Youth Hurt Yankees In 2008

Posted by Steve L. on October 7th, 2008 · Comments (1)

Some interesting lists via the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia…Since 1973, the “worst” seasons by Yankees batters and pitchers who were 25-years old or younger…

First, the batters:

PLAYER		YEAR	RCAA	PA
Jim Mason		1975	-23	251
Bobby Meacham	1985	-22	566
Melky Cabrera	2008	-20	453
Robinson Cano	2008	-18	634
Andy Fox		1996	-18	219
Andre Robertson	1983	-17	343
Jim Mason		1976	-17	236
Melky Cabrera	2007	-14	612
Hensley Meulens	1991	-14	313
Bucky Dent	1977	-13	540
Bobby Meacham	1986	-13	185
Joel Skinner	1986	-11	174
Brad Gulden	1979	-10	105
Deion Sanders	1990	-10	149
Pat Kelly		1991	-10	322
Pat Kelly		1992	-9	362
Jerry Narron	1979	-9	136
Ruppert Jones	1980	-9	373
Alfonso Soriano	2001	-8	614
Mike Blowers	1990	-8	157
Chris Chambliss	1974	-8	427

Next, the pitchers:

PITCHER		YEAR	RSAA	IP
Wade Taylor	1991	-27	116.1
Jeff Johnson	1991	-24	127.0
Ian Kennedy	2008	-16	39.2
Jeff Johnson	1992	-15	52.2
D. Rasmussen	1984	-14	147.2
Ted Lilly		2001	-12	120.2
Ken Clay		1979	-12	78.1
Jim Beattie	1979	-10	76.0
Randy Keisler	2001	-10	50.2
Jeff Karstens	2007	-10	14.2
Ramiro Mendoza	1996	-10	53.0
Dave Eiland	1991	-9	72.2
Bob Wickman	1993	-9	140.0
Dave Pagan	1974	-9	49.1
Ross Ohlendorf	2008	-9	40.0
Paul Mirabella	1979	-8	14.1
Phil Hughes	2008	-8	34.0
Sean Henn		2005	-8	11.1
Randy Keisler	2000	-8	10.2
Jim Abbott	1993	-8	214.0
T.J. Beam		2006	-8	18.0
Mike Morgan	1982	-8	150.1

Looking at these lists, I have to wonder…someday…could it be possible that we look back at 2008, and remember Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes, Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano, the same way that we look back, now, at 1991, and remember Jeff Johnson, Dave Eiland, Hensley Meulens and Pat Kelly?