That 5th SPot

That 5th spot in the rotation has been cause for debate as far as the Yankees are concerned.

Some say Hughes should start. Others root for Joba. Some clamor for Halladay or Lackey. It seems that Chien-Ming Wang, a 19-game winner in seasons past, has been left out of the mix.

Halladay Shopping:I like Halladay. I think, as far as SPs are concerned, he's the best out there. He can finish games, keep the team in the ball game, strikes out people. The man is one of the best. But, to get Halladay, the Yankees must sacrifice one of their young arms in Hughes or Chamberlain. Losing Phil Hughes would spell doom for the bullpen. Fine, he wasn't that good in the postseason. He blew leads here and there. But, through most of the season, he kept the Yankees in the game. He gave the chance for a late-inning Yankee rally. He handed the key to Rivera to close the door. He is one of the keys to those 103 wins and, therefore,must be kept.

Longing for Lackey?: Lackey wants more than Burnett's 82M/5 deal. Do you think he should get a better pay? :D He would make quite a good 2-starter, though. I'd much prefer Lackey over Halladay. Although Lackey's a notch lower than Halladay pitching-wise (who isn't?), playing for Lackey, a free agent, would spare Hughes and Joba from the trade mill.

The Joba Sitch: Enough with the experiment. Joba either gets regular starts or he goes to the bullpen. Either way the wind blows, I say enough with the Joba Rules. He's an athlete with a lot of potential. I think the Joba rules are holding him back. If they don't push him to the limit, how else would he realize his true potential?  Athletes should be tested, not cradled or fenced in. My say on the Youngsters Sitch: Hughes should be a starter, Joba should rein his temper in and succeed Mariano or at least be a dominating SU.

Can Wang Revive His Career?: Many are counting this guy out. And with good reason. He's had foot and shoulder injuries, and he seems to have lost command of his sinker. His lack of a back-up pitch when his sinker's not going well also poses a problem. But, prior to the injury, he's been a good,reliable pitcher. Question is: Will he be the same? If he proves that he can hold the fort behind the CC-AJ-Andy triumvirate, then the Yankees can afford to leave Halladay and Lackey alone. Maybe call up somebody from the Minors? Or play for a good (but not great), reliable pitcher who can be relied to hold the fort at the end of the rotation.

I can't wait for the headlines. Predictions say that Lackey will most probably be a Yankee, though.

But, we'll see. We'll see. ^_^