is owed $11.5 million in 2010 before his contract expires, so that’s definitely a negative. But that’s what he’s been making for the last six years (if you go back to his contract with the Yankees).

“I’m outraged and I’m disappointed and I wish them the worst,” my dad says of the trade.

Here’s why he might be upset. The Yankees have already tried out Vazquez, and he failed. He was an All-Star, actually, but he ended the year with a 14-10 record, 4.93 ERA and 150 strikeouts — his lowest total in the last 10 years by 29.

If you don’t recall, he was one answer to my trivia question last week. If you don’t recall, the Yankees traded away Nick Johnson for Vazquez in 2004, and then re-signed him to a lucrative contract. After blowing Game 7 of the ALCS against the Red Sox (I’m gonna cry), he was dealt to the D’Backs for Randy Johnson. Nice history with the team.

Anyway, this trade opens up the outfield market again, unless the Yankees want to go with Brett Gardner in center and Curtis Granderson in left with Jamie Hoffman as the backup (not terrible). The available left fielders: Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, Jermaine Dye (RF), Mark DeRosa and a guy named Johnny Damon. There are options.

It also boots Joba Chamberlain and/or Phil Hughes to the bullpen (which I like). I’d prefer Hughes stays in the rotation, but I think Chamberlain will stay because he is more experienced as a starter at this point in time. Remember, they both can dominate the eighth inning.

Bottom line: It’s another big trade for the Yankees, and that means a whole new can of worms is open.

Big changes in Yankees top 10 prospects

To the right are the Baseball America’s Yankees top 10 prospects list from last year. Austin Jackson and Phil Coke left the organization in the Curtis Granderson trade, Alfredo Aceves is already playing in the show, Andrew Brackman had a dreadful 2009 campaign and missed lots of time along with Zach McAllister. As you can imagine, this year’s list is completely different.

One of the first things that sticks out is all the catchers. Four, count’em, four are in the top 10. Jesus Montero and his highly touted bat lead the way, while Austin Romine, the Dominican native Gary Sanchez and 2009 2nd round draft pick J.R. Murphy follow. Be sure to check out the Yankees prospects page on Baseball America for some good insight and interesting projections.

Arodys Vizcaino, a 19-year-old (same as me!) out of the Dominican, is one of the most exciting new Yankees prospects that you need to know about. He posted some impressive numbers for a teenager in the lowest levels of the organization the past two seasons.

UPDATE: Check out what Yankees VP of baseball operations Mark Newman had to say about Vizcaino.

People should definitely be aware of Vizcaino, 19, but of course we've learned the focus in New York is always on today more than tomorrow. Still, Vizcaino is a very good prospect, a hard-throwing right-hander from the Dominican Republic.

Yankees senior vice president of baseball operations Mark Newman describes Vizcaino as a pitcher who gets his fastball up to 96 mph with "a hammer of a curveball" and "really good stuff." He had a 2.13 ERA in 10 starts for Class A Staten Island this year and will be one to watch.

Check back for more Yankees prospect analysis as the winter goes on.