Marquez, Cervelli Added to 40-man Roster

Two former Baby Bombers added to the Yankees 40-Man Roster

By: Robert Pimpsner

November 20, 2007 – It is almost time for the Baseball Winter Meetings, which means the Rule-V draft is rapidly approaching.  With that thought teams are beginning to add prospects that are eligible to their respected 40-man rosters, the Yankees are no different as they added four minor leagues, including two ex-Staten Island Yankees.

                Last season the Bronx Bombers added former Staten Island Yankee Bronson Sardinha to their 40-man roster.  While Sardinha split the 2007 regular season between the Trenton Thunder of the Eastern League and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees of the International League; he was one of several September call-ups and even made the post-season roster.  Could this be the fate of the next crop added to the 40-man roster?  Only time will tell.  This year the Yankees have added former Staten Island Yankee pitcher Jeff Marquez and catcher Francisco Cervelli.

Marquez was a member of the 2004 Staten Island Yankees with fellow 40-man teammates TJ Beam and Chase Wright.  The young right-hander was selected in the first round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, with the 41^st overall pick by the New York Yankees.  In eleven starts for the Baby Bombers he had a 2-4 record with a 3.02 ERA.  In 2005 he was promoted to the Charleston River Dogs of the South Atlantic League where he was 9-13 with a 3.42 ERA and in 2006 the young pitcher was 7-5 with a 3.61 ERA for the Tampa Yankees in the Florida State League.  After a stint with the West Oahu Canefire in the Hawaii Winter Baseball League, Marquez was sent to the Trenton Thunder, where he was 15-9 with a 3.65 ERA in a career high of 155.1 innings.

Francisco Cervelli was once an infielder when he signed with the New York Yankees, but once that didn’t work for him; the Yankees took advantage of his natural ability and moved him to catcher.  After a stint with the Gulf Coast Yankees in 2005 he was promoted to Staten Island in 2006.  Cervelli was the quiet star of the team.  Batting .299 for the Baby Bombers and even earning a spot on the American League Affiliated All-Star Team.  The promising young catcher was then promoted to the Tampa Yankees in 2007, where he had the opportunity to catch Roger Clemens in his first rehab start.  Cervelli batted just .279 for the Tampa Yankees, with 32 RBIs and 2 homeruns.

Santos Goes to Baltimore

                Omir Santos has recently signed with the Baltimore Orioles; expect the young catcher to start the 2008 season with the Norfolk Tides of the International League.  Santos was a member of the 2001 and 2002 Staten Island Yankees, winning the championship in 2002.  After splitting the 2007 season with the Trenton Thunder and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Santos’ contract was up.

Eiland Head to New York

                The New York Yankees have recently named their new coaching staff for the 2008 season and among the new coaches is former SI Yankee pitching coach Dave Eiland.  Eiland has spent several seasons in the Yankees minor leagues as a pitching coach and will now have that role with the major league club.  With the recent Yankees youth movement, it is not surprising as Eiland has worked with all the young pitchers throughout the minor leagues. 

Duncan Hospitalized

                Ex-Staten Island Yankee Designated Hitter Shelley Duncan was recently hospitalized with an unknown arm ailment.  It is believe the problem is not serious and Duncan will be with the Bronx Bombers in 2008.