New York Yankees: What If Betances and Banuelos Never Live Up to Expectations?
May 25, 2012 · Doug Rush · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
For a few years now, the top pitching prospects of the Yankees have been known as the “Killer B’s.”
It started out as Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances and Andrew Brackman and everyone was speculating as to when they would be called up and help the Yankees.
Brackman never got it going in the minor leagues, dealing with both injuries and inconsistency and was eventually let go this past winter.
Both Banuelos and Betances are still in the minors as the top two pitching prospects for the Bombers and have been mostly in Class AAA in recent times.
Both had projected to be called up sometime during the 2012 season, but right now, with the way both Banuelos and Betances are pitching, neither will be seeing the majors anytime soon.
Betances is 2-4 with a 5.24 ERA in nine starts with 39 strikeouts and 38 walks.
Banuelos is 0-2 with a 4.50 ERA in six starts with 22 strikeouts and 10 walks.
Banuelos is the number one ranked prospect for the Yankees right now and a lot of people see him as the one pitcher the Yankees absolutely would not trade, but right now, he’s not living up to the hype.
Banuelos was recently placed on the seven-day disabled list with an elbow injury, which is the second time this season Banuelos has been put on the DL.
Betances, on the other hand, isn’t injured, but he is pitching awful. His control has been terrible and he has nearly as many walks as he does strikeouts.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post recently did a story saying how the veterans of the Yankees have been carrying them while the younger players have struggled, which includes both Betances and Banuelos.
So now, it’s time to ask a very serious question regarding their futures.
What if, and it’s a big one, but what if both Banuelos and Betances never live up to the hype and live up to expectations for the Yankees?
All of the training, the preparing and the expectations that were placed upon these two, and it would be all for nothing?
It’s a thought any Yankee fan doesn’t want to think about, but you really have to consider it.
In the story done by Sherman, he talked to a scout who has worked closely with both players and he told Sherman that both pitchers may have been over-hyped because of their lack of fastball command.
That’s not good to hear if you have big-time expectations for either of these guys.
And if I am Yankees GM Brian Cashman, I might start to consider trading both pitchers in the near future while they have still have value.
Last summer, the Yankees and Rockies talked about a possible deal that would have landed them Ubaldo Jimenez, but the asking price last year included both Betances and Banuelos and that was something Cashman didn’t want to do, and he ended up passing on Jimenez.
The Yankees already traded away one of their top prospects and trading chips in Jesus Montero back in January, but that still leaves Betances and Banuelos.
I always felt that if I had to trade away one of the Killer B’s, I would be more winning to deal Betances over Banuelos.
But as time goes on, I really am becoming more open to the idea of dealing both pitchers if it can warrant a good exchange for the Yankees.
The Yankees really need to figure out what they want to do with Betances and Banuelos soon.
Is Cashman devoted to seeing both of them make the majors, or would he be open to the idea of changing up the future and shaking things up?
It’s something that we all have to wonder now with the two top prospects and if they will ever make something of themselves in pinstripes.
Stay tuned, Yankees Universe.
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