Cashman lays out early plans for Hughes and Joba

by Travis G on Nov 24, 2009 9:58 PM EST in New York Yankees News

The Yankees are planning to go to spring training with Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain being programmed to start. "They can always go from starting to the bullpen, but it's tough going the other way," says Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

Cashman feels David Robertson and Damaso Marte can pitch the seventh and eighth innings in front of Mariano Rivera, but a Yankees run at John Lackey, Ben Sheets or another starter hasn't been ruled out. The feeling inside the Yankees' offices is that there will be some payroll cutback, but how much is not known.

That's the way to go. Preparing to start prevents Hughes and Joba from neglecting their third and fourth pitches, which they wouldn't really need as relievers. It also allows them to not look desperate for starting pitching on the trade/FA market. And if they do end up acquiring a couple 'established' starters, it's far easier to to move one of Hughes/Joba to the pen where they can 'drop' a pitch rather than having to 're-learn' a pitch late in the off-season.

Elsewhere, the Yanks inked a 20-year-old Dominican IFA, Eladio Moronta.

MLB had suspended Moronta for one year earlier this year for misrepresenting his age, then lifted the suspension on September 28 after Moronta admitted he was 20 years old, not 17.

Moronta, who turns 21 on December 16, is a 6-foot-1, 183-pound righthanded hitter with plus-plus speed, a strong arm and projectable power.

He reportedly signed for $570,000. (h/t MLBTR)

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yeah right

“The feeling inside the Yankees’ offices is that there will be some payroll cutback, but how much is not known.” — has this ever happened before? I’ll believe it when I see it!

by rmarx on Nov 24, 2009 10:01 PM EST reply actions

Try last year, more came off the payroll then was added.

by Jtmc on Nov 24, 2009 10:07 PM EST up reply actions

You and your facts

can’t you just let the poor Sox fan cry? His team never spends any money they just win by being gritty and fun-loving.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Nov 24, 2009 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

I know

the Sox have “heart” and “character” and the “know how to win”. They are whats “right for baseball”! They also have some of the classiest guys in baseball. Like Jonathan Paplebon or Kevin Youkilis for instance. LOL!!!!!

I agree let the Sux fans cry.

by nyyrocks29 on Nov 25, 2009 1:18 PM EST up reply actions

same way you turned a blind eye to the Red Sox' roiding and spending?

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 25, 2009 6:47 AM EST up reply actions

There's some TROLLS in this thread....

I’d like to sign Sheets. If we got lucky with AJ being healthy for a season…maybe we could get lucky again with Sheets’ health? When he’s on the field, he’s one of the better starters in the game.

I’d have no problem giving him a big fact incentive laden contract. Like $1 million guaranteed…but $20 million in incentives? Why not?

Good to hear this on Joba, Hughes, Robertson and Marte. That’s what their roles are supposed to be. I’d love for it to work out and they stay in those roles the whole season…..tho that hasn’t been the case.

"It ain't over till its over"---

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 25, 2009 6:52 AM EST reply actions

I'm fine with that

Consider Harden too. Would he be a better option than Sheets? I don’t know. Both are great pitchers when healthy, and they can’t demand a lot of money because they HAVEN’T been healthy. So I think the Yankees should approach whichever one they think will be less injury prone. Personally, I’d be leaning toward Harden because he pitched last year (however little, he still pitched). Sheets has missed an entire season, so thats something to keep in mind.

by nyyrocks29 on Nov 25, 2009 1:16 PM EST up reply actions

I agree with that

Train them as starters, and move them into the pen if they get an extra pitcher.

And don’t forget about Chien-Ming Wang. He’ll be in the mix eventually. It will be interesting to see how the Yankees handle him when he comes back. It will be tough if they sign another pitcher.

by nyyrocks29 on Nov 25, 2009 1:19 PM EST reply actions

If I had to pick

I’d rather have Harden than Sheets. Sheets has proven throughout his career that he just can’t stay healthy. Harden is generally injury free and will eat up innings and win for you.

by Yankeesjetsfan on Nov 25, 2009 1:38 PM EST reply actions

Dude really?

I’m not trying to be a dick, but every part of your analysis is wrong. Harden has had injury problems his whole career. He had 9 starts in 2006 and 7 starts in 2007, with a more respectable, but definitely not injury free last two years of 25 and 26 starts.

He also has pitched more than 150 innings ONCE in his career, which was in 2004 and he has 50 career wins in 7 seasons. So saying he is “injury free” can “eat innings” and can “win for you” is actually 0 for 3.

Now I wouldn’t be mad if the Yankees took a look at him, but not for any of those reasons. He has nasty stuff and a high ceiling that he’s just never come close to reaching. He has the skills to be an AJ Burnett type pitcher, but he’s so wild and inconsistent that he makes AJ look like Greg Maddux.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Nov 25, 2009 2:09 PM EST up reply actions

Harden

seems like a guy who it would make sense to move to the pen. he’s proven, almost beyond a doubt, that he can’t be relied upon as a starter. like you said, he’s topped 150 ip once (and that was way back in 2004), and never 200. Joba just threw 157 ip and some are ready to make him a permanent reliever.

maybe Harden should be someone’s closer. though he probably wouldn’t want to since it may mean a pay cut, but it’s probably a higher chance he stays healthy.

by Travis G on Nov 25, 2009 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

See I don't agree with this

People always bring the argument when pitchers (read: Joba) get hurt or are inconsistent starting that they should be moved to the pen. Bullpen pitchers get hurt just as much and are 100x more inconsistent. Throwing as hard as you can 3-4 times for an inning a week instead of once every 5-6 days for 6 innings has NEVER been proven to be better for an arm. Now, with Harden, he has gotten hurt so much that maybe it’s not a terrible idea to think about switching up his routine, but I don’t think that this is a general principle.

Could Harden close for a while? Probably. But he would still be just as likely to be injury prone and wild, and the closer is the most over rated position in all of baseball.

This sticker is dangerous and inconvenient, but I do love Fig Newtons.

by Lord Duggan on Nov 25, 2009 6:47 PM EST up reply actions