I have to say I was getting a little worried. After a few weeks of insisting that Sabathia was coming to the Yanks and that his delay was no big deal, I began to feel like Kevin Bacon at the end of Animal House screaming "All is well" as mayhem broke out around.
And, a few days ago, when word came that Sabathia had told Dodgers GM Ned Colletti that he wanted to be in LA, I had just about lost it with the hefty lefty. Who the hell was he to treat the Yankee offer like some sort of medicine that would have to be shoved down his throat in order for him to accept it? That pissed me off, I have to admit.
But now, CC will be wearing the pinstripes come spring training and that XXXL uniform will never have looked better on anyone.
The Yankee run on starting pitching isn't over yet.
Evidently, the Yanks upped their offer to AJ Burnett from four years to five years guaranteed, topping the Braves contract pitch to Burnett and putting themselves in the driver's seat. Unless Atlanta is willing to push that high it appears the Yanks will be announcing another signing before too long.
Okay, so now that things are moving along quickly, I am gonna make a leap of faith and assume that Burnett is inked to a contract in the next day or so. That would mean the Yanks are about finished with their offseason moves and the additions of Sabathia, Burnett, and Nick Swisher would seem to give the Yanks an A- for the off season.
Here's what they need to do to make it an A+:
Sign Andy Pettitte or Ben Sheets - I love Pettitte, he is one of my favorite Yankee pitchers, and I will always, and I mean always be convinced that had the Yanks not let Pettitte walk after the 03 season the 04 fiasco would not have happened. Andy would have found a way to win one of those last four games. Having said that, if the Yanks offered him $10 million, as has been reported, and he turned it down, I can't blame the team for moving on. Pettitte is at the end of his career, and while he is certainly still a capable back-end of the rotation type of guy, to expect the Yanks to give him $16 million again is just absurd. I would like NOTHING better than to see Pettitte back with the Yanks, but I do believe he needs to be the one who comes back to reality. If not, as much as it would pain me to see he and the Yanks part ways once again, I wouldn't blame them this time.
If that were the case, I would LOVE to see the Bombers ink Ben Sheets. I know, I know, that golden right arm of his always seems to be injured. But, you know what, that arm is still golden my friends. I honestly believe that, if the Yanks got a healthy Sheets, they could perhaps be getting someone as good as Roy Halladay. The guy is a competitor, a bulldog on the mound, and, when right, his stuff is as good as anyones. While Pettitte would be wonderful for sentimental value and because he still has something left in the tank, Sheets could be the steal of the off season.
One of the two is needed. Which one really depends on them.
Trade Ian Kennedy and Melky Cabrera plus a player to be named later for Rick Ankiel and a minor leaguer - My sincere fear is that the Yanks are going to take the easy route here and trade for Mike Cameron. God, I hope that doesn't happen. I want NOTHING to do with Cameron. First, we've seen Cameron on the NY stage before. He hit for decent power numbers (30 homers, 30 doubles) but nothing else is even remotely worth mentioning in his one+ year with the Mets (he missed almost the entire 2005 season). Cameron fits the mold of the type of guy the Yanks should be staying away from; older, on the downward spiral, strikes out way too much, and isn't a clutch performer.
I understand he would come cheaper than some better options, but how many times must this team get burnt by the "cheap" option in order to understand that, if you want quality you have to pay for quality?
Rick Ankiel is going to be a free agent after next year and he is a Scott Boras client, meaning he is going to the open market. However, Ankiel, I believe, would thrive in NYC. He is a tremendous outfielder with a gun for an arm (remember, this guy was a power pitcher until he had his......um......problem). He has almost that Josh Hamilton "The Natural" lefty swing, which seems made for the Bronx. He has decent speed (not stolen base speed but more gettin around the bases speed) and he would seem to be the prototypical third-place hitter. It would also give the Yanks another just-under 30 guy who seems to be coming unto his own as a player, right in line with Nady and Swisher.
In his first full year as a starter Ankiel batted .264 with 25 dingers and 71 RBI in only 120 games. His OBP of .337 was a little low, but his SLG was a very respectable .5o6 and one would have to assume that Ankiel has only just scratched the surface of what he could be.
The Cardinals evidently offered Ankiel to the Mariners plus another player for JJ Putz, certainly a fine relief pitcher, but a reliever none the less. Much like the Reds last year, who found Josh Hamilton to be expendable because of the glut of outfielders they had available, the Cardinals seem to be in the same position with Rick.
With the Yankees retooling their starting pitching, and seemingly on the verge of adding two relatively young hurlers, locked up for multiple years, one would have to ask where, exactly, Ian Kennedy fits into the mix? Joba Chamberlain is going to be given every opportunity to excell as a starter and, unless he shows unable to handle the work load physically, he will be in the rotation for years to come. Wang is under 30 and not going anywhere for a long time. The organization is still absolutely convinced that Phil Hughes will eventually emerge as a big time starter and, waiting in the wings are other starters lower down in the system, such as Andrew Brackman and Delin Benetances (I am sure I am butchering that name, but it is something like that). Kennedy is pitching very well in the Puerto Rico league and, evidently the Cardinals like him. They need some good, young pitching, and it might be worth it for them to trade Ankiel for Kennedy now with the expectation that they won't want to pay Ankiel next year anyway (remember, Albert Pujols becomes a free agent next year and I would imagine the Cards are saving up to make sure their future HOFamer goes no where).
Ankiel would give the Yankees the bat and the glove in center they have been looking for, and it would also ensure that the Yanks don't have to rush a kid like Austin Jackson who might still be a year away from being an impact player. And, as much as I would like a Brett Gardner, I just can't see him really holding down the job offensively.
Ankiel, in my opinion, could turn out to be an absolute steal.
So, for this off season to now be perfect, here is what the Yankee team needs to look like coming in to next season.
Lineup:
Damon
Jeter
Ankiel
A-Rod
Swisher
Matsui
Nady
Cano
Posada
Rotation:
Sabathia
Wang
Burnett
Pettitte/Sheets
Joba
Pen:
Rivera
Veras
Bruney
Marte
Melancon
Coke
Now, you gotta admit, that would be a nice team to watch, wouldn't it?
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