2011, Spring Training, Yankees

Spring Training Impressions: Dellin Betances, Ivan Nova, Jesus Montero

I was watching the Yankees video section over at YesNetwork.com for great interviews or analysis of the up-and-coming Yankees: Jesus Montero, Dellin Betances, and Ivan Nova.  You can read my impressions of them right here.

Ivan Nova: Nova made headlines because of his Spring Training debut Sunday. He was on fire again- throwing 94MPH with two scoreless innings. He acted confident and relaxed. Most experts have him pegged to be the #4 Yankees starter this season, but nothing is guaranteed. Nova is exciting to watch. As I wrote in my famous Ivan Nova Scouting Report, the Yankees organization for some reason or another were never sold on him. This may be his only chance now.

David Cone is sold on Ivan Nova, at least for the first 5 innings. So let’s hope Nova can at least push it for innings 6 and 7 this year.

Did you know Ivan Nova is younger than the Great Stat Head Hope, Andrew Brackman?

Jesus Montero: Finally saw a nice spur-of-the moment interview with Jesus Montero, conducted by Kim Jones. Jesus looked confident. He also has “the look” of a new age superstar. Whereas Francisco Cervelli is a good looking guy,  polite, and makes jokes, he looks like a backup catcher. Montero has an aura about him. It’s a shame no one in the Yankees organization thinks he has the ability to actually catch. This happened to Mike Napoli with the Anaheim Angels. It’s very rare that a catcher with a bad reputation of knowing how to catch is given a shot. Mike Piazza comes to mind. Mickey Tettleton wasn’t a starter all the time. Jim Leyritz and Matt Nokes had bad reps as catchers. The Yankees replaced hitting catcher Mike Stanley with defensive wiz Joe Girardi in 1996. Girardi was blocking Jorge Posada for years.

spring training yankees

IF Montero is the real deal with his power, and let’s just pretend he’s the second coming of Mike Piazza in this fantasy, wouldn’t you let him catch and learn on the job in the big leagues? Is two months in the minors really going to educate him? I mean, as much as it was frustrating to watch Piazza catch, there is no denying that he had a Hall of Fame bat. Not every catcher could have both excellent bat and catching skills like Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Ivan Rodriguez, or Carton Fisk (someone who’s been so overrated, that he’s now underrated). Most Stat Heads rate Jorge Posada low as a defensive catcher anyway.

Look, for all I know Montero may just be another fake Yankees catching prospect like Dioner Navarro was. Cashman packaged him with Homerun Javy and fake pitching prospect Brad Halsey for Randy Johnson back in the day. Not having Jesus play in the majors causes us to wonder and speculate if he’s the real deal or not.

Dellin Betances: Brooklyn boy. BIG Brooklyn boy. Reminds me of a nice version of Riddick Bowe. Cashman has no faith that he could pitch in NY this year because is so big and kinda has an awkward delivery. With 3K’s in one inning Sunday, Betances is causing a stir. The YESNetwork.com had a feature on him last week, and he is another confident young man, but he is still taking advice from a bunch of different people. He looks and acts very raw, and is still learning a lot. I’m not sure if he has the natural instincts as Ivan Nova. He’s only 22, and Cashman will not make the leap of faith.

2011 yankees spring training

Dellin Betances, representing Brooklyn, NY

Montero caught Betances and they worked together well in that inning, as they know each other from the minors. Montero was said to have calmed the big man down.

Anyway, gotta say although Jesus Montero may be a Brian Cashman hyped prospect, I would rather see him catching than Russell Martin in 2011. And I just have to root for Ivan Nova and Dellin Betances because they are young Yankees who are fighting for chance to be in the majors, and who aren’t “made men” in the organization, like Joba Chamberlain is.

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