ST Non Roster Invitees

[Dry1313]

P: Clippard, DeSalvo, Hughes, Steven Jackson, Ben Kozlowski, Ross Ohlendorf, Ron Villone, Kevin Whelan, Stevn White.

C: Francisco Cervelli, Raul Chavez, Ben Davis, PJ Pillitere, Todd Pratt, Omir Santos.

IF: Chris Basak, Andy Cannizaro, Angel Chavez, Eric Duncan, Ramiro Pena, Marcos Vechionacci.

OF: Brett Gardner, Jose Tabata.

Who do we think is going to make the roster? I'm going with either Davis or Pratt, hopefully Davis. Obviously, Villone, but Whelan, if he pitches well, could be the first starter promoted this year.

Most of these guys don't matter if they make the roster, they're still newbs, but the older guys could get picked up in the Rule 5 next year.

Should be interesting. (http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/team/...n.jsp?c_id=nyy) = 40 man roster...other spring training invitees.

[browntown653]

I think Pratt's gonna win the backup catcher job. I've only been hearing about him and Nieves, idk what Davis has been up to. Certainly wouldn't mind seeing him as a backup though, even though my best memory of him was his bunt hit to break up Schilling's perfect game attempt as a Diamondback a few years back. I also fully expect Hughes to be in the rotation by Memorial Day.

[Hammer]

im fairly certain that whelan is a reliever, not a starter... rasner or karstens will probably be the first starter up, if its not late enough for them to roll the dice with big phil. the only ones with a legit chance are villone and davis/pratt, id say. if they wont rush hughes, they wont rush whelan, ohlendorf or tabata... duncan is kinda aged, but i still think he starts at scranton/wilkes barre.

davis/pratt have the best shot, because their main competition is wil nieves... villone has to deal with a bullpen of mo, farnsworth, proctor, vizcaino and myers who have guaranteed spots... with bruney, britton, humberto and veras competing with villone for the last 1 or 2 spots.

[Dry1313]

Humberto is a starter...and I could've sworn Whelan was too.

I see Bruney and Villone getting nods, and Colter Bean will be up and down.

Hughes will see action if someone falls to injury (PAVANO) or if we need a spark. I don't expect him until after the trade deadline though.

Davis, if he can hit, would be an excellent backup, although Pratt is seasoned in that role and great at handling pitchers. Nieves is not the way to go IMO.

[Hammer]

humbertos future is as a reliever, and theyre using him as a reliever in camp. and whelan and doggett were both relievers from that trade too.

"He has closer potential, though it probably won't ever happen with the Yankees. He might be ready to help out by 2008." -- about whelan from rotoworld

[browntown653]

I thought Humberto was supposed to be a SP too...maybe that's just in the future?

[Hammer]

he was supposed to be, and detroit was supposed to use him this year as one, if they held on to him. i was looking forward to him being a starter myself... but everything i read about him is his stuff is just better suited for the pen. maybe he just has a rubber arm and he can come out every day, and is more comfortable with that then pitching every 5 days, dont wanna speculate what it could be, just saying what i read. a nice young core in the rotation of hughes-humberto-ohlendorf wouldve been superb... but hey, we're gonna need a closer soon too, if humberto is that guy, fine by me. mariano was a starter when he first came up too. and he got hammered to boot.

[Dry1313]

JB Cox is the closer of the future if I'm not mistaken...at least that's what he's touted as.