When Jose Molina Returns, Francisco Cervelli Needs to Stay in the Bronx

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

During his abbreviated spring training with the Yankees (abbreviated due to his participation for Italy in the WBC), Cervelli credited Molina with helping him with the major league game.

Most people within baseball would send Cervelli down to Triple A so he can “play every day” and presumably get better. When is playing every day at a lower level allowing a baseball player to “get better?”

Players get better from playing at the highest level, and learning from their mentors.

Just like when Posada was a young player and Joe Girardi took him under his wing for the 1998 and 1999 seasons (two World Series titles by the way), Molina has taken to tutoring Cervelli on the finer points of major league catching.

And Cervelli needs this mental approach more than anything as he just began catching in 2003 when the Yankees signed him as a non-drafted free agent. The Yankees felt his body type and throwing arm were best suited behind the plate.

I know this goes against the current thinking in major league baseball, but I have always been a "go against the grain" type of guy when it comes to baseball. Not much into going by the book.

For example, why do managers always go to their "eighth inning guy" out of the bullpen when the pitcher who currently in the game is pitching well? Why the need for pitch counts and innings limits? Let the kids throw the ball!

Detroit has held 20 year old pitching phenom Rick Porcello under 100 pitches in every one of his starts this season? Why? To save his arm? Spare me the hyperbole about young pitchers and throwing a baseball.

I was at one of his high school state playoff games where he threw over 150 pitches! By the way, check out who sponsors Porcello's baseball-reference page.

 
Anyway, when Cervelli is kept, who should then go down to Scranton? Nobody.

Veteran pitcher Brett Tomko would need to be designated for assignment (basically released), and go through waivers where he would probably be picked up from another team. Tomko is your 12th pitcher, something I never have liked having on a major league team.

Eleven pitchers (five starter, closer, five relievers) are just fine, especially when you have four of your relievers (Phil Hughes, Phil Coke, David Robertson, Alfredo Aceves) who can pitch multiple innings.

Tomko has only been used five times since June 9 with 8 IP, allowing 8 hits, 8 ER, and 3 HR. Three times were mop up duty and twice was the game was close. Both those times he allowed big innings.

Tomko is expendable, and as I have mentioned before, he really isn't that good of a pitcher.  If the Yankees need a mop-up guy, Nick Swisher is always available. He has beter number than Tomko anyway. 

Go against the tide Brian Cashman and keep Cervelli around. The Yankees will be better off in the long run

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