Danimal McCutchen Update

Via the S.I. Advance…

As the Yankees search within the organization for pitching help following the early-season struggles of Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, they might look no further than the Trenton Thunder’s Daniel McCutchen.

Unlike Hughes, McCutchen is no kid. The 6-2, 195-pound right-hander is two years removed from the University of Oklahoma and will be 26 in September. He made his pro debut with the Staten Island Yankees in 2006, opening the season here and making two starts before being promoted to Charleston.

Unlike Kennedy, he doesn’t nibble. He goes right after hitters, and has 43 strikeouts in 46 innings this season to prove it.

But is he ready for the big leagues?

Trenton manager Tony Franklin says McCutchen can definitely pitch at a higher level. Tino Martinez, a special assistant for the Yankees, says he could skip Triple A and get big-league hitters out right now.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is intrigued, but not yet ready to say he’s the organization’s next Joba Chamberlain.

“It’s too early to say that. But he’s certainly throwing very well at Double A right now,” Cashman said. “He opened our eyes in the spring, too. He works fast; he’s got some power stuff that goes with it. He’s got a great mentality. All he’s done is win since he’s been in the pros.”

Though he’s been primarily a starter since his senior year at Oklahoma, the Yankees are already confident McCutchen can help them in the bullpen. But then again, the Yankees crave starters.

No matter how he is used, Franklin is confident McCutchen will succeed as much because of his talent as his steely makeup.

“I played with Joaquin Andujar for four years in the minors, and people said he was a nut,” Franklin said. “But he was quite the competitor. If you beat him, then you beat a pretty good pitcher. I get the same sense from Cutch. He never backs off, and his stuff is certainly good enough to pitch at a higher level.”

If the plan is to use him in the pen, what are the Yankees waiting for? Get him up now, let him start working in the 6th and 7th innings…and see if he can work his way up to 8th inning duty. And, if he can cover that well, then you can start to look at Joba the starter. Although, the way both Mussina and Rasner are pitching, if you make Chamberlain a starter, it’s going to make for an interesting mix on the fight for that fifth spot in the rotation between Joba, Kennedy and Hughes.

May 13, 2008 | Filed Under Trap Door Items

Comments

8 Responses to “Danimal McCutchen Update”

Raf on May 13th, 2008 10:21 am

Although, the way both Mussina and Rasner are pitching, if you make Chamberlain a starter, it’s going to make for an interesting mix on the fight for that fifth spot in the rotation between Joba, Kennedy and Hughes.
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Tis better to have and not need, than to need and not have

Not quite sure why he hasn’t gotten the call yet. But I would think that we will see him before the year is out.
gphunt on May 13th, 2008 10:27 am

I don’t understand using him as a reliever. He has good command of atleast 3 pitches, but he isn’t overpowering with any of them like Joba is. And he eats the hell out of innings with his high ground ball rates. Just seems like a classic starting pitcher to me.
Steve Lombardi on May 13th, 2008 10:51 am

Cashman on him, back on 2/26:

“He’s a starter for now but we believe he does have the ability to relieve. Once we get more performance indicators, we’ll see where he fits. But we like him.”

File this under: Ask Cash.
TurnTwo on May 13th, 2008 11:14 am

I believe its Keith Law, but one of the ESPN insider scouting guys, thinks McCutcheon’s future is in the bullpen, long man type stuff. I’d have to look it up to confirm, but scouts arent very high on his upside, believing he’s a #4 or 5 at best… so he may be uber-competitive, but apparently his stuff wont translate well to get MLB hitters out.
TurnTwo on May 13th, 2008 11:50 am

From Keith Law’s chat last week:

Pena (Lisbon, Portugal): As a Yankee’s fan who has lost hope in Phillip “Ace” Hughes and Ian Kennedy, should I have hope in Daniel McCutchen?

Keith Law: Bom dia. Tudo bem? Sinto muito, so se umas poucas palabras. McCutchen is at best a 5th starter in the majors, and probably is more in the Karstens/Wright mold. I’m curious to see how Rasner does next time out - the cutter is promising, as he always needed a third pitch.
baileywalk on May 13th, 2008 1:28 pm

Apparently now every starting pitcher in the Yankee organization (thanks to Joba’s domination) is a candidate for the bullpen. Like gphunt said, McCutch is better suited to being a starter. Even if he is “just” a fifth starter, that still has value — especially as he’s someone who can throw innings. Unless they feel he has NO chance of making it to the big leagues as a starter, it seems like a waste to put him in the bullpen. Same goes for Alan Horne. It’s funny how people always say “So-and-so is JUST a fifth starter in the big leagues.” Last time I checked, fifth starters are important, too — and can cost ten mil a year nowadays. Pitching is thin and starting pitching is extremely hard to come by. If McCutch can actually come up and be the fifth starter on the big-league club, then he’s more valuable as a starter.
TurnTwo on May 13th, 2008 2:51 pm

I agree. Every SP is important and having SP depth adds value to the organization. I’ll all for giving a player the opportunity to sink or swim in the rotation before being transitioned into a bullpen spot.

but given the scouting projections for Danimal here, I wouldnt be surprised to see him in the BP in 2009.
Rich on May 13th, 2008 3:45 pm

OTOH, a lot of prospects who project as starters often begin their careers in the pen, which can enable to both make the adjustment to MLB and establish trade value.