Aaron Boone crushes vibes around breakout Yankees bullpen choice, but keeps door open

The New York Yankees have had many spring training sensations this year. Most had no chance at making the Opening Day roster. Carlos Lagrange, Elmer Rodriguez, and George Lombard Jr. all shone bright, but the trio of top prospects could only prove what the future holds. The latest entry, reliever Yovanny Cruz, might have had a shot, but Aaron Boone just closed the door.

If you didn't know who Cruz was before a few days ago, it's understandable. Full disclosure, I didn't even remember that I wrote the article about the Yankees stealing him away from the Red Sox on a minor league deal until recently.

Cruz had a reputation for having a live arm, and he proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt in his spring debut. We've been spoiled this spring to expect 103 heat, but on planet Earth (and not whatever planet that Carlos Lagrange is from), a guy who consistently breaks 100 miles per hour is something special.

Unfortunately, Rodriguez's spring debut didn't come until March 15th, and by that point, he was way behind the curve. No matter how impressive he was, that late start would be enough of an impediment to ensure he'd be left off the big league roster when the Yankees travel to San Francisco for Opening Day.

Aaron Boone all but confirms Yovanny Cruz won't be on the Yankees' Opening Day roster... for now

The key part of what Boone had to say about Cruz not making the Opening Day roster came at the end. It's not about March 25, but that doesn't mean Cruz won't have a shot to make an impact.

"More importantly, (he'll) be in the mix over the long haul, too," Boone said. That's the key. Just because he got a late start doesn't mean he'll be a non-factor.

The regular season is a war of attrition, especially in the bullpen. Injuries happen. Blowouts can leave a relief corps short. Overuse can cause injuries or even just severe downturns in performance. Having reliever depth is important.

For Cruz, that's for the best. Not only does he need to build up, but he needs to prove he can truly hack it. The 26-year-old has never risen above Double-A in his career. He's been plagued by walks over his career. Last season in Boston's system, he posted 6.67 BB/9. He'll need to get that under control.

As much as we complain about the Yankees' developmental foibles, one thing they're good at is maximizing young, live arms. Relievers come out of nowhere to dominate all the time, and under New York's tutelage, it's entirely possible that Cruz could be one of the next studs to appear out of thin air.

That will take some time, so file his name away and keep track of the happenings down on the farm. If all goes according to plan, he could become a secret weapon later on in the season. If not, at least he'll be an interesting follow.