It's often said that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck. And Jorge Vazquez walks and quacks like a Major League level slugger.
As a young player in the professional leagues of Mexico, Jorge achieved nothing short of status as a young phenom. Just take a look at his numbers in 2005. In only 71 games he managed to hit 33 home runs and maintain a .379 batting average. Oh yeah, he also walked away with a cool 1.210 OPS. No big deal.
He burst onto the scene with AA Trenton in 2009, hitting .329 with 13 HRs in only 57 games. After an incredibly strong first 10 games of 2010 with the Trenton Thunder in which he hit .390, he was promoted to AAA in Scranton-Wilkes Barre. The jump from AA to AAA can often be a rough one, and his batting average dipped to .270, which is quite respectable when you consider the struggles Montero initially had as well.
So the question is this: Why is Jorge Vazquez never mentioned? Do the scouts know something we don't? Do they not think he can handle the Major Leagues? Hitting 2 home runs in his first two Spring Training games and having one of the highest batting averages of anyone out there regardless of the team sure seems to say he can handle it.
His defense is often described as beyond questionable and there's little hope for him to make it as a first baseman. Luckily, the Yanks happen to play in the American League, you know, the league that has a position called Designated Hitter. It's currently occupied by the (sadly) soon to retire Jorge Posada. Yeah, it's that American League. Some would argue that as Jeter and A-Rod age, they too are going to need to fill the DH spot because they won't be able to handle defense, but I disagree. Rodriguez is practically a machine, he's not your average 35 year old ball player on the verge of collapse. With his newly rejuvenated youth, I could easily see him holding down the 3B position for a minimum of 5 more years. Jeter? Well, despite winning just a couple of Gold Gloves, his defense isn't bad, so I see no reason why we'd need to move him anywhere. One can only imagine how that'd go down with the fans. The fans want to see the face of the franchise end his career with a bang, they don't want to see him slowly fade into the DH spot while we sign some random guy off the Free Agent market or stick Nuñez out there.
Even in the case that either of them needs the DH spot, they won't be there for at least 2 or 3 years. Posada seems to only be around for 1 more year, leaving the DH spot open for a minimum of 1 year. Some have suggested Montero for that DH spot, but I see no way he won't end up the starting catcher by mid-season this year.
I think we should give Vazquez a shot. Many would disagree with me, I think he has a solid chance of breaking camp with the team next year and taking over DH duties. It makes sense. I mean hey, who else are we gonna put there? Joba?
By the way, here's another great piece about Vazquez as well. It's from the Star-Ledger.
--Grant Cederquist BYB Staff Writer
Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.
As a young player in the professional leagues of Mexico, Jorge achieved nothing short of status as a young phenom. Just take a look at his numbers in 2005. In only 71 games he managed to hit 33 home runs and maintain a .379 batting average. Oh yeah, he also walked away with a cool 1.210 OPS. No big deal.
He burst onto the scene with AA Trenton in 2009, hitting .329 with 13 HRs in only 57 games. After an incredibly strong first 10 games of 2010 with the Trenton Thunder in which he hit .390, he was promoted to AAA in Scranton-Wilkes Barre. The jump from AA to AAA can often be a rough one, and his batting average dipped to .270, which is quite respectable when you consider the struggles Montero initially had as well.
So the question is this: Why is Jorge Vazquez never mentioned? Do the scouts know something we don't? Do they not think he can handle the Major Leagues? Hitting 2 home runs in his first two Spring Training games and having one of the highest batting averages of anyone out there regardless of the team sure seems to say he can handle it.His defense is often described as beyond questionable and there's little hope for him to make it as a first baseman. Luckily, the Yanks happen to play in the American League, you know, the league that has a position called Designated Hitter. It's currently occupied by the (sadly) soon to retire Jorge Posada. Yeah, it's that American League. Some would argue that as Jeter and A-Rod age, they too are going to need to fill the DH spot because they won't be able to handle defense, but I disagree. Rodriguez is practically a machine, he's not your average 35 year old ball player on the verge of collapse. With his newly rejuvenated youth, I could easily see him holding down the 3B position for a minimum of 5 more years. Jeter? Well, despite winning just a couple of Gold Gloves, his defense isn't bad, so I see no reason why we'd need to move him anywhere. One can only imagine how that'd go down with the fans. The fans want to see the face of the franchise end his career with a bang, they don't want to see him slowly fade into the DH spot while we sign some random guy off the Free Agent market or stick Nuñez out there.
Even in the case that either of them needs the DH spot, they won't be there for at least 2 or 3 years. Posada seems to only be around for 1 more year, leaving the DH spot open for a minimum of 1 year. Some have suggested Montero for that DH spot, but I see no way he won't end up the starting catcher by mid-season this year.
I think we should give Vazquez a shot. Many would disagree with me, I think he has a solid chance of breaking camp with the team next year and taking over DH duties. It makes sense. I mean hey, who else are we gonna put there? Joba?
By the way, here's another great piece about Vazquez as well. It's from the Star-Ledger.
--Grant Cederquist BYB Staff Writer
Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.
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