Headed into Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees held a one-game lead in the American League East over the Baltimore Orioles. With a 21-9 record since the beginning of August, the O’s are one of baseball’s hottest teams, especially after taking two of three games from the Yankees last weekend.
Despite being only 20 years old and having never played a game above Double-A—let alone at a somewhat foreign position in third base—the Baltimore Orioles aggressively promoted the game’s second-best shortstop prospect, Manny Machado, in early August.
Since then, the team has gone 15-7, and while I’m not suggesting that Machado is solely responsible for the team’s success, his immediate impact is undeniable.
The Orioles' ability to tap into their farm system and utilize a top prospect like a Machado or a Dylan Bundy who may ultimately propel them into the postseason as intended.
The Yankees, on the other hand, have been dependent on underperforming, veteran role-players such as Raul Ibanez (.736 OPS), Eric Chavez (.840 OPS), Andruw Jones (.705 OPS) and Jayson Nix (.740 OPS). Furthermore, their key acquisitions since this year’s trade deadline are of the same ilk in Casey McGehee (.658 OPS) and Steve Pearce (.712 OPS)
Unlike the Orioles, the Yankees lack a legitimate prospect capable of making an impact over the final month of the season; they don’t even have a single prospect poised to contribute down the stretch of the season.
Their two top pitching prospects headed into the season, Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances, have been major disappointments.
Banuelos, a 21-year-old left-hander, made only six starts (4.50 ERA, 1.63 WHIP) before a bone bruise in his pitching elbow prematurely ended his season.
Betances began the season at Triple-A, where he registered a 6.39 ERA with 71 strikeouts and 69 walks in 74 2/3 innings. He was demoted to Double-A Trenton in June with the hope of rediscovering his mechanics—it ain’t easy when you’re 6’8”—where he posted an eerily similar 6.51 ERA with 30 walks in 56 2/3 innings before a recent trip to the disabled list with shoulder soreness.
Their best talent is housed in the low minors in C Gary Sanchez (19; High-A), OF Mason Williams (21; High-A), OF Tyler Austin (20; Double-A)—none of whom will be big-league ready before 2014.
Yes, they added pitchers Justin Thompson and Adam Warren when rosters expanded on September 1, but as I said in my scouting notes on Saturday, neither player is a serious prospect.
While I do believe the Yankees will reach the playoffs—whether by winning the East or one of two wild card spots—the onus of carrying the team is on the veteran stars. Both their lack of prospects and assemblage of declining big leaguers will inevitably make the final stretch of the season more difficult.
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