Pitching, pitching, and more pitching
At right: Chien-Ming Wang needs a little help from some new friends.
Just in case you’d managed to forget, Brian Cashman broke out the hammer and is attempting to beat it into all of us — the Yankees are going after starting pitching this offseason. It’s their No. 1 priority moving forward, and not just one arm, either.
With Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain the only assured members of the rotation, the Yankees could be players for two big names on the offseason market. Be that CC Sabathia, Jake Peavy, A.J. Burnett, Ben Sheets, Derek Lowe … that all remains to be seen. One member of the organization was very cautious recently in not getting too hyped up about the free agent frenzy flying about — as he said, “Remember, it’s a two-way street.”
The players will want to have to come to New York as well, and already there are guys out there like Sabathia and Peavy who have made it known the Big Apple isn’t the apple of their eye, exactly. That’s not to say neither could wind up in pinstripes, but it’s not as easy as writing the blank check. The GM meetings continue this afternoon and into the evening as the day just gets started out in California.
Bryan Hoch
Phillies fan asks for help after the World Series celebration flipped his car:
http://phillyfixmycar.blogspot.com/
Matsui may be done in the field, but his bat is still potent. That’s all I’m interested in.
The Mitre signing may make sense, if you keep an open mind and have a little vision.
Bryan, can you turn this into a forum with multiple topics?
If we sign Burnett or Sabathia, and if Mussina retires and we can’t sign Lowe or someone comparible to replace him, then Pavano may be a viable option. I’d like someone with a better track record healthwise, but with the arms we should have ready at AAA as injury replacements (Aceves, Coke, Horne, Hughes, Marquez, and/or others) an injury prone pitcher like Pavano and Sheets might be a worthwhile gamble.
I saw on ESPNews that we have made Lowe an offer.
BP,
We can’t talk $$$$$$$$ with Lowe until 11/14/2008, only the Dodgers can!
Matt,
You forget that Pavano was something like 4 and 1 to close 2008 while still not 100% healthy. But, I know you don’t change your mind once set!
I like Peavy and Burnett over CC, just my choice. But I would not trade Cano. Bryan If you look back over your blogs,you will see I saw the problem with Cano and Melky in 2006. They were too cocky. Not hustling, but at the same time I would not trade Cano. He is going to be alright, he the type player you have to stay on until it clicks for him, to much talent to trade.We need two starting pitchers that give us innings. Two guys I think the yankees could make a move on without much cost is Micah Owing and Matt Cain. Ask Petite to come out the bullpen, he older now he can become a specialist.
Why does everybody get fired up about the Mitre signing? It’s a minor league deal with a split contract. You take a look at him after rehab and hope you have something that can help your big league club. This is the kind of behind-the-scenes move all 30 teams do on a semi-regular basis.
Matt,
I think the difference is that I tend to dismiss the negatives of the past much more quickly than you. Nothing wrong with either approach, just the stuff of argument.
BP,
We can’t talk $$$$$$$$ with Lowe until 11/14/2008, only the Dodgers can!
By RobertGKramer@AOL.Com on November 4, 2008 2:33 PM
I thought the same, I must have missed what they were saying.
Bryan,
There will likely be a few negative posts for any move that Cashman makes in the next three years!
I’m going to stalk Cashman at the managers meetings at Danan Point!
matt: I was not really saying cheap, but I got your point. I was thinking, Hideki, Kennedy, brunly, couple minor leaguer’s marquez, etc. I would not trade for Prince Fielder if they were giving him away. Personal opinion if CC and Prince don’t lose some weight they careers will be cut short. These guys are to young to be that “FAT”.
Oh, god did I see Robinson and Melky in a music video? So Jeet got scolded for his bar hoping and it’s ok for the kids to be on MTV sporting hawaiian shirts?
“Second baseman Robinson Cano could help anchor a trade package for Peavy…” Cano for Peavy straight up-nothing more.
VOYE RALPH NADER!! CANOE’ MUST STAY AND GROW UP…..
I’d like Micah Owings too but surely he has to stay NL and hit…maybe the same goes for CC.
Anyone know what the Yanks are going to do with Chris Britton in 2009? I saw his name floating around as an option for a club looking for an effective, cheap and available bullpen as he doesn’t seem to figure in the current plans after his poor 2008. I would think teams would look at previous numbers and be interested though
Matt,
I certainly hope we can do better, but if it came down to only Giese, Pavano or Rasner, I’d go go with the guy with the most MLB innings. That would be Pavano. I think what’s being said is only an indication that we will explore every possibility to improve the staff, nothing more!!!
NEW THREADS
The problem with Mitre is he becomes the next bad choice to replace an injured guy on the 25 man roster. The point of moves is to creat good options. How about signing incetive deals for Cordero, a decent former closer, Prior, who has can be great when healthy, Colon, “. Those moves are small risk $ with high upsides if healthy. Mitre has no upside. Keeping Pavano would be a slap in the fact of every angry Yankee fan. The Yankees continually questioned his heart — why bother with him then. To get Cain, think Cano, Gardner, Miranda and Kennedy. The Giants want offense. Is that trade worth it? Maybe. Sheets was shut down in Sept bc of injury. I can’t remember his last healthy year. Unless the guy takes a one year deal, he is a bad investment. Since he knows he is a bad investment, he is unlikely to take a one year deal as this may be his last opportunity for a big contract despite his youth.
The big issue I have with Pavano has nothing to do with his performance on the field (also not so happy about, but separate issue), but is his behavior. His behavior seems to be very self-oriented and he does not come off as a team player; such as, when he did not report the injury to his back in a car accident and other behaviors. He strikes me like a Manny Ramirez type player, I’ve got an owwie on my finger, see ya while I go to Miami for two weeks to recuperate.