Yankees News: Whitley/Refsnyder Optioned to Minors

Just days before the start of the regular season, the New York Yankees announced that they’ve sent right-handed pitcher Chase Whitley to Triple-A Scranton just one day removed from probably his best performance of the spring. In 4.0 innings pitched, the young right-hander struck out six batters during the Yankees 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Those six strikeouts were equal to the total amount of K’s he had in his first 11.1 innings pitched of spring training.

The decision to option the 25-year old to the minor leagues was announced early Thursday morning after a brief meeting with the coaching staff and skipper Joe Girardi. According to Ryan Hatch of Nj.com, Yankees General Manager and Senior Vice President Brian Cashman said it’s in Chase Whitley’s best interest to log innings as a starter down in Scranton.

“He had a great spring,” Cashman told Hatch. “But we’re going with one long man in Rogers…We have a lot of flexibility with the bullpen, a lot of these guys have options. It’s going to be something we can recycle throughout the season.”

Cashman also went on to note that “Chase is a major league pitcher on the way to Scranton”, which makes perfect sense, as Whitley posted an impressive 1.17 ERA along with a 1.04 WHIP and 12 K’s in 15.1. innings pitched this spring. He clearly showed that he belongs in the Bronx, and should Adam Warren or Esmil Rogers struggle early on out of the gate or if any of the teams injury plagued pitchers succumb to an injury, Whitley is probably first in line to be called up.

The other two players sent to the minors on Thursday were infield prospects Rob Refsnyder and Nick Noonan, and rightfully so. As good as Refsnyder’s bat was all spring, he lacked on defense, committing a total of six errors in just 24 games played.

“You guys saw him in camp,” Cashman said of the young second-basemen. “He’s still got some work to do on the defensive side.”

Though I would have liked to see some younger names start the season in the Bronx, keeping a guy like Refsnyder in the minors to start as an every-day second baseman to sharpen up his defense make complete sense. There’s no sense in hampering his development by keeping him up in the majors to start every third or fourth day.

What do you think Yankee fans? Is the team making the right moves as we approach opening day?

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