Monday, September 28 Yankee Stadium | 7:05 PM ET Chad Gaudin, RHP (5-10, 4.78) vs Luke Hochevar, RHP (7-11, 5.98) Tuesday, September 29 Yankee Stadium | 7:05 PM ET A.J. Burnett, RHP (12-9, 4.19) vs Anthony Lerew, RHP (0-1, 3.86) Wednesday, September 30 Yankee Stadium | 7:05 PM ET Joba Chamberlain, RHP (9-6, 4.72) vs Robinson Tejeda, RHP (4-2, 3.41)
What do you think? Has he pitched well enough to earn a spot on the postseason roster? I think he might have. It's going to be some tough decisions I think. Here are my picks: Sure Things: Damon Jeter Teixeira ARod Matsui Posada Cano Swisher Cabrera Gardner Molina CC AJ Pettitte Joba Mo Hughes Coke Marte Aceves Probables: Robertson Gaudin Bruney Hairston Hinske Possibles: Pena Duncan Cervelli
Gaudin will make the roster, I am sure of it. So will Robertson. Not sure of Bruney. I turned on the game quick and with the exception of where it was I would have thought I was watching a Scranton game. (oh, and your 104 wins prediction is looking really good)
Yeah, I think Gaudin has a really good chance, and he definitely earned it. Robertson I'm certain of, as long as he's healthy. That's my only question mark on him, and it's not a big one. I think Bruney makes it. When he's on, he's practically unhittable. The Yankees' web site says he'll get another shot to earn his spot tonight. I actually heard him on the radio pregame with Waldman last night, and he was really touched by the fans' ovation the other day. I really want this guy to stay healthy in the future. I think he's got what it takes to be the setup guy until Mo passes the mantle to him. It was actually hilarious to watch the Yankees' AAA team beat up on the AL's AAA team. I actually felt a little bad for Hochevar though. I mean, he had clearly lost it when he finally walked the bases loaded. The Royals have no tomorrow to play for, why isn't there someone warmed up and ready to help him out? Why leave him to the wolves with a good hitter in Cano coming up? Did I predict 104? I can't remember. Whatever I predicted I think it was predicated on Sabathia winning 20, AJ winning 15-17, Pettitte winning 15, Joba winning ~15 and Wang winning 17+. Looks like only CC and Andy will manage their numbers. AJ did stay in a few games he didn't get a decision for though, and the Yankees won a few of those. EDIT: I just read on the Yankees' web site that they're only planning on carrying 10 pitchers into the ALDS. That leaves: CC AJ Andy Joba Mo Hughes Coke According to the site, the following are on the bubble: Aceves, Gaudin, Marte, Bruney, Robertson. I can't see not bringing Marte. I doubt they want just one lefty in the pen. So that almost surely leaves Bruney out unless he's amazing over the next few games. Robertson deserves to be with the postseason team, and how can you say Aceves doesn't? Then Gaudin has been at least as good as Joba. I don't like this 10 pitcher deal. I'd carry all 12 of those guys. Your starting bats are what will win behind stellar pitching. Not Hairston or Hinske or Duncan in a PH AB.
someone offered me tickets too...what the heck im going. Its the inaugural season, havent been to a game yet, Burnetts pitching = positives enough for me
You predicted 104 just a few weeks ago after it appeared the Yankees had the division locked up coming out of Boston. Wow..only 10 pitchers..I guess in the Division series Chamberlain will be in the pen anyway..still, only 10?
Did I? Man, my memory is just a sieve. Hahaha. I don't know about Joba going to the pen. Unless they decide to go with Gaudin as a starter in the second series. I doubt they want to bounce Joba around anymore after earlier incidents.
Chamberlain to the pen in the first series where they will go with only 3 starters. I think that's how they can make do with only 10 pitchers. He may not get used there but at least he would be available..hell, most of his starts lately have only been 4 innings anyway.
But he'd be limited on when he could pitch out of the pen. Though I guess that would be the case either way. The key is that they'd need to keep him on schedule, and he definitely couldn't pitch in more than one game in the ALDS if they were going to put him back in the rotation for the ALCS. I wonder if this opens the door for Gaudin to be the 4th starter in the postseason, where Joba just pitches out of the pen and Gaudin makes a start or two if absolutely necessary. I might be in favor of that, even though I know Joba would throw his best stuff in each appearance and start the whole "Joba belongs in the pen" argument again come Spring Training. This team has a chance, and even when it comes to the young arms, there's a legit shot to win it now, and you always have to take that, future be damned.
He could end up in the pan anyway next year..Yankees have interest in that Cuban defector and there are a bunch of FAs starting with Halladay anyway..Pettitte deserves another year if he wants it..Wang might be back...can't believe they will sit still.
Joba will start next year, bank on it. Halladay isn't a free agent for another 13 months. Wang is nothing to bank on. Pettitte will be back. I don't know if this is much of a market this year. Who is going to be available? Besides, with Joba, Hughes and Kennedy, it doesn't make a lot of sense to go pursuing free agents and spending more money on top of this payroll. They also have to make decisions on Damon and Matsui this winter, both of which have probably played their way into another contract in pinstripes. I think the Yankees will be surprisingly quiet this winter, save for re-signings.
They say Hughes is still a starter too. Projected starting FA pitchers. Not much here. A couple. Brandon Backe HOU Miguel Batista SEA Josh Beckett * BOS Erik Bedard SEA (B) Daniel Cabrera ARZ Bartolo Colon CWS Jose Contreras COL Doug Davis ARZ (B) Justin Duchscherer OAK (B) Adam Eaton COL Kelvim Escobar LAA Jon Garland * LAD (B) Tom Glavine ATL Mike Hampton HOU Rich Harden CHC (A) Tim Hudson * ATL Randy Johnson SF (B) John Lackey LAA (A) Cliff Lee * PHI (A) Braden Looper * MIL (B) Jason Marquis COL (B) Kevin Millwood * TEX Brett Myers PHI Vicente Padilla * LAD (B) Carl Pavano MIN Brad Penny SF Odalis Perez WAS Andy Pettitte NYY (B) Joel Pineiro STL (B) Sidney Ponson KC Jason Schmidt LAD John Smoltz STL Tim Wakefield BOS (B) Jarrod Washburn DET Brandon Webb * ARZ (B) Todd Wellemeyer STL (B) Randy Wolf (A)
Looking at Damon's stats from his first year in NY and this year his HR's, RBI's, 2B's, BB's and Avg. are nearly identical. Kinda crazy how similar they are.
Is Aceves actually on the postseason bubble? That guy has been huge for us this year. He should be there. Gaudin and Robertson too.
I'd be stunned if Aceves or Gaudin didn't make the postseason roster. Robertson is a possibility because of his injury problems of late. I think the most likely odd man out is Brian Bruney.
