I’m not sure what to think of Girardi wanting new arms
Yankees rotation 09
I was reading the NY Daily News today and read that Joe Girardi wants new arms in the rotation. I’m not one that likes going after free agents and I keep flip flopping on this issue. On one hand, the Yankees need starting pitchers that can pitch over 200 innings and actually pitch well. On the other hand, I don’t like the fact that the Yankees went after the biggest free agents or traded for name players between 2001 and 2008 and it didn’t work out. They went out and got Mike Mussina, Kevin Brown, Jose Contreras, Jeff Weaver, Javier Vazquez, Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, Sidney Ponson, Kei Igawa and have 0 World Series Championships to show for it. So excuse me if I’m feeling a little ambivalent about bringing new starting pitchers into the rotation.
The difference with CC Sabathia is that he is a much more dominant pitcher than the pitchers I mentioned. I wouldn’t mind getting him but don’t get me Burnett too. Just because Burnett has great career numbers against the Red Sox doesn’t mean he’ll pitch well when he faces them. I’ve seen where a team would get a player just because he pitches well against a certain team and then not only does he fail to pitch well against the team he was signed to pitch well against, he pitches lousy against the rest of the league and then you are stuck with his contract. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t sign Pettitte or Pavano but resign Mussina. I’d sign CC and then leave the last spot open for competition between our farm hands.
Yankees could start CC Sabathia, Mike Mussina, Chien Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and leave the last spot open for competition between Phil Coke and Alfredo Aceves. Neither guy can do worse than what our 5th starters did this year. Phil Hughes has shown improvement in his last two starts and I think he’ll come around and be an effective pitcher. Not a great one but some one who can get 13 wins. Not one team has a great starting rotation 1 through 5 so I like the idea of open competition for the 5th spot.
The thing with Sabathia is that he might not want to leave the National League because of how much more dominant he is pitching against teams that use the pitcher in the 9th spot in the batting order. Also, I don’t know if Mussina wants to pitch again. He might call it quits.
The bottom line is this and I’m sure all of you know it, winning championships starts and ends with great starting pitching and right now, the Yankees don’t have great starting pitching.
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September 30th, 2008 at 4:57 PM
I cant take another season filled with Darrel Rasner and Sidney Ponson. Hopefully next season’s starting rotation will be Ching Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes (If he pitches well in spring training), CC Sabathia (If he pitches poor in the postseason this year then I dont want him), and Mike Mussina. During the season somebody will probably get injured for a certain amount of time. If Ian Kennedy is pitching well in the minors then they should bring him up. Give him one last shot if he sucks then trade him.
September 30th, 2008 at 5:11 PM
I agree with the Ian Kennedy situation. I’m pretty sure he is playing winter ball. If he stinks it up, get rid of him. CC did pitch well in the last game of the season for the Brewers but we will see what he is made up come playoff time. If he pitches well then he’ll probably make a lot more money than what he was going to ask for.
September 30th, 2008 at 6:17 PM
Oh knowing the New York Yankees they will get CC. Ben Sheets is another great top pitcher that I feel is their third option as far as signing goes. For Their second option if CC doesn’t work out might be Burnett even though I think Sheets is better. For some reason everyone always talks about him and the Yankees in the same breath. This is a guy they like and has killed the Yankees for many years.
I do believe we will be seeing another season from Pettite, just the way he said how happy his family was and how he was talking about Mussina indicates another season. Mussina although I said before I think in another post on this site that he will be back it looks more and more like he will stay retired. He looks like he is tired and ready to move on to the next part of his life.
One more thing I just have to touch base with is adding two top flight pitchers. I think the Yankees might add CC and Burnett or Sheets and Burnett. Mark Texeira all Yankees fans think we got him but if the Angels win the world series or gets there I think he stays put.
This is what I think the rotation will look like and bullpen.
Starters
CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Joba Chamberlain
Chien-Ming Wang
Andy Pettite
Relief
Edwar Ramirez
David Robertson
Jose Veras
Andrew Brackman
Brian Bruney
Humberto Sanchez
Phil Coke
Damaso Marte
Mariano Rivera
Alfredo Aceves
Starting Line Up Next Year
1B-Texeira
2B-Cano
3B-A-Rod
SS-Jeter
C-Jorge
LF-Pat Burrell, Adam Dunn, Or Manny Hate To Say It
CF-Brett Gardner
RF-Veteran-Possibly Minor Leaguer Austin Jackson Mid-Season
September 30th, 2008 at 6:41 PM
Yanks aint getting Texeira cause they know Jorge might have to play a lot of first base. He has 3 years left on his contract, he wont be behind the plate for the next 3 years.
September 30th, 2008 at 6:45 PM
Nice post Matt. I did hear that Pettitte might want to pitch in the new stadium and it would be hard for him to retire. I hope Mussina comes back. I feel he could pitch another 2 years and be productive just because of the movement he has on his pitches. If he stays retired, he went out in a great way. I really like your bullpen. A lot of young arms which should hold up through the whole season. Austin Jackson totally dominated in the championship series in the minor leagues and I’d love to see him called up. I like your lineup but I’d like to see Cano traded because I don’t like his effort.
September 30th, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Also, Yankees extend Cashman through 2011.
September 30th, 2008 at 6:48 PM
Oh, good point Jose. I did read at NY Daily News that Jorge wants to play catcher for the remainder of his contract but he’ll do what the team wants him to do which is most likely a move to first.
September 30th, 2008 at 7:12 PM
We do not have another Catcher ready just yet to take his spot in the minor leagues. The closest next best thing is Jesus Montero and hes a good two years away from being the starter. Jorge will play catcher this year and first next year in my opinion. He said on Centerstage he wants to be the catcher and he thinks he can still do it so will see…
September 30th, 2008 at 7:13 PM
I Mean First Base Next Year My B.
September 30th, 2008 at 10:14 PM
Austin Romine is not bad either but Montero is the big time prospect every one is counting on.
October 1st, 2008 at 6:12 AM
The Yankees have to sign CC Sabathia. They don’t have a dominant pitcher in their rotation. They need a pitcher that could dominate in the post season and Sabathia will provide that. The Yankees don’t have to worry about him going to the National league because if you throw enough money at him, he’ll play wherever you want him to play. Money talks bs walks.
October 1st, 2008 at 9:12 AM
I hope they can sign Mussina, but I hope they do not sign Andy. I think he is done. Being only 30 wins from 300 Mussina should be thinking two more years, not 3 years away.
I don’t want to see Joba in the rotation, I would like to see him expand his role expanded to 2-3 innings- perhaps being Mussina’s designated game closer.
I see the proposed rotation does not have room for Hughes or Aceves, they should be fighting for position 5.
That being said, I hope the Yankees sign two starters to go with Wang, Mussina, and either Hughes or Aceves – with the other being the other’s designated closer.
Another question is where is Nady in your line-up. I understand he is signed for two more years. Also what are the roles of Damon and Matsui?
I would like to see the Yankees sign a good hitting catcher who could spell Jorge, with the role of Jorge and the other catcher being the DH.
My line up is:
Damon LF
Jeter
Jorge
Arod – part of his problem is that he was pitched around to get to “Thongman”
Nady RF
Texiera
Other Catcher – as DH or Catching
Cano – 2nd – but have him connected to a cattle prod.
Gardner CF if he hits in spring otherwise Jackson
Bench – Matsui – Outfield, DH or back-up first baseman – he says he will train for first baseman.
Ransom
Outfielder – not Jackson unless he plays as the everyday player. Let him wait 1 more season and take over for Damon/Matsui when their contracts are up.
Infielder- hopefully a utility guy probably a spring training release from another team. Good glove guy.
October 1st, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Great post Dave. I’m definitely wouldn’t mind seeing Joba as a reliever. I’ve read that Mussina might retire but he’s too close to 300 wins to retire. He would have to get 15 wins in the next two seasons and he might not get 15 next year so that’s why I feel he’ll need 3 years to get 300. Nady behind A-Rod works. He’s a very good hitter Nady and I’m glad the Yankees got him. Gardner should be a better hitter next year and if he doesn’t hit well, I’m not sure Jackson will because it will be his first year in the majors. I’d like to see the Yankee trade Cano to any one that would take him.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Three more years of Mussina would be sweet! And I see only one of Burnett/Sabathia not both. Kennedy is a kid and has displayed immaturity in 2008. Do not forget the other major hurdle he jumped just a year ago…..HE GOT MARRIED!!!
October 1st, 2008 at 6:54 PM
I’d love Mussina back Junkie. Getting married is always a major hurdle. Kennedy didn’t look good when he said he thought he pitched ok one game and smiled after getting rocked.