Around the Yankee Universe: 5th starter tryout time

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 7:00 AM EDT in News Comment 30 comments

After you get past the joy of Monday's latest walkoff win -- this one courtesy of Hideki Matsui's ninth-inning home run -- the focus around Yankee Universe has to be on the fifth starter situation.

There was bad news Monday about Chien-Ming Wang, and at this rate who knows if we will see the former ace of the Yankee staff again this season.

"Any time you're dealing with a [rotator] cuff issue and shoulder tendinitis -- or whatever you want to describe it as -- there's concern," (Yankee manager Joe) Girardi said. "Whatever it is he's able to do, we would love to have."

The mid-season fifth-starter tryout camp begins (continues?) tonight when Sergio Mitre toes the rubber against Baltimore. Don't expect Mitre to be more than a temporary fill-in, though. He is 10-23 with a 5.36 ERA in parts of five big-league seasons. He can hardly be expected to become a reliable starter in a pennant race. Maybe he ends up replacing Brett Tomko as the long man, but I don't see a lot of starts in Mitre's future.

Girardi recently described Mitre this way.

"He’s a sinker-curveball- changeup guy," Girardi said of Mitre, a right-hander who pitched for Girardi with the Florida Marlins in 2006. "He’s going to throw a lot of strikes, and he’s going to get a lot of ground balls. I always thought he had kind of a bulldog attitude. He’s a pretty thick guy. I never thought he shied away from contact."

For the Yankees, this is turning into an yearly ritual. I guess we could call it the annual mid-summer search for the next Aaron Small. Unless you want to see Kei Igawa again (and I don't) there are no other answers at AAA if Mitre flops. Girardi has repeatedly ruled out a return to the rotation for Phil Hughes, since he has been so dominant in the bullpen. Alfredo Aceves' value in the pen also makes the Yankees reluctant to start him.

Yet, Girardi admitted telling managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner he had "concerns about the depth of our starting rotation right now." For his part, Steinbrenner said Monday the Yankees would "look at all possibilities."

Those possibilities are extremely unlikely to include Roy Halladay. We've been over this a bunch of times, and the Yankees just aren't going to ravage the farm system for one pitcher -- no matter how good he is.

So, who could the targets be if the Yankees push for a starter via trade?

How about Cleveland's Cliff Lee? The Indians might consider moving the reigning Cy Young Award winner, and the price tag will have to be lower than the one for Halladay. Then there is always Jarrod Washburn, whom the Yankees seem to have been talking about acquiring for a year or more. I want nothing to do with Erik Bedard.

A lot of names will get bandied about, and it gives me a headache trying to figure it all out. So, I won't. Anyway, it will be interesting to see where this goes.

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Washburn

I would like to see Washburn as our 5th guy, deffinity no Erik Bedard

"Hey Derek do you actually drive the Edge?","I don't drive that piece of crap!"

by Da Shiz on Jul 21, 2009 8:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Why not Washburn?

He’s 7-6 on a crappy Mariners team. Here’s the upside…he has 75Ks, his ERA is 2.87, and his WHIP is 1.06. Sure his career numbers are slightly higher than that but I think he’d be a good fit.

by Yankees#7 on Jul 21, 2009 9:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Washburn

I have no problem w/Washburn, provided they don’t give up a big-time prospect.

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If the Yankees do trade for a starter, I think it will be somebody who’s completely under the radar.

by 3460kuri on Jul 21, 2009 10:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Could be

Might be somebody who hasn’t even been discussed. That seems to be the way deals happen w/the yanks a lot of times. The guy they get ends up being someone completely unexpected.

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It will be ...

a middling starter … perhaps someone from the Pirates—like Ian Snell who wants out. Bottom line, we’ve got a nice chemistry going and I don’t think anyone wants to mess with it. That said, they will have to deal lower end minor leaguers resulting in a middling starter.

Washburn might not be a bad fit … but I suspect the asking price will be high.

I’m still pining for Hughes in the rotation.

"Baseball is the background music of my life." -George Will

by Ronster22 on Jul 21, 2009 10:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Snell

Would be a good fit, but given that he’s been scrutinized by the Pittsburgh media & he couldn’t handle it, how’s he gonna handle New York media/talk radio? He’s got the stuff, but his head needs examining.

by BriGuy27 on Jul 21, 2009 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

God, no

A 5.42 ERA pitching in the NL last year, and a 5.36 ERA plus a demotion to AAA this year. No thanks.

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Snell is legit

he sent himself down so could be had for 10 cents on the dollar.

His stuff is filthy and probably just needs to get away from Pittsburgh..

I know its hard to look at it like this with the way he has sucked this season, but he could be a Oliver Perez reclamation project (he was pretty good walks aside with the Mets).

Id go for Snell, but lets give Mitre a chance before we write him off.

by FreeBradshaw on Jul 21, 2009 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Zack Duke or Paul Maholm

would be better options but their price could be a bit higher than Snell..

by YANK77 on Jul 21, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hear you

but, that’s not happening. Girardi has repeatedly said Hughes is too valuable where he is right now. I think Aceves might get another shot at some point, though losing him out of the bullpen also creates a big hole.

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like Aceves

6-1 and sub three ERA is not too shabby for the short term. Agreed on the hole in BP

BTW, made my way to the new Yankee Stadium last nith, sitting in Right Field seats. Very nice. No/short line for food, padded seats, cup holders, TV monitors under overhang. I had no complaints. $85 was a bit higher than last years $50, but other than that, really dug the new stadium.

by coops2001 on Jul 21, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i wouldn't rule out Snell

after all, Pittsburgh has seemingly been Cashman’s go-to trading partner.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Jul 21, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Leaving Hughes in the pen is trouble.

I understand Hughes has been dominant but, after the circus that Joba went through I’m not sure leaving Hughes in the pen is a sound decision. Joba’s development as a starter was slowed by over a year and is still a work in progress. I would like to see Hughes in the rotation.

Maybe Cashmen should see what Mussina is up to…

by lefty33 on Jul 21, 2009 11:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Moose

Would like to see him come back, I believe he’s about 29 wins short of 300

by Yankz09 on Jul 21, 2009 12:10 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Geesh

If you have been paying attention to Mussina’s recent comments he has zero interest in pitching again. The Joba circus is a fan thing. As for Hughes, I know long-term he is a starter. The problem you have is really creating one problem by trying to fix another. Take him out of the bullpen right now, and it’s a total crap shoot trying to get to Mariano.

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I understand your point

but Hughes has been too dominant and in the pen too long to change now. Ideally, he could transition back to a starting position in some way. But at this point, his dominance is needed in the pen for this season. I bet Cashman will change him back to a starter after the season

by jmappelbaum on Jul 21, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The best thing about the Hughes situation

is that he’ll probably go back to the rotation during the offseason and start the season in the rotation.

The most glaring reason for Joba’s acclimation to the rotation (listening to Clyde Frazier much?) struggles is because in 2008 he went from pen to rotation to pen.

Some guys actually can do that, that’s why some pitchers are said to have rubber arms…it doesn’t matter where you put them, they can throw 100 pitches the day after they throw in the bullpen and have no problem.

by FreeBradshaw on Jul 21, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

5th starter

I assume that Ian Kennedy is still injured. Igawa had one great long relief performance against Boston when Karsten was injured in the 1st inning. If Mitre is not good enough and Wang is still hurt, Igawa may be the best answer within the organization. I wonder whether Tom Glavine might be a sensible stop-gap even though he said he would not pitch this year. Has he stayed in shape? He would be rested and mentally he knows how to win. But we would want separation between Andy and Glavine. One very long-shot idea might be the switch-pitcher. He may not have major-league stuff, but the novelty might work for a month or so. People say he has a good mental make-up.

by logiet on Jul 21, 2009 12:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Its a shame to see

a guy injured two seasons in a row. Too bad for Wang. He was the staff’s guy. Almost sad. I think if Mitre is decent for a couple starts,they ride the hot hand. If not, IDK. I hear Igawa is doing decent in the minors.(haven’t checked the stats) I know, I know but what do you do if you don’t make some sort of trade? Promote within I guess.

by ReggieARodJeter on Jul 21, 2009 1:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

IDK

is not ready to pitch. He hasn’t pitched in a game since April. So, he isn’t going to help this year. Igawa is probably next in line, but I am crossing my fingers the Yanks don’t have to go there.

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you mean IPK

I think reggie meant IDK as in I Don’t Know.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Jul 21, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, well

Maybe I should learn to read. LOL!!

by Ed Valentine on Jul 21, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You guys will think I am crazy

Bring up Kei Igawa to fill in. It’s a win-win situation. The past two seasons at Scranton he is 21-9 with an era around 3.6. Bring him up, if he does WELL he may garner some interest as trade bait, if he doesn’t well you can always go to plan B (whatever that is). But he has pitched well in AAA, give him a shot. I think I would rather see Igawa earn some of his salary rather than plug in Mitre.

by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Jul 21, 2009 4:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Actually HappyDragon

I wouldn’t mind seeing Igawa get another chance if Mitre doesn’t pan out. He’s done about as well as he can in AAA. I think he’s pretty much a classic AAAA player, but we don’t have many better options.

If he pitches at the stadium and gets shelled tho, he may need to have security escort him out to protect his life.

by Lord Duggan on Jul 21, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he would get less grief

Than Pavano. I am not a spiteful person, but I would be satisfied if Pavano injured his arm and ended his career. God knows his grandkids will be driving Ferrari’s with the Yankees money he will still have.

by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Jul 21, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs