SSTN Mailbag: Promotions, Warren's Value, Miller, And Lombard!

The Yankees' offense hasn't scored many runs, but it also doesn't have to when the pitching is as good as it's been. While even the diehards among us (myself included) wallowed as the Yankees played through yet another summer swoon, I think many of us failed to realize just how good the pitching has been overall against good teams. They'll get a chance to continue to show us how good it is, because the schedule doesn't lighten up here with a weekend series against the Phillies coming up.

Watching Max Fried's surprising early return from the IL really had a way of calming my nerves. Fried looked as dominant as I've ever seen him in pinstripes. He had complete command of all of his pitches, and significantly more velocity in the tank, throwing the hardest pitches he's ever thrown. He also pitched incredibly efficiently, saving a bullpen that really needed some help.

As good as the pitching staff has been, it will still very obviously need a little supplementation to be truly dominant. Adding a high-octane arm to the bullpen while supplementing with either Will Warren or Ryan Weathers once Carlos Rodon is healthy, not to mention possibly getting Clarke Schmidt into the mix by late-August, might make a group that is already excellent truly one of the best bullpens I've seen the Yankees roll out since they had Andrew Miller, Dellin Betances, and Zack Britton in the back of the bullpen.

I think the Yankees have enough offense, especially once Judge and Stanton are back, to be successful, particularly if the Yankees can put the finishing touches on a dominant pitching staff over the next month and change. I may be in the minority, but I still have very high hopes and expectations for this team, flaws and all.

Also, I had promised one of our readers that I would divulge the name of a bad-contract player I'd have interest in acquiring in the Mailbag this week. We had enough other timely questions that I didn't get to it this week, but I'll say the name: Mike Trout. Sure, that contract is aging like milk, but Trout remains a fantastic player who can help a ballclub win a championship if he's not asked to be "the guy." It'll never happen, but I'd love to see it.

As always, thanks for the great questions and keep them coming to SSTNReadermail@gmail.com. In this week's SSTN Mailbag, we'll talk about prospect promotions, Will Warren's trade value, a Mason Miller trade offer, and George Lombard Jr.! Let's get at it:

Alan B. asks: Andy: Now that all the draft picks have been [signed], and the FCL season is over, which minor leaguers would you promote, demote, or even release? Also, after seeing GLJ in his first few games back, I'd call him up for Monday's game in Chicago, unless Zach Wheeler us pitching on Sunday, I'd call him up for that game. Wheeler didn't intimidate GLJ in his last rehab start.  Man, Wheeler was really on point that game too.

We'll talk about GLJ on his own below, so I'll save that discussion for later. Suffice it to say, I'm impressed with what Lombard Jr. has done this season. However, Alan's point is well taken - there's a lot of movement that is almost certain to occur in the minor leagues over the next couple of weeks. I won't talk much about demotions, but I see a few obvious candidates for call-ups. Some of these guys would almost certainly be up a level already if not for being blocked. This is particularly true for pitchers, but I expect that logjam to loosen up as we get past the trade deadline, as the Yankees are nearly certain to unload some of their upper level starting pitchers in trades.

In no particular order, here are my call-ups:

RP Yovanny Cruz - I'm sure the Yankees are looking for a taker for Camilo Doval, but justifying a roster spot for him is almost impossible at this point. Cruz should already be filling out the big league bullpen, at least until reinforcements arrive. That Cruz has mostly stayed in AAA while Doval and Jake Bird continue to get shelled in big league appearances tells you a lot about what the Yankees think about Cruz, but I think he's largely earned a spot more than Doval or Bird.

RP Ben Grable - Grable has been absolutely dominant down in AA. It's time to call him up to AAA and see if he's got a shot to be a real option either this year or next. There's clearly a logjam of pitchers at AAA that needs sorting out before Grable can come up, but his stuff really plays in a way that makes him more than just a stats over stuff minor league reliever.

SP Xavier Rivas - My handpicked prospect riser this year has been among the most dominant minor league pitchers in baseball since the calendar turned to June. He's simply overpowering AA hitters. I expect Rivas to get called up to AAA as soon as the dust settles from the trade deadline, assuming that he isn't used as trade bait.

2B Kaeden Kent - Kent hasn't dominated A+ ball the way I would expect a prospect of his caliber with major Division 1 experience to dominate, but he's played good defense and made a ton of contact. He needs to be more patient in the box, and I think the only way he gets there is to see upper level pitching that is trying to get him to chase with some command in the strike zone.

INF Jackson Lovich - I'll be blunt: I have no idea where Lovich should play on the diamond, and I'm not sure the Yankees know either. There's an interesting speed and power package here that is torching low-A. Lovich has worrying in-zone contact numbers and he chases outside the strike zone a ton, which can mean one of two things. Either pitchers in low-A throw so few strikes (true) that he's expanding the zone and needs more of a challenge, or his swing is grooved to a particular zone and he has pitch recognition issues that will cause him to flame out as he's promoted. There's not a lot of in-between with Lovich as he climbs the ladder. I don't think he has much left to learn at low-A, and I think the Yankees need to learn what they have in Lovich.

Fuster asks: what can they get for Will Warren?

could they acquire Jonah Heim and Leo De Vries

if they added a prospect along with Warren?

Will Warren has value, but not as much as most fans seem to think. Warren is a decent 5-starter right now, with potential to grow into a 4-starter. The reality is that he's a sub-2-WAR pitcher right now, who yes, eats a lot of innings, but most of those haven't been great innings. A lot was made about his progression earlier this year, but since mid-May, Warren has pitched to a roughly 5.00 ERA when he starts. Young, controllable starters have value, but starters like Warren are generally cheaper to just develop. There's a market for him among teams that haven't developed solid back-of-the-rotation talent, but the return isn't worth a tippy top prospect like De Vries.

On paper, someone like Warren matches up with the cost for a catcher like Heim, but given the dearth of catching around baseball right now, catcher values are inflated at the trade deadline. Warren can be attached to a good player for an interesting return, but that package still isn't worth a prospect like DeVries, unless Lombard Jr. were included...which I don't see happening.

However, I think Warren can be part of the core of a return for another interesting player...

Steven T. asks: I've been seeing a lot of bloggers put forward their trade proposals for Mason Miller. Would you trade for him and what does your best offer look like if you're the Yankees?

Yes, I'd go get Miller if at all possible. He can change the complexion of the Yankee bullpen and effectively turn games into 6-7 inning affairs. If the Padres are willing to deal him, the Yankees have to be in on it. However, I would not trade GLJ for a reliever. That's my one off-limits player, and you'll understand why in a minute. Here's my best offer:

NYY Receives: RP Mason Miller

SDP Receives: SP Will Warren, SP/RP Carlos Lagrange, OF Spencer Jones, OF Jace Avina

That is one global top-100 prospect, a controllable starting pitcher with big league experience, a high-upside outfielder, and a AA outfielder with solid tools and 4th outfielder traits. If you told me they preferred one or both of Weathers and Dominguez to Warren and Jones, that's fine too. I think I'd also be willing to include Elmer Rodriguez instead of Avina if it got the trade over the finish line.

Brian asks: Should the Yankees call up George Lombard Jr.?

I can't believe I'm saying this...YES! He has absolutely flipped a switch at AAA and has been dominating the level for over a month now. Not even a recent IL trip has slowed him down. I think he's the best SS on the Yankees' roster. Bring him up!