Time to move on a Fifth Starter

by sdhman11 on Jan 13, 2009 10:34 AM EST

According to MLBTR http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/01/braves-offer-fo.html

Derek Lowe is close to a deal with the Braves. Its time to get busy. The young guys like Hughes, IPK, Aceves, and Coke. Haven't proven that they can pitch in the Major Leagues. If I'm Brian Cashman and company I make three moves right now.

Send Andy a new offer. 1 year 12 million dollars and give him a five day ultimatum.
Sign Ben Sheets to a 2 year 28 million dollar deal. With a club option on the second year.
This is only if Sheets and Pettitte reject their offers. Jon Garland 2 years 15 million. With a club option on the second year.

Reasons for the fifth starter. in 17 starts last year Hughes and Kennedy didn't get a win. Aceves early success is consistent to that of Darrell Rasner's early success last year. A tell tale sign of that is the 4 HR in four starts. Coke is an effective reliever keep him there/

Please feel free to react, discuss do whatever

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Coke is a lefty with potential.

Try him at starter. Yankee Stadium should be a good home for lefty starters unless something freaky affects the way the ball carrys in the new park.

If I's known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself. Casey

by Cbeck3 on Jan 13, 2009 6:27 PM EST reply actions

Yeah

Chamberlain was a dominant reliever too. But he’s just as dominant a starter. I would love to have Coke in the pen again, but I think, with the plethora of arms we have for the pen, he’ll start the season in Trenton or Scranton in the rotation. If he has an innings cap, like Joba did in 2007, and we need a boost setting up for Mo, I could see him getting the call up to the pen late in the season.

"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden

by SenorSwanky on Jan 14, 2009 10:42 AM EST up reply actions

The rotation is strong already, so other than Andy Pettitte, I don’t think we need to bring anybody else in. Hughes, Kennedy, Coke, Aceves, et al should be able to cobble together something decent in the 5th spot.

by 3460kuri on Jan 14, 2009 9:04 AM EST reply actions

Are you saying sign both Pettitte and Sheets?

Or offer first to Pettitte, and then if he doesn’t bit five days later, offer to Sheets, and then if he doesn’t, to Garland? I would hope the latter. We only need one more pitcher, max. At this point, though I protested the suggestion earlier in the offseason when someone said he preferred him to Pettitte, I would sign Garland over Sheets or anyone else, as long as the deal is no more than 2 years, preferably one. We need a reliable “innings eater,” not a risk with an upside, which we have in Burnett and the youngsters. The market for Garland seems nonexistent, so we could probably get him for one year at a lower cost than we originally offered to Andy. Your suggestion of an option year isn’t bad to sweeten the deal for him and to provide insurance for us if something happens to one of our other pitchers that threatens his 2010 season.

"If you lived in my grandfather's house...and you wanted to eat, you had to be a Yankees fan." --Joe Biden

by SenorSwanky on Jan 14, 2009 10:41 AM EST reply actions

I meant offer first to Pettitte, thne if he doesn’t sign Sheets then Garland. Personally I love Sheets stuff. But Garland seems safer. And the option is too sweeten the deal. If he has a good year. He would be age 30 for the start of 2010. That would make him an attractive candidate for a team looking for decent pitching. The Yankees could then exercise his option and then trade him for a pair of B prospects. This would be easily done if Hughes emerges as a consistent and comparable ( to Garland) pitcher in his spot starts for Joba.

by sdhman11 on Jan 14, 2009 11:25 AM EST up reply actions

Man...what a difference a year makes

I remember the heat around here last hot stove season over keeping the “Trinity” intact. I was actually pretty pissed that Cash didn’t trade for Santana, and got even more pissed through the season as Hughes and IPK could not get a win.

But now…

It seems like everybody’s moving last year’s opening day 4 and 5 pitchers into the “Project” file.

I’m on the other side of the fence this time. Cash needs to go down to Texas, meet with Andy, bring Laura flowers and guilt Aw-Shucks Andy into signing for $10M, with some incentives that could bring it closer to last year’s salary. If that doesn’t work, let the kids duke it out for # 5. No to Sheets and definitely no to Garland. Don’t really want to see the Yanks guarantee anything more to Pettitte either.

Andy’s the right solution. We need a bridge to the kids for another year.

I always feel pressure. What I don't have is fear. -- El Duque

by LateInningRelief on Jan 14, 2009 5:01 PM EST reply actions

Agreed on Pettitte

But I still think they need somebody who is capable of throwing 200 IP next season at the back end of that rotation.

You’re right – Sheets isn’t that guy and I’m no fan of Garland (who would probably require a multi-year deal anyways).

I’m still a believer in the kids, especially Hughes. But I can’t ignore that Hughes missed three months of the season in 2007 and again in 2008.

He has to show us he can stay healthy for a full season before I trust him with a rotation slot. If he manages to do that this season, I have no problem giving him a rotation slot a year from now. He’ll get plenty of opportunities to pitch with the big club this season no matter what happens.

Also, the division projects to be much tougher this season and both the Red Sox and Rays have very formidable rotations of their own. The Yanks need Pettitte and the depth he provides to match their rivals.

by anaconda on Jan 14, 2009 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

Pettitte would be preferred

Read Pete Abe’s blog today. Andy actually got a bit better in 08 than in 07. I would love him back.
But if he doesn’t return why not sign Garland to a two year deal with a club option? If Hughes or Kennedy proves that they can handle the 5 spot. Then you could just trade Garland at the deadline, some NL will want mediocre pitching then. Here’s the link to the blog

http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2009/01/15/the-wrath-of-e-mailers-is-misplaced/

by sdhman11 on Jan 15, 2009 10:47 AM EST up reply actions

I don't like Garland

He may be younger than Pettitte and should provide the innings – but Pettitte is the better and safer option.

Although Garland is a ground ball pitcher like Pettitte, he was unbelievably terrible last season in LAA and had the benefit of the best defensive team in baseball.

Pettitte’s pitched in the AL East almost his entire career and he’s just more trustworthy in my opinion. I really don’t like the idea of giving Garland a multi-year deal because I don’t think he’s worth it.

by anaconda on Jan 15, 2009 10:57 AM EST up reply actions

good point

by sdhman11 on Jan 15, 2009 3:16 PM EST up reply actions

This was meant to be the comment below

Speaking of his AL East experience. Pettittes big game/ stopper status, is ideal for the Yanks. Plus the way he pitches in playoffs is great. I really want him back.

But if the Yanks really want a free agent fifth starter. I’d rather go with Garland then Sheets. Though Braden Looper is worth a glance

by sdhman11 on Jan 15, 2009 3:19 PM EST up reply actions