The Yankees are entering this offseason without a lot of fanfare. There is no C.C. Sabathia (well, not since the Yankees re-signed him anyway), no Cliff Lee, and no Mark Teixeira. There is an Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder but the Yankees are not going to go after those two because they are set at first base. The general consensus is that Texas Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson is the best starter on the market. However, his October struggles this year might have scared a couple of teams away from offering him a big contract, including the Yankees. However, Wilson did go 16-7 with a 2.94 ERA with 206 strikeouts in 223.1 regular season innings. that stands in stark contrast to his postseason numbers of 0-3, 5.79 ERA, and 26 K's in 28 innings. He walked 19 batters in the postseason and gave up 6 homers after walking 74 and giving up 16 homers during the regular season. Which pitcher is Wilson? That is the question Yankees GM Brian Cashman needs to ask himself and find out an answer to. Is Wilson worth an offer similar to the one the Yankees offered Cliff Lee? No. Is he worth an offer similar to A.J. Burnett? Yes, I would say so. Surely Wilson is better than A.J. and better than John Lackey so he will get a bigger contract than those two. The question is, can Cashman afford to have Wilson, Sabathia, and Burnett on the same payroll? Not many teams would be able to. The Yankees can afford it but it hampers their long-term flexibility.
The Yankees need a number two starter. Ivan Nova certainly gave the Yankees a lot of hope down the stretch last season and they have to hope he continues to develop along those lines. However, young pitching can be very finicky as evidenced by Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Counting on young pitching is not something the Yankees can afford but will gladly take contributions from if available. Will Phil Hughes bounce back and resemble the guy who won 18 games only two seasons ago? Will Ivan Nova fall back to earth or will he continue to exceed expectations? Will A.J. Burnett contribute anything of value going forward or will he just be a newer version of Kevin Brown, Randy Johnson, Kenny Rogers, or Javier Vazquez? Will the Yankees roll the dice on guys like Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon again and hope they can contribute as they did last season? Surely Freddy Garcia deserves a new deal, nothing long term but something. There are so many questions surrounding the Yankees rotation for the second straight year. Cashman needs to find a solution. Wilson is the biggest name but is he the best solution?
Cashman has a couple of options entering the free agency period. He can avoid giving up a draft pick for someone like Wilson and bid to receive the services of Japanese ace Yu Darvish. There is a lot of talk about the Yankees past experiences with Japanese pitchers but Darvish is not Hideki Irabu or Kei Igawa. The Yankees admitted they didn't scout Igawa enough and reacted to the Red Sox signing of Daiske Matsuzaka. Darvish is only 25 years old and has pitched well in world tournaments like the World Baseball Classic. Sure, the history of Japanese pitchers having great success in the Major Leagues is not the best but it isn't devoid of success. Can Darvish buck the trend? Darvish is a high risk-high reward prospect, someone who can either be that top starter or someone who will remind the Yankees never to dabble in Japanese pitching ever again. Then again, nobody thought Japanese hitters could survive in the Majors and yet Ichiro is one his way to a Hall of Fame career and Hideki Matsui was the Yankees World Series MVP in 2009 so you can't judge one person based on the experiences of others. I would like to see the Yankees go after Darvish who I am willing to bet will be better than Igawa and Irabu. Most importantly, signing Darvish won't require the surrender of a draft pick. No matter what the Yankees do, if Darvish is posted they should make every attempt to get him. He might not be an ace but he might be good enough to hold down the fort while prospects like Dellin Betances and Manny Banuelos get more seasoning at AAA. Darvish also represents a safer option to C.J. Wilson because he is five years younger and has, at this stage, a more lively fastball.
Cashman has gone into this offseason preaching about being conservative. What this means exactly is anybody's guess. It could mean he will chase someone like Mark Buehrle, who has pitched his entire career in the American League and has shown he can shut down an opposing offense on any given day as evidenced by his perfect game. Buehrle has not pitched less than 200 innings since his rookie campaign in 2001 so health is not a huge concern. He is 32 years old so age and mileage might come into question if he is asking for a long term deal. However, he is a known commodity, one that will give your team a chance to win every time out. His career ERA sits at 3.83, not bad considering he played a majority of his career in the steroids era of the longball and big offense. He won 13 games last year for a horrible White Sox club and posted a 3.59 ERA and 1.30 WHIP while owning a 4.8 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and .92 HR/9 and getting hitters to hit groundballs 44.9% of the time. Not terrible. On the surface Buehrle reminds me a lot of Andy Pettitte and, if he doesn't require a long term deal, could be just what the Yankees are looking for. He is no stranger to postseason play, having won a World Series with the White sox. His groundball numbers will not be a problem with the Yankees defense playing behind him so Buehrle could thrive in Yankee Stadium.
Right now the Yankees don't have much in the way of top prospects ready to contribute at the Major League level. Sure, Betances and Banuelos will be at AAA but they haven't exactly had much experience beyond a few starts at that level. Betaces got his feet wet this year and showed real promise but that is such a limited sample size you can't take anything away from that. Adam Warren and David Phelps are the two starters most ready for the majors but neither is projected as a top of the rotation starter. Granted, neither was Ivan Nova and look at what he gave the Yankees this year. However, do the Yankees want to enter the 2012 season with a rotation of Sabathia, Hughes, Garcia, Nova, and Burnett and Warren/Phelps battling amongst Garcia, Hughes, and Nova for a spot? Would the Yankees be better off with Sabathia, Buehrle, Nova, Hughes, and Burnett with Darvish/Warren/Phelps waiting in the minors to take over? Maybe Hughes goes to the bullpen and if he does that further complicates matters. Maybe the Yankees aren't planning on bringing A.J. along for the ride anymore. Maybe Cashman is comfortable using Warren and Phelps until Betances and Banuelos are ready. If I know the Yankees I think they will bring back Garcia, sign a pitcher or two amongst the Wilson, Darvish, and Buehrle group, maybe add another starter from among the second tier pitchers like Edwin Jackson for good measure, and hope that they have a surplus of pitching so that they can trade for any spare parts that pop up along the way while being able to retain top prospects like Jesus Montero, Banuelos, Betances, and Gary Sanchez. One thing is certain, the Yankees do not need much, if any help on the offensive side of the ball. This offseason should be all about stockpiling pitching because we have seen it is pitching that wins championships and having too much doesn't exist.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
First and Goal
- I think Eli went a long way in quieting his critics with his come from behind win over Tom Brady and the Patriots this past Sunday. Eli now has the best 4th quarter quarterback rating in all of football. Not too bad for a guy who many Giants fans wanted to run out of town only a month ago.
- I don't think I have ever seen an implosion like the one that has been occurring in Boston since the beginning of September. Not only did they blow a huge lead but they blew up their team afterwards with GM Theo Epstein and Manager Terry Francona bolting from the franchise. Epstein is now in Chicago with the Cubs to tackle a bigger curse and Francona is free to take another managerial job elsewhere (Chicago?) or to get into broadcasting which he did pretty well in his limited use during the American League Playoffs. Boston now will be without John Lackey next season and is facing big free agent decisions on closer Jonathan Papelbon and DH David Ortiz. With all the tumult that is surrounding this team I can't envision big free agents rushing to Boston. Just ask Carl Crawford how that worked out last season.
- The New York Giants are facing the toughest schedule in all of football over the rest of the season. However, they currently hold a two game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East and bolstered their confidence by going into New England and beating the Patriots on their home turf, something no team has done since 2008 when Matt Cassell was the starting quarterback while Brady recovered from injury. Nobody expected the Giants to be where they are now at this point in the season, not after losing their best cornerback in Terrell Thomas and losing key players like Kevin Boss and Steve Smith and overhauling their offensive line over the condensed offseason. If the Giants can continue to play good football and force more turnovers than they give up they can be a Super Bowl contender. There are a lot of ifs and the Giants have been getting hit hard by the injury bug all season long but the chance is there and thats all a fan of any team ever asks for.
- The San Francisco Giants traded once top prospect to the Royals for Melky Cabrera.Sanchez struggled with his control this year but has very good stuff. IF the Royals can keep him healthy and Sanchez can find the strike zone the Royals might have a very good number two or three starter as they continue to introduce their young prospects to the Majors. The fact that Sanchez is still just 28 years old and helped carry the Giants to the 2010 World Series Championship represents a huge win for the Royals. Cabrera, although coming off of a career year, was made expendable by Lorenzo Cain who hit .312 at AAA this year and is a cheaper option for the Royals. Great job by the Royals. I have one mantra in baseball and that is never trade a possible impact arm for a fill-in bat.
- I don't understand how caddie Steve Williams' comments about Tiger Woods made global news. I don't believe there should be room for racism in sports but I also don't see how Williams' comment of wanting to "shove it up his [Wodds'] black arsehole" after winning a tournament with his new golfer was overtly racist. OK, so he mentioned the part-color of Woods' skin. Racially insensitive? Absolutely. Racist? No. I am sure Williams regrets those comments, something said in the heat of the moment in a relaxed atmosphere but I don't think the man is racist. I know he was a friend of Woods' through the many years he caddied for him and the two had a falling out after Williams left Woods following Tiger's sexual escapades and fall from the top in golf. One comment does not make a man racist. Silly, yes. I think the media is making way to much of this and should relax. Society has become so sensitive these days. Would there be any uproar if a black caddie had mentioned a white arsehole? Nope, probably not and rightfully so. Had Williams mentioned another golfer and said "white" in front of his statement people would have laughed and moved on.
- The New York Rangers look they are finding their stride. After a long and difficult road trip that saw them playing in Europe, then on Long Island, then on the West Coast, the Rangers returned home to the Garden and won 4 of 6 during that homestand giving them a 7-3-3 record in the teams first 13 games. Marian Gaborik seems to have found new life, Ryan Callahan continues to progress, Brad Richards is showing why he was the #1 free agent target of the off-season, and the Rangers have shown an ability to score on the power play as well, something that haunted them all of last season. And, they are still playing without Marc Staal, arguably their best defenseman. This team should only get better.
- It is looking like the Colts will be winners of the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes. I can't see them discarding Peyton Manning and pinning their hopes on a rookie QB but I can see Andrew Luck sitting behind Peyton for a couple of years, like Aaron Rodgers did behind Brett Favre, and then taking the starting job. I can also see some team willing to give up three #1 picks to obtain the rights to Luck. Either way the Colts are sitting pretty.
- Does anyone really notice there is no NBA right now? I mean seriously? Football, on both the collegiate and pro levels has been phenomenal and even the NHL has been enjoying a slight resurgence. Personally, I'll wait for college basketball as the pro game has lost all credibility with me. First its refs fixing games, then its stars getting calls despite the lack of fouls, now its a lack of agreement on financials between owners and players. The NBA didn't learn a thing from the NFL lockout and probably won't. So long, NBA, who cared to begin with?
- I don't think I have ever seen an implosion like the one that has been occurring in Boston since the beginning of September. Not only did they blow a huge lead but they blew up their team afterwards with GM Theo Epstein and Manager Terry Francona bolting from the franchise. Epstein is now in Chicago with the Cubs to tackle a bigger curse and Francona is free to take another managerial job elsewhere (Chicago?) or to get into broadcasting which he did pretty well in his limited use during the American League Playoffs. Boston now will be without John Lackey next season and is facing big free agent decisions on closer Jonathan Papelbon and DH David Ortiz. With all the tumult that is surrounding this team I can't envision big free agents rushing to Boston. Just ask Carl Crawford how that worked out last season.
- The New York Giants are facing the toughest schedule in all of football over the rest of the season. However, they currently hold a two game lead over the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East and bolstered their confidence by going into New England and beating the Patriots on their home turf, something no team has done since 2008 when Matt Cassell was the starting quarterback while Brady recovered from injury. Nobody expected the Giants to be where they are now at this point in the season, not after losing their best cornerback in Terrell Thomas and losing key players like Kevin Boss and Steve Smith and overhauling their offensive line over the condensed offseason. If the Giants can continue to play good football and force more turnovers than they give up they can be a Super Bowl contender. There are a lot of ifs and the Giants have been getting hit hard by the injury bug all season long but the chance is there and thats all a fan of any team ever asks for.
- The San Francisco Giants traded once top prospect to the Royals for Melky Cabrera.Sanchez struggled with his control this year but has very good stuff. IF the Royals can keep him healthy and Sanchez can find the strike zone the Royals might have a very good number two or three starter as they continue to introduce their young prospects to the Majors. The fact that Sanchez is still just 28 years old and helped carry the Giants to the 2010 World Series Championship represents a huge win for the Royals. Cabrera, although coming off of a career year, was made expendable by Lorenzo Cain who hit .312 at AAA this year and is a cheaper option for the Royals. Great job by the Royals. I have one mantra in baseball and that is never trade a possible impact arm for a fill-in bat.
- I don't understand how caddie Steve Williams' comments about Tiger Woods made global news. I don't believe there should be room for racism in sports but I also don't see how Williams' comment of wanting to "shove it up his [Wodds'] black arsehole" after winning a tournament with his new golfer was overtly racist. OK, so he mentioned the part-color of Woods' skin. Racially insensitive? Absolutely. Racist? No. I am sure Williams regrets those comments, something said in the heat of the moment in a relaxed atmosphere but I don't think the man is racist. I know he was a friend of Woods' through the many years he caddied for him and the two had a falling out after Williams left Woods following Tiger's sexual escapades and fall from the top in golf. One comment does not make a man racist. Silly, yes. I think the media is making way to much of this and should relax. Society has become so sensitive these days. Would there be any uproar if a black caddie had mentioned a white arsehole? Nope, probably not and rightfully so. Had Williams mentioned another golfer and said "white" in front of his statement people would have laughed and moved on.
- The New York Rangers look they are finding their stride. After a long and difficult road trip that saw them playing in Europe, then on Long Island, then on the West Coast, the Rangers returned home to the Garden and won 4 of 6 during that homestand giving them a 7-3-3 record in the teams first 13 games. Marian Gaborik seems to have found new life, Ryan Callahan continues to progress, Brad Richards is showing why he was the #1 free agent target of the off-season, and the Rangers have shown an ability to score on the power play as well, something that haunted them all of last season. And, they are still playing without Marc Staal, arguably their best defenseman. This team should only get better.
- It is looking like the Colts will be winners of the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes. I can't see them discarding Peyton Manning and pinning their hopes on a rookie QB but I can see Andrew Luck sitting behind Peyton for a couple of years, like Aaron Rodgers did behind Brett Favre, and then taking the starting job. I can also see some team willing to give up three #1 picks to obtain the rights to Luck. Either way the Colts are sitting pretty.
- Does anyone really notice there is no NBA right now? I mean seriously? Football, on both the collegiate and pro levels has been phenomenal and even the NHL has been enjoying a slight resurgence. Personally, I'll wait for college basketball as the pro game has lost all credibility with me. First its refs fixing games, then its stars getting calls despite the lack of fouls, now its a lack of agreement on financials between owners and players. The NBA didn't learn a thing from the NFL lockout and probably won't. So long, NBA, who cared to begin with?
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