Just as I write that the Yankees needed to committ to Chien Mien Wang for the year, he goes and gets himself hurt. In case you missed it today, Wang left in the sixth inning with what is being called "shoulder strain," which seems a lot more ominous than the usual "shoulder stiffness" or other initial, "get the press off my ass" releases.
Who knows, maybe the Yankees give Wang an MRI, everything looks good, and the righty is back on the hill in 5 days. Or maybe Wang is about to take a long, extended turn on the DL (remember, he has had shoulder surgery and missed almost the entire second half of the season in 05 with shoulder problems).
So, let's play doctor for a second and say Wang has seen his last turn in the rotation for a long, long time. What do the Yankees do?
Option 1: Move Phil Hughes back into the rotation.
This would seem to be the most likely and logical choice. Hughes had pitched okay before being removed from the rotation in the beginning of June. He had pitched a gem against Texas, going 8 innings of shutout baseball, and had gone 5 innings, giving up 4 runs and striking out 6 against the Indians on May 31, his last start. Not nearly as impressive as he has been since going to the pen, but serviceable none the less, and his start against Texas showed the flash of brilliance the Yankees have been looking for.
Of all possible internal options the Yankees have, moving Hughes back to the rotation would seem to have the most upside and possibilty for big gains.
The downside?
For one, Hughes has been utterly dominate since moving to the pen, and he is as big a reason why that part of the team has gone from a minus to a plus. Hughes, Coke, Bruney (when healthy), Aceves, and even the talented yet still learning Dave Robertson, really give the Yanks a lot of different looks and a lot of quality to play with. If you remove Hughes, it creates a void that isn't easily solveable.
The second thing is that Hughes would join Joba in the rotation, creating a scenario where the Yankees would have two young, inexperienced hurlers on pitch and innings limits going every five days. That could ultimately put a lot of strain on your bullpen and a lot of pressure on your top three pitchers to ALWAYS give quality and length. Will Hughes be able to translate his stuff and confidence from the pen to the rotation? If so, it's a no brainer. If not, it creates problems all over the Yankee pitching landscape.
Option 2: Keep Hughes in the pen and move Aceves to the rotation.
Alfredo Aceves has been a starter his entire professional career. In the few spot starts he made last year he looked pretty good. There is no reason to believe he would not be a competent starter for the Yanks.
Here are the drawback: like Hughes, it moving Aceves would hurt the pen. Granted, Aceves has been pushed back a bit since Hughes' arrival, but he is still very valuable and very much trusted out there by Girardi. Also, Aceves has never pitched consistently as a starter at the major league level. You have no idea what you would get from him every fifth day. Finally, as nice a pitcher as Aceves is, he does not give the Yankees the type of upside that Hughes does. His stuff just isn't electric enough.
Option 3: Leave Hughes in pen and trade for another starter.
You could do this. The Yankees have some trade chips to put out there for possible consumption. They have some nice young arms. The Yankees could try to pull off a deal for a mid-level pitcher. Maybe you're not getting Cliff Lee or Roy Oswalt, but maybe you can swing a deal for a Jonathan Sanchez? Not that I would be in favor of Sanchez (a 5 ERA in the NL West doesn't bode well for the AL East) but that is an option at this point for the team.
Problem with that? It costs money and talent for someone that might not make the difference between winning and losing. Want to take on Barry Zito's contract and his 5 ERA? Want to try and put together a trade for Jake Peavy and give up the king's ransom it would take to get him?
Maybe this makes sense if you can pry a Zach Duke away from the Pirates for prospects, but other than that it seems like a last resort for the Yanks.
Option 4: Trade for a pitcher, move Hughes back to the rotation, move Joba to the pen.
I figured I would throw this out there because, well, the debate can never die. I have been a proponent of Joba being in the rotation, but I do believe that he has to begin to show an ability to be more than just an average-at-best starter. Hughes has a highes inning's limit than Joba, meaning that, with his current stint in the rotation, he probably would be able to pitch the remainder of the season in the rotation without going over the limit, while Joba is on pace to hit that limit well before the season ends. It could also help Joba regain some of his swagger.
I don't think this is going to happen, but it could if Joba didn't begin to progress and the Yankees could pull off a deal for a good arm to put in the rotation.
Saturday, July 4
Happy Fourth of July from The Free Seats
It has been a while since I have had a chance to sit down and post. I'm sure the 1.5 people who actually view this site on a semi-regular basis has been lost without regular updates. Well, June was dedicated to work, work, and more work (and in today's day and age, I aint complainin) but now July seems to have settled down a bit, hopefully meaning more regular contributions.
But enought about that................there is a LOT to talk about in Yankee land and around the world of sports, and in honor of America's 233rd birthday, we'll start with what I believe the Yankees, their coaching staff, and their players, should declare.
Joe Girardi should declare not to bat Robinson Cano fifth, continue to hang Chien Mien Wang out to dry, and continuously make stupid comments that are then not backed up:
I am not a big, big, big fan of Girardi. In fact, I'm not a fan at all. As a person, he seems top quality. As a manager, he seems overmatched in New York. Let's not forget that Joe Girardi came to the Yankees after only ONE year of managerial experience with the Florida Marlins. Assuming Girardi could manage in New York because he did it in Florida is sort of like assuming that I could lead a battalion of men into battle because I'm the captain of my church softball team. They are two different animals.
Of late, the above "issues" have really been bugging me when it comes to GI Joe. First, continuing to bat Cano in the five hole. I get that Cano is a terrific hitter, but being a terrific hitter with no one on base, and being a terrific hitter when you're expected to produce runs are two different things (go look at A-Rod's numbers in close and late situations over his career with the Yanks). Cano's numbers with runners in scoring position are putrid. They are actually embarrassing. He is batting over .300, and batting barely .200 with men on base. He goes up hacking at anything like he has tickets to Cirque Du Solei, essentially looking to hit anything that even remotely approaches the plate, meaning that in the tenses portion of the game for the pitcher, Cano does not demand that they make quality pitches to get him out. How many rallies has he killed? How many moments to break a game open have been wasted? Just look at yesterday: bases loaded, one out, Cano up, chance to completely blow the game open, and Cano grounds to second with the infield in, resulting in an out at the plate, no run scored, second out recorded, and new life provided to pitcher. Just horrid.
Now, the Yankees don't have a great option in the five hole if not Cano. Nick Swisher? Hideki Matsui? Neither one of them is a true candidate. But Posada is a much better option in that spot when he's in the game, and the fact that Girardi refuses to recognize Cano's run-producing problems speaks to his lack of feel for the game.
The Wang thing is even more puzzling to me. The Wanger is a two-time 19 game winner, was on pace for the same record last year before being injured, and yet he continues to get less than a slap on the back from his manager now that he is seemingly healthy and ready to pitch. Why? What are the better options? Who has the resume to demand such respect other than Wanger?
Phil Hughes has established himself as a terrific member of the Yankee bullpen and looks like a different pitcher. Girardi himself has all but annointed Hughes as a major, late-inning component to the team. What is the plan if he wants to take Wang out of the rotation? Move Wang and his sinkerball into the pen? Move Hughes back into the rotation where, by all intents and purposes, he wasn't much better than the current version of Wang and has never proven he can be a big-time winner in this league? And, with trade rumors circulating out there that the Yankees might even be interested in moving Wang, how does insinuating that he might not make his next start, or hasn't earned the right to keep his place in the rotation, increase his possible value? Doesn't that only diminish his value?
This team is considerably better with Wang out there, pitching well, and his resume has at least earned him the right to retain his spot in the rotation at this point and the fact that Girardi continue to treat him differently than any other starter makes no sense. If Joba Chamberlain is going to get a permanent spot in this rotation, so should Chien Mien Wang, and Girardi should be able to offer him that type of assurance.
Then, you have the Girardi double-talk problem. One day, Girardi has no roles in the pen other than Mariano Rivera. Then, he annoints Brian Bruney as the "eighth inning guy" and pulls Phil Hughes out of a game after Hughes had pitched lights out the inning before - a move that almost cost the team the game.
After the game, Girardi angrily insisted that Bruney would be his "eighth inning guy," and yet, only a day later, in a tight game in the eighth inning, it was Phil Hughes and Phil Coke out there trying to nail it down.
That is just one example of the man's constant ping-pong match with honesty and consistency. A-Rod is going to get a few days off a week, Girardi stated, before the man came off the disabled list. Then, when A-Rod did come back, he played in 45 straight games and had to enlist the help of his general manager to ensure a day off. Since those two days off? No rest for the weary.
Brett Gardner, earlier in the year, was the Yankee center fielder and Girardi told the world that wasn't going to change, even if he went into a slump. So, Gardner slumped early in the year and, guess what, Melky Cabrera was suddenly the every-day center fielder.
If you don't plan in sticking to your guns, don't say anything, Joe. It just makes it that much more unbearable to listen to you speak as you try and explain why you weren't flip-flopping on an issue. And, with that type of back and forth, how could any player truly believe what the manager has to say? I wouldn't.
Joba Chamberlain should declare to finally begin to pitch more aggressively to retain his position in the rotation.
Trust me, Pete Abraham, I am not jumping off the "Joba in the rotation" bandwagon in any way, but there is no denying that watching Joba pitch a ballgame has literally become excruciating. Runners are all over the place, he walks the ballpark, he never attacks with the type of stuff we saw previously, every count is 3-2, and by the 5th inning, Joba has 100 pitches. No, he never gets lit up, which speaks to his stuff, but I have always believed that Joba should be in the rotation because he can be special in that role, not competent. Joba, right now, looks like, at best, a third or fourth starter in the league. If that's the case, then moving him back to the pen, where he can be an A++ closer (potentially) makes a lot more sense. If he can find himself in the rotation and move towards being at least an AJ Burnett-esque type of pitcher, than his place in the rotation should be cemented.
But someone needs to put some expectations on the young man. Going out there and giving five innings, three runs, four walks, five strikeouts, and 100 pitches or more is just not cutting it. Yes, you can deal with that start as long as you continue to see progress. There hasn't been any progress in a while.
I want Joba to be the Yankee's future Josh Beckett, but I also want someone to express to Joba that, eventually, he has to SHOW that ability on the mound with more consistency. Stop shaking catchers off. Stop nibbling on the edges against 9th place hitters or guys batting .220. Attack. That's what earned Joba a spot on this team in the first place.
Brian Cashman should declare to begin to really stock the Yankee system with position players, not just pitchers.
Okay, I'll admit, the Yankee future in terms of position players seems much brighter now adays. Francisco Cervelli has been so impressive since being called to the majors that many, including myself, believe that he could be a viable, everyday option behind the plate once Posada is forced to take over everyday duties as the DH. Brett Gardner has played well of late and, if he could hit .280 as a regular, would be unbelievably valuable to this team going forward. Cano, despite his RISP numbers, has re-emerged as a TOP young player in this league, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain have a tremendous amount of talent, and the Yankees two best prospects in the minors (Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero) are tearing up AAA and AA respectively. The Yankees also seem to be the front runners to land the Cuban defector Adiros Chapman, a young lefty who has been clocked at 100 MPH. But if Jackson and/or Montero don't pan out, and Gardner and Cervelli aren't able to hit enough to retain everyday jobs, there isn't much else coming in the pipeline to give the Yankees hope. There is no heir apparent to Derek Jeter at shortstop in the minors and, besides Jackson, no outfield help on the way. And while a stock pile of young pitching may help the Yankees secure trades for future needs, Cashman has seemed reluctant to part with ANY of his prospects even for proven major leaguers (lost in the Johan Santana discussions is the fact that the A's asked for Ian Kennedy in exchange for Dan Haren and were told no - a move that is probably more inexcuseable than not trading for Santana at a high price) and many of the pitching prospects have had serious arm issues that have either stunted or completely derailed their growth (see Andrew Brackman, Kennedy, and Humberto Sanchez).
The Yankees are old at certain positions and need prospects. They have pitchers, now they need some future stars to score those pitchers some runs.
Some other Fourth of July notes:
*I get people are tired of the steroid discussion. I am too. But that doesn't explain the "open arms" treatment Manny Ramirez has received, especially from Dodger fans, upon returning to baseball this weekend. The guy was suspended for 50 games because he cheated, and if he cheated this year why wouldn't he have cheated in previously years - years where he built his Hall of Fame resume?
Maybe we are past demonizing these guys for their actions, but we shouldn't be to the point where we cheer them for having cheated the game.
*Is Jorge Posada a future Hall of Famer? How come we never really ask that question? Name three better catchers than Posada during his career? Mike Piazza was perhaps the best hitter at the position ever, but Posada was, and is, more durable and a better defensive catcher. Ivan Rodriguez is argueably the best, but we also noticed how quickly Pudge went from being a middle-of-the-order force to a skinny, has-been player once more steroid testing was inacted. After that, who would even enter the discussion? I would argue no one. Posada's offensive numbers have been terrific, he has caught game-winners in the World Series, has caught a perfect game, and made big plays in big games. I don't know if he will make it, but Posada's career is often overlooked.
*If you're the Knicks, wouldn't it behoove you to, at some point, try and put together a team that would attract LeBron James rather than simply dump salary in a quest to clear enough cap space to offer the world to King James? I get that money talks and everything else takes a hike, and the Knicks might simply believe that offering a fortune, along with the trappings of New York, will be enough, but the Cavs just brought in Shaq and, I'm sure, have a few other tricks up their sleeve to try and convince James to stay. And, oh, by the way, he's gonna get a lot of money from Cleveland as well.
It just doesn't seem like the Knicks would be all that attractive to LeBron, does it? Heck, I think the Nets might be offering more of a future at this point.
*Staying with the NBA, all of the focus will be on James next year, but if he can stay healthy, someone is gonna land Dwayne Wade and get a SUPERIOR player. I mean, world class player. If the Knicks or Nets lost out on James and brought in Wade, it might end up being a push. He's that good when he's healthy. The problem? Wade has shown a disturbing tendency for getting injured over the last few years, and he plays with such abandon that trend might not change. For his sake, and for the NBA's sake, you hope he figures out how to keep his body healthy.
Finally, I do want to say Happy Fourth Of July to everyone. I love this holiday. Not because of the barbecues or the fireworks, which are nice in and of themselves, but because I love the history and the meaning of this date. The founding of this nation remains a magical period in human history and I believe completely in the ideals represented in the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
If you get a chance to learn more about the men who made this dream of America a reality, I would highly suggest you do so. They were, all of them, complex and filled with contradictions (and extreme character flaws) however, they were also brilliant and spoke of this nation in ways we rarely hear any more. So, watch the fireworks, listen to the music, but also think about the meaning and purpose behind it all. And have a very safe and wonderful holiday.
But enought about that................there is a LOT to talk about in Yankee land and around the world of sports, and in honor of America's 233rd birthday, we'll start with what I believe the Yankees, their coaching staff, and their players, should declare.
Joe Girardi should declare not to bat Robinson Cano fifth, continue to hang Chien Mien Wang out to dry, and continuously make stupid comments that are then not backed up:
I am not a big, big, big fan of Girardi. In fact, I'm not a fan at all. As a person, he seems top quality. As a manager, he seems overmatched in New York. Let's not forget that Joe Girardi came to the Yankees after only ONE year of managerial experience with the Florida Marlins. Assuming Girardi could manage in New York because he did it in Florida is sort of like assuming that I could lead a battalion of men into battle because I'm the captain of my church softball team. They are two different animals.
Of late, the above "issues" have really been bugging me when it comes to GI Joe. First, continuing to bat Cano in the five hole. I get that Cano is a terrific hitter, but being a terrific hitter with no one on base, and being a terrific hitter when you're expected to produce runs are two different things (go look at A-Rod's numbers in close and late situations over his career with the Yanks). Cano's numbers with runners in scoring position are putrid. They are actually embarrassing. He is batting over .300, and batting barely .200 with men on base. He goes up hacking at anything like he has tickets to Cirque Du Solei, essentially looking to hit anything that even remotely approaches the plate, meaning that in the tenses portion of the game for the pitcher, Cano does not demand that they make quality pitches to get him out. How many rallies has he killed? How many moments to break a game open have been wasted? Just look at yesterday: bases loaded, one out, Cano up, chance to completely blow the game open, and Cano grounds to second with the infield in, resulting in an out at the plate, no run scored, second out recorded, and new life provided to pitcher. Just horrid.
Now, the Yankees don't have a great option in the five hole if not Cano. Nick Swisher? Hideki Matsui? Neither one of them is a true candidate. But Posada is a much better option in that spot when he's in the game, and the fact that Girardi refuses to recognize Cano's run-producing problems speaks to his lack of feel for the game.
The Wang thing is even more puzzling to me. The Wanger is a two-time 19 game winner, was on pace for the same record last year before being injured, and yet he continues to get less than a slap on the back from his manager now that he is seemingly healthy and ready to pitch. Why? What are the better options? Who has the resume to demand such respect other than Wanger?
Phil Hughes has established himself as a terrific member of the Yankee bullpen and looks like a different pitcher. Girardi himself has all but annointed Hughes as a major, late-inning component to the team. What is the plan if he wants to take Wang out of the rotation? Move Wang and his sinkerball into the pen? Move Hughes back into the rotation where, by all intents and purposes, he wasn't much better than the current version of Wang and has never proven he can be a big-time winner in this league? And, with trade rumors circulating out there that the Yankees might even be interested in moving Wang, how does insinuating that he might not make his next start, or hasn't earned the right to keep his place in the rotation, increase his possible value? Doesn't that only diminish his value?
This team is considerably better with Wang out there, pitching well, and his resume has at least earned him the right to retain his spot in the rotation at this point and the fact that Girardi continue to treat him differently than any other starter makes no sense. If Joba Chamberlain is going to get a permanent spot in this rotation, so should Chien Mien Wang, and Girardi should be able to offer him that type of assurance.
Then, you have the Girardi double-talk problem. One day, Girardi has no roles in the pen other than Mariano Rivera. Then, he annoints Brian Bruney as the "eighth inning guy" and pulls Phil Hughes out of a game after Hughes had pitched lights out the inning before - a move that almost cost the team the game.
After the game, Girardi angrily insisted that Bruney would be his "eighth inning guy," and yet, only a day later, in a tight game in the eighth inning, it was Phil Hughes and Phil Coke out there trying to nail it down.
That is just one example of the man's constant ping-pong match with honesty and consistency. A-Rod is going to get a few days off a week, Girardi stated, before the man came off the disabled list. Then, when A-Rod did come back, he played in 45 straight games and had to enlist the help of his general manager to ensure a day off. Since those two days off? No rest for the weary.
Brett Gardner, earlier in the year, was the Yankee center fielder and Girardi told the world that wasn't going to change, even if he went into a slump. So, Gardner slumped early in the year and, guess what, Melky Cabrera was suddenly the every-day center fielder.
If you don't plan in sticking to your guns, don't say anything, Joe. It just makes it that much more unbearable to listen to you speak as you try and explain why you weren't flip-flopping on an issue. And, with that type of back and forth, how could any player truly believe what the manager has to say? I wouldn't.
Joba Chamberlain should declare to finally begin to pitch more aggressively to retain his position in the rotation.
Trust me, Pete Abraham, I am not jumping off the "Joba in the rotation" bandwagon in any way, but there is no denying that watching Joba pitch a ballgame has literally become excruciating. Runners are all over the place, he walks the ballpark, he never attacks with the type of stuff we saw previously, every count is 3-2, and by the 5th inning, Joba has 100 pitches. No, he never gets lit up, which speaks to his stuff, but I have always believed that Joba should be in the rotation because he can be special in that role, not competent. Joba, right now, looks like, at best, a third or fourth starter in the league. If that's the case, then moving him back to the pen, where he can be an A++ closer (potentially) makes a lot more sense. If he can find himself in the rotation and move towards being at least an AJ Burnett-esque type of pitcher, than his place in the rotation should be cemented.
But someone needs to put some expectations on the young man. Going out there and giving five innings, three runs, four walks, five strikeouts, and 100 pitches or more is just not cutting it. Yes, you can deal with that start as long as you continue to see progress. There hasn't been any progress in a while.
I want Joba to be the Yankee's future Josh Beckett, but I also want someone to express to Joba that, eventually, he has to SHOW that ability on the mound with more consistency. Stop shaking catchers off. Stop nibbling on the edges against 9th place hitters or guys batting .220. Attack. That's what earned Joba a spot on this team in the first place.
Brian Cashman should declare to begin to really stock the Yankee system with position players, not just pitchers.
Okay, I'll admit, the Yankee future in terms of position players seems much brighter now adays. Francisco Cervelli has been so impressive since being called to the majors that many, including myself, believe that he could be a viable, everyday option behind the plate once Posada is forced to take over everyday duties as the DH. Brett Gardner has played well of late and, if he could hit .280 as a regular, would be unbelievably valuable to this team going forward. Cano, despite his RISP numbers, has re-emerged as a TOP young player in this league, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain have a tremendous amount of talent, and the Yankees two best prospects in the minors (Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero) are tearing up AAA and AA respectively. The Yankees also seem to be the front runners to land the Cuban defector Adiros Chapman, a young lefty who has been clocked at 100 MPH. But if Jackson and/or Montero don't pan out, and Gardner and Cervelli aren't able to hit enough to retain everyday jobs, there isn't much else coming in the pipeline to give the Yankees hope. There is no heir apparent to Derek Jeter at shortstop in the minors and, besides Jackson, no outfield help on the way. And while a stock pile of young pitching may help the Yankees secure trades for future needs, Cashman has seemed reluctant to part with ANY of his prospects even for proven major leaguers (lost in the Johan Santana discussions is the fact that the A's asked for Ian Kennedy in exchange for Dan Haren and were told no - a move that is probably more inexcuseable than not trading for Santana at a high price) and many of the pitching prospects have had serious arm issues that have either stunted or completely derailed their growth (see Andrew Brackman, Kennedy, and Humberto Sanchez).
The Yankees are old at certain positions and need prospects. They have pitchers, now they need some future stars to score those pitchers some runs.
Some other Fourth of July notes:
*I get people are tired of the steroid discussion. I am too. But that doesn't explain the "open arms" treatment Manny Ramirez has received, especially from Dodger fans, upon returning to baseball this weekend. The guy was suspended for 50 games because he cheated, and if he cheated this year why wouldn't he have cheated in previously years - years where he built his Hall of Fame resume?
Maybe we are past demonizing these guys for their actions, but we shouldn't be to the point where we cheer them for having cheated the game.
*Is Jorge Posada a future Hall of Famer? How come we never really ask that question? Name three better catchers than Posada during his career? Mike Piazza was perhaps the best hitter at the position ever, but Posada was, and is, more durable and a better defensive catcher. Ivan Rodriguez is argueably the best, but we also noticed how quickly Pudge went from being a middle-of-the-order force to a skinny, has-been player once more steroid testing was inacted. After that, who would even enter the discussion? I would argue no one. Posada's offensive numbers have been terrific, he has caught game-winners in the World Series, has caught a perfect game, and made big plays in big games. I don't know if he will make it, but Posada's career is often overlooked.
*If you're the Knicks, wouldn't it behoove you to, at some point, try and put together a team that would attract LeBron James rather than simply dump salary in a quest to clear enough cap space to offer the world to King James? I get that money talks and everything else takes a hike, and the Knicks might simply believe that offering a fortune, along with the trappings of New York, will be enough, but the Cavs just brought in Shaq and, I'm sure, have a few other tricks up their sleeve to try and convince James to stay. And, oh, by the way, he's gonna get a lot of money from Cleveland as well.
It just doesn't seem like the Knicks would be all that attractive to LeBron, does it? Heck, I think the Nets might be offering more of a future at this point.
*Staying with the NBA, all of the focus will be on James next year, but if he can stay healthy, someone is gonna land Dwayne Wade and get a SUPERIOR player. I mean, world class player. If the Knicks or Nets lost out on James and brought in Wade, it might end up being a push. He's that good when he's healthy. The problem? Wade has shown a disturbing tendency for getting injured over the last few years, and he plays with such abandon that trend might not change. For his sake, and for the NBA's sake, you hope he figures out how to keep his body healthy.
Finally, I do want to say Happy Fourth Of July to everyone. I love this holiday. Not because of the barbecues or the fireworks, which are nice in and of themselves, but because I love the history and the meaning of this date. The founding of this nation remains a magical period in human history and I believe completely in the ideals represented in the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
If you get a chance to learn more about the men who made this dream of America a reality, I would highly suggest you do so. They were, all of them, complex and filled with contradictions (and extreme character flaws) however, they were also brilliant and spoke of this nation in ways we rarely hear any more. So, watch the fireworks, listen to the music, but also think about the meaning and purpose behind it all. And have a very safe and wonderful holiday.
Sunday, May 31
The Joba arguement. Let's get this outta the way here...........
Let's get this out of the way: I believe, and still believe, that Joba Chamberlain should remain in the starting rotation. I have written about it a few times on this mighty blog and I ultimately believe it to be the best option. But, instead of arguing one way or the other, I have decided to give my best impersonation of Cybil (multi-personality) and argue BOTH sides of this debate with passion. The "Joba should stay in the rotation" side will be argued by me, John Rook, genius of the sporting world, while the "Joba should be in the pen" side will be argued by a new addition to this blog, who will be called Fike Mancesa, a 350 pound, bespectacled blowhard who, from time to time, can make a good point or two.
So, without further adieu, let's get down to the debate:
John Rook: "First, let me just say what a thrill and honor it is to be invited to participate in this debate on the best sports blog in America. Some will say that I was only invited because I run the blog, but I still consider it an honor.
So, the reason I am here is to debate, once again, the Joba Chamberlain question. I can't get enough of this arguement. I mean, how much fun is it to debate the same topic, with no new insight, no new evidence, no new information, and no new interest, over and over again? This debate is proof positive that the best things in life stem from talk radio, where dead issues are resurected like Jason Vorhees in another Friday the 13th movie.
Why should Joba remain in the rotation? For all the reasons that have already been mentioned one trillion, eight hundred million times before. Instead of getting indepth, let me simply list them for you: Joba has four major league quality pitches, with a fastball and slider that, on most nights, are A++ pitches, a very good curveball, and a changeup that is quickly getting to be a major weapon; he is 23-years old, has made only 22 starts in his career, and has an ERA in that time under 4 and a strikeout to inning's pitched ratio that is terrific; for the majority of this season, Joba has been the second best pitcher on the team, with his last start (4 innings, 4 runs) being the only time he hasn't given the Yankees a legitimate chance to win; starting pitching is the most important asset to any major league team and your best pitchers should be used where they can make the most impact (please, Fike, don't bring up Mariano. Mo is the BEST releiver in the history of the game, but he is FAR from being one of the best pitchers on the team. Mo could NEVER start, nor could he go through a lineup two or three times with only one pitch. He is a great RELIEVER, but it is the only role he could have on a team); you can always move Joba to the pen a year or two down the road without repercussions but moving him from the pen to the rotation would be virtually impossible if you essentially "skipped" this year as a starter; bridging the gap between the starter and Mo is not the impossible task some have made it out to be, illustrated by the fact that the likes of Brian Bruney and, more recently, Alfredo Aceves, have done the job quite admirably (and no offense to either one of those pitchers, both of whom are very good, but neither have electric stuff or special talent. You can find those types of pitchers around baseball. You can't find Joba's around at all); and, finally, you don't steal from one part of your team - the most important part of your team - because you either can't handle the pen effectively or can't handle the pen properly. Brian Cashman, with his rebuilt farm system and almost infinite cash revenues, should be able to build a pen that is productive without putting Joba in.
I have said this before and I will say it again, you have more of an arguement turning Phil Hughes into your eighth inning, future closer guy than Joba. Hughes has only two major-league ready pitches while Joba has four. Hughes has been much more injury prone in his young career than Joba. Hughes seems to lose something as the game goes on while Joba's problems have been early in games (forget what he did in 07. That was two years ago now. Joba would not be a candidate for late-inning work because his biggest struggles come early in games. To assume that somehow he will simply channel 2007 and become that short-inning dominant force is naive at best). And, flat out, Joba's stuff is flat out better. He has the chance to be a superstar starter, something Hughes has shown only flashes of being as a major leaguer.
Finally, I don't think that there is much of a discussion to be had in regards to where Joba helps the team best. Only baseball ignorant people honestly believe that relievers are more important than starters. But this "debate" has become so patently unfair to Joba it is hard to imagine. It has almost taken on the feel of a political debate, where being winning the arguement ends up being more important than being right. Those wh advocate Joba going back to the pen have all but ignored his good starts and his obvious improvements in order to create this narrative where the Joba "experiment" as a starter is breaking down all around the team. Little real coversation was had before Joba's last start because, aside from his first inning troubles, he had pitched well (and at times brilliantly) as a starter. The "back to the pen" crowd treated that as if it really wasn't happening, then waited for a bad outing and pounced.
So, Joba is expected to be good EVERY time, in every circumstance, or his time as a starter will be useless and unproductive for the team? Who is held to that kind of standard?
Certainly not Phil Hughes, who has been allowed to fail time after time, but once he pitches two games that are pretty good, he is annointed as being solid enough to solidify the rotation and move Joba to the pen? Hughes still has far more bad games to his name than good ones, and assuming that he would be as valuable in the rotation as Joba just doesn't make any sense whatsoever. As I am writing this, Hughes, in the fifth inning, has given up 3 runs, thrown close to 90 pitches, and has runners on first and third with no one out. If this were Joba, it wouldn't be treated as "taking his lumps" but rather as evidence that he can't be a starter.
Jba Chamberlain has the stuff and the makeup to be a dominate starter in this league. Moving him to the pen would be an absolute waste.
Fight me off, Fike. Do your best."
Fike Mancesa: "Alright, let's just say I am not happy at all right now because, when I walked in for this debate, someone had gotten me a diet Coke instead of a diet Pepsi. Not happy, my friends, not happy at all.
Joba should be in the pen, case closed. It's the only way the Yankees will win this year, no question. I don't know why I have to debate this. I told everyne how things should be and my word should be law. I saw Mickey Mantle play baseball, for God sakes. Joe Torre sends me tea every week, in cases. I don't even HAVE to pay for the good seats at Yankees Stadium, they give them to me because I am such a genius (even though, trust me, if I had to pay for them, I could afford it. I like people to know I am super rich).
Considering I haven't made a decent point as to why Joba should go back to the pen as of yet (mostly, I've embarrased myself by saying that the Yankees can't "wait" to develop a pitcher or that the eighth inning is more important than being a starter) let me bring up the only real arguement that holds any water: Mariano Rivera is a human being. That is a hard truth to come to grips with, but it's true. Mo will, eventually, not be able to pitch at the highest possible level. It is also possible that Rivera, a family man who has other interests outside of baseball, might very well decide to step away from the game, even while he is on top. Either way, the Mariano Rivera era is coming to a close sooner rather than later.
Put the blame anywhere you would like, but the Yankees do NOT have an heir apparent ready to go. Mark Melancon has the stuff, but he continues to wait for his chance in the minors, having gotten a shot in late April, early May with shaky results at best. It would be hard to imagine Brian Bruney as a top-notch closer, Phil Coke gives up too many homers at this point, and the trade/free agent closer market never seems to deliver good results for team.
Joba's 2007 season in the pen would make you think he could easily take over the roll of closer when Rivera decides to call it a career. His high-90's fastball, coupled with his devastating slider, could make him one of the more unhittable closers in the game. It would give the Yankees their end-of-the-game guy for years to come - their answer to Jonathan Paplebon.
If Phil Hughes can continue to improve, and Chien Mien Wang can come back and return to form, the Yankees would have (going forward) a solid rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, and Hughes, with Joba in the pen. Then, you could either go get a veteran pitcher to fill the gap in the rotation, or hope that one of your other young guns (a healthy Kennedy or Andrew Brackman) could take the reins.
Joba to the pen isn't about the eighth inning this year as it is about the ninth inning the next 10 years. The young man has the stuff and, most importantly, the make up, to be the closer of the future for the Yankees. For now, he can be an impressive 1-2 punch with Mo, lenghtening the bullpen and making that part of the team a strength. In the long run, he can move into the role and be dominate.
Joba needs to move to the pen now. Case closed."
Thanks to both our guests for coming out to participate in this debate tonight. For my money, I side with John Rook (shocker there) and HOPE the Yankees stay smart and keep Joba in the rotation. If the Yankees are so concerned about the closer spot AFTER Rivera retires, move Hughes into that role right now and have him be the eighth inning guy, eventually taking over as your closer. Hughes can still be a good pitcher in the rotation, but Joba can simply be special, and I would always rather have an ace than a top closer, even Mo. The Yankees have had Mo for the last 8 years and they haven't won a thing. That's because their starting pitching has simply been mediocre to terrible. A closer is NEVER as valuable if the rotation isn't top notch.
So, without further adieu, let's get down to the debate:
John Rook: "First, let me just say what a thrill and honor it is to be invited to participate in this debate on the best sports blog in America. Some will say that I was only invited because I run the blog, but I still consider it an honor.
So, the reason I am here is to debate, once again, the Joba Chamberlain question. I can't get enough of this arguement. I mean, how much fun is it to debate the same topic, with no new insight, no new evidence, no new information, and no new interest, over and over again? This debate is proof positive that the best things in life stem from talk radio, where dead issues are resurected like Jason Vorhees in another Friday the 13th movie.
Why should Joba remain in the rotation? For all the reasons that have already been mentioned one trillion, eight hundred million times before. Instead of getting indepth, let me simply list them for you: Joba has four major league quality pitches, with a fastball and slider that, on most nights, are A++ pitches, a very good curveball, and a changeup that is quickly getting to be a major weapon; he is 23-years old, has made only 22 starts in his career, and has an ERA in that time under 4 and a strikeout to inning's pitched ratio that is terrific; for the majority of this season, Joba has been the second best pitcher on the team, with his last start (4 innings, 4 runs) being the only time he hasn't given the Yankees a legitimate chance to win; starting pitching is the most important asset to any major league team and your best pitchers should be used where they can make the most impact (please, Fike, don't bring up Mariano. Mo is the BEST releiver in the history of the game, but he is FAR from being one of the best pitchers on the team. Mo could NEVER start, nor could he go through a lineup two or three times with only one pitch. He is a great RELIEVER, but it is the only role he could have on a team); you can always move Joba to the pen a year or two down the road without repercussions but moving him from the pen to the rotation would be virtually impossible if you essentially "skipped" this year as a starter; bridging the gap between the starter and Mo is not the impossible task some have made it out to be, illustrated by the fact that the likes of Brian Bruney and, more recently, Alfredo Aceves, have done the job quite admirably (and no offense to either one of those pitchers, both of whom are very good, but neither have electric stuff or special talent. You can find those types of pitchers around baseball. You can't find Joba's around at all); and, finally, you don't steal from one part of your team - the most important part of your team - because you either can't handle the pen effectively or can't handle the pen properly. Brian Cashman, with his rebuilt farm system and almost infinite cash revenues, should be able to build a pen that is productive without putting Joba in.
I have said this before and I will say it again, you have more of an arguement turning Phil Hughes into your eighth inning, future closer guy than Joba. Hughes has only two major-league ready pitches while Joba has four. Hughes has been much more injury prone in his young career than Joba. Hughes seems to lose something as the game goes on while Joba's problems have been early in games (forget what he did in 07. That was two years ago now. Joba would not be a candidate for late-inning work because his biggest struggles come early in games. To assume that somehow he will simply channel 2007 and become that short-inning dominant force is naive at best). And, flat out, Joba's stuff is flat out better. He has the chance to be a superstar starter, something Hughes has shown only flashes of being as a major leaguer.
Finally, I don't think that there is much of a discussion to be had in regards to where Joba helps the team best. Only baseball ignorant people honestly believe that relievers are more important than starters. But this "debate" has become so patently unfair to Joba it is hard to imagine. It has almost taken on the feel of a political debate, where being winning the arguement ends up being more important than being right. Those wh advocate Joba going back to the pen have all but ignored his good starts and his obvious improvements in order to create this narrative where the Joba "experiment" as a starter is breaking down all around the team. Little real coversation was had before Joba's last start because, aside from his first inning troubles, he had pitched well (and at times brilliantly) as a starter. The "back to the pen" crowd treated that as if it really wasn't happening, then waited for a bad outing and pounced.
So, Joba is expected to be good EVERY time, in every circumstance, or his time as a starter will be useless and unproductive for the team? Who is held to that kind of standard?
Certainly not Phil Hughes, who has been allowed to fail time after time, but once he pitches two games that are pretty good, he is annointed as being solid enough to solidify the rotation and move Joba to the pen? Hughes still has far more bad games to his name than good ones, and assuming that he would be as valuable in the rotation as Joba just doesn't make any sense whatsoever. As I am writing this, Hughes, in the fifth inning, has given up 3 runs, thrown close to 90 pitches, and has runners on first and third with no one out. If this were Joba, it wouldn't be treated as "taking his lumps" but rather as evidence that he can't be a starter.
Jba Chamberlain has the stuff and the makeup to be a dominate starter in this league. Moving him to the pen would be an absolute waste.
Fight me off, Fike. Do your best."
Fike Mancesa: "Alright, let's just say I am not happy at all right now because, when I walked in for this debate, someone had gotten me a diet Coke instead of a diet Pepsi. Not happy, my friends, not happy at all.
Joba should be in the pen, case closed. It's the only way the Yankees will win this year, no question. I don't know why I have to debate this. I told everyne how things should be and my word should be law. I saw Mickey Mantle play baseball, for God sakes. Joe Torre sends me tea every week, in cases. I don't even HAVE to pay for the good seats at Yankees Stadium, they give them to me because I am such a genius (even though, trust me, if I had to pay for them, I could afford it. I like people to know I am super rich).
Considering I haven't made a decent point as to why Joba should go back to the pen as of yet (mostly, I've embarrased myself by saying that the Yankees can't "wait" to develop a pitcher or that the eighth inning is more important than being a starter) let me bring up the only real arguement that holds any water: Mariano Rivera is a human being. That is a hard truth to come to grips with, but it's true. Mo will, eventually, not be able to pitch at the highest possible level. It is also possible that Rivera, a family man who has other interests outside of baseball, might very well decide to step away from the game, even while he is on top. Either way, the Mariano Rivera era is coming to a close sooner rather than later.
Put the blame anywhere you would like, but the Yankees do NOT have an heir apparent ready to go. Mark Melancon has the stuff, but he continues to wait for his chance in the minors, having gotten a shot in late April, early May with shaky results at best. It would be hard to imagine Brian Bruney as a top-notch closer, Phil Coke gives up too many homers at this point, and the trade/free agent closer market never seems to deliver good results for team.
Joba's 2007 season in the pen would make you think he could easily take over the roll of closer when Rivera decides to call it a career. His high-90's fastball, coupled with his devastating slider, could make him one of the more unhittable closers in the game. It would give the Yankees their end-of-the-game guy for years to come - their answer to Jonathan Paplebon.
If Phil Hughes can continue to improve, and Chien Mien Wang can come back and return to form, the Yankees would have (going forward) a solid rotation of Sabathia, Burnett, Wang, and Hughes, with Joba in the pen. Then, you could either go get a veteran pitcher to fill the gap in the rotation, or hope that one of your other young guns (a healthy Kennedy or Andrew Brackman) could take the reins.
Joba to the pen isn't about the eighth inning this year as it is about the ninth inning the next 10 years. The young man has the stuff and, most importantly, the make up, to be the closer of the future for the Yankees. For now, he can be an impressive 1-2 punch with Mo, lenghtening the bullpen and making that part of the team a strength. In the long run, he can move into the role and be dominate.
Joba needs to move to the pen now. Case closed."
Thanks to both our guests for coming out to participate in this debate tonight. For my money, I side with John Rook (shocker there) and HOPE the Yankees stay smart and keep Joba in the rotation. If the Yankees are so concerned about the closer spot AFTER Rivera retires, move Hughes into that role right now and have him be the eighth inning guy, eventually taking over as your closer. Hughes can still be a good pitcher in the rotation, but Joba can simply be special, and I would always rather have an ace than a top closer, even Mo. The Yankees have had Mo for the last 8 years and they haven't won a thing. That's because their starting pitching has simply been mediocre to terrible. A closer is NEVER as valuable if the rotation isn't top notch.
Sunday, May 17
Let the new debate begin: Franchise to the bullpen?
Good win for the Yankees. Yes, it is not a good sign that the Yankee hitters couldn't figure out a jiggsaw puzzle like Kevin Slowey and ended up in another do-or-die game with a midling pitcher, but a win is a win, and their ability to come back and win late in games has been impressive. While they might not have gotten AJ Burnett a win, they got a very good performance out of him and didn't squander the performance.
But the trio of Michael Kay, Paul O'Neill, and David Cone (mostly Cone and O'Neill) raised a fascinating question during the broadcast, one I would like to address right now.
With Wang seemingly ready to rejoin the team after a very good performance at Scranton on Sunday, what do the Yankees do with Phil Hughes?
Both Cone and O'Neill suggested the Yankees put him in the bullpen and, I have to say, I completely agree.
What is gained by sticking Phil Franchise back down in the minors? Does he need to prove yet again that, against minor leaguers, he is a dominate starter? Please!!!!! In the immortal words of Mr. Watori from Joe Versus The Volcano (top ten in underrated movies of all time) "I know he can get the job, but can he do the job?"
So what are the arguements against a Hughes move to the pen? I'll take the liberty of addressing what I believe would be their best arguements.
It will stunt Hughes' growth.
This is the most tiring arguement of all. Hughes apologists.........ahmmm............supporters protest that the young man cannot be expected to perform at the major league level because he has had such limited professional work. But the truth is that Hughes has, by comparison with many other top pitchers, had more than enough time to hone his skills at the minor league level. Phil Hughes has had, to date, 329 innings at the minor league level. By comparison, Chad Billingsley had 404 innings in the minors, CC Sabathia had 232 innings in the minors before going to the majors at 19, Josh Beckett had 216 innings in the minors, King Felix Hernandez, 306 innings, Barry Zito, 170 innings, Cole Hamels, 201 innings, Ben Sheets (not counting rehab starts) 179 innings, Tim Lincecum, 62 innings.
The idea that 600+ innings is essential for any major league pitcher to be decent is just a myth. All of those pitchers were able to come to the majors, learn their trade, and flourish without much experience at the bottom levels. If Hughes is truly going to be a "special" pitcher, he learns how to apply his craft to major leaguers, not just build up innings at the minor league level for the sake of doing so.
Hughes has no experience in the pen. How could you be sure he would be successful in such a role?
There is no guarantee that he will take to such a role, but it might be just what he needs. The two most impressive professional appearances Phil Hughes has made in his career were the almost no-hitter against Texas when he was injured in 07 and then, later in that year, the relief appearances he made against the Indians. In fact, one could make the case that his "stuff" was more impressive out of the pen than when he was in the rotation.
The young man needs to learn how to get major league hitters out. True, it would be in a different role than as a starter, but getting guys out is the same no matter what. There is nothing else to learn at the minor league level for him.
Plus, while there is no way to know whether he will take to the pen, one can deduce that it might actually be the perfect place for him. One of the reasons why the arguement for Joba to go back to being a reliever is suppose moronic is because he has four plus pitches. His fastball and slider at A+ pitches, his curve is a A pitch, and his changeup is at least B+ and getting better. He can mix and match throughout a start, showing different looks to batters throughout the course of a game. Hughes, however, has yet to perfect even a third pitch. He has an average fastball and an above average curveball. After that, he has been working on a cutter which isn't there just yet, and his changeup hasn't improved at all. As a reliever, he can simply rely on his fastball and curve, and won't have to worry about conserving on either pitch. For Joba, cutting back on velocity means going from 98 to 95. For Hughes, pacing himself through a game means the difference between throwing 95 to 90 or 91. That's a big difference. It also makes a difference to his curve, which isn't as nasty when the hitter can simply foul it away and wait on the average fastball coming in.
What happens if and when another starter goes down? Who do you turn to then?
You can still turn to Hughes. Why not? If, God forbid, one of the five went down with a serious injury, Hughes would simply move into the rotation. If someone had to miss a start, you could still use him in that role or spot start Alfredo Aceves. And, it would be more beneficial to the Yankees because you would be turning to guys who were already in the majors. They wouldn't have to worry about the game, and the pace of the game, being a shock to the system.
You're wasting Hughes in the pen.
This is the arguement used by people like myself for why Joba shouldn't be in the pen. It doesn't apply to Hughes. So far, despite his numbers in the minors, Hughes has shown little if any signs that he is destined to be a special pitcher in the majors. Joba has shown time and again that his talent and his makeup is unique. This is all about what is best for the team, not what is best for one player or another. Right now, with Wang coming back, the place where Hughes makes the most sense and can best help the team is in the pen. The place where Joba makes the most sense and is best to help the team is in the rotation. That's it. If Hughes doesn't like it, he should have pitched better over the last year when given a chance in the rotation. He hasn't just had growing pains, he has been non-competitive in many of his starts. Right now, at best, you could say Hughes is an average major league starter. Maybe he could be more in the pen.
He needs to pitch more innings to build up arm strength.
So, is the point help the team or further Phil Hughes' career? Right now, the Yankees NEED quality pitchers in their pen. They have gone too long with Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez. Would you rather those two or Hughes and Aceves? Which tandem gives the team a better chance to win on a day in and day out basis? It would be hard for anyone to convince me that Phil Hughes helps this team more by pitching every 5 days in Scranton at this point. He is what he is against minor leaguers. No more growth is necessary.
The fact is, I don't expect the Yankees to make this move because they care more about "development" and "growth" than helping the team win. But the truth is Hughes' true value might end up being in the pen. As I wrote about before, Hughes, right now, is a two-pitch pitcher. He can get by with that out of the pen, not starting. Shuttling him up and down does nothing for him and it does nothing for the team.
Let him see what he can do. Let him take over as potentially a bridge to Rivera. Let him help solidify the pen. If he is needed in the rotation, the move can always be made in season. If not, he can help the club win and he can learn at this level. There is no baseball excuse for sending him down and keeping Veras and Ramirez up, none at all.
But the trio of Michael Kay, Paul O'Neill, and David Cone (mostly Cone and O'Neill) raised a fascinating question during the broadcast, one I would like to address right now.
With Wang seemingly ready to rejoin the team after a very good performance at Scranton on Sunday, what do the Yankees do with Phil Hughes?
Both Cone and O'Neill suggested the Yankees put him in the bullpen and, I have to say, I completely agree.
What is gained by sticking Phil Franchise back down in the minors? Does he need to prove yet again that, against minor leaguers, he is a dominate starter? Please!!!!! In the immortal words of Mr. Watori from Joe Versus The Volcano (top ten in underrated movies of all time) "I know he can get the job, but can he do the job?"
So what are the arguements against a Hughes move to the pen? I'll take the liberty of addressing what I believe would be their best arguements.
It will stunt Hughes' growth.
This is the most tiring arguement of all. Hughes apologists.........ahmmm............supporters protest that the young man cannot be expected to perform at the major league level because he has had such limited professional work. But the truth is that Hughes has, by comparison with many other top pitchers, had more than enough time to hone his skills at the minor league level. Phil Hughes has had, to date, 329 innings at the minor league level. By comparison, Chad Billingsley had 404 innings in the minors, CC Sabathia had 232 innings in the minors before going to the majors at 19, Josh Beckett had 216 innings in the minors, King Felix Hernandez, 306 innings, Barry Zito, 170 innings, Cole Hamels, 201 innings, Ben Sheets (not counting rehab starts) 179 innings, Tim Lincecum, 62 innings.
The idea that 600+ innings is essential for any major league pitcher to be decent is just a myth. All of those pitchers were able to come to the majors, learn their trade, and flourish without much experience at the bottom levels. If Hughes is truly going to be a "special" pitcher, he learns how to apply his craft to major leaguers, not just build up innings at the minor league level for the sake of doing so.
Hughes has no experience in the pen. How could you be sure he would be successful in such a role?
There is no guarantee that he will take to such a role, but it might be just what he needs. The two most impressive professional appearances Phil Hughes has made in his career were the almost no-hitter against Texas when he was injured in 07 and then, later in that year, the relief appearances he made against the Indians. In fact, one could make the case that his "stuff" was more impressive out of the pen than when he was in the rotation.
The young man needs to learn how to get major league hitters out. True, it would be in a different role than as a starter, but getting guys out is the same no matter what. There is nothing else to learn at the minor league level for him.
Plus, while there is no way to know whether he will take to the pen, one can deduce that it might actually be the perfect place for him. One of the reasons why the arguement for Joba to go back to being a reliever is suppose moronic is because he has four plus pitches. His fastball and slider at A+ pitches, his curve is a A pitch, and his changeup is at least B+ and getting better. He can mix and match throughout a start, showing different looks to batters throughout the course of a game. Hughes, however, has yet to perfect even a third pitch. He has an average fastball and an above average curveball. After that, he has been working on a cutter which isn't there just yet, and his changeup hasn't improved at all. As a reliever, he can simply rely on his fastball and curve, and won't have to worry about conserving on either pitch. For Joba, cutting back on velocity means going from 98 to 95. For Hughes, pacing himself through a game means the difference between throwing 95 to 90 or 91. That's a big difference. It also makes a difference to his curve, which isn't as nasty when the hitter can simply foul it away and wait on the average fastball coming in.
What happens if and when another starter goes down? Who do you turn to then?
You can still turn to Hughes. Why not? If, God forbid, one of the five went down with a serious injury, Hughes would simply move into the rotation. If someone had to miss a start, you could still use him in that role or spot start Alfredo Aceves. And, it would be more beneficial to the Yankees because you would be turning to guys who were already in the majors. They wouldn't have to worry about the game, and the pace of the game, being a shock to the system.
You're wasting Hughes in the pen.
This is the arguement used by people like myself for why Joba shouldn't be in the pen. It doesn't apply to Hughes. So far, despite his numbers in the minors, Hughes has shown little if any signs that he is destined to be a special pitcher in the majors. Joba has shown time and again that his talent and his makeup is unique. This is all about what is best for the team, not what is best for one player or another. Right now, with Wang coming back, the place where Hughes makes the most sense and can best help the team is in the pen. The place where Joba makes the most sense and is best to help the team is in the rotation. That's it. If Hughes doesn't like it, he should have pitched better over the last year when given a chance in the rotation. He hasn't just had growing pains, he has been non-competitive in many of his starts. Right now, at best, you could say Hughes is an average major league starter. Maybe he could be more in the pen.
He needs to pitch more innings to build up arm strength.
So, is the point help the team or further Phil Hughes' career? Right now, the Yankees NEED quality pitchers in their pen. They have gone too long with Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez. Would you rather those two or Hughes and Aceves? Which tandem gives the team a better chance to win on a day in and day out basis? It would be hard for anyone to convince me that Phil Hughes helps this team more by pitching every 5 days in Scranton at this point. He is what he is against minor leaguers. No more growth is necessary.
The fact is, I don't expect the Yankees to make this move because they care more about "development" and "growth" than helping the team win. But the truth is Hughes' true value might end up being in the pen. As I wrote about before, Hughes, right now, is a two-pitch pitcher. He can get by with that out of the pen, not starting. Shuttling him up and down does nothing for him and it does nothing for the team.
Let him see what he can do. Let him take over as potentially a bridge to Rivera. Let him help solidify the pen. If he is needed in the rotation, the move can always be made in season. If not, he can help the club win and he can learn at this level. There is no baseball excuse for sending him down and keeping Veras and Ramirez up, none at all.
Big game for Burnett and Yankees
One of these days the weekend here in the Northeast is going to bring with it some good weather. There is nothing more depressing than watching the sun shine through the window of your office at work for five days and then get to Saturday and not be able to leave your house because of the gale force winds threatening to blow your roof to another county.
Maybe that's why I'm not in a good mood this weekend. Maybe it's because of the weather, the long hours at work, or the fact that I have five days of work before the long weekend for Memorial Day comes up. Let's face it, I need a vacation (or that winning powerball ticket, whichever one comes first).
That bad mood has prevented me from truly enjoying the recent good play of the Yanks. I don't know what it is but it just seems like there is still something missing from this club. Do you honestly have confidence in this group to string together a big stretch of good baseball? The bullpen is still shaky at best, the starting rotation seems to be coming around but they always seem to throw a stinker in the middle, and the offense continues to leave a small third world country on base through every game. When is the last time you looked up in the fourth or fifth inning and saw the Yankees with a 4 or 5 run lead?
And maybe I am not being fair to Mr. Joe Girardi, but the man seems to be absolutely intent on trying to clutch defeat from the hands of victory in every game. The fact that he still uses Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez in games that count is grounds for immediate firing, in my opinion. But GI Joe has as good a job security as possible because his owners probably haven't seen a full game of baseball all year long.
But this game today, with Burnett on the mound, will go along way to brightening my blues and making me a believer in the team. First, AJ "pie in the face" Burnett needs a good game. His tough-guy, biker attitude is starting to really get on my nerves when, in each game, you see him fall apart when he isn't dominating the opposition (just like the flaky, step to the beat of his own drum Nick Swisher is rubbing me the wrong way now that he has become a strikeout machine).
Burnett was paid to be at least a number 2 pitcher for this team, and this is the type of game a top-end of the rotation pitcher wins. You don't want to see him out of this game after 6 giving up 4 or 5 runs, walking 5, striking out 7. That's not a line you need.
In addition, the team is facing Kevin Slowey. Have you seen this man's numbers? Forget the 5-1 record. The guy has pitched 40 innings, given up 58 hits, and opponents are batting .337. I mean, Phil Hughes looks like Satchel Paige compared to that disaster of a season. If the Yankees don't have 5 or 6 runs within the first half of the game, there needs to be an investigation. Or, at the very least, we can begin to rethink the "modern-day genius" label people have attached to Kevin Long over the last two years, right?
If I have to watch one more below-average pitcher throw like a superstar against this team, I am turning off the TV, throwing on some Jazz, and beginning the process of picking my favorite MLS soccer team because I am finished with baseball. Kevin Slowey better not be in the sixth inning of this game, that's all I am saying.
And while I am in a bad mood, let me throw a few more bombs at Joe Girardi. Robinson Cano gets the day off today. He gets the day off against Kevin Slowey, a man who has been absolutely KILLED by lefty batters. A guy who is always around the plate. A guy who has given up 18 more hits than innings pitched. Tomorrow (Monday) the Yankees go against lefty Glen Perkins, who doesn't do a tremendous amount right except get lefties out. Why not play him today to try and get him back on track? Why rest him today against a guy he SHOULD be able to handle and then, if needed, rest him against Perkins, the lefty, tomorrow? And why is Cano getting the day off but Swisher, who looks like a poor-man's Mark Whitten up there right now, is in the lineup? He is 1 for his last 19. I would bet my life that, of those 19 at bats, 16 have been strikeouts. He is on track to obliterate Ryan Howard's homerun totals for the season, without any of those pesky homerun or RBI numbers the big Philly firstbaseman puts up each year.
And why isn't Gardner playing today? He needs a rest? Why is this lineup always changing? Why does everyone need a rest? Why is Joe Girardi still managing this team? I swear to God, someone needs to send the man a memo and let him know this isn't a 12 and under soccer team he is coaching where everyone needs to play. Set a freakin lineup and GO WITH IT!!!!! The man is insistent on NOT getting the best out of players. He consistently puts his players in positions where it is more difficult to succeed. Simply put, he's a terrible manager - great guy, terrible manager.
Okay, now that I have that out of my system, let's hope that Burnett steps up and that the Yankee bats don't go asleep against this joke of a pitcher.
Maybe that's why I'm not in a good mood this weekend. Maybe it's because of the weather, the long hours at work, or the fact that I have five days of work before the long weekend for Memorial Day comes up. Let's face it, I need a vacation (or that winning powerball ticket, whichever one comes first).
That bad mood has prevented me from truly enjoying the recent good play of the Yanks. I don't know what it is but it just seems like there is still something missing from this club. Do you honestly have confidence in this group to string together a big stretch of good baseball? The bullpen is still shaky at best, the starting rotation seems to be coming around but they always seem to throw a stinker in the middle, and the offense continues to leave a small third world country on base through every game. When is the last time you looked up in the fourth or fifth inning and saw the Yankees with a 4 or 5 run lead?
And maybe I am not being fair to Mr. Joe Girardi, but the man seems to be absolutely intent on trying to clutch defeat from the hands of victory in every game. The fact that he still uses Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez in games that count is grounds for immediate firing, in my opinion. But GI Joe has as good a job security as possible because his owners probably haven't seen a full game of baseball all year long.
But this game today, with Burnett on the mound, will go along way to brightening my blues and making me a believer in the team. First, AJ "pie in the face" Burnett needs a good game. His tough-guy, biker attitude is starting to really get on my nerves when, in each game, you see him fall apart when he isn't dominating the opposition (just like the flaky, step to the beat of his own drum Nick Swisher is rubbing me the wrong way now that he has become a strikeout machine).
Burnett was paid to be at least a number 2 pitcher for this team, and this is the type of game a top-end of the rotation pitcher wins. You don't want to see him out of this game after 6 giving up 4 or 5 runs, walking 5, striking out 7. That's not a line you need.
In addition, the team is facing Kevin Slowey. Have you seen this man's numbers? Forget the 5-1 record. The guy has pitched 40 innings, given up 58 hits, and opponents are batting .337. I mean, Phil Hughes looks like Satchel Paige compared to that disaster of a season. If the Yankees don't have 5 or 6 runs within the first half of the game, there needs to be an investigation. Or, at the very least, we can begin to rethink the "modern-day genius" label people have attached to Kevin Long over the last two years, right?
If I have to watch one more below-average pitcher throw like a superstar against this team, I am turning off the TV, throwing on some Jazz, and beginning the process of picking my favorite MLS soccer team because I am finished with baseball. Kevin Slowey better not be in the sixth inning of this game, that's all I am saying.
And while I am in a bad mood, let me throw a few more bombs at Joe Girardi. Robinson Cano gets the day off today. He gets the day off against Kevin Slowey, a man who has been absolutely KILLED by lefty batters. A guy who is always around the plate. A guy who has given up 18 more hits than innings pitched. Tomorrow (Monday) the Yankees go against lefty Glen Perkins, who doesn't do a tremendous amount right except get lefties out. Why not play him today to try and get him back on track? Why rest him today against a guy he SHOULD be able to handle and then, if needed, rest him against Perkins, the lefty, tomorrow? And why is Cano getting the day off but Swisher, who looks like a poor-man's Mark Whitten up there right now, is in the lineup? He is 1 for his last 19. I would bet my life that, of those 19 at bats, 16 have been strikeouts. He is on track to obliterate Ryan Howard's homerun totals for the season, without any of those pesky homerun or RBI numbers the big Philly firstbaseman puts up each year.
And why isn't Gardner playing today? He needs a rest? Why is this lineup always changing? Why does everyone need a rest? Why is Joe Girardi still managing this team? I swear to God, someone needs to send the man a memo and let him know this isn't a 12 and under soccer team he is coaching where everyone needs to play. Set a freakin lineup and GO WITH IT!!!!! The man is insistent on NOT getting the best out of players. He consistently puts his players in positions where it is more difficult to succeed. Simply put, he's a terrible manager - great guy, terrible manager.
Okay, now that I have that out of my system, let's hope that Burnett steps up and that the Yankee bats don't go asleep against this joke of a pitcher.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
