2008-2009 Yankees Off-Season Thread

What you want and what you get are 2 different things.

 

Burnett's probably a bigger injury risk than Sabathia, if only because he has a history of it.

But that's pitching for you.

 

We can take Burnett. He can be our new Pavano.

 

Given the choice between Sabathia and Burnett, I'd probably choose Burnett. Yeah, the risk of DL stints would be there, but I worry that Sabathia is going to have no arm left in a couple years due to overuse.

I wanted Lowe badly a few years back when he left the Red Sox. I haven't really kept up with his career out in LA though. I'm always leery of NL pitchers coming into the AL though.

 

if Cashman wants to add 2 or 3 starters this off season at least he'd be admitting that going into last season with 3 kids in your starting rotation was a gigantic, gigantic stupidity. Perhaps the moron is starting to learn from his mistakes? It would also go against what all the Cashman supporters loved this year so much about him...you know, the part where he told the steinbrenners to shut up and insisted on the youth movement.....im so confused...does anyone think that Cashman has a plan? Does anyone think he has the ablitiy to rebuild this team? really?

Burnett would cost how much? 15 mil per? cc? close to 20 per? CC has thrown two thousand innings in the last 3 months alone...burnett will be what, 32 next season coming off his most innings ever I think....Lowe a nice 4 starter in the american league at best will cost how much? I thought we had all the young talent in the system...all these arms......again, im very confused.

 

You're ignoring the big picture to make yourself "right".

Going into next season, we have 2 "sure things" as far as young pitchers (Wang and Chamberlain), 1 "probably" (Hughes), and 1 "well, who the hell knows" (Kennedy).

Pettitte may or may not be back. Same with Mussina.

We don't have an unlimited pool of quality starting pitching in the minors. First of all, most teams don't. If your top 3 system guys don't pan out, you're probably not going to have a lot of success. Right now, our top 3 (Wang, Joba, Hughes) look to be panning out. (Yes, you can argue all day about HUghes, but whatever. We'll see this year.) Second of all, regardless of the talent of those guys, two of them will still have an innings cap. Someone has to be there to pitch in the gaps. Would you rather AJ Burnett, or Sidney Ponson?

The Yankees still have a deep minor league system. However, not all of that talent is locked into starting pitching. We have a replacement for Mo coming. We have positional players also.

Now I agree we shouldn't be spending truckloads of cash to bring in CC "I've pitched 800 innings" Sabathia. Burnett is a risk too, though it would be nice to have him rather than face him. Lowe I'm admitted not up to speed on, so I can't speak on him. The thing is, we need to solidify the rotation, and at least one of those guys does need to be brought in for that purpose.

I understand you hate Cashman, but it's unfounded. The "bad" moves he's made have largely been the result of owner meddling (Giambi, Clemens II), whereas the moves he's made by choice (Abreu, Nady) have worked out pretty well.

 

wang, joba, either pettitte or moose we'll say, hughes, kennedy, burnett, c.c, and Lowe. 9 guys bro? My point is this. If Cashman goes out and signs these 3.....even 2 out of 3 it means that he is making sure not to repeat last year when he broke camp with 3 kids in teh starting 5. He would be right to NOT repeat that mind you. Making me right last year when I sadi hes retarded. Get it? Theres really no other way to look at it if he breaks camp this year with a complete different approach from last, well then what do you think his opinion of last year's approach is? hmmmm?

 

Derek Lowe going to the Yankees would be a terrible thing. He's reasonably solid in the regular season and absolute money in the playoffs.

 

I like Lowe too..I would like to see Wang, Joba, Burnett, Lowe and hughes.

 

But the problem is, you still wouldn't be correct.

They've already stated that Joba will pitch out of the rotation all year, but will skip starts. Someone has to make those up. Again, would you rather that was AJ Burnett or Sidney Ponson?

I haven't seen it said publicly yet, but there's no question Hughes will have to miss starts as well, even if he is in perfect health all year. His pitch count has to be brought back up too. If Kennedy makes the team, the same would go for him too, though to a lesser degree than the other two.

So even if we start the season with a rotation of Wang, Joba, Hughes, Kennedy, -someone else from the system-, we'd still need at least one, if not two, other starters to fill in throughout the season.

Now I'm not counting on Kennedy at this point, and hoping he surprises me. So that leaves at least 3 spots in the rotation to fill, even with the young guns at the top.

In that case, wouldn't it be nice to have a rotation of Wang, Chamberlain, Burnett, Hughes, Lowe?

So no, you're still wrong because it won't be any different than coming out of ST last year.

 

huh? the rotation you described is exactly the rotation I stated that I wanted in my post.....if he signs lowe and burnett then it is not at all the rotation or the rotation mentality as last year

 

any way we can sign Torre back?

 

I realize it's the one you wanted. How is not the one from last year though? In reality, the only difference is you sub in Burnett and Lowe for Pettitte and Moose. It's an upgrade, but not a change.

The only thing you can even remotely argue is that coming into the year Kennedy was planned for the rotation and Mussina was the odd man out. Still, it doesn't change the overall scope of "the plan." It's still about raising our young talent and bringing them up to compete. It's not a bad formula, look at Tampa Bay.

You're still wrong.

 

hahah blow it out y our ass, howdya lilke them apples...the more I htink about it the more I realize that talking about baseball right now is fuckin retarded.....call me in March you big fat M&M

 

The only thing I'd change about the lineup would be putting Posada ahead of Cano. Otherwise, that's pretty much a dream lineup. I'm still not convinced of Gardner, but in the 9 spot, I can give him a legit chance.

I rank Joba ahead of Burnett, but that rotation, in any order, is great. I don't want Giese anywhere near the rotation though. I know people like him, but I have no confidence whatsoever when he's on the mound. As for Coke, I'd like to keep him in the pen if they aren't going to make him a full-time starter.

The pen you described is awesome. No objections at all from me there. (Unless you count that I'd want Coke in there.)

Everyone knows how I felt about Betemit, and my opinion is still the same. I don't want him on the team at all. Otherwise, I'm satisfied with that bench.

I also just read an article on the Yankees' web site where Abreu is trying to make the case to stay with the club. I'd love to have him back, but I don't think there's room. Especially if the Yankees aren't willing to get rid of Matsui (which I would highly approve of.)

:rofl::beer:

 

my take on your lineup....1) I know we have no choice, but Damon in left makes me want to vomit.
2)I have lost all confidence in Cano and would love to see him traded for an outfielder. If hes here, drop him behind Posada as Alio said.
3) Brett Gardner cannot be the opening day CF. Hes a bench player at best.
4) That bench is an absolute disaster.
5) 13 pitchers? no.
6) I like the rotation. That would be the strongest part of our team.

 

How do you feel about Abreu?

Honestly, I'm in favor of bringing him back, keeping Nady in left, and letting Damon platoon with Gardner in center. (I agree with you that Gardner is a bench player/4th outfielder. I think he'd make a great defensive substitution late in games, and a nice guy to stick in the bottom of the lineup a couple times a week to rest one of the other outfielders.)

I'm not "done" with Cano yet, but I'm pretty close. He definitely shouldn't be hitting higher than 7th until he proves himself though.

As far as the bench, we have to carry a backup catcher, so Molina stays. We agree on Betemit, but Miranda has potential. There's not a lot of room to play with the bench though. Who would you have on it?

The rotation would be very strong with that group, but what do you see as a problem with overall pitching? I think we need more pitching, especially in the pen, than we need positional players. With lineups in the AL East only getting stronger, we need pitching, especially in the pen, that can hold its own.

I'm actually surprised you didn't mention putting Matsui right in the center of the field when the wrecking ball hits.

 

Rumor is Jay Peavy maybe available for the right price. Cano/Kennedy for Peavy anyone?