Yankees Daily

I’ve read that the Yankees want to reduce payroll to 190 million to 200 million.

The Yankees might call John Lackey, Rich Harden and Joel Pineiro and possibly left-hander Randy Wolf.

Their first priority is to sign Andy Pettitte. They could also get into trade discussion with the Blue Jays for Roy Halladay. The Yankees would like to add at least one reliever but a starting pitcher is their first priority.

Here’s a little scouting report on each starting pitcher…

Randy Wolf:
Positives:
Shuts down the running game with a great move to first. Is a battler on the mound. Picks his spots with a great curveball and a solid change-up.
Negatives:
Injuries have created havoc with his career to date. His tiny frame limits his stamina. Hitters destroy his high fastball.
Outlook:
When healthy, a solid mid-rotation starter.

Joel Pineiro:
Positives:
Knows how to keep hitters off-balance with disorienting movement on his low-90′s fastball and effective change up. However, it’s his swooping curve that is his bread and butter.
Negatives:
Spends too much time concentrating on base runners and winds up getting beat by the hitter. He needs to improve his endurance as a starter.
Outlook:
Not a bad option at the back of the rotation.

Rich Harden:
Positives:
His fastball clocks near 94 MPH as the game begins, but he is one of those hurlers who gains velocity and later brings it at 97 MPH. With Harden mixing in a slider and a change up, hitters find themselves overpowered, chasing the hard slider in the dirt or climbing the ladder for the fastball. The hitters who do make contact and fail are pretty well split between fly ball outs and ground outs. He will need to work a little more on his control to reduce his walk total but is a true power pitcher. Is relaxed in tight spots and is capable of getting out of trouble.
Negatives:
He’s become a walking hospital ward, which threatens to limit a promising career. Doesn’t get ahead in the count enough, creating high pitch counts.
Outlook:
An ace right-hander when healthy.

John Lackey:
Posititves:
Lackey seems to do best on the biggest stage. Is consistent and he’s usually around the plate. Has good control of an excellent arsenal that includes above-average fastball, a slider, change up and great curve ball.
Negatives:
He often leaves his breaking stuff out over the plate and it gets him burned. Is at times too much around the plate, making him occasionally vulnerable to free swingers. Base stealers have a tendency to exploit his fairly slow delivery.
Outlook:
John Lackey is a top-of-the-rotation work horse.

Andy Pettitte:
Andy Pettitte has one of the best pick-off moves in the history of the game. Owns tremendous movement on all his pitches, especially his cutter that moves in on right-handed batters. Is a big game pitcher in the playoffs.
Negatives:
Andy needs to keep his base-runners down and consistently averages over one hit per inning.
Outlook:
Yankees will resign him.

Some people think the Yankees should pursue less stable but more economical options in Wolf, Pineiro, and Harden. I say go after Lackey because he’s a work horse and won’t cost as much as Halladay especially since the Yankees have to give the Blue Jays prospects.

I also don’t see the Boston Red Sox giving up prospects and cash for Roy Halladay because they are cheap, at least compared to the Yankees so Halladay will be the big fish next year.

Tags: Andy Pettitte, boston red sox, free agent pitchers, joel pineiro, new york yankees, randy wolf, rich harden, roy halladay, scouting the free agent pitchers that interest the yank, yankeesdaily

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