Given AJ Burnett's injury history and Joba's innings cap, I don't see how the Yanks can enter the 2009 season without one more starting pitcher on the depth chart.
Via MLBTR and FanGraphs, the remaining free agents with 2008 WHIPs at 1.4 or less.
Bartolo Colon (36) pitched 39 innings in 2008, and less than 200IP total since 2005.
Freddy Garcia (33) pitched 15 innings in 2008. Injury plagued since 6 straight 200IP seasons from 2001-2006.
Jon Garland (29) - Type B, offered arb; posted a 1.51 WHIP, so he shouldn't make the list. But his .315 BABIP was well above his .289 career average. He might have been unlucky or he could be entering an early decline (.313, .290, .315 BABIP last 3 seasons)
Jon Lieber (39) another injury victim, hasn't topped 150 combined innings the last 2 seasons.
Braden Looper (34) - Type B, not offered arb, 1.3 WHIP and 199IP. Could he be had on a two-year deal?
Rodrigo Lopez (33)- After a mediocre but durable career in Bal'more, the 2002 ROY runner-up put up decent numbers in an injury shortened campaign in Colorado.
Derek Lowe (36) - Type A, offered arb, and will command a 3 year deal.
Oliver Perez (27) - Type A, offered arb. The subject of several columns today. He walked 105 in 194IP. In the NL.
Tim Redding (31) had a disastrous 1IP for the Yanks on July 15, 2005 against the Red Sox (4H, 4BB, 6R). I was in a bar in Aurora, NY that night. I got there just in time for the first pitch, waiting for a buddy to get off from work at the restaurant across the street. It was a good thing we'd planned for him to drive home.
Ben Sheets (30) - Type A, offered arb. The Yanks seem to view Sheets as plan B, but I'd sign him today if he could be had on a 1 or 2 year deal.
John Smoltz (42) - Type B, not offered arb. He technically makes the cut, but I think the Atlanta lifer will play for the Braves or not at all.
Randy Wolf (32) - Type B, not offered arb. Wolf actually pitched better at the Houston Launching Pad than he had in the pitcher's heaven in San Diego. But he gave up 16 runs in 19.2 IP against AL teams.