Does the season hang in the balance based on Hoffman sticking in the organization? No. Does he have some value that may be interesting and worth moving a potential ML arm for? I think so. Hoffman represents the kind of low risk look that could turn into a high value pickup. Now, if Mitre heads out to La La Land and turns into a rubber armed swing man for Mr. T and Hoffman is continually hit in the head by pop ups and can’t hit Johnny Puleo’s weight then maybe we have a different conversation in August about the low risk thing.

“The Yankees should buy out the remainder of his contract and release him to open up a spot in the Triple-A rotation.”

Ouch, but sadly true — and probably too bold to happen. The front-office thinking is probably: better to sweep such disastrous mistakes under the rug, rather than cop to them with bold DFA proclamations.

[18] You could be right about Mitre (L.A. or elsewhere), but re: Hoff, I’m not being flip, but why would they want to retain him? For depth, and the sake of saying they got something for Bruney? – or is there some honest to goodness upside here that I’m dismissing?

Cameron be old. Can he hit. So what if every ball not hit to the monster will be caught. Even Jim Rice caught most of them. Catching still weak. What about the DH? Wakefield didn’t last out the year. He be old. Backs are very tricky. No help on the side from Pawtucket or Portland. Will Beltre hit in Fenway> Don’t know. He hasn’t been much lately.

DiceyK hasn’t shown himself to be reliable and word has it he is somewhat troubled already.

Who is on the bench? Where do they get their runs from? Wins over Baltimore saved them last year. The Orioles will not be a pushover this time around.

Lackey hasn’t shown himself to be so great in Fenway. Beckett isn’t who he was. Papelbon gave them some heart attacks last year.

I say Buckholtz doesn’t last the year. When they don’t score, he is gone for a bat.

[4] No, because Mo is a lefty-killer, and so are Aceves (career vs LHB: .220/.263/.341 in 248 PA) and Robertson (career vs LHB: .219/.308/.305 in 146 PA), though in somewhat small sample sizes.

The best part of the Park signing – presuming he can keep up what he did in Philly the last couple of years – is that he and Marte are (probably) the primary set-up guys. That means when Hughes is in the bullpen, he’ll be used for multi-inning stints, to make sure he gets his innings count up.

Or at least a fan can dream.

@TylerKepner: Ex-Yank Phil Coke sporting long hair, sideburns and Fu Manchu

It’s always at this time of year I have the fear of team implosion. I have trust issues!

I think they’re going to miss the serviceability of Ok Dokey Cokey.

Re: Kei Igawa. I asked myself, would I want 8 million dollars to be bad at what I do? After much soul searching, I’ve decided that yes, yes I would.

I’m ok with the Park signing. He has a little something.

Every Yankees fan I know will (after I’m done with them) bookmark this page as a reference for both spring training and for the rest of the season. Thanks for the easily read summary for those of us who only follow a few of the minor league players.

[6] agree.
the only *good* thing about it is he can’t have that hideous beard.

[4] i think it would be a nice option, but the yanks survived most of last year with one lhp in the pen – ole cokey.

[2] It’s a good signing if the powers that be are willing to cut their losses if Park stinks for five weeks. The only scary thought is too much “let’s give the crafty veteran plenty of chances to show that he’s still got enough left in the tank blah blah blah.”

BTW, should we really be cioncerned that there’s only 1 Lefthander in the BP, and there seem to be no real options for lefty relief in the minors (other that Kei Igotcha?)