Everybody’s working for the weekend
Plenty of news and events going on this weekend with the Yankees, beginning with Joe Torre’s Safe at Home Gala in New York — honoring the 10th anniversary of the ’98 World Champs – and a special ceremony to bring home plate across 161st Street to the new Yankee Stadium held on Saturday.
It has seemed like an ultimate given that once Andy Pettitte decides he will pitch in 2009, the Yankees would be waiting there with a contract offer. Things haven’t exactly progressed that cut-and-dry, and Pettitte said Friday that he’s still waiting to hear back. But as long as Pettitte isn’t expecting the $16 million he earned the last two years, it’s nearly impossible to imagine that he wouldn’t be in that Opening Day rotation.
Pettitte’s re-signing — whenever it happens — would give the Yankees three of their five starters for next year, with Chien-Ming Wang and Joba Chamberlain also included. I think we all know where they’d look to get at least one more of those guys. Somebody will likely have to take the spot held by Mike Mussina, who appears an even likelier bet to retire.
I’m on a little mini-vacation and doing some traveling, but I’ll be back in New York this week to check in and post updates on the Yankees’ situation. It’s not like you can ever really completely disconnect these days, after all.
Bryan Hoch
Actually, it is very easy Bryan, if Houston offers Pettitte a 2 or 3 year deal before Cashman makes a decision, Pettitte could walk again. Maybe Torre wants Pettitte?
“I’m on a little mini-vacation and doing some traveling, but I’ll be back in New York this week to check in and post updates on the Yankees’ situation. It’s not like you can ever really completely disconnect these days, after all.”
get on a boat to the Caribbean. No ESPN
If the Yankees make the same mistake with Pettitte again I’ll be P I S S E D. If those B A S T A R D S screw with him, thats awful.
The Dodgers may seem a very unlikely fit but they have just as many holes in their rotation as we do. I bet the thought crossed both Torre’s and Pettitte’s minds the other night.
It seems to me the Yanks may prefer Mussina over Pettitte. But the whole issue will not fall into place until Burnett and Sabathia are committed.
Screw this up and it will be a rotation of:
Wang
Perez
Chamberlain
Hughes
Kennadia
BP,
Perez is far too inconsistent to interest me. kennedy’s stock may rise a bit in Puerto Rico, but not enough to bump him higher than the AAA rotation. Hughes will be there too. Look for trades if we don’t get the FAs we want.
Robert, I don’t want either. You know I don’t like Kennadia but this is the worse case scenerio if we don’t get Pettitte back. Sabathia may end up with the Dodgers, Lowe with Boston, Burnett with the Marlins.
I believe Mussina’s brother over everyone else, Moose returns.
If no major CFers available, how about jeremy Hermida. At minimum he provides insurance and at best, a decent multi tooled starter. He was rushed to the ml and is likely to be good any year now. He is already showing flashes. He is only 24 and would not cost the Yankees too much to acquire. If initial prognostications are right, he could be better than Gardner or AJax. For SP, the Yankees need CC and another ace. There is no trustworthy ace that is an FA – Burnett only healthy in 2 walk seasons, Lowe was hit hard in his last two Bosox seasons, Sheets hasn’t been healthy in years, Oliver Perez can be very bad, etc. The Yankees need to trade for their other ace. I like Liriano best bc he has best upside. If not him, then Halladay, Danks, Verlander, F. Hernandez, Greinke, Volquez. If the Yankees want a third starter to slot into the 4th spot, cannot get Moose and are leary of Pettitte (Moose is the better choice and only one should be kept), Garland is a good innings eater and makes more sense then the other FAs. Ow a trade for someone like Scott Olsen makes sense. Olsen has good stuff and should be good next year after recovering from injury. Another possibility for the 4th spot and could be a dark horse is Dontrelle Willis. He was once excellent and if it is deemed plausible for him to return to form, he could be a steal. As to Verlander, he had a bad season but a great finish and is likely to have a good year following his sophomore slump. Detroit is in a deal mode and Verlander is a legit ace who had an off year. The Yanks must get Tex. He is the best player that fits their present and future needs and is a must have bat to replace Giambi. If the Yankees do not acquirea CFer, the Yankees could consider moving Jeter (blasphemy I know, but if he is a team player he would acknowedge his poor defense) and acquiring someone like JJ Hardy.