The Moose is loose
Six-plus good innings and a little luck were all Mike Mussina needed to lock down win No. 17. His pursuit of 20 wins is going to come down to the wire, and Armando Benitez is nowhere in sight to mess it up.
Alex Rodriguez hit a milestone home run in a game where Xavier Nady continued to flex some muscle of his own, clipping a catwalk high above left field – just the fourth player to do that here at the Florida Suncoast Dome Tropicana Field.
Joba Chamberlain could be in the bullpen to start next season. Joba has done a nice job playing the good soldier and saying he just wants to pitch, but we’ve all heard him say that his preference is to start. I asked him if he’s looking forward to the day when this whole debate just goes away. He laughed and said, “Yeah.”
I got here a little bit early today and wandered around the Trop, especially seeking out the live ray tank out in right-center field. Pretty neat, even though the door was locked and I couldn’t get in to feed one. It’s not quite a trip to the aquarium, but it’ll do. This isn’t a bad place to watch a ballgame, all things considered. They’ve done the best they can with it and it’s actually a pretty friendly atmosphere, especially for kids.
Bryan Hoch
I’m glad I was wrong about the Yanks getting swept.
It is looking more and more like they are preparing for next spring already and a rotation that looks like:
Wang, Moose, Hughes, Andy and probably CC. By targeting Joba in the pen, that takes some of the “6-man rotation” out of the debate right off the bat. They’ve also got V. Zambrano in the minors. Wonder if he’ll be back? Then there’s IPK and KEI.
I would expect V Zamb to give the Yanks pretty much what Ponson, Rasner, ERA Igawa, I. P.itch K.rappy, etc have given; A win is a bonus but a crap shoot. I’m not sure if another season of Moose, Pettitte, Wang, Hughes, & ? is going to cut it.
Hughes will have to do well in the AFL to be included in the rotation for 2009.
No way is Victor ambrano even being considered for next year’s rotation, what kind of stupid crap is that? Same goes for Igawa. Hughes will get a shot at the back end, behind Wang, CC Sabathia, Mussina and maybe a Burnett or Sheets type. Remember, if the Yankees do sign CC, don’t expect them to sign any other FA starter ( which woud leave a rotation of CC, Wang, Mussina, maybe Kennedy or a Derek Lowe type, and Hughes ). I doubt they’ll put him any higher then a number four starter, especially if all we sign is Sabathia. Then maybe he’s shifted up behind Moose and Kennedy slots in at the five spot, which isn’t so bad because we’ve got four strong starters and a maybe at the back end.
Keep in mind, though, that the Yankees do not envision Joba as a relief pitcher. He will be in our rotation next year, just not at the start of the season.
Overall, a rotation of
CC
Wang
Mussina
Hughes
Kennedy and then Joba
( which would leave Kennedy in the bullpen )
is probably the best in the league, but I just don’t see Kennedy up in the rotation next year at all. That would leave the with the decision of signing a guy like Derek Lowe or slotting Ponson or Rasner in the fivespot. With the money that’s coming of of the books,I’d definitely patch this rotation shut and sign Lowe, or someone who provides definite stability in that rotation. I’m tired of having so many question marks.
To sum it up:
CC
Wang
Mussina
Lowe
Hughes
with idiot Cashman at the helm though, you’ll probably see Kennedy getting at least a shot at the rotation. I’m kind of tired of giving the guy shots. If he can come up and be what we envision him to be, ( he kills the minors ) than it’s about time he puts or shuts and provides this ballclub with they need, which is some dang pitching.
I woud hope we have better options next year than Ponson or Zambrano. Right now Zambrano is scheduled to pitch game five of the playoffs for SWB if necessary. Based on his last outing, I’m hoping for not necessary!
And here’s the latest on Cashman:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09032008/sports/yankees/source__bosses_want_brian_back_127278.htm
I don’t know why we’d even bother putting Joba back in the pen, especially to begin the year? And to think that we may do so to give the likes of Kennedy or some other guy who’s not near as good as him a shot at the rotation? The only sense that can make is if they want to groom him to replace Mo and just aren’t saying it yet. Otherwise that’s a totally ignorant choice to make. I agree with those that believe this babying has gone on too long and way overboard. That or we just aren’t impressed with Marte or any other setup we have. But why waste Joba there before he proves he’s not cut out for the rotation?
It’s all a matter of total pitches for the year. Had Joba stayed in the rotation, he would have trown enough pitches to start next year in the rotation. Since he did not, they will limit the number of pitches by having him begin the year in the pen!
bronxkidd,
I’m a Yankee fan, and I think that would be a nice rotation. But best in the league? I don’t think CC, Wang, Mussina beat Beckett, Dice-K, Lester.
Put a healthy Joba in the mix and the story changes, maybe.
How can you count on Hughes or Kennedy to be contributors to the starting rotation??? They both failed miserably this year and especially Hughes doesn’t seem to be able to take it physically. Whats with the crap about Joba starting in the pen again next year. Why are they treating him like a baby??? He is the most likely to succeed as a starter so let him get it done. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any team treat any player with KIT GLOVES like this and there have been alot of pretty special pitchers who have done GREAT without this. In fact I think this is more of a hindrance to his development than a help. PLEASE he is not 14 anymore. Perhaps Hughes is the one who should start in the pen, he is the one who has spent alot of time on the DL in his first season and a half.
I really don’t see a starting rotation for the Yankees with Phil Hughes on it. Remember, he’s still only 22 years old, no need to rush him out there anymore. Yes he’s skilled, and has shown a positive upside. However, since he tweaked his hamstring during the 6th inning of his no-hitter against Texas last year, he just hasn’t been the same. Let him start the season next year with AAA, and if he pitches well CONSISTENTLY, then bring him up if he’s needed. If he’s not really needed, I just don’t see a need to rush him. I think I’m envisioning a starting rotation for the Yankees for 2009 looking something more like this: CC, Wang, Moose, Pettitte, Joba. We could also potentially add Garland, Sheets or Burnett if Pettitte or Moose don’t return (which I see them both coming back for at least 1 more year, how can they not re-sign Moose after this season…) or if they seriously start Joba off in the pen again. Don’t expect to see Rasner, Ponson, V. Zambrano in the Yankees’ 09 starting rotation.
Midnite200,
You’re not a Yankee fan. Which is your team?
Sper,
I would’nt be surprised if all three are in SWB next year.
NEW THREAD
Robert G Kramer
Actually I AM a Yankee fan and have been for close to 50 years now. Whats even stranger is I live in Western Canada and take alot of flack for being a Yankee fan because apparently us Canadians are supposed to be Blue Jay fans LOL. But what is even worse is my brother is a Red Sox fan and I am going to have to listen to his crap for yet another winter! Maybe I am being hard on Cashman but I truly do not believe he has done much for this organization from the beginning. If you are questioning what a Canadian could possibly know about baseball or Yankee baseball for that matter when my son was 3years old in 97 he would play baseball in our back yard and would go the plate batting as each of the Yankees. He had the batting order perfect from lead off thru to the 9th hitter. Last year he threw a perfect game at the Canadian Little League Championships and had the second highest batting average there. So I do come from a baseball family. Back to Cashman and the Yanks he really dropped the ball this year by not bringing Torre back then not signing Santana then, then then. Unfortunately with it being the last year for Yankee Stadium I would of thought a winning team would of been the perfect finale for the Stadium and all the memories it has for Yankee fans. No disrespect to Hughes, Kennedy or Melky but they are prospects, maybe even good prospects but how many prospects really turn to glitter.