Early Christmas
by JoeAs you know, I liked this deal before it happenned. There are sweet by-products to this deal, and they all have to do with our friends in bean town. Lucchino was asked to comment on the Tex deal and all he could say was “No comment”  When Pettitte comes around, the Yankees will have a pitching staff that matches up with Tampa and Boston, maybe not better but equal. But the lineup is now superior to both. Put it in the books… Yanks win the 2009 World Series.
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all
7 comments December 24 2008 11:52 am | Joe | Discussion |
Win the world series? Well….. as you know, the #1 priority is to win the division something we didn’t do last year. You’re right, it’s got to annoy Boston, but remember they were annoyed when they lost out on Carl Pavano and then turned around and laughed at us. I’m trying to temper my enthusiasm but I’ve got to admit I want spring training to start right now!
I don’t have a comment on this post; I’d actually like to start a new thread about the holes in the rotation but I don’t know how. WordPress will not let me register, and I don’t see a way to post a new topic.
So . . . what do you think will/should happen with the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation? One, two, and three are obviously all set (pretty excited about one, two and three!!!). Can they get by with Joba and Hughes/Aceves/Kennedy filling the remaining spots (ie, without signing/acquiring Pettitte or any other starter)?
I don’t think so, even though every newspaper/media outlet seems to think that is a viable option.
Using the 40 inning rule, and taking into account innings pitched in AA, AAA, MLB, AFL and PR winter league, Joba will be capped around 140 innings, Hughes around 130, Aceves around 165 and Kennedy around 185.
I don’t see how they can make it work unless they hand Kennedy the fourth starter job and use Joba as the fifth starter, skipping him once every three weeks (which doesn’t seem like a good way to develop him).
So the question is, don’t they HAVE TO sign/acquire another starter???
I don’t see the problem like that. Sabathia, Wang, Burnett, Pettitte and Joba. Pettitte will sign so I don’t think it’s that unfair to assume he’ll be in the fold. Joba as the 5th starter can be skipped to avoid overuse. Especially since the other four are expected to go 200 innings. The other thing is if it becomes a problem the Yankees can do the following:
Option 1: See how the first half goes and acquire a veteran pitcher at the deadline. If it’s not working Joba can go to the bullpen later in the year.
Option 2: If that’s not attractve, Phil Hughes will start the year in AAA most likely and he can be brought up in order to limit the innings amount of Joba, or in the case Burnett gets hurt (or someone else). I think the rotation shapes up quite nicely. There are always going to be issues every year but they are better equipped this year than in past years.
I don’t think the Yankees would be looking to throw Kennedy back into the mix. I wouldn’t be in a rush to do so. Let’s see if he can at least pitch well in spring training and hold judgment until then.
I agree with your asessment, but my question is can they get away with not signing a veteran (like Pettitte) as the writers all seem to think they can. I don’t think they can. The papers, bloggers, talk radio hosts, etc. suggest that if they don’t sign Pettitte, they can just plug in Hughes/Aceves/Kennedy to finalize the rotation. But they can’t have two starters with innings limitations (i.e, Joba plus Hughes/Aceves/Kennedy), can they?
So here is the question in a nutshell: are the Yankees in a position in which they MUST sign Pettitte or another starter who has no innings limitation?
YES. With Burnett’s injury history and the innings limit on the younger guys, there is a need for another pitcher. Joba and Hughes have both A) innings limit and B) injury history. So, they need someone else.
If Andy doesn’t want to be the guy then…they’ll find someone else. $10 Million is VERY FAIR.
BUT…I believe they can go into 2009 without identifying the pitcher…there will be deals etc. should they need another veteran starter.
John B – interesting. You agree that they must sign/acquire another starter but feel they don’t need to do so before opening day. I think that’s too risky. All the worthwhile free agents – and presumably some of the starters being offered via trade – will be off the table by then. The choices will be slim and the Yanks might be forced to trade prospects they would rather hang on to, especially if they wait until it becomes obvious that they need a starter.
I think they should meet Pettitte in the middle and get him signed and slotted into the fourth spot in the rotation. He’s probably the most reliable pitcher on the market who will settle for a one year deal in NY. That would also allow them to keep their trading chips in case other needs arise.
As for the fifth spot, I don’t like the idea of skipping Joba every few weeks. I say start him in the pen and use Hughes/Aceves/Kennedy (whoever emerges on top in spring training) as the fifth starter until Joba can take the ball every fifth game. If at that point the fifth starter is really pitching well and the top four are healthy, then you have the luxury of keeping Joba in the pen if that’s what’s best for the team.
If you’re talking about the fifth spot in the rotation, there are journeymen pitchers to fill that role. 5th starters are a luxury in this league. I’d rather have 4 guys set and rotate the 5th slot with a young pitcher, or if necessary, a veteran journeyman. It’s ok. And even though Joba in the pen is probably better, I’ve had to reconcile myself to this: Joba wants to start. He wants to be a starter. He views himself as a starter. Sorry. The Yankees view him that way and that what he wants. I wouldn’t fight him if that’s what he wants. Joba gets to have a say in this. I don’t want him unhappy, it’s his career and hopefully it will be a successful one in pinstripes. Last year I made a comparison to him and Allie Reynolds. I still like that comparison. Reynolds was a starter (a darn good one) but also relieved when the occassion called for it. We only need Joba