Call-Ups: New York Yankees and Jesus Montero
By Wally Fish
Once again it is collaborative post time here on Call to the Pen. This month’s topic is September call-ups. To get the ball rolling, I posed the following question to each of our Lead Writers, “Which player do you want your team to call-up in September and why?” It is a simple question but I think you will find the responses to be very diverse.
Taking the path less traveled this month, I decided to post each team’s write-up individually instead of grouping them by league or division as we have done in the past.
Representing the New York Yankees and Yanks Go Yard is the site’s Lead Writer, Andrew Corselli. Check out what he has to say after the jump.
Andrew’s Take:
The time has come for the Yankees to call up Jesus Montero.
It’s no secret that the team could use a backup catcher. Please don’t tell me about Francisco Cervelli, I mean a good backup catcher. Frankie’s line from May 25th through August 23rd was 0.174/.248/.208 for a lackluster OPS of 0.456. That included a stretch of 11 for 76 with four walks and three RBI. Despite going 5-7 in his last 2 games, that’s just not going to cut it.
Pitchers have finally figured out how to pitch to the 24-year-old since he started playing more and more. He went from five plate appearances in 2008 to 101 PAs in 2009 and now he’s at 269 in 2010, and it’s September 1st. Keeping up production with a jump like that is too much to ask of anyone.
I was on the Cervelli bandwagon since his walkoff against the Blue Jays last September, heck I was driving the thing when he was hitting 0.400 in May, but enough is enough. This guy has been exposed for what he is — an automatic out. I heard that players in the NL call the nine-hole in the lineup Cervelli’s Spot.
Cervelli’s suckiness brings me back to my original point: why not bring up Jesus Montero to see what he’s got? The 20-year-old has been raking lately, hitting 0.330/.379/.606 during the month of August at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also has 7 homers and 19 RBI during that timeframe. I realize that major league pitching is a much different animal than Triple-A, but what do the Yanks have to lose?
Add all of that to the fact that Jorge Posada and his 39-year-old body need more off days than a regular everyday catcher and there is no debating. If Cashman, Girardi and Co. are concerned about Jesus’ defense, then they can use him as a DH. Whatever his role with the team is, I want to see this kid in pinstripes. If the Yankees do not call up Montero on or shortly after September 1st than something is seriously afoul.
Jesus saves.