Baseball Prospectus - Chat with Kenny Ducey

Chat: Kenny Ducey

Welcome to Baseball Prospectus' Thursday May 19, 2016 1:00 PM ET chat session with Kenny Ducey.

Kenny is the Editor-in-Chief of BP Bronx, but will answer all of your baseball-related questions.

Kenny Ducey:

Joba Chamberlain (Cleveland ): What the hell were the Yankees doing with me?

Kenny Ducey: First of all - hello everyone, I'm ready to take your questions on this gorgeous afternoon.

I'm not really sure, Joba. I just know they've probably learned a lot about dealing with their young arms. Dunno if they'll screw up Lindgren like they did you.

Jimmy (Pittsburgh): So, Taillon is dominating again today. 6 IP, 5 H, 0BB, 8 K. When is he gonna be up? I think he could turn into a Beckett type of pitcher.

Kenny Ducey: Man, those 8 K's are encouraging. I still think Glasnow is the more interesting option for Pittsburgh with his strikeout rate, but if he keeps this up he'll be right here. Plus, you know the kid's gonna be a star because his name is Jameson.

Dalton (Darfur): I use to be a huge Tigers fan because of Miguel Cabrera. I am looking for a new team to follow. I want a good, not great team on the rise with a decent farm system. I had it down to the rockies and indians but another BP scout suggested the Red Sox. Opinion?

Kenny Ducey: The Red Sox will be really good in a few years, for sure...is it weird to say the Dodgers? I think they're probably a *good* team right now, and they have some real talent in that system. Not quite "on the rise," though. Honestly, the Phillies are soo fun right now and they have a good system. Maybe them. Or the Pirates.

Becky (With The Good Hair): Should the Yankees change their facial hair policy so they can get Bryce Harper?

Kenny Ducey: so - here's a little secret - the Yankees are sort of lenient with their policy. A lot of their players go days without shaving, showing up with scruff. So I'm not entirely sure they're going to come down hard on Bryce if he forgets his razor on a short road trip. I will say I don't mind the rule. I'm all for making baseball fun again, and embracing personality, but it's almost like an office dress code, in a sense. Why is it so wrong to make sure everyone looks neat and clean? That's all. You can still flip your bat, and celebrate, and stuff.

They'll get Bryce regardless of whether or not they change their policy.

BC (Urbandale): Out of Contrearas, Happ and Almora, which do you think becomes the best, most consistent major leaguer?

Kenny Ducey: I think someone asked me about Contreras in a previous chat. I like him a lot.

John (Phoenix): Tell me about some sleeper prospects in the Pirate Organization.

Kenny Ducey: Maybe second baseman Alen Hanson. Very exciting tools, just got called up recently. Only 22.

Jeb (The City): What are Josh Bell's and Austin Meadows' ceilings? Any comps for them?

Kenny Ducey: Bell and Meadows should get on base a good bunch, and that's all I can really say about them.

Becky ((With The Good Hair)): C'mon Kenneth. Are you sure your response isn't just about your own inability to grow a beard? The only office baseball players have is a field and a dugout, and we all know it's pretty dirty there.

Kenny Ducey: I think teams should be able to enforce that rule if they see it fit to do so. I have had a beard many times so I'm not sure where the first part of that question comes from.

Jerry (Earth): Hey Kenny. Are there any Low Minor Yankee Prospects you are higher are then others who haven't been discussed?

Kenny Ducey: Hey Jerry. I think Ian Clarkin has some upside as a 'low minor' prospect. I also think we don't talk about Jacob Lindgren enough. He still has a lot of strikeout upside to me.

Sam (NJ): Should I become a Reds fan or Padres fan since the Yankees are never going to win another game ever

Kenny Ducey: The Yankees will never win another game ever -- no doubt about it -- so it's time to jump ship and root for the Rays.

Max (Baltimore): What should the Yankees sell if they choose to be sellers at the deadline? Tanaka? Beltran? Teix?

Kenny Ducey: I think you look to trade Beltran, Teixeira and Miller. They should all get a decent haul, given they stay on the field. Beltran can DH for a good team, and potentially sign on for another year, while Teixeira and Miller are probably rentals, but hold a lot of value.

Kobe (El Segundo): When can we unveil The Judge?

Kenny Ducey: They really should have done it already, to be honest. I think it'll be this summer.

Danny (Detroit): Kenny, thanks for the chat. Are you a believer in the breakout of Nick Castellanos?

Kenny Ducey: Love Castellanos. Both as a dude, and as a player. Believer.

A Yankee Fan (Not The Bronx): Hi Kenny, should the Yankees completely blow everything up (Cashman, Girardi, the roster, etc.)? If so, what are some moves you think they should make? If not, what is your reasoning for staying the course?

Kenny Ducey: They shouldn't, and won't, ditch Cashman and Girardi. I think they just have to stay put with their plan, install Bird and Judge in the lineup next year, and look to either trade for or sign a starter. I also still think they'll get Harper unless the Nationals lock him up. But don't do anything George would do (panic spend!!). Remember Giambi? That was a totally unnecessary panic spend. It worked out a little, but it was still unnecessary.

Bob (Cleveland): Cavs or Raptors??

Kenny Ducey: Wait, people are still asking this? Like, it's not a foregone conclusion Cleveland is gonna win?

Becky (With The Good Hair): I didn't mean to make this a personal indictment. I know you can grow a beard. But a big bushy one? Have yet to see it. What look do you think Danny Espinosa prefers? I think facial hair and stats before/after joining the Yankees might be a worthy investigation.

Kenny Ducey: I think so, Becks. I might have to look into that. Clearly, Chase Headley misses his beard. And Danny, I think he likes a normal beard.

Hank Steinbrenner (Over Here): When will my brother unlock my cage and let me unleash a rant our daddy could be proud of?

Kenny Ducey: Easy there, Henry.

OddBall Herrera (At a Computer): G. Sanchez have a good enough bat that he becomes the rare catcher that takes his rest days at 1B or DH?

Kenny Ducey: Yeah. He does. Some have lost faith, but Gary can hit. Now, he'll hit .220, but he'll pop 30 homers. That's worth keeping in your lineup. Classic Yankees catcher.

Bob (Northern Hemisphere): Kenny any chance you can provide your own explanation i why the NYY have failed recently in developing SP's? Just thinking of Hughes as he had a lot of hype, & more recently Nova & Pineda?

Kenny Ducey: not sure, Bob. Pineda wasn't really *their* guy, so it's hard to say with him, and Nova had Tommy John...seems like a lot of bad luck, but after a while you have to question what's up. I think we'll learn a lot from Severino and Lindgren.

Jake (Subway): Ken, give me your thoughts on Gregory Polanco.

Kenny Ducey: Hey Jake...Polanco, simply put, is a very good baseball player. Great glove, hits for average, and steals bases. We'll see if he hits for *this* average all season, though.

Sam (NJ): We are sure Sanchez isn't Jesus Montero right... right?

Kenny Ducey: I think we're sure. It's natural to make the comparison because the hype was pretty much the same. But yeah, Gary can hit.

Billy (Beantown): Are you secretly enjoying the early season struggles of Rafael Devers?? Any long term concerns??

Kenny Ducey: Hah, I don't enjoy many people struggling. He's only 19, so I think you can wait a couple years before freaking out. Pitchers tend to do this sometimes.

Twins Fan (D.C.): Hey Kenny! Boy, the Aaron Hicks/J.R. Murphy deal has looked like a lose-lose so far. They're young and full of promise, or so the standard thinking goes. Do you have any insight beyond that on Murphy (or Hicks, for that matter)?

Kenny Ducey: Hicks has actually been hitting for the Yankees, though he can't really field all that well. I'd still have faith in Murphy if I were a Twins fan. Worked his way out of several ruts.

alexjbreen (Brooklyn): Might Corey Dickerson hit more extra base hits than singles this season? It seems a reasonable assumption.

Kenny Ducey: I don't think he will, though it's pretty strange that it's somewhat reasonable

DJ (Dallas): Does Rougned Odor have any hope as a professional boxer??

Kenny Ducey: Yeah dude. That was impressive.

Trevor (NY): Giolito Turner Robles Cole and Difo for Trout and Pujols, who says no

Kenny Ducey: the Angels

Panicking Fan (Bronx): Did Joe G really get fired?!?1!?!?

Kenny Ducey: NO.

Bob (Bob): Correct me if i'm wrong, (i know Girardi WAS NOT fired) but almost all of the losing isn't his fault, right?

Kenny Ducey: Correct, Bob. Not his fault. The fact that he led them to the wild-card game last year was incredible. That team didn't have any business being there.

philip (san diego): Hey Kenny! Why are avocados, onions, grapefruit juice, pears, and sparkling water so awful though other people pretend to like them!

Kenny Ducey: Avocados: Good
Onions: Good
Graprefruit juice: Bad
Pears: Good
Sparkling water: Undecided.

People do make wayy too big of a deal about avocados though.

Twins Fan (D.C.): Now I'm feeling guilty for not saying anything Minnesota Nice about J.R. Murphy. I'll say this: he caught the full 16 innings of an epic showdown here against the Nats a few weeks ago, and at the end he was still running out grounders like a champ. Have you ever seen a team ride a catcher that hard? Almost six hours of squatting ... it seemed downright abusive.

Kenny Ducey: Yeah. you'd need like three days off after that. Good grief. Don't know if that happens a lot.

Kenny Ducey: All right, that'll do it for me. Thanks for sending in some great questions. Time for me to head to Citi Field and watch Harvey-Strasburg.