Everyday until spring training begins the "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog will review one player from the Yankees roster. We will review a total of 27 players, the 25 we believe will be on the active roster after spring training, and 2 we believe should be on the active roster but won't be for one reason or another. Our reviews are all edited by Carl Pavano himself to insure they're up to the stringent "Pavano Tough" standards.
If one thing can be said about this off season, its that releivers cashed out. I thought for sure the Yankees would make runs at Troy Percival, Octavio Dotel, Ron Mahay, and David Riske, but the players signed else where, and for more money and years than the Yankees would want to give. In Hawkins however, the Yankees found a good deal in an otherwise unfriendly releif market. By allowing Vizcaino, a B-list player, to be signed by the Rockies for two years, the Yankees scored a sandwich pick from the Rockies in the next draft. By signing Hawkins, the Yankees did not need to give up any of their own draft picks.
Latroy Hawkins posted a 3.42 ERA, with a 2-5 record, 29 strikeouts, and 16 walks in 55.1 innings. He was apart of the Rockies last season and pitched 5 innings in the post season giving up one run. Last season he got 99 groundouts and 37 flyouts, but throughout his entire career his groundout to fly out ratio has been about 1:1. My impression is that for the most part Hawkins can get hitters outs, but when he gets hit, he gets hit hard. He was a closer in the past, but those days are behind him, and the Yankees would be unwise to use him as a set up guy.
My Fearless Prediction:
Hawkins will continue to get outs but will give up more runs being on an American League team. He has experience with the AL East as he pitched for the Orioles in 2006. He posted a 4.48 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 15 walks in 60.1 innings. I expect he will do something similar for the Yankees. I also expect that he will do wonders in the post season next year, shutting down hitters in the world series.
Little Known Hawkins Fact: Latroy Hawkins used to wear a cape when he pitched for the Minnesota Twins. He gave it up for a pancho when he went to the Cubs, and replaced it with yellow rain boots when he went to the Orioles. He currently does not use any unlicensed baseball gear.
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2 comments:
Where is the little known Hawkins fact? How about this.... he was the starting pitcher for the Twins the day David Wells threw his perfect game against them.
Good call. Will update shortly with a fact.
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