Can Aceves Repeat His Stellar 2009?
By Jed Weisberger ~ February 1st, 2010. Filed under: Jed Weisberger, New York Yankees.
Back in 2001, the Toronto Blue Jays signed a lanky right-hander after watching him throw in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico.
Perhaps they didn’t feel Alfredo Aceves had much in the way of potential, for Toronto quickly sold his contract to Yucatan of the Mexican League after he recorded a 2-1, 3.10 mark with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays that season.
The area around Cancun and Merida is a prime vacation spot, but Aceves spent four seasons with Yucatan and two with Monterrey, toiling in tropical heat and humidity before Yankees scout Lee Sigman finally signed him in 2008.
“Lee kept telling me he would sign me, and, finally, before the 2008 season, it happened,’’ said Aceves, a friendly sort. Aceves became a dependable starter in the Mexican League, which is given a Triple-A rating by the National Association, winning 28 games in his last three seasons and making 59 starts.
Sigman signed Aceves and two other pitchers – one being fast-rising 19-year-old prospect Manny Banuelos – and the deals are paying off already.
Aceves played at four levels of the Yankees system in 2008 – Tampa, Trenton, Scranton and New York – then quietly put together a superlative season in The Bronx in 2009, going 10-1, 3.54 in 43 appearances – one start – with the Yankees.
“All I wanted all those years in Mexico was a chance, and Sigman gave it to me,’’ he said. “There are a lot of pretty good players in the Mexican League – many are veterans who never get a chance, but could play in the big leagues.’’
Though he stumbled a bit in the ALCS, Aceves certainly was successful as the Yankees’main long reliever in 2009. AL hitters batted just .220 against him and his WHIP was 1.01. He did surrender 10 homers in 84 innings, something the Yankees would like to see cut a bit.
His strikeout/walk ratio was a solid 69-16.
Aceves, whom the Yankees gave a $450,000 bonus when he signed in 2008, can control four pitches – three of which can be rated as average. His fastball hits 91 mph, while he can mix and match and throw his curveball for strikes.
What made the difference for him last season was his changeup, a plus pitch which kept hitters off-balance. He also can throw a cutter and split-finger pitch, which he uses mostly against left-handed hitters.
“I can throw strikes with any of my pitches, and I also try to vary my pitch patterns,’’ Aceves said.
At times he makes one think of what fellow reliever Edwar Ramirez, who throws a plus-plus changeup, would be like if he developed a few other pitches.
One thing Aceves, who turned 27 Dec. 8, is not is a strikeout pitcher. He gets by, as mentioned, by mixing both his speeds and patterns.
A pitcher who toiled in relative obscurity for a half-dozen seasons, he was finally given a chance by a scout who has the ability to uncover talent in such places. As Aceves said, there are other Mesican League players deserving of a chance.
The Yankees need Aceves to continue to take full advantage of his chance.
