Yankees Roundtable

Last week: How important is it to you for the Yankees to win (or try to win) the division? 

This week: Next week will be all about the playoffs so let's discuss something completely different this week, Jesus Montero.  What are your thoughts about him and what do you think the Yankees should do with him?

Ben:  Before the season Jesus Montero was considered a top 5 prospect and surely after holding his own in AAA at 20 years old Montero will still be considered as such.  Catching depth is a strength for the Yankees (Romine, Sanchez, Murphy)  in the minors and there are extreme doubts as to if Montero will stay at catcher with most people assuming he won't.  With that said and with Teixeira at 1b, Montero would be looking at playing DH on a roster with players who could use time off.  That's why Montero was apparently offered to the Blue Jays for Halladay last year and was involved in a deal to Seattle for Cliff Lee this year before Seattle chose Justin Smoak over him.   At those times I agreed with trading Montero, if you can add a piece mid season (or a guy like Halladay) to help you win a championship you do it.  However, during this off season I don't think that the Yankees should entertain offers for Montero, there just aren't any good enough pitchers that will be available unless the Marlins decide to unload Josh Johnson.

So, while Montero held his own in AAA as a 20 year old, he didn't do quite enough to merit an auto spot in the lineup next year.  What I think the Yankees should do then is keep Montero in AAA to start the year and let his play dictate where he should play while he attempts to stay at catcher.  If he's mashing by June then bring him up as a 1b/dh/part time catcher.  If the season plays out like it did this year where a guy like Cliff Lee becomes available (and the Yankees are still good) then the Yankees should entertain a deal just like they did during this years deadline.  As good as Montero can be, a DH only has so much value unless you are the White Sox this year (Mark Kotsay!).  I love the Jesus, I think he will be a great player and there are only a handful of guys that I'd trade him for, but if those guys become available the Yankees should make the deal.  

Jeff:  While trying to avoiding a lot of the same, Ben is right on point.  Montero is a great prospect, but his lack of progress as a catcher, defensively, at this point is a problem.  Yes, he is still very young, but do the Yankees really want to let this kid rot away in the minors for another year or two while trying to become a catcher?  It could be worth it, but Montero also loses value with each year that passes, and especially loses value if he continues to stay in the minors and continues to not improve defensively.

Having to hold onto Montero as the Yankees' "catcher of the future" is especially not crucial with the emergence of Austin Romine, who at this point with his defensive abilities (in comparison to Montero) is more of a "catcher" of the future than Montero is at this point.  So with someone like Romine in the system, and Teixeira cemented at 1B for years to come, Montero is left to be pushed into the outfield (which he probably doesn't have the speed for), or to be a DH.  And as Ben mentioned, is Montero really worth calling up as an every day DH?

As the Yankees tried to do in their pursuit of Cliff Lee during the season, their best option is probably trading Montero for his value, while he still has that kind of value.  Montero is still a heavily sought after commodity, and with the Yankees' lack of a pressing need for an everyday DH, it is apparent that letting Montero develop into a "DH of the future" isn't as promising of an option as is trying to trade him for his value.  I personally would love to see Montero be turned into a front line starter, or at least a pitching prospect.  Will that happen?  That is up to Cashman.   

Steve: I'm surprised no one has mentioned Jorge Posada and his waning abilities behind the dish. Jorgie was never a defensive stud to begin with, but as the years pile up and the injuries mount the Yankees will soon not be able to justify ever having him catch. He allowed 4 stolen bases during a big time, Rivera-blown save against the Sox this week. Clearly opponents are taking notice. Would it really be worse to have Montero back there watching shouldn't-be past balls scoot by while he mashes at bat? We could finally stop wasting a lineup spot on Cervelli and get a real bat in the catcher slot, freeing Cashman up to go get Adam Dunn and stick him at DH.

Devil's advocating aside, I agree with Ben and Jeff. The Yanks threw Montero on the table hoping someone would bite and no one did, which only weakens his trade value for the short term. Halladay or Lee would have been beautiful additions to what now seems to be a weak rotation, but the Yanks have got to hold tight and hope Montero can make some noise in the big leagues next year. Of course, we're always thinking "trade!" with these prospects because New York has the luxury of acquiring proven commodities for unproven ones. I would love to see Montero stick around at catcher and make the Posada-less era an easier one to swallow, but I'm not opposed to dangling him again once his numbers drown out the recent trade rejections. Jesus will arise soon.